Molecular Profiles of Multiple Antimalarial Drug Resistance Markers in and in the Mandalay Region, Myanmar.

Emergence and spreading of antimalarial drug resistant malaria parasites are great hurdles to combating malaria. Although approaches to investigate antimalarial drug resistance status in Myanmar malaria parasites have been made, more expanded studies are necessary to understand the nationwide aspect of antimalarial drug resistance. In the present study, molecular epidemiological analysis for antimalarial drug resistance genes in and from the Mandalay region of Myanmar was performed.

Temporal Changes in the Genetic Diversity of Merozoite Surface Protein-1 in Myanmar.

Despite a significant decline in the incidence of malaria in Myanmar recently, malaria is still an important public health concern in the country. Although is associated with the highest incidence of malaria in Myanmar, the proportion of cases has shown a gradual increase in recent years. The genetic diversity of merozoite surface protein-1 block 5-6 (- ICB 5-6) in the population of Myanmar was analyzed to obtain a comprehensive insight into its genetic heterogeneity and evolutionary history.

Clusters of Toxoplasmosis in Ganghwa-gun, Cheorwon-gun, and Goseong-gun, Korea.

We find out the clusters with high toxoplasmosis risk to discuss the geographical pattern in Gyodong-myeon and Samsan-myeon of Ganghwa-gun, Cheorwon-gun, and Goseong-gun, Korea. Seroepidemiological data of toxoplasmosis surveyed using rapid diagnostic tests for the residents in the areas in 2019 were analyzed to detect clusters of the infection. The cluster was investigated using the SaTScan program which is based on Kulldorff's scan statistic.

Hypoxia-Induced Suppression of Antiapoptotic Bcl-2 Expression in Human Bladder Tumor Cells Is Regulated by Caveolin-1-Dependent Adenosine Monophosphate-Activated Protein Kinase Activity.

Purpose: Adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is thought to inhibit cell proliferation or promote cell death, but the details remain unclear. In this study, we propose that AMPK inhibits the expression of anti-apoptotic B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) by relying on the hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha (HIF-1α)-induced caveolin-1 (Cav-1) expression pathway in noninvasive human bladder tumor (RT4) cells.

Methods: In cells exposed to a hypoxic environment (0.

Cluster of Parasite Infections by the Spatial Scan Analysis in Korea.

This study was performed to find out the clusters with high parasite infection risk to discuss the geographical pattern. Clusters were detected using SatScan software, which is a statistical spatial scan program using Kulldorff's scan statistic. Information on the parasitic infection cases in Korea 2011-2019 were collected from the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Monitoring Insecticide Resistance and Target Site Mutations of L1014 Kdr And G119 Ace Alleles in Five Mosquito Populations in Korea.

Mosquitoes are globally distributed and important vectors for the transmission of many human diseases. Mosquito control is a difficult task and the cost of preventing mosquito-borne diseases is much lower than that for curing the associated diseases. Thus, chemical control remains the most effective tool for mosquito.

Clusters of Toxoplasmosis in Gyodong-Myeon and Samsan-Myeon, Ganghwa-Gun, Korea.

The purpose of this study is to find out the clusters with high toxoplasmosis risk to discuss the geographical pattern in 2 islands of Gyodong-myeon and Samsan-myeon in Ganghwa-gun, Korea. Seroepidemiological data of toxoplasmosis surveyed using rapid diagnostic tests for the residents in 2 islands from 2010 to 2013 were analyzed to detect clusters of the infection. The cluster was investigated using the SatScan program which is based on Kulldorff's scan statistic.

Genetic polymorphism of vir genes of Plasmodium vivax in Myanmar.

The Plasmodium vivax variant proteins encoded by vir genes are highly polymorphic antigens and are considered as one of key proteins of P. vivax for host immune evasion via antigenic variations. Because genetic diversity of these antigens is a critical hurdle in the development of an effective vaccine, understanding the genetic nature of the vir genes in natural population is important.

Genetic variations in histidine-rich protein 2 and histidine-rich protein 3 of Myanmar Plasmodium falciparum isolates.

Background: Malaria rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) are precious tools to diagnose malaria. Most RDTs used currently are based on the detection of Plasmodium falciparum histidine-rich protein 2 (PfHRP2) in a patient's blood. However, concern has been raised in recent years that deletion of pfhrp2 in the parasite could affect the accuracy of PfHRP2-based RDTs.

Keratinocyte Growth Factor-1 Protects Radioiodine-Induced Salivary Gland Dysfunction in Mice.

Background: Most patients with thyroid cancer suffer from salivary gland (SG) dysfunctions after radioiodine (RI) therapy. We investigated the effects of keratinocyte growth factor (KGF)-1 on RI-induced SG dysfunction in an animal model.

Methods: Six C57BL/6 mice were assigned to each of the following groups: treatment naïve control group, RI group, and RI+KGF-1 group.

Fowlerstefin, a cysteine protease inhibitor of Naegleria fowleri, induces inflammatory responses in BV-2 microglial cells in vitro.

Background: Naegleria fowleri is a free-living amoeba that causes an opportunistic fatal infection known as primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM) in humans. Cysteine proteases produced by the amoeba may play critical roles in the pathogenesis of infection. In this study, a novel cysteine protease inhibitor of N.

Clonorchis sinensis MF6p/HDM (CsMF6p/HDM) induces pro-inflammatory immune response in RAW 264.7 macrophage cells via NF-κB-dependent MAPK pathways.

Background: MF6p/host defense molecules (HDMs) are a broad family of small proteins secreted by helminth parasites. Although the physiological role of MF6p/HDMs in trematode parasites is not fully understood, their potential biological function in maintaining heme homeostasis and modulating host immune response has been proposed.

Methods: A gene encoding the MF6p/HDM of Clonorchis sinensis (CsMF6p/HDM) was cloned.

Etlingera pavieana extract attenuates TNF-α induced vascular adhesion molecule expression in human endothelial cells through NF-κB and Akt/JNK pathways.

The aim of this study was to determine whether ethanol extracts of Etlingera pavieana rhizomes (EPE) can inhibit the expression of ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 in TNF-α-stimulated human vascular endothelial cells. EPE significantly reduced ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 expression in a concentration-dependent manner. EPE also suppressed phospho-IκB level and nuclear translocation of NF-κB.

Changing pattern of the genetic diversities of Plasmodium falciparum merozoite surface protein-1 and merozoite surface protein-2 in Myanmar isolates.

Background: Plasmodium falciparum merozoite surface protein-1 (PfMSP-1) and -2 (PfMSP-2) are major blood-stage vaccine candidate antigens. Understanding the genetic diversity of the genes, pfmsp-1 and pfmsp-2, is important for recognizing the genetic structure of P. falciparum, and the development of an effective vaccine based on the antigens.

Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii among School Children in Pyin Oo Lwin and Naung Cho, Upper Myanmar.

Toxoplasma gondii is an apicomplexan parasite that can cause toxoplasmosis in a wide range of warm-blooded animals including humans. In this study, we analyzed seroprevalence of T. gondii among 467 school children living in the rural areas of Pyin Oo Lwin and Naung Cho, Myanmar.

AMPK Alters Detrusor Contractility During Emptying in Normal Bladder and Hypertrophied Bladder with Partial Bladder Outlet Obstruction via CaMKKβ.

AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) has been implicated in contractility changes in bladders with partial bladder outlet obstruction (PBOO), but the role of AMPK in the contractile response of normal bladder remains unclear. We investigated the phosphorylation of AMPKα and expression of the involved upstream AMPK kinases (AMPKKs) in a model of bladders with PBOO and sought to determine whether the pharmacological inhibition of these two factors affected detrusor contractility in normal bladders, using female Sprague-Dawley rats. Cystometry and Western blot analysis were performed in rats that were subjected to PBOO induction or a sham operation.

Bupivacaine-induced contraction is attenuated by endothelial nitric oxide release modulated by activation of both stimulatory and inhibitory phosphorylation (Ser1177 and Thr495) of endothelial nitric oxide synthase.

This study examined the mechanism associated with the endothelium-dependent attenuation of vasoconstriction induced by bupivacaine (BPV), with a particular focus on the upstream cellular signaling pathway of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) phosphorylation induced by BPV in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). BPV concentration-response curves were investigated in the isolated rat aorta. The effects of Nω-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), 1H-[1,2,4]oxadiazolo[4,3-a]quinoxalin-1-one (ODQ), methylene blue, calmidazolium, the Src kinase inhibitor 4-amino-3-(4-chlorophenyl)-1-(t-butyl)-1H-pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine, 4-amino-5-(4-chlorophenyl)-7-(t-butyl)pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine (PP2) and the combination of L-arginine and L-NAME on BPV-induced contraction in endothelium-intact aorta preparations were examined.

Tissue Fluid Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbant Assay for Piglets Experimentally Infected with Toxoplasma gondii and Survey on Local and Imported Pork in Korean Retail Meat Markets.

To investigate the prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in pork on the market in Korea, an in-house enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for tissue fluid (CAU-tf-ELISA) was developed using a soluble extract of T. gondii RH strain tachyzoites. As the standard positive controls, the piglets were experimentally infected with T.

Development of Molecular Diagnosis Using Multiplex Real-Time PCR and T4 Phage Internal Control to Simultaneously Detect Cryptosporidium parvum, Giardia lamblia, and Cyclospora cayetanensis from Human Stool Samples.

This study aimed to develop a new multiplex real-time PCR detection method for 3 species of waterborne protozoan parasites (Cryptosporidium parvum, Giardia lamblia, and Cyclospora cayetanensis) identified as major causes of traveler's diarrhea. Three target genes were specifically and simultaneously detected by the TaqMan probe method for multiple parasitic infection cases, including Cryptosporidium oocyst wall protein for C. parvum, glutamate dehydrogenase for G.

Genetic polymorphism and natural selection of circumsporozoite surface protein in Plasmodium falciparum field isolates from Myanmar.

Background: Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein (PfCSP) is one of the most extensively studied malaria vaccine candidates, but the genetic polymorphism of PfCSP within and among the global P. falciparum population raises concerns regarding the efficacy of a PfCSP-based vaccine efficacy. In this study, genetic diversity and natural selection of PfCSP in Myanmar as well as global P.

Genetic diversity of merozoite surface protein-1 C-terminal 42 kDa of Plasmodium falciparum (PfMSP-1) may be greater than previously known in global isolates.

Background: The C-terminal 42 kDa region of merozoite surface protein-1 of Plasmodium falciparum (PfMSP-1) is the target of an immune response. It has been recognised as one of the promising candidate antigens for a blood-stage malaria vaccine. Genetic structure of PfMSP-1 has been considered to be largely conserved in the P.

Silencing Histone Deacetylase 7 Alleviates Transforming Growth Factor-β1-Induced Profibrotic Responses in Fibroblasts Derived from Peyronie's Plaque.

Purpose: Epigenetic modifications, such as histone acetylation/deacetylation and DNA methylation, play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of inflammatory disorders and fibrotic diseases. The aim of this study was to study the differential gene expression of histone deacetylases (HDACs) in fibroblasts isolated from plaque tissue of Peyronie's disease (PD) or normal tunica albuginea (TA) and to examine the anti-fibrotic effect of small interfering RNA (siRNA)-mediated silencing of HDAC7 in fibroblasts derived from human PD plaque.

Materials And Methods: For differential gene expression study, we performed reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction for HDAC isoforms (1-11) in fibroblasts isolated from PD plaque or normal TA.

Pericyte-Derived Dickkopf2 Regenerates Damaged Penile Neurovasculature Through an Angiopoietin-1-Tie2 Pathway.

Penile erection requires well-coordinated interactions between vascular and nervous systems. Penile neurovascular dysfunction is a major cause of erectile dysfunction (ED) in patients with diabetes, which causes poor response to oral phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors. Dickkopf2 (DKK2), a Wnt antagonist, is known to promote angiogenesis.