Digital dermatology in general practice:Past, present and future

General practitioners (GPs) serve as gatekeepers for patients seeking specialized dermatology care and play a crucial role in triaging patients with skin lesions. To support GPs in diagnosing these (suspicious) skin lesions in general practice, they can seek the advice of a teledermatologist through digital dermatology services. This thesis aimed to contribute to understand the value of store-and-forward digital dermatology consultation in Dutch general practice. Furthermore, this thesis aimed to provide insights into experienced facilitators and barriers in the uptake of these digital dermatology services by GPs since its introduction in primary care. First, we investigated the status of two decades of teledermatology worldwide by performing a literature review (Part I). Second, we researched the impact and added value of performing store-and-forward teledermoscopy for GPs in Dutch GP practice (Part II). Finally, we developed and validated a quality feedback tool (SAF-TSUQ) to determine GPs’ perspectives about store-and-forward telemedicine services. We applied and extended this SAF-TSUQ to reveal the factors that facilitate or impede the successful implementation and use of teledermatology, teledermoscopy and dermatology home consultation services in Dutch GP practice (Part III). The evidence from this thesis showed that teledermatology and teledermoscopy are of added value for GPs. These services save cost and time compared to traditional dermatology care and support GPs in their referral decisions for benign and malignant skin lesions. Barriers hinder the full potential of digital dermatology services and addressing these sociotechnical challenges is crucial for enhancing and expanding these services in future general practices

Factors Influencing Distribution of Prosthetic Devices in Iran: An Economic Analysis

An estimated 177,622 Iranians have suffered an injury resulting in amputation. Prosthetic devices in Iran are scarce due to wealth disparity, wars, and lack of vital resources. Without prosthetic devices, amputees face unemployment, homelessness, a lowered self-esteem and cannot fully participate in society. I examined economic factors influencing the distribution of prosthetic devices and reviewed articles that focus on healthcare costs, distributions and services, relationships between Iran and other countries, etiology of amputation to find a solution for the prosthetic distribution issues. I concluded issues resulted from high costs, unequal distributions of wealth and resources, unsafe conditions, and a deficit of trained physicians. Sponsoring an organization to supply Iran with three-dimensional printers would create low-cost, high-functioning prosthetics and better distribution throughout the country. This would permit a wider spectrum of amputees to have access to prosthetic devices, as well as create new jobs to aid economic growth within the country

Ancient plant DNA in archaeobotany

Plant diaspores, tissues and wood are preserved in natural and anthropogenic sediments. Also, over the past centuries, plants have been collected in herbaria. These plant remains carry macroscopic and molecular information, making them a rich source for reconstructing past plant use, agriculture, diet or vegetation—they are thus proxies for past economies, ecology, migrations or trade. This article focuses on the application of ancient DNA analyses from plants excavated at Holocene archaeological sites. A short methodological section is added to illustrate possibilities and limitations of ancient DNA research in plant

Primary cutaneous anaplastic large cell lymphoma shows a distinct miRNA expression profile and reveals differences from tumor-stage mycosis fungoides

Copyright @ 2012 John Wiley & SonsThe miRNA expression profiles of skin biopsies from 14 primary cutaneous anaplastic large cell lymphoma (C-ALCL) patients were analysed with miRNA microarrays using the same control group of 12 benign inflammatory dermatoses (BID) as previously used to study the miRNA expression profile of tumor-stage mycosis fungoides (MF). We identified 13 differentially expressed miRNAs between C-ALCL and BID. The up-regulation of miR-155, miR-27b, miR-30c and miR-29b in C-ALCL was validated by miRNA-Q-PCR on independent study groups. Additionally, the miRNA expression profiles of C-ALCL were compared with those of tumor-stage MF. Although miRNA microarray analysis did not identify statistically significant differentially expressed miRNAs, miRNA-Q-PCR demonstrated statistically significantly differential expression of miR-155, miR-27b, miR-93, miR-29b and miR-92a between tumor-stage MF and C-ALCL. This study, the first describing the miRNA expression profile of C-ALCL, reveals differences with tumor-stage MF, suggesting a different contribution to the pathogenesis of these lymphomas.This work was funded by grants from Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO) (MHV) and the Fondation Rene´ Touraine (MvK), and grants from the Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research (EB) and the Julian Starmer-Smith Memorial Fund (CHL)

Cloning characterisation and expression of a G-protein-couple receptor from Lymnaea stagnalis and identification of a leucokinin-like peptide PSFHSWSamide as its endogenous ligand

No description supplie

Pathogenesis of Skin Carcinomas and a Stem Cell as Focal Origin

Dermatology-oncolog

Crystal structure of the EphA4 protein tyrosine kinase domain in the apo- and dasatinib-bound state

AbstractThe Eph family of receptor tyrosine kinases regulates diverse cellular processes while the over-expression of a member of this family, EphA4, has been reported in a variety of malignant carcinomas. To gain insight into molecular mechanisms and to facilitate structure-based inhibitor design, we solved the crystal structure of the native EphA4 kinase domain in both the apo and dasatinib bound forms. Analysis of the two structures provides insight into structural features of inhibitor binding and revealed a hydrophobic back-pocket in the ATP- binding site of EphA4 which was previously unidentified. The structures suggest a route towards development of novel and specific inhibitors

The Lymnaea Cardioexcitatory Peptide (LyCEP) Receptor: A G-Protein–Coupled Receptor for a Novel Member of the RFamide Neuropeptide Family

A novel G-protein–coupled receptor (GRL106) resembling neuropeptide Y and tachykinin receptors was cloned from the molluscLymnaea stagnalis. Application of a peptide extract from the Lymnaea brain to Xenopus oocytes expressing GRL106 activated a calcium-dependent chloride channel. Using this response as a bioassay, we purified the ligand for GRL106,Lymnaea cardioexcitatory peptide (LyCEP), an RFamide-type decapeptide (TPHWRPQGRF-NH2) displaying significant similarity to the Achatina cardioexcitatory peptide (ACEP-1) as well as to the recently identified family of mammalian prolactin-releasing peptides. In the Lymnaeabrain, the cells that produce egg-laying hormone are the predominant site of GRL106 gene expression and appear to be innervated by LyCEP-containing fibers. Indeed, LyCEP application transiently hyperpolarizes isolated egg-laying hormone cells. In theLymnaea pericardium, LyCEP-containing fibers end blindly at the pericardial lumen, and the heart is stimulated by LyCEPin vitro. These data confirm that LyCEP is an RFamide ligand for GRL10