Direct identification of pneumococcal serotypes in blood cultures by a PCR-reverse-hybridisation technique.

Introduction: The objective of this study was to assess the performance of a technique (S. PneumoStrip test) based on PCR followed by reverse strip hybridisation for the detection of Streptococcus pneumoniae serotypes directly in blood culture vials.

Methods: One hundred and ten (110) pairs of isolated strains and their corresponding original blood cultures vials were studied in parallel.

A reverse-hybridization test for the identification of 76 pneumococcal serotypes, 42 individually and 34 in pairs.

The S. PneumoStrip test is a recently developed reverse hybridization strip-based commercial assay that allows for the identification of 76 pneumococcal serotypes, 42 individually and 34 in pairs, according to their specific gene sequences. The test was validated with reference strains of 92 different pneumococcal serotypes and with a selection of 75 clinical isolates representing 55 serotypes, showing 100% sensitivity and specificity.

Immunochromatographic sticks for tissue transglutaminase and antigliadin antibody screening in celiac disease.

Background & Aims: We investigated two 1-step immunochromatographic visual assays based on human recombinant tissue-transglutaminase (t-TG) as an alternative to enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) for celiac disease (CD) screening.

Methods: We used a tissue-transglutaminase (t-TG) stick, which detected immunoglobulin A/G (IgA/G) antibodies to t-TG, and a t-TG/antigliadin antibodies (AGA) stick, which detected IgA antibodies to both t-TG and AGA, as well as t-TG and AGA ELISAs, to determine t-TG and AGA antibodies in untreated celiac patients with subtotal villous atrophy. A total of 142 children (3 IgA-deficient sera) and 30 adults, and 140 controls (normal mucosa; 121 children and 19 adults), plus 23 sera from pediatric CD patients in remission were assayed.

Saturated free fatty acid release and intracellular ceramide generation during apoptosis induction are closely related processes.

Apoptosis induced by cells from the immune system is frequently associated with an increase in the ceramide content of target cells, due to the activation of sphingomyelinases (SMase). Some studies have also reported the release of saturated and monounsaturated free fatty acids (FFA) from apoptotic cells. However, the possible relationship between these lipid biochemistry events has not been characterized.

A role of the mitochondrial apoptosis-inducing factor in granulysin-induced apoptosis.

Granulysin is a cytolytic molecule released by CTL via granule-mediated exocytosis. In a previous study we showed that granulysin induced apoptosis using both caspase- and ceramide-dependent and -independent pathways. In the present study we further characterize the biochemical mechanism for granulysin-induced apoptosis of tumor cells.