Ischemic Heart Disease in the Context of Different Comorbidities

Ischemic heart disease is a cardiovascular condition with very high prevalence worldwide and a major source of morbidity and mortality, especially in the geriatric population. The management of coronary artery disease is one that requires high-level expertise. The presence of comorbidities, usually multiple at advanced ages, makes the diagnosis and therapy very challenging. In this setting, the effort of a multidisciplinary team is urgently needed to achieve integrated management of these cases, being the only one capable of leading to the best results for the patient.The purpose of this reprint is to bring together the experience of specialists in treating ischemic heart disease in the presence of major related conditions that require particular modulations of diagnostic and therapeutic interventions. The chapters address difficult areas of interference between ischemic heart disease and frailty, cancer, liver diseases, inflammatory bowel disease and the new SARS-CoV-2 infection. Special consideration is granted to cardiac remodeling and progression to heart failure. Niche topics such as acute coronary syndromes triggered by carbon monoxide poisoning are present as well. The book also contains a particularly interesting chapter dedicated to the genetic substrate of ischemic heart disease, which once again emphasizes the need for a multidisciplinary team approach to this disease.We consider the reprint an excellent source of information for medical practitioners who have to solve complex cases of ischemic heart disease

In vitro expanded human CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells suppress effector T cell proliferation.

Regulatory T cells (Tregs) have been shown to be critical in the balance between autoimmunity and tolerance and have been implicated in several human autoimmune diseases. However, the small number of Tregs in peripheral blood limits their therapeutic potential. Therefore, we developed a protocol that would allow for the expansion of Tregs while retaining their suppressive activity. We isolated CD4+CD25 hi cells from human peripheral blood and expanded them in vitro in the presence of anti-CD3 and anti-CD28 magnetic Xcyte Dynabeads and high concentrations of exogenous Interleukin (IL)-2. Tregs were effectively expanded up to 200-fold while maintaining surface expression of CD25 and other markers of Tregs: CD62L, HLA-DR, CCR6, and FOXP3. The expanded Tregs suppressed proliferation and cytokine secretion of responder PBMCs in co-cultures stimulated with anti-CD3 or alloantigen. Treg expansion is a critical first step before consideration of Tregs as a therapeutic intervention in patients with autoimmune or graft-versus-host disease

Pharmacogenetics to Avoid Adverse Drug Reactions

Adverse drug reactions are one of the major constraints when using drugs. These adverse reactions can impact healthcare systems as strongly as many prevalent diseases. Identifying DNA variants associated with adverse drug reactions can help personalize medicine and sustain healthcare systems. This book delves into new advances in pharmacogenetics of cardiovascular, cancer, and nervous system drugs. It may be useful for clinicians and patients to understand the basics of pharmacogenetics

Endothelial Dysfunction: From Pathophysiology to Novel Therapeutic Approaches

Dear colleagues, This Special Issue, “Endothelial Dysfunction: From Pathophysiology to Novel Therapeutic Approaches”, focuses on the pathophysiology of endothelial dysfunction, new biomarkers for endothelial dysfunction related to cardiovascular disorders or tumors, and novel therapeutic approaches for endothelial dysfunctions. Vascular endothelium is an active tissue and plays a crucial role in the maintenance of vascular homeostasis. Chronic exposure to risk factors, such as hypertension, high cholesterolemia, or oxidative stress, induces endothelial dysfunctions and results in a loss of endothelial integrity, smooth muscle cell proliferation, and macrophage recruitment. The pathophysiology of endothelial dysfunction (ED) is complex and multi-factorial factors are involved, such as oxidative stress or chronic inflammation. The primary prevention of cardiovascular risk factors and endothelial dysfunctions, as well as the early detection of or molecular imaging techniques for endothelial dysfunction, helps to prevent the development of cardiovascular disorders. Novel therapeutic approaches or drug delivery systems for endothelial dysfunctions have had promising beneficial effects in preclinical or clinical levels by affecting the progression of atherosclerotic changes, tumor angiogenesis, and host–immune reactions near tumor environments

III Karyokinesis Symposium - Event Proceedings

Livro de resumos escritos e gráficos do evento III Karyokinesis Symposium - Science: work in progress!Abstract book of the III Karyokinesis Symposium - Science: work in progress. The premisse of the Karyokinesis Symposium is to provide the opportunity for knowledge involving cell, molecular and development biology to be shared and multiplied. The event was held by graduate students from the Programa de Pós Graduação em Biologia Celular e do Desenvolvimento da Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina. The 123 approved abstracts are included in this bookRecursos próprio

New Advances on Zika Virus Research

Zika virus (ZIKV) is a mosquito-borne member of the Flaviviridae family that historically has been associated with mild febrile illness. However, the recent outbreaks in Brazil in 2015 and its rapid spread throughout South and Central America and the Caribbean, together with its association with severe neurological disorders—including fetal microcephaly and Guillain-Barré syndrome in adults—have changed the historic perspective of ZIKV. Currently, ZIKV is considered an important public health concern that has the potential to affect millions of people worldwide. The significance of ZIKV in human health and the lack of approved vaccines and/or antiviral drugs to combat ZIKV infection have triggered a global effort to develop effective countermeasures to prevent and/or treat ZIKV infection. In this Special Issue of Viruses, we have assembled a collection of 32 research and review articles that cover the more recent advances on ZIKV molecular biology, replication and transmission, virus–host interactions, pathogenesis, epidemiology, vaccine development, antivirals, and viral diagnosis

Frameshift mutations at the C-terminus of HIST1H1E result in a specific DNA hypomethylation signature

BACKGROUND: We previously associated HIST1H1E mutations causing Rahman syndrome with a specific genome-wide methylation pattern. RESULTS: Methylome analysis from peripheral blood samples of six affected subjects led us to identify a specific hypomethylated profile. This "episignature" was enriched for genes involved in neuronal system development and function. A computational classifier yielded full sensitivity and specificity in detecting subjects with Rahman syndrome. Applying this model to a cohort of undiagnosed probands allowed us to reach diagnosis in one subject. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrate an epigenetic signature in subjects with Rahman syndrome that can be used to reach molecular diagnosis