Preliminary results on automatic quantification of histological studies in allergic asthma

Proceedings of: The first international workshop on Microscopic Image Analysis with Applications in Biology, MIAAB 2006, was held in Copenhagen, Denmark, on 5th of October 2006 as an associated workshop of MICCAI 2006, the 9th Conference held by the international society of Medical Image Computing and Computer-Assisted Intervention.The evaluation of new therapies to treat allergic asthma makes frequent use of histological studies. Some of these studies are based on the microscope observation of stained paraffin lung sections to quantify cellular infiltration, an effect directly related to allergic processes. To our knowledge, there is no software tool for doing this quantification automatically nowadays. This paper presents a method for the quantification of cellular infiltrate of lung tissue images in a mouse model of allergic asthma. Each image is divided into regions of equal size that are classified by means of a segmentation algorithm based on texture analysis. The classification uses three discriminant functions, built from parameters derived from the histogram and the co-occurrence matrix and calculated by performing an initial stepwise discriminant analysis on 79 samples from a training set. Results provide a correct classification of 96.8 % on an independent test set of 251 samples labeled manually.Publicad

Positron emission tomography of the airway distribution of intranasal challenge solutions

Abstract of: Scientific Sessions: 2007 AAAAI Annual Meeting, February 23-27, San Diego, CAIntranasal administration is one of the main routes of allergen challenge in mouse models of airway disease. Although it is widely used, it is not well established the amount of allergen that reaches the lung or is lost to the gastrointestinal tract. The local distribution of the challenge solution within the airways is also unknown. The aim of this study was to assess the distribution immediately after intranasal delivery using a Positron Emission Tomography scanner (PET)FIS 01/0598 and Foundation SEAICPublicad

Preliminary study of the Craniofacial Pain and Disability Inventory-11:validation for patients with head and neck cancer

Cancer involves numerous physical, psychological and emotional changes and has a negative impact on patients. Although there are a wide variety of questionnaires for general use in patients with cancer, very few are available that assess the pain, disability and craniomandibular functionality of patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) in a more specific manner. The purpose of this study is to present the preliminary behavior of the CF-PDI in its reduced version adapted for patients with HNC. A total of 61 patients with HNC were included in a study to preliminarily analyze the internal consistency of the instrument, the convergent validity and the floor and ceiling effects. All the patients completed the informed consent document and a battery of 5 questionnaires: The Numerical Rating Scale (NRS), the Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia for Temporomandibular Disorders (TSK-TMD), the Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS), the Quality of Life Questionnaire in patients with HNC (QLQ-HN) and the reduced version of the Craniofacial Pain and Disability Inventory (CF-PDI-11). Patients also performed 2 physical tests: measurements of the pain threshold on the masseter muscle and on the distal phalanx of the first finger; and the maximum mouth opening in neutral head position. Cronbach's ? coefficient showed a very high internal consistency of 0.92. In terms of convergent validity, a statistically significant correlation was found between the CF-PDI-11 and the following variables: NRS, TSK-TMD, PCS, QLQ-HN, the threshold of pain in the distal phalanx of the first finger and the maximum interincisal opening. However, 21.3% of patients obtained the lowest possible score. The strongest correlation was found between the CF-PDI-11 and the QLQ-HN (r = 0.85, p <0.01). The preliminary version of the CF-PDI-11 shows that it could be a valid and reliable instrument to measure pain, disability and quality of life in patients with HNC

A body weight loss- and health-promoting gut microbiota is established after bariatric surgery in individuals with severe obesity

Obesity has reached an epidemic level worldwide, and bariatric surgery (BS) has been proven to be the most efficient therapy to reduce severe obesity-related comorbidities. Given that the gut microbiota plays a causal role in obesity development and that surgery may alter the gut environment, investigating the impact of BS on the microbiota in the context of severe obesity is important. Although, alterations at the level of total gut bacteria, total gene content and total metabolite content have started to be disentangled, a clear deficit exists regarding the analysis of the active fraction of the microbiota, which is the fraction that is most reactive to the BS. Here, active gut microbiota and associated metabolic functions were evaluated using shotgun proteomics and metabolomics in 40 severely obese volunteers. Samples from each volunteer were obtained under basal conditions, after a short high protein and calorie-restricted diet, and 1 and 3 months after BS, including laparoscopic surgery through Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass or Sleeve Gastrectomy. The results revealed for the first time the most active microbes and metabolic flux distribution pre- and post-surgery and deciphered main differences in the way sugars and short-fatty acids are metabolized, demonstrating that less energy-generating and anaerobic metabolism and detoxification mechanisms are promoted post-surgery. A comparison with non-obese proteome data further signified different ways to metabolize sugars and produce short chain fatty acids and deficiencies in proteins involved in iron transport and metabolism in severely obese individuals compared to lean individuals.This work was funded by grants SAF2015-65878-R, BIO2017-85522-R, PID2019-105969GB-I00 and RTI2018-095166-B-I00 from the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, by the Ministry of Science and Innovation, by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (projects PIE14/00045 and AC17/00022), Fundación Agencia Española contra el Cáncer and Instituto de Salud Carlos III(projects ERA NET TRANSCAN-2 AC17/00022 and AECC 2017-1485), Generalitat Valenciana (project Prometeo/2018/A/133) and co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). The proteomic analysis was performed in the Proteomics Facility of The Spanish National Center for Biotechnology (CNB-CSIC) that belongs to ProteoRed, PRB3-ISCIII, supported by grant PT17/0019.Peer reviewe

Recurrent fixed drug eruption caused by citiolone

Citiolone (N-acetylhomocysteinethiolactone) is a thiolic­derived medication frequently used in Spain and in other countries as a mucolytic agent for the treatment of certain hepatic disorders. Mucolytic drugs have rarely been implicated in the fixed drug eruption etiology. We report on a patient who presented several episodes of fixed exanthema related to citiolone intake. The patch test with citiolone (10% in dimethyl sulfoxide) was negative. The diagnosis was confirmed by a positive controlled oral challenge test. Other mucolytic thiolic­derivatives (N-acetylcysteine) were tolerated by the patient, thus crossreactivity between these drugs seems to be unlikely.Depto. de MedicinaFac. de MedicinaTRUEpu

Monitoring of pollen - related allergy in Saratov region, Russia

Allergic asthma is characterized by reversible airways obstruction, hyperreactivity and the presence of inflammatory cells such as eosinophils in the lung. CBA/Ca mice develop lower levels of airway eosinophilia and obstruction when compared to BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice following immunization and aerosol challenge with chicken ovalbumin. We have investigated factors that control the accumulation of eosinophils at the site of inflammation. Previous data suggest that this may be influenced in part by differences in rates of eosinophil apoptosis in the inflamed lung. Ex vivo eosinophils from the lung lumen of allergic CBA/ Ca mice undergo apoptosis at a faster rate than those from BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice. We have now investigated the presence of factors that may control inflammatory cell recruitment and persistence during the resolution phase of the inflammatory response. Seventy two hours after exposure to allergen no elevation in the concentration of the cytokines IL-4, IL-5, IL-13 or IFNgamma in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid was observed

Fixed drug eruption induced by indapamide. Cross-reactivity with sulfonamides

Indapamide is a nontiazidic sulfonamide diuretic which has not been previously reported as a cause of fixed drug eruption. We describe a patient who experienced several episodes of fixed drug eruption during treatment with indapamide. The diagnosis was confirmed by positive controlled oral challenge test. The possible existence of cross-reactivity with other sulfonamide derivatives was investigated by controlled oral challenge test with sulfamethoxazole, sulfadiazine and furosemide, with the tests with sulfamethoxazole and sulfadiazine resulting positive.Depto. de MedicinaFac. de MedicinaTRUEpu

Fluorescein-Induced Allergic Reaction

Background: Adverse reactions following intravenous sodium fluorescein are very unusual and their mechanism is still uncertain. We report the case of a patient who suffered an adverse reaction during a fluorescein ocular angiography. Positive allergy tests to fluorescein suggest an IgE-mediated mechanism. Objective: Report the allergy evaluation performed in a patient who suffered an adverse reaction during an intravenous fluorescein administration. Methods: We selected the case of a patient who suffered dizziness, diaphoresis, generalized pallor, nausea, sphincter relaxation, hypotension, and intense malaise during a fluorescein ocular angiography and compared the results to other nonreactive subjects. Allergy evaluation: Prick and intradermal skin tests and serial determinations of serum tryptase were performed on the patient and four control subjects who underwent and tolerated the same procedure as well as on a patient who developed an intense vagal reaction during blood extraction. Results: Positive skin tests and dramatic increase of serum tryptase (67U/I) were observed in our patient. The rest of the patients had negative skin tests and did not have any variation in their serum tryptase. Conclusions: An IgE-mediated mechanism is suggested as responsible for this adverse reaction. We recommend that a complete allergy evaluation should be performed in all patients who have adverse reactions to fluorescein in order to differentiate true allergic reactions from other types of reactions.Depto. de MedicinaFac. de MedicinaTRUEpu

Serum tryptase levels in adverse drug reactions

We evaluated the usefulness of individual tryptase levels and variations after adverse drug reactions in 64 patients. Our aim was to find a tool for the diagnosis of drug allergy. Thirty‐seven subjects were confirmed to have drug allergy, 12 had nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drug (NSAID) reactions, five had negative controlled drug challenges (NAAR), and 10 had symptoms after placebo intake (PLA). Serum tryptase levels greatly increased after anaphylactic shocks (2242%) and anaphylaxis (710.5%). Patients with allergic urticaria and those with idiosyncratic responses to acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) exhibited a small increase in serum tryptase (49.5% and 38.2%, respectively). In the other two groups (NAAR and PLA), no variation in this serum protease was observed. The time of appearance of the serum tryptase peak differed considerably among patients with similar clinical reactions (from 30 min to 6 h) and was independent of the latent period, severity of symptoms, or the amount of tryptase released. We conclude that serum tryptase determinations are helpful in the diagnosis of anaphylactic shock and anaphylaxis, but serial measurements may be needed to confirm mast‐cell participation in milder reactions.Depto. de MedicinaFac. de MedicinaTRUEpu

Systemic administration of immunostimulatory DNA sequences mediates reversible inhibition of Th2 responses in a mouse model of asthma

This study investigated whether immunostimulatory DNA sequences (ISS) induce a transient or sustained inhibition of Th2 responses to inhaled antigen. We sensitized mice with subcutaneous injections to develop a Th2 response to ovalbumin (ova) and then administered a dose of ISS prior to ova inhalation challenge. Mice were then rechallenged with ova by inhalation a second time at varying time points after the first ova inhalation (1 to 8 weeks later) to determine whether the ISS dose administered prior to the first ova inhalation protected against a subsequent second ova inhalation challenge. A single dose of ISS inhibited the Th2 response to the first inhalation of ova antigen, as well as 4 weeks later to the second inhalation of ova. However, ISS did not inhibit a Th2 response to the second inhalation of ova 8 weeks later. The reversible inhibition of Th2 responses at 8 weeks suggests the need for repeated ISS administration at monthly intervals.Depto. de MedicinaFac. de MedicinaTRUEpu