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Background: The edited magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) technique has not yet been formally evaluated for the in vivo detection of 2‐hydroxyglutarate (2‐HG) in patients with gliomas of various grades. Purpose To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of edited MRS in the preoperative identification of the isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) mutation status in patients with gliomas. Study Type: Prospective. Population: Fifty‐eight subjects (31 glioblastomas, 27 grade II and III gliomas). Field Strength/Sequence: Mescher–Garwood (MEGA)‐PRESS and routine clinical brain tumor MR sequences were used at 3T. Assessment Data were analyzed using an advanced method for accurate, robust, and efficient spectral fitting (AMARES) from jMRUI software. The amplitudes of the 2‐HG, N‐acetyl‐aspartate (NAA), choline (Cho), and creatine/phosphocreatine (Cr) resonances were calculated with their associated Cramer–Rao lower bound (CRLB). The IDH1 R132H mutation status was assessed by immunohistochemistry for all patients. Patients with grades II and III gliomas with negative immunohistochemistry underwent DNA sequencing to further interrogate IDH mutation status. Statistical Test: The differences in 2‐HG amplitudes, 2‐HG/NAA, 2‐HG/Cho, and 2‐HG/Cr between IDH‐mutant and IDH‐wildtype gliomas were assessed using Mann–Whitney U‐tests. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was performed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of each parameter. Results: The 2‐HG amplitudes, 2‐HG/NAA, and 2‐HG/Cho were higher for IDH‐mutant gliomas than IDH‐wildtype gliomas (P < 0.007). Using a CRLB threshold <30%, a 2‐HG cutoff greater than 0 had a sensitivity of 80% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 52–96%) and a specificity of 81% (95% CI: 54–96%) in identifying IDH‐mutant gliomas. In the subset of patients with grades II and III gliomas, the sensitivity was 80% (95% CI: 52–96%) and specificity was 100% (95% CI: 40–100%). Among 2‐HG ratios, the highest AUC for the identification of IDH mutant status was achieved using the 2‐HG/NAA (AUC = 0.8, 95% CI 0.67–.89). Data Conclusion: Preoperative edited MRS appears to be able to help identify IDH‐mutant gliomas with high specificity. Level of Evidence 1 Technical Efficacy Stage 2 J. MAGN. RESON. IMAGING 2021;53:416–426. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dynamic susceptibility contrast magnetic resonance imaging (DSC-MRI) is used to track the first pass of an exogenous, paramagnetic, nondiffusible contrast agent through brain tissue, and has emerged as a powerful tool in the characterization of brain tumor hemodynamics. DSC-MRI parameters can be helpful in many aspects, including tumor grading, prediction of treatment response, likelihood of malignant transformation, discrimination between tumor recurrence and radiation necrosis, and differentiation between true early progression and pseudoprogression. This review aims to provide a conceptual overview of the underlying principles of DSC-MRI of the brain for clinical neuroradiologists, scientists, or students wishing to improve their understanding of the technical aspects, pitfalls, and controversies of DSC perfusion MRI of the brain. Future consensus on image acquisition parameters and postprocessing of DSC-MRI will most likely allow this technique to be evaluated and used in high-quality multicenter studies and ultimately help guide clinical care. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2015;41:296-313.© 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: MRI is commonly used in follow up of high grade glioma. Our purpose is to assess the interrater agreement on the increasingly used visual qualitative assessment of various conventional and advanced MR techniques in the setting of treated high grade glioma in comparison to the well established quantitative measurements. Methods: We prospectively enrolled HGG patients who underwent reresection of a new enhancing lesion on post-treatment 3T MR examination including DWI, DCE and DSC sequences. Two neuroradiologists objectively assessed the diffusion and perfusion maps by placing ROI on representative post-processed maps. They subjectively assessed the post-contrast, perfusion and diffusion sequences. Interrater agreement and concordance correlation coefficient were calculated. Results: Twenty-eight lesions were included. The interrater agreement on the qualitative assessment was good for k-trans (k = 0.73), moderate for Vp (k = 0.52), fair for AUC and Ve maps (k = 0.37 and 0.21), fair for corrected CBV (k = 0.39) and poor for the enhancement pattern and presence of diffusion restriction (k = 0.02 and 0.07). The concordance between the quantitative measurements was substantial for AUC and Vp (ρc = 0.98 and 0.97), moderate for k-trans and corrected CBV (ρc = 0.94) and poor for Ve and ADC (ρc = 0.86 and 0.24). Conclusion: While the quantitative measurements of DSC and DCE perfusion maps show satisfactory inter-rater agreement, the qualitative assessment has lower interobserver agreement and should not be relied upon solely in the interpretation. Similarly, the suboptimal inter-rater agreement on the interpretation of enhancement pattern and diffusion restriction potentially limits their usefulness in differentiating glioma recurrence from treatment related changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Visually appealing foods are often associated by consumers with subjective quality features, such as freshness, palatability, and shelf life. In the past, there have been repeated violations in which regulations on the use of pigments in food were ignored and/or unauthorized or toxic dyes (e.g., Sudan red in paprika powder) were added. Most recently, adulterations by using reactive dyes from the textile sector have been reported. These included, among others, colored spice preparations for use in meat products (e.g., for sausages and meat products), which were advertised to contain natural plant-derived pigments mainly consisting of betalains and/or anthocyanins. In contrast to natural dyes, reactive dyes are very stable toward extreme pH values, heat, and light. Due to their chemical properties, reactive dyes cannot be detected by classical dye analysis as they may be covalently bound to the food matrix. Methods for the analysis of matrix-bound reactive dyes are therefore required. In this study, a reductive cleavage method of bound textile dyes in different food matrices (spice mixtures, fruit juices, and scalded sausages) and the detection of characteristic cleavage products after enrichment by solid phase extraction (SPE) and liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometric (LC-ESI-MS/MS) analysis is reported. In addition, 13 suspicious samples provided by project partners were analyzed using the newly developed LC-ESI-MS method.

Background: Chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) is an inborn error of immunity (IEI) disorder that results from defects in the respiratory burst activity in phagocytes, leading to the inability to kill bacterial and fungal microorganisms. CGD patients usually have a high incidence of morbidity such as infections and autoinflammatory diseases and a high mortality rate. Allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) is the only definitive cure for patients who suffer from CGD., Case Presentation: We report the first transplant case of chronic granulomatous disease in Vietnam. A 25-month-old boy with X-linked CGD underwent bone marrow transplantation from his 5-year-old, full-matched human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-carrier sibling after myeloablative conditioning regimen with busulfan 5.1 mg/kg/day for 4 days, fludarabine 30 mg/m 2 /day for 5 days, and rATG (Grafalon-Fresenius) 10 mg/kg/day for 4 days. Neutrophil was engrafted on day 13 posttransplant, donor chimerism was 100% on day 30 with the dihydrorhodamine-1,2,3 (DHR 123) flow cytometric assay test that reached 38% of the normal 45 days posttransplant. Five months after transplant, the patient was free of infection with stable DHR 123 assay at 37%, and donor chimerism remained 100%. No sign of a graft-versus-host disease had been observed posttransplant., Conclusion: We suggest that bone marrow transplantation is a safe and effectual cure for CGD patients, especially for patients with HLA-identical siblings., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Nguyen-Thanh, Nguyen-Ngoc-Quynh, Dang-Thi, Le-Quynh, Nguyen-Thi-Van, Thuc-Thanh, Dang-Anh, Lee, Cao-Viet and Tran-Minh.)

Objectives: In high-income countries, hazardous alcohol use is associated with reduced receipt of antiretroviral therapy (ART) and viral suppression among people living with HIV (PLHIV) who inject drugs. These associations are less understood in lower middle-income countries (LMIC) and upper middle-income countries., Design: We examined associations between hazardous alcohol use, ART receipt, and viral suppression among PLHIV who reported current or former injection drug use. Participants were from nine studies in the United States (high-income country), India (LMIC), Russia (upper middle-income country), and Vietnam (LMIC)., Methods: Hazardous alcohol use was measured via Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test. Outcomes were HIV viral suppression (viral load of <1000 RNA copies/ml) and self-reported ART receipt. Logistic regression assessed associations between hazardous alcohol use and both outcome variables, controlling for age and sex, among participants with current and former injection drug use., Results: Among 2790 participants, 16% were women, mean age was 37.1 ± 9.5 years. Mean Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test scores were 4.6 ± 8.1 (women) and 6.2 ± 8.3 (men); 42% reported ART receipt; 40% had viral suppression. Hazardous alcohol use was significantly associated with reduced ART receipt in India (adjusted odds ratio = 0.59, 95% confidence interval: 0.45-0.77, P < 0.001); and lower rates of viral suppression in Vietnam (adjusted odds ratio = 0.51, 95% confidence interval: 0.31-0.82, P = 0.006)., Conclusion: Associations between hazardous alcohol use, ART receipt, and viral suppression varied across settings and were strongest in LMICs. Addressing hazardous alcohol use holds promise for improving HIV continuum of care outcomes among PLHIV who inject drugs. Specific impact and intervention needs may differ by setting.

Introduction: In Vietnam, people who inject drugs (PWID), who are the major population infected by hepatitis C virus (HCV), remain largely undiagnosed and unlinked to HCV prevention and care despite recommended universal hepatitis C treatment. The data on the outcomes of HCV treatment among PWID also remain limited in resource-limited settings. The DRug use & Infections in ViEtnam-hepatitis C (DRIVE-C) study examines the effectiveness of a model of hepatitis C screening and integrated care targeting PWID that largely uses community-based organisations (CBO) in Hai Phong, Vietnam. In a wider perspective, this model may have the potential to eliminate HCV among PWID in this city., Methods and Analysis: The model of care comprises large community-based mass screening, simplified treatment with direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) and major involvement of CBO for PWID reaching out, linkage to care, treatment adherence and prevention of reinfection. The effectiveness of DAA care strategy among PWID, the potential obstacles to widespread implementation and its impact at population level will be assessed. A cost-effectiveness analysis is planned to further inform policy-makers. The enrolment target is 1050 PWID, recruited from the DRIVE study in Hai Phong. After initiation of pan-genotypic treatment consisting of sofosbuvir and daclatasvir administrated for 12 weeks, with ribavirin added in cases of cirrhosis, participants are followed-up for 48 weeks. The primary outcome is the proportion of patients with sustained virological response at week 48, that will be compared with a theoretical expected rate of 70%., Ethics and Dissemination: The study was approved by Haiphong University of Medicine and Pharmacy's Ethics Review Board and the Vietnamese Ministry of Health. The sponsor and the investigators are committed to conducting this study in accordance with ethics principles contained in the World Medical Association's Declaration of Helsinki (Ethical Principles for Medical Research Involving Human Subjects). Informed consent is obtained before study enrolment. The data are anonymised and stored in a secure database. The study is ongoing. Results will be presented at international conferences and submitted to international peer-review journals., Trial Registration Number: NCT03537196., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2020. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the role of nasal nitric oxide (NO) in the management of patients with persistent allergic rhinitis (PER)., Methods: It was a randomized and comparative study. The study subjects were classified as controls (healthy subjects) or patients with PER based on defined criteria. All clinical, functional and biological data were collected for analyzing. Nasal fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FENO) was measured by electroluminescence device. Patients with PER were randomized for treatment with antihistamine (ATH) combined with leukotriene receptor antagonists (LRA) or only with intranasal steroids (INS)., Results: During two years, 501 subjects were included: 234 control subjects and 267 patients with PER. The levels of nasal NO, total IgE, blood eosinophil counts, and apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) in patients with PER were higher than controls (P < 0.001; P < 0.05; P < 0.05; P < 0.01; respectively). There were statistically significant correlations between nasal NO, nasal peak flows, total IgE, and blood eosinophil counts in patients with PER (R = -0.687 and P = 0.0012; R = -0.643 and P = 0.0018; R = 0.432 and P = 0.0024; R = 0.445 and P = 0.002; respectively). After 6 months of treatment, patients treated with INS had greater improvement of clinical symptoms and reduction of nasal NO values than patients treated with ATH + LRA (985 ± 253 vs. 732 ± 298 ppb; P < 0.05)., Conclusion: Nasal NO measurement is a useful tool for the follow-up of patients with PER. It also helps clinicians to estimate the level of response to treatment in patients with PER., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no conflict of interests for this study., (Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Electrospray mass spectrometry-profiling guided the metabolome investigation of a C18 reversed phase adsorbate of Opuntia stricta var. dillenii fruits following analytical, and semi-preparative high-performance countercurrent chromatography (HPCCC) fractionation, and visualization of molecular weight elution profiles based on selected single ion-traces. Experimental partition-ratio values K D , and peak widths for detected metabolites were determined. Structural characterization of metabolites, and co-elution effects were monitored in the scan range m/z 150-2200. The polar ion-pair activated solvent system tert.-butylmethylether - n-butanol - acetonitrile - water (0.7% trifluoroacetic acid) [2:2:1:5]) was used for partition-ratio K D improvement of ionic betalains. HPCCC operations were in the head-to-tail mode using the elution-extrusion approach. Selected ESI-MS ion traces visualized the elution of fourty-three metabolites, whereas twenty-one were identified as known betalain pigments, and their classic degradation products, and chlorinated betacyanin artefacts. Potentially, novel fruit metabolites of Opuntia were recognized by unknown molecular weights, and MS/MS fragmentations. Off-line ESI-MS fraction monitoring determined peak elution windows, and resulted in K D -based chromatographic scales. Detectable metabolites were compared by separation- α, and resolution-factors R S revealing a better performance of the analytical HPCCC experiment. Experimental metabolite K D -values from analytical and semi-preparative HPCCC runs were widely consistent, and confirmed the reproducibility of the technique based on the used sample material., (Copyright © 2019. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Background: Viral load (VL) monitoring of HIV-infected patients in decentralized areas is limited due to logistic constraints. Dried Blood Spots (DBS) offer the opportunity to collect samples in remote area which can be easily transferred and tested at a central laboratory. The MOVIDA (Monitoring Of Viral load In Decentralized Area) project evaluated the performance of VL measurements on DBS using the new CE marked optimized Abbott protocol., Methods: HIV-1 infected adults from three outpatient clinics in Hanoi (Vietnam) were enrolled into the study between 1 March and 13 April 2017. VL was measured on DBS using the optimized protocol provided by the manufacturer and compared to plasma VL as reference method on the Abbott m2000rt RealTime HIV-1 platform. Sensitivity was defined as the ability for DBS samples to correctly identify VL failure at the threshold of 1000 copies/mL of plasma, while specificity represented the ability to identify patients with a plasma HIV-RNA VL of <1000 copies/mL., Results: A total of 203 patients were enrolled in the study, of which 152 (75%) were male. Median age was 38 [inter quartile range: 34-43] years. Of these patients, 37 were untreated, 38 on ART for <6 months and 117 were on ART for ≥6 months. A strong correlation between VL results in plasma and from DBS was observed (ρ = 0.95; p<0.001). Plasma VL was ≥1000 copies/mL in 71 patients. The sensitivity of DBS was 90.1% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 80.7-95.9) and the specificity was 96.2% (95% CI: 91.4-98.8)., Conclusions: The new optimized Abbott DBS protocol performed well in this study, meeting the WHO performance criteria for the use of DBS for HIV VL monitoring. Scaling up VL monitoring using DBS can be used to reach the last 90 in the UNAIDS targets of 90-90-90 to help end the AIDS epidemics. However, sensitivity remains the main challenge for manufacturers to prevent maintaining patients in virological failure on inefficient ART.

Objective: Differentiation of grade 3 astrocytoma from glioblastoma multiforme can be difficult with conventional structural imaging but is important for prognosis. The purpose of this study was to assess perfusion CT in differentiating high-grade gliomas (HGGs) and their role in prognosis in the care of patients with HGG., Subjects and Methods: Twenty patients with previously untreated HGG underwent prospective evaluation with perfusion CT. Permeability surface area product (PS) and cerebral blood volume (CBV) were calculated by the deconvolution method and were compared between HGGs with Student two-sample t tests. Receiver operating characteristic curves were generated for PS, CBV, and the conjoint factor PS + CBV. Cox regression analysis was used to correlate these parameters with patient survival over a follow-up period. Hazard ratios were calculated, and Kaplan-Meier survival curves were drawn., Results: There was a significant difference between grade 3 and grade 4 gliomas for PS (p = 0.022) and PS + CBV (p = 0.019) but not for CBV alone (p = 0.411). Receiver operating characteristic analyses showed that PS (area under the curve [AUC], 0.72) and CBV + PS (AUC, 0.73) can be used to differentiate grade 3 from grade 4 gliomas but that CBV alone cannot be so used (AUC, 0.54). There was a significant relation between patient outcome and age (p = 0.034) and CBV + PS (p = 0.048). Patients with HGG and a CBV + PS greater than 9 had a poor outcome (hazard ratio, 6.00)., Conclusion: PS and CBV + PS can be used to differentiate grade 3 from grade 4 gliomas. The outcome of patients with HGG depends on age and CBV + PS.