Immunoreactivity analysis of Toxoplasma gondii recombinant antigen rSAG3 in sera from immunized BALB/c mice and tox-oplasmosis patients

Background: The coccidian protozoa Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular parasite of humans and other warm-blooded animals. Diagnosis of toxoplasmosis is of considerable medical importance for human, especially pregnant women and immunocompromised individuals. The apply of an Escherichia coli recombinant antigen(s) would be signifi-cantly useful in developing standardization of the diagnostic tests and reducing their costs. In this study, immunoreac-tivity of recombinant SAG3 against sera from immunized mice and human anti-T. gondii IgG positive patients was evaluated by western-blotting and enzyme immunoassay (EIA) in Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences in 2013. Methods: Three inbreed BALB/c female mice were obtained. Two mice were injected with rSAG3 and one was re-mained untreated, as control. Sera from immunized mice and also pooled sera from IgG positive toxoplasmosis cases were evaluated with western-blotting. IgG antibody responses to recombinant SAG3 was measured by indirect ELISA against the negative control group. Results: The rSAG3 protein reacted with sera of immunized mice and sera from patients with anti-Toxoplasma IgG antibodies in western-blot analysis. The result of ELISA showed that, there was marked differences in the absorbance values between the recombinant SAG3 immunized mice and control group. Conclusion: The rSAG3 showed IgG reactivity with sera from immunized mice and anti-Toxoplasma IgG patients. © 2016, Iranian Journal of Public Health. All rights reserved

Comparison of Three Methods for Diagnosis of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis

Background: Leishmaniasis is one of the infectious parasitic diseases of highest incidence in the world. Cutaneous Leishmaniasis (CL) has long been reported in Shiraz, Southern Iran. There is a need to find a sensitive and specific method for treatment and control of the disease.Methods: We have compared the sensitivity of the conventional methods microscopy and cultiva­tion of lesion scrapes against PCR amplification of parasite kinetoplast DNA from these sam­ples. The samples (n=219) were obtained from the patients clinically suspected of CL. The smears were stained with Giemsa for microscopy and cultured in Novy-Nicolle-McNeal (NNN) blood agar for promastigote growth. For PCR, the dry smears were scraped off the slides and DNA was extracted.Results: The positive rates from 219 specimens were 76.71%, 50.68%, and 93.61% for micros­copy, cultivation, and PCR, respectively. The highest correlation was found between PCR and micros­copy method (P= 0.014). In PCR assay, 95.61%, 3.9%, and 0.49% of the samples were identi­fied as Leishmania major, L. tropica, and dermatropic L. infantum, respectively.Conclusion: The PCR method appears to be the most sensitive for the diagnosis of CL and is valu­able for identifying the other species of Leishmania with confusing dermatropic signs

Energy Flow Simulation of the Uneven Span Glass Greenhouse with Special Structure using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD)

IntroductionGreenhouse cultivation is the popular intensive kind of crop production with a yield per cultivated unit area more than 10 times higher compared to field crops. Greenhouse production requires the use of large amounts of energy, water, and pesticides and it usually generates huge quantities of wastes to be disposed of it. Investment, labor, and energy costs per unit area are much higher in the greenhouse industry than in any other agricultural sectors. Sustainable greenhouse systems, socially supportive, commercially competitive, and environmentally sound, depend on cultivation techniques, equipment management, and constructive materials that aim to reduce agrochemicals, energy and water consumption as well as waste generation. The management of the greenhouse environment is depending on temperature manipulation. Temperature manipulation is critical to influencing plant growth, quality, and morphology and so is a major strategy in the environmental modification of crops. Heterogeneous indoor microclimate of a greenhouse has long become a matter of concern in many studies. It is believed to be unfavorable for crop growth, which damages crop activity, particularly transpiration and photosynthesis, one of the major causes of non-uniform production and quality. Since early and conventional methods are not sufficient to evaluate microclimate variables inside a greenhouse, Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) approach was applied for better and more accurate results. CFD is an effective numerical analysis technique to predict the distribution of the climatic variables inside cultivation facilities. Numerous studies have focused on the internal temperature, humidity, solar radiation, and airflow inside multiple cultivation facilities. For example, the CFD method was used to simulate natural ventilation for agricultural buildings and improve crop production systems. The CFD simulation and evaluation models could be applied for evaluation of the inside situation and temperature in greenhouses. Thermal and water vapor transfer is influenced by the openings of greenhouses in the CFD simulation. The CFD model was developed to predict the distribution of temperature, water vapor, and CO2 occurring in a Venlo-type semi-closed glass greenhouse equipped with air conditioners. Based on the above literature, this research aims to evaluate the energy flow and modeling of an un-even semi-buried greenhouse using external and internal variables and numerical solutions by the CFD method.Materials and MethodsIn this study, Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) solution was applied to evaluate the inside environment of a semi-double glass greenhouse with an east-west location. This greenhouse has a special structure that is used in very hot or very cold areas due to its depth of more than one meter below the ground. The greenhouse has an area of 38m2 and an air volume of 78.8m3. The temperature and humidity data were collected from inside and outside the greenhouse by temperature sensors (SHT 11 model made by CMOS USA). Irradiation data were collected inside the greenhouse, on level ground, by the TES132 radiometer.Results and DiscussionIn this study, the CFD method was used for a model solution with ANSYS Fluent version 2020R2 software. To evaluate the predictive capability of the model and its optimization, the comparison between actual (ya) and predicted values (yp) was used. Three criteria of RMSE, MAPE, and R2 were also used to evaluate the accuracy of the final model. The results showed that the dynamic model can accurately estimate the temperature of the air inside the greenhouse at a height of 1 m (R2 = 0.987, MAPE = 2.17%) and 2 m (R2 = 0.987, MAPE = 2.28%) from the floor. The results of energy flow showed that this greenhouse transfers 6779.4.4 kJ of accumulated thermal energy to the ground during the experiment.ConclusionIn the present study, the computational fluid dynamics method was used to simulate the internal conditions of an un-even semi-buried greenhouse with external and internal variables including temperature and solar radiation. The results showed that this greenhouse structure is able to transfer part of the increase in temperature caused by sunlight to the soil depth (104.214 kJm-2 heat through the floor, 178.443 kJm-2 through the north wall and 113.757 kJm-2 through the south wall). By increasing the thermal conductivity of the inner surface of the greenhouse, the heat flux to the depth of the soil can be increased

Cabergoline therapy for macroprolactinoma during pregnancy: a case report.

Background: We assessed the safety of Cabergoline therapy during pregnancy in a lady with hyperprolactinemia intolerant to Bromocriptine. Case presentation: We report the case of a 31 year old lady who presented to us with uncontrolled hyperprolactinemia. A pituitary Macroadenoma was demonstrated by MRI. Due to intolerance to Bromocriptine, Cabergoline was started. The patient improved and subsequently conceived. MRI in the second trimester demonstrated further reduction in the tumor size. It was decided to continue Cabergoline throughout pregnancy to ensure further reduction in tumor size until delivery and to hold Cabergoline during postpartum period to allow for an adequate interval of breastfeeding. At 37 weeks of gestation, the patient delivered a healthy baby. Conclusion: We were able to safely treat macroprolactinemia in our patient during pregnancy with cabergoline. This case report contributes to the relatively meager data available which advocates the safety of cabergoline therapy in pregnant hyperprolactinemic patients

Cryptic Leishmania infantum infection in Italian HIV infected patients

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a protozoan diseases caused in Europe by <it>Leishmania (L.) infantum</it>. Asymptomatic <it>Leishmania </it>infection is more frequent than clinically apparent disease. Among HIV infected patients the risk of clinical VL is increased due to immunosuppression, which can reactivate a latent infection. The aims of our study were to assess the prevalence of asymptomatic <it>L. infantum </it>infection in HIV infected patients and to study a possible correlation between <it>Leishmania </it>parasitemia and HIV infection markers.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>One hundred and forty-five HIV infected patients were screened for the presence of anti-<it>Leishmania </it>antibodies and <it>L. infantum </it>DNA in peripheral blood. Statistical analysis was carried out by using a univariate regression analysis.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Antibodies to <it>L. infantum </it>were detected in 1.4% of patients. <it>L. infantum </it>DNA was detected in 16.5% of patients. Significant association for PCR-<it>Leishmania </it>levels with plasma viral load was documented (p = 0.0001).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>In our area a considerable proportion of HIV infected patients are asymptomatic carriers of <it>L. infantum </it>infection. A relationship between high HIV viral load and high parasitemic burden, possibly related to a higher risk of developing symptomatic disease, is suggested. PCR could be used for periodic screening of HIV patients to individuate those with higher risk of reactivation of <it>L. infantum </it>infection.</p

Noninvasive Diagnosis of Visceral Leishmaniasis:Development and Evaluation of Two Urine-Based Immunoassays for Detection of Leishmania donovani Infection in India

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL), one of the most prevalent parasitic diseasesin the developing world causes serious health concerns. Post kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis (PKDL) is a skin disease which occurs after treatment as a sequel to VL. Parasitological diagnosis involves invasive tissue aspiration which is tedious and painful. Commercially available immunochromatographic rapid diagnostic test such as rK39-RDT is used for field diagnosis of VL, detects antibodiesin serum samples. Urine sample is however, much easier in collection,storage and handling than serum and would be a better alternative where collection of tissue aspirate or blood is impractical. In this study, we have developed and evaluated the performance of two urine-based diagnostic assays, ELISA and dipstick test, and compared the results with serologicalrK39-RDT. Our study shows the capability of urinebased tests in detecting anti-Leishmania antibodies effectively for both VL and PKDL diagnosis. The ability of dipstick test to demonstrate negative results after six months in 90% of the VL cases after treatment could be useful as a test of clinical cure. Urine-based tests can therefore replace the need for invasive practices and ensure better diagnosi

Clin Transl Sci

Adenosine boasts promising preclinical and clinical data supporting a vital role in modulating vascular homeostasis. Its widespread use as a diagnostic and therapeutic agent have been limited by its short half-life and complex biology, though adenosine-modulators have shown promise in improving vascular healing. Moreover, circulating adenosine has shown promise in predicting cardiovascular (CV) events. We sought to delineate whether circulating plasma adenosine levels predict CV events in patients undergoing invasive assessment for coronary artery disease. Patients undergoing invasive angiography had clinical data prospectively recorded in the Cardiovascular and Percutaneous ClInical TriALs (CAPITAL) revascularization registry and blood samples collected in the CAPITAL Biobank from which adenosine levels were quantified. Tertile-based analysis was used to assess prediction of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE; composite of death, myocardial infarction, unplanned revascularization, and cerebrovascular accident). Secondary analyses included MACE subgroups, clinical subgroups and adenosine levels. There were 1,815 patients undergoing angiography who had blood collected with adenosine quantified in 1,323. Of those quantified, 51.0% were revascularized and 7.3% experienced MACE in 12 months of follow-up. Tertile-based analysis failed to demonstrate any stratification of MACE rates (log rank, P = 0.83), when comparing low-to-middle (hazard ratio (HR) 1.10, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.68-1.78, P = 0.70) or low-to-high adenosine tertiles (HR 0.95, 95% CI 0.56-1.57, P = 0.84). In adjusted analysis, adenosine similarly failed to predict MACE. Finally, adenosine did not predict outcomes in patients with acute coronary syndrome nor in those revascularized or treated medically. Plasma adenosine levels do not predict subsequent CV outcomes or aid in patient risk stratification

A historical overview of the classification, evolution, and dispersion of Leishmania parasites and sandflies

Background The aim of this study is to describe the major evolutionary historical events among Leishmania, sandflies, and the associated animal reservoirs in detail, in accordance with the geographical evolution of the Earth, which has not been previously discussed on a large scale. Methodology and Principal Findings Leishmania and sandfly classification has always been a controversial matter, and the increasing number of species currently described further complicates this issue. Despite several hypotheses on the origin, evolution, and distribution of Leishmania and sandflies in the Old and New World, no consistent agreement exists regarding dissemination of the actors that play roles in leishmaniasis. For this purpose, we present here three centuries of research on sandflies and Leishmania descriptions, as well as a complete description of Leishmania and sandfly fossils and the emergence date of each Leishmania and sandfly group during different geographical periods, from 550 million years ago until now. We discuss critically the different approaches that were used for Leishmana and sandfly classification and their synonymies, proposing an updated classification for each species of Leishmania and sandfly. We update information on the current distribution and dispersion of different species of Leishmania (53), sandflies (more than 800 at genus or subgenus level), and animal reservoirs in each of the following geographical ecozones: Palearctic, Nearctic, Neotropic, Afrotropical, Oriental, Malagasy, and Australian. We propose an updated list of the potential and proven sandfly vectors for each Leishmania species in the Old and New World. Finally, we address a classical question about digenetic Leishmania evolution: which was the first host, a vertebrate or an invertebrate? Conclusions and Significance We propose an updated view of events that have played important roles in the geographical dispersion of sandflies, in relation to both the Leishmania species they transmit and the animal reservoirs of the parasites