Fecal occult blood and fecal calprotectin as point-of-care markers of intestinal morbidity in Ugandan children with Schistosoma mansoni infection.

BACKGROUND: Calprotectin is a calcium-binding cytoplasmic protein found in neutrophils and increasingly used as a marker of bowel inflammation. Fecal occult blood (FOB) is also a dependable indicator of bowel morbidity. The objective of our study was to determine the applicability of these tests as surrogate markers of Schistosoma mansoni intestinal morbidity before and after treatment with praziquantel (PZQ). METHODS: 216 children (ages 3-9 years old) from Buliisa District in Lake Albert, Uganda were examined and treated with PZQ at baseline in October 2012 with 211 of them re-examined 24 days later for S. mansoni and other soil transmitted helminths (STH). POC calprotectin and FOB assays were performed at both time points on a subset of children. Associations between the test results and infection were analysed by logistic regression. RESULTS: Fecal calprotectin concentrations of 150-300 µg/g were associated with S. mansoni egg patent infection both at baseline and follow up (OR: 12.5 P = 0.05; OR: 6.8 P = 0.02). FOB had a very strong association with baseline anemia (OR: 9.2 P = 0.03) and medium and high egg intensity schistosomiasis at follow up (OR: 6.6 P = 0.03; OR: 51.3 P = 0.003). Both tests were strongly associated with heavy intensity S. mansoni infections. There was a significant decrease in FOB and calprotectin test positivity after PZQ treatment in those children who had egg patent schistosomiasis at baseline. CONCLUSIONS: Both FOB and calprotectin rapid assays were found to correlate positively and strongly with egg patent S. mansoni infection with a positive ameloriation response after PZQ treatment indicative of short term reversion of morbidity. Both tests were appropriate for use in the field with excellent operational performance and reliability. Due to its lower-cost which makes its scale-up of use affordable, FOB could be immediately adopted as a monitoring tool for PC campaigns for efficacy evaluation before and after treatment

Matrix Metalloproteinases in Cytotoxic Lymphocytes Impact on Tumour Infiltration and Immunomodulation

To efficiently combat solid tumours, endogenously or adoptively transferred cytotoxic T cells and natural killer (NK) cells, need to leave the vasculature, traverse the interstitium and ultimately infiltrate the tumour mass. During this locomotion and migration in the three dimensional environment many obstacles need to be overcome, one of which is the possible impediment of the extracellular matrix. The first and obvious one is the sub-endothelial basement membrane but the infiltrating cells will also meet other, both loose and tight, matrix structures that need to be overridden. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are believed to be one of the most important endoprotease families, with more than 25 members, which together have function on all known matrix components. This review summarizes what is known on synthesis, expression patterns and regulation of MMPs in cytotoxic lymphocytes and their possible role in the process of tumour infiltration. We also discuss different functions of MMPs as well as the possible use of other lymphocyte proteases for matrix degradation

Закономерности формирования наплывов при трении в монокристаллах меди

Researches under friction of copper single crystals, the data show that the formation influx in friction depends on the crystallographic orientation of the single crystals

Nail Alterations in Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma: A Case Series and Review of Nail Manifestations

BACKGROUND: Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) encompasses a broad range of lymphoproliferative diseases affecting the skin and can be clinically misleading due to its variable presentation. Nail alterations commonly appear in advanced-stage mycosis fungoides and true Sézary syndrome; however, they may be present in any stage of the disease. Although proper recognition of nail involvement in CTCL has both clinical and therapeutic value, specific nail findings have been infrequently described in the current literature. OBSERVATIONS: We describe 4 patients with CTCL who presented with clinically significant nail alterations. The most common findings were nail discoloration, thickening, crumbling, onycholysis, and onychomadesis. Other notable findings included splinter hemorrhages, subungual hyperkeratosis, and anonychia. CONCLUSIONS AND MESSAGE: The described cases illustrate many of the documented nail findings associated with CTCL and emphasize the variable nature of nail manifestations. The presence of specific nail alterations should increase the clinical suspicion of CTCL – especially in patients with concomitant systemic and/or cutaneous manifestations – and early biopsy specimens should be taken for diagnosis. Nail alterations should also be accurately described and monitored in all patients with biopsy-confirmed CTCL to help identify treatment response and detect disease recurrence