Immunohistochemical Distribution and Neurochemical Characterization of Huntingtin-Associated Protein 1 Immunoreactive Neurons in the Adult Mouse Lingual Ganglia.

Huntingtin-associated protein 1 (HAP1) is a determinant marker for the stigmoid body (STB), a neurocytoplasmic physiological inclusion. STB/HAP1 enriched areas in the brain/spinal cord are usually protected from neurodegenerative diseases, whereas the regions with tiny amounts or no STB/HAP1 are affected. In addition to the brain/spinal cord, HAP1 is highly expressed in the myenteric/submucosal plexuses of the enteric nervous system in the gastrointestinal tract. The tongue is attached to the pharynx by the hyoid bone as an extension of the gastrointestinal system. To date, the immunohistochemical distribution and neurochemical characterization of HAP1 have not been elucidated in the lingual ganglia. Using immunohistochemistry and light microscopy, our current study demonstrates the expression and immunohistochemical phenotype of HAP1 in the lingual ganglia of adult mice. We showed that HAP1 was profoundly distributed in the intralingual ganglion (ILG) and the ganglia near the root of the tongue (which we coined as "lingual root ganglion"; LRG). Neurons in ILG and LRG exhibited high coexpression of HAP1 with NOS or ChAT. Furthermore, most HAP1-immunoreactive neurons contained SP, CGRP, and VIP immunoreactivity in both ILG and LRG. The current results might serve as an essential base for future studies to elucidate the pathological/physiological functions of HAP1 in the lingual ganglia.

Neurochemical phenotypes of huntingtin-associated protein 1 in reference to secretomotor and vasodilator neurons in the submucosal plexuses of rodent small intestine.

Huntingtin-associated protein 1(HAP1) is an immunohistochemical marker of the stigmoid body (STB). Brain and spinal cord regions with lack of STB/HAP1 immunoreactivity are always neurodegenerative targets, whereas STB/HAP1 abundant regions are usually spared from neurodegeneration. In addition to the brain and spinal cord, HAP1 is abundantly expressed in the excitatory and inhibitory motor neurons in myenteric plexuses of the enteric nervous system (ENS). However, the detailed expression of HAP1 and its neurochemical characterization in submucosal plexuses of ENS are still unknown. In this study, we aimed to clarify the expression and neurochemical characterization of HAP1 in the submucosal plexuses of the small intestine in adult mice and rats. HAP1 was highly expressed in the submucosal plexuses of both rodents. The percentage of HAP1-immunoreactive submucosal neurons was not significantly varied between the intestinal segments of these rodents. Double immunofluorescence results revealed that almost all the cholinergic secretomotor neurons containing ChAT/ CGRP/ somatostatin/ calretinin, non-cholinergic secretomotor neurons containing VIP/NOS/TH/calretinin, and vasodilator neurons containing VIP/calretinin expressed HAP1. Our current study is the first to clarify that STB/HAP1 is expressed in secretomotor and vasodilator neurons of submucosal plexuses, suggesting that STB/HAP1 might modulate or protect the secretomotor and vasodilator functions of submucosal neurons in ENS.

Knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) of street food vendors on food safety in selected areas of Bangladesh.

This study determined the food-safety situation of street food by analyzing the KAP of street food vendors (SFVs). A quantitative descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among the 266 SFVs through structured questionnaire from October to December, 2020. Majority of the SFVs were male (92.86%), age between 35 to 44 years (34.21%), married (83.83%), had primary education (46.99%), experience of 5-9 years (32.71%), and monthly income was <10000 BDT (35.71%). Additionally, utmost had no any training on food-safety (93.61%), and food preparation-preservation (89.47%). The knowledge and practice score of "≥50 to <75" was for highest proportion of SFVs amounting 57.89% and 47.7% respectively. And the attitudes score "≥67 to <83" was recorded for the highest number of SFVs (70.3%). Moreover, the mean KAP score was 71.94 ± 10.21, 73.89 ± 7.37 and 55.37 ± 15.08 respectively. However, the knowledge score had a moderate-strength of positive correlation with attitudes score (r = 0.342, p < 0.01) and practice score (r = 0.389, p < 0.01); having the regression-equation, y = 0.25∗x + 56.12 and y = 0.57∗x + 14.01 respectively. Besides, the similar correlation was also observed between attitudes and practice score (r = 0.328, p < 0.01) with the regression, y = 0.67∗x + 5.81. In this regard, a regular basis training on basics of food-safety and cotemporary education on food-safety at initial stage of education could be imposed to improve the KAP on food-safety.

Poultry farming and farmers perception towards the farming condition during COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is threating global public health and has declared as a pandemic crisis around the world. An attempt was made to ascertain the effect of COVID-19 on practices in poultry farming (PPF), problem faced for poultry farming (PFPF) and poultry farmer's perception on COVID-19. A questionnaire based cross-sectional study was conducted among 397 poultry farmers during the period of October to December 2020 in selected area of Bangladesh. The PPF score at just prior and during of the COVID-19 was 7.11 ± 3.25 and 6.53 ± 3.12 having significant difference (p < 0.01). But, the training on poultry farming can improve the PPF score at just prior (7.57 ± 3.20) and during (6.91 ± 3.13) of the COVID-19. Additionally, the mean PFPF score was found of 10.67 ± 6.15. In logistic regression analysis, the farmers of ≥18-29 years aged and had no training were 0.42 (95% CI:0.20-0.88; p < 0.01) and 0.58 (95% CI:0.35-0.98; p < 0.05) times respectively less likely to have satisfactory score on PPF. Similarly, the farmers of ≥18 to 29 and ≥ 40-49 years aged were 2.52 (95% CI:1.36-4.69; p < 0.01) and 2.08 (95% CI:1.12-3.87; p < 0.05) times respectively more likely to have considerable score on PFPF than the farmers of other age group. Interestingly, the internet users had 2.51 (95% CI:0.95-6.57; p < 0.05) times higher to have more satisfactory PPF score (≥60%). Moreover, the farmers of ≥18-29 years aged, masters level education and had training, significantly (p < 0.01) thought the COVID-19 is more dangerous indicated by the higher median (median = 8). In conclusion, the PPF and PFPF score was significantly varied by demographical characteristics of farmers. Therefore, the farmers had the concept about COVID-19 and more than 75% of them believe that COVID-19 doesn't transmit from poultry.

Comparative effect of papaya (Carica papaya) leaves' extract and Toltrazuril on growth performance, hematological parameter, and protozoal load in Sonali chickens infected by mixed Eimeria spp.

OBJECTIVE: Anticoccidial drugs may lead to the development of drug resistance and drug residues. Herbal extracts could be an attractive alternative. This research was undertaken to evaluate the anticoccidial outcome of Carica papaya compared with the anticoccidial drug (Toltazuril) in Sonali chickens. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 80 Sonali chickens were evenly and equally allocated into four groups, namely T 1 (non-infected control), T 2 (infected control), T 3 (treated with C. papaya), and T 4 (treated with Toltrazuril). All groups were experimentally infected with oocysts of mixed Eimeria spp. orally except T 1, and the mixed Eimeria spp. oocyst load (OL), body weight (BW) gain, and hematological parameters were calculated. RESULTS: In the findings, the highest OL reduction rate in T 4 was 100%, while the T 3 was 83.44%. Nevertheless, BW differed significantly (p < 0.01) among the different groups, while the daily BW gain was higher in T 3 amounting to 8.10 gm. In the case of hematological parameter, total erythrocyte count (TEC), hemoglobin (Hb), packed cell volume (PCV), and erythrocyte sedimentation rate in different groups were almost the same and were also statistically insignificant (p > 0.05) barring total leukocyte count resulting as significant (p < 0.05) at day 30. Additionally, the results of Pearson's correlation in T 3 at day 30 indicated a strong significant (p < 0.01) negative correlation between OL and BW (r = -0.780) with the following regression equation: y = -0.16*x + 433.665. Moreover, the correlation of TEC, PCV, and Hb with OL was significantly (p < 0.01) negative, r = -0.786, r = -0.752 and r = -0.633, where the regression equations were y = -0.03*x + 4.51, y = -0.03*x + 27.42, and y = -0.04*x + 11.40, respectively. CONCLUSION: Long-term use of C. papaya leaves' extracts effectively controls coccidiosis in Sonali chickens and can act as an effective growth promoter.