To explore pharmaceutical actinobacteria from salty environments in Siberia,8 soil samples were collected from different depths of Gudzhirganskoe saline lake,the Republic of Buryatia,Russia.Totally,635 actinobacterial...To explore pharmaceutical actinobacteria from salty environments in Siberia,8 soil samples were collected from different depths of Gudzhirganskoe saline lake,the Republic of Buryatia,Russia.Totally,635 actinobacterial strains affiliated with 21 genera in 12 families of 7 orders were obtained by culture-dependent approaches.The predominant genus was Streptomyces(74.5%),followed by Microbacterium(4.9%),Agromyces(3.5%),Nocardiopsis(3.0%),and Kitasatospora(2.5%).Seven strains showed relatively low 16 S rRNA similarities(<98.65%)with validly described species.Seventy-seven strains were selected as representatives to evaluate their antimicrobial activities and underlying mechanisms by paper-disk diffusion method and a double fluorescent protein reporter system(pDualrep 2),respectively.Streptomyces sp.S 6 b 3-1 was highlighted due to its strong inhibitory activities against Gram-positive bacteria and underlying antibacterial mechanism by inducing the SOS response in the reporter system.LG-1,(R)-6-[1-(benzoyloxy)ethyl]-phenazine-1-carboxylic acid,an analogue of saphenamycin was finally isolated from the culture broth of Streptomyces strain.This study preliminarily explored the actinobacterial diversity of soil samples collected in the highly alkaline and saline lake Gudzhirganskoe by culture-dependent approach and their capacity to produce antibiotics for the first time,which revealed that it deserves to make more efforts to discover new actinobacterial species and potential new antibiotics from the saline lake in Eastern Siberia.展开更多
Although the efficiency of poly(ethylene terephthalate)(PET)degradation has been successfully improved by depolymerase engineering,mostly by using Goodfellow-PET(gf-PET)as a substrate,efforts to degrade unpretreated P...Although the efficiency of poly(ethylene terephthalate)(PET)degradation has been successfully improved by depolymerase engineering,mostly by using Goodfellow-PET(gf-PET)as a substrate,efforts to degrade unpretreated PET materials with high crystallinity remain insufficient.Here,we endeavored to improve the degradation capability of a WCCG mutant of leaf-branch compost cutinase(LCC)on a unpretreated PET substrate(crystallinity>40%)by employing iterative saturation mutagenesis.Using this method,we developed a high-throughput screening strategy appropriate for unpretreated substrates.Through extensive screening of residues around the substrate-binding groove,two variants,WCCG-sup1 and WCCG-sup2,showed good depolymerization capabilities with both high-(42%)and low-crystallinity(9%)substrates.The WCCG-sup1 variant completely depolymerized a commercial unpretreated PET product in 36 h at 72℃.In addition to enzyme thermostability and catalytic efficiency,the adsorption of enzymes onto substrates plays an important role in PET degradation.This study provides valuable insights into the structure-function relationship of LCC.展开更多
Soil organic amendments(OAs)are used to replenish carbon(C)and nutrients in the soil to prevent its degradation and increase its fertility.While soil can be an important C sink,it can also release significant amounts ...Soil organic amendments(OAs)are used to replenish carbon(C)and nutrients in the soil to prevent its degradation and increase its fertility.While soil can be an important C sink,it can also release significant amounts of greenhouse gases(GHGs).Different OA pretreatment technologies indirectly affect soil aggregate formation and C stabilization even when the same initial substrate is used.However,little is known about the long-term effect of OA pretreatment on the soil C and nitrogen(N)associated with macroaggregates,which are known to disintegrate faster than microaggregates.In this study,we studied the effect of OA pretreatment on soil C and N in relation to aggregate formation and GHG emissions using five differently pretreated OAs from the same original OA,i.e.,composted,digested,and fermented OA,a 1:1 mix of the composted and fermented OAs,and the unpretreated original OA.We monitored the changes in a soil column experiment after 6 and 12 months of incubation.Our results indicated that OA pretreatment indirectly affected GHG emissions from soil.The composted and mixed OAs released less GHGs(i.e.,carbon dioxide,nitrous oxide,and methane)but had no positive impact on macroaggregates,while the digested OA induced long-lasting macroaggregation and occluded particulate organic matter formation,emitting intermediate levels of GHGs.The unpretreated OA exhibited the highest GHG emissions,similar to the fermented OA,albeit without benefiting macroaggregation.These demonstrated that OA pretreatment had a long-lasting indirect effect on soil C and N,influencing total GHG emissions,nitrous oxide formation mechanisms,and soil macroaggregate formation.展开更多
Microbes play a critical role in shaping immune development,with growing interest in how rhinovirus(RV)interacts with the host immune system,particularly in individuals with asthma and chronic obstructive pul-monary d...Microbes play a critical role in shaping immune development,with growing interest in how rhinovirus(RV)interacts with the host immune system,particularly in individuals with asthma and chronic obstructive pul-monary disease(COPD).Disruptions in microbial balance during RV infections can impair immune homeostasis and worsen disease outcomes.Recent studies emphasize RV-induced regulation of antiviral defenses,cytokine production,and immune tolerance.This review explores the interplay between RV,the immune system,and microbiota,highlighting the importance of these interactions in guiding effective therapies for respiratory in-fections.It advances existing literature by considering microbiota-mediated therapies as a novel approach to managing RV exacerbations in respiratory diseases like asthma and COPD.展开更多
BACKGROUND Treatment response to direct-acting antivirals(DAAs)is a challenging issue and the identification of non-responders patients is very important.AIM To evaluate the relation between baseline serum levels of h...BACKGROUND Treatment response to direct-acting antivirals(DAAs)is a challenging issue and the identification of non-responders patients is very important.AIM To evaluate the relation between baseline serum levels of hyaluronic acid(HA)and type III procollagen N-peptide(PIIINP)with direct-acting antivirals treatment failure in Egyptian patients with chronic hepatitis C.METHODS Hepatitis C patients(responders and non-responders to sofosbuvir/daclatasvir)were tested for HA and PIIINP using sensitive chemiluminescent immunoassay.RESULTS There were distinctly higher PIIINP(P=0.0003)and HA(P<0.0001)levels in non-responders than responders patients with a good ability for distinguishing non-responders from patients with sustained virological response(area under the curve=0.766 for HA and 0.684 for PIIINP).Logistic regression analysis revealed that the HA×PIIINP is the model with the highest predictive ability(area under the curve=0.809).Diagnostic performances were superior to each marker alone with good sensitivity(74.7%),specificity(74%),positive predictive(68.3%),negative predictive values(79.6%)and accuracy(74.3%).The multiplication of HA×PIIINP is correlated significantly(P<0.05)with elevated liver enzymes(r=0.212),decreased albumin(r=-0.26),elevated aspartate aminotransferase-platelet ratio index(r=0.223)and elevated fibrosis-4 score(r=0.216)scores.CONCLUSION These findings suggested the remarkable role of fibrogensis markers HA and PIIINP in the prediction of hepatitis C virus DAAs treatment response.Multiplying HA with PIIINP values increase the sensitivity to detect treatment success and thus may aim to improve treatment duration and the disease control.展开更多
AIM To investigate the impact of fecal microbiota transplantation(FMT) treatment on allergic colitis(AC) and gut microbiota(GM).METHODS We selected a total of 19 AC infants,who suffered from severe diarrhea/hematochez...AIM To investigate the impact of fecal microbiota transplantation(FMT) treatment on allergic colitis(AC) and gut microbiota(GM).METHODS We selected a total of 19 AC infants,who suffered from severe diarrhea/hematochezia,did not relieve completely after routine therapy or cannot adhere to the therapy,and were free from organ congenital malformations and other contraindications for FMT. Qualified donor-derived stools were collected and injected to the AC infants via a rectal tube. Clinical outcomes and follow-up observations were noted. Stools were collected from ten AC infants before and after FMT,and GM composition was assessed for infants and donors using 16 S r DNA sequencing analysis.RESULTS After FMT treatment,AC symptoms in 17 infants were relieved within 2 d,and no relapse was observed in the next 15 mo. Clinical improvement was also detected in the other two AC infants who were lost to followup. During follow-up,one AC infant suffered from mild eczema and recovered shortly after hormone therapy. Based on the 16 S r DNA analysis in ten AC infants,most of them(n = 6) had greater GM diversity after FMT. As a result,Proteobacteria decreased(n = 6) and Firmicutes increased(n = 10) in post-FMT AC infants. Moreover,Firmicutes accounted for the greatest proportion of GM in the patients. At the genus level,Bacteroides(n = 6),Escherichia(n = 8),and Lactobacillus(n = 4) were enriched in some AC infants after FMT treatment,but the relative abundances of Clostridium(n = 5),Veillonella(n = 7),Streptococcus(n = 6),and Klebsiella(n = 8) decreased dramatically.CONCLUSION FMT is a safe and effective method for treating pediatric patients with AC and restoring GM balance.展开更多
Background:Elevated levels of serum C-reactive protein(CRP) have been reported to have prognostic significance in lung cancer patients.This study aimed to further identify CRP-bound components as prognostic markers fo...Background:Elevated levels of serum C-reactive protein(CRP) have been reported to have prognostic significance in lung cancer patients.This study aimed to further identify CRP-bound components as prognostic markers for lung cancer and validate their prognostic value.Methods:CRP-bound components obtained from the serum samples from lung cancer patients or healthy controls were analyzed by differential proteomics analysis.CRP-bound serum amyloid A(CRP-SAA) was evaluated by coimmunoprecipitation(IP).Serum samples from two independent cohorts with lung cancer(retrospective cohort,242patients;prospective cohort,222 patients) and healthy controls(159 subjects) were used to evaluate the prognostic value of CRP-SAA by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.Results:CRP-SAA was identified specifically in serum samples from lung cancer patients by proteomic analysis.CRP binding to SAA was confirmed by co-IP in serum samples from lung cancer patients and cell culture media.The level of CRP-SAA was significantly higher in patients than in healthy controls(0.37 ± 0.58 vs.0.03 ± 0.04,P < 0.001).Elevated CRP-SAA levels were significantly associated with severe clinical features of lung cancer.The elevation of CRPSAA was associated with lower survival rates for both the retrospective(hazard ration[HR]= 2.181,95%confidence interval[CI]= 1.641-2.897,P < 0.001) and the prospective cohorts(HR = 2.744,95%CI = 1.810-4.161,P < 0.001).Multivariate Cox analysis showed that CRP-SAA was an independent prognostic marker for lung cancer.Remarkably,in stages l-ll patients,only CRP-SAA,not total SAA or CRP,showed significant association with overall survival in two cohorts.Moreover,univariate and multivariate Cox analyses also showed that only CRP-SAA could be used as an independent prognostic marker for early-stage lung cancer patients.Conclusion:CRP-SAA could be a better prognostic marker for lung cancer than total SAA or CRP,especially in earlystage patients.展开更多
Campylobacter jejuni(C. jejuni),a Gram-negative microaerophilic bacterium,is a predominant cause of bacterial foodborne gastroenteritis in humans worldwide. Despite its importance as a major foodborne pathogen,our und...Campylobacter jejuni(C. jejuni),a Gram-negative microaerophilic bacterium,is a predominant cause of bacterial foodborne gastroenteritis in humans worldwide. Despite its importance as a major foodborne pathogen,our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying C. jejuni stress survival and pathogenesis is limited. Inorganic polyphosphate(poly P) has been shown to play significant roles in bacterial resistance to stress and virulence in many pathogenic bacteria. C. jejuni contains the complete repertoire of enzymes required for poly P metabolism. Recent work in our laboratory and others have demonstrated that poly P controls a plethora of C. jejuni properties that impact its ability to survive in the environment as well as to colonize/infect mammalian hosts. This review article summarizes the current literature on the role of poly P in C. jejuni stress survival and virulence and discusses on how poly P-related enzymes can be exploited for therapeutic/prevention purposes. Additionally,the review article identifies potential areas for future investigation that would enhance our understanding of the role of poly P in C. jejuni and other bacteria,which ultimately would facilitate design of effective therapeutic/preventive strategies to reduce not only the burden of C. jejuni-caused foodborne infections but also of other bacterial infections in humans.展开更多
BACKGROUND： The tumor necrosis factor recepter associated factor （TRAF） 6 is an important intracellular adapter protein that plays a pivotal role in activating multiple inflammatory and immune related processes ind...BACKGROUND： The tumor necrosis factor recepter associated factor （TRAF） 6 is an important intracellular adapter protein that plays a pivotal role in activating multiple inflammatory and immune related processes induced by cytokines. TRAF6 represents a strong candidate susceptibility factor for sepsis. We investigated whether polymorphisms at the TRAF6 gene are associated with the susceptibility to and severity of sepsis.METHODS： A hospital-based case-control study was conducted with 255 patients with sepsis and 260 controls who were recruited from Zhengzhou, China. Haplotype tagging single nucleotide polymorphisms （htSNPs） were selected from the HapMap database and genotyped using the SNPstream genotyping platform. The associations with the susceptibility and disease severity of sepsis were estimated by logistic regression, and adjusted for age, sex, smoking, drinking, chronic diseases status, APACHEII score and critical illness status.RESULTS： A total of 13 TRAF6 SNPs were tagged by 7 htSNPs. Five htSNPs （rs5030490, rs5030411, rs5030416, rs5030445 and rs3740961） were genotyped in the case control study. Genotype frequencies of the htSNPs were conformed to the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium in both patients and controls. No significant association was found between the 5 htSNPs and the susceptibility to and severity of sepsis. Compared with the main haplotype -11120A/-10688T/-9423A/805G/12967G, no certain haplotype was associated with the signi？ cantly susceptibility to or severity of sepsis.CONCLUSION： TRAF6 gene polymorphisms might not play a major role in mediating the susceptibility to and severity of sepsis in the Chinese population. A larger population-based case-control study is warranted.展开更多
An elegant and efficient synthesis of novel 1,2,3-triazole fused 2-aminopyrimidine hybrids has been accomplished for the first time in the green solvent viz, water. The hybrid molecules exhibit significant anti-bacter...An elegant and efficient synthesis of novel 1,2,3-triazole fused 2-aminopyrimidine hybrids has been accomplished for the first time in the green solvent viz, water. The hybrid molecules exhibit significant anti-bacterial activity when screened against three human pathogens viz. Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella pneumoniae. In comparison to the commercially marketed drug tetracycline, some of them are equally potent and a few are more potent.展开更多
Grazing and mowing are two common practices for grassland management. Mowing is now recommended as an alternative to the traditional grazing for grassland conservation in Inner Mongolia, northern China. Many studies h...Grazing and mowing are two common practices for grassland management. Mowing is now recommended as an alternative to the traditional grazing for grassland conservation in Inner Mongolia, northern China. Many studies have revealed that mowing may alter ecosystem properties in various ways. However, little attention has been paid to the effect of mowing on trace gas emissions, especially on N2O flux. We conducted an experiment to investigate the effects of mowing on N2O fluxes from the semiarid grassland in Inner Mongolia. The mowing experiment, which started in 2003, comprised four mowing intensity treatments, i.e. mowing heights at 2 cm, 5 cm, 10 cm and 15 cm above the soil surface, respectively, and a control (non-mowing), with five replicates. Gas fluxes were measured through a closed static chamber technique during the growing seasons (usually from May to September, depending on local climate at the time) of 2008 and 2009, respectively. Our results showed that mowing decreased N2O emissions, above-ground biomass and total litter production. N2O emissions were greater in May and June than in other sampling periods, regardless of treatments (P 2O fluxes were mainly driven by variations in soil moisture, except in July and August. In July and August, above-ground plant biomass and soil total nitrogen became the major drivers of N2O fluxes under the soil temperatures between 16 ° C and 18 ° C. Though there were some uncertainties due to the low frequency of N2O flux measurement, our study mainly indicated that 5 cm mowing height might decrease N2O emissions in grasslands during the growing season, and soil properties affected the magnitude of the reduction.展开更多
BACKGROUND Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)is the fifth most common cancer.Differential expression of microRNAs(miRNAs)-326,miRNA-424,and miRNA-511 has been associated with the diagnosis and prognosis of HCC in different...BACKGROUND Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)is the fifth most common cancer.Differential expression of microRNAs(miRNAs)-326,miRNA-424,and miRNA-511 has been associated with the diagnosis and prognosis of HCC in different populations.However,limited information is available regarding their expression in Egyptian HCC patients.AIM To assess the role of circulating miRNAs-326,miRNA-424,and miRNA-511 in Egyptian HCC patients.METHODS This prospective observational study included 70 HCC patients and 25 healthy controls.The circulating levels of these three miRNAs were evaluated by real-time PCR.Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was used to test the diagnostic accuracy of micro RNA expression levels.RESULTS All miRNAs were differentially expressed in HCC patients;miRNAs326 and miRNA-424 were upregulated,while miRNA-511 was downregulated.Both miRNA-326 and miRNA-424 showed sensitivity and specificity of 97%,71.4%,and 52%,60%,respectively,to differentiate HCC from controls.Moreover,miRNA-326 was associated with survival and could differentiate between Child grades(A vs B);miRNA-424 significantly differentiated early vs intermediate stages of HCC;while miRNA-511 was significantly correlated with response to modified Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors(m RECIST).CONCLUSION We conclude that miRNA-326,miRNA-424,and miRNA-511 have diagnostic and prognostic roles in Egyptian patients with hepatitis C virus-related HCC and should be considered for better disease management.展开更多
In the context of global efforts to reduce carbon(C)emissions,several studies have examined the effects of agricultural practices such as straw returning and fertilization on C sequestration by microorganisms.However,...In the context of global efforts to reduce carbon(C)emissions,several studies have examined the effects of agricultural practices such as straw returning and fertilization on C sequestration by microorganisms.However,our understanding of the specific microbial groups and their roles in long-term C increase remains limited.In this study,a 36-year(1984-2020)farmland experiment was conducted to investigate the impact of bacterial C metabolism on the augmentation of organic C in a Typic Hapludoll(Mollisol)in the black soil region of Jilin Province,Northeast China.Our results demonstrated a noteworthy increase in the diversity of microorganisms in the farmland as a result of long-term straw returning and application of mixed chemical fertilizers.However,by examining the functions of microorganisms involved in C metabolism,it was observed that the effects of fertilization on C metabolism were relatively consistent.This consistency was attributed to a deterministic competitive exclusion process,which minimized the differences between treatment groups.On the other hand,the influence of straw addition on C metabolism appeared to follow a more random pattern.These changes in microbial activity were closely linked to the downregulation of core metabolic pathways related to C metabolism.Notably,long-term fertilization had a negative impact on soil organic C levels,while long-term straw returning plus fertilization resulted in a positive increase in soil organic C.These findings have important implications for enhancing soil organic C and grain yield in the regions with typical black soil.展开更多
The growth ofCandida utilis NRRL Y-1084 in acid and enzymatic hydrolysates of cassava peel and on glucose in a mineral salts medium was investigated in aerobic submerged cultivation. Kinetic and stoichiometric paramet...The growth ofCandida utilis NRRL Y-1084 in acid and enzymatic hydrolysates of cassava peel and on glucose in a mineral salts medium was investigated in aerobic submerged cultivation. Kinetic and stoichiometric parameters for growth were determined. The cardinal temperatures of this yeast strain were 14 ℃, 33 ℃ and 41 ℃. C. utilis exhibited no absolute requirement for growth factors, although its maximum specific growth rate （μmax） was higher in the mineral salts medium with yeast extract than without, but its biomass yield coefficient （Yx/s） did not differ much in these two media. In the enzymatic hydrolysate, its Yx/s value on sugar was 0.44 with a μmax of 0.35 h^-1, whereas the corresponding values were 0.52 and 0.48 h^-1 in the acid hydrolysate and 0.50 and 0.37 h^-1 in the mineral salts medium without yeast extract. The crude protein content of biomass grown in the glucose medium and the acid and enzymatic hydrolysates were 47.5%, 49.1% and 56.7%, respectively. The amino acid profile of the yeast biomass compared favourably with the FAO standard. Cassava peel hydrolysate has potential as a cheap carbohydrate feedstock for the production of yeast single cell protein by using C. utilis.展开更多
Endophytic fungi live internally in apparently healthy and asymptomatic hosts.They are ubiquitous;no study has yet shown the existence of a plant species without endophytes.High species diversity is another characteri...Endophytic fungi live internally in apparently healthy and asymptomatic hosts.They are ubiquitous;no study has yet shown the existence of a plant species without endophytes.High species diversity is another characteristic of endophytic mycota.It is quite common for endophyte surveys to find assemblages consisting of more than 30species per host plant species.In the present study,179 isolates were obtained from leaf,stem,and tissues of Adenium obesum collected from Virudhunagar,India.The endophytic fungi were identified based on the colony morphology and sporulating structures.Aspergillus sp.(28.5%),Aspergilus breviceps(30%),Colletotrichum gloeosporioides(23%)and Scorpulariopsis brevicalis(17%)were the most dominant species.The colonization frequency was higher in the winter season.Phyllosticta hymanaeae was isolated from leaf tissues during the summer and winter season.Aspergillus was the predominant genus isolated from all of leaf,stem and bark tissues of Adenium obesum.展开更多
X-linked hypophosphatemia (XLH) is a rare disease of elevated fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) production that leads tohypophosphatemia and impaired mineralization of bone and teeth. The clinical manifestations of ...X-linked hypophosphatemia (XLH) is a rare disease of elevated fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) production that leads tohypophosphatemia and impaired mineralization of bone and teeth. The clinical manifestations of XLH include a high prevalence ofdental abscesses and periodontal disease, likely driven by poorly formed structures of the dentoalveolar complex, including thealveolar bone, cementum, dentin, and periodontal ligament. Our previous studies have demonstrated that sclerostin antibody (SclAb) treatment improves phosphate homeostasis, and increases long bone mass, strength, and mineralization in the Hyp mousemodel of XLH. In the current study, we investigated whether Scl-Ab impacts the dentoalveolar structures of Hyp mice. Male andfemale wild-type and Hyp littermates were injected with 25 mg·kg−1 of vehicle or Scl-Ab twice weekly beginning at 12 weeks of ageand euthanized at 20 weeks of age. Scl-Ab increased alveolar bone mass in both male and female mice and alveolar tissue mineraldensity in the male mice. The positive effects of Scl-Ab were consistent with an increase in the fraction of active(nonphosphorylated) β-catenin, dentin matrix protein 1 (DMP1) and osteopontin stained alveolar osteocytes. Scl-Ab had no effecton the mass and mineralization of dentin, enamel, acellular or cellular cementum. There was a nonsignificant trend towardincreased periodontal ligament (PDL) attachment fraction within the Hyp mice. Additional PDL fiber structural parameters were notaffected by Scl-Ab. The current study demonstrates that Scl-Ab can improve alveolar bone in adult Hyp mice.展开更多
A method of analysis for the simultaneous determination of methylisothiazolinone (MI), methylchloroisothiazolinone (CMI), benzisothiazolinone (BIT) and Bronopol (BNP) in washing-up liquid was established. The method c...A method of analysis for the simultaneous determination of methylisothiazolinone (MI), methylchloroisothiazolinone (CMI), benzisothiazolinone (BIT) and Bronopol (BNP) in washing-up liquid was established. The method consisted of a gradient HPLC analysis at three different wavelengths. The four compounds could be analyzed with good precision and accuracy.展开更多
Background: Health care workers (HCWs) are particularly at risk of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections due to contact with infectious material like contaminated blood and body fluids or contact with HBV contaminated fo...Background: Health care workers (HCWs) are particularly at risk of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections due to contact with infectious material like contaminated blood and body fluids or contact with HBV contaminated fomites. HBV vaccine is efficient in preventing infection though 5% - 10% of individuals are non-responders. HBV vaccine was introduced into Nigerian childhood immunization services in year 2004. However, routine vaccination of HCWs is often not implemented due to cost in resource limited settings like ours. Therapeutic options are also not affordable and available options do not guarantee complete cure. This study aimed at determining the burden of HBV infection among HCWs in Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital (EKSUTH), Ado Ekiti, Nigeria, in order to institute prompt treatment as a way of curbing HBV spread and disease progression. Materials and Method: This cross-sectional study was conducted between October and December, 2016. Staff from various cadres in EKSUTH, who accepted to participate, was recruited into the study. Following informed consent, 5 mls of blood collected from each participant was screened for HBV markers using HBV serologic combo test kit. Demography and Information on risk factors were collected with questionnaire. Results: A total of 965 participants, of which 323 (33.5%) were males and 642 (66.5%) were females, were recruited. Majority (72.6%) were married. History of unprotected sexual contact and multiple sexual partners was found in 62.3% and 54% of participants, respectively. In this study, 43 (4.5%) were HBsAg positive, out of which 40 (93%) had HBV infection (HBcAb positive). Prevalence of HBV infection was significantly higher among males than females (p value 0.004). Majority (60.5%) of infected individuals were 30 to 49 years of age. All infected participants had no previous vaccination, but no serologic evidence of previous vaccination was seen among vaccinated individuals. Conclusion and Recommendation: We concluded that Hepatitis B virus infection is still high among HCWs and significantly higher among males than females. Vaccinated individuals were found to be HBsAg negative, but had no detectable protective immunoglobulin against HBV. We recommend pre-employment screening and free vaccination of all staff in our health institutions, post vaccination immunization status assessment and provision of standard and affordable treatment for infected individual in order to achieve vision 2030 of HBV eradication.展开更多
Objective:This paper provided preliminary description of food contamination derived from Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli(EHEC)O104:H4 and EHEC O157:H7 in Wuhan in June 2011.Methods:47 food samples,including vegetab...Objective:This paper provided preliminary description of food contamination derived from Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli(EHEC)O104:H4 and EHEC O157:H7 in Wuhan in June 2011.Methods:47 food samples,including vegetables and meat,were subjectively sampled from some restaurants.PCR assays were used to detect EHEC O104:H4 and EHEC O157:H7.Results:The PCR results showed that none of the samples were positive for either EHEC O104:H4 or EHEC O157:H7.Conclusion:Although large outbreaks of gastroenteritis and the hemolytic uremic syndrome caused by EHEC O104:H4 had occurred in some European countries,China has had few outbreaks associated with EHEC O104:H4.This shows that food supply is relatively safe in China.Nevertheless,many ongoing problems of food safety in China are still not solved showing the necessity of further studies on food safety.展开更多
基金Supported by the CAMS Innovation Fund for Medical Sciences(No.CIFMS 2021-I 2 M-1-028)the Beijing Natural Science Foundation(No.7222256)+5 种基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.82011530051)the Kunlun Talented People,High-end Innovation and Entrepreneurship talents Plan,Qinghai Province,China,for Chenghang SUN,the Talent Training Project of Basic Research Fund of Heilongjiang Department of Education Item to Chunmei XUE(No.2020-KYYWF-0238)the Sino-Hungarian Bilateral S&T Cooperation Projects from 2019 to 2020(Chinese Project:8-11)partly supported by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research(Nos.NCFS-RFBR 20-54-53014,18-44-030021 r_а)the Russian Science Foundation(No.20-74-10031)partially within the framework of the State Assignment(No.121030100229-1)for Institute of General and Experimental Biology,Siberian Branch,Russian Academy of Sciences。
文摘To explore pharmaceutical actinobacteria from salty environments in Siberia,8 soil samples were collected from different depths of Gudzhirganskoe saline lake,the Republic of Buryatia,Russia.Totally,635 actinobacterial strains affiliated with 21 genera in 12 families of 7 orders were obtained by culture-dependent approaches.The predominant genus was Streptomyces(74.5%),followed by Microbacterium(4.9%),Agromyces(3.5%),Nocardiopsis(3.0%),and Kitasatospora(2.5%).Seven strains showed relatively low 16 S rRNA similarities(<98.65%)with validly described species.Seventy-seven strains were selected as representatives to evaluate their antimicrobial activities and underlying mechanisms by paper-disk diffusion method and a double fluorescent protein reporter system(pDualrep 2),respectively.Streptomyces sp.S 6 b 3-1 was highlighted due to its strong inhibitory activities against Gram-positive bacteria and underlying antibacterial mechanism by inducing the SOS response in the reporter system.LG-1,(R)-6-[1-(benzoyloxy)ethyl]-phenazine-1-carboxylic acid,an analogue of saphenamycin was finally isolated from the culture broth of Streptomyces strain.This study preliminarily explored the actinobacterial diversity of soil samples collected in the highly alkaline and saline lake Gudzhirganskoe by culture-dependent approach and their capacity to produce antibiotics for the first time,which revealed that it deserves to make more efforts to discover new actinobacterial species and potential new antibiotics from the saline lake in Eastern Siberia.
文摘Although the efficiency of poly(ethylene terephthalate)(PET)degradation has been successfully improved by depolymerase engineering,mostly by using Goodfellow-PET(gf-PET)as a substrate,efforts to degrade unpretreated PET materials with high crystallinity remain insufficient.Here,we endeavored to improve the degradation capability of a WCCG mutant of leaf-branch compost cutinase(LCC)on a unpretreated PET substrate(crystallinity>40%)by employing iterative saturation mutagenesis.Using this method,we developed a high-throughput screening strategy appropriate for unpretreated substrates.Through extensive screening of residues around the substrate-binding groove,two variants,WCCG-sup1 and WCCG-sup2,showed good depolymerization capabilities with both high-(42%)and low-crystallinity(9%)substrates.The WCCG-sup1 variant completely depolymerized a commercial unpretreated PET product in 36 h at 72℃.In addition to enzyme thermostability and catalytic efficiency,the adsorption of enzymes onto substrates plays an important role in PET degradation.This study provides valuable insights into the structure-function relationship of LCC.
基金funded by the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy,the European Union Regional Development Fund,the City of Leeuwarden,the Province of Fryslân,the Northern Netherlands Provinces and The Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research.Wetsus also coordinates the WaterSEED project,which received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie grant agreement(No.665874)。
文摘Soil organic amendments(OAs)are used to replenish carbon(C)and nutrients in the soil to prevent its degradation and increase its fertility.While soil can be an important C sink,it can also release significant amounts of greenhouse gases(GHGs).Different OA pretreatment technologies indirectly affect soil aggregate formation and C stabilization even when the same initial substrate is used.However,little is known about the long-term effect of OA pretreatment on the soil C and nitrogen(N)associated with macroaggregates,which are known to disintegrate faster than microaggregates.In this study,we studied the effect of OA pretreatment on soil C and N in relation to aggregate formation and GHG emissions using five differently pretreated OAs from the same original OA,i.e.,composted,digested,and fermented OA,a 1:1 mix of the composted and fermented OAs,and the unpretreated original OA.We monitored the changes in a soil column experiment after 6 and 12 months of incubation.Our results indicated that OA pretreatment indirectly affected GHG emissions from soil.The composted and mixed OAs released less GHGs(i.e.,carbon dioxide,nitrous oxide,and methane)but had no positive impact on macroaggregates,while the digested OA induced long-lasting macroaggregation and occluded particulate organic matter formation,emitting intermediate levels of GHGs.The unpretreated OA exhibited the highest GHG emissions,similar to the fermented OA,albeit without benefiting macroaggregation.These demonstrated that OA pretreatment had a long-lasting indirect effect on soil C and N,influencing total GHG emissions,nitrous oxide formation mechanisms,and soil macroaggregate formation.
文摘Microbes play a critical role in shaping immune development,with growing interest in how rhinovirus(RV)interacts with the host immune system,particularly in individuals with asthma and chronic obstructive pul-monary disease(COPD).Disruptions in microbial balance during RV infections can impair immune homeostasis and worsen disease outcomes.Recent studies emphasize RV-induced regulation of antiviral defenses,cytokine production,and immune tolerance.This review explores the interplay between RV,the immune system,and microbiota,highlighting the importance of these interactions in guiding effective therapies for respiratory in-fections.It advances existing literature by considering microbiota-mediated therapies as a novel approach to managing RV exacerbations in respiratory diseases like asthma and COPD.
文摘BACKGROUND Treatment response to direct-acting antivirals(DAAs)is a challenging issue and the identification of non-responders patients is very important.AIM To evaluate the relation between baseline serum levels of hyaluronic acid(HA)and type III procollagen N-peptide(PIIINP)with direct-acting antivirals treatment failure in Egyptian patients with chronic hepatitis C.METHODS Hepatitis C patients(responders and non-responders to sofosbuvir/daclatasvir)were tested for HA and PIIINP using sensitive chemiluminescent immunoassay.RESULTS There were distinctly higher PIIINP(P=0.0003)and HA(P<0.0001)levels in non-responders than responders patients with a good ability for distinguishing non-responders from patients with sustained virological response(area under the curve=0.766 for HA and 0.684 for PIIINP).Logistic regression analysis revealed that the HA×PIIINP is the model with the highest predictive ability(area under the curve=0.809).Diagnostic performances were superior to each marker alone with good sensitivity(74.7%),specificity(74%),positive predictive(68.3%),negative predictive values(79.6%)and accuracy(74.3%).The multiplication of HA×PIIINP is correlated significantly(P<0.05)with elevated liver enzymes(r=0.212),decreased albumin(r=-0.26),elevated aspartate aminotransferase-platelet ratio index(r=0.223)and elevated fibrosis-4 score(r=0.216)scores.CONCLUSION These findings suggested the remarkable role of fibrogensis markers HA and PIIINP in the prediction of hepatitis C virus DAAs treatment response.Multiplying HA with PIIINP values increase the sensitivity to detect treatment success and thus may aim to improve treatment duration and the disease control.
基金Supported by National Clinical Key Specialty Construction Project(Pediatric Digestive Disease)No.[2011]873
文摘AIM To investigate the impact of fecal microbiota transplantation(FMT) treatment on allergic colitis(AC) and gut microbiota(GM).METHODS We selected a total of 19 AC infants,who suffered from severe diarrhea/hematochezia,did not relieve completely after routine therapy or cannot adhere to the therapy,and were free from organ congenital malformations and other contraindications for FMT. Qualified donor-derived stools were collected and injected to the AC infants via a rectal tube. Clinical outcomes and follow-up observations were noted. Stools were collected from ten AC infants before and after FMT,and GM composition was assessed for infants and donors using 16 S r DNA sequencing analysis.RESULTS After FMT treatment,AC symptoms in 17 infants were relieved within 2 d,and no relapse was observed in the next 15 mo. Clinical improvement was also detected in the other two AC infants who were lost to followup. During follow-up,one AC infant suffered from mild eczema and recovered shortly after hormone therapy. Based on the 16 S r DNA analysis in ten AC infants,most of them(n = 6) had greater GM diversity after FMT. As a result,Proteobacteria decreased(n = 6) and Firmicutes increased(n = 10) in post-FMT AC infants. Moreover,Firmicutes accounted for the greatest proportion of GM in the patients. At the genus level,Bacteroides(n = 6),Escherichia(n = 8),and Lactobacillus(n = 4) were enriched in some AC infants after FMT treatment,but the relative abundances of Clostridium(n = 5),Veillonella(n = 7),Streptococcus(n = 6),and Klebsiella(n = 8) decreased dramatically.CONCLUSION FMT is a safe and effective method for treating pediatric patients with AC and restoring GM balance.
基金supported by grants from the Ministry of Science and Technology of China(2011CB504304 and 2012CB967003)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(81271902 and 81230045)
文摘Background:Elevated levels of serum C-reactive protein(CRP) have been reported to have prognostic significance in lung cancer patients.This study aimed to further identify CRP-bound components as prognostic markers for lung cancer and validate their prognostic value.Methods:CRP-bound components obtained from the serum samples from lung cancer patients or healthy controls were analyzed by differential proteomics analysis.CRP-bound serum amyloid A(CRP-SAA) was evaluated by coimmunoprecipitation(IP).Serum samples from two independent cohorts with lung cancer(retrospective cohort,242patients;prospective cohort,222 patients) and healthy controls(159 subjects) were used to evaluate the prognostic value of CRP-SAA by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.Results:CRP-SAA was identified specifically in serum samples from lung cancer patients by proteomic analysis.CRP binding to SAA was confirmed by co-IP in serum samples from lung cancer patients and cell culture media.The level of CRP-SAA was significantly higher in patients than in healthy controls(0.37 ± 0.58 vs.0.03 ± 0.04,P < 0.001).Elevated CRP-SAA levels were significantly associated with severe clinical features of lung cancer.The elevation of CRPSAA was associated with lower survival rates for both the retrospective(hazard ration[HR]= 2.181,95%confidence interval[CI]= 1.641-2.897,P < 0.001) and the prospective cohorts(HR = 2.744,95%CI = 1.810-4.161,P < 0.001).Multivariate Cox analysis showed that CRP-SAA was an independent prognostic marker for lung cancer.Remarkably,in stages l-ll patients,only CRP-SAA,not total SAA or CRP,showed significant association with overall survival in two cohorts.Moreover,univariate and multivariate Cox analyses also showed that only CRP-SAA could be used as an independent prognostic marker for early-stage lung cancer patients.Conclusion:CRP-SAA could be a better prognostic marker for lung cancer than total SAA or CRP,especially in earlystage patients.
基金Supported by Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center,the Ohio State University,and the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative,No.2012-68003-19679
文摘Campylobacter jejuni(C. jejuni),a Gram-negative microaerophilic bacterium,is a predominant cause of bacterial foodborne gastroenteritis in humans worldwide. Despite its importance as a major foodborne pathogen,our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying C. jejuni stress survival and pathogenesis is limited. Inorganic polyphosphate(poly P) has been shown to play significant roles in bacterial resistance to stress and virulence in many pathogenic bacteria. C. jejuni contains the complete repertoire of enzymes required for poly P metabolism. Recent work in our laboratory and others have demonstrated that poly P controls a plethora of C. jejuni properties that impact its ability to survive in the environment as well as to colonize/infect mammalian hosts. This review article summarizes the current literature on the role of poly P in C. jejuni stress survival and virulence and discusses on how poly P-related enzymes can be exploited for therapeutic/prevention purposes. Additionally,the review article identifies potential areas for future investigation that would enhance our understanding of the role of poly P in C. jejuni and other bacteria,which ultimately would facilitate design of effective therapeutic/preventive strategies to reduce not only the burden of C. jejuni-caused foodborne infections but also of other bacterial infections in humans.
文摘BACKGROUND： The tumor necrosis factor recepter associated factor （TRAF） 6 is an important intracellular adapter protein that plays a pivotal role in activating multiple inflammatory and immune related processes induced by cytokines. TRAF6 represents a strong candidate susceptibility factor for sepsis. We investigated whether polymorphisms at the TRAF6 gene are associated with the susceptibility to and severity of sepsis.METHODS： A hospital-based case-control study was conducted with 255 patients with sepsis and 260 controls who were recruited from Zhengzhou, China. Haplotype tagging single nucleotide polymorphisms （htSNPs） were selected from the HapMap database and genotyped using the SNPstream genotyping platform. The associations with the susceptibility and disease severity of sepsis were estimated by logistic regression, and adjusted for age, sex, smoking, drinking, chronic diseases status, APACHEII score and critical illness status.RESULTS： A total of 13 TRAF6 SNPs were tagged by 7 htSNPs. Five htSNPs （rs5030490, rs5030411, rs5030416, rs5030445 and rs3740961） were genotyped in the case control study. Genotype frequencies of the htSNPs were conformed to the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium in both patients and controls. No significant association was found between the 5 htSNPs and the susceptibility to and severity of sepsis. Compared with the main haplotype -11120A/-10688T/-9423A/805G/12967G, no certain haplotype was associated with the signi？ cantly susceptibility to or severity of sepsis.CONCLUSION： TRAF6 gene polymorphisms might not play a major role in mediating the susceptibility to and severity of sepsis in the Chinese population. A larger population-based case-control study is warranted.
基金the UGC (BSR) and DST-PURSE for financial supportDepartment of Science and Technology, New Delhi, India for funds under the IRHPA program for the purchase of a NMR spectrometer
文摘An elegant and efficient synthesis of novel 1,2,3-triazole fused 2-aminopyrimidine hybrids has been accomplished for the first time in the green solvent viz, water. The hybrid molecules exhibit significant anti-bacterial activity when screened against three human pathogens viz. Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella pneumoniae. In comparison to the commercially marketed drug tetracycline, some of them are equally potent and a few are more potent.
文摘Grazing and mowing are two common practices for grassland management. Mowing is now recommended as an alternative to the traditional grazing for grassland conservation in Inner Mongolia, northern China. Many studies have revealed that mowing may alter ecosystem properties in various ways. However, little attention has been paid to the effect of mowing on trace gas emissions, especially on N2O flux. We conducted an experiment to investigate the effects of mowing on N2O fluxes from the semiarid grassland in Inner Mongolia. The mowing experiment, which started in 2003, comprised four mowing intensity treatments, i.e. mowing heights at 2 cm, 5 cm, 10 cm and 15 cm above the soil surface, respectively, and a control (non-mowing), with five replicates. Gas fluxes were measured through a closed static chamber technique during the growing seasons (usually from May to September, depending on local climate at the time) of 2008 and 2009, respectively. Our results showed that mowing decreased N2O emissions, above-ground biomass and total litter production. N2O emissions were greater in May and June than in other sampling periods, regardless of treatments (P 2O fluxes were mainly driven by variations in soil moisture, except in July and August. In July and August, above-ground plant biomass and soil total nitrogen became the major drivers of N2O fluxes under the soil temperatures between 16 ° C and 18 ° C. Though there were some uncertainties due to the low frequency of N2O flux measurement, our study mainly indicated that 5 cm mowing height might decrease N2O emissions in grasslands during the growing season, and soil properties affected the magnitude of the reduction.
文摘BACKGROUND Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)is the fifth most common cancer.Differential expression of microRNAs(miRNAs)-326,miRNA-424,and miRNA-511 has been associated with the diagnosis and prognosis of HCC in different populations.However,limited information is available regarding their expression in Egyptian HCC patients.AIM To assess the role of circulating miRNAs-326,miRNA-424,and miRNA-511 in Egyptian HCC patients.METHODS This prospective observational study included 70 HCC patients and 25 healthy controls.The circulating levels of these three miRNAs were evaluated by real-time PCR.Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was used to test the diagnostic accuracy of micro RNA expression levels.RESULTS All miRNAs were differentially expressed in HCC patients;miRNAs326 and miRNA-424 were upregulated,while miRNA-511 was downregulated.Both miRNA-326 and miRNA-424 showed sensitivity and specificity of 97%,71.4%,and 52%,60%,respectively,to differentiate HCC from controls.Moreover,miRNA-326 was associated with survival and could differentiate between Child grades(A vs B);miRNA-424 significantly differentiated early vs intermediate stages of HCC;while miRNA-511 was significantly correlated with response to modified Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors(m RECIST).CONCLUSION We conclude that miRNA-326,miRNA-424,and miRNA-511 have diagnostic and prognostic roles in Egyptian patients with hepatitis C virus-related HCC and should be considered for better disease management.
基金funded by the Science and Technology Cooperation Project Between Jilin Province and Chinese Academy of Sciences(No.2022000170)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.41920104008 and U22A20593)the Strategic Priority Research Program of CAS(No.XDA28020400)。
文摘In the context of global efforts to reduce carbon(C)emissions,several studies have examined the effects of agricultural practices such as straw returning and fertilization on C sequestration by microorganisms.However,our understanding of the specific microbial groups and their roles in long-term C increase remains limited.In this study,a 36-year(1984-2020)farmland experiment was conducted to investigate the impact of bacterial C metabolism on the augmentation of organic C in a Typic Hapludoll(Mollisol)in the black soil region of Jilin Province,Northeast China.Our results demonstrated a noteworthy increase in the diversity of microorganisms in the farmland as a result of long-term straw returning and application of mixed chemical fertilizers.However,by examining the functions of microorganisms involved in C metabolism,it was observed that the effects of fertilization on C metabolism were relatively consistent.This consistency was attributed to a deterministic competitive exclusion process,which minimized the differences between treatment groups.On the other hand,the influence of straw addition on C metabolism appeared to follow a more random pattern.These changes in microbial activity were closely linked to the downregulation of core metabolic pathways related to C metabolism.Notably,long-term fertilization had a negative impact on soil organic C levels,while long-term straw returning plus fertilization resulted in a positive increase in soil organic C.These findings have important implications for enhancing soil organic C and grain yield in the regions with typical black soil.
文摘The growth ofCandida utilis NRRL Y-1084 in acid and enzymatic hydrolysates of cassava peel and on glucose in a mineral salts medium was investigated in aerobic submerged cultivation. Kinetic and stoichiometric parameters for growth were determined. The cardinal temperatures of this yeast strain were 14 ℃, 33 ℃ and 41 ℃. C. utilis exhibited no absolute requirement for growth factors, although its maximum specific growth rate （μmax） was higher in the mineral salts medium with yeast extract than without, but its biomass yield coefficient （Yx/s） did not differ much in these two media. In the enzymatic hydrolysate, its Yx/s value on sugar was 0.44 with a μmax of 0.35 h^-1, whereas the corresponding values were 0.52 and 0.48 h^-1 in the acid hydrolysate and 0.50 and 0.37 h^-1 in the mineral salts medium without yeast extract. The crude protein content of biomass grown in the glucose medium and the acid and enzymatic hydrolysates were 47.5%, 49.1% and 56.7%, respectively. The amino acid profile of the yeast biomass compared favourably with the FAO standard. Cassava peel hydrolysate has potential as a cheap carbohydrate feedstock for the production of yeast single cell protein by using C. utilis.
文摘Endophytic fungi live internally in apparently healthy and asymptomatic hosts.They are ubiquitous;no study has yet shown the existence of a plant species without endophytes.High species diversity is another characteristic of endophytic mycota.It is quite common for endophyte surveys to find assemblages consisting of more than 30species per host plant species.In the present study,179 isolates were obtained from leaf,stem,and tissues of Adenium obesum collected from Virudhunagar,India.The endophytic fungi were identified based on the colony morphology and sporulating structures.Aspergillus sp.(28.5%),Aspergilus breviceps(30%),Colletotrichum gloeosporioides(23%)and Scorpulariopsis brevicalis(17%)were the most dominant species.The colonization frequency was higher in the winter season.Phyllosticta hymanaeae was isolated from leaf tissues during the summer and winter season.Aspergillus was the predominant genus isolated from all of leaf,stem and bark tissues of Adenium obesum.
基金supported by the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases and the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research of the National Institute of Health under award numbers K01 AR073923 and R03DE029873,respectively
文摘X-linked hypophosphatemia (XLH) is a rare disease of elevated fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) production that leads tohypophosphatemia and impaired mineralization of bone and teeth. The clinical manifestations of XLH include a high prevalence ofdental abscesses and periodontal disease, likely driven by poorly formed structures of the dentoalveolar complex, including thealveolar bone, cementum, dentin, and periodontal ligament. Our previous studies have demonstrated that sclerostin antibody (SclAb) treatment improves phosphate homeostasis, and increases long bone mass, strength, and mineralization in the Hyp mousemodel of XLH. In the current study, we investigated whether Scl-Ab impacts the dentoalveolar structures of Hyp mice. Male andfemale wild-type and Hyp littermates were injected with 25 mg·kg−1 of vehicle or Scl-Ab twice weekly beginning at 12 weeks of ageand euthanized at 20 weeks of age. Scl-Ab increased alveolar bone mass in both male and female mice and alveolar tissue mineraldensity in the male mice. The positive effects of Scl-Ab were consistent with an increase in the fraction of active(nonphosphorylated) β-catenin, dentin matrix protein 1 (DMP1) and osteopontin stained alveolar osteocytes. Scl-Ab had no effecton the mass and mineralization of dentin, enamel, acellular or cellular cementum. There was a nonsignificant trend towardincreased periodontal ligament (PDL) attachment fraction within the Hyp mice. Additional PDL fiber structural parameters were notaffected by Scl-Ab. The current study demonstrates that Scl-Ab can improve alveolar bone in adult Hyp mice.
文摘A method of analysis for the simultaneous determination of methylisothiazolinone (MI), methylchloroisothiazolinone (CMI), benzisothiazolinone (BIT) and Bronopol (BNP) in washing-up liquid was established. The method consisted of a gradient HPLC analysis at three different wavelengths. The four compounds could be analyzed with good precision and accuracy.
文摘Background: Health care workers (HCWs) are particularly at risk of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections due to contact with infectious material like contaminated blood and body fluids or contact with HBV contaminated fomites. HBV vaccine is efficient in preventing infection though 5% - 10% of individuals are non-responders. HBV vaccine was introduced into Nigerian childhood immunization services in year 2004. However, routine vaccination of HCWs is often not implemented due to cost in resource limited settings like ours. Therapeutic options are also not affordable and available options do not guarantee complete cure. This study aimed at determining the burden of HBV infection among HCWs in Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital (EKSUTH), Ado Ekiti, Nigeria, in order to institute prompt treatment as a way of curbing HBV spread and disease progression. Materials and Method: This cross-sectional study was conducted between October and December, 2016. Staff from various cadres in EKSUTH, who accepted to participate, was recruited into the study. Following informed consent, 5 mls of blood collected from each participant was screened for HBV markers using HBV serologic combo test kit. Demography and Information on risk factors were collected with questionnaire. Results: A total of 965 participants, of which 323 (33.5%) were males and 642 (66.5%) were females, were recruited. Majority (72.6%) were married. History of unprotected sexual contact and multiple sexual partners was found in 62.3% and 54% of participants, respectively. In this study, 43 (4.5%) were HBsAg positive, out of which 40 (93%) had HBV infection (HBcAb positive). Prevalence of HBV infection was significantly higher among males than females (p value 0.004). Majority (60.5%) of infected individuals were 30 to 49 years of age. All infected participants had no previous vaccination, but no serologic evidence of previous vaccination was seen among vaccinated individuals. Conclusion and Recommendation: We concluded that Hepatitis B virus infection is still high among HCWs and significantly higher among males than females. Vaccinated individuals were found to be HBsAg negative, but had no detectable protective immunoglobulin against HBV. We recommend pre-employment screening and free vaccination of all staff in our health institutions, post vaccination immunization status assessment and provision of standard and affordable treatment for infected individual in order to achieve vision 2030 of HBV eradication.
文摘Objective:This paper provided preliminary description of food contamination derived from Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli(EHEC)O104:H4 and EHEC O157:H7 in Wuhan in June 2011.Methods:47 food samples,including vegetables and meat,were subjectively sampled from some restaurants.PCR assays were used to detect EHEC O104:H4 and EHEC O157:H7.Results:The PCR results showed that none of the samples were positive for either EHEC O104:H4 or EHEC O157:H7.Conclusion:Although large outbreaks of gastroenteritis and the hemolytic uremic syndrome caused by EHEC O104:H4 had occurred in some European countries,China has had few outbreaks associated with EHEC O104:H4.This shows that food supply is relatively safe in China.Nevertheless,many ongoing problems of food safety in China are still not solved showing the necessity of further studies on food safety.
