Role of golimumab, a TNF-alpha inhibitor, in the treatment of the psoriatic arthritis

Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is an inflammatory arthritis that affects many psoriasis patients and can often have a debilitating disease progression. Golimumab is a new tumor necrosis factor (TNF) antagonist recently approved by the FDA for controlling signs and symptoms of psoriatic arthritis. In a Phase III clinical trial in patients with PsA, patients receiving golimumab showed significant improvement in the signs and symptoms of disease. It was usually well tolerated, but adverse events generally occurred more in patients receiving golimumab compared to placebo. Golimumab has also recently shown efficacy in slowing structural damage in PsA. This new biologic therapy provides physicians with another option in the treatment of this inflammatory arthritis while offering patients certain advantages over other TNF antagonists

Detecting differential allelic expression using high-resolution melting curve analysis: application to the breast cancer susceptibility gene CHEK2

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The gene <it>CHEK2 </it>encodes a checkpoint kinase playing a key role in the DNA damage pathway. Though <it>CHEK2 </it>has been identified as an intermediate breast cancer susceptibility gene, only a small proportion of high-risk families have been explained by genetic variants located in its coding region. Alteration in gene expression regulation provides a potential mechanism for generating disease susceptibility. The detection of differential allelic expression (DAE) represents a sensitive assay to direct the search for a functional sequence variant within the transcriptional regulatory elements of a candidate gene. We aimed to assess whether <it>CHEK2 </it>was subject to DAE in lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs) from high-risk breast cancer patients for whom no mutation in <it>BRCA1</it> or <it>BRCA2</it> had been identified.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We implemented an assay based on high-resolution melting (HRM) curve analysis and developed an analysis tool for DAE assessment.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We observed allelic expression imbalance in 4 of the 41 LCLs examined. All four were carriers of the truncating mutation 1100delC. We confirmed previous findings that this mutation induces non-sense mediated mRNA decay. In our series, we ruled out the possibility of a functional sequence variant located in the promoter region or in a regulatory element of <it>CHEK2 </it>that would lead to DAE in the transcriptional regulatory milieu of freely proliferating LCLs.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our results support that HRM is a sensitive and accurate method for DAE assessment. This approach would be of great interest for high-throughput mutation screening projects aiming to identify genes carrying functional regulatory polymorphisms.</p

Multifocal cutaneous alternariosis in a 70-year-old kenyan renal transplant patient

Alternaria species are a group of dematiaceous fungi that are ubiquitous in nature and are becoming an increasingly important cause of disease in immunocompromised patients.  We present a case of a 70 year old renal transplant recipient with multiple areas of cutaneous Alternaria infections likely introduced during local trauma.  Treatment has required a combination of systemic therapy and surgical excision.  This case illustrates the importance of recognizing fungal infections with cutaneous manifestations, such as alternariosis, in immunosuppressed patients

Multifocal cutaneous alternariosis in a 70-year-old Kenyan renal transplant patient

Alternaria species are a group of dematiaceous fungi that are ubiquitous in nature and are becoming an increasingly important cause of disease in immunocompromised patients. We present a case of a 70 year old renal transplant recipient with multiple areas of cutaneous Alternaria infections likely introduced during local trauma. Treatment has required a combination of systemic therapy and surgical excision. This case illustrates the importance of recognizing fungal infections with cutaneous manifestations, such as alternariosis, in immunosuppressed patients

Topical 5% 5-fluorouracil versus procedural modalities for squamous cell carcinoma in situ and superficial basal cell carcinoma: A retrospective cohort analysis

The topical chemotherapeutic agent 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) is commonly used to treat squamous cell carcinoma in situ (SCCIS) and superficial basal cell carcinoma (sBCC). Additional investigation is needed to understand whether topical 5-FU, under real-world conditions, has comparable treatment success to procedures for epidermally-limited keratinocyte carcinomas. Approval was obtained from the University of Massachusetts Medical School institutional review board to perform a retrospective chart review