Altered leukocyte subsets and immune proteome indicate proinflammatory mechanisms in mastocytosis.

Background: Indolent systemic mastocytosis (ISM) is characterized by pathologic accumulation of mast cells. The mechanism behind its phenotypic heterogeneity is not well understood. Interaction of mast cells with other immune cells might cause systemic inflammation and thereby associated symptoms.

Horizontal and Vertical Integration of Health Care Providers: A Framework for Understanding Various Provider Organizational Structures.

Introduction: Current U.S. policy and payment initiatives aim to encourage health care provider accountability for population health and higher value care, resulting in efforts to integrate providers along the continuum.

Comel-Netherton syndrome: A local skin barrier defect in the absence of an underlying systemic immunodeficiency.

Background: Comel-Netherton syndrome (NS) is a rare autosomal disease, characterized by severe skin disease, hair shaft defects, atopic diathesis, and increased susceptibility for skin infections. Since patients with NS suffer from recurrent infections, it has been hypothesized that an underlying immunodeficiency attributes to this. Here, we studied clinical and immunological characteristics of the cohort of NS patients in the Netherlands in order to identify whether potential immunodeficiencies result in the increased risk of infectious complications.

Induction of IgG and IgG B-cell memory following sublingual immunotherapy for ryegrass pollen allergy.

Background: While treatment for atopic rhinitis is aimed mostly to relieve symptoms, only allergen-specific immunotherapy (AIT) is targeted to modify the natural history of allergic diseases. This results in sustained clinical tolerance, even when treatment has stopped. The immunomodulatory effects of AIT are attributed mainly to increased regulatory T-cell function and increased allergen-specific IgG , yet little is known about the effect on the memory B-cell compartment.

The effect of antimicrobial drug use on the composition of the genitourinary microbiota in an elderly population.

Background: The urinary tract is inhabited by a diversity of microorganisms, known as the genitourinary microbiota. Here, we investigated the association between the use of antimicrobial drugs and the composition of the genitourinary microbiota.

Results: Clean-catch urinary samples were collected from 27 participants of the Rotterdam Study.