Types 6A Research Articles

Phosphodiesterase type 10A inhibitor attenuates lung fibrosis by targeting myofibroblast activation

Pulmonary fibrosis (PF) is a fatal and irreversible respiratory disease accompanied by excessive fibroblast activation. Previous studies have suggested that cAMP signaling pathway and cGMP-PKG signaling pathway are continuously down-regulated in lung fibrosis, whereas PDE10A has a specifically expression in fibroblasts/myofibroblasts in lung fibrosis. In this study, we demonstrated that overexpression of PDE10A induces myofibroblast differentiation, and papaverine, as a PDE10A inhibitor used for vasodilation, inhibits myofibroblast differentiation in human fibroblasts, Meanwhile, papaverine alleviated bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis and amiodarone-induced oxidative stress, papaverine downregulated VASP/β-catenin pathway to reduce the myofibroblast differentiation. Our results first demonstrated that papaverine inhibits TGFβ1-induced myofibroblast differentiation and lung fibrosis by VASP/β-catenin pathway.

The dynamic change of serotype distribution and antimicrobial resistance of pneumococcal isolates since PCV13 administration and COVID-19 control in Urumqi, China.

This study aims to analyze the serotype distribution and drug resistance of Streptococcus pneumoniae isolated from children aged 8 days to 7 years in Urumqi, China, between 2014 to 2021, during which PCV13 was introduced in the private sector's immunization program and COVID-19 control was administrated in the last 2 years. Serotypes of S. pneumoniae isolates were determined by Quellung reaction, and their susceptibility against 14 antimicrobials were tested. According to the start year of PCV13 administration (2017) and COVID-19 control (2020), the study period was divided into three stages: 2014-2015, 2018-2019, and 2020-2021. A total of 317 isolates were involved in this study. The most common serotypes were type 19F (34.4%), followed by 19A (15.8%), 23F (11.7%), 6B (11.4%), and 6A(5.0%). The coverage rate of both PCV13 and PCV15 was 83.0%. The coverage of PCV20 was a little higher at 85.2%. The resistance rate against penicillin was 28.6% according to the breakpoints of oral penicillin, which would reach up to 91.8% based on the breakpoints of parenteral penicillin for meningitis. The resistance rates to erythromycin, clindamycin, tetracycline, and sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim were 95.9%, 90.2%, 88.9%, and 78.8%, respectively. The PCV13 isolate was more resistant to penicillin than the non-PCV13 ones. There was not any significant change found in the serotype distribution since the PCV13 introduction and the COVID-19 control. The resistance rate against oral penicillin slightly elevated to 34.5% in 2018-2019 from 30.7% in 2014-2015 and then decreased significantly to 18.1% in 2020-2021 (χ 2 = 7.716, P < 0.05), while the resistance rate to ceftriaxone (non-meningitis) continuously declined from 16.0% in 2014-2015 to 1.4% in 2018-2019 and 0% in 2020-2021 (Fisher = 24.463, P < 0.01). The common serotypes of S. pneumoniae isolated from children in Urumqi were types 19F, 19A, 23F, 6B, and 6A, which we found to have no marked change since the PCV13 introduction and the COVID-19 control However, the resistance rate to oral penicillin and ceftriaxone significantly declined in the COVID-19 control stage.

34361 Laser hair removal treatment considerations for Ehlers Danlos syndrome

EDS is a clinically and genetically heterogenous group of heritable connective tissue disorders involving a pathogenic disruption of collagen fibrils. Here we present a case of laser hair removal in the setting of EDS (type 6a) in a 29-year-old female phototype 2 patient successfully treated with 755-nm alexandrite laser for aesthetic laser hair removal. Our patient was born with a dislocated hip and diagnosed at age 6 with EDS type 6a with genetic confirmation of PLOD1 positive gene mutation, poor wound healing, chronic sacroiliac joint dysfunction, kyphoscoliosis and bilateral hip dysplasia. She also had a myocardial infarction, right renal artery dissection and iliac artery dissection. She was interested in aesthetic laser hair removal and noted a significant scarring history with numerous hypopigmented scars throughout her extremities with shaving leaving her with scarring on occasion. Given her complex connective tissue disease history with significant morbidity particular consideration was given to planning her laser hair removal treatment sessions for the bikini line. Clinically our patient was phototype 2 with the bikini line containing dark brown terminal hair. To clinically identify endpoints and mitigate potential complications including scarring a test spot was initially performed. The test spot was performed with the alexandrite laser 755 nm, fluence 16 J/cm2, 10-ms pulse duration, 18-mm spot size, dynamic cooling device with 4 total pulses in separate areas. No undesirable endpoints, pigmentary alteration, or scarring was observed and full treatment sessions were initiated with 755-nm 16-18 J/cm2, 10-ms pulse duration, 18-mm spot size, dynamic cooling device with excellent clinical response.

Molecular and Functional Characterization of the Dual‐Specificity Phosphodiesterase Type 10A in Human White Adipocytes

The second messenger cyclic nucleotides cAMP and cGMP are key effectors of thermogenesis in adipocytes in response to a diverse array of cues. Their intracellular levels are normally regulated by the hydrolytic action of phosphodiesterases (PDEs), a conserved superfamily of enzymes composed of 12 families in humans (PDE1‐12) with distinct substrate specificities and tissue distribution profiles. Phosphodiesterase inhibitors are thus promising drugs for the treatment of metabolic disease by promoting cyclic nucleotide‐mediated adipose tissue thermogenesis, but so far mainly those that elevate either cAMP or cGMP signaling alone have been studied. We previously showed that inhibition of the dual‐specificity phosphodiesterase type 10A (PDE10A) with the small molecule drug MP‐10 sufficiently induces a thermogenic gene expression program in differentiated human white pre‐adipocytes (HWP‐ds) to a similar degree as combined cAMP and cGMP treatment. Here, we asked (1) which PDE10A isoforms are expressed in HWP‐ds, (2) the downstream signaling pathways PDE10A controls, and (3) how PDE10A expression is influenced by inflammatory stimuli in this cell type. Immunoblot analysis revealed that both the cytosolic (PDE10A1) and membrane‐bound (PDE10A2) isoforms of PDE10A are highly expressed in HWP‐ds, predominantly in the former subcellular compartment. This was confirmed by fractionation and immunofluorescence analyses. Inhibition of PDE10A with MP‐10 dose‐dependently increased PKA and PKG signaling as revealed by phosphorylation of cyclic response element binding protein (CREB) and vasodilator‐stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP) at S133 and S239, respectively. Consistently, the stimulation of lipolysis by MP‐10 was fully prevented by combined pre‐incubation of HWP‐ds with selective PKA and PKG inhibitors. Finally, mimicking the adipose tissue microenvironment in obesity by applying pro‐inflammatory cytokines onto HWP‐ds caused an early (4‐hour) and sustained (24‐hour) increase in PDE10A mRNA expression. These results provide new insight into the molecular character, function, and regulation of PDE10A in human adipocytes and further justify the use of selective inhibitors for the treatment of metabolic disease through stimulating adipose tissue thermogenesis in a more efficient and targeted manner.

Design, synthesis, and behavioral evaluation of dual-acting compounds as phosphodiesterase type 10A (PDE10A) inhibitors and serotonin ligands targeting neuropsychiatric symptoms in dementia

Neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS), such as psychosis, depression and anxiety are frequently observed among patients with dementia. NPS is treated by off-label psychotropic medications that are only modestly effective in dementia patients, with a high risk of adverse events and cognitive decline. Considering the above, there is an unmet need for a well-tolerated and effective therapy of NPS in dementia. We designed and synthesized a library of dual-acting compounds as phosphodiesterase type-10A inhibitors and serotonin 5-HT1AR ligands. The most potent molecules, compounds 4 and 8, as partial agonists of 5-HT1AR and PDE10A inhibitors, exhibited a very high permeability of the blood-brain barrier. Compounds 4 and 8 displayed antipsychotic- and antidepressant-like activity and restored recognition memory deficits in mice. The overall effectiveness, pharmacokinetic and bioavailability studies imply the therapeutic-like potential of the presented dual-acting compounds as a method of treatment of NPS in dementia.

A real-world study of sofosbuvir-based drug treatment for hepatitis C virus genotype 6 infection in Hainan region of China

Objective: To explore the real-world effectiveness and safety of sofosbuvir-based regimen for patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 6 infection in Hainan Island. Methods: Fifty-three cases with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 6 infection who were initially treated with a sofosbuvir (SOF)-based regimen [sofosbuvir/velpatasvir (SOF/VEL) for 12 weeks or sofosbuvir combined with ribavirin (SOF+RBV) for 24 weeks], followed by 24 weeks of follow-up after discontinuation of the drug from January 2018 to March 2020 were selected. The primary outcome measures were incidence of sustained virological response at 12 weeks (SVR12) after the drug withdrawal. The secondary outcome measures were adverse drug events with sustained virological response at the end of treatment and 24 weeks after the end of treatment. The occurrence of adverse events was observed during the treatment. An intragroup comparison was performed by t-test. Intention-to-treat and modified intention-to-treat analysis was used for sustained virological respons. Results: The subtype distribution of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 6 in 53 cases of chronic hepatitis C infection were as follows: 22 cases of type 6a, 5 cases of type 6w, 5 cases of type 6xa, 3 cases of type 6v, 2 cases of type 6e, 2 cases of type 6r, 1 case of type 6xh, and 13 cases of special virus strains with undetermined genotype. The overall sustained virological response rate at 12 weeks after the drug withdrawal was 100%. Furthermore, HCV RNA was undetectable during the treatment period (4 weeks), at the end of treatment and after the treatment (24 weeks). There were seven cases of adverse events, mainly including fatigue, anorexia, and mild anemia; however, no serious adverse events were reported. Conclusion: Sofosbuvir-based regimen combined with ribavirin or velpatasvir cannot only achieve high response rate to HCV subtype 6a, but also obtain a good sustained virological response to the rare prevalent sub-genotypes and special virus strains of HCV genotype 6, with mild adverse reactions and acceptable safety profile.

One health approach to genetic relatedness in SCCmec between methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus isolates from companion dogs with pyoderma and their owners

Staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec) confers methicillin resistance and shows ability for horizontal transfer. However, little is known about the potential transfer of SCCmec between different species of staphylococci in a clinical setting. In this study, we investigated the genetic relationship of SCCmec between staphylococci isolated from dogs affected with pyoderma and their owners. Clinical isolates were collected from pyoderma lesions of dogs and from the nasal cavity and finger of owners. Clonal lineages were characterized using multi-locus sequence typing. Genetic relatedness of SCCmec in the isolates from dogs and owners was first evaluated with dru and SCCmec typing, and whole-genome sequencing (WGS) was used to confirm the similarity of DNA sequences and the structural composition of SCCmec. A total of 100 Staphylococcus strains were isolated from 31 dog-owner pairs. One pair with isolates carrying the same SCCmec type V and dru type 11a was detected: 18D20-1 (S. pseudintermedius, dog), 18D20-2 (S. schleiferi, dog), and 18H20-F2 (S. epidermidis, dog owner). WGS revealed that these three isolates showed remarkable genetic similarity in SCCmec with respect to DNA sequences, dru type, structure composition of ccrC and the mec complex, and DR-1 in orfX, which is considered to be the insertion site of SCCmec. Entire identical nucleotide sequences of the whole SCCmec region in different Staphylococcus strains were absent between dogs and owners. However, the remarkable genetic similarity of SCCmec from staphylococci isolated from a dog and owner pair emphasizes that antimicrobial resistance surveillance adopted One Health concept should be continuously performed.

Molecular characterization, antibiotic resistance pattern and capsular types of invasive Streptococcus pneumoniae isolated from clinical samples in Tehran, Iran

BackgroundStreptococcus pneumoniae causes serious infections worldwide. The aim of this study was to determine the molecular characteristic, antibiotic resistance pattern and capsular types of invasive S. pneumoniae in Tehran, Iran.ResultsOf the 44 pneumococcal invasive isolates, 39 (89%) were isolated from children and 5 (11%) from adults. The results show that all pneumococcal isolates were susceptible to linezolid but had varying resistance to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (86%), erythromycin (73%), tetracycline (66%), clindamycin (43%), penicillin (16%), chloramphenicol (14%) and levofloxacin (2%). The range of erythromycin, tetracycline and penicillin MICs were 2 - ≥ 256 μg/mL, 4 - ≥ 48 μg/mL, and 0.047 - ≥ 256 respectively. All of the penicillin resistant isolates were multidrug resistant (MDR) and in addition to penicillin were resistant to tetracycline, erythromycin and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. The most common capsular types detected in 64% of the pneumococcal isolates was 6A/B, 19A, 15A, 23F. The multilocus sequence typing (MLST) of 10 pneumococcal isolates revealed 9 different sequence types (STs), including ST 15139 (capsular type 19A) and ST 15140 (capsular type 23F), which have not previously been reported.ConclusionsThe study revealed that the S. pneumoniae isolates belonged to diverse capsular types and clones with high rate of resistance to erythromycin, tetracycline, and penicillin.

A Common Food Glycan, Pectin, Shares an Antigen with Streptococcus pneumoniae Capsule.

We are exposed daily to many glycans from bacteria and food plants. Bacterial glycans are generally antigenic and elicit antibody responses. It is unclear if food glycans' sharing of antigens with bacterial glycans influences our immune responses to bacteria. We studied 14 different plant foods for cross-reactivity with monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against 24 pneumococcal serotypes which commonly cause infections and are included in pneumococcal vaccines. Serotype 15B-specific MAb cross-reacts with fruit peels, and serotype 10A MAb cross-reacts with many natural and processed plant foods. The serotype 10A cross-reactive epitope is terminal 1,6-linked β-galactose [βGal(1-6)], present in the rhamno-galacturonan I (RG-I) domain of pectin. Despite wide consumption of pectin, the immune response to 10A is comparable to the responses to other serotypes. An antipectin antibody can opsonize serotype 10A pneumococci, and the shared βGal(1-6) may be useful as a simple vaccine against 10A. Impact of food glycans should be considered in host-pathogen interactions and future vaccine designs.IMPORTANCE The impact of food consumption on vaccine responses is unknown. Streptococcus pneumoniae (the pneumococcus) is an important human pathogen, and its polysaccharide capsule is used as a vaccine. We show that capsule type 10A in a pneumococcal vaccine shares an antigenic epitope, βGal(1-6), with pectin, which is in many plant foods and is widely consumed. Immune response to 10A is comparable to that seen with other capsule types, and pectin ingestion may have little impact on vaccine responses. However, antibody to pectin can kill serotype 10A pneumococci and this shared epitope may be considered in pneumococcal vaccine designs.

Новые материалы для изучения оружия дальнего боя у населения северного Алтая в жужанское время

В статье публикуется коллекция железных наконечников стрел из некрополя булан-кобинской культуры Чобурак-I (Чемальский район Республики Алтай), исследования которого проводились экспедицией Алтайского государственного университета в 2017–2019 гг. В результате классификации 48 изделий, представленных полными и частично разрушенными образцами, выделены 14 типов наконечников, дополненных 24 вариантами. Типологическое исследование позволило определить относительную хронологию разных модификаций проникателей и их возможный генезис. Среди ярусных наконечников присутствуют образцы хуннуской (сюннуской) традиции II–V вв. н.э. (типы 1а, 2а, 4а–б) и южно-сибирской традиции III–V вв. н.э. (типы 1б, 2б, 3а, 4в). Трехлопастные наконечники стрел датируются разным временем: шестиугольные без упора (тип 8а) – II в. до н.э. – V в. н.э.; асимметрично-ромбические и ромбические без упора (типы 6а, 7а) – II–V вв. н.э.; асимметрично-ромбические, ромбические, шестиугольные с кольцевым упором (типы 6б, 7б, 8б) – III–V вв. н.э. Трехгранно-трехлопастные наконечники типа 10а являются результатом сочетания местной и среднеазиатской (кенкольской) традиций военного дела. Бронебойные наконечники (типы 11а–б, 12а–б, 13а, 14а) демонстрируют знакомство населения Северного Алтая с передовыми средствами поражения защитного доспеха, получившего широкое применение в Центральной Азии со 2-й половины IV в. н.э. под влиянием оружейного комплекса поздних сяньби. Публикуемые материалы расширяют источниковую базу для сравнительного изучения оружия дальнего боя народов восточной Евразии середины I тыс. н.э.

Obituary of Prof. E. Venkata Rao

Prof. Venkata Rao born on 1st July, 1931 completed his studies in Andhra University during the years 1950- 59. He was one of the founder members of the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences at Andhra University, Visakhapatnam and instrumental in the growth of institution by way of his rich contributions over a period of 4 decades in different capacities from 1953-91. He visited UK on a Commonwealth Scholarship and worked under Prof. Sir James Baddiley FRS, in Newcastle University, which led to the award of a Ph. D. degree in Bio-Organic Chemistry in 1964 on the topic Studies on the Capsular Polysaccharides of Pneumococcus Type 10A, which work won him K. N. Welch Memorial Prize and this work also formed part of the 23-valent Pneumococcal vaccine (Pneumovax-23rm), which is official to Indian pharmacopeia 2007. Earlier to this significant contribution, Prof. Venkata Rao’s D. Sc. work at Andhra University on Thevetia neriifolia resulted in the discovery of a new clinically useful cardiotonic glycoside, peruvoside, the first modern drug discovery in India acclaimed by the International Scientific Community. This drug was developed for therapeutic use by M/s E. Merck and manufactured by an Italian Pharma Company, Simes, was listed in the Merck Index and Martindale-The Extra Pharmacopeia. Several other compounds his group isolated and worked on have found a place in the Merck Index.

Analyzing Deterioration on Arterial Roads Caused by Overloaded Business Vehicles

The many business vehicles performing important roles in the distribution of goods and services cause flexible pavement to experience overloading, which will eventually result in diminished pavement quality and durability. Roads need to be maintained periodically to maintain a high level of service. This research aims to discover the pattern of weight increments on overloaded business vehicles with the highest potential for road deterioration; analyze the relationships between said patterns and types of heavy vehicles; and determine what steps and relevant maintenance methods need to be taken. Research is performed on type 6a through 7c3 vehicles weighing 12 to 45 metric tons with various axle configurations, during both peak and off-peak hours on both workdays and holidays, to calculate the Average Daily Traffic in vehicle/day. Load on the road is then calculated to discover load value measured in Equivalent Single Axle Load (ESAL). Load is simulated up to 125 per cent heavier than total permitted weight according to data from Weight in Motion devices installed on certain arterial roads. Remaining pavement life is then calculated with the AASHTO 1993 method in accordance with its planned lifespan. Analysis shows that single-axle vehicles with double rear wheels weighing sixteen metric tons dominate national arterial roads and possess the highest potential to cause deterioration. Road deterioration, most of which consists of various forms of cracks, is accordingly determined using the Binamarga method. Relevant maintenance courses are thus formulated, comprising the forms of routine maintenance, periodical maintenance, and improvements to the roads in question.

Epigenome-wide association study for sudden unexpected infant death

Many genomic variants associated with sudden unexpected death (SUD) have been found with the use of the next generation sequencing (NGS), and registered in the clinical pathogenetic variant databases such as SIFT, Poly-Phen2 and Grantham. In this study, we search additional variants by NGS analysis of genomic DNA extracted from the cadavers in the sudden unexpected infant death (SID) cases. Genomic DNA was extracted from the ventricular septum of three infants of SID cases, three infants died of myocarditis, asphyxia and Down syndrome, a 15 year-old boy died of SUD, and an adult died of intracerebral bleeding. After bisulfite treatment of DNA samples, methylation levels were measured using the Infinium MethylationEPIC BeadChip Kit and iSCAN system (Illumina). This system can check over 860,000 methylation sites per sample. Methylation levels were compared among SID and other cases by GenomeStudio software (Illumina), and top 50 sites with increasing or decreasing methylation levels were obtained. When SID cases and a SUD case were compared, SID cases showed severe decrease in methylation level at cg16032134 site. This site exists in ATP10A gene coding ATPase class V type 10A enzyme and is related to several diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Development of a new 15-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV15) and evaluation of its immunogenicity

A new 15-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV15) against serotypes 1, 3, 4, 5, 6A, 6B, 7F, 9V, 11A, 14, 18C, 19A, 19F, 22F, and 23F has been developed using aluminum phosphate as an adjuvant. Using the rabbit model, immunogenicity of each serotype was evaluated by measuring antigen specific antibodies and functional antibody titers and comparing them to a control vaccine, Prevnar13®. Among the shared serotypes in both PCV15 and Prevnar13®, Type 3 and 23F in PCV15 exhibited a lower opsonic index than Prevnar13®. Conversely, the other types showed greater or nearly the same immunogenic effects. Type 11A and 22F are two additional serotypes included in PCV15, and only 22F showed a reasonable opsonic index compared with other types. Type 11A exhibited a basal level fold-increase in OPA; thus, we further optimized 11A as well as 3 and 23F by controlling the polysaccharide-to-protein conjugation ratio as a variable. Antibody levels and functional antibody activities were evaluated by ELISA and OPA, and improved levels of immunogenic activities were observed for all three serotypes. In this study, we propose a new PCV15 candidate, in which the common 13 serotypes and a licensed control vaccine have equivalent efficacy while two additional serotypes showed adequate immunogenicity in the rabbit model.

Synthesis and biological evaluation of a trisaccharide repeating unit derivative of Streptococcus pneumoniae 19A capsular polysaccharide.

Streptococcus pneumoniae (SP) is a common human pathogen associated with a broad spectrum of diseases and it is still a leading cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide, especially in children. Moreover, SP is increasingly associated with drug resistance. Vaccination against the pathogen may thus represent an important strategy to overcome its threats to human health. In this context, revealing the molecular determinants of SP immunoreactivity may be relevant for the development of novel molecules with therapeutic perspectives as vaccine components. Serogroup 19 comprises the immune-cross reactive types 19F, 19A, 19B and 19C and it accounts for a high percentage of invasive pneumococcal diseases, mainly caused by serotypes 19F and 19A. Herein, we report the synthesis and biological evaluation of an aminopropyl derivative of the trisaccharide repeating unit of SP 19A. We compare two different synthetic strategies, based on different disconnections between the three monosaccharides which make up the final trisaccharide, to define the best approach for the preparation of the trisaccharide. Synthetic accessibility to the trisaccharide repeating unit lays the basis for the development of more complex biopolymer as well as saccharide conjugates. We also evaluate the binding affinity of the trisaccharide for anti-19A and anti-19F sera and discuss the relationship between the chemical properties of the trisaccharide unit and biological activity.

Rise of multidrug-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae clones expressing non-vaccine serotypes among children following introduction of the 10-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in Bulgaria.

Pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs) have reduced the incidence of pneumococcal disease, but non-vaccine serotypes are of concern, particularly if antimicrobial-resistant. This study retrospectively evaluated the serotype-specific clonality of paediatric multidrug-resistant (MDR) invasive and non-invasive Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates collected following PCV10 introduction (2011-2017) in Bulgaria. Capsular types, drug resistance patterns and multilocus sequence typing (MLST) of the most common MDR S. pneumoniae serotypes sampled from children were determined. Overall, the rate of MDR pneumococci was 44.6% (107/240). The most common serotypes among MDR strains were 19F (25.2%), 19A (19.6%), 6C (13.1%), 6A and 23A (6.5% each) and 15A (4.7%), contributing 75.7% of all MDR strains. With the exception of serotype 19F, the remaining serotypes were non-PCV10 types. Among MDR pneumococci, the most frequently found sequence types were ST320 (30.4%; 19A and 19F), ST386 (12.7%; 6C and 6A) and ST8029 (5.1%; 23A). The majority of MDR STs (74.7%) belonged to PMEN clonal complexes, of which the most common were CC320 (Taiwan19F-14), CC315 (Poland6B-20) and CC180 (Netherlands3-31), accounting for 43.0%, 13.9% and 5.1%, respectively. In the post-vaccine period, a shift in the genetic structure of serotype 19A was found, with a significant increase of PMEN-14 (CC320) and a concurrent decrease of the major clone Denmark14-32 (CC230) observed prior to PCV10 introduction in Bulgaria. Clonality was found behind the wide distribution of MDR capsular types 19A, 6C, 23A and 3 following vaccine introduction, and a highly multiresistant and virulent clone Taiwan19F-14/ST320 has emerged as a common pathogen in children.

Morphological and molecular characteristics of Sarcocystis bertrami from horses and donkeys in China

While Sarcocystis parasites from the muscles of donkey and horse have been characterized as different species, similarities between the parasites in these host raises questions about this assignment (Levine and Tadros, 1980; Matuschka, 1983; Odening et al., 1995b). To resolve this, we examined the tissue cysts of Sarcocystis collected from donkeys and horses were studied by morphological and molecular methods. Morphological studies performed by light microscopy (LM) revealed that each of two types of cysts were present in samples from each host type. Under LM, villar protrusions (VP) were sometimes observed on the larger (Type I) and smaller (Type II) of these cyst types; when present, these were sometimes short and sometimes long. By electron microscopy (EM), VPs from both horse and donkey cysts were found to share similar structures, appearing to be typical of ‘type 11a’ VPs found on the Sarcocystis wall of Sarcocystis fayeri as described by Dubey et al., 1977. The VP of cysts in both horses and donkeys contained microtubules extending from the villar tips to the ground substance (GS). Ovoid, osmiophilic bodies (OB) were found along the length of the microtubules within the villi, but this feature was not found in all VP. To understand the phylogeny of the parasites, a portion of the coxI gene was sequenced from 22 isolated cysts (9 from donkeys and 13 from horses). Phylogenetic relationships were reconstructed from these sequences and the closest homologues available in GenBank, revealing that all of the samples, regardless of host origin or morphological appearance under LM, grouped in one clade. Ours is the first attempt to combine morphological measurements with coxI sequences in assessing such equine parasites; the results confirm a close relationship of the parasites from horse and donkey with S. fayeri. Further, the data suggest that the cysts in each host likely belong to the same species. As the first named species was Sarcocystis bertrami, we propose S. bertrami (syn. Sarcocystis fayeri) as the descriptor for this parasite of both horses and donkeys. Ultimately, this finding will only be validated by cross-transmission infection experiments that score the ability of parasite isolates from one Equus to infect the other.

Technical Analysis of Kort Nozzle Application for SPOB Ship 4990 DWT on River

Propeller is a locomotor shaped vanes are used to drive ships, and also propellers which serves to move tehaga by changing the turning force of the propeller thrust menggerakakan into the vessel. In increasing the value of the thrust to be generated that is by applying the kort nozzle propeller. The method used in this study using CFD (Computional Fluid Dynamic), and the variation is from the conventional propeller models, with a kort nozzle propeller type kort nozzle type 19A and 37. Based on the findings that the kort nozzle propeller with the addition of the value of the thrust , propeller efficiency and torque generated. The driving force value is by using kort nozzle propeller type 37 amounted to 349.27 kN.

Epidemiological survey of adult proximal humeral fractures between the east and west areas in China from 2010 through 2011

Objective To compare the epidemiological characteristics of adult proximal humeral fractures between the east and west areas in China from 2010 through 2011. Methods The data of adult proximal humeral fractures treated between January 2010 and December 2011 at 35 east hospitals and 28 west ones were analyzed retrospectively. The patients’ gender, age and AO classification were documented. The data from the 35 east hospitals were classified as group A while the data from the 28 west ones as group B. Comparisons were made between the 2 groups to find out the general epidemiological characteristics. Results A total of 9,279 adult proximal humeral fractures were collected. The total male/female ratio was 0.66∶1. The adult proximal humeral fractures predominated in an age range from 51 to 60 years (20.93%). There were 6,428 cases (69.27%) of type 11-A, 1,912 ones (20.61%) of type 11-B and 939 ones (10.12%) of type 11-C. The male/female ratio was 0.59∶1 in group A of 6,832 patients and 0.90∶1 in group B of 2,447 patients, showing a significant difference between groups (P< 0.05). The median age of group A (58 years) was significantly older than that of group B (52 years) (P< 0.05). The fractures predominated in the age range from 51 to 60 years in both groups, accounting for 22.03% and 17.86% respectively. The high-risk type was 11-A in both groups, accounting for 69.45% and 68.78% respectively. The differences in age distribution and AO type distribution were statistically significant between the 2 groups (P< 0.05). Conclusions The peak age of adult proximal humeral fractures was from 51 to 60 years, the high-risk type was 11-A and there were more female patients than male ones. As far as adult proximal humeral fractures in China from 2010 through 2011 were concerned, the proportion of female patients, median age and proportion of type 11-C in the east area were higher than in the west area. Key words: Shoulder fractures; Epidemiology studies; Small-area analysis; Sex distribution; Age distribution

Pitfalls of restriction enzyme analysis in identifying, characterizing, typing, and naming viral pathogens in the era of whole genome data, as illustrated by HAdV type 55.

A recent controversy over naming of a human adenovirus (HAdV) type 55 as type 11a (Kajon et al., 2013; Walsh et al., 2010) serves as instructive example to illustrate some of pitfalls of relying on REA to identify, characterize, type, and name adenoviral pathogens in era of whole genome data. Some of these concerns have been addressed earlier specifically for adenovirus characterization, where it was noted REA is useful for prototype-like restriction but the occurrence of genome types with deviating restriction patterns limits application of this method (Wigand, 1987).