DEC2 Blocks the Effect of the ARNTL2/NPAS2 Dimer on the Expression of PER3 and DBP.

The expression of clock genes and are disturbed in rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disease with circadian variation of symptoms. We have shown that TNF is a potent inducer of these genes. We investigated the regulation of and by TNF and elucidated their effect on other clock gene expressions.

Serum Epstein-Barr virus DNA, detected by droplet digital PCR, correlates with disease activity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Objectives: To study the prevalence of asymptomatic activation of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and to analyse the correlation of serum EBV DNA with the disease activity.

Methods: The level of EBV DNA was determined by droplet digital PCR assay from the serum of 46 DMARD naive early RA (ERA) and 22 chronic RA (CRA)-patients at study onset. Follow-up samples from 31 ERA and 16 CRA patients were obtained after starting or modifying the anti-rheumatic treatment.

Food allergy in small children carries a risk of essential fatty acid deficiency, as detected by elevated serum mead acid proportion of total fatty acids.

Background: Elevated serum Mead acid as a proportion of total fatty acids is an indirect marker of a deficiency of essential fatty acids (EFA). The aim of the study was to evaluate the symptoms and nutrition of food-allergic children with elevated or normal serum Mead acid.

Methods: Serum fatty acid compositions from 400 children were studied by clinical indications, mostly by suspicion of deficiency of EFA due to inadequate nutrition.