Inter-Observer and Intra-Observer Variations in the Assessment of Epithelial Dysplasia in Oral Lichenoid Diseases.

Oral lichen planus (OLP) and oral lichenoid lesions (OLL) can both present with histological dysplasia. Despite the presence of WHO-defined criteria for the evaluation of epithelial dysplasia, its assessment is frequently subjective (inter-observer variability). The lack of reproducibility in the evaluation of dysplasia is even more complex in the presence of a lichenoid inflammation. We evaluated dysplasia in 112 oral biopsies with lichenoid inflammation in order to study the inter-observer and the intra-observer variability

Effect of Casein-Based Edible Coats Embodying Sorbic and Ascorbic Acids on the organoleptic, Physicochemical and Microbiological Quality of Frozen Beef Kofta

Edible coats derived from a natural animal source and conveying natural active compounds to meat products may be the golden solution that sums up various preserving benefits. In this study, the main goal was to ascertain whether casein coat and casein coat enhanced with 1000 ppm Sorbic acid and 600 ppm ascorbic acid may be utilized to increase the acceptability of frozen beef kofta. In addition to the control trial, two coats were compared: a plain casein coat and a casein coat enhanced with 1000 ppm Sorbic acid and 600 ppm ascorbic acid. Organoleptic, bacteriological, proximate chemical analysis, pH, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances ("TBARS"), cooking characteristics, and instrumental colour evaluations were examined for each kofta treatment during three months of storage at -18°C. Results revealed that casein coats were able to boost several sensory attributes of raw and cooked kofta in addition to the overall acceptability of the raw product. Moreover, coats significantly decreased all tested bacterial counts and thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) values in addition to maintaining compositional parameters from deteriorating during the storage period. As for cooking characteristics, they were all improved by applying casein coats when compared to the control. Casein coated with acid surpassed the plain casein coats in improving all parameters in addition to having the best colour scores for all three months of storage. It has been concluded that casein coats can be utilized to improve the quality of beef kofta without colour or flavour problems

Controllable bioeffects of laser -generated intracellular microbubbles.

Laser-induced optical breakdown (LIOB) is a nonlinear energy absorption process that can generate precise damage in biological tissues. With femtosecond laser pulses, disruption is highly localized with minimal thermal and mechanical effects to the surrounding region. Cavitation bubbles are produced as a result of LIOB, and these bubbles can be detected and monitored with high-frequency ultrasound. In this work, the controllable viability effects of LIOB bubbles in single cells were characterized. Using a high-frequency acoustic transducer synchronized with a 793 nm, 100 fs laser pulsed at 250 kHz, thermal effects in the vicinity of an LIOB event were directly assessed. Temperaturedependent pulse-echo displacements were calculated using phase-sensitive correlation tracking and fit to a finite-element heat transfer model to estimate thermal distribution. Results indicate a minimal temperature increase (in vitro, and LIOB was detected with both optical and acoustic microscopy. A long-term proliferation assay was also performed using green-fluorescent MCA207 mouse sarcoma cells targeted for LIOB. This assay confirmed that nondestructive bubbles did not affect target cell proliferation over several generations, and that destructive bubbles could indeed eliminate target cells and prevent further proliferation with no effect on immediately neighboring cells. These studies help to outline future applications for site-activated, acoustically monitored intracellular microbubbles. Nondestructive bubbles can potentially be used for functional cell measurements without introducing exogenous agents or affecting subsequent cell proliferation, and destructive bubbles can be used for highly precise biologically-targeted cancer cell therapy with real-time acoustic validation.Ph.D.Applied SciencesBiological SciencesBiomedical engineeringCellular biologyOpticsPure SciencesUniversity of Michigan, Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studieshttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/125943/2/3224801.pd

The evaluation of IL-4 VNTR intron 3 and TNF-α (rs1799964) gene polymorphisms in Egyptian patients with alopecia areata: a case–control study

Abstract Background Alopecia areata (AA) is a non-scarring hair loss condition that usually affects the scalp. The exact pathogenesis is poorly understood; however, multiple factors like genetics, environmental, psychological, and immunological factors may have a role. The purpose of this study was to look into possible links between the functional interleukin-4 (IL-4) gene intron 3 variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) and TNF-(rs1799964) gene polymorphism and AA susceptibility. This case–control study consisted of 79 unrelated patients and 156 age- and sex-matched healthy individuals as a control group. The Severity of Alopecia Tool was used to assess the extent of hair loss from the scalp. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with specific primers was used to determine IL-4 gene 70-bp VNTR polymorphism while polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR–RFLP) was used to investigate TNF-α (rs1799964) gene polymorphism. Results None of the selected polymorphisms for both genotypes and alleles had statistical significance when patients and controls were compared with each other (p-values for IL-4 VNTR were 0.11, 0.74, 0.052 and 0.27 and for TNF-α polymorphism was 0.71, 0.43, 0.65 and 0.55, respectively, for codominant, dominant, recessive and overdominant models of inheritance, respectively). Furthermore, the same results were retrieved when the genotypes were compared with the patient’s clinical and demographic data (p-value > 0.05). Conclusion The findings indicate that IL-4 VNTR intron 3 and TNF-α (rs1799964) gene polymorphisms are not linked to the development of AA in the Egyptian population

TLR4 gene polymorphisms in Egyptian vitiligo patients: insights into emerging association with clinical activity, family history, and response to therapy

Abstract Background Vitiligo is a common pigmentary disorder in which autoimmunity has been suggested to play an important role. Toll-like receptor (TLR) family are recognized different molecular structures expressed on immune cells and have been implicated in a number of autoimmune diseases (AIDs) such as vitiligo. The purpose of this study was to investigate the possible association between TLR4 gene polymorphisms: rs11536858, rs1927911, rs1927914 in Egyptian vitiligo patients and their clinical data, their response to therapy. Using PCR-RFLP for TLR4 gene polymorphisms (rs11536858, rs1927911, and rs1927914), both alleles and genotypes were determined after extraction of DNA in a case-control study of 100 vitiligo Egyptian patients and 100 matched age and sex controls. Results The distribution of the protective CT genotype of rs1927914 was higher in the control group. After dividing both patients and controls into 2 age groups (below 18 and above 18 years), no significant associations between the genotypes of the selected TLR4 SNPs and the demographic and clinical data of the vitiligo patients in group 1 (below 18 years) were observed. For group 2 (above 18 years), also no significant associations were found except for the association between the CC genotype of rs1927914 and psychiatric trauma, from one side, and between the CT genotype of rs1927911 and alopecia, from the other side. The association between combined genotypes and the risk of vitiligo showed either higher frequency in patients (risky), or controls (protective), and some equal frequencies (non-significant). The association between haplotypes and risk of vitiligo in patients’ group revealed the highest frequency for the risky ATT and the least frequency for ATC haplotypes. In control group, the protective GCT haplotype showed the highest frequency while the GTC and GCC showed the least frequency. No significant correlations of haplotypes with clinical and demographic data of selected patients’ group were observed apart from that between ACC haplotype and family history of AIDs and between ATT haplotype and remission after phototherapy. Conclusions The significant relationship between TLR4 gene polymorphisms and vitiligo patients charcteristics clarify the role of innate immunity in pathogensis of vitiligo and its effect on the used therapies

Paucity of forkhead box protein 3+ regulatory T-cells in psoriatic skin compared to other inflammatory dermatoses

Introduction: Forkhead box protein 3 (Foxp3+) regulatory T-cells (Treg cells) are essential to maintain balance between pro- and anti-inflammatory responses. They play a role in maintaining homeostasis by locally suppressing other skin-resident T-cells thus protecting against autoimmune reactions. Thus, they have been the focus of authors' attention in skin T-cell-mediated diseases in the last decade. The Foxp3 gene encodes a transcription factor thought to be important for the function of Treg cells and represents a reliable marker. Contradictory results have been reported in literature about Treg cell densities in the skin of different inflammatory dermatoses including psoriasis, eczema, pityriasis lichenoides chronica (PLC), and cutaneous lupus erythematosus. Patients and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study on lesional skin biopsies from 10 cases of psoriasis, 10 of spongiotic dermatitis, and 16 cases of lichenoid dermatoses (10 of PLC and 6 of discoid lupus erythematosus. We compared the densities of Foxp3+ Treg cells in relation to CD4+ cells in the epidermis and dermis between these groups using Foxp3 and CD4 monoclonal antibodies.Results: Epidermal Foxp3+ CD4+ Treg cells were lower in psoriasis and lichenoid groups than spongiotic group and dermal Foxp3+ CD4+ Treg cells were lower in psoriasis than lichenoid and spongiotic groups. Conclusions: Treg cells have been proved to suppress other skin-resident T-cells and prevent autoimmunity. Being an autoimmune inflammatory dermatosis, psoriasis showed an overall lower density of Foxp3+ CD4+ Treg cells than spongiotic or lichenoid dermatitis. This supports the theory of Treg cell consumption in psoriatic skin due to conversion to interleukin 17 producers