Hepatitis B virus infection on Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands: a seroprevalence, knowledge and attitudes study

YesObjective: A study was conducted to determine the seroprevalence of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection among children and their mothers on Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands two decades after routine vaccination was introduced in the 1990s. Mothers’ knowledge and attitudes towards HBV disease and vaccination were also assessed. Methods: Results of a national seroprevalence survey conducted in 2016–2017 and antenatal records were used to determine the prevalence of HBV seropositivity in children aged 6–8 years and their biological mothers. The associations between demographic, social and vaccination-related factors and seropositivity were explored using Fisher’s exact tests. Results: HBV seroprevalence was 0.3% in children and 6.8% in their mothers (during pregnancy). Coverage of timely HBV vaccination was 90.3% for the birth dose and was significantly associated with factors related to place of residence (P < 0.001), place of birth (P < 0.001) and number of antenatal visits (P < 0.001). Maternal attitudes towards infant vaccination and antenatal screening were largely positive (95.8% and 96.7%, respectively) despite low vaccination rates (20.9%) among mothers. Knowledge levels were low for disease complications, treatment and transmission. Discussion: Prevalence of HBV in children and mothers residing on Kwajalein Atoll in 2016–2017 was lower than the national average for the Marshall Islands. Timely birth dose administration appears to have been effective in preventing mother-to-child transmission of HBV in this setting and should be promoted in remote settings where antiviral therapy is not available. Provision of out-of-cold-chain HBV vaccines should be considered to improve access in remote settings

8-Hydroxy-2-methylquinolinium tetrachlorido(quinolin-8-olato-kappa N-2,O) stannate(IV) acetonitrile monosolvate

In the title solvated salt, (C10H10NO)[SnCl4(C9H6NO)]center dot-CH3CN, the Sn-IV atom is chelated by the N,O-bidentate 8-hydroxyquinolinate ligand and four chloride ions, generating a distorted SnONCl4 octahedral coordination geometry for the metal. In the crystal, the cations are linked to the anions and the solvent molecules by O-H center dot center dot center dot O and N-H center dot center dot center dot N hydrogen bonds, respectively

Formation of R-4(4) (8) ring in chloride salts of 8-hydroxyquinolinium derivatives: synthesis, structural, and theoretical studies

The molecular structures of chloride salts of 2and 5- substituted derivatives of 8- hydroxyquinoline, MeH 2 Q+ u Cl- ([ C 10 H 10 NO] Cl) and Cl- H 2 Q+ u Cl- ([ C 9 H 7 ClNO]+ u Cl-), were determined by single crystal X- ray diffraction methods; the latter is a new polymorph. In the crystal structures of these salts, several intra- and inter- molecular interactions result in a step- shaped centrosymmetric 4 4 R ( 8) ring. Unlike most quinolinium salts, there was no solvent present in these structures. Protonation of the quinoline N atom had an effect on the N uuu O bite distances and C- N- C angle and greater conjugation of the benzene ring with a hydroxyl group was also observed. p- p Interactions between each pair of quinolinium rings were observed in Me- H 2 Q+ u Clbut not in Cl- H 2 Q+ u Cl-. In addition, the quantum chemical calculations were performed on the new structures as well as similar compounds for comparison. The optimized structures were compared with the experimental observations for the effect of protonation and of hydrogen bonding interactions

Formation of R-4(4) (8) ring in chloride salts of 8-hydroxyquinolinium derivatives: synthesis, structural, and theoretical studies

The molecular structures of chloride salts of 2and 5- substituted derivatives of 8- hydroxyquinoline, MeH 2 Q+ u Cl- ([ C 10 H 10 NO] Cl) and Cl- H 2 Q+ u Cl- ([ C 9 H 7 ClNO]+ u Cl-), were determined by single crystal X- ray diffraction methods; the latter is a new polymorph. In the crystal structures of these salts, several intra- and inter- molecular interactions result in a step- shaped centrosymmetric 4 4 R ( 8) ring. Unlike most quinolinium salts, there was no solvent present in these structures. Protonation of the quinoline N atom had an effect on the N uuu O bite distances and C- N- C angle and greater conjugation of the benzene ring with a hydroxyl group was also observed. p- p Interactions between each pair of quinolinium rings were observed in Me- H 2 Q+ u Clbut not in Cl- H 2 Q+ u Cl-. In addition, the quantum chemical calculations were performed on the new structures as well as similar compounds for comparison. The optimized structures were compared with the experimental observations for the effect of protonation and of hydrogen bonding interactions

Metabolic Reprogramming of Innate Immune Cells as a Possible Source of New Therapeutic Approaches in Autoimmunity

Immune cells undergo different metabolic pathways or immunometabolisms to interact with various antigens. Immunometabolism links immunological and metabolic processes and is critical for innate and adaptive immunity. Although metabolic reprogramming is necessary for cell differentiation and proliferation, it may mediate the imbalance of immune homeostasis, leading to the pathogenesis and development of some diseases, such as autoimmune diseases. Here, we discuss the effects of metabolic changes in autoimmune diseases, exerted by the leading actors of innate immunity, and their role in autoimmunity pathogenesis, suggesting many immunotherapeutic approaches

Immunity and Nutrition: The Right Balance in Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is an increasingly urgent medical problem that strongly impairs quality of life for patients. A global rise in incidence has been observed over the last few decades, with the highest incidence rates recorded in North America and Europe. Still, an increased incidence has been reported in the last ten years in newly industrialized countries in Asia, including China and India, both with more than one billion inhabitants. These data underline that IBD is an urgent global health problem. In addition, it is estimated that between 20% and 30% of IBD patients will develop colorectal cancer (CRC) within their lifetime and CRC mortality is approximately 50% amongst IBD patients. Although the exact etiology of IBD is still being defined, it is thought to be due to a complex interaction between many factors, including defects in the innate and adaptive immune system; microbial dysbiosis, i.e., abnormal levels of, or abnormal response to, the gastrointestinal microbiome; a genetic predisposition; and several environmental factors. At present, however, it is not fully understood which of these factors are the initiators of inflammation and which are compounders. The purpose of this review is to analyze the complex balance that exists between these elements to maintain intestinal homeostasis and prevent IBD or limit adverse effects on people’s health

Low NETosis Induced in Anaplasma phagocytophilum-Infected Cells.

Anaplasma phagocytophilum are obligatory intracellular bacteria that preferentially replicate inside leukocytes by utilizing biological compounds and processes of these primary host defensive cells. In this study, bioinformatics analysis was conducted to further characterize A. phagocytophilum– host interactions using the neutrophil-like model of human Caucasian promyelocytic leukemia HL60 cells. We detected a hierarchy of molecules involved in A. phagocytophilum-HL60 interactions with overrepresentation in infected human cells of proteins involved in the reactive oxygen species (ROS) pathway and cell surface monocyte markers. As A. phagocytophilum phagocytosis by neutrophils is inhibited, the results suggested a possible explanation for our bioinformatics data: radical oxygen compounds could induce the killing of bacteria activating NETosis, a unique form of defense mechanism resulting in cell death that is characterized by the release of decondensed chromatin and granular contents to the extracellular space, forming neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) to eliminate invading microorganisms. Thus, we confirmed the existence of a low NETosis induced in A. phagocytophilum- infected cells by immunofluorescence (IF) experiments. These results provide new insights into the complex mechanisms that govern immune response during A. phagocytophilum host interactions