Ontogenic development of the mouth and digestive tract in larval Malaysian mahseer,Tor tambroides Bleeker

This study analysed morphology and histology of the developing mouth and digestive tract of the Malaysian mahseer larvae to assess the best weaning time to a compound diet for the fry on the basis of their morphological features. The mouth development was monitored using light and scanning electron microscopy; the development of the alimentary canal was followed histologically using light microscopy after haematoxylin‐eosin staining. The larval mouth opened 1 day after hatching (1 DAH); the histological structures of oesophagus were completed by 5 DAH. At 2 DAH, differentiation of enterocytes began, and at 7 DAH the supranuclear protein inclusion appeared in the posterior intestine. The hepatopancreas was structurally completed at 4–5 DAH, coinciding with the start of exogenous feeding and the evidence of lipid storage in the liver. It was concluded that Malaysian mahseer larvae should certainly be able to ingest, and possibly digest and absorb, a formulated diet of 287 μm Ø from 7 DAH onward.     

Enhanced Biocatalytic Esterification with Lipase-Immobilized Chitosan/Graphene Oxide Beads

In this work, lipase from Candida rugosa was immobilized onto chitosan/graphene oxide beads. This was to provide an enzyme-immobilizing carrier with excellent enzyme immobilization activity for an enzyme group requiring hydrophilicity on the immobilizing carrier. In addition, this work involved a process for the preparation of an enzymatically active product insoluble in a reaction medium consisting of lauric acid and oleyl alcohol as reactants and hexane as a solvent. This product enabled the stability of the enzyme under the working conditions and allowed the enzyme to be readily isolated from the support. In particular, this meant that an enzymatic reaction could be stopped by the simple mechanical separation of the “insoluble” enzyme from the reaction medium. Chitosan was incorporated with graphene oxide because the latter was able to enhance the physical strength of the chitosan beads by its superior mechanical integrity and low thermal conductivity. The X-ray diffraction pattern showed that the graphene oxide was successfully embedded within the structure of the chitosan. Further, the lipase incorporation on the beads was confirmed by a thermo-gravimetric analysis. The lipase immobilization on the beads involved the functionalization with coupling agents, N-hydroxysulfosuccinimide sodium (NHS) and 1-ethyl-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide (EDC), and it possessed a high enzyme activity of 64 U. The overall esterification conversion of the prepared product was 78% at 60°C, and it attained conversions of 98% and 88% with commercially available lipozyme and novozyme, respectively, under similar experimental conditions.     

Antimicrobial Activity of Artemisia absinthium Against Surgical Wounds Infected by Staphylococcus aureus in a Rat Model

The wound infection is one of the frequent complications in patients undergoing surgical operations. Staphylococcus aureus is the most common cause of surgical wounds. Artemisia absinthium has been shown to bear strong antimicrobial activity, especially against Gram-positive pathogens. This study was designed to investigate the antimicrobial effects of A. absinthium against surgical wounds infected by S. aureus in a rat model. Twenty male Sprague–Dawley rats were divided randomly into two equal groups of treated and control rats. A circular incision was created on the dorsal inter-scapular region of each rat. After skin wounding, rats were inoculated locally with 1 × 10⁴ CFU of S. aureus at sites of skin wounds. The extract was applied topically twice a day throughout the experiment. Animals of the control group were left untreated. Results have revealed that topical application of A. absinthium extract on the infected wound sites produced significant antibacterial activity against S. aureus.     

Low sclerostin levels: a predictive marker of persistent inflammation in ankylosing spondylitis during anti-tumor necrosis factor therapy?

Introduction

Sclerostin levels have been reported to be low in ankylosing spondylitis (AS), but there is no data regarding the possible role of this Wnt inhibitor during anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) therapy. The present study longitudinally evaluated sclerostin levels, inflammatory markers and bone mineral density (BMD) in AS patients under anti-TNF therapy.

Methods

Thirty active AS patients were assessed at baseline, 6 and 12 months after anti-TNF therapy regarding clinical parameters, inflammatory markers, BMD and baseline radiographic damage (mSASSS). Thirty age- and sex-matched healthy individuals comprised the control group. Patients'' sclerostin levels, sclerostin binding low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 6 (LRP6) and BMD were evaluated at the same time points and compared to controls.

Results

At baseline, AS patients had lower sclerostin levels (60.5 ± 32.7 vs. 96.7 ± 52.9 pmol/L, P = 0.002) and comparable sclerostin binding to LRP6 (P = 0.387) than controls. Improvement of Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI), Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index (BASFI), Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Metrology Index (BASMI), Ankylosing Spondylitis quality of life (ASQoL) was observed at baseline vs. 6 vs. 12 months (P < 0.01). Concomitantly, a gradual increase in spine BMD (P < 0.001) and a positive correlation between baseline mSASSS and spine BMD was found (r = 0.468, P < 0.01). Inflammatory parameters reduction was observed comparing baseline vs. 6 vs. 12 months (P <0.01). Sclerostin levels progressively increased [baseline (60.5 ± 32.7) vs. 6 months (67.1 ± 31.9) vs. 12 months (72.7 ± 32.3) pmol/L, P <0.001]. At 12 months, the sclerostin levels remained significantly lower in patients compared to controls (72.7 ± 32.3 vs. 96.70 ± 52.85 pmol/L, P = 0.038). Moreover, sclerostin serum levels at 12 months were lower in the 10 patients with high C reactive protein (CRP) (≥ 5 mg/l) compared to the other 20 patients with normal CRP (P = 0.004). Of note, these 10 patients with persistent inflammation also had lower sclerostin serum levels at baseline compared to the other patients (P = 0.023). Univariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that AS patients with lower sclerostin serum levels had an increased risk to have high CRP at 12 months (odds ratio = 7.43, 95% CI 1.23 to 45.01, P = 0.020) than those with higher sclerostin values.

Conclusions

Persistent low sclerostin levels may underlie continuous inflammation in AS patients under anti-TNF therapy.     

Analysis of non-TIR NBS-LRR resistance gene analogs in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Musa acuminata</Emphasis> Colla: Isolation,RFLP marker development,and physical mapping

Background  

Many commercial banana varieties lack sources of resistance to pests and diseases, as a consequence of sterility and narrow genetic background. Fertile wild relatives, by contrast, possess greater variability and represent potential sources of disease resistance genes (R-genes). The largest known family of plant R-genes encode proteins with nucleotide-binding site (NBS) and C-terminal leucine-rich repeat (LRR) domains. Conserved motifs in such genes in diverse plant species offer a means for isolation of candidate genes in banana which may be involved in plant defence.     

Dynamics of the head-neck complex in response to the trunk horizontal vibration: modeling and identification

Although many studies exist concerning the influence of seat vibration on the head in the seated human body, the dynamic response of the head-neck complex (HNC) to the trunk vibration has not been well investigated. Little quantitative knowledge exists about viscoelastic parameters of the neck. In this study, the dynamics of the HNC is identified when it is exposed to the trunk horizontal (fore-and-aft) vibration. The frequency response functions between the HNC angular velocity and the trunk horizontal acceleration, corresponding to four volunteers, are obtained in the frequency range of 0.5 Hz to 10 Hz. A fourth-order mathematical model, derived by considering a double-inverted-pendulum model for the HNC, is designed to simulate the dynamic response of the HNC to the trunk horizontal vibration. The frequency domain identification method is used to determine the coefficients of the mathematical model of the HNC. Good agreement has been obtained between experimental and simulation results. This indicates that the system, similar to the designed fourth-order model, has mainly two resonance frequencies. The viscoelastic parameters of the neck, including the spring and damping coefficients, are then obtained by use of the optimization method.     

High-pressure hydrocephalus: a novel analytical modeling approach

Hydrocephalus is an abnormal accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) within ventricles and subarachnoid space (SAS) as a result of disturbances in secretion or absorption procedures. It is believed that arachnoid villi cells, which are microscopic projections of pia-arachnoid mater that extend into venous channels in sagittal sinus, are the main sites for CSF absorption, but it is tempting to speculate that a significant portion of CSF is removed from the SAS by nasal lymphatic vessels around olfactory nerve. Thus, in this paper, we propose an analytical model of CSF-lymphatic-blood circulation, in which these two output pathways for CSF absorption have been considered. Mathematical relations governing the pressures in different interacting compartments of the brain are considered. In addition, for increasing the similarity of our model to the physiological conditions, the bulk flow mechanism, which is supposed to occur during CSF absorption, has been considered in our model. We used our model to simulate hydrocephalus. The results indicate that the lymphatic disorders have more considerable effect in decreasing CSF absorption, compared to the disturbances in arachnoid villi cells. Based on our modeling, we believe that disorders in lymphatic pathway may be a cause of high-pressure hydrocephalus. Surely experimental studies are required to validate our hypothesis.     

Candidate SNP of CACNA2D1 Gene Associated with Clinical Mastitis and Production Traits in Sahiwal (Bos taurus indicus) and Karan Fries (Bos taurus taurus × Bos taurus indicus)

The present study was conducted to identify polymorphisms in CACNA2D1 gene and their association with clinical mastitis and production traits. Exon 18 and its flanking regions were screened for the presence of SNPs. Statistical analysis was performed to identify association of period of birth, breed, and genotype with mastitis incidence on randomly selected 103 Sahiwal and 102 Karan Fries cattle. PCR-RFLP analysis revealed that g.38819398G?>?A mutation in exon 18 (269?bp amplicon) of CACNA2D1 gene resolved into AA, AG, and GG genotypes in Sahiwal and Karan Fries cattle. Wald chi-square analysis revealed that the period of birth, breed, and genotype were significantly associated with mastitis incidence. GG genotyped cattle were found to be less susceptible to mastitis. Least square analysis revealed that GG and AG genotype animals of G38819398A SNP of CACNA2D1 gene in Sahiwal as well as in Karan Fries cattle were associated with higher average milk yields during 1st, 2nd, and 3rd lactations (P?<?0.01). These observations and their differential association with the incidence of mastitis and production traits can be utilized as an aid to selection for simultaneous improvement of both antagonistic traits; however, validation of results on large number of animals is warranted.