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Anti-melanoma differentiation-associated gene 5 (MDA5) autoantibody-positive and age at onset ≥60 years are poor prognosis factors in polymyositis (PM) and dermatomyositis (DM) associated with interstitial lung disease (ILD) among Japanese patients. However, the influence of age on the clinical features of anti-MDA5 autoantibody-positive patients with DM remains unclear.We retrospectively examined 40 patients with DM and anti-MDA5 autoantibodies according to age. We compared patients aged60 and ≥60 years with respect to clinical features including laboratory test findings, high-resolution lung computed tomography data, treatment content, and complications such as infections and prognosis. We also examined clinical features between surviving and deceased patients in the older patient group.Of 40 enrolled patients, 13 were classified as old and 27 as young. Older patients had significantly fewer clinical symptoms including arthralgia/arthritis (Clinical features and mortality of anti-MDA5 autoantibody-positive DM patients were influenced by age. Patients aged ≥60 years had a worse prognosis, and combination immunosuppressive therapy was often ineffective for RP-ILD in older patients.

Dermatomyositis (DM) with autoantibody against melanoma differentiation-associated gene-5 (MDA5) is characterized by elevated risk of rapidly progressive interstitial lung disease (RP-ILD) with a potentially fatal course. Pneumomediastinum (PNM) is a common pulmonary manifestation which accompanies ILD. However, the clinical features of the patients with anti-MDA5 antibody-positive DM who develop PNM remain unclear.We retrospectively examined 31 patients with DM having anti-MDA5 antibody and compared the clinical features between patients with PNM (PMN(+)) (n = 11) and those without (PNM(-) (n = 20). In addition, we evaluated the treatment-related prognoses in PNM(+) group.CT score (total ground-glass opacity (GGO) score, P = 0.02; total fibrosis score, P = 0.02) before treatment, and mortality (P = 0.04) were significantly higher in PNM(+) group. The cumulative survival rate as assessed by Kaplan-Meier method was significantly lower for the PNM(+) group (P = 0.02). Among 11 PMN(+) patients, 9 patients (9/11, 81.8%) underwent intensive immunosuppression therapy for RP-ILD, and 5 patients (5/11, 45.5%) did not respond to it and died from the respiratory failure. At the time of diagnosis of PNM, nonsurvivors had worse liver function (ALT, P = 0.03; LDH, P = 0.01), worse respiratory status (A-aDO2, P = 0.01), and worse CT score (total GGO score, P 0.01).A subgroup of patients with DM having anti-MDA5 antibody complicated by PNM as well as RP-ILD did respond to intensive immunosuppression therapy. Initial aggressive immunosuppressive therapy should be considered for these patients.Key Points• This study clearly demonstrate the presence of PNM was associated with elevated risk of death due to respiratory failure from RP-ILD among patients with DM having circulating anti-MDA5-antibody.•This study demonstrate evaluation of CT image may be helpful to find patients with better response to the intense immunosuppression therapy for the patients with DM having circulating anti-MDA5-antibody and PNM.

Anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies-associated vasculitis (AAV) occurs in elderly people, and patients with anti-myeloperoxidase autoantibodies (MPO-ANCA)-positive AAV are often complicated with interstitial lung disease (ILD). This study aimed to evaluate the age-related clinical features of elderly patients with MPO-ANCA-positive AAV-ILD. This study retrospectively investigated 63 patients with MPO-ANCA-positive AAV-ILD, all of whom were 65 years or older at diagnosis. Clinical characteristics, causes of death and survival rates among three groups stratified by age (65–74 years, n = 29; 75–79 years, n = 18; over 80 years, n = 16) were compared. This study also examined the association with severe infections in these patients. Among the three age groups, there were significant differences in sex (P = 0.032), serum Krebs von den Lungen-6 (P

A 67-year-old man with stage IV B lung adenocarcinoma was treated with pembrolizumab. The patient was admitted to the hospital because of influenza on the day of the second cycle of pembrolizumab treatment. He was diagnosed with pneumonia and was treated with antiviral drugs and steroids. However, the patient eventually died. In this case, treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors might have affected the immune response caused by influenza virus infection, that might have caused lung injury, which is an immune-related adverse event (irAE). Hence, it is important that, caution should be taken to prevent transmission of viral infection, and Therefore, it is important to prevent viral infections, but caution should also be paid to the possibility that infections may cause irAEs in patients with lung cancer.

Background Anti-melanoma differentiation-associated gene 5 (MDA5) autoantibodies have been identified as myositis-specific autoantibodies that are often associated with clinically amyopathic dermatomyositis (CADM) and a poor prognosis due to rapidly progressive interstitial lung disease (RP-ILD) in East Asian patients. Besides anti-MDA5 autoantibodies, patients with CADM may have myositis-associated autoantibodies (MAAs), which characterize other connective tissue diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and Sjogren's syndrome. However, the clinical significance of the coexistence of anti-MDA5 autoantibodies and MAAs in patients with CADM remains unclear. Methods We retrospectively analyzed 24 patients with CADM who had anti-MDA5 autoantibodies. Their clinical phenotypes including laboratory test results, high-resolution lung computed tomography data, response to therapy, and prognosis were compared between those who were positive and negative for MAAs, such as antinuclear antibody (ANA), anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (CCP), anti-SSA, and anti-SSB antibodies. Results Among 24 patients, 9 (37.5%) additionally had at least one of the MAAs examined in this study: 1 patient was positive for ANA, 5 for anti-CCP, 5 for either anti-SSA or anti-SSB, 1 for anti-cardiolipin, and 1 for anti-Scl-70. Although all anti-MDA5-positive patients with CADM had ILD, the MAA-positive patients showed a lower risk of developing RP-ILD (p = 0.03), a more favorable response to combination therapy of corticosteroids and immunosuppressive agents, and a lower mortality rate than patients with no MAAs (p = 0.03). Conclusions Our data suggest that anti-MDA5-positive patients with CADM who also have MAAs have a better prognosis than those without MAAs; thus, anti-MDA5 autoantibodies by themselves may not be strong predictors of worse clinical outcomes in patients with CADM. Coexistent MAAs could be biomarkers for a favorable prognosis in anti-MDA5-positive patients with CADM.

Objectives To evaluate the effects of framework design and layering material on the fracture strength of implant-supported zirconia-based molar crowns. Material and methods Sixty-six titanium abutments (GingiHue Post) were tightened onto dental implants (Implant Lab Analog). These abutment-implant complexes were randomly divided into three groups (n = 22) according to the design of the zirconia framework (Katana), namely, uniform-thickness (UNI), anatomic (ANA), and supported anatomic (SUP) designs. The specimens in each design group were further divided into two subgroups (n = 11): zirconia-based all-ceramic restorations (ZAC group) and zirconia-based restorations with an indirect composite material (Estenia C&B) layered onto the zirconia framework (ZIC group). All crowns were cemented on implant abutments, after which the specimens were tested for fracture resistance. The data were analyzed with the Kruskal-Wallis test and the Mann-Whitney U-test with the Bonferroni correction (α = 0.05). Results The following mean fracture strength values (kN) were obtained in UNI design, ANA design, and SUP design, respectively: Group ZAC, 3.78, 6.01, 6.50 and Group ZIC, 3.15, 5.65, 5.83. In both the ZAC and ZIC groups, fracture strength was significantly lower for the UNI design than the other two framework designs (P = 0.001). Fracture strength did not significantly differ (P > 0.420) between identical framework designs in the ZAC and ZIC groups. Conclusions A framework design with standardized layer thickness and adequate support of veneer by zirconia frameworks, as in the ANA and SUP designs, increases fracture resistance in implant-supported zirconia-based restorations under conditions of chewing attrition. Indirect composite material and porcelain perform similarly as layering materials on zirconia frameworks.

Objectives The objective of this in vitro study was to investigate fracture loads of screw-retained zirconia-based molar restorations (hybrid abutment crown) fabricated with different restorative materials and designs. Material and methods Forty-four screw-retained zirconia-based molar restorations were fabricated on dental implants and divided into four groups (n = 11): porcelain-layered zirconia-based restorations (PLZ), indirect composite-layered zirconia-based restorations (ILZ), metal–ceramic restorations (MC), and monolithic zirconia restorations (MONO). The zirconia-based restorations in the PLZ, ILZ, and MONO groups were adhesively bonded on implant abutments with a dual-polymerized resin material. All restorations were tightened on implant bodies with titanium screws and were tested for fracture resistance. The Kruskal–Wallis test and Steel–Dwass test were used to evaluate differences in fracture loads (α = 0.05). Results As compared with the other groups, the MONO specimens had a significantly higher mean fracture resistance (7.54 kN); no significant differences were found among the PLZ (1.96 kN), ILZ (1.80 kN), and MC (1.45 kN) groups (P > 0.05). For the PLZ, ILZ, and MC groups, all specimens fractured within the layering materials. In contrast, the fracture mode for the MONO group was complete fracture of the restorations. Conclusions All restorations withstood the masticatory forces. Fracture loads were significantly higher for screw-retained implant-supported monolithic zirconia restorations than for screw-retained bilayered restorations. For the screw-retained bilayered zirconia-based restorations, the fracture resistance of ILZ restorations was comparable to that of PLZ restorations and MC restorations.

Objectives This study evaluated the fracture resistance of single-tooth implant-supported zirconia-based indirect composite-layered molar restorations. Material and methods Forty-four titanium abutments (GingiHue Post) were placed on dental implants (Osseotite Implant). Standardized single-tooth cement-retained implant-supported mandibular molar restorations were fabricated for each of four test groups (n = 11) as follows: porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns (PFM), zirconia-based all-ceramic crowns (ZAC), zirconia-based indirect composite-layered crowns primed with Estenia Opaque Primer for zirconia frameworks (ZIC-E), and zirconia-based indirect composite-layered crowns (ZIC). The crowns were luted with a glass-ionomer cement (Ketac Cem Easymix). Fracture resistance (N) was determined by force application of a perpendicular load to the crowns with a universal testing machine. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and the Tukey's HSD test were used to assess differences in fracture resistance values (α = 0.05). Results Mean fracture resistances (SD) were 3.09 (0.22) kN, 3.11 (0.34) kN, 2.84 (0.21) kN, and 2.50 (0.36) kN for the PFM, ZAC, ZIC-E, and ZIC groups, respectively. Fracture resistance in the ZIC specimens was significantly lower (P

We have fabricated oriented copper-phthalocyanine (CuPc) films by vacuum deposition on rubbed polyimide (PI) alignment layers. It was found that the b-axis of α-type CuPc microcrystals changes its direction depending on the thickness of PI layers, namely, the b-axis is perpendicular to the rubbing direction on a thin rubbed PI layer but is almost perfectly aligned to the rubbing direction on a thick rubbed PI layer. The oriented structure on a thick PI layer was confirmed by a high dichroic ratio of about 4, which is expected in the optical absorption of α-type CuPc, and by highly oriented needle-shaped microcrystals observed by atomic force microscopy.