Increased risk for central serous chorioretinopathy in nephrotic syndrome patients: A population-based cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Nephrotic syndrome (NS) is characterized by various etiologies that damage the glomerulus. Central serous chorioretinopathy (CSCR) is a retinal disease characterized by neurosensory detachment of the retina. Several case reports have described the relationship between both. Therefore, we try to analyze the epidemiological associations between NS and CSCR using the National Health Insurance Research Database in Taiwan. METHODS: Data spanning 14 years were extracted from the National Health Insurance Research Database and sub-grouped. The variables were analyzed using Pearson's chi-squared test and Fisher's exact test. The risk factors for disease development with or without comorbidities were examined using an adjusted hazard ratio (aHR). Kaplan-Meier analysis was performed to evaluate the cumulative incidence of CSCR with or without NS. RESULTS: A total of 14 794 patients with NS and 14 794 matched controls without NS were enrolled in this cohort study. The incidence rate of CSCR was higher in the study cohort than in the control cohort (aHR = 3.349, p < 0.001). The overall incidence of CSCR was 44.51 per 100 000 person-years in the study cohort and 33.39 per 100 000 person-years in the control cohort. In both groups, CSCR occurred more frequently in males than in females. Patients aged 40-49, 50-59, and ≥60 years in the study cohort had a significantly higher risk of developing CSCR than those in the control cohort (aHR = 3.445, 5.421, and 4.957, all p < 0.001). NS patient with a 4-week history of steroid usage has a higher risk of developing CSCR (aHR = 2.010, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Our data showed that patients with NS have an increased risk of developing subsequent CSCR. Physician should routinely refer their NS patients to ophthalmologist for ophthalmic evaluation. This is the first nationwide epidemiological study reporting the association between these two diseases. Further studies are needed to clarify this relationship.

Use of Plasmid pVMG to Make Transcriptional ß-Glucuronidase Reporter Gene Fusions in the Rhizobium Genome for Monitoring the Expression of Rhizobial Genes In Vivo.

BACKGROUND: The soil bacterium Sinorhizobium meliloti and its allies are important nitrogen-fixing bacterial symbionts that cause N2-fixing nodules on the roots of legumes. Chromosomal ß-glucuronidase gene (uidA) transcriptional fusions are frequently used to monitor the expression of bacterial genes during the symbiosis. However, the construction of the fusions is laborious. RESULTS: The narrow-host-range, fusion selective plasmid pVMG was constructed and used as a vector for the construction of chromosomal uidA transcriptional fusions in the S. meliloti genome. Translation termination codons were added in all three reading frames upstream of the promoterless uidA in this vector to ensure transcriptional fusions. pVMG replicated to high copy number in Escherichia coli, offering advantages for the isolation of fusion-containing plasmids and the restriction analysis. Genomic locations of uidA fusions were verified in a simple PCR experiment. All these helps reduce the sample processing time and efforts. As a demonstration of its usefulness, the N-acyl homoserine lactone (AHL) signal synthase gene promoter was fused to uidA and shown to be expressed by S. meliloti in the senescence zone of the nodule on the host plant, M. truncatula. This indicates the presence of AHL signals at the late stages of symbiosis. CONCLUSIONS: A simple, pVMG-based method for construction of chromosomal uidA transcriptional fusions has been successfully used in the model rhizobium S. meliloti. It is also applicable for other rhizobial strains.

Immunomodulatory Potential of the Polysaccharide-Rich Extract from Edible Cyanobacterium Nostoc commune.

A dry sample of Nostoc commune from an organic farm in Pingtung city (Taiwan) was used to prepare polysaccharide-rich (NCPS) extract. The conditioned medium (CM) from NCPS-treated human peripheral blood (PB)-mononuclear cells (MNC) effectively inhibited the growth of human leukemic U937 cells and triggered differentiation of U937 monoblast cells into monocytic/macrophagic lines. Cytokine levels in MNC-CMs showed upregulation of granulocyte/macrophage-colony stimulatory factor and IL-1ß and downregulation of IL-6 and IL-17 upon treatment with NCPS. Moreover, murine macrophage RAW264.7 cells treated with NCPS exhibited the stimulatory effects of nitric oxide and superoxide secretion, indicating that NCPS might activate the immunity of macrophages. Collectively, the present study demonstrates that NCPS from N. commune could be potentially used for macrophage activation and consequently inhibited the leukemic cell growth and induced monocytic/macrophagic differentiation.

LabPush: a pilot study of providing remote clinics with laboratory results via short message service (SMS) in Swaziland, Africa.

BACKGROUND: Turnaround time (TAT) is an important indicator of laboratory performance. It is often difficult to achieve fast TAT for blood tests conducted at clinics in developing countries. This is because clinics where the patient is treated are often far away from the laboratory, and transporting blood samples and test results between the two locations creates significant delay. Recent efforts have sought to mitigate this problem by using Short Message Service (SMS) to reduce TAT. Studies reporting the impact of this technique have not been published in scientific literature however. In this paper we present a study of LabPush, a system developed to test whether SMS delivery of HIV related laboratory results to clinics could shorten TAT time significantly. METHOD: LapPush was implemented in six clinics of the Kingdom of Swaziland. SMS results were sent out from the laboratory as a supplement to normal transport of paper results. Each clinic was equipped with a mobile phone to receive SMS results. The laboratory that processes the blood tests was equipped with a system for digital input of results, and transmission of results via SMS to the clinics. RESULTS: Laboratory results were received for 1041 different clinical cases. The total number of SMS records received (1032) was higher than that of paper records (965), indicating a higher loss rate for paper records. A statistical comparison of TAT for SMS and paper reports indicates a statistically significant improvement for SMS. Results were more positive for more rural clinics, and an urban clinic with high workload. CONCLUSION: SMS can be used to reduce TAT for blood tests taken at clinics in developing countries. Benefits are likely to be greater at clinics that are further away from laboratories, due to the difficulties this imposes on transport of paper records.

Sorbitol counteracts temperature- and chemical-induced denaturation of a recombinant α-amylase from alkaliphilic Bacillus sp. TS-23.

Enzymes are highly complex systems with a substantial degree of structural variability in their folded state. In the presence of cosolvents, fluctuations among vast numbers of folded and unfolded conformations occur via many different pathways; alternatively, certain conformations can be stabilized or destabilized. To understand the contribution of osmolytes to the stabilization of structural changes and enzymatic activity of a truncated Bacillus sp. TS-23 α-amylase (BACΔNC), we monitored amylolytic activity, circular dichroism, and fluorescence as a function of osmolytes. In the presence of trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) and sorbitol, BACΔNC activity was retained significantly at elevated temperatures. As compared to the control, the secondary structures of this enzyme were essentially conserved upon the addition of these two kinds of osmolytes. Fluorescence results revealed that the temperature-induced conformational change of BACΔNC was prevented by TMAO and sorbitol. However, glycerol did not provide profound protection against thermal denaturation of the enzyme. Sorbitol was further found to counteract guanidine hydrochloride- and SDS-induced denaturation of BACΔNC. Thus, some well-known naturally occurring osmolytes make a dominant contribution to the stabilization of BACΔNC.

Direct measurement of acetabular radiographic version using an ordinary goniometer: a precision study.

OBJECTIVE: The acetabular version following total hip arthroplasty is an important prognostic factor. Computer navigation serves as a precise tool during hip arthroplasty, which requires precise measurement to verify the effect of the procedure. Wan and colleagues have reported an innovative method for measuring acetabular radiographic version with an ordinary goniometer. Our objective was to study the precision of this method. METHODS: We derived the underlying mathematical principle of Wan's method and produced a correction formula and chart. Forty-eight computer-synthesized radiographs were used to study the method and its mathematical correction. Ten real radiographs were used to detect intra-observer difference. The paired t-test was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: There was a significant difference between synthetic acetabular radiographic version and the measurement obtained with Wan's method (p < 0.05), but there was no difference after mathematical correction (p = 0.15). For smaller radiographic version (<20(o)), there was no statistical difference using Wan's method (p = 0.054). CONCLUSIONS: The method of Wan and colleagues can be used when acetabular radiographic version is less than 20°. For larger radiographic versions, however, mathematical correction is necessary to obtain precise results.

Biophysical characterization of a recombinant α-amylase from thermophilic Bacillus sp. strain TS-23.

Environmental variables can significantly influence the folding and stability of a protein molecule. In the present study, the biophysical properties of a truncated Bacillus sp. TS-23 α-amylase (BACΔNC) were characterized in detail by glutaraldehyde cross-linking, analytical ultracentrifugation, and various spectroscopic techniques. With cross-linking experiment and analytical ultracentrifuge, we demonstrated that the oligomeric state of BACΔNC in solution is monomeric. Far-UV circular dichroism analysis revealed that the secondary structures of BACΔNC were significantly altered in the presence of various metal ions and SDS, whereas acetone and ethanol had no detrimental effect on folding of the enzyme. BACΔNC was inactive and unstable at extreme pH conditions. Thermal unfolding of the enzyme was found to be highly irreversible. The native enzyme started to unfold beyond ~0.2 M guanidine hydrochloride (GdnHCl) and reached an unfolded intermediate, [GdnHCl](0.5, N-U), at 1.14 M. BACΔNC was active at the concentrations of urea below 6 M, but it experienced an irreversible unfolding by >8 M denaturant. Taken together, this work lays a foundation for the future structural studies with Bacillus sp. TS-23 α-amylase, a typical member of glycoside hydrolases family 13.

Engineering of a truncated alpha-amylase of Bacillus sp. strain TS-23 for the simultaneous improvement of thermal and oxidative stabilities.

BACDeltaNC/Delta RS is a thermostable variant derived from the truncated alpha-amylase (BAC Delta NC) of alkaliphilic Bacillus sp. strain TS-23. With the aim of enhancing its resistance towards chemical oxidation, Met231 of BAC Delta NC/Delta RS was replaced by leucine to create BAC Delta NC/Delta RS/M231L. The functional significance of the 31 C-terminal residues of BAC Delta NC/Delta RS/M231L was also explored by site-directed mutagenesis of the 483 th codon in the gene to stop codon (TAA), thereon the engineered enzyme was named BAC Delta NC/Delta RS/M231L/Delta C31. BAC Delta NC/Delta RS/M231L and BAC Delta NC/Delta RS/M231L/Delta C31 were very similar to BAC Delta NC in terms of specific activity, kinetic parameters, pH-activity profile, and the hydrolysis of raw starch; however, the engineered enzymes showed an increased half-life at 70 degrees C. The intrinsic fluorescence and circular dichroism spectra were nearly identical for wild-type and engineered enzymes, but they exhibited a different sensitivity towards GdnHCl-induced denaturation. This implicates that the rigidity of the enzyme has been changed as the consequence of mutations. Performance of the engineered enzymes was evaluated in the presence of commonly used detergent compounds and some detergents from the local markets. A high compatibility and performance of both BAC Delta NC/Delta RS/M231L and BAC Delta NC/Delta RS/M231L/Delta C31 may be desirable for their practical uses in the detergent industry.