Copro-molecular study of Entamoeba infection among the indigenous community in Malaysia: A first report on the species-specific prevalence of Entamoeba in dogs.

Background: Entamoeba is a free-living protozoan parasitic species that infect a variety of hosts. In humans, Entamoeba histolytica is the causative agent of amoebiasis. Entamoeba species has also been reported in dogs.

Diversity of endocervical microbiota associated with genital Chlamydia trachomatis infection and infertility among women visiting obstetrics and gynecology clinics in Malaysia.

The cervical microbiota constitutes an important protective barrier against the invasion of pathogenic microorganisms. A disruption of microbiota within the cervical milieu has been suggested to be a driving factor of sexually transmitted infections. These include Chlamydia trachomatis which frequently causes serious reproductive sequelae such as infertility in women.

CD8+ T cells of chronic HCV-infected patients express multiple negative immune checkpoints following stimulation with HCV peptides.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV)-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cells are key to successful viral clearance in HCV disease. Accumulation of exhausted HCV-specific T cells during chronic infection results in considerable loss of protective functional immune responses. The role of T-cell exhaustion in chronic HCV disease remains poorly understood.

Incidence of Augmentation in Primary Restless Legs Syndrome Patients May Not Be That High: Evidence From A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Augmentation is a common complication of primary restless legs syndrome (RLS) during treatment; however, its incidence rate remains unclear.The aim of this study is investigate the rate of augmentation during RLS treatment.We searched 6 databases, including PubMed, OVID, Embase, Wiley citations, Web of Science research platform (including SciELO Citation Index, Medline, KCI Korean Journal Database, the Web of Science™ Core Collection), and the Cochrane library, and screened the reference lists of the included trials and recently published reviews.

Peripheral loss of CD8(+) CD161(++) TCRVα7·2(+) mucosal-associated invariant T cells in chronic hepatitis C virus-infected patients.

Background: Mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells play an important role in innate host defence. MAIT cells appear to undergo exhaustion and are functionally weakened in chronic viral infections. However, their role in chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection remains unclear.

Increased frequency of late-senescent T cells lacking CD127 in chronic hepatitis C disease.

Background: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) causes persistent disease in ~85% of infected individuals, where the viral replication appears to be tightly controlled by HCV-specific CD8+ T cells. Accumulation of senescent T cells during infection results in considerable loss of functional HCV-specific immune responses.

Materials And Methods: We characterized the distinct T-cell phenotypes based on the expression of costimulatory molecules CD28 and CD27, senescence markers PD-1 and CD57, chronic immune activation markers CD38 and HLA-DR, and survival marker CD127 (IL-7R) by flow cytometry following activation of T cells using HCV peptides and phytohemagglutinin.

Chronic hepatitis C virus infection triggers spontaneous differential expression of biosignatures associated with T cell exhaustion and apoptosis signaling in peripheral blood mononucleocytes.

Persistent hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection appears to trigger the onset of immune exhaustion to potentially assist viral persistence in the host, eventually leading to hepatocellular carcinoma. The role of HCV on the spontaneous expression of markers suggestive of immune exhaustion and spontaneous apoptosis in immune cells of chronic HCV (CHC) disease largely remain elusive. We investigated the peripheral blood mononuclear cells of CHC patients to determine the spontaneous recruitment of cellular reactive oxygen species (cROS), immunoregulatory and exhaustion markers relative to healthy controls.

Clinical significance of tumor necrosis factor-α inhibitors in the treatment of sciatica: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background And Objective: Currently, no satisfactory treatment is available for sciatica caused by herniated discs and/or spinal stenosis. The objective of this study is to assess the value of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α inhibitors in the treatment of sciatica.

Methods: Without language restrictions, we searched PubMed, OVID, EMBASE, the Web of Science, the Clinical Trials Registers, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials and the China Academic Library and Information System.

The efficacy and safety of novel oral anticoagulants for the preventive treatment in atrial fibrillation patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Novel oral anticoagulants, including direct factor Xa inhibitors and direct factor IIa inhibitors, have been used to prevent stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) for a decade. In this study, the efficacy and safety of the novel oral anticoagulants were assessed in AF patients.

Methods: No language restrictions were applied.

T-cell receptor signaling induces proximal Runx1 transactivation via a calcineurin-NFAT pathway.

Runx1 transcription factor is a key player in the development and function of T cells. Runx1 transcripts consist of two closely related isoforms (proximal and distal Runx1) whose expressions are regulated by different promoters. Which Runx1 isoform is expressed appears to be tightly regulated.

Gene expression variation increase in trisomy 21 tissues.

Congenital development disorders with variable severity occur in trisomy 21. However, how these phenotypic abnormalities develop with variations remains elusive. We hypothesize that the differences in euploid gene expression variation among trisomy 21 tissues are caused by the presence of an extra copy of chromosome 21 and may contribute to the phenotypic variations in Down syndrome.

[Optimization of reaction conditions for RAPD analysis of freshwater planarians in China].

Using the Genomic DNA purification kit, the total DNA of the freshwater planarian was extracted and developed one single band through 0.8% agarose gel electrophoresis with OD260/OD280 between 1.5 and 2.