Generation and functional analysis of human TNF-α/iNOS-producing dendritic cells (Tip-DC).

Background: A unique type of CD11c(pos) dendritic cells (DC) is abundant in inflamed tissue, for example, in chronic inflammatory skin diseases. Due to their remarkable production of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and inducible NO synthase (iNOS), these cells have been referred to as TNF and iNOS-producing DC (Tip-DC). While Tip-DC have been mainly characterized in murine models of infection, functional data about their human counterpart are lacking.

Risk assessment, disease prevention and personalised treatments in breast cancer: is clinically qualified integrative approach in the horizon?

Breast cancer is a multifactorial disease. A spectrum of internal and external factors contributes to the disease promotion such as a genetic predisposition, chronic inflammatory processes, exposure to toxic compounds, abundant stress factors, a shift-worker job, etc. The cumulative effects lead to high incidence of breast cancer in populations worldwide.

Next generation sequencing based transcriptome analysis of septic-injury responsive genes in the beetle Tribolium castaneum.

Beetles (Coleoptera) are the most diverse animal group on earth and interact with numerous symbiotic or pathogenic microbes in their environments. The red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum is a genetically tractable model beetle species and its whole genome sequence has recently been determined. To advance our understanding of the molecular basis of beetle immunity here we analyzed the whole transcriptome of T.

General report & recommendations in predictive, preventive and personalised medicine 2012: white paper of the European Association for Predictive, Preventive and Personalised Medicine.

This report is the collective product of word-leading experts working in the branches of integrative medicine by predictive, preventive and personalised medicine (PPPM) under the coordination of the European Association for Predictive, Preventive and Personalised Medicine. The general report has been prepared as the consortium document proposed at the EPMA World Congress 2011 which took place in Bonn, Germany. This forum analyzed the overall deficits and trends relevant for the top-science and daily practice in PPPM focused on the patient.

Opinion controversy to chromium picolinate therapy's safety and efficacy: ignoring 'anecdotes' of case reports or recognising individual risks and new guidelines urgency to introduce innovation by predictive diagnostics?

Due to the important physiologic function of trivalent chromium in glucose/insulin homeostasis, some commercial organisations promote Cr3+ supplements in maintaining proper carbohydrate and lipid metabolism; regulation of reducing carbohydrate carvings and appetite; prevention of insulin resistance and glucose intolerance; regulation of body composition, including reducing fat mass and increasing lean body mass; optimal body building for athletes; losing weight; treatment of atypical depression as an antidepressant; and prevention of obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus. On one hand, case reports are commented as 'nonevidence-based anecdotes'. On the other hand, a number of independent studies warn against adverse health outcomes assigned to chromium picolinate (CrPic) dietary application.

Chromium-picolinate therapy in diabetes care: individual outcomes require new guidelines and navigation by predictive diagnostics.

Aims: Nephropathy is the leading secondary complication of metabolic syndrome. Nutritional supplement by chromium-picolinate is assumed to have renoprotective effects. However, potential toxic effects reported increase the concerns about the safety of chromium-picolinate.

Finite element analysis of adhesive endo-crowns of molars at different height levels of buccally applied load.

This study aimed to evaluate the biomechanical behaviour of adhesive endo-crowns and the influence of their design on the restoration prognosis when four loading positions are applied from the restoration-tooth junction. Two three-dimensional finite element models for the lower first molar were developed: endo-crown as a monobloc and endo-crown of a primary abutment and a full crown. Four crown loading positions were considered: 5, 6, 7 and 8 mm.

Time for new guidelines in advanced healthcare: the mission of The EPMA Journal to promote an integrative view in predictive, preventive and personalized medicine.

Changing long-held beliefs is never easy. As a consequence of the accumulating clinical data and knowledge about the epidemiology and pathological mechanisms of the most frequent causes of morbidity and mortality, we are currently reconsidering our view of the origins and progression of cardiovascular, oncologic and neurodegenerative diseases. Optimistic versus pessimistic prognosis for healthcare sector depends much on diagnostic, preventive and treatment approaches, which healthcare systems will preferably adopt in the near future.

Retrospective investigation of gingival invaginations : Part I: Clinical findings and presentation of a coding system.

Many orthodontic treatments involve tooth extraction. Gingival invagination is a common side effect after orthodontic extraction space closure leading to compromised oral hygiene and the space closure being hampered. Even the long-term stability of the orthodontic treatment result may be jeopardized.

The influence of different registration techniques on condyle displacement and electromyographic activity in stomatognathically healthy subjects: a prospective study.

Statement Of Problem: It is unclear whether different intermaxillary registration techniques are related to a physiological condylar position that permits neuromuscular equilibrium.

Purpose: This study analyzes and quantifies the effects of different registration techniques on the condyle position and how the registration technique modulates bilateral masseter and anterior temporalis muscle electromyographic activity.

Material And Methods: Three-dimensional electronic condylar position analysis (EPA) with an ultrasound-based jaw-tracking system and surface electromyographic activity (sEMG) was recorded during the registration of a manually guided centric relation (CR), maximal intercuspation (MI), and Gothic arch tracing guided centric relation (DIR method).

Superhydrophobic surfaces of the water bug Notonecta glauca: a model for friction reduction and air retention.

Superhydrophobic surfaces of plants and animals are of great interest for biomimetic applications. Whereas the self-cleaning properties of superhydrophobic surfaces have been extensively investigated, their ability to retain an air film while submerged under water has not, in the past, received much attention. Nevertheless, air retaining surfaces are of great economic and ecological interest because an air film can reduce friction of solid bodies sliding through the water.

RNA diagnostics: real-time RT-PCR strategies and promising novel target RNAs.

Ribonucleic acid (RNA) is a multifunctional type of molecule, playing critical roles in protein biosynthesis and regulation. In recent years, suppression of protein translation by so-called microRNAs came into the focus of research, especially because deregulation of this process has been shown to play a role in malignant transformation. Furthermore, RNA molecules circulating in the blood have been revealed as a novel class of markers for diagnosis of cancers.

Altered functional activity patterns of fibroblasts related to periodontitis by systemic plasminogen deficiency (ligneous periodontitis).

We report one case of ligneous periodontitis, which is a clinical sign of hypoplasmino-genemia. It appears as massive, painless ulcerated gingival enlargements and alveolar bone destruction in the affected area. The course of the disease is progressive and typically ends with early loss of teeth.

Birth asphyxia as the major complication in newborns: moving towards improved individual outcomes by prediction, targeted prevention and tailored medical care.

Perinatal Asphyxia-oxygen deficit at delivery-can lead to severe hypoxic ischaemic organ damage in newborns followed by a fatal outcome or severe life-long pathologies. The severe insults often cause neurodegenerative diseases, mental retardation and epilepsies. The mild insults lead to so-called "minimal brain-damage disorders" such as attention deficits and hyperactivity, but can also be associated with the development of schizophrenia and life-long functional psychotic syndromes.

Noninvasive subcellular imaging in breast cancer risk assessment: construction of diagnostic windows.

Aim: Breast cancer is the most common cause of cancer-related death among women. Delayed diagnosis leads to development of metastasis and impairs the outcome. This study was designed to utilize subcellular DNA imaging by 'comet assay' and determine pathology-specific comet patterns as the robust biomarker to distinguish between high and low risk for breast cancer development among predisposed individuals with benign breast alterations.

Chromium-picolinate therapy in diabetes care: molecular and subcellular profiling revealed a necessity for individual outcome prediction, personalised treatment algorithms and new guidelines.

Aims: Global figures clearly demonstrate inadequacy of current diabetes care: every 10 seconds one patient dies of diabetes-related pathologies. Nephropathy is the leading secondary complication of the disease. Nutritional supplement by chromium-picolinate is assumed to have beneficial therapeutic effects.

Degenerative valve disease and bioprostheses: risk assessment, predictive diagnosis, personalised treatments.

Aortic stenosis (AS) is the most frequent valvular heart disease. Severe AS results in concentric left ventricular hypertrophy, and ultimately, the heart dilates and fails. During a long period of time patients remain asymptomatic.

Dry under water: comparative morphology and functional aspects of air-retaining insect surfaces.

Superhydrophobic surfaces prevent certain body parts of semiaquatic and aquatic insects from getting wet while submerged in water. The air layer on these surfaces can serve the insects as a physical gill. Using scanning electron microscopy, we investigated the morphology of air-retaining surfaces in five insect species with different levels of adaptation to aquatic habitats.

Drug development from natural products: exploiting synergistic effects.

Drug development in phytomedicine has been focused in the past on the discovery and analysis of new structures from natural products. The search aimed at the determination of the single "active principle" in plants, based on the assumption that a plant has one or a few ingredients which determine its therapeutic effects. But traditional systems of medicines like Ayurveda, traditional Chinese medicine or the European phytotherapy generally assume that a synergy of all ingredients of the plants will bring about the maximum of therapeutic efficacy.

Common origin but individual outcomes: time for new guidelines in personalized healthcare.

Clinical observations clearly demonstrate that similar endogenous and exogenous risk factors cause individual reactions and pathologic characteristics; therefore, the same therapeutic approaches applied within one cohort of patients lead to individual outcomes. How could we optimize approaches used in the current healthcare systems? Individualized treatment algorithms and paradigm change from a late interventional approach to predictive diagnosis, followed by the targeted prevention of a disease before pathology manifests, presents an innovative concept for advanced healthcare that is cost effective. Predictive perinatal/postnatal diagnosis and the preselection of a particular healthy but disease-predisposed individual, followed by targeted preventive measures, represent the primary task in the overall action of personalized healthcare.

Iron intake and iron status in breastfed infants during the first year of life.

Background & Aims: Breastfed infants may be at particular risk for iron deficiency because breast milk is low in iron. In a secondary analysis of data from a complementary feeding trial, indicators of iron status were examined, with particular focus on the development of iron status in those infants who were fully breastfed during the first 4 months of life.

Methods: In this retrospective analysis of data from a randomized controlled trial infants were stratified according to their predominant milk diet during the first 4 months of life, a subgroup of breastfed infants (group BM, n=53) were compared with a subgroup of infants fed (iron-fortified) formula (group F, n=23).

Dendritic cells erase bad memory.

DC not only activate CD4 T (Th) cell and cytotoxic CD8 T cell (CTL) responses against pathogens, but they also tolerize autoreactive T cells in order to avoid autoimmunity. Previous studies have demonstrated that steady-state DC can tolerize naïve CTL, naïve Th cells and memory CTL. A study in this issue of the European Journal of Immunology demonstrates that DC also tolerize memory Th cells.

Predictive molecular profiling in blood of healthy vasospastic individuals: clue to targeted prevention as personalised medicine to effective costs.

Paradigm change from late interventional approach to predictive diagnostics followed by targeted prevention before manifest pathology, presents innovative concept for advanced healthcare. Preselection of healthy but pathology-predisposed individuals is the primary task in the overall action. Vasospasm is a frequent syndrome defined as an inappropriate constriction or insufficient dilatation in microcirculation.