H pylori iceA alleles are disease-specific virulence factors

Aim: To characterize and compare genotype profiles of H pylori strains isolated from patients with chronic gastritis and duodenal ulcer in western part of Turkey. Methods: A total of 46 patients [30 chronic gastritis (CG) and 16 duodenal ulcer (DU)] who had undergone endoscopy because of dyspeptic complaints were studied. The antral biopsy specimens were evaluated for the presence of H pylori by rapid urease test and culture, and the genotype profiles were determined by real-time PCR. Results: The cagA gene was observed in 43 (93.5%) isolates. The vacA s1m2 genotype was the predominant subtype, found in 63.3% and 68.7% of isolates in patients with CG and DU, respectively. Twenty (66.6%) isolates from patients with CG were iceA2 positive while the iceA1 was predominant in those with DU (68.8%). In terms of the association of the iceA alleles to other genes, both alleles were significantly associated with the cagA vacA s1m2 genotype. Conclusion: The prevalent circulating genotypes in CG and DU were cagA vacA s1m2 iceA2 and cagA vacA s1m2 iceA1 genotype, respectively. It was found that cagA vacA s1m2 genotype seems to be common virulence factors in both CG and DU while iceA alleles show specificity for gastroduodenal pathologies in this study. © 2007 The WJG Press. All rights reserved

Identification of candidate transmission-blocking antigen genes in Theileria annulata and related vector-borne apicomplexan parasites

Background: Vector-borne apicomplexan parasites are a major cause of mortality and morbidity to humans and livestock globally. The most important disease syndromes caused by these parasites are malaria, babesiosis and theileriosis. Strategies for control often target parasite stages in the mammalian host that cause disease, but this can result in reservoir infections that promote pathogen transmission and generate economic loss. Optimal control strategies should protect against clinical disease, block transmission and be applicable across related genera of parasites. We have used bioinformatics and transcriptomics to screen for transmission-blocking candidate antigens in the tick-borne apicomplexan parasite, Theileria annulata. Results: A number of candidate antigen genes were identified which encoded amino acid domains that are conserved across vector-borne Apicomplexa (Babesia, Plasmodium and Theileria), including the Pfs48/45 6-cys domain and a novel cysteine-rich domain. Expression profiling confirmed that selected candidate genes are expressed by life cycle stages within infected ticks. Additionally, putative B cell epitopes were identified in the T. annulata gene sequences encoding the 6-cys and cysteine rich domains, in a gene encoding a putative papain-family cysteine peptidase, with similarity to the Plasmodium SERA family, and the gene encoding the T. annulata major merozoite/piroplasm surface antigen, Tams1. Conclusions: Candidate genes were identified that encode proteins with similarity to known transmission blocking candidates in related parasites, while one is a novel candidate conserved across vector-borne apicomplexans and has a potential role in the sexual phase of the life cycle. The results indicate that a ‘One Health’ approach could be utilised to develop a transmission-blocking strategy effective against vector-borne apicomplexan parasites of animals and humans

The future of genetic diagnostisc tests

Molecular genetic tests become increasingly sophisticated. Until recently, genetic tests were carried out on one or a few loci. The advent of large-insert clone arrays and, later, next generation sequencing method changed this by allowing a patient’s entire genome to be searched at improved resolution, thereby allowing the detection of medium to large genomic areas. Detecting large genome areas and many mutations by genetic test allows us to detect numerous mutations related by particular disease or particular condition. Development of detection methods of genes have brought many new aspects in gene related health conditions and also the treatment of certain diseases in this new era of clinical diagnostics tests. Detecting large genom areas produces huge data to be analyzed which also leads the develop- ment of genome screening-analizing softwares. Having this big data and developed softwares also open a demand for work force in Information Technologies to do bioinformatic analysis. Therefore, a new area has been developed combining clinical medicine and in research and medicine. Data privacy will be another key component of the future of genetic tests. We must address concerns about the privacy of patient data to take full advantage of large-scale analysis of aggregated patient datasets, and to allow the healthcare industry to fully realize the economic benefits of cloud computing. Protecting personel data also requires also legal legislations. Whole genom analysis or detecting certain mutations also leads the pharmacetical companies to discover new mutation specific drugs and alsopatient or individual lead gene terapy. This work is supprted by the Project PauBap, Project number: 2018KRM002-55

Using magnetic susceptibility data, showing the anomaly of anthropogenic pollution sources

The magnetic susceptibility (MS) methods is a very useful tool for giving us very easy processing and analysis towards fast discrimination of anthropogenic heavy metal loads in the sediment deposits by field measurements. The magnetic susceptibility distribution anomaly in the sediment deposits are caused by natural and anthropogenic influences in urban areas. Magnetic susceptibility measurements were taken by using the field probe polluted and less polluted in the agricultural areas in different cities, Turkey. Using the statistical method on the mag- netic susceptibility data and their results show us that the values from the polluted areas or unpolluted areas searching sites. It was showed the pollutant distributions after mapping the data of magnetic susceptibility and showed their sources to assess environmental threats. Magnetic susceptibility method is cheaper and less time-consuming against chemical methods. We showed that it is enough only using magnetic susceptibility measurements could provide heavy metal pollution distribution in such areas. To show the distributions of heavy metal pollution in the sediment deposit areas, 400 field measurements were collected. This work is supported by PAU-BAP 2018KRM002-094

AN OPEN PILOT STUDY TO EVALUATE THE EFFECTS OF METFORMIN AND LIFE STYLE

Background. The prevention of type 2 diabetes has great clinical importance. Many pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic methods are used to prevent type 2 DM. Metformin reduces the risk of developing diabetes in insulin resistant subjects. Oxidative stress plays pivotal roles in the pathogenesis and complications of diabetes mellitus. Paraoxonase 1 has antioxidant capacity.Objective. This study was planned to assess the effects of metformin and life style changes on paraoxonase activity and oxidative stress markers in premenopausal, obese, insulin resistant women.Design.Open-pilot clinical study.Subjects and methods. Thirty-two insulin resistant, premenopausal, obese women were enrolled into this clinical study. These women were treated by diet + exercise + metformin (1700 mg/d) for 6-month interval. All anthropometric characteristics, serum fasting and postprandial glucose, fasting insulin, paraoxonase, arylesterase, and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and lipid sub-fractions were measured at the commencement and the finish of the study. Homeostasis model assessment (HOMA-IR) was used to estimate insulin resistance.Results. Significantly reduced body weight, body mass index, waist circumference measurements, HOMA-IR and scrum fasting insulin, postprandial glucose, triglyceride, MDA levels and paraoxonase/high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) ratio were observed at the end of the study compared with initial evaluations. Conversely, there were considerable increases in serum arylesterase and HDL-C levels following the treatment. Nevertheless, the increase in scrum PON-1 level was statistically insignificant. Arylesterase was inversely correlated with TC, LDL-C levels and HOMA-IR.Conclusions. Met formin treatment with intensive life-style modification may be appropriate management in premenopausal, obese, insulin resistant women who have increased propensity for the development of type 2 diabetes, although long-term, controlled studies are needed for evaluation in greater detail