Feline mammary carcinoma-derived extracellular vesicle promotes liver metastasis via sphingosine kinase-1-mediated premetastatic niche formation.

Background: Feline mammary carcinoma (FMC) is one of the most prevalent malignancies of female cats. FMC is highly metastatic and thus leads to poor disease outcomes. Among all metastases, liver metastasis occurs in about 25% of FMC patients.

Reevaluation of Hemoparasites in the Black Spiny-Tailed Iguana () with the First Pathological and Molecular Characterizations of n. sp. and Redescription of .

Hemoprotozoa are microorganisms that parasitize the blood and possess intricate life cycles. Despite the complexity of their nature, little is known about the biology of hemoprotozoa in reptilian hosts. In this study, we conducted disease surveillance on blood samples collected from six black spiny-tailed iguanas () exhibiting clinical signs.

Gastrointestinal Mast Cell Tumor in an African Dormouse ( sp.).

Mast cell tumors (MCTs) are well-known neoplasms derived from either mucosal or connective tissue mast cells. While well studied in several domestic species, MCTs are rarely documented in rodents. A three-year-old, male African dormouse ( sp.

Antimicrobial resistance genes and genetic characteristics of multidrug-resistant in a veterinary hospital in Taiwan.

Antimicrobial resistance associated with animal hosts is easily transmitted to humans either by direct contact with resistant organisms or by transferring resistance genes into human pathogens. There are limited studies on antimicrobial resistance genes and genetic elements of multidrug-resistant (MDR) in veterinary hospitals in Taiwan. The aim of this study was to investigate antimicrobial resistance genes in multidrug-resistant from animals.

Establishment and Characterization of Feline Mammary Tumor Patient-Derived Xenograft Model.

Feline mammary tumor is a relatively commonly diagnosed neoplasm in the cat. Development of new veterinary cancer therapies is limited by the shortage of in vivo models that reproduce tumor microenvironment and metastatic progression. Four feline mammary tumor orthotopic patient-derived xenograft model (PDX) successfully established in NOD-SCID gamma (NSG) mice.

Toll-like receptor 4 prevents AOM/DSS-induced colitis-associated colorectal cancer in Bacteroides fragilis gnotobiotic mice.

(BF) plays a critical role in developing and maintaining the mammalian immune system. We previously found that BF colonization could prevent inflammation and tumor formation in a germ-free (GF) colitis-associated colorectal cancer (CAC) mouse model. The role of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) in CAC development has not been clearly elucidated in BF mono-colonized gnotobiotic mice.

Autochthonous Lactic Acid Bacteria Isolated From Dairy Cow Feces Exhibiting Promising Probiotic Properties and Antibacterial Activity Against Foodborne Pathogens in Cattle.

Bovine enteric bacterial pathogens are a major cause of health decline in agricultural cattle populations. The identification of host-derived microbiota with probiotic characteristics is key for the development of treatments utilizing pathogen displacement and recolonization by commensal flora. In this study, intestinal microbiota in fecal samples from four Holstein dairy cows were analyzed using 16S ribosomal RNA gene next-generation sequencing, leading to the identification of three isolates (, and ).

Housing condition-associated changes in gut microbiota further affect the host response to diet-induced nonalcoholic fatty liver.

Diet-induced obesity is the most widely used animal model for studying nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). However, the physiological effects of a high-fat diet (HFD) are inconsistent between different studies. To elucidate this mystery, mice raised with conventional (CONV), specific pathogen-free (SPF) and gentamicin (G) treatments and fed with standard diet (STD) or HFD were analyzed in terms of their physiology, gut microbiota composition, hepatic steatosis and inflammation.

Gnotobiotic mice inoculated with Firmicutes, but not Bacteroidetes, deteriorate nonalcoholic fatty liver disease severity by modulating hepatic lipid metabolism.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a serious liver disorder and characterized by the hepatic accumulation of excess fatty acids. Clinical studies and animal models have shown a shift of gut microbiota from bacteroidetes to firmicutes in NAFLD patients and a diet-induced NAFLD mouse model. Therefore, we hypothesized that these 2 groups of bacteria may have differential effects on lipid metabolism in the liver, which further contributed to pathogenesis of NAFLD.

Functional and structural investigations of fibronectin-binding protein Apa from Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Background: Alanine and proline-rich protein (Apa) is a secreted antigen of Mycobacterium spp. which involves in stimulating immune responses and adhering to host cells by binding to fibronectin (Fn). Here, we report the crystal structure of Apa from Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) and its Fn-binding characteristics.

Significance of sphingosine kinase 1 expression in feline mammary tumors.

Background: Sphingosine kinase 1 (SPHK1) is an enzyme that converts pro-apoptotic ceramide and sphingosine into anti-apoptotic sphingosine-1-phosphate. There is growing evidence that SPHK1 activation promotes oncogenic transformation, tumor growth, chemotherapy resistance, and metastatic spread. High SPHK1 expression has been associated with a poor prognosis in several human cancers.

The germ-free mice monocolonization with improves azoxymethane/dextran sulfate sodium induced colitis-associated colorectal cancer.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is generally considered as a major risk factor in the progression of colitis-associated colorectal cancer (CAC). Previous studies have indicated that the composition of gut microflora may be involved in CAC induction and progress. () is a Gram-negative anaerobe belonging to colonic symbiotic bacteria of the host.

Supplementation with Beef Extract Improves Exercise Performance and Reduces Post-Exercise Fatigue Independent of Gut Microbiota.

Beef extract (BE) is a nutritional supplement obtained by cooking beef meat. Compared with traditional chicken essence or clam extract, BE is cheaper to produce and may be used for wound healing, as a chemotherapy supplement, or to prevent fatigue. In this study, we evaluated the potential beneficial effects of BE on exercise performance and the related role of the gut microbiota.

Effects of L-arabinose efflux on λ Red recombination-mediated gene knockout in multiple-antimicrobial-resistant Salmonella enterica serovar Choleraesuis.

In this study, six swine-derived multiple-antimicrobial-resistant (MAR) strains of Salmonella Choleraesuis (S. Choleraesuis) were demonstrated to possess higher efflux pump activity than the wild-type (WT). L-Arabinose, a common inducer for gene expression, modulated S.

Effects of plant- and animal-based high-fat diets on lipid storage and distribution in environmental bacteria-colonized gnotobiotic mice.

Different edible oils such as lard and soybean oil have been reported to interact with the gut microbiota, affecting host lipid metabolism. However, whether bacteria derived from the environment influence host lipid metabolism remains unclear. This study aimed to clarify the roles of environmental bacteria in host lipid storage and distribution with various edible oils.

High Diversity of Antimicrobial Resistance Genes, Class 1 Integrons, and Genotypes of Multidrug-Resistant Escherichia coli in Beef Carcasses.

Multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli can contaminate food meat during processing and cause human infection. Phenotypic and genotypic characterization of the antimicrobial resistance were conducted for 45 multidrug-resistant E. coli isolates from 208 samples of beef carcasses.

Determination of the quality of stripe-marked and cracked eggs during storage.

Objective: Stripe marks, which occasionally occur on the shell, do not cause breakage to the shell and shell membranes of eggs. This study investigated the quality of intact eggs (IEs), minor stripe-marked eggs (MEs), severe stripe-marked eggs (SEs), and cracked eggs (CEs) during 3-week storage at 25°C.

Methods: Shell eggs were collected the day after being laid and were washed.

Prevalence and molecular characterization of Clostridium difficile isolates from a pig slaughterhouse, pork, and humans in Taiwan.

Clostridium difficile causes antibiotic-associated diarrhea in both humans and animals. The ribotype 078, predominant in food animals, is associated with community-acquired C. difficile infection, and C.

Involvement of NF-κB in regulation of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae exotoxin ApxI-induced proinflammatory cytokine production in porcine alveolar macrophages.

Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae is a crucial respiratory pathogen that causes fibrinous, hemorrhagic, necrotizing pleuropneumonia in pigs. A. pleuropneumoniae exotoxins (ApxI to IV) are the major virulence factors contributing to A.

TolC is important for bacterial survival and oxidative stress response in Salmonella enterica serovar Choleraesuis in an acidic environment.

The outer membrane protein TolC, which is one of the key components of several multidrug efflux pumps, is thought to be involved in various independent systems in Enterobacteriaceae. Since the acidic environment of the stomach is an important protection barrier against foodborne pathogen infections in hosts, we evaluated whether TolC played a role in the acid tolerance of Salmonella enterica serovar Choleraesuis. Comparison of the acid tolerance of the tolC mutant and the parental wild-type strain showed that the absence of TolC limits the ability of Salmonella to sustain life under extreme acidic conditions.

Role of Chronic Inflammation in Myopia Progression: Clinical Evidence and Experimental Validation.

Prevention and treatment of myopia is an important public problem worldwide. We found a higher incidence of myopia among patients with inflammatory diseases such as type 1 diabetes mellitus (7.9%), uveitis (3.

Zoonotic potential of the Clostridium difficile RT078 family in Taiwan.

Clostridium difficile is the major cause of nosocomial diarrhea. We have previously demonstrated that in southern Taiwan, severe C. difficile-associated diarrhea (CDAD) cases were due to the C.

Effects of egg washing and storage temperature on the quality of eggshell cuticle and eggs.

This study investigated the quality of washed and unwashed eggs stored at 7°C (WC and UC for washed and unwashed eggs, respectively) and 25°C (WR and UR for washed and unwashed eggs, respectively) for 4weeks. The results show that the Haugh unit, albumin pH, thick albumin ratio, yolk index, air cell size, and S-ovalbumin content of UC were significantly the most superior, followed by those of WC, WR, and UR, in that order. Scanning electron microscopy and cuticle staining confirmed the damages and decreased cuticle coverage caused by washing and extended storage.

Cold-water extracts of Grifola frondosa and its purified active fraction inhibit hepatocellular carcinoma in vitro and in vivo.

Mushrooms are used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat a variety of diseases. Grifola frondosa (GF) is an edible mushroom indigenous to many Asian countries with a large fruiting body characterized by overlapping caps. In particular, GF is known for its anti-tumor activity, which has been targeted by scientific and clinical research.

Potentially hypervirulent Clostridium difficile PCR ribotype 078 lineage isolates in pigs and possible implications for humans in Taiwan.

Clostridium difficile is a human and animal pathogen. Recently, the incidence of community-acquired C. difficile infection has increased, and many studies have indicated that C.