Persistent Epstein-Barr Virus Infection of Epithelial Cells Leads to APOBEC3C Expression and Induces Mitochondrial DNA Mutations.

Upon infection with the virus, cells increase the expression of cytidine deaminase APOBEC3 family genes. This leads to the accumulation of C-to-T mutations in the replicating viral genome and suppresses viral propagation. In contrast, herpesviruses, including Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), express genes that counteract APOBEC3 during lytic infection.

Identification of Mammaliicoccus fleurettii as the source of a methicillin-resistant gene in a First Nation reserve lake in Manitoba, Canada.

Our study aimed to identify the bacterial source of a previously detected mobile antibiotic-resistant gene, , found in a lake that serves as a source to a water treatment plant operated by a First Nation reserve. Three methicillin-resistant presumptive spp. isolated from the sample using selective media were verified as positive by PCR.

Comparative mitogenomics of Leptographium procerum, Leptographium terebrantis and Leptographium wingfieldii, an invasive fungal species in Canadian forests.

Leptographium wingfieldii is a fungal associate of Tomicus piniperda (the pine shoot beetle) and pathogen of pines and this species is an agent of blue stain in sapwood on infected trees. This fungus was first reported from Europe and has been recently introduced to Canadian forests. Ten new mitogenomes have been sequenced and characterized, including seven strains of L.

IFEM model curriculum: emergency medicine learning outcomes for undergraduate medical education.

Background: The International Federation for Emergency Medicine (IFEM) published its model curriculum for medical student education in emergency medicine in 2009. Because of the evolving principles of emergency medicine and medical education, driven by societal, professional, and educational developments, there was a need for an update on IFEM recommendations. The main objective of the update process was creating Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) and providing tier-based recommendations.

Associations Between Social Determinants of Health and Cardiovascular Health of U.S. Adult Cancer Survivors.

Background: Relationships between the social determinants of health (SDOH) and cardiovascular health (CVH) of cancer survivors are underexplored.

Objectives: This study sought to investigate associations between the SDOH and CVH of adult cancer survivors.

Methods: Data from the U.

Exploring the anti-EBV potential of suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid: Induction of apoptosis in infected cells through suppressing BART gene expression and inducing lytic infection.

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is linked to lymphoma and epithelioma but lacks drugs specifically targeting EBV-positive tumors. BamHI A Rightward Transcript (BART) miRNAs are expressed in all EBV-positive tumors, suppressing both lytic infection and host cell apoptosis. We identified suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA), an inhibitor of histone deacetylase enzymes, as an agent that suppresses BART promoter activity and transcription of BART miRNAs.

The Effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Non-COVID-19 Deaths: Population-Wide Retrospective Cohort Study.

Background: Health care avoidance in the COVID-19 pandemic has been widely reported. Yet few studies have investigated the dynamics of hospital avoidance behavior during pandemic waves and inferred its impact on excess non-COVID-19 deaths.

Objective: This study aimed to measure the impact of hospital avoidance on excess non-COVID-19 deaths in public hospitals in Hong Kong.

Initiation of warfarin is associated with decreased mortality in patients with infective endocarditis: A population-based cohort study.

Importance: The use of warfarin to prevent thromboembolism in patients with infective endocarditis (IE) remains controversial due to potentially increased bleeding risks.

Design: Population-based retrospective cohort study.

Participants: Patients aged 18 or older and diagnosed with IE in Hong Kong between January 1st, 1997 and August 31st, 2020 were included.

New-onset syncope in diabetic patients treated with sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors versus dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors: a Chinese population-based cohort study.

Background And Aims: Syncope is a symptom that poses an important diagnostic and therapeutic challenge, and generates significant cost for the healthcare system. Sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) have demonstrated beneficial cardiovascular effects, but their possible effects on incident syncope have not been fully investigated. This study compared the effects of SGLT2i and dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors (DPP4i) on new-onset syncope.

Consensus recommendations on the use of injectable poly-l-lactic acid in Asian patients.

Background: Injectable poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) has been proven safe and effective with numerous medical applications for more than 25 years. The product has been approved in over 40 countries and is being used for soft tissue augmentation in the face and certain body parts. With the increased demand for subtle and natural-looking aesthetic treatments in the Asia-Pacific region, there is also a heightened need for consistent preparation and effective treatment methodologies to optimize outcomes for Asian patients.

The Validation of the Chinese (Cantonese) Version of the Patient Dignity Inventory in a Hong Kong Palliative Care Setting.

Context: To assess and address a patient's dignity and dignity-related distress would greatly benefit patients who have advanced stage disease. The Patient Dignity Inventory (PDI) allows clinicians to identify sources of dignity-related distress for patients. The PDI should be evaluated for use in a local Chinese setting.

The mitogenomes of , sp., and : expansion by introns.

Introduction: Many members of the Ophiostomatales are of economic importance as they are bark-beetle associates and causative agents for blue stain on timber and in some instances contribute towards tree mortality. The taxonomy of these fungi has been challenging due to the convergent evolution of many traits associated with insect dispersal and a limited number of morphological characters that happen to be highly pleomorphic. This study examines the mitochondrial genomes for three members of [ (also known as ), (also known as ), and sp.

Evaluating the Patient Boarding during Omicron Surge in Hong Kong: Time Series Analysis.

The fifth wave of COVID-19 outbreaks in Hong Kong (HK) from January to March 2022 has the highest confirmed cases and deaths compared with previous waves. Severe hospital boarding (to inpatient wards) was noted in various Emergency Departments (EDs). Our objective is to identify factors associated with hospital boarding during Omicron surge in HK.

Association of Molnupiravir and Nirmatrelvir-Ritonavir with reduced mortality and sepsis in hospitalized omicron patients: a territory-wide study.

This study evaluates the association between antivirals (Molnupiravir and Nirmatrelvir-Ritonavir) and all-cause and respiratory mortality and organ dysfunction among high-risk COVID-19 patients during an Omicron outbreak. Two cohorts, Nirmatrelvir-Ritonavir versus control and Molnupiravir versus control, were constructed with inverse probability treatment weighting to balance baseline characteristics. Cox proportional hazards models evaluated the association of their use with all-cause mortality, respiratory mortality, and all-cause sepsis (a composite of circulatory shock, respiratory failure, acute liver injury, coagulopathy, and acute liver impairment).

Risk stratification of sudden cardiac death in asymptomatic female Brugada syndrome patients: A literature review.

Background And Objectives: Risk stratification in Brugada syndrome remains a difficult problem. Given the male predominance of this disease and their elevated risks of arrhythmic events, affected females have received less attention. It is widely known that symptomatic patients are at increased risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD) than asymptomatic patients, while this might be true in the male population; recent studies have shown that this association might not be significant in females.

The Impact of Cardiac Comorbidity Sequence at Baseline and Mortality Risk in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Retrospective Population-Based Cohort Study.

Introduction: The presence of multiple comorbidities increases the risk of all-cause mortality, but the effects of the comorbidity sequence before the baseline date on mortality remain unexplored. This study investigated the relationship between coronary heart disease (CHD), atrial fibrillation (AF) and heart failure (HF) through their sequence of development and the effect on all-cause mortality risk in type 2 diabetes mellitus. Methods: This study included patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus prescribed antidiabetic/cardiovascular medications in public hospitals of Hong Kong between 1 January 2009 and 31 December 2009, with follow-up until death or 31 December 2019.

Seizure as the clinical presentation of massive pulmonary embolism: Case report and literature review.

Massive pulmonary embolism (MPE) is a high-risk medical emergency. Seizure as the clinical presentation of MPE is extremely rare, and to our knowledge, there have been no reports on successful percutaneous, catheter-based treatment of MPE presenting with new-onset seizures and cardiac arrest. In this report, we discuss the case of a 64-year-old woman who presented with an episode of seizure that lasted 5 h.

Predictive value of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio for atrial fibrillation and stroke in type 2 diabetes mellitus: The Hong Kong Diabetes Study.

Introduction: Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is a routinely available biomarker that reflects systemic inflammation. The study evaluated the predictive value of NLR for ischemic stroke and atrial fibrillation (AF) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Methods: This was a population-based cohort study of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and complete blood count tests at baseline between 1 January 1st, 2009, and 31 December, 2009, at government-funded hospitals/clinics in Hong Kong.

Comprehensive Genome-Wide Analysis and Expression Pattern Profiling of Gene Family Members in L. under Multiple Abiotic Stresses.

PLATZ (plant AT-rich sequence and zinc-binding) family proteins with two conserved zinc-dependent DNA-binding motifs are transcription factors specific to the plant kingdom. The functions of PLATZ proteins in growth, development, and adaptation to multiple abiotic stresses have been investigated in various plant species, but their role in tomato has not been explored yet. In the present work, 20 non-redundant Solanum lycopersicum PLATZ (SlPLATZ) genes with three segmentally duplicated gene pairs and four tandemly duplicated gene pairs were identified on eight tomato chromosomes.

Comprehensive Genome-Wide Analysis and Expression Pattern Profiling of the Gene Family Unravels Their Likely Involvement in the Abiotic Stress Adaptation of Tomato.

HVA22 family proteins with a conserved TB2/DP1/HVA22 domain are ubiquitous in eukaryotes. family genes have been identified in a variety of plant species. However, there has been no comprehensive genome-wide analysis of family genes in tomato ( L.