Blood DNA virome associates with autoimmune diseases and COVID-19.

Aberrant immune responses to viral pathogens contribute to pathogenesis, but our understanding of pathological immune responses caused by viruses within the human virome, especially at a population scale, remains limited. We analyzed whole-genome sequencing datasets of 6,321 Japanese individuals, including patients with autoimmune diseases (psoriasis vulgaris, rheumatoid arthritis (RA), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (PAP) or multiple sclerosis) and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), or healthy controls. We systematically quantified two constituents of the blood DNA virome, endogenous HHV-6 (eHHV-6) and anellovirus.

IgG4-related disease with epithelioid granulomas: a case and a review of the literature.

IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD) is a systemic, immune-mediated, fibroinflammatory disorder that affects multiple organs. Histopathologically, the supportive findings of IgG4-RD include dense lymphocytic infiltrates, obliterative phlebitis, storiform fibrosis, and elevated numbers of IgG4-positive plasma cells. However, the presence of granulomatous inflammation is generally considered highly atypical, suggesting alternative diagnoses such as sarcoidosis and lymphoma.

Prediction models incorporating second metacarpal cortical index for osteoporosis in rheumatoid arthritis: Externally validated machine learning models developed using data from the KURAMA cohort.

Objective: Osteoporosis and osteopenia are significant concerns in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), predisposing patients to fragility fractures. While dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) is the gold standard for bone mineral density (BMD) assessment, simpler screening tools are needed. This study aims to assess the correlation between the second metacarpal cortical index (2MCI) and BMD in RA patients, and to evaluate machine learning (ML) models utilizing 2MCI and clinical parameters for predicting osteoporosis/osteopenia presence and BMD.

Factors affecting discrepancies in disease activity evaluation between patients and physicians in systemic lupus erythematosus-The importance of symptoms such as fatigue.

Objectives: There are often discrepancies in the evaluation of disease activity between patients and physicians in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). In this study, we examined the factors that affect those evaluations.

Methods: Physician visual analogue scale (Ph-VAS), patient VAS (Pt-VAS), Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index 2000 (SLEDAI-2k), glucocorticoid (GC) usage and dose, age, Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics/American College of Rheumatology Damage Index, and three patient-reported outcomes (SLE symptom checklist [SSC], short-form 36 questionnaire [SF-36], and LupusPRO) were obtained from a study performed in 2019 using 225 SLE outpatients of the Kyoto Lupus Cohort at Kyoto University Hospital.

Identification of epistatic SNP combinations in rheumatoid arthritis using LAMPLINK and Japanese cohorts.

Genome-wide association studies have enabled the identification of important genetic factors in many trait studies. However, only a fraction of the heritability can be explained by known genetic factors, even in the most common diseases. Genetic loci combinations, or epistatic contributions expressed by combinations of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), have been argued to be one of the critical factors explaining some of the missing heritability, especially in oligogenic/polygenic diseases.

Case report: Inflammatory sternoclavicular joint arthritis induced by an immune checkpoint inhibitor with remarkable responsiveness to infliximab.

This report describes the case of a 48-year-old woman who presented with sternoclavicular joint arthritis after administration of an immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI), durvalumab, for small cell lung carcinoma. The onset of arthritis transpired 18 months after the commencement of the ICI therapeutic regimen and demonstrated resilience to glucocorticoid treatment. After excluding infectious aetiologies and metastatic involvement, the patient was diagnosed with ICI-induced arthritis (ICI-IA).

Anti-integrin αvβ6 antibody in Takayasu arteritis patients with or without ulcerative colitis.

Background: It has been well documented that Takayasu arteritis (TAK) and ulcerative colitis (UC) coexist in the same patients. characterizes the co-occurrence, which is one of the common genetic features between these two diseases, indicating shared underlying pathologic mechanisms. Anti-integrin αvβ6 antibody (Ab) is present in sera of UC patients in a highly specific manner.

Imeglimin modulates mitochondria biology and facilitates mitokine secretion in 3T3-L1 adipocytes.

Aims: Imeglimin, a novel antidiabetic drug, has recently been reported to affect pancreatic β-cells and hepatocytes. Adipose tissue plays a crucial role in systemic metabolism. However, its effect on adipocytes remains unexplored.

Comparison of transposition and interposition methods in microvascular decompression for hemifacial spasm: an analysis of 109 cases performed by a single surgeon in a single-center retrospective study.

Background: Microvascular decompression (MVD), the standard surgical approach for hemifacial spasm (HFS), can be divided into the interposition and transposition methods. Although the risk of HFS recurrence following interposition has been reported, there is limited data comparing long-term outcomes between both methods performed by a single surgeon. This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of MVD techniques on HFS by comparing surgical outcomes performed by a single surgeon in a single-center setting.

The usefulness of the open surgical technique of sternocostal elevation for asymmetric pectus excavatum: a retrospective study.

Background: The Nuss procedure is currently the mainstream of pectus excavatum (PE) surgery; however, it is considered to be more difficult for asymmetric cases than for symmetric ones. Sternocostal elevation (SCE), which was performed at our hospital, is a surgical method that determines the extent of resection of the costal cartilage while comparing the left and right balance during surgery; thus, it is highly useful for correcting rib cage with strong asymmetry.

Methods: Of the 256 patients who underwent SCE at our hospital between July 2014 and July 2022, 58 (22.

Attenuation of HOIL-1L ligase activity promotes systemic autoimmune disorders by augmenting linear ubiquitin signaling.

Linear ubiquitin chains, which are generated specifically by the linear ubiquitin assembly complex (LUBAC) ubiquitin ligase, play crucial roles in immune signaling, including NF-κB activation. LUBAC comprises catalytic large isoform of heme-oxidized iron regulatory protein 2 ubiquitin ligase 1 (HOIL-1L) interacting protein (HOIP), accessory HOIL-1L, and SHANK-associated RH domain-interacting protein (SHARPIN). Deletion of the ubiquitin ligase activity of HOIL-1L, an accessory ligase of LUBAC, augments LUBAC functions by enhancing LUBAC-mediated linear ubiquitination, which is catalyzed by HOIP.

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.

Endothelial Glycocalyx in the Peripheral Capillaries is Injured Under Oxaliplatin-Induced Neuropathy.

Oxaliplatin, a platinum-based anticancer drug, is associated with peripheral neuropathy (oxaliplatin-induced peripheral neuropathy, OIPN), which can lead to worsening of quality of life and treatment interruption. The endothelial glycocalyx, a fragile carbohydrate-rich layer covering the luminal surface of endothelial cells, acts as an endothelial gatekeeper and has been suggested to protect nerves, astrocytes, and other cells from toxins and substances released from the capillary vessels. Mechanisms underlying OIPN and the role of the glycocalyx remain unclear.

Prevention of vincristine-induced peripheral neuropathy by protecting the endothelial glycocalyx shedding.

Vincristine-induced peripheral neuropathy (VIPN) adversely affects the quality of life and treatment continuity of patients. The endothelial glycocalyx (eGCX) protects nerves from harmful substances released from the capillary vessels, but its role in peripheral neuropathy remains unclear. We investigated the impact of eGCX protection on VIPN.

Development of Pericardial Fat Count Images Using a Combination of Three Different Deep-Learning Models: Image Translation Model From Chest Radiograph Image to Projection Image of Three-Dimensional Computed Tomography.

Rationale And Objectives: Pericardial fat (PF)-the thoracic visceral fat surrounding the heart-promotes the development of coronary artery disease by inducing inflammation of the coronary arteries. To evaluate PF, we generated pericardial fat count images (PFCIs) from chest radiographs (CXRs) using a dedicated deep-learning model.

Materials And Methods: We reviewed data of 269 consecutive patients who underwent coronary computed tomography (CT).