Background The treatment of celiac disease (CD) is a lifelong gluten-free diet (GFD). The current methods for monitoring GFD conformance, such as a dietary questionnaire or serology tests, may be inaccurate in detecting dietary transgressions, and duodenal biopsies are invasive, expensive, and not a routine monitoring technique. Objectives Our aim was to determine the clinical usefulness of urine gluten immunogenic peptides (GIP) as a biomarker monitoring GFD adherence in celiac patients and to evaluate the concordance of the results with the degree of mucosal damage. Methods A prospective observational study was conducted involving 22 de novo CD patients, 77 celiac patients consuming a GFD, and 13 nonceliac subjects. On 3 d of the week, urine samples were collected and the GIP concentrations were tested. Simultaneously, anti-tissue transglutaminase antibodies, questionnaire results, clinical manifestations, and histological findings were analyzed. Results Approximately 24% (18 of 76) of the celiac patients consuming a GFD exhibited Marsh II–III mucosal damage. Among this population, 94% (17 of 18) had detectable urine GIP; however, between 60% and 80% were asymptomatic and exhibited negative serology and appropriate GFD adherence based on the questionnaire. In contrast, 97% (31 of 32) of the celiac patients without duodenal damage had no detectable GIP. These results demonstrated the high sensitivity (94%) and negative predictive value (97%) of GIP measurements in relation to duodenal biopsy findings. In the de novo CD-diagnosed cohort, 82% (18 of 22) of patients had measurable amounts of GIP in the urine. Conclusions Determining GIP concentrations in several urine samples may be an especially convenient approach to assess recent gluten exposure in celiac patients and appears to accurately predict the absence of histological lesions. The introduction of GIP testing as an assessment technique for GFD adherence may help in ascertaining dietary compliance and to target the most suitable intervention during follow-up.

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Pinus pinaster Aiton is the pine with the largest natural area of distribution in Spain and the species that sustains the country's resin industry, with an annual average production of 3.2 to 3.5 kg per tree. After trees have been tapped, their wood has a high resin content and is of little use because of machining difficulties. For the first time, resinous wood of this species was characterized to compare its physico-mechanical properties with those of non-resinous wood. Significant differences were found in all the properties studied except modulus of elasticity. The resin produced by tapping decreased swelling, probably by reducing accessibility to the -OH groups and decreasing the available spaces during the capillary condensation phase. Similarly, tapping caused an increase in wood density and therefore in hardness, at the same time improving the mechanical properties.

Summary Background Gluten‐free diet (GFD) is the only treatment for patients with coeliac disease (CD) and its compliance should be monitored to avoid cumulative damage. Aims To analyse gluten exposures of coeliac patients on GFD for at least 24 months using different monitoring tools and its impact on duodenal histology at 12‐month follow‐up and evaluate the interval of determination of urinary gluten immunogenic peptides (u‐GIP) for the monitoring of GFD adherence. Methods Ninety‐four patients with CD on a GFD for at least 24 months were prospectively included. Symptoms, serology, CDAT questionnaire, and u‐GIP (three samples/visit) were analysed at inclusion, 3, 6, and 12 months. Duodenal biopsy was performed at inclusion and 12 months. Results At inclusion, 25.8% presented duodenal mucosal damage; at 12 months, this percentage reduced by half. This histological improvement was indicated by a reduction in u‐GIP but did not correlate with the remaining tools. The determination of u‐GIP detected a higher number of transgressions than serology, regardless of histological evolution type. The presence of >4 u‐GIP‐positive samples out of 12 collected during 12 months predicted histological lesion with a specificity of 93%. Most patients (94%) with negative u‐GIP in ≥2 follow‐up visits showed the absence of histological lesions (p < 0.05). Conclusion This study suggests that the frequency of recurrent gluten exposures, according to serial determination of u‐GIP, could be related to the persistence of villous atrophy and that a more regular follow‐up every 6 months, instead of annually, provides more useful data about the adequate adherence to GFD and mucosal healing.

A 35-year-old man with definite Behçet's disease developed acute mitral and aortic regurgitation. Valvular disease, we believed, was another manifestation of this disease. Cardiac involvement in Behçet's disease and the role of prednisone therapy are discussed.