Prognostic Significance of Bile Duct Loss in Early-Stage Primary Biliary Cholangitis: A Long-Term Observational Study.

Background & Aims: Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) is a chronic, slowly progressive, and autoimmune liver disease. This study aimed to establish the clinicopathological features that accurately predict long-term prognosis in patients with early-stage PBC.

Methods: The present long-term (8.

Elevated serum neprilysin levels in patients with chronic hepatitis C and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease: hepatic oxidative stress as an underlying mechanism.

Background: Neprilysin (NEP) is a metalloprotease that has become a therapeutic target for the treatment of heart failure and hypertension. However, the significance of NEP in chronic liver diseases has rarely been investigated. In this study, we investigated the serum NEP levels in patients with chronic liver disease and their relationship with clinical parameters.

Inhibition of integrin binding to ligand arg-gly-asp motif induces AKT-mediated cellular senescence in hepatic stellate cells.

Background & Aims: Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) play an essential role in liver fibrogenesis. The induction of cellular senescence has been reported to inhibit HSC activation. Previously, we demonstrated that CWHM12, a small molecule arginine-glycine-aspartic acid (RGD) peptidomimetic compound, inhibits HSC activation.

Simvastatin inhibits hepatic stellate cells activation by regulating the ferroptosis signaling pathway.

Background & Aims: Ferroptosis is a form of regulated cell death and its promotion in hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) attenuates liver fibrosis. Statins, which are 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitors, may induce ferroptosis via the downregulation of glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) by inhibiting the mevalonate pathway. However, little evidence is available regarding the association between statins and ferroptosis.

Breach of tolerance versus burden of bile acids: Resolving the conundrum in the immunopathogenesis and natural history of primary biliary cholangitis.

Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) is a classic autoimmune disease due to the loss of tolerance to self-antigens. Bile acids (BA) reportedly play a major role in biliary inflammation and/or in the modulation of dysregulated immune responses in PBC. Several murine models have indicated that molecular mimicry plays a role in autoimmune cholangitis; however, they have all been limited by the relative failure to develop hepatic fibrosis.

Rifaximin Improves Liver Functional Reserve by Regulating Systemic Inflammation.

Rifaximin, a non-absorbable antibiotic, has been demonstrated to be effective against hepatic encephalopathy (HE); however, its efficacy on liver functional reserve remains unknown. Here, we evaluated the efficacy of rifaximin on the liver functional reserve and serological inflammation-based markers in patients with cirrhosis. A retrospective study was conducted on patients who received rifaximin for more than three months at our hospital between November 2016 and October 2021.

Arg-Gly-Asp-binding integrins activate hepatic stellate cells via the hippo signaling pathway.

Background & Aims: Liver fibrosis characterizes advanced chronic liver disease, and persistent activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) is the primary cause of excessive hepatic fibrogenesis. CWHM12, an analog of the arginine-glycine-aspartic acid (RGD) amino acid sequence found in specific integrins, improves liver fibrosis; however, the detailed mechanisms remain unclear. This study aimed to clarify the cell signaling mechanisms of CWHM12 in activated HSCs.

Efficacy of a deep leaning model created with the transfer learning method in detecting sialoliths of the submandibular gland on panoramic radiography.

Objective: This study aimed to compare the performance of 3 deep learning models, including a model constructed with the transfer learning method, in detecting submandibular gland sialoliths on panoramic radiographs.

Study Design: We used data from 2 institutions (A and B) to create the models for use in institution B. In total, 224 panoramic radiographs with sialoliths were used.

Azathioprine-induced severe myelosuppression accompanied by massive hair loss and painful oral ulcer in an autoimmune hepatitis patient with minor variant: A case report.

This report highlights azathioprine-induced severe myelosuppression in the patient with NUDT15 minor variant. This case report is particularly instructive because several typical symptoms are the clues to this critical adverse drug reaction.

Dilated main pancreatic duct can be a negative predictor of pancreatitis related to biliary SEMS insertion across the papilla.

Objectives: Post-ERCP pancreatitis (PEP) after self-expandable metallic stent (SEMS) insertion across the papilla of Vater is an important adverse event that affects the patient's quality of life (QOL). We examined the predictive factors of PEP after SEMS insertion to treat obstructive jaundice due to malignancy.

Methods: Ninety patients who underwent biliary SEMS insertion for biliary obstruction due to malignancy at Iwata City Hospital between 2010 and 2018 were reviewed.

Performance of deep learning models constructed using panoramic radiographs from two hospitals to diagnose fractures of the mandibular condyle.

Objective: The present study aimed to verify the classification performance of deep learning (DL) models for diagnosing fractures of the mandibular condyle on panoramic radiographs using data sets from two hospitals and to compare their internal and external validities.

Methods: Panoramic radiographs of 100 condyles with and without fractures were collected from two hospitals and a fivefold cross-validation method was employed to construct and evaluate the DL models. The internal and external validities of classification performance were evaluated as accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC).

Texture Analysis Using Preoperative Positron Emission Tomography Images May Predict the Prognosis of Patients With Resectable Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Purpose: Texture analysis is a computer-assisted technique used to measure intratumoral heterogeneity, which is known to have important roles in cancer research. This study aimed to assess the potential prognostic values of textural features extracted from preoperative F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography images in patients with resectable oral squamous cell carcinoma.

Patients And Methods: This retrospective cohort study included patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma who underwent resection surgery.

Case report of API2-MALT1 fusion-positive MALT lymphoma arising from bilateral submandibular glands with no evidence of autoimmune syndromes.

Mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma arising from the salivary glands is usually associated with chronic infection or autoimmune syndromes, such as primary Sjogren syndrome. The occurrence of t(11;18)/API2-MALT1 is rare in salivary MALT lymphoma. Here we describe a case of API2-MALT1 fusion-positive MALT lymphoma of the bilateral submandibular glands with no evidence of autoimmune syndromes.

The prognostic significance of intratumoral heterogeneity of 18F-FDG uptake in patients with oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma.

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic significance of two major indices of intratumoral heterogeneity of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose uptake by positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT), namely heterogeneity index (HI) and heterogeneity factor (HF), in patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma.

Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of 62 patients who underwent resective surgery. HI, HF, maximum standardized uptake value (SUV), metabolic tumor volume (MTV), and total lesion glycolysis (TLG) were obtained from pretreatment PET.

Remarkable Short-Term Regression of a Posterior Mediastinum Metastasis From Primary Intraosseous Carcinoma Treated With Nivolumab: A Case Report.

Primary intraosseous carcinoma (PIOC; not otherwise specified) is a rare odontogenic malignancy that is believed to arise from the odontogenic epithelium. In addition, some cases arise in odontogenic cysts or other benign precursors. There are no established treatment protocols for PIOC because of its rarity.

[Schistosomiasis japonica in a patient who emigrated from China: a case report].

A 37-year-old woman exhibited abnormal liver enzyme levels without any symptoms at a medical check-up. She was born and raised in Hubei, China, and had immigrated to Japan in her mid-thirties. Ultrasonography revealed an enlarged caudate lobe of the liver and a wide moniliform portal vein, whereas computed tomography revealed lined calcification on the surface of the liver and on the collateral vein of the portal vein.

[A case of obstructive pancreatitis induced by extramedullary pancreatic metastasis in a patient with immunoglobulin D multiple myeloma].

A 51-year-old Brazilian female who had IgD-lambda type multiple myeloma presented with epigastralgia and obstructive jaundice during her follow-up. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) showed an enhanced mass of 25mm in the pancreatic head, and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography revealed smooth stenoses in the lower bile duct and main pancreatic duct (MPD) of the head. We diagnosed the patient with extramedullary pancreatic metastasis of multiple myelomas.

Idiopathic Isolated Unilateral Hypoglossal Nerve Palsy: A Report of 2 Cases and Review of the Literature.

Hypoglossal nerve palsy (HNP) is a common finding in neurologic diseases when associated with other cranial nerve palsies or further pathology and exhibits characteristic clinical manifestations, including unilateral atrophy of the musculature of the tongue. It occasionally appears as the initial or solitary sign of an intracranial or extracranial space-occupying lesion, head or neck injury, or vascular abnormality of the internal carotid artery. There are few cases of idiopathic isolated unilateral HNP, which should be diagnosed through exclusion.

Quantitative analysis of chronological changes in the volume of flaps used for reconstruction of oral cavity defects.

Reconstruction of oral defects using flaps following resection of oral cancer has become a standard approach for restoration of oral function. The purpose of this study was to investigate chronological changes in the volume of such flaps used for reconstruction and the factors affecting flap volume. We performed a retrospective analysis of 17 patients who had undergone oral cancer resection and reconstruction with flaps.

Cervical chyloma after neck dissection: a case report.

Cervical chylomas are rare pseudocystic collections that lack an epithelial lining and arise from the thoracic duct or its tributaries; although they typically develop after neck surgery or trauma, they can arise from unknown causes. Treatment options include not only conservative therapy, such as dietary modification, repeated aspirations, and sclerotherapy, but also include surgical excision. We describe a case of a chyloma in a 64-year-old Japanese woman with squamous cell carcinoma of the gingiva.

A Case of Sialolithiasis in a Minor Salivary Gland of the Buccal Mucosa.

Sialolithiasis is a common disease of the major salivary glands. In contrast, Sialolithiasis of Minor Salivary Glands (SMSG) is very rare. Only 2% of all cases of sialolithiasis develop in minor salivary glands and sublingual glands.