The Role of NK and T Cells in Endometriosis.

Endometriosis, a debilitating condition, affects one in ten women of reproductive age. Its pathophysiology remains unclear, though deficiencies in immune surveillance are thought to create an environment conducive to the evasion of ectopic endometrial cells from the immune system. Our research explores the immunological impact of endometriosis both locally and systemically, emphasizing natural killer (NK) and T cell subpopulations.

TIM-3 Expression in Endometriosis.

Problem: Endometriosis is a prevalent chronic gynecological disease linked to immune dysfunction. The protein T-cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain-containing protein 3 (TIM-3) plays a crucial role in immune system balance. Malfunction of TIM-3 may result in excessive immune activation and inflammatory tissue damage.

Cytokine Dynamics in Acute Pancreatitis: The Quest for Biomarkers from Acute Disease to Disease Resolution.

: Acute pancreatitis (AP) is an inflammatory disease of the pancreas with incompletely known pathogenic mechanisms. This study aimed to explore the temporal changes in serum cytokines in patients with AP and to assess the association of these changes with disease severity. : Fifty patients hospitalized with AP were enrolled, and their serum cytokine levels were analyzed at four different time points.

Building a Better Defense: Expanding and Improving Natural Killer Cells for Adoptive Cell Therapy.

Natural killer (NK) cells have gained attention as a promising adoptive cell therapy platform for their potential to improve cancer treatments. NK cells offer distinct advantages over T-cells, including major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC-I)-independent tumor recognition and low risk of toxicity, even in an allogeneic setting. Despite this tremendous potential, challenges persist, such as limited persistence, reduced tumor infiltration, and low absolute NK cell numbers.

B Cells and Double-Negative B Cells (CD27IgD) Are Related to Acute Pancreatitis Severity.

Acute pancreatitis (AP) is an increasingly frequent disease in which inflammation plays a crucial role. Fifty patients hospitalized with AP were included and peripheral blood samples were analyzed for B and T cell subpopulations at the time of hospitalization and 48 h after diagnosis. The Bedside Index of Severity in Acute Pancreatitis (BISAP) and length of hospital stay were also recorded.

Circulating Blood Lymphocytes and Acute Pancreatitis Severity: A Systematic Review.

Acute pancreatitis is an acute inflammatory process of the pancreas with high prevalence and varying degrees of severity that can be potentially life-threatening. Much is still unknown about which mechanisms determine the course and severity of acute pancreatitis. The primary objective of this review is to identify the potential association between circulating lymphocytes and the severity of acute pancreatitis.

Added value of lymphocyte subpopulations in the classification of Sjögren's syndrome.

Sjögren's Syndrome (SjS) is a chronic systemic immune-mediated inflammatory disease characterized by lymphocytic infiltration and consequent lesion of exocrine glands. SjS diagnosis and classification remains a challenge, especially at SjS onset, when patients may have milder phenotypes of the disease or uncommon presentations. New biomarkers are needed for the classification of SjS, thus, we aimed to evaluate the added-value of lymphocyte subpopulations in discriminating SjS and non-Sjögren Sicca patients.

Left atrial strain is associated with distinct inflammatory and immune profile in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia.

Introduction: SARS-CoV-2 infection is associated with multiple cardiac manifestations. Left atrial strain (LA-S) by speckle tracking echocardiography (STE) is a novel transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) measure of LA myocardial deformation and diastolic dysfunction, which could lead to early recognition of cardiac injury in severe COVID-19 patients with possible implications on clinical management, organ dysfunction, and mortality. Cardiac injury may occur by direct viral cytopathic effects or virus-driven immune activation, resulting in heart infiltration by inflammatory cells, despite limited and conflicting data are available on myocardial histology.

Association of B Cells with Idiopathic Recurrent Pregnancy Loss: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) affects 1-2% of women and is defined as having experienced two or more failed pregnancies. In almost 50% of cases, the causes are idiopathic (IRPL), but increasing evidence has suggested an immunological cause. B cells are known to provide crucial support for a successful pregnancy outcome.

Polythylene glycol severe allergy and SARS-CoV-2 vaccines: usefulness of testing with PEG 1500 extract.

Polyethylene glycol (PEG) is being used for first time as an excipient for mRNA anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccines containing PEG 2000, highlighting it as a potential cause of anaphylaxis. We evaluated 126 patients with moderate-high risk of allergy to SARS-CoV-2 vaccines referred to our department from March-December 2021. Skin tests were performed with PEG 1500 extract (Roxall), using a stepwise approach, with readings at 30 minutes: prick tests with 0.

Decreased adiponectin/leptin ratio relates to insulin resistance in adults with obesity.

Adipose tissue dysfunction is a key mechanism that leads to adiposity-based chronic disease. This study aimed to investigate the reliability of the adiponectin/leptin ratio (AdipoQ/Lep) as an adipose tissue and metabolic function biomarker in adults with obesity, without diabetes. Data were collected from a clinical trial conducted in 28 adults with obesity (mean body mass index: 35.

Intermittent energy restriction ameliorates adipose tissue-associated inflammation in adults with obesity: A randomised controlled trial.

Background & Aims: Although intermittent energy restriction (IER) seems to be as effective as continuous energy restriction (CER) for weight loss, there is still a need to determine the putative effect of this strategy upon the metabolic-inflammatory status. This study aimed to compare the effects of IER versus CER on cardiometabolic and inflammatory markers, over a 12-week period, in adults with obesity.

Methods: Twenty-eight Norwegian adults (20-55 years) with obesity [body mass index: 35.

Characteristic Immune Dynamics in COVID-19 Patients with Cardiac Dysfunction.

Background: We aimed to explore immune parameters in COVID-19 patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) to identify distinctive features in patients with cardiac injury. Methods: A total of 30 COVID-19 patients >18 years admitted to the ICU were studied on days D1, D3 and D7 after admission. Cardiac function was assessed using speckle-tracking echocardiography (STE).

Pilot study in human healthy volunteers on the mechanisms underlying remote ischemic conditioning (RIC) - Targeting circulating immune cells and immune-related proteins.

Remote ischemic conditioning (RIC) is a novel promising therapy for treatment of neurological diseases, including ischemic stroke. RIC consists of short cycles of ischemia in a distant non-vital organ that may protect other organs against ischemia. Extensive experimental data and some few clinical trials support the neuroprotective role of RIC in ischemic stroke.

Incidence and Risk Factors for Retinopathy of Prematurity in a Portuguese Cohort.

Purpose: To evaluate the incidence and risk factors for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) in two Portuguese neonatal units with a sub-analysis of infants with a gestational age (GA) of 28 weeks or older.

Methods: This was a retrospective case series of all infants who underwent ROP screening from 2012 to 2020. Demographic, clinical, and laboratory data were collected.

Brominated flame retardants effect in MCF-7 cells: Impact on vitamin D pathway.

Brominated flame retardants (BFRs) are persistent environmental pollutants, allowing a constant human exposure which carries several health risks, including the occurrence of breast cancer and vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D inhibits cell growth and is negatively associated with breast cancer risk. The effect of BFRs in breast cancer and vitamin D pathway is still poorly understood.

Correlation between hyperglycemia and glycated albumin with retinopathy of prematurity.

To determine the association between hyperglycemia, glycated albumin (GlyA) and retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). Prospective study of all infants under ROP screening from March 2017 to July 2019. All demographic, clinical and laboratory data were collected.

Evidence for biological markers of tinnitus: A systematic review.

Subjective tinnitus is a phantom sound heard only by the affected person and may be a symptom of various diseases. Tinnitus diagnosis and monitoring is based on subjective audiometric and psychometric methods. This review aimed to synthesize evidence for tinnitus presence or its severity.

Anaphylaxis in children and adolescents: The Portuguese Anaphylaxis Registry.

Background: Anaphylaxis is increasing at pediatric age; however, its characterization is hampered by underdiagnosis and underreporting. The aim of this study was to identify the causes of anaphylaxis in children and adolescents in Portugal, thus contributing to a better knowledge of its etiology, clinical manifestations, and management.

Methods: During a 10-year period, a nationwide notification system for anaphylaxis was implemented, with voluntary reporting by allergists.

DIGIROP efficacy for detecting treatment-requiring retinopathy of prematurity in a Portuguese cohort.

Background/objectives: To determine the efficacy of the DIGIROP model in detecting treatment-requiring retinopathy of prematurity (TR-ROP) in a Portuguese cohort.

Subjects/methods: Multicentre, retrospective cohort study of all consecutive preterm infants who underwent ROP screening from April 2012 to May 2019 in two neonatal units. Gestational age (GA), birth weight (BW) and sex were inserted in the DIGIROP platform.

Corneal sub-basal nerve plexus assessment and its association with phenotypic features and lymphocyte subsets in Sjögren's Syndrome.

Purpose: To assess and compare corneal sub-basal nerve plexus morphology with circulating lymphocyte subsets, immunologic status and disease activity in Sjögren syndrome (SjS) patients.

Methods: Fifty-five SjS patients, 63 Sicca patients (not fulfilling SjS criteria), 18 rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and 20 healthy controls (HC) were included. Systemic disease activity in SjS was assessed with the ESSDAI score.

Association between EBV serological patterns and lymphocytic profile of SjS patients support a virally triggered autoimmune epithelitis.

Sjögren's syndrome (SjS) is characterized by lymphocytic infiltration of exocrine glands, i.e. autoimmune epithelitis.