CpG motif in ATCGAT hexamer improves DNA-vaccine efficiency against lethal Pseudorabies virus infection in pigs

This study evaluated the adjuvant activity of a porcine-specific type A CpG-containing oligodeoxynucleotide (CpG-ODN) in a DNA-vaccine against Pseudorabies virus (PrV) infection. This vaccine, composed of three independent plasmids encoding PrV gB, gC and gD glycoproteins, was injected alone or was co-injected with CpG-ODN or control GpC-ODN. CpG-ODN improved the PrV-specific humoral immune response and provided better clinical protection against lethal PrV-infection. The PrV-specific cell-mediated immune response seemed also to be increased.     

Structure-activity relationships of dengue antiviral polycyclic quinones

The virucidal and antiviral photoactivities of three compounds, hypericin, tetrabromohypericin and gymnochrome B, were evaluated against dengue viruses. All the three products were active, and both the virucidal and antiviral activities were enhanced by light. Gymnochrome B was more potent than hypericin and tetrabromohypericin. The presence of the side chains on the hypericin core of gymnochromes appears to be beneficial for both virucidal and antiviral activities. This enhanced activity is likely to be linked to a complementary mechanism independent of photoactivation.     

Combining modeling and monitoring to study fecal contamination in a small rural catchment

The present study sought to identify Escherichia coli sources in a small catchment and to use the agro-hydrological model soil and water assessment tool (SWAT) to estimate their impact on river water quality. The innovative aspects of this research are to assess the hourly variations of fecal contamination and to take these variations into account in the model to provide a better evaluation of river quality. Thus, water samples were taken weekly at the river outlet (n = 4) and 24-h monitoring sessions were performed during low and high-flow periods (n = 74). E. coli variations were found to be primarily linked to rainfall and not to resuspension mechanisms. Subdaily fluctuations and deviations were ±0.33 log₁₀ cfu/100 mL and ±0.70 log₁₀ cfu/100 mL for dry (<3 mm/day) and wet (>3 mm/day) weather, respectively. After river flow calibration, all known pollution sources (septic systems, manure spreading, farm discharges) were introduced into SWAT. The model reproduced the fecal contamination in the river and the use of subdaily deviations allowed us to evaluate the simulation quality and compare grab samplings with simulated daily E. coli concentration, thus confirming that the performance of the model is better when additional information on hourly concentration variations is used.     

Lack of prospective associations between plasma and urinary phytoestrogens and risk of prostate or colorectal cancer in the European Prospective into Cancer-Norfolk study

Dietary phytoestrogens are suggested to reduce the risk of prostate and colorectal cancer, but the results of epidemiologic studies have not yielded consistent support for this proposed effect, possibly due to inadequate databases of phytoestrogen levels in foods. Biomarkers of phytoestrogen intakes may provide a clearer insight into the relationship between phytoestrogen exposure and the risk of prostate or colorectal cancer risks. From the European Prospective into Cancer-Norfolk cohort (ages 45-75), serum and urine samples were analyzed for seven phytoestrogens [daidzein, enterodiol, enterolactone, genistein, glycitein, O-desmethylangolensin (O-DMA), and equol] among 193 cases of prostate cancer and 828 controls, and 221 cases of colorectal cancer with 889 controls. Summary variables of total lignans (enterodiol and enterolactone) and total isoflavones (daidzein, genistein, O-DMA, equol, and glycitein) were created and analyzed in conjunction with individual phytoestrogens. Logistic regression analyses revealed that there was no significant association between prostate cancer risk and total serum isoflavones [odds ratio (OR), 1.01; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.93-1.10] or total serum lignans (OR, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.86-1.04) or between colorectal cancer risk and total serum isoflavones (OR, 1.01; 95% CI, 0.94-1.08) or total serum lignans (OR, 1.03; 95% CI, 0.94-1.12). Similarly, null associations were observed for individual serum phytoestrogens and for all urinary phytoestrogen biomarkers. In conclusion, we have found no evidence to support an inverse association between phytoestrogen exposure and prostate or colorectal cancer risk.     

Metabolic syndrome and low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol are associated with adverse pathological features in patients with prostate cancer treated by radical prostatectomy

Background

Previous studies have suggested a link between metabolic syndrome (MetS) and prostate cancer (PCa). In the present study, we aimed to assess the association between MetS and markers of PCa aggressiveness on radical prostatectomy (RP).