Poor sleep is highly associated with house dust mite allergic rhinitis in adults and children

Sleep disorders are often underreported to physicians by patients with allergies. This study aimed to characterize the sleep disorders associated with respiratory allergy to house dust mites (HDM) at the time ...

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Poor sleep is highly associated with house dust mite allergic rhinitis in adults and children

Sleep disorders are often underreported to physicians by patients with allergies. This study aimed to characterize the sleep disorders associated with respiratory allergy to house dust mites (HDM) at the time ...

http://ift.tt/2v0ke0e

Amelioration of atopic-like skin conditions in NC/Tnd mice by topical application with distilled Alpinia intermedia Gagnep extracts

Abstract

Alpinia intermedia, a perennial plant that belongs to the Zingiberaceae family, has been used in folk medicine for a long time in the southern region of Japan. Because skin care is an effective approach that enables patients to manage their atopic dermatitis (AD), various herbal ingredients with few adverse effects have been evaluated for use in AD patients in recent years. In this study, we examined whether distilled extracts obtained from A. intermedia were beneficial for AD-like skin conditions in NC/Tnd mice. Topical application with the A. intermedia extracts significantly reduced the severity of AD, transepidermal water loss and scratching behavior in the mice. Supplementation of the extracts to cell cultures suppressed the expression of Tslp mRNA in PAM212 keratinocytes, degranulation in bone marrow-derived cultured mast cells (BMCMC), and neurite outgrowth in PC12 cells and dorsal root ganglia. In addition, the component analysis revealed that β-pinene was a major constituent of the A. intermedia extracts. The inhibitory effects of β-pinene both in vivo and in vitro were also demonstrated. These results indicate that topical application with the A. intermedia extract to the skin of NC/Tnd mice improved the condition of the skin by suppressing multiple inflammatory responses. The extracts may become novel skin-care remedies for AD patients.

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Keratin 6b variant p.Gly499Ser reported in delayed-onset pachyonychia congenita is a non-pathogenic polymorphism

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Probable allergic contact dermatitis from hydroquinone presenting as leukomelanoderma: Report of two cases

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Insulin-Like Growth Factor (IGF) Pathway Targeting in Cancer: Role of the IGF Axis and Opportunities for Future Combination Studies

Abstract

Despite a strong preclinical rationale for targeting the insulin-like growth factor (IGF) axis in cancer, clinical studies of IGF-1 receptor (IGF-1R)-targeted monotherapies have been largely disappointing, and any potential success has been limited by the lack of validated predictive biomarkers for patient enrichment. A large body of preclinical evidence suggests that the key role of the IGF axis in cancer is in driving treatment resistance, via general proliferative/survival mechanisms, interactions with other mitogenic signaling networks, and class-specific mechanisms such as DNA damage repair. Consequently, combining IGF-targeted agents with standard cytotoxic agents, other targeted agents, endocrine therapies, or immunotherapies represents an attractive therapeutic approach. Anti-IGF-1R monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) do not inhibit IGF ligand 2 (IGF-2) activation of the insulin receptor isoform-A (INSR-A), which may limit their anti-proliferative activity. In addition, due to their lack of specificity, IGF-1R tyrosine kinase inhibitors are associated with hyperglycemia as a result of interference with signaling through the classical metabolic INSR-B isoform; this may preclude their use at clinically effective doses. Conversely, IGF-1/IGF-2 ligand-neutralizing mAbs inhibit proliferative/anti-apoptotic signaling via IGF-1R and INSR-A, without compromising the metabolic function of INSR-B. Therefore, combination regimens that include these agents may be more efficacious and tolerable versus IGF-1R-targeted combinations. Herein, we review the preclinical and clinical experience with IGF-targeted therapies to-date, and discuss the rationale for future combination approaches as a means to overcome treatment resistance.

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Diagnostic performance of a newly developed salivary cortisol and cortisone measurement using an LC–MS/MS method with simple and rapid sample preparation

Abstract

Background

Late-night salivary cortisol level is one of the first-line tests recommended by the Endocrine Society for the diagnosis of endogenous hypercortisolism. Most routine laboratories measure cortisol levels using immunoassay tests which fail to determine low cortisol levels accurately due to the numerous interfering substances. A liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) method with simple and rapid sample preparation was developed for the simultaneous measurement of cortisol and cortisone and its performance in the diagnosis of endogenous hypercortisolism was evaluated.

Methods

324 late-night saliva samples were analyzed from which 272 samples were derived from patients with a suspected diagnosis of endogenous hypercortisolism. Salivary cortisol levels were assayed using an electrochemiluminescent immunoassay (ECLIA, Cortisol II, Roche), and simultaneous measurement of cortisol and cortisone was performed using an LC–MS/MS method.

Results

A strong correlation between cortisol results measured using ECLIA and LC–MS/MS (r ² = 0.892) was demonstrated. Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) analysis showed good diagnostic performance of cortisol and cortisone levels assayed using LC–MS/MS method and for cortisol measured using ECLIA.

Conclusions

Late-night salivary cortisol and cortisone are useful parameters for the diagnosis of hypercortisolism. Using samples obtained from patients where the diagnosis of hypercortisolism is extremely challenging cut-off values for midnight salivary cortisol and cortisone measured by LC–MS/MS method were established.

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