Exploiting semantic information in a spiking neural SLAM system.

To navigate in new environments, an animal must be able to keep track of its position while simultaneously creating and updating an internal map of features in the environment, a problem formulated as simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) in the field of robotics. This requires integrating information from different domains, including self-motion cues, sensory, and semantic information. Several specialized neuron classes have been identified in the mammalian brain as being involved in solving SLAM.

Biologically-Based Computation: How Neural Details and Dynamics Are Suited for Implementing a Variety of Algorithms.

The Neural Engineering Framework (Eliasmith & Anderson, 2003) is a long-standing method for implementing high-level algorithms constrained by low-level neurobiological details. In recent years, this method has been expanded to incorporate more biological details and applied to new tasks. This paper brings together these ongoing research strands, presenting them in a common framework.

Simulating and Predicting Dynamical Systems With Spatial Semantic Pointers.

While neural networks are highly effective at learning task-relevant representations from data, they typically do not learn representations with the kind of symbolic structure that is hypothesized to support high-level cognitive processes, nor do they naturally model such structures within problem domains that are continuous in space and time. To fill these gaps, this work exploits a method for defining vector representations that bind discrete (symbol-like) entities to points in continuous topological spaces in order to simulate and predict the behavior of a range of dynamical systems. These vector representations are spatial semantic pointers (SSPs), and we demonstrate that they can (1) be used to model dynamical systems involving multiple objects represented in a symbol-like manner and (2) be integrated with deep neural networks to predict the future of physical trajectories.

Concomitant atopic dermatitis and psoriasis - a retrospective review.

Introduction: At one time considered opposing diseases, it is now recognized that atopic dermatitis (AD) and psoriasis can coexist. There are limited data characterizing this population of patients. In this study, we characterize the population of patients diagnosed with both AD and psoriasis and summarize their response to therapy.

Treatment of Psoriasis With Biologics and Apremilast in Patients With a History of Malignancy: A Retrospective Chart Review.

Introduction: Biologics have transformed the management of moderate-to-severe psoriasis. The risk of developing a malignancy during treatment is an important consideration, and many studies have been conducted to determine the magnitude of this risk. However, there is little research on the use of biologic treatment in psoriasis patients with a history of established malignancy.

Improving health literacy and treatment understanding of hidradenitis suppurativa using group educational interventions.

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic immune-mediated skin disorder characterized by inflamed, painful abscesses most commonly located in the intertriginous regions that may lead to significant scarring and social stigma. It is unclear how much patients with HS understand about their disease. We sought to evaluate baseline knowledge of patients who have HS, as well as to evaluate if an educational intervention of a teaching session about the disease will help increase patient's knowledge of their ailment and treatment options.

Treatment of vitiligo with the topical Janus kinase inhibitor ruxolitinib.

Background: Existing therapies for vitiligo are limited in efficacy and can be associated with undesirable side effects. Topical Janus kinase inhibitors may offer a new therapeutic option for vitiligo.

Objective: We sought to assess the role of topical ruxolitinib 1.

Systemic Treatment of Recalcitrant Pediatric Psoriasis: A Case Series and Literature Review.

Background/purpose: No systemic drugs are approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat pediatric psoriasis due to a lack of supporting data. The purpose of this study is to present cases demonstrating the use of systemic drugs in pediatric psoriasis.

Methods: In this case series, data were collected on patients ≤ 18 years old with moderate-to-severe psoriasis treated with systemic medications (traditional systemic drugs or biologics) from 2008 through 2014.

CCL20 and IL22 Messenger RNA Expression After Adalimumab vs Methotrexate Treatment of Psoriasis: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Methotrexate is a first-line systemic agent for treating of psoriasis, although its onset of effects is slower and overall it is less effective than tumor necrosis factor blockers.

Objective: To differentiate the response of psoriatic disease to adalimumab and methotrexate sodium.

Design, Setting, And Participants: Single-center, randomized, assessor-blind, 2-arm clinical trial of 30 patients from the outpatient dermatology center of Tufts Medical Center, enrolled from August 18, 2009, to October 11, 2011.

Clearance of psoriasis: the impact of private versus public insurance.

Background: Psoriasis treatments and therapeutic response as they relate to private versus public patient insurance in the United States have not yet been reviewed. Improved understanding could clarify factors challenging optimal psoriasis management and offer insight for dermatologists treating psoriasis within our healthcare system.

Methods: 258 subjects were included from a database of psoriasis patients seen at Tufts Medical Center (Boston, MA) during 2008-2014.

A randomized, prospective, sham-controlled study of localized narrow-band UVB phototherapy in the treatment of plaque psoriasis.

Importance: UV phototherapy remains a useful and frequently employed treatment for chronic plaque psoriasis. In those patients with plaque body surface area less than 10%, targeted treatment is the safest and most effective modality.

Objective: We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of the Levia® localized NB-UVB phototherapy machine in the treatment of patients with symmetrical psoriatic lesions.

Prevalence of the metabolic syndrome in children with psoriatic disease.

Adults with psoriasis have a greater risk of developing metabolic syndrome (MetS) and cardiovascular disease (CVD), but few studies have investigated the prevalence of MetS and other risk factors for CVD in children with psoriasis. In an assessor-blinded study, 20 children ages 9-17 years with a current or previously documented history of psoriasis involving 5% or more of their body surface area or psoriatic arthritis were compared with a cohort of age- and sex-matched controls with benign nevi, warts, or acne. MetS, our primary endpoint, was defined by the presence of abnormal values in at least three of the following measures: triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), fasting blood glucose (FBG), waist circumference, and blood pressure.