Seropositivity for pathogens associated with chronic infections is a risk factor for all-cause mortality in the elderly: findings from the Memory and Morbidity in Augsburg Elderly (MEMO) Study

GeroScience - Immunostimulation by chronic infection has been linked to an increased risk for different non-communicable diseases, which in turn are leading causes of death in high- and...     

Cerebral small vessel disease affects white matter microstructure in mild cognitive impairment

Microstructural white matter deterioration is a frequent finding in mild cognitive impairment (MCI), potentially underlying default mode network (DMN) dysfunctioning. Thus far, microstructural damage in MCI has been attributed to Alzheimer's disease pathophysiology. A cerebrovascular role, in particular the role of cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD), received less interest. Here, we used diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to examine the role of CSVD in microstructural deterioration within the normal appearing white matter (NAWM) in MCI. MCI patients were subdivided into those with (n = 20) and without (n = 31) macrostructural CSVD evidence on MRI. Using TBSS we performed microstructural integrity comparisons within the whole brain NAWM. Secondly, we segmented white matter tracts interconnecting DMN brain regions by means of automated tractography segmentation. We used NAWM DTI measures from these tracts as dependent variables in a stepwise‐linear regression analysis, with structural and demographical predictors. Our results indicated microstructural deterioration within the anterior corpus callosum, internal and external capsule and periventricular white matter in MCI patients with CSVD, while in MCI patients without CSVD, deterioration was restricted to the right perforant path, a tract along the hippocampus. Within the full cohort of MCI patients, microstructure within the NAWM of the DMN fiber tracts was affected by the presence of CSVD. Within the cingulum along the hippocampal cortex we found a relationship between microstructural integrity and ipsilateral hippocampal volume and the extent of white matter hyperintensity. In conclusion, we found evidence of CSVD‐related microstructural damage in fiber tracts subserving the DMN in MCI. Hum Brain Mapp 35:2836–2851, 2014. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc .     

Bilateral pectoralis muscle advancement flap in the management of deep sternal wound infection: a single clinic study of clinical outcome and postoperative quality of life

Background

Poststernotomy mediastinitis is a serious complication after open heart surgery. There are currently no specific guidelines with regards to standard treatment.

Methods

This is a prospective cohort study using a source population of 7842 patients who underwent open heart surgery. Between 1999 and 2010, 83 patients were diagnosed with mediastinitis, of which 24 patients underwent reconstruction with bilateral pectoralis major advancement flap. All surviving patients were seen at follow-up, and postoperative functional level was examined. The closing date was October 1, 2011.

Results

Median follow-up time from primary operation was 6.0 (1.6–15.5) years. Median follow-up from postsurgical mediastinitis was26 5.4 (0.4–12.4)years. There was no early mortality, and 22 patients were discharged with complete wound closure and infection control. Quality of life questionnaires revealed significant morbidity with chronic pain and reduced mobility, but despite this, patients were satisfied with their overall health outcome.

Conclusions

Mediastinitis remains a serious postoperative complication after open heart surgery accounting for significant morbidity and mortality. Treatment of deep sternal wound infection by pectoralis major flap reconstruction gives excellent wound closure. Follow-up showed that these patients were multimorbid with reduced quality of life as measured. Level of Evidence: Level IV, therapeutic study.     

Natural killer cell–derived extracellular vesicles in cancer therapy

Cancer is a major cause of death in the industrialized world. New therapies are constantly being developed in order to reduce morbidity and mortality. NK cell–based cellular therapies have shown effect against haematological malignancies, but it has been difficult to target solid tumours due to low NK cell infiltration of the tumour and efficient tumour evasion strategies. NK cells release extracellular vesicles that naturally contain cytolytic proteins and tumour-targeting molecules. These vesicles can directly interact with and kill malignant cells, and their small size could allow more efficient extravasation into the tumour tissue. Extracellular vesicles are also less sensitive to the hostile tumour microenvironment compared to cells. Based on their features, NK cell–derived extracellular vesicles represent promising novel tools in oncology. In this review, we summarize the current available literature on NK cell–derived extracellular vesicles and discuss how they may be utilized in therapy for solid tumours.     

Calcium,Magnesium, and Zinc Supplementation during Pregnancy: The Additive Value of Micronutrients on Maternal Immune Response after SARS-CoV-2 Infection

Magnesium may contribute to the immune response during and after SARS-CoV-2 infection by acting as a cofactor for immunoglobulin production and other processes required for T and B cell activity. Considering magnesium as a recommended dietary supplement during pregnancy and the possible role of magnesium deficiency in COVID-19 and its complications, the current study sought to determine the effect of magnesium and magnesium-containing nutritional supplements on the immune response following SARS-CoV-2 infection in pregnant women, as well as to observe differences in pregnancy outcomes based on the supplements taken during pregnancy. The study followed a cross-sectional design, where patients with a history of SARS-CoV-2 infection during their pregnancy were surveyed for their preferences in nutritional supplementation and their profile compared with existing records from the institutional database. A cohort of 448 pregnant women with COVID-19 during 22 months of the pandemic was assembled, out of which 13.6% took a magnesium-only supplement, and 16.5% supplemented their diet with a combination of calcium, magnesium, and zinc. Around 60% of patients in the no-supplementation group had the SARS-CoV-2 anti-RBD lower than 500 U/mL, compared with 50% in those who took magnesium-based supplements. A quantity of magnesium >450 mg in the taken supplements determined higher levels of antibody titers after COVID-19. Low magnesium dosage (<450 mg) was an independent risk factor for a weak immune response (OR-1.25, p-value = 0.003). The observed findings suggest supplementing the nutritional intake of pregnant women with magnesium-based supplements to determine higher levels of SARS-CoV-2 anti-RBD antibodies, although causality remains unclear.     

Measuring the double-drift illusion and its resets with hand trajectories

If a Gabor pattern drifts in one direction while its internal texture drifts in the orthogonal direction, its perceived position deviates further and further away from its true path. We first evaluated the illusion using manual tracking. Participants followed the Gabor with a stylus on a drawing tablet that coincided optically with the horizontal monitor surface. Their hand and the stylus were not visible during the tracking. The magnitude of the tracking illusion corresponded closely to previous perceptual and pointing measures indicating that manual tracking is a valid measure for the illusion. This allowed us to use it in a second experiment to capture the behavior of the illusion as it eventually degrades and breaks down in single trials. Specifically, the deviation of the Gabor stops accumulating at some point and either stays at a fixed offset or resets toward the veridical position. To report the perceived trajectory of the Gabor, participants drew it after the Gabor was removed from the monitor. Resets were detected and analyzed and their distribution matches neither a temporal nor a spatial limit, but rather a broad gamma distribution over time. This suggests that resets are triggered randomly, about once per 1.3 seconds, possible by extraneous distractions or eye movements.