Limited artemisinin resistance-associated polymorphisms in Plasmodium falciparum K13-propeller and PfATPase6 gene isolated from Bioko Island, Equatorial Guinea.

Objective: With emergence and geographically expanding of antimalarial resistance worldwide, molecular markers are essential tool for surveillance of resistant Plasmodium parasites. Recently, single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the PF3D7_1343700 kelch propeller (K13-propeller) domain are shown to be associated with artemisinin (ART) resistance in vivo and in vitro. This study aims to investigate the ART resistance-associated polymorphisms of K13-propeller and PfATPase6 genes in Plasmodium falciparum isolates from Bioko Island, Equatorial Guinea (EG).

Molecular Epidemiological Characterization and Health Burden of Thalassemias in the Chaoshan Region, People's Republic of China.

Thalassemia is one of the most prevalent inherited disease in southern China. However, there have been only a few epidemiological studies of thalassemia in the Chaoshan region of Guangdong Province, People's Republic of China (PRC). A total of 6231 unrelated subjects in two main geographical cities of the Chaoshan region was analyzed for thalassemia.

[Molecular epidemiology of G6PD deficiency in Chaozhou area of eastern Guangdong Province].

Objective: To determine the incidence and molecular characteristics of G6PD deficiency in Chaozhou region of eastern Guangdong Province.

Methods: G6PD enzyme activity was assayed with an auto-bioanalyzer. Reverse dot blotting (RDB) was used for detecting 6 common G6PD mutations.

Molecular epidemiological investigation of G6PD deficiency by a gene chip among Chinese Hakka of southern Jiangxi province.

In southern China, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency is a significant health problem, and the incidence ranged from 0.5 to 4.08% in different Chinese population.

Clinical Significance of UGT1A1 Genetic Analysis in Chinese Neonates with Severe Hyperbilirubinemia.

Background: Neonatal hyperbilirubinemia is common in Asia, and the importance of genetically determined conditions has been recently recognized. The aim of this study was to assess the clinical utility of genetic testing in Chinese neonates with severe hyperbilirubinemia.

Methods: Fifty-eight term infants with bilirubin level ≥ 20 mg/dL (342 μmol/L), and 65 controls were enrolled in the study.

Epidemiology and characteristics of the dengue outbreak in Guangdong, Southern China, in 2014.

Dengue is a rapidly spreading mosquito-borne disease caused by the dengue virus (DENV) and has emerged as a severe public health problem around the world. Guangdong, one of the southern Chinese provinces, experienced a serious outbreak of dengue in 2014, which was believed to be the worst dengue epidemic in China over the last 20 years. To better understand the epidemic, we collected the epidemiological data of the outbreak and analyzed 14,594 clinically suspected dengue patients from 25 hospitals in Guangdong.

Seroprevalence of Human Immunodeficiency Virus, Hepatitis B Virus, Hepatitis C Virus, and Treponema pallidum Infections among Blood Donors on Bioko Island, Equatorial Guinea.

Background: Regular screening of transfusion-transmissible infections (TTIs), such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B and hepatitis C virus (HBV and HCV, respectively), and Treponema pallidum, in blood donors is essential to guaranteeing clinical transfusion safety. This study aimed to determine the seroprevalence of four TTIs among blood donors on Bioko Island, Equatorial Guinea (EG).

Methods: A retrospective survey of blood donors from January 2011 to April 2013 was conducted to assess the presence of HIV, HBV, HCV and T.

Molecular mutation profile of Pfcrt and Pfmdr1 in Plasmodium falciparum isolates from Bioko Island, Equatorial Guinea.

Background: Antimalarial drug resistance is a primary public health problem. Haplotypes of pfcrt and pfmdr1 gene have been implicated to be molecular markers of chloroquine (CQ) resistance. This study aims to explore mutation distribution of Pfcrt and Pfmdr1 in Bioko Island, Equatorial Guinea (EG).

The Prevalence and Genotype of Human Papillomavirus from Patients with Genital Warts in Eastern Guangdong Province.

Background: Low-risk human papillomavirus (LR-HPV) infection is the main cause of genital warts. LR- HPV genotypes 6 and 11 are associated with genital warts, but there have only been a few published studies about the genotype-specific prevalence of HPV in genital warts in China. The objective of our study was to assess the prevalence of HPV genotypes for clinical cases involving both men and women and to evaluate the potential benefit of a quadrivalent (genotypes 6, 11, 16, and 18) HPV vaccine in eastern Guangdong province of China.

Molecular Epidemiological Investigation of Thalassemia in the Chengdu Region, Sichuan Province, Southwest China.

Thalassemia is the most common inherited disease in southern China. However, this disorder is usually ignored by the health system in the Sichuan Province due to the lack of epidemiological data. To provide basic epidemiological data for thalassemia screening, genetic counseling, and prenatal diagnosis (PND) in the Chengdu region, a total of 3262 healthy subjects were assessed by complete blood count (CBC), reverse dot-blot gene chip, gap-polymerase chain reaction (gap-PCR), and PCR-DNA sequencing.

AGE/RAGE/Akt pathway contributes to prostate cancer cell proliferation by promoting Rb phosphorylation and degradation.

Metabolomic research has revealed that metabolites play an important role in prostate cancer development and progression. Previous studies have suggested that prostate cancer cell proliferation is induced by advanced glycation end products (AGEs) exposure, but the mechanism of this induction remains unknown. This study investigated the molecular mechanisms underlying the proliferative response of prostate cancer cell to the interaction of AGEs and the receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE).

Multiple Genetic Modifiers of Bilirubin Metabolism Involvement in Significant Neonatal Hyperbilirubinemia in Patients of Chinese Descent.

The potential for genetic variation to modulate neonatal hyperbilirubinemia risk is increasingly being recognized. A case-control study was designed to assess comprehensive contributions of the multiple genetic modifiers of bilirubin metabolism on significant neonatal hyperbilirubinemia in Chinese descendents. Eleven common mutations and polymorphisms across five bilirubin metabolism genes, namely those encoding UGT1A1, HMOX1, BLVRA, SLCO1B1 and SLCO1B3, were determined using the high resolution melt (HRM) assay or PCR-capillary electrophoresis analysis.

G6PD Deficiency and Hemoglobinopathies: Molecular Epidemiological Characteristics and Healthy Effects on Malaria Endemic Bioko Island, Equatorial Guinea.

Background: Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency and hemoglobinopathies were the inherited conditions found mostly in African. However, few epidemiological data of these disorders was reported in Equatorial Guinea (EQG). This study aimed to assess the prevalence and healthy effects of G6PD deficiency and hemoglobinopathies among the people on malaria endemic Bioko Island, EQG.

Rapid identification of apolipoprotein E genotypes by high-resolution melting analysis in Chinese Han and African Fang populations.

Apolipoprotein E (APOE) gene polymorphism can affect APOE gene transcription, serum lipid levels and repair of tissue damage, which could place individuals at serious risk of cardiovascular disease or certain infectious diseases. Recently, high-resolution melting (HRM) analysis was reported to be a simple, inexpensive, accurate and sensitive method for the genotyping or/and scanning of rare mutations. For this reason, an HRM analysis was used in the present study for APOE genotyping in the Southern Chinese Han and African Fang populations.

Incidence and molecular characterization of Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase deficiency among neonates for newborn screening in Chaozhou, China.

Introduction: Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency is highly prevalent in southern China. The aim of this study is to assess the extent of this disease in Chinese neonates and determine its molecular characteristics using a novel molecular screening method.

Methods: A total of 2500 neonates were routinely screened for G6PD deficiency using a modified fluorescent spot test (FST).

High resolution melting analysis: a rapid screening and typing tool for common β-thalassemia mutation in Chinese population.

β-thalassemia is a common inherited disorder worldwide including southern China, and at least 45 distinct β-thalassemia mutations have been identified in China. High-resolution melting (HRM) assay was recently introduced as a rapid, inexpensive and effective method for genotyping. However, there was no systemic study on the diagnostic capability of HRM to identify β-thalassemia.

Molecular epidemiological characterization and health burden of thalassemia in Jiangxi Province, P. R. China.

Background: Thalassemia is the most common inherited disease in southern China. However, this disorder is usually ignored by Jiangxi provincial health system and government due to lack of epidemiological data.

Materials And Methods: A total of 9489 samples from Hakka Han and Gan-speaking Han in three geographical areas of Jiangxi Province were analyzed for both complete blood cell (CBC) count and reverse dot blot (RDB) gene chip for thalassemia.

Rapid screening for sickle cell disease by polymerase chain reaction-high resolution melting analysis.

Each year, ~300,000 individuals with sickle cell disease (SCD), a hemoglobinopathy caused by β-globin gene mutation, are born, and >75% of those are in Africa. The present study examined 511 individuals on the island of Bioko (Equatorial Guinea) and attempted to establish a method for rapid sickle cell disease screening. Following DNA extraction and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification, high resolution melting (HRM) analysis was used to assess the specificity of fluorescence signals of the PCR products and to differentiate various genotypes of these products.

Low prevalence of HPV in male sexual partners of HR-HPV infected females and low concordance of viral types in couples in Eastern Guangdong.

Objective: To investigate the prevalence of genital high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) in male sexual partners of HR-HPV infected women and the concordance of viral types in couples in China, and comprehend the role of men play in HPV transmission to women.

Methods/materials: 94 asymptomatic women and their husbands from rural Chaozhou participated in epidemiologic screening for HPV infection. Cervical cells from females were collected for high risk HPV screening by real time-PCR, and they were positive for at least 1 of 13 HR-HPV subtypes, then these samples were genotyped.

Hemoglobinopathy: molecular epidemiological characteristics and health effects on Hakka people in the Meizhou region, southern China.

Background: Hemoglobinopathies are the most common inherited diseases in southern China. However, there have been only a few epidemiological studies of hemoglobinopathies in Guangdong province.

Materials And Methods: Peripheral blood samples were collected from 15299 "healthy" unrelated subjects of dominantly ethnic Hakka in the Meizhou region, on which hemoglobin electrophoresis and routine blood tests were performed.

Evaluation of the genetic variability of human papillomavirus type 52.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) type 52 is one of the high-risk HPV types. Its variants can be classified as of Asian and European lineages, while little data of HPV 52 variants are available from China. In this study, the complete E6 and L1 genes were amplified and sequenced in 79 samples from eastern Guangdong, China.

Development and evaluation of a reverse dot blot assay for the simultaneous detection of common alpha and beta thalassemia in Chinese.

Thalassemia is the commonest inherited autosomal recessive disorders of hemoglobin in southern China. We developed and evaluated a reverse dot blot (RDB) assay combined with flow-through hybridization technology platform for the rapid and simultaneous identification of 5 types of α-thalassemia and 16 types of β-thalassemia common in Chinese. Reliable genotyping of wild-type and thalassemic genomic DNA samples was achieved by means of a gene chip on which allele-specific oligonucleotide probes were immobilized on a nylon membrane.