OP0063 QUANTITATIVE COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY PREDICTS 10-YEAR MORTALITY IN INTERSTITIAL LUNG DISEASE RELATED TO SYSTEMIC SCLEROSI

Background: Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is the main cause of death in Systemic Sclerosis (SSc). Chest CT is the gold standard in detecting ILD although it is not easy to understand its prognostic value. ILD qualitative assessment is almost worthless. Goh et al. semi quantitative score of ILD extent is related to mortality risk but it is burdened by relevant inter/intra-readers variability. An operator independent algorithm based on voxel-wise analysis proved to identify SSc patients with an increased risk of mortality according to prediction models. Objectives: To verify if quantitative analysis of chest CT (QCT) predict 10 years-mortality in SSc patients. Methods: SSc patients with availability of a chest CT were enrolled in 13 different centers. The CT voxel-wise analysis with a free software (www.horosproject.com) provided QCT indexes: kurtosis, skewness, mean lung attenuation and standard deviation. Patients

Tumor protein D52 (TPD52): A novel B-cell/plasma-cell molecule with unique expression pattern and Ca2+-dependent association with annexin VI

We generated a murine monoclonal antibody (B28p) detecting an antigenic determinant shared by the immunoglobulin superfamily receptor translocation-associated 1 (IRTA1) receptor (the immunogen used to raise B28p) and an unrelated 28-kDa protein that was subsequently subjected to extensive characterization. The expression of the 28-kDa protein in normal lymphohematopoietic tissues was restricted to B cells and plasma cells and clearly differed from that expected for IRTA1 (selectively expressed by mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue [MALT] marginal zone B cells). Two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (2D-PAGE)/mass-spectrometry analysis identified the 28-kDa protein as human tumor protein D52 (TPD52), whose expression had been previously described only in normal and neoplastic epithelia. Specific B28p reactivity with TPD52 was confirmed by immunostaining/immunoblotting of TPD52-transfected cells. TPD52 expression pattern in normal and neoplastic B cells was unique. In fact, unlike other B-cell molecules (paired box 5 [PAX5], CD19, CD79a, CD20, CD22), which are down-regulated during differentiation from B cells to plasma cells, TPD52 expression reached its maximum levels at the plasma cell stage. In the Thiel myeloma cell line, TPD52 bound to annexin VI in a Ca2+-dependent manner, suggesting that these molecules may act in concert to regulate secretory processes in plasma cells, similarly to what was observed in pancreatic acinar cells. Finally, the anti-TPD52 monoclonal antibody served as a valuable tool for the diagnosis of B-cell malignancies

Clinical significance of family accommodation and parental psychological distress in a sample of children and adolescents with obsessive-compulsive disorder aged 8-17 years old

Background: Family Accommodation (FA) refers to the involvement of family members (especially parents) in the compulsive behaviors of children and adolescents with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (e.g. modifying family routines or facilitating avoidance of obsessive-compulsive triggers). Many studies have examined the high prevalence of FA in this clinical population; however, less is known about its clinical significance and relationship to the individual psychological distress of parents. In our study, we investigated the clinical significance of FA examining its relationship with obsessive-compulsive symptomatology, functioning, anxiety and depressive symptoms in a clinical sample (n = 51) of children and adolescents with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) aged 8–17 years old and their parents, included to examine their individual psychological distress. Methods: The sample was divided into two groups: the High Accommodation group (n = 36) and the Low Accommodation group (n = 15). Results: Results demonstrated that children and adolescents in the OCD High Accommodation group reported major functional impairment in global (p =.001313), social (p =.000334) and role (p =.000334) domains, and higher depressive symptoms than the Low Accommodation group. Both fathers and mothers from the High Accommodation group reported a higher level of individual psychological distress compared to mothers and fathers from the Low Accommodation group (p =.040365). Conclusions: The findings of this study show that FA is common in children and adolescents with OCD and it could cause not only an impairment of the patient’s global, social and role functioning but also a high level of individual psychological distress in the single parent. The presence of FA should therefore be carefully investigated and considered in planning assessment and treatment of OCD in children and adolescents

Development and validation of a HPLC method for the direct separation of carnosine enantiomers and analogues in dietary supplements

The chiral purity of some molecules such as nutraceuticals is fundamental to ensure their beneficial activities and it must be checked during quality control analysis. Carnosine is a natural histidine dipeptide used as ingredient for food supplements, but only his L-enantiomer is absorbed and active. Despite of this feature, a method for the separation of carnosine enantiomers without derivatization has only recently been published. Herein, we validated a method based on a Chirobiotic T column and an UV detector for the direct quantification of carnosine enantiomers, following ICH guideline. Moreover, we demonstrated that elution with water containing 0.1% formic acid and 20\u201340% ensures stereo-, chemo- and regio-selectivity for the separation and the identification of carnosine enantiomers and natural analogues. Moreover, the method allows a direct hyphenation with electrospray mass spectrometry to increase detection selectivity and sensitivity. As far as we know, this is the first method allowing the simultaneous identification and quantification of natural analogues of carnosine, which can be important for application such as the identification of enantiomeric impurities or adulteration that can occur during the storage or the preparation of foods or food supplements containing histidine dipeptides

Use of a zwitterionic surfactant to improve the biofunctional properties of wool dyed with an onion (Allium cepa L.) skin extract

To improve the loadability and antioxidant properties of wool impregnated with onion skin extract, the introduction of SB3-14 surfactant in the dyeing process was evaluated. A preliminary investigation on the surfactant–quercetin interaction indicated that the optimal conditions for dye solubility, stability, and surfactant affinity require double-distilled water (pH = 5.5) as a medium and SB3-14 in a concentration above the c.m.c. (2.5 × 10−3 M). The absorption profile of textiles showed the flavonoid absorption band (390 nm) and a bathochromic feature (510 nm), suggesting flavonoid aggregates. The higher absorbance for the sample dyed with SB3-14 indicated greater dye uptake, which was further confirmed by HPLC analysis. The Folin–Ciocalteu method was applied to evaluate the total phenol content (TPC) released from the treated wool, while the assays FRAP, DPPH, ABTS, and ORAC were applied to evaluate the corresponding total antioxidant activity (TAC). Higher TPCs (about 20%) and TACs (5–55%) were measured with SB3-14, highlighting textiles with improved biofunctional properties. Spectrophotometric analyses were also performed with an artificial sweat. The potential cytotoxic effect of SB3-14 in both monomeric and aggregated forms, cell viability, and induction of apoptosis were evaluated in RAW 264.7 cells. These analyses revealed that SB3-14 is safe at concentrations below the c.m.c

Twelve-month psychosis-predictive value of the ultra-high risk criteria in children and adolescents

The validity of current ultra-high risk (UHR) criteria is under-examined in help-seeking minors, particularly, in children below the age of 12 years. Thus, the present study investigated predictors of one-year outcome in children and adolescents (CAD) with UHR status

Borderline cognitive level in a family with Bazex-Dupr\ue9-Christol syndrome

Bazex-Dupr\ue9-Christol syndrome (BDCS) [OMIM 301845] is an X-linked dominant disorder of the hair follicle characterized by multiple basal cell carcinomas, follicular atrophoderma, congenital hypotrichosis, and hypohidrosis. Additional features include multiple milia, trichoepitheliomas, and axillary hidradenitis suppurativa as well as a variety of other symptoms. Some patients with a diagnosis of BDCS have had poor school performance. But no other associated psychopathological disorders have been described in the literature. We describe the neuropsychological characteristics and the co-occurring psychopathological disorders in an Italian family (brother and sister, and their mother) affected by BDCS. The BDCS phenotype in this family was characterized by hypotrichosis, atrophoderma follicularis, milia, and trichoepitheliomas. No basal cell carcinomas were documented. At neuropsychological assessment the three affected family members all had a borderline cognitive level. Other identified psychopathological disorders included attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, executive deficits, academic difficulties, deficits in lexical skills, and internalizing problems. The presence of cognitive impairment in the three family members affected by BDCS suggests that cognitive impairment may be associated with the syndrome. It may be useful to assess neuropsychological performance in patients with BDCS to identify possible associated neuropsychological disorders

ALK expression defines a distinct group of T/null lymphomas ("ALK lymphomas") with a wide morphological spectrum

The t(2;5)(p23;q35) translocation associated with CD30-positive anaplastic large cell lymphoma results in the production of a NPM-ALK chimeric protein, consisting of the N-terminal portion of the NPM protein joined to the entire cytoplasmic domain of the neural receptor tyrosine kinase ALK. The ALK gene products were identified in paraffm sections by using a new anti-ALK (cytoplasmic portion) monoclonal antibody (ALKc) that tends to react more strongly than a previously described ALK1 antibody with the nuclei of ALK-expressing tumor cells after microwave heating in 1 mmol/L ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid buffer, pH 8.0. The ALKc monoclonal antibody reacted selectively with 60% of anaplastic large cell lymphoma cases (60 of 100), which occurred mainly in the first three decades of life and consistently displayed a T/null phenotype. This group of ALK-positive tumors showed a wide morphological spectrum including cases with features of anaplastic large cell lymphoma "common" type (75%), "lymphohistiocytic" (10%), "small cell" (8.3%), "giant cell" (3.3%), and "Hodgkin's like" (3.3%). CD30-positive large anaplastic cells expressing the ALK protein both in the cytoplasm and nucleus represented the dominant tumor population in the common, Hodgkin's-like and giant cell types, but they were present at a smaller percentage (often with a perivascular distribution) also in cases with lymphohistiocytic and small cell features. In this study, the ALKc antibody also allowed us to identify small neoplastic cells (usually CD30 negative) with nucleus-restricted ALK positivity that were, by definition, more evident in the small cell variant but were also found in cases with lymphohistiocytic, common, and "Hodgkin's-like" features. These findings, which have not been previously emphasized, strongly suggest that the neoplastic lesion (the NPM-ALK gene) must be present both in the large anaplastic and small tumor cells, and that ALK-positive lymphomas lie on a spectrum, their position being defined by the ratio of small to large neoplastic cells. Notably, about 15% of all ALK-positive lymphomas (usually of the common or giant cell variant) showed a cytoplasm-restricted ALK positivity, which suggests that the ALK gene may have fused with a partner(s) other than NPM. From a diagnostic point of view, detection of the ALK protein was useful in distinguishing anaplastic large cell lymphoma cases of lymphohistiocytic and small cell variants from reactive conditions and other peripheral T-cell lymphoma subtypes, as well as for detecting a small number of tumor cells in lymphohemopoietic tissues. In conclusion, ALK positivity appears to define a clinicopathological entity with a T/null phenotype ("ALK lymphomas"), but one that shows a wider spectrum of morphological patterns than has been appreciated in the past

ALK expression defines a distinct group of T/null lymphomas ("ALK lymphomas") with a wide morphological spectrum

The t(2;5)(p23;q35) translocation associated with CD30-positive anaplastic large cell lymphoma results in the production of a NPM-ALK chimeric protein, consisting of the N-terminal portion of the NPM protein joined to the entire cytoplasmic domain of the neural receptor tyrosine kinase ALK. The ALK gene products were identified in paraffm sections by using a new anti-ALK (cytoplasmic portion) monoclonal antibody (ALKc) that tends to react more strongly than a previously described ALK1 antibody with the nuclei of ALK-expressing tumor cells after microwave heating in 1 mmol/L ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid buffer, pH 8.0. The ALKc monoclonal antibody reacted selectively with 60% of anaplastic large cell lymphoma cases (60 of 100), which occurred mainly in the first three decades of life and consistently displayed a T/null phenotype. This group of ALK-positive tumors showed a wide morphological spectrum including cases with features of anaplastic large cell lymphoma "common" type (75%), "lymphohistiocytic" (10%), "small cell" (8.3%), "giant cell" (3.3%), and "Hodgkin's like" (3.3%). CD30-positive large anaplastic cells expressing the ALK protein both in the cytoplasm and nucleus represented the dominant tumor population in the common, Hodgkin's-like and giant cell types, but they were present at a smaller percentage (often with a perivascular distribution) also in cases with lymphohistiocytic and small cell features. In this study, the ALKc antibody also allowed us to identify small neoplastic cells (usually CD30 negative) with nucleus-restricted ALK positivity that were, by definition, more evident in the small cell variant but were also found in cases with lymphohistiocytic, common, and "Hodgkin's-like" features. These findings, which have not been previously emphasized, strongly suggest that the neoplastic lesion (the NPM-ALK gene) must be present both in the large anaplastic and small tumor cells, and that ALK-positive lymphomas lie on a spectrum, their position being defined by the ratio of small to large neoplastic cells. Notably, about 15% of all ALK-positive lymphomas (usually of the common or giant cell variant) showed a cytoplasm-restricted ALK positivity, which suggests that the ALK gene may have fused with a partner(s) other than NPM. From a diagnostic point of view, detection of the ALK protein was useful in distinguishing anaplastic large cell lymphoma cases of lymphohistiocytic and small cell variants from reactive conditions and other peripheral T-cell lymphoma subtypes, as well as for detecting a small number of tumor cells in lymphohemopoietic tissues. In conclusion, ALK positivity appears to define a clinicopathological entity with a T/null phenotype ("ALK lymphomas"), but one that shows a wider spectrum of morphological patterns than has been appreciated in the past