Soluble interleukin-2 receptor: A potential marker for monitoring disease activity in IgG4-related disease

Background. IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD) is a fibroinflammatory condition. T-cells play a crucial role in the pathogenesis, and therefore, serum soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R) may be a potential biomarker. Method. We studied the levels of sIL-2R in 26 histologically proven IgG4-RD patients with available serum sIL-2R and compared them to those in newly diagnosed and untreated sarcoidosis patients (n = 78) and controls (n = 101) and the serum sIL-2R levels in patients after treatment of IgG4- RD (n = 15). The disease activity was measured using the IgG4-Related Disease Responder Index (IgG4-RD RI). Results. Median serum sIL-2R in IgG4-RD patients was 4667 pg/ml compared to 1515 pg/ml in controls (P < 0 001) and 6050 pg/ml in sarcoidosis patients (P = 0 004 compared to IgG4-RD). All IgG4-RD patients had elevated serum sIL-2R levels compared to the reference value of < 2500 pg/ml in controls and 85% elevated serum IgG4; however, these did not correlate with each other. Both serum sIL-2R and IgG4 levels declined significantly after treatment (P = 0 001 and P = 0 01, resp.). Before treatment, serum sIL- 2R level and IgG4-RD RI did not correlate with each other. However, the decrease in serum sIL-2R upon treatment did correlate significantly (P = 0 04) with the decrease in disease activity assessed by IgG-RD RI. Conclusion. Serum sIL-2R is elevated in IgG4-RD reflecting the inflammatory process with enhanced T-cell activation. Furthermore, serum sIL-2R might serve as a potential marker of response to treatment in IgG4-RD

Sensitivity and specificity of serum soluble interleukin-2 receptor for diagnosing sarcoidosis in a population of patients suspected of sarcoidosis

BACKGROUND: The soluble interleukin 2 receptor (sIL-2R) has been proposed as a marker of disease activity in patients with sarcoidosis. However, no studies have evaluated whether serum sIL-2R measurement is of use in establishing the diagnosis of sarcoidosis in patients who are suspected of sarcoidosis among other diseases. METHODS: A cohort study was conducted, consisting of new patients who visited the immunology outpatient clinic and whose serum sIL-2R levels were available before a definitive diagnosis was established between February 2011 and February 2016. All patients underwent standard diagnostic testing for sarcoidosis (e.g. laboratory tests, radiographic and/or nuclear imaging and/or affected site biopsy). This resulted either in the diagnosis of sarcoidosis or the exclusion of sarcoidosis with the diagnosis of another disease. Results of sIL-2R and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) levels, radiographic and nuclear imaging and histology results were collected and definitive diagnoses were recorded. Sensitivity, specificity, the concordance statistic from the receiver operating characteristic curve and Youden's Index were calculated to assess the performance of sIL-2R in the diagnosis of sarcoidosis and were compared to ACE, currently one of the most used diagnostic biomarkers in the diagnosis of sarcoidosis. RESULTS: In total 983 patients were screened for inclusion, of which 189 patients met the inclusion criteria. A total of 101 patients were diagnosed with sarcoidosis after diagnostic workup, of whom 79 were biopsy-proven. In 88 patients a diagnosis other than sarcoidosis was made. The sensitivity and specificity of serum soluble interleukin 2 receptor levels to detect sarcoidosis were 88% and 85%. The sensitivity and specificity of ACE were 62% and 76%. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis revealed that sIL-2R receptor is superior to ACE (p<0.0001). CONCLUSION: Serum sIL-2R is a sensitive biomarker and superior to ACE in establishing the diagnosis of sarcoidosis and can be used to rule out sarcoidosis in patients suspected of sarcoidosis

Information and digital literacies; a review of concepts

A detailed literature reviewing, analysing the multiple and confusing concepts around the ideas of information literacy and digital literacy at the start of the millennium. The article was well-received, and is my most highly-cited work, with over 1100 citations

The effects of selected probiotic strains on the development of eczema (The PandA study)

Background: Modification of the intestinal microbiota by administration of probiotic bacteria may be a potential approach to prevent allergic disease. We aimed to study primary prevention of allergic disease in high-risk children by pre- and postnatal supplementation of selected probiotic bacteria. Methods: In a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial, a mixture of probiotic bacteria selected by in-vitro experiments (Bifidobacterium bifidum, Bifidobacterium lactis, and Lactococcus lactis; Ecologic((R)) Panda) was prenatally administered to mothers of high-risk children (i.e. positive family history of allergic disease) and to their offspring for the first 12 months of life. Results: Parental-reported eczema during the first 3 months of life was significantly lower in the intervention group compared with placebo, 6/50 vs 15/52 (P = 0.035). After 3 months, the incidence of eczema was similar in both groups. Cumulative incidence of parental-reported eczema at 1 and 2 years was 23/50 (intervention) vs 31/48 (placebo) and 27 (intervention) vs 34 (placebo), respectively. The number needed to treat was 5.9 at age 3 and 12 months and 6.7 at age 2 years. The intervention group was significantly more frequently colonized with higher numbers of Lc. lactis. Furthermore, at age 3 months, in vitro production of IL-5 (146 pg/ml vs 72 pg/ml; P = 0.04) was decreased in the probiotic-group compared with the placebo-group. Conclusions: This particular combination of probiotic bacteria shows a preventive effect on the incidence of eczema in high-risk children, which seems to be sustained during the first 2 years of life. In addition to previous studies, the preventive effect appears to be established within the first 3 months of lif

Cytogentic relations among the genera of the subfamily Pitheciinae (Cebidae, Primates)

Universidade Federal do Pará-UFPA, CAPES, CNPq, FADESP, FINEP and C&T/PPG-7Universidade Federal do Pará. Departamento de Genética. Laboratório de Citogenética. Belém, PA, Brazil.Ministério da Saúde. Fundação Nacional de Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Centro Nacional de Primatas. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil.Ministério da Saúde. Fundação Nacional de Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Centro Nacional de Primatas. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil.Centro de Primatologia do Rio de Janeiro. Rio de Janeiro RJ, Brazil.Universidade Federal do Pará. Departamento de Genética. Laboratório de Citogenética. Belém, PA, Brazil.Universidade Federal do Pará. Departamento de Genética. Laboratório de Citogenética. Belém, PA, Brazil.Universidade Federal do Pará. Departamento de Genética. Laboratório de Citogenética. Belém, PA, Brazil.Universidade Federal do Pará. Departamento de Genética. Laboratório de Citogenética. Belém, PA, Brazil.A comparative chromosomal analysis was carried out in some specimens of the three genera of the subfamily Pitheciinae (Pithecia, Chiropotes and Cacajao) using a classic cytogenetic technique (G-banding). The three genera present distinct 2n: Pithecia presents 2n=48, Chiropotes 2n=54 and Cacajao 2n=45 in the males and 2n=46 in the females. The difference in 2. found in Cacajao occurs due to a y-autosome translocation present in the male of Cacajao calvus rubicundus. Species and subspecies of the same genera show the same 2n, however the FN are different. G-banding was used to analyze the homeologies among the taxa studied and, by this mean, we observed the presence of speciesspecific chromosomes, chromosomes shared between two or among all the taxa and also chromosomes that are present in all the specimens studied. Data of this karyotypic analysis suggest that Pithecia is the most primitive among the pithecins, followed by Chiropotes, and Cacajao is the most recent one, with very rearranged karyotype

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Steeds opnieuw klinkt in de Kamer en in de media twijfel aan de wetenschappelijke basis van het stikstofplan. Han Olff, Wim de Vries en 34 andere wetenschappers* leggen nog maar eens uit hoe het zit