AIMS To evaluate the clinical significance of multiple serum tumor markers (TMs) in the diagnosis of gastric cancer (GC) and establish an accurate discriminant equation to identify the presence of GC. RESULTS The serum levels of CEA, CA19-9 and CA72-4 were higher in the GC group than in the control group (P < 0.005). The sensitivity of CEA, CA19-9 and CA72-4 in the diagnosis of GC was 20.1-27...

A total of 120 pleural fluid specimens from 113 pediatric patients were tested using two rapid antigen detection assays for Streptococcus pyogenes. Results were compared to culture, Gram stain, and PCR results. Each rapid antigen assay detected 9 out of 10 (90%) PCR-positive samples, with 100% specificity. These antigen detection assays are useful to provide microbiological diagnosis of empyema...

Abbreviations: BC: Bladder Cancer; MIBC: Muscle-Invasive BC; NMIBC: Nonmuscle-Invasive BC; BPH: Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia; CT: Computed Tomography; CEA: Carcinoembryonic Antigen; CA19-9: Carbohydrate-Antigen 19-9; HCC: Hepatocellular Carcinoma; TCC: Transitional Cell Carcinoma; UC: Urotherial Carcinoma; Hex: Hexose; Man: D-mannose; Gal: D-galactose; HexNAc: N-acetylhexsosamine; GlcNAc: N-ace...

Objective: To investigate the association between Chlamydia pneumoniae and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) in atherosclerotic plaques. Design: 31 coronary atherosclerotic plaque specimens were studied by immunohistochemistry, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and reverse transcription PCR for the presence of C pneumoniae antigen and genomic DNA, and of MMP-9 protein and transcripts. Results: ...

Radioimmunoassay methods were evaluated for immunoglobulin G and immunoglobulin M antibodies against Bacteroides fragilis antigen. Of 12 serum samples from patients with B fragilis infections, 9 had higher concentrations of immunoglobulin G antibodies than any from 11 control subjects. Of 9 serum samples from infected patients, 6 had higher concentrations of immunoglobulin M than any from contr...