Characterization of Imjin Virus, a Newly Isolated Hantavirus from the Ussuri White-Toothed Shrew (Crocidura lasiura)

ABSTRACT Until recently, the single known exception to the rodent-hantavirus association was Thottapalayam virus (TPMV), a long-unclassified virus isolated from the Asian house shrew (Suncus murinus). Robust gene amplification techniques have now uncovered several genetically distinct hantaviruses from shrews in widely separated geographic regions. Here, we report the characterization of a newly identified hantavirus, designated Imjin virus (MJNV), isolated from the lung tissues of Ussuri white-toothed shrews of the species Crocidura lasiura (order Soricomorpha, family Soricidae, subfamily Crocidurinae) captured near the demilitarized zone in the Republic of Korea during 2004 and 2005. Seasonal trapping revealed the highest prevalence of MJNV infection during the autumn, with evidence of infected shrews' clustering in distinct foci. Also, marked male predominance among anti-MJNV immunoglobulin G antibody-positive Ussuri shrews was found, whereas the male-to-female ratio among seronegative Ussuri shrews was near 1. Plaque reduction neutralization tests showed no cross neutralization for MJNV and rodent-borne hantaviruses but one-way cross neutralization for MJNV and TPMV. The nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequences for the different MJNV genomic segments revealed nearly the same calculated distances from hantaviruses harbored by rodents in the subfamilies Murinae, Arvicolinae, Neotominae, and Sigmodontinae. Phylogenetic analyses of full-length S, M, and L segment sequences demonstrated that MJNV shared a common ancestry with TPMV and remained in a distinct out-group, suggesting early evolutionary divergence. Studies are in progress to determine if MJNV is pathogenic for humans.

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Biological and Molecular Characterization of an American Sugar Beet-Infecting Beet western yellows virus Isolate

Plant Disease ◽

10.1094/pdis-92-1-0051 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 92 (1) ◽

pp. 51-60 ◽

Cited By ~ 21

Author(s):

Monique Beuve ◽

Mark Stevens ◽

Hsing-Yeh Liu ◽

William M. Wintermantel ◽

Sébastien Hauser ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Sugar Beet ◽

Molecular Characterization ◽

Phylogenetic Analyses ◽

Distinct Species ◽

Biological Data ◽

Amino Acid Sequences ◽

Reading Frame ◽

Beet Western Yellows Virus ◽

Turnip Yellows Virus

Three aphid-transmitted viruses belonging to the Polerovirus genus, Beet mild yellowing virus (BMYV), Beet chlorosis virus (BChV), and Beet western yellows virus (BWYV), have been described as pathogens of sugar beet. We present the complete biological, serological, and molecular characterization of an American isolate of Beet western yellows virus (BWYV-USA), collected from yellow beet leaves. The biological data suggested that BWYV-USA displayed a host range similar to that of BMYV, but distinct from those of BChV and the lettuce and rape isolates of Turnip yellows virus. The complete genomic RNA sequence of BWYV-USA showed a genetic organization and expression typical of other Polerovirus members. Comparisons of deduced amino acid sequences showed that P0 and the putative replicase complex (P1-P2) of BWYV-USA are more closely related to Cucurbit aphid-borne yellows virus (CABYV) than to BMYV, whereas alignments of P3, P4, and P5 showed the highest homology with BMYV. Intraspecific and interspecific phylogenetic analyses have suggested that the BWYV-USA genome may be the result of recombination events between a CABYV-like ancestor contributing open reading frame (ORF) 0, ORF 1, and ORF 2, and a beet Polerovirus progenitor providing the 3′ ORFs, with a similar mechanism of speciation occurring for BMYV in Europe. Results demonstrate that BWYV-USA is a distinct species in the Polerovirus genus, clarifying the nomenclature of this important group of viruses.

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Molecular characterization of novel mosquito-borne Rickettsia spp. from mosquitoes collected at the Demilitarized Zone of the Republic of Korea

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0188327 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 12 (11) ◽

pp. e0188327 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Alice N. Maina ◽

Terry A. Klein ◽

Heung-Chul Kim ◽

Sung-Tae Chong ◽

Yu Yang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Molecular Characterization ◽

Republic Of Korea ◽

Demilitarized Zone ◽

The Republic

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Colorectal cancer epidemiology: world trends and incidence of colon cancer in the Republic of Uzbekistan in 2012–2017

Pelvic Surgery and Oncology ◽

10.17650/2686-9594-2020-10-1-56-63 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (1) ◽

pp. 56-63

Author(s):

S. N. Navruzov ◽

D. A. Alieva ◽

E. E. Kulmiev

Keyword(s):

Colorectal Cancer ◽

Colon Cancer ◽

Cancer Incidence ◽

Epidemiological Studies ◽

Female Ratio ◽

Global Trends ◽

Incidence And Mortality ◽

Colorectal Cancer Incidence ◽

The Republic ◽

Male To Female

Objective: epidemiological evaluation of global trends in colorectal cancer and assessment of colon cancer incidence in the Republic of Uzbekistan in 2012–2017.Materials and methods. We used GLOBOCAN data to analyze the situation with colorectal cancer worldwide. We also assessed the incidence of colon cancer, trends, and mean age of patients (by years) registered in the Republic of Uzbekistan. This article emphasizes the need for epidemiological studies of colorectal cancer in Uzbekistan.Results. World trends in colorectal cancer incidence and mortality indicate that these parameters vary across different regions and depend on the economic situation. There are also some sex differences: men are more likely to develop colorectal cancer than women (male to female ratio 1.25:1.0). The number of patient died of colorectal cancer is growing; the male to female ratio is 1.22:1.0.Conclusions. Our assessment of epidemiological situation of colon cancer in the Republic of Uzbekistan demonstrated that its incidence tends to increase, which necessitates further research evaluating regional differences and risk factors for colorectal cancer.

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Congenital tricuspid regurgitation: review and a proposed new classification

Cardiology in the Young ◽

10.1017/s104795111000168x ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 21 (2) ◽

pp. 121-129 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Anubhav Gupta ◽

Vijay Grover ◽

Vijay K. Gupta

Keyword(s):

Tricuspid Regurgitation ◽

Rare Condition ◽

Anatomical Variations ◽

Tricuspid Valve Repair ◽

New Classification ◽

Female Ratio ◽

Male Predominance ◽

Reference Sections ◽

The Mean ◽

Male To Female

AbstractBackground and aimCongenital tricuspid regurgitation is an extremely rare condition. The morphologic heterogeneity makes it difficult to derive any conclusions regarding the best strategy for management of this condition.MethodsWe analysed the published literature on “congenital tricuspid regurgitation” using MEDLINE. In addition, the reference sections of all relevant articles were searched to identify additional cases. Studies published till June 2009 are included.ResultsAs far as we could establish, there were 123 cases of congenital tricuspid regurgitation. Of these, 63 were documented during surgery, 38 during autopsy, and 22 were diagnosed by echocardiography or cardiac catheterisation. The mean age was 22.57 years, with a standard deviation of 23.42 years, and the age ranged from 1 day to 80 years, with a median of 16 years. There was a male predominance, with a male-to-female ratio of approximately 3:2.ConclusionCongenital tricuspid regurgitation is an uncommon clinical entity with wide anatomical variations. The severity of disease dictates the presentation in infancy, childhood, or adulthood. Tricuspid valve repair is the ideal treatment whenever feasible, especially in children. We propose a new classification for congenital tricuspid regurgitation, which not only includes the anatomical variations, but can also help the surgeon in deciding on the best strategy for management.

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Characterization of a Knock-In Mouse Model with a Huntingtin Exon 1 Deletion

Journal of Huntington s Disease ◽

10.3233/jhd-210494 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-20

Author(s):

Elise M. Braatz ◽

Emily A. André ◽

Jeh-Ping Liu ◽

Scott O. Zeitlin

Keyword(s):

Dna Damage ◽

Critical Role ◽

Motor Tasks ◽

Female Ratio ◽

Damage Repair ◽

Exon 1 ◽

Male To Female ◽

Terminal Domains

Background: The Huntingtin (HTT) N-terminal domains encoded by Huntingtin’s (HTT) exon 1 consist of an N17 domain, the polyglutamine (polyQ) stretch and a proline-rich region (PRR). These domains are conserved in mammals and have been hypothesized to modulate HTT’s functions in the developing and adult CNS, including DNA damage repair and autophagy. Objective: This study longitudinally characterizes the in vivo consequences of deleting the murine Htt N-terminal domains encoded by Htt exon 1. Methods: Knock-in mice with a deletion of Htt exon 1 sequences (Htt ΔE1) were generated and bred into the C57BL/6J congenic genetic background. Their behavior, DNA damage response, basal autophagy, and glutamatergic synapse numbers were evaluated. Results: Progeny from Htt ΔE1/+ intercrosses are born at the expected Mendelian frequency but with a distorted male to female ratio in both the Htt ΔE1/ΔE1 and Htt +/+ offspring. Htt ΔE1/ΔE1 adults exhibit a modest deficit in accelerating rotarod performance, and an earlier increase in cortical and striatal DNA damage with elevated neuronal pan-nuclear 53bp1 levels compared to Htt +/+ mice. However, a normal response to induced DNA damage, normal levels of basal autophagy markers, and no significant differences in corticocortical, corticostriatal, thalamocortical, or thalamostriatal synapses numbers were observed compared to controls. Conclusion: Our results suggest that deletion of the Htt N-terminus encoded by the Htt exon 1 does not affect Htt’s critical role during embryogenesis, but instead, may have a modest effect on certain motor tasks, basal levels of DNA damage in the brain, and Htt function in the testis.

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A contemporary review of venous adventitial cystic disease and three case reports

Phlebology The Journal of Venous Disease ◽

10.1177/0268355513516948 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 30 (1) ◽

pp. 11-16 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

YueXin Chen ◽

RuiXue Sun ◽

Jiang Shao ◽

YongJun Li ◽

ChangWei Liu

Keyword(s):

Case Reports ◽

Femoral Vein ◽

Anticoagulation Therapy ◽

Cystic Disease ◽

Female Ratio ◽

Common Femoral Vein ◽

Male Predominance ◽

Adventitial Cystic Disease ◽

Male To Female

Venous adventitial cystic disease is a rare vascular disease. The objective of the study is to contemporarily review the literature of venous adventitial cystic disease and report three other new cases of adventitial cystic disease in common femoral vein. Articles published between 1947 and April 2013 were searched in OVID and PubMed databases. The search yielded only 38 reported cases of venous adventitial cystic disease. The general characteristics and disease management information of the 41 cases (including our current 3 cases) were analyzed. Venous adventitial cystic disease could develop late in life with an average age of 48.39 years (range, 5 to 77 years). Similar to arterial adventitial cystic disease, venous adventitial cystic disease was also found to have a male predominance (male to female ratio, 1.28:1). The common femoral vein was the most likely vein to be involved (65.9%, 27 cases). Right and left sides were almost equally affected. Extremity swelling (86.8%, 33 cases) was the main symptom of patients presenting with venous adventitial cystic disease. Excision of cyst wall in 30 patients (73.2%) was the main surgical procedure with a recurrence rate of 11.5%. Thirteen involved veins were resected; of which, 10 were reconstructed with prosthetic or autologous graft. No recurrence was reported in these 13 patients. Postoperatively, nine cases received an anticoagulation therapy. In conclusion, the etiology, treatment strategy, and outcomes of venous adventitial cystic disease could not be well understood in the present review due to limited numbers of cases. Studies with careful follow-up for at least up to first several months are recommended.

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Identification and Genetic Characterization of a Novel Respirovirus in Alpine Chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra rupicapra)

Animals ◽

10.3390/ani10040704 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (4) ◽

pp. 704

Author(s):

Camilla Luzzago ◽

Erika Ebranati ◽

Antonio Lavazza ◽

Martina Besozzi ◽

Gianguglielmo Zehender ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Genetic Characterization ◽

Phylogenetic Analyses ◽

Amino Acid Sequences ◽

Species Demarcation Criterion ◽

Demarcation Criterion ◽

Protein Amino Acid ◽

Rupicapra Rupicapra ◽

Separate Branch ◽

Alpine Chamois

The Respirovirus genus, family Paramamixoviridae, includes respiratory viral pathogens. Here we report the identification and genetic characterization of a respirovirus in an Alpine chamois showing interstitial pneumonia associated with catarrhal bronchopneumonia. The full-genome characterization of this respirovirus, named ChamoisRV/IT2014, revealed low similarities to caprine respirovirus (77.1%), bovine respirovirus (74.5%) and human respirovirus (72.0%). The phylogenetic analyses based on the full-length genome sequence of the novel isolate and reference respirovirus strains showed that ChamoisRV/IT2014 clustered with caprine respirovirus but formed a separate branch. The phylogenetic tree topology of complete large protein amino acid sequences, representing the current species demarcation criterion for Respirovirus genus, showed a 0.05 branch length of ChamoisRV/IT2014 sequence between the nearest node and the tip of the branch, suggesting that this virus belongs to a novel species. This new isolate in a new host species raises several questions to be addressed on the epidemiological role of chamois and the risks of cross-transmission between wild ruminants and livestock.

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Detection and Genetic Characterization of Puumala Orthohantavirus S-Segment in Areas of France Non-Endemic for Nephropathia Epidemica

Pathogens ◽

10.3390/pathogens9090721 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 9 (9) ◽

pp. 721

Author(s):

Séverine Murri ◽

Sarah Madrières ◽

Caroline Tatard ◽

Sylvain Piry ◽

Laure Benoit ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Amino Acid ◽

Bank Vole ◽

Phylogenetic Analyses ◽

Hemorrhagic Fever ◽

Nephropathia Epidemica ◽

Amino Acid Sequences ◽

Bank Voles ◽

History Of ◽

Endemic Areas

Puumala virus (PUUV) in Europe causes nephropathia epidemica (NE), a mild form of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS). The incidence of NE is highly heterogeneous spatially, whereas the geographic distribution of the wild reservoir of PUUV, the bank vole, is essentially homogeneous. Our understanding of the processes driving this heterogeneity remains incomplete due to gaps in knowledge. Little is known about the current distribution and genetic variation of PUUV in the areas outside the well-identified zones of NE endemicity. We trapped bank voles in four forests in French regions in which NE is considered non-endemic, but sporadic NE cases have been reported recently. We tested bank voles for anti-PUUV IgG and characterized the S segment sequences of PUUV from seropositive animals. Phylogenetic analyses revealed specific amino-acid signatures and genetic differences between PUUV circulating in non-endemic and nearby NE-endemic areas. We also showed, in temporal surveys, that the amino-acid sequences of PUUV had undergone fewer recent changes in areas non-endemic for NE than in endemic areas. The evolutionary history of the current French PUUV clusters was investigated by phylogeographic approaches, and the results were considered in the context of the history of French forests. Our findings highlight the need to monitor the circulation and genetics of PUUV in a larger array of bank vole populations, to improve our understanding of the risk of NE.

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PHYLOGENETIC ANALYSIS OFNa+/K+ATPase: INSIGHT INTO THE MECHANISM FOR THE GENESIS OF MULTI-ISOFORMS OF PROTEIN COMPLEX

Journal of Biological System ◽

10.1142/s0218339005001537 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 13 (03) ◽

pp. 299-312 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

FEI MA ◽

HUIFANG HUANG ◽

LUPING LIN ◽

CHENGHAI XUE ◽

JESSE LI-LING ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Protein Complex ◽

Phylogenetic Analyses ◽

Amino Acid Sequences ◽

Evolutionary Divergence ◽

Β Subunit ◽

Α Subunit ◽

Duplication Events ◽

Α And Β Subunits ◽

Underlying Mechanisms ◽

Insight Into

One most notable trend during the evolution is the substantial expansion of genomes along with dramatic expansion of protein diversity. It has been discovered that, whilst in prokaryotes subunits of many proteinases are encoded by single genes, these are mostly encoded by multi-genes in eukaryotes. To understand the mechanism for the genesis of multi-isoforms of protein complex, we have analyzed amino acid sequences of Na+/ K+ATPase from various species ranging from archaea to vertebrates. Phylogenetic relationship between the selected species was considered from the perspective of important functional domains of Na+/ K+ATPase including cation ATPase N termination, E1-E2 ATPase, hydrolase, and cation ATPase C termination of the α subunit, Na+/ K+ATPase of the β subunit, and ATP1G1_PLM_MAT8 of the γ subunit. Coincident trees, obtained through comparison of aforementioned domains of the α and β subunits, were used to examine the evolutionary divergence. By conservational and phylogenetic analyses, evolution of the Na+/ K+ATPase was outlined. Evidence was also found that essential domains of the Na+/ K+ATPase have been conserved during the evolution. These investigations seem to imply that various isoforms of α and β subunits of vertebral Na+/ K+ATPases have evolved from single ancestral α and β subunit genes through duplication events. In addition, our results seem to suggest a third fate for duplicated genes, e.g. the duplicate may have the same function as their ancestor gene. The results may also provide important clues to the underlying mechanisms of genesis of Na+/ K+ATPase multi-isoforms.

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Declining Frequency of Circumcision: Implications for Changes in the Absolute Incidence and Male to Female Sex Ratio of Urinary Tract Infections in Early Infancy

PEDIATRICS ◽

10.1542/peds.79.3.338 ◽

1987 ◽

Vol 79 (3) ◽

pp. 338-342

Author(s):

Thomas E. Wiswell ◽

Robert W. Enzenauer ◽

Mark E. Holton ◽

J. Devn Cornish ◽

Charles T. Hankins

Keyword(s):

Urinary Tract ◽

Sex Ratio ◽

Urinary Tract Infections ◽

Early Infancy ◽

Female Ratio ◽

Male Predominance ◽

Female Sex ◽

Frequency Rate ◽

Tract Infections ◽

Male To Female

The results of an investigation examining the circumcision frequency rate and its effect on the incidence of urinary tract infections in a large, widely dispersed population base during the 10-year period since the 1975 report of the American Academy of Pediatrics Ad Hoc Task Force on Circumcision are reported. Our study population included the 427,698 infants born in all United States Army hospitals, worldwide, from Jan 1, 1975, through Dec 31, 1984. There was an initial plateau in the circumcision frequency rate at approximately 85% during the first 4 years of the study period. In the subsequent 6 years there was a steady, significant decrease (P < .001) of 1.4% to 4.0% per year through 1984, when the circumcision frequency rate reached its nadir of 70.5%. There was a concomitant increase in the total number of urinary tract infections among male infants (P < .02) as the circumcision rate declined. This increase was due to the increase in the overall number of uncircumcised boys (who had a greater than 11-fold increased infection rate compared with circumcised boys). During the first half of the study period, there was a female predominance for urinary tract infections from birth onward. As the number of circumcised boys decreased (with a resultant increase in the total number of boys with infection), the male to female ratio of urinary tract infections during the first 3 months of life reversed, reflecting a movement toward a male predominance for infection in early infancy. This is the first, well-documented report of a decreasing rate of circumcisions performed on the American male population. We conclude that the number of urinary tract infections in male infants, as well as the male to female sex ratio, is affected by the circumcision practices of the population examined.

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