Performance evaluation of STANDARD Q COVID-19 Ag home test for the diagnosis of COVID-19 during early symptom onset.

Background: Surveillance and control of SARS-CoV-2 outbreak through gold standard detection, that is, real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), become a great obstacle, especially in overwhelming outbreaks. In this study, we aimed to analyze the performance of rapid antigen home test (RAHT) as an alternative detection method compared with RT-PCR.

Methods: In total, 79 COVID-19-positive and 217 COVID-19-negative patients confirmed by RT-PCR were enrolled in this study.

Unveiling Genetic Variants Underlying Vitamin D Deficiency in Multiple Korean Cohorts by a Genome-Wide Association Study.

Background: Epidemiological data have shown that vitamin D deficiency is highly prevalent in Korea. Genetic factors influencing vitamin D deficiency in humans have been studied in Europe but are less known in East Asian countries, including Korea. We aimed to investigate the genetic factors related to vitamin D levels in Korean people using a genome-wide association study (GWAS).

Status of Four Trace Elements in Elderly Patients with Online Hemodiafiltration.

Background: Essential trace elements play key roles in multiple biological systems, and hemodialysis patients are at risk for deficiency of essential trace elements. The aim of the study was to assess the essential element status in end stage renal disease patients undergoing online hemodiafiltration (online HDF) in outpatient dialysis clinic.

Methods: A total of 28 Korean patients with regular online HDF were included.

A Case of Chronic Neutrophilic Leukemia Incidentally Detected by F-FDG PET/CT.

Chronic neutrophilic leukemia (CNL) is a rare, potentially aggressive, myeloproliferative neoplasm. To the best of our knowledge, there are no previous reports dealing with F-FDG PET findings in CNL. We describe a case of CNL in a 69-year-old male, imaged with F-FDG PET/CT at diagnosis and during treatment.

A Case of Peritoneal Dialysis-related Peritonitis Caused by Aeromonas Hydrophila in the Patient Receiving Automated Peritoneal Dialysis.

Peritoneal dialysis (PD)-related peritonitis is a major cause of injury and technique failure in patients undergoing PD. is ubiquitous in the environment, and is a Gram-negative rod associated with infections in fish and amphibians in most cases; however, it can also cause opportunistic infections in immunocompromised patients. We report a case of peritonitis in a 56-year-old male on automated PD.

Impact of Community-Onset Methicillin-Resistant on Bacteremia in a Central Korea Veterans Health Service Hospital.

Background: No study has examined the epidemiology of methicillin-resistant (MRSA) bacteremia in Korean veterans' hospitals. We investigated the microbiological and clinical epidemiology of bacteremia at the central Veterans Health Services (VHS) hospital in Korea.

Methods: Patients with bacteremia were consecutively enrolled from February to August 2015.

Reduced NK cell IFN-γ secretion and psychological stress are independently associated with herpes zoster.

The pathogenesis of herpes zoster is closely linked to reduced varicella-zoster virus-specific cell-mediated immunity. However, little is known about the interplay between natural killer cells and psychological stress in the pathogenesis of herpes zoster. This study aimed to investigate possible associations among natural killer cells, T cells and psychological stress in herpes zoster.

Performance evaluation of cobas HBV real-time PCR assay on Roche cobas 4800 System in comparison with COBAS AmpliPrep/COBAS TaqMan HBV Test.

Background: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) nucleic acid amplification testing (NAAT) is important for the diagnosis and management of HBV infection. We evaluated the analytical performance of the cobas HBV NAAT (Roche Diagnostics GmbH, Mannheim, Germany) on the cobas 4800 System in comparison with COBAS AmpliPrep/COBAS TaqMan HBV Test (CAP/CTM HBV).

Methods: Precision was evaluated using three levels of cobas HBV/HCV/HIV-1 Control Kit, and linearity was evaluated across the anticipated measuring range (10.

Prevalence and clinical significance of occult hepatitis B virus infection among renal transplant recipients in Korea.

Background: Occult hepatitis B infection (OBI) is the presence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA in serum or hepatic tissue without detectable hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) in serum. Kidney disease patients in the post-renal transplantation period are in a specific situation as a result of the high pre-transplantational risk of HBV infection and post-transplantational immunosuppression. We studied the pre-transplantational prevalence and post-transplantational influence of OBI on kidney transplantation patients.

Placental alkaline phosphatase isoenzyme in quality control materials may be a source of variability in alkaline phosphatase activity.

Objectives: To determine the cause of discrepancies in the alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activities of quality control (QC) materials in two different analyzers using IFCC method.

Design And Methods: ALP activities of patients' samples and QC materials (QC1 and QC2 from Bio-Rad) measured using TBA-200FR and Synchron LX-20 analyzers were compared and isoenzyme electrophoresis was done. Fractional mixing of bone or liver ALP with placental ALP was performed.

A case of histiocytic sarcoma presenting with primary bone marrow involvement.

Histiocytic sarcoma (HS) is a very rare neoplasm that often shows an aggressive clinical course and systemic symptoms, such as fever, weight loss, adenopathy, hepatosplenomegaly and pancytopenia. It may present as localized or disseminated disease. We describe here a 63-yr-old male who manifested systemic symptoms, including fever, weight loss and generalized weakness.

[Evaluation of combination of BACTEC mycobacteria growth indicator tube 960 system and Ogawa media for mycobacterial culture].

Background: The combined use of liquid media and solid media is recommended for mycobacterial culture. We evaluated diagnostic performance of combination of BACTEC Mycobacteria Growth Indicator Tube (MGIT; Becton Dickinson, USA) and 2% Ogawa media (Korean Institute of Tuberculosis, Korea) for recovery of mycobacteria.

Methods: In September 2007, 1,764 specimens from 1,059 patients were cultured with MGIT and Ogawa.