Understanding the spectrum of non-motor symptoms in multiple sclerosis:insights from animal models

Multiple sclerosis is a chronic autoimmune disease of the central nervous system and is generally considered to be a non-traumatic,physically debilitating neurological disorder.In addition to experiencing motor disability,patients with multiple sclerosis also experience a variety of nonmotor symptoms,including cognitive deficits,anxiety,depression,sensory impairments,and pain.However,the pathogenesis and treatment of such non-motor symptoms in multiple scle rosis are still under research.Preclinical studies for multiple sclerosis benefit from the use of disease-appropriate animal models,including experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis.Prior to understanding the pathophysiology and developing treatments for non-motor symptoms,it is critical to chara cterize the animal model in terms of its ability to replicate certain non-motor features of multiple sclerosis.As such,no single animal model can mimic the entire spectrum of symptoms.This review focuses on the non-motor symptoms that have been investigated in animal models of multiple sclerosis as well as possible underlying mechanisms.Further,we highlighted gaps in the literature to explain the nonmotor aspects of multiple sclerosis in expe rimental animal models,which will serve as the basis for future studies.

Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of Antimicrobial Use and Resistance among Village Animal Health Workers and Veterinary Drug Retailers in Cambodia

Misuse, overuse, and missed prescription of antimicrobials are the driving factors to antimicrobial resistance (AMR) leading to a globally increasing public health concern. This study was conducted to assess the current knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of village animal health workers (VAHWs) and veterinary drug retailers (VDRs) on antimicrobial use (AMU) and antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The sample size was calculated following [1]. KAP data were scored and categorized following Bloom’s cut-off score. A total of 108 study populations (66 VAHWs and 42 VDRs) were purposively surveyed using a validated KAP questionnaire in 5 provinces across Cambodia. This study found that VAHWs and VDRs have moderate levels of knowledge (61% to 65%) and good attitudes towards AMU (83% to 84%) but employed moderate practices (59% to 74%) on AMU. VAHWs had moderate (66%);while DVRs had poor knowledge (58%) on AMR. Thus, regular awareness education specifically on proper use, prudent use, and stewardships on AMU and AMR in the form of refresher training or awareness events must be provided to VAHWs and VDRs to avoid inappropriate use of antimicrobials and spreading the AMR knowledge across Cambodia.

Effects of early postnatal gastric and colonic microbiota transplantation on piglet gut health

Background Diarrhea is a major cause of reduced growth and mortality in piglets during the suckling and weaning periods and poses a major threat to the global pig industry.Diarrhea and gut dysbiosis may in part be prevented via improved early postnatal microbial colonization of the gut.To secure better postnatal gut colonization,we hypothesized that transplantation of colonic or gastric content from healthy donors to newborn recipients would prevent diarrhea in the recipients in the post-weaning period.Our objective was to examine the impact of transplanting colonic or gastric content on health and growth parameters and paraclinical parameters in recipient single-housed piglets exposed to a weaning transition and challenged with enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli(ETEC).Methods Seventy-two 1-day-old piglets were randomized to four groups:colonic microbiota transplantation(CMT,n=18),colonic content filtrate transplantation(CcFT,n=18),gastric microbiota transplantation(GMT,n=18),or saline(CON,n=18).Inoculations were given on d 2 and 3 of life,and all piglets were milk-fed until weaning(d 20)and shortly after challenged with ETEC(d 24).We assessed growth,diarrhea prevalence,ETEC concentration,organ weight,blood parameters,small intestinal morphology and histology,gut mucosal function,and microbiota composition and diversity.Results Episodes of diarrhea were seen in all groups during both the milk-and the solid-feeding phase,possibly due to stress associated with single housing.However,CcFT showed lower diarrhea prevalence on d 27,28,and 29 compared to CON(all P<0.05).CcFT also showed a lower ETEC prevalence on d 27(P<0.05).CMT showed a higher alpha diversity and a difference in beta diversity compared to CON(P<0.05).Growth and other paraclinical endpoints were similar across groups.Conclusion In conclusion,only CcFT reduced ETEC-related post-weaning diarrhea.However,the protective effect was marginal,suggesting that higher doses,more effective modalities of administration,longer treatment periods,and better donor quality should be explored by future research to optimize the protective effects of transplantation.

Abomasal infusion of branched-chain amino acids or branched-chain keto-acids alter lactation performance and liver triglycerides in fresh cows

Background Dairy cows are at high risk of fatty liver disease in early lactation,but current preventative measures are not always effective.Cows with fatty liver have lower circulating branched-chain amino acid(BCAA)concentra-tions whereas cows with high circulating BCAA levels have low liver triglyceride(TG).Our objective was to determine the impact of BCAA and their corresponding ketoacids(branched-chain ketoacids,BCKA)on production performance and liver TG accumulation in Holstein cows in the first 3 weeks postpartum.Methods Thirty-six multiparous Holstein cows were used in a randomized block design experiment.Cows were abomasally infused for the first 21 d postpartum with solutions of 1)saline(CON,n=12);2)BCA(67 g valine,50 g leu-cine,and 34 g isoleucine,n=12);and 3)BCK(77 g 2-ketovaline calcium salt,57 g 2-ketoleucine calcium salt,and 39 g 2-ketoisoleucine calcium salt,n=12).All cows received the same diet.Treatment effects were determined using PROC GLIMMIX in SAS.Results No differences were detected for body weight,body condition score,or dry matter intake averaged over the first 21 d postpartum.Cows receiving BCK had significantly lower liver TG concentrations compared to CON(6.60%vs.4.77%,standard error of the mean(SEM)0.49)during the first 3 weeks of lactation.Infusion of BCA increased milk yield(39.5 vs.35.3 kg/d,SEM 1.8),milk fat yield(2.10 vs.1.69 kg/d,SEM 0.08),and lactose yield(2.11 vs.1.67 kg/d,SEM 0.07)compared with CON.Compared to CON,cows receiving BCA had lower plasma glucose(55.0 vs.59.2 mg/dL,SEM 0.86)but higherβ-hydroxybutyrate(9.17 vs.6.00 mg/dL,SEM 0.80).Conclusions Overall,BCAA supplementation in this study improved milk production,whereas BCKA supplementa-tion reduced TG accumulation in the liver of fresh cows.

Changes in structural plasticity of hippocampal neurons in an animal model of multiple sclerosis

Structural plasticity is critical for the functional diversity of neurons in the brain.Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis(EAE)is the most commonly used model for multiple sclerosis(MS),successfully mimicking its key pathological features(inflammation,demyelination,axonal loss,and gliosis)and clinical symptoms(motor and non-motordysfunctions).Recentstudieshave demonstrated the importance of synaptic plasticity in EAE pathogenesis.In the present study,we investigated the features of behavioral alteration and hippocampal structural plasticity in EAE-affected mice in the early phase(11 days post-immunization,DPI)and chronic phase(28DPI).EAE-affected mice exhibited hippocampus-related behavioral dysfunction in the open field test during both early and chronic phases.Dendritic complexity was largely affected in the cornu ammonis 1(CA1)and CA3 apical and dentate gyrus(DG)subregions of the hippocampus during the chronic phase,while this effect was only noted in the CA1 apical subregion in the early phase.Moreover,dendritic spine density was reduced in the hippocampal CA1 and CA3 apical/basal and DG subregions in the early phase of EAE,but only reduced in the DG subregion during the chronic phase.Furthermore,mRNA levels of proinflammatory cytokines(Il1β,Tnfα,and Ifnγ)and glial cell markers(Gfap and Cd68)were significantly increased,whereas the expression of activity-regulated cytoskeletonassociated protein(ARC)was reduced during the chronic phase.Similarly,exposure to the aforementioned cytokines in primary cultures of hippocampal neurons reduced dendritic complexity and ARC expression.Primary cultures of hippocampal neurons also showed significantly reduced extracellular signal-regulated kinase(ERK)phosphorylation upon treatment with proinflammatory cytokines.Collectively,these results suggest that autoimmune neuroinflammation alters structural plasticity in the hippocampus,possibly through the ERK-ARC pathway,indicating that this alteration may be associated with hippocampal dysfunctions in EAE.

Gut microbiota intervention attenuates thermogenesis in broilers exposed to high temperature through modulation of the hypothalamic 5‑HT pathway

Background Broilers have a robust metabolism and high body temperature,which make them less tolerant to hightemperature(HT)environments and more susceptible to challenges from elevated temperatures.Gut microbes,functioning as symbionts within the host,possess the capacity to significantly regulate the physiological functions and environmental adaptability of the host.This study aims to investigate the effects of gut microbial intervention on the body temperature and thermogenesis of broilers at different ambient temperatures,as well as the underlying mechanism involving the"gut-brain"axis.Methods Broilers were subjected to gut microbiota interference with or without antibiotics(control or ABX)starting at 1 day of age.At 21 day of age,they were divided into 4 groups and exposed to different environments for 7 d:The control and ABX groups at room temperature(RT,24±1℃,60%relative humidity(RH),24 h/d)and the control-HT and ABX-HT groups at high temperature(HT,32±1℃,60%RH,24 h/d).Results The results demonstrated that the antibiotic-induced gut microbiota intervention increased body weight and improved feed conversion in broiler chickens(P<0.05).Under HT conditions,the microbiota intervention reduced the rectal temperature of broiler chickens(P<0.05),inhibited the expression of avUCP and thermogenesisrelated genes in breast muscle and liver(P<0.05),and thus decreased thermogenesis capacity.Furthermore,the gut microbiota intervention blunted the hypothalamic‒pituitary‒adrenal axis and hypothalamic–pituitary–thyroid axis activation induced by HT conditions.By analyzing the cecal microbiota composition of control and ABX chickens maintained under HT conditions,we found that Alistipes was enriched in control chickens.In contrast,antibioticinduced gut microbiota intervention resulted in a decrease in the relative abundance of Alistipes(P<0.05).Moreover,this difference was accompanied by increased hypothalamic 5-hydroxytryptamine(5-HT)content and TPH2 expression(P<0.05).Conclusions These findings underscore the critical role of the gut microbiota in regulating broiler thermogenesis via the gut-brain axis and suggest that the hypothalamic 5-HT pathway may be a potential mechanism by which the gut microbiota affects thermoregulation in broilers.

Generation of double knockout cattle via CRISPR-Cas9 ribonucleoprotein(RNP)electroporation

Background Genome editing has been considered as powerful tool in agricultural fields.However,genome editing progress in cattle has not been fast as in other mammal species,for some disadvantages including long gestational periods,single pregnancy,and high raising cost.Furthermore,technically demanding methods such as microinjection and somatic cell nuclear transfer(SCNT)are needed for gene editing in cattle.In this point of view,electroporation in embryos has been risen as an alternative.Results First,editing efficiency of our electroporation methods were tested for embryos.Presence of mutation on embryo was confirmed by T7E1 assay.With first combination,mutation rates for MSTN and PRNP were 57.6%±13.7%and 54.6%±13.5%,respectively.In case of MSTN/BLG,mutation rates were 83.9%±23.6%for MSTN,84.5%±18.0%for BLG.Afterwards,the double-KO embryos were transferred to surrogates and mutation rate was identified in resultant calves by targeted deep sequencing.Thirteen recipients were transferred for MSTN/PRNP,4 calves were delivered,and one calf underwent an induction for double KO.Ten surrogates were given double-KO embryos for MSTN/BLG,and four of the six calves that were born had mutations in both genes.Conclusions These data demonstrated that production of genome edited cattle via electroporation of RNP could be effectively applied.Finally,MSTN and PRNP from beef cattle and MSTN and BLG from dairy cattle have been born and they will be valuable resources for future precision breeding.

Does the provision of live black soldier fly and yellow mealworm larvae improve Muscovy duck welfare?

Background The provision of environmental enrichments to Muscovy ducks could reduce the expression of the aggressive behaviors.The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of black soldier fly(BSF)and yellow mealworm(YM)live larva provision on Muscovy duck performance,excreta corticosterone metabolites(ECM),behavior,and blood parameters.Methods A total of 1263-day-old female Muscovy ducklings were allotted to 18 pens(6 replicates/treatment,7 birds/pen)and assigned to 3 experimental treatments:a control group fed commercial feed,and two experimental treatments fed commercial feed plus the 5%(based on the expected daily feed intake,as fed basis)of BSF and YM live larvae(BSF and YM groups,respectively).A two-phase feeding program was applied:starter(from 3 to 31 days of age)and grower-finisher(from 32 to 55 days of age).The live weight,average daily gain,average daily feed intake,and feed conversion ratio were calculated.Larva consumption times were collected,and video recordings were performed during 3 periods(P)each day:the hour before(P1),during(P2),and after(P3)the larva administration.ECM were evaluated at 3,31,and 55-day-old.Finally,the total red and white blood cell counts,serum proteins,lipids,and liver and renal function serum enzymes were evaluated on 12 birds/treatment.Results The experimental treatment did not affect the growth performance of the birds(P>0.05).Larva consumption times were always similar between the two insect species,except at 14–18 days of age,were BSF larvae were consumed faster than YM larvae(P<0.001).The birds showed less walking activity during P2,and preening behavior increased in YM birds during P3.The C birds increased the attack behavior over the weeks(P<0.05).During weeks 1–3 the YM group reduced the attack frequency(P1>P3;P<0.05).Finally,the provision of live BSF and YM larvae significantly reduced the ECM at 55 days of age and the heterophil to lymphocyte ratio(P<0.05).Conclusions Live BSF and YM larva supplementation in Muscovy duck improves duck welfare,without impairing birds'growth performance.

Robust Machine Learning Technique to Classify COVID-19 Using Fusion of Texture and Vesselness of X-Ray Images

Manual investigation of chest radiography(CXR)images by physicians is crucial for effective decision-making in COVID-19 diagnosis.However,the high demand during the pandemic necessitates auxiliary help through image analysis and machine learning techniques.This study presents a multi-threshold-based segmentation technique to probe high pixel intensity regions in CXR images of various pathologies,including normal cases.Texture information is extracted using gray co-occurrence matrix(GLCM)-based features,while vessel-like features are obtained using Frangi,Sato,and Meijering filters.Machine learning models employing Decision Tree(DT)and RandomForest(RF)approaches are designed to categorize CXR images into common lung infections,lung opacity(LO),COVID-19,and viral pneumonia(VP).The results demonstrate that the fusion of texture and vesselbased features provides an effective ML model for aiding diagnosis.The ML model validation using performance measures,including an accuracy of approximately 91.8%with an RF-based classifier,supports the usefulness of the feature set and classifier model in categorizing the four different pathologies.Furthermore,the study investigates the importance of the devised features in identifying the underlying pathology and incorporates histogrambased analysis.This analysis reveals varying natural pixel distributions in CXR images belonging to the normal,COVID-19,LO,and VP groups,motivating the incorporation of additional features such as mean,standard deviation,skewness,and percentile based on the filtered images.Notably,the study achieves a considerable improvement in categorizing COVID-19 from LO,with a true positive rate of 97%,further substantiating the effectiveness of the methodology implemented.

Comparative Study of the Widal Test against Stool Culture in the Diagnosis of Suspected Cases of Typhoid Fever in Some Low Income Communities in the Adamawa Region of Cameroon

Introduction: Infectious diseases constitute a major concern of public health in developing countries. Facilities and well trained staff have been shown to be one of the major obstacles in the rapid and quality diagnosis of these diseases. As such, we carried out an analysis to compare the Widal test and stool culture to identify febrile patients with Salmonella infection. Method: A cross sectional study was conducted to diagnose salmonella infection with out-patients who demonstrated signs of salmonella infection. Serum was harvested from blood collected from 368 (Vina = 234, Mayo Banyo 65, and Djerem = 69) patients accompanied by stool, Widal test was conducted on the spot and stool was taken to a reference laboratory for culture using standard microbiological methods, sociological set up was calculated in percentages, prevalence was calculated using excel while statistical difference was calculated using SPSS. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) were calculated to compare the Widal test against stool culture. Results: A total of 368 (50.8% females and 49.2% males) participants took part in the survey. Salmonella prevalence (66.24%) in stool culture in the Vina division was significantly different (p 0.05). The sensitivity,specificity, PPV, and NPV of slide agglutination test against stool culture varied from different areas (Vina: 51.6%, 73.62%, 79.21% and 43.61%;Mayo Banyo: 60.53%, 77.78%, 79.31% and 58.33%;Djerem: 53.18%, 83.73% 73.91% and 67.39%) respectively. Slide agglutination test has a fair agreement with the stool culture (kappa, Vina = 0.202;Mayo Banyo = 0.37 and Djerem = 0.38). Conclusion: Generally, in the three areas of study, the Widal test had a fair correlation with the stool culture;This means the Widal test should not be used alone but in combination with stool culture in the detection of salmonella infections.

Effect of the Dietary Substitution of Fish Meal with Achatina fulica Meat Meal on the Growth Performance and Production Cost of African Catfish (Clarias gariepinus) Fingerlings

Fishmeal is the most preferred source of protein in aquafeeds, but it is expensive and scarce. Hence, Achatina fulica meat meal (AFM), which is much less preferred for human consumption out of three species of African giant land snails, was tested as a fishmeal substitute for Clarias gariepinus growth. Five iso-nitrogenous and iso-calorific diets were formulated, in which AFM substituted fish meal at 0% (control or Diet A), 25% (Diet B), 50% (Diet C), 75% (Diet D) and 100% (Diet E). These dietary treatments were each replicated thrice in a completely randomized design experiment, using 36-L plastic tanks in which the fish were fed daily rations corresponding to 5% of their body weight, for 8 weeks. Water quality parameters in the tanks were monitored. Proximate analyses were conducted on the fish meal, snail meal and experimental diets before the feeding trials. Cost-benefit analysis of the different diets was performed. The crude protein content of AFM (69.18%) was significantly higher than that of fish meal (55.81%). There was no significant difference (P > 0.05) in the mean weight gain, specific growth rate, feed conversion ratio, protein efficiency ratio and survival rate in fish fed Diet A and Diet B. The best protein efficiency ratio (0.77) was recorded in fish fed Diet B. Furthermore, the survival rate of fish increased with increased levels of AFM substitution. Water quality parameters were within a suitable range for tropical fish culture, indicating that the AFM did not pollute the water. The fish fed 25% AFM diet significantly (P Clarias gariepinus diets at a 25% substitution level. The aquaculture industry can thus exploit the availability of this feed resource.

Protective effect of resveratrol against cadmium-induced toxicity on ovine oocyte in vitro maturation and fertilization

Background:Heavy metal cadmium(Cd)is a widespread environmental contaminant with a potential toxicity that might negatively affect female reproduction and fertility.It has been reported that Cd exposure impaired the quality of oocytes and led to a defective maturation and fertilization,through oxidative stress induction.Resveratrol(Res)is a natural polyphenol with strong antioxidant properties that exhibited protective role in preventing oocyte redox homeostasis disruption and quality decline.Here,we explored whether the addition of Res to in vitro maturation(IVM)medium might act as a protection against Cd-induced toxicity on ovine oocyte maturation and fertilization.Firstly,we evaluated the effect of supplementing IVM medium with two different Res concentrations(1and 2μmol/L)on nuclear maturation and fertilization of oocytes matured under CdCl2(2μmol/L)exposure.Therefore,the concentration of 1μmol/L Res was selected to analyse the effects of this compound on intracellular ROS levels,mitochondrial(mt)distribution and activity,chromatin configuration,cytoskeleton morphology,cortical granules(CGs)distribution and mRNA expression of genes associated with cellular response to oxidative stress(i.e.SIRT1,SOD 1,GPX1,GSR,CAT)in Cd-exposed in vitro matured oocytes.Results:We found that 1μmol/L Res restored the reduced oocyte meiotic competence induced by Cd exposure as well as,Res sustained oocyte ability to be normally fertilized and decreased polyspermic fertilization at both tested concentrations.Moreover,we demonstrated that 1μmol/L Res mitigated Cd-induced alterations of oocyte cytoplasmic maturation by reducing reactive oxygen species(ROS)accumulation,preventing mt dysfunction,maintaining the correct meiotic spindle and cortical F-actin assembly and the normal cortical granule distribution as well as up-regulating SIRT1,SOD1 and GPX1 genes.Conclusions:Taken together,our findings highlighted the beneficial influence exerted by Res in preventing Cdinduced disturbance of nuclear and cytoplasmic maturation and subsequent fertilization in ovine oocytes.Res treatment may help to establish defence strategies counteracting Cd-induced toxicity on the female gamete.

Characteristics of obese or overweight dogs visiting private Japanese veterinary clinics

Objective:To characterize obese or overweight dogs that visited private Japanese veterinary clinics located in humid subtropical climate zones.Methods:Dogs were categorized into four body condition score groups and five body size groups based on their breed.Multilevel logistic regression models were applied to the data.A Chi-squared test was used to examine whether the percentage of obese or overweight dogs differed between breeds.Results:There were 15.1% obese dogs and 39.8% overweight dogs.Obese dogs were characterized by increased age and female sex,whereas overweight dogs were characterized by increased age and neuter status(P < 0.05).Peak probabilities of dogs being either obese or overweight were between 7 and 9 years of age,with the probabilities then declining as the dogs got older.For example,in toy sized dogs,the probability of dogs being overweight increased from 33.4% to a peak of 55.1% as dog age rose from 1 to 8years old.Also,in medium,small and toy sized dogs,neutered dogs were more likely to be overweight than intact dogs,whereas neutered small sized dogs were more likely to be obese than intact small sized dogs(P < 0.05).Additionally,the percentages of obese or overweight dogs differed between the 10 selected breeds with the highest percentage of obese or overweight dogs.Conclusions:By taking age,body size,sex and neuter status into account,veterinarians can advise owners about maintaining their dogs in ideal body condition.

A staggering rise of HIV cases in Pakistan

In the last decade,Pakistan has experienced multidemics of HIV in key populations,namely:injecting drug users,male sex with male,female sex workers,transgender sex workers,and transgenders.According to recent reports,in Pakistan,210000 people with HIV accounts for less than 0.2%of the general population.

Capacities and Functionalities Assessment of Veterinary Laboratories in South-west Nigeria Using the FAO Laboratory Mapping Tool

Laboratories play significant roles in all the critical processes of detecting rapid infectious disease outbreaks,risk assessments,early warnings,early responses and notifications,and monitoring and surveillance[1,2].Veterinary Laboratories(VLs)that rapidly identify,respond to and control rapidly spreading and emerging(or re-emerging)infectious and zoonotic diseases is critical to:(1)the financial performance of animal agriculture and international trade;(2)livelihoods of animal related industries;and(3)nutritional status,food security,and the socio-economic well-being of a country[3].

New Perspectives for Workflow Analysis in the Health Italian Sector through Discrete Event Simulation: The Case of a Department of Laboratory Medicine

The management systems currently used in the Italian healthcare sector provide fragmented and incomplete information on this system and are generally unlikely to give accurate information on the performances of the healthcare processes. The present paper introduces a combined discrete event simulation (DES)/business process management (BPM) approach as innovative means to study the workflow of the activities within the Department of Laboratory Medicine of the “San Paolo” Hospital in Naples (Italy). After a first “As-Is” analysis to identify the current workflows of the system and to gather information regarding its behaviour, a following DES-based “What-If” analysis is implemented to figure out alternative work hypotheses in order to highlight possible modifications to the system’s response under varying operating conditions and improve its overall performances. The structure of the simulation program is explained and the results of the scenario analysis are discussed. The paper starts with a brief exploration of the use of DES in healthcare and ends with general observations on the subject.

Assessment of the Level of Knowledge of the Nature of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Demonstrated by the Nigerian Veterinary Laboratory Staff Involved in HPAI Diagnosis in Nigeria

The study was designed to evaluate the level of knowledge of Nigerian Veterinary Laboratory Staff on the nature of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) disease using structured questionnaires. The study comprised the Staff of National Veterinary Research Institute (NVRI) and five reference Veterinary Teaching Hospitals (VTH) designated for HPAI diagnosis. A total of 69 questionnaires were distributed to the laboratory staff. Questions on the general nature of the disease such as the cause, signs, mode of transmission, methods of identification, lesions, control and prevention, etc. were asked. The results showed that 77.38% of the staff answered all the questions correctly indicating their considerable knowledge of the HPAI disease. Considerable percentage of the staff listed correctly the equipment used for serology (36.23%) and RT-PCR (31.88%). Interestingly only 13.04% of the staff listed correctly the equipment used in rapid tests despite the fact that they are simpler and recommended for all P2 laboratories. In conclusion, the veterinary laboratory staff assessed demonstrated a significant level of knowledge on HPAI diagnosis;however, most of their laboratories lack the structure, organization, funds and basic facilities required for effective HPAI diagnosis.

Seed-Specific Expression of Apolipoprotein A-IMilano Dimer in Engineered Rice Lines

Apolipoprotein A-IMilano(ApoA-IM)has been shown to significantly reduce coronary atherosclerotic plaques.However,the preparation of cost-effective pharmaceutical formulations of ApoA-IM is limited by the high cost and difficulty of purifying the protein and producing the highly effective dimeric form.The aim of this study was to create an expression cassette that specifically drives the expression of dimeric ApoA-IM in the protein bodies of rice seeds.The ApoA-IM protein under control of the 13 kDa prolamin promoter is expressed exclusively in its dimeric form within the seeds,and immunocytochemical and immunogold analyses confirmed its expression in different caryopsis tissue such as seed coat,aleurone cell and endosperm,particularly in amyloplast and storage vacuoles.A plant-based ApoA-IM production system offered numerous advantages over current production systems,including the direct production of the most therapeutically effective dimeric ApoA-IM forms,long-term protein storage in seeds,and ease of protein production by simply growing plants.Therefore,seeds had the potential to serve as a costeffective source of therapeutic ApoA-IM.

Zinc oxide nanoparticles accelerate the healing of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus(MRSA)-infected wounds in rabbits

Objective:To synthesize zinc oxide nanoparticles(ZnONPs)and evaluate their antibacterial and wound healing effects against wounds infected with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus(MRSA).Methods:ZnONPs were prepared by sol-gel method and characterized by X-ray diffraction(XRD)analysis and scanning electron microscopy(SEM).A total of 18 rabbits were divided into three groups:the ZnONPs group,the gentamicin group and the control group.A wound of 3 cm^(2) was inflicted on each rabbit and contaminated with MRSA inoculum.Treatment was started from the fourth day post-surgery.Wound healing,microbiological analysis,and histopathological analysis were performed to assess the efficacy of ZnONPs ointment.Results:XRD analysis confirmed the hexagonal wurtzite structure of the ZnONPs with an average crystallite size of 29.23 nm.SEM revealed discoid-shaped ZnONPs with a rough surface and an average size of 48.36 nm.Energy-dispersive X-ray analysis confirmed the purity of ZnONPs.Moreover,the particle size ranged from 100-700 nm with a high agglomeration trend.Treatment with ZnONPs promoted MRSA-infected wound healing.In addition,ZnONPs showed a good antibacterial effect as evidenced by a dose-dependent increase in the zone of inhibition.Conclusions:ZnONPs accelerate the healing of MRSA-infected wounds.Therefore,it can be explored for the treatment of MRSA infection.