Histological and histochemical studies on the alimentary canal of spur-winged lapwing vanellus spinosus

Aim of the work: The present study aims to describe and compare between the different parts of the alimentary canal of Spur-winged lapwing Vanellus spinosus from the histological and histochemical reviews

Materials and methods: This animal was caught from its natural habitat [Nile Delta in Egypt]; dissected and the alimentary canal was fixed in the suitable fixatives for histological and histochemical investigations

Results: Histological findings revealed that the alimentary canal wall in different parts under investigation is consisted of four main layers which are; serosa, muscularis, submucosa and mucosa. The serosa is composed of simple squamous epithelium. The muscularis is formed of outer circular and inner longitudinal muscle fibers. The submucosa is showing green colour with Masson's stain due to its content of connective tissue. The mucosal folds of oesophagus are characterized by stratified squamous epithelium. At the base of these folds, oesophageal glands which secrete acid mucopolysacchride are located. The stomach composed of two parts; cardiac [glandular] and pyloric [muscular]. The gastric glands of glanular portion are differentiated into deep and superficial gastric glands. The deep gastric glands are of compound-branched alveolar and have neutral mucopolysacchride secrections. While, the superficial gastric glands are of compound tubular type and secreting acid and neutral mucopolysacchride since they give blue and red colours with Alcian PAS stain. The gastric glands in muscular portion of stomach, are compound tubular type and have acid and neutral mucopolysaccharides. The mucosal villi of duodenum and ileum are characterized by tubular glands [crypts of Leiberkhun], which contain acid and neutral mucopolysaccharides. The mucosal layer of rectum is covered by simple columnar epithelium containing goblet cells in addition to the rectal glands. This layer nature is acid and neutral mucopolysaccharides. The histochemical results showed differences in the stainability and distribution of polysaccharides, acid and neutral mucopolysaccharides in different parts of alimentary canal of investigated animal

Identification and analysis of a processed cytochrome P450 pseudogene of the disease vector Aedes aegypti

Objective To clone cytochrome P450 from Aedes aegypti (Ae. aegypti) and determine the characteristics using bioinformatics tools. Methods Cytochrome P450 of Ae. aegypti was amplified using polymerase chain reaction, cloned and sequenced. Evolutionary relationship of the sequence was inferred and bioinformatics tools were used to predict subcellular localisation, signal peptide, transmembrane helix, phosphorylation, O-glycosylation, secondary and tertiary structures of the deduced protein. Results Polymerase chain reaction rather amplified a cytochrome P450 pseudogene which was named CYP4H44P (GenBank accession number KF779932). The pseudogene has 1 537 nucleotides and an open reading frame of 335 amino acids containing cytochrome P450 motifs except the WxxxR motif. It is highly homologous to CYP4H28 and CYP4H28v2. Phylogenetic analysis and evolutionary divergence showed strong clustering with CYP4H28 alleles and least divergence from the alleles respectively. The deduced protein was predicted to be found in the cytoplasm and likely to be phosphorylated but devoid of signal peptide, transmembrane helix and O-glycosylated sites. The secondary and tertiary structures were also generated. Conclusions A cytochrome P450 pseudogene, CYP4H44P was cloned from Ae. aegypti. The pseudogene is homologous with CYP4H28 alleles and seems to have recently diverged from this group. Isolating this pseudogene is an important step for evaluating its biological role in the mosquito and for the evolutionary analysis of Ae. aegypti CYPs.

Identification and analysis of a processed cytochrome P450 pseudogene of the disease vector Aedes aegypti

OBJECTIVE@#To clone cytochrome P450 from Aedes aegypti (Ae. aegypti) and determine the characteristics using bioinformatics tools.@*METHODS@#Cytochrome P450 of Ae. aegypti was amplified using polymerase chain reaction, cloned and sequenced. Evolutionary relationship of the sequence was inferred and bioinformatics tools were used to predict subcellular localisation, signal peptide, transmembrane helix, phosphorylation, O-glycosylation, secondary and tertiary structures of the deduced protein.@*RESULTS@#Polymerase chain reaction rather amplified a cytochrome P450 pseudogene which was named CYP4H44P (GenBank accession number KF779932). The pseudogene has 1537 nucleotides and an open reading frame of 335 amino acids containing cytochrome P450 motifs except the WxxxR motif. It is highly homologous to CYP4H28 and CYP4H28v2. Phylogenetic analysis and evolutionary divergence showed strong clustering with CYP4H28 alleles and least divergence from the alleles respectively. The deduced protein was predicted to be found in the cytoplasm and likely to be phosphorylated but devoid of signal peptide, transmembrane helix and O-glycosylated sites. The secondary and tertiary structures were also generated.@*CONCLUSIONS@#A cytochrome P450 pseudogene, CYP4H44P was cloned from Ae. aegypti. The pseudogene is homologous with CYP4H28 alleles and seems to have recently diverged from this group. Isolating this pseudogene is an important step for evaluating its biological role in the mosquito and for the evolutionary analysis of Ae. aegypti CYPs.

Entropy-guided end-tidal desflurane concentration during living donor liver transplantation

The three phases of living donor liver transplantation [LDLT] represent different liver conditions. The aim is to study the required end-tidal desflurane concentration [ET-Des] guided with entropy monitoring for the depth of anesthesia. After the Ethics and Research Committee approval, 40 patients were included in this prospective study. Anesthesia was maintained with Desflurane-O2-air. State entropy [SE] and Response entropy [RE] were kept between 40 and 60. Age and Model for End-stage Liver Disease [MELD] score were 45 +/- 10 years and 15.43 +/- 3.92, respectively. ET-Des were significantly lower in the anhepatic phase [2.8 +/- 0.4%] than in the pre-anhepatic and neohepatic phases [3.3 +/- 0.3%, 3.47 +/- 0.3%, respectively, P<0.001]. The SE and RE for pre-anhepatic, anhepatic, and neohepatic phases were [45.6 +/- 3.7, 47.4 +/- 3.2], [44.7 +/- 2.1, 46.4 +/- 2.04], and [46.1 +/- 3.3, 47.9 +/- 3.3], respectively, with no significant changes between the phases, P > 0.05. Total operative time was 651 +/- 88 minutes, and for each phase it was 276 +/- 11, 195 +/- 55, and 191 +/- 24 minutes, respectively. Significant changes were found in hemoglobin g/dl and hematocrit% between the three phases [10.28 +/- 1.5, 30.48 +/- 4.3], [9.45 +/- 1.34, 28.36 +/- 4.1], and [8.88 +/- 1.1, 26.63 +/- 3.5], P<0.05. The heart rate and mean blood pressures were stable despite the cardiac index demonstrated a significant reduction during the anhepatic phase [2.99 +/- 0.22] when compared to the pre-anhepatic and neohepatic phases [3.60 +/- 0.29] and [4.72 +/- 0.32], respectively, [P<0.05]. There was a significant correlation between CI and ET-Des% [r=0.604, P<0.05]. Inhalational anesthetic requirements differed from one phase to another during LDLT, with requirements being the least during the anhepatic phase. Monitoring of the anesthesia depth was required, to avoid excess administration, which could compromise the hemodynamics before the critical time of reperfusion