Restoration of liver sinusoidal cell phenotypes by statins improves portal hypertension and histology in rats with NASH.

Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a common chronic liver disorder in developed countries, with the associated clinical complications driven by portal hypertension (PH). PH may precede fibrosis development, probably due to endothelial dysfunction at early stages of the disease. Our aim was to characterize liver sinusoidal endothelial cell (LSEC) dedifferentiation/capillarization and its contribution to PH in NASH, together with assessing statins capability to revert endothelial function improving early NASH stages.

Type-I-hypersensitivity to 15 kDa, 28 kDa and 54 kDa proteins in vitellogenin specific to Gadus chalcogrammus roe.

Background: Fish roe allergy is a common health problem in countries where sea food is a major part of the diet, such as Japan. β'-component (β'-c) in fish roe has been identified as a major antigen for patients who show hypersensitivity to various fish roes. However, little is known about causative antigens for patients reactive to fish roe of specific species.

Case of Calcifying Pseudoneoplasms of the Neuraxis Coexisting with Interhemispheric Lipoma and Agenesis of the Corpus Callosum: Involvement of Infiltrating Macrophages.

Background: Calcifying pseudoneoplasm of the neuraxis (CAPNON) is a rare clinical entity. We report an unusual case of intraparenchymal bifrontal CAPNON coexisting with interhemispheric lipoma and agenesis of the corpus callosum.

Case Description: A 64-year-old woman presented with slight weakness of her left leg.

Fecal carriage of extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing in hospital and community settings in Chad.

Background: Fecal carriage of extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing (ESBL-PE) remains poorly documented in Africa. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of ESBL-PE fecal carriage in Chad.

Methods: In total, 200 fresh stool samples were collected from 100 healthy community volunteers and 100 hospitalized patients from January to March 2017.

Efficacy, pharmacokinetics, and safety of icatibant for the treatment of Japanese patients with an acute attack of hereditary angioedema: A phase 3 open-label study.

Background: Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is a genetic disease characterized by recurrent swelling episodes affecting the skin, gastrointestinal mucosa, and upper respiratory tract.

Methods: A phase 3, single-arm, open-label study was performed to evaluate a selective bradykinin B receptor antagonist, icatibant, for the treatment of acute attacks in Japanese patients with HAE Type I or II. After the onset of an acute attack, icatibant 30 mg was administered by the patient or a healthcare professional via subcutaneous injection in the abdomen.

Clinical utility of the basophil activation test in the diagnosis of sweat allergy.

Background: Many patients with atopic dermatitis and cholinergic urticaria display an immediate-type allergy to autologous sweat. Although the histamine release test (HRT) using semi-purified sweat antigen (QR) was available for the detection of immediate sweat allergy, the existence of HRT low responders could not be disregarded. Furthermore, it has not been established whether the results of the HRT are consistent with the autologous sweat skin test (ASwST).

Mat Seroprevalence Infers Low Rates of in Domestic Pigs from Yucatan, Mexico.

is a zoonotic parasite of worldwide distribution. The consumption of infected pork meat has been suggested to be an important source for human infection in the tropical area of Yucatan, Mexico. We performed a cross-sectional study of 12 farms across the state to investigate the seroprevalence of infection in domestic pigs.

Efficacy and safety of dupilumab in Japanese adults with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis: a subanalysis of three clinical trials.

Background: Dupilumab, a human monoclonal antibody, blocks the shared receptor unit for interleukin-4 and interleukin-13. International phase II and III studies have evaluated the efficacy and safety of dupilumab in adults with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis (AD), but the effects of dupilumab in Japanese patients have not been reported.

Objectives: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of dupilumab in Japanese patients with moderate-to-severe AD.

Spread of NDM-5 and OXA-181 Carbapenemase-Producing Escherichia coli in Chad.

We detected for the first time and in isolates from hospitalized patients and healthy volunteers in Chad. These resistance genes were located on IncX3 and IncF plasmids. Despite the large diversity of clones, the identified resistant intestinal isolates belonged mainly to the same sequence type.

Dupilumab shows long-term safety and efficacy in patients with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis enrolled in a phase 3 open-label extension study.

Background: Significant unmet need exists for long-term treatment of moderate to severe atopic dermatitis (AD).

Objective: To assess the long-term safety and efficacy of dupilumab in patients with AD.

Methods: This ongoing, multicenter, open-label extension study (NCT01949311) evaluated long-term dupilumab treatment in adults who had previously participated in phase 1 through 3 clinical trials of dupilumab for AD.

Improved mediolateral load distribution without adverse laxity pattern in robot-assisted knee arthroplasty compared to a standard manual measured resection technique.

Purpose: Robot-assisted total knee arthroplasty (rTKA) remains in its infancy, is expensive but offers the promise of improved kinematic performance through precise bone cuts, with minimal soft tissue disruption, based on pre-resection soft tissue behaviour. This cadaveric study examined load transfer, soft tissue performance and radiographic indices for conventional (sTKA) versus rTKA. The null hypothesis was there would be no difference between the two modes of implantation.

Emricasan Ameliorates Portal Hypertension and Liver Fibrosis in Cirrhotic Rats Through a Hepatocyte-Mediated Paracrine Mechanism.

In cirrhosis, liver microvascular dysfunction is a key factor increasing hepatic vascular resistance to portal blood flow, which leads to portal hypertension. De-regulated inflammatory and pro-apoptotic processes due to chronic injury play important roles in the dysfunction of liver sinusoidal cells. The present study aimed at characterizing the effects of the pan-caspase inhibitor emricasan on systemic and hepatic hemodynamics, hepatic cells phenotype, and underlying mechanisms in preclinical models of advanced chronic liver disease.

HLA-DQ and RBFOX1 as susceptibility genes for an outbreak of hydrolyzed wheat allergy.

Background: Food allergy is a growing health problem worldwide because of its increasing prevalence, life-threatening potential, and shortage of effective preventive treatments. In an outbreak of wheat allergy in Japan, thousands of patients had allergic reactions to wheat after using soap containing hydrolyzed wheat protein (HWP).

Objectives: The aim of the present study was to investigate genetic variation that can contribute to susceptibility to HWP allergy.

Temporal Glioblastoma Mimicking Basal Ganglia Invasion: Distinguishing Removable and Unremovable Tumors.

Objective: Maximal safe resection prolongs the survival of patients with glioblastoma (GB). However, whether total resection of the enhanced lesion is pursued or abandoned depends on preoperative judgments based on the findings of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Anatomically, medial temporal tumor tends to invade toward the temporal stem, insula, and basal ganglia, representing tumor with high surgical risk.

Decreased intracellular histamine concentration and basophil activation in anaphylaxis.

Background: Histamine is a crucial mediator in the development of anaphylaxis. Although histamine is promptly degraded because of its short half-life in plasma, basophils, which release histamine, remain in the blood for days. To explore basophils as a potential marker and their involvement in the pathogenesis of anaphylaxis, we evaluated the intracellular histamine concentration and the degree of basophil activation in anaphylaxis patients.

Long-term safety and efficacy of rupatadine in Japanese patients with itching due to chronic spontaneous urticaria, dermatitis, or pruritus: A 12-month, multicenter, open-label clinical trial.

Background: Rupatadine is a novel H1 antihistamine with platelet-activating factor antagonist activity. Its efficacy and safety on pruritic skin diseases have been demonstrated by 10mg/day rupatadine in a two weeks clinical trial.

Objective: To investigate the long-term efficacy and safety of rupatadine in the management of pruritus, and the clinical effect of updosing to 20mg in Japanese adult and adolescent patients.

Spinocerebellar ataxia type 14 caused by a nonsense mutation in the PRKCG gene.

Spinocerebellar ataxia type 14 (SCA14) is an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disorder characterized by cerebellar ataxia with myoclonus, dystonia, spasticity, and rigidity. Although missense mutations and a deletion mutation have been found in the protein kinase C gamma (PRKCG) gene encoding protein kinase C γ (PKCγ) in SCA14 families, a nonsense mutation has not been reported. The patho-mechanisms underlying SCA14 remain poorly understood.