221 research outputs found
Attitudes toward home-based malaria testing in rural and urban Sierra Leone
Background
The purpose of this study was to examine malaria testing practices and preferences in Bo, Sierra Leone, and to ascertain interest in and willingness to take a home-based rapid diagnostic test administered by a community health volunteer (CHV) or a trained family member rather than travelling to a clinical facility for laboratory-based testing.
Methods
A population-based, cross-sectional survey of 667 randomly-sampled rural households and 157 urban households was conducted in December 2013 and January 2014.
Results
Among rural residents, 69% preferred a self/family- or CHV-conducted home-based malaria test and 20% preferred a laboratory-based test (with others indicating no preference). Among urban residents, these numbers were 38% and 44%, respectively. If offered a home-based test, 28% of rural residents would prefer a self/family-conducted test and 68% would prefer a CHV-assisted test. For urban residents, these numbers were 21% and 77%. In total, 36% of rural and 63% of urban residents reported usually taking a diagnostic test to confirm suspected malaria. The most common reasons for not seeking malaria testing were the cost of testing, waiting to see if the fever resolved on its own, and not wanting to travel to a clinical facility for a test. In total, 32% of rural and 27% of urban participants were very confident they could perform a malaria test on themselves or a family member without assistance, 50% of rural and 62% of urban participants were very confident they could perform a test after training, and 56% of rural and 33% of urban participants said they would pay more for a home-based test than a laboratory-based test.
Conclusion
Expanding community case management of malaria to include home testing by CHVs and family members may increase the proportion of individuals with febrile illnesses who confirm a positive diagnosis prior to initiating treatment
The fodder legume Chamaecytisus albidus establishes functional symbiosis with different Bradyrhizobial symbiovars in Morocco
In this work, we analyzed the symbiotic performance and diversity of rhizobial strains isolated from the endemic shrubby legume Chamaecytisus albidus grown in soils of three different agroforestry ecosystems representing arid and semi-arid forest areas in Morocco. The analysis of the rrs gene sequences from twenty-four representative strains selected after REP-PCR fingerprinting showed that all the strains belong to the genus Bradyrhizobium. Following multi-locus sequence analysis (MLSA) using the rrs, gyrB, recA, glnII, and rpoB housekeeping genes, five representative strains, CA20, CA61, CJ2, CB10, and CB61 were selected for further molecular studies. Phylogenetic analysis of the concatenated glnII, gyrB, recA, and rpoB genes showed that the strain CJ2 isolated from Sahel Doukkala soil is close to Bradyrhizobium canariense BTA-1 (96.95%); that strains CA20 and CA61 isolated from the Amhach site are more related to Bradyrhizobium valentinum LmjM3, with 96.40 and 94.57% similarity values; and that the strains CB10 and CB60 isolated from soil in the Bounaga site are more related to Bradyrhizobium murdochi CNPSo 4020 and Bradyrhizobium. retamae Ro19, with which they showed 95.45 and 97.34% similarity values, respectively. The phylogenetic analysis of the symbiotic genes showed that the strains belong to symbiovars lupini, genistearum, and retamae. All the five strains are able to nodulate Lupinus luteus, Retama monosperma, and Cytisus monspessilanus, but they do not nodulate Glycine max and Phaseolus vulgaris. The inoculation tests showed that the strains isolated from the 3 regions improve significantly the plant yield as compared to uninoculated plants. However, the strains of Bradyrhizobium sp. sv. retamae isolated from the site of Amhach were the most performing. The phenotypic analysis showed that the strains are able to use a wide range of carbohydrates and amino acids as sole carbon and nitrogen source. The strains isolated from the arid areas of Bounaga and Amhach were more tolerant to salinity and drought stress than strains isolated in the semi-arid area of Sahel Doukkala.Financial support was obtained from Académie Hassan II des Sciences et Techniques (in Morocco). Mr Omar Bouhnik received a grant from the Hassan II Academy of Science and Technolog
The endemic Chamaecytisus albidus is nodulated by symbiovar genistearum of Bradyrhizobium in the Moroccan Maamora Forest
Out of 54 isolates from root nodules of the Moroccan-endemic Chamaecytisus albidus plants growing in soils from the Maamora cork oak forest, 44 isolates formed nodules when used to infect their original host plant. A phenotypic analysis showed the metabolic diversity of the strains that used different carbohydrates and amino acids as sole carbon and nitrogen sources. The isolates grew on media with pH values ranging from 6 to 8. However, they did not tolerate high temperatures or drought and they did not grow on media with salt concentrations higher than 85 mM. REP-PCR fingerprinting grouped the strains into 12 clusters, of which representative strains were selected for ARDRA and rrs analyses. The rrs gene sequence analysis indicated that all 12 strains were members of the genus Bradyrhizobium and their phylogeny showed that they were grouped into two different clusters. Two strains from each group were selected for multilocus sequence analysis (MLSA) using atpD, recA, gyrB and glnII housekeeping genes. The inferred phylogenetic trees confirmed that the strains clustered into two divergent clusters. Strains CM55 and CM57 were affiliated to the B. canariense/B. lupini group, whereas strains CM61 and CM64 were regrouped within the B. cytisi/B. rifense lineage. The analysis of the nodC symbiotic gene affiliated the strains to the symbiovar genistearum. The strains were also able to nodulate Retama monosperma, Lupinus luteus and Cytisus monspessulanus, but not Phaseolus vulgaris or Glycine max. Inoculation tests with C. albidus showed that some strains could be exploited as efficient inocula that could be used to improve plant growth in the Maamora forest.The authors want to thank all the people who contributed to theachievement of this study. Financial support was obtained from‘‘Académie Hassan II des Sciences et Techniques” (Morocco). MrOmar Bouhnik received a grant from the Hassan II Academy of Science and Technology. The authors also thank the Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Competitividad (Spain) for the granting ofthe ERDF-cofinanced project AGL2017–85676R
Different species of Bradyrhizobium from symbiovars genistearum and retamae nodulate the endemic Retama dasycarpa in the High Atlas Mountains
Retama dasycarpa is an endemic Retama species native to the cold semi-arid bioclimates of the High Atlas Mountains in Morocco. In this work, we analyzed the diversity of the microsymbionts nodulating this plant and their different phenotypic and symbiotic characteristics. Phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene revealed that the tested isolates clustered in the Bradyrhizobium genus. Multilocus sequence analyses of four housekeeping genes (recA, gyrB, glnII and atpD) for 12 selected strains grouped them into four clusters close to B. lupini USDA 3051, B. frederickii CNPSo 3446, B. valentinum LmjM3 and B. retamae Ro19. The individual phylogenies of these core genes and the symbiotic genes nodC, nodA and nifH were congruent. These isolates showed a broad host range, being able to nodulate different legume hosts, such as R. sphaerocarpa, R. monosperma, Lupinus luteus, Cytisus grandiflorus and Chamaecytisus albidus, but not Phaseolus vulgaris or Glycine max. They all had a similar metabolic capacity, using the majority of the carbohydrates and amino acids tested as sole sources of carbon and nitrogen. Furthermore, out of the 12 selected strains, some displayed plant growth-promoting features, with six of them solubilizing phosphate and three of them producing siderophores. The present work provides, for the first time, a detailed description about the microsymbionts associated with the endemic legume R. dasycarpa.This work was supported by the Ministry of Higher Education and Innovation. Dr Mouad Lamrabet was granted a fellowship from the PPR2-BIOMIVER project. The authors want to thank all the
people who contributed to this work
Plant growth promoting activities of Pseudomonas sp. and Enterobacter sp. isolated from the rhizosphere of Vachellia gummifera in Morocco
The Moroccan endemic Vachellia gummifera grows wild under extreme desert conditions. This plant could be used as an alternative fodder for goats, and camels, in order to protect the Argan forests against overgrazing in Central and Southwestern Moroccan semiarid areas. With the aim to improve the V. gummifera population's density in semiarid areas, we proposed its inoculation with performing plant growth-promoting bacteria. Hence, 500 bacteria were isolated from the plant rhizosphere. From these, 291 isolates were retained for plant growth-promoting (PGP) activities assessment. A total of 44 isolates showed the best phosphates solubilization potential, as well as siderophore and auxin production. The combination of REP-PCR (repetitive extragenic palindromic-polymerase chain reaction) fingerprinting, PGP activities, and phenotypic properties, allowed the selection of three strains for the inoculation experiments. The three selected strains' 16S rRNA sequencing showed that they are members of the Enterobacter and Pseudomonas genera. The inoculation with three strains had diverse effects on V. gummifera growth parameters. All single and combined inoculations improved the plant shoot weight by more than 200%, and the root length by up to 139%, while some combinations further improved protein and chlorophyll content, thereby improving the plant's forage value. The three selected strains constitute an effective inoculum for use in the arid and semiarid zones of southern Morocco.The authors want to thank all the persons who contributed to the achievement of this work. This work was funded by the Hassan II Academy of Science and Technology (AH2ST), in Morocco. B.M. received a grant from the AH2ST. She received also the excellency fellowship Khadija Baddouri in life sciences, from the Horizons foundation, Franc
Presumptive self-diagnosis of malaria and other febrile illnesses in Sierra Leone.
INTRODUCTION
The objective of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of self-diagnosis of malaria and other febrile illnesses in Bo, Sierra Leone.
METHODS
All households in two neighboring sections of Bo were invited to participate in a cross-sectional survey.
RESULTS
A total of 882 households (an 85% participation rate) that were home to 5410 individuals participated in the study. Of the 910 individuals reported to have had what the household considered to be malaria in the past month, only 41% were diagnosed by a healthcare professional or a laboratory test. Of the 1402 individuals reported to have had any type of febrile illness within the past six months, only 34% had sought a clinical or laboratory diagnosis. Self-diagnosis of influenza, yellow fever, typhoid, and pneumonia was also common.
CONCLUSION
Self-diagnosis and presumptive treatment with antimalarial drugs and other antibiotic medications that are readily available without a prescription may compromise health outcomes for febrile adults and children
Phylogenetic analysis of metastatic progression in breast cancer using somatic mutations and copy number aberrations.
Several studies using genome-wide molecular techniques have reported various degrees of genetic heterogeneity between primary tumours and their distant metastases. However, it has been difficult to discern patterns of dissemination owing to the limited number of patients and available metastases. Here, we use phylogenetic techniques on data generated using whole-exome sequencing and copy number profiling of primary and multiple-matched metastatic tumours from ten autopsied patients to infer the evolutionary history of breast cancer progression. We observed two modes of disease progression. In some patients, all distant metastases cluster on a branch separate from their primary lesion. Clonal frequency analyses of somatic mutations show that the metastases have a monoclonal origin and descend from a common 'metastatic precursor'. Alternatively, multiple metastatic lesions are seeded from different clones present within the primary tumour. We further show that a metastasis can be horizontally cross-seeded. These findings provide insights into breast cancer dissemination
Genomic modelling of the ESR1 Y537S mutation for evaluating function and new therapeutic approaches for metastatic breast cancer
Drugs that inhibit estrogen receptor-α (ER) activity have been highly successful in treating and reducing breast cancer progression in ER-positive disease. However, resistance to these therapies presents a major clinical problem. Recent genetic studies have shown that mutations in the ER gene are found in >20% of tumours that progress on endocrine therapies. Remarkably, the great majority of these mutations localize to just a few amino acids within or near the critical helix 12 region of the ER hormone binding domain, where they are likely to be single allele mutations. Understanding how these mutations impact on ER function is a prerequisite for identifying methods to treat breast cancer patients featuring such mutations. Towards this end, we used CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing to make a single allele knock-in of the most commonly mutated amino acid residue, tyrosine 537, in the estrogen-responsive MCF7 breast cancer cell line. Genomic analyses using RNA-seq and ER ChIP-seq demonstrated that the Y537S mutation promotes constitutive ER activity globally, resulting in estrogen-independent growth. MCF7-Y537S cells were resistant to the anti-estrogen tamoxifen and fulvestrant. Further, we show that the basal transcription factor TFIIH is constitutively recruited by ER-Y537S, resulting in ligand-independent phosphorylation of Serine 118 (Ser118) by the TFIIH kinase, cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK)7. The CDK7 inhibitor, THZ1 prevented Ser118 phosphorylation and inhibited growth of MCF7-Y537S cells. These studies confirm the functional importance of ER mutations in endocrine resistance, demonstrate the utility of knock-in mutational models for investigating alternative therapeutic approaches and highlight CDK7 inhibition as a potential therapy for endocrine-resistant breast cancer mediated by ER mutations
2015 ESC Guidelines for the management of patients with ventricular arrhythmias and the prevention of sudden cardiac death the Task Force for the Management of Patients with Ventricular Arrhythmias and the Prevention of Sudden Cardiac Death of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Endorsed by: Association for European Paediatric and Congenital Cardiology (AEPC)
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Circulating microRNAs in sera correlate with soluble biomarkers of immune activation but do not predict mortality in ART treated individuals with HIV-1 infection: A case control study
Introduction: The use of anti-retroviral therapy (ART) has dramatically reduced HIV-1 associated morbidity and mortality. However, HIV-1 infected individuals have increased rates of morbidity and mortality compared to the non-HIV-1 infected population and this appears to be related to end-organ diseases collectively referred to as Serious Non-AIDS Events (SNAEs). Circulating miRNAs are reported as promising biomarkers for a number of human disease conditions including those that constitute SNAEs. Our study sought to investigate the potential of selected miRNAs in predicting mortality in HIV-1 infected ART treated individuals. Materials and Methods: A set of miRNAs was chosen based on published associations with human disease conditions that constitute SNAEs. This case: control study compared 126 cases (individuals who died whilst on therapy), and 247 matched controls (individuals who remained alive). Cases and controls were ART treated participants of two pivotal HIV-1 trials. The relative abundance of each miRNA in serum was measured, by RTqPCR. Associations with mortality (all-cause, cardiovascular and malignancy) were assessed by logistic regression analysis. Correlations between miRNAs and CD4+ T cell count, hs-CRP, IL-6 and D-dimer were also assessed. Results: None of the selected miRNAs was associated with all-cause, cardiovascular or malignancy mortality. The levels of three miRNAs (miRs -21, -122 and -200a) correlated with IL-6 while miR-21 also correlated with D-dimer. Additionally, the abundance of miRs -31, -150 and -223, correlated with baseline CD4+ T cell count while the same three miRNAs plus miR- 145 correlated with nadir CD4+ T cell count. Discussion: No associations with mortality were found with any circulating miRNA studied. These results cast doubt onto the effectiveness of circulating miRNA as early predictors of mortality or the major underlying diseases that contribute to mortality in participants treated for HIV-1 infection
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