Phylogeographic agreement between prophage and bacterial housekeeping genes in Helicobacter pylori strains from The Gambia

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Usefulness of detection of clarithromycin-resistant Helicobacter pylori from fecal specimens for young adults treated with eradication therapy

Abstract

Background

To prevent Helicobacter pylori infection in the younger generation, it is necessary to investigate the prevalence of antibiotic-resistant H. pylori.

Objective

The aim of this study was to evaluate the method of PCR-based sequencing to detect clarithromycin (CAM) resistance-associated mutations using fecal samples as a noninvasive method.

Methods

DNA extracted from fecal specimens and isolates from gastric biopsy specimens were collected from patients with H. pylori infection. Antibiotic resistance to CAM was analyzed by molecular and culture methods. The detection rates of CAM resistance-associated mutations (A2142C or A2143G) were compared before and after eradication therapy.

Results

With CAM resistance of H. pylori evaluated by antibiotic susceptibility test as a gold standard, the sensitivity and the specificity of gene mutation detection from fecal DNA were 80% and 84.8%, respectively. In contrast, using DNA of isolated strains, the sensitivity and the specificity were 80% and 100%. Of the seven cases in which eradication was unsuccessful by triple therapy including CAM, CAM-resistant H. pylori, and resistance-associated mutations were detected in three cases, CAM-resistant H. pylori without the mutation was detected in two patients, and resistance-associated mutation was only detected in one patient.

Conclusion

PCR-based sequencing to detect CAM resistance-associated mutations using isolates or fecal samples was useful for finding antibiotic-resistant H. pylori infection. Although the specificity of the detection from fecal samples compared with antibiotic susceptibility testing was lower than that from isolates, this fecal detection method is suitable especially for asymptomatic subjects including children. Further improvement is needed before clinical application.

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Poaceae pollen as the leading aeroallergen worldwide: a review

Abstract

The Poaceae family comprises over 12,000 wind-pollinated species which release large amounts of pollen into the atmosphere. Poaceae pollen is currently regarded as the leading airborne biological pollutant and the chief cause of pollen-allergy worldwide. Sensitization rates vary by country, and those variations are reviewed here.

Grass pollen allergens are grouped according to their protein structure and function. In Poaceae, although species belonging to different sub-families are characterized by distinct allergen subsets, there is a considerable degree of cross-reactivity between many species. Cross-reactivity between grass-pollen protein and fresh fruit pan-allergens is associated with the appearance of food allergies. The additional influence of urban pollution may prompt a more severe immunological response.

The timing and the intensity of the pollen season is governed by species genetics, but plant phenology is also influenced by climate; as a result, climate changes may affect airborne pollen concentrations. This paper reviews the findings of worldwide research which has highlighted the major impact of climate change on plant phenology and also on the prevalence and severity of allergic disease.

This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

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Changes in patient quality of life during oral immunotherapy for food allergy

Abstract

Background

Quality of life is (QOL) impaired in patients with food allergy and improves following oral immunotherapy (OIT). However, the treatment itself is prolonged and demanding. We examined changes in patient QOL during OIT for food allergy.

Methods

The FAQLQ-PF was administered to children aged 4-12 years undergoing OIT for milk, peanut or egg allergy, at the beginning and after 4 months of treatment. Patients were categorized as improved, unchanged, or diminished FAQLQ-PF (>0.5 point decrease, a change of ≤0.5 points, or >0.5 increase, respectively) and compared. Food-allergic patients not undergoing OIT served as controls.

Results

The Food Anxiety, Social and Dietary limitation and total FAQLQ-PF scores improved significantly during the study period (p=0.001, p=0.018 and p=0.01, respectively) in treated but not in control patients, while the Emotional Impact did not. The change in the FAQLQ-PF was independent of the maximal tolerated dose at baseline or following four months of treatment, the pace of dose-increase or of number or severity of reactions experienced. The total FAQLQ-PF score was inversely associated with the score at baseline on multi-variate analysis (regression coefficient = -0.56, p<0.001). That was driven primarily by improvement in QOL scores in patients with high score (worse QOL) at baseline. Some patients with low FAQLQ-PF score (better QOL) at baseline, deteriorated.

Conclusions

QOL of patients with food allergy improves in some but deteriorates in others during OIT. Patients with impaired QOL at baseline, improve significantly despite the treatment-burden. Some patients with better QOL at baseline, might deteriorate during OIT.

This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

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EEG activity as an objective measure of cognitive load during effortful listening: A study on pediatric subjects with bilateral, asymmetric sensorineural hearing loss

Publication date: August 2017
Source:International Journal of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology, Volume 99
Author(s): Pasquale Marsella, Alessandro Scorpecci, Giulia Cartocci, Sara Giannantonio, Anton Giulio Maglione, Isotta Venuti, Ambra Brizi, Fabio Babiloni
ObjectivesDeaf subjects with hearing aids or cochlear implants generally find it challenging to understand speech in noisy environments where a great deal of listening effort and cognitive load are invested. In prelingually deaf children, such difficulties may have detrimental consequences on the learning process and, later in life, on academic performance. Despite the importance of such a topic, currently, there is no validated test for the assessment of cognitive load during audiological tasks. Recently, alpha and theta EEG rhythm variations in the parietal and frontal areas, respectively, have been used as indicators of cognitive load in adult subjects.The aim of the present study was to investigate, by means of EEG, the cognitive load of pediatric subjects affected by asymmetric sensorineural hearing loss as they were engaged in a speech-in-noise identification task.MethodsSeven children (4F and 3M, age range = 8–16 years) affected by asymmetric sensorineural hearing loss (i.e. profound degree on one side, mild-to-severe degree on the other side) and using a hearing aid only in their better ear, were included in the study. All of them underwent EEG recording during a speech-in-noise identification task: the experimental conditions were quiet, binaural noise, noise to the better hearing ear and noise to the poorer hearing ear. The subjects' Speech Recognition Thresholds (SRT) were also measured in each test condition. The primary outcome measures were: frontal EEG Power Spectral Density (PSD) in the theta band and parietal EEG PSD in the alpha band, as assessed before stimulus (word) onset.ResultsNo statistically significant differences were noted among frontal theta power levels in the four test conditions. However, parietal alpha power levels were significantly higher in the "binaural noise" and in the "noise to worse hearing ear" conditions than in the "quiet" and "noise to better hearing ear" conditions (p < 0.001). SRT scores were consistent with task difficulty, but did not correlate with alpha and theta power level variations.ConclusionThis is the first time that EEG has been applied to children with sensorineural hearing loss with the purpose of studying the cognitive load during effortful listening. Significantly higher parietal alpha power levels in two of three noisy conditions, compared to the quiet condition, are consistent with increased cognitive load. Specifically, considering the time window of the analysis (pre-stimulus), parietal alpha power levels may be a measure of cognitive functions such as sustained attention and selective inhibition. In this respect, the significantly lower parietal alpha power levels in the most challenging listening condition (i.e. noise to the better ear) may be attributed to loss of attention and to the subsequent fatigue and "withdrawal" from the task at hand.



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Enhancing hair growth in male androgenetic alopecia by a combination of fractional CO 2 laser therapy and hair growth factors

Abstract

Laser therapy and growth factors have been used as alternative treatments for male androgenetic alopecia (MAA). The aim of this study is to determine the efficacy and safety of hair growth factors alone or combined with ablative carbon dioxide (CO₂) fractional laser therapy in MAA. Twenty-eight men were enrolled in this randomized half-split study based on a left-head to right-head pattern. Fractional CO₂ laser treatment was unilaterally performed; hair growth factors were bilaterally applied. Six sessions with 2-week intervals were performed. Global photographs and dermoscopy assessments were performed at the baseline and 4 months after first treatment. Global photographs underwent blinded review by three independent dermatologists. Scanning electron microscopy was used to compare changes in hair-follicle phase and hair-shaft diameter. Twenty-seven participants completed the 4-month treatment schedule. One patient was lost. Mean hair density increased from 114 ± 27 to 143 ± 25/cm² (P < 0.001) in the combined group and from 113 ± 24 to 134 ± 19/cm² in the growth factor group (P < 0.001). The mean change from baseline between two groups was also compared (P = 0.003). Global photographs showed improvement in 93% (25/27) patients in the combined group and 67% (18/27) patients in the growth factor group. Under scanning electron microscopy, hair follicles appeared to transition from telogen to anagen, and hair-shaft diameter increased in five randomly selected patients. Ablative fractional CO₂ laser combined with hair growth factors may serve as an alternative treatment for MAA in individuals unwilling/unable to undergo medical or surgical treatment.

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MET overexpression and gene amplification: prevalence, clinico-pathological characteristics and prognostic significance in a large cohort of patients with surgically resected NSCLC

Abstract

The prevalence of overexpression and amplification of the proto-oncogene mesenchymal epithelial transition (MET) in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) varies greatly in the literature. Since MET is a potential treatment target, knowledge of its prevalence and prognostic importance is crucial. We investigated MET expression and gene status in 735 NSCLC cases using tissue microarrays. Prognostic significance as well as correlations with various clinico-pathological parameters were evaluated. The prevalence of MET overexpression was 17% and MET amplification was present in 2.4% of cases. MET overexpression was found more frequently in adenocarcinomas (and TTF1-positive tumors) and female patients and was also associated with expression of members of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling cascade. MET amplified tumors tended to express MET more frequently and more intensively. MET expression or gene status did not prove to be relevant prognostic factors. MET may not be an unequivocal prognostic parameter; however, its expression is associated with certain clinico-pathological characteristics and with EGFR and downstream EGFR effectors. This could be an important point for future studies addressing targeted MET therapy and should be considered as a possible means of optimizing the benefit and minimizing undesirable effects.

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