Publications by authors named "Balbin M"

The singular BRCA1/2 mutational landscape of Asturias is updated 10 years after the first study. We analyzed BRCA1 and BRCA2 pathogenic variants in 1653 index cases. In total, 238 families were identified to carry a pathogenic variant, 163 families in BRCA1 and 75 families in BRCA2.

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Sclerosing Mesenteritis (SM) is a rare diagnosis, particularly in pediatric patients, and is typically non-fatal when appropriately treated. Although molecular and immunohistochemical alterations have been described, no pathognomonic signature has been identified for this entity. This report presents a case of a seven-year-old boy who suffered sudden cardiorespiratory arrest.

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Introduction: The percentage of patients diagnosed with pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma (altogether PPGL) carrying known germline mutations in one of the over fifteen susceptibility genes identified to date has dramatically increased during the last two decades, accounting for up to 35-40% of PPGL patients. Moreover, the application of NGS to the diagnosis of PPGL detects unexpected co-occurrences of pathogenic allelic variants in different susceptibility genes.

Methods: Herein we uncover several cases with dual mutations in NF1 and other PPGL genes by targeted sequencing.

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Background: Despite the irruption of massive sequencing technologies in clinical routine, the genetic diagnosis of T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) continues to be based on traditional techniques. The integration of old and new technologies with diagnostic and prognostic purposes represents a major challenge.

Methods: A High-Throughput Sequencing (HTS) approach was applied to analyze the genetic landscape of two patients diagnosed with T-ALL and one early T cell precursor acute leukemia.

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Objective: The minimally invasive fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) is the current gold standard for the diagnosis of thyroid nodule malignancy. However, the correct discrimination of follicular neoplasia often requires more invasive diagnostic techniques. The lack of suitable immunohistochemical markers to distinguish between follicular thyroid carcinoma and other types of follicular-derived lesions complicates diagnosis, and despite most of these tumours being surgically resected, only a small number will test positive for malignancy.

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Current somatic mutation callers are biased against repetitive regions, preventing the identification of potential driver alterations in these loci. We developed a mutation caller for repetitive regions, and applied it to study repetitive non protein-coding genes in more than 2200 whole-genome cases. We identified a recurrent mutation at position c.

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Background: The clinical and epidemiological implications of abnormal immune responses in COVID-19 for latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) screening are unclear.

Methods: We reviewed QuantiFERON TB Gold Plus (QFT-Plus) results (36,709 patients) from July 2016 until October 2021 in Asturias (Spain). We also studied a cohort of ninety hospitalized patients with suspected/confirmed COVID-19 pneumonia and a group of elderly hospitalized patients with COVID-19 who underwent serial QFT-Plus and immune profiling testing.

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Multi-agent combination chemotherapy can be curative in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Still, patients with primary refractory disease or with relapsed leukemia have a very poor prognosis. Here we integrate an in-depth dissection of the mutational landscape across diagnostic and relapsed pediatric and adult ALL samples with genome-wide CRISPR screen analysis of gene-drug interactions across seven ALL chemotherapy drugs.

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Objective: The study aimed to identify the antimicrobial resistance (AMR) determinants and virulence factors in Salmonella spp. and Escherichia coli recovered from different anthropogenic areas in North Carolina.

Methods: Soil samples were collected from different anthropogenic areas, urban and natural.

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Background: Clinicopathologic characteristics and prognostic and predictive factors offer valuable guidance when selecting optimal first-line treatment in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC). The association between baseline circulating tumor cell (bCTC) count, molecular tumor profile, and clinicopathologic features was analyzed in a chemo-naïve metastatic CRC population.

Patients And Methods: A total of 1202 patients from the Spanish VISNÚ-1 (FOLFIRINOX/bevacizumab vs.

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Objective: This study assessed the applicability of loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) for the detection of leptospirosis among domesticated animals and sewage rats. Specifically, it evaluated the ability of LAMP to amplify spp. targeting the 16s rRNA gene in boiled urine samples.

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Histone H4 acetylation at Lysine 16 (H4K16ac) is a key epigenetic mark involved in gene regulation, DNA repair and chromatin remodeling, and though it is known to be essential for embryonic development, its role during adult life is still poorly understood. Here we show that this lysine is massively hyperacetylated in peripheral neutrophils. Genome-wide mapping of H4K16ac in terminally differentiated blood cells, along with functional experiments, supported a role for this histone post-translational modification in the regulation of cell differentiation and apoptosis in the hematopoietic system.

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This study detected and characterized the TevAT1 gene of Trypanosoma evansi isolates from Philippine water buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis). A total of 68 blood samples from Philippine water buffaloes were subjected to DNA extraction and PCR assay was performed using RoTat 1.2 gene to detect T.

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Background: Succinate dehydrogenase subunit B (SDHB) immunohistochemistry was considered a valuable tool to identify patients with inherited paraganglioma/pheochromocytoma (PGL/PCC). However, previous studies jointly analyzed 2 related but clinically distinct entities, parasympathetic head and neck paragangliomas (HNPGLs) and sympathetic PCCs/PGLs. Additionally, a role for hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) as a biomarker for succinate dehydrogenase (SDHx)-mutated tumors has not been studied.

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In the Philippines, bovine ephemeral fever (BEF) is currently undetected and considered as an exotic disease of both cattle and water buffaloes. The Philippines until now has no official data regarding the occurrence of BEF. There were no existing control programs or vaccine used for the prevention of the disease.

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The viral agent of the porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) was investigated during the reported 2014-2015 outbreaks in commercial farms in Central Luzon, Philippines. The study covered detection of PED virus (PEDV) in fecal and intestinal samples through reverse transcription PCR and sequence analysis of the nucleocapsid (N) gene. Results showed that 10 out of 34 fecal and intestinal samples examined were positive for PEDV.

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The study was conducted to determine the prevalence of Babesia bovis and Babesia bigemina infection in blood samples of cattle and water buffaloes using nested polymerase chain reaction (nested-PCR). It also aimed to generate a spot map showing areas in Nueva Ecija, the Philippines where B. bovis and B.

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Gold nanoparticle (AuNP) is considered to be the most stable metal nanoparticle having the ability to be functionalized with biomolecules. Recently, AuNP-based DNA detection methods captured the interest of researchers worldwide. Paratuberculosis or Johne's disease, a chronic gastroenteritis in ruminants caused by Mycobacterium avium subsp.

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Background: Lung cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide, with poor survival rates despite diagnostic and therapeutic advances. Markers are needed in order to improve clinical patient management and survival. TP53 is frequently involved in lung cancer development with polymorphic sites potentially having a role in it.

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Canine monocytic ehrlichiosis (CME), caused by a rickettsial bacterium, Ehrlichia canis, is distributed worldwide, particularly in tropical and subtropical regions. Transmission of E. canis is primarily mediated by the vector tick, Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato and the bacteria then infect and replicate in monocytes and macrophages.

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Background & Aims: Although there is a genetic predisposition to colorectal cancer (CRC), few of the genes that affect risk have been identified. We performed whole-exome sequence analysis of individuals in a high-risk family without mutations in genes previously associated with CRC risk to identify variants associated with inherited CRC.

Methods: We collected blood samples from 3 relatives with CRC in Spain (65, 62, and 40 years old at diagnosis) and performed whole-exome sequence analyses.

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Article Synopsis
  • Genetic diagnosis for pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma is crucial, as around 80% of cases have identifiable driver mutations, prompting the need for efficient testing methods.
  • This study focused on optimizing targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS) to analyze 18 key PPGL genes in both germline and tumor DNA, validating two customized NGS assays with a diverse group of 453 patients.
  • The NGS assays demonstrated over 99% sensitivity and identified numerous mutations, including 89 pathogenic mutations, proving to be a reliable alternative to traditional sequencing methods and useful for patients with unclear clinical histories.
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