Vesicular pityriasis rosea: response to erythromycin treatment

Pityriasis rosea (PR) is a relatively common disease although its aetiology has not yet been identified. It occurs worldwide and there is no racial susceptibility factor. It usually affects teenagers and young adults between 10 and 35 years of age. Typical PR is much easier to diagnose than the rare atypical forms. We report a rare case of vesicular PR in a black woman who had vesicular lesions limited to her palms and soles in addition to regular typical lesions. We devised an efficient oral erythromycin treatment for this patient.     

环孢菌素A阻断人HL－60抗药性细胞于G_1期而诱导敏感细胞凋亡

进一步研究了抗三尖杉酯碱的ＨＬ－６０细胞（ＨＲ２０）抗细胞凋亡的机制及该抗性和抗药性的关系。结果表明，环孢菌素Ａ（ＣｓＡ）２０，１０μｇ·ｍｌ￣（－１）诱导ＨＬ－６０细胞发生凋亡，而阻断ＨＲ２０细胞于Ｇ＿１期，就不能诱导细胞发生凋亡。低浓度的ＣｓＡ明显增加柔红霉素在ＨＲ２０细胞内的积聚，其逆转抗药性作用与阻断细胞周期运行无关。ＣｓＡ１０μｇ·ｍｌ￣（－１）处理ＨＲ２０细胞，可引起５０ｋＤａ的蛋白质高度磷酸化。结果提示：环孢菌素Ａ阻断抗三尖杉酯碱的ＨＬ－６０细胞于Ｇ＿１期，而诱导敏感的ＨＬ－６０细胞发生凋亡，其阻断作用与抗药性无关     

Abnormal assembly of annulate lamellae and nuclear pore complexes coincides with fertilization arrest at the pronuclear stage of human zygotic development

BACKGROUND: The assembly of nuclear pore complexes (NPC) and their cytoplasmic stacks, annulate lamellae (AL), promote normal nucleocytoplasmic trafficking and accompany pronuclear development within the mammalian zygote. Previous studies showed that a percentage of human oocytes fertilized in vitro failed to develop normal pronuclei and cleave within 40-48 h post insemination. We hypothesized that an aberrant recruitment of NPC proteins, nucleoporins and/or NPC preassembled into AL, might accompany human fertilization arrest. METHODS AND RESULTS: We explored NPC and AL assembly in unfertilized human oocytes, and fertilized and arrested zygotes by immunofluorescence with an NPC- and AL-specific antibody, mAb 414, and by transmission electron microscopy. Major NPC or AL assembly was not observed in the unfertilized human oocytes. Once fertilization took place, the formation of AL was observed throughout the cytoplasm and near the developing pronuclei with NPC. On the contrary, NPC assembly was disrupted in the arrested zygotes, whereas AL were clustered into large sheaths. This was accompanied by the lack of NPC incorporation into the nuclear envelopes. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that the aberrant assembly of NPC and AL coincides with early developmental failure in humans.     

Cytoskeletal organization defects and abortive activation in human oocytes after IVF and ICSI failure

In this study, we analysed the distribution of beta tubulins to detect spindle and cytoplasmic microtubules, alpha acetylated tubulins for sperm microtubules and chromatin configuration in oocytes showing fertilization failure after conventional IVF or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). A total of 450 human oocytes that failed to fertilize were studied 20-40 h after IVF or ICSI. In all, 287 oocytes were stained for immunofluorescence and chromosomal spreads were performed by Tarkowski's air-drying method in 163 IVF or ICSI oocytes that did not develop pronuclei after the extrusion of a second polar body. Immunofluorescence analysis showed that the main reason of fertilization failure after IVF was no sperm penetration (55.5%). The remaining oocytes showed different abnormal patterns, e.g. oocyte activation failure (15.1%) and defects in pronuclei apposition (19.2%). On the other hand, fertilization failure after ICSI was mainly associated to incomplete oocyte activation (39.9%), and to a lesser extent with defects in pronuclei apposition (22.6%) and failure of sperm penetration (13.3%). A further 13.3% of the ICSI oocytes arrested their development at the metaphase of the first mitotic division. The chromosomal spreads allowed the analysis of abortive activations, in which no pronuclei formed but a second polar body was extruded. Immunofluorescence and cytogenetic analysis provided a useful tool to improve infertility diagnosis and prognosis in each particular case.     

Nutritional Importance of Selected Fresh Fishes,Shrimps and Mollusks to Meet Compliance with Nutritional Guidelines of n-3 LC-PUFA Intake in Spain

Fishery products are the main source of dietary n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 LC-PUFA). Following the European Commission’s request to address the risks and benefits of seafood consumption, and taking into account the great variability of nutrient and contaminant levels in fishery products, the present work aims to estimate the n-3 LC-PUFA provided per serving of selected fishes, shrimps and mollusks that are commonly consumed in Spain. This would enable the establishment of a risk–benefit analysis of fish consumption and provide recommendations for fish intake to comply with nutritional guidelines of n-3 LC-PUFA intake. We confirmed high variation in the pattern and contents of fatty acids for different species. n-6 PUFA were minor fatty acids, whereas palmitic (C16:0), oleic (C18:1 n-9), and mainly eicosapentaenoic (C20:5 n-3) and docosahexaenoic (C22:6 n-3) acids were the major fatty acids in the sample. Therefore, consumption of 2–3 servings per week of a variety of fishery products may contribute to compliance with the recommended daily n-3 LC-PUFA intake while maintaining an adequate balance to avoid contaminant-derived potential risks (metals and others). Taking the fatty acid content of fishery products described in this study into consideration, it is advisable to include one serving of fatty fish per week in order to meet recommended n-3 LC-PUFA levels.     

Changes in humoral immune response after SARS-CoV-2 infection in liver transplant recipients compared to immunocompetent patients

The protective capacity and duration of humoral immunity after SARS-CoV-2 infection are not yet understood in solid organ transplant recipients. A prospective multicenter study was performed to evaluate the persistence of anti-nucleocapsid IgG antibodies in liver transplant recipients 6 months after coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) resolution. A total of 71 liver transplant recipients were matched with 71 immunocompetent controls by a propensity score including variables with a well-known prognostic impact in COVID-19. Paired case–control serological data were also available in 62 liver transplant patients and 62 controls at month 3 after COVID-19. Liver transplant recipients showed a lower incidence of anti-nucleocapsid IgG antibodies at 3 months (77.4% vs. 100%, p < .001) and at 6 months (63.4% vs. 90.1%, p < .001). Lower levels of antibodies were also observed in liver transplant patients at 3 (p = .001) and 6 months (p < .001) after COVID-19. In transplant patients, female gender (OR = 13.49, 95% CI: 2.17–83.8), a longer interval since transplantation (OR = 1.19, 95% CI: 1.03–1.36), and therapy with renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system inhibitors (OR = 7.11, 95% CI: 1.47–34.50) were independently associated with persistence of antibodies beyond 6 months after COVID-19. Therefore, as compared with immunocompetent patients, liver transplant recipients show a lower prevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies and more pronounced antibody levels decline.