Neuropatia clinica en un ovino. Estudio de caso - Clinical neuropathy in a sheep. Case study

El objetivo del presente estudio de caso de neuropatía fue establecer y diferenciar el origen de procesos similares ocurridos en un rebaño ovino, en los que existía un diagnóstico preciso de la enfermedad. Se realizó el estudio clínico patológico en un ovino con un cuadro neurológico severo, el cual se evaluó mediante imagenología, procedimientos clínicos y estudios de laboratorio. Al realizar y evaluar las placas radiológicas, la imagen en su vista dorso ventral posterior se aprecio una imagen radio densa en el hemisferio derecho, con múltiples áreas radio lucidas irregulares en el hemisferio izquierdo correspondientes a vesículas de Coenurus cerebralis con un tamaño aproximado de 2.0 a 4.5 cm. Las lesiones macroscópicas fueron hidrocefalia, atrofia por presión y zonas de leucomalacia provocadas por el efecto compresivo del Coenurus; El cuadro neurológico asociado a C. cerebralis en ovinos apoyado del estudio radiológico, serodiagnóstico y posmortem confirman la cestodiasis, para la cual deben tomarse medidas de prevención y control parasitario en las especies involucradas

Effects of astaxanthin in mice acutely infected with Trypanosoma cruzi

During Trypanosoma cruzi infection, oxidative stress is considered a contributing factor for dilated cardiomyopathy development. In this study, the effects of astaxanthin (ASTX) were evaluated as an alternative drug treatment for Chagas disease in a mouse model during the acute infection phase, given its anti-inflammatory, immunomodulating, and anti-oxidative properties. ASTX was tested in vitro in parasites grown axenically and in co-culture with Vero cells. In vivo tests were performed in BALB/c mice (4–6 weeks old) infected with Trypanosoma cruzi and supplemented with ASTX (10 mg/kg/day) and/or nifurtimox (NFMX; 100 mg/kg/day). Results show that ASTX has some detrimental effects on axenically cultured parasites, but not when cultured with mammalian cell monolayers. In vivo, ASTX did not have any therapeutic value against acute Trypanosoma cruzi infection, used either alone or in combination with NFMX. Infected animals treated with NFMX or ASTX/NFMX survived the experimental period (60 days), while infected animals treated only with ASTX died before day 30 post-infection. ASTX did not show any effect on the control of parasitemia; however, it was associated with an increment in focal heart lymphoplasmacytic infiltration, a reduced number of amastigote nests in cardiac tissue, and less hyperplasic spleen follicles when compared to control groups. Unexpectedly, ASTX showed a negative effect in infected animals co-treated with NFMX. An increment in parasitemia duration was observed, possibly due to ASTX blocking of free radicals, an antiparasitic mechanism of NFMX. In conclusion, astaxanthin is not recommended during the acute phase of Chagas disease, either alone or in combination with nifurtimox.CONACYT PROY NO. 000000000156701. (REGISTRO INTERNO UAEM 3326

TcVac1 vaccine delivery by intradermal electroporation enhances vaccine induced immune protection against Trypanosoma cruzi infection in mice

Trabajo de investigación doctoral de Wael Hegazy Hassan Moustafa bajo la dirección de Juan Carlos Vázquez ChagoyánThe efforts for the development and testing of vaccines against Trypanosoma cruzi infection have increased during the past years. We have designed a TcVac series of vaccines composed of T. cruzi derived, GPI-anchored membrane antigens. The TcVac vaccines have been shown to elicit humoral and cellular mediated immune responses and provide significant (but not complete) control of experimental infection in mice and dogs. Herein, we aimed to test two immunization protocols for the delivery of DNA-prime/ DNA-boost vaccine (TcVac1) composed of TcG2 and TcG4 antigens in a BALB/c mouse model. Mice were immunized with TcVac1 through intradermal/electroporation (IDE) or intramuscular (IM) routes, challenged with T. cruzi, and evaluated during acute phase of infection. The humoral immune response was evaluated through the assessment of anti-TcG2 and anti-TcG4 IgG subtypes by using an ELISA. Cellular immune response was assessed through a lymphocyte proliferation assay. Finally, clinical and morphopathological aspects were evaluated for all experimental animals. Our results demonstrated that when comparing TcVac1 IDE delivery vs IM delivery, the former induced significantly higher level of antigen-specific antibody response (IgG2a + IgG2b > IgG1) and lymphocyte proliferation, which expanded in response to challenge infection. Histological evaluation after challenge infection showed infiltration of inflammatory cells (macrophages and lymphocytes) in the heart and skeletal tissue of all infected mice. However, the largest increase in inflammatory infiltrate was observed in TcVac1_IDE/Tc mice when compared with TcVac1_IM/Tc or non-vaccinated/infected mice. The extent of tissue inflammatory infiltrate was directly associated with the control of tissue amastigote nests in vaccinated/ infected (vs. non-vaccinated/infected) mice. Our results suggest that IDE delivery improves the protective efficacy of TcVac1 vaccine against T. cruzi infection in mice when compared with IM delivery of the vaccine.Universidad Autónoma de Estado de México (proyecto No. 3326/2012C), Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología (Proyecto No. 156701) . Beca CONACyT a M.Sc. Wael Hegazy Hassan Moustafa (Beca numero No. 518232/291117)

Immune protection against Trypanosoma cruzi induced by TcVac4 in a canine model

Chagas disease, caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, is endemic in southern parts of the American continent. Herein, we have tested the protective efficacy of a DNA-prime/T. rangeli-boost (TcVac4) vaccine in a dog (Canis familiaris) model. Dogs were immunized with two-doses of DNA vaccine (pcDNA3.1 encoding TcG1, TcG2, and TcG4 antigens plus IL-12- and GMCSF- encoding plasmids) followed by two doses of glutaraldehyde-inactivated T. rangeli epimastigotes (TrIE); and challenged with highly pathogenic T. cruzi (SylvioX10/4) isolate. Dogs given TrIE or empty pcDNA3.1 were used as controls. We monitored post-vaccination and post-challenge infection antibody response by an ELISA, parasitemia by blood analysis and xenodiagnosis, and heart function by electrocardiography. Post-mortem anatomic and pathologic evaluation of the heart was conducted. TcVac4 induced a strong IgG response (IgG2>IgG1) that was significantly expanded post-infection, and moved to a nearly balanced IgG2/IgG1 response in chronic phase. In comparison, dogs given TrIE or empty plasmid DNA only developed high IgG titers with IgG2 predominance in response to T. cruzi infection. Blood parasitemia, tissue parasite foci, parasite transmission to triatomines, electrocardiographic abnormalities were significantly lower in TcVac4-vaccinated dogs than was observed in dogs given TrIE or empty plasmid DNA only. Macroscopic and microscopic alterations, the hallmarks of chronic Chagas disease, were significantly decreased in the myocardium of TcVac4-vaccinated dogs.We conclude that TcVac4 induced immunity was beneficial in providing resistance to T. cruzi infection, evidenced by control of chronic pathology of the heart and preservation of cardiac function in dogs. Additionally, TcVac4 vaccination decreased the transmission of parasites from vaccinated/infected animals to triatomines.CONACYT PROY No. 156701 UAEM PROY No. 2381/2006U National Institutes of Health/National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases http://www.niaid.nih.gov/Pages/ default.aspx GRANT NUMBER (AI072538) NJG; American Heart Association http://www.heart.org/ HEARTORG/ GRANT NUMBER (0855059F) to NJG

CHALQUEÑO MAIZE (Zea mays L.) YIELD UNDER DIFFERENT FERTILIZATION SCHEMES IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF APAN, HIDALGO, MEXICO

Background. In Mexico, corn is the most important crop, being an important input with food, economic, political, and social implications. However, intensive cultivation methods, based on chemical pesticides, monoculture and synthetic agrochemicals have caused a reduction in soil fertility and crop yields. An alternative, which can help restore soil fertility, increasing organic matter, moisture retention and the load of microorganisms, is mixed fertilizer. Stimulating, in addition, the defense systems of the plants and thus increasing the yield of the crops. Objective. To evaluate some fertilization schemes in Chalqueño maize plants through the measurement of some growth and yield variables. Methodology. A completely randomized block experimental design was established with three repetitions, where four fertilization schemes were evaluated (T1, control without fertilizer input; T2, chemical fertilizer; T3, organic fertilizer; and T4, chemical fertilizer + organic fertilizer) during the crop years 2019-2020. Results. The analyzes showed significant differences (p ≤ 0.05) between the evaluated treatments and years of cultivation. Being the T4 treatment, the one that obtained the best grain yield for the years 2019 and 2020, with values of 5.11 ± 0.05b t ha-1 and 6.57 ± 0.95a t ha-1, while the T1 treatment, recorded 1.59 ± 0.12f t ha-1 and 2.15 ± 0.38e t ha-1, respectively. Implications. With the information generated, it will be possible to implement the best fertilization scheme that provides the corn plants with all the necessary nutrients so that year after year they obtain the best grain yields. Conclusion. Through the results it was possible to demonstrate the negative effect of environmental factors (higher temperature and less rainfall), on the yield of the corn crop during the year 2019, with respect to the best yield result obtained for all the treatments during the year 2020 where a lower temperature and higher rainfall were recorded. Being equally evident the positive effect on the yield when plants were fertilized with the T4 treatment that provided to the corn crop with an adequate dose of moisture and macro and micronutrients

Resistance of cervical adenocarcinoma cells (HeLa) to venom from the scorpion Centruroides limpidus limpidus

Background : The venom of Centruroides limpidus limpidus (Cll) is a mixture of pharmacologically active principles. The most important of these are toxic proteins that interact both selectively and specifically with different cellular targets such as ion channels. Recently, anticancer properties of the venom from other scorpion species have been described. Studies in vitro have shown that scorpion venom induces cell death, inhibits proliferation and triggers the apoptotic pathway in different cancer cell lines. Herein, after treating human cervical adenocarcinoma (HeLa) cells with Cll crude venom, their cytotoxic activity and apoptosis induction were assessed. Results : Cll crude venom induced cell death in normal macrophages in a dose-dependent manner. However, through viability assays, HeLa cells showed high survival rates after exposure to Cll venom. Also, Cll venom did not induce apoptosis after performing ethidium bromide/acridine orange assays, nor was there any evidence of chromatin condensation or DNA fragmentation. Conclusions : Crude Cll venom exposure was not detrimental to HeLa cell cultures. This may be partially attributable to the absence of specific HeLa cell membrane targets for molecules present in the venom of Centruroides limpidus limpidus. Although these results might discourage additional studies exploring the potential of Cll venom to treat human papilloma cervical cancer, further research is required to explore positive effects of crude Cll venom on other cancer cell lines

Miasis cavitaria y procesos patológicos alternos en un ovino

Se remitió el cadáver de ovino macho (semental), suffolk, con antecedentes de sialorrea, anorexia, secreción nasal serosa por nariz y postración. En el cerebro se observo congestión leptomeningea y edema, y en la parte adyacente de tejido óseo - en el área de senos frontales abundante exudado purulento (verde pistache) de olor fétido, reblandecimiento de hueso, senos nasales blandos con congestión severa (y color blanquecino-edematoso) y con el mismo exudado purulento. Al estudio anatomopatológico se determino una miasis cavitaria con afección de tejido nervioso. Histológicamente en: cornetes nasales infiltración leve de neutrófilos en las células epiteliales y congestión severa; en cerebro infiltración linfocitaria y de neutrófilos en leptomeninges y en el espacio linfático perivascular, infiltración neutrofílica y necrosis licuefactiva focal. A partir de encéfalo se aisló: Staphylococcus epidermidis. Oestrus ovis por si mismo puede llegar a invadir meninges y cerebro, además por acción traumática, irritativa y bacterifera ocasionar alteraciones alternas en otros tejidos

Determinación de clorhidrato de clembuterol en orina de bovinos en tres rastros municipales del estado de México

El objetivo del presente trabajo fue determinar el porcentaje de bovinos para abasto positivos a clorhidrato de clembuterol (CCL), con base en muestras de orina de bovinos sacrificados en 3 rastros del estado de México. Para esto se colectaron muestras en los rastros municipales de Toluca (59), Ixtlahuaca (52) y Atlacomulco (40), y se obtuvo un total de 151 muestras. El análisis de las muestras se realizó a través de la prueba de ELISA y para el reporte de resultados se utilizó estadística descriptiva. De las muestras analizadas 105 fueron positivas (69,53 %), por rastro la positividad, fue de 48, 30 y 27 respectivamente. Al establecer diferentes rangos de concentración a CCL, en el rango de 200 a 1999 pg g–1 se ubicaron 46 muestras; 6 muestras, en el rango de 2000 a 3525 pg g–1; 3, en el rango de 3526 a 5050 pg g–1; 1 muestra, entre 5051 y 6575 pg g–1, y 95 se ubicaron entre 6575 y \u3e8100 pg g–1. El rastro con mayor porcentaje de positividad fue el de Toluca, con base en los rangos establecidos, y las concentraciones más elevadas también se observaron en el mismo rastro. El límite mínimo de detección de CCL de 2000 pg g–1 permite considerar que, con base tanto en la concentración como en su cinética, las cantidades detectadas en el estudio sirven como un indicador importante de residualidad a través de este tipo de muestr

Effects of astaxanthin in mice acutely infected with

During Trypanosoma cruzi infection, oxidative stress is considered a contributing factor for dilated cardiomyopathy development. In this study, the effects of astaxanthin (ASTX) were evaluated as an alternative drug treatment for Chagas disease in a mouse model during the acute infection phase, given its anti-inflammatory, immunomodulating, and anti-oxidative properties. ASTX was tested in vitro in parasites grown axenically and in co-culture with Vero cells. In vivo tests were performed in BALB/c mice (4–6 weeks old) infected with Trypanosoma cruzi and supplemented with ASTX (10 mg/kg/day) and/or nifurtimox (NFMX; 100 mg/kg/day). Results show that ASTX has some detrimental effects on axenically cultured parasites, but not when cultured with mammalian cell monolayers. In vivo, ASTX did not have any therapeutic value against acute Trypanosoma cruzi infection, used either alone or in combination with NFMX. Infected animals treated with NFMX or ASTX/NFMX survived the experimental period (60 days), while infected animals treated only with ASTX died before day 30 post-infection. ASTX did not show any effect on the control of parasitemia; however, it was associated with an increment in focal heart lymphoplasmacytic infiltration, a reduced number of amastigote nests in cardiac tissue, and less hyperplasic spleen follicles when compared to control groups. Unexpectedly, ASTX showed a negative effect in infected animals co-treated with NFMX. An increment in parasitemia duration was observed, possibly due to ASTX blocking of free radicals, an anti-parasitic mechanism of NFMX. In conclusion, astaxanthin is not recommended during the acute phase of Chagas disease, either alone or in combination with nifurtimox

Effects of astaxanthin in mice acutely infected with Trypanosoma cruzi

During Trypanosoma cruzi infection, oxidative stress is considered a contributing factor for dilated cardiomyopathy development. In this study, the effects of astaxanthin (ASTX) were evaluated as an alternative drug treatment for Chagas disease in a mouse model during the acute infection phase, given its anti-inflammatory, immunomodulating, and anti-oxidative properties. ASTX was tested in vitro in parasites grown axenically and in co-culture with Vero cells. In vivo tests were performed in BALB/c mice (4–6 weeks old) infected with Trypanosoma cruzi and supplemented with ASTX (10 mg/kg/day) and/or nifurtimox (NFMX; 100 mg/kg/day). Results show that ASTX has some detrimental effects on axenically cultured parasites, but not when cultured with mammalian cell monolayers. In vivo, ASTX did not have any therapeutic value against acute Trypanosoma cruzi infection, used either alone or in combination with NFMX. Infected animals treated with NFMX or ASTX/NFMX survived the experimental period (60 days), while infected animals treated only with ASTX died before day 30 post-infection. ASTX did not show any effect on the control of parasitemia; however, it was associated with an increment in focal heart lymphoplasmacytic infiltration, a reduced number of amastigote nests in cardiac tissue, and less hyperplasic spleen follicles when compared to control groups. Unexpectedly, ASTX showed a negative effect in infected animals co-treated with NFMX. An increment in parasitemia duration was observed, possibly due to ASTX blocking of free radicals, an anti-parasitic mechanism of NFMX. In conclusion, astaxanthin is not recommended during the acute phase of Chagas disease, either alone or in combination with nifurtimox