Edoxaban for the treatment of pulmonary embolism in hospitalized COVID-19 patients.

Purpose: We aimed to investigate the clinical performance of edoxaban for the treatment of pulmonary embolism (PE) in hospitalized COVID-19 patients.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis selecting hospitalized patients with COVID-19 admitted to our Institution from 20 May 2020 to 20 November 2020 with computer tomography (CT) detected PE at admission, treated with edoxaban after initial parenteral therapy. Clinical outcomes were compared between patients with and without ARDS at admission and between those with and without CT confirmed PE resolution.

Lipid transfer protein sensitization: reactivity profiles and clinical risk assessment in an Italian cohort.

Background: Nonspecific lipid transfer proteins (nsLTPs) represent a major cause of systemic food allergic reactions in the Mediterranean area. This study investigate hierarchical patterns and cluster relationships of IgE sensitization to different nsLTPs, and the relationship to clinical allergy in a large Italian cohort.

Methods: A total of 568 nsLTP-positive subjects after IgE ImmunoCAP-ISAC microarray analysis with Ara h 9, Art v 3, Cor a 8, Jug r 3, Pla a 3, Pru p 3 and Tri a 14 allergens were studied.

Single TCR-Vβ2 evaluation discloses the circulating T cell clone in Sezary syndrome: one family fits all!

Sézary Syndrome (SS/L-CTCL) is a rare but aggressive variant of cutaneous T cell lymphoma (CTCL), characterized by erythroderma, lymphadenopathy, and the presence of a circulating memory CD4(+) T cell malignant clone with a skin homing behavior, lacking CD26 and CD49d and over-expressing CD60. The availability of a panel of monoclonal antibodies recognizing distinct TCR-Vβ families, allows to typify the clone by flow cytometry in about 70 % of cases. The TCR-Vβ repertoire of 533 individuals, comprising 308 patients affected by CTCL, 50 healthy donors, and subjects affected by various non-neoplastic dermatological affections was evaluated by flow cytometry.

Allergens in allergy diagnosis: a glimpse at emerging new concepts and methodologies.

Allergic diseases are important concern of public health. A reliable diagnosis is of utmost importance for the management of allergic patients both when immunotherapy is planned and when the treatment is essentially based on the avoidance of the allergy source. However, the available diagnostic systems sometimes fail to detect specific IgE antibodies thus impairing the correct diagnosis.

Novel allergens from ancient foods: Man e 5 from manioc (Manihot esculenta Crantz) cross reacts with Hev b 5 from latex.

Scope: Manioc (Manihot esculenta) is a tuber mainly consumed in the Southern Hemisphere and used worldwide by food and chemistry industry. We aimed to recombinantly produce and characterize the first manioc allergen and evaluate its IgE reactivity in sera of Brazilian and Italian patients.

Methods And Results: The molecule, termed Man e5, was expressed in E.

Peamaclein--a new peach allergenic protein: similarities, differences and misleading features compared to Pru p 3.

Background: Among the peach-derived allergens which are already known, the lipid transfer protein (Pru p 3) seems to be the one to exert severe allergic reactions.

Objective: To identify and characterize a new peach allergen causing a clinical picture similar to that of Pru p 3.

Methods: Patients were selected on the basis of their severe clinical reactivity and negative results to a panel of peach allergens available on the ISAC103 microarray.

Detection of IgG and IgE reactivity to BP180 using the ISAC® microarray system.

Background: Bullous pemphigoid (BP) is an autoimmune skin disease in which patient autoantibodies react with BP180 and BP230 proteins. In addition to IgG, IgE has been shown to play a role in the disease.

Objectives: To evaluate the feasibility of detecting IgE and IgG against the immunodominant BP180 NC16A domain (BP180) using a microarray system.

Allergen micro-bead array for IgE detection: a feasibility study using allergenic molecules tested on a flexible multiplex flow cytometric immunoassay.

Background: Allergies represent the most prevalent non infective diseases worldwide. Approaching IgE-mediated sensitizations improved much by adopting allergenic molecules instead of extracts, and by using the micro-technology for multiplex testing.

Objective And Methods: To provide a proof-of-concept that a flow cytometric bead array is a feasible mean for the detection of specific IgE reactivity to allergenic molecules in a multiplex-like way.

Proteomics plus genomics approaches in primary immunodeficiency: the case of immune dysregulation, polyendocrinopathy, enteropathy, X-linked (IPEX) syndrome.

Immune dysregulation, polyendocrinopathy, enteropathy, X-linked (IPEX) is a rare syndrome due to a mutation in the forkhead box protein 3 gene (FOXP3) leading to an impaired regulatory T cell (T(reg) ) activity associated both with skewed T helper type 2 (Th2) response and autoreactive phenomena. The purpose of this study was to describe a combined proteomics and genomics approach to comprehensively evaluate clinical and immunological phenotypes of patients affected by IPEX. T cell receptor (TCR)-Vβ repertoire and peripheral blood lymphocytes phenotype from three brothers affected by IPEX were studied by flow cytometry.

Specific IgE toward allergenic molecules is a new prognostic marker in patients with Sézary syndrome.

Background: Sézary syndrome (SS) is the aggressive leukemic form of cutaneous T cell lymphoma characterized by erythroderma, the presence of a malignant circulating T memory cells with skin homing potential, and the ability to produce a variety of Th2 soluble factors, such as IL-4 and IL-5. We measured total and specific IgE in SS patients as a further parameter of a Th2-skewed immune system, and studied their clinical impact.

Methods: Specific IgE production in a cohort of 55 SS patients was evaluated by the molecule-based ISAC microarray system.

IgE recognition patterns of profilin, PR-10, and tropomyosin panallergens tested in 3,113 allergic patients by allergen microarray-based technology.

Background: IgE recognition of panallergens having highly conserved sequence regions, structure, and function and shared by inhalant and food allergen sources is often observed.

Methods: We evaluated the IgE recognition profile of profilins (Bet v 2, Cyn d 12, Hel a 2, Hev b 8, Mer a 1, Ole e 2, Par j 3, Phl p 12, Pho d 2), PR-10 proteins (Aln g 1, Api g 1, Bet v 1.0101, Bet v 1.

The role of 9-O-acetylated ganglioside D3 (CD60) and {alpha}4{beta}1 (CD49d) expression in predicting the survival of patients with Sezary syndrome.

Background: Sézary syndrome is a rare and very aggressive leukemic variant of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma characterized by extensive skin involvement and a malignant circulating CD4(+) T-cell clone which homes to the skin, over-expresses CD60, and lacks CD7, CD26 and CD49d. So far prognostic markers in this disease are limited to treatment with systemic steroids, age, serum lactate dehydrogenase, and a white blood cell count of 20×10(9)/L or higher: no other biological marker with prognostic value, especially related to malignant cells, has been described.

Design And Methods: We used flow activated cell sorting analysis to compare the distribution of the T-cell receptor-Vβ repertoire and several surface molecules (CD7, CD26, CD49d and CD60) within the circulating CD4(+) T-cell population in 62 patients with Sézary syndrome, 180 with mycosis fungoides, 6 with B-cell lymphomas, and 19 with chronic eczema.

Cross-sectional survey on immunoglobulin E reactivity in 23,077 subjects using an allergenic molecule-based microarray detection system.

Background: The availability of allergenic molecules and high-throughput microtechnologies allow the collection of a large number of IgE results at the same time in a single test. This can be carried out applying the test in the routine diagnostic work-up.

Objective: The aim of this study was to make a cross-sectional evaluation of the raw prevalence of IgE reactivity to allergenic molecules in serum samples from a cohort of Italian patients using an innovative tool.

CXCL13 is highly produced by Sézary cells and enhances their migratory ability via a synergistic mechanism involving CCL19 and CCL21 chemokines.

Chemokine and chemokine receptors expressed by normal and neoplastic lymphocytes play a key role in cell recruitment into skin and lymph nodes. The aim of this study was to get further insights into the role of chemokines in pathogenesis and progression of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) with particular regard to Sézary Syndrome (SS), a CTCL variant with blood involvement. Here, we show that functional CXCL13 homeostatic chemokine is strongly up-regulated in SS cells, well-detectable in skin lesions and lymph nodes, and measurable at high concentration in plasma of SS patients, at different levels during disease progression.

Serum-induced basophil CD63 expression by means of a tricolour flow cytometric method for the in vitro diagnosis of chronic urticaria.

Background: Functional autoantibodies against the alpha-chain of the high-affinity IgE receptor (FcepsilonRIalpha) identify a subset of patients with chronic urticaria (CU) due to autoreactivity, as assessed by an in vivo positive response to autologous serum skin test (ASST). We performed a study to standardize the serum-induced basophil activation assay by flow cytometry (FCM) using a new tricolour method, assessing the diagnostic performance of this test in discriminating between ASST+ and ASST- CU patients.

Methods: Sera of 64 CU patients (22 ASST+ CU and 42 ASST- CU) and 10 healthy subjects were tested for their ability to induce basophil CD63 expression when incubated with whole blood of both atopic (DA) and non-atopic donors (DNA).

An unusual case of ascites.

A 76-year-old woman with abdominal pain and diarrhoea developed ascites that did not respond to treatment. There were no signs of liver damage. Abdominal ultrasonography with colour Doppler revealed an arterial-like flow in the enlarged splenic vein.

Partial splenic embolization in patients with idiopathic portal hypertension.

Purpose: To evaluate the effectiveness of partial splenic embolization (PSE) in patients with idiopathic portal hypertension (IPH) in reducing variceal bleeding episodes, splenomegaly and thrombocytopenia.

Materials And Methods: Six patients (2M, 4F, mean age 30.3 years) with IPH presenting with splenomegaly, thrombocytopenia and recurrent variceal bleeding were treated with PSE using gelatin sponge (four patients) or Contour particles (two patients) as embolization material.

Effects of carbonated water on functional dyspepsia and constipation.

Objective: The effects of carbonated beverages on the gastrointestinal tract have been poorly investigated. Therefore, this study aims to assess the effect of carbonated water intake in patients with functional dyspepsia and constipation.

Methods: Twenty-one patients with dyspepsia and secondary constipation were randomized into two groups in a double-blind fashion.

Chromosome 9 aberrations by fluorescence in situ hybridisation in bladder transitional cell carcinoma.

To investigate the role of the monosomy 9 in bladder carcinogenesis, 96 cases of superficial bladder transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) were studied and followed periodically for around 3 years (mean+/-standard error of the mean (SEM); 3.46+/-0.34 years).

Bladder transitional cell carcinomas: a comparative study of washing and tumor bioptic samples by DNA flow cytometry and FISH analyses.

Objective And Methods: We compared information obtained from samples of tumor biopsy and bladder washing to evaluate the representatives of the latter type of sampling. Both types of samples from 44 cases of superficial bladder TCCs and one papilloma were analyzed by FCM, to evaluate cellular DNA content, and FISH, to detect numerical aberration of chromosome 9.

Results: The use of both tumor and washing samples by FCM and FISH analyses evidenced alterations in 95% of cases.

Unusual chromosome patterns of renal cell carcinomas common to two brothers.

In this study, we describe two renal cell carcinomas (RCC) that occurred at the same time in two brothers, yielding information on the carcinogenic process. We used flow cytometry (FCM) to evaluate nuclear DNA content, and performed cytogenetic analysis. We also carried out fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) with a panel of centromeric probes for chromosomes 3, 7, 8, 9, 12, 17, 20, and Y in interphase cells.

Cryptic epitopes on alpha-fetoprotein induce spontaneous immune responses in hepatocellular carcinoma, liver cirrhosis, and chronic hepatitis patients.

To determine alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) immunogenicity in vivo, the presence of antibodies in sera of 60 hepatocellular carcinoma, 15 liver cirrhosis, and 15 chronic hepatitis patients was evaluated by Western blotting and immunoprecipitation analyses using purified human AFP. High titers of anti-AFP immunoglobulins were detected in 14 hepatocellular carcinomas (P = 0.0006), 3 liver cirrhosis (P = 0.