Comparative evaluation of swabbing sites for Omicron variant detection in PCR testing.

Purpose: The Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 raised concerns about the best sampling sites for PCR testing, with early indications suggesting throat swab samples were better than nasal swab samples. Our study evaluated the sensitivity of detecting SARS-CoV-2 across different swabbing sites.

Methods: Participants undergoing testing at NHS Test and Trace sites in England provided self-collected samples using nose only, throat only, and combined nose and throat swabs, which were analysed by realtime PCR.

Double testing with lateral flow antigen test devices for COVID-19: does a second test in quick succession add value?

Background/objectives: We investigated if performing two lateral flow device (LFD) tests, LFD2 immediately after LFD1, could improve diagnostic sensitivity or specificity for detecting severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) antigen.

Study Design: Individuals aged ≥16 years attending UK community testing sites (February-May 2021) performed two successive LFD tests and provided a nose-and-throat sample for a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test. Using the PCR result as the reference diagnosis, we assessed whether improvements could be achieved in sensitivity (by counting a positive result in either LFD as a positive overall test result) or specificity (by using LFD2 as confirmatory test).

Assessment of different irrigation techniques on the penetration depth of different sealers into dentinal tubules by confocal laser scanning microscope: An comparative study.

Background: The effective disinfection of the entire root canal system aids in the penetration of irrigants into the dentinal tubules further improving sealer penetration and achieving a three-dimensional seal in endodontically treated teeth. Various final irrigation techniques can be employed to achieve this goal. Therefore, this study intended to assess and compare the efficacy of three final irrigation techniques on the depth of penetration of two root canal sealers into dentinal tubules using confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM).

Faster detection of asymptomatic COVID-19 cases among care home staff in England through the combination of SARS-CoV-2 testing technologies.

To detect SARS-CoV-2 amongst asymptomatic care home staff in England, a dual-technology weekly testing regime was introduced on 23 December 2020. A lateral flow device (LFD) and quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) test were taken on the same day (day 0) and a midweek LFD test was taken three to four days later. We evaluated the effectiveness of using dual-technology to detect SARS-CoV-2 between December 2020 to April 2021.

Rapid antigen testing for SARS-CoV-2 by lateral flow assay: A field evaluation of self- and professional testing at UK community testing sites.

Background: The advent of lateral flow devices (LFDs) for SARS-CoV-2 detection enabled widespread use of rapid self-tests during the pandemic. While self-testing using LFDs is now common, whether self-testing provides comparable performance to professional testing was a key question that remained important for pandemic planning.

Methods: Three prospective multi-centre studies were conducted to compare the performance of self- and professional testing using LFDs.

Swab pooling enables rapid expansion of high-throughput capacity for SARS-CoV-2 community testing.

Background: The challenges of rapid upscaling of testing capacity were a major lesson from the COVID-19 pandemic response. The need for process adjustments in high-throughput testing laboratories made sample pooling a challenging option to implement.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate whether pooling samples at source (swab pooling) was as effective as qRT-PCR testing of individuals in identifying cases of SARS-CoV-2 in real-world community testing conditions using the same high-throughput pipeline.

Performance of antigen lateral flow devices in the UK during the alpha, delta, and omicron waves of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic: a diagnostic and observational study.

Background: Antigen lateral flow devices (LFDs) have been widely used to control SARS-CoV-2. We aimed to improve understanding of LFD performance with changes in variant infections, vaccination, viral load, and LFD use, and in the detection of infectious individuals.

Methods: In this diagnostic study, paired LFD and RT-PCR test results were prospectively collected from asymptomatic and symptomatic participants in the UK between Nov 4, 2020, and March 21, 2022, to support the National Health Service (NHS) England's Test and Trace programme.

Outbreak of indeterminate acute liver failure in children with adenoviraemia - Not a new disease.

Background & Aims: In the year 2022, an outbreak of indeterminate acute hepatitis and indeterminate paediatric acute liver failure (ID-PALF) in association with adenoviraemia in immunocompetent children was reported in the UK. We postulate that this association is not a new disease in immunocompetent children.

Methods: Children with acute hepatitis during the outbreak who were referred to King's College Hospital, London for advice and management were included in the study.

MicroRNA-145 Impairs Classical Non-Homologous End-Joining in Response to Ionizing Radiation-Induced DNA Double-Strand Breaks via Targeting DNA-PKcs.

DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) are one of the most lethal types of DNA damage due to the fact that unrepaired or mis-repaired DSBs lead to genomic instability or chromosomal aberrations, thereby causing cell death or tumorigenesis. The classical non-homologous end-joining pathway (c-NHEJ) is the major repair mechanism for rejoining DSBs, and the catalytic subunit of DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK) is a critical factor in this pathway; however, regulation of DNA-PK expression remains unknown. In this study, we demonstrate that miR-145 directly suppresses DNA-PK by binding to the 3'-UTR and inhibiting translation, thereby causing an accumulation of DNA damage, impairing c-NHEJ, and rendering cells hypersensitive to ionizing radiation (IR).

Nosocomial transmission of hepatitis E virus and development of chronic infection: The wider impact of COVID-19.

Background: Transmission of hepatitis E virus (HEV) within the healthcare setting is extremely rare. Additionally, the development of chronic HEV infection in association with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus disease 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and/or its immunomodulatory therapy has not been reported previously.

Aims: To describe the investigation and management of a nosocomial HEV transmission incident during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

Furan-2-carboxamide derivative, a novel microtubule stabilizing agent induces mitotic arrest and potentiates apoptosis in cancer cells.

The vital role played by microtubules in the cell division process, marks them as a potential druggable target to decimate cancer. A novel furan-2-carboxamide based small molecule, is a selective microtubule stabilizing agent (MSA) with IC ranging from 4 µM to 8 µM in different cancer cell lines. Inhibition of tubulin polymerization or stabilization of tubulin polymers abrogates chromosomal segregation during cell division, results in cell cycle arrest and leads to cell death due to the delayed repair mechanism.

Incidence and outcomes of healthcare-associated COVID-19 infections: significance of delayed diagnosis and correlation with staff absence.

Background: The sudden increase in COVID-19 admissions in hospitals during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic of 2020 led to onward transmissions among vulnerable inpatients.

Aims: This study was performed to evaluate the prevalence and clinical outcomes of healthcare-associated COVID-19 infections (HA-COVID-19) during the 2020 epidemic and study factors which may promote or correlate with its incidence and transmission in a Teaching Hospital NHS Trust in London, UK.

Methods: Electronic laboratory, patient and staff self-reported sickness records were interrogated from 1 March to 18 April 2020.

Epstein-Barr Virus and Monoclonal Gammopathy of Clinical Significance in Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation for Multiple Sclerosis.

Introduction: Autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHSCT) with anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG) conditioning as treatment of active multiple sclerosis (MS) is rapidly increasing across Europe (EBMT registry data 2017). Clinically significant Epstein-Barr virus reactivation (EBV-R) following AHSCT with ATG for severe autoimmune conditions is an underrecognized complication relative to T-cell deplete transplants performed for hematological diseases. This retrospective study reports EBV-R associated significant clinical sequelae in MS patients undergoing AHSCT with rabbit ATG.

A trisubstituted pyrazole derivative reduces DMBA-induced mammary tumor growth in rats by inhibiting estrogen receptor-α expression.

Aberrant expression of estrogen receptor alpha (ER-α) is observed in many pathological complications like breast cancer, endometrial cancer, and in osteoporosis. ER-α plays a vital role in the initiation and progression of breast cancer and confers chemo and radioresistance to the cancer cells by upregulating expression of anti-apoptotic proteins. The synthetic pyrazole derivative 3-(1-(4-bromophenyl)-5-phenyl-1H-pyrazol-3-yl)pyridine (compound 5d) displays significant cytotoxicity against mammary carcinoma cells.

Multiplex PCR point of care testing versus routine, laboratory-based testing in the treatment of adults with respiratory tract infections: a quasi-randomised study assessing impact on length of stay and antimicrobial use.

Background: Laboratory-based respiratory pathogen (RP) results are often available too late to influence clinical decisions such as hospitalisation or antibiotic treatment due to time delay in transport of specimens and testing schedules. Ward-based i.e.

Genomic DNA "finger-printing" in diagnostic virology to clarify discrepant HIV results.

Background: We describe two case studies in the antenatal setting where human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) antibody results were discrepant in serial sera. Root cause analysis including genomic DNA fingerprinting was performed.

Objective: To analyze serial sera with HIV antibody discrepant results using genomic DNA "finger-printing" to determine whether the sera were from the same or different individuals.

Crystal structure of CagL from Helicobacter pylori K74 strain.

Helicobacter pylori (Hp) CagL is a component of the type IV secretion system (T4SS) and interacts with integrin in host cells through its flexible RGD domain to translocate CagA. Differences in CagL amino acid polymorphisms between Western and East-Asian Hps are correlated with clinical outcome. CagL of East-Asian clinical Hp isolate K74 (CagL(K74)) contains multiple residue variations upstream of RGD motif and has different integrin binding affinities compared to those of CagL from Western Hp 26695.

Adenovirus urethritis and concurrent conjunctivitis: a case series and review of the literature.

We present eight cases and review the literature of concurrent urethritis and conjunctivitis where adenovirus was identified as the causative pathogen. The focus of this review concerns the identification of specific sexual practices, symptoms, signs and any serotypes that seem more commonly associated with such adenovirus infections. We discuss the seasonality of adenovirus infection and provide practical advice for clinicians to give to the patient.

Silymarin Inhibits Cytokine-Stimulated Pancreatic Beta Cells by Blocking the ERK1/2 Pathway.

We show that silymarin, a polyphenolic flavonoid isolated from milk thistle (Silybum marianum), inhibits cytokine mixture (CM: TNF-α, IFN-γ, and IL-1β)-induced production of nitric oxide (NO) in the pancreatic beta cell line MIN6N8a. Immunostaining and Western blot analysis showed that silymarin inhibits iNOS gene expression. RT-PCR showed that silymarin inhibits iNOS gene expression in a dose-dependent manner.