Immunosuppressants in dermatology on vaccine immunogenicity: a prospective cohort study of pemphigus patients in the pandemic.

Introduction: Both cellular and humoral responses are important for vaccine protection, but recommendations on immunosuppressants in dermatology are largely based on pre-pandemic experiences. This study aimed to investigate the impacts of immunosuppressants on humoral and cellular immunogenicity to COVID-19 vaccinations in pemphigus patients.

Methods: SARS-CoV-2-naïve pemphigus patients and age-, and sex-matched healthy controls were recruited from multiple tertiary medical centers during 2021-2023.

Solving the general 3-D safety factor by combining Sarma's idea with the assumption of normal stress distribution over the slip surface.

This study proposes a method for determining 3-D limit equilibrium solutions. The method, inspired by Sarma, introduces the horizontal seismic coefficient as a slope failure parameter and implements a modification of the normal stress over the slip surface. Four equilibrium equations are used to solve the problem without compromising the accuracy of the calculations: three force equilibrium equations in the x, y, and z directions and a moment equilibrium equation in the vertical (z) direction.

Cutaneous infection caused by Purpureocillium lilacinum: Case reports and literature review of infections by Purpureocillium and Paecilomyces in Taiwan.

Hyalohyphomycosis is a rare infection caused by a group of fungi that are devoid of pigments in their cell walls. As one of the main pathogens of hyalohyphomycosis, Purpureocillium lilacinum (former Paecilomyces lilacinus) is known for its intrinsic resistance to various antifungal agents. Here, we report three cases that coincide with a history of farming and all of them suffered from cutaneous hyalohyphomycosis caused by P.

The Roles of Immunoregulatory Networks in Severe Drug Hypersensitivity.

The immunomodulatory effects of regulatory T cells (Tregs) and co-signaling receptors have gained much attention, as they help balance immunogenic and immunotolerant responses that may be disrupted in autoimmune and infectious diseases. Drug hypersensitivity has a myriad of manifestations, which ranges from the mild maculopapular exanthema to the severe Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS), toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN), and drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms/drug-induced hypersensitivity syndrome (DRESS/DIHS). While studies have identified high-risk human leukocyte antigen (HLA) allotypes, the presence of the HLA allotype at risk is not sufficient to elicit drug hypersensitivity.

Delayed Fever and Acute Kidney Injury in Patients with Urinary Tract Infection.

The presence of fever has long been a warning sign of severe urinary tract infection (UTI). However, we previously identified that inpatients with afebrile UTI had an increased risk of developing acute kidney injury (AKI). After expanding this cohort, 1132 inpatients with UTI diagnosed between January 2006 and April 2019 were analyzed.

Detecting Lesional Granulysin Levels for Rapid Diagnosis of Cytotoxic T lymphocyte-Mediated Bullous Skin Disorders.

Background: Bullous skin disorders are induced by different pathomechanisms and several are emergent, including Stevens-Johnson syndrome/toxic epidermal necrolysis (SJS/TEN). Rapid diagnostic methods for SJS/TEN or cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL)-mediated bullous disorders are crucial for early treatment. Granulysin, primarily expressed by CTLs, is a specific cytotoxic protein responsible for SJS/TEN and similar skin reactions.

Manipulation of Metabolic Pathways and Its Consequences for Anti-Tumor Immunity: A Clinical Perspective.

In the relatively short history of anti-tumor treatment, numerous medications have been developed against a variety of targets. Intriguingly, although many anti-tumor strategies have failed in their clinical trials, metformin, an anti-diabetic medication, demonstrated anti-tumor effects in observational studies and even showed its synergistic potential with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in subsequent clinical studies. Looking back from bedside-to-bench, it may not be surprising that the anti-tumor effect of metformin derives largely from its ability to rewire aberrant metabolic pathways within the tumor microenvironment.

The Role of Immune Checkpoint Receptors in Regulating Immune Reactivity in Lupus.

Immune checkpoint receptors with co-stimulatory and co-inhibitory signals are important modulators for the immune system. However, unrestricted co-stimulation and/or inadequate co-inhibition may cause breakdown of self-tolerance, leading to autoimmunity. Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a complex multi-organ disease with skewed and dysregulated immune responses interacting with genetics and the environment.

The Association Between Usage of Colchicine and Pneumonia: A Nationwide, Population-Based Cohort Study.

A previous study suggested that colchicine may cause leukopenia and increase the risk of infection, such as pneumonia. Thus, we investigated the potential relationship between colchicine use and risk of developing pneumonia. Data were collected from Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD), a nationwide, population-based database.

Identifying risk groups of infectious spondylitis in patients with end-stage renal disease under hemodialysis: a propensity score-matched case-control study.

Background: Patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) under hemodialysis (HD) are at greater risks of infectious spondylitis (IS), but there is no reliable predictor that facilitate early detection of this relatively rare and insidious disease.

Methods: A retrospective review of the medical records from patients with ESRD under HD over a 12-year period was performed at a tertiary teaching hospital, and those with a first-time diagnosis of IS were identified. A 1:4 propensity score-matched case-control study was carried out, and baseline characteristics, underlying diseases, and laboratory data were compared between the study group and the control group, one month before the date of diagnosis or the index date respectively.

Aristolochic Acid and Immunotherapy for Urothelial Carcinoma: Directions for unmet Needs.

Urothelial carcinoma of the bladder (UCB) and upper tracts (UTUC) used to share management with similar principles. However, their genetic and epigenetic differences along with different responses to immunotherapy were recently identified, which are reminiscent of their distinct etiologies. Different from the variety of environmental factors relating to UCB, UTUC is best known for its close relationship with exposure to aristolochic acid (AA).

Comparative analysis of hepatocellular carcinoma and cirrhosis gene expression profiles.

Gene expression data of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) was compared with that of cirrhosis (C) to identify critical genes in HCC. A total of five gene expression data sets were downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus. HCC and healthy samples were combined as dataset HCC, whereas cirrhosis samples were included in dataset C.

Clinicopathological and prognostic implications of the miR-200 family in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the association of the expression of members in the miR-200 family with clinicopathological characteristics and their impacts on overall survival in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). Expression levels of members in the miR-200 family, including miR-200a, miR-200b, miR-200c, miR-141, and miR-429, were detected by using miRNA qRT-PCR and in situ hybridization. Associations of their expression with clinicopathological factors and overall survival were statistically evaluated.