Objective::To determine whether an association exists between group B Streptococcus (GBS) colonization and preeclampsia among pregnant Black women.Methods::This retrospective cross-sectional study involved Black women who gave birth at State University of New York Downstate Hospital between January 2010 and December 2017. Data were collected from the Obstetric Department, including delivery date, time, mode of delivery, age of the mother, weeks of gestation at delivery, and antepartum complications. The GBS test results were originally determined using the eSwab transport system. Preeclampsia was defined based on the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists criteria for the periods 2010-2012 and 2013-2017. The primary outcome was whether GBS was associated with the outcome of preeclampsia in the population of Black women. Covariates, including smoking status, gestational age, parity, body mass index, maternal age, and presence of herpes simplex virus (HSV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) were examined as potential confounders. Chi-squared test and logistic regression model were used, presenting odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals ( P < 0.050), analyzed with SAS on Demand for Academics (SAS Institute, Inc., NY). Results::Among the 8,019 Black women included in this study, GBS-positive women ( n = 977) had a 53% reduction in the likelihood of being diagnosed with preeclampsia compared to GBS-negative women (adjusted odds ratio, 0.47; 95% confidence interval, 0.32-0.70). We did not find evidence of differences in the distribution of smoking habits ( P = 0.783) or maternal age ( P = 0.107) between GBS-positive and GBS-negative women. However, the GBS-positive women tended to be less likely to have a preterm delivery (9.62% (94/977) vs. 24.24% (1707/7042), P < 0.001), less likely to be nulliparous (33.37% (326/977) vs. 37.87% (2667/7042), P = 0.006), and less likely to be obese (51.38% (502/977) vs. 55.30% (3894/7042), P < 0.001) compared with GBS-negative women. In contrast, GBS-positive women were more likely to have a comorbid infection than their counterparts: HSV (5.94% (58/977) vs. 2.63% (185/7042), P < 0.001) and HIV (1.54% (15/977) vs. 0.82% (58/7042), P = 0.028). Conclusion::We found a reduced likelihood of preeclampsia among women who were positive for GBS at delivery. Given the cross-sectional nature of our study, more research is needed to further explore this association.

Objective::To determine whether an association exists between group B Streptococcus (GBS) colonization and preeclampsia among pregnant Black women.Methods::This retrospective cross-sectional study involved Black women who gave birth at State University of New York Downstate Hospital between January 2010 and December 2017. Data were collected from the Obstetric Department, including delivery date, time, mode of delivery, age of the mother, weeks of gestation at delivery, and antepartum complications. The GBS test results were originally determined using the eSwab transport system. Preeclampsia was defined based on the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists criteria for the periods 2010-2012 and 2013-2017. The primary outcome was whether GBS was associated with the outcome of preeclampsia in the population of Black women. Covariates, including smoking status, gestational age, parity, body mass index, maternal age, and presence of herpes simplex virus (HSV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) were examined as potential confounders. Chi-squared test and logistic regression model were used, presenting odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals ( P < 0.050), analyzed with SAS on Demand for Academics (SAS Institute, Inc., NY). Results::Among the 8,019 Black women included in this study, GBS-positive women ( n = 977) had a 53% reduction in the likelihood of being diagnosed with preeclampsia compared to GBS-negative women (adjusted odds ratio, 0.47; 95% confidence interval, 0.32-0.70). We did not find evidence of differences in the distribution of smoking habits ( P = 0.783) or maternal age ( P = 0.107) between GBS-positive and GBS-negative women. However, the GBS-positive women tended to be less likely to have a preterm delivery (9.62% (94/977) vs. 24.24% (1707/7042), P < 0.001), less likely to be nulliparous (33.37% (326/977) vs. 37.87% (2667/7042), P = 0.006), and less likely to be obese (51.38% (502/977) vs. 55.30% (3894/7042), P < 0.001) compared with GBS-negative women. In contrast, GBS-positive women were more likely to have a comorbid infection than their counterparts: HSV (5.94% (58/977) vs. 2.63% (185/7042), P < 0.001) and HIV (1.54% (15/977) vs. 0.82% (58/7042), P = 0.028). Conclusion::We found a reduced likelihood of preeclampsia among women who were positive for GBS at delivery. Given the cross-sectional nature of our study, more research is needed to further explore this association.

Monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) are widely applied in disease diagnoses. Herein, we report a MAb, WF-4, against Influenza A virus nucleoprotein (NP), its broad response with Influenza A virus, and its application in an immunohistochemistry (IHC) assay. WF-4 was screened by immunofluorescence assay (IFA). The results showed that its reactivity with baculovirus-expressed full-length recombinant NP (rNP) in Western blot (WB), indicating its IHC applicability. Fifteen Influenza A virus (reference subtypes H1 to H15) infected chicken embryonated chorioallantoic membranes (CAM), fixed by formalin, were all detectable in the WF-4-based IHC assay. Also, the reactivity of the IHC test with NP from experimentally inoculated H6N1 and from all recent outbreaks of H5 subtype avian Influenza A virus (AIV) field cases in Taiwan showed positive results. Our data indicate that CAM, a by-product of Influenza A virus preparation, is helpful for Influenza A virus-specific MAb characterization, and that the WF-4 MAb recognizes conserved and linear epitopes of Influenza A virus NP. Therefore, WF-4 is capable of detecting NP antigens via IHC and may be suitable for developing various tests for diagnosis of Influenza A virus and, especially, AIV infection.
Animals ; Antibodies, Monoclonal ; Blotting, Western ; Chickens ; Chorioallantoic Membrane ; Diagnosis ; Disease Outbreaks ; Epitopes ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique ; Formaldehyde ; Immunohistochemistry ; Influenza A virus ; Influenza in Birds ; Influenza, Human ; Nucleoproteins ; Taiwan

Adult ; Autoantibodies ; immunology ; Common Variable Immunodeficiency ; diagnosis ; etiology ; Female ; Humans ; Interferon-gamma ; immunology ; Penicillium ; pathogenicity

OBJECTIVETo compare iron bioavailability (Fe BV) from ten selected kinds of Chinese wheat flours in order to provide scientific basis for further human trials and enable plant breeding programs to screen biofortified wheat cultivars.

METHODSAn in vitro digestion/Caco-2 cell model was used to assess Fe BV of ten flour samples from six leading Chinese wheat cultivars and the stability of Fe BV in one cultivar was studied across three growing environments.

RESULTSSignificant differences were observed in both Fe BV and Fe bioavailability per gram of food (Fe BVPG) among cultivars (P<0.01) grown at the same location with the same flour extraction rate. Zhongyou 9507 and Jingdong 8 had Fe BV 37%-54% and Fe BVPG 103%-154% higher than the reference control. In the Anyang environment, Zhongyou 9507 had a higher wheat flour-Fe level and Fe BVPG. Differences in Fe BV were detected in cultivars with different flour extraction rates.

CONCLUSIONZhongyou 9507 and Jingdong 8 were identified as the most promising cultivars for further evaluation of efficacy by using human subjects. The growing environments had no effect on Fe BV, but did have a significant effect on Fe BVPG. Fe bioavailabilities in low-extraction (40%) flours were higher than those in high-extraction (78%) flours.

Biological Availability ; Caco-2 Cells ; China ; Ferritins ; chemistry ; Flour ; analysis ; Genetic Variation ; Humans ; Iron ; chemistry ; pharmacokinetics ; Phosphorus ; chemistry ; Phytic Acid ; chemistry ; Triticum ; chemistry ; genetics

As one of trials on neuroprotection after spinal cord injury, we used pregabalin. After spinal cord injury (SCI) in rats using contusion model, we observed the effect of pregabalin compared to that of the control and the methylprednisolone treated rats. We observed locomotor improvement of paralyzed hindlimb and body weight changes for clinical evaluation and caspase-3, bcl-2, and p38 MAPK expressions using western blotting. On histopathological analysis, we also evaluated reactive proliferation of glial cells. We were able to observe pregabalin's effectiveness as a neuroprotector after SCI in terms of the clinical indicators and the laboratory findings. The caspase-3 and phosphorylated p38 MAPK expressions of the pregabalin group were lower than those of the control group (statistically significant with caspase-3). Bcl-2 showed no significant difference between the control group and the treated groups. On the histopathological analysis, pregabalin treatment demonstrated less proliferation of the microglia and astrocytes. With this animal study, we were able to demonstrate reproducible results of pregabalin's neuroprotection effect. Diminished production of caspase-3 and phosphorylated p38 MAPK and as well as decreased proliferation of astrocytes were seen with the administration of pregabalin. This influence on spinal cord injury might be a possible approach for achieving neuroprotection following central nervous system trauma including spinal cord injury.
Animals ; Apoptosis/drug effects ; Astrocytes/drug effects/pathology ; Blotting, Western ; Body Weight/drug effects ; Caspase 3/genetics ; Cell Proliferation ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique ; Gene Expression ; Hindlimb/drug effects/pathology/physiopathology ; Inflammation ; Male ; Methylprednisolone/therapeutic use ; Microglia/drug effects/pathology ; Motor Activity/drug effects ; Neuroglia/*drug effects/pathology ; Neuroprotective Agents/*therapeutic use ; Paralysis/drug therapy ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2/genetics ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Spinal Cord Injuries/*drug therapy/pathology ; gamma-Aminobutyric Acid/*analogs & derivatives/therapeutic use ; p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases/genetics