Drug fever as an adverse effect of acitretin in complicated psoriasis patient

We present a case of a 63‐year old man with severe chronic plaque psoriasis and a recent history of lung cancer, wherein fever appeared suddenly after initiation of treatment with low dose acitretin. Tumor recurrence or infection was not found during extensive examinations, nevertheless the patient was empirically treated with broad‐spectrum antibiotics without any effect on fever. Immediately after discontinuation of acitretin therapy, the fever disappeared. The patient was followed for next 2 years, during this period similar problems did not reappear, although there has been a relapse of psoriasis and the patient was switched later on biological treatment.     

Induction of lymphatic endothelial cell differentiation in embryoid bodies

The molecular mechanisms that regulate the formation of the lymphatic vascular system remain poorly characterized. Whereas studies in embryonic stem (ES) cells have provided major new insights into the mechanisms of blood vessel formation, the development of lymphatic endothelium has not been previously observed. We established embryoid bodies (EBs) from murine ES cells in the presence or absence of lymphangiogenic growth factors. We found that lymphatic endothelial cells develop at day 18 after EB formation. These cells express CD31 and the lymphatic lineage markers Prox-1 and Lyve-1, but not the vascular marker MECA-32, and they frequently sprout from preexisting blood vessels. Lymphatic vessel formation was potently promoted by VEGF-A and VEGF-C but not by bFGF. Our results reveal, for the first time, that ES cells can differentiate into lymphatic endothelial cells, and they identify the EB assay as a powerful new tool to dissect the molecular mechanisms that control lymphatic vessel formation.     

Costs of patient management of visceral leishmaniasis in Muzaffarpur, Bihar, India

OBJECTIVES: To identify and quantify the direct and indirect economic cost of treatment for visceral leishmaniasis (VL) with conventional Amphotericin B deoxycholate, currently the first-line treatment in Muzaffarpur. METHODS: Costs of patient management for VL were estimated from a societal and household perspective by means of a questionnaire designed for this study, interviews and financial reports. RESULTS: The total cost of care per episode of VL from the societal perspective was estimated at US$355, equivalent to 58% of annual household income. The largest cost category was medical costs (55%), followed by indirect costs (36%) and non-medical costs (9%). The cost from the household perspective was equivalent to US$217. The largest cost category was indirect costs (59%), followed by medical costs (27%) and non-medical costs (15%). Loss of income because of illness and hospitalization and expenses for drugs were the largest cost components. CONCLUSIONS: The economic costs related to VL are substantial, both to society and the patient. Public health authorities in Bihar should focus on policies that detect VL in the early stage and implement interventions that minimize the burden to households affected by VL.     

Structure of Adsorption Layers of Amphiphilic Copolymers on Inorganic or Organic Particle Surfaces

The structure of adsorption layers of amphiphilic block and block‐like copolymers of poly(isobornyl acrylate) and poly(acrylic acid) on the surface of hydrophilic titanium dioxide and hydrophobic copper phthalocyanine (CuPc) pigments in an aqueous dispersion has been studied by the electrokinetic sonic amplitude (ESA) method. The electroacoustic behaviour of the polyelectrolyte block copolymer‐coated particles could be described in the context of the polymer gel layer theory. The polymer layer around the particles was found to be much thinner for CuPc as compared to the TiO₂ substrate. This is attributed to differences in the adsorption mechanism and the composition of the adsorption layer normal to the substrate surface. Adsorption models were established that consider effects of the copolymer structure.

     

Umbilical cord blood and maternal visfatin (PBEF/NAMPT) concentrations in preterm birth with and without preterm premature rupture of membranes

Objectives: The aim of the study is to investigate differences in visfatin concentrations between mothers with term and preterm birth (PTB) and between mothers who delivered within seven days and after more than seven days following admission for PTB/preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROMs).

Methods: Maternal peripheral blood and cord blood were collected from 56 mothers with PTB (31 with PPROM) and 71 mothers with term delivery (three with PPROM).

Results: Maternal visfatin concentration was significantly higher for given gestational age in PTBs compared to term deliveries (p?=?.021) and also in mothers who delivered within seven days after admission for PTB or PPROM, compared to those who delivered after more than seven days (p?=?.027; p?=?.039). Cord blood visfatin concentration was found to be decreased in preterm compared to term infants (p?=?.007).

Conclusions: Visfatin in both maternal and fetal circulation may play an important role in the pathogenesis of PTB/PPROM and could be used to distinguish between women who will deliver in a short period of time after clinical presentation of PTB/PPROM and those who deliver later. Nevertheless, additional research is necessary in order to identify its direct involvement in PTB/PPROM.     

The visual analog: evidence for a preattentive representation across saccades

Earlier research supports the idea that transsaccadic memory involves a relatively sparse and abstract representation with little detail, much like visual short-term memory (VSTM) within a fixation. We examined whether transsaccadic memory is restricted to VSTM representations or whether it also includes a maskable, short-lived, and more detailed representation, referred to as the visual analog. First, a within-fixation change detection experiment is reported, aimed at clarifying the distinction between VSTM and the visual analog, and also the relationship between the two components. We then report 4 transsaccadic change detection experiments that make use of a modified version of the blanking paradigm originally introduced by H. Deubel, W. X. Schneider, and B. Bridgeman (1996). The results support the idea that transsaccadic memory includes a VSTM representation for attended objects (i.e., the saccade target) and a visual analog component for both attended and non-attended objects.