Inflammatory intestinal diseases such as Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis have seen an increase in their prevalence in developing countries throughout the current decade. These are caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors, altered immune response, intestinal epithelium disruption and dysbiosis in the gut microbiome. Current therapies are mainly focused on treating symptoms and are often expensive and ineffective in the long term. Recently, there has been an increase in our understanding of the relevance of the gut microbiome and its impact on human health. Advances in the use of probiotics and synthetic biology have led to the development of intestinal biosensors, bacteria engineered to detect inflammation biomarkers, that work as diagnostic tools. Additionally, live biotherapeutics have been engineered as delivery vehicles to produce treatment in situ avoiding common complications and side effects of current therapies. These genetic constructs often express a therapeutic substance constitutively, but others could be regulated externally by specific substrates, making the production of their treatment more efficient. Additionally, certain probiotics detecting specific biomarkers in situ and responding by generating a therapeutic substance are beginning to be developed. While most studies are still in the laboratory stage, a few modified probiotics have been tested in humans. These advances indicate that live biotherapeutics could have great potential as new treatments for inflammatory intestinal diseases.

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Objective: Our objective was to evaluate the trend of antithyroglobulin antibodies (TgAb) during follow-up of patients with differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) treated without RAI, as well as their role in the risk of recurrence. Subjects and methods: This was a prospective, descriptive study. A total of 152 consecutive patients with DTC treated in a single institution undergoing total thyroidectomy without RAI and followed for a median of 2.3 years (0.5-10.3) were divided in two groups: TgAb(-) (n = 111) and TgAb(+) (n = 41). Patients were classified according to AJCC 7 th and 8 th editions, as well as to their risk of recurrence and response to treatment categories. Results: Both groups, TgAb(-) and TgAb(+), were similar regarding patient and tumor characteristics. At the end of follow-up, 90 (59.2%), 57 (37.5%), 3 (2%) and 2 (1.3%) patients achieved excellent, indeterminate, biochemically incomplete and structurally incomplete response, respectively. The risk of structural recurrence was similar in both groups (TgAb[-] 0.9% vs. TgAb[+] 2.4%, p = 0.46). In the TgAb(+) group, TgAb became negative in 10 (24.4%), decreased ≥ 50% without negativization in 25 (60.9%), decreased < 50% in 4 (9.8%) and remained stable or increased in 2 (4.9%) cases. The only incomplete structural response had increasing TgAb during follow-up. Conclusions: In properly selected patients with DTC, TgAb concentration immediately after total thyroidectomy should not mandate RAI ablation, and their trend during follow-up may impact the risk of recurrence. Arch Endocrinol Metab. 2019;63(3):293-9

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L-Fucose is a monosaccharide abundant in mammalian glycoconjugates. In humans, fucose can be found in human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs), mucins, and glycoproteins in the intestinal epithelium. The bacterial consumption of fucose and fucosylated HMOs is critical in the gut microbiome assembly of infants, dominated by Bifidobacterium. Fucose metabolism is important for the production of short-chain fatty acids and is involved in cross-feeding microbial interactions. Methods for assessing fucose concentrations in complex media are lacking. Here we designed and developed a molecular quantification method of free fucose using fluorescent Escherichia coli. For this, low- and high-copy plasmids were evaluated with and without the transcription factor fucR and its respective fucose-inducible promoter controlling the reporter gene sfGFP. E. coli BL21 transformed with a high copy plasmid containing pFuc and fucR displayed a high resolution across increasing fucose concentrations and high fluorescence/OD values after 18 h. The molecular circuit was specific against other monosaccharides and showed a linear response in the 0–45 mM range. Adjusting data to the Hill equation suggested non-cooperative, simple regulation of FucR to its promoter. Finally, the biosensor was tested on different concentrations of free fucose and the supernatant of Bifidobacterium bifidum JCM 1254 supplemented with 2-fucosyl lactose, indicating the applicability of the method in detecting free fucose. In conclusion, a bacterial biosensor of fucose was validated with good sensitivity and precision. A biological method for quantifying fucose could be useful for nutraceutical and microbiological applications, as well as molecular diagnostics.

Hyperthyroidism can induce elevation in several liver function tests including aminotransferases, alkaline phosphatases and, less frequently, serum bilirubin. These alterations are usually mild and asymptomatic. We report a 26 year-old male presenting with palpitations, progressive jaundice, choluria and generalized itching. Laboratory tests were compatible with hyperthyroidism and a mild elevation of bilirubin, alkaline phosphatases and gamma glutamyl transpeptidase. A liver biopsy showed portal hepatitis with canalicular cholestasis. The patient was treated temporarily with glucocorticoids, cholestyramine and betablockade. Thereafter, he was treated with radioactive iodine, after which serum bilirubin decreased steadily until normalization in ten weeks.