A score based on genetic risk factors significantly predicts NASH in obese children with increased liver enzymes, representing a proof-of-principle that genetic scores may be useful to predict long-term outcomes of the disease and guide clinical management.

No abstract

In this study, readily available antibodies that are used in standard agglutination tests were evaluated for their use in ABO blood typing by a surface plasmon resonance imaging (SPR imaging) technique. Five groups of antibodies, including mixed clones of anti-A, anti-B, and anti-AB, and single clones of anti-A and anti-B, were used to construct the five-line detection arrays using a multichannel flow cell in the SPR imager. The red blood cell (RBC) samples were applied to a multichannel flow cell that was orthogonal to the detection line arrays for blood group typing. We found that the blood samples were correctly grouped in less than 12 min by the SPR imaging technique, and the results were consistent with those of the standard agglutination technique for all 60 samples. We found that mixed clones of antibodies provided 33%–68% greater change in the SPR signal than the single-clone antibodies. Applying the SPR imaging technique using readily available antibodies may reduce the costs of the antibodies, shorten the measurement time, and increase the throughput.

Low antigenic expression of ABO subgroup system on red blood cell (RBC) is cause of discrepancy between forward and reverse blood typing in the standard agglutination technique. Neutralization agglutination is employed for verification of the detection of ABH substances in saliva. However, the neutralization technique is complicated, time-consuming and requires expertise. To overcome these drawbacks, surface plasmon resonance (SPR) imaging was developed for ABH antigen detection on RBCs and in saliva. An antibody array was designed to classify the ABO subgroups by anti-A, anti-B, and anti-H antibodies; the array was immobilized on a carboxymethyl-dextran sensor-surface. RBCs and saliva specimens from sixty-four donors were analysed by passing them over the antibody array, where the secretor status and blood group could be simultaneously identified. Consequently, the immobilized antibodies could specifically and quantitatively detect the ABH antigen on RBCs. Using the direct assay, the SPR signal of saliva detection was weaker than that of RBC detection. However, a sandwich assay with a mixture of anti-A, anti-B, and anti-H antibodies could efficiently enhance the signal. The sensor chip provided high specificity (cut-off at 100 to 175 micro refractive index units) and high precision at 0.06%-4.9% CV. The blood group results of the sixty-four donor specimens obtained by SPR agreed with the standard agglutination test with 100% accuracy. SPR could indicate different ABH antigen densities on the RBCs and nearly the same amounts of ABH substances in the saliva of strong and weak subgroups. Finally, we also demonstrated reduced assay time and fewer complications with the SPR imaging platform compared to the neutralization technique.

The PMMA array chip demonstrated its good accuracy and precision in rapid blood group testing. For its high throughput, the method has potential for use in large blood donation centre.

Introduction Although cytomegalovirus (CMV)-seropositive solid organ transplant recipients have a relatively lower risk of CMV infection than CMV-seronegative recipients who receive allograft from CMV-seropositive donors, some patients remain at risk of CMV infection after transplant. We investigated the pre-transplant CMV-specific humoral immunity (CHI) and other CMV infection predictors in CMV-seropositive kidney transplant (KT) recipients. Methods This retrospective study was conducted on adult CMV-seropositive KT recipients during 2017 and 2018. The cumulative incidence of CMV infection was estimated with Kaplan–Meier methodology. CHI, measured with an enzyme-linked fluorescent immunoassay and other predictors for CMV infection, was analyzed using Cox proportional hazards models. Results Of the 340 CMV-seropositive KT recipients (37% female; age [mean ± SD]: 43±11 years), 69% received deceased-donor allograft and 64% received induction therapy. During a mean follow-up of 14 months, the cumulative incidence of CMV infection was 14.8%. In multivariate analysis, low pre-transplant CHI (defined as anti-CMV IgG titer <20 AU/ml) was significantly associated with CMV infection (HR, 2.98; 95% CI, 1.31–6.77, [p=0.009]). Other significant predictors of CMV infection included older donor age (HR, 1.03; 95% CI, 1.01–1.06, [p=0.005]), anti-thymocyte induction therapy (HR, 2.90; 95% CI 1.09–7.74, [p=0.033]), and prolonged cold ischemic time (HR, 1.06; 95% CI, 1.02–1.10, [p=0.002]). Conclusion A low pre-transplant CHI is independently associated with post-transplant CMV infection in CMV-seropositive KT recipients. A quantitative anti-CMV IgG assay could potentially stratify CMV-seropositive patients at risk of CMV infection after KT.

This study reports loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) for rapid detection of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus from direct clinical specimens. Four primers including outer and inner primers were specifically designed on the two target sequences-femB to identify S. aureus and mecA to identify antibiotic-resistant gene. Reference strains including various species of gram-positive/gram-negative isolates were used to evaluate and optimize LAMP assays. The optimum LAMP condition was found at 63°C within 70 min assay time (include hybridization with FITC probe for 5 min and further 5 min for reading the results on the lateral flow dipstick). The detection limits of LAMP for mecA was 10 pg of total DNA or 100 CFU/ml. The LAMP assays were applied to a total of 155 samples of direct DNA extraction from sputum and hemoculture bottles. The sensitivity of LAMP for mecA detection in sputum and hemoculture bottles was 93.3% (28/30) and 100% (52/52), respectively. In conclusion, LAMP assay is an alternative technique for rapid detection of MRSA infection with a technical simplicity and cost-effective method in a routine diagnostic laboratory.

Mi(a) typing qPCR correctly identified Mi(a) blood groups in a Thai population with the feasibility of Mi(a) subtype discrimination, and Mi(a) subtyping qPCR was able to further define GP.Mur from other Mi(a) subtypes.