Coupling of foot-and-mouth disease virus to sheep red blood cells using tannic acid for immunological assays

A technique for coupling foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) to tanned sheep red blood cells (SRBC) is reported. Different parameters influencing the procedure were studied. Subtypes C₂, C₃, O₁ and A₂₄ were used as antigens, and guinea pig hyperimmune sera obtained were tested for specific antibody in passive hemagglutination (PH), passive hemagglutination inhibition (PHI) and passive immune hemolysis (PIL) assays. Fresh and SRBC stored in Alsever's solution showed similar behavior when used as indicator cells. Optimal sensitization of erythrocytes was achieved using tannic acid 1:20000 and 20 μg of purified virus/ml at pH 7.6. Specificity of the reaction was confirmed by PH and PHI in homologous and heterologous systems. The coupled antigen-antibody complex was sensitive to complement mediated lysis in a PIL test.     

Acupuncture in patients with acute low back pain: A multicentre randomised controlled clinical trial

Reviews of the efficacy of acupuncture as a treatment for acute low back pain have concluded that there is insufficient evidence for its efficacy and that more research is needed to evaluate it. A multicentre randomized controlled trial was conducted at 4 primary-care centres in Spain to evaluate the effects of acupuncture in patients with acute nonspecific low back pain in the context of primary care. A total of 275 patients with nonspecific acute low back pain (diagnosed by their general practitioner) were recruited and assigned randomly to 4 different groups: conventional treatment either alone or complemented by 5 sessions over a 2-week period of true acupuncture, sham acupuncture, or placebo acupuncture per patient. Patients were treated from February 2006 to January 2008. The primary outcome was the reduction in Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire scores of 35% or more after 2weeks' treatment. The patients in the 3 types of acupuncture groups were blinded to the treatments, but those who received conventional treatment alone were not. In the analysis adjusted for the total sample (true acupuncture relative risk 5.04, 95% confidence interval 2.24-11.32; sham acupuncture relative risk 5.02, 95% confidence interval 2.26-11.16; placebo acupuncture relative risk 2.57 95% confidence interval 1.21-5.46), as well as for the subsample of occupationally active patients, all 3 modalities of acupuncture were better than conventional treatment alone, but there was no difference among the 3 acupuncture modalities, which implies that true acupuncture is not better than sham or placebo acupuncture.     

Extent and consequences of inadequate disease control among adults with a history of moderate to severe atopic dermatitis

Since control of atopic dermatitis (AD) remains challenging but has not been adequately characterized, the objective of this study was to characterize disease control among patients with a history of moderate to severe AD. Data were from the 2014 Adelphi US AD Disease Specific Programme, a cross‐sectional survey of physicians (n = 202) and their patients with history of moderate to severe AD (n = 1064, 54% female, 75% white, mean age 40 years). Inadequately controlled AD as rated by the physician was defined as currently flaring; deteriorating/changeable AD; or physician dissatisfaction with current control. The overall inadequate control rate was 58.7% (n = 625), which increased with current AD severity and was observed in 53.4% and 83.4% of patients receiving immunosuppressants and systemic corticosteroids, respectively. Relative to controls, inadequately controlled patients had poorer disease‐specific quality of life, higher level of work impairment, greater itch and sleep interference with daily living (all P < 0.05). Multivariate analysis showed factors significantly associated with inadequate control (all P < 0.05), including Hispanic race, symptoms on the head/neck or lower limbs, itch and sleep interference with daily living. A limitation of the study was reliance on accuracy of reporting, potential selection bias and cross‐sectional study design. In summary, there was a high rate and substantial impact of physician‐rated inadequately controlled disease among patients with a history of moderate to severe AD, suggesting the need for more effective therapies.     

Comparative study of the efficacy and safety of secukinumab vs ixekizumab in moderate‐to‐severe psoriasis after 1 year of treatment: Real‐world practice

There are no studies which directly compare efficacy in Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) response of secukinumab and ixekizumab. The main aim of this study was to compare the efficacy and safety of both drugs used to treat moderate‐to‐severe psoriasis patients over 52 weeks. Secondary objectives were to identify which factors related to prior biologic treatment influenced their efficacy and analyze data obtained at 12 weeks. A retrospective observational study was carried out, in which a group of the first 59 patients treated with secukinumab after its commercialization, was compared with another group of the first 29 patients treated with ixekizumab. The PASI 75, 90, and 100 response obtained at 52 weeks was 64.4%, 49.2%, and 41.4% for secukinumab and 75.9%, 62.1%, and 41.4% for ixekizumab, respectively, with no statistically significant differences. Regarding previous biological treatment, both treatments showed a decrease in efficacy as the number of prior biologics increases. No differences were found between secukinumab and ixekizumab in bio‐naïve or bio‐experienced patients, with the exception of a higher PASI 75 response at week 52 for ixekizumab in those patients with two or more previous biologics (P = .039) Secukinumab and ixekizumab have demonstrated high efficacy and safety, with no statistically significant differences.     

Tau and amyloid β proteins distinctively associate to functional network changes in the aging brain

Introduction

Misfolded tau and amyloid β (Aβ) proteins progressively accumulate in the human brain, causing altered neuronal function and neurodegeneration. This study sought to investigate whether the wide spectrum of functional reorganization in aging brains of cognitively normal individuals relates to specific pathological patterns of tau and Aβ deposits.

Endometriosis: physiopathology and investigation lines (part two)

Sampson's menstrual reflux theory (1927) is widely accepted as an explanation of endometriosis physiopathology, it proposes five basic necessary processes to its development: adhesion, invasion, recruitment, angiogenesis and proliferation. Several factors and physiologic processes are necessary for the survival and growth of endometrial tissue. Clinical manifestations of these disease are: dysmenorrhoea, dyspareunia, and peritoneal adhesions, that with other findings reveal an inflammatory process that requires cytokines, macrophages, NK cells, lymphocytes and prostaglandins whose qualitative functions may be compromised or may contribute to the peripheral generation of estrogens. Angiogenesis benefits the development of these endometrial tissue foci and probably stimulates several vascular growth factors, and sexual steroids. Endocrine factors are capital for this entity, as is demonstrated by the presence of estrogen receptors in macrophages, fibroblasts and endometrium among others, as well as the clinical symptoms control trough the blockage of the hypothalamus-pituitary-ovary axis. Studies on the genetic and antioxidant factors have revealed key points that may be helpful in determining a proper diagnosis and treatment for endometriosis.     

Spontaneous uterine rupture in a patient with polyhydramnios as only risk factor. Case report, literature review and institutional experience

The uterine rupture is a catastrophic obstetric complication. The main risk factor is an antecedent of uterine surgery, usually caesarean. It is reported the case of a 39-years-old patient with 37 week-pregnancy and polyhydramnios, without surgical antecedents, whose was not in labor and developed complete rupture of the lateral face of the uterus, which was spontaneous, without previous uterine scar and with a unusual outcome.