1,576 research outputs found
Topical immunotherapy of severe alopecia areata with diphenylcyclopropenone (DPCP): experience in an Iranian population
BACKGROUND: Highly variable results of topical diphenylcyclopropenone (DPCP) in the treatment of alopecia areata have been reported so far. The purposes of the present study were to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of DPCP treatment in severe alopecia areata. METHODS: Twenty-eight patients (16 female and 12 male, 10–35 years old, mean age 25 years) with extensive alopecia areata were enrolled in an open-label clinical trial. After sensitization with 2% DPCP, progressively higher concentrations beginning at 0.001% were applied weekly for 6 months to one side of the scalp, after which, if terminal hair growth was noted, the entire scalp was then treated under the same weekly protocol. The maximum concentration of DPCP in acetone was 2%. RESULTS: Twenty-seven of 28 patients completed therapy. The overall response rate was 81.5% (22/27), complete remission (90%-100% terminal hair re-growth) was obtained 22.2% (6/27) and partial remission (10%-90% terminal hair re-growth) in 59.3% (16/27). In all patients an eczematous reaction consisting of erythema, itching, and scaling at the site of application were observed. During therapy, other side effects including, occipital lymphadenopathy 40.7% (11/27), severe eczema/blister formation 40.7% (11/27), hyperpigmentation 18.5% (5/27) were observed, but no hypopigmentation, vitiligo, contact urticaria, and erythema multiforme-like reaction were seen in the patients. Nineteen of 27 (70.4%) patients had at least one side effect, other than eczematous reaction. Notably, partial recurrence was observed in 50.9% (13/22) of these patients after 6 to 12 months of follow-up. During the follow-up time the maintenance DPCP immunotherapy was continued. CONCLUSION: Topical DPCP treatment for alopecia areata is an effective therapy with a slightly high relapse rate during bilateral maintenance treatment. According to the author's knowledge this is the first experience with DPCP in Iran
Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma presenting with extensive skin lesions: a case report
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is the most common histological subtype of cancer in the upper and middle esophagus and is characterized by a high rate of mortality. The incidence of esophageal cancer varies greatly among regions of the world and occurs at a high frequency in Asia and South America.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>In our department, a 51-year-old man was diagnosed with ESCC after presenting with extensive disseminated skin nodules. Biopsy of the nodules showed metastatic ESCC. Cutaneous manifestations of esophageal neoplasia are very rare and are mainly described for esophageal adenocarcinoma (EADC). Here we report a very uncommon case of extensive skin metastases of ESCC.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Early biopsies of suspicious skin lesions are important and should be performed in patients with unclear symptoms such as weight loss or dysphagia and especially in patients with a history of cancer, since they can reveal the existence of a distant malignant disease leading to diagnosis and prompt therapy.</p
The Role of Bile in the Regulation of Exocrine Pancreatic Secretion
As early as 1926 Mellanby (1) was able to show that introduction of bile into the duodenum of anesthetized cats produces a copious flow of pancreatic juice. In conscious dogs, Ivy & Lueth (2) reported, bile is only a weak stimulant of pancreatic secretion. Diversion of bile from the duodenum, however, did not influence pancreatic volume secretion stimulated by a meal (3,4). Moreover, Thomas & Crider (5) observed that bile not only failed to stimulate the secretion of pancreatic juice but also abolished the pancreatic response to intraduodenally administered peptone or soap
Characterization of complex networks: A survey of measurements
Each complex network (or class of networks) presents specific topological
features which characterize its connectivity and highly influence the dynamics
of processes executed on the network. The analysis, discrimination, and
synthesis of complex networks therefore rely on the use of measurements capable
of expressing the most relevant topological features. This article presents a
survey of such measurements. It includes general considerations about complex
network characterization, a brief review of the principal models, and the
presentation of the main existing measurements. Important related issues
covered in this work comprise the representation of the evolution of complex
networks in terms of trajectories in several measurement spaces, the analysis
of the correlations between some of the most traditional measurements,
perturbation analysis, as well as the use of multivariate statistics for
feature selection and network classification. Depending on the network and the
analysis task one has in mind, a specific set of features may be chosen. It is
hoped that the present survey will help the proper application and
interpretation of measurements.Comment: A working manuscript with 78 pages, 32 figures. Suggestions of
measurements for inclusion are welcomed by the author
Neutrophils in cancer: neutral no more
Neutrophils are indispensable antagonists of microbial infection and facilitators of wound healing. In the cancer setting, a newfound appreciation for neutrophils has come into view. The traditionally held belief that neutrophils are inert bystanders is being challenged by the recent literature. Emerging evidence indicates that tumours manipulate neutrophils, sometimes early in their differentiation process, to create diverse phenotypic and functional polarization states able to alter tumour behaviour. In this Review, we discuss the involvement of neutrophils in cancer initiation and progression, and their potential as clinical biomarkers and therapeutic targets
Molecular Interactions of Prodiginines with the BH3 Domain of Anti-Apoptotic Bcl-2 Family Members
Prodigiosin and obatoclax, members of the prodiginines family, are small molecules with anti-cancer properties that are
currently under preclinical and clinical trials. The molecular target(s) of these agents, however, is an open question.
Combining experimental and computational techniques we find that prodigiosin binds to the BH3 domain in some BCL-2
protein families, which play an important role in the apoptotic programmed cell death. In particular, our results indicate
a large affinity of prodigiosin for MCL-1, an anti-apoptotic member of the BCL-2 family. In melanoma cells, we demonstrate
that prodigiosin activates the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway by disrupting MCL-1/BAK complexes. Computer simulations
with the PELE software allow the description of the induced fit process, obtaining a detailed atomic view of the molecular
interactions. These results provide new data to understand the mechanism of action of these molecules, and assist in the
development of more specific inhibitors of anti-apoptotic BCL-2 proteins.Spanish government and the European Union (FIS-PI10/00338) and from the ERC-2009-Adg
25027-PELE European project
Skeletal muscle ATP synthesis and cellular H+ handling measured by localized 31P-MRS during exercise and recovery
31P magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) is widely used for non-invasive investigation of muscle metabolism dynamics. This study aims to extend knowledge on parameters derived from these measurements in detail and comprehensiveness: proton (H+) efflux, buffer capacity and the contributions of glycolytic (L) and oxidative (Q) rates to ATP synthesis were calculated from the evolutions of phosphocreatine (PCr) and pH. Data are reported for two muscles in the human calf, for each subject and over a wide range of exercise intensities. 22 subjects performed plantar flexions in a 7T MR-scanner, leading to PCr changes ranging from barely noticeable to almost complete depletion, depending on exercise protocol and muscle studied by localized MRS. Cytosolic buffer capacity was quantified for the first time non-invasively and individually, as was proton efflux evolution in early recovery. Acidification started once PCr depletion reached 60–75%. Initial and end-exercise L correlated with end-exercise levels of PCr and approximately linear with pH. Q calculated directly from PCr and pH derivatives was plausible, requiring fewer assumptions than the commonly used ADP-model. In conclusion, the evolution of parameters describing cellular energy metabolism was measured over a wide range of exercise intensities, revealing a relatively complete picture of muscle metabolism
Pentecostalism, gerontocratic rule and democratization in Malawi: the changing position of the young in political culture
This chapter explores the relationship between the father-metaphor, gerontocratic power, democratization and religion in the context of changing political culture in Malawi. It argues that democratization in Malawi signalled a change in the nature of the dominant gerontocratic power relations associated with Chewa political traditions, and gave the young an opportunity to escape from their tightly circumscribed sociopolitical space in what for thirty years had been a highly supervised society. It further argues that religion, in particular 'born-again' (often Pentecostal) Christianity, played a significant role in changing the meaning of the crucial root paradigm of gerontocracy in Malawian political culture. The chapter shows that the position adopted by religious youth groups in the 1990s was the outcome of a 'struggle for youth' that Malawian society had faced since colonial times and in which religion played a significant role. In so doing, it deconstructs the so-called 'conservative nature' of Christian fundamentalism-cum- Pentecostalism.ASC – Publicaties niet-programma gebonde
Secret worlds, democratization and election observation in Malawi
ASC – Publicaties niet-programma gebonde
Measurement of the running of the QED coupling in small-angle Bhabha scattering at LEP
Using the OPAL detector at LEP, the running of the effective QED coupling
alpha(t) is measured for space-like momentum transfer from the angular
distribution of small-angle Bhabha scattering. In an almost ideal QED
framework, with very favourable experimental conditions, we obtain:
Delta alpha(-6.07GeV^2) - Delta alpha(-1.81GeV^2) = (440 pm 58 pm 43 pm 30) X
10^-5, where the first error is statistical, the second is the experimental
systematic and the third is the theoretical uncertainty. This agrees with
current evaluations of alpha(t).The null hypothesis that alpha remains constant
within the above interval of -t is excluded with a significance above 5sigma.
Similarly, our results are inconsistent at the level of 3sigma with the
hypothesis that only leptonic loops contribute to the running. This is
currently the most significant direct measurment where the running alpha(t) is
probed differentially within the measured t range.Comment: 43 pages, 12 figures, Submitted to Euro. Phys. J.
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