Differential expression of CYP2j2 gene and protein in Camelus dromedarius.

CYP2J2 is a member of the cytochrome P450 superfamily. It had been described in different mammalian species; however, no studies have described this gene in Camelus dromedarius. CYP2J2 is an epoxygenase enzyme which oxidizes various fatty acids, mainly arachidonic acid, via NADPH-dependent epoxidation to generate epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs). It is a multi-functional enzyme that plays crucial roles in inflammation, cancer, drug metabolism, and embryo development. It controls the water re-absorption in the kidney and maintains the blood pressure and glucose homeostasis. This study is considered the first report investigating the differential expression profiles of the CYP2J2 mRNA and protein in the liver, heart, and kidney of Camelus dromedarius. A total of 30 samples were used to determine the expression of both CYP2J2 mRNA and protein using qRT-PCR and western blotting methods, respectively. The mRNA level of CYP2J2 was significantly elevated in the liver compared to that in the heart and kidney. The tissue distribution of the CYP2J2 protein was coherent to its transcript level in the kidney, but not in the liver and heart samples. The difference between the CYP2J2 mRNA and protein distributions in the three studied organs may be attributed to the mechanism by which the CYP2J2 might be involved in the adaptability of the camel to the arid environment.

Epidemiology and public health significance of Cryptosporidium isolated from cattle, buffaloes, and humans in Egypt.

The epidemiology and public health significance of Cryptosporidium species and genotypes were investigated in Beni-Suef Governorate, Egypt. A total of 610 animal fecal samples (480 from cattle and 130 from buffaloes) beside 290 stool samples from humans were collected in the period between January and December 2014. Based on the microscopic examination, the overall estimated prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp. in cattle, buffaloes, and humans was 10.2, 12.3, and 19 %, respectively. The highest detection rates were in calves less than 2 months of age (17.1 %) and diarrheic animals (13.0 %). Likewise in humans, the highest prevalence of Cryptosporidium was in infants (31.3 %) and diarrheic individuals (21.1 %). The gender distribution in humans denoted that Cryptosporidium was reported more frequently in males (21.7 %) than females (14.5 %). Based on the molecular characterization of Cryptosporidium, Cryptosporidium oocyst wall protein (COWP) and gp60 genes were successfully amplified in 36 out of 50 samples subjected to genotyping. Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis of the COWP fragments revealed that Cryptosporidium parvum was the only species detected in cattle (12 isolates) and buffaloes (4 isolates), while in humans, the detected species were Cryptosporidium hominis (15 isolates) and C. parvum (5 isolates). Sequence analysis of the gp60 gene identified the subtype IIdA20G1 within C. parvum isolated from both animals and humans. The common occurrence of zoonotic subtypes of C. parvum in cattle and buffaloes highlights the potential role of these animals as significant reservoirs of infection to humans. Also, the presence of C. hominis and C. parvum in humans indicates that both anthroponotic and zoonotic pathways are expected.

Immunomodulating effect of inositol hexaphosphate against Aeromonas hydrophila-endotoxin.

The present study was carried out to evaluate the effect of inositol hexaphosphate (IP6) administration on endotoxemia as an example of the systemic inflammatory response. Mice were divided into three groups as follows: First group, remained as a naive group injected intraperitoneally (i.p.) with PBS (pH 7.4; 0.2 ml/mice) at intervals parallel to the treated groups. The second group was injected i.p. with the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) of Aeromonas hydrophila once a week for four weeks at a dose of LPS suspension: 20 mg/kg mice/week. The third group was injected with the same LPS dose and synergistically intubated with IP6 three times a week for four weeks at a total dose of 4 0mg/kg. At different experimental periods (1, 2, 3 and 4 weeks), six animals from each group were sacrificed under mild diethyl ether anesthesia. Blood and sera were taken for the estimation of phagocytic activity, electrophoretic pattern of proteins and immunoglobulin levels. Also, a slice of liver was homogenized to estimate the respiratory burst enzymes activities and nitric acid synthesis. Histopathological changes of hepatic tissues were investigated. In the LPS-treated group, marked increase in the phagocytic activities and nitric oxide synthesis, and a decrease in hepatocyte catalase, total peroxidase and superoxide dismutase activities were observed. The histopathological features revealed a degeneration and highly mitotic division within the hepatic nuclei in addition to some karyomegaly and nuclear pyknosis. During the treatment period, liver sections of the LPS+IP6 group showed somewhat regenerative features. Reduction in the toxicity of free radicals by IP6 was observed and the IP6 effect seemed to be responsible for the observed ameliorative influence.

The influence of casting solvent composition on structure and permeability of acrylic-methacrylic ester copolymer films.

Decrease in the solvation of polymer by inclusion of ethanol in the acetone casting solution resulted in greater permeability to urea of cast acrylate-methacrylate film. The greater permeability was accompanied particularly by a decrease in pore size and increase in pore number, despite the absence of change in pore area. A decrease in cohesiveness in the film was suggested by the decrease in tortuosity of the pores as seen by scanning electron microscopy; also, water uptake was increased when the film was cast from an ethanolic solution. The results support the view that, in practice, the composition of the solvent, by its effect on microstructure, can affect the function of the film cast from it.

Synthesis and antimicrobial activities of some new 2-substituted benzoxazole/benzothiazole derivatives.

In the search for new antimicrobial compounds, several new sulfur bearing heterobicyclic moieties (4-11) have been synthesized by acylation and alkylation of acetamide, thioacetamide and semicarbazide derivatives. The structure of the products was deduced from elemental analyses as well as spectral data (IR, 1H NMR and MS). Significant antimicrobial activities were obtained for all new compounds especially against Fusarium oxysporum.

HCV infection among Saudi population: high prevalence of genotype 4 and increased viral clearance rate.

HCV is a major etiological agent of liver disease with a high rate of chronic evolution. The virus possesses 6 genotypes with many subtypes. The rate of spontaneous clearance among HCV infected individuals denotes a genetic determinant factor. The current study was designed in order to estimate the rate of HCV infection and ratio of virus clearance among a group of infected patients in Saudi Arabia from 2008 to 2011. It was additionally designed to determine the genotypes of the HCV in persistently infected patients. HCV seroprevalence was conducted on a total of 15,323 individuals. Seropositive individuals were tested by Cobas AmpliPrep/Cobas TaqMan HCV assay to determine the ratio of persistently infected patients to those who showed spontaneous viral clearance. HCV genotyping on random samples from persistently infected patients were conducted based on the differences in the 5'untranslated region (5'UTR). Anti-HCV antibodies were detected in 7.3% of the totally examined sera. A high percentage of the HCV infected individuals experienced virus clearance (48.4%). HCV genotyping revealed the presence of genotypes 1 and 4, the latter represented 97.6% of the tested strains. Evidences of the widespread of the HCV genotype 4 and a high rate of HCV virus clearance were found in Saudi Arabia.

Effect of trimetoquinol analogs for antagonism of endoperoxide/thromboxane A2-mediated responses in human platelets and rat aorta.

The pharmacological properties of a limited series of tetrahydro-isoquinoline [trimetoquinol (TMQ)] analogs for inhibition of endoperoxide (U46619)-mediated responses in human platelets and rat aorta were examined. All analogs blocked U46619-induced aggregatory and secretory responses in platelets, and contraction of rat aorta in a concentration-dependent manner. R-(+)-TMQ was a competitive-type inhibitor of U46619-induced contractions of rat aorta. The relative inhibitory potency for TMQ analogs against U46619-induced effects was TMQ greater than N-methyl TMQ greater than or equal to erythro-alpha-methyl TMQ greater than threo-alpha-methyl TMQ greater than or equal to alpha-dimethyl TMQ. R-(+)-TMQ and the azoprostanoid analog (U51605) were potent antagonists of U46619 action in rat aorta with pA2 values of 5.97 and 5.70, respectively. Other experiments indicated that U51605 was a partial agonist and R-(+)-TMQ was an inhibitor of U51605-induced contractions of rat aorta (pKB = 5.94). R-(+)-TMQ also blocked prostaglandin E2-mediated responses in rat aorta (pA2 = 5.46) but was ineffective as an antagonist of prostaglandin F2 alpha and LTD4 responses in dog iris sphincter and guinea-pig trachea or lung parenchyma, respectively. The data indicate that 1) the TMQ analogs were antagonists of endoperoxide/thromboxane A2-mediated responses in rat aorta and human platelets involving a similar mechanism of action and 2) stereochemical requirements of these TMQ analogs for activation of beta adrenoceptors and antagonism of endoperoxide/thromboxane A2-mediated responses are different. It is concluded that selectivity for these two pharmacological properties of TMQ can be achieved by appropriate stereochemical modification of the tetrahydroisoquinoline nucleus.