Detection of SARS-CoV-2 Virus by Triplex Enhanced Nucleic Acid Detection Assay (TENADA).

SARS-CoV-2, a positive-strand RNA virus has caused devastating effects. The standard method for COVID diagnosis is based on polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The method needs expensive reagents and equipment and well-trained personnel and takes a few hours to be completed.

Clinical features of systemic sclerosis patients with anti-RNA polymerase III antibody in a single centre in Spain.

Objectives: To evaluate the clinical features and survival of patients with positive anti-RNA polymerase III (anti-RNAP III) in a Spanish single centre.

Methods: We analysed 221 patients with SSc according to LeRoy and Medsger criteria. Twenty-six patients with positivity for anti-RNAP III antibodies were compared with 195 negative patients.

Tumour TIF1 mutations and loss of heterozygosity related to cancer-associated myositis.

Objectives: To analyse the influence of genetic alterations and differential expression of transcription intermediary factor 1 (TIF1) genes in the pathophysiology of cancer-associated myositis (CAM).

Methods: Paired blood and tumour DNA samples from patients with anti-TIF1γ-positive CAM and from controls were analysed by whole-exome sequencing for the presence of somatic mutations and loss of heterozygosity (LOH) in their TIF1 genes. The genesis and maintenance of the autoimmune process were investigated immunohistochemically by studying TIF1γ expression in the different tissues involved in CAM (skin, muscle and tumour) based on the immunohistochemical H-score.

Autoantibodies to types I and IV collagen and heart valve disease in systemic lupus erythematosus/antiphospholipid syndrome.

Introduction/objectives autoantibodies to types I and IV collagen have been described in rheumatic fever and infective endocarditis. We tried to elucidate if an autoimmune response against collagens I and IV exists, associated with heart valve disease in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and antiphospholipid syndrome (APS). A cohort of 172 patients with SLE (n = 79), primary APS (PAPS, n = 83), and secondary APS (n = 10) were assessed for valvulopathy by transthoracic echocardiograms.

DUSP23 is over-expressed and linked to the expression of DNMTs in CD4 T cells from systemic lupus erythematosus patients.

We evaluated the transcriptional expression of dual-specificity protein phosphatase 23 (DUSP23) in CD4 T cells from 30 systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients and 30 healthy controls. DUSP23 mRNA levels were considerably higher in the patient group: 1490 ± 1713 versus 294·1 ± 204·2. No association was found between DUSP23 mRNA expression and the presence of typical serological and clinical parameters associated with SLE.