Reduction of cutaneous advanced glycation end products levels after effective psoriasis treatment

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The Combination of Dupilumab with Other Monoclonal Antibodies

Introduction: Dupilumab is an interleukin-4 (IL-4) receptor alpha antagonist indicated for the treatment of moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis (AD), which could be associated with atopic and non-atopic comorbidities for which concomitant administration of targeted pharmacotherapy including monoclonal antibodies could be required. However, the safety of combining dupilumab with other monoclonal antibodies for different therapeutic indication may be debated. Methods: We conducted an extensive search in MEDLINE via PubMed for original articles published from January 1, 2017 to October 22, 2022, reporting clinical cases in whic

First studies on Giardia duodenalis in the water buffalo

A cross-sectional survey of Giardia duodenalis infection in the water buffalo was carried out in Central Italy. The survey was conducted on a sample of 90 farms, selected using a grid approach within a Geographical Information System, followed by proportional allocation. On each farm, faecal samples were collected from three to five asymptomatic buffalo calves, aged from 1 to 9 weeks (total number = 347). Each faecal sample was tested for the presence of copro-antigens of G. duodenalis using a commercially available ELISA. Out of the 90 farms, 27 (30.0%) resulted positive. With respect to animals, out of the 347 faecal samples, 63 (18.1%) were found to have antigens of G. duodenalis. The results of the logistic regression model showed a positive association between the positivity to G. duodenalis and the presence of sheep on farm

Overview of Atopic Dermatitis in Different Ethnic Groups

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common chronic inflammatory skin disease with a high prevalence worldwide, including countries from Asia, Africa, and Latin America, and in different ethnic groups. In recent years, more attention has been placed on the heterogeneity of AD associated with multiple factors, including a patient’s ethnic background, resulting in an increasing body of clinical, genetic, epidemiologic, and immune-phenotypic evidence that delineates differences in AD among racial groups. Filaggrin (FLG) mutations, the strongest genetic risk factor for the development of AD, are detected in up to 50% of European and 27% of Asian AD patients, but very rarely in Africans. Th2 hyperactivation is a common attribute of all ethnic groups, though the Asian endotype of AD is also characterized by an increased Th17-mediated signal, whereas African Americans show a strong Th2/Th22 signature and an absence of Th1/Th17 skewing. In addition, the ethnic heterogeneity of AD may hold important therapeutic implications as a patient’s genetic predisposition may affect treatment response and, thereby, a tailored strategy that better targets the dominant immunologic pathways in each ethnic subgroup may be envisaged. Nevertheless, white patients with AD represent the largest ethnicity enrolled and tested in clinical trials and the most treated in a real-world setting, limiting investigations about safety and efficacy across different ethnicities. The purpose of this review is to describe the heterogeneity in the pathophysiology of AD across ethnicities and its potential therapeutic implications

Advanced Glycation End Products are Increased in the Skin and Blood of Patients with Severe Psoriasis

Psoriasis is frequently associated with metabolic comorbidities. Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) are highly oxidant, biologically active compounds that accumulate in tissues in association with hyperglycaemia, hyperlipidaemia and oxidative stress. This is a cross-sectional case-control study involving 80 patients with mild/severe psoriasis and 80 controls matched for age, sex and body mass index (40 with severe eczema, 40 healthy individuals). Patients and healthy individuals with a smoking habit, diabetes, dyslipidaemia, hypercholesterolaemia, hypertension or who were under systemic treatment were excluded from the study. Skin AGEs were measured in normal-appearing skin by a standard fluorescence technique, and blood AGEs (total AGEs, pentosidine and AGEs receptor) by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Levels of cutaneous AGEs (p < 0.04), serum AGEs (p < 0.03) and pentosidine (p < 0.05) were higher in patients with severe psoriasis. Cutaneous AGEs correlated well with serum AGEs (r = 0.93, p < 0.0001) and with Psoriasis Area and Severity Index score (r = 0.91, p < 0.0001). Receptor levels were lower (p < 0.001) in severe psoriasis, and inversely correlated with disease severity (r = –0.71, p < 0.0002). Patients with severe psoriasis have accumulation of skin and serum AGEs, independent of associated metabolic disorders

Cystic echinococcosis in water buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis)

An epidemiological and molecular survey of cystic echinococcosis (CE) caused by Echinococcus granulosus in the water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) of the Italian Mediterranean breed was carried out in the Campania region of southern Italy. Out of a total of 799 water buffaloes examined at slaughterhouses, 80 (10.0%) were found infected. The molecular study was performed on 58 hydatid cysts in order to determine the E. granulosus strain(s) present in this host. A region of cytocrome c oxydase 1 gene (CO1) was amplified by polymerase chain reaction and the PCR products were then purified and sequenced. DNA amplification of the partial CO1 gene gave a 446 bp fragment for all isolates examined. After sequencing, a region of 419 bp was identified for each sample. Thirty-two isolates were identified as the common sheep strain G1, 15 as the buffalo strain G3, 3 as the Tasmanian sheep strain G2, and 3 as the G1 c genotype (GenBank AF458873). In addition, 5 isolates presented 99% identity with the G2 genotype (Tasmanian sheep strain)

Buccal mucosa is a promising graft in Peyronie's disease surgery. Our experience and a brief literature review on autologous grafting materials

AIM: Peyronie's Disease (PD) is an under reported acquired benign condition that, at the moment, is not curable with medical therapy. Surgery represent the gold standard of treatment. Surgical approaches are several and they consist in "plication techniques" or plaque incision/excision with grafting of resulting albuginea defect. Among grafting procedures, albuginea defect substitution with autologous materials demonstrated over the years not inferior results respect to heterologous grafts. Buccal mucosa graft (BMG) is not usually emphasized in many review articles and clinical series are yet limited. METHODS: We present our experience with seventeen plaque incision procedures and BMG in surgical correction of complex penile curvatures due to PD performed in a period of 30 months. Our analyses was focused on buccal mucosa graft characteristics as major determinant of the surgical success. We also conducted a brief literature review on autologous grafting materials used in reconstructive penile surgery for PD. RESULTS: Our cosmetics and functional results consists in a 100% of functional penile straightening with no relapses and 5,8% of de novo erectile dysfunction. Mean age was 56.4 years, mean follow-up of 22.5 (6-36) months. No complications graft related were observed. Operative time was 115.3 minutes in mean. Over 94% of patients referred they were "really much better" and "much better" satisfied based on PGI-I questionnaire administrated at the last follow- up visit. CONCLUSION: BMG is revealing as an optimal choice for reconstructive surgery in PD. Anatomical characteristics consisting in the great elasticity, the quick integration time and the easy harvesting technique lead to high cosmetics and functional success rate, without omitting economical and invasiveness aspects

Flotac and Mini-Flotac for uro-microscopic diagnosis of Capillaria plica (syn. Pearsonema plica) in dogs

Background: Capillaria plica (syn. Pearsonema plica) is a nematode that resides in the urinary bladder and rarely in ureters or in the kidney pelvis of various carnivores, especially foxes and dogs. Urine sedimentation technique is actually the only diagnostic tool that permits the identification of C. plica eggs, but its sensitivity is low and when an infection is suspected (or when it is necessary to confirm treatment efficacy) more than one examination of urine sediment should be performed. The present paper reports a clinical case of natural C. plica infection in a dog from southern Italy. In addition, two new techniques, FLOTAC and Mini-FLOTAC, were used for the diagnosis of C. plica in dog urine and compared with the technique of sedimentation. Results: Using FLOTAC with fresh urine and sodium chloride as flotation solution, were obtained the best results for the diagnosis of C. plica in dog urine in term of eggs counted (mean eggs per 10 ml of urine = 70.3 FLOTAC vs 40.3 Mini FLOTAC vs 32.8 sedimentation) and coefficient of variation (CV%) (6.2 FLOTAC vs 13.4 Mini-FLOTAC vs 32.9 sedimentation). Conclusions: The FLOTAC was the more sensitive method, but also the Mini-FLOTAC could be a valid alternative diagnostic method because gave better results than the classical sedimentation and can be used in place of the FLOTAC in laboratories where the centrifugation step cannot be performed. © 2014 Maurelli et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd

Calibration and performance tests of the Very-Front-End electronics for the CMS electromagnetic calorimeter

The Very-Front-End electronics processing signals from photodetectors of the CMS electromagnetic calorimeter have been put through an extensive test programme to guarantee functionality and reliability. The final characteristics of the VFE boards designed for the calorimeter barrel and endcaps are presented. The results, which have been also verified during test beam at CERN, confirm the high quality of the boards production and show that the CMS detector specifications are reached