Elective caesarean section versus vaginal delivery for preventing mother to child transmission of hepatitis B virus – a systematic review

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Caesarean section before labor or before ruptured membranes ("elective caesarean section", or ECS) has been introduced as an intervention for preventing mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of hepatitis B virus (HBV). Currently, no evidence that ECS versus vaginal delivery reduces the rate of MTCT of HBV has been generally provided. The aim of this review is to assess, from randomized control trails (RCTs), the efficacy and safety of ECS versus vaginal delivery in preventing mother-to-child HBV transmission.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We searched Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group's Trials Register (January, 2008), the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (the Cochrane Library 2008, issue 1), PubMed (1950 to 2008), EMBASE (1974 to 2008), Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (CBM) (1975 to 2008), China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) (1979 to 2008), VIP database (1989 to 2008), as well as reference lists of relevant studies. Finally, four randomized trails involving 789 people were included. Based on meta-analysis, There was strong evidence that ECS versus vaginal delivery could effectively reduce the rate of MTCT of HBV (ECS: 10.5%; vaginal delivery: 28.0%). The difference between the two groups (ECS <it>versus </it>vaginal delivery) had statistical significance (RR 0.41, 95% CI 0.28 to 0.60, P < 0.000001). No data regarding maternal morbidity or infant morbidity according to mode of delivery were available.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>ECS appears to be effective in preventing MTCT of HBV and no postpartum morbidity (PPM) was reported. However, the conclusions of this review must be considered with great caution due to high risk of bias in each included study (graded C).</p

The Proinflammatory Cytokines IL-18, IL-21, and IFN-γ Differentially Regulate Liver Inflammation and Anti-Mitochondrial Antibody Level in a Murine Model of Primary Biliary Cholangitis

Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) is a cholestatic liver disease primarily featured by autoimmune-mediated damage of intrahepatic small- and medium-sized bile ducts. Elevated serum proinflammatory cytokines, serum anti-mitochondrial antibodies (AMAs), liver inflammation, and fibrosis are also hallmarks of PBC disease. However, whether the elevated proinflammatory cytokines play a role in autoimmune cholangitis remains unknown. Herein, we utilized the p40-/-IL-2Rα-/- PBC mouse model to investigate the roles of proinflammatory cytokines IL-18, IL-21, and IFN-γ in the onset and progression of PBC. IL-18-/-, IFN-γ-/-, and IL-21-/- mice were crossed with p40-/-IL-2Ra+/- mice, respectively, to produce corresponding cytokine-deficient PBC models. Autoantibody level, liver inflammation, and bile duct injury were analyzed. We found that livers from p40-/-IL-2Rα-/- mice exhibit similar transcriptomic characters of PBC patients. In p40-/-IL-2Rα-/- mice, deletion of IL-18 has no remarkable effect on disease progression, while deletion of IL-21 indicates that it is necessary for AMA production but independent of liver inflammation and cholangitis. IFN-γ is responsible for both AMA production and liver inflammation in our model. Our results demonstrate that different proinflammatory cytokines can regulate different effector functions in PBC pathogenesis and need to be considered in PBC treatment

Indigenous Case of Disseminated Histoplasmosis, Taiwan

We report the first indigenous case of disseminated histoplasmosis in Taiwan diagnosed by histopathology of bone marrow, microbiologic morphology, and PCR assay of the isolated fungus. This case suggests that histoplasmosis should be 1 of the differential diagnoses of opportunistic infections in immunocompromised patients in Taiwan

Effects of two Lactobacillus strains on lipid metabolism and intestinal microflora in rats fed a high-cholesterol diet

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The hypocholesterolemic effects of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) have now become an area of great interest and controversy for many scientists. In this study, we evaluated the effects of <it>Lactobacillus plantarum </it>9-41-A and <it>Lactobacillus fermentum </it>M1-16 on body weight, lipid metabolism and intestinal microflora of rats fed a high-cholesterol diet.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Forty rats were assigned to four groups and fed either a normal or a high-cholesterol diet. The LAB-treated groups received the high-cholesterol diet supplemented with <it>Lactobacillus plantarum </it>9-41-A or <it>Lactobacillus fermentum </it>M1-16. The rats were sacrificed after a 6-week feeding period. Body weights, visceral organ and fat pad weights, serum and liver cholesterol and lipid levels, and fecal cholesterol and bile acid concentrations were measured. Liver lipid deposition and adipocyte size were evaluated histologically.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Compared with rats fed a high-cholesterol diet but without LAB supplementation, serum total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglycerides levels were significantly decreased in LAB-treated rats (p < 0.05), with no significant change in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. Hepatic cholesterol and triglyceride levels and liver lipid deposition were significantly decreased in the LAB-treated groups (p < 0.05). Accordingly, both fecal cholesterol and bile acids levels were significantly increased after LAB administration (p < 0.05). Intestinal <it>Lactobacillus </it>and <it>Bifidobacterium </it>colonies were increased while <it>Escherichia coli </it>colonies were decreased in the LAB-treated groups. Fecal water content was higher in the LAB-treated groups. Compared with rats fed a high-cholesterol diet, administration of <it>Lactobacillus plantarum </it>9-41-A resulted in decreases in the body weight gain, liver and fat pad weight, and adipocytes size (p < 0.05).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>This study suggests that LAB supplementation has hypocholesterolemic effects in rats fed a high-cholesterol diet. The ability to lower serum cholesterol varies among LAB strains. Our strains might be able to improve the intestinal microbial balance and potentially improve intestinal transit time. Although the mechanism is largely unknown, <it>L. plantarum </it>9-41-A may play a role in fat metabolism.</p

Mono-ADP-ribosylation of histone 3 at arginine-117 promotes proliferation through its interaction with P300

Relatively little attention has been paid to ADP-ribosylated modifications of histones, especially to mono-ADP-ribosylation. As an increasing number of mono-ADP-ribosyltransferases have been identified in recent studies, the functions of mono-ADP-ribosylated proteins have aroused research interest. In particular, histones are substrates of some mono-ADP-ribosyltransferases and mono-ADP-ribosylated histone have been detected in physiological or pathological processes. In this research , arginine-117 (Arg-117; R-117) of histone3(H3) is identified as a site of mono-ADP-ribosylation in colon carcinoma(the first such site to be identified); this posttranslational modification may promote the proliferation of colon carcinoma cells in vitro and in vivo. Using a point-mutant lentivirus transfection and using an activator of P300 allowed us to observe the mono-ADP-ribosylation at H3R117 and enhancement of the activity of P300 to up-regulate the level of acetylated β-catenin, which could increase the expression of c-myc and cyclin D1

RNA Interference inhibits Hepatitis B Virus of different genotypes in Vitro and in Vivo

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection increases the risk of liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma. Small interfering RNA (siRNA) can be a potential new tool for HBV therapy. Given the high heterogeneity of HBV strains and the sensitivity towards sequences changes of siRNA, finding a potent siRNA inhibitor against the conservative site on the HBV genome is essential to ensure a therapeutic application.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Forty short hairpin RNA (shRNA) expression plasmids were constructed to target conserved regions among nine HBV genotypes. HBV 1.3-fold genome plasmids carrying various genotypes were co-transfected with shRNA plasmids into either Huh7 cells or mice. The levels of various viral markers were examined to assess the anti-HBV efficacy of siRNA. Four (B245, B376, B1581 and B1789) were found with the ability to potently inhibit HBV RNA, DNA, surface antigen (HBsAg), e antigen (HBeAg) and core antigen (HBcAg) expression in HBV genotypes A, B, C, D and I (a newly identified genotype) in Huh7 cells and in mice. No unusual cytotoxicity or off-target effects were noted.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Such siRNA suggests an alternate way of inhibiting various HBV genotypes in vitro and in vivo, promising advances in the treatment of HBV.</p

Genetic analysis of walnut cultivars from southwest China:Implications for germplasm improvement

Walnuts are highly valued for their rich nutritional profile and wide medicinal applications. This demand has led to the intensification of breeding activities in major walnut production areas such as southwest China, in order to develop more superior cultivars. With the increasing number of cultivars, accurate identification becomes fundamental to selecting the right cultivar for grafting, industrial processing or development of new cultivars. To ensure proper identification of cultivars and understand the genetic structure of wild and cultivated material, we genotyped 362 cultivated and wild individuals of walnut trees from southwest China (with two additional populations from Xinjiang, plus three cultivars from Canada, France and Belgium) using 36 polymorphic microsatellite loci. We found relatively low indices of genetic diversity (H(O) = 0.570, H(E) = 0.404, N(A) = 2.345) as well as a high level of clonality (>85% of cultivars), indicating reliance on genetically narrow sources of parental material for breeding. Our STRUCTURE and PCoA analyses generally delineated the two species, though considerable levels of introgression were also evident. More significantly, we detected a distinct genetic group of cultivated Juglanssigillata, which mainly comprised individuals of the popular ‘Yangbidapao’ landrace. Finally, a core set of 18 SSR loci was selected, which was capable of identifying 32 cultivars. In a nutshell, our results call for more utilization of genetically disparate material, including wild walnut trees, as parental sources to breed for more cultivars. The data reported herein will significantly contribute towards the genetic improvement and conservation of the walnut germplasm in southwest China

Frequent occurrence of unreduced gametes in Triticum turgidum-Aegilops tauschii hybrids.

Abstract Spontaneous chromosome doubling via union of unreduced (2n) gametes has been thought to be the way that common wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) was originated from the hybridization of T. turgidum L. with Ae. tauschii Cosson. Previous works have observed unreduced gametes in F 1 hybrids of Ae. tauschii with six of the eight T. turgidum subspecies. It is not clear, however, whether the formation of these unreduced gametes is a norm in the F 1 hybrids. In the present study, we tried to answer this question by assessing the occurrence frequency of unreduced gametes in 115 T. turgidum-Ae. tauschii hybrid combinations, involving 76 genotypes of seven T. turgdium subspecies and 24 Ae. tauschii accessions. Our data show that these hybrid combinations differed significantly (P B 0.01, F = 11.40) in selfed seedset, an indicator for production of unreduced gametes. This study clearly showed that meiotic restitution genes are widely distributed within T. turgidum. However, significant differences were found between as well as within T. turgidum subspecies and in the interaction of the T. turgidum genotypes with those of Ae. taushii. The possible application of the meiotic restitution genes from T. turgidum in production of double haploids is also discussed

The DSF family of quorum sensing signals: diversity, biosynthesis, and turnover

The diffusible signaling factor (DSF)-based quorum sensing (QS) system has emerged as a widely conserved cell–cell communication mechanism in Gram-negative bacteria. Typically, signals from the DSF family are cis-2-unsaturated fatty acids which regulate diverse biological functions. Recently, substantial progress has been made on the characterization of new members of this family of signals. There have also been new developments in the understanding of the biosynthesis of these molecules where dual enzymatic activities of the DSF synthase and the use of various substrates have been described. The recent discovery of a naturally occurring DSF turnover mechanism and its regulation provides a new dimension in our understanding of how DSF-dependent microorganisms modulate virulence gene expression in response to changes in the surrounding environment