Evaluation of humoral immune function in patients with bronchiectasis

Bronchiectasis is a chronic debilitating condition characterized by abnormal dilated thick-walled bronchi. To investigate humoral immune function in bronchiectatic patients, this study was performed. Forty patients with established diagnosis of bronchiectasis, who were referred from two tertiary care pulmonology centers in Tehran, were investigated in this study. Immunoglobulin isotypes concentrations and IgG-subclasses were measured by nephelometry and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) methods, respectively. All patients received unconjugated pneumococcal vaccine, and blood samples were taken before and 21 days after vaccination. Specific antibodies against whole pneumococcal antigens were measured using the ELISA method. Fifteen (37.5%) out of 40 patients were diagnosed to have defects in antibody mediated immunity including 5 (12.5%) patients with immunoglobulin class deficiency (2 with common variable immunodeficiency and 3 with IgA deficiency), 3 (7.5%) with IgG subclass deficiency and 7 (17.5%) patients had Specific antibody deficiency (SAD) against polysaccharide antigen despite normal levels of serum immunoglobulins and IgG subclasses. Our study along with several other studies confirmed that all patients with bronchiectasis should undergo thorough immunological evaluation in order to identify the presence of the underlying immunologic defect. This evaluation should include serum immunoglobulins, IgG subclasses concentrations and also determination of serum antibodies against pneumococcal antigens. Early diagnosis and appropriate treatment will prevent the subsequent complications and improve quality of life of affected individuals.     

Cor Pulmonale Parvus in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Emphysema : The MESA COPD Study

Background

The classic cardiovascular complication of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is cor pulmonale or right ventricular (RV) enlargement. Most studies of cor pulmonale were conducted decades ago.

Objectives

This study sought to examine RV changes in contemporary COPD and emphysema using cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging.

Methods

We performed a case-control study nested predominantly in 2 general population studies of 310 participants with COPD and control subjects 50 to 79 years of age with ≥10 pack-years of smoking who were free of clinical cardiovascular disease. RV volumes and mass were assessed using magnetic resonance imaging. COPD and COPD severity were defined according to standard spirometric criteria. The percentage of emphysema was defined as the percentage of lung regions <−950 Hounsfield units on full-lung computed tomography; emphysema subtypes were scored by radiologists. Results were adjusted for age, race/ethnicity, sex, height, weight, smoking status, pack-years, systemic hypertension, and sleep apnea.

Results

Right ventricular end-diastolic volume (RVEDV) was reduced in COPD compared with control subjects (−7.8 ml; 95% confidence interval: −15.0 to −0.5 ml; p = 0.04). Increasing severity of COPD was associated with lower RVEDV (p = 0.004) and lower RV stroke volume (p < 0.001). RV mass and ejection fraction were similar between the groups. A greater percentage of emphysema also was associated with lower RVEDV (p = 0.005) and stroke volume (p < 0.001), as was the presence of centrilobular and paraseptal emphysema.

Conclusions

RV volumes are lower without significant alterations in RV mass and ejection fraction in contemporary COPD, and this reduction is related to the greater percentage of emphysema on computed tomography.     

Calorie restriction promotes remyelination in a Cuprizone-Induced demyelination mouse model of multiple sclerosis

Metabolic Brain Disease - Over the past few decades several attempts have been made to introduce a potential and promising therapy for Multiple sclerosis (MS). Calorie restriction (CR) is a dietary...     

Recent advances in metal-free heteroatom-doped carbon heterogonous catalysts

The development of cost-effective, efficient, and novel catalytic systems is always an important topic for heterogeneous catalysis from academia and industrial points of view. Heteroatom-doped carbon materials have gained more and more attention as effective heterogeneous catalysts to replace metal-based catalysts, because of their excellent physicochemical properties, outstanding structure characteristics, environmental compatibility, low cost, inexhaustible resources, and low energy consumption. Doping of heteroatoms can tailor the properties of carbons for different utilizations of interest. In comparison to pure carbon catalysts, these catalysts demonstrate superior catalytic activity in many organic reactions. This review highlights the most recent progress in synthetic strategies to fabricate metal-free heteroatom-doped carbon catalysts including single and multiple heteroatom-doped carbons and the catalytic applications of these fascinating materials in various organic transformations such as oxidation, hydrogenation, hydrochlorination, dehydrogenation, etc.

Recent advances in metal-free heteroatom-doped carbon heterogeneous catalysts including the preparation methods and their catalytic applications in various organic reactions have been reported.     

Application of Pauson–Khand reaction in the total synthesis of terpenes

The Pauson–Khand reaction (PKR) is a formal [2 + 2 + 1] cycloaddition involving an alkyne, an alkene and carbon monoxide mediated by a hexacarbonyldicobaltalkyne complex to yield cyclopentenones in a single step. This versatile reaction has become a method of choice for the synthesis of cyclopentenone and its derivatives since its discovery in the early seventies. The aim of this review is to point out the applications of PKR in the total synthesis of terpenes.

The Pauson–Khand reaction (PKR) is a formal [2 + 2 + 1] cycloaddition involving an alkyne, an alkene and carbon monoxide mediated by a hexacarbonyldicobaltalkyne complex to yield cyclopentenones in a single step.     

Unique and redundant roles of SOX2 and SOX17 in regulating the germ cell tumor fate

Embryonal carcinomas (ECs) and seminomas are testicular germ cell tumors. ECs display expression of SOX2, while seminomas display expression of SOX17. In somatic differentiation, SOX17 drives endodermal cell fate. However, seminomas lack expression of endoderm markers, but show features of pluripotency. Here, we use chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing to report and compare the binding pattern of SOX17 in seminoma-like TCam-2 cells to SOX17 in somatic cells and SOX2 in EC-like 2102EP cells. In seminoma-like cells, SOX17 was detected at canonical (SOX2/OCT4), compressed (SOX17/OCT4) and noncomposite SOX motifs. SOX17 regulates TFAP2C, PRDM1 and PRDM14, thereby maintaining latent pluripotency and suppressing somatic differentiation. In contrast, in somatic cells canonical motifs are rarely bound by SOX17. In sum, only 12% of SOX17-binding sites overlap in seminoma-like and somatic cells. This illustrates that binding site choice is highly dynamic and cell type specific. Deletion of SOX17 in seminoma-like cells resulted in loss of pluripotency, marked by a reduction of OCT4 protein level and loss of alkaline phosphatase activity. Furthermore, we found that in EC-like cells SOX2 regulates pluripotency-associated genes, most likely by partnering with OCT4. In conclusion, SOX17 (in seminomas) functionally replaces SOX2 (in ECs) to maintain expression of the pluripotency cluster.     

Submental-submandibular suction lipectomy: indications and surgical technique

The submental and submandibular regions play an essential role in the overall harmony of facial aesthetics. The appearance of the cervicomental area may be the result of many factors, including mandibular hypoplasia, localized lipodystrophy, a low-positioned hyoid bone, platysmal deformity, soft tissue laxity, or a combination of any of these. Although much attention has been directed toward correction of bony contour deformities of the mandible and chin, minimal emphasis has been placed on evaluation and correction of soft tissue disharmonies in the submental-submandibular areas. This article discusses the indications and contraindications, patient examination, surgical technique, and potential complications of suction-assisted lipectomy of the cervicomental region. Select cases are presented to illustrate the concepts and techniques discussed herein.