Cystic pancreatic neoplasms in a tertiary gastroenterologic referral center: Evaluation of the diagnostic accuracy of endoscopic ultrasound, progression rate and malignancy rate in a large unicentric cohort.

Introduction: Cystic pancreatic neoplasms (CPN) are frequently diagnosed due to better diagnostic techniques and patients becoming older. However, diagnostic accuracy of endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) and value of follow-up are still unclear.

Material And Methods: The aim of our retrospective study was to investigate the frequency of different cystic pancreatic neoplasms (intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm [IPMN], serous and mucinous cystadenoma, solid pseudopapillary neoplasia), diagnostic accuracy, size progression, and rate of malignancy using EUS in a tertiary reference center in Germany.

Diagnostic accuracy of a novel artificial intelligence system for adenoma detection in daily practice: a prospective nonrandomized comparative study.

Background: Adenoma detection rate (ADR) varies significantly between endoscopists, with adenoma miss rates (AMRs) up to 26 %. Artificial intelligence (AI) systems may improve endoscopy quality and reduce the rate of interval cancer. We evaluated the efficacy of an AI system in real-time colonoscopy and its influence on AMR and ADR.

Transcatheter arterial embolisation in upper gastrointestinal bleeding in a sample of 29 patients in a gastrointestinal referral center in Germany.

Objective: This is a retrospective analysis of interventional embolisation performed with catheter angiography in 29 patients with upper gastrointestinal bleeding in the setting of a secondary care hospital.

Patients, Materials, And Methods: From April 2007 to February 2013, 29 patients with upper gastrointestinal bleeding underwent endovascular diagnostics and treatment. The diagnosis was established by endoscopy, computed tomography or clinically based on a significant decrease in hemoglobin.

[Autoinflammatory syndromes/fever syndromes].

Hereditary periodic (fever) syndromes, also called autoinflammatory syndromes, are characterized by relapsing fever and additional manifestations such as skin rashes, mucosal manifestations, or joint symptoms. Some of these disorders present with organ involvement and serological signs of inflammation without fever. There is a strong serological inflammatory response with an elevation of serum amyloid A (SAA), resulting in an increased risk of secondary amyloidosis.

RAP-PCR fingerprinting reveals time-dependent expression of matrix-related molecules following stem-cell based TGFβ1-induced chondrocyte development.

Different approaches of engineering cartilage to treat defects in the articulating surfaces of the joints have been designed, which mainly use mesenchymal stem cells or autologous chondrocytes for in situ transplantation. However, these cells are poorly characterized with respect to viability, degree of differentiation and morphology or production of extracellular matrix. At present, one of the key approaches to generate chondrocytes is the stimulation of stem cells with transforming growth factor (TGF) β1.

Cerebral lesions in patients with connective tissue diseases and systemic vasculitides: are there specific patterns?

This study was performed to evaluate whether specific patterns of cerebral lesions can be identified in different rheumatic disease entities. In 132 patients with different connective tissue diseases and vasculitides (systemic lupus erythematosus [SLE], systemic sclerosis [SSc], mixed connective tissue disease [MCTD], Wegener's granulomatosis [WG], immunocomplex vasculitides, antiphospholipid antibody syndrome [APS]), cerebral magnetic resonance imaging scans were performed. Patients were examined clinically, and laboratory parameters including autoantibodies were determined.

Slit3 inhibits Robo3-induced invasion of synovial fibroblasts in rheumatoid arthritis.

Introduction: The repellent factor family of Slit molecules has been described to have repulsive function in the developing nervous system on growing axons expressing the Robo receptors. However, until today no data are available on whether these repellent factors are involved in the regulation of synovial fibroblast (SF) activity in rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods: mRNA expression in primary synovial fibroblasts was quantified by quantitative reverse transcription PCR and protein expression was measured by fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS) analysis.

Rituximab for the treatment of refractory pediatric autoimmune diseases: a case series.

Introduction: To report on efficacy, tolerability and safety of rituximab in children with refractory autoimmune diseases.

Case Presentation: Five patients (juvenile dermatomyositis, Wegener's granulomatosis, systemic lupus erythematosus, myasthenia gravis and multiple sclerosis with systemic lupus erythematosus) were treated with rituximab and followed for a median time of 2.5 years.

Rituximab and concomitant leflunomide for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

Rituximab has only been approved in combination with methotrexate for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. As some patients have intolerance to methotrexate, alternative co-therapies are needed. This method involved retrospective analysis of ten patients treated with a combination of rituximab and leflunomide.

Glucocorticoids increase alpha5 integrin expression and adhesion of synovial fibroblasts but inhibit ERK signaling, migration, and cartilage invasion.

Objective: In rheumatoid arthritis (RA), integrins mediate cell adhesion, migration, and invasion, and their expression is regulated by cytokines and growth factors. The aim of this study was to investigate whether hormones such as cortisol or other steroids can influence integrin expression and function in the synovial cells of patients with RA.

Methods: We performed immunofluorescence and fluorescence-activated cell sorting analyses to quantify surface integrin levels.

Role of the netrin system of repellent factors on synovial fibroblasts in rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis.

Changes in the expression of repellent factors, i.e., Netrins and their receptors, may be responsible for the invasive behavior of the synovial tissue cells in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and osteoarthritis (OA).

Whole-body MRI: a helpful diagnostic tool for juvenile dermatomyositis case report and review of the literature.

Juvenile Dermatomyositis (JDM) is a rare autoimmune disease in childhood. Distinction between muscle inflammation and a residual state can be difficult especially under immunosuppressive therapy and in active disease without correlating muscle enzyme tests or functional muscle scores. Our goal is to demonstrate the benefit of whole-body magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as a diagnostic modality in the detection and management of JDM.

Long-term effects of chondrospheres on cartilage lesions in an autologous chondrocyte implantation model as investigated in the SCID mouse model.

Microtraumata often lead to articular cartilage lesions. Due to the bradytrophic character of hyaline cartilage, these lesions are hardly repaired by the organism. Autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI) was established for restoring isolated structural cartilage defects in knee joints.

[Periodic fever syndrome/autoinflammatory syndrome].

Hereditary periodic fever syndromes (autoinflammatory syndromes) are characterised by relapsing fevers and additional manifestations such as skin rashes, mucosal manifestations, and joint pain. Some of these disorders only present with organ manifestations and serological signs of inflammation without obvious fever (e.g.

Impact of thiopurine methyltransferase activity and 6-thioguanine nucleotide concentrations in patients with chronic inflammatory diseases.

As azathioprine is one of the standard immunosuppressive drugs used for treatment of patients with different chronic inflammatory diseases, the effect of the azathioprine metabolizing enzyme thiopurine methyltransferase (TPMT) activity on incidence of adverse events (AE) was examined. In addition, potential correlations between the concentration of the azathioprine metabolite 6-thioguanine nucleotide (6-TGN) in erythrocytes (RBC) and inflammatory disease activity as well as hematological AE were investigated. TPMT activities were investigated prospectively in 139 patients (35 male, 104 female) with chronic inflammatory diseases [systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE, 38), progressive systemic sclerosis (PSS, 13), Wegener's granulomatosis (4), rheumatoid arthritis (RA, 5), and other chronic inflammatory diseases (79)].

Retroviral gene transfer of an antisense construct against membrane type 1 matrix metalloproteinase reduces the invasiveness of rheumatoid arthritis synovial fibroblasts.

Objective: Membrane type 1 matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP) is expressed prominently in rheumatoid arthritis synovial fibroblasts (RASFs), but the specific contribution of MT1-MMP to fibroblast-mediated destruction of articular cartilage is incompletely understood. This study used gene transfer of an antisense expression construct to assess the effects of MT1-MMP inhibition on the invasiveness of RASFs.

Methods: Retroviral gene transfer of a pLXIN vector-based antisense RNA expression construct (MT1-MMPalphaS) to MT1-MMP was used to stably transduce RASFs.

Association of Crohn's disease and latent celiac disease: a case report and review of the literature.

Background: Crohn's disease is a chronic inflammatory disease of the intestine potentially affecting all parts of the intestine with predilection sites in the terminal ileum and proximal colon. Its prevalence in Western Europe is 20-40/100,000 with equal affection of both sexes and familiar accumulation. Histopathologically, it is characterized by a discontinuous, segmental manifestation and implication of all intestinal layers.

Differential adherence of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis synovial fibroblasts to cartilage and bone matrix proteins and its implication for osteoarthritis pathogenesis.

In osteoarthritis (OA), cartilage and bone fragments have been described within the synovial tissue which are surrounded by synovial cells (i.e. detritus synovitis).

[Autoimmune cholangitis with vasculitic ulcers, rheumatoid arthritis and IgA glomerulonephritis].

History And Admission Findings: A 51-year-old woman was admitted because of relapsing episodes of fever and leg ulcers for 14 years. In addition, she had polyserositis, polyarthralgias and polyarthritides, renal failure with proteinuria and elevation of gamma-GT and alkaline phosphatase. The patient was in a reduced general condition and cachectic nutritional state.

Discrepancy between mRNA and protein expression of tumour suppressor maspin in synovial tissue may contribute to synovial hyperplasia in rheumatoid arthritis.

Objective: To investigate the expression of maspin in RA synovial tissue and compare it with the expression in osteoarthritis (OA) and normal synovial tissue (NS).

Methods: Using specific primers for maspin, a 237 bp fragment was amplified from cDNA obtained from cultured RA, OA, and normal synovial fibroblasts (SF) by RT-PCR. Additionally, mRNA expression levels were determined quantitatively by real time PCR.

The expression of cyclooxygenase-1, cyclooxygenase-2 and 5-lipoxygenase in inflammatory muscle tissue of patients with polymyositis and dermatomyositis.

Objective: To describe cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX) expression in muscle tissue in patients with idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIM) - dermatomyositis (DM) and polymyositis (PM) and to find out if any differences between affected and non-affected muscles detected by MRI exist.

Methods: Samples of muscle tissue from 7 patients with dermatomyositis (DM) and from 4 with polymyositis (PM) were obtained by needle biopsy from affected and non-affected sites distinguished by magnetic resonance imaging. In situ hybridization with antisense mRNA probes was employed to detect COX-1, COX-2 and 5-LOX mRNA.

Renal clearance and daily excretion of cortisol and adrenal androgens in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus.

Background: In rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), patients demonstrate low levels of adrenal hormones.

Objective: To investigate whether increased renal clearance and daily excretion contribute to this phenomenon.

Methods: Thirty patients with RA, 32 with SLE, and 54 healthy subjects (HS) participated.