Seven-day Oral Intake of Orthosiphon stamineus Leaves Infusion Exerts Antiadhesive Ex Vivo Activity Against Uropathogenic E. coli in Urine Samples

Orthosiphon stamineus leaves (Java tea) extract is traditionally used for the treatment of urinary tract infections. According to recent in vitro data, animal infection studies, and transcriptomic investigations, polymethoxylated flavones from Java tea exert antiadhesive activity against uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC). This antiadhesive activity has been shown to reduce bladder and kidney lesion in a mice infection model. As no data on the antivirulent activity of Java tea intake on humans are available, a biomedical study was performed on 20 healthy volunteers who self-administered Orthosiphon infusion (4 × 3 g per day, orally) for 7 days. The herbal material used for the study conformed to the specification of the European Pharmacopoeia, and ultra high-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) of the infusion showed rosmarinic acid, caffeic acid, and cichoric acid to be the main compounds aside from polymethoxylated flavones. Rosmarinic acid was quantified in the tea preparations with 243 ± 22 µg/mL, indicating sufficient reproducibility of the preparation of the infusion. Urine samples were obtained during the biomedical study on day 1 (control urine, prior to Java tea intake), 3, 6 and 8. Antiadhesive activity of the urine samples was quantified by flowcytometric assay using pre-treated UPEC NU14 and human T24 bladder cells. Pooled urine samples indicated significant inhibition of bacterial adhesion on day 3, 6 and 8. The urine samples had no influence on the invasion of UPEC into host cells. Bacterial proliferation was slightly reduced after 24 h incubation with the urine samples. Gene expression analysis (qPCR) revealed strong induction of fitness and motility gene fliC and downregulation of hemin uptake system chuT. These data correlate with previously reported datasets from in vitro transcriptomic analysis. Increased bacterial motility was monitored using a motility assay in soft agar with UPEC UTI89. The intake of Java tea had no effect on the concentration of Tamm-Horsfall Protein in the urine samples. The present study explains the antiadhesive and anti-infective effect of the plant extract by triggering UPEC from a sessile lifestyle into a motile bacterial form, with reduced adhesive capacity.

Protocol for Anesthesia Animal Model in Biomedical Study

Recognition of pain depends upon intact pathways from pain receptors to thethalamus and cerebral cortex, as well as functional cerebral cortex and subcorticalstructures. Thus any means that renders the cerebral cortex nonfunctional, suchas hypoxia or drug depression, prevents pain. When this happens, stimuli thatevoke motor nerve reflexes that may be painful to the conscious animal are notpainful in the unconscious animal. Equally painful stimuli administered toanimals chemically paralyzed by curare or succinylcholine will not evoke a motorreflex simply because of paralysis, but will cause pain because of the consciousstate. Hence, it is possible that unconscious animals may feel no pain but respondto certain stimuli, and paralyzed animals may feel pain but cannot respond.

Handling of Common Laboratory Animals in Biomedical Study

Mice are usually caught and lifted by the tail. The tail should be grasped abouttwo-thirds of the way down. With this simple method of holding, they may betransferred to another cage or a balance, identified or sexed; but such restraint isnot sufficient for treatment and close examination. For more effective control, themouse may be held by the tail and placed on a table or other surface, preferablyone that the mouse can grasp, and the loose skin over the neck and shouldersgrasped with thumb and fingers.

Handling of Common Laboratory Animals in Biomedical Study

Mice are usually caught and lifted by the tail. The tail should be grasped abouttwo-thirds of the way down. With this simple method of holding, they may betransferred to another cage or a balance, identified or sexed; but such restraint isnot sufficient for treatment and close examination. For more effective control, themouse may be held by the tail and placed on a table or other surface, preferablyone that the mouse can grasp, and the loose skin over the neck and shouldersgrasped with thumb and fingers.

Protocol for Anesthesia Animal Model in Biomedical Study

Recognition of pain depends upon intact pathways from pain receptors to thethalamus and cerebral cortex, as well as functional cerebral cortex and subcorticalstructures. Thus any means that renders the cerebral cortex nonfunctional, suchas hypoxia or drug depression, prevents pain. When this happens, stimuli thatevoke motor nerve reflexes that may be painful to the conscious animal are notpainful in the unconscious animal. Equally painful stimuli administered toanimals chemically paralyzed by curare or succinylcholine will not evoke a motorreflex simply because of paralysis, but will cause pain because of the consciousstate. Hence, it is possible that unconscious animals may feel no pain but respondto certain stimuli, and paralyzed animals may feel pain but cannot respond.

Measurement error in clinical research, yes it matters

The validity of any biomedical study is potentially affected by measurement error or misclassification. It can affect different variables included in a statistical analysis, such as the exposure, the outcome, and confounders, and can result in an overestimation as well as in an underestimation of the relation under investigation. We discuss various aspects of measurement error and argue that often an in-depth discussion is needed to appropriately assess the quality and validity of a study.

A microfluidic chip for screening high-producing hybridomas at single cell level

Hybridomas are a commonly used, or even the only option, for laboratory study and pilot production of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), which are crucial for both targeted therapy and biomedical study.