Prognosis and Treatment Effectiveness of Austrian Syndrome: A Case Report and Systematic Review.

Austrian syndrome is a rare triad of meningitis, pneumonia, and endocarditis caused by . It is associated with high morbidity and mortality rates. Most reports describe pneumonia as the initial illness, followed by multi-organ involvement.

Associations of gut microbiota with disease development, disease activity, and therapeutic effects in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Altered gut microbiota is linked to systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), but its association with disease development, disease activity, and post-intervention changes remains unclear. We compared new-onset SLE (NOSLE, n = 25), SLE in remission (RemSLE, n = 30), and healthy controls (HC, n = 30) cross-sectionally and conducted the first longitudinal analysis of NOSLE patients (n = 22) from pre-intervention to remission over 12 months. Significant β-diversity differences were observed in both NOSLE and RemSLE compared to HC, but not between NOSLE and RemSLE.

Preliminary evidence of renal function improvement in chronic progressive kidney disease using autologous CD34 cell therapy: A clinical trial.

Background: To date, no specific treatment has been established to reverse progressive chronic kidney disease (CKD).

Aim: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of autologous CD34 cell transplantation in CKD patients who exhibited a progressive decline in renal function.

Methods: The estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) at the beginning of the study was 15.

Postoperative fragmentation and distal migration of Carotid Stent in vascular Eagle Syndrome.

Objectives: Vascular Eagle syndrome (ES) is a rare condition involving vessel compression by an elongated styloid process, leading to neurologic symptoms. Here, we present the case of a patient with a complication of carotid artery stenting for vascular ES and discuss the implications of treatment of this rare condition.

Case Description: A 35-year-old previously healthy male patient presented with transient aphasia and right-sided hemiparesis following ischemic stroke in left frontal lobe.

Longitudinal phosphoproteomics reveals the PI3K-PAK1 axis as a potential target for recurrent colorectal liver metastases.

The resistance of colorectal cancer liver metastases (CRLMs) to 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) chemotherapy remains a significant global health challenge. We investigated the phosphoproteomic dynamics of serial tissue sections obtained from initial metastases and recurrent tumors collected from 24 patients to address this unmet need for innovative therapeutic strategies for patients with CRLM with a poor prognosis. Our analysis revealed the activation of PAK kinase in patients with CRLM with a poor prognosis.

Comparison of Prognosis and Health-Related Quality of Life Between Robot-Assisted Radical Prostatectomy Versus High-Dose-Rate Brachytherapy Combined With External Beam Radiation Therapy and Hormone Therapy for High-Risk Prostate Cancer.

Background: We compare the oncological outcomes and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in men with high-risk prostate cancer after robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) versus that after high-dose-rate brachytherapy + external beam radiotherapy + hormone therapy (hereafter: "HDR+").

Methods: We included 233 men who underwent RARP and 179 men who underwent HDR+ for high-risk prostate cancer at our hospital. We investigated the following oncologic outcomes: time to biochemical recurrence, time to development of castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC), cancer-specific survival, and overall survival.

Targeting ErbB and tankyrase1/2 prevent the emergence of drug-tolerant persister cells in ALK-positive lung cancer.

Targeting the drug tolerant persister (DTP) state in cancer cells should prevent further development of resistance mechanisms. This study explored combination therapies to inhibit alectinib-induced DTP cell formation from anaplastic lymphoma kinase-positive non-small cell lung cancer (ALK + NSCLC) patient-derived cells. After drug-screening 3114 compounds, pan-HER inhibitors (ErbB pathway) and tankyrase1/2 inhibitors (Wnt/β-catenin signaling) emerged as top candidates to inhibit alectinib-induced DTP cells growth.

Tumor-derived lactic acid promotes acetylation of histone H3K27 and differentiation of IL-10-producing regulatory B cells through direct and indirect signaling pathways.

Tumor cells are known to enhance glycolysis, even under normoxic conditions, via the Warburg effect, producing excess lactic acid in the tumor microenvironment. Lactic acid enhances the IL-23/IL-17 pathway and induces chronic inflammation. The acidic microenvironment formed by lactic acid suppresses immune cell proliferation and activation.

Impact of postoperative sexual function on health-related quality of life after robot-assisted radical prostatectomy.

Background: We investigated potential disparities in health-related quality of life, particularly concerning urinary function, between patients with preserved and those with impaired sexual function after robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP).

Materials And Methods: Between December 2012 and April 2020, 704 men underwent RARP in our hospital. This study included 155 patients with a preoperative 5-item International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5) of ≥12 points and an assessable IIEF-5 at 12 months postoperatively.

Systematic Identification of Kinase-Substrate Relationship by Integrated Phosphoproteome and Interactome Analysis.

The sensitivity of phosphorylation site identification by mass spectrometry (MS)-based phosphoproteomics has improved significantly. However, the lack of kinase-substrate relationship (KSR) data has hindered improvement of the range and accuracy of kinase activity prediction using phosphoproteome data. We herein describe the application of a systematic identification of KSR by integrated phosphoproteome and interactome analysis using doxycycline (Dox)-induced target kinase-overexpressing HEK-293 cells.

The Potential Role of Preoperative Posterior Cerebral Artery Involvement in Predicting Postoperative Transient Neurological Deficits and Ischemic Stroke After Indirect Revascularization in Patients With Moyamoya Disease.

Objective: Transient neurological deficits (TNDs) are known to develop after direct bypass for Moyamoya disease and may be risk factors for subsequent stroke. However, the factors involved in the development of TNDs and stroke after indirect revascularization alone, including their association with subsequent stroke, remain unclear. The purpose of this study was to investigate this issue.

Long-term effects of abatacept on atherosclerosis and arthritis in older vs. younger patients with rheumatoid arthritis: 3-year results of a prospective, multicenter, observational study.

Background: We aimed to reveal the effect of abatacept (ABT) on atherosclerosis in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients, 3-year efficacy for arthritis, and safety in a population of older vs. younger patients.

Methods: In this open-label, prospective, observational study, patients were stratified into four groups: younger (20-64 years old) and older (≥ 65 years) patients taking ABT (AY and AO) and conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (csDMARDs) (CY and CO).

hinotori vs. da Vinci: propensity score-matched analysis of surgical outcomes of robot-assisted radical prostatectomy.

hinotori™ is a recently developed surgical robot system. The present study aims to compare intraoperative and postoperative outcomes of robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) by the hinotori™ system compared with those of the longer-established da Vinci system. This study includes 100 consecutive patients who underwent RARP by da Vinci and 60 patients who underwent RARP by hinotori™.

Relationship Between the Lipidome Profile and Disease Activity in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Lipid mediators have been suggested to play important roles in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Lipidomics has recently allowed for the comprehensive analysis of lipids and has revealed the potential of lipids as biomarkers for the early diagnosis of RA and prediction of therapeutic responses. However, the relationship between disease activity and the lipid profile in RA remains unclear.

Phylogeny-linked occurrence of ribosome stalling on the mRNAs of Arabidopsis unfolded protein response factor bZIP60 orthologs in divergent plant species.

The bZIP60, XBP1 and HAC1 mRNAs encode transcription factors that mediate the unfolded protein response (UPR) in plants, animals and yeasts, respectively. Upon UPR, these mRNAs undergo unconventional cytoplasmic splicing on the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to produce active transcription factors. Although cytoplasmic splicing is conserved, the ER targeting mechanism differs between XBP1 and HAC1.

Activation of cytotoxic lymphocytes through CD6 enhances killing of cancer cells.

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have demonstrated efficacy and improved survival in a growing number of cancers. Despite their success, ICIs are associated with immune-related adverse events that can interfere with their use. Therefore, safer approaches are needed.