Clonorchiasis: an update Rim, H.J
Journal of helminthology,
09/2005, Letnik:
79, Številka:
3
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Clonorchis sinensis, the Chinese or oriental liver fluke, is an important human parasite and is widely distributed in southern Korea, China (including Taiwan), Japan, northern Vietnam and the far ...eastern part of Russia. Clonorchiasis occurs in all parts of the world where there are Asian immigrants from endemic areas. The human and animal reservoir hosts (dogs, pigs, cats and rats) acquire the infection from the ingestion of raw fish containing infectious metacercariae. The first intermediate snail hosts are mainly species of Parafossarulus and Bithynia. Numerous species of freshwater fish serve as the second intermediate hosts of C. sinensis. Extensive studies of clonorchiasis during several decades in Japan, Korea, China and other countries have shown much progress in proving its morphological features including ultrastructure, biology, pathogenesis, epidemiology, clinical manifestations and chemotherapy. The present review deals with mainly current results obtained on the epidemiological, pathological and clinical aspects, as well as control measures in endemic areas. As for the complications of clonorchiasis, formation of calculi in the intrahepatic biliary passages is one of the most characteristic pathological features. It is sometimes accompanied by suppurative cholangitis, cholecystitis, cholangiohepatitis and ultimately can cause cholangiocarcinoma. Experimental results on the relationship to the occurrence of cholangiocarcinoma are presented. Clinical diagnosis by radiological findings including cholangiography, sonography and computerized tomography as well as magnetic resonance imaging for biliary or pancreatic ducts are outlined. Current studies on immunology and molecular biology of C. sinensis were introduced. Praziquantel is the drug of choice for clonorchiasis. The most effective regimen is 25 mg kg(-1) three times daily (total dose, 75 mg kg(-1)) administered orally at 5- to 6-h intervals over a single day. Prevention and control measures are also discussed.
Improved magnetic mirror models (IM 3 ) for mono and dual coils with a finite width and infinite permeability are proposed in this paper. By introducing a mirror current, which is located at the same ...distance from a source current but with a smaller magnitude than the source current, the magnetic flux density of the mono and dual coils can be determined in a closed form. The ratio of the mirror current and source current is identified as a function of the width of the core plate and the distance between the source current and core plate, as rigorously derived from finite-element method simulations. Applying the proposed IM 3 to the mono and dual coils used for wireless electric vehicles, the magnetic flux density over an open core plate is analyzed and its maximum points on the plate are found, which is crucial in the design of the coils to avoid local magnetic saturation. Furthermore, the magnetic flux density when a pick-up core plate is positioned over a primary core plate is also analyzed by introducing successive mirror currents. The proposed magnetic mirror models were extensively verified by experiments as well as site tests, showing quite promising practical usefulness.
Abstract Background The optimal statin treatment strategy that is balanced for both efficacy and safety has not been clearly determined in older adults with coronary artery disease (CAD). Methods In ...the post hoc analysis of the LODESTAR (low-density lipoprotein cholesterol-targeting statin therapy versus intensity-based statin therapy in patients with coronary artery disease) trial, the impact between a treat-to-target strategy versus a high-intensity statin therapy strategy was compared in older adults (aged 75 years or older). The goal of treat-to-target low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) level was 50–70 mg/dl. The primary endpoint comprised the three-year composite of all-cause death, myocardial infarction, stroke or coronary revascularisation. Results Among 4,400 patients with CAD enrolled in the LODESTAR trial, 822 (18.7%) were aged 75 years or older. Poor clinical outcomes and risk factors for atherosclerosis were more frequently observed in older adults than in younger population (<75 years old). Among these older adults with CAD, the prescription rate of high-intensity statin was significantly lower in the treat-to-target strategy group throughout the study period (P < 0.001). The mean LDL-C level for three years was 65 ± 16 mg/dl in the treat-to-target strategy group and 64 ± 18 mg/dl in the high-intensity statin group (P = 0.34). The incidence of primary endpoint occurrence was 10.9% in the treat-to-target strategy group and 12.0% in the high-intensity statin group (hazard ratio 0.92, 95% confidence interval 0.61–1.38, P = 0.69). Conclusions High-intensity statin therapy is theoretically more necessary in older adults because of worse clinical outcomes and greater number of risk factors for atherosclerosis. However, the primary endpoint occurrence with a treat-to-target strategy with an LDL-C goal of 50–70 mg/dl was comparable to that of high-intensity statin therapy and reduced utilisation of a high-intensity statin. Taking efficacy as well as safety into account, adopting a tailored approach may be considered for this high-risk population. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02579499.
Septoria tritici blotch (STB), caused by Zymoseptoria tritici (Z. tritici), is an important biotic threat to durum wheat in the entire Mediterranean Basin. Although most durum wheat cultivars are ...susceptible to Z. tritici, research in STB resistance in durum wheat has been limited.
In our study, we have identified resistance to a wide array of Z. tritici isolates in the Tunisian durum wheat landrace accession 'Agili39'. Subsequently, a recombinant inbred population was developed and tested under greenhouse conditions at the seedling stage with eight Z. tritici isolates and for five years under field conditions with three Z. tritici isolates. Mapping of quantitative trait loci (QTL) resulted in the identification of two major QTL on chromosome 2B designated as Qstb2B_1 and Qstb2B_2. The Qstb2B_1 QTL was mapped at the seedling and the adult plant stage (highest LOD 33.9, explained variance 61.6%), conferring an effective resistance against five Z. tritici isolates. The Qstb2B_2 conferred adult plant resistance (highest LOD 32.9, explained variance 42%) and has been effective at the field trials against two Z. tritici isolates. The physical positions of the flanking markers linked to Qstb2B_1 and Qstb2B_2 indicate that these two QTL are 5 Mb apart. In addition, we identified two minor QTL on chromosomes 1A (Qstb1A) and chromosome 7A (Qstb7A) (highest LODs 4.6 and 4.0, and explained variances of 16% and 9%, respectively) that were specific to three and one Z. tritici isolates, respectively. All identified QTL were derived from the landrace accession Agili39 that represents a valuable source for STB resistance in durum wheat.
This study demonstrates that Z. tritici resistance in the 'Agili39' landrace accession is controlled by two minor and two major QTL acting in an additive mode. We also provide evidence that the broad efficacy of the resistance to STB in 'Agili 39' is due to a natural pyramiding of these QTL. A sustainable use of this Z. tritici resistance source and a positive selection of the linked markers to the identified QTL will greatly support effective breeding for Z. tritici resistance in durum wheat.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
The histogram method has been shown to demonstrate heterogeneous morphologic features of tumor vascularity. This study aimed to determine whether whole-tumor histogram analysis of the normalized CBV ...for contrast-enhancing lesions and perienhancing lesions can differentiate among GBMs, SMTs, and lymphomas.
Fifty-nine patients with histopathologically confirmed GBMs (n = 28), SMTs (n = 22), or lymphomas (n = 12) underwent conventional MR imaging and dynamic susceptibility contrast-enhanced imaging before surgery. Histogram distribution of the normalized CBV was obtained from whole-tumor voxels in contrast-enhancing lesions and perienhancing lesions. The HW, PHP, and MV were determined from histograms. One-way ANOVA was used initially to test the overall equality of mean values for each type of tumor. Subsequently, posttest multiple comparisons were performed.
For whole-tumor histogram analyses for contrast-enhancing lesions, only PHP could differentiate among GBMs (4.79 ± 1.31), SMTs (3.32 ± 1.10), and lymphomas (2.08 ± 0.54). The parameters HW and MV were not significantly different between GBMs and SMTs, whereas the 2 histogram parameters were significantly higher in GBMs and SMTs compared with lymphomas. For the analyses of perienhancing lesions, only MV could differentiate among GBMs (1.90 ± 0.26), SMTs (0.80 ± 0.21), and lymphomas (1.27 ± 0.34). HW and PHP were not significantly different between SMTs and lymphomas.
Using a whole-tumor histogram analysis of normalized CBV for contrast-enhancing lesions and perienhancing lesions facilitates differentiation of GBMs, SMTs and lymphomas.
Faecal examinations for helminth eggs were performed on 1869 people from two riverside localities, Vientiane Municipality and Saravane Province, along the Mekong River, Laos. To obtain adult flukes, ...42 people positive for small trematode eggs (Opisthorchis viverrini, heterophyid, or lecithodendriid eggs) were treated with a 20-30 mg kg(-1) single dose of praziquantel and purged. Diarrhoeic stools were then collected from 36 people (18 in each area) and searched for helminth parasites using stereomicroscopes. Faecal examinations revealed positive rates for small trematode eggs of 53.3% and 70.8% (average 65.2%) in Vientiane and Saravane Province, respectively. Infections with O. viverrini and six species of intestinal flukes were found, namely, Haplorchis taichui, H. pumilio, H. yokogawai, Centrocestus caninus, Prosthodendrium molenkampi, and Phaneropsolus bonnei. The total number of flukes collected and the proportion of fluke species recovered were markedly different in the two localities; in Vientiane, 1041 O. viverrini (57.8 per person) and 615 others (34.2 per person), whereas in Saravane, 395 O. viverrini (21.9 per person) and 155207 others (8622.6 per person). Five people from Saravane harboured no O. viverrini but numerous heterophyid and/or lecithodendriid flukes. The results indicate that O. viverrini and several species of heterophyid and lecithodendriid flukes are endemic in these two riverside localities, and suggest that the intensity of infection and the relative proportion of fluke species vary by locality along the Mekong River basin.
The prognostic value of dynamic contrast-enhanced MR imaging in patients with glioblastoma is controversial. We investigated the added prognostic value of dynamic contrast-enhanced MR imaging to ...clinical parameters and molecular biomarkers in patients with glioblastoma by using histogram analysis.
This retrospective study consisted of 61 patients who underwent preoperative dynamic contrast-enhanced MR imaging for glioblastoma. The histogram parameters of dynamic contrast-enhanced MR imaging, including volume transfer constant, extravascular extracellular volume fraction, and plasma volume fraction, were calculated from entire enhancing tumors. Univariate analyses for overall survival and progression-free survival were performed with preoperative clinical and dynamic contrast-enhanced MR imaging parameters and postoperative molecular biomarkers. Multivariate Cox regression was performed to build pre- and postoperative models for overall survival and progression-free survival. The performance of models was assessed by calculating the Harrell concordance index.
In univariate analysis, patients with higher volume transfer constant and extravascular extracellular volume fraction values showed worse overall survival and progression-free survival, whereas plasma volume fraction showed no significant correlation. In multivariate analyses for overall survival, the fifth percentile value of volume transfer constant and kurtosis of extravascular extracellular volume fraction were independently prognostic in the preoperative model, and kurtosis of volume transfer constant and extravascular extracellular volume fraction were independently prognostic in the postoperative model. For progression-free survival, independent prognostic factors were minimum and fifth percentile values of volume transfer constant and kurtosis of extravascular extracellular volume fraction in the preoperative model and kurtosis of extravascular extracellular volume fraction in the postoperative model. The performance of preoperative models for progression-free survival was significantly improved when minimum or fifth percentile values of volume transfer constant and kurtosis of extravascular extracellular volume fraction were added.
Higher volume transfer constant and extravascular extracellular volume fraction values are associated with worse prognosis, and dynamic contrast-enhanced MR imaging may have added prognostic value in combination with preoperative clinical parameters, especially in predicting progression-free survival.
We have studied the crystallization kinetics of pyrochlore Bi2Ti2O7 (BTO) from 0.25Bi2O3-TiO2-0.25Na2O-SiO2 (BTNSO) glass under isothermal and non-isothermal conditions. On the course of ...crystallization, only BTO crystal within the confined size under 100 nm is formed and the rest of the components of as-quenched BTNSO glass remains as a remanent glass even at the final stage of crystallization. The crystallization mechanism of BTO belongs to a constant nucleation rate with the diffusion-controlled growth and any heterogeneous nucleation or impingement in growth is not pronounced. The change of phonon modes in the senses of energy and population for different phases enables us to get the insight of crystallization in the view of both macroscopic and microscopic points.
•0.25Bi2O3-TiO2-0.25Na2O-SiO2 glass is synthesized by melt quenching method.•Stoichiometric Bi2Ti2O7 nanocrystals are achieved from the glass.•The crystallization mechanism is determined by using various models.•The crystal volume fraction and density of phonon modes are interconnected.
Integration of controlled vocabulary-based electronic health record (EHR) observational data is essential for real-time large-scale pharmacovigilance studies.
To provide a semantically enriched ...adverse drug reaction (ADR) dictionary for post-market drug safety research and enable multicenter EHR-based extensive ADR signal detection and evaluation, we developed a comprehensive controlled vocabulary-based ADR signal dictionary (CVAD) for pharmacovigilance.
A CVAD consists of (1) administrative disease classifications of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) codes mapped to the Medical Dictionary for Regulatory Activities Preferred Terms (MedDRA
PTs); (2) two teaching hospitals' codes for laboratory test results mapped to the Logical Observation Identifiers Names and Codes (LOINC) terms and MedDRA
PTs; and (3) clinical narratives and ADRs encoded by standard nursing statements (encoded by the International Classification for Nursing Practice ICNP) mapped to the World Health Organization-Adverse Reaction Terminology (WHO-ART) terms and MedDRA
PTs.
Of the standard 4514 MedDRA
PTs from Side Effect Resources (SIDER) 4.1, 1130 (25.03%), 942 (20.86%), and 83 (1.83%) terms were systematically mapped to clinical narratives, laboratory test results, and disease classifications, respectively. For the evaluation, we loaded multi-source EHR data. We first performed a clinical expert review of the CVAD clinical relevance and a three-drug ADR case analyses consisting of linezolid-induced thrombocytopenia, warfarin-induced bleeding tendency, and vancomycin-induced acute kidney injury.
CVAD had a high coverage of ADRs and integrated standard controlled vocabularies to the EHR data sources, and researchers can take advantage of these features for EHR observational data-based extensive pharmacovigilance studies to improve sensitivity and specificity.
Septoria tritici blotch (STB) caused by
Zymoseptoria tritici
is the primary biotic stress for durum wheat production in Tunisia. The present study was aimed to decipher the genetic diversity and ...population structure of
Z. tritici
bread wheat isolates; in the northern regions of Tunisia this pathogen infected exclusively bread wheat. A total of 162 single-spore isolates were sampled during the 2015–2016 growing season from nine naturally infected bread wheat fields at four locations in the three main wheat-growing regions in Tunisia, previously reported as hot spots for Septoria disease (Cap Bon, Bizerte, and Beja). Collected isolates were fingerprinted using twelve polymorphic microsatellite markers to assess the genetic diversity and population structure of
Z. tritici
. All the microsatellite loci were polymorphic and a high genetic diversity was observed within the whole population. The highest Nei’s index value (0.42), Shannon Index (0.84) and private allele numbers (36) were found at the El Haouaria location (Cap Bon region). Furthermore, a moderate genetic differentiation within and among the surveyed locations (73% and 27%) was confirmed by analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA). On the other hand, the STRUCTURE program was shown to be less sensitive in revealing genetic structure especially at low levels of diversity. Thus, information on the genetic structure of the pathogen population collected from bread wheat is useful for designing and implementing durable and effective management strategies.