30 research outputs found

    Prevalence and risk factors of community-associated methicillin-resistant carriage in Asia-Pacific region from 2000 to 2016:a systematic review and meta-analysis

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    Objective: Community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) is an emerging global public health threat. In response to a highlighted strategic priority of the World Health Organization Global Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance, to "strengthen the knowledge and evidence base through surveillance and research", we synthesized published articles to estimate CA-MRSA carriage prevalence in the Asia-Pacific region. Methods: A systematic review was conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines (PROSPERO CRD:42017067399). We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, and PubMed for articles published from 1 January 2000 to 19 May 2017, which reported CA-MRSA carriage (defined as either colonization or infection) in Asia-Pacific region from 2000 to 2016. Studies were stratified according to settings (community or hospital where CA-MRSA was isolated) and study populations (general public or subpopulations with specified characteristics). Ranges of CA-MRSA carriage prevalence were reported for study groups. Results: In total, 152 studies were identified. Large diversity was observed among studies in most study groups. In community-level studies, the CA-MRSA carriage prevalence among the general public ranged from 0% to 23.5%, whereas that ranged from 0.7% to 10.4% in hospital settings. From community-level studies, countries with the highest prevalence were India (16.5%-23.5%), followed by Vietnam (7.9%) and Taiwan (3.5%-3.8%). Children aged ≤6 (range: 0.5%-40.3%) and household members of CA-MRSA carriers (range: 13.0%-26.4%) are subgroups without specific health conditions but with much higher CA-MRSA carriage when compared to the general population. Conclusion: Our CA-MRSA prevalence estimates serve as the baseline for future national and international surveillance. The ranges of prevalence and characteristics associated with CA-MRSA carriage can inform health authorities to formulate infection control policies for high-risk subgroups. Future studies should explore the heterogeneities in CA-MRSA carriage prevalence among subgroups and countries to clarify the predominant transmission mechanisms in Asia-Pacific and other regions

    Modulation of microglia by Wolfberry on the survival of retinal ganglion cells in a rat ocular hypertension model

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    The active component of Wolfberry (Lycium barbarum), lycium barbarum polysaccharides (LBP), has been shown to be neuroprotective to retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) against ocular hypertension (OH). Aiming to study whether this neuroprotection is mediated via modulating immune cells in the retina, we used multiphoton confocal microscopy to investigate morphological changes of microglia in whole-mounted retinas. Retinas under OH displayed slightly activated microglia. One to 100 mg/kg LBP exerted the best neuroprotection and elicited moderately activated microglia in the inner retina with ramified appearance but thicker and focally enlarged processes. Intravitreous injection of lipopolysaccharide decreased the survival of RGCs at 4 weeks, and the activated microglia exhibited amoeboid appearance as fully activated phenotype. When activation of microglia was attenuated by intravitreous injection of macrophage/microglia inhibitory factor, protective effect of 10 mg/kg LBP was attenuated. The results implicated that neuroprotective effects of LBP were partly due to modulating the activation of microglia

    Neurodegeneration of the retina in mouse models of Alzheimer’s disease: what can we learn from the retina?

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    Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is an age-related progressive neurodegenerative disease commonly found among elderly. In addition to cognitive and behavioral deficits, vision abnormalities are prevalent in AD patients. Recent studies investigating retinal changes in AD double-transgenic mice have shown altered processing of amyloid precursor protein and accumulation of β-amyloid peptides in neurons of retinal ganglion cell layer (RGCL) and inner nuclear layer (INL). Apoptotic cells were also detected in the RGCL. Thus, the pathophysiological changes of retinas in AD patients are possibly resembled by AD transgenic models. The retina is a simple model of the brain in the sense that some pathological changes and therapeutic strategies from the retina may be observed or applicable to the brain. Furthermore, it is also possible to advance our understanding of pathological mechanisms in other retinal degenerative diseases. Therefore, studying AD-related retinal degeneration is a promising way for the investigation on (1) AD pathologies and therapies that would eventually benefit the brain and (2) cellular mechanisms in other retinal degenerations such as glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration. This review will highlight the efforts on retinal degenerative research using AD transgenic mouse models

    Sex- and age-dependent association of SLC11A1 polymorphisms with tuberculosis in Chinese: a case control study

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    BACKGROUND: Host genetic factors are important determinants in tuberculosis (TB). The SLC11A1 (or NRAMP1) gene has been studied extensively for genetic association with TB, but with inconsistent findings. In addition, no study has yet looked into the effect of sex and age on the relationship between SLC11A1 polymorphisms and TB. METHODS: A case-control study was conducted. In total, 278 pulmonary TB patients and 282 sex- and age-matched controls without TB were recruited. All subjects were ethnic Chinese. On the basis of linkage disequilibrium pattern, three genetic markers from SLC11A1 and one from the nearby IL8RB locus were selected and examined for association with TB susceptibility. These markers were genotyped using single strand conformation polymorphism analysis or fragment analysis of amplified products. RESULTS: Statistically significant differences in allele (P = 0.0165, OR = 1.51) and genotype (P = 0.0163, OR = 1.59) frequencies of the linked markers SLC6a/b (classically called D543N and 3'UTR) of the SLC11A1 locus were found between patients and controls. With stratification by sex, positive associations were identified in the female group for both allele (P = 0.0049, OR = 2.54) and genotype (P = 0.0075, OR = 2.74) frequencies. With stratification by age, positive associations were demonstrated in the young age group (age ≤65 years) for both allele (P = 0.0047, OR = 2.52) and genotype (P = 0.0031, OR = 2.92) frequencies. All positive findings remained significant even after correction for multiple comparisons. No significant differences were noted in either the male group or the older age group. No significant differences were found for the other markers (one SLC11A1 marker and one IL8RB marker) either. CONCLUSION: This study confirmed the association between SLC11A1 and TB susceptibility and demonstrated for the first time that the association was restricted to females and the young age group

    Long non-coding RNAs and cancer: a new frontier of translational research?

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    Author manuscriptTiling array and novel sequencing technologies have made available the transcription profile of the entire human genome. However, the extent of transcription and the function of genetic elements that occur outside of protein-coding genes, particularly those involved in disease, are still a matter of debate. In this review, we focus on long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) that are involved in cancer. We define lncRNAs and present a cancer-oriented list of lncRNAs, list some tools (for example, public databases) that classify lncRNAs or that scan genome spans of interest to find whether known lncRNAs reside there, and describe some of the functions of lncRNAs and the possible genetic mechanisms that underlie lncRNA expression changes in cancer, as well as current and potential future applications of lncRNA research in the treatment of cancer.RS is supported as a fellow of the TALENTS Programme (7th R&D Framework Programme, Specific Programme: PEOPLE—Marie Curie Actions—COFUND). MIA is supported as a PhD fellow of the FCT (Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia), Portugal. GAC is supported as a fellow by The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Research Trust, as a research scholar by The University of Texas System Regents, and by the Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Global Research Foundation. Work in GAC’s laboratory is supported in part by the NIH/ NCI (CA135444); a Department of Defense Breast Cancer Idea Award; Developmental Research Awards from the Breast Cancer, Ovarian Cancer, Brain Cancer, Multiple Myeloma and Leukemia Specialized Programs of Research Excellence (SPORE) grants from the National Institutes of Health; a 2009 Seena Magowitz–Pancreatic Cancer Action Network AACR Pilot Grant; the Laura and John Arnold Foundation and the RGK Foundation

    Characterisation of Volatile Organic Compounds at Hotels in Southern China

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    In the recent years, there has been a dramatic growth in the development of hotels in Southern China to meet the rapid demand of business and tourism industry. The indoor air quality of the hotels has become an important consideration due to a large workforce that is engaged in this industry. The objective of this study was to characterise the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) found in the indoor air in 13 new hotels in Southern China and assess their possible health impact. A 2-day non-simultaneous sampling was carried out in each of the hotels. Decorating materials, cleansing agents and even local regional pollutants outside the hotels could have a contribution and worsen indoor air quality. Toluene level was as high as 498 mu g m(-3) in a hotel fitted with lots of plywood products. The highest concentrations of methylene chloride (34 mu g m(-3)) and total carbonyls (517 mu g m(-3)) were detected in a hotel where high VOCs cleansing agents were used in guest rooms. In a hotel located in an industrial centre, acetone concentration of 102 mu g m(-3) was found. The second highest total VOCs concentration (445 mu g m(-3)) was observed in a newly renovated hotel. Wooden interior fixtures and wall panels were identified as the major sources of VOCs and carbonyls found inside the guest rooms
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