Bis[1-(4-chloro­benz­yl)pyridinium] bis­(1,2,5-thia­diazole-3,4-dithiol­ato)nickelate(II)

The asymmetric unit of the salt, (C12H11ClN)2[Ni(C2N2S3)2], comprises one cation and a half of Ni(tdas)2 (tdas = 1,2,5-thia­diazole-3,4-dithiol­ate) anion. The NiII atom is located at a centre of inversion. The NiII atom has a square-planar coordination with Ni—S distances of 2.2052 (4) and 2.1970 (5) Å. In crystal, weak C—H⋯S and C—H⋯Ni contacts are observed between the anions and cations

Identification and characterization of microRNAs in Clonorchis sinensis of human health significance

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p><it>Clonorchis sinensis </it>is a zoonotic parasite causing clonorchiasis-associated human disease such as biliary calculi, cholecystitis, liver cirrhosis, and it is currently classified as carcinogenic to humans for cholangiocarcinoma. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are non-coding, regulating small RNA molecules which are essential for the complex life cycles of parasites and are involved in parasitic infections. To identify and characterize miRNAs expressed in adult <it>C. sinensis </it>residing chronically in the biliary tract, we developed an integrative approach combining deep sequencing and bioinformatic predictions with stem-loop real-time PCR analysis.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Here we report the use of this approach to identify and clone 6 new and 62,512 conserved <it>C. sinensis </it>miRNAs which belonged to 284 families. There was strong bias on families, family members and sequence nucleotides in <it>C. sinensis</it>. Uracil was the dominant nucleotide, particularly at positions 1, 14 and 22, which were located approximately at the beginning, middle and end of conserved miRNAs. There was no significant "seed region" at the first and ninth positions which were commonly found in human, animals and plants. Categorization of conserved miRNAs indicated that miRNAs of <it>C. sinensis </it>were still innovated and concentrated along three branches of the phylogenetic tree leading to bilaterians, insects and coelomates. There were two miRNA strategies in <it>C. sinensis </it>for its parasitic life: keeping a large category of miRNA families of different animals and keeping stringent conserved seed regions with high active innovation in other places of miRNAs mainly in the middle and the end, which were perfect for the parasite to perform its complex life style and for host changes.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The present study represented the first large scale characterization of <it>C. sinensis </it>miRNAs, which have implications for understanding the complex biology of this zoonotic parasite, as well as miRNA studies of other related species such as <it>Opisthorchis viverrini </it>and <it>Opisthorchis felineus </it>of human and animal health significance.</p

Molecular identification of Trichinella spiralis nudix hydrolase and its induced protective immunity against trichinellosis in BALB/c mice

Background: Nudix hydrolases (Nd) is a widespread superfamily, which is found in all classes of organism, hydrolyse a wide range of organic pyrophosphates and has a ‘housecleaning’ function. The previous study showed that Trichinella spiralis Nd (TsNd) bound to intestinal epithelial cells (IECs), and the vaccination of mice with T7 phage-displayed TsNd polypeptides produced protective immunity. The aim of this study was to clone, express and identify the full-length TsNd and to investigate its immune protection against T. spiralis infection. Methods: The full-length cDNA sequence of TsNd gene encoding a 46 kDa protein from T. spiralis intestinal infective larvae (IIL) was cloned and identified. The antigenicity of rTsNd was analyzed by Western blot. Transcription and expression of TsNd at T. spiralis different stages were observed by RT-PCR and IFT. The levels of the specific total IgG, IgG1 and IgG2a antibodies to rTsNd were determined by ELISA. The immune protection of rTsNd against T. spiralis infection was investigated. Results: Sequence and phylogenetic analysis revealed that TsNd had a nudix motif located at 226-244aa, which had high homology and the closest evolutionary status with T. pseudospiralis. The rTsNd was obtained after expression and purification. Western blot analysis showed that anti-rTsNd serum recognized the native TsNd protein in crude antigens of muscle larvae (ML), IIL, adult worms (AW) and newborn larvae (NBL), and ES antigens of ML. Transcription and expression of TsNd gene was observed in all developmental stages of T. spiralis (ML, IIL, AW and NBL), with high level expression in IIL. An immunolocalization analysis identified TsNd in the cuticle, stichocytes and reproductive organs of the parasite. Following immunization, anti-rTsNd IgG levels were increased, and the levels of IgG1 were more significantly higher than that of IgG2a. After a challenge infection with T. spiralis, mice immunized with the rTsNd displayed a 57.7% reduction in adult worms and a 56.9% reduction in muscle larval burden. Conclusions: TsNd induced a partial protective immunity in mice and could be considered as a novel candidate vaccine antigen against trichinellosis

Energy dependence of light (anti)nuclei and (anti)hypertriton production in the Au-Au collision from sNN=5.0\sqrt{s_{\rm{NN}}} =5.0 to 50205020 GeV

The energy dependence of light (anti)nuclei and (anti)hypertriton production are investigated in central Au-Au collisions from AGS up to LHC energies at midrapidity, using the parton and hadron cascade model (PACIAE) together with the dynamically constrained phase-space coalescence model(DCPC). We find that the yields, yield ratios of the antiparticles to their corresponding particles, the coalescence parameters $B_A$ and the strangeness population factor $s_3$ of light (anti)nuclei and (anti)hypertriton strongly depend on the energy. Furthermore, we analyze and discuss the strangeness population factor $s_3$ and the coalescence parameters $B_A$, and find a transition point near by 20 GeV. These results thus suggest the potential usefulness of the $s_3$ and $B_A$ of light nuclei production in relativistic heavy-ion collisions as a direct probe of the transition point associated with the QCD critical phenomena. The results from PACIAE+DCPC model are well consistent with experimental data

Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in pet dogs in Kunming, Southwest China

BACKGROUND: Toxoplasmosis is a zoonotic parasitic disease caused by the protozoan Toxoplasma gondii, which infects almost all warm-blooded animals, including humans, with a worldwide distribution. However, little is known of T. gondii seroprevalence in pet dogs in Kunming, the capital of Yunnan Province, southwest China. The objective of this investigation was to estimate the seroprevalence of T. gondii infection in pet dogs in this area. METHODS: A total of 611 serum samples were collected from 7 pet hospitals in Kunming, and assayed for T. gondii antibodies by the indirect haemagglutination (IHA) using a commercially-marked kit. RESULTS: 132 (21.6%) pet dogs were positive for T. gondii antibodies, and the seroprevalence ranged from 17.3% to 34.7% among different sampling regions, the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). The T. gondii seroprevalence in female and male dogs were 20.8% and 22.4%, respectively, the difference was not statistically significant (P > 0.05). The seroprevalence ranged from 17.5% to 23.6% among different age groups, but the difference was not statistically significant (P > 0.05), and there were no interactions in statistics (P > 0.05) between gender and age of pet dogs in the region. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of the present survey indicate high T. gondii seroprevalance in pet dogs in Kunming, southwest China, posing significant public health concern. It is necessary to enhance integrated strategies and measures to prevent and control T. gondii infection in pet dogs in this area