Mayo Clinic Laboratory and Pathology Research Roundup: May 16

By Kelley Luedke • May 16, 2016

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The Research Roundup provides an overview of the past week’s research from Mayo Medical Laboratories consultants, including a featured article of the week, abstracts, and complete list of published studies and reviews.

Featured Study of the Week

The Past, Present, and (Possible) Future of Serologic Testing for Lyme Disease

Lyme disease is the most commonly transmitted tick-borne infection in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there were more than 30,000 confirmed and probable cases of Lyme disease in 2014. Additionally, nearly 300,000 presumed cases went unreported, and approximately 2.4 million specimens were submitted for Lyme disease testing. To test for Lyme disease, the CDC, the National Institutes of Health, the Infectious Disease Society of America, and other health agencies endorsed the two-tiered testing algorithm (TTTA) in 1995. Today, this is still the most recommended testing. Elitza Theel, Ph.D., Director of the Infectious Diseases Serology Laboratory at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, wrote a review to discuss the evolution of serologic assays for Lyme disease and a summary of the performance characteristics for the recommended TTTA. Dr. Theel also analyzed a recently proposed alternative to the traditional TTTA and novel methodologies. The review was published in the Journal of Clinical Microbiology.

Published to PubMed This Week

• Target-Enrichment Sequencing and Copy Number Evaluation in Inherited Polyneuropathy
  Neurology
• Pancoast Tumor of the Lung
  Mayo Clinic Proceedings
• Molecular Cytogenetic Analysis of JAZF1, PHF1, and YWHAE in Endometrial Stromal Tumors: Discovery of Genetic Complexity by Fluorescence in Situ Hybridization
  Journal of Molecular Diagnostics
• Prosthetic Pulmonary Valve and Pulmonary Conduit Endocarditis: Clinical, Microbiological and Echocardiographic Features in Adults
  European Heart Journal - Cardiovascular Imaging
• Novel Patient-Derived Xenograft Mouse Model for Pancreatic Acinar Cell Carcinoma Demonstrates Single Agent Activity of Oxaliplatin
  Journal of Translational Medicine
• Serial Cerebrospinal Fluid Examinations to Diagnose Hematological Malignancy Causing Neurological Disease
  Journal of Neuro-Oncology
• Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy of Liver Tumors: Post-Treatment Appearances and Evaluation of Treatment Response: A Pictorial Review
  Abdominal Radiology
• Plasma Sphingolipid Changes With Autopsy-Confirmed Lewy Body or Alzheimer's Pathology
  Alzheimer's & Dementia

Kelley Luedke

Kelley Luedke is a Marketing Channel Manager at Mayo Clinic Laboratories. She is the principle editor and writer of Insights and leads social media and direct marketing strategy. Kelley has worked at Mayo Clinic since 2013. Outside of work, you can find Kelley running, traveling, playing with her kitty, and exploring new foods.