The interaction between the skin microbiome and antimicrobial peptides within the epidermal immune microenvironment: Bridging insights into atopic dermatitis.

The epidermal immune microenvironment is a multifaceted system in which the interplay between the skin microbiome and antimicrobial peptides plays a pivotal role in sustaining skin homeostasis and preventing dysbiosis. Disruption of these interactions can lead to inflammatory skin conditions such as atopic dermatitis. This review aims to explore the complex mechanisms by which antimicrobial peptides and the skin microbiome communicate within the epidermal immune microenvironment, emphasizing causal dynamics and the dual role of antimicrobial peptides.

Translational analysis of NSD3 gene amplification in lung squamous cell carcinoma: Clinical and prognostic insights from histopathological analysis of patient samples.

Introduction: Nuclear receptor-binding SET domain 3 (NSD3) has been implicated as a driver of lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC) in preclinical studies. However, its clinicopathological characteristics and prognostic significance remain unclear. To address this, we performed histopathological analysis of patient tissues.

Influence of Non-Index Pain Before Radiation Therapy for Bone Metastases on Post-Treatment QOL: Analyses Based on a Prospective Observational Study of 26 Centers.

Purpose: Although pain response is assessed based on the intensity of index pain (pain from the tumor targeted for radiation therapy), few studies have explored non-index pain (pain from other sites not targeted for radiation therapy). We examined the impact of pre-treatment non-index pain on quality of life (QOL) after radiation therapy.

Methods And Materials: Of 232 patients enrolled in the original prospective observational study conducted at 26 centers, 223 were analyzed.

Risk Stratification Using DIPSS and Splenomegaly in Myelofibrosis Treated with Pre-Transplant JAK inhibitors.

The Dynamic International Prognostic Scoring System for primary myelofibrosis (DIPSS) has been reported to predict transplant outcomes in myelofibrosis (MF) patients. Recently, the pre-transplant use of JAK inhibitors has become common in clinical practice, but it is unclear whether DIPSS is also useful for predicting transplant outcomes for these patients. In this study, we compared the prognostic impact of DIPSS between MF patients with and without pre-transplant Ruxolitinib therapy.

Association between Sodium-Glucose Co-Transporter-2 Inhibitor Use and Prognosis in Underweight Patients with Diabetes Mellitus and Heart Failure.

Background & Aims: It remains unclear whether sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors are effective for patients with underweight. This study aimed to elucidate the association between SGLT2 inhibitors use and prognosis in underweight patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) and HF.

Methods: This study was a post-hoc analysis of data from the Japanese Registry of Acute Decompensated Heart Failure, a prospective, multicenter, observational, nationwide registry.

The Beck Depression Inventory-II scores of adults with type 1 diabetes in Japan: Analysis using the Juntendo-Aso Type 1 Diabetes (JAT-1) Cohort.

Introduction: Depressive tendencies associated with difficulty in the treatment of type 1 diabetes (T1D) could hinder appropriate intervention. Factors related to depressive tendencies in Japan remain unclear, though recent advances in medication may have affected them.

Materials And Methods: Three hundred and fifty-two Japanese patients with T1D registered in the Juntendo-Aso Type 1 (JAT-1) Diabetes Cohort Study were divided into two groups based on depressive tendencies assessed with the Beck Depression Inventory-II score.

A case of Dravet syndrome with a novel SCN1A gross deletion involving the promoter region.

Here we present a case of Dravet syndrome in which a novel heterozygous deletion involving the promoter region of the SCN1A gene was identified using next-generation sequencing and multiple ligation-dependent probe amplification. This microdeletion is believed to reduce SCN1A transcription, leading to haploinsufficiency. This case highlights the importance of early genetic analysis, including that of promoter regions, before the diagnostic criteria are met for the induction of specific treatments.

The Hemodynamic Reversal of Delayed-Onset Radiation-Induced Constrictive Pericarditis Obtained by Pericardiectomy: A Case Report.

Constrictive pericarditis (CP) is often underdiagnosed, partly because of the lack of established diagnostic criteria. Exaggerated ventricular interdependence during inspiration is a hallmark physiological feature of CP. We herein report the case of a 55-year-old patient with CP who demonstrated a hemodynamic improvement following pericardiectomy.

Current status and regional differences in disaster planning and preparedness for home oxygen therapy: Insights of the Japanese White Paper on Home Respiratory Care 2024.

Background: Disaster planning and preparedness for home oxygen therapy (HOT), including regional variations, have not been fully clarified in Japan. Herein, we analyzed data from the Japanese White Paper on Home Respiratory Care 2024 to investigate the current status regarding this.

Methods: Data from medical institutions administering HOT (physician survey), patients receiving HOT (patient survey), and employees of HOT service providers (provider survey) who answered questions regarding disaster were analyzed.

Characterization of Malnutrition in Atrial Functional Mitral Regurgitation.

Background: In this study we sought to characterize the prevalence, clinical characteristics, and outcomes of malnutrition in patients with atrial functional mitral regurgitation (AFMR).

Methods: This multicentre, observational study included 802 patients diagnosed with AFMR. The eriatric utritional isk ndex (GNRI) was used as a nutritional risk metric.

The impact of chronic kidney disease on the antithrombotic strategies and outcomes in patients with acute coronary syndromes and atrial fibrillation: Insights from STAR-ACS study.

Background: Patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and atrial fibrillation (AF) (ACS + AF) face elevated risks of thrombotic and bleeding events, especially with comorbid chronic kidney disease (CKD). Limited research has assessed the combined influence of CKD in this high-risk population.

Methods: This first subanalysis of STAR-ACS study included 445 Japanese ACS + AF patients, stratified by CKD status (eGFR < vs.

Tumor-expressed GPNMB orchestrates Siglec-9 TAM polarization and EMT to promote metastasis in triple-negative breast cancer.

Metastasis remains the leading cause of cancer-related mortality, driven by complex interactions within the tumor microenvironment (TME). Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) play a pivotal role in metastatic progression, yet their molecular diversity and upstream regulators remain poorly defined. Glycoprotein nonmetastatic melanoma protein B (GPNMB), overexpressed in subsets of tumors including triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), is implicated in epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and cancer stemness.

PRIME 2.0: An Update to The Proposed Requirements for Cardiovascular Imaging-Related Machine Learning Evaluation Checklist.

The PRIME 2.0 checklist is an updated, domain-specific framework designed to standardize the development, evaluation, and reporting of artificial intelligence (AI) applications in cardiovascular imaging. This update specifically responds to rapid advances from traditional machine learning to deep learning, large language models, and multimodal generative AI.

Proteomics-based monitoring of heatstroke recovery identifies molecular signatures of organ stress.

Background: Global warming exacerbates heatstroke, increasing its severity and associated health risks, including fatal kidney damage. Predicting post-heatstroke organ injury remains difficult, delaying timely medical intervention. This study aims to identify potential blood biomarkers that reflect organ stress and recovery status following heatstroke.

Increased granulovacuolar degeneration in the thalamus and higher neurofibrillary tangle Braak stages in bipolar disorder.

Aim: Recent neuropathological studies suggest that the accumulation of neurodegenerative disease-associated proteins in subcortical structures may contribute to mood symptoms. Animal models have highlighted the role of the paraventricular thalamic nucleus (PVT) in bipolar disorder (BD) pathophysiology. However, neuropathological investigations in the thalamus in BD remain limited.

Lubiprostone in chronic kidney disease: Insights into mitochondrial function and polyamines from a randomized phase 2 clinical trial.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a life-threatening condition, and constipation is a progressive risk factor. We evaluated changes in uremic toxins, renal function, and the safety of lubiprostone, a selective chloride channel activator, in patients with CKD. In this phase 2, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial across nine centers in Japan, 150 patients with stage IIIb-IV CKD received lubiprostone (8 or 16 micrograms) or placebo for 24 weeks.

Updates on Cardiac MRI and PET Imaging for the Diagnosis and Monitoring of Cardiac Sarcoidosis.

Cardiac sarcoidosis (CS) poses significant diagnostic and therapeutic challenges due to its heterogeneous clinical manifestations and the limitations of conventional diagnostic approaches. Advances in imaging modalities, particularly cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) and ¹⁸F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET), have revolutionized the evaluation and management of this complex condition. CMR, with its superior spatial resolution and advanced techniques such as late gadolinium enhancement, T1/T2 mapping, and extracellular volume quantification, offers unparalleled insights into myocardial structure and fibrosis.

Prognostic value of ultrasound-assessed upper limb muscle thickness on mortality in older patients with heart failure: A post-hoc analysis of the SONIC-HF cohort study.

Background And Aims: Upper limb muscle thickness assessed by ultrasound could be useful to estimate whole body muscle mass. We investigated the association between low upper limb muscle thickness and prognosis in older patients with heart failure (HF).

Methods And Results: This study was a post-hoc analysis of a prospective multicenter cohort, namely, the SONIC-HF study.

Impact of early in-hospital initiation of sacubitril/valsartan on left ventricular reverse remodelling in acute heart failure.

Aims: The effect of initiating sacubitril/valsartan (Sac/Val) therapy during hospitalization for acute heart failure (AHF) on left ventricular (LV) remodelling remains unclear. This study aimed to assess the impact of Sac/Val on LV remodelling in patients in whom Sac/Val was initiated during AHF hospitalization.

Methods And Results: This study was a sub-analysis of the Program of Angiotensin-Neprilysin Inhibition in Admitted Patients with Worsening Heart Failure (PREMIER) study, which investigated the impact of initiating Sac/Val during hospitalization for AHF on echocardiographic parameters over an 8-week period, in comparison with the standard renin-angiotensin system inhibitor therapy (control).

Potential Involvement of Myostatin in Smooth Muscle Differentiation in Pleomorphic Leiomyosarcoma.

High-grade sarcomas often lack typical morphological features and exhibit no clear differentiation, often leading to a diagnosis of undifferentiated sarcoma (US). Pleomorphic leiomyosarcoma (PLMS) is a high-grade sarcoma consisting of a typical leiomyosarcoma (LMS) component alongside dedifferentiated high-grade areas. A few decades ago, PLMS was regarded as a subtype of high-grade sarcoma previously referred to as malignant fibrous histiocytoma; it is now classified as a variant of LMS.

Hydrogen Gas Inhalation Improved Intestinal Microbiota in Ulcerative Colitis: A Randomised Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Trial.

: Dysbiosis is implicated in the pathogenesis of ulcerative colitis. Hydrogen has been reported to promote intestinal microbiota diversity and suppress ulcerative colitis progression in mice models. In this study, we investigated changes in the intestinal microbiota, therapeutic effects, and safety of hydrogen inhalation in patients with ulcerative colitis.

Risk of malignant neoplasms of tacrolimus in kidney transplant patients: a retrospective cohort study conducted using the Japanese National Database of Health Insurance Claims.

Background: Although the long-term survival of kidney transplant recipients has significantly improved, malignant neoplasms remain one of the leading causes of death in this population. The recipients face a 1.8-fold increased risk of developing malignant neoplasms compared with the general population.

Primary cilium disappearance in podocytes during vertebrate phylogeny revealed by array tomography.

Podocytes are a type of epithelial cells that form the kidney nephron and are essential for ultrafiltration in the glomerulus. The majority of nephron constituent cells have primary cilia, which play an important role in the maintenance of normal tubular architecture of nephron. However, whether podocytes have primary cilia was only partially understood.