Efficiency of CMV serodiagnosis during pregnancy in daily laboratory routine.

Background: Maternal acute primary cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection during the first trimester may cause severe long-term sequelae in newborns. For risk assessment, serological screening is routinely performed in pregnant women based on IgM, IgG and avidity tests using whole-virus antigen. A recent study evaluated the diagnostic value of recombinant protein-based ELISAs as second-line tests in pregnancy CMV screening, including anti-p52 IgM and anti-gB IgG as markers defining the early and late phase of infection, respectively.

Comparison of a New IgG-EIA for the Detection of Anti-Plasmodium Antibodies with Two Currently Used Assays.

Background: Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease caused by protozoan parasites of the genus As migration of populations from endemic areas to Europe and overseas recreational travel to endemic regions increase, there is also a growing risk of transfusion-transmitted tropical diseases by blood components.

Material And Methods: In the present study two routine spp. ELISA (CAPTIA™ Malaria EIA, Trinity Biotech, and Malaria EIA, BioRad) were compared with a new commercial ELISA (ELISA IgG, EUROIMMUN).

A new ELISA and western blot technique based on recombinant TES antigen and/or larval antigen for the detection of toxocariasis in humans.

Serological antibody detection by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)- and immunoblot-based methods constitutes the best indicator of human Toxocara infection. Nevertheless, the availability of serological tests, particularly western blots (WB), evaluated for sensitivity and specificity is limited. Therefore, an Anti-Toxocara-ELISA immunoglobulin g (IgG) prototype (Proto-ELISA) and an Anti-Toxocara-Westernblot (IgG) prototype (Proto-WB) were evaluated by testing 541 human sera pre-determined for Toxocara infection by an established in-house Anti-Toxocara-ELISA (IH-ELISA).

Added value of IgA antibodies against Zika virus non-structural protein 1 in the diagnosis of acute Zika virus infections.

Zika virus (ZIKV) is a mosquito-borne flavivirus posing a public health threat due to its association with neurological complications in newborns and adults. In flavivirus-endemic areas, coming mosquito seasons will require the differentiation of primary versus secondary and acute versus past ZIKV/flavivirus infections. This is complicated by two major difficulties: [i] secondary infections often present with low or undetectable titres of specific IgM and with early-positive IgG, [ii] previous flavivirus infection(s) or vaccinations cause elevated cross-reactivities.

Serodiagnosis of Zika virus (ZIKV) infections by a novel NS1-based ELISA devoid of cross-reactivity with dengue virus antibodies: a multicohort study of assay performance, 2015 to 2016.

Serological diagnosis of Zika virus (ZIKV) infections is challenging due to high cross-reactivity between flaviviruses. We evaluated the diagnostic performance of a novel anti-ZIKV ELISA based on recombinant ZIKV non-structural protein 1 (NS1). Assay sensitivity was examined using sera from 27 patients with reverse transcription (RT)-PCR-confirmed and 85 with suspected ZIKV infection.

Inclusion of targeted therapies in the standard of care for metastatic colorectal cancer patients in a German cancer center: the more the better?!

Purpose: Significant prolongation of overall survival (OS) has been reached in metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) treatment within the last 5-10 years. Our study was conducted in order to evaluate and compare OS of different standard of care treatment options in a university-based outpatient clinic.

Methods: One hundred and three mCRC patients were identified by retrospective analysis and treated according to available guidelines.

A robust methodology to study urine microRNA as tumor marker: microRNA-126 and microRNA-182 are related to urinary bladder cancer.

Objectives: MicroRNAs have been shown to be related to specific types of malignant cell growth. In case of urothelial bladder cancer (BCa), novel noninvasive diagnosis is particularly required and it is attractive to consider, as urine is an easily available source for molecular markers including RNA. In this context, we aimed to develop a clinically applicable and sensitive protocol for the preparation and molecular analysis of low molecular weight RNA from urine samples obtained from bladder cancer patients or healthy volunteers.

Detailed technical analysis of urine RNA-based tumor diagnostics reveals ETS2/urokinase plasminogen activator to be a novel marker for bladder cancer.

Background: The noninvasive detection of RNA tumor markers in body fluids represents an attractive diagnostic option, but diagnostic performance of tissue-derived markers is often poorer when measured in body fluids rather than in tumors. We aimed to develop a procedure for measurement of tumor RNA in urine that would minimize donor-dependent influences on the results.

Methods: RNA isolated from urinary cell pellet, cell-depleted fraction, and whole urine was quantified by reverse transcription quantitative-PCR.

Investigation of the origin of extracellular RNA in human cell culture.

We have used the human ECV 304 cell line to study the origin and fate of extracellular RNA (exRNA) in cell culture. Quantification of different extracellular RNA species using reverse transcription followed by quantitative PCR revealed a prevalent fraction of ribosomal RNAs. Comparison of intracellular and extracellular ribosomal RNA copy numbers allowed the calculation of the number of destroyed cells that would result in the corresponding number of extracellular rRNAs.

Conformation of 4.5S RNA in the signal recognition particle and on the 30S ribosomal subunit.

The signal recognition particle (SRP) from Escherichia coli consists of 4.5S RNA and protein Ffh. It is essential for targeting ribosomes that are translating integral membrane proteins to the translocation pore in the plasma membrane.

Improved conditions for isolation and quantification of RNA in urine specimens.

There is clear evidence that the occurrence of specific mRNAs in plasma and serum is associated with cancer, while the usefulness of other body fluids for nucleic acid-based cancer detection remains to be elucidated. Nevertheless, due to the principal advantages of urine (large sample quantities, easy to acquire), several attempts were made to use quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)-based detection of putative RNA tumor markers from urine as a tool for noninvasive tumor detection. Because most of the commercially available RNA isolation systems do not accommodate larger sample volumes, the majority of experiments were performed using urine pellets.