The report and analysis concerning the usefulness of basic telemedicine tools in the skin cancer diagnostic screening process during COVID-19 pandemics.

Introduction: A rapid spread of the emerging COVID-19 pandemic limited the availability of professional medical advice. As a result, a significant increase in the number of undiagnosed and chronically ill patients without medical care was noticed. In reaction to the urgent need, the telemedical consultation, instead of the classical form, may be introduced as a vulnerable tool in preclinical evaluation of patients with potentially malignant skin lesions.

Metallic Orthodontic Materials Induce Gene Expression and Protein Synthesis of Metallothioneins.

Background: Due to the long-term contact with metallic elements of orthodontic appliances, the potential influence of released metal ions on living organisms and the type of induced changes was investigated.

Materials And Methods: Twenty-four young domestic pigs classified in two groups (experimental and control) were chosen as the object of this study. In the experimental group of animals, two metal plates consisting of orthodontic bands representing the mass of orthodontic appliance were mounted on the internal side of the cheek for six months.

Effects of interactions between variation in dopaminergic genes, traumatic life events, and anomalous self-experiences on psychosis proneness: Results from a cross-sectional study in a nonclinical sample.

Background: There is a growing number of studies showing interactions between genetic polymorphisms associated with dopaminergic neurotransmission and traumatic life events (TLEs) on a risk of psychotic-like experiences (PLEs). Anomalous self-experiences (ASEs) have been associated both with TLEs as well as with PLEs. However, it remains unknown what is the role of ASEs in the complexity of gene-environment interactions on the emergence of PLEs.

Additive manufacturing technologies enabling rapid and interventional production of protective face shields and masks during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is transmitted through respiratory droplets and contact routes, hence the demand for personal protective equipment (PPE) has increased during the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Among the most noticeable shortages was the lack of face shields. The urgent demand for PPE induced interdisciplinary cooperation to overcome the shortages, and additive manufacturing proved to be ideal for the crisis situation.

Abnormal Expression of BTLA and CTLA-4 Immune Checkpoint Molecules in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Patients.

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is characterized by the peripheral accumulation of neoplastic B cells and is frequently complicated by the systemic immunosuppression associated with an impairment in B and T lymphocyte activation. We hypothesized that the expression of immune checkpoint suppressors B and T lymphocyte attenuator (BTLA) and cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen (CTLA-4) is disturbed in both lymphocyte subpopulations in CLL. The expression of CTLA-4 and BTLA mRNA was determined by real-time PCR, while CTLA-4 protein expression (surface or intracellular) was estimated in BTLA+ lymphocytes by flow cytometry.

Effects of traumatic life events, cognitive biases and variation in dopaminergic genes on psychosis proneness.

Aims: Recent studies have provided evidence that interactions between variation in dopaminergic genes and stressful experiences might impact risk of psychosis. However, it remains unknown whether these interactions impact the development of subclinical symptoms, including psychotic-like experiences (PLEs). In this study, we aimed to test the effects of interactions between variation in dopaminergic genes and traumatic life events (TLEs) on a severity of PLEs.

Regulation of signaling pathways by Ampelopsin (Dihydromyricetin) in different cancers: exploring the highways and byways less travelled.

Ampelopsin or Dihydromyricetin is gradually emerging as a high-quality natural product because of its ability to modulate wide-ranging signaling pathways. Ampelopsin (Dihydromyricetin) has been reported to effectively modulate growth factor receptor (VEGFR2 and PDGFRβ) mediated signaling,  TRAIL/TRAIL-R pathway, JAK/STAT and mTOR-driven signaling in different cancers. Ampelopsin (Dihydromyricetin) has also been shown to exert inhibitory effects on the versatile regulators which trigger EMT (Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition).

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) or genital tract infections (GTIs)? It's the diagnostics that count.

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) and genital tract infections (GTIs) are both very common infectious diseases. Thus, accuracy and rapidity in recognition and treatment of sexually transmitted urogenital tract infections (ST-UGTIs) is a major concern in global public health systems. The application of reliable, accurate diagnostic tools is the key to definite detection, identification and treatment.

Paediatric-onset and adult-onset Graves' disease share multiple genetic risk factors.

Background: Graves' disease (GD) is an autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD) with a peak incidence between 30 and 50 years of age. Although children and adolescents may also develop the disease, the genetic background of paediatric-onset GD (POGD) remains largely unknown. Here, we looked for similarities and differences in the genetic risk factors for POGD and adult-onset GD (AOGD) as well as for variants associated with age of GD onset.

Epitopes identified in GAPDH from Clostridium difficile recognized as common antigens with potential autoimmunizing properties.

Clostridium difficile (CD) infections are a growing threat due to the strain resistance to antibiotic treatment and the emergence of hypervirulent strains. One solution to this problem is the search for new vaccine antigens, preferably surface-localized that will be recognized by antibodies at an early stage of colonization. The purpose of the study was to assess the usefulness of novel immunoreactive surface proteins (epitopes) as potential vaccine antigens.

Profiling inflammatory signatures of schizophrenia: A cross-sectional and meta-analysis study.

We aimed to profile a broad panel of inflammatory markers in patients with schizophrenia and healthy controls. Additionally, we performed a meta-analysis of chemokine alterations that have not been subjected to quantitative synthesis so far. We recruited 78 patients with schizophrenia and 78 healthy controls, and measured inflammatory markers using the Luminex technology.

The Influence of Genetic Variations in the Gene on the Outcome after Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation.

CD86 molecule is the ligand for both costimulatory (CD28) and coinhibitory (CTLA-4) molecules, and it regulates immune response after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (alloHSCT). Therefore, we postulate that gene variations might influence the outcome after alloHSCT. Altogether, 295 adult patients (pts) undergoing related (105 pts) and unrelated (190 pts) donor-matched HSCT were genotyped for the following gene polymorphisms: rs1129055, rs9831894, and rs2715267.

Polymorphisms in immune-inflammatory response genes and the risk of deficit schizophrenia.

Polymorphisms in immune-inflammatory response genes are believed to impact schizophrenia susceptibility. However, it remains unknown whether immunogenetic factors play a role in the etiology of deficit schizophrenia (D-SCZ). Therefore, we genotyped four polymorphisms in genes encoding two immune system regulatory proteins (CTLA-4 rs231775 and CD28 rs3116496), interleukin-6 (IL6 rs1800795) and transforming growth factor-β (TGFB1 rs1800470) in 513 schizophrenia patients and 374 controls.

PD-1 gene polymorphic variation is linked with first symptom of disease and severity of relapsing-remitting form of MS.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory disease of the central nervous system (CNS), where inflammation, demyelination together with the axonopathy are the cardinal features on pathologic ground, with a combined genetic and environmental background. The associations of PD-1 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs): PD-1.3 (in intron 4), PD-1.

Is the Genetic Background of Co-Stimulatory CD28/CTLA-4 Pathway the Risk Factor for Prostate Cancer?

The impairment of immunological surveillance caused by aberrant T cell activation can lead to an inadequate anti-tumor response. Therefore, deregulation in co-stimulatory pathway might be associated with cancer susceptibility. Here we undertook a prospective study to investigate whether genetic variations in gene encoding molecule CD28 and CTLA-4 playing pivotal role in regulating adoptive immune response can influence susceptibility to prostate cancer.

Intragenic Variations in BTLA Gene Influence mRNA Expression of BTLA Gene in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Patients and Confer Susceptibility to Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia.

The aim of this study was to determine the association between polymorphisms in gene encoding B- and T-lymphocyte attenuator (BTLA) and susceptibility to chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and their influence on mRNA expression of BTLA gene in T and B cells from CLL patients (pts.). The following BTLA single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs): rs2705511, rs1982809, rs9288952, rs76844316, rs16859633, rs9288953, rs2705535, rs1844089, rs2705565, rs2633580 were genotyped with use of TaqMan probes in 321 CLL pts.

Gender-dependent and age-of-onset-specific association of the rs11675434 single-nucleotide polymorphism near TPO with susceptibility to Graves' ophthalmopathy.

The role of TPO gene polymorphism in the susceptibility to Graves' disease (GD) remains unclear. However, single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) near TPO have been recently associated with serum levels of thyroid peroxidase (TPO) antibody in two independent genome-wide association studies. Moreover, we have observed a strong association between the rs11675434 SNP located near TPO and the presence of clinically evident Graves' ophthalmopathy (GO).

CD28/CTLA-4/ICOS haplotypes confers susceptibility to Graves' disease and modulates clinical phenotype of disease.

Graves' disease, an autoimmune disease with heterogeneous symptoms including Graves' orbitopathy, has a combined genetic/environmental background, where variations within CD28/CTLA-4/ICOS genes are considered as disease markers.Association of CD28c.17+3T>C(rs3116496), CTLA-4g.

Polymorphisms in CD28, CTLA-4, CD80 and CD86 genes may influence the risk of multiple sclerosis and its age of onset.

CD28/CTLA-4–CD80/CD86 molecules play an important role in the regulation of T cells activation. Defects in proteins involved in this pathway may lead to the development of autoimmune diseases in which T cells are involved. In this case–control study (336 multiple sclerosis (MS) patients and 322 controls) we investigated the possible association of eleven polymorphisms in CD28, CTLA-4, CD80 and CD86 genes with susceptibility to MS and/or its progression.

CTLA4 and CD28 Gene Polymorphisms with Respect to Affective Symptom Domain in Schizophrenia.

Background: Accumulating evidence indicates that immune alterations in schizophrenia are due to genetic underpinnings. Here, we aimed at investigating whether polymorphisms in CTLA4 and CD28 genes, encoding molecules that regulate T-cell activity, influence schizophrenia symptomatology.

Method: We recruited 120 schizophrenia patients and 380 healthy age- and sex-matched controls.

A CT60G>A polymorphism in the CTLA-4 gene of the recipient may confer susceptibility to acute graft versus host disease after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

T cell activation plays a crucial role in the development of acute graft versus host disease (aGvHD). Cytotoxic T cell antigen-4 (CTLA-4) is a co-inhibitory molecule that negatively regulates T cell activation, differentiation, and proliferation. Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in CTLA-4 gene may affect its function.

Genetic polymorphisms and expression of HLA-G and its receptors, KIR2DL4 and LILRB1, in non-small cell lung cancer.

Human leukocyte antigen-G (HLA-G) is a nonclassical HLA class I molecule absent from most normal tissues but detected in many malignant tumors. It is recognized by cells of the immune system using LILRB1, KIR2DL4 and LILRB2 receptors. We attempted to find out whether some polymorphisms of HLA-G, LILRB1 and KIR2DL4 genes are associated with susceptibility to nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Pretransplant donor and recipient CTLA-4 mRNA and protein levels as a prognostic marker for aGvHD in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Background: Cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA-4) is an inhibitory T cells' receptor essential for maintaining T cell homeostasis and immunotolerance. The role of the co-stimulatory pathway in development of aGvHD has been studied mostly in animal models. To the best of our knowledge, there are no published data on the role of CTLA-4 in pathogenesis of aGvHD after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) in humans.

Sex differences in TGFB-β signaling with respect to age of onset and cognitive functioning in schizophrenia.

There are studies showing that gene polymorphisms within the transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) signaling constitute schizophrenia risk variants. However, the association between TGFB1 gene polymorphisms (+869T/C and +915G/C), TGF-β level with schizophrenia course, and its symptomatology together with cognitive functioning has not been investigated so far. We included 151 patients with schizophrenia and 279 healthy controls.