Bifidobacterium longum 1714 improves sleep quality and aspects of well-being in healthy adults: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial.

Stress and sleep are linked with overall well-being. Bifidobacterium longum 1714 has been shown to influence stress responses and modulate neural responses during social stress, and influence sleep quality during examination stress in healthy adults. Here, we explored the ability of this strain to alter sleep quality in adults using subjective and objective measures.

Interactions between symptoms and psychological status in irritable bowel syndrome: An exploratory study of the impact of a probiotic combination.

Background: Stress is an exacerbator of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) symptoms, and anxiety and depression are co-morbidities. Bifidobacterium longum strains 1714® and 35642® attenuate stress responses in healthy people and reduce symptoms in IBS, respectively. Here, we explore relationships between the psychological and visceral effects of the two strains (COMBO) in IBS subjects and biomarkers of stress and inflammation.

Allergic Rhinitis: A Clinical and Pathophysiological Overview.

Allergic rhinitis (AR) represents a global health concern where it affects approximately 400 million people worldwide. The prevalence of AR has increased over the years along with increased urbanization and environmental pollutants thought to be some of the leading causes of the disease. Understanding the pathophysiology of AR is crucial in the development of novel therapies to treat this incurable disease that often comorbids with other airway diseases.

IL-4/IL-13 Axis in Allergic Rhinitis: Elevated Serum Cytokines Levels and Inverse Association With Tight Junction Molecules Expression.

The IL-4/IL-13 axis is involved in the pathogenesis of allergic rhinitis (AR). In this study, we investigated the serum cytokines levels of IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, and IL-13 in AR patients, and the transcript expression levels of their receptors (, , and ) in nasal epithelial cells of AR patients non-allergic controls. Nasal epithelial cells and blood samples of non-allergic controls ( = 30) and AR patients ( = 30) were collected to examine mRNA expression and serum cytokines levels, respectively.

Higher Wheal Sizes of Sensitization Exhibit Worse Nasal Symptoms in Allergic Rhinitis Patients.

Allergic rhinitis (AR) is a global health burden and it manifests in both nasal and non-nasal symptoms. Skin prick test (SPT) is a routine procedure to diagnose AR sensitized to common allergens including house dust mites (HDMs). The degree of sensitivity of a patient toward allergens is determined by the size of the wheal formed by SPT procedure.

Nasal Epithelial Barrier Integrity and Tight Junctions Disruption in Allergic Rhinitis: Overview and Pathogenic Insights.

Allergic rhinitis (AR) is a common disorder affecting up to 40% of the population worldwide and it usually persists throughout life. Nasal epithelial barrier constitutes the first line of defense against invasion of harmful pathogens or aeroallergens. Cell junctions comprising of tight junctions (TJs), adherens junctions, desmosomes and hemidesmosomes form the nasal epithelial barrier.

Reduced occludin and claudin-7 expression is associated with urban locations and exposure to second-hand smoke in allergic rhinitis patients.

The breakdown of nasal epithelial barrier occurs in allergic rhinitis (AR) patients. Impairment of cell junction molecules including tight junctions (TJs) and desmosomes plays causative roles in the pathogenesis of AR. In this study, we investigated the transcript expression levels of TJs including occludin (OCLN), claudin-3 and -7 (CLDN3 and CLDN7), desmoglein 3 (DSG3) and thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) in AR patients (n = 30) and non-allergic controls (n = 30).

Inhibitors targeting CDK4/6, PARP and PI3K in breast cancer: a review.

Breast cancer is the global leading cause of cancer-related death in women and it represents a major health burden worldwide. One of the promising breast cancer therapeutic avenues is through small molecule inhibitors (SMIs) which have undergone rapid progress with successful clinical trials. Recently, three emerging and vital groups of proteins are targeted by SMIs for breast cancer treatment, namely cyclin-dependent kinase 4 and 6 (CDK4/6), poly (adenosine diphosphate-ribose) polymerase (PARP) and phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K).

Reduced CD4+ terminally differentiated effector memory T cells in moderate-severe house dust mites sensitized allergic rhinitis patients.

Background: Terminally differentiated effector memory (TEMRA) T cells exert potent effector function after activation. The proportions of CD4+ T cell subsets especially memory cells in allergic rhinitis (AR) patients sensitized to house dust mites (HDMs) have not been extensively studied.

Objective: This study aimed to compare the mean percentages and absolute counts of CD4+ memory T cell subsets between: (i) non-allergic controls and AR patients; (ii) mild AR patients and moderate-severe AR patients.

Ozone exposure induces respiratory barrier biphasic injury and inflammation controlled by IL-33.

Background: IL-33 plays a critical role in regulation of tissue homeostasis, injury, and repair. Whether IL-33 regulates neutrophil recruitment and functions independently of airways hyperresponsiveness (AHR) in the setting of ozone-induced lung injury and inflammation is unclear.

Objective: We sought to examine the role of the IL-33/ST2 axis in lung inflammation on acute ozone exposure in mice.

Targeting dendritic cells through gold nanoparticles: A review on the cellular uptake and subsequent immunological properties.

Gold nanoparticles (NPs) have been proposed as a highly potential tool in immunotherapies due to its advantageous properties including customizable size and shapes, surface functionality and biocompatibility. Dendritic cells (DCs), the sentinels of immune response, have been of interest to be manipulated by using gold NPs for targeted delivery of immunotherapeutic agent. Researches done especially in human DCs showed a variation of gold NPs effects on cellular uptake and internalization, DC maturation and subsequent T cells priming as well as cytotoxicity.

Novel Biologicals for the Treatment of Allergic Diseases and Asthma.

Purpose Of Review: The development of biological therapies has rapidly progressed during the last few years, and major advances were reported for the treatment of allergic diseases, such as atopic dermatitis, allergic rhinitis, urticaria, food allergy, and asthma. Here, we review biologicals targeting the type 2 immune response involving Th2 cells, type 2 innate lymphoid cells, natural killer T cells, mast cells, basophils, and epithelial cells, such as IL-4, IL-5, IL-13, IL-31, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), and thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP).

Recent Findings: The biologicals that have been currently approved for asthma are omalizumab targeting IgE and reslizumab and mepolizumab targeting interleukin (IL)-5.

Environmental and genetic determinants of vitamin D insufficiency in 12-month-old infants.

We aimed to investigate the relationship between genetic and environmental exposure and vitamin D status at age one, stratified by ethnicity. This study included 563 12-month-old infants in the HealthNuts population-based study. DNA from participants' blood samples was genotyped using Sequenom MassARRAY MALDI-TOF system on 28 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in six genes.

Vitamin D insufficiency is associated with challenge-proven food allergy in infants.

Background: Epidemiological evidence has shown that pediatric food allergy is more prevalent in regions further from the equator, suggesting that vitamin D insufficiency may play a role in this disease.

Objective: To investigate the role of vitamin D status in infantile food allergy.

Methods: A population sample of 5276 one-year-old infants underwent skin prick testing to peanut, egg, sesame, and cow's milk or shrimp.