Real-time application of ITS and D1-D3 nanopore amplicon metagenomic sequencing in fungal infections: Enhancing fungal infection diagnostics.

While fungal infections cause considerable morbidity and mortality, the performance of the current diagnostic tests for fungal infection is low. Even though fungal metagenomics or targeted next-generation sequencing have been investigated for various clinical samples, the real-time clinical utility of these methods still needs to be elucidated. In this study, we used internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and D1-D3 ribosomal DNA nanopore amplicon metagenomic sequencing to assess its utility in patients with fungal infections. Eighty-four samples from seventy-three patients were included and categorized into 'Fungal infection,' 'Fungal colonization,' and 'Fungal contamination' groups based on the judgement of infectious disease specialists. In the 'Fungal infection' group, forty-seven initial samples were obtained from forty-seven patients. Three fungal cases detected not by the sequencing but by conventional fungal assays were excluded from the analysis. In the remaining cases, the conventional fungal assay-negative/sequencing-positive group (n=11) and conventional fungal assay-positive/sequencing-positive group (n=33) were compared. Non-Candida and non-Aspergillus fungi infections were more frequent in the conventional-negative/sequencing-positive group (p-value = 0.031). We demonstrated the presence of rare human pathogens, such as Trichosporon asahii and Phycomyces blakesleeanus. In the 'Fungal infection' group and 'Fungal colonization' group, sequencing was faster than culturing (mean difference = 4.92 days, p-value < 0.001/ mean difference = 4.67, p-value <0.001). Compared to the conventional diagnostic methods including culture, nanopore amplicon sequencing showed a shorter turnaround time and a higher detection rate for uncommon fungal pathogens.

Clonal Hematopoiesis and Acute Ischemic Stroke Outcomes.

OBJECTIVE: The effect of clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential (CHIP) on the manifestation and clinical outcomes of acute ischemic stroke (AIS) has not been fully elucidated. METHODS: Patients with AIS were included from a prospective registry coupled with a DNA repository. Targeted next-generation sequencing on 25 genes that are frequently mutated in hematologic neoplasms was performed. The prevalence of CHIP was compared between patients with AIS and age-matched healthy individuals. A multivariate linear or logistic regression model was used to assess the association among CHIP and stroke severity, hemorrhagic transformation, and functional outcome at 90 days. RESULTS: In total, 380 patients with AIS (mean age = 67.2 ± 12.7 years; 41.3% women) and 446 age-matched controls (mean age = 67.2 ± 8.7 years; 31.4% women) were analyzed. The prevalence of CHIP was significantly higher in patients with AIS than in the healthy controls (29.0 vs 22.0%, with variant allele frequencies of 1.5%, p = 0.024). PPM1D was found to be most significantly associated with incident AIS (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 7.85, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.83-33.63, p = 0.006). The presence of CHIP was significantly associated with the initial National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score (ß = 1.67, p = 0.022). Furthermore, CHIP was independently associated with the occurrence of hemorrhagic transformation (65/110 clonal hematopoiesis positive [CH+] vs 56/270 CH negative [CH-], aOR = 5.63, 95% CI = 3.24-9.77, p < 0.001) and 90-day functional disability (72/110 [CH+] vs 99/270 [CH-], aOR = 2.15, 95% CI = 1.20-3.88, p = 0.011). INTERPRETATION: CH was significantly associated with incident AIS. Moreover, particularly, sequence variations in PPM1D, TET2, and DNMT3A represent a new prognostic factor for AIS. ANN NEUROL 2023;94:836-847.

Prognosis prediction and immunotherapy optimisation for cryptogenic new-onset refractory status epilepticus.

BACKGROUND: Cryptogenic new-onset refractory status epilepticus (cNORSE) currently lacks comprehensive knowledge regarding its clinical dynamics, prognostic factors and treatment guidance. Here we present the longitudinal clinical profiles, predictive factors for outcomes and the optimal duration of immunotherapy in patients with cNORSE. METHODS: This retrospective secondary endpoint analysis investigated patients with cNORSE identified from a prospective autoimmune encephalitis cohort at a national referral centre in Korea. The main outcomes included longitudinal functional scales, seizure frequency and the number of antiseizure medications. Measures encompassed NORSE-related clinical parameters such as the duration of unconsciousness, immunotherapy profiles, cytokine/chemokine analysis, and serial MRI scans. RESULTS: A total of 74 patients with cNORSE were finally analysed (mean age: 38.0±18.2; 36 (48.6%) male). All patients received first-line immunotherapy, and 91.9% (68/74) received second-line immunotherapy. A total of 83.8% (62/74) regained consciousness within a median duration of 30 days (14-56), and 50% (31/62) achieved good outcome (mRS ≤2) at 2 years. Poor 1-year outcomes (mRS ≥3) were predicted by the presence of mesial temporal lobe (mTL) and extra-mTL lesions at 3-month MRI, and prolonged unconsciousness (≥60 days). Those with mTL atrophy exhibited a higher seizure burden post-NORSE. The optimal duration of immunotherapy appeared to be between 18 weeks and 1-year post-NORSE onset. CONCLUSIONS: This study elucidates longitudinal clinical dynamics, functional outcomes, prognostic factors and immunotherapy response in patients with cNORSE. These findings might contribute to a more standardised understanding and clinical decision-making for cNORSE.

First report of Perkinsus marinus occurrence associated with wild Pacific oysters Crassostrea gigas from the west coast of Korea.

This study reports the occurrence of Perkinsus marinus associated with wild Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas) specimens collected along the west coast of Korea. Confirmation of P. marinus presence was achieved by conventional PCR using World Organization of Animal Health (WOAH)-recommended primers that specifically targeted regions of the rDNA locus (ITS1, 5.8S, and ITS2). Sequencing of 10 samples revealed two distinct sequences differing by a single base pair, indicating potential haplotype variability. One sequence closely resembled the P. marinus strain found in Maryland, USA, whereas the other exhibited divergence, indicative of species diversity in the Korean strain, as was evident from the haplotype network analysis. Further validation involved the Ray's Fluid Thioglycollate Medium (RFTM) assay, which initially yielded inconclusive results, possibly due to low infection intensity. Subsequently, RFTM and 2 M NaOH assays conducted on the isolates in the present study, cultured P. marinus cells in standard DMEM/F12 medium, and a positive P. marinus strain (ATCC 50509), revealed characteristic hypnospores of P. marinus upon Lugol's iodine staining. These comprehensive investigations underscore the conclusive confirmation of P. marinus in Korean waters and mark a significant milestone in our understanding of the distribution and characteristics of this parasite in previously unreported regions.

Molecular and ultrastructural characterization of a novel cryptic species of the Mesomycetozoea clade isolated from Manila clam, Ruditapes philippinarum, on the west coast of Korea.

In the present study, a cryptic species (IchX) was isolated from the hemolymph of the Manila clam, Ruditapes philippinarum, collected from the west coast region of South Korea. Following comprehensive molecular analysis, a partial sequence resembling the small subunit of the ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA) gene was obtained, indicating that this species belonged to the class Mesomycetozoea, also known as Ichthyosporea. Detailed phylogenetic analyses based on SSU rRNA sequences placed IchX in a distinct clade within the order Dermocystida, class Mesomycetozoea, and showed that IchX is closely related to Ichthyosporea sp. Microscopic examination of in vitro cultured IchX cells revealed life-cycle stages of different sizes, from the endospore to sporangium through vegetative stages. An ameboid-like structure was observed in the early endospore stages as the characteristic feature of zoospores. Ultrastructural analyses using scanning electron microscopy revealed that all endospores and vegetative cell stages are spherical. Transmission electron microscopy revealed characteristic features, including a spindle pole body and membrane-decorated hyaline vesicles, consistent with those previously described in Mesomycetozoea. In addition, a prominent fibrillar structure was observed. Notably, the cell wall of mature IchX sporangia was digested with 2 M NaOH, while that of the endospores was resistant. This is the first report of a novel Mesomycetozoean from the Manila clams. Further taxonomic study of this organism and elucidation of its pathological characteristics are necessary.

MOG antibody-associated encephalitis in adult: clinical phenotypes and outcomes.

BACKGROUND: We investigated the clinical characteristics and outcomes of myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) antibody-associated autoimmune encephalitis (MOGAE) in adult patients. METHODS: From an institutional cohort, we analysed adult patients with MOGAE followed-up for more than 1 year. Disease severity was assessed using the modified Rankin scale (mRS) and Clinical Assessment Scale in Autoimmune Encephalitis scores. Immunotherapy profiles, outcomes and disease relapses were evaluated along with serial brain MRI data. RESULTS: A total of 40 patients were enrolled and categorised into cortical encephalitis (18 patients), limbic encephalitis (LE, 5 patients) and acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM, 17 patients). 80.0% of patients achieved good clinical outcomes (mRS 0‒2) and 40.0% relapsed. The LE subtype was associated with an older onset age (p=0.004) and poor clinical outcomes (p=0.014) than the other subtypes but with a low rate of relapse (0.0%). 21/25 (84.0%) relapse attacks were associated with an absence or short (≤6 months) immunotherapy maintenance. On MRI, the development of either diffuse cerebral or medial temporal atrophy within the first 6 month was correlated with poor outcomes. MOG-antibody (MOG-Ab) was copresent with anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR)-antibody in 13 patients, in whom atypical clinical presentation (cortical encephalitis or ADEM, p<0.001) and disease relapse (46.2% vs 0.0%, p<0.001) were more frequent compared with conventional NMDAR encephalitis without MOG-Ab. CONCLUSIONS: Outcomes are different according to the three phenotypes in MOGAE. Short immunotherapy maintenance is associated with relapse, and brain atrophy was associated with poor outcomes. Patients with dual antibodies of NMDAR and MOG have a high relapse rate.

Classification of white matter lesions and characteristics of small vessel disease markers.

OBJECTIVES: Radiological markers for cerebral small vessel disease (SVD) may have different biological underpinnings in their development. We attempted to categorize SVD burden by integrating white matter signal abnormalities (WMSA) features and secondary presence of lacunes, microbleeds, and enlarged perivascular spaces. METHODS: Data were acquired from 610 older adults (aged > 40 years) who underwent brain magnetic resonance imaging exam as part of a health checkup. The WMSA were classified individually by the number and size of non-contiguous lesions, distribution, and contrast. Age-detrended lacunes, microbleeds, and enlarged perivascular space were quantified to further categorize individuals. Clinical and laboratory values were compared across the individual classes. RESULTS: Class I was characterized by multiple, small, deep WMSA but a low burden of lacunes and microbleeds; class II had large periventricular WMSA and a high burden of lacunes and microbleeds; and class III had limited juxtaventricular WMSA and lacked lacunes and microbleeds. Class II was associated with older age, diabetes, and a relatively higher neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio. Smoking and higher uric acid levels were associated with an increased risk of class I. CONCLUSION: The heterogeneity of SVD was categorized into three classes with distinct clinical correlates. This categorization will improve our understanding of SVD pathophysiology, risk stratification, and outcome prediction. KEY POINTS: • Classification of white matter signal abnormality (WMSA) features was associated with different characteristic of lacunes, microbleeds, and enlarged perivascular space and clinical variability. • Class I was characterized by multiple, small, deep WMSA but a low burden of lacunes and microbleeds. Class II had large periventricular WMSA and a high burden of lacunes and microbleeds. Class III had limited juxtaventricular WMSA and lacked lacunes and microbleeds. • Class II was associated with older age, diabetes, and higher neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio. Smoking and higher uric acid levels were associated with an increased risk of class I.

Seronegative autoimmune encephalitis: clinical characteristics and factors associated with outcomes.

Seronegative autoimmune encephalitis is autoimmune encephalitis without any identifiable pathogenic antibody. Although it is a major subtype of autoimmune encephalitis, many unmet clinical needs exist in terms of clinical characteristics, treatments and prognosis. In this institutional cohort study, patients diagnosed with seronegative autoimmune encephalitis with available 2-year outcomes were analysed for the disease course, 2-year outcome prediction system, effect of immunotherapy, necessity of further immunotherapy at 6 or 12 months and pattern of brain atrophy. Seronegative autoimmune encephalitis was subcategorized into antibody-negative probable autoimmune encephalitis, autoimmune limbic encephalitis and acute disseminated encephalomyelitis. Poor 2-year outcome was defined by modified Rankin scale scores 3-6, and the 2-year serial data of Clinical Assessment Scales in Autoimmune Encephalitis score was used for longitudinal data analyses. A total of 147 patients were included. The frequency of achieving a good 2-year outcome (modified Rankin scale 0-2) was 56.5%. The antibody-negative probable autoimmune encephalitis subtype exhibited the poorest outcomes, although the baseline severity was similar among the subtypes. The RAPID score, consisting of five early usable clinical factors, refractory status epilepticus, age of onset ≥60 years, probable autoimmune encephalitis (antibody-negative probable autoimmune encephalitis subtype), infratentorial involvement and delay of immunotherapy ≥1 month, was associated with poorer 2-year outcomes. Any immunotherapy was associated with clinical improvement in the patients with low risk for poor 2-year outcomes (RAPID scores 0-1), and the combination immunotherapy of steroid, immunoglobulin, rituximab and tocilizumab was associated with better outcomes in the patients with high risk for poor 2-year outcomes (RAPID scores 2-5). In patients with persistent disease at 6 months, continuing immunotherapy was associated with more improvement, while the effect of continuing immunotherapy for more than 12 months was unclear. In the longitudinal analysis of MRI, the development of cerebellar atrophy indicated poor outcomes, while the absence of diffuse cerebral atrophy or medial temporal atrophy indicated the possibility of a good outcome. This study provides information about the clinical characteristics and courses, the effect of immunotherapy and its duration, and prognostic factors in seronegative autoimmune encephalitis.

Effects of CYP2C19 genetic polymorphisms on the pharmacokinetics of lacosamide in Korean patients with epilepsy.

OBJECTIVE: Many pharmacokinetic studies of lacosamide (LCM) have been reported, but no large-scale clinical study has been conducted on genetic polymorphisms that affect the metabolism of LCM. Therefore, we designed a pharmacogenetic study of LCM to explore the effect of genetic polymorphisms on serum LCM concentration. We evaluated the pharmacodynamic characteristics of LCM, including clinical efficacy and toxicity. METHODS: Adult patients with epilepsy who received LCM at Seoul National University Hospital were enrolled. Blood samples were obtained from 115 patients taking LCM for more than 1 month with unchanged doses and were used to analyze the serum LCM concentration, the concentration/dose (C/D) ratio and the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the cytochrome P450 (CYP)2C9 and CYP2C19 genes. In addition, clinical information-including efficacy, toxicity, and concomitant drugs-was collected. RESULTS: The serum LCM concentration showed a linear correlation with the daily dose (r = .66, p < .001). In genetic analysis, 43 patients (38.7%) were extensive metabolizers (EMs), 51 (45.9%) were intermediate metabolizers (IMs), and 17 (15.3%) were poor metabolizers (PMs). In the group comparison, mean serum concentrations and the C/D ratio showed significant differences between the three groups (p = .01 and p < .001, respectively). The C/D ratios of IM (27.78) and PM (35.6) were 13% and 39% higher than those of EM (25.58), respectively. In the pharmacodynamic subgroup analysis, patients in the ineffective LCM group had significantly lower serum concentrations (6.39 ± 3.25 vs. 8.44 ± 3.68 µg/ml, p = .024), whereas patients with adverse events had higher serum concentrations than those without adverse events (11.03 ± 4.32 vs. 7.4 ± 3.1 µg/ml, p < .001). Based on this, we suggest a reference range for LCM in the Korean population (6-9 µg/ml). SIGNIFICANCE: Genetic polymorphisms of the CYP2C19 gene affect the serum LCM concentration. Because efficacy and toxicity are apparently related to serum LCM levels, the genetic phenotype of CYP2C19 should be considered when prescribing LCM for patients with epilepsy.

Quantification of the inflammatory responses to pro-and anti-inflammatory agents in Manila clam, Ruditapes philippinarum.

Inflammation is a form of innate immune response of living organisms to harmful stimuli. In marine bivalves, inflammation is a common defense mechanism. Several studies have investigated the morphological features of inflammation in bivalves, such as hemocyte infiltration. However, the molecular and biochemical responses associated with inflammation in marine bivalves remain unexplored. Here, we investigated changes in nitric oxide (NO) levels, cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) activity, and allograft inflammatory factor-1 (AIF-1) gene expression levels in hemolymph samples collected from Manila clam (Ruditapes philippinarum) exposed to pro- and anti-inflammatory substances. These included the pro-inflammatory agent lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) ibuprofen and diclofenac, all widely used in vertebrates. Our study showed that NO levels, COX-2 activity, and AIF-1 expression increased in response to the treatments with LPS and decreased in response to the treatments with NSAIDs in a concentration-dependent manner. These results suggest that the mechanism of inflammatory responses in bivalves is very similar to that of vertebrates, and we propose that inflammatory responses can be quantified using these techniques and used to determine the physiological status of marine bivalves exposed to biotic or abiotic stresses.

Tolerability of lacosamide rapid dose titration: A randomized, multicenter, prospective, open-label study.

OBJECTIVE: Currently recommended dosing of lacosamide often necessitates long titration periods. However, the use of a regimen consisting of initial loading dose of 200 mg followed by a maintenance dose of 200 mg/day in practice suggests tolerability of more rapid titration schedules. We aimed to clarify whether the shortened titration schedule affects tolerability of lacosamide. METHODS: We evaluated the safety of two rapid titration protocols designed to reach the target dose of 400 mg/day within 1 week, and the conventional weekly titration protocol (reaching the target dose of 400 mg/day in three weeks). The ≥50% responder rate and steady-state plasma concentration of lacosamide were also analyzed. Adverse events were assessed at 1 week and 5 weeks after reaching the target dose. RESULTS: Seventy-five patients with epilepsy were enrolled and evenly distributed to three titration protocols, from which 5 patients were lost to follow-up and excluded from the safety analysis. Discontinuation of lacosamide or dose reductions due to adverse events occurred in 32 patients (46%), of whom a large majority (74%) had experienced adverse events after reaching 400 mg/day, demonstrating apparent dose-dependency. There was no difference in safety outcomes among the three titration groups. Concomitant use of sodium channel blockers significantly increased the risk of adverse events. CONCLUSION: Rapid titration protocols for lacosamide were not associated with an increased risk of adverse events compared to the conventional weekly titration protocol. Uptitration of lacosamide at shorter intervals to an effective target dosage may be feasible in appropriate clinical situations.

Scanning electron microscopic observation of the in vitro cultured protozoan, Perkinsus olseni, isolated from the Manila clam, Ruditapes philippinarum.

BACKGROUND: Perkinsosis is a major disease affecting the commercially important marine mollusk Ruditapes philippinarum (Manila clam) in Asian waters. In this study, we investigated the morphological characteristics of Perkinsus olseni, the causative agent of perkinsosis, cultured under laboratory conditions at different stages of its life cycle using a scanning electron microscope (SEM). RESULTS: The prezoosporangia formed after induction with Ray's fluid thioglycollate medium (RFTM) developed into zoosporangia. During this process, a discharge tube formed a porous sponge-like structure that detached before the zoospores were released; thus, this organelle operated as a bung. Liberated zoospores gradually transformed into immature trophozoites, during which detachment of the anterior flagella occurred, but the loss of the posterior flagella was not clearly observed in the present study. Mature trophozoites underwent schizogony by cleaving the cell forming some merozoites in schizonts, which were released by the rupturing of the cellular membrane of the schizont within a few days. CONCLUSIONS: Our morphological and ultrastructural studies contribute new information on the life cycle and propagation of P. olseni.

Correction to: Scanning electron microscopic observation of the in vitro cultured protozoan, Perkinsus olseni, isolated from the Manila clam, Ruditapes philippinarum.

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via the original article.

Development of the clinical assessment scale in autoimmune encephalitis.

OBJECTIVE: There is no scale for rating the severity of autoimmune encephalitis (AE). In this study, we aimed to develop a novel scale for rating severity in patients with diverse AE syndromes and to verify the reliability and validity of the developed scale. METHODS: The key items were generated by a panel of experts and selected according to content validity ratios. The developed scale was initially applied to 50 patients with AE (development cohort) to evaluate its acceptability, reproducibility, internal consistency, and construct validity. Then, the scale was applied to another independent cohort (validation cohort, n = 38). RESULTS: A new scale consisting of 9 items (seizure, memory dysfunction, psychiatric symptoms, consciousness, language problems, dyskinesia/dystonia, gait instability and ataxia, brainstem dysfunction, and weakness) was developed. Each item was assigned a value of up to 3 points. The total score could therefore range from 0 to 27. We named the scale the Clinical Assessment Scale in Autoimmune Encephalitis (CASE). The new scale showed excellent interobserver (intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC] = 0.97) and intraobserver (ICC = 0.96) reliability for total scores, was highly correlated with modified Rankin scale (r = 0.86, p < 0.001), and had acceptable internal consistency (Cronbach α = 0.88). Additionally, in the validation cohort, the scale showed high interobserver reliability (ICC = 0.99) and internal consistency (Cronbach α = 0.92). INTERPRETATION: CASE is a novel clinical scale for AE with a high level of clinimetric properties. It would be suitable for application in clinical practice and might help overcome the limitations of current outcome scales for AE. ANN NEUROL 2019;85:352-358.

Usefulness of saliva for perampanel therapeutic drug monitoring.

OBJECTIVE: Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) helps optimize drug management for patients with epilepsy. Salivary testing is both noninvasive and easy, and has several other advantages. Due to technical advances, salivary TDM has become feasible for several drugs, including AEDs, and its value has been investigated. Until recently, saliva TDM of perampanel (PER) had not been reported. The purpose of our study was to confirm whether saliva is a biological substitute for plasma in PER TDM. METHODS: Adult patients diagnosed with epilepsy who received PER from August 2018 to March 2019 at Seoul National University Hospital were enrolled. Total and free PER were measured in simultaneously obtained plasma and saliva samples using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) and high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC). We examined the correlations between saliva and plasma PER concentrations and whether the use of concomitant medications classified as cytochrome P450 (CYP)3A4 inducers affected the correlations. RESULTS: Thirty patients were enrolled, aged 16 to 60; 10 (33%) were women. Patients received 2 to 12 mg (mean, 6 mg) of PER. The average total and free concentrations of PER were 343.02 (46.6-818.0) and 1.53 (0.51-2.92) ng/mL in plasma and 9.74 (2.21-33.0) and 2.83 (1.01-6.8) ng/mL in saliva, respectively. A linear relationship was observed between the total PER concentrations in saliva and the total and free PER concentrations in plasma (both P < .001; r = .678 and r = .619, respectively). The change in the PER concentration caused by the CYP3A4 inducer did not affect the correlation between saliva and plasma concentrations (all P < .001). SIGNIFICANCE: The PER concentration in saliva was correlated with that in plasma. This correlation was not affected by CYP3A4 inducers. Our results demonstrate for the first time that PER is measurable in saliva and suggest the potential for the clinical application of the saliva PER TDM matrix.

Family cohesion is differently associated with felt stigma depending on enacted stigma in adults with epilepsy.

PURPOSE: There have been little researches examining the role of family functioning on psychological outcomes in the field of adult epilepsy. We determined whether family functioning is correlated with felt stigma in adults with epilepsy. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, adults with epilepsy and their caregivers were recruited. Data were collected using the Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scale (FACES) III, the Family adaptation, partnership, growth, affection, and resolve (APGAR) questionnaire, the Stigma Scale for Epilepsy (SS-E), the modified questionnaire for episodes of discrimination, and the Beck Depression Inventory. Family functioning was measured by the caregivers. RESULTS: A total of 273 adult patients and their primary caregivers were included. Multivariate logistic analyses showed that family cohesion and excellent family functioning were negatively correlated with felt stigma after controlling for confounding variables. Enacted stigma, depressive symptoms, and university education were also significant. Interaction between enacted stigma and family cohesion on felt stigma was significant (p = 0.049). Family cohesion was negatively correlated with felt stigma only in the patients with enacted stigma (p = 0.011). CONCLUSIONS: Family functioning especially family cohesion may have protective effects against development of felt stigma in adults with epilepsy. Such protecting effects against felt stigma may be different according to enacted stigma. This understanding is helpful for developing effective psychosocial interventions to reduce felt stigma in patients with epilepsy.

Rapid diagnosis of bacterial meningitis by nanopore 16S amplicon sequencing: A pilot study.

Early administration of antibiotics is crucial in the management of bacterial meningitis. Rapid pathogen identification helps to make a definite diagnosis of bacterial meningitis and enables tailored antibiotic treatment. We investigated if the 16S amplicon sequencing performed by MinION, a nanopore sequencer, was capable of rapid pathogen identification in bacterial meningitis. Six retrospective cases of confirmed bacterial meningitis and two prospective cases were included. The initial cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples of these patients were used for the experiments. DNA was extracted from the CSF, and PCR was performed on the 16S ribosomal DNA (16S rDNA). Sequencing libraries were prepared using the PCR products, and MinION sequencing was performed for up to 3 h. The reads were aligned to the bacterial database, and the results were compared to the conventional culture studies. Pathogenic bacteria were successfully detected from the CSF by 16S sequencing in all retrospective cases. 16S amplicon sequencing was more sensitive than conventional diagnostic tests and worked properly even in antibiotics-treated samples. MinION sequencing significantly reduced the turnaround time, and even 10 min of sequencing was sufficient for pathogen detection in certain cases. Protocol adjustment could further increase the sensitivity and reduce the turnaround time for MinION sequencing. Finally, the prospective application of MinION 16S sequencing was successful. Nanopore 16S amplicon sequencing is capable of rapid bacterial identification from the CSF of the bacterial meningitis patients. It may have many advantages over conventional diagnostic tests and should therefore be applied in a larger number of patients in the future.

Diagnosis of Haemophilus influenzae Pneumonia by Nanopore 16S Amplicon Sequencing of Sputum.

We used deep sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene from sputum to identify Haemophilus influenza in a patient with community-acquired pneumonia. This method may be more effective than conventional diagnostic tests in pneumonia patients because of its speed and sensitivity.

LGI1 expression and human brain asymmetry: insights from patients with LGI1-antibody encephalitis.

BACKGROUND: While brain asymmetry has been a fascinating issue in neuroscience, the critical mechanism remains to be elucidated. Based on some index cases with asymmetric 18F-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) uptake in leucine-rich glioma-inactivated 1 (LGI1)-antibody encephalitis, we hypothesized LGI1 expression could be asymmetrically distributed in the human brain. METHODS: We enrolled 13 patients who were diagnosed with LGI1-antibody encephalitis between June 2012 and January 2018 at Seoul National University Hospital. Their pretreatment 18F-FDG-PET images were analyzed to find asymmetry between the left and right hemispheres. Guided by these observations, expression of LGI1 in the human hippocampus and the globus pallidus of both cerebral hemispheres was studied in nine post-mortem human brains. RESULTS: Eleven of the 13 LGI1-antibody encephalitis patients (84.6%) showed asymmetrical FDG high uptake in the hippocampus: nine (81.8%) on the left hippocampus and two (18.2%) on the right. In the basal ganglia, seven patients (53.8%) showed asymmetry: four (57.1%) on the left and three (42.9%) on the right. The asymmetry was not evident in the laterality of faciobrachial dystonic seizures, brain MRI, and EEG. When the expression of LGI1 protein was analyzed in nine post-mortem human brains by western blotting, LGI1 expression was higher on eight left globus pallidus samples (88.89%, P = 0.019) and on four left hippocampal samples (44.44%, P = 0.652), compared to their right hemisphere samples. CONCLUSIONS: Imaging parameters from patients with LGI1-antibody encephalitis and studies of LGI1 protein expression suggest that LGI1 is asymmetrically distributed in the human brain. These observations have implications for our understanding of human brain development.

Anti-LGI1 encephalitis is associated with unique HLA subtypes.

OBJECTIVE: Autoimmune encephalitis (AE), represented by anti-leucine-rich glioma-inactivated 1 (anti-LGI1) and anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (anti-NMDAR) encephalitis, has increasing clinical significance based on recent discoveries of neuronal autoantibodies. However, its immunopathogenesis is not fully understood. Here, we investigated whether AE is associated with the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) subtypes. METHODS: We compared the HLA genotypes of 11 anti-LGI1 and 17 anti-NMDAR encephalitis patients to the control groups, which consisted of 210 epilepsy patients and 485 healthy Koreans. RESULTS: Anti-LGI1 encephalitis was associated with the DRB1*07:01-DQB1*02:02 haplotype (10 patients; 91%) in HLA class II genes, as well as with B*44:03 (8 patients; 73%) and C*07:06 (7 patients; 64%) in the HLA class I region. The prevalence of these alleles in anti-LGI1 encephalitis was significantly higher than that in the epilepsy controls or healthy controls. By contrast, anti-NMDAR encephalitis was not associated with HLA genotypes. Additional analysis using HLA-peptide binding prediction algorithms and computational docking underpinned the close relationship. INTERPRETATION: This finding suggests that most anti-LGI1 encephalitis develops in a population with specific HLA subtypes, providing insight into a novel disease mechanism. Ann Neurol 2017;81:183-192.