Circulating irisin levels and coronary heart disease: association with future acute coronary syndrome and major adverse cardiovascular events.

Introduction: Irisin is a newly discovered myokine, associated with 'browning' of the white adipose tissue, obesity, insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome. The purpose of this study is to evaluate circulating irisin as a predictor of acute coronary syndromes (ACSs) and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE).

Methods: Sub-study 1: a case-control study, nested within the Veteran's Affairs Normative Ageing Study, evaluating circulating irisin levels in 88 ACS cases and 158 age- and sampling year-matched controls, as a predictor of ACS.

Circulating irisin in healthy, young individuals: day-night rhythm, effects of food intake and exercise, and associations with gender, physical activity, diet, and body composition.

Context: The myokine irisin may increase energy expenditure and affect metabolism.

Objective: The objective of the study was to elucidate predictors of irisin and study whether circulating irisin may have day-night rhythm in humans.

Design: This was an observational, cross-sectional study with an additional 24-hour prospective observational arm (day-night rhythm substudy) and two prospective interventional arms (mixed meal substudy and exercise substudy).

Denosumab treatment for juvenile Paget's disease: results from two adult patients with osteoprotegerin deficiency ("Balkan" mutation in the TNFRSF11B gene).

Context: Most patients with juvenile Paget's disease (JPD) have homozygous loss-of-function mutations in the TNFRSF11B gene resulting in osteoprotegerin deficiency. Because recombinant osteoprotegerin is not available for clinical use, an alternative therapeutic approach could be denosumab, which acts on the same pathway.

Main Objective: The aim was to study the effect of denosumab on bone turnover markers in two adult patients with JPD ("Balkan" mutation) previously treated with calcitonin and bisphosphonates.

Circulating periostin levels do not differ between postmenopausal women with normal and low bone mass and are not affected by zoledronic acid treatment.

Periostin is a secreted extracellular matrix protein preferentially expressed in bone by osteocytes and periosteal osteoblasts. Reduced periostin expression may affect osteoblast differentiation and collagen type I synthesis and predispose to osteoporosis and increased fracture risk. We aimed to evaluate circulating periostin levels in postmenopausal women with low bone mass, their possible correlations with clinical and laboratory parameters, as well as the 3-month effect of zoledronic acid.

Nuchal translucency and major congenital heart defects in fetuses with normal karyotype: a meta-analysis.

Objective: To pool published data regarding the sensitivity and specificity of nuchal translucency (NT) in the diagnosis of major congenital heart defects (CHDs) in fetuses with normal karyotype.

Methods: MEDLINE and Scopus searches using combinations of the terms 'nuchal' and 'cardiac*' were complemented by perusal of references of the retrieved articles and an additional automated search using the 'search for related articles' function on PubMed. Only fetuses with normal karyotype and major CHDs were analyzed.

FcγRIIa and FcγRIIIa polymorphisms in childhood primary immune thrombocytopenia: implications for disease pathogenesis and outcome.

Primary immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is the commonest acquired cause of bleeding in childhood. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the role of FcγRIIa and FcγRIIIa polymorphisms in the pathogenesis and therapeutic result of childhood ITP. The genotypic frequencies for two Fcγ receptor single-nucleotide polymorphisms, FcγRIIa-131 arginine (R) versus histidine (H) and FcγRIIIa-158 valine (V) versus phenylalanine (F) were examined in 53 children diagnosed with ITP.

Increasing fear of adverse effects drops intention to vaccinate after the introduction of prophylactic HPV vaccine.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was (1) to explore for socio-demographic factors that could potentially affect the intention of women to vaccinate themselves, their 13-year-old daughter and their 13-year-old son against HPV, and (2) to investigate the main reasons for declining vaccination.

Methods: A structured questionnaire was used in participants of the project (N = 5,249). Logistic regression analysis was applied in order to examine the correlation between vaccine acceptability and a list of potential predictors.

Isolation of mesenchymal stem cells using the total length of umbilical cord for transplantation purposes.

Background: Umbilical cord (UC) mesenchymal cells have the ability to differentiate into various cell types, which make them an easily obtainable source for therapeutic uses. Different approaches have been used to isolate mesenchymal stem cells (MSC).

Aim: Here, we report a detailed enzymatic method where large number of cells can be efficiently isolated from the cord matrix and cryopreserved on the same day of arrival at the laboratory.

Placenta perfusion has hematopoietic and mesenchymal progenitor stem cell potential.

Background: Placenta is a valuable source of stem cells for cell therapy and future application in the field of regenerative medicine. This is due to the plasticity and the immunomodulatory effects of the stem cells that it contains. In this study we present a totally closed method for hematopoietic and nonhematopoietic stem cell isolation from human term placenta.

Profound hypocalcemia following effective response to zoledronic acid treatment in a patient with juvenile Paget's disease.

Juvenile Paget's disease (JPD) is a rare, autosomal recessive osteopathy. Although it has phenotypic overlap with Paget's disease of bone (PDB), it is probably a distinct entity. Because of its rarity, optimal disease management has not yet been established by randomized controlled trials.

Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and quantitative ultrasound in patients with Paget's disease of bone before and after treatment with zoledronic acid: association with serum bone markers and Dickkopf-1.

The main aim of this study was to determine the effect of zoledronic acid (ZOL) on parameters of dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and quantitative ultrasound (QUS) in unaffected bones of patients with Paget's disease of bone (PDB). The secondary aim was the association of bone markers and Dickkopf (DKK)-1 with parameters of DXA and QUS. Ten consecutive patients with polyostotic PDB (median age: 63 yr) received a single 5-mg ZOL infusion.

Bilateral carcinoma of the temporal bone: case report and literature review.

Introduction: Squamous cell carcinoma of the temporal bone is a rare entity. Only a few cases have been reported in the literature and even fewer describe bilateral tumours. Because its clinical presentation resembles chronic otitis media or otitis externa, diagnosis could be delayed.

Addition of adipose-derived stem cells in cord blood cultures stimulates their pluripotent differentiation.

Introduction: Adipose tissue is recognized as an important source of postnatal mesenchymal stem cells for generative medicine applications. Moreover, cord blood stem cells have been shown to contain pluripotent stem cells called unrestricted somatic stem cells (USSCs). However, this population is rare and cannot be generated from every cord blood sample.

Serum homocysteine, folate and vitamin B12 in patients with Paget's disease of bone: the effect of zoledronic acid.

High serum homocysteine (HCY) and indirectly deficiency of folate and/or vitamin B(12) stimulate bone resorption and adversely affect collagen cross-linking. The aim of this study was the evaluation of serum levels of HCY, folate and vitamin B(12) in patients with Paget's disease of bone (PDB) and the effect of zoledronic acid (ZOL) on their serum levels. Nine consecutive patients with polyostotic PDB (median age 66 years) received a single 5-mg ZOL infusion.

The effect of zoledronic acid on serum dickkopf-1, osteoprotegerin, and RANKL in patients with Paget's disease of bone.

Overexpression of dickkopf (DKK)-1 in pagetic osteoblast cultures resulted in stimulation of osteoclast proliferation and inhibition of osteoblast growth. The aim of this study was to evaluate for the first time in Paget's disease of bone (PDB): 1) the serum levels of DKK1; 2) the association of DKK-1 with receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa B (RANKL) and osteoprotegerin (OPG); and 3) the effect of zoledronic acid (ZOL) on serum DKK-1, RANKL, and OPG. The study was conducted as a prospective open-label cohort study.

Aggressive verrucous carcinoma of the paranasal sinuses invading the orbit: case report and literature review.

Introduction: Verrucous carcinoma is a variant of well differentiated squamous cell carcinoma characterised by an exophytic, warty growth which is slowly but locally invasive and which can cause extensive local destruction if left untreated.

Case Report: We report the first known case of veruccous carcinoma of the paranasal sinuses with rapid orbital invasion. A 58-year-old man presented with right-sided nasal obstruction, a huge right intranasal lesion, intractable dacryocystitis and cutaneous involvement of the nasolacrimal sac region.

Antenatal betamethasone does not influence lymphocyte apoptosis in preterm neonates.

Despite the widespread use of antenatal glucocorticosteroids (GCs), the possibility of adverse effects on the immune response in preterm neonates remains a major concern. GCs stimulate lymphocyte apoptosis, resulting in lymphopenia and functional disorders, which have been associated with sepsis-related death in critically ill neonates. We sought to assess the effect of antenatal betamethasone (BM) on lymphocyte apoptosis in preterm neonates.

Stromal tumors of the stomach: a clinicopathological study of 15 cases and review of the literature.

Aims And Background: Gastrointestinal stromal tumors are the most common mesenchymal tumors of the digestive tract, although their incidence is low. These tumors make up a unique entity based on their molecular pathogenesis, immunohistochemical staining and responsiveness to targeted therapy. Gastrointestinal stromal tumors vary in malignant potential ranging from small incidentally detected tumors with an excellent outcome to aggressive sarcomas.

The significance of persistent newly developed autoantibodies in JIA patients under long-term anti-TNF treatment.

Objective: To study the significance of persistent (12 months) new autoantibodies, in Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA) patients treated with either Infliximab (INFL) or Etanercept (ET) for 2 years.

Patients-methods: 26 children under INFL (n=12) or ET (n=14) were prospectively studied. A large panel of autoantibodies was tested using indirect immunofluorescence (ANA, anti-dsDNA, anti-ENA, SMA, LKM, AMA, PCA, anti-R1, ATA), ELISA (ANA, anti-ENA, anti-cardiolipin, ANCA), immunoblotting assay (anti-ENA: anti-Ro, anti-La, anti-Sm, anti-URNP, anti-Jo, anti-Scl70, anti-centromere, anti-ribosomal and anti-histone) and rate nephelometry (RF).

Cell recovery sufficient for adult transplantation by additional cord blood collection from placenta.

The amount of newborn blood that can be collected from a single cord donor is limited, but a significant amount remains in the placenta. We used a simplified perfusion method to collect this additional blood. Umbilical cord blood from 15 newborns was collected before placental delivery by umbilical vein puncture.

Paraganglioma of the larynx: a case report.

Background: Paragangliomas arise from paraganglion cells as part of the diffuse neuroendocrine system. These tumors are generally considered benign. They appear rarely in the larynx and most of them are supraglottic.

Surgical correction of pinna malformations.

Background: Auricle reconstruction is a surgical procedure described in the medical literature as early as 600 BC. The aim of the present paper is to review these attempts and their results.

Methods: Literature search and medical history books were used as scientific sources.

Plasma RANTES increase during the first month of life independently of the feeding mode.

The chemokine RANTES (regulated upon activation, normal T cell expressed and secreted) plays a significant role in the innate immunity, which is particularly important in the neonatal period. In this study, we aimed to investigate the ability of the neonate to increase plasma levels of RANTES in the first month of life, and the possible impact of breast feeding on this ability. The study population consisted of 125 healthy term neonates that were exclusively breast-fed (n = 62) or formula-fed (n = 63) for at least 1 month after birth.