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The article discusses a 5-year retrospective study on the long-term effectiveness and tolerability of apremilast in patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis in Italy. A total of 335 patients were treated with apremilast, with demographic characteristics and treatment outcomes recorded. Results showed significant reductions in Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) scores over the study period, with a majority of patients achieving PASI 75, PASI 90, and PASI 100. The study concluded that apremilast demonstrated effectiveness and tolerability as a treatment option for patients with contraindications to biological treatments. [Extracted from the article]

SUMMARY: Cyst nematodes establish permanent feeding structures called syncytia inside the host root vasculature, disrupting the flow of water and minerals. In response, plants form WOX11‐mediated adventitious lateral roots at nematode infection sites. WOX11 adventitious lateral rooting modulates tolerance to nematode infections; however, whether this also benefits nematode parasitism remains unknown. Here, we report on bioassays using a 35S::WOX11‐SRDX transcriptional repressor mutant to investigate whether WOX11 adventitious lateral rooting promotes syncytium development and thereby female growth and fecundity. Moreover, we chemically inhibited cellulose biosynthesis to verify if WOX11 directly modulates cell wall plasticity in syncytia. Finally, we performed histochemical analyses to test if WOX11 mediates syncytial cell wall plasticity via reactive oxygen species (ROS). Repression of WOX11‐mediated transcription specifically enhanced the radial expansion of syncytial elements, increasing both syncytium size and female offspring. The enhanced syncytial hypertrophy observed in the 35S::WOX11‐SRDX mutant could be phenocopied by chemical inhibition of cellulose biosynthesis and was associated with elevated levels of ROS at nematode infection sites. We, therefore, conclude that WOX11 restricts radial expansion of nematode‐feeding structures and female growth and fecundity, likely by modulating ROS‐mediated cell wall plasticity mechanisms. Remarkably, this novel role of WOX11 in plant cell size control is distinct from WOX11 adventitious lateral rooting underlying disease tolerance. Significance Statement: In this study, we uncover a novel role for WOX11 in Arabidopsis, which may help plants cope with infections by endoparasitic cyst nematodes in the field. By controlling plant cell size, WOX11 significantly limits the expansion of nematode feeding sites, ultimately reducing nematode offspring size. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mammalian olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs) generate an odorant‐induced response by sequentially activating two ion channels, which are in their ciliary membranes. First, a cationic, Ca2+‐permeable cyclic nucleotide‐gated channel is opened following odorant stimulation via a G protein‐coupled transduction cascade and an ensuing rise in cAMP. Second, the increase in ciliary Ca2+ opens the excitatory Ca2+‐activated Cl− channel TMEM16B, which carries most of the odorant‐induced receptor current. While the role of TMEM16B in amplifying the response has been well established, it is less understood how this secondary ion channel contributes to response kinetics and action potential generation during single as well as repeated stimulation and, on the other hand, which response properties the cyclic nucleotide‐gated (CNG) channel determines. We first demonstrate that basic membrane properties such as input resistance, resting potential and voltage‐gated currents remained unchanged in OSNs that lack TMEM16B. The CNG channel predominantly determines the response delay and adaptation during odorant exposure, while the absence of the Cl− channels shortens both the time the response requires to reach its maximum and the time to terminate after odorant stimulation. This faster response termination in Tmem16b knockout OSNs allows them, somewhat counterintuitively despite the large reduction in receptor current, to fire action potentials more reliably when stimulated repeatedly in rapid succession, a phenomenon that occurs both in isolated OSNs and in OSNs within epithelial slices. Thus, while the two olfactory ion channels act in concert to generate the overall response, each one controls specific aspects of the odorant‐induced response. Key points: Mammalian olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs) generate odorant‐induced responses by activating two ion channels sequentially in their ciliary membranes: a Na+, Ca2⁺‐permeable cyclic nucleotide‐gated (CNG) channel and the Ca2⁺‐activated Cl⁻ channel TMEM16B.The CNG channel controls response delay and adaptation during odorant exposure, while TMEM16B amplifies the response and influences the time required for the response to reach its peak and terminate.OSNs lacking TMEM16B display faster response termination, allowing them to fire action potentials more reliably during rapid repeated stimulation.The CNG and TMEM16B channels have distinct and complementary roles in shaping the kinetics and reliability of odorant‐induced responses in OSNs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The use of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) currently extends beyond male factor infertility, notably replacing conventional in vitro fertilisation (IVF) in scenarios like limited oocyte availability, where it is used as a precaution against complete fertilisation failure. While existing studies on the use of conventional IVF in such situations provide some reassurance, the available evidence is somewhat insufficient and ICSI is commonly used. Aims: To evaluate whether conventional IVF can be a feasible option when only one oocyte is retrieved. Materials and Methods: A retrospective study was performed to evaluate the fertilisation rate with conventional IVF in women retrieving only one oocyte and whose partner had normal semen. The study aimed at evaluating whether the fertilisation rate was aligned with the threshold indicated by recognized IVF laboratory performance indicators (Vienna Consensus). Clinical pregnancy and live birth rates were secondary outcomes. Results: Out of 304 cycles with a single oocyte inseminated with conventional IVF, 209 achieved normal fertilisation and 82 did not. Thirteen had no mature oocytes. The fertilisation rate was 69% (95% CI: 63–74%) and increased to 72% (95% CI: 66–77%) when immature oocytes were excluded. The fertilisation rate surpassed the minimum competency threshold of the Vienna Consensus (60%), even if below the benchmark value (75%). Clinical pregnancy and live birth rates per oocyte retrieval were 10% and 8%, respectively. Univariate and multivariate analyses failed to identify any predictive factor of fertilisation. Conclusion: Conventional IVF with one oocyte met Vienna Consensus standards even if it fell short of higher benchmarks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary statement: We propose exploring plant biotrophic parasitism from both a pathogen‐centred and a plant‐centred perspective. This can generate novel research questions and reveal common plant mitigation strategies in response to biotrophic pathogens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The European amphioxus (Branchiostoma lanceolatum) is a member of the chordate subphylum Cephalochordata, and, as such, a key model organism for providing insights into the origin and evolution of vertebrates. Despite its significance and global distribution, detailed characterizations of natural populations of cephalochordates are still very limited. This study investigates the abundance, habitat, and spawning behavior of amphioxus in the North Adriatic Sea. Across 32 sampled sites, adult amphioxus were consistently present, reaching densities exceeding 300 individuals m−2. DNA barcoding confirmed the species as B. lanceolatum, and environmental analyses revealed an amphioxus preference for slightly gravelly sand with low silt content and a correlation between amphioxus density and the presence of specific macroinvertebrate taxa. Remarkably, the amphioxus population was breeding in early spring and possibly late fall, in contrast to the typical late spring/early summer spawning season described for other populations of European amphioxus. Amphioxus adults kept in captivity maintained the spawning seasonality of their place of origin, suggesting the possibility of extending the overall spawning season of European amphioxus in laboratory settings by exploiting populations from diverse geographic origins. This study thus expands our understanding of B. lanceolatum ecology and reproduction in the Mediterranean Sea, emphasizing the role of the North Adriatic Sea as a substantial reservoir. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Eyelid dermatitis is a frequent reason of dermatological consultation. Its aetiology is not univocal, being contact dermatitis, both allergic and irritant, the most frequent. The primary sources of allergen exposure include cosmetics, metals, and topical medications, from direct, indirect, or airborne contact. Objectives: To define the frequency of positive patch test reactions to SIDAPA baseline series allergens, to document positive allergens, and to precise the final diagnosis in patients with eyelid involvement. Methods: A total of 8557 consecutive patients from 12 Italian Dermatology Clinics underwent patch testing with SIDAPA baseline series in 2018 and 2019. Patients were divided into two groups: (i) with eyelid involvement with or without other involved sites (E‐Group) and (ii) without eyelid involvement (NE‐Group). The final diagnosis and the frequency of positive relevant patch test reactions were evaluated. Results: E‐Group consisted of 688 patients (females 78.6%, mean age 45.3 years), 8.0% of 8557 consecutively patch‐tested patients. The final diagnosis in E‐Group was ADC in 42.4%, ICD in 34.2%, and AD in 30.5%. The highest reaction rates were elicited by nickel sulphate and methylchloroisothiazolinone/methylisothiazolinone in both E‐Group and NE‐Group, even if these allergens were significantly more frequently positive in NE‐Group patients than in E‐Group ones. Positive patch test reactions to fragrance Mix II, dimethylaminopropylamine, and sorbitan sesquiolate were significantly more frequent in E‐Group patients than in NE‐Group ones. Conclusions: Eyelid dermatitis is a frequent dermatological complaint. Allergic contact dermatitis is the most frequent diagnosis commonly caused by nickel sulphate, isothiazolinones, and fragrances. The surfactants dimethylaminopropylamine and sorbitan sesquioleate are emerging causes of eyelid allergic contact dermatitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the effectiveness of risankizumab, a medication used to treat moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis. The study found that risankizumab was effective in improving psoriasis symptoms, with a high percentage of patients experiencing significant improvement and complete skin clearance. The study also found that patients who had not previously been treated with biologic drugs and those with a shorter disease history had better responses to the treatment. However, the study has some limitations, and further research is needed to fully understand the long-term effects of risankizumab on psoriasis. [Extracted from the article]

Background: Human‐cytomegalovirus (hCMV) infection involving the gastrointestinal tract represents a leading cause of morbidity and mortality among kidney transplant (KT) recipients (KTRs). Signs and symptoms of the disease are extremely variable. Prompt anti‐viral therapy administration and immunosuppression modification are key factors for optimizing management. However, complex work‐up strategies are generally required to confirm the preliminary diagnosis. Unfortunately, solid evidence and guidelines on this specific topic are not available. We consequently aimed to summarize current knowledge on post‐KT hCMV‐related gastrointestinal disease (hCMV‐GID). Methods: We conducted a systematic review (PROSPERO ID: CRD42023399363) about hCMV‐GID in KTRs. Results: Our systematic review includes 52 case‐reports and ten case‐series, published between 1985 and 2022, collectively reporting 311 cases. The most frequently reported signs and symptoms of hCMV‐GID were abdominal pain, diarrhea, epigastric pain, vomiting, fever, and GI bleeding. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy and colonoscopy were the primary diagnostic techniques. In most cases, the preliminary diagnosis was confirmed by histology. Information on anti‐viral prophylaxis were extremely limited as much as data on induction or maintenance immunosuppression. Treatment included ganciclovir and/or valganciclovir administration. Immunosuppression modification mainly consisted of mycophenolate mofetil or calcineurin inhibitor minimization and withdrawal. In total, 21 deaths were recorded. Renal allograft‐related outcomes were described for 26 patients only. Specifically, reported events were acute kidney injury (n = 17), transplant failure (n = 5), allograft rejection (n = 4), and irreversible allograft dysfunction (n = 3). Conclusions: The development of local and national registries is strongly recommended to improve our understanding of hCMV‐GID. Future clinical guidelines should consider the implementation of dedicated diagnostic and treatment strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biocatalytic asymmetric reduction of C=C and C=O bonds is highly attractive to produce valuable (chiral) chemicals for the fine and pharmaceutical industry, yet occurs at the expense of reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide coenzyme NADPH that requires recycling. Established methods each have their challenges. Here we developed a light‐driven approach based on photosystem I (PSI) by mimicking the natural electron transfer from PSI via ferredoxin (Fd) towards ferredoxin NADP+ reductase (FNR) in vitro. Illumination with red light led to reduction of NADP+ to NADPH with a turnover frequency of 2.55 s−1 (>9000 h−1) at pH 7.5. Light‐driven NADPH regeneration by PSI‐Fd‐FNR was coupled with three oxidoreductases for asymmetric reduction of C=C and C=O bonds, reaching up to 99 % conversion with a turnover number of 3035, and retaining enantioselectivity. This study demonstrates the capacity of a PSI system to drive continuous NADPH‐dependent biocatalytic conversions with light. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assessment of treatment response in patients (pts) with leptomeningeal metastases (LM) represents a significant challenge and standardized criteria are needed. In 2017, the RANO LM Working Group proposed a standardized scorecard to evaluate MRI findings (further simplified in 2019). Here, we aim to validate the prognostic impact of response to treatment assessed using this tool in a multicentric cohort of breast cancer (BC) pts. Pts with BC‐related LM diagnosed at two institutions between 2005 and 2018 were identified. Baseline and follow‐up MRI scans were centrally reviewed and response assessment was evaluated using 2019 revised RANO LM criteria. A total of 142 pts with BC‐related LM and available baseline brain MRI imaging were identified; 60 of them had at least one follow‐up MRI. In this subgroup, median overall survival (OS) was 15.2 months (95%CI 9.5‐21.0). At first re‐evaluation, radiological response by RANO criteria was: complete response (CR) in 2 pts (3%), partial response (PR) in 12 (20%), stable disease (SD) in 33 (55%) and progression of disease (PD) in 13 (22%). Median OS was 31.1 months (HR 0.10, 95%CI 0.01‐0.78) in pts with CR, 16.1 months (HR 0.41, 95%CI 0.17‐0.97) in pts with PR, 17.9 months (HR 0.45, 95%CI 0.22‐0.91) in pts with SD and 9.5 months in pts with PD (P =.029). A second blinded evaluation showed a moderate interobserver agreement (K = 0.562). Radiological response according to 2019 RANO criteria is significantly associated with OS in pts with BC‐related LM, thus supporting the use of this evaluation tool both in trials and clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infantile perianal pyramidal protrusion (IPPP) is a benign condition generally noted in childhood but may persist for several years. Dermoscopy may help to distinguish it from other conditions, particularly genital warts. We report six cases of IPPP and describe the dermoscopic features that will distinguish these lesions from verrucae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Characterization of quantum objects, being states, processes, or measurements, complemented by previous knowledge about them is a valuable approach, especially as it leads to routine procedures for real‐life components. To this end, machine learning algorithms have demonstrated to successfully operate in presence of noise, especially for estimating specific physical parameters. Here, it is shown that a neural network (NN) can improve the tomographic estimate of parameters by including a convolutional stage. This technique is applied to quantum process tomography for the characterization of several quantum channels. A stable and reliable operation is demonstrated that is achievable by training the network only with simulated data. The obtained results show the viability of this approach as an effective tool based on a completely new paradigm for the employment of NNs operating on classical data produced by quantum systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the in vitro pulpal temperature rise (ΔT) within the pulp chamber when low‐ and high‐viscosity bulk‐fill resin composites are photo‐cured using laser or contemporary light curing units (LCUs). Materials and Methods: The light output from five LCUs was measured. Non‐retentive Class I and V cavities were prepared in one upper molar. Two T‐type thermocouples were inserted into the pulp chamber. After the PT values reached 32°C under simulated pulp flow (0.026 mL/min), both cavities were restored with: Filtek One Bulk Fill (3 M), Filtek Bulk Fill Flow (3 M), Tetric PowerFill (Ivoclar Vivadent), or Tetric PowerFlow (Ivoclar Vivadent). The tooth was exposed as follows: Monet Laser (1 and 3 s), PowerCure (3 and 20 s), PinkWave (3 and 20 s), Valo X (5 and 20 s) and SmartLite Pro (20 s). The ΔT data were subjected to one‐way ANOVA followed by Scheffe's post hoc test. Results: Monet 1 s (1.9 J) and PinkWave 20 s (30.1 J) delivered the least and the highest amount of energy, respectively. Valo X and PinkWave used for 20 s produced the highest ΔT values (3.4–4.1°C). Monet 1 s, PinkWave 3 s, PowerCure 3 s (except FB‐Flow) and Monet 3 s for FB‐One and TP‐Fill produced the lowest ΔT values (0.9–1.7°C). No significant differences were found among composites. Conclusions: Short 1‐ to 3‐s exposures produced acceptable temperature rises, regardless of the composite. Clinical Significance: The energy delivered to the tooth by the LCUs affects the temperature rise inside the pulp. The short 1–3 s exposure times used in this study delivered the least amount of energy and produced a lower temperature rise. However, the RBC may not have received sufficient energy to be adequately photo‐cured. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Guselkumab is a fully human monoclonal antibody that binds selectively to the p19 subunit of interleukin‐23, which has shown efficacy in patients with previous incomplete response to ustekinumab in the NAVIGATE clinical trial. [Correction added on [28‐02‐2023], after first online publication: 'humanized monoclonal antibody' has been changed to 'fully human monoclonal antibody' in the preceding sentence.] Objectives: We conducted a 104‐week multicenter retrospective study to assess the effectiveness and safety of guselkumab in patients affected by plaque psoriasis with an inadequate response to ustekinumab in a real‐life setting. Methods: Our retrospective study included 233 adults affected by moderate‐to‐severe plaque psoriasis, enrolled in 14 different Italian centres, and treated with guselkumab after failing therapy with ustekinumab. Patient characteristics and PASI (Psoriasis Area and Severity Index) score at each visit (baseline, weeks 16, 52 and 104) were recorded. The percentages of patients achieving 75%, 90% and 100% (PASI 75, PASI 90 and PASI 100) improvement in PASI, compared with baseline, were registered. Results: At week 52, PASI 75 was reached by 89.88% of patients, PASI 90 by 71.43%, PASI 100 by 58.83% and absolute PASI ≤2 by 90.48%. At week 104, similar effectiveness results were observed. Compared to the NAVIGATE trial, we observed higher rates of PASI 75/90/100. Patients with the involvement of difficult‐to‐treat areas were significantly less likely to achieve PASI90 and PASI100 at week 16. Obese patients had significantly lower rates of PASI75 and PASI ≤2 at week 52. At week 104, comparable responses were observed among all patients' subgroups, regardless of BMI status, involvement of difficult‐to‐treat areas, presence of cardiometabolic comorbidities and concomitant psoriatic arthritis. No significant safety findings were reported throughout the study. Conclusion: Our data suggest that the efficacy of guselkumab in patients with inadequate response to ustekinumab for plaque psoriasis in 'real‐life' clinical practice is comparable with NAVIGATE study with higher percentages of patients achieving PASI90 and PASI100 at weeks 16, 52 and 104. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Routine testing for cancer patients not presenting COVID‐19‐related symptoms and fully vaccinated for SARS‐CoV‐2 prior to cancer treatment is controversial. Methods: In this retrospective study we evaluated whether antigen‐rapid‐diagnostic‐test (Ag‐RDT) monitoring for SARS‐CoV‐2 in a large cohort of consecutive asymptomatic (absence of SARS‐CoV‐2‐related symptoms such as fever, cough, sore throat or nasal congestion) and fully vaccinated cancer patients enrolled in a short period during cancer treatment has an impact on the therapeutic path of cancer patients. Results: From December 27, 2021, to February 11, 2022, 2439 cancer patients were screened through Ag‐RDT for SARS‐CoV‐2 before entering the hospital for systemic treatment. Fifty‐three patients (2.17%) tested positive, of whom 7 (13.2%) subsequently developed COVID‐related symptoms, generally mild. Cancer treatment was discontinued, as a precaution, in 49 patients (92.5%) due to the test positivity. Conclusion: SARS‐CoV‐2 screening in asymptomatic and fully vaccinated cancer patients during systemic treatment appeared to be not cost‐effective: the low rate of SARS‐CoV‐2 positive patients and the low percentage of overt associated infection do not seem proportional to the direct costs (nursing work for swabs, costs of materials and patient monitoring) and indirect costs (dedicated rooms, extension of waiting times for patients and oncologists in delivering therapy as well as its discontinuation in the positive ones). It can, on the other hand, be detrimental when systemic cancer treatment is suspended as a precaution. Given the small number of patients testing positive and the rapid and favorable trend of the infection, it is recommended to always consider continuing systemic oncological treatment, especially when this impacts patient survival as in the adjuvant or neoadjuvant setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long-term efficacy and safety of Dupilumab in adolescents with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis: results through week 52 from a phase III open-label extension trial (LIBERTY AD PED-OLE). The mean percentage reduction of NRS itch score (mean value of 8.2 at baseline, 1.6 at week 32 and 1.3 at week 52) showed a reduction of 80.5% at week 32 and of 84.1% at week 52. Dupilumab, a fully human monoclonal antibody inhibiting signalling of both interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-13, was approved by European Medical Agency (EMA) in August 2019 for adolescents aged >=12 years with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis (AD) after randomized clinical trials demonstrating long-term efficacy and safety.[[1], [3]] Real-world studies, both at week 16[5] and week 32/52,[[6]] are rarely reported. [Extracted from the article]

Summary: Plant root architecture plasticity in response to biotic stresses has not been thoroughly investigated. Infection by endoparasitic cyst nematodes induces root architectural changes that involve the formation of secondary roots at infection sites. However, the molecular mechanisms regulating secondary root formation in response to cyst nematode infection remain largely unknown.We first assessed whether secondary roots form in a nematode density‐dependent manner by challenging wild‐type Arabidopsis plants with increasing numbers of cyst nematodes (Heterodera schachtii). Next, using jasmonate‐related reporter lines and knockout mutants, we tested whether tissue damage by nematodes triggers jasmonate‐dependent secondary root formation. Finally, we verified whether damage‐induced secondary root formation depends on local auxin biosynthesis at nematode infection sites.Intracellular host invasion by H. schachtii triggers a transient local increase in jasmonates, which activates the expression of ERF109 in a COI1‐dependent manner. Knockout mutations in COI1 and ERF109 disrupt the nematode density‐dependent increase in secondary roots observed in wild‐type plants. Furthermore, ERF109 regulates secondary root formation upon H. schachtii infection via local auxin biosynthesis.Host invasion by H. schachtii triggers secondary root formation via the damage‐induced jasmonate‐dependent ERF109 pathway. This points at a novel mechanism underlying plant root plasticity in response to biotic stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: A recently proposed self‐assessment questionnaire aimed at diagnosing sensitive skin provided promising results in a relatively small population. The main objectives were: (i) to assess the reliability of the aforementioned questionnaire in a larger population and verify the cut‐off score previously found to predict skin sensitivity (defined as positivity to LAST, lactic acid stinging test) and (ii) to define a formula that yields the probability of a positive LAST result. Methods: Adult volunteers were included in this observational, cross‐sectional, extended study. Both LAST‐positive subjects, who were considered as having sensitive skin ('patients') and negative ones ('controls') completed the questionnaire, which concerned sensitivity to possible triggers of unpleasant skin sensations in real life. A cumulative score (questionnaire‐based skin sensitivity score, 0–10) was calculated from the sum of all items. Results: Three hundred and sixty‐four subjects were enrolled, 214 patients and 150 controls. The mean questionnaire‐based skin sensitivity score was significantly higher among patients than controls. Using two different methods, cut‐off values of 4 and 5 were defined for the identification of LAST‐positive subjects, with 76.6% and 72.8% accuracy, respectively. Scores below 4 or above 5 showed a high (80% or better) negative or positive predictive value, respectively. The coefficients found that in multivariate analysis for each questionnaire item, gender and age allowed us to calculate the probability of LAST positivity with higher precision taking into account the 'relative weight' of each factor. Conclusion: With small variations in the results, the self‐assessment questionnaire confirmed its reliability for diagnosing sensitive skin in clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hydroxyisohexyl 3‐cyclohexene carboxaldehyde (HICC), contained in fragrance mix II (FM II), has been recognized as a contact sensitizer since the mid‐1990s. After several attempts to reduce its use during the last two decades, HICC was permanently banned from the European market in August 2021. Objectives: To assess the prevalence and the time trend of contact allergy to HICC and to investigate the concordance of HICC allergy compared to FM II allergy in an unselected Italian patch test population. Methods/Patients: Retrospective analysis on demographics and patch test results of HICC‐sensitized and/or FM II‐sensitized patients was performed over a 6‐year period (2016–2021) at 6 patch test Clinics in Italy. Results: Among 7266 patients (4942 females, 68.0%, mean age 45.4 ± 20.6 years), 1% (70) resulted positive to HICC and 2.1% (153) to FM II. Clinical relevance was documented in 72.9% (51/70) of HICC positive patients. Among the 169 HICC and/or FM II positive patients, 9.5% had a positive reaction to HICC only, 31.9% to both HICC and FM II, and 58.6% to FM II only. The prevalence trend line of HICC positive reactions showed a decrease from 1.15% (2016) to 0.96% (2021). Conclusions: We documented a decreasing trend of HICC allergy in Italy, in line with the data recently reported in literature. Nevertheless, HICC should be maintained in the baseline series to monitor the benefits of its ban from the European market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Tildrakizumab is a humanized monoclonal antibody that binds selectively the p19 subunit of interleukin‐23. It is approved for treatment of moderate–severe chronic plaque psoriasis. Objectives: We conducted a 52‐week retrospective study to assess the effectiveness and safety of tildrakizumab in a real‐life setting. Methods: Our retrospective study included 237 consecutive adults with moderate‐to‐severe plaque psoriasis, enrolled in 10 different Italian centres, treated with tildrakizumab up to Week 52. Patient characteristics, comorbidities, previous treatments and the PASI (Psoriasis Area and Severity Index) score at each visit (baseline, Week 16, Week 28 and Week 52) were retrieved from the electronic medical records. The percentages of patients achieving 75%, 90% and 100% (PASI 75, PASI 90 and PASI 100) improvement in PASI with respect to baseline PASI were registered. Results: At Week 52, 90.91%, 73.55% and 58.68% of patients achieved a PASI reduction ≥75% (PASI 75), PASI 90 and PASI 100, respectively. An absolute PASI ≤ 2 was reached by 85.95% at Week 52. Compared with Phase 3 clinical trials, we observed similar rates of PASI 75/90 responses and higher percentages of patients achieving PASI 100. Patients who had not responded to previous biologic treatments and patients with cardio‐metabolic comorbidities were significantly more likely to achieve PASI 100 at Week 28 and PASI 90 at Week 52. The higher body mass index did not interfere with the odds of reaching PASI 75/90/100 at each time point. No significant safety findings were recorded throughout the study, and none of the patients had to interrupt the treatment because of adverse events. Conclusion: Our data suggest that the efficacy of tildrakizumab for plaque psoriasis in 'real‐life' clinical practice is comparable with Phase 3 clinical trials with higher percentages of patients achieving complete skin clearance (PASI 100) at Weeks 16, 28 and 52. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY: Infections by root‐feeding nematodes have profound effects on root system architecture and consequently shoot growth of host plants. Plants harbor intraspecific variation in their growth responses to belowground biotic stresses by nematodes, but the underlying mechanisms are not well understood. Here, we show that the transcription factor TEOSINTE BRANCHED/CYCLOIDEA/PROLIFERATING CELL FACTOR‐9 (TCP9) modulates root system architectural plasticity in Arabidopsis thaliana in response to infections by the endoparasitic cyst nematode Heterodera schachtii. Young seedlings of tcp9 knock‐out mutants display a significantly weaker primary root growth inhibition response to cyst nematodes than wild‐type Arabidopsis. In older plants, tcp9 reduces the impact of nematode infections on the emergence and growth of secondary roots. Importantly, the altered growth responses by tcp9 are most likely not caused by less biotic stress on the root system, because TCP9 does not affect the number of infections, nematode development, and size of the nematode‐induced feeding structures. RNA‐sequencing of nematode‐infected roots of the tcp9 mutants revealed differential regulation of enzymes involved in reactive oxygen species (ROS) homeostasis and responses to oxidative stress. We also found that root and shoot growth of tcp9 mutants is less sensitive to exogenous hydrogen peroxide and that ROS accumulation in nematode infection sites in these mutants is reduced. Altogether, these observations demonstrate that TCP9 modulates the root system architectural plasticity to nematode infections via ROS‐mediated processes. Our study further points at a novel regulatory mechanism contributing to the tolerance of plants to root‐feeding nematodes by mitigating the impact of belowground biotic stresses. Significance Statement: Plants utilize root plasticity to cope with adverse environmental conditions in soil, but the molecular and genetic mechanisms regulating the adaptive growth responses to belowground biotic stresses are not well understood. Here, we show that the transcription factor TCP9 modulates plasticity of the root system architecture of Arabidopsis during soil‐borne cyst nematodes infections via reactive oxygen species‐mediated processes, which points at a novel tolerance mechanism based on mitigating the impact rather than the level of biotic stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 positive (HER2+) breast cancer, leptomeningeal metastases (LM) are a rare but often a fatal clinical scenario. In this multicentric study, clinical and pathologic characteristics of patients with HER2+ breast cancer developing LM were described, as well as survival outcomes. Data were gathered retrospectively from medical records of 82 patients with advanced HER2+ breast cancer and LM treated between August 2005 and July 2020. Following LM diagnosis, 79 (96.3%) patients received at least one line of anti‐HER2 therapy, 25 (30.5%) patients received intrathecal therapy and 58 (70.7%) patients received radiotherapy. Overall survival (OS) was 8.3 months (95% confidence interval [CI] 5.7‐11), 1‐year OS was 42%, and 2‐year OS was 21%. At univariate analysis, patients who were treated after 2010, had better Karnofsky performance status, were free of neurological symptoms, had better prognostic, received chemotherapy (OS difference 9.4 months, P =.024), or monoclonal antibodies (trastuzumab ± pertuzumab; OS difference 6.1 months; P =.013) after LM diagnosis, had a statistically significantly longer OS. Presence of neurological symptoms (hazard ratio 3.32, 95% CI 1.26‐8.73; P =.015) and not having received radiotherapy (hazard ratio 2.02, 95% CI 1.09‐3.72; P =.024) were all associated with poorer OS at multivariate analysis. To summarize, not having neurological symptoms and receiving RT at LM diagnosis were associated with prolonged OS in our cohort. Survival seemed to be prolonged with multimodality treatment, which included targeted therapy, chemotherapy, and RT to the LM sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Education, hand eczema, prevention, covid-19, distance learning, healthcare workers Implementation of a distance learning hand eczema prevention program for healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic Keywords: covid-19; distance learning; education; hand eczema; healthcare workers; prevention EN covid-19 distance learning education hand eczema healthcare workers prevention 297 300 4 08/16/22 20220901 NES 220901 INTRODUCTION Occupational hand eczema (HE) is a major risk for healthcare workers. [Extracted from the article]

Background: Moderate‐to‐severe atopic dermatitis (AD) in the adolescence is a high burden disease, and its treatment can be very challenging due to paucity of approved systemic drugs for this age and their side‐effects. Dupilumab was recently approved for treatment of adolescent AD. Objectives: A multicentre, prospective, real‐world study on the effectiveness and safety of dupilumab in adolescents (aged from ≥12 to <18 years) with moderate‐to‐severe AD was conducted. The main AD clinical phenotypes were also examined. Methods: Data of adolescents with moderate‐to‐severe AD treated with dupilumab at label dosage for 16 weeks were collected. Treatment outcome was assessed by EASI, NRS itch, NRS sleep loss and CDLQI scores at baseline and after 16 weeks of treatment. The clinical scores were also evaluated according to clinical phenotypes. Results: One hundred and thirty‐nine adolescents were enrolled in the study. Flexural eczema and head and neck eczema were the most frequent clinical phenotypes, followed by hand eczema and portrait‐like dermatitis. Coexistence of more than 1 phenotype was documented in 126/139 (88.5%) adolescents. Three patients (2.1%) contracted asymptomatic SARS‐CoV‐2 infection and 1 of the discontinued dupilumab treatment before the target treatment period. A significant improvement in EASI, NRS itch, NRS sleep loss and CDLQI was observed after 16 weeks of treatment with dupilumab. This outcome was better than that observed in clinical trials. Dupilumab resulted effective in all AD phenotypes, especially in diffuse eczema. Twenty‐eight (20.1%) patients reported adverse events, conjunctivitis and flushing being the most frequent. None of patients discontinued dupilumab due to adverse event. Conclusions: Dupilumab in adolescent AD showed excellent effectiveness at week 16 with consistent improvement of all clinical scores. Moreover, dupilumab showed a good safety profile also in this COVID‐19 pandemic era. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Sensitive skin is very common and distressing. Its diagnosis may be difficult with the tools/methods available at the moment. Aims: To assess the reliability of a self‐assessment questionnaire for the diagnosis of sensitive skin, using the results of lactic acid stinging test (LAST) as a reference for the identification of subjects suffering from this condition. A further objective was to identify the questionnaire cutoff score that better discriminates between subjects with or without sensitive skin. Patients/methods: Among the adult volunteers included in this observational, cross‐sectional study, both LAST‐positive subjects, who were considered as having sensitive skin ("patients"), and negative ones ("controls") completed the questionnaire. It consisted of a part for self‐assessing and quantifying (0–10) sensitive skin and another one that included 10 items, each referring to a specific, potentially triggering stimulus. A cumulative score (questionnaire‐based skin sensitivity score, 0–10) was calculated from the sum of all items considered capable of triggering unpleasant skin sensations in real‐life experience. Results: One hundred and sixty‐two subjects were enrolled, 102 patients and 60 controls; 98 subjects thought they had sensitive skin. The mean questionnaire‐based skin sensitivity score was significantly higher among patients than controls and correlated with skin sensitivity self‐assessments. A cutoff value of 3 was set for the identification of LAST‐positive subjects, with 79% accuracy. Conclusions: The study self‐assessment questionnaire seems to be a reliable tool for diagnosing sensitive skin in clinical practice. These results led us to identify a numerical cutoff for detecting propensity to experience sensitive skin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In conclusion, imiquimod 3.75% cream may be a potential home therapy for solar lentigo; randomized controlled studies are required to evaluate safety and efficacy of this alternative therapy. Keywords: dermoscopy; imiquimod; solar lentigo EN dermoscopy imiquimod solar lentigo 6487 6489 3 12/27/22 20221101 NES 221101 Imiquimod is an immune response modifier approved for topical treatment of actinic keratoses, superficial basal cell carcinoma, and anogenital warts.[1] In addition to its antiviral, antitumor, and immunoregulatory effects, topical imiquimod also seems to display antiaging properties.[2] We present a dermoscopic study for progressive evaluation of treatment of solar lentigo with imiquimod 3.75% cream. The treatment was stopped for 4 weeks before starting a second cycle of treatment for a further 6 weeks, without other adverse effects. [Extracted from the article]

Background: Because Myroxylon pereirae (MP), or balsam of Peru, is nowadays almost not used "as such," and fragrance mix 1 (FM1) apparently is more sensitive in detecting fragrance allergy, the usefulness of testing MP in baseline series was recently questioned. Objectives: Identification of the number of clinically relevant patch test reactions to MP not detected by FM1. Methods: Retrospective analysis of 12 030 patients patch tested with MP and FM1 for contact dermatitis between January 2018 and December 2019 in 13 Italian dermatology clinics. Results: Four hundred thirty‐nine patients (3.6%) had a positive patch test reaction to MP; 437 (3.6%) had a positive patch test reaction to FM1. Positive reactions to both MP and FM1 were observed in 119 subjects (1.0%), 310 (2.6%) reacted to MP only, 304 (2.5%) to FM1 only, 5 to MP and sorbitan sesquioleate (SSO), 9 to FM1 and SSO, and 5 to MP, FM1, and SSO. Single sensitizations were clinically relevant in 75.2% of cases for MP (62.9% current, 12.3% past) and 76.3% for FM1 (70.1% current, 6.2% past). Conclusions: Based on our results, MP appears to be still worth testing along with FM1 in baseline series, because it allows detection of a remarkable number of fragrance allergies, often relevant, which would be otherwise missed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Budesonide was included in the European Baseline Series in 2000 as the most suitable marker forcorticosteroid hypersensitivity. In the last two decades, a decreasing trend of budesonide allergy has been observed. Objectives: To estimate the prevalence of positive patch test reactions to budesonide in a large, Italian patch test population, characterizing patients according to MOAHLFA index and evaluating the benefit with extended readings of budesonide patch test. Methods: Retrospective analysis of patient demographics and patch test results over a 2‐year period (2018–2019) was performed at 14 patch test clinics in Italy. Results: Ninety out of 14 544 (0.6%) patients reacted to budesonide 0.01% pet.. Positive reactions were mild in 54.4% and late readings at day 7 showed new positive reactions in 37.8% of patients. The MOAHLFA index showed a significant positive association with male gender, atopic dermatitis, and age >40 years and a significant negative association with hand and face dermatitis. Conclusions: We documented a low prevalence of budesonide allergy in Italy, confirming its decreasing trend recently reported in the literature. Nevertheless, budesonide needs to be maintained in the baseline series for its good ability to detect corticosteroid sensitization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Objective Material and Methods Results Conclusion Clinical Significance To evaluate the effect of different modeling agents on color changes, surface roughness, and translucency parameters over time in Bulkfill resin composites.Sixty specimens were prepared using three Bulkfill resin composites (Tetric N‐Ceram Bulkfill, Filtek One Bulkfill and Opus Bulkfill) and three modeling agents (Wetting Resin, Optibond FL and Ambar APS). All specimens were subjected to a simulated tooth‐brushing (Baseline, 50.000 cycles, 100.000 cycles), and surface roughness was measured at each interval. Surface topography was evaluated. The translucency parameter and color changes were assessed after 24‐h, 7‐, 14‐ and 30‐day immersion in water, wine, and coffee. Data was analyzed using ANOVA and Bonferroni test.All specimens increased roughness after simulated tooth‐brushing (p < 0.05). Wetting Resin decreased roughness on Tetric N‐Ceram Bulkfill (p < 0.05). The translucency parameter remained unaltered for all groups. All groups changed color after 30‐days of immersion in wine and coffee (p < 0.05). Ambar APS and Wetting Resin on Tetric N‐Ceram Bulkfill showed higher color changes when immersed in coffee (p < 0.05).The use of modeling agents does not jeopardize translucency properties but may affect surface roughness and color properties of Bulkfill resin composites depending on their composition.The findings of this study suggest that surface roughness and color properties are affected by the differences in the composition between modeling agents and Bulkfill resins composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and dermal nevi located on the face can easily be confused on clinical examination. Little is known about the different preferential localizations of these entities, and a systematic analysis of dermatoscopic features for differential diagnosis is lacking. Methods: Clinical and dermatoscopic images of BCCs and dermal nevi were retrospectively evaluated to study their relation to various face anatomical areas, BCC histotype, classic and nonclassic dermatoscopic BCC criteria, as well as typical dermatoscopic criteria for dermal nevi. Results: We examined 118 BCCs and 77 dermal nevi, all having histopathological confirmation. BCCs were most frequently located on the lateral side of the forehead (12.7%), nasal dorsum (10.2%) and nasal ala (9.3%), while dermal nevi were found predominantly on the buccal area (11.8%), scalp (11.8%), and perioral region (10.8%). The prevalent dermatoscopic criteria for BCC were the classic arborizing vessels (94.1%) and arborizing microvessels (89%). The most common BCC histotype on the face was sclerodermiform (47.5%), followed by nodular (28%) and superficial (24.6%). Conclusions: This study shows that BCCs are preferentially located on the lateral side of the forehead, nasal dorsum and nasal ala, while dermal nevi of the face are preponderantly located on the buccal area, scalp, and perioral region. The dermatoscopic features confirmed the frequency of classic and nonclassic criteria for BCCs already demonstrated in other studies. No significant site‐specific features were observed for either BCCs or dermal nevi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human CD117+CRTH2neg innate lymphoid cells (ILC) comprise multipotent precursors (ILCp), which are able to differentiate into subtypes in response to different signals received in peripheral tissues. NKp46+ ILCp have been reported to associate with ILC3 whereas KLRG1+ILCp with ILC2, although the latter can also generate other ILC subsets, thus, maintaining a substantial plasticity. We here showed that CD62L is expressed by ILCp exclusively within KLRG1+ population and its expression marks a loss of their broad differentiation potential. Analysis of cytokine production and relevant markers demonstrated that CD62L+ILCp mainly differentiate into ILC2 whereas CD62Lneg counterpart can also differentiate into other ILC subsets depending on the signals they receive. Remarkably, in peripheral blood of psoriatic patients, where ILC3 are usually enriched, CD62L+ILC were drastically reduced, whereas CD62LnegILC2 upregulated both RORγt and NKp46, thus, suggesting an ongoing conversion to ILC3. Therefore, CD62L now emerges as a potential marker to identify a skewing toward type 2 among ILCp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patch testing with textile dye mix in Italy: A 2-year multicenter SIDAPA study Azo-dyes, patch test, SIDAPA baseline series, skin tests, textile dye mix Keywords: azo-dyes; patch test; SIDAPA baseline series; skin tests; textile dye mix EN azo-dyes patch test SIDAPA baseline series skin tests textile dye mix 265 268 4 03/22/21 20210401 NES 210401 Disperse dyes (DDs), mostly represented by azo dyes, are small and lipophilic molecules characterized by low cost and simple application on clothing. [Extracted from the article]

Information about severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) infection in HIV‐infected individuals is scarce. In this prospective study, we included HIV (human immunodefeciency virus)‐infected individuals (people living with HIV [PLWHIV]) with confirmed SARS‐CoV‐2 infection and compared them with PLWHIV negative for SARS‐CoV‐2. We compared 55 cases of SARS‐CoV‐2 infection with 69 asymptomatic PLWHIV negative for SARS‐CoV‐2 reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction and/or serology. There was no significant difference between SARS‐CoV‐2 positive or negative patients for age distribution, gender, time with HIV infection, nadir CD4‐cell counts, type and number of co‐morbidities, current CD4 and CD8 counts and type of anti‐HIV therapy. Positive patients presented with a median of three symptoms (interquartile range, 1‐3). Most common symptoms were fever (76%), dyspnea (35%), anosmia (29%) non‐productive cough (27%), fatigue 22%), and ageusia (20%). Ten patients (18%) were completely asymptomatic. Four (7.2%) subjects died of coronavirus disease 2019. Factors significantly (P <.05) associated with death included age and number of co‐morbidities, while time from HIV infection and lower current CD4 counts were significant only in univariate analysis. HIV‐infected individuals are not protected from SARS‐CoV‐2 infection or have a lower risk of severe disease. Indeed, those with low CD4 cell counts might have worse outcomes. Infection is asymptomatic in a large proportion of subjects and this is relevant for epidemiological studies. Highlights: This study addresses the question if specific characteristics of HIV infection may raise the risk of SARS‐CoV‐2 infection by comparing infected persons living with HIV (PLWHIV), either symptomatic or not, with other PLWHIV who tested negative for SARS‐CoV‐2 infection. None of the parameters classically used to define immune suppression or risk of immune impairment in HIV positive subjects does correlate with the risk of acquiring SARS‐CoV‐2 infection. Although low CD4 counts were not associated with the positivity for SARS‐CoV‐2, relative immunosuppression did seem to affect disease severity, and it might be associated with adverse outcomes. By contrast, there was no evidence that any specific antiretroviral drug affected SARS‐CoV‐2 infection or COVID‐19 severity. The disease may cover a vast range of clinical pictures, being almost one fifth of infected individuals asymptomatic and variables already described for the general population as risk factors for a more severe disease such as advanced age and the presence of multiple co‐morbidities do apply to PLWHIV, too. HIV‐infected individuals should not be considered protected from SARS‐CoV‐2 infection or as having lower risk of severe disease. Indeed, those with low CD4 cell counts might have worse outcomes than individuals with restored immunity. Infection may be asymptomatic in a large proportion of subjects and this variable must be counted when epidemiological studies are implemented in PLWHIV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Previous evidence highlighted that only a minority of men who banked their semen before cancer therapies subsequently used their frozen samples. This may question the economical validity of sperm cryopreservation programmes. However, in most contributions, the duration of follow‐up was insufficient to draw robust information on the real rate of use. Objectives: To shed more light on the potential benefits of cryopreservation programmes. Materials and methods: Men who cryopreserved their semen in a public hospital for a diagnosis of cancer between 1986 and 2009 were retrospectively reviewed. The rate of use as well as the possible determinants was investigated. Results: The median time of follow‐up was 12 [IQR: 7‐16] years. One hundred forty‐four patients out of 1,524 (9.4%, 95%CI: 8.1%‐11.0%) used their frozen samples of whom 64% were azoospermic. The rate of men achieving parenthood with frozen semen was 46%. Predictive factors of use were older age at the time of storage, lower sperm count at the time of storage and a diagnosis of testicular cancer. The impact of this latter factor was also supported by the lower frequency of azoospermia after cancer treatment in these patients. Discussion: Cost‐beneficial studies are warranted to assess and possibly improve the economical validity of sperm banking. Conclusion: The usage rate of frozen sperm in cancer patient is low, even extending the duration of follow‐up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We describe a case of pretibial dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa in a 5‐year‐old girl, her mother, and maternal great aunt. All subjects had trauma‐induced blisters and erosions, with scarring, on the knees and lower legs, and nail dystrophy of variable severity. Genetic analysis in all three patients showed a 6849del18 mutation in the COL7A1 gene, causing the production of shortened collagen VII polypeptides and resulting in a mild phenotype, with localized acral blisters and nail involvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Neutrophil count reduction after chemotherapy has been related with longer survival of patients with metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma, but there is not a standardized measurement for this phenomenon. Methods: Some parameters related to the change in neutrophil count between the first and the second cycle of chemotherapy or between the baseline count and the nadir have been evaluated among patients with advanced pancreatic cancer at a single institution. A Cox regression model was built which included, in addition to the common prognostic variables, some variables related to the change of the neutrophil count after chemotherapy. Results: One hundred patients were selected. Two neutrophil kinetics related variables predicted overall survival independently, such as the neutrophil count growth rate (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.245; confidence intervals [CIs], 1.077–1.440) and the chemotherapy‐induced neutropenia after one cycle (HR = 0.499; CIs, 0.269–0.927). Conclusion: The kinetics of neutrophil count after chemotherapy is an early and independent prognostic factor, which appears to be simple to measure at the start of the second cycle of chemotherapy by means of the neutrophil count growth rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Regioselective aromatic hydroxylation is desirable for the production of valuable compounds. External flavin‐containing monooxygenases activate and selectively incorporate an oxygen atom in phenolic compounds through flavin reduction by the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide coenzyme, and subsequent reaction with molecular oxygen. This study provides the proof of principle of flavoenzyme‐catalyzed selective aromatic hydroxylation with coenzyme biomimetics. The carbamoylmethyl‐substituted biomimetic in particular affords full conversion in less than two hours for the selective hydroxylation of 5 mM 3‐ and 4‐hydroxybenzoates, displaying similar rates as with NADH, achieving a 10 mM/h enzymatic conversion of the medicinal product gentisate. This biomimetic appears to generate less uncoupling of hydroxylation that typically leads to undesired hydrogen peroxide. Therefore, we show these flavoenzymes have the potential to be applied in combination with biomimetics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Apart from chronic liver disease, hepatitis C virus (HCV) may be responsible for several extra‐hepatic manifestations. Its involvement in psoriasis development is still controversial. The aim of this study was to evaluate the possible effect of anti‐HCV direct‐acting antiviral (DAA) treatment on cutaneous psoriasis. Thirty‐seven consecutive HCV patients with cutaneous psoriasis underwent efficacious DAA treatment, and all of them were efficiently cured as shown by HCV RNA negativity 24 weeks after stopping therapy (PT24W). An expert dermatologist evaluated the skin lesions at baseline, end of treatment (EOT) and PT24W using the psoriasis area severity index (PASI) scoring system. The impact on quality of life was measured with the Dermatologic Quality of Life Index (DLQI). Six patients had a stable disease throughout the study period, whereas 31/37 patients (83.8%) showed a significant improvement of the skin lesions at EOT (P <.0001). However, 24 of these 31 patients (77.4%) had a dramatic worsening of the psoriatic lesions at PT24W compared with EOT (P <.001), with lesion severity comparable to baseline. The outcome of psoriasis during and after treatment was independent of baseline PASI score, age, sex, HCV genotype, liver disease stage and of the presence of arterial hypertension, diabetes and autoimmune diseases. In conclusion, DAA‐based HCV cure has only a transient effect on skin lesions of patients with concomitant cutaneous psoriasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is currently no agreed cosmetic series for use across Europe. Objectives: To establish allergens currently tested in local and national cosmetic series. Method: Members of the European Surveillance System on Contact Allergy and the European Cooperation in Science and Technology project TD1206 ("StanDerm") were surveyed to establish their current practice. Results: A wide range of allergens was tested but there was significant variation between centres on the allergens considered to be important in screening for allergy to cosmetics. The number of allergens tested in addition to the baseline series varied between 2 and 50. Conclusions: There is a need for further investigation to establish the frequency and relevance of reactions to cosmetic allergens to enable an agreed evidence‐based cosmetic series to be produced. Criteria for inclusion need to be established. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Background and objectives: The heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein A1 (hnRNP‐A1) has been postulated as an autoantigen of psoriasis, but correlation between serum levels of anti‐hnRNP‐A1 autoantibodies and the severity of disease has not been investigated. We aimed to assess the frequency of anti‐hnRNP‐A1 autoimmunity in patients with moderate to severe psoriasis and in healthy controls, and to determine the correlation between serum levels of anti‐hnRNP‐A1 autoantibodies and disease severity. Patients and methods: We performed a case‐control study on 40 adult psoriatic patients with a PASI (Psoriasis Area and Severity Index) of > 10 and 40 healthy controls matched for age and gender. Immunoblotting was used to assess serum levels of anti‐hnRNP‐A1 autoantibodies. Results: Anti‐hnRNP‐A1 autoantibodies were found in 9/40 psoriatic patients (22.5 %) but in no healthy controls. The PASI was significantly higher in anti‐hnRNP‐A1‐positive patients than in anti‐hnRNP‐A1‐negative patients (40.33 ± 3.24 vs 26.06 ± 9.28, p = 0.0001). In patients positive for anti‐hnRNP‐A1, serum levels of such autoanti­bodies were correlated with the PASI (R = 0.89, p = 0.001). Conclusions: Consistent with reports in the literature, our results suggest a role of anti‐hnRNP‐A1 autoimmunity in psoriasis, although probably not as the primary cause or initial/fundamental event. Unlike previously published reports, our results also suggest that anti‐hnRNP‐A1 autoimmunity is particularly frequent among psoriatic patients with more severe disease. Further studies are necessary with a larger number of patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zusammenfassung: Hintergrund und Ziele: Das heterogene nukleäre Ribonukleoprotein A1 (hnRNP‐A1) wurde als Autoantigen bei Psoriasis vorgeschlagen; eine mögliche Korrelation zwischen dem Serumspiegel von Anti‐hnRNP‐A1‐Antikörpern und dem Schweregrad der Erkrankung wurde bislang nicht untersucht. Unser Ziel war es, die Häufigkeit der Anti‐hnRNP‐A1‐Autoimmunität bei Patienten mit mäßig schwerer bis schwerer Psoriasis und gesunden Kontrollpersonen zu bestimmen und festzustellen, ob eine Korrelation zwischen dem Anti‐hnRNP‐A1‐Autoantikörper‐Serumspiegel und dem Schweregrad der Erkrankung besteht. Patienten und Methoden: Wir führten eine Fallkontrollstudie an 40 erwachsenen Psoriasispatienten mit einem Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) von > 10 und 40 gesunden Kontrollpersonen mit ähnlicher Alters‐ und Geschlechtsverteilung durch. Die Bestimmung des Serumspiegels von hnRNP‐A1‐Autoantikörpern erfolgte mit Immunoblots. Ergebnisse: Anti‐hnRNP‐A1‐Autoantikörper wurden bei 9 von 40 Psoriasispatienten (22,5 %) nachgewiesen, jedoch bei keiner der gesunden Kontrollpersonen gefunden. Der PASI‐Wert war bei Anti‐hnRNP‐A1‐positiven Patienten signifikant höher als bei Anti‐hnRNP‐A1‐negativen Patienten (40,33 ± 3,24 vs. 26,06 ± 9,28, p  =  0,0001). Bei Anti‐hnRNP‐A1‐positiven Patienten korrelierte der Serumspiegel der Autoantikörper mit dem PASI‐Wert (R = 0,89, p = 0,001). Schlussfolgerungen: Übereinstimmend mit Berichten aus der Literatur legen unsere Ergebnisse nahe, dass Anti‐hnRNP‐A1‐Autoimmunität bei Psoriasis eine Rolle spielt, wenn auch möglicherweise nicht als primäre Ursache oder als initiales oder grundlegendes Ereignis. Anders als bei früheren Publikationen weisen unsere Daten auch darauf hin, dass Autoimmunität gegen Anti‐hnRNP‐A1 unter Patienten mit schwererer Erkrankung besonders häufig ist. Weitere Studien mit einer größeren Anzahl von Patienten sind erforderlich. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the relationship between peer victimization and telomere length (TL), an indicator of biological aging that is associated with stressors (Epel, 2009). It was predicted that social victimization would have a greater impact upon TL, as well as the frequency and severity of health complaints than physical victimization. Adolescents (Mage  = 15.91 years, SDage  = 1.65) and their parents completed measures of peer victimization and physical health problems; adolescents also submitted a DNA sample for telomere analysis. Greater instances of being socially, but not physically, victimized were associated with shorter telomeres, as well as more frequent and severe health complaints. TL was also negatively related to both the frequency and severity of health problems, even after controlling for BMI, age, and sex of participant. The relationship between social victimization and health complaints via TL held only at higher levels of social victimization. These findings are the first to find an association between peer victimization and shortened telomeres. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The molecular bases of animal behaviour are intricate due to the pleiotropic nature of behaviour‐modulating genes, which are often expressed across multiple tissues. The foraging gene (for) encodes a cGMP‐dependent protein kinase (PKG), pivotal in regulating downstream target proteins through phosphorylation. In insects, for has been implicated in various behavioural contexts and physiological processes regarding searching for food. Rhodnius prolixus, a hematophagous bug that transmits Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas disease, exhibits specific activity patterns associated with its hematophagous behaviour. Our previous work demonstrated a correlation between locomotor activity profiles and the expression of Rpfor, suggesting its involvement in modulating triatomine locomotion. In this study, we investigated the impact of Rpfor knockdown on locomotory activity, host‐seeking behaviour, feeding performance and lipid metabolism in R. prolixus nymphs. Using RNA interference, we achieved a significant reduction of Rpfor expression in both the brain and fat body of R. prolixus nymphs. Knocked‐down nymphs exhibited diminished non‐oriented locomotory activity compared with controls, without altering the characteristic bimodal pattern of activity. Additionally, they displayed an increased tendency to approach a host, suggesting a role for Rpfor in modulating host‐seeking behaviour. Feeding performance and lipid metabolism remained unaffected by Rpfor knockdown. Our findings underscore the multifaceted role of Rpfor in modulating locomotor activity and host‐seeking behaviour in R. prolixus nymphs, shedding light on the molecular mechanisms underlying their hematophagous behaviour and potential implications for disease transmission. Further research is necessary to elucidate the intricate interplay between Rpfor expression, behaviour and physiological processes in triatomine bugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]