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Background Obesity is associated with inflammation but the role of vitamin D in this process is not clear. Objectives We aimed to assess the associations between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D], BMI, and 16 inflammatory biomarkers, and to assess the role of vitamin D as a potential mediator in the association between higher BMI and inflammation. Methods Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966 (NFBC1966) 31-y data on 3586 individuals were analyzed to examine the observational associations between BMI, 25(OH)D, and 16 inflammatory biomarkers. Multivariable regression analyses and 2-sample regression-based Mendelian randomization (MR) mediation analysis were performed to assess any role of vitamin D in mediating a causal effect of BMI on inflammatory biomarkers [soluble intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (sICAM-1), high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), and α1-acid glycoprotein (AGP)] for which observational associations were detected. For MR, genome-wide association study summary results ranging from 5163 to 806,834 individuals were used for biomarkers, 25(OH)D, and BMI. Findings were triangulated with a literature review of vitamin D supplementation trials. Results In NFBC1966, mean BMI (kg/m2) was 24.8 (95% CI: 24.7, 25.0) and mean 25(OH)D was 50.3 nmol/L (95% CI: 49.8, 50.7 nmol/L). Inflammatory biomarkers correlated as 4 independent clusters: interleukins, adhesion molecules, acute-phase proteins, and chemokines. BMI was positively associated with 9 inflammatory biomarkers and inversely with 25(OH)D (false discovery rate < 0.05). 25(OH)D was inversely associated with sICAM-1, hs-CRP, and AGP, which were positively associated with BMI. The MR analyses showed causal association of BMI on these 3 inflammatory biomarkers. There was no observational or MR evidence that circulating 25(OH)D concentrations mediated the association between BMI and these 3 inflammatory markers. Review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) supported our findings showing no impact of vitamin D supplementation on inflammatory biomarkers. Conclusions The findings from our observational study and causal MR analyses, together with data from RCTs, do not support a beneficial role of vitamin D supplementation on obesity-related inflammation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brunei Darussalam has successfully formulated an Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) Plan and developed several site-specific action plans that have contributed positively to coastal resources management (CRM). Brunei Darussalam's stable economy, largely based on oil and gas, small population, and its low reliance on living coastal resources for the past couple of decades, have made it unique in a regionknown for large populations dependent on living coastal resources. However, some aspects of Brunei Darussalam's approach to developing its CRM plans could be useful to other countries, particularly to thosestill in the process of initiating integrated CRM. The establishmenta National Committee on Environment (NCE) chaired by the Minister ofDevelopment in 1993 with its own Secretariat - the Environment Unit,the development of a Red Tide Action Plan, artificial reef development using redundant oil rigs and a Coastal Sensitivity Environmental Map to assist the Oil Spill Contingency Plan, are among the positive contributions to CRM. This paper discusses some of the strategies thatwere useful in the development of the ICZM plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the prevalence of zoonotic filarial parasites within the canine and feline population in Mahawewa, Puttalam, and their vectors based on a brugian filariasis positive human case reported to the Anti-filariasis Campaign in January 2021. All reachable dogs and cats, both stray and domestic, within a 500m radius of the index human case of brugian filariasis were screened for microfilaria using Giemsa stained thick blood smears prepared from capillary blood, obtained from an ear-lobe prick. Mosquito collection was done using a dog-baited trap, two window traps and a B.G. Sentinel trap from the same study site and identified using morphological keys. The head and the thorax regions of randomly selected mosquito specimens were dissected for morphological identification of larval filaria parasites via microscopy. A total of nine dogs and three cats were surveyed, of which seven dogs and one cat had filarial infections. All the infected animals harbored B.malayi microfilariae, while four dogs and one cat were co-infected with Dirofilaria repens and two dogs with an unidentified species. A total of 119 mosquitoes were caught and identified by taxonomic keys using a dog-baited trap, two window traps and a B.G. Sentinel trap from the study site. Dissection of heads and thoraces of randomly selected 12 Mansonia annulifera, 18 Mansonia indiana 20 Mansonia uniformis and 8 Culex spp. revealed filarial larvae in M.annulifera (n=4, 33.33%), M. indiana (n=14, 77.78%), M. uniformis (n=10, 50.00%) and Culex spp.(n=5, 62.5%) via microscopy. M.indiana was incriminated as a potential vector of filarial parasites for the first time in Sri Lanka. Preliminary evidence generated indicate a high prevalence of B.malayi and D.repens among dogs and cats in Mahawewa, Puttalam with an abundance of mosquito vectors mostly of Mansonia and Culex spp. This warrants further studies with a larger sample size and molecular identification of the filarial larvae within mosquito and animal samples, especially as re-emergence of brugian filariasis in humans is being reported after four decades of quiescence, and a zoonotic brugian parasite has been detected over the recent past, raising a concern from a one health perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since Toll-like receptor2 (TLR2) plays a key role in mediating the innate immune responses in mice models against leptospirosis, we aimed to determine the response of human TLR2 during the infection of pathogenic Leptospira spp. Total RNA was extracted from patients' RNA stabilized whole blood followed by a DNase treatment. P-1 (messenger RNA specific) and P-2 (amplify both DNA and mRNA) primers were designed to target the human TLR2 gene. The most suitable primer pair was selected for the gene expression analysis, comparing the expression of human TLR2 using the two primer pairs. Gene expression analysis was performed using P-1 and the GAPDH (Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase) was used as the housekeeping gene to calculate the gene expression value using the ΔΔCq (quantification cycle) method. 64 patients were confirmed for leptospirosis, among 100 of clinically suspected patients using a previously validated qPCR. Among the confirmed patients, 18 were selected with Cq value <37 and with ≥20 ng/μL of RNA quantity for the current study. Optimized annealing temperatures were 56°C and 58°C for P-1 and P-2 respectively.Primer selection results; P-1 amplified only 1 of 10 samples,while P-2 amplified the human TLR2 gene in 7 out of 10.The corresponding no reverse transcriptase of 7 samples were amplified, that implied the presence of genomic DNA. Accordingly, P-1 was used as the primer in the gene expression study, that 1 of 18 showed a 'dr' (ΔΔCq=0.01352) and the rest showed 'no change' of the TLR2 regulation (ΔΔCq=0.0000). The 'dr' of the TLR2 gene resulted with mean Cq of 29 and 38 respectively for GAPDH and TLR2. Of the 17 resulted with 'no change', 12 didn't amplify the TLR2, but did amplify GAPDH with mean Cq values of 22,23,24,24,24,24,27,28, 30,31, 33, 37. The rest of the 5 samples didn't show gene amplification. The reported up-regulation of TLR2 in mice models wasn't observed in this study population and confirmed the usage validity of exon-exon spanning primers in gene expression studies where ever possible. Findings of human innate immune cell receptor responses give insights to develop new therapeutics against leptospirosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

La fermeture non chirurgicale (FNC) des laparoschisis après mise en place d’un silo est une alternative à la fermeture chirurgicale (FC). Cette étude compare ces 2 techniques en terme de prise en charge initiale, nutritionnelle et devenir. La FNC a été réalisée au lit du malade sous sédation en utilisant une interface non adhérente (Telfa) et du Duoderm, et la FC au bloc opératoire sous anesthésie générale. Cette étude rétrospective a inclus 64 patients, 23 FNC et 41 FC, sur 5 ans. Une ventilation artificielle a été utilisée chez 15 FNC et 41 FC (p<0,001) avec une durée médiane de 5,5 et 6 jours, et une anesthésie générale chez 9 FNC et 41 FC (p<0,001). Un FNC et 6 FC ont présenté une ECUN, 0 FNC et 4 FC une atrésie intestinale, 2 et 4 une occlusion sur bride (ns). La durée médiane de nutrition parentérale, l’âge de début de nutrition entérale, l’âge de nutrition entérale exclusive, la durée d’hospitalisation en réanimation néonatale et totale étaient comparables. Une hernie ombilicale était notée chez 5 FNC et 6 FC (ns). La FNC est simple, sûre et comparable à la FC en terme de prise en charge nutritionnelle, de durée d’hospitalisation et des complications. Le recours à l’anesthésie générale et à la ventilation mécanique est moindre par rapport à la FC, nécessaire si complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]