ABSTRACT
Mite biodiversity and distribution in Malaysia is currently understudied. Most previous works on Malaysian Acari have focused on pest organisms of medical, veterinary, and agricultural concern, with a few recent studies centered on mites in forensic contexts. Previous literatures have targeted collection sites in forest reserves and/or mountains in either Peninsular or Malaysian Borneo, though the state of Sarawak had the least publications related to mite species descriptions despite having the highest number of nature parks of any state in the country. Most publications focused on the three states Selangor, Pahang and Sabah. Most of the mite species reported were from mammals (66.3%), with fewer species from birds (21.7%), arthropods (11.2%), and reptiles (0.8%). We believe that further work on the systematic documentation of mite species throughout Malaysia is necessary as it could generate useful tools, such as the use of mites as biogeographical markers or as forensic indicators. Therefore, this review catalogs mite species that have been documented in or on animal hosts in Malaysia and serves as a foundation for future work.
Subject(s)
Arthropods/parasitology , Birds/parasitology , Mammals/parasitology , Mite Infestations/veterinary , Mites/physiology , Reptiles/parasitology , Animals , Host-Parasite Interactions , MalaysiaABSTRACT
Synthesiomyia nudiseta (Wulp) (Diptera: Muscidae) was identified during the course of three indoor medicolegal forensic entomology investigations in the state of Texas, one in 2011 from Hayes County, TX, and two in 2015 from Harris County, TX. In all cases, mites were found in association with the sample and subsequently identified as Myianoetus muscarum (L., 1758) (Acariformes: Histiostomatidae). This report represents the first records of a mite associated with S. nudiseta in the continental United States. In particular, this association is believed to be of potential future value in forensic investigations, as it lends new insight into the community structure of colonizers on human remains in indoor environments.
Subject(s)
Forensic Sciences , Mites , Muscidae/parasitology , Animals , Humans/parasitology , MaleABSTRACT
The Calliphoridae or blow flies are a family of insects that occupy diverse habitats and perform important ecological roles, particularly the decomposition of animal remains. Some Calliphoridae species are also important in the forensic sciences, in agriculture (e.g. as livestock pests) and in medicine (e.g. maggot therapy). Calliphoridae provide striking examples in support of the hypothesis that sex determination regulatory gene hierarchies evolve in the reverse order, with the gene at the top being the most recently added. Unlike the model fly Drosophila melanogaster, where sex is determined by the number of X chromosomes, in the Australian sheep blow fly (Lucilia cuprina) sex is determined by a Y-linked male-determining gene (M). A different regulatory system appears to operate in the hairy maggot blow fly (Chrysomya rufifacies) where the maternal genotype determines sex. It is hypothesized that females heterozygous for a dominant female-determining factor (F/f) produce only female offspring and homozygous f/f females produce only sons. The bottom of the regulatory hierarchy appears to be the same in D. melanogaster and L. cuprina, with sex-specific splicing of doublesex transcripts being controlled by the female-specific Transformer (TRA) protein. We discuss a model that has been proposed for how tra transcripts are sex-specifically spliced in calliphorids, which is very different from D. melanogaster.
Subject(s)
Diptera/physiology , Sex Determination Processes , Animals , Base Sequence , Diptera/genetics , Genes, Insect , Models, Genetic , Molecular Sequence Data , RNA Splicing/geneticsABSTRACT
This study evaluated the effectiveness of three different disinfectant solutions against denture bioburden absorbed within the depth of acrylic resin. Specimens were taken from dentures that had been worn by the patients for 15 to 20 years and were scheduled for replacement.
Subject(s)
Dental Disinfectants/pharmacology , Denture Bases/microbiology , Denture Cleansers/pharmacology , Hypochlorous Acid/pharmacology , Acrolein/pharmacology , Acrylic Resins , Bacteria/drug effects , Chlorine Compounds/pharmacology , Colony Count, Microbial , Denture, Complete/microbiology , Equipment Contamination/prevention & control , Humans , Iodophors/pharmacology , Oxides/pharmacology , Sodium Hypochlorite/pharmacologyABSTRACT
This study demonstrated that bacteria penetrate three kinds of dental acrylic resin after a short time period. Samples of acrylic resin were contaminated with a variety of bacteria and were then placed in three different disinfecting solutions as directed by the manufacturers. After the specific dilution and immersion time, cultures were made from the resin samples. The only effective disinfectant was a 0.525% solution of sodium hypochlorite at a 10-minute immersion. It disinfected not only the surfaces but also the bacteria that penetrated the surfaces to a depth of 3 mm.
Subject(s)
Acrylic Resins , Biofilms/drug effects , Chlorine Compounds , Dental Prosthesis/microbiology , Disinfectants/pharmacology , Chlorine/pharmacology , Colony Count, Microbial , Escherichia coli/drug effects , Oxides/pharmacology , Pseudomonas aeruginosa/drug effects , Sodium Hypochlorite/pharmacology , Staphylococcus aureus/drug effects , Streptococcus pneumoniae/drug effects , SulfonesABSTRACT
Six new analogues of 5,8-dideazaisofolic acid and 5,8-dideazaisoaminopterin were synthesized in an effort to obtain enhanced antitumor activity. The modifications included the replacement of the 2-amino group by hydrogen or methyl as well as the inclusion of a methyl substituent at position 9. Based upon activity against L1210 leukemia cells in culture, three of the new analogues together with one compound described previously were evaluated for cytotoxicity in vitro using three human tumor cell lines (Colo 320 DM, Hep G2 and HL-60). The most effective compound was 2-desamino-N9-methyl-5,8-dideazaisoaminopterin (2c) with the HL-60 cells being the most sensitive to its cytotoxic effects. These analogues were evaluated in vitro as inhibitors of dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) and thymidylate synthase (TS) from human as well as bacterial (Lactobacillus casei) sources. All four of the 4-amino analogues were most effective toward L. casei DHFR compared with human DHFR, with 2-desamino-2-methyl-5,8-dideazaisoaminopterin (2d) and its 9-methyl derivative (2e) having 818- and 430-fold greater selectivity (L. casei/human). Most of the compounds studied were found to be only modest inhibitors of human TS (I50 values = 1.5 to 20 microM) and were therefore at least 40-fold less inhibitory than 10-propargyl-5,8-dideazafolic acid. Nevertheless, reversal of cytotoxicity studies with thymidine, hypoxanthine and folinic acid using the HL-60 cell line suggested that TS is the primary target for these analogues.
Subject(s)
Aminopterin/analogs & derivatives , Antineoplastic Agents/pharmacology , Folic Acid Antagonists/pharmacology , Quinazolines/pharmacology , Aminopterin/chemical synthesis , Aminopterin/pharmacology , Antineoplastic Agents/chemical synthesis , Cell Death , Folic Acid Antagonists/chemical synthesis , Humans , Quinazolines/chemical synthesis , Structure-Activity Relationship , Thymidylate Synthase/antagonists & inhibitors , Tumor Cells, Cultured , Tumor Stem Cell AssaySubject(s)
Glucose/chemistry , Midazolam/chemistry , Sodium Chloride/chemistry , Drug Stability , Drug Storage , Humans , Injections , Time FactorsSubject(s)
Bacterial Toxins/immunology , Immune Tolerance , Mycobacterium , Nontuberculous Mycobacteria , Phagocytosis , T-Lymphocytes/immunology , Animals , Cells, Cultured , Lymphocyte Activation , Lymphocyte Culture Test, Mixed , Macrophages/immunology , Mice , Mice, Inbred BALB C , Mice, Inbred C57BLABSTRACT
More than 796 Ascaris lumbricoides worms weighing 550 g were recovered at autopsy from a 2-year-old black South African girl. Most of the worms were taken from necrotic small intestine, but worms were also in the stomach, esophagus, intrahepatic and extrahepatic bile ducts, and gallbladder. The worms had caused torsion and gangrene of the ileum, which was interpreted as the cause of death. Worms were formalin-fixed and individually weighed. There were 796 intact worms and 112 appreciably large (greater than 0.2 g) fragments of worms. Statistical analysis of the weights revealed 2 distinct populations of worms: 16 large worms (0.5-2.3 g) and 778 small worms (0.03-0.95 g). The difference in weight between these 2 groups of worms was significant (male and female worms treated separately; P less than 0.05 to P less than 0.001). These observations reveal that the patient acquired a massive and fatal infection with A. lumbricoides while hosting a relatively burden.
Subject(s)
Ascariasis/parasitology , Ascaris/anatomy & histology , Ascaris/physiology , Child, Preschool , Female , Humans , Male , South AfricaSubject(s)
Antigens/immunology , H-2 Antigens/immunology , Lymph Nodes/cytology , Spleen/cytology , Animals , Cell Adhesion , Cell Separation , Cytotoxicity, Immunologic , Guinea Pigs , Histocompatibility Antigens Class II/immunology , Lymphocyte Activation , Lymphocyte Culture Test, Mixed , Mice , Mice, Inbred C57BL , Mice, Inbred CBA , T-Lymphocytes/immunologyABSTRACT
Lymph-node cells from H-2 allogeneic, intra-H-2 recombinant and H-2 mutant congenic strains were sensitized in limiting dilution cultures to quantitate the cytotoxic T-lymphocyte precursor frequencies (CTL.Pf) against antigens encoded by different regions of the H-2 complex. When four H-2Kb mutants of C57BL/6 (B6) were tested, we observed anti-B6 CTL.Pf that were as high or higher than those of recombinant strains which differ from B6 at the K end of the H-2 complex. Relative to strains completely H-2 allogeneic to B6, the CTL.Pf in H-2bm3 and H-2bm5 averaged 40--50 percent, and H-2bm8 averaged 140 percent. Recombinant strains B10.A (4R) and B10.D2 (R103), which differ from B6 at the K end of the H-2 complex, averaged 60 percent of the completely H-2 allogeneic value. Since the mutant and wild-type gene products have no serological and minimal structural differences relative to other alleles at H-2K, these results indicate that the CTL.Pf does not increase with increasing H-2 antigenic disparity between andy two strains. Rather, the data suggests that the T-cell receptor repertoire recognizes those H-2 molecules or determinants closest to self.
Subject(s)
H-2 Antigens/genetics , T-Lymphocytes/classification , Animals , Cytotoxicity, Immunologic , H-2 Antigens/immunology , Mice , Mice, Inbred C57BL/genetics , Mutation , Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell , Transplantation, HomologousABSTRACT
Lymph node cells were sensitized in a limiting dilution assay against B10.D2 (H-2d) and the frequency of cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL.P) precursors was determined. A mean CTL.P frequency of 0.047% was observed when responding strains differed from the stimulators at the entire H-2 gene complex. When intra-H-2 recombinant strains were sensitized against B10.D2, lower frequencies of CTL.P were observed. Responding strains that differed from the stimulators at the H-2K-end only had 2- to 6-fold more CTL.P compared to strains sensitized against the D-end only. In order to study the CTL.P frequency against minor antigenic differences, the B10.D2 (M504-H-2da) mutant strain, which carries a mutation with an antigenic gain-loss in the D-region of H-2d, was examined. This mutant showed an identical CTL.P frequency against H-2d as H-2D-end recombinant strains. Therefore, this H-2 mutant (M504) has either undergone extensive mutation or the qualitative nature of the antigenic loss in this strain results in a high CTL.P frequency against the strain of origin.