Neurolymphomatosis diagnosed after a recurrence of facial palsy.

Neurolymphomatosis (NL) is a rare complication of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, characterized by the infiltration of lymphoma cells into the peripheral nerves. A 54-year-old woman initially presented with right facial palsy without any other significant symptoms and was diagnosed with Bell's palsy. Despite initial improvement, her condition recurred, prompting further evaluation. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed contrast enhancement from the tympanic segment to the surface of the masseter muscle along the right facial nerve and an adjacent mass lesion. Biopsy of the mass revealed a diagnosis of T-cell/histiocyte-rich large B-cell lymphoma. Chemotherapy resulted in complete resolution of facial palsy. Follow-up MRI confirmed the absence of contrast enhancement along the facial nerve. Facial palsy was considered to be caused by NL. This case was classified as that of primary NL because the facial palsy was the first manifestation of a hematologic malignancy. Recurrent facial palsy, which is atypical in Bell's palsy, led to further evaluation with MRI, which finally resulted in the diagnosis of malignant lymphoma. In cases of recurrent facial palsy, clinicians should consider various diagnoses, including that of NL, and advocate early imaging tests and biopsy, if possible, for accurate diagnosis and improved outcomes.

Presoaking Grafts in Vancomycin Does Not Impair Graft-Bone Healing in a Rat Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Model.

BACKGROUND: The vancomycin presoaking technique (wherein grafts are treated with a vancomycin solution [VS] for anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction [ACLR]) reduces the infection rate after ACLR. However, the effects of this technique on graft-bone healing have not been fully elucidated. PURPOSE: To investigate the effects of vancomycin presoaking on graft-bone healing in a rat ACLR model. STUDY DESIGN: Controlled laboratory study. METHODS: Long flexor digitorum longus tendons were obtained from 9 Wistar rats, and each was randomly allocated to the normal saline (NS) or VS groups. The grafts were immersed in sterile saline for 30 minutes in the NS group and in a 5-mg/mL VS in the VS group. The presence of time-zero graft bacterial contamination was confirmed, and the grafts were incubated in Fluidised Thioglycollate Broth for 2 weeks. ACLR was performed on the right knees of 65 male Wistar rats using the flexor digitorum longus tendons. Each graft was similarly treated. Biomechanical testing, micro-computed tomography, and histological evaluations were performed 4 and 12 weeks postoperatively. RESULTS: The VS group showed significantly reduced graft contamination at time zero (P = .02). The mean maximum loads to failure were 13.7 ± 8.2 N and 11.6 ± 4.8 N in the NS and VS groups, respectively, at 4 weeks (P = .95); and 23.2 ± 13.2 N and 30.4 ± 18.0 N in the NS and VS groups, respectively, at 12 weeks (P = .35). Regarding micro-computed tomography, the mean bone tunnel volumes were 3.76 ± 0.48 mm3 and 4.40 ± 0.58 mm3 in the NS and VS groups, respectively, at 4 weeks (P = .41); and 3.51 ± 0.38 mm3 and 3.67 ± 0.35 mm3 in the NS and VS groups, respectively, at 12 weeks (P = .54). Histological semiquantitative examination revealed no clear between-group differences at any time point. CONCLUSION: Presoaking grafts in vancomycin in a rat ACLR model demonstrated no discernible adverse effects on short- and midterm biomechanical, radiological, and histological investigations. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The findings provide guidance for surgeons when considering this technique.

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma with DNA copy number changes in a Japanese black calf.

A 2-month-old Japanese Black calf exhibited mandibular and superficial cervical lymph node swelling. Fine needle aspiration cytology of the superficial cervical lymph node revealed large lymphoblast-like cells with mitoses. Hematological examination revealed remarkable lymphocytosis with atypical lymphocytes. Increased activities of serum total lactate dehydrogenase and thymidine kinase were detected. At necropsy, generalized swelling of lymph nodes was observed. Histopathological analysis revealed diffuse proliferation of medium-sized round centroblastic neoplastic cells that were positive for CD20, CD79α, PAX5, and BLA-36, and negative for CD3, CD5, CD10, and CD34. The calf was diagnosed with centroblastic diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) based on these findings. Analysis of DNA copy number variation revealed an increased copy number for the GIMAP family relative to that in healthy cattle. Moreover, decreases in copy numbers of GBP-1, MIR3141, OR5P1E, and PTPRG relative to those in healthy cattle were also observed. Because DNA copy number variation represent a major contribution to the somatic mutation landscapes in human tumors, these findings suggest that DNA copy number changes might have contributed to the onset of DLBCL in the present case.

A case of novel NFKB2 variant with hypertensive emergency and nephrotic syndrome leading to CKD 5D.

Nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) family plays a central role in the human immune system. Heterozygous variants in NFKB2 typically cause immunodeficiency with various degrees of central adrenal insufficiency, autoimmunity, and ectodermal dysplasia. No reported case has presented kidney failure as an initial symptom. Moreover, documentation of kidney involvement of this disease is limited. CASE DIAGNOSIS: A 2-year-old female who presented with dyspnea and hypertensive emergency in the setting of new-onset nephrotic syndrome with acute-on chronic kidney injury with resultant chronic kidney disease (CKD) was found to have a novel heterozygous N-terminal variant in NFKB2 (c.880del: p. Tyr294Ilefs*4) with mild hypogammaglobulinemia, but no adrenal insufficiency or ectodermal dysplasia. She became dialysis-dependent during her initial hospitalization and developed CKD stage 5D, requiring continued peritoneal dialysis. She is currently awaiting kidney transplantation. CONCLUSIONS: Whether nephrotic syndrome or kidney injury or failure is the primary symptom of this variant or secondary to some event remains unknown. Further case accumulation is warranted.

Monoclonal proliferation of B-cells with two integration sites of bovine leukemia virus proviral DNA in cattle with enzootic bovine leukosis.

The present study analyzed B-cell clonality and bovine leukemia virus (BLV) provirus integration sites in cattle with enzootic bovine leukosis (EBL) having BLV proviral copy numbers less or greater than the number of bovine nucleated cells. EBL cattle with BLV copy numbers less than the number of bovine nucleated cells showed monoclonal and biclonal proliferation of B-cells with one BLV provirus integration site. On the other hand, EBL cattle with BLV copy numbers greater than the number of bovine nucleated cells showed monoclonal proliferation of B-cells with two BLV provirus integration sites. These results suggest that superinfection of BLV can occur in EBL cattle.

Radiographic Progression at Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer Diagnosis: A Prognostic Indicator of Metastatic Hormone-Sensitive Prostate Cancer.

BACKGROUND: The critical role of radiographic assessment at the time of castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) diagnosis is underscored by this study. We performed a retrospective analysis of radiographic changes in metastasis from the time of diagnosis of metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPC) to CRPC diagnosis. We also explored its impact on prognosis post-CRPC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 98 men who underwent radiographic examinations (bone scans and computed tomography [CT]) at the time of CRPC diagnosis. When radiographic studies demonstrated progression at CRPC diagnosis, patients were assigned to the radiographic progressive disease (rPD) group. The remaining patients were placed in the "non-rPD" group. The overall survival (OS) post-CRPC was compared between the 2 groups. RESULTS: The median OS post-CRPC was significantly shorter in the rPD group (n = 50) compared to the non-rPD group (n = 48) (32 months vs. not reached, P = .0124). Multivariate analysis showed that radiographic progression and shorter time to CRPC were associated with a shorter OS post-CRPC (hazard ratio [HR] = 3.14; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.21-8.12, P = .019). CONCLUSION: Radiographic progression at the point of CRPC diagnosis independently predicts a shorter OS post-CRPC in patients with mHSPC. Therefore, assessing radiographic changes at the time of CRPC diagnosis could be instrumental in managing CRPC in patients with mHSPC.

Quantitative evaluation of endometrium-expressed mRNAs for the purpose of discriminating between menstruation and traumatic vaginal injury in sexual assault cases.

In sexual assault cases, it is crucial to discriminate between peripheral blood and menstrual blood to provide evidence for vaginal intercourse with traumatic injury. In this study, the menstrual blood mRNA markers progestagen-associated endometrial protein (PAEP), matrix metallopeptidase 7 (MMP7), and left-right determination factor 2 (LEFTY2) were evaluated by quantitative RT-PCR (RT-qPCR) for the discrimination of menstrual blood from peripheral blood and vaginal fluid. As a result, all markers with cutoff delta cycle quantification (ΔCq) values were specifically determined in menstrual blood among forensically relevant body fluids. Even though the changes in the expression levels of each marker differed during the menstrual cycle, all markers were determined to be positive in most of the randomly collected menstrual blood samples that were analyzed. Additionally, the markers with proposed cutoff ΔCq values could discriminate between menstrual blood and peripheral blood-mixed vaginal fluid samples. The determination of positive markers was less affected by storage temperature under dry conditions than under wet conditions, while PAEP was detectable in samples stored below room temperature under wet conditions. The detectability of PAEP was considered to be the result of its higher expression level compared with MMP7 and LEFTY2. In conclusion, menstrual blood markers for the RT-qPCR procedure evaluated in this study were highly specific for menstrual blood. The proposed procedure could be useful for discriminating between menstruation and traumatic bleeding in the female genital tract. In particular, PAEP is expected to be applicable to forensic casework samples because of its high specificity and robustness.

Retrospective case-control study examining the relationship between recurrence-free survival and changes in pre- and post-radioiodine therapy serum thyroglobulin levels in patients with differentiated thyroid cancer.

PURPOSE: Thyroglobulin assay is important to assess the residual or recurrence of differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC). Patients with positive serum thyroglobulin levels after radioactive iodine (RAI) adjuvant therapy could achieve long-term recurrence-free survival (RFS). The patient's prognosis could not be confidently estimated based solely on the evaluation of thyroglobulin levels. We investigated the recurrence rate and RFS of patients who received adjuvant RAI therapy after surgery for DTC to clarify the relationship between changes in pre- and post-therapy serum thyroglobulin levels and RFS. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients who underwent adjuvant RAI therapy between May 2007 and March 2021 were included in this study, whereas those with positive anti-thyroglobulin antibodies, distant metastases, or gross residual tumors were excluded. The change in pre- and post-treatment serum thyroglobulin levels under thyroid-stimulating hormone stimulation was calculated and classified as follows: group A, thyroglobulin levels decreased by ˃10%; group B, thyroglobulin levels within a range of 10% or less; and group C, thyroglobulin levels increased by ˃10%. RFS outcomes were analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method. Univariate analysis was performed using the log-rank test, and multivariate analysis was performed using the Cox proportional hazard model. RESULTS: A total of 74 patients were included. Relapse was seen in 13 of 46 patients in group A, 9 of 15 in group B, and 10 of 13 in group C. Median RFS was 129.00 (95% confidence interval CI 77.79-180.21), 113.00 (95% CI 86.83-139.17), and 33 months (95% CI 6.026-59.974) in groups A, B, and C, respectively. Patients in group C exhibited significantly shorter RFS than those in groups A and B (P = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Changes in thyroglobulin levels pre- and post-therapy were associated with RFS. Patients with decreased post-therapy thyroglobulin levels had a favorable prognosis, even if their thyroglobulin levels were positive after RAI therapy.

The HLA-DRB1*09:01-DQB1*03:03 haplotype is associated with the risk for late-onset Alzheimer's disease in APOE [Formula: see text]4-negative Japanese adults.

Late-onset Alzheimer's disease (LOAD) is the most common cause of dementia among those older than 65 years. The onset of LOAD is influenced by neuroinflammation. The human leukocyte antigen (HLA) system is involved in regulating inflammatory responses. Numerous HLA alleles and their haplotypes have shown varying associations with LOAD in diverse populations, yet their impact on the Japanese population remains to be elucidated. Here, we conducted a comprehensive investigation into the associations between LOAD and HLA alleles within the Japanese population. Using whole-genome sequencing (WGS) data from 303 LOAD patients and 1717 cognitively normal (CN) controls, we identified four-digit HLA class I alleles (A, B, and C) and class II alleles (DRB1, DQB1, and DPB1). We found a significant association between the HLA-DRB1*09:01-DQB1*03:03 haplotype and LOAD risk in APOE [Formula: see text]4-negative samples (odds ratio = 1.81, 95% confidence interval = 1.38-2.38, P = 2.03[Formula: see text]). These alleles not only showed distinctive frequencies specific to East Asians but demonstrated a high degree of linkage disequilibrium in APOE [Formula: see text]4-negative samples (r2 = 0.88). Because HLA class II molecules interact with T-cell receptors (TCRs), we explored potential disparities in the diversities of TCR α chain (TRA) and ß chain (TRB) repertoires between APOE [Formula: see text]4-negative LOAD and CN samples. Lower diversity of TRA repertoires was associated with LOAD in APOE [Formula: see text]4-negative samples, irrespective of the HLA DRB1*09:01-DQB1*03:03 haplotype. Our study enhances the understanding of the etiology of LOAD in the Japanese population and provides new insights into the underlying mechanisms of its pathogenesis.

Expression profile analysis of the transient receptor potential (TRPM) channel, a possible target of praziquantel in Schistosoma japonicum.

The WHO considers schistosomiasis, which is controlled by the mass administration of the drug praziquantel (PZQ), to be a neglected tropical disease. Despite its clinical use for over four decades, PZQ remains the only choice of chemotherapy against this disease. Regarding the previous studies that demonstrated that PZQ activates the transient receptor potential (TRP) channel in Schistosoma mansoni (Sm.TRPMPZQ), the expression profile of the ortholog of this channel gene (Smp_246790.5) in S. japonicum (EWB00_008853) (Sj.TRPMPZQ) was analyzed. The relative expression of this gene in various stages of the parasite lifecycle was analyzed by quantitative real-time reverse transcription-PCR (qRT-PCR), and the expression of Sj.TRPMPZQ was observed by immunohistochemical staining using anti-serum against the recombinant Sj.TRPMPZQ protein. qRT-PCR revealed the significantly lower mRNA expression in the snail stage in comparison to other stages (p < 0.01). The relative quantity of the Sj.TRPMPZQ expression for paired females, unpaired males, and eggs was 60%, 56%, and 68%, respectively, in comparison to paired males that showed the highest expression (p < 0.05). Interestingly, immunostaining demonstrated that Sj.TRPMPZQ is expressed in the parenchyma which contains muscle cells, neuronal cells and tegument cells in adult worms. This may support the two major effects of PZQ-worm paralysis and tegument disruption-induced by channel activation. Moreover, the channel was expressed in both the eggshell and the miracidia inside, but could not be observed in sporocyst. These results suggest that the expression of Sj.TRPMPQZ corresponds to the known sensitivity of S. japonicum to PZQ.

Development and comparison of forensic interval age prediction models by statistical and machine learning methods based on the methylation rates of ELOVL2 in blood DNA.

Age estimation can be useful information for narrowing down candidates of unidentified donors in criminal investigations. Various age estimation models based on DNA methylation biomarkers have been developed for forensic usage in the past decade. However, many of these models using ordinary least squares regression cannot generate an appropriate estimation due to the deterioration in prediction accuracy caused by an increased prediction error in older age groups. In the present study, to address this problem, we developed age estimation models that set an appropriate prediction interval for all age groups by two approaches: a statistical method using quantile regression (QR) and a machine learning method using an artificial neural network (ANN). Methylation datasets (n = 1280, age 0-91 years) of the promoter for the gene encoding ELOVL fatty acid elongase 2 were used to develop the QR and ANN models. By validation using several test datasets, both models were shown to enlarge prediction intervals in accordance with aging and have a high level of correct prediction (>90 %) for older age groups. The QR and ANN models also generated a point age prediction with high accuracy. The ANN model enabled a prediction with a mean absolute error (MAE) of 5.3 years and root mean square error (RMSE) of 7.3 years for the test dataset (n = 549), which were comparable to those of the QR model (MAE = 5.6 years, RMSE = 7.8 years). Their applicability to casework was also confirmed using bloodstain samples stored for various periods of time (1-14 years), indicating the stability of the models for aged bloodstain samples. From these results, it was considered that the proposed models can provide more useful and effective age estimation in forensic settings.

Patients Offer Radiofrequency Ablation Therapy for Early Breast Cancer as Local Therapy (PO-RAFAELO) Study under the Patient-proposed Health Services.

Introduction: Due to the increase in the number of early-stage breast cancer patients, there is growing interest in minimally invasive local therapies for breast cancer. Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) therapy is one of the most promising minimally invasive treatments. The Radiofrequency Ablation Therapy for Early Breast Cancer as Local Therapy (RAFAELO) study, a multicenter collaborative study that aims to validate the efficacy and safety of RFA and to standardize its use for early-stage breast cancer, was conducted under the Advanced Medical Care B system in 2013. This study enrolled the expected number of patients in November 2017; moreover, it is currently in the follow-up period. Some patients with early-stage breast cancer who are eligible for RFA could not receive the RFA treatment, as it is still not covered by insurance. Therefore, the Patients Offer Radiofrequency Ablation Therapy for Early Breast Cancer as Local Therapy (PO-RAFAELO) study under the Patient-proposed Health Services (PPHS) was proposed and approved in March 2019. Methods: The PPHS is a system that allows patients to receive prompt access to advanced medical care at a medical facility close to them, starting with their request. This system is considered a part of the specific and special medical coverage. The PO-RAFAELO study is the only study in the surgical field utilizing the PPHS, aiming to help in achieving regulatory approval and insurance coverage of RFA for breast cancer. Results: As of January 2023, 120 patients have undergone RFA using the PPHS and no grade 3 or higher early adverse events have occurred. Conclusions: A certain number of patients with early-stage breast cancer prefer nonsurgical treatment, and it is important to provide information regarding the availability of RFA for early-stage breast cancer under the PPHS.Trial registration: registered with Japan Registry of Clinical Trial on March 06, 2019 (Trial ID: jRCTs032180187).

Anticoagulation therapy for endocardial/epicardial ablation of infarct-related ventricular tachycardia in a patient with antithrombin deficiency.

In patients with a history of antithrombin deficiency, a direct thrombin inhibitor may be considered as an alternative to intraprocedural anticoagulation. A 55-year-old woman with antithrombin deficiency and prior myocardial infarction suffered from electrical storm and appropriate defibrillator shocks. Substrate mapping guided left ventricular endocardial and epicardial ablations were successfully performed. The direct thrombin inhibitor, argatroban, was safely used as intraprocedural anticoagulation therapy with no complications. Learning objective: Optimal anticoagulation during endocardial and epicardial catheter ablation is essential to prevent thromboembolic and bleeding complications. Although patients with infarct-related electrical storm and antithrombin deficiency require unusual attention to anticoagulation, argatroban, a direct thrombin inhibitor, was safely used as intraprocedural anticoagulation therapy during catheter ablations, with no complications.

LINE-1 Methylation Status in Canine Splenic Hemangiosarcoma Tissue and Cell-Free DNA.

Splenic hemangiosarcoma is one of the most common malignant tumors in dogs, and early diagnosis is of great importance for achieving a good prognosis. DNA methylation plays an important role in cancer development. Long interspersed nuclear element 1 (LINE-1) is the most abundant repetitive element in the genome. LINE-1 hypomethylation has been shown to be related to carcinogenesis in humans, and it has been used as a novel cancer biomarker. This study aimed to evaluate the methylation status of LINE-1 in tumor tissue and circulating cell-free DNA and assess its clinical significance in canine splenic hemangiosarcoma. Genomic DNA was isolated from splenic masses of 13 dogs with hemangiosarcoma, 11 with other malignant tumors, and 15 with benign lesions. LINE-1 methylation was quantified using methylation-sensitive and -insensitive restriction enzyme digestion followed by real-time polymerase chain reaction. Additionally, blood samples were collected from eight patients to isolate cell-free DNA to determine LINE-1 methylation status changes during the treatment course. LINE-1 methylation in tumor samples was significantly lower in patients with hemangiosarcoma than in those with other malignant tumors and benign lesions. Non-significant but similar results were observed for the cell-free DNA samples. Our results demonstrate that LINE-1 methylation status is a potential biomarker for splenic hemangiosarcoma.

Potential application of Staphylococcus species detection in the specific identification of saliva.

When found at crime scenes, saliva constitutes forensically relevant evidence. Although several tests have been developed to effectively identify saliva in such circumstances, most cannot discriminate between saliva and nasal secretion. Recently, studies have developed saliva tests involving oral bacteria as salivary markers. Although the specificity of such tests has been evaluated on most biological specimens, their specificity for nasal secretion samples remains to be tested. Herein, to improve the specificity of the saliva detection tests for nasal secretion samples, we reanalyzed a public microbiome dataset and conducted inhouse 16S rRNA sequencing to identify a new marker to distinguish between saliva and nasal secretions. The sequencing data indicated the existence of oral bacteria such as Streptococcus in nasal secretion samples, which may be responsible for the false positives in the saliva tests. Furthermore, we found that including the 16S rRNA gene of the genus Staphylococcus as a nasal secretion marker may improve the specificity of PCR-based saliva tests for nasal secretion samples. In addition, we assessed the specificity of previously developed salivary bacteria detection tests for nasal secretion samples and oral bacterial markers were detected in two of eight nasal secretion samples, which led to the false positive results for saliva detection. Thus, the specificity of such tests can be improved by adding Staphylococcus as a nasal marker, as revealed by our sequencing analysis.

Improved cerebral blood flow and hippocampal blood flow in stroke-free patients after catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation.

INTRODUCTION: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a risk factor for reduced cerebral blood flow (CBF) and cognitive dysfunction, even in stroke-free patients. We aimed to test the hypothesis that CBF and hippocampal blood flow (HBF), measured with arterial spin labeling magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), improve after catheter ablation of AF to achieve sinus rhythm (SR). METHODS: A total of 84 stroke-free patients (63.1 ± 9.1 years; paroxysmal AF, n = 50; non-paroxysmal AF, n = 34) undergoing AF catheter ablation were included. MRI studies were done before, 3 months, and 12 months after the procedure with CBF and HBF measurements. RESULTS: Baseline CBF and HBF values in 50 paroxysmal AF patients were used as controls. Baseline CBF was higher in patients with paroxysmal AF than with non-paroxysmal AF (100 ± 32% vs. 86 ± 28%, p = .04). Patients with non-paroxysmal AF had increased CBF 3 months after AF ablation (86 ± 28% to 99 ± 34%, p = .03). Differences in CBF and HBF were greater in the group with AF restored to SR (p < .01). Both CBF and HBF levels at 12 months were unchanged from the 3 months level. Successful rhythm control by catheter ablation was an independent predictor of an increase in CBF > 17.5%. The Mini-Mental State Examination score improved after ablation (p = .02). CONCLUSION: SR restoration with catheter ablation was associated with improved CBF and HBF at 3 months, maintenance of blood flow, and improved cognitive function at 12 months.

Skeletal Muscle and Fat Mass Reflect Chronic Pain in Older Adult.

Objectives: The prevalence of chronic pain increases with age. It has been reported that chronic pain is associated with sarcopenia and obesity. Age-related skeletal muscle loss and fat gain are known to occur due to chronic inflammation. The aim of this study was to analyze how skeletal muscle and fat, caused by chronic inflammation due to aging, regulate the development of geriatric chronic pain. Methods: The results of skeletal muscle and fat mass, 412 participants aged ≥65 years with non-specific chronic pain lasting ≥6 months, including low back, neck, and knee pain, was compared with the control without chronic pain. Body composition threshold regulating chronic pain was calculated. Results: A significantly lower skeletal muscle mass index and higher body fat percentage were observed in patients with chronic pain than that in the control. The muscle fat ratio (MFR) was significantly lower in the chronic pain group than in the control group. When the MFR threshold related to chronic pain was calculated by sex, it was 2.984 for men and 1.867 for women. Conclusions: Evaluation of the body composition of elderly patients with non-specific chronic pain revealed that the MFR was useful as an index related to chronic pain.

Eosinophil-derived galectin-10 upregulates matrix metalloproteinase expression in bullous pemphigoid blisters.

BACKGROUND: Bullous pemphigoid (BP) is an autoimmune bullous disease in which abundant eosinophils accumulate in the blisters. Galectin-10 abounds in the cytoplasm of eosinophils and is released as a result of eosinophil extracellular trap cell death (EETosis). OBJECTIVE: To identify EETosis and the pathological roles of galectin-10 in BP. METHODS: EETosis and galectin-10 in BP blisters were confirmed by immunofluorescence and transmission electron microscopy. The concentrations of galectin-10 in serum and blister fluid from BP patients were studied by ELISA. The matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) expression in BP blisters was immunohistochemically compared to that in healthy controls. As an in vitro assay, normal human epidermal keratinocytes (NHEKs) and normal human dermal fibroblasts (NHDFs) were stimulated with galectin-10, followed by MMP expression measurement by real-time PCR and ELISA. The signaling pathways activated by galectin-10 were studied using Western blotting and confirmed by inhibition assays. RESULTS: Galectin-10-containing eosinophil infiltration and the extracellular deposition of major basic protein were observed in BP blisters. The ultrastructural characteristics of tissue eosinophils indicated piecemeal degranulation and EETosis. In the BP patients, the concentration of galectin-10 was higher in the blister fluid than in the serum. Several types of MMPs were upregulated in BP blisters. Galectin-10 upregulated the production of MMPs through the pathways of p38 MAPK, ERK and JNK in NHEKs and NHDFs. CONCLUSION: In the BP blisters, the eosinophils underwent EETosis and released galectin-10. Galectin-10 might contribute to BP blister formation through the production of MMPs by keratinocytes and fibroblasts.

Neural oscillation amplitude in the frontal cortex predicts esport results.

In competitive matches, strategic decisions and emotional control are important. Relevant cognitive functions and corresponding neural activities in simple and short-term laboratory tasks have been reported. Brain resources are intensively allocated in the frontal cortex during strategic decision-making. The suppression of the frontal cortex with alpha-synchronization optimizes emotional control. However, no studies have reported the contribution of neural activity to the outcome of a more complex and prolonged task. To clarify this issue, we focused on a fighting video game following a two-round first-pass system. Frontal high-gamma and alpha power in the first and third pre-round periods, respectively, were found to be increased in a winning match. Furthermore, inter-participant variations in the importance of strategic decisions and emotional control in the first and third pre-round periods were correlated with frontal high-gamma and alpha power, respectively. Therefore, the psychological and mental state, involving frontal neural fluctuations, is predictive of match outcome.