Escape of Kdm6a from X Chromosome Is Detrimental to Ischemic Brains via IRF5 Signaling.

The role of chromatin biology and epigenetics in disease progression is gaining increasing recognition. Genes that escape X chromosome inactivation (XCI) can impact neuroinflammation through epigenetic mechanisms. Our previous study has suggested that the X escapee genes Kdm6a and Kdm5c are involved in microglial activation after stroke in aged mice.

The histone methyltransferase SET10 participates in a chromatin modulation network crucial for intraerythrocytic development.

The lifecycle progression of the malaria parasite requires precise tuning of gene expression including histone methylation. The histone methyltransferase SET10 was previously described as an H3K4 methyltransferase involved in gene regulation, making it a prominent antimalarial target. In this study, we investigated the role of SET10 in the blood stages of in more detail, using tagged SET10-knockout (KO) and -knockdown (KD) lines.

Generating the evidence to support the establishment of a Respiratory Syncytial Virus surveillance system in Cameroon: A study protocol.

Background: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is one of the major pathogens frequently associated with severe respiratory tract infections in younger children and older adults globally. There is an unmet need with a lack of routine country-specific databases and/or RSV surveillance systems on RSV disease burden among adults in most low- and middle-income countries, including Cameroon. We aim to estimate the adult RSV burden needed to develop a framework for establishing an RSV surveillance database in Cameroon.

The state of health in the European Union (EU-27) in 2019: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease study 2019.

Background: The European Union (EU) faces many health-related challenges. Burden of diseases information and the resulting trends over time are essential for health planning. This paper reports estimates of disease burden in the EU and individual 27 EU countries in 2019, and compares them with those in 2010.

Brain endothelial CD200 signaling protects brain against ischemic damage.

Ischemic stroke induced inflammatory responses contribute significantly to neuronal damage and stroke outcomes. CD200 ligand and its receptor, CD200R, constitute an endogenous inhibitory signaling that is being increasingly recognized in studies of neuroinflammation in various central nervous system disorders. CD200 is a type 1 membrane glycoprotein that is broadly expressed by endothelia and neurons in the brain.

The Plasmodium falciparum CCCH zinc finger protein MD3 regulates male gametocytogenesis through its interaction with RNA-binding proteins.

The transmission of malaria parasites to mosquitoes is dependent on the formation of gametocytes. Once fully matured, gametocytes are able to transform into gametes in the mosquito's midgut, a process accompanied with their egress from the enveloping erythrocyte. Gametocyte maturation and gametogenesis require a well-coordinated gene expression program that involves a wide spectrum of regulatory proteins, ranging from histone modifiers to transcription factors to RNA-binding proteins.

Naturally occurring phenylethanoids and phenylpropanoids: antimalarial potential.

Malaria as an infectious disease is one of the world's most dangerous parasitic diseases. There is an urgent need for the development of new antimalarial drugs. Natural products are a very rich source of new bioactive compounds.

Central IRF4/5 Signaling Are Critical for Microglial Activation and Impact on Stroke Outcomes.

Microglia and monocytes play a critical role in immune responses to cerebral ischemia. Previous studies have demonstrated that interferon regulatory factor 4 (IRF4) and IRF5 direct microglial polarization after stroke and impact outcomes. However, IRF4/5 are expressed by both microglia and monocytes, and it is not clear if it is the microglial (central) or monocytic (peripheral) IRF4-IRF5 regulatory axis that functions in stroke.

Prevalence, risk factors and management of common mental health disorders in Cameroon: a systematic review protocol.

Background: Mental health disorders (MHDs) are considered a serious public health concern globally. The burden of mental health conditions is estimated to be higher in low-income and middle-income countries, including Cameroon, where reliable estimates are lacking. This review aims to synthesise evidence on the prevalence of MHDs, the effectiveness of mental health management interventions and identify risk factors for MHDs in Cameroon.

Burden of disease attributable to risk factors in European countries: a scoping literature review.

Objectives: Within the framework of the burden of disease (BoD) approach, disease and injury burden estimates attributable to risk factors are a useful guide for policy formulation and priority setting in disease prevention. Considering the important differences in methods, and their impact on burden estimates, we conducted a scoping literature review to: (1) map the BoD assessments including risk factors performed across Europe; and (2) identify the methodological choices in comparative risk assessment (CRA) and risk assessment methods.

Methods: We searched multiple literature databases, including grey literature websites and targeted public health agencies websites.

Antimicrobial stewardship in the era of the COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review protocol on the opportunities and challenges for Sub-Saharan Africa.

Background: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) remains one of the leading threats to global public health and this may increase following COVID-19 pandemic. This is particularly the case in Africa where regulations on antimicrobial usage are weak. This protocol outlines the steps to undertake a systematic review to synthesize evidence on drivers of AMR and evaluate existing approaches to strengthening antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) programs in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).

Characterization of Plasmodium falciparum prohibitins as novel targets to block infection in humans by impairing the growth and transmission of the parasite.

Prohibitins (PHBs) are highly conserved pleiotropic proteins as they have been shown to mediate key cellular functions. Here, we characterize PHBs encoding putative genes ofPlasmodium falciparum by exploiting different orthologous models. We demonstrated that PfPHB1 (PF3D7_0829200) and PfPHB2 (PF3D7_1014700) are expressed in asexual and sexual blood stages of the parasite.

Evaluation of Chiral Organosulfur Compounds on Their Activity against the Malaria Parasite .

Malaria is one of the deadliest tropical diseases, especially causing havoc in children under the age of five in Africa. Although the disease is treatable, the rapid development of drug resistant parasites against frontline drugs requires the search for novel antimalarials. In this study, we tested a series of organosulfur compounds from our internal library for their antiplasmodial effect against asexual and sexual blood stages.

Metabolomic Profiling, In Vitro Antimalarial Investigation and In Silico Modeling of the Marine Actinobacterium Strain sp. UR111 Associated with the Soft Coral sp.

Malaria is a persistent illness with a great public health concern. To combat this fatal disease, developing effective antimalarial medications has become a necessity. In the present study, we described the actinomycetes associated with the Red Sea soft coral sp.

New Halogenated Compounds from Seaweed with Potential Inhibitory Activity against Malaria.

Malaria is one of the most important infectious diseases worldwide. The causative of the most severe forms of malaria, , has developed resistances against all the available antimalarial drugs. In the present study, the phytochemical investigation of the green seaweed has afforded two new compounds -, along with 4 known ones -.

Methodological considerations in injury burden of disease studies across Europe: a systematic literature review.

Background: Calculating the disease burden due to injury is complex, as it requires many methodological choices. Until now, an overview of the methodological design choices that have been made in burden of disease (BoD) studies in injury populations is not available. The aim of this systematic literature review was to identify existing injury BoD studies undertaken across Europe and to comprehensively review the methodological design choices and assumption parameters that have been made to calculate years of life lost (YLL) and years lived with disability (YLD) in these studies.

Regulation of microglial activation in stroke in aged mice: a translational study.

Numerous neurochemical changes occur with aging and stroke mainly affects the elderly. Our previous study has found interferon regulatory factor 5 (IRF5) and 4 (IRF4) regulate neuroinflammation in young stroke mice. However, whether the IRF5-IRF4 regulatory axis has the same effect in aged brains is not known.

X, but not Y, Chromosomal Complement Contributes to Stroke Sensitivity in Aged Animals.

Post-menopausal women become vulnerable to stroke and have poorer outcomes and higher mortality than age-matched men, and previous studies suggested that sex chromosomes play a vital role in mediating stroke sensitivity in the aged. It is unknown if this is due to effects of the X or Y chromosome. The present study used the XY* mouse model (with four genotypes: XX and XO gonadal females and XY and XXY gonadal males) to compare the effect of the X vs.

S-Adenosylmethionine Synthetase Is Essential for Parasite Survival through a Complex Interaction Network with Cytoplasmic and Nuclear Proteins.

S-adenosylmethionine synthetase (SAMS) is a key enzyme for the synthesis of the lone methyl donor S-adenosyl methionine (SAM), which is involved in transmethylation reactions and hence required for cellular processes such as DNA, RNA, and histone methylation, but also polyamine biosynthesis and proteostasis. In the human malaria parasite , SAMS is encoded by a single gene and has been suggested to be crucial for malaria pathogenesis and transmission; however, to date, SAMS has not been fully characterized. To gain deeper insight into the function of SAMS, we generated a conditional gene knockdown (KD) using the ribozyme system.

The CCCH Zinc Finger Protein ZNF4 Plays an Important Role in Gametocyte Exflagellation through the Regulation of Male Enriched Transcripts.

CCCH zinc finger proteins (ZFPs) function mainly as RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) and play a central role in the mRNA metabolism. Over twenty seven CCCH-ZFPs are encoded in the genome of the human malaria parasite , the causative agent of malaria tropica. However, little is known about their functions.

Cytotoxic potential of sp.-derived actinomycetes supported by metabolomics analysis.

Soft corals and associated microorganisms are known to produce leads for anticancer drugs. Keeping this in mind, sp.; a Red Sea soft coral was investigated for the first time using the OSMAC approach.

Burden of non-communicable disease studies in Europe: a systematic review of data sources and methodological choices.

Background: Assessment of disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) resulting from non-communicable diseases (NCDs) requires specific calculation methods and input data. The aims of this study were to (i) identify existing NCD burden of disease (BoD) activities in Europe; (ii) collate information on data sources for mortality and morbidity; and (iii) provide an overview of NCD-specific methods for calculating NCD DALYs.

Methods: NCD BoD studies were systematically searched in international electronic literature databases and in grey literature.