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This study aims to investigate the interplay between hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and major forms of diabetes: type 1 diabetes (T1D), type 2 diabetes (T2D), and latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA). This multicenter study analyzed a cohort of 2699 diabetic and 7344 non-diabetic subjects who visited medical centers in China from 2014 to 2021. T1D, T2D, LADA, and HCV were diagnosed using standard procedures. High-throughput sequencing was conducted to identify genetic footprints of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) alleles and haplotypes at the DRB1, DQA1, and DQB1 loci. HCV infection was detected in 3 % (23/766) of LADA patients, followed by 1.5 % (15/977) of T2D patients, 1.4 % (13/926) of T1D patients, and 0.5 % (38/7344) of non-diabetic individuals. HCV prevalence was significantly higher in people with diabetes than in non-diabetic individuals (p < 0.01). HLA alleles (DQB1*060101 , DQB1*040101) and haplotypes (DRB1*080302-DQA1*010301-DQB1*060101) in LADA patients with HCV revealed higher frequencies than in LADA patients without HCV (adjusted p < 0.03). Furthermore, a higher risk of diabetes complications was found among LADA patients with HCV infection (p < 0.001). LADA patients are susceptible to HCV infection, potentially associated with certain HLA alleles/haplotypes. Early diagnosis and treatment of HCV infection among people with diabetes are important for the management of severe complications. • Hepatitis C virus (HCV) prevalence is consistently higher in subjects with diabetes than in subjects without diabetes. • HCV prevalence is higher in subjects with latent autoimmune diabetes (LADA) than in those with type-1 or type-2 diabetes. • High risk of microvascular complications can be found in HCV-infected patients with LADA than those without HCV infection. • Unique patterns of human leukocyte antigen alleles can be found in HCV-infected subjects with LADA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Mutations in DJ-1 cause familial Parkinson''s disease (PD). The expression pattern of DJ-1 in the brain remains controversial. In the present study, we used DJ-1 deficient mice as negative controls and examined DJ-1 mRNA expression in mouse brains. In sequential double labeling on the same sections, in situ hybridization of DJ-1 mRNA was followed by immunofluorescence detection of cell type markers. We found that DJ-1 mRNA was expressed in the majority of neurons in all brain areas examined. In particular, all dopamine neurons in the ventral midbrain expressed DJ-1 mRNA. In contrast, the choroid plexus and ependymal cells lining the ventricles were the only non-neuronal regions strongly expressing DJ-1 mRNA. DJ-1 mRNA was not detected in astrocytes. The fact that DJ-1 mRNA is expressed in all nigra dopamine neurons but not in astrocytes suggests that its potential neuroprotective role could be cell-autonomous. Moreover, that DJ-1 expression is not restricted to substantia nigra dopamine neurons suggests that PD-linked mutant DJ-1 may interact with other predisposing factors to cause the relatively selective dopamine neuron degeneration in Parkinson''s disease. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A surface-enhanced Raman scattering sensor is developed by etching polymer optical fiber and coating with gold nanorods. The SERS sensing experiments are demonstrated with the analyte molecules of rhodamine 6G (R6G) at 514.5nm laser excitation. The results show that a strong fiber Raman background scattering overwhelm the R6G molecule Raman signal in common optrod configuration, but a distinct R6G SERS spectrum with 9 order magnitude enhancement can be observed while directly focusing light on the probe. Further modeling indicates the enhancement is attributed to both nanorods local field and their coupling. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A series of biodegradable aliphatic/aromatic copolyesters, poly(butylene terephthalate)-co-poly(butylene cyclohexanedicarboxylate)-b-poly(ethylene glycol) (PTCG), were prepared by a two-step melt polycondensation method and characterized by means of GPC, FTIR, NMR, DSC, TGA, etc. The effects of aliphatic ester content on the physical, mechanical and thermal properties, as well as in vitro and in vivo degradation behaviors were investigated. The decrease in mechanical strength was observed with an increase in poly(butylene cyclohexanedicarboxylate) (PBC) molar fraction. DSC results showed one melting point and two glass transition temperatures in all samples, and the melting temperature was found to go down gradually as more cyclohexanedicarboxylic acid (CHDA) was added. During the in vitro and in vivo degradation processes, erosion of the surface was dominant as evidenced by scanning electron microscopic observations. The copolyesters containing many CHDA units were featured by the higher water uptake and faster degradation due to much richer amorphous phase within them. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Osteogenesis imperfect (OI) is a heritable connective tissue disorder with bone fragility as a cardinal manifestation, accompanied by short stature, dentinogenesis imperfecta, hyperlaxity of ligaments and skin, blue sclerae and hearing loss. Dominant form of OI is caused by mutations in the type I procollagen genes, COL1A1/A2. Here we identified a novel splicing mutation c.3207+1G>A (GenBank ID: JQ236861) in the COL1A1 gene that caused type I OI in a Chinese family. RNA splicing analysis proved that this mutation created a new splicing site at c.3200, and then led to frameshift. This result further enriched the mutation spectrum of type I procollagen genes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]