Open Access Pub publishes peer-reviewed, free-to-read open-access articles. Showing
articles matching vector — open any to read the full text,
or download the PDF or XML.
May 2020 DOI 10.14302/issn.2637-6075.jpae-20-3305
A.J ThatheyusCorresponding author
PG & Research Department of Zoology, The American College, Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India.
Mosquitoes depend on blood meal for the development of their eggs into offsprings. By knowing the biting behaviour of mosquitoes, we may control mosquito-borne diseases and manage the mosquitoe menace successfully. The present study has been designed to study the biting behaviour of the filarial vector, Culex quinquefasciatus Say, in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India from July to November 2006. This period was selected as mosquitoes are prevalent during this rainy season. Biting was more during September, October and November and the maximum of 28 caught/man/hour was recorded in November. It is predominantly an exophilic biter, but biting was also noticed as maximum inside the house during July in the study. The density of the biting population in the first floor was more than that of the second floor, which indicated the existence of vertical stratification in the biting behaviour of Cx quinquefasciatus.
Jan 2019 DOI 10.14302/issn.2641-4538.jphi-19-2601
Amélia Grácio MariaCorresponding author
Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical/Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Rua da Junqueira, 100, 1349-008, Lisboa, Portugal
A review outlines the ecology and public health implications of Aedes albopictus as a vector of arboviruses and nematodes. Surveillance and control strategies are discussed.
Jun 2026 DOI 10.14302/issn.2694-2283.jsem-26-6247
Quintero GabrielCorresponding author
Background Ankle sprains are among the most common injuries in sports, often characterized by high recurrence rates despite appropriate local treatment. Traditional approaches primarily focus on the injured joint, with limited attention to proximal biomechanical factors that may predispose athletes to injury. Objective To propose a functional, longitudinal kinetic chain model in which sacroiliac joint dysfunction may act as a predisposing factor for ankle sprain/strain injuries in athletes. Methods This paper presents a clinical hypothesis based on biomechanical reasoning and observational findings. The proposed model describes how sacroiliac joint dysfunction, particularly posterior innominate rotation (PI), may lead to pelvic obliquity and functional leg length discrepancy. These changes may induce compensatory femoral external rotation and foot toe-out, altering ground contact mechanics during gait and running. Results (Hypothesis) The altered alignment and loading pattern may increase the vertical impact force and modify the ground reaction vector on the functionally shorter limb, resulting in reduced mechanical stability at the ankle during heel strike or foot contact. Over time, this may increase susceptibility to inversion or eversion injuries, manifesting clinically as recurrent sprain/strain. Conclusion Ankle sprains in athletes may, in some cases, represent the distal expression of a proximal biomechanical imbalance. Incorporating assessment of the sacroiliac joint and the longitudinal kinetic chain into routine clinical evaluation may improve injury risk identification and contribute to more effective prevention strategies. Further research is needed to investigate this proposed relationship.
Mar 2021 DOI 10.14302/issn.2575-1212.jvhc-21-3767
Abdishakur Hassan FaysalCorresponding author
Advanced Scientific Group, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Antibodies and antibody fragments, especially single-domain antibodies known as nanobodies, are important tools in diagnostics, research, and therapeutics. In a conventional antibody, light and heavy chains contribute to the formation of the antigen binding site. In addition to conventional antibodies, old and new world camels also have heavy-chain antibodies (hcAbs), which lack the light-chain antibodies that usually bind to the antigen, as well as single domain antibodies, the VHH domain, which are the smallest antigen-binding fragments and have high solubility, stability, and specificity. A VHH library against E. coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was produced using the camel immune system. E. coli strains from dead camel calves were isolated to extract the LPS and used to immunize a 2-year-old female camel. After isolating mononuclear lymphocytes for RNA extraction and amplification of the VHH gene, the PCR product was cloned into the pF1AT7 Flexi vector and transformed into JM109 E. coli competent cells by heat shock, resulting in a comprehensive VHHs library with 6.9 × 104 cfu/µg. The VHHs were expressed and screened with ELISA and PCR. Eleven colonies were positive by PCR, six of which were sequenced and submitted to Genbank compared with GenBank data to confirm the production of nanobodies with a similarity >90%.
Jun 2020 DOI 10.14302/issn.2689-2855.jan-19-3048
Yesigat AntenehCorresponding author
Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Superconductivity and magnetism were previously thought as incompatible until the discovery of some rare earth ternary compounds that shows the coexistence of superconductivity and magnetism. In some of the recently discovered iron based layered superconductors superconductivity and diamagnetic order system are coexist. That occurs in only 11 and 122 family. The present works we examine the possibility of coexistence of superconductivity and disorder of magnetic spin is called spin glass when freeze the system that can show the superconductivity and spin glass coexist. In this present work we can examine the possibility of coexistence of superconductivity and spin glass in detailed 11 family of Fe1+ySexTe1−x compound. We show that spin glass like behavior is present in FST for x = 0.1 - 0.15 we present evidence form magnetization measurement and characterized the short-range order with neutron scattering. One of our main results is that the short-range order is structural as well as magnetic order. The factor of magnetic order exchange in long range depend on temperature, pressure, number of doping and other external factor discussed it. We found mathematical expression for superconductor transition TC, spin glass temperature TgSusceptibility x(q), and retardation time τ using for born approximation and digamma function depend on wave vector(q) and cut off frequency(ω) in the region coexistence of superconductivity and spin glass in Fe1+ySexTe1−xcompound. Aim: To improve the coexistence of superconductivity and spin glass and to examine the associated Factor of electron doping and temperature in experimental and theoretical aspect of their coexistence.
May 2020 DOI 10.14302/issn.2639-3166.jar-20-3363
Masoero GiorgioCorresponding author
Accademia di Agricoltura di Torino, Via A. Doria 10, 10123 Torino (Italy).
Rapid analyses methods for the assessment of soil microbiota are lacking. In a commercial farm tomato plants were subjected to different fertilization strategies: 1. mineral Control (C); 2. Organic amendment (O); 3. Organic amendment + Micosat F © biofertilizer (OM). A first rapid method (Litterbag-NIRS) concerned hay litterbags coupled with a smart SCiOTM device. A second method (Foliar-NIRS) used the same device on the leaves. The plants showed positive responses to the amendment and biofertilization in the yield: C 60.5.1 t ha-1vs. 70.8 in O (+17%) and 74.2 in OM (+23% from C and + 5% (P 0.08) from O). The use of Litterbag-NIRS fingerprinting, completed with litterbags phenotyping and elaborated with a multivariate support vector machine classifier provided a similar knowledge to that obtained from microbial and chemical analyses of the soil. The reason for this response is that the analyses were embedded in the Litterbag-NIRS at medium-high precision. A polydromic function was hypothesized in order to disentangle the activities of different soil microbial populations from each other. The organic amendment delayed the functionality of the rapid r-strategist microbial populations, but at the same time activated slow k-strategists to intake the walls of the hay inside the litterbags. In this sense, the Litterbag-NIRS test can provide an effective “swamp” of the microbial fertility of the soil. Briefly, the Litterbag-NIRS coupled with Foliar-NIRS accounted for 95% of the average yield results, and both are therefore recommended for a rational assessment of microbial soil fertility.
Apr 2020 DOI 10.14302/issn.2692-5257.ijgp-20-3299
Luis Turabian JoseCorresponding author
Specialist in Family and Community Medicine, Health Center Santa Maria de Benquerencia, Regional Health Service of Castilla la Mancha (SESCAM), Toledo, Spain
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is something new that baffles us. The dominant health model and the theory that supported it until before COVID-19 are refuted or invalidated by observing the current tragically situation, which also implies lasting changes in that new medical model. Consequently, once the urgency of the epidemic is over, the conceptual and organizational building of medical care can no longer be rebuilt in the same way. Based on the COVID-19 experience, it is necessary to rethink what kind of knowledge can emerge. Some of the concepts with clinical-epidemiological implications that have to be re-evaluated since the COVID-19 pandemic are: 1. Large epidemics or changes do not arise from an event similar to the "Big Bang", but rather they develop slowly and underground, so a surveillance system must be instituted; 2. Re-evaluate what we understand by "evidence-based medicine"; 3. Patient-centered care is inadequate and must be replaced by community-centered care; 4. Telecare and changes in the organization of consultations; 5. Hospitals and health centers are "biological bombs" that act as vectors of disease and must change their architecture, organization and use; 6. The end of the nursing home model; 7. Change of habits; and 8. Social media can democratize information and help communities organize.
Jun 2019 DOI 10.14302/issn.2639-3166.jar-19-2785
A. Mari NicolásCorresponding author
Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria – Agencia de Extensión Rural Cruz del Eje
In Córdoba, Argentina, the peri-urban horticulture is in conflict with industrial agriculture and urban development. This problem is partly due to urban expansion to rural areas occurred in the last years and to monoculture farming, which has replaced traditional fruit and vegetable cropping in the region. This transformation process has raised concern about the current and future availability of productive sectors that can sustain food supply within the city boundaries and its immediate surroundings as well as about the loss of ecosystem services associated with peri-urban natural environments. Although these dynamic processes are well known, they have not been described or quantified in Córdoba. Baseline information about land use and its dynamics in productive areas or about number of producers is insufficient and/or out of date. At O-AUPA (Spanish acronym for Observatory of Urban and Peri-urban Agriculture and Agroecology) different mapping strategies are developed to contribute to the understanding of the land dynamics in the Green Belt of Córdoba (GBC) and the rural environments surrounding the city. In this work, we present a method based on the use of remote sensing and geographical information systems to characterize urban, peri-urban and rural areas of Córdoba city with the aim of evaluating the temporal dynamics of urban growth and the current state of land use and cover. We mapped and quantified the urban growth between 1974 and 2014, and evaluated land use in peri-urban and rural areas in 2015. We used satellite information from Landsat TM 5 to map the urban growth via a principal component analysis (PCA) and SPOT 5 imagery to characterize the current land use and land cover with the support vector machine classification algorithm. The results show an urban area growth of 46.5% over almost 40 years within the boundaries of the Capital department. Farm plot size increased, showing a concentration of land ownership, implying a reduced number of producers. Evidence indicates the importance of defining land planning guidelines that limit the advance of the urban frontier to valuable agricultural systems, ensure diversification of productive activities and protect and develop the fresh food production systems at the local level.
Apr 2019 DOI 10.14302/issn.2641-7669.ject-19-2730
A. Oyedeji AyodeleCorresponding author
Department of Biological Sciences, Niger Delta University, Wilberforce Island, Nigeria
The global impact of malaria and challenges encountered during its control have necessitated the application of multifaceted strategies, including the application of plant-derived agents. Amidst these challenges the proliferation of the vector is becoming hyperendemic in tropical region. This research is focused on the biolarvicidal activities of the methanolic leaf-extracts of Cassia alata, Microdesmispuberula¸ and Spilanthesfilicaulis against mosquito larva. The mosquito larva were assayed in a static non-renewal test. Results showed no mortality for the negative control, and total mortality for the positive control (p<0.05). The C. alata bioassay was the most active with LC50 value of 13.73 ppm, followed by; M. puberula(21.24 ppm), and S. filicaulis (28.86 ppm). This study concludes that methanolic-leaf-extracts of C. alata, M. puberula¸ and S. filicaulis can be recommended for the formulation of biolarvicide for the control of malaria.
Mar 2019 DOI 10.14302/issn.2379-7835.ijn-19-2677
Grootveld MartinCorresponding author
Leicester School of Pharmacy, De Montfort University, The Gateway, Leicester LE1 9BH, United Kingdom
Objectives: Sunflower oil (SFO) is regularly employed for cosmetic, emollient and food frying purposes, the latter representing its foremost use globally. Therefore, full investigations of the molecular composition and quality of SFO products are a major requirement. In this study high-field 1H NMR analysis was employed to explore the molecular composition and authenticities of East African virgin (EAV) SFO products, particularly their acylglycerol fatty acid contents, together with those of selected minor constituents. Results acquired were statistically compared to those obtained on commercially-available, EU-approved refined SFO products via NMR-linked multivariate chemometrics strategies. Methodology: High-field 1H NMR spectra of EAV and refined SFOs (n = 55 and 4 respectively) were acquired at an operating frequency of 400 MHz. Their triacylglycerol fatty acid, triacylglycerol hydrolysis product, and sterol and stanol contents were determined via intelligent frequency bucketing and electronic integration of selected resonances. Univariate analysis-of-variance, and multivariate ROC curve evaluations were conducted to determine the magnitude and statistical significance of analyte concentration differences between these two sample classifications. Further multivariate NMR-linked chemometrics analyses such as principal component, random forest and support vector machine classification analyses were also utilised for this purpose. Key Results: Multicomponent 1H NMR analysis demonstrated that EAV SFOs had significantly higher and lower contents of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), respectively, than those of refined SFOs. Furthermore, significantly higher concentrations of ‘health-friendly’, cholesterol-blocking sterols and stanols were also found in these virgin SFO products. Major Conclusions: 1H NMR analysis provides much valuable molecular information regarding the composition and virginal status of SFOs.The high [MUFA]:[PUFA] content ratio of unrefined EAV SFO products renders them more suitable and safer for commercial or domestic deep-frying episodes than refined SFOs (MUFAs are much more resistant to thermally-induced peroxidation than PUFAs). These products also potentially offer valuable health benefits in view of their high natural sterol and stanol contents.
Sep 2018
Di Gianfilippo RiccardoCorresponding author
The University of Michigan - School of Dentistry, Department of Periodontics and Oral Medicine, 1011 North University Avenue, 48109-1078, Ann Arbor, MI – USA
MicroRNAs are short sequences of non-coding RNAs crucial in regulation of cell development, proliferation and differentiation. Some of them showed to be related with the expression of osteogenic genes. Aim of the present review was to evaluate the biological effects of titanium implant surfaces activated with miRNAs or antimiRNAs. A bibliographical electronic research was carried out on PubMed/Medline. Articles investigating the influences of miRNA functionalized surfaces on human or animal cells were included. Reports were excluded if investigating surfaces modified with molecules different from miRNAs, if miRNAs were not loaded to titanium surfaces. Five articles met the inclusion criteria. Surfaces functionalized with miRNAs showed to up-regulate the expression of osteogenic genes like RUNX2, OPN, OCN, BMP, OSX, ALP, COL1 and COL3. Investigated surfaces additionally showed more bone-like mineralized tissues, bone lacunae, osteocytes and new blood vessels. MiRNAs loaded to titanium implant surfaces stimulate the expression of genes related to osteoblasts differentiation, osteogenesis, osseointegration and reparation of mineralized tissues. Vectors used to link titanium surfaces and miRNAs did not show cytotoxicity or interference with cells’ viability.
Apr 2018
Li DongyeCorresponding author
Department of Cardiology, The Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, 221006, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, PR China
Heart failure(HF) is a disease with high morbility and mortality. The benefits of current pharmacological and device therapy for survival outcomes of patients with HF are limited. Gene therapy represents a novel promising strategy in treating HF, as it can theoretically normalize the aberrantly expressed genes and their regulatory mechanisms permanently. However, the translation of gene therapy for HF from bench to bedside has been less successful. There are many challenges ahead for gene therapy, especially in the areas of selection of the optimal targets, the needs for developing delivery systems and the improvement in design of clinical trials. In this review, we summarize the most promising gene targets which have been used in experimental and clinical studies for treating HF, highlighting the results from several clinical trials. We also review the latest development in gene therapy vectors and delivery methods, aiming to provide directions for future studies.
Mar 2018
Liu XiaopingCorresponding author
School of Mathematics and Statistics, Shandong University at Weihai, Weihai 264209, China
An important use of proteomics data from Mass Spectrometry (MS) is the classification of tumor types with respect to peptides in specific cancer types. It is highly critical to find an optimal set of markers among specific cancer peptides whose expression can be clinically utilized to build assays for the diagnosis or to track the progression of specific cancer types. A number of feature selection algorithms have been proposed to obtain the classification of MS data. In this article, we proposed an improved feature selection algorithm based on feature weighting. Relief algorithm can calculate the weight of different features according to the correlation between their characteristics and categories. F-score is a simple filter-based feature selection method by evaluating how two sets of real numbers discriminate from each other. The main goal of this paper is to introduce a new feature weighting selection algorithm combining score from f-value and weight from relief, which is more accurate when classifying high-resolution MALDI-TOF (matrix-assisted laser desorption and ionization time-of-flight) MS data. We have developed a four-step strategy for data processing based on: (1) Align the study sets by binning of raw MS data, (2) local maximum search(LMS) peak detection, (3) a new combination feature weighting selection algorithm and (4) support vector machines achieve a satisfactory performance of identifying cancer and the healthy. The best parameter set for LMS were achieved with control variable method, which achieve an average accuracy of 97.4167% (sd = 0.0146) and the best accuracy of 98.6111% in 1000 independent 10 -fold cross validations.
Feb 2018 DOI 10.14302/issn.2766-6204.jmpt-17-1913
NF TepeneuCorresponding author
Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Surgery, General Hospital Klagenfurt, Austria
The three most common elbow fractures classically reported in pediatric orthopedic literature are supracondylar (50–70%), lateral condylar (17–34%), and medial epicondylar fractures (10%). The mechanism of injury varies, but the most commonly described mechanism involves a fall on an outstretched hand with varus, valgus or rotational force or a combination thereof. The vectors of force and the degree of chondro-osseous development dictate the type of injury incurred. A review of the literature was conducted to see the most frequent injuries and complications.
Jan 2018 DOI 10.14302/issn.2575-1212.jvhc-17-1817
Elizabeth Márquez Contreras MaríaCorresponding author
Laboratorio de Enzimología de Parásitos (LEP), Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Los Andes, Mérida,Venezuela
Chagas disease is zoonotic illness or an anthropozoonosis caused by flagellated protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi. This infection presents alarming rates of incidence/prevalence, for this reason, is recognized worldwide as one of the 13 most neglected tropical diseases 1. Numerous studies have demonstrated the existence of domestic dogs infected with T. cruzi across endemic areas ranging from southern United States of America to Argentina 2. The reported prevalence varies widely (1.42-92%), depending on ecoepidemiological and sociocultural factors 3. It is important to emphasize that the natural infection in dogs with T. cruzi occurs in the same way as in humans, that is to say, through active transmission by vectors, contamination by feces infected with the parasite through wounds or the conjunctiva, can also occur by ingestion of infected vectors or tissues of wild animals present in the peridomicile or home 4. The transplacental transmission is also an important mode of transmission in dogs 5. Nevertheless, the main mode of transmission in canine species seems to be the ingestion of infected vectors 6. During the life cycle of T. cruzi the trypomastigotes present in the heces of the triatomines are introduced in the mammalian host by contamination of the insect bite or mucosal membranes. The metacyclic form can penetrate a variety of phagocytic and nonphagocytic nucleated cells. Once inside the cells the parasite becomes in amastigote, which are multiplicative forms that divide into cells. Due to the high parasitic load they produce the lysis of the cells and escapes into the cytoplasm. The amastigotes transform to slender trypomastigotes which can invade adjacent cells, this forms can be ingested by triatomines and they transform into epimastigotes Finally, after migration to the bug's hindgut, the epimastigotes differentiate into infectious metacyclic trypomastigotes, in this way the life cycle of this microorganism is completed 7.
Mar 2017 DOI 10.14302/issn.2326-0793.jpgr-17-1447
D. Howard TimothyCorresponding author
Center for Genomics & Personalized Medicine Research, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA
Factors that contribute to the onset of atherosclerosis may be elucidated by bioinformatic techniques applied to multiple sources of genomic and proteomic data. The results of genome wide association studies, such as the CardioGramPlusC4D study, expression data, such as that available from expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) databases, along with protein interaction and pathway data available in Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA), constitute a substantial set of data amenable to bioinformatics analysis. This study used bioinformatic analyses of recent genome wide association data to identify a seed set of genes likely associated with atherosclerosis. The set was expanded to include protein interaction candidates to create a network of proteins possibly influencing the onset and progression of atherosclerosis. Local average connectivity (LAC), eigenvector centrality, and betweenness metrics were calculated for the interaction network to identify top gene and protein candidates for a better understanding of the atherosclerotic disease process. The top ranking genes included some known to be involved with cardiovascular disease (APOA1, APOA5, APOB, APOC1, APOC2, APOE, CDKN1A, CXCL12, SCARB1, SMARCA4 and TERT), and others that are less obvious and require further investigation (TP53, MYC, PPARG, YWHAQ, RB1, AR, ESR1, EGFR, UBC and YWHAZ). Collectively these data help define a more focused set of genes that likely play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and are therefore natural targets for novel therapeutic interventions.
Jun 2016 DOI 10.14302/issn.2329-9487.jhc-16-931
F.Babbs CharlesCorresponding author
Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
Background: This brief report presents a potential new technique for locating the sites of origin of focal atrial tachycardias from standard 12-lead electrocardiograms. Methods: Estimated P wave vector coordinates are derived from leads I, aVF, V1 and V2, and mapped to a three dimensional coordinate system in space. A simple graphical method is used to find the back projection of the P wave vector onto the surface of atrial muscle to estimate the most likely site of origin of the tachycardia. Results: Graphical back projection correctly identified foci of atrial tachycardias in 19 of 19 cases described in the most complete available published study. Conclusions: Clinical studies are indicated to validate this simple method for initial noninvasive evaluation of candidates for ablation therapy.
May 2016 DOI 10.14302/issn.2372-6601.jhor-14-401
Fried BernardCorresponding author
Biology Department, Lafayette College, Easton, PA 18042.
The hemocyte is a major immunological cell of molluscs. Much of the immunological phenomena associated with molluscan immunology can be attributed to cellular immunity associated with these cells suspended in the hemolymph. These cells are often referred to as amoebocytes or hemocytes. Such cells are of great importance to immune mechanisms associated withBiomphalaria snails. The Biomphalaria snail is the main vector of the important trematode parasite Schistosoma mansoni. This is a waterborne parasite that affects about 200 million people globally and puts countless other millions at risk of infection. Larval stages of the parasite are released from the snail in tainted waters and the larval cercarial stage actively penetrates the skin of humans and other vertebrates. Larvae migrate via the venous system to vital organs associated with the heaptic portal and mesenteric blood vessels. Larvae develop into sexually mature male and female adult worms that live in major venous blood vessels. The worms mate and produce eggs that lodge in major organs such as the spleen, liver, and intestines. Eggs produce extensive granulomas that cause cirrhosis and other pathological conditions in the affected organs.
Feb 2016 DOI 10.14302/issn.2374-9431.jbd-15-890
E. Buroker NormanCorresponding author
Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
Purpose Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 4 (STAT4) is important for signaling by interleukins (IL-12 and IL-23) and type 1 interferons and has been found to have several simple nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with human disease. STAT4 SNPs were computationally examined with respect to changes in potential transcriptional factor binding sites (TFBS) and these changes were discussed in relation to human disease. Methods The JASPAR CORE and ConSite databases were instrumental in identifying the TFBS. The Vector NTI Advance 11.5 computer program was employed in locating all theTFBS in theSTAT4 gene from 4 kb upstream of the transcriptional start site to 8.3 kb past the 3’UTR. The JASPAR CORE database was also involved in computing each nucleotide occurrence (%) within the TFBS. Results The STAT4 SNPs in the 70 kb intron between exon 2 and 3 are in linkage disequilibrium and have previously been found to be significantly associated with several vasculitis diseases as well as diabetes. The SNP alleles were found to alter the DNA landscape for potential transcriptional factors (TFs) to attach resulting in changes in TFBS and thereby, alter which transcriptional factors potentially regulate the STAT4 gene. These STAT4 SNPs should be considered as regulatory (r) SNPs. Conclusion The alleles of each rSNP were found to generate unique TFBS resulting in potential changes in TF STAT4 regulation. These regulatory changes were discussed with respect to changes in human health that result in disease.
Feb 2016 DOI 10.14302/issn.2326-0793.jpgr-15-889
E. Buroker NormanCorresponding author
Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
Purpose The endothetal Per-Arnt-Sim (PAS) domain protein 1 (EPAS1) gene which encodes hypoxia-inducible-factor-2 alpha (HIF2a) is a transcription factor that is involved in the response to hypoxia. EPAS1 has been found to have four (rs56721780, rs6756667, rs7589621, rs1868092) simple nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with human disease.These SNPs were computationally examined with respect to changes in potential transcriptional factor binding sites (TFBS) and these changes were discussed in relation to disease and alterations in high altitude adaptation in humans. Methods The JASPAR CORE and ConSite databases were instrumental in identifying the TFBS. The Vector NTI Advance 11.5 computer program was employed in locating all theTFBS in theEPAS1 gene from 1.6 kb upstream of the transcriptional start site to 539 bps past the 3’UTR. The JASPAR CORE database was also involved in computing each nucleotide occurrence (%) within the TFBS. Results The EPAS1 SNPs in the promoter, intron two and the 3’UTR regions have previously been found to be significantly associated with disease and different levels of high-altitude hypoxia among native Tibetans. The SNP alleles were found to alter the DNA landscape for potential transcriptional factors (TFs) to attach resulting in changes in TFBS and thereby, alter which transcriptional factors potentially regulate the EPAS1 genesuch as for the glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid nuclear receptor binding sites created by the rs7589621 rSNP EPAS1-G allele. These receptors regulate carbohydrate, protein and fat metabolism. Also the minor rs7589621 rSNP EPAS1-A creates a punitive TFBS for the FOXC TF which is an important regulator of cell viability and resistance to oxidative stress. These EPAS1 SNPs should be considered as regulatory (r) SNPs. Conclusion The alleles of each rSNP were found to generate unique TFBS resulting in potential changes in TF EPAS1 regulation. The punitive changes in TFBS created by the four rSNPs could very well influence the significant cline in allele frequencies seen in Tibetans with increasing altitude or the haplotype association with high altitude polycythemia in male Han Chinese. These regulatory changes were discussed with respect to changes in human health that result in disease and sickness.
May 2015 DOI 10.14302/issn.2324-7339.jcrhap-14-416
Gnimbar PODA GhislainCorresponding author
National Council of HIV/AIDS (SP/CNLS-IST), Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
Objective: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) /acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) affect all levels of society and drivers are considered as vectors of HIV transmission because of the mobility of their work. The aim of this study was to assess struck drivers’ knowledge, attitudes and practices on HIV and AIDS in Burkina Faso. Methods: Quantitative method and cross-sectional survey using questionnaire with Cronbach’s alpha 0.76 were used in this study. SPSS, version 18.0 was used for analysis. P-values ≤ 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Results: 150 truck drivers participated in the study with a mean age of 38.71 years (SD=8.87), and ranged from 25 to 68 years old. It was observed that misconceptions about HIV transmission are quite prevalent among truck drivers. About 61 (40.7%) felt that AIDS can be transmitted by sharing meals, 35 (23.3%) stated that it can be spread by mosquito bite and 65 (43.3%) were of the opinion that AIDS can be transmitted by using same toilet and cloths. High-risk behavior was established in the study. 78% have other sexual partners besides their wives and 34% often visit sex workers in which 26 % had unprotected sex with sex workers. Alcohol seems to have a big role in their sexual behavior; thus 22 % of truck drivers declare drink alcohol before sex. There were significant association in demographic factors and knowledge, attitude and practice. Conclusion: The study findings underline the negative risk behaviors of truck drivers. Safe sex and use of condom have to be promoted through education program among truck drivers in Burkina Faso.