86,593 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
Skin adverse reactions to Sars‐CoV‐2 vaccination: a relevant responsibility issue for dermatologists
No full textCommentary on the impoertant role of dermatologists when consulted for skin reactiuon to Sars-CoV-2 vaccine
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
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
A systematic review of treatments for pityriasis lichenoides
No full textPityriasis lichenoides (PL) represents a spectrum of inflammatory skin diseases comprising pityriasis lichenoides et varioliformis acuta (PLEVA) and pityriasis lichenoides chronica (PLC). This study aimed to provide a summary of effective treatments for PL. A systematic review was performed according to PRISMA guidelines for studies investigating PL treatment including ≥3 subjects and published in English between 1 January 1970 and 15 April 2019. A total of 441 papers were screened, and 37 original manuscripts meeting the inclusion and exclusion criteria were found, including 12 case series, 18 reviews, four prospective studies, two comparative studies and a single randomized controlled study. In most studies, ultraviolet (UV) phototherapy (narrow-band UVB, broadband UVB, UVA1 or PUVA) was used. Clearance rates with the different modalities are hardly comparable between different studies, ranging approximately between 70% and 100%. Narrow-band UVB showed an efficacy similar to PUVA as such as the combination of UVA and UVB vs. PUVA. Oral erythromycin showed clearance rates ranging between 66% and 83%, whereas methotrexate up to 100% but in small and dated studies. Evidence for other treatments is scarce. There is a lack of high level of evidence studies on PL treatment. The interpretation of the results is biased by the possible auto-resolution of the disease, the sample heterogeneity between children and adults and the short follow-up period of the studies. Only some studies investigated how results were durable after cessation of therapy. Quality of life and the impact of treatment were never assessed. According to the results of this review, we suggest narrow-band UVB phototherapy as first-line treatment. Oral erythromycin with or without topical corticosteroids and low-dose methotrexate as second-line therapies. High-powered studies and randomized controlled trials are needed to establish the optimal treatment for PL
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
Reduction of cutaneous advanced glycation end products levels after effective psoriasis treatment
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Pathogenesis of Chronic Plaque Psoriasis and Its Intersection With Cardio-Metabolic Comorbidities
No full textPsoriasis is a chronic, systemic immune-mediated disease characterized by development of erythematous, indurated, scaly, pruritic plaques on the skin. Psoriasis is frequently associated to comorbidities, including psoriatic arthritis, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus, obesity, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and inflammatory bowel diseases. In this review, we discuss the pathophysiological relationship between psoriasis and cardio-metabolic comorbidities and the importance of therapeutic strategies to reduce systemic inflammation in patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis. Pathogenesis of psoriasis and its comorbidities share both genetic predisposition and inflammatory pathways, which include the TNFα and the IL-23/IL-17 pathways. These pathways are selectively addressed by biological treatments, which have substantially changed the outcomes of psoriasis therapy and affect positively comorbidities including reducing cardiovascular risk, allowing a more comprehensive approach to the patien
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