Publications by authors named "A H Boots"
Large-vessel vasculitides (LVV) comprise a group of chronic inflammatory diseases of the aorta and its major branches. The most common forms of LVV are giant cell arteritis (GCA) and Takayasu arteritis (TAK). Both GCA and TAK are characterized by granulomatous inflammation of the vessel wall accompanied by a maladaptive immune and vascular response that promotes vascular damage and remodeling.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: A poor prenatal environment adversely affects brain development. Studies investigating long-term consequences of prenatal exposure to the 1944-45 Dutch famine have shown that those exposed to famine in early gestation had poorer selective attention, smaller brain volumes, poorer brain perfusion, older appearing brains, and increased reporting of cognitive problems, all indicative of increased dementia risk.
Objective: In the current population-based study, we investigated whether dementia incidence up to age 75 was higher among individuals who had been prenatally exposed to famine.
Objective: Poorer performance on the Stroop task has been reported after prenatal famine exposure at age 58, potentially indicating cognitive decline. We investigated whether brain activation during Stroop task performance at age 74 differed between individuals exposed to famine prenatally, individuals born before and individuals conceived after the famine.
Method: In the Dutch famine birth cohort, we performed a Stroop task fMRI study of individuals exposed (n = 22) or unexposed (born before (n = 18) or conceived after (n = 25)) to famine in early gestation.
Altered Plasma Levels and Tissue Expression of Fibroblast Activation Protein Alpha in Giant Cell Arteritis.
Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken)
September 2024
Article Synopsis
- The study focuses on giant cell arteritis (GCA), a condition causing inflammation in large arteries, and investigates the role of fibroblast activation protein alpha (FAP), which is linked to inflammation and tissue changes.* -
- Plasma levels of FAP were found to be lower in GCA patients compared to those with polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) and healthy controls, with levels decreasing further during remission and eventually rising near healthy levels during treatment-free remission.* -
- The research indicates that FAP is highly expressed in inflamed tissues of GCA patients and may play a key role in the disease's inflammatory and remodeling processes, suggesting it could be a potential target for future imaging and therapy.*
Article Synopsis
- The study explores the role of specific immune pathways (IL-12-IFNγ-Th1 and IL-6-IL-23-Th17) in Giant Cell Arteritis (GCA) and how phosphorylated STAT proteins (pSTAT) in immune cells could help tailor treatments for patients.
- Researchers analyzed immune cells from GCA patients, infection controls, and healthy individuals, noting a decrease in pSTAT3+CD4+T-cells in GCA patients, especially those with high serum IL-6 levels.
- The findings suggest that measuring pSTAT3 levels can predict the duration of glucocorticoid treatment needed for GCA patients, helping to personalize their treatment plans in the future.