Facial Emotion Recognition and Polymorphisms of Dopaminergic Pathway Genes in Children with ASD

Alexandros G.Sfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader Facial Emotion Recognition and Polymorphisms of Dopaminergic Pathway Genes in Children with ASD Μέσω Hindawi Publishing Corporation Background. It is inconclusive whether children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experience a deficit in facial emotion recognition. The dopaminergic pathway has been implicated in the pathogenesis of ASD. This study was aimed at determining facial emotion recognition and its correlation with polymorphisms in the dopaminergic pathway genes in children with ASD. Methods. Facial emotion recognition was examined in 98 children with ASD and 60 age- and gender-matched healthy controls. The severity of ASD was evaluated using the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS). DNA from blood cells was used to analyze the genotypes of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in dopaminergic pathway genes. SNPs of DBH rs1611115, DDC rs6592961, DRD1 rs251937, DRD2 rs4630328, and DRD3 rs167771 were analyzed. Results. Children with ASD took a significantly longer time to recognize all facial emotions, and their interpretations were less accurate for anger at low intensity and fear at both low and high intensities. The severity of the disease was associated with significant delays in recognition of all facial emotions and with a decrease in accuracy in recognition of happiness and anger at low intensity. Accuracy in recognizing fear at high intensity and sadness at low intensity was associated with rs251937 and rs4630328, respectively, in children with ASD. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that SNP rs167771, response time for the recognition of happiness, sadness and fear, and accuracy in recognition of anger and fear were all associated with the risk of childhood ASD. Conclusions. Children with ASD experience a deficit in facial emotion recognition. Certain SNPs in the dopaminergic pathway genes are associated with accuracy in recognizing selective facial emotions in children with ASD. View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

After Treatment Decrease of Bone Marrow Tregs and Outcome in Younger Patients with Newly Diagnosed Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Alexandros G.Sfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader After Treatment Decrease of Bone Marrow Tregs and Outcome in Younger Patients with Newly Diagnosed Acute Myeloid Leukemia Μέσω Hindawi Publishing Corporation An emerging body of evidence demonstrates that defects in antileukemic effector cells in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) can contribute to the development and/or persistence of the disease. In particular, immune suppressive regulatory T cells (Tregs) may contribute to this defective antileukemic immune response, being recruited by bone marrow leukemic cells to evade immune surveillance. We evaluated Tregs (CD4+/CD45RA-/CD25high/CD127low), performing multiparametric flow cytometry on freshly collected bone marrow aspirate (BMA), in addition to the usual molecular and cytogenetic work-up in newly diagnosed AML patients to look for any correlation between Tregs and the overall response rate (ORR). We studied 39 AML younger patients ( View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Chicoric Acid Ameliorates Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease via the AMPK/Nrf2/NFκB Signaling Pathway and Restores Gut Microbiota in High-Fat-Diet-Fed Mice

Alexandros G.Sfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader Chicoric Acid Ameliorates Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease via the AMPK/Nrf2/NFκB Signaling Pathway and Restores Gut Microbiota in High-Fat-Diet-Fed Mice Μέσω Hindawi Publishing Corporation This study examines the effects of chicoric acid (CA) on nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in high-fat-diet- (HFD-) fed C57BL/6 mice. CA treatment decreased body weight and white adipose weight, mitigated hyperglycemia and dyslipidemia, and reduced hepatic steatosis in HFD-fed mice. Moreover, CA treatment reversed HFD-induced oxidative stress and inflammation both systemically and locally in the liver, evidenced by the decreased serum malondialdehyde (MDA) abundance, increased serum superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, lowered in situ reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the liver, decreased serum and hepatic inflammatory cytokine levels, and reduced hepatic inflammatory cell infiltration in HFD-fed mice. In addition, CA significantly reduced lipid accumulation and oxidative stress in palmitic acid- (PA -) treated HepG2 cells. In particular, we identified AMPK as an activator of Nrf2 and an inactivator of NFκB. CA upregulated AMPK phosphorylation, the nuclear protein level of Nrf2, and downregulated NFκB protein level both in HFD mice and PA-treated HepG2 cells. Notably, AMPK inhibitor compound C blocked the regulation of Nrf2 and NFκB, as well as ROS overproduction mediated by CA in PA-treated HepG2 cells, while AMPK activator AICAR mimicked the effects of CA. Similarly, Nrf2 inhibitor ML385 partly blocked the regulation of antioxidative genes and ROS overproduction by CA in PA-treated HepG2 cells. Interestingly, high-throughput pyrosequencing of 16S rRNA suggested that CA could increase Firmicutes-to-Bacteroidetes ratio and modify gut microbial composition towards a healthier microbial profile. In summary, CA plays a preventative role in the amelioration of oxidative stress and inflammation via the AMPK/Nrf2/NFκB signaling pathway and shapes gut microbiota in HFD-induced NAFL D. View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Circulating Interleukin-6 (but Not Other Immune Mediators) Associates with Criteria for Fried’s Frailty among Very Old Adults

Alexandros G.Sfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader Circulating Interleukin-6 (but Not Other Immune Mediators) Associates with Criteria for Fried's Frailty among Very Old Adults Μέσω Hindawi Publishing Corporation Background and Aim. Frailty is a geriatric condition resulting from physiological changes covering the musculoskeletal, immune, and neuroendocrine systems, leading to a greater inflammatory state. The present research aimed to investigate the association of components of Fried's frailty (as well as of the phenotype as a whole) with total serum levels of a panel of inflammatory mediators. Methods. One hundred and sixty-one very old patients (aged ≥80 years) devoid of cognitive decline were eligible for analyses. Clinical and biochemical data along with physical and cognitive assessments encompassing dual-energy X-ray scans and hand dynamometry were adopted to investigate frailty criteria, while circulating immune mediators (IFNγ, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, and TNFα) were assessed using high-throughput flow cytometry. Results. Preliminarily, IL-6 correlated positively with waist-to-hip ratio and C-reactive protein and negatively with glycemia. In analyses controlled for these factors, serum levels of IL-6 were comparatively augmented among the very old participants with reduced grip strength (OR = 3.299; 95% CI 1.08–6.09; ) and among those with slow walk speed (OR = 2.460; 95% CI 1.16–7.05; ).Conclusions. Our study shows a strong negative correlation of IL-6 levels with Fried's frailty components of grip strength and walk speed in very old adults, regardless of confounding factors. View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

A Report on a Family with TMTC3-Related Syndrome and Review

Alexandros G.Sfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader A Report on a Family with TMTC3-Related Syndrome and Review Μέσω Hindawi Publishing Corporation Recessive mutations in the TMTC3 gene have been reported in thirteen patients to date exhibiting development delay, intellectual disability (ID), seizures, and muscular hypotonia, accompanied occasionally by neuronal migration defects expressed as either cobblestone lissencephaly or periventricular hypertopia. Here, we report a new case of a TMTC3-related syndrome in a Lebanese family with two affected siblings showing severe psychomotor retardation, intellectual disability, microcephaly, absence of speech, muscular hypotonia, and seizures. Whole exome sequencing revealed a homozygous pathogenic variant c.211 C > T (p.R71C) in the TMTC3 gene in both siblings. A review of the literature on TMTC3-related syndrome and its causal mutations is provided. View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Winging of Scapula due to a Sinister Etiology

Alexandros G.Sfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader Winging of Scapula due to a Sinister Etiology Μέσω Hindawi Publishing Corporation Background. Scapular winging is a rare but disabling deformity, which is commonly caused by lesions of the long thoracic and spinal accessory nerves that innervate the serratus anterior and trapezius muscles, respectively. Across the literature, traumatic injury to the nerves account for the majority of cases. Less common, nontraumatic causes include viral illness, neuroinflammatory conditions, toxins, compressive lesions, and C7 radiculopathy. We present a case where an apical lung malignancy causes winging of scapula by infiltrating C5–C7 roots of brachial plexus, which has been reported only once in the literature. Case. A 54-year-old male presented with recent onset painful difficulty in raising his right arm. He had no respiratory or constitutional symptoms. On examination, winging of scapula on the right side was noted with wasting and fasciculation involving the ipsilateral shoulder girdle. Proximal muscle power of the right upper limb was of 3/5 with preserved distal muscle power. No sensory loss was noted. A patch of bronchial breathing was found in the upper zone of the right lung with multiple hard cervical lymphadenopathies. Chest X-ray and contrast-enhanced computerized tomography-chest revealed a large tumor in the upper lobe of the right lung, which was confirmed to be a carcinoma of the lung. Electromyogram revealed large motor unit potentials and poor activation of right serratus anterior and internal scapulae muscles, while nerve conduction studies concluded the presence of a compressive lesion involving C5–C7 nerve roots of brachial plexus. Histology of a biopsy of the cervical lymph node confirmed metastasis from a poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma of the lung. The patient denied further investigation with MRI cervical spine. He was transferred to the ca ncer institute for further treatment. Conclusion. This case highlights the value of considering a compressive lung pathology with infiltration in the differential diagnosis, when evaluating winging of scapula. View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

CK20 and CK5/6 Immunohistochemical Staining of Urothelial Neoplasms: A Perspective

Alexandros G.Sfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader CK20 and CK5/6 Immunohistochemical Staining of Urothelial Neoplasms: A Perspective Μέσω Hindawi Publishing Corporation Cytokeratins belong to the family of intermediate filaments. They are expressed in a highly specific manner in epithelial cells where they play a crucial role in the integrity and mechanical stability of the cells. Several types of cytokeratins have been described in normal as well as neoplastic urothelium. In the case of urothelial neoplasms expression of CK20 and CK5/6 has been shown in several studies to have diagnostic and prognostic implications. Thus, low-grade urothelial carcinoma manifests CK expression limited to the umbrella cells, while high-grade tumors usually have an expression in the entire thickness of the urothelium except for the basal layer. CK5/6 expression on the other hand is expressed in the basal cells in all low-grade and some high-grade urothelial carcinomas. Diffuse CK20 staining accom panied by loss of CK5/6-positive basal layer is usually associated with aggressive clinical behavior. Double staining of the slides for these cytokeratins may facilitate proper interpretation and correlation. View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Hydroxysafflor Yellow A Attenuates Hydrogen Peroxide-Induced Oxidative Damage on Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells

Alexandros G.Sfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader Hydroxysafflor Yellow A Attenuates Hydrogen Peroxide-Induced Oxidative Damage on Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells Μέσω Hindawi Publishing Corporation Oxidative stress of endothelial cells is thought to be a principal cause that induces many cardiovascular diseases. Hydroxysafflor yellow A (HSYA) is a major active component in traditional Chinese medicine safflower and has been used to cure ischemic cardiovascular diseases in China for many years. This study aims to investigate whether HSYA has a repairing effect on oxidative damage of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) induced by H2O2 and to provide a theoretical basis for the clinical treatment of cardiovascular diseases related to traditional Chinese medicine. Based on the establishment of an H2O2-induced HUVEC oxidative injury model, the cell viability and proliferation rate were measured by the MTT assay and EdU staining. The intracellular GSH/GSSG ratio and SOD activity were determined by kits. The ROS level was detected by flow cytometry. And the BAX, Bcl-2, PTEN, and AKT expressions were evaluated with western blotting methods. The results showed that HSYA treatment significantly attenuated the H2O2-induced HUVEC cell damage, increased the intracellular GSH/GSSG ratio and unit SOD activity also, and decreased the intracellular ROS levels. Furthermore, HSYA increased the expressions of AKT and Bcl-2 proteins and inhibited the expressions of BAX and PTEN proteins. These suggest that HSYA exerts repair effects on H2O2-induced oxidative damage in HUVECs, and the mechanisms may be related to the influence of BAX/Bcl-2 expression and AKT/PTEN signal pathway expression. View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Antibiotic Resistance Results of Helicobacter pylori

Alexandros G.Sfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader Antibiotic Resistance Results of Helicobacter pylori in a University Hospital: Comparison of the Hybridization Test and Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction Μέσω Hindawi Publishing Corporation Aim. H. pylori is a bacterial pathogen in the human stomach which infects about 50% of the world population. Untreated infection can lead to various diseases leading to cancer. Some of the H. pylori strains are asymptomatic, but some of them cause more severe diseases. Standard treatment protocol used for the treatment of H. pylori infection is triple therapy, which includes omeprazole as a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) and two antibiotics usually consist of amoxicillin and clarithromycin or metronidazole. In the recent years, because of the increase in the rate of antibiotic resistance, the eradication rate has decreased. Materials and Methods. We evaluated 140 patients who applied to a university hospital gastroenterology department and underwent biopsy during endoscopy. In these patients, we anal ysed floroquinolone and clarithromycin resistance using the GenoType® HelicoDR (Hain Life Science, Germany). We also used the real-time method for clarithromycin resistance. Results. We found the number and rate of floroquinolone resistance as 20 (25.6%) and clarithromycine resistance as 31 (39.7%). With the real-time PCR method, we detected clarithromycine resistance in 26 (33.3%) patients. These results were not statistically significant. Discussion and Conclusion. Our results show similarity to the other studies held in our country. There should be more studies for the policy of eradication through our country. View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Severe Pharyngodynia Followed by Migratory Polyarthritis and High Fever in Young Immigrants: Remember That Rheumatic Fever Is Still Relevant in 2020!

Alexandros G.Sfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader Severe Pharyngodynia Followed by Migratory Polyarthritis and High Fever in Young Immigrants: Remember That Rheumatic Fever Is Still Relevant in 2020! Μέσω Hindawi Publishing Corporation Acute rheumatic fever (ARF) is the immune-mediated sequelae of untreated group-A streptococcal infection. In this regard, rheumatic heart disease is the most prominent manifestation with devastating long-term complications. In the postantibiotic era, ARF is extremely rare in high-income countries; thus, its diagnosis might escape the clinicians' notice. However, its incidence remains high not only in certain low- and middle-income regions with poor public health systems but also in socioeconomically vulnerable populations residing in high-income countries. Herein, we report two cases of ARF in young immigrant adults in order to highlight the need for increased clinical suspicion to establish a prompt and timely diagnosis of ARF and describe in detail its differential diagnosis and approach to treatmen t. View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Prevotella Induces the Production of Th17 Cells in the Colon of Mice

Alexandros G.Sfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader Prevotella Induces the Production of Th17 Cells in the Colon of Mice Μέσω Hindawi Publishing Corporation Th17-mediated mucosal inflammation is related to increased Prevotella bacterial abundance. The actual involvement of Prevotella in the development and accumulation of intestinal Th17 cells at a steady state, however, remains undefined. Herein, we investigated the role of Prevotella in inducing intestinal Th17 cells in mice. Mice were treated with a combination of broad-spectrum antibiotics (including ampicillin, neomycin sulfate, vancomycin hydrochloride, and metronidazole) in their drinking water for 4 weeks and then gavaged with Prevotella for 4 weeks. After inoculation, 16S rDNA sequencing was used to verify the colonization of Prevotella in the colon of mice. The IL-17A as well as IL-17A-expressing T cells was localized and quantified by an immunofluorescence assay (IFA) of colon sections. Th17 cells in the mesenteric lymph nodes of mice were counted by flow cytometry. Systemic immune response to Prevotella colonization was evaluated based on the serum levels of IL-6, TNF-� �, IL-1β, IL-17A, IL-10, IL-4, IFN-γ, and IL-2. Th17-polarizing cytokines (IL-6, TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-2) induced by Prevotella were evaluated by stimulation of bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (BMDCs). Results revealed that after inoculation, Prevotella successfully colonized the intestine of mice and induced the production and accumulation of colonic Th17 cells in the colon. Moreover, Prevotella elevated some of the Th17-related cytokines in the serum of mice. And Th17-polarizing cytokines (IL-6 and IL-1β) produced by BMDCs were mediated mainly through the interaction between Prevotella and Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2). In conclusion, our data suggest that Prevotella induces the production of Th17 cells in the colon of mice, thus highlighting the potential role of Prevotella in training the intestinal immune system. View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Papain immobilization on heterofunctional membrane bacterial cellulose as a potential strategy for the debridement of skin wounds

Alexandros G.Sfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader Papain immobilization on heterofunctional membrane bacterial cellulose as a potential strategy for the debridement of skin wounds Μέσω ScienceDirect Publication: International Journal of Biological Macromolecules Publication date: 15 December 2020 Source: International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, Volume 165, Part B Author(s): Niédja Fittipaldi Vasconcelos, Arcelina Pacheco Cunha, Nágila Maria Pontes Silva Ricardo, Rosemayre Souza Freire, Lídia de Araújo Pinto Vieira, Ana Iraidy Santa Brígida, Maria de Fátima Borges, Morsyleide de Freitas Rosa, Rodrigo Silveira Vieira, Fábia Karine Andrade View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.