Association between vitamin D receptor gene polymorphisms and chronic periodontitis among Libyans

Background: Chronic periodontitis (CP) is a common oral disease characterized by inflammation in the supporting tissue of the teeth ‘the periodontium’, periodontal attachment loss, and alveolar bone loss. The disease has a microbial etiology; however, recent findings suggest that the genetic factors, such as vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene polymorphisms, have also been included.Aim: Investigation of the relationship between VDR gene polymorphisms and CP among Libyans.Materials and methods: In this study, we examined 196 unrelated Libyans between the ages of 25 and 65 years, including 99 patients and 97 controls. An oral examination based on Ramfjord Index was performed at different dental clinics in Tripoli and information were collected using a self-reported questionnaire. DNA was extracted from buccal swabs; the VDR ApaI, BsmI, and FokI polymorphisms were genotyped using polymerase chain reaction and were sequenced using Sanger Method.Results: A significant difference in the newly detected ApaI SNP C/T rs#731236 was found (p0.022), whereas no significant differences were found in ApaI SNP G/T rs#7975232, BsmI SNPA/G rs#1544410, and FokI SNP A/G rs#2228570 between patients and controls (p0.939, 0.466, 0.239), respectively.Conclusion: VDR ApaI SNP C/T rs#731236 may be related to the risk of CP in the Libyan population.Keywords: chronic periodontitis; vitamin D receptor; gene; polymorphisms; variations; SN

Multiple novel prostate cancer susceptibility signals identified by fine-mapping of known risk loci among Europeans

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified numerous common prostate cancer (PrCa) susceptibility loci. We have fine-mapped 64 GWAS regions known at the conclusion of the iCOGS study using large-scale genotyping and imputation in 25 723 PrCa cases and 26 274 controls of European ancestry. We detected evidence for multiple independent signals at 16 regions, 12 of which contained additional newly identified significant associations. A single signal comprising a spectrum of correlated variation was observed at 39 regions; 35 of which are now described by a novel more significantly associated lead SNP, while the originally reported variant remained as the lead SNP only in 4 regions. We also confirmed two association signals in Europeans that had been previously reported only in East-Asian GWAS. Based on statistical evidence and linkage disequilibrium (LD) structure, we have curated and narrowed down the list of the most likely candidate causal variants for each region. Functional annotation using data from ENCODE filtered for PrCa cell lines and eQTL analysis demonstrated significant enrichment for overlap with bio-features within this set. By incorporating the novel risk variants identified here alongside the refined data for existing association signals, we estimate that these loci now explain ∼38.9% of the familial relative risk of PrCa, an 8.9% improvement over the previously reported GWAS tag SNPs. This suggests that a significant fraction of the heritability of PrCa may have been hidden during the discovery phase of GWAS, in particular due to the presence of multiple independent signals within the same regio

Effects of hospital facilities on patient outcomes after cancer surgery: an international, prospective, observational study

Background Early death after cancer surgery is higher in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) compared with in high-income countries, yet the impact of facility characteristics on early postoperative outcomes is unknown. The aim of this study was to examine the association between hospital infrastructure, resource availability, and processes on early outcomes after cancer surgery worldwide.Methods A multimethods analysis was performed as part of the GlobalSurg 3 study-a multicentre, international, prospective cohort study of patients who had surgery for breast, colorectal, or gastric cancer. The primary outcomes were 30-day mortality and 30-day major complication rates. Potentially beneficial hospital facilities were identified by variable selection to select those associated with 30-day mortality. Adjusted outcomes were determined using generalised estimating equations to account for patient characteristics and country-income group, with population stratification by hospital.Findings Between April 1, 2018, and April 23, 2019, facility-level data were collected for 9685 patients across 238 hospitals in 66 countries (91 hospitals in 20 high-income countries; 57 hospitals in 19 upper-middle-income countries; and 90 hospitals in 27 low-income to lower-middle-income countries). The availability of five hospital facilities was inversely associated with mortality: ultrasound, CT scanner, critical care unit, opioid analgesia, and oncologist. After adjustment for case-mix and country income group, hospitals with three or fewer of these facilities (62 hospitals, 1294 patients) had higher mortality compared with those with four or five (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 3.85 [95% CI 2.58-5.75]; p<0.0001), with excess mortality predominantly explained by a limited capacity to rescue following the development of major complications (63.0% vs 82.7%; OR 0.35 [0.23-0.53]; p<0.0001). Across LMICs, improvements in hospital facilities would prevent one to three deaths for every 100 patients undergoing surgery for cancer.Interpretation Hospitals with higher levels of infrastructure and resources have better outcomes after cancer surgery, independent of country income. Without urgent strengthening of hospital infrastructure and resources, the reductions in cancer-associated mortality associated with improved access will not be realised

Effects of the microsporidian pathogen, Nosema adaliae on the seven-spotted lady beetle, Coccinella septempunctata L. (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae)

vi, 36 leaves : ill. ; 29 cm.Includes abstract.Includes bibliographical references (leaves 30-36).Lady beetles play an important role in the regulation of aphids and other soft-bodied insects in nature. A noticeable decline in lady beetle populations in North America in recent years has become a significant cause for concern in agriculture systems. The objective of this study was to gain knowledge about the effects of the microsporidium Nosema adaliae from the two-spotted lady beetle Adalia bipunctata L. on larval development and mortality, sex ratio, and adult longevity and fecundity of the seven-spotted lady beetle, Coccinella septempunctata L. Vertical transmission of the pathogen also was examined. Spores were detected in the majority of smear preparations of individuals that were fed microsporidia-infected eggs. Larval development (days) between the control and treatment groups did not differ significantly. Although larval mortality was high for control and treatment larvae, mortality for control and treatment larvae did not differ significantly. Sex ratios differed significantly between the control and treatment groups; however, differences in fecundity and adult longevity were not observed

Oral commensals in health and disease with special reference to candida infection in HIV-infected patients

SIGLEAvailable from British Library Document Supply Centre- DSC:DX175895 / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreGBUnited Kingdo

Candida and Oral Candidosis - a Review

Candida species are the most common fungal pathogens isolated from the oral cavity. Their oral existence both as a commensal and an opportunist pathogen has intrigued clinicians and scientists for many decades, and recent investigations have revealed many attributes of this fungus contributing to its pathogenicity. In addition, the advent of the human immunodeficiency virus infection and AIDS has resulted in a resurgence of oral Candida infections. Clinicians are witnessing not only classic forms of the diseases but also newer clinical variants such as erythematous candidosis, rarely described hithertofore. Therefore, this review is an attempt at detailing the current knowledge on Candida and oral candidoses together with the newer therapeutic regimes employed in treating these mycoses.published_or_final_versio