1,721,024 research outputs found
Conditioned aversion as a tool to protect eggs from avian predators in heron colonies
No full textWe used the cholinergic-agonist carbamyl choline chloride (Carbachol) to induce conditioned aversion to rare eggs in predators. We used chicken (Gallus gallus) eggs for the experiment, dyeing treated eggs greenishbrown and dyeing untreated eggs light blue to simulate the eggs of the Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax) and the Little Egret (Egretta garzetta), the main species breeding in the study heronry. After ten days from the beginning of the experiment, treated eggs were significantly less preyed upon than untreated eggs; and by the 12th day no treated eggs were preyed upon, while control eggs still were. This technique may be used to protect the eggs of uncommon birds, aiding their survival and increasing small local populations. We suggest some guide-lines to successfully induce adverse conditioning in similar environmental situations
Colonial breeding imposes increased predation: experimantal studies with herons
No full textExperiments were carried out over 2 consecutive years to test whether heron nest predation differs between colonial and non-colonial nests. Dummy nests containing chicken eggs dyed light blue were placed in a mixed Night Heron and Little Egret heronry and in a control copse without nesting herons; in both areas Hooded Crows were the main egg predators. Experiments were performed both when the true nests had eggs (synchronized nests) and when the true nests contained chicks (delayed nests): Dummy nests within the heronry were more preyed upon than isolated dummy nests. Delayed dummy nests suffered higher predation than synchronized ones. A predictive logistic regression model for predation probability was developed for the dummy nests placed in the centre of the colony; for the synchronized dummy nests the distance from the nearest occupied real nest entered the model and dummy nests close to real nests were less likely to be preyed upon. Nesting in a colony is costly in terms of predation probability, probably because the great concentration of nesting herons attracts many predators. However, synchronization of nesting phases among pairs seems to reduce the rate of predation because of diluted risk and predator appetite satiation
Relapse of psoriasis in patients who asked to discontinue etanercept after achieving a stable clinical remission.
No full textIn real-life practice, there are some patients who ask for treatment withdrawal after achieving stable complete remission for a number of reasons including worry regarding adverse events with longterm treatment. The objective of this retrospective study was to investigate psoriasis course (duration of remission and predictors of relapse) in patients who asked to discontinue etanercept after achieving complete and stable remissio
Immune Response to Vaccination in Patients with Psoriasis Treated with Systemic Therapies
No full textPsoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease usually treated with immunomodulatory/ immunosuppressive agents. The use of these agents has been associated with an increased susceptibility to infections. Vaccinationmight represent a critical aspectin themanagement of patients with psoriasis treated with immunomodulatory/immunosuppressive therapies. This narrative review aimed to provide an overview on the immune response to vaccines in subjects treated with systemic agents used to treat patients with moderate to severe psoriasis. Publications appearing in PubMed, Scopus, and ISI–Web of Knowledge database were selected using Medical Subject Headings key terms. Overall, published data confirmed that vaccination with attenuated live vaccines during therapy with immunomodulatory/immunosuppressive therapies should be avoided. For nonlive vaccines, a more favorable safety profile of biologic agents compared to conventional systemic agents is described as the humoral response to vaccines is in general well-preserved. Treatment with cyclosporine and methotrexate is associated with lower antibody titers to vaccines, and thus these agents are better discontinued during vaccination. In contrast, treatment with biological agents is not associated with lower antibody response and can thus be continued safel
Pretibial Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa Successfully Treated with Upadacitinib: A Case Report
Get PDFPretibial dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (PDEB) is a rare subtype of dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa caused by mutations in
the gene encoding type VII collagen, and is characterized by intensely itchy papular, plaque and bullous lesions on the shin area.
Herein, we report a 58-year-old man with recessive PDEB, successfully treated with upadacitinib 30 mg daily, a selective JAK1 inhibitor. The patient presented multiple tense bullae, purplish-red papular-nodular lesions, and severe pruritus (VAS 10/10).
Previous treatments, including clobetasol and tacrolimus cream, prednisone, cyclosporine and dupilumab, were only minimally
effective. After one month, significant clinical improvement was observed with minimal lesions and substantial pruritus reduction
(VAS 0/10). No drug-related side effects or laboratory abnormalities were noticed. Upon drug discontinuation, the disease recurred
in few days; nevertheless reintroducing upadacitinib 30 mg daily resulted in similar clinical benefits. Further studies are needed
to assess whether JAK inhibitors may offer effective symptomatic relief for PDEB patients
Risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in patients with chronic plaque psoriasis: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies
No full textPURPOSE: Chronic plaque psoriasis is associated with the presence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), but the magnitude of this association remains currently uncertain. We aimed to investigate the magnitude of the association between psoriasis and the risk of prevalent and incident NAFLD, and to assess whether psoriasis severity and/or psoriatic arthritis are associated with a greater risk of NAFLD. METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies evaluating the association between psoriasis and NAFLD, as diagnosed by imaging or International Classification of Diseases codes was performed. Literature search on PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science on May 3, 2021 was undertaken. Studies using liver biopsy were not available. For the meta-analysis, the random-effects modelling was adopted. RESULTS: We identified 15 observational (case–control and cross-sectional) studies for a total of 249,933 patients with psoriasis (49% with NAFLD) and 1,491,402 controls (36% with NAFLD). Psoriasis was associated with prevalent NAFLD (n = 11 studies; pooled random-effects odds ratio [OR] 1.96, 95% CI 1.70–2.26; I(2) = 97%, p < 0.01). Psoriatic patients with NAFLD had a higher mean psoriasis area and severity index (PASI) than their counterparts without NAFLD (n = 8 studies, pooled weighted mean difference: 3.93, 95% CI 2.01–5.84; I(2) = 88%, p < 0.01). The risk of NAFLD was marginally higher in patients with psoriatic arthritis than in those with psoriasis alone (n = 5 studies, pooled random-effects OR 1.83, 95% CI 0.98–3.43; I(2) = 64%, p = 0.03). Sensitivity analyses did not alter these findings. Funnel plot did not show any significant publication bias. A major limitation of the study was the high degree of heterogeneity across studies. CONCLUSION: Psoriasis is associated with prevalent NAFLD and this risk parallels the severity of psoriasis. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40618-022-01755-0
Acquired perforating dermatoses show increased levels of cutaneous advanced glycation end-products
No full textBackground Acquired perforating dermatoses (APDs) are characterized by transepidermal elimination of skin materials. Altered glycation of dermal components may be involved in pathogenesis. Aim To assess whether patients affected by APDs have increased levels of cutaneous advanced glycation end-products (AGEs). Methods A cross-sectional controlled study involving a total of 109 patients was conducted, enrolling 29 patients consecutively diagnosed with primary APDs [reactive perforating collagenosis (RPC), elastosis perforans serpiginosa (EPS), perforating folliculitis (PF) and Kyrle disease (KD)], 40 age- and sex-matched healthy controls (HCs) and 40 patients with mild atopic dermatitis (AD). The levels of cutaneous AGEs were measured using a validated fluorescence technique. Results The median skin autofluorescence value in patients with APDs was significantly higher [2.7 arbitrary units (AU), interquartile range (IQR) 1.9-3.9 AU] compared with HCs (1.8 AU, IQR 1.6-2.3 AU; P < 0.001) and patients with AD (2.1 AU, IQR 1.9-2.3 AU; P = 0.01). Median values were 3.5 AU (IQR 2.7-4.6 AU) for RPC, 1.83.5 AU (1.4-2.4 AU) for EPS, 3.1 AU (2.4-4.4 AU) for PF and 2.6 AU (2.3-3.1 AU) for KD. Conclusions Our results may suggest a possible physiopathological role of AGEs in the transepidermal elimination mechanisms involved in certain APDs
Persistent localized hypertrichosis in a Caucasian child at sites of DTPa and chickenpox vaccination
No full textPersistent localized hypertrichosis in a Caucasian child at sites of DTPa and chickenpox vaccinatio
Is risankizumab as needed administration a good option for patients with plaque psoriasis?
No full textIs risankizumab as needed administration a good option for patients with plaque psoriasis
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