Rotavirus Antigenemia in Children Is Associated with Viremia

BACKGROUND: Antigenemia is commonly detected in rotavirus-infected children. Although rotavirus RNA has been detected in serum, definitive proof of rotavirus viremia has not been shown. We aimed to analyze a defined patient population to determine if infectious virus could be detected in sera from children with rotavirus antigenemia. METHODS AND FINDINGS: Serum samples obtained upon hospitalization from children with gastroenteritis (57 stool rotavirus-positive and 41 rotavirus-negative), children with diagnosed bronchiolitis of known (n = 58) or unknown (n = 17) viral etiology, children with noninfectious, nonchronic conditions (n = 17), and healthy adults (n = 28) were tested for rotavirus antigen by enzyme immunoassay (EIA). Results of serum antigen testing were assessed for association with clinical and immunological attributes of the children. Rotavirus antigenemia was detected in 90% (51/57) of children with rotavirus-positive stools, in 89% (8/9) of children without diarrhea but with rotavirus-positive stools, in 12% (2/17) of children with bronchiolitis of unknown etiology without gastroenteritis, and in 12% (5/41) of children with gastroenteritis but with rotavirus-negative stools. Antigenemia was not detected in sera from children with noninfectious nonchronic conditions, children with bronchiolitis of known etiology and no gastroenteritis, or healthy adults. Neither age nor timing of serum collection within eight days after onset of gastroenteritis significantly affected levels of antigenemia, and there was no correlation between antigenemia and viral genotype. However, there was a negative correlation between serum rotavirus antigen and acute rotavirus-specific serum IgA (r = −0.44, p = 0.025) and IgG (r = −0.40, p = 0.01) titers. We examined 11 antigen-positive and nine antigen-negative sera for infectious virus after three blind serial passages in HT-29 cells using immunofluorescence staining for rotavirus structural and nonstructural proteins. Infectious virus was detected in 11/11 (100%) sera from serum antigen-positive children and in two out of nine (22%) sera samples from antigen-negative children (p = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: Most children infected with rotavirus are viremic. The presence of viremia is directly related to the detection of antigenemia and is independent of the presence of diarrhea. Antigenemia load is inversely related to the titer of antirotavirus antibody in the serum. The finding of infectious rotavirus in the blood suggests extraintestinal involvement in rotavirus pathogenesis; however, the impact of rotavirus viremia on clinical manifestations of infection is unknown

Whole Transcriptome-Based Skin Virome Profiling in Typical Epidermodysplasia Verruciformis Reveals α-, β-, and γ-HPV Infections

HPVs are DNA viruses include approximately 450 types that are classified into 5 genera (α-, β-, γ-, μ-, and ν-HPV). The γ- and β-HPVs are present in low copy numbers in healthy individuals; however, in patients with an inborn error of immunity, certain species of β-HPVs can cause epidermodysplasia verruciformis (EV), manifesting as recalcitrant cutaneous warts and skin cancer. EV presents as either typical or atypical. Manifestations of typical EV are limited to the skin and are caused by abnormal keratinocyte-intrinsic immunity to β-HPVs due to pathogenic sequence variants in TMC6, TMC8, or CIB1. We applied a transcriptome-based computational pipeline, VirPy, to RNA extracted from normal-appearing skin and wart samples of patients with typical EV to explore the viral and human genetic determinants. In 26 patients, 9 distinct biallelic mutations were detected in TMC6, TMC8, and CIB1, 7 of which are previously unreported to our knowledge. Additionally, 20 different HPV species, including 3 α-HPVs, 16 β-HPVs, and 1 γ-HPV, were detected, 8 of which are reported here for the first time to our knowledge in patients with EV (β-HPV-37, -47, -80, -151, and -159; α-HPV-2 and -57; and γ-HPV-128). This study expands the TMC6, TMC8, and CIB1 sequence variant spectrum and implicates new HPV subtypes in the pathogenesis of typical EV

Optimization of the pulsed electric field -assisted extraction of functional compounds from Nepeta binaludensis

Pulsed electric field (PEF) treatment was used for extracting effective components from Nepeta (Nepeta binaludensis Jamzad). A response surface method was used to investigate the effects of independent process variables (voltage of pulsed electric field (VPEF): 2, 4 and 6 KV/cm and number of pulsed electric field (NPEF): 20, 40 and 60 n) on the yield (Y) and antioxidant characteristics: total phenolic compounds (TPC), 1,1- diphenyl -2- picrylhydrazyl free radical scavenging (DPPHsc), ferric reducing-antioxidant power (FRAP), half  maximal of radical-scavenging activity (IC50) of Nepeta extract (aerial parts). According to Derringer’s desired function approach, the optimal conditions based on both individual and combinations of all process variables were VPEF 6KV/cm and NPEF 60 n. At this optimum condition, the Y, TPC, DPPHSC, FRAP, and IC50 of the extract were found to be 11.36%, 417.85 mg GA/g, 74.8%, 1688.53µmol Fe2+/g, and 0.32 mg/mL, respectively. The experimental values were in a good agreement with the predicted values. Also, the extract at optimal conditions of PEF (PEFopt-x) had a higher quantity of chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, rutin, para-coumaric acid, rosemarinic acid, Kaempferol, and apigenin compared with solvent extract. The addition of PEFopt-x to the purified soybean oil at the levels of 6% increased oxidative stability index (2.65 h) close to butylated hydroxy toluene (2.78h)

Environmental effects on leaf morphology traits in the populus euphratica Oliv. provenances of Iran

We studied the variation in leaf morphological traits for 7 habitats of Populus euphratica Oliv. in natural form as well as transplanted to an experimental station in Karadj- Iran. In this study, 28 even-aged, mature P. euphratica trees and 24 leaf samples were randomly collected from each habitat (6 leaves for each tree). Then a set of macro- and micro-morphological characteristics were measured on the samples. There was a plastic morphological response to the environment for each provenance. All morphological characters except maximum leaf width (MLW), ratio of petiole length to leaf length (PL: LL) and the distance between the middle of maximum leaf width and leaf blade (DLL) varied significantly among provenances in both natural and field conditions. Stomata density and stomata size were plastic characters, since the stomata density increased in warm habitats while stomata size decreased. In addition, we observed significant differences in size and density of stomata for natural and field-transplanted provenances. Correlation analysis between environmental factors and leaf morphological traits indicated a significant relationship. Furthermore, Principal component analysis (PCA) on all morphological traits on provenances showed that morphological range of the provenances decreases when growing in the experimental field compared to their natural habitat. Eventually, we found a weak significant correlation between geographical and morphological distances

Gradual formation of nano/ultrafine structure under accumulative press bonding (APB) process

© 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Accumulative press bonding (APB) is a developed reuse of the oldest severe plastic deformation (SPD) process to produce nano/ultrafine grained (UFG) materials. In the present work, microstructural evolution and mechanical properties of AA1050 pure aluminum alloy have been investigated under APB technique up to 14 cycles. From scanning transmission electron microscopy characterization, it was found that continuous dynamic recovery was a dominant mechanism in grain refinement, and resulted in formation of nano/ultrafine grains with average diameter of 450 nm in pressing direction and 320 nm in transverse direction. After 14 APB cycles, almost 10% of all grains were less than 100 nm. Electron backscattered diffraction revealed that the fraction of high angle boundaries and the mean misorientation angle increased by increasing strain during APB process and reached a saturation value of ~ 78% and ~ 35°, respectively. By increasing the number of APB cycles, the tensile strength of the APB processed aluminum improved and reached 180 MPa after 14 cycles, which was two times higher than obtained values for initial materials, i.e. 88 MPa. On the other hand, the elongation dropped abruptly at the first cycle and then increased slightly. Strengthening in APB processed aluminum was attributed to strain hardening by dislocation accumulation dominant in primary cycles, and grain refinement which was dominant in final cycles. Scanning electron microscopy observations demonstrated that failure mode in APB processed aluminum was shear ductile rupture with small elongated dimples.The authors acknowledge financial support from CICYT (Spain) under the program MAT2012-38962-C03-01, and the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology of IranPeer Reviewe

Effect of alpha-lipoic acid on asymmetric dimethylarginine and disability in multiple sclerosis patients: A randomized clinical trial

Background: Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory and demyelinating disease of the central nervous system. Oxidative stress plays a major role in the onset and progression of MS. Asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) formation is dependent on oxidative stress status. Objective: We examined whether alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) as a potent antioxidant could improve the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) and decrease plasma level of ADMA in multiple sclerosis patients. Methods: In a randomized, double-blinded clinical trial conducted at Sina Hospital in Tehran, Iran, from September 2009 to July 2011, 24 patients with relapsing-remitting MS were divided into a treatment group receiving ALA (1200mg/day) for 12 weeks and a control group receiving placebo. Then patients’ EDSS and Plasma levels of ADMA were measured at baseline and 12 weeks later. Statistical analysis was done by SPSS software version 16 using the K-S test, Chi square, Mann–Whitney U-test and Wilcoxon test. Results: The plasma levels of ADMA in the intervention group were decreased significantly (p=0.04). Also, no patient had increased EDSS score in the supplement group, where 2 out of 12 patients in the placebo group experienced so. Comparing the serum level of ADMA between the two groups failed to show any significant change in the supplement group compared with the control group. Conclusion: Considering that ADMA is produced by oxidative stress in MS patients and leads to increase of inflammation, ALA may have the potential of beneficial effects in them, in part, by decreasing the plasma level of ADMA and stopping progression. Trial registration: The trial was registered at the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (http://www.irct.ir) with the Irct ID: No. IRCT138812222602N2. Funding: The authors received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this articl

Effect of intramural uterine myoma on the outcome of ART cycles

Background: Although the uterine fibroids are common, their influence on fertility remains controversial. The association of submucosal fibroid with subfertility is well recognized, but debate persists as to whether intramural fibroids can cause infertility and the evidence for its effect on pregnancy in cycles of assisted conception remains unclear. Objective: The purpose of present study was to determine the effect of intramural fibroids less than 6 cm not compressing uterine cavity on the outcome of ART cycles in patients undergoing IVF/ICSI cycles. Materials and Methods: In this prospective cohort study, 94 women with uterine intramural fibroids and 184 controls referred to Royan Institute between 2001 and 2002 were enrolled. The intramural fibroids and their location were detected by transvaginal ultrasound performed just before the ART cycle. All patients underwent long standard GnRH agonist protocol. Student t-test and Chi-square test were used for the statistical analysis. Results: The mean age of patients was 33.9 ±3.37 years in myoma group (n=94) and 33.28 ±3.59 years in control group (n=184). The total dose of gonadotropin used, estradiol level on day of hCG administration, the number of metaphase II oocytes retrieved, fertilization rate, number and quality of embryos developed and transferred, the clinical pregnancy and abortion rates were similar in two groups. Conclusion: The presence of intramural fibroids less than 6 cm not compressing endometrial cavity does not adversely affect clinical pregnancy rate in patients undergoing IVF or ICSI