Systemic lupus erythematosus-associated anetoderma and anti-phospholipid antibodies

Anetoderma is characterized by a loss of normal elastic tissue that presents clinically as localized areas of wrinkled or flaccid skin. We describe the case of a 30-year-old woman with systemic lupus erythematosus-associated anetoderma and positive anti-phospholipid antibodies. We discuss the possible role of these antibodies in the pathogenesis of anetoderma, and, when detected, the need to check for an associated anti-phospholipid syndrome in such patients

Acneiform lesions secondary to ZD1839, an inhibitor of the epidermal growth factor receptor

Drugs that inhibit the epidermal growth factor receptor, such as ZD1839 or C225, are being used increasingly in the treatment of solid tumours. This has led to the appearance of new secondary effects. We describe the case of a patient who presented with an acneiform eruption secondary to the administration of ZD1839. These lesions healed in a few days after stopping the dru

The role of nitric oxide synthases in pemphigus vulgaris in a mouse model

Pemphigus vulgaris (PV) is a blistering autoimmune disease characterized by IgG autoantibodies against desmoglein 3. Nitric oxide synthases (NOS) may contribute to the increase of inflammation in tissues by the generation of nitrotyrosine residues (NTR). OBJECTIVES: To investigate whether the production of NTR mediated by NOS may participate in the development of inflammation and acantholysis in PV. METHODS: Mice were pretreated or not with NOS, tyrosine-kinase (TK) or nuclear factor (NF)-kappaB inhibitors, and then injected with PV-IgG. PV manifestations were examined in all mice. The expression of NTR, constitutive NOS (cNOS) [endothelial NOS (eNOS) and neuronal NOS (nNOS)], inducible NOS (iNOS) and NF-kappaB factor were studied in epidermis of mice using immunohistochemical techniques. RESULTS: After PV-IgG injection, expressions of NTR, iNOS, eNOS and nNOS increased in acantholytic cells, as did nuclear translocation of NF-kappaB in the basal cells of the epidermis. Pretreatment of mice with inhibitors of TK, nNOS and nonselective NOS, completely prevented NTR expression and the clinical and histological findings of PV in mice. TK inhibitor genistein inhibited both nNOS and iNOS expression on the membrane of basal keratinocytes, and nuclear translocation of NF-kappaB. CONCLUSIONS: Upregulation of cNOS and iNOS, NTR generation and nuclear translocation of NF-kappaB may contribute to increased inflammation and tissue damage in PV lesions. The absence of the clinical and histological findings of PV and NTR expression in mice injected with PV-IgG, through pretreatment with TK and nNOS inhibitors, provides compelling evidence that these signalling molecules should be considered as potential therapeutic targets in PV

Therapeutic Drug Monitoring of Antifungal Drugs: Another Tool to Improve Patient Outcome?

Introduction: This study aimed to examine the relationship among adequate dose, serum concentration and clinical outcome in a non-selected group of hospitalized patients receiving antifungals. Methods: Prospective cross-sectional study performed between March 2015 and June 2015. Dosage of antifungals was considered adequate according to the IDSA guidelines, whereas trough serum concentrations (determined with HPLC) were considered adequate as follows: fluconazole > 11\ua0\ub5g/ml, echinocandins > 1\ua0\ub5g/ml, voriconazole 1\u20135.5\ua0\ub5g/ml and posaconazole > 0.7\ua0\ub5g/ml. Results: During the study period, 84 patients (65.4% male, 59.6\ua0years) received antifungals for prophylaxis (40.4%), targeted (31.0%) and empirical therapy (28.6%). The most frequent drug was micafungin (28/84; 33.3%) followed by fluconazole (23/84; 27.4%), voriconazole (15/84; 17.9%), anidulafungin (8/84; 9.5%), posaconazole (7/84; 8.3%) and caspofungin (3/84; 3.6%). Considerable interindividual variability was observed for all antifungals with a large proportion of the patients (64.3%) not attaining adequate trough serum concentrations, despite receiving an adequate antifungal dose. Attaining the on-target serum antifungal level was significantly associated with a favorable clinical outcome (OR = 0.02; 95% CI 0.01\u20130.64; p = 0.03), whereas the administration of an adequate antifungal dosage was not. Conclusions: With the standard antifungal dosage, a considerable proportion of patients have low drug concentrations, which are associated with poor clinical outcome

Expansion of CD8+CD57+ T Cells in an Immunocompetent Patient with Acute Toxoplasmosis

CD57+ T cells increase in several viral infections like cytomegalovirus, herpesvirus, parvovirus, HIV and hepatitis C virus and are associated with several clinical conditions related to immune dysfunction and ageing. We report for the first time an expansion of CD8+ CD57+ T cells in a young patient with an acute infection with Toxoplasma gondii. Our report supports the concept that CD8+ CD57+ T cells could be important in the control of chronic phase of intracellular microorganisms and that the high numbers of these cells may reflect the continuing survey of the immune system, searching for parasite proliferation in the tissues

A statistical data-based approach to instability detection and wear prediction in radial turning processes

Radial turning forces for tool-life improvements are studied, with the emphasis on predictive rather than preventive maintenance. A tool for wear prediction in various experimental settings of instability is proposed through the application of two statistical approaches to process data on tool-wear during turning processes: three sigma edit rule analysis and Principal Component Analysis (PCA). A Linear Mixed Model (LMM) is applied for wear prediction. These statistical approaches to instability detection generate results of acceptable accuracy for delivering expert opinion. They may be used for on-line monitoring to improve the processing of different materials. The LMM predicted significant differences for tool wear when turning different alloys and with different lubrication systems. It also predicted the degree to which the turning process could be extended while conserving stability. Finally, it should be mentioned that tool force in contact with the material was not considered to be an important input variable for the model.The work was performed as a part of the HIMMOVAL (Grant Agreement Number: 620134) project within the CLEAN-SKY program, linked to the SAGE2 project for geared open-rotor development and the delivery of the demonstrator part. Funding through grant IT900-16 is also acknowledged from the Basque Government Department of Education, Universities and Research

Successful treatment of granulomatous reactions secondary to injection of esthetic implants

In recent years, various injectable materials have come into use to improve esthetic appearance. OBJECTIVE: We describe the clinical and histopathologic aspects of two patients who received intradermal injections of an unknown dermal filler and the different diagnostic tools used to identify the unknown injected material (reflexion electron microscopy, electron dispersing x-ray) and discuss the possibility of a metastatic granulomatous reaction in one patient. We also describe two treatments for this complication and evaluate the legal considerations of the use of materials that have been adulterated and/or whose composition is unknown to the patient. METHODS: We present two patients who developed a granulomatous foreign-body reaction after the subcutaneous injection of an esthetic implant. We treated patient 1 with isotretinoin and 2 months later with doxycycline. We administered isotretinoin to patient 2. RESULTS: We observed a partial improvement in patient 1 after isotretinoin treatment and a remarkable improvement after administration of doxycycline. In patient 2, we observed an excellent response to isotretinoin. CONCLUSION: Isotretinoin and doxycycline, when administered separately, seem to offer effective treatment for reactions resulting from silicone implants. However, further studies that include a larger number of patients and those with reactions secondary to other fillers are clearly needed before the effectiveness of this treatment can be confirmed

Security of data science and data science for security

In this chapter, we present a brief overview of important topics regarding the connection of data science and security. In the first part, we focus on the security of data science and discuss a selection of security aspects that data scientists should consider to make their services and products more secure. In the second part about security for data science, we switch sides and present some applications where data science plays a critical role in pushing the state-of-the-art in securing information systems. This includes a detailed look at the potential and challenges of applying machine learning to the problem of detecting obfuscated JavaScripts

Exceptional molecular preservation in the Late Jurassic Claudia palaeo-geothermal field (Deseado Massif, Patagonia, Argentina)

Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry was applied to samples collected from an exceptionally well-preserved Late Jurassic (~150 Ma) sinter complex of the Claudia palaeo-geothermal field, Deseado Massif geological province, Argentinean Patagonia, which, despite its age, has never been deeply buried. Results indicate that the distal sinter apron has a much higher preservation potential for indigenous organic matter (OM) than the more proximal (vent area) facies of this palaeo-geothermal field. Specifically, homohopane ratios show that the OM of the proximal apron is of mixed thermal maturities and is in low abundance. In contrast, the OM extracted from the distal apron contains highly abundant, thermally immature biomarkers, the presence of which are consistent with the lower original fluid temperatures of the distal spring facies. Moreover, despite indications of the presence of some thermally mature aromatic compounds, hopane and sterane ratios confirm that the distal apron samples are extremely thermally immature and thereby constitute an area of exceptional molecular preservation. From an astrobiological viewpoint, these results suggest that silica sinter can preserve abundant organics over millions of years in palaeoenvironmentally conducive settings, and that sample-site selection within a hot spring facies-model framework may be critical in the successful search for ancient extra-terrestrial life.Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y MuseoInstituto de Recursos MineralesConsejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnica