Parasitic coinfections among selected smallholder goat flocks in Malaysia.

This paper describes the occurrence of multiple parasitic infection with special reference to emerging haemotropic Mycoplasma ovis. A cross-sectional survey of four selected goat flocks was conducted to collect samples and management information. Blood samples were processed using microhaematocrit centrifugation to determine the packed cell volume (PCV). Detection and morphological identification of blood protozoa and haemotropic Mycoplasma ovis from Giemsa-stained smears were done microscopically. M. ovis infection was classified mild (1-29% infected cells), moderate (30-59% infected cells), or severe (above 60% infected cells). Faecal floatation and McMaster faecal egg count were used to detect and classify strongyle infections as negative (no eggs/oocysts), light (< 500 epg), Moderate (500 - 1000 epg), or severe (>1000 epg) and coccidia infection as light (<1800 opg), moderate (1800 - 6000 opg), or severe (>6000 opg). There were 149 goats with blood protozoa (57.98%; 95% CI: 51.87 - 63.85) and 204 goats with GI parasites (79.38%; 95% CI: 74.02 - 83.87) involved in single (15.8%; 95% CI: 11.7 - 21.0) or multiple (84.2%; 95% CI: 79.0 - 88.3) infections. The risk of Strongyles increases by 2.49 (95% CI: 1.24 - 4.99) in females versus males and 6.79 (95% CI: 3.25 - 14.18, p =0.000) in adults versus young. The risk of Eimeria species increases by 7.32 (95% CI: 3.45 - 15.50, p =0.000) in adults versus young, while M. ovis coinfection risk increases by 4.51 (95% CI: 1.40 - 14.50, p =0.000) in female versus males. Thin animals had a significantly higher (p<0.05) mean burden of Strongyle (1370.37 ± 345.49) and Eimeria (1594.12 ± 695.26) than the moderate and fat goats. The PCV was negatively associated with mean faecal egg count (FEC) (p<0.05) such that a lower PCV was recorded in animals with a higher Strongyle epg output. A severe burden of M. ovis was accompanied by an increased nematode FEC and decreased haematocrit (p<0.05). Coinfections of Strongyles, or Eimeria species involving M. ovis were associated with a higher parasitaemia compared with single infections (p<0.05). This study highlights the importance of M. ovis and Strongyle or Eimeria species coinfections among goat flocks and provides valuable data for developing and implementing an integrated herd health management program for parasite control among low-input smallholder flocks.

Parasitic coinfections among selected smallholder goat flocks in Malaysia

@#This paper describes the occurrence of multiple parasitic infection with special reference to emerging haemotropic Mycoplasma ovis. A cross-sectional survey of four selected goat flocks was conducted to collect samples and management information. Blood samples were processed using microhaematocrit centrifugation to determine the packed cell volume (PCV). Detection and morphological identification of blood protozoa and haemotropic Mycoplasma ovis from Giemsa-stained smears were done microscopically. M. ovis infection was classified mild (1-29% infected cells), moderate (30-59% infected cells), or severe (above 60% infected cells). Faecal floatation and McMaster faecal egg count were used to detect and classify strongyle infections as negative (no eggs/oocysts), light (< 500 epg), Moderate (500 – 1000 epg), or severe (>1000 epg) and coccidia infection as light (<1800 opg), moderate (1800 – 6000 opg), or severe (>6000 opg). There were 149 goats with blood protozoa (57.98%; 95% CI: 51.87 – 63.85) and 204 goats with GI parasites (79.38%; 95% CI: 74.02 - 83.87) involved in single (15.8%; 95% CI: 11.7 – 21.0) or multiple (84.2%; 95% CI: 79.0 – 88.3) infections. The risk of Strongyles increases by 2.49 (95% CI: 1.24 – 4.99) in females versus males and 6.79 (95% CI: 3.25 – 14.18, p =0.000) in adults versus young. The risk of Eimeria species increases by 7.32 (95% CI: 3.45 – 15.50, p =0.000) in adults versus young, while M. ovis coinfection risk increases by 4.51 (95% CI: 1.40 – 14.50, p =0.000) in female versus males. Thin animals had a significantly higher (p<0.05) mean burden of Strongyle (1370.37 ± 345.49) and Eimeria (1594.12 ± 695.26) than the moderate and fat goats. The PCV was negatively associated with mean faecal egg count (FEC) (p<0.05) such that a lower PCV was recorded in animals with a higher Strongyle epg output. A severe burden of M. ovis was accompanied by an increased nematode FEC and decreased haematocrit (p<0.05). Coinfections of Strongyles, or Eimeria species involving M. ovis were associated with a higher parasitaemia compared with single infections (p<0.05). This study highlights the importance of M. ovis and Strongyle or Eimeria species coinfections among goat flocks and provides valuable data for developing and implementing an integrated herd health management program for parasite control among low-input smallholder flocks.

A Systematic Review of Musculoskeletal Fitness Among Indigenous Populations in North America and Circumpolar Inuit Populations.

BACKGROUND: North American indigenous populations experience higher rates of obesity and chronic disease compared with nonindigenous populations. Improvements in musculoskeletal fitness can mitigate negative health outcomes, but is not well understood among indigenous populations. This review examines musculoskeletal fitness measures among North American indigenous populations. METHODS: A total of 1632 citations were evaluated and 18 studies were included. RESULTS: Comparisons of musculoskeletal fitness measures between North American indigenous men and boys and women and girls were generally not reported. The greatest left and right combined maximal grip strength and maximal leg strength among Inuit boys and men and girls and women were observed among 20-29 years age group. Maximal combined right and left grip strength declined from 1970 to 1990, by an average of 15% among adults and 10% among youth. Maximal leg extension among Inuit has declined even further, averaging 38% among adults and 27% among youth from 1970 to 1990. Inuit men demonstrate greater grip strength and lower leg strength than Russian indigenous men, whereas Inuit women demonstrate greater leg strength. CONCLUSIONS: Further research is needed to better understand physical fitness among indigenous peoples and the potential for improving health and reducing chronic disease risk for indigenous peoples through physical fitness.

Tumour-Associated Macrophages (TAMs) in Colon Cancer and How to Reeducate Them.

Tumour-associated macrophage (TAM) serves as the site in which most inflammatory cells coreside. It plays an important role in determining the progression and metastasis of a tumour. The characteristic of TAM is largely dependent on the stimuli present in its tumour microenvironment (TME). Under this environment, however, M2 macrophages are found to be in abundance compared to M1 macrophages which later promote tumour progression. Numerous studies have elucidated the relationship between TAM and the progression of tumour; hence, TAM has now been the subject of interest among researchers for anticancer therapy. This review discusses the role of TAM in colorectal cancer (CRC) and some of the potential candidates that could reeducate TAM to fight against CRC. It is with hope that this review will serve as the foundation in understanding TAM in CRC and helping other researchers to select the most suitable candidate to reeducate TAM that could assist in enhancing the tumouricidal activity of M1 macrophage and eventually repress the development of CRC.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of cardiorespiratory fitness among Indigenous populations in North America and circumpolar Inuit populations.

Indigenous populations experience health disparities including increased obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease rates. Cardiorespiratory fitness is beneficial for maintaining positive health outcomes. The objective of this systematic review is to evaluate cardiorespiratory fitness among Indigenous populations including comparisons across genders, Indigenous identities, age groups, decades, socio-demographic variables and in comparison to non-Indigenous groups. Included articles reported various cardiorespiratory fitness measures using maximal treadmill or cycle ergometer tests, 20 m shuttle run, 1 mile run/walk test and 6 min walk test. From 14 databases searched in March 2017, including MEDLINE, EMBASE and Scopus, 1069 citations were evaluated and 39 articles included, representing 32 investigations and 10,579 individuals. First Nations/American Indian (FN/AI) adults have greater cardiorespiratory fitness than Inuit. Inuit and FN/AI men and boys have higher cardiorespiratory fitness than women and girls. Lower cardiorespiratory fitness is associated with obesity, metabolic syndrome and a western lifestyle. Cardiorespiratory fitness has declined among Inuit adults, averaging 51.7 ±â€¯7.9 mL·kg-1·min-1 in 1970 to 37.7 ±â€¯6.9 mL·kg-1·min-1 in 2000. Among men, FN/AI have greater cardiorespiratory fitness compared to European-descents, and European-descents have greater cardiorespiratory fitness compared to Inuit. The 1 mile run/walk time showed that FN/AI boys, girls, and youth had faster times compared to European-descendants, but 20 m shuttle run showed that European-descent boys and youth advanced to further stages compared to FN/AI populations. Cardiorespiratory fitness is declining, and among some Indigenous populations to lower levels than European-descent populations. Improving cardiorespiratory fitness for Indigenous populations should be considered a primary health strategy.

Reproductive Pathological Changes Associated with Experimental Subchronic Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis Infection in Nonpregnant Boer Does.

Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis causes caseous lymphadenitis (CLA), which is a contagious and chronic disease in sheep and goats. In order to assess the histopathological changes observed in the reproductive organs of nonpregnant does infected with the bacteria, 20 apparently healthy adult Boer does were divided into four inoculation groups, intradermal, intranasal, oral, and control, consisting of five goats each. Excluding the control group, which was unexposed, other does were inoculated with 10(7) CFU/1 mL of live C. pseudotuberculosis through the various routes stated above. Thirty days after infection, the ovaries, uterus, and iliac lymph nodes were collected for bacterial recovery and molecular detection, as well as histopathological examination. The mean changes in necrosis, congestion, inflammatory cell infiltration, and oedema varied in severity among the ovaries, uterus, and iliac lymph nodes following different inoculation routes. Overall, the intranasal route of inoculation showed more severe (p < 0.05) lesions in all the organs examined. The findings of this study have shown that C. pseudotuberculosis could predispose to infertility resulting from pathological lesions in the uterus and ovaries of does.

Compounds leached from quinoa seeds inhibit matrix metalloproteinase activity and intracellular reactive oxygen species.

OBJECTIVE: Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) is a seed crop rich in bioactive compounds including phytoecdysones (especially 20-hydroxyecdysone, 20HE), polyphenols, proteins and essential fatty acids. We previously reported a method to leach and concentrate quinoa bioactives into a complex phytochemical mixture termed quinoa leachate (QL). Here, we aimed to determine the effect of QL and its chemically distinct fractions on five biochemical endpoints relevant to skin care applications: (i) cell viability, (ii) matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) mRNA expression, (iii) MMP enzymatic activity, (iv) tyrosinase enzymatic activity and (v) intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. METHODS: Quinoa leachate was fractionated and chemically characterized using column chromatography and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). Cell viability was determined using a MTT assay in four mammalian cell lines. MMP-1 mRNA expression was assessed in human dermal fibroblasts (HDF) via qRT-PCR. The enzymatic activity of MMP-9 and tyrosinase was measured using fluorometric and colorimetric in vitro assays, respectively. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced ROS production was determined in human dermal fibroblasts by fluorescence intensity of an oxidant-sensitive probe. RESULTS: Quinoa leachate was separated into three fractions: (i) carbohydrate-rich fraction (QL-C; 71.3% w/w of QL); (ii) phytoecdysone, polyphenol and protein-rich fraction (QL-P, 13.3% w/w of QL); (iii) oil-rich fraction (QL-O, 10.8% w/w of QL). QL did not reduce cell viability in any of the four cell lines tested. QL, QL-P and QL-O each significantly inhibited MMP-1 mRNA expression in HDF at a concentration of 5 µg mL(-1) . QL and QL-P also significantly inhibited MMP-9 enzymatic activity, whereas QL-P demonstrated significant tyrosinase enzymatic inhibition. Furthermore, QL, QL-P, QL-O and 20HE significantly inhibited intracellular ROS production. CONCLUSION: This study is the first to demonstrate the MMP, tyrosinase and ROS inhibiting properties of multiple different phytochemical components derived from quinoa seeds. Our work indicates that quinoa phytochemicals may play a role in the treatment and prevention of skin ageing through a multiplicity of effects.

Ajuga turkestanica increases Notch and Wnt signaling in aged skeletal muscle.

BACKGROUND: The declining myogenic potential of aged skeletal muscle is multifactorial. Insufficient satellite cell activity is one factor in this process. Notch and Wnt signaling are involved in various biological processes including orchestrating satellite cell activity within skeletal muscle. These pathways become dysfunctional during the aging process and may contribute to the poor skeletal muscle competency. Phytoecdysteroids are natural adaptogenic compounds with demonstrated benefit on skeletal muscle. AIM: To determine the extent to which a phytoecdysteroid enriched extract from Ajuga turkestanica (ATE) affects Notch and Wnt signaling in aged skeletal muscle. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Male C57BL/6 mice (20 months) were randomly assigned to Control (CT) or ATE treatment groups. Chow was supplemented with either vehicle (CT) or ATE (50 mg/kg/day) for 28 days. Following supplementation, the triceps brachii muscles were harvested and immunohistochemical analyses performed. Components of Notch or Wnt signaling were co-labelled with Pax7, a quiescent satellite cell marker. RESULTS: ATE supplementation significantly increased the percent of active Notch/Pax7+ nuclei (p = 0.005), Hes1/Pax7+ nuclei (p = 0.038), active B-catenin/Pax7+ nuclei (p = 0.011), and Lef1/Pax7+ nuclei (p = 0.022), compared to CT. ATE supplementation did not change the resting satellite cell number. CONCLUSIONS: ATE supplementation in aged mice increases Notch and Wnt signaling in triceps brachii muscle. If Notch and Wnt benefit skeletal muscle, then phytoecdysteroids may provide a protective effect and maintain the integrity of aged skeletal muscle.