Anti-ceramide antibody and sphingosine-1-phosphate as potential biomarkers of unresectable non-small cell lung cancer.

Objectives: Spingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) and ceramides are bioactive sphingolipids that influence cancer cell fate. Anti-ceramide antibodies might inhibit the effects of ceramide. The aim of this study was to assess the potential role of circulating S1P and anti-ceramide antibody as biomarkers in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Repeated diagnostic ultrasound exposure modifies the structural properties of CA1 dendrites and alters the hippocampal transcriptome.

The development of neurons is regulated by several spatiotemporally changing factors, which are crucial to give the ability of neurons to form functional networks. While external physical stimuli may impact the early developmental stages of neurons, the medium and long-term consequences of these influences have yet to be thoroughly examined. Using an animal model, this study focuses on the morphological and transcriptome changes of the hippocampus that may occur as a consequence of fetal ultrasound examination.

Methionine sources and genotype affect embryonic intestinal development, antioxidants, tight junctions, and growth-related gene expression in chickens.

Methionine (Met) is an essential and first limiting amino acid in the poultry diet that plays a significant role in chicken embryonic development and growth. The present study examined the effect of in ovo injection of DL-Met and L-Met sources and genotypes on chicken embryonic-intestinal development and health. Fertilized eggs of the two genotypes, TETRA-SL layer hybrid (TSL) - commercial layer hybrid and Hungarian Partridge colored hen breed (HPC) - a native genotype, were randomly distributed into four treatments for each genotype.

The link between the sphingolipid rheostat and obstructive sleep apnea.

Chronic inflammation induced by hypoxia during sleep is an important mechanism of microvascular damage in OSA patients. In this study, we investigated the role of the sphingosine rheostat, which has diverse inflammatory effects. Thirty-seven healthy subjects and 31 patients with OSA were recruited.

Evaluation of a transbronchial cryoprobe for the ablation of pulmonary nodules: an in vitro pilot study.

Background: Ablation of malignant pulmonary nodules is a novel therapeutic option for patients who cannot undergo surgery. Current transthoracic approaches cause pneumothorax and/or bleeding in a significant number of cases.

Objective: Our purpose with this study was to evaluate cryoablation under in vitro conditions with a commercially available cryosurgery system.

CRISPR/Cas9-Based Mutagenesis of Histone H3.1 in Spinal Dynorphinergic Neurons Attenuates Thermal Sensitivity in Mice.

Burn injury is a trauma resulting in tissue degradation and severe pain, which is processed first by neuronal circuits in the spinal dorsal horn. We have recently shown that in mice, excitatory dynorphinergic (Pdyn) neurons play a pivotal role in the response to burn-injury-associated tissue damage via histone H3.1 phosphorylation-dependent signaling.

Poly(amino acid) based fibrous membranes with tuneable in vivo biodegradation.

In this work two types of biodegradable polysuccinimide-based, electrospun fibrous membranes are presented. One contains disulfide bonds exhibiting a shorter (3 days) in vivo biodegradation time, while the other one has alkyl crosslinks and a longer biodegradation time (more than 7 days). According to the mechanical measurements, the tensile strength of the membranes is comparable to those of soft the connective tissues and visceral tissues.

Investigation of the Cytotoxicity of Electrospun Polysuccinimide-Based Fiber Mats.

This study investigated cell viability in the presence of allylamine-modified and plasma-treated electrospun polysuccinimide fiber mats (PSI-AAmp). Low pressure non-equilibrium plasma was used for crosslinking the PSI-AAm. Comparison of FTIR and XPS analyses demonstrated that crosslinking occurred on the surface of the samples.

Diagnostic performance of the "MESACUP anti-Skin profile TEST".

Background: The "MESACUP anti-Skin profile TEST" is a new, commercially available ELISA kit to detect circulating IgG autoantibodies against desmoglein 1, desmoglein 3, BP180, BP230, and type VII collagen, both simultaneously and more rapidly than previous assays.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of this kit for the diagnosis of pemphigus foliaceus, pemphigus vulgaris, bullous pemphigoid and epidermolysis bullosa acquisita.

Materials & Methods: Dual-centre retrospective study in which 138 patients with autoimmune blistering diseases were compared to 40 controls

Results: Using the MESACUP anti-Skin profile TEST, both sensitivities and specificities for desmoglein 1, desmoglein 3, BP180, BP230, and type VII collagen autoantibodies were similar to those obtained using previous, specific ELISA systems and 88% of the results were concordant without any significant difference.

Vasoactive Therapy in Systemic Sclerosis: Real-life Therapeutic Practice in More Than 3000 Patients.

Objective: Vasculopathy is a key factor in the pathophysiology of systemic sclerosis (SSc) and the main cause for Raynaud phenomenon (RP), digital ulcers (DU), and/or pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). It is so far unknown how patients with SSc are treated with vasoactive agents in daily practice. To determine to which extent patients with SSc were treated with different vasoactive agents, we used data from the German Network for Systemic Scleroderma registry.

Complement Fixation Test: An Update of an Old Method for Diagnosis of Bullous Pemphigoid.

The complement fixation test (CFT) is a method traditionally used for diagnosis of gestational pemphigoid. Its performance in diagnosis of bullous pemphigoid (BP) has not been investigated in a large patient cohort. The aim of this single-centre, retrospective, serological case-control study of 300 patients with BP and 136 control patients was to analyse its operating characteristics.

Childhood lichen planus pemphigoides: report of two cases treated successfully with systemic glucocorticoids and dapsone.

We describe two boys, ages 8 and 7 years, who developed lichen planus pemphigoides. In one of the boys, a henna tattoo probably triggered the disease. Therapy with systemic glucocorticoids and dapsone was successful.

Comparative study of direct and indirect immunofluorescence and of bullous pemphigoid 180 and 230 enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays for diagnosis of bullous pemphigoid.

Background: Direct immunofluorescence (DIF), indirect immunofluorescence (IIF), and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) are used for the laboratory diagnosis of bullous pemphigoid (BP).

Objective: The diagnostic value of DIF and IIF on rabbit and monkey esophagus or human salt-split skin and commercial ELISAs was assessed.

Methods: This was a single-center retrospective study where 313 patients with BP were compared with 488 control subjects.

LRIG2 mutations cause urofacial syndrome.

Urofacial syndrome (UFS) (or Ochoa syndrome) is an autosomal-recessive disease characterized by congenital urinary bladder dysfunction, associated with a significant risk of kidney failure, and an abnormal facial expression upon smiling, laughing, and crying. We report that a subset of UFS-affected individuals have biallelic mutations in LRIG2, encoding leucine-rich repeats and immunoglobulin-like domains 2, a protein implicated in neural cell signaling and tumorigenesis. Importantly, we have demonstrated that rare variants in LRIG2 might be relevant to nonsyndromic bladder disease.

Progressive nodular histiocytosis.

Progressive nodular histiocytosis (PNH) represents a very rare type of non-Langerhans cell histiocytosis (NLCH). It can be distinguished from other types by the occurrence of yellow to red-brown papules and nodules measuring a few centimeters in size. Histologically the nodules represent spindle-cell xanthogranulomas.

Induction of oxazolone-mediated features of atopic dermatitis in NOD-scid IL2Rγ(null) mice engrafted with human peripheral blood mononuclear cells.

Animal models mimicking human diseases have been used extensively to study the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases and the efficacy of potential therapeutics. They are, however, limited with regard to their similarity to the human disease and cannot be used if the antagonist and its cognate receptor require high similarity in structure or binding. Here, we examine the induction of oxazolone-mediated features of atopic dermatitis (AD) in NOD-scid IL2Rγ(null) mice engrafted with human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC).

Aminobisphosphonate stimulates bone regeneration and enforces consolidation of titanium implant into a new rat caudal vertebrae model.

Bisphosphonates are widely used as therapeutic agents in bone disorders including cancer metastasis due to their osteoclast inhibitory effect. Recent data shows that bisphosphonates may also induce bone-building by stimulating osteoblast activity. Clinical observations, however, have revealed that bisphosphonates may cause necrosis in the oral cavity which questions their usefulness in bone regeneration during the consolidation of inorganic implants.