Torture victims' perspective on dental treatment: "Every sign you make, every move you take" - A qualitative study.

Torture victims struggling with post-traumatic stress often experience elements in the dental treatment situation that may trigger trauma-related reactions. The aim of the study was to explore intervention strategies that will enable dental health workers to adapt dental treatment to the needs of torture survivors. Exploratory interviews were conducted with 10 torture-exposed resettled refugees with dental treatment experience in Norway.

Prevalence of mental distress and factors associated with symptoms of major depression among people living with HIV in Norway.

For people living with HIV (PLHIV) who can access lifesaving treatment, HIV has become a chronic lifelong condition; however, PLHIV have more mental and somatic comorbidities than their HIV-negative peers. In this cross-sectional study, we assessed the prevalence of mental distress and identified factors associated with major depression among 244 well-treated PLHIV residing in Norway. Participants completed validated questionnaires covering mental and somatic health.

Human thymic putative CD8αα precursors exhibit a biased TCR repertoire in single cell AIRR-seq.

Thymic T cell development comprises T cell receptor (TCR) recombination and assessment of TCR avidity towards self-peptide-MHC complexes presented by antigen-presenting cells. Self-reactivity may lead to negative selection, or to agonist selection and differentiation into unconventional lineages such as regulatory T cells and CD8[Formula: see text] T cells. To explore the effect of the adaptive immune receptor repertoire on thymocyte developmental decisions, we performed single cell adaptive immune receptor repertoire sequencing (scAIRR-seq) of thymocytes from human young paediatric thymi and blood.

Long-Term Use of Amoxicillin Is Associated with Changes in Gene Expression and DNA Methylation in Patients with Low Back Pain and Modic Changes.

Long-term antibiotics are prescribed for a variety of medical conditions, recently including low back pain with Modic changes. The molecular impact of such treatment is unknown. We conducted longitudinal transcriptome and epigenome analyses in patients ( = 100) receiving amoxicillin treatment or placebo for 100 days in the Antibiotics in Modic Changes (AIM) study.

The Protective Effect of the Extracts on Hypertensive Nephropathy Rats.

Background: Hypertensive nephropathy (HN) is one kind of kidney disorders caused by long-term uncontrolled hypertension, usually resulting in severe kidney damage, including inflammation and oxidative stress, no matter in cells or tissues, from patients with nephropathy. In recent years, nephropathy accompanied by hypertension is becoming one of the main causes for kidney replacement therapy, but few effective treatments have been reported for HN treatment. (AC) is a kind of plant with the effects of anti-inflammation, lowering blood pressure, and anti-oxidative stress.

Yishen Huashi granule modulated lipid metabolism in diabetic nephropathy via PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathways.

Aim: Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is the primary cause of end-stage renal disease worldwide. Although etiology for DN is complex and still needs to be fully understood, lipid metabolism disorder is found to play a role in it. Previously, we found Yishen Huashi (YSHS) granule could inhibit diabetic damage and reduce level of microalbuminuria (mALB) in DN animals.

HLA-DQ2 is associated with anti-drug antibody formation to infliximab in patients with immune-mediated inflammatory diseases.

Background: Immunogenicity to tumour necrosis factor inhibitors is a significant clinical problem leading to treatment failure and adverse events. The study aimed to assess human leukocyte antigen (HLA) associations with anti-drug antibody (ADAb) formation to infliximab.

Methods: Immune-mediated inflammatory disease patients on infliximab therapy (n = 612) were included.

Small extracellular vesicles have distinct CD81 and CD9 tetraspanin expression profiles in plasma from rheumatoid arthritis patients.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are implicated in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) but little is known about the composition of specific small EV (sEV) subpopulations. This study aimed to characterize the CD63, CD81 and CD9 tetraspanin profile in the membrane of single EVs in plasma from treatment naïve RA patients and assess potential discrepancies between methotrexate (MTX) responder groups. EVs isolated from plasma were characterized using transmission electron microscopy, and detection of surface markers (CD63, CD81 and CD9) on single EVs was performed on the ExoView platform.

Factors associated with health-related quality of life in people living with HIV in Norway.

Background: Despite the advances in the treatment of HIV, people living with HIV (PLHIV) still experience impairment of health-related quality of life (HRQOL). The aim of the study was to explore factors associated with HRQOL in a well-treated Norwegian HIV population.

Methods: Two hundred and forty-five patients were recruited from two outpatient clinics to participate in this cross-sectional study of addiction, mental distress, post-traumatic stress disorder, fatigue, somatic health, and HRQOL.

Multimodal human thymic profiling reveals trajectories and cellular milieu for T agonist selection.

To prevent autoimmunity, thymocytes expressing self-reactive T cell receptors (TCRs) are negatively selected, however, divergence into tolerogenic, agonist selected lineages represent an alternative fate. As thymocyte development, selection, and lineage choices are dependent on spatial context and cell-to-cell interactions, we have performed Cellular Indexing of Transcriptomes and Epitopes by sequencing (CITE-seq) and spatial transcriptomics on paediatric human thymu​​s. Thymocytes expressing markers of strong TCR signalling diverged from the conventional developmental trajectory prior to CD4 or CD8 lineage commitment, while markers of different agonist selected T cell populations (CD8αα(I), CD8αα(II), T, T(diff), and T) exhibited variable timing of induction.

Increased muscle activity during sleep and more RBD symptoms in H1N1-(Pandemrix)-vaccinated narcolepsy type 1 patients compared with their non-narcoleptic siblings.

Study Objectives: Narcolepsy type 1 (NT1) is characterized by unstable sleep-wake and muscle tonus regulation during sleep. We characterized dream enactment and muscle activity during sleep in a cohort of post-H1N1 NT1 patients and their siblings, and analyzed whether clinical phenotypic characteristics and major risk factors are associated with increased muscle activity.

Methods: RBD symptoms and polysomnography m.

Beyond challenges and enrichment: a qualitative account of cross-cultural experiences of nursing patients with an ethnic minority background in Norway.

Background: Substantial mass migrations to the Scandinavian countries have made them heterogeneous and multicultural societies. Migration has also influenced the workforce, especially the healthcare system that has had to accommodate a culturally diverse population. This qualitative study aimed to explore nurses' experiences in caring for patients with an ethnic minority background.

The Protective Effect of Bajijiasu on the Treatment of Hypertensive Nephropathy in Rats.

Backgrounds: Hypertensive nephropathy (HN) is a kind of renal disease caused by essential hypertension that eventually worsens into end-stage renal disease (ESRD). HN could damage the renal tubules, induce kidney damage and renal failure, and increase the risk of stroke, heart disease or death, but there are few ideal drugs for HN treatment.

Methods: In this study, we explored the therapeutic effect of bajijiasu (a compound from Morinda officinalis how and a common traditional Chinese medicine for tonifying the kidney) on the HN rat model.

Yishen Huashi Granules Ameliorated the Development of Diabetic Nephropathy by Reducing the Damage of Glomerular Filtration Barrier.

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is one of the most common complications of diabetes and the primary cause of end-stage renal disease. At present, renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) blockers have been applied as first-class drugs to restrain development of DN; however, its long-term effect is limited. Recent evidence has shown definite effects of Chinese medicine on DN.

Erratum: Author Correction: The influence of HLA genotype on the development of metal hypersensitivity following joint replacement.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1038/s43856-022-00137-0.].

No replication of previously reported association with genetic variants in the T cell receptor alpha (TRA) locus for myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS).

Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is a disease with a variety of symptoms such as post-exertional malaise, fatigue, and pain, but where aetiology and pathogenesis are unknown. An increasing number of studies have implicated the involvement of the immune system in ME/CFS. Furthermore, a hereditary component is suggested by the reported increased risk for disease in relatives, and genetic association studies are being performed to identify potential risk variants.

The influence of HLA genotype on the development of metal hypersensitivity following joint replacement.

Background: Over five million joint replacements are performed across the world each year. Cobalt chrome (CoCr) components are used in most of these procedures. Some patients develop delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) responses to CoCr implants, resulting in tissue damage and revision surgery.

Multiomics analysis of rheumatoid arthritis yields sequence variants that have large effects on risk of the seropositive subset.

Objectives: To find causal genes for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and its seropositive (RF and/or ACPA positive) and seronegative subsets.

Methods: We performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of 31 313 RA cases (68% seropositive) and ~1 million controls from Northwestern Europe. We searched for causal genes outside the HLA-locus through effect on coding, mRNA expression in several tissues and/or levels of plasma proteins (SomaScan) and did network analysis (Qiagen).

Identification of Novel Loci Shared by Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis Subtypes Through Integrative Genetic Analysis.

Objective: Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is the most common chronic immune-mediated joint disease among children and encompasses a heterogeneous group of immune-mediated joint disorders classified into 7 subtypes according to clinical presentation. However, phenotype overlap and biologic evidence suggest a shared mechanistic basis between subtypes. This study was undertaken to systematically investigate shared genetic underpinnings of JIA subtypes.

Navigating the care between two distinct cultures: a qualitative study of the experiences of Arabic-speaking immigrants in Norwegian hospitals.

Background: During the past decades, there has been an increase in the number of immigrants to European and Scandinavian countries. This has challenged the health-care systems, which cater to the needs of patients despite their cultural and linguistic barriers, in these countries. Most studies on this topic have focused on the perspectives of health-care providers in delivering their service.

Genetic association study in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) identifies several potential risk loci.

Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is a disease of unknown etiology and pathogenesis, which manifests in a variety of symptoms like post-exertional malaise, brain fog, fatigue and pain. Hereditability is suggested by an increased disease risk in relatives, however, genome-wide association studies in ME/CFS have been limited by small sample sizes and broad diagnostic criteria, therefore no established risk loci exist to date. In this study, we have analyzed three ME/CFS cohorts: a Norwegian discovery cohort (N = 427), a Danish replication cohort (N = 460) and a replication dataset from the UK biobank (N = 2105).

Allele imputation for the killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptor KIR3DL1/S1.

Highly polymorphic interaction of KIR3DL1 and KIR3DS1 with HLA class I ligands modulates the effector functions of natural killer (NK) cells and some T cells. This genetically determined diversity affects severity of infections, immune-mediated diseases, and some cancers, and impacts the course of immunotherapies, including transplantation. KIR3DL1 is an inhibitory receptor, and KIR3DS1 is an activating receptor encoded by the KIR3DL1/S1 gene that has more than 200 diverse and divergent alleles.

Correlation between gene expression and MRI STIR signals in patients with chronic low back pain and Modic changes indicates immune involvement.

Disability and distress caused by chronic low back pain (LBP) lacking clear pathoanatomical explanations cause huge problems both for patients and society. A subgroup of patients has Modic changes (MC), identifiable by MRI as vertebral bone marrow lesions. The cause of such changes and their relationship to pain are not yet understood.

T cells targeted to TdT kill leukemic lymphoblasts while sparing normal lymphocytes.

Unlike chimeric antigen receptors, T-cell receptors (TCRs) can recognize intracellular targets presented on human leukocyte antigen (HLA) molecules. Here we demonstrate that T cells expressing TCRs specific for peptides from the intracellular lymphoid-specific enzyme terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT), presented in the context of HLA-A*02:01, specifically eliminate primary acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) cells of T- and B-cell origin in vitro and in three mouse models of disseminated B-ALL. By contrast, the treatment spares normal peripheral T- and B-cell repertoires and normal myeloid cells in vitro, and in vivo in humanized mice.

Methotrexate Treatment of Newly Diagnosed RA Patients Is Associated With DNA Methylation Differences at Genes Relevant for Disease Pathogenesis and Pharmacological Action.

Background: Methotrexate (MTX) is the first line treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and methylation changes in bulk T cells have been reported after treatment with MTX. We have investigated cell-type specific DNA methylation changes across the genome in naïve and memory CD4 T cells before and after MTX treatment of RA patients. DNA methylation profiles of newly diagnosed RA patients (N=9) were assessed by reduced representation bisulfite sequencing.