Clinical course of psoriatic arthritis treated with biologics delineated with ultrasonography.

Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a chronic, inflammatory articular disease regarded as a specific subtype of psoriasis. Long-term assessment for PsA using ultrasonography has not yet been investigated. The present study was conducted to delineate the changes in articular lesions after the initiation of biologics using ultrasonography, and to provide the evidence of the utility of ultrasonography in long-term follow-up of PsA patients.

Real-world Settings for the Surgical Treatment of Neurofibroma in Patients with Neurofibromatosis Type 1.

Introduction: Even though an MEK inhibitor has been recently launched, neurofibroma still negatively affects the well-being of patients with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1). The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic resulted in restricted access to medical care. The present study was conducted to investigate the real-world settings of patients with NF1 who underwent surgery with or without restricted medical access during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Relationship between iodine-enhanced dual energy-computed tomographic findings and ultrasonographic findings for psoriatic arthritis.

Ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are useful for diagnosing psoriatic arthritis (PsA). However, ultrasonography depends on the skill of the operator and MRI is often disturbed by artifacts when distal interphalangeal joints are examined. Although iodine-enhanced dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) has the potential to diagnose PsA without these disadvantages, its usefulness over ultrasonography has not yet been examined in detail; therefore, the present study was conducted to address this issue.

The ANDEEP Tanaidacea (Crustacea: Peracarida) revisited I: the family Agathotanaidae Lang, with description of four new species.

Specimens collected during the ANDEEP I and II expeditions revealed a number of new species of tanaidacean from the family Agathotanaidae. One new species of Metagathotanais (M. furcilla), two of Paragathotanais (P.

Suppression of melanin synthesis by the phenolic constituents of sappanwood (Caesalpinia sappan).

Sappanwood (Caesalpinia sappan Linn.) is used as an herbal medicine. It is sometimes used to treat skin damage or as a facial cleanser.

Thromboxane A2 receptor +795T>C and chemoattractant receptor-homologous molecule expressed on Th2 cells -466T>C gene polymorphisms in patients with aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease.

It is well known that aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease (AERD) is more common in women than in men, however, whether gene polymorphisms of the thromboxane A2 receptor (TBXA2R) and chemoattractant receptor-homologous molecules expressed on Th2 cells (CRTH2) are associated with the susceptibility of AERD remains unknown. In this study, we examined the gene polymorphisms in a Japanese population. DNA specimens were obtained from the following three groups: 96 patients with AERD, 500 patients with aspirin-tolerant asthma (ATA) and 100 normal controls.

Arg16Gly β2-adrenergic receptor gene polymorphism in Japanese patients with aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease.

Background: There has been no report that investigated β(2)-adrenergic receptor (ADRB2) gene polymorphism in patients with aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease (AERD).

Methods: DNA in the specimens in three groups of study subjects classified patients with AERD, patients with aspirin-tolerant asthma (ATA) and normal controls was extracted, and the target DNA sequence of the ADRB2 was amplified using a set of primers to generate an amplicon of 219 bp in length. Allelic discrimination assay for single nucleotide polymorphisms relating to the ADRB2 gene expression was carried out by using a previously described single nucleotide polymorphism detective system, sequence-specific thermal-elution chromatography.

Role of multidrug resistance-associated protein 1 in the pathogenesis of allergic airway inflammation.

Multidrug resistance-associated protein 1 (MRP1) is a cysteinyl leukotriene (CysLT) export pump expressed on mast cells. CysLTs are crucial mediators in allergic airway disease. However, biological significance of MRP1 in allergic airway inflammation has not yet been elucidated.

Interleukin-10 regulates transforming growth factor-beta signaling in cultured human bronchial epithelial cells.

Background: The basic pathological features of bronchial asthma can be explained on the basis of chronic airway inflammation, involving inflammatory cells such as T cells (particularly type 2 helper T, Th2, cells) and mast cells, and airway remodeling. Many aspects of airway remodeling remain unclear at the molecular level. Recent attention has focused on the role of transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta, a fibrogenic cytokine, in airway remodeling.