Telocytes and Lymphatics of the Human Colon.

Background: Telocytes (TCs) are a peculiar morphological type of stromal cells. They project long and moniliform telopodes, visible on various bidimensional sections. Originally regarded as "interstitial Cajal-like cells", gastrointestinal TCs were CD34+.

A neutralizing IL-11 antibody reduces vessel hyperplasia in a mouse carotid artery wire injury model.

Vascular restenosis remains a major problem in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) and peripheral artery disease (PAD). Neointimal hyperplasia, defined by post-procedure proliferation and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) is a key underlying pathology. Here we investigated the role of Interleukin 11 (IL-11) in a mouse model of injury-related plaque development.

Reduced Blood Expression in Mild Cognitive Impairment Patients.

Regulator of G protein signaling 2 () is a gene involved in neuronal plasticity and synaptic signaling, whose expression in the brain is altered in neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders. Microarray data from large datasets suggested reduced mRNA levels in the post-mortem brain tissue and blood of Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients. The results were previously confirmed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) only in lymphoblastoid cell lines derived from AD patients and controls.

Nano-carriers of COVID-19 vaccines: the main pillars of efficacy.

As the current COVID-19 pandemic illustrates, vaccination is the most powerful method of disease prevention and public confidence in vaccines depends on their safety and efficacy. The information gathered in the current pandemic is growing at an accelerated pace. Both the key vital protein DNA/RNA messengers and the delivery carriers are the elements of a puzzle including their interactions with the immune system to suppress SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Apolipoprotein E4 Is Associated with Right Ventricular Dysfunction in Dilated Cardiomyopathy-An Animal and In-Human Comparative Study.

ApoE abnormality represents a well-known risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. Beyond its role in lipid metabolism, novel studies demonstrate a complex involvement of apoE in membrane homeostasis and signaling as well as in nuclear transcription. Due to the large spread of apoE isoforms in the human population, there is a need to understand the apoE's role in pathological processes.

Interrogating Epigenome toward Personalized Approach in Cutaneous Melanoma.

Epigenetic alterations have emerged as essential contributors in the pathogenesis of various human diseases, including cutaneous melanoma (CM). Unlike genetic changes, epigenetic modifications are highly dynamic and reversible and thus easy to regulate. Here, we present a comprehensive review of the latest research findings on the role of genetic and epigenetic alterations in CM initiation and development.

Natural Compounds With Antimicrobial and Antiviral Effect and Nanocarriers Used for Their Transportation.

Due to the increasing prevalence of life-threatening bacterial, fungal and viral infections and the ability of these human pathogens to develop resistance to current treatment strategies, there is a great need to find and develop new compunds to combat them. These molecules must have low toxicity, specific activity and high bioavailability. The most suitable compounds for this task are usually derived from natural sources (animal, plant or even microbial).

Remote Ischemic Conditioning May Improve Disability and Cognition After Acute Ischemic Stroke: A Pilot Randomized Clinical Trial.

Remote ischemic conditioning is a procedure purported to reduce the ischemic injury of an organ. This study aimed to explore the efficiency and safety of remote ischemic conditioning in patients with acute ischemic stroke. We hypothesized that remote ischemic conditioning administered from the first day of hospital admission would improve the infarct volume and clinical outcome at 180 days.

assessment of the cytotoxicity and anti-inflammatory properties of a novel dietary supplement.

Studies on the immunopharmacological activities of various plant species have provided evidence for the high therapeutic potential of different extracts. These represent a promising alternative to reduce the inflammatory processes and, thus, diseases related to inflammation. Numerous scientific studies strongly suggest that diet plays an essential role in inflammation, and that certain dietary factors can act as preventive or treatment methods to lower inflammation.

Magnetic resonance imaging of brain anomalies in adult and pediatric schizophrenia patients: Experience of a Romanian tertiary hospital.

Schizophrenia is a severe mental illness with a significant impact on the life of both the patient and the patient's family. Magnetic resonance imaging has proven a useful tool for studying structural changes of the brain in schizophrenia. However, interpreting the published literature presents several challenges.

The Hidden Treasures of Preoperative Blood Assessment in Oral Cancer: A Potential Source of Biomarkers.

(1) Background: Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a common malignancy, and the impact of immune and inflammatory mechanisms in its development and progression are of major interest. The aim of our study is to assess the prognostic potential of circulating immune and inflammatory elements determined preoperatively in patients with OSCC, as well as the development of a new compound parameter with predictive value. (2) Methods: We assessed preoperative fibrinogen (Fib) and the platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) in 111 OSCC patients.

High Glucose Induced Changes in Human VEC Phenotype in a 3D Hydrogel Derived From Cell-Free Native Aortic Root.

Valvular endothelial cells (VEC) have key roles in maintaining valvular integrity and homeostasis, and dysfunctional VEC are the initiators and major contributors to aortic valve disease in diabetes. Previous studies have shown that HG stimulated an inflammatory phenotype in VEC. Inflammation was shown to induce endothelial to mesenchymal transition (EndMT), a process extensively involved in many pathologies, including calcification of the aortic valve.

Dysregulation of miRNAs Targeting the IGF-1R Pathway in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma.

Background: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), the most prevalent neoplastic lethal pancreatic disease, has a poor prognosis and an increasing incidence. The insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor (IGF-1R) signaling pathway is considered to be a contributing factor to the progression, metastasis, and therapy resistance of PDAC. Currently available treatment options for PDAC are limited, but microRNAs (miRNAs) may represent a new therapeutic strategy for targeting genes involved in the IGF-1R signaling pathway.

Gait Analysis Using Animal Models of Peripheral Nerve and Spinal Cord Injuries.

The present review discusses recent data regarding rodent models of spinal cord and peripheral nerve injuries in terms of gait analysis using the CatWalk system (CW), an automated and exceptionally reliable system for assessing gait abnormalities and motor coordination. CW is a good tool for both studying improvements in the walking of animals after suffering a peripheral nerve and spinal cord lesion and to select the best therapies and procedures after tissue destruction, given that it provides objective and quantifiable data. Most studies using CW for gait analysis that were published in recent years focus on injuries inflicted in the peripheral nerve, spinal cord, and brain.

Insight into the Web of Stress Responses Triggered at Gene Expression Level by Porphyrin-PDT in HT29 Human Colon Carcinoma Cells.

Photodynamic therapy (PDT), a highly targeted therapy with acceptable side effects, has emerged as a promising therapeutic option in oncologic pathology. One of the issues that needs to be addressed is related to the complex network of cellular responses developed by tumor cells in response to PDT. In this context, this study aims to characterize in vitro the stressors and the corresponding cellular responses triggered by PDT in the human colon carcinoma HT29 cell line, using a new asymmetric porphyrin derivative (P2.

Investigating -Related Dilated Cardiomyopathy Using Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Cardiomyocytes.

-related dilated cardiomyopathy is an inherited heart disease caused by mutations in the gene encoding for lamin A/C. The disease is characterized by left ventricular enlargement and impaired systolic function associated with conduction defects and ventricular arrhythmias. We hypothesized that -mutated patients' induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-derived cardiomyocytes (iPSC-CMs) display electrophysiological abnormalities, thus constituting a suitable tool for deciphering the arrhythmogenic mechanisms of the disease, and possibly for developing novel therapeutic modalities.

The Phenotypic Spectrum of 15q13.3 Region Duplications: Report of 5 Patients.

Chromosome 15q13.3 microduplications are associated with a wide spectrum of clinical presentations ranging from normal to different neuropsychiatric conditions, such as developmental delay (DD), intellectual disability (ID), epilepsy, hypotonia, autism spectrum disorders (ASD), attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, and schizophrenia. The smallest region of overlap for 15q13.

Current advances in metabolomic studies on non-motor psychiatric manifestations of Parkinson's disease (Review).

Life expectancy has increased worldwide and, along with it, a greater prevalence of age-dependent disorders, chronic illnesses and comorbidities can be observed. In 2019, in both Europe and the Americas, dementias ranked 3rd among the top 10 causes of death. Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most frequent type of neurodegenerative disease.

Comparative effects of capsaicin in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma (Review).

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma are chronic respiratory diseases with high prevalence and mortality that significantly alter the quality of life in affected patients. While the cellular and molecular mechanisms engaged in the development and evolution of these two conditions are different, COPD and asthma share a wide array of symptoms and clinical signs that may impede differential diagnosis. However, the distinct signaling pathways regulating cough and airway hyperresponsiveness employ the interaction of different cells, molecules, and receptors.

The Physico-Chemical Properties and Exploratory Real-Time Cell Analysis of Hydroxyapatite Nanopowders Substituted with Ce, Mg, Sr, and Zn (0.5-5 at.%).

Cation-substituted hydroxyapatite (HA), standalone or as a composite (blended with polymers or metals), is currently regarded as a noteworthy candidate material for bone repair/regeneration either in the form of powders, porous scaffolds or coatings for endo-osseous dental and orthopaedic implants. As a response to the numerous contradictions reported in literature, this work presents, in one study, the physico-chemical properties and the cytocompatibility response of single cation-doped (Ce, Mg, Sr or Zn) HA nanopowders in a wide concentration range (0.5-5 at.

Two Worlds Colliding: The Interplay Between Natural Compounds and Non-Coding Transcripts in Cancer Therapy.

is a devastating disease and has recently become the leading cause of death in western countries, representing an immense public health burden. When it comes to cancer treatment, chemotherapy is one of the main pillars, especially for advanced stage tumors. Over the years, natural compounds have emerged as one of the most valuable resources for new chemotherapies.

Crosstalk Between DNA Methylation and Gene Mutations in Colorectal Cancer.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is often characterized by mutations and aberrant DNA methylation within the promoters of tumor suppressor genes and proto-oncogenes. The most frequent somatic mutations occur within and genes. Mutations of the gene have been detected in approximately 40% of patients, while mutations in have been detected less frequently at a rate of 10%.

Prognostic Factors in COVID-19 Patients With New Neurological Manifestations: A Retrospective Cohort Study in a Romanian Neurology Department.

The emerging Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic caused by Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a serious public health issue due to its rapid spreading, high mortality rate and lack of specific treatment. Given its unpredictable clinical course, risk assessment, and stratification for severity of COVID-19 are required. Apart from serving as admission criteria, prognostic factors might guide future therapeutic strategies.

Serum and Fecal Markers of Intestinal Inflammation and Intestinal Barrier Permeability Are Elevated in Parkinson's Disease.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by alpha-synuclein misfolding with subsequent intraneuronal amyloid formation and accumulation, low grade neuroinflammatory changes, and selective neurodegeneration. Available evidence suggests that the pathology usually begins in the gut and olfactory mucosa, spreading to the brain via the vagus and olfactory nerves, by a prion-like mechanism. A causal relationship has not been established, but gut dysbiosis is prevalent in PD and may lead to intestinal inflammation and barrier dysfunction.