Vine tea, a Chinese herbal medicine, is widely used in traditional Asian medicine to treat common health problems. Dihydromyricetin (DMY) is the main functional flavonoid compound extracted from vine tea. In recent years, preclinical studies have focused on the potential beneficial effects of dihydromyricetin, including glucose metabolism regulation, lipid metabolism regulation, neuroprotection, and anti-tumor effects. In addition, DMY may play a role in cardiovascular disease by resisting oxidative stress and participating in the regulation of inflammation. This review is the first review that summaries the applications of dihydromyricetin in cardiovascular diseases, including atherosclerosis, myocardial infarction, myocardial hypertrophy, and diabetic cardiomyopathy. We also clarified the underlying mechanisms and signaling pathways involved in the above process. The aim of this review is to provide a better understanding and quick overview for future researches of dihydromyricetin in the field of cardiovascular diseases, and more detailed and robust researches are needed for evaluation and reference.
We report the molecular-phylogenetic identification of larvae of the nematode genus Gnathostoma Owen, 1836 collected from a snake, Ptyas koros Schlegel, in Laos and adult worms from the stomach of a dog in Thailand. DNA was extracted and amplified targeting the partial cox1 gene and the ITS-2 region of ribosomal DNA. Phylogenetic analyses indicated that all five advanced third-stage larvae and seven adult worms were Gnathostoma spinigerum Owen, 1836. This is also the first molecular evidence of infection with G. spinigerum in a snake from Laos., Jurairat Jongthawin, Pewpan M. Intapan, Oranuch Sanpool, Penchom Janwan, Lakkhana Sadaow, Tongjit Thanchomnang, Sakhone Laymanivong, Wanchai Maleewong., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Migratory birds have an important role in transporting ticks and associated tick-borne pathogens over long distances. In this study, 2,793 migratory birds were captured by nets in a ringing station, located in northern Italy, and checked for the presence of ticks. Two-hundred and fifty-one ticks were identified as nymphs and larvae of Ixodes ricinus (Linnaeus, 1758) and they were PCR-screened for the presence of bacteria belonging to Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, Rickettsia spp., Francisella tularensis and Coxiella burnetii. Four species of Borrelia (B. garinii, B. afzelii, B. valaisiana and B. lusitaniae) and three species of Rickettsia (R. monacensis, R. helvetica and Candidatus Rickettsia mendelii) were detected in 74 (30%) and 25 (10%) respectively out of 251 ticks examined. Co-infection with Borrelia spp. and Rickettsia spp. in the same tick sample was encountered in 7 (7%) out of the 99 infected ticks. We report for the first time the presence of Candidatus Rickettsia mendelii in I. ricinus collected on birds in Italy. This study, besides confirming the role of birds in dispersal of I. ricinus, highlights an important route by which tick-borne pathogens might spread across different countries and from natural environments towards urbanised areas., Massimo Pajoro, Dario Pistone, Ilaria Varotto Boccazzi, Valeria Mereghetti, Claudio Bandi, Massimo Fabbi, Francesco Scattorin, Davide Sassera, Matteo Montagna., and Obsahuje bibliografii
The Sympetrum vulgatum (Linnaeus, 1758) complex is composed of the subspecies S. vulgatum vulgatum, S. vulgatum decoloratum (Selys, 1884) and S. vulgatum ibericum Ocharan, 1985 in the West Palaearctic. These taxa have parapatric distributions and noticeable morphological differences in colour and body size, and their taxonomic status is debated. Here we revise the systematics of this group using molecular taxonomy, including molecular analyses of mitochondrial (cytochrome c oxidase subunit I, COI) and nuclear (internal transcribed spacer, ITS1) DNA taking into account known morphological differences. Each subspecies has a unique and differentiated COI haplotype, although divergences among them are low (0.4% maximum uncorrected p-distance). The subspecies are not differentiated by the nuclear marker ITS1. The genetic results for these taxa contrast with the deep divergence of the sister species S. striolatum (Charpentier, 1840). Given current evidence, we propose to maintain the subspecific status of the S. vulgatum complex and hypothesize their biogeographical history. It is likely that the three subspecies became isolated during one of the latest glacial periods, each in a different refugium: S. vulgatum ibericum possibly occupied the Iberian Peninsula, S. vulgatum vulgatum the Balkan Peninsula or territories further east and S. vulgatum decoloratum Anatolia., Joan C. Hinojosa, Ricard Martín, Xavier Maynou, Roger Vila., and Obsahuje bibliografii
In this paper, a scheme of signal extraction and modeling for GNSS position time series based on Monte Carlo Multi-channel Singular Spectrum Analysis (MC-MSSA) is introduced, which can effectively consider the spatial correlation of different directions by processing the different components of position time series at the same time. Meanwhile, the Monte Carlo significance test is utilized to distinguish the signal from the colored noise. By comparing with Singular Spectrum Analysis (SSA), it can be confirmed that MSSA has better signal extraction and modeling performance by taking into account the correlation of different channels. Then, taking the LHAZ station as an example, MC-MSSA is utilized to simultaneously model the three components of GNSS position time series, and the trend and periodic signals are respectively identified by Kendall nonparametric test and W-correlation correlation analysis. The result denotes that MC-MSSA can effectively model the tectonic and non-tectonic signals of GNSS position time series, and the modeled signals can more intuitively reflect the dynamic movement of the station. Finally, based on the MC-MSSA-modeled tectonic signal, we characterize the crustal deformations around the eastern Tibetan Plateau, mainly including the crustal movement and strain rate change. The results suggest that the pushing movement of the Tibetan Plateau from the Indian plate is blocked by the South China block, and the crustal movement rate is obviously decreased and appears a right-handed movement trend. Meanwhile, the junction of the Tibetan Plateau and South China block has accumulated a certain amount of stress, and the tectonic activity at the junction is relatively strong and still belongs to the dangerous zone of seismic activity.
Species of the genus Lamellodiscus Johnston et Tiegs, 1922 (Monogenea: Diplectanidae) are characterised by a complex haptor bearing many different attachment elements: two pairs of main hooks joined by medial bars, 14 peripheral marginal hooks and one or two lamellodiscs, formed by several overlapping sclerotised plates (lamellae). These haptoral structures appear gradually during parasite development and, therefore, attachment strategies vary with developmental stage. The main aim of this work was to study the developmental changes of Lamellodiscus theroni Amine, Euzet et Kechemir-Issad, 2007 under experimental conditions, with special attention to the gradual variations in attachment strategies and the pathological implications. Throughout the gradual development of the sclerotised structures, six developmental phases were distinguished in L. theroni: phase I, with only 14 peripheral marginal hooks; phase II, with main hooks (ventral and dorsal) formed; phase III, with ventral bar formed; phase IV, with dorsal bars formed; phase V, with dorsal and ventral lamellodiscs formed; and phase VI, adult stage with male copulatory organ formed. During development, parasites attach to different parts of the first and secondary gill lamellae and the mode of attachment changes from unspecific stage, i.e. based on piercing any flat gill tissue in the early stages, through an intermediate stage when ventral and dorsal main hooks are completely functional and parasites become restricted to the interlamellar space, and finally to the definitive adult attachment stage when lamellodiscs are fully developed. The timing of key events in the development of L. theroni was used to establish adequate intervals for anthelmintic drug administration., Neus Sánchez-García, Juan A. Raga, Francisco E. Montero., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Morphological characteristics of the acanthocephalan Polymorphus minutus (Goeze, 1782), which was collected from the duck Anas platyrhynchos Linnaeus in the Czech Republic, are described. The mitochondrial (mt) genome of P. minutus was sequenced, with a total length of 14,149 bp, comprising 36 genes including 12 protein coding genes (PCGs), 22 transfer RNA (tRNA) genes and two ribosomal RNA genes (rrnL and rrnS). This genome is similar to the mt genomes of other syndermatan species. All these genes were encoded on the same DNA strand and in the same orientation. The overall nucleotide composition of the P. minutus mt genome was 38.2% T, 27.3% G, 26.2% A, and 8.3% C. The amino acid sequences of 12 PCGs for mt genomes of 28 platyzoans, including P. minutus, were used for phylogenetic analysis, and the resulting topology recovers P. minutus as sister to Southwellina hispida (Van Cleave, 1925), and the two taxa form a sister clade to Centrorhynchus aluconis (Müller, 1780) and Plagiorhynchus transversus (Rudolphi, 1819), which are all species in the Palaeacanthocephala, thus supporting the monophyly of this class.
Two new species of philometrid nematodes (Philometridae) from needlefishes (Belonidae) in Florida are described based on morphological and genetic characteristics: Philometra aequispiculata sp. n. (males and females) collected from the ovary of Strongylura marina (Walbaum) (type host) and Strongylura notata (Poey), and Philometra notatae sp. n. (females) from the swimbladder of S. notata. Both species are described and illustrated based on light and scanning electron microscopical examinations. Morphologically, P. aequispiculata sp. n. differs from all congeners mainly in the unique structure of the distal tip of the gubernaculum, whereas P. notatae sp. n. is mainly characterised by the presence of eight markedly large cephalic papillae of the outer circle in gravid and subgravid females, the body length of the gravid female (54 mm) and by the absence of caudal projections. Molecular characterisation of the new species was assessed from phylogenetic analysis of mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) and SSU rRNA small-subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU) sequences among closely related philometrids by way of Bayesian inference. Phylogenetic reconstructions based on COI and SSU sequences show each of the new species comprise discrete ancestor-descendent lineages.
Gnathostomes are of interest because of their unique appearance and medical importance. Among 13 valid species of the genus Gnathostoma Owen, 1836 (Nematoda: Spirurida), two species, G. doloresi Tubangui, 1925 and G. hispidum Fedtschenko, 1872, are parasites of pigs but their larvae can infect humans to cause gnathostomiasis. In this study, we collected adults of Gnathostoma sp. from the stomach of domestic pigs (Sus scrofa domesticus Linnaeus) from Dien Bien Province, northern Vietnam. Morphologically, nematodes found here are most similar to G. doloresi with a slight difference in the spicules of males. In contrast, they are genetically distinct from G. doloresi and other species of Gnathostoma in both ITS2 and cox1 sequences. The findings of the present study suggest that specimens of Gnathostoma sp. found in Dien Bien are likely a new species and emphasise the need of further studies on the taxonomy and phylogenetic relationship of species of Gnathostoma. Special attention should also be paid to swine and human gnathostomiasis in Dien Bien Province, Vietnam and the neighbouring areas of China and Laos., Nguyen Van Tuyen, Nguyen Thi Kim Lan, Pham Ngoc Doanh., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Cercariae and metacercariae of three species of the Microphallidae Travassos, 1920 were found in snails and crustaceans from tributaries of the Brisbane River, Queensland, Australia. Specimens of Maritrema brevisacciferum Shimazu et Pearson, 1991 and Microphallus minutus Johnston, 1948, which have previously been reported in Queensland, were found as cercariae in the tateid gastropod Posticobia brazieri (Smith) and as metacercariae of M. brevisacciferum in the atyid shrimp Caridina indistincta Calman and of M. minutus in the parastacid crayfish Cherax dispar Reik. Combined analysis of morphological and molecular data, based on newly generated ITS2 and partial 28S rDNA data, linked cercariae and metacercariae for both species. This is the first report of the first intermediate hosts of M. brevisacciferum and M. minutus. Infections of another unidentified microphallid metacercariae, Microphallidae gen. sp., were found in P. brazieri and C. indistincta. The sequences of metacercarial isolates from both hosts were identical. The data on the Microphallidae from Australia and species that develop in freshwater invertebrates were examined in detail., Olena Kudlai, Scott C. Cutmore, Thomas H. Cribb., and Obsahuje bibliografii