The Biological Significance of Evolution in Autoimmune Phenomena

It is an inherent part of living to be in constant modification, which are due to answers resulting from environmental changes. The different systems make adaptations based on natural selection. With respect to the immune system of mammals, these changes have a lot to do with the interactions that occur continuously with other living species, especially microorganisms. The immune system is primarily designed to defend from germs and this response triggers inflammatory reactions which must be regulated in order not to generate damage to healthy tissue. The regulatory processes were added over time to prevent such damage. Through evolution the species have stored “an immunological experience,” which provides information that is important for developing effective responses in the future. The human species, which is at a high level of evolutionary immunological accumulation, have multiple immune defense strategies which, in turn, are highly regulated. Imbalances in these can result in autoimmunity

The Biological Significance of Evolution in Autoimmune Phenomena

It is an inherent part of living to be in constant modification, which are due to answers resulting from environmental changes. The different systems make adaptations based on natural selection. With respect to the immune system of mammals, these changes have a lot to do with the interactions that occur continuously with other living species, especially microorganisms. The immune system is primarily designed to defend from germs and this response triggers inflammatory reactions which must be regulated in order not to generate damage to healthy tissue. The regulatory processes were added over time to prevent such damage. Through evolution the species have stored “an immunological experience,” which provides information that is important for developing effective responses in the future. The human species, which is at a high level of evolutionary immunological accumulation, have multiple immune defense strategies which, in turn, are highly regulated. Imbalances in these can result in autoimmunity

Local Cartilage Trauma as a Pathogenic Factor in Autoimmunity (One Hypothesis Based on Patients with Relapsing Polychondritis Triggered by Cartilage Trauma)

In the recent years, it has been of great interest to study the binding mechanism between the innate and adaptive immune responses as interrelated processes for the development of multiple autoimmune diseases. Infection has been a well-known trigger of autoimmunity and trauma has been related as well too. Cryptogenic antigens release, recognition of pathogenic structure, and metabolic changes generated by both stimuli begin an inflammatory process which in turn activates the immune system amplifying T and B cell responses. The development of relapsing polychondritis after trauma may have a direct association with these events and in turn probably trigger autoimmune phenomena

Development of bronchiectasis during long-term rituximab treatment for rheumatoid arthritis

Here the cases of three female patients who received long-term rituximab treatment for seropositive, erosive and deforming rheumatoid arthritis was reported. After rituximab treatment, they presented with recurrent sinusitis and pneumonia, followed by the subsequent development of bronchiectasis. A temporal relationship between rituximab treatment and the onset of respiratory complications was exposed as a possible pathogenic mechanism

Total recovery from monoclonal gammopathy and autoimmune phenomena after parathyroidectomy

Based on the observation of a patient with a causal relationship between hyperparathyroidism and development of both autoimmune disease and paraproteinemia, we hypothesize a novel cause of autoimmunity triggered in the context of hyperparathyroidism. © Cañas et al.; Licensee Bentham Open

Rozwój rozstrzeni oskrzeli w wyniku długoterminowego leczenia reumatoidalnego zapalenia stawów rytuksymabem

W pracy przedstawiono przypadki trzech kobiet, które były leczone rytuksymabem z powodu seropozytywnego, erozyjnego, deformującego, reumatoidalnego zapalenia stawów. Po terapii rytuksymabem u pacjentek wystąpiło nawracające zapalenie zatok i zapalenie płuc, a następnie rozstrzenie oskrzeli. Czasowy związek między terapią rytuksymabem a początkiem powikłań ze strony układu oddechowego doprowadził do uznania leku za możliwy mechanizm patogenny.W pracy przedstawiono przypadki trzech kobiet, które były leczone rytuksymabem z powodu seropozytywnego, erozyjnego, deformującego, reumatoidalnego zapalenia stawów. Po terapii rytuksymabem u pacjentek wystąpiło nawracające zapalenie zatok i zapalenie płuc, a następnie rozstrzenie oskrzeli. Czasowy związek między terapią rytuksymabem a początkiem powikłań ze strony układu oddechowego doprowadził do uznania leku za możliwy mechanizm patogenny

Estudios preliminares para la determinación de la resistencia a cortadura interlaminar ST mediante los ensayos Iosipescu y "Short beam shear"

La resistencia a cortadura interlaminar ST es una característica del material que juega un papel significativo en algunos de los criterios de fallo de la matriz en compresión con más repercusión en la actualidad (e.g.: Hashin, Puck, "World Wide Failure Exercise", 1998, 2002). Sin embargo, dicha característica resulta difícil de medir experimentalmente, por lo que es común la aproximación de dicho valor a partir de otras características del material que resultan más simples de determinar (resistencia a cortadura intralaminar S, resistencia a compresión perpendicular a las fibras YC, resistencia a cortadura en el ensayo "Short Beam Shear", SBS). En este trabajo se realiza un estudio acerca de la posibilidad de medir la resistencia a cortadura interlaminar ST empleando una configuración modificada de la probeta Iosipescu, y mediante una variante del ensayo SBS con las fibras perpendiculares a la dirección longitudinal de la probeta. Los resultados obtenidos para las diferentes configuraciones, y para distintas dimensiones de las probetas son analizados en el presente estudio.Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología MAT2000-111

Toughening of Nb2O5 doped zirconia biomaterial fabricated by microwave sintering technology

Pòster presentat a Euromat 2017, Thessaloniki (Greece), 17-22 september 2017The aim of this research is to investigate the characteristics and mechanical properties of Nb2O5 doped zirconia. Samples of partially stabilized-zirconia (3Y-TZP) with Nb2O5 in amounts of 0.15-1.5 mol.% were prepared by sol–gel technique and sintered by non-conventional microwave process

Fragmentation of Andes-to-Amazon connectivity by hydropower dams

Andes-to-Amazon river connectivity controls numerous natural and human systems in the greater Amazon. However, it is being rapidly altered by a wave of new hydropower development, the impacts of which have been previously underestimated. We document 142 dams existing or under construction and 160 proposed dams for rivers draining the Andean headwaters of the Amazon. Existing dams have fragmented the tributary networks of six of eight major Andean Amazon river basins. Proposed dams could result in significant losses in river connectivity in river mainstems of five of eight major systems—the Napo, Marañón, Ucayali, Beni, and Mamoré. With a newly reported 671 freshwater fish species inhabiting the Andean headwaters of the Amazon (>500 m), dams threaten previously unrecognized biodiversity, particularly among endemic and migratory species. Because Andean rivers contribute most of the sediment in the mainstem Amazon, losses in river connectivity translate to drastic alteration of river channel and floodplain geomorphology and associated ecosystem services