Dactilitis and oligoarthritis after BCG immunotherapy in a patient affected by bladder cancer

The treatment of bladder cancer with Bacillus of Calmette-Guerin (BCG) immunotherapy can induce the appearance of a reactive disorder. The Authors describe a 55-year-old male patient with bladder cancer treated with endovesical instillation of BCG immunotherapy, followed after the fifth application by asymmetric oligoarthritis and dactilitis. The observed positivity of both HLA-B27 and HLA-B51 antigens reinforces the hypothesis of a reactive form, possibly through "molecular mimicry" mechanism. The discontinuation of BCG instillation along which a therapeutic attempt with NSAD failed to improve the rheumatic manifestation, which completely remitted after a four-month course of oral steroids. No relapses of joint and tendon involvement was observed during the following five-month period. The clinico-pathogenetic implications suggested by this case are discussed

Diffuse post-traumatic calcification of the anterior longitudinal ligamentum of cervical and dorsal spine

Among the different conditions causing inflammation and calcification/ossification of the soft tissues of the spinal cord, single or recurrent traumatic events are included. Within the international literature, the involvement of the posterior longitudinal ligament, following spinal cord injuries is frequently reported, especially in the elders. The Authors describe here an uncommon calcification/ossification of the anterior longitudinal ligament occurred after a double traumatic event in a young man, followed clinically and radiologically for a long-term period. On the basis of clinical, laboratory and radiological findings, the differential diagnosis with other possible aetiologies, especially DISH (Diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis) and ankylosing spondylitis, is discussed

Chlamydia-induced arthritis. Immunofluorescent antibody studies of the synovial fluid from 4 patients Clin Exp Rheumatol. 1992 Jul-Aug;10(4):

Using two monoclonal antibodies in direct immunofluorescence we found material which could be identified as elementary bodies and cytoplasmic inclusions of Chlamydia trachomatis (Ct) in the synovial fluid of 4 patients affected by acute seronegative oligoarthritis. The finding of Ct in synovial fluids is a well known occurrence and has been demonstrated during the last few years in patients affected by seronegative oligoarthritis. However the fact was impossible to culture viable Ct from synovial fluid led researchers to believe that the local immune responses might be triggered by bacterial antigens in the non viable form.The findings described in this work suggest that in our cases the bacteria was present in metabolically active vegetative form

Systemic sclerosis and cryoglobulinemia: our experience with overlapping syndrome of scleroderma and severe cryoglobulinemic vasculitis and review of the literature.

OBJECTIVE: Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is an immune-mediated disorder characterized by multiple organ fibrotic alterations and diffuse microangiopathy. The SSc can be associated with other connective tissue diseases and less frequently with systemic vasculitides, including cryoglobulinemic vasculitis (CV). The aim of the present study was to investigate the prevalence of CV in a large series of SSc patients. METHODS: The presence of serum cryoglobulins was detected in 246 SSc patients (24 M and 222 F, age 61±13.5 SD years, disease duration 9.3±6.7 SD years); the observed clinico-serological findings, in particular the presence of SSc-CV overlapping syndrome, were carefully analyzed and compared with previous data reported in the literature. RESULTS: The presence of circulating cryoglobulins was found in 7/246 (2.8%) of SSc patients; namely, 2 subjects only trace amounts of cryoglobulins, while 5 (2%) showed mixed cryoglobulinemia (type II, IgG-IgMk), low C4, rheumatoid factor seropositivity, and hepatitis C virus infection. Among SSc patients with serum mixed cryoglobulins, 4 (1.6%) developed a clinically overt CV, while the other one was totally asymptomatic with regard to typical vasculitic manifestations. Patients with SSc-CV overlapping syndrome had limited cutaneous SSc with serum anticentromere antibodies, pulmonary hypertension, clinico-serological features of HCV-related CV, and non-healing skin ulcers of the lower limbs. In all cases, the diagnosis of SSc preceded the clinical onset of CV, from 3 to 17years. The treatment with rituximab was useful on skin ulcers of lower limb in 2/3 patients; however, the overall clinical outcome of the four SSc-CV patients was unusually severe: one with very severe skin ulcers complicated by gangrene required bilateral through-the knee amputation, the other three subjects died because of severe heart failure, and in two cases because of untreatable pulmonary hypertension. In the literature, the prevalence of mixed cryoglobulinemia in scleroderma patients is quite rare (range 0.3-2%); while, the association of SSc with clinically overt CV is only anecdotally described, always in the absence of HCV infection. CONCLUSION: The SSc-CV overlapping syndrome described here is characterized by markedly severe vascular manifestations responsible for very poor prognosis; these peculiar clinical manifestations suggest a synergic activity of typical scleroderma microangiopathy and cryoglobulinemic vasculitis

ARGEMONE SUBFUSIFORMIS (PAPAVERACEAE) ESPECIE NATIVA DE INTER\uc9S ETNOM\uc9DICO: SU ANATOM\ucdA Y APLICACI 3N EN EL CONTROL DE CALIDAD

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Lung involvement in systemic sclerosis: role of high resolution computed tomography and its relationship with other pulmonary and clinico-serological features.

The study investigated the characteristic of interstitial lung disease in a large series of systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients by means of HRCT and the correlations between functional lung parameters, serological features and the extent of lung involvement evaluated by high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT). One hundred and seven SSc patients, consecutively investigated by means of HRCT, standard chest X-ray, and pulmonary function tests, were retrospectively evaluated. Chest radiogram and HRCT scores were strongly associated (Pearson 's r=0.82, p < .0001); moreover, the first significantly correlated with spirometric parameters, even if weakly. Anti-Scl70 and anti-centromere antibodies were associated with higher (p=0.01) and lower HRCT score (p=0.0002), respectively. The extension of interstitial lung involvement in SSc evaluated with HRCT is directly proportional to functional lung parameters. HRCT, spirometry and DLco should be considered essential in the core-set of non-invasive diagnostic tools for the first-line assessment of scleroderma lung involvement

Prevalence and Incidence of Anal and Cervical High-Risk Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Types Covered by Current HPV Vaccines Among HIV-Infected Women in the SUN Study.

Background:Nonavalent (9v) human papilloma virus vaccine targets high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) types 16, 18, 31, 33, 45, 52, 58, and low-risk 6, 11. We examined prevalence, incidence, and clearance of anal and cervical HR-HPV in HIV-infected women. Methods:The SUN Study enrolled 167 US women in 2004-2006. Anal and cervical specimens were collected annually for cytology and identification of 37 HPV types: 14 HR included: 9v 16, 18, 31, 33, 45, 52, 58; non-9v 35, 39, 51, 56, 59, 66, 68. Results:Baseline characteristics of 126 women included: median age 38 years; 57% non-Hispanic black; 67% HIV RNA &lt; 400 copies/mL; 90% CD4 counts ≥200 cells/mm3. HPV prevalence at anus and cervix was 90% and 83%; for 9v HR-HPV types, 67% and 51%; non-9v HR-HPV, 54% and 29%, respectively. The 9v and non-9v HR-HPV incidence rates/100 person-years were similar (10.4 vs 9.5; 8.5 vs 8.3, respectively); 9v clearance rates were 42% and 61%; non-9v 46% and 59%, in anus and cervix, respectively. Conclusions:Anal HR-HPV prevalence was higher than cervical, with lower clearance; incidence was similar. Although prevalence of non-9v HR-HPV was substantial, 9v HR-HPV types were generally more prevalent. These findings support use of nonavalent vaccine in HIV-infected women

Citational Practices: Interrogating Hegemonic Knowledge Structures in Computing Research in Latin America

Citations are nodes in the networks of knowledge we create. Portals to conversations with the past and bonding material with the scholarship of the present. Choosing who we cite is a practice signaling who we recognize and respect as a knowledge source. Therefore, we recognize citations as a relational practice. As this relational characteristic of citing is mediated by wealth we distribute across those who we cite, it is imperative to interrogate how just these practices are. Thus, we ought to engage with Citational Justice. Building on recent work discussing citational practices within HCI, we use the opportunity of this workshop to expand this conversation into deeper reflection on how we cite and the practices and infrastructures surrounding citations. Our goal with this workshop is two-fold. First, to create a common language to collectively reflect, interrogate our own citational practices and reverberations, while fleshing out concrete steps to make these practices just in our work and communities we are part of. Second, to invite participants to re-imagine citational practices and the systems and infrastructures necessary to make such practices feasible. We invite a diverse group of participants from the CLIHC community interested in examining their citational practices and the systems surrounding them.</p