The phylogenetic distribution,anatomy and histology of the post‐cloacal bones and adnexa of geckos

Post‐cloacal bones of gekkotans may be present as a single (medial) pair, two pairs (medial and lateral), or may be lacking. We, herein, demonstrate that the presence of a single medial pair is the ancestral condition for the Gekkota, that the lateral pair is of sporadic occurrence within and between families, except for the Eublepharidae where it is universal, and that absence is also of sporadic occurrence except for the Sphaerodactylidae where it is the ancestral condition. Adult male Tokay geckos (Gekko gecko) possess only the medial pair of bones, and these exhibit a regionally‐specific expression of woven, fibrolamellar, and lamellar bone, and an enclosed medullary cavity. Females and small juvenile males lack bony elements but exhibit a conspicuous band of dense connective tissue located about the anterior and lateral margins of the cloacal sacs. As males grow and attain sexual maturity, the medial post‐cloacal bones condense in this band of dense connective tissue, and are thus shown to be dermal ossifications, similar to osteoderms but with muscular associations (although this is also known for crocodylians). Based upon ontogenetic data we set forth a scenario to explain the loss of the medial post‐cloacal bones in various lineages. Differential staining of the cloacal sacs failed to reveal any specialized glandular structures. Investigation of the post‐cloacal spurs shows them to be associated with cellular connective tissue of a type similar to that found in the vicinity of the medial post‐cloacal bones. This suggests that the lateral post‐cloacal bones may also be dermal bones, but histological evidence is needed to corroborate this. J. Morphol. 277:264–277, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Plasma concentrations of transforming growth factor beta 1 in non-progressive HIV-1 infection correlates with markers of disease progression

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection shows variable rate of disease progression. The underlying biological and molecular mechanisms involved in determining progression of HIV infection are not fully understood. The aims of this study were to determine plasma concentrations of active TGF β 1, Th1 and Th2 cytokines in patients with non-progressive and those with progressive HIV-1 infection, as well as to determine if there is an association of these cytokines to disease progression. In a cross-sectional study of 61 HIV-1 infected individuals categorized according to disease progression as having non-progressive HIV-1 infection (n = 14) and progressive infection (n = 47), plasma levels of active TGF β 1, INF-γ, TNF-α, IL-10, IL-1β, IL-12p70 and IL-13 were compared with HIV uninfected healthy controls (n = 12). Plasma concentration of these cytokines was measured using a highly sensitive luminex200 XMAP assay. Pearson correlation test was used to assess the correlation of cytokines with CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, CD4:CD8 ratio and plasma HIV-1 RNA in the different study groups. Plasma concentrations of TGF β 1 and IL-10 were significantly decreased while IL-1β, IL-12p70 and TNF-α were increased in patients with non-progressive HIV-1 infection compared to patients with progressive infection. Plasma levels of TGF β 1 and IL-10 showed an inverse correlation with CD8+ T cell counts and CD4:CD8 ratios in patients with non-progressive HIV-1 infection, while plasma HIV-1 RNA positively correlated with CD4+ T cell counts. Plasma levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-12p70 and IL-13 positively correlated with CD4+ T cell counts and inversely correlated with plasma HIV-1 RNA, CD8+ T cell count and CD4:CD8 ratio in patients with non-progressive infection. The correlation of cytokines to the state of T-lymphocyte and plasma HIV-1 RNA found in this study may provide insight into the role of cytokines in both progressive and non-progressive HIV-1 infection. Additionally, these findings may have implications for systemic cytokine-based therapies in HIV-1 infection.     

GM抗原检测对血液病患者侵袭性曲霉病的诊断价值

目的:探讨血清半乳甘露聚糖(GM)抗原检测对于血液病患者侵袭性曲霉病(invasive aspergillosis,IA)的早期诊断和疗效评价的临床意义。方法:选取137例具有侵袭性真菌病IFD高危因素患者的468份血清标本,进行GM试验,检测抗真菌治疗前后GM抗原水平的变化,同时收集患者的临床资料,进行统计学分析,并评价GM检测对于血液病患者IA的诊断价值。结果:以GM检测单次I≥1.0作为阳性界值时,本试验的敏感性、特异性、阳性预测值和阴性预测值分别为90.91%,95.65%95.24%和91.67%,与试剂盒提供的血清GM试验结果的单次I≥1.5的阳性界值相比敏感性明显提高,而特异性无明显降低,因此能够有效区分临床诊断和拟诊两个IA级别。在其他实验室检测和影像学检查的基础上加入GM试验后,IA临床诊断组的人数明显增加。诊断级别与I值总体均数的分布具有相关性,回顾性确诊IA组、回顾性可疑IA组、回顾性排除IA组的I值呈现明显的由高到低的群落分布,且三个诊断级别的I值分布范围的差异有统计学意义。根据阳性界值标准I≥1.0,GM试验阳性早于痰培养阳性平均7.73±8.71 d,也早于CT影像学证据平均6.89±8.02 d。基于GM值阳性时的抢先抗曲霉治疗组的有效率明显提高(P=0.039)。结论:血清GM抗原检测是早期诊断IA的一种有效方法,将单次I≥1.0作为阳性界值具有较好的敏感性和特异性,在阳性检出率和阳性检出时间方面较主要影像学表现和微生物学证据具有一定优势。在高危血液病伴粒细胞缺乏患者中根据GM试验阳性进行抢先抗曲霉治疗,可提高治疗有效率,监测血清GM浓度的动态变化具有评价疗效的重要价值。该研究成果对临床侵袭性曲霉病的诊断和治疗具有一定指导意义。     

Combined exposure to cigarette smoke and nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae drives development of a COPD phenotype in mice

Background

Cigarette smoke (CS) is the major etiologic factor of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). CS-exposed mice develop emphysema and mild pulmonary inflammation but no airway obstruction, which is also a prominent feature of COPD. Therefore, CS may interact with other factors, particularly respiratory infections, in the pathogenesis of airway remodeling in COPD.

Methods

C57BL/6 mice were exposed to CS for 2 h a day, 5 days a week for 8 weeks. Mice were also exposed to heat-killed non-typeable H. influenzae (HK-NTHi) on days 7 and 21. One day after the last exposure to CS, mice were sacrificed and lung inflammation and mechanics, emphysematous changes, and goblet cell metaplasia were assessed. Mice exposed to CS or HK-NTHi alone or room air served as controls. To determine the susceptibility to viral infections, we also challenged these mice with rhinovirus (RV).

Results

Unlike mice exposed to CS or HK-NTHi alone, animals exposed to CS/HK-NTHi developed emphysema, lung inflammation and goblet cell metaplasia in both large and small airways. CS/HK-NTHi-exposed mice also expressed increased levels of mucin genes and cytokines compared to mice in other groups. CS/HK-NTHi-exposed mice infected with RV demonstrated increased viral persistence, sustained neutrophilia, and further increments in mucin gene and chemokine expression compared to other groups.

Conclusions

These findings indicate that in addition to CS, bacteria may also contribute to development of COPD, particularly changes in airways. Mice exposed to CS/HK-NTHi are also more susceptible to subsequent viral infection than mice exposed to either CS or HK-NTHi alone.     

抑菌生的研究总结报告

本文报告一种由枯草杆菌制成的生态制剂,并命名为抑菌生(Subtilobiogen)。该制剂对创、烧伤感染有治疗作用。经过安全试验、急性毒性试验、Ames试验和微核试验证明,该制剂是一种无害、无毒和有致突变作用的活菌制剂。抑菌生有膏剂、乳剂及粉剂3种剂型。抑菌生在试管和体内对金黄色葡萄球菌、绿脓杆菌和大肠杆菌均具有抑菌作用。临床观察证明,将抑菌生喷洒在创面上,对浅Ⅱ°度、深Ⅱ°度及混合型烧伤感染均具有明显疗效。实验组(181例)与对照组(174例)相比较,在统计学上具有显著性差异。抑菌生的作用机制,经过初步试验证明,与营养争夺和占位性保护有关,因为枯草杆菌的生长速度超过金黄色葡萄球菌、绿脓杆菌和大肠杆菌的生长速度。     

颅内感染患者细菌分布及耐药性分析

目的分析神经外科颅内感染感染患者细菌的分布及其耐药性,指导合理应用抗生素及感染管理。方法回顾分析2009年至2010年神经外科颅内感染患者的细菌分离株及耐药性。结果细菌共92株,革兰阳性球菌40株,革兰阴性杆菌52株;排前6位的病原菌分别是鲍曼不动杆菌(15.22%)、表皮葡萄球菌(13.04%)、金黄色葡萄球菌(10.87%)、铜绿假单胞菌(10.87%)、肺炎克雷伯菌(8.7%)和粘质沙雷菌(8.7%)。结论神经外科颅内感染中革兰阴性菌与阳性菌比例相当,多重耐药性比例高;依据细菌及耐药性监测结果指导抗生素的合理应用,是治疗颅内感染的重要手段。     

Defects in apoptosis increase memory CD8+ T cells following infection of Bim-/-Faslpr/lpr mice

During many infections, large numbers of effector CD8⁺ T cells are generated. After pathogen clearance, the majority of these cells undergo apoptosis, while the survivors differentiate into memory CD8⁺ T cells. Although loss of both Bim and Fas function dramatically increased antigen-specific CD8⁺ T cells in the lymph nodes following acute lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) infection, it was unclear whether they were pardoned effector or true memory CD8⁺ T cells. In this study, we demonstrate they are bona fide memory T cells as characterized by surface marker expression, cytokine production, homeostatic proliferation, and ability to clear a secondary challenge of pathogen. Loss of both Bim and Fas also increased the number of virus-specific CD4⁺ T cells found in the lymph nodes compared to the parental genotypes or wildtype mice. These studies illustrate that decreasing apoptosis increases the number of memory T cells and therefore could increase the efficacy of vaccines.     

Plasmodium relictum (lineage SGS1) and Plasmodium ashfordi (lineage GRW2): the effects of the co-infection on experimentally infected passerine birds

The effects of avian malaria parasites of the genus Plasmodium on their hosts are insufficiently understood. This is particularly true for malarial co-infections, which predominant in many bird populations. We investigated effects of primary co-infection of Plasmodium relictum (lineage SGS1) and Plasmodium ashfordi (GRW2) on experimentally infected naive juveniles of siskin Spinus spinus, crossbill Loxia curvirostra and starling Sturnus vulgaris. All siskins and crossbills were susceptible but starlings resistant to both these infections. A general pattern of the co-infections was that heavy parasitemia (over 35% during peaks) of both parasites developed in both susceptible host species. There were no significant effects of the co-infections on mean body mass of the majority of infected birds. Mean haematocrit value decreased approximately 1.5 and 3 times in siskins and crossbills at the peak of parasitemia, respectively. Mortality was recorded among infected crossbills. We conclude that co-infections of P. relictum and P. ashfordi are highly virulent and act synergetically during primary infections in some but not all passerine birds.     

High resolution methylation analysis of the HoxA5 regulatory region in different somatic tissues of laboratory mouse during development

Homeobox genes encode a group of DNA binding regulatory proteins whose key function occurs in the spatial-temporal organization of genome during embryonic development and differentiation. The role of these Hox genes during ontogenesis makes it an important model for research. HoxA5 is a member of Hox gene family playing a central role during axial body patterning and morphogenesis. DNA modification studies have shown that the function of Hox genes is partly governed by the methylation-mediated gene expression regulation. Therefore the study aimed to investigate the role of epigenetic events in regulation of tissue-specific expression pattern of HoxA5 gene during mammalian development. The methodology adopted were sodium bisulfite genomic DNA sequencing, quantitative real-time PCR and chromatin-immunoprecipitation (ChIP). Methylation profiling of HoxA5 gene promoter shows higher methylation in adult as compared to fetus in various somatic tissues of mouse being highest in adult spleen. However q-PCR results show higher expression during fetal stages being highest in fetal intestine followed by brain, liver and spleen. These results clearly indicate a strict correlation between DNA methylation and tissue-specific gene expression. The findings of chromatin-immunoprecipitation (ChIP) have also reinforced that epigenetic event like DNA methylation plays important role in the regulation of tissue specific expression of HoxA5.     

Thermal adaptability and disease association in common carp (Cyprinus carpio communis) acclimated to different (four) temperatures

The present study was designed to investigate the effect of temperature (20 °C, 24 °C, 28 °C and 32 °C) on the heamato-biochemical and histological alterations of Cyprinus carpio communis. Increase in the temperature showed significant decrease in the serum protein, while a reduced level of blood glucose at high temperature of 32 °C was observed leading to hypoglycemic conditions in the experimental fishes. A significant correlation (P<0.01) was observed between cholesterol (Cho) and triglycerides (TG) for different temperature treatments. Elevated blood urea nitrogen (BUN) at high temperatures was a good indicator of gill osmoregulatory failure. A variation of 86.40% and 38.33%, respectively, was noticed in alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) at 32 °C over minimum experimental temperature of 20 °C. The increase in red blood cell (RBC) and Heamoglobin (Hb) concentration is associated with the decrease of mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC), could be the reason for observed poikilo-anisocytosis. Histological studies of different organs of experimental fishes showed accumulation of MMC's (melanomacrophagic centers) and atrophy of the interrenal tissue on exposure to various levels of temperature. These changes were related to severity of thermal stress, being most marked when high temperature was prolonged during acclimatization. Some fishes were found infested by protozoan parasite at elevated temperature of 32 °C. Increased levels of certain biochemical and haemotological parameters studied were strongly correlated with disease in the Cyprinus carpio communis species.