An improved unroofing method consisting of tearing off the cell membrane using an adhesive electron microscopy (EM) grid instead of vitreous ice sectioning (cryo-sectioning) has enabled us to panoramically view the membrane cytoskeleton in its native state with extremely high contrast. Grids pre-treated with Alcian blue were placed on cells, and a portion of the dorsal plasma membrane was trans...

a function $f:v(g)rightarrow {-1,0,1}$ is a {em minusdominating function} if for every vertex $vin v(g)$, $sum_{uinn[v]}f(u)ge 1$. a minus dominating function $f$ of $g$ is calleda {em global minus dominating function} if $f$ is also a minusdominating function of the complement $overline{g}$ of $g$. the{em global minus domination number} $gamma_{g}^-(g)$ of $g$ isdefined as $gamma_{g}^-(g)=min{...

OBJECTIVE To investigate expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) antiangiogenic isoform A-165b on human muscle in idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIM) and to compare distribution of angiogenic/antiangiogenic VEGFs, as isoforms shifts are described in other autoimmune disorders. SUBJECTS AND METHODS We analyzed VEGF-A165b and VEGF-A by western blot and immunohistochemistry ...

OBJECTIVE To evaluate muscle pathology and clinical characteristics in patients with a myopathy and serum antibodies to the Jo-1 antigen (histidyl t-RNA synthetase). BACKGROUND Anti-Jo-1 antibodies occur in syndromes that may include muscle weakness and pain, Raynaud's phenomenon, interstitial lung disease, arthritis, and a skin rash different from that seen in dermatomyositis. The muscle pat...

Aim: The prevalence of celiac disease (CD) in patients with iron deficiency (ID) is estimated at 0-6% in European countries. The prevalence of celiac disease in patients with iron deficiency in the USA is unknown. Given the treatable nature of gluten hypersensitivity, estimating the prevalence of CD in patients with ID can help to determine the need to screen these patients for occult CD. Metho...

A 26-year-old female presented with epidermolysis bullosa prurogompsa (EBP) since infancy, hair loss, proximal motor weakness, nasal tone speech, swallowing problem, and droopy eyes at age 20. Upon neurological examination, normal cognition, inability to walk unassisted, bilateral ptosis full range of extraocular movements, weak gag reflex, generalized muscle atrophy, decreased deep tendon refl...

Objective This study aimed to assess if there is secondary care medical inertia towards coeliac disease (CD). Design Group (1): Time from primary presentation diagnostic endoscopy was quantified in 151 adult patients with a positive endomysial antibody test and compared 92 histologically proven inflammatory bowel (IBD). (2): Across four hospitals, duodenal biopsy reports for suspected CD were r...

Intestinal intraepithelial lymphocytes are non-organized lymphoid populations that are composed of heterogeneous subsets with diverse ontogeny and phenotypes, and the differential diagnosis is crucial. A 43-year-old male patient underwent an emergency laparotomy due to a perforated mass of the terminal ileum. A right hemicolectomy plus small bowel resection was performed. Histopathological exam...

BACKGROUND The aim of our study is to evaluate if in children with highly positive serology and HLA-DQ2/DQ8 (triple test, TT) and only extra-intestinal symptoms, it is possible to omit performing an intestinal biopsy for celiac disease (CD) diagnosis, as suggested by the new European Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition ESPGHAN guidelines. METHODS In this retrospec...