An update on belimumab for the treatment of lupus

B-lymphocyte stimulator (BLyS), a homeostatic factor for B-cell differentiation and survival, has a major role in B-cell expansion and autoreactivity that characterize systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Belimumab, a BLyS-specific inhibitor, has shown promising evidence of efficacy in several preclinical and clinical studies in SLE. Two recent large randomized controlled trials yielded a significant positive effect of the drug compared to placebo in patients with active disease. In this review, we discuss basic aspects of B-cell and BLyS biology in SLE and summarize the evidence supporting a role of belimumab in SLE, from animal studies to phase III clinical trials

Προγραμματισμός προπόνησης στο δρόμο των 100 μέτρων¨- Μελέτη περίπτωσης

Σκοπός της παρούσας εργασίας είναι να παρουσιαστεί η μέθοδος προπόνησης πουακολουθήθηκε καθόλη τη διάρκεια της αθλητικής μου πορείας και την οποίαονόμασα «Πρόγραμμα Απόλυτης Εξειδίκευσης». Το εν λόγω Πρόγραμμαστηρίχθηκε στην επανάληψη της απόστασης του κάθε αγωνίσματος που εφάρμοσαημερησίως και το οποίο υλοποιήθηκε σε όλη τη διάρκεια της χρονιάς. Η διάρκεια τηςεφαρμογής του συγκεκριμένου προγράμματος ήταν δεκαπέντε έτη. Ως μέθοδοςέρευνας αξιοποιήθηκε η «μελέτη περίπτωσης» (case study), η οποία δημιουργήθηκεκατά τα πρώτα έτη της αθλητικής μου διαδρομής και ήταν υποκείμενη σε αδιάλειπτη,λεπτομερή και σε βάθος έρευνα, με συνεχείς τροποποιήσεις. Τα αποτελέσματα τηςέρευνας έδειξαν ότι η αφοσίωση, ως «δέσμευση», του αθλητή στο συγκεκριμένοπροπονητικό πρόγραμμα συνέτεινε στην επίτευξη υψηλών επιδόσεων καισημαντικών διακρίσεων κατά την διάρκεια των ετών. Ακόμη, φάνηκε ότι έναςβασικός παράγοντας ο οποίος διαδραμάτισε καθοριστικό ρόλο στην ενίσχυση τηςψυχολογίας του αθλητή στο πλαίσιο της προετοιμασίας του για την συμμετοχή του σεαγώνες σε επίπεδο πρωταθλητισμού ήταν αυτός της «νοερής απεικόνισης», δηλαδή ηδιαδικασία επισκόπησης του εαυτού του να εκτελεί την «κούρσα» των αγώνων, χωρίςτην ύπαρξη φυσικών κινήσεων. Μέσα από το προσωπικό μου βίωμα διαπίστωσα ότιστις εικόνες που διαμορφώνει στο μυαλό του ο αθλητής κατά την διενέργεια της«νοερής απεικόνισης», «βλέπει» ότι γίνεται ο ίδιος «νικητής». Υπό αυτή την οπτική,ο αθλητής «βλέπει» την επιθυμία του για επιτυχία στους αγώνες να υλοποιείται σερεαλιστικό πλαίσιοThe purpose of this paper is to present the training method that was followedthroughout my athletic career and which I called the "Absolute SpecializationProgram". This Program was based on the repetition of the distance of each race that Iapplied daily and which was implemented throughout the year. The duration of theimplementation of the specific program was fifteen years. The "case study" was usedas a research method, which was created during the first years of my athletic careerand was subject to continuous, detailed and in-depth research, with constantmodifications. The results of the research showed that the athlete's dedication, as"commitment", to the specific training program contributed to the achievement ofhigh performances and important distinctions over the years. Furthermore, it appearedthat a key factor which played a decisive role in strengthening the athlete'spsychology in the context of his preparation for his participation in competitions atthe championship level was that of "mental visualization", i.e. the process ofvisualizing himself performing the "race" of the races, without the existence of naturalmovements. Through my personal experience, I found that in the images that theathlete forms in his mind during the "mental visualization", he "sees" that he himselfbecomes a "winner". In this perspective, the athlete "sees" his desire for success incompetition to be implemented in a realistic contex

New Records and Updated Checklist of the Pentatomoidea (Hemiptera: Heteroptera) of Greece

Eight species of the superfamily Pentatomoidea are recorded from Greece for the first time: Aelia germari Küster 1852, Eurygaster hottentotta (Fabricius 1775), Eysarcoris aeneus (Scopoli 1763), Neottiglossa lineolata (Herrich-Schaeffer 1830), Neottiglossa pusilla (Gallen 1789), Picromerus bidens (Linnaeus 1758), Podops (Podops) inunctus (Fabricius 1775) and Tarisa pallescens (Jakovlev 1871). A complete updated species checklist with distributional data notes for all the new species for Greece are provided

Additional file 1: of Impact of heart rate variability, a marker for cardiac health, on lupus disease activity

Table S1. Plasma cytokines measured at each visit by multiplex bead-based immunoassay. Table S2. Parameters of HRV (RMSSD, pNN50, HF power, and the LF/HF ratio) at baseline and follow-up. HRV parameters are compared between visits by paired analyses (Wilcoxon signed-rank test or paired t test); p values are listed. Table S3. Matrix of Spearman’s rank correlations (R) between cytokines included in the multivariate models. p values <0.1 are included, and R values that are statistically significant (p < 0.05) are shown in bold type. Table S4. Associations of disease activity and flare with plasma cytokines at baseline by univariate linear regression (p values and beta regression coefficients). (DOCX 23 kb

Chest CT severity score and radiological patterns as predictors of disease severity, ICU admission, and viral positivity in COVID-19 patients

Background: Chest computed tomography (CT) is a useful tool for the diagnosis of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19), although its exact value for predicting critical illness remains unclear. This study evaluated the efficacy of chest CT to predict disease progression, pulmonary complications, and viral positivity duration. Methods: A single-center cohort study was conducted by consecutively including hospitalized patients with confirmed COVID-19. The chest CT patterns were described and a total severity score was calculated. The predictive accuracy of the severity score was evaluated using the receiver operating characteristic analysis, while a Cox proportional hazards regression model was implemented to identify the radiological features that are linked to prolonged duration of viral positivity. Results: Overall, 42 patients were included with 10 of them requiring intensive care unit admission. The most common lesions were ground glass opacities (92.9%), consolidation (66.7%), and crazy-paving patterns (61.9%). The total severity score significantly correlated with inflammatory and respiratory distress markers, as well as with admission CURB-65 and PSI/PORT scores. It was estimated to predict critical illness with a sensitivity and specificity of 75% and 70%, respectively. Time-to-event analysis indicated that patients without ground-glass opacities presented significantly shorter median viral positivity (16 vs. 27 days). Conclusions: Chest CT severity score positively correlates with markers of COVID-19 severity and presents promising efficacy in predicting critical illness. It is suggested that ground-glass opacities are linked to prolonged viral positivity. Further studies should confirm the efficacy of the severity score and elucidate the long-term pulmonary effects of COVID-19. (C) 2021 The Japanese Respiratory Society. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

IFN-α kinoid in systemic lupus erythematosus: results from a phase IIb, randomised, placebo-controlled study.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of the immunotherapeutic vaccine interferon-α kinoid (IFN-K) in a 36-week (W) phase IIb, randomised, double-blind, placebo (PBO)-controlled trial in adults with active systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) despite standard of care. METHODS: Patients with SLE (185) with moderate to severe disease activity and positive interferon (IFN) gene signature were randomised to receive IFN-K or PBO intramuscular injections (days 0, 7 and 28 and W12 and W24). Coprimary endpoints at W36 were neutralisation of IFN gene signature and the BILAG-Based Composite Lupus Assessment (BICLA) modified by mandatory corticosteroid (CS) tapering. RESULTS: IFN-K induced neutralising anti-IFN-α2b serum antibodies in 91% of treated patients and reduced the IFN gene signature (p<0.0001). Modified BICLA responses at W36 did not statistically differ between IFN-K (41%) and PBO (34%). Trends on Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Responder Index-4, including steroid tapering at W36, favoured the IFN-K and became significant (p<0.05) in analyses restricted to patients who developed neutralising anti-IFN-α2b antibodies. Attainment of lupus low disease activity state (LLDAS) at W36 discriminated the two groups in favour of IFN-K (53% vs 30%, p=0.0022). A significant CS sparing effect of IFN-K was observed from W28 onwards, with a 24% prednisone daily dose reduction at W36 in IFN-K compared with PBO (p=0.0097). The safety profile of IFN-K was acceptable. CONCLUSIONS: IFN-K induced neutralising anti-IFN-α2b antibodies and significantly reduced the IFN gene signature with an acceptable safety profile. Although the clinical coprimary endpoint was not met, relevant secondary endpoints were achieved in the IFN-K group, including attainment of LLDAS and steroid tapering. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT02665364