Flushing episodes in the context of frontal fibrosing alopecia with facial papules.

Frontal fibrosing alopecia (FFA) is a progressive frontotemporal hairline recession with eyebrow loss. Facial papules are present in up to 14% of FFA cases and can start with facial flushes. Nevertheless, these flushes are commonly associated with rosacea, a much more prevalent disease.

Study of the profile of the neurotrophin BDNF in new leprosy cases before, during and after multidrug therapy.

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a neurotrophin involved in the survival of neurons and growth and differentiation of dendrites and axons. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate plasma levels of BDNF of leprosy patients at different stages of multidrug therapy (MDT) in comparison with non-infected individuals. Plasma levels of BDNF were measured by ELISA in 30 healthy controls and 37 leprosy patients at diagnosis, during and after MDT.

Anti-inflammatory effects of the activation of the angiotensin-(1-7) receptor, MAS, in experimental models of arthritis.

Activation of the renin-angiotensin (Ang) system induces inflammation via interaction between Ang II and type 1 receptor on leukocytes. The relevance of the new arm of the renin-Ang system, namely Ang-converting enzyme-2/Ang-(1-7)/Mas receptor, for inflammatory responses is not known and was investigated in this study. For this purpose, two experimental models were used: Ag-induced arthritis (AIA) in mice and adjuvant-induced arthritis (AdIA) in rats.

Serum hyaluronan and collagen IV as non-invasive markers of liver fibrosis in patients from an endemic area for schistosomiasis mansoni: a field-based study in Brazil.

Non-invasive markers of fibrosis have been used to diagnose liver fibrosis in a variety of diseases. Hyaluronic acid (HA) and collagen IV (C-IV) levels were measured in the sera of patients from an endemic area for schistosomiasis in Brazil to diagnose and to rank the intensity of liver fibrosis. Seventy-nine adult patients with schistosomiasis, in the age range of 21-82 years (49 +/- 13.

Serum levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor in Sydenham's chorea.

Sydenham's chorea (SC) is the neurologic manifestation of rheumatic fever. In addition to involuntary movements, SC patients show behavioral changes, such as hyperactivity, obsessions, and compulsions. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is related to neuronal development and differentiation.

Plasma levels of chemokines during leprosy specific treatment.

Leprosy, whose etiologic agent is Mycobacterium leprae, is an illness of ample clinical and immunopathological spectrum. Although chemokines seem to be involved in the immunopathogenesis of leprosis, few studies have been carried out to unveil the potential of chemokines as biological markers of the disease. The purpose of this study was to investigate the value of measuring CCL2, CCL3, CCL11 and CCL24 in plasma of patients with leprosy (LE) at different stages of multi-drug therapy (MDT).

Serum levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor correlate with motor impairment in Parkinson's disease.

The brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a potent inhibitor of apoptosis-mediated cell death and neurotoxin-induced degeneration of dopaminergic neurons. There is a growing body of evidence implicating BDNF in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease (PD), suggesting it may eventually be used in the development of neuroprotective therapies for PD. The serum BDNF of 47 PD patients and of 23 control subjects was assessed, and serum BNDF levels were significantly decreased in PD patients when compared with controls (p = 0.