Excretory Products Research Articles

Screening and Characterization of Biofilm Forming Food Pathogens and their Biocontrol

Microorganisms grow as a complex aggregation on a solid substrate to form a biofilm. This film serves as a defensive tool for various pathogenic microorganisms at different stress conditions. A well developed biofilm forms a complex diverse structure of dormant and active bacterial colonies with their enzymes and its excretory products. The main features of biofilm forming bacteria are their ability for surface attachment, high population density and extracellular polymeric substances. Biofilm has positive effects on biotechnology but it is extremely harmful in industry and medicine. Numerous chronic infections are caused by bacterial biofilm. Besides, biofilm also causes various infections of biomaterial used in medicine such as intravascular urethral catheters, orthopedic devices, contact lenses, heart valves and vocal cord prosthesis. Biomaterials used in medicine such as intravascular urethral catheters, orthopedic devices, contact lenses, heart valves and vocal cord prosthesis also gets infected by biofilm. The proposed work was carried out to study the biofilm-forming ability of bacteria from different food items. These bacteria were isolated and tested for biofilm-forming ability using Congo red and microtiter plate assay. All strong biofilm producers were tested for antibiotic sensitivity. Enzyme profiling and molecular characterization were done. Morphological and biochemical characterization of isolates was also carried out.

An Ayurvedic Understanding on Applications of Yogic Prana Mudra in Relation with Prana Vayu as a Supportive Measure during Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic

Introduction: Our body is a mini universe made of Panchamahabhuta (five basic elements). The Panchamahabhuta siddhantha is a basic principle of Ayurveda on which the fundamentals such as sharira (physical body), dosha (biological homors), dhatu (tissues), and mala (excretory products) are explained. The disturbance in these elements leads to an imbalanced mind and body to cause various diseases. There are various mudra (hand gestures) explained in Yoga which helps to balance these basic elements within ourselves to maintain good health. Out of these, Prana mudra has been chosen as it is one such simple yogic gesture designed to balance the Prana Vayu in the body which is very essential in maintaining the proper functioning of the lungs, to energize the heart and increases vitality. Objectives: The study aims to generate a simple conceptual framework for understanding the applications of Prana mudra and to distinguish its utility in terms of Ayurveda. Methods: Appropriate literatures of both sciences are referred, and a concept has been framed. Conclusion: Prana vayu is considered as a type of vata dosha in Ayurveda. It represents the functions of vital structures such as lungs and heart, and it is also responsible for the actions which aids in sustenance of life, and it complements well with prana (vital energy), a subtle counterpart of vata as stated in the former.

Identification of additional dye tracers for measuring solid food intake and food preference via consumption-excretion in Drosophila

The Drosophila model has become a leading platform for investigating mechanisms that drive feeding behavior and the effect of diet on physiological outputs. Several methods for tracking feeding behavior in flies have been developed. One method, consumption-excretion or Con-Ex, provides flies with media labeled with dye and then quantifies the amount of dye excreted into the vial as a measure of consumption. We previously found that Blue 1 and Orange 4 work well in Con-Ex and can be used as a dye pair in food preference studies. We have expanded our development of Con-Ex by identifying two additional dyes, Orange G and Yellow 10, that detect the anticipated effects of mating status, strain, starvation and nutrient concentration. Additionally, Orange G and Yellow 10 accumulate linearly in excretion products out to 48 h and the excreted volumes of these two dyes reflect the volumes consumed. Orange G also works with Blue 1 as a dye pair in food preference studies. Finally, consumption of Blue 1, Orange 4, Orange G or Yellow 10 does not affect ethanol sedation or rapid tolerance to ethanol. Our findings establish that Orange G and Yellow 10, like Blue 1 and Orange 4, are suitable for use in Con-Ex.

Wastewater-based epidemiology in hazard forecasting and early-warning systems for global health risks.

With the advent of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, Wastewater-Based Epidemiology (WBE) has been applied to track community infection in cities worldwide and has proven succesful as an early warning system for identification of hotspots and changingprevalence of infections (both symptomatic and asymptomatic) at a city or sub-city level. Wastewater is only one of environmental compartments that requires consideration. In this manuscript, we have critically evaluated the knowledge-base and preparedness for building early warning systems in a rapidly urbanising world, with particular attention to Africa, which experiences rapid population growth and urbanisation. We have proposed a Digital Urban Environment Fingerprinting Platform (DUEF) - a new approach in hazard forecasting and early-warning systems for global health risks and an extension to the existing concept of smart cities. The urban environment (especially wastewater) contains a complex mixture of substances including toxic chemicals, infectious biological agents and human excretion products. DUEF assumes that these specific endo- and exogenous residues, anonymously pooled by communities' wastewater, are indicative of community-wide exposure and the resulting effects. DUEF postulates that the measurement of the substances continuously and anonymously pooled by the receiving environment (sewage, surface water, soils and air), can provide near real-time dynamic information about the quantity and type of physical, biological or chemical stressors to which the surveyed systems are exposed, and can create a risk profile on the potential effects of these exposures. Successful development and utilisation of a DUEF globally requires a tiered approach including: Stage I: network building, capacity building, stakeholder engagement as well as a conceptual model, followed by Stage II: DUEF development, Stage III: implementation, and Stage IV: management and utilization. We have identified four key pillars required for the establishment of a DUEF framework: (1) Environmental fingerprints, (2) Socioeconomic fingerprints, (3) Statistics and modelling and (4) Information systems. This manuscript critically evaluates the current knowledge base within each pillar and provides recommendations for further developments with an aim of laying grounds for successful development of global DUEF platforms.

Functional Diversity of the Excretory/Secretory Proteins of Nematode Parasites.

Parasites release a wide array of protein as excretory and secretory products (ESPs). Irrespective of their mode of propagation, ESPs are found to be secreted or excreted by both naturally occurring and laboratory-cultivated parasites. Mass spectrometry-based approaches have been extensively used to identify and characterize the ESP constituents. ESPs are involved in various cellular activities such as immune modulation, proteolysis, inhibition of proteases and protection of cells against oxidants. Specifically, their role in host immune evasion by down-regulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines and up-regulation of anti-inflammatory cytokines attracts scientific attention. A thorough investigation of functional diversity of ESPs may be helpful in planning control strategies against many parasites. This review focuses on diversity of ES proteins, various approaches to identify them and discusses about the biochemical and functional aspects of such proteins. The diverse array of proteins secreted or excreted (a, GST-1, acetylcholinesterase, GAPDH) by the parasites are also described emphasizing their role in cellular physiology. Finally, it concludes by citing some of these proteins as potential therapeutic agents against helminth challenge.

A Preliminary Study on the Antigenic Proteins of Linguatula serrata Nymphal Stage in Sheep with Visceral Linguatulosis.

Scant information is available on the immunological aspect of Linguatula serrata causing linguatulosis in humans and animals. The present study aimed to analyze the content of crude somatic extracts and excretory-secretory products of L. serrata nymphs to detect the immune response of sheep and immunogenic proteins of the parasite. After collecting the nymphs, somatic extracts were prepared by sonication. Excretory secretory products were prepared by the incubation of nymphs in RPMI medium at 37°C with 5% CO2. Somatic and excretory-secretory proteins were isolated using SDS-PAGE. The immunogenic properties of the resulting proteins were determined using immunoblotting and positive sera from sheep infected with visceral linguatulosis. The total content of somatic extracts and excretory-secretory products of L. serrata nymphs analyzed by SDS-PAGE (12% gel) revealed two protein patterns with more than 18 and 9 strong bands, respectively. Immunoblots using sera samples of sheep infected with the parasite, somatic extracts and excretory-secretory products demonstrated 12 and 3 antigenic proteins with molecular weights mostly in the range of 24-100kDa and an antigen more than 180kDa. Three common immunodominant antigenic proteins with molecular weights of 38 and 57, as well as an antigen of more than 180 kDa, were detected in the somatic extracts and excretory-secretory products of L. serrata nymphs in sheep with visceral linguatulosis. These antigens can be considetered prime candidates for future serodiagnosis and immunoprotective studies of the parasite.

Performance improvement of aquaponics systems when using microbiological strains in them

The essence of the method of operation of the aquaponic system is to use the vital waste of aquatic animals as food for plants. At the first stage, the fish produces waste products. Then, in the second stage, microbes and worms convert the waste into fertilizers for plants. During the process, at the third stage, plants consume the necessary products of excretion of living organisms. Aquaponics is an artificial ecosystem in which three types of living organisms are key: aquatic animals (usually fish or shrimp), plants and bacteria. This technology works on the principle of an ecosystem of fish and plants: fish provides food to plants, and plants purify water and are environmentally friendly. The essence of this method is to use the vital waste of aquatic animals (fish, shrimp) as a nutrient medium for plants. These are chemicals such as nitrogenous, potassium, phosphorus compounds, carbon dioxide. Thanks to aquaponic farms, the costs of water and other natural resources, soil pollution and the use of insecticides are already being reduced in different places of our planet. Such systems are a sustainable ecosystem capable of producing organic matter that does not contain toxic substances often present in vegetables grown by traditional methods.

СРАВНИТЕЛЬНЫЙ АНАЛИЗ ПОДХОДОВ К НОРМИРОВАНИЮ И КОНТРОЛЮ ВНУТРЕННЕГО ОБЛУЧЕНИЯ ПЕРСОНАЛА

Purpose: Harmonization and improvement of the system for regulating the internal radiation exposure of workers and the basic requirements for ensuring radiation safety with international requirements and recommendations. Material and methods: Issues related to the development of approaches to regulation and monitoring of workers for internal radiation exposure in the process of evolution of the ICRP recommendations and the national radiation safety standards, are considered. The subject of analysis is the standardized values: dose limits for workers and permissible levels as well as directly related methods of monitoring of workers for internal radiation exposure, whose purpose is to determine the degree of compliance with the principles of radiation safety and regulatory requirements, including non-exceeding the basic dose limits and permissible levels. The permissible levels of inhalation intake of insoluble compounds (dioxide) of plutonium-239 are considered as a numerical example. Results: Based on the analysis of approaches to the regulation and monitoring of workers for internal radiation exposure for the period from 1959 to 2019, it is shown that a qualitative change in the approach occurred in the 1990s. It was due to a decrease in the number of standardized values by introducing a single dose limit for all types of exposure: the effective dose E, which takes into account the different sensitivity of organs and tissues for stochastic radiation effects (WT), using the previously accepted concepts of the equivalent dose H and groups of critical organs. From the analysis it follows that the committed effective dose is a linear transformation of the intake, linking these two quantities by the dose coefficient, which does not depend on the time during which the intake occurred, and reflects certain exposure conditions of the radionuclide intake (intake routes, parameters of aerosols and type of radionuclide compounds). It was also shown that the reference value of the function z(t) linking the measured value of activity in an organ (tissue) or in excretion products with the committed effective dose for a reference person, which is introduced for the first time in the publications of the ICRP OIR 2015-2019, makes it possible to standardize the method of measuring the normalized value of the effective dose. Based on the comparison of the predicted values of the lung and daily urine excretion activities following constant chronic inhalation intake of insoluble plutonium compounds at a rate equal annual limit of intake (ALI) during the period of occupational activity 50 years it was shown that the modern biokinetic models give a slightly lower level (on average 2 times) of the lungs exposure compared to the models of the previous generation and a proportionally lower level (on average 1.4 times) of plutonium urine excretion for the standard type of insoluble plutonium compounds S. However, for the specially defined insoluble plutonium compound, PuO2, the level of plutonium urine excretion differs significantly downward (on average 11.5 times) compared to the models of the previous generation. Conclusion: With the practical implementation of new ICRP OIR models, in particular for PuO2 compounds, additional studies should be carried out on the behavior of insoluble industrial plutonium compounds in the human body. Besides, additional possibilities should be used to determine the intake of plutonium by measuring in the human body the radionuclide Am-241, which is the Pu-241 daughter. To determine the plutonium urine excretion, the most sensitive measurement techniques should be used, having a decision threshold about fractions of mBq in a daily urine for S-type compounds and an order of magnitude lower for PuO2 compounds. This may require the development and implementation in monitoring practice the plutonium-DTPA Biokinetic Model.

CRITICAL UNDERSTANDING OF MUTRA UTPATHI ACCORDING TO AYURVEDA

Ayurveda is mainly based on dosha, dhatu and mala. Mala are the substances or waste matters That are excreted out of the body. They are by-products formed as a result of various physiological activities happening inside the body. Purisha, Mutra and Sweda are considered as the main excretory product of the body and called mala. Urine formation is one of the important physiological activities of the human body in which Mutravaha Moola and waste products of Ahara Rasa contribute significantly. Basti, Mutravaha Srotansi, Vrikka, Mutravaha Nadies, Mutravaha Dhamanis and Mutravaha Sira, etc. Are major body parts which play a significant role in the process of urine formation. While modern science described the urinary bladder, nephrons, kidneys, ureters and urethra, etc as vital parts of urine formations. This article tries to critically review the formation of urine according to Ayurveda. Keywords: Mala, Mutra, Mutravaha Srothas, urine formation

Novel Insights on Obligate Symbiont Lifestyle and Adaptation to Chemosynthetic Environment as Revealed by the Giant Tubeworm Genome.

The mutualism between the giant tubeworm Riftia pachyptila and its endosymbiont Candidatus Endoriftia persephone has been extensively researched over the past 40 years. However, the lack of the host whole-genome information has impeded the full comprehension of the genotype/phenotype interface in Riftia. Here, we described the high-quality draft genome of Riftia, its complete mitogenome, and tissue-specific transcriptomic data. The Riftia genome presents signs of reductive evolution, with gene family contractions exceeding expansions. Expanded gene families are related to sulfur metabolism, detoxification, antioxidative stress, oxygen transport, immune system, and lysosomal digestion, reflecting evolutionary adaptations to the vent environment and endosymbiosis. Despite the derived body plan, the developmental gene repertoire in the gutless tubeworm is extremely conserved with the presence of a near intact and complete Hox cluster. Gene expression analyses establish that the trophosome is a multifunctional organ marked by intracellular digestion of endosymbionts, storage of excretory products, and hematopoietic functions. Overall, the plume and gonad tissues both in contact to the environment harbor highly expressed genes involved with cell cycle, programed cell death, and immunity indicating a high cell turnover and defense mechanisms against pathogens. We posit that the innate immune system plays a more prominent role into the establishment of the symbiosis during the infection in the larval stage, rather than maintaining the symbiostasis in the trophosome. This genome bridges four decades of physiological research in Riftia, whereas it simultaneously provides new insights into the development, whole organism functions, and evolution in the giant tubeworm.

The effectiveness of using a microbiological strain in the aquaponics system

Aquaponics is an artificial ecosystem in which three types of living organisms are key: aquatic animals (usually fish or shrimp), plants and bacteria. This technology works on the principle of an ecosystem of fish and plants: fish provides food to plants, and plants purify water and are environmentally friendly. The essence of this method is to use the vital waste of aquatic animals (fish, shrimp) as a nutrient medium for plants. The essence of the method of operation of the aquaponic system is to use the vital waste of aquatic animals as food for plants. At the first stage, the fish produces waste products. Then, in the second stage, microbes and worms convert the waste into fertilizers for plants. During the process, at the third stage, plants consume the necessary products of excretion of living organisms. These are chemicals such as nitrogenous, potassium, phosphorus compounds, carbon dioxide. Thanks to aquaponic farms, the costs of water and other natural resources, soil pollution and the use of insecticides are already being reduced in different places of our planet. Such systems are a sustainable ecosystem capable of producing organic matter that does not contain toxic substances often present in vegetables grown by traditional methods.

Immune reactivity and host modulatory roles of two novel Haemonchus contortus cathepsin B-like proteases

BackgroundHaemonchus contortus is a blood-feeding, gastrointestinal nematode (GIN) that causes significant economic losses to the small ruminant industry worldwide. Despite extensive efforts, our understanding of the molecular mechanisms used by GIN to evade host immune responses is limited. Cathepsin B-like proteins (CBPs) are members of the cysteine protease family and are involved in parasite invasion and thus provide viable vaccine candidates.MethodsIn silico comparative analysis was used to identify conserved proteins among a subset of clade V parasitic nematodes with emphasis on blood-feeding worms, among which CBPs appeared prominently. We identified and characterized two novel CBPs designated Hc-CBP-1 and Hc-CBP-2. Rabbit anti-recombinant (r) Hc-CBP-1 and rHc-CBP-2 were used to detect the presence of native proteins in the excretory secretory products (ESP) and in worm tissues of adult H. contortus. Peptide arrays of rHc-CBP-1 and rHc-CBP-2 were screened with the homologous and heterologous anti-sera and with sera from dexamethasone-treated (Dex+) and non-treated (Dex−) H. contortus-infected animals to identify key immunogenic peptides. Gene transcription of Hc-cbp-1 and Hc-cbp-2 was also performed on H. contortus-infected animals treated with Dex+. Finally, the mature recombinant proteins were used to assess their abilities to modulate cell functions.ResultsImmunohistochemistry showed that both Hc-CBP-1 and Hc-CBP-2 are present on the brush borders of the intestine; Hc-CBP-2 was also present in the hypodermis of the body wall. Peptide displays screened with rabbit anti-rHc-CBP-1 and anti-rHc-CBP-2 revealed regions within the proteins where dominant and overlapping epitopes prevailed. ELISA results were consistent with only Hc-CBP-1 being present in H. contortus adult ESPs. H. contortus from Dex+ animals exhibited a threefold increase in Hc-cbp-2 transcript while Hc-cbp-1 expression did not change. In contrast, comparisons of immunoreactivities of rHc-CBP-1 and rHc-CBP-2 peptide arrays to sera from Dex+ and Dex− animals primarily showed changes in Hc-CBP-1 binding. Lastly, rHc-CBP-1 suppressed mRNA expression of bovine peripheral blood mononuclear cell cytokines/activation markers, including TNFα, IL-1, IL-6 and CD86.ConclusionsThese results suggest that as secreted and cryptic proteins, respectively, Hc-CBP-1 and Hc-CBP-2 influence cellular and immunological activities that have interesting dynamics during infection and may provide viable immune-related targets for attenuating H. contortus infectivity.Graphic

Simultaneous quantification of 26 NAD-related metabolites in plasma, blood, and liver tissue using UHPLC-MS/MS

Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) is a key metabolic intermediate found in all cells and involved in numerous cellular functions. Perturbances in the NAD metabolome are linked to various diseases such as diabetes and schizophrenia, and to congenital malformations and recurrent miscarriage. Mouse models are central to the investigation of these and other NAD-related conditions because mice can be readily genetically modified and treated with diets with altered concentrations of NAD precursors. Simultaneous quantification of as many metabolites of the NAD metabolome as possible is required to understand which pathways are affected in these disease conditions and what are the functional consequences.Here, we report the development of a fit-for-purpose method to simultaneously quantify 26 NAD-related metabolites and creatinine in mouse plasma, whole blood, and liver tissue using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography - tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS). The included metabolites represent dietary precursors, intermediates, enzymatic cofactors, and excretion products. Sample preparation was optimized for each matrix and included 21 isotope-labeled internal standards. The method reached adequate precision and accuracy for the intended context of use of exploratory pathway-related biomarker discovery in mouse models. The method was tested by determining metabolite concentrations in mice fed a special diet with defined precursor content.

Evidence of Immune Modulators in the Secretome of the Equine Tapeworm Anoplocephala perfoliata.

Anoplocephala perfoliata is a neglected gastro-intestinal tapeworm, commonly infecting horses worldwide. Molecular investigation of A. perfoliata is hampered by a lack of tools to better understand the host–parasite interface. This interface is likely influenced by parasite derived immune modulators released in the secretome as free proteins or components of extracellular vesicles (EVs). Therefore, adult RNA was sequenced and de novo assembled to generate the first A. perfoliata transcriptome. In addition, excretory secretory products (ESP) from adult A. perfoliata were collected and EVs isolated using size exclusion chromatography, prior to proteomic analysis of the EVs, the EV surface and EV depleted ESP. Transcriptome analysis revealed 454 sequences homologous to known helminth immune modulators including two novel Sigma class GSTs, five α-HSP90s, and three α-enolases with isoforms of all three observed within the proteomic analysis of the secretome. Furthermore, secretome proteomics identified common helminth proteins across each sample with known EV markers, such as annexins and tetraspanins, observed in EV fractions. Importantly, 49 of the 454 putative immune modulators were identified across the secretome proteomics contained within and on the surface of EVs in addition to those identified in free ESP. This work provides the molecular tools for A. perfoliata to reveal key players in the host–parasite interaction within the horse host.

Benefits of Cow Dung - A Human Ignored Gift

Cow is considered as mother and even as god. It is one of the largest domesticated mammals. The meaning of the word <em>panchagavya</em> in Sanskrit is "five cow-derivatives" consisting of three direct constituents like cow urine, dung, milk and the two derived products are curd and ghee. Cow dung and urine are the excretory products. Cow dung is an undigested residue of consumed food material of cow combined with faeces and urine, lignin, cellulose and hemicelluloses being the major composition. Cow dung is an indigestible plant material from the intestine of cow released on to the ground. Generally, faeces, either from an animal or human is not a desired topic of conversation. Cow dung is worth discussing. It's a useful material and helps us in a variety of ways. Cow urine has been used as an antimicrobial not only for rituals but also therapeutically. But cow dung has been mostly used as a firework and/or biofertilizer in the form of cow patties. Researchers have ignored the therapeutical benefits of cow dung which is evident from the smaller number of pharmaceutical products in market amidst of its miraculous benefits. This review discusses about the existing traditional therapeutics and the respective medicinal property of cow dung and tries to change the mindset of the scientific community to carry out the further research in the future.

Trace elements in Antarctic penguins and the potential role of guano as source of recycled metals in the Southern Ocean

Penguins dominate the Antarctic avifauna. As key animals in the Antarctic ecosystem, they are monitored to evaluate the ecological status of this pristine and remote region and specifically, they have been used as effective bioindicators suitable for long-term monitoring of metals in the Antarctic environment. However, studies about the role of this emblematic organism could play in the recycling of trace metals (TMs) in the Antarctic ecosystem are very limited. In this study we evaluate, using the peer review research articles already published and our own findings, the distribution of metals (i.e., Ca, Fe, Al, Na, Zn, Mg, Cu, K, Cd, Mn, Sr, Cr, Ni, Pb, Hg, V, Ba, Co, La, Ag, Rb, Hf, Sc, Au and Cs) and metalloids (As and Sb), measured in different biotic matrices, with emphasis on guano, of the Chinstrap (Pygoscelis antarcticus), Adélie (Pygoscelis adeliae) and Gentoo (Pygoscelis papua) penguins.Regarding bioactive metals, the high concentrations (μg g−1 dry weight) of Cu (2.0 ± 1.4) x 102, Fe (4.1 ± 2.9) x 102, Mn (30 ± 34) and Zn (210 ± 90) reported in the guano from all the penguin species studied including our data, are of the same order of magnitude as those reported for whale feces (μg g−1 dry weight): Cu (2.9 ± 2.4) x 102, Fe (1.5 ± 1.4) x 102, Mn (28 ± 17) and Zn (6.2 ± 4.3) x 102, and one order of magnitude higher than the metal contents in krill (μg g−1 dry weight) of Cu (10.2 ± 5.5), Fe (24 ± 29) and Zn (13.5 ± 1.7).This suggest that penguin's excretion products could be an important source of these essential elements in the surface water, with an estimated annual release on a breeding season for Cu, Fe, Mn, Zn respectively of 28, 56, 4 and 29 tons, for the Chinstrap, Adélie and Gentoo penguins. The results provide evidence on the potential influence of penguins recycling TMs in the surface layer of the water column.

Regenerated iron: How important are different zooplankton groups to oceanic productivity?

The scarcity of iron limits phytoplankton growth in large areas of the global ocean. Zooplankton may contribute to the cycling of iron via excretion and egestion. Despite evidence of high iron content in zooplankton excretion and faecal products, many questions arise as to the availability of regenerated iron for phytoplankton growth.

Proteomic Analysis of Fasciola hepatica Excretory and Secretory Products Co-Immunoprecipitated Using Time Course Infection Sera.

Fasciola hepatica is a widespread pathogen that is known for its harmful effects on the health and productivity of ruminant animals. To identify the proteins present in all periods of infection with F. hepatica but not in those with Fasciola gigantica by shotgun liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS), we collected the ESPs and sera of F. hepatica and F. gigantica. In this study, the sheep were artificially infected with F. hepatica and the sera were collected at five different periods: 3 days post-infection (dpi), 7 dpi, 21 dpi, 63 dpi, and 112 dpi. The interacting proteins were pulled down from the sheep sera of all five periods and the sera with F. gigantica by co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP) assay, before being identified by LC–MS/MS analysis. Thirty, twenty-two, twenty-three, twenty-seven, and twenty-two proteins were pulled down by the infected sera at 3 dpi, 7 dpi, 21 dpi, 63 dpi, and 112 dpi, respectively. Among them, 12 proteins existed in all periods, while six proteins could be detected in all periods in F. hepatica but not in F. gigantica. Protein relative pathway analysis revealed that these proteins mainly refer to the metabolism, regulation of genetic activity, and signal transduction of F. hepatica. In conclusion, this study provides meaningful data for the diagnosis of fasciolosis and to understand the interactions between F. hepatica and the host.

The role of energy, serine, glycine, and 1-carbon units in the cost of nitrogen excretion in mammals and birds

The efficiency with which dietary protein is used affects the nitrogen excretion by the animal and the environmental impact of animal production. Urea and uric acid are the main nitrogen excretion products resulting from amino acid catabolism in mammals and birds, respectively. Nitrogen excretion can be reduced by using low-protein diets supplemented with free amino acids to ensure that essential amino acids are not limiting performance. However, there are questions whether the capacity to synthesize certain nonessential amino acids is sufficient when low-protein diets are used. This includes glycine, which is used for uric acid synthesis. Nitrogen excretion not only implies a nitrogen and energy loss in the urine, but energy is also required to synthesize the excretion products. The objective of this study was to quantify the energy and metabolic requirements for nitrogen excretion products in the urine. The stoichiometry of reactions to synthesize urea, uric acid, allantoin, and creatinine was established using information from a publicly available database. The energy cost was at least 40.3, 60.7, 64.7, and 65.4 kJ/g excreted N for urea, uric acid, allantoin, and creatinine, respectively, of which 56, 56, 47, and 85% were retained in the excretion product. Data from a broiler study were used to carry out a flux balance analysis for nitrogen, serine, glycine, and so-called 1-carbon units. The flux balance indicated that the glycine intake was insufficient to cover the requirements for growth and uric acid excretion. The serine intake was also insufficient to cover the glycine deficiency, underlining the importance of the de novo synthesis of serine and glycine. One-carbon units are also a component of uric acid and can be synthesized from serine and glycine. There are indications that the de novo synthesis of 1-carbon units may be a “weak link” in metabolism, because of the stoichiometric dependency between the synthesized 1-carbon units and glycine. The capacity to catabolize excess 1-carbon units may be limited, especially in birds fed low-protein diets. Therefore, there may be an upper limit to the 1-carbon-to-glycine requirement ratio in relation to nutrients that supply 1-carbon units and glycine. The ratio can be reduced by increasing uric acid excretion (i.e., reducing protein deposition) or by dietary supplementation with glycine. The hypothesis that the 1-carbon-to-glycine requirement ratio should be lower than the supply ratio provides a plausible explanation for the growth reduction in low-protein diets and the positive response to the dietary glycine supply.

Assessment of ecological state of Rostov zoo soil

A comparative study of ecological and biological parameters of soils of the Rostov-on-Don Zoo was carried out in 2017-2020. Monitoring sites were studied in areas of various purpose: aviaries with different animals, recreation area, park area. The control plot was a relatively undisturbed park section in the territory of the zoo. Different sites revealed heterogeneity of ecological conditions and soil properties. The most significant difference was in the physical properties of soils. Density, penetration resistance, and soil structure were degraded in aviaries with large animals: rhinos, zebras, deer. Using methods of bioindication, the degree of change in the soil of aviaries was determined compared with the soil of the control plot. The abundance of nitrogen-fixing bacteria of the Azotobacter genus was reduced in the soils of aviaries with zebras, rams, rhinos and giraffe due to the artificial addition of sand to the soil for the purpose of improvement of its physical properties. The activity of soil enzymes (urease and dehydrogenases) was significantly increased in the soils of aviaries due to their contamination with animal excretory products. A particularly high increase was in urease (up to 7.4 times relative to the control soil). The main problems of the topsoil of the zoo are overconsolidation, structural degradation, organic pollution, change in biological activity. The degree of change depends on the size of aviaries, the size and activity of animals and soil amelioration aimed at regulating physical properties of the soil.