Bmc Med
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Whole sporozoite immunization with Plasmodium falciparum strain NF135 in a randomized trial.
Whole sporozoite immunization under chemoprophylaxis (CPS regime) induces long-lasting sterile homologous protection in the controlled human malaria infection model using Plasmodium falciparum strain NF54. The relative proficiency of liver-stage parasite development may be an important factor determining immunization efficacy. Previous studies show that Plasmodium falciparum strain NF135 produces relatively high numbers of large liver-stage schizonts in vitro. Here, we evaluate this strain for use in CPS immunization regimes. ⋯ These CPS regimes using NF135 were relatively poorly tolerated and frequently required rescue treatment, thereby compromising immunization efficiency and protective efficacy. Consequently, the full potential of NF135 sporozoites for induction of immune protection remains inconclusive. Nonetheless, the high liver-stage burden achieved by this strain highlights it as an interesting potential candidate for novel whole sporozoite immunization approaches.
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Bladder cancer (BC) is among the most common cancers diagnosed in men in the USA. The current gold standards for the diagnosis of BC are invasive or lack the sensitivity to correctly identify the disease. ⋯ Given the high sensitivity (97%) of urine D-dimer for BC, it may have a role in the initial diagnosis or detection of cancer recurrence. On the other hand, urine IL-8 and IgA may have the potential in identifying disease progression during patient follow-up. The use of these biomarkers for initial triage could have a significant impact as the current cystoscopy-based diagnostic and surveillance approach is costly and invasive when compared to a simple urine test.
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Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection causes aberrant DNA methylation and contributes to the risk of gastric cancer (GC). Guanine nucleotide-binding protein subunit beta-4 (GNB4) is involved in various tumorigenic processes. We found an aberrant methylation level of GNB4 in H. pylori-induced GC in our previous bioinformatic analysis; however, its expression and underlying molecular mechanisms are poorly understood. ⋯ Our findings demonstrate that H. pylori infection activates the NF-κB-TET1-GNB4 demethylation-YAP1 axis, which may be a potential therapeutic target for GC.
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Fresh vegetable consumption has been associated with lower incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, whether preserved vegetable consumption is linked with CVD and mortality remains unclear. This study aimed to assess the associations of preserved vegetable consumption with all-cause and cause-specific mortality. ⋯ Frequent consumption of preserved vegetables was associated with higher risk of mortality from hemorrhagic stroke and esophageal cancer in China. Our findings suggest limiting preserved vegetable consumption might be protective for premature death from hemorrhagic stroke and digestive tract cancer.