AFLP analysis on genetic diversity and population structure of small yellow croaker Larimichthys polyactis

The population genetic structure and diversity of small yellow croaker Larimichthys polyactis in the Bohai Bay, Yellow Sea and East China Sea were analyzed using amplified fragment length polymorphism(AFLP). Ninety-one individuals were collected from six locations representing three stocks of small yellow croaker. A total of 218 putative loci were detected by 3 primer combinations, 148 of which were polymorphic (67.89%). The proportion of polymorphic loci and Nei’s genetic diversity for six populations ranged from 55.34 - 60.09%, and from 0.1244 - 0.1378. AMOVA analysis and pairwise FST revealedsignificant genetic differentiation among the three groups based on the breeding migration routes and over-wintering grounds, supporting separate stocks in this species. The result shows the migratorybehavior might be an important factor which influences the genetic structure of this species. The UPGMA tree also revealed the significant geographic structure in this species. Pattern of isolation bydistance was observed in this species, indicating that significant genetic differentiation among localities of small yellow croaker might be due to the geographic distance

The incidence of liver injury in Uyghur patients treated for TB in Xinjiang Uyghur autonomous region, China, and its association with hepatic enzyme polymorphisms nat2, cyp2e1, gstm1 and gstt1.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Of three first-line anti-tuberculosis (anti-TB) drugs, isoniazid is most commonly associated with hepatotoxicity. Differences in INH-induced toxicity have been attributed to genetic variability at several loci, NAT2, CYP2E1, GSTM1and GSTT1, that code for drug-metabolizing enzymes. This study evaluated whether the polymorphisms in these enzymes were associated with an increased risk of anti-TB drug-induced hepatitis in patients and could potentially be used to identify patients at risk of liver injury. METHODS AND DESIGN: In a cross-sectional study, 2244 tuberculosis patients were assessed two months after the start of treatment. Anti-TB drug-induced liver injury (ATLI) was defined as an ALT, AST or bilirubin value more than twice the upper limit of normal. NAT2, CYP2E1, GSTM1 and GSTT1 genotypes were determined using the PCR/ligase detection reaction assays. RESULTS: 2244 patients were evaluated, there were 89 cases of ATLI, a prevalence of 4% 9 patients (0.4%) had ALT levels more than 5 times the upper limit of normal. The prevalence of ATLI was greater among men than women, and there was a weak association with NAT2*5 genotypes, with ATLI more common among patients with the NAT2*5*CT genotype. The sensitivity of the CT genotype for identifying patients with ATLI was 42% and the positive predictive value 5.9%. CT ATLI was more common among slow acetylators (prevalence ratio 2.0 (95% CI 0.95,4.20) )compared to rapid acetylators. There was no evidence that ATLI was associated with CYP2E1 RsaIc1/c1genotype, CYP2E1 RsaIc1/c2 or c2/c2 genotypes, or GSTM1/GSTT1 null genotypes. CONCLUSIONS: In Xinjiang Uyghur TB patients, liver injury was associated with the genetic variant NAT2*5, however the genetic markers studied are unlikely to be useful for screening patients due to the low sensitivity and low positive predictive values for identifying persons at risk of liver injury

Viral Envelope Protein 53R Gene Highly Specific Silencing and Iridovirus Resistance in Fish Cells by AmiRNA

BACKGROUND: Envelope protein 53R was identified from frog Rana grylio virus (RGV), a member of the family Iridoviridae, and it plays an important role in the virus assembly. Although inhibition of iridovirus major capsid protein (MCP) by small hairpin RNAs (shRNAs) has been shown to cause resistance to viral infection in vitro, RNA interference (RNAi) to inhibit aquatic animal virus envelope protein gene product has not been reported. METHODOLOGY: We devised artificial microRNAs (amiRNAs) that target a viral envelope protein gene RGV 53R. By incorporating sequences encoding amiRNAs specific to 53R of RGV into pre-miRNA155 (pSM155) vectors, which use the backbone of natural miR-155 sequence and could intracellularly express 53R-targeted pre-amiRNAs. The pre-amiRNAs could be processed by the RNase III-like enzyme Dicer into 21-25 nt amiRNAs (amiR-53Rs) in fish cell lines. The levels of 53R expression were analyzed through real-time PCR and RGV virions assembly were observed by electronic microscopy in fish cells transfected with or without amiR-53Rs at 72 h of RGV infection. CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE: The results argue that viral envelope protein RGV 53R can be silenced and the virions assembly was deficient by amiR-53R-1, and further identified the first amiRNA of envelope protein gene from iridovirus that was able to cause resistance to virus infection in fish cells. The data demonstrate that the viral infection is efficiently suppressed (58%) by amiR-53R-1 targeting positon 36-57 of RGV 53R. Moreover, electron microscopic observations revealed virion assembly defect or reduced virions assembly capacity was closely correlated to expression of amiR-53R-1. Based on real time PCR of the Mx gene, we found no evidence of activation of IFN by amiR-53R-1

Long-term safety and outcome of a temporary self-expanding metallic stent for achalasia: a prospective study with a 13-year single-center experience

To prospectively evaluate the long-term clinical safety and efficacy of a newly designed self-expanding metallic stent (SEMS) in the treatment of patients with achalasia. Seventy-five patients with achalasia were treated with a temporary SEMS with a 30-mm diameter. The SEMSs were placed under fluoroscopic guidance and removed by gastroscopy 4–5 days after stent placement. Follow-up data focused on dysphagia score, technique and clinical success, clinical remissions and failures, and complications and was performed at 6 months, 1 year, and within 3 to 5 years, 5 to 8 years, 8 to 10 years, and >10 years postoperatively. Stent placement was technically successful in all patients. Complications included stent migration (n = 4, 5.33%), chest pain (n = 28, 38.7%), reflux (n = 15, 20%), and bleeding (n = 9, 12%). No perforation or 30-day mortality occurred. Clinical success was achieved in all patients 1 month after stent removal. The overall remission rates at 6 months, 1, 1–3, 3–5, 5–8, 8–10, and >10 year follow-up periods were 100%, 96%, 93.9%, 90.9%, 100%, 100%, and 83.3%, respectively. Stent treatment failed in six patients, and the overall remission rate in our series was 92%. The median and mean primary patencies were 2.8 ± 0.28 years (95% CI: 2.25–3.35) and 4.28 ± 0.40 years (95% CI: 3.51–5.05), respectively. The use of temporary SEMSs with 30-mm diameter proved to be a safe and effective approach for managing achalasia with a long-term satisfactory clinical remission rate

Extremal solutions for p-Laplacian fractional integro-differential equation with integral conditions on infinite intervals via iterative computation

We study the extremal solutions of a class of fractional integro-differential equation with integral conditions on infinite intervals involving the p-Laplacian operator. By means of the monotone iterative technique and combining with suitable conditions, the existence of the maximal and minimal solutions to the fractional differential equation is obtained. In addition, we establish iterative schemes for approximating the solutions, which start from the known simple linear functions. Finally, an example is given to confirm our main results

Replication and Fine Mapping for Association of the C2orf43, FOXP4, GPRC6A and RFX6 Genes with Prostate Cancer in the Chinese Population

Prostate cancer represents the leading cause of male death across the world. A recent genome-wide association study (GWAS) identified five novel susceptibility loci for prostate cancer in the Japanese population. This study is to replicate and fine map the potential association of these five loci with prostate cancer in the Chinese Han population.In Phase I of the study, we tested the five single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) which showed the strongest association evidence in the original GWAS in Japanese. The study sample consists of 1,169 Chinese Hans, comprising 483 patients and 686 healthy controls. Then in phase II, flanking SNPs of the successfully replicated SNPs in Phase I were genotyped and tested for association with prostate cancer to fine map those significant association signals.We successfully replicated the association of rs13385191 (located in the C2orf43 gene, P = 8.60×10(-5)), rs12653946 (P = 1.33×10(-6)), rs1983891 (FOXP4, P = 6.22×10(-5)), and rs339331 (GPRC6A/RFX6, P = 1.42×10(-5)) with prostate cancer. The most significant odds ratio (OR) was recorded as 1.41 (95% confidence interval 1.18-1.68) for rs12653946. Rs9600079 did not show significant association (P = 8.07×10(-2)) with prostate cancer in this study. The Phase II study refined these association signals, and identified several SNPs showing more significant association with prostate cancer than the very SNPs tested in Phase I.Our results provide further support for association of the C2orf43, FOXP4, GPRC6A and RFX6 genes with prostate cancer in Eastern Asian populations. This study also characterized the novel loci reported in the original GWAS with more details. Further work is still required to determine the functional variations and finally clarify the underlying biological mechanisms

Factors associated with death in hospitalized pneumonia patients with 2009 H1N1 influenza in Shenyang, China

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>During the spring of 2009, a pandemic influenza A (H1N1) virus emerged and spread globally. We describe the clinical characteristics and factors associated with the death of patients who were hospitalized with 2009 H1N1 influenza pneumonia in Shenyang, China, from November to December 2009.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We carried out a retrospective chart review of 68 patients who were hospitalized with pneumonia and confirmed to have 2009 H1N1 virus infection by a real time RT-PCR assay of respiratory specimens.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Of the 68 patients we studied, 30 (44%) were admitted to an intensive care unit and 10 (14.7%) died. The median age of patients was 41 years (range, 18-66), and only one patient was over 65 years of age. The male to female ratio was 2.78:1 (50:18). Of the 68 patients, 23 (34%) had at least one underlying medical condition, 9 (13%) had a cigarette index ≥400 and 22 (32%) were obese. All patients underwent chest radiography on admission and the findings were consistent with pneumonia in all cases. All patients were treated with oseltamivir and treatment was initiated at a median time of seven days after the onset of illness. The laboratory test results indicated lymphopenia, hypoproteinemia and elevated lactic dehydrogenase and C reactive protein levels. Of the 68 patients, 33 (52%) showed a reduction in CD4 T cell counts. Of the 58 patients who survived, 31 (53%) had lymphopenia and 27 recovered from this condition after five days. Of the 10 patients who died, nine (90%) had lymphopenia and only two patients recovered from this condition after five days. Obesity and recovery from lymphopenia after five days were factors associated with death, as determined by multivariate logistic-regression analysis (obesity, odds ratio = 23.06; lymphocytopenia reversion, odds ration = 28.69).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>During the evaluation period in Shenyang, China, 2009 H1N1 influenza caused severe illness requiring hospitalization in 68 patients, 10 (14.7%) of which died. Many of these patients were considered healthy adults and few were elderly (65 years or older). Obesity and lymphopenia, which was not restored after five days of treatment, were factors associated with poor outcomes of 2009 H1N1 influenza infection.</p

The Use of Nanoscale Visible Light-Responsive Photocatalyst TiO2-Pt for the Elimination of Soil-Borne Pathogens

Exposure to the soil-borne pathogens Burkholderia pseudomallei and Burkholderia cenocepacia can lead to severe infections and even mortality. These pathogens exhibit a high resistance to antibiotic treatments. In addition, no licensed vaccine is currently available. A nanoscale platinum-containing titania photocatalyst (TiO2-Pt) has been shown to have a superior visible light-responsive photocatalytic ability to degrade chemical contaminants like nitrogen oxides. The antibacterial activity of the catalyst and its potential use in soil pathogen control were evaluated. Using the plating method, we found that TiO2-Pt exerts superior antibacterial performance against Escherichia coli compared to other commercially available and laboratory prepared ultraviolet/visible light-responsive titania photocatalysts. TiO2-Pt-mediated photocatalysis also affectively eliminates the soil-borne bacteria B. pseudomallei and B. cenocepacia. An air pouch infection mouse model further revealed that TiO2-Pt-mediated photocatalysis could reduce the pathogenicity of both strains of bacteria. Unexpectedly, water containing up to 10% w/v dissolved soil particles did not reduce the antibacterial potency of TiO2-Pt, suggesting that the TiO2-Pt photocatalyst is suitable for use in soil-contaminated environments. The TiO2-Pt photocatalyst exerted superior antibacterial activity against a broad spectrum of human pathogens, including B. pseudomallei and B. cenocepacia. Soil particles (<10% w/v) did not significantly reduce the antibacterial activity of TiO2-Pt in water. These findings suggest that the TiO2-Pt photocatalyst may have potential applications in the development of bactericides for soil-borne pathogens

Polymorphisms of −174G>C and −572G>C in the Interleukin 6 (IL-6) Gene and Coronary Heart Disease Risk: A Meta-Analysis of 27 Research Studies

OBJECTIVE: Elevated serum IL-6 level is a risk factor for coronary heart disease (CHD). The -174 G>C and -572 G>C polymorphisms in the IL-6 gene have previously been shown to modulate IL-6 levels. But the association between the -174 G>C and -572 G>C polymorphisms and the risk of CHD is still unclear. A meta-analysis of all eligible studies was carried out to clarify the role of IL-6 gene polymorphisms in CHD. METHODS AND RESULTS: PubMed, EMBASE, Vip, CNKI and CBM-disc were searched for eligible articles in English and Chinese that were published before October 2010. 27 studies involving 11580 patients with CHD and 17103 controls were included. A meta-analysis was performed for the included articles using the RevMan 5.0 and Stata 10.0 softwares. Overall, the -174 C allele was not significantly associated with CHD risk (ORs = 1.04, 95%CI = 0.98 to 1.10) when compared with the -174 G allele in the additive model, and meta-analysis under other genetic models (dominant, recessive, CC versus GG, and GC versus GG) also did not reveal any significant association. On the contrary, the -572 C allele was associated with a decreased risk of CHD when compared with the -572 G allele (ORs = 0.79, 95%CI = 0.68 to 0.93). Furthermore, analyses under the recessive model (ORs = 0.69, 95% = 0.59 to 0.80) and the allele contrast model (genotype of CC versus GG, ORs = 0.49, 95% = 0.35 to 0.70) yielded similar results. However, statistical significance was not found when the meta-analysis was restricted to studies focusing on European populations, studies with large sample size, and cohort studies by using subgroup analysis. CONCLUSIONS: The -174 G>C polymorphism in the IL-6 gene is not significantly associated with increased risks of CHD. However, The -572 G>C polymorphism may contribute to CHD development. Future investigations with better study design and large number of subjects are needed