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Background We investigated whether parental history of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) is associated with age, lifestyle, anthropometric factors, and clinical severity at the time of T2D diagnosis. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study based on the Danish Centre for Strategic Research in Type 2 Diabetes cohort. We examined the prevalence ratios (PR) of demographic, lifestyle, anthropometric, and clinical factors according to parental history, using Poisson regression adjusting for age and gender. Results Of 2825 T2D patients, 34% (n = 964) had a parental history of T2D. Parental history was associated with younger age at diagnosis [adjusted (a)PR 1.66, 95% confidence interval: 1.19, 2.31) for age

Background Current literature lacks data on markers of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients. We therefore, conducted a cross-sectional study to examine modifiable clinical and lifestyle factors associated with elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels as a marker of NAFLD in new T2DM patients. Methods Alanine aminotransferase levels were measured in 1026 incident T2DM patients enrolled in the nationwide Danish Centre for Strategic Research in Type 2 Diabetes (DD2) cohort. We examined prevalence of elevated ALT (>38 IU/L for women and >50 IU/L for men) and calculated prevalence ratios associated with clinical and lifestyle factors using Poisson regression. We examined the association with other biomarkers by linear regression. Results The median value of ALT was 24 IU/L (interquartile range: 18–32 IU/L) in women and 30 IU/L (interquartile range: 22–41 IU/L) in men. Elevated ALT was found in 16% of incident T2DM patients. The risk of elevated ALT was increased in patients who were 14/>21 drinks per week for women/men) (aPR: 1.60, 95% CI: 1.03-2.50), and in those with no regular physical activity (aPR: 1.42, 95% CI: 1.04–1.93). Obesity and metabolic syndrome per se showed no association with elevated ALT when adjusted for other markers, whereas we found positive associations of ALT with increased C-peptide (β = 0.14, 95% CI: 0.06–0.21) and fasting blood glucose (β = 0.07, 95% CI: 0.03–0.11). Conclusions Among newly diagnosed T2DM patients, several modifiable clinical and lifestyle factors are independent markers of elevated ALT levels. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Immunotherapy of colorectal carcinoma (CRC) has great promise as the presence of T lymphocytes in CRC tissues in situ is correlated with reduced recurrence and increased survival. Thus, identification of the antigens recognized by T cells of CRC patients may permit development of vaccines with potential benefit for these patients. Using expression cloning, we identified the antigen, nucleophosmin (Npm), recognized by an HLA-A1 restricted cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) line derived from the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of a rectal cancer patient. A decamer peptide derived from the Npm sequence sensitized peptide-pulsed HLA-A1 positive cells to lysis by the CTL line. The peptide also induced proliferative and cytotoxic T lymphocytes in the PBMC of 4 of 6 CRC patients, which lysed HLA-A1 positive peptide-pulsed target cells and CRC cells endogenously expressing Npm. Overexpression of Npm by tumors of various histological types, recognition of the antigen by T cells derived from different CRC patients and association of the antigen with poor prognostic outcome make it a promising target for immunotherapeutic intervention in cancer patients.

Maternal antibodies may protect the fetus and neonate against severe forms of CMV-caused disease, therefore this study investigated the efficiency of the placental transfer of naturally acquired, maternal total anti-cytomegalovirus (CMV) IgG and neutralizing antibodies at different gestational ages. The study was conducted on 182 healthy CMV-seropositive Brazilian mothers and their 196 infants who were not infected congenitally with CMV, as determined by CMV detection in urine. The study groups were composed of 44 infants aged 28-30 weeks; 51 infants aged 31-33 weeks; 62 infants aged 34-36 weeks, and 39 infants of gestational age > or = 37 weeks. Quantitative detection of total CMV IgG was carried out using EIA and virus neutralizing titers were determined by a microneutralization assay in sera from mothers and infants. CMV IgG levels and neutralizing titers of the infants correlated with maternal levels (r=0.873 and r=0.841, respectively). The efficiency of placental transfer of these antibodies was enhanced significantly as gestation progressed until 34-36 weeks, when values similar to those of full-term infants (90-100%) were found. Transfer ratios were significantly higher for neutralizing compared to total CMV IgG antibodies at gestational age 31-33 weeks (100% vs. 84%, respectively) and at gestational age 28-30 weeks (75% vs. 60%, respectively). We conclude that placental transfer of naturally acquired maternal CMV neutralizing and total CMV IgG antibodies are similarly efficient above 34 weeks of gestational age. At less than 34 weeks of gestational age, transfer of neutralizing antibodies may be favored and these antibodies reach the neonatal serum of 99% of these premature infants.