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Frontiers in Veterinary Science 2024Reptile white blood cell (WBC) morphological features are strikingly variable across species. In the Argentine black and white tegu (), red tegu (), and Savannah monitor...
Reptile white blood cell (WBC) morphological features are strikingly variable across species. In the Argentine black and white tegu (), red tegu (), and Savannah monitor (Var), previous reports described a WBC type with a single distinct, clear, linear- to ovoid- to crescent-shaped inclusion of presumptive monocytic origin. The objective of this study was to further investigate the origin of this unique WBC type with crescent-shaped inclusions. Blood samples from two Argentine black and white tegus, tegu 1, a 4-year-old female, and tegu 2, a 2-year-old presumed male, were submitted for routine hematological evaluation. Additional blood films were prepared and stained with these cytochemical stains: alkaline phosphatase (ALP; naphthol AS-MX phosphate substrate), alpha-naphthyl butyrate esterase, alpha-chloroacetate esterase, myeloperoxidase, Periodic acid-Schiff, and Sudan black B. Blood films from tegu 1 were also stained with a second ALP stain (5-bromo-4-chloro-3-indoxyl-phosphate and nitroblue tetrazolium substrate), Luna, luxol fast blue, and toluidine blue. The blood from tegu 1 was cytocentrifuged to isolate and fix the buffy coat in glutaraldehyde 2.5% aqueous solution for transmission electron microscopy. Six morphologically distinct WBC types were identified from tegu 1, including heterophils, basophils, monocytes, azurophils, lymphocytes, and the unique WBC type, which were identified as eosinophils with inclusions. WBC types in tegu 2 were similar; however, eosinophils lacked a discernable inclusion. Proper WBC identification will be useful in obtaining accurate hemogram data for this species.
PubMed: 38938912
DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2024.1387178 -
Frontiers in Cellular and Infection... 2024Enteroaggregative (EAEC) is a major cause of diarrhea worldwide. EAEC are highly adherent to cultured epithelial cells and make biofilms. Both adherence and biofilm...
Enteroaggregative (EAEC) is a major cause of diarrhea worldwide. EAEC are highly adherent to cultured epithelial cells and make biofilms. Both adherence and biofilm formation rely on the presence of aggregative adherence fimbriae (AAF). We compared biofilm formation from two EAEC strains of each of the five AAF types. We found that AAF type did not correlate with the level of biofilm produced. Because the composition of the EAEC biofilm has not been fully described, we stained EAEC biofilms to determine if they contained protein, carbohydrate glycoproteins, and/or eDNA and found that EAEC biofilms contained all three extracellular components. Next, we assessed the changes to the growing or mature EAEC biofilm mediated by treatment with proteinase K, DNase, or a carbohydrate cleavage agent to target the different components of the matrix. Growing biofilms treated with proteinase K had decreased biofilm staining for more than half of the strains tested. In contrast, although sodium metaperiodate only altered the biofilm in a quantitative way for two strains, images of biofilms treated with sodium metaperiodate showed that the EAEC were more spread out. Overall, we found variability in the response of the EAEC strains to the treatments, with no one treatment producing a biofilm change for all strains. Finally, once formed, mature EAEC biofilms were more resistant to treatment than biofilms grown in the presence of those same treatments.
Topics: Biofilms; Endopeptidase K; Escherichia coli; Deoxyribonucleases; Fimbriae, Bacterial; Bacterial Adhesion; Humans; Periodic Acid
PubMed: 38938878
DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2024.1379206 -
Annals of Anatomy = Anatomischer... Jun 2024Connective tissue serves a role beyond mere spatial filling. Furthermore, there is increasing evidence that connective tissue plays an important role in the pathogenesis...
BACKGROUND
Connective tissue serves a role beyond mere spatial filling. Furthermore, there is increasing evidence that connective tissue plays an important role in the pathogenesis of conditions such as carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). According to our hypothesis, the median nerve (MN) is surrounded by a system of connective tissue distal to the pronator teres and extending up to, and including, the carpal tunnel.
METHODS
To visualize the connective tissue surrounding the median nerve, we dissected the forearms of 15 body donors from pronator teres to the carpal tunnel, created plastination slices stained with Periodic Acid-Schiff (PAS), and injected ink into the seen spaces. We verified our findings with a segmentational analysis of radiological data of 10 healthy individuals.
RESULTS
We macroscopically describe the median nerve´s system of connective tissue (MC) distal to the pronator teres and up to and including the carpal tunnel. This system creates, connects, and separates spaces. At least from the pronator teres to the carpal tunnel it also creates subspaces from proximal to distal. For the MC, we established a mean cross-sectional area of 153.1 mm (SD=37.15) in the carpal tunnel. The median nerve consistently resides at the center of this MC, which further connects to flexor muscles of the forearm, and to the radius bone. In the carpal tunnel, the MC creates subspaces inside. There, it also acts as the outermost internal layer enveloping flexor tendons, and the MN.
DISCUSSION
The term MC does not negate but orders the existence of other "connectives", like subsynovial connective tissue, endo-, epi- or perineuria, epimysia, periostea, or peritendinea, to a hierarchy related to the median nerve. Diseases of the MN are common. Knowing the anatomy of the MC and how it relates to MN function may help clinicians recognize and understand conditions like CTS.
PubMed: 38936746
DOI: 10.1016/j.aanat.2024.152295 -
Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) May 2024: Mucin has been implicated via various mechanisms in the development and growth of tumour cells. However, mucin expression studies in salivary gland tumours are...
: Mucin has been implicated via various mechanisms in the development and growth of tumour cells. However, mucin expression studies in salivary gland tumours are limited, especially with samples from minor salivary glands. This study aims to investigate and compare mucin expression in benign and malignant salivary gland tumours of minor and major salivary gland origins. : Special stains were used to stain neutral mucin (Periodic acid Schiff), sialomucin (Alcian Blue) and sulfomucin (Aldehyde Fuschin) within tissues from six normal salivary glands and 73 salivary gland tumours including 31 pleomorphic adenomas, 27 mucoepidermoid carcinomas, and 15 adenoid cystic carcinomas. A semi-quantitative approach was used to evaluate mucin expression within ductal lumens. Sialomucin was the most expressed mucin in all salivary gland tumours, regardless of origin. : A significant difference was observed in the mucin expression between benign and malignant salivary gland tumours, as pleomorphic adenoma showed three times significantly higher expression of sialomucin compared to mucoepidermoid carcinoma and adenoid cystic carcinoma ( = 0.028). Pleomorphic adenomas of major glands showed 42 times significantly higher expression of sialomucin compared to those of minor glands ( = 0.000). : Sialomucin content in pleomorphic adenomas of major glands was vastly increased compared to that in minor glands. Differential sialomucin expression in benign and malignant salivary gland tumours suggests a role in diagnosing of borderline salivary gland tumours.
Topics: Humans; Salivary Gland Neoplasms; Mucins; Male; Female; Adenoma, Pleomorphic; Middle Aged; Carcinoma, Mucoepidermoid; Adult; Aged; Carcinoma, Adenoid Cystic; Sialomucins
PubMed: 38929537
DOI: 10.3390/medicina60060920 -
BMC Infectious Diseases Jun 2024Malassezia restricta, a lipophilic and lipodependent yeast belonging to the basidiomycetes group, is an opportunistic fungal pathogen associated with various skin... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Malassezia restricta, a lipophilic and lipodependent yeast belonging to the basidiomycetes group, is an opportunistic fungal pathogen associated with various skin diseases, including seborrheic dermatitis and dandruff. Typically, Malassezia infection in neonates manifests as fungemia or hematogenous dissemination to the bone or lungs. However, vertebral osteomyelitis caused by these fungi is rarely reported owing to non-specific clinical presentations and laboratory/imaging findings. The Pathogen Metagenomics Sequencing (PMseq) technique enables direct high-throughput sequencing of infected specimens, facilitating the rapid and accurate detection of all microorganisms in clinical samples through comprehensive reports.
CASE PRESENTATION
A 52-year-old male was admitted to our hospital on July 20, 2022 with a 3-month history of ambulatory difficulties and localized low back pain. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) examination of the spinal column revealed irregular bone destruction affecting the L2, L3, and L5 vertebral bodies. Additionally, low T1 and high T2 intensity lesions were observed at the intervertebral discs between L3 and L5. The presumptive diagnosis of tuberculous spondylitis was made based on the imaging findings, despite negative results in all mycobacterium tests. However, the patient exhibited no improvement after receiving regular anti-tuberculosis treatment for 3 months. Subsequent MRI revealed an expansive abnormal signal within the vertebral body, leading to progressive bone destruction. The absence of spinal tuberculosis or other infective microorganisms was confirmed through culture from blood and pathological tissue from the L4 vertebral body. Subsequently, PMseq was performed on the specimens, revealing M. restricta as the predominant pathogen with the highest relative abundance value. The pathological examination revealed the presence of fungal mycelium in the L4 vertebral body, with positive findings on periodic Schiff-methenamine and periodic acid-Schiff staining. The anti-tuberculosis treatment was discontinued, and an antifungal combination of fluconazole and voriconazole was administered. All symptoms were resolved after 7 consecutive months of treatment, and the patient was able to ambulate autonomously. Vertebral lesions were reduced on MRI during the 13-month follow-up.
CONCLUSIONS
M. restricta is not a commonly recognized pathogen associated with infectious vertebral osteomyelitis. However, PMseq can aid in diagnosis, timely treatment, and decision making for some non-specific infectious diseases.
Topics: Humans; Male; Osteomyelitis; Middle Aged; Malassezia; Metagenomics; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Antifungal Agents; High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing
PubMed: 38926679
DOI: 10.1186/s12879-024-09512-9 -
Renal Failure Dec 2024Liraglutide, a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist, has been shown to regulate blood sugar and control body weight, but its ability to treat obesity-related...
OBJECTIVE
Liraglutide, a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist, has been shown to regulate blood sugar and control body weight, but its ability to treat obesity-related nephropathy has been poorly studied. Therefore, this study was designed to observe the characteristics and potential mechanism of liraglutide against obesity-related kidney disease.
METHODS
Thirty-six C57BL/6J male mice were randomly divided into six groups ( = 6 per group). Obesity-related nephropathy was induced in mice by continuous feeding of high-fat diet (HFD) for 12 weeks. After 12 weeks, liraglutide (0.6 mg/kg) and AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) agonists bortezomib (200 μg/kg) were injected for 12 weeks, respectively. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was employed to detect the levels of total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, blood urea nitrogen, creatinine in serum, as well as urinary protein in urine. Besides, hematoxylin-eosin staining and periodic acid-Schiff staining were used to observe the pathological changes of kidney tissue; immunohistochemistry, western blot, and real-time quantitative PCR to assess the calmodulin-dependent protein kinase kinase beta (CaMKKβ)/AMPK signaling pathway activation.
RESULTS
Liraglutide significantly reduced serum lipid loading, improved kidney function, and relieved kidney histopathological damage and glycogen deposition in the mouse model of obesity-related kidney disease induced by HFD. In addition, liraglutide also significantly inhibited the CaMKKβ/AMPK signaling pathway in kidney tissue of HFD-induced mice. However, bortezomib partially reversed the therapeutic effect of liraglutide on HDF-induced nephropathy in mice.
CONCLUSIONS
Liraglutide has a therapeutic effect on obesity-related kidney disease, and such an effect may be achieved by inhibiting the CaMKKβ/AMPK signaling pathway in kidney tissue.
Topics: Animals; Liraglutide; Male; Diet, High-Fat; Mice; AMP-Activated Protein Kinases; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase Kinase; Signal Transduction; Obesity; Kidney; Disease Models, Animal; Hypoglycemic Agents
PubMed: 38915241
DOI: 10.1080/0886022X.2024.2351473 -
Iranian Journal of Kidney Diseases May 2024Diabetic nephropathy (DN) belongs to the major cause of end-stage kidney disease. We probed the functions of a microRNA miR-33a in inducing podocytes injury during...
INTRODUCTION
Diabetic nephropathy (DN) belongs to the major cause of end-stage kidney disease. We probed the functions of a microRNA miR-33a in inducing podocytes injury during childhood DN (CDN).
METHODS
Kidney samples were collected from 20 children with DN. Matrix deposition and glomerular basement membranes thickness were examined by periodic acid-Schiff staining. Immunofluorescence staining was performed to assess kidney function-related proteins. MicroRNA (MiR)-33a mimic together with miR-33a inhibitor was transfected into podocytes for determining the roles of miR-33a. Glomerular podocyte apoptosis was determined by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT) dUTP Nick-End Labeling (TUNEL) staining along with flow cytometry.
RESULTS
Down-regulation of Nephrin and Podocin and increased podocyte apoptosis rate were observed in the glomerulus of CDN as well as podocytes treated with high glucose. MiR-33a was up regulated in the glomeruli and glucose-treated podocytes. Injury in podocytes was aggravated with miR-33a elevation but alleviated with miR-33a inhibition. Moreover, the expression of Sirtuin 6 (Sirt6) was decreased while the levels of notch receptor 1 (Notch1) and notch receptor 4 (Notch4) were elevated in the glomerulus and glucose-treated podocytes. Decreased level of Sirt6 upon glucose treatment was abrogated by miR-33a inhibition, and the podocytes injury induced by glucose exposure was relieved by Sirt6 via Notch signaling.
CONCLUSION
These findings indicated that miR-33a promoted podocyte injury via targeting Sirt6-dependent Notch signaling in CDN, which might provide a novel sight for CDN treatment. DOI: 10.52547/ijkd.7904.
Topics: MicroRNAs; Diabetic Nephropathies; Podocytes; Humans; Signal Transduction; Sirtuins; Apoptosis; Male; Child; Membrane Proteins; Female; Receptors, Notch; Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; Glucose; Up-Regulation; Receptor, Notch1; Down-Regulation
PubMed: 38904337
DOI: 10.52547/g7kbp983 -
International Journal of Surgical... Jun 2024Whipple disease, caused by , is a rare infectious condition primarily presenting with malabsorptive diarrhea. Small bowel biopsies typically reveal foamy macrophages...
Whipple disease, caused by , is a rare infectious condition primarily presenting with malabsorptive diarrhea. Small bowel biopsies typically reveal foamy macrophages containing periodic acid-Schiff-positive/diastase (PAS/D) resistant bacilli, and PAS(D) staining is occasionally requested by clinicians in duodenal biopsies, which are often histologically unremarkable. The yield of PAS(D) staining in such biopsies has never been reported to our knowledge. The anatomic pathology database was searched for all specimens of duodenal biopsies stained with PAS(D) from 1993 to 2021. Specimens were categorized by the following histomorphologic features: unremarkable, nonspecific changes, or expansion of the lamina propria by aggregates of foamy histiocytes. Follow-up information was collected, including microbiologic confirmatory testing. There was a total of 193 specimens of duodenal biopsies stained with PAS(D). Biopsies lacking foamy histiocytes on H&E ( = 158) were never PAS-positive. Thirteen biopsies contained PAS-positive histiocytes; 9 out of the 13 PAS-positive specimens were subsequently confirmed to be . Of the 193 specimens, 124 specimens had a clinical request for PAS(D) staining. Only 3 of the 124 (2.4%) specimens showed foamy histiocytes containing PAS-positive granules, all of which were confirmed positive for . PAS(D) staining is unnecessary to exclude Whipple disease in duodenal biopsies without foamy macrophage aggregates, regardless of clinical suspicion. Clinical suspicion-driven biopsies often yield negative results for Whipple disease.
PubMed: 38899912
DOI: 10.1177/10668969241260818 -
Dalton Transactions (Cambridge, England... Jun 2024A theoretical study of the reported photocatalytic systems based on Zr-based MOF (UiO-67) with biphenyl-4,4'-dicarboxylic acid (bpdc) and...
A theoretical study of the reported photocatalytic systems based on Zr-based MOF (UiO-67) with biphenyl-4,4'-dicarboxylic acid (bpdc) and 2,2'-bipyridine-5,5'-dicarboxylic acid (bpydc) as linkers was performed. Quantum chemical calculations were carried out to understand the optical properties of the materials and to facilitate the rational design of new UiO-67 derivatives with potentially improved features as photocatalysts under ambient conditions. Hence, the effect of the structural modifications on the optical properties was studied considering different designs based on the nature of the linkers: in 1 only the bpdc linker was considered, or the mixture 1 : 1 between bpdc and bpydc linkers (labeled as 1A). Also, substituents R, -NH, and -SH, were included in the 1A MOF only over the bpdc linker (labeled as 1A-bpdc-R) and on both bpdc and bpydc linkers (labeled as 1A-R). Thus a family of six isoreticular UiO-67 derivatives was theoretically characterized using Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations on the ground singlet (S) and first excited states (singlet and triplet) using Time-Dependent Density Functional Theory (TD-DFT), multiconfigurational post-Hartree-Fock method Complete Active Space Self-Consistent Field (CASSCF). In addition, the use of periodic DFT calculations suggest that the energy transfer (ET) channel between bpdc and bpydc linkers might generate more luminescence quenching of 1A when compare to 1. Besides, the results suggest that the 1A-R (R: -SH and NH) can be used under ambient conditions; however, the ET exhibited by 1A, cannot take place in the same magnitude in these systems. These ET can favor the photocatalytic reduction of a potential metal ion, that can coordinate with the bpydc ligand, LMCT transition. Consequently, the MOF might be photocatalytically active against molecules of interest (such as H, N, CO, among others) with photo-reduced metal ions. These theoretical results serve as a useful tool to guide experimental efforts in the design of new photocatalytic MOF-based systems.
PubMed: 38898805
DOI: 10.1039/d4dt01017e -
FP Essentials Jun 2024Tinea infections are caused by dermatophytes, except for tinea versicolor, which is caused by yeasts in the genus. If available, potassium hydroxide preparation should... (Review)
Review
Tinea infections are caused by dermatophytes, except for tinea versicolor, which is caused by yeasts in the genus. If available, potassium hydroxide preparation should be performed to confirm diagnosis of tinea capitis or onychomycosis. In some cases, fungal culture, UV light examination, or periodic acid-Schiff stain can be helpful. Topical drugs are effective for tinea corporis, tinea cruris, and tinea pedis. Tinea incognito is an atypical presentation that usually requires systemic treatment. Management of tinea capitis always requires oral drugs. Oral drugs are preferred for onychomycosis treatment but should not be prescribed without confirmation of fungal infection. Localized cases of tinea versicolor can be managed with topical drugs, but oral drugs might be needed for severe, widespread, or recurrent cases. Warts are superficial human papillomavirus infections. Common treatments include irritant, destructive (eg, cryotherapy), immune stimulant (eg, intralesional antigen), and debridement and excision methods. Scabies infestation results in intensely itchy papules, nodules, or vesicles. Mites and burrows on the skin are pathognomonic but difficult to identify. Dermoscopy, particularly with UV light, can make identification easier. Topical permethrin and oral ivermectin are two of the most commonly used treatments. All household and close contacts should be treated regardless of the presence or absence of symptoms.
Topics: Humans; Child; Adolescent; Scabies; Warts; Tinea; Antifungal Agents; Onychomycosis; Papillomavirus Infections; Mite Infestations; Dermoscopy
PubMed: 38896827
DOI: No ID Found