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

The prediction of the operating conditions on the permeate flux and on protein aggregation during membrane processing of monoclonal antibodies

The lack of available material during early stage bioprocess development poses numerous processing challenges such as limiting the number of full-scale experiments. Extended fundamental process understanding could be gained with the use of an ultra scale-down (USD) device using as little as 1.7 mL per experimental run. The USD system is used to predict diafiltration and ultrafiltration/diafiltration (UF/DF) performance of a pilot-scale tangential flow filtration (TFF) system, fitted with a flat-sheet cassette, operating at 500-fold larger scale. Both systems were designed by maintaining a volumetric loading of 8.1 L of feed per m2. Permeate flux was predicted for monoclonal antibody solutions with the USD system across a range of transmembrane pressure drops, feed concentrations and flow conditions during diafiltration, and desired retentate concentrations during UF/DF operations. The resulting USD data were in good agreement with the pilot-scale TFF when scaled based on similar shear rates over the membrane surface. Little change in soluble aggregates was observed in both systems but there were significantly higher increases in product turbidity in the USD system. A correlation was established to relate turbidity increase based on the volume fraction of high shear stress zone for USD systems and various pilot-scale TFF systems. The correlation was extended to encompass the processing time and concentration for a wide range of membrane processing challenges in both scales

Assessment of left ventricular diastolic function with cardiovascular MRI: what radiologists should know

Abstract Diastolic dysfunction is a common entity and the predominant cause of heart failure in 40%-50% of patients. Diagnosis of diastolic dysfunction is clinically relevant and is associated with a poor prognosis. The aim of this essay was to review the pathophysiology and different grades of diastolic dysfunction and to provide an overview on the role of cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging in the assessment of diastolic function

Influência da radiação solar na cafeicultura de montanha.

Na produção de café, o uso de vocabulário específico e popular é comum e está associado a diversidade cultural das diferentes regiões. Para a produção de café chamada "Café de Montanha", devido às características específicas do tipo predominante da encosta, é importante entender o uso de termos como inclinação ou faces de exposição chamadas "Noruega" ou "Soalheira". Com este estudo objetivouse identificar as características térmicas do clima associado a estes termos. Com o uso do software ArcGis 10 foi criada uma elevação (colina) a fim de reproduzir o sombreamento causado pelo relevo em regiões montanhosas. Foi usada a ferramenta de modelagem do ArcGIS 10 para simular a incidência da radiação solar, a fim de determinar o número de horas de incidência de radiação solar direta sobre a elevação (colina) para as latitudes 0 °, 10 ° S, 20 ° S e 30 ° S nos solstícios de inverno e verão e nos equinócios do outono e primavera. Os valores médios, mínimos e máximos foram quantificados para o número de horas de incidência de radiação solar direta para cada uma das faces de exposição do solo (Norte, Sul, Leste, Oeste). Com base nos resultados observa-se que os valores mais baixos de radiação solar ocorrem no solstício de inverno na face leste e na face oeste no solstício de verão. No entanto, as diferentes orientações das faces da exposição da montanha tinham diferentes características térmicas, a face Noruega SE foi a mais fria e a face NW a mais quente. As outras faces, NE da encosta "Soalheira" e SW da encosta "Noruega", apresentaram temperaturas mais amenas. Assim, no momento da implantação de uma lavoura de café em uma área montanhosa, as características climáticas da região devem ser observadas para que possa ser escolhido corretamente o melhor quadrante para a implantação da lavoura de café, de modo que as características ambientais, especialmente em relação a altitude, temperatura e precipitação, permitam que a planta alcance sua máxima produção

Sustainability check: a monitoring tool for the sustainability of rural water supplies

The UNICEF/WHO Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) notes that 42% of the population of Mozambique has access to safe water (UNICEF/WHO 2008). To accelerate access to water supply in the rural areas, UNICEF is currently implementing a programme termed the One Million Initiative with allocated funds from the Government of the Netherlands. To assess the sustainability of this programme, UNICEF, in collaboration with government and non government partners, developed a programme management tool termed a Sustainability Check. The check involves a selected number of control and treatment communities which were selected based on a random statistical basis. A total of 52 water supplies were assessed and then the sustainability in each community was tested using a multivariate composite model tool. The results indicate low levels of sustainability of 50-75%. Based on the assessment, it is recommended to focus on spare parts provision and increased community capacity to manage financial contributions for operation and maintenance of the water points