A Plaque-Like CD34-Positive Dermal Fibroma Presenting as an Acquired Papule.

CD34-positive dermal fibromas (PDFs) are cutaneous neoplasms that display a characteristic pattern of superficial dermal spindle cell proliferation on histopathology evaluation. They are clinically heterogenous in presentation and thought to follow a benign course. CD34-PDFs have features that overlap with dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP), a locally aggressive low-grade superficial sarcoma. Cytogenetic studies are essential to distinguish the two. This report presents the case of a 38-year-old female with a CD34-PDF on the right antecubital fossa.

CLOVES Syndrome.

This case report describes an infant with large capillary malformations on the trunk, edematous left axilla and upper arm with loose skin and subcutaneous soft tissue tumors, and bilateral overgrowth of the feet with syndactyly of toes.

Opportunities for implementing a patient-initiated follow-up pathway for patients with psoriasis completing phototherapy.

We performed a retrospective case analysis to identify opportunities to introduce a patient-initiated follow-up (PIFU) pathway for patients with psoriasis completing narrowband ultraviolet B phototherapy at our centre. In total, 42 patients completed phototherapy between January 2016 and August 2018 and outcomes were observed for 36 months after phototherapy cessation. Had a PIFU pathway been in place, 24 routine follow-up appointments could have been saved and 8 nonattendances could have been avoided. Seven patients who were discharged or did not attend follow-up after phototherapy flared within 12 months and could have benefited from PIFU to re-access dermatology care. In total 21 patients (50.0%) experienced a relapse within 36 months of completion of phototherapy, and 18 of these (85.7%) relapsed at 0-12 months. The median time to relapse was 6 months. We conclude a post-phototherapy PIFU pathway could help eliminate unnecessary appointments for patients in remission and improve access for patients who relapse. A 12-month PIFU duration prior to discharge would be sufficient to capture the majority of relapses.

Campylobacter jejuni PflB is required for motility and colonisation of the chicken gastrointestinal tract.

Campylobacter jejuni is the leading cause of foodborne bacterial gastroenteritis worldwide. Although the mechanisms by which C. jejuni causes disease are not completely understood, the presence of functional flagella appears to be required for colonisation of the gastrointestinal tract of humans and animals. Therefore much attention has been given to understanding the synthesis and role of flagella in C. jejuni. In this study we report insights into the function of PflB that is essential for Campylobacter motility. We have explored the function of this gene by constructing deletion mutants in C. jejuni strains NCTC11168 and M1, in the genes cj0390 and CJM1_0368, respectively. The mutants were non-motile yet assembled flagella that appeared structurally identical to the wild type. Furthermore the protein is required for C. jejuni colonisation of caeca in a two-week old chicken colonisation model.

Quantitative RNA-seq analysis of the Campylobacter jejuni transcriptome.

Campylobacter jejuni is the most common bacterial cause of foodborne disease in the developed world. Its general physiology and biochemistry, as well as the mechanisms enabling it to colonize and cause disease in various hosts, are not well understood, and new approaches are required to understand its basic biology. High-throughput sequencing technologies provide unprecedented opportunities for functional genomic research. Recent studies have shown that direct Illumina sequencing of cDNA (RNA-seq) is a useful technique for the quantitative and qualitative examination of transcriptomes. In this study we report RNA-seq analyses of the transcriptomes of C. jejuni (NCTC11168) and its rpoN mutant. This has allowed the identification of hitherto unknown transcriptional units, and further defines the regulon that is dependent on rpoN for expression. The analysis of the NCTC11168 transcriptome was supplemented by additional proteomic analysis using liquid chromatography-MS. The transcriptomic and proteomic datasets represent an important resource for the Campylobacter research community.