Mast Cells and Basophils: A Potential Link in Promoting Angiogenesis during Allergic Inflammation

Mast cells and basophils are granulated metachromatic cells which possess complex and partially overlapping roles in acquired and innate immunity, including both effector and regulatory activities. Mast cells and basophils cooperate in exacerbating and/or modulating inflammation as well as in mediating subsequent tissue repair. Mast cells release a series of potent proangiogenic molecules during inflammation that stimulate vessel sprouting and new vessel formation. Recent data suggest that basophils may also play a role in inflammation-related angiogenesis, principally but not exclusively through the expression of several forms of vascular endothelial growth factors and their receptors. This review focuses on the potential cooperative link between mast cells and basophils in promoting angiogenesis during allergic inflammation. We discuss the multifaceted roles of mast cells and basophils in inflammatory mechanisms of allergic diseases and whether these cells can be both source and target of proangiogenic mediators

Patologías mandibulares en dos esqueletos de la Edad Media

X Congreso Nacional de Paleopatología. Univesidad Autónoma de Madrid, septiembre de 200

More on professionals' attitudes on blood-tinged milk: a survey from Italy

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Upward displacement of the odontoid process into the foramen magnum: a palaeopathological case

An upward displacement of the odontoid process into the foramen magnum was observed in the skeletal remains of a young male unearthed from a 14th to 17th century cemetery in the north-eastern Italy. Examination of skull bone vestiges and computed tomography scan analysis of the axis exhibited a clear-cut contact zone between the odontoid process and the anterior border of the foramen magnum. In addition, the odontoid process appeared backward deviated. Findings suggest a possible diagnosis of basilar impression/invagination. This anomalous contact may cause compression of neural and vascular structures with a multifaceted series of clinical symptoms. We are unable to set our finding into a complete presumptive diagnostic outline because there is no chance to estimate either the magnitude of the whole craniovertebral junction defect but we believe that the present case contributes to the general knowledge of the craniovertebral region and to bone pathology in ancient times

Capitate-trapezoid synostosis: analysis of an Early Bronze Age case and review of the literature

Background: Carpal synostoses are congenital defects characterised by complete or incomplete coalition of two or more carpal bones. Although most of these defects are discovered only incidentally, sometimes they become clinically manifest. Among the different types of carpal coalition, the synostosis between capitate and trapezoid bones is quite rare, with only sparse data available in the literature. The aim of this report was to describe a case of capitate-trapezoid synostosis (CTS) observed in an ancient human skeleton, as well as to scrutinise the pertinent literature in order to assess for the characteristics of this type of defect, including its potential relevance to clinical practice. Materials and methods: We studied the skeletal remains of an Early Bronze Age male warrior affected by incomplete CTS. Macroscopic and radiological examination of the defect was carried out. We also performed a comprehensive PubMed search in the Medline and other specialty literature databases to retrieve and analyse data relevant to the subject under consideration. Results and Conclusions: The present case is the most ancient CTS ever found. In those literature-reported cases accompanied by careful anatomical description, such as the present one, incomplete coalition invariably occurs between the dorsal surfaces of the two bones, this characteristic emerging as a distinctive morphological trait. Literature analysis further suggests that the true prevalence of CTS is likely to be higher than estimates based on data gathered from radiology series, and that this defect may be associated with pain and carpal bossing more frequently than generally though

Differential expression of mitogen activating protein kinases in periodontitis

Aim Following toll‐like receptor ( TLR ) engagement, lipopolysaccharide ( LPS ) can stimulate the expression of pro‐inflammatory cytokines thus activating the innate immune response. The production of inflammatory cytokines results, in part, from the activation of kinase‐induced signalling cascades and transcriptional factors. Of the four distinct classes of mitogen‐activated protein kinases ( MAPK ) described in mammals, p38, c‐Jun N‐terminal activated kinases ( JNK 1‐3) and extracellular activated kinases ( ERK 1,2) are the best studied. Previous data have established that p38 MAPK signalling is required for inflammation and bone loss in periodontal disease pre‐clinical animal models. Materials & Methods In this study, we obtained healthy and diseased periodontal tissues along with clinical parameters and microbiological parameters. Excised fixed tissues were immunostained with total and phospho‐specific antibodies against p38, JNK and ERK kinases. Results Intensity scoring from immunostained tissues was correlated with clinical periodontal parameters. Rank correlations with clinical indices were statistically significantly positive ( p ‐value < 0.05) for total p38 (correlations ranging 0.49–0.68), phospho‐p38 (range 0.44–0.56), and total ERK (range 0.52–0.59) levels, and correlations with JNK levels also supported association (range 0.42–0.59). Phospho‐ JNK and phospho‐ ERK showed no significant positive correlation with clinical parameters of disease. Conclusion These data strongly implicate p38 MAPK as a major MAPK involved in human periodontal inflammation and severity.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/98997/1/jcpe12123.pd

Case Report: Could topical epidermal growth factor be considered a new therapy for skin injuries in premature infants?

In this case report, we present the experience of a premature neonate born at 28 weeks of gestation who, following prolonged respiratory support, developed a pressure injury on the columella despite the implementation of all appropriate preventive techniques. This injury did not improve with standard therapies; therefore, it was necessary to apply a topical galenic therapy containing epidermal growth factor, resulting in complete healing of the lesion

The first Italian COVID-19 lockdown reduced births and voluntary terminations by just under a fifth

No abstract available

Repeated delivery of chlorhexidine chips for the treatment of periimplantitis: A multicenter, randomized, comparative clinical trial.

"This is the peer reviewed version of the following article:Machtei, EE, Romanos, G, Kang, P, et al. Repeated delivery of chlorhexidine chips for the treatment of periimplantitis: A multicenter, randomized, comparative clinical trial. J Periodontol. 2020; 1– 10. https://doi.org/10.1002/JPER.20-0353 which has been published in final form at doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/JPER.20-0353 . This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Use of Self-Archived Versions."BACKGROUND: Periimplantitis is a challenging condition to manage and is frequently treated using non-surgical debridement. The local delivery of antimicrobial agents has demonstrated benefit in mild to moderate cases of periimplantitis. This study compared the safety and efficacy of Chlorhexidine gluconate 2.5 mg chip (CHX chips) as an adjunctive treatment to sub-gingival debridement in patients afflicted with periimplantitis. METHODS: A multi-center, randomized, single-blind, two-arm, parallel Phase-3 study was conducted. Periimplantitis patients with implant pocket depths (IPD) of 5-8 mm underwent sub-gingival implant surface debridement followed by repeated bi-weekly supra-gingival plaque removal and Chlorhexidine chips application (ChxC group) for 12 weeks, or similar therapy but without application of ChxC (control group). All patients were followed for 24 weeks. Plaque and gingival indices were measured at every visit while IPD, recession and bleeding on probing were assessed at 8,12,16,24 week. RESULTS: 290 patients were included: 146 in the ChxC group and 144 in the control. At 24 weeks, a significant reduction in IPD (p = 0.01) was measured in the ChxC group (1.76 ± 1.13 mm) compared to the control group (1.54 ± 1.13 mm). IPD reduction of ≥2 mm was found in 59% and 47.2% of the implants in the ChxC and control groups, respectively (p = 0.03). Changes in gingival recession (0.29 ± 0.68 mm vs. 0.15 ± 0.55 mm, p = 0.015) and relative attachment gain (1.47 ± 1.32 mm and 1.39 ± 1.27 mm, p = 0.0017) were significantly larger in the ChxC group. Patients in the ChxC group that were <65 years exhibited significantly better responses (p<0.02); likewise, non-smokers had similarly better response (p <0.02). Both protocols were well tolerated, and no severe treatment-related adverse events were recorded throughout the study. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with periimplantitis that were treated with an intensive treatment protocol of bi-weekly supra-gingival plaque removal and local application of Chlorhexidine chips had greater mean IPD reduction and greater percentile of sites with IPD reduction of ≥2 mm. as compared to bi-weekly supra-gingival plaque removal. (Clinicaltrials.gov NCT02080403). This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved

Freshening of the Mediterranean Salt Giant: controversies and certainties around the terminal (Upper Gypsum and Lago-Mare) phases of the Messinian Salinity Crisis

The late Miocene evolution of the Mediterranean Basin is characterized by major changes in connectivity, climate and tectonic activity resulting in unprecedented environmental and ecological disruptions. During the Messinian Salinity Crisis (MSC, 5.97-5.33 Ma) this culminated in most scenarios first in the precipitation of gypsum around the Mediterranean margins (Stage 1, 5.97-5.60 Ma) and subsequently &gt; 2 km of halite on the basin floor, which formed the so-called Mediterranean Salt Giant (Stage 2, 5.60-5.55 Ma). The final MSC Stage 3, however, was characterized by a "low-salinity crisis", when a second calcium-sulfate unit (Upper Gypsum; substage 3.1, 5.55-5.42 Ma) showing (bio)geochemical evidence of substantial brine dilution and brackish biota-bearing terrigenous sediments (substage 3.2 or Lago-Mare phase, 5.42-5.33 Ma) deposited in a Mediterranean that received relatively large amounts of riverine and Paratethys-derived low-salinity waters. The transition from hypersaline evaporitic (halite) to brackish facies implies a major change in the Mediterranean’s hydrological regime. However, even after nearly 50 years of research, causes and modalities are poorly understood and the original scientific debate between a largely isolated and (partly) desiccated Mediterranean or a fully connected and filled basin is still vibrant. Here we present a comprehensive overview that brings together (chrono)stratigraphic, sedimentological, paleontological, geochemical and seismic data from all over the Mediterranean. We summarize the paleoenvironmental, paleohydrological and paleoconnectivity scenarios that arose from this cross-disciplinary dataset and we discuss arguments in favour of and against each scenario