Usefulness of interferon-γ release assay for the diagnosis of latent tuberculosis infection in young children

PurposeLatent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) in young children may progress to severe active tuberculosis (TB) disease and serve as a reservoir for future transmission of TB disease. There are limited data on interferon-γ release assay (IGRA) performance in young children, which our research aims to address by investigating the usefulness of IGRA for the diagnosis of LTBI.MethodsWe performed a tuberculin skin test (TST) and IGRA on children who were younger than 18 years and were admitted to Chung-Ang University Hospital during May 2011–June 2015. Blood samples for IGRA were collected, processed, and interpreted according to manufacturer protocol.ResultsAmong 149 children, 31 (20.8%) and 10 (6.7%) were diagnosed with LTBI and active pulmonary TB, respectively. In subjects lacking contact history with active TB patients, TST and IGRA results were positive in 41.4% (29 of 70) and 12.9% (9 of 70) subjects, respectively. The agreement (kappa) of TST and IGRA was 0.123. The control group, consisting of non-TB-infected subjects, showed no correlation between age and changes in interferon-γ concentration after nil antigen, TB-specific antigen, or mitogen stimulation in IGRAs (P=0.384, P=0.176, and P=0.077, respectively). In serial IGRAs, interferon-γ response to TB antigen increased in IGRA-positive LTBI subjects, but did not change considerably in initially IGRA-negative LTBI or control subjects.ConclusionThe lack of decrease in interferon-γ response in young children indicates that IGRA could be considered for this age group. Serial IGRA tests might accurately diagnose LTBI in children lacking contact history with active TB patients

Phylogenetic Analysis of Cucurbit Chlorotic Yellows Virus from Melon in 2020 in Chungbuk, Korea

Cucurbit chlorotic yellows virus (CCYV) is a plant virus that causes damage to cucurbit crops such as watermelon and cucumber, and is transmitted by an insect vector known as the whitefly. Since CCYV was first detected on cucumber in Chungbuk in 2018, it has been reported in other areas including Gyeongsang in Korea. In 2020, we performed field surveys of yellowing diseases in the greenhouses growing melon and watermelon in Chungbuk (Jincheon and Eumseong). Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analysis of 79 collected samples including melon, watermelon, and weeds resulted in detection of CCYV in 4 samples: Three samples were singly infected with CCYV and one samples was mixed infected with CCYV, Cucurbit aphid borne yellows virus, and Watermelon mosaic virus. The complete genome sequences of the four collected CCYV melon isolates (ES 1–ES 4) were determined and genetically compared with those of previously reported CCYV isolates retrieved from GenBank. Phylogenetic analyses of RNA 1 and 2 sequences revealed that four ES isolates were clustered in one group and closely related to the CCYV isolates from China. The analysis also revealed very low genetic diversity among the CCYV ES isolates. In general, CCYV isolates showed little genetic diversity, regardless of host or geographic origins. CCYV has the potential to pose a serious threat to melon, watermelon, and cucumber production in Korea. Further studies are needed to examine the pathogenicity and transmissibility of CCYV in weeds and other cucurbits including watermelon

Prevention of mitochondrial impairment by inhibition of protein phosphatase 1 activity in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease caused by progressive loss of motor neurons (MNs) and subsequent muscle weakness. These pathological features are associated with numerous cellular changes, including alteration in mitochondrial morphology and function. However, the molecular mechanisms associating mitochondrial structure with ALS pathology are poorly understood. In this study, we found that Dynamin-related protein 1 (Drp1) was dephosphorylated in several ALS models, including those with SOD1 and TDP-43 mutations, and the dephosphorylation was mediated by the pathological induction of protein phosphatase 1 (PP1) activity in these models. Suppression of the PP1-Drp1 cascade effectively prevented ALS-related symptoms, including mitochondrial fragmentation, mitochondrial complex I impairment, axonal degeneration, and cell death, in primary neuronal culture models, iPSC-derived human MNs, and zebrafish models in vivo. These results suggest that modulation of PP1-Drp1 activity may be a therapeutic target for multiple pathological features of ALS

Molecular cloning of the Ecotin gene in Escherichia coli

AbstractThe nucleotide sequence of a 876 bp region in E. coli chromosome that encodes Ecotin was determined. The proposed coding sequence for Ecotin is 486 nucleotides long, which would encode a protein consisting of 162 amino acids with a calculated molecular weight of 18 192 Da. The deduced primary sequence of Ecotin includes a 20-residue signal sequence, cleavage of which would give rise to a mature protein with a molecular weight of 16 099 Da. Ecotin does not contain any consensus reactive site sequences of known serine protease inhibitor families, suggesting that Ecotin is a novel inhibitor

A study on nutrition knowledge and dietary behavior of elementary school children in Seoul

The purpose of this study was to investigate the nutrition and diet related knowledge, attitude, and behavior of elementary school children in Seoul. The subjects included were 439 (male 236, female 203) elementary school children in the 4th to the 6th grades. The statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS 12.0 program. The average obesity index (OI) was 104.98 and 99.82 for male and female subjects, respectively. The average percentage of underweight, normal, overweight and obese of subjects was 33.7%, 32.8%, 12.3%, and 19.4%, respectively. The percentage of the underweight group of female subjects was higher than that of the male subjects. The percentage of the obese group of male subjects was higher than that of the female subjects. The average score of nutrition knowledge, nutrition attitude and dietary behavior was 6.8, 7.44, and 7.34, respectively. Dietary behavior of male subjects was positively correlated with parents' education levels, monthly household income and nutrition attitude. Dietary behavior of female subjects was positively correlated with monthly household income, nutrition knowledge and nutrition attitude. Dietary behavior of female subjects was positively correlated with obesity index (OI). Proper nutrition education and intervention are required for the improvement of elementary school children's nutrition knowledge, nutrition attitudes and dietary behaviors

Genetic Study in a Case of Birt-Hogg-Dubé Syndrome

Birt-Hogg-Dubé syndrome (BHDS) is an autosomal dominantly inherited disorder characterized by multiple trichodiscomas, fibrofolliculomas, and acrocordons. There is also an increased risk of developing renal neoplasms and lung cysts/spontaneous pneumothorax. We present a 43-year-old man with multiple, 2~4 mm sized, dome-shaped, and skin-colored papules on his cheek and neck. On the basis of clinical finding and histopathologic examination on the cheek lesion, it was diagnosed as multiple trichodiscomas. Subsequently, molecular analysis revealed a mutation in the folliculin gene. We report a rare case of BHDS with a proved gene mutation

Mitochondrial Ribosomal Protein L14 Promotes Cell Growth and Invasion by Modulating Reactive Oxygen Species in Thyroid Cancer

Objectives The mitochondrial ribosomal protein L14 (MRPL14) is encoded by a nuclear gene and participates in mitochondrial protein translation. In this study, we aimed to investigate the role of MRPL14 in thyroid cancer. Methods We investigated the association between MRPL14 expression and clinicopathological features using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Chungnam National University Hospital (CNUH) databases. Functional studies of MRPL14, including proliferation, migration, invasion, mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, were performed in papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) cell lines (B-CPAP and KTC-1). Results Based on the TCGA dataset, PTC tissues lost mitochondrial integrity and showed dysregulated expression of overall mitoribosomal proteins (MRPs) compared with normal thyroid tissues. Of 78 MRPs, MRPL14 was highly expressed in thyroid cancer tissues. MRPL14 overexpression was significantly associated with advanced tumor stage, extrathyroidal extension, and lymph node metastasis. MRPL14 increased cell proliferation of thyroid cancer and promoted cell migration via epithelial-mesenchymal transition-related proteins. Moreover, MRPL14 knockdown reduced the expression of oxidative phosphorylation complex IV (MTCO1) and increased the accumulation of ROS. Cotreatment with a ROS scavenger restored cell proliferation and migration, which had been reduced by MRPL14 knockdown, implying that ROS functions as a key regulator of the oncogenic effects of MRPL14 in thyroid cancer cells. Conclusion Our findings indicate that MRPL14 may promote cell growth, migration, and invasion by modulating ROS in thyroid cancer cells

Complete Genome Sequence Analysis of Two Divergent Groups of Sweet potato chlorotic fleck virus Isolates Collected from Korea

The Sweet potato chlorotic fleck virus (SPCFV), of the genus Carlavirus (family Betaflexiviridae), was first detected as one of several viruses infecting sweet potatoes (Ipomea batatas L.) in Korea. Out of 154 sweet potato samples collected in 2012 that were showing virus-like symptoms, 47 (31%) were infected with SPCFV, along with other viruses. The complete genome sequences of four SPCFV isolates were determined and analyzed using previously reported genome sequences. The complete genomes were found to contain 9,104-9,108 nucleotides, excluding the poly-A tail, containing six putative open reading frames (ORFs). Further, the SPCFV Korean isolates were divided into two groups (Group I and Group II) by phylogenetic analysis based on the complete nucleotide sequences; Group I and Group II had low nucleotide sequence identities of about 73%. For the first time, we determined the complete genome sequence for the Group II SPCFV isolates. The amino acid sequence identity in coat proteins (CP) between the two groups was over 90%, whereas the amino acid sequence identity in other proteins was less than 80%. In addition, SPCFV Korean isolates had a low amino acid sequence identity (61% CPs and 47% in the nucleotide- binding protein [NaBp] region) to that of Melon yellowing-associated virus (MYaV), a typical Carlavirus

First Report of Impatiens necrotic spot virus in Hoya carnosa in Korea

In 2016, less than 30% of virus-like symptoms such as chlorosis, necrosis and ringspots were observed in Hoya carnosa from commercial greenhouse in Eumseong, Korea. A total of 6 samples from Hoya carnosa were collected both symptomatic and asymptomatic plants and tested for virus infection by RT-PCR of 3 viruses known to infect Hoya spp. including Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV), Impatiens necrotic spot virus (INSV) and Tomato chlorotic spot virus (TCSV). Three symptomatic samples were positives for INSV. Also, it was not the virus detected in three asymptomatic samples. To further confirm the presence of INSV, complete nucleocapsid (N) gene of the virus were amplified and sequenced from two samples. BLAST analysis of the consensus sequence showed that two isolates (INSV-Hy1 and -Hy2) shared nucleotide sequence identities of 99% with each other and 97-99% with other INSV isolates available in the GenbBank. Phylogenetic analysis showed that these isolates closely related to the INSV isolates from ornamental from China. This is the first report of INSV on Hoya carnosa from Korea