MicroRNA mmu-miR-511-5p: A promising Diagnostic Biomarker in Experimental Toxoplasmosis Using Different Strains and Infective Doses in Mice with Different Immune States Before and After Treatment.

PURPOSE: Searching for a novel early diagnostic biomarker for toxoplasmosis, real-time-PCR was currently used to measure the serum mmu-miR-511-5p level in male Swiss-albino mice infected with either; ME49 or RH Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) strains. METHODS: Three mice groups were used; (GI) constituted the non-infected control group, while (GII) and (GIII) were experimentally infected with ME49 or RH strains, respectively. GII mice were orally infected using 10 or 20 ME49 cysts (ME-10 and ME-20), both were subdivided into; non-treated (ME-10-NT and ME-20-NT) and were further subdivided into; immunocompetent (ME-10-IC and ME-20-IC) [euthanized 3-days, 1, 2, 6 or 8-weeks post-infection (PI)], and immunosuppressed using two Endoxan® injections (ME-10-IS and ME-20-IS) [euthanized 6- or 8-weeks PI], and spiramycin-treated (ME-10-SP and ME-20-SP) that received daily spiramycin, for one-week before euthanasia. GIII mice individually received 2500 intraperitoneal RH strain tachyzoites, then, were subdivided into; non-treated (RH-NT) [euthanized 3 or 5-days PI], and spiramycin-treated (RH-SP) that were euthanized 5 or 10-days PI (refer to the graphical abstract). RESULTS: Revealed significant upregulation of mmu-miR-511-5p in GII, one-week PI, with gradually increased expression, reaching its maximum 8-weeks PI, especially in ME-20-NT group that received the higher infective dose. Immunosuppression increased the upregulation. Contrarily, treatment caused significant downregulation. GIII recorded significant upregulation 3-days PI, yet, treatment significantly decreased this expression. CONCLUSION: Serum mmu-miR-511-5p is a sensitive biomarker for early diagnosis of ME49 and RH infection (as early as one-week and 3-days, respectively), and its expression varies according to T. gondii infective dose, duration of infection, spiramycin-treatment and host immune status.

Carrimycin ameliorates lipopolysaccharide and cecal ligation and puncture-induced sepsis in mice.

Carrimycin (CA), sanctioned by China's National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) in 2019 for treating acute bronchitis and sinusitis, has recently been observed to exhibit multifaceted biological activities, encompassing anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and anti-tumor properties. Despite these applications, its efficacy in sepsis treatment remains unexplored. This study introduces a novel function of CA, demonstrating its capacity to mitigate sepsis induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) in mice models. Our research employed in vitro assays, real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), and RNA-seq analysis to establish that CA significantly reduces the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, namely tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin 1 beta (IL-1ß), and interleukin 6 (IL-6), in response to LPS stimulation. Additionally, Western blotting and immunofluorescence assays revealed that CA impedes Nuclear Factor Kappa B (NF-κB) activation in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. Complementing these findings, in vivo experiments demonstrated that CA effectively alleviates LPS- and CLP-triggered organ inflammation in C57BL/6 mice. Further insights were gained through 16S sequencing, highlighting CA's pivotal role in enhancing gut microbiota diversity and modulating metabolic pathways, particularly by augmenting the production of short-chain fatty acids in mice subjected to CLP. Notably, a comparative analysis revealed that CA's anti-inflammatory efficacy surpasses that of equivalent doses of aspirin (ASP) and TIENAM. Collectively, these findings suggest that CA exhibits significant therapeutic potential in sepsis treatment. This discovery provides a foundational theoretical basis for the clinical application of CA in sepsis management.

Congenital Toxoplasmosis and Long-term Outcomes

Objective: Congenital toxoplasmosis (CT) can have severe early and late sequelae in children. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the demographic, clinical, treatment characteristics of patients diagnosed with congenital Toxoplasma infection and to highlight the long-term complications of the patients. Methods: Patients with CT were included in this study who were followed between 2010 and 2022 in Cukurova University Medical Faculty Hospital. Demographic, clinical and treatment characteristics were searched retrospectively. In the diagnosis of maternal and CT, Toxoplasma IgM, IgG, IgG avidity, T. gondii polymerase chain reaction tests were used along with clinical and symptoms. Results: Eighteen children (two twins) with CT and their mothers (n=16) were included in the study. Median age was 1 month. Ten (55.5%) of the children were male. CT diagnosis was made during pregnancy in 7 mothers (resulting in 8 babies) and postnatally in 9 mothers (resulting in 10 babies). The mothers of 5 (31.1%) babies with CT received spiramycin treatment during pregnancy. Three (60%) of 5 pregnant women who received spiramycin were diagnosed in the first trimester, 4 (80%) of the babies did not have any sequale and only 1 (20%) had microphthalmia. Ocular involvement was the most common presentation of the disease occured in 10 patients (55.5%), hydrocephalus and intracranial calcification developed in five patients (27.7%). Hearing loss developed in 2 (11.1%) patients. During the follow-up period, seizures developed in 3 patients (16.6%), microcephaly in 2 patients (11.1%), and neurodevolopmental retardation in 7 patients (38.8%), two of the patients had severe mental retardation. One (5.5%) patient with hydrocephalus died at 36 months of age due to complications after ventriculoperitoneal shunt application. Conclusion: In our study, we observed severe sequelae in vision, hearing, and neurodevelopmental aspects in children diagnosed with CT at birth and during follow-ups. Early diagnosis and treatment of infants, along with the detection of Toxoplasma infection during pregnancy, are essential in preventing severe sequelae that may arise due to CT.

Study of Bitespiramycin Distribution in Rats and Cerebrospinal Fluid of Patients by a Sensitive LC-MS/MS Method with Rapid Sample Preparation.

Bitespiramycin, has been shown to have a therapeutic effect against respiratory tract inflammation, including a potential effect against COVID-19. A current clinical trial in China showed that bitespiramycin was an effective treatment for severe pneumonia and intracranial infection. However, there is lack of an analytical method to elucidate the distribution of bitespiramycin. In this study, a highly sensitive, rapid and reliable UPLC-MS/MS method was developed to comprehensively characterize the bitespiramycin distribution in various bio-samples, which is significantly improved upon the published work. A rapid sample preparation method was developed by using n-butanol as the solvent to extract bitespiramycin from different bio-samples. The extract was then directly analyzed by UPLC-MS/MS coupled with an alkaline-resistant column after centrifugation which avoids the time-consuming concentration process under nitrogen and redissolution. The method was employed to accurately quantify bitespiramycin and its metabolites in rat plasma, tissues, and human cerebrospinal fluid. Notably, the presence of bitespiramycin and its metabolites was identified for the first time in various rat organs including brain, testis, bladder and prostate as well as in human cerebrospinal fluid. This newly developed approach shows great promise for drug distribution assays including other antibiotics and can help elucidate the ADME of bitespiramycin.

Clinical and microbiological efficacy of intra-pocket application of diode laser in grade C periodontitis: a randomized controlled clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Periodontitis is a microbially induced disease destroying structures anchoring teeth to jaw bones. Although metronidazole in combination with spiramycin is the effective conventional treatment of stage III grade C periodontitis, it has several systemic side effects. Laser therapy is widely used nowadays as an adjunct to scaling and root planing (SRP) to modulate inflammatory host response and eradicate microbes, due to bactericidal and detoxifying effects. Since microbiological analysis is one of the diagnostic methods identifying periodontal risk; our research aimed to investigate the efficacy of intra-pocket application of diode laser (980 nm) versus antibiotic therapy in enhancing clinical and microbiological parameters in stage III grade C periodontitis. METHODS: A randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted on fifty patients with stage III grade C periodontitis, divided equally into two groups. We managed test group by SRP with intra-pocket application of diode laser (980 nm) and the control group by SRP with systemic antibiotic administration (spiramycin and metronidazole). Then, we measured periodontal pocket depth (PPD) and clinical attachment loss (CAL) for both groups, before treatment (baseline), four and twelve weeks after. Moreover, we collected gingival crevicular fluid from both groups at baseline, four and twelve weeks after treatment and analyzed by real-time polymerase chain reaction to detect the relative count of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans and Porhyromonas gingivalis. RESULTS: Compared to baseline, all assessed clinical and microbiological parameters attested improvement at the end of the study period in each group individually with no significant difference between the two studied groups. Although, at twelve weeks, flare up of bacterial levels was detected with systemic antibiotic administration. CONCLUSION: Laser therapy can be considered as an effective treatment modality in stage III grade C periodontitis, avoiding the systemic antibiotic side effects and solving the recurrence problems due to bacterial resistance by long term usage. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT05222737 retrospectively on 03/02/2022, Clinicaltrial.gov.

Considerations in the management of ocular toxoplasmosis in pregnancy: a review of literature.

Ocular toxoplasmosis is the most common cause of infectious posterior uveitis. Available literature is still conflicting regarding the incidence of recurrence during pregnancy as various calculations were employed in the different published studies. Although earlier reports have suggested a difference in presentation and an increase in severity during pregnancy, newer studies appear to show otherwise. Further diagnostic testing, including serologic and intraocular fluid sampling, may be indicated to increase the diagnostic accuracy in this special population of patients. The management of ocular toxoplasmosis during pregnancy is challenging as the foetus is additionally considered in the choice of treatment. Traditionally preferred anti-toxoplasmosis regimens containing antifolate drugs, such as pyrimethamine and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, cannot be used routinely in pregnant patients, especially during the first trimester. This review includes literature on alternative treatments for ocular toxoplasmosis during pregnancy, including spiramycin and intravitreal treatment options.

A multimodality therapeutic application on Toxoplasma gondii encephalitis utilizing Spiramycin and 'de novo' Ferula asafetida in immunodeficient mice.

This study investigated a 'de Novo' medicinal herb, Ferula asafetida (FA), against toxoplasma encephalitis either alone or combined with spiramycin (SP). Female Swiss-Webster mice (n = 72) were divided into three batches. Batch-I received no DMS to serve as an immunocompetent control, batch-II was immune-suppressed with the DMS (0.25 mg/g/day) for 14 days pre-infection, whilst batch-III was immune-suppressed with the DMS on the same day of infection. All experimental mice were inoculated with Toxoplasma gondii ME49 cysts (n = 75). Each batch was split into four subgroups: Mono-SP, mono-FA, combined drug (SP + FA), or neither. Therapies were administered on day zero of infection in batches (I and II) and 35 days post-infection in batch (III). Treatments lasted for 14 days, and mice were sacrificed 60 days post-infection. Histopathological changes, cysts load, and CD4 and CD8 T-cells were counted in brain tissues. The cyst-load count in mice receiving SP + FA was significantly (p < .0001) the least compared to the mono treatments in all protocols. Interestingly, the combined therapy demolished the T-cell subsets to zero in immunocompetent and immunocompromised infected mice. In conclusion, F. asafetida might be a powerfully natural, safe vehicle of SP in the digestive system and/or across the brain-blood barrier to control toxoplasmosis even through immunodeficient conditions.

Novel experimental design paradigm for development of eco-friendly gradient chromatographic method for simultaneous determination of metronidazole and spiramycin.

This work describes the innovative experimental design-assisted development of a green gradient chromatographic method for concomitant analysis of metronidazole (MTR) and spiramycin (SPR). Two different designs including fractional factorial and Box-Behnken designs were implemented for screening and optimization steps, respectively. The optimum chromatographic conditions involved a mobile phase consisting of ethanol and 20 mM sodium dihydrogen phosphate solution (pH adjusted to 2.5) in the ratio 2:98 (v/v) for 2 min then the ratio changed to 30:70 (v/v). The flow rate was 1.3 mL/minute. Separation and analysis were performed on X-bridge C18 (150 mm × 4.6 mm × 3.5 µm) column with diode array detector set at 230 nm. Column oven temperature was 40°C. A linear response was acquired over the range of 5-125 µg/mL for both drugs. Detection and quantitation limits were 0.86 and 2.62 µg/mL for MTR and 0.92 and 2.83 µg/mL for SPR, respectively. The method was implemented for determination of both drugs in three tablet formulations. The method was proved to be green as evaluated by three assessment tools. The application of experimental designs assists in development of a robust green chromatographic method in gradient elution mode for determination of both drugs within reasonable time.

The superior efficacy of chloroquine over buparvaquone in reducing the chronic cerebral Toxoplasma gondii cysts load and improving the ultrastructural pathology in an immunocompromised murine model.

Toxoplasma gondii, the etiologic agent of toxoplasmosis, infects about 30 - 50% of the world population. The currently available anti-Toxoplasma agents have serious limitations. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of two antimalarials; buparvaquone (BPQ) and chloroquine (CQ), on immunocompromised mice with chronic cerebral toxoplasmosis, using spiramycin as a reference drug. The assessed parameters included the estimation of mortality rates (MR) among mice of the different study groups, in addition to the examination of the ultrastructural changes in the brain tissues by transmission electron microscopy. The results showed that only CQ treatment could decrease the MR significantly with zero deaths, while both spiramycin and BPQ caused an insignificant reduction of MR compared to the infected non-treated group. All the used drugs decreased the number of mature ruptured cysts significantly compared to the infected non-treated group, while only CQ increased the number of atrophic and necrotic cysts significantly. Furthermore, both spiramycin and BPQ improved the microvasculopathy and neurodegeneration accompanying the infection with different degrees of reactive astrocytosis and neuronal damage with the best results regarding the repair of the microvascular damage with less active glial cells, and normal neurons in the CQ-treated group. In conclusion, this study sheds light on CQ and its excellent impact on treating chronic cerebral toxoplasmosis in an immunocompromised mouse model.

Comparison of adverse reactions of spiramycin versus pyrimethamine/sulfadiazine treatment of toxoplasmosis in pregnancy: is spiramycin really the drug of choice for unproven infection of the fetus?

BACKGROUND: Therapeutic regimens for the treatment of toxoplasmosis are not standardized. Treatment strategy mainly at the end of the second and the beginning of the third trimester, especially in cases of negative prenatal diagnosis, is the least uniform. In some situations, the choice of treatment may be ambiguous, and adverse drug reactions of the therapy should be taken into consideration. METHODS: Adverse drug reactions of anti-toxoplasma therapy with spiramycin (n = 77) versus pyrimethamine/sulfadiazine (n = 35) were compared in 112 pregnant women. RESULTS: Up to 36.6% of women reported adverse reactions to the treatment overall (n = 41). Out of those 38.9% (n = 30) were treated with spiramycin and 31.4% (n = 11) with pyrimethamine/sulfadiazine. Toxic allergic reactions were the only indication for discontinuation of treatment in 8.9% of patients (n = 10), where 9.1% (n = 7) were reported in spiramycin and 8.6% (n = 3) in pyrimethamine/sulfadiazine cohort. Neurotoxic complications (acral paraesthesia) were significantly more frequent during the therapy with spiramycine in 19.5% (n = 15) compared to no cases in pyrimethamine/sulfadiazine group (p = .003). Other adverse drug reactions, such as gastrointestinal discomfort, nephrotoxicity, vaginal discomfort were reported, but the differences between the cohorts were not significant. CONCLUSIONS: The superiority of one of the therapeutic regimens was not statistically demonstrated, since the differences in overall toxicity or incidence of toxic allergic reactions between the cohorts were not confirmed (p = .53 and p = 1.00, respectively). However, although the isolated neurotoxicity of spiramycin was the only significant adverse reaction demonstrated in this study, pyrimethamine/sulfadiazine therapy should be preferred, because it is known to be more effective and with limited adverse reactions.

Evaluation of mono and combined nitrofurantoin therapy for toxoplasmosis in vivo using murine model.

Toxoplasmosis is a frequent disease with an estimated prevalence of more than one billion human cases worldwide and over one million new infections each year. It is classified as a neglected tropical disease by the CDC since 2019. The disease may pass unnoticed in healthy individuals but could be fatal in the immunocompromised. Moreover, no effective treatment is available against the chronic form of the disease. Available anti-Toxoplasma drugs are associated with many side effects. Therefore, search for new more reliable, more efficient, and less toxic therapeutic agents is a continuous endeavor. This study assesses the potential use of nitrofurantoin, a compound with well-established antimicrobial properties, as a potential anti-Toxoplasma drug in vivo. It compares its efficacy to the commonly used anti-Toxoplasma agent spiramycin by molecular and histopathological methods in acute and chronic infection. The results demonstrate a significant ability to eliminate the parasite (P < 0.001) whether used as mono- or combined therapy with spiramycin in the acute and chronic stages. When compared to the anti-Toxoplasma drug spiramycin, nitrofurantoin achieved similar efficacy in the acute and chronic infection (P = 0.65 and P = 0.096, respectively). However, better results were obtained when using a combination of both drugs (P < 0.001). Additionally, nitrofurantoin showed good inhibitory effects on the inflammatory process in the liver, kidney, and uterus of the experimentally infected animals. In conclusion, nitrofurantoin can be considered as a potential anti-Toxoplasma agent. Nevertheless, further studies are recommended before consideration for clinical trials.

Mpox (monkeypox): Diagnosis, prevention, and management in adults.

ABSTRACT: Mpox (formerly "monkeypox") is a viral zoonosis that presents similarly to smallpox but is less contagious and causes less severe disease. Mpox may be transmitted from infected animals to humans through direct contact or a scratch or bite. Human-to-human transmission occurs through direct contact, respiratory droplets, and fomites. Two vaccines, JYNNEOS® and ACAM2000®, are currently available for postexposure prophylaxis as well as for prevention in certain populations at high risk for mpox. Most cases of mpox are self-limited; however, tecovirimat, brincidofovir, and cidofovir are available as treatments for at-risk populations.

Evaluation of spiramycin for topical applications: a cell culture study.

OBJECTIVE: Through a cell culture test, we analyzed the cytotoxic effects of topical spiramycin on NIH/3T3 fibroblast cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Dulbecco's Modified Eagle Medium (DMEM) supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum and 1% penicillin/streptomycin was used for the growth of NIH/3T3 fibroblast cells in a 5% CO2 incubator. Spiramycin's cytotoxicity was measured using the MTT assay. 5,000 NIH/3T3 cells per well of a 96-well plate were seeded in each well, and the cells were treated with spiramycin (3.13-100 µM) for 24, 48 and 72 hours while the plates were incubated at 37°C in a humidified 5% CO2 atmosphere. First, 105 NIH/3T3 cells were seeded onto coverslips in 6-well plates for morphological analysis of both untreated and spiramycin-treated cells. For 24 hours, NIH/3T3 cells were exposed to a 100 µM dosage of spiramycin. The cells in the control group were grown in complete growth media alone. RESULTS: Spiramycin was non-toxic to NIH/3T3 fibroblast cells in a MTT test. The concentration of spiramycin used to stimulate cell growth increased as the concentration was increased. After 24 and 48 hours of treatment with 100 µM NIH/3T3, the cells showed the most significant increase in size. Cell viability was shown to be significantly reduced at spiramycin doses of 50 and 100 µM. All MTT findings revealed that spiramycin enhanced cell viability and was not harmful to the fibroblast cells for short-term application of 24 and 48 hours but lowered the viability of fibroblast cells at the doses of 50 and 100 µM for long-term application duration of 72 hours. Confocal micrographs showed that spiramycin treatment did not affect the cytoskeleton or nucleus of fibroblast cells, in contrast to the control NIH/3T3 cells. Both untreated and treated with spiramycin, fibroblast cells were found to be fusiform and compact, with their nuclei remaining unaltered and unreduced in size. CONCLUSIONS: It was concluded that spiramycin has a beneficial effect on fibroblast cells and is safe for use over short periods. Spiramycin reduced fibroblast cell viability when applied for 72 hours. Confocal micrographs showed that fibroblast cell skeletons and nuclei were unharmed and undamaged, that cell shapes were fusiform and compact, and that nuclei were neither broken nor shrunken. Topical spiramycin could be recommended for septorhinoplasty procedures due to anti-inflammatory effects for short-term usage if clinical trials will confirm experimental data.

Novel insights on the therapeutic effect of levamisole on the chronic toxoplasmosis in mice model.

Latent toxoplasmosis mostly reactivates which could result in acute encephalitis. Chronic toxoplasmosis treatments are severely constrained by Toxoplasma cyst resistance. Novel therapeutic approaches are therefore becoming more essential. In this study, the effects of levamisole (LEVA) and spiramycin on the early and late stages of experimental toxoplasmosis are investigated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seventy-five Me49 Toxoplasma gondii infected Swiss albino mice were divided into five groups; (GI): noninfected control group; (GII): infected untreated control group; (GIII): infected- LEVA treated group; (GIV): infected and received combination of spiramycin and LEVA and (GV): infected-spiramycin treated group. The impact was assessed through brain cyst count by Quantitative Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), interferon gamma (IFN-γ) assay, histopathological study, and total blood counts. RESULTS: The progression of chronic toxoplasmosis could only be partially controlled by using either levamisole or spiramycin as a separate drug. The combined spiramycin and levamisole treatment significantly decreased the burden of Toxoplasma brain cyst, increased IFN-γ level, total blood parameters and improved the histopathological features especially at the late stage of infection. IN CONCLUSION: Levamisole effectively modulated Toxoplasma-induced immune responses, resulting in chronic toxoplasmosis remission. Further clinical trials will be needed to study the effect of these combination in HIV/AIDS (human immunodeficiency virus) patients with toxoplasmosis.

The effect of Nigella sativa oil- and wheat germ oil-loaded metal organic frameworks on chronic murine toxoplasmosis.

Treatment of chronic toxoplasmosis is challenging as the available drugs are effective only in the acute stage. Therefore, the current study aimed to investigate Nigella sativa oil (NSO) and wheat germ oil (WGO) loaded on copper-benzene tricarboxylic acid metal organic framework (Cu-BTC MOF) for treating chronic toxoplasmosis in a murine model. Eighty mice were divided into 8 groups (G); uninfected untreated negative control (GI), infected untreated positive control (GII), infected and treated with: Spiramycin (GIII), Spiramycin@Cu-BTC (GIV), Cu-BTC (GV), WGO@Cu-BTC (GVI), NSO@Cu-BTC (GVII) and combined WGO+NSO@Cu-BTC (GVIII). The infected groups were orally inoculated with 10 Toxoplasma gondii Me49 strain cysts/mouse. All drugs were orally administered for 14 consecutive days starting 8 weeks post-infection (wpi). The therapeutic efficacy was evaluated by parasitological (survival rate of mice and brain cyst burden) and histopathological (brain, liver, kidney, eye) parameters. At the end of 2-weeks therapy, the highest therapeutic outcome was achieved with GVII and GVIII exhibiting 100% survival, 64.3% and 51.4% reduction of brain cysts, and an apparent amendment of pathological insults. In the next place was GVI with 90% survival, 49.5% reduction of cysts and marked amelioration of pathological lesions. Meanwhile, GIII and GIV showed 80% survival, 42.4% and 41.8% reduction of cysts as well as minimal to moderate alleviation of tissue damage. The lowest effect was obtained with GV resulting in 70% survival and 24.4% reduction of cysts. The current results support the assertion that the new metal-based nanocomposites can be promising remedies of chronic toxoplasmosis particularly if conjugated with natural herbal extracts as NSO and WGO.

A robust molecularly imprinted electrochemiluminescence sensor based on a Ni-Co nanoarray for the sensitive detection of spiramycin.

To prepare portable and robust sensors for the sensitive and selective detection of small molecules is still a challenge for the study of electroanalytical sensors. Here, we developed a molecularly imprinted electrochemiluminescence sensor (MIECL) for the detection of spiramycin (SPI), a type of multi-component macrolide antibiotic. First, Ni-Co LDH nanoarrays were synthesized by a one-step hydrothermal method and then directly used as a sensing platform. Then, as-synthesized N-Ti3C2 was modified on the nanoarrays. Due to the functional nanomaterial N-Ti3C2 not only serving as a substrate material to enable loading a large amount of perylene tetracarboxylic acid (PTCA) but also acting as a co-reaction promoter to accelerate the decomposition of S2O82- to generate more SO4˙-, the modified nanoarrays displayed a significantly enhanced electrochemiluminescence (ECL) signal. Finally, the molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) and ECL techniques were combined to greatly improve the selectivity and sensitivity of the sensor. Under the optimal conditions, the easily constructed MIECL sensor showed good selectivity, reproducibility, and stability, and a detection limit of up to 3.14 × 10-13 M. The as-fabricated sensor was further evaluated by applying it to detect SPI in milk samples.

Unusual Toxoplasma infection of the eye and central nervous system in an HIV-positive patient.

OBJECTIVE: To report on a unique combination of cerebral toxoplasmosis and ocular toxoplasmosis in an HIV-positive patient in Slovakia. METHODS: A 35-year-old heterosexual patient who presented with headache and major seizures underwent computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Based on clinical findings, serological tests for toxoplasmosis were performed on serum and ocular fluid specimens. PCR was also used to detect Toxoplasma gondii and cytomegalovirus DNA. Goldmann and Witmer coefficient calculation was applied to demonstrate the synthesis of intraocular IgG antibodies. RESULTS: CT and MRI revealed cystic lesions suspected of metastasis in the occipital and temporal regions, and we searched for the primary tumor. After vision loss in the left eye, which rapidly progressed to complete blindness, an eye examination detected macular edema. Anti-edema treatment was initiated. HIV positivity with a very low CD4 T-cell count (20/μL) was found, and the viral load was 100 400 HIV-RNA copies/ml. The serum was positive for anti-Toxoplasma IgG antibodies (> 200 IU/mL), IgM negative, and IgA borderline. As toxoplasmic encephalitis and retinitis were suspected, antitoxoplasmic therapy with pyrimethamine, spiramycin, and folinic acid was started. The ophthalmologist considered cytomegalovirus retinitis, which was not confirmed by serology or PCR. In contrast, the presence of IgG antibodies in ocular fluid and serum with the calculation of the Goldmann-Witmer coefficient (GW = 32) as well as PCR DNA positivity pointed to Toxoplasma gondii as the etiological agent. Follow-up MRI scan confirmed regression of the pathological lesions, neurological deficit also improved, CD4 T-lymphocytes increased above 200/μL, but blindness of the left eye persisted. CONCLUSION: CT and MRI scans offered no clue as to Toxoplasma etiology of the brain and eye involvement in an HIV-positive patient, which was only confirmed by laboratory tests. Due to the delay in the diagnosis of toxoplasmosis, time from the epileptic seizure to treatment initiation was 16 days, which assumedly caused irreversible blindness in the patient.

Anti-Toxoplasma gondii agent isolated from Orostachys malacophylla (Pallas) Fischer.

Botanical medicinal plants have aroused our interest to deal with Toxoplasmosis which can causes serious public health problems. Nipagic acid, gallic acid, ethyl gallate, phloretic acid, protocatechuic acid, methyl p-coumarate, arbutin, and homoprotocatechuic acid are first isolated from Orostachys malacophylla (Pallas) Fischer, their inhibition rate, survival rate, biochemical and viscera index are evaluated using gastric epithelia strain-1(GES-1). Among them, arbutin can effectively prolong the survival time of mice acutely infected with T. gondii, and exhibit the same curative effect as Spiramycin (Spi) group in terms of the glutathione (GSH) and malondialdehyde (MDA) content, alleviate hepatomegaly and splenomegaly. Structure-activity relationship (SAR) and molecular docking implies that phenolic hydroxyl group would be preferred for improvement of activity. In a summary, arbutin is a potential anti-T. gondii candidate for clinical application.

Influence of thermally activated peroxodisulfate pretreatment on gaseous emission, dissolved organic matter and maturity evolution during spiramycin fermentation residue composting.

Aerobic composting combined with appropriate pretreatment is promising to achieve the utilization of antibiotics fermentation residues (AFRs). This research studied the effect of thermally activated peroxodisulfate (TAP) pretreatment on greenhouse gas (GHGs) emission, dissolved organic matter (DOM) and maturity evaluation during spiramycin fermentation residue (SFR) composting. Three treatments were conducted from co-composting of SFR and wheat straw, while 90% and 99.9% residual spirmycin removal pretreatment SFR by TAP were provided and compared with raw SFR. The cumulative CO2 and NH3 emissions increased by 17.2% and 30.8% after TAP pretreatment removed 99.9% residual spiramycin in SFR, while the cumulative CH4 and N2O emission decreased by 34.0% and 5.27%, respectively. The DOM, humic acid (HA)/fulvic acid (FA) and NH4+/NO3- analysis confirmed that the composting maturity was improved with the increasing of HA and NO3- content by TAP pretreatment.