Nailfold videocapillaroscopy findings correlate with lung outcomes in idiopathic inflammatory myopathies-related interstitial lung disease.

Objectives: Idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIM) are a diverse group of muscle diseases often complicated by interstitial lung disease (ILD), which significantly impacts morbidity and mortality. Krebs von den Lungen-6 (sKL-6) has been proposed as a biomarker for ILD severity. Nailfold videocapillaroscopy (NVC) detects microvascular changes, but its diagnostic and prognostic value in IIM remains unclear.

From small changes to big gains: pyridinium-based tetralactam macrocycle for enhanced sugar recognition in water.

The complex distribution of functional groups in carbohydrates, coupled with their strong solvation in water, makes them challenging targets for synthetic receptors. Despite extensive research into various molecular frameworks, most synthetic carbohydrate receptors have exhibited low affinities, and their interactions with sugars in aqueous environments remain poorly understood. In this work, we present a simple pyridinium-based hydrogen-bonding receptor derived from a subtle structural modification of a well-known tetralactam macrocycle.

Clinical and Serological Profiles in Cryoglobulinemia: Analysis of Isotypes and Etiologies.

: Cryoglobulinemia (CG) is marked by abnormal immunoglobulins (Ig) in serum, precipitating at temperatures below 37 °C. Current classification categorizes CG into three subtypes (types I, II, and III) based on Ig clonality. The features distinguishing patients with CG based on their etiology remain unidentified.

Absence of Pathogenic Mutations and Strong Association With HLA-DRB1*11:01 in Statin-Naïve Early-Onset Anti-HMGCR Necrotizing Myopathy.

Background And Objectives: Immune-mediated necrotizing myopathy (IMNM) caused by antibodies against 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase (HMGCR) is an inflammatory myopathy that has been epidemiologically correlated with previous statin exposure. We characterized in detail a series of 11 young statin-naïve patients experiencing a chronic disease course mimicking a limb-girdle muscular dystrophy. With the hypothesis that HMGCR upregulation may increase immunogenicity and trigger the production of autoantibodies, our aim was to expand pathophysiologic knowledge of this distinct phenotype.

Lung Transplant Immunomodulation with Genetically Engineered Mesenchymal Stromal Cells-Therapeutic Window for Interleukin-10.

Lung transplantation results are compromised by ischemia-reperfusion injury and alloimmune responses. Ex vivo lung perfusion (EVLP) is used to assess marginal donor lungs before transplantation but is also an excellent platform to apply novel therapeutics. We investigated donor lung immunomodulation using genetically engineered mesenchymal stromal cells with augmented production of human anti-inflammatory hIL-10 (MSCs).

CRISPR-Cas Genome Editing in Human Lungs to Rewire the Translational Path of Genome-Targeting Therapeutics.

The ongoing advancements in CRISPR-Cas technologies can significantly accelerate the preclinical development of both and organ genome-editing therapeutics. One of the promising applications is to genetically modify donor organs prior to implantation. The implantation of optimized donor organs with long-lasting immunomodulatory capacity holds promise for reducing the need for lifelong potent whole-body immunosuppression in recipients.

Diagnostic Value of Krebs von den Lungen (KL-6) for Interstitial Lung Disease: A European Prospective Cohort.

Introduction: Krebs von den Lungen 6 (KL-6) is a mucin-1 glycoprotein produced by type II pneumocytes. High levels of KL-6 in blood may be found in patients with lung fibrosis. In Asia this biomarker is used for diagnosis and prognosis in interstitial lung diseases (ILD).

Prognostic significance of lymphocytic foci composition in minor salivary gland biopsies for severe disease flare and severity in Sjögren's syndrome: a 3-year follow-up cohort study.

Introduction: This was an ambispective cohort study evaluating the prognostic significance of lymphocytic foci and its lymphoid composition in minor salivary gland biopsy (MSGB) for short-term disease flare and severity in Sjögren's syndrome (SS).

Methods: The inclusion criteria comprised individuals meeting the ACR/EULAR 2016 criteria who underwent MSGB with an infiltration of more than 50 lymphocytes and received clinical diagnosis between September 2017 and December 2018. Patients with inadequate biopsy samples were excluded.

Excellent response to anti-CD38 therapy with daratumumab in a patient with severe refractory CANOMAD.

Background: Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) and rituximab are considered the first-line and second-line treatments for Chronic Ataxic Neuropathy and Ophthalmoplegia with IgM-paraprotein, cold Agglutinins, and anti-Disialosyl antibodies (CANOMAD), with an overall clinical response around 50%. New anti-CD38 daratumumab, targeting long-lived plasma cells, has been reported as a promising therapy for treatment-refractory antibody-mediated disorders. We report the first case of a severe refractory CANOMAD, successfully treated with daratumumab.

Excess mortality in 22 European countries in 2020 and 2021: relationship with socioeconomic indicators.

Aims: For better understanding of the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on mortality in different countries, we studied the excess mortality from any cause during 2020 and 2021 in 22 European countries, and its relationship with three socioeconomic variables: life expectancy at birth in 2019, per capita income, and low education level.

Methods: Using an ecological design, we analyzed excess mortality data between January 2020 and December 2021 in 22 European countries, obtained from the EuroMOMO surveillance system. Using weekly Z-score data for each country, we estimated the annual average deviation in mortality during 2020 and 2021 for each country.

Association between the Immunophenotype of Peripheral Blood from mCRPC Patients and the Outcomes of Radium-223 Treatment.

(1) Background: Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in men, with androgen suppression as the standard treatment. Despite initially responding to castration, most metastatic prostate cancer patients eventually experience progression. In these cases, Radium-223 is the chosen treatment.

Psychosocial interventions reduce cortisol in breast cancer patients: systematic review and meta-analysis.

Introduction: Cancer initiation, progression and recurrence are intricate mechanisms that depend on various components: genetic, psychophysiological, or environmental. Exposure to chronic stress includes fear of recurrence that can affect biological processes that regulate immune and endocrine systems, increase cancer risk, and influence the survival rate. Previous studies show that psychological interventions might influence the level of cortisol that has been extensively used as a biomarker for measuring hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis functioning and body's immunity response.

Effect of Long-Term Use of Alcohol-Containing Handwashing Gels on the Biofilm-Forming Capacity of .

The spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has promoted the use of hand sanitizers among the general population as recommended by health authorities. Alcohols, which are used in many hand sanitizers, have been shown to promotes the formation of biofilms by certain bacteria and to increase bacterial resistance to disinfection. We investigated the effect of continued use of alcohol-based gel hand sanitizer on biofilm formation by the resident strain isolated from the hands of health science students.

A biomarker assay to risk-stratify patients with symptoms of respiratory tract infection.

Background: Patients who present to an emergency department (ED) with respiratory symptoms are often conservatively triaged in favour of hospitalisation. We sought to determine if an inflammatory biomarker panel that identifies the host response better predicts hospitalisation in order to improve the precision of clinical decision making in the ED.

Methods: From April 2020 to March 2021, plasma samples of 641 patients with symptoms of respiratory illness were collected from EDs in an international multicentre study: Canada (n=310), Italy (n=131) and Brazil (n=200).

Krebs von den Lungen-6 glycoprotein circulating levels are not useful as prognostic marker in COVID-19 pneumonia: A large prospective cohort study.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has rapidly expanded worldwide. Currently, there are no biomarkers to predict respiratory worsening in patients with mild to moderate COVID-19 pneumonia. Small studies explored the use of Krebs von de Lungen-6 circulating serum levels (sKL-6) as a prognostic biomarker of the worsening of COVID-19 pneumonia.

Successful 3-day lung preservation using a cyclic normothermic ex vivo lung perfusion strategy.

Background: Cold static preservation (CSP) at higher temperatures (10°C) has been recently shown as an optimal strategy up to 24-36h of preservation. Here, we hypothesized that alternating 10°C static storage with cycles of normothermic ex vivo lung perfusion (EVLP) would provide conditions for cellular "recharge", allowing for multi-day lung preservation.

Methods: Donor lungs from male Yorkshire pigs were preserved using 10°C CSP with two cycles of 4h EVLP.

Recent developments in data acquisition, treatment and analysis with ion mobility-mass spectrometry for lipidomics.

Lipids are involved in many biological processes and their study is constantly increasing. To identify a lipid among thousand requires of reliable methods and techniques. Ion Mobility (IM) can be coupled with Mass Spectrometry (MS) to increase analytical selectivity in lipid analysis of lipids.

Increase of Circulating Monocyte-Platelet Conjugates in Rheumatoid Arthritis Responders to IL-6 Blockage.

Platelets (PLT) bind to a significant percentage of circulating monocytes and this immunomodulatory interaction is increased in several inflammatory and autoimmune conditions. The therapeutic blockage of IL-6 with Tocilizumab (TCZ) alters PLT and the phenotype and function of monocytes in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However, the relationship between monocyte−PLT conjugates (CD14+PLT+) and clinical and immunological variables and the regulation of this interaction by IL-6 blockage are still unknown.

Near-infrared fluorescence imaging during ex vivo lung perfusion: Noninvasive real-time evaluation of regional lung perfusion and edema.

Objective: Ex vivo lung perfusion (EVLP) is an excellent platform to evaluate donor lung function before transplantation, but novel methods are needed to accurately confirm transplant quality. Near-infrared fluorescence (NIRF) imaging with indocyanine green (ICG) has been used in various clinical perioperative applications to evaluate tissue perfusion. We used NIRF imaging during pig and human EVLP to evaluate donor lung perfusion and edema.