A multiple inositol polyphosphate phosphatase (formerly known as inositol 1,3,4,5-tetrakisphosphate 3-phosphatase) was purified approx. 22,000-fold from rat liver. The final preparation migrated on SDS/PAGE as a doublet with a mean apparent molecular mass of 47 kDa. Upon size-exclusion chromatography, the enzyme was eluted with an apparent molecular mass of 36 kDa. This enzyme was approximately evenly distributed between the 'rough' and 'smooth' subfractions of endoplasmic reticulum. There was a 20-fold range of specific activities of this phosphatase in CHAPS-solubilized particulate fractions prepared from the following rat tissues: liver, heart, kidney, testis and brain. However, each of these extracts contained different amounts of endogenous inhibitors of enzyme activity. After removal of these inhibitors by MonoQ anion-exchange chromatography, there was only a 2.5-fold range of specific activities; kidney contained the most and brain contained the least. We prepared and characterized polyclonal antiserum to the hepatic phosphatase, which immunoprecipitated 85-100% of both particulate and soluble phosphatase activities. The antiserum also immunoprecipitated, with equivalent efficacy, CHAPS-solubilized phosphatase activities from heart, kidney, testis, brain and erythrocytes (all prepared from rat). Our data strengthen the case that the function of the mammalian phosphatase is unrelated to the metabolism of Ca(2+)-mobilizing cellular signals. The CHAPS-solubilized phosphatase from turkey erythrocytes was not immunoprecipitated by the polyclonal antiserum, and is therefore an isoform that is structurally distinct, and possibly functionally unique.

IgG and IgE against salivary gland proteins of bedbug (Cimex lectularius) were assessed in comparison with mosquito (Culex pipiens) and flea (Pulex irritans) antigens in the sera of papular urticaria patients (group I), siblings without papular urticaria (group IIa), patients' parents (group IIb), and healthy controls (group III) (Immunoblotting). Anti-C. lectularius IgG was significantly recognized at 66 and 10 kDa in 40% of group I, besides others ranging from 45 to 107 kDa. Group IIa significantly reacted with 70 kDa (57.1%). Group IIb reacted with 21 and 8.5 kDa (26.7%). Sixty percent of group IIb and 100% of group III significantly identified a band of 12.5 kDa. IgG against C. pipiens was significantly recognized at a range of 18-105 kDa in group I, IIb (115, 7 kDa), and III (58, 50 kDa). Anti-P. irritans IgG was significantly recognized by group I (100, 70 kDa) and group IIa (60, 35 kDa). IgE response was confined to C. pipiens at 115 and 54 kDa in groups I and III, respectively, besides 68 and 58 kDa in group IIa. It is concluded that IgG is present against C. lectularius, C. pipiens, and P. irritans in papular urticaria and may contribute to its pathogenesis.

The aim of the present work was to apply and evaluate a dipstick assay for the serodiagnosis of human hydatidosis as well as human and experimental trichinosis using camel hydatid cyst fluid (HCF) and Trichinella spiralis muscle larval (TSML) antigens, respectively, and compare this to enzyme-linked immunoelectrotransfer blot (EITB) and Falcon assay screening test-enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (FAST-ELISA). Sera samples were collected from patients with confirmed hydatidosis and trichinosis and with other parasitic diseases as well as from normal healthy individuals. Also, sera samples were collected from mice experimentally infected with T. spiralis which were sacrificed at different time points post-infection (PI). HCF and TSML antigens were used in EITB after separation and characterization of their antigenic components using 5-22.5% sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis under non-reducing condition. For the diagnosis of hydatidosis, the sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic accuracy of the dipstick assay and EITB were 100, 91.4 and 95.1% while those of FAST-ELISA were 96.2, 100 and 98.4%, respectively. For the diagnosis of human trichinosis, the sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic accuracy of the dipstick assay and EITB were 100% while those of FAST-ELISA were 85.7%. FAST-ELISA proved to be more sensitive in the early diagnosis of experimental T. spiralis infection (100% sensitivity from the second week PI) than the dipstick and EITB (100% sensitivity from the third week PI). All tests retained their sensitivity till the 12th week PI. Since the dipstick assay is extremely easy to perform with a visually interpreted result within 15 min, in addition to being both sensitive and specific, the test could be an acceptable alternative for use in clinical laboratories lacking specialized equipment and the technological expertise needed for EITB and FAST-ELISA.

For the diagnosis of human fasciolosis, a new dipstick assay was developed and its diagnostic efficacy was evaluated in comparison to enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using Fasciola gigantica excretory-secretory antigen. Sera samples were collected from patients with confirmed fasciolosis and patients with other parasitic diseases as well as from normal healthy individuals. The sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic accuracy of the dipstick assay as well as ELISA were 100%, 96.7%, and 98.3%, respectively. The dipstick assay is extremely easy to apply, rapid (15 min), with a visually interpreted result, field portable, inexpensive, reagent conservative, and as being both sensitive and specific in diagnosis of human fasciolosis; the test could be an acceptable alternative for use in clinical laboratories lacking specialized equipment needed for ELISA.

his study was conducted to evaluate the effect of use various traditional oil sources (soybean oil (SO) or palm oil (PO)) and untraditional fat sources (short-chain fatty acids (FA) or distillated fatty acids (DFA)) in Japanese quail diets compared with control diets (without any fats source) on productive performance, slaughter and carcass traits, breast meat quality and blood parameters. Thus, each experiment investigated four fats by substituting them into a basal diet at the expense of the energy-yielding ingredients. At 7-day of age, 300 unsexed, Japanese quails were divided into 5 groups (60 quails each). Each group contained 3 replicates of 20 quails each. Five dietary treatments were distributed according to diets fed to quails consecutively during starter, grower and finisher phases. The experimental groups were: Basal diet without any fats (Control), Basal diet containing soybean oil as a fat sources (T1), palm oil (T2), fatty acids (T3) and distillated fatty acids (T4). The obtained result in this study revealed that 1 .There were no significant differences among all groups in live body weight (LBW) and body weight gain (BWG), feed consumption (FC) and Feed conversion ratio (FCR) values during starter, grower, finisher or overall periods, Except starter FC of (T2) group. 2 .Values of Energy conversion ratio (ECR), Protein conversion ratio (PCR), performance index (PI) and production efficiency factor (PEF) showed that all experimental groups are significantly similar to the control group. quails fed (T1) diet had better protein conversion ratio (PCR) but (T2) was the lowest values. 3 .Quails fed (T4) which fed Distillated fatty acids obtained the highest values on percentage of carcass, liver, heart, giblets and weight of edible parts. Otherwise, No significant differences among all experimental groups in weight of bursa and spleen. 4. Quails fed (T4) diet had the highest percentages of breast meat moisture and saturated fatty acid values. While quails fed control diets, had the highest water holding capacity (WHC) and unsaturated fatty acid values. 5 .No significant differences among all experimental groups in plasma total protein, albumin, globulin, total cholesterol, HDL, calcium or phosphorus, while plasma AST, ALT or LDL, was superior with quails fed (T4) diets. It could be recommended from this study to supplement 1,2 and 3% distillated fatty acids to quail diets in age up to 42 days for improve carcass characteristics and fatty acid profile of breast meat .