In vitro inhibition of Eimeria tenella invasion of epithelial cells by phytochemicals

Resistance to coccidiostats and possible future restrictions on their use raise the need for alternative methods of reducing coccidiosis in poultry. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of selected phytochemicals on Eimeria tenella sporozoite invasion in vitro. Four phytochemicals were selected on the basis that they reduce the virulence of Eimeria spp. and/or provide immune modulatory benefits to host cells: betaine, carvacrol, curcumin and Echinacea purpurea extract (EP). Madin–Darby bovine kidney (MDBK) cells were covered by medium containing phytochemicals at the highest concentration which was non-toxic to the cells. Salinomycin 50 μg/ml was positive control; negative control was medium only. E. tenella (Houghton strain) sporozoites were added to wells and after incubation for 2, 4 or 20 h at 37 °C, cells were fixed and stained with hematoxylin–eosin. Ten evenly spaced fields per well were photographed and the percentage of cells invaded by sporozoites was calculated and normalized to the control. At 2 h, carvacrol, curcumin and EP showed a significantly lower percentage of sporozoite invasion than the untreated control; in contrast, betaine treatment represented a significantly higher invasion percentage. Combining carvacrol with EP inhibited E. tenella invasion more effectively than applying the compounds individually, but the further addition of curcumin did not reduce invasion further. In conclusion, this study shows that invasion of MDBK epithelial cells by E. tenella sporozoites is inhibited in the presence of carvacrol, curcumin, or EP and enhanced by betaine. There may be potential for developing these phytochemicals as anti-coccidial feed or water additives for poultry

Het nieuwe telen Gerbera - Teeltseizoen: 2009-2010

De doelstelling van het project Het Nieuwe Telen Gerbera is het realiseren van een aanzienlijke energiebesparing met gelijkblijvende productie en kwaliteit. Dit onderzoek is uitgevoerd door de Flori Consult Group en WUR Glastuinbouw bij GreenQ-Improvement Centre in Bleiswijk

Rebuttal from Raymond Reynolds, Callum Osler, Linda Tersteeg and Ian Loram.

This work was supported by BBSRC grant BB/I00579X/

Changes in thyroid function parameters 3 months after allogeneic and autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in children

Background: Thyroid dysfunction (hypo- and hyperthyroidism) has been reported as a late effect after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) in children. Short-term effects of HSCT on thyroid function parameters are, however, unclear. Methods: We prospectively evaluated thyroid function parameters before and 3 months after HSCT in all children (&lt;21 years) who underwent HSCT during a 2-year period in the Princess Máxima Center, the Netherlands. Results: Among 72 children, none had thyroidal hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism 3 months after HSCT. Changes in thyroid function parameters (either aberrant thyroid-stimulating hormone [TSH] or free thyroxine [FT4] concentrations) were found in 16% before and in 10% 3 months after HSCT. Reverse triiodothyronine (rT3) was found elevated in 9.3% before and in 37% 3 months after HSCT, which could be related to poor physical condition. An individual decline in FT4 concentration of ≥20% was found in 10.5% (6/57) 3 months after HSCT. Conclusion: In conclusion, thyroidal hypo- and hyperthyroidism are very rare 3 months after HSCT. These results indicate that surveillance for hypo- and hyperthyroidism may start later in time. The changes in thyroid function parameters found 3 months after HSCT might reflect euthyroid sick syndrome.</p

Lentiviral gene therapy reverts GPIX expression and phenotype in Bernard-Soulier syndrome type C

Bernard-Soulier syndrome (BSS) is a rare congenital disease characterized by macrothrombocytopenia and frequent bleeding. It is caused by pathogenic variants in three genes (GP1BA, GP1BB, or GP9) that encode for the GPIbα, GPIbβ, and GPIX subunits of the GPIb-V-IX complex, the main platelet surface receptor for von Willebrand factor, being essential for platelet adhesion and aggregation. According to the affected gene, we distinguish BSS type A1 (GP1BA), type B (GP1BB), or type C (GP9). Pathogenic variants in these genes cause absent, incomplete, or dysfunctional GPIb-V-IX receptor and, consequently, a hemorrhagic phenotype. Using gene-editing tools, we generated knockout (KO) human cellular models that helped us to better understand GPIb-V-IX complex assembly. Furthermore, we developed novel lentiviral vectors capable of correcting GPIX expression, localization, and functionality in human GP9-KO megakaryoblastic cell lines. Generated GP9-KO induced pluripotent stem cells produced platelets that recapitulated the BSS phenotype: absence of GPIX on the membrane surface and large size. Importantly, gene therapy tools reverted both characteristics. Finally, hematopoietic stem cells from two unrelated BSS type C patients were transduced with the gene therapy vectors and differentiated to produce GPIX-expressing megakaryocytes and platelets with a reduced size. These results demonstrate the potential of lentiviral-based gene therapy to rescue BSS type C

Optimalisatie bemesting: Een blauwdruk voor optimaal hergebruik van drainwater getoetst op vijf bedrijven

Het doel van dit onderzoek is het beperken van de uitstoot van overtollig drainwater naar het milieu door beter beheersen van de water- en voedingsstromen binnen het bedrijf. Een kerngedachte hierbij is dat de emissie kan verminderen door de samenstelling van de gift zo goed mogelijk aan te passen aan de behoefte van het gewas. Op vijf bedrijven is gekeken naar de water- en voedingshuishouding. Op basis van bestaande gegevens is per bedrijf en per dag berekend wat het verschil is tussen gift en drain uitgedrukt in l.m -2 (voor water) en in mmol.m -2 (voor de afzonderlijke voedingselementen) Hierbij is het verschil plantbehoefte genoemd hoewel daar andere verliezen bij ingesloten zij

Doublecortin-like expressing astrocytes of the suprachiasmatic nucleus are implicated in the biosynthesis of vasopressin and influences circadian rhythms

We have recently identified a novel plasticity protein, doublecortin-like (DCL), that is specifically expressed in the shell of the mouse suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). DCL is implicated in neuroplastic events, such as neurogenesis, that require structural rearrangements of the microtubule cytoskeleton, enabling dynamic movements of cell bodies and dendrites. We have inspected DCL expression in the SCN by confocal microscopy and found that DCL is expressed in GABA transporter-3 (GAT3)-positive astrocytes that envelope arginine vasopressin (AVP)-expressing cells. To investigate the role of these DCL-positive astrocytes in circadian rhythmicity, we have used transgenic mice expressing doxycycline-induced short-hairpin (sh) RNA's targeting DCL mRNA (DCL knockdown mice). Compared with littermate wild type (WT) controls, DCL-knockdown mice exhibit significant shorter circadian rest-activity periods in constant darkness and adjusted significantly faster to a jet-lag protocol. As DCL-positive astrocytes are closely associated with AVP-positive cells, we analyzed AVP expression in DCL-knockdown mice and in their WT littermates by 3D reconstructions and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). We found significantly higher numbers of AVP-positive cells with increased volume and more intensity in DCL-knockdown mice. We found alterations in the numbers of dense core vesicle-containing neurons at ZT8 and ZT20 suggesting that the peak and trough of neuropeptide biosynthesis is dampened in DCL-knockdown mice compared to WT littermates. Together, our data suggest an important role for the astrocytic plasticity in the regulation of circadian rhythms and point to the existence of a specific DCL+ astrocyte-AVP(+) neuronal network located in the dorsal SCN implicated in AVP biosynthesis.Microscopic imaging and technolog

Ontwikkeling van veilige toepassingen voor gewasbehandelingen met electrolysewater in de glastuinbouw

Dit onderzoek had als doel om de werking van electrolysewater te verbinden met de chemische eigenschappen en op zoek te gaan naar veilige toepassingen als gewasbehandeling voor de glastuinbouwsector. Vijf producenten hebben voor dit onderzoek de gewenste samenstelling van electrolysewater aangeleverd. Alle producten met daarin 36-65 ppm vrij chloor waren binnen vijf minuten 100% effectief tegen de bacterie, Erwinia chrysanthemi en de schimmel, Botrytis cinerea. De grenzen van gewasschade in de kiemplantentest werden sterker bepaald door de hoeveelheid natriumzout en EC gehalte van de electrolysevloeistof dan de hoeveelheid vrij chloor. In een korte meedruppelproef met tomaat zijn verschillende concentraties vrij chloor (0, 4, 8, 20 ppm) gedoseerd aan het voedingswater. Er werd geen gewasschade gevonden of negatief effect op de wortelkolonisatie van Trianum door de geringe chloorwaardes (vrij en totaal) die na vier weken bij de druppelaar werden teruggemeten. Testen met gewasbehandelingen laten zien dat éénmalige behandelingen tot 300 ppm geen gewasschade geven. Bij meerdere toepassingen is groeiremming te voorkomen door lagere concentraties te gebruiken of blootstellingstijd te beperken. Electrolysewater kan een veilig en bruikbaar alternatief bij het terugdringen van het fungicidegebruik