Accurate quantification of 3 ′-terminal 2′-O-methylated small RNAs by utilizing oxidative deep sequencing and stem-loop RT-qPCR
In this study, we profiled 3′-terminal 2′-O-methyl plant miRNAs in the livers of rice-fed mice by oxidative deep sequencing and detected increasing amounts of plant miRNAs with prolonged oxidation treatment. We further compared the efficiency of stem- loop and poly(A)-tailed RT-qPCR in quantifying plant miRNAs in animal tissues and identified stem-loop RT-qPCR as the only suitable approach. Likewise, stem-loop RT-qPCR was superior to poly(A)-tailed RT-qPCR in quantifying 3′-terminal 2′-O-methyl piRNAs in human seminal plasma. In summary, this study established a standard procedure for quantifying the levels of 3′...
Source: Frontiers of Medicine - April 1, 2022 Category: General Medicine Source Type: research
Novel variants in LAMA3 and COL7A1 and recurrent variant in KRT5 underlying epidermolysis bullosa in five Chinese families
AbstractEpidermolysis bullosa (EB) is a group of clinically and genetically heterogeneous diseases characterized by trauma-induced mucocutaneous fragility and blister formation. Here, we investigated five Chinese families with EB, and eight variants including a novel nonsense variant (c.47G>A, p.W16*) inLAMA3, a known recurrent variant (c.74C>T, p.P25L) inKRT5, 2 novel (c.2531T>A, p.V844E; c.6811_6814del, p.R2271fs) and 4 known (c.6187C>T, p.R2063W; c.7097G>A, p.G2366D; c.8569G>T, p.E2857*; c.3625_3635del, p.S1209fs) variants inCOL7A1 were detected. Notably, this study identified a nonsense variant inLAMA...
Source: Frontiers of Medicine - March 21, 2022 Category: General Medicine Source Type: research
Mycophenolate mofetil or tacrolimus compared with azathioprine in long-term maintenance treatment for active lupus nephritis
This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) or tacrolimus (TAC) compared with azathioprine (AZA) as maintenance therapy for active lupus nephritis (ALN). Patients with ALN who responded to 24 weeks of induction treatment were enrolled. Patients who received MMF or TAC as induction therapy continued MMF or TAC treatment during the maintenance period, whereas those who received intravenous cyclophosphamide were subjected to AZA treatment. The primary endpoint was the incidence of renal relapse. Secondary endpoints included extrarenal flares and composite endpoints (deaths, end-stage re...
Source: Frontiers of Medicine - March 18, 2022 Category: General Medicine Source Type: research
Discovery and repurposing of artemisinin
AbstractMalaria is an ancient infectious disease that threatens millions of lives globally even today. The discovery of artemisinin, inspired by traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), has brought in a paradigm shift and been recognized as the “best hope for the treatment of malaria” by World Health Organization. With its high potency and low toxicity, the wide use of artemisinin effectively treats the otherwise drug-resistant parasites and helps many countries, including China, to eventually eradicate malaria. Here, we will first rev iew the initial discovery of artemisinin, an extraordinary journey that was in stark cont...
Source: Frontiers of Medicine - March 15, 2022 Category: General Medicine Source Type: research
Bevacizumab in combination with pemetrexed and platinum for elderly patients with advanced non-squamous non-small-cell lung cancer: a retrospective analysis
AbstractBevacizumab, an anti-VEGF monoclonal antibody, has significantly improved the clinical outcomes of patients with advanced non-squamous NSCLC (ns-NSCLC). However, the safety and efficacy of bevacizumab for elderly patients with advanced NSCLC require further investigation. Thus, 59 patients were included in the present retrospective study, 22 patients in the bevacizumab plus pemetrexed and platinum (B + PP) group, and 37 patients in the pemetrexed and platinum (PP) group. For the entire cohort of patients, the median OS was 33.3 months, and the 1-year and 2-year overall survival rates were 88.5% and 67.8%, respectiv...
Source: Frontiers of Medicine - March 15, 2022 Category: General Medicine Source Type: research
Four-protein model for predicting prognostic risk of lung cancer
In this study, the ELISA results of HSP90β combined with CEA, CA125, and CYFRA21-1 were used to construct a recursive partitioning decision tree model to establish a four-protein diagnostic model and predict the survival of patients with lung ca ncer. Survival analysis showed that the recursive partitioning decision tree could distinguish the prognosis between high- and low-risk groups. Results suggested that the joint detection of HSP90β, CEA, CA125, and CYFRA21-1 in the peripheral blood of patients with lung cancer is plausible for early diagnosis and prognosis prediction of lung cancer. (Source: Frontiers of Medicine)
Source: Frontiers of Medicine - March 9, 2022 Category: General Medicine Source Type: research
Integrated analysis of gut microbiome and host immune responses in COVID-19
AbstractEmerging evidence indicates that the gut microbiome contributes to the host immune response to infectious diseases. Here, to explore the role of the gut microbiome in the host immune responses in COVID-19, we conducted shotgun metagenomic sequencing and immune profiling of 14 severe/critical and 24 mild/moderate COVID-19 cases as well as 31 healthy control samples. We found that the diversity of the gut microbiome was reduced in severe/critical COVID-19 cases compared to mild/moderate ones. We identified the abundance of some gut microbes altered post-SARS-CoV-2 infection and related to disease severity, such asEnt...
Source: Frontiers of Medicine - March 8, 2022 Category: General Medicine Source Type: research
Prevalence of antifolate drug resistance markers in Plasmodium vivax in China
This study indicated that the antifolate resistance levels ofP. vivax parasites were different across China and molecular markers could be used to rapidly monitor drug resistance. Results provided evidence for updating national drug policy and treatment guidelines. (Source: Frontiers of Medicine)
Source: Frontiers of Medicine - March 7, 2022 Category: General Medicine Source Type: research
SARS-CoV-2 variants, immune escape, and countermeasures
AbstractCoronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has become a global pandemic disease. SARS-CoV-2 variants have aroused great concern and are expected to continue spreading. Although many countries have promoted roll-out vaccination, the immune barrier has not yet been fully established, indicating that populations remain susceptible to infection. In this review, we summarize the literature on variants of concern and focus on the changes in their transmissibility, pathogenicity, and resistance to the immunity constructed by current vaccines. Furthermore, we analyzed relationships between variants and breakthrough infections, as...
Source: Frontiers of Medicine - March 6, 2022 Category: General Medicine Source Type: research
New practice in semaglutide on type-2 diabetes and obesity: clinical evidence and expectation
AbstractObesity is an important risk factor of type 2 diabetes (T2D), which has become an important factor threatening human health. However, no perfect drug choice for obesity exists. Semaglutide is a kind of human glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) analog that promotes insulin secretion while inhibiting glucagon secretion through a glucose concentration-dependent mechanism. GLP-1 can also delay stomach emptying and suppress appetite to help lose weight. This review summarizes clinical evidence of the semaglutide effect on T2D and obesity and establishes expectations on future clinical trials for obesity treatment. (Source: ...
Source: Frontiers of Medicine - February 28, 2022 Category: General Medicine Source Type: research
SARS-CoV-2 vaccine research and immunization strategies for improved control of the COVID-19 pandemic
AbstractThe record speed at which Chinese scientists identified severe acute respiratory syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and shared its genomic sequence with the world, has greatly facilitated the development of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) diagnostics, drugs, and vaccines. It is unprecedented in pandemic control history to develop a dozen successful vaccines in the first year and to immunize over half of the global population in the second year, due to the efforts of the scientific community, biopharmaceutical industry, and regulatory agencies worldwide. The challenges are both great and multidimensional due to the ...
Source: Frontiers of Medicine - February 28, 2022 Category: General Medicine Source Type: research
Laboratory diagnosis for malaria in the elimination phase in China: efforts and challenges
AbstractMalaria remains a global health challenge, although an increasing number of countries will enter pre-elimination and elimination stages. The prompt and precise diagnosis of symptomatic and asymptomatic carriers ofPlasmodium parasites is the key aspect of malaria elimination. Since the launch of the China Malaria Elimination Action Plan in 2010, China has formulated clear goals for malaria diagnosis and has established a network of malaria diagnostic laboratories within medical and health institutions at all levels. Various external quality assessments were implemented, and a national malaria diagnosis reference lab...
Source: Frontiers of Medicine - February 28, 2022 Category: General Medicine Source Type: research
Cannabidiol prevents depressive-like behaviors through the modulation of neural stem cell differentiation
AbstractChronic stress impairs radial neural stem cell (rNSC) differentiation and adult hippocampal neurogenesis (AHN), whereas promoting AHN can increase stress resilience against depression. Therefore, investigating the mechanism of neural differentiation and AHN is of great importance for developing antidepressant drugs. The nonpsychoactive phytocannabinoid cannabidiol (CBD) has been shown to be effective against depression. However, whether CBD can modulate rNSC differentiation and hippocampal neurogenesis is unknown. Here, by using the chronic restraint stress (CRS) mouse model, we showed that hippocampal rNSCs mostly...
Source: Frontiers of Medicine - February 25, 2022 Category: General Medicine Source Type: research
PathogenTrack and Yeskit: tools for identifying intracellular pathogens from single-cell RNA-sequencing datasets as illustrated by application to COVID-19
AbstractPathogenic microbes can induce cellular dysfunction, immune response, and cause infectious disease and other diseases including cancers. However, the cellular distributions of pathogens and their impact on host cells remain rarely explored due to the limited methods. Taking advantage of single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) analysis, we can assess the transcriptomic features at the single-cell level. Still, the tools used to interpret pathogens (such as viruses, bacteria, and fungi) at the single-cell level remain to be explored. Here, we introduced PathogenTrack, a python-based computational pipeline that uses un...
Source: Frontiers of Medicine - February 22, 2022 Category: General Medicine Source Type: research
Early assessment of the safety and immunogenicity of a third dose (booster) of COVID-19 immunization in Chinese adults
AbstractInducing durable and effective immunity against severe acute respiratory syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) via vaccination is essential to combat the current pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). It has been noticed that the strength of anti-COVID-19 vaccination-induced immunity fades over time, which calls for an additional vaccination regime, as known as booster immunization, to restore immunity among previously vaccinated populations. Here we report a pilot open-label trial of a third dose of BBIBP-CorV, an inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine (Vero cell), on 136 participants aged between 18 to 63 years. ...
Source: Frontiers of Medicine - February 3, 2022 Category: General Medicine Source Type: research
