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Understanding climate and environmental drivers of sand fly borne diseases: the CLIMOS project
No full textOver the last two decades, three successive research consortia
(EDEN, EDENext and VectorNet) aimed at improving knowledge,
surveillance, and control of vector-borne diseases in Europe and
neighboring countries. Among these, sand fly-borne diseases
including leishmaniasis and phleboviral infections represent an
important public health and veterinary concern. A novel effort
to tackle sand fly borne diseases (SFBDs) – the CLIMOS project,
has been underway since September 2022. Using sand flies
and the diseases they transmit as a model system, CLIMOS -
Climate Monitoring and Decision Support Framework for Sand
Fly-borne Diseases Detection and Mitigation with Cost-benefit
and Climate-policy Measures – aims to complement and build
on previous efforts, bringing together researchers, health-care
and veterinary practitioners, technology platform designers and
at-risk communities, to conduct innovative and applied research
seeking to better prepare for current and future impacts of climate
and environmental changes on human and animal health.
Specifically, CLIMOS will: a) develop a general public health
risk assessment method for SFBDs through integration of climate,
environmental and One Health disciplines and data sciences; b)
utilize big data from Earth-observing satellites and ground-level
surveillance records, to map the locations of disease-carrying
insects and provide health, climate and environmental services
to keep communities safe, and c) integrate economic and social
sciences, to enable socio-economic assessments of impacts of
the incidence and spread of SFBDs on individuals and societies.Abstracts: 14th European Multicolloquium of Parasitology (EMOP), Wrocław, Poland, 26-30.08.2024
Molecular Detection and Genetic Variability of Hepatozoon canis in Golden Jackals (Canis aureus L. 1758) in Serbia
No full textHepatozoon canis is a protozoan tick-borne parasite infecting domestic and wild canids, including foxes, wolves, and jackals. It is mainly found in dogs but has also been detected in several wild carnivores, including foxes, wolves, and jackals. Host transmission primarily occurs through the ingestion of infected ticks, typically Rhipicephalus sanguineus, with documented instances of transplacental transmission from infected females to cubs. In Serbia, the golden jackal is common throughout the country, and its population has increased in recent years. Previous research has documented the presence of several vector-borne pathogens in the jackal population in Serbia, so we conducted this study to determine the presence, prevalence, and genetic variability of H. canis. Over eleven years (2010–2020), 114 animal samples were collected from 23 localities in Serbia. A total of 90/114 (78.95%) jackals were positive for H. canis, and they came from 22 localities. Among 15 juveniles, almost half (6/15 (40%)) tested positive for H. canis. In addition to the high prevalence, high genetic variability of the pathogen was also found. According to the mutated positions, four sequence types (S4–S7) of H. canis were determined. Based on our earlier research on the grey wolf and on this study, it can be observed that various sequence types of H. canis circulate within wild canid populations in Serbia. The prevalence of H. canis infection in wild carnivores raises significant concerns for wildlife conservation and animal health. Infected animals may act as reservoirs for the disease, posing a potential risk to domestic animals by acting as a source of infection
Influence of different light sources on antioxidant status of cauliflower microgreens
No full textPlants use light as the main source of energy for photosynthesis, which regulates numerous other processes related to plant growth and morphology. The influence of light of different spectrum depends on the plant species, so it must be optimized for each plant species and working conditions. The aim of the research was to examine the effect of quality of different light sources (LED red, blue, red+blue 1:1 and cold white) on germination rate, photosynthetic pigments content and antioxidants of cauliflower microgreens. The light intensity of 49 PPFD (Photosynthetic Photon Flux Density) was provided in all light treatments. Plants were grown in a growth chamber at a temperature of 23 ± 2 ºC and under a light regime of a long day (16 h day, 8 h night). The highest germination rate after 8 days was recorded under red+blue light treatment (61.7%), while the lowest was under blue light (9.2%). After 2 weeks of growing in growth chamber the photosynthetic pigments, phenolics and flavonoids content as well as antoxidant capacity (DPPH assay) were determined. The highest concentration of pigments (chlorophylls 4.12 mg and carotenoids 1.13 mg per gram of fresh sample weight) as well as content of phenolics (0.81 mg of gallic acid equivalents per g of fresh sample weight) and flavonoids (2.82 mg rutin equivalents per gram of fresh sample weight) was recorded under combination of red and blue lights, while the lowest was recorded under red light (1.49, 0.42, 0.63 and 1.90, respectively). Content of phenolics and flavonoids had positive and significant correlation with DPPH• antioxidative capacity (r=0.83** and r=0.87** respectively). The results showed that combination of red and blue lights was the best for microgreen antoxidant status
Quantitative profiling and baseline intervals of trace elements in healthy lung tissues
No full textBackground : Human lung tissue, as an interface with the environment, is susceptible to various environmental pollutants, including trace metals. However, quantitative data on trace metals in human lung tissues remain poorly described. Methods: This study aimed to characterize the elemental composition of histologically healthy, unaffected parts of human lung tissues, associated with non-infective, non-infiltrative, and non-malignant diseases (n = 60) for essential (Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Cu, Zn, and Se) and toxic trace elements (Sr, Ni, As, Cd, and Pb). Additionally, we investigated the influence of personal factors (sex, age, and smoking habits) on the examined trace element profiles, as well as between the trace elements correlations in the healthy human lungs. Results : Among the analyzed trace elements, Fe was the most prevalent, while As was the least prevalent in healthy lung tissues. Stratifying by age revealed significantly higher Cr and Co (less Sr, Ni, and Pb) and lower Se levels in older individuals (above 65 years) compared to their younger counterparts. Sex-based differences were also notable, with Cu and Co 1.2- and 2.3-fold higher levels in females than in males. Exploring the impact of smoking habits revealed a striking 10-fold increase in Cd levels in the lung tissues of smokers compared to non-smokers. Correlation analyses showed significant positive associations between concentrations of certain toxic and essential trace elements in healthy lung tissues. Conclusions: This study could contribute to the establishment of baseline intervals for essential and toxic trace elements, valuable for toxicological and clinical assessment, in healthy, unaffected human lungs, and indicates the influence of sex, age, and smoking. However, further larger-scale studies are needed to make more stable conclusions
Molecular Deconvolution of Bone Marrow Adipose Tissue Interactions with Malignant Hematopoiesis: Potential for New Therapy Development
No full textPurpose of Review Along with a strong impact on skeletal integrity, bone marrow adipose tissue (BMAT) is an important
modulator of the adult hematopoietic system. This review will summarize the current knowledge on the causal relationship
between bone marrow (BM) adipogenesis and the development and progression of hematologic malignancies.
Recent Findings BM adipocytes (BMAds) support a number of processes promoting oncogenesis, including the evolution
of clonal hematopoiesis, malignant cell survival, proliferation, angiogenesis, and chemoresistance. In addition, leukemic
cells manipulate surrounding BMAds by promoting lipolysis and release of free fatty acids, which are then utilized by leu-
kemic cells via β-oxidation. Therefore, limiting BM adipogenesis, blocking BMAd-derived adipokines, or lipid metabolism
obstruction have been considered as potential treatment options for hematological malignancies.
Summary Leukemic stem cells rely heavily on BMAds within the structural BM microenvironment for necessary signals
which foster disease progression. Further development of 3D constructs resembling BMAT at different skeletal regions are
critical to better understand these relationships in geometric space and may provide essential insight into the development of
hematologic malignancies within the BM niche. In turn, these mechanisms provide promising potential as novel approaches
to targeting the microenvironment with new therapeutic strategies
Retrospective on our research on immune complexes in dairy calves bronchopneumonia
No full textBackground: Immune response to ceftain calf
bronchopneumonia associated pathogens is IgGdcpendent,
and we have starled our research
assuming that the IgG containing immunc
complexes might have an impoftant role in the
disease pathogenesis. We attempt to define
molecular components of circulating immune
complexes (CIC) in naturally occurring
bronchopneumonia and to investigate the role of
these CIC as modulators of immune response, and
our results are summarized in this abstract
The Thiol Group Reactivity and the Antioxidant Property of Human Serum Albumin Are Controlled by the Joint Action of Fatty Acids and Glucose Binding
Get PDFThe binding of ubiquitous serum ligands (free fatty acids) to human serum albumin (HSA) or its glycation can affect thiol group reactivity, thus influencing its antioxidant activity. The effects of stearic acid (SA) and glucose binding on HSA structural changes and thiol group content and reactivity were monitored by fluoroscopy and the Ellman method during a 14-day incubation in molar ratios to HSA that mimic pathophysiological conditions. Upon incubation with 5 mM glucose, HSA glycation was the same as HSA without it, in three different HSA:SA molar ratios (HSA:SA-1:1-2-4). The protective effect of SA on the antioxidant property of HSA under different glucose regimes (5-10-20 mM) was significantly affected by molar ratios of HSA:SA. Thiol reactivity was fully restored with 5–20 mM glucose at a 1:1 HSA:SA ratio, while the highest thiol content recovery was in pathological glucose regimes at a 1:1 HSA:SA ratio. The SA affinity for HSA increased significantly (1.5- and 1.3-fold, p < 0.01) with 5 and 10 mM glucose compared to the control. These results deepen the knowledge about the possible regulation of the antioxidant role of HSA in diabetes and other pathophysiological conditions and enable the design of future HSA-drug studies which, in turn, is important for clinicians when designing information-based treatments
NMDA Receptor Antagonist Memantine AmelioratesExperimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis in Aged Rats
Get PDFAging is closely related to the main aspects of multiple sclerosis (MS). The average age ofthe MS population is increasing and the number of elderly MS patients is expected to increase. Inaddition to neurons,N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) are also expressed on non-neuronalcells, such as immune cells. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of NMDARs inexperimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) in young and aged rats. Memantine, a non-competitive NMDAR antagonist, was administered to young and agedDark Agoutirats from day7 after immunization. Antagonizing NMDARs had a more favourable effect on clinical disease,reactivation, and apoptosis of CD4+T cells in the target organ of aged EAE rats. The expression ofthe fractalkine receptor CX3CR1 was increased in memantine-treated rats, but to a greater extent inaged rats. Additionally, memantine increased Nrf2 and Nrf2-regulated enzymes’ mRNA expressionin brain tissue. The concentrations of superoxide anion radicals, malondialdehyde, and advancedoxidation protein products in brain tissue were consistent with previous results. Overall, our resultssuggest that NMDARs play a more important role in the pathogenesis of EAE in aged than in young rats
Hemocompatibility evaluation of N-doped carbon quantum dots
Get PDFNitrogen-doped carbon quantum dots (N-CQDs) are promising next
generation nanomaterials for potential biomedical applications such as bioimaging, biosensing,
and drug/gene delivery. However, N-CQDs biocompatibility has not been extensively
investigated. Here, we report physico-chemical characteristics of newly synthetized N-CQDs
and their effects on red blood cells (RBC), by analyzing their hemolytic activity, impact on
RBC rheology/morphology, and oxidative stress induction. N-CQDs were prepared by
hydrothermal method using citric acid and urea as precursors. Structural analyses of as prepared
N-GQDs, observed by HRTEM/EDS, showed that the lateral dimensions of the particles are in
the 10 to 20 nm range, as well as that the carbon, oxygen, and nitrogen are present in the
nanosystem. Based on AFM measurements, the average height of N-CQDs was 3.9±0.08 Å.
Photoluminescence emission (PLE) spectrum demonstrated that N-CQDs exhibit stable and
strong fluorescence in green (520 nm) region, upon 410 nm excitation. FTIR spectroscopy
indicated vibrational bands, characteristic for carbon structures and primary amines (Ndoping).
N-CQDs were negatively charged with an average Zeta potential of -15.3
mV as confirmed by DLS. To investigate hemocompatibility of N-CQDs, the RBC, the most
abundant cells in blood, were treated with different concentration of N-CQDs (10-400 ug/ml)
for 2h. Obtained results showed that there was no hemolytic activity. Moreover, ektacytometry
analysis demonstrated that N-CQDs did not affect deformability of RBC. Fluorescent
microscopy analyses revealed that treatment with N-CQDs did not induce significant
morphological aberrant forms of RBC which was also confirmed by SEM analyses. Flow
cytometry confirmed only slight RBC morphological changes based on FSC/SSC analysis.
Furthermore, using ROS sensitive dye flow cytometry analyses suggested that N-CQDs did not
induce oxidative stress in RBC. Taken together, our findings highlighted that exposure of RBC
to N-CQDs only led to the attachment of N-CQDs on RBC membranes, but there is no other
evidence of their nanotoxicity. These findings suggested that N-CQDs synthetized from ecofriendly
precursors are potentially biocompatible and safe for biomedical application