Effects of the low Fowler's sleep position and methazolamide treatment on sleep bruxism: A randomized controlled trial.

Intracranial pressure is one of the determinants of sympathetic activities, and sleep bruxism is associated with increased sympathetic activities. This study aimed to investigate effects of the low Fowler's sleep position and methazolamide treatment on the occurrence of rhythmic masticatory muscle activities/sleep bruxism episodes in patients with sleep bruxism in a randomized controlled trial. Polysomnographic recordings were performed on the patients with sleep bruxism sleeping in the low Fowler's (15°-30°) or supine position (n = 11), and with methazolamide or placebo treatment (100 mg, 3-4 hr before bedtime, P.O., n = 9), and changes in sleep variables and heart rate variance during sleep in the low Fowler's position or with methazolamide treatment were determined. Sleep bruxism index, number of masseter muscle electromyographic bursts per hour of sleep, ratio of rhythmic masticatory muscle activities/sleep bruxism duration to the total sleep duration, index of total limb movements, index of limb movements with rhythmic masticatory muscle activities, and number of sleep bruxism clusters per hour of sleep in the low Fowler's position and after methazolamide intake were significantly smaller (p < 0.05-0.001) than those in the supine position and after placebo intake, respectively. The low-frequency heart rate variance powers during non-rapid eye movement sleep stage 2 (N2) in the low Fowler's position and with methazolamide treatment were significantly lower (p < 0.05) than those during sleep in the supine position and with placebo treatment, respectively. In conclusion, sleep in the low Fowler's position and methazolamide treatment were associated with significant decreases in the occurrence of rhythmic masticatory muscle activities/sleep bruxism episodes, which might be due to a reduction in intracranial pressure and sympathetic activities mainly during non-rapid eye movement sleep stage 2.

Screening of candidate genes related to differences in growth and development between Chinese indigenous and Western pig breeds.

Neijiang (NJ) and Yacha (YC) are two indigenous pig breeds in the Sichuan basin of China, displaying higher resistance to diseases, lower lean ratio, and slower growth rate than the commercial Western pig breed Yorkshire (YS). The molecular mechanisms underlying the differences in growth and development between these pig breeds are still unknown. In the present study, five pigs from NJ, YC, and YS breeds were subjected to the whole genome resequencing, and then the differential single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were screened using a 10-kb window sliding in 1-kb step using the Fst method. Finally, 48,924, 48,543, and 46,228 nonsynonymous single-nucleotide polymorphism loci (nsSNPs) were identified between NJ and YS, NJ and YC, and YC and YS, which highly or moderately affected 2,490, 800, and 444 genes, respectively. Moreover, three nsSNPs were detected in the genes of acetyl-CoA acetyltransferase 1 (ACAT1) insulin-like growth factor 2 receptor (IGF2R), insulin-like growth factor 2 and mRNA-binding protein 3 (IGF2BP3), which potentially affected the transformation of acetyl-CoA to acetoacetyl-CoA and the normal functions of the insulin signaling pathways. Moreover, serous determinations revealed significantly lower acetyl-CoA content in YC than in YS, supporting that ACAT1 might be a reason explaining the differences in growth and development between YC and YS breeds. Contents of phosphatidylcholine (PC) and phosphatidic acid (PA) significantly differed between the pig breeds, suggesting that glycerophospholipid metabolism might be another reason for the differences between Chinese and Western pig breeds. Overall, these results might contribute basic information to understand the genetic differences determining the phenotypical traits in pigs.

Blood metabolomics reveals the therapeutic effect of Pueraria polysaccharide on calf diarrhea.

BACKGROUND: Neonatal calf diarrhea (NCD) is typically treated with antibiotics, while long-term application of antibiotics induces drug resistance and antibiotic residues, ultimately decreasing feed efficiency. Pueraria polysaccharide (PPL) is a versatile antimicrobial, immunomodulatory, and antioxidative compound. This study aimed to compare the therapeutic efficacy of different doses of PPL (0.2, 0.4, 0.8 g/kg body weight (BW)) and explore the effect of plasma metabolites in diarrheal calves by the best dose of PPL. RESULTS: PPL could effectively improve the daily weight gain, fecal score, and dehydration score, and the dosage of 0.4 g/kg BW could reach curative efficacy against calf diarrhea (with effective rates 100.00%). Metabolomic analysis suggested that diarrhea mainly affect the levels of taurocholate, DL-lactate, LysoPCs, and intestinal flora-related metabolites, trimethylamine N-oxide; however, PPL improved liver function and intestinal barrier integrity by modulating the levels of DL-lactate, LysoPC (18:0/0:0) and bilirubin, which eventually attenuated neonatal calf diarrhea. It also suggested that the therapeutic effect of PPL is related to those differential metabolites in diarrheal calves. CONCLUSIONS: The results showed that 0.4 g/kg BW PPL could restore the clinical score of diarrhea calves by improving the blood indexes, biochemical indexes, and blood metabolites. And it is a potential medicine for the treatment of calf diarrhea.

Trichosporon asahii PLA2 Gene Enhances Drug Resistance to Azoles by Improving Drug Efflux and Biofilm Formation.

Trichosporon asahii is an opportunistic pathogen that can cause severe or even fatal infections in patients with low immune function. sPLA2 plays different roles in different fungi and is also related to fungal drug resistance. However, the mechanism underlying its drug resistance to azoles has not yet been reported in T. asahii. Therefore, we investigated the drug resistance of T. asahii PLA2 (TaPLA2) by constructing overexpressing mutant strains (TaPLA2OE). TaPLA2OE was generated by homologous recombination of the recombinant vector pEGFP-N1-TaPLA2, induced by the CMV promoter, with Agrobacterium tumefaciens. The structure of the protein was found to be typical of sPLA2, and it belongs to the phospholipase A2_3 superfamily. TaPLA2OE enhanced antifungal drug resistance by upregulating the expression of effector genes and increasing the number of arthrospores to promote biofilm formation. TaPLA2OE was highly sensitive to sodium dodecyl sulfate and Congo red, indicating impaired cell wall integrity due to downregulation of chitin synthesis or degradation genes, which can indirectly affect fungal resistance. In conclusion, TaPLA2 overexpression enhanced the resistance to azoles of T. asahii by enhancing drug efflux and biofilm formation and upregulating HOG-MAPK pathway genes; therefore, it has promising research prospects.

Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor in Psoroptes ovis: Molecular Characterization and Potential Role in Eosinophil Accumulation of Skin in Rabbit and Its Implication in the Host-Parasite Interaction.

Psoroptes ovis, a common surface-living mite of domestic and wild animals worldwide, results in huge economic losses and serious welfare issues in the animal industry. P. ovis infestation rapidly causes massive eosinophil infiltration in skin lesions, and increasing research revealed that eosinophils might play an important role in the pathogenesis of P. ovis infestation. Intradermal injection of P. ovis antigen invoked massive eosinophil infiltration, suggesting that this mite should contain some relative molecules involved in eosinophil accumulation in the skin. However, these active molecules have not yet been identified. Herein, we identified macrophage migration inhibitor factor (MIF) in P. ovis (PsoMIF) using bioinformatics and molecular biology methods. Sequence analyses revealed that PsoMIF appeared with high similarity to the topology of monomer and trimer formation with host MIF (RMSD = 0.28 angstroms and 2.826 angstroms, respectively) but with differences in tautomerase and thiol-protein oxidoreductase active sites. Reverse transcription PCR analysis (qRT-PCR) results showed that PsoMIF was expressed throughout all the developmental stages of P. ovis, particularly with the highest expression in female mites. Immunolocalization revealed that MIF protein located in the ovary and oviduct of female mites and also localized throughout the stratum spinosum, stratum granulosum, and even basal layers of the epidermis in skin lesions caused by P. ovis. rPsoMIF significantly upregulated eosinophil-related gene expression both in vitro (PBMC: CCL5, CCL11; HaCaT: IL-3, IL-4, IL-5, CCL5, CCL11) and in vivo (rabbit: IL-5, CCL5, CCL11, P-selectin, ICAM-1). Moreover, rPsoMIF could induce cutaneous eosinophil accumulation in a rabbit model and increased the vascular permeability in a mouse model. Our findings indicated that PsoMIF served as one of the key molecules contributing to skin eosinophil accumulation in P. ovis infection of rabbits.

Integrated Transcriptome and Metabolomics to Reveal the Mechanism of Adipose Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Treating Liver Fibrosis.

Liver fibrosis (LF) is a late-stage process observed in various chronic liver diseases with bile and retinol metabolism closely associated with it. Adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ADMSCs) have shown significant therapeutic potential in treating LF. In this study, the transplantation of ADMSCs was applied to a CCl4-induced LF model to investigate its molecular mechanism through a multi-omics joint analysis. The findings reveal that ADMSCs effectively reduced levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), total bilirubin (TBIL), gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT), Interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), and α-Smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), thereby mitigating liver lesions, preventing liver parenchymal necrosis, and improving liver collagen deposition. Furthermore, 4751 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and 270 differentially expressed metabolites (DMs) were detected via transcriptome and metabolomics analysis. Conjoint analysis showed that ADMSCs up-regulated the expression of Cyp7a1, Baat, Cyp27a1, Adh7, Slco1a4, Aldh1a1, and Adh7 genes to promote primary bile acids (TCDCA: Taurochenodeoxycholic acid; GCDCA: Glycochenodeoxycholic acid; GCA: glycocholic acid, TCA: Taurocholic acid) synthesis, secretion and retinol metabolism. This suggests that ADMSCs play a therapeutic role in maintaining bile acid (BA) homeostasis and correcting disturbances in retinol metabolism.

Zinc Oxide Quantum Dots May Provide a Novel Potential Treatment for Antibiotic-Resistant Streptococcus agalactiae in Lama glama.

Streptococcus agalactiae is a significant pathogen that can affect both human beings and animals. The extensive current use of antibiotics has resulted in antibiotic resistance. In our previous research, we found that zinc oxide quantum dots (ZnO QDs) had inhibitory effects on antibiotic-resistant microorganisms. In this study, a strain of Streptococcus agalactiaeWJYT1 with a broad antibiotic-resistant spectrum was isolated and identified from Lama glama at Sichuan Agricultural University Teaching Animal Hospital. The genome for the resistance and virulence genes was analyzed. Additionally, the antibacterial effects and anti-virulence mechanism of ZnO QDs for S. agalactiaeWJYT1 were investigated. The results showed that the genome of S. agalactiaeWJYT1 is 1,943,955 bp, containing 22 resistance genes and 95 virulence genes. ZnO QDs have a good antibacterial effect against S. agalactiaeWJYT1 by reducing bacterial growth and decreasing the expression of virulence genes, including bibA, hylB, sip, and cip, which provides a novel potential treatment for S. agalactiae.

Effects of CPAP treatment on electroencephalographic activity in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome during deep sleep: Preliminary findings of a cross-sectional study.

Study objectives: To investigate whether electroencephalographic (EEG) activities during non-rapid eye movement sleep stage 3 (N3) in obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) patients were changed with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) treatment.Methods: A cross-sectional study of EEG activity during N3 sleep was conducted in 15 patients with moderate to severe OSAS without and with CPAP treatment compared to 15 normal controls. The amplitude, and absolute and relative power of delta, theta, alpha and beta waves as well as the absolute power ratio of slow to fast EEG waves (i.e., absolute power of delta and theta waves/absolute power of alpha and beta waves) and the spectral power density of 0-30 Hz EEG activities were analyzed.Results: CPAP significantly increased N3 sleep, the absolute and relative powers, amplitudes of delta and theta waves, and absolute power ratio of slow to fast EEG waves, but decreased relative alpha and beta powers during N3 sleep. However, there were no significant differences in those parameters between the OSAS patients with CPAP treatment and normal controls.Conclusions: CPAP prolongs N3 sleep and increases the power and amplitude of slow EEG waves during N3 sleep, which indicates an improvement in sleep quality and further provides evidence for recommendation of CPAP treatment for OSAS patients.

Innate and mild Th17 cutaneous immune responses elicited by subcutaneous infection of immunocompetent mice with Cladosporium cladosporioides.

Cladosporium cladosporioides is a dematiaceous hyphomycete that is pathogenic in the superficial and deep tissues of both immunodeficient and immunocompetent humans and animals. Our aim was to evaluate the antifungal immune responses elicited by C. cladosporioides in immunocompetent mice. Hence, we subcutaneously injected suspensions of C. cladosporioides spores into immunocompetent mice to investigate the anti-fungal immune responses in the skin. We collected skin tissue samples for histopathological examination, immunofluorescence staining, and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis. We observed subcutaneous abscesses in mice after subcutaneous injection of C. cladosporioides. A large number of inflammatory cells, including dendritic cells, macrophages, and neutrophils, infiltrated the focal abscess, with comparatively few infiltrating inflammatory cells in the epidermal and dermal layers of the skin. We detected the expression of CD54 in the abscesses and the skin. Gene expression of the pattern recognition receptors Dectin-1 and TLR-2 was higher in infected mice than in controls. Gene expression of the cytokines IL-6, IL-1ß, and IL-17A also increased after infection, suggesting that the Th17 signaling pathway may be involved in the anti-fungal response. Although the pathogenicity of C. cladosporioides in healthy mice was weak after subcutaneous infection, resulting in few serious pathological phenomena, it appears that innate and Th17 immune responses play important roles in the cutaneous host response to C. cladosporioides. These findings lay a foundation for further study of the pathogenic mechanism and treatment of C. cladosporioides infection.

The combination of high glucose and LPS induces autophagy in bovine kidney epithelial cells via the Notch3/mTOR signaling pathway.

BACKGROUND: Aside respiratory diseases, beef cattle may also suffer from serious kidney diseases after transportation. Hyperglycemia and gram-negative bacterial infection may be the main reasons why bovine is prone to severe kidney disease during transportation stress, however, the precise mechanism is still unclear. The purpose of the current study is to explore whether the combined treatment of high glucose (HG) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) could induce madin-darby bovine kidney (MDBK) cells injury and autophagy, as well as investigate the potential molecular mechanisms involved. RESULTS: As we discovered, the combined effect of HG and LPS decreased MDBK cells viability. And, HG and LPS combination also induced autophagy in MDBK cells, which was characterized by increasing the expression of LC3-II/I and Beclin1 and decreasing p62 expression. LC3 fluorescence signal formation was also significantly increased by HG and LPS combination treatment. Furthermore, we measured whether the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and the Notch3 signaling pathways were involved in HG and LPS-induced autophagy. The results showed that the combination of HG and LPS significantly increased the protein expression of Notch3 and decreased protein expression of p-mTOR, indicating that Notch3 and mTOR signaling pathways were activated. However, co-treatment with the Notch3 inhibitor (DAPT) could reverse the induction of autophagy, and increased the protein expression of p-mTOR. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that the combination effect of HG and LPS could induce autophagy in MDBK cells, and the Notch3/mTOR signaling pathway was involved in HG and LPS-induced autophagy.

Role of Hfq in glucose utilization, biofilm formation and quorum sensing system in Bacillus subtilis.

Hfq is an RNA-binding protein, its main function is to participate in post-transcriptional regulation of bacteria and regulate small regulatory RNA (sRNA) and messenger RNA (mRNA) stability, but the Hfq function of Bacillus subtilis (B. subtilis) has not been fully explained. In this study, we used the strains of B. subtilis168 (BS168), BS168Δhfq and BS168Δhfq-C to explore the effects of Hfq on the glucose utilization, biofilm formation and quorum sensing (QS) system of B. subtilis. The results showed that the knockout of hfq resulted in growth defects when bacteria were cultured in the Luria-Bertani (LB) medium, but we did not observe the same effects in Nitrogen medium (NM) and Inorganic Salt-free medium (ISM). We further found that the growth of strains under different glucose concentrations was also different, which was related to the expression of CcpA. Interestingly, the hfq mutant showed increased resistance to a high-glucose environment. Furthermore, the biofilm and extracellular poly saccharides (EPS) formation of BS168Δhfq decreased significantly. At the same time, changes were observed in the morphology of the biofilm, such as larger intercellular space of the biofilm and thinner edge. The qRT-PCR results confirmed that the hfq knockout caused significant up-regulation or down-regulation of gene expression in QS system, and down-regulated genes were involved in the positive regulation of biofilm formation. Taken together, we demonstrated that Hfq plays a vital role in glucose utilization, biofilm formation and QS of B. subtilis, which provides a new perspective for subsequent related research.

Temporal microRNA expression profile of pig peripheral blood during postnatal development.

Gene expression profiles of blood can reflect the physiopathologic status of the immune system. The dynamic microRNA (miRNA) expression profiles of peripheral blood from pigs at different developmental stages, and how differential expression of miRNAs might relate to immune system development, are unknown. In this study, peripheral blood samples taken at five developmental stages were used to construct 15 miRNA libraries (three biological replicates/stage): 0 days (newborn), 30 days (weaning), 60 days (weaned), and 180 and 360 days (puberty). We identified 295 known mature miRNAs. Hierarchical clustering of the miRNA expression profile showed significant differences between individuals at the neonatal and postnatal stages. Functional enrichment analysis revealed that miRNAs differentially expressed between pairwise comparisons of the developmental stages were over-represented in immune-related pathways such as toll-like receptor signaling. The time-course of expression of the over-representated miRNAs exhibited a pattern of steady decline over time, for both the complete miRNA compendium and immune-related miRNAs. We identified six marker miRNAs that were highly negatively correlated with chronologic age and enriched for genes involved in immune-related pathways. This study of a peripheral blood miRNA transcriptome offers insight into immune system development in swine and provides a resource for pig genome annotation.

Influence of sleep bruxism on QTc interval and QT variability in patients with OSA: A pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is associated with increases in QT interval corrected for heart rate (QTc interval) and QT variability index (QTVI) and sleep bruxism (SB) is prevalent in OSA patients. OBJECTIVES: To examine whether QTc interval and QT variability were changed during episodes of rhythmic masticatory muscle activities (RMMAs)/SB in SB patients with and without OSA. METHODS: The RR and QTc intervals, and QTVI during RMMAs with or without accompanied limb movements (RMMAs/LMs) in 10 normal controls and 10 SB patients without OSA and during apneic and recovery periods of OSA in 10 SB patients with OSA were analysed. RESULTS: In the SB patients without OSA and controls, QTc intervals and QTVI were significantly increased during RMMAs/LMs compared with those during the 10 s periods (from 10th to 20th s) before the onset and after the offset of RMMAs/LMs, and significantly increased during RMMAs/LMs with awakenings compared with those with microarousals and no arousals. In addition, QTc interval and QTVI were positively correlated with the duration of RMMAs/LMs. Moreover, in the SB patients with OSA, QTc interval and QTVI during the recovery period of OSA events were significantly longer and higher than those during the apneic period regardless of accompanied RMMAs/LMs, and QTc interval and QTVI during the apneic and recovery periods accompanied with RMMAs/LMs were significantly longer and higher than those without accompanied RMMAs/LMs. CONCLUSION: OSA and RMMAs/LMs events were associated with longer QTc intervals and higher QTVI, and RMMAs/LMs might contribute to these changes associated with OSA events accompanied with RMMAs/LMs.

Microsporum gypseum Isolated from Ailuropoda melanoleuca Provokes Inflammation and Triggers Th17 Adaptive Immunity Response.

Microsporum gypseum causes dermatomycoses in giant pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca). This study aimed to investigate the immune response of M. gypseum following deep infection. The degree of damage to the heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys was evaluated using tissue fungal load, organ index, and histopathological methods. Quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) detected the mRNA expression of receptors and cytokines in the lung, and immunofluorescence staining and flow cytometry, were used to assess immune cells in the lung. The results indicated that conidia mainly colonized the lungs and caused serious injury with M. gypseum infection. Furthermore, dectin-1, TLR-2, and TLR-4 played a role in recognizing M. gypseum cells. Numerous inflammatory cells, mainly macrophages, dendritic cells, polymorphonuclear neutrophils, and inflammatory cytokines (TGF-ß, TNF-α, IL-1ß, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12, and IL-23), were activated in the early stages of infection. With the high expression of IL-22, IL-17A, and IL-17F, the Th17 pathway exerted an adaptive immune response to M. gypseum infection. These results can potentially aid in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases caused by M. gypseum in giant pandas.

Regional analysis of the characteristics and potential risks of bacterial pathogen resistance under high-pressure antibiotic application.

The study aimed to perform a regional investigation of the antibiotic resistance characteristics (ARCHs) of zoonotic pathogens in environments of high antibiotic pressure to observe the future trend of antibiotic application. In this study, an ARCH analysis of the animal pathogens was conducted in the Sichuan Basin with an area of about 180,000 km2 and an estimated high antibiotic application exceeding 2000 tons. A total of 388 bacterial strains from nine species were isolated during 2013-2021. The results showed a dynamic change in the pathogen resistance in the Sichuan Basin with no apparent temporal trend. Fifty-two of 54 antibiotic resistance phenotypes (ARPs) and 180/218 antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) were detected in this region. The antibiotic resistance in the classification of ß-lactam, sulfanilamide, and tetracycline had a relatively high detective rate, with 33-58% of ARPs and about 29.7% of ARGs. The isolates from terrestrial animals generally had higher ARPs and ARGs than aquatic animals. Most pathogens carried 5-11 ARPs, and each isolate carried 19.7 ARGs on average. Our result showed that there was a complicated accumulation of ARGs under high antibiotic pressure. Besides, the unique strain in the Sichuan Basin did not show higher resistance rates compared with the World Health Organization data, possibly due to fitness cost. However, the complex ARCH under high pressure still deserves attention to prevent the emergence of super-resistant bacteria.

RNA-binding protein Hfq plays a vital role in cellulose decomposition throughout affecting cellulase gene expression.

OBJECTIVE: To study the function of the RNA-binding protein Hfq in Bacillus subtilis cellulose decomposition. RESULTS: In the medium with sodium carboxymethylcellulose (Na-CMC) as the sole carbon source, the knockout of Hfq resulted in a 38.0% ± 2.1% and 76.6% ± 7.1% decrease in cellulose hydrolysis ability and cellulase activity, respectively. The results of real-time quantitative PCR revealed that several cellulase genes (eglS, bglA, and bglC) were significantly downregulated in the Hfq knockout strain. The isogenic Δhfq complemented strain recovered the cellulose hydrolysis ability, cellulase activity, and expression level of cellulase genes. In addition, the survival of Hfq mutant in stationary phase was significantly affected. CONCLUSION: RNA-binding protein Hfq is involved in the regulation of cellulose hydrolysis ability, cellulase activity, cellulase gene expression, and stationary phase survival.

Quinolone Resistance of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae Revealed through Genome and Transcriptome Analyses.

Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae is a pathogen that infects pigs and poses a serious threat to the pig industry. The emergence of quinolone-resistant strains of A.pleuropneumoniae further limits the choice of treatment. However, the mechanisms behind quinolone resistance in A.pleuropneumoniae remain unclear. The genomes of a ciprofloxacin-resistant strain, A. pleuropneumoniae SC1810 and its isogenic drug-sensitive counterpart were sequenced and analyzed using various bioinformatics tools, revealing 559 differentially expressed genes. The biological membrane, plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance genes and quinolone resistance-determining region were detected. Upregulated expression of efflux pump genes led to ciprofloxacin resistance. The expression of two porins, OmpP2B and LamB, was significantly downregulated in the mutant. Three nonsynonymous mutations in the mutant strain disrupted the water-metal ion bridge, subsequently reducing the affinity of the quinolone-enzyme complex for metal ions and leading to cross-resistance to multiple quinolones. The mechanism of quinolone resistance in A. pleuropneumoniae may involve inhibition of expression of the outer membrane protein genes ompP2B and lamB to decrease drug influx, overexpression of AcrB in the efflux pump to enhance its drug-pumping ability, and mutation in the quinolone resistance-determining region to weaken the binding of the remaining drugs. These findings will provide new potential targets for treatment.

Antibacterial effect of Blumea balsamifera DC. essential oil against Haemophilus parasuis.

Haemophilus parasuis (H. parasuis), the cause of the Glasser's disease, is a potentially pathogenic gram-negative organism that colonizes the upper respiratory tract of pigs. The extraction of Blumea balsamifera DC., as a traditional Chinese herb, has shown great bacteriostatic effect against several common bacteria. To study the antibacterial effect on H. parasuis in vitro, this study evaluated the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of Blumea balsamifera DC. essential oil (BBO) as well as morphological changes in H. parasuis treated with it. Furthermore, changes in expression of total protein and key virulence factors were also assessed. Results showed that the MIC and MBC were 0.625 and 1.25 µg/mL, respectively. As the concentration of BBO increased, the growth curve inhibition became stronger. H. parasuis cells were damaged severely after treatment with BBO for 4 h, demonstrating plasmolysis and enlarged vacuoles, along with broken cell walls and membranes. Total protein and virulence factor expression in H. parasuis was significantly downregulated by BBO. Taken together, these results indicated a substantial antibacterial effect of BBO on H. parasuis.

First identification and genotyping of Enterocytozoon bieneusi and Encephalitozoon spp. in pet rabbits in China.

BACKGROUND: Microsporidia are common opportunistic parasites in humans and animals, including rabbits. However, only limited epidemiology data concern about the prevalence and molecular characterization of Enterocytozoon bieneusi and Encephalitozoon spp. in rabbits. This study is the first detection and genotyping of Microsporidia in pet rabbits in China. RESULTS: A total of 584 faecal specimens were collected from rabbits in pet shops from four cities in Sichuan province, China. The overall prevalence of microsporidia infection was 24.8% by nested PCR targeting the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of E. bieneusi and Encephalitozoon spp. respectively. E. bieneusi was the most common species (n = 90, 15.4%), followed by Encephalitozoon cuniculi (n = 34, 5.8%) and Encephalitozoon intestinalis (n = 16, 2.7%). Mixed infections (E. bieneusi and E. cuniculi) were detected in five another rabbits (0.9%). Statistically significant differences in the prevalence of microsporidia were observed among different cities (χ2 = 38.376, df = 3, P < 0.01) and the rabbits older than 1 year were more likely to harbour microsporidia infections (χ2 = 9.018, df = 2, P < 0.05). Eleven distinct genotypes of E. bieneusi were obtained, including five known (SC02, I, N, J, CHY1) and six novel genotypes (SCR01, SCR02, SCR04 to SCR07). SC02 was the most prevalent genotype in all tested cities (43.3%, 39/90). Phylogenetic analysis showed that these genotypes were clustered into group 1-3 and group 10. Meanwhile, two genotypes (I and II) were identified by sequence analysis of the ITS region of E. cuniculi. CONCLUSION: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of microsporidia infection in pet rabbits in China. Genotype SC02 and four novel genotypes were classified into potential zoonotic group 1, suggesting that pet rabbits may cause microsporidiosis in humans through zoonotic transmissions. These findings provide preliminary reference data for monitoring microsporidia infections in pet rabbits and humans.

Relationships between placental adiponectin, leptin, visfatin and resistin and birthweight in cattle.

Adipokines can affect intrauterine development while calf birthweight (CBW) is a breeding standard of calves, which reflects the status of fetal intrauterine development. To explore the correlation between placental adipokines and CBW, 54 healthy Chinese Holstein cows were used in the present study. The cows were grouped according to the CBW of their calves. Placentas were collected immediately after delivery and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction were used to detect the placental expression levels of adiponectin, leptin, visfatin and resistin. Our results show that the mRNA transcription and blood placental content of adiponectin, leptin, visfatin and resistin increased with increasing CBW. The analysis showed that the mRNA transcription levels of placental adiponectin, leptin and resistin were positively correlated with CBW. The mRNA and protein expression levels of adiponectin, leptin and visfatin between the three groups were significantly correlated. Placental resistin mRNA levels correlated positively with adiponectin mRNA, but not leptin or visfatin. The protein expression levels of resistin were significantly positively correlated with those of adiponectin, leptin and visfatin. These results suggest that placental adipokines play important roles in regulating calf intrauterine growth.