New records of biting midges of the genus Culicoides Latreille from Mexico (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae)

We provide the first records of six species of biting midges (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) in the genus Culicoides Latreille from Mexico: C. baueri Hoffman, C. castillae Fox, C. debilipalpis Lutz, C. iriartei Fox, C. leoni Barbosa and C. pusilloides Wirth and Blanton. In addition, C. leopoldoi Ortiz is confirmed from Mexico, and new records are included for 25 other species previously recorded in Mexico: C. arubae Fox and Hoffman, C. blantoni Vargas and Wirth, C. crepuscularis Malloch, C. daedalus Macfie, C. diabolicus Hoffman, C. foxi Ortiz, C. furens (Poey), C. gabaldoni Ortiz, C. haematopotus Malloch, C. hylas Macfie, C. insignis Lutz, C. jamaicensis Edwards, C. luteovenus Root and Hoffman, C. neopulicaris Wirth, C. nigrigenus Wirth and Blanton, C. pampoikilus Macfie, C. panamensis Barbosa, C. paraensis (Goeldi), C. phlebotomus (Williston), C. poikilonotus Macfie, C. pusillus Lutz, C. stigmalis Wirth, and all three species in the C. (Monoculicoides) variipennis complex, C. variipennis (Coquillett), C. occidentalis Wirth and Jones, and C. sonorensis Wirth and Jones

New records of biting midges of the genus \u3ci\u3eCulicoides\u3c/i\u3e Latreille from Mexico (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae)

We provide the first records of six species of biting midges (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) in the genus Culicoides Latreille from Mexico: C. baueri Hoffman, C. castillae Fox, C. debilipalpis Lutz, C. iriartei Fox, C. leoni Barbosa and C. pusilloides Wirth and Blanton. In addition, C. leopoldoi Ortiz is confirmed from Mexico, and new records are included for 25 other species previously recorded in Mexico: C. arubae Fox and Hoffman, C. blantoni Vargas and Wirth, C. crepuscularis Malloch, C. daedalus Macfie, C. diabolicus Hoffman, C. foxi Ortiz, C. furens (Poey), C. gabaldoni Ortiz, C. haematopotus Malloch, C. hylas Macfie, C. insignis Lutz, C. jamaicensis Edwards, C. luteovenus Root and Hoffman, C. neopulicaris Wirth, C. nigrigenus Wirth and Blanton, C. pampoikilus Macfie, C. panamensis Barbosa, C. paraensis (Goeldi), C. phlebotomus (Williston), C. poikilonotus Macfie, C. pusillus Lutz, C. stigmalis Wirth, and all three species in the C. (Monoculicoides) variipennis complex, C. variipennis (Coquillett), C. occidentalis Wirth and Jones, and C. sonorensis Wirth and Jones

Mutational Landscape and tumor burden assessed by cell-free DNA in Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma in a population-based study

Purpose: We analyzed the utility of cell-free DNA (cfDNA) in a prospective population-based cohort to determine the mutational profile, assess tumor burden, and estimate its impact in response rate and outcome in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). Experimental design: A total of 100 patients were diagnosed with DLBCL during the study period. Mutational status of 112 genes was studied in cfDNA by targeted next-generation sequencing. Paired formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded samples and volumetric PET/CT were assessed when available. Results: Appropriate cfDNA to perform the analyses was obtained in 79 of 100 cases. At least one mutation could be detected in 69 of 79 cases (87%). The sensitivity of cfDNA to detect the mutations was 68% (95% confidence interval, 56.2-78.7). The mutational landscape found in cfDNA samples was highly consistent with that shown in the tissue and allowed genetic classification in 43% of the cases. A higher amount of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) significantly correlated with clinical parameters related to tumor burden (elevated lactate dehydrogenase and β2-microglobulin serum levels, advanced stage, and high-risk International Prognostic Index) and total metabolic tumor volume assessed by PET/CT. In patients treated with curative intent, high ctDNA levels (>2.5 log hGE/mL) were associated with lower complete response (65% vs. 96%; P < 0.004), shorter progression-free survival (65% vs. 85%; P = 0.038), and overall survival (73% vs. 100%; P = 0.007) at 2 years, although it did not maintain prognostic value in multivariate analyses. Conclusions: In a population-based prospective DLBCL series, cfDNA resulted as an alternative source to estimate tumor burden and to determine the tumor mutational profile and genetic classification, which have prognostic implications and may contribute to a future tailored treatment

Cut-offs and response criteria for the Hospital Universitario la Princesa Index (HUPI) and their comparison to widely-used indices of disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis

Objective To estimate cut-off points and to establish response criteria for the Hospital Universitario La Princesa Index (HUPI) in patients with chronic polyarthritis. Methods Two cohorts, one of early arthritis (Princesa Early Arthritis Register Longitudinal PEARL] study) and other of long-term rheumatoid arthritis (Estudio de la Morbilidad y Expresión Clínica de la Artritis Reumatoide EMECAR]) including altogether 1200 patients were used to determine cut-off values for remission, and for low, moderate and high activity through receiver operating curve (ROC) analysis. The areas under ROC (AUC) were compared to those of validated indexes (SDAI, CDAI, DAS28). ROC analysis was also applied to establish minimal and relevant clinical improvement for HUPI. Results The best cut-off points for HUPI are 2, 5 and 9, classifying RA activity as remission if =2, low disease activity if >2 and =5), moderate if >5 and <9 and high if =9. HUPI''s AUC to discriminate between low-moderate activity was 0.909 and between moderate-high activity 0.887. DAS28''s AUCs were 0.887 and 0.846, respectively; both indices had higher accuracy than SDAI (AUCs: 0.832 and 0.756) and CDAI (AUCs: 0.789 and 0.728). HUPI discriminates remission better than DAS28-ESR in early arthritis, but similarly to SDAI. The HUPI cut-off for minimal clinical improvement was established at 2 and for relevant clinical improvement at 4. Response criteria were established based on these cut-off values. Conclusions The cut-offs proposed for HUPI perform adequately in patients with either early or long term arthritis

A Modified Iterative Automatic Method for Characterization at Shear Resonance: Case Study of Ba0.85Ca0.15Ti0.90Zr0.10O3 Eco-Piezoceramics

Coupling between electrically excited electromechanical resonances of piezoelectric ceramics is undesirable for the purpose of their characterization, since the material models correspond to monomodal resonances. However, coupling takes place quite often and it is unavoidable at the shear resonance of standard in-plane poled and thickness-excited rectangular plates. The piezoelectric coefficient e15, the elastic compliance s55E and the dielectric permittivity component ε11S for a piezoelectric ceramic can be determined, including all losses, using the automatic iterative method of analysis of the complex impedance curves for the shear mode of an appropriated resonator. This is the non-standard, thickness-poled and longitudinally excited, shear plate. In this paper, the automatic iterative method is modified. The purpose is to be able to deal with the analysis of the impedance curves of the non-standard plate as the periodic phenomena of coupling and decoupling of the main shear resonance and other resonances takes place. This happens when the thickness of the plate is reduced, and its aspect ratio (width of the excitation (w)/thickness for poling (t)) is increased. In this process, the frequency of the shear resonance also increases and meets those of other plate modes periodically. We aim to obtain the best approach for the shear properties of near coupling and to reveal both their validity and the limitations of the thus-obtained information. Finally, we use a plate of a Ba0.85Ca0.15Ti0.90Zr0.10O3 eco-piezoceramic as a case study.This work was supported by the Spanish project MAT2017-86168R

Loss of Visual Acuity after Successful Surgery for Macula-On Rhegmatogenous Retinal Detachment in a Prospective Multicentre Study.

Journal Article;Purpose. To quantify the frequency of visual loss after successful retinal detachment (RD) surgery in macula-on patients in a multicentric, prospective series of RD. Methods. Clinical variables from consecutive macula-on RD patients were collected in a prospective multicentric study. Visual loss was defined as at least a reduction in one line in best corrected visual acuity (VA) with Snellen chart. The series were divided into 4 subgroups: (1) all macula-on eyes (n = 357); (2) macula-on patients with visual loss at the third month of follow-up (n = 53) which were further subdivided in (3) phakic eyes (n = 39); and (4) pseudophakic eyes (n = 14). Results. Fifty-three eyes (14.9%) had visual loss three months after surgery (n = 39 phakic eyes; n = 14 pseudophakic eyes). There were no statistically significant differences between them regarding their clinical characteristics. Pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) was used in 67.2% of cases, scleral buckle in 57.7%, and scleral explant in 11.9% (36.1% were combined procedures). Conclusions. Around 15% of macula-on RD eyes lose VA after successful surgery. Development of cataracts may be one cause in phakic eyes, but vision loss in pseudophakic eyes could have other explanations such as the effect of released factors produced by retinal ischemia on the macula area. Further investigations are necessary to elucidate this hypothesis.This project was developed under the support of the Thematic Network 03/13 of the Carlos III, Institute of Health of Spain.Ye

Real-world effectiveness and treatment retention of secukinumab in patients with psoriatic arthritis and axial spondyloarthritis: a descriptive observational analysis of the spanish BIOBADASER registry

Rheumatic diseases are extensively managed with biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (bDMARDs), but a notable proportion of patients withdraw in the long term because of lack of effectiveness, adverse events, or the patient's decision. The present real-world analysis showed the effectiveness, retention, and safety data collected in the Spanish BIOBADASER registry for patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA, including ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and non-radiographic axSpA) treated with secukinumab, a human antibody against interleukin-17A (IL-17A), for more than 12 months. Six hundred and thirty-nine patients were analysed (350, 262, and 27 PsA, AS, and nr-axSpA patients, respectively). The results showed an improvement in the disease activity after 1 year of treatment, in terms of decreases of the mean Disease Activity Score 28 using C-reactive protein (DAS28-CRP), the mean Disease Activity Psoriatic Arthritis (DAPSA) score, swollen joint counts (SJC), and tender joint counts (TJC) in PsA patients and decreases in the mean Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI) and the mean Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score (ASDAS) in axSpA patients. This improvement was maintained or increased after 2 and 3 years of treatment, indicating that secukinumab is effective in both naïve and non-responder patients. Retention rates were higher when secukinumab was used as the first-line biological treatment, although they were also adequate in the second and third lines of treatment. Collected safety data were consistent with previous reports

Effects of COVID-19 vaccination on disease activity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis on targeted therapy in the COVIDSER study

Objective To investigate the influence of COVID-19 vaccination on disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA) patients under targeted therapies.Patients and methods 1765 vaccinated patients COVID-19, 1178 (66.7%) with RA and 587 (33.3%) with PsA from the COVID-19 registry in patients with rheumatic diseases (COVIDSER) project, were included. Demographics, disease characteristics, Disease Activity Score in 28 joints (DAS28) and targeted treatments were collected. DAS28-based flare rates and categorised disease activity distribution prevaccination and post vaccination were analysed by log-linear regression and contingency analyses, respectively. The influence of vaccination on DAS28 variation as a continuous measure was evaluated using a random coefficient model.Results The distribution of categorised disease activity and flare rates was not significantly modified by vaccination. Log-linear regression showed no significant changes in the rate of flares in the 6-month period after vaccination compared with the same period prior to vaccination in neither patients with RA nor patients with PsA. When DAS28 variations were analysed using random coefficient models, no significant variations in disease activity were detected after vaccination for both groups of patients. However, patients with RA treated with Janus kinase inhibitors (JAK-i) (1) and interleukin-6 inhibitor (IL-6-i) experienced a worsening of disease activity (1.436±0.531, p=0.007, and 1.201±0.550, p=0.029, respectively) in comparison with those treated with tumour necrosis factor inhibitor (TNF-i). Similarly, patients with PsA treated with interleukin-12/23 inhibitor (IL-12/23-i) showed a worsening of disease activity (4.476±1.906, p=0.019) compared with those treated with TNF-i.Conclusion COVID-19 vaccination was not associated with increased rate of flares in patients with RA and PsA. However, a potential increase in disease activity in patients with RA treated with JAK-i and IL-6-i and in patients with PsA treated with IL-12/23-i warrants further investigation