Report from the fifth international consensus meeting to harmonize core outcome measures for atopic eczema/dermatitis clinical trials (HOME initiative).

This is the report from the fifth meeting of the Harmonising Outcome Measures for Eczema initiative (HOME V). The meeting was held on 12-14 June 2017 in Nantes, France, with 81 participants. The main aims of the meeting were (i) to achieve consensus over the definition of the core domain of long-term control and how to measure it and (ii) to prioritize future areas of research for the measurement of the core domain of quality of life (QoL) in children.

Double Disadvantage in the Process of Disablement: Race as a Moderator in the Association Between Chronic Conditions and Functional Limitations.

Objectives: This study evaluated (a) whether the association between chronic conditions and functional limitations vary by race/ethnicity, and (b) whether socioeconomic status accounted for any observed racial variation in the association between chronic conditions and functional limitations.

Method: The Health and Retirement Study data were used to assess whether race/ethnicity moderated the association between chronic conditions and functional limitations, and whether education, income, and/or wealth mediated any of the observed moderation by race/ethnicity.

Results: Results from structural equation models of latent growth curves with random onset indicated that (a) the positive association between chronic conditions and functional limitations onset was larger for African Americans and Hispanics than it was for Whites, but (b) this difference largely persisted net of socioeconomic status.

Bloom syndrome: research and data priorities for the development of precision medicine as identified by some affected families.

Bloom syndrome (BS) is a rare, autosomal recessive genetic disorder characterized by short stature, a skin rash associated with sun exposure, and an elevated likelihood of developing cancers of essentially all types, beginning at an early age. Cancer is the leading cause of death for persons with BS, and its early onset results in a reported median lifespan of <30 years. With fewer than 300 documented cases since BS was first described in 1954, its rarity has challenged progress in advancing both the care of and the cure for persons with BS.

Cancer Imprints an Increased PARP-1 and p53-Dependent Resistance to Oxidative Stress on Lymphocytes of Patients That Later Develop Alzheimer's Disease.

We have proposed that a common biological mechanism deregulated in opposite directions might explain the inverse epidemiological association observed between Alzheimer's disease (AD) and cancer. Accordingly, we showed that lymphocytes from AD patients have an increased susceptibility, whereas those from survivors of a skin cancer, an increased resistance to oxidative death induced by hydrogen peroxide (HO), compared to healthy controls (HC). We investigated the susceptibility to HO-induced death of lymphocytes in survivors of any type of cancer and in cancer survivors who later developed AD (Ca&AD).

Effect of dimethyl fumarate on renal disease progression in a genetic ortholog of nephronophthisis.

Dimethyl fumarate is an FDA-approved oral immunomodulatory drug with anti-inflammatory properties that induces the upregulation of the anti-oxidant transcription factor, nuclear factor erythroid-derived factor 2. The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of dimethyl fumarate on interstitial inflammation and renal cyst growth in a preclinical model of nephronophthisis. Four-week-old female Lewis polycystic kidney disease (a genetic ortholog of human nephronophthisis-9) rats received vehicle (V), 10 mg/kg (D10) or 30 mg/kg (D30) ( n = 8-9 each) dimethyl fumarate in drinking water for eight weeks.

NK Cells Stimulate Recruitment of cDC1 into the Tumor Microenvironment Promoting Cancer Immune Control.

Conventional type 1 dendritic cells (cDC1) are critical for antitumor immunity, and their abundance within tumors is associated with immune-mediated rejection and the success of immunotherapy. Here, we show that cDC1 accumulation in mouse tumors often depends on natural killer (NK) cells that produce the cDC1 chemoattractants CCL5 and XCL1. Similarly, in human cancers, intratumoral CCL5, XCL1, and XCL2 transcripts closely correlate with gene signatures of both NK cells and cDC1 and are associated with increased overall patient survival.

What's new in atopic eczema? An analysis of systematic reviews published in 2015. Part 1: epidemiology and methodology.

This review forms part of a series of annual updates that summarize the evidence base for atopic eczema (AE), providing a succinct guide for clinicians and patients. It provides a summary of key findings from 15 systematic reviews that were published during 2015, and focuses on the epidemiology and methodology issues of AE. For systematic reviews on the prevention and treatment of AE, see Part 2 of this update.

Simultaneous observation of auroral substorm onset in Polar satellite global images and ground-based all-sky images.

Substorm onset has originally been defined as a longitudinally extended sudden auroral brightening (Akasofu initial brightening: AIB) followed a few minutes later by an auroral poleward expansion in ground-based all-sky images (ASIs). In contrast, such clearly marked two-stage development has not been evident in satellite-based global images (GIs). Instead, substorm onsets have been identified as localized sudden brightenings that expand immediately poleward.

Vitamin D Increases Aβ140 Plasma Levels and Protects Lymphocytes from Oxidative Death in Mild Cognitive Impairment Patients.

Background: Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) has an increased rate of progression to dementia. Alterations of some metabolic factors, such as deficiency of vitamin D, are a risk factor for cognitive deterioration. Vitamin D is involved in the clearance of β-amyloid (Aβ) from the brain.

Extra-corporeal normothermic machine perfusion of the porcine kidney: working towards future utilization in Australasia.

Background: The ongoing supply-demand gap with respect to donor kidneys for transplantation necessitates the increased use of higher kidney donor profile index and/or donation after circulatory death (DCD) kidneys. Machine perfusion (MP) preservation has become increasingly popular as a means to preserve such organs. Human data regarding normothermic kidney MP (NMP) is in its infancy, and such a system has not been established in the Australasian clinical setting.

Frailty is an independent predictor of incident dementia: Evidence from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing.

The aim of this study was to determine whether frailty in older adults is associated with the risk of subsequent dementia. A total of 8,722 older adults from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing were followed-up every two years until they reported a diagnosis of dementia, died, or were right censored. Frailty was defined using a frailty index comprised of 47 health deficits.

Particle aggregates formed during furfuryl methacrylate plasma polymerization affect human mesenchymal stem cell behaviour.

Human Mesenchymal Stem cells (hMSCs) are becoming a major focus in biomedical fields. Application of in vitro expanded hMSCs to treat numerous ailments has led to a commercial emphasis on improving hMSC growth ex vivo. Production of substrate independent, novel thin films is one potential tool for production of commercial viable hMSC expansion.

Hair Transplantation Controversies.

Background: Hair transplant surgery creates consistently natural appearing transplanted hair for men. It is increasingly popular procedure to restore natural growing hair for men with hair loss.

Objective: To review some current controversies in hair transplant surgery.

PARP-1 and p53 Regulate the Increased Susceptibility to Oxidative Death of Lymphocytes from MCI and AD Patients.

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a clinically detectable initial stage of cognitive deterioration with a high conversion rate to dementia. There is increasing evidence that some of the cerebral alterations present in Alzheimer type dementia can be found in peripheral tissues. We have previously shown that lymphocytes from Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients have increased susceptibility to hydrogen peroxide (HO)-induced death that depends on dementia severity.

Tailoring iridium luminescence and gold nanoparticle size for imaging of microvascular blood flow.

Aim: Imaging of blood flow in narrow channels and close to vessel walls is important in cardiovascular research for understanding pathogenesis. Our aim was to provide novel nanoprobes with visible emission and long lifetimes as trackers of flow.

Materials & Methods: Gold nanoparticles coated with an iridium complex were prepared.

Gender Equity in Transplantation: A Report from the Women in Transplantation Workshop of The Transplantation Society of Australia and New Zealand.

The exponential growth of young talented women choosing science and medicine as their professional career over the past decade is substantial. Currently, more than half of the Australian medical doctoral graduates and early career researchers are comprised of women, but less than 20% of all academic professorial staff are women. The loss of female talent in the hierarchical ladder of Australian academia is a considerable waste of government investment, productivity, and scientific innovation.

Macroscopic Singlet-Triplet Qubit in Synthetic Spin-One Chain in Semiconductor Nanowires.

We show here how to create macroscopic quantum states in a semiconductor device: a chain of InAs quantum dots embedded in an InP nanowire. Filling the nanowire with 4 electrons per dot creates a synthetic spin-one chain, with four-fold degenerate topological ground state protected by a Haldane gap. The four states correspond to two spin-½ quasiparticles localised at the ends of the macroscopic wire.

Lower Myo-Inositol in the Anterior Cingulate Cortex Correlates with Delayed Melatonin Rhythms in Young Persons with Depression.

Myo-inositol, a second messenger glucose isomer and glial marker, is potentiated by melatonin. In addition to common abnormalities in melatonin regulation, depressive disorders have been associated with reduced myo-inositol in frontal structures. This study examined associations between myo-inositol in the anterior cingulate cortex and the timing of evening melatonin release.

The Effect of Calibration on Caries Risk Assessment Performance by Students and Clinical Faculty.

Caries management requires a complete oral examination and an accurate caries risk assessment (CRA). Performing Caries Management by Risk Assessment (CAMBRA) is inefficient when the caries risk level assignment is incorrect. The aim of this study was to evaluate the ability of faculty members and students at one U.

Complement C1q is hydroxylated by collagen prolyl 4 hydroxylase and is sensitive to off-target inhibition by prolyl hydroxylase domain inhibitors that stabilize hypoxia-inducible factor.

Complement C1q is part of the C1 macromolecular complex that mediates the classical complement activation pathway: a major arm of innate immune defense. C1q is composed of A, B, and C chains that require post-translational prolyl 4-hydroxylation of their N-terminal collagen-like domain to enable the formation of the functional triple helical multimers. The prolyl 4-hydroxylase(s) that hydroxylate C1q have not previously been identified.

Vitamin D supplementation lowers thrombospondin-1 levels and blood pressure in healthy adults.

Introduction: Vitamin D insufficiency, defined as 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels < 75nmol/L is associated with cardio-metabolic dysfunction. Vitamin D insufficiency is associated with inflammation and fibrosis, but it remains uncertain whether these anomalies are readily reversible. Therefore, we aimed to determine the effects of vitamin D supplementation on markers of: 1) nitric oxide (NO) signaling, 2) inflammation, and 3) fibrosis, in healthy volunteers with mild hypovitaminosis.

Matricellular protein thrombospondin-1 in pulmonary hypertension: multiple pathways to disease.

Matricellular proteins are secreted molecules that have affinities for both extracellular matrix and cell surface receptors. Through interaction with structural proteins and the cells that maintain the matrix these proteins can alter matrix strength. Matricellular proteins exert control on cell activity primarily through engagement of membrane receptors that mediate outside-in signaling.

Second harmonic generation imaging of corneal stroma after infection by Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a pathogenic gram-negative organism that has the ability to cause blinding corneal infections following trauma and during contact lens wear. In this study, we investigated the directional movement and orientation of an invasive corneal isolate of P. aeruginosa in the corneal stroma during infection of ex vivo and in vivo rabbit corneas using multiphoton fluorescence and second harmonic generation (SHG) imaging.