Refractory benign familial pemphigus successfully treated with dupilumab: a case series.

Benign familial pemphigus (BFP) is a chronic autosomal dominant dermatosis characterized by the appearance of flaccid blisters which evolve to painful erythematous macerated plaques and erosions in intertriginous areas. While different medical therapies for BFP exist, current treatments are not consistently effective, and symptoms often cause decreased quality of life. We report a case series of three patients with refractory moderate-to severe BFP which have been successfully treated with dupilumab, describing clinical evolution within a follow-up period of 18 months.

Targeting 3D Bladder Cancer Spheroids with Urease-Powered Nanomotors.

Cancer is one of the main causes of death around the world, lacking efficient clinical treatments that generally present severe side effects. In recent years, various nanosystems have been explored to specifically target tumor tissues, enhancing the efficacy of cancer treatment and minimizing the side effects. In particular, bladder cancer is the ninth most common cancer worldwide and presents a high survival rate but serious recurrence levels, demanding an improvement in the existent therapies.

Skin Ultrasound in Kaposi Sarcoma.

The use of ultrasound imaging has recently been increasing in numerous dermatologic diseases. This noninvasive technique provides additional details on the structure and vascularization of skin lesions. Kaposi sarcoma is a vascular tumor that typically arises in the skin and mucosas.

High Frequency of Severe Telaprevir-associated Skin Eruptions in Clinical Practice.

Since the introduction of telaprevir, administered in combination with pegylated interferon and ribavirin for the treatment of patients with chronic hepatitis C, the incidence and severity of skin eruptions have increased significantly. The aim of this prospective study is to assess the frequency of drug-induced skin eruptions and their clinical and histological characteristics in patients who received the above treatment in daily clinical practice at our hospital. A total of 60 patients were included.

A versatile synthesis of β-lactam-fused oxacycles through the palladium-catalyzed chemo-, regio-, and diastereoselective cyclization of allenic diols.

Chemo-, regio- and stereocontrolled palladium-catalyzed preparations of enantiopure morpholines, oxocines, and dioxonines have been developed starting from 2-azetidinone-tethered γ,δ-, δ,ε-, and ε,ζ-allendiols. The palladium-catalyzed cyclizative coupling reaction of γ,δ-allendiols 2 with allyl bromide or lithium bromide was effective as 8-endo cyclization by attack of the primary hydroxy group to the terminal allene carbon to afford enantiopure functionalized oxocines; whereas the palladium-catalyzed cyclizative coupling reaction of 2-azetidinone-tethered ε,ζ-allendiols 4 furnished dioxonines 16 through a totally chemo- and regioselective 9-endo oxycyclization. By contrast, the palladium-catalyzed cyclizative coupling reaction of 2-azetidinone-tethered δ,ε-allendiols 3 with aryl and alkenyl halides exclusively generated six-membered-ring compounds 14 a and 15 a.

Perforating folliculitis in a patient treated with nilotinib: a further evidence of C-kit involvement.

We present a case of perforating folliculitis in a patient treated with nilotinib, a kinase inhibitor. A 48-year-old man presented with a severely pruritic follicular rash for several months that started after reaching a complete molecular response of his myeloid chronic while treated with nilotinib. Clinical examination showed predominantly follicular pinpoint papules on trunk and proximal extremities and a biopsy showed a slightly dilated hair follicle with a focal disruption of the infundibular follicular epithelium.

Coordination to metal centers: a tool to fix high energy conformations in organic molecules. Application to 2,4,4-trimethyl-1,5,9-triazacyclododec-1-ene and related macrocycles.

The solid state conformational preferences of ligand 2,4,4-trimethyl-1,5,9-triazacyclododec-1-ene (L1) and its 9-methyl derivative (L2) in transition metal complexes have been determined by a probabilistic method using data retrieved from the Cambridge Structural Database. These macrocyclic compounds, as ligands, tend to adopt a preferential conformation (85% of cases). The ring containing the C=N bond adopts a distorted half-chair conformation, the ring defined by both the N-sp(3) shows a distorted envelope conformation, and the remaining ring exhibits a chair conformation.

Metal-catalyzed cycloetherification reactions of β,γ- and γ,δ-allendiols: chemo-, regio-, and stereocontrol in the synthesis of oxacycles.

Versatile routes that lead to a variety of functionalized enantiopure tetrahydrofurans, dihydropyrans, and tetrahydrooxepines are based on chemo-, regio-, and stereocontrolled metal-catalyzed oxycyclization reactions of β,γ- and γ,δ-allendiols, which were readily prepared from (R)-2,3-O-isopropylideneglyceraldehyde. The application of Pd(II), Pt(II), Au(III), or La(III) salts as the catalysts gives controlled access to differently sized oxacycles in enantiopure form. Usually, chemoselective cyclization reactions occurred exclusively by attack of the secondary hydroxy group (except for the oxybromination of phenyl β,γ-allenic diols 3b and 3d) to an allenic carbon atom.

Chemo- and regioselective palladium-catalyzed oxycyclization reactions of allendiols: preparation of five-, six-, and eight-membered cycles.

Positive discrimination: Chemo- and regioselective palladium-catalyzed cycloetherification of allendiols, namely beta,gamma- and gamma,delta-allendiols, may occur by judicious choice of palladium-catalyzed conditions owing to their potential ability to discriminate between both nucleophilic sites (see scheme).

Pd(II)-catalyzed domino heterocyclization/cross-coupling of alpha-allenols and alpha-allenic esters: efficient preparation of functionalized buta-1,3-dienyl dihydrofurans.

A mild, palladium(II)-catalyzed reaction of alpha-allenols with alpha-allenic esters in a heterocyclization/cross-coupling sequence, applicable to a wide range of substitution patterns, has been developed for the preparation of 2,3,4-trifunctionalized 2,5-dihydrofurans. Our studies indicate high levels of chemo- and regiocontrol. The possibility of using optically active substrates as well as substrates of increased steric demand, such as tertiary alpha-allenols, makes this novel sequence of heterocyclization/cross-coupling an attractive method in organic synthesis.

Probabilistic model-based methodology for the conformational study of cyclic systems: application to copper complexes double-bridged by phosphate and related ligands.

A methodology for the conformational study of cyclic systems through the statistical analysis of torsion angles is presented. It relies on a combination of different methods based on a probabilistic model which takes into account the topological symmetry of the structures. This methodology is applied to copper complexes double-bridged by phosphate and related ligands.

New regiocontrolled synthesis of functionalized pyrroles from 2-azetidinone-tethered allenols.

A new one-pot approach to synthesize densely substituted racemic and enantiopure pyrroles from beta-lactams has been developed. The approach relies on the regiocontrolled cyclization of beta-allenamine intermediates derived from the ring opening of 2-azetidinone-tethered allenols. In this approach four points of diversity are introduced, one of which is the position of the allene moiety on the beta-lactam ring.

Storage of Chinchilla lanigera semen at 4 degrees C for 24 or 72 h with two different cryoprotectants.

The objectives of this study were to: (a) test the functional activity of Chinchilla lanigera spermatozoa suspended in either glycerol or ethylene glycol, cooled to 4 degrees C, and stored for 24 or 72 h and (b) investigate, after these cooling periods, the effects of incubating sperm at 37 degrees C (for 4 h) upon sperm functional activity. The ejaculate was mixed with the cryoprotectant medium (at 1 M final concentration) and cooled to 4 degrees C. After warming, sperm motility, sperm viability, hypoosmotic swelling test results, and acrosomal integrity were significantly higher for samples containing ethylene glycol than for those in glycerol, stored for 24 or 72 h, and then assayed after 0 or 4 h incubation at 37 degrees C.

Activity of Chinchilla laniger spermatozoa collected by electroejaculation and cryopreserved.

Because reproductive studies and the application of assisted reproductive techniques are relevant issues for an endangered species such as Chinchila laniger, the availability of a source of viable spermatozoa becomes of utmost importance. In this paper, we evaluate several functional parameters (motility, viability, response to hypoosmotic swelling test and acrosomal integrity) of fresh or frozen-thawed spermatozoa. Electro-ejaculation trials (50-cyc/sec sinusoidal wave was applied for 5 of every 10 sec) were successful in all unanesthetized animals.

Functional activity of epididymal Chinchilla laniger spermatozoa cryopreserved in different extenders.

Chinchilla laniger is an endangered species and improved cryopreservation of spermatozoa would constitute a significant advance in the development of assisted reproductive techniques in this species. The functional activity of epididymal spermatozoa from adult males was studied immediately after extrusion and after 24 hours incubation, and the ability of five extenders to protect these gametes during cryopreservation was determined. A decrease in sperm motility, viability, acrosome intact cells and response to hypo-osmotic swelling test was detected 24 hours later.

[Multicenter evaluation of a diabetes program in primary care in Tarragona].

To evaluate a provincial diabetes program for primary care in Tarragona 14 months after its implementation, the data provided by all centers were evaluated. The participants were 8 CAPS and the professionals of a rural area, with a reference population of 170,159. A total of 1,766 diabetic patients were sensed.

[Mid-term evaluation of a provincial program of diabetes].

The following were analysed with the object of evaluating a provincial diabetes programme (Institut Català de la Salut. Tarragona Management Areas): a) training activities for professionals in primary health care, and b) some indicators of effectiveness. Between 1987 and 1989, 192 professionals of the institution (89 doctors [46.