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Using paired serum samples obtained from patients with illness associated with increases in anti-human coronavirus OC43 (HCoV-OC43) or anti-HCoV-229E antibodies, we examined the possibility of false-positive results detected in a recombinant severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV) nucleocapsid protein immunoglobulin G enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Three of the 21 and 1 of the 7 convalescent-phase serum samples from persons with increases in antibodies against HCoV-OC43 and HCoV-229E, respectively, tested positive by the recombinant SARS-CoV nucleocapsid protein-based ELISA. None of these samples were found to contain a specific antibody in the recombinant SARS-CoV spike polypeptide-based Western blot assay.

Background Patients with vasospastic angina (VA) may have recurrent chest symptoms and life-threatening arrhythmias. Despite regular medications, many VA patients experience recurrent episodes of VA. In this study, we evaluate clinical and angiographic predictors of recurrent VA. Patients and methods From January 2010 to May 2018, a total of 858 patients who underwent ergonovine provocation test were retrospectively reviewed. We excluded the patients who had negative results of provocation test, follow up duration less than 1 month and poor medication compliance. The recurrent-VA group consisted of patients who were re-hospitalized, visited the emergency room, or had repeated coronary angiographies because of chest pain. Results A total of 858 patients who underwent ergonovine provocation tests between January 2010 to May 2018 were retrospectively reviewed. Of them, 162 (mean follow-up duration, 3.0 years) were eligible for our study. The patients were divided into two groups: recurrent-VA (n=33, 20.4%) and stable-VA groups (n=129, 79.6%). Compared with the stable-VA group, the recurrent-VA group consisted mostly of men (93.9% vs. 75.2%, P=0.01), and had low LDL-cholesterol levels (93±27 mg/dl vs. 108±31 mg/dl, P=0.01). In the angiographic findings, a degree of coronary artery disease (CAD) and the site and number of spasm-positive vessels showed no difference between the two groups. Nicorandil was more frequently prescribed at discharge in the stable-VA group (15.2% vs. 35.7%, P=0.02). In the multivariate analysis, the male sex (odds ratio [OR], 5.87; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.31–26.22; P=0.02) and non-use of nicorandil (OR, 3.51; 95% CI, 1.25–9.84; P=0.01) were the independent predictive factors in the recurrent-VA group. In the Kaplan-Meier analysis, men who did not use nicorandil (n=85, 52.5%) had higher incidences of recurrent angina compared to the other group (n=77, 47.5%). (30.6% vs. 6.6%; p Univariate and multivariate analysis Refractory VA (n=33) Stable VA (n=129) Odds ratio [95% CI] P value univariate Odds ratio [95% CI] P value multivariate Age 0.86 ng/ml, n (%) 2 (7.1) 3 (2.7) 2.74 [0.43–17.27] 0.08 NA NS LDL-C Kaplan-Meier curves Conclusions Male sex and non-use of nicorandil were independent predictors of recurrent VA.

The retinoblastoma gene was the first tumour suppressor gene identified that was altered not only in retinoblastomas but has been described in a wide variety of human neoplasms. The retinoblastoma gene encodes a nuclear phosphoprotein that in its hypophosphorylated state plays an important role in regulating the cell cycle, thus preventing from tumour formation. Expression of retinoblastoma gene protein product (pRB) was investigated in 118 formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded cervical tissues by immunohistochemistry using commercially available antibody directed against RB protein. Ten normal ectocervical epithelium, 16 cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) I, 13 CIN II, 14 CIN III, 53 invasive squamous cell carcinoma, 11 adenocarcinoma and 1 small cell carcinoma were selected for this study. The proportions of pRB-positive cells as well as the extent of pRB expression in ectocervical squamous epithelium were assessed and compared among the lesions. The pRB expression was observed in 100% of normal ectocervical epithelium (n=10), 100% of CIN lesions (n=43) and 98.5% of invasive carcinoma of the uterine cervix (n=65) and were statistically significant when CIN or CIN/invasive were compared to normal cases (P < 0.01, P < 0.05 respectively). While in invasive squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), 81.8% (9/11) pRB-positive cells were found in much higher percentages in well differentiated SCC compared to 64.3% (18/28) of moderately differentiated cases and only 7.1% (1/14) of poorly differentiated SCC (P < 0.01, respectively). The results of this study suggest that loss of RB protein expression is rare in carcinoma of the uterine cervix and this protein may be important in the pathogenesis of cervical carcinoma.