Sentinels in the shadows: Exploring and other Sarcocystidae parasites in synanthropic rodents and their public health implications.

Synanthropic rodents play a crucial role in maintaining the life cycle of in anthropized regions and can serve as indicators of environmental oocyst contamination. This investigation aimed to explore the occurrence of infection within synanthropic rodent populations using a molecular diagnostic technique targeting the 18S rDNA gene, which is generic for Coccidia, with subsequent specific PCR confirmation. We examined 97 brown rats (), 67 black rats (), 47 house mice (), and 1 common shrew ().

Pentraxin 3 in Myocarditis: Proof-of-Principle Assessment as a Diagnostic and Prognostic Biomarker.

Pentraxin 3 (PTX3) is an acute phase protein produced in various tissues in response to microbial and sterile stimuli, which regulates the inflammation outcomes. PTX3 has not been investigated in myocarditis. Our aim was to assess circulating and cardiac tissue expression of PTX3 in 55 patients with myocarditis proven by magnetic resonance and/or endomyocardial biopsy.

Dipeptidyl peptidase 4/CD26 expression in human idiopathic inflammatory myopathies reveals skeletal muscle injury and vascular inflammation.

Objectives: We performed a retrospective and prospective observational study to investigate whether the T lymphocyte activation antigen dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP4)/CD26 is expressed in the skeletal muscle of patients with idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIM) and whether its expression offers clues to understand the events taking place in the tissue.

Methods: CD26 expression in the muscle, evaluated by immunofluorescence, was assessed in 32 patients with IIM and 5 healthy controls and compared among patients with dermatomyositis (DM), immune-mediated necrotising myopathy (IMNM), inclusion body myositis (IBM), and polymyositis (PM). The relationship of CD26 expression and localization with clinical, serological and histological features was determined.

Platelet Phagocytosis via P-selectin Glycoprotein Ligand 1 and Accumulation of Microparticles in Systemic Sclerosis.

Objective: It is unclear why activated platelets and platelet-derived microparticles (MPs) accumulate in the blood of patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). This study was undertaken to investigate whether defective phagocytosis might contribute to MP accumulation in the blood of patients with SSc.

Methods: Blood samples were obtained from a total of 81 subjects, including 25 patients with SSc and 26 patients with stable coronary artery disease (CAD).

Begelomab for severe refractory dermatomyositis: A case report.

Rationale: Severe refractory idiopathic inflammatory myopathy (IIM) represents a challenge for the clinician. The lack of efficacy of available tools reflects our incomplete insight into the molecular events sustaining the inflammatory tissue damage in these patients. We present the first case of refractory IIM treated with anti-dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4)/cluster of differentiation 26 (CD26) monoclonal antibody.

Mer tyrosine kinase as a possible link between resolution of inflammation and tissue fibrosis in IgG4-related disease.

Objectives: IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD) is a systemic fibro-inflammatory disorder characterized by a dysregulated resolution of inflammation and wound healing response that might develop after an apoptotic insult induced by cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs). Mer receptor tyrosine kinase (MerTK) and its ligand, protein S (ProS1), have a pivotal role in the resolution of inflammation, being implicated in the clearance of apoptotic cells, quenching of the immune response and development of tissue fibrosis. In the present work we aimed to investigate a possible involvement of the MerTK signalling pathway in the pathogenesis of IgG4-RD and development of tissue fibrosis.

Pharmacological blockade of TNFα prevents sarcopenia and prolongs survival in aging mice.

Sarcopenia is a hallmark of aging. Inflammation due to increased generation of cytokines such as TNFα, IL-1β and IL-6 has been implicated in the pathogenesis of sarcopenia. In skeletal muscle of C57BL/6 mice from 12 until 28 months of age, we observed a progressive reduction of myofiber cross sectional area, loss of type II fibers and infiltration by inflammatory cells.

B lymphocytes contribute to stromal reaction in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is characterized by a prominent stromal reaction that has been variably implicated in both tumor growth and tumor suppression. B-lymphocytes have been recently implicated in PDAC progression but their contribution to the characteristic stromal desmoplasia has never been assessed before. In the present work, we aimed to verify whether B-lymphocytes contribute to stromal cell activation in PDAC.

The risk of injuries among CrossFit athletes: an Italian observational retrospective survey.

Background: CrossFit is a strength and conditioning training program, that begin very popular in the last ten years. One of the most concerned characteristics of model is the high intensity activity performed under fatigue conditions that was proposed as potential risk of injuries; current literature on this topic was not conclusive. The purpose of this research was to examine injury epidemiology and risk factors for injury in CrossFit.

Platelet microparticles sustain autophagy-associated activation of neutrophils in systemic sclerosis.

Endothelial cell damage and platelet activation contribute to sustained vasculopathy, which is a key clinical characteristic of systemic sclerosis (SSc), also known as scleroderma. Microparticles released from activated platelets in the blood of SSc patients (SSc-microparticles) are abundant and express the damage-associated molecular pattern (DAMP) HMGB1. SSc-microparticles interacted with neutrophils in vitro and in immunocompromised mice and promoted neutrophil autophagy, which was characterized by mobilization of their granule content, enhanced proteolytic activity, prolonged survival, and generation of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs).

Flexibility responses to different stretching methods in young elite basketball players.

Introduction: The aims of study were: 1) to verify the effectiveness of different stretching methods and training; 2) to compare the effects with only training on the flexibility of joints in basketball players.

Methods: 30 males basketball players (age: 17±1yrs; BMI: 23.4±3.

Exacerbation of Murine Experimental Autoimmune Myositis by Toll-Like Receptor 7/8.

Objective: Toll-like receptor 7 (TLR-7), TLR-8, and interferon (IFN)-induced genes are expressed in patients with idiopathic inflammatory myositis. This study was undertaken to investigate whether their activation influences the natural history of the disease.

Methods: Experimental autoimmune myositis was induced in mice by injection of the amino-terminal portion of the murine histidyl-transfer RNA synthetase (HisRS).

Time to redefine endometriosis including its pro-fibrotic nature.

Endometriosis is currently defined as presence of endometrial epithelial and stromal cells at ectopic sites. This simple and straightforward definition has served us well since its original introduction. However, with advances in disease knowledge, endometrial stromal and glands have been shown to represent only a minor component of endometriotic lesions and they are often absent in some disease forms.

The peritoneum: healing, immunity, and diseases.

The peritoneum defines a confined microenvironment, which is stable under normal conditions, but is exposed to the damaging effect of infections, surgical injuries, and other neoplastic and non-neoplastic events. Its response to damage includes the recruitment, proliferation, and activation of a variety of haematopoietic and stromal cells. In physiological conditions, effective responses to injuries are organized; inflammatory triggers are eliminated; inflammation quickly abates; and the normal tissue architecture is restored.

The clearance of cell remnants and the regeneration of the injured muscle depend on soluble pattern recognition receptor PTX3.

Objective: The signals causing the resolution of muscle inflammation are only partially characterized. The long pentraxin PTX3, which modulates leukocyte recruitment and activation, could contribute.

Methods: We analysed the expression of ptx3 after muscle injury and verified whether hematopoietic precursors are a source of the protein.

Leukocytes recruited by tumor-derived HMGB1 sustain peritoneal carcinomatosis.

The factors that determine whether disseminated transformed cells in vivo yield neoplastic lesions have only been partially identified. We established an ad hoc model of peritoneal carcinomatosis by injecting colon carcinoma cells in mice. Tumor cells recruit inflammatory leukocytes, mostly macrophages, and generate neoplastic peritoneal lesions.

The Repair of Skeletal Muscle Requires Iron Recycling through Macrophage Ferroportin.

Macrophages recruited at the site of sterile muscle damage play an essential role in the regeneration of the tissue. In this article, we report that the selective disruption of macrophage ferroportin (Fpn) results in iron accumulation within muscle-infiltrating macrophages and jeopardizes muscle healing, prompting fat accumulation. Macrophages isolated from the tissue at early time points after injury express ferritin H, CD163, and hemeoxygenase-1, indicating that they can uptake heme and store iron.

CrossFit athletes exhibit high symmetry of fundamental movement patterns. A cross-sectional study.

Background: even if CrossFit training programs accounted actually more than 7500 gyms affiliated in the USA and more than 2000 in Europe and involved today more than 1 million of people, actually there were not several studies about the effect of the CrossFit on the health and sport performance. The aim of these research was to evaluate the performance in 7 fundamental movement patterns using a standardized methods, the Functional Movement Screen (FMS).

Methods: we enrolled three groups of athletes (age 17-40 years; >6 months of training programs): CrossFitters, body builders and professional weightlifters.

A multi-analytical approach for the assessment of the provenience of geological amber: the collection of the Earth Sciences Museum of Bari (Italy).

The Earth Sciences Museum of the University of Bari Aldo Moro (Italy) exhibits a wide collection of amber samples. These have been catalogued as Baltic amber (succinite), Sicilian amber (simetite), amber from New Jersey, Apennine amber and New Zealand copaline. However, some samples revealed to be erroneously classified as a consequence of incorrect information on the labels or in the museum catalogue.

Retrospective review of tibial plateau fractures treated by two methods without staging.

Introduction: Management of complex tibial plateau fractures can be challenging for orthopaedic surgeons. Wide disagreement still remains about the best surgical technique to use in these fractures. The purpose of this study was to compare the results of complex tibial plateau fractures treated by an open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) versus hybrid external fixation (EF) in term of clinical and functional outcomes.

FOXP3+ T Cells Recruited to Sites of Sterile Skeletal Muscle Injury Regulate the Fate of Satellite Cells and Guide Effective Tissue Regeneration.

Muscle injury induces a classical inflammatory response in which cells of the innate immune system rapidly invade the tissue. Macrophages are prominently involved in this response and required for proper healing, as they are known to be important for clearing cellular debris and supporting satellite cell differentiation. Here, we sought to assess the role of the adaptive immune system in muscle regeneration after acute damage.

Required role of apoptotic myogenic precursors and toll-like receptor stimulation for the establishment of autoimmune myositis in experimental murine models.

Objective: Muscle regeneration is a hallmark of the idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIMs), a group of autoimmune disorders that are characterized by leukocyte infiltration and dysfunction of the skeletal muscle. Despite detailed studies describing the clinical and histopathologic features of IIMs, the immunopathogenesis of these disorders remains undefined. The aim of this study was to investigate the immunopathologic processes of autoimmune myositis in experimental murine models.

7-Tesla magnetic resonance imaging precisely and noninvasively reflects inflammation and remodeling of the skeletal muscle in a mouse model of antisynthetase syndrome.

Inflammatory myopathies comprise heterogeneous disorders. Their etiopathogenesis is poorly understood, because of the paucity of informative experimental models and of approaches for the noninvasive study of inflamed tissues. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) provides information about the state of the skeletal muscle that reflects various facets of inflammation and remodeling.

Leukocyte HMGB1 is required for vessel remodeling in regenerating muscles.

Signals of tissue necrosis, damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs), cause inflammation. Leukocytes migrating into injured tissues tonically release DAMPs, including the high mobility group box 1 protein (HMGB1). In the absence of suitable models, the relative role of DAMPs released because of necrosis or leukocyte activation has not, so far, been dissected.