Article
Rheumatology
Sophie I. E. Liem, Jacopo Ciaffi, Nina Marijn van Leeuwen, Maaike Boonstra, Saad Ahmed, Liesbeth J. J. van de Voorde, Anja Corsel, Talitha Dhondai, Maarten K. Ninaber, J. J. Miranda Geelhoed-Veltman, Marlies E. Heuvers, Maarten E. Tushuizen, Nina Ajmone Marsan, Philippine Kies, Anne A. Schouffoer, Tom W. J. Huizinga, Cornelia F. Allaart, Jeska De Vries-Bouwstra
Summary: The Leiden Combined Care in Systemic Sclerosis (CCISS) cohort in the Netherlands observed a decrease in disease duration at cohort entry, indicating a potentially more timely diagnosis of SSc and opportunities for early interventions. While symptom duration at presentation is longer in females, mortality rate is consistently higher in males, highlighting the need for sex-specific treatment and follow-up.
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Paul Gressenberger, Philipp Jud, Gabor Kovacs, Sonja Kreuzer, Hans-Peter Brezinsek, Katharina Guetl, Viktoria Muster, Ewald Kolesnik, Albrecht Schmidt, Balazs Odler, Gabriel Adelsmayr, Peter Neumeister, Luka Brcic, Sabine Zenz, Kurt Weber, Thomas Gary, Marianne Brodmann, Winfried B. Graninger, Florentine C. Moazedi-Fuerst
Summary: Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a difficult-to-treat autoimmune disease characterized by vascular damage and organ fibrosis. Autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHSCT) may be considered for high-risk SSc patients, but the need for additional immunosuppressive therapies such as rituximab (RTX) post-AHSCT remains unclear. This report highlights the potential efficacy of RTX in SSc patients who do not respond well to AHSCT, with improved clinical symptoms and organ functions observed after RTX treatment.
JOURNAL OF PERSONALIZED MEDICINE
(2021)
News Item
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Audrey Gaudel
Summary: For decades, efforts to mitigate ozone pollution have relied on two chemical regimes. However, a recent global modeling analysis has revealed a third regime involving aerosols that could help concurrently control both ozone and particulate pollution.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Roberto Depascale, Mariele Gatto, Margherita Zen, Francesca Saccon, Maddalena Larosa, Elisabetta Zanatta, Sara Bindoli, Andrea Doria, Luca Iaccarino
Summary: Belimumab, a fully humanized monoclonal antibody targeting B cells, has demonstrated efficacy and safety in clinical practice. Questions regarding the timing of its use, discontinuation, and potential combination with other biological drugs require further investigation.
EXPERT OPINION ON BIOLOGICAL THERAPY
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Michael Gernert, Hans-Peter Tony, Matthias Froehlich, Eva Christina Schwaneck, Marc Schmalzing
Summary: This study investigated the use of immunosuppressive medication (IS) after autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (aHSCT) in systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients. The results showed that approximately 60% of SSc patients required IS after aHSCT for disease control. Rituximab was found to be an effective treatment option. Long-term data suggested that aHSCT is safe.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Editorial Material
Cell Biology
Patrick A. Lewis
Summary: A phase 1 clinical trial for kinase inhibitors targeting LRRK2 lays the groundwork for evaluating the effectiveness of LRRK2 kinase inhibitors in Parkinson's disease.
SCIENCE TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Rheumatology
Julia Z. Adamska, Amin Zia, Michelle S. Bloom, Leslie J. Crofford, Daniel E. Furst, Ellen Goldmuntz, Lynette Keyes-Elstein, Maureen D. Mayes, Peter McSweeney, Richard A. Nash, Ashley Pinckney, Beverly Welch, Zelda Z. Love, Keith M. Sullivan, William Robinson
Summary: Myeloablative autologous HSCT resets the IGH repertoire to a more naive state characterized by increased IgM isotype antibodies, providing a possible mechanism for the superior treatment effect of HSCT over CYC in dcSSc.
ANNALS OF THE RHEUMATIC DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Cell Biology
Gianluca Bagnato, Antonio Giovanni Versace, Daniela La Rosa, Alberta De Gaetano, Egidio Imbalzano, Marianna Chiappalone, Carmelo Ioppolo, William Neal Roberts, Alessandra Bitto, Natasha Irrera, Alessandro Allegra, Giovanni Pioggia, Sebastiano Gangemi
Summary: Autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation has shown improved outcomes in the treatment of severe systemic sclerosis, but there are still challenges such as accurate patient selection and pre-transplant analysis.
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Roland Wohlgemuth, Tomasz Twardowski, Alfredo Aguilar
Summary: Continuous, inspiring and interconnected step-by-step changes in thought and understanding, knowhow, actions and behavior have played a crucial role in transitioning from one age to the next in human history. However, it is important for us to continue on the journey to address the challenges by going beyond descriptive work and finding solutions through novel and inspiring steps. Such efforts are further supported by the global acceptance of the concept of bioeconomy, which has created momentum in more than 50 countries and offers great opportunities for mobilizing stakeholders towards sustainable economic growth under planetary boundary conditions.
Article
Dermatology
Komal Saeed, Farid Ahmad Khan, Saad Bin Abdul Qudus, Sundas Javed
Summary: Autologous fat grafting has shown promising results for cutaneous wound healing without high complication rates. Further randomized controlled trials on a larger scale are needed to validate its efficacy in managing complicated wounds.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LOWER EXTREMITY WOUNDS
(2022)
Article
Biology
Mariona Baliu-Pique, Vera van Hoeven, Julia Drylewicz, Lotte E. van der Wagen, Anke Janssen, Sigrid A. Otto, Menno C. van Zelm, Rob J. de Boer, Jurgen Kuball, Jose A. M. Borghans, Kiki Tesselaar
Summary: The study found that in patients after autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (autoHSCT), the production rates of most T- and B-cell subsets increased significantly, but accompanied by an increase in cell loss rates, which persisted even after cell numbers normalized.
Review
Nutrition & Dietetics
Mattia Perazzi, Enrico Gallina, Giulia Francesca Manfredi, Filippo Patrucco, Antonio Acquaviva, Donato Colangelo, Mario Pirisi, Mattia Bellan
Summary: This paper reviews the potential role of vitamin D in the pathogenesis and management of systemic sclerosis (SSc). Pre-clinical data suggest that vitamin D and its analogs may suppress fibrogenesis, while clinical data show a high prevalence of hypovitaminosis D and osteoporosis in SSc patients, but inconsistent findings regarding the association with clinical manifestations and phenotypes of SSc.
Article
Rheumatology
Joao R. Lima-Junior, Lucas C. M. Arruda, Maynara S. Goncalves, Juliana B. E. Dias, Daniela A. Moraes, Dimas T. Covas, Belinda P. Simoes, Maria Carolina Oliveira, Kelen C. R. Malmegrim
Summary: The study evaluated the reconstitution of different B cell subsets in SSc patients treated with AHSCT, finding that naive B cell frequencies increased while memory B cell frequencies decreased post-treatment. Some suppressive B cell functions were also observed to recover after AHSCT.
Editorial Material
Neurosciences
Hugo G. Marques, Pedro L. Castelhanito, Megan R. Carey
Summary: A recent study has identified a mechanistic pathway by which norepinephrine alters cerebellar Purkinje output to trigger attacks in a mouse model of EA2, and a pharmacological intervention that effectively reduces them.
TRENDS IN NEUROSCIENCES
(2022)
Editorial Material
Medicine, General & Internal
Brian S. Barnett, Peter R. Chai, Joji Suzuki
Summary: Although fentanyl is the main driver of the opioid crisis in the U.S., the healthcare system has struggled to adapt toxicology screening practices to address this issue.
NEW ENGLAND JOURNAL OF MEDICINE
(2023)