Investigation into the Nutritional Content and Microbiological Property of Abyssinian Donkey’s Milk

A study was carried out on donkey milk in Ada’a District of central Ethiopia to investigate the nutritional and microbiological properties of Abyssinian donkey’s milk. The study utilized primary data that were collected from 24 jennies in the study area. The physicochemical composition such as fat, total protein, lactose, minerals, vitamin C, pH, density, total solid and freezing points; and microbiological characteristics were analyzed. Results indicated that the Abyssinian donkey milk has close similarity with milk of other donkeys previously investigated elsewhere for most of the compositions. More importantly, the present findings confirmed that Abyssinian donkey milk has a very close similarity with human breast milk in its protein, lactose, vitamin C, pH, density, and zinc contents whereas, the concentrations of calcium, iron and magnesium were higher than those of human breast milk. Other unique properties of Abyssinian donkey milk were lack of fermentation and lower microbial load in contrast to cow’s milk. In conclusion, the findings of this preliminary study showed the existence of similarity between Abyssinian donkey’s milk and human breast milk in their physicochemical composition and thus could suggest that the Abyssinian donkey’s milk can serve as an alternative supplement for human breast milk despite differences in some aspects of the microbiological and sensory properties. However, Abyssinian donkey’s milk should be tested for its safety to human being before it is recommended for human consumption.Key words: donkey milk, Ethiopia, human breast milk, physicochemical propert

Community knowledge, attitude and practices (KAP) on fluorosis and its mitigation in endemic areas of Ethiopia

Optimum fluoride intake plays an essential role in the prevention of dental caries while fluoride consumption above recommended level interferes with the normal formation of tooth enamel and bones and may increase risk of dental and skeletal fluorosis. The knowledge and practices of endemic communities on etiology of fluorosis will help in its mitigation and prevention. The objective of this study was to investigate the knowledge, attitude and practices of endemic community on fluoride contamination, fluorosis and prevention practices in order to devise coordinated and targeted prevention mechanisms. Focus group discussions (FGD) and key-informant interview were conducted in three dietary areas to collect knowledge, attitude and practices (KAP) of the endemic community in July 2013.The results indicated that health consequences of fluoride contaminated water are fairly understood. None of the discussants mentioned the word “fluoride”. The knowledge and perception of the community on fluoride ingestion is poor. Health extension workers (HEWs) did not teach about fluoride and related health consequences. Dental fluorosis was reported to start at early ages and not commonly perceived as a major problem. However, adolescents worried and felt that they might be singled out when going to other areas. Older people have a skeletal fluorosis, which interferes with their day to day activities. In severely affected people, the teeth were weak and fragile and thus create difficulty in chewing hard foods like unfermented dry flat bread, sugar cane and toasted grains. People prefer rain water rather than water from borehole because of the inconvenient taste of the latter. The endemic communities have no sufficient knowledge and skills on potential sources of fluoride intake, the debilitating effect of high fluoride ingestion, and preventive and mitigatory measures to reduce fluoride intake. The effect of fluoride contamination and mitigatory methods should get sufficient attention by the community, health workers and concerned governmental bodies. The trend of harvesting and using rain water should be encouraged as it reduces fluoride intake. Future studies should focus on information communication on possible fluoride risks, intervention and evaluation studies on defluoridation, rain water harvesting and mitigatory techniques.Keywords: Fluoride, Contamination, Fluorosis, Mitigation, Endemic, Perception and Ethiopian Rift Valle

Dinuclear metal complexes derived from a bis-chelating heterocyclic ligand

4,6-bis-{1-[(4,6-dichloro-[1,3,5]triazine-2-yl)-hydrazone]-ethyl-benzene-1,3-diol, C16H12N10O2Cl4 (H2-BDTD), and Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II) and Zn(II) complexes derived from its dibasic bis-chelating form (BDTD2- or L2-) were prepared in methanol-triethylamine and characterized by MS, NMR, IR, UV-VIS and AA spectroscopic studies. Conductivities, magnetic susceptibility measurements and thermal analyses showed bis- N,N,O donor behavior of L2-. The analytical data indicate that the metal to ligand ratio is 2:1 in all the complexes. The coordination of triethylamine, water and chloride ion are observed in the Co(II), Zn(II) and Ni(II) complexes. The absence of ionizable or coordinated chloride in Cu(II) complex is a notable feature. Octahedral geometry for Co(II), Zn(II) and Ni(II) and square planar geometry for Cu(II) complexes are proposed. The paramagnetic complexes exhibit subnormal magnetic moments at room temperature (RT)

COMMUNITY KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE AND PRACTICES (KAP) ON FLUOROSIS AND ITS MITIGATION IN ENDEMIC AREAS OF ETHIOPIA

ABSTRACT Optimum fluoride intake plays an essential role in the prevention of dental caries while fluoride consumption above recommended level interferes with the normal formation of tooth enamel and bones and may increase risk of dental and skeletal fluorosis. The knowledge and practices of endemic communities on etiology of fluorosis will help in its mitigation and prevention. The objective of this study was to investigate the knowledge, attitude and practices of endemic community on fluoride contamination, fluorosis and prevention practices in order to devise coordinated and targeted prevention mechanisms. Focus group discussions (FGD) and key-informant interview were conducted in three dietary areas to collect knowledge, attitude and practices (KAP) of the endemic community in July 2013.The results indicated that health consequences of fluoride contaminated water are fairly understood. None of the discussants mentioned the word "fluoride". The knowledge and perception of the community on fluoride ingestion is poor. Health extension workers (HEWs) did not teach about fluoride and related health consequences. Dental fluorosis was reported to start at early ages and not commonly perceived as a major problem. However, adolescents worried and felt that they might be singled out when going to other areas. Older people have a skeletal fluorosis, which interferes with their day to day activities. In severely affected people, the teeth were weak and fragile and thus create difficulty in chewing hard foods like unfermented dry flat bread, sugar cane and toasted grains. People prefer rain water rather than water from borehole because of the inconvenient taste of the latter. The endemic communities have no sufficient knowledge and skills on potential sources of fluoride intake, the debilitating effect of high fluoride ingestion, and preventive and mitigatory measures to reduce fluoride intake. The effect of fluoride contamination and mitigatory methods should get sufficient attention by the community, health workers and concerned governmental bodies. The trend of harvesting and using rain water should be encouraged as it reduces fluoride intake. Future studies should focus on information communication on possible fluoride risks, intervention and evaluation studies on defluoridation, rain water harvesting and mitigatory techniques

Using a reaction‐diffusion model to estimate day respiration and reassimilation of (photo)respiredCO2in leaves

peer-reviewedMethods using gas exchange measurements to estimate respiration in the light (day respiration Rd) make implicit assumptions about reassimilation of (photo)respired CO2; however, this reassimilation depends on the positions of mitochondria. We used a reaction-diffusion model without making these assumptions to analyse datasets on gas exchange, chlorophyll fluorescence and anatomy for tomato leaves. We investigated how Rd values obtained by the Kok and the Yin methods are affected by these assumptions and how those by the Laisk method are affected by the positions of mitochondria. The Kok method always underestimated Rd. Estimates of Rd by the Yin method and by the reaction-diffusion model agreed only for nonphotorespiratory conditions. Both the Yin and Kok methods ignore reassimilation of (photo)respired CO2, and thus underestimated Rd for photorespiratory conditions, but this was less so in the Yin than in the Kok method. Estimates by the Laisk method were affected by assumed positions of mitochondria. It did not work if mitochondria were in the cytosol between the plasmamembrane and the chloroplast envelope. However, mitochondria were found to be most likely between the tonoplast and chloroplasts. Our reaction-diffusion model effectively estimates Rd, enlightens the dependence of Rd estimates on reassimilation and clarifies (dis)advantages of existing methods.KU Leuve

Helicobacter pylori Type IV Secretion Apparatus Exploits β1 Integrin in a Novel RGD-Independent Manner

Translocation of the Helicobacter pylori (Hp) cytotoxin-associated gene A (CagA) effector protein via the cag-Type IV Secretion System (T4SS) into host cells is a major risk factor for severe gastric diseases, including gastric cancer. However, the mechanism of translocation and the requirements from the host cell for that event are not well understood. The T4SS consists of inner- and outer membrane-spanning Cag protein complexes and a surface-located pilus. Previously an arginine-glycine-aspartate (RGD)-dependent typical integrin/ligand type interaction of CagL with α5β1 integrin was reported to be essential for CagA translocation. Here we report a specific binding of the T4SS-pilus-associated components CagY and the effector protein CagA to the host cell β1 Integrin receptor. Surface plasmon resonance measurements revealed that CagA binding to α5β1 integrin is rather strong (dissociation constant, KD of 0.15 nM), in comparison to the reported RGD-dependent integrin/fibronectin interaction (KD of 15 nM). For CagA translocation the extracellular part of the β1 integrin subunit is necessary, but not its cytoplasmic domain, nor downstream signalling via integrin-linked kinase. A set of β1 integrin-specific monoclonal antibodies directed against various defined β1 integrin epitopes, such as the PSI, the I-like, the EGF or the β-tail domain, were unable to interfere with CagA translocation. However, a specific antibody (9EG7), which stabilises the open active conformation of β1 integrin heterodimers, efficiently blocked CagA translocation. Our data support a novel model in which the cag-T4SS exploits the β1 integrin receptor by an RGD-independent interaction that involves a conformational switch from the open (extended) to the closed (bent) conformation, to initiate effector protein translocation

KRIT1 Regulates the Homeostasis of Intracellular Reactive Oxygen Species

KRIT1 is a gene responsible for Cerebral Cavernous Malformations (CCM), a major cerebrovascular disease characterized by abnormally enlarged and leaky capillaries that predispose to seizures, focal neurological deficits, and fatal intracerebral hemorrhage. Comprehensive analysis of the KRIT1 gene in CCM patients has suggested that KRIT1 functions need to be severely impaired for pathogenesis. However, the molecular and cellular functions of KRIT1 as well as CCM pathogenesis mechanisms are still research challenges. We found that KRIT1 plays an important role in molecular mechanisms involved in the maintenance of the intracellular Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) homeostasis to prevent oxidative cellular damage. In particular, we demonstrate that KRIT1 loss/down-regulation is associated with a significant increase in intracellular ROS levels. Conversely, ROS levels in KRIT1−/− cells are significantly and dose-dependently reduced after restoration of KRIT1 expression. Moreover, we show that the modulation of intracellular ROS levels by KRIT1 loss/restoration is strictly correlated with the modulation of the expression of the antioxidant protein SOD2 as well as of the transcriptional factor FoxO1, a master regulator of cell responses to oxidative stress and a modulator of SOD2 levels. Furthermore, we show that the KRIT1-dependent maintenance of low ROS levels facilitates the downregulation of cyclin D1 expression required for cell transition from proliferative growth to quiescence. Finally, we demonstrate that the enhanced ROS levels in KRIT1−/− cells are associated with an increased cell susceptibility to oxidative DNA damage and a marked induction of the DNA damage sensor and repair gene Gadd45α, as well as with a decline of mitochondrial energy metabolism. Taken together, our results point to a new model where KRIT1 limits the accumulation of intracellular oxidants and prevents oxidative stress-mediated cellular dysfunction and DNA damage by enhancing the cell capacity to scavenge intracellular ROS through an antioxidant pathway involving FoxO1 and SOD2, thus providing novel and useful insights into the understanding of KRIT1 molecular and cellular functions

ADAM2 Interactions with Mouse Eggs and Cell Lines Expressing α4/α9 (ITGA4/ITGA9) Integrins: Implications for Integrin-Based Adhesion and Fertilization

Integrins are heterodimeric cell adhesion molecules, with 18 α (ITGA) and eight β (ITGB) subunits forming 24 heterodimers classified into five families. Certain integrins, especially the α(4)/α(9) (ITGA4/ITGA9) family, interact with members of the ADAM (a disintegrin and metalloprotease) family. ADAM2 is among the better characterized and also of interest because of its role in sperm function. Having shown that ITGA9 on mouse eggs participates in mouse sperm-egg interactions, we sought to characterize ITGA4/ITGA9-ADAM2 interactions.An anti-β(1)/ITGB1 function-blocking antibody that reduces sperm-egg binding significantly inhibited ADAM2 binding to mouse eggs. Analysis of integrin subunit expression indicates that mouse eggs could express at least ten different integrins, five in the RGD-binding family, two in the laminin-binding family, two in the collagen-binding family, and ITGA9-ITGB1. Adhesion assays to characterize ADAM2 interactions with ITGA4/ITGA9 family members produced the surprising result that RPMI 8866 cell adhesion to ADAM2 was inhibited by an anti-ITGA9 antibody, noteworthy because ITGA9 has only been reported to dimerize with ITGB1, and RPMI 8866 cells lack detectable ITGB1. Antibody and siRNA studies demonstrate that ITGB7 is the β subunit contributing to RPMI 8866 adhesion to ADAM2.These data indicate that a novel integrin α-β combination, ITGA9-ITGB7 (α(9)β(7)), in RPMI 8866 cells functions as a binding partner for ADAM2. ITGA9 had previously only been reported to dimerize with ITGB1. Although ITGA9-ITGB7 is unlikely to be a widely expressed integrin and appears to be the result of "compensatory dimerization" occurring in the context of little/no ITGB1 expression, the data indicate that ITGA9-ITGB7 functions as an ADAM binding partner in certain cellular contexts, with implications for mammalian fertilization and integrin function