We had introduced the massively parallel global cellular automata (GCA) model. Parallel algorithms derived from applications can be mapped straight forward onto this model. In this model a cell in the cell field is dynamically connected (access pattern, dynamic neighbourhood) to other cells. The model can be implemented by pointers stored in the cell state. Via these pointers, each cell has rea...

PURPOSE To examine whether herpes zoster antigen (also called varicella-zoster virus antigen) was detectable in temporal artery biopsies taken from individuals with giant cell arteritis (GCA). DESIGN Retrospective comparative case series. METHODS Sections of formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded temporal arteries were examined first by hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) staining to establish the diagnosis ...

OBJECTIVES Inflammatory cytokines are implicated in the pathogenesis of giant cell arteritis (GCA) and polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR). In this study we have examined the potential association of a CA repeat polymorphism in the first intron of the interferon gamma (IFN-gamma) gene with disease susceptibility and clinical expression of these conditions. METHODS Seventy-nine patients with isolated...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE Two recent genome-wide association studies have identified a shared susceptibility variation PLCE1 rs2274223 for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and gastric cardia adenocarcinomas (GCA). Subsequent case-control studies have reported this association in other populations. However, the findings were controversial and the effect remains undetermined. Our aim is t...

Objective Previous studies, although inconclusive, have suggested possible associations of environmental risk factors with the development of giant cell arteritis (GCA). We aim to investigate seasonal influence on the incidence of GCA across Australia and New Zealand. Methods In establishing an international study to investigate the molecular aetiology of GCA, archived temporal artery biopsy ...

OBJECTIVE This study aims to investigate the expression and significance of p57kip2 and cyclinD1 in gastric cardia adenocarcinoma (GCA). p57kip2 is a negative regulator in the cell cycle. On the contrary, cyclinD1 is a positive regulator of cell cycle progression. METHODS Thirty-two cases of GCA tissues and adjacent non-cancerous tissues were collected for this study. Immunohistochemistry and...

OBJECTIVE To characterize the microbiome of the temporal artery in patients with giant cell arteritis (GCA), and to apply an unbiased and comprehensive shotgun sequencing-based approach to determine whether there is an enrichment of candidate pathogens in the affected tissue. METHODS Temporal artery biopsy specimens were collected from patients at a single institution over a period of 4 years...

OBJECTIVE Mast cells (MCs) are known to be involved in the neovascularization and regulation of T cell responses. However, the presence of MCs in giant cell arteritis (GCA) is unknown. This prompted us to study the presence and phenotype of MCs in GCA. METHODS Human GCA specimens collected for diagnostic purposes were examined with immunohistochemistry. Double immunostainings of MC tryptase w...

Giant cell arteritis (GCA) is the most common of the vasculitis syndromes and, being a disease of the elderly, its incidence is increasing with the general ageing of the population. GCA is most feared for its early complications, namely blindness and stroke, resulting from inflammation and subsequent occlusion of ocular and extra cranial arteries, respectively. More recently, however, GCA has b...

OBJECTIVE To investigate the incidence of venous thromboembolism (VTE) and cerebrovascular events in a community-based incidence cohort of patients with giant cell arteritis (GCA) compared to the general population. METHODS A population-based inception cohort of patients with incident GCA between January 1, 1950 and December 31, 2009 in Olmsted County, Minnesota and a cohort of non-GCA subjec...