Role of computed tomography imaging for transcatheter valvular repair/insertion

During the last decade, the development of transcatheter based therapies has provided feasible therapeutic options for patients with symptomatic severe valvular heart disease who are deemed inoperable. The promising results of many nonrandomized series and recent landmark trials have increased the number of percutaneous transcatheter valve procedures in high operative risk patients. Pre-procedural imaging of the anatomy of the aortic or mitral valve and their spatial relationships is crucial to select the most appropriate device or prosthesis and to plan the percutaneous procedure. Multidetector row computed tomography provides 3-dimensional volumetric data sets allowing unlimited plane reconstructions and plays an important role in pre-procedural screening and procedural planning. This review will describe the evolving role of multidetector row computed tomography in patient selection and strategy planning of transcatheter aortic and mitral valve procedures

Interleukin-10 Producing Regulatory B Cells Transformed CD4+CD25− Into Tregs and Enhanced Regulatory T Cells Function in Human Leprosy

Regulatory B cells (Bregs) are known to exhibit their regulatory functions through interleukin-10 (IL-10) cytokine which suppress inflammation. There are only a few studies explaining the phenotype and functioning of these cells in contribution to host immunity in leprosy. Here, we evaluated the role of IL-10 producing Bregs in the pathogenesis of leprosy and assessed their immunoregulatory effects on Tregs and effector T cells. We found an increased frequency of Bregs and increased expression of their immune modulatory molecules (IL-10, FoxP3, and PDL-1) in leprosy patients. The potential immunoregulatory mechanism of Bregs was also investigated using MACS sorted Teff (CD4+CD25−) and Treg (CD4+CD25+) cells were cocultured with Bregs to elucidate the effects of Bregs on effector T and regulatory T cells. Cell coculture results showed that purified Bregs cells from leprosy patients convert CD4+CD25− cells into CD4+CD25+ cells. Cell coculture experiments also demonstrated that leprosy derived IL-10 producing Bregs enhance FoxP3 and PD-1 expression in Tregs and enhanced Tregs activity. Blocking of IL-10 receptor confirmed that IL-10 producing Breg has immunomodulatory effect on Tregs and effector T cells as effector T cells are not converted into Tregs and enhanced expression of FoxP3 and PD-1 was not observed on Tregs. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that IL-10 producing Breg cells play an important mechanism in controlling the immunopathogenesis of leprosy and have an immunomodulatory effect on Tregs and effector T cells. Our findings may pave way for novel targets of IL-10 producing Bregs for immunotherapy in leprosy patients

Vitamin D deficiency and post-stroke depression: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Objective: Low vitamin D levels have often been associated with depression as well as worsen stroke outcomes. With post-stroke depression (PSD) being an important factor contributing to poor recovery and rehabilitation and thereby poor functional outcomes, this study was undertaken to explore the role of vitamin D deficiency in PSD and their correlation with stroke prognosis and outcomes. Methods: A systematic search of eligible studies from PubMed, MEDLINE, Cochrane CENTRAL, and Google Scholar were identified. Selected studies were those that met the inclusion criteria. Statistical analysis was conducted using Review Manager 5.4.1. A random-effects model was used to pool the data when heterogeneity was seen and so, results were reported in the standard mean differences within their corresponding 95 % confidence interval. Results: Our analysis showed statistically significant clinical depression in the Vitamin D deficient group on the BDI-II (SMD = 6.90 [3.32, 10.48]; p = 0.0002) and PHQ-9 (SMD = 3.20 [1.84, 4.56]; p < 0.00001) scales. Of the seven studies, four showed significantly poorer prognosis in PSD patients with respect to NIHSS (SMD = 1.54; [0.34, 2.74]; p < 0.0001) and MMSE (SMD = -2.53 [3.79, 1.27]; p < 0.0001). Conclusion: This study shows a significant association between serum Vitamin D levels and PSD. Further studies are needed to explore causal relationships and the effect of vitamin supplementation on stroke prognosis and outcomes in relation to PS