Features of sarcopenic obesity in rheumatoid arthritis patients.

Aim: The present study aimed to determine the proportion of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients with sarcopenic obesity and to identify associated factors through assessments of physical function and patient-reported outcomes (PROs).

Methods: A prospective cohort study of 321 RA patients aged 40-79 years was conducted. Participants were classified into four groups-Normal, Obesity, Sarcopenia, and Sarcopenic obesity-based on sarcopenia criteria, which included skeletal muscle mass index, grip strength, and physical function, as well as obesity criteria defined by body fat percentage.

The impact of social frailty and physical function on laughter frequency in rheumatoid arthritis patients: data from a multicenter observational study (T-FLAG).

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between laughter frequency, disease activity, physical function, and frailty in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients.

Methods: A total of 679 consecutive RA patients from a multicenter observational study conducted in 2023 were included. Laughter frequency was assessed using a standardized questionnaire, and patients were divided into the following four laughter frequency groups: 'almost every day,' '1-5 days per week,' '1-3 days per month,' and 'never or almost never.

A randomized controlled trial comparing romosozumab and denosumab in elderly women with primary osteoporosis and knee osteoarthritis.

We compared the efficacy of romosozumab and denosumab in elderly women with primary osteoporosis and knee osteoarthritis in a randomized controlled trial. A total of 112 participants aged 75-90 years were randomized equally into the romosozumab and denosumab groups. Among these, 49 and 52 participants, respectively, who received their initial dose were included in the analysis.

Evaluation of Vertebrae in Patients With Ankylosing Spondylitis Using Hounsfield Unit Values.

Objective: To evaluate vertebral Hounsfield Unit (HU) values on computed tomography (CT) in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) compared to patients without AS and to examine differences in HU values between ankylosed and nonankylosed vertebrae in patients with AS.

Methods: This cross-sectional study included 34 patients with AS and 73 patients without AS who underwent spinal CT between 2004 and 2022. HU values were measured from C3 to L5 in patients with AS and from L1 to L5 in patients without AS.

Theoretical design of higher performance catalysts for ethylene polymerization based on nickel-α-diimine.

In this study, we investigated the reaction mechanism of Ni-α-diimine catalysts for ethylene (ET) polymerization using DFT calculations, focusing on structural and electronic factors that govern catalyst performance. Being the most active catalyst, Ni-Me was kept as a reference for analyzing pre-catalyst stability and reaction mechanisms. The first ET insertion, exhibiting the highest coordination free energy () and activation free energy (Δ‡1), is the rate-determining step.

Comparable Clinical Effectiveness of Baricitinib and Filgotinib in Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Aim: To compare the clinical effectiveness of baricitinib and filgotinib in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods: This retrospective study included 101 and 103 consecutive patients treated with baricitinib and filgotinib, respectively, between 2020 and 2023. Drug retention was analyzed using Kaplan-Meier curves, with the log-rank test for between-group comparisons.

Association between frailty and oral function in rheumatoid arthritis patients: A multi-center, observational study.

Objectives: This study aims to investigate the association between frailty and oral function in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and to identify practical markers for early frailty detection and potential intervention strategies.

Patients And Methods: A multi-center observational cohort study (T-FLAG) included a total of 661 RA patients (186 males, 475 females; mean age: 68.5±13.

Association of spinal ankylosis with spinal mobility and functional impairment in radiographic axial spondyloarthritis: A computed tomography study.

Objective: This study aimed to examine relationships of the degree and level of spinal ankylosis with spinal mobility and functional impairment in patients with radiographic axial spondyloarthritis (r-axSpA) using computed tomography (CT).

Methods: This retrospective study involving 27 patients examined the number of fused intervertebral segments in the whole, cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine using CT as a measure of spinal ankylosis, Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Metrology Index (BASMI) as a measure of spinal mobility, and Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index (BASFI) as a measure of functional impairment.

Results: Significant positive correlations were found between both BASMI and BASFI and the number of fused intervertebral segments in the whole, cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine.

One-Step Esterification of Phosphoric, Phosphonic and Phosphinic Acids with Organosilicates: Phosphorus Chemical Recycling of Sewage Waste.

Global concerns regarding the depletion and strategic importance of phosphorus resources have increased demand for the recovery and recycling. However, waste-derived phosphorus compounds, primarily as chemically inert phosphoric acid or its salts, present a challenge to their direct conversion into high-value chemicals. We aimed to develop an innovative technology that utilizes the large quantities of sewage waste, bypasses the use of white phosphorus, and enables esterification of phosphoric acid to produce widely applicable phosphate triesters.

Definition of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate distribution by freeze-fracture replica labeling.

Phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate [PtdIns(4,5)P2] is a phospholipid essential for plasma membrane functions, but its two-dimensional distribution is not clear. Here, we compared the result of sodium dodecyl sulfate-treated freeze-fracture replica labeling (SDS-FRL) of quick-frozen cells with the actual PtdIns(4,5)P2 content and the results obtained by fluorescence biosensor and by labeling of chemically-fixed membranes. In yeast, enrichment of PtdIns(4,5)P2 in the membrane compartment of Can1 (MCC)/eisosome, especially in the curved MCC/eisosome, was evident by SDS-FRL, but not by fluorescence biosensor, GFP-PLC1δ-PH.

Verification of grip strength as an evaluation tool for locomotive syndrome in rheumatoid arthritis.

Objectives: Locomotive syndrome (LS) leads to reduced physical function and a high risk of becoming bedridden. Grip strength serves as an indicator of upper limb and overall physical function. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients with reduced grip strength frequently show finger and wrist joint inflammation.

A DFT Mechanistic Study on the Aza-Aldol Reaction of Boron Aza-Enolates: Relative Stability of Six-Membered Transition State and Its Relevance to the Coordination Mode of the Leaving Group.

The mechanism of the aza-aldol reaction between boron aza-enolate and benzaldehyde is investigated by using density functional theory calculations. The result shows that the - isomer is preferentially formed, consistent with experimental observations. The six-membered ring transition state (TS) with the boat form leads to the isomer, while the more unstable chair TS does to the isomer.

Photoinduced Enantioselective Triplet Radical Reaction on Metal: Copper-Catalyzed Conjugate Addition of Acylsilanes to α,β-Unsaturated Ketones and Aldehydes.

A photoinduced copper-catalyzed enantioselective conjugate addition of acylsilanes has been developed. The conjugate acylation of α,β-unsaturated ketones and aldehydes was promoted by a copper(I)/chiral NHC catalyst under visible-light irradiation for synthesizing various 2-substituted 1,4-dicarbonyl compounds in enantioenriched forms. Mechanistic studies combining experiments and quantum chemical calculations indicated a reaction mechanism involving copper-to-acyl charge transfer (i.

New insights into the regulation and roles of phosphatidylinositol 3,4-bisphosphate.

Phosphoinositides (PIPs) are phospholipids and components of the cellular membrane. In mammals, seven phosphorylated derivatives of PIPs have been identified. Among them, phosphatidylinositol 3,4-bisphosphate [PI(3,4)P2] is produced by lipid phosphatases (e.

Clinical features of juvenile onset ankylosing spondylitis in Japanese patients.

Objectives: This retrospective study aimed to examine the clinical features of juvenile onset ankylosing spondylitis (JoAS) in Japanese patients.

Methods: We examined clinical symptoms (including initial symptoms) and the progression to diagnosis of AS in 17 Japanese JoAS patients at Nagoya university hospital between January 2004 and May 2023. Initial symptoms considered were pain at axial joints and/or extra-axial joints.

Prevalence of social frailty in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: Data from a multicentre observational study (T-FLAG study).

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of social frailty and associated factors.

Methods: A total of 655 consecutive patients who were able to complete the Kihon Checklist (KCL) and the Questionnaire on Social Frailty between June and August 2022 were enrolled. Social frailty was assessed using the Makizako Social Frailty Index.

Exploring Catalytic Intermediates in Pd-Catalyzed Aerobic Oxidative Amination of 1,3-Dienes: Multiple Metal Interactions of the Palladium Nanoclusters.

Metal nanoclusters (NCs) have unique properties because of their small size, which makes them useful as catalysts in reactions like cross-coupling. Pd-catalyzed oxidative amination, which involves dehydrogenative C-N bond formation, uses Pd complexes as the active species. It is known that the catalytic conditions involve the formation of Pd(0) species from Pd NCs, but the precise role of Pd NCs in the transformations has not been established.

p53 ensures the normal behavior and modification of G1/S-specific histone H3.1 in the nucleus.

H3.1 histone is predominantly synthesized and enters the nucleus during the G1/S phase of the cell cycle, as a new component of duplicating nucleosomes. Here, we found that p53 is necessary to secure the normal behavior and modification of H3.

Characterization of changes in the electronic structure of platinum sub-nanoclusters supported on graphene induced by oxygen adsorption.

As the sizes of noble metal catalysts, such as platinum, have been successfully minimized, fundamental insights into the electronic properties of metal sub-nanoclusters are increasingly sought for optimizing their catalytic performance. However, it is difficult to rationalize the catalytic activities of metal sub-nanoclusters owing to their more complex electronic structure compared with those of small molecules and bulky solids. In this study, the adsorption of molecular oxygen on a Pt sub-nanocluster supported on a graphene layer was analyzed using density functional theory.

Factors associated with discrepancies in disease activity as assessed by SDAI and RAPID3 in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: Data from a multicentre observational study (T-FLAG).

Objectives: The present study aimed to examine discrepancies between assessments based on Routine Assessment of Patient Index Data 3 (RAPID3) and Simple Disease Activity Index (SDAI) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients with controlled disease activity.

Methods: Data from 464 RA patients in SDAI remission or low disease activity (REM/LDA) were analysed. Patient-reported outcome (PRO) measures, including Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability Index (HAQ-DI), 25-question Geriatric Locomotive Function Scale (GLFS-25), and Kihon checklist (KCL), were assessed.

Mitigating the Poisoning Effect of Formate during CO Hydrogenation to Methanol over Co-Containing Dual-Atom Oxide Catalysts.

During the hydrogenation of CO to methanol over mixed-oxide catalysts, the strong adsorption of CO and formate poses a barrier for H dissociation, limiting methanol selectivity and productivity. Here we show that by using Co-containing dual-atom oxide catalysts, the poisoning effect can be countered by separating the site for H dissociation and the adsorption of intermediates. We synthesized a Co- and In-doped ZrO catalyst (Co-In-ZrO) containing atomically dispersed Co and In species.