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Atherosclerosis develops rapidly in patients with diabetes or renal insufficiency. Plasma lipoprotein profiles are frequently abnormal in these conditions and reflect an elevation in the level of the apoprotein B (ApoB)-containing components very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) and low density lipoprotein (LDL). High levels of circulating advanced glycation end products (AGEs) also occur in diabetes and end-stage renal disease (ESRD). These products arise from glucose-derived Amadori products and include AGE-modified peptides (AGE-peptides) which result from the catabolism of AGE-modified tissue proteins. AGE-peptides have been shown to crosslink protein amino groups and to accumulate in plasma as a consequence of renal insufficiency. To address potential mechanisms for the dyslipidemia of diabetes and ESRD, we investigated the possibility that circulating AGEs react directly with plasma lipoproteins to prevent their recognition by tissue LDL receptors. AGE-specific ELISA showed a significantly increased level of AGE-modified LDL in the plasma of diabetic or ESRD patients compared with normal controls. AGE-LDL formed readily in vitro when native LDL was incubated with either synthetic AGE-peptides or AGE-peptides isolated directly from patient plasma. LDL which had been modified by AGE-peptides in vitro to the same level of modification as that present in the plasma of diabetics with renal insufficiency exhibited markedly impaired clearance kinetics when injected into transgenic mice expressing the human LDL receptor. These data indicate that AGE modification significantly impairs LDL-receptor-mediated clearance mechanisms and may contribute to elevated LDL levels in patients with diabetes or renal insufficiency. This hypothesis was further supported by the observation that the administration of the advanced glycation inhibitor aminoguanidine to diabetic patients decreased circulating LDL levels by 28%.

The aim of this study was to assess the cytokine response and selected clinicopathological findings associated with brucellosis in Camelus dromedarius. In total, 340 camels were examined for brucellosis using agglutination and Complement Fixation tests (CFT). Twenty-five camels (7.35%) were positive by both tests: 14 (4.12%) for B. abortus and 11 (3.23%) for B. melitensis. IL-1beta and IL-10 interleukin levels in both B. abortus and B. melitensis infected camels showed significant elevations compared with controls. Moreover, there was a significantly larger increase in IL-1beta interleukins in camels infected with B. abortus compared with B. melitensis. TNF-alpha, IFN-alpha and IL-1alpha levels showed significant decreases in Brucella infected camels compared with non-infected ones; however, there were non-significant changes in IL-6 levels in Brucella infected camels compared with controls. Lymphopenia was recorded in infected camels but not in controls. However, normocytic normochromic anemia, hypoproteinemia, hypoalbuminemia and hypoglycemia were recorded in the B. abortus group only. Sorbitol dehydrogenase (SD), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) showed significant increases in infected camels compared with controls, and in B. abortus infected camels compared with B. melitensis infected animals.

The search for new value-added uses for oilseed and animal proteins led us to develop protein-based wood adhesives. Low-fat soy and peanut flours and blood meal were hydrolyzed in an alkaline state, and PF-cross-linked protein resins were formulated by reacting the protein hydrolyzates with phenol-formaldehyde (PF) in solid-tosolid ratios ranging from 70% to 50% hydrolyzates and 30% to 50% PF. Physical properties of medium density fiberboard (MDF) bonded with protein-based phenolic resins were compared to those of boards bonded with ureaformaldehyde (UF) and PF resins, and flakeboard bonded with soy protein-based phenolic resin was compared to PF-bonded board. As MDF binders, adhesive properties of protein-based phenolic resins depended upon protein content of proteinacious materials. MDF board bonded with blood-based phenolic resin was comparable to PF-bonded board and met the requirements for exterior MDF. Boards bonded with soy-protein-based phenolic resin met requirements for interior MDF, while peanut-based phenolic failed to meet some of the requirements. Flakeboard bonded with soy-protein-based phenolic resins was inferior to PF-bonded board but outperformed PF-bonded board in accelerated aging tests. Although they exhibit a slow curing rate, the cost effectiveness and superior dimensional stability of protein-based phenolic resins may make them attractive for some uses.

A horse suffering from an undetected hoof bone fracture was diagnosed three weeks after injury. The formation of callus tissue was detected at the fracture site. Standard orthopaedic screw application was augmented by a novel method, a combination of stem cells and plasma components. For experimental therapy, fat tissue and blood samples were collected from the patient to isolate stem cells and plasma proteins. The obtained and characterised mesenchymal stem cell population was applied to the wound area, together with an implant prepared from plasma, wrapped over the orthopaedic screw. Additionally, cells with implant were differentiated in vitro into bone tissue, to evaluate if cells could successfully produce extracellular matrix in such material. Three weeks after application, the hoof was significantly regenerated. The bone was completely rebuilt after three months. The in vitro experiment also gave positive results, with completely differentiated cells after three weeks. Our data show that enriching the standard orthopaedic material with mesenchymal stem cells adds therapeutic value to the treatment of refractory bone fractures.

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of heat stress (i.e., elevated ambient temperature - Ta: 36 deg C +/- 3 deg C) on growth performance, mortality rate, and on some haematological and biochemical parameters in different categories of gender and age of New Zealand White (NZW) rabbits. Animals were divided into two main groups (control and treatment) of 56 rabbits each: adult females (n = 20), adult males (n = 4), growing females (n = 16), and growing males (n = 16). Total and daily feed intake, feed conversion ratio, and total and daily weight gains for growing NZW rabbits were affected negatively by elevated Ta. Decreases in feed intake led to lower body weight gains. These observations were made in growing and adult rabbits of both genders. Red blood cell counts showed alterations. Packed cell volume (in adult females and males), white blood cell counts (in growing females), lymphocytes (in growing males), monocytes (in growing females and adult males), basophils (in growing females and growing and adult males) were significantly decreased. Total proteins (in adult females), glucose (in adult females), and Ca2+ (in growing males and females) were significantly lower in the experimental group. Furthermore, elevated Ta increased the mortality rate in both age groups. The mortality rate was 30.36% for growing and adult rabbits of the experimental group, 7.14% for the control group, 25% for adult animals and 34.38% for growing experimental rabbits. Exposure of NZW rabbits of both ages and genders to elevated ambient temperature negatively affected their internal homeostasis which was reflected in their growth rate and physiology.

Hookworms are hematophagous nematodes that infect a wide range of mammalian hosts, including humans. There has been speculation for nearly a century as to the identity of the anticoagulant substance(s) used by these organisms to subvert host hemostasis. Using molecular cloning, we describe a family of potent small protein (75-84 amino acids) anticoagulants from the hookworm Ancylostoma caninum termed AcAP (A. caninum anticoagulant protein). Two recombinant AcAP members (AcAP5 and AcAP6) directly inhibited the catalytic activity of blood coagulation factor Xa (fXa), while a third form (AcAPc2) predominantly inhibited the catalytic activity of a complex composed of blood coagulation factor VIIa and tissue factor (fVIIa/TF). The inhibition of fVIIa/TF was by a unique mechanism that required the initial formation of a binary complex of the inhibitor with fXa at a site on the enzyme that is distinct from the catalytic center (exo-site). The sequence of AcAPc2 as well as the utilization of an exo-site on fXa distinguishes this inhibitor from the mammalian anticoagulant TFPI (tissue factor pathway inhibitor), which is functionally equivalent with respect to fXa-dependent inhibition of fVIIa/TF. The relative sequence positions of the reactive site residues determined for AcAP5 with the homologous regions in AcAP6 and AcAPc2 as well as the pattern of 10 cysteine residues present in each of the inhibitors suggest that the AcAPs are distantly related to the family of small protein serine protease inhibitors found in the nonhematophagous nematode Ascaris lumbricoides var. suum

Forty-four pregnant Carthusian broodmares were divided into three age Groups (A: 4-7 years, n=18; B: 8-12, n=15; C: 13-17, n=11) in order to evaluate the influence of age on the hematological characteristics. Jugular blood samples were taken every 14 days and data were pooled for each animal. The following hematological variables were determined: red blood cells (RBC), hemoglobin (HB), hematocrit (HCT), volumetric indices, white blood cells (WBC) and platelets (PLT). Furthermore, the numbers and percentages of lymphocytes (LYMP), band (BNL) and total neutrophils (NL), eosinophils (EOS), monocytes (MON), basophils (BAS) and the neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (N/L) were counted on blood smears. Total serum protein concentrations (TSP) were also measured. The lower values of RBC, WBC, LYMP and PLT in the older broodmares (Group C) possibly reflected a decline in bone marrow activity. The lower RBC of these mares was compensated by an increased MCV. The higher NL values in Group C, both BNL and NL, could have represented subclinical infections, since these animals also presented the highest TSP. Likewise, the animals of Group C showed the highest EOS counts. This research demonstrated that ageing significantly influences the hematological values of Carthusian broodmares, with the most marked differences in mares older than 13 years and that these physiological variations must be taken into account in a clinical context.

Acute toxicity tests were carried out in order to assess the effect of cypermethrin on rainbow trout. Results of haematological, biochemical and histopathological tissue examinations of control and experimental groups exposed to Alimetrine 10 EM pesticide preparation (active substance 100 g/L of cypermethrin) were compared. An acute semistatical toxicity test lasting 96 h was performed on rainbow trout juveniles. The 96hLC50 value of Alimethrine 10 EM was 31.4 microg/L. In comparison with control animals, the experimental group showed significantly higher values of plasma ammonia, aspartate aminotransferase, lactate dehydrogenase, creatine kinase, and lactate, and significantly lower values of alkaline phosphatase. A significant decrease in counts of developmental forms of myeloid sequence and segmented neutrophile granulocytes was found in the experimental group. Teleangioectasiae of secondary gill lamellae and degeneration of hepatocytes were observed. No histopathological changes were demonstrated in skin, spleen, cranial and caudal kidney tissues. The cypermethrine-based Alimethrinee 10 EM pesticide preparation was classified as a substance strongly toxic for fish.

The purpose of the present study was to assess the effect of kaolin feeding on health status, body weight gain (BWG), course of diarrhoeal infections caused by enterotoxigenic strains of Escherichia coli (ETEC) and the level of mycobacterial contamination in weaned piglets. The testing was performed in two experiments involving 40 weaned piglets at the age of 28 days. In the infection-free experiment, piglets were fed a diet without (C0) or with 1% content of kaolin (K0) for 20 days. Subsequently, all of them were fed the same diet without kaolin supplementation for 39 days. Identical diets were fed during the infection experiment, and moreover, both groups (CI and KI) were orally infected with ETEC (O141:F18ac, STa+) on Day 1 of experiment. The short-term feeding of kaolin to weaned piglets had a significant positive effect on their BWG. During the period of feeding the kaolin-containing diets, BWG in C0 and K0 were 0.20 and 0.29 kg, respectively (P less than 0.05), and in CI and KI 0.13 and 0.19 kg, respectively (P less than 0.05). The protective effect of kaolin on the course of ETEC infection was evident. Colonization and shedding of ETEC by piglets fed the kaolin diet were milder and had a shorter duration in comparison with control animals. The culture examination of pure kaolin and kaolin containing diets for mycobacteria were negative. Potentially pathogenic mycobacteria occurring in the environment were isolated from faeces and tissues of pigs. According to these results, supplementation of diets with 1% kaolin to prevent diarrhoea in piglets and to support their growth in the critical post-weaning period could be recommended.

When treated with heat-killed bacterial cells, mosquito cells in culture respond by up-regulating several proteins. Among these is a 66-kDa protein (p66) that is secreted from cells derived from both Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. p66 was degraded by proteolysis and gave a virtually identical pattern of peptide products for each mosquito species. The sequence of one peptide (31 amino acids) was determined and found to have similarity to insect transferrins. By using conserved regions of insect transferrin sequences, degenerate oligonucleotide PCR primers were designed and used to isolate a cDNA clone encoding an A. aegypti transferrin. The encoded protein contained a signal sequence that, when cleaved, would yield a mature protein of 68 kDa. It contained the 31-amino acid peptide, and the 3' end exactly matched a cDNA encoding a polypeptide that is up-regulated when A. aegypti encapsulates filarial worms [Beerntsen, B. T., Severson, D. W. and Christensen, B. M. (1994) Exp. Parasitol. 79, 312-321]. This transferrin, like those of two other insect species, has conserved iron-binding residues in the N-terminal lobe but not in the C-terminal lobe, which also has large deletions in the polypeptide chain, compared with transferrins with functional C-terminal lobes. The hypothesis is developed that this transferrin plays a role similar to vertebrate lactoferrin in sequestering iron from invading organisms and that degradation of the structure of the C-terminal lobe might be a mechanism for evading pathogens that elaborate transferrin receptors to tap sequestered iron