A conserved human CD4+ T cell subset recognizing the mycobacterial adjuvant, trehalose monomycolate.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis causes human tuberculosis. As mycobacteria are protected by thick lipid cell wall, humans have developed immune responses against diverse mycobacterial lipids. Most of these immunostimulatory lipids are known as adjuvants acting through innate immune receptors, such as C-type lectin receptors.

Quantifying the Reversibility of Clofazimine-induced Pigmentation in a Patient with Mycobacterium abscessus Pulmonary Disease.

A 45-year-old woman with Mycobacterium abscessus pulmonary disease was treated with multidrug therapy, including clofazimine, at Fukujuji Hospital. Six months after clofazimine initiation, the treatment was discontinued at the patient's request due to hyperpigmentation. Pigmentation is a critical side effect of clofazimine.

Citrus tamurana Hort. ex Tanaka (Hyuganatsu orange)-derived arabinogalactan suppresses bone turnover in postmenopausal women: A randomized placebo-controlled study.

Aim: To evaluate Hyuganatsu oranges (Citrus tamurana Hort. Ex Tanaka) derived arabinogalactan for bone turnover, we performed a randomized placebo-controlled trial.

Methods: Sixty-three postmenopausal women were age-stratified and randomly assigned to receive arabinogalactan-rich hyuganatsu juice (study group) or a placebo drink (control group) for 90 days.

TB-related technical enquiries received at the Research Institute of Tuberculosis, Japan, during COVID-19.

Setting: Japan: a low-TB-burden country.

Objective: To characterise TB-related technical enquiries received in 2020-2022, and share the lessons learnt.

Design: This was a descriptive study.

Two cases of iatrogenic levofloxacin-resistant pre-XDR tuberculosis in Japan.

This case report discusses two instances of iatrogenically induced pre-extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (pre-XDR TB). In both cases, the patients were initially diagnosed with tuberculosis and hospitalized in university hospitals. Nucleic acid amplification tests identified rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis, leading to a deviation from clinical guidelines.

Prognostic Value of MRI Assessment of Residual Peritumoral Edema in Breast Cancer Treated With Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy.

Background: Peritumoral edema (PE) identified on T2-weighted breast MRI is a factor for poor prognosis in breast cancer.

Purpose: To assess the prognostic value of residual PE (rPE) in patients with PE positive breast cancer prior to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) who subsequently underwent curative surgery.

Study Type: Retrospective.

is less likely to acquire pathogenic mutations during latent infection than during active disease.

Most people infected with () are believed to be in a state of latent tuberculosis (TB) infection (LTBI). Although LTBI is asymptomatic and not infectious, there is a risk of developing active disease even decades after infection. Here, to characterize mutations acquired during LTBI, we collected and analyzed genomes from seven Japanese patient pairs, each pair consisting of two active TB patients whose starting dates of developing active disease were >3 years apart; one had a high suspicion of LTBI before developing active disease, whereas the other did not.

Beyond Symptoms: Radiologic identification of asymptomatic Mycobacterium avium complex pulmonary infections.

Background: Although international nontuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease (NTM-PD) guidelines highlight symptom presence at diagnosis, the clinical characteristics of asymptomatic Mycobacterium avium complex pulmonary infection (MAC-PI) patients remain understudied. We clarified the clinical characteristics and course of asymptomatic MAC-PI patients.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 200 consecutive patients with MAC-PIs and adequate available data who newly met the microbiological and radiological criteria for NTM-PD at Fukujuji Hospital from January 2018 to June 2020.

Applicability of artificial intelligence-based computer-aided detection (AI-CAD) for pulmonary tuberculosis to community-based active case finding.

Background: Artificial intelligence-based computer-aided detection (AI-CAD) for tuberculosis (TB) has become commercially available and several studies have been conducted to evaluate the performance of AI-CAD for pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) in clinical settings. However, little is known about its applicability to community-based active case-finding (ACF) for TB.

Methods: We analysed an anonymized data set obtained from a community-based ACF in Cambodia, targeting persons aged 55 years or over, persons with any TB symptoms, such as chronic cough, and persons at risk of TB, including household contacts.

Diagnostic flowchart for tuberculous pleurisy, pleural infection, and malignant pleural effusion.

Background: Several markers for the diagnosis of pleural effusion have been reported; however, a comprehensive evaluation using those markers has not been performed. Therefore, this study aimed to develop a diagnostic flowchart for tuberculous pleurisy, pleural infection, malignant pleural effusion, and other diseases by using these markers.

Methods: We retrospectively collected data from 174 patients with tuberculous pleurisy, 215 patients with pleural infection other than tuberculous pleurisy, 360 patients with malignant pleural effusion, and 209 patients with other diseases at Fukujuji Hospital from January 2012 to October 2022.

A case of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) with markedly elevated CA15-3 levels requiring 2 years of diagnosis.

Background: CA15-3 is often elevated in breast cancer recurrence and rarely in ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). We report a case of DCIS with elevated CA15-3 levels, which was diagnosed after over 2 years of follow-up.

Case Presentation: A 74-year-old woman presented with a left-sided breast mass and pain.

Preoperative and Postoperative Factors Affecting Patient Satisfaction with Double-Door Laminoplasty for Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy.

Introduction: Few articles have investigated patient satisfaction with laminoplasty in patients with cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) alone, excluding other diseases, such as ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament. In this study, we aimed to investigate patient satisfaction after double-door laminoplasty for CSM and determine the preoperative and postoperative factors that affect patient satisfaction.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed cases of laminoplasty for CSM.

Initial results of transcatheter modification of left atrial appendage by obliteration with device in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation: Real-world data from the TERMINATOR registry.

Background: Percutaneous left atrial appendage closure (LAAC) has increased for those who need alternative to long-term anticoagulation with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF).

Methods And Results: From September 2019, after initiating WATCHMAN (Boston Scientific, Maple Grove, MN, USA) device implantation, we established Transcatheter Modification of Left Atrial Appendage by Obliteration with Device in Patients from the NVAF (TERMINATOR) registry. Utilizing 729 patients' data until January 2022, we analyzed percutaneous LAAC data regarding this real-world multicenter prospective registry.

Multiple bacterial culture positivity reflects the severity and prognosis as bronchiectasis in Mycobacterium avium complex pulmonary disease.

Background: Bacterial coinfections are observed in 19-66% of patients with Mycobacterium avium complex pulmonary disease (MAC-PD) during the entire duration of the disease. The impact of bacterial coinfection at diagnosis on the clinical course of MAC-PD has not been reported.

Methods: Among 558 patients diagnosed with MAC-PD between January 2016 and December 2020, 218 patients who underwent sputum culture tests twice or more within one year before and after diagnosis were included.