Evaluation of the STANDARD M10 MDR-TB and MTB/NTM assays for the detection of , rifampicin and isoniazid resistance, and nontuberculous mycobacteria in a low-incidence setting.

Unlabelled: Rapid detection is crucial for tuberculosis (TB) control. GeneXpert (Cepheid) is a widely used PCR system, known for its simplicity, random access, and point-of-care compatibility. SD BIOSENSOR recently introduced a similar system, STANDARD M10, including a (MTB) and rifampicin (RIF) and isoniazid resistance (herein, MDR-TB) assay and an MTB/nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) assay.

Novel Biomarkers: Soluble Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator Receptor and Procalcitonin- and Histological Chorioamnionitis after Preterm Premature Rupture of Membranes.

Fetal inflammatory response syndrome or infection after preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM) increases neonatal morbidity in preterm deliveries. Biochemical markers from the amniotic fluid (AF) have been used to evaluate possible intra-amniotic infection during the asymptomatic phase after PPROM. This study aimed to describe whether soluble urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) or procalcitonin (PCT) from AF or maternal sera could reveal fetal inflammatory response or infection after PPROM.

Clinical Aspects and Disease Severity of Streptococcus dysgalactiae Subspecies equisimilis Bacteremia, Finland.

We conducted a prospective study of 159 cases of subspecies (SDSE) bacteremia in 157 patients at 2 hospitals in Finland during November 2015–November 2019. Cellulitis was associated with nonsevere disease (p = 0.008); necrotizing fasciitis was associated with severe disease (p = 0.

Assessment of a novel BLOOMY score for predicting mortality in hospitalised adults with bloodstream infection.

Purpose: A German multicentre study BLOOMY was the first to use machine learning approach to develop mortality prediction scores for bloodstream infection (BSI) patients, but the scores have not been assessed in other cohorts. Our aim was to assess how the BLOOMY 14-day and 6-month scores estimate mortality in our cohort of 497 cases with BSI.

Methods: Clinical data, laboratory data, and patient outcome were gathered retrospectively from patient records.

Streptococcus intermedius causing primary bacterial ventriculitis in a patient with severe periodontitis - a case report.

Background: Streptococcus intermedius is a member of the S. anginosus group and is part of the normal oral microbiota. It can cause pyogenic infections in various organs, primarily in the head and neck area, including brain abscesses and meningitis.

Evaluation of the FluoroType Mycobacteria assay for identification of mycobacteria.

Unlabelled: Accurate species identification is a prerequisite for successful management of tuberculosis and non-tuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) diseases. The novel FluoroType Mycobacteria assay combines three established GenoType DNA strip assays (CM, AS, and NTM-DR), allowing detection of and 32 NTM species/subspecies in a single assay with automatic detection and result analysis. We evaluated the clinical performance of the FluoroType assay and its feasibility in replacing the GenoType Mycobacterium CM assay as the initial method for mycobacterial identification.

P-suPAR may reflect the inflammatory response after pancreatic surgery.

Background: Several different scoring systems have been developed to predict post-pancreatectomy complications. Currently used inflammatory markers are of only limited value in predicting complications after pancreatic surgery. Plasma soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (P-suPAR) is a prognostic biomarker associated with different inflammatory conditions.

Evaluation of the new 2.0 version of the Roche SARS-CoV-2 Rapid Antigen Test.

We evaluated the new 2.0 version of the Roche Diagnostics SARS-CoV-2 Rapid Antigen Test (RAT 2.0) for the detection of SARS-CoV-2.

Incidence, seasonal pattern, and clinical manifestations of Streptococcus dysgalactiae subspecies equisimilis bacteremia; a population-based study.

Streptococcus dysgalactiae subspecies equisimilis (SDSE) is a human pathogen causing severe invasive infections. Population-based studies on SDSE bacteremia are limited. The purpose of this study was to investigate the incidence, seasonal pattern, clinical manifestations, and recurrence of SDSE bacteraemia.

Desensitization dynamics of the AMPA receptor.

To perform their physiological functions, amino methyl propionic acid receptors (AMPARs) cycle through active, resting, and desensitized states, and dysfunction in AMPAR activity is associated with various neurological disorders. Transitions among AMPAR functional states, however, are largely uncharacterized at atomic resolution and are difficult to examine experimentally. Here, we report long-timescale molecular dynamics simulations of dimerized AMPAR ligand-binding domains (LBDs), whose conformational changes are tightly coupled to changes in AMPAR functional states, in which we observed LBD dimer activation and deactivation upon ligand binding and unbinding at atomic resolution.

Major risk factors for Streptococcus dysgalactiae subsp. equisimilis bacteremia: a population-based study.

Background: Streptococcus dysgalactiae subspecies equisimilis is a human pathogen causing severe invasive infections. Detailed information on S. dysgalactiae subsp.

Plasma soluble urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (P-suPAR) in the diagnostics between malignant and non-malignant pancreatic lesions.

Background: Soluble urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) is a biomarker elevated in several inflammatory conditions and cancers. It has recently been shown to be elevated in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Plasma suPAR (P-suPAR) predicts the severity of the disease in first acute alcohol-induced pancreatitis (AAP) and ten-year mortality after recovery from first AAP.

Nasal nitric oxide is decreased in acute mild COVID-19 and related to viral load.

Gaseous nitric oxide levels from the lungs (FeNO) and from the nose (nNO) have been demonstrated to react to acute infection or influenza vaccination. There are no published data on nNO levels during acute COVID-19, but normal levels of FeNO have been reported in one study. Our aim was to assess if acute mild COVID-19 alters nasal or bronchial NO output at the time of acute infection and at a two-month follow up, and if this is related to symptoms or viral load.

Evaluation of the Roche-SD Biosensor rapid antigen test: Antigen is not reliable in detecting SARS-CoV-2 at the early stage of infection with respiratory symptoms.

We evaluated a rapid antigen test against SARS-CoV-2 virus (Roche-SD Biosensor; RSDB-RAT) in children and adults with respiratory symptoms compared to those with nonrespiratory symptoms or asymptomatic. Also the performance of RSDB-RAT with respect to the duration of respiratory symptoms was assessed. A viral cross-reactivity panel was included.

Lung function during and after acute respiratory infection in COVID-19 positive and negative outpatients.

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Sampling site for SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR-An intrapatient four-site comparison from Tampere, Finland.

Background: SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis relies on the performance of nasopharyngeal swabs. Alternative sample sites have been assessed but the heterogeneity of the studies have made comparing different sites difficult.

Objectives: Our aim was to compare the performance of four different sampling sites for SARS-CoV-2 samples with nasopharynx being the benchmark.

Plasma suPAR may help to distinguish between chronic pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer.

Objectives: SuPAR (soluble urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor) is a biomarker reflecting the inflammatory state of the human body. Earlier studies suggest that urinary suPAR/creatinine ratio levels are elevated in chronic pancreatitis (CP), and that plasma suPAR (P-suPAR) level is elevated in pancreatic cancer (PC). Our aim was to study the levels of P-suPAR in CP in a long-term prospective follow-up setting to explore the possibility of distinguishing between PC and CP.

Comparison of 2 fully automated tests detecting antibodies against nucleocapsid N and spike S1/S2 proteins in COVID-19.

Automated assays for detecting severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) antibodies in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) diagnostics have recently come available. We compared the performance of the Elecsys® Anti-SARS-CoV-2 and LIAISON® SARS-CoV-2 S1/S2 IgG tests. The seroconversion panel comprised of 120 samples from 13 hospitalized COVID-19 patients.

Differential mobility spectrometry classification of bacteria.

Rapid identification of bacteria would facilitate timely initiation of therapy and improve cost-effectiveness of treatment. Traditional methods (culture, PCR) require reagents, consumables and hours to days to complete the identification. In this study, we examined whether differential mobility spectrometry could classify most common bacterial species, genera and between Gram status within minutes.

Antibody response to the 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine after conjugate vaccine in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

The 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPV23) given alone is ineffective in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and better antibody response is achieved with pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs). In this study, we determine whether CLL patients would achieve a significant antibody response and broaden their serotype coverage against invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) with PPV23 given five years after the 7-valent conjugate vaccine (PCV7). A total of 24 patients with CLL and eight controls were vaccinated with PPV23 five years after PCV7.

Reduced plasma PCSK9 response in patients with bacteraemia is associated with mortality.

Background: The proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) enzyme controls blood cholesterol levels by downregulating the expression of the low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR). Pathogenic lipids (e.g.

samples testing falsely negative in the Aptima Combo 2 test in Finland, 2019.

Since February 2019, over 160 (CT) cases testing negative or equivocal by Aptima Combo 2 (AC2) but positive by Aptima CT test run with Panther instruments occurred in Finland. The AC2 test targets chlamydial 23S rRNA while the CT test targets 16S rRNA. Sequencing of 10 strains revealed a nucleotide substitution in 23S rRNA.

Plasma level of soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) predicts long-term mortality after first acute alcohol-induced pancreatitis.

Background: Soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) is a biomarker associated with inflammatory and certain malignancies. Earlier we have shown that plasma suPAR (P-suPAR) predicts severity of acute alcohol-induced pancreatitis (AAP) on admission. Our aim was to investigate whether P-suPAR levels predict AAP recurrences or mortality during long-term follow-up after first AAP.

Pregestational overweight and obesity are associated with differences in gut microbiota composition and systemic inflammation in the third trimester.

The obesity epidemic is a global challenge, and the velocity of propagation is high in the population at reproductive age. Overweight and obesity during pregnancy have been associated with high birth weight and an increased risk of childhood obesity, reinforcing the risk of other non-communicable diseases. Obesity involves chronic low-grade systemic inflammation.

Plasma cell-free DNA and qSOFA score predict 7-day mortality in 481 emergency department bacteraemia patients.

Background: A few studies have shown that both quick Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (qSOFA) score and cell-free DNA (cfDNA) have potential use as a prognostic marker in patients with infection. We studied these two markers alone and in combination to identify those emergency department (ED) patients with the highest risk of death.

Methods: Plasma cfDNA level was studied on days 0 to 4 after admittance to the ED from 481 culture-positive bloodstream infection cases.