Age-related cytokine imbalance in the thymus in sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

Background: Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) has been considered to be triggered by a combination of underlying immune dysregulation and infections. The thymus is a crucial lymphatic organ responsible for T cell development in infancy. We hypothesized that an altered thymic immune status may be detectable by intrathymic cytokine profiling in SIDS.

Cytosine methylation in GABA B1 receptor identifies alcohol-related changes for men in blood and brain tissues.

Aims: Alcohol use alters the reward signaling processes contributing to the development of addiction. We studied the effects of alcohol use disorder (AUD) on brain regions and blood of deceased women and men to examine sex-dependent differences in epigenetic changes associated with AUD. We investigated the effects of alcohol use on the gene promoter methylation of GABBR1 coding for GABAB receptor subunit 1 in blood and brain.

Pulmonary thromboembolism and obesity in forensic pathologic case work.

328 autopsy cases of fatal pulmonary thromboembolism (PE) were compared to 984 age- and sex-matched controls to evaluate the association between obesity and PE in a forensic context. Both PE and control cases had a mean age of 67,8 years (male 62,9 years, females 71,7 years). The percentage of morbidly obese persons with a body mass index (BMI) of above 40 or abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue of above 4 cm was higher in the PE group (8,39% vs.

Comparing DRD2 Promoter Methylation Between Blood and Brain in Alcohol Dependence.

Aims: The dopamine receptor D2 (DRD2) is substantially involved in several forms of addiction. In addition to genetic polymorphisms, epigenetic mechanisms have emerged as an important means of regulation. Previously, DRD2 hypo- and hyper-methylation have been observed in alcohol use disorder (AUD).

Pulmonary immune profiling of SIDS: impaired immune maturation and age-related cytokine imbalance.

Background: For sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), an impaired immunocompetence has been discussed for a long time. Cytokines and chemokines are soluble immune mediators (SIM) whose balance is essential for the immune status. We hypothesized that an imbalanced immune response might contribute to the etiology of SIDS.