The present guideline summarizes all aspects of patch testing for the diagnosis of contact allergy in patients suspected of suffering, or having been suffering, from allergic contact dermatitis or other delayed-type hypersensitivity skin and mucosal conditions. Sections with brief descriptions and discussions of different pertinent topics are followed by a highlighted short practical recommendation. Topics comprise, after an introduction with important definitions, materials, technique, modifications of epicutaneous testing, individual factors influencing the patch test outcome or necessitating special considerations, children, patients with occupational contact dermatitis and drug eruptions as special groups, patch testing of materials brought in by the patient, adverse effects of patch testing, and the final evaluation and patient counselling based on this judgement. Finally, short reference is made to aspects of (continuing) medical education and to electronic collection of data for epidemiological surveillance.
ABSTRACT Background Intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) reflects a poorly characterized shift from anabolic matrix renewal to catabolic breakdown. Fragmentary experimental and modeling efforts leave many signaling routes unresolved; a consolidated map is required to guide hypothesis‐driven studies. Methods A literature‐curated regulatory network model (RNM) for human nucleus pulposus (NP) cells was assembled from PubMed and enriched with interactions from STRING, KEGG and R&D Systems. The static graph was converted to a semi‐quantitative dynamical system. Simulations examined responses to interleukin‐1β (IL‐1β) and the Toll‐like receptor (TLR) and were benchmarked against time‐resolved proteomics from 2D NP monolayers and 3D alginate cultures representing healthy and degenerated discs. Single‐node perturbations assessed the impact of targeted inhibition on catabolic output. Results The final network contains 82 proteins and 193 directed edges; 41.4% of supporting evidence derives from NP‐specific studies, the highest for any cell type. Baseline activity depicts a non‐degenerate disc, with high expression of anabolic mediators and low expression of catabolic enzymes. Both IL‐1β and TLR elicited strong c‐Jun and p65 NF‐κB activation in silico and in vitro. The model simulated IκBα depletion, whereas its increase in the experimental study shows the biological agreement among in silico and in vitro simulations. Conclusions This RNM unifies scattered IDD data into a validated dynamic framework that mirrors NP signaling. The publicly available model provides a foundation for multiscale studies linking molecular events to disc mechanics and for prioritizing therapeutic interventions.
Recent advancements in data-driven approaches for remote photoplethysmography (rPPG) have significantly improved the accuracy of remote heart rate estimation. However, the performance of such approaches worsens considerably under video compression, which is nevertheless necessary to store and transmit video data efficiently. In this paper, we investigate the impact of video compression on the recovery of physiological signals from camera-based recordings. To mitigate the negative effects of compression on rPPG estimation, we propose a novel two-stage training strategy. This approach incorporates a pulse-signal magnification transformation, which adapts compressed video data into an uncompressed domain, where the rPPG signal is amplified. We validate the effectiveness of our model through comprehensive evaluations on two publicly available datasets, UCLArPPG and UBFC-rPPG, assessing both intra-and cross-database performance across various compression rates. Additionally, we assess the robustness of our approach on two additional highly compressed and widely-used datasets, MAHNOB-HCI and COHFACE, which reveal outstanding heart rate estimation results.
This article examines the concept of "administrative burden" in the Spanish context and expands upon its application to digital interactions with the administration. We have reviewed its research lines and considered citizens' experiences and perceptions in their interactions with digital administration in this country. A structural equation model was used to analyze a survey from the Center for Sociological Research. It was found that older citizens, those with lower incomes, and those with lower educational levels experience and perceive greater learning, compliance, and psychological costs in their digital interactions with the administration. These results highlight the heterogeneous experiences of citizens with digital administration, contributing to the inequality of access to public services.
The "local turn" in migration research often portrays municipalities as inherently inclusive and rights driven. This article argues that such narratives risk idealising the local and reproducing what urban scholars call the local trap: the assumption that they are naturally progressive. Revisiting the normative and epistemological foundations of this literature, we conceptualise this bias as methodological localism, a mirror image of methodological nationalism. By reviewing empirical research across 21 sites - including Barcelona, Athens, Lesvos, Calais, Ventimiglia, Budapest, and New York - we show that local authorities frequently reproduce, combine, or intensify exclusionary practices, often in tension with national frameworks. To move beyond reductive binaries, we propose a polycentric typology combining Scale Configuration (coupled, decoupled, ambivalent) and Normative Orientation (inclusive to exclusionary), identifying four Forms of Action that reveal how scalar friction and municipal agency shape migration governance. The study concludes by proposing a research agenda to further explore these dynamics.
