The Pathogenic Role of Anti-Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor Autoantibodies in the Nocardiosis with the Central Nervous System Involvement.

Purpose: Anti-granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor autoantibodies (anti-GM-CSF Abs) are implicated in the pathogenesis of Cryptococcus gattii (C. gattii) infection and pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (PAP). Their presence has also been noted in nocardiosis cases, particularly those with disseminated disease.

Presentation of glomerulocystic disease in a young onset diabetes: A case report.

Rationale: This case report presents a challenging medical scenario involving a young adult male who exhibited an unusual combination of symptoms, including abrupt weight loss, declining renal function, proteinuria, and concurrent onset of diabetes mellitus. Remarkably, the patient had no previous medical history or family history of similar conditions, necessitating a comprehensive investigation.

Patient Concerns: On March 10, 2021, a 25-year-old male sought medical attention due to the aforementioned symptoms.

All-cause and immune checkpoint inhibitor-associated acute kidney injury in immune checkpoint inhibitor users: a meta-analysis of occurrence rate, risk factors and mortality.

Background: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have been associated with acute kidney injury (AKI). However, the occurrence rate of ICI-related AKI has not been systematically examined. Additionally, exposure to proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) were considered as risk factors for AKI, but with inconclusive results in ICI-related AKI.

Vacancy Defects Inductive Effect of Asymmetrically Coordinated Single-Atom Fe─N S Active Sites for Robust Electrocatalytic Oxygen Reduction with High Turnover Frequency and Mass Activity.

The development of facile, efficient synthesis method to construct low-cost and high-performance single-atom catalysts (SACs) for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is extremely important, yet still challenging. Herein, an atomically dispersed N, S co-doped carbon with abundant vacancy defects (NSC-vd) anchored Fe single atoms (SAs) is reported and a vacancy defects inductive effect is proposed for promoting electrocatalytic ORR. The optimized catalyst featured of stable Fe─N S active sites exhibits excellent ORR activity with high turnover frequency and mass activity.

The role of confirmatory tests in the diagnosis of primary aldosteronism.

Confirmatory tests for diagnosis of primary aldosteronism (PA) play an important role in sparing patients with a false-positive aldosterone-to-renin ratio (ARR) screening test from undergoing invasive subtyping procedures. We recommend that patients with a positive ARR test should undergo at least one confirmatory test to confirm or exclude the diagnosis of PA before directly proceeding to subtype studies, except for patients with significant PA phenotypes, including spontaneous hypokalemia, plasma aldosterone concentration >20 ng/dL plus plasma renin activity below a detectable level. Although a gold standard confirmatory test has not been identified, we recommend that saline infusion test and captopril challenge test, which were widely used in Taiwan.

Supplementation with Folic Acid and Cardiovascular Outcomes in End-Stage Kidney Disease: A Multi-Institution Cohort Study.

Background: Folate is a water-soluble vitamin and is essential for maintaining cell functions. Dialysis removes folate, and folate deficiency is reported in patients with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD). However, there is no consensus as to the appropriate dosage of folate supplements and their advantages and disadvantages for patients with ESKD.

Cryptococcus gattii Infection as the Major Clinical Manifestation in Patients with Autoantibodies Against Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor.

Purpose: Anti-granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor autoantibodies (anti-GM-CSF Abs) are a predisposing factor for pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (PAP) and Cryptococcus gattii cryptococcosis. This study aimed to investigate clinical manifestations in anti-GM-CSF Ab-positive patients with C. gattii cryptococcosis and analyze the properties of anti-GM-CSF Abs derived from these patients and patients with PAP.

Pathogenic autoantibodies to IFN-γ act through the impedance of receptor assembly and Fc-mediated response.

Anti-interferon (IFN)-γ autoantibodies (AIGAs) are a pathogenic factor in late-onset immunodeficiency with disseminated mycobacterial and other opportunistic infections. AIGAs block IFN-γ function, but their effects on IFN-γ signaling are unknown. Using a single-cell capture method, we isolated 19 IFN-γ-reactive monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) from patients with AIGAs.

End-to-end interstitial fibrosis assessment of kidney biopsies with a machine learning-based model.

Background: The extent of interstitial fibrosis in the kidney not only correlates with renal function at the time of biopsy but also predicts future renal outcome. However, its assessment by pathologists lacks good agreement. The aim of this study is to construct a machine learning-based model that enables automatic and reliable assessment of interstitial fibrosis in human kidney biopsies.

Incidence of Mortality, Acute Kidney Injury and Graft Loss in Adult Kidney Transplant Recipients with Coronavirus Disease 2019: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

The adverse impact of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on kidney function has been reported since the global pandemic. The burden of COVID-19 on kidney transplant recipients, however, has not been systematically analyzed. A systematic review and meta-analysis with a random-effect model was conducted to explore the rate of mortality, intensive care unit admission, invasive mechanical ventilation, acute kidney injury, kidney replacement therapy and graft loss in the adult kidney transplant population with COVID-19.

Glomerular disease classification and lesion identification by machine learning.

Background: Classification of glomerular diseases and identification of glomerular lesions require careful morphological examination by experienced nephropathologists, which is labor-intensive, time-consuming, and prone to interobserver variability. In this regard, recent advance in machine learning-based image analysis is promising.

Methods: We combined Mask Region-based Convolutional Neural Networks (Mask R-CNN) with an additional classification step to build a glomerulus detection model using human kidney biopsy samples.

Fenofibrate Delays the Need for Dialysis and Reduces Cardiovascular Risk Among Patients With Advanced CKD.

Context: Fenofibrate provides limited cardiovascular (CV) benefits in the general population; however, little is known about its benefit among advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients.

Objective: This study compared outcomes among advanced CKD patients treated with fenofibrate, statins, a combination of both, and none of these.

Methods: This national cohort study was based on Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database.

Machine Learning Predictions of Block Copolymer Self-Assembly.

Directed self-assembly of block copolymers is a key enabler for nanofabrication of devices with sub-10 nm feature sizes, allowing patterning far below the resolution limit of conventional photolithography. Among all the process steps involved in block copolymer self-assembly, solvent annealing plays a dominant role in determining the film morphology and pattern quality, yet the interplay of the multiple parameters during solvent annealing, including the initial thickness, swelling, time, and solvent ratio, makes it difficult to predict and control the resultant self-assembled pattern. Here, machine learning tools are applied to analyze the solvent annealing process and predict the effect of process parameters on morphology and defectivity.

Advanced Chronic Kidney Disease with Low and Very Low GFR: Can a Low-Protein Diet Supplemented with Ketoanalogues Delay Dialysis?

Background: Previous studies have demonstrated that dietary therapy can delay the initiation of dialysis, but little research has investigated whether patients with very poor renal function would benefit from a dietary therapy.

Methods: This study was performed by using the Chang Gung Research Database (CGRD), which is based on the largest medical system in Taiwan. Patients with estimated glomerular filtration rates (eGFR) < 15 mL/min/1.

Anti-IFN-γ autoantibodies underlie disseminated Talaromyces marneffei infections.

Talaromyces marneffei causes life-threatening opportunistic infections, mainly in Southeast Asia and South China. T. marneffei mainly infects patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) but also infects individuals without known immunosuppression.

Taiwan mini-frontier of primary aldosteronism: Updating detection and diagnosis.

Background: To update information about the internationally accepted standards and clinical recommendations for the detection and diagnosis of primary aldosteronism (PA).

Methods: The Taiwan Society of Aldosteronism (TSA) Task Force reviewed the latest literature and reached a consensus after group meetings. The nine critical issues were recognized to provide updated information and internationally acceptable protocols.

Association between initial dialytic modalities and the risks of mortality, infection death, and cardiovascular events: A nationwide population-based cohort study.

To date, few studies have been conducted to pairwise compare the prognosis of peritoneal dialysis (PD), unplanned PD, and unplanned hemodialysis (HD). We analyzed longitudinal data from Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database. We included 45,165 patients whose initial dialytic modality was PD or unplanned HD between January 1, 2001 and December 31, 2013.

Prognostic value of endothelial biomarkers in refractory cardiogenic shock with ECLS: a prospective monocentric study.

Background: Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is often used in critical patients with severe myocardial failure. However, the mortality rate of patients on ECMO is often high. Recent studies have suggested that endothelial activation with subsequent vascular barrier breakdown is a critical pathogenic mechanism of organ damage and is related to the outcome of critical illness.

Crested two-dimensional transistors.

Two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) materials, albeit promising candidates for applications in electronics and optoelectronics, are still limited by their low electrical mobility under ambient conditions. Efforts to improve device performance through a variety of routes, such as modification of contact metals and gate dielectrics or encapsulation in hexagonal boron nitride, have yielded limited success at room temperature. Here, we report a large increase in the performance of TMD field-effect transistors operating under ambient conditions, achieved by engineering the substrate's surface morphology.

Polyomavirus BK, BKV microRNA, and urinary neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin can be used as potential biomarkers of lupus nephritis.

Objective: Lupus nephritis (LN) frequently progresses to end-stage renal disease. Finding a biomarker for LN and a predictor for the development of chronic kidney disease (CKD) is important for patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

Methods: Ninety patients with SLE were divided into biopsy-proven LN (n = 54) and no kidney involvement (non-LN) (n = 36) groups and followed up for 54 months.

Immunoglobulin E and G Levels in Predicting Minimal Change Disease before Renal Biopsy.

Purpose: The diagnosis of minimal change disease in adults relies mainly on renal biopsy, but this procedure is not without complications. Despite the advancements in technique of percutaneous renal biopsy, biopsy-related complications still occur. Bleeding is one of the major complications, which may lead to hemodynamic instability and, sometimes, even death.