Membranous glomerulonephritis (MGN) is a rare extra-hematological autoimmune complication of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), clinically characterized by nephrotic-range proteinuria and, less ...frequently, renal failure. Because of the rarity of this condition, there is no standardized treatment. Chlorambucil and fludarabine-based regimens, possibly combined with rituximab, have been historically the most frequent therapeutic approaches, with renal response obtained in about two-third of the patients. However, responses are often transient and partial. Here we describe the first patient with rituximab-refractory, CLL-related MGN successfully treated with the Bcl-2 antagonist venetoclax. Nephrotic syndrome resolved as soon as three months after venetoclax initiation, with no unexpected toxicities. At the last follow-up, 17 months after venetoclax start, renal response persists, with proteinuria below 0.5 g/24 hours. This case suggests that targeted agents, particularly Bcl-2 antagonists, might be suitable options for patients with renal autoimmune disorders arising in the context of CLL.
Classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL) is a unique neoplastic ecosystem characterized by a heterogeneous immune infiltrate surrounding the rare malignant Hodgkin Reed-Sternberg cells. Though less abundant ...than T-cells, tumor-infiltrating macrophages play a pivotal role in supporting HRS survival through cell-to-cell and paracrine interactions. Traditional immunohistochemistry based upon the M1-M2 dichotomy yielded controversial results about the composition, functional role and prognostic impact of macrophages in cHL. More recent studies exploiting single-cell technologies and image analyses have highlighted the heterogeneity and the peculiar spatial arrangement of the macrophagic infiltrate, with the most immunosuppressive subpopulations lying in close proximity of HRS cells and the most tumor-hostile subsets kept far away from the neoplastic niches. High-throughput analysis of peripheral blood mononuclear cells in cHL patients have also identified a novel, potentially cytotoxic, subpopulation predicting better response to PD-1 blockade. This review examines the phenotypic profile, spatial localization and clinical impact of tumor-infiltrating macrophages and circulating monocytes in cHL, providing an up-do-date portrait of these innate immune cells with possible translational applications.
Background: The clinical diagnosis of melanoma could be difficult for a general practitioner and, in some cases, for dermatologists.
To enhance and support the clinical evaluation of pigmented skin ...lesions a computer-aided diagnosis has been introduced. Materials
and Methods: Images of melanocytic lesions (477 total, 42 melanomas and 435 melanocytic nevi) evaluated in epiluminescence
microscopy and recorded with x16 magnification were selected. A training set of 22 melanomas and 218 nevi was randomized from
the dataset. The test set was formed by the complement (the remaining 20 melanomas and 217 nevi). Furthermore, a set of images
consisting of 31 melanomas and 103 nevi was selected to compare the discrimination capacity of three general practitioners
and three dermatologists with experience in dermoscopy (2 years), and with the automatic data analysis for the melanoma early
detection system (ADAM). Sensitivity and specificity were estimated for observer assessments and computer diagnosis. Results:
The entire dataset used to test the implementation of the diagnostic algorithms ADAM showed a good sensitivity and specificity
performance. Compared with the physicians, the ADAM system showed a slightly higher diagnostic performance in terms of sensitivity
and a lower one in terms of specificity. Dermatologists showed higher levels of specificity, but lower levels in terms of
sensitivity, when compared with the general practitioners. Conclusion: Image analysis has the potential to distinguish nevi
and melanomas and to support the clinical diagnosis of melanocytic lesions by the general practitioner.
Com o objetivo de estudar a exigência nutricional de mudas de erva-mate (Ilex paraguariensis A. St.-Hil.) à adubação fosfatada, foi instalado um experimento no Centro Tecnológico de Silvicultura ...pertencente ao Departamento de Ciências Florestais/CCR/UFSM. Vasos com capacidade de 2 dm3 foram preenchidos com 2 kg de solo do tipo Argissolo Vermelho-Amarelo coletado na camada superficial (0-20 cm), o qual foi destorroado, homogeneizado, seco ao ar, passado em peneira de 5 mm e posteriormente analisado quimicamente. Como adubação complementar, foram adicionados 64 mg kg-1 de N e 38 mg kg-1 de K, as fontes utilizadas foram CH4N2O e KCl, respectivamente. O delineamento experimental utilizado foi o inteiramente casualizado com oito tratamentos e seis repetições, distribuídos da seguinte forma: T1-testemunha (solo sem adição de P), T2-90 mg kg-1, T3-180 mg kg-1, T4-270 mg kg-1, T5-360 mg kg-1, T6-450 mg kg-1, T7-540 mg kg-1 e T8-630 mg kg-1 de P respectivamente, a fonte de P foi CaHPO4. Decorridos 10 meses da repicagem foram realizadas as medições das variáveis: altura da parte aérea, diâmetro do colo, biomassa acima do solo, biomassa radicular e biomassa total. O melhor desenvolvimento das mudas de erva-mate foi observado nas doses de 360 e 450 mg kg-1 de P.
Experiments were installed in the Forestry Technological Center belonging to Forest Science/CCR/UFSM Department in order to study the nutritional exigency of Ilex paraguariensis A. St.-Hil. seedlings ...to fertilization of phosphorus doses. Vases with capacity of 2 dm3 were filled out with Red Yellow Argisol soil collected from a superficial layer (0-20 cm), which was homogenized, dried in the air, past in sieve of 5 mm and analyzed chemically. As additional fertilization, 64 mg kg-1 of N and 38 mg kg-1 K were added the sources were CH4N2O and KCI. The experimental design used was completely randomized with 8 treatments and 6 repetitions, distributed in the following way: T I -control (sole without P addition), T2-90 mg kg-1, T3-180 mg kg-1, T4-270 mg kg-1, T5-360 mg kg-1, T6-450 mg kg-1, T7-540 mg kg-1 and T8-630 mg kg-1 of P, respectively. After 10 months, the following parameters were evaluated: the height of the aerial part, stem diameter, biomass above ground, root biomass and total biomass. The best development of the erva-mate seedlings were observed in the doses from 360 and 450 mg P kg-1.
A mineração de carvão em sistema de lavra a céu aberto ocasiona grande degradação ambiental, principalmente do solo. A revegetação com espécies arbóreas é a melhor forma de recuperar essas áreas. ...Dentre as espécies potenciais para a recuperação de áreas degradadas no Sul do Brasil, Acacia mearnsii destaca-se, em virtude de seu rápido crescimento e capacidade de associação simbiótica. O presente trabalho teve por objetivo estimar a biomassa e o comprimento de raízes finas (≤ 2 mm de diâmetro), em diferentes profundidades do solo, em povoamento de Acacia mearnsii, com 4 anos de idade e espaçamento 4 x 1,5 m, estabelecido em área degradada pela mineração de carvão. O estudo foi realizado no município de Butiá (RS), na empresa Copelmi Mineração Ltda. Foram amostrados quatro monólitos de 25 x 25 x 60 cm. Os monólitos foram divididos em seis perfis geométricos, nas profundidades de 0-10, 10-20, 20-30, 30-40, 40-50, 50-60 cm. Nessas mesmas profundidades, foram coletadas amostras de solo para análise química e densidade. A separação das raízes do solo foi por meio de um conjunto de duas peneiras (2 e 1 mm de malha) e jatos d’água. Na determinação do comprimento de raízes, foi utilizado o método de intersecção. A biomassa e o comprimento total de raízes finas encontradas para a Acacia mearnsii foram de 6.924 kg ha-1 e 433.441 km ha-1, ressaltando que 86,78% e 86,59% desses valores, respectivamente, estavam concentrados nos primeiros 20 cm de profundidade do solo.
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