ABSTRACT
We present the use of whole-genome sequencing to correctly diagnose progressive pseudorheumatoid dysplasia in patients with atypical clinical and radiologic findings and prior diagnosis of juvenile idiopathic arthritis.
ABSTRACT
MicroRNAs are a class of small, non-coding RNAs that can function as tumor suppressors or oncogenes by regulating gene expression. This link was first reported in 2004, and has since been tied to a variety of malignancies, including malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM). MPM is a malignancy arising in the mesothelial cells lining the lung pleura and is associated with chronic asbestos exposure. Despite the possibility for observing declining localized occurrence, global MPM is predicted to remain constant or increase slightly over the next decade. Global occurrence in combination with poor overall survival, difficulty in diagnosis, and limited effective treatment options signal the need for further exploration of miRNA involvement in MPM. Accordingly, this review highlights miRNA profiles associated with the diagnosis, prognosis, and therapeutic approaches in MPM.
Subject(s)
Lung Neoplasms/diagnosis , Lung Neoplasms/therapy , Mesothelioma/diagnosis , Mesothelioma/therapy , MicroRNAs/genetics , MicroRNAs/therapeutic use , Pleural Neoplasms/diagnosis , Pleural Neoplasms/therapy , Antineoplastic Agents/therapeutic use , Biomarkers, Tumor/genetics , Biomarkers, Tumor/metabolism , Humans , Mesothelioma, Malignant , Prognosis , Treatment OutcomeABSTRACT
Coccidioidomycosis is an infection caused by Coccidioides immitis or C. posadasii. We developed a TaqMan real-time PCR assay that rapidly and accurately differentiates the species. This assay can be used as a tool to improve disease surveillance, increase understanding of the natural history of the infection, and assist in clinical differentiation studies.
Subject(s)
Coccidioides/classification , Coccidioides/isolation & purification , Coccidioidomycosis/diagnosis , Polymerase Chain Reaction/methods , Coccidioides/genetics , Coccidioidomycosis/microbiology , Humans , Polymerase Chain Reaction/economics , Time FactorsABSTRACT
Three strains of a novel Bartonella species (Bartonella tamiae) were isolated from human patients from Thailand. Sequence analysis of six chromosomal regions (16S rRNA, gltA, groEL, ftsZ, rpoB, and the intergenic spacer region) and phenotypical analysis supported the similarity of the three strains and placed them within the genus Bartonella separately from previously described species.
Subject(s)
Bartonella Infections/microbiology , Bartonella/classification , Bartonella/isolation & purification , Adult , Anti-Bacterial Agents/pharmacology , Bacterial Proteins/genetics , Bacterial Typing Techniques , Bartonella/genetics , Bartonella/ultrastructure , Blood/microbiology , Child , DNA, Bacterial/chemistry , DNA, Bacterial/genetics , DNA, Ribosomal/chemistry , DNA, Ribosomal/genetics , Female , Genes, rRNA , Humans , Male , Microbial Sensitivity Tests , Microscopy, Electron, Transmission , Molecular Sequence Data , Phylogeny , RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/genetics , Sequence Analysis, DNA , Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid , ThailandABSTRACT
Ecological and bacteriologic observations of small mammals captured in Dhaka, Bangladesh, indicated that Bartonella infections occurred in high prevalence among lesser bandicoot rats (Bandicota bengalensis), black rats (Rattus rattus), and house shrews (Suncus murinus). Sequence analysis of the citrate synthase gene of Bartonella isolates showed that small mammals in Bangladesh harbored a diverse assemblage of strains. Some cultures were genetically related to Bartonella elizabethae, a species identified from a human patient in the United States. Sequences of some other cultures from Bandicota and Rattus rats were identical to sequences of cultures from domestic rats in France, Portugal, and the United States. The finding of Bartonella species in a high proportion of the mammalian samples from Dhaka suggests the need to study whether these agents might be responsible for human cases of febrile illness of unknown etiology in Bangladesh and elsewhere in south Asia.
