BACKGROUND Hailey-Hailey disease (HHD) is a rare, chronic and recurrent blistering disorder, which is characterized clinically by erosions occurring primarily in intertriginous regions, and histologically by suprabasal acantholysis. Oxidative stress plays a specific role in the pathogenesis of HHD, by regulating the expression of factors playing an important role in keratinocyte proliferation a...

PURPOSE Matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) are zinc-dependent endopeptidases that mediate numerous physiologic and pathologic processes, including matrix degradation, tissue remodeling, inflammation, and tumor metastasis. To develop a vaccine targeting stromal antigens expressed by cancer-associated fibroblasts, we focused on MMP11 (or stromelysin 3). MMP11 expression correlates with aggressive pr...

Most of the human tumor-associated antigens (TAAs) characterized thus far are derived from nonmutated "self"-proteins. Numerous strategies have been developed to break tolerance to TAAs, combining various forms of antigens with different vectors and adjuvants. However, no study has yet determined how to select epitopes within a given TAA to induce the highest antitumor effector response. We add...

CONTEXT Physicians and clinicians need portable, efficient, and cost-effective assessment tools to determine the effectiveness of rehabilitation programs after knee injury. Progress in rehabilitation should be evaluated using valid and reliable measurement methods. OBJECTIVE To examine the test-retest reliability of portable fixed dynamometry (PFD), handheld dynamometry (HHD), and isokinetic ...

We have recently shown that effective cytokine gene therapy of solid tumors in HLA-A2 transgenic (HHD) mice lacking murine MHC class I molecule expression results in the generation of HLA-A2-restricted CD8(+) T effector cells selectively recognizing tumor blood vessel-associated pericytes and/or vascular endothelial cells. Using an HHD model in which HLA-A2(neg) tumor (MC38 colon carcinoma or B...

Three times weekly home hemodialysis (HHD) was introduced shortly after the initiation of chronic hemodialysis (HD) treatment in 1960. HHD eliminates the need of transportation to and from the dialysis unit and by allowing patients to set their own dialysis schedule, decreases the burden of treatment on their personal and professional lives. HHD has been found more economical and more highly as...

Background Both American and European guidelines for the management of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) advise that HCM be considered when LV end-diastolic wall thickness (EDWT) ≥15 mm in ≥1 myocardial segment. Hypertensive heart disease (HHD) is a common cause of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH). Distinguishing between HHD and HCM is a frequent clinical conundrum. We aimed to identify predi...

Home hemodialysis (HHD)is an underused dialysis modality , even though it provides anefficient and probably cost-effective way to provide more frequent or longer dialysis. With the advent of newer HHD systems that are easier for patients to learn, use, and maintain, patient and provider interest in HHD is increasing.There are three types of hemodialysis that can be performed at home [1-6]. They...

The success of active immunotherapy is based on the vaccine's ability to overcome immune tolerance through recalibrating the immune system so that it is able to recognize tumor antigens as foreign rather than self. In this study, we used a lentiviral vector system to target human telomerase reverse transcriptase (lv-hTERT), a widely expressed tumor antigen. Immunization of HLA-A*0201 transgenic...