Extensive-Disease Small-Cell Lung Cancer With Severe Immune-Related Adverse Events Due to Atezolizumab Maintaining a Complete Response for Two Years: A Case Report.

A 75-year-old male with diabetes mellitus was referred to our hospital with an abnormal shadow on chest radiography, based on which he was diagnosed with extensive-disease small-cell lung cancer (ED-SCLC; cT2bN2M1a). The first-line therapy comprised atezolizumab, carboplatin, and etoposide. After four cycles, the patient achieved complete response (CR), and maintenance therapy was initiated with atezolizumab.

GWAS for systemic sclerosis identifies six novel susceptibility loci including one in the Fcγ receptor region.

Here we report the largest Asian genome-wide association study (GWAS) for systemic sclerosis performed to date, based on data from Japanese subjects and comprising of 1428 cases and 112,599 controls. The lead SNP is in the FCGR/FCRL region, which shows a penetrating association in the Asian population, while a complete linkage disequilibrium SNP, rs10917688, is found in a cis-regulatory element for IRF8. IRF8 is also a significant locus in European GWAS for systemic sclerosis, but rs10917688 only shows an association in the presence of the risk allele of IRF8 in the Japanese population.

Cooperative Carbene Photocatalysis for β-Amino Ester Synthesis.

β-Amino acids are useful building blocks of bioactive molecules, including peptidomimetics and pharmaceutical compounds. The current limited accessibility to β-type amino acids which bear an α-quaternary center has limited their use in chemical synthesis and biological investigations. Disclosed herein is the development of a new N-heterocyclic carbene/photocatalyzed aminocarboxylation of olefins, affording β-amino esters with high regioselectivity.

Various Organ Damages in Rats with Fetal Growth Restriction and Their Slight Attenuation by Supplementation.

Children with fetal growth restriction (FGR) and its resultant low birthweight (LBW) are at a higher risk of developing various health problems later in life, including renal diseases, metabolic syndrome, and sarcopenia. The mechanism through which LBW caused by intrauterine hypoperfusion leads to these health problems has not been properly investigated. Oral supplementation with probiotics is expected to reduce these risks in children.

European and multi-ancestry genome-wide association meta-analysis of atopic dermatitis highlights importance of systemic immune regulation.

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common inflammatory skin condition and prior genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified 71 associated loci. In the current study we conducted the largest AD GWAS to date (discovery N = 1,086,394, replication N = 3,604,027), combining previously reported cohorts with additional available data. We identified 81 loci (29 novel) in the European-only analysis (which all replicated in a separate European analysis) and 10 additional loci in the multi-ancestry analysis (3 novel).

Interlaboratory comparison of electron paramagnetic resonance tooth enamel dosimetry with investigations of the dose responses of the standard samples.

A total of seven Japanese laboratories participated in an intercomparison study to estimate the dose given to tooth enamel samples, using the electron spin resonance method. Each of four of the participating laboratories prepared a set of tooth enamel samples, using the electron spin resonance method. Four of the participating laboratories each prepared a set of tooth enamel samples, consisting of seven standard aliquots irradiated from 100 to 2000 mGy and three samples with an 'unknown' dose between 140 and 960 mGy, were intended to eliminate bias from sample preparation.

A comprehensive microbial analysis of pediatric patients with acute appendicitis.

Background: Pathogenesis of pediatric acute appendicitis (AA) is yet to be elucidated. Therefore, we performed a comprehensive microbial analysis of saliva, feces, and appendiceal lumen of AA patients using 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene amplicon sequencing to elucidate the pathogenesis of pediatric AA.

Methods: This study included 33 AA patients and 17 healthy controls (HCs) aged <15 y.

Bifidobacterium breve during infancy attenuates mobility in low birthweight rats.

Background: Children with low birthweight (LBW) have a higher risk for developing attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, for which no prophylactic measure exists. The gut microbiota in infants with LBW is different from that in infants with normal birthweight and is associated with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Oral supplementation with Bifidobacterium has several health benefits, such as suppressing inflammation.

The effect of casirivimab with imdevimab on disease progression in nonsevere COVID-19 patients in a single hospital in Japan.

Background: Recent randomized trials have revealed that neutralizing monoclonal antibodies can reduce disease progression in mild-moderate COVID-19 patients. However, no studies have investigated the effect of neutralizing monoclonal antibodies on clinical outcomes in Japan.

Methods: A single-center retrospective and prospective cohort study was conducted.

Evaluation of Antimicrobial Drug Use and Concurrent Infections During Hospitalization of Patients With COVID-19 in Japan.

This cross-sectional study examines the prevalence and necessity of antimicrobial drug use among patients who are hospitalized with COVID-19 infection in Japan.

Chondroprotective effects of CDK4/6 inhibition via enhanced ubiquitin-dependent degradation of JUN in synovial fibroblasts.

Objective: Targeting synovial fibroblasts (SF) using a cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) 4/6 inhibitor (CDKI) could be a potent therapy for RA via inhibition of proliferation and MMP-3 production. This study was designed to elucidate the mechanism of chondroprotective effects on SFs by CDK 4/6 inhibition.

Methods: CDK4/6 activity was inhibited using CDKI treatment or enhanced by adenoviral gene transduction.

Safety of vancomycin in patients with moderate and severe renal dysfunction.

Aim: The new guidelines in Japan do not recommend a vancomycin (VCM) loading dose for patients with an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) 30 < and ≤ 80 mL×min×1.73m (moderate renal dysfunction) or administration to those with the eGFR < 30 mL×min×1.73m (severe renal dysfunction).

Eight novel susceptibility loci and putative causal variants in atopic dermatitis.

Background: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is the most common allergic disease in the world. While genetic components play critical roles in its pathophysiology, a large proportion of its genetic background is still unexplored.

Objectives: This study sought to illuminate the genetic associations with AD using genome-wide association study (GWAS) and its downstream analyses.

Chichibabin/isoChichibabin pyridinium synthesis of ma'edamines C and D.

Ma'edamines C and D were isolated from an Okinawan marine sponge and exhibited a unique tetrasubstituted pyridinium skeleton. The proposed biosynthetic pathway is similar to that of desmosine and isodesmosine, which are elastin-crosslinking amino acids. In this study, first total synthesis of ma'edamines C and D was achieved via Pr(OTf)-promoted Chichibabin/isoChichibabin pyridinium synthesis starting from the corresponding aldehydes and amine.

Dermatomyositis associated with prostate adenocarcinoma with neuroendocrine differentiation.

Background: Although it is known that malignancies can be associated with dermatomyositis, there are few reports on dermatomyositis associated with prostate cancer with neuroendocrine differentiation.

Case Presentation: A 63-year-old man visited our hospital due to pollakiuria. High levels of PSA and NSE were observed, and prostate biopsy revealed an adenocarcinoma with neuroendocrine differentiation.

A clinical review of ovarian tumors in children and adolescents.

Purpose: To determine the features which predict torsion and the pre-operative indicators of malignancy in cases of ovarian torsion in ovarian tumors (OTs) in children.

Methods: The medical records of 35 pediatric patients who underwent surgery for OT, except for neonate cases, from 1997 to 2018 at our institution were reviewed retrospectively.

Results: The pathological diagnosis was mature teratoma in 17, immature teratoma in 9, yolk sac tumor in 3, and others in 6.

Preparation of isodesmosine-KLH conjugate for ELISA system.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a degenerative condition with limited diagnostic detection efficiency. Currently with no available cure, COPD is associated with irreversible elastic tissue degradation in lungs, which results in release of unusual amino acids, isodesmosine and desmosine. These biomarkers are potential key elements in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), an analytical method, which can detect certain compounds including antigens and proteins in easy and affordable manner.

A large retroperitoneal lymphatic malformation successfully treated with traditional Japanese Kampo medicine in combination with surgery.

Background: Current treatment options for lymphatic malformations (LMs) are multimodal. Recently, the effectiveness of treating LMs with Eppikajyutsuto (TJ-28) has been reported. TJ-28 is a kind of oral herbal medicine classified as the traditional Japanese Kampo medicine.