Differential impact of manic versus depressive episode recurrence on longitudinal gray matter volume changes in bipolar disorder.

Bipolar disorder (BD) is a severe mental disorder, characterized by episodes of mania and depression. The longitudinal neurobiological impact of BD episodes on brain structure remains largely unknown. In 124 age-sex-matched participants (62 BD patients; 62 healthy controls; HCs), aged 20-62 years, we investigated the longitudinal relationship between BD episodes and whole-brain gray matter volume (GMV) changes (3 Tesla MRI) during a two-year interval, using voxel-based morphometry in SPM12/CAT12.

Impact of Residential Greeness Exposure on the Development of Allergic Diseases and Asthma and on Asthma Control-A Systematic Review for the EAACI Guidelines of Environmental Science for Allergic Diseases and Asthma.

The role of residential greenness exposure (RGE) in prevention and control of allergic diseases remains controversial. This systematic review evaluated the association between RGE and the risk of developing asthma, allergic rhinitis (AR), food allergy, atopic dermatitis (AD), and asthma control. MEDLINE and EMBASE searches retrieved 17 cohort and case-control longitudinal studies (12 for asthma, 6 AR, 1 food allergy, 1 ad).

The Impact of Rhinovirus, Syncytial Respiratory Virus and Helminth Infection on the Risk of New-Onset Asthma and Other Allergic Conditions-A Systematic Review for the EAACI Guidelines on Environmental Science for Allergic Diseases and Asthma.

This systematic review evaluated the association between lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI) in infancy with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), rhinovirus (RV) or infestation with helminths and the risk of developing asthma and allergic diseases. The risk of bias was assessed with ROBINS-E, and the certainty of evidence (CoE) with GRADE. Meta-analysis applied a random-effects model.

Targeted Knockdown of Epithelial Estrogen Receptor α to Mitigate Ferroptosis and Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition in Eosinophilic Asthma.

Estrogen receptor α (ERα) is involved with the hyperresponsiveness and airway remodeling in asthma, but developing therapies targeting ERα remains challenging due to its multifaceted roles in different cell types and the poor efficacy of systemic ERα intervention in asthma. Previously, we uncovered the association of increased ERα expression in airway epithelial cells with poor pulmonary function and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in asthma patients. This study further investigated the association of ERα expression with the ferroptosis and EMT levels in a cohort of eosinophilic asthma (EA) patients as well as in an eosinophil-epithelial coculture cell model.

Differential expression of eicosanoid pathways after whole blood stimulation in asthma patients.

Objectives: Asthma is a heterogeneous disease regarding its pathophysiology, clinical symptoms, and response to treatment. Eicosanoids are important inflammatory mediators, able to either promote or attenuate the underlying chronic airway inflammation. We compared eicosanoid expression patterns in the blood circulation and in stimulated blood leukocytes of asthma patients to identify differences in eicosanoid release which may be related to airway inflammation.

Stability of Hemolytic, Lipemic, and Icteric Indices in Blood Samples Transported by Drone: A Focused Report.

Background: Maintaining blood sample integrity is essential for accurate laboratory diagnostics. The hemolytic, lipemic, and icteric (HIL) indices are critical markers of sample quality, detecting common preanalytical interferences such as hemolysis, lipemia, and icterus. Drone technology offers a novel transport method for medical logistics, particularly in remote or underserved regions.

Low type-2 immune effectors modulate atopic diseases' protective role in pancreatic cancer risk.

Studies reported that atopic individuals exhibit a 36% reduced risk of developing pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC); however, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain unclear. This study examines the specific role of type-2 immune response in the atopy-PDAC inverse association. To endotype atopic conditions using type-2 immune effectors (i.

Wildfire and wood smoke effects on human airway epithelial cells: A scoping review.

Background: Wildfires, which occur naturally but are increasingly intensified by climate change, release a complex mixture of organic and inorganic pollutants. These emissions have significant public health implications, contributing to increased morbidity and mortality. Epidemiological and clinical studies have consistently shown that exposure to wildfire smoke exacerbates respiratory conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma.

The Janus face of Bifidobacterium in the development of atopic eczema: A role for compositional maturation.

Background: Atopic eczema often develops in the first year of life, when the composition of the gut microbiota is most plastic as illustrated by the decrease in bifidobacteria after weaning. This may provide the opportunity for microbial stimuli and their environmental determinants to alter the disease course.

Objectives: To determine the role of the genus Bifidobacterium for atopic eczema in early childhood.

Roads to remission: evolving treatment concepts in type 2 inflammatory diseases.

Unlabelled: Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) characterised by type 2 inflammation, including asthma, allergic rhinitis, chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps, atopic dermatitis, food allergies and eosinophilic esophagitis, are increasing in prevalence worldwide. Currently, there is a major paradigm shift in the management of these diseases, towards the concept of disease modification and the treatment goal remission, regardless of severity and age. Remission as a treatment goal in chronic inflammatory NCDs was first introduced in rheumatoid arthritis, and then adopted in other non-type 2 inflammatory diseases.

T follicular helper cell expansion and hyperimmunoglobulinemia with spontaneous IgE production to dietary antigens in IgA-deficient mice.

Immunoglobulin A (IgA), the most abundantly produced antibody at mucosal surfaces, is thought to play key roles in immune responses to respiratory and enteric pathogens and in the regulation of commensal colonization. Low IgA levels have been associated with recurrent infections and immune dysregulation, including inflammatory bowel disease and autoimmunity. Levels of IgA in maternal breast milk and infant stool are both inversely associated with the emergence of immune responses to food antigens in infants and, in naturally resolving food sensitivity and immunotherapy protocols, the induction of IgA antibodies to dietary antigens has been associated with the acquisition of food tolerance.

An Overview of Climate Changes and Its Effects on Health: From Mechanisms to One Health.

Human activities, primarily the burning of fossil fuels, widespread deforestation, soil erosion or machine-intensive farming methods, manufacturing, food processing, mining, construction, and the iron, cement, steel, and chemicals industries, have been the main drivers of the observed increase in Earth's average surface temperature and climate change. Rising global temperatures, extreme weather events, ecosystems disruption, agricultural impacts, water scarcity, problems in access to good quality water, food and housing, and profound environmental disruptions such as biodiversity loss and extreme pollution are expected to steeply increase the prevalence and severity of acute and chronic diseases. Its long-term effects cannot be adequately predicted or mitigated without a comprehensive understanding of the adaptive ecosystems.

Peripheral Inflammation Featuring Eosinophilia or Neutrophilia Is Associated with the Survival and Infiltration of Eosinophils within the Tumor among Various Histological Subgroups of Patients with NSCLC.

Immune activation status determines non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) prognosis, with reported positive/negative associations for T helper type 2 (TH2) responses, including allergen-specific IgE and eosinophils. Our study seeks to explore the potential impact of these comorbid immune responses on the survival rates of patients with NSCLC. Our retrospective study used data from the Data Warehouse of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL) and Lung Biobank at Thoraxklinik Heidelberg.

Urinary eosinophil-derived neurotoxin is associated with reduced lung function in pediatric asthma.

Introduction: Eosinophil-derived neurotoxin (EDN) is a biomarker for eosinophilic activation. Urinary (u) EDN may allow non-invasive monitoring of asthma, but clinical recommendations are lacking. We assessed the potential of uEDN as a marker of disease activity in pediatric asthma.

Vitamin D constrains inflammation by modulating the expression of key genes on Chr17q12-21.1.

Vitamin D possesses immunomodulatory functions and vitamin D deficiency has been associated with the rise in chronic inflammatory diseases, including asthma (Litonjua and Weiss, 2007). Vitamin D supplementation studies do not provide insight into the molecular genetic mechanisms of vitamin D-mediated immunoregulation. Here, we provide evidence for vitamin D regulation of two human chromosomal loci, Chr17q12-21.

Impact of climate change on immune responses and barrier defense.

Climate change is not just jeopardizing the health of our planet but is also increasingly affecting our immune health. There is an expanding body of evidence that climate-related exposures such as air pollution, heat, wildfires, extreme weather events, and biodiversity loss significantly disrupt the functioning of the human immune system. These exposures manifest in a broad range of stimuli, including antigens, allergens, heat stress, pollutants, microbiota changes, and other toxic substances.

The effect of early skin-to-skin contact after cesarean section on breastfeeding duration and development of atopic-allergic diseases.

Introduction: Breastfeeding to strengthen the immune system suggests allergy prevention as a possible option. The connection between breastfeeding and the development of atopic-allergic diseases is being discussed. The primary aim of this work was to investigate an association of the first early skin-to-skin contact following cesarean section with the development of atopic diseases within the 1st year of life.

Alpha-1-antitrypsin-deficiency is associated with lower cardiovascular risk: an approach based on federated learning.

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an inflammatory multisystemic disease caused by environmental exposures and/or genetic factors. Inherited alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency (AATD) is one of the best recognized genetic factors increasing the risk for an early onset COPD with emphysema. The aim of this study was to gain a better understanding of the associations between comorbidities and specific biomarkers in COPD patients with and without AATD to enable future investigations aimed, for example, at identifying risk factors or improving care.

Immune-mediated disease caused by climate change-associated environmental hazards: mitigation and adaptation.

Global warming and climate change have increased the pollen burden and the frequency and intensity of wildfires, sand and dust storms, thunderstorms, and heatwaves - with concomitant increases in air pollution, heat stress, and flooding. These environmental stressors alter the human exposome and trigger complex immune responses. In parallel, pollutants, allergens, and other environmental factors increase the risks of skin and mucosal barrier disruption and microbial dysbiosis, while a loss of biodiversity and reduced exposure to microbial diversity impairs tolerogenic immune development.