Association between Tumor necrosis factor-alpha gene polymorphisms and prostate cancer risk: a meta-analysis

BACKGROUND: Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) is an important inflammatory cytokine that may play a role in controlling the progression of prostate cancer. Two common polymorphisms in the TNF-α gene, −308G/A and −238C/T, have been suggested to alter the risk for prostate cancer, but the results have been inconclusive so far. In order to obtain a better understanding of the effects of these two polymorphisms on prostate cancer risk, all available studies were considered in a meta-analysis. METHODS: We conducted a comprehensive literature search in the Cochrane Library, PubMed, EMBASE, Chinese Biomedical Literature database (CBM), and the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI). The associations were evaluated by calculating the pooled odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (95% CI). RESULTS: In this meta-analysis, we included 14 studies with 5,757 patients and 6,137 control subjects for the TNF-α-308G/A polymorphism and 1,967 patients and 2,004 control subjects for the TNF-α-238C/T polymorphism. A significantly increased prostate cancer risk was found to be associated with the TNF-α-308C/T polymorphism in studies with healthy volunteers (AA + AG vs. GG: OR = 1.531, 95% CI = 1.093–2.145; P = 0.013; AG vs. GG: OR = 1.477, 95% CI = 1.047–2.085; P = 0.026). No significant association was found between the TNF-α-238G/A polymorphism and prostate cancer risk in the overall or subgroup analyses. There was no risk of publication bias in this meta-analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that while the TNF-α-238G/A polymorphism may not be associated with prostate cancer the TNF-α-308C/T polymorphism may significantly contribute to prostate cancer susceptibility in healthy volunteers. VIRTUAL SLIDES: The virtual slide(s) for this article can be found here: http://www.diagnosticpathology.diagnomx.eu/vs/162928812011630

A new strategy for controlling invasive weeds: selecting valuable native plants to defeat them

To explore replacement control of the invasive weed Ipomoea cairica, we studied the competitive effects of two valuable natives, Pueraria lobata and Paederia scandens, on growth and photosynthetic characteristics of I. cairica, in pot and field experiments. When I. cairica was planted in pots with P. lobata or P. scandens, its total biomass decreased by 68.7% and 45.8%, and its stem length by 33.3% and 34.1%, respectively. The two natives depressed growth of the weed by their strong effects on its photosynthetic characteristics, including suppression of leaf biomass and the abundance of the CO 2 -fixing enzyme RUBISCO. The field experiment demonstrated that sowing seeds of P. lobata or P. scandens in plots where the weed had been largely cleared produced 11.8-fold or 2.5-fold as much leaf biomass of the two natives, respectively, as the weed. Replacement control by valuable native species is potentially a feasible and sustainable means of suppressing I. cairica

Impact of gamma-glutamyl carboxylase gene polymorphisms on warfarin dose requirement: A systematic review and meta-analysis

AbstractBackgroundThe Gamma-glutamyl carboxylase (GGCX) gene, as with Vitamin K Epoxide Reductase Complex Subunit 1(VKORC1), CytochromeP450 Complex Subunit 14 F2 (CYP4F2) and CytochromeP450 Complex Subunit2C9 (CYP2C9), is a candidate predictor for appropriate maintenance warfarin dose. However, the association between GGCX gene polymorphisms and warfarin dose requirement is still controversial. To quantify the influence of GGCX polymorphisms on warfarin dose requirements, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis.MethodsAccording to PRISRM statement (Preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses), a comprehensive literature search was undertaken through August 2014 looking for eligible studies in Embase, Pubmed,Web of Science and the Cochrane Library. The impact of GGCX polymorphisms on mean daily warfarin dose (MDWD) was counted by means of Z test. RevMan 5.2.7 software (developed by the Cochrane Collaboration) was applied to analyze the relationship between GGCX gene polymorphisms and warfarin dose requirements.ResultsNineteen articles including 21 studies with a total of 6957 patients were included in the meta-analysis. Among three investigated single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), rs11676382 showed higher CC genotype frequencies in Asian than those in Caucasian(97.7% vs. 86.9%); patients who were “G carriers” (that is, carried the GGCX rs11676382 CG or GG genotypes) required 27% lower warfarin dose than CC genotype[95%Confidence Interval(CI)=17%-37%, P=0.000, I2%=82.0 and PQ=0.000], moreover, stratified analysis by ethnicity showed similar results in Caucasian(23% lower, 95%CI=12%-33%), but not in Asian. With respect to genetic variation of rs699664 and rs121714145 SNPs, no significant impact on warfarin dose requirements were demonstrated.ConclusionsThis meta-analysis suggested that GGCX rs11676382 polymorphism may be one of factors affecting the dose of warfarin requirement, and the effects are different in different ethnicities. Further studies about this topic in different ethnicities with larger samples are expected to be conducted to validate our results

The Relationship between Inflammatory Marker Levels and Hepatitis C Virus Severity

Background. Red cell distribution width (RDW) and platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) have been studied in a variety of etiological diseases. We aim to investigate the relationship between RDW and PLR and the severity of hepatitis C virus- (HCV-) related liver disease. Methods. We included fifty-two chronic HCV and 42 HCV-related cirrhosis patients and 84 healthy controls. Hematological and virological parameters and liver function biomarkers of HCV-related patients at admission were recorded. Results. RDW, RDW-to-platelet (RPR), and 1/PLR values in HCV-related cirrhosis patients were significantly higher than in chronic HCV patients and healthy controls (all P<0.001). The aspartate aminotransferase (AST)/alanine aminotransferase (ALT) ratio (AAR), AST-to-platelet ratio index (APRI), and fibrosis index based on the four factors (FIB-4) scores in HCV-related cirrhosis patients were significantly higher than in chronic HCV patients (all P<0.001). The areas under the curve of the RDW, RPR, and 1/PLR for predicting cirrhosis were 0.791, 0.960, and 0.713, respectively. Bivariate logistic regression analysis showed that RDW could independently predict the presence of cirrhosis in chronic HCV patients. Conclusions. RDW, RPR, and PLR may be potential markers for estimating HCV severity

AKTIVITAS ANTIOKSIDAN SEDIAAN NANOPARTIKEL KITOSAN EKSTRAK ETANOL KELOPAK ROSELA (Hibiscus sabdariffa L) PADA TIKUS HIPERKOLESTEROL : PENGUKURAN KADAR MALONDIALDEHID (MDA)

Hypercholesterolemia can induce oxidative stress and are associated with atherosclerosis and other cardiovascular disorders. Administration of a preparation of chitosan nanoparticles roselle extract (NKER) can prevent oxidative stress because it contains flavonoids which have an effect as an antioxidant anthocyanin. Decreased oxidative stress can be determined by measuring the levels of malondealdehid (MDA) produced by the reaction of lipid peroxidation. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of administration of a preparation of chitosan nanoparticles roselle calyx ethanol extract of antioxidant activity by measuring the levels of MDA. This study used 25 adult rats of Sprague Dawley strain were divided into 5 groups. The first group was given a standard feed diet as baseline, group II was induced with pure cholesterol. Group III, IV and V induced pure cholesterol as well as the dosage given NKER with successive doses of 25 mg/kg, 50 mg/kg and 100 mg/KgBB. The treatment was done for 30 days. On day - 31 each rat blood taken for measurement of total cholesterol, as well as the measurement of MDA using thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS). The results showed an increase in levels of MDA in mice induced pure cholesterol (group II) with a mean concentration of 7.13 ± 0.22 nmol / ml significantly different to the baseline with a mean concentration of 0.87 ± 0.77 nmol / ml (p≤0,05). The mean levels of MDA in group III, IV and V respectively was 5.49 ± 0.18 nmol / ml; 4.18 ± 0.37 nmol / ml; and 2.18 ± 0.15 nmol / ml,significantly different when compared with the baseline group and the group II (p≤0,05). Decreased levels of MDA in mice given dosage NKER hypercholesterolemia showed that nker preparations have antioxidant activity, which is owned by the highest antioxidant activity NKER dosage dose 100mg/KgBB. Keywords : Antioxidant, Nanoparticles, Roselle, malondialdehyd