New solutions for combatting implant bacterial infection based on silver nano-dispersed and gallium incorporated phosphate bioactive glass sputtered films: A preliminary study.

Ag/Ga were incorporated into resorbable orthopaedic phosphate bioactive glasses (PBG, containing P, Ca, Mg, Na, and Fe) thin films to demonstrate their potential to limit growth of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli in post-operative prosthetic implantation. Dual target consecutive co-sputtering was uniquely employed to produce a 46 nm Ag:PBG composite observed by high resolution TEM to consist of uniformly dispersed ~5 nm metallic Ag nano-particles in a glass matrix. Ga3+ was integrated into a phosphate glass preform target which was magnetron sputtered to film thicknesses of ~400 or 1400 nm. All coatings exhibited high surface energy of 75.4-77.3 mN/m, attributed to the presence of hydrolytic P-O-P structural surface bonds. Degradation profiles obtained in deionized water, nutrient broth and cell culture medium showed varying ion release profiles, whereby Ga release was measured in 1400 nm coating by ICP-MS to be ~6, 27, and 4 ppm respectively, fully dissolving by 24 h. Solubility of Ag nanoparticles was only observed in nutrient broth (~9 ppm by 24 h). Quantification of colony forming units after 24 h showed encouraging antibacterial efficacy towards both S. aureus (4-log reduction for Ag:PBG and 6-log reduction for Ga-PBG≈1400 nm) and E. coli (5-log reduction for all physical vapour deposited layers) strains. Human Hs27 fibroblast and mesenchymal stem cell line in vitro tests indicated good cytocompatibility for all sputtered layers, with a marginal cell proliferation inertia in the case of the Ag:PBG composite thin film. The study therefore highlights the (i) significant manufacturing development via the controlled inclusion of metallic nanoparticles into a PBG glass matrix by dual consecutive target co-sputtering and (ii) potential of PBG resorbable thin-film structures to incorporate and release cytocompatible/antibacterial oxides. Both architectures showed prospective bio-functional performance for a future generation of endo-osseous implant-type coatings.

Characterisation of the T-cell response to Ebola virus glycoprotein amongst survivors of the 2013-16 West Africa epidemic.

Zaire ebolavirus (EBOV) is a highly pathogenic filovirus which can result in Ebola virus disease (EVD); a serious medical condition that presents as flu like symptoms but then often leads to more serious or fatal outcomes. The 2013-16 West Africa epidemic saw an unparalleled number of cases. Here we show characterisation and identification of T cell epitopes in surviving patients from Guinea to the EBOV glycoprotein. We perform interferon gamma (IFNγ) ELISpot using a glycoprotein peptide library to identify T cell epitopes and determine the CD4+ or CD8+ T cell component response. Additionally, we generate data on the T cell phenotype and measure polyfunctional cytokine secretion by these antigen specific cells. We show candidate peptides able to elicit a T cell response in EBOV survivors and provide inferred human leukocyte antigen (HLA) allele restriction. This data informs on the long-term T cell response to Ebola virus disease and highlights potentially important immunodominant peptides.

Prevalence and correlates of normal body mass index central obesity among people with cardiovascular diseases in Australia.

OBJECTIVE: Obesity is one of the most common risk factors for cardiometabolic diseases in Australia and worldwide. Recent studies show that people with normal body mass index (BMI) but with central obesity are at increased risk of morbidity and mortality from cardiometabolic diseases. This risk has not been explained well. The aim of this study was to examine the magnitude, correlates and effects of normal BMI central obesity in the Australian adult population. STUDY DESIGN: Longitudinal study with data linkage. METHODS: We used the Baker Biobank, which contains sociodemographic, behavioural, clinical and mortality data. Data were collected between 2000 and 2011 from 6530 adults who were between 18 and 69 years of age. Biobank data were linked to the National Death Index. A matrix of BMI and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) were used to create adiposity categories. For analysis, we used descriptive statistics, logistic regression and cox regression models. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of normal BMI central obesity was 13.4% by WHtR and 14.4% by WHR. Gender, age, BMI and physical activity were associated with normal BMI central obesity. Higher odds of multimorbidity and increased hazards of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality were associated with WHR. CONCLUSION: WHtR and WHR, when each used with BMI, provided similar estimates of prevalence of normal BMI central obesity. However, WHR is a better predictor of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality.

Sleep influences on cardio-metabolic health in Indigenous populations.

Indigenous populations continue to be among the world's most marginalized population groups. Studies in Indigenous populations from high income countries (including the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand) indicate increased risk of sleep disorders compared to non-Indigenous populations. Poor sleep, whether it be short sleep duration or fragmented sleep, is a well-established risk factor for cardio-metabolic diseases. Given the implications, targeted improvement of poor sleep may be beneficial for the health and well-being of Indigenous people. In this narrative review, we will: (1) discuss the effects of sleep on the cardio-metabolic processes; (2) examine sleep in Indigenous populations; (3) review the association between sleep and cardio-metabolic risk in Indigenous populations; and (4) review the potential role of sleep in cardiovascular disease risk detection and interventions to improve sleep and cardio-metabolic health in Indigenous people. In particular, this review highlights that the assessment of sleep quality and quantity may be a beneficial step toward identifying Indigenous people at risk of cardio-metabolic diseases and may represent a key intervention target to improve cardio-metabolic outcomes.

Standard vs. intensified management of heart failure to reduce healthcare costs: results of a multicentre, randomized controlled trial.

AIMS: To determine if an intensified form of heart failure management programme (INT-HF-MP) based on individual profiling is superior to standard management (SM) in reducing health care costs during 12-month follow-up (primary endpoint). METHODS AND RESULTS: A multicentre randomized trial involving 787 patients (full analysis set) discharged from four tertiary hospitals with chronic HF who were randomized to SM (n = 391) or INT-HF-MP (n = 396). Mean age was 74 ± 12 years, 65% had HF with a reduced ejection fraction (31.4 ± 8.9%) and 14% were remote-dwelling. Study groups were well matched. According to Green, Amber, Red Delineation of rIsk And Need in HF (GARDIAN-HF) profiling, regardless of location, patients in the INT-HF-MP received a combination of face-to-face (home visits) and structured telephone support (STS); only 9% (`low risk') were designated to receive the same level of management as the SM group. The median cost in 2017 Australian dollars (A$1 equivalent to ∼EUR €0.7) of applying INT-HF-MP was significantly greater than SM ($152 vs. $121 per patient per month; P < 0.001), However, at 12 months, there was no difference in total health care costs for the INT-HF-MP vs. SM group (median $1579, IQR $644 to $3717 vs. $1450, IQR $564 to $3615 per patient per month, respectively). This reflected minimal differences in all-cause mortality (17.7% vs. 18.4%; P = 0.848) and recurrent hospital stay (18.6 ± 26.5 vs. 16.6 ± 24.8 days; P = 0.199) between the INT-HF-MP and SM groups, respectively. CONCLUSION: During 12-months follow-up, an INT-HF-MP did not reduce healthcare costs or improve health outcomes relative to SM.

Interaction of a dengue virus NS1-derived peptide with the inhibitory receptor KIR3DL1 on natural killer cells.

Killer immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs) interact with human leucocyte antigen (HLA) class I ligands and play a key role in the regulation and activation of NK cells. The functional importance of KIR-HLA interactions has been demonstrated for a number of chronic viral infections, but to date only a few studies have been performed in the context of acute self-limited viral infections. During our investigation of CD8(+) T cell responses to a conserved HLA-B57-restricted epitope derived from dengue virus (DENV) non-structural protein-1 (NS1), we observed substantial binding of the tetrameric complex to non-T/non-B lymphocytes in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from a long-standing clinical cohort in Thailand. We confirmed binding of the NS1 tetramer to CD56(dim) NK cells, which are known to express KIRs. Using depletion studies and KIR-transfected cell lines, we demonstrated further that the NS1 tetramer bound the inhibitory receptor KIR3DL1. Phenotypical analysis of PBMC from HLA-B57(+) subjects with acute DENV infection revealed marked activation of NS1 tetramer-binding natural killer (NK) cells around the time of defervescence in subjects with severe dengue disease. Collectively, our findings indicate that subsets of NK cells are activated relatively late in the course of acute DENV illness and reveal a possible role for specific KIR-HLA interactions in the modulation of disease outcomes.

Long-term tolerance and efficacy of adjunctive exenatide therapy on glycaemic control and bodyweight in type 2 diabetes: a retrospective study from a specialist diabetes outpatient clinic.

BACKGROUND: Weight gain and hypoglycaemia are common adverse effects associated with anti-diabetic treatments. AIM: Our aim was to evaluate the long-term effects of adjunctive exenatide therapy on weight loss and glycaemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes. METHODS: A review of medical records in a specialist diabetes clinic over 5 years identified 446 patients who were prescribed exenatide therapy. We examined change in glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c), weight, albumin-creatinine ratio and hypoglycaemic medication during 24 months follow up. RESULTS: Subjects were aged 59 ± 10 years (49% women) and received exenatide in combination with oral agents and insulin (47%). During an average of 17 ± 14 months follow up, 51% (more women than men; odds ratio 1.69, 95% confidence interval 1.14­2.49) remained on treatment. Lack of efficacy (33%) and/or gastrointestinal (27%) side-effects were the main reasons for treatment cessation. At 24 months, there was a reduction in HbA1c of 0.7 ± 1.2% and weight loss of 4.3 ± 5.2 kg. Change in HbA1c was similar regardless of concurrent insulin therapy, yet insulin was associated with greater weight reduction (4.8 ± 5.3 vs 3.8 ± 5.1 kg, P = 0.016). Independent predictors of HbA1c response were higher baseline HbA1c, longer duration of diabetes and use of insulin or sulfonylureas at study end. Predictors of weight response were baseline use of insulin or thiazolidinediones, increased age, female sex and sulfonylurea or thiazolidinediones at study end. Longer exenatide treatment duration was favourable for reducing HbA1c and weight. CONCLUSIONS: Exenatide is effective in reducing HbA1c and weight, regardless of concurrent insulin, and in a specialist diabetes outpatient clinic, is recommended for use in clinical practice.

Relation of HLA class I and II supertypes with spontaneous clearance of hepatitis C virus.

Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genotype has been associated with the probability of spontaneous clearance of hepatitis C virus (HCV). However, no prior studies have examined whether this relationship may be further characterized by grouping HLA alleles according to their supertypes, defined by their binding capacities. There is debate regarding the most appropriate method to define supertypes. Therefore, previously reported HLA supertypes (46 class I and 25 class II) were assessed for their relation with HCV clearance in a population of 758 HCV-seropositive women. Two HLA class II supertypes were significant in multivariable models that included: (i) supertypes with significant or borderline associations with HCV clearance after adjustment for multiple tests, and (ii) individual HLA alleles not part of these supertypes, but associated with HCV clearance in our prior study in this population. Specifically, supertype DRB3 (prevalence ratio (PR)=0.4; P=0.004) was associated with HCV persistence, whereas DR8 (PR=1.8; P=0.01) was associated with HCV clearance. Two individual alleles (B*57:01 and C*01:02) associated with HCV clearance in our prior study became nonsignificant in analysis that included supertypes, whereas B*57:03 (PR=1.9; P=0.008) and DRB1*07:01 (PR=1.7; P=0.005) retained their significance. These data provide epidemiologic support for the significance of HLA supertypes in relation to HCV clearance.

F8 haplotype and inhibitor risk: results from the Hemophilia Inhibitor Genetics Study (HIGS) Combined Cohort.

Ancestral background, specifically African descent, confers higher risk for development of inhibitory antibodies to factor VIII (FVIII) in haemophilia A. It has been suggested that differences in the distribution of FVIII gene (F8) haplotypes, and mismatch between endogenous F8 haplotypes and those comprising products used for treatment could contribute to risk. Data from the Hemophilia Inhibitor Genetics Study (HIGS) Combined Cohort were used to determine the association between F8 haplotype 3 (H3) vs. haplotypes 1 and 2 (H1 + H2) and inhibitor risk among individuals of genetically determined African descent. Other variables known to affect inhibitor risk including type of F8 mutation and human leucocyte antigen (HLA) were included in the analysis. A second research question regarding risk related to mismatch in endogenous F8 haplotype and recombinant FVIII products used for treatment was addressed. Haplotype 3 was associated with higher inhibitor risk among those genetically identified (N = 49) as of African ancestry, but the association did not remain significant after adjustment for F8 mutation type and the HLA variables. Among subjects of all racial ancestries enrolled in HIGS who reported early use of recombinant products (N = 223), mismatch in endogenous haplotype and the FVIII proteins constituting the products used did not confer greater risk for inhibitor development. Haplotype 3 was not an independent predictor of inhibitor risk. Furthermore, our findings did not support a higher risk of inhibitors in the presence of a haplotype mismatch between the FVIII molecule infused and that of the individual.

Genome organization is a major component of gene expression control in response to stress and during the cell division cycle in trypanosomes.

The trypanosome genome is characterized by RNA polymerase II-driven polycistronic transcription of protein-coding genes. Ten to hundreds of genes are co-transcribed from a single promoter; thus, selective regulation of individual genes via initiation is impossible. However, selective responses to external stimuli occur and post-transcriptional mechanisms are thought to account for all temporal gene expression patterns. We show that genes encoding mRNAs that are differentially regulated during the heat-shock response are selectively positioned in polycistronic transcription units; downregulated genes are close to transcription initiation sites and upregulated genes are distant. We demonstrate that the position of a reporter gene within a transcription unit is sufficient to reproduce this effect. Analysis of gene ontology annotations reveals that positional bias is not restricted to stress-response genes and that there is a genome-wide organization based on proximity to transcription initiation sites. Furthermore, we show that the relative abundance of mRNAs at different time points in the cell division cycle is dependent on the location of the corresponding genes to transcription initiation sites. This work provides evidence that the genome in trypanosomes is organized to facilitate co-coordinated temporal control of gene expression in the absence of selective promoters.

Fatal case of brucellosis misdiagnosed in early stages of Brucella suis infection in a 46-year-old patient with Marfan syndrome.

We report a fatal case of Brucella suis endocarditis initially misdiagnosed by automated identification systems as Ochrobactrum anthropi infection in a patient with a history of Marfan syndrome and recreational feral swine hunting. This report emphasizes the need to consider brucellosis as a part of the differential diagnosis of acute febrile illness, particularly in patients with known risk of exposure.

Altered distribution of mucosal NK cells during HIV infection.

The human gut mucosa is a major site of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and infection-associated pathogenesis. Increasing evidence shows that natural killer (NK) cells have an important role in control of HIV infection, but the mechanism(s) by which they mediate antiviral activity in the gut is unclear. Here, we show that two distinct subsets of NK cells exist in the gut, one localized to intraepithelial spaces (intraepithelial lymphocytes, IELs) and the other to the lamina propria (LP). The frequency of both subsets of NK cells was reduced in chronic infection, whereas IEL NK cells remained stable in spontaneous controllers with protective killer immunoglobulin-like receptor/human leukocyte antigen genotypes. Both IEL and LP NK cells were significantly expanded in immunological non-responsive patients, who incompletely recovered CD4+ T cells on highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). These data suggest that both IEL and LP NK cells may expand in the gut in an effort to compensate for compromised CD4+ T-cell recovery, but that only IEL NK cells may be involved in providing durable control of HIV in the gut.

Diversity of the KIR gene cluster in an urban Brazilian population.

The activity of natural killer cells depends on the balance between activating and inhibitory signals coming from their receptors. Among these are the killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIR) that recognize specific HLA class I allotypes. Here we characterized KIR genetic diversity and their HLA ligands in the population of Curitiba, Paraná State (n = 164), and compared it with other worldwide populations. The distribution of 2DL4 alleles was also analyzed. The Curitiba population did not differ significantly from European and Euro-descendant populations, but as an admixed population showed higher genetic diversity. We found 27 KIR profiles, many of them uncommon in European populations, in agreement with the elevated historically recent gene flow in the study population. The frequencies of KIR genes and their respective HLA ligands were distributed independently and none of the analyzed individuals lacked functional KIR-HLA ligand combinations. KIR gene frequencies of 33 worldwide populations were consistent with geographic and ethnic distribution, in agreement with demography being the major factor shaping the observed gene content diversity of the KIR locus.

Enhanced anti-HIV functional activity associated with Gag-specific CD8 T-cell responses.

Effective HIV-specific T-cell immunity requires the ability to inhibit virus replication in the infected host, but the functional characteristics of cells able to mediate this effect are not well defined. Since Gag-specific CD8 T cells have repeatedly been associated with lower viremia, we examined the influence of Gag specificity on the ability of unstimulated CD8 T cells from chronically infected persons to inhibit virus replication in autologous CD4 T cells. Persons with broad (>or=6; n = 13) or narrow (

Distribution of killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptor genes in the mestizo population from Venezuela.

This study represents the first report on the distribution of KIR genes in 205 unrelated healthy mestizo Venezuelan individuals. Genotyping analysis showed that all KIR genes are present in this population. Frequency of inhibitory killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs) exceeded 0.69, except for KIR2DL2 (0.29) and 2DL5 (0.37). Activating KIRs showed low frequencies (0.11-0.29), except for KIR2DS4 (0.68). Forty-five different KIR genotypes were identified, with a predominance of three genotypes found in 50.7% of the population of which 25.9% were individuals homozygous for haplotype A. The frequencies of KIR genes reflect the ethnic admixture existing in the mestizo Venezuelan population.

Haplotype-dependent HLA susceptibility to nasopharyngeal carcinoma in a Southern Chinese population.

We have conducted a comprehensive case-control study of a nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) population cohort from Guangxi Province of Southern China, a region with one of the highest NPC incidences on record. A total of 1407 individuals including NPC patients, healthy controls, and their adult children were examined for the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) association, which is so far the largest NPC cohort reported for such studies. Stratified analysis performed in this study clearly demonstrated that while NPC protection is associated with independent HLA alleles, most NPC susceptibility is strictly associated with HLA haplotypes. Our study also detected for the first time that A(*)0206, a unique A2 subtype to South and Southeast Asia is also associated with a high risk for NPC. HLA-A(*)0206, HLA-B(*)3802 alleles plus the A(*)0207-B(*)4601 and A(*)3303-B(*)5801 haplotypes conferred high risk for NPC showing a combined odds ratio (OR) of 2.6 (P<0.0001). HLA alleles that associate with low risk for NPC include HLA-A(*)1101, B(*)27, and B(*)55 with a combined OR of 0.42 (P<0.0001). The overall high frequency of NPC-susceptible HLA factors in the Guangxi population is likely to have contributed to the high-NPC incidence in this region.

HLA-associated clinical progression correlates with epitope reversion rates in early human immunodeficiency virus infection.

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) can evade immunity shortly after transmission to a new host but the clinical significance of this early viral adaptation in HIV infection is not clear. We present an analysis of sequence variation from a longitudinal cohort study of HIV adaptation in 189 acute seroconverters followed for up to 3 years. We measured the rates of variation within well-defined epitopes to determine associations with the HLA-linked hazard of disease progression. We found early reversion across both the gag and pol genes, with a 10-fold faster rate of escape in gag (2.2 versus 0.27 forward mutations/1,000 amino acid sites). For most epitopes (23/34), variation in the HLA-matched and HLA-unmatched controls was similar. For a minority of epitopes (8/34, and generally associated with HLA class I alleles that confer clinical benefit), new variants appeared early and consistently over the first 3 years of infection. Reversion occurred early at a rate which was HLA-dependent and correlated with the HLA class 1-associated relative hazard of disease progression and death (P = 0.0008), reinforcing the association between strong cytotoxic T-lymphocyte responses, viral fitness, and disease status. These data provide a comprehensive overview of viral adaptation in the first 3 years of infection. Our findings of HLA-dependent reversion suggest that costs are borne by some escape variants which may benefit the host, a finding contrary to a simple immune evasion paradigm. These epitopes, which are both strongly and frequently recognized, and for which escape involves a high cost to the virus, have the potential to optimize vaccine design.

KIR haplotypes defined by segregation analysis in 59 Centre d'Etude Polymorphisme Humain (CEPH) families.

The killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptor (KIR) gene cluster exhibits extensive allelic and haplotypic diversity. Variation at the locus is associated with an increasing number of human diseases, reminiscent of the HLA loci. Characterization of diversity at the KIR locus has progressed over the past several years, particularly since the sequence of entire KIR haplotypes have become available. To determine the extent of KIR haplotypic variability among individuals of northern European descent, we genotyped 59 CEPH families for presence/absence of all KIR genes and performed limited allelic subtyping at several KIR loci. A total of 20 unique haplotypes differing in gene content were identified, the most common of which was the previously defined A haplotype (f = 0.52). Several unusual haplotypes that probably arose as a consequence of unequal crossing over events were also identified. Linkage disequilibrium (LD) analysis indicated strong negative and positive LD between several pairs of genes, values that may be useful in determining haplotypic structure when family data are not available. These data provide a resource to aid in the interpretation of disease association data involving individuals of European descent.