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Kyobu Geka 2020 Jun;73(6):408-412

Division of Cardiovascular Surgery, Funabashi Municipal Medical Center, Funabashi, Japan.

Computed tomography(CT) is indispensable for diagnostic imaging. During preoperative assessment for cardioaortic surgery, a CT examination is performed not only for diagnostic purposes but also to decide the surgical strategy. In some cases, CT demonstrates a small abnormal mass in the adipose tissue of the anterior mediastinum. Read More

Biol Pharm Bull 2020 ;43(6):1023-1026

Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sojo Univerity.

Aripiprazole (ARP) is one of antipsychotics and binds to human serum albumin (HSA) with a high affinity. In this study, we investigated the binding characteristics of ARP to oxidized HSA as observed in chronic disease conditions. Oxidized HSAs were prepared using chloramine-T (CT-HSA) or metal-catalyzed oxidation system (MCO-HSA) in vitro, respectively. Read More

J Vasc Surg 2020 May 27. Epub 2020 May 27.

Department of Vascular Surgery, Saitama Medical Center, Saitama, Japan.

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the outcome of a short interposition using a small-diameter prosthetic graft as a flow-limiting procedure to manage symptomatic high-flow arteriovenous fistula.

Methods: A retrospective review of medical records on a case series was conducted. From June 2004 to April 2017, 25 patients with clinical symptoms of high output cardiac failure and progressive dilatation of aneurysmal fistula vein due to high-flow arteriovenous fistula (≥1. Read More

Jpn J Clin Oncol 2020 May 28. Epub 2020 May 28.

Division of Thoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Hyogo College of Medicine, 1-1 Mukogawa-cho, Nishinomiya, Hyogo, 663-8501, Japan.

Background: Limited options exist for treating post-recurrence patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM). This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and feasibility of nivolumab in patients with post-operative recurrence of MPM in a real-world setting.

Methods: This study included 35 patients with post-operative recurrence of MPM. Read More

Surgery 2020 May 24. Epub 2020 May 24.

Department of Surgery. Section of Endocrine Surgery, The University of Chicago Medicine. Chicago, IL.

Background: Despite thyroid hormone replacement, some euthyroid patients with Hashimoto thyroiditis will continue to experience persistent symptoms that reduce their quality of life. Recent studies indicate that total thyroidectomy is superior to medical therapy alone in improving these symptoms. However, there is a high complication rate after total thyroidectomy in patients with Hashimoto thyroiditis. Read More

BMC Res Notes 2020 May 26;13(1):257. Epub 2020 May 26.

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Kindai University Hospital, 377-2 Ohno-Higashi, Osaka-Sayama City, Osaka, 589-8511, Japan.

Objective: To examine the clinical features and outcomes of adolescent and young adult sarcoma patients who underwent surgical management and clarify important factors associated with prognosis. We reviewed 18 young adult sarcoma patients sarcoma patients treated surgically in our hospital. The tumor site, histology, grade, stage, and American Society of Anesthesiologists-Physical Status before surgery, operation time, intraoperative blood loss, complications, surgical margin, local recurrence, metastasis, and outcomes were investigated. Read More

Nat Biotechnol 2020 May 22. Epub 2020 May 22.

Technology and Operations Management, Harvard Business School, Boston, MA, USA.

J Dermatol 2020 May 22. Epub 2020 May 22.

Division of Cutaneous Science, Department of Dermatology, Nihon University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic relapsing skin disease localized mainly on the apocrine gland-bearing areas. In Japan, HS is yet to be fully understood, and no criteria have been established for its diagnosis or severity assessment. The purpose of this study was to investigate and characterize HS in Japan. Read More

Adv Ther 2020 May 21. Epub 2020 May 21.

Drug Development Research Laboratory, Maruho Co., Ltd., Kyoto, Japan.

Introduction: Amenamevir (ASP2151), a herpesvirus helicase-primase inhibitor, is currently used for the treatment of herpes zoster in Japan. Amenamevir is mainly metabolized in the liver, and urinary excretion of amenamevir is approximately 10% in healthy adults. The increase of systemic exposure in non-dialysis patients with severe renal impairment was much less than that associated with nucleoside antiviral agents. Read More

Acta Neurol Belg 2020 May 20. Epub 2020 May 20.

Department of Neurology, Henry Dunant Hospital Center, Athens, Greece.

Clin Res Hepatol Gastroenterol 2020 May 17. Epub 2020 May 17.

Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Science, 465, Kajii-cho, Kawaramachi-Hirokoji, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto 602-8566, Japan.

Background And Aims: Visceral adiposity index (VAI), calculated with body mass index, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglyceride and waist circumference, has been proposed as a marker of visceral fat accumulation and dysfunction.

Methods: The impact of VAI on incident nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in a historical cohort study of 8399 (3773 men and 4626 women) participants. NAFLD was defined as having fatty liver diagnosed by abdominal ultrasonography. Read More

J Gastroenterol Hepatol 2020 May 20. Epub 2020 May 20.

Department of Liver, Biliary Tract and Pancreas Diseases, Fujita Health University School of Medicine, Aichi, Japan.

Background: The image-based diagnosis of pancreatic diseases can be difficult and requires pathological evaluation. Probe-based confocal laser endomicroscopy (pCLE) enables real-time observation of the microscopic tissue pattern of lesion and may be a useful assistance for the diagnosis. This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility and utility of pCLE for the diagnosis of pancreatic diseases. Read More

Hypertens Res 2020 May 18. Epub 2020 May 18.

Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Dokkyo Medical University, Mibu, Tochigi, Japan.

J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2020 May 18. Epub 2020 May 18.

Boston University School of Medicine, Section of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Nutrition, Suite, Boston, MA.

Urol Oncol 2020 May 14. Epub 2020 May 14.

Department of Urology, Hirosaki University Graduate School of Medicine, Hirosaki, Japan; Department of Advanced Transplant and Regenerative Medicine, Hirosaki University Graduate School of Medicine, Hirosaki, Japan.

Objectives: To validate the substratification of high-risk in the European Association of Urology (EAU) guidelines and to develop the simplified substratification to improve usefulness and predictive accuracy on oncological outcomes in patients with primary high-risk nonmuscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) who underwent transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT).

Materials And Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 428 patients with primary high-risk NMIBC who underwent TURBT from November 1993 to April 2019. First, the efficacy of the EAU highest-risk on intravesical recurrence-free survival (RFS) and muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC)-free survival was evaluated with univariate analyses. Read More

Biochem Soc Trans 2020 May 15. Epub 2020 May 15.

Department of Vascular Medicine, Amsterdam Cardiovascular Sciences, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) and Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) are the two most common autoimmune endocrine diseases that have rising global incidence. These diseases are caused by the immune-mediated destruction of hormone-producing endocrine cells, pancreatic beta cells and thyroid follicular cells, respectively. Both genetic predisposition and environmental factors govern the onset of T1D and HT. Read More

N Engl J Med 2020 May;382(20):1943-1950

From the Departments of Medicine (C.M.C., P.W.C.) and Neurology (E.B.P., J.J.L.), Massachusetts General Hospital, and the Departments of Medicine (C.M.C., P.W.C.) and Neurology (E.B.P., J.J.L.), Harvard Medical School - both in Boston.

Liver Cancer 2020 Apr 11;9(2):156-166. Epub 2019 Dec 11.

Hepatobiliary-Pancreatic Surgery Division, Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Toranomon Hospital, Tokyo, Japan.

Introduction: For prognostication of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the optimal size cutoff value and the significance of microvascular invasion (mvi) remain inconclusive.

Objective: This study sought to revisit the inconclusive components of current American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) staging system and to develop a new practical prognostication model for patients with HCC based on 2 large cohorts.

Method: In 1,175 patients who underwent resection for HCC (training cohort), prognostic significance of mvi, and optimal size cutoff value were revisited and a new staging model was established. Read More

Hypertens Res 2020 May 12. Epub 2020 May 12.

Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan.

It has been suggested that aldosterone breakthrough during treatment with a type 1 angiotensin II receptor (AT1R) blocker (ARB) may be an important risk factor for the progression of renal and cardiovascular disease. We examined whether the direct renin inhibitor, aliskiren caused aldosterone breakthrough in angiotensin II (Ang II)-dependent hypertensive mice. The effect of combination therapy with aliskiren and eplerenone was compared with that of therapy using renin-angiotensin system (RAS) blockade. Read More

Acta Neuropathol Commun 2020 May 12;8(1):67. Epub 2020 May 12.

Department of Pharmacology, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 160-8582, Japan.

Aquaporin-4 (AQP4) has been suggested to be involved in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's disease (AD), which may be due to the modulation of neuroinflammation or the impairment of interstitial fluid bulk flow system in the central nervous system. Here, we show an age-dependent impairment of several behavioral outcomes in 5xFAD AQP4 null mice. Twenty-four-hour video recordings and computational analyses of their movement revealed that the nighttime motion of AQP4-deficient 5xFAD mice was progressively reduced between 20 and 36 weeks of age, with a sharp deterioration occurring between 30 and 32 weeks. Read More

BMC Health Serv Res 2020 May 11;20(1):403. Epub 2020 May 11.

Department of Health and Social Behavior, The University of Tokyo, School of Public Health, 7-3-1 Hongo Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 133-0033, Japan.

Background: To discriminatively evaluate the cost-saving effects of a disease management program for diabetic nephropathy patients through care process rectification and, subsequently, improved health outcomes.

Methods: This study links public medical insurance claims data to the health records of a disease management program for diabetic nephropathy patients. To account for selection bias caused by the non-randomized allocation of the disease management program for diabetes patients, we adopted a fixed-effect model of panel data analysis. Read More

J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2020 May 11. Epub 2020 May 11.

Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Department of Medicine and Center for Diabetes and Endocrine Research (CeDER), ProMedica Health System/University of Toledo, Toledo, OH.

Background: Higher-but-within-normal TSH is associated with higher risk for differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) in surgical series. Our recent clinical observations suggest that this is not the case in the presence of autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD). We designed the present study to clarify this controversy. Read More

J Alzheimers Dis 2020 ;75(1):361

Psychiatry Res 2020 Apr 29;289:113040. Epub 2020 Apr 29.

Disease Control and Prevention Center, National Center for Global Health and Medicine Hospital, Tokyo, Japan.

Neurosci Lett 2020 May 7;730:135032. Epub 2020 May 7.

Division of Clinical Neuroscience, Chiba University Center for Forensic Mental Health, Chiba, 260-8670, Japan. Electronic address:

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a chronic and progressive neurodegenerative disorder. Epidemiological studies suggest that the exposure of the herbicide glyphosate may influence the development of PD in humans. In this study, we examined whether the exposure of glyphosate can affect the reduction of dopamine transporter (DAT) in the striatum and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) in the substantial nigra (SNr) of mouse brain after repeated administration of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP). Read More

Trends Cancer 2020 May 5. Epub 2020 May 5.

Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, 2-1-6 Kamikitazawa, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, Japan. Electronic address:

p53 and γ-synuclein are two major regulators of cancer pathogenesis that have the propensity to form amyloid-like fibrils reminiscent of those in neurodegenerative diseases. Here we propose that fibril formation by these amyloidogenic molecules reflects evolvability, an acquired epigenetic inheritance that may be involved in cancer proliferation, drug resistance, and metastasis. Read More

Respir Investig 2020 May 4. Epub 2020 May 4.

Department of Respiratory Medicine, Kobe City Medical Center West Hospital, 4, 2-chome, Ichibancho, Nagata-ku, Kobe, 653-0013, Japan. Electronic address:

Background: The data on smoking cessation treatment outcomes for smokers with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are limited. The present study assessed the effectiveness of smoking cessation interventions at our clinic.

Methods: Data from a prospective registry of a 3-month smoking cessation program were evaluated. Read More

Rinsho Ketsueki 2020 ;61(4):369-378

Department of Hematology, Hokkaido University Faculty of Medicine.

For the past seven decades, animal models of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (SCT) have contributed to the development of clinical SCT. Murine models are particularly useful to study the pathophysiology of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and the mechanism of graft-versus-leukemia (GVL) effects after SCT because of the variety of genetically engineered mice and numerous research reagents for immune profiling. SCT models using non-human primates are useful in preclinical studies to evaluate the efficacy and safety of novel therapies developed in murine models. Read More

Acta Endocrinol (Buchar) 2019 Oct-Dec;15(4):423-429

Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, Department of Immunology, Shiraz, Iran.

Context: Regulatory T cells (Tregs) have critical roles in preventing autoimmune diseases such as Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT). Forkhead box P3 (Foxp3), the master transcription factor of Tregs, plays a pivotal role in Treg function.

Objective: Herein, we investigated the association of two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the Foxp3 gene with HT development. Read More

Prion 2020 Dec;14(1):1-8

Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, Tsukuba, Japan.

Creutzfeldt-Jackob disease (CJD), the most common human prion disorder, is frequently accompanied by ageing-associated neurodegenerative conditions, such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. Although cross-seeding of amyloidogenic proteins (APs), including amyloid β and α-synuclein, may be critical in the co-morbidity of neurodegenerative disorders, the direct interaction of APs with prion protein (PrP), the central molecule involved in the pathogenesis of CJD, is unlikely. Currently, the nature of this biological interaction and its significance remain obscure. Read More

J Endocr Soc 2020 May 2;4(5):bvaa041. Epub 2020 Apr 2.

Division of Diabetes and Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, Daini Osaka Police Hospital, Karasugatsuji, Ten-noji, Osaka, Japan.

Hartsfield syndrome (HS: OMIM 615465) is a rare congenital disease associated with a mutation of the gene () with the main features of holoprosencephaly and ectrodactyly. Patients with HS also present with endocrinological deficits, such as isolated hypogonadotropic hypogonadism and central diabetes insipidus. Although there are several studies on infancy/childhood history, there is no study of infant/childhood/adolescent/young adult HS natural history and endocrinological findings. Read More

J Egypt Natl Canc Inst 2020 Jan 17;32(1). Epub 2020 Jan 17.

Surgical oncology unit, Mansoura University Oncology center, Mansoura, Egypt.

Background: Hashimoto thyroiditis (HT) is an autoimmune lymphocytic thyroiditis and is the most common form of thyroid inflammatory diseases. The association of HT with papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) has been described. PTC is the most common form of malignancy associated with HT. Read More

Cold Spring Harb Mol Case Stud 2020 May 5. Epub 2020 May 5.

Nationwide Children's Hospital The Steve and Cindy Rasmussen Institute for Genomic Medicine

Exome sequencing (ES) has become an important tool in pediatric genomic medicine, improving identification of disease-associated variation due to assay breadth. Depth is also afforded by ES, enabling detection of lower frequency mosaic variation compared to Sanger sequencing in the studied tissue, thus enhancing diagnostic yield. Within a pediatric tertiary care hospital, we report two years of clinical ES data from probands evaluated for genetic disease to assess diagnostic yield, characteristics of causal variants, and prevalence of mosaicism amongst disease-causing variants. Read More

FASEB J 2020 May 5. Epub 2020 May 5.

Central Laboratory, Dermatology Hospital of Jiangxi Province, Dermatology Institute of Jiangxi Province, The Affiliated Dermatology Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China.

Although effective immunological diagnostic systems for autoimmune bullous skin diseases (AIBD) have been established, there are still unidentified cutaneous autoantigens. The purpose of this study is to investigative whether anti-human serum albumin (HSA) autoantibodies exist in AIBD sera and their potential pathogenesis. By immunoprecipitation-immunoblotting, immunofluorescence assay, anti-HSA autoantibodies could be detected in AIBD sera; by ELISAs, positive rates of AIBD sera for IgG and IgA anti-HSA autoantibodies were 29% and 34%, respectively. Read More

J Cancer 2020 27;11(14):4250-4260. Epub 2020 Apr 27.

Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.

The impact of Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) on the progression of papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) is still unclear. Interleukin-2 (IL-2) is a growth factor and crucial for HT development. This study aimed at investigating the effect of IL-2 on MHC class I expression in PTC cells and immune activation with experimental treatment for PTC using PTC cell lines. Read More

J Neurooncol 2020 May 4. Epub 2020 May 4.

Department of Neurosurgery, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan.

Purpose: This study aimed to explore the genetic alterations and to identify good responders in the experimental arm in the tumor samples from newly diagnosed glioblastoma (GBM) patients enrolled in JCOG0911; a randomized phase II trial was conducted to compare the efficacy of interferonβ (IFNβ) plus temozolomide (TMZ) with that of TMZ alone.

Experimental: DESIGN: Of 122 tumors, we performed deep targeted sequencing to determine the somatic mutations, copy number variations, and tumor mutation burden; pyrosequencing for O-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) promoter methylation; Sanger sequencing for the telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) promoter; and microsatellite instability (MSI) testing in 95, 91, 91 and 72 tumors, respectively. We performed a multivariable Cox regression analysis using backward stepwise selection of variables including clinical factors (sex, age, performance status, residual tumor after resection, tumor location) and genetic alterations. Read More

Anticancer Res 2020 May;40(5):2787-2793

Department of Thoracic Oncology, Osaka Habikino Medical Center, Osaka, Japan.

Background/aim: We aimed to study the association between the quantitative interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) levels and clinical outcomes in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs).

Patients And Methods: Sample collection for IFN-γ release assay (IGRA) was performed within 14 days before treatment (T1), on day 22±7 (T3), and on day 43±7 (T4). The stored specimens over 10 IU/ml in IGRA were re-examined using the dilution method (with saline as the dilution medium). Read More

Diagnostics (Basel) 2020 Apr 29;10(5). Epub 2020 Apr 29.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease Center, Yokohama City University Medical Center, Yokohama 232-0024, Japan.

The aim of this study is to clarify whether trans-abdominal ultrasound (TAUS) can reflect actual intestinal conditions in Crohn's disease (CD) as effectively as water-immersion ultrasound (WIUS) does. This retrospective study enrolled 29 CD patients with 113 intestinal lesions. Five ultrasound (US) parameters (distinct presence/indistinct presence/disappearance of wall stratification in the submucosal and mucosal layers; thickened submucosal layer; irregular mucosal surface; increased fat wrapping around the bowel wall; and fistula signs) that may indicate different states in CD were determined by TAUS and WIUS for the same lesion. Read More

Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol 2020 Jun 4;318(6):G989-G999. Epub 2020 May 4.

Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto, Japan.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is associated with testosterone deficiency. However, NAFLD patients generally do not respond to treatment with testosterone alone. We investigated the innate immune mechanisms underlying the effects of treatment with testosterone alone, estrogen alone, or combined testosterone and estrogen on high-fat diet (HFD)-induced NAFLD due to testosterone deficiency. Read More

Atherosclerosis 2020 Apr 24;302:1-7. Epub 2020 Apr 24.

Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Kitasato University School of Medicine, Sagamihara, Japan.

Background And Aims: Endothelial glycocalyx covers the endothelium and maintains vascular integrity. However, its association with the severity and vulnerability of coronary artery disease (CAD) remains to be elucidated.

Methods: A total of 259 consecutive patients with stable CAD requiring percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) were prospectively enrolled. Read More

Clin Nutr ESPEN 2020 Jun 10;37:207-212. Epub 2020 Mar 10.

Drug Applied Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.

Objective: Oxidative stress plays an important role in the pathogenesis of Hashimoto's thyroiditis. Because of the major anti-oxidant properties of black cumin, the current study aimed to evaluate the effect of powdered Nigella sativa seeds on markers of oxidative stress, endothelial dysfunction and serum lipids in patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis.

Methods: Forty patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis, aged between 22 and 50 years old, participated in the trial and were randomly allocated into two groups of intervention and control receiving powdered N. Read More

Kidney Int 2020 Jun 25;97(6):1164-1180. Epub 2020 Feb 25.

Department of Nephrology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan.

Phosphate/calcium homeostasis is crucial for health maintenance. Lithocholic acid, a bile acid produced by intestinal bacteria, is an agonist of vitamin D receptor. However, its effects on phosphate/calcium homeostasis remain unclear. Read More

J Allergy Clin Immunol 2020 Apr 28. Epub 2020 Apr 28.

Department of Respiratory Medicine, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Pediatric Respiratory Medicine, Emma Children's Hospital, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Electronic address:

Background: Asthma is a heterogeneous disease characterized by distinct phenotypes with associated microbial dysbiosis.

Objectives: To identify severe asthma phenotypes based on sputum microbiome profiles and assess their stability after 12-18 months. Furthermore, to evaluate clusters' robustness after inclusion of an independent mild-to-moderate asthmatics. Read More

BMJ Open Gastroenterol 2020 6;7(1):e000359. Epub 2020 Apr 6.

Endocrinology and Metabolism, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan.

Objective: The social conditions are changing in the world, which may contribute to the change in lifestyle, including alcohol consumption and dietary intake; however, changes in metabolic complications in patients with alcoholic fatty liver disease (AFLD) have never been reported. Therefore, here we compare the metabolic complications in current AFLD with those of two decades ago.

Methods: We performed this cross-sectional study in a Japanese health check-up centre. Read More

Environ Res 2020 Apr 18;186:109538. Epub 2020 Apr 18.

University of Belgrade - Faculty of Chemistry, Studentski trg 12-16, Belgrade, Serbia; South Ural State University, Chelyabinsk, Lenin prospect 76, Russia.

Our previous investigation showed significantly increased arsenic (As) content in thyroid tissue samples of patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT). This research aimed to extend previous findings and provide reliable insight into the close relationship between As and other trace elements with HT by considering a greater number of thyroid tissue samples, accompanied by blood and urine samples. The essential trace elements for thyroid homeostasis (Mn, Cu, Zn, Se) and the main threatening toxic trace elements (Ni, As, Pb, Cd, U) was analyzed by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Read More

Brain Behav Immun 2020 Apr 22. Epub 2020 Apr 22.

Division of Clinical Neuroscience, Chiba University Center for Forensic Mental Health, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chiba 260-8670, Japan. Electronic address:

As of April 15, 2020, the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-2019) pandemic has swept through 213 countries and infected more than 1,870,000 individuals, posing an unprecedented threat to international health and the economy. There is currently no specific treatment available for patients with COVID-19 infection. The lessons learned from past management of respiratory viral infections have provided insights into treating COVID-19. Read More

J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2020 Jul;105(7)

Department of Anesthesiology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan.

Purpose: The purpose of this work is to assess the extent of familial aggregation of nonmedullary thyroid cancer (NMTC) and the relative risks (RRs) of chronic thyroid diseases and common malignancies in first-degree relatives of NMTC patients.

Methods: In the National Health Insurance Research database of Taiwan, all eligible individuals in 2016 were analyzed (n = 23 696 659) and the family structures of 38 686 patients diagnosed with NMTC between 1997 and 2016 were identified. The prevalence and RRs of NMTC, chronic thyroid diseases, and common malignancies in individuals with first-degree relatives with NMTC were examined. Read More

J Magn Reson Imaging 2020 Apr 23. Epub 2020 Apr 23.

Department of Biomarker Imaging Science, Graduate School of Medical Science and Engineering, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan.

Background: Identifying structural and functional abnormalities in bipolar (BD) and major depressive disorders (MDD) is important for understanding biological processes.

Hypothesis: Diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI) may be able to detect the brain's microstructural alterations in BD and MDD and any differences between the two.

Study Type: Prospective. Read More

Front Immunol 2020 9;11:601. Epub 2020 Apr 9.

Sorbonne Université, Inserm, Centre d'immunologie et des maladies infectieuses-Paris (CIMI-PARIS), AP-HP Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France.

Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) and Graves' disease (GD) are autoimmune thyroid disorders (AITDs). These conditions have been associated to abnormalities in circulating regulatory T cells (Tregs). We postulated that immune perturbations could be more pronounced at the thyroid tissue level. Read More

Int J Mol Sci 2020 Apr 19;21(8). Epub 2020 Apr 19.

Laboratory of Parkinson's Disease, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Sciences, 2-1-6 Kamikitazawa, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo 156-8506, Japan.

Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) is the second most prevalent neurodegenerative dementia after Alzheimer's disease, and is pathologically characterized by formation of intracellular inclusions called Lewy bodies, the major constituent of which is aggregated α-synuclein (αS). Currently, neither a mechanistic etiology nor an effective disease-modifying therapy for DLB has been established. Although two missense mutations of β-synuclein (βS), V70M and P123H, were identified in sporadic and familial DLB, respectively, the precise mechanisms through which βS mutations promote DLB pathogenesis remain elusive. Read More