Effects of dietary omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids on levels of long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in erythrocytes]

C18:2 omega 6/C18:3 omega 3 ratio was lowered in the diet of Elderly subjects. This was done by the replacement of usual sunflower oil by rapeseed oil or by supplementing soybean oil. This diet modification induced an increase of EPA (C20:5 omega 3) and DHA (C22:6 omega 3) in red cell phospholipids. The omega 6 fatty acids (C18:2 and C20:4) were slightly modified. Therefore, dietary C18:2 omega 6/C18:3 omega 3 ratio, seems to play an important role in the determination of membrane highly unsaturated fatty acid levels.     

The Electrical Conductivity of Bovine Milk in Mastitis Diagnosis

The electrical conductivity (EC) of milk is mainly a function of the electrolyte concentration in the milk and therefore raised in mastitis. The present investigation was aimed at elaborating, if possible, a diagnostic model for screening purposes based on EC determinations and consistent with the diagnostic procedures and interpretations commonly used in laboratory milk diagnosis in the Nordic countries (Klastrup 1975). According to this diagnosis (here called reference diagnosis) cell numbers above 300,000/ml (cell count or the corresponding CMT-score) in foremilk quarter samples during the main part of the lactation period and significantly above the lowest value on within-udder comparison during late lactation are considered indicative of mastitis and bacteriological examinations are made when called for.     

Microbial production of levansucrase for synthesis of fructooligosaccharides and levan

A newly isolated thermophilic bacterial strain from Tunisian thermal source was identified as Bacillus sp. and was selected for its ability to produce extracellular levansucrase. Following the optimization of carbon source, nitrogen source, temperature and initial pH of the growth medium in submerged liquid cultures. In fact, sucrose was found to be a good inducer of levansucrase enzymes. The optimal temperature and pH of the levansucrase were 50°C and 6.5, respectively and its activity increased four folds in the presence of 50mM Fe(2+). This enzyme exhibited a remarkable stability and retained 100% of its original activity at 50°C for more than 1h at pH 6.5. The half-life of the enzyme was 1h at 90°C. Crude enzyme of Bacillus sp. rich in levansucrase was established for the synthesis of fructooligosaccharides and levan. Bacillus sp. could therefore be considered as a satisfactory and promising producer of thermostable levansucrases. Contrary to other levansucrases, the one presented in the current study was able to produce high levels of levan with high molecular weight at 50°C and having an important effect as a hypoglycemic agent which was demonstrated in our previous publications (Dahech et al., 2011 [25]) and as a hypo-cholesterolemic agent which will be investigated in further research.     

Are all Mexican odonate species documented? An assessment of species richness

With the aim of protecting Mexican diversity, one current governmental task is to complete national biological inventories. In the case of odonate insects, several researchers have hypothesized that species richness is complete (205 dragonflies and 151 damselflies), but there has not been any formal exercise to test this. Thus, we have investigated whether odonate species richness (for Mexican endemics, dragonflies (suborder Anisoptera), damselflies (suborder Zygoptera) and total species) is complete using sample-based and coverage-based rarefaction curves. Along with this, we also showed how good distribution data are in the country. The rarefaction curves have indicated 100% completeness for all groups suggesting that the inventory is complete. However, species' distribution data is highly patchy regarding areas either well (e.g. central Mexico) or badly (e.g. coast of Guerrero and Oaxaca) collected. We encourage researchers to continue odonate sampling in order to support at least three conservation actions: (i) conservation assessment of endangered species; (ii) knowledge of range shifts given rising global temperatures; and (iii) increase public interest and awareness in protected, touristic areas.     

Secreted recombinant P53 protein from Pichia pastoris is a useful antigen for detection of serum p53: autoantibody in patients with advanced colorectal adenocarcinoma

The detection of P53 alteration by serological method is easier to perform, does not require tumor tissues and is of interest for patients monitoring. In this study, we described the development of a home made ELISA test based on recombinant human P53 protein produced in Pichia pastoris and used as antigen for the detection of serum p53-Abs in colorectal carcinoma patients. The human P53 was secreted as a His-tagged protein by recombinant KM71 strain (Kα21) via the peptide signal α of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae mating type gene. The recombinant P53-His was able to detect p53-Abs in 23.4 % of patients. Serum p53-Abs correlated significantly with surgical treatment (P = 0.007), relapse during follow-up (P = 0.036), depth of invasion (P = 0.036) and the level of CA19-9 (P = 0.034). Survival analysis showed that patients negative for serum p53-Abs exhibited a prolonged disease free survival period (P log rank = 0.012). In conclusion, the secreted recombinant human P53-His produced in P. pastoris seems to be a useful antigen for detection of serum p53 Abs in patients with colorectal carcinoma.     

Ability of Innate Defence Regulator Peptides IDR-1002, IDR-HH2 and IDR-1018 to Protect against Mycobacterium tuberculosis Infections in Animal Models

Tuberculosis is an ongoing threat to global health, especially with the emergence of multi drug-resistant (MDR) and extremely drug-resistant strains that are motivating the search for new treatment strategies. One potential strategy is immunotherapy using Innate Defence Regulator (IDR) peptides that selectively modulate innate immunity, enhancing chemokine induction and cell recruitment while suppressing potentially harmful inflammatory responses. IDR peptides possess only modest antimicrobial activity but have profound immunomodulatory functions that appear to be influential in resolving animal model infections. The IDR peptides HH2, 1018 and 1002 were tested for their activity against two M. tuberculosis strains, one drug-sensitive and the other MDR in both in vitro and in vivo models. All peptides showed no cytotoxic activity and only modest direct antimicrobial activity versus M. tuberculosis (MIC of 15–30 µg/ml). Nevertheless peptides HH2 and 1018 reduced bacillary loads in animal models with both the virulent drug susceptible H37Rv strain and an MDR isolate and, especially 1018 led to a considerable reduction in lung inflammation as revealed by decreased pneumonia. These results indicate that IDR peptides have potential as a novel immunotherapy against TB.     

Clinical Evaluation of an Affordable Qualitative Viral Failure Assay for HIV Using Dried Blood Spots in Uganda

Background

WHO recommends regular viral load (VL) monitoring of patients on antiretroviral therapy (ART) for timely detection of virological failure, prevention of acquired HIV drug resistance (HIVDR) and avoiding unnecessary switching to second-line ART. However, the cost and complexity of routine VL testing remains prohibitive in most resource limited settings (RLS). We evaluated a simple, low–cost, qualitative viral–failure assay (VFA) on dried blood spots (DBS) in three clinical settings in Uganda.

Methods

We conducted a cross–sectional diagnostic accuracy study in three HIV/AIDS treatment centres at the Joint Clinical Research Centre in Uganda. The VFA employs semi-quantitative detection of HIV–1 RNA amplified from the LTR gene. We used paired dry blood spot (DBS) and plasma with the COBASAmpliPrep/COBASTaqMan, Roche version 2 (VL_ref) as the reference assay. We used the VFA at two thresholds of viral load, (>5,000 or >1,000 copies/ml).

Results

496 paired VFA and VL_ref results were available for comparative analysis. Overall, VFA demonstrated 78.4% sensitivity, (95% CI: 69.7%–87.1%), 93% specificity (95% CI: 89.7%–96.4%), 89.3% accuracy (95% CI: 85%–92%) and an agreement kappa = 0.72 as compared to the VL_ref. The predictive values of positivity and negativity among patients on ART for >12 months were 72.7% and 99.3%, respectively.

Conclusions

VFA allowed 89% of correct classification of VF. Only 11% of the patients were misclassified with the potential of unnecessary or late switch to second–line ART. Our findings present an opportunity to roll out simple and affordable VL monitoring for HIV–1 treatment in RLS.