Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been implicated in numerous biological processes, including epigenetic regulation, cell-cycle control, and transcriptional/translational regulation of gene expression. Differential expression of lncRNAs and disruption of the regulatory processes are recognized as critical steps in cancer development. The role of lncRNAs in hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is not well understood. Here we analyzed the expression of 135 lncRNAs in plasma samples of 82 HBV patients (classified as chronic patients, inactive carriers, or resolved patients) at diagnosis and at 12 months of treatment in relation to control group (81 healthy volunteers). We also investigated the effect of small interfering RNA (siRNA)-mediated silencing of lincRNA-SFMBT2 on HBV-positive human liver cancer cell line. lncRNA expression was analyzed by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Chemically synthesized siRNAs were transfected into the cell lines using Lipofectamine 2000 Reagent (Thermo Fisher Scientific). HBV DNA and HBsAg and HBeAg were detected in transfected cultures by real-time PCR and ELISA, respectively, using commercial kits. We observed changes in lncRNA expression in all three HBV groups, compared to control group. Most notably, the expression of anti-NOS2A, lincRNA-SFMBT2, and Zfhx2as was significantly increased and expression of Y5 lncRNA was decreased in chronic HBV patients. A decreased Y5 expression and increased lincRNA-SFMBT2 expression were observed in inactive HBsAg carriers. The expression of HOTTIP, MEG9, and PCAT-32 was increased in resolved HBV patients, and no significant change in the expression of Y5 was observed, compared to control group. siRNA-mediated inhibition of lincRNA-SFMBT2 decreased the level of HBV DNA in human liver cancer cells. Further research is needed to confirm the prognostic as well as therapeutic role of these lncRNAs in HBV patients.
Objective: Enterococci can cause urinary tract infection, wound infection and bacteremia. It is one of the most commonly detected agents in hospitalacquired infections. Increasing resistance to antibiotics has been observed in enterococci in recent years. The distribution of enterococci isolated from cultures and antibiotic resistance may vary between health care centers, so it would be beneficial for each center to evaluate its own results at certain intervals. The aim of this study is to determine the antibiotic resistance rates of Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium strains isolated from urine, blood, wound, sputum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) specimens of patients hospitalized in our hospital, such as ampicillin, gentamicin, streptomycin, ciprofloxacin, vancomycin, teicoplanin and linezolid. Methods: Between January 2010 and January 2015, 390 Enterococcus strains isolated from various clinical specimens of patients in İzmir Tepecik Training and Research Hospital were evaluated retrospectively. Identification and antibiotic susceptibility testing of the enterococci strains were performed by fully ÖZET Amaç: Enterokoklar idrar yolu yara yeri enfeksiyonları ile bakteriyemiye neden olabilmektedir. Hastane kökenli Geliş Tarihi /
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