210 research outputs found
Serum interleukin-6 as a prognostic marker in neonatal calf diarrhea
No full textNeonatal calf diarrhea is still one of the most important diseases in calf rearing, and severe diarrhea has a marked effect on animal welfare. Furthermore, significant economic losses can result from this disease due to high mortality rates, high medical costs, and low weight gain. To avoid a fatal outcome of the disease, it is crucial that vulnerable calves are identified as early as possible. Interleukin-6 is described as an early and reliable prognostic marker in several diseases. In this study, 20 scouring calves were tested by ELISA for their IL-6 serum concentrations. Samples were collected twice, at the beginning of diarrhea and 7 to 10 d later. Regarding the clinical outcome after 7 to 10 d, calves were classified as recovered or nonrecovered. A receiver operating characteristic analysis was conducted to determine the prognostic value of IL-6 for the progress of clinical symptoms. At the beginning of diarrhea, the IL-6 concentration was significantly higher in nonrecovering calves compared with those that recover 7 to 10 d after the onset of diarrhea. Interleukin-6 proved to be a useful additional parameter in the clinical examination. High initial IL-6 values can support the decision for closer monitoring and an adapted therapeutic strategy for the respective calves. This may help to prevent unnecessary animal suffering and reduce economic losses.Ministry for Science and Culture of Lower Saxony (Hannover, Germany
Dynamics of salivary immunoglobulin A and serum interleukin 6 levels in newborn calves
No full textMucosal immunoglobulin A (IgA) is an important component of the adaptive first line immune defense. Especially in newborn calves, where diarrheal pathogens can cause severe diseases, the adaptive mucosal immunity is crucial. Regulating local IgA production is complex. Cytokines and in particular, interleukin 6 (IL-6), are described to be main actors in this process. In vaccination trails, IL-6 is used to improve the immune response with ambiguous results. Therefore, this study investigated the influence of IL-6 on the physiological development of salivary IgA production in newborn calves. Ten clinically healthy female Holstein calves were sampled over a period of four weeks. Immunoglobulin A and IL-6 were measured in serum, colostrum, milk and saliva. In addition, to compare the mucosal immune response with the systemic immune response, immunoglobulin G was measured in serum, colostrum and milk, too, using a commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). In order to determine the ability of newborn calves to produce IL-6 actively by themselves, the relative gene expression was analyzed in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) using a quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Interleukin 6 gene expression in PBMCs was detected directly after birth. A significant positive correlation between serum IL-6 and salivary IgA was found on day seven (p=0.043). Furthermore, the IL-6 serum concentration peaked on day 14 and coincided with a remarkable IgA increase in saliva (p < 0.01). Therefore, IL-6 seemed to play a role during the first initialization phase of a local IgA response. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.Lower Saxony Ministry of Science and Culture [GOE P.AW 20130409
Transgenic, non-isoprene emitting poplars don’t like it hot
No full textThe physiological role of isoprene emission in plants is a matter of much debate. One of the most widely propagated hypotheses suggests a function of isoprene in the protection of leaf physiological processes against thermal and oxidative stress. To test this hypothesis, we developed transgenic Grey poplar (Populus×canescens) plants in which gene expression of isoprene synthase (ISPS) was either silenced by RNA interference (RNAi) or upregulated by over‐expression of the ISPS gene. Despite increased ISPS mRNA levels, we did not observe consistent increases in isoprene emission in the over‐expressing lines, indicating post‐transcriptional control of ISPS by co‐suppression. In the RNAi lines, levels of isoprene emission were effectively suppressed to virtually zero. Transgenic plants were subjected to temperature stress with three transient heat phases of 38–40°C, each followed by phases of recovery at 30°C. Parallel measurements of gas exchange, chlorophyll fluorescence and isoprene emission provided new insights into the physiological link between isoprene and enhanced temperature tolerance. Transgenic non‐isoprene‐emitting poplars showed reduced rates of net assimilation and photosynthetic electron transport during heat stress, but not in the absence of stress. The decrease in the efficiency of photochemistry was inversely correlated with the increase in heat dissipation of absorbed light energy, measured as NPQ (non‐photochemical quenching). Isoprene‐repressed poplars also displayed an increased formation of the xanthophyll cycle pigment zeaxanthin in the absence of stress, which can cause increased NPQ or may indicate an increased requirement for antioxidants. In conclusion, using a molecular genetic approach, we show that down‐regulation of isoprene emission affects thermotolerance of photosynthesis and induces increased energy dissipation by NPQ pathways
Identifikation und molekulare Charakterisierung hoch-immunogener mykobakterieller T-Zell-Antigene
No full textEfficacy of the OTSC System in the treatment of GI bleeding and wall defects: a PMCF meta-analysis
No full textGastroentérologie: la POEM et autres avancées dans le domaine de l’endoscopie interventionnelle
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Fitoterapia, yoga e agopuntura in gastroenterologia − tutte bufale o possibili approcci terapeutici?
No full textKomplementärmedizinische Therapien werden von Patienten mit gastrointestinalen Beschwerden, insbesondere bei Patienten mit Reizdarmsyndrom („irritable bowel syndrome“, IBS) und bei Patienten mit chronisch-entzündlichen Darmerkrankungen (CED), häufig verwendet. Im Gegensatz zum großen Interesse der Patienten ist das Wissen über solche Therapien bei vielen Gastroenterologen, wahrscheinlich bedingt durch die eher schwache Datenlage, meistens gering. In diesem Übersichtsartikel möchten wir die wichtigsten phytotherapeutischen Therapiemöglichkeiten bei IBS und CED beleuchten und versuchen, einen Überblick über die Datenlage von Bewegungstherapien, Yoga und Akupunktur in der Therapie von gastrointestinalen Krankheiten zu geben
Molecular diversity and antimicrobial susceptibility of Streptococcus equi ssp. equi isolates from equines
No full textStreptococcus equi subspecies equi (See) is the causative agent of strangles, a highly infectious disease of equines worldwide. This study utilized various molecular typing methods, including analysis of whole genome sequence (WGS) data, to enlighten the phylogenetic relationships of See isolates obtained from equines in Germany and other countries, as well as to examine the associations between genotype, virulence-associated genes (VAGs), and epidemiological data. Additionally, antimicrobial susceptibilities, biofilm formation in vitro, and the relationship between genotype and biofilm formation were investigated.
This study examined 628 non-duplicate putative S. equi isolates obtained from equines between 2001 and 2020, which were confirmed by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) as See (n = 265) and Streptococcus equi subspecies zooepidemicus (Sez) (n = 363), respectively. A published Se-mPCR successfully detected the sodA gene in all tested isolates and confirmed their assignment to the species S. equi. All but one isolates identified as See by MALDI-TOF MS (99.2 %) also harboured the See signature locus ICESe2, while none of them carried the ICESz1 locus of Sez. In contrast, only 44.6 % of the Sez isolates harboured the respective PCR target ICESz1.
Among the 265 See isolates, analysis of their seM gene revealed a total of 47 different alleles, including 30 novel ones. The seM-9 allele was the most prevalent (87.9%). Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) of 191 See isolates selected for whole genome sequencing confirmed a low phylogenetic diversity of See since only two highly related sequence types (STs) were detected: ST-151 (73.8 %) and ST-179 (26.2 %). The core genome MLST (cgMLST) analysis exhibited 159 core genome (cg)-geno¬types affiliated with three globally recognized BAPS clusters of See: BAPS-2 (94.8 %), BAPS-5 (4.7 %), and BAPS-6 (0.5 %). Spatial-temporal analysis of See isolates from Germany identified some phylogenetically closely related or identical strains within clusters and beyond, suggesting modern horse transportation promotes the distribution of See strains. Comparison of the cgMLST results with those publicly available for 759 other See isolates from around the world revealed that all genotypes of this study fit perfectly into the general phylogenetic tree of See, supporting the hypothesis of a common See ancestor strain and global expansion of its descendants since the late 19th or early 20th century.
In silico screening of WGS data from See isolates for known virulence-associated genes (VAGs) revealed 38 VAGs consistently present in all 191 tested isolates, with an additional 29 VAGs occurring only in 5 % to 99 % of the isolates. Differences in VAG combinations made it possible to distinguish 107 virotypes. The study also revealed that all antigens used in the commercial Strangvac® vaccine were highly-conserved in the investigated See isolates, suggesting the efficacy of Strangvac® against the See strains represented. All See isolates proved susceptible to tested beta-lactam antimicrobials, including penicillin G. Thus, penicillin G can be recommended as the first-line antimicrobial for strangles cases where antimicrobial therapy is clinically indicated. Biofilm assays indicated enhanced or diminished biofilm formation by certain See STs and seM allele groups, respectively, implying a role for the SeM protein in biofilm assembly in vitro
Self-expandable stents for benign esophageal leakages and perforations: long-term single-center experience
No full textOBJECTIVE: To date, there is no standardized treatment for esophageal perforations and leakages caused by underlying benign diseases, and it is still debated whether a conservative, endoscopic treatment or a surgical approach is preferable. However, some cases series have successfully demonstrated the feasibility of a temporary placement of self-expanding stents.
DESIGN: All patients with benign leakages of the esophagus or gastroesophageal junction or fistulas at gastroesophageal anastomosis were collected during the past 12 years and analyzed retrospectively. The patients treated with endoscopic stenting were analyzed for sustained success, complications, time to stenting, lesion size, number of stents used, need for percutaneous drainage.
RESULTS: Eighty-five of eight-eight patients were included in this analysis. Three patients were conservatively managed only. The success rate of stent treatment with an average of 1.3 stents was 79%. Success was highest (94%, n = 30 of 32, no complications or mortality) in iatrogenic lesions that were immediately diagnosed and treated. Spontaneous lesions, including lesions due to Boerhaave's syndrome, were healed in 73% and anastomotic leakages were closed in 71%. Fistula had a lower success rate of 43%. Use of multiple stents sequentially placed was necessary in 23% of the cases. Percutaneous drainage was necessary in 25% of all cases.
CONCLUSION: Temporary stent placement for benign leakages of the esophagus is safe and seems to improve treatment success. Adjacent fluid collections should be drained percutaneously
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