Seroprevalence and Determinants of Helicobacter pylori Infection in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos.

Background & Aims: Helicobacter pylori infection is the primary known risk factor for gastric cancer. Despite the global decline in H. pylori prevalence, this infection remains a major public health concern in developing areas, including Latin America.

Effect of delayed cell processing and cryopreservation on immunophenotyping in multicenter population studies.

Variability induced by delayed cell processing and cell cryopreservation presents unique challenges for immunophenotyping in large population studies. We conducted a pilot study to evaluate the effect of delayed cell processing and cryopreservation on cell percentages obtained by immunophenotyping. We collected blood from 20 volunteers and compared the effect of (a) delayed cell processing up to 72 h (b) cryopreservation and (c) the combined effect of delayed cell processing and cryopreservation on immunophenotyping of 31 cell subsets that included several subsets of T, B, Natural Killer (NK) cells, monocytes and dendritic cells using both whole blood collected in EDTA tubes and peripheral blood mononuclear cells collected in CPT tubes.

Genome-wide association of white blood cell counts in Hispanic/Latino Americans: the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos.

Circulating white blood cell (WBC) counts (neutrophils, monocytes, lymphocytes, eosinophils, basophils) differ by ethnicity. The genetic factors underlying basal WBC traits in Hispanics/Latinos are unknown. We performed a genome-wide association study of total WBC and differential counts in a large, ethnically diverse US population sample of Hispanics/Latinos ascertained by the Hispanic Community Health Study and Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL).

Gene expression changes with differentiation of cord blood stem cells to respiratory epithelial cells: a preliminary observation.

Introduction: Owing to wide availability, low cost and avoidance of ethical concerns, umbilical cord blood (UCB) provides an attractive source of stem cells for investigational and therapeutic uses. In this study, we sought to characterize the gene expression changes as stem cells from UCB differentiate toward alveolar type II pneumocytes (ATII).

Methods: Control and experimental cells were cultured in maintenance medium (mesenchymal stem cell growth medium) or differentiation medium (small airway growth medium (SAGM)), respectively, for 8 days.

Protein self-organization patterns in dried serum reveal changes in B-cell disorders.

Background: Detection of serum monoclonal proteins is a common laboratory analysis used in the evaluation of patients with B-cell disorders. Since many individuals with elevated immunoglobulin have no symptoms, it is important to have simple methods for initial screening of patients with suspected B-cell disorders.

Methods: Samples of serum from healthy donors and from patients with elevated immunoglobulin levels were tested using a technology named Droplet MicroChromatography (DMC).