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J Pharm Biomed Anal 2020 May 22;188:113336. Epub 2020 May 22.

Heilongjiang University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Heping Road 24, Harbin, 150040, China; Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Huandong Road 280, Guangzhou, 510006, China. Electronic address:

Phellodendri Amurensis cortex (PAC), a famous traditional Chinese herb with good anti-inflammatory efficacy, is used to treat various liver and kidney sickness in clinical practice. However, the potential mechanisms protecting against nephritis of PAC have not been comprehensively elucidated. The aim of this research was to explore the mechanism of PAC against doxorubicin- induced nephritis in rats by characterizing metabolites and potential metabolic pathways changes. Read More

Allergol Immunopathol (Madr) 2020 Jul 8. Epub 2020 Jul 8.

Department of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Children's Medical Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Electronic address:

Introduction And Objectives: Considering that no studies have been done on a comprehensive review of Serum sickness-like reactions patients (SSLRs) at a referral center in Iran so far, this study aimed to determine the clinical and laboratory characteristics of children with SSRL in Tehran Children's Medical Center.

Patients: The present study was a registry-based study in which the data of 94 SSLRs patients registered in a two-year period were investigated. Confirmation of fever, rash, urticaria, arthralgia / arthritis and history of antibiotic consumption up to three weeks before were the criteria for the diagnosis. Read More

Vet World 2020 May 31;13(5):1005-1009. Epub 2020 May 31.

Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e del Molise "G. Caporale" 64100 Teramo Italy.

Background And Aim: African horse sickness (AHS) is a non-contagious viral disease of horses and other equids caused by an arbovirus belonging to the family and genus . AHS is an endemic disease that is responsible for the death of a high number of horses every year in Namibia. At present, there is no information on the prevalence and distribution of AHS virus (AHSV) serotypes in the different regions of Namibia. Read More

J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol 2020 Jun 27. Epub 2020 Jun 27.

Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Leipzig, Germany.

Dupilumab is a fully humanized Immunoglobulin-(Ig)-G4 antibody against the interleukin (IL)-4α subunit of the IL-4- and the IL-13-receptor. In patients with atopic eczema (AE), most frequent adverse reactions include injection site reactions and conjunctivitis/blepharitis. Recently, a case with suspicion of an IgE-mediated hypersensitivity was reported. Read More

BMC Pulm Med 2020 Jun 23;20(1):179. Epub 2020 Jun 23.

Division of Comparative Medicine, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, 73104, USA.

Background: A surfactant protein-A-derived peptide, which we call SPA4 peptide (amino acids: GDFRYSDGTPVNYTNWYRGE), alleviates lung infection and inflammation. This study investigated the effects of intratracheally administered SPA4 peptide on systemic, lung, and health parameters in an outbred mouse strain, and in an intratracheal lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenge model.

Methods: The outbred CD-1 mice were intratracheally administered with incremental doses of SPA4 peptide (0. Read More

Pediatr Nephrol 2020 Jun 16. Epub 2020 Jun 16.

Division of Nephrology, Saitama Children's Medical Center, 1-2 Shintoshin, Chuo-ku, Saitama, 330-8777, Japan.

Background: Anti-rituximab antibodies (ARA) are associated not only with adverse events, such as infusion reactions (IR) and serum sickness, but also with rituximab efficacy. However, the clinical relevance of ARA in children with steroid-dependent nephrotic syndrome (SDNS) remains unknown.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed clinical outcomes of 13 children with complicated SDNS receiving repeated single-dose rituximab treatments at 375 mg/m to assess whether ARA formation could impact toxicity and efficacy of additional rituximab. Read More

Biochem Med (Zagreb) 2020 Jun;30(2):020501

Department of Clinical Chemistry, Sestre milosrdnice University Hospital Center, Zagreb, Croatia.

Within the last several years, frequency of vitamin D testing has multiplied substantially all over the world, since it has been shown to have an important role in many diseases and conditions. Even though liquid chromatography - tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) has been identified as "gold standard" method for vitamin D measurement, most laboratories still use immunochemistry methods. Besides analytical problems (hydrophobicity, low circulating concentrations, ability to bind to lipids, albumins and vitamin D binding protein, presence of multiple vitamin D metabolites and variable ratios of 25(OH)D and 25(OH)D in the blood), vitamin D shows great preanalytical variability, since its concentration is drastically influenced by seasonal changes, exposure to sun, type of clothes or sun block creams. Read More

CEN Case Rep 2020 Jun 13. Epub 2020 Jun 13.

Department of Pediatric Nephrology, Shizuoka Children's Hospital, Urushiyama 860, Aoi-ku, Shizuoka, 420-8660, Japan.

Rituximab (RTX) is an effective treatment for refractory nephrotic syndrome (NS), but may produce human anti-chimeric antibodies (HACA) which can cause severe infusion reaction or rituximab-induced serum sickness (RISS). RISS presents with a fever, rash, and arthralgia, which typically occurs 7-21 days after RTX infusion. On the other hand, Kawasaki disease (KD) also presents with fever and rash. Read More

FEBS J 2020 Jun 12. Epub 2020 Jun 12.

Laboratory of Molecular Parasitology, IBMM, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Gosselies, Belgium.

The discovery that apolipoprotein L1 (APOL1) is the trypanolytic factor of human serum raised interest about the function of APOLs, especially following the unexpected finding that in addition to their protective action against sleeping sickness, APOL1 C-terminal variants also cause kidney disease. Based on the analysis of the structure and trypanolytic activity of APOL1, it was proposed that APOLs could function as ion channels of intracellular membranes and be involved in mechanisms triggering programmed cell death. In this review, the recent finding that APOL1 and APOL3 inversely control the synthesis of phosphatidylinositol-4-phosphate (PI(4)P) by the Golgi PI(4)-kinase IIIB (PI4KB) is commented. Read More

Med J Malaysia 2020 05;75(3):216-220

Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre (UKMMC), Department of Emergency Medicine, Cheras, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Introduction: Snakebite is an important medical emergency. Antivenoms remain the only proven treatment for snake envenoming. However, the use of antivenom is associated with hypersensitivity reactions. Read More

Mult Scler 2020 May 19:1352458520923947. Epub 2020 May 19.

Department of Neuroinflammation, Queen Square MS Centre, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, Faculty of Brain Sciences, University College London, London, UK; NIHR UCLH Biomedical Research Centre, London, UK.

Serum sickness is a type III delayed hypersensitivity reaction which causes deposition of immune-complexes in the tissues. It has been reported with rituximab, and in this issue of the journal, there is a case report of a patient with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis who developed a possible serum sickness after the third infusion of ocrelizumab. In this commentary, we discuss the current literature on serum sickness, and how to diagnose and manage it. Read More

Mult Scler 2020 May 19:1352458520910486. Epub 2020 May 19.

Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Partners MS Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.

A 41-year-old female diagnosed with multiple sclerosis began ocrelizumab treatment. She received her first treatment course without significant complication. After receiving the first maintenance dose 6 months later, she developed weakness, myalgias, gastrointestinal symptoms, headache, and intermittent fever persisting for 4 weeks. Read More

Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl 2020 Aug 23;12:34-41. Epub 2020 Apr 23.

Research Center for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, Kita-Ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido, 001-0020, Japan.

The Kafue ecosystem is a vast conservation protected area comprising the Kafue National Park (KNP) and the Game Management Areas (GMA) that act as a buffer around the national park. The KNP has been neglected as a potential foci for rhodesiense sleeping sickness despite the widespread presence of the tsetse vector and abundant wildlife reservoirs. The aim of this study was to generate information on circulating trypanosomes and their eminent threat/risk to public health and livestock production of a steadily growing human and livestock population surrounding the park. Read More

Toxins (Basel) 2020 May 7;12(5). Epub 2020 May 7.

Department of Bacteriology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa University, Takara-machi, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-8640, Japan.

Botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT) is the most potent natural toxin known. Of the seven BoNT serotypes (A to G), types A, B, E, and F cause human botulism. Treatment of human botulism requires the development of effective toxin-neutralizing antibodies without side effects such as serum sickness and anaphylaxis. Read More

Naunyn Schmiedebergs Arch Pharmacol 2020 May 6. Epub 2020 May 6.

Armonk Integrative Medicine, Hematology/Oncology, Purchase, New York, NY, 10577, USA.

Omalizumab is an effective therapeutic humanized murine IgE antibody in many cases of primary systemic mast cell activation disease (MCAD). The present study should enable the clinician to recognize when treatment of MCAD with omalizumab is contraindicated because of the potential risk of severe serum sickness and to report our successful therapeutic strategy for such adverse event (AE). Our clinical observations, a review of the literature including the event reports in the FDA AE Reporting System, the European Medicines Agency Eudra-Vigilance databases (preferred search terms: omalizumab, Xolair®, and serum sickness) and information from the manufacturer's Novartis database were used. Read More

Naunyn Schmiedebergs Arch Pharmacol 2020 Jul 3;393(7):1303-1311. Epub 2020 May 3.

Laboratório de Psiquiatria Molecular, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA), Ramiro Barcelos, 2350, Porto Alegre, RS, 90035-007, Brazil.

Preclinical evidence on the role of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1r) agonists in the brain led to an increased interest in repurposing these compounds as a therapy for central nervous system (CNS) disorders and associated comorbidities. We aimed to investigate the neuroprotective effects of acute treatment with exendin (EX)-4, a GLP-1r agonist, in an animal model of inflammation. We evaluated the effect of different doses of EX-4 on inflammatory, neurotrophic, and oxidative stress parameters in the hippocampus and serum of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-injected animals. Read More

J Med Toxicol 2020 Jul 30;16(3):284-294. Epub 2020 Apr 30.

Division of Emergency Medicine, Harvard Medical Toxicology Fellowship, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.

SARS-CoV-2 is a novel coronavirus that emerged in 2019 and is causing the COVID-19 pandemic. There is no current standard of care. Clinicians need to be mindful of the toxicity of a wide variety of possibly unfamiliar substances being tested or repurposed to treat COVID-19. Read More

Rev Fr Allergol (2009) 2020 Apr 27. Epub 2020 Apr 27.

Unité de dermatologie pédiatrique, hôpital Pellegrin-Enfants, place Amélie-Raba-Léon, 33076 Bordeaux, France.

The cumulative incidence of urticaria in children is close to 10%. Two forms are described: the superficial form and the deep form, or angioedema. In young children aged under 3 years, urticaria is commonly annular and ecchymotic, and is mistaken for erythema multiforme or acute hemorrhagic edema. Read More

PLoS One 2020 17;15(4):e0231140. Epub 2020 Apr 17.

Department of Neuroscience, Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, United States of America.

Functional circadian timekeeping is necessary for homeostatic control of the immune system and appropriate immune responsiveness. Disruption of natural light-dark cycles, through light at night (LAN), impairs innate and adaptive immune responses in nocturnal rodents. These altered immune responses are associated with disrupted endogenous gene transcriptional and endocrine cycles. Read More

Front Pharmacol 2020 17;11:289. Epub 2020 Mar 17.

Drug and Herbal Research Centre, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

(Primulaceae) has been used in Malaysian folk medicine to help women regain strength after delivery and for "sickness in the bones." It was previously revealed that its extracts inhibited xanthine oxidase (XO) activity . The leaves and roots of var. Read More

Med Sci Sports Exerc 2020 Apr 1. Epub 2020 Apr 1.

University Duisburg-Essen, University Hospital Essen, Institute of Physiology, CENIDE, Essen, Germany.

For three decades, studies have demonstrated the therapeutic efficacy of perfluorocarbons (PFCs) in reducing the onset of decompression trauma. However, none of these emulsion-based preparations are accepted for therapeutic use in the western world, mainly because of severe side-effects and a long organ retention time. A new development to guarantee a stable dispersion without these disadvantages is the encapsulation of PFCs in nanocapsules with an albumin shell. Read More

Medicine (Baltimore) 2020 Mar;99(11):e19292

The Affiliated Hospital of Qing Hai University, Xi Ning, Qing Hai, China.

Background: The aim of the study was to provide a theoretical basis for the early diagnosis and prediction of acute altitude sickness, to provide a better entry mode for healthy people from plain areas to plateau areas, and to preliminarily clarify the possible mechanism of this approach.

Methods: We measured endothelin-1 (ET-1), asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), nitric oxide (NO), and hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) levels in each sample and determined flow-mediated dilation (FMD) values using a portable OMRON color Doppler with a 7.0- to 12. Read More

Transl Psychiatry 2020 Mar 9;10(1):89. Epub 2020 Mar 9.

Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, Department of Psychological Medicine, London, UK.

Depression is associated with peripheral inflammation, but its link with brain microglial activity remains unclear. In seven healthy males, we used repeated translocator protein-Positron Emission Tomography (TSPO-PET) dynamic scans with [C]PBR28 to image brain microglial activation before and 24 h after the immune challenge interferon (IFN)-α. We also investigated the association between changes in peripheral inflammation, changes in microglial activity, and changes in mood. Read More

Sci Rep 2020 Mar 2;10(1):3809. Epub 2020 Mar 2.

Department of Genetics, Faculty of Agriculture, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef, 62511, Egypt.

Toxoplasma gondii is associated with physiological and psychiatric perturbations. The immune response is interrelated to the progress of anhedonia and despair symptoms of T. gondii-infected subjects. Read More

Front Behav Neurosci 2020 5;14:10. Epub 2020 Feb 5.

Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.

Social interactions are critically important for survival and impact overall-health, but also impose costs on animals, such as exposure to contagious agents. The immune system can play a critical role in modulating social behavior when animals are sick, as has been demonstrated within the context of "sickness behaviors." Can immune molecules affect or be affected by social interactions even when animals are not sick, therefore serving a role in mediating pathogen exposure? We tested whether markers of immune function in both the blood and the brain are associated with gregariousness, quantified as number of animals interacted with per day. Read More

Neurobiol Dis 2020 Jul 19;140:104814. Epub 2020 Feb 19.

Department of Urology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin Medical University 300070 Tianjin, China. Electronic address:

Microglia-induced neuroinflammation plays a vital role in the etiology and progression of neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and multiple sclerosis. The neuroprotective role of androgens, including testosterone and its metabolite dihydrotestosterone (DHT), has been increasingly demonstrated in these diseases, but few studies investigated the effects of androgen on neuroinflammation. This study investigated the role of DHT in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced neuroinflammation, neuronal damage and behavioral dysfunction, as well as underlying mechanisms. Read More

Neurol Clin Pract 2019 Dec;9(6):519-521

Department of Neurology (TH), Akershus University Hospital, Lørenskog; Institute of Clinical Medicine (TH), University of Oslo, Norway; Karolinska Institutet (AF-H), Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Center for Molecular Medicine (CMM), Karolinska University Hospital Solna; and Department of Clinical Sciences (AF-H, AS), Karolinska Institutet, Danderyd Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.

Paediatr Child Health 2020 Feb 6;25(1):62-63. Epub 2020 Feb 6.

Canadian Paediatric Society, Allergy Section, Ottawa, Ontario.

Beta-lactam allergy is commonly diagnosed in paediatric patients, but over 90% of individuals reporting this allergy are able to tolerate the medications prescribed after evaluation by an allergist. Beta-lactam allergy labels are associated with negative clinical and administrative outcomes, including use of less desirable alternative antibiotics, longer hospitalizations, increasing antibiotic-resistant infections, and greater medical costs. Also, children with true IgE-mediated allergy to penicillin medications are often advised to avoid all beta-lactam antibiotics, including cephalosporins, which is likely unnecessary in greater than 97% of those reporting penicillin allergies. Read More

Adv Protein Chem Struct Biol 2020 10;119:157-198. Epub 2020 Jan 10.

School of Health Sciences, Cardiff Metropolitan University, Cardiff, United Kingdom.

Antibodies have provided invaluable treatment options for many diseases, with immunotherapy revolutionising the treatment of several inflammatory disorders including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Accumulating evidence suggests that IBD results from an inappropriate response to intestinal microbes and environmental factors in genetically susceptible individuals, with overactivity of the pro-inflammatory pathways. On a pathophysiological level, IBD is a complex disease with intestinal fibrosis, stenosis and an increased incidence of cancer observed in those whose disease is inadequately controlled over time. Read More

Expert Rev Clin Immunol 2020 Mar 8;16(3):311-319. Epub 2020 Feb 8.

Allergy and Immunology Section, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, Shreveport, LA, USA.

: The development of new biologic agents has provided definite therapeutic advances but, like with any new medications, safety remains a concern.: Using PubMed, we reviewed the literature on the adverse effects (AE) to five biologics approved for asthma and/or allergic diseases: one anti-IgE (omalizumab), three anti-IL5 (mepolizumab, reslizumab, benralizumab), and one anti-IL4 (dupilumab).: Biologic agents approved for asthma and allergic diseases are generally safe. Read More

BMJ Case Rep 2020 Jan 23;13(1). Epub 2020 Jan 23.

Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Bergamo, Italy.

Rituximab (375 mg/m) achieved remission of the first episode and six relapses of nephrotic syndrome (NS) in a young male patient with podocyte phospholipase A receptor (PLAR)-related membranous nephropathy (MN) refractory to steroids and cyclosporine. Between-treatments interval averaged 17.4±4. Read More

Horm Res Paediatr 2020 23;93(1):66-72. Epub 2020 Jan 23.

Department of Paediatric Endocrinology, Marmara University School of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey.

Background: Besides local reactions, systemic hypersensitivity reactions such as urticaria, anaphylaxis, serum sickness and Henoch-Schönlein purpura (HSP) have been reported during gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) analogue treatment.

Aim: To present the clinical presentation of 9 cases with systemic hypersensitivity reactions to GnRH analogues and discuss the management of such reactions based on our experience.

Patients And Methods: Nine of 232 (3. Read More

CEN Case Rep 2020 May 22;9(2):173-176. Epub 2020 Jan 22.

Department of Pediatrics, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan.

Rituximab (RTX) is a murine-human chimeric monoclonal antibody against CD20 that has been proven effective for preventing relapse in frequently-relapsing or steroid-dependent nephrotic syndrome (NS). Serum sickness, a type-3 hypersensitivity reaction resulting from injection of foreign proteins, has been reported in patients treated with RTX. Herein, we describe a case of RTX-induced serum sickness (RISS) in a 6-year-old boy with steroid-dependent NS. Read More

Sci Rep 2020 01 17;10(1):571. Epub 2020 Jan 17.

Technische Universität Braunschweig, Institute for Biochemistry, Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Department of Biotechnology, Braunschweig, Germany.

Diphtheria is an infectious disease caused by Corynebacterium diphtheriae. The bacterium primarily infects the throat and upper airways and the produced diphtheria toxin (DT), which binds to the elongation factor 2 and blocks protein synthesis, can spread through the bloodstream and affect organs, such as the heart and kidneys. For more than 125 years, the therapy against diphtheria has been based on polyclonal horse sera directed against DT (diphtheria antitoxin; DAT). Read More

BMJ Case Rep 2020 Jan 8;13(1). Epub 2020 Jan 8.

Division of Paediatric Medicine, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

A 16-year-old previously well girl presented with bilateral painful lower leg swelling and non-pruritic blanching rash across her torso and upper and lower limbs. These symptoms started after commencing amoxicillin for presumed tonsillitis. She was diagnosed with serum sickness-like illness and started on non-steroidal agents. Read More

Int J Neurosci 2020 Jan 9:1-13. Epub 2020 Jan 9.

Graduate Program in Environmental and Experimental Pathology, Graduate Program in Dentistry, Paulista University, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.

The influence of a challenge dose of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on the behavioural selection between maternal (MB) and predatory behaviours (PB) of female rats prenatally treated with the same endotoxin or saline solution (F1 generation) were studied. Thus, in adult age, these female rats were mated and, at lactation days 5 or 6, the following groups were formed: (1) LPS + LPS group-female rats prenatally treated with LPS and received an LPS challenge dose; (2) S + LPS group-female rats prenatally treated with saline solution and received a challenge LPS dose (3) S + S group-females rats prenatally treated with saline which received a saline injection. MB, PB to cockroaches, exploratory behaviour, periaqueductal grey (PAG) expression of the astrocytic biomarker glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), and corticosterone and TNF-alpha serum levels were evaluated. Read More

Int J Radiat Biol 2020 May 21;96(5):584-595. Epub 2020 Jan 21.

Department of Nuclear Science and Technology, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing, PR China.

To study whether radiation-induced bleeding in the bone marrow induced iron accumulation, and subsequently caused ferroptosis in granulocyte-macrophage hematopoietic progenitor cells. Male mice were subjected to different doses (0, 4, 8, or 10 Gy) of gamma radiation from a Cs source. The changes in iron metabolism or ferroptosis-related parameters of irradiated bone marrow were accessed with biochemical, histopathological, and antibody methods. Read More

Mil Med 2020 Jun;185(5-6):e912-e913

Allergy/Immunology, Wilford Hall Ambulatory Surgical Center, 1100 Wilford Hall Loop, Lackland AFB, TX 78236.

Omalizumab has been safely used to treat asthma and urticaria. We report a case of serum sickness-like reaction in a patient treated with omalizumab for chronic idiopathic urticaria/angioedema. An adult female experienced episodic urticaria/angioedema without repeatable trigger, ultimately receiving diagnosis of chronic idiopathic urticaria/angioedema. Read More

Exp Ther Med 2019 Dec 7;18(6):5105-5107. Epub 2019 Nov 7.

Department of Allergy, 'Dr. Carol Davila' Nephrology Clinical Hospital, 010731 Bucharest, Romania.

Drotaverine is an antispasmodic drug used to treat gastrointestinal and genitourinary smooth muscle spasms. There are very few hypersensitivity reactions reported. Serum sickness-like disease is an immune-complex-mediated hypersensitivity reaction that presents with some typical features that include rash, fever and articular impairment sometimes associated with liver and renal dysfunctions, beginning 1-2 weeks after exposure to a culprit drug. Read More

J Clin Rheumatol 2019 Dec 3. Epub 2019 Dec 3.

Georgetown University School of Medicine, Washington, DC Georgetown University School of Medicine, Washington, DC MedStar Washington Hospital Center, Washington, DC Department of Dermatology, Georgetown University Hospital, Georgetown University, Washington, DC Georgetown University School of Medicine, Washington, DC Division of Rheumatology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC MedStar Washington Hospital Center, Washington, DC Department of Dermatology, Georgetown University Hospital, Georgetown University, Washington, DC Georgetown University School of Medicine, Washington, DC

G Ital Dermatol Venereol 2019 Dec 4. Epub 2019 Dec 4.

DISSAL, Department of Dermatology, Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy.

Hepatotropic viral infections are a relevant global health problem and present multiple extrahepatic manifestations in addition to hepatic disease. Along with generic cutaneous symptoms correlated to the cholestatic liver disease that may arise during the infection, some cutaneous manifestations of hepatotropic viral infections are characteristic, enabling to suspect the underlying infection. This review will present the principal cutaneous manifestations of hepatotropic virus infection. Read More

Vet Res Commun 2019 Nov 23;43(4):239-247. Epub 2019 Nov 23.

Environmental and Experimental Pathology, Paulista University, UNIP, Rua Dr. Bacelar, 1212, São Paulo, SP, 04026-002, Brazil.

Sickness behavior (SB) is considered part of the adaptive behavioral and neuroimmune changes that occur in response to inflammatory processes. However, SB is a motivational state modulated by the environmental context. The objective of this study was to evaluate if selenium could ameliorate symptoms of SB and if stress would affect these responses. Read More

Vet Res Forum 2019 15;10(3):199-205. Epub 2019 Sep 15.

Division of Neurocognitive Sciences, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.

Neuro-immune mediators play an important role in the development of sickness behaviors. In the present study, the effect of captopril on sickness behaviors caused by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was studied in the rats. The animals were randomized into the following groups: control, sham, 10 mg kg captopril - LPS (Capto 10-LPS), 50 mg kg captopril - LPS (Capto 50-LPS), and 100 mg kg captopril - LPS (Capto 100-LPS). Read More

Behav Brain Res 2020 Feb 14;379:112360. Epub 2019 Nov 14.

Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil. Electronic address:

Peripheral inflammation promotes immune-to-brain communication, mediated by cytokines that affect brain activity. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) has been widely used to mimic systemic inflammation, and the adipokine leptin, released in this condition, modulates hypothalamic leptin receptors (ObR), contributing to sickness behavior. In this study, we used the intracerebroventricular (ICV) route for LPS administration in an attempt to evaluate an acute and direct of this pathogen-associated molecular pattern on leptin-mediated signaling in the hippocampus, where ObR has been implicated in modulating cognitive response. Read More

Int J Food Sci Nutr 2020 Aug 12;71(5):593-603. Epub 2019 Nov 12.

Plant Protection and Quarantine, Zambia Agriculture Research Institute (ZARI), Chilanga, Zambia.

In Zambia, mothers/caregivers feed their children cereal-based complementary foods that are prone to aflatoxin contamination. This study evaluated the relationship between exposure to aflatoxins and the nutritional status of young children. It covered 400 mothers with children aged 6-24 months. Read More

Curr Pharm Des 2019 ;25(36):3840-3854

Department of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology, University of Health Sciences, Ankara Child Health and Diseases Hematology Oncology Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.

Drug hypersensitivity reactions are clinically heterogenous ranging from mild to severe. Most drug hypersensitivity reactions are accompanied by cutaneous manifestations. Fever, mucous membrane involvement, large blisters, facial oedema, pustulosis and visceral involvement are clinical features that lead to suspicion of severe adverse drug reactions. Read More

Curr Pharm Des 2019 ;25(36):3881-3901

Department of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology, Mersin University, Faculty of Medicine, Mersin, Turkey.

Severe cutaneous drug hypersensitivity reactions involve of different mechanisms , some of which are life-threatening, such as Stevens-Johnson syndrome/toxic epidermal necrolysis, drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms, acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis, generalized bullous fixed drug eruptions, serum sickness and serum sickness-like reaction and drug-induced vasculitis. These reactions may have substantial morbidity and mortality. In the past years, successive studies have provided new evidence regarding the pathogenesis of some of these severe reactions and revealed that underlying mechanisms are highly variable. Read More

Front Immunol 2019 15;10:2396. Epub 2019 Oct 15.

Laboratory of Reproductive Technologies, Avantea, Cremona, Italy.

The two major sialic acids described in mammalian cells are the N-glycolylneuraminic acid (Neu5Gc) and the N-acetylneuraminic acid (Neu5Ac). Neu5Gc synthesis starts from the N-acetylneuraminic acid (Neu5Ac) precursor modified by an hydroxylic group addition catalyzed by CMP-Neu5Ac hydroxylase enzyme (CMAH). In humans, CMAH was inactivated by a 92 bp deletion occurred 2-3 million years ago. Read More

Trials 2019 Oct 24;20(1):604. Epub 2019 Oct 24.

University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire, Clifford Bridge Road, Coventry, CV2 2DX, UK.

Background: Acute mountain sickness (AMS) is a cluster of symptoms that commonly occur in those ascending to high altitudes. Symptoms can include headaches, nausea, insomnia and fatigue. Exposure to high altitude can also lead to high-altitude cerebral oedema (HACE), which is a potential cause of death whilst mountaineering. Read More