Fatigue is a prevalent symptom and major burden in neuroimmunological diseases. In neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD), a severe autoimmune central nervous system (CNS) inflammatory disease with autoantibodies reactive to aquaporin-4, there are few reports about fatigue and quality of life (QOL). We aimed to evaluate the severity of fatigue and its relationship with QOL in patients with NMOSD. We prospectively studied patients with NMOSD who were in remission and seropositive for anti-aquaporin-4 antibody, and they were divided into 2 groups based on the presence of fatigue assessed using the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-fatigue score. Sleep quality, depression, pain, and QOL were also evaluated. A total of 35 patients were enrolled (mean age, 46.5 ± 14.1 years; female: male = 29:6), and the median Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score was 2.0 (range, 0 to 8.0). The patients with fatigue (N = 25, 71.4%) had poorer sleep quality and more severe depression than those without fatigue (p = 0.009 and p = 0.001). Both the physical and mental QOL scores were lower in patients with fatigue than in those without fatigue (p = 0.033 and p = 0.004). Multiple linear regression analyses showed that the degree of fatigue with EDSS score and pain were independent predictors of physical aspects of QOL (B = 0.382, p = 0.001), whereas depression was the only predictor of the mental components of QOL (B = -0.845, p = <0.001). Fatigue is a common symptom and an important predictor of QOL in patients with NMOSD.

PurposeAs most of patients with Myasthenia Gravis have limitations in their physical functioning, many experience changes in psychological states and often have depression. The objective of the current study was to examine the roles of communication with medical professionals, patients’ loneliness, and patients’ depression, in relation to their effects on the patients’ quality of life.MethodsFor 120 patients with MG of 18 years and older, demographic variables, along with communication with medical professionals, loneliness, depression, and quality of life were measured.ResultsAs a result, people suffering from MG experienced lower quality of life when their career has changed due to the illness. At the same time, depression was a significant predictor of their quality of life, both in physical and mental domains.ConclusionsThe implications for clinical settings and the suggestions for future research are discussed.

We report a fully automated DNA purification platform with a micropored membrane in the channel utilizing centrifugal microfluidics on a lab-on-a-disc (LOD). The microfluidic flow in the LOD, into which the reagents are injected for DNA purification, is controlled by a single motor and laser burst valve. The sample and reagents pass successively through the micropored membrane in the channel when each laser burst valve is opened. The Coriolis effect is used by rotating the LOD bi-directionally to increase the purity of the DNA, thereby preventing the mixing of the waste and elution solutions. The total process from the lysed sample injection into the LOD to obtaining the purified DNA was finished within 7 min with only one manual step. The experimental result for Salmonella shows that the proposed microfluidic platform is comparable to the existing devices in terms of the purity and yield of DNA.

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