Clinical, Morphologic, and Genomic Differences in Deep Penetrating Nevi and Deep Penetrating Nevus-like Melanomas.

Deep penetrating nevi (DPNs) are characterized by activating mutations in the MAP kinase and Wnt/beta-catenin pathways that result in large melanocytes with increased nuclear atypia, cytoplasmic pigmentation, and often mitotic activity. Together with a lack of maturation, this constellation of findings creates challenges for pathologists to distinguish deep penetrating nevus (DPN) from DPN-like melanoma. To assess the utility of next generation sequencing (NGS) in resolving this diagnostic dilemma, we performed NGS studies on 35 lesions including 24 DPNs and 11 DPN-like melanomas to characterize the specific genomic differences between the two groups and elucidate the genetic events involved in malignant transformation of DPNs.

Assessing a binary quantum channel exploiting a silicon photomultiplier based hybrid receiver.

In quantum communication protocols, the use of photon-number-resolving detectors could open new perspectives by broadening the way to encode and decode information and merging the properties of discrete and continuous variables. In this work, we consider a quantum channel exploiting a silicon-photomultiplier-based receiver and evaluate its performance for quantum communication protocols under three possible configurations, defined by different post-processing of the detection outcomes. We investigate two scenarios: information transmission over the channel, quantified by the mutual information, and continuous-variable quantum key distribution, quantified by the key generation rate.

The Clinical, Morphologic, and Molecular Spectrum of BRAF Fusion Spitz Tumors.

BRAF fusion Spitz neoplasms along with MAP3K8 fusions are among the subtypes of Spitz most likely to be diagnosed as Spitz melanoma. However, the current literature has only limited amounts of clinical follow-up on these cases. In this study, we share our experience with 39 BRAF fusion Spitz neoplasms and provide the greatest number of cases with available clinical follow-up.

Need for therapeutic escalation in patients with refractory ulcerative proctitis: Results from the PROCU study of the ENEIDA registry.

Background: Ulcerative proctitis (UP) can have a milder, less aggressive course than left-sided colitis or extensive colitis. Therefore, immunosuppressants tend to be used less in patients with this condition. Evidence, however, is scarce because these patients are excluded from randomised controlled clinical trials.

Molecular effects of indoor tanning.

Background: Tanning bed users have a significantly increased risk of melanoma, but it remains unclear how indoor tanning drives melanomagenesis. Tanning bed radiation is often thought of as a substitute for natural UV radiation despite differences in the maximum doses, UV content, body sites exposed, and patterns of melanoma that arise.

Methods: To better understand the epidemiologic trends and etiology of melanoma associated with tanning bed use, we described the patterns of melanoma in patients with quantifiable tanning bed usage and performed exome sequencing of 182 melanocytes from normal skin of a subset of these patients.