European S2k Guideline on Chronic Pruritus.

Pruritus is a frequent symptom in medicine. Population-based studies show that one in five persons in the general population has suffered from chronic pruritus (CP) at least once in their lifetime, with a 12-month incidence of 7%. CP, which can affect all age groups, is associated with numerous, often interdisciplinary medical conditions.

Wood decay under anoxia by the brown-rot fungus Fomitopsis pinicola.

Basidiomycete fungi are the main decomposers of dead wood with an impact on the global carbon cycle. Their degradative mechanisms have been well-studied under aerobic conditions. Here, we study their activity in oxygen-depleted environments.

Bjerkandera adusta TM11 for the bioremediation of fluoroquinolone antibiotics spiked in wastewater: A sustainable approach to pharmaceutical contaminant biotransformation.

Global antibiotic consumption is increasing dramatically. Antibiotic release into the environment, primarily through wastewater discharge, has serious impacts for human and animal health and microbial ecosystems. To address this issue, white-rot fungi present a promising solution, as they possess oxidative enzymes that can degrade these pollutants.

Early CRPS Is a Heterogeneous Condition: Results From a Latent Class Analysis.

Background: Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is a debilitating condition characterised by significant heterogeneity. Early diagnosis is critical, but limited data exists on the condition's early stages. This study aimed to characterise (very) early CRPS patients and explore potential subgroups to enhance understanding of its mechanisms.

Biotransformation of the Fluoroquinolone Antibiotic, Levofloxacin, by the Free and Immobilized Secretome of .

Antibiotics play a crucial role in human and animal medical healthcare, but widespread use and overuse of antibiotics poses alarming health and environmental issues. Fluoroquinolones constitute a class of antibiotics that has already become ubiquitous in the environment, and their increasing use and high persistence prompt growing concern. Here we investigated a fungal secretome prepared from the white-rot fungus , which is able to effectively degrade the environmentally persistent fluoroquinolone, levofloxacin.

Bimanual coordinated motor skill learning in patients with a chronic cerebellar stroke.

Cerebellar strokes induce coordination disorders that can affect activities of daily living. Evidence-based neurorehabilitation programs are founded on motor learning principles. The cerebellum is a key neural structure in motor learning.

Lack of functional TCR-epitope interaction is associated with herpes zoster through reduced downstream T cell activation.

The role of T cell receptor (TCR) diversity in infectious disease susceptibility is not well understood. We use a systems immunology approach on three cohorts of herpes zoster (HZ) patients and controls to investigate whether TCR diversity against varicella-zoster virus (VZV) influences the risk of HZ. We show that CD4 T cell TCR diversity against VZV glycoprotein E (gE) and immediate early 63 protein (IE63) after 1-week culture is more restricted in HZ patients.

Dexterity in the Acute Phase of Stroke: Impairments and Neural Substrates.

Background: Stroke can impair manual dexterity, leading to loss of independence following incomplete recovery. Enhancing our understanding of dexterity impairment may improve neurorehabilitation.

Objectives: The study aimed to measure dexterity components in acute stroke patients with and without hand motor deficits, compare them to those of healthy controls (HC), and to explore the neural substrates involved in specific components of dexterity.

Belgian atopic dermatitis guidelines.

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is one of the most common, bothersome and difficult to treat skin disorders. Recent introduction of new systemic treatments has revolutionized the management of AD. The goal of this guideline is to provide evidence-based recommendations for the management of patients suffering from atopic dermatitis that easily can be implemented in clinical practice.

Isocyanates may contribute to allergic contact dermatitis from diabetes devices and wound dressings.

Background: Isocyanates are well-known occupational allergens, but can also be present in medical devices.

Objectives: To highlight that contact sensitization to isocyanates might contribute to allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) from polyurethane (PU)-containing diabetes devices and wound dressings.

Patients And Methods: Nineteen patients with suspected ACD from diabetes devices and/or wound dressings were patch tested to an isocyanate series.

Normal and tangential forces combine to convey contact pressure during dynamic tactile stimulation.

Humans need to accurately process the contact forces that arise as they perform everyday haptic interactions such as sliding the fingers along a surface to feel for bumps, sticky regions, or other irregularities. Several different mechanisms are possible for how the forces on the skin could be represented and integrated in such interactions. In this study, we used a force-controlled robotic platform and simultaneous ultrasonic modulation of the finger-surface friction to independently manipulate the normal and tangential forces during passive haptic stimulation by a flat surface.

Itch in Allergic Contact Dermatitis.

Contact dermatitis is a continuous growing environmental and occupational health problem. It results in high costs for health care systems and the economy due to productivity loss. Moreover, it has a huge impact on the quality of life of patients.

Allergic contact dermatitis from ("hypoallergenic") adhesives containing D-limonene.

Background: Besides being a potential component of (some species of) colophonium, D-limonene is also used as a tackifier in the production of adhesives. Hydroperoxides of limonene are well-known skin sensitizers.

Objectives: To show that D-limonene may be present in colophonium-containing but also colophonium-free ("hypoallergenic") adhesives, and that patients suffering from allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) from both types of adhesives might display positive patch test reactions to limonene hydroperoxides in this regard.

Zero gravity induced by parabolic flight enhances automatic capture and weakens voluntary maintenance of visuospatial attention.

Orienting attention in the space around us is a fundamental prerequisite for willed actions. On Earth, at 1 g, orienting attention requires the integration of vestibular signals and vision, although the specific vestibular contribution to voluntary and automatic components of visuospatial attention remains largely unknown. Here, we show that unweighting of the otolith organ in zero gravity during parabolic flight, selectively enhances stimulus-driven capture of automatic visuospatial attention, while weakening voluntary maintenance of covert attention.

Extra-anogenital giant cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas require multidisciplinary management.

Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) is a highly prevalent cancer and the majority of cSCC have a good prognosis. However, a subset of cSCC can progress to advanced disease. We present the first reported case of a giant cSCC located on the breast.

On the origins and conceptual frameworks of natural plasticity-Lessons from single-cell models in C. elegans.

How flexible are cell identities? This problem has fascinated developmental biologists for several centuries and can be traced back to Abraham Trembley's pioneering manipulations of Hydra to test its regeneration abilities in the 1700s. Since the cell theory in the mid-19th century, developmental biology has been dominated by a single framework in which embryonic cells are committed to specific cell fates, progressively and irreversibly acquiring their differentiated identities. This hierarchical, unidirectional and irreversible view of cell identity has been challenged in the past decades through accumulative evidence that many cell types are more plastic than previously thought, even in intact organisms.

The presence of benzophenone in sunscreens and cosmetics containing the organic UV filter octocrylene: A laboratory study.

Background: The reason why patients photosensitized to the drug ketoprofen (KP) may develop severe photoallergic skin reactions to octocrylene (OCT), an organic ultraviolet filter in sunscreens and cosmetics, remains largely unknown. OCT can be synthesized by using unsubstituted benzophenone (BP), a possible human carcinogen.

Objectives: To verify if, and to what extent, BP residues are present in OCT-containing consumer products.

Allergic contact dermatitis from potassium sorbate and sorbic acid in topical pharmaceuticals and medical devices.

Background: The preservatives sorbic acid (SA) and potassium sorbate (PS) are considered rare skin sensitizers. PS-containing products always contain SA to a certain extent, and positivity to PS may reflect sensitization to SA. Their optimal patch-test conditions are unknown.