NK and NKT-like cells in granulomatous and fibrotic lung diseases

Clinical and Experimental Medicine - Background The pathogenetic and regulatory roles of natural killer (NK) and natural killer T-like cells in interstitial lung diseases (ILDs), fibrotic and...     

Neuroendocrine carcinoma arising within a retroperitoneal mature teratoma

We discuss an unusual case of a large cystic mass arising in the left upper quadrant of a 48-year-old woman. Radiological investigations could not confirm the origin or the nature of the mass. A laparatomy revealed a large retroperitoneal cystic mass sandwiched between the left adrenal, spleen and the gastro-oesophageal junction. Histological analysis confirmed a mature teratoma of the retroperitoneum with neuroendocrine carcinoma arising within it. To our knowledge this is only the second reported case of its kind.     

Does a biological link exist between periodontitis and rheumatoid arthritis?

Periodontitis or Periodontal disease(PD) and Rheumatoid arthritis(RA) are two the most common chronic inflammatory diseases. Periodontitis is a biofilm associated destructive inflammatory disease of the periodontium caused by specific microorganisms. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune condition and is identified by elevated serum autoantibody titre directed against citrullinated peptides or rheumatoid factor. Periodontitis may involve some elements of autoimmunity. Recent studies have established that PD and RA show a common pathway and could be closely associated through a common dysregulation and dysfunction in inflammatory mechanism. The enzyme peptidyl arginine deiminase(PAD), expressed by Porphyromonas gingivalis(P. gingivalis) is responsible for the enzymatic deimination of arginine residuals to citrulline resulting in protein citrullination and its increased accumulation in RA.Citrullination by PAD may act as a putative biologic link between PD and RA. Association of Human leukocytic antigen-DR4 antigen has been established both with RA and PD. Several interleukins and inflammatory mediators(ILs) and Nuclear factor kappa beta ligand are linked to these common chronic inflammatory diseases. Antibodies directed against heat shock protein(hsp 70 ab) of P. gingivalis, P. melanogenicus and P. intermedia are raised in PD as well as RA. Both the conditions share many pathological and immunological similarities. Bacterial infection, genetic susceptibility, altered immune reaction and inflammatory mediators considered responsible for RA are also associated with PD. So it is plausible that a biological link may exist between PD and RA. Therapies aimed at modifying the expression and effect of inflammatory mediators and effector molecules such as matrix metalloproteinases, proinflammatory cytokines and autoantibodies of structural proteins may probably reduce the severity of both RA and PD.     

国际脊髓损伤脊柱损伤基础数据集

收集脊柱损伤的信息对于脊髓损伤患者的诊断和治疗非常重要,设立脊髓损伤患者脊柱损伤基础数据集是为了规范脊柱损伤相关信息的收集方式和报告内容,学习并使用国际脊髓损伤脊柱损伤基础数据集,有助于规范和统一我国脊髓损伤患者脊柱损伤信息的收集,为相关治疗提供依据。本文将介绍国际脊髓损伤脊柱损伤基础数据集的研发过程,数据元素的内容以及数据编码的应用实例。