Association between antinuclear antibodies status and preterm birth in Japanese pregnant women: a prospective cohort study from Adjunct Study of the Japan Environment and Children's Study.

Background: Antinuclear antibodies (ANA) are important biomarkers for the diagnosis of autoimmune diseases; however, the general population also tests positive at a low frequency, especially in women. Although the effects of various autoimmune diseases on pregnancy outcomes have been studied, the association of ANA with pregnancy outcomes in healthy individuals is unclear. Preterm birth (PTB), a major cause of neonatal death or long-term health problems, is a complex condition with a multifactorial etiology, and the underlying mechanism remains unclear.

Comparison of different puncture needles used for endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle biopsy of Gastrointestinal subepithelial lesions (≤ 2 cm) with respect to the adequacy of specimen collection: study protocol for a multicenter randomized prospective trial.

Background: Gastrointestinal subepithelial lesions (SELs) range from benign to malignant. Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided fine-needle biopsy (EUS-FNB) is used widely for pathological diagnosis of SELs. Early diagnosis and treatment are important because all Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) have some degree of malignant potential.

An improvised one-step OptiPrep cushion ultracentrifugation method for outer membrane vesicles isolation of Klebsiella pneumoniae.

Background: Extracellular vesicles (EVs) play a crucial role in intraspecies and interspecies communication, significantly influencing physiological and pathological processes. Outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) secreted by Gram-negative bacteria are rich in components from the parent cells and are important for bacterial communication, immune evasion, and pathogenic mechanisms. However, the extraction and purification of OMVs face numerous challenges due to their small size and heterogeneity.

Immunostimulatory effects of Heyndrickxia coagulans SANK70258.

Here, we examined the immunomodulating effects of Heyndrickxia coagulans SANK70258 (SANK70258). Mouse splenocytes treated with γ-ray-irradiated SANK70258 produced higher levels of IFN-γ than those with 7 types of lactic acid bacteria. IFN-γ was mainly produced by NK cells, involving IL-12/IL-23, dendritic cells (DCs), and NFκB signaling.

Improvement of immunological tests for detecting autoantibodies in patients with lamina lucida-type linear IgA bullous dermatosis.

Background: In the diagnosis of linear IgA bullous dermatosis (LABD), detection of IgA at the epidermal basement membrane zone and circulating IgA autoantibodies are essential. The disease has two subtypes, lamina lucida-type and sublamina densa-type, with 120 kDa LAD-1 and 97 kDa LABD97 as major autoantigens for lamina lucida-type. Normal human epidermal keratinocytes (NHEK) and HaCaT cells are widely used for immunoblotting (IB) in the diagnosis process, but they do not provide high sensitivity and semiquantitative analysis.

One-year hemodynamic and clinical outcomes in self-expanding valves: Comparison of ACURATE neo2 versus ACURATE neo.

Background/purpose: Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) with ACURATE neo2 showed better hemodynamic outcomes by mitigating paravalvular leakage (PVL) compared with ACURATE neo, and revealed promising one-year outcomes in single-arm studies. However, studies comparing the hemodynamic and clinical outcomes of the two valves are still scarce. Therefore, this study aimed to compare the one-year hemodynamic and clinical outcomes between the neo2 and neo.

Associations between ABO, FUT2 and chronic pancreatitis: A comprehensive meta-analysis of multiple cohorts and public biobanks.

Objectives: Associations of ABO blood group specifying transferases A/B (ABO) and fucosyltransferase 2 (FUT2) with CP remain inconclusive. We aimed to comprehensively investigate the associations by Chinese sequencing cohorts and external cohorts.

Methods: First, we analyzed the distributions of ABO blood groups and FUT2 status, along with lead single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) at ABO (rs8176693 C/T) and FUT2 (rs632111 A/G) gene loci in Chinese low-coverage whole-genome sequencing discovery cohort.

Comparative survival of sleeve gastrectomy versus Roux-en-Y gastric bypass in adults with obesity: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: The difference in survival between sleeve gastrectomy (SG) and Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) remains controversial.

Objective: To investigate the comparative survival difference between SG and RYGB in adults with morbid obesity.

Setting: A meta-analysis.

Detection of anti-MGL_1304 IgE using the ImmunoCAP system for diagnosis of type I allergy to sweat.

Background: Type I allergy to sweat is involved in the pathogenesis of atopic dermatitis (AD) and cholinergic urticaria (CholU), with MGL_1304 from Malassezia globosa being the major causative antigen. Currently, no standard diagnostic test exists for sweat allergy that uses serum.

Methods: The ImmunoCAP (iCAP) system to measure antigen-specific IgE was developed using recombinant MGL_1304 (rMGL_1304).

Efficacy of corneal squamous cell carcinoma antigen-1 in early infancy in predicting atopic dermatitis and food allergy: A prospective study.

Background: Identification of predictive biomarkers is crucial for formulating preventive interventions and halting the progression of atopic march. Although controversial, the use of accessible markers to predict or detect early onset of atopic diseases is highly desirable. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate whether corneal squamous cell carcinoma antigen-1 (SCCA1) collected from infants can predict the development of atopic dermatitis and food allergy.

Associations of socio-demographic, anthropometric and behavioural factors with phase angle in older adults: a cross-sectional study in Taiwan.

Objective: Phase angle (PhA) is a prognostic factor for predicting and monitoring geriatric syndromes. However, multiple factors associated with increased PhA values as an outcome remain unclear in the older population. This study aimed to examine the association of socio-demographic, anthropometric and behavioural factors with PhA among older Taiwanese adults.

Components of cognitive-behavioural therapy for mitigating core symptoms in attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder: a systematic review and network meta-analys.

Question: Cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) is frequently implemented for individuals with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). It is still unknown which specific components are effective, because CBT is a complex intervention with several components. The objective of this review was to assess the efficacy of CBT components for ADHD.

A paradoxical reaction after an oral glucose tolerance test revealed a pheochromocytom.

A 33-year-old Japanese man with a history of atopic dermatitis and asthma had never been diagnosed with any apparent glucose intolerance but had been aware of palpitations for >10 years. A 75g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) at his physical examination in March 2021 revealed fasting hyperglycemia and post-load hypoglycemia. An OGTT recheck was performed in May 2021 and was normal.

Cognitive regulation of alternative proteins: Positive reappraisal enhances wanting for insects, plant-based meat analogies, cultured meat, and algae.

Alternative proteins have attracted increasing attention from researchers and industry. Generally, consumers exhibit reluctance toward accepting alternative proteins. However, the potential of cognitive strategies to enhance consumer acceptance of alternative proteins remains unclear.

Consumption of sodium and its ratio to potassium in relation to all-cause, cause-specific, and premature non-communicable disease mortality in middle-aged Japanese adults: A prospective cohort study.

Background: Reducing premature non-communicable disease (NCD) mortality is a global challenge. Sodium is thought to increase the risk of NCD via an effect of salt per se or high-salt foods on hypertension-induced cardiovascular disease (CVD) and gastrointestinal cancer. Further, the relative risk of CVD is reportedly more closely associated with sodium/potassium ratio than with sodium alone.

Ultrastructural expansion microscopy (U-ExM) visualization of malaria parasite dense granules using RESA as a representative marker protein.

Dense granules (DG) are understudied apical organelles in merozoites, the malaria parasite stage that invades erythrocytes. Only six proteins have been identified which localize to DGs, despite that DG proteins play crucial roles in multiple steps of intraerythrocytic parasite development. To develop a tool for investigating DG structure and function, this study applied ultrastructural expansion microscopy (U-ExM) to visualize the ring-infected erythrocyte surface antigen (RESA) in Plasmodium falciparum merozoites.

Long-term follow-up study of Kudo Type-5 elbow prosthesis in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: minimum 10-year clinical outcomes.

Objectives: Rheumatoid arthritis often leads to debilitating damage in the elbow joint, which may require total elbow arthroplasty (TEA). The Kudo TEA is one of the unlinked type prostheses with reportedly favorable outcomes. However, there is limited information available regarding its long-term performance.

Temperature effects on nitrogen removal and NO emissions in anammox reactors.

Mainstream anammox faces challenges in adapting to non-optimal temperatures and managing greenhouse gas emissions. This study investigates nitrogen removal and NO emissions in attached-growth anammox reactors subjected to rapid temperature shifts (15 - 55 °C). Temperature reductions to 15 - 25 °C had minimal impact on the anammox bacterial populations, with nitrogen removal rates of 0.

Prognostic impact of tumor cell nuclear size assessed by artificial intelligence in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Tumor cell nuclear size (NS) indicates malignant potential in breast cancer; however, its clinical significance in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is unknown. Artificial intelligence (AI) can quantitatively evaluate histopathological findings. The aim was to measure NS in ESCC using AI and elucidate its clinical significance.

Resorcimoline as a Novel Therapeutic Agent Attenuates Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury in Hind Extremities.

Background: Acute ischemia in the hind extremities is a dangerous disease that causes irreversible damage. Revascularization procedures are important to prevent muscle damage, but these treatments may induce additional damage, also known as ischemia-reperfusion injury. The role of free radicals as pivotal mediators of ischemia-reperfusion injury remains a prominent hypothesis.

Amelioration of Gap Junction Dysfunction in a Depression Model by Loganin: Involvement of GSK-3β/β-Catenin Signaling.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Comus officinalis Sieb. et Zucc has significant neuroprotective activity and has been widely studied for its potential to improve cognitive function. Our team's previous research has found that loganin isolated from Comus officinalis has an antidepressant effect.