Objective To develop and validate a"quick self-assessment questionnaire for cochlear implant out-come(QSACI)".Methods A research team,composed of audiologists,otolaryngologists,data analysis experts,and cochlear implant(CI)recipients,was formed to establish objectives,research subject criteria,and framework of the QSACI.An item pool was creaed through literature review and brainstorming.Question items were evaluated and screened,and the framework and answer options of the questionnaire were established.The comprehensibility,etc.,was analyzed and refined through pilot test,interviews,and expert consultation,leading to the development of the final version.A total of 39 post-lingually deafened adults with known stable outcomes completed the question-naire.The split-half and test-retest reliabilty of the questionnaire was analyzed,and the validity was quantitatively analyzed by comparing scores with the categories of auditory performance(CAP)scores.Results The initial item pool of the questionnaire had 18 items,and the final questionnaire consisted of 12 questions in four dimensions:com-munication status,audiological status,medical factors,and other factors.The average score of 39 recipients was 88.81±6.17 and CAP was 6.19±0.94.The questionnaire showed good reliability and validity,with a Cronbach's alpha coefficient of 0.71 and a test-retest reliability of 0.824(P＜0.05).The criterion-related validity,assessed by the correlation between the self-assessment questionnaire scores and CAP scores,showed a significant moderate pos-itive correlation(r=0.512,P＜0.05).The correlation coefficient between self-assessment and professional assess-ment was 0.720(P＜0.05),indicating a significant correlation.The area under the receiver operating characterstic(ROC)curve was 0.82(P＜0.05),the cutoff values corresponding to the maximal Youden index were 82.5 and 88.6,therefore score of 85 was taken as the median threshold score of judgement.Conclusion The QSACI reflects the post-imlplant outcomes,and it can serve as a tool for people with postlingually deafness and their families to un-derstand the eligbility of CI and the expected outcomes,helping to establish realistic expectations before CI surgery.

Objective To develop and validate a"quick self-assessment questionnaire for cochlear implant out-come(QSACI)".Methods A research team,composed of audiologists,otolaryngologists,data analysis experts,and cochlear implant(CI)recipients,was formed to establish objectives,research subject criteria,and framework of the QSACI.An item pool was creaed through literature review and brainstorming.Question items were evaluated and screened,and the framework and answer options of the questionnaire were established.The comprehensibility,etc.,was analyzed and refined through pilot test,interviews,and expert consultation,leading to the development of the final version.A total of 39 post-lingually deafened adults with known stable outcomes completed the question-naire.The split-half and test-retest reliabilty of the questionnaire was analyzed,and the validity was quantitatively analyzed by comparing scores with the categories of auditory performance(CAP)scores.Results The initial item pool of the questionnaire had 18 items,and the final questionnaire consisted of 12 questions in four dimensions:com-munication status,audiological status,medical factors,and other factors.The average score of 39 recipients was 88.81±6.17 and CAP was 6.19±0.94.The questionnaire showed good reliability and validity,with a Cronbach's alpha coefficient of 0.71 and a test-retest reliability of 0.824(P＜0.05).The criterion-related validity,assessed by the correlation between the self-assessment questionnaire scores and CAP scores,showed a significant moderate pos-itive correlation(r=0.512,P＜0.05).The correlation coefficient between self-assessment and professional assess-ment was 0.720(P＜0.05),indicating a significant correlation.The area under the receiver operating characterstic(ROC)curve was 0.82(P＜0.05),the cutoff values corresponding to the maximal Youden index were 82.5 and 88.6,therefore score of 85 was taken as the median threshold score of judgement.Conclusion The QSACI reflects the post-imlplant outcomes,and it can serve as a tool for people with postlingually deafness and their families to un-derstand the eligbility of CI and the expected outcomes,helping to establish realistic expectations before CI surgery.

Autoantibodies ; COVID-19 ; Humans ; Singapore/epidemiology*

INTRODUCTION: The antinuclear antibody (ANA) test is a screening test for systemic autoimmune rheumatic disease (SARD). We hypothesised that the presence of anti-DFS70 in ANA-positive samples was associated with a false-positive ANA test and negatively associated with SARD. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of patient samples received for ANA testing from 1 January 2016 to 30 June 2016 was performed. Patient samples underwent ANA testing via indirect immunofluorescence method and anti-DFS70 testing using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: Among a total of 645 ANA-positive samples, the majority (41.7%) were positive at a titre of 1:80. The commonest nuclear staining pattern (65.5%) was speckled. Only 9.5% of ANA-positive patients were diagnosed with SARD. Anti-DFS70 was found to be present in 10.0% of ANA-positive patients. The majority (51/59, 86.4%) of patients did not have SARD. Seven patients had positive ANA titre > 1:640, the presence of anti-double stranded DNA and/or anti-Ro60. The presence of anti-DFS70 in ANA-positive patients was not associated with the absence of SARD (Fisher's exact test, p = 0.245). CONCLUSION The presence of anti-DFS70 was associated with a false-positive ANA test in 8.6% of our patients. Anti-DFS70 was not associated with the absence of SARD.
Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing ; Antibodies, Antinuclear ; Autoimmune Diseases/diagnosis* ; Humans ; Retrospective Studies ; Rheumatic Diseases/diagnosis* ; Transcription Factors

Cryopreservation impairs sperm quality and functions, including motility and DNA integrity. Antioxidant additives in sperm freezing media have previously brought improvements in postthawed sperm quality. Green tea extract (GTE) is widely considered as an excellent antioxidant, and its beneficial role has been proven in other human cells. This study aims to evaluate the GTE as a potential additive in cryopreservation media of human spermatozoa. In part one, the semen of 20 normozoospermic men was used to optimize the concentration of GTE that maintains sperm motility and DNA integrity against oxidative stress, induced by hydrogen peroxide (H

Adult ; Brain Neoplasms ; genetics ; DNA, Neoplasm ; analysis ; Female ; Genome ; Glioblastoma ; genetics ; Humans ; Loss of Heterozygosity ; Microsatellite Repeats ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; genetics ; Polymerase Chain Reaction

OBJECTIVETo investigate the molecular genetic pathogenesis of primary glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) and identify which chromosomes or chromosomal regions of the entire genome may harbor tumor suppressor genes (TSGs) associated with GBM.

METHODSA high-resolution allelotype study of 21 cases of primary GBM was performed by PCR-based loss of heterozygosity (LOH) analysis. Three hundred and eighty-two fluorescent dye-labeled microsatellite markers covering all 22 autosomes were applied. The mean genetic distance between two flanking markers was about 10 cM.

RESULTSLOH was observed on all 39 nonacrocentric autosomal arms examined in this study. The LOH frequencies of 10q, 10p, 9p, 17p and 13q were the highest (> 50%). Furthermore, high LOH frequencies were detected in the regions containing known TSGs including PTEN, DMBT1, p16, p15, p53 and RB; the LOH frequencies on 14q, 3q, 22q, 11p, 9q, 19q were also high (> 40.5%). Our study observed the following commonly deleted regions: 9p22-23, 10p12.2-14, 10q21.3, 13q12.1-14.1, 13q14.3-31, 17p11.2-12, 17p13, 3q25.2-26.2, 11p12-13, 14q13-31, 14q32.1, 14q11.1-13, 22q13.3, 4q35, 4q31.1-31.2, 6q27 and 6q21-23.3.

CONCLUSIONSThe molecular pathogenesis of GBM is very complicated and associated with a variety of genetic abnormalities on many chromosomal arms. The most closely related chromosomal arms to the pathogenesis of GBM are 10q, 10p, 9p, 17p and 13q. Besides the well-known TSGs including PTEN, DMBT1, p16, p15, p53 and RB, multiple unknown TSGs associated with GBM may be present on the commonly deleted regions detected in the present study.

Adult ; Aged ; Alleles ; Chromosome Aberrations ; DNA ; isolation & purification ; Female ; Genome ; Glioblastoma ; genetics ; Humans ; Loss of Heterozygosity ; Male ; Microsatellite Repeats ; Middle Aged ; Polymerase Chain Reaction

OBJECTIVETo investigate molecular genetic alterations associated with primary and corresponding recurrent glioblastoma multiforme(GBM) and to identify which chromosomal regions of the whole genome may be involved in the recurrence of primary GBM.

METHODSA high-resolution allelotyping study of one patient's primary GBM and corresponding recurrent GBM was performed by PCR-based loss of heterozygosity(LOH) analysis with the use of 382 fluorescent dye-labeled polymorphic microsatellite markers covering all 22 autosomes. The mean genetic distance between two flanking markers is 10 cM.

RESULTSLOH at locus D9S157 on 9p21 and at loci D10S537, D10S185, D10S192, D10S597, D10S587, D10S217 on 10q21.3-26.3 was observed in the primary GBM. As for corresponding recurrent tumor, LOH was observed not only in expanded regions on 9p21 and 10q21.3-26.3 but also on multiple other chromosomal arms, including 1q, 7p,7q, 21q, 20p, 20q, 10p, 19p, 19q.

CONCLUSIONChromosome 9p and 10q may be involved in the development of this GBM. Although histopathological diagnoses of the primary and corresponding recurrent tumor are identical, the recurrence of GBM is characterized by an increased involvement of molecular genetic abnormalities and may be accompanied by inactivation of more tumor suppressor genes.

Adult ; Alleles ; Chromosome Mapping ; methods ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 1 ; genetics ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 10 ; genetics ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 19 ; genetics ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 20 ; genetics ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 21 ; genetics ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 7 ; genetics ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 9 ; genetics ; DNA ; genetics ; Female ; Glioblastoma ; genetics ; pathology ; surgery ; Humans ; Loss of Heterozygosity ; Microsatellite Repeats ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local

OBJECTIVETo evaluate whether deletion of chromosome 14q is involved in the carcinogenesis of primary glioblastoma multiforme and to identify possibly common deletion regions. METHJODS: Fourteen fluorescent dye-labeled polymorphic markers were used and polymerase chain reaction-based microsatellite analysis was employed to investigate loss of heterozygosity (LOH) on chromosome 14q in 20 primary glioblastoma multiforme (GBM).

RESULTSTen of twenty (50%) GBM displayed LOH at one or more of the markers on chromosome 14q. Five tumors showed either LOH or non-informative on all markers tested. The most frequent LOH was observed at locus D14S65 (57.1%) on 14q32.1, and in the chromosomal region spanning from D14S63 (47.1%) to D14S74 (46.7%) on 14q23-31. None of the informative loci exhibited microsatellite instability.

CONCLUSIONSAllelic deletion on chromosome 14q plays an important role in the pathogenesis of GBM. Chromosomal regions at locus D14S65 on 14q32.1 and spanning from D14S63 to D14S74 on 14q23-31 may harbor multiple tumor suppressor genes associated with GBM.

Adult ; Aged ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 14 ; Female ; Genes, Tumor Suppressor ; Glioblastoma ; genetics ; Humans ; Loss of Heterozygosity ; Male ; Microsatellite Repeats ; Middle Aged