Isolamento e detecção de Escherichia coli e Campylobacter jejuni potencialmente patogênicos em pombos selvagens de uma área urbana na cidade de Lima, Perú

Os pombos selvagens (Columbia livia) vivem em estreito contato com os seres humanos e outros animais. Podem transmitir agentes potencialmente patogênicos e zoonóticos. Os objetivos deste estudo foram isolar e detectar cepas de Escherichia coli diarreiogênica e Campylobacter jejuni de pombos selvagens urbanos de uma área de Lima, Peru. Amostras de fezes frescas foram coletadas em parques urbanos para o isolamento microbiológico para cepas de E. coli em ágar seletivo e Campylobacterpor método de filtração. Identificação molecular de patótipos diarreiogênicos de E. coli e Campylobacter jejuni foi realizado por PCR. Vinte e dois parques foram amostrados e 16 colônias de Campylobacter spp. foram isolados. O 100% dos isolados foram identificados como Campylobacter jejuni. Além disso, 102 colônias de E. coli foram isoladas e 5,88% resultaram como tipo enteropatogênico (EPEC) e 0,98% como produtora de toxina Shiga (STEC). Os pombos selvagens urbanos de Lima no Peru podem atuar como reservatório ou ser portador de agentes zoonóticos entéricos potencialmente patogênicos.Feral pigeons (Columbia livia) live in close contact with humans and other animals. They can transmit potentially pathogenic and zoonotic agents. The objective of this study was to isolate and detect strains of diarrheagenic Escherichia coli and Campylobacter jejuniof urban feral pigeons from an area of Lima, Peru. Fresh dropping samples from urban parks were collected for microbiological isolation of E. coli strains in selective agar, and Campylobacterby filtration method. Molecular identification of diarrheagenic pathotypes of E.coliand Campylobacter jejuni was performed by PCR. Twenty-two parks were sampled and 16 colonies of Campylobacter spp. were isolated. The 100% of isolates were identified as Campylobacter jejuni. Furthermore, 102 colonies of E. coli were isolated and the 5.88% resulted as Enteropathogenic (EPEC) type and 0.98% as Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC). The urban feral pigeons of Lima in Peru can act as a reservoir or carriers of zoonotic potentially pathogenic enteric agents

The effect of subchronic supplementation with folic acid on homocysteine induced seizures

Influence of folic acid on the CNS is still unclear. Folate has a neuroprotective effect, while on the other hand excess folate can exacerbate seizures in epileptics. The aim of the present study was to examine the effect of subchronic administration of folic acid on behavioural and electroencephalographic (EEG) characteristics of DL homocysteine thiolactone induced seizures in adult rats. The activity of Na+/K+-ATPase and Mg2+-ATPase in different brain regions was investigated. Adult male Wistar rats were divided into groups: 1. Controls (C, 0.9% NaCl); 2. DL homocysteine-thiolactone 8.0 mmol/kg (H); 3. Subchronic supplementation with folic acid 5 mg/kg for 7 days (F) and 4. Subchronic supplementation with F + single dose of H (FH). Seizure behaviour was assessed by incidence, latency, number and intensity of seizure episodes. Seizure severity was described by a descriptive scale with grades 0–4. For EEG recordings, three gold-plated recording electrodes were implanted into the skull. Subchronic supplementation with folic acid did not affect seizure incidence, median number of seizure episodes and severity in FH, comparison with H (p > 0.05). The majority of seizure episodes in all groups were of grade 2. There were no significant differences in lethal outcomes at 24 h upon H injection in the FH vs. H group. The activity of Na+/K+-ATPase and Mg2+-ATPase was significantly increased in almost all examined structures in the FH vs. H group. Subchronic folic acid administration did not exacerbate H induced seizures and completely recovered the activity of ATPases

Prevalence And Risk Factors For Bovine Tuberculosis In The State Of São Paulo, Brazil

A cross sectional study was carried out between May and November 2011 to investigate the epidemiological situation of bovine tuberculosis (bTB) in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. The state was divided into seven regions. Three hundred farms from each region, with reproductive activity, were randomly chosen and included as primary sample units. A fixed number of bovine females, older than 2 years of age, were randomly selected and tested, using the comparative cervical tuberculin test. An epidemiological questionnaire based survey was conducted in the selected farms. Our results show that in the state of São Paulo, the apparent prevalence of positive farms was 9% (95% confidence interval, 95% CI = 7.8 - 10.5%). The prevalence in the individual regions varied between 3.5% (95% CI = 1.7 - 6.8%) and 13.9% (95% CI = 10.2 - 18.8%). The apparent prevalence of positive animals in the state was 1.3% (95% CI = 0.9 - 1.7%) and varied from 0.3% (95% CI = 0.2 - 0.6%) to 2.5% (95% CI = 1.4 - 4.5%) in the regions. The risk factors associated with tuberculosis in the state were (i) number of adult females in a herd is = 24 (Odds ratio, OR = 1.91, 95% CI = 1.32 - 2.75), (ii) type of farm enterprise (dairy: OR = 2.70, 95% CI = 1.40 - 5.21; mixed: OR = 2.03, 95% CI = 1.08 - 3.82), (iii) milking process (milking parlor: OR = 4.12, 95% CI = 1.46 - 11.64; portable milking machine: OR = 2.94, 95% CI = 1.42 - 6.09), and (iv) pasture sharing (OR = 1.58, 95% CI = 1.07 - 2.33). The state of São Paulo should implement a structured surveillance system to detect and mitigate the disease. Further, an efficient animal health education program, which encourages the farmers to test replacement animals for bTB prior to introduction in their herds and to avoid pasture sharing with farms of unknown sanitary conditions should also be implemented.3753673368

Inhibition of Orexin/Hypocretin Neurons Ameliorates Elevated Physical Activity and Energy Expenditure in the A53T Mouse Model of Parkinson’s Disease

Aside from the classical motor symptoms, Parkinson’s disease also has various non-classical symptoms. Interestingly, orexin neurons, involved in the regulation of exploratory locomotion, spontaneous physical activity, and energy expenditure, are affected in Parkinson’s. In this study, we hypothesized that Parkinson’s-disease-associated pathology affects orexin neurons and therefore impairs functions they regulate. To test this, we used a transgenic animal model of Parkinson’s, the A53T mouse. We measured body composition, exploratory locomotion, spontaneous physical activity, and energy expenditure. Further, we assessed alpha-synuclein accumulation, inflammation, and astrogliosis. Finally, we hypothesized that chemogenetic inhibition of orexin neurons would ameliorate observed impairments in the A53T mice. We showed that aging in A53T mice was accompanied by reductions in fat mass and increases in exploratory locomotion, spontaneous physical activity, and energy expenditure. We detected the presence of alpha-synuclein accumulations in orexin neurons, increased astrogliosis, and microglial activation. Moreover, loss of inhibitory pre-synaptic terminals and a reduced number of orexin cells were observed in A53T mice. As hypothesized, this chemogenetic intervention mitigated the behavioral disturbances induced by Parkinson’s disease pathology. This study implicates the involvement of orexin in early Parkinson’s-disease-associated impairment of hypothalamic-regulated physiological functions and highlights the importance of orexin neurons in Parkinson’s disease symptomology

Badanie optymalnego modelu kinetyki procesu flotacji żużla miedziowego z kopalni miedzi Bor

In this study the effect of mixtures of copper slag and flotation tailings from copper mine Bor, Serbia on the flotation results of copper recovery and flotation kinetics parameters in a batch flotation cell has been investigated. By simultaneous adding old flotation tailings in the ball mill at the rate of 9%, it is possible to increase copper recovery for about 20%. These results are compared with obtained copper recovery of pure copper slag. The results of batch flotation test were fitted by MatLab software for modeling the first-order flotation kinetics in order to determine kinetics parameters and define an optimal model of the flotation kinetics. Six kinetic models are tested on the batch flotation copper recovery against flotation time. All models showed good correlation, however the modified Kelsall model provided the best fit.W pracy badano wpływ mieszanin żużla miedziowego i odpadów poflotacyjnych w kopalni miedzi Bor na efektywność odzysku miedzi na drodze flotacji oraz parametry kinetyki flotacji w urządzeniu do flotacji pracującego w trybie cyklicznym. Poprzez równoczesne wprowadzenie starych odpadów poflotacyjnych rozdrobnionych w młynie kulowym w ilości 9%, możliwe jest podniesienie poziomu odzysku miedzi o około 20%. Wyniki te porównać można z poziomem odzysku miedzi z czystego żużla. Wyniki badań flotacji porcji wsadu zostały dopasowane przy użyciu oprogramowania MatLab do modelowania kinetyki flotacji (model pierwszego rzędu) w celu określenia parametrów kinetycznych i dla zdefiniowania optymalnego modelu kinetyki procesu flotacji. Przebadano sześć modeli kinetyki, analizując wielkość odzysku miedzi ze wsadu w stosunku do czasu flotacji. Wszystkie modele wykazywały dużą korelację, a najlepsze dopasowanie wykazywał zmodyfikowany model Kelsalla

A Study of the Optimal Model of the Flotation Kinetics of Copper Slag from Copper Mine BOR

In this study the effect of mixtures of copper slag and flotation tailings from copper mine Bor, Serbia on the flotation results of copper recovery and flotation kinetics parameters in a batch flotation cell has been investigated. By simultaneous adding old flotation tailings in the ball mill at the rate of 9%, it is possible to increase copper recovery for about 20%. These results are compared with obtained copper recovery of pure copper slag. The results of batch flotation test were fitted by MatLab software for modeling the first-order flotation kinetics in order to determine kinetics parameters and define an optimal model of the flotation kinetics. Six kinetic models are tested on the batch flotation copper recovery against flotation time. All models showed good correlation, however the modified Kelsall model provided the best fit.W pracy badano wpływ mieszanin żużla miedziowego i odpadów poflotacyjnych w kopalni miedzi Bor na efektywność odzysku miedzi na drodze flotacji oraz parametry kinetyki flotacji w urządzeniu do flotacji pracującego w trybie cyklicznym. Poprzez równoczesne wprowadzenie starych odpadów poflotacyjnych rozdrobnionych w młynie kulowym w ilości 9%, możliwe jest podniesienie poziomu odzysku miedzi o około 20%. Wyniki te porównać można z poziomem odzysku miedzi z czystego żużla. Wyniki badań flotacji porcji wsadu zostały dopasowane przy użyciu oprogramowania MatLab do modelowania kinetyki flotacji (model pierwszego rzędu) w celu określenia parametrów kinetycznych i dla zdefiniowania optymalnego modelu kinetyki procesu flotacji. Przebadano sześć modeli kinetyki, analizując wielkość odzysku miedzi ze wsadu w stosunku do czasu flotacji. Wszystkie modele wykazywały dużą korelację, a najlepsze dopasowanie wykazywał zmodyfikowany model Kelsalla

The activity of erythrocyte and brain Na+/K+ and Mg2+-ATPases in rats subjected to acute homocysteine and homocysteine thiolactone administration

Hyperhomocysteinemia is associated with various pathologies including cardiovascular disease, stroke, and cognitive dysfunctions. Systemic administration of homocysteine can trigger seizures in animals, and patients with homocystinuria suffer from epileptic seizures. Available data suggest that homocysteine can be harmful to human cells because of its metabolic conversion to homocysteine thiolactone, a reactive thioester. A number of reports have demonstrated a reduction of Na+/K+-ATPase activity in cerebral ischemia, epilepsy and neurodegeneration possibly associated with excitotoxic mechanisms. The aim of this study was to examine the in vivo effects of d,l-homocysteine and d,l-homocysteine thiolactone on Na+/K+- and Mg2+-ATPase activities in erythrocyte (RBC), brain cortex, hippocampus, and brain stem of adult male rats. Our results demonstrate a moderate inhibition of rat hippocampal Na+/K+-ATPase activity by d,l-homocysteine, which however expressed no effect on the activity of this enzyme in the cortex and brain stem. In contrast,d,l-homocysteine thiolactone strongly inhibited Na+/K+-ATPase activity in cortex, hippocampus and brain stem of rats. RBC Na+/K+-ATPase and Mg2+-ATPase activities were not affected by d,l-homocysteine, while d,l-homocysteine thiolactone inhibited only Na+/K+-ATPase activity. This study results show that homocysteine thiolactone significantly inhibits Na+/K+-ATPase activity in the cortex, hippocampus, and brain stem, which may contribute at least in part to the understanding of excitotoxic and convulsive properties of this substance