Camelia Quek

Aim of the study: To investigate the detection rate of respiratory viruses identified by multiplex real-time PCR (MPL real-time PCR) in respiratory specimens collected from hospitalized patients with acute lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI) over a five-year period (2020–2024), and to emphasize the importance of MPL real-time PCR testing in identifying respiratory viruses responsible for severe lower respiratory tract infections requiring hospitalization. Subjects and Methods: This cross-sectional retrospective study analyzed 15,936 respiratory specimens collected from hospitalized patients between 2020 and 2024. Seventeen respiratory viruses were detected using MPL real-time PCR. Statistical comparisons were performed using the chi-square test. Results and Discussion: The overall respiratory virus detection rate was 31.88% and was significantly higher in children than in adults (52.98% vs. 18.10%). The most frequently detected viruses were rhinovirus, influenza A, respiratory syncytial virus, and parainfluenza virus type 3, while influenza A and SARS-CoV-2 predominated in adults. During the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021, SARS-CoV-2 accounted for 78.92% of detected viruses, accompanied by marked suppression of other respiratory pathogens. Measles virus re-emerged in 2024, predominantly affecting children (17.65%). Most Respiratory virus-positive cases (82.8%) involved single-agent infections. Conclusions: Hospitalized acute LRTI cases often lack distinctive clinical signs to identify viral pathogens. MPL real-time PCR provides simultaneous multi-virus detection, enabling accurate etiological diagnosis and strengthening hospital-based viral surveillance, particularly in resource-limited settings.

Advances in single-cell multi-omics technologies have deepened our understanding of cancer biology by integrating genomic, transcriptomic, epigenomic, and proteomic data at single-cell resolution. These single-cell multi-omics technologies provide unprecedented insights into tumour heterogeneity, tumour microenvironment, and mechanisms of therapeutic resistance, enabling the development of precision medicine strategies. The emerging field of single-cell multi-omics in genomic medicine has improved patient outcomes. However, most clinical applications still depend on bulk genomic approaches, which fail to directly capture the genomic variations driving cellular heterogeneity. In this review, we explore the common single-cell multi-omics platforms and discuss key analytical steps for data integration. Furthermore, we highlight emerging knowledge in therapeutic resistance and immune evasion, and the potential of new therapeutic innovations informed by single-cell multi-omics. Finally, we discuss the future directions of the application of single-cell multi-omics technologies. By bridging the gap between technological advancements and clinical implementation, this review provides a roadmap for leveraging single-cell multi-omics to improve cancer treatment and patient outcomes.

The field of translational bioinformatics is rapidly evolving, driving the convergence of molecular sciences and computational methods with their applications in industrial and clinical practice

Background: Primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM) caused by Naegleria fowleri is a rare and devastating infection of the central nervous system, often diagnosed late, due to its rapid progression and nonspecific symptoms. Case Presentation: We report one of the youngest documented pediatric Vietnamese cases of PAM in a 10-month-old girl from the Mekong Delta, Vietnam. The diagnosis was confirmed through multiplex real-time PCR (MPL-rPCR), microscopy, and sequencing. Clinical data were gathered retrospectively from medical records, and additional details were provided by the patient’s family. Treatment regimens, disease progression, and diagnostic challenges were reviewed and compared to existing literature. With intensive treatment, the child survived for 14 days, representing one of the longest reported pediatric PAM survival durations. No direct exposure to untreated freshwater or other typical risk factors for Naegleria fowleri infection was identified, underscoring the unique epidemiological nature of this case. MPL-rPCR enabled timely detection of the pathogen and demonstrated its utility in resource-limited settings. Conclusions: This case highlights the critical need for rapid, accessible diagnostic tools such as MPL-rPCR, particularly in resource-constrained environments where traditional diagnostics may not be feasible. It also emphasizes the importance of international collaboration and investment in cost-effective diagnostics and novel therapeutic strategies. The geographical expansion of PAM due to climate change further underscores the urgency of these measures to improve health outcomes in vulnerable populations.

Cancer comprises malignant cells surrounded by the tumor microenvironment (TME), a dynamic ecosystem composed of heterogeneous cell populations that exert unique influences on tumor development. The immune community within the TME plays a substantial role in tumorigenesis and tumor evolution. The innate and adaptive immune cells “talk” to the tumor through ligand–receptor interactions and signaling molecules, forming a complex communication network to influence the cellular and molecular basis of cancer. Such intricate intratumoral immune composition and interactions foster the application of immunotherapies, which empower the immune system against cancer to elicit durable long-term responses in cancer patients. Single-cell technologies have allowed for the dissection and characterization of the TME to an unprecedented level, while recent advancements in bioinformatics tools have expanded the horizon and depth of high-dimensional single-cell data analysis. This review will unravel the intertwined networks between malignancy and immunity, explore the utilization of computational tools for a deeper understanding of tumor–immune communications, and discuss the application of these approaches to aid in diagnosis or treatment decision making in the clinical setting, as well as the current challenges faced by the researchers with their potential future improvements.

Melanoma is the leading cause of global skin cancer-related death and currently ranks as the third most commonly diagnosed cancer in Australia. Melanoma patients with in-transit metastases (ITM), a type of locoregional metastasis located close to the primary tumor site, exhibit a high likelihood of further disease progression and poor survival outcomes. Immunotherapies, particularly immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI), have demonstrated remarkable efficacy in ITM patients with reduced occurrence of further metastases and prolonged survival. The major challenge of immunotherapeutic efficacy lies in the limited understanding of melanoma and ITM biology, hindering our ability to identify patients who likely respond to ICIs effectively. In this review, we provided an overview of melanoma and ITM disease. We outlined the key ICI therapies and the critical immune features associated with therapy response or resistance. Lastly, we dissected the underlying biological components, including the cellular compositions and their communication networks within the tumor compartment, to enhance our understanding of the interactions between immunotherapy and melanoma, providing insights for future investigation and the development of drug targets and predictive biomarkers.

T-cell recognition of antigens is complex, leading to biochemical and cellular events that impart both specific and targeted immune responses. The end result is an array of cytokines that facilitate the direction and intensity of the immune reaction—such as T-cell proliferation, differentiation, macrophage activation, and B-cell isotype switching—all of which may be necessary and appropriate to eliminate the antigen and induce adaptive immunity. Using in silico docking to identify small molecules that putatively bind to the T-cell Cβ-FG loop, we have shown in vitro using an antigen presentation assay that T-cell signalling is altered. The idea of modulating T-cell signalling independently of antigens by directly targeting the FG loop is novel and warrants further study.

Shortly after its emergence, Omicron and its sub-variants have quickly replaced the Delta variant during the current COVID-19 outbreaks in Vietnam and around the world. To enable the rapid and timely detection of existing and future variants for epidemiological surveillance and diagnostic applications, a robust, economical real-time PCR method that can specifically and sensitively detect and identify multiple different circulating variants is needed. The principle of target- failure (TF) real-time PCR is simple. If a target contains a deletion mutation, then there is a mismatch with the primer or probe, and the real-time PCR will fail to amplify the target. In this study, we designed and evaluated a novel multiplex RT real-time PCR (MPL RT-rPCR) based on the principle of target failure to detect and identify different variants of SARS-CoV-2 directly from the nasopharyngeal swabs collected from COVID-19 suspected cases. The primers and probes were designed based on the specific deletion mutations of current circulating variants. To evaluate the results from the MPL RT-rPCR, this study also designed nine pairs of primers for amplifying and sequencing of nine fragments from the S gene containing mutations of known variants. We demonstrated that (i) our MPL RT-rPCR was able to accurately detect multiple variants that existed in a single sample; (ii) the limit of detection of the MPL RT-rPCR in the detection of the variants ranged from 1 to 10 copies for Omicron BA.2 and BA.5, and from 10 to 100 copies for Delta, Omicron BA.1, recombination of BA.1 and BA.2, and BA.4; (iii) between January and September 2022, Omicron BA.1 emerged and co-existed with the Delta variant during the early period, both of which were rapidly replaced by Omicron BA.2, and this was followed by Omicron BA.5 as the dominant variant toward the later period. Our results showed that SARS-CoV-2 variants rapidly evolved within a short period of time, proving the importance of a robust, economical, and easy-to-access method not just for epidemiological surveillance but also for diagnoses around the world where SARS-CoV-2 variants remain the WHO’s highest health concern. Our highly sensitive and specific MPL RT-rPCR is considered suitable for further implementation in many laboratories, especially in developing countries.

Melanoma is a form of skin cancer that develops in the skin’s pigment cells, known as melanocytes, and can spread via blood and the lymphatic system to nearby tissues or distant organs in the body

Untreated chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection can lead to chronic liver disease and may progress to cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). HBV infection has been prevalent in Vietnam, but there is little information available on the genotypes, sub-genotypes, and mutations of HBV in patients with HBV-related HCC confirmed by histopathological diagnosis. We studied the molecular characteristics of HBV and its genetic variants in Vietnamese HCC patients after liver tumor resection. We conducted a descriptive cross-sectional study on 107 HBV-related HCC hospitalized patients from October 2018 to April 2019. The specimens collected included EDTA anticoagulant blood and liver tissues. Extracted HBV DNA was subjected to whole genome sequencing by the Sanger method. We discovered 62 individuals (57.9%) with genotype B and 45 patients (42.1%) with genotype C, with only sub-genotypes B4 and C1. Among the mutations, the double mutation, A1762T-G1764A, had the most significant frequency (73/107 samples; 68.2%) and was higher in genotype C than in genotype B (p < 0.001). The most common genotypes found in HCC patients in this investigation were B and C, with sub-genotypes B4 and C1 for each. The prevalence of genotype B4 was greater in HBV-infected Vietnamese HCC patients.