440 research outputs found
Absence of severe complications from SARS-CoV-2 infection in children with rheumatic diseases treated with biologic drugs
We read with interest the Editorial by Cron and Chatam (1) suggesting a cytokine storm syndrome (CSS) occurring in response to SARS-CoV-2 infection and, consequently, a possible role for targeted approaches to blocking inflammatory cytokines
Towards dissecting the structural determinant of Peach latent mosaic viroid inducing mosaic symptoms
Most isolates of Peach latent mosaic viroid (PLMVd) do not incite foliar symptoms, but a few number of isolates cause peach mosaic (PM) or peach calico (PC), an extreme albino phenotype. The PC determinant has been previously mapped at an insertion of 12-13 nt folding into a hairpin capped by a U-rich loop but the PM determinant, which is not associated with a specific insertion, remains unidentified and could reside in one or more domains of the branched conformation proposed for PLMVd. To tackle this problem we have selected for further dissection one variant (GDS6), recovered from a typical PM isolate (GDS), which is very infectious and elicits consistently a characteristic PM. We have initially focused on G337, a position that appears associated with PM in multiple alignments that include GDS6 and other PM-inducing and latent variants. To determine the role of G337 in infectivity and symptoms, GF-305 peach seedlings were inoculated with in vitro transcripts of recombinant plasmids containing dimeric tandem inserts of PLMVd-cDNAs with all possible changes at this position introduced by site-directed mutagenesis. Deletion of G337 abolished infectivity, while substitutions by A, C or U incited, in most inoculated plants, PM symptoms. Cloning and sequencing showed that the A substitution at position 337 was preserved in the progeny or reverted to G, while C or U substitutions at this position were not stable and reverted to A or G in the progenies. Extending this approach to additional nucleotides of loop A, or of other PLMVd domains, may provide hints in identifying the determinant of PM. Keywords: Viroids, Pathogenesis, Peach diseas
Use of anakinra in severe COVID-19: a case report
Coronavirus Disease 19 is a global healthcare emergency with high lethality rate. Relevant inflammatory cytokine storm is associated with severity of disease and IL1 inhibition is a cornerstone treatment for hyperinflammatory diseases. We present here the case of a patient with critical COVID-19 successfully treated with IL-1 receptor antagonist (anakinra)
Follicular development in pregnant cows after the administration of equine Chorionic Gonadotropin (eCG): a new insight
The follicular development in the cow occurs in a wave-like pattern, and it takes place also during pregnancy. In the cow, Equine Chorionic Gonadotropin (eCG) is used for superovulation, but a decrease in total fertility has been reported, likely because of its immunogenic properties in species other than equine. In this regard, immune response has been implicated in follicular growth, ovulation, and placental development. So, aims of our study are to test the safety of eCG administered during pregnancy and characterize the ovarian activity, the quality of oocytes, the hormonal status, and interleukin levels in eCG-treated pregnant cows
Late Endocrine and Metabolic Sequelae and LongâTerm Monitoring of Classical Hodgkin Lymphoma and Diffuse Large BâCell Lymphoma Survivors: A Systematic Review by the Fondazione Italiana Linfomi
Background: Overall survival after lymphoma has improved in recent years, but the high prevalence of late treatmentârelated sequelae has been observed as a counterpart. Method: In this systematic review, FIL researchers aimed to: (i) estimate the incidence or prevalence of late endocrineâmetabolic sequelae, (ii) evaluate the effects of modern therapeutic approaches on incidence or prevalence of late endocrineâmetabolic sequelae, and (iii) determine whether there is evidence of followâup schemes for their screening/early diagnosis in the subset of longâterm classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL) and diffuse large Bâcell lymphoma (DLBCL) survivors treated at adult age. The MEDLINE, Embase and the Cochrane Library databases were searched for relevant articles published up to October, 2020. The study selection process was conducted by three independent reviewers and was reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and MetaâAnalyses (PRISMA) guidelines. A risk of bias assessment was performed using the Cochrane tool for randomized trials and the NewcastleâOttawa Scale for observational studies. Results: In the final analysis, eight studies were included, four of which focused on thyroid disease, two on gonadal dysfunction, one on bone disease and one on metabolic syndrome. Hypothyroidism was reported in up to 60% of adult cHL survivors and was frequently recorded even with modern radiotherapy approaches. Menopause occurred in 52â72% of women after chemotherapy. An 86% reduction in vertebral density was reported following RâCHOPâlike chemotherapy. Sarcopenia and metabolic syndrome were reported in 37.9% and 60% of patients, respectively. No validated screening protocols were found for the early diagnosis of longâterm treatmentârelated endocrine and metabolic sequelae, thus the authors finally suggest the execution of screening exams according to the risk category which were identified in the epidemiologic studies
Preliminary assessment of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in tissues of Risso's dolphin (Grampus griseus) specimens stranded along the Italian coasts
Ecotoxicological and pathological research on Grampus griseus (Cuvier, 1812) (Risso's dolphins) is scarce both globally and in the Mediterranean Sea. This species has been classified as "Vulnerable" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in the Mediterranean Sea.To evaluate the presence of "persistent organic pollutants" (POPs), especially organochlorine compounds (OCs), in the animals, chemical analyses were performed on tissues and organs of Risso's dolphin stranded along the Italian coasts between 1998 and 2021. Toxic contaminants such as hexachlorobenzene (HCB), poly-chlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane and its metabolites (DDTs) were examined in the blubber, liver, muscle, and brain of 20 animals, and data was correlated with sex, age, and stranding locations
Radio Properties of REX BL Lacs and Galaxies
Detailed VLA observations have been gathered for a number of sources classified as either BL Lacs or galaxies, derived from the REX survey. We focus in particular on the sources identified by us, for which we have in hand homogeneous optical data, to study in more detail than allowed by the NVSS the radio properties of these sources in the framework of AGN unified models
Interstitial lung disease in a newborn affected by mevalonic aciduria
Introduction: Mevalonic aciduria (MA) is the most severe phenotype
of mevalonate-kinase deficiency (MKD), with a onset in early infancy
and poor prognosis. MA diagnosis may be challenging in the neonatal period given its rarity and its unspecific symptoms that frequently recall those of other neonatal diseases. To our knowledge,
interstial lung involvement has never been described as onset feature in a newborn with MKD.
Objectives: We report the case of a newborn affected by MKD characterized by interstitial lung disease.
Methods: The patient underwent laboratory and radiology evaluation
as clinically indicated. Direct Sanger sequencing was used to screen
the 10 exons of the MVK gene.
Results: A female neonate born at term from consanguineous parents was referred to our hospital at 16 days of life (DOL) for mild
hypotonia and persistent raised inflammatory markers despite antibiotic therapy. Infectious work-up was negative for both viral and
bacterial infections. Chest x-ray revealed bilateral perihilar peribronchial thickening. Electroencephalography (EEG) reported moderate
diffuse anomalies of background activity without major abnormalities. On DOL 20 the first episode of fever was recorded. Due to worsening tachypnea and persistent abnormal chest x-ray, a pulmonary
CT scan was performed and showed diffuse ground-glass bilateral infiltrates consistent with alveolar-interstitial lung disease. On DOL 22 a
palpable maculo-papular skin rash appeared on feet and hands, vanishing spontaneously 24 hours later. Bone marrow examination and
levels of perforins, neuron-specific enolase and urinary catabolites of
catecholamines were normal. A total body MRI was normal except
for a mild cerebellar hypoplasia and the known interstitial lung disease. The patient kept presenting hypotonia, relapsing episodes of
fever and skin rashes, developed anemia requiring blood transfusions
and failure to thrive became evident. Type-I IFN signature was negative. A genetic test was requested, as well as quantification of urinary
levels of mevalonic acid, which were markedly above the normal
range. Direct Sanger sequencing allowed to detect a homozygous
c.709A>T missense mutation in the exon 8 of the MVK gene, coding
for a protein substitution p.T237S already classified as pathogenic in
the INFEVERS database (http://fmf.igh.cnrs.fr/ISSAID/infevers/) and
therefore consistent with the diagnosis of MKD. Both parents and
her sister were found to be heterozygous carriers of the same mutation. On DOL 38 treatment with anakinra was started, with prompt
regression of fever and skin rash, decrease in inflammatory markers,
increase in reticulocytes count and weight gain. Hypotonia improved
but persisted. The patient was discharged from hospital on DOL 56
in good clinical conditions, with acute phase reactants within the
normal range and mild hypotonia. She is now 4 months old, still on
anakinra treatment without adverse events.
Conclusion: Autoinflammatory diseases in the neonatal period are a
diagnostic challenge. Clinical suspicion is crucial in order to perform
specific laboratory and genetic testing and start appropriate treatment. Interstitial lung involvement may be present in MKD and, together with increased inflammatory markers, could be the first
manifestation of the disease
Clinical Management of Long-Term Survivors after Classical Hodgkin Lymphoma and Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma
Compared to other patients suffering from hematological malignancies, classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL) and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) patients have a long life expectancy when in complete remission at the end of first, or sometimes second, line treatments [...]
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