bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
In vitro and in vivo studies on the bioactivity of a ginger (Zingiber officinale) extract towards adult schistosomes and their egg production
Authors: Sanderson L. , Bartlett A. , Whitfield P.J. 
Published: February 2003

AbstractThe bioactivity of an ethyl acetate extract of ginger (Zingiber officinale) towards Schistosoma mansoni adult pairs, both cultured in vitro and in vivo in laboratory mice, was investigated by monitoring worm mortality and fecundity. In vitro, a concentration of 200 mg l-1 of extract killed almost all worms within 24 h. Male worms seemed more susceptible than female under these conditions. Cumulative egg output of surviving worm pairs in vitro was considerably reduced when exposed to the extract. For example, after 4 days of exposure to 50 mg l-1, cumulative egg output was only 0.38 eggs per worm pair compared with 36.35 for untreated worms. In vivo efficacy of the extract was tested by oral and subcutaneous delivery of 150 mg kg-1 followed by assessment of worm survival and fecundity. Neither delivery route produced any significant reduction in worm numbers compared with untreated controls. Worm fecundity was assessed in vivo by cumulative egg counts per liver at 55 days post infection with mice treated subcutaneously. Such infections showed egg levels in the liver of about 2000 eggs per worm pair in 55 days, in both treated and control mice, with no significant difference between the two groups. To ensure that density-dependent effects did not confound this analysis, a separate experiment demonstrated no such influence on egg output per worm pair, at intensities between 1 and 23 worms per mouse.
Brachylaima cribbi (Digenea: Brachylaimidae): scanning electron microscopical observations of the life-cycle stages
Authors: Butcher A.R. , Brealey J.K. , Grove D.I. , Dymock R.B. 
Published: February 2003

AbstractBrachylaima cribbi is a recently described species of terrestrial trematode that infects mammals and birds with helicid land snails as its first and second intermediate hosts. The adult worm is 2.5–6.0 mm long by 0.5–0.8 mm wide being a long slender cylindrical worm with oral and ventral suckers in the anterior quarter and genital pore in the posterior quarter. Scanning electron microscopy shows that there is a dense covering of tegumental spines at the anterior end which diminishes towards the posterior extremities of the worm. Development of spines was observed in juvenile and mature adult worms. In young worms 1–3 weeks post infection (wpi) spines appear as buds with a serrated edge each having 1–4 spikes per spine. As the worm ages the spines broaden and by 5 wpi the number of spikes per spine increases to an average of 8.1. The serial development of oral sucker papillae in the cercaria, metacercaria and adult worm was observed with the finding of an elongated papilla with a bifurcated tip on the cercaria becoming a shorter and thicker elongated papilla with a large central stoma on the metacercaria. In the adult worm, this papilla becomes dome-shaped with a small central stoma. For some of these papillae a cilium could be seen extended from the central stoma. Other life-cycle stages illustrated were the hatched egg with an extruded egg membrane minus an operculum and a portion of the branched sporocyst dissected from the digestive gland of the land snail Theba pisana showing a terminal birth pore. Scanning electron microscopy morphological features of the adult worm observed for the first time in a Brachylaima were the unarmed cirrus extended from the genital pore with released sperm present and the Laurer's canal opening visible in tegumental folds on the dorsal surface approximately 300 μm posterior to the genital pore.
Molecular evidence for the synonymy of two species of Apatemon Szidat, 1928, A. gracilis (Rudolphi, 1819) and A. annuligerum () (Digenea: Strigeidae) parasitic as metacercariae in British fishes
Authors: Bell A.S. , Sommerville C. 
Published: February 2003

AbstractTenascin is an extracellular matrix glycoprotein known to be an essential factor for the modulation of reciprocal interactions between the epithelium and mesenchyme during embryogenesis and tumourigenesis. The interactions between the expression of tenascin in the liver of Syrian golden hamster and the development of bile duct cancer in an Opisthorchis viverrini-associated cholangiocarcinoma model were investigated. The tenascin was expressed in connective tissues surrounding the dilated ducts, ductal rims and the stroma of cancers, and strongly in the stroma flame of necrotic cancer nodules. The mRNA signal for tenascin was also recognized in the stroma cells. The potential roles of tenascin as prognostic tumour markers are discussed.
Emergence of cercariae of Echinostoma caproni and Schistosoma mansoni from Biomphalaria glabrata under different laboratory conditions
Authors: Fried B. , Laterra R. , Kim Y. 
Published: February 2003

AbstractRelease of Echinostoma caproni cercariae and Schistosoma mansoni from experimentally infected Biomphalaria glabrata snails maintained under different laboratory conditions was studied. Infected snails were isolated individually for 1 h in Stender dishes containing 5 ml of artificial spring water and the number of cercariae released during this time was recorded. Of numerous conditions tested, the addition of lettuce, the use of water conditioned by B. glabrata snails and a temperature of 35°C significantly increased the release of E. caproni cercariae. A significant increase in cercarial release of S. mansoni was seen only in cultures fed lettuce. A temperature of 12°C caused a significant decrease in cercarial release of both E. caproni and S. mansoni. Increased snail activity associated with feeding behaviour was probably responsible for the enhanced cercarial sheds observed in this study.
Daily emergence of Schistosoma mansoni and S. haematobium cercariae from naturally infected snails under field conditions
Authors: Wolmarans C.T. , de Kock K.N. , Strauss H.D. , Bornman M. 
Published: February 2003

AbstractThe daily emergence of Schistosoma mansoni and S. haematobium cercariae was investigated under field conditions. Intermediate host snails of both schistosome species were collected during the rainy season, cold dry season and warm dry season and kept separately in test tubes in habitat water. Shed cercariae were collected from each of the test tubes at two hourly intervals, transferred to Petri dishes and counted. Mice were exposed to these cercariae to establish the identity of the schistosome parasites. Peak shedding for both species was observed at 1100 h during the rainy and warm dry seasons and at 0900 h during the cold dry season. Shedding before 0900 h was found only for S. haematobium in the rainy season while shedding after 1700 h occurred only during this season at both species. Shedding observed during 1900 h observation period was in the low category for both species. No shedding was observed during the 2100 h observation period for any of the species and the investigation was discontinued after this period. Only S. haematobium ova were found in the exposed mice.
Dynamics of Anguillicola crassus larval infections in a paratenic host, the ruffe (Gymnocephalus cernuus) from the Oder River on the border of Germany and Poland
Authors: Pietrock M. , Meinelt T. 
Published: February 2003

AbstractThe course of infection of 2-year-old ruffe (Gymnocephalus cernuus L.) from the Oder River (Germany/Poland) with third-stage larvae (L3) of Anguillicola crassus (Nematoda: Anguillicolidae) was investigated at monthly intervals between March 1994 and March 1995. Of 230 fish examined, 152 (66%) harboured viable L3. Monthly prevalences fluctuated between 12 and 96%; mean intensities ranged from 1.0 to 5.6 L3 per infected fish. Temperature-dependent differences in infection were noted with the prevalence and mean intensity of infection being significantly higher (Chi-Square test and Mann-Whitney-U-test, respectively; P<0.01) at water temperatures less than 10°C (cold period) than at those above (warm period). These differences remained significant even after the division of fish samples into two size classes (8.5–10.5 cm, 11–13 cm). Although the paratenic hosts may acquire infections year round, the results suggest that ruffe become infected mainly during the cold season and that the host's feeding ecology determines the final course of infection.
Do helminths increase the vulnerability of released pheasants to fox predation?
Authors: Millán J. , Gortázar C. , Tizzani P. , Buenestado F.J. 
Published: February 2003

AbstractThe success of ring-necked pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) restocking in Asturias, northern Spain was assessed, and the role of parasites and predators in the mortality of released birds was studied. The experimental release of 56 radio-tagged pheasants showed that 98% of birds died within 12 days. As soon as 72 h after release, 67.5% of males and 55.0% of females were found dead. Foxes (Vulpes vulpes) killed 63% of the birds. The survival of those birds killed by foxes was lower than for birds which died due to other causes, and pheasants depositing eggs of the nematode Eucoleus contortus (Creplin, 1839) survived less than those apparently non-parasitized. No impact of the parasite on the pheasants' condition was found, but foxes preyed upon parasitized birds more than expected by random. The results suggest that: (i) the current pheasant releases in this area are unsuccessful and need to be improved; (ii) this is mainly due to intense predation by red foxes; and (iii) parasites could have some influence on the predation of released birds by foxes. However, the way parasites affect pheasant vulnerability remains unclear.
Life cycle of Trichostrongylus retortaeformis in its natural host, the rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus)
Authors: Audebert F. , Hoste H. , Durette-Desset M.C. 
Published: February 2003

AbstractThe chronology of the life cycle of Trichostrongylus retortaeformis (Zeder, 1800) (Nematoda, Trichostrongyloidea) is studied in its natural host Oryctolagus cuniculus. The free living period lasted 5 days at 24°C. Worm-free rabbits were each infected per os with T. retortaeformis larvae. Rabbits were killed at 12 h post-infection (p.i.) and every day from one day to 13 days p.i. By 12 h p.i., all the larvae were exsheathed and in the small intestine. The third moult occurred between 3 and 5 days p.i. and the last moult between 4 and 7 days p.i. The prepatent period lasted 12 to 13 days. The patent period lasted five and a half months. The four known life cycles of species of Trichostrongylus in ruminants were compared with that of T. retortaeformis. No significant difference was found except in the duration of the prepatent period. These similarities in the life cycles confirm the previously formulated hypotheses on the relationship between the parasites of the two host groups ().
Expression of Hsp90, Hsp70 and Hsp60 in Trichinella species exposed to oxidative shock
Authors: Martinez J. , Perez-Serrano J. , Bernadina W.E. , Rodriguez-Caabeiro F. 
Published: February 2003

AbstractStress response and phosphorylation of heat shock proteins (HSPs) 60, 70 and 90 were studied in Trichinella nativa, T. nelsoni, T. pseudospiralis and T. spiralis larvae at 30-min intervals following exposure to 20, 100 and 200 mM H2O2. There was a time- and dose-dependent differential survival for the infective stage larvae (L1) of these four Trichinella species. Immunoblotting analysis revealed that constitutive Hsp60 and Hsp70, but not Hsp90, from test Trichinella species are constitutively phosphorylated on serine/threonine residues as they converted to forms with increased sodium dodecyl sulphate–polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS–PAGE) mobility by treatment with alkaline phosphatase. After exposure to H2O2, while there was a time-related occurrence of the three HSPs with decreased SDS–PAGE mobility, these HSPs were insensitive to alkaline phosphatase except in the case of exposure to 20 mM H2O2 for Hsp60 from all Trichinella species and Hsp70 from T. spiralis and T. nelsoni. The synthesis of HSPs forms with decreased SDS–PAGE mobility is a susceptibility signal because the lower concentration of peroxide (20 mM) did not cause a decrease on HSPs SDS–PAGE mobility in T. spiralis and T. nelsoni, the two more resistant selected Trichinella species.
Dogs as alternative intermediate hosts of Taenia solium in Papua (Irian Jaya), Indonesia confirmed by highly specific ELISA and immunoblot using native and recombinant antigens and mitochondrial DNA analysis
Authors: Ito A. , Putra M.I. , Subahar R. , Sato M.O. , Okamoto M. , Sako Y. , Nakao M. , Yamasaki H. , Nakaya K. , Craig P.S. , Margono S.S. 
Published: February 2003

AbstractSerology (ELISA and immunoblot) using native glycoproteins, affinity purified glycoproteins, and a recombinant antigen is known to be highly specific to Taenia solium cysticercosis in humans and pigs. These techniques were applied for dogs in the highly endemic area of cysticercosis in Papua (Irian Jaya), Indonesia. Analysis of dog sera by both ELISA and immunoblot revealed 7 of 64 dogs were highly positive. Examination of two sero-positive dogs revealed cysticerci of T. solium in the brain and heart of these dogs. Mitochondrial DNA analysis confirmed that they were the same as T. solium previously confirmed from pigs and biopsies from local people from Irian Jaya. It is suggested that the life cycle of T. solium may be completed not only between humans and pigs but also between humans and dogs.
Expression of tenascin in bile duct cancer of hamster liver by combined treatment of dimethylnitrosamine with Opisthorchis viverrini infections
Authors: Sithithaworn P. , Ando K. , Limviroj W. , Tesana S. , Pairojkul C. , Yutanawiboonchai W. , Chinzei Y. , Yoshida T. , Sakakura T. 
Published: February 2003

AbstractTenascin is an extracellular matrix glycoprotein known to be an essential factor for the modulation of reciprocal interactions between the epithelium and mesenchyme during embryogenesis and tumourigenesis. The interactions between the expression of tenascin in the liver of Syrian golden hamster and the development of bile duct cancer in an Opisthorchis viverrini-associated cholangiocarcinoma model were investigated. The tenascin was expressed in connective tissues surrounding the dilated ducts, ductal rims and the stroma of cancers, and strongly in the stroma flame of necrotic cancer nodules. The mRNA signal for tenascin was also recognized in the stroma cells. The potential roles of tenascin as prognostic tumour markers are discussed.
Predacious activity of Duddingtonia flagrans within the cattle faecal pat
Authors: Faedo M. , Larsen M. , Grønvold J. 
Published: February 2003

AbstractTwo studies were conducted to investigate the growth and activity of the fungus, Duddingtonia flagrans, within cattle faecal pats. Artificial faecal pats were constructed with the centre separated from the outer layer by a nylon mesh. Eight treatments were tested, by varying the presence/absence of Cooperia oncophora eggs and fungal spores within each layer. With parasite eggs in the centre layer, a statistically lower recovery of larvae was observed compared to both pats with parasite eggs in the periphery and pats with parasite eggs throughout both layers. Regardless of location within the pat, if co-located with the parasite egg, D. flagrans was found to be effective in trapping developing larvae. The reduction in recovery of larvae from pats with parasite eggs and fungal spores in the centre was found to be significantly higher than when parasite eggs were in the centre and fungal spores in the periphery. In the second study, pats were made up in two treatments: pats containing fungal spores and C. oncophora eggs (fungus) and pats containing C. oncophora eggs (control). The pats were incubated at low or high humidity. Ten pats were used in a cross over where five pats incubated at low humidity for 7 weeks were removed, water added and then incubated at a high humidity for 1 week. Another five pats were incubated at a high humidity for 7 weeks, aerated and incubated at a low humidity for 1 week. There was no apparent growth of fungus in faecal pats incubated at a high humidity and less than 20% of larvae were recovered. The growth of D. flagrans was observed in faecal pats incubated at a low humidity, but a corresponding reduction in the percentage recovery of larvae did not occur, except in week 4. No statistical difference between fungal and control pats was seen in the change over pats. Nematophagous activity was assessed throughout the study and observed in the first 4 weeks within the pats containing fungus.
The effect of cobalt compounds on uninfected and Ascaridia galli-infected chickens: a kinetic model for Ascaridia galli populations and chicken growth
Authors: Gabrashanska M. , Teodorova S.E. , Mitov M. 
Published: February 2003

AbstractThe effect of dietary cobalt from three different sources on uninfected and Ascaridia galli-infected Hisex chickens, has been studied. The chicken diet was supplemented with 0.06 Co2+ kg-1 food either in the form of two glycine–cobalt compounds or mixed zinc–cobalt basic salt. An excess of dietary cobalt in small doses increases the gain of body weight and decreases host mortality. A greater bioefficiency of cobalt was established in infected chickens. A mathematical model has been used to provide a quantitative interpretation of the observed results. The model solutions of the kinetics of worm numbers and body weight are in a good agreement with experimental data. The model is valid for different degrees of A. galli infections and for treatment with different trace elements. The value of the kinetic parameter, regarded as a phenomenological constant of the host immune response, depends on the degree of infection.
Abnormalities of the attachment clamps of representatives of the family Diplozoidae
Authors: Šebelová Š. , Kuperman B. , Gelnar M. 
Published: February 2003

AbstractA comparative study has been made of the haptoral morphology of four species of diplozoon (Monogenea: Diplozoidae) from the gills of fish exposed to different levels of water pollution in two river systems in eastern Europe. An examination of the haptors of Paradiplozoon homoion (Bychowsky & Nagibina 1959), Paradiplozoon ergensi (Pejčoch 1968) and Paradiplozoon megan (Bychowsky & Nagibina 1959) from chub caught in the River Morava, Czech Republic and of Diplozoon paradoxum (Nordmann 1832) from bream recovered from the River Volga, Russia has revealed abnormalities to the attachment clamps. Two abnormal conditions were found: structural alterations to the attachment clamps and changes in the number of attachment clamps; these occurred both singly and in combination. A higher frequency of abnormal attachment clamps was found in diplozoons from fish caught in the more polluted localities of both rivers. The abnormalities have been recorded and their morphology compared in the light of conditions of environmental stress.
Adult worm tegumental damage and egg-granulomas in praziquantel-resistant and -susceptible Schistosoma mansoni treated in vivo
Authors: Liang Y.-S. , Coles G.C. , Dai J.-R. , Zhu Y.-C. , Doenhoff M.J. 
Published: February 2003

AbstractThe effect of treatment with praziquantel (PZQ) on the tegument of adult Schistosoma mansoni worms and on liver egg-granulomas has been examined in mice infected with PZQ-resistant and -susceptible parasite isolates. Two PZQ-resistant S. mansoni isolates, one selected by passage in the laboratory under drug pressure and one from Senegal established from eggs excreted by an uncured patient, were compared with PZQ-susceptible control isolates. Scanning electron microscopic observations on the tegument of Schistosoma adult worms treated in vivo with PZQ showed that more severe damage was inflicted by PZQ on susceptible worms than on drug-resistant worms. Observations on the pathology of Schistosoma egg-granulomas in the liver of infected mice after treatment with PZQ indicated that eggs from susceptible control isolates were more sensitive to PZQ than those from drug-resistant isolates.
The Hydrobia ulvae–Maritrema subdolum association: influence of temperature, salinity, light, water-pressure and secondary host exudates on cercarial emergence and longevity
Authors: Mouritsen K.N. 
Published: February 2003

AbstractThe effects of environmental factors and exudates from the amphipod Corophium volutator on the emergence of Maritrema subdolum cercariae (Digenea: Microphallidae) from the snail Hydrobia ulvae were investigated in the laboratory. Increasing the temperature (15 to 25°C) caused an overall 11-fold increase in emergence rate under varying salinities (24 to 36‰). The effect of salinity depended on the experimental temperature. Emergence increased with increasing salinity at higher temperatures, but decreased with increasing salinity at 15°C.Whereas the different levels of salinity had no effect, increasing the temperature significantly reduced the life span of cercariae. In comparison with complete darkness, light caused a two-fold increase in emergence, whereas an increment of the water pressure from 1.0 to 1.3 ATM (corresponding to 0 and 3 m of depth) left the shedding rate unaffected. Unidentified exudates from the second intermediate host, C. volutator, significantly depressed the cercarial emergence rate. The main transmission window of M. subdolum seems to occur during low water in tidal pools where light levels are high and solar radiation rapidly elevates the water temperature, as well as salinity through evaporation. The consequence of such a transmission strategy is discussed in relation to the impact of M. subdolum on the population dynamics of the second intermediate host.
The Hydrobia ulvae–Maritrema subdolum association: cercarial emergence controlled by host activity
Authors: Mouritsen K.N. 
Published: February 2003

AbstractThe release of Maritrema subdolum cercariae (Digenea: Microphallidae) from the marine mud snail Hydrobia ulvae is significantly affected by temperature, salinity, light and exudates from the second intermediate amphipod host. Based on (i) previously published data on temperature–salinity dependent H. ulvae activity, (ii) new experimental data on H. ulvae activity in light and darkness as well as in the presence and absence of host exudates, and (iii) the cercarial emergence rate from free moving snails and snails prevented from crawling, the present analysis indicates that emergence of M. subdolum larvae is regulated mainly by host activity as the ultimate factor for release. The adaptive significance of such an emergence strategy is emphasized.
Qualitative and quantitative aspects of recent research on helminth parasites
Authors: Poulin R. 
Published: February 2003

AbstractRelationships between the species diversity of different taxa, the mean number of articles published per year on each taxon, and the mean impact factor of the journals in which they appear, were examined across six taxa of helminths: Nematomorpha, Acanthocephala, Monogenea, Trematoda, Cestoda and Nematoda, the latter including only animal parasitic nematodes. The mean annual output of scientific articles per taxon was not related to the species diversity of these taxa or, at least, not significantly. Thus, the large volume of publications on nematodes is not merely a reflection of their estimated diversity. There were significant differences among taxa in the mean impact factor of the journals in which papers on each taxon appeared, with nematodes having the highest mean score, followed by trematodes and cestodes. In addition, across the six taxa, the mean journal impact factor correlated positively and significantly with the mean annual number of papers published: not only are there more papers published on nematodes and trematodes than on nematomorphs or acanthocephalans, but they are also generally published in higher-ranking journals. These results suggest that there is an increasing gap in the quantity and general importance of the research carried out on different helminth taxa.