To safely reopen after a lockdown, masks are crucial: lessons from Taiwan.

Taiwan had been using many important public health management strategies to beat Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) without a lockdown. Mask wearing by the general public was thought to be the major factor for the success of Taiwan to stop the spread of COVID-19. We share our experience in Taiwan as an example for other countries to safely reopen from a lockdown.

Research on sleeve gastrectomy for the treatment of rats with type 2 diabetes mellitus and the regulation of ghrelin and intestinal lesions.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of sleeve gastrectomy on type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in regulating ghrelin and intestinal lesions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Specific pathogen free (SPF) Wistar rats were injected with streptozotocin (STZ) after giving a high-sugar and high-fat diet, to establish a T2DM rat model. The rats were randomly divided into a sleeve gastric excision group, a non-surgical group and a fake surgical group, with 10 rats in each group. The weight, blood glucose, glucose tolerance and ghrelin hormone of rats were compared. The feces of rats in each group at the 8th week after surgery were collected, to extract the total bacterial deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). The bacterial 16S universal primer was used to expand the 16SrRNA V46 conserved region. The total Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) products were sequenced by PE101-bp to classify the gene and genera. RESULTS: The weight of the rats after sleeve gastrectomy significantly decreased (p <0.05). The area under the blood glucose curve and the area under the insulin curve were significantly smaller than those in the non-surgical group and the fake surgical group (p <0.05). Compared with the sleeve gastric excision group, the abundance of Phylum Firmicutes was higher, that of Bacteroidetes was lower. Compared with the sleeve gastric excision group, there were more genera in the fake surgical group and the non-surgical group. The genera with higher abundance in the three groups were Lactobacillus and Bacteroidetes. Compared with the sleeve gastric excision group, the fake surgical group and the non-surgical group had higher abundance of Phylum Firmicutes (p <0.05) and lower abundance of Bacteroidetes (p <0.05). CONCLUSIONS: To sum up, sleeve gastrectomy can reduce the weight of rats in T2DM rat model, lower blood glucose levels of rats in the model and improve insulin resistance levels. The related mechanism may be related to the upregulation of ghrelin and intestinal flora.

The association between the D166E polymorphism of the lipoprotein associated phospholipase A2 and risk of myocardial infarction.

OBJECTIVE: Although numerous studies have evaluated the association between lipoprotein associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2) gene polymorphisms and coronary heart disease, the conclusions are still inconsistency. Here we detected the correlation between D166E polymorphism of Lp-PLA2 and myocardial infarction (MI). Further, its clinical value as biomarker was assessed. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 297 patients were enrolled, all diagnosed as MI at the Hebei General Hospital between May 2017 and May 2018, with 262 healthy subjects recruited as controls. Blood specimens of all participants were collected for testing serum lipid, blood glucose, Lp-PLA2, HsCRP, IL-17 and IL-35. The D166E polymorphism was genotyped. The correlation between D166E polymorphism and MI was explored using multiple logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: We detected higher levels of TC, TG, LDLC, Lp-PLA2, HsCRP and IL-17 but lower levels of HDLC and IL-35 in MI patients, compared with healthy controls (p<0.05). Also, the positive ratio of family history is higher in MI patients than that in control. Indexes were collected after one-week and one-month hospitalization, respectively, and levels of Lp-PLA2, HsCRP, IL-17 and IL-35 decreased to the normal levels (p>0.05). We also observed positive correlations between Lp-PLA2 with HsCRP and IL-17 (r=0.6517, 0.2689), and negative correlations between IL-35 with Lp-PLA2, HsCRP and IL-17 (r=-0.3142, -0.3968, -0.2516), respectively. The G allele at D166E accounted for a higher percentage in MI patients than in controls, and so as the GG and GC genotypes (p<0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed close associations between MI with Lp-PLA2 and GG genotype at D166E, with odds ratios of 1.239 (1.023-2.017) and 9.863 (4.107-21.331), which suggested they were independent risk factors for the development of coronary heart disease. CONCLUSIONS: The D166E (C/G) mutation of Lp-PLA2 was a potential risk factor of MI.

LncRNA DQ786243 expression as a biomarker for assessing prognosis in patients with gastric cancer.

OBJECTIVE: Recent studies have revealed that long noncoding RNA DQ786243 (DQ786243) plays an important role in the development of gastric cancer (GC) and colorectal cancer. However, the expression and function of DQ786243 in GC patients remain largely unknown. The purpose of our study was to investigate the clinical significance of DQ786243 expression in GC. PATIENTS AND METHODS: qRT-PCR was used to examine DQ786243 expression in 172 paired GC samples and matched adjacent normal tissues. Besides, the relationship between DQ786243 expression and clinicopathologic characteristics was analyzed. Overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) curves of patients in subgroups were constructed by the Kaplan-Meier method. Multivariate regression analyses were performed to analyze independent factors affecting prognosis. RESULTS: We found a significant up-regulation of DQ786243 in GC tissues compared to normal tissues (p < 0.01). High DQ786243 expression was closely associated with invasion depth (p = 0.006), TNM stage (p = 0.009) and lymphatic metastasis (p = 0.017). Moreover, Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that patients with DQ786243 high expression tumors had worse OS (p = 0.0012) and PFS (p = 0.0002) compared to patients with DQ786243 low expression tumors. Finally, multivariate analysis showed that DQ786243 was a significant and independent prognostic predictor for both OS (p = 0.002) and PFS (p = 0.001) of GC patients. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest, for the first time, that the evaluation of the DQ786243 expression in GC tissues is a useful tool for predicting prognosis of GC.

Improving the nutritional quality and shelf life of broiler meat by feeding diets supplemented with fermented pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) by-products.

1. Four experimental diets containing 0, 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0% fermented pomegranate by-products (FPB) were supplied to 320d-old broilers to evaluate the effects of FPB on growth performance, nutritional composition, fatty acid profile and oxidative stability of meat. 2. Dietary supplementation of FPB linearly increased the weight gain and feed intake of broilers with linear reduction in feed conversion ratio. 3. The crude protein, iron, magnesium, and sodium content were linearly higher, whereas cholesterol was linearly lower in the breast meat of FPB-supplemented broilers. In thigh meat, linearly lower ether extract and cholesterol with higher moisture was noted in response to increasing levels of FPB. 4. The proportion of saturated fatty acids was both linearly and quadratically lower in breast and thigh meat, whereas those of monounsaturated fatty acids of breast (linear and quadratic) and n-3 fatty acids of breast and thigh (linear) meat was higher in the FPB-supplemented broilers. The n-6/n-3 ratio of breast meat was linearly lower in response to FPB supplementation. The hypocholesterolaemic to hypercholesterolaemic ratio of thigh meat was higher in the FPB-supplemented groups. 5. The thiobarbituric acid reactive substances and pH value were lower in the breast and thigh meat of FPB-supplemented broilers. 6. Thus, additive supplementation of the diet with up to 2% FPB improved the nutritional quality, fatty acid profile and shelf life of broiler meat.

Prevalence rates of youths diagnosed with and medicated for ADHD in a nationwide survey in Taiwan from 2000 to 2011.

AIMS: Public controversy regarding the potential overdiagnosis and overmedication of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has continued for decades. This study used the National Health Insurance Research Database of Taiwan (NHIRD-TW) to explore trends in ADHD diagnosis in youths and the proportion of those receiving medication, with the aim of determining whether ADHD is overdiagnosed and overmedicated in Taiwan. METHOD: Youths (age ≤18 years) who had at least two NHIRD-TW claims records with ADHD diagnosis between January 2000 and December 2011 were selected as the subject cohort. In total, the study sample comprised 145 018 patients with ADHD (mean age at a diagnosis of ADHD: 7.7 ± 3.1 years; 21.4% females). The number of cases of ADHD were calculated annually for each year (from 2000 to 2011), and the number of cases per year who received medication was determined as those with at least one record of pharmacotherapy (immediate-release methylphenidate, osmotic controlled-release formulation of methylphenidate, and atomoxetine) in each year. RESULTS: The prevalence rates of a diagnosis of ADHD in the youths ranged from 0.11% in 2000 to 1.24% in 2011. Compared with children under 6 years of age, the ADHD diagnosis rates in children aged between 7 and 12 years (ratio of prevalence rates = 4.36) and in those aged between 13 and 18 years (ratio of prevalence rates = 1.42) were significantly higher during the study period. The prevalence in males was higher than that in females (ratio of prevalence rates = 4.09). Among the youths with ADHD, 50.2% received medications in 2000 compared with 61.0% in 2011. The probability of receiving ADHD medication increased with age. More male ADHD patients received medications that females patients (ratio of prevalence rates = 1.16). CONCLUSIONS: The rate of ADHD diagnosis was far lower than the prevalence rate (7.5%) identified in a previous community study using face-to-face interviews. Approximately 40-50% of the youths with ADHD did not receive any medications. These findings are not consistent with a systematic public opinion about overdiagnosis or overmedication of ADHD in Taiwan.

Unexpectedly high prevalence of Treponema pallidum infection in the oral cavity of human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients with early syphilis who had engaged in unprotected sex practices.

Between 2010 and 2014, we obtained swab specimens to detect Treponema pallidum, with PCR assays, from the oral cavities of 240 patients with 267 episodes of syphilis who reported engaging in unprotected sex practices. The detected treponemal DNA was subjected to genotyping. All of the syphilis cases occurred in men who have sex with men (MSM), and 242 (90.6%) occurred in human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients. The stages of syphilis included 38 cases (14.2%) of primary syphilis of the genital region, 76 (28.5%) of secondary syphilis, 21 (7.9%) of primary and secondary syphilis, 125 (46.8%) of early latent syphilis, and seven (2.6%) others. Concurrent oral ulcers were identified in 22 cases (8.2%). Treponemal DNA was identified from the swabs of 113 patients (42.2%), including 15 (68.2%) with oral ulcers. The most common genotype of T. pallidum was 14f/f. The presence of oral ulcers was associated with identification of T. pallidum in the swab specimens (15/22 (68.2%) vs. 98/245 (40.0%)) (p = 0.01). In multivariate analysis, secondary syphilis (adjusted OR 6.79; 95% CI 1.97-23.28) and rapid plasma reagin (RPR) titres of ≥1: 32 (adjusted OR 2.23; 95% CI 1.02-4.89) were independently associated with the presence of treponemal DNA in patients without oral ulcers. We conclude that detection of treponemal DNA in the oral cavity with PCR assays is not uncommon in MSM, most of whom reported having unprotected oral sex. Although the presence of oral ulcers is significantly associated with detection of treponemal DNA, treponemal DNA is more likely to be identified in patients without oral ulcers who present with secondary syphilis and RPR titres of ≥1: 32.

α-SMA-Cre-mediated excision of PDK1 reveals an essential role of PDK1 in regulating morphology of cardiomyocyte and tumor progression in tissue microenvironment.

The phosphoinositide-3 kinase (PI3K) - phosphoinositide-dependent protein kinase 1 (PDK1)-Akt/protein kinase B (PKB) cascade plays a critical role in cardiovascular development and tumor genesis. But the role of PDK1 in the microenvironment of heart and tumor remains unknown. To clarify the effects of PDK1 on tissue microenvironment in vivo, here, we created α-SMA-Cre-mediated excision of PDK1 mice. And the mice were injected subcutaneously with Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC) cells. We found PDK1-deficient mice had post-natal praecox dilated cardiomyopathy, decelerated tumor growth and severe tumor metastasis. Histopathological analysis revealed abnormality of vascular microenvironment in heart and primary tumor. In conclusion, PDK1 plays a pivotal role in regulating cardiac function and tumor metastasis by interfering with microenvironment.

Monitoring of behavior using a video-recording system for recognition of Salmonella infection in experimentally infected growing pigs.

Behavior is one of the most commonly used indicators of illness; however, few studies have investigated how different common diseases affect animal behavior. This experiment was conducted to investigate behavioral and clinical alterations in growing pigs experimentally infected with Salmonella spp. during a 4-week post-infection period. A total of 48 growing pigs were divided into one of the three treatment groups (1) control, (2) infection with Salmonella Typhimurium or (3) infection with Salmonella Enteritidis. Individual pigs' behavior was recorded daily (0900 to 1100 and 1600 to 1800 h) using a video-recording system. Pigs in both infected groups had lower weight gain and feed intake during week 0 to 2 and 0 to 4 experimental period. Bacteriological data revealed that pigs in both infected groups persistently shed bacteria throughout the period of study. Oral infection of growing pigs with S. Typhimurium and S. Enteritidis significantly reduced the frequency of morning large (except week 1) and small movement throughout the study period. In the evening, significantly lowest frequency of movements were observed in the S. Enteritidis-infected group compared with the control. The standing and sitting frequency were significantly lower in both infected groups only at the morning of week 4. Infection with Salmonella spp. led to a significant reduction in the frequency and duration of morning eating and drinking throughout the experimental period, with the exception of 4th week drinking duration. The lowest frequency of evening eating during week 1 and 4 was recorded in both infected groups; whereas, the duration differed only at week 1. The evening drinking frequency only tended to decrease in response to S. Typhimurium infection at week 1. This study shows that, pigs infected with Salmonella spp. had poor performance, shedding high levels of Salmonella with their feces and reduced feeding and drinking activity, which are adaptive responses to infection and may help caretakers to detect ill health.

The combined role of serotonin and interleukin-6 as biomarker for autism.

Autism is a severe neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impairments in social interaction and repetitive behaviors. Diagnosis of autism is currently phenotype based with no reliable laboratory test available to assist clinicians. It has been shown that dysfunction of serotonin (5-HT) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) are involved in autism. The goal of this study was to evaluate the combined role of 5-HT and IL-6 as potential biomarkers for autism. The whole blood concentration of 5-HT and plasma concentration of IL-6 of individuals with autism were significantly elevated compared with the control group, and the concentration of 5-HT and IL-6 had positive correlations with the severity of autism. The results of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis indicated that the combination of 5-HT and IL-6 produced the best sensitivity and specificity for diagnosis of autism. Therefore, the present study has revealed a simple clinical method with great potential for assisting the diagnosis of autism.

Effects of supplementation with green tea by-products on growth performance, meat quality, blood metabolites and immune cell proliferation in goats.

Forty-eight castrated male goats were used to determine the effects of feeding green tea by-products (GTB) on growth performance, meat quality, blood metabolites and immune cell proliferation. Experimental treatments consisted of basal diets supplemented with four levels of GTB (0%, 0.5%, 1.0% or 2.0%). Four replicate pens were assigned to each treatment with three goats per replicate. Increasing dietary GTB tended to linearly increase the overall average weight gain and feed intake (p = 0.09). Water holding capacity, pH and sensory attributes of meat were not affected by GTB supplementation, while cooking loss was reduced both linearly and quadratically (p < 0.01). The redness (linear; p = 0.02, quadratic; p < 0.01) and yellowness (quadratic; p < 0.01) values of goat meat were improved by GTB supplementation. Increasing dietary GTB quadratically increased protein and decreased crude fat (p < 0.05), while linearly decreased cholesterol (p = 0.03) content of goat meat. The proportions of monounsaturated fatty acid, polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) and n-6 PUFA increased linearly (p < 0.01) and n-3 PUFA increased quadratically (p < 0.05) as GTB increased in diets. Increasing dietary GTB linearly increased the PUFA/SFA (saturated fatty acid) and tended to linearly and quadratically increase (p ≤ 0.10) the n-6/n-3 ratio. The thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances values of meat were lower in the 2.0% GTB-supplemented group in all storage periods (p < 0.05). Dietary GTB linearly decreased plasma glucose and cholesterol (p < 0.01) and quadratically decreased urea nitrogen concentrations (p = 0.001). The growth of spleen cells incubated in concanavalin A and lipopolysaccharides medium increased significantly (p < 0.05) in response to GTB supplementation. Our results suggest that GTB may positively affect the growth performance, meat quality, blood metabolites and immune cell proliferation when supplemented as a feed additive in goat diet.

Effects of fermented corni fructus and fermented kelp on growth performance, meat quality, and emission of ammonia and hydrogen sulphide from broiler chicken droppings.

1. Corni fructus is the fruit of Cornus officinalis, a dogwood species. This study was conducted to prepare fermented corni fructus preparation (FCFP) and fermented kelp (FK) from corni fructus and by-products of Laminaria japonica fermented with Bacillus subtilis and Aspergillus oryzae. 2. The effects of dietary FCFP and FK as replacer of oxytetracycline (OTC) on growth performance, meat composition, meat oxidative stability, and emissions of ammonia (NH3) and hydrogen sulphide (H2S) from broiler chicken droppings were investigated. 3. A total of 140 d-old broiler chicks were randomly allotted to 4 dietary treatments including control, OTC (0.05 g/kg), FCFP (5 g/kg), and FK (5 g/kg). 4. Overall, inclusion of FCFP resulted in lower weight gain and feed intake during the overall experimental period. Broilers fed FCFP diets tended to have lower crude fat and higher crude ash content in the carcasses. 5. In the fresh state, the malondialdehyde (MDA) value of broiler meat was lower in the FK supplemented group. At one week, meat from broilers fed antibiotic and FK diets had lower MDA values, whereas at 2 weeks broiler meat from all dietary treatment groups had lower MDA values than the control. 6. Dietary supplementation with FK significantly reduced faecal NH3 emissions throughout the experimental period, whereas dietary OTC and FCFP supplementation increased NH3 emissions at 2 and 4 weeks. There were no significant effects of dietary treatments on H2S emissions throughout the experimental period, except during week one, when FCFP supplementation reduced the emission. 7. In conclusion, dietary supplementation with 5 g/kg FK improved the oxidative stability of broiler meat and reduce faecal NH3 emissions without affecting growth performance.

Effects of Citrus junos by-products fermented with multistrain probiotics on growth performance, immunity, caecal microbiology and meat oxidative stability in broilers.

1. The present study was conducted to develop Citrus junos probiotics (CJP), using by-products of Citrus junos fermented with multispecies probiotic bacteria including Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Enterococcus faecium, Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bacillus subtilis. The effects of dietary CJP on the growth performance, immune status, caecal microbiology and meat oxidative stability of broiler were investigated. 2. A total of 240 one-day-old Ross broiler chicks were used in a 35-d experiment in which the chicks were randomly allotted to one of the 4 dietary treatments (0, 5, 10 and 20 g CJP/kg diet) in a completely randomised design. 3. Dietary supplementation of 5 g/kg CJP significantly increased body weight, average daily gain and average daily feed intake of broiler during the overall experimental period. 4. Serum immunoglobulin (Ig)M concentration was significantly increased by 10 and 20 g/kg CJP, whereas the IgG and IgA concentration remained unaffected. In addition, 20 g/kg CJP significantly inhibited proliferation of Escherichia coli without affecting the concentration of Lactobacillus or Bacillus spp. 5. A significant reduction in the thiobarbituric acid reactive substances values of breast and thigh meat was observed in response to increasing concentration of dietary CJP. 6. Thus, the results suggest that CJP up to a concentration of 20 g/kg can be used in the diet of broilers to improve immunity and to reduce caecal E. coli and TBARS values of breast and thigh meat without any adverse effects on growth performance.

MTAP is an independent prognosis marker and the concordant loss of MTAP and p16 expression predicts short survival in non-small cell lung cancer patients.

OBJECTIVES: Methylthioadenosine phosphorylase (MTAP), a ubiquitously expressed protein, plays important roles in purine biosynthesis. Locating near to each other on chromosome 9p21-22, codeletion of the MTAP and p16(Ink4A) genes have been reported in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The aim of this study is to determine the respective prognostic value of MTAP and p16 by considering their correlation in NSCLC patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We analyzed MTAP and p16 protein expression by immunohistochemical staining on 99 NSCLC tissue microarray samples. The association between MTAP and p16 expression levels and prognosis were analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional hazards model for prognosis. RESULTS: Patients with a low MTAP expression level had poor overall survival (P = 0.010) and disease-free survival (P = 0.002). Low p16 expression indicated a trend toward poor overall survival (P = 0.138) and disease-free survival (P = 0.199). There was a significant positive correlation between MTAP and p16 expression levels (Spearman's ρ = 0.402, P < 0.001). By multivariate analyses, the MTAP expression level retained its independent prognostic power and p16 expression loss of the correlation with prognosis. Concordant loss of MTAP and p16 expression was observed in 24 out of 99 patients (24.2%). Patients with concordant loss of MTAP and p16 expression had the worst prognosis compared to patients with high expression of both markers. CONCLUSION: MTAP expression is an independent prognostic factor and has greater prognostic significance than p16 expression in NSCLC. Concordant loss of MTAP and p16 expression indicates poor outcomes in lung cancer patients.

The developmental disruptions of serotonin signaling may involved in autism during early brain development.

Autism is a developmental disorder defined by the presence of a triad of communication, social and stereo typical behavioral characteristics with onset before 3years of age. In spite of the fact that there are potential environmental factors for autistic behavior, the dysfunction of serotonin during early development of the brain could be playing a role in this prevalence rise. Serotonin can modulate a number of developmental events, including cell division, neuronal migration, cell differentiation and synaptogenesis. Hyperserotonemia during fetal development results in the loss of serotonin terminals through negative feedback. The increased serotonin causes a decrease of oxytocin in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus and an increase in calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) in the central nucleus of the amygdale, which are associated with social interactions and vital in autism. However, hyposerotonemia may be also relevant to the development of sensory as well as motor and cognitive faculties. And the paucity of placenta-derived serotonin should have potential importance when the pathogenesis of autism is considered. This review briefly summarized the developmental disruptions of serotonin signaling involved in the pathogenesis of autism during early development of the brain.

Multicentre surveillance of prevalence of the 23S rRNA A2058G and A2059G point mutations and molecular subtypes of Treponema pallidum in Taiwan, 2009-2013.

Resistance mutations A2058G and A2059G, within the 23S rRNA gene of Treponema pallidum, have been reported to cause treatment failures in patients receiving azithromycin for syphilis. Genotyping of T. pallidum strains sequentially isolated from patients with recurrent syphilis is rarely performed. From September 2009 to August 2013, we collected 658 clinical specimens from 375 patients who presented with syphilis for genotyping to examine the number of 60-bp repeats in the acidic repeat protein (arp) gene, T. pallidum repeat (tpr) polymorphism, and tp0548 gene, and to detect A2058G and A2059G point mutations by restriction fragment length polymorphism. Treponemal DNA was identified in 45.2% (n = 298) of the specimens that were collected from 216 (57.6%) patients; 268 (40.7%) specimens tested positive for the 23S rRNA gene, and were examined for macrolide resistance. Two isolates (0.7%) harboured the A2058G mutation, and no A2059G mutation was identified. A total of 14 strains of T. pallidum were identified, with 14f/f (57.5%) and 14b/c (10.0%) being the two predominant strains. Forty patients who presented with recurrent episodes of syphilis had T. pallidum DNA identified from the initial and subsequent episodes, with five cases showing strain discrepancies. One patient had two strains identified from different clinical specimens collected in the same episode. Our findings show that 14f/f is the most common T. pallidum strain in Taiwan, where the prevalence of T. pallidum strains that show A2058G or A2059G mutation remains low. Different genotypes of T. pallidum can be identified in patients with recurrent episodes of syphilis.

Spirochetemia due to Treponema pallidum using polymerase-chain-reaction assays in patients with early syphilis: prevalence, associated factors and treatment response.

Between 2009 and 2013, polymerase-chain-reaction assay was used to detect Treponema pallidum in the blood samples collected from 296 patients with early syphilis (241 being HIV infected) and 102 patients (34.5%) had spirochetemia. The presence of spirochetemia was associated with lower CD4 counts (per 10-cell/mm(3) decrease, adjusted odds ratio (AOR), 1.020; 95% CI, 1.006-1.036) and secondary syphilis (AOR, 4.967; 95% CI, 2.016-12.238). Patients with early latent syphilis were less likely to achieve serological response compared with those with primary or secondary syphilis (AOR, 0.317; 95% CI, 0.142-0.708). However, serological response was not affected by presence of spirochetemia or antibiotic regimens.

Interleukin-33 mediates formalin-induced inflammatory pain in mice.

Interleukin-33 (IL-33), a member of the IL-1 family, has attracted growing interest since its discovery in 2003. IL-33 has been implicated in many diseases, including arthritis, asthma, allergies, and cardiovascular and infectious diseases. However, few studies have investigated its role in the transmission and modulation of pain. The present study was designed to explore the possible roles of IL-33 and its receptor, ST2, in formalin-induced inflammatory pain in mice. We found that both subcutaneous (s.c., 300 ng) and intrathecal injection (i.t., 3 ng) of recombinant IL-33 (rIL-33) increased paw lifting and licking time not only in normal mice but also in formalin models. Administration of ST2 antibody, which blocked the IL-33/ST2 signaling, alleviated the formalin-induced spontaneous pain behavior. Moreover, the ST2(-/-) mice showed significantly decreased pain behavior, as well as reduced ultrasonic vocalization induced by formalin, compared with the wild-type group. Additionally, ST2 antibody alleviated the potentiating effects of rIL-33 on pain behavior in the formalin mice, indicating that IL-33 plays a role in pain modulation through its ST2 receptor. These data suggest IL-33 and its ST2 receptor mediate formalin-induced inflammatory pain, and as a result this cytokine and its receptor may be new targets for the development of analgesics.

Update on diversity and distribution of HIV-1 subtypes in Yunnan province.

The aim of this study was to characterize updated HIV subtypes in Yunnan to determine their origins and distribution within the population. RT-PCR of both the gag and env genes were sequenced from Yunnan province inhabitants newly diagnosed with HIV-1. Sequence data from 290 samples were used for statistical analysis of subtype distribution and phylogenetic tree construction. Distribution data were adjusted to account for different geographical distributions of HIV-1 subtypes in the population. Phylogenetic analysis revealed six HIV-1 subtypes in Yunnan, including eight types of unique recombination forms (URFs). The most prevalent subtypes in this province, CRF07_BC (18·9%), CRF08_BC (39·1%), CRF01_AE (22·4%), and URFs (subtype C, 5·9% and subtype B, 4·5%), were all recombinants. We found significant differences in the distribution of these HIV-1 subtypes not only geographically, but also between various ethnic groups and with respect to transmission routes. Our findings indicate a complex population of HIV-1 subtypes, URFs, and recombinant subtypes in Yunnan province. This diversity could make the prevention and control of HIV infection in Yunnan more difficult due to the possibility of virus recombination or infection by multiple subtypes.