Functional polymorphisms in <Emphasis Type="Italic">XRCC</Emphasis>-<Emphasis Type="Italic">1</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">APE</Emphasis>-<Emphasis Type="Italic">1</Emphasis> contribute to increased apoptosis and risk of ulcerative colitis

Objective  

The present study was designed to investigate the role of X-ray cross-complementing group 1 (XRCC1) and apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease 1 (APE1) polymorphisms in apoptosis and the risk of ulcerative colitis (UC).     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">In vivo</Emphasis> activity of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Sapindus saponaria</Emphasis> against azole-susceptible and -resistant human vaginal <Emphasis Type="Italic">Candida</Emphasis> species

Background  

Study of in vivo antifungal activity of the hydroalcoholic extract (HE) and n-BuOH extract (BUTE) of Sapindus saponaria against azole-susceptible and -resistant human vaginal Candida spp.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Leishmania</Emphasis> (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Viannia</Emphasis>) <Emphasis Type="Italic">shawi</Emphasis> purified antigens confer protection against murine cutaneous leishmaniasis

Objective  

Leishmania (Viannia) shawi was characterized only recently, and few studies concerning the immunogenic and protective properties of its antigens have been performed. The present study aimed to evaluate the protective potential of the five antigenic fractions isolated from L. (V.) shawi promastigotes in experimental cutaneous leishmaniasis.     

Selective activity of extracts of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Margaritaria discoidea</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Homalium africanum</Emphasis> on <Emphasis Type="Italic">Onchocerca ochengi</Emphasis>

Background  

The current treatment of onchocerciasis relies on the use of ivermectin which is only microfilaricidal and for which resistant parasite strains of veterinary importance are increasingly being detected. In the search for novel filaricides and alternative medicines, we investigated the selective activity of crude extracts of Margaritaria discoidea and Homalium africanum on Onchocerca ochengi, a model parasite for O. volvulus. These plants are used to treat the disease in North West Cameroon.     

Antiviral biflavonoids from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Radix Wikstroemiae</Emphasis> (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Liaogewanggen</Emphasis>)

Background  

Radix Wikstroemiae is a common Chinese herbal medicine. The ethyl acetate fraction of the ethanolic extract of W. indica possesses potent in vitro antiviral activity against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). This study aims to identify the antiviral components of the active fraction.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">CYP3A4</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">CYP3A5</Emphasis>genotyping by Pyrosequencing

Background  

Human cytochrome P450 3A enzymes, particularly CYP3A4 and CYP3A5, play an important role in drug metabolism. CYP3A expression exhibits substantial interindividual variation, much of which may result from genetic variation. This study describes Pyrosequencing assays for key SNPs in CYP3A4 (CYP3A4*1B, CYP3A4*2, and CYP3A4*3) and CYP3A5 (CYP3A5*3C and CYP3A5*6).     

The occurrence of germline <Emphasis Type="Italic">BRCA1</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">BRCA2</Emphasis>sequence alterations in Slovenian population

Background  

The BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation spectrum and mutation detection rates according to different family histories were investigated in 521 subjects from 322 unrelated Slovenian cancer families with breast and/or ovarian cancer.     

The <Emphasis Type="Italic">CTLA4</Emphasis> variants may interact with the <Emphasis Type="Italic">IL23R</Emphasis>- and <Emphasis Type="Italic">NOD2</Emphasis>-conferred risk in development of Crohn's disease

Background  

The CTLA4 (cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4) gene is associated with several immunopathologic diseases and because of its important immuno-regulatory role it may be considered also a plausible candidate for a genetic association with inflammatory bowel diseases. Previously published studies found no association of CTLA4 with Crohn's disease itself, but some indicated an association with its subphenotypes. The aim of this study was to assess the association in the Czech population, using a set of markers shown to associate with other diseases.     

Associations between <Emphasis Type="Italic">interleukin</Emphasis>-<Emphasis Type="Italic">23R</Emphasis> polymorphisms and ankylosing spondylitis susceptibility: a meta-analysis

Objective  

The aim of this study was to determine whether interleukin-23R (IL-23R) polymorphisms confer susceptibility to ankylosing spondylitis (AS).     

Large-scale association analysis of <Emphasis Type="Italic">TNF</Emphasis>/<Emphasis Type="Italic">LTA</Emphasis> gene region polymorphisms in type 2 diabetes

Background  

The TNF/LTA locus has been a long-standing T2D candidate gene. Several studies have examined association of TNF/LTA SNPs with T2D but the majority have been small-scale and produced no convincing evidence of association. The purpose of this study is to examine T2D association of tag SNPs in the TNF/LTA region capturing the majority of common variation in a large-scale sample set of UK/Irish origin.     

Effect of <Emphasis Type="Italic">BRCA2</Emphasis> sequence variants predicted to disrupt exonic splice enhancers on <Emphasis Type="Italic">BRCA2</Emphasis>transcripts

Background  

Genetic screening of breast cancer patients and their families have identified a number of variants of unknown clinical significance in the breast cancer susceptibility genes, BRCA1 and BRCA2. Evaluation of such unclassified variants may be assisted by web-based bioinformatic prediction tools, although accurate prediction of aberrant splicing by unclassified variants affecting exonic splice enhancers (ESEs) remains a challenge.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">In vitro</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">in vivo</Emphasis> evaluation of NCX 4040 cytotoxic activity in human colon cancer cell lines

Background  

Nitric oxide-releasing nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NO-NSAIDs) are reported to be safer than NSAIDs because of their lower gastric toxicity. We compared the effect of a novel NO-releasing derivate, NCX 4040, with that of aspirin and its denitrated analog, NCX 4042, in in vitro and in vivo human colon cancer models and investigated the mechanisms of action underlying its antitumor activity.     

Characterization of <Emphasis Type="Italic">n</Emphasis>-Hexane sub-fraction of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bridelia micrantha</Emphasis> (Berth) and its antimycobacterium activity

Background  

Tuberculosis, caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB), is the most notified disease in the world. Development of resistance to first line drugs by MTB is a public health concern. As a result, there is the search for new and novel sources of antimycobacterial drugs for example from medicinal plants. In this study we determined the in vitro antimycobacterial activity of n-Hexane sub-fraction from Bridelia micrantha (Berth) against MTB H₃₇Ra and a clinical isolate resistant to all five first-line antituberculosis drugs.     

Comparison of raw and processed <Emphasis Type="Italic">Radix Polygoni Multiflori</Emphasis> (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Heshouwu</Emphasis>) by high performance liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry

Background  

Radix Polygoni Multiflori is the dried root tuber of Polygonum multiflorum Thunb. (Fam. Polygonaceae). According to Chinese medicine theory, raw (R-RPM) and processed (P-RPM) Radix Polygoni Multiflori possess different properties. The present study investigates the differences in chemistry between raw and processed Radix Polygoni Multiflori.     

Neutralization of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Neisseria meningitidis</Emphasis> outer membrane vesicles

Introduction  

We aimed to determine the neutralization of Neisseria meningitidis outer membrane vesicles (blebs) by humoral and cellular elements of whole blood.     

A nomogram for <Emphasis Type="Italic">P</Emphasis>values

Background  

P values are the most commonly used tool to measure evidence against a hypothesis. Several attempts have been made to transform P values to minimum Bayes factors and minimum posterior probabilities of the hypothesis under consideration. However, the acceptance of such calibrations in clinical fields is low due to inexperience in interpreting Bayes factors and the need to specify a prior probability to derive a lower bound on the posterior probability.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Matrix metalloproteinase-9</Emphasis>gene polymorphisms in nasal polyposis

Background  

Matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) is involved in the upper airway remodeling process. We hypothesized that genetic variants of the MMP-9 gene are associated with cases of chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis.     

Endothelial cells present antigens <Emphasis Type="Italic">in vivo</Emphasis>

Background  

Immune recognition of vascular endothelial cells (EC) has been implicated in allograft rejection,protection against pathogens,and lymphocyte recruitment. However,EC pervade nearly all tissues and predominate in none,complicating any direct test of immune recognition. Here,we examined antigen presentation by EC in vivo by testing immune responses against E. coli β-galactosidase (β-gal) in two lines of transgenic mice that express β-gal exclusively in their EC. TIE2-lacZ mice express β-gal in all EC and VWF-lacZ mice express β-gal in heart and brain microvascular EC.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">In vitro</Emphasis> antibacterial activity and acute toxicity studies of aqueous-methanol extract of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Sida rhombifolia</Emphasis> Linn. (Malvaceae)

Background  

Many bacteria among the Enterobacteria family are involved in infectious diseases and diarrhoea. Most of these bacteria become resistant to the most commonly used synthetic drugs in Cameroon. Natural substances seem to be an alternative to this problem. Thus the aim of this research was to investigate the in vitro antibacterial activity of the methanol and aqueous-methanol extracts of Sida rhombifolia Linn (Malvaceae) against seven pathogenic bacteria involved in diarrhoea. Acute toxicity of the most active extract was determined and major bioactive components were screened.     

Larvicidal activity of silver nanoparticles synthesized using <Emphasis Type="Italic">Plumeria rubra</Emphasis> plant latex against <Emphasis Type="Italic">Aedes aegypti</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Anopheles stephensi</Emphasis>

In the present study activity of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) synthesized using Plumeria rubra plant latex against second and fourth larval instar of Aedes aegypti and Anopheles stephensi was determined. Range of concentrations of synthesized AgNps (10, 5, 2.5, 1.25, 0.625, 0.3125 ppm) and aqueous crude latex (1,000, 500, 250, 125, 62.50, 31.25 ppm) were tested against larvae of A. aegypti and A. Stephensi. The synthesized AgNps from P. rubra latex were highly toxic than crude latex extract in both mosquito species. The LC₅₀ values for second and fourth larval instars after 24 h of crude latex exposure were 1.49, 1.82 ppm against A. aegypti and 1.10, 1.74 ppm against A. stephensi respectively. These figures were 181.67, 287.49 ppm against A. aegypti and 143.69, 170.58 ppm against A. stephensi respectively for crude latex extract. The mortality rates were positively correlated with the concentration of AgNPs. The characterization studies of synthesized AgNPs by UV–Vis spectrophotometry, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Particle size analysis (PSA) and zeta potential confirmed the spherical shape and size (32–200 nm) of silver nanoparticles alongwith stability. Toxicity studies carried out against non-target fish species Poecilia reticulata, the most common organism in the habitats of A. aegypti and A. stephensi showed no toxicity at LC₅₀ and LC₉₀ doses of the AgNPs. This is the first report on mosquito larvicidal activity of latex synthesized nanoparticles.