Total carotene plasma concentrations are inversely associated with atherosclerotic plaque burden: A post-hoc analysis of the DIABIMCAP cohort.

Background And Aims: Atherosclerosis is the major risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD), the first cause of death worldwide. Chronic low-grade inflammation and a sustained oxidative milieu are causatively related to atherosclerosis onset and progression, and therefore, dietary patterns rich in bioactive compounds with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities might likely contribute to revert or slowing the progression of atherosclerosis. The aim of this study is to analyse the association between fruit and vegetables intake, quantitatively measured through carotene plasma concentrations, and atherosclerotic burden, as a surrogate biomarker of CVD, in free-living subjects from the DIABIMCAP cohort study.

Changes in Inflammatory Markers in Patients Treated for Buruli Ulcer and Their Ability to Predict Paradoxical Reactions.

Mycobacterium ulcerans causes Buruli ulcer, the third most frequent mycobacterial disease after tuberculosis and leprosy. Transient clinical deteriorations, known as paradoxical reactions (PRs), occur in some patients during or after antibiotic treatment. We investigated the clinical and biological features of PRs in a prospective cohort of 41 patients with Buruli ulcer from Benin.

Functionalization of 3D printed polymeric bioresorbable stents with a dual cell-adhesive peptidic platform combining RGDS and YIGSR sequences.

Biomimetic surface modification with cell-adhesive peptides is a promising approach to improve endothelialization of current bioresorbable stents (BRS). Among them, RGDS and YIGSR sequences have been reported to mediate adhesion and migration of endothelial cells (ECs) while preventing platelet activation. This work presents the functionalization of novel 3D-printed poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) and poly(L-lactic--ε-caprolactone) (PLCL) BRS with linear RGDS and YIGSR sequences, as well as a dual platform (PF) containing both motifs within a single biomolecule.

Improving In Vitro Detection of Sensitization to Lipid Transfer Proteins: A New Molecular Multiplex IgE Assay.

Scope: LTP-syndrome is characterized by sensitization (IgE) to multiple non-specific lipid transfer proteins (nsLTPs) with a variable clinical outcome. The treatment is primarily based on offending food avoidance. However, the determination of Pru p 3-specific IgE is currently the main diagnostic tool to assess sensitization to nsLTPs.

Pilot Study for the Assessment of the Best Radiomic Features for Bosniak Cyst Classification Using Phantom and Radiologist Inter-Observer Selection.

Since the Bosniak cysts classification is highly reader-dependent, automated tools based on radiomics could help in the diagnosis of the lesion. This study is an initial step in the search for radiomic features that may be good classifiers of benign-malignant Bosniak cysts in machine learning models. A CCR phantom was used through five CT scanners.

Cellular and humoral responses after second and third SARS-CoV-2 vaccinations in patients with autoimmune diseases treated with rituximab: specific T cell immunity remains longer and plays a protective role against SARS-CoV-2 reinfections.

Background: Humoral and cellular immune responses are known to be crucial for patients to recover from COVID-19 and to protect them against SARS-CoV-2 reinfection once infected or vaccinated.

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate humoral and T cell responses to SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in patients with autoimmune diseases after the second and third vaccine doses while on rituximab and their potential protective role against reinfection.

Methods: Ten COVID-19-naïve patients were included.

Differential protein expression in endothelial cells exposed to serum from patients with acute graft-vs-host disease, depending on steroid response.

Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is a complication of allogeneic haematopoietic cell transplantation. Endothelial injury is crucial as pathophysiological substrate for GVHD. GVHD first-line treatment is high-dose corticosteroids, although some patients are steroid-refractory.

Aspirin for the Prevention of Early and Severe Pre-Eclampsia Recurrence: A Real-World Population-Based Study.

Background: Many clinical trials have reported that low-dose aspirin decreases the risk of pre-eclampsia in women with prior pre-eclampsia. However, its impact in a real-world population has not been fully assessed.

Objectives: To assess the rates of low-dose aspirin initiation during pregnancy in women with a history of pre-eclampsia, and to evaluate the impact of low-dose aspirin in prevention of pre-eclampsia recurrence in a real-world population.

Anti-dsDNA B-Cell ELISpot as a Monitoring and Flare Prediction Tool in SLE Patients.

Anti-dsDNA autoantibodies quantification and complement levels are widely used to monitor disease activity in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). However, better biomarkers are still needed. We hypothesised whether the dsDNA antibody-secreting B-cells could be a complementary biomarker in disease activity and prognosis of SLE patients.

Recurrence of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy: results from a nationwide prospective cohort study (CONCEPTION).

Objective: To assess the risk of gestational hypertension (GH) and pre-eclampsia (PE) during a second pregnancy after occurrence during a first pregnancy.

Design: Prospective cohort study.

Setting: CONCEPTION is a French nationwide cohort study that used data from the National Health Data System (SNDS) database.

Midbrain and pons MRI shape analysis and its clinical and CSF correlates in degenerative parkinsonisms: a pilot study.

Objectives: To conduct brainstem MRI shape analysis across neurodegenerative parkinsonisms and control subjects (CS), along with its association with clinical and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) correlates.

Methodology: We collected demographic and clinical variables, performed planimetric and shape MRI analyses, and determined CSF neurofilament-light chain (NfL) levels in 84 participants: 11 CS, 12 with Parkinson's disease (PD), 26 with multiple system atrophy (MSA), 21 with progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), and 14 with corticobasal degeneration (CBD).

Results: MSA featured the most extensive and significant brainstem shape narrowing (that is, atrophy), mostly in the pons.

Novel Tumor-Targeted Self-Nanostructured and Compartmentalized Water-in-Oil-in-Water Polyurethane-Polyurea Nanocapsules for Cancer Theragnosis.

Encapsulation of water-soluble bioactive compounds for enabling specific accumulation in tumor locations, while avoiding premature clearance and/or degradation in the bloodstream, is one of the main hallmarks in nanomedicine, especially that of NIR fluorescent probes for cancer theragnosis. The herein reported technology furnishes water-dispersible double-walled polyurethane-polyurea hybrid nanocapsules (NCs) loaded with indocyanine green (ICG-NCs), using a versatile and highly efficient one-pot and industrially scalable synthetic process based on the use of two different prepolymers to set up the NCs walls. Flow cytometry and confocal microscopy confirmed that both ICG-loaded NCs internalized in monocyte-derived dendritic cells (moDCs).

Chimeric antigen receptor-based therapies beyond cancer.

Adoptive cell transfer (ACT) therapies have gained renewed interest in the field of immunotherapy following the advent of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) technology. This immunological breakthrough requires immune cell engineering with an artificial surface protein receptor for antigen-specific recognition coupled to an intracellular protein domain for cell activating functions. CAR-based ACT has successfully solved some hematological malignancies, and it is expected that other tumors may soon benefit from this approach.

Association of central obesity with unique cardiac remodelling in young adults born small for gestational age.

Aims: Being born small for gestational age (SGA, 10% of all births) is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular mortality in adulthood together with lower exercise tolerance, but mechanistic pathways are unclear. Central obesity is known to worsen cardiovascular outcomes, but it is uncertain how it affects the heart in adults born SGA. We aimed to assess whether central obesity makes young adults born SGA more susceptible to cardiac remodelling and dysfunction.

Mafosfamide, a cyclophosphamide analog, causes a proinflammatory response and increased permeability on endothelial cells in vitro.

Post-transplantation cyclophosphamide (PTCy) has decreased GVHD incidence. Endothelial damage in allo-HCT is caused by multiple factors, including conditioning treatments and some immunosupressants, and underlies HCT-complications as GVHD. Nevertheless, the specific impact of PTCy on the endothelium remains unclear.

Characterisation of the coexistence between sarcoidosis and Sjögren's syndrome. Analysis of 43 patients.

Objectives: To characterise the key epidemiological, clinical, immunological, imaging, and pathological features of the coexistence between sarcoidosis and Sjögren's syndrome (SS).

Methods: All centres included in two large multicentre registries (the Sjögren Syndrome Big Data Consortium and the Sarco-GEAS-SEMI Registry) were contacted searching for potential cases of coexistence between SS and sarcoidosis seen in daily practice. Inclusion criteria were the fulfilment of the current classification criteria both for SS (2016 ACR/EULAR) and sarcoidosis (WASOG).

Structural brain changes in post-acute COVID-19 patients with persistent olfactory dysfunction.

Objective: This research aims to study structural brain changes in patients with persistent olfactory dysfunctions after coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Methods: COVID-19 patients were evaluated using T1-weighted and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) on a 3T MRI scanner, 9.94 ± 3.

Early vascular endothelial complications after hematopoietic cell transplantation: Role of the endotheliopathy in biomarkers and target therapies development.

This work aims to review the role of endothelial dysfunction underlying the main complications appearing early after autologous and allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). The endothelial damage as the pathophysiological substrate of sinusoidal obstruction syndrome (SOS) is well established. However, there is growing evidence of the involvement of endothelial dysfunction in other complications, such as acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) and transplant-associated thrombotic microangiopathy (TA-TMAs).

Corrigendum: Ligand-based CAR T-cell: Different strategies to drive T-cells in future new treatments.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.

The added value of One Health surveillance: data from questing ticks can provide an early signal for anaplasmosis outbreaks in animals and humans.

Objective: In 2021, a first outbreak of anaplasmosis occurred in animals and humans in southern Québec, with 64% of confirmed human cases located in Bromont municipality. Ixodes scapularis ticks and Peromyscus mouse ear biopsies collected in Bromont from 2019 to 2021 were analyzed for Anaplasma phagocytophilum (Ap) with the objective of determining whether an early environmental signal could have been detected before the outbreak.

Methods: Samples were collected for a concurrent study aiming to reduce Lyme disease risk.

Establishment of preliminary reference intervals and cytochemical staining of blood cells in big-bellied seahorses (Hippocampus abdominalis).

Background: Despite their popularity, hematology reference intervals (RIs) have not been established in big-bellied seahorses (Hippocampus abdominalis).

Objective: The objectives of this study were to establish hematologic RIs to compare values between sex in regard to cytochemical staining of blood cells. We also sought to compare white blood cell concentrations using the Natt and Herrick technique vs blood smear estimates.