Silica-associated systemic lupus erythematosus with lupus nephritis and lupus pneumonitis A case report and a systematic review of the literature

Introduction Several epidemiological studies have shown that silica exposure triggers the onset of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE); however, the clinical characteristics of silica-associated SLE have not been well studied. Patient concerns A 67-year-old man with silicosis visited a primary hospital because of a fever and cough. His respiratory condition worsened, regardless of antibiotic medication, and he was referred to our hospital. Diagnosis The patient showed leukopenia, lymphopenia, serum creatinine elevation with proteinuria and hematuria, decreased serum C3 level, and was positive for anti-double stranded DNA antibody, anti-nuclear antibody, and direct Coombs test. He was diagnosed with SLE. Renal biopsy was performed, and the patient was diagnosed with lupus nephritis (class IV-G(A/C) + V defined by the International Society of Nephrology/Renal Pathology Society classification). Computed tomography revealed acute interstitial pneumonitis, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid showed elevation of the lymphocyte fraction, and he was diagnosed with lupus pneumonitis. Interventions Prednisolone (50 mg/day) with intravenous cyclophosphamide (500 mg/body) were initiated. Outcomes The patient showed a favorable response to these therapies. He was discharged from our hospital and received outpatient care with prednisolone slowly tapered off. He had cytomegalovirus and herpes zoster virus infections during treatment, which healed with antiviral therapy. Review: We searched for the literature on sSLE, and selected 11 case reports and 2 population-based studies. The prevalence of SLE manifestations in sSLE patients were comparative to that of general SLE, particularly that of elderly-onset SLE. Our renal biopsy report and previous reports indicate that lupus nephritis of sSLE patients show as various histological patterns as those of general SLE patients. Among the twenty sSLE patients reported in the case articles, three patients developed lupus pneumonitis and two of them died of it. Moreover, two patients died of bacterial pneumonia, one developed aspergillus abscesses, one got pulmonary tuberculosis, and one developed lung cancer. Conclusion Close attention is needed, particularly for respiratory system events and infectious diseases, when treating patients with silica-associated SLE using immunosuppressive therapies

Results of the search for inspiraling compact star binaries from TAMA300's observation in 2000-2004

We analyze the data of TAMA300 detector to search for gravitational waves from inspiraling compact star binaries with masses of the component stars in the range 1-3Msolar. In this analysis, 2705 hours of data, taken during the years 2000-2004, are used for the event search. We combine the results of different observation runs, and obtained a single upper limit on the rate of the coalescence of compact binaries in our Galaxy of 20 per year at a 90% confidence level. In this upper limit, the effect of various systematic errors such like the uncertainty of the background estimation and the calibration of the detector's sensitivity are included.Comment: 8 pages, 4 Postscript figures, uses revtex4.sty The author list was correcte

A Patient with Type 3 Autoimmune Polyglandular Syndrome who Developed Systemic Lupus Erythematosus 8 years after the Diagnosis of Autoimmune Hepatitis

Eight years prior to her present admission, a 61-year-old Japanese woman was diagnosed with autoimmune hepatitis, slowly progressive insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, and chronic thyroiditis; she had been treated with oral prednisolone (PSL). After she suddenly discontinued PSL, she newly developed systemic lupus erythematosus. A combination therapy of oral PSL and intravenous cyclophosphamide resulted in remission. She was finally diagnosed with autoimmune polyglandular syndrome (APS) type 3 (3A ,3B, 3D), complicated with four different autoimmune diseases. Since patients with type 3 APS may present many manifestations over a long period of time, they should be carefully monitored

Lifestyle factors and social ties associated with the frequency of laughter after the Great East Japan Earthquake: Fukushima Health Management Survey

Purpose: Although mental health problems such as depression after disasters have been reported, positive psychological factors after disasters have not been examined. Recently, the importance of positive affect to our health has been recognised. We therefore investigated the frequency of laughter and its related factors among residents of evacuation zones after the Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011. Methods: In a cross-sectional study on 52,320 participants aged 20 years and older who were included in the Fukushima Health Management Survey in Japan's fiscal year 2012, associations of the frequency of laughter with changes in lifestyle after the disaster, such as a changed work situation, the number of family members, and the number of address changes, and other sociodemographic, psychological, and lifestyle factors were examined using logistic regression analysis. The frequency of laughter was assessed using a single-item question: "How often do you laugh out loud?" Results: The proportion of those who laugh almost every day was 27.1%. Multivariable models adjusted for sociodemographic, psychological, and lifestyle factors demonstrated that an increase in the number of family members and fewer changes of address were significantly associated with a high frequency of laughter. Mental health, regular exercise, and participation in recreational activities were also associated with a high frequency of laughter. Conclusion: Changes in lifestyle factors after the disaster were associated with the frequency of laughter in the evacuation zone. Future longitudinal studies are needed to examine what factors can increase the frequency of laughter

Observation results by the TAMA300 detector on gravitational wave bursts from stellar-core collapses

We present data-analysis schemes and results of observations with the TAMA300 gravitational-wave detector, targeting burst signals from stellar-core collapse events. In analyses for burst gravitational waves, the detection and fake-reduction schemes are different from well-investigated ones for a chirp-wave analysis, because precise waveform templates are not available. We used an excess-power filter for the extraction of gravitational-wave candidates, and developed two methods for the reduction of fake events caused by non-stationary noises of the detector. These analysis schemes were applied to real data from the TAMA300 interferometric gravitational wave detector. As a result, fake events were reduced by a factor of about 1000 in the best cases. The resultant event candidates were interpreted from an astronomical viewpoint. We set an upper limit of 2.2x10^3 events/sec on the burst gravitational-wave event rate in our Galaxy with a confidence level of 90%. This work sets a milestone and prospects on the search for burst gravitational waves, by establishing an analysis scheme for the observation data from an interferometric gravitational wave detector

A case of mucoepidermoid carcinoma arising in mature cystic teratoma

卵巣粘表皮癌は卵巣悪性腫瘍の中で極めてまれな組織型に分類される。今回、我々は成熟嚢胞性奇形種より発生した卵巣粘表皮癌の症例を経験したので報告する。症例は、69歳、女性、両側の成熟嚢胞性奇形腫を認めたが、SCC 高値とCT、MRI にて左側の腫瘍内に造影される充実性部分を認めたこと、小腸に浸潤を疑う所見を認めたこと、から悪性転化を疑い、手術を施行した。開腹時、両側卵巣腫瘍を認め、左卵巣腫瘍はS状結腸と強固に癒着していた。卵巣腫瘍充実性部分の迅速病理にて低分化癌と診断し、単純子宮全摘出術、両側付属器摘出術、S状結腸合併切除、骨盤リンパ節郭清術、大網切除術を施行した。病理組織学的には、左卵巣腫瘍の嚢胞壁肥厚部に皮膚付属器、脂肪織、軟骨組織、リンパ球集簇、卵巣間質を認め、充実成分に低分化な浸潤性扁平上皮癌を認めた。充実成分には、粘表皮癌に特徴的な、豊富な胞体粘液（PASおよびAlcian blue 染色陽性）を有する異型細胞が胞巣状~不完全な腺管状を呈する領域があり、成熟嚢胞性奇形腫より発生した卵巣粘表皮癌IIb期(pT2bN0M0)と診断した。術後補助化学療法としてDC（ドセタキセル、カルボプラチン）療法を施行し、術後1年8ヶ月現在、再発を認めない。雑誌掲載論

DOCK2 is involved in the host genetics and biology of severe COVID-19

「コロナ制圧タスクフォース」COVID-19疾患感受性遺伝子DOCK2の重症化機序を解明 --アジア最大のバイオレポジトリーでCOVID-19の治療標的を発見--. 京都大学プレスリリース. 2022-08-10.Identifying the host genetic factors underlying severe COVID-19 is an emerging challenge. Here we conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) involving 2, 393 cases of COVID-19 in a cohort of Japanese individuals collected during the initial waves of the pandemic, with 3, 289 unaffected controls. We identified a variant on chromosome 5 at 5q35 (rs60200309-A), close to the dedicator of cytokinesis 2 gene (DOCK2), which was associated with severe COVID-19 in patients less than 65 years of age. This risk allele was prevalent in East Asian individuals but rare in Europeans, highlighting the value of genome-wide association studies in non-European populations. RNA-sequencing analysis of 473 bulk peripheral blood samples identified decreased expression of DOCK2 associated with the risk allele in these younger patients. DOCK2 expression was suppressed in patients with severe cases of COVID-19. Single-cell RNA-sequencing analysis (n = 61 individuals) identified cell-type-specific downregulation of DOCK2 and a COVID-19-specific decreasing effect of the risk allele on DOCK2 expression in non-classical monocytes. Immunohistochemistry of lung specimens from patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia showed suppressed DOCK2 expression. Moreover, inhibition of DOCK2 function with CPYPP increased the severity of pneumonia in a Syrian hamster model of SARS-CoV-2 infection, characterized by weight loss, lung oedema, enhanced viral loads, impaired macrophage recruitment and dysregulated type I interferon responses. We conclude that DOCK2 has an important role in the host immune response to SARS-CoV-2 infection and the development of severe COVID-19, and could be further explored as a potential biomarker and/or therapeutic target

A Case of Functional (Psychogenic) Monocular Hemianopia Analyzed by Measurement of Hemifield Visual Evoked Potentials

Purpose: Functional monocular hemianopia is an extremely rare condition, for which measurement of hemifield visual evoked potentials (VEPs) has not been previously described. Methods: A 14-year-old boy with functional monocular hemianopia was followed up with Goldmann perimetry and measurement of hemifield and full-field VEPs. Results: The patient had a history of monocular temporal hemianopia of the right eye following headache, nausea and ague. There was no relative afferent pupillary defect, and a color perception test was normal. Goldmann perimetry revealed a vertical monocular temporal hemianopia of the right eye; the hemianopia on the right was also detected with a binocular visual field test. Computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and MR angiography of the brain including the optic chiasm as well as orbital MRI revealed no abnormalities. On the basis of these results, we diagnosed the patient's condition as functional monocular hemianopia. Pattern VEPs according to the International Society for Clinical Electrophysiology of Vision (ISCEV) standard were within the normal range. The hemifield pattern VEPs for the right eye showed a symmetrical latency and amplitude for nasal and temporal hemifield stimulation. One month later, the visual field defect of the patient spontaneously disappeared. Conclusions: The latency and amplitude of hemifield VEPs for a patient with functional monocular hemianopia were normal. Measurement of hemifield VEPs may thus provide an objective tool for distinguishing functional hemianopia from hemifield loss caused by an organic lesion

Determination of <span style="font-variant: small-caps">d</span>- and <span style="font-variant: small-caps">l</span>-Amino Acids in Garlic Foodstuffs by Liquid Chromatography–Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Black garlic is currently attracting interest as a health food and constituent of commercial supplements; however, no data regarding the d-amino acids within black garlic have been reported. Therefore, the amino acid compositions of methanol extracts from fresh and black garlic were compared herein. We investigated the contents of the d- and l-forms of amino acids in commercial fresh, black, and freeze-dried garlic foodstuffs by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) using a pre-column chiral derivatization reagent, succinimidyl 2-(3-((benzyloxy)carbonyl)-1-methyl-5-oxoimidazolidin-4-yl) acetate. Several d-amino acids, namely, the d-forms of Asn, Ala, Ser, Thr, Glu, Asp, Pro, Arg, Phe, Orn, Lys, and Tyr, were observed in the methanol extract of black garlic, whereas only d-Ala was detected in that of fresh garlic foodstuffs. These data suggest that several d-amino acids can be produced during fermentation for preparing black garlic

Analyzing Citramalic Acid Enantiomers in Apples and Commercial Fruit Juice by Liquid Chromatography–Tandem Mass Spectrometry with Pre-Column Derivatization

Optically active citramalic acid (CMA) is naturally present as an acidic taste component in fruits, such as apples. The absolute configuration of CMA in such fruits was investigated by high-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) following pre-column derivatization with a chiral reagent, benzyl 5-(2-aminoethyl)-3-methyl-4-oxoimidazolidine-1-carboxylate. The developed LC–MS/MS method successfully separated the enantiomers of CMA using an octadecylsilica column with a resolution and separation factor of 2.19 and 1.09, respectively. Consequently, the R-form of CMA was detected in the peel and fruit of three kinds of apple at concentrations in the 1.24–37.8 and 0.138–1.033 mg/wet 100 g ranges, respectively. In addition, R- CMA was present in commercial apple juice, whereas no quantity was detected in commercial blueberry, perilla, or Japanese apricot juice