Immune-mediated inflammation promotes subclinical atherosclerosis in recent-onset psoriatic arthritis patients without conventional cardiovascular risk factors

Studies on the inflammatory burden in recent-onset psoriatic arthritis (PsA) patients without conventional cardiovascular risk factors (CVRFs) are not available. This preliminary study focuses on cardiovascular risk in cutaneous psoriasis (CPs) and recent-onset PsA patients. Blood biochemistry (glucose, cholesterol, uric acid, lipid profile and apolipoprotein B) was analyzed using standard kits. Proatherogenic inflammation markers, C-reactive protein (CRP) and interleukin-6 (IL-6), and endothelial activators monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1), were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Ultrasound images allowed measuring carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT). Our study first shows an increase in cIMT, and in serum levels of sICAM-1 and CRP in recent-onset PsA patients not presenting conventional CVRFs over the non-medicated time-period, from disease diagnosis to the beginning of pharmacological treatment, compared with healthy subjects. The outcome highlights the importance of monitoring serum level of sICAM1, CRP, and cIMT, and the value of primary prevention in psoriatic patients even with no history of cardiovascular events.Fil: Kolliker Frers, Rodolfo Alberto. Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Hospital General de Agudos "Ramos Mejía"; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Cardiológicas. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigaciones Cardiológicas; ArgentinaFil: Cosentino, Vanesa Laura. Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Hospital General de Agudos "Ramos Mejía"; ArgentinaFil: Tau, Julia. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Departamento de Patología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Kerzberg, Eduardo Mario. Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Hospital General de Agudos "Ramos Mejía"; ArgentinaFil: Urdapilleta, Adriana. Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Hospital General de Agudos "Ramos Mejía"; ArgentinaFil: Chiocconi, Monica. Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Hospital General de Agudos "Ramos Mejía"; ArgentinaFil: Kogan, Nora. Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Hospital General de Agudos "Ramos Mejía"; ArgentinaFil: Otero-Losada, Matilde Estela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Cardiológicas. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigaciones Cardiológicas; ArgentinaFil: Capani, Francisco. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Cardiológicas. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigaciones Cardiológicas; Argentina. Universidad Argentina "John F. Kennedy"; Argentina. Universidad Autónoma de Chile; Chil

Immune System Links Psoriasis-Mediated Inflammation to Cardiovascular Diseases via Traditional and Non-Traditional Cardiovascular Risk Factors

Background. Cutaneous psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases though the reasons are not clear. Here we discuss the role of the immune system in atherosclerosis and of the proinflammatory status in psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis diseases

Low intensity saturation of an ISB transition by a mid-IR quantum cascade laser

We demonstrate that absorption saturation of a mid-infrared intersubband transition can be engineered to occur at moderate light intensities of the order of 10-20 kW cm (-2) and at room temperature. The structure consists of an array of metal-semiconductor-metal patches hosting a judiciously designed 253 nm thick GaAs/AlGaAs semiconductor heterostructure. At low incident intensity, the structure operates in the strong light-matter coupling regime and exhibits two absorption peaks at wavelengths close to 8.9 lm. Saturation appears as a transition to the weak coupling regime-and therefore, to a single-peaked absorption-when increasing the incident intensity. Comparison with a coupled mode theory model explains the data and permits to infer the relevant system parameters. When the pump laser is tuned at the cavity frequency, the reflectivity decreases with increasing incident intensity. When instead the laser is tuned at the polariton frequencies, the reflectivity non-linearly increases with increasing incident intensity. At those wavelengths, the system, therefore, mimics the behavior of a saturable absorption mirror in the mid-IR range, a technology that is currently missing

Low power saturation of an ISB transition by a mid-IR quantum cascade laser

We demonstrate that absorption saturation of a mid-infrared intersubband transition can be engineered to occur at moderate light intensities of the order of 10-20 kW.$\text{cm}^{-2}$ and at room temperature. The structure consists of an array of metal-semiconductor-metal patches hosting a judiciously designed 253~nm thick GaAs/AlGaAs semiconductor heterostructure. At low incident intensity the structure operates in the strong light-matter coupling regime and exhibits two absorption peaks at wavelengths close to 8.9 $\mu$m. Saturation appears as a transition to the weak coupling regime - and therefore to a single-peaked absorption - when increasing the incident power. Comparison with a coupled mode theory model explains the data and permits to infer the relevant system parameters. When the pump laser is tuned at the cavity frequency, the reflectivity decreases with increasing incident power. When instead the laser is tuned at the polariton frequencies, the reflectivity non-linearly increases with increasing incident power. At those wavelengths the system therefore mimics the behavior of a saturable absorption mirror (SESAM) in the mid-IR range, a technology that is currently missing

Associated anomalies among infants with oral clefts at birth and during a 1-year follow-up

Reports of birth defects rates may focus on defects observed in the newborn period or include defects diagnosed at older ages. However, little information is available on the rates of additional anomalies detected after birth or on the ages at which such anomalies are diagnosed. The aims of this work were to describe the initial diagnoses of oral clefts, isolated or associated with other defects, in newborn infants ascertained in hospitals of the ECLAMC network, and diagnostic changes that occurred due to detection of additional defects during a 1-year follow-up period. Seven hundred ten liveborn infants with cleft lip only (CLO), cleft lip with cleft palate (CLP), or cleft palate (CP) were ascertained between 2003 and 2005. Prevalence estimates of isolated and associated (ASO) clefts, diagnoses in infants with associated clefts, and the percentage of isolated clefts that were reclassified as associated were established. Birth prevalence estimates (per 1,000) were as follows: Total: 1.7; CLP: 0.94 (ASO=23.5%); CP: 0.46 (ASO=42.3%); CLO: 0.28 (ASO=7.6%). Initial diagnoses in infants with associated clefts included 38 infants with chromosomal abnormalities, 33 with non-chromosomal syndromes, 16 with malformation sequences, and 98 with multiple anomalies of unknown etiology. Seven percent of newborns initially classified as isolated were later reclassified as associated. Ten infants without associated defects or clinically suspected syndromes were diagnosed as syndromic only through laboratory findings or family history, illustrating the difference between the terms associated versus isolated, which refers to presence or absence of associated anomalies, and syndromic versus non-syndromic, which refers to etiology.Fil: Rittler, Monica. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Hospital Materno Infantil Ramón Sardá; Argentina. Organizacion Mundial de la Salud; ArgentinaFil: Cosentino, Viviana Raquel. Centro de Educación Médica e Investigaciones Clínicas “Norberto Quirno”; ArgentinaFil: López Camelo, Jorge Santiago. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Celular. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Celular. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Celular; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. CEMIC-CONICET. Centro de Educaciones Médicas e Investigaciones Clínicas "Norberto Quirno". CEMIC-CONICET; ArgentinaFil: Murray, Jeffrey C.. University of Iowa; Estados UnidosFil: Wehby, George. University of Iowa; Estados UnidosFil: Castilla, Eduardo Enrique. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. CEMIC-CONICET. Centro de Educaciones Médicas e Investigaciones Clínicas "Norberto Quirno". CEMIC-CONICET; Argentina. Fundación Oswaldo Cruz; Brasi

Adipokines, Cardiovascular Risk, and Therapeutic Management in Obesity and Psoriatic Arthritis

Psoriatic arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disease with skin and joint pathology as the dominant characteristics. Scientific evidence supports its systemic nature and relevant relationship with obesity, metabolic syndrome, and associated conditions. Metabolic syndrome and obesity share common signaling pathways with joint inflammation, reinforcing the idea that adipose tissue is a major contributor to disease development and severity. The adipose tissue is not a mere energy store but also an endocrine organ participating in the immune response. In the search for the best therapeutic strategy for a patient, we should appraise the adipose tissue as an endocrine and immune organ responsible for mild chronic inflammation. Today, our challenge is not only to achieve disease remission but to control the associated comorbidities as well. In light of the high prevalence of obesity in psoriatic arthritis patients and the importance of the adipose tissue in the development of chronic inflammation, we aimed to identify the most relevant articles in this regard published in English until June 2020 using the PubMed database. Search terms included psoriatic arthritis, in combination with metabolic syndrome, obesity, adipokines, cardiovascular disease, and treatment. This review summarizes the current evidence regarding the role of adipose tissue as an adipokine-secreting endocrine organ, discussing its influence on disease development and severity, and ultimately in meeting successful disease management.Fil: Porta, Sabrina Valeria. Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Hospital General de Agudos "Ramos Mejía"; ArgentinaFil: Otero-losada, Matilde Estela. Universidad Abierta Interamericana; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Kolliker Frers, Rodolfo Alberto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Hospital General de Agudos "Ramos Mejía"; Argentina. Universidad Abierta Interamericana; ArgentinaFil: Cosentino, Vanesa Laura. Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Hospital General de Agudos "Ramos Mejía"; ArgentinaFil: Kerzberg, Eduardo Mario. Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Hospital General de Agudos "Ramos Mejía"; ArgentinaFil: Capani, Francisco. Universidad Abierta Interamericana; Argentina. Universidad Argentina "John F. Kennedy"; Argentina. Universidad Autónoma de Chile; Chile. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin

Immune-Mediated Inflammation: Human T CD4 Helper Lymphocyte Diversity and Plasticity in Health and Disease

The CD4+ T helper (Th) cells have a critical role in organizing the adaptive immune response. The emerging cells of the differentiation after the immune synapse produce helper T cell subpopulations that activate, suppress, or regulate the immune response upon interaction with varying immune cells. There are two main Th cell functional categories: the “effector cells” and the “regulatory T cells.” Classic T helper lymphocytes can also be distinguished by their lineage according to the developmental microenvironment, the expression of cell adhesion-homing receptors, the profile of cytokines they are exposed to, and the involved transcription factors. Traditionally, the CD4+ and CD8+ phenotypes have been considered as helper and cytotoxic/suppressor T lymphocytes, respectively. Currently, the distinction is little rigorous. The immune response is exceedingly complex beyond the classic Th1 and Th2 effector cells’ involvement, and other populations of helper T lymphocytes like the Th17, Tfh, Th22, and Th9 lymphocytes have been phenotypically characterized. These lymphocytes also participate in the pathogenesis of several immune-mediated inflammatory disorders. Here, we revisit and discuss the essential aspects of the state of the art regarding phenotypic diversity and plasticity of TCD4 cells in the T lymphocyte repertoire frame and their potential implication in human inflammatory diseases

KAJIAN STRUKTUR KOMUNITAS MAKROZOOBENTHOS DI SUNGAI KUALA TUHA KECAMATAN KUALA PESISIR KABUPATEN NAGAN RAYA

El objetivo de esta línea es investigar en Sistemas Paralelos, esto es, la combinación de problemas de software asociados con la utilización de arquitecturas de procesamiento paralelo, especialmente sistemas multiprocesador distribuidos. Los temas fundamentales abarcan la especificación, transformación, optimización y verificación de algoritmos ejecutables en sistemas paralelos/distribuidos, la optimización de clases de soluciones en función de modelos de arquitectura multiprocesador, las métricas de complejidad y eficiencia relacionadas con el procesamiento paralelo, la influencia del balance de carga y la asignación de tareas a procesadores, la escalabilidad de los sistemas paralelos, así como simulación y diseño de arquitecturas VLSI orientadas a multiprocesamiento. Asimismo se ha iniciado el estudio de los modelos de predicción de performance en sistemas paralelos. Interesa la aplicación de las investigaciones en áreas como el procesamiento de datos numéricos en cómputo científico, el procesamiento de imágenes digitales y las bases de datos distribuidas. Para esto, se trabaja experimentalmente con distintos modelos de arquitectura disponibles o accesibles desde el III-LIDI.Eje: Sistemas distribuidos y tiempo realRed de Universidades con Carreras en Informática (RedUNCI

Simulación distribuída de arquitecturas multi-DSP

Se analiza la extensión de un simulador DSP TMS320C3x para poder estudiar el comportamiento de una arquitectura multi-DSP basada en el mismo procesador. Este trabajo forma parte de un proyecto conjunto en el desarrollo de arquitecturas y software de base para procesamiento multi-DSP, especialmente orientado a imágenes del que participan dos Universidades argentinas (UNLP y UNCPBA) y la Universidad de la República (Uruguay). Se explica el desarrollo de un soporte de comunicaciones entre las múltiples sesiones del simulador mono-DSP, de modo de ejecutar el proceso en forma distribuída sobre una red de microcomputadoras heterogéneas. Por otra parte fue necesario modificar el ambiente de ejecución del simulador mono-DSP de modo de (mediante u programa residente) interceptar una clase de comunicaciones de Entrada-Salida y vincularlas con mensajes a procesadores remotos donde se están ejecutando sesiones simultáneas de simulación mono-DSP. Por último, se analiza la ejecución de algoritmos distribuídos sobre el simulador y algunas medidas de performance, en algoritmos clásicos de tratamiento de imágenes.Eje: Procesamiento distribuido y paralelo. Tratamiento de señalesRed de Universidades con Carreras en Informática (RedUNCI

Simulación distribuída de arquitecturas multi-DSP

Se analiza la extensión de un simulador DSP TMS320C3x para poder estudiar el comportamiento de una arquitectura multi-DSP basada en el mismo procesador. Este trabajo forma parte de un proyecto conjunto en el desarrollo de arquitecturas y software de base para procesamiento multi-DSP, especialmente orientado a imágenes del que participan dos Universidades argentinas (UNLP y UNCPBA) y la Universidad de la República (Uruguay). Se explica el desarrollo de un soporte de comunicaciones entre las múltiples sesiones del simulador mono-DSP, de modo de ejecutar el proceso en forma distribuída sobre una red de microcomputadoras heterogéneas. Por otra parte fue necesario modificar el ambiente de ejecución del simulador mono-DSP de modo de (mediante u programa residente) interceptar una clase de comunicaciones de Entrada-Salida y vincularlas con mensajes a procesadores remotos donde se están ejecutando sesiones simultáneas de simulación mono-DSP. Por último, se analiza la ejecución de algoritmos distribuídos sobre el simulador y algunas medidas de performance, en algoritmos clásicos de tratamiento de imágenes.Eje: Procesamiento distribuido y paralelo. Tratamiento de señalesRed de Universidades con Carreras en Informática (RedUNCI