Age-related brain pathology in Octodon degu: Blood vessel, white matter and Alzheimer-like pathology

Recently it has been shown that over 3-year-old wild-type South American rodents, Octodon degus, the “common degu” or degu, of their own accord develop Alzheimer's disease neuropathological hallmarks: amyloid-β-peptide depositions and accumulation of tau-protein. Here we analyzed brains of 1-, 3- and 6-year-old degu's, bred in standard animal facilities. Significant amounts of Aβ and tau deposits are present in the hippocampal formation of 6-year-old O. degus, primarily in the white matter, but these hippocampal Aβ and tau deposits are not present in younger ones. In contrast, significant Aβ deposits in blood vessel walls are already found in 3-year-old animals. The tau deposits in the hippocampal formation coincide with a significant decrease in staining for myelin in the same areas, indicating hippocampal disconnection and, likely, dysfunction. Our findings indicate that (1) cerebral amyloid angiopathy precedes brain parenchyma pathology in aged degu's and (2) the onset of disease seems to be delayed in the laboratory vs. wild-type degu's.     

An update on the role of human dendritic cells in patients with atopic dermatitis

Dendritic cells (DCs) are without a doubt important key skin cells that connect information from the environment with the innate and adaptive immune system. Their function is decisive for the initiation and inhibition of immune responses, and therefore they play a central role for both the healthy and diseased states of the skin. The type, maturation stage, and function of DCs, as well as the micromilieu in which they are located and their contact with cellular partners in the surrounding area, are important cofactors that direct maintenance of immune homeostasis or breakout of inflammatory reactions in patients with chronic inflammatory skin diseases, such as atopic dermatitis. Thus better knowledge about the exact proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory properties of DCs in patients with atopic dermatitis and the disease-specific roles of DC subtypes would allow us to target these important immune cells with versatile functions for therapeutic purpose.     

Clinical Evaluation of Flowable Composite Materials in Permanent Molars Small Class I Restorations: 3-Year Double Blind Clinical Study

This study evaluated the 3-year clinical performance of four different flowable composite materials used in Small Class I restorations in permanent molars. This double-blinded, clinical study analyzed 229 Small Class I restorations/103 children at baseline, 12, 24, and 36 months with modified United States Public Health Services (USPHS) criteria. The tested flowable materials were Voco Grandio Flow + Voco Solobond M, Vivadent Tetric EvoFlow + Vivadent Excite, Dentsply X-Flow + Dentsply Prime&Bond NT, and 3M ESPE Filtek Supreme XT Flow + 3M ESPE Scotchbond Universal. The retention and marginal adaptation rates were highest for Grandio Flow and X Flow materials after 36 months, resulting in the highest score of clinical acceptability at 95.3% and 97.6%, respectively. The Tetric EvoFlow and Filtek Supreme XT Flow had the same retention rate after 36 months at 88.1%. Statistical significance was found in Grandio flow material in postoperative sensitivity criteria (p = 0.021). Tetric EvoFlow showed statistical differences in retention (p = 0.01), color match (p = 0.004), and marginal adaptation (p = 0.042). Filtek Supreme showed statistical differences in retention (p = 0.01) and marginal adaptation (p < 0.001). The flowable composite materials showed excellent clinical efficacy after 36 months of their clinical usage. There was no difference among the tested flowable composite materials quality in Small Class I restorations over time.     

Loss-of-function variations within the filaggrin gene predispose for atopic dermatitis with allergic sensitizations

BACKGROUND: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease with a strong genetic background. One of the characteristic features of AD and causative factor for the disease is an impaired epidermal skin barrier based on a primary defect of epidermal differentiation. OBJECTIVES: Recently, 2 loss-of-function mutations (R501X and 2282derl4) in the filaggrin gene (FLG) that cause ichthyosis vulgaris, one of the most common inherited skin disorders of keratinization, have been reported to be strong predisposing factors for AD. METHODS: We evaluated the association of the loss-of-function mutations R501X and 2282del4 within the FLG gene in a large collection of 476 well-characterized white German families with AD by using the transmission-disequilibrium test. RESULTS: Our family-based approach revealed prominent associations between the 2 loss-of-function FLG mutations and AD, as previously observed in a traditional Mendelian linkage analysis and case-control cohort analysis approach. In addition, we observed associations of the FLG mutations in particular with the extrinsic subtype of AD, which is characterized by high total serum IgE levels and concomitant allergic sensitizations. Furthermore, FLG mutations are significantly associated with palmar hyperlinearity in patients with AD, which represents a shared feature of AD and ichthyosis vulgaris. CONCLUSION: Together these data implicate that FLG is the first really strong genetic factor identified in a common complex disease. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: These findings underline the crucial role of the skin barrier in preventing allergic sensitization.     

Anatomohistological characteristics of Meckel's diverticulum in human fetuses

BACKGROUND/AIM: Meckel's diverticulum (MD) is the most frequent anomaly of the small intestine. It appears after incomplete obliteration of the omphalomesenteric or viteline duct which normaly obliterates and disappears by the 9th week of gestation. The majority of MD do not give rise to any clinical symptoms and are encounted either incidentally, at examination or intervention, or due to complications which may occur (obstruction, hemorrhagy, rupture), and are described in many clinical reports. The aim of the study was to find out the incidence of MD in fetuses when the development of the alimentary tract is already finished. METHODS: The investigation was performed on 150 human fetuses of different sex and gastational age, using microdissection method. The cases with MD were photographed, described, their positions and dimensions were registered. The samples of MD taken for histological investigation were dyed with hematoksilin eosin method. RESULTS: Meckel's diverticulum was found in five fatuses (three male and two female); in one case the fibrous band was found. All of them were located on animesenteric margine of the small intestine at the average distance of 92.5 mm from the ileocecal junction. They were of different shape and dimensions, but of the normal constitution of the small intestine. CONCLUSION: The incidence of MD was 3.3%, and 4% of all the anomalies of the intestines connected to the disappearance of the viteline duct. It was more frequent in the male, located on antimesenteric margine of the small intestine, at the destination which highly correlated to the age of the fetus. Meckel's diverticule were of different shapes and dimensions but of the typical constitution of the small intestine.     

The repeated operations for focal liver lesions

Repeated operations for focal liver lesions were analyzed. 75 patients with parasitic liver lesions (alveococcosis, echinococcosis), 14 patients with liver tumors, 15 patients with cysts and abscesses were included in the study. For the first time patients underwent palliative operations or diagnostic laparotomy. In some patients relapse was observed after radical surgery in postoperative period. Ultrasound study was the main diagnostic method for detecting localization and extent of the lesion. 91 patients underwent radical surgery, including hemihepatectomy carried out to 26 patients, segmental and bisegmental liver resections carried out to 35 patients. Transparenchymatous Tung ligation was used in liver resections. Resection line was covered by hemostatic sutures according to B.I. Alperovich technique. Intraparenchymatous processing of Glisson pedicle according to E.I. Galperin method was applied in extensive liver resections. Cryodestruction was used for prophylaxis of relapses in parasitic and tumor lesions. Liver failure (4) and bleedings (2) were the most life-threatening postoperative complications. 4 patients died due to liver failure (2) and bleedings (2). Among 97 patients good results were observed in 73 (75,3%) patients, satisfactory - in 22 (22,7%), poor - in 2 (2,1%) with relapse of hepatocellular carcinoma.