Performance of Abbott ID-Now rapid nucleic amplification test for laboratory identification of COVID-19 in asymptomatic emergency department patients.

Objective: We sought to evaluate the test characteristics of Abbott ID-Now as a screening tool compared to polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing for identification of COVID in an asymptomatic emergency department population.

Methods: We performed a prospective study enrolling a convenience sample of asymptomatic patients presenting to a single academic emergency department (ED) who received simultaneous testing with ID-Now and PCR per standardized ED protocols. Sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive value (PPV, NPV) of ID-Now were calculated compared to PCR.

Surface Proteomics Reveals CD72 as a Target for -Evolved Nanobody-Based CAR-T Cells in -Rearranged B-ALL.

Alternative strategies are needed for patients with B-cell malignancy relapsing after CD19-targeted immunotherapy. Here, cell surface proteomics revealed CD72 as an optimal target for poor-prognosis /-rearranged (MLLr) B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL), which we further found to be expressed in other B-cell malignancies. Using a recently described, fully system, we selected synthetic CD72-specific nanobodies, incorporated them into chimeric antigen receptors (CAR), and demonstrated robust activity against B-cell malignancy models, including CD19 loss.

Direct Comparison of SARS-CoV-2 Analytical Limits of Detection across Seven Molecular Assays.

Analytical sensitivity for SARS-CoV-2 detection is a key performance metric for the evaluation of viral detection assays. We determined analytical limits of detection for seven SARS-CoV-2 assays using serial dilutions of pooled patient material quantified with droplet digital PCR. Limits of detection ranged from ≤10 to 74 copies/ml for commercial high-throughput laboratory analyzers (Roche Cobas, Abbott m2000, and Hologic Panther Fusion) and 167 to 511 copies/ml for sample-to-answer (DiaSorin Simplexa, GenMark ePlex) and point-of-care instruments (Abbott ID NOW).

How I investigate bone marrow necrosis.

Hematopathologists encounter bone marrow biopsy specimens with marrow necrosis relatively infrequently; when necrosis is seen, determining the clinical significance can be challenging. While bone marrow necrosis is not uncommon in site-directed biopsy specimens or autopsy material, substantial necrosis is much less common in nondirected bone marrow biopsy specimens. Retrospective review showed the prevalence of bone marrow necrosis to vary between 0.

Autosomal recessive MFN2-related Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease with diaphragmatic weakness: Case report and literature review.

Pathogenic variants in the mitofusin 2 gene (MFN2) are the most common cause of autosomal dominant Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT2) disease, which is typically characterized by axonal sensorimotor neuropathy. We report on a 7-month-old white female with hypotonia, motor delay, distal weakness, and motor/sensory axonal neuropathy in which next-generation sequencing analysis identified compound heterozygous pathogenic variants (c.2054_2069_1170del and c.

BCL6 expression correlates with the t(1;19) translocation in B-lymphoblastic leukemia.

Objectives: Study to date suggests that BCL6 protein expression in B-cell neoplasia predominates in germinal center-derived tumors, but less is known regarding its expression in B-lymphoblastic leukemia. Therefore, we designed a comprehensive study of BCL6 expression in B-lymphoblastic leukemia.

Methods: BCL6, LMO, and HGAL protein expression in B-lymphoblastic leukemia was investigated using immunohistochemical staining of paraffin-embedded bone marrow specimens.

Self-enforcing feedback activation between BCL6 and pre-B cell receptor signaling defines a distinct subtype of acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Studying 830 pre-B ALL cases from four clinical trials, we found that human ALL can be divided into two fundamentally distinct subtypes based on pre-BCR function. While absent in the majority of ALL cases, tonic pre-BCR signaling was found in 112 cases (13.5%).

Bone marrow necrosis: ten-year retrospective review of bone marrow biopsy specimens.

Objectives: Bone marrow can undergo necrosis for many different causes; malignant causes are reported to be more frequent.

Methods: We undertook a 10-year retrospective review of all bone marrow biopsy specimens with bone marrow necrosis at our institution.

Results: Identified cases represented approximately 0.

Rare sequence variation in the genome flanking a short tandem repeat locus can lead to a question of "nonmaternity".

Typing of STR (short tandem repeat) alleles is used in a variety of applications in clinical molecular pathology, including evaluations for maternal cell contamination. Using a commercially available STR typing assay for maternal cell contamination performed in conjunction with prenatal diagnostic testing, we were posed with apparent nonmaternity when the two fetal samples did not demonstrate the expected maternal allele at one locus. By designing primers external to the region amplified by the primers from the commercial assay and by performing direct sequencing of the resulting amplicon, we were able to determine that a guanine to adenine sequence variation led to primer mismatch and allele dropout.

Regulation of involucrin gene expression.

The epidermis is a dynamic renewing structure that provides life-sustaining protection from the environment. The major cell type of the epidermis, the epidermal keratinocyte, undergoes a carefully choreographed program of differentiation. Alteration of these events results in a variety of debilitating and life-threatening diseases.

A novel tumor suppressor protein promotes keratinocyte terminal differentiation via activation of type I transglutaminase.

Tazarotene-induced protein 3 (TIG3) is a recently discovered regulatory protein that is expressed in the suprabasal epidermis. In the present study, we show that TIG3 regulates keratinocyte viability and proliferation. TIG3-dependent reduction in keratinocyte viability is accompanied by a substantial increase in the number of sub-G1 cells, nuclear shrinkage, and increased formation of cornified envelope-like structures.

Keratinocyte survival, differentiation, and death: many roads lead to mitogen-activated protein kinase.

The epidermis is a dynamic and continually renewing surface that provides and maintains a life-sustaining interface with the environment. The epidermal keratinocyte, the major cell type of the epidermis, undergoes a complex and carefully choreographed program of differentiation. This process requires a balance between keratinocyte proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis.

Novel protein kinase C isoforms regulate human keratinocyte differentiation by activating a p38 delta mitogen-activated protein kinase cascade that targets CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein alpha.

The novel protein kinase C (nPKC) isoforms are important regulators of human involucrin (hINV) gene expression during keratinocyte differentiation (Efimova, T., and Eckert, R. L.

Calcium-dependent involucrin expression is inversely regulated by protein kinase C (PKC)alpha and PKCdelta.

Calcium is an important physiologic regulator of keratinocyte function that may regulate keratinocyte differentiation via modulation of protein kinase C (PKC) activity. PKCalpha and PKCdelta are two PKC isoforms that are expressed at high levels in keratinocytes. In the present study, we examine the effect of PKCdelta and PKCalpha on calcium-dependent keratinocyte differentiation as measured by effects on involucrin (hINV) gene expression.