The effectiveness of peppermint and thyme essential oil mist in reducing bacterial contamination in broiler houses.

The antimicrobial properties of essential oils have been demonstrated by various in vitro studies, whereas their effect on poultry farm hygiene has not been thoroughly investigated, in particular with reference to aerial treatment. The present study aims to assess the antibacterial effects of natural essential oils in broiler houses. Two experimental rooms were fogged with aqueous solutions of peppermint and thyme oils. The control room was sprayed with pure water. The experiment was conducted on broilers aged 1 to 42 d. The rooms were fogged every 3 d. One day after fogging, the total counts of mesophilic aerobic bacteria, Enterobacteriaceae, and mannitol-positive staphylococci were determined. Samples were collected from the air, litter, walls, and drinkers. The results of the study demonstrate that essential oil mist may improve hygiene standards in broiler farms. During broiler growth, the mean total counts of mesophilic bacteria in the rooms treated with essential oils were lower (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05) in comparison with the control. Enterobacteriaceae and staphylococci counts were also higher in the control group. A single exception was noted in a litter sample where the mean count of Enterobacteriaceae in the room fogged with peppermint oil was higher than in the control. Both oils reduced bacterial counts, but thyme oil was more effective in reducing coliform bacteria, whereas peppermint oil had a higher inhibitory effect on the proliferation of staphylococci. These promising results encourage further research to determine the optimal doses and the effects of essential oils and their combinations on the living conditions and health status of broiler chickens.

Volatile gas concentrations in turkey houses estimated by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR).

1. The aim of the present study was to estimate gas concentrations in commercial turkey houses by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). 2. The experiment was conducted in 5 buildings of a commercial turkey farm. The measurements of gases were carried out every 3 weeks of the growth cycle. 3. The results demonstrate that ammonia and carbon dioxide are the prevalent gases released during the entire production cycle in turkey houses. The mean concentrations of the above compounds ranged between 4-31 ppm and 220-2058 ppm, respectively. Thiols, nitriles, amines, aldehydes, hydrocarbons and other organic and inorganic compounds also occurred in turkey houses, but they were emitted periodically and their mean concentrations were significantly lower in comparison with CO2 and NH3. 4. Lower ventilation ratio and higher moisture of excreta in the first half of the growth period accelerated the release of some gases, whereas gradual faeces and urine accumulation contributed to an increase in the concentration of selected organic compounds. 5. A portable FTIR analyser is a useful device for measuring gas concentrations in commercial turkey farms, and it supports determinations of tolerable emission limits in turkey production.

Serum antibodies to retinal antigens in lung cancer and sarcoidosis.

OBJECTIVE: Autoantibodies to various neuronal proteins frequently accompany lung cancer and their appearance may precede cancer symptoms. In this study we examined which retinal antigens (RAs) are recognized by sera of patients with lung cancer and whether the occurrence of serum antibodies to particular RAs is characteristic for cancer in comparison with a noncancer lung disease. METHODS: Sera of 72 patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), 29 with small-cell lung cancer (SCLC), 27 with sarcoidosis (S), and sera of 32 healthy donors were examined in immunoblotting using retinal extracts and purified RAs as antigens. RESULTS: 69.0% of SCLC, 45.8% of NSCLC, and 44.4% of S sera displayed anti-RAs reactivity. Significantly less (p < 0.05; chi(2) test) percent of healthy control sera reacted with RAs. Lung cancer sera recognized mainly 46-, 56-, and 36-kD and to a smaller extent also 96-, 72-, 43-, and 26-kD proteins. Most of them were recognized with about 2-fold lower frequencies by S and control sera. Only lung cancer sera contained very high-titer antibodies to 46- and 26-kD RAs, identified as alpha-enolase and recoverin, respectively. CONCLUSION: Antibodies to RAs occur more frequently and in higher titers in lung cancer (especially SCLC) than in sarcoidosis or control sera. Although antibodies to retinal alpha-enolase, recoverin and other RAs are present mainly or exclusively in lung cancer sera, none of them seems to be a specific marker of a particular disease.

[Molecular mimicry of bacterial polysaccharides and their role in etiology of infectious and autoimmune diseases]. / Mimikra czasteczkowa bakteryjnych antygenów polisacharydowych i jej rola w etiologii chorób infekcyjnych i autoimmunologicznych.

Molecular mimicry is one of the most important pathogenic factor of microorganism and is defined as a structural similarity of microbial molecules to host tissue contributing to the pathogenicity. Mimicry can be observed at the molecular, serological and functional level. In the review the infectious diseases have been discussed where the mimicry phenomenon may occur, and also autoimmune disease where due to the molecular mimicry bacterial structures are potent to induce adverse immune reactions. The cross-reacting molecules mimicking the host structures comprise colominic acid, sialic acid containing capsular polysaccharides of Streptococcus group B, phosphocholine containing antigen, lipopolysaccharides of Campylobacter jejuni contributing in induction of Guillain-Barré syndrome or Lewis antigen containing lipopolysaccharides of Helicobacter pylori inducing gut carcinoma. Knowledge on the phenomenon of molecular mimicry is important when new conjugate vaccine has to be constructed, because great care should be paid not to induce autoantibodies with synthetic immunogen. Investigation of microbial factors reveal that many autoimmune diseases are of infection etiology.

Calcium binding to recoverin: implications for secondary structure and membrane association.

Recoverin is an EF-hand calcium-binding protein reportedly involved in the transduction of light by vertebrate photoreceptor cells. It also is an autoantigen in a cancer-associated degenerative disease of the retina. Measurements by circular dichroism presented here demonstrate that the binding of calcium to recoverin causes large structural changes. increasing the alpha-helical content of the protein and decreasing its beta-turn, beta-sheet and 'other' structures. The maximum helical content (67%) was observed at 100 microM free calcium and, unlike calmodulin, decreased as the calcium concentration was modulated in either direction from this value. Fluorescence measurements indicated that recoverin may aggregate or undergo structural changes independent of calcium binding as the calcium concentration is increased above 100 microM. EGTA also appeared to affect the structure of recoverin independent of its chelation of calcium. While calcium-induced conformational changes have been proposed to alter the membrane binding of recoverin through association of its myristoylated amino terminus, in the experiments presented here the partitioning of recoverin between the cytoplasmic and membrane compartments of the rod photoreceptor outer segment was unaffected by the concentration of calcium, therefore it appears unlikely that a calcium-myristoyl switch acts alone to anchor recoverin directly to the membrane. These experiments were conducted with native recoverin which is heterogeneously acylated, but mass spectrometry confirmed that simple chromatographic methods could be devised to isolate the different forms of recoverin for further studies.

Recoverin, a photoreceptor-specific calcium-binding protein, is expressed by the tumor of a patient with cancer-associated retinopathy.

Recoverin is a member of the EF-hand family of calcium-binding proteins involved in the transduction of light by vertebrate photoreceptors. Recoverin also was identified as an autoantigen in the degenerative disease of the retina known as cancer-associated retinopathy (CAR), a paraneoplastic syndrome whereby immunological events lead to the degeneration of photoreceptors in some individuals with cancer. In this study, we demonstrate that recoverin is expressed in the lung tumor of a CAR patient but not in similar tumors obtained from individuals without the associated retinopathy. Recoverin was identified intially by Western blot analysis of the CAR patient's biopsy tissue by using anti-recoverin antibodies generated against different regions of the recoverin molecule. In addition, cultured cells from the biopsy tissue expressed recoverin, as demonstrated by reverse transcription-PCR using RNA extracted from the cells. The immunodominant region of recoverin also was determined in this study by a solid-phase immunoassay employing overlapping heptapeptides encompassing the entire recoverin sequence. Two linear stretches of amino acids (residues 64-70, Lys-Ala-Tyr-Ala-Gln-His-Val; and 48-52, Gln-Phe-Gln-Ser-Ile) made up the major determinants. One of the same regions of the recoverin molecule (residues 64-70) also was uniquely immunopathogenic, causing photoreceptor degeneration upon immunization of Lewis rats with the corresponding peptide. These data demonstrate that the neural antigen recoverin more than likely is responsible for the immunological events associated with vision loss in some patients with cancer. These data also establish CAR as one of the few autoimmune-mediated diseases for which the specific self-antigen is known.

Recoverin: a potent uveitogen for the induction of photoreceptor degeneration in Lewis rats.

Recoverin is a calcium-binding protein identified as an autoantigen in a paraneoplastic degenerative disease of the human retina known as cancer-associated retinopathy (CAR). In this study we investigated whether recoverin could elicit an immune response leading to the degeneration of photoreceptor cells in a rodent retina, and whether an animal model of CAR could be developed. Injection of Lewis rats with recoverin caused degeneration of the photoreceptor cells. Several features of uveoretinitis were observed, including vitreous cells, perivasculitis, retinal lesions and complete loss of the photoreceptor cell layer. The first clinical signs of retinal inflammation were observed 10-14 days after immunization. The earliest histological changes in the retina also were observed 14 days after immunization. Infiltration of the photoreceptor cell layer and inner layers of the retina with lymphocytic and some polymorphonuclear cells was frequently observed. Photoreceptors were damaged and later fully degenerated. This sequence of events was associated with high antibody titers against recoverin in all animals tested. Cellular responses to recoverin assayed between days 7 and 28 after immunization showed strong in vitro proliferative activities to recoverin. In addition, all aspects of the degenerative events could be reproduced in naive animals by the adoptive transfer of stimulated lymphocytes obtained from animals previously immunized with recoverin. This study demonstrates the successful induction of photoreceptor degeneration using recoverin as an immunogen. We demonstrate that recoverin is both a potent antigen and uveitogen. These observations may be relevant to our understanding of CARs in humans.

Purification and primary structure of Capl, an S-100-related calcium-binding protein isolated from bovine retina.

Calcium protein placental homolog (Capl) is an S-100-related calcium-binding protein selectively expressed in cell lines that have been induced to grow or differentiate. In addition, the expression of Capl correlates with the induction of the metastatic phenotype in tumor cell lines and the transformation of normal cells by activated oncogenes or chemical carcinogens. Although not previously associated with the nervous system, in this study, Capl was purified from bovine neural retina by a combination of phenyl-Sepharose and organomercurial chromatography. The complete amino acid sequence of bovine Capl was established primarily by Edman degradation of peptides generated by cleavage of methionyl, lysyl, glutamyl, and aspartyl bonds. NH2-terminal methionyl and aspartyl peptides were analyzed by tandem mass spectrometry, which provided the sequence of the first 8 residues and identified the NH2-terminal blocking group as an acetyl moiety. The molecular mass of the intact protein determined by electrospray mass spectrometry (M(r) = 11,716.75 +/- 0.42) and the calculated molecular mass deduced from the amino acid composition (M(r) = 11,718) were in agreement, thus supporting the accuracy of the sequence assignment. Capl isolated from the retina was shown to be indistinguishable by mass and immunochemical properties from its counterpart in the bovine aorta, which previously was the only source of purified Capl. Northern analysis using cloned Capl cDNA revealed that Capl mRNA is present not only in the retina but the choroid as well. Further support for choroidal localization came from immunohistochemical experiments using specific anti-Capl antibodies. The physiological significance of Capl in ocular tissues and the aorta is discussed.

Induction of tumor necrosis factor and interleukin 6 by outer membrane proteins of Shigella in spleen cells and macrophages of mice.

The ability of outer membrane proteins (OMP) of Shigella flexneri to induce tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and interleukin 6 (IL-6) production by spleen cells and macrophages of mice was investigated. Treatment of spleen cells with OMP resulted in the release of only traces of TNF activity. In contrast, macrophages treated with OMP produced moderate levels of TNF. OMP was also found to be an inducer of IL-6. Both spleen cells and macrophages, treated with OMP, were found to produce substantial levels of this cytokine. The effect of OMP on the release of TNF and IL-6 was dose and time dependent, maximal production being reached at 10 micrograms of OMP after 20 h. The ability of OMP to induce production of these cytokines may explain part of the previously described immunomodulatory effects of this preparation on the immune system.

Studies on immunity in mice immunized with outer membrane proteins of Hafnia.

Nonspecific protection induced in mice after administration outer membrane proteins of Hafnia alvei against infection with homologous and heterologous bacteria was transferred into other mice with lymphocytes isolated from spleens of mice immunized with outer membrane proteins. It was also found that mice sensitized with outer membrane proteins derived from H. alvei or with living bacteria induced in animals delayed hypersensitivity (DTH) in homologous and heterologous systems. The observed type of hypersensitivity was transferable to normal mice by lymphocytes obtained from donor animals which were previously sensitized with OMP. The experiments revealed that immunity induced with outer membrane proteins of Hafnia alvei is cell-mediated.

Fraction of spleen cells responsible for suppression of cellular immune response to SRBC in mice treated with outer membrane proteins of Shigella.

Effect of splenocytes isolated from mice immunized with suppressive dose of OMP from Shigella on delayed hypersensitivity, induced in mice with sheep red blood cells was investigated. Only the population of T lymphocytes was found to suppress the delayed hypersensitivity, as measured by the footpad reaction. The results suggest that OMP of Shigella are able to induce in the spleens of animals active T cells which are responsible for the suppression of cellular response induced by SRBC.

[Study of combined effects of mixtures of pesticides from various chemical groups on calcium absorption in the rat intestine. I. Dichlorvos and thiram]. / Badanie skojarzonego dzialania mieszanin pestycydów z róznych grup chemicznych na wchlanianie wapnia w jelicie szczura CZ. I. Dichlorfos i tiuram.

Investigation was made of the effect of many-times repeated treatment with single pesticides: tiuram and dichlorfos (administered in a daily dose corresponding to 5% of LD50), and with their mixture, on calcium uptake by rat duodenum sections. Calcium uptake was examined by the method of Papworth and Patrick, as modified by the present authors. The amount of calcium transported by the sections was determined by the liquid scintillation method. Total transport was expressed in microM Ca2+/g tissue/h; subsequently, the participation of active and passive transport in total transport was determined. It was shown that administration of DDVP to rats during 14 days caused disturbances in active absorption of calcium, manifesting themselves by a significant decrease in the constant Jm (maximal transport rate) and in the constant Kt, this pointing to a rise of calcium affinity to the carrier. The effect of DDVP on passive transport was only slight. Under the same experimental conditions tiuram exerted an effect on both active and passive calcium transport. It caused a drop in the constant Jm and Kt (active transport), and to inhibition of passive transport. According to statistical treatment of the results, the effect of both pesticides combined on active transport does not differ from the effect of DDVP itself. Thus, the differences in diffusion probably result from the action of tiuram.

Phagocytic and bactericidal properties of macrophages of mice immunized with outer membrane proteins (OMP) of Shigella.

Macrophages obtained from peritoneal exudates of mice immunized with the single doses (1 and 5 micrograms) of OMP were shown to have stronger phagocytic as well as bactericidal properties in relation to Shigella flexneri bacilli than nonactivated macrophages. Macrophages from the animals immunized with 10, 20 and 30 micrograms OMP doses showed phagocytic and bactericidal properties similar to those of nonactivated macrophages while the immunization with the dose 50 micrograms resulted in their suppression. Likewise, activity of macrophages from mice immunized twice or three times with various doses of OMP did not differ much from that obtained after immunization with single OMP doses. On the other hand, immunization of mice with a sublethal dose of live Shigella flexneri did not activate either phagocytic or bactericidal properties of macrophages. Besides, phagocytic and bactericidal activity of macrophages of mice immunized with OMP of Shigella was determined in relation to Salmonella typhimurium. The doses 1 and 5 micrograms of OMP resulted in slight activation of macrophages which manifested itself by a little increase in their phagocytic and bactericidal ability. When used in the dose 10 micrograms, OMP remained without any effect on the above activity of macrophages. Only the dose 50 micrograms, slightly suppressed their phagocytic properties.