Complete genome sequence of the original Taiwanese isolate of sweet potato latent virus and its relationship to other potyviruses infecting sweet potato

The complete genome of sweet potato latent virus (SPLV) was determined to be 10081 nucleotides long excluding the 3’ poly (A) tail. The genome contains a single large open reading frame encoding a polyprotein of 3247 amino acids. Its genomic organization is typical of potyviruses and contains motifs conserved in members of the genus Potyvirus. Pairwise comparisons show that SPLV shares identities of 50.0 %-56.3 % to other potyviruses at the genomic sequence level. Phylogenetic analysis shows that SPLV is closely related to four other sweet potato potyviruses in the sweet potato feathery mottle virus lineage, but it lacks the unique PISPO in the P1 region of those viruses. The genome analyses confirm that SPLV is a distinct sweet potato virus in the genus Potyvirus.     

Asthma and paracetamol: Could we really know what happens between them?

An association between paracetamol use or exposure in different times of life, including gestation and childhood, and asthma has been observed in recent years. Causality cannot be established from observational studies because of the arguable presence of many confounding factors and biases. Randomised trials are needed to disclose the nature of the association, but are difficult to carry out because of ethic, economic and logistical issues as large patient samples should be involved for a long time in such studies. Pragmatic trials may be the best option to shed some light on this issue. Questions regarding the problems and difficulties of conducting such trials and the way to overcome them are discussed.     

Low gastrointestinal bleeding due to ectopic varices as a result of adhesions

Portal hypertension frequently causes the appearance of porto-systemic shunts, such as esophageal varices and also, but with much less frequency, other atypical shunts known as ectopic varices. Despite their infrequency/rarity, ectopic varices can cause serious gastrointestinal bleeding. Intraabdominal adhesions, especially post-operative ones, promote their appearance. The therapeutic management of ectopic varices is initially the same as that for esophageal varices but surgical treatment is usually necessary as a diagnostic and therapeutic procedure.     

穴位注射治疗尖锐湿疣及对免疫功能的影响

目的：探讨穴位注射治疗CA的临床疗效及对CA患者免疫功能的影响。方法：149例患者随机分为治疗组（A组）、药物对照组（B组）和空白对照组（C组）。运用激光治疗消除疣体后，A组用卡介菌多糖核酸穴位注射，B组用卡介菌多糖核酸肌肉注射，C组仅行激光消除疣体治疗。分别于治疗前及6个月以后检测患者细胞免疫功能。另设健康人对照组40例，检测项目同上。结果：治疗前与健康人相比，CA患者CD4^＋百分率降低，CD8^＋百分率升高，CD4^＋／CD8^＋比值降低，NK细胞活性降低（P〈0．05或P〈0．01）。运用穴位注射卡介菌多糖核酸治疗后，治疗组CD4^＋百分率升高，CD8^＋百分率降低，CD4^＋／CD8^＋比值升高，NK细胞活性升高（P〈0．05或P〈0．01）。结论：穴位注射卡介菌多糖核酸疗法对CA的T淋巴细胞亚群、自然杀伤（NK）细胞有良性调节作用；可明显降低尖锐湿疣复发率，提高细胞免疫调节作用，是防止尖锐湿疣复发的机制之一。     

Fetal structures of the lower jaw. Anterior sections and the condyle

The aim of this work was to provide a comparative analysis of the evolution of the symphyseal and condylar zones, as observed in human fetuses. The behavior of cartilage was studied in both these sectors. In the anterior and anterolateral zone of mandible, one is able to distinguish the symphyseal corridor, Meckel's cartilage and derivatives, together with the following ossifications; enchondral (Meckel's cartilage), juxtaparachondral (specific to mandible), and enchondral originating from secondary cartilage. Characteristics of the various layers are evidenced at the condylar level, as reflected by the distribution and significance of the columns crossing the cartilage. We have shown in our previous research works that these present the same structure and the same staining characteristics as the layers of vascularized connective tissue. The latter is tissue-generating and moves from meniscus-related regions.     

Cerebrospinal fluid amino acid levels in newborn infants with intracranial hemorrhage

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) amino acid levels including excitatory amino acids (i.e. glutamate and aspartate) in 25 preterm and 18 full-term newborn infants with no serious disease except intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) were measured. ICH was detected in 13 preterm and six full-term infants on the basis of the clinical, lumbar puncture (LP) and cranial ultrasonography (CraUSG) findings. Twelve preterm and 12 full-term infants who were neurologically healthy comprised the control group. The mean concentration of CSF amino acids did not differ between preterm and full-term infants. The CSF concentrations of taurine, threonine, glycine, alanine, valine, isoleucine, leucine, tyrosine and phenylalanine in preterm infants, and threonine, aspartic acid and alanine in full-term infants were significantly elevated in infants with ICH. These abnormalities, especially in preterm infants, are probably related to cerebral hypoxia in CSF amino acid concentrations in newborn infants with ICH.