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Abstract: Background: The IL‐13 receptor α2 (IL‐13Rα2) is a receptor for IL‐13 which has conflicting roles in mediating IL‐13 responses in the lower airway, with little known about its impact on upper airway diseases. We sought to investigate the expression of IL‐13 receptors, IL‐13Rα1 and IL‐13Rα2, in chronically inflamed nasal epithelium, and explore IL‐13‐induced signaling pathways in an in vitro model of human nasal epithelial cells (hNECs). Methods: The protein and mRNA expression levels of IL‐13 and its receptors in nasal biopsies of patients with nasal polyps (NP) and healthy controls were evaluated. We investigated goblet cell stimulation with mucus hypersecretion induced by IL‐13 (10 ng/mL, 72 hours) treatment in hNECs using a pseudostratified epithelium in air‐liquid interface (ALI) culture. Results: There were significant increases in IL‐13, IL‐13Rα1, and IL‐13Rα2 mRNA and protein levels in NP epithelium with healthy controls as baseline. MUC5AC mRNA positively correlated with IL‐13Rα2 (r = .5886, P = .002) but not with IL‐13Rα1 in primary hNECs. IL‐13 treatment resulted in a significant increase in mRNA and protein levels of IL‐13Rα2 only in hNECs. IL‐13 treatment induced an activation of extracellular signal‐regulated kinases (ERK)1/2 and an upregulation of C‐JUN, where the IL‐13‐induced effects on hNECs could be attenuated by ERK1/2 inhibitor (50 μmol/L) or dexamethasone (10−4‐10−7 mol/L) treatment. Conclusions: IL‐13Rα2 has a potential role in IL‐13‐induced MUC5AC and ciliary changes through ERK1/2 signal pathway in the nasal epithelium. IL‐13Rα2 may contribute to airway inflammation and aberrant remodeling which are the main pathological features of CRSwNP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objective Periodontal ligament (PDL) cells in stationary two-dimensional culture systems are in a double default state. Our aim therefore was to engineer and characterize three-dimensional constructs, by seeding PDL cells into hyaluronan-gelatin hydrogel films (80-100 μm) in a format capable of being mechanically deformed. Material and Methods Human PDL constructs were cultured with and without connective tissue growth factor ( CTGF) and fibroblast growth factor ( FGF)-2 in (i) stationary cultures, and (ii) mechanically active cultures subjected to cyclic strains of 12% at 0.2 Hz each min, 6 h/d, in a Flexercell FX-4000 Strain Unit. The following parameters were measured: cell number and viability by laser scanning confocal microscopy; cell proliferation with the MTS assay; the expression of a panel of 18 genes using real-time RT- PCR; matrix metalloproteinases ( MMPs) 1-3, TIMP-1, CTGF and FGF-2 protein levels in supernatants from mechanically activated cultures with Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Constructs from stationary cultures were also examined by scanning electron microscopy and immunostained for actin and vinculin. Results Although initially randomly distributed, the cells became organized into a bilayer by day 7; apoptotic cells remained constant at approximately 5% of the total. CTGF/ FGF-2 stimulated cell proliferation in stationary cultures, but relative quantity values suggested modest effects on gene expression. Two transcription factors ( RUNX2 and PPARG), two collagens ( COL1A1, COL3A1), four MMPs ( MMP-1-3, TIMP-1), TGFB1, RANKL, OPG and P4 HB were detected by gel electrophoresis and Ct values < 35. In mechanically active cultures, with the exception of P4 HB, TGFB1 and RANKL, each was upregulated at some point in the time scale, as was the synthesis of MMPs and TIMP-1. SOX9, MYOD, SP7, BMP2, BGLAP or COL2A1 were not detected in either stationary or mechanically active cultures. Conclusion Three-dimensional tissue constructs provide additional complexity to monolayer culture systems, and suggest some of the assumptions regarding cell growth, differentiation and matrix turnover based on two-dimensional cultures may not apply to cells in three-dimensional matrices. Primarily developed as a transitional in vitro model for studying cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions in tooth support, the system is also suitable for investigating the pathogenesis of periodontal diseases, and importantly from the clinical point of view, in a mechanically active environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) were developed for the detection of Ig G, Ig G4 and Ig E antibodies against Strongyloides stercoralis. A commercial ELISA ( IVD Research, USA) was also used, and the sensitivities and specificities of the four assays were determined. Serum samples from 26 patients with S. stercoralis infection and 55 patients with other infections or no infection were analysed. Sensitivities of the Ig G4, Ig G, Ig E and Ig G ( IVD) assays were 76·9%, 84·6%, 7·7% and 84·6%, respectively, while the specificities were 92·7%, 81·8%, 100% and 83·6%, respectively. If filariasis samples were excluded, the specificities of the Ig G4- ELISA and both Ig G- ELISAs increased to 100% and 98%, respectively. A significant positive correlation was observed between Ig G- and Ig G4- ELISAs ( r = 0·4828; P = 0·0125). Ig G- and Ig G- ( IVD) ELISAs ( r = 0·309) were positively correlated, but was not significant ( P = 0·124). Meanwhile there was no correlation between Ig G4- and Ig G- ( IVD) ELISAs ( r = 0·0042; P = 0·8294). Sera from brugian filariasis patients showed weak, positive correlation between the titres of antifilarial IgG4 and the optical densities of anti- Strongyloides Ig G4- ELISA ( r = 0·4544, P = 0·0294). In conclusion, the detection of both anti- Strongyloides Ig G4 and Ig G antibodies could improve the serodiagnosis of human strongyloidiasis. Furthermore, patients from lymphatic filariasis endemic areas who are serologically diagnosed with strongyloidiasis should also be tested for filariasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Chronic hepatitis B patients ( CHB) treated with adefovir were followed up to evaluate nephrotoxicity and its outcome. Aim To assess the incidence of renal dysfunction during adefovir therapy in Asian patients and factors associated with it, and evaluate strategies to improve adefovir-related renal dysfunction and their impact on viral suppression. Methods Chronic hepatitis B clinic patients from a tertiary hospital on adefovir treatment, with their clinical and laboratory parameters were extracted from the hospital electronic clinical database in an observational study design. Patients were excluded if they had liver/renal transplant, baseline renal impairment or were on dialysis. Adefovir-related renal dysfunction was defined as adefovir-related abnormal serum creatinine (ARASC) > 125 μmol/L (males), >90 μmol/L (females); adefovir-related abnormal GFR <60 mL/min; and adefovir-related increased serum creatinine >0.5 mg/dL, without other known causes of nephrotoxicity. Results A total of 271/383 adefovir-treated patients were suitable for analysis and 33(12%) patients developed abnormal serum creatinine. Cumulative increase in proportion of patients with ARASC was 33.8% and GFR ≤60 mL/min was 38.3% by 6 years, while serum creatinine increase ≥0.5 mg/dL was 21.48% by 5 years. Using multivariate analysis, the only independent baseline predictor of ARASC was GFR ≤76.1 mL/min. Patients who had ARASC had similar levels of viral suppression to those who did not have ARASC. Those who had ARASC either continued adefovir (24%), switched therapy (24%) or had adefovir dose reduction (52%). ARASC resolved and GFR normalised in almost all patients after either switching therapy or reducing adefovir dose, with no difference between the two strategies ( P = 0.737). Those with adefovir dose reduction had no significant increase in HBV DNA ( P = 0.170). Conclusions Adefovir-related renal dysfunction occurred in a significant number of adefovir-treated patients, but reduction of the dose led to renal improvement without compromising treatment efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and purpose Deep brain stimulation ( DBS) for Parkinson disease ( PD) has traditionally been reserved for the late stages of the disease. There is evidence that DBS is also effective if applied earlier in the disease course. Changes in the frequency of DBS procedures in the UK over a 15-year period were investigated. Methods A retrospective review was performed of patient age and disease duration for DBS surgery for PD in UK neurosurgical units from 1997 to 2012 using departmental databases. Results The number of DBS procedures in the UK increased from three in 1997 to over 80 per year during this period. The mean age at the time of surgery (60 years) and the mean duration of PD at the time of DBS (11 years) remained unchanged over 15 years. Conclusions The age and disease duration at which DBS is performed for PD in the UK has been static over a 15-year period and DBS appears to remain a therapy for PD applied late in its course. This may change in the light of clinical evidence suggesting a benefit for earlier DBS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines the incidence of louping ill in llamas in Hebrides, Scotland. Clinical manifestation of viral meningoencephalitis of sheep; Outcome of the histopathological examination of haematoxylin and eosin-stained sections of the brain; Differential diagnosis for acute neurological conditions encountered in the species.

During self-excited oscillation, the effects of downstream head, resistance and inertia on the amplitude and frequency of the tube outlet pressure and flow have been studied experimentally. Different sets of resistance and head combinations could be arranged to achieve identical mean pressure–flow condition, but the unsteady pressure and flow waveforms were found to be different. In a conventional experimental set-up, the direct effect of downstream resistance could be inadvertently complicated by the indirect ones, which were caused by the associated variations of mean pressure and flow on the downstream head. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Retinal changes are common in adult acute leukaemia patients at presentation, but whether they correlate with the risk of subsequent intracranial haemorrhage is unknown. A 4-year study has been carried out in 82 newly-diagnosed acute leukaemia patients, aged 12-77 years, who were studied prospectively for the presence of intra-retinal haemorrhages (IRH), white-centred haemorrhages (WCH), cotton-wool spots (CWS) and macular haemorrhages (MH). Groups with and without these features were compared for their risk of intra-cranial haemorrhage (ICH) within the first 30 d following diagnosis. There was no association between the incidence of ICH and the presence of IRH, WCH or CWS. However, 6/13 of those with MH developed ICH, compared to 6/69 of those without MH (relative risk 5.0, CI 95% [2.03-12.33], P=0.003). The only other identifiable risk factor for ICH was the M3 subtype of AML, but if the four cases of M3-AML were discounted from analysis, MH remained a highly significant risk factor for ICH. Patients with MH should be monitored intensively for the development of ICH, and receive priority in the allocation of platelets where these are in short supply.