Development of a Multiplex PCR for Simultaneous Detection of Blueberry Red Ringspot Virus and Blueberry Scorch Virus Including an Internal Control

Blueberry red ringspot virus (BRRSV) and blueberry scorch virus (BlScV) are included in the quarantine virus list managed by the Korean Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency. A multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay with an internal control was developed for the simultaneous detection of both viruses. The specific primers used here were designed based on the highly conserved regions of the genomic sequences of each virus, obtained from the National Center for Biotechnology Information nucleotide databases. The primers were designed to amplify a partial sequence within coat protein (CP) for detecting BRRSV and a partial sequence within the CP-16 kDa for detecting BlScV. 18S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) was used as internal control, and the primer set used in a previous study was modified in this study for detecting 18S rRNA. Each conventional PCR using the BRRSV, BlScV, and 18S rRNA primers exhibited a sensitivity of approximately 1 fg plasmid DNA. The multiplex PCR assay using the BRRSV, BlScV, and 18S rRNA primers was effective in simultaneously detecting the two viruses and 18S rRNA with a sensitivity of 1 fg plasmid DNA, similar to that of conventional PCR assays. The multiplex PCR assay developed in this study was performed using 14 blueberry cultivars grown in South Korea. BRRSV and BlScV were not detected, but 18S rRNA was all detected in all the plants tested. Therefore, our optimized multiplex PCR assay could simultaneously detect the two viruses and 18S rRNA in field samples collected from South Korea in a time-efficient manner. This approach could be valuable in crop protection and plant quarantine management

Lumbar Interbody Fusion using Low-dose of Recombinant Human Bone Morphogenetic Protein-2 (rh-BMP2); Minimum 1-year Follow-up Results at A Single Institute

Objective The authors evaluate clinical results of the lumbar interbody fusion surgery using low-dose of recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein type 2(rhBMP-2) to assess the safety and efficacy of rhBMP-2. Methods 199 patients who underwent lumbar interbody fusion surgery including posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF) and oblique interbody fusion (OLIF) using rhBMP-2 (0.05 mg per disc) were selected. Fusion status at the operated segment was classified from grade 1 to 4, according follow-up CT scan. The occurrence of complications was observed including heterotopic ossification, postoperative radiculitis, and endplate osteolysis. Results There were 61 men and 138 women. Total surgical levels were 424 levels. According to the surgical method, 335 segments were operated with the PLIF and 89 segments with the OLIF. On follow up CT scan, fusion grade was distributed as 330 levels of grade 1 (77.8%), 66 of grade 2 (15.6%), 22 of grade 3 (5.2%), and 6 of grade 4 (1.4%). Overall fusion success rate was found to be 93.4%. According to fusion method, in PLIF group, it was distributed as 267 levels of grade 1 (79.7%), 45 of grade 2 (13.4%), 18 of grade 3 (5.4%), and 5 of grade 4 (1.5%), and in OLIF group, 63 levels of grade 1 (70.8%), 21 of grade 2 (23.6%), 4 of grade 3 (4.5%), and 1 of grade 4 (1.1%). No patient was suspected of having postoperative radiculitis related to the use of rh-BMP2. Two case showed ectopic bone formation without clinical symptom. There were 2 cases of endplate osteolysis. Conclusion The known complications is not common in the present study, which may be caused by using low-dose rhBMP-2. Further long term observations are needed to clarify these issues of such complications

Inflammatory Myofibroblastic Tumor of the Kidney Misdiagnosed as Renal Cell Carcinoma

The inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (IMT), also knowns as inflammatory pseuduotumor, is a soft tissue lesion of unknown etiology. In the urogenital tract, IMT mainly affects the urinary bladder or prostate, but rarely the kidney. It has been considered as a nonneoplastic reactive inflammatory lesion, but nowadays, it is regarded as a neoplasm due to its high recurrence rate and metastasis. We describe a case of a 61-yr-old woman that had originally been misdiagnosed as renal cell carcinoma, which was pathologically revealed to be an IMT

Factors affecting the urologist’s decision to administer ureteral stone therapy: a retrospective cohort study

Objective We aimed to evaluate the factors influencing treatment option selection among urologists for patients with ureteral stones, according to the stone diameter and location. Methods We retrospectively reviewed the records of 360 consecutive patients who, between January 2009 and June 2014, presented to the emergency department with renal colic and were eventually diagnosed with urinary stones via computed tomography. The maximal horizontal and longitudinal diameter and location of the stones were investigated. We compared parameters between patients who received urological intervention (group 1) and those who received medical treatment (group 2). Results Among the 360 patients, 179 (49.7%) had stones in the upper ureter and 181 (50.3%) had stones in the lower ureter. Urologic intervention was frequently performed in cases of upper ureteral stones (P<0.001). In groups 1 and 2, the stone horizontal diameters were 5.5 mm (4.8 to 6.8 mm) and 4.0 mm (3.0 to 4.6 mm), stone longitudinal diameters were 7.5 mm (6.0 to 9.5 mm) and 4.4 mm (3.0 to 5.5 mm), and ureter diameters were 6.4 mm (5.0 to 8.0 mm) and 4.7 mm (4.0 to 5.3 mm), respectively (P<0.001). The cut-off values for the horizontal and longitudinal stone diameters in the upper ureter were 4.45 and 6.25 mm, respectively (sensitivity 81.3%, specificity 91.4%); those of the lower ureter were 4.75 and 5.25 mm, respectively (sensitivity 79.4%, specificity 79.4%). Conclusion The probability of a urologic intervention was higher for patients with upper ureteral stones and those with stone diameters exceeding 5 mm horizontally and 6 mm longitudinally