Prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in Endangered Wild Felines (Felis silvestris and Lynx pardinus) in Spain.

The wildcat (Felis silvestris) and the Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus) are important species in Spain, considered as near-threatened and endangered, respectively. Both can be infected by Toxoplasma gondii, a parasite that can cause morbidity and mortality in transplacentally-infected or immunocompromised mammals. The data on the prevalence of this parasite in wild populations of these species in Spain are outdated. The objective of this study was to update information and evaluate the role of these felines in parasite epidemiology and the potential impact of the parasite on their conservation. Blood and fecal samples were collected from captured animals, as well as the tongue, diaphragm, and spleen, from animals killed in road accidents in central Spain. An indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT) was used to detect parasite antibodies in serum, microscopy and molecular analysis were used to detect oocysts in feces, and molecular analysis was used to determine the existence of tissue cysts. Seroprevalence was 85% in wildcats and 45% in lynx, and parasite DNA was detected in the feces of one wildcat and in tissue samples from 10 wildcats and 11 Iberian lynxes. These results highlight the epidemiological importance and high risk of T. gondii infection in animals and humans in the studied areas. Considering feline susceptibility to infection, monitoring programs are needed to assess the health status of wild felines.

Ligand-independent oligomerization of TACI is controlled by the transmembrane domain and regulates proliferation of activated B cells.

In mature B cells, TACI controls class-switch recombination and differentiation into plasma cells during T cell-independent antibody responses. TACI binds the ligands BAFF and APRIL. Approximately 10% of patients with common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) carry TACI mutations, of which A181E and C172Y are in the transmembrane domain. Residues A181 and C172 are located on distinct sides of the transmembrane helix, which is predicted by molecular modeling to spontaneously assemble into trimers and dimers. In human B cells, these mutations impair ligand-dependent (C172Y) and -independent (A181E) TACI multimerization and signaling, as well as TACI-enhanced proliferation and/or IgA production. Genetic inactivation of TACI in primary human B cells impaired survival of CpG-activated cells in the absence of ligand. These results identify the transmembrane region of TACI as an active interface for TACI multimerization in signal transduction, in particular for ligand-independent signals. These functions are perturbed by CVID-associated mutations.

Progressive freeze concentration of skimmed milk in an agitated vessel: Effect of the coolant temperature and stirring rate on process performance.

The aim of this study was to investigate the freeze-concentration of skimmed milk by a progressive freeze concentration process. The progressive freeze concentration procedure was performed at three different temperatures (-5, -10, and -15 ℃) and stirring rates (0, 500, and 1000 r/min). The solids concentration was determined and used for calculations of the efficiency of the process, concentrated yield, and experimental results validation. A general linear model was applied to determine the influence of the two factors studied, namely coolant temperature and agitation speed. In all tests, it was possible to concentrated skimmed milk with total solids content higher (P < 0.05) than ultra-high temperature skimmed milk. The highest concentration (P < 0.05) was achieved at low coolant temperature (-15 ℃) and high agitation speed (1000 r/min). The coolant temperature and the stirring rate both had a significant effect (P < 0.05) on the results of efficiency of the process and concentrated yield. Nevertheless, the parameter that showed the most significant effect in our study was the stirring rate. The tests presented a good fit since the root mean square values were below 25%. The freezing point temperatures of the concentrated milk fractions were lower than that of skimmed milk. Finally, the best-operating conditions in our study were achieved using a high coolant temperature (-5 ℃) and high mechanical stirring (1000 r/min), which was also the variable with the lowest (P < 0.05) retention of solids in the ice fraction. In our study, the progressive freeze concentration technique showed promise as an alternative for the dairy industry since it makes the development of new dairy products possible.

Essential thrombocythaemia with mutation in MPL: clinicopathological correlation and comparison with JAK2V617F-mutated and CALR-mutated genotypes.

AIM: To characterise the clinical and histological features of MPL-mutated essential thrombocythaemia (ET). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Bone marrow biopsies of 175 patients with ET were centrally reviewed according to the 2016 WHO classification, including 42 cases with MPL mutation, 98 JAK2V617F-mutated and 35 CALR-mutated. Clinical and histological features were compared among the three genotypes included in the current 2016 WHO classification and among the different types of MPL mutations. RESULTS: Patients with MPL-mutated ET were significantly older than those with the other genotypes. Haematological values at diagnosis were similar among MPL-mutated and CALR-mutated ET, with both genotypes showing higher platelet counts and lower haemoglobin values than ET with JAK2V617F genotype. In the bone marrow, the median number of megakaryocytes was higher in MPL and CALR than in JAK2V617F genotype (16, 19 and 14 megakaryocytes per ×20 power field, respectively, p=0.004). Histological features of prefibrotic myelofibrosis were rarely observed in MPL genotype, whereas sinusoidal hyperplasia, dense clusters of megakaryocytes and reticulin fibrosis were more frequent in CALR-mutated ET, with 11% of such cases fulfilling WHO 2016 histological criteria of prefibrotic myelofibrosis. With a median follow-up of 3.5 years, no significant differences were seen among genotypes regarding survival, vascular complications or myelofibrotic transformation. There were no significant differences in the clinical data or in the histological characteristics depending on the type of MPL mutation. CONCLUSION: MPL and CALR ET genotypes share clinical and histological characteristics. In contrast to CALR genotype, features of prefibrotic myelofibrosis are uncommon in MPL-mutated ET.