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en: Role of medical informatics in future medical care

ja: これからの医療における医療情報学の役割

en: Medical information has been digitally formatted and it has been properly stored and managed by a computer system with the progress of information communication technology (ICT). Hospital information systems and regional medical liaison systems can be cited as the main components of the system, and the clinical task of the medical informatics department is the construction, management and operation of these systems. Recently, medical real world data (RWD) accumulated in these systems is focused not only as a primary use but also as a secondary use of medical information. However, there are many problems such as standardization, collection, cleaning, and analysis of medical information. Internet of things (IoT) and artificial intelligence (AI) are applied to the collection and analysis of RWD, and help to resolve the above problems. Using these new technologies expected further progress in the future, medical care is about to reach a new era.

en: Shikoku Acta Medica

ja: 四国医学雑誌


en: Crosstalk between Advanced Glycation and Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress in Cartilage Degeneration

en: Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) are formed during the Maillard reaction by the non-enzymatic glycation and oxidation of a heterogeneous class of proteins. AGE accumulation alters the structure and function of proteins and induces cellular signaling by binding to a receptor specific for AGE. Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress is defined as the accumulation of unfolded proteins in the ER lumen. ER homeostasis is maintained by the unfolded protein response; however, excessive ER stress compromises the maintenance of homeostasis and results in apoptosis. Recent evidence indicates the concomitant presence of AGEs and ER stress in the same pathological entities of various diseases. This review highlights the linkage between AGEs and ER stress, especially in cartilage degeneration.

en: IMARS Highlights

ja: IMARS Highlights


en: Clinical presentation and diagnosis of calcium deposition diseases (Review)

en: Calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate and basic calcium phosphate crystals are commonly found in patients with calcium deposition diseases. Deposits of these crystals are common in the elderly and they have been implicated in the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis. The presence of crystal deposits is often asymptomatic, although it can be intermittently symptomatic and elicit acute and chronic arthritis. Acute intra- and peri-articular inflammation are clinically similar to cellulitis, gout and septic arthritis. Plain radiography of the affected joints is usually the first and most valuable diagnostic method to evaluate these conditions. Ultrasonography is highly sensitive for the detection of crystals in the synovial fluid and of crystals deposited in cartilage and soft tissue. Joint-fluid analysis is far more sensitive than radiologic study to detect calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate and basic calcium phosphate crystal deposits, and arthrocentesis is indicated in some patients to rule out septic arthritis.

en: Int J Clin Rheumatol

ja: Int J Clin Rheumatol


en: Animal models of pathologic calcification.

en: Recent progress in genetics and mouse genomics enables researchers to unveil the molecular basis for mouse phenotypes that express pathologic calcification in soft tissue and/or articular tissues. A newly identified multipass transmembrane protein, ANK, appears to function as an inorganic pyrophosphate (PPi) transporter or regulator of PPi transport. Abnormal extracellular PPi (ePPi) metabolism has been implicated in abnormal calcification, decreased concentrations predisposing to basic calcium phosphate (BCP) deposition, and increased concentrations promoting calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate (CPPD) crystal deposition in articular tissues. The chromosomal location of human ANK overlaps the locus identified in several kindreds affected with familial chondrocalcinosis. Deficient generation of ePPi by the ectoenzyme nucleoside triphosphate pyrophosphohydrolase also results in excessive ossification and ectopic deposition of BCP crystals in tiptoe-walking mice and PC-1 null mice. Recent studies reinforce the important regulatory role of ePPi in pathologic and physiologic calcification.

en: Current Opinion in Rheumatology

ja: Current Opinion in Rheumatology