Proinflammatory pattern in the lower airways of non-asthmatic obese adolescents

BACKGROUND

Obesity is known to be a pro-inflammatory condition affecting multiple organs. Obesity as a systemic pro-inflammatory state, might be associated with bronchial inflammation in non-smoking adolescents with a BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2 without evidence of concomitant chronic diseases.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We studied non-asthmatic obese patients (n = 20; median age 15.8 years; BMI 35.0 kg/m2) compared to age matched healthy control subjects (n = 20; median age 17.5 years; BMI 21.5 kg/m2). Induced sputum differential cell counts and sputum mRNA levels were assessed for all study subjects. Serum levels of CRP, IL-6, and IL-8 were measured. Further, IL-5, IL-6, IL-8, IL-13, IL-17, TNF-α, IFN-γ, and IP-10 protein levels were analyzed in induced sputum was.

RESULTS

Serum CRP levels, sputum inflammatory cell load and sputum eosinophils differed significantly between obese and non-obese subjects, for sputum neutrophils, a correlation was shown with BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2. Differences were also observed for sputum mRNA expression of IL6, IL8, IL13, IL17, IL23, and IFN-γ, as well as the transcription factors T-bet, GATA3, and FoxP3.

CONCLUSIONS

Increased bronchial inflammation, triggered by systemic or local inflammatory effects of obesity itself, may account for the higher rates of airway disease in obese adolescents.

Exhaled Aerosols in SARS-CoV-2 Polymerase Chain Reaction-Positive Children and Age-Matched-Negative Controls

BACKGROUND

Children and adolescents seem to be less affected by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) disease in terms of severity, especially until the increasing spread of the omicron variant in December 2021. Anatomical structures and lower number of exhaled aerosols may in part explain this phenomenon. In a cohort of healthy and SARS-CoV-2 infected children, we compared exhaled particle counts to gain further insights about the spreading of SARS-CoV-2.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In this single-center prospective observational trial, a total of 162 children and adolescents (age 6-17 years), of whom 39 were polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-positive for SARS-CoV-2 and 123 PCR-negative, were included. The 39 PCR-positive children were compared to 39 PCR-negative age-matched controls. The data of all PCR-negative children were analyzed to determine baseline exhaled particle counts in children. In addition, medical and clinical history was obtained and spirometry was measured.

RESULTS

Baseline exhaled particle counts were low in healthy children. Exhaled particle counts were significantly increased in SARS-CoV-2 PCR-positive children (median 355.0/L; range 81-6955/L), compared to age-matched -negative children (median 157.0/L; range 1-533/L; p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

SARS-CoV-2 PCR-positive children exhaled significantly higher levels of aerosols than healthy children. Overall children had low levels of exhaled particle counts, possibly indicating that children are not the major driver of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

[ClinicalTrials.gov], Identifier [NCT04739020].

The MiR-320 Family Is Strongly Downregulated in Patients with COVID-19 Induced Severe Respiratory Failure

A high incidence of thromboembolic events associated with high mortality has been reported in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections with respiratory failure. The present study characterized post-transcriptional gene regulation by global microRNA (miRNA) expression in relation to activated coagulation and inflammation in 21 critically ill SARS-CoV-2 patients. The cohort consisted of patients with moderate respiratory failure (n = 11) and severe respiratory failure (n = 10) at an acute stage (day 0-3) and in the later course of the disease (>7 days). All patients needed supplemental oxygen and severe patients were defined by the requirement of positive pressure ventilation (intubation). Levels of D-dimers, activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), C-reactive protein (CRP), and interleukin (IL)-6 were significantly higher in patients with severe compared with moderate respiratory failure. Concurrently, next generation sequencing (NGS) analysis demonstrated increased dysregulation of miRNA expression with progression of disease severity connected to extreme downregulation of miR-320a, miR-320b and miR-320c. Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis revealed involvement in the Hippo signaling pathway, the transforming growth factor (TGF)-β signaling pathway and in the regulation of adherens junctions. The expression of all miR-320 family members was significantly correlated with CRP, IL-6, and D-dimer levels. In conclusion, our analysis underlines the importance of thromboembolic processes in patients with respiratory failure and emphasizes miRNA-320s as potential biomarkers for severe progressive SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Two Kinds of Radicals: A Discriminant Analysis of a Projective Test

Rorschach tests were administered to 36 subjects grouped according to ethnicity and political ideology. Pairwise discriminant analyses of scores significantly differentiated both Jewish and non-Jewish radicals from nonradicals in a manner consistent with previous survey findings.

Differential cellular expression of neurotrophins in cortical tubers of the tuberous sclerosis complex

Neurotrophins and their receptors modulate cerebral cortical development. Tubers in the tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) are characterized histologically by disorganized cortical cytoarchitecture and thus, we hypothesized that expression of neurotrophin mRNAs and proteins might be altered in tubers. Using in situ transcription and mRNA amplification to probe cDNA arrays, we found that neurotrophin-3 (NT3) and trkB mRNA expression were reduced whereas neurotrophin-4 (NT4) and trkC mRNA expression were increased in whole tuber sections. Alterations in mRNA abundance were defined in single microdissected dysplastic neurons (DNs) and giant cells (GCs). NT3 mRNA expression was reduced in GCs and trkB mRNA expression was reduced in DNs. NT4 mRNA expression was increased in DNs and trkC mRNA expression was increased in both DNs and GCs. In three patients, TSC2 locus mutations were confirmed and the mean tuberin mRNA expression levels was reduced across all nine cases. Consistent with these observations, NT3 mRNA expression was reduced but trkC mRNA expression was increased in vitro in human NTera2 neurons (NT2N) transfected with a tuberin antisense construct that reduced tuberin expression. Western analysis of tuber homogenates and computer-assisted densitometry of immunolabeled sections confirmed the neurotrophin mRNA expression data in whole sections and single neurotrophin immunoreactive cells. We conclude that alterations in NT4/trkB and NT3/trkC expression may contribute to tuber formation during brain development as downstream effects of the hamartin and tuberin pathway in TSC.

Ras-GTP levels are elevated in human NF1 peripheral nerve tumors

Neurofibromin, the gene product of NF1, is a Ras GTPase Activating Protein. The absence of neurofibromin leads to increased levels of Ras-GTP, which contributes to the proliferation of NF1 neurogenic sarcoma cell lines. Whether this pathogenic mechanism is applicable to benign and malignant peripheral nerve tumours from NF1 and non NF1 patients is not known, due to lack of a tissue based assay. We have adapted a colorimetric enzymatic assay for determining levels of Ras bound guanine nucleotides in tissues. Ras-GTP levels were increased in NF1 neurogenic sarcomas (15 times) and benign NF1 neurofibromas (four times), compared to non NF1 schwannomas. Neurofibromin was not expressed in NF1 sarcomas, in support of its important negative Ras regulatory role in the pathogenesis of NF1 peripheral nerve tumors.

Mourning the loss of "self as father": a longitudinal study of fatherhood among the Druze

It is within the context of the parent-child relationship--through the processes of attachment, loss, separation and individuation--that we grow and develop interpersonally and intrapsychically (Bowlby 1969, 1980; Mahler et al. 1975; Pollock, 1989). Most developmentalists agree that changes in the parent-child relationship continue to influence both parents and children throughout the life cycle (Cohen et al. 1984; Colarusso and Nemiroff 1982). While there is a vast body of literature devoted to discussing changes that occur in the parent-child relationship during the "formative years," little has been written about what happens to that relationship after the children leave home to start families of their own. Moreover, most researchers investigate the processes of attachment, loss, separation and individuation in terms of the child's development. Little is known about how the child's quest for independence affects the psychological development of his/her parents. Those writers who have addressed the issue of individuation in later life tend to focus on the adult child's continuing struggle to separate and individuate from his/her real or imagined parents (Levinson, 1978).

MYXOEDEMA WITH PERICARDIAL EFFUSION

Images