Article
Infectious Diseases
Ruben Morilla, Francisco J. Medrano, Ana Calzada, Esther Quintana, Elena Campano, Vicente Friaza, Enrique J. Calderon, Carmen de la Horra
Summary: This study suggests for the first time the possible transmission of Pneumocystis in the family environment of patients with cystic fibrosis, indicating that patients and their household members are reservoirs and possible sources of this infection.
Article
Microbiology
Shirley Chiu Wai Chan, Ho Yin Chung, Chak Sing Lau, Philip Hei Li
Summary: This study found that PJP is uncommon but important among rheumatic patients. PJP prophylaxis is effective for patients with SSc, AAV, and IMM, especially those receiving glucocorticoid doses above 15 mg/day.
ANNALS OF CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY AND ANTIMICROBIALS
(2021)
Article
Mycology
Ozlem Ulusan Bagci, Filiz Guldaval, Can Muftuoglu, Ufuk Mert, Seray Toz, Damla Serce Unat, Omer Selim Unat, Gulru Polat, Ayse Caner
Summary: This study compared PCR and conventional methods to detect the incidence and clinical status of P. jirovecii in lung cancer patients. PCR detected P. jirovecii in 3 out of 69 lung cancer patients, while microscopy did not. Furthermore, PCR could not differentiate probable and proven infections from pulmonary colonization. Therefore, the evaluation of infection decision should be based on laboratory, clinical, and radiological findings, and further studies are needed to investigate the colonization-infection relationship in patients with solid tumors.
JOURNAL DE MYCOLOGIE MEDICALE
(2023)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Weidu Song, Chuanhao Zhang, Huichao Lin, Taiyi Zhang, Haixia Liu, Xiaowen Huang
Summary: The proposed real-time rotary PCR reaction system (RRP) meets the requirements of low cost, low-power consumption, potential for miniaturization, and portability. Experimental and theoretical results demonstrate its feasibility in the rapid quantitative detection of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and have broad application prospects in bacteria detection and food safety.
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Shaolei Huang, Yiquan An, Bangchao Xi, Xianglian Gong, Zhongfu Chen, Shan Shao, Shengxiang Ge, Jun Zhang, Dongxu Zhang, Ningshao Xia
Summary: Nucleic acid detection is a method that directly identifies the presence of pathogenic microorganisms and has advantages of high sensitivity, commendable specificity, and a short window period. A real-time PCR system based on multiple temperature zones was proposed to solve the time-consuming problem, enabling fast detection speed and high sensitivity under extreme conditions.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Eun-Yeong Bok, Saet-Byul Kim, Gitika Thakur, Yong-Ho Choe, Seong-Ju Oh, Sun-Chul Hwang, Sun-A. Ock, Gyu-Jin Rho, Sang-Il Lee, Won-Jae Lee, Sung-Lim Lee
Summary: This study evaluated the stability of reference genes (RGs) in mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) derived from rheumatoid arthritis patients. The results showed that TBP, PPIA, and YWHAZ are the most stable RGs for normalizing MSCs expression, regardless of exposure to inflammatory cytokines.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Anupop Jitmuang, Anapat Nititammaluk, Thitaya Boonsong, Patsharaporn Techasintana Sarasombath, Suree Sompradeekul, Methee Chayakulkeeree
Summary: The study evaluated the performance of ddPCR in diagnosing PCP and found that using different cutoff values in HIV-positive and negative patients resulted in better performance. Most PCP patients, including those with DHPS gene mutations, showed favorable outcomes.
JOURNAL OF INFECTION
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Cristina Veintimilla, Ana Alvarez-Uria, Pablo Martin-Rabadan, Maricela Valerio, Marina Machado, Belen Padilla, Roberto Alonso, Cristina Diez, Patricia Munoz, Mercedes Marin
Summary: This study compared the performance of real-time PCR and immunofluorescence assay (IFA) in a large microbiology laboratory. The PCR test showed higher sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV for diagnosing PJP compared to the IFA. Therefore, PCR is a robust and reliable method for diagnosing PJP.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jae Jong Kim, Hyoung-Min Park, A. Young Kyoung, In Kyung Park, Si-Kyu Lim, Byoung Chul Park
Summary: Genetic mutations like SNP are common in genetic disorders and cancers, and PCR methods are widely used for SNP detection. The specifically designed PCR platform STexS can efficiently distinguish small amounts of SNP mixed in normal DNA, aiding in targeting potential SNPs or genetically mutated biomarkers in human clinical samples.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Sonia T. Almeida, Ana Cristina Paulo, Filipe Froes, Herminia de Lencastre, Raquel Sa-Leao
Summary: The study found that the pneumococcal carrier state in healthy adults is more dynamic than generally assumed, with frequent acquisition and often long duration of carriage. This suggests that some adults may act as reservoirs of pneumococci, impacting the potential herd effects achievable through children vaccination depending on the community's social structure. These findings are important for designing strategies to prevent pneumococcal disease in adults.
JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Qian Yu, Xuchun Ding, Wen Wang, Yafang Lou
Summary: Opportunistic infection with multiple pathogens is becoming more common in non-HIV patients receiving immunosuppressants or corticosteroids. The clinical diagnosis of co-infection may be challenging due to limitations in microbiologic testing methods. This case highlights the potential of metagenomic next-generation sequencing in diagnosing pulmonary co-infections, emphasizing the importance of prophylaxis, clinical awareness, and precise diagnosis in immunocompromised patients with pulmonary infections.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Hideyuki Shiba, Takuya Kotani, Koji Nagai, Kenichiro Hata, Wataru Yamamoto, Ayaka Yoshikawa, Yumiko Wada, Yuri Hiramatsu, Hidehiko Makino, Yo Ueda, Akira Onishi, Koichi Murata, Hideki Amuro, Yonsu Son, Ryota Hara, Toru Hirano, Kosuke Ebina, Masaki Katayama, Motomu Hashimoto, Tohru Takeuchi
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the prognostic factors for mortality and changes in treatment modalities and disease activities after the onset of Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PCP) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The results showed that the prednisolone dose at baseline was a predictor of death from PCP in patients with RA. High-dose corticosteroids for RA may result in a poor prognosis when complicated with PCP.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Ophthalmology
Kazuya Yamashita, Rio Sato, Ryuki Fukumoto, Yoshiko Ofuji, Takashi Nagamoto, Hirohisa Kubono, Mari Kawamura, Kotaro Suzuki
Summary: This article presents a case of Epstein-Barr viral (EBV) corneal stromal keratitis during rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treatment, which responded rapidly to topical corticosteroids after ineffective antibiotic treatment.
Article
Immunology
Yuzhuo Zhang, Jiangpeng Lin, Zhixuan You, Hengjia Tu, Peng He, Jiarong Li, Rui Gao, Ziyu Liu, Zhiyuan Xi, Zekun Li, Yi Lu, Qiyuan Hu, Chenhui Li, Fan Ge, Zhenyu Huo, Guibin Qiao
Summary: By conducting a comprehensive analysis on the cancer risk of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients using different types of disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs), this study found that conventional synthetic DMARDs (csDMARDs) were associated with increased risks of lung cancer, lymphoma, and melanoma, while biologic DMARDs (bDMARDs) did not show a significant risk increase. In addition, tumor mutational burdens (TMBs) were not correlated with cancer risks in RA patients following immunosuppressive therapy, suggesting that immunosuppression induced by treatment may not increase the risk of cancer in RA patients.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Juan Jiang, Xia Wang, Jian He, Donglei Liao, Xiaolu Deng
Summary: Real-time PCR showed a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 98.0% in diagnosing PCP in children, and it performed well in identifying co-pathogens. Sputum can be an alternative sample for PCR assay when bronchoscopic examination is not feasible in children.
INFECTION AND DRUG RESISTANCE
(2021)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Shunsuke Mori, Tamami Yoshitama, Yukitaka Ueki
Review
Immunology
Mark G. J. de Boer, Peter D. Walzer, Shunsuke Mori
TRANSPLANT INFECTIOUS DISEASE
(2018)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Shunsuke Mori, Nobuyuki Arima, Masahiro Ito, Shigetoshi Fujiyama, Yasuhiro Kamo, Yukitaka Ueki
Article
Rheumatology
Shunsuke Mori, Tamami Yoshitama, Yasuyo Abe, Toshihiko Hidaka, Naoyuki Hirakata, Kiyoshi Aoyagi, Yukitaka Ueki
Article
Rheumatology
Shunsuke Mori, Yukitaka Ueki
CLINICAL RHEUMATOLOGY
(2019)
Letter
Mathematical & Computational Biology
Shunsuke Mori
STATISTICS IN MEDICINE
(2020)
Article
Hematology
Shunsuke Mori
TRANSFUSION AND APHERESIS SCIENCE
(2020)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Shunsuke Mori, Yukinori Koga, Kazuyoshi Nakamura, Sayuri Hirooka, Takako Matsuoka, Hideshi Uramoto, Osamu Sakamoto, Yukitaka Ueki
Review
Rheumatology
Shunsuke Mori, Fumihiko Ogata, Ryusuke Tsunoda
Summary: JAK inhibitors have shown positive therapeutic impacts in rheumatoid arthritis, but concerns have been raised regarding the associated risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE). Various factors, including chronic inflammatory conditions, advanced age, obesity, and diabetes, can contribute to an increased risk of VTE. Clinicians should carefully assess individual risk factors and promptly diagnose and manage any symptoms suggestive of VTE.
CLINICAL RHEUMATOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Rheumatology
Shunsuke Mori, Yukitaka Ueki, Naruhiko Ishiwada
Summary: The study evaluated the antibody response to PCV13 vaccine in patients with rheumatoid arthritis receiving JAKIs. The results showed that IgG concentrations significantly increased in all treatment groups after vaccination, but the fold increases were different among treatment groups. Combination therapy was the only factor associated with a reduced antibody response to PCV13.
MODERN RHEUMATOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Rheumatology
Shunsuke Mori, Yukitaka Ueki, Tomoya Miyamura, Koji Ishii, Toshihiko Hidaka, Tamami Yoshitama, Kazuyoshi Nakamura, Yasuo Suenaga
Summary: This study aimed to evaluate the outcomes and risk factors for death in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who developed Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP). The results showed significant differences between survivors and non-survivors in terms of cough, sputum production, and medication before and after PCP occurrence. Coexisting RA-associated interstitial lung disease and delayed treatment with anti-Pneumocystis drugs were identified as significant risk factors for PCP mortality in RA patients. Most survivors were able to resume DMARD therapy without PCP prophylaxis.
MODERN RHEUMATOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Shunsuke Mori, Akitomo Okada, Tomohiro Koga, Yukitaka Ueki
Summary: Discontinuation of bDMARDs/tofacitinib may be a feasible strategy in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, especially those with early treated and longer-controlled RA. Flares are manageable in most patients and radiological progression is rare for at least 3 years after discontinuation of bDMARDs/tofacitinib.
Article
Rheumatology
Shunsuke Mori, Hirofumi Soejima, Jun Hokamaki, Kenichi Tsujita
Summary: We investigated factors associated with plasma D-dimer levels in outpatients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) by consecutively recruiting 460 patients. The study found that age, disease severity, and the presence of comorbidities or cardiovascular/VTE risk factors were independently associated with high D-dimer levels. Among patients with D-dimer levels >= 3 mu g/ml, 25% had deep vein thrombosis in their lower limbs. The results suggest that clinical disease activity is a major contributor to elevated plasma D-dimer levels in RA outpatients.
MODERN RHEUMATOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Rheumatology
Shunsuke Mori, Yukitomo Urata, Tamami Yoshitama, Yukitaka Ueki
Summary: The study found that tofacitinib was more effective in inducing greater improvements in bDMARD-naive patients with active RA during the first 12 months of treatment compared to tocilizumab, but this difference was not observed in bDMARD-failure patients.
Article
Rheumatology
Shunsuke Mori, Nobuyuki Arima, Masahiro Ito, Yukitaka Ueki, Yasuyo Abe, Kiyoshi Aoyagi, Shigetoshi Fujiyama
RHEUMATOLOGY ADVANCES IN PRACTICE
(2020)