Career development in fragment-based drug discovery.

The pharmaceutical industry is highly reliant on researchers who not only possess the technical knowledge but also the professional skills to collaborate in drug development. To prepare future practitioners to thrive in this interdisciplinary environment, Innovative Training Networks (ITNs) have become increasingly important in doctoral training. In this piece, we explore the benefits of these ITNs in training future practitioners in drug discovery. Through a bibliometric review, we find that the top researchers in fragment-based drug discovery have a high degree of collaboration and mobility across institutes. We then investigate which aspects of the ITN training program enable PhD students to gain these skills. We find that secondments, the short-term stays that students have in partner research institutes, are useful in preparing students to have both broad knowledge of drug discovery and specialization in their field of interest. Aside from imparting technical skills, we find that the collaborative environment in ITNs enables students to communicate better and to work effectively in teams. Doctoral students benefit by being exposed to relevant experiences that they can later apply as they navigate through the complex web of relationships and competencies in the industry. We conclude by recommending best practices to further improve ITNs in the training of future practitioners.

Application of the analysis of serum antibodies (immunoglobulins M and G) to estimate the seroprevalence of ovine oestrosis and to evaluate the effect of chemotherapy.

The analysis of immunoglobulin (Ig) M and IgG serum isotypes as indicators of the presence of Oestrus ovis developmental stages was carried out. A serological survey to discover the seasonal variations in the prevalence of oestrosis in sheep from an oceanic climate area was developed. Six hundred and sixty-nine blood samples were analyzed for the presence of IgM and IgG using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and O. ovis second-stage larvae excretory/secretory antigens. In addition, the effect of an ivermectin-based treatment on the humoral immune response was measured. The percentage of positive animals was 54% for IgM and 55% for IgG. The highest percentages of sheep positive to IgM were recorded in the winter and to IgG in the summer. No animals positive to IgM were detected in the ivermectin-treated sheep. These results seem to underline that oestrosis is a parasitic disease to keep watch for in regions with an oceanic climate. A noninvasive evaluation of the success of chemotherapy seems possible by analyzing the serum IgM response.

Relationships between eosinophilia, anti-Fasciola IgG, and IgM rheumatoid factors, in urban and rural areas of north-western Spain.

A study was carried out, among adult patients attending a hospital in Lugo, in north-western Spain, to investigate possible relationships between eosinophilia, IgG antibodies against the parasitic helminth Fasciola hepatica, and IgM rheumatoid factors (IgM-RF). Blood samples were collected from 1264 individuals and divided into three groups according to eosinophil count: normal (<0.5 x 10(9) eosinophils/litre), eosinophilic (0.5 x 10(9)-3 x 10(9)/litre) or hyper-eosinophilic (>3 x 10(9)/litre). Each sample was checked for IgG against F. hepatica, in an ELISA in which the excretory/secretory products of the trematode were used as the antigens, and for IgM-RF, in a latex agglutination test. Overall, 21% of the cases were found seropositive for fascioliasis and 15% were found to have IgM-RF. Women from rural areas not only showed the highest seroprevalence of fascioliasis but also the highest frequency of IgM-RF carriage. Men from rural areas were more likely to be eosinophilic than the other patients. Curiously, the patients found seronegative for fascioliasis were more likely (but not significantly more likely) to be eosinophilic than their seropositive counterparts, and the eosinophilic patients were significantly more likely (P=0.001) to be carrying IgM-RF auto-antibodies than the non-eosinophilic. It appears that, in the study area, those living in rural regions have a higher risk of F. hepatica infection (as indicated by IgG antibodies against the parasite) than those living in urban settings. The risk of developing eosinophilia appears to be positively associated with the presence of IgM-RF auto-antibodies.

Diagnosis of parasitic zoonoses by immunoenzymatic assays--analysis of cross-reactivity among the excretory/secretory antigens of Fasciola hepatica, Toxocara canis, and Ascaris suum.

Several parasitic infections such fasciolosis, toxocariosis or ascariosis are important zoonoses. During the infection with Fasciola hepatica, Toxocara canis and Ascaris suum, an important intraorganic phase in their hosts takes place, releasing antigens responsible for a humoral immune response, which enables the diagnosis of that parasitosis. A study to identify the existence of cross-reactivity among the excretory/ secretory antigens of F. hepatica, T. canis and A. suum was developed. One group of Sprague-Dawley rats was infected with 20 metacercariae of F. hepatica and another group remained uninfected as control. By means of an Indirect-ELISA, the rat humoral immune response (IgG and IgM) against the excretory/secretory antigens of F. hepatica was analysed and measured for cross reactivity with T. canis and A. suum. IgM cross-reaction was mainly observed in the first 10 weeks post-infection. IgG cross-reaction was observed throughout the study, and was maximal at the 2-3 weeks and 3-6 weeks post-infection, which corresponds to the intraorganic migratory phase of these parasites. The western-blot showed that the rat IgG recognised three proteins of 190, 160 and 33 kDa in the antigens from F. hepatica, T. canis and A. suum. The existence of cross-reactivity among these antigens seems to demonstrate also the presence of structural similarities, such as tegumental proteins. These results should be consider when immunoassay probes are used in the diagnosis of parasitic infections.

Adenopatía inguinal metastásica fistulizada. Presentación inusual de cáncer de pulmón / Fistulous metastatic inguinal adenopathy. An unusual presentation of lung cancer

- Propósito: Ante el hallazgo de una adenopatía inguinal el diagnóstico se basa en la historia clínica, la exploración física, analítica y punciones de la adenopatía; pudiendo ser el único signo de una neoplasia asintomática en un órgano a distancia.- Material y métodos: se presenta un caso clínico de un cáncer de pulmón con debut como una adenopatía inguinal metastatizada. - Resultados: ante una adenopatía inguinal se debe pensar, además de en patología infecciosa, en patología maligna metastásica.- Conclusiones: es necesario hacer el diagnóstico diferencial entre la patología infecciosa y oncológica (AU)

Papiloma intraductal en mama ectópica localizada en vulva / Intraductal papilloma in an ectopic breast localized in the vulva

Sobre la cresta láctea, inicio de la organogénesis de la mama, pueden producirse alteraciones del desarrollo. Destaca por su frecuencia la polimastia, caracterizada por el aumento del número de mamas morfológicamente completas o tan sólo de tejido glandular. Aunque su localización más frecuente es la axila pueden aparecer en cualquier sitio de la "cresta láctea" (línea axila- vulva); están expuestas a influjos hormonales y sobre ellas puede asentar cualquier tipo de patología mamaria. Presentamos el caso clínico de una paciente de 33 años, con antecedentes familiares de cáncer de mama, que presentaba un nódulo vulvar sintomático, cuyo estudio histológico reveló que se trataba de un papiloma intraductal asentado, probablemente, sobre tejido mamario. Sólo por motivos estéticos o ante la existencia de síntomas, sobretodo si se asocian a antecedentes familiares de cáncer de mama, está indicada la extirpación quirúrgica del tejido mamario accesorio, ectópico o aberrante. (AU)