Crosstalk between Hepatitis B Virus and the 3D Genome Structure.

Viruses that transcribe their DNA within the nucleus have to adapt to the existing cellular mechanisms that govern transcriptional regulation. Recent technological breakthroughs have highlighted the highly hierarchical organization of the cellular genome and its role in the regulation of gene expression. This review provides an updated overview on the current knowledge on how the hepatitis B virus interacts with the cellular 3D genome and its consequences on viral and cellular gene expression.

Early Steps of Hepatitis B Life Cycle: From Capsid Nuclear Import to cccDNA Formation.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) remains a major public health concern, with more than 250 million chronically infected people who are at high risk of developing liver diseases, including cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Although antiviral treatments efficiently control virus replication and improve liver function, they cannot cure HBV infection. Viral persistence is due to the maintenance of the viral circular episomal DNA, called covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA), in the nuclei of infected cells.

Mobilization of IMEs Integrated in the of ICEs Involves Their Own Relaxase Belonging to the Rep-Trans Family of Proteins.

Integrative mobilizable elements (IMEs) are widespread but very poorly studied integrated elements that can excise and hijack the transfer apparatus of co-resident conjugative elements to promote their own spreading. Sixty-four putative IMEs, harboring closely related mobilization and recombination modules, were found in 14 species and in . Fifty-three are integrated into the origin of transfer () of a host integrative conjugative element (ICE), encoding a MobT relaxase and belonging to three distant families: ICE, Tn, and ICE.

The efficacy of supervised physiotherapy for the treatment of adhesive capsulitis.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of supervised physiotherapy supplemented with non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for treating adhesive capsulitis.

Background: Even though adhesive capsulitis is a common disorder, literature on its treatment is still limited.

Methods: Forty-five patients with adhesive capsulitis treated between 2004 and 2007 were reviewed retrospectively and 29 patients were enrolled in the study.

Serum vitamin D status and bone mineral density in fibromyalgia.

Objectives: To compare serum vitamin D levels and bone mineral density (BMD) values in patients with fibromyalgia and healthy controls.

Background: The so far available reports of low levels of vitamin D and low BMD values in patients with fibromyalgia are inconsistent.

Methods: Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OHD) levels and BMD values were measured in thirty women with fibromyalgia and compared with thirty age-matched healthy women.

A new value of proximal femur geometry to evaluate hip fracture risk: true moment arm.

This study was undertaken to determine the influence of proximal femur geometry on hip fracture risk independent of bone mineral density. We examined 34 hip fracture subjects (17 men, 17 women) and 36 control subjects (18 men, 18 women). The control subjects were matched with the hip fracture patients by femoral neck bone mineral density (+ or - 0.

Sacral agenesis in siblings.

Sacral agenesis is a rare congenital abnormality of the lower vertebral column which is frequently associated with neurological, orthopedic as well as urological malformations. With regard to the incidence of the anomaly, although approximately 200 cases have been reported previously, the occurrence of sacral agenesis in siblings has only rarely been found. To date only two pairs of siblings have been reported.

Long-term follow-up of renal morphology and function in children after lithotripsy.

Between October 1990 and May 1991, extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) was performed on 35 children. All the treatments were done with the Dornier MPL 9000 Lithotriptor under sedation. Following treatment all the children were controlled regularly every 6 months, and the long-term follow-up results concerning the renal functional and morphological alterations together with changes in blood pressure values and the rate of stone recurrence were analyzed.