Project description:Human adenovirus serotype 31 (HAdV-31) is closely associated with gastroenteritis in children and can cause fatal systemic disseminated diseases in immunocompromised patients. The lack of genomic data for HAdV-31, especially in China, will greatly limit research on its prevention and control. Sequencing and bioinformatics analyses were performed for HAdV-31 strains from diarrheal children in Beijing, China, during 2010-2022. Three capsid protein genes (hexon, penton, and fiber) were obtained in 37 cases, including one in which the whole genome was sequenced. HAdV-31 strains clustered into three distinct clades (I-III) in a phylogenetic tree constructed based on concatenated genes and the whole genome; the endemic strains only gathered into clade II, and most of the reference strains clustered into clade I. Compared with penton and hexon, fiber had a faster evolutionary rate (1.32 × 10-4 substitutions/site/year), an earlier divergence time (1697), lower homology (98.32-100% at the amino acid level), and greater genetic variation (0.0032). Four out of the six predicted positive selection pressure codons were also in the knob of fiber. These results reveal the molecular evolution characteristics and variations of HAdV-31 in Beijing, and fiber may be one of the main evolution driving forces.
Project description:ObjectivesTo examine the association between women's autonomy and the utilisation of maternal healthcare services across 31 Sub-Saharan African countries.Design, setting and participantsWe analysed the Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) (2010-2016) data collected from married women aged 15-49 years. We used four DHS measures related to women's autonomy: attitude towards domestic violence, attitude towards sexual violence, decision making on spending of household income made by the women solely or jointly with husbands and decision making on major household purchases made by the women solely or jointly with husbands. We used multiple logistic regression analyses to examine the association between women's autonomy and the utilisation of maternal healthcare services adjusted for five potential confounders: place of residence, age at birth of the last child, household wealth, educational attainment and working status. Adjusted ORs (aORs) and 95% CI were used to produce the forest plots.Outcome measuresThe primary outcome measures were the utilisation of ≥4 antenatal care visits and delivery by skilled birth attendants (SBA).ResultsPooled results for all 31 countries (194 883 women) combined showed weak statistically significant associations between all four measures of women's autonomy and utilisation of maternal healthcare services (aORs ranged from 1.07 to 1.15). The strongest associations were in the Southern African region. For example, the aOR for women who made decisions on household income solely or jointly with husbands in relation to the use of SBAs in the Southern African region was 1.44 (95% CI 1.21 to 1.70). Paradoxically, there were three countries where women with higher autonomy on some measures were less likely to use maternal healthcare services. For example, the aOR in Senegal for women who made decisions on major household purchases solely or jointly with husbands in relation to the use of SBAs (aOR=0.74 95% CI 0.59 to 0.94).ConclusionOur results revealed a weak relationship between women's autonomy and the utilisation of maternal healthcare services. More research is needed to understand why these associations are not stronger.
Project description:BackgroundAntimicrobial resistance (AMR) is of public health concern worldwide.AimWe aimed to summarise the German AMR situation for clinicians and microbiologists.MethodsWe conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of 60 published studies and data from the German Antibiotic-Resistance-Surveillance (ARS). Primary outcomes were AMR proportions in bacterial isolates from infected patients in Germany (2016-2021) and the case fatality rates (2010-2021). Random and fixed (common) effect models were used to calculate pooled proportions and pooled case fatality odds ratios, respectively.ResultsThe pooled proportion of meticillin resistance in Staphylococcus aureus infections (MRSA) was 7.9% with a declining trend between 2014 and 2020 (odds ratio (OR) = 0.89; 95% CI: 0.886-0.891; p < 0.0001), while vancomycin resistance in Enterococcus faecium (VRE) bloodstream infections increased (OR = 1.18; (95% CI: 1.16-1.21); p < 0.0001) with a pooled proportion of 34.9%. Case fatality rates for MRSA and VRE were higher than for their susceptible strains (OR = 2.29; 95% CI: 1.91-2.75 and 1.69; 95% CI: 1.22-2.33, respectively). Carbapenem resistance in Gram-negative pathogens (Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Enterobacter spp. and Escherichia coli) was low to moderate (< 9%), but resistance against third-generation cephalosporins and fluoroquinolones was moderate to high (5-25%). Pseudomonas aeruginosa exhibited high resistance against carbapenems (17.0%; 95% CI: 11.9-22.8), third-generation cephalosporins (10.1%; 95% CI: 6.6-14.2) and fluoroquinolones (24.9%; 95% CI: 19.3-30.9). Statistical heterogeneity was high (I2 > 70%) across studies reporting resistance proportions.ConclusionContinuous efforts in AMR surveillance and infection prevention and control as well as antibiotic stewardship are needed to limit the spread of AMR in Germany.
Project description:ACN_BlumORF_20101027_F009873 In solution tryptic digest of ACN fractions and crude extracts of sporulating hyphae nRPLC 130 min 2-32%ACN and 20min 32-48%ACN gradients online with nESI LTQ OrbitrapXL MSMS (CID) db: Blumeria ORF db (contigs) Mascot search 99% confidence
Project description:Interleukin-31, produced mainly by activated CD4(+) T cells, is a newly discovered member of the gp130/IL-6 cytokine family. Unlike all the other family members, IL-31 does not engage gp130. Its receptor heterodimer consists of a unique gp130-like receptor chain IL-31RA, and the receptor subunit OSMRbeta that is shared with another family member oncostatin M (OSM). Binding of IL-31 to its receptor activates Jak/STAT, PI3K/AKT and MAPK pathways. IL-31 acts on a broad range of immune- and non-immune cells and therefore possesses potential pleiotropic physiological functions, including regulating hematopoiesis and immune response, causing inflammatory bowel disease, airway hypersensitivity and dermatitis. This review summarizes the recent findings on the biological characterization and physiological roles of IL-31 and its receptors.
Project description:This is a prospective-retrospective study to determine if the expression of the miRNA’s miR-31-3p and miR-31-5p are prognostic of patient outcomes or predictive of the benefit from anti-EGFR therapy in stage III Colon Cancer. The present study will utilize FFPE tumor samples collected from patients enrolled in the PETACC-8 study conducted by the Fédération Francophone de Cancérologie Digestive (FFCD). This phase 3 clinical trial prospectively randomized fully resected stage III colon cancer patients to receive adjuvant treatment with either FOLFOX-4 plus cetuximab or FLOFOX-4 alone.
Project description:BackgroundSyphilis case notifications among men-who-have-sex-with-men (MSM) have increased markedly over the past two decades in Europe. We tested several potential factors for this resurgence.MethodsSelf-reported data from two cross-sectional waves of the European MSM Internet Survey (EMIS-2010 and EMIS-2017, N = 278,256 participants living in 31 European countries) were used to fit multivariable hierarchical logistic regression models designed to evaluate potential social, behavioural, and interventional determinants of syphilis diagnosis. Additional multivariable hierarchical negative binomial models investigated determinants of the number of non-steady male condomless anal intercourse (CAI) partners. We tested the hypothesis that more CAI and syphilis-screening are associated with syphilis resurgence, both linked to use of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP).FindingsBetween 2010 and 2017, incidence of syphilis diagnosis in the previous 12 months rose from 2.33% (95%CI: 2.26-2.40) of respondents reporting a syphilis diagnosis in 2010 compared with 4.54% (95%CI: 4.42-4.66) in 2017. Major factors contributing to syphilis diagnosis were living with diagnosed HIV (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 2.67, 95%CI: 2.32-3.07), each additional non-steady male CAI partner (aOR 1.01, 95%CI: 1.01-1.01), recency of STI-screening (previous month vs no screening, aOR 25.76, 95%CI: 18.23-36.41), selling sex (aOR 1.45, 95%CI: 1.27-1.65), and PrEP use (aOR 3.02, 95%CI: 2.30-3.96). Living with diagnosed HIV (adjusted incidence rate ratio (aIRR) 3.91, 95%CI: 3.77-4.05), selling sex (aIRR 4.39, 95%CI: 4.19-4.59), and PrEP use (aIRR 5.82, 95%CI: 5.29-6.41) were associated with a higher number of non-steady male CAI partners. The association between PrEP use and increased chance of syphilis diagnosis was mediated by STI-screening recency and number of non-steady male CAI partners, both substantially higher in 2017 compared to 2010.InterpretationSyphilis cases are concentrated in three MSM population groups: HIV-diagnosed, PrEP users, and sex workers. Behavioural and interventional changes, particularly more non-steady male CAI partners and recency of STI-screening, are major contributing factors for increasing syphilis diagnoses among MSM in Europe.FundingEuropean Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.
Project description:Skin inflammation often evokes pruritus, which is the major subjective symptom in many inflammatory skin diseases such as atopic dermatitis and prurigo nodularis. Pruritus or itch is a specific sensation found only in the skin. Recent studies have stressed the pivotal role played by interleukin-31 (IL-31) in the sensation of pruritus. IL-31 is produced by various cells including T helper 2 cells, macrophages, dendritic cells and eosinophils. IL-31 signals via a heterodimeric receptor composed of IL-31 receptor A (IL-31RA) and oncostatin M receptor β. Recent clinical trials have shown that the anti-IL-31RA antibody nemolizumab can successfully decrease pruritus in patients with atopic dermatitis and prurigo nodularis. The IL-31 pathway and pruritic skin are highlighted in this review article.