Multiplex reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification combined with nanoparticle-based lateral flow biosensor for the diagnosis of COVID-19.

The ongoing global pandemic (COVID-19), caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has become a huge public health issue. Hence, we devised a multiplex reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (mRT-LAMP) coupled with a nanoparticle-based lateral flow biosensor (LFB) assay (mRT-LAMP-LFB) for diagnosing COVID-19. Using two LAMP primer sets, the ORF1ab (opening reading frame 1a/b) and N (nucleoprotein) genes of SARS-CoV-2 were simultaneously amplified in a single-tube reaction, and detected with the diagnosis results easily interpreted by LFB.

Nuclear β-catenin immunoexpression in scars.

Background: Histopathologically, scars can mimic superficial fibromatoses. Superficial fibromatoses are known to show nuclear β-catenin immunoexpression, although the tumor types do not harbor CTNNB1 or APC alterations. This study aimed to evaluate nuclear β-catenin immunoexpression in scars compared to that in superficial fibromatoses.

Post-Treatment M2BPGi Level and the Rate of Autotaxin Reduction are Predictive of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Development after Antiviral Therapy in Patients with Chronic Hepatitis C.

Patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) develop hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) regardless of achieving a sustained viral response (SVR). Because advanced liver fibrosis is a powerful risk factor for HCC, we analyzed the association between autotaxin (ATX), a liver fibrosis marker, and post-SVR HCC development within 3 years after antiviral treatment. We included 670 patients with HCV who received direct-acting antivirals, achieved SVR and were followed up for at least 6 months (270 of them were followed up for 3 years or more).

Cardiovascular Biomarkers and Calculated Cardiovascular Risk in Orally Treated Type 2 Diabetes Patients: Is There a Link?

The aim of the study was to test the correlation of serum levels of asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), endothelin 1 (ET-1), N-terminal brain natriuretic pro-peptide (NT-proBNP), and placental growth factor (PIGF-1) with estimated cardiovascular (CV) risk. The study group was composed of 102 women and 67 men with type 2 diabetes, having their glycemic and metabolic parameters assessed. All were on oral antidiabetic drugs.

Diagnostic impact of monitoring transcranial motor-evoked potentials to prevent ischemic complications during endovascular treatment for intracranial aneurysms.

The present study aimed to determine the incidence of intraprocedural motor-evoked potential (MEP) changes and to correlate them with intraprocedural ischemic complications and postprocedural neurological deficits in patients after endovascular intracranial aneurysm treatment. This study analyzed data from 164 consecutive patients who underwent endovascular coil embolization to treat intracranial aneurysms under transcranial MEP monitoring. We analyzed associations between significant changes in MEP defined as > 50% decrease in amplitude, and intraprocedural complications as well as postoperative neurological deficits.

Mass spectrometry of urinary β2 microglobulin oligomer in patients with proteinuria.

Urinary β2 microglobulin (β2-m) is a marker of renal tubule dysfunction; however, β2-m might become degraded under acidic conditions. To confirm the degradation and consequent deactivation of β2-m under acidic conditions, we used matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) to detect the levels and forms of β2-m in the urine samples of patients with high proteinuria (n = 21) and healthy subjects (n = 6). β2-m was purified in crude form using immunoprecipitation.

Association of serum autotaxin levels with liver fibrosis in patients pretreatment and posttreatment with chronic hepatitis C.

Background And Aim: The evaluation of liver fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is important as it is a risk factor for hepatocellular carcinoma. In the recent years, autotaxin (ATX) has been established as a new noninvasive biomarker to predict liver fibrosis. However, antiviral treatment has been reported to decrease serum ATX, but it is unclear whether posttreatment ATX levels reflect liver fibrosis.

Body Composition Indices and Cardiovascular Risk in Type 2 Diabetes. CV Biomarkers are not Related to Body Composition.

Background: This study aims to explore the correlations of body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) and body composition with levels of asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), endothelin 1(ET-1), N-terminal brain natriuretic pro-peptide (NT-proBNP) and calculated cardiovascular risks.

Methods: 102 women and 67 men with type 2 diabetes participated. Serum levels of NT-proBNP were measured by electro-hemi-luminescence while ELISA were used for ADMA and ET-1.

Ultrasound assessment, unlike clinical assessment, reflects enthesitis in patients with psoriatic arthritis.

Objectives: Enthesitis is a major musculoskeletal manifestation of psoriatic arthritis (PsA). It is conventionally assessed clinically, by the presence of tenderness, despite its low reliability. However, ultrasound (US) provides a sensitive and feasible method for evaluating enthesitis.

Association between cystatin C gene polymorphism and the prevalence of white matter lesion in elderly healthy subjects.

Cystatin C (CST3) is a cysteine protease inhibitor abundant in the central nervous system, and demonstrated to have roles in several pathophysiological processes including vascular remodeling and inflammation. Previously, we showed a relation of CST3 gene polymorphisms with deep and subcortical white matter hyperintensity (DSWMH) in a small case-control study. In this study, we aimed to investigate the relation in a larger cross-sectional study.

Composite Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia/Small Lymphocytic Lymphoma and Mantle Cell Lymphoma; Small Cell Variant: A Real Diagnostic Challenge. Case Presentation and Review of Literature.

BACKGROUND Chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL/SLL) and mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) both have a common origin arising from mature CD5+ B-lymphocytes. Their distinction is crucial since MCL is a considerably more aggressive disease. Composite lymphoma consisting of CLL/SLL and MCL has been rarely reported.

A Japanese multi-institutional collaborative study of antigen-positive red blood cell (RBC) transfusions in patients with corresponding RBC antibodies.

Background And Objectives: It is sometimes difficult to obtain antigen-negative red blood cells (RBCs) for patients with antibodies against RBCs. However, the frequency and severity of the adverse reactions have not been well elucidated. Here, we conducted a multi-institutional collaborative study to clarify the background, frequency and clinical significance of antigen-positive RBC transfusions to patients with the respective antibodies.

Molecular Analysis of Liquid-Based Cytological Specimen Using Virtually Positive Sputum with Adenocarcinoma Cells.

Liquid-based cytology (LBC) analysis of sputum is a useful diagnostic and prognostic tool for detecting lung cancer. DNA and RNA derived from lung cancer cells can be used for this diagnosis. However, the quality of cytological material is not always adequate for molecular analysis due to the effect of formalin in the commercially available fixation kits.

Relationship Between Olfactory Disturbance After Acute Ischemic Stroke and Latent Thalamic Hypoperfusion.

Odor detection, recognition, and identification were assessed in 19 acute ischemic stroke patients who had no magnetic resonance imaging-detectable thalamic lesions but in whom technetium-99m ethyl cysteinate dimer single photon emission tomography revealed thalamic hypoperfusion. Although these patients were unaware of reduced olfactory function, they exhibited significantly lower scores in tests for odor identification and recognition threshold as compared with 9 ischemic stroke controls that had normal thalamic hypoperfusion. However, absolute odor detection thresholds were similar in the 2 groups.

Feasibility of adjunct facial motor evoked potential monitoring to reduce the number of false-positive results during cervical spine surgery.

Objective: False-positive intraoperative muscle motor evoked potential (mMEP) monitoring results due to systemic effects of anesthetics and physiological changes continue to be a challenging issue. Although control MEPs recorded from the unaffected side are useful for identifying a true-positive signal, there are no muscles on the upper or lower extremities to induce control MEPs in cervical spine surgery. Therefore, this study was conducted to clarify if additional MEPs derived from facial muscles can feasibly serve as controls to reduce false-positive mMEP monitoring results in cervical spine surgery.

Analysis of proliferating neuronal progenitors and immature neurons in the human hippocampus surgically removed from control and epileptic patients.

Adult neurogenesis in the mammalian hippocampus is a well-known phenomenon. However, it remains controversial as to what extent adult neurogenesis actually occurs in the adult human hippocampus, and how brain diseases, such as epilepsy, affect human adult neurogenesis. To address these questions, we analyzed immature neuronal marker-expressing (PSA-NCAM+) cells and proliferating neuronal progenitor (Ki67+/HuB+/DCX+) cells in the surgically removed hippocampus of epileptic patients.

Sub-Chronic Consumption of Dark Chocolate Enhances Cognitive Function and Releases Nerve Growth Factors: A Parallel-Group Randomized Trial.

Previous research has shown that habitual chocolate intake is related to cognitive performance and that frequent chocolate consumption is significantly associated with improved memory. However, little is known about the effects of the subchronic consumption of dark chocolate (DC) on cognitive function and neurotrophins. Eighteen healthy young subjects (both sexes; 20-31 years old) were randomly divided into two groups: a DC intake group ( = 10) and a cacao-free white chocolate (WC) intake group ( = 8).

Muscle-evoked Potentials After Electrical Stimulation to the Brain in Patients Undergoing Spinal Surgery are Less Affected by Anesthetic Fade With Constant-voltage Stimulation Than With Constant-current Stimulation.

Study Design: A prospective, within-subject study was conducted.

Objective: We aimed to compare the influence of anesthetic fade under maximum stimulation conditions between constant-current and constant-voltage stimulation techniques.

Summary Of Background Data: The monitoring of muscle-evoked potentials after electrical stimulation to the brain [Br(E)-MSEP)] is useful for assessing the integrity of spinal cord motor tracts during major spine surgery.

Bone Health Index and bone turnover in pediatric patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus and poor metabolic control.

Background: There is a need for a non-invasive, affordable, and reliable method for bone health screening in pediatric patients at risk.

Objective: To assess Bone Health Index (BHI) in pediatric patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D) and its relation to bone metabolism, age at onset, duration, control, and insulin dose.

Subjects And Methods: Left-hand radiographs were obtained from 65 patients with T1D, mean age 11.

The expression of cell adhesion molecule 1 and its splicing variants in Sézary cells and cell lines from cutaneous T-cell lymphoma.

Cell adhesion molecule 1 (CADM1) is aberrantly expressed by T-cell neoplasms such as adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL) and mycosis fungoides (MF). We studied the expression of CADM1 and its splicing variants in Sézary syndrome (SS), MF, other cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL), and cell lines derived from T- and B-cell lymphomas. Soluble CADM1 was measured in the patients' sera.

Antimicrobial susceptibility surveillance of obligate anaerobic bacteria in the Kinki area.

Obligate anaerobes exist as resident flora in various sites in humans, but they are also emphasized as endogenous causative microorganism of infections. We performed surveillance to understand the trend of drug susceptibility in obligate anaerobic bacteria in the Kinki area of Japan. In the experiment, we used 156 obligate anaerobe isolates collected from 13 institutions that participated in the Study of Bacterial Resistance Kinki Region of Japan.

Serum AGEs and sRAGE levels are not related to vascular complications in patients with prediabetes.

Background: While hyperglycemia has a key role in the pathogenesis of microvascular complications of diabetes, it is just one of the many factors contributing to macrovascular damage. The aim of the present study is to investigate the link between serum pentosidine and sRAGE levels and vascular complications in patients with prediabetes compared to normal glucose tolerance controls with obesity.

Methods: In this study were included 76 patients with mean age 50.

Diagnostic Significance of Biomarkers of Iron Deficiency for Anemia in Clinical Practice.

Aim: Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is a common medical condition, yet there is still some diagnostic uncertainty in this respect. The aim of this study was to compare the clinical significance of biomarkers of iron deficiency (ID) in diagnosing IDA and iron-deficient erythropoiesis in anemic patients.

Materials And Methods: A total of 103 untreated patients with non-hemolytic anemia were included.

Serum Levels of Incretin Hormones - GLP-1 and GIP in Patients with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus.

Background: The glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and the glucose- dependent Insulinotropic peptide (GIP) are natural incretin hormones, which are secreted respectively by the L- and K-cells of the intestinal mucosa in response to the physiological gastrointestinal glucose absorption. In patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, the incretin effect is reduced, whereas the results in type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) are heterogeneous, in some patients normal incretin response is observed.

Aim: Comparative analysis of the basal serum levels of the incretin hormones GLP-1 and GIP in patients with type 1 DM and in individuals without carbohydrate disorders.