Publications by authors named "Luca David"
Article Synopsis
- Palmoplantar pustular psoriasis (PPPP) is a chronic skin condition that causes pustules on the palms and soles, affecting patients' lives and requiring better treatment options.
- * Researchers assessed the effectiveness and safety of deucravacitinib, a new oral medication, by analyzing five patients' responses over 16 weeks.
- * Results showed mixed initial reactions, with some patients improving and manageable side effects, but further studies with larger groups are needed to fully evaluate deucravacitinib's potential in treating PPPP.
Article Synopsis
- A balanced immune system is crucial for defending against infections and preventing autoimmune diseases; an ineffective response allows infections to thrive, while uncontrolled activation can cause inflammatory disorders.
- Researchers screened 1200 small molecules to find drugs that can modify immune cell functions, focusing on T cells, B cells, and polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) for chronic inflammatory diseases.
- They identified candidate drugs like pyrvinium pamoate, which effectively suppressed B cell activation and slowed down an autoimmune condition, and studied mechanisms in gene-deleted mice to further understand how these actions occur, paving the way for potential drug repurposing to manage immune responses.
Article Synopsis
- Study Overview
- : This research examined the risk of developing psoriatic arthritis (PsA) among different types of psoriasis, taking into account factors like sex and ethnicity, using a large database of electronic health records (EHRs).
- Key Findings
- : Psoriasis vulgaris (Pso) was linked to the highest PsA risk, followed by generalized pustular psoriasis (GPP) and pustulosis palmoplantaris (PPP). The study also found that female and White patients with Pso were at greater risk for developing PsA compared to their male and Black counterparts, respectively.
- Implications
- : The findings underline the importance of considering sex and ethnicity in assessing PsA risk
This study delves into the intricate interaction between DNA and nanosystems, exploring its potential implications for biomedical applications. The focus lies in understanding the adsorption geometry of DNA when in proximity to plasmonic nanoparticles, utilizing ultrasensitive vibrational spectroscopy techniques. Employing a combined Raman-SERS analysis, we conducted an in-depth examination to clarify the molecular geometry of interactions between DNA and silver nanoparticles.
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- Lichen sclerosus (LS) is a poorly understood inflammatory condition primarily affecting the genital areas, mostly in postmenopausal women, but also seen in men and children; its causes are still unclear despite links to hormonal changes and autoimmune issues.
- The disease is characterized by chronic whitish patches, itching, and potential complications like genital scarring, sexual dysfunction, and an increased risk of squamous cell carcinoma; diagnosis is mostly clinical with skin biopsies performed as needed.
- Treatment typically involves potent topical corticosteroids, with some emerging alternatives like topical calcineurin inhibitors, but overall, LS has limited treatment options and requires further research to better understand its features and management.
Morphea, also known as localized scleroderma, is a chronic inflammatory connective tissue disorder with variable clinical presentations, that affects both adults and children. It is characterized by inflammation and fibrosis of the skin and underlying soft tissue, in certain cases even of the surrounding structures such as fascia, muscle, bone and central nervous system. While the etiology is still unknown, many factors may contribute to disease development, including genetic predisposition, vascular dysregulation, T1/T2 imbalance with chemokines and cytokines associated with interferon-γ and profibrotic pathways as well as certain environmental factors.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIdentification of risk factors and sequelae of any given disease is of key importance. For common diseases, primary prevention and disease management are based on this knowledge. For orphan diseases, identification of risk factors and sequelae has been challenging.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDNA methylation is a crucial epigenetic hallmark of cancer development but the experimental methods able to prove nanoscale modifications are very scarce. Over time, Raman and its counterpart, surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS), became one of the most promising techniques capable to investigate nanoscale modifications of DNA bases. In our study, we employed Raman/SERS to highlight the differences between normal and leukemia DNA samples and to evaluate the effects of a 5-azacytidine treatment on leukemia cells.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPeritoneal dialysis (PD) employs hypertonic glucose to remove excess water and uremic waste. Peritoneal membrane failure limits its long-term use. T-cell cytokines promote this decline.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe growth factor receptor c-kit (CD117) is expressed in immature T-cells and in some advanced forms of mycosis fungoides. c-kit gene mutation results in unrestricted neoplastic proliferation. We aimed to detect by PCR the most frequent exon mutations in seventeen plaque-stage MF patients, in their perilesional skin and in healthy skin donors.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAdult wild-type mice are not supposed to be proper models for ultraviolet radiation (UVR)-induced melanoma since melanocytes are confined to hair follicles and cannot be sufficiently reached by UVR. On the other hand, in mutated mouse models used for melanoma research limitations, including an altered immune system and selection of affected pathways, lead to tumors phenotypically quite different from naturally occurring melanomas. We compared the distribution of epidermal melanocytes in UVR and not-UVR-exposed wild-type C57BL/6 mice.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Prevalence of skin diseases in Luanda (Angola) is unknown, and publications are barely found in the literature. We aim to describe, for the first time, the frequency of skin disease spectrum in phototype V-VI Angolan population in Luanda City.
Methods: We included Fitzpatrick phototype V-VI Angolan patients who consulted the Dermatology Unit in Luanda Medical Center during a 1-year period.