RESUMO
Anti-aging research has become critical since the elderly population is increasing dramatically in this era. With the establishment of frailty phenotype and frailty index, the importance of anti-frailty research is concurrently enlightened. The application of natural phytochemicals against aging or frailty is always intriguing, and abundant related studies have been published. Various models are designed for biological research, and each model has its strength and weakness in deciphering the complex aging mechanisms. In this article, we attempt to show the potential of Caenorhabditis elegans in the study of phytochemicals' effects on anti-aging by comparing it to other animal models. In this review, the lifespan extension and anti-aging effects are demonstrated by various physical, cellular, or molecular biomarkers of dietary phytochemicals, including resveratrol, curcumin, urolithin A, sesamin, fisetin, quercetin, epigallocatechin-3-gallate, epicatechin, spermidine, sulforaphane, along with extracts of broccoli, cocoa, and blueberry. Meanwhile, the frequency of phytochemicals and models studied or presented in publications since 2010 were analyzed, and the most commonly mentioned animal models were rats, mice, and the nematode C. elegans. This up-to-date summary of the anti-aging effect of certain phytochemicals has demonstrated powerful potential for anti-aging or anti-frailty in the human population.
RESUMO
Healthcare-associated infections (HAI) remain a burden in healthcare facilities, environmental surfaces being a potential reservoir for healthcare-associated pathogens. In this context, exploration of materials with potential antimicrobial activities represents a way forward for the future. Here, we explored the survival of four bacterial species commonly involved in HAI (Acinetobacter baumannii, Enterococcus faecalis, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus), on oak versus three other materials (aluminum, polycarbonate, stainless steel). Twenty microliters of each bacterial suspension (approximatively 107 bacteria) were deposited on each material. Bacterial counts were measured by grinding and culturing on day 0, 1, 2, 6, 7 and 15. Analyses were performed in triplicate for each material and each time evaluated. It appeared that the bacteria viable count decreased rapidly on transversal and tangential oak compared with the other materials for all bacterial species. Furthermore, no difference was noticed between transversal and tangential oak. These results underline the potential for use of oak materials in healthcare facilities, a consideration that should be supported by further investigations.
RESUMO
Toxoplasma gondii is a zoonotic protozoon which is well known for infecting humans and wild animals. In the present study, antibodies to T. gondii were evaluated in 394 wild birds, belonging to 37 species, from 15 different administrative regions in Taiwan. Using modified agglutination test (MAT), the overall seroprevalence of infection was 23.35% (CI 95% = 19.17%-27.53%). Antibodies were detected in birds of prey (25.73%, CI 95% = 19.76%-31.70%), birds living in freshwater or marine systems (34.29%, CI 95% = 18.56%-50.01%) and ground-feeding birds (18.12%, CI 95% = 11.94%-24.31%). Adult birds showed higher seroprevalence than that in juvenile birds, and the presence of clinical abnormalities was associated with T. gondii seropositivity. The results showed that this pathogen has spread widely in Taiwan. This suggests the zoonotic potential of the disease, with transmission from urban to rural regions, and from terrestrial to aquatic systems. The pathogenicity of T. gondii infection in wild birds in Taiwan needs further investigation. This is the first study of the seroprevalence of T. gondii in wild birds in Taiwan.