Serological and molecular survey of Leishmania parasites in apparently healthy dogs in the West Bank, Palestine

Background: Canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL) is caused by Leishmania infantum in all Mediterranean countries. The Leishmania parasite is transmitted by the bite of a corresponding sand fly vector and primarily maintained in nature by wild and domestic reservoirs, including dogs, foxes and jackals. Infected dogs are the primary reservoir host in endemic regions and are the most significant risk disposing humans to infection. The present study aimed at assessing the prevalence of infection with Leishmania and identification of Leishmania infantum in domestic dogs in the West Bank, Palestine. Methods: The infection rate among domestic dogs collected from seven districts in the Palestinian West Bank was investigated by examination of parasites in culture from the buffy coat using serological and molecular methods; based on ELISA, internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1) and cysteine protease (CPB) PCR. Results: Out of 215 dogs examined for Leishmania, 36 (16.7%) were positive in at least one method. Twenty three animals (11.5%) were positive for Leishmania DNA, whereas, ELISA and culture revealed 16 (7.5%), and 4 (1.5%) respectively. CPB-PCR on one of three culture-positive isolates revealed Leishmania infantum as the causative agent for Leishmania infection in dogs. Conclusions: Our study showed that canine leishmania infection is prevalent with varying degrees in all the seven studied districts in Palestine despite the absence of human VL cases in 4 of these districts. The causative agent was confirmed to be Leishmania infantum.The authors would like to thank the Palestinian Ministry of Health (PMOH) for providing support in samples collection. Financial support is provided by the MIDDLE EAST REGIONAL COOPERATION PROGRAM (MERC) project M27- 072, on surveillance and control of visceral leishmaniasis in the Middle East & North Africa

Metagenomic profiling of ticks: Identification of novel rickettsial genomes and detection of tick-borne canine parvovirus

Background: Across the world, ticks act as vectors of human and animal pathogens. Ticks rely on bacterial endosymbionts, which often share close and complex evolutionary links with tick-borne pathogens. As the prevalence, diversity and virulence potential of tick-borne agents remain poorly understood, there is a pressing need for microbial surveillance of ticks as potential disease vectors. Methodology/Principal Findings: We developed a two-stage protocol that includes 16S-amplicon screening of pooled samples of hard ticks collected from dogs, sheep and camels in Palestine, followed by shotgun metagenomics on individual ticks to detect and characterise tick-borne pathogens and endosymbionts. Two ticks isolated from sheep yielded an abundance of reads from the genus Rickettsia, which were assembled into draft genomes. One of the resulting genomes was highly similar to Rickettsia massiliae strain MTU5. Analysis of signature genes showed that the other represents the first genome sequence of the potential pathogen Candidatus Rickettsia barbariae. Ticks from a dog and a sheep yielded draft genome sequences of Coxiella strains. A sheep tick yielded sequences from the sheep pathogen Anaplasma ovis, while Hyalomma ticks from camels yielded sequences belonging to Francisella-like endosymbionts. From the metagenome of a dog tick from Jericho, we generated a genome sequence of a canine parvovirus. Significance: Here, we have shown how a cost-effective two-stage protocol can be used to detect and characterise tick-borne pathogens and endosymbionts. In recovering genome sequences from an unexpected pathogen (canine parvovirus) and a previously unsequenced pathogen (Candidatus Rickettsia barbariae), we demonstrate the open-ended nature of metagenomics. We also provide evidence that ticks can carry canine parvovirus, raising the possibility that ticks might contribute to the spread of this troublesome virus

Highly Active Ruthenium Catalyst Supported on Magnetically Separable Mesoporous Organosilica Nanoparticles

A facile and direct method for synthesizing magnetic periodic mesoporous organosilica nanoparticles from pure organosilane precursors is described. Magnetic ethylene- and phenylene-bridged periodic mesoporous organosilica nanoparticles (PMO NPs) were prepared by nanoemulsification techniques. For fabricating magnetic ethylene- or phenylene-bridged PMO NPs, hydrophobic magnetic nanoparticles in an oil-in-water (o/w) emulsion were prepared, followed by a sol–gel condensation of the incorporated bridged organosilane precursor (1,2 bis(triethoxysilyl)ethane or 1,4 bis(triethoxysilyl)benzene), respectively. The resulting materials were characterized using high-resolution scanning electron microscopy (HR-SEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), solid-state NMR analysis, and nitrogen sorption analysis (N2-BET). The magnetic ethylene-bridged PMO NPs were successfully loaded using a ruthenium oxide catalyst by means of sonication and evaporation under mild conditions. The obtained catalytic system, termed Ru@M-Ethylene-PMO NPS, was applied in a reduction reaction of aromatic compounds. It exhibited very high catalytic behavior with easy separation from the reaction medium by applying an external magnetic field

Preparation of Poly(ethylene glycol)@Polyurea Microcapsules Using Oil/Oil Emulsions and Their Application as Microreactors

The development process of catalytic core/shell microreactors, possessing a poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) core and a polyurea (PU) shell, by implementing an emulsion-templated non-aqueous encapsulation method, is presented. The microreactors’ fabrication process begins with an emulsification process utilizing an oil-in-oil (o/o) emulsion of PEG-in-heptane, stabilized by a polymeric surfactant. Next, a reaction between a poly(ethylene imine) (PEI) and a toluene-2,4-diisocyanate (TDI) takes place at the boundary of the emulsion droplets, resulting in the creation of a PU shell through an interfacial polymerization (IFP) process. The microreactors were loaded with palladium nanoparticles (NPs) and were utilized for the hydrogenation of alkenes and alkynes. Importantly, it was found that PEG has a positive effect on the catalytic performance of the developed microreactors. Interestingly, besides being an efficient green reaction medium, PEG plays two crucial roles: first, it reduces the palladium ions to palladium NPs; thus, it avoids the unnecessary use of additional reducing agents. Second, it stabilizes the palladium NPs and prevents their aggregation, allowing the formation of highly reactive palladium NPs. Strikingly, in one sense, the suggested system affords highly reactive semi-homogeneous catalysis, whereas in another sense, it enables the facile, rapid, and inexpensive recovery of the catalytic microreactor by simple centrifugation. The durable microreactors exhibit excellent activity and were recycled nine times without any loss in their reactivity

Common FTO rs9939609 variant and risk of type 2 diabetes in Palestine

Abstract Background Genetic and environmental factors play a crucial role in the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and obesity. This study aimed to investigate the association of the fat-mass and obesity-associated gene (FTO) rs9939609 variant with T2DM and body mass index (BMI) among Palestinian population. Methods A total of 399 subjects were recruited, of whom 281 were type 2 diabetic patients and 118 normoglycemic subjects. All of them were unrelated, aged > 40 years and recruited within the period 2016–2017. The A allele of FTO rs9939609 was identified by PCR–RFLP. Results Significant association of the minor allele A of FTO rs9939609 and T2DM risk was observed with an allelic odd ratio of 1.92 (95% CI [1.09–3.29], p = 0.02) adjusted for age and gender, this association partly attenuated when adjusted for BMI with OR of 1.84, (95%CI [1.04–3.05], p = 0.03). Stratified data by glycemic status across FTO genotypes showed that A allele was marginally associated with increased BMI among diabetic group (p = 0.057) but not in control group (p = 0.7). Moreover, no significant association was observed between FTO genotypes and covariates of age, gender, T2DM complications or any tested metabolic trait in both diabetic and nondiabetic individuals (p > 0.05). Conclusions The variant rs9939609 of the FTO gene was associated with T2DM in Palestine. This is the first study conducted on this gene in the Palestinian population and provides valuable information for comparison with other ethnic groups. Further analysis with larger sample size is required to elucidate the role of this variant on the predisposition to increased BMI in Palestinians

Serological and molecular survey of <it>Leishmania</it> parasites in apparently healthy dogs in the West Bank, Palestine

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL) is caused by <it>Leishmania infantum</it> in all Mediterranean countries. The <it>Leishmania</it> parasite is transmitted by the bite of a corresponding sand fly vector and primarily maintained in nature by wild and domestic reservoirs, including dogs, foxes and jackals. Infected dogs are the primary reservoir host in endemic regions and are the most significant risk disposing humans to infection. The present study aimed at assessing the prevalence of infection with <it>Leishmania</it> and identification of <it>Leishmania infantum</it> in domestic dogs in the West Bank, Palestine.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The infection rate among domestic dogs collected from seven districts in the Palestinian West Bank was investigated by examination of parasites in culture from the buffy coat using serological and molecular methods; based on ELISA, internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1) and cysteine protease (CPB) PCR.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Out of 215 dogs examined for <it>Leishmania</it>, 36 (16.7%) were positive in at least one method. Twenty three animals (11.5%) were positive for <it>Leishmania</it> DNA, whereas, ELISA and culture revealed 16 (7.5%), and 4 (1.5%) respectively. CPB-PCR on one of three culture-positive isolates revealed <it>Leishmania infantum</it> as the causative agent for <it>Leishmania</it> infection in dogs.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our study showed that canine <it>leishmania</it> infection is prevalent with varying degrees in all the seven studied districts in Palestine despite the absence of human VL cases in 4 of these districts. The causative agent was confirmed to be <it>Leishmania infantum</it>.</p