Despite advances in cancer diagnosis and therapeutics, the overall 5-year survival rate of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) remains low. Tumor formation, progression, recurrence, and chemo-resistance are associated with the presence of cancer stem cells (CSC) that show phenotypic heterogeneity, but how they influence tumor behavior remains poorly understood. We aimed to describe how two CSC phenotypes from an OSCC cell line, CD44
  ESA
  (Epi-CSC) and CD44
  ESA
  (EMT-CSC), behave in vitro and in vivo.
 
  In vitro behavior of FACS-sorted Epi-CSC and EMT-CSC from OSCC cells was characterized by their ability to form colonies, migrate, proliferate, and to invade a solid matrix. In vivo experiments were conducted in immunodeficient (NOD/SCID) mice by orthotopic xenografting of FACS-sorted OSCC subpopulations.
 
  In vitro, the Epi-CSC phenotype was more proliferative and generated more holoclones than the EMT phenotype. On the other hand, EMT-CSC migrate and invaded more than Epi-CSC cells in 3D culture, suggment protocols.
  To explore whether sarcopenia, diagnosed by an abbreviated magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) protocol is a risk factor for hepatic decompensation and mortality in patients with chronic liver disease (CLD).
 
  In this retrospective single-center study we included 265 patients (164 men, mean age 54 ±16 years) with CLD who had undergone MRI of the liver between 2010-2015. Transverse psoas muscle thickness (TPMT) was measured on unenhanced and contrast-enhanced T1-weighted and T2-weighted axial images. Sarcopenia was defined by height-adjusted and gender-specific cut-offs in women as TPMT <8mm/m and in men as TPMT <12mm/m, respectively. Patients were further stratified into three prognostic stages according to the absence of advanced fibrosis (FIB-4<1.45, non-advanced CLD), compensated-advanced CLD (cACLD); and decompensated-advanced CLD (dACLD).
 
  The inter-observer agreement for the TPMT measurements (κ=0.98; 95% confidence-interval [95%CI]0.96-0.98), as well as the intra-observer agreement between the three image sequences (κ=0.99; 95%CI0.99-1.00) were excellent. Sarcopenia was not predictive of first or further hepatic decompensation. In patients with cACLD and dACLD, sarcopenia was a risk factor for mortality (cACLD hazard ratio (HR)3.13, 95%CI1.33-7.41,P=0.009; dACLDHR2.45,95%CI1.32-4.57,P=0.005) on univariate analysis. After adjusting for the model of end-stage liver disease (MELD) score, albumin, and evidence of clinical significant portal hypertension, sarcopenia (adjusted HR 2.76, 95%CI 1.02-7.42, p = 0.045) remained an independent risk factor for mortality in patients with cACLD.
 
  Sarcopenia can be easily evaluated by a short MRI exam without the need for contrast injection. Sarcopenia is a risk factor for mortality, especially in patients with cACLD.
 Sarcopenia can be easily evaluated by a short MRI exam without the need for contrast injection. Sarcopenia is a risk factor for mortality, especially in patients with cACLD.Interstitial granulomatous dermatitis (IGD) is a rare dermatosis generally seen in the setting of rheumatic diseases, but also hematological disorders, internal malignances, infections, or drug induced. Herein, we report an exceptional case of an IGD with a clear chronological association with tocilizumab onset and cessation in a patient with adult-onset Still's disease. We review the granulomatous cutaneous reactions so far reported with this novel therapy sarcoidosis, granuloma annulare, and IGD. Tocilizumab is a humanized anti-interleukin 6 receptor monoclonal antibody useful for the treatment of various systemic inflammatory disorders. Lately, it has found useful also for granulomatous diseases such as giant cell arteritis and even a promising response in IGD. Therefore, we believe our case adds the possibility of an IGD presenting as a paradoxical reaction.Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, type 2 diabetes (T2D) was marked as a risk factor for severe disease and mortality. Inflammation is central to the aetiology of both conditions where variations in immune responses can mitigate or aggravate disease course. Identifying at-risk groups based on immunoinflammatory signatures is valuable in directing personalised care and developing potential targets for precision therapy.  https://www.selleckchem.com/products/reacp53.html  This observational study characterised immunophenotypic variation associated with COVID-19 severity in T2D. Broad-spectrum immunophenotyping quantified 15 leucocyte populations in peripheral circulation from a cohort of 45 hospitalised COVID-19 patients with and without T2D. Lymphocytopenia and specific loss of cytotoxic CD8+ lymphocytes were associated with severe COVID-19 and requirement for intensive care in both non-diabetic and T2D patients. A morphological anomaly of increased monocyte size and monocytopenia restricted to classical CD14Hi CD16- monocytes was specifically associated with severe COVID-19 in patients with T2D requiring intensive care. Increased expression of inflammatory markers reminiscent of the type 1 interferon pathway (IL6, IL8, CCL2, INFB1) underlaid the immunophenotype associated with T2D. These immunophenotypic and hyperinflammatory changes may contribute to increased voracity of COVID-19 in T2D. These findings allow precise identification of T2D patients with severe COVID-19 as well as provide evidence that the type 1 interferon pathway may be an actionable therapeutic target for future studies.High salt diet (HSD) impairs testicular function via oxidative stress. Cyperus esculentus contains antioxidants and improves testicular function. We investigated the protective effect of hydro-ethanolic extract of Cyperus esculentus on testicular function in HSD-fed Wistar rats. Twenty-five male Wistar rats (125-135 g) 8-9 weeks old were divided into five groups (n = 5) control, HSD-fed (8 % NaCl in feed), extract-treated (500 mg kg-1 day-1 ), HSD-fed +500 mg kg-1 day-1 of extract and HSD-fed +1,000 mg kg-1 day-1 of extract groups. Treatment lasted for 6 weeks. HSD decreased (p less then .05) sperm parameters and serum reproductive hormones levels, while Cyperus esculentus extract improved (p less then .05) sperm parameters, and serum testosterone and follicle-stimulating hormone levels in HSD-fed rats. The extract upregulated intra-testicular testosterone level and activities of 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3β-HSD) and 17β-HSD, downregulated malondialdehyde and nitric oxide levels, and exhibited a dose-dependent decrease in pro-inflammatory cytokines, upregulation of activities of enzymatic antioxidants and increase in total antioxidant capacity in testes of HSD-fed rats.