Knowledge Graphs Evolution and Preservation -- A Technical Report from ISWS 2019

One of the grand challenges discussed during the Dagstuhl Seminar "Knowledge Graphs: New Directions for Knowledge Representation on the Semantic Web" and described in its report is that of a: "Public FAIR Knowledge Graph of Everything: We increasingly see the creation of knowledge graphs that capture information about the entirety of a class of entities. [...] This grand challenge extends this further by asking if we can create a knowledge graph of "everything" ranging from common sense concepts to location based entities. This knowledge graph should be "open to the public" in a FAIR manner democratizing this mass amount of knowledge." Although linked open data (LOD) is one knowledge graph, it is the closest realisation (and probably the only one) to a public FAIR Knowledge Graph (KG) of everything. Surely, LOD provides a unique testbed for experimenting and evaluating research hypotheses on open and FAIR KG. One of the most neglected FAIR issues about KGs is their ongoing evolution and long term preservation. We want to investigate this problem, that is to understand what preserving and supporting the evolution of KGs means and how these problems can be addressed. Clearly, the problem can be approached from different perspectives and may require the development of different approaches, including new theories, ontologies, metrics, strategies, procedures, etc. This document reports a collaborative effort performed by 9 teams of students, each guided by a senior researcher as their mentor, attending the International Semantic Web Research School (ISWS 2019). Each team provides a different perspective to the problem of knowledge graph evolution substantiated by a set of research questions as the main subject of their investigation. In addition, they provide their working definition for KG preservation and evolution

Minimal information for studies of extracellular vesicles 2018 (MISEV2018):a position statement of the International Society for Extracellular Vesicles and update of the MISEV2014 guidelines

The last decade has seen a sharp increase in the number of scientific publications describing physiological and pathological functions of extracellular vesicles (EVs), a collective term covering various subtypes of cell-released, membranous structures, called exosomes, microvesicles, microparticles, ectosomes, oncosomes, apoptotic bodies, and many other names. However, specific issues arise when working with these entities, whose size and amount often make them difficult to obtain as relatively pure preparations, and to characterize properly. The International Society for Extracellular Vesicles (ISEV) proposed Minimal Information for Studies of Extracellular Vesicles (“MISEV”) guidelines for the field in 2014. We now update these “MISEV2014” guidelines based on evolution of the collective knowledge in the last four years. An important point to consider is that ascribing a specific function to EVs in general, or to subtypes of EVs, requires reporting of specific information beyond mere description of function in a crude, potentially contaminated, and heterogeneous preparation. For example, claims that exosomes are endowed with exquisite and specific activities remain difficult to support experimentally, given our still limited knowledge of their specific molecular machineries of biogenesis and release, as compared with other biophysically similar EVs. The MISEV2018 guidelines include tables and outlines of suggested protocols and steps to follow to document specific EV-associated functional activities. Finally, a checklist is provided with summaries of key points

Sonographic comparison of morphologic characteristics between pilonidal cysts and hidradenitis suppurativa

ObjectivesTo compare the sonographic characteristics of pilonidal cysts and hidradenitis suppurativa. MethodsA retrospective study of sonographic examinations was performed on 2 groups: 1 with pilonidal cysts and the other with hidradenitis suppurativa. The sonographic characteristics of the pilonidal cyst and hidradenitis suppurativa groups were analyzed, compared, and correlated, including an analysis of the histologic findings. For the pilonidal cyst group, the distribution, morphologic characteristics, location, shape, diameter, axis, vascularity, and scarring were also described. Statistical analyses included Spearman, Wilcoxon, Kruskall-Wallis, (2), and Fisher tests. ResultsThe sonographic examinations of 84 patients were reviewed: 43 with pilonidal cysts and 41 with hidradenitis suppurativa. The comparison of the morphologic characteristics of the key lesions between the pilonidal cyst and hidradenitis suppurativa groups showed no statistically significant differences (P<.05). Both groups had similar dermal and hypodermal saclike and bandlike structures that communicated with the widened base of the hair follicles. Retained fragments of hair tracts within the lesions were sonographically detected in both pilonidal cysts (100%) and hidradenitis suppurativa (83%) and also found on histologic specimens; however, the density of hair tracts per structure was higher in pilonidal cysts. Sonographic signs of scarring were absent in 63% of pilonidal cysts. Only 2% of pilonidal cysts showed communicating bandlike structures. ConclusionsKey lesions of pilonidal cysts and hidradenitis suppurativa have similar sonographic morphologic characteristics, which suggests that a pilonidal cyst may be a variant or localized form of hidradenitis suppurativa. The retained fragments of hair tracts frequently detected in both entities may be caused by ectopic production of hair and not by embedding. Common therapeutic strategies and research can be designed for both entities

Autoimmune bullous diseases: Clinical analysis, therapeutic response, and mortality in a university medical centre in Chile Enfermedades ampollares autoinmunes: caracterización clínica, respuesta terapéutica y mortalidad en un centro universitario de Chil

Introduction: Autoimmune Bullous Diseases (ABDs) are acquired dermatoses characterised by blisters on the skin and mucous membranes. The aim of this study is to describe the epidemiology, clinical features, therapeutic response, and mortality rates in patients with ABDs treated at a university medical centre in Chile. Method: Retrospective cohort study was conducted over a 12 year period (2005-2017) of patients with ABDs confirmed by histology and direct immunofluorescence at a university medical centre in Chile. Results: Of a total of 89 patients, 50.9% were diagnosed with Bullous Pemphigoid (BP), 24.7% with Pemphigus Vulgaris (PV), and 24.7% with other ABD. The mean age in BP was 72.2 years, and 46.3 years in PV. Blisters appeared in 93.2% of BP, and mucous compromise appeared in 77.3% of PV. In BP, the most used treatment was prednisone and topical corticosteroids (TC), while in PV it was prednisone with azathioprine and TC. Half (50%) of BP achieved remission after 2 months of treatment, while in PV it was achieved after 5 months. The one-year survival rate in patients with BP was 88.7%, and 96.3% in PV. Conclusions: BP occurred at an older age, with limb and trunk blisters, whereas PV occurred in middle-aged patients, with significant mucosal involvement. Patients with PV required greater immunosuppression, reaching remission later than in BP. However, survival was lower in patients with BP. This study, the first in Chile, allowed ABDs to be characterised in Latin America

Lentiginous eruption in resolving psoriasis plaques during treatment with ixekizumab: a case report and review of the literature

We report the case of a 56-year old male with severe plaque psoriasis that was successfully treated with ixekizumab, a new anti interleukin (IL)-17 monoclonal antibody. During the first months of treatment he developed a lentiginous eruption in the sites of rapidly resolving plaques. Biopsy and immunohistochemistry reports showed elements of both lentigo and post-inflammatory hyper pigmentation. These findings, which have been increasingly described in anti-tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha) and anti IL-12/IL-23 therapy, may be explained by the down regulating effect of TNF alpha and IL-17 on pigmentation genes, which is very rapidly suppressed by ixekizumab, resulting in hyper pigmentation, and by the alteration of mesenchymal-epidermal interaction via keratinocyte growth factor during the inflammatory period, which results in the development of histopathological elements of lentigo

STAT3 inhibition by STA21 increases cell surface expression of MICB and the release of soluble MICB by gastric adenocarcinoma cells

NKG2D is an activating receptor expressed on NK cells that binds to a variety of ligands, including MICA and MICB. These cell surface glycoproteins are overexpressed under cellular transformation, thus playing an important role in cell-mediated immune response to tumors. STAT3 is a transcription factor that is constitutively active in cancer. It negatively regulates MICA expression on target cells, while its inhibition enhances NK cell cytotoxicity against tumors. In this work, we aimed to describe the effect of STAT3 signaling inhibition by STA21 on the regulation of MICB expression in gastric adenocarcinoma cells and its effect on the cytotoxic function of NK cells. Treatment of gastric adenocarcinoma cells with STA21 induced an increase in MICB expression and soluble MICB secretion, as well as a variable pattern on effector cell degranulation. Soluble MICB secretion by gastric adenocarcinoma cells was not affected by metalloprotease inhibition. We also observed that primary gastric adenocarcinoma tissue released soluble MICB into the extracellular milieu. Recombinant MICB induced a significant decrease in the levels of NKG2D receptor on effector NK and CD8 + T cells, which correlated with an impaired cytotoxic function. Altogether, our data provide evidence that STAT3 signaling pathway regulates MICB expression on gastric adenocarcinoma cells and that recombinant soluble MICB compromises the cytolytic activity of NK cells.Fondo Nacional de Desarrollo Cientifico y Tecnologico (FONDECYT) 1130330 11110456 Fondo de Fomento al Desarrollo Cientifico y Tecnologico (FONDEF) CAl2i10023 D09I1190 ENLACE ENL2010/2012 Beca de Apoyo de Tesis Doctoral 24110228 Beca de Doctorado en Chile by Comision Nacional de Investigacion Cientifica y Tecnologica (CONICYT) 2109077