The Salmonella cytolethal distending toxin (S-CDT), first described as the "typhoid toxin" in Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serotype Typhi, induces DNA damage in eukaryotic cells. Recent studies have shown that more than 40 nontyphoidal Salmonella (NTS) serotypes carry genes that encode S-CDT, yet very little is known about the activity, function, and role of S-CDT in NTS. Here we show th...

BACKGROUND/AIMS The Clock Drawing Test (CDT) assesses cognition focusing on executive function and praxis in contrast to the more language-based Mini-Mental State Exam. The CDT may allow early identification of cognitive decline. METHODS A systematic review of the literature was used to identify studies that had used the CDT to predict future cognitive impairment. RESULTS Five studies were ...

AIMS Due to methodological heterogeneity, conflicting views have been expressed on the validity of CDT measurements in the detection of alcohol misuse. METHODS We compared the characteristics of the conventional CDTect method and the Axis turbidimetric CDT assays in the assessment of 62 alcoholics, who were either with (n = 33) or without (n = 29) liver disease, as analysed by combined clinic...

The cytolethal distending toxin (CDT) of Campylobacter jejuni was detectable, using an in vitro assay, in most but not all of 24 strains tested. The reason for the absence of toxin activity in these naturally occurring CDT-negative C. jejuni strains was then investigated at the genetic level. CDT is encoded by three highly conserved genes, cdtA, -B, and -C. In the CDT-negative strains, two type...

The Clock Drawing Test (CDT) is a cognitive screening tool used in clinical and research settings. Despite its role on the assessment of global cognitive functioning, the specific cognitive components required for test performance are still unclear. We aim to assess the role of executive functioning, global cognitive status, visuospatial abilities, and semantic knowledge on Shulman's CDT perfor...

BACKGROUND Despite established guidelines, catheter-directed thrombolysis (CDT) for the management of acute lower extremity deep vein thrombosis (DVT) should not be overstated because the risks of CDT are uncertain. We performed a meta-analysis to comprehensively and quantitatively evaluate the safety of CDT for patients with acute lower extremity DVT. METHODS Relevant databases, including Pu...

Cytolethal distending toxin (CDT) consisting of CdtA, CdtB and CdtC has been reported to be a possible virulence factor of campylobacters including Campylobacter upsaliensis. In our previous study, the cdtB gene-based PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) assay for detection and differentiation of 7 Campylobacter species yielded 3 different RFLP patterns (Cu-I to Cu-III). In this ...

BACKGROUND Carbohydrate-deficient transferrin (CDT) has been used as a test for excessive alcohol consumption in research, clinical, and medico-legal settings, but there remain conflicting data on its accuracy, with sensitivities ranging from <20% to 100%. We examined evidence of its benefit over a conventional and less expensive test, gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT), and compared the accuracy ...

Introduction: Cytolethal distending toxin (Cdt) is potentially one of several virulence factors of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, the prime etiological agent of localized aggressive periodontitis (LAP). Little is known regarding the Cdt-specific antibody response in humans. The current study is a quantitative and qualitative evaluation of the toxin-specific antibody response in a cohort...

AIMS A combined index based on gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) and carbohydrate-deficient transferrin (CDT) measurements (GGT-CDT) has been recently suggested to improve the detection of excessive ethanol consumption. The aim of this work was to compare GGT-CDT with the conventional markers of alcohol abuse in individuals with a wide variety of alcohol consumption. METHODS A cross-sectional a...