Anti-DFS70/LEDGF antibodies are more prevalent in healthy individuals compared to patients with systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases.

Objective: Antinuclear antibodies (ANA) are a serological hallmark of systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases (SARD) such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). While a number of ANA patterns detected by indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) have diagnostic significance, autoantibodies producing the dense fine speckled (DFS) pattern have been reported to be more prevalent in healthy individuals than in SARD.

Methods: Sequential samples submitted for ANA testing were screened for anti-DFS antibodies by IIF (n = 3263).

Stereoselective synthesis of D- and L-carbocyclic nucleosides by enzymatically catalyzed kinetic resolution.

An efficient synthesis of (S)- or (R)-3-(benzyloxy-methyl)-cyclopent-3-enol was developed by appling an enzyme-catalyzed kinetic-resolution approach. This procedure allowed the syntheses of the enantiomeric building blocks (S)- and (R)-cyclopentenol with high optical purity (>98 % ee). In contrast to previous approaches, the key advantage of this procedure is that the resolution is done on the level of enantiomers that only contain one stereogenic center.

Severe hepatocellular dysfunction in obstetric cholestasis related to combined genetic variation in hepatobiliary transporters.

Obstetric cholestasis (OC) is a cholestatic disorder with a prominent genetic background including variation in diverse hepatobiliary lipid transporters, such as ABCB4 (phospholipids) and ABCB11 (bile salts). Given a marked hepatocellular dysfunction in an OC patient indicated by > 40-fold rise in alanine aminotransferase activity and minor gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase increases, we performed genotyping of candidate gene variants associated with adult cholestatic phenotypes. Genetic analysis revealed the heterozygous ABCB4 mutation p.

Closing the serological gap: promising novel biomarkers for the early diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by inflammation and damage of the joints affecting about 0.5% of the general population. Early treatment in RA is important as it can prevent disease progression and irreversible damage of the joints.

Autoantibodies to domain 1 of beta 2 glycoprotein 1: a promising candidate biomarker for risk management in antiphospholipid syndrome.

Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is an autoimmune disorder characterized by frequent clotting in arteries and veins and/or miscarriages. Autoantibodies to phospholipids and to beta 2 glycoprotein 1 (β(2)GP1) play an important role in the pathogenesis of APS. Antibodies to the domain 1 of β(2)GP1 (β(2)GP1-D1) have been suggested as a risk marker for thrombosis and to a lesser extent for pregnancy complications in patients suffering from APS.

Clinical correlates of CENP-A and CENP-B antibodies in a large cohort of patients with systemic sclerosis.

Objective: To study the clinical phenotypes of centromeric proteins (CENP)-A- and CENP-B-positive patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) and to compare them to anticentromere antibody (ACA)-positive and negative SSc patients.

Methods: Sera samples were collected from 802 patients with SSc enrolled in a multicenter cohort study. Antibodies to CENP-A and B were detected by ELISA, and ACA by indirect immunofluorescence.

Clinical significance of antibodies to Ro52/TRIM21 in systemic sclerosis.

Introduction: Autoantibodies to Ro52 recently identified as TRIM21 are among the most common autoantibodies in systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases, but their clinical association remains poorly understood. We undertook this study to determine the clinical and serologic associations of anti-Ro52/TRIM21 antibodies in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc).

Methods: Detailed clinical data and sera from 963 patients with SSc enrolled in a multicenter cohort study were collected and entered into a central database.

Appetite and falls: Old age and lived experiences.

Falling among older adults is a well-known public health problem but the association between falling and appetite is seldom studied although poor nutritional status is accepted as a risk factor for falls. On this background the aim of this study was to understand how older adults, who have fallen several times within a year, related their experiences of appetite as a phenomenon in everyday life. In narrative in-depth interviews, eight women and four men contributed with their stories.

The clinical significance of autoantibodies to the proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA).

Autoantibodies targeting the proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) were first described over 30 years ago and are historically most commonly associated with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The primary antigenic target is a 34 kDa protein that is part of the DNA polymerase delta multi-protein complex. A number of diagnostic platforms have incorporated PCNA into their diagnostic assays and algorithms.

Hygienic monitoring of Mongolian gerbils: which mouse viruses should be included?

The Mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus) serves as an animal model for a wide range of diseases. A practical limitation in its use is the definition of the hygienic status, as not much is known about viruses that potentially infect gerbils and might be transmitted to other rodents. As successful re-derivation was recently described for gerbils, we now aimed at investigating which mouse viruses induce seroconversion in gerbils and might be transmitted to mice.

Development and performance evaluation of novel chemiluminescence assays for detection of anti-PR3 and anti-MPO antibodies.

Background: The detection of anti-proteinase 3 (PR3) and anti-myeloperoxidase (MPO) autoantibodies represents a serological hallmark in the diagnosis of small vessel vasculitis such as granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) and microscopic polyangiitis (MPA). We evaluated novel chemiluminescence assays (CIAs) for PR3- and MPO-ANCA detection and investigated their utility for disease activity monitoring.

Methods: Sera collected from GPA (n=41) and MPA (n=30) patients were tested by QUANTA Lite® PR-3 and MPO ELISAs (INOVA Diagnostics) and by the QUANTA Flash™ PR3 and MPO CIAs (INOVA).

Importance of the dense fine speckled pattern on HEp-2 cells and anti-DFS70 antibodies for the diagnosis of systemic autoimmune diseases.

The presence of anti-nuclear antibodies (ANA) is a hallmark of systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases (SARD). The indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) assay on HEp-2 cells is a commonly used test for the detection of ANA and was recently recommended as the screening test of choice by a task force of the American College of Rheumatology. However, up to 20% of serum samples from healthy individuals (HI) have been reported to have a positive ANA test, the majority of which are directed to the dense fine speckles 70 (DFS70) antigen.

The common adiponutrin variant p.I148M does not confer gallstone risk but affects fasting glucose and triglyceride levels.

Recently the common adiponutrin (PNPLA3) polymorphism p.I148M has been identified as a genetic determinant of severe forms of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and alcoholic liver disease. Additionally, insulin resistance - linked to the development of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis - increases the risk of developing gallstones.

Sm peptides in differentiation of autoimmune diseases.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and related diseases are characterized by circulating autoantibodies to defined intracellular targets. Among the earliest identified autoantibodies were those directed to components of U2-U6 small nuclear ribonucleoproteins (snRNPs) known as Smith (Sm) antigen, which are highly specific for SLE. The Sm-antigen is composed of at least nine different polypeptides with molecular weights ranging from 9 to 29.

Safety and immunogenicity of the tetravalent protein-conjugated meningococcal vaccine (MCV4) in recipients of related and unrelated allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Given the high morbidity and mortality associated with meningococcal disease, in 2007 the Advisory Committee of Immunization Practices recommended immunization of all children ages 11-18 with a protein-conjugated meningococcal vaccine. There are limited data on the immunogenicity of this vaccine after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HCT). Since 2007, we have immunized 48 patients with the MCV4 vaccine.

Detection of rheumatoid arthritis by evaluation of normalized variances of fluorescence time correlation functions.

Fluorescence imaging using the dye indocyanine green as a contrast agent was investigated in a prospective clinical study for the detection of rheumatoid arthritis. Normalized variances of correlated time series of fluorescence intensities describing the bolus kinetics of the contrast agent in certain regions of interest were analyzed to differentiate healthy from inflamed finger joints. These values are determined using a robust, parameter-free algorithm.

Near-infrared imaging of the breast using omocianine as a fluorescent dye: results of a placebo-controlled, clinical, multicenter trial.

Objectives: To evaluate the efficacy of the near-infrared (NIR) dye Omocianine in a placebo-controlled, dose-escalating multicenter trial for the detection of malignant breast lesions by using a NIR imaging system.

Materials And Methods: The study was approved by the ethical review board of Berlin and Münster,, and all participants provided written informed consent. Fifty-two consecutive patients were examined with NIR imaging before, during, and after intravenous injection of Omocianine.

Anti-centromere antibodies in a large cohort of systemic sclerosis patients: comparison between immunofluorescence, CENP-A and CENP-B ELISA.

Introduction: Anti-centromere antibodies (ACA) are useful biomarkers in the diagnosis of systemic sclerosis (SSc) where they are found in 20-40% of patients and, albeit with lower prevalence, in patients with other systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases. Historically, ACA were detected by indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) on HEp-2 cells and confirmed by immunoassays using recombinant CENP-B. During the last few years, to accommodate high throughput diagnostics, a number of laboratories changed from IIF to ELISA assays.

Fear of falling from a daily life perspective; narratives from later life.

Fear of falling is a well-known condition in later life. The aim of this study was to illuminate the experiences and the meaning of fear of falling in a daily-life context. The method used was a qualitative study inspired by interpretive phenomenology.

Performance evaluation of a novel chemiluminescence assay for detection of anti-GBM antibodies: an international multicenter study.

Background: Autoantibodies to the non-collagen region (NC1) of the alpha-3 subunit of collagen IV represent a serological hallmark in the diagnosis of Goodpasture's syndrome (GPS). The objective of our study was to carefully analyze the performance characteristics of a novel anti-glomerular basement membrane (GBM) chemiluminescence immunoassay (CIA).

Methods: Sera from patients with GPS (n = 90) were collected from four clinical centers.

Infectious microorganisms in mice (Mus musculus) purchased from commercial pet shops in Germany.

In this study, we investigated the prevalence of infectious microorganisms (viruses, bacteria, fungi and eukaryotic parasites) in mice from different pet shops in Germany; such animals may compromise the hygienic integrity of laboratory animal vivaria if private pet holders act as unintended vectors of infections carried by them. House mice sold as pets or feed specimens were purchased from different pet shops and tested for a comprehensive panel of unwanted microorganisms. We found a number of microorganisms in these pet shop mice, the most prevalent of which were Helicobacter species (92.

Multi-center evaluation of autoantibodies to the major ribosomal P C22 epitope.

Anti-ribosomal P (Rib-P) autoantibodies have been demonstrated to be a specific diagnostic marker for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of anti-Rib-P (C22) antibodies in patients with SLE drawn from international, multi-center clinics. Sera collected from patients with SLE (n = 333) and various controls (n = 397) in four centers were tested for anti-C22 autoantibodies by ELISA (Dr.

Evaluation of a Novel Rapid Test System for the Detection of Allergic Sensitization to Timothy Grass Pollen against Established Laboratory Methods and Skin Prick Test.

Type I hypersensitivity is driven by allergen specific immunoglobulin E (sIgE) and thus sIgE represents a marker for modern allergy diagnosis. Recently, a rapid assay for the detection of sIgE, termed as (Allergy Lateral Flow Assay) ALFA, has been developed. The objective of our study is the evaluation of a scanner-based system for the semiquantitative interpretation of ALFA results.

Historical perspectives on the discovery and elucidation of autoantibodies to centromere proteins (CENP) and the emerging importance of antibodies to CENP-F.

Autoantibodies to the centromere proteins (CENP), which are major constituents of the primary constriction of metaphase chromosomes, were first described in 1980. In those seminal publications and 30 years of research that have followed, a number of CENP have been identified as autoantibody targets in human diseases. Historically, autoantibodies directed to CENP-A, -B and -C have been considered relatively specific biomarkers for limited cutaneous systemic sclerosis (lcSSc) or the calcinosis, Raynaud's phenomenon, esophageal dysmotility, sclerodactyly, and telangiectasia (CREST) syndrome.

Analysis of the common vasoactive intestinal peptide receptor 1 polymorphism in gallstone patients.

Background And Aim: Cholesterol gallstone disease is caused by both genetic and environmental factors (e.g., deranged motility of the gallbladder wall).