Displaying publications 2061 - 2080 of 17217 in total

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  1. Enolase in Meyerozyma guilliermondii strain SO: Sequential and structural insights of MgEno4581 as a putative virulence factor and host-fungal interactions through comprehensive in silico approaches
    Amran AI, Lim SJ, Muhd Noor ND, Salleh AB, Oslan SN
    Microb Pathog, 2023 Mar;176:106025.
    PMID: 36754101 DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2023.106025
    Meyerozyma guilliermondii is a rare opportunistic fungal pathogen that causes deadly invasive candidiasis in human. M. guilliermondii strain SO is a local yeast isolate that possesses huge industrial interests but also pathogenic towards zebrafish embryos. Enolases that bind to human extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins are among the fungal virulence factors. To understand its pathogenicity mechanism down to molecular level, especially in the rare M. guilliermondii, this study aimed to identify and characterize the potentially virulence-associated enolase in M. guilliermondii strain SO using bioinformatics approaches. Profile Hidden-Markov model was implemented to identify enolase-related sequences in the fungal proteome. Sequence analysis deciphered only one (MgEno4581) out of nine sequences exhibited potent virulence traits observed similarly in the pathogenic Candida albicans. MgEno4581 structure that was predicted via SWISS-MODEL using C. albicans enolase (CaEno1; PDB ID: 7vrd) as the homology modeling template portrayed a highly identical motif with CaEno1 that facilitates ECM proteins binding. Amino acid substitutions (D234K, K235A, Y238H, K239D, G243K, V248C and Y254F) in ECM-binding motif of Saccharomyces cerevisiae enolase (ScEno) compared to MgEno4581 and CaEno1 caused changes in motif's surface charges. Protein-protein docking indicated F253 in ScEno only interacted hydrophobically with human plasminogen (HPG). Hydrogen linkages were observed for both MgEno4581 and CaEno1, suggesting a stronger interaction with HPG in the hydrophilic host microenvironments. Thus, our in silico characterizations on MgEno4581 provided new perspectives on its potential roles in candidiasis (fungal-host interactions) caused by M. guilliermondii, especially M. guilliermondii strain SO on zebrafish embryos that mimic the immunocompromised individuals as previously evident.
    Matched MeSH terms: Animals
  2. Agroforestry orchards support greater butterfly diversity than monoculture plantations in the tropics
    Wan Zaki WM, Yahya MS, Norhisham AR, Sanusi R, van der Meer PJ, Azhar B
    Oecologia, 2023 Mar;201(3):863-875.
    PMID: 36914820 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-023-05348-3
    Large-scale deforestation in the tropics, triggered by logging and subsequent agricultural monoculture has a significant adverse impact on biodiversity due to habitat degradation. Here, we measured the diversity of butterfly species in three agricultural landscapes, agroforestry orchards, oil palm, and rubber tree plantations. Butterfly species were counted at 127 sampling points over the course of a year using the point count method. We found that agroforestry orchards supported a greater number of butterfly species (74 species) compared to rubber tree (61 species) and oil palm plantations (54 species) which were dominated by generalist (73%) followed by forest specialists (27%). We found no significant difference of butterfly species composition between agroforestry orchards and rubber tree plantation, with both habitats associated with more butterfly species compared to oil palm plantations. This indicates butterflies were able to persist better in certain agricultural landscapes. GLMMs suggested that tree height, undergrowth coverage and height, and elevation determined butterfly diversity. Butterfly species richness was also influenced by season and landscape-level variables such as proximity to forest, mean NDVI, and habitat. Understanding the factors that contributed to butterfly species richness in an agroecosystem, stakeholders should consider management practices to improve biodiversity conservation such as ground vegetation management and retaining adjacent forest areas to enhance butterfly species richness. Furthermore, our findings suggest that agroforestry system should be considered to enhance biodiversity in agricultural landscapes.
    Matched MeSH terms: Animals
  3. Yishen Tongluo formula alleviates diabetic kidney disease through regulating Sirt6/TGF-β1/Smad2/3 pathway and promoting degradation of TGF-β1
    Zhang X, Zhao L, Xiang S, Sun Y, Wang P, Chen JJ, et al.
    J Ethnopharmacol, 2023 May 10;307:116243.
    PMID: 36791927 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2023.116243
    ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Yishen Tongluo formula (YSTLF) is formulated based on traditional Chinese medicine theory for the treatment of Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) and has been shown to be effective in improving the symptoms of DKD according to the clinical observation.

    AIM OF THE STUDY: To explore the effect of YSTLF on DKD and figure out whether its effects were due to the regulation Sirt6/TGF-β1/Smad2/3 pathway and promoting degradation of TGF-β1.

    MATERIALS AND METHODS: The extract of YSTLF at 1, 2.5 and 5 g/kg was orally administered to C57BLKS/J (db/db) mice for 8 weeks and db/db mice were given valsartan as a positive control. The littermate db/m and db/db mice were given vehicle as the control and model group, respectively. Blood urea nitrogen and serum creatinine were detected and the urinary albumin excretion, urea albumin creatinine ratio was calculated. The histopathological change of renal tissues in each group was determined. Simultaneously, the levels of fibrosis-related proteins and messenger RNA (mRNA) in kidney and high glucose (HG)-induced SV40-MES-13 cells were detected. The roles of YSTLF in regulating of Sirt6/TGF-β1/Smad2/3 signaling pathway were investigated in HG-stimulated SV40-MES-13 cells and validated in db/db mice. Furthermore, the effect of YSTLF on TGF-β1 degradation was investigated in HG-stimulated SV40-MES-13 cells.

    RESULTS: YSTLF significantly improved the renal function in DKD mice. YSTLF dose-dependently attenuated pathological changes and suppressed the expression of type I collagen, alpha smooth muscle actin, type IV collagen, and fibronectin in vitro and in vivo, resulting in ameliorating of renal fibrosis. YSTLF positively regulated Sirt6 expression, while inhibited the activating of TGF-β1/Smad2/3 signaling pathway. TGF-β1 was steady expressed in HG-stimulated SV40-MES-13 cells, whereas was continuously degraded under YSTLF treatment.

    CONCLUSIONS: YSTLF significantly ameliorates renal damages and fibrosis may via regulating Sirt6/TGF-β1/Smad2/3 signaling pathway as well as promoting the degradation of TGF-β1.

    Matched MeSH terms: Animals
  4. Fulltext Integrative Roles of Dopamine Pathway and Calcium Channels Reveal a Link between Schizophrenia and Opioid Use Disorder
    Thiagarajan SK, Mok SY, Ogawa S, Parhar IS, Tang PY
    Int J Mol Sci, 2023 Feb 17;24(4).
    PMID: 36835497 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24044088
    Several theories have been proposed to explain the mechanisms of substance use in schizophrenia. Brain neurons pose a potential to provide novel insights into the association between opioid addiction, withdrawal, and schizophrenia. Thus, we exposed zebrafish larvae at 2 days post-fertilization (dpf) to domperidone (DPM) and morphine, followed by morphine withdrawal. Drug-induced locomotion and social preference were assessed, while the level of dopamine and the number of dopaminergic neurons were quantified. In the brain tissue, the expression levels of genes associated with schizophrenia were measured. The effects of DMP and morphine were compared to vehicle control and MK-801, a positive control to mimic schizophrenia. Gene expression analysis revealed that α1C, α1Sa, α1Aa, drd2a, and th1 were up-regulated after 10 days of exposure to DMP and morphine, while th2 was down-regulated. These two drugs also increased the number of positive dopaminergic neurons and the total dopamine level but reduced the locomotion and social preference. The termination of morphine exposure led to the up-regulation of th2, drd2a, and c-fos during the withdrawal phase. Our integrated data implicate that the dopamine system plays a key role in the deficits in social behavior and locomotion that are common in the schizophrenia-like symptoms and opioid dependence.
    Matched MeSH terms: Animals
  5. Fulltext Tilapia Lake Virus was not detected in non-tilapine species within tilapia polyculture systems of Bangladesh
    Debnath PP, Dinh-Hung N, Taengphu S, Nguyen VV, Delamare-Deboutteville J, Senapin S, et al.
    J Fish Dis, 2022 Jan;45(1):77-87.
    PMID: 34580880 DOI: 10.1111/jfd.13537
    Sixteen countries, including Bangladesh, have reported the presence of tilapia lake virus (TiLV), an emerging tilapia pathogen. Fish polyculture is a common farming practice in Bangladesh. Some unusual mortalities reported in species co-cultivated with TiLV-infected tilapia led us to investigate whether any of the co-cultivated species would also test positive for TiLV and whether they were susceptible to TiLV infection under controlled laboratory experiments. Using 183 samples obtained from 15 farms in six districts across Bangladesh, we determined that 20% of the farms tested positive for TiLV in tilapia, while 15 co-cultivated fish species and seven other invertebrates (e.g. insects and crustaceans) considered potential carriers all tested negative. Of the six representative fish species experimentally infected with TiLV, only Nile tilapia showed the typical clinical signs of the disease, with 70% mortality within 12 days. By contrast, four carp species and one catfish species challenged with TiLV showed no signs of TiLV infection. Challenged tilapia were confirmed as TiLV-positive by RT-qPCR, while challenged carp and walking catfish all tested negative. Overall, our field and laboratory findings indicate that species used in polycultures are not susceptible to TiLV. Although current evidence suggests that TiLV is likely host-specific to tilapia, targeted surveillance for TiLV in other fish species in polyculture systems should continue, in order to prepare for a possible future scenario where TiLV mutates and/or adapts to new host(s).
    Matched MeSH terms: Animals
  6. Detection of Serum Antibody Responses in Nipah Virus-Infected Pigs
    Fischer K, Pickering B, Diederich S
    Methods Mol Biol, 2023;2610:17-29.
    PMID: 36534278 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2895-9_2
    Nipah virus (NiV) is an emerging, zoonotic paramyxovirus that is among the most pathogenic of viruses in humans. During the first reported outbreak of NiV in Malaysia and Singapore in the late 1990s, pigs served as an intermediate host, which enabled the transmission to humans. Although subsequent outbreaks in Asia only reported direct bat-to-human and human-to-human transmission, pigs are still considered a potential source for viral dissemination in the epidemiology of the disease. Thus, serological assays such as Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) or virus neutralization test (VNT) represent powerful tools to characterize the serum antibody responses in NiV-infected pigs as well as to perform seroepidemiological surveillance studies on the potential circulation of NiV or NiV-related viruses among pig populations worldwide. This chapter describes both methods in detail. Furthermore, we discuss some of the major pitfalls and indicate how to avoid them.
    Matched MeSH terms: Animals
  7. Monitoring and modelling marine zooplankton in a changing climate
    Ratnarajah L, Abu-Alhaija R, Atkinson A, Batten S, Bax NJ, Bernard KS, et al.
    Nat Commun, 2023 Feb 02;14(1):564.
    PMID: 36732509 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-36241-5
    Zooplankton are major consumers of phytoplankton primary production in marine ecosystems. As such, they represent a critical link for energy and matter transfer between phytoplankton and bacterioplankton to higher trophic levels and play an important role in global biogeochemical cycles. In this Review, we discuss key responses of zooplankton to ocean warming, including shifts in phenology, range, and body size, and assess the implications to the biological carbon pump and interactions with higher trophic levels. Our synthesis highlights key knowledge gaps and geographic gaps in monitoring coverage that need to be urgently addressed. We also discuss an integrated sampling approach that combines traditional and novel techniques to improve zooplankton observation for the benefit of monitoring zooplankton populations and modelling future scenarios under global changes.
    Matched MeSH terms: Animals
  8. Fulltext Modelling the Effect of Vaccination Program and Inter-state Travel in the Spread of COVID-19 in Malaysia
    Aziz MHN, Safaruddin ADA, Hamzah NA, Supadi SS, Yuhao Z, Aziz MA
    Acta Biotheor, 2022 Nov 17;71(1):2.
    PMID: 36394646 DOI: 10.1007/s10441-022-09453-3
    A modified version of the SEIR model with the effects of vaccination and inter-state movement is proposed to simulate the spread of COVID-19 in Malaysia. A mathematical analysis of the proposed model was performed to derive the basic reproduction number. To enhance the model's forecasting capabilities, the model parameters were estimated using the Nelder-Mead simplex method by fitting the model outputs to the observed data. Our results showed a good fit between the model outputs and available data, where the model was then able to perform short-term predictions. In line with the rapid vaccination program, our model predicted that the COVID-19 cases in the country would decrease by the end of August. Furthermore, our findings indicated that relaxing travel restrictions from a highly vaccinated region to a low vaccinated region would result in an epidemic outbreak.
    Matched MeSH terms: Animals
  9. Occurrence of five distinct clades of mermithid nematodes (Nematoda: Mermithidae) infecting black fly larvae (Diptera: Simuliidae) in tropical streams in Malaysia
    Lourdes EY, Low VL, Izwan-Anas N, Dawood MM, Sofian-Azirun M, Takaoka H, et al.
    Parasitol Int, 2023 Jun;94:102733.
    PMID: 36693472 DOI: 10.1016/j.parint.2023.102733
    Mermithids are the most common parasites of black flies and are associated with host feminization and sterilization in infected hosts. However, information on the species / lineage of black fly mermithids in Southeast Asia, including Malaysia requires further elucidation. In this study, mermithids were obtained from black fly larvae collected from 138 freshwater stream sites across East and West Malaysia. A molecular approach based on nuclear-encoded 18S ribosomal RNA (18S rRNA) gene was used to identify the species identity / lineage of 77 nematodes successfully extracted and sequenced from the specimens collected. Maximum likelihood and neighbor-joining phylogenetic analyses demonstrated five distinct mermithid lineages. Four species delimitation analyses: automated simultaneous analysis phylogenetics (ASAP), maximum likelihood Poisson tree processes with Bayesian inferences (bPTP_ML), generalized mixed yule coalescent (GMYC) and single rate Poisson tree processes (PTP) were applied to delimit the species boundaries of mermithid lineages in this data set along with genetic distance analysis. Data analysis supports five distinct lineages or operational taxonomic units for mermithids in the present study, with two requiring further investigation as they may represent intraspecific variation or closely related taxa. One mermithid lineage was similar to that previously observed in Simulium nigrogilvum from Thailand. Co-infection with two mermithids of different lineages was observed in one larva of Simulium trangense. This study represents an important first step towards exploring other aspects of host - parasite interactions in black fly mermithids.
    Matched MeSH terms: Animals
  10. Insect biorefinery: A circular economy concept for biowaste conversion to value-added products
    Kee PE, Cheng YS, Chang JS, Yim HS, Tan JCY, Lam SS, et al.
    Environ Res, 2023 Mar 15;221:115284.
    PMID: 36640934 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.115284
    With rapid growing world population and increasing demand for natural resources, the production of sufficient food, feed for protein and fat sources and sustainable energy presents a food insecurity challenge globally. Insect biorefinery is a concept of using insect as a tool to convert biomass waste into energy and other beneficial products with concomitant remediation of the organic components. The exploitation of insects and its bioproducts have becoming more popular in recent years. This review article presents a summary of the current trend of insect-based industry and the potential organic wastes for insect bioconversion and biorefinery. Numerous biotechnological products obtained from insect biorefinery such as biofertilizer, animal feeds, edible foods, biopolymer, bioenzymes and biodiesel are discussed in the subsequent sections. Insect biorefinery serves as a promising sustainable approach for waste management while producing valuable bioproducts feasible to achieve circular bioeconomy.
    Matched MeSH terms: Animals
  11. Fulltext Human profiling from STR and SNP analysis of tropical bed bug, Cimex hemipterus, for forensic science
    Lim L, Ab Majid AH
    Sci Rep, 2023 Jan 27;13(1):1506.
    PMID: 36707655 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-28774-y
    Tropical bed bugs, Cimex hemipterus, which commonly feeds on human blood, may be useful in forensic applications. However, unlike the common bed bug, Cimex lectularius, there is no information regarding tropical bed bug, C. hemipterus, being studied for its applications in forensics. Thus, in this study, lab-reared post-feeding tropical bed bugs were subjected to Short Tandem Repeat (STR) and Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) analyses to establish the usage of tropical bed bugs in forensics. Several post-feeding times (0, 5, 14, 30, and 45 days) were tested to determine when a complete human DNA profile could still be obtained after the bugs had taken the blood meal. The results showed that complete STR and SNP profiles could only be obtained from the D0 sample. The profile completeness decreased over time, and partial STR and SNP profiles could be obtained up to 45 days post-blood meal. The generated SNP profiles, complete or partial, were also viable for HIrisPlex-S phenotype prediction. In addition, field-collected bed bugs were also used to examine the viability of the tested STR markers, and the STR markers detected mixed profiles. The findings of this study established that the post-blood meal of tropical bed bugs is a suitable source of human DNA for forensic STR and SNP profiling. Human DNA recovered from bed bugs can be used to identify spatial and temporal relations of events.
    Matched MeSH terms: Animals
  12. H2 generation from steam gasification of swine manure over nickel-loaded perovskite oxides catalysts
    Valizadeh S, Khani Y, Yim H, Chai S, Chang D, Farooq A, et al.
    Environ Res, 2023 Feb 15;219:115070.
    PMID: 36549497 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.115070
    In this study, nickel-loaded perovskite oxides catalysts were synthesized via the impregnation of 10%Ni on XTiO3 (X = Ce, Sr, La, Ba, Ca, and Fe) supports and employed in the catalytic steam gasification of swine manure to produce H2-rich syngas for the first time. The synthesized catalysts were characterized using BET, H2-TPR, XRD, HR-TEM, and EDX analysis. Briefly, using perovskite supports resulted in the production of ultrafine catalyst nanoparticles with a uniform dispersion of Ni particles. According to the catalytic activity test, the gas yield showed the increment as 10% Ni/LaTiO3 < 10% Ni/FeTiO3 < 10% Ni/CeTiO3 < 10% Ni/BaTiO3 < 10% Ni/SrTiO3 < 10% Ni/CaTiO3. Meanwhile, zero coke formation was achieved due to the oxygen mobility of prepared catalysts. Also, the increase in the H2 production for the applied catalysts was in the sequence as 10% Ni/CeTiO3 < 10% Ni/FeTiO3 < 10% Ni/LaTiO3 < 10% Ni/BaTiO3 < 10% Ni/SrTiO3 < 10% Ni/CaTiO3. The maximum H2 selectivity (∼48 vol%) obtained by10% Ni/CaTiO3 was probably due to the synergistic effect of Ni and Ti on enhancing the water-gas shift reaction, and Ca on creating the maximum oxygen mobility compared to other alkaline earth metals doped at the A place of perovskite. Overall, this study provides a suitable solution for enhanced H2 production through steam gasification of swine manure along with suggesting the appropriate supports to prevent Ni deactivation by lowering coke formation at the same time.
    Matched MeSH terms: Animals
  13. Genomic analysis and biological characterization of a novel Schitoviridae phage infecting Vibrio alginolyticus
    Tajuddin S, Khan AM, Chong LC, Wong CL, Tan JS, Ina-Salwany MY, et al.
    Appl Microbiol Biotechnol, 2023 Feb;107(2-3):749-768.
    PMID: 36520169 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-022-12312-3
    Vibrio alginolyticus is a Gram-negative bacterium commonly associated with mackerel poisoning. A bacteriophage that specifically targets and lyses this bacterium could be employed as a biocontrol agent for treating the bacterial infection or improving the shelf-life of mackerel products. However, only a few well-characterized V. alginolyticus phages have been reported in the literature. In this study, a novel lytic phage, named ΦImVa-1, specifically infecting V. alginolyticus strain ATCC 17749, was isolated from Indian mackerel. The phage has a short latent period of 15 min and a burst size of approximately 66 particles per infected bacterium. ΦImVa-1 remained stable for 2 h at a wide temperature (27-75 °C) and within a pH range of 5 to 10. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that ΦImVa-1 has an icosahedral head of approximately 60 nm in diameter with a short tail, resembling those in the Schitoviridae family. High throughput sequencing and bioinformatics analysis elucidated that ΦImVa-1 has a linear dsDNA genome of 77,479 base pairs (bp), with a G + C content of ~ 38.72% and 110 predicted gene coding regions (106 open reading frames and four tRNAs). The genome contains an extremely large virion-associated RNA polymerase gene and two smaller non-virion-associated RNA polymerase genes, which are hallmarks of schitoviruses. No antibiotic genes were found in the ΦImVa-1 genome. This is the first paper describing the biological properties, morphology, and the complete genome of a V. alginolyticus-infecting schitovirus. When raw mackerel fish flesh slices were treated with ΦImVa-1, the pathogen loads reduced significantly, demonstrating the potential of the phage as a biocontrol agent for V. alginolyticus strain ATCC 17749 in the food. KEY POINTS: • A novel schitovirus infecting Vibrio alginolyticus ATCC 17749 was isolated from Indian mackerel. • The complete genome of the phage was determined, analyzed, and compared with other phages. • The phage is heat stable making it a potential biocontrol agent in extreme environments.
    Matched MeSH terms: Animals
  14. Fulltext A Plasmodium sp. from a glossy tree-starling (Aplonis panayensis strigatus)
    SANDOSHAM AA, BENNETT GF, FONG YL, OMAR EI
    Singapore Med J, 1965 Mar;6(1):47-8.
    PMID: 14306412
    An immature Glossy Tree-Starling (Aplonis panayensis strigatus), also known as ‘burong perling’ in Malay, was captured in the vicinity of the Institute for Medical Research, Kuala Lumpur. It was found to harbour a small malaria parasite which showed the characteristics of the sub-genus Novyella (Corradetti et al, 1963) viz:
    1. Trophozoites small with little cytoplasm, relatively large nuclear elements, the parasite usually applied to the host-cell nucleus.
    2. Schizonts with usually less than eight merozoites. 3. Pigment small and difficult to see except in the schizonts and in the gametocytes where the pigment granules are large and usually clustered at one end.
    4. The parasite rarely distorts the host erythrocyte. Unfortunately the bird died a few days later before detailed work on duration of the schizogonic cycle and experimental transmission could be done. The parasite has the following morphological features and most of the larger forms, asexual and sexual, assume the characteristic position proximal to the nucleus of the avian erythrocyte. Trophozoites: The earliest forms are ‘rings’ with a fairly marked vacuole. As the organism grows older, it produces a grain or two of pigment. The parasite at this stage tends to occupy a polar position in the host erythrocyte. Schizonts: The segmenting forms are usually attached to the pole end of the host-cell nucleus. The number of chromatin segments varies from 3 to 8, with a prevalent range of 4 to 6. The cytoplasm is scanty and pale with a prominent little mass of blackish-brown pigment or a close collection of granules. A rare mature schizont with 8 merozoites was seen in which the nucleus of the parasitised erythrocyte was displaced somewhat similar to figure 20 of Plate I portrayed in the original paper by Manwell (1935). Gametocytes: The sexual forms are often narrow and elongate, and are closely applied to the nucleus of the host erythrocyte. The outline of the parasite is frequently irregular. The cytoplasm is pale and vacuolated with coarse conspicuous granules of blackish-brown pigment usually collected at one end; sometimes either one or both ends curved around the host-cell nucleus. Although this parasite has some affinites to both P. nucleophiltim and P. hexamerium the lack of adequate study of the avian malarias of South-East Asia precludes even provisional identification of this parasite. On two occasions numerous gametocytes were seen in the peripheral blood of the bird and four species of laboratory-reared culicines (three indigenous to Malaya) were allowed to feed on it. Ten Andes togoi, 19 Culex sitiens and seven Culex fatigans were completely refractory to development of the parasite. Two of 17 Aedes aegypti had a single small oocyst each; both oocysts appeared to be degenerating. A Giemsa-stained thin blood film together with drawings made from the microscope showing the different forms of the parasite were demonstrated. REFERENCES
    Corradetti, A., Garnham, P. C. & Laird, M. (i963). Parassitologia, 5, 1-4.
    Manwell, R. D. (l935). Amer. J. Trop. Med 15, 265-283.
    ...(1938). Ibid., 18, 565-575
    Matched MeSH terms: Animals
  15. Fulltext Review of research in parasitology in Malaya
    Sandosham AA
    Singapore Med J, 1963 Mar;4(1):42-51.
    PMID: 13976263
    Matched MeSH terms: Animals
  16. Fulltext A second case of a hairworm (Gordiacea) ''parasitic'' in man in Malaya
    Fernando A, Fernando CH
    Singapore Med J, 1961 Jun;2(2):78-80.
    PMID: 13698986
    A second case of a gordian worm (hairworm) "parasitic" in man is recorded from Malaya. A previous literature is critically discussed especially in regard to the mode of human infection. It is suggested that water-borne larvae reach the gut, invade the tissues and are finally voided with the faeces or passed with urine. Other modes of infection are considered less likely by the authors.
    Matched MeSH terms: Animals
  17. Effects of high-voltage electrostatic field (HVEF) on frozen shrimp (Solenocera melantho) based on UPLC-MS untargeted metabolism
    Liu J, Zhu F, Yang J, Wang Y, Ma X, Lou Y, et al.
    Food Chem, 2023 Jun 15;411:135499.
    PMID: 36696717 DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2023.135499
    Shrimp meat is prone to autolysis and decay due to the abundance of endogenous enzymes and contamination from microorganisms. HVEF freezing can slow the spoilage of shrimp, producing small and uniform ice crystals, resulting in less damage to muscle tissue. In this study, HVEF technique was used to freeze the shrimp (Solenocera melantho), and the UPLC-MS metabolic technique was used to investigate the metabolites of frozen shrimp meat. Compared with the control group, 367 differential metabolites were identified in the HVEF group. Mapping them to the KEGG database, there were 108 with KEGG ID. Purine metabolism and pyrimidine metabolism were the most enriched pathways. In addition, phosphatidylcholines (PCs), inosine (HxR), and l-valine were identified as potential biomarkers associated with lipid, nucleotide, and organic acid metabolism, respectively. Overall, HVEF can improve freezing quality of shrimp meat by slowing down the metabolism of substances in the muscle of S. melantho.
    Matched MeSH terms: Animals
  18. An endogenous lentivirus in the germline of a rodent
    Kambol R, Gatseva A, Gifford RJ
    Retrovirology, 2022 Dec 20;19(1):30.
    PMID: 36539757 DOI: 10.1186/s12977-022-00615-2
    Lentiviruses (genus Lentivirus) are complex retroviruses that infect a broad range of mammals, including humans. Unlike many other retrovirus genera, lentiviruses have only rarely been incorporated into the mammalian germline. However, a small number of endogenous retrovirus (ERV) lineages have been identified, and these rare genomic "fossils" can provide crucial insights into the long-term history of lentivirus evolution. Here, we describe a previously unreported endogenous lentivirus lineage in the genome of the South African springhare (Pedetes capensis), demonstrating that the host range of lentiviruses has historically extended to rodents (order Rodentia). Furthermore, through comparative and phylogenetic analysis of lentivirus and ERV genomes, considering the biogeographic and ecological characteristics of host species, we reveal broader insights into the long-term evolutionary history of the genus.
    Matched MeSH terms: Animals
  19. Isolation, purification and biochemical characterization of Conopomorpha cramerella farnesol dehydrogenase
    Satyaveanthan MV, Ng CL, Awang A, Lam KW, Hassan M
    Insect Mol Biol, 2023 Apr;32(2):143-159.
    PMID: 36454188 DOI: 10.1111/imb.12820
    In Southeast Asia, Conopomorpha cramerella (Snellen) which is commonly known as the cocoa pod borer (CPB) moth has been identified as the most detrimental pest of Theobroma cacao L. Apart from the various side effects on human health and non-target organisms, heavily relying on synthetic pyrethroid insecticides to control CPB infestations also increases the environmental contamination risks. Thus, developing biorational insecticides that minimally affect the non-target organism and environment by targeting the insect growth regulation process is needed to manage the pest population. In insects, juvenile hormones (JH) regulate critical biological events, especially metamorphosis, development and reproduction. Since the physiological roles of JH III vary among different organisms, the biochemical properties, especially substrate specificity and analogue inhibition, may also be different. Therefore, studies on the JH III biosynthetic pathway enzymes in both plants and insects are beneficial to discover more effective analogues. Bioinformatic analysis and biochemical characterization of a NADP+ -dependent farnesol dehydrogenase, an intermediate enzyme of the JH III pathway, from C. cramerella (CcFolDH), were described in this study. In addition, the farnesol analogues that may act as a potent analogue inhibitor for CcFolDH ware determined using in vitro enzymatic study. The phylogenetic analysis indicated that CcFolDH shared a close phylogenetic relationship to the honeybee's short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase. The 27 kDa CcFolDH has an NADP(H) binding domain with a typical Rossmann fold and is likely a homotetrameric protein in the solution. The enzyme had a greater preference for substrate trans, trans-farnesol and coenzyme NADP+ . In terms of analogue inhibitor inhibition, hexahydroxyfarnesyl acetone showed the highest inhibition (the lowest Ki ) compared to other farnesol analogues. Thus, hexahydroxyfarnesyl acetone would serve as the most potent active ingredient for future biorational pesticide management for C. cramerella infestation. Based on the bioinformatic analyses and biochemical characterizations conducted in this research, we proposed that rCcFolDH differs slightly from other reported farnesol dehydrogenases in terms of molecular weight, substrate preference, coenzymes utilization and analogue inhibitors selection.
    Matched MeSH terms: Animals
  20. Fulltext The Molecular Effects of Environmental Enrichment on Alzheimer's Disease
    Liew AKY, Teo CH, Soga T
    Mol Neurobiol, 2022 Dec;59(12):7095-7118.
    PMID: 36083518 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-022-03016-w
    Environmental enrichment (EE) is an environmental paradigm encompassing sensory, cognitive, and physical stimulation at a heightened level. Previous studies have reported the beneficial effects of EE in the brain, particularly in the hippocampus. EE improves cognitive function as well as ameliorates depressive and anxiety-like behaviors, making it a potentially effective neuroprotective strategy against neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). Here, we summarize the current evidence for EE as a neuroprotective strategy as well as the potential molecular pathways that can explain the effects of EE from a biochemical perspective using animal models. The effectiveness of EE in enhancing brain activity against neurodegeneration is explored with a view to differences present in early and late life EE exposure, with its potential application in human being discussed. We discuss EE as one of the non pharmacological approaches in preventing or delaying the onset of AD for future research.
    Matched MeSH terms: Animals
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