Search

Iron dysmetabolism affects a great proportion of heart failure patients, while chronic hypertension is one of the most common risk factors for heart failure and death in industrialized countries. Serum data from reduced ejection fraction heart failure patients show a relative or absolute iron deficiency, whereas cellular myocardial analyses field equivocal data. An observed increase in organellar iron deposits was incriminated to cause reactive oxygen species formation, lipid peroxidation, and cell death. Therefore, we studied the effects of iron chelation on a rat model of cardiac hypertrophy. Suprarenal abdominal aortic constriction was achieved surgically, with a period of nine weeks to accommodate the development of chronic pressure overload. Next, deferiprone (100 mg/kg/day), a lipid-permeable iron chelator, was administered for two weeks. Pressure overload resulted in increased inflammation, fibrotic remodeling, lipid peroxidation, left ventricular hypertrophy and mitochondrial iron derangements. Deferiprone reduced cardiac inflammation, lipid peroxidation, mitochondrial iron levels, and hypertrophy, without affecting circulating iron levels or ejection fraction. In conclusion, metallic molecules may pose ambivalent effects within the cardiovascular system, with beneficial effects of iron redistribution, chiefly in the mitochondria. Created using www.biorender.com. [Display omitted] • Iron metabolism is an essential yet potentially dangerous micronutrient that appears to be implicated in cardiovascular diseases. • Chronic cardiac stress induced by hypertension leads to inflammation, oxidative stress, fibrosis, and iron derangements. • Iron chelation can reduce oxidative stress, inflammation, and fibrosis in chronic heart failure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common keratinocyte carcinoma and the most prevalent skin cancer in humans, worldwide. BCC is histologically characterized by the proliferation of basaloid cells, arranged in globular masses of varying size, often separated from the surrounding stroma by optically empty spaces. Although attributed to tumor retraction during tissue processing for the preparation of pathology slides, these spaces are also seen on cryostat sections. The aim of this study is to in vivo characterize amyloid and mucin deposits in primary BCC lesions through RCM, followed by histopathological correlation. We included twenty-two consecutive subjects totaling thirty-one primary BCCs. Each lesion underwent the same evaluation protocol which included: clinical and dermoscopic images, RCM imaging, excisional biopsy under local anesthesia, and histopathological examination (colloidal iron and cytokeratin 34betaE12 stains). Hypo-reflective peritumoral clefts and hyper-reflective globules were measured on RCM images and compared to mucin and amyloid deposits seen on histology slides. The mean differences between RCM and histology measurements in both mucin and amyloid were not statistically significant. There were medium and strong correlations between RCM and histology regarding mucin and amyloid deposits, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oily, acne-prone skin is a common skin type which may be monitored in vivo using reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM). The aim of the study was to assess the feasibility of RCM in evaluating the effectiveness of a topical combination of alpha- and beta-hydroxy acids, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial molecules, and Herculane thermal water on acne-prone skin. Thirty-five subjects with oily, acne-prone skin were prescribed topical combination products and were evaluated by clinical, Wood's lamp, and RCM imaging at baseline and after 28 days. At 28 days, the RCM-evaluated number of dilated infundibula, infundibula filled with keratotic material, and infundibula with thickened bright borders, as well as the density of the inflammatory infiltrate, were significantly decreased. Wood's light images at 28 days showed a significantly reduced number of C. acnes-colonized infundibula, and both the median area and the intensity of the red-orange fluorescence were decreased. The reduction in the clinical score was concurrent with the improvement in the RCM parameters, suggesting that this non-invasive imaging technique is appropriate for efficiency evaluations of topical acne treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Skin aging is an intricate physiological process governed by intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Increasing life expectancy has turned skin aging into a growing concern for the general population. Clinical examination of the skin does not fully describe the skin aging process. This study aims to evaluate the healthy skin of five different age groups in order to develop an easy-to-use confocal score for quantifying signs of skin aging and test the correlation between this new score and the already described clinical score, SCINEXA (score of intrinsic and extrinsic skin aging). Thirty-five subjects split into five age groups: <35; 36–45; 46–55; 56–65, and >65 years old were enrolled. Clinical signs were quantified using the SCINEXA score, and known confocal variables of skin aging were evaluated. Three different semi-quantitative scores were calculated: epidermal disarrangement score (EDS), epidermal hyperplasia score (EHS), and dermal score (DS). The EDS showed a stable trend up to the age of 65 and a dramatic increase in older subjects. EHS was characterized by an ascending trend from younger subjects to middle-aged ones. The DS was progressive with age, with a different proportion of distinct collagen types. The confocal CSIESA (confocal score for the assessment of intrinsic and extrinsic skin aging) score correlated well with the SCINEXA score. Reflectance confocal microscopy is a powerful, non-invasive technique for microscopically quantifying aging signs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multinucleate cell angiohistiocytoma (MCAH) is a rare, benign, vascular or fibrohistiocytic tumor usually presenting as single or multiple, reddish-brown papules mostly affecting the limbs and dorsum of the hands of middle-aged females. Since 1985, relatively few MCAH cases have been reported. In vivo reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) findings of MCAH have never been described. We report a case of MCAH with new non-invasive imaging findings through RCM in correlation with dermoscopy and histopathology. A 66-year-old woman with an unremarkable family and personal history of an atypical nevus presented with a lesion on her right breast. It had appeared 12 months earlier and progressively enlarged. Physical examination revealed a 20 × 11.6 mm, non-tender, reddish-brown maculo-papular lesion with blurred margins. Dermoscopy showed diffusely arranged reddish areas, coalescing whitish patches, truncated and dotted vessels, and a peripheral brown reticulated pattern. RCM revealed a poorly outlined lesion with a normal honeycomb pattern, numerous vessels at the dermal–epidermal junction, and isolated, large, mildly reflective, bizarre structures with angulated edges. These findings correlated well with histological features, which established the diagnosis of MCAH. Even though histopathology remains the gold standard in the diagnosis of MCAH, non-invasive tools such as RCM can help rule out other entities, therefore reducing surgery-associated morbidity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the diagnosis determines therapy, it is important that the tumor is identified correctly. Dear Editor, Fibroepithelioma of Pinkus (FeP) is an uncommon subtype of basal cell carcinoma (BCC) with a particular growth pattern, first described by Hermann Pinkus in 1953.1 This tumor is slow growing and commonly found on the trunk or extremities of persons in the fifth and sixth decades of life.2 Although its etiopathogenesis is not fully understood, chronic ultraviolet damage seems to be a lesser factor than it is in BCC.3,4 Mutations in the PTCH gene of the Hedgehog signaling pathway could be involved in its development.5 FeP arising after radiation therapy has been reported, although a direct link is yet to be defined.6 FeP is a rare neoplasm that is often difficult to diagnose, as it simulates other skin tumors. The differential diagnosis was modified to include FeP, BCC, and seborrheic keratosis. [Extracted from the article]

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most prevalent skin cancer in the Caucasian population. A variety of different phenotypic presentations of BCC are possible. Although BCCs rarely metastasize, these tumors commonly destroy underlying tissues and should therefore be treated promptly. As vascular formation and angiogenesis are indicators of tumor development and progression, the presence of blood vessels, their morphology and architecture are important markers in skin lesions, providing critical information towards pathogenesis and diagnosis. BCC commonly lacks pigmentation, therefore it is important to emphasize the usefulness of vascular feature detection, recognition, quantification and interpretation. To answer the question of whether vascular patterns observed on dermoscopy, reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) and histopathology might reflect the biologic behavior of BCCs, we undertook this review article. Several studies have sought, by various means, to identify vascular features associated with the more aggressive BCC phenotypes. Dermoscopic vascular pattern assessment can facilitate diagnostic discrimination between BCC subtypes, more aggressive BCCs displaying less or no pink coloration and a relative absence of central tumor vessels. RCM, a novel, non-invasive imaging technique, allows for the quantification of blood vessel size, density, and flow intensity in BCCs. BCCs are distinguished on RCM chiefly by vessels that branch and intertwine between neoplastic aggregates, a pattern strongly reflecting tumor neo-angiogenesis. The analysis of these vascular morphological and distribution patterns can provide further support in the diagnosis, assessment, or monitoring of BCCs. Histopathology shows significantly higher microvessel densities in the peritumoral stroma of BCCs, when compared to normal skin or benign tumors. This angiogenic response in the stroma is associated with local aggressiveness, therefore the quantification of peritumoralmicrovessels may further assist with tumor evaluation. How dermoscopy and RCM vascular patterns in BCC correlate with histopathological subtype and thus help in discriminating aggressive subtypes definitely deserves further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract To support the objectives of the journal, to publish new research and insights covering a broad spectrum of Intellectual Property information retrieval and patent analytics related practices and methods, the editors, together with the team at IFI CLAIMS® Patent Services, have put together a patent research collection, publicly available and for free, to foster scientific good practice: comparability, reproducibility, transparency and repeatability of experiments and results. The WPI collection is for this reason static. It will not be updated with new data. Otherwise, changes in experimental results would be impossible to trace with confidence to the new methods being proposed and not seen as a result of changes in the dataset. The WPI collection complements existing test collections, which are vertical (one domain or one authority over many years). Instead, the WPI collection is horizontal: it includes all technical domains from the major patenting authorities over the relatively short time span of two years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Primary cutaneous aggressive epidermotropic CD8+ T cell lymphoma is an extremely rare type of cytotoxic lymphoma with increased tendency of spreading to extranodal sites, poor response to conventional therapies for classic CD4+ cutaneous T cell lymphomas, and an unfavorable prognosis. Case report:We present the case of a 40 year old male patient who was referred to our clinic for generalized ulcerated, escharotic, infiltrated papules and plaques and painful ulcerations covered by white deposits on the soft and hard palate of 18 months duration. The unique clinical and histopathological features had posed great diagnostic and therapeutic difficulties. The patient had first been diagnosed with lymphomatoid papulosis, and later with T cell lymphoma and treated with methotrexate, oral retinoids and phototherapy without clinical benefit. During hospitalization in our clinic, the diagnosis of primary cutaneous aggressive epidermotropic CD8+ T cell lymphoma was established and treatment with cyclophosphamide and dexamethasone, associated with local radiation therapy was instituted. Although the cutaneous and oral lesions improved during the first 3 months of treatment, the condition gradually worsened afterwards. Conclusions: Due to the paucity of literature data, frequent atypical presentations, aggressive behavior, and lack of optimal treatment strategies, primary cutaneous aggressive epidermotropic CD8+ T cell lymphoma continues to represent a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. Further case reports that describe clinical experience and therapeutic outcomes would help clarify its definition, classification and guide the management in this very aggressive cutaneous lymphoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An early diagnosis is of overwhelming importance for the management and prognosis of mucocutaneous cancer. Actinic cheilitis (AC), defined by the clonal expansion of genomically unstable keratinocytes, is the most common potentially malignant lesion affecting the lips. Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is the most frequent oral malignancy, and there is strong evidence that the majority of the SCCs of the lip originate from AC. There is considerable difficulty in discerning between dysplasia and invasive carcinomas solely on a clinical basis. Although dermoscopy has become an essential tool for skin tumor evaluation, reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) is a non-invasive imaging technology that has proved itself extremely useful in the diagnosis and monitoring of several skin diseases, including AC and SCC. The present study aimed to re-emphasize the usefulness of RCM in the early detection of malignant transformation, using AC and SCC of the lips as working examples. Due to the apparent innocuousness of AC for numerous patients, it is not possible to overstress the importance of a correct and early diagnosis, proper treatment and long-term patient follow-up as being essential for preventing the progression to lip SCC, or for its timely diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) is a neurotropic virus which causes two distinct syndromes: primary infection presenting as varicella, mainly occurring in children without previous exposure to VZV, and reactivation of the latent VZV in the dorsal root ganglia, causing herpes zoster in adults. Herpes zoster clinically presents as a unilateral, painful, vesicular eruption, usually distributed to one or two adjacent thoracic dermatomes. As it is rarely seen confined to the upper limbs, few reports of herpes zoster involving the ulnar nerve exist in the literature, the majority describing patients who present with segmental zoster paresis of the upper extremity. This paper reports the case of a 73-year-old woman with ulnar and posterior antebrachial cutaneous nerve zoster reactivation and no history of immunosuppressive disorders. Therefore, rare occurrences of herpes zoster, such as the involvement of cervical dermatomes, should also be considered when faced with the differential diagnosis of symptomatic skin rashes of the upper limb, especially in elderly or immunosuppressed patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Basal cell carcinoma is a slow growing non-melanoma skin cancer appearing as a non-healing, painless, and sometimes pruriginous sore, usually on sun-exposed areas. Although it rarely metastasizes, BCC diagnosis and treatment should not be delayed due to its local invasive potential. Currently, dermatoscopy is a well propagated and commonly employed tool in clinical practice, providing a fast and handy approach to clinical diagnosis, without the significant financial costs associated with other more sophisticated diagnostic means. Since the very first dermatoscopic descriptions of basal cell carcinoma, the list of dermatoscopic diagnostic criteria has been updated and renewed numerous times. Dermatoscopy significantly augments basal cell carcinoma detection by its capability of discriminating it from other skin lesions and inflammatory skin conditions. Moreover, current evidence suggests that this noninvasive, real-time imaging technique is also valuable in tumor management, seeing that it provides additional information related to histopathological subtype, presence or lack of pigmentation, lateral tumor extension, and tumor response to non-surgical treatments. In this paper, we aim to summarize time-honored as well as current knowledge on the value of dermatoscopy in the diagnosis, classification, and treatment of basal cell carcinoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the increasing life expectancy, the geriatric dermatology has become more important and more common in the daily medical practice. A correct diagnosis and a proper management can reduce the morbidity and improve the quality of life. With age, the structure and functions of the skin are continuously changing. The factors which promote the aging of the skin are divided into two categories: intrinsical and extrinsical factors. The intrinsical factors are represented by the physiological processes of the aging of the skin, which are genetically determined, like wrinkles and loss of elasticity. Sun exposure, smoking, stress and other environmental factors are parts of the extrinsical group. The pathology of the elderly can be divided into four large groups: inflammatory dermatoses, skin infections, vascular pathologies and neoplasms. The main inflammatory dermatoses, which are most likely to be found in the elderly, are: asteatotic eczema, contact dermatitis, nummular eczema and drug eruptions. The skin infections which are most commonly found in older patients have various etiologies, for example bacterian (Staphylococcus aureus) fungal (Trichophyton rubrum, Candida albicans etc.) or viral (herpes zoster). These infections need a specific treatment, always taking into consideration the other comorbidities of the patients and the eventual drug interactions. With age, the density of the blood vessels and the cutaneous blood flow are decreasing. Due to the loss of elasticity and the impairment of the immune response, the aged skin is more susceptible to different agressions and has a delayed response to them. As a result, the most common vascular pathologies of the elderly are: senile purpura, stasis dermatitis, ulcers, bedsores and chronic venous insufficiency. Of high importance are also the neoplasms of the elderly. The benign neoplasms are: solar lentigos, actinic keratoses (these two types of lesions suggest an increased sun exposure throughout the entire life and indicate a high risk of developing a malignant neoplasm), seborrheic keratoses, angiomas and fibroepithelial polyps. The most common malignant tumors found at older ages are: basal cell carcinoma, scuamous cell carcinoma and melanoma, all of them being related to increased sun exposure. In conclusion, the spectrum of pathologies of the elderly is very broad, and their treatment requires an important amount of attention, because the patients usualy associate multiple comorbidities and present a high risk of complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-melanoma skin cancers represent the most common cancer in white-skinned individuals, with a continuous increasing global incidence. The main risk factor for their development is chronic exposure to sunlight. Unlike basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma arises from precancerous lesions such as actinic keratoses. The diagnosis of non-melanoma skin cancer is based on clinical examination and dermoscopy, while histopathology certifies the diagnosis. The following article will present the main types of non-melanoma cancers with their respective clinical features, along with diagnostic methods and available therapeutic options. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the world’s leading skin cancer in terms of frequency at the moment and its incidence continues to rise each year, leading to profound negative psychosocial and economic consequences. UV exposure is the most important environmental factor in the development of BCC in genetically predisposed individuals, this being reflected by the anatomical distribution of lesions mainly on sun-exposed skin areas. Early diagnosis and prompt management are of crucial importance in order to prevent local tissue destruction and subsequent disfigurement. Although various noninvasive or minimal invasive techniques have demonstrated their utility in increasing diagnostic accuracy of BCC and progress has been made in its treatment options, recurrent, aggressive, and metastatic variants of BCC still pose significant challenge for the healthcare system. Analysis of gene expression and proteomic profiling of tumor cells and of tumoral microenvironment in various tissues strongly suggests that certain molecules involved in skin cancer pathogenic pathways might represent novel predictive and prognostic biomarkers in BCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We take a look back at the conferences we attended in 2018. As every year, we try to cover a mix of small and large, academic and industry conferences, to get the pulse of our patent information industry, but also to make sure that developments in computer-based information processing are on our radar. The buzz around anything "AI" that we observed last year continues strongly. We report here on three conferences: the European Conference on Information Retrieval, Patent Information User Group conference, and the European Patent Office Patent Information Conference. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Skin and soft tissue infections are a frequent reason to address the dermatologist's office. Their evolution depends both on the patients' comorbidities and on the pathogenicity of the infecting microorganism. The antibiotic therapy is the core of the treatment. Its success is the result of the co-operation between clinician and microbiologist. Well tailored initial therapy, guided by local flora and the Gram smear data may enhance success and reduce complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Primary cutaneous aggressive epidermotropic CD8+ T cell lymphoma is an extremely rare type of cytotoxic lymphoma with increased tendency of spreading to extranodal sites, poor response to conventional therapies for classic CD4+ cutaneous T cell lymphomas, and an unfavorable prognosis. Case report: We present the case of a 40 year old male patient who was referred to our clinic for generalized ulcerated, escharotic, infiltrated papules and plaques and painful ulcerations covered by white deposits on the soft and hard palate of 18 months duration. The unique clinical and histopathological features had posed great diagnostic and therapeutic difficulties. The patient had first been diagnosed with lymphomatoid papulosis, and later with T cell lymphoma and treated with methotrexate, oral retinoids and phototherapy without clinical benefit. During hospitalization in our clinic, the diagnosis of primary cutaneous aggressive epidermotropic CD8+ T cell lymphoma was established and treatment with cyclophosphamide and dexamethasone, associated with local radiation therapy was instituted. Although the cutaneous and oral lesions improved during the first 3 months of treatment, the condition gradually worsened afterwards. Conclusions: Due to the paucity of literature data, frequent atypical presentations, aggressive behavior, and lack of optimal treatment strategies, primary cutaneous aggressive epidermotropic CD8+ T cell lymphoma continues to represent a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. Further case reports that describe clinical experience and therapeutic outcomes would help clarify its definition, classification and guide the management in this very aggressive cutaneous lymphoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An analysis of what formalism means for the Romanian legal system in the transition from a totalitarian to a democratic state is proposed here. In democratic states, theorists and practitioners of law habitually ponder between formalism and realism. Formalism involves framing the general situation (for regulation purposes) as well as the individual one (in the application or enforcement of the law) on the rule of law. In realism, the point of departure is the situation and by complex interpretations of it, often exceeding its legal aspects, a resolution is being sought for, in the situation of apparent or explicit conflict, aiming at more than the implementation / enforcement of the law -namely an extra-judicial end. Although formalism promises to reinforce objectivity, too zealous applications of the principle can, especially in a disjointed regulatory system, be compromising to the very purpose of the law. The approach will be more theoretical, without excluding some possible examples of how the system works, whilst reminiscent of excessive formalism prior to 1989 practices of law. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction is presented in which the editor discusses various articles within the issue on topics including Information retrieval (IR) in the intellectual property, cross-language retrieval, categorisation and image search in patents .

Poroid hidradenoma (PH) is a rare, benign adnexal neoplasm usually presenting as a solitary, well circumscribed, asymptomatic papule or nodule that appears reddish and is occasionally tender. Since 1990, only a few cases of PH have been reported. We present a case of PH on the medial surface of the thigh and describe, for the first time, the dermoscopic and reflectance confocal microscopic (RCM) features in correlation with histology. A 67-year-old woman with unremarkable family or past medical history presented with a nodular lesion on the medial surface of the right thigh. The lesion had appeared 4 months earlier and rapidly enlarged. Physical examination revealed a 7 × 5 mm, non-tender, reddish nodule with clinically distinct margins. Dermoscopy showed central blue-grey pigmented areas, a polymorphous vascular pattern with arborizing, glomerular and hairpin vessels surrounded by white halos. RCM revealed an ovoid, well-outlined tumor, with a central area containing cells with distinctive morphologies, two types of tumor cells, tubular hypo-reflective structures, and rectilinear vessels in the stroma. These findings correlated with histological features, which established the diagnosis of PH. Even though the diagnosis of PH remains histopathological, non-invasive tools, such as RCM, can help rule out several malignancies, therefore reducing surgical-associated comorbidity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) is a non-invasive imaging method designed to identify various skin diseases. Confocal based diagnosis may be subjective due to the learning curve of the method, the scarcity of training programs available for RCM, and the lack of clearly defined diagnostic criteria for all skin conditions. Given that in vivo RCM is becoming more widely used in dermatology, numerous deep learning technologies have been developed in recent years to provide a more objective approach to RCM image analysis. Machine learning-based algorithms are used in RCM image quality assessment to reduce the number of artifacts the operator has to view, shorten evaluation times, and decrease the number of patient visits to the clinic. However, the current visual method for identifying the dermal-epidermal junction (DEJ) in RCM images is subjective, and there is a lot of variation. The delineation of DEJ on RCM images could be automated through artificial intelligence, saving time and assisting novice RCM users in studying the key DEJ morphological structure. The purpose of this paper is to supply a current summary of machine learning and artificial intelligence's impact on the quality control of RCM images, key morphological structures identification, and detection of different skin lesion types on static RCM images. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: There is little need to emphasize the importance of chemoinformatics and chemical information retrieval. However, what seems to require a lot more effort in convincing members of the community is the need for standardized evaluation procedures and measures. How confident are we, as users, that the search tools we used have given us all the information that we were looking for? It is unrealistic to believe a marketing campaign which claims that a specific patent IR (information retrieval) system can find all relevant results for a search topic. And if we don’t trust marketing campaigns, how can we get an idea of what to expect from a patent search engine? One of the most prominent initiatives to work in this direction, of evaluating chemical IR tools, has started in 2009 with the support of NIST (National Institute for Standards and Technology): the TREC Chemical IR Track focuses on evaluation of search technologies for retrieval and knowledge discovery of digitally stored information on chemical patents and academic journal articles on chemistry. This paper describes our 2009 experience, presents the official results of the participating groups, and lays down the targets for 2010. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Cutaneous adnexal tumors are divided into four main types based on differentiation: eccrine, apocrine, follicular, and sebaceous.[1] Some of these neoplasms are very rare, including tubular apocrine adenoma (TAA), first described by Landry in 1972.[2] TAA is a benign sweat gland tumor, usually presenting as a well-defined, red to brown nodule, with a wide age distribution and a female predominance of 2: 1.[3] Although TAA has been histologically well characterized,[4] its dermoscopic features are scarcely described while its reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) has not been described. (e) Tumor lobule with glandular differentiation (white elipse; H&E, scale bar 50 m) corresponding on RCM to a TI with a bright cellular rim defining the lumen (f) (white elipse; scale bar 100 m). Although the limited number of reported cases has hindered a thorough understanding of this tumor, TAA remains an entity that practitioners should remain aware of within their differential diagnoses, as there are some concerns regarding malignant transformation and/or perineural invasion. [Extracted from the article]

Desmoplastic melanoma accounts for 5% of all cases of melanoma, but its diagnosis can be difficult due to its frequent clinical presentation with amelanotic lesions. Histologically, spindled melanocytes surrounded by a collagenous stroma are observed. Compared with other types of melanoma, the desmoplastic types presents greater local aggression, and is more prone to local recurrence, but has a lower risk of lymph node metastasis. Early detection, accurate staging, and proper surgical management are the main factors associated with higher survival rates in melanoma patients. Reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) has proven to be a valuable imaging tool in the diagnosis of skin neoplasms, being useful for orientating practitioners towards the diagnosis of melanoma and indicating the necessity of performing a diagnostic biopsy. We present the case of 52-year-old woman, who presented to the dermatology department with an irregular, dark-colored plaque in the right deltoid region. Dermoscopy showed asymmetry with an atypical network and some areas of regression. RCM revealed pagetoid cells in the upper epidermis, cell atypia, non-edged papillae, dermal inflammation, and nucleated cells in the dermis, which are highly suggestive of melanoma. A biopsy was also performed. A histopathology exam confirmed the diagnosis of superficially spreading melanoma with a desmoplastic component, and revealed a Breslow index of 0.9 mm, Clark level IV, an absence of mitoses, angiolymphatic invasion and regression, and complete excision. The CT and PET-CT scans were negative. A biopsy of the axillary sentinel lymph node was conducted, with a negative result obtained, establishing the IB stage of the disease. The patient will remain under follow-up to look for a recurrence or a new primary melanoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Complete removal of malignant skin lesions with minimal impact on the aesthetic and functional aspects is the ideal of every dermatologic surgeon. Incomplete surgical excisions and tumor recurrences of basal cell carcinomas (BCC) commonly occur due to the subclinical extension of tumor lateral margins. Presently, the lateral excision margins for BCC cannot be objectively assessed preoperatively, dermoscopy proving to be relatively inefficient in this respect. The question is whether BCC lateral excision margins can be precisely determined preoperatively through the use of complementary non-invasive imaging techniques such as dermoscopy and reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM), thus permitting the complete removal of the lesion in a single stage, estimation of the post-excisional defect, and planning an appropriate reconstruction, especially in medical centers where Mohs micrographic surgery is not available. We present the results of a prospective, histopathologically controlled study designed to determine the feasibility of preoperative, non-invasive, in vivo evaluation of the lateral excision margins for primary basal cell carcinoma, through dermoscopy and RCM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Actinic cheilitis (AC) is one of the most frequent pathologies to affect the lips. Studies show that the most commonplace oral malignancy, squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), often emerges from AC lesions. Invasive diagnostic techniques performed on the lips carry a high risk of complications, but reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM), a non-invasive skin imaging technique, may change the current diagnostic pathway. This retrospective study was aimed at consolidating the RCM diagnostic criteria for AC and lip SCC. The study was conducted in two tertiary care centers in Bucharest, Romania. We included adults with histopathologically confirmed AC and SCC who also underwent RCM examination. Of the twelve lesions included in the study, four were AC and eight were SCC. An atypical honeycomb pattern and the presence of target cells in the epidermis were RCM features associated with AC. SCC was typified by the presence of complete disruption of the epidermal architecture and dermal inflammatory infiltrates. The mean blood vessel diameter in SCC was 18.55 µm larger than that in AC (p = 0.006) and there was no significant difference (p = 0.64) in blood vessel density, as measured by RCM, between SCC and AC. These data confirm that RCM can be useful for the in vivo distinction between AC and lip SCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This short communication describes the background, objectives, and publications of World Patent Information 's special issue on Artificial Intelligence for Intellectual Property (AI for IP). The report serves as the editorial for the WPI 's special issue on AI for IP. We look forward to receiving future contributions in research articles, literature/book reviews, conference reports and short communications in the subject areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common cancer worldwide and its incidence is constantly rising. Early diagnosis and treatment can significantly reduce patient morbidity and healthcare costs. The value of reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) in non-melanoma skin cancer diagnosis is still under debate. This systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted to assess the diagnostic accuracy of RCM in primary BCC. PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, and Web of Science databases were searched up to July 05, 2019, to collect articles concerning primary BCC diagnosis through RCM. The studies' methodological quality was assessed by the QUADAS-2 tool. The meta-analysis was conducted using Stata 13.0, RevMan 5.0, and MetaDisc 1.4 software. We included 15 studies totaling a number of 4163 lesions. The pooled sensitivity and specificity were 0.92 (95% CI, 0.87–0.95; I2 = 85.27%) and 0.93 (95% CI, 0.85–0.97; I2 = 94.61%), the pooled positive and negative likelihood ratios were 13.51 (95% CI, 5.8–31.37; I2 = 91.01%) and 0.08 (95% CI, 0.05–0.14; I2 = 84.83%), and the pooled diagnostic odds ratio was 160.31 (95% CI, 64.73–397.02; I2 = 71%). Despite the heterogeneity and risk of bias, this study demonstrates that RCM, through its high sensitivity and specificity, may have a significant clinical impact on the diagnosis of primary BCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Actinic keratoses are lesions with a variable potential for malignant transformation, but with a difficult predictability of evolution towards this type of lesions. Non-invasive skin imaging methods represent diagnostic tools that allow a better evaluation of actinic keratoses lesions, as well as the establishment of a diagnosis with greater specificity and sensitivity. This review aims to identify all skin imaging methods that are useful in the diagnosis and monitoring of the treatment of actinic keratoses, as well as to identify those lesions at risk of transforming into squamous cell carcinoma. Non-melanocytic skin cancers represent an important public health problem due to the increasing incidence and the important local destructive potential. Thus, the early diagnosis and treatment of precancerous lesions (actinic keratoses) is a priority for the dermatologist. In recent years, non-invasive skin imaging methods have seen an important development, moving from simple observational methods used in clinical research, to true diagnostic and treatment methods that make the dermatologist's life easier. Given the frequency of these precancerous lesions, their location on photo-exposed areas, as well as the long treatment periods, with variable, imprecise end-points, the need to use non-invasive imaging devices is increasingly evident to complete the clinical observations in the diagnosis and treatment of these lesions, with the aim of increasing accuracy and decreasing the adverse effects due to long treatment duration. This is the first review that brings together all skin imaging methods (dermoscopy, reflectance confocal microscopy, ultrasonography, dermoscopy-guided high frequency ultrasonography, and optical coherence tomography) used in the evaluation of actinic keratoses and their response to different treatment regimens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current national and European guidelines recommend distinct management approaches for basal cell carcinoma (BCC) based on tumor location, size, and histopathological subtype. In vivo reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) is a non-invasive skin imaging technique which may change the diagnostic pathway for BCC patients. This study aimed to determine the sensitivity and specificity of RCM for BCC diagnosis, assess the predictive values of several confocal criteria in correctly classifying BCC subtypes, and evaluate the intraobserver reliability of RCM diagnosis for BCC. We conducted a retrospective study in two tertiary care centers in Bucharest, Romania. We included adults with clinically and dermoscopic suspect BCCs who underwent RCM and histopathological examination of excision specimens. For RCM examinations, we used the VivaScope 1500 and histopathology of the surgical excision specimen was the reference standard. Of the 123 cases included in the analysis, BCC was confirmed in 104 and excluded in 19 cases. RCM showed both high sensitivity (97.1%, 95% CI (91.80, 99.40)) and specificity (78.95%, 95% CI (54.43, 93.95)) for detecting BCC. Several RCM criteria were highly predictive for BCC subtypes: cords connected to the epidermis for superficial BCC, big tumor islands, peritumoral collagen bundles and increased vascularization for nodular BCC, and hyporefractile silhouettes for aggressive BCC. Excellent intraobserver agreement (κ = 0.909, p < 0.001) was observed. This data suggests that RCM could be used for preoperative diagnosis and BCC subtype classification in patients with suspected BCCs seen in tertiary care centers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With a constantly increasing incidence, cutaneous melanoma has raised the need for a better understanding of its complex microenvironment that may further guide therapeutic options. Melanoma is a model tumor in immuno-oncology. Inflammation represents an important hallmark of cancer capable of inducing and sustaining tumor development. The inflammatory process also orchestrates the adaptative immunosuppression of tumor cells that helps them to evade immune destruction. Besides its role in proliferation, angiogenesis, and apoptosis, cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is a well-known promoter of immune suppression in melanoma. COX-2 inhibitors are closely involved in this condition. This review attempts to answer two controversial questions: is COX-2 a valuable prognostic factor? Among all COX-2 inhibitors, is celecoxib a suitable adjuvant in melanoma therapy? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Readers of this journal are well aware that automation technology has played a significant role in searching for patent information and, as artificial intelligence is once again (after the first, 1960s, and second, 1980s, golden eras of AI) a trending topic at both academic and industry conferences, the editorial team of this journal would like to encourage contributions that cover any aspect of automation as applied to intellectual property information. As a new Associate Editor of World Patent Information, I take the opportunity to advertise the availability of the editorial team to submissions from computer science teams, in addition to the existing contributions from the IP community. By way of introduction, I have taken the liberty to provide an extremely brief overview of efforts and contributions that the computer science community has made to the field of intellectual property. This summary focuses on patents, but that is not to say that trademarks or other forms of intellectual property have not triggered the interest of computer scientists. In fact, to call this summary short is already giving it too much credit. It is but a seed, upon which I hope that a forest of contributions and publications from my fellow computer scientists will grow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) is a modern imaging technique that enables the in vivo or ex vivo characterization of skin lesions located in the epidermis and superficial dermis with a high quasi-microscopic resolution. Currently, it is considered to be the most promising imaging tool for the evaluation of superficial skin tumors. The in vivo mode adds the advantage of noninvasive, dynamic, in real-time assessment of the tumor associated vasculature and inflammation. It offers the possibility to repeatedly examine the same skin area without causing any damage and to monitor disease progression and treatment outcome. Furthermore, this novel technology allows the evaluation of the entire lesion and can be used to guide biopsies and to define tumor margins before surgical excision or other invasive therapies. CLSM diagnostic features may differentiate between the various histologic subtypes of skin tumors and therefore helps in choosing the best therapeutic approach. In this study, we present the CLSM characteristic features of the most common melanocytic and non-melanocytic skin tumors, as well as future possible CLSM applications in the study of experimental skin tumorigenesis on animal models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lichen planus (LP) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease that can sometimes affect mucosal surfaces, with unknown pathogenesis, even though it appears to be an autoimmune disease. The diagnosis of lichen planus is usually based on histopathological examination of the lesions. Nowadays, the classical invasive diagnostic methods are replaced by modern non-invasive techniques. In this review, we present the main non-invasive imaging methods (dermoscopy, reflectance confocal microscopy, optical coherence tomography, ultrasound and diffuse reflection spectrophotometry) used in the diagnosis and therapeutic monitoring of lichen planus. Dermoscopy is a non-invasive method initially used for diagnosis of pigmented tumors but now is used also for inflammatory and infectious skin diseases. In lichen planus, the dermoscopy increases the accuracy of diagnosis, avoids skin biopsies commonly used and can be useful in the therapeutic monitoring by repeated investigation at different stages of treatment. Reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) is a novel non-invasive imaging technique that is prevalently used for the diagnosis of skin tumors and inflammatory skin diseases. This technology has been mostly employed for bedside, real-time microscopic evaluation of psoriasis, lichen planus, contact dermatitis, revealing specific confocal features to support clinical diagnosis and assist with patient management. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is an emergent imaging technique, developed over the last decade, based on the interaction of the infrared radiation (900–1,500 nm) and the living tissues. A limited information exists on the benefits of OCT technology for the in vivo diagnosis of LP but could be a useful auxiliary tool in the in vivo differential diagnosis, especially in clinical equivocal settings like mucosal lesions, and in monitoring the response to treatment. Our review shows the possibility of using modern imaging techniques for the in vivo diagnosis and also for evaluation of the treatment response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taking into consideration that the immune system plays a very important role in the development of melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancers, which have a high prevalence in immunosuppressed patients and after prolonged ultraviolet radiation, the interest in developing novel therapies, in particular targeting the inflammation in cancer, has increased in the past years. The latest data suggest that therapies such as imiquimod (IMQ), ingenol mebutate (IM), 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), retinoids, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) have been used with success in the topical treatment of some cancers. Herein, we review the topical treatment targeting the inflammation in skin cancer and the mechanisms involved in these processes. Currently, various associations have shown a superior success rate than monotherapy, such as systemic acitretin and topical IMQ, topical 5-FU with tretinoin cream, or IMQ with checkpoint inhibitor cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen 4. Novel therapies targeting Toll-like receptor-7 (TLR-7) with higher selectivity than IMQ are also of great interest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Every information retrieval (IR) model embeds in its scoring function a form of term frequency (TF) quantification. The contribution of the term frequency is determined by the properties of the function of the chosen TF quantification, and by its TF normalization. The first defines how independent the occurrences of multiple terms are, while the second acts on mitigating the a priori probability of having a high term frequency in a document (estimation usually based on the document length). New test collections, coming from different domains (e.g. medical, legal), give evidence that not only document length, but in addition, verboseness of documents should be explicitly considered. Therefore we propose and investigate a systematic combination of document verboseness and length. To theoretically justify the combination, we show the duality between document verboseness and length. In addition, we investigate the duality between verboseness and other components of IR models. We test these new TF normalizations on four suitable test collections. We do this on a well defined spectrum of TF quantifications. Finally, based on the theoretical and experimental observations, we show how the two components of this new normalization, document verboseness and length, interact with each other. Our experiments demonstrate that the new models never underperform existing models, while sometimes introducing statistically significantly better results, at no additional computational cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bowenoid papulosis is a cutaneous disease that is part of the spectrum of genital in situ carcinomas, caused primarily by infection with oncogenic strains of the HPV virus. The potential to transform into squamous cell carcinoma requires the diagnosis and treatment of the lesions. We present the case of a 34-year-old non-smoker without medical history who presented to our clinic for the appearance of multiple, asymptomatic, well-defined, flat, pigmented violaceous papules at the root of the penis in evolution for a year. Reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) suggested the diagnosis of bowenoid papulosis, which was confirmed by histopathological examination. The treatment with Imiquimod 5% (3 times/week) and Isoprinosine (4 g/day) was initiated, followed by monitoring of the lesions by repeated RCM examination. The evolution of the patient at 6 weeks of therapy was favourable, with clinical remission of lesions and improvement in RCM aspects of the evaluated skin. In conclusion, RCM represents a useful noninvasive examination method that allows not only the diagnosis but also the follow-up of the treatment response in order to decide the appropriate length of therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Psoriasis is a chronic, immune-mediated inflammatory disease with cutaneous manifestations, associated with systemic involvement in moderate to severe psoriasis, that has a negative impact on patient's quality of life. Psoriasis has multiple clinical presentations, but the most common one is vulgar psoriasis. Comorbidities associated with psoriasis are numerous and of multidisciplinary interest, the most important being cardiovascular diseases, depression and psoriatic arthritis. The diagnosis is based on the clinical examination and is confirmed by the histopathological exam. The gold standard of treatment in psoriasis vulgaris remains systemic therapy with methotrexate, while the evolution of the biologic therapies leads to the widening of the therapeutic horizon, especially for moderate and severe forms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nevus sebaceous of Jadassohn (NSJ) is a rare congenital lesion that affects the adnexal structures of the skin. It is typically located on the scalp and face of females and presents as a well-defined, slightly elevated, yellow lesion. It is also linked to a high risk of secondary tumors, which are more frequently benign than malignant. In vivo reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) is a non-invasive imaging technique that provides a horizontal image of the skin with a resolution similar to histology. We report a case of basal cell carcinoma (BCC) developed in an NSJ with its dermoscopic, confocal, and histopathological features. A 49-year-old female presented with a well-circumscribed, 1 cm-diameter verrucous, yellowish lesion surrounded by a poorly defined, slightly erythematous, translucent plaque, located on the scalp in the temporoparietal region, which had been present since birth, grew at puberty, and changed its appearance in the last three years. Dermoscopy of the central lesion revealed yellow globules grouped into clusters, with peripheral linear and arborescent thin vessels, surrounded by several translucent nodular lesions with fine, arborizing vessels. RCM examination showed large, monomorphic cells with a hyperreflective periphery and a hyperreflective center located on the central lesion, corresponding to sebocytes, surrounded by multiple dark silhouettes lined with hyperreflective bands of thickened collagen, corresponding to tumor islands. The histopathological findings confirmed the diagnosis of BCC developed on an NJS. RCM can be a useful technique for the non-invasive examination and monitoring of these lesions, taking into account their transformation risk and preventing unnecessary excisions that might have a detrimental aesthetic impact on patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-frequency ultrasonography (HF-USG) is a relatively new imaging method that allows the evaluation in a non-invasive manner of the skin layers and skin appendages. It is a diagnostic tool with increasing usefulness in numerous dermatological pathologies. High reproducibility, non-invasiveness and short diagnostic time make this method an increasingly used tool in dermatological practice. The subepidermal low-echogenic band is a relatively newly described parameter that seems to be a marker not only of intrinsic and extrinsic skin aging, but also of inflammatory processes taking place at the skin level. This systematic review aims to evaluate the role that SLEB has in the diagnosis and monitoring of the treatment of some inflammatory and non-inflammatory dermatological conditions, as well as its utility as a disease marker. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Machine learning research, particularly in genomics, is often based on wide shaped datasets, i.e. datasets having a large number of features, but a small number of samples. Such configurations raise the possibility of chance influence (the increase of measured accuracy due to chance correlations) on the learning process and the evaluation results. Prior research underlined the problem of generalization of models obtained based on such data. In this paper, we investigate the influence of chance on prediction and show its significant effects on wide shaped datasets. First, we empirically demonstrate how significant the influence of chance in such datasets is by showing that prediction models trained on thousands of randomly generated datasets can achieve high accuracy. This is the case even when using cross-validation. We then provide a formal analysis of chance influence and design formal chance influence estimators based on the dataset parameters, namely its sample size, the number of features, the number of classes and the class distribution. Finally, we provide an in-depth discussion of the formal analysis including applications of the findings and recommendations on chance influence mitigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: In this study, we assess the prognostic potential of immune and inflammatory elements determined preoperatively in the peripheral blood of patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Preoperative plasma fibrinogen (Fib) and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) show strong correlations with patients' outcomes. Analyzed together, in a new parameter named Fibrinogen-PLR Algorithm (FiPLA), predictive power increases significantly. Clinicians can use this new, easy, cost-effective, and globally available tool for risk stratification of patients with OSCC, as early as from the moment of diagnosis. (1) Background: Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a common malignancy, and the impact of immune and inflammatory mechanisms in its development and progression are of major interest. The aim of our study is to assess the prognostic potential of circulating immune and inflammatory elements determined preoperatively in patients with OSCC, as well as the development of a new compound parameter with predictive value. (2) Methods: We assessed preoperative fibrinogen (Fib) and the platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) in 111 OSCC patients. Using a mathematic algorithm, we determined a composite parameter with cumulative information from Fib and PLR, named Fibrinogen-PLR Algorithm (FiPLA). Survival analysis, followed by bivariate and multivariate analyses, was subsequently conducted. (3) Results: Increased preoperative Fib and PLR levels were associated with poor outcome in OSCC (p = 0.0001 and p = 0.0015, respectively). Preoperative FiPLA values were also associated with poor patient survival (p < 0.0001). Multivariate analysis confirmed the independent prognostic role for FiPLA only (CI95% 1.232–67.770, p = 0.03), showing the superior predictive value of FiPLA compared to its individual components. (4) Conclusions: Preoperative assessments of circulating immune and inflammatory elements can provide high-quality prognostic information, and they represent valuable tools in clinical practice, facilitating the early risk stratification of patients with OSCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is the second most common type of malignancy worldwide. Skin and mucosa of the head and neck areas are the most frequently affected. An aggressive behavior in SCC is not easily detected, and despite all efforts, mortality in these types of cancer did not show major improvements during recent decades. In this study, we aim to determine the role of histological features available through standard pathology assessment in SCC and their relation with tumor behavior and patients' survival. Method: in a group of one hundred patients diagnosed with SCC involving the head and neck areas, we assessed the presence of four histological features (tumor/stroma ratio, immune infiltration at the front of invasion, tumor-budding activity, and tumor necrosis), their correlations with tumor type (mucosal or cutaneous), tumor clinicopathological characteristics, and their prognostic potential. Results: the comparison between histological features in cutaneous versus mucosal SCC reveals no significant differences for any of the four parameters assessed. We found significant correlations between tumor/stroma ratio and lymphatic metastasis (p = 0.0275), perineural invasion (p = 0.0006), and clinical staging (p = 0.0116). Immune infiltration at the front of invasion revealed similar correlations with lymph node involvement (p = 0.002), perineural invasion (p = 0.0138), and clinical staging (p = 0.0043). Tumor budding and tumor necrosis correlated with the size of the tumor (p = 0.0077 and p = 0.0004) and the clinical staging (p = 0.0039 and p = 0.0143). In addition, tumor budding was significantly correlated with perineural invasion (p = 0.0454). In mucosal SCC, patients with improved outcome revealed high values for the tumor/stroma ratio (p = 0.0159) and immune infiltration at the front of invasion (p = 0.0274). However, the multivariate analysis did not confirm their independent prognostic roles. Conclusions: extended histological assessments that include features such as tumor/stroma ratio, immune infiltration at the front of invasion, tumor budding, and tumor necrosis can be an easy, accessible method to collect additional information on tumor aggressiveness in skin and mucosa SCC affecting the head and neck areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Oral cancer is a common malignancy with high morbidity and mortality. Tumor-infiltrating immune cells play key roles in its pathogenesis, influencing tumor behavior and evolution. The aim of our study was to assess the prognostic character of tumor-infiltrating CD4+, CD8+ and CD56+ cells in oral squamous cell carcinoma. We found major differences in CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocyte density at the front of invasion compared to the intratumor compartment. In addition, intense infiltration with CD8+ lymphocytes in both compartments carried a positive prognostic character. Moreover, we found that a higher intratumor infiltration with CD56+ cells significantly correlated with locoregional disease control and improved survival. Our study confirms the key role of innate and adaptive immune systems in oral squamous cell carcinoma. The predictive characteristics of CD8+ and CD56+ cells can be implemented as independent prognostic tools and can provide important elements in developing individualized therapy in the fight against oral cancer. (1) Background: The immune microenvironment plays an important role in carcinogenesis and has prognostic potential in many types of cancer. In this study we assess the prognostic character of tumor-infiltrating immune cells CD4+, CD8+ and CD56+ in resectable oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC); (2) Methods: We have evaluated the densities of CD4+, CD8+ and CD56+ in two distinct compartments, intratumor and invasion front, in 90 patients with OSCC; (3) Results: Significant differences were found between the tumor compartments for the CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocytes. An improved outcome (OS) was seen in patients with high densities of intratumor CD8+ lymphocytes (p = 0.0086), CD8+ lymphocytes at the front of invasion (p = 0.0011) and for intratumor CD56+ cells (p = 0.0016). Multivariate analysis confirmed the independent prognostic role of CD8+ at the front of invasion (OR = 3.75, CI95% 1.17–12.35, p = 0.026) and for intratumor CD56+ cells (OR = 3.669, CI95% 1.09–15.37, p = 0.035); (4) Conclusions: Tumor-infiltrating CD8+ lymphocytes at the front of invasion and CD56+ in the intratumor compartment display predictive traits in OSCC. A reach immune infiltration with these types of cells is associated with an improved patient outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The empirical nature of Information Retrieval (IR) mandates strong experimental practices. A keystone of such experimental practices is the Cranfield evaluation paradigm. Within this paradigm, the collection of relevance judgments has been the subject of intense scientific investigation. This is because, on one hand, consistent, precise, and numerous judgements are keys to reducing evaluation uncertainty and test collection bias; on the other hand, however, relevance judgements are costly to collect. The selection of which documents to judge for relevance, known as pooling method, has therefore a great impact on IR evaluation. In this paper we focus on the bias introduced by the pooling method, known as pool bias, which affects the reusability of test collections, in particular when building test collections with a limited budget. In this paper we formalize and evaluate a set of 22 pooling strategies based on: traditional strategies, voting systems, retrieval fusion methods, evaluation measures, and multi-armed bandit models. To do this we run a large-scale evaluation by considering a set of 9 standard TREC test collections, in which we show that the choice of the pooling strategy has significant effects on the cost needed to obtain an unbiased test collection. We also identify the least biased pooling strategy in terms of pool bias according to three IR evaluation measures: AP, NDCG, and P@10. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since its inception in 2013, one of the key contributions of the CLEF eHealth evaluation campaign has been the organization of an ad-hoc information retrieval (IR) benchmarking task. This IR task evaluates systems intended to support laypeople searching for and understanding health information. Each year the task provides registered participants with standard IR test collections consisting of a document collection and topic set. Participants then return retrieval results obtained by their IR systems for each query, which are assessed using a pooling procedure. In this article we focus on CLEF eHealth 2013 and 2014s retrieval task, which saw topics created based on patients’ information needs associated with their medical discharge summaries. We overview the task and datasets created, and the results obtained by participating teams over these two years. We then provide a detailed comparative analysis of the results, and conduct an evaluation of the datasets in the light of these results. This twofold study of the evaluation campaign teaches us about technical aspects of medical IR, such as the effectiveness of query expansion; the quality and characteristics of CLEF eHealth IR datasets, such as their reliability; and how to run an IR evaluation campaign in the medical domain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An important function of the immune system is its ability to differentiate between healthy cells in the organism and "foreign" cells, allowing the latest to be attacked and the first ones to be conserved. The most important molecules in this process are considered to be checkpoint inhibitors. This review is focused on the association between cancer and inflammation, underlying the mechanisms of action of monoclonal antibodies that are targeting checkpoint inhibitors: ipilimumab against cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA-4) and pembrolizumab and nivolumab against programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1), their indications for treatment, and side effects. Presence of antibodies against checkpoint inhibitors shows promising results in the clinical trials in patients with types of cancer difficult to treat until now such as melanoma, non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and renal cell carcinoma, offering an increase in the overall survival rate, response rate, and progression-free rate. Resistance is now observed to emerge in patients treated with this therapy, showing the need for more studies in order to design a biomarker that will predict the type of response to immunotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiple autoimmune syndrome is a rare condition, defined by the association of at least three autoimmune disorders in the same patient, and first described by Humbert and Dupond in 1988. Psoriasis, vitiligo, and oral lichen planus are all common dermatological disorders in the general population, and the coexistence of these three diseases in these exact clinical variants has never been reported in the literature before. Herein, we describe an unusual case of co-occurrence of psoriasis vulgaris, vitiligo, and oral lichen planus. A 67-year-old Romanian female patient with a history of both vitiligo and psoriasis presented with white, shiny striae, organized in a reticular pattern on the mucosa of the cheek and whitish homogeneous irregularities similar to leukoplakia involving the dorsal side of the tongue. Histology examination confirmed oral lichen planus. The rarity of this case is highlighted by the coexistence of psoriasis, vitiligo, and oral lichen planus in the absence of cutaneous lichen planus lesions, an association which may be a newly described variant of multiple autoimmune syndrome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]