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Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most important causative agent of cervical cancers worldwide. However, our understanding of how the vaginal microbiota might be associated with HPV infection is limited. In addition, the influence of human genetic and physiological factors on the vaginal microbiota is unclear. Studies on twins and their families provide the ideal settings to investigate the complicated nature of human microbiota. This study investigated the vaginal microbiota of 68 HPV-infected or uninfected female twins and their families using 454-pyrosequencing analysis targeting the variable region (V2–V3) of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene. Analysis of the vaginal microbiota from both premenopausal women and HPV-discordant twins indicated that HPV-positive women had significantly higher microbial diversity with a lower proportion of Lactobacillus spp. than HPV-negative women. Fusobacteria, including Sneathia spp., were identified as a possible microbiological marker associated with HPV infection. The vaginal microbiotas of twin pairs were significantly more similar to each other than to those from unrelated individuals. In addition, there were marked significant differences from those of their mother, possibly due to differences in menopausal status. Postmenopausal women had a lower proportion of Lactobacillus spp. and a significantly higher microbiota diversity. This study indicated that HPV infection was associated with the composition of the vaginal microbiota, which is influenced by multiple host factors such as genetics and menopause. The potential biological markers identified in this study could provide insight into HPV pathogenesis and may represent biological targets for diagnostics.

Sepsis represents a major cause of death in intensive care units. Here we show that administration of lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC), an endogenous lysophospholipid, protected mice against lethality after cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) or intraperitoneal injection of Escherichia coli. In vivo treatment with LPC markedly enhanced clearance of intraperitoneal bacteria and blocked CLP-induced deactivation of neutrophils. In vitro, LPC increased bactericidal activity of neutrophils, but not macrophages, by enhancing H(2)O(2) production in neutrophils that ingested E. coli. Incubation with an antibody to the LPC receptor, G2A, inhibited LPC-induced protection from CLP lethality and inhibited the effects of LPC in neutrophils. G2A-specific antibody also blocked the inhibitory effects of LPC on certain actions of lipopolysaccharides (LPS), including lethality and the release of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) from neutrophils. These results suggest that LPC can effectively prevent and treat sepsis and microbial infections.

Colorectal cancer is one of the most common causes of cancer morbidity both in men and in women. However, females over 65 years old show higher mortality and lower 5-year survival rate of colorectal cancer compared to their age-matched male counterparts. The objective of this review is to suggest gender-based innovations to improve colorectal cancer outcomes in females. Women have a higher risk of developing right-sided (proximal) colon cancer than men, which is associated with more aggressive form of neoplasia compared to left-sided (distal) colon cancer. Despite differences in tumor location between women and men, most of scientific researchers do not consider sex specificity for study design and interpretation. Also, colorectal cancer screening guidelines do not distinguish females from male, which may explain the higher frequency of more advanced neoplasia when tumors are first detected and false negative results in colonoscopy in females. Moreover, socio-cultural barriers within females are present to delay screening and diagnosis. Few studies, among studies that included both men and women, have reported sex-specific estimates of dietary risk factors which are crucial to establish cancer prevention guidelines despite sex- and gender-associated differences in nutrient metabolism and dietary practices. Furthermore, anti-cancer drug use for colorectal cancer treatment can cause toxicity to the reproductive system, and gender-specific recurrence and survival rates are reported. Therefore, by understanding sex- and gender-related biological and socio-cultural differences in colorectal cancer risk, gender-specific strategies for screening, treatment and prevention protocols can be established to reduce the mortality and improve the quality of life.

Highly stable and luminescent InP/GaP/ZnS QDs with a maximum quantum yield of 85% were synthesized by in situ method. The GaP shell rendered passivation of the surface and removed the traps. TCSPC data showed an evidence for the GaP shell. InP/GaP/ZnS QDs show better stability than InP/ZnS. We studied the optical properties of white QD-LEDs corresponding to various QD concentrations. Among various concentrations, the white QD-LEDs with 0.5 mL of QDs exhibited a luminous efficiency of 54.71 lm/W, Ra of 80.56, and CCT of 7864 K.

CorrectionsPHYSIOLOGY. For the article ''Ca 2ϩ sparks operated by membrane depolarization require isoform 3 ryanodine receptor channels in skeletal muscle,''

A speleothem δ 18O record from Xiaobailong cave in southwest China characterizes changes in summer monsoon precipitation in Northeastern India, the Himalayan foothills, Bangladesh, and northern Indochina over the last 252 kyr. This record is dominated by 23-kyr precessional cycles punctuated by prominent millennialscale oscillations that are synchronous with Heinrich events in the North Atlantic. It also shows clear glacial-interglacial variations that are consistent with marine and other terrestrial proxies but are different from the cave records in East China. Corroborated by isotope-enabled global circulation modeling, we hypothesize that this disparity reflects differing changes in atmospheric circulation and moisture trajectories associated with climate forcing as well as with associated topographic changes during glacial periods, in particular redistribution of air mass above the growing ice sheets and the exposure of the "land bridge" in the Maritime continents in the western equatorial Pacific.he Indian summer monsoon (ISM), a key component of tropical climate, provides vital precipitation to southern Asia. The ISM is characterized by two regions of precipitation maxima: a narrow coastal region along the Western Ghats, denoted by ISM A , with moisture from the Arabian Sea, and a broad "Monsoon Zone" around 20°N in northeastern India, denoted by ISM B , where storms emanate from the Bay of Bengal and whose rainfall variability is well correlated with that of "All India" rainfall (1). Multiple proxies obtained from Arabian Sea sediments have revealed the variability of summer monsoon winds on timescales of 10 1 to 10 5 y (e.g., refs. 2-6). Our understanding of the paleo-precipitation variability of ISM B remains incomplete, owing to the scarcity of long and high-resolution records. Here we present a 252,000-y-long speleothem δ 18 O record from Xiaobailong cave, southwest China and characterize variability in the ISM B precipitation on multiple timescales.Xiaobailong (XBL, "Little White Dragon") cave is located in Yunnan Province, southwestern China, near the southeastern edge of the Tibetan Plateau (103°21′E, 24°12′N, ∼1,500 m above sea level; SI Appendix, Fig. S1). Local climate is characterized by warm/wet summers and cool/dry winters. The mean annual precipitation of ∼960 mm falls mostly from June through September (∼80%) (SI Appendix, Fig. S2), indicating the summer monsoon rainfall dominates the annual precipitation at the cave site. The temperature in the cave is 17.2°C, close to local mean annual air temperature (17.3°C).Eight stalagmites were collected from the inner chamber (∼350 m from the entrance) of the cave, where humidity is ∼100% and ventilation is confined to a small crawl-in channel to the outer chamber. One hundred four 230 Th dates were determined on inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometers with typical relative error in age (2σ) of less than 1% (Methods and SI Appendix, Table S1 and Figs. S3 and S4). The ages vary monotonically with depth in the stalagmites (SI Appendix, Fig. S4...