Human spend a lot of time indoors and indoor air quality (IAQ) has a great effect on quality of life in humans. Traditionally, bioaerosol in IAQs is focused on bacteria and fungus. Airborne viruses, particularly for the nanoparticle-type virus, on the bioaerosol particulates are associated with the quality of human health in indoor environment. We establish the human like animal model, like pig, for testing the efficacy of the nano virus like particle (VLP) vaccine for aerosol relative disease. The porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV), which is an airborne and a droplet infection virus coated on the small size of bioaerosol, carries a major infectious disease in the pig raising industry worldwide. There are commercial vaccines including attenuated and inactivated vaccines available, but their efficacy remains to be improved. VLP represents safe and effective vaccine platforms based on nano-technology. The fusion protein of capsid protein (Cap) from the porcine circovirus 2 (PCV2) and the glycoprotein 5 (GP5) from PRRSV were expressed by E. coli system. The fusion protein self-assembled with the GP5 to become a VLP nanoparticle. For testing, BALB/c mice were immunized with 10 µg of chimeric VLP nanoparticle once, which induced neutralization by antibody responses to PRRSV. The VLP nanoparticle vaccine induced high T cell proliferation, not evident in commercial vaccines tested on mice. Our results suggest that the cheaper VLP–based nanoparticle is a possibly viable approach model for specific airborne-relative-diseases human vaccine in the future.

A total of 166 psittacines belonging to 22 species were received by the Animal Hospital of National Pingtung University of Science & Technology (NPUST) from 2013 to 2015. Only eclectus parrots (Eclectus roratus) were identified as hosts for microfilariae. All eclectus parrots were adult birds and had been kept in Taiwan for more than three years. The relevance of filariae to eclectus parrots is evident as indicated by the 35.7% (5/14) infection rate. At necropsy, adult filarial nematodes 57-75mm in length and 0.4-0.7mm in width were found in the hepatic veins. The microfilariae were 170-230m in length. Histopathological examination confirmed that eggs and larvae were observed in the ovaries and uteri of female filariae. These nematodes were closely related to an unidentified Filaria sp. (KJ612514.1) as indicated by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis and phylogenetic analysis of nucleotide sequences from 18S ribosomal DNA gene (18S rDNA), mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (COX1) gene, and internal transcribed spacers 1-5.8S ribosomal DNA gene (ITS 1-5.8S rDNA). However, structurally the filarial nematodes were similar to that of the Pelecitus sp. Eclectus parrot species are important pet birds and are highly traded, resulting in high uncertainty of the origin of the parasite infection. This study is the first of its kind to report the presence and potential impact of filarial nematode infection on eclectus parrots, suggesting parasite inspection prior to the international trade of these pet birds.

Pigeons (Columba livia) infected with pigeon circovirus (PiCV) have been reported worldwide. The present study diagnosed PiCV infection in tissue samples of disqualified racing pigeons in Taiwan, using molecular and microscopy diagnostics. Among the 164 dead pigeons examined, 96.95% (159/164) tested positive for PiCV. Severe histopathological lesions, with characteristic inclusions, were observed in various organs of the PiCV-infected pigeons. Multiglobular basophilic intranuclear and intracytoplasmic inclusion bodies were found in the bursa of Fabricius and non-lymphoid tissues. The present study identified, for the first time, the presence of inclusion bodies in the thyroid gland, oesophagus, gizzard, and in the third eyelid of circovirus-infected pigeons. The presence of inclusion bodies in the third eyelid and mucosa of the gizzard was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy. A high detection rate of PiCV and some severe lesions evident in disqualified racing pigeons, as well as PiCV sequences in this study were highly similar with those detected in European countries suggesting an epidemiological association possibly due to imported pigeons.

An uncommon lesion was diagnosed in a 1-year-old female toco toucan (Ramphastos toco albogularis) based on microscopic examinations. Necropsy, histopathology and molecular diagnosis were carried out. At necropsy, possible granulomatous myocarditis was diagnosed in the bird and was confirmed as shown by histopathology. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) revealed an unspecific trematode species as the causative agent. Research on parasitic granulomatous myocarditis in toco toucan has been rarely reported. Therefore, it should be considered during differential diagnosis of avian granuloma cases.

Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is the most crucial phthalate derivative added to polyvinyl chloride as a plasticizer. This study examined the effects of low-dose exposure to DEHP during adolescence on sperm function in adult rats. The male rats were daily gavaged with 30, 100, 300, and 1000 mu g kg(-1) of DEHP or corn oil from postnatal day (PND) 42 until PND 105. The selection of DEHP doses ranged from the mean daily intake by the normal-population exposure levels to no-observed-adverse-effect level of DEHP for the endpoints evaluated until adulthood. Significant increases in the percentage of sperm with tail abnormality, tendency for sperm DNA fragmentation index (DFI) and percentage of sperm with DFI were found in those exposed to 100, 300, and 1000 mu g kg(-1) (P<0.05). We observed a significant increase of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) generation in the sperm of the 1000 mu g kg(-1) group compared with the control group (P<0.05). The excessive production of sperm H2O2 coincided with an increase in sperm DFI. In this study, the lowest-observed-adverse-effect level for sperm toxicity was considered to be 100 mu g DEHP/kg/day in sperm morphology and chromatin DNA damage. Further research is necessary to clarify the mechanisms of DEHP-related sperm ROS generation on sperm DNA damage. (C) 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Background: There are no effective antiviral treatments for Beak and Feather Disease virus (BFDV); thus, rapid diagnosis is critical for effective control of the disease. Recent development of a novel Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP) technique that amplifies nucleic acids rapidly with high specificity and sensitivity under isothermal conditions has overcome some of the deficiencies of nucleic acid-based diagnostic tests and has made on-site diagnosis possible. Methods and finding: We established a LAMP method for rapid detection of BFDV using 2 pairs of primers that were designed from BFDV and compared its sensitivity and specificity with PCR. Amplification by LAMP was optimal at 63°C for 60 min. The detection limit was nearly 3.5 fg of BFDV DNA— as sensitive as PCR. There was no cross-reaction with porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2), pigeon circovirus (PiCV) or avian polyomavirus under the same conditions. The assay also successfully detected BFDV DNA in the tissues of infected parrots. Conclusion: This is the first report indicating that LAMP is a valuable, rapid method of detecting BFDV with high sensitivity and specificity.

Indium, a Group IIIA element of the periodic chart and a rare earth metal characterized by high plasticity, corrosion resistance, and a low melting point, is widely used in the electronics industry where released streams can contaminate the environment. Consequently, indium can reach humans mainly by natural ways, which could result in a health hazard. Although reproductive toxicities have been surveyed in some studies in animal models, the infertility effects of sperm function induced by indium compounds have not been greatly investigated. We designed a study to investigate the toxicities of subacute exposure to indium compounds on male sperm function and the process of spermatogenesis in a rodent model. Fourteen Sprague-Dawley rats on postnatal Day (PND) 84 were randomly divided into exposure and control groups, and weekly received intraperitoneal injections of indium chloride (1.5 mg/kg body weight) and normal saline, respectively, for 8 weeks. Cauda epididymal sperm count, motility, morphology, chromatin DNA integrity, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, and testis DNA content were investigated. The indium chloride exposed group showed significant toxicity to sperm function, as well as an increased percentage of sperm morphological abnormality and chromatin DNA damage. Furthermore, positive correlations between abnormal sperm morphology, chromatin DNA damage, and superoxide anion generation were also noted. The results of this study demonstrated the toxic effect of subacute low dose indium exposure during sexual maturation on sperm function, resulting in sperm chromatin DNA damage through an increase in sperm ROS generation in a rodent model.

The capsid genes from 14 pigeon circovirus (PiCV) sequences, collected from Taiwan between 2009 and 2010, were sequenced and compared with 14 PiCV capsid gene sequences from GenBank. Based on pairwise comparison, PiCV strains from Taiwan shared 73.9-100% nucleotide identity and 72-100% amino acid identity with those of the 14 reported PiCV sequences. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that Taiwanese PiCV isolates can be grouped into two clades: clade 1 comprising isolates from Belgium, Australia, USA, Italy and China, and clade 2 showing close relation to isolates from Germany and France. Recurrent positive selection was detected in clade 1 PiCV lineages, which may contribute to the diversification of predominant PiCV sequences in Taiwan. Further observations suggest that synonymous codon usage variations between PiCV clade 1 and clade 2 may reflect the adaptive divergence on translation efficiency of capsid genes in infectious hosts. Variation in selective pressures acting on the evolutionary divergence and codon usage bias of both clades explains the regional coexistence of virus sequences congeners prevented from competitive exclusion within an island such as Taiwan. Our genotyping results also provide insight into the aetiological agents of PiCV outbreak in Taiwan and we present a comparative analysis of the central coding region of PiCV genome. From the sequence comparison results of 28 PiCVs which differs in regard to the geographical origin and columbid species, we identified conserved regions within the capsid gene that are likely to be suitable for primer selection and vaccine development.

There are no effective antiviral treatments for pigeon circovirus (PiCV); thus, rapid diagnosis is critical for effective control of the disease caused by this virus. The recent development of a novel LAMP technique that amplifies nucleic acids rapidly with high specificity and sensitivity under isothermal conditions has overcome some of the deficiencies of nucleic-acid-based diagnostic tests. We established a LAMP method for rapid detection of PiCV using two pairs of primers that were designed from PiCV and compared its sensitivity and specificity with that of PCR. Amplification by LAMP was optimal at 63 °C for 60 min. The detection limit was nearly 0.5 pg of PiCV DNA, making it ten times more sensitive than PCR. There was no cross-reaction with porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2), pigeon Trichomonas gallinae, or pigeon herpesvirus (PHV) under the same conditions. The assay also successfully detected the pathogen DNA in the tissues of infected pigeons. This is the first report indicating that LAMP is a valuable, rapid method of detecting PiCV with high sensitivity and specificity.

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are used as brominated flame retardants and have been found in human milk in recent years. This study investigates whether prenatal exposure to decabrominated diphenyl ether (BDE-209) induces sperm dysfunction in male offspring. Pregnant CD-1 mice were gavaged once daily with corn oil (control), 10, 500, and 1500 mg kg(-1) body weight of BDE-209 from day 0 of gestation to day 17. The outcomes of male reproductive parameters were assessed on postnatal day 71. Anogenital distance, sperm-head abnormalities, and testicular histopathology were significantly affected in male offspring prenatally exposed to 1500 mg kg(-1). Significant increases in the tendency for sperm DNA denaturation (αT) induction and the DNA fragmentation index (DFI) were found in those exposed to 10, 500, and 1500 mg kg(-1) (P < 0.05). We observed a significant increase of sperm hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) generation in the 10 and 1500 mg/kg/day groups compared to the control group (P < 0.05). Although our findings suggested that the mechanisms underlying BDE-209-induced sperm DNA damage and H(2)O(2) generation might not be represented as a dose-response relationship, we found that the greater the excess production of sperm H(2)O(2), the greater the sperm αT (r = 0.65, P = 0.0155) and DFI (r = 0.53, P = 0.002). In conclusion, developmental exposure to BDE-209 induced sperm-head abnormality, oxidative stress, chromatin DNA damage, and testicular histopathological changes. These findings suggest that BDE-209-induced male reproductive effects might involve the formation of sperm H(2)O(2) which attacks nucleic acids via H(2)O(2) generation.

Flavonoids have been proposed to have anti-inflammatory activity. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are important mediators in the inflammatory response. We examined the effects of luteolin, quercetin and eriodictyol on ROS production in phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA)-stimulated U937 cells. Eriodictyol inhibited ROS production at a lower inhibition concentration 50% (IC50) then luteolin and quercetin (eriodictyol:0.822 mu M, quercetin:1.134 mu M, luteolin:1.026 mu M). Moreover, eriodictyol inhibited ROS production in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Moreover, the p47(phox) subunit of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase regulated PMA-mediated ROS production. After eriodictyol treatment, p47(phox) clustering and translocation also decreased on stimulation of U937 cells with PMA. (phox) clustering and translocation and ROS production in monocytes - evidence that eriodictyol is an immune regulator of ROS production during inflammatory responses.

In this study, the reconfiguration of Heliconia rostrata leaf was investigated by using fluid structure interaction (FSI) analysis at different wind speeds. In order to perform FSI analysis, the time dependent mechanical properties of petiole and lamina were modeled by using linear viscoelastic constitutive laws and the parameters were fitted from 3 point bending tests and tensile tests experimental data. Besides, in fluid domain, air is considered as incompressible fluid in this study. The drag force and banding moment of Heliconia rostrata leaf at different wind speeds (4 and 6 m/sec) under headwind condition were examined. The FSI analyses show that, compared with drag forces of rigid leaf under headwind, the drag forces of Heliconia rostrata leaf reduce 35% and 63% under 4 and 6 m/sec headwind conditions respectively. The findings of this study can help us design better flexible structures such as wind turbine blades.

Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) regulates innate and adaptive immune responses in pigs. However, the porcine TLR4 gene and structure have not been well-characterized. The ectodomain of porcine TLR4 (pTLR4-ECD) was cloned from a pool of 15 pigs in Taiwan and analyzed. Based on genetic and protein analyses, 5 nucleotide substitutions (A961G, A963G, A1027C, T1606G, A1824G) and three amino acid substitutions (H321 R, K343Q, F535L) were noted. This is the first report documenting the appearance of the hot spot substitutions H321R and K343Q, which are found in the leucine-rich repeat (LRR) of pTLR4. According to three-dimensional modeling, the pTLR4-ECD structure is altered by these amino acid substitutions. These mutations may disturb the binding affinity between pTLR4 and its structural partner MD2. An understanding of the correlation between pTLR4 polymorphisms and immune responses will be important for selecting breeds and developing vaccines in the pork industry.

AIM: To analyze the possible protective role of Arctium lappa L. (AL) in a murine model of ulcerative colitis (UC).METHODS: BALB/c mice were administered 100 mg/kg AL powder orally each day. After 7 d, colitis was induced by administration of dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) (5% W/V) in drinking water for a further 8 consecutive days. Diarrhea and bloody stools as well as colonic histology were observed. The level of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) in colonic sections were detected by immunohistochemistry.RESULTS: There were significant differences in mean body weight values and disease activity indices between controls and AL-treated animals. Moreover, the histological findings showed that AL treatment can prevent mucosal edema, submucosal erosions, ulceration, inflammatory cell infiltration and colon damage. In addition, immunohistochemistry analysis showed that the levels of the inflammatory cytokines, IL-6 and TNF-alpha were also decreased in AL-treated groups.CONCLUSION: We suggest that AL can prevent intestinal damage and decrease inflammatory cytokines in mice with DSS-induced colitis. Thus, AL could prove to be a useful food for UC. (C) 2010 Baishideng. All rights reserved.

Very late antigen-4 (VLA-4)-mediated monocyte adhesion and transendothelial migration are important events during immune surveillance and in the pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases, such as atherosclerosis. Under physiological conditions, circulating monocytes that are in various states of maturation enter tissue microenvironments and participate in immune responses by interacting with other leukocytes. The effects and regulatory mechanisms of eriodictyol on VLA-4 expression, cell adhesion, and migration in U937 cells were investigated. Eriodictyol lowered VLA-4 expression in a dose- and time-dependent manner in U937 cells. Moreover, VLA-4- and vascular adhesion molecular-1 (VCAM-1)-mediated adhesion and migration were decreased by eriodictyol. Upon treatment with eriodictyol, NF-κB translocated to the nucleus; the NF-κB inhibitor JSH-23 inhibited this translocation and prevented the decrease of VLA-4 expression by eriodictyol. Thus, eriodictyol regulates immune responses by modulating VLA-4 expression, cellular migration, and VLA-4-mediated adhesion in monocytes – evidence that eriodictyol regulates adhesion molecules during immune responses.

River pollution in Taiwan is rather serious, but so far there have been no reports of fish intersex problems. This report reveals that 50% male tilapia in the Era-Jiin River of southern Taiwan were found to be feminized in an October 8, 1994 collection from station EJ-2 of this river. After discounting all other possible causative factors, and correlating with endocrine disrupting chemicals found in this river, we suggest that there is a great possibility that the occurrence of intersex tilapia was caused by these chemicals. The above finding suggests that greater attention needs to be given to endocrine disrupting chemicals problems.

Avian tuberculosis was diagnosed via histopathology, microbiology, and molecular biology in two of six pheasants from a local sanctuary bird house in Taiwan. Swinehoe's pheasant (Lophura swinhoii) is a near-threatened species in Taiwan. The infected birds showed clinical signs such as fatigue, inappetence, diarrhea, and fluffing of feathers. On postmortem, nonmineralized caseogranulomas were present in the brain, heart, lung, liver, spleen, costal membranes, and intestinal tracts. The presence of granulomas in the lungs of the infected pheasants may suggest that exposure to the infective agent was via the respiratory route rather than the alimentary route. Histopathologic findings were typical of avian tuberculosis, including acid-fast bacilli and centrally located caseous necrosis surrounded by epitheloid macrophages, lymphocytes, and multinucleated giant cells. Laboratory confirmation was made based on lesions and via Ziehl-Neelsen acid-fast stain, polymerase chain reaction, nucleic acid sequencing, and a reliable assay protocol for identification of diseases bioactive amplification with probing assay.

Archived formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues from 28 diseased ornamental cichlid fish associated with visceral granulomas were examined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and in situ hybridization (ISH) for detection of Francisella-like bacteria (FLB). The 16S rDNA FLB-specific primer pair 180f/465r was used on naturally infected ornamental cichlids, resulting in 11 positive cases (39%). Using DNA probes, all 28 cases (100%) showed a positive reaction, and most labeled cells were observed in the visceral granulomas of infected individuals. FLB was detected in cells morphologically resembling epithelioid and endothelioid macrophages. ISH was more sensitive than PCR or routine histopathological examination, based on the examination of archived formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues in this study. Furthermore, this technique located a new fish pathogen, FLB, in ornamental cichlids. The causative agent was similar to the pathogen inducing systemic granulomas in tilapia.