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Objectives: Studies supporting therapeutic drug monitoring to biopharmaceuticals in SLE are scarce. We aimed to assess anti-drug antibody (ADA) occurrence in belimumab-treated SLE patients and associations between belimumab concentrations and clinical response, serological outcomes and adverse events. Methods. We included 100 patients treated with intravenous belimumab. Clinical data and biologica
Background: Klebsiella pneumoniae infections pose a great burden worldwide, causing high morbidity and mortality, which are worsened by the increase in multidrug-resistant strains. New therapeutic/prophylactic strategies are urgently needed to overcome antibiotic resistance and reduce the health and economic impacts of diseases caused by this pathogen. Fimbriae are important virulence factors invo
The human brain is a complex and finely tuned organ, constantly monitored and maintained by its resident immune cells.Among these, microglia are the primary regulators of the brain immune environment under physiological conditions, and monocyte-derived macrophages contribute mainly to pathological states such as ischemic stroke and neuronopathic Gaucher’s disease (GD). These two diseases, although
Background: Reliable data on optimal fluid management in the perioperative period for patients with advanced ovarian cancer undergoing cytoreductive surgery is limited. These patients often present with malignant ascites and are prone to significant fluid shifts perioperatively. For this reason, our objective was to define clinical targets for optimal fluid balance and determine whether initial as
Human diets play a crucial role in both human health and environmental sustainability. In 2019, the EAT-Lancet Commission on healthy diets from sustainable food systems introduced the EAT-Lancet planetary health diet, a universal reference diet designed to promote human health while minimizing environmental degradation. It is a predominantly plant-based dietary pattern, rich in whole grains, veget
The bulk micellar and surface adsorption behaviour of a bio-derived cyclic-containing anionic surfactant, sodium tetradecyl furan sulfonate (STFS), has been studied in this work. To determine its viability as an alternative to petrochemically derived surfactants in detergents, the self-assembly andadsorption properties were measured both alone and in binary and ternary mixtures with a common anion
Controlling the surface morphology and chemical interaction is necessary for the development of advanced quantummaterials, particularly in low-dimensional systems. As the research increasingly focuses on miniature and nanoscaletechnologies, a fundamental understanding of localized or interface states becomes essential for successful integrationinto functional devices. This thesis investigates atom
Natural autoantibodies (NAAbs) are immunoglobulins generated in the absence of antigen provocation, with no inherent pathogenic effect, but instead involved in maintaining immune homeostasis. We aimed to evaluate the implication of immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies against heat shock protein 90α (HSP90α) in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients, focusing on how those NAAbs may interfere with
Background: Celiac disease is associated with HLA-risk haplotypes, but non-HLA genes and environmental factors are also linked to disease susceptibility. In this study, we explore the molecular pathways involved in celiac disease by analyzing the differential expression of genes in both the gut and peripheral blood across various celiac disease phenotypes. Methods: Whole genome RNA sequencing was
Study region: The Limpopo River Basin (LRB) is a transboundary catchment in Southern Africa, shared by South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique. The basin is increasingly affected by climate variability, land-use change, and rapid population growth, with the Chókwe floodplain in Mozambique representing a hotspot of socio-economic vulnerability to floods. Study focus: This study applies the
Brake particle emissions present significant risks to human health, particularly when they contain metallic fine particles, which can induce oxidative stress, disrupt cellular structures, and cause genetic damage. In this study, an alumina coating was deposited on cast iron discs and a non-asbestos organic (NAO) pad and a low-metallic (LM) pad (as reference) were used as counterparts of the brake
Background: Microscopic colitis (MC) is characterized by non-bloody, watery diarrhea predominantly in elderly women. Known risk factors are smoking, medication with NSAIDs, PPIs or SSRIs, while data on hormonal factors is sparse. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether hormonal factors that disrupt the sex hormonal balance could have an impact on the disease course in MC. Methods:
Background: Evidence is limited on whether alterations in diabetes-related health parameters are detectable before clinical diagnosis in novel diabetes subtypes. We investigated trajectories of diabetes-related health parameters in individuals with recently diagnosed type 2 diabetes (T2D). Methods: Using data from the Stockholm Diabetes Prevention Programme cohort (SDPP) participants (n = 215) wit
Epitaxial shell is vital for enhancing the optoelectronic performance of semiconductor quantum dots (QDs), especially for the wide bandgap blue QDs, yet the shell crystal structure's impact on thermal stability and photophysical behavior remains unexplored. It is reported that the ligand-directed synthesis of ZnS shells with zinc blende (ZB) or wurtzite (WZ) structure on blue WZ CdZnS cores, where
Introduction: Heterogeneity in cognitive outcomes and response to treatment has been described in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Using the method of mixed models, higher resolution can be obtained to identify potential predictors of long-term outcomes. Aims: To analyse the impact of the APOE genotype, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) therapy and cholinesterase inhibitor treatment (ChEI) on
Background/objectives: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is currently diagnosed clinically using defined symptomatic diagnostic criteria. Pathological levels of CSF-biomarkers, high T-tau, P-tau and low Ab42 have been associated with AD however definition of cut off values differ. New diagnostic criteria that include the pathological CSF biomarkers have been suggested. How many AD patients in a routine cli
