Brain conditioning is instrumental for successful microglia reconstitution following hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

The recent hypothesis that postnatal microglia are maintained independently of circulating monocytes by local precursors that colonize the brain before birth has relevant implications for the treatment of various neurological diseases, including lysosomal storage disorders (LSDs), for which hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) is applied to repopulate the recipient myeloid compartment, including microglia, with cells expressing the defective functional hydrolase. By studying wild-type and LSD mice at diverse time-points after HCT, we showed the occurrence of a short-term wave of brain infiltration by a fraction of the transplanted hematopoietic progenitors, independently from the administration of a preparatory regimen and from the presence of a disease state in the brain. However, only the use of a conditioning regimen capable of ablating functionally defined brain-resident myeloid precursors allowed turnover of microglia with the donor, mediated by local proliferation of early immigrants rather than entrance of mature cells from the circulation.     

Diagonal ear lobe crease and atherosclerosis: a review of the medical literature and dental implications

In Spain a significant number of individuals die from atherosclerotic disease of the coronary and carotid arteries without having classic risk factors and prodomal symptoms. The diagonal ear lobe crease (DELC) has been characterized in the medical literature as a surrogate marker which can identify high risk patients having occult atherosclerosis. This topic however has not been examined in either the medical or dental literature emanating from Spain. The majority of clinical, angiography and postmortem reports support the premise that DELC is a valuable extravascular physical sign able to distinguish some patients at risk of succumbing to atherosclerosis of the coronary arteries. A minority of studies have however failed to support this hypothesis. More recently reports using B mode ultrasound have also linked DELC to atherosclerosis of the carotid artery and another report has related DELC to the presence of calcified carotid artery atheromas on panoramic radiographs. DELC is readily visible during head and neck cancer screening examinations. In conjunction with the patient's medical history, vital signs, and panoramic radiograph, the DELC may assist in atherosclerotic risk.