Unlabelled: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the leading cause of dementia globally, having a pathophysiology that is complex and multifactorial. Recent findings highlight the significant role of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), specifically microRNAs (miRNAs), long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), circular RNAs (circRNAs), and piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) in the molecular mechanisms underlying AD. These ncRNAs are involved in critical biological processes such as cell proliferation, apoptosis, oxidative stress, amyloid-beta aggregation, tau phosphorylation, neuroinflammation, and autophagy, which are pivotal in AD development and progression.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Classic compartmental models such as the susceptible-exposed-infectious-removed (SEIR) model all have the weakness of assuming a homogenous population, where everyone has an equal chance of getting infected and dying. Since it was identified in Hubei, China, in December 2019, COVID-19 has rapidly spread around the world and been declared a pandemic. Based on data from Hubei, infection and death distributions vary with age.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Filipinos with prostate cancer (CaP) are at increased risk of harboring advanced stages and lower survival rates compared to other Asians. This study aims to investigate prevalence of ETS-related gene (ERG) oncoprotein overexpression in Filipinos as surrogate of TMPRSS2-ERG gene fusions, using a highly specific monoclonal antibody (ERG-MAb), and conduct the first attempt to study the role of genetic alterations in the aggressive tumor biologic behaviour of CaP among Filipinos.
Methods: This case-matched, case-control retrospective study evaluated ERG expression in Filipino patients diagnosed with CaP and its effect on stage and Gleason grade of their disease.
A seroepidemiological study was performed to determine the seroprevalence of Cryptosporidium in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected adults and local university students in the Limpopo Province, South Africa. Using a custom anti-C. parvum immunoglobulin G (IgG) enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), the seroprevalence of Cryptosporidium was found to be significantly higher (75.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAmoebiasis is a common cause of non-specific colitis in the Philippines. The prevalence of Clostridium difficile infection with colitis is unknown. Empiric use of metronidazole for colitis treatment is widely practiced.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Although several animal models of cryptosporidiosis have been reported, most involve genetically or pharmacologically immune-suppressed hosts.
Methods: We report challenge with excysted (in vitro and in vivo) and unexcysted (in vivo) Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts in human colonic adenocarcinoma (HCT-8) cells and weaned nourished and malnourished C57BL/6 mice, following outcomes of growth rate, stool shedding, and tissue burden. We tested treatment with an oligodeoxynucleotide containing unmethylated CpG motif (CpG-ODN) and alanyl-glutamine in vivo and in vitro.
Objective: This study investigated the role of L-arginine supplementation to undernourished and Cryptosporidium parvum-infected suckling mice.
Methods: The following regimens were initiated on the fourth day of life and injected subcutaneously daily. The C.
Cryptosporidiosis is a leading cause of persistent diarrhea in children in impoverished and developing countries and has both a short- and long-term impact on the growth and development of affected children. An animal model of cryptosporidial infection that mirrors closely the complex interaction between nutritional status and infection in children, particularly in vulnerable settings such as post-weaning and malnourishment, is needed to permit exploration of the pathogenic mechanisms involved. Weaned C57BL/6 mice received a protein-deficient (2%) diet for 3-12 days, then were infected with 5 × 10(7) excysted C.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: Long-term care facilities (LTCF) residents have been estimated to have the highest incidence of diarrheal illness among adults living in the developed world. This study describes undiagnosed diarrhea, intestinal inflammation, and Clostridium difficile colonization in a LTC population and explores whether these are associated with functional decline, as defined by weight loss or a change in cognitive or ADL status.
Methods: An observational study of a convenience sampling of residents in a 180-bed LTCF was obtained; evaluation of stool and medical records was done.
Cryptosporidium is a significant cause of diarrheal illness worldwide, especially among children and immunocompromised patients. Currently used diagnostic techniques are time-consuming, require skilled technicians, and are not useful for quantification of oocysts in fecal and environmental samples. In this study, we examined the use of a real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay for detecting and quantifying Cryptosporidium parvum in three distinct and progressively more complex matrices: phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), HCT-8 cells (human ileocecal carcinoma), and human fecal specimens.
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