The hookworm Ancylostoma ceylanicum: an emerging public health risk in Australian tropical rainforests and Indigenous communities

Ancylostoma ceylanicum is the common hookworm of domestic dogs and cats throughout Asia, and is an emerging but little understood public health risk in tropical northern Australia. We investigated the prevalence of A. ceylanicum in soil and free-ranging domestic dogs at six rainforest locations in Far North Queensland that are Indigenous Australian communities and popular tourist attractions within the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area. By combining PCR-based techniques with traditional methods of hookworm species identification, we found the prevalence of hookworm in Indigenous community dogs was high (96.3% and 91.9% from necropsy and faecal samples, respectively). The majority of these infections were A. caninum. We also observed, for the first time, the presence of A. ceylanicum infection in domestic dogs (21.7%) and soil (55.6%) in an Indigenous community. A. ceylanicum was present in soil samples from two out of the three popular tourist locations sampled. Our results contribute to the understanding of dogs as a public health risk to Indigenous communities and tourists in the Wet Tropics. Dog health needs to be more fully addressed as part of the Australian Government's commitments to “closing the gap” in chronic disease between Indigenous and other Australians, and encouraging tourism in similar locations

Effects of cell seeding density on real-time monitoring of anti-proliferative effects of transient gene silencing

WOS: 000390112500001PubMed ID: 27981039Background: Real-time cellular analysis systems enable impedance-based label-free and dynamic monitoring of various cellular events such as proliferation. In this study, we describe the effects of initial cell seeding density on the anti-proliferative effects of transient gene silencing monitored via real-time cellular analysis. We monitored the realtime changes in proliferation of Huh7 hepatocellular carcinoma and A7r5 vascular smooth muscle cells with different initial seeding densities following transient receptor potential canonical 1 (TRPC1) silencing using xCELLigence system. Huh7 and A7r5 cells were seeded on E-plate 96 at 10,000, 5000, 1250 and 5000, 2500 cells well(-1), respectively, following silencing vector transfection. The inhibitory effects of transient silencing on cell proliferation monitored every 30 min for 72 h. Results: TRPC1 silencing did not inhibit the proliferation rates of Huh7 cells at 10,000 cells well(-1) seeding density. However, a significant anti-proliferative effect was observed at 1250 cells well(-1) density at each time point throughout 72 h. Furthermore, significant inhibitory effects on A7r5 proliferation were observed at both 5000 and 2500 cells well(-1) for 72 h. Conclusions: Data suggest that the effects of transient silencing on cell proliferation differ depending on the initial cell seeding density. While high seeding densities mask the significant changes in proliferation, the inhibitory effects of silencing become apparent at lower seeding densities as the entry into log phase is delayed. Using the optimal initial seeding density is crucial when studying the effects of transient gene silencing. In addition, the results suggest that TRPC1 may contribute to proliferation and phenotypic switching of vascular smooth muscle cells.Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK Research Project)Turkiye Bilimsel ve Teknolojik Arastirma Kurumu (TUBITAK) [108S072]; Novartis (Turkey)Novartis; Research Infrastructure Project, The State Planning Organization of Turkey (DPT) [2009K120640]This work was supported by The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK Research Project, 108S072) and Novartis (Turkey) to MT. The xCELLigence system was purchased within the Research Infrastructure Project, The State Planning Organization of Turkey (DPT, 2009K120640)

Conserved genes and pathways in primary human fibroblast strains undergoing replicative and radiation induced senescence

Additional file 3: Figure S3. Regulation of genes of Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy pathway during senescence induction in HFF strains Genes of the “Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy” pathway which are significantly up- (green) and down- (red) regulated (log2 fold change >1) during irradiation induced senescence (120 h after 20 Gy irradiation) in HFF strains. Orange color signifies genes which are commonly up-regulated during both, irradiation induced and replicative senescence

O óxido nitrico como neurotransmissor no sistema nervoso entérico: fisiopatologia e implicações no íleo adinâmico

Nesta revisão do sistema nervoso entérico, enfatiza-se o mecanismo da inibição não-adrenérgica e não-colinérgica na contratilidade do sistema digestório. Introduz-se a síntese e metabolismo do óxido nítrico com apresentação das sintases do óxido nítrico. Atualiza-se mostrando o óxido nítrico como neurotransmissor do mecanismo inibitório não-adrenérgico e não-colinérgico, demonstrando sua atividade na musculatura lisa gastrointestinal e possível mecanismo intracelular através da cGMP. Após atualização do mecanismo do peristaltismo e do complexo motor migratório, faz-se uma descrição do íleo adinâmico. Por fim, todo raciocínio apresentado condensa-se na fisiopatologia do íleo adinâmico

Carriage of critically important antimicrobial resistant bacteria and zoonotic parasites amongst camp dogs in remote Western Australian indigenous communities

Camp dogs in indigenous communities in the Western Australian Kimberley Region, share the domestic environment with humans and have the potential to act as carriers of, and sentinels for, a wide range of zoonotic agents, including intestinal parasites and antimicrobial resistant bacteria. In this study, we investigated the carriage of extended-spectrum-cephalosporin-resistant (ESC-resistant) Escherichia coli, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and species of hookworm and Giardia among camp dogs in remote Western Australian Aboriginal communities. A total of 141 canine faecal samples and 156 nasal swabs were collected from dogs in four communities of the Western Australian Kimberley region. Overall, ESC-resistant E. coli was detected in 16.7% of faecal samples and MRSA was isolated from 2.6% of nasal swabs. Of most significance was the presence of the community-associated Panton-Valentine leucocidin (PVL)-positive MRSA ST93 and ST5 clones and ESC-resistant E. coli ST38 and ST131. The most prevalent zoonotic intestinal parasite infection was Ancylostoma caninum (66%). The prevalence of Giardia was 12.1%, with the main genotypes of Giardia detected being dog specific assemblages C and D, which are unlikely to cause disease in humans