Cryopyrin-Associated Periodic Syndrome: An Update on Diagnosis and Treatment Response

Cryopyrin-associated periodic syndrome (CAPS) is a rare hereditary inflammatory disorder encompassing a continuum of three phenotypes: familial cold autoinflammatory syndrome, Muckle-Wells syndrome, and neonatal-onset multisystem inflammatory disease. Distinguishing features include cutaneous, neurological, ophthalmologic, and rheumatologic manifestations. CAPS results from a gain-of-function mutation of the NLRP3 gene coding for cryopyrin, which forms intracellular protein complexes known as inflammasomes. Defects of the inflammasomes lead to overproduction of interleukin-1, resulting in inflammatory symptoms seen in CAPS. Diagnosis is often delayed and requires a thorough review of clinical symptoms. Remarkable advances in our understanding of the genetics and the molecular pathway that is responsible for the clinical phenotype of CAPS has led to the development of effective treatments. It also has become clear that the NLRP3 inflammasome plays a critical role in innate immune defense and therefore has wider implications for other inflammatory disease states

Alendronate prevents loss of bone density associated with discontinuation of hormone replacement therapy

GesondheidswetenskappeInterne GeneeskundePlease help us populate SUNScholar with the post print version of this article. It can be e-mailed to: [email protected]

Alendronate prevents loss of bone density associated with discontinuation of hormone replacement therapy

GesondheidswetenskappeInterne GeneeskundePlease help us populate SUNScholar with the post print version of this article. It can be e-mailed to: [email protected]

Process evaluation and proximal impact of an affect-based exercise intervention among adolescents

The objective of this study was to evaluate the implementation and proximal impact of an intervention designed to enhance adolescents’ affective experience during Physical Education (PE). Healthy adolescents (N = 74) were randomly assigned to an affect-based or a traditional exercise prescription. Intervention logs, observations and interviews documented the implementation of the intervention. Participants completed a 30-min exercise task at an intensity that felt “good” to them before and after the intervention. Study procedures were implemented successfully and students enjoyed study participation. The intervention had no impact on exercise intensity during PE or during the “feels-good” exercise task. Among adolescents who manifested a negative affective response to moderate-intensity exercise at baseline, the selected intensity during the “feels-good” task increased over time. The intervention may have been too weak to impact behavior over and above a high-quality PE program. The results do suggest, however, that reluctant exercisers may choose to exercise at a higher intensity after experiencing a high-quality PE program in combination with heart rate monitoring