Utilization of Andong Leaf Extract (Cordyline fruticosa) as an Alternative for Coloring the Eggs of Intestinal Nematode

Microscopic examination is essential to find the type of worm that causes infection. Direct examination of worm eggs needs to use staining to distinguish between worm eggs and food residues that are not completely digested. The dyes commonly used are synthetic. The purpose of this study was to replace synthetic dyes with natural dyes with Andong (Cordyline Fruticosa) leaf juice. It can be used as an alternative or a substitute for dyes. This research method is descriptive, conducted at the Parasitology Laboratory of Poltekkes Kemenkes Pontianak. The population in this study was the juice of the leaves of Andong (Cordyline Fruticosa). The method of inspection is direct preparation with an object glass as is routinely done, but the dye is replaced with Andong leaf juice (Cordyline Fruticosa). The results showed that natural dye Andong leaf juice (Cordyline Fruticosa), gave a clear color to the absorption of intestinal nematode worm eggs as the test target. This study concludes that the juice of the leaves of Andong (Cordyline Fruticosa) with alcohol solvent can be used as an alternative dye for the examination of intestinal nematode worm eggs.

Prevalence of Helminths in Digestive Tract of Cows in Indonesia

Helminthiasis is an important problem that affects the productivity and health of cows in tropical countries. This study aimed to examine the prevalence of helminthiasis in the digestive tract and the factors that affect it. In the current study, feces samples were from 75 cows aged up to one year old. The samples were collected from areas with the majority of the population as cattle breeders. The data were analyzed descriptively and statistically. The result indicated that most of the cows have suffered from helminthiasis caused by Toxocara vitulorum and the prevalence of intestinal helminths was mostly mild. Toxocara vitulorum spp. was the most common nematode worm that infected cows. The most effective factors on prevalence of helminthiasis in cows were age and cage location.

Measuring optimality of a neural system by a logic gate model

The nematode worm, Caenorhabditis elegans, is a relatively simple neural system model for measuring the efficiency of information transmission from sensory organ to muscle fiber. With the potential to measure this efficiency, a method is proposed to compare the organization of an idealized neural circuit with a logic gate design. This approach is useful for analysis of a neural circuit that is not tractable to a strictly biological model, and where the assumptions of a logic gate design have applicability. Also, included in the results is an abstract perspective of the electrical-specific synaptic network in the somatic system of the nematode worm.

Neuronally Produced Betaine Acts via a Novel Ligand Gated Ion Channel to Control Behavioural States

Trimethyl glycine, or betaine, is an amino acid derivative found in diverse organisms, from bacteria to plants and animals. It can function as an osmolyte to protect cells against osmotic stress, and building evidence suggests betaine may also play important functional roles in the nervous system. However, despite growing interest in betaine's roles in the nervous system, few molecular mechanisms have been elucidated. Here we identify the expression of betaine synthesis pathway genes in the nervous system of the nematode worm, C. elegans. We show that betaine, produced in a single pair of interneurons, the RIMs, can control complex behavioural states. Moreover, we also identify and characterise a new betaine-gated inhibitory ligand gated ion channel, LGC-41, which is required for betaine related behavioural changes. Intriguingly we observed expression of LGC-41 in punctate structures across several sensory and interneurons, including those synaptically connected to the RIMs. Our data presents a neuronal molecular mechanism for the action of betaine, via a specific receptor, in the control of complex behaviour within the nervous system of C. elegans. This may suggest a much broader role for betaine in the regulation of animal nervous systems than previously recognised.

Quantitative behavioural phenotyping to investigate anaesthesia induced neurobehavioural impairment

Anaesthesia exposure to the developing nervous system causes neuroapoptosis and behavioural impairment in vertebrate models. Mechanistic understanding is limited, and target-based approaches are challenging. High-throughput methods may be an important parallel approach to drug-discovery and mechanistic research. The nematode worm Caenorhabditis elegans is an ideal candidate model. A rich subset of its behaviour can be studied, and hundreds of behavioural features can be quantified, then aggregated to yield a ‘signature’. Perturbation of this behavioural signature may provide a tool that can be used to quantify the effects of anaesthetic regimes, and act as an outcome marker for drug screening and molecular target research. Larval C. elegans were exposed to: isoflurane, ketamine, morphine, dexmedetomidine, and lithium (and combinations). Behaviour was recorded, and videos analysed with automated algorithms to extract behavioural features. Anaesthetic exposure during early development leads to persisting behavioural variation (in total, 125 features across exposure combinations). Higher concentrations, and combinations of isoflurane with ketamine, lead to persistent change in a greater number of features. Morphine and dexmedetomidine do not appear to lead to behavioural impairment. Lithium rescues the neurotoxic phenotype produced by isoflurane. Findings correlate well with vertebrate research: impairment is dependent on agent, is concentration-specific, is more likely with combination therapies, and can potentially be rescued by lithium. These results suggest that C. elegans may be an appropriate model with which to pursue phenotypic screens for drugs that mitigate the neurobehavioural impairment. Some possibilities are suggested for how high-throughput platforms might be organised in service of this field.

Ekstrak Antosianin Dari Ubi Ungu (Ipomoea Batatas L.) Sebagai Pewarna Alami Pada Pemeriksaan Soil Transmitted Helminths (STH) Metode Natif (Direct Slide)

Helminthiasis is a worm infestation caused by several different species of intestinal parasitic worms. This group of worms belongs to the category of Soil Transmitted Helminth (STH) because the process of developing eggs or larvae of these species requires soil to develop into an infective form. The simplest method of examining intestinal nematode worm eggs is the Native Method using 2% Eosin reagent in observing various elements of the examination on the preparations/preparations. Eosin itself has properties that are not easily biodegradable, and generates hazardous waste (toxic) and flammable so that alternative coloring is needed that is more environmentally friendly. Purple sweet potato has a high content of anthocyanin pigments and is more stable than the pigments of strawberries, red cabbage, perilla and other plants. Thus, purple sweet potato has been considered a good source of anthocyanins. This study aims to determine the use of anthocyanin extract from purple sweet potato as a natural dye substitute for eosin dye in the identification of STH in the native method. Parameters observed in the preparations were the quality of visual field contrast, color absorption on the surface of the parasite, and the level of clarity of the appearance of the parasite. The results showed that the use of anthocyanin extract from purple sweet potato at a concentration of 80% could color the eggs of STH worms which were found in positive samples of Ascaris lumbricoides seen in fertile (fertilized eggs) and infertile (unfertilized eggs). Therefore, the anthocyanin extract obtained from purple sweet potato has potential as an alternative dye to replace eosin.

Using a Quadruplet Codon to Expand the Genetic Code of an Animal

Genetic code expansion in multicellular organisms is currently limited to the use of repurposed amber stop codons. Here we introduce a system for the use of quadruplet codons to direct incorporation of non-canonical amino acids in vivo in an animal, the nematode worm Caenorhabditis elegans. We develop hybrid pyrrolysyl tRNA variants to incorporate non-canonical amino acids in response to the quadruplet codon UAGA. We demonstrate the efficiency of the quadruplet decoding system by incorporating photocaged amino acids into two proteins widely used as genetic tools. We use photocaged lysine to express photocaged Cre recombinase for the optical control of gene expression and photocaged cysteine to express photo-activatable caspase for light inducible cell ablation. Our approach will facilitate the routine adoption of quadruplet decoding for genetic code expansion in eukaryotic cells and multicellular organisms.

IDENTIFIKASI TELUR CACING NEMATODA USUS SOIL TRANSMITTED HELMINTH (STH) PADA MASYARAKAT DI PULAU LAE-LAE KOTA MAKASSAR

ABSTRACT Communities on Lae-Lae Island, Makassar City have sanitation facilities that are still poor and very limited with quality far from health standards. This causes people who live in these islands to face various health problems, one of which is the risk of being infected with eggs of intestinal nematode worms Soil-Transmitted Helminths (STH). This study aims to identify the eggs of the intestinal nematode worm Soil Transmitted Helminthes in the feces of people on Lae-Lae Island, Makassar City. This type of research is a laboratory observation with a purposive sampling technique of 10 stool samples. Based on the results of research that has been carried out on 10 faecal samples, it was found 1 positive stool sample for Trichuris trichura worm eggs with distinctive egg-shaped characteristics such as the shape of crock worm eggs or wine barrels and at both ends there are two mucoid plugs. The egg wall is brown from the color of the bile at both ends, it is clear, while the other 9 stool samples are negative the type of worm Trichuris trichura and 9 other samples were negative.

Maximally predictive ensemble dynamics from data

We leverage the interplay between microscopic variability and macroscopic order to connect physical descriptions across scales directly from data, without underlying equations. We reconstruct a state space by concatenating measurements in time, building a maximum entropy partition of the resulting sequences, and choosing the sequence length to maximize predictive information. Trading non-linear trajectories for linear, ensemble evolution, we analyze reconstructed dynamics through transfer operators. The evolution is parameterized by a transition time τ: capturing the source entropy rate at small τ and revealing timescale separation with collective, coherent states through the operator spectrum at larger τ. Applicable to both deterministic and stochastic systems, we illustrate our approach through the Langevin dynamics of a particle in a double-well potential and the Lorenz system. Applied to the behavior of the nematode worm C. elegans, we derive a "run-and-pirouette" navigation strategy directly from posture dynamics. We demonstrate how sequences simulated from the ensemble evolution recover effective diffusion in the worm's centroid trajectories and introduce a top-down, operator-based clustering which reveals subtle subdivisions of the "run" behavior.

Presynaptic Gαo (GOA-1) signals to depress command neuron excitability and allow stretch-dependent modulation of egg laying in Caenorhabditis elegans

Egg laying in the nematode worm Caenorhabditis elegans is a two-state behavior modulated by internal and external sensory input. We have previously shown that homeostatic feedback of embryo accumulation in the uterus regulates bursting activity of the serotonergic HSN command neurons that sustains the egg-laying active state. How sensory feedback of egg release signals to terminate the egg-laying active state is less understood. We find that Gαo, a conserved Pertussis Toxin-sensitive G protein, signals within HSN to inhibit egg-laying circuit activity and prevent entry into the active state. Gαo signaling hyperpolarizes HSN, reducing HSN Ca2+ activity and input onto the postsynaptic vulval muscles. Loss of inhibitory Gαo signaling uncouples presynaptic HSN activity from a postsynaptic, stretch-dependent homeostat, causing precocious entry into the egg-laying active state when only a few eggs are present in the uterus. Feedback of vulval opening and egg release activates the uv1 neuroendocrine cells which release NLP-7 neuropeptides which signal to inhibit egg laying through Gαo-independent mechanisms in the HSNs and Gαo-dependent mechanisms in cells other than the HSNs. Thus, neuropeptide and inhibitory Gαo signaling maintains a bi-stable state of electrical excitability that dynamically controls circuit activity in response to both external and internal sensory input to drive a two-state behavior output.