Brief Report: Genetic Variation of the α1 -Antitrypsin Gene Is Associated With Increased Autoantibody Production in Rheumatoid Arthritis.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the prevalence of α1 -antitrypsin deficiency (AATD) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and to determine whether AATD is associated with higher levels of rheumatoid factor (RF), antinuclear antibodies (ANAs), and anti-citrullinated peptide autoantibodies (ACPAs). METHODS: RF, ANAs, and ACPAs were measured by standard immunoturbidimetry, immunofluorescence assay, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, respectively. Characterization of AAT phenotypes was performed by isoelectric focusing and immunofixation. The chi-square test with Yates' correction and the Mann-Whitney U test were used to assess the prevalence of alleles associated with AATD in RA and to compare mean antibody titers, respectively. RESULTS: Of 246 patients with RA, 24 who were heterozygous for AATD were identified, with no statistically significant difference in the prevalence of AATD between RA patients and the general population (P = 0.39). A positive association between heterozygosity for AATD and the production of ACPAs was observed (P < 0.0001), with increased ACPA titers recorded in the AATD RA cohort compared with the general population (P = 0.01). CONCLUSION: AAT heterozygous status in RA is strongly associated with positive ACPAs and may define a distinct subset of patients with increased disease severity.

Agricultural nematology in East and Southern Africa: problems, management strategies and stakeholder linkages.

By 2050, Africa's population is projected to exceed 2 billion. Africa will have to increase food production more than 50% in the coming 50 years to meet the nutritional requirements of its growing population. Nowhere is the need to increase agricultural productivity more pertinent than in much of Sub-Saharan Africa, where it is currently static or declining. Optimal pest management will be essential, because intensification of any system creates heightened selection pressures for pests. Plant-parasitic nematodes and their damage potential are intertwined with intensified systems and can be an indicator of unsustainable practices. As soil pests, nematodes are commonly overlooked or misdiagnosed, particularly where appropriate expertise and knowledge transfer systems are meager or inadequately funded. Nematode damage to roots results in less efficient root systems that are less able to access nutrients and water, which can produce symptoms typical of water or nutrient deficiency, leading to misdiagnosis of the underlying cause. Damage in subsistence agriculture is exacerbated by growing crops on degraded soils and in areas of low water retention where strong root growth is vital. This review focuses on the current knowledge of economically important nematode pests affecting key crops, nematode control methods and the research and development needs for sustainable management, stakeholder involvement and capacity building in the context of crop security in East and Southern Africa, especially Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe.

Secondary choroidal lymphoma in a child treated for Burkitt lymphoma.

A 9-year-old girl presented with a choroidal tumor 6 years after remission of Burkitt lymphoma with no evidence of systemic recurrence. The tumor regressed after plaque radiotherapy. The second tumor could have been related to previous chemotherapy, caused by Epstein-Barr virus infection, or the result of independent lymphoma cell growth.