Dermatological and Genital Manifestations of Lyme Disease Including Morgellons Disease.

Although the erythema migrans (EM) skin rash is traditionally considered a hallmark of Lyme disease, other dermatological manifestations of the tickborne disease are less well known. We describe a 49-year-old woman with erosive genital ulcerations, secondary EM rashes and jagged skin lesions associated with Lyme disease. The skin rashes exhibited fibers characteristic of Morgellons disease.

IgG and IgM antibody formation to spike and nucleocapsid proteins in COVID-19 characterized by multiplex immunoblot assays.

Background: Rapid and simple serological assays for characterizing antibody responses are important in the current COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2. Multiplex immunoblot (IB) assays termed COVID-19 IB assays were developed for detecting IgG and IgM antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 virus proteins in COVID-19 patients.

Methods: Recombinant nucleocapsid protein and the S1, S2 and receptor binding domain (RBD) of the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 were used as target antigens in the COVID-19 IBs.

Lyme Disease: Diversity of Species in California and Mexico Detected Using a Novel Immunoblot Assay.

Background: With more than 300,000 new cases reported each year in the United States of America (USA), Lyme disease is a major public health concern. sensu stricto (Bbss) is considered the primary agent of Lyme disease in North America. However, multiple genetically diverse species encompassing the sensu lato (Bbsl) complex and the Relapsing Fever (RFB) group are capable of causing tickborne disease.

Line Immunoblot Assay for Tick-Borne Relapsing Fever and Findings in Patient Sera from Australia, Ukraine and the USA.

Tick-borne relapsing fever (TBRF) is caused by spirochete bacteria of the genus termed relapsing fever (RFB). TBRF shares symptoms with Lyme disease (LD) caused by related Lyme disease (LDB). TBRF and LD are transmitted by ticks and occur in overlapping localities worldwide.

Detection of tick-borne infection in Morgellons disease patients by serological and molecular techniques.

Background: Morgellons disease (MD) is a skin condition associated with Lyme disease (LD) and tick-borne illness. Patients with this skin disorder experience ulcerative lesions that contain multicolored filamentous collagen and keratin inclusions. Infection with various species of and other tick-borne pathogens has been detected in tissue and body fluid specimens from MD patients.

Pilot Study of Immunoblots with Recombinant Antigens for Laboratory Diagnosis of Lyme Disease.

Accurate laboratory diagnosis of Lyme disease (Lyme borreliosis), caused by the spirochete (BB), is difficult and yet important to prevent serious disease. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) presently recommends a screening test for serum antibodies followed by confirmation with a more specific Western blot (WB) test to detect IgG and IgM antibodies against antigens in whole cell lysates of BB. species related to BB cause tick-borne relapsing fever (TBRF).

High yield selective acylation of polyamines: proton as protecting group.

An advance in the selective acylation of polyamines having identical or similar amine functions is reported. While nucleophilicity differences between the various amine functions are slight, the corresponding conjugate acids exhibit pKa values over a significant range. We have used proton as polyamine protecting group: the monoamine resulting from single deprotonation of a polyammonium compound has allowed for high yields of selective acylation.

Lowering risk for early alcohol use by challenging alcohol expectancies in elementary school children.

Altering alcohol expectancies has reduced alcohol use among young adults and may lead to successful prevention of early alcohol use. The authors randomly assigned 216 4th-grade children to an expectancy challenge or control condition and used individual-differences scaling to map expectancies into memory network format, with preference mapping to model likely paths of association. After expectancy intervention, children exhibited a greater likelihood to associate alcohol use with negative and sedating consequences and a decreased likelihood to associate alcohol with positive and arousing consequences.