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Aim: To ascertain the predictive factors of high levels of disease activity in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Patients and methods: Patients with SLE (American College of Radiology criteria), aged ⩾16 years, with disease duration ⩽5 years and of Hispanic (Texas and Puerto Rico), African American and Caucasian ethnicities, were included. The outcome was high disease activity at any time (Systemic Lupus Activity Measure—Revised >10). A basic multivariable model (including age, sex, ethnicity, health insurance, social support, abnormal illness-related behaviours, helplessness and prior disease activity) was first examined. Additional models were built by including other variables. Results: 554 patients (100 Hispanics from Texas, 94 Hispanics from Puerto Rico, 199 African Americans, 161 Caucasians) and 2366 visits were analysed; 47% of the patients and 29% of the visits met the definition of high disease activity (more common among African Americans (72.0%) and Hispanics from Texas (71.3%) than among Caucasians (43.9%) and Hispanics from Puerto Rico (31.9%)). Variables found to predict high levels of disease activity were Hispanic (from Texas) and African American ethnicities, lack of health insurance, helplessness, abnormal illness-related behaviours and poor social support; age was negatively associated with high levels of disease activity. African admixture and anti-double-stranded DNA antibodies also predicted high levels of disease activity, as did prior disease activity. None of the human leucocyte antigen variables were retained in the models. Conclusions: Socioeconomic–demographic (age, ethnicity, health insurance), behavioural and psychological variables are important mediators of high levels of disease activity in SLE during its course. Interventions aimed at modifiable factors may improve the outcomes of SLE.

Significance: Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) is a promising tool for neurofeedback (NFB) or brain–computer interfaces (BCIs). However, fNIRS signals are typically highly contaminated by systemic activity (SA) artifacts, and, if not properly corrected, NFB or BCIs run the risk of being based on noise instead of brain activity. This risk can likely be reduced by correcting for SA, in particular when short-distance channels (SDCs) are available. Literature comparing correction methods with and without SDCs is still sparse, specifically comparisons considering single trials are lacking. Aim: This study aimed at comparing the performance of SA correction methods with and without SDCs. Approach: Semisimulated and real motor task data of healthy older adults were used. Correction methods without SDCs included a simple and a more advanced spatial filter. Correction methods with SDCs included a regression approach considering only the closest SDC and two GLM-based methods, one including all eight SDCs and one using only two a priori selected SDCs as regressors. All methods were compared with data uncorrected for SA and correction performance was assessed with quality measures quantifying signal improvement and spatial specificity at single trial level. Results: All correction methods were found to improve signal quality and enhance spatial specificity as compared with the uncorrected data. Methods with SDCs usually outperformed methods without SDCs. Correction methods without SDCs tended to overcorrect the data. However, the exact pattern of results and the degree of differences observable between correction methods varied between semisimulated and real data, and also between quality measures. Conclusions: Overall, results confirmed that both Δ  [  HbO  ]   and Δ  [  HbR  ]   are affected by SA and that correction methods with SDCs outperform methods without SDCs. Nonetheless, improvements in signal quality can also be achieved without SDCs and should therefore be given priority over not correcting for SA.

Background：Conventional magnetic resonance imaging （MRI） is the preferred neuroimaging method in the evaluation ofneuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus （NPSLE）.The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between clinical and immunological features with MRI abnormalities in female patients with NPSLE,to screen for the value of conventional MRI in NPSLE.Methods：A total of 59 female NPSLE patients with conventional MRI examinations were enrolled in this retrospective study.All patients were classified into different groups according to MRI abnormalities.Both clinical and immunological features were compared between MRI abnormal and normal groups.One-way analysis of variance was used to compare the systemic lupus erythematosus disease activity index （SLEDAI） score for MRI abnormalities.Multivariate logistic regression analysis investigated the correlation between immunological features,neuropsychiatric manifestations,and MRI abnormalities.Results：Thirty-six NPSLE patients （61%） showed a variety of MRI abnormalities.There were statistically significant differences in SLEDAI scores （P 〈 0.001）,incidence of neurologic disorders （P =0.001）,levels of 24-h proteinuria （P =0.001） and immunoglobulin M （P =0.004）,and incidence of acute confusional state （P =0.002）,cerebrovascular disease （P =0.004）,and seizure disorder （P =0.028） between MRI abnormal and normal groups.In the MRI abnormal group,SLEDAI scores for cerebral atrophy （CA）,cortex involvement,and restricted diffusion （RD） were much higher than in the MRI normal group （P 〈 0.001,P =0.002,P =0.038,respectively）.Statistically significant positive correlations between seizure disorder and cortex involvement （odds ratio [OR] =14.90;95% confidence interval [CI],1.50-151.70;P =0.023） and cerebrovascular disease and infratentorial involvement （OR =10.00;95% CI,1.70-60.00;P =0.012） were found.Conclusions：MRI abnormalities in NPSLE,especially CA,cortex involvement,and RD might be markers of high systemic lupus erythematosus activity.Some MRI abnormalities might correspond to neuropsychiatric manifestations and might be helpful in understanding the pathophysiology of NPSLE.

Disease activity 6 months before pregnancy of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) associated with adverse maternal and fetal outcomes is not well studied. The aim of the study was to identify predictors of adverse maternal and fetal outcomes in pregnant SLE patients, based on patients’ background characteristics, clinical and laboratory data 6 months before pregnancy. Of 103 pregnancies, 55 pregnancies in 39 SLE patients were investigated. Clinical and laboratory data were recorded at regular intervals from 6 months before conception to 1 year after delivery. Primary outcomes included the predictors of combined adverse maternal and fetal outcomes. Potential explanatory variables included demographic, clinical and laboratory data 6 months before conception. Using logistic regression, history of nephritis (p = 0.001, odds ratio [OR] 13.3, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.7–65.1) and a high SLE Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI) score 6 months before pregnancy (p = 0.015, OR 1.7, 95% CI 1.1–2.7) were associated with combined adverse maternal outcome, whereas flare during pregnancy (p = 0.003, OR 29.3, 95% CI 3.1–273.1) predicted combined adverse fetal outcome. The area under the curve for SLEDAI score of combined maternal outcome was 0.73 (95% CI 0.58–0.87). The optimal cut-off point according to the receiver operating characteristic curve was 4, with a sensitivity of 64% and a specificity of 75%. In conclusion, a history of nephritis or a SLEDAI score of 4 or more in SLE patients 6 months before conception predicts adverse maternal outcomes, while disease flare during pregnancy predicts adverse fetal outcomes. Pregnancies should be delayed until the disease has been in remission for 6 months.

Some synthetic fungicides have been currently prohibited due to their adverse effects; thus, searching for alternatives to decrease their application is a priority worldwide. An alternative to the application of synthetic fungicides is chitosan -a natural biopolymer- because of its biocompatibility, biodegradability, and bioactivity. Chitosan has been used in different industries, such as cosmetology, pharmaceutics, food, among others. In agriculture, it has been used as a resistance inductor and bio-fungicide because of its antimicrobial activity and for plant development as growth promoter. Although many works have been published on chitosan for its characteristics and mode of action, the direct effects on agriculture -both in plant and fruit phytopathogens- have not been reported. Therefore, the objective of this review is to summarize recent advances and achievements of chitosan application in agriculture with special attention to its antimicrobial properties and plant defence induction mechanisms.

AZD7594 is a non-steroidal, selective, glucocorticoid receptor modulator (SGRM), currently in development for the treatment of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. This paper reports a randomized placebo-controlled dose escalation study in healthy Japanese male subjects. Inhaled AZD7594 was administered as one single dose at day 1 (day 1-4), with subsequent multiple daily doses (day 5-16) via a multiple-dose dry powder inhaler for 12 days of once-daily treatment. At each dose level, subjects were randomized to AZD7594 (n=7) or placebo (n=2). The safety, pharmacokinetics (PK) and pharmacodynamics (PD) of AZD7594 were evaluated. Inhaled AZD7594 was safe and well tolerated up to and including the highest dose 1600 µg tested. Plasma exposure suggested dose-proportional PK. The urinary excretion of AZD7594 was negligible (<0.02%). Dose-related effects were observed for 24 hrs plasma cortisol; however, significant cortisol suppression (25%) was only seen at the highest dose level following multiple doses. There were no or only marginal effects on other biomarkers tested (dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate [DHEA-S] and osteocalcin). In conclusion, the early clinical evaluation of inhaled AZD7594 suggests that this novel SGRM is well tolerated in the dose range investigated and also in a Japanese population. It shows dose-proportional plasma exposure, moderate accumulation and has limited impact on systemic markers of glucocorticoid activity.

Although anti-Smith (Sm) antibody is a highly specific antibody for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), the significance of anti-Sm antibody in patients with SLE is unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the association between anti-Sm antibodies and disease activity in patients with new-onset SLE. We included patients who were tested for anti-Sm antibodies at SLE diagnosis and within 12 months after diagnosis. SLE disease activity index (SLEDAI) was obtained at the time of the anti-Sm antibody test. The baseline disease activity was compared between patients with and without anti-Sm antibodies. The longitudinal association between disease activity and anti-Sm antibodies was also evaluated in total patients and in those with anti-Sm antibodies. Among 92 patients who were tested for anti-Sm antibodies at SLE diagnosis, 67 and another 67 patients were followed up for the presence of anti-Sm antibodies at 6 and 12 months, respectively. Although the baseline SLEDAI was comparable in patients with and without anti-Sm antibodies, the serum level of anti-Sm antibody was significantly correlated with SLEDAI (P = 0.003). At 12 months, anti-Sm antibody positivity was associated with higher SLEDAI and anti-dsDNA titer (P = 0.002, both). In addition, the changes in anti-Sm antibody titer over 12 months were correlated with the alterations in SLEDAI (P = 0.029).Anti-Sm antibody was associated with the baseline disease activity and the alteration of disease activity in patients with new-onset SLE. Monitoring of anti-Sm antibody titer may help assess the disease activity in SLE.

A strain of marine bacterium Bacillus firmus YBf-10 with nematicidal activity was originally isolated by our group. In the present study, the systemic nematicidal activity and biocontrol efficacy in pot experiment of B . firmus YBf-10 were investigated. Our results showed that YBf-10 exhibits systemic nematicidal activity against Meloidogyne incognita , including lethal activity, inhibition of egg hatch and motility. Pot experiment suggested that soil drenching with YBf-10 efficiently reduced damage of M . incognita to tomato plants, such as reduction of galls, egg masses on roots, and final nematode population in soil; and moreover, YBf-10 significantly promoted host plant growth. In addition, our results also indicated that the systemic nematicidal activity is likely attributed to the secondary metabolites produced by YBf-10. The obtained results of the current study confirmed that B. firmus YBf-10 is a promising nematicidal agent, and has great potential in plant-parasitic nematicidal management.

Objectives This study evaluated the effect of implementing a hierarchical pharmaceutical service pattern based on the knowledge–attitude–practice (KAP) intervention theory on patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. Methods Eligible patients were randomly divided into an intervention or control group. Pharmaceutical service classification criteria were formulated and used to provide patients with differing levels of pharmaceutical services. The classification scores and KAP levels of patients before and at various time points after the intervention were analyzed. The rates of acute attacks and adverse reactions, related clinical test indices, and disease activity were evaluated in both groups. Results After 9 months of intervention, the proportions of first- and second-level services in the intervention group declined by 14.43% and 3.94%, respectively, compared with the control group, and the rates of acute attacks and adverse reactions declined by 18.26% and 12.43%, respectively. The KAP level, clinical test indices, and disease activity were significantly different between the groups. Conclusion Providing patients with systemic lupus erythematosus with pertinent hierarchical pharmaceutical services based on the KAP theory was instrumental in changing patients’ behavior and contributed to facilitating disease self-management, thus improving the quality of pharmaceutical services.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune rheumatic disease with relapsing and remitting periods. It has been reported that alterations of gut microbiota can affect disease activity in SLE. Probiotics which can modify the gut microbiota may be useful to control disease activity. Therefore, the effect of probiotic yogurt was evaluated on SLE disease activity. In this triple-blind, randomized, controlled trial, the patients were randomized and divided into 2 groups. The patients had Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI) ≤6 and were on a stable dose of immunosuppressant in the last 3 months. The intervention group was given 200 g of probiotic yogurt containing Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Bifidobacterium bifidum for 13 weeks. The control group was given 200 g of yogurt without bacteria for 13 weeks. Demographic measurements, SLEDAI, and Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) were analyzed before and after the intervention. The probiotic group (19 patients) and the control group (14 individuals) were compared. At the beginning and baseline of the trial, the probiotic and control groups’ average energy intake, micronutrients, and macronutrients did not differ significantly. In the probiotic group, the amount of protein, cholesterol, magnesium, zinc, selenium, and iron intake increased significantly after intervention. There are no significant changes in SLEDAI score and disability (HAQ) between case and control groups at the end of the study. Consumption of probiotic yogurt containing L. rhamnosus and B. bifidum did not have a significant short-term effect on SLEDAI and disability in SLE patients.