No abstract available.
B-Lymphocytes* ; Lymph Nodes* ; Mitogens*

No abstract available.
Bacteria, Anaerobic*

No abstract available.
Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Cytosol* ; Humans* ; Receptors, Steroid*

BACKGROUND: The detection of specific autoantibodies in the sera of patients with systemic rheumatic diseases plays a key role in the differential diagnosis. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) is known as sensitive and semiquantitative method to detect autoantibodies and ELISA kits using a recombinant fusion protein as antigen have been developed. So, various commercial ELISA have recently become available in a diagnostic laboratory. We investigated the clinical value of antinuclear autoantibodies using commercial ELISA kits. METHODS: The serum of 90 patients were tested for autoantibodies to SSA/Ro, SSB/La, nRNP/Sm and Sm antigens by ELISA using four commercial kits, EL-ANA(TM) (TheraTest, IL, USA), DIASTAT(TM)(SHIELD, DUNDEE, UK), QUANTALit(TM) (INOVA, CA, USA), Varelisa(TM) (elias, WI, USA). We evaluated the clinical usefulness of panel test of Varelisa(TM) in the diagnosis of systemic rheumatic diseases. RESULTS: The concordance rates of four ELISA kits for autoantibodies to SSA/Ro, SSB/La, RNP/Sm and Sm antigens were 83.6%, 74.5%, 87.5% and 80.0%, respectively. Using panel test of Varelisa(TM), positive rates of autoantibodies to Ul-snRNP, nRNP/Sm, Sm, SSA/Ro, SSB/La, Scl-70, CENP and Jo-1 antigens in SLE were 30.0, 40.0, 33.3, 46.7, 20.0, 20.0, 10.0, and 0%, respectively. Of 30 patients with SLE, 16 (53.3%) were positive for 2 or more antibodies. CONCLUSIONS: EL-ANA(TM), QUANTALite(TM) and Varelisa(TM) show more positive rates than DIASTAT(TM). The difference in the positive rates among four commercial ELISA kits may come from the different antigen sources. The panel test of 8 autoantibodies using Varelisa(TM) ELISA kit offers discriminative power and enhances the specificity of the assay in patients who lack clear evidence of clinically definite autoimmune disease.
Antibodies ; Autoantibodies* ; Autoimmune Diseases ; Diagnosis ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay* ; Histidine-tRNA Ligase ; Humans ; Rheumatic Diseases ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Staphylococcal Protein A

No abstract available.
Bacteria*

No abstract available.
Lupus Coagulation Inhibitor*

No abstract available.
Blood Platelets* ; Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation* ; Platelet Activation*

PURPOSE: Chromosomal abnormalities of abortuses have been used to investigate common etiologies of spontaneous abortion, but the frequencies and types of spontaneous abortions have demonstrated considerable variation among different countries and races. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cytogenetic analysis of 75 abortuses was performed at GenDix, Inc. from January 2006 to December 2007. RESULTS: The frequency of chromosome abnormalities in abortuses was 32.0% (24/75 cases). Among the chromosomal abnormalities, trisomy was present in 62.5% (15/24 cases) of cases and the most frequent trisomy was trisomy 21 with an occurrence rate of 26.6% (4/15 cases). The following was trisomy 22 (3/15 cases) and trisomy 20 (2/15 cases). The average maternal age for abnormal karyotypes was 34.3+/-3.3. CONCLUSION: Cytogenetic analysis of abortus is important for diagnosis and genetic counseling of patients with spontaneous abortion.
Abnormal Karyotype ; Abortion, Spontaneous ; Chromosome Aberrations ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 20 ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 22 ; Cytogenetic Analysis ; Cytogenetics ; Down Syndrome ; Female ; Genetic Counseling ; Humans ; Karyotype ; Maternal Age ; Mosaicism ; Pregnancy ; Trisomy

Erythropoietic protoporphyria (EPP) is an autosomal dominant condition due to decreased activity of ferrochelatase. The disease is characterized by a wide range of photocutaneous changes and occasionally by liver disease. The level of protoporphyin is raised in erythkocytes and it may also be increased in the feces. We report herein a case of EPP present in a family which was diagnosed by a high free erythrocyte protoporphyrin (FEP) count.
Erythrocytes ; Feces ; Ferrochelatase ; Humans ; Liver Diseases ; Protoporphyria, Erythropoietic*

Erythropoietic protoporphyria (EPP) is an autosomal dominant condition due to decreased activity of ferrochelatase. The disease is characterized by a wide range of photocutaneous changes and occasionally by liver disease. The level of protoporphyin is raised in erythkocytes and it may also be increased in the feces. We report herein a case of EPP present in a family which was diagnosed by a high free erythrocyte protoporphyrin (FEP) count.
Erythrocytes ; Feces ; Ferrochelatase ; Humans ; Liver Diseases ; Protoporphyria, Erythropoietic*