Beyond nest size: the clinicopathological spectrum of large nested melanocytic tumours and the value of comparative genomic hybridisation and messenger RNA expression analysis.

Large nested melanomas (LNMs) are a rare subtype of naevoid melanoma consisting of large junctional melanocytic nests that are more common in older individuals and/or associated with sun damage. However, the presence of large melanocytic nests alone does not lead to a diagnosis of malignancy, ​as they can also be found in melanocytic naevi. LNMs are challenging because they lack most classic histological features of malignancy and require thorough clinicopathological evaluation.

Lactobacillus supports Clostridiales to restrict gut colonization by multidrug-resistant Enterobacteriaceae.

Infections by multidrug-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (MRE) are life-threatening to patients. The intestinal microbiome protects against MRE colonization, but antibiotics cause collateral damage to commensals and open the way to colonization and subsequent infection. Despite the significance of this problem, the specific commensals and mechanisms that restrict MRE colonization remain largely unknown.

The Minimal Translation Machinery: What We Can Learn From Naturally and Experimentally Reduced Genomes.

The current theoretical proposals of minimal genomes have not attempted to outline the essential machinery for proper translation in cells. Here, we present a proposal of a minimal translation machinery based on (1) a comparative analysis of bacterial genomes of insects' endosymbionts using a machine learning classification algorithm, (2) the empiric genomic information obtained from JCVI-syn3.0 the first minimal bacterial genome obtained by design and synthesis, and (3) a detailed functional analysis of the candidate genes based on essentiality according to the DEG database ( and ) and the literature.

DNA Methylation Analysis to Unravel Altered Genetic Pathways Underlying Early Onset and Late Onset Neonatal Sepsis. A Pilot Study.

Neonatal sepsis is a systemic condition widely affecting preterm infants and characterized by pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory responses. However, its pathophysiology is not yet fully understood. Epigenetics regulates the immune system, and its alteration leads to the impaired immune response underlying sepsis.

From genetics to epigenetics to unravel the etiology of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.

Scoliosis is defined as the three-dimensional (3D) structural deformity of the spine with a radiological lateral Cobb angle (a measure of spinal curvature) of ≥10° that can be caused by congenital, developmental or degenerative problems. However, those cases whose etiology is still unknown, and affect healthy children and adolescents during growth, are the commonest form of spinal deformity, known as adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). In AIS management, early diagnosis and the accurate prediction of curve progression are most important because they can decrease negative long-term effects of AIS treatment, such as unnecessary bracing, frequent exposure to radiation, as well as saving the high costs of AIS treatment.

High Heterogeneity of Multidrug-Resistant Fecal Levels in Hospitalized Patients Is Partially Driven by Intravenous β-Lactams.

Multidrug-resistant (MRE) colonize the intestine asymptomatically from where they can breach into the bloodstream and cause life-threatening infections, especially in heavily colonized patients. Despite the clinical relevance of MRE colonization levels, we know little about how they vary in hospitalized patients and the clinical factors that determine those levels. Here, we conducted one of the largest studies of MRE fecal levels by tracking longitudinally 133 acute leukemia patients and monitoring their MRE levels over time through extensive culturing.

CD1d-mediated lipid presentation by CD11c cells regulates intestinal homeostasis.

Intestinal homeostasis relies on a continuous dialogue between the commensal bacteria and the immune system. Natural killer T (NKT) cells, which recognize CD1d-restricted microbial lipids and self-lipids, contribute to the regulation of mucosal immunity, yet the mechanisms underlying their functions remain poorly understood. Here, we demonstrate that NKT cells respond to intestinal lipids and CD11c cells (including dendritic cells (DCs) and macrophages) are essential to mediate lipid presentation within the gut ultimately controlling intestinal NKT cell homeostasis and activation.