Genetic diversity among summer and winter Beauveria bassiana populations as revealed by AFLP analysis

The genetic diversity of Beauveria bassiana was investigated by comparing 40 isolates collected from summer and overwintering populations of Sunn pest from different areas in Syria and Turkey, using amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) markers. Considerable genetic variability among B. bassiana isolates was revealed. The examined isolates were divided into three distinct clusters (A, B, and C). Within these clusters, the summer isolates from Syria and Turkey were grouped together in three sub-clusters (A3, A4, and B2). Also, principal coordinate analyses (PCA) showed clear separation (62.5%) between summer and winter isolates. These differences in the genetic structure may be explained by the variety of eco-geography over the sampled areas of B. bassiana isolates. This information on genetic variation among summer and winter B. bassiana isolates is helpful in designing an effective integrated pest management program for Sunn pest.     

Macleaya cordata extract alleviated oxidative stress and altered innate immune response in mice challenged with enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli

This study examines the effects of dietary Macleaya cordata extract(MCE) on bacterial burden and resistance to enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli(ETEC) in ICR mice. ICR mice were randomly distributed into one of the following groups:(i) basal diet;(ii)basal diet with 200 mg kg~(–1) MCE;(iii) basal diet challenged with ETEC; and(iv) basal diet with 200 mg kg~(–1) MCE and challenged with ETEC. Following a 7-day period of pre-treatment, CTRL-ETEC and MCE-ETEC mice were subjected to oral infection using 5×10~8 E. coli SEC 470. The results showed dietary 200 mg kg~(–1) MCE markedly reduced intestinal ETEC burden(P0.05) and the disease-associated mortality was significantly alleviated in the MCE treated group(P0.05). In addition,dietary MCE markedly alleviated ETEC-induced oxidative stress, evidenced by the lowered methane dicarboxylic aldehyde(MDA) abundance and enhanced activities of catalase and glutathione peroxidase(P0.05). Furthermore, MCE mice exhibited higher immune activity, which might have further mediated ETEC infection. These results indicate MCE plays a preventative role with respect to ETEC infection. Future research should aim to develop MCE as a therapeutic approach to the promotion of intestinal health and a safeguard against ETEC infection.     

Enhancing Nutritional Quality of Silage by Fermentation with Lactobacillus plantarum

The present study was aimed to investigate the nutritive profiles, microbial counts and fermentation metabolites in rye, Italian rye-grass (IRG) and barley supplemented with Lactobacillus plantarum under the field condition, and its probiotic properties. After preparation of silage, the content of crude protein (CP), crude ash, acid detergent fiber (ADF), and neutral detergent fiber (NDF), microbes such as lactic acid bacteria (LAB), yeast and fungi counts, and fermentation metabolites lactic acid, acetic acid and butyric acid was assessed. Results indicated that the content of ADF and NDF were significantly varied between rye, IRG and barley mediated silages. The content of CP was increased in L. plantarum supplemented with IRG, but slightly decreased in rye and barley mediated silages. The maximum LAB count was recorded at 53.10 × 10⁷ cfu/g in rye, 16.18 × 10⁷ cfu/g in IRG and 2.63 × 10⁷ cfu/g in barley silages respectively. A considerable number of the yeasts were observed in the IRG silages than the rye silages (P < 0.05). The amount of lactic acid production is higher in L. plantarum supplemented silages as compared with control samples (P < 0.05). It was confirmed that higher amount of lactic acid produced only due to more number of LAB found in the silages. L. plantarum was able to survive at low pH and bile salt and the duodenum passage with the highest percentage of hydrophobicity. Furthermore, the strain was sensitive towards the antibiotics commonly used to maintain the microbes in food industrial setups. In conclusion, supplementation of L. plantarum is most beneficial in rye, IRG and barley silage preparations and probiotic characteristics of L. plantarum was an intrinsic feature for the application in the preparation of animal feeds and functional foods.     

A Facile Thermal-Treatment Route to Synthesize ZnO Nanosheets and Effect of Calcination Temperature

A facile thermal-treatment route was successfully used to synthesize ZnO nanosheets. Morphological, structural, and optical properties of obtained nanoparticles at different calcination temperatures were studied using various techniques. The FTIR, XRD, EDX, SEM and TEM images confirmed the formation of ZnO nanosheets through calcination in the temperature between 500 to 650°C. The SEM images showed a morphological structure of ZnO nanosheets, which inclined to crumble at higher calcination temperatures. The XRD and FTIR spectra revealed that the samples were amorphous at 30°C but transformed into a crystalline structure during calcination process. The average particle size and degree of crystallinity increased with increasing calcination temperature. The estimated average particle sizes from TEM images were about 23 and 38 nm for the lowest and highest calcination temperature i.e. 500 and 650°C, respectively. The optical properties were determined by UV–Vis reflection spectrophotometer and showed a decrease in the band gap with increasing calcination temperature.     

Pharmacological activities of some new polycyclic triazolopyrazolopyridazine derivatives

In continuation of our previous work, a novel series of polycyclic derivatives were synthesized and their anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antimicrobial activities were evaluated. Initially the acute toxicity of the compounds was assayed via the determination of their LD(50). Some of the newly compounds exhibited better biological and pharmacological activities than the reference controls with low toxicity (LD(50)). The structure of the new compounds has been established on the bases of chemical and spectroscopic evidences. The detailed synthesis, spectroscopic data, LD(50) and pharmacological activities of the synthesized compounds were reported.     

Protective and therapeutic effects of two novel strains of Lactobacilli on diabetes-associated disorders induced by a high level of fructose

Molecular Biology Reports - Diabetes is a metabolic disorder described as insufficient secretion of insulin in the pancreas or the inability of the existing insulin to function properly. It poses a...     

Protection of sheep against bovine leukemia virus (BLV) infection by vaccination with recombinant vaccinia viruses expressing BLV envelope glycoproteins: correlation of protection with CD4 T-cell response to gp51 peptide 51-70.

We have previously constructed vaccinia virus (VV) recombinants containing a complete or truncated envelope (env) gene of bovine leukemia virus (BLV). Only recombinants carrying the complete env gene (VV-BLV2 and VV-BLV3) expressed env glycoprotein on the surface of virus-infected cells and produced an antibody response in rabbits. In the present study, these VV recombinants were used to immunize sheep prior to challenge with BLV-infected peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Both humoral and cell-mediated immunity were monitored in infected animals. Sheep inoculated with recombinants containing the complete env gene showed a CD4 response to a defined epitope of gp51, but this response was absent 4 months postchallenge. Anti-gp51 antibodies appeared in animals inoculated with complete env 2 weeks after challenge, reached a peak at 4 weeks, and subsequently declined over 16 months. No CD4 response was recorded in animals inoculated with recombinants containing truncated env gene (VV-BLV1). BLV-infected control animals and those animals receiving VV-BLV1 were slower to develop antibodies postchallenge, and the titers of anti-gp51 antibodies continued to increase over 16 months. Proviral DNA was detected by the polymerase chain reaction in the four groups at 6 weeks after challenge. However, it could not be detected 4 months postinfection in the VV groups inoculated with complete env. Provirus was present in the VV-BLV1 and control groups over the 16-month trial period. These results demonstrate that vaccination with VV recombinants containing the complete env gene of BLV protects sheep against infection and that protection correlated with a CD4 T-cell response to a defined epitope.     

CCR5 Expression Correlates with Susceptibility of Maturing Monocytes to Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Infection

The chemokine receptor CCR5 and to a lesser extent CCR3 and CCR2b have been shown to serve as coreceptors for human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) entry into blood- or tissue-derived macrophages. Therefore, we examined the expression of the chemokine receptors CCR1, CCR2b, CCR3, CCR5, and CXCR4 as RNAs or as membrane-expressed antigens in monocytes maturing into macrophages and correlated these results with the susceptibility of macrophages to HIV-1 infection, as measured by their concentrations of extracellular p24 antigen and levels of intracellular HIV DNA by quantitative PCR. There was little change in levels of CCR1, CCR2b, and CCR5 RNAs. CCR3 RNA and surface antigen were undetectable throughout maturation of adherent monocytes over 10 days. CXCR4 RNA and membrane antigen were strongly expressed in newly adherent monocytes, but their levels declined at day 7. The amounts of CCR5 RNA remained stable, but the amounts of CCR5 antigen increased from undetectable to peak levels at day 7 and then declined slightly at day 10. Levels of susceptibility to laboratory (HIV-1_BaL) and clinical strains of HIV-1 showed parallel kinetics, peaking at day 7 and then decreasing at days 10 to 14. The concordance of levels of HIV DNA and p24 antigen suggested that the changes in susceptibility with monocyte maturation were at or immediately after entry and correlated well with CCR5 expression and inversely with CXCR4 expression.