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13 pages, 8 figures, 1 table.--Open Access, Graphene oxide (GO) has attracted increasing interest for biomedical applications owing to its outstanding properties such as high specific surface area, ability to bind functional molecules for therapeutic purposes and solubility, together with mechanical resistance and good thermal conductivity. The combination of GO with other biomaterials, such as calcium phosphate (CaP) and biodegradable polymers, presents a promising strategy for bone tissue engineering. Presently, the development of these advanced biomaterials benefits from the use of additive manufacturing techniques, such as 3D printing. In this study, we develop a 3D printed PLA:CaP:GO scaffold for bone tissue engineering. First, GO was characterised alone by XPS to determine its main bond contributions and C : O ratio. Secondly, we determined the GO dose which ensures the absence of toxicity, directly exposed in vitro (human osteoblast-like cells MG-63) and in vivo (zebrafish model). In addition, GO was microinjected in the zebrafish to evaluate its effect on immune cells, quantifying the genetic expression of the main markers. Results indicated that the GO tested (C : O of 2.14, 49.50% oxidised, main bonds: C–OH, C–O–C) in a dose ≤0.25 mg mL−1 promoted MG63 cells viability percentages above 70%, and in a dose ≤0.10 mg mL−1 resulted in the absence of toxicity in zebrafish embryos. The immune response evaluation reinforced this result. Finally, the optimised GO dose (0.10 mg mL−1) was combined with polylactic acid (PLA) and CaP to obtain a 3D printed PLA:CaP:GO scaffold. Physicochemical characterisation (SEM/EDS, XRD, FT-Raman, nano-indentation) was performed and in vivo tests confirmed its biocompatibility, enabling a novel approach for bone tissue-related applications, This research was financially supported by BIOHEAT project (PID 2020-115415RB-100, Ministerio Ciencia e Innovación España), Xunta de Galicia ED431C 2021/49 and IN607B 2022/13 Program for Consolidación e estructuración de unidades de investigación competitivas (GRC and GPC). Pérez-Davila, S. and Lama, R. are grateful for funding support from Xunta de Galicia pre-doctoral grants (ED481A 2019/314 and IN606A-2017/011, respectively). Universidade de Vigo is acknowledged for funding for the open access charge

Poster.-- Close Encounters IIM (3rd Kind), Vigo, 23 June 2022

Poster.-- 4th Congress of the International Society of Fish & Shellfish Immunology, December 12-15, 2022, Bode, Norway, Nodavirus, or nervous necrosis virus (NNV), is the causative agent of viral encephalopathy and retinopathy (VER), a severe disease affecting numerous fish species worldwide. European sea bass, a cultured species of great economic importance, is highly susceptible to the disease. To better understand the response of this organism to NNV, we conducted RNA-Seq analysis of the brain and head kidney from experimentally infected and uninfected sea bass juveniles at 24 and 72 h postinfection (hpi). Contrary to what was expected, we observed modest modulation of immunerelated genes in the brain, the target organ of this virus, and some of these genes were even downregulated. However, genes involved in the stress response showed extremely high modulation suggesting a complex interplay between viral activity, stress and immune response. This genomic response was compared with that of zebrafish larvae. RNA-Seq analysis of NNV-infected and uninfected larvae at 1, 3 and 5 days postinfection (dpi) revealed a powerful modulation of the antiviral immune response, especially at 5 dpi. The zebrafish larvae were able to develop the main characteristic of NNV infection and respond with an efficient immune arsenal

Alopecia areata is a chronic autoimmune disorder attacking the hair follicle epithelium; hence, causing non-scarring hair loss. It has been found that Janus kinase 3 (JAK3) hyperactivity plays a key role in the pathogenesis of the disease. Tofacitinib is an effective JAK1 and JAK3 inhibitor that can block several cytokines such as IL-2, IL-7, and IL-6. Several studies have demonstrated the efficacy of oral tofacitinib in hair regrowth in alopecia areata patients. With the recent COVID-19 pandemic, it has been advised to withhold JAK inhibitors during the period of active infection due to possible immunosuppression. We herein report two cases of patients with alopecia universalis who continued to use tofacitinib during their active COVID-19 infection and showed no deterioration in their course of illness.

Objectives: To identify the clinical and neuroradiological features of neurofibromatosis type 1 and the risk of malignancy in a pediatric age group. Methods: This observational retrospective cohort study was conducted at King Saud University Medical City, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, for the patients with neurofibromatosis type 1 who were seen and had follow up from January 2000 to January 2019. Results: A total of 50 children were included. Approximately 90% of patients presented with cafe-au-lait macules, and 34% had skin-fold freckling. Moreover, 42% of the participants had a first-degree relative with neurofibromatosis type 1, and about a quarter presented with associated epilepsy. About 90% of the neuroradiological features were consistent with those of neurofibromatosis type 1. About 52% of the patients had one or multiple types of tumors, and 34% presented with optic pathway glioma. Conclusion: This study described clinical spectrum of neurofibromatosis type 1 among children. It showed also a higher percentage of tumors than previous studies.

Introduction Autoimmune mucocutaneous blistering dermatoses (AMCBD) are a group of disorders characterized by the production of autoantibodies that target specific adhesion molecules of the skin and/or mucous membranes. As a result, there is blister formation on the skin with or without mucous membrane involvement. Systemic corticosteroids have been used as the mainstay of treatment in AMCBD. However, due to the debilitating side effects associated with their use, there is significant morbidity and mortality, especially on the fragile elderly patients. Although the efficacy of dapsone in the treatment of AMCBD was identified decades ago, few recent studies shed light on that. Hence, further studies are needed to evaluate the efficacy of dapsone as a single agent in maintaining disease remission in patients with AMCBD. Materials and methods An observational retrospective study was performed. Patients with a known diagnosis of bullous pemphigoid (BP) or pemphigus vulgaris (PV) who are treated with dapsone with or without low-dose systemic corticosteroids were included in the study, and their medical files were reviewed. Results A total of seven patients were included (three males and four females). All patients showed a satisfactory response to dapsone, achieving disease remission in a short period of time with no serious side effects necessitating treatment cessation. Conclusions Our findings support that dapsone may have a corticosteroid-sparing effect in the management of AMCBD. Further studies are warranted to confirm our findings.

Background Having a reliable source for health information is vital to build a strong foundation of knowledge, especially with the current revolution of the internet and social media, which raises many concerns regarding harmful effects on the health of the public. However, there are no studies on how the Saudi Arabian population seeks health information. Details about the most used and trusted sources of health information among the public will help health authorities and public awareness accounts on social media to effectively disseminate health information. Objective To investigate the types of sources accessed by the Saudi Arabian population while seeking health information, as well as their level of trust in the sources and to assess the impact of these sources on their perception of medical knowledge and health decision-making. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted to meet the objectives. The study population included both men and women who were aged 16 years or more and visited primary care clinics at King Khalid University Hospital. Four hundred and thirteen participants were sampled using the simple random method, and a self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data. The data were analyzed using SPSS software (IBM Corp, Armonk, New York, USA). Results A total of 413 participants were included in this study, and of these, 99 (24.0%) were males and 206 (49.9%) had a bachelor’s degree. Doctors were chosen as the first source of information by 87.6% (283/323) of the participants, and they were completely trusted by most of the population (326/411, 79.3%). The second most commonly used source was pharmacists (112/194, 57.7%), and they were partially trusted by 41.4% (159/384) of the participants. Internet searches, social media, and traditional medicine were not prioritized by most of the participants as the first or second source of health information. The majority of the participants did not trust information obtained from social media, and WhatsApp was the most untrusted source. Almost half of the respondents (197/413, 47.7%) acknowledged that various sources of information can often help them understand their health problems. However, the majority disagreed on substituting a doctor’s prescription with information obtained from the internet or a friend or relative. Conclusions Although physicians were preferred and highly trusted, internet sources appeared to impact the medical knowledge of the population. The population still preferred to use internet search to obtain health information prior to a doctor’s visit.

Dermatomyofibroma is a rare cutaneous mesenchymal tumor of benign fibroblastic and myofibroblastic derivations. It predominantly affects young women, and it usually presents as a reddish-brown plaque or nodule, which is commonly located over the upper trunk. We report the case of a 41-year-old female patient who presented with progressive linear dermatomyofibroma over the nape of her neck. This case report expands the knowledge about the clinical and histopathological features of this rare, benign and cutaneous tumor.