Aging associated DNA hypomethylation of LINE-1 and Alu retroelements may be a crucial determinant of loss of genomic integrity, deterioration and cancer. In peripheral blood LINE-1 hypomethylation has been reported to increase during aging, but other studies did not observe significant changes. We hypothesized that these apparently inconsistent reports might relate to differences between cellular and cell-free DNA. Using the technique of idiolocal normalization of real-time methylation-specific PCR (IDLN-MSP) for genetic imbalanced DNA specimens we obtained evidence that LINE-1 hypomethylation in cell-free DNA, but not cellular DNA from peripheral blood is an epigenetic biomarker for human aging. Furthermore, hypomethylation of cell-free DNA is more extensive in smokers, suggesting that it might be used as a surrogate marker for monitoring the improvement of smoking-induced adverse effects after cancelling smoking.
Carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae have been steadily spreading worldwide during the last decade. Nine patients were identified prospectively and were followed during their hospitalization course to identify the epidemiology, clinical profiles and outcomes. These patients had one or more cultures positive for a CRE isolate, contributing to a total of eleven positive cultures from various sites without including duplicates of isolates obtained from the same site. Isolates from these patients included five Klebseilla pneumoniae, three Escherichia coli, and one Enterobacter aerogenes. Five isolates were grown from blood cultures, three from wound cultures, one from urine cultures, one from respiratory cultures and one from an abscess collection. Five survived the hospital course. The other five patients died due to severe sepsis, septic shock or multi-organ failure. Of the nine isolates of CRE identified for which molecular analysis were available, four K. pneumonia were confirmed as blaNDM and one as OXA-48. For the purpose of controlling the spread of CRE in our institution, we recommend considering active surveillance cultures and screening patients transferred from other hospitals or coming from highly endemic settings at admission for these organisms.
Summaryobjectives To describe the epidemiology of rotavirus and norovirus infection among children with acute gastroenteritis in Sana'a, Yemen. conclusions Rotavirus and norovirus infections are common causes of gastroenteritis in Yemen. Rotavirus vaccines could play a significant role in the control of acute childhood diarrhoea in this setting.keywords norovirus, rotavirus, Yemen
Background. Stenotrophomonas maltophilia is an emerging pathogen classified as a public health concern, that infects critically ill patients and has expressed resistance against antimicrobial therapy. The aim of this study was to examine the epidemiological pattern, resistance characteristics and clinical outcomes of S. maltophilia infections in hospitalized patients. Methods. The study included 393 S. maltophilia isolates from different clinical specimens as well as the clinical data of 209 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) patients. The patients’ data were obtained from medical and laboratory files. Descriptive statistics and a univariate analysis were used to report and compare the demographics, clinical data, and outcomes. Results. The S. maltophilia was mostly isolated from the respiratory specimens of ICU patients. The adult patients were more likely to develop serious infections and worse outcomes than were pediatric patients. The most common co-infecting pathogens were SARS-CoV2 and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The death rate was 44.5% and increased to 47.1% in the case of a respiratory infection. Septic shock was the most significant predictor of mortality. Older age and mechanical ventilation were independent and significant risk factors that worsened the outcomes in patients with respiratory infections. Conclusions. The identification of S. maltophilia as a threat highlights the importance of surveillance studies in this region.
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