• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 2023

The Indian golden muga silkworm, Antheraea assamensis Helfer is an economically important wild silkworm endemic to Northeastern part of India. In recent years, climate change has posed a threat to muga silk production due to the requirement that larvae be reared outdoors. Since the muga silkworm larvae are exposed to the vagaries of nature, the changing climate has increased the incidence of microbial diseases in the rearing fields. Accurate diagnosis of the disease causing pathogens and its associated epidemiology are prerequisites to manage the diseases in the rearing field. Although conventional microbial culturing methods are widely used to identify pathogenic bacteria, they would not provide meaningful information on a wide variety of silkworm pathogens. The information on use of molecular diagnostic tools in detection of microbial pathogens of wild silk moths is very limited. A wide range of molecular and immunodiagnostic techniques including denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE), random amplified polymorphism (RAPD), 16S rRNA/ITSA gene sequencing, multiplex polymerase chain reaction (M-PCR), fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), immunofluorescence, and repetitive-element PCR (Rep-PCR), have been used for detecting and characterizing the pathogens of insects with economic significance. Nevertheless, the application of these molecular tools for detecting and typing entomopathogens in surveillance studies of muga silkworm rearing is very limited. Here, we discuss the possible application of these molecular techniques, their advantages and major limitations. These methods show promise in better management of diseases in muga ecosystem.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.41 no.7
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• pp.621-627
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• 2017

The understanding of the mechanical properties of amyloid fibers, which induce various neurodegenerative diseases, is directly related to the amyloid growth mechanism. Diverse studies have been performed on amyloid fibers from the viewpoint of disease epidemiology. Recently, attempts have been made to use amyloid fibers as new materials because of their notable mechanical properties and self-aggregation abilities. In this study, the mechanical properties of transthyretin (TTR105-115), which induces cardiovascular disease, were evaluated using a molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. In particular, the effect of the end-terminal capping on the structural stability of TTR105-115 was evaluated. The mechanical behavior and properties of TTR105-115 were measured by steered molecular dynamics (SMD). We clarified the factors affecting the mechanical properties of these materials and suggested the possibility of utilizing them as nature inspired materials.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.175-181
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• 2009

The myosin light chain kinase (MYLK) gene encodes both smooth muscle and nonmuscle cell isoforms. Recently, polymorphisms in MYLK have been reported to be associated with several diseases. To examine the genetic effects of polymorphisms on the risk of asthma and related phenotypes, we scrutinized MYLK by re-sequencing/genotyping and statistical analysis in Korean population (n = 1,015). Seventeen common polymorphisms located in or near exons, having pairwise $r^2$ values less than 0.25, were genotyped. Our statistical analysis did not replicate the associations with the risk of asthma and log-transformed total IgE levels observed among African descendant populations. However, two SNPs in intron 16 (+89872C> G and +92263T> C), which were in tight LD (|D'| = 0.99), revealed significant association with log-transformed blood eosinophil level even after correction multiple testing ($P=0.002/P^{corr}=0.01$ and $P=0.002/P^{corr}=0.01$, respectively). The log-transformed blood eosinophil levels were higher in individuals bearing the minor alleles for +89872C> G and +92263T> C than in those bearing other allele. In additional subgroup analysis, the genetic effects of both SNPs were much more apparent among asthmatic patients and atopic asthma patients. Among atopic asthma patients, the log-transformed blood eosinophil levels were proportionally increased by gene-dose dependent manner of in both +89872C> G and +92263T> C(P = 0.0002 and P = 0.00007, respectively). These findings suggest that MYLK polymorphisms might be among the genetic factors underlying differential increases of blood eosinophil levels among asthmatic patients. Further biological and/or functional studies are needed to confirm our results.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.1379-1383
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• 2016

Background: Basal and squamous cell carcinoma (BCC and SCC) are the most common skin cancers worldwide and distinction between the two may sometimes be very difficult in routine histopathology. The present study was aimed to evaluate a reliable diagnostic method for these cancers based on immunohistochemistry (IHC). Materials and Methods: IHC was used with antibodies to Bcl-2, CD10, CEA, and EMA biomarkers, which despite non-specificity are easily available for detection of various types of tumors in pathology sections and can be used as a panel for differentiation. In this descriptive and analytic study, paraffin-embedded blocks of 29 SCC patients and 29 BCC patients were collected and sectioned for IHC staining. The results were analyzed by the STATA (version 8) statistical package using the Chi-square test. Results: BCC patients were 100%, 75.8%, 0% and 0% positive for Bcl-2, CD10, CEA and EMA markers, respectively, and for SCC patients were 3.5%, 0%, 34.5% and 82.7% positive, respectively. Using simultaneously Bcl-2 and CD10 as positive markers, detection of BCC with 88% accuracy and 100% specificity was possible, while application of CEA and EMA positivity could detect SCC with 67% accuracy and 100% specificity. Conclusions: SCC and BCC have different immunostaining profiles; therefore, Bcl-2, CD10, CEA and EMA markers can be helpful to distinguish between them.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.58 no.1
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• pp.51-55
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• 2018

Bovine mastitis (BM) has resulted in enormous economic loss in the dairy industry and coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) have caused subclinical BM. Although VITEK 2 GP ID card (VITEK 2) has been used for CNS identification, the probability of identification varies. The rpoB sequence typing (RSTing) method has been used for molecular diagnosis and epidemiology of bacterial infections. In this study, we undertook RSTing of CNS and compared the results with those of VITEK2 and 16S rRNA gene sequencing. As compared VITEK2, the molecular-based methods were more reliable for species identification; moreover, RSTing provided more molecular epidemiological information than that from 16S rRNA gene sequencing.

• Journal of Veterinary Science
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.56.1-56.13
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• 2024

Importance: Canine parvovirus enteritis (CPE) is a contagious viral disease of dogs caused by the canine parvovirus-2 (CPV-2) associated with high morbidity and mortality rates. CPV-2 has a high global evolutionary rate. Molecular characterization of CPV-2 and understanding its epidemiology are essential for controlling CPV-2 infections. Objective: This study examined the risk factors and survival outcomes of dogs infected with CPV-2. Molecular characterization of CPV-2 genotypes circulating in Egypt was performed to determine the evolution of CPV-2 nationally and globally. Methods: An age-matched case-control study was conducted on 47 control and 47 CPV-infected dogs. Conditional logistic regression analysis examined the association between the potential risk factors and CPE in dogs. Survival analysis was performed to determine the survival pattern of the infected dogs. Thirteen fecal samples from infected dogs were collected to confirm the CPV genotype by CPV-2 VP2 gene sequencing, assembly of nucleotide sequences, and phylogenic analysis. Results: Unvaccinated and roamer dogs had eight and 2.3 times higher risks of CPV infection than vaccinated dogs and non-roamer dogs, respectively. The risk of death from CPE was high among dogs without routine visits to veterinary clinics and among non-roamer dogs. Molecular characterization of CPV-2 confirmed its genotype identity and relationship with the CPV-2 c and b clade types. Conclusions and Relevance: This study highlights the potential factors for CPE control, especially vaccination and preventing dogs from roaming freely outside houses. Isolated CPV genotypes are closely related to southern Asian genotypes, suggesting a substantial opportunity for global transmission.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.16
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• pp.6845-6849
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• 2015

Background: Roles of tobacco and alcohol use in etiology of cancer are well established. Alterationin in P53 have essential roles neoplastic change by preventing genome mutation; the aim of this study was to assess the association between P53 mutation and tobacco and alcohol consumption, as well as to assess the epidemiology of tobacco and alcohol use as risk factors for cancer in the adult population of northern Saudi civilians. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey from October 2014 to January 2015, covering 3,398 adults, was performed. P53 mutation molecular detection was performed for 100 tobacco and alcohol users, usingDNA extracted from buccal cells. Results: Of the 3,398 participants 3,253/3398(95.7%) responded, with a male female ratio of 1.10: 1.00. Out of these, 24.8% had smoked tobacco in their lifetime and 2.7% were consumers of alcoholic beverages. None was identified with any P53 mutation. Conclusions: The prevalence of tobacco smoking among the northern Saudi civilians was relatively high. Females' attitudes in tobacco and alcohol related issues were found to be affected by social stigma. Tobacco and alcohol use has no link to P53 gene mutations.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.43 no.4 s.136
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• pp.135-139
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• 2005

We have observed the seropositive rate of Taenia solium cysticercosis in residents at Nabo Village, Tiandong County, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. The village had been found to be a relatively high endemic area of porcine cysticercosis among roaming pigs. Of 202 persons examined four males aged 15, 25, 35 and 41 year-old exhibited absorbance (abs) at 0.18, 0.20, 0.35 and 0.55, respectively. In addition, two females whose ages were 35 and 39 years revealed specific antibody levels of abs 0.26 and 0.41 in their sera. Overall positive rate among the people was $2.97\%$. All of these persons agreed that they had ingested the pork infected with T. solium metacestode (TsM), while history of proglottid discharge was not noticed from all of them. Three males and one female complained of intermittent headache. Our findings reinforced not only that the prevalence of cysticercosis might be related with roaming pigs infected with TsM but also that behavioral and environmental practices in local community constituted risk factors for transmission of the infection.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.185-190
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• 2007

Objectives : Since the first human infection from avian influenza was reported in Hong Kong in 1997, many Asian countries have confirmed outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza viruses. In addition to Asian countries, the EU authorities also held an urgent meeting in February 2006 at which it was agreed that Europe could also become the next target for H5N1 avian influenza in the near future. In this paper, we provide the general and applicable information on the avian influenza in the bioinformatics field to assist future studies in preventive medicine. Methods : We introduced some up-to-date analytical tools in bioinformatics research, and discussed the current trends of avian influenza outbreaks. Among the bioinformatics methods, we focused our interests on two topics: pattern analysis using the secondary database of avian influenza, and structural analysis using the molecular dynamics simulations in vaccine design. Results : Use of the public genome databases available in the bioinformatics field enabled intensive analysis of the genetic patterns. Moreover, molecular dynamic simulations have also undergone remarkable development on the basis of the high performance supercomputing infrastructure these days. Conclusions : The bioinformatics techniques we introduced in this study may be useful in preventive medicine, especially in vaccine and drug discovery.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.371-376
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• 2009

In this article, we reviewed the literature on risk assessment (RA) models with and without molecular genomic markers and the current utility of the markers in the pharmacogenetic field. Epidemiological risk assessment is applied using statistical models and equations established from current scientific knowledge of risk and disease. Several papers have reported that traditional RA tools have significant limitations in decision-making in management strategies for individuals as predictions of diseases and disease progression are inaccurate. Recently, the model added information on the genetic susceptibility factors that are expected to be most responsible for differences in individual risk. On the continuum of health care, from diagnosis to treatment, pharmacogenetics has been developed based on the accumulated knowledge of human genomic variation involving drug distribution and metabolism and the target of action, which has the potential to facilitate personalized medicine that can avoid therapeutic failure and serious side effects. There are many challenges for the applicability of genomic information in a clinical setting. Current uses of genetic markers for managing drug therapy and issues in the development of a valid biomarker in pharmacogenetics are discussed.