German Red Cross

About: German Red Cross is a healthcare organization based out in Berlin, Germany. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Transplantation & Mesenchymal stem cell. The organization has 653 authors who have published 1146 publications receiving 40111 citations. The organization is also known as: Deutsches Rotes Kreuz & DRK.

TEP versus Lichtenstein: Which technique is better for the repair of primary unilateral inguinal hernias in men?

Abstract: Introduction In the update of the guidelines of the European Hernia Society, open Lichtenstein and endoscopic techniques continue to be recommended as the surgical technique of choice for repair of unilateral primary inguinal hernias in men despite the fact that a meta-analysis had identified a higher recurrence rate for TEP compared with Lichtenstein operation. The Guidelines Group had taken that decision because one surgeon in one of the randomized controlled trials included in the meta-analysis had had a very high recurrence rate. Therefore, this study based on registry data now compares the outcome of TEP versus Lichtenstein repair.

Menopausal status affects the susceptibility of stored RBCs to mechanical stress

Abstract: The mechanical fragility index (MFI) is an in vitro measure of sublethal injury to RBCs. In our previous experiments, we demonstrated that an increase in sublethal injury (increasing MFI) was a component of the RBC storage lesion, and that the MFI was significantly higher amongst the RBC units from male donors compared to pre-menopausal female donors during storage. It was hypothesized that hormonal or menstrual factors contributed to this difference. In this study, we found that RBC units donated by post-menopausal women demonstrated an MFI that was significantly higher than those donated by pre-menopausal women throughout storage.

Early-onset autoimmunity associated with SOCS1 haploinsufficiency

Abstract: Autoimmunity can occur when a checkpoint of self-tolerance fails. The study of familial autoimmune diseases can reveal pathophysiological mechanisms involved in more common autoimmune diseases. Here, by whole-exome/genome sequencing we identify heterozygous, autosomal-dominant, germline loss-of-function mutations in the SOCS1 gene in ten patients from five unrelated families with early onset autoimmune manifestations. The intracellular protein SOCS1 is known to downregulate cytokine signaling by inhibiting the JAK-STAT pathway. Accordingly, patient-derived lymphocytes exhibit increased STAT activation in vitro in response to interferon-γ, IL-2 and IL-4 that is reverted by the JAK1/JAK2 inhibitor ruxolitinib. This effect is associated with a series of in vitro and in vivo immune abnormalities consistent with lymphocyte hyperactivity. Hence, SOCS1 haploinsufficiency causes a dominantly inherited predisposition to early onset autoimmune diseases related to cytokine hypersensitivity of immune cells.

Rhinitis and asthma represent hot topics for Allergy

Abstract: Rhinitis and asthma represent hot topics and there are still more questions than answers (1). We urgently need a common international approach, in particular for severe diseases (2). In this issue of the journal, Cooper et al. (3) report on asthma in Latin America and show that this is a public health challenge with interesting research opportunities. The global map of the prevalence of symptoms of rhinoconjunctivitis in children is reported in this issue of the journal by the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) Phase Three (4). Interesting results are found since elevated prevalence rates are found around the world and not only in developed countries. Important research questions in allergy and related diseases is a new series of the Journal attempting to identify topics of interest for future programs (5). Among the first question published, nonallergic rhinitis (6) appears to be of great relevance due to the very large number of patients (probably hundreds of million around the world) (7, 8), the difficulty to understand the mechanisms (9–18), the importance of occupational agents (19), the links with lower airway disease (20–22), under diagnosis (23), and the lack of adequate treatment. It is important to differentiate nonallergic rhinitis from chronic rhinosinusitis (24). It is possible that the stress response is dysregulated in nonallergic rhinitis as it has been proposed in a challenging hypothesis in asthma (25). Novel therapeutic approaches are needed for the control of nonallergic patients. In this issue of the journal it has been reported that topical corticosteroids down-regulate COX-1 positive cells in nasal polyps (26). The relationship between chronic rhinosinusitis and asthma is still unclear and it is important to find predictors of bronchial hyperresponsiveness in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (27). Airway remodeling is another important topic and it is needed to differentiate persistence vs progression (28–30). The treatment of severe asthma by anti-IgE is still a hot topic (31–33) including the cost-effectiveness of expensive interventions (34). In the present issue, Humbert et al. (35) show that patients who achieve greatest benefit for their asthma experience with omalizumab therapy also experience greatest benefit for rhinitis. This is the first time that such links are found. The socioeconomic burden of allergic diseases and asthma need to be re-emphasized (36) and Simoens et al. J. Bousquet, T. Bieber, W. Fokkens, M. L. Kowalski, M. Humbert, B. Niggemann, H.-U. Simon University Hospital and Inserm UMR 780, Montpellier, France; Department of Dermatology and Allergy, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany; Department of Otorhinolanyngology, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Immunology, Rheumatology and Allergy, Medical University of Ł dź, Ł dź, Poland; Service de Pneumologie, H pital Antoine-B cl re, Universit Paris-Sud, Clamart, France; German Red Cross Hospital, Berlin, Germany; Institute of Pharmacology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland