Scholar : intitle:Bioprinting - νέα αποτελέσματα

A bioprinting printing approach to regenerate cartilage for microtia treatment

JHY Chung, J Kade, A Jeiranikhameneh, Z Yue… - Bioprinting, 2018

The need to search for biomaterials that can promote tissue regeneration and easy to
replicate and manufacture is a major driving force for research and development in
the area of reconstructive surgery and regenerative medicine. It is of great …

3D Bioprinting and Stem Cells

CA Moore, NN Shah, CP Smith, P Rameshwar - Somatic Stem Cells, 2018

Abstract Three-dimensional (3D) in vitro modeling is increasingly relevant as two-
dimensional (2D) cultures have been recognized with limits to recapitulate the
complex endogenous conditions in the body. Additionally, fabrication technology is …

 

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Ακύρωση ειδοποίησης

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Scholar : Laryngotracheal reconstruction - νέα αποτελ

A bioprinting printing approach to regenerate cartilage for microtia treatment

JHY Chung, J Kade, A Jeiranikhameneh, Z Yue… - Bioprinting, 2018

… 1], Ossicular Chain Reconstruction (OCRs) [2], Microtia reconstruction [3]
and Laryngotracheal reconstructions [4 … Brent mastered a three-stage
reconstruction building from this technique, while Nagata and … A summary …

 

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Scholar : Myringotomy and tubes - νέα αποτελέσματα

Irradiated ears in nasopharyngeal carcinoma survivors: A review

YH Young - The Laryngoscope

… Under local anesthesia for the tympanic membrane, myringotomy was
performed first, followed by … 5‐year postirradiation; however, 60% of the ears
developed patulous tubes 10 years … NPC.5 Second, to eradicate the …

 

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Scholar : Laryngomalacia - νέα αποτελέσματα

Molecular epidemiology of coxsackievirus A6 circulating in Hong Kong reveals common neurological manifestations and emergence of novel recombinant groups

SKP Lau, PSH Zhao, S Sridhar, CCY Yip, KL Aw-Yong… - Journal of Clinical Virology, 2018

… 14, HK422226, May/2015, M, 5, None, HFMD, None, None. 15, HK446377 b, Jun/2015,
M, 1, Laryngomalacia, facial eczema, ezcema over whole body, seborrhoeic dermatitis
over the scalp, HFMD, Staphylococcal parotitis, None, Augmentin, ceftriaxone …

 

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IL-17A is functionally relevant and a potential therapeutic target in bullous pemphigoid

Publication date: Available online 13 September 2018

Source: Journal of Autoimmunity

Author(s): Lenche Chakievska, Maike M. Holtsche, Axel Künstner, Stephanie Goletz, Britt-Sabina Petersen, Diamant Thaci, Saleh M. Ibrahim, Ralf J. Ludwig, Andre Franke, Christian D. Sadik, Detlef Zillikens, Christoph Hölscher, Hauke Busch, Enno Schmidt

Abstract

IL-17A has been identified as key regulatory molecule in several autoimmune and chronic inflammatory diseases followed by the successful use of anti-IL-17 therapy, e.g. in ankylosing spondylitis and psoriasis. Bullous pemphigoid (BP) is the most frequent autoimmune blistering disease with a high need for more specific, effective and safe treatment options. The aim of this study was to clarify the pathophysiological importance of IL-17A in BP. We found elevated numbers of IL-17A⁺ CD4⁺ lymphocytes in the peripheral blood of BP patients and identified CD3⁺ cells as major source of IL-17A in early BP skin lesions. IL17A and related genes were upregulated in BP skin and exome sequencing of 51 BP patients revealed mutations in twelve IL-17-related genes in 18 patients. We have subsequently found several lines of evidence suggesting a significant role of IL-17A in the BP pathogenesis: (i) IL-17A activated human neutrophils in vitro, (ii) inhibition of dermal-epidermal separation in cryosections of human skin incubated with anti-BP180 IgG and subsequently with anti-IL-17A IgG-treated leukocytes, (iii) close correlation of serum IL-17A levels and diseases activity in a mouse model of BP, (iv) IL17A-deficient mice were protected against autoantibody-induced BP, and (v) pharmacological inhibition of lL-17A reduced the induction of BP in mice. Our data give evidence for a pivotal role of IL-17A in the pathophysiology of BP and advocate IL-17A inhibition as potential novel treatment for this disease.

https://ift.tt/2OjbTyT

Autophagy: A new concept in autoimmunity regulation and a novel therapeutic option

Publication date: Available online 13 September 2018

Source: Journal of Autoimmunity

Author(s): Srinivasa Reddy Bonam, Fengjuan Wang, Sylviane Muller

Abstract

Nowadays, pharmacologic treatments of autoinflammatory diseases are largely palliative rather than curative. Most of them result in non-specific immunosuppression, which can be associated with broad disruption of natural and induced immunity with significant and sometimes serious unwanted injuries. Among the novel strategies that are under development, tools that modulate the immune system to restore normal tolerance mechanisms are central. In these approaches, peptide therapeutics constitute a class of agents that display many physicochemical advantages. Within this class of potent drugs, the phosphopeptide P140 is very promising for treating patients with lupus, and likely also patients with other chronic inflammatory diseases. We discovered that P140 targets autophagy, a finely orchestrated catabolic process, involved in the regulation of inflammation and in the biology of immune cells. In vitro, P140 acts directly on a particular form of autophagy called chaperone-mediated autophagy, which seems to be hyperactivated in certain subsets of lymphocytes in lupus and in other autoinflammatory settings. In lupus, the "correcting" effect of P140 on autophagy results in a weaker signaling of autoreactive T cells, leading to a significant improvement of pathophysiological status of treated mice. These findings also demonstrated ex vivo in human cells, open novel avenues of therapeutic intervention in pathological conditions, in which specific and not general targeting is highly pursued in the context of the new action plans for personalized medicines.

https://ift.tt/2NdfDpv

Synchronous Multiple Pituitary Neuroendocrine Tumors of Different Cell Lineages

Abstract

We report clinicopathological features of a large series of synchronous multiple pituitary neuroendocrine tumors (PitNETs) of different cell lineages. Retrospective review of pathology records from 2001 to 2016 identified 13 synchronous multiple PitNETs from 1055 PitNETs classified using pituitary cell-lineage transcription factors, adenohypohyseal hormones, and other biomarkers. Clinical, radiological, and histopathological features of these tumors were reviewed. The series included seven females and six males. Mean age at diagnosis was 55.23 years (range 36–73). Imaging was unavailable for four patients; among the other nine, mean tumor size was 2.23 cm (range 0.9–3.9). Five patients had acromegaly, four had Cushing disease, and four had clinically non-functional tumors. Twelve had double PitNETs; one had a triple PitNET. The most common tumor type was corticotroph (n = 8; six densely and one sparsely granulated and one Crooke cell; three densely and one sparsely granulated were clinically silent), gonadotroph tumors (n = 8), and somatotroph tumors (n = 5; four sparsely granulated and one densely granulated somatotroph) were followed by lactotroph tumors (n = 4; all sparsely granulated), poorly differentiated Pit-1 lineage tumor (n = 1), and unusual plurihormonal tumor (n = 1). A 54-year-old man with Cushing disease had MEN1-driven Crooke cell and gonadotroph tumors. The triple pitNET consisted of a multilineage plurihormonal tumor associated with a gonadotroph and a sparsely granulated lactotroph tumor. The Ki67 (available from 10 specimens) ranged from 1 to 5% in individual tumors. Radiological and biochemical follow-up was available for 10 and 11 patients, respectively. Radiological tumor persistence/recurrence was identified in three patients with double PitNETs consisting of sparsely granulated lactotroph and gonadotroph tumors (n = 1), sparsely granulated somatotroph and silent corticotroph tumors (n = 1), and gonadotroph and silent corticotroph tumors (n = 1) with cavernous sinus invasion. Biochemical persistence was noted in four patients with double PitNETs consisting of sparsely granulated somatotroph and silent corticotroph tumors (n = 2), gonadotroph and Crooke cell tumors (n = 1), and densely granulated somatotroph and silent corticotroph tumors (n = 1). Multiple PitNETs represent about 1% of PitNETs and usually have hormone excess due to at least one tumor component. Clinical manifestations may be due to the minor component, especially in patients with Cushing disease. Invasive growth and aggressive histological subtypes predicted disease persistence/recurrence. This series also highlights the importance of routine application of pituitary cell lineage transcription factors along with hormones to distinguish and subtype multiple synchronous PitNETs.

https://ift.tt/2NaLuae

Functional recovery after surgical stabilization and postoperative radiotherapy due to metastases of long bones

Abstract

Purpose

To reinvestigate the functional recovery after combined treatment with surgery and postoperative irradiation of complete or impending pathologic fractures of long bones.

Methods

We retrospectively evaluated the results of external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) carried out after 68 orthopedic stabilization procedures (femur, n = 55, 80.8%; humerus, n = 13, 19.2%) for actual or impending pathological fracture of long bone in 61 patients with skeletal metastases. The mean normalized total dose was 34.7 ± 7.8 Gy. Endpoints were patient's functional status (FS; 1 = normal pain free status; 2 = normal use with pain; 3 = significantly limited used; 4 = nonfunctional status), a need for a secondary procedure to the same site and overall survival following surgery.

Results

Overall, 75% of patients achieved normal functional status (FS 1–2) within 12 weeks after surgery. Functional recovery in surviving patients reached 93%. Median survival was 17 months (95% confidence interval 13.7–20.2). Secondary surgical intervention at the same location was necessary in 3 patients (4.4%). On multivariate analysis, only general status (p = 0.011) and growing potential of primary tumor (p = 0.049) were associated with achieving normal functional status within 12 weeks after surgery and radiotherapy. The applied radiation schemes demonstrated a comparable impact on functional recovery.

Conclusions

Our results confirm the effectiveness of stabilizing surgery and fractionated postoperative radiotherapy in terms of functional recovery, supporting prior results assessing postsurgical radiotherapy versus follow-up. The patient's general status is a strong prognostic factor for functional recovery. Rapidly growing tumors may hinder achievement of a normal functional status.

https://ift.tt/2x9XptX

Micro-edaphic factors affect intra-specific variations in trace element profiles of Noccaea praecox on ultramafic soils

Abstract

The aim of this study was to compare trace element profiles of Noccaea praecox (Wulfen) F. K. Mey. growing on ultramafic soils in different habitat types and to observe differences in uptake and translocation of trace elements. Physico-chemical characteristics of the soil and concentrations of P₂O₅, K₂O, Ca, Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, Ni, Cr, Pb, Cd, and Co in plant samples were presented. Biological concentration, accumulation, and translocation factors were calculated to estimate accumulation potential of different N. praecox accessions. All of the studied accessions were Ni hyperaccumulators (with shoot concentrations up to 14,593 mg kg⁻¹), but with notable differences in accumulation and translocation rates. Significant differences in accumulation and translocation patterns of trace elements were observed among accessions from habitats characterized as serpentine steppes on dry, shallow soils in contrast to the accessions from habitats with higher soil moisture, and higher content of organic matter.

https://ift.tt/2xeh8Zq

Levels, distribution, and sources of organophosphate flame retardants and plasticizers in urban soils of Shenyang, China

Abstract

Seventy-four soil samples from the road greenbelts, residential areas, drylands, waste grasslands, education lands, industrial areas, city parks, and rural homesteads of Shenyang city, China, were collected and analyzed for 13 organophosphate esters (OPEs). OPEs were detected in all analyzed soil samples, which indicate that OPEs are ubiquitously environmental contaminants. The ∑₁₃OPEs concentrations ranged from 0.039 to 0.95 mg/kg dry weight (dw), with the mean and median concentrations of 0.23 and 0.16 mg/kg dw, respectively. The pollution levels of OPEs in different land use types were different; the concentrations of OPEs in dryland soils were maximum and in city park soils were minimum. Of 13 OPEs, tri-iso-butyl phosphate (TiBP), tris-(1-chloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TCPP), tri-butoxyethyl phosphate (TBEP), and tris[2-chloro-1-(chloromethyl) ethyl] phosphate (TDCP) were the most abundant OPEs, contributing 42.0 ± 12.8, 12.4 ± 2.32, 6.31 ± 1.88, and 5.76 ± 1.86% of ∑₁₃OPEs, respectively. Principal component analysis (PCA) and absolute principal component score-multiple linear regression (APCS-MLR) suggested that OPE pollution in soils may be derived from atmospheric deposition, road runoff and vehicular traffic emission, and wastewater/reclaimed water irrigation and sludge application, their contributions were accounting for 62.4, 17.6, and 20.0%, respectively. As compared to the results from other studies, the pollution of OPEs in the urban soils of Shenyang is relatively serious.

https://ift.tt/2x9y18m

Response to “Letter to the editor re: Cheng YH, Chou WC, Yang YF, et al. Environ Sci Pollut Res (2018). https://doi.org/10.107/s11356-017-0875-4”

https://ift.tt/2x6QbqC

Efficacy of a thermally treated single file compared with rotary systems in endodontic retreatment of curved canals: a micro-CT study

Abstract

Objectives

This study aimed to compare WaveOne Gold with ProTaper and RaCe systems regarding remaining filling material, apical transportation (AT), and working time (WT) after (i) filling removal and (ii) shaping of curved canals.

Methods

Thirty mesiobuccal canals of maxillary molars were prepared and filled. After 30 days, they were randomly assigned into three groups (n = 10), according to the instruments used for filling removal and shaping, respectively: WOG—WaveOne Gold Primary and Medium; PTG—ProTaper Retreatment and ProTaper Next; RCG—D-RaCe and RaCe. Micro-CT analysis assessed the residual filling material and AT. WT was recorded. Data were statistically analyzed (α = .05).

Results

There was no significant difference between groups in the amount of filling material at any evaluated moment (P > .05). All groups presented low AT values. The WT was similar in all groups in filling removal (P > .05), and in shaping step WOG was faster than PTG and RCG (P < .05).

Conclusions

Neither system could completely remove the filling material. The instruments evaluated were safe and the reciprocating system was faster than the rotary systems in shaping the canals.

Clinical relevance

This study provided consistent information on filling material removal capacity of WaveOne Gold. Considering that all tested systems were safe, WaveOne Gold may be an alternative with cost-effectiveness and shorter learning curve for endodontic retreatment.

https://ift.tt/2CPZrFz

Langerhans cells express human β‐defensin 3: relevance for immunity during skin ageing

British Journal of Dermatology, EarlyView.


https://ift.tt/2x5rQCo

Variation in daily ultraviolet light exposure and sun protection behaviours of melanoma survivors: an observational single‐arm pilot study with a wearable sensor

British Journal of Dermatology, Volume 0, Issue ja, -Not available-.


https://ift.tt/2CQeKhz

GM‐CSF as a therapeutic target in psoriasis: randomised, controlled investigation using namilumab – a specific, human anti‐GM‐CSF monoclonal antibody

British Journal of Dermatology, Volume 0, Issue ja, -Not available-.


https://ift.tt/2x5Bogu

Impact of Helicobacter pylori and/or Helicobacter pylori‐related metabolic syndrome on gastroesophageal reflux disease‐ Barrett's esophagus‐ esophageal adenocarcinoma sequence

Helicobacter, EarlyView.


https://ift.tt/2xc9sXN

Acute Retinal Necrosis Presenting With Optic Disc Edema

No abstract available

https://ift.tt/2ObR5cJ

Short and long-term impact of remifentanil on thermal detection and pain thresholds after cardiac surgery: A randomised controlled trial

BACKGROUND The clinical relevance of the suggested hyperalgesic effects of remifentanil is still unclear, especially in the long term. OBJECTIVE The current study evaluated the impact of remifentanil on thermal thresholds 3 days and 12 months after surgery, measured with Quantitative Sensory Testing. DESIGN A prospective, single-blind, randomised controlled trial. SETTING A tertiary care teaching hospital in The Netherlands, from 2014 to 2016. PATIENTS A total of 126 patients aged between 18 and 85 years, undergoing cardiothoracic surgery via sternotomy (coronary artery bypass grafts and/or valve replacement) were included. Exclusion criteria were BMI above 35 kg m−2, history of cardiac surgery, chronic pain conditions, neurological conditions, allergy to opioids or paracetamol, language barrier and pregnancy. INTERVENTIONS Patients were allocated randomly to receive intra-operatively either a continuous remifentanil infusion or intermittent intra-operative fentanyl as needed in addition to standardised anaesthesia with propofol and intermittent intravenous fentanyl at predetermined time points. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Warm and cold detection and pain thresholds 3 days and 12 months after surgery. In addition the use of remifentanil, presence of postoperative chronic pain, age, opioid consumption and pre-operative quality of life were tested as a predictor for altered pain sensitivity 12 months after surgery. RESULTS Both warm and cold detection, and pain thresholds, were not significantly different between the remifentanil and fentanyl groups 3 days and 12 months after surgery (P > 0.05). No significant predictors for altered pain sensitivity were identified. CONCLUSION Earlier reports of increased pain sensitivity 1 year after the use of remifentanil could not be confirmed in this randomised study using Quantitative Sensory Testing. This indicates that remifentanil plays a minor role in the development of chronic thoracic pain. Still, the relatively high incidence of chronic thoracic pain and its accompanying impact on quality of life remain challenging problems. TRIAL REGISTRY REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT02031016. TRIAL REGISTRATION The study was registered at EudraCT (ref: 2013-000201-23) and ClinicalTrials.gov (https://ift.tt/2Mq69Sn). This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives License 4.0 (CCBY-NC-ND), where it is permissible to download and share the work provided it is properly cited. The work cannot be changed in any way or used commercially without permission from the journal. https://ift.tt/OBJ4xP Correspondence to Catherijne A.J. Knibbe, Department of Clinical Pharmacy, St. Antonius Hospital, Koekoekslaan 1, 3435 CM Nieuwegein, The Netherlands Tel: +31 30 609 26 12; e-mail: c.knibbe@antoniusziekenhuis.nl Supplemental digital content is available for this article. Direct URL citations appear in the printed text and are provided in the HTML and PDF versions of this article on the journal's Website (https://ift.tt/2ylyqmW). © 2018 European Society of Anaesthesiology

https://ift.tt/2NDBaqp

Utility of TERT Promoter Mutations for Cutaneous Primary Melanoma Diagnosis

Abstract: Telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) promoter mutations are commonly found in malignant melanomas but rare in melanocytic nevi. To assess its potential diagnostic utility for the distinction of melanoma from nevus, we determined the TERT promoter mutation status of 86 primary melanomas, 72 melanocytic nevi, and 40 diagnostically problematic melanocytic proliferations. Of the 86 melanomas, 67 (77.9%) were TERT-positive, defined as harboring a hotspot TERT promoter mutation at positions -124C>T, -124_125CC>TT, -138_139CC>TT, or -146C>T. Of the 72 nevi, only 1 (1.4%) was TERT-positive. Of the 40 diagnostically uncertain melanocytic proliferations, 2 (5.0%) were TERT-positive. TERT positivity as a test for melanoma versus nevus had an accuracy of 87.3% [95% confidence interval (CI), 81.1–92.1], a sensitivity of 77.9% (95% CI, 68.9–85.4), a specificity of 98.6% (95% CI, 95.8–100), a positive predictive value of 98.5% (95% CI, 95.6–100), and a negative predictive value of 78.9% (95% CI, 72.6–85.4). Our results indicate that hotspot TERT promoter mutation status may be a useful ancillary parameter for the diagnosis of melanoma. In particular, the high specificity of these mutations for melanoma indicates the presence of a TERT promoter mutation in a melanocytic neoplasm associated with diagnostic controversy, or uncertainty should increase concern for a melanoma. Correspondence: Nancy E. Thomas, MD, PhD, Department of Dermatology, University of North Carolina, 2159 Genomic Science Building, CB#7287, Chapel Hill, NC 27599 (e-mail: nthomas@med.unc.edu). This work was funded by the National Cancer Institute grants R21CA134368, R33CA160138, R03CA199487 to K. Conway and N.E. Thomas, P01CA206980 to M. Berwick and N.E. Thomas, and P30CA016086 to H.S. Earp. This work was also supported by the Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center Bioinformatics Core. The authors declare no conflicts of interest. Copyright © 2018 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.

https://ift.tt/2Mqoy1p

Facial Phaeohyphomycosis in an Immunocompetent Individual: A Rare Presentation of a Rare Fungus

Abstract: Phaeohyphomycosis is a rare mycotic infection caused by heterogenous groups of dematiaceous fungi involving the skin and subcutaneous tissue. Here, we report a case of cutaneous phaeohyphomycosis presenting as cauliflower-like verrucous lesion over the face in an immunocompetent individual. Histopathology showed suppurative granulomatous inflammation replete with pigmented broad fungal hyphae which is stained with periodic acid–Schiff stain, Grocott's methanamine silver stain, Schmorl's stain, and Masson-Fontana stain. Culture showed black-colored colonies identified as Exophiala spinifera. Correspondence: Nandita Kakkar, MD, Department of Histopathology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, India-160012 (e-mail: nandita_kakkar@yahoo.com). The authors declare no conflicts of interest. Copyright © 2018 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.

https://ift.tt/2NCiFmo

Pigmented Facial Contact Dermatitis to Benzyl Salicylate: A Comparative Histopathological and Immunohistochemical Study of the Involved Skin and the Positive Patch Test Site

Abstract: Pigmented contact dermatitis (PCD) is a noneczematous variant of allergic contact dermatitis, and benzyl salicylate is one of its causes. This type of PCD shows nonlichenoid interface dermatitis with pigment incontinence. We aimed to characterize the earliest histopathological changes of this reaction. A 51-year-old man presented with persistent facial eruption composed of hyperpigmented and hypopigmented macules due to exposure to benzyl salicylate present in his aftershave. The biopsies obtained from hyperpigmented and hypopigmented macules, and from the positive patch test site to benzyl salicylate, showed a nonlichenoid focal vacuolar interface dermatitis with mononuclear cells in the papillary dermis and around the pilosebaceous units, along with melanophages. A MART-1 immunostain showed intact melanocytes in all 3 biopsies. A Fontana–Masson stain demonstrated intact melanin in the basal cell layer of a facial hyperpigmented macule and the patch test site, but melanin was reduced in the biopsy taken from a hypopigmented facial macule. There were more epidermal and dermal CD1a+ Langerhans cells in the patch test biopsy than in the other 2 biopsies. Most of the mononuclear cells were CD3+. The CD4+ to CD8+ ratio was approximately 1:1 in the facial macules; yet, CD4+ cells outnumbered CD8+ cells in the patch test biopsy. There were a few TIA-1+ cells in all 3 biopsies. In conclusion, the earliest histopathological and immunophenotypical events in PCD due to benzyl salicylate are similar to those of longer-standing lesions, i.e., a nonlichenoid focal interface dermatitis involving the epidermis and pilosebaceous unit, along with dermal melanophages. Correspondence: Hiba Zaaroura, MD, Department of Dermatology, Rambam Health Care Campus, The Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion, Haifa, Israel 3109601 (e-mail: hiba_zaroura@yahoo.com). The authors declare no conflicts of interest. Copyright © 2018 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.

https://ift.tt/2MqiXs2

Borderline Lepromatous Leprosy: Uncommon Clinical Presentation

No abstract available

https://ift.tt/2NFSQSg

Histopathology of Hand–Foot–Mouth Disease in Adults and Criteria for Differentiation From Erythema Multiforme

Background: Hand–foot–mouth disease (HFMD) is a common contagious viral infection usually affecting infants and children. Recently, literature on HFMD in adults is increasing. It has been reported that adults often present with unusual exanthems with similarities to erythema multiforme (EM). No study has so far compared the histologic features of HFMD with those of EM. Methods: Histopathologic features in 7 biopsies of 6 adult patients with HFMD are compared with biopsies from 9 patients with EM to identify the best criteria for differentiation. Results: HFMD and EM both have a perivascular lymphocytic infiltrate together with epidermal necrosis, spongiosis, ballooning, and reticular alteration. However, large numbers of neutrophils in parakeratosis (P

https://ift.tt/2MqiB4G

Atypical Varicella-Zoster Kaposi Varicelliform Eruption in Sézary Syndrome

Abstract: Patients with mycosis fungoides experience considerable morbidity and mortality from secondary bacterial and viral infections. Staphylococcus aureus, β-hemolytic streptococci, herpes simplex virus, and herpes zoster virus remain the most common infectious pathogens in this group of patients. With depressed cellular immunity and diminished skin barrier as the main precipitating risk factors, immunocompromised patients can often present with an atypical presentation of a common dermatologic condition. The case herein discusses a clinically atypical nonvesicular Kaposi varicelliform eruption secondary to a varicella-zoster virus in a patient with Sézary syndrome. Concurrent polypharmacy in these patients is also a risk factor for development of drug hypersensitivity reactions. However, given their immunocompromised status, first and foremost, a careful inspection should be made of every atypical skin eruption in search of an infectious etiology, and afterward, an appropriate treatment should be promptly initiated. Correspondence: Silvija P. Gottesman, MD, 1991 Marcus Avenue, Ste 300, Lake Success, NY 11042 (e-mail: silvija.gottesman@gmail.com). The authors declare no conflicts of interest. Copyright © 2018 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.

https://ift.tt/2ND6sOd

Formation characteristics of carbonaceous and nitrogenous disinfection by-products depending on residual organic compounds by CGS and DAF

Abstract

Allogenic organic matter (AOM) composed of extracellular and intracellular organic matter (EOM and IOM) is a major precursor of halogenated carbonaceous and nitrogenous disinfection by-products (C-DBPs and N-DBPs) upon chlorination. The EOM and IOM extracted from Microcystis aeruginosa were analyzed based on bulk parameters and organic fractions with different molecular weight by liquid chromatography with organic carbon detection (LC-OCD). It investigated the efficiency of a conventional gravity system (CGS) and dissolved air flotation (DAF) in the removal of organic precursors, together with measurement of the formation of four major trihalomethanes (THMs) and haloacetonitriles (HANs) in treated water upon chlorination. The results showed that EOM accounted for 59% of building blocks and humic substances, whereas for IOM, 54% were low molecular weight (LMW) neutrals. Both CGS and DAF showed 57–59% removal of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) from EOM and IOM. Regarding DON removal, DAF was found to be more effective, i.e., 8% higher than CGS for EOM. Moreover, the removal of LMW acids and neutrals (not easy to remove and are major precursors of DBPs) from EOM and IOM by DAF was higher than from CGS. The amounts of DBPs measured in all the samples treated for interchlorination were much lower than in the samples for prechlorination. Although the precursors of EOM had a higher concentration than in IOM, THMs and HANs were detected for IOM at a higher concentration, which might be attributed to higher amounts of aromatic, aliphatic moisture and protein compounds in the IOM. Comparatively, DAF showed lower THM and HAN values than CGS water, particularly for IOM. Also, DAF showed a sharp decrease in THMs and an insignificant increase in HANs according to time.

https://ift.tt/2x9SKsN

Prospective study on metal ceramic crowns in private practice settings: 20-year results

Abstract

Objectives

Posterior metal ceramic crowns are still widely used as a standard treatment. The aim of this study was to obtain long-term data on their clinical performance.

Material and Methods

Ten private practitioners participated in this prospective practice-based study. Patients were provided with two crowns each. Two groups were formed. The single crown group comprised 95 patients with 190 crowns. The retainer crown group comprised 138 patients with fixed dental prostheses and 276 retainer crowns.

Results

For the primary outcome "loss of tooth or crown," 20-year survival rates of 78.8% in the single crown group and 67.8% in the retainer crown group were found. Veneering ceramic defects occurred rather frequently, resulting in respective 20-year technical success rates of 74.2% for single crowns and 62.9% for retainer crowns. However, veneering ceramic defects causing crown losses were very rare events.

Conclusions

The results contribute to our knowledge on long-term outcomes of treatments with metal ceramic crowns and show high survival and success rates over 20 years.

Clinical relevance

Posterior metal ceramic crowns are a highly reliable option in private practice settings.

https://ift.tt/2oZGnv0

Human health risks of Hg, As, Mn, and Cr through consumption of fish, Ticto barb ( Puntius ticto ) from a tropical river, Bangladesh

Abstract

Metals tend to accumulate in higher organisms, e.g., fish and human through biomagnification effects in food chain. So, their presence in any component of the environment has become a global ecosystem and health concern. Here, we measured four health concerned metals like As, Cr, Mn, and Hg via inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and analyzed applying some chemometrics for the assessment of human health risk through consumption of Puntius ticto, a very commonly consumed small fish in Bangladesh. The average concentration (wet weight) of metals was in the following descending order: Hg (0.006 mg/kg) > Cr (0.004 mg/kg) > Mn (0.003 mg/kg) > As (0.002 mg/kg). Hg level exceeded the provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI), and all other metals were within the permissible limit. The estimated daily intake (EDI) index of heavy metals showed that all the concentration levels were under the recommended daily intake (RDA) except Hg. Increased level of Hg is of particular concern to human health due to its biomagnification nature and can cause several neurological and physiological disorders including kidney failure. The total target hazard quotients (TTHQs) and carcinogenic risk (CR) matrices revealed that the intakes of Hg and As through fish consumption were higher than the recommended values, indicating consumers' remain non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic (THQ > 1; CR > 10⁻⁵) health risks for lifetime consumption. Multivariate analyses (cluster and principal component) explained the sources of heavy metals in the study area originating from both anthropogenic and geological origin.

https://ift.tt/2D1BgEz

Baccharis dracunculifolia (Asteraceae) essential oil toxicity to Culex quinquefasciatus (Culicidae)

Abstract

The control of mosquitoes by means of chemical insecticides has been a problem, mainly due to the possibility of resistance developed by insects to xenobiotics. For this reason, demand for botanical insecticides has increased. In this sense, the present work aims to verify the susceptibility and morphological and biochemical alterations of Culex quinquefasciatus larvae after exposure to essential oil (EO) of leaves of Baccharis dracunculifolia. To observe the larvicidal action, larvae were exposed to EO at concentrations of 25, 50, 100, and 200 mg/L, until their emergence to adults. The control group was exposed to deionized water and dimethyl sulfoxide. Morphological analyses were also carried out using hematoxylin and eosin, mercury bromophenol blue, Nile blue, and periodic acid Schiff. Biochemical analyses of total glucose, triacylglyceride (TAG), protein, and acetylcholinesterase levels were performed. The phytochemical analysis of the EO showed (E)-nerolidol as the major compound (30.62%). Larvae susceptibility results showed a LC₅₀ of 34.45 mg/L for EO. Morphological analysis showed that there were histological changes in midgut. For biochemical analyses, the glucose level in the larvae exposed to EO for 24 h decreased significantly, unlike the TAG levels, which increased. The total protein level of the larvae also increased after exposure for 24 h, and acetylcholinesterase levels decreased significantly. Taking all our data into account, we can conclude that EO causes destabilization in larva, leading to histological changes, metabolic deregulation and, consequently, their death.

https://ift.tt/2QsEcN9

Stress response of NAD + -dependent formate dehydrogenase in Gossypium hirsutum L. grown under copper toxicity

Abstract

Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.), which is not directly involved in the food chain, appears to be a suitable candidate to remove heavy metals from the food chain and to be a commercial plant which could be planted in contaminated soils. The key point of this approach is selection of the right genotype, which has heavy metal resistance or hyperaccumulation properties. Therefore, in the present study, two G. hirsutum genotypes, Erşan-92 and N-84S, were grown under copper stress and investigated to obtain further insights about the heavy metal tolerance mechanisms of plants by focusing on the expression of NAD⁺-dependent formate dehydrogenase (FDH). In accordance with the results, which were obtained from RT-PCR analysis and activity measurements, in the Erşan-92 root tissue, FDH activity increased significantly with increasing metal concentrations and a 6.35-fold higher FDH activity was observed in the presence of 100-μM Cu. As opposed to Erşan-92, the maximum FDH activity in the roots of N-84S, which were untreated with copper as the control plants, was measured as 0.0141-U mg⁻¹ g⁻¹ FW, and the activity decreased significantly with the increasing metal concentrations. The metallothionein (GhMT3a) transcript level of the plants grown in a medium containing different Cu concentrations showed nearly the same pattern as that of the FDH gene transcription. It was observed that while the tolerance of N-84S in the lower Cu concentration reduces remarkably, Erşan-92 continues to struggle up to 100-μM Cu. The results of the SOD analysis also confirm this activity of Erşan-92 against the Cu stress.

https://ift.tt/2COL3xj

Facile synthesis of Fe 3 O 4 @MOF-100(Fe) magnetic microspheres for the adsorption of diclofenac sodium in aqueous solution

Abstract

In this research, the adsorptive removal of diclofenac sodium, one of the representative pharmaceuticals and personal care products, from aqueous solution using Fe₃O₄@MOF-100(Fe) magnetic microspheres was studied for the first time. The Fe₃O₄@MOF-100(Fe) microspheres exhibit strong magnetism and stability, which were observed as a core-shell structure. The maximum adsorption capacity of Fe₃O₄@MOF-100(Fe) for diclofenac sodium can reach 377.36 mg L⁻¹, which was higher than most of the adsorbents reported. The adsorption kinetics follows the pseudo-second-order kinetic equation. And the adsorption equilibrium of DCF can be described with Langmuir isotherm. In the cycle experiment, Fe₃O₄@MOF-100(Fe) material performed high adsorption efficiency for low-concentration diclofenac sodium solution, and the removal rate can still reach 80% after 5 cycles of adsorption without desorption. The mechanisms including electrostatic interaction, H-bond interaction, and π-π interaction that coexisted in the adsorption processes would be of benefit to enhance the adsorption capacity. The Fe₃O₄@MOF-100(Fe) magnetic microspheres offer exciting opportunities for further application.

https://ift.tt/2QsE5RJ

Lifestyle chemical carcinogens associated with mutations in cell cycle regulatory genes increases the susceptibility to gastric cancer risk

Abstract

In the present study, we correlated the various lifestyle habits and their associated mutations in cell cycle (P21 and MDM2) and DNA damage repair (MLH1) genes to investigate their role in gastric cancer (GC). Multifactor dimensionality reduction (MDR) analysis revealed the two-factor model of oral snuff and smoked meat as the significant model for GC risk. The interaction analysis between identified mutations and the significant demographic factors predicted that oral snuff is significantly associated with P21 3′UTR mutations. A total of five mutations in P21 gene, including three novel mutations in intron 2 (36651738G > A, 36651804A > T, 36651825G > T), were identified. In MLH1 gene, two variants were identified viz. one in exon 8 (37053568A > G; 219I > V) and a novel 37088831C > G in intron 16. Flow cytometric analysis predicted DNA aneuploidy in 07 (17.5%) and diploidy in 33 (82.5%) tumor samples. The G2/M phase was significantly arrested in aneuploid gastric tumor samples whereas high S-phase fraction was observed in all the gastric tumor samples. This study demonstrated that environmental chemical carcinogens along with alteration in cell cycle regulatory (P21) and mismatch repair (MLH1) genes may be stimulating the susceptibility of GC by altering the DNA content level abnormally in tumors in the Mizo ethic population.

https://ift.tt/2CQAEkP

FGF23 beyond Phosphotropic Hormone

Publication date: Available online 11 September 2018

Source: Trends in Endocrinology & Metabolism

Author(s): Yuichi Takashi, Seiji Fukumoto

Fibroblast growth factor (FGF) 23 is a bone-derived phosphotropic hormone that regulates phosphate and vitamin D metabolism. FGF23 mainly affects kidney function via the FGF receptor (FGFR)/α-Klotho complex. The physiological roles of FGF23 and α-Klotho in the regulation of mineral homeostasis have been well established. In addition, recent studies have reported that FGF23 has various effects on many other tissues, sometimes in an α-Klotho-independent manner, especially under pathological conditions. However, how FGF23 works in these tissues without α-Klotho is not entirely clear. Here we review the recent reports concerning the actions of FGF23 on various tissues and discuss the remaining questions about FGF23.

https://ift.tt/2p3zSqS

Scholar : Compost Science & Utilization, Volume 26, Issue 2, 2018 is now available online on Taylor & Francis Online

The online platform for Taylor & Francis Online content Compost Science & Utilization, Volume 26, Issue 2, 2018 is now available online on Taylor & Francis Online. This new issue contains the following articles: Articles Effect of Compost Properties on Progress Rate of Verticillium dahliae Attack on Eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) Housam Kanaan, Yitzhak Hadar, Shlomit Medina, Arkady Krasnovsky, Sara Mordechai-Lebiush, Leah Tsror (Lahkim), Jaacov Katan & Michael Raviv Pages: 71-78 | DOI: 10.1080/1065657X.2017.1366375 Corn Yield and Soil Fertility with Combined Use of Raw or Composted Beef Manure and Inorganic Fertilizers on the Texas Northern High Plains David Parker, Dave Venhaus, Clay Robinson, Thomas Marek & John Sweeten Pages: 79-90 | DOI: 10.1080/1065657X.2017.1366376 Estimated Reduction in Solids During Sheep Bedding Composting as a Function of the Composition of the Organic Fractions Marco Antonio Previdelli Orrico Junior, Ana Carolina Amorim Orrico, Débora Maurício Manarelli, Walter Renato Teixeira Lopes & Alice Watte Schwingel Pages: 91-97 | DOI: 10.1080/1065657X.2017.1379916 Cumulative Effect of Annual Additions of Uncomposted Oak and Maple Leaves on the Yield of Vegetables Abigail A. Maynard Pages: 98-103 | DOI: 10.1080/1065657X.2017.1381865 Practical Applicability of Germination Index Assessed by Logistic Models Monika Jakubus & Ewa Bakinowska Pages: 104-113 | DOI: 10.1080/1065657X.2017.1392907 Transformations of Phosphorus and Other Plant Nutrients in Poultry Litter Composted with Sugarcane and Cabbage Wastes Asma Saleem, Iftikhar Fareed, Muhammad Irshad, Qaisar Mahmood, A. Egrinya Eneji & Muhammad Shahzad Pages: 114-127 | DOI: 10.1080/1065657X.2017.1396268 Carbon Footprint of a University Compost Facility: Case Study of Cornell Farm Services M. Schwarz & J. Bonhotal Pages: 128-143 | DOI: 10.1080/1065657X.2018.1438934 Hoping to have your article read by anyone, anywhere and at any time? Find out more about publishing open access with Ecosystem Health and Sustainability. To update which email alerts you receive, manage your alerts within the My Account area. Unsubscribe from new content alerts for this journal (both new issue and latest article notifications) with one click. If you need any further help, please contact us at support@tandfonline.com Please do not reply to this email. To ensure that you receive your alerts and information from Taylor & Francis Online, please add "alerts@tandfonline.com" and "info@tandfonline.com" to your safe senders list. Taylor & Francis, an Informa business. Taylor & Francis is a trading name of Informa UK Limited, registered in England under no. 1072954. Registered office: 5 Howick Place, London, SW1P 1WG.

Scholar : Atmosphere-Ocean, Volume 56, Issue 3, July 2018 is now available online on Taylor & Francis Online

The online platform for Taylor & Francis Online content Atmosphere-Ocean, Volume 56, Issue 3, July 2018 is now available online on Taylor & Francis Online. This new issue contains the following articles: Fundamental Research / Recherche fondamentale The Ocean Circulation of Chatham Sound, British Columbia, Canada: Results From Numerical Modelling Studies Using Historical Datasets Yuehua Lin & David B. Fissel Pages: 129-151 | DOI: 10.1080/07055900.2018.1473240 Investigating Propagation of Short-Period Ocean Waves Into the Periphery of Arctic Pack Ice Using High-Resolution Upward-Looking Sonar Matthew G. Asplin, John Marko, David B. Fissel & Keath Borg Pages: 152-161 | DOI: 10.1080/07055900.2018.1498765 Sample Optimization of Ensemble Forecast to Simulate a Tropical Cyclone Using the Observed Track Jihang Li, Yudong Gao & Qilin Wan Pages: 162-177 | DOI: 10.1080/07055900.2018.1500881 Review / Synthèse Ten Years of Science Based on the Canadian Precipitation Analysis: A CaPA System Overview and Literature Review V. Fortin, G. Roy, T. Stadnyk, K. Koenig, N. Gasset & A. Mahidjiba Pages: 178-196 | DOI: 10.1080/07055900.2018.1474728 Hoping to have your article read by anyone, anywhere and at any time? Find out more about publishing open access with Ecosystem Health and Sustainability. To update which email alerts you receive, manage your alerts within the My Account area. Unsubscribe from new content alerts for this journal (both new issue and latest article notifications) with one click. If you need any further help, please contact us at support@tandfonline.com Please do not reply to this email. To ensure that you receive your alerts and information from Taylor & Francis Online, please add "alerts@tandfonline.com" and "info@tandfonline.com" to your safe senders list. Taylor & Francis, an Informa business. Taylor & Francis is a trading name of Informa UK Limited, registered in England under no. 1072954. Registered office: 5 Howick Place, London, SW1P 1WG.

Scholar : These new articles for Latin American Business Review are available online

The online platform for Taylor & Francis Online content New for Latin American Business Review and online now on Taylor & Francis Online: Articles The Reverse Revolving Door: Participation of Economic Elites in the Public Sector during the 1990s in Argentina Ana Gabriela Castellani & Alejandro Dulitzky Pages: 1-24 | DOI: 10.1080/10978526.2018.1479641 To update which email alerts you receive, manage your alerts within the My Account area. Unsubscribe from new content alerts for this journal (both new issue and latest article notifications) with one click. If you need any further help, please contact us at support@tandfonline.com Please do not reply to this email. To ensure that you receive your alerts and information from Taylor & Francis Online, please add "alerts@tandfonline.com" and "info@tandfonline.com" to your safe senders list. Taylor & Francis, an Informa business. Taylor & Francis is a trading name of Informa UK Limited, registered in England under no. 1072954. Registered office: 5 Howick Place, London, SW1P 1WG.

Facial perception of infants with cleft lip and palate with/without the NAM appliance

Abstract

Objective

This study aimed to assess adults' subjective perception of infants with a unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP) with and without a nasoalveolar molding (NAM) appliance compared to those of controls concerning (1) adult gaze patterns and (2) emotional valence.

Methods

This interdisciplinary study was performed by (1) the Department of Orthodontics and (2) the Department for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Goettingen, using eye tracking and a 10-point Likert scale questionnaire. Eye movements and valence rating of 30 unaffected adults (15 women, 15 men; mean age: 25.5 years, standard deviation [SD] = 7.5) were recorded while presenting them infants in three picture categories (1) infant with UCLP, (2) infant with UCLP and inserted NAM appliance and (3) infant without UCLP. Total fixation time in two main areas of interest (AOI upper/lower face) was measured according to picture category as well as participants' valence rating regarding infants' appearance.

Results

In pictures of infants with UCLP or UCLP and NAM appliance participants had longer fixation times on AOI lower face compared to reconstructed pictures of infants without UCLP. No significant effect of a NAM appliance on gaze patterns could be detected. The valence of pictures of infants with UCLP was rated more negative compared to pictures of unaffected infants. An inserted NAM appliance improved this rating.

Conclusions

The results bolster the assumption that facial disruptions like UCLP alter adults' perception of infants. Even though the NAM appliance is not able to re-establish usual adult gaze patterns, it can help to improve adults' emotional assessment.

https://ift.tt/2Nb532b

Facial perception of infants with cleft lip and palate with/without the NAM appliance

Abstract

Objective

This study aimed to assess adults' subjective perception of infants with a unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP) with and without a nasoalveolar molding (NAM) appliance compared to those of controls concerning (1) adult gaze patterns and (2) emotional valence.

Methods

This interdisciplinary study was performed by (1) the Department of Orthodontics and (2) the Department for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Goettingen, using eye tracking and a 10-point Likert scale questionnaire. Eye movements and valence rating of 30 unaffected adults (15 women, 15 men; mean age: 25.5 years, standard deviation [SD] = 7.5) were recorded while presenting them infants in three picture categories (1) infant with UCLP, (2) infant with UCLP and inserted NAM appliance and (3) infant without UCLP. Total fixation time in two main areas of interest (AOI upper/lower face) was measured according to picture category as well as participants' valence rating regarding infants' appearance.

Results

In pictures of infants with UCLP or UCLP and NAM appliance participants had longer fixation times on AOI lower face compared to reconstructed pictures of infants without UCLP. No significant effect of a NAM appliance on gaze patterns could be detected. The valence of pictures of infants with UCLP was rated more negative compared to pictures of unaffected infants. An inserted NAM appliance improved this rating.

Conclusions

The results bolster the assumption that facial disruptions like UCLP alter adults' perception of infants. Even though the NAM appliance is not able to re-establish usual adult gaze patterns, it can help to improve adults' emotional assessment.

https://ift.tt/2Nb532b

MRI-guided localization of the dominant intraprostatic lesion and dose analysis of volumetric modulated arc therapy planning for prostate cancer

Abstract

Purpose

Primary radiation therapy is a curative treatment option for prostate cancer. The aim of this study was to evaluate the detection of the dominant intraprostatic lesion (DIL) with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for radiotherapy treatment planning, the comparison with transrectal ultrasound (TRUS)-guided biopsies and the examination of the dose distribution in relation to the DIL location.

Materials and methods

In all, 54 patients with treatment planning MRI for primary radiotherapy of prostate cancer from 03/2015 to 03/2017 at the Universitätsklinikum Würzburg were identified. The localization of the DIL was based on MRI with T2- and diffusion-weighted imaging. After registration of the MR image sets within Pinnacle³ (Philips Radiation Oncology Systems, Fitchburg, WI, USA), the dose distribution was analyzed. The location of the DIL was compared to the pathology reports in a side-based manner.

Results

The DIL mean dose (Dmean) was 77.51 ± 0.77 Gy and in 50/51 cases within the tolerance range or exceeded the prescribed dose. There was a significant difference in Dmean between ventral (n = 21) and dorsal (n = 30) DIL (77.87 ± 0.67 vs. 77.26 ± 0.77 Gy; p = 0.005). MRI-guided localization showed an accuracy and sensitivity of up to 78.8% and 82.1% for inclusion of secondary lesions, respectively.

Conclusion

Up to 82.1% of histologically verified intraprostatic lesions were identified in the context of MRI-guided radiotherapy treatment planning. As expected, dorsal DIL tend to be minimally underdosed in comparison to ventral DIL. Adequate dose coverage was achieved in over 98% of patients.

https://ift.tt/2x5ANvi

Reference method for digital surface measurement of target lesions in vitiligo: a comparative analysis

British Journal of Dermatology, Volume 0, Issue ja, -Not available-.


https://ift.tt/2Qu1jqy

Diagnostic Accuracy of Content Based Dermatoscopic Image Retrieval with Deep Classification Features

British Journal of Dermatology, Volume 0, Issue ja, -Not available-.


https://ift.tt/2Mpmuqf

Cabozantinib in Combination With Cetuximab in Patients With Recurrent or Metastatic Head and Neck Squamous Cell Cancer

Conditions:   Head and Neck Squamous Cell Cancer;   Recurrent Head and Neck Squamous Cell Cancer;   Metastatic Head and Neck Squamous Cell Cancer
Interventions:   Drug: Cabozantinib;   Drug: Cetuximab
Sponsor:   Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Recruiting

https://ift.tt/2NIGPvL

Exercise and Pain Neuroscience Education for Patients With Neck Pain: Impact on Pain and Disability

Condition:   Neck Pain
Interventions:   Other: Pain neuroscience education (PNE) and traditional exercise;   Other: Pain neuroscience education (PNE) and suspension exercise
Sponsor:   Aveiro University
Not yet recruiting

https://ift.tt/2xaUsZY

S-1 Combined With IMRT Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy in Locally Advanced Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma

Condition:   Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma
Intervention:   Drug: S-1
Sponsor:   Fudan University
Recruiting

https://ift.tt/2x8YCBN

Xenotransplantation of Primary Cancer Samples in Zebrafish Embryos

Conditions:   Liver Cancer;   Pancreatic Cancer;   Gastric Cancer;   Esophageal Cancer;   Colo-rectal Cancer;   Gall Bladder Cancer;   Biliary Tract Cancer
Interventions:   Drug: Fluorouracil;   Drug: Lederfolin;   Drug: Oxaliplatin;   Drug: Irinotecan;   Drug: Docetaxel;   Drug: Cisplatin;   Drug: Epirubicin;   Drug: Gemcitabine;   Drug: Nab paclitaxel
Sponsors:   University of Pisa;   Azienda Ospedaliero, Universitaria Pisana
Recruiting

https://ift.tt/2NIGGIJ

Visuomotor learning and unlearning in children and adolescents with Tourette syndrome

Publication date: Available online 11 September 2018

Source: Cortex

Author(s): Soyoung Kim, Stephen R. Jackson, Maddie Groom, Georgina M. Jackson

Abstract

Tourette syndrome (TS) is a childhood-onset neurological condition characterised by an evolving repertoire of chronic motor tics and one or more phonic tics. Tics, like habits, are inflexible and repetitive behaviours that are acquired over a period of time. It has been proposed that tics arise in TS as a result of increased habit learning: which may bias the child to acquire automatic behaviours (i.e. tics) more readily than is normal and make it harder to unlearn maladaptive habits once they have been acquired. Using a well-established visuomotor adaptation task, we investigated motor learning in a group of children and adolescents with a clinical diagnosis of TS relative to a group of age and gender matched typically developing individuals. In particular, we quantified differences in the strength and quality of motor learning and unlearning in TS, and the consolidation of motor learning over a 24 hour washout period. We demonstrated that there was a marginally significant decrease in learning rate in the individuals with TS relative to age and gender matched typically developing controls. However, this effect was not associated with tic severity and could be entirely accounted for by the severity of co-occurring ADHD symptoms. Thus, once ADHD symptoms had been accounted for, there were no between group differences in learning rate or the degree of learning observed. By contrast, and more importantly, we found that following learning the rate of forgetting (unlearning) was significantly negatively associated with motor tic severity, such that individuals with more severe tics took longer to unlearn previously learnt motor patterns of behavior. This finding is consistent with the proposal that TS is associated with alterations in the striatal habit learning system and with the view that TS may make it harder to unlearn maladaptive motor habits once they have been acquired.

https://ift.tt/2x4yjxu

Neutrophils: Novel key players in Rheumatoid Arthritis. Current and future therapeutic targets

Publication date: Available online 11 September 2018

Source: Autoimmunity Reviews

Author(s): Irene Cecchi, Ivan Arias de la Rosa, Elisa Menegatti, Dario Roccatello, Eduardo Collantes-Estevez, Chary Lopez-Pedrera, Nuria Barbarroja

Abstract

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is a complex systemic autoimmune disease in which various cell types are involved. Among them, neutrophils have been recognized as important players in the onset and the progression of RA. The pathogenic role of neutrophils in RA lies in the alteration of several processes, including increased cell survival and migratory capacity, abnormal inflammatory activity, elevated oxidative stress and an exacerbated release of neutrophil extracellular traps. Through these mechanisms, neutrophils can activate other immune cells, thus perpetuating inflammation and leading to the destruction of the cartilage and bone of the affected joint.

Given the considerable contribution of neutrophils to the pathophysiology of RA, several studies have attempted to clarify the effects of various therapeutic agents on this subtype of leukocyte.

To date, recent studies have envisaged the role of new molecules on the pathogenic profile of neutrophils in RA, which could represent novel targets in future therapies.

In this review, we aim to review the pathogenic role of neutrophils in RA, the effect of conventional treatments and biologic therapies, and the new, potential targets of neutrophil-derived molecules for the treatment of RA.

https://ift.tt/2MnprI6

Association between itch and cancer in 16,925 pruritus patients: Experience at a tertiary care center

Publication date: Available online 11 September 2018

Source: Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology

Author(s): Valerie A. Larson, Olive Tang, Sonja Stander, Sewon Kang, Shawn G. Kwatra

Abstract

Background

Pruritus has been associated with cancer. However, limited data is available on the types of underlying malignancy associated with pruritus.

Objective

We sought to characterize the association between pruritus and different cancer types, as well as variations by racial group.

Methods

Cross-sectional study of patients ≥ 18 years old seen at the Johns Hopkins Health System from 2013-2017. Patients with pruritus were compared to patients without pruritus. Analyses were stratified by race.

Results

Patients with pruritus are more likely to have concomitant malignancy than those without pruritus (OR 5.76; 95% CI 5.53-6.00). Most strongly associated are cancers of the liver, gallbladder and biliary tract, hematopoietic system, and skin. Compared to whites, black patients more frequently have soft tissue, dermatological, and hematological malignancies, and less frequently have liver, respiratory, GI, and gynecological malignancies.

Limitations

Cross-sectional design precludes analysis of the temporal association between pruritus and malignancy. The study is limited to a single tertiary care center.

Conclusion

Pruritus is most strongly associated with cancers of the liver, skin, and hematopoietic system. Black patients with pruritus have a higher likelihood of skin, soft tissue, and hematological malignancies than whites, while whites have higher likelihood of liver, respiratory, GI, and gynecological malignancies.

https://ift.tt/2OatXvb

Cross-Sectional Survey on Disease Severity in Japanese Patients with Harlequin Ichthyosis/Ichthyosis: Syndromic Forms and Quality-of-Life Analysis in a Subgroup

Publication date: Available online 11 September 2018

Source: Journal of Dermatological Science

Author(s): Chiaki Murase, Takuya Takeichi, Akitaka Shibata, Masahiro Nakatochi, Fumie Kinoshita, Akiharu Kubo, Kimiko Nakajima, Norito Ishii, Hiroo Amano, Koji Masuda, Hiroshi Kawakami, Takuro Kanekura, Ken Washio, Masayuki Asano, Kazuya Teramura, Eijiro Akasaka, Mikiko Tohyama, Yutaka Hatano, Toyoko Ochiai, Shinichi Moriwaki

ABSTRACT

Background

Congenital ichthyoses (CIs) adversely affect quality of life (QOL) in patients. However, the effects of CIs on patient QOL have not been studied sufficiently.

Objective

To investigate the association between disease severity and QOL in patients with harlequin ichthyosis (HI) and ichthyosis: syndromic forms (ISFs)

Methods

Clinical information of patients with HI and ISFs from 2010 to 2015 were obtained from 100 dermatology departments/divisions of principal institutes/hospitals throughout Japan. We examined the relationship between disease severity and QOL in patients with HI and ISFs. Patients who were aged 8 years or older and participated in a multicenter retrospective questionnaire survey in Japan were assessed by dermatology life quality index (DLQI, range of 0 - 30) and clinical ichthyosis score (range of 0 - 100).

Results

Netherton syndrome patients had a significantly higher risk of allergy to food or environmental allergens than patients with other phenotypes. KID syndrome patients showed a significantly higher risk of skin infections than patients with other phenotypes.

Complete data on DLQI were obtained from 13 patients, whose median age was 21 (8-71) years. Nine patients were male, and 4 were female. Systemic retinoids were administrated to 2 of the 3 HI patients. The Spearman's correlation coefficient between the clinical ichthyosis score and DLQI was 0.611 (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

We confirmed that Netherton syndrome and KID syndrome patients have a higher risk of allergy to food or environmental allergens and of skin infections, respectively. QOL impairment correlates with disease severity in HI and ISFs patients.

https://ift.tt/2CNr3eB

MicroRNA-340 inhibits squamous cell carcinoma cell proliferation, migration and invasion by downregulating RhoA

Publication date: Available online 11 September 2018

Source: Journal of Dermatological Science

Author(s): Huina Wang, Weinan Guo, Qiang Jian, Ke Xue, Min Huang, Sumin Chi, Chunying Li, Chengxin Li

Abstract

Background

MicroRNAs are reported to play an important role in tumor growth and metastasis, including squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Accumulative evidence has revealed that dysregulated miR-340 expression contributed to the carcinogenesis and development of various cancers.

Objective

The aim of the current study was to investigate the role and the underlying mechanism of miR-340 in SCC cell proliferation, migration and invasion.

Methods

Quantitative real-time PCR was performed to examine the expression of miR-340 in SCC tissues and cell lines. The function of miR-340 in SCC was investigated through Cell Counting Kit-8, wound healing, transwell migration and invasion assays. Bioinformatics analysis, luciferase reporter assay, western blotting and immunohistochemical analysis were conducted to predict and confirm the target gene of miR-340.

Results

In the present study, we first found that miR-340 was significantly decreased in both SCC tissues and cell lines. Moreover, ectopic expression of miR-340 remarkably attenuated SCC cell proliferation, migration and invasion, whereas inhibition of endogenous miR-340 promoted cell proliferation, migration and invasion in vitro. Our subsequent bioinformatics analysis and luciferase reporter assay showed that RhoA was a novel direct target of miR-340 in SCC cell, and the knockdown of RhoA expression rescued the effect of miR-340 inhibition on SCC cell proliferation, migration and invasion. More importantly, the expression of RhoA and miR-340 was negatively correlated in SCC tissues.

Conclusion

Our findings demonstrate the tumor suppressor role of miR-340 in SCC by directly regulating RhoA. Therefore, restoration of miR-340 expression can be a potential therapeutic approach for SCC treatment.

https://ift.tt/2NFcJcc

Management of clinical and subclinical actinic keratoses with histological and immunohistochemical assessments by confocal microscopy

Dermatologic Therapy, EarlyView.


https://ift.tt/2x8Pf4T

Tofacitinib as the potent treatment for refractory pemphigus: A possible alternative treatment for pemphigus

Dermatologic Therapy, EarlyView.


https://ift.tt/2NAb8Ez

Toxic adjuvants alter the function and phenotype of dendritic cells to initiate adaptive immune responses induced by oral Helicobacter pylori vaccines

Helicobacter, EarlyView.


https://ift.tt/2x6LwWm

A Polygenic Score for Higher Educational Attainment is Associated with Larger Brains

Abstract

People who score higher on intelligence tests tend to have larger brains. Twin studies suggest the same genetic factors influence both brain size and intelligence. This has led to the hypothesis that genetics influence intelligence partly by contributing to the development of larger brains. We tested this hypothesis using four large imaging genetics studies (combined N = 7965) with polygenic scores derived from a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of educational attainment, a correlate of intelligence. We conducted meta-analysis to test associations among participants' genetics, total brain volume (i.e., brain size), and cognitive test performance. Consistent with previous findings, participants with higher polygenic scores achieved higher scores on cognitive tests, as did participants with larger brains. Participants with higher polygenic scores also had larger brains. We found some evidence that brain size partly mediated associations between participants' education polygenic scores and their cognitive test performance. Effect sizes were larger in the population-based samples than in the convenience-based samples. Recruitment and retention of population-representative samples should be a priority for neuroscience research. Findings suggest promise for studies integrating GWAS discoveries with brain imaging to understand neurobiology linking genetics with cognitive performance.

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Frontoparietal Networks Mediate the Behavioral Impact of Alpha Inhibition in Visual Cortex

Abstract

Alpha oscillations are known to play a central role in the functional inhibition of visual cortices, but the mechanisms involved are poorly understood. One noninvasive method for modulating alpha activity experimentally is through the use of flickering visual stimuli that "entrain" visual cortices. Such alpha entrainment has been found to compromise visual perception and affect widespread cortical regions, but it remains unclear how the interference occurs and whether the widespread activity induced by alpha entrainment reflects a compensatory mechanism to mitigate the entrainment, or alternatively, a propagated interference signal that translates to impaired visual processing. Herein, we attempt to address these questions by integrating alpha entrainment into a modified Posner cueing paradigm, while measuring the underlying dynamics using magnetoencephalography. Our findings indicated that alpha entrainment is negatively related to task performance, such that as neural entrainment increases on the attended side (relative to the unattended side) accuracy decreases. Further, this attentional biasing is found to covary robustly with activity in the frontoparietal attention network. Critically, the observed negative entrainment effect on task accuracy was also fully mediated by activity in frontoparietal regions, signifying a propagation of the interfering alpha entrainment signal from bottom-up sensory to top-down regulatory networks.

https://ift.tt/2Mt0SJW

Priority Switches in Visual Working Memory are Supported by Frontal Delta and Posterior Alpha Interactions

Abstract

Visual working memory (VWM) distinguishes between representations relevant for imminent versus future perceptual goals. We investigated how the brain sequentially prioritizes visual working memory representations that serve consecutive tasks. Observers remembered two targets for a sequence of two visual search tasks, thus making one target currently relevant, and the other prospectively relevant. We show that during the retention interval prior to the first search, lateralized parieto-occipital EEG alpha (8–14 Hz) suppression is stronger for current compared with prospective search targets. Crucially, between the first and second search task, this difference in posterior alpha lateralization reverses, reflecting the change in priority states of the two target representations. Connectivity analyses indicate that this switch in posterior alpha lateralization is driven by frontal delta/low-theta (2–6 Hz) activity. Moreover, this frontal low-frequency signal also predicts task performance after the switch. We thus obtained evidence for large-scale network interactions underlying the flexible shifting between the priority states of multiple memory representations in VWM.

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Dentate Granule Neurons Generated During Perinatal Life Display Distinct Morphological Features Compared With Later-Born Neurons in the Mouse Hippocampus

Abstract

In nonhuman mammals and in particular in rodents, most granule neurons of the dentate gyrus (DG) are generated during development and yet little is known about their properties compared with adult-born neurons. Although it is generally admitted that these populations are morphologically indistinguishable once mature, a detailed analysis of developmentally born neurons is lacking. Here, we used in vivo electroporation to label dentate granule cells (DGCs) generated in mouse embryos (E14.5) or in neonates (P0) and followed their morphological development up to 6 months after birth. By comparison with mature retrovirus-labeled DGCs born at weaning (P21) or young adult (P84) stages, we provide the evidence that perinatally born neurons, especially embryonically born cells, are morphologically distinct from later-born neurons and are thus easily distinguishable. In addition, our data indicate that semilunar and hilar GCs, 2 populations in ectopic location, are generated during the embryonic and the neonatal periods, respectively. Thus, our findings provide new insights into the development of the different populations of GCs in the DG and open new questions regarding their function in the brain.

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Inhibitory Neuron Activity Contributions to Hemodynamic Responses and Metabolic Load Examined Using an Inhibitory Optogenetic Mouse Model

Abstract

Hemodynamic signals are routinely used to noninvasively assess brain function in humans and animals. This work examined the contribution of inhibitory neuron activity on hemodynamic responses captured by changes in blood flow, volume and oxygenation in the cortex of lightly anesthetized mice. Because cortical activity is not commonly initiated by inhibitory neurons, experiments were conducted to examine the neuronal activity properties elicited by photo-stimulation. We observed comparable increases in neuronal activity evoked by forelimb and photo-stimulation; however, significantly larger increases in blood flow and volume were produced by photo-stimulation of inhibitory neurons compared with forelimb stimulation. Following blockade of glutamate and GABA-A receptors to reduce postsynaptic activity contributions, neuronal activity was reliably modulated and hemodynamic changes persisted, though slightly reduced. More importantly, photo-stimulation-evoked changes in blood flow and volume were suppressed by 75–80% with the administration of a nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, suggesting that inhibitory neurons regulate blood flow mostly via nitric oxide. Lastly, forelimb and photo-stimulation of excitatory neurons produced local decreases in blood oxygenation, while large increases were generated by photo-stimulation of inhibitory neurons. Estimates of oxygen metabolism suggest that inhibitory neuron activity has a small impact on tissue metabolic load, indicating a mismatch between the metabolic demand and blood flow regulation properties of inhibitory and excitatory neurons.

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