Seroprevalence and risk factors of Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus infection among the general Uygur population from south and north region of Xinjiang, China

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Kaposi sarcoma (KS) is a complex multifocal neoplasm and is the major cause of death for about 50% of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients. Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) is an oncogenic virus with a causal role in the development of all types of KS. KS is prevalent among the Uygur people in Xinjiang, especially in south area. Here we carried out a cross-sectional study among 1534 general Uygur individuals from south and north region of Xinjiang to assess the seroprevalence of KSHV and to identify the potential correlation between KSHV seroprevalence and KS incidence.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Seroprevalence of KSHV in South and North Xinjiang was 23.1% and 25.9%, respectively. Older age was independently associated with higher KSHV seroprevalence. In subjects from South Xinjiang, lower educational level and reported drinking were each independently associated with higher KSHV seroprevalence. Furthermore, the antibody titer was significantly lower in both south and north KSHV seropositive individuals compared with KS patients, as analyzed by gradient dilution (P < 0.001).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>KSHV is highly prevalent in the general Uygur population in both South and North Xinjiang. Interestingly, the infection rate of KSHV in these two geographical areas did not correlate well with KS incidence. Perhaps unknown factors exist that promote the progression of KSHV infection to KS development in the local minority groups.</p

Decision-support tools to build climate resilience against emerging infectious diseases in Europe and beyond

Climate change is one of several drivers of recurrent outbreaks and geographical range expansion of infectious diseases in Europe. We propose a framework for the co-production of policy-relevant indicators and decision-support tools that track past, present, and future climate-induced disease risks across hazard, exposure, and vulnerability domains at the animal, human, and environmental interface. This entails the co-development of early warning and response systems and tools to assess the costs and benefits of climate change adaptation and mitigation measures across sectors, to increase health system resilience at regional and local levels and reveal novel policy entry points and opportunities. Our approach involves multi-level engagement, innovative methodologies, and novel data streams. We take advantage of intelligence generated locally and empirically to quantify effects in areas experiencing rapid urban transformation and heterogeneous climate-induced disease threats. Our goal is to reduce the knowledge-to-action gap by developing an integrated One Health—Climate Risk framework

The p250GAP Gene Is Associated with Risk for Schizophrenia and Schizotypal Personality Traits

BACKGROUND: Hypofunction of the glutamate N-Methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor has been implicated in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. p250GAP is a brain-enriched NMDA receptor-interacting RhoGAP. p250GAP is involved in spine morphology, and spine morphology has been shown to be altered in the post-mortem brains of patients with schizophrenia. Schizotypal personality disorder has a strong familial relationship with schizophrenia. Several susceptibility genes for schizophrenia have been related to schizotypal traits. METHODS: We first investigated the association of eight linkage disequilibrium-tagging single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that cover the p250GAP gene with schizophrenia in a Japanese sample of 431 schizophrenia patients and 572 controls. We then investigated the impact of the risk genetic variant in the p250GAP gene on schizotypal personality traits in 180 healthy subjects using the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire. RESULTS: We found a significant difference in genotype frequency between the patients and the controls in rs2298599 (χ(2) = 17.6, p = 0.00015). The minor A/A genotype frequency of rs2298599 was higher in the patients (18%) than in the controls (9%) (χ(2) = 15.5, p = 0.000083). Moreover, we found that subjects with the rs2298599 risk A/A genotype, compared with G allele carriers, had higher scores of schizotypal traits (F(1,178) = 4.08, p = 0.045), particularly the interpersonal factor (F(1,178) = 5.85, p = 0.017). DISCUSSION: These results suggest that a genetic variation in the p250GAP gene might increase susceptibility not only for schizophrenia but also for schizotypal personality traits. We concluded that the p250GAP gene might be a new candidate gene for susceptibility to schizophrenia

Effect of apomorphine on cognitive performance and sensorimotor gating in humans

Contains fulltext : 88792.pdf (publisher's version ) (Closed access)INTRODUCTION: Dysfunction of brain dopamine systems is involved in various neuropsychiatric disorders. Challenge studies with dopamine receptor agonists have been performed to assess dopamine receptor functioning, classically using the release of growth hormone (GH) from the hindbrain as primary outcome measure. The objective of the current study was to assess dopamine receptor functioning at the forebrain level. METHODS: Fifteen healthy male volunteers received apomorphine sublingually (2 mg), subcutaneously (0.005 mg/kg), and placebo in a balanced, double-blind, cross-over design. Outcome measures were plasma GH levels, performance on an AX continuous performance test, and prepulse inhibition of the acoustic startle. The relation between central outcome measures and apomorphine levels observed in plasma and calculated in the brain was modeled using a two-compartmental pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic analysis. RESULTS: After administration of apomorphine, plasma GH increased and performance on the AX continuous performance test deteriorated, particularly in participants with low baseline performance. Apomorphine disrupted prepulse inhibition (PPI) on high-intensity (85 dB) prepulse trials and improved PPI on low intensity (75 dB) prepulse trials, particularly in participants with low baseline PPI. High cognitive performance at baseline was associated with reduced baseline sensorimotor gating. Neurophysiological measures correlated best with calculated brain apomorphine levels after subcutaneous administration. CONCLUSION: The apomorphine challenge test appears a useful tool to assess dopamine receptor functioning at the forebrain level. Modulation of the effect of apomorphine by baseline performance levels may be explained by an inverted U-shape relation between prefrontal dopamine functioning and cognitive performance, and mesolimbic dopamine functioning and sensorimotor gating. Future apomorphine challenge tests preferentially use multiple outcome measures, after subcutaneous administration of apomorphine.1 januari 201

Haloperidol differentially modulates prepulse inhibition and p50 suppression in healthy humans stratified for low and high gating levels

Schizophrenia patients exhibit deficits in sensory gating as indexed by reduced prepulse inhibition (PPI) and P50 suppression, which have been linked to psychotic symptom formation and cognitive deficits. Although recent evidence suggests that atypical antipsychotics might be superior over typical antipsychotics in reversing PPI and P50 suppression deficits not only in schizophrenia patients, but also in healthy volunteers exhibiting low levels of PPI, the impact of typical antipsychotics on these gating measures is less clear. To explore the impact of the dopamine D2-like receptor system on gating and cognition, the acute effects of haloperidol on PPI, P50 suppression, and cognition were assessed in 26 healthy male volunteers split into subgroups having low vs high PPI or P50 suppression levels using a placebo-controlled within-subject design. Haloperidol failed to increase PPI in subjects exhibiting low levels of PPI, but attenuated PPI in those subjects with high sensorimotor gating levels. Furthermore, haloperidol increased P50 suppression in subjects exhibiting low P50 gating and disrupted P50 suppression in individuals expressing high P50 gating levels. Independently of drug condition, high PPI levels were associated with superior strategy formation and execution times in a subset of cognitive tests. Moreover, haloperidol impaired spatial working memory performance and planning ability. These findings suggest that dopamine D2-like receptors are critically involved in the modulation of P50 suppression in healthy volunteers, and to a lesser extent also in PPI among subjects expressing high sensorimotor gating levels. Furthermore, the results suggest a relation between sensorimotor gating and working memory performance

Molecular Components and Functions of the Endocannabinoid System in Mouse Prefrontal Cortex

Background. Cannabinoids have deleterious effects on prefrontal cortex (PFC)-mediated functions and multiple evidences link the endogenous cannabinoid (endocannabinoid) system, cannabis use and schizophrenia, a disease in which PFC functions are altered. Nonetheless, the molecular composition and the physiological functions of the endocannabinoid system in the PFC are unknown. Methodology/Principal Findings. Here, using electron microscopy we found that key proteins involved in endocannabinoid signaling are expressed in layers V/VI of the mouse prelimbic area of the PFC: presynaptic cannabinoid CB1 receptors (CB1R) faced postsynaptic mGluR5 while diacylglycerol lipase alpha (DGL-alpha), the enzyme generating the endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoyl-glycerol (2-AG) was expressed in the same dendritic processes as mGluR5. Activation of presynaptic CB1R strongly inhibited evoked excitatory post-synaptic currents. Prolonged synaptic stimulation at 10Hz induced a profound long-term depression (LTD) of layers V/VI excitatory inputs. The endocannabinoid -LTD was presynaptically expressed and depended on the activation of postsynaptic mGluR5, phospholipase C and a rise in postsynaptic Ca2+ as predicted from the localization of the different components of the endocannabinoid system. Blocking the degradation of 2-AG (with URB 602) but not of anandamide (with URB 597) converted subthreshold tetanus to LTD-inducing ones. Moreover, inhibiting the synthesis of 2-AG with Tetrahydrolipstatin, blocked endocannabinoid-mediated LTD. All together, our data show that 2-AG mediates LTD at these synapses. Conclusions/Significance. Our data show that the endocannabinoid -retrograde signaling plays a prominent role in long-term synaptic plasticity at the excitatory synapses of the PFC. Alterations of endocannabinoid -mediated synaptic plasticity may participate to the etiology of PFC-related pathologies

Nutrition in Mental and Physical Health

Eating habits are crucial for human health. People around the world have health problems due to their diet. Malnutrition combined with a lack of essential nutrients and obesity with overconsumption of sugar is significant problems. For the most part, the human daily diet should include foods rich in vitamins, fatty acids, minerals, and trace elements. On the other hand, the consumption of substances such as sugar and trans fats causes negative effects on the human body. Fish, vegetables, and nuts are some of the food that contributes to good health. Also, specific foods help the hormones of happiness to increase in our body. This has the effect of reducing stress and increasing happiness. New technologies are a tool that can help individuals to maintain proper nutrition and good health. For example, through the iCTs applications, everyone can individually control his weight, physical exercise, and find the right combinations to have a better and more quality life without diseases

Technology-mediated participatory and performative artistic expressions as social educational tools

This paper examines the role of participatory, performative forms of art that incorporate new media technologies as educational tools, in a wider social context. In particular, using paradigms from technology-based artistic performative and participatory expressions, the research underlines the importance of technology in diminishing the passive role of the viewers and focuses in alternative forms of educational experiences and social memory transmission. Herein the historical continuity of participatory notions is depicted from primitive cultures to the contemporary paradigm of the work of Rafael Lozano Hemmer, and from the Brechtian Epic theatre to the ritual performances of Joseph Beuys. In this context educational theories are presented focusing on the acquisition of knowledge through the notions of interactivity, participation and the experience of social space itself. Furthermore, through Connertons’ idea of performance as an act of ritual remembering, these kinds of events that represent artistic expressions are being regarded as ritual acts that interpret and transmit the knowledge of the past and the present. The paper concludes that participation and performativity, which have emerged through the use of technology, transform these kind of contemporary art forms to educational rituals. Copyright © 2018 for this paper by its authors. Use permitted under Creative Commons License Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) DCAC 2018