Ultrastructure and localization of Neorickettsia in adult digenean trematodes provides novel insights into helminth-endobacteria interaction

Abstract Background Neorickettsia are a group of intracellular α proteobacteria transmitted by digeneans (Platyhelminthes, Trematoda). These endobacteria can also infect vertebrate hosts of the helminths and cause serious diseases in animals and humans. Neorickettsia have been isolated from infected animals and maintained in cell cultures, and their morphology in mammalian cells has been described. However, limited information is available on the morphology and localization of Neorickettsia in the trematode host. Methods We used a Neorickettsia-infected strain of the model trematode Plagiorchis elegans to infect Syrian Golden hamsters to produce adult worms. Ultrastructure of Neorickettsia was assessed by transmission electron microscopy of high pressure freezing/freeze substitution fixed specimens. A Neorickettsia surface protein from P. elegans (PeNsp-3) was cloned and antibodies against the recombinant protein were used to localize Neorickettsia by immunohistochemistry. Results Ultrastructural analysis revealed moderate numbers of pleomorphic endobacteria with a median size of 600 × 400 nm and characteristic double membranes in various tissue types. Endobacteria showed tubular membrane invaginations and secretion of polymorphic vesicles. Endobacteria were unevenly localized as single cells, or less frequently as small morula-like clusters in the ovary, Mehlis’ gland, vitelline follicles, uterus, intrauterine eggs, testis, cirrus-sac, tegument, intestine and the oral and ventral sucker. Examination of hamster small intestine infected with P. elegans showed many endobacteria at the host-parasite interface such as the oral and ventral sucker, the tegument and the excretory pore. Conclusions We conclude that adult P. elegans trematodes carry Neorickettsia endobacteria in varying numbers in many tissue types that support vertical transmission, trematode to trematode transmission via seminal fluid, and possibly horizontal transmission from trematodes to vertebrate hosts. These means appear to be novel mechanisms of pathogen transmission by endoparasitic worms

Estudio matemático de las condiciones de estabilidad en la polimerización electroquímica de compuestos heterocíclicos en presencia de oxidantes

Los sistemas de electropolimerización de los compuestos heterocíclicos en la presencia de oxidantes fueron descritos matemáticamente. El modelo matemático correspondiente fue analizado a través de la teoría de la inestabilidad lineal y del analísis de bifurcaciones. Las condiciones de estabilidad del estado estacionario, de los comportamientos oscilante y monotónico fueron derivadas para dos tipos de sustancia que acompaña a la electropolimerización

\u3ci\u3eUrotrema shirleyae\u3c/i\u3e n. sp. (Trematoda: Digenea: Urotrematidae) in \u3ci\u3eNorops oxylophus\u3c/i\u3e and \u3ci\u3eN. cupreus\u3c/i\u3e (Squamata: Iguania: Polychrotidae) from the Área de Conservación Guanacaste, Costa Rica

A new species of Urotrema inhabits Norops oxylophus and Norops cupreus from the Área de Conservación Guanacaste, Costa Rica. The new species is most similar to Urotrema scabridum but differs by having a relatively longer esophagus, at least 10% of the total body length versus 4-8% in U. scabridum; an oral sucker width:ventral sucker width ratio less than 1:1 (averaging 1:0.76) versus 1:1 or greater; an oral sucker width:pharyngeal width ratio less than 1:0.5 (averaging 1:0.42) versus greater than 1:0.5; and by having many transversely oriented posttesticular uterine loops versus a few vertically oriented posttesticular uterine loops

Two New Species of \u3ci\u3eRhabdias\u3c/i\u3e (Nematoda: Rhabdiasidae) from the Marine Toad, \u3ci\u3eBufo marinus\u3c/i\u3e (L.) (Lissamphibia: Anura: Bufonidae), in Central America

Two new Rhabdias species are described from the lungs of the cane toad Bufo marinus (L.) from Costa Rica and Nicaragua. Rhabdias alabialis n. sp. differs from other known species of the genus by the remarkable morphology of its head end, i.e., the absence of lips or pseudolabia, the slitlike oral opening, and the triangular shape of the buccal capsule in apical view. Rhabdias pseudosphaerocephala n. sp. is identified as a form previously known in Central and South America as Rhabdias sphaerocephala Goodey, 1924, a species initially described from toads in Europe. The new species is differentiated from R. sphaerocephala based on head-end morphology and sequences of nuclear rDNA

Two New Species of \u3ci\u3eRhabdias\u3c/i\u3e (Nematoda: Rhabdiasidae) from the Marine Toad, \u3ci\u3eBufo marinus\u3c/i\u3e (L.) (Lissamphibia: Anura: Bufonidae), in Central America

Two new Rhabdias species are described from the lungs of the cane toad Bufo marinus (L.) from Costa Rica and Nicaragua. Rhabdias alabialis n. sp. differs from other known species of the genus by the remarkable morphology of its head end, i.e., the absence of lips or pseudolabia, the slitlike oral opening, and the triangular shape of the buccal capsule in apical view. Rhabdias pseudosphaerocephala n. sp. is identified as a form previously known in Central and South America as Rhabdias sphaerocephala Goodey, 1924, a species initially described from toads in Europe. The new species is differentiated from R. sphaerocephala based on head-end morphology and sequences of nuclear rDNA

A Review of \u3ci\u3ePolylekithum Arnold\u3c/i\u3e, 1934 and Its Familial Affinities Using Morphological and Molecular Data, With Description of \u3ci\u3ePolylekithum catahoulensis\u3c/i\u3e sp nov.

The type material of Polylekithum ictaluri, P. halli, and Maculifer chandleri was examined from the United States National Parasite Museum, and we determined that the material was conspecific, making P. halli and M. chandleri junior subjective synonyms of P. ictaluri. Polylekithum catahoulensis sp. nov. was described from material collected from catfishes at the Catahoula Wildlife Refuge, LaSalle Parish, Louisiana, USA, and compared with P. ictaluri collected from catfishes in Reelfoot Lake, Obion County, Tennessee, USA, and the Pearl River, Hancock County, Mississippi, USA. Polylekithum catahoulensis had smaller eggs (77–88 μm long by 51–63 μm wide vs. 94–108 μm by 52–76 μm) and a longer forebody (35–41% of overall body length vs. 29–34%). Comparison of more than 2,400 bp long fragments of nuclear ribosomal DNA (complete ITS and partial 28S regions) strongly supported the status of P. catahoulensis as a new species. Molecular phylogenetic analysis of 28S rDNA gene sequences from Polylekithum as well as representative species from Allocreadiidae, Atractotrematidae, Brachycoeliidae, Callodistomidae, Dicrocoeliidae, Encyclometridae, Gorgoderidae, Haploporidae, Opecoelidae, Plagiorchiidae, and Telorchiidae rooted by Monorchiidae and Lissorchiidae demonstrated that of the families tested, Polylekithum was most closely related to Encyclometridae as a gorgoderoid and not to Allocreadiidae as previously reported. Morphological features of three South American allocreadiids, Allocreadium patagonicum, P. percai, and A. pichi were inconsistent with generic diagnoses of Allocreadium and Polylekithum, so we suggested they belonged in a single unnamed genus similar to Creptotrema. Polylekithum catlai from India was assessed from the description and failed to conform to the generic diagnosis of Polylekithum. Morphology of Caudouterina suggested a close relationship with Polylekithum and not Allocreadiidae

\u3ci\u3eParallopharynx\u3c/i\u3e spp. (Trematoda: Digenea: Plagiorchioidea) in Iguanian Lizards from the Área de Conservación Guanacaste, Guanacaste, Costa Rica, including \u3ci\u3eParallopharynx matternae\u3c/i\u3e n. sp. in \u3ci\u3eBasiliscus basiliscus\u3c/i\u3e (Squamata: Iguania: Corytophanidae)

We report three species of the digenean genus Parallopharynx, one previously undescribed, from the Área de Conservación Guanacaste (ACG) in northwestern Costa Rica. Parallopharynx gonzalezi, which was originally described in Basiliscus sp. and Ctenosaura similis from central Costa Rica, inhabits C. quinquecarinata; P. jonesi, originally described in Anolis lionotus (syn. Norops oxylophus) from Nicaragua, inhabits N. oxylophus, N. biporcatus, and Basiliscus basiliscus; and the new species, which inhabits B. basiliscus. Parallopharynx matternae n. sp. differs from all other members of the genus by having a metraterm extending posteriad from the genital pore to the posterior margin of the ventral sucker, whereas in P. arctus and P. gonzalezi, the metraterm never surpasses the midlevel of the ventral sucker and in P. jonesi it never passes the anterior margin of the ventral sucker, and by having an oral sucker that does not exceed 150 μm in diameter with a subsequent greater oral-ventral sucker width ratio ranging from 1:0.88-1.12 (averaging 1:1), whereas values range from 1:0.71-0.83 for P. gonzalezi and P. arctus, and from 1:0.59-0.68 for P. jonesi. Parallopharynx spp. possesses Y-shaped excretory vesicles with a long central stem and short arms bifurcating immediately posterior to the ovary; similar to those found in members of the Telorchiidae. Additional similarities in the relative positions of the gonads and the structure of the cirrus sac and metraterm indicate a close relationship between Parallopharynx and members of the Telorchiidae

The Innovative Approaches in the Staff Management of Enterprises

The article is aimed at studying and systematizing the basic modern theoretical approaches to innovative staff management. The most important innovative approaches in staff management of enterprises presented in the scientific-methodological researches of contemporary scholars are considered and defined. The necessity of scientific substantiation of introduction of innovations in the sphere of staff management by definition of key principles of innovative development of this sphere is identified. The authors also consider the main traditional (administrative, economic, social-psychological) and the innovative methods (innovative selection of staff, providing the use of the newest technologies of search for employees; innovative methods of assessment of activities used at the stage of recruitment and management of personnel to determine the level of conformity of both professional and personal characteristics of staff with both official and internal requirements; innovative career management methods; innovative methods of stimulation and motivation) in the system of modern staff management of enterprises, the most priority aspects of their introduction and implementation are allocated

The mathematical investigation of the work of enzyme biosensors based on conductive polymers

The work of CP-based biosensors was described mathematically in potentiostatic and potentiodynamic mode with constant voltage was mathematically described. The mathematical models were analyzed by linear-stability theory and bifurcation analysis. The stable-state conditions were derived by using the stable-state requirements for 2-dimensional systems (for the potentiostatic mode) and Routh-Hurwitz criterion (for the potentiodynamic mode). The causes for the oscillatory behavior are the influence of the anodic oxidation of strong reducents forming during the work of the sensor and the formation of the less conductive polymer form (for the potentiodynamic mode). For the case of the presence of autocatalytic stage, its influence is the third oscillations´ cause. The causes of monotonic instability and respective critical values of parameters for potentiostatic mode were also found.O desempenho de biossensores eletroquímicos baseados em polímeros condutores (PC), modificados pelos fragmentos da enzima, foi descrito matematicamente nos modos potenciostático e potenciodinâmico de voltagem constante. Os modelos matemáticos foram analisados por meio da teoria de estabilidade linear e da análise de bifurcações. As condições da estabilidade dos estados estacionários foram inferidas com o uso dos requisitos da estabilidade do estado estacionário para os sistemas de duas dimensões (para o modo potenciostático) e usando o critério de Routh- Hurwitz (para o modo potenciodinâmico de voltagem constante). As causas das oscilações eletroquímicas, possíveis durante o funcionamento do sensor, são: a influência da oxidação eletroquímica dos redutores fortes, que se formam durante a reação específica entre o polímero e o analito, sobre a camada dupla e também a formação da forma menos condutora do polímero (para o modo potenciodinâmico). Caso a detecção se realize por meio das reações autocatalíticas, estas também são responsáveis pelo comportamento oscilatório no processo

The mathematical investigation of the work of enzyme biosensors based on conductive polymers

The work of CP-based biosensors was described mathematically in potentiostatic and potentiodynamic mode with constant voltage was mathematically described. The mathematical models were analyzed by linear-stability theory and bifurcation analysis. The stable-state conditions were derived by using the stable-state requirements for 2-dimensional systems (for the potentiostatic mode) and Routh-Hurwitz criterion (for the potentiodynamic mode). The causes for the oscillatory behavior are the influence of the anodic oxidation of strong reducents forming during the work of the sensor and the formation of the less conductive polymer form (for the potentiodynamic mode). For the case of the presence of autocatalytic stage, its influence is the third oscillations´ cause. The causes of monotonic instability and respective critical values of parameters for potentiostatic mode were also found.O desempenho de biossensores eletroquímicos baseados em polímeros condutores (PC), modificados pelos fragmentos da enzima, foi descrito matematicamente nos modos potenciostático e potenciodinâmico de voltagem constante. Os modelos matemáticos foram analisados por meio da teoria de estabilidade linear e da análise de bifurcações. As condições da estabilidade dos estados estacionários foram inferidas com o uso dos requisitos da estabilidade do estado estacionário para os sistemas de duas dimensões (para o modo potenciostático) e usando o critério de Routh- Hurwitz (para o modo potenciodinâmico de voltagem constante). As causas das oscilações eletroquímicas, possíveis durante o funcionamento do sensor, são: a influência da oxidação eletroquímica dos redutores fortes, que se formam durante a reação específica entre o polímero e o analito, sobre a camada dupla e também a formação da forma menos condutora do polímero (para o modo potenciodinâmico). Caso a detecção se realize por meio das reações autocatalíticas, estas também são responsáveis pelo comportamento oscilatório no processo