scholarly journals The Discovery of Zoonotic Protozoans in Fleas Parasitizing on Pets as a Potential Infection Threat

2020 ◽  
Vol 65 (4) ◽  
pp. 817-822
Author(s):  
Olga Pawełczyk ◽  
Marek Asman ◽  
Krzysztof Solarz
Keyword(s):  
Companion Animals ◽  
Babesia Microti ◽  
Laboratory Animals ◽  
Limited Information ◽  
Ctenocephalides Canis ◽  
Cat Fleas ◽  
Veterinary Importance ◽  
Pathogenic Agents

Abstract Purpose Fleas are insects with a high medical and veterinary importance. They may participate in spreading of many pathogenic agents, but still there is limited information about their possible reservoir or vector role for protozoans. The main aim of this study was an attempt of detection zoonotic pathogens, such as Babesia microti and Toxoplasma gondii in fleas Ctenocephalides felis felis and Ctenocephalides canis. Methods In 2013–2017, 155 fleas were captured from domestic dogs and cats in veterinary clinics, animal shelters and pet grooming salons in Upper Silesia Region in Poland. Then, the DNA was extracted from each Ctenocephalides flea by using the ammonia method. Samples were screened for the presence of B. microti and T. gondii using PCR and nested PCR methods. Results B. microti was reported in 6.6% of C. felis felis and 9.1% of C. canis, whereas the prevalence of coinfection with B. microti and T. gondii was 1.9% in cat fleas and 2.3% in dog fleas. Conclusion This study shows the first cases of B. microti occurrence and B. microti and T. gondii coinfection in Ctenocephalides fleas. The estimation of prevalence of examined protozoans may be useful considering the possibility of infection among companion animals, as well as during presentation of the potential risk of infection in humans. In order to clarify the role of C. felis felis and C. canis in transmission of B. microti and T. gondii, the another studies with in vitro cultures and laboratory animals are needed.

Homeopathic Dilutions, Hahnemann Principles, and the Solvent Issue: Must We Address Ethanol as a “Homeopathic” or a “Chemical” Issue?

Homeopathy ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 107 (01) ◽  
pp. 040-044 ◽  
Author(s):  
Salvatore Chirumbolo ◽  
Geir Bjørklund
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Approach ◽  
Chemical Nature ◽  
Molar Fraction ◽  
Laboratory Animals ◽  
Homeopathic Remedy ◽  
Alcohol Water ◽  
Homeopathic Remedies ◽  
Water Dilution

Introduction Homeopathic remedies usually contain a significant amount of ethanol as a co-solvent with water, a pharmaceutical formulation that may raise some concern when remedies are tested in vitro or in laboratory animals, due to the assessed toxicity of ethanol on cell cultures and organisms. The amount of alcohol in a homeopathic remedy is adjusted following the different homeopathic pharmacopoeias but it is rarely below 30% v/v, which is a molar mass established to meet both Hahnemann's traditional heritage and the hypothetical role of ethanol in “imprinting” water, through the formation of nanobubbles, with the homeopathic activity of the remedy. Aims This article aims at discussing the role of ethanol in homeopathic dilutions and how its chemical nature should affect the experimental approach in homeopathy. Issues Under Debate While the content of ethanol in a homeopathic remedy should be as low as 20% v/v, which is a molar fraction able to catalyze the formation of nanobubbles in a dynamized alcohol–water dilution, this amount raises concern about ethanol toxicology in the experimental research with laboratory animals or in vitro. Several authors diluted 1:100 ethanol 30% v/v from their tested homeopathic dilutions with distilled water to prevent the cytotoxic effect of the alcohol, but in doing so, they probably reduced the ability of ethanol (now 0.3% v/v) to induce the formation of nanobubbles, thus probably affecting the homeopathic property of the same dilution. This may generate concerns about how to manage an experimental setting, to meet both the “chemical” nature of ethanol and its role in “homeopathy,” an issue that is discussed in the article. Conclusion Any author working with homeopathic dilutions containing a molar fraction of ethanol higher than 20% should take into account the fact that ethanol is cytotoxic and may be a catalyst to the formation of nanobubbles, and so should adjust the experimental approach accordingly.

scholarly journals Inhibition of the Classical Pathway of Complement Activation Impairs Bacterial Clearance during Enterococcus faecalis Infection

2021 ◽  
Vol 89 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Eman M. Rabie Shehab El-Din ◽  
Abdelaziz Elgaml ◽  
Youssif M. Ali ◽  
Ramadan Hassan
Keyword(s):  
Enterococcus Faecalis ◽  
Microbial Pathogens ◽  
Health Concern ◽  
Classical Pathway ◽  
Bacterial Clearance ◽  
Limited Information ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Fab Fragments

ABSTRACT Enterococcus faecalis infections are considered a major public health concern worldwide. The complement system has a crucial role in the protection against different microbial pathogens, including E. faecalis. Complement can be activated through three different pathways, including the classical, lectin, and alternative pathways. There is limited information on the role of the classical pathway (CP) in protection against infections caused by E. faecalis. In the present study, we generated Fab fragments that successfully block the CP in mouse via inhibition of a key enzyme, C1s-A. Our results showed that anti-C1s-A Fab fragments block CP-mediated C3b and C4b deposition in vitro. We further showed that administration of anti-C1s-A Fab fragments significantly impairs the CP functional activity in vivo. Moreover, treatment of mice infected with E. faecalis using anti-C1s-A Fab fragments significantly impairs bacterial clearance as determined from the viable bacterial counts recovered from blood, kidneys, spleens, livers, and lungs of infected mice. Overall, this study highlights the essential role of the CP in host defense against E. faecalis.

scholarly journals Thinking Out of the Box: On the Ability of Zea mays L. to Biotrasform Aflatoxin B1 Into Its Modified Forms

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Righetti ◽  
Enrico Rolli ◽  
Luca Dellafiora ◽  
Gianni Galaverna ◽  
Michele Suman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Zea Mays ◽  
Phase I ◽  
Aflatoxin B1 ◽  
In Silico ◽  
Zea Mays L ◽  
Limited Information ◽  
Maize Plants ◽  
Modified Forms

While aflatoxin metabolism in animals has been clarified, very limited information is so far available on the possible biotransformation occurring in plants. Therefore, this work aimed at investigating whether AFB1 metabolites could occur in field-grown infected maize and the putative role of Zea mays L. metabolism in their production. For such scope, asymptomatic in vitro–grown plantlets and in silico evaluations of plant transforming enzymes were used to pinpoint how plants may handle these compounds. Our data demonstrated the role of maize plants in the production of Phase I hydroxylated aflatoxins, including, among others, AFM1, AFM2, and aflatoxicol, and suggest that plant cytochromes may be involved in this biotransformation of AFB1.

Role of stress proteins and hormones in bioregulation of ontogeny

2015 ◽  
Vol 61 (4) ◽  
pp. 49-53
Author(s):  
V I Goudochnikov
Keyword(s):  
World Literature ◽  
Stress Proteins ◽  
Primary Cultures ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Theoretical Research ◽  
Laboratory Animals ◽  
Present Moment

In this short review article we tried to overview diffusely spread data on the role of stress proteins and hormones in ontogeny. The work presented here is a product of our long-term studies beginning from the middle of eighties of the last century and performed both in Russia and Brazil. It involves the results obtained with the use of experimental models on laboratory animals in vivo and in vitro, as well as later theoretical research in world literature databases. In experimental studies we used laboratory rats of different age groups and primary cultures of pituitary and liver cells for evaluating respectively body and organ growth and production of immunoreactive growth hormone (GH) and serum albumin (SA), as well as biosynthesis of DNA, total RNA and protein. The results obtained, showing important role of glucocorticoids (GC) in regulation of perinatal pituitary and liver functions and postnatal growth, were reinterpreted by us recently in the frame of DOHaD concept and as related to perinatal imprinting/programming phenomena. It is concluded that the present moment is quite appropriate for the widening of our studies both to the side of early embryonal development and in direction to aging, thus completing the whole cycle of life history / course research, as referred to stress proteins and hormones.

scholarly journals Hormones in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) animal models

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 164-189
Author(s):  
Majid Ghareghani ◽  
Amir Ghanbari ◽  
Ali Eid ◽  
Abdullah Shaito ◽  
Wael Mohamed ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis ◽  
Demyelinating Disease ◽  
Endocrine System ◽  
Laboratory Animals ◽  
Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis ◽  
Eae Model ◽  
Experimental Autoimmune

Abstract Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory demyelinating disease of the central nervous system (CNS) in which activated immune cells attack the CNS and cause inflammation and demyelination. While the etiology of MS is still largely unknown, the interaction between hormones and the immune system plays a role in disease progression, but the mechanisms by which this occurs are incompletely understood. Several in vitro and in vivo experimental, but also clinical studies, have addressed the possible role of the endocrine system in susceptibility and severity of autoimmune diseases. Although there are several demyelinating models, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) is the oldest and most commonly used model for MS in laboratory animals which enables researchers to translate their findings from EAE into human. Evidences imply that there is great heterogeneity in the susceptibility to the induction, the method of induction, and the response to various immunological or pharmacological interventions, which led to conflicting results on the role of specific hormones in the EAE model. In this review, we address the role of endocrine system in EAE model to provide a comprehensive view and a better understanding of the interactions between the endocrine and the immune systems in various models of EAE, to open up a ground for further detailed studies in this field by considering and comparing the results and models used in previous studies.

scholarly journals Genome-Wide Identification and Expression Profile of TPS Gene Family in Dendrobium officinale and the Role of DoTPS10 in Linalool Biosynthesis

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (15) ◽  
pp. 5419 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhenming Yu ◽  
Conghui Zhao ◽  
Guihua Zhang ◽  
Jaime A. Teixeira da Silva ◽  
Jun Duan
Keyword(s):  
Developmental Stages ◽  
Expression Profiles ◽  
Dendrobium Officinale ◽  
Terpene Synthase ◽  
Valuable Insight ◽  
Limited Information ◽  
Geranyl Diphosphate ◽  
Genome Wide

Terpene synthase (TPS) is a critical enzyme responsible for the biosynthesis of terpenes, which possess diverse roles in plant growth and development. Although many terpenes have been reported in orchids, limited information is available regarding the genome-wide identification and characterization of the TPS family in the orchid, Dendrobium officinale. By integrating the D. officinale genome and transcriptional data, 34 TPS genes were found in D. officinale. These were divided into four subfamilies (TPS-a, TPS-b, TPS-c, and TPS-e/f). Distinct tempospatial expression profiles of DoTPS genes were observed in 10 organs of D. officinale. Most DoTPS genes were predominantly expressed in flowers, followed by roots and stems. Expression of the majority of DoTPS genes was enhanced following exposure to cold and osmotic stresses. Recombinant DoTPS10 protein, located in chloroplasts, uniquely converted geranyl diphosphate to linalool in vitro. The DoTPS10 gene, which resulted in linalool formation, was highly expressed during all flower developmental stages. Methyl jasmonate significantly up-regulated DoTPS10 expression and linalool accumulation. These results simultaneously provide valuable insight into understanding the roles of the TPS family and lay a basis for further studies on the regulation of terpenoid biosynthesis by DoTPS in D. officinale.

Inhibition of pancreatic hormone secretion by somatostatin-28 and somatostatin-14 in man

1983 ◽  
Vol 104 (1) ◽  
pp. 91-95 ◽  
Author(s):  
L.J. Klaff ◽  
J. L. Barron ◽  
N. S. Levitt ◽  
N. Ling ◽  
R. P. Millar
Keyword(s):  
Hormone Secretion ◽  
Laboratory Animals ◽  
Normal Male ◽  
Carbohydrate Homeostasis ◽  
Pancreatic Hormone ◽  
Male Subjects ◽  
Somatostatin 14

Abstract. The effects of a 210 min infusion of 1.8 nmol/kg somatostatin-14 (SS-14), somatostatin-28 (SS-28), and vehicle (Haemaccel) alone, on arginine- and insulin-stimulated release of pancreatic hormones were tested in 5 normal male subjects. Arginine administered at 30–60 min induced an increase in plasma glucose concentrations which was enhanced by SS-14 and further increased by SS-28. SS-28 was more effective than SS-14 in suppressing the arginine-induced secretion of insulin. Arginine-stimulated and insulin-stimulated (at 120 min) glucagon release was equally suppressed by SS-14 and SS-28, as was insulin-stimulated pancreatic polypeptide secretion. At the end of the SS-14 infusion the mean plasma somatostatin level was approximately 28% of that which occurred during the SS-28 infusion. The results are discussed in relation to similar studies in vitro and in vivo in laboratory animals and to a possible role of the two forms of SS in carbohydrate homeostasis.

Tumor Necrosis Factor in the Pathogenesis of Human Diseases

1992 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 131-134
Author(s):  
P. Ghezzi
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Tumor Necrosis Factor ◽  
Tumor Necrosis ◽  
Biological Activities ◽  
Laboratory Animals ◽  
Hemorrhagic Necrosis ◽  
Necrosis Factor

This paper will deal with the role of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) in the pathogenesis of various diseases. However, it will be important to remember that originally TNF was characterized as an antitumor factor. In fact, it was known that endotoxin was able to induce hemorrhagic necrosis of some tumors in mice. In 1975 Carswell et al. demonstrated the presence of a tumor necrotizing activity (termed “tumor necrosis serum”) in the sera of mice primed with C. parvum or BCG, and subsequently injected with endotoxin (1). Later it was found that this factor was a macrophage product and was termed TNF. In vivo TNF induced hemorrhagic necrosis of Meth A sarcoma and in vitro demonstrated cytotoxic activity against various tumor cell lines (2). In 1984, TNF was purified and its cDNA was cloned, and the production of substantial amounts of recombinant TNF allowed the characterization of its various biological activities (3). In parallel to these studies on tumor necrosis, the group of Cerami, at the Rockefeller University in New York was studying the mechanisms of cachexia and wasting associated with infection. They found that infection or injection of endotoxin in laboratory animals resulted in a marked hypertrygliceridemia, which was associated with an inhibition of lipoprotein lipase. They hypothesized that a host-derived mediator was responsible for this and other metabolic derangements observed in infection. This factor, which was termed “cachectin”, was later found to be produced by macrophages, and once it was purified and sequenced it became clear that TNF and cachectin were identical (4).

Ultrastructural Changes in Tumor Cells During Human Peripheral Blood Monocyte-Mediated Cytotoxicity

1981 ◽  
Vol 39 ◽  
pp. 452-453
Author(s):  
K. E. Muse ◽  
D. G. Fischer ◽  
H. S. Koren
Keyword(s):  
Target Cell ◽  
Human Peripheral Blood ◽  
Mononuclear Phagocytes ◽  
Ultrastructural Changes ◽  
Target Cells ◽  
Limited Information ◽  
Blood Monocytes ◽  
Tumoricidal Activity ◽  
Activated State

Mononuclear phagocytes, a pluripotential cell line, manifest an array of basic extracellular functions. Among these physiological regulatory functions is the expression of spontaneous cytolytic potential against tumor cell targets.The limited observations on human cells, almost exclusively blood monocytes, initially reported limited or a lack of tumoricidal activity in the absence of antibody. More recently, freshly obtained monocytes have been reported to spontaneously impair the biability of tumor target cells in vitro (Harowitz et al., 1979; Montavani et al., 1979; Hammerstrom, 1979). Although the mechanism by which effector cells express cytotoxicity is poorly understood, discrete steps can be distinguished in the process of cell mediated cytotoxicity: recognition and binding of effector to target cells,a lethal-hit stage, and subsequent lysis of the target cell. Other important parameters in monocyte-mediated cytotoxicity include, activated state of the monocyte, effector cell concentrations, and target cell suseptibility. However, limited information is available with regard to the ultrastructural changes accompanying monocyte-mediated cytotoxicity.

The role of silicon in forages: A quantitative X-Ray study

1987 ◽  
Vol 45 ◽  
pp. 416-417
Author(s):  
Janet H. Woodward ◽  
D. E. Akin
Keyword(s):  
Sodium Acetate ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Acetate Buffer ◽  
Plant Tissues ◽  
Sodium Acetate Buffer ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Dry Matter Digestibility ◽  
Percent Composition

Silicon (Si) is distributed throughout plant tissues, but its role in forages has not been clarified. Although Si has been suggested as an antiquality factor which limits the digestibility of structural carbohydrates, other research indicates that its presence in plants does not affect digestibility. We employed x-ray microanalysis to evaluate Si as an antiquality factor at specific sites of two cultivars of bermuda grass (Cynodon dactvlon (L.) Pers.). “Coastal” and “Tifton-78” were chosen for this study because previous work in our lab has shown that, although these two grasses are similar ultrastructurally, they differ in in vitro dry matter digestibility and in percent composition of Si.Two millimeter leaf sections of Tifton-7 8 (Tift-7 8) and Coastal (CBG) were incubated for 72 hr in 2.5% (w/v) cellulase in 0.05 M sodium acetate buffer, pH 5.0. For controls, sections were incubated in the sodium acetate buffer or were not treated.

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