Minimum information to report about a flow cytometry experiment on extracellular vesicles: Communication from the ISTH SSC subcommittee on vascular biology

The Extracellular Vesicle Flow Cytometry Working Group ( http://www.evflowcytometry.org ) is formed by members of the International Society for Extracellular Vesicles (ISEV), the International Society for Advancement of Cytometry (ISAC), and the International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis (ISTH). This working group of flow cytometry experts develops guidelines for best practices regarding flow cytometry detection of extracellular vesicles. To improve rigor and standardization, this working group published a framework outlining the minimal information to report about a flow cytometry experiment on extracellular vesicles (MIFlowCyt-EV) in the Journal of Extracellular Vesicles, the ISEV journal, in 2020. In parallel, an article explaining MIFlowCyt-EV was published in Cytometry Part A, one of the ISAC journals, and now will be introduced to the ISTH as an SSC Communication in the Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis. The goal of this SSC Communication is to explain why flow cytometry is becoming the instrument of choice to characterize single extracellular vesicles, the obstacles that have been identified and (mostly) overcome by developing procedures to calibrate flow cytometers, and the relevance of reporting minimal information to improve reliability and reproducibility of experiments in which flow cytometers are used for characterization of extracellular vesicles.     

Potenzielle Auswirkungen erhöhter Alkoholsteuern auf die alkoholbedingte Krankheitslast in Deutschland: Eine Modellierungsstudie

Bundesgesundheitsblatt - Gesundheitsforschung - Gesundheitsschutz - Deutschland gehörte im Jahr 2019 zu den Ländern mit dem weltweit höchsten Pro-Kopf-Alkoholkonsum, welcher...     

Survival After Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy for Clinically Diagnosed or Biopsy-Proven Early-Stage NSCLC: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Introduction

Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) is a promising curative treatment for early-stage NSCLC. It is unclear if survival outcomes for SBRT are influenced by a lack of pathological confirmation of malignancy and staging of disease in these patients. In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we assess survival outcomes after SBRT in studies with patients with clinically diagnosed versus biopsy-proven early-stage NSCLC.

NADPH oxidase inhibition rescues keratinocytes from elevated oxidative stress in a 2D atopic dermatitis and psoriasis model

Emerging evidence suggests oxidative stress plays a role in the pathophysiology of both atopic dermatitis (AD) and psoriasis (PSO). We established in vitro models of AD and PSO skin, and characterized these models in regard to their oxidative stress state. Both AD and PSO model keratinocytes exhibited elevated reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and accumulated more DNA damage than control cells after oxidative stress induced by 250 µmol/L H₂O₂. Elevated ROS levels and DNA damage accumulation could be inhibited by the NADPH oxidase (NOX) inhibitor diphenyleneiodonium (DPI). Further, immunofluorescence analysis revealed the presence of both NOX1 and NOX4 in keratinocytes. By inhibiting NOX1, stress-related signalling cascades and elevated ROS levels could be abrogated, and survival of AD and PSO cells improved. Taken together, this study reveals that inhibition of NOX inhibition could abrogate elevated oxidative stress in a 2D model of AD and PSO.     

Endoscopy in Canada: Proceedings of the National Roundtable: Toronto,Ontario, February 7, 2014

This 2014 roundtable discussion, hosted by the Canadian Association of General Surgeons, brought together general surgeons and gastroenterologists with expertise in endoscopy from across Canada to discuss the state of endoscopy in Canada. The focus of the roundtable was the evaluation of the competence of general surgeons at endoscopy, reviewing quality assurance parameters for high-quality endoscopy, measuring and assessing surgical resident preparedness for endoscopy practice, evaluating credentialing programs for the endosuite and predicting the future of endoscopic services in Canada. The roundtable noted several important observations. There exist inadequacies in both resident training and the assessment of competency in endoscopy. From these observations, several collaborative recommendations were then stated. These included the need for a formal and standardized system of both accreditation and training endoscopists.     

Pharmacy in transition: A work sampling study of community pharmacists using smartphone technology

Introduction

The nature of community pharmacy is changing, shifting from the preparation and distribution of medicines to the provision of cognitive pharmaceutical services (CPS); however, often the provision of traditional services leaves little time for innovative services. This study investigated the time community pharmacists spend on the tasks and activities of daily practice and to what extent they are able to implement CPS-related services in daily practice.

A case-control study of paternal and maternal age as risk factors in mood disorders

Objective: Advanced parental age might constitute a risk factor for various disorders. We tested whether this concerns also mood disorder patients.

Methods: The study included 314 subjects (42 bipolar-BD patients; 21 manics and 21 depressives, 68 unipolar-UD, and 204 normal controls-NC). Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) and the calculation of the Relative Risk (RR) and the Odds Ratio (OR) were used for the analysis.

Results: Paternal age differed between NC and UD patients (29.42?±?6.07 vs. 32.12?±?5.54; p?=?.01) and manics (29.42?±?6.07 vs. 35.00?±?5.75; p?=?.001) and maternal age between NC and manics (25.46?±?4.52 vs. 31.43?±?4.75; p?<?.001) and manic and UD (31.43?±?4.75 vs. 26.75?±?6.03; p?=?.002). The RR and OR values suggested that advanced parental age constitutes a risk factor for the development of mood disorders.

Conclusions: In a non-dose dependent and gender-independent, advanced parental age constitutes a risk factor for the development of BD with index episode of mania (probably manic predominant polarity); only advanced paternal age constitutes a risk factor for the development of UD and BD with index episode of depression (probably depressive predominant polarity). This is the first study suggesting differential effect of advanced parental age depending on predominant polarity of BD.