S100 proteins as potential predictive biomarkers of abatacept response in polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

Background: Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) comprises a heterogeneous group of conditions that can cause marked disability and diminished quality of life. Data on predictors of clinical response are insufficient to guide selection of the appropriate biologic agent for individual patients. This study aimed to investigate the propensity of S100A8/9 and S100A12 as predictive biomarkers of abatacept response in polyarticular-course juvenile idiopathic arthritis (pJIA).

Microbiome Responses to Fecal Microbiota Transplantation in Cats with Chronic Digestive Issues.

There is growing interest in the application of fecal microbiota transplants (FMTs) in small animal medicine, but there are few published studies that have tested their effects in the domestic cat (). Here we use 16S rRNA gene sequencing to examine fecal microbiome changes in 46 domestic cats with chronic digestive issues that received FMTs using lyophilized stool that was delivered in oral capsules. Fecal samples were collected from FMT recipients before and two weeks after the end of the full course of 50 capsules, as well as from their stool donors (N = 10), and other healthy cats (N = 113).

Long-Term Maintenance of Clinical Responses by Individual Patients With Polyarticular-Course Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis Treated With Abatacept.

Objective: To investigate the frequency and trajectories of individual patients with polyarticular-course juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) achieving novel composite end points on abatacept.

Methods: Data from a clinical trial of subcutaneous abatacept (NCT01844518) and a post hoc analysis of intravenous abatacept (NCT00095173) in patients with polyarticular-course JIA were included. Three end points were defined and evaluated: combined occurrence of low disease activity (LDA) measured by the Juvenile Arthritis Disease Activity Score; 50% improvement in American College of Rheumatology criteria for JIA (ACR50); and patient-reported outcomes.

The Kitty Microbiome Project: Defining the Healthy Fecal "Core Microbiome" in Pet Domestic Cats.

Here, we present a taxonomically defined fecal microbiome dataset for healthy domestic cats (Felis catus) fed a range of commercial diets. We used this healthy reference dataset to explore how age, diet, and living environment correlate with fecal microbiome composition. Thirty core bacterial genera were identified.