A case of esophageal complication in epidermolysis bulhosa simplex

It is well known the involvement of the gastrointestinal tract in Epidermolysis Bulhosa (EB) and its consequences on both nutrition and growth. We present a case of a young girl with EB diagnosed soon after birth, admitted to our emergency room with food impactation. The endoscopy revealed a double barrel esophagus. No medical or surgical therapy was started and after 2 months of enteric feeding, spontaneous resolution was observed at endoscopy. Skin biopsy was compatible with EB Simplex. According to the literature EB Simplex is the subtype the least associated with GI tract involvement, presenting with dysphagia in only 2% of the patients, and with the lowest cumulative risk of esophageal stricturing.     

Increased BDNF Levels in Long-term Bipolar Disorder Patients

IntroductionBipolar disorder (BD) is a prevalent, chronic and progressive illness. There is a growing body of evidence indicating that brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) plays an important role in the pathophysiology of BD.ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to evaluate BDNF plasma levels in BD patients with long term illness in comparison with controls.Methods87 BD type I patients and 58 controls matched by age, gender and education level were enrolled in this study. All subjects were assessed by the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview and the patients by the Young Mania Rating Scale and the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale. The plasma levels of BDNF were measured by ELISA.ResultsOn average, patients had suffered from BD for 23.4 years. In comparison with controls, BD patients with mania presented a 1.90-fold increase in BDNF plasma levels (p = .001), while BD patients in remission presented a 1.64-fold increase in BDNF plasma levels (p = .03). BDNF plasma levels were not influenced by age, length of illness or current medications.ConclusionsThe present study suggests that long-term BD patients exhibit increased circulating levels of BDNF.     

The Colletotrichum orbiculare species complex: Important pathogens of field crops and weeds

Colletotrichum orbiculare causes anthracnose of Cucurbitaceae and is phylogenetically closely related to pathogens of several other herbaceous hosts belonging to the Asteraceae, Fabaceae and Malvaceae. Most of them are known for their hemibiotrophic infection strategy and as destructive pathogens either of field crops or weeds. In order to study the phylogenetic relationships of these fungi, a multilocus analysis (ITS, GAPDH, CHS-1, HIS3, ACT, TUB2, GS) of 42 strains of C. orbiculare and related species was conducted. The analysis resulted in nine clades that confirmed the four species previously known as belonging to this species complex, C. lindemuthianum, C. malvarum, C. orbiculare and C. trifolii, and recognised four new species from weeds, namely C. bidentis, C. sidae, C. spinosum and C. tebeestii. The name C. orbiculare itself is widely used in plant pathology and science, but is invalid according to current nomenclatural rules. Therefore we described a new species with the same epithet and a type specimen that agrees with our current understanding of this species, and is linked to a living culture. Following the recent epitypification of C. lindemuthianum, we chose appropriate specimens with associated strains to serve as epitypes of C. malvarum and C. trifolii, and selected an authentic specimen of C. trifolii as lectotype.     

Carboplatin delays mammary cancer 4T1 growth in mice

Carboplatin is commonly used to treat a variety of tumors. We investigated the effects of carboplatin (100 mg/kg) in the development and metastatic dissemination of the 4T1 mice mammary carcinoma. Carboplatin was able to reduce tumor volume and the number of lung metastases in 50% compared to the control animals. Mitotic and apoptotic indices were also decreased by the treatment. Assessment of the vascularization of the tumors revealed a significant decrease in blood vessel formation by carboplatin. A decrease in nuclear positivity of CDC47 and cyclin D1 was observed in the group treated with carboplatin when compared to the control group. Positivity for p53 was observed in the control group (2/28; 5%) and the treated group (5/71; 4%). Carboplatin has been demonstrated to be an efficient regulator of 4T1MMT growth and dissemination. The action of this chemotherapeutic agent seems to be related to the induction of apoptosis and inhibition of angiogenesis and cell proliferation.     

Increased expression of extracellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer (EMMPRIN) and MMP10, MMP23 in inflammatory bowel disease: Cross‐sectional study

It has been reported that EMMPRIN is involved in the regulation of immune response and the induction of MMPs production by fibroblasts. The aim of this study was to describe the intestinal gene expression and protein production of EMMPRIN, MMP23 and MMP10 in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn’s disease (CD) and compared them with a control group. Gene expression of EMMPRIN, MMP10 and MMP23B was measured by RT‐PCR. In order to determine EMMPRIN and MMP protein expression, colonic tissues were immunostained. The results of the study showed EMMPRIN gene expression was upregulated in rectal mucosa from active (a)UC versus aCD patients (P = .045), remission (r)CD group (P = .0009) and controls (P < .0001). We detected differences between rUC and aCD (P = .004), rCD (P < .0001) or control group (P < .0001). EMMPRIN showed a higher expression in mucosa (intraepithelial lymphocytes), submucosa and adventitia (endothelial cells) from aCD patients. MMP23 levels were increased in aUC and aCD compared to rUC and rCD and the control group (P = .0001). EMMPRIN+/MMP23+─expressing cells were localized mainly in mucosa, muscular and adventitia from active UC patients. MMP10 gene expression was increased in aUC versus CD patients and the control group (P = .0001). MMP10 gene expression is associated with inflammation in UC patients (P = .0001, r² = .585). EMMPRIN+/MMP10+─producing cells were found mainly in all intestinal layers and perivascular inflammatory infiltrates from aUC patients. In conclusion, EMMPRIN, MMP23 and MMP10 were upregulated in patients with active UC versus remission UC , CD and control groups suggesting that, they are involved in the inflammatory process.