PG Treatment Research Articles

Use of aqueous plant extracts to reduce profenofos residues in the leaf of mustard (Brassica juncea L.) and suppression of the grasshopper population

Profenofos is an active ingredient from the organophosphate group which residue is often found in various fresh and processed vegetable products. This study aimed to assess the use of aqueous plant extracts of Sapindus rarak seeds, Luffa acutangula peel and Centella asiatica leaves to reduce profenofos residues in leaf of mustard and to evaluate their performance in suppressing the grasshopper populations. S. rarak seeds, L. acutangula peels and C. asiatica leaves were dried and filtered using a 100 mesh sieve. A total of 30 gm samples of each ingredient were mixed with 1000 ml of water and blended at 800 rpm, then filtered using 100 mesh sieve before use. The field experiment was performed by spraying profenofos pesticide with a concentration of 3 ml l-1 at a dose of 30 ml per plant. Two days after the profenofos application, the plants were sprayed with the aqueous plant extracts. Twenty-four hrs aqueous plant extracts application, pesticide residues were detected by the UPLC-MS/MS machine. The phytotoxicity test results showed that the use of aqueous plant extracts at a dose of 30 ml per plant did not cause any phytotoxic symptoms. Furthermore, in the field experiment, the control plants showed a residual value of 2407.62 ng g-1. Results of UPLC-MS/MS showed that the residual value of profenofos in PL treatment (aqueous extract of S. rarak seeds) was 1502.05 ng g-1, the recorded residual value in the PP treatment (aqueous extract of C. asiatica leaves) was 1316.27 ng g-1 and the residual value in the PG treatment (aqueous extract of L. acutangula peels) was 660.71 ng g-1. In the treated plants, the residual value decreased from 37.48% to 72.55%. Furthermore, the number of grasshoppers after the PL treatment decreased and was significantly different from the control. This study provides new information that aqueous plant extracts can reduce the residue of profenofos and suppress the population of grasshoppers in the mustard leaf.

Abstract 1358: Model-based evaluation of pegfilgrastim effects on chemotherapy-induced neutropenia in infants with CNS tumors

Abstract Pegfilgrastim (PG), a pegylated recombinant form of human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), is used to shorten the duration of chemotherapy-induced neutropenia. Previous studies have characterized the neutrophil response to PG exposure in adults, but little information is available for the infant population (<1-year-old). This study aims to develop a pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) model to characterize PG PK, the chemotherapy-induced neutropenia, and the neutrophil response to PG in infants and young children with brain tumors. PG concentration-time data and absolute neutrophil counts (ANC) were obtained from 21 children including 13 infants (median [range] age 0.96 [0.4-2.9] years) with newly diagnosed atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumors, enrolled in a phase 2 study (NCT02114229). Patients received multiple cycles of age- and risk-adapted chemotherapy. A single dose of 100 µg/kg PG was given SC 24-48h after the last doses of chemotherapy of each cycle, i.e., cisplatin 75 mg/m2 and high-dose cyclophosphamide (CTX) 1.5 g/m2. A total of 37 PG PK studies were performed for up to 12 days post-dose, and serum PG concentrations were analyzed using a validated ELISA test, with a limit of quantification of 39 pg/mL. The ANC was monitored routinely throughout the cycles. Population PK/PD modeling was performed using Monolix 2019R2. The model included four components: PG PK, neutrophil dynamics, CTX PK, and endogenous G-CSF dynamics. PG data were adequately described with a one-compartment model with linear delayed absorption, and dual linear ANC-dependent and saturable non-specific elimination processes. CTX-induced neutropenia was well captured with a classic myelosuppression model, in which PG and endogenous G-CSF stimulated the neutrophil proliferation and maturation. PG concentrations were inversely correlated with ANC. Median (range) PG AUC0-∞ was 39,917 (7,233-66,410) h·ng/mL, with no significant differences between infants and older children. The ANC profiles exhibited pre-nadir peaks higher than post-nadir peaks, which was captured by the model with the addition of transit compartments to include a delay in the chemotherapy effect. The ANC nadir was reached 7.0±1.1 days post-CTX dose and was below 10 cells/mm3 for 88% of patients. The ANC recovered above 500 cells/mm3 13.4±4.0 days post-CTX dose. PG effects were described using concentration-dependent slopes (mean 0.089 and 0.044 per ng/mL for stimulation of neutrophil proliferation and maturation, respectively). No association was found between patient age and PG effects. Further investigations will be performed to explore the effects of patient covariates, ANC baseline before treatment, and timing of PG administration. As such, the model may be a useful tool for optimization of chemotherapy and PG treatment to minimize the risk of severe neutropenia occurring in infants and young children. Citation Format: Olivia Campagne, Abigail Davis, Santhosh A. Upadhyaya, Clinton F. Stewart. Model-based evaluation of pegfilgrastim effects on chemotherapy-induced neutropenia in infants with CNS tumors [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2021; 2021 Apr 10-15 and May 17-21. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2021;81(13_Suppl):Abstract nr 1358.

Using compositional mixed-effects models to evaluate responses to amino acid supplementation in milk replacers for calves

The consequences of supplementing Lys, Met, and Thr in milk replacers (MR) for calves have been widely studied, but scarce information exists about potential roles of other AA (whether essential or not). The effects on growth performance of supplementation of 4 different AA combinations in a mixed ration (25.4% crude protein and 20.3% fat) based on skim milk powder and whey protein concentrate were evaluated in 76 Holstein male calves (3 ± 1.7 d old). The 4 MR were as follows: CTRL with no AA supplementation; PG, supplying additional 0.3% Pro and 0.1% Gly; FY, supplying additional 0.2% Phe and 0.2% Tyr; and KMT, providing additional 0.62% Lys, 0.22% Met, and 0.61% Thr. All calves were fed the same milk allowance program and were weaned at 56 d of study. Concentrate intake was limited to minimize interference of potential differences in solid feed intake among treatments. Animals were weighed weekly, intakes recorded daily, and blood samples obtained at 2, 5, and 7 wk of study to determine serum urea and plasma AA concentrations. Plasma AA concentrations were explored using compositional data analysis, and their isometric log-ratio transformations were used to analyze their potential influence on ADG and serum urea concentration using a linear mixed-effects model. We detected no differences in calf performance and feed intake. Plasma relative concentration of the AA supplemented in the KMT and PG treatments increased in their respective treatments, and, in PG calves, a slight increase in the proportion of plasma Gly, Glu, and branched-chain AA was also observed. The proportions of plasma branched-chain AA, His, and Gln increased, and those of Thr, Arg, Lys, and Glu decreased with calves' age. A specific log-contrast balance formed by Arg, Thr, and Lys was found to be the main driver for lowering serum urea concentrations and increasing calf growth. The use of compositional mixed-effects models identified a cluster formed by the combination of Arg, Thr, and Lys, as a potential AA to optimize calf growth.

The role of negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) on the treatment of pyoderma gangrenosum: A systematic review and personal experience.

Pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) is a rare painful ulcerative neutrophilic inflammatory skin disease, necessitating a high level of diagnostic suspicion associated with appropriate treatment to avoid progression. Negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) has been efficiently used in the treatment of different types of wounds. However, the role of NPWT in the management of PG is still controversial, due to the risk of the pathergy phenomenon. In this article, we conducted a systematic review (according to the PRISMA guidelines) on the use of NPWT in the treatment of PG, and we report our personal experience with two patients treated with this device. The result of the review showed that articles on the topic are, in their entirety, of low levels of evidence, such as case series, case reports, and reviews. Improvement in wound healing with the use of NPWT was observed in 85.1% of the patients studied. Besides, a significant association between improvement in wound healing with NPWT and immunosuppressive therapy was observed. Regarding the cases reported here, both showed good outcomes with the use of NPWT and skin graft during the treatment of PG injuries. Due to the rarity of PG, there is a scarcity of studies with robust evidence for standardization and comparison between treatments, which consequently makes it difficult to select therapeutic options. However, based on this systematic review and reported cases, we consider NPWT a safe option for adjuvant treatment of wounds caused by PG if combined with systemic immunosuppression, which plays a key role in greater chances of successful treatment. This approach should be recommended, whenever possible, associated with skin grafting to accelerate wound closure. The role of negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) on the treatment of pyoderma gangrenosum: a systematic review and personal experience.

Lactic acid bacteria prevent both periodontitis and atherosclerosis exacerbated by periodontitis in spontaneously hyperlipidemic mice.

Recent studies have shown a link between periodontal disease and cardiovascular disease. We have previously reported that oral administration of Porphyromonas gingivalis (Pg) accelerates atherosclerosis in apolipoprotein E-deficient spontaneously hyperlipidemic (Apoeshl ) mice. This study evaluated the potential of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) to change the intestinal flora changes induced by periodontopathic bacteria and to prevent/slow down the development of atherosclerosis. Lactobacillus gasseri O3-2 (Lg) was orally intubated in Apoeshl mice for 5weeks. Three weeks after oral intubation, the mice were orally infected with Pg for 2weeks. Thirty days after the last infection with Pg, Lg+Pg-treated mice showed a significant reduction in alveolar bone loss compared to the Pg-treated group. The Lg treatment restored the Pg-induced intestinal flora disturbance to normal. Furthermore, a significant decrease in atherosclerotic plaque lesion size and suppressed inflammatory cytokine production in the aorta were detected in the Lg+Pg-treated group. In contrast, blood concentrations of TMAO, histidine, and carnitine were enhanced by the Lg treatment but decreased by Lg+Pg treatment. These results suggest that oral Lg treatment is effective in preventing periodontitis and atherosclerosis.

Effect of prostaglandin F2<sub>α</sub> administration on uterine polymorphonuclear neutrophil counts in Japanese heavy draft horses

The objective of this study was to examine the effect of prostaglandin F2α (dinoprost) and oxytocin administration on uterine polymorphonuclear neutrophil counts in the Japanese heavy draft mare. To compare polymorphonuclear neutrophil (PMN) counts in the endometrium, a total of 162 samples were collected from 54 estruses of 47 mares (before ovulation, day 0, and day 2) using a double-guarded cytology brush. Dinoprost (PG; 5 mg) was administered intramuscularly (i.m.) only once, on day 0, whereas oxytocin (OT; 20 U i.m.) was administered three times at 12-hr intervals starting on day 0. The plasma progesterone concentrations from days 0 to 14 were not different between the non-treatment (CON), PG treatment, and OT treatment groups. The PMN counts increased in all the groups from before administration to day 0 (CON, 0.90 to 3.55; PG, 1.20 to 8.45; and OT, 0.70 to 1.70; P=0.0014, 0.0046, and 0.0073, respectively). There was a significant decrease in PMNs from day 0 to day 2 only in the PG group (P=0.0073). The pregnancy rate was not different among the CON (12/18), PG (14/18), and OT (10/18) groups. The results of this study indicate that dinoprost can reduce uterine polymorphonuclear neutrophil counts.

Propyl gallate reduces the growth of lung cancer cells through caspase‑dependent apoptosis and G1phase arrest of the cell cycle.

Propyl gallate (3,4,5‑trihydroxybenzoic acid propyl ester; PG) is a synthetic phenolic antioxidant which exerts many effects on tissue and cell functions. In the present study, Calu‑6 and A549 lung cancer cells were used to examine the molecular mechanism of the anti‑growth effects of PG in relation to apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. PG inhibited the growth of both lung cancer cell types in a dose‑dependent manner with an IC50 of 800µM at24h based on MTT assays. DNA flow cytometry showed that PG induced G1phase arrest of the cell cycle in Calu‑6 and A549 cells. In addition, PG induced apoptosis in both lung cancer cell types, as evidenced by sub‑G1 cell population and AnnexinV‑stained cells. Western blot results demonstrated that PG decreased the Bcl‑2 level which was accompanied by an increase in the cleaved form of poly(ADP‑ribose) polymerase (PARP). PG also triggered loss of mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP; ∆Ψm) and decreased MMP (∆Ψm) levels in both lung cancer cell types, as assessed by FACS analysis. Furthermore, PG upregulated the activities of caspase‑3 and caspase‑8 in Calu‑6 cells. In conclusion, PG treatment inhibited the growth of lung cancer cells, especially Calu‑6 cells via caspase‑dependent apoptosis as well as G1phase arrest of the cell cycle.

Prevention of Retention of Placenta in Lactating Friesian Cows with Dystocia and its Relation with their Productive and Reproductive Efficiency and Blood Constituents

Twenty-eight of lactating Friesian cows about 5 – 10 years and 575 – 725 kg weight had dystocia and single-calf parturition were used in the present study. The experimental animal were divided into four groups (7 animals /group). Cows in the first group were administrated with 10 ml of saline solution (0.9 NaCl) intramuscularly injection and kept as a control. The second, third, and fourth groups were treated with oxytocin (OX) at a level of 50 I.U., prostaglandin F2 alpha (PG) at a level of 500μgand methargin (MT) at a level of 20 mg, with 10 ml of saline solution, intramuscularly injection, respectively. The results showed that, cows administrated with OX, PG or MT recorded decrease (P<0.05) in the period from parturition to complete fetal membranes drop and uterine involution, ovarian structure, first estrus postpartum, days open and service period as well as number of services per conception and calving interval, and increase (P<0.05) the heat period length as compared to in the untreated cows, moreover cows that had received PG or MT had better values than cows that had received OX. Also, OX, PG and MT treatments increased (P<0.05) the actual milk yield compared with untreated. Values of total leukocytic count, immunoglobulins IgG and IgM, total protein and albumin and thyroid hormones T3 and T4 as well as glucose were increased (P<0.05) in all treated groups, while values of cortisol were decreased (P<0.05) as compared to in the untreated group, moreover the best values were recorded with cows that were treated with PG or MT compared with cows that were administrated with OX. The highest percentages of the incidence of postpartum reproductive disorders were recorded for untreated cows, which can be decreased by administration of cows with OX, or avoided by PG or MT treatments within ½ hour postcalving. In conclusion, it can be recommended to administer lactating Friesian cows with dystocia with prostaglandin F2 alpha at a level of 500 μg, or methergin at a level of 20 mg, with 10 ml of saline solution (0.9% NaCl) intramuscularly injection, respectively, within ½ hour after expulsion of the fetus to avoid retention of fetal membranes, postpartum complications and improve subsequent reproductive performance and blood constituents as well as milk yield and its economic efficiency under the Egyptian conditions.

Performance of poly-γ-glutamic acid–calcium hydroxide treatment for phosphate removal and applicability of the resulting flocculant as a phosphate-based fertilizer

Herein, we focused on poly-γ-glutamic acid (PG) as a bioresource material for phosphate removal and assessed the efficiency of a combined PG and calcium hydroxide (CH) treatment via elemental distribution and X-ray diffraction analysis. Additionally, this study briefly assessed the applicability of the flocculants obtained from the phosphate removal process as phosphate-based fertilizers. The results showed that phosphate removal capacity was higher when treated with the PG–CH mixture than that with pure PG or CH. Additionally, the phosphate removal treatment with the PG–CH mixture had the advantage of straightforward separation of the supernatant from the flocculant. Moreover, the mechanism of phosphate removal by the PG + CH treatment was evaluated on the basis of elemental distribution and X-ray diffraction analysis. Finally, the flocculants obtained from the PG + CH treatment had 20.5% citric acid-soluble content, indicating their potential as phosphate-based fertilizers.

Effects of Soil Temperature, Water Content, Species, and Fertilization on Soil Respiration in Bamboo Forest in Subtropical China

Understanding the change pattern of soil respiration (SR) and its drivers under different bamboo species and land management practices is critical for predicting soil CO2 emission and evaluating the carbon budget of bamboo forest ecosystems. A 24-month field study was performed in subtropical China to monitor SR in experimental plots of local bamboo (Phyllostachys glauca) without fertilization (PG) and commercial bamboo (Phyllostachys praecox) with and without fertilization (PPF and PP, respectively). The SR rate and soil properties were measured on a monthly timescale. Results showed that the SR rate ranged from 0.38 to 8.53 µmol CO2 m−2s−1, peaking in June. The PPF treatment had higher SR rates than the PP and PG treatments for most months; however, there were no significant differences among the treatments. The soil temperature (ST) in the surface layer (0–10 cm) was found to be the predominant factor controlling the temporal change pattern of the monthly SR rate in the PG and PP treatments (i.e., those without fertilization). A bivariate model is used to show that a natural factor—comprised of ST and soil water content (SWC)—explained 44.2% of the variation in the monthly SR rate, whereas biological (i.e., bamboo type) and management (i.e., fertilization) factors had a much smaller impact (less than 0.1% of the variation). The annual mean SR showed a significant positive correlation with soil organic matter (SOM; r = 0.51, P &lt; 0.05), total nitrogen (TN; r = 0.47, P &lt; 0.05), total phosphorus (TP; r = 0.60, P &lt; 0.01), clay content (0.72, P &lt; 0.05) and below-ground biomass (r = 0.60*), which altogether explain 69.0% of the variation in the annual SR. Our results indicate that the fertilization effect was not significant in SR rate for most months among the treatments, but was significant in the annual rate. These results may help to improve policy decisions concerning carbon sequestration and the management of bamboo forests in China.

Evaluation of presynchronization and addition of GnRH at the beginning of an estradiol/progesterone protocol on circulating progesterone and fertility of lactating dairy cows

The objectives of this study were to determine if the utilization of a presynchronization strategy would improve fertility at first artificial insemination (AI) during an E2/P4 ovulation synchronization protocol with or without GnRH administration at the beginning of the protocol. This experiment was conducted using cows (n = 665) at their first postpartum service and the following breeding treatment: CIDR insertion and 2.0 mg of estradiol benzoate (EB) on day −11; 25 mg dinoprost tromethamine (PG) on day −4; PG, CIDR withdrawal, and 1.0 mg of estradiol cypionate (ECP) on day −2; timed-AI on day 0. At 31 ± 3 days postpartum, cows were randomly allocated to one of three treatments on a weekly basis: 1) -P + GnRH: cows assigned to the breeding protocol with 100 μg of GnRH on day −11, 2) P + GnRH: cows assigned to a presynchronization protocol using CIDR insertion +2 mg EB on day −28, PG + ECP and CIDR withdrawal on day −21, and beginning of the breeding protocol plus GnRH (100 μg) on day −11, and 3) +P-GnRH: cows assigned to a presynchronization protocol and the breeding treatment without GnRH on day −11. No treatment effects were observed on P/AI at the pregnancy diagnoses on days 32 and 60, or for pregnancy losses between days 32 and 60 of pregnancy whether analyses included all cows or only cows that ovulated near TAI. Moreover, milk yield negatively affected P/AI. Cows with greater circulating P4 concentrations on day −4 had greater P/AI on day 60. Cows without CL on day −11 had a reduced P/AI and this effect was more significant in cows not treated with GnRH. Cows assigned to -P + GnRH had the lowest circulating P4 concentration on day −4 (3.4 ± 0.16 ng/mL), followed by + P-GnRH (4.56 ± 0.17 ng/mL), and +P + GnRH (5.08 ± 0.17 ng/mL) cohorts. The data of the current study suggest that the combination of a Presynch and GnRH administration at the beginning of a TAI protocol was the most effective way to increase the % of cows with a functional CL and with elevated circulating P4 concentrations at the time of PG treatment.

Pressure Injuries Treated With Anodal and Cathodal High-voltage Electrical Stimulation: the Effect on Blood Serum Concentration of Cytokines and Growth Factors in Patients With Neurological Injuries. A Randomized Clinical Study

The aim of this study was to determine whether anodal and cathodal high-voltage monophasic pulsed currents (HVMPC) provided to the area of a pressure injury (PI) change the blood level of cytokines (interleukin [IL]-1β, IL-10, and tumor necrosis factor [TNF]-α) and growth factors (insulin-like growth factor [IGF]-1 and transforming growth factor [TGF]-β1) in patients with neurological injuries and whether the level of circulatory cytokines and growth factors correlates with PI healing progression. This study was part of a randomized clinical trial on the effects of HVMPC on PI healing. All patients with neurological injuries (spinal cord injury, ischemic stroke, and blunt trauma to the head) and a stage 2, stage 3, or stage 4 PI of at least 4 weeks' duration hospitalized in one rehabilitation center were eligible to participate if older than 18 years of age and willing to consent to donating blood samples. Exclusion criteria included local contraindications to electrical stimulation (cancer, electronic implants, osteomyelitis, tunneling, necrotic wounds), PIs requiring surgical intervention, patients with poorly controlled diabetes mellitus (HbA1C > 7%), critical wound infection, and/or allergies to standard wound treatment. Participants were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 groups: anodal (AG) or cathodal (CG) HVMPC treatment (154 μs; 100 Hz; 360 µC/sec; 1.08 C/day) or a placebo (PG, sham) applied for 50 minutes a day, 5 days per week, for 8 weeks. TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-10, TGF-β1, and IGF-1 levels in blood serum were assessed using the immunoenzyme method (ELISA) and by chemiluminescence, respectively, at baseline and week 4. Wound surface area measurements were obtained at baseline and week 4 and analyzed using a digitizer connected to a personal computer. Statistical analyses were performed using the maximum-likelihood chi-squared test, the analysis of variance Kruskal-Wallis test, the Kruskal-Wallis post-hoc test, and Spearman's rank order correlation; the level of significance was set at P ≤.05. Among the 43 participants, 15 were randomized to AG (mean age 53.87 ± 13.30 years), 13 to CG (mean age 51.08 ± 20.43 years), and 15 to PG treatment (mean age 51.20 ± 14.47 years). Most PIs were located in the sacral region (12, 74.42%) and were stage 3 (11, 67.44%). Wound surface area baseline size ranged from 1.00 cm2 to 58.04 cm2. At baseline, none of the variables were significantly different. After 4 weeks, the concentration of IL-10 decreased in all groups (AG: 9.8%, CG: 38.54%, PG: 27.42%), but the decrease was smaller in the AG than CG group (P = .0046). The ratio of pro-inflammatory IL-10 to anti-inflammatory TNF-α increased 27.29% in the AG and decreased 26.79% in the CG and 18.56% in the PG groups. Differences between AG and CG and AG and PG were significant (AG compared to CG, P = .0009; AG compared to PG, P = .0054). Other percentage changes in cytokine and growth factor concentration were not statistically significant between groups. In the AG, the decrease of TNF-α and IL-1β concentrations correlated positively with the decrease of PI size (P <.05). Anodal HVMPC elevates IL-10/TNF-α in blood serum. The decrease of TNF-α and IL-1β concentrations in blood serum correlates with a decrease of PI wound area. More research is needed to determine whether the changes induced by anodal HVMPC improve PI healing and to determine whether and how different electrical currents affect the activity of biological agents responsible for specific wound healing phases, both within wounds and in patients' blood. In clinical practice, anodal HVMPC should be used to increase the ratio of anti-inflammatory IL-10 to pro-inflammatory TNF-α , which may promote healing.

Evaluation of estrous synchronization protocols on ewe reproductive efficiency and profitability

A 2-year experiment was conducted to determine the effect of a single injection of prostaglandin after initiation of the breeding season on ewe estrous synchronization. Rambouillet ewes (n = 101; Year 1 = 52; Year 2 = 49) assigned to one of three treatments: untreated (CON); 12-d CIDR insert (CIDR); or 1 injection of prostaglandin at d 2.5 (1 PG) after rams were placed with ewes. Rams were placed with ewes at the time of CIDR removal (d 0) and remained with ewes during a 35-d breeding season. Both the CIDR- (94%) and 1 PG (73.5%) treatment groups had a larger number (P ≤ 0.01) of ewes bred in the first 5 d of the breeding season compared to ewes of the control (33%) group. As expected, CIDR-treated ewes had a shorter time to mating, than 1 PG-treated ewes and ewes of the control group had a longer interval to mating than both CIDR- and 1 PG-treated ewes (P ≤ 0.01). The number of lambs born per ewe and kg of lamb weaned per ewe was not different (P ≥ 0.31) among treatment groups. Additionally, there was no difference (P = 0.78) in net profit per ewe among treatment groups. Based on these data, utilizing a single injection of PG 2.5 d after initiation of the breeding season resulted in similar pregnancy rates at d 5 of the breeding season when compared with CIDR-treated ewes indicating the potential utilization of the 1PG protocol in a confinement setting as a viable method for estrous synchronization.

Effects of temperature, relative humidity, and protective netting on Tyrophagus putrescentiae (schrank) (sarcoptiformes: Acaridae) infestation, fungal growth, and product quality of cave-aged Cheddar cheese

Research was conducted to evaluate the effects of using food-grade ingredients on cave aged Cheddar cheese as either a surface coating or in nets to prevent infestation by Tyrophagus putrescentiae growth at different environmental conditions. Food grade coating formulations with 1) xanthan gum and propylene glycol (XG+PG) and 2) carrageenan, propylene glycol alginate, and PG (CG+PGA+PG) were made and infused into nets. Jars with cave aged Cheddar cheese cubes that were inoculated with 20 mites were stored in an environmental chamber for 14 d at temperature and relative humidity (RH) combinations of 10, 15, and 20 °C and 75 ± 2 and 85 ± 2% RH. When averaged over RH, mite counts were fewer on control cheese cubes at 10 °C when compared to 15 °C and 20 °C, regardless of whether nets were used or not. However, mites were able to reproduce on untreated cheese cubes at all temperatures. The CG+PGA+PG and XG+PG coatings and nets controlled mite reproduction, as evidenced by harboring less than the initial inoculation level of 20 mites. Sensory results indicated that CG+PGA+PG and XG+PG coated Cheddar cheese at 10 °C and 75% RH and netted Cheddar cheese at 10 or 15 °C and 75% RH did not differ (P > 0.05) from the control with respect to sensory attributes. The treatments at 15 °C and 85% RH and 20 °C caused the cheese to be softer and more bitter than control cheese. In conclusion, the CG+PGA+ 40% PG and XG+40% PG treatments of both coatings and nets inhibited the growth of mites, and the use of nets lessened the impact of food grade coatings on the sensory properties of the Cheddar cheese.

Effects of antiorthostatic suspension, tetanus toxoid, and CpG on the bone marrow antibody repertoire in C57BL/6 mice

Abstract Each B cell produces an antibody composed of two heavy chains paired with two light chains. During development, B cells rearrange V-, D- (heavy chain only), and J-gene segments. These rearrangements along with the imprecisions in recombination and mutations create diversity in the antibody repertoire. The physical and psychological stressors of spaceflight are known to affect both the innate and adaptive immune systems. We used a ground-based model, antiorthostatic suspension (AOS), to analyze the impact of spaceflight environmental stressors on the antibody repertoire. Eight-week-old female C57BL/6J mice were suspended for two weeks and immunized via ip injection with saline, tetanus toxoid (TT) and/or CpG, and resuspended. Two weeks after immunization, animals were sacrificed, and bone marrow was collected. RNA was extracted and sequenced using MiSeq 2×300bp. Resulting sequences were analyzed using ImMunoGeneTic’s High-V quest program to identify antibody characteristics. We identified significant variations in VH, Vκ, D, JH, and Jκ-gene segment usage and CDR3 length due to AOS, TT, and CpG treatment. Changes were also detected in the class-switched repertoire for VH-gene segment usage. We also focused our analysis on the loaded saline, loaded TT+CpG, and AOS+TT+CpG treatment groups to isolate the TT-specific antibody response. Statistically significant changes were detected in VH-gene segment usage and gene segment combinations among treatment groups. These results demonstrate that treatment with a physiological model of spaceflight leads to alterations in the development of the TT-specific antibody repertoire in the bone marrow.

Propagermanium, a CCR2 inhibitor, attenuates cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury through inhibiting inflammatory response induced by microglia

CCR2 could recruit immune cells migrating into brain after ischemic stroke. It is unclear whether and why Propagermanium (PG, a CCR2 inhibitor) is able to protect against ischemic injury. Middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) and reperfusion injury in C57BL/6 J male mice were performed in vivo to mimic ischemic stroke. Cultured BV2 microglia exposed to oxygen and glucose deprivation (OGD)/reoxygenation injury, LPS or IL-4 incubation were served in vitro. TTC staining, neurological score, brain water content, and MRI scan were performed to evaluate stroke outcome. Real time PCR, ELISA, and immunofluorescence were used to estimate inflammatory cytokines expression and releasing. Western blot was utilized to detect pSTAT1/STAT1 expression. Compared with MCAO mice, PG treatment significantly reduced infarction size and brain edema, improved neurological behavior at 72 h after MCAO. For inflammatory response, PG treatment inhibited inflammatory cytokines releasing, such as TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-12, IL-17, and IL-23. Further studies indicated that PG treatment downregulated mRNA expression of pro-inflammatory iNOS and CD86, and inhibited CD16 expressed in microglia. In vitro, PG incubation inhibited BV2 polarized to pro-inflammatory phenotype through STAT1 downregulation, while had no obvious effect on anti-inflammatory phenotype. Our observations suggest that CCR2 inhibitor PG downregulated pro-inflammatory microglia polarization for decreasing pro-inflammatory microglia phenotype marker, and thereafter inhibited inflammatory responses after MCAO in a STAT1-dependent manner.

Machine learning methods for estimation the indicators of phosphogypsum influence in soil

The full understanding of the effect of mineral waste-based fertilizer in soil is still unrelieved, because of the extreme complex chemical composition and plethora of their action pathways. The purposes of this paper is to quantify the input of PG into the soil ecosystem process, considering the direct effects of PG as a whole on soil environment using of a plethora of chemical, toxicological, and biological tests. Greenhouse experiment includes different PG doses (0, 1%, 3%, 7.5%, 15%, 25%, and 40%) and two-time collection points after treatments—7 and 28 days. For each treatment and each time collection point, we measure (i) soil pH, bioavailable (H20 and NH4COOH-extractable) element content (S, P, K, Na, Mg, Ca, Fe, Zn, Sr, Ba, F); (ii) soil enzyme activities—dehydrogenase, urease, acid phosphatase, FDA; (iii) soil CO2 respiration activity with and without glucose addition; (iv) Eisenia fetida, Sinapis alba, and Avena sativa responses. Finally, we combine the ordinary chemical, toxicology, and biological measuring of soil properties with state-of-the-art mathematical analysis, namely (i) support vector machines (used for prediction), (ii) mutual information test (variable importance tasks), (iii) t-SNE and LLE algorithms (used for unsupervised classification). The results show similarity between the 0%, 1%, and 3% PG treatments in all collection times based on the toxicological and biological properties. Beyond 7.5% PG, some biological test was significantly inhibited in response to trace element stress. Among all tested parameters, soil urease activities, soil respiration activities after glucose addition, S. alba root lengths, and E. fetida survival rates show sensitivity to PG addition. Furthermore, the machine learning algorithms revealed that only several elements (mobile and water-soluble forms of Ca, Ba, Sr, S, and Na; water-soluble F) could be responsible to elevated soil toxicity for those indicators. SVR models were able to predict soil biological and ecotoxicity properties, and increasing numbers of randomly selected training examples from 50 to 90% of initial experimental data significantly improved model performance. At this study, we demonstrate benefits of unsupervised machine learning methods for investigating toxicity of man-made substances in soil that can be further applied to risk assessments of various toxins, which are of significant interest to environmental protection.

Lettuce plants treated with L-pyroglutamic acid increase yield under water deficit stress

Water scarcity is one of the main challenges faced by modern agriculture, leading to a substantial drop in crop productivity and a threat to food security. Thus, novel agricultural approaches are necessary and urgent to face this problem. Some natural compounds such as amino acids have been shown to increase yield and mitigate the effects of drought stress. In this study, we demonstrate that the application of pyroglutamic acid (PG) is capable of increasing lettuce yield, under field conditions with 30% less than optimal irrigation. PG treatment showed a clearly protective effect in stressed plants, enhancing their fresh weight by 37% and yield by 31%, in comparison to untreated plants. PG appears to promote drought tolerance effects in deficit irrigated lettuce plants, with several advantages. It acts by enhancing photosynthesis rate and antioxidant defences, while maintaining osmotic and water balance, without toxicity to soil microorganisms. This illustrates the potential use of PG to combat productivity losses due to water scarcity.

Effects of Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer extract on the offspring of adult mice with maternal immune activation.

To understand maternal immune activation (MIA) during prenatal development, the synthetic double-stranded RNA polyriboinosinic-polyribocytidylic acid [poly(I:C)] has been widely used in animal models to induce behavioral deficits similar to those in schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders. Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer (PG) extract is widely used to treat various kinds of nervous system disorders in Asia particularly China and Korea. The present study aimed to examine the effects of PG extract on MIA offspring using behavioral activity tests and protein expression analyses. Pregnant mice were exposed to poly(I:C) (5 mg/kg) or vehicle treatment on gestation day 9, and the resulting MIA offspring were subjected to vehicle or PG (300 mg/kg) treatment. In the acoustic startle response test, MIA-induced sensorimotor gating deficit was ameliorated by PG. The majority of behavioral parameters measured in the social interaction (non-aggressive or/and aggressive pattern), open field (number/duration of behavior) and forced swimming test (immobility behavior) were significantly altered in the MIA offspring. Western blot and immunohistochemical analyses of the medial prefrontal cortex indicated that the expression levels of certain neurodevelopmental proteins, including dihydropyrimidinase-related 2, LIM and SH3 domain 1, neurofilament medium, and discs large homolog 4, were decreased in the untreated MIA offspring, whereas PG treatment improved behavioral impairments and increased neurodevelopmental protein expression in MIA offspring. These results suggested that PG may be useful in neurodevelopmental disorder therapy, including psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia, owing to its antipsychotic effects.

Ustekinumab for Infliximab Resistant Peristomal Pyoderma Gangrenosum: Case Report

Peristomal Pyoderma Gangrenosum is a subtype of Pyoderma Gangrenosum, characterized by a sterile inflammatory neutrophilic dermatosis that occurs near abdominal stomas. Most of these lesions are associated with an underlying disease, most commonly IBD. It can also occur in patients who have had an ileostomy or colostomy for other diseases such as malignancy or diverticular disease [1]. Peristomal pyoderma gangrenosum has been reported with an incidence of 0.6% among all patients with abdominal stomas [2]. Treatment of Peristomal PG often requires a combination of local wound care and systemic medications. Long term immunosuppression and TNF inhibitors are the drugs that have shown efficacy in treating PG. In this case report, we present an evidence of a potential additional line of treatment for peristomal pyoderma gangrenosum. Ustekinumab “Stelara”, a recently FDA approved drug for the treatment of IBD, has shown to be effective in treating our 58-year-old female who has been struggling with a refractory infliximab-resistant Peristomal PG for two years. Ustekinumab is a human IgG1k monoclonal antibody that blocks both IL-12 and IL-23 cytokines disrupting the chronic inflammation that is a hallmark of IBD.