Wind-sensitive interneurones in the spider CNS (Cupiennius salei ): directional information processing of sensory inputs from trichobothria on the walking legs

Spiders can use air particle movements to localize moving prey. We studied the responses of 32 wind-sensitive interneurones in the hunting spider Cupiennius salei to prey stimuli. Stimulation with a tethered flying fly or with artificial air pulses activated plurisegmental interneurones that responded to changes in air movement velocity and were thus well suited to represent the highly fluctuating air stream typical of prey stimuli. In most interneurones (n = 18) the responses to the stimulation of different legs were not significantly different from each other. Different interneurones had different response characteristics and their latencies largely overlapped suggesting that there is parallel processing of the signals by populations of interneurones with different response characteristics. In two interneurones the number of spikes and the spiking pattern elicited by stimulation of each of the eight legs markedly differed depending on the leg stimulated. These neurones may play an important role in directional information processing. Stimulation of the adjacent legs from front to back or from back to front revealed two interneurones sensitive to the direction of successive stimulation of the legs. These neurones may be able to detect the motion of an air movement source in a preferred direction and thus act as nearfield motion detectors to localize a moving prey item. Accepted: 28 September 1996     

Fluoride effects on leaf cell ultrastructure of olive trees growing in the vicinity of the Aluminium Factory of Greece

Summary Leaves of olive trees growing in the vicinity of the Aluminium Factory of Greece were ultrastructurally investigated in order to determine any malformations caused by environmental air pollutants, especially hydrogen fluoride, in comparison with control samples and normal seasonal senescence. Estimation of some elements accumulated by these leaves showed that they contained high amounts of F and Al attributable to the operation of the nearby factory. The most seriously effected cell components were found to be the mesophyll chloroplasts that show a dilation of the intrathylakoid space, increase of the number of plastoglobuli, discoloration of plastoglobuli, accumulation of large starch grains and an overall disorganized appearance of the organelle. The nuclear crystalloid inclusions have unusual shapes, while the vacuoles contain a fibrillar/granular material that increases their electron density. It is concluded that the ultrastructural malformations are caused by a combination of environmental stresses and air pollutants.This paper is dedicated to Professor Dr. Eberhard Schnepf on the occasion of his 60^th birthday.     

Effects of Bacillus subtilis and antibiotic growth promoters on the growth performance,intestinal function and gut microbiota of pullets from 0 to 6 weeks

The development of digestive organs and the establishment of gut microbiota in pullets play an important role throughout life. This study was conducted to investigate the effects of Bacillus subtilis (BS) on growth performance, intestinal function and gut microbiota in pullets from 0 to 6 weeks of age. Hy-line Brown laying hens (1-day-old, n = 504) were randomly allotted into four diets with a 2 × 2 factorial design: (1) basal diet group (control); (2) antibiotics group (AGP), the basal diet supplemented with 20 mg/kg Bacitracin Zinc and 4 mg/kg Colistin Sulphate; (3) BS group, the basal diet supplemented with 500 mg/kg BS and (4) mixed group, the basal diet supplemented with both AGP and BS. As a result, when BS was considered the main effect, BS addition (1) reduced the feed conversion ratio at 4 to 6 weeks (P < 0.05); (2) decreased duodenal and jejunal crypt depth at 3 weeks; (3) increased the villus height : crypt depth (V : C) ratio in the duodenum at 3 weeks and jejunal villus height at 6 weeks and (4) increased sucrase mRNA expression in the duodenum at 3 weeks as well as the jejunum at 6 weeks, and jejunal maltase and aminopeptidase expression at 3 weeks. When AGP was considered the main effect, AGP supplementation (1) increased the V : C ratio in the ileum at 3 weeks of age; (2) increased sucrase mRNA expression in the duodenum at 3 weeks as well as the ileum at 6 weeks, and increased maltase expression in the ileum. The BS × AGP interaction was observed to affect average daily feed intake at 4 to 6 weeks, and duodenal sucrase and jejunal maltase expression at 3 weeks. Furthermore, dietary BS or AGP addition improved caecal microbial diversity at 3 weeks, and a BS × AGP interaction was observed (P < 0.05) for the Shannon and Simpson indexes. At the genus level, the relative abundance of Lactobacillus was found to be higher in the mixed group at 3 weeks and in the BS group at 6 weeks. Moreover, Anaerostipes, Dehalobacterium and Oscillospira were also found to be dominant genera in pullets with dietary BS addition. In conclusion, BS could improve intestinal morphology and change digestive enzyme relative expression and caecum microbiota, thereby increasing the efficiency of nutrient utilization. Our findings suggested that BS might have more beneficial effects than AGP in the study, which would provide theoretical evidence and new insight into BS application in layer pullets.     

大豆异黄酮对骨质疏松大鼠模型的作用探讨

目的研究大豆异黄酮促进骨质疏松大鼠骨形成的作用及其肠道微生态的变化。方法从60只SPF级SD雌性大鼠中随机挑选50只建立去卵巢骨质疏松大鼠模型,余下10只为假手术组。将建模成功的大鼠随机分为5组,模型组、大豆异黄酮高、中、低剂量组(320 mg/kg、160 mg/kg、80 mg/kg的大豆异黄酮)、阿仑膦酸钠组(1 mg/kg阿仑膦酸钠),每日1次,治疗10周。比较治疗前后大鼠骨密度、血清1型前胶原N端前肽(P1NP)、骨碱性磷酸酶(BALP)、血清骨钙素(BGP)水平和肠道微生物变化。结果治疗后,模型组大鼠骨密度、血清P1NP、BALP、BGP水平均低于假手术组(P<0.05),阿仑膦酸钠组和大豆异黄酮高、中、低剂量组均高于模型组(P<0.05)。治疗后,阿仑膦酸钠组和大豆异黄酮高、中、低剂量与模型组比较股骨组织病变减轻;厚壁菌门、梭菌纲、芽孢杆菌纲、毛螺菌科、乳杆菌科、普氏菌科、肠球菌科、毛螺菌属、乳杆菌属、罗氏菌属、布劳特氏菌属、粪球菌属、普氏菌属水平相对丰度模型组均低于假手术组(P<0.05),阿仑膦酸钠组和大豆异黄酮高、中、低剂量组均高于模型组(P<0.05)。拟杆菌门、变形菌门、拟杆菌纲、γ变形菌纲、毛菌纲、拟杆菌科、肠杆菌科、拟杆菌属、别样棒菌属、肠杆菌属模型组均高于假手术组(P<0.05),阿林磷酸钠组和大豆异黄酮高、中、低剂量组均低于模型组(P<0.05)。LEfSe分析结果显示,与模型组比较,阿仑膦酸钠组和大豆异黄酮高、中、低剂量组治疗后丁酸球菌属、放线菌属、拟杆菌科、拟杆菌属水平降低,消化球菌科、韦荣氏菌科、普氏菌属水平升高。结论大豆异黄酮可提高骨密度,提高血清骨形成指标水平,促进骨质疏松大鼠骨形成,还可改善大鼠肠道菌群。     

An analytical study of the factors that influence COVID-19 spread

The outbreak of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) continues to constitute an international public health emergency. Seasonality is a long-recognized attribute of many viral infections of humans. Nevertheless, the relationship between environmental factors and the spread of infection, particularly for person-to-person communicable diseases, remains poorly understood. This study explores the relationship between environmental factors and the incidence of COVID-19 in 188 countries with reported COVID-19 cases as of April 13, 2020. Here we show that COVID-19 growth rates peaked in temperate zones in the Northern Hemisphere during the outbreak period, while they were lower in tropical zones. The relationships between COVID-19 and environmental factors were resistant to the potentially confounding effects of air pollution, sea level, and population. To prove the effect of those factors, study, and analysis of the prevalence of COVID-19 in Italy, Spain, and China was undertaken. A fuzzy logic system was designed to predict the effects of that variables on the rate of viral spread of COVID-19.     

Antimicrobial resistance patterns among different Escherichia coli isolates in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Antimicrobial resistance patterns among different Escherichia coli isolates in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This study aimed to investigate the patterns of antimicrobial resistance in E. coli isolated from different samples, and to identify potential pathogenic isolates in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). In total, 51 bacterial isolates were recovered from 113 samples of human urine, food (raw meat, raw chicken, raw egg surface, and fresh vegetables), water, and air. Twenty-four E. coli isolates were tested for susceptibility to 26 antibiotics. The air sample isolates were most resistant to amoxicillin, ampicillin, amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, amoxicillin/sulbactam, piperacillin/tazobactam, cefalotin, cefuroxime, cefoxitin, cefixime, nitrofurantoin, and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazol. The isolates from vegetable samples were resistant to amoxicillin, ampicillin, amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, amoxicillin/sulbactam, cefalotin, cefuroxime, cefoxitin, and cefixime. By contrast, the isolates from the water samples were resistant only to amoxicillin and ampicillin. The isolates from the human urine samples were most frequently resistant to norfloxacin (80%) followed by amoxicillin and ampicillin (70%), trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (55%), ciprofloxacin and ofloxacin (50%), cefalotin (30%), cefuroxime, cefixime and cefotaxime (25%), ceftazidime, ceftriaxone, cefepime and aztreonam (20%), amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, piperacillin/tazobactam and gentamicin (10%), and amoxicillin/sulbactam and cefoxitin (5%). Almost all (23/25, 95.8%) (n = 23) of the isolates were multi-drug resistant (MDR) (i.e., resistant to 3 or more classes of antibiotics), and 16.7% (n = 4) of those were positive for extended spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL). Of the 4 ESBL-producers, 3 were positive for blaCTX_-M-15 and blaCTX_-M1_group, 2 were positive for blaCMY_-2, and 1 each was positive for blaCTX_{-M-2 group,} blaSHV, and blaOXA_-47. The quinolone resistance gene qnrS was detected in 25% (n = 6) of the E. coli strains isolated from urine (N = 5) and air (N = 1) samples. The considerable number of antimicrobial resistance genes detected among E. coli isolates tested here is alarming and should raise public health concern.     

The Ecology of Pneumocystis: Perspectives,Personal Recollections,and Future Research Opportunities

I am honored to receive the second Lifetime Achievement Award by International Workshops on Opportunistic Protists and to give this lecture. My research involves Pneumocystis, an opportunistic pulmonary fungus that is a major cause of pneumonia (“PcP”) in the immunocompromised host. I decided to focus on Pneumocystis ecology here because it has not attracted much interest. Pneumocystis infection is acquired by inhalation, and the cyst stage appears to be the infective form. Several fungal lung infections, such as coccidiomycosis, are not communicable, but occur by inhaling < 5 μm spores from environmental sources (buildings, parks), and can be affected by environmental factors. PcP risk factors include environmental constituents (temperature, humidity, SO₂, CO) and outdoor activities (camping). Clusters of PcP have occurred, but no environmental source has been found. Pneumocystis is communicable and outbreaks of PcP, especially in renal transplant patients, are an ongoing problem. Recent evidence suggests that most viable Pneumocystis organisms detected in the air are confined to a patient's room. Further efforts are needed to define the risk of Pneumocystis transmission in health care facilities; to develop more robust preventive measures; and to characterize the effects of climatological and air pollutant factors on Pneumocystis transmission in animal models similar to those used for respiratory viruses.     

Air Pollution: Involvement of Oxygen Radicals (A Mini Review)

In the past decades air pollution has increased worldwide. We also gained more insight into the complex interactions between different air pollutants in the atmosphere as well as their effects on living cells and organisms. It also has been unequivocally shown by several groups in different countries that oxy radicals play an outstanding role in the interconversion of air pollutants as well as during the manifestation of toxic effects. Not only living systems are affected by air pollutants, but also inorganic systems such as buildings and sculptures. In the following overview the most important reactions occuring in the atmosphere as well as effects of oxidative gaseous compounds and particles such as diesel soot and asbestos will be discussed.     

Responses of serum chemokines to dramatic changes of air pollution levels,a panel study

Abstract

Background: Despite the in vitro and in vivo evidence, studies are limited in evaluating whether chemokines are potential inflammatory mediators in response to air pollution exposure in humans.

Methods: We conducted a panel study coinciding with the Beijing Olympics, when temporary air pollution controls were implemented. We measured a suite of serum chemokines among healthy adults before, during and after the Olympics, respectively. Linear mixed-effect models were used to evaluate changes in chemokine levels over the three time periods.

Results: In response to the 50% drop in air pollution levels during the games, levels of RANTES, MCP-2, and TARC decreased by 25.8%, 20.9% and 35.3%, respectively (p?<?0.001) from pre-Olympics, and then increased by 45.8%, 34.9% and 61.5%, respectively (p?<?0.001) after the games when air pollution levels went up again. Similar patterns were observed in subgroup analyses by sex, age, smoking and body mass index. GRO-α and IL-8 decreased significantly during the games (22.5% and 30.4%), and increased non-significantly after the games. Eotaxin-1 only increased significantly from during- to post-games.

Conclusions: The strongest associations with air pollution levels were observed among RANTES, TARC and MCP-2. Those chemokines may play important roles in the air pollution-induced inflammatory pathway.     

Late Embryogenesis Abundant (LEA) proteins confer water stress tolerance to mammalian somatic cells

Late Embryogenesis Abundant (LEA) proteins are commonly found in plants and other organisms capable of undergoing severe and reversible dehydration, a phenomenon termed “anhydrobiosis”. Here, we have produced a tagged version for three different LEA proteins: pTag-RAB17-GFP-N, Zea mays dehydrin-1dhn, expressed in the nucleo-cytoplasm; pTag-WCOR410-RFP, Tricum aestivum cold acclimation protein WCOR410, binds to cellular membranes, and pTag-LEA-BFP, Artemia franciscana LEA protein group 3 that targets the mitochondria. Sheep fibroblasts transfected with single or all three LEA proteins were subjected to air drying under controlled conditions. After rehydration, cell viability and functionality of the membrane/mitochondria were assessed. After 4 h of air drying, cells from the un-transfected control group were almost completely nonviable (1% cell alive), while cells expressing LEA proteins showed high viability (more than 30%), with the highest viability (58%) observed in fibroblasts expressing all three LEA proteins. Growth rate was markedly compromised in control cells, while LEA-expressing cells proliferated at a rate comparable to non-air-dried cells. Plasmalemma, cytoskeleton and mitochondria appeared unaffected in LEA-expressing cells, confirming the protection conferred by LEA proteins on these organelles during dehydration stress. This is likely to be an effective strategy when aiming to confer desiccation tolerance to mammalian cells.