This study investigated the role of regulatory T (T(reg)) cells in patients with new-onset, treatment-naïve ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Levels of CD4(+)CD25(high)CD127(low/-) T(reg) cells in the peripheral blood of 14 AS patients and 18 age-matched healthy volunteers were investigated by flow cytometry and correlations with serum levels of immunoglobulin A (IgA) and AS activity, as assessed by the Bath AS Disease Activity Index (BASDAI), were analysed. The number of peripheral blood CD4(+)CD25(high)CD127(low/-) T(reg) cells in AS patients was found to be significantly lower than in healthy controls and was inversely correlated with serum IgA levels. There was no significant correlation between CD4(+)CD25(high)CD127(low/-) T(reg) cell numbers and BASDAI scores. It is concluded that CD4(+)CD25(high)CD127(low/-) T(reg) cells may play a role in the pathogenesis and activity of AS.

Summary In this article, we conducted: I Study on comparisons of serological activity between phenolic glycolipid (PG I) and its terminal sugar which was a synthetic antigen conjugated to bovine gamma globulin. The sera for comparison were collected from leprosy patients (182 cases), tuberculosis patients (20 cases), and normal persons (108 cases, in non endemic area of leprosy). The results indicated that there was highly significant positive correlation (correlation coefficient, r=O.72 p<0.0005) between PGI and M-BGG (monosaccharide conjugated to bovine gamma globulin) antigens and their OD values in sera from normal persons similar to those of sera from tuberculosis patients. These suggested that PGI-ELISA and M-BGG-ELISA were highly specific for detection of infection with My cobacterium leprae. When comparison tests of PGI-ELISA with ML-ELISA were performed, similar sensitivity ofthe two tests to sera from leprosy patients was fo und. These tests suggested that PGI-ELISA and M-BGG-ELISA were as highly sensitive as ML-ELISA to sera from leprosy patients. For these reasons, PGI-and M-BGG-ELISA, were both considered highly sensitive and specific for detection of infection with M. leprae. 2 Study on correlation of PGI ELISA with ML-ELISA and FLA-ABS.T. The results indicated that they were also highly significant in positive correlation (correlation coefficient, 'FLA ABS.T = 0.945 p

ABSTRACT. Recent studies revealed common genetic risks for both viral bronchiolitis and asthma. Genome-wide association studies revealed that rs7216389 in the ORMDL3 gene is associated with childhood asthma. We conducted a case-control study examining the associations between ORMDL3 polymorphisms (rs7216389, rs12603332, and rs11650680) and bronchiolitis susceptibility/viral findings among 247 infant bronchiolitis cases and 190 healthy controls. We genotyped single nucleotide polymorphisms by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ ionization-time-of-flight mass spectrometry and detected respiratory viruses with multiplex reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. Only the genotype and allele frequencies of rs7216389 significantly differed between bronchiolitis and controls. The frequencies of the TT homozygote and the T allele of rs7216389 were significantly higher in the bronchiolitis patients (P = 0.0325; P = 0.0089, respectively). Polymorphisms were not associated with bronchiolitis severity. Cases were further stratified by viral infection, but no significant differences 19155-19162 (2015) in the ORMDL3 genotype between the virus-detected group (e.g., respiratory syncytial virus alone, respiratory virus alone, virus detected) and no-virus-detected group were observed. Bronchiolitis is associated with the ORMDL3 gene in Chinese children, and there were no significant associations between genetic variations and disease severity or respiratory viruses. The TT homozygote and the T allele of rs7216389 in ORMDL3 increased bronchiolitis risk. The rs7216389 polymorphism may be a predictor for identifying infants with predisposition to virusinduced wheezing to persistent asthma.