The Implications of Relationships between Human Diseases and Metabolic Subpathways

One of the challenging problems in the etiology of diseases is to explore the relationships between initiation and progression of diseases and abnormalities in local regions of metabolic pathways. To gain insight into such relationships, we applied the “k-clique” subpathway identification method to all disease-related gene sets. For each disease, the disease risk regions of metabolic pathways were then identified and considered as subpathways associated with the disease. We finally built a disease-metabolic subpathway network (DMSPN). Through analyses based on network biology, we found that a few subpathways, such as that of cytochrome P450, were highly connected with many diseases, and most belonged to fundamental metabolisms, suggesting that abnormalities of fundamental metabolic processes tend to cause more types of diseases. According to the categories of diseases and subpathways, we tested the clustering phenomenon of diseases and metabolic subpathways in the DMSPN. The results showed that both disease nodes and subpathway nodes displayed slight clustering phenomenon. We also tested correlations between network topology and genes within disease-related metabolic subpathways, and found that within a disease-related subpathway in the DMSPN, the ratio of disease genes and the ratio of tissue-specific genes significantly increased as the number of diseases caused by the subpathway increased. Surprisingly, the ratio of essential genes significantly decreased and the ratio of housekeeping genes remained relatively unchanged. Furthermore, the coexpression levels between disease genes and other types of genes were calculated for each subpathway in the DMSPN. The results indicated that those genes intensely influenced by disease genes, including essential genes and tissue-specific genes, might be significantly associated with the disease diversity of subpathways, suggesting that different kinds of genes within a disease-related subpathway may play significantly differential roles on the diversity of diseases caused by the corresponding subpathway

Social media marketing strategy: definition, conceptualization, taxonomy, validation, and future agenda

Although social media use is gaining increasing importance as a component of firms’ portfolio of strategies, scant research has systematically consolidated and extended knowledge on social media marketing strategies (SMMSs). To fill this research gap, we first define SMMS, using social media and marketing strategy dimensions. This is followed by a conceptualization of the developmental process of SMMSs, which comprises four major components, namely drivers, inputs, throughputs, and outputs. Next, we propose a taxonomy that classifies SMMSs into four types according to their strategic maturity level: social commerce strategy, social content strategy, social monitoring strategy, and social CRM strategy. We subsequently validate this taxonomy of SMMSs using information derived from prior empirical studies, as well with data collected from in-depth interviews and a quantitive survey among social media marketing managers. Finally, we suggest fruitful directions for future research based on input received from scholars specializing in the field

G6PD deficiency in Latin America: systematic review on prevalence and variants

Plasmodium vivax radical cure requires the use of primaquine (PQ), a drug that induces haemolysis in glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficient (G6PDd) individuals, which further hampers malaria control efforts. The aim of this work was to study the G6PDd prevalence and variants in Latin America (LA) and the Caribbean region. A systematic search of the published literature was undertaken in August 2013. Bibliographies of manuscripts were also searched and additional references were identified. Low prevalence rates of G6PDd were documented in Argentina, Bolivia, Mexico, Peru and Uruguay, but studies from Curaçao, Ecuador, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, Suriname and Trinidad, as well as some surveys carried out in areas of Brazil, Colombia and Cuba, have shown a high prevalence (> 10%) of G6PDd. The G6PD A-202A mutation was the variant most broadly distributed across LA and was identified in 81.1% of the deficient individuals surveyed. G6PDd is a frequent phenomenon in LA, although certain Amerindian populations may not be affected, suggesting that PQ could be safely used in these specific populations. Population-wide use of PQ as part of malaria elimination strategies in LA cannot be supported unless a rapid, accurate and field-deployable G6PDd diagnostic test is made available

Variações climáticas e uso de serviços de saúde em crianças asmáticas menores de cinco anos de idade: um estudo ecológico Climate variations and health services use for the treatment of asthmatic children under five years of age: an ecological study

OBJETIVO: Analisar a variação dos períodos climáticos (seco ou chuvoso) e o uso de serviços de saúde para a asma em crianças menores de cinco anos de idade. MÉTODOS: Estudo ecológico, com coleta de dados secundários, através de análise dos prontuários das crianças com até cinco anos de idade e diagnóstico de asma, atendidas no Pronto-Socorro Municipal de Cuiabá. Obedecendo às características geográficas de Cuiabá (MT), foram considerados dois períodos climáticos: o período seco (maio a outubro) e o chuvoso (novembro a abril). RESULTADOS: O percentual de atendimentos das crianças consideradas com diagnóstico de asma foi de 12,2% (3.140/25.802), sem diferença entre os sexos. A faixa etária mais acometida foi a de três a cinco anos de idade. A taxa de hospitalização por asma foi de 1,3% (336/25.802), sendo de 10,7% (336/3.140) entre as crianças asmáticas atendidas no pronto-socorro. No período chuvoso o percentual de atendimento ambulatorial por asma foi maior que no período seco: 39,1% (1.228/3.140) versus 60,9% (1.912/3.140). Entretanto, no período seco houve maior percentual de hospitalização: 52,3% (176/336) versus 47,7% (160/336). As diferenças foram significativas (p < 0,05). CONCLUSÃO: O período climático seco, associado à maior taxa de hospitalização, parece estar relacionado aos casos mais graves de asma em crianças menores de cinco anos.<br>OBJECTIVE: To study variations in climate (dry or rainy periods) and health services use for the treatment of asthma in children under five years of age. METHODS: An ecological study was conducted and involved analysis of the medical charts of all children under the age of five that were diagnosed with asthma and treated in the Municipal Emergency Room of the city of Cuiabá, located in the state of Mato Grosso, Brazil. In accordance with the geographic location of Cuiabá, two climatic periods were identified: a dry season (from May to October) and a rainy season (from November to April). RESULTS: The percentage of children treated that were diagnosed with asthma was 12.2% (3140/25,802), with no gender-based difference. Children from 3 to 5 years of age were most often affected. The overall asthma hospitalization rate was 1.3% (336/25,802), rising to 10.7% (336/3140) among the asthmatic children treated in the emergency room. In the rainy season, the percentage of outpatients seeking treatment for asthma was higher than in the dry season: 39.1% (1228/3140) versus 60.9% (1912/3140). However, during the dry season, a greater proportion of such patients were hospitalized: 52.3% (176/336) versus 47.7% (160/336). These differences were statistically significant (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The dry season, which was correlated with higher asthma hospitalization rates, seems to be related to more severe cases of asthma in children under five years of age