Urban environment predisposes dogs and their owners to allergic symptoms

Our companion-animals, dogs, suffer increasingly from non-communicable diseases, analogous to those common in humans, such as allergic manifestations. In humans, living in rural environments is associated with lower risk of allergic diseases. Our aim was to explore whether a similar pattern can be found in dogs, using a nation-wide survey in Finland (n = 5722). We characterised the land-use around dog's home at the time of birth as well as around its current home, and described several lifestyle factors. The severity of owner-reported allergic symptoms in dogs was estimated with a comprehensive set of questions, developed by experts of canine dermatology. Also, the prevalence of diagnosed allergies in dog owners was recorded. The results indicate that allergic symptoms are more prevalent in urban environments both in dog owners and in dogs (accounting the effect of dog breed). Several factors related to rural living, such as bigger family size and regular contact with farm animals and other pets, were also protective against allergic symptoms in dogs. Interestingly, allergic dogs were more likely to have allergic owners than healthy dogs were. Therefore, we suggest that the mutual presence of allergic symptoms in both species indicates common underlying causal factors of allergic diseases.Peer reviewe

The effect of lipidation on the self-assembly of the gut-derived peptide hormone PYY3–36

Lipidation is a powerful strategy to improve the stability in vivo of peptide drugs. Attachment of a lipid chain to a hydrophilic peptide leads to amphiphilicity and the potential for surfactant-like self-assembly. Here, the self-assembly and conformation of three lipidated derivatives of the gastrointestinal peptide hormone PYY3–36 is examined using a comprehensive range of spectroscopic, scattering, and electron microscopy methods and compared to those of the parent PYY3–36 peptide. The peptides are lipidated at Ser(11), Arg(17), or Arg(23) in the peptide; the former is within the β-turn domain (based on the published solution NMR structure), and the latter two are both within the α-helical domain. We show that it is possible to access a remarkable diversity of nanostructures ranging from micelles to nanotapes and fibrillar hydrogels by control of assembly conditions (concentration, pH, and temperature). All of the lipopeptides self-assemble above a critical aggregation concentration (cac), determined through pyrene fluorescence probe measurements, and they all have predominantly α-helical secondary structure at their native pH. The pH and temperature dependence of the α-helical conformation were probed via circular dichroism spectroscopy experiments. Lipidation was found to provide enhanced stability against changes in temperature and pH. The self-assembled structures were investigated using small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and cryogenic transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM). Distinct differences in nanostructure were observed for lipidated and unlipidated peptides, also depending on the position of lipidation. Remarkably, micelles containing lipopeptides with α-helical peptide conformation were observed. Gelation was observed at higher concentrations in certain pH intervals for the lipidated peptides, but not for unlipidated PYY3–36. Thus, lipidation, in addition to enhancing stability against pH and temperature variation, also provides a route to prepare PYY peptide hydrogels. These findings provide important insights into the control of PYY3–36 conformation and aggregation by lipidation, relevant to the development of future therapeutics based on this peptide hormone, for example, in treatments for obesity

Lignans in Knotwood of Norway Spruce : Localisation with Soft X-ray Microscopy and Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy with Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy

Lignans are bioactive compounds that are especially abundant in the Norway spruce (Picea abiesL. Karst.) knotwood. By combining a variety of chromatographic, spectroscopic and imaging techniques, we were able to quantify, qualify and localise the easily extractable lignans in the xylem tissue. The knotwood samples contained 15 different lignans according to the gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis. They comprised 16% of the knotwood dry weight and 82% of the acetone extract. The main lignans were found to be hydroxymatairesinols HMR1 and HMR2. Cryosectioned and resin-embedded ultrathin sections of the knotwood were analysed with scanning transmission X-ray microscopy (STXM). Cryosectioning was found to retain only lignan residues inside the cell lumina. In the resin-embedded samples, lignan was interpreted to be unevenly distributed inside the cell lumina, and partially confined in deposits which were either readily present in the lumina or formed when OsO(4)used in staining reacted with the lignans. Furthermore, the multi-technique characterisation enabled us to obtain information on the chemical composition of the structural components of knotwood. A simple spectral analysis of the STXM data gave consistent results with the gas chromatographic methods about the relative amounts of cell wall components (lignin and polysaccharides). The STXM analysis also indicated that a torus of a bordered pit contained aromatic compounds, possibly lignin.Peer reviewe

Contrasting microbiotas between Finnish and Estonian infants : exposure to Acinetobacter may contribute to the allergy gap

Background Allergic diseases are more common in Finland than in Estonia, which-according to the biodiversity hypothesis-could relate to differences in early microbial exposures. Methods We aimed at defining possible microbial perturbations preceding early atopic sensitization. Stool, nasal and skin samples of 6-month-old DIABIMMUNE study participants with HLA susceptibility to type 1 diabetes were collected. We compared microbiotas of sensitized (determined by specific IgE results at 18 months of age) and unsensitized Estonian and Finnish children. Results Sensitization was differentially targeted between populations, as egg-specific and birch pollen-specific IgE was more common in Finland. Microbial diversity and community composition also differed; the genusAcinetobacterwas more abundant in Estonian skin and nasal samples. Particularly, the strain-level profile ofAcinetobacter lwoffiiwas more diverse in Estonian samples. Early microbiota was not generally associated with later sensitization. Microbial composition tended to differ between children with or without IgE-related sensitization, but only in Finland. While land-use pattern (ie green areas vs. urban landscapes around the children's homes) was not associated with microbiota as a whole, it associated with the composition of the genusAcinetobacter. Breastfeeding affected gut microbial composition and seemed to protect from sensitization. Conclusions In accordance with the biodiversity hypothesis, our results support disparate early exposure to environmental microbes between Finnish and Estonian children and suggest a significant role of the genusAcinetobacterin the allergy gap between the two populations. The significance of the observed differences for later allergic sensitization remains open.Peer reviewe

Checklist of aphyllophoroid fungi (Agaricomycetes, Basidiomycota) in boreal forests of the Solovetsky Archipelago (Arkhangelsk Region, European Russia)

Herein we present a checklist of aphyllophoroid fungi of the Solovetsky Archipelago, located in the White Sea (Arkhangesk Region, European Russia). The annotated list contains 275 species belonging to 139 genera of aphyllophoroid basidiomycetes (Agaricomycetes, Basidiomycota). Eight species (Athelia bombacina, Ceraceomyces tessulatus, Clavariadelphus truncatus, Clavaria zollingeri, Clavulinopsis luteoalba, Hyphoderma obtusiforme, Phanerochaete jose-ferreirae, and Ramaria obtusissima) are recorded from the Arkhangelsk Region for the first time, and 23 species were recorded for the first time from the Solovetsky Archipelago. Most records are documented by herbarium specimens

Eleven remarkable Diptera species, emerged from fallen aspens in Kivach Nature Reserve, Russian Karelia

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Simultaneous allergic traits in dogs and their owners are associated with living environment, lifestyle and microbial exposures

Both humans and pet dogs are more prone to develop allergies in urban than in rural environments, which has been associated with the differing microbial exposures between areas. However, potential similarities in the microbiota, that associate with environmental exposures, in allergic dogs and owners has not been investigated. We evaluated skin and gut microbiota, living environment, and lifestyle in 168 dog-owner pairs. Due to partly different manifestations of allergies between species, we focused on aeroallergen sensitized humans and dogs with owner-reported allergic symptoms. Our results agree with previous studies: dog-owner pairs suffered simultaneously from these allergic traits, higher risk associated with an urban environment, and the skin, but not gut, microbiota was partly shared by dog-owner pairs. We further discovered that urban environment homogenized both dog and human skin microbiota. Notably, certain bacterial taxa, which were associated with living environment and lifestyle, were also related with allergic traits, but these taxa differed between dogs and humans. Thus, we conclude that dogs and humans can be predisposed to allergy in response to same risk factors. However, as shared predisposing or protective bacterial taxa were not discovered, other factors than environmental microbial exposures can mediate the effect or furry dog and furless human skin select different taxa.peerReviewe

A continuum of dead wood with various habitat elements maintains the diversity of wood-inhabiting fungi in an old-growth boreal forest

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