A PSA SNP associates with cellular function and clinical outcome in men with prostate cancer.

Genetic variation at the 19q13.3 KLK locus is linked with prostate cancer susceptibility in men. The non-synonymous KLK3 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), rs17632542 (c.

Salivary polyreactive antibodies and are associated with respiratory infection severity in young children with recurrent respiratory infections.

Background: Recurrent respiratory tract infections (rRTIs) are a common reason for immunodiagnostic testing in children, which relies on serum antibody level measurements. However, because RTIs predominantly affect the respiratory mucosa, serum antibodies may inaccurately reflect local immune defences. We investigated antibody responses in saliva and their interplay with the respiratory microbiota in relation to RTI severity and burden in young children with rRTIs.

Explorative study on the value of hepcidin in predicting iron non-responsiveness in paediatric inflammatory bowel disease.

Background: In a considerable proportion of anaemic children with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), haemoglobin (Hb) does not normalise after iron therapy. We evaluated the added value of novel iron markers (hepcidin and soluble transferrin receptor [sTfR]) as compared to traditional iron markers (ferritin and transferrin saturation [TSAT]) to determine the best strategy for the prediction of non-responsiveness to iron suppletion.

Methods: In this secondary analysis of prospectively collected data, we measured iron markers in anaemic children (Hb Z-score < -2.

Machine Learning-Based Prediction of Hemoglobinopathies Using Complete Blood Count Data.

Background: Hemoglobinopathies, the most common inherited blood disorder, are frequently underdiagnosed. Early identification of carriers is important for genetic counseling of couples at risk. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a novel machine learning model on a multicenter data set, covering a wide spectrum of hemoglobinopathies based on routine complete blood count (CBC) testing.

Associations of Serum Perfluoroalkyl Substances and Placental Human Chorionic Gonadotropin in Early Pregnancy, Measured in the UPSIDE Study in Rochester, New York.

Background: Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are widely detected in pregnant women and associated with adverse outcomes related to impaired placental function. Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is a dimeric glycoprotein hormone that can indicate placental toxicity.

Objectives: Our aim was to quantify the association of serum PFAS with placental hCG, measured as an intact molecule (hCG), as free alpha-() and beta-subunits (), and as a hyperglycosylated form (h-hCG), and evaluate effect measure modification by social determinants and by fetal sex.

Pulmonary embolism in hospitalized COVID-19 patients: Short- and long-term clinical outcomes.

Introduction: Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a frequent complication in COVID-19. However, the influence of PE on the prognosis of COVID-19 remains unclear as previous studies were affected by misclassification bias. Therefore, we evaluated a cohort of COVID-19 patients whom all underwent systematic screening for PE (thereby avoiding misclassification) and compared clinical outcomes between patients with and without PE.

Biologically Informed Polygenic Scores for Brain Insulin Receptor Network Are Associated with Cardiometabolic Risk Markers and Diabetes in Women.

Backgruound: To investigate associations between variations in the co-expression-based brain insulin receptor polygenic score and cardiometabolic risk factors and diabetes mellitus.

Methods: This cross-sectional study included 1,573 participants from the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study. Biologically informed expression-based polygenic risk scores for the insulin receptor gene network were calculated for the hippocampal (hePRS-IR) and the mesocorticolimbic (mePRS-IR) regions.

A magnetic separation method for isolating and characterizing the biomolecular corona of lipid nanoparticles.

Lipid nanoparticle (LNP) formulations are a proven method for the delivery of nucleic acids for gene therapy as exemplified by the worldwide rollout of LNP-based RNAi therapeutics and mRNA vaccines. However, targeting specific tissues or cells is still a major challenge. After LNP administration, LNPs interact with biological fluids (i.

Transfusion of ever-pregnant donor red blood cells and mortality of male patients.

Previous studies found exposure to red blood cell transfusions from female donors who have been pregnant reduces survival in male patients compared to exposure to male donor products, but evidence is not consistent. We postulate the previously observed association is modified by offspring sex, with an expected increased mortality risk for male patients receiving units from female donors with sons. Here, marginal structural models were used to assess the association between exposure to units from ever-pregnant donors, ever-pregnant donors with sons and ever-pregnant donors with daughters, and mortality.

Are the latest point-of-care D-dimer devices ready for use in general practice? A prospective clinical evaluation of five test systems with a capillary blood feature for suspected venous thromboembolism.

Introduction: We evaluated clinical performance of five novel point-of-care (POC) D-dimer devices with a capillary finger stick feature for predicting venous thromboembolism (VTE) in general practice: Exdia TRF Plus (E), AFIAS-1® (A), Standard F200® (S), LumiraDx™ (L) and Hipro AFS/1® (H).

Materials And Methods: Primary care patients with a low suspicion of a VTE were asked to consent to (i) draw additional venous blood samples, (ii) perform a capillary POC D-dimer test, (iii) approach their general practitioner afterwards for clinical outcomes. Venous plasma samples were processed on all POC devices and a laboratory-based assay (STA-Liatest®D-Di PLUS assay).

Donor pregnancies and transfusion recipient mortality: A role for red blood cell storage?

Background And Objectives: Donor characteristics have been implicated in transfusion-related adverse events. Uncertainty remains about whether sex, and specifically pregnancy history of the blood donor, could affect patient outcomes. Whether storage duration of the blood product could be important for patient outcomes has also been investigated, and a small detrimental effect of fresh products remains a possibility.

Negative feedback regulation of MAPK signaling is an important driver of chronic lymphocytic leukemia progression.

Despite available targeted treatments for the disease, drug-resistant chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) poses a clinical challenge. The objective of this study is to examine whether the dual-specific phosphatases DUSP1 and DUSP6 are required to negatively regulate mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) and thus counterbalance excessive MAPK activity. We show that high expression of DUSP6 in CLL correlates with poor clinical prognosis.

Indirect Basophil Activation Test for Peanut Allergy Diagnosis Using Human Donor Basophils.

The basophil activation test (BAT) is a promising test for the replacement of the expensive, time-consuming, and patient-unfriendly oral food challenge (OFC). However, the BAT requires a fresh blood sample which has to be analyzed within 1 day, which can be a logistical constraint. The indirect or passive basophil activation test (iBAT) with human donor basophils and patient serum that can be stored for a long time (1) enables laboratories to perform the assay at any time, (2) gives the possibility to analyze different allergens in the course of time without the need of a new blood sample, and (3) does not suffer from inconclusive results due to nonresponder basophils.

Heparin interferes with the uptake of liposomes in glioma.

In glioblastoma, a malignant primary brain tumor, liposomes have shown promise in pre-clinical and early phase clinical trials as delivery vehicles for therapeutics. However, external factors influencing cellular uptake of liposomes in glioma cells are poorly understood. Heparin and heparin analogues are commonly used in glioma patients to decrease the risk of thrombo-embolic events.

Albumin determined by bromocresol green leads to erroneous results in routine evaluation of patients with chronic kidney disease.

Objectives: Measurement of plasma albumin is pivotal for clinical decision-making in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Routinely used methods as bromocresol green (BCG) and bromocresol purple (BCP) can suffer from aselectivity, but the impact of aselectivity on the accuracy of plasma albumin results of CKD-patients is still unknown. Therefore, we evaluated the performance of BCG-, BCP- and JCTLM-endorsed immunological methods in patients with various stages of CKD.

Targeting NETs using dual-active DNase1 variants.

Background: Neutrophil Extracellular Traps (NETs) are key mediators of immunothrombotic mechanisms and defective clearance of NETs from the circulation underlies an array of thrombotic, inflammatory, infectious, and autoimmune diseases. Efficient NET degradation depends on the combined activity of two distinct DNases, DNase1 and DNase1-like 3 (DNase1L3) that preferentially digest double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) and chromatin, respectively.

Methods: Here, we engineered a dual-active DNase with combined DNase1 and DNase1L3 activities and characterized the enzyme for its NET degrading potential in vitro.

Evaluation of automated microscopy sediment analysis in urinary tract infection screening: a practical insight in adjusting fixed cut-off values for urine culture.

Purpose: The aim of our study was to evaluate a procedure in which urine culture was only being performed based on fixed cut-off values of urine sediment analysis with intention to prevent unnecessary negative urine cultures.

Methods: From January 2018 to August 2018, all urine samples from patients visiting the urology outpatient department were analyzed. Urine culture was only performed if urine sediment contained more than 130 bacteria per microliter and/or more than 50 leukocytes per microliter.

Receptor Density-Dependent Motility of Influenza Virus Particles on Surface Gradients.

Influenza viruses can move across the surface of host cells while interacting with their glycocalyx. This motility may assist in finding or forming locations for cell entry and thereby promote cellular uptake. Because the binding to and cleavage of cell surface receptors forms the driving force for the process, the surface-bound motility of influenza is expected to be dependent on the receptor density.