Search results for "Pori"
showing 10 items of 761 documents
Parasites, pathogens, and other symbionts of copepods.
2021
There is a large diversity of eukaryotic symbionts of copepods, dominated by epizootic protists such as ciliates, and metazoan parasites. Eukaryotic endoparasites, copepod-associated bacteria, and viruses are less well known, partly due to technical limitations. However, new molecular techniques, combined with a range of other approaches, provide a complementary toolkit for understanding the complete symbiome of copepods and how the symbiome relates to their ecological roles, relationships with other biota, and responses to environmental change. In this review we provide the most complete overview of the copepod symbiome to date, including microeukaryotes, metazoan parasites, bacteria, and …
An evolutionary perspective on the role of mesencephalic astrocyte-derived neurotrophic factor (MANF): At the crossroads of poriferan innate immune a…
2017
The mesencephalic astrocyte-derived neurotrophic factor (MANF) belongs to a recently discovered family of neurotrophic factors. MANF can be secreted but is generally resident within the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) in neuronal and non-neuronal cells, where it is involved in the ER stress response with pro-survival effects. Here we report the discovery of the MANF homolog SDMANF in the sponge Suberites domuncula. The basal positioning of sponges (phylum Porifera) in the animal tree of life offers a unique vantage point on the early evolution of the metazoan-specific genetic toolkit and molecular pathways. Since sponges lack a conventional nervous system, SDMANF presents an enticing opportunity…
Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors from Marine Invertebrates
2020
Simple Summary Histone deacetylases (HDACs) are enzymes that control gene expression and are involved in the onset of serious human pathologies, including cancer; hence, their inhibitors (HDACis) have received increased attention in recent years. It is known that marine invertebrates produce significant amounts of molecules showing active pharmacological properties and an extensive spectrum of biomedical applications. This review is focused on the description of the molecular, biochemical, and, where available, physiological aspects of marine invertebrate-derived compounds that possess HDACi properties, taking into consideration their possible utilization as treatment agents against differe…
Which non-carbapenem antibiotics are active against extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae?
2018
In this study, the activity of 18 non-carbapenem antibiotics was evaluated against 100 extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Escherichia coli (ESBL-Ec) and 50 ESBL-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae (ESBL-Kp) isolated from urinary tract infections and bacteraemia in 2016. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were determined using reference methods and the susceptibility profiles were defined according to European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (EUCAST) 2017 recommendations. All of the ESBL-Ec isolates were susceptible to ceftazidime/avibactam and a great majority of them were susceptible to fosfomycin (98%), piperacillin/tazobactam (97%), amikacin (97%) and nitr…
Reply to Comment on: 'Corneal confocal scanning laser microscopy in patients with dry eye disease treated with topical cyclosporine'
2017
Reply to Comment on: ‘Corneal confocal scanning laser microscopy in patients with dry eye disease treated with topical cyclosporine’
Energy transduction and signal averaging of fluctuating electric fields by a single protein ion channel
2016
[EN] We demonstrate the electrical rectification and signal averaging of fluctuating signals using a biological nanostructure in aqueous solution: a single protein ion channel inserted in the lipid bilayer characteristic of cell membranes. The conversion of oscillating, zero time-average potentials into directional currents permits charging of a load capacitor to significant steady-state voltages within a few minutes in the case of the outer membrane porin F (OmpF) protein, a bacterial channel of Escherichia coli. The experiments and simulations show signal averaging effects at a more fundamental level than the traditional cell and tissue scales, which are characterized by ensembles of many…
Ceftaroline modulates the innate immune and host defense responses of immunocompetent cells exposed to cigarette smoke.
2017
Abstract Background Cigarette smoke, the principal risk factor for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), negatively influences the effectiveness of the immune system’s response to a pathogen. The antibiotic ceftaroline exerts immune-modulatory effects in bronchial epithelial cells exposed to cigarette smoke. Aims and methods The present study aims to assess the effects of ceftaroline on TLR2 and TLR4 expression, LPS binding and TNF-α and human beta defensin (HBD2) release in an undifferentiated and PMA-differentiated human monocyte cell line (THP-1) exposed or not to cigarette smoke extracts (CSE). TLR2, TLR4, and LPS binding were assessed by flow cytometry, TNF-α and HBD2 release w…
Performance of a rapid diagnostic test for the detection of Cryptosporidium spp. in African children admitted to hospital with diarrhea
2020
Background Cryptosporidium is a protozoan parasite that causes mild to severe diarrhoeal disease in humans. To date, several commercial companies have developed rapid immunoassays for the detection of Cryptosporidium infection. However, the challenge is to identify an accurate, simple and rapid diagnostic tool for the estimation of cryptosporidiosis burden. This study aims at evaluating the accuracy of CerTest Crypto, a commercialized rapid diagnostic test (RDT) for the detection of Cryptosporidium antigens in the stool of children presenting with diarrhoea. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted in four study sites in Sub-Saharan Africa (Gabon, Ghana, Madagascar, and Tanzania), from…
Cryptosporidiosis Outbreak in Immunocompetent Children from a Remote Area of French Guiana: CRYPTOSPORIDIOSIS OUTBREAK IN AMAZONIAN CHILDREN
2018
International audience; In September 2014, an increase in the number of Cryptosporidium spp. gastrointestinal tract infections was reported over a 6-month period among children living in a remote area along the Maroni River in French Guiana. Children presented gastroenteritis symptoms with Cryptosporidium-positive stools. Questionnaires were administered and stool examinations were controlled 3 months after the onset of symptoms. Data collection included demographics, food consumption, river behavior, symptoms, and outcome. Stool specimens were tested using microscopy and polymerase chain reaction. Samples from the water systems were examined for turbidity and culture for bacteria. Data fro…
Identification of New Antimicrobial Peptides from Mediterranean Medical Plant Charybdis pancration (Steinh.) Speta
2020
The present work was designed to identify and characterize novel antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) from Charybdis pancration (Steinh.) Speta, previously named Urginea maritima, is a Mediterranean plant, well-known for its biological properties in traditional medicine. Polypeptide-enriched extracts from different parts of the plant (roots, leaves and bulb), never studied before, were tested against two relevant pathogens, Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. With the aim of identifying novel natural AMPs, peptide fraction displaying antimicrobial activity (the bulb) that showed minimum inhibitory concentration (MICs) equal to 30 µ