No abstract

ADAMs are a family of transmembrane proteins described for the first time in the 1990's. ADAMs is an abbreviation of "A Disintegrin and Metallo-proteinases". Their earliest known role was involvement in gamete fusion, and their adhesion properties in intercellular interactions also suggested involvement in tumor biology. Further research emphasized the importance of ADAM proteins in the regulation of neoplastic processes due to their influence on adhesion, cell migration, proteolysis and cell signaling. Variable ADAM expression in cancer and normal tissue was the basis for considering these proteins as diagnostic markers. Recent numerous studies have been published suggesting the prognostic value of this protein family members. The ADAMs transmembrane proteins regulate processes associated with carcinogenesis and neoplastic progression, including immune response evasion, growth induction and metastasis. Proteolysis and shedding of membrane proteins and binding integrins by ADAMs lead to the activation of numerous growth factors, changes in the extracellular matrix, adhesion proteins and angiogenesis. ADAMs potential as prognostic and diagnostic markers in cancer treatment is a particularly interesting issue and has great practical significance. There are many new studies concerning ADAMs' roles in carcinogenesis, but there are no recent reviews of the latest developments in this field. The aim of this systematic review is to analyze the results of studies published on ADAMs in the last 5 years, to present their roles in neoplasm pathogenesis and their potential utility in clinical oncology.

The aim of our study was to evaluate if endothelial-dysfunction (ED) occurs in patients with primary Sjogren syndrome (pSS) and whether it is associated with the disease characteristics and activity. A total of 46 patients with pSS and 30 controls, without known cardiovascular disease, were enrolled in this study. A flow-mediated-dilation (FMD) of the brachial artery, plasma concentrations of the nitric oxide (NO) metabolic pathway (ADMA, L-arginine, SDMA, cGMP), and markers of endothelial inflammatory function (PAI-1, sE-selectin) and angiogenesis (angiostatin, VEGF) were analyzed. The FMD was significantly lower in pSS patients (7.56 ± 3.08 vs. 10.91 ± 1.02%, p = 0.043) and positively correlated with the Ro/SS-A-antibodies (r = 0.34, p = 0.03), pulmonary involvement (r = 0.52, p = 0.001) and inversely with ADMA (r = −0.35, p = 0.04). Plasma ADMA, L-arginine and angiostatin levels were significantly higher in pSS patients (0.39 ± 0.08 vs. 0.36 ± 0.06 µmol/L, p = 0.05; 29.07 ± 6.7 vs. 25.4 ± 5.23 µmol/L, p = 0.01; 152.25 ± 60.99 vs. 120.07 ± 38.7 pg/mL, p = 0.0, respectively). ADMA was associated with ESSDAI (r = 0.33, p = 0.02), SCORE (r = 0.57, p = 0.00003) and focus score (r = 0.38, p = 0.04). In the multiple regression analysis, the ESSDAI was significantly and independently associated with plasma ADMA levels (β = 0.24, p = 0.04). Moreover, plasma cGMP concentrations were negatively correlated with the disease duration (r = −0.31, p = 0.03). Endothelial function is impaired in patients with pSS and associated with the measures of disease activity, which supports the key-role of inflammation in developing and maintaining accelerated atherosclerosis.

Harris lines (HL; also known as Bgrowth arrest lines^or Btransverse radiopaque lines^) are horizontal sclerotic lines formed in the metaphyseal or diaphyseal part of long bones, usually visualized using X-ray images. Among the factors that may lead to a temporary arrest of bone growth (and thus-to HL deposition), the most commonly mentioned are nutritional disorders (malnutrition, protein, vitamin, and mineral deficiencies), a history of smallpox, pneumonia or other diseases, food poisoning, or alcohol abuse. The position of the HL is related to the period of incidence of physiological stress inhibiting bone growth, which enables the estimation of the age at which the subject was exposed to it. Such information can be valuable in the study on archeological populations; therefore, various methods have been developed to determine the age of HL deposition. In this review, six known methods for calculating the age of HL origin are presented and compared: Allison/McHenry, Hunt and Hatch, Clarke, Hummert and van Gerven, and Maat and Byers' methods. In addition, the authors propose here a modification to the last method in order to enable calculations on non-adult bones.

Objectives: The aim of the study was to compare the usefulness of fluorescence-based caries detection systems (Diagnodent and VistaCam) for the assessment of carious lesions on archeological molars. Materials and methods: The study material consisted of teeth from the Cemetery of St. Mary Magdalene (Cmentarz sw. Marii Magdaleny) in Wrocław, Poland. A sample of 178 permanent molars from 38 skulls were examined. Five surfaces of teeth (occlusal, mesial, distal, buccal, and lingual) were assessed on either basically cleaned or sandblasted teeth. Six diagnostic methods were used to detect carious lesions: the visual classification of the International Caries Detection and Assessment System (ICDAS II), fluorescent methods (Diagnodent and VistaCam), X-ray, cone beam computed tomography and histological sections. The sensitiv-