To identify animal-related factors associated with Paget's disease of bone (osteitis deformans), we conducted a case-control study in two geographical areas of Spain characterized by different socioeconomic profiles. The analysis presented here is based on 149 cases and 150 controls, frequency matched by sex, age, study area, and place of residence in youth (urban/rural). From a logistic regression analysis, we found that contact with bovine cattle [odds ratio (OR) = 2.14; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.16-3.94], consumption of meat traceable to sick livestock (OR = 2.70; 95% CI = 0.98-7.43), and frequent consumption during youth of brains (OR = 1.77; 95% CI = 1.05-2.98) and other viscera increased the risk for Paget's disease of bone. Contact with bovine cattle and consumption during youth of bovid viscera exhibited a dose-response effect as regards length of exposure and frequency of consumption, respectively. A life-style shared with dogs showed itself to be differentially linked to the disease in one study area. Overall, our results support the hypothesis that various animal species are carriers of etiologic agents of Paget's disease of bone.

We describe a patient who had multiple subcutaneous rheumatoid nodules associated with episodes of acute intermittent arthritis and subchondral cystic lesions of the small bones of the hands and feet; this coadition is termed "rheumatoid nodulosis. " The patient had a cystic lesion in communication with the joint cavity, rheumatoid granulomas, and evidence of a central zone of necrosis opening toward the joint space. His case is compared with 8 previously reported cases, and possible etiologies of the subchondral bone cyst formation in rheumatoid nodulosis are discussed.Subcutaneous rheumatoid nodules occur in 20-25% of patients with seropositive rheumatoid arthritis (RA) (l), and histologically identical subcutaneous nodules are seen in other diseases (2). Ginsberg et a1 (3) were the first to report a symptom complex, which they termed "rheumatoid nodulosis," in which subcutaneous rheumatoid nodules are associated with episodes of acute intermittent arthritis and subchondral cystic lesions of the small bones of the hands and feet. There are few histopathologic descriptions of these cysts ( 4 3 , and they are not always well docu- mented. For these reasons, their etiology and diagnostic significance remain unclear.The morphologic findings in the patient with rheumatoid nodulosis that are presented in this report might elucidate the origin and significance of subchondral bone cysts in this condition.Case report. At the age of 35, the patient had experienced episodes of intermittent arthritis in the metacarpophalangeal (MCP) and metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joints and in the knees. The episodes remitted spontaneously without sequelae within 4-5 days and recurred at variable intervals ranging from 2-6 weeks. At that time he also experienced nontender nodular lesions localized in the hands, elbows, and feet, with no apparent changes in the overlying skin. Laboratory findings at that time included positive rheumatoid factor (RF), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) 25 mm/hour, and normal values for hemoglobin, white blood cell (WBC) count, and serum biochemical values including uric acid. A diagnosis of seropositive RA was made and the patient was begun on a regimen of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs and gold salts. He discontinued the gold salts on his own initiative after 4 weeks. His condition remained the same for 12 months; thereafter, the joint symptoms disappeared, but the nodular lesions persisted.When he was referred to our unit in 1983, at the age of 44, the patient presented with intermittent arthralgia in the MCP and MTP joints and knees with morning stiffness lasting 2 hours. He denied having intestinal symptoms or renal lithiasis. He admitted to drinking 80 gm of alcohol/day. His family history was unremarkable.Physical examination revealed 19 nontender subcutaneous nodules, 0.5-2 cm in diameter, which

BackgroundRetinal diseases associated with the dysfunction or death of photoreceptors are a major cause of blindness around the world, improvements in genetics tools, like next generation sequencing (NGS) allows the discovery of genes and genetic changes that lead to many of those retinal diseases. Though, there very few databases that explores a wide spectrum of retinal diseases, phenotypes, genes, and proteins, thus creating the need for a more comprehensive database, that groups all these parameters.MethodsMultiple open access databases were compiled into a new comprehensive database. A biological network was then crated, and organized using Cytoscape. The network was scrutinized for presence of hubs, measuring the concentration of grouped nodes. Finally, a trace back analysis was performed in areas were the power law reports a high r-squared value near one, that indicates high nodes density.ResultsThis work leads to creation of a retinal database that includes 324 diseases, 803 genes, 463 phenotypes, and 2461 proteins. Four biological networks (1) a disease and gene network connected by common phenotypes, (2) a disease and phenotype network connected by common genes, (3) a disease and gene network with shared disease or gene as the cause of an edge, and (4) a protein and disease network. The resulting networks will allow users to have easier searching for retinal diseases, phenotypes, genes, and proteins and their interrelationships.ConclusionsThese networks have a broader range of information than previously available ones, helping clinicians in the comprehension of this complex group of diseases.

No abstract

BackgroundSystemic sclerosis (SE) is a serious disease of the connective tissue characterized by dysfunction of the microcirculation. Angiogenesis is a complex process regulated by both angiogenic and angiostatic factors. Normally the functions of these factors are under an adequate balance, however, under certain conditions these factors can be induced initiating disorganized angiogenic phenomena.ObjectivesFor the first time, the levels of intraplatelet growth and angiogenic factors (normalized by platelet number and volumen) are described in patients with systemic sclerosis.MethodsWe included 23 patients with systemic sclerosis (ACR/EULAR) and 16 controls. Patients underwent a platelet-apheresis to obtain platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and platelet-poor plasma (PPP). The samples were subjected to a freeze-thaw process to break the cell membranes and release the platelet content. Subsequently the various factors were measured (VEGF-α, PDGF ββ, HGF, FGF2, G-CSF, MCP-1, IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-8, IL-6, IL-13). Finally, the results were normalized according to the value of the plaquetocrit (number and volumen of platelets). We compared the levels in platelet-rich plasma and in platelet-poor plasma. A cut-off value p <0.05.ResultsThe mean age of the patients was 52 years ± 9.71, with a duration of the disease of 8 years, 74% were patients with limited SE, 70% of the patients had pulmonary involvement. Both patientes and controls, the TFG-β was 12 times more concentrated in PRP than in PPP (p <0.0001), IL-1b 13 times more (p <0.0001), IL-6 10 times more (p <0.0001), G-CSF 11 times more (p <0.0001), VEGF- α more concentrated (11.6 times) p <0.005. When the PRP of the patients with scleroderma was compared with the PRP of the controls, only differences were found in the VEGF concentrations, being decreased in the patients with scleroderma respect to controls (p <0.0001). Table 1 and 2.ConclusionThe levels of VEGF-α (intraplatelet) are lower in patients with SE vrs controls (p <0.0001). The intraplatelet values of the growth and angiogenic factors are higher than the plasma (patients and controls), finally, the plasma levels of these factors are similar in patients compare with controls. In almost all studies until today the measured levels have been carried out in serum, which are not precise since, in serum, several cells and lysate residues can alter the values, therefore, quantification in plasma is important. The present work is the result of the doctoral thesis of the main author.Table 1Growth factors values (23 patients with SE and 16 controls) Factor PPP (pg/mL) PRP (pg/mL) p TFG-β121149,7 237185,2<0.0001IL-1β7,7117<0.0001IL-68,139,7<0.0001IL-82,43,40.169IL-135,47,820.005G-CSF20,9278<0.0001HGF73,0109,7<0.001MCP-153,664,80.01IL-1α1,29,1<0.001FGF-22.925,5<0.001VEGF32,3406,6<0.001PDGF-β8,2329,7<0.001Table 2Values of growth factors in platelet rich plasma (PRP), n patients= 23, controls= 16 Factor Mean (pg/mL)* p TFG-β1 Patients220271,80,327Controls261498,1 IL-1β Patients111,30,492Controls125,3 IL-6 Patients...