Secondary metabolites of marine-derived Bacillus spizizenii against the enteric redmouth disease in common carp, Cyprinus carpio

Looking for effective alternatives, such as secondary microbial metabolites, is needed to restrict the use of antibiotics in farmed fish and their detrimental effects on public health and the environment. Thirty-three water and sediments samples were collected from coastal areas in the Basrah Governorate, southern Iraq, to assess their biological activity against bacterial pathogens isolated from Cyprinus carpio, with enteric red mouth disease. 20 spore-forming bacteria were isolated and identified by VITEK BCL cards and amplifying the gyrA gene. Furthermore, the secondary metabolites produced by the strains were extracted and analyzed by GC-MS. Four pathogenic bacteria were isolated from common carp infected with the enteric red mouth disease. The antibacterial activity of the extracts of the isolated marine strains was examined on bacteria causing enteric red mouth disease and Y. ruckeri and P. aeruginosa. Based on the results, the marine isolates were identified as B. spizizenii and GC-MS analysis revealed that these strains' extract contained amino acids and their derivatives and esters and hydrocarbons. Also, biochemical identifications showed that the bacteria isolated from fish belonged to the species of Yersinia ruckeri, Aeromonas hydrophila, Streptococcus agalactiae, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. According to the antibacterial activity assay, the extracts of B. spizizenii strains were considerably active against bacteria involved in enteric red mouth disease, especially Y. ruckeri. These findings indicate marine B. spizizenii can be replaced with antibiotics in the aquaculture industry to combat infections

BENDING MOMENT INFLUENCE SURFACES FOR RECTANGULAR CONCRETE PLATES SIMPLY SUPPORTED AT THREE EDGES AND BUILT-IN AT THE FOURTH EDGE

Presented in this paper is a series of bending moment influence surfaces for concrete rectangular plates simply supported at three edges and built-in at the fourth edge. The solutions are obtained analytically on the basis of thin plate's theory with small deflection using double Fourier series. The influence surfaces are presented for two observation points namely the center of the plate as well as the midpoint of the built-in edge. A computer program was written in FORTRAN language to generate the influence surfaces making use of the developed analytical solutions of this work. The validity of the computer solution was confirmed by comparing its results with published results for zero Poisson's ratio and excellent agreement was obtained. An application of the influence surfaces for the case of a line load as well as a strip load is also presented. The paper reveals that the bending moment influence surfaces depend on the actual value of Poisson's ratio, aspect ratio of the plate, and position of the observation point

FRET-Based Detection of M1 Muscarinic Acetylcholine Receptor Activation by Orthosteric and Allosteric Agonists

Muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChRs) are 7-transmembrane, G protein-coupled receptors that regulate a variety of physiological processes and represent potentially important targets for therapeutic intervention. mAChRs can be stimulated by full and partial orthosteric and allosteric agonists, however the relative abilities of such ligands to induce conformational changes in the receptor remain unclear. To gain further insight into the actions of mAChR agonists, we have developed a fluorescently tagged M(1) mAChR that reports ligand-induced conformational changes in real-time by changes in Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET).Variants of CFP and YFP were inserted into the third intracellular loop and at the end of the C-terminus of the mouse M(1) mAChR, respectively. The optimized FRET receptor construct (M(1)-cam5) was expressed stably in HEK293 cells.The variant CFP/YFP-receptor chimera expressed predominantly at the plasma membrane of HEK293 cells and displayed ligand-binding affinities comparable with those of the wild-type receptor. It also retained an ability to interact with Gα(q/11) proteins and to stimulate phosphoinositide turnover, ERK1/2 phosphorylation and undergo agonist-dependent internalization. Addition of the full agonist methacholine caused a reversible decrease in M(1) FRET (F(EYFP)/F(ECFP)) that was prevented by atropine pre-addition and showed concentration-dependent amplitude and kinetics. Partial orthosteric agonists, arecoline and pilocarpine, as well as allosteric agonists, AC-42 and 77-LH-28-1, also caused atropine-sensitive decreases in the FRET signal, which were smaller in amplitude and significantly slower in onset compared to those evoked by methacholine.The M(1) FRET-based receptor chimera reports that allosteric and orthosteric agonists induce similar conformational changes in the third intracellular loop and/or C-terminus, and should prove to be a valuable molecular reagent for pharmacological and structural investigations of M(1) mAChR activation

Role of anti-inflammatory interleukin 10 in asymptomatic heartworm infection (Dirofilariasis) in dogs

Background: Dirofilaria immitis causes heartworm disease (HWD), a vector-borne zoonotic disease that primarily affects dogs and cats. Occasionally, human beings were reported to be infected as well. The current study aims to discover the asymptomatic dirofilariasis infection in dogs. In addition, to determine the prevalence of heartworm disease and the role of anti-inflammatory interleukin 10 (IL10) in developing the disease. Household dogs were selected from 10 veterinary clinics throughout Basrah, south of Iraq.Methods: The study included 117 dogs older than 12 months, none of them had received heartworm vaccinations, and all of them lived in their owners’ houses for at least 9 months. Animal ethics instructions were followed after the owner’s consent was obtained.  Physical and biochemical examinations were conducted including the examination of circulating antigens of microfilaria. The levels of anti-inflammatory IL10 and pro-inflammatory IL17, IL4, and IFN-γ were measured using ELISA tests. Descriptive statistics were used to evaluate the prevalence and the clinical and immunological results of the study.Results: Canine heartworm disease prevalence was 29.05% (34 out of 117). The physical examination showed normal vital signs for both infected and non-infected dogs. A significant elevation in the total WBC count was noticed in the infected group.  On the other hand, a significant decrease in RBCs count and hemoglobin was found in the infected group. There were neither changes in the platelet count nor the liver enzymes concentration between infected and non-infected groups.  A significant increase in anti-inflammatory interleukin 10 level and a significant decrease in pro-inflammatory IL17, IL4, and IFN-γ were noticed in the infected dogs. Conclusion: It is concluded that dirofilariasis infection is considered to be a serious life-threatening disease for dogs in Iraq. Therefore, a periodic test for heartworm infection every six months is recommended to eradicate heartworm infestations. The infected animals must be treated according to the American Heartworm Association recommendations

Effect of Cottonseed Extracts on Haematological Parameters of Albino Male Mice

The objectives of the present study are to determine the effect of different concentrations of aqueous and oil extracts of cottonseed on haematological parameters. Groups of male mice were orally administered aqueous extract [20mg/kg/l day (G2) and 40 mg/kg/day (G3)] and other groups were administered oil extract [20% (G5) and 40% (G6)] for six weeks. The results showed that there was a significant (P<0.05) reduction in Hb values for mice treated with 20% and 40% oil extract as compared to the control. Also, significant (P0.05) differences were shown in RBC and WBC count among G5and G6 as compared to G4. Significant (P<0.05) increment in the platelet count was shown in G2, G3, G5 and G6 as compared to the control. Differential leukocyte analysis showed that a significant (P<0.05) reduction was observed in the percentage of lymphocyte and significantly (P<0.05) increase neutrophils in G2 and G3 as compared with G1 and in G6 as compared to G4. While, monocytes (%) were significantly (P<0.05) decrease in G5 and G6 as compared to G4. However, 40mg/kg/day aqueous extract dose demonstrated a significant (P<0.05) increment in the percentage of eosinophil and basophile cells as compared to G1

Transforming healthcare through regenerative medicine

Regenerative medicine therapies, underpinned by the core principles of rejuvenation, regeneration and replacement, are shifting the paradigm in healthcare from symptomatic treatment in the 20th century to curative treatment in the 21st century. By addressing the reasons behind the rapid expansion of regenerative medicine research and presenting an overview of current clinical trials, we explore the potential of regenerative medicine to reshape modern healthcare

Low frequency of TERT promoter mutations in gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs).

Somatic mutations in the promoter region of telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) gene, mainly at positions c. − 124 and c. − 146 bp, are frequent in several human cancers; yet its presence in gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) has not been reported to date. Herein, we searched for the presence and clinicopathological association of TERT promoter mutations in genomic DNA from 130 bona fide GISTs. We found TERT promoter mutations in 3.8% (5/130) of GISTs. The c. − 124C4T mutation was the most common event, present in 2.3% (3/130), and the c. − 146C4T mutation in 1.5% (2/130) of GISTs. No significant association was observed between TERT promoter mutation and patient’s clinicopathological features. The present study establishes the low frequency (4%) of TERT promoter mutations in GISTs. Further studies are required to confirm our findings and to elucidate the hypothetical biological and clinical impact of TERT promoter mutation in GIST pathogenesis.This project was partially supported by Barretos Cancer Hospital internal research funds (PAIP) and CNPq Universal Grant (476192/2013-7) to RMR. NCC is a recipient of an FAPESP Doctoral Fellowship (2013/25787-3). Further funding from the project ‘Microenvironment, metabolism and cancer’ that was partially supported by Programa Operacional Regional do Norte (ON.2—O Novo Norte) under the Quadro de Referência Estratégico Nacional (QREN) and the Fundo Europeu de Desenvolvimento Regional (FEDER). IPATIMUP is an Associate Laboratory of the Portuguese Ministry of Science, Technology and Higher Education that is partially supported by the FCT

IFSO (International Federation for Surgery of Obesity and Metabolic Disorders) Consensus Conference Statement on One-Anastomosis Gastric Bypass (OAGB-MGB): Results of a Modified Delphi Study

Background: One-anastomosis gastric bypass (OAGB-MGB) is currently the third performed primary bariatric surgical procedure worldwide. However, the procedure is hampered by numerous controversies and there is considerable variability in surgical technique, patient selection, and pre- and postoperative care among the surgeons performing this procedure. This paper reports the results of a modified Delphi consensus study organized by the International Federation for Surgery of Obesity and Metabolic Disorders (IFSO). Methods: Fifty-two internationally recognized bariatric experts from 28 countries convened for voting on 90 consensus statements over two rounds to identify those on which consensus could be reached. Inter-voter agreement of ≥ 70% was considered consensus, with voting participation ≥ 80% considered a robust vote. Results: At least 70% consensus was achieved for 65 of the 90 questions (72.2% of the items), 61 during the first round of voting and an additional four in the second round. Where consensus was reached on a binary agree/disagree or yes/no item, there was agreement with the statement presented in 53 of 56 instances (94.6%). Where consensus was reached on a statement where options favorable versus unfavorable to OAGB-MGB were provided, including statements in which OAGB-MGB was compared to another procedure, the response option favorable to OAGB-MGB was selected in 13 of 23 instances (56.5%). Conclusion: Although there is general agreement that the OAGB-MGB is an effective and usually safe option for the management of patients with obesity or severe obesity, numerous areas of non-consensus remain in its use. Further empirical data are needed

Three non-autonomous signals collaborate for nuclear targeting of CrMYC2, a Catharanthus roseus bHLH transcription factor

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>CrMYC2 is an early jasmonate-responsive bHLH transcription factor involved in the regulation of the expression of the genes of the terpenic indole alkaloid biosynthesis pathway in <it>Catharanthus roseus</it>. In this paper, we identified the amino acid domains necessary for the nuclear targeting of CrMYC2.</p> <p>Findings</p> <p>We examined the intracellular localization of whole CrMYC2 and of various deletion mutants, all fused with GFP, using a transient expression assay in onion epidermal cells. Sequence analysis of this protein revealed the presence of four putative basic nuclear localization signals (NLS). Assays showed that none of the predicted NLS is active alone. Further functional dissection of CrMYC2 showed that the nuclear targeting of this transcription factor involves the cooperation of three domains located in the C-terminal region of the protein. The first two domains are located at amino acid residues 454-510 and 510-562 and contain basic classical monopartite NLSs; these regions are referred to as NLS3 (KRPRKR) and NLS4 (EAERQRREK), respectively. The third domain, between residues 617 and 652, is rich in basic amino acids that are well conserved in other phylogenetically related bHLH transcription factors. Our data revealed that these three domains are inactive when isolated but act cooperatively to target CrMYC2 to the nucleus.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>This study identified three amino acid domains that act in cooperation to target the CrMYC2 transcription factor to the nucleus. Further fine structure/function analysis of these amino acid domains will allow the identification of new NLS domains and will allow the investigation of the related molecular mechanisms involved in the nuclear targeting of the CrMYC2 bHLH transcription factor.</p