Comparative evaluation of therapeutic efficacy of sulfadiazine-trimethoprim,oxytetracycline, enrofloxacin and florfenicol on Staphylococcus aureus–induced arthritis in broilers

1. Staphylococcus aureus is an important human and veterinary pathogen that causes economic loss in the poultry industry. This study aimed to compare therapeutic efficacy of 4 commonly used antibiotics in poultry on S. aureus–induced arthritis in broilers.

2. Sixty broilers, 8 weeks of age, were assigned at random into 7 groups as follows: (1) negative control (n = 5); (2) vehicle control (n = 5); (3) sulfadiazine-trimethoprim, 250 ml/1000 l drinking water (n = 10); (4) oxytetracycline 20%, 1 mg/l drinking water (n = 10); (5) florfenicol 10%, 1/1000 v/v in drinking water (n = 10); (6) enrofloxacin 10%, 1/1000 v/v in drinking water (n = 10) and (7) positive control (n = 10).

3. Birds in group 2 were injected with 1 ml of sterile TSB medium into the right tibiotarsal joint on d 0 while other birds (except group 1) were challenged with 1 ml of 1.2 × 10¹⁰ CFU/ml suspension of S. aureus bacteria.

4. Antibiotic therapy was started from d 4 post challenge and continued for 5 d. At the end, birds were weighed and clinical severity of arthritis was determined. After blood collection, birds were slaughtered and tibiotarsal and hip joints were evaluated grossly. The content of inflammatory exudates of tibiotarsal joint and the degree of femoral head necrosis were recorded. Mucin clot test and histopathological evaluation were performed on right tibiotarsal joint. Serum interleukin 6 was also assayed.

5. Sulfadiazine-trimethoprim had higher therapeutic efficiency with regard to most of the assayed criteria, whereas none of the antibiotics significantly affected femoral head necrosis and body weight. These data will help clinicians to have better antibiotic choice in field conditions.

     

Genetic diversity among sumac (Rhus coriaria L.) accessions collected from five areas of Iran

Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution - Sumac (Rhus coriaria L.) has been used in human nutrition as an herbal drug to treat different diseases for centuries. In recent years, the genetic...     

Basilaphelenchus gorganensis n. sp. (Aphelenchoidea,Tylaphelenchinae) from wood from northern Iran

Basilaphelenchus gorganensis n. sp. is described and illustrated from wood and bark of a dead tree from northern Iran. The new species is characterized by female body length (415–559 µm), three‐lined lateral fields, a sclerotized cephalic vestibule and cephalic framework, thin stylet with three elongate backwardly directed knobs, small spherical to oval metacorpus, with small and posteriorly located valve, simple vulva without any flap apparatus, 59‐ to 79‐µm‐long post‐vulval uterine sac, functional rectum and anus and dorsally convex, ventrally concave, usually ventrally bent conical female tail with a sharp tip. Males are common, apparently functional and characterized by well‐curved spicules, three pairs of small caudal papillae and no bursa at tail tip. Molecular phylogenetic inferences using partial sequences of small and large subunit ribosomal RNA genes (SSU and LSU rDNA) from different isolates of the new species revealed it differs from currently sequenced species and belongs to the Tylaphelenchinae clade.     

Whole genome sequence analysis to detect signatures of positive selection for high fecundity in sheep

Ovulation rate and prolificacy are the most important reproductive traits that have major impact on the efficiency of lamb meat production. Here, we compared the whole genomes of the Romanov sheep, known as one of the high prolific breeds, and four other sheep breeds namely Assaf, Awassi, Cambridge and British du cher, to identify genetic mechanisms underlying prolificacy in sheep. Selection signature analysis revealed 637 and 477 protein‐coding genes under positive selection from F_ST and nucleotide diversity (Pi) statistics, respectively. Further analysis showed that several candidate genes including LEPR, PDGFRL and KLF5 genes are involved in sheep prolificacy. The identified candidate genes in the selected regions are novel and provide new insights into the genetic mechanisms underlying prolificacy in sheep and can be useful in sheep breeding programmes to develop improved breeds for high reproductive efficiency.     

Comparison of the pathogensis of two isolates of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Besnoitia caprae</Emphasis> in inbred BALB/c mice

This study was performed to evaluate the infectivity of bradyzoites of two Besnoitia caprae isolates, BC-1 and BC-2, to inbred BALB/c mice. Each group of inbred BALB/c mice was inoculated intraperitoneally with 1 × 10³, 1 × 10⁴, 1 × 10⁵, 5 × 10⁵ and 1 × 10⁶ of one of the two isolates of B. caprae bradyzoites. The mice were monitored daily for a period of 40 days for survival. After death of each mice, several passages from its peritoneal washing and tissues were analyzed using ribosomal DNA-specific PCR assay. Marked differences in pathogenicity between the isolates were seen. All the inbred BALB/c mice infected with BC-2 survived but all the mice that were administered with 1 × 0⁵, 5 × 10⁵ and 1 × 10⁶ BC-1 bradyzoites were died within 4–9 days post-infection (DPI). Histopathological examination of the tissues of the dead mice revealed hyperemia and necrosis with presence of mononuclear and polymorphonuclear cell infiltration in myocardium, spleen and intestines together with interstitial pneumonia and peritonitis. All inbred BALB/c mice in the 1 × 10³ and 1 × 10⁴ groups of BC-1 inoculated mice survived and they were euthanized after 40 DPI. Chronic inflammation with infiltration of mononuclear cells was evident in myocardium, spleen, alveolar septa of the lungs of most of the examined tissues with hemorrhagic enteritis in the mice infected with 1x10⁶ bradyzoites. The mice infected with different doses of BC-2 were euthanized after 40 DPI and no lesion was seen in histopathological sections of their organs. All peritoneal washings and examined tissues were PCR positive in BC-1 group. This experiment is the first report to show inbred BALB/c mice as a relevant model for B. caprae and demonstrates that this strain of inbred BALB/c mice is a suitable animal model for biological studies and examination of pathogenesis for this species of Besnoitia. The present findings also provide evidence for significant differences between the two isolates of B. caprae.     

The effect of hydro alcoholic Nettle (Urtica dioica) extracts on insulin sensitivity and some inflammatory indicators in patients with type 2 diabetes: a randomized double-blind control trial

Type 2 diabetes is a metabolic disorder that is strongly associated with cardiovascular risk. Inflammation is a potential risk factor for cardiovascular disease. In this study, hydro alcoholic extract of Nettle (Urtica dioica) on insulin sensitivity and some inflammatory indicators in type 2 diabetic patients were studied. A randomized double-blind clinical trial on 50 men and women with type 2 diabetes was done for 8 weeks. Patients were adjusted by age, sex and duration of diabetes, then randomly divided into two groups, an intervention and control group. They received, 100 mg kg-1nettle extract or placebo in three portions a day for 8 weeks. Interleukin 6 (IL-6), Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), High Sensitive C-Reactive protein (hs-CRP) and Fasting Insulin concentration were measured. Insulin Sensitivity was calculated, at the beginning and the end of the study. The data were analyzed by SPSS version 18, p<0.05 was considered significant for all variables. After 8 weeks, IL-6 and hs-CRP showed a significant decrease in the intervention group compared to the control group (p<0.05). The findings showed that the hydro alcoholic extract of nettle has decreasing effects on IL-6 and hs-CRP in patients with type 2 diabetes after eight weeks intervention.     

Phenytoin as a novel anti-vitiligo weapon

Vitiligo is a psychologically devastating clinical conundrum which affects approximately 1% of the general population. The exact cause of the illness is an enigma, but several hypotheses about its pathogenesis are advanced.The autoimmune hypothesis proposes an autoimmune attack against melanocytes. Although anti-melanocyte autoantibodies have been demonstrated in vitiligo, recent research casts doubt on their pathogenic role and instead supports the involvement of cell-mediated autoimmune response in the pathobiology of this disorder, which is characterized by increase of suppressor T-cells and decrease of the helper/suppressor ratio in association with the presence of type-1 cytokine secreting cytotoxic T cells in the vicinity of disappearing melanocytes.The neural hypothesis proposes that increased release of norepinephrine, a melanocytotoxin, from the autonomic nerve endings in the microenvironment of melanocytes injures these cells. Moreover, norepinephrine induces the catecholamine degrading enzyme monoamine oxidase (MAO), which favors the formation of toxic levels of hydrogen peroxide in the vicinity of melanocytes.Another theory suggests that abnormal permeability of melanosome membrane, which normally prevents the diffusion of toxic melanin precursors into the cytoplasm, may cause melanocyte damage.Phenytoin, the widely-used anticonvulsant, has been employed both topically and systemically in the treatment of some dermatological disorders. The drug has been shown to significantly suppress mitogen-induced activation of lymphocytes and cytotoxic T lymphocyte activity and to polarize the immune response toward the type-2 pathway. It also significantly decreases suppressor T cells and increases the helper/suppressor ratio.At high concentrations, the drug inhibits the release of norepinephrine and the activity of MAO. Moreover, phenytoin is suggested to interact with membrane lipids, which may promote stabilization of the membranes.The hydantoin moiety of phenytoin exerts a direct stimulatory action on melanocytes; facial hyperpigmentation is a recognized side effect of orally administered phenytoin.Altogether, the above evidence suggests that phenytoin could be therapeutically effective against vitiligo. As phenytoin stimulates collagen production and inhibits its breakdown, its concomitant use with topical steroids could prevent steroid-induced skin atrophy while potentiating the anti-vitiligo effect of these agents.     

Precursor-Directed Biosynthesis Mediated Amplification of Minor Aza Phenylpropanoid Piperazines in an Australian Marine Fish-Gut-Derived Fungus,Chrysosporium sp. CMB-F214

Chemical analysis of an M1 agar plate cultivation of a marine fish-gut-derived fungus, Chrysosporium sp. CMB-F214, revealed the known chrysosporazines A–D (11–14) in addition to a suite of very minor aza analogues 1–6. A microbioreactor (MATRIX) cultivation profiling analysis failed to deliver cultivation conditions that significantly improved the yields of 1–6; however, it did reveal that M2 agar cultivation produced the new natural product 15. A precursor-directed biosynthesis strategy adopting supplementation of a CMB-F214 M1 solid agar culture with sodium nicotinate enhanced production of otherwise inaccessible azachrysposorazines A1 (1), A2 (2), B1 (3), C1 (4), C2 (5) and D1 (6), in addition to four new chrysosporazines; chrysosporazines N–P (7–9) and spirochrysosporazine A (10). Structures inclusive of absolute configurations were assigned to 1–15 based on detailed spectroscopic and chemical analyses, and biosynthetic considerations. Non-cytotoxic to human carcinoma cells, azachrysosporazies 1–5 were capable of reversing doxorubicin resistance in P-glycoprotein (P-gp)-overexpressing human colon carcinoma cells (SW620 Ad300), with optimum activity exhibited by the C-2′ substituted analogues 3–5.     

Metabolic Profiling and In Vitro Assessment of the Biological Activities of the Ethyl Acetate Extract of Penicillium chrysogenum “Endozoic of Cliona sp. Marine Sponge” from the Red Sea (Egypt)

Marine sponge-derived endozoic fungi have been gaining increasing importance as promising sources of numerous and unique bioactive compounds. This study investigates the phytochemical profile and biological activities of the ethyl acetate extract of Penicillium chrysogenum derived from Cliona sp. sponge. Thirty-six compounds were tentatively identified from P. chrysogenum ethyl acetate extract along with the kojic acid (KA) isolation. The UPLC-ESI-MS/MS positive ionization mode was used to analyze and identify the extract constituents while 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy were used for kojic acid (KA) structure confirmation. The antimicrobial, antioxidant, and cytotoxic activities were assessed in vitro. Both the extract and kojic acid showed potent antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa with MIC 250 ± 0.82 µg/mL. Interestingly, the extract showed strong antifungal activity against Candida albicans and Cryptococcus neoformans with MIC 93.75 ± 0.55 and 19.53 ± 0.48 µg/mL, respectively. Furthermore, KA showed the same potency against Fusarium oxysporum and Cryptococcus neoformans with MIC 39.06 ± 0.85 and 39.06 ± 0.98 µg/mL, respectively. Ultimately, KA showed strong antioxidant activity with IC₅₀ 33.7 ± 0.8 µg/mL. Moreover, the extract and KA showed strong cytotoxic activity against colon carcinoma (with IC₅₀ 22.6 ± 0.8 and 23.4 ± 1.4 µg/mL, respectively) and human larynx carcinoma (with equal IC₅₀ 30.8 ± 1.3 and ± 2.1 µg/mL, respectively), respectively. The current study represents the first insights into the phytochemical profile and biological properties of P. chrysoenum ethyl acetate extract, which could be a promising source of valuable secondary metabolites with potent biological potentials.