Atherosclerosis in women with endometriosis

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to determine whether women with endometriosis have greater subclinical atherosclerosis than the general population. STUDY DESIGN: This case-control study included 66 women with endometriosis and 66 controls matched for age and body mass index. All subjects were >or=35 years old. Exclusion criteria were obesity, diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, renal or metabolic diseases. Before laparoscopy, all patients underwent a measurement of intima-media thickness (IMT) and distensibility coefficient (DC) on the common carotid artery. In addition, blood samples were taken to determine the levels of lipids, fibrinogen, C-reactive protein, homocysteine, fasting glycemia, antithrombin III, plasminogen, protein C, protein S, and activated protein C resistance. RESULTS: All the biochemical parameters evaluated had similar levels in the two study groups. IMT was similar in women with endometriosis and in controls both on left (p=0.330) and right (p=0.648) carotid artery. Similarly, no significant difference was observed in the DC between women with endometriosis and controls both on left (p=0.539) and right (p=0.178) carotid artery. No significant difference was observed in IMT and DC between women with mild and severe endometriosis. CONCLUSION: Women with endometriosis do not have more subclinical atherosclerosis than the general population.     

3D Printed Customized Facemask for Maxillary Protraction in the Early Treatment of a Class III Malocclusion: Proof-of-Concept Clinical Case

In order to improve fit and comfort, a maxillary protraction facemask customized to the patient’s anatomy was produced by means of 3D face scanning, digital design and additive manufacturing. An 8-year-old patient in need of early treatment for the Class III malocclusion received a rapid palatal expander and a Petit-type facemask, whose components were digitally designed on a 3D scan of the patient’s face. For face scanning, the iPad Pro 2018 tablet (Apple, Cupertino, CA, USA) with the Bellus3D DentalPro application (Bellus3D, Campbell, CA, USA) was used. Facemask components were modelled with 3D Blender software. The rests were 3D printed in BioMed Clear biocompatible resin (Formlabs, Somerville, MA, USA), and the bar in stainless steel. For greater comfort, the internal surface of the rests was lined with a polymer gel pad (Silipos, Niagara Falls, NY, USA). The manufacturing procedure of the customized facemask is patented. The patient wore the facemask at night for a period of 9 months. The patient’s experience was evaluated with a questionnaire at 1 week, 3, 6, and 10 months of treatment. The customized facemask was well accepted by the patient and obtained the expected treatment outcome. Furthermore, 3D face scanning, 3D modelling and 3D printing allow for the manufacturing of customized facemasks with improved fit and comfort, favoring patient compliance and treatment success.     

Smoking decreases the level of circulating CD34+ progenitor cells in young healthy women - a pilot study

Background

Decreased levels of circulating bone marrow-derived progenitor cells have been associated with risk factors and cardiovascular diseases. Smoking is the most important modifiable risk factor for atherosclerosis in young women. The aim of this pilot study was to assess in healthy premenopausal women without other risk factors for cardiovascular disease the influence of nicotine abuse on the number of circulating progenitor cells in relation to endothelial function.

Methods

The number of endothelial progenitor cells, measured as colony-forming units in a cell-culture assay (EPC-CFU) and the number of circulating CD34 + and CD34 +/CD133 + cells, measured by flow cytometry, was estimated in 32 women at the menstrual phase of the menstrual cycle. In addition, flow-mediated dilation (FMD) was assessed as a marker for vascular function. In a subgroup of these women (n = 20), progenitor cells were also investigated at the mid-follicular and luteal phases of the menstrual cycle.

Results

Compared to non-smokers, the abundance of circulating CD34 + cells was significantly lower in smoking women in the menstrual, mid-luteal, and mid-follicular phases of the menstrual cycle. The number of CD34 + progenitor cells was revealed to have significant positive correlation with FMD in young healthy women, whereas CD34 +/CD133 + progenitor cells and EPC-CFU showed no significant correlation.

Conclusion

The number of CD34 + progenitor cells positively correlates with FMD in young healthy women and is decreased by smoking.     

Plasmid maintenance systems suitable for GMO-based bacterial vaccines

Live carrier-based bacterial vaccines represent a vaccine strategy that offers exceptional flexibility. Commensal or attenuated strains of pathogenic bacteria can be used as live carriers to present foreign antigens from unrelated pathogens to the immune system, with the aim of eliciting protective immune responses. As for oral immunisation, such an approach obviates the usual loss of antigen integrity observed during gastrointestinal passage and allows the delivery of a sufficient antigen dose to the mucosal immune system. Antibiotic and antibiotic-resistance genes have traditionally been used for the maintenance of recombinant plasmid vectors in bacteria used for biotechnological purposes. However, their continued use may appear undesirable in the field of live carrier-based vaccine development. This review focuses on strategies to omit antibiotic resistance determinants in live bacterial vaccines and discusses several balanced lethal-plasmid stabilisation systems with respect to maintenance of plasmid inheritance and antigenicity of plasmid-encoded antigen in vivo.     

Validation of the Italian Version of the SARC-F Questionnaire to Assess Sarcopenia in Older Adults

Background: SARC-F is a simple sarcopenia screening tool. This study aimed to examine the validity of the Italian version of SARC-F. Methods: A total of 97 elderly individuals (37/60 males/females, 65 years and older) who met the study’s selection criteria were included. SARC-F was translated into the Italian language in a culturally responsive manner. The total score was calculated by adding the scores on the five items. The participants were divided into two groups according to the total score (SARC-F < 4 vs. SARC-F ≥ 4), and their associations with various factors (handgrip test, chair stand test, and Skeletal Muscle Index assessed by DXA) have been examined by gender. In addition, the tool’s validity was analyzed by comparing it with different international working group diagnostic criteria for sarcopenia. Results: The total prevalence of sarcopenia according to the SARC-F was 14.2% and, specifically, 12.8% among men and 14.3% in women. The sensitivity of the SARC-F was (male (M): 11–50% and female (F): 22–36%) medium-low compared with the European, international, and Asian criteria of sarcopenia; however, SARC-F showed a high specificity (M: 77.3–100% and F: 79.5–100%) and a moderate Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of (0.669 (CI95%: 0.358–0.830). The participants in the SARC-F ≥ 4 group had poorer handgrip for EWGSOP2 (p < 0.001) and chair stand (p < 0.001) than the participants in the SARC-F < 4 group. Conclusions: The Italian language version of SARC-F showed high specificity, moderate reliability, and good associations with other predictive tests. The Italian version of SARC-F appears to be a useful screening tool for the diagnosis of sarcopenia in Italian elderly populations.     

COVID-19 and Guillain-Barré syndrome: A single-center prospective case series with a 1-year follow-up

Single reports of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) have been reported worldwide during the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic. While case reports are likely to be biased toward uncommon clinical presentations, systematic assessment of prospective series can highlight the true clinical features and spectrum. In this prospective, observational study, we included all consecutive patients who developed GBS. In patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection as antecedent, the time-gap between the infection and GBS onset had to be ≤30 days. The referral was a neurological University Research Hospital, in the Italian Region more severely involved by the pandemic, and hospitalizing both COVID+ and non-COVID neurological diseases. Clinical, laboratory, cerebrospinal fluid, and electromyographic features of GBS diagnosed between March 2020 and March 2021 were compared to a retrospective series of GBS diagnosed between February 2019 and February 2020 (control population). Nasopharyngeal swab was still positive at GBS onset in 50% of patients. Mild-to-moderate COVID-related pneumonia, as assessed by X-ray (6 patients) or X-ray plus computerized tomography (2 patients) co-occurred in 6 of 10 patients. GBS diagnosed during the pandemic period, including 10 COVID-GBS and 10 non–COVID-GBS, had higher disability on admission (P = .032) compared to the GBS diagnosed between February 2019 and 2020, possibly related to later hospital referral in the pandemic context. Compared to non–COVID-GBS (n = 10) prospectively diagnosed in the same period (March 2020–2021), post–COVID-GBS (n = 10) had a higher disability score on admission (P = .028), lower sum Medical Research Council score (P = .022) and lymphopenia (P = .025), while there were no differences in GBS subtype/variant, severity of peripheral involvement, prognosis and response to treatment. Cerebrospinal fluid search for SARS-CoV-2 RNA and antiganglioside antibodies were negative in all COVID+ patients. Temporal clustering of cases, coinciding with the waves of the pandemic, and concomitant reduction of the incidence of COVID-negative GBSs may indicate a role for SARS-CoV-2 infection in the development of GBS, although the association may simply be related to a bystander effect of systemic inflammation; lack of prevalence of specific GBS subtypes in post–COVID-GBS also support this view. GBS features and prognosis are not substantially different compared to non–COVID-GBS.     

Assessment of functioning in Dutch primary care: Development study of a consultation tool for patients with chronic conditions and multimorbidity

BackgroundIn primary care, a shift from a disease‐oriented approach for patients with multimorbidity towards a more person‐centred approach is needed.AimTo transform a self‐report questionnaire for patients with chronic conditions in primary care, the Primary Care Functioning Scale (PCFS), into an understandable, visually attractive and feasible consultation tool for patients and health care providers. The consultation tool consists of a web‐based version of the PCFS, which is filled in by the patient and is processed to a feedback report that summarizes and visualizes the main findings. The feedback report can be discussed with the patient to facilitate a more person‐centred conversation for patients with chronic conditions and multimorbidity in general practice.Design and SettingIn this qualitative study, we developed the consultation tool by using design thinking in a participatory developmental process.MethodsIn the first phase, we constructed five different feedback report templates to summarize and display the results of a completed PCFS questionnaire in a series of two expert meetings with patients and general practitioners (GPs). In the second phase, we performed an exploratory qualitative interview study involving dyads of patients with chronic conditions and their practice nurses. In an iterative process, we explored their experiences with the consultation tool.ResultsPatients, as well as GPs, preferred a clear manner of presenting the results of the questionnaire in a feedback report. In 18 interviews with patients and practice nurses during three different interview rounds, we adjusted the feedback report and consultation tool based on the input from patients and practice nurses. After the final interview round, patients and practice nurses consented that the consultation tool was useful for having a more in‐depth consultation about functioning and patients'' preferences when integrated into the regularly scheduled consultations.ConclusionWe were able to develop an understandable and feasible consultation tool that is applicable in already existing chronic disease management programmes in general practice in the Netherlands.Patient or Public ContributionTo increase the understandability and feasibility of the consultation tool, we collaborated with end‐users and actively involved patients, GPs and practice nurses in a participatory development process.     

Suramin induces and enhances apoptosis in a model of hyperoxia-induced oligodendrocyte injury

Recent evidence suggests oxygen as a powerful trigger for cell death in the immature white matter, leading to periventricular leukomalacia (PVL) as a cause of adverse neurological outcome in survivors of preterm birth. This oligodendrocyte (OL) death is associated with oxidative stress, upregulation of apoptotic signaling factors (i.e., Fas, caspase-3) and decreased amounts of neurotrophins. In search of neuroprotective strategies we investigated whether the polysulfonated urea derivative suramin, recently identified as a potent inhibitor of Fas signaling, affords neuroprotection in an in vitro model of hyperoxia-induced injury to immature oligodendrocytes. Immature OLs (OLN-93) were subjected to 80% hyperoxia (48 h) in the presence or absence of suramin (0, 30, 60, 120 microM). Cell death was assessed by flow cytometry (Annexin V, caspase-3 activity assay) and immunohistochemistry for activated caspase-3. Immunoblotting for the death receptor Fas, cleaved caspase-8 and the phosphorylated isoform of the serine-threonin kinase Akt (pAkt) was performed. Suramin lead to OL apoptosis and potentiated hyperoxia-induced injury in a dose-dependent manner. Immunoblotting revealed increased Fas and caspase-8 expression by suramin treatment. This effect was significantly enhanced when suramin was combined with hyperoxia. Furthermore, pAkt levels decreased following suramin exposure, indicating interference with neurotrophin-dependent growth factor signaling. These data indicate that suramin causes apoptotic cell death and aggravates hyperoxia-induced cell death in immature OLs. Its mechanism of action includes an increase of previously described hyperoxia-induced expression of pro-apoptotic factors and deprivation of growth factor dependent signaling components.