Swine Toll-like receptor 9(1) recognizes CpG motifs of human cell stimulant

Complementary DNA (cDNA) encoding swine Toll-like receptor 9 (sTLR9) was isolated from Peyer's patches (Pps) of gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT). The complete open reading frame (ORF) of sTLR9 contains 3093 bp coding deduced 1030 amino acid residues. The amino acid sequence of sTLR9 was characterized by a signal peptide followed by multiple leucine-rich repeats, a transmembrane sequence and a cytoplasmic domain homologous to that of the human interleukin-1 receptor (TIR). The sTLR9 showed a higher amino acid identity with humans (81.8%) and felis catus (86.7%) than mice (74.9%). The HEK293T cells transfected with pCXN2.1-FLAG DNA containing the sTLR9 cDNA were expressed sTLR9 as a membrane-bound molecules, which were reactive with anti-sTLR9 rabbit polyclonal antibody. Moreover, the transfectant was responsible for the CpG oligo DNA. sTLR9 was preferentially expressed in Pps and mesenteric lymph nodes (MLNs), and its degree was approximately three times higher than a spleen but weak in the other tissues by the real-time quantitative PCR analyses. The strong expression of sTLR9 in Pps and MLNs and its recognizing CpG DNA for human cell stimulant are shown first in this study, which may help in understanding the intestinal immune system mediated by a bacterial DNA through TLR9.     

Framingham Ten-Year General Cardiovascular Disease Risk: Agreement between BMI-Based and Cholesterol-Based Estimates in a South Asian Convenience Sample

The goal of this analysis was to determine the agreement between body mass index-based and cholesterol-based ten-year Framingham general cardiovascular disease risk scores among a convenience sample of 773 South Asian Canadian adults attending community-based screening clinics. Scores were calculated using age, systolic blood pressure, antihypertensive use, current smoking, diabetes, and total cholesterol and high density lipoprotein (for cholesterol-based risk) or height and weight (for body mass index-based risk). Mean risk score differences (body mass index-based risk minus cholesterol-based risk) were estimated using paired t-tests. Bland-Altman plots were used to assess agreement between scores. Finally, agreement across risk categories (low [<10%], moderate [10% to <20%], high [> = 20%]) was examined using the kappa statistic. Average agreement between the two risk scores was quite good overall (mean differences of 0.6% for men and 0.5% for women), but increased to about 3% among participants 60–74 years of age. However, Bland-Altman plots revealed that the differences between the two scores and the variability of the differences increased with increasing average 10-year risk. In terms of clinical importance, the limits of agreement were reasonable for women < 60 years (95% confidence interval: -3.2% to 3.1%), but of concern for women 60-74 years (95% confidence interval: -6.0% to 12.3%), men < 60 years (95% confidence interval: -7.1% to 7.3%) and men 6-074 years (95% confidence interval: -13.8% to 18.8%). Agreement across categories was moderate for most sex and age groups examined (kappa values: 0.51 for women < 60 years, 0.50 for women 60-74 years, 0.65 for men < 60 years), except for men 60-74 years, where agreement was only fair (kappa = 0.26). In light of these disagreements, evaluation of a participant’s change in cardiovascular disease risk over time will necessitate use of the same risk score (i.e., either body mass index-based or cholesterol-based) at all screening sessions.     

The Epidemiology of Hepatitis C Virus in the Fertile Crescent: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Objective

To characterize hepatitis C virus (HCV) epidemiology in countries of the Fertile Crescent region of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), namely Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, and Syria.

Methods

We systematically reviewed and synthesized available records of HCV incidence and prevalence following PRISMA guidelines. Meta-analyses were implemented using a DerSimonian-Laird random effects model with inverse weighting to estimate the country-specific HCV prevalence among the various at risk population groups.

Results

We identified eight HCV incidence and 240 HCV prevalence measures in the Fertile Crescent. HCV sero-conversion risk among hemodialysis patients was 9.2% in Jordan and 40.3% in Iraq, and ranged between 0% and 3.5% among other populations in Iraq over different follow-up times. Our meta-analyses estimated HCV prevalence among the general population at 0.2% in Iraq (range: 0–7.2%; 95% CI: 0.1–0.3%), 0.3% in Jordan (range: 0–2.0%; 95% CI: 0.1–0.5%), 0.2% in Lebanon (range: 0–3.4%; 95% CI: 0.1–0.3%), 0.2% in Palestine (range: 0–9.0%; 95% CI: 0.2–0.3%), and 0.4% in Syria (range: 0.3–0.9%; 95% CI: 0.4–0.5%). Among populations at high risk, HCV prevalence was estimated at 19.5% in Iraq (range: 0–67.3%; 95% CI: 14.9–24.5%), 37.0% in Jordan (range: 21–59.5%; 95% CI: 29.3–45.0%), 14.5% in Lebanon (range: 0–52.8%; 95% CI: 5.6–26.5%), and 47.4% in Syria (range: 21.0–75.0%; 95% CI: 32.5–62.5%). Genotypes 4 and 1 appear to be the dominant circulating strains.

Conclusions

HCV prevalence in the population at large appears to be below 1%, lower than that in other MENA sub-regions, and tending towards the lower end of the global range. However, there is evidence for ongoing HCV transmission within medical facilities and among people who inject drugs (PWID). Migration dynamics appear to have played a role in determining the circulating genotypes. HCV prevention efforts should be targeted, and focus on infection control in clinical settings and harm reduction among PWID.     

Development and mapping of peach candidate genes involved in fruit quality and their transferability and potential use in other Rosaceae species

The goal of the present study was to identify candidate genes (CGs) involved in fruit quality in peach that can be transferred to other Rosaceae species. Two cDNA libraries from fruit of the “Fantasia” peach cultivar, constructed at two stages of development, were used to generate a set of expressed sequence tag sequences. A total of 1,730 peach unigenes were obtained after clustering. Sequences and corresponding annotations were stored in a relational database and are available through a web interface. Fifty-nine CGs involved in fruit growth and development or fruit quality at maturity, focusing on sweetness, acidity, and phenolic compound content, were selected according to their annotation. Fifty-five primer pairs, designed from peach CG sequences and giving PCR products in peach, were tested in strawberry and 36 gave amplified products. Eight CGs were mapped in peach, 14 in strawberry, four in both species and confirmed the pattern of synteny already proposed using comparative mapping. In peach, the CGs are located in three linkage groups (3, 5, 7), and in strawberry they are distributed in all seven Fragaria linkage groups. Colocalization between some of these CGs and quantitative trait loci for fruit quality traits were identified and are awaiting confirmation in further analyses.     

Electrophysiological bases of semantic processing of objects

How pictures and words are stored and processed in the human brain constitute a long-standing question in cognitive psychology. Behavioral studies have yielded a large amount of data addressing this issue. Generally speaking, these data show that there are some interactions between the semantic processing of pictures and words. However, behavioral methods can provide only limited insight into certain findings. Fortunately, Event-Related Potential (ERP) provides on-line cues about the temporal nature of cognitive processes and contributes to the exploration of their neural substrates. ERPs have been used in order to better understand semantic processing of words and pictures. The main objective of this article is to offer an overview of the electrophysiologic bases of semantic processing of words and pictures. Studies presented in this article showed that the processing of words is associated with an N 400 component, whereas pictures elicited both N 300 and N 400 components. Topographical analysis of the N 400 distribution over the scalp is compatible with the idea that both image-mediated concrete words and pictures access an amodal semantic system. However, given the distinctive N 300 patterns, observed only during picture processing, it appears that picture and word processing rely upon distinct neuronal networks, even if they end up activating more or less similar semantic representations.     

Blocking neddylation elicits antiviral effect against hepatitis B virus replication

Molecular Biology Reports - Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) is the most common cause of chronic liver disease worldwide. The mechanisms that regulate HBV viral replication remain poorly defined. Here, we...     

Effect of age,sex, and mutual interaction on the locomotor behavior of Orchestia gammarellus in the supralittoral zone of Ghar El Melh lagoon (Bizerte,Tunisia)

Freshly collected individuals of Orchestia gammarellus from the supralittoral zone of Ghar El Melh lagoon (Northern of Tunisia) were housed in spring in a controlled-environment cabinet. Locomotor activity rhythm of this species was recorded in spring, at a constant temperature of 18 ± 0.5 °C. In the first experiment, juveniles and adults specimens were kept under light-dark cycle in phase with the natural diel cycle. In the two other experiments (males/females and mixed/unmixed groups), individuals of O. gammarellus were maintained under constant darkness. According to double-plotted actograms, waveforms and periodogram analysis, results revealed different locomotor pattern. However, locomotor rhythm of juveniles was more stable than adults. Also, the locomotor activity rhythm of groups was more defined than that of the isolated individuals. Moreover, the activity of mixed groups as well as unmixed groups was more pronounced than the activity of the isolated individuals. Furthermore, results showed no significant difference between locomotor rhythm pattern of males and females of this species.     

Sulforaphane enhances progerin clearance in Hutchinson–Gilford progeria fibroblasts

Hutchinson–Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS, OMIM 176670) is a rare multisystem childhood premature aging disorder linked to mutations in the LMNA gene. The most common HGPS mutation is found at position G608G within exon 11 of the LMNA gene. This mutation results in the deletion of 50 amino acids at the carboxyl‐terminal tail of prelamin A, and the truncated protein is called progerin. Progerin only undergoes a subset of the normal post‐translational modifications and remains permanently farnesylated. Several attempts to rescue the normal cellular phenotype with farnesyltransferase inhibitors (FTIs) and other compounds have resulted in partial cellular recovery. Using proteomics, we report here that progerin induces changes in the composition of the HGPS nuclear proteome, including alterations to several components of the protein degradation pathways. Consequently, proteasome activity and autophagy are impaired in HGPS cells. To restore protein clearance in HGPS cells, we treated HGPS cultures with sulforaphane (SFN), an antioxidant derived from cruciferous vegetables. We determined that SFN stimulates proteasome activity and autophagy in normal and HGPS fibroblast cultures. Specifically, SFN enhances progerin clearance by autophagy and reverses the phenotypic changes that are the hallmarks of HGPS. Therefore, SFN is a promising therapeutic avenue for children with HGPS.