Identification of Cryptosporidium from Dairy Cattle in Pahang,Malaysia

Cryptosporidium, a protozoan parasite, can cause cryptosporidiosis which is a gastrointestinal disease that can infect humans and livestock. Cattle are the most common livestock that can be infected with this protozoan. This study was carried out to determine the prevalence of Cryptosporidium infection in cattle in Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia and to find out the association between the occurrence of infection and 3 different ages of cattle (calves less than 1 year, yearling, and adult cattle). The samples were processed by using formol-ether concentration technique and stained by modified Ziehl Neelsen. The results showed that 15.9% (24/151) of cattle were positive for Cryptosporidium oocysts. The occurrence of Cryptosporidium in calves less than 1 year was the highest with the percentage of 20.0% (11/55) followed by yearling and adult cattle, with the percentage occurrence of 15.6 % (7/45) and 11.8% (6/51), respectively. There was no significant association between the occurrence and age of cattle and presence of diarrhea. Good management practices and proper hygiene management must be taken in order to reduce the infection. It is highly important to control the infection since infected cattle may serve as potential reservoirs of the infection to other animals and humans, especially animal handlers.     

Foot insensitivity is associated with renal function decline in patients with type 2 diabetes: a cohort study

Background

Identifying patients with diabetes at increased risk of chronic kidney disease (CKD) is essential to prevent/slow the progression to end-stage renal disease (ESRD). CKD and diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) share common mechanisms. Hence, we aimed to examine the relationship between foot insensitivity and CKD in patients with Type 2 diabetes.

Methods

A prospective observational cohort study in adults with Type 2 diabetes. Patients with ESRD were excluded. Foot insensitivity was assessed using the 10-g monofilament test. Renal function was assessed using estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) based on the MDRD equation. Albuminuria was defined as the presence of urinary albumin/creatinine ratio (ACR) >3.4 mg/mmol.

Results

Two hundred and twenty eight patients were recruited and followed-up for 2.5 years. One hundred and ninety patients (83.4%) had eGFR?≥?60 ml/min/1.73 m². Seventy six (33.3%) patients had foot insensitivity (i.e. abnormal monofilament test). Patients with foot insensitivity had lower eGFR and higher prevalence of albuminuria compared to patients with normal monofilament test. After adjustment for age, gender, ethnicity, diabetes duration, HbA1c, body mass index, insulin treatment, number of anti-hypertensives, history of peripheral vascular disease, and baseline eGFR (R² 0.87), baseline foot insensitivity was associated with study-end eGFR (B?=??3.551, p?=?0.036).

Conclusions

Patients with Type 2 diabetes and foot insensitivity are at increased risk of eGFR decline. Identifying these patients offers an opportunity to intensify metabolic and blood pressure control to prevent/retard the development of CKD. Future studies of larger sample size and longer follow up from multiple centres are needed to assess the diagnostic performance of our findings in predicting CKD development, and to compare the performance of the monofilament test with albuminuria.

     

Online flow cytometry for monitoring apoptosis in mammalian cell cultures as an application for process analytical technology

Apoptosis is the main driver of cell death in bioreactor suspension cell cultures during the production of biopharmaceuticals from animal cell lines. It is known that apoptosis also has an effect on the quality and quantity of the expressed recombinant protein. This has raised the importance of studying apoptosis for implementing culture optimization strategies. The work here describes a novel approach to obtain near real time data on proportion of viable, early apoptotic, late apoptotic and necrotic cell populations in a suspension CHO culture using automated sample preparation in conjunction with flow cytometry. The resultant online flow cytometry data can track the progression of apoptotic events in culture, aligning with analogous manual methodologies and giving similar results. The obtained near-real time apoptosis data are a significant improvement in monitoring capabilities and can lead to improved control strategies and research data on complex biological systems in bioreactor cultures in both academic and industrial settings focused on process analytical technology applications.     

A survey of genes in Eimeria tenella merozoites by EST sequencing

A study of about 500 expressed sequence tags (ESTs), derived from a merozoite cDNA library, was initiated as an approach to generate a larger pool of gene information on Eimeria tenella. Of the ESTs, 47.7% had matches with entries in the databases, including ribosomal proteins, metabolic enzymes and proteins with other functions, of which 14.3% represented previously known E. tenella genes. Thus over 50% of the ESTs had no significant database matches. The E. tenella EST dataset contained a range of highly abundant genes comparable with that found in the EST dataset of T. gondii and may thus reflect the importance of such molecules in the biology of the apicomplexan organisms. However, comparison of the two datasets revealed very few homologies between sequences of apical organelle molecules, and provides evidence for sequence divergence between these closely-related parasites. The data presented underpin the potential value of the EST strategy for the discovery of novel genes and may allow for a more rapid increase in the knowledge and understanding of gene expression in the merozoite life cycle stage of Eimeria spp.     

The <Emphasis Type="Italic">PAL2</Emphasis> promoter activities in relation to structural development and adaptation in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Arabidopsis thaliana</Emphasis>

Phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) plays a major role in plant growth, development and adaptation. In Arabidopsis thaliana, the enzyme is encoded by four genes, namely PAL1, PAL2, PAL3, and PAL4 with PAL1 and PAL2 being closely related phylogenetically and functionally. PAL1 promoter activities are associated with plant development and are inducible by various stress agents. However, PAL2 promoter activities have not been functionally analysed. Here, we show that the PAL2 promoter activities are associated with the structural development of a plant and its organs. This function was inducible in an organ-specific manner by the avirulent strain of Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato (JL1065). The PAL2 promoter was active throughout the course of the plant development particularly in the root, rosette leaf, and inflorescence stem that provide the plant with structural support. In aerial organs, the levels of PAL2 promoter activities were negatively correlated with relative positions of the organs to the rosette leaves. The promoter was inducible in the root following an inoculation by JL1065 in the leaf suggesting PAL2 to be part of an induced defence system. Our results demonstrate how the PAL2 promoter activities are being coordinated and synchronised for the structural development of the plant and its organs based on the developmental programme. Under certain stress conditions the activity may be induced in favour of certain organs.     

Depolymerised carrageenan enhances physiological activities and menthol production in Mentha arvensis L.

Irradiated carrageenan (IC) could elicit plant growth promoting activities in plants. The effect of foliar spray of five concentrations of IC (20, 40, 60_, 80 and 100 mg L⁻¹) was studied on Mentha arvensis L. in terms of plant growth, physiological attributes, herbage yield and the content and yield of essential oil and its components. Un-irradiated carrageenan and deionized water had no effect on the attributes studied. GPC study revealed formation of low molecular weight fractions in irradiated samples containing less than 20,000 molecular weight oligomers which are responsible for plant growth promotion in this study. 80 mg L⁻¹ of IC was the most effective concentration which resulted in the highest values of growth attributes, herbage yield and the content and yield of essential oil and menthol content of the oil. It also improved the leaf-nutrient contents, photosynthetic rate and other physiological parameters. 100 mg L⁻¹ of IC did not further improve the attributes studied, but it was always better than the control.     

Vesicular trafficking–related proteins as the potential therapeutic target for breast cancer

Protoplasma - Vesicular trafficking between endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi plays a major role in the growth and proliferation of breast cancer cells. Various proteins regulate this ER-Golgi...     

Low nitrogen stress regulates chlorophyll fluorescence in coordination with photosynthesis and Rubisco efficiency of rice

Nitrogen (N) is the basis of plant growth and development and, is considered as one of the priming agents to elevate a range of stresses. Plants use solar radiations through photosynthesis, which amasses the assimilatory components of crop yield to meet the global demand for food. Nitrogen is the main regulator in the allocation of photosynthetic apparatus which changes of the photosynthesis (P_n) and quantum yield (F_v/F_m) of the plant. In the present study, dynamics of the photosynthetic establishment, N-dependent relation with chlorophyll fluorescence attributes and Rubisco efficacy was evaluated in low-N tolerant (cv. CR Dhan 311) and low-N sensitive (cv. Rasi) rice cultivars under low-N and optimum-N conditions. There was a decrease in the stored leaf N under low-N condition, resulting in the decreased P_n and F_v/F_m efficiency of the plants through depletion in the activity and content of Rubisco. The P_n and F_v/F_m followed the parallel trend of leaf N content during low-N condition along with depletion of intercellular CO₂ concentration and overall conductance under low-N condition. Photosynthetic saturation curve cleared abrupt decrease of effective quantum yield in the low-N sensitive rice cultivar than the low-N tolerant rice. Also, the rapid light curve highlighted the unacclimated regulation of photochemical and non-photochemical quenching in the low-N condition. The low-N sensitive rice cultivar triumphed non-photochemical quenching, whereas the low-N tolerant rice cultivar rose gradually during the light curve. Our study suggested that the quantum yield is the key limitation for photosynthesis in low-N condition. Regulation of Rubisco, photochemical and non-photochemical quenching may help plants to grow under low-N level.

     

In vitro propagation and the acclimatization effect on the synthesis of 2-hydroxy-4-methoxy benzaldehyde in Decalepis hamiltonii Wight and Arn.

The present study reports a high frequency in vitro propagation protocol through apical bud sprouting and basal organogenic nodule formation in shoot tip explants of Decalepis hamiltonii, an endemic and endangered medicinal liana. Among different combinations of plant growth regulators (PGRs) and growth additives, maximum of 8.20 shoots per explant with mean shoot length of 6.54 cm were induced on Murashige and Skoog’s medium (MS) supplemented with 5.0 µM 6-benzyladenine (BA) + 0.5 µM indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) + 30.0 µM adenine sulphate (ADS) through apical bud sprouting. On single cytokinin treatment explants did not exhibit good multiplication but showed nodulation (N₁) from the basal cut end similar to cytokinin–auxin combination (N₂). Between two types of nodular tissues, N₂ was proved to be better for maximum shoot regeneration (15.40 shoots per explant) and shoot length (4.56 cm) when cultured on MS medium supplemented with 5.0 µM BA, 0.5 µM IAA, 30.0 µM ADS and 1.0 µM gibberellic acid (GA₃). Microshoots were efficiently rooted on half-strength MS medium supplemented with 2.5 μM α-naphthalene acetic acid (NAA). After successful acclimatization in Soilrite, 95.10 % plantlets were survived in field conditions. Histological investigation proved useful in ascertaining the callogenic nature of the regenerating nodular tissue formed at the basal cut end of shoot tip explant. Acclimatized plantlets were studied for the estimation of chlorophyll and carotenoid content as well as the net photosynthetic rate (PN) during subsequent days of transfer to ex vitro condition. Moreover, acclimatization had a significant effect on biomass production and the synthesis of 2-hydroxy-4-methoxy benzaldehyde (2HMB). Maximum fresh weight (3.78 gm/plant), dry weight (0.39 gm/plant) of roots and 2HMB content (15.94 µg/ml of extract) were noticed after 8 weeks of acclimatization.     

Root carboxylate exudation capacity under phosphorus stress does not improve grain yield in green gram

Key message

Genetic variability in carboxylate exudation capacity along with improved root traits was a key mechanism for P-efficient green gram genotype to cope with P-stress but it did not increase grain yield.

Abstract

This study evaluates genotypic variability in green gram for total root carbon exudation under low phosphorus (P) using ¹⁴C and its relationship with root exuded carboxylates, growth and yield potential in contrasting genotypes. Forty-four genotypes grown hydroponically with low (2 μM) and sufficient (100 μM) P concentrations were exposed to ¹⁴CO₂ to screen for total root carbon exudation. Contrasting genotypes were employed to study carboxylate exudation and their performance in soil at two P levels. Based on relative ¹⁴C exudation and biomass, genotypes were categorized. Carboxylic acids were measured in exudates and root apices of contrasting genotypes belonging to efficient and inefficient categories. Oxalic and citric acids were released into the medium under low-P. PDM-139 (efficient) was highly efficient in carboxylate exudation as compared to ML-818 (inefficient). In low soil P, the reduction in biomass was higher in ML-818 as compared to PDM-139. Total leaf area and photosynthetic rate averaged for genotypes increased by 71 and 41 %, respectively, with P fertilization. Significantly, higher root surface area and volume were observed in PDM-139 under low soil P. Though the grain yield was higher in ML-818, the total plant biomass was significantly higher in PDM-139 indicating improved P uptake and its efficient translation into biomass. The higher carboxylate exudation capacity and improved root traits in the later genotype might be the possible adaptive mechanisms to cope with P-stress. However, it is not necessary that higher root exudation would result in higher grain yield.