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Bacterial pathogens are the most serious agents causing diseases in both wild and cultured fish resulted in massive mortalities and economic losses. Motile Aeromonas Septicemia (MAS) is a prevalent bacterial disease caused by Aeromonas hydrophila (A. hydrophila) that impacts freshwater fish. This research aimed to evaluate doxycycline (DOX) antibacterial activity against A. hydrophila both in vitro and in vivo. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and mutant prevention concentration (MPC) of DOX against A. hydrophila previously isolated from African catfish (Clarias gariepinus) were determined to be 0.78µg/mL and 3.9μg/mL, respectively. For in vivo experiment, a total number of 80 apparently healthy African catfish, were distributed randomly into four equal groups. Group 1 (non-infected, non-treated) was kept as control, Group 2 (non-infected and treated) was non-infected and treated with 20 mg/Kg BW of DOX for 5 successive days in feed, Group 3 (infected) was inoculated intraperitoneally (IP) with A. hydrophila (2× 108 CFU/ mL) and Group 4 (infected and treated) was infected with A. hydrophila then treated with 20 mg DOX/Kg BW. Our results revealed 70% mortality in African catfish experimentally challenged with A. hydrophila (Group 3). Moreover, significant elevation of serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (89±16.26, 54.67±6.44, 36±5.29 U/L, respectively), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) (195±7.64, 221.33±17.9, 211.33±12.72 U/L, respectively) and creatinine (0.68±0.098, 0.76±0.052, 0.58 ±0.023 mg/dL, respectively) was observed on 1st, 7th and 14th days post treatment. While treatment of the infected fish (Group 4) with DOX decreased the mortality rate to 30 %, improved the clinical signs and significantly reduced serum ALT (30.67±6.01, 22.67±1.86 U/L, respectively) and AST (153±7.57, 147.67±6.7 U/L, respectively) on 7th and 14th days post treatment. Also, it significantly decreased creatinine (0.21±0.026, 0.25±0.047, 0.21±0.053 mg/dL, respectively) levels at 1st, 7th and 14th days post treatment when compared with those of Group 3. The results showed that DOX could be used as an effective treatment against A. hydrophila infection in African catfish with little adverse effects.

This study intended to investigate the curative effect of curcumin on piroxicam-induced gastric ulcer in rats. Twenty-seven male albino rats were allocated into three similar groups (9 of each). The firstgroup (G1) was the control, G2 received piroxicam (30 mg∕ kg BW.) to induce gastric ulcer and G3 received piroxicam (30 mg∕ kg BW.) and on the third day it received curcumin (200 mg ∕ kg BW.) orally for 21 day. At the end of the experiment, the rats were humanly euthazied and blood and serum samples were taken for haematological and biochemical analysis, respectively. Subsequently, the stomachs were opened along their curvature for evaluation of ulceration, gastric juice was measured and gastric samples were preserved in 10% neutral buffered formalin for histopathological examination. Piroxicam administration induced gastric ulceration (100%), non-significant changes in the gastric juice volume and a remarkable decrease in the number of red blood cells, hemoglobin concentration and packed cell volume with a significant increase in platelets count, white blood cells, neutrophils, eosinophils and monocytes. Furthermore, it displayed a significant reduction of glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase and catalase activities with a significant increase in malondialdehyde and tumor necrosis factor alpha concentrations. Histopathological results revealed focal mucosal erosive and ulcerative changes with sever hyperemia of stomach in piroxicam treated group (G2). Oral administration of curcumin treated the piroxicam induced gastric ulceration and improved the altered hematological parameters, oxidant ∕ antioxidant status and histological pictures of rats in G3. Therefore, curcumin may offer an attractive strategy for treatment of gastric ulcer.

Oral mesenchymal stem/progenitor cells (MSCs) are renowned in the field of tissue engineering/regeneration for their multilineage differentiation potential and easy acquisition. These cells encompass the periodontal ligament stem/progenitor cells (PDLSCs), the dental pulp stem/progenitor cells (DPSCs), the stem/progenitor cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth (SHED), the gingival mesenchymal stem/progenitor cells (GMSCs), the stem/progenitor cells from the apical papilla (SCAP), the dental follicle stem/progenitor cells (DFSCs), the bone marrow mesenchymal stem/progenitor cells (BM-MSCs) from the alveolar bone proper, and the human periapical cyst-mesenchymal stem cells (hPCy-MSCs). Apart from their remarkable regenerative potential, oral MSCs possess the capacity to interact with an inflammatory microenvironment. Although inflammation might affect the properties of oral MSCs, they could inversely exert a multitude of immunological actions to the local inflammatory microenvironment. The present review discusses the current understanding about the immunomodulatory role of oral MSCs both in periodontitis and systemic diseases, their “double-edged sword” uniqueness in inflammatory regulation, their affection of the immune system, and the underlying mechanisms, involving oral MSC-derived extracellular vesicles.

This qualitative research study explores the hotel franchising relationships and the psychological contract and develops a model of success factors of hotel franchising relationships. A multiple case study approach was adopted involving document analysis and semi-structured interviews with hotel franchisors and a number of their franchisees to explore how hotel franchisors and franchisees approach the issues of hotel franchise lifecycle, phases and psychological contract. This study explores the nature of the relationship between franchisor and their franchisees in each phase of the hotel franchise relationship. The findings illustrated the important aspects which the franchisor and the franchisees should follow in each phase in order to have success in their relationship. These findings led to the development an initial model of hotel franchise success factors. Additionally the findings stressed the necessity of developing policies and practices used by the psychological contract to be more helpful for the success of hotel franchise relationships. The researcher developed the final model based on the way franchisors and franchisees approach hotel franchising relationship aspects.

OBJECTIVE To report the rapid (5 min) and simple detection of a nuclear matrix protein (NMP) in the urine of patients with bladder cancer, using a newly developed office-based dot-enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). PATIENTS AND METHODS Western blot and specific immunoglobulin-G antibody were used to identify the urinary NMP marker. Urine samples from 149 patients with bladder cancer and 72 controls were evaluated using the developed dot-ELISA. The initial responses of 43 patients treated by irradiation were followed using the assay. RESULTS The NMP marker was identified in the urine of patients with bladder cancer at 52 kDa (NMP-52) by Western blot. The dot-ELISA detected the urinary NMP-52 marker in 92% of patients with squamous cell carcinoma, 98% with transitional cell carcinoma, and all six of those with adenocarcinoma of the bladder, with a specificity of 94%. The positive and negative predictive values (97% and 94%, respectively) and efficiency (96%) of the dot-ELISA were high. In addition, the NMP-52 tumour marker was not detected in the urine of patients who showed a response after radiotherapy. CONCLUSION Detecting the urinary NMP-52 marker using dot-ELISA would be helpful in the rapid diagnosis and follow-up of patients with bladder cancer.

We have studied the effect of nitric oxide (NO) and hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)), two reactive oxygen species (ROS) on histamine release (HR) from RBL-2H3 cells, a rat mucosal-type mast cell line. Marked HR was elicited by antigen (DNP-HSA), calcium ionophore A23187, sodium fluoride or phospholipase C, but not with compound 48/80 or 1,2-dioctanoyl-sn-glycerol. The NO-synthase substrate L-arginine and its inactive enantiomer (D-arginine), each on its own, induced a small but significant increase in HR above the basal level. However, the NO-donors (sodium nitroprusside or NaNO(3)) or the NO-synthase inducer lipopolysaccharide did not induce HR. Moreover, methylene blue (MB), which inhibits guanylate cyclase and N(omega)-nitro-L-arginine (L-NA), an inhibitor of NO synthase, were also without effect on either the basal HR or the L-arginine-induced HR. HR induced by A23187, DNP-HSA, sodium fluoride or phospholipase C was markedly reduced by MB, but mildly by L-NA (both at 1-100 microM). H(2)O(2) (0.01-1.0 mM) on its own did not induce HR, but it had a potent inhibitory effect on DNP-HSA- or A23187-induced HR, which was not reversed by L-NA (1-100 microM). Taken together, it seems that neither the stimulatory nor the inhibitory effects of the NO-related compounds on HR can be attributed to NO, but rather to other mechanisms. The inhibition of HR by H(2)O(2) also does not involve NO and suggests a negative feedback regulatory role for the peroxide in the allergic inflammation.

The effects of the endogenous antioxidant alpha-lipoic acid on guinea pig colon smooth muscle contraction (Gpcc) induced by hydrogen peroxide were examined. Having previously shown that the histone deacetylase (HDAC) benzamide inhibitor MGCD0103 inhibits guinea-pig smooth muscle contraction, as do various sulfur-containing antioxidants, we asked whether hybrid compounds possessing both alpha-lipoic acid-derived antioxidant properties and HDAC inhibitory activity could inhibit Gpcc.Guinea pig colon (Gpc) was incubated at 37 degrees C with Krebs buffer; the four stimulants-hydrogen peroxide, carbachol, histamine, and sodium fluoride-were added independently. The response to each stimulant alone was compared with that in the presence of each of the test compounds: MGCD0103, alpha-lipoic acid, and two of their hybrids, UCL M084 and UCL M109.NaF (10 mM), carbachol (0.05 microM), histamine (0.1 microM), and hydrogen peroxide (1 microM) produced Gpcc of about 50-60% above basal level. With the exception of MGCD0103 against hydrogen peroxide, all four test compounds at 1 microM-MGCD0103, alpha-lipoic acid, UCL M084, and UCL M109-produced a significant inhibition of 35-60% of Gpcc induced by hydrogen peroxide, NaF, and carbachol, although none reduced histamine or ovalbumin-induced Gpcc. Benzalkonium chloride (Bcl), a G-protein inhibitor, reduced the hydrogen peroxide-induced Gpcc by 35%.Contraction by stimulants used to induce Gpcc is known to involve G-proteins. All four test compounds-MGCD0103, alpha-lipoic acid and two of their hybrids, UCL M084 and UCL M109-reduced Gpcc induced by NaF and carbachol, suggesting that G-protein pathway involvement is relevant to the action of the test compounds, as is also indicated by the Bcl-induced inhibition of hydrogen peroxide-induced contractions. Additionally, alpha-lipoic acid and the two hybrids showed30% inhibition of hydrogen peroxide-induced contractions, consistent with the antioxidant properties of the 1,2-dithiolane ring.

Using1999 Harcourt Publishers Ltdthe ratiometric Ca 2+ indicator, indo-1, the antigen-induced increase in intracellular Ca 2+ concentration ([Ca 2+ ] i ) was measured in individual RBL–2H3 cells which had been passively sensitized with monoclonal antibody to the dintrophenyl (DNP) haptenic group. Antigenic stimulation using DNP-human serum albumin conjugate (DNP-HSA) induced concentration-dependent asynchronous Ca 2+ oscillations, or irregular spikes. To achieve a quantitative comparison of the effects of different concentrations of antigen on changes in [Ca 2+ ] i , the area under the curve (AUC) of Ca 2+ oscillations in each cell was calculated. The dose–response curve of the calculated AUC is consistent with the bell-shaped dose–response curve for antigen-induced mediator release, depolarization and 86 Rb + -efflux. Ca 2+ oscillations induced by antigenic stimulation were abolished by removal of external Ca 2+ and the subsequent reintroduction of external Ca 2+ caused their resumption. To investigate the role of Ca 2+ oscillations in the secretory response, changes in [Ca 2+ ] i induced by concanavalin A (Con-A), A23187, thapsigargin and NECA were also monitored. Con-A mimicked the response induced by antigen, whilst A23187 and thapsigargin induced a large transient non-oscillatory response. NECA, an adenosine receptor agonist, induced only a small transient rise in [Ca 2+ ] i without oscillatory behaviour. Since all these stimuli accept NECA-induced degranulation in these cells, it is suggested that, although Ca 2+ oscillations are not essential for the initiation of secretion, they probably underlie the in-vivo physiological response of mast cells and basophils to an antigenic challenge. They also seem to enhance the efficacy of the Ca 2+ signal.