Hyperhomocysteinemia and Associated Biological Markers in a Congolese Population of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Brazzaville

The search for new biomarkers predictive of type 2 diabetes currently constitutes a research avenue in Bioclinical. Total homocysteine remains a preferred target due to its involvement in the occurrence of degenerative complications in type 2 diabetics. The aim of this work was to study hyperhomocysteinemia and other biochemical markers associated with T2D in the Congolese population. This was an analytical case-control study carried out between October 2022 and October 2023. The study population consisted of 150 subjects including 100 T2D patients and 50 control subjects. The main clinical data were collected on a pre-established form. Homocysteine determination was carried out by the sandwich ELISA method. The other biochemical markers were measured by colorimetric enzymatic methods. Hyperhomocysteinemia was present in 27.3% (41/150) of the entire study population. Type 2 diabetics had a frequency of hyperhomocysteinemia of 36% (36/100) and control 10% (5/50) (p = 0.001). The mean hyperhomocysteinemia concentration was 31.9 μmol/l with extremes ranging from 18 to 103 μmol/l. Means of biological markers between diabetics and controls showed a statistically significant difference (p = 0.01). The risk factors associated with this HHcy were: sex (OR = 3.5), age (OR = 9.4), sedentary lifestyle (OR = 3.4) and glycosylated hemoglobin (OR = 12) with a p-value <0.05 respectively. Our results suggest that hyperhomocysteinemia can be considered as a predictive biomarker in the bioclinic of Congolese type 2 diabetic patients.

The impact of prehospital blood sampling on the emergency department process of patients with chest pain:a pragmatic non-randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND:In patients with chest pain who arrive at the emergency department(ED)by ambulance,venous access is frequently established prehospital,and could be utilized to sample blood.Prehospital blood sampling may save time in the diagnostic process.In this study,the association of prehospital blood draw with blood sample arrival times,troponin turnaround times,and ED length of stay(LOS),number of blood sample mix-ups and blood sample quality were assessed.METHODS:The study was conducted from October 1,2019 to February 29,2020.In patients who were transported to the ED with acute chest pain with low suspicion for acute coronary syndrome(ACS),outcomes were compared between cases,in whom prehospital blood draw was performed,and controls,in whom blood was drawn at the ED.Regression analyses were used to assess the association of prehospital blood draw with the time intervals.RESULTS:Prehospital blood draw was performed in 100 patients.In 406 patients,blood draw was performed at the ED.Prehospital blood draw was independently associated with shorter blood sample arrival times,shorter troponin turnaround times and decreased LOS(P<0.001).No differences in the number of blood sample mix-ups and quality were observed(P>0.05).CONCLUSION:For patients with acute chest pain with low suspicion for ACS,prehospital blood sampling is associated with shorter time intervals,while there were no significant differences between the two groups in the validity of the blood samples.

In vitro antioxidant and wound healing activity of Sargassum polycystum hydroethanolic extract in fibroblasts and keratinocytes

Objective:To investigate the in vitro antioxidant and wound healing properties of the hydroethanolic extract of Sargassum polycystum,and elucidate the mechanism of its wound healing activity.Methods:Human dermal fibroblast and HaCaT cells were used to evaluate the proliferation by sulforhodamine B and dsDNA assay after treatment with Sargassum polycystum extracts.Scratch wound healing and phalloidin-rhodamine staining were employed to observe migratory activity and filopodia formation,respectively.Western blot and real-time RT-PCR assays were performed to determine the protein and gene expressions related to wound healing activities.Results:The phytochemical analysis found a higher level of flavonoid than phenolic compound in Sargassum polycystum extracts.In human dermal fibroblast cells,Sargassum polycystum extracts at 50 and 100μg/mL significantly increased fibroblast proliferation and the gene expressions of hyaluronic acid synthase 1(HAS1),HAS2,HAS3,collagen type 1 alpha 1 chain(COL1A1),collagen type 3 alpha 1 chain(COL3A1),and elastin.The phosphorylation of Akt,ERK1/2,and p38 MAPK was also significantly upregulated after treatment with Sargassum polycystum extracts.Additionally,50 and 100μg/mL of the extracts prominently enhanced the proliferation,migration,and filopodia formation of HaCaT cells,as well as the protein levels of pFAK/FAK,pSrc/Src,pAkt/Akt,pERK1/2/ERK1/2,Rac1 and Cdc42.Conclusions:Sargassum polycystum extracts show promising wound healing activities in human dermal fibroblasts and keratinocytes.

Misdiagnosis of Sexually Transmitted Diseases in Hong Kong Outpatient Private Healthcare

Background and objective: Early and accurate diagnosis is one of the critical requirements for successful management of all diseases. Yet, delayed diagnosis and misdiagnosis remain as vital problems, consequently impose adverse effects on patient treatment. Sexually transmitted disease (STD) is one of the most common infectious diseases, and more than one million of STD cases are acquired every day globally. Misdiagnosis of STD inevitably exists, therefore should not be overlooked. Being a medical diagnostic laboratory providing various STDs diagnosing service in Hong Kong, we aimed to determine the misdiagnosis rate of STDs and investigate the possible underlying cause. Methods: Specimens were collected for STD diagnosis from multiple clinics during 1 June 2021 to 20 October 2021 from different clinics and hospitals were included in the study. DNA extraction was performed using magnetic bead based method;then the extracted DNA was tested using the DiagCor GenoFlowTM STD Array kit to detect the existence of any targeted pathogens. Results: 1459 specimens were collected and included during the designated time period, with 643 specimens found to be positive with at least one targeted STD pathogen. 494 of these were found to be aligned with test ordered by physicians, and the remaining 149 positive cases had at least one pathogen detected but not requested to be tested by the physicians resulting in misdiagnosis. The overall misdiagnosis rate was determined to be 23.2% (149/643), with high frequency of misdiagnosis occurred to tests ordered for one to three pathogens detection. Also, Ureaplasma urealyticum and/or Ureaplasma parvum (UU/UP) was the commonest pathogen detected in this study. Conclusion: The findings suggested incorrect test selection made by physicians was one of the major reasons of STDs misdiagnosis in outpatient settings. To reduce diagnostic errors in STD diagnosis, physicians are encouraged to select and request test that allow detection of multiple pathogens, as co-infection of multiple pathogens in STD patients is commonly observed. The correct selection of test would not only benefit the patient, but also the public health.

Drug-induced sarcoidosis-like reaction three months after BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccination:A case report and review of literature

BACKGROUND A 70-year-old man with hepatitis C virus-related recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma was admitted for further diagnosis of a 1 cm iso-hyperechoic nodule in segment(S)5.CASE SUMMARY Gadolinium ethoxybenzyl diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging(EOB-MRI)revealed the nodule in S5 with a defect at the hepatobiliary phase,hyperintensity on diffusion weighted imaging(DWI)and hypointensity on apparent diffusion coefficient(ADC)map.Contrast-enhanced computed tomography revealed hypervascularity at the early phase,and delayed contrast-enhancement was observed at the late phase.Contrast-enhanced ultrasound(US)revealed incomplete defect at the late vascular phase.Inflammatory liver tumor,lymphoproliferative disease,intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma(small duct type)and bile duct adenoma were suspected through the imaging studies.US guided biopsy,however,showed a noncaseating hepatic sarcoid-like epithelioid granuloma(HSEG),and histopathological analysis disclosed spindle shaped epithelioid cells harboring Langhans-type multinucleated giant cells.One month after admission,EOB-MRI signaled the disappearance of the defect at the hepatobiliary phase,of hyperintensity on DWI,of hypointensity on ADC map,and no stain at the early phase.CONCLUSION That the patient had received BNT162b2 messenger RNA(mRNA)coronavirus disease 2019 vaccination 3 mo before the occurrence of HSEG,and that its disappearance was confirmed 4 mo after mRNA vaccination suggested that the drug-induced sarcoidosis-like reaction(DISR)might be induced by the mRNA vaccination.Fortunately,rechallenge of drug-induced DISR with the third mRNA vaccination was not confirmed.

Histopathological Evaluation of the Cardiotoxicity of Dihydroartemisinin-Piperaquine on Male Albino Rats

Problem Statement: Malaria’s global impact necessitates effective treatments, like dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine (DHA/PQP), though safety concerns, notably drug-induced cardiotoxicity (DICT), persist. A knowledge gap exists regarding DHA/PQP’s cardiac effects, warranting a comprehensive investigation. Approach: This study aimed to assess KROSH (DHA/PQP) impact on albino rat heart histology, examining structural changes and potential cardiotoxicity. 40 albino rats were grouped by KROSH dosage and duration, monitored for weight changes, and heart tissues were examined using hematoxylin and eosin (H & E) staining. Statistical analysis compared to control and treated groups. Results: KROSH administration led to varying rat weight effects, yet not statistically significant. Histological analysis revealed dose and duration-dependent cardiac tissue alterations, including distortion, adipose deposits, artery hypertrophy, fibrosis, and necrosis. These contrasts with prior research documenting DHA/PQP’s non-toxic effects. Conclusion/Recommendation: This study highlights potential KROSH (DHA/PQP) cardiotoxicity concerns through histological changes, underscoring the need for further research into underlying mechanisms and human health implications. Given DHA/PQP’s wide use, these findings should inform safety evaluations and administration practices.

Analysis of the Factors Influencing the Participation of University Students in Rural Education for Poverty Alleviation

The principle of“poverty alleviation first helps the poor”is fundamental to poverty alleviation through education in rural areas.It serves as an important foundation for improving the soft power of rural culture and promoting the development of rural cultural construction.However,college students,being one of the main participants in educational poverty alleviation,have not been equipped with a well-established institutionalized participation mechanism and a sufficient awareness of participation.To enhance college students’awareness and participation in rural education and poverty alleviation and to improve the institutionalization,this research focuses on college students as a group,delves into the current situation and willingness of college students to participate in rural education and poverty alleviation,and analyzes the influencing factors affecting college students’participation in rural education and poverty alleviation by means of a questionnaire and a computerized statistical algorithm.Lastly,based on mathematical and statistical analysis,the research puts forward corresponding optimization countermeasures and suggestions from the perspectives of the government,colleges and universities,and villages,so as to provide decision-making guidelines for solving the problems of rural education development and talent constraints.

Genomic imbalances in esophageal carcinoma cell lines involve Wnt pathway genes

AIM： To identify molecular markers shared across South African esophageal squamous cell carcinoma （ESCC） cell lines using o/togenetics, fluorescence in situ hybridization （FISH） and single nucleotide polymorphism （SNP） array copy number analysis. METHODS： We used conventional cytogenetics, FISH, and multicolor FISH to characterize the chromosomal rearrangements of five ESCC cell lines established in South Africa. The whole genome copy number profile was established from 250K SNP arrays, and data was analyzed with the CNAT 4.0 and GISTIC software. tions involved the following chromosomal regions and genes： 11q13.3 （CCND1, FGF3, FGF4, FGF19, MYEOV）, 8q24.21（C-MYC, FAM84B）, 11q22.1-q22.3 （B[RC2, BIRC3）, 5p15.2 （CTNND2）, 3qll.2-q12.2 （MINA） and 18p11.32 （TYMS, YES1）. The significant deletions included 1p31.2-p31.1 （CTH, GADD45a, DIRAS3）, 2q22.1 （LRPIB）, 3p12.1-p14.2 （FHIT）, 4q22.1-q32.1 （CASP6, SMAD1）, 8p23.2-q11.1 （BNIP3L） and 18q21.1-q21.2 （SMAD4, DCC）. The 3p11.2 translocation breakpoint was shared across four cell lines, supporting a role for genes involved at this site, in particular, the EPHA3 gene which has previously been reported to be deleted in ESCC.CONCLUSION： The finding that a significant number of genes that were amplified （FGF3, FGF4, FGF19, CCND1 and C-MYC） or deleted （SFRP2 gene） are involved in the Wnt and fibroblast growth factor signaling pathways, suggests that these pathways may be activated in these cell lines.

Neurotensin receptor 1 overexpression in inflammatory bowel diseases and colitis-associated neoplasia

AIM: To explore the association of neurotensin receptor 1 (NTSR1) with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) and colitis-associated neoplasia. METHODS: NTSR1 was detected by immunohistochemistry in clinical samples of colonic mucosa with IBD colitis, colitis-associated raised low-grade dysplasia (LGD) including dysplasia-associated lesions or masses (DALMs, n = 18) and adenoma-like dysplastic polyps (ALDPs, n = 4), colitis-associated high-grade dysplasia (HGD, n = 11) and colitis-associated colorectal carcinoma (CACRC, n = 13), sporadic colorectal adenomatous polyp (SAP, n = 17), and sporadic colorectal carcinoma (SCRC, n = 12). The immunoreactivity of NTSR1 was semiquantitated (as negative, 1+, 2+, and 3+) and compared among different conditions.RESULTS: NTSR1 was not detected in normal mucosa but was expressed similarly in both active and inactive colitis. LGD showed a significantly stronger expression as compared with non-dysplastic colitic mucosa, with significantly more cases showing > 2+ intensity (68.75% in LGD vs 32.26% in nondysplastic mucosa, P = 0.001). However, no significant difference existed between DALMs and ALDPs. CACRC and HGD showed a further stronger expression, with significantly more cases showing 3+ intensity than that in LGD (61.54% vs 12.50% for CACRC vs LGD, P = 0.022; 58.33% vs 12.50% for CACRC/HGD vs LGD, P = 0.015). No significant difference existed between colitis-associated and non-colitic sporadic neoplasia. CONCLUSION: NTSR1 in colonic epithelial cells is overexpressed in IBD, in a stepwise fashion with sequential progress from inflammation to dysplasia and carcinoma.

Features of Ciguatera Fish Poisoning Cases in Hong Kong 2004-2007

Ohjective To review the clinical features and laboratory investigations of ciguatera patients in Hong Kong between 2004 and 2007 in order to show the timely sampling of implicated fish from ciguatera victims and application of validated mouse bioassay for confirming suspected clinical cases of ciguatera. Methods Diagnosis of the ciguatera victims was based on history of coral fish consumption and clinical presentations stated in official guidelines for clinical diagnosis of ciguatera fish poisoning in Hong Kong. Food remnants of coral fish samples were collected swiftly from ciguatera victims between 2004 and 2007 for ciguatoxins （CTXs） analysis. Results Major clinical symptoms in ciguatera patients included gastrointestinal and neurological effects including limb numbness and diarrhoea, which developed at 0.5 to 15 hours after consumption of fish. In most cases, neurological symptoms were more common than gastrointestinal symptoms. A broad range of attack rate （10%-100%） was observed in each ciguatera outbreak. Validated mouse bioassay on ether extracts of the food remnant samples confirmed that all were CTXs-positive （〈0.5 - 4.3 MU/20 mg ether extract） and directly linked to the corresponding ciguatera cases. Conclusion Consistency between clinical and laboratory analysis for ciguatera poisoning illustrates the application of laboratory mouse bioassay in a timely fashion for confirming ciguatera poisoning cases and implementing effective public health measures. With further improvement in laboratory techniques, features of ciguatera fish poisoning cases can be better defined, Further studies are needed to determine the risk of each class of CTXs （Pacific-, Indian- and Caribbean-CTXs） in Hong Kong.

Pancreatic cancer serum biomarker PC-594:Diagnostic performance and comparison to CA19-9

AIM:To investigate serum PC-594 fatty acid levels as a potential biomarker in North American pancreatic cancer(PaC) patients,and to compare its performance to CA19-9.METHODS:Using tandem mass spectrometry,we evaluated serum PC-594 levels from 84 North American patients with confirmed PaC and 99 cancer-free control subjects.We determined CA19-9 levels by ELISA.Significance between Pa C patients and controls,and association with clinical variables was determined by analysis of variance and t-tests.Diagnostic performance was evaluated by receiver-operator characteristic(ROC)curve analysis,and PC-594 correlation with age and CA19-9 determined by regression analysis.RESULTS:Mean PC-594 levels were 3.7 times lower in Pa C patients compared to controls(P < 0.0001).The mean level in PaC patient serum was 0.76 ± 0.07 μmol/L,and the mean level in control subjects was 2.79 ± 0.15 μmol/L.There was no correlation between PC-594 and age,disease stage or gender(P > 0.05).Using 1.25 μmol/L as a PC-594 threshold produced a relative risk(RR) of 9.4(P < 0.0001,95%CI:5.0-17.7).The area under the receiver-operator characteristic curve(ROCAUC) was 0.93(95%CI:0.91-0.95) for PC-594 and 0.85(95%CI:0.82-0.88) for CA19-9.Sensitivity at 90% specificity was 87% for PC-594 and 71% for CA19-9.Six Pa C patients with CA19-9 above 35 U/m L showed normal PC-594 levels,while 24 Pa C patients with normal CA19-9 showed low PC-594 levels.Eighty-five of the 99 control subjects(86%) showed normal levels of both markers.CONCLUSION:PC-594 biomarker levels are significantly reduced in North American Pa C patients,and showed superior diagnostic performance compared to CA19-9.

Histopathological profile of gastritis in adult patients seen at a referral hospital in Kenya

AIM： To conduct a detailed histological study of gastritis in adult patients attending an endoscopy clinic at a Kenyan teaching and referral hospital.METHODS： Biopsy specimens from consecutive patients were examined and graded according to the Updated Sydney System for H pylori infection, chronic inflammation, neutrophil activity, glandular atrophy and intestinal metaplasia. Also documented were gastric tissue eosinophil counts and presence of lymphoid follicles.RESULTS： The rate of the graded variables, in the antrum and corpus respectively, were as follows： H pylori infection （91%, 86%）, chronic inflammation （98%, 93%）, neutrophil activity （91%, 86%）, glandular atrophy （57%, 15%） and intestinal metaplasia （11%, 2%）. Lymphoid follicles were noted in 11% of cases. Duodenal and gastric ulcers were documented in 32% and 2% respectively. The mean eosinophil count was 5.9 ±0.74 eosinophils/ HPF and 9.58 ± 0.93 eosinophils/HPF in the corpus and antrum respectively. Significant association was found between the degree of H pylori colonisation with chronic inflammation, neutrophil activity and antral glandular atrophy. Biopsies from the antrum and corpus showed significant histopathological discordance for all the graded variables. H pylori negative cases were associated with recent antibiotic use.CONCLUSION： The study the chief cause of gastritis reaffirms that H pylori is in this environment. The majority of patients show a moderate to high degree of inflammation but a low degree of glandular atrophy and intestinal metaplasia. The study shows that interrelationships between the histological variables in this African population are similar to those found in other populations worldwide including non-African populations.

铁基粉末冶金材料烧结程度的判定

烧结过程可改进压制-烧结的铁基材料的物理-力学性能。烧结时因扩散产生颗粒结合与合金化;随着烧结时间增长,强化材料性能。烧结的作用通过显微组织特征(诸如颗粒边界与孔隙边缘)的变化可以看出。烧结的一些改进表现为颗粒边界消失,孔隙边缘变得较平滑和颗粒间尖角特征数量减少。一般将这些特征与特性的外观和它们发生的频率一起当做是烧结程度。用众所周知的体视技术(Stereological practies)与适当制备的金相试样,可以判定烧结程度。关于判定与区分烧结程度不同的材料,将讨论3种试验方法。另外,将用烧结时间不同的铁-铜-碳预混合粉材料的图像来说明这些显微组织的变化。

Facility-based constraints to exchange transfusions for neonatal hyperbilirubinemia in resource-limited settings

Several clinical guidelines for the management of infants with severe neonatal hyperbilirubinemia recommend immediate exchange transfusion(ET) when the risk or presence of acute bilirubin encephalopathy is established in order to prevent chronic bilirubin encephalopathy or kernicterus. However, the literature is sparse concerning the interval between the time the decision for ET is made and the actual initiation of ET, especially in low- and middle-income countries(LMICs) with significant resource constraints but high rates of ET. This paper explores the various stages and potential delays during this interval in complying with the requirement for immediate ET for the affected infants, based on the available evidence from LMICs. The vital role of intensive phototherapy, efficient laboratory and logistical support, and clinical expertise for ET are highlighted. The challenges in securing informed parental consent, especially on religious grounds, and meeting the financial burden of this emergency procedure to facilitate timely ET are examined. Secondary delays arising from posttreatment bilirubin rebound with intensive phototherapy or ET are also discussed. These potential delays can compromise the effectiveness of ET and should provide additional impetus to curtail avoidable ET in LMICs.

Primary esophageal sclerosing mucoepidermoid carcinoma with “tissue eosinophilia”

Mucoepidermoid carcinoma (MEC) is a rare primary esophageal malignancy. It is characterized by poor clinical recognition, pre-operative diagnostic challenges and a lack of standardized therapeutic guidelines. We report the clinicopathological features of a hitherto unreported variant of esophageal MEC, sclerosing MEC with &#x0201c;tissue eosinophilia&#x0201d;, in a mid-esophageal location in a 51-year-old female. The diagnosis of the initial biopsy was challenging, because of the small size, poor orientation and inadequate representation of the MEC components. Recognition of the resectability of the tumor prompted surgical resection and enabled a demonstration of the low grade foci containing intermediate cells, mucin pools and the hitherto undescribed presence of stromal sclerosis and tissue eosinophils in esophageal MEC. Heightened clinicopathological awareness of esophageal MEC facilitated a definitive diagnosis and patient management. Increased recognition and global documentation of esophageal sclerosing MEC with &#x0201c;tissue eosinophilia&#x0201d; is necessary to improve the understanding and diagnosis of this malignancy in this location and to improve management guidelines.

防静电滤材解决纸机液压润滑系统中静电问题

文章介绍了纸机液压、润滑系统发现的静电现象,分析了影响静电积累的因素,列举了目前所知道的产生静电现象的方式,详细描述了一种有效解决静电问题的方法:采用防静电滤材。并给出了相应的成功应用实例,同时,文章还对其他影响静电问题的因素进行了讨论。

Microscopic colitis as a missed cause of chronic diarrhea

AIM: To determine the prevalence of increased intraepithelial lymphocytes, using immunohistochemistry in patients with normal colonoscopy and near normal biopsy. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed all non-malignant colon mucosal biopsies between 2005 and 2007, reported as normal, chronic inflammation or melanosis coli in patients who were undergoing routine colonoscopy. Immunohistochemistry using CD3 was performed on all mucosal biopsies and an intraepithelial lymphocyte count (IEL) was determined. Cases with an IEL count of ≥ 20 IELs per 100 surface epithelial cells were correlated with demographic, clinical and follow-up data. A further subgroup was evaluated for lymphocytic colitis.RESULTS: Twenty (8.3%) of 241 cases revealed an IEL count ≥ 20. Six (2.5%) patients were identified as having lymphocytic colitis (P < 0.001), of whom, five were missed on initial evaluation (P = 0.01). Four of these five patients were labeled with diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). On follow-up, three of the remaining 20 cases were diagnosed with malignancy (renal cell carcinoma and myelodysplastic syndrome) and one had an unknown primary tumor with multiple liver metastases. Two cases of collagenous colitis with an IEL count < 10 were included in this study. Increased IELs were not confined to patients with diarrhea as a primary presenting symptom, but were also present in patients with abdominal pain (n = 7), constipation (n = 3) and loss of weight (n = 1). CONCLUSION: Immunohistochemistry using CD3 is of value in identifying and quantifying IELs for the presence of microscopic colitis in patients with diarrheapredominant IBS.

Energy Efficient MAC Protocol for Wireless Full-Duplex Networks

The wireless full-duplex(FD) nodes can transmit and receive at the same time using the same frequency-band. Currently, the latest FD media access control(MAC) protocols mainly focus on how to convert the physical layer gains of FD nodes to the throughput gain of wireless FD networks, but pay little attention to the energy consumptions of FD nodes. In this paper, we propose an energy efficient FD MAC protocol. According to the values of self-interference cancellation coefficients corresponding to the nodes of each FD pair and the signal propagation attenuation, the proposed protocol can adaptively select the communication mode of the FD pair between the full-duplex and half-duplex. Also, the minimum transmit power for FD nodes can be obtained to achieve high energy efficiency. We develop an analytical model to characterize the performance of our protocol. The numerical results show that the proposed MAC protocol can optimize the system throughput and reduce the transmission energy consumptions of nodes simultaneously as compared with those of the existing works.

Human parvovirus B19-associated hematopathy in HIV disease:need for clinicopathological revisit

Persons living with HIV infection occasionally suffer from anemia due to varying causes.These include the use of zidovudine,malnutrition especially vitamin B12and iron deficiency,opportunistic infections by Mycobacterium tuberculosis,Pneumocystis jiroveci,and direct hematological effects of HIV infection itself within the marrow microenvironment.Persistent Parvovirus B19（B19V）infection is a clinically important and treatable etiology of anemia in HIV-infected persons.

Transposon mouse models to elucidate the genetic mechanisms of hepatitis B viral induced hepatocellular carcinoma

The major type of human liver cancer is hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC), and there are currently many risk factors that contribute to this deadly disease. The majority of HCC occurrences are associated with chronic hepatitis viral infection, and hepatitis B viral(HBV) infection is currently a major health problem in Eastern Asia. Elucidating the genetic mechanisms associated with HBV-induced HCC has been difficult due to the heterogeneity and genetic complexity associated with this disease. A repertoire of animal models has been broadly used to study the pathophysiology and to develop potential treatment regimens for HBVassociated HCC. The use of these animal models has provided valuable genetic information and has been an important contributor to uncovering the factors involved in liver malignant transformation, invasion and metastasis. Recently, transposon-based mouse models are becoming more widely used in liver cancer research to interrogate the genome by forward genetics and also used to validate genes rapidly in a reverse genetic manner. Importantly, these transposon-based rapid reverse genetic mouse models could become crucial in testing potential therapeutic agents before proceeding to clinical trials in human. Therefore, this review will cover the use of transposon-based mouse models toaddress the problems of liver cancer, especially HBVassociated HCC occurrences in Asia.