Background Although the prognosis of Henoch-Schönlein purpura (HSP) is usually favorable, relapses are relatively frequent. Objectives Our aim was to analyze the frequency, type and risk factors for relapses in a large series of unselected patients with HSP. Methods Retrospective study of 417 patients from a single center, diagnosed with HSP according to the criteria proposed by Michel et al. (J Rheumatol 1992; 19: 721-28). Relapse was defined as a new outbreak of HSP in a previously asymptomatic patient (at least for one month). Quantitative variables were expressed as mean ± SD or as median (interquartile range), and compared with the Student t-test or the Mann-Whitney U-test, as appropriate. Dichotomous variables were expressed as percentages and compared by using the chi-square test. The variables associated with HSP relapse in the univariate analysis entered into a stepwise multivariate logistic regression. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 15.0. Results 417 patients (240 men/177 women) were studied; median age, 7.5 years (IQR [5.3 to 20.1]). 315 (75.5%) were children or young people (≤20 years) and 102 (24.5%) adults. Clinical manifestations (onset/HSP established,%) were: skin lesions (55.9/100), nephropathy (24/41.2), gastrointestinal involvement (13.7/64.5), joint symptoms (9.1/63.1) and fever (6.2/20.4). Corticosteroids were the most frequently used drugs (35%), followed by NSAIDs (14%), and cytotoxic agents (5%). After a median follow-up of 12 (IQR [2-38]) months, complete recovery was observed in most cases (n=346; 83.2%) and persistent and usually mild nephropathy, in 32 patients (7.7%). Relapses occurred in almost one third of the patients (n=133; 31.9%). Clinical manifestations during relapses were: cutaneous (89.6%); abdominal (27.1%); renal (25.9%) and articular (16.8%). The median number of relapses was 2.4 (IQR [1-3]). The main risk factors for the development of HSP relapse in univariate analysis are shown in the TABLE. After multivariate analyses the most powerful predictive factors for relapse were joint manifestations at disease onset, gastrointestinal manifestations during the course of the disease, and corticosteroid treatment at the time of the first episode of HSP (Table). Conclusions HSP is usually a benign entity but relapses are not uncommon. Patients with articular symptoms at onset or presenting with gastrointestinal manifestations during the course of the disease or those needing corticosteroids to control the initial episode of HSP, are more prone to develop relapses. Disclosure of Interest None declared


Machine learning field has shown incredible impact on many kinds of optimization problems. Recently the power of machine learning was applied to speed up the quantum states preparation. Although approximation with quantum generative adversarial networks is one of the fastest ways to prepare a generic quantum state, training time for such models is still significant and can easily impair quantum advantage. This thesis explores incremental learning of quantum generative adversarial networks for the quantum states preparation problem and introduces learning use cases reducing the training time.


Plasma concentrations of luteinizing hormone (LH) and testosterone were measured at 3, 8, and 11 months of age in 48 Africander cross (AX), 24 Brahman cross (BX), 21 Hereford-Shorthorn, selected (HSS) and 14 Hereford-Shorthorn, random-bred (HSR) bulls. In all breeds plasma LH was lower (P less than 0.01) at 8 months (1.7 ng/ml) than at 3 months (2.6 ng/ml) or at 11 months (2.6 ng/ml). Over all ages there were no differences among breeds in mean plasma LH (AX 2.4, BX 2.4, HSS 1.8, HSR 2.2 ng/ml) and no breed X age interactions. In contrast, plasma testosterone increased significantly (P less than 0.01) with age at a faster rate in the AX breed, resulting in a significant (P less than 0.05) breed X age interaction. Testosterone concentrations, though similar among breeds at 3 months of age (0.45 ng/ml), were much higher (P less than 0.01) by 11 months in AX (2.56 ng/ml) than in BX (1.30 ng/ml), HSS (0.78 ng/ml) or HSR (0.66 ng/ml) bulls. Although LH did not differ among the breeds studied, the more pronounced increase in testosterone with age in the Africander cross bulls is consistent with the higher level of fertility commonly observed in this breed when compared to Brahman cross and Hereford-Shorthorn breeds during natural mating in Queensland.


The of hairless creole pig (Cerdo Pelon Mexicano) ( Sus scrofa ) is an important zoogenetic resource in the Yucatan Peninsula since it is a genotype adapted to the enviroment conditions, it has resistance to local diseases and parasites, and it has the capacity to take advantage of very low nutritional nutrients, also has a very peculiar flavor that has been valued by the Mayan and mestizo communities of this region for this reason is immersed in many of its traditional dishes, this resource has been lost by the introduction of new breeds and crosses that are In order to use and conserve it, it is necessary to describe the characteristics of the production environment, for this work 23 producers were surveyed, the structured interview technique was followed with 83 variables, descriptive statistics were applied and nonparametric tests were carried out for the comparison between production systems. The producers are men with an average age of 47 years, 96% are professionals, with an experience of more than two years in this activity and started production for the interest of conserving this biotype, 56.5% said that the main problem for to start with the exploitation was the acquisition of the breeding stock, the scarcity of pure animals. Three systems were identified: 1) Backyard (26%, the activity takes place in the free areas of the house where the pigs are scattered or in zahurdas (rustic pen) made with recycled materials with a total of 9.25 ± 3.4 pigs); 2) Intensive (30.4%, the animals remain captive in wire mesh zahurdas and / or elevated cages with a total of 98.87 ± 95.5 pigs); and 4) Extensive (43.4%, use is made of soils unsuitable for agriculture and grazing is the basis of the system with a total of 56.27 ± 4 pigs). In general, producers said they had problems to market their products, sales were not constant, and there were no permanent buyers, technical assistance was very scarce, there are few specialists working directly with producers, associations of producers have been formed biotype but unfortunately have little communication causing a very individualized work that does not allow to standardize the management of the different technical, productive and market items. In all three systems there is widespread use of forage plants for food, their reproductive system is free and health management is very basic. This animal is evolving from traditional backyard systems to systems intensive and extensive of a business nature where rusticity and adaptability are used, leaving behind the concept of an animal genetic resource at risk and ensuring its presence in the immediate future as an important option of business.


YBa2Cu3O7 superconductors with inductive transitions as narrow as 0.45 K above 90 K were synthetized. Samples were characterized by thermogravimetry, differential thermal analysis, X-ray and neutron diffraction. The structure is characterized by a two-dimensional Cu-O network with square-pyramidal and square-planar coordinated Cu atoms. Results show a clear metallic behaviour of the resistivity. An orbital critical field as high as 300 T is extrapolated. Meissner flux expulsion up to 40% is observed. Small amounts of magnetic Cu2+ ions are correlated with the presence of the impurity phase BaCuO2. The Pauli susceptibility and the specific-heat jump at Tc are consistent with γ ≃ 2 mJ/(K2 gat) (9 mJ/(K2 mole-Cu)), neglecting all renormalizations.


We analyze quantitatively the accuracy of eigenfunction and eigenvalue calculations in the frame work of WKB and instanton semiclassical methods. We show that to estimate the accuracy it is enough to compare two linearly independent (with the same quantum number) solutions to the Schrodinger equations with the potential under study, and with the approximating piecewise smooth potential. The main advantage of the approach is related to the appropriate choice of the approximating potential, providing absolutely convergent majorant series for the solutions. We test our method for a strongly anharmonic one dimensional potential, but the basic ideas inspiring our work and its results can be applied to a large variety of interesting chemical and physical problems which are of relevance to various molecular systems.


Background A rheumatoid arthritis (RA) susceptibility region between the TNF receptor-associated factor-1 and complement component 5 genes (TRAF1/C5) has previously been reported to associate with radiological damage in two studies. Objectives We aimed to test rheumatoid arthritis (RA) genetic susceptibility markers for association with a continuous measure of radiological damage over time using longitudinal modelling techniques in a discovery cohort of patients with inflammatory polyarthritis (IP). An independent inception cohort of UK IP patients was used as a replication cohort, and also combined together with the discovery cohort in order to increase sample size and power. Methods Sixty-seven RA susceptibility variants were genotyped in 474 patients from the Early Rheumatoid Arthritis Study (ERAS) using Sequenom MassArray technology. Correlation between genetic markers and Larsen score, as a time dependent trait, was assessed longitudinally using zero-inflated negative binomial regression to include repeat measurements in the same individual at different time points. Genetic markers associated with radiological damage in ERAS were tested using the same modelling techniques on previously published data from the Norfolk Arthritis Register (NOAR). Finally, the model was adapted to accommodate differences in disease progression between the two cohorts and a combined analysis was performed. Results rs2900180 at the TRAF1/C5 locus was the single marker associated longitudinally with Larsen score in the ERAS cohort (p=0.02; time averaged effect size: 2.96 Larsen units) and in the NOAR cohort (p=0.04; effect size: 1.56). Analysis of individual time points in ERAS showed that TRAF1/C5 polymorphisms display their effect primarily on the extent of Larsen score early in the disease course (rs2900180, year 2: coef. 0.35 95%CI 0.04, 0.66, p=0.025; rs10760130, year 2: coef. 0.34 95%CI 0.03, 0.65, p=0.030). Combined longitudinal analysis of the two cohorts suggests further association of several loci with Larsen score (KIF5A, PTPN22, AFF3, TAGAP). Conclusions The genetic marker rs2900180 is associated with extent of erosions, as measured by the Larsen score, in the ERAS cohort. This represents the third independent study correlating genotype at the TRAF1/C5 locus with radiological severity in RA. Replication in a large dataset is required to establish the role of other RA susceptibility loci in disease severity. Disclosure of Interest None Declared


Vesicoureteric reflux (VUR) defined as reversed urine flow from the urinary bladder to ureter(s) and frequently to kidneys is associated with abnormal structure and/or malfunction of one or both ureterovesical junctions. In the pediatric practice, VUR constitutes an important problem not only because of prevalence but also because of the role it plays in pathogenesis of urinary tract infections, reflux nephropathy and chronic renal failure in children. Recent reports confirm genetic background of vesicoureteric reflux. Vesicoureteric reflux is inherited as a dominant autosomal disease (with possible incomplete gene(s) penetration). The Authors present a review of recent literature with focus on key role of candidate genes in the development of VUR in children.