Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase gene polymorphisms and risk of acute lymphoblastic leukemia in children

Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) is a critical enzyme in folate metabolism and is involved in DNA synthesis, DNA repair and DNA methylation. Genetic polymorphisms of this enzyme have been shown to impact several diseases, including cancer. Leukemias are malignancies arising from rapidly proliferating hematopoietic cells having great requirement of DNA synthesis. This case-control study was undertaken to analyze the association of the MTHFR gene polymorphisms 677 C"T and 1298 A"C and the risk of acute lymphoblastic leukemia in children. Materials and Methods: Eighty-six patients aged below 15 years with a confirmed diagnosis of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and 99 matched controls were taken for this study. Analysis of the polymorphisms was done using the polymerase chain reaction -restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method. Results: Frequency of MTHFR 677 CC and CT were 85.9% and 14.1% in the controls, and 84.9% and 15.1% in the cases. The 'T' allele frequency was 7% and 7.5% in cases and controls respectively. The frequency of MTHFR 1298 AA, AC, and CC were 28.3%, 55.6% and 16.1% for controls and 23.3%, 59.3% and 17.4% for cases respectively. The 'C' allele frequency for 1298 A→C was 43.9% and 47% respectively for controls and cases. The odds ratio (OR) for C677T was 1.08 (95% CI 0.48- 2.45, p = 0.851) and OR for A1298C was 1.29(95% CI 0.65-2.29, p = 0.46) and OR for 1298 CC was 1.31 (95% CI 0.53-3.26, p =0.56). The OR for the combined heterozygous status (677 CT and 1298 AC) was 1.94 (95% CI 0.58 -6.52, p = 0.286). Conclusion: The prevalence of 'T' allele for 677 MTHFR polymorphism was low in the population studied. There was no association between MTHFR 677 C→T and 1298 A→C gene polymorphisms and risk of ALL, which may be due to the small sample size.

Non-polio enteroviruses and their association with acute diarrhea in children in India

A causative agent in approximately 40% of diarrhea] cases. still remains unidentified. Though many enteroviruses (EVs) are transmitted through fecal-oral route and replicate in the intestinal cells, their association with acute diarrhea has not so far been recognized due to lack of detailed epidemiological investigations. This long-term, detailed molecular epidemiological study aims to conclusively determine the association of non-polio enteroviruses (NPEVs) with acute diarrhea in comaparison with rotavirus (RV) in children. Diarrheal stool specimens from 2161 children aged 0-2 years and 169 children between 2 and 9 years, and 1800 normal stool samples from age-matched healthy children between 0 and 9 years were examined during 2008-2012 for enterovirus (oral polio vaccine strains (OPVs) and NPEVs). Enterovirus serotypes were identified by complete VP1 gene sequence analysis. Enterovirus and rotavirus were detected in 19.01% (380/2330) and 13.82% (322/2330) diarrheal stools. During the study period, annual prevalence of EV- and RV-associated diarrhea ranged between 8% and 22%, but with contrasting seasonal prevalence with RV predominating during winter months and NPEV prevailing in other seasons. NPEVs are associated with epidemics-like outbreaks during which they are detected in up to 50% of diarrheic children, and in non-epidemic seasons in 0-10% of the patients. After subtraction of OPV-positive diarrheal cases (1.81%), while NPEVs are associated with about 17% of acute diarrhea, about 6% of healthy children showed asymptomatic NPEV excretion. Of 37 NPEV serotypes detected in diarrheal children, seven echovirus types 1, 7, 11, 13, 14, 30 and 33 are frequently observed, with Ell being more prevalent followed by E30. In conclusion, NPEVs are significantly associated with acute diarrhea, and NPEVs and rotavirus exhibit contrasting seasonal predominance. This study signifies the need for a new direction of research on enteroviruses involving systematic analysis of their contribution to diarrheal burden. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Non-polio enterovirus association with persistent diarrhea in children as revealed by a follow-up study of an Indian cohort during the first two years of life

Background: We recently reported significant association of non-polio enteroviruses (NPEVs) with acute diarrhea in children. Persistent diarrhea (PD) remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality in infants below two years of age in developing countries. Understanding age-dependent frequency and duration of NPEV infections is important to determine their association with persistent diarrhea and disease burden. Objectives: A cohort of 140 infants was followed for 6 months to 2 years of age to determine the frequency, duration, and association with PD of NPEV infections in comparison with rotavirus and other agents. Study design: Stool samples were collected every 14 days, and diarrheal episodes and their duration were recorded. Enteroviruses were characterized by RT-PCR and VP1 gene sequence analysis, rotavirus by electropherotyping, and other agents by PCR. Results: Of 4545 samples, negative for oral polio vaccine strains, 3907 (85.96%) and 638 (14.04%) were NPEV-negative and NPEV-positive, respectively, representing 403 (8.87%) infection episodes. About 68% of NPEV infections occurred during the first year with every child having at least one episode lasting between four days and four months. Approximately 38% and 22% of total diarrheal episodes were positive for NPEV and RV, respectively. While about 18% of NPEV infection episodes were associated with diarrhea, 6% being persistent, 13% of total diarrheal episodes were persistent involving infections by monotype NPEV strains or sequential infections by multiple strains and other agents. Conclusions: This is the first report revealing NPEVs as the single most frequently and persistently detected viral pathogen in every PD episode. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Pt-Doped and Pt-Supported La1-xSrxCoO3: Comparative Activity of Pt4+ and Pt-0 Toward the CO Poisoning Effect in Formic Acid and Methanol Electro-oxidation

Pt-supported La1-xSrxCoO3 and Pt-doped La1-xSrxCoO3 are synthesized using chemical reduction and solution combustion method, respectively. Chemical reduction is carried out using formaldehyde as a reducing agent giving Pt-supported La1-xSrxCoO3. Solution combustion method is used to prepare Pt-doped La1-xSrxCoO3. Detailed characterization using X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area measurement, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) is carried out to distinguish the Pt-supported and Pt-doped compounds in terms of their morphology and Pt oxidations states. TEM results indeed show the differences in their morphology. Further, electrochemical measurements are performed in neutral medium to differentiate their electrochemical activity. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) shows noticeable differences between Pt-supported La1-xSrxCoO3 and Pt-doped La1-xSrxCoO3. Importantly, our results show that Pt4+ in doped compound has poor to zero electrocatalytic activity toward formic acid and methanol electro-oxidation in comparison to Pt-0 in supported compound. This study shows that metallic Pt in zero oxidation state is a superior catalyst to Pt in +4 oxidation state.