Nontuberculous Mycobacterial Infections: A Retrospective Analysis From a Tertiary Hospital in Portugal.

Introduction The prevalence of nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) is higher in patients with structural lung disease and in immunocompromised patients. Lung involvement is the most common. The complex corresponds to the most identified agent.

Activation of Laminin γ2 by Helicobacter pylori Promotes Invasion and Survival of Gastric Cancer Cells With E-Cadherin Defects.

Background: Helicobacter pylori infection induces cellular phenotypes relevant for cancer progression, namely cell motility and invasion. We hypothesized that the extracellular matrix (ECM) could be involved in these deleterious effects.

Methods: Microarrays were used to uncover ECM interactors in cells infected with H.

Utility of routine screening for alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency in patients with bronchiectasis.

Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD) is a cause of bronchiectasis. Guidelines for bronchiectasis from the British Thoracic Society do not recommend to routinely test patients for AATD. In contrast, guidelines for AATD recommend routine screening.

A point-of-care neutrophil elastase activity assay identifies bronchiectasis severity, airway infection and risk of exacerbation.

Introduction: Neutrophil elastase activity in sputum can identify patients at high risk of airway infection and exacerbations in bronchiectasis. Application of this biomarker in clinical practice is limited, because no point-of-care test is available. We tested whether a novel semi-quantitative lateral flow device (neutrophil elastase airway test stick - NEATstik®) can stratify bronchiectasis patients according to severity, airway infection and exacerbation risk.