Arch Med Sci
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Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) remains a diagnostic challenge for clinicians. More recently, loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) has become readily available for the diagnosis of CDI, and many studies have investigated the usefulness of LAMP for rapid and accurate diagnosis of CDI. However, the overall diagnostic accuracy of LAMP for CDI remains unclear. In this meta-analysis, our aim was to establish the overall diagnostic accuracy of LAMP in detection of Clostridium difficile (CD) in stool samples. ⋯ The LAMP meets the minimum desirable characteristics of a diagnostic test of SEN, SPE and other measures of accuracy in the diagnosis of CD, and it is suitable as a rapid, effective and reliable stand-alone diagnostic test for diagnosis of CDI, potentially decreasing morbidity and nosocomial spread of CD.
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Lung cancer has remained the leading cause of death worldwide among all cancers. The dismal 5-year survival rate of 16% is in part due to the lack of symptoms during early stages and lack of an effective screening test until recently. Chest X-ray and sputum cytology were studied extensively as potential screening tests for lung cancer and were conclusively proven to be of no value. ⋯ While a role for LDCT in lung cancer screening has been established, the issues of high false positive rates, radiation risk, and cost effectiveness still need to be addressed. The guidelines of the international organizations that now include LDCT in lung cancer screening are reviewed. Other methods that may improve earlier detection such as positron emission tomography, autofluorescence bronchoscopy, and molecular biomarkers are also discussed.
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Postoperative benign anastomotic strictures (POBAS) which develop after surgical resections of the gastrointestinal system (GIS) present with symptoms depending on location of the stricture. Diagnosis is confirmed by endoscopic and radiological methods. Although bougie or balloon dilatation is preferred in management, the endoscopic incision method (EIM) is also used with considerable success. In this trial, we aimed to evaluate EIM, which is one of the endoscopic dilatation techniques used in postoperative anastomotic stricture of GIS. ⋯ Endoscopic incision method may be regarded as a favorable approach among first choice treatment alternatives in uncomplicated anastomotic strictures of GIS, or it may be used as an adjunctive dilatation method.
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Aortic valve calcification (AVC) is the most common cause of aortic stenosis. The aim of the study was to assess the prevalence of aortic valve, coronary artery and aortic calcifications and to evaluate the correlation between calcification of the aortic valve, coronary arteries and aorta. ⋯ Despite some similarities in pathological mechanism and risk factors, a degenerative defect of the aortic valve could be independent of atheromatous lesions in the coronary arteries and aorta.
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Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a common malignant tumor of the head and neck. The STGC3 gene is related to development of nasopharyngeal cancer. The aim of this study is to explore the promoter region of the STGC3 gene. ⋯ The pGL3-en281 plasmid showed stronger promoter activity than pGL3-en571 in the three cells, indicating that -11048 bp to -653 bp might be the core promoter region.