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trypanosoma evansi in naturally infected dromedary camels: lipid profile, oxidative stress parameters, acute phase proteins and proinflammatory cytokines.additional biomarkers are essential for control of trypanosoma evansi (t. evansi) infection in dromedary camels. two groups of 30 camels each, one naturally infected with t. evansi and other normal healthy were executed. the basis for the infection was the positive findings of clinical examination, blood smears and latex agglutination test. blood samples of both groups and its harvested serum were used for the estimation of present serobiochemical parameters. the present findings revealed signif ...201626887646
chimpanzee adenovirus vaccine provides multispecies protection against rift valley fever.rift valley fever virus (rvfv) causes recurrent outbreaks of acute life-threatening human and livestock illness in africa and the arabian peninsula. no licensed vaccines are currently available for humans and those widely used in livestock have major safety concerns. a 'one health' vaccine development approach, in which the same vaccine is co-developed for multiple susceptible species, is an attractive strategy for rvfv. here, we utilized a replication-deficient chimpanzee adenovirus vaccine pla ...201626847478
post-exposure treatment with anti-rabies vhh and vaccine significantly improves protection of mice from lethal rabies infection.post-exposure prophylaxis (pep) against rabies infection consists of a combination of passive immunisation with plasma-derived human or equine immune globulins and active immunisation with vaccine delivered shortly after exposure. since anti-rabies immune globulins are expensive and scarce, there is a need for cheaper alternatives that can be produced more consistently. previously, we generated potent virus-neutralising vhh, also called nanobodies, against the rabies glycoprotein that are effect ...201627483431
the first report of peste des petits ruminants (ppr) in camels (camelus dromedarius) in iran.in mid-july 2013, an outbreak of peste des petits ruminants (ppr) was observed in a herd of camels after they were imported from kuwait to the khuzestan province in southwest of iran. the clinical signs of the affected animals included sudden death, fever, oral erosion, and ecthyma like lesions, yellowish diarrhea, pneumonia and respiratory distress, enlargement of lymph node, severe dehydration, dermatitis, ulcerative keratitis, and conjunctivitis. necropsy findings included keratoconjunctiviti ...201627155951
whole-genome characterization of a peruvian alpaca rotavirus isolate expressing a novel vp4 genotype.the sa44 isolate of rotavirus a (rva) was identified from a neonatal peruvian alpaca presenting with diarrhea, and the full-length genome sequence of the isolate (designated rva/alpaca-tc/per/sa44/2014/g3p[40]) was determined. phylogenetic analyses showed that the isolate possessed the genotype constellation g3-p[40]-i8-r3-c3-m3-a9-n3-t3-e3-h6, which differs considerably from those of rva strains isolated from other species of the order artiodactyla. overall, the genetic constellation of the sa4 ...201627939152
controlling rotavirus-associated diarrhea: could single-domain antibody fragments make the difference?group a rotavirus (rva) remains a leading cause of severe diarrhea and child mortality. the variable domain of camelid heavy chain antibodies (vhh) display potent antigen-binding capacity, have low production costs and are suitable for oral therapies. two sets of anti-rva vhhs have been developed: arp1-arp3; 2kd1-3b2. here, we explore the potential of both sets as a prevention strategy complementary to vaccination and a treatment option against rva-associated diarrhea in endangered populations. ...201626654700
intracellularly expressed nanobodies against non-structural protein 4 of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus inhibit virus replication.to isolate specific nanobodies to porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (prrsv) non-structural protein 4 (nsp4) and investigate their potential antiviral activities.201627010387
normal bacterial conjunctival flora in the huacaya alpaca (vicugna pacos).to describe the bacterial flora of the normal conjunctiva of huacaya alpacas (vicugna pacos) and to determine the effect of age and gender on this flora.201625581469
prevalence of mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis fecal shedding in alpacas presented to veterinary hospitals in the united states.the prevalence of johne's disease in alpacas in the united states is unknown. the limits of polymerase chain reaction (pcr) detection of mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (map) in alpaca feces have not been determined.201623782278
new hepatitis e virus genotype in bactrian camels, xinjiang, china, 2013. 201627869607
transmission of hepatitis e virus in developing countries.hepatitis e virus (hev), an rna virus of the hepeviridae family, has marked heterogeneity. while all five hev genotypes can cause human infections, genotypes hev-1 and -2 infect humans alone, genotypes hev-3 and -4 primarily infect pigs, boars and deer, and genotype hev-7 primarily infects dromedaries. the global distribution of hev has distinct epidemiological patterns based on ecology and socioeconomic factors. in resource-poor countries, disease presents as large-scale waterborne epidemics, a ...201627657112
production of infectious dromedary camel hepatitis e virus by a reverse genetic system: potential for zoonotic infection.the pathogenicity, epidemiology and replication mechanism of dromedary camel hepatitis e virus (dchev), a novel hepatitis e virus (hev), has been unclear. here we used a reverse genetic system to produce dchev and examined the possibility of zoonotic infection.201627449916
hepatitis e virus infection in dromedaries, north and east africa, united arab emirates, and pakistan, 1983-2015.a new hepatitis e virus (hev-7) was recently found in dromedaries and 1 human from the united arab emirates. we screened 2,438 dromedary samples from pakistan, the united arab emirates, and 4 african countries. hev-7 is long established, diversified and geographically widespread. dromedaries may constitute a neglected source of zoonotic hev infections.201627315454
chronic infection with camelid hepatitis e virus in a liver transplant recipient who regularly consumes camel meat and milk.there have been increasing reports of food-borne zoonotic transmission of hepatitis e virus (hev) genotype 3, which causes chronic infections in immunosuppressed patients. we performed phylogenetic analyses of the hev sequence (partial and full-length) from 1 patient from the middle east who underwent liver transplantation, and compared it with other orthohepevirus a sequences. we found the patient to be infected by camelid hev. this patient regularly consumed camel meat and milk, therefore came ...201626551551
link of a ubiquitous human coronavirus to dromedary camels.the four human coronaviruses (hcovs) are globally endemic respiratory pathogens. the middle east respiratory syndrome (mers) coronavirus (cov) is an emerging cov with a known zoonotic source in dromedary camels. little is known about the origins of endemic hcovs. studying these viruses' evolutionary history could provide important insight into cov emergence. in tests of mers-cov-infected dromedaries, we found viruses related to an hcov, known as hcov-229e, in 5.6% of 1,033 animals. human- and dr ...201627528677
phenotypic lentivirus screens to identify functional single domain antibodies.manipulation of proteins is key in assessing their in vivo function. although genetic ablation is straightforward, reversible and specific perturbation of protein function remains a challenge. single domain antibody fragments, such as camelid-derived vhhs, can serve as inhibitors or activators of intracellular protein function, but functional testing of identified vhhs is laborious. to address this challenge, we have developed a lentiviral screening approach to identify vhhs that elicit a phenot ...201627573105
crystal structure of a lacy-nanobody complex in a periplasmic-open conformation.the lactose permease of escherichia coli (lacy), a dynamic polytopic membrane protein, catalyzes galactoside-h(+) symport and operates by an alternating access mechanism that exhibits multiple conformations, the distribution of which is altered by sugar binding. we have developed single-domain camelid nanobodies (nbs) against a mutant in an outward (periplasmic)-open conformation to stabilize this state of the protein. here we describe an x-ray crystal structure of a complex between a double-trp ...201627791182
thermodynamics of nanobody binding to lactose permease.camelid nanobodies (nbs) raised against the outward-facing conformer of a double-trp mutant of the lactose permease of escherichia coli (lacy) stabilize the permease in outward-facing conformations. isothermal titration calorimetry is applied herein to dissect the binding thermodynamics of two nbs, one that markedly improves access to the sugar-binding site and another that dramatically increases the affinity for galactoside. the findings presented here show that both enthalpy and entropy contri ...201627686537
biochemical characterization of the detoxifying enzyme glutathione transferase p1-1 from the camel camelus dromedarius.glutathione transferase (gst, ec 2.5.1.18) is a primary line of defense against toxicities of electrophile compounds and oxidative stress and therefore is involved in stress-response and cell detoxification. in the present study, we investigated the catalytic and structural properties of the glutathione transferase (gst) isoenzyme p1-1 from camelus dromedarius (cdgstp1-1). recombinant cdgstp1-1 was produced in escherichia coli bl21(de3) and purified to electrophoretic homogeneity. kinetic analys ...201627639582
production and characterization of novel camel single domain antibody targeting mouse vascular endothelial growth factor.camel single domain antibody known as nanobody™ refers to a novel class of monoclonal antibodies with appropriate pharmacological properties. nanobody is an antigen-binding site of camel heavy chain antibody also known as vhh. expression in a microbial system, stability in difficult conditions and extremes of ph, and nanomolar affinity to target an appropriate drug format makes nanobody a potential for drug discovery. needs for nanobody function evaluation in animal models turned our interest to ...201627167350
development of camelid single chain antibodies against shiga toxin type 2 (stx2) with therapeutic potential against hemolytic uremic syndrome (hus).shiga toxin (stx)-producing escherichia coli (stec) infections are implicated in the development of the life-threatening hemolytic uremic syndrome (hus). despite the magnitude of the social and economic problems caused by stec infections, no licensed vaccine or effective therapy is presently available for human use. single chain antibodies (vhh) produced by camelids exhibit several advantages in comparison with conventional antibodies, making them promising tools for diagnosis and therapy. in th ...201627118524
optimization of expression and purification of hspa6 protein from camelus dromedarius in e. coli.the hspa6, one of the members of large family of hsp70, is significantly up-regulated and has been targeted as a biomarker of cellular stress in several studies. herein, conditions were optimized to increase the yield of recombinant camel hspa6 protein in its native state, primarily focusing on the optimization of upstream processing parameters that lead to an increase in the specific as well as volumetric yield of the protein. the results showed that the production of chspa6 was increased propo ...201627081368
expression, purification and properties of redox-sensitive eye lens zeta-crystallin of arabian camel.the high protein concentration, unique composition and complex geometry of the lens makes it transparent. α-, β-, and γ-crystallins are present in all the lenses. in addition, taxon-specific crystallins are present in lenses in bulk quantity. zeta (ζ)-crystallin is an nadph-dependent quinone oxidoreductase, which constitutes nearly 10 % of the total eye lens protein in the evolutionary divergent animals (camel, guinea pig and japanese frog eye lenses) living in different ecological conditio ...201627071472
structural and thermodynamic properties of kappa class glutathione transferase from camelus dromedarius.the arabian camel, camelus dromedarius is naturally adapted to extreme desert climate and has evolved protective mechanisms to limit oxidative stress. the mitochondrial kappa class glutathione transferase enzyme is a member of gst supergene family that represents an important enzyme group in cellular phase ii detoxification machinery and is involved in the protection against oxidative stress and xenobiotics. in the present study, c. dromedarius kappa class glutathione transferase (cdgstk1-1) was ...201627044344
construction of a camelid vhh yeast two-hybrid library and the selection of vhh against haemagglutinin-neuraminidase protein of the newcastle disease virus.newcastle disease (nd), which is caused by the newcastle disease virus (ndv), is one of the most important avian diseases in poultry. since its discovery in 1926, nd has caused great economic losses to the world poultry industry and remains a threat to chickens and wild birds. although a stringent vaccination policy is widely adopted to control nd, nd outbreaks still occur, and virulent ndv is sporadically isolated from chickens and wild birds. to study the pathogenesis of nd and provide tools t ...201626920806
a potential camel reservoir for extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing escherichia coli causing human infection in saudi arabia.the prevalence of antimicrobial resistance is continuing to increase. consequently, efficient approaches to identify sources of resistance are required. this study aimed to compare escherichia coli isolates from the intestinal tract of camels with isolates from human urinary tract infections (utis) in al ahsa province, kingdom of saudi arabia (ksa), for antimicrobial resistance and identification of extended-spectrum β-lactamases (esbls). a microbiological study was conducted on 100 samples of c ...201626689793
molecular epidemiology of crimean-congo hemorrhagic fever virus detected from ticks of one humped camels (camelus dromedarius) population in northeastern iran.a comprehensive study was conducted on camel ticks to assess the epidemiological aspects of the infection in camels. from may 2012 to january 2013, 11 cities and towns from the khorasan provinces, northeastern iran, were randomly selected as a "cluster" and at least 14 camels were sampled from each cluster. a total of 200 camels were examined in this study, reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction was used for the detection of the crimean-congo hemorrhagic fever virus (cchfv) genome. tick ...201627065608
investigation on cryptosporidium infections in wild animals in a zoo in anhui province.to assess cryptosporidium infections among wild animals in a zoo located in anhui province, we conducted an investigation on the fecal samples collected from 44 primates, 41 herbivores, 44 carnivores and omnivores, and 103 birds in the zoo with the use of sheather's sugar flotation technique and modified acid-fast staining. cryptosporidium oocysts were detected in the fecal samples from six primates, two herbivores, four carnivores and omnivores, and seven birds by using sheather's sugar flotati ...201627691966
importance of hypervariable region 2 for stability and affinity of a shark single-domain antibody specific for ebola virus nucleoprotein.single-domain antibodies derived from the unique new antigen receptor found in sharks have numerous potential applications, ranging from diagnostic reagents to therapeutics. shark-derived single-domain antibodies possess the same characteristic ability to refold after heat denaturation found in single-domain antibodies derived from camelid heavy-chain-only antibodies. recently, two shark derived single-domain antibodies specific for the nucleoprotein of ebola virus were described. our evaluation ...201627494523
molecular characterization of echinococcus granulosus sensu stricto and echinococcus canadensis in humans and livestock from algeria.in algeria, previous studies investigated genotypes of echinococcus granulosus sensu lato in animals and identified e. granulosus sensu stricto (s.s.) genotypes g1 and g3 whereas echinococcus canadensis genotype g6 was only reported from dromedary cysts. molecular data on human cystic echinococcosis (ce) were limited. we implemented a large genotyping study of hydatid cysts from humans and livestock animals to specify ce's molecular epidemiology and the genetic diversity in algeria. fifty-four h ...201627021186
survey of hydatidosis infection in slaughtered camel (camelus dromedarius) in tabriz area, northwest iran.hydatid disease is the name given to the condition caused by the zoonotic tapeworm echinococcus granulosus. the tapeworm spends most of its adult life in the intestine of its definitive host, namely canids and in particular the dog. the tapeworm eggs become voided in the canids' faeces and as a result of ingesting the eggs, infection passes to the intermediate host, commonly herbivores while grazing. however, humans can become accidentally infected and hydatid cysts may develop throughout the bo ...201627413318
incorporation of a doubly functionalized synthetic amino acid into proteins for creating chemical and light-induced conjugates.z-lysine (zlys) is a lysine derivative with a benzyloxycarbonyl group linked to the ε-nitrogen. it has been genetically encoded with the uag stop codon, using the pair of an engineered variant of pyrrolysyl-trna synthetase (pylrs) and trna(pyl). in the present study, we designed a novel z-lysine derivative (amazzlys), which is doubly functionalized with amino and azido substituents at the meta positions of the benzyl moiety, and demonstrated its applicability for creating protein conjugates. ama ...201626625213
optimization of dilution refolding conditions for a camelid single domain antibody against human beta-2-microglobulin.single domain antibody (sdab) is often expressed as inclusion bodies in escherichia coli cytoplasm. establishing an effective in vitro refolding method for sdab obtained from inclusion bodies would be important for sdab research. in this study, dilution refolding condition for a camelid sdab specific against human beta-2-microglobulin was optimized for the sdab purified from the inclusion bodies of e. coli bl21 (de3). single factor methods based on protein concentration, velocity of dilution, in ...201626386406
an outbreak of dermatophilosis and caseous lymphadenitis mixed infection in camels (camelus dromedaries) in jordan.this study describes and reports, for the first time, an outbreak of dermatophilosis that occurred concurrently with caseous lymphadenitis involving two camel herds (camelus dromedaries) in north jordan.201627249526
genotyping of brucella melitensis strains from dromedary camels (camelus dromedarius) from the united arab emirates with multiple-locus variable-number tandem repeat analysis.camel brucellosis is a widespread zoonotic disease in camel-rearing countries caused by brucella melitensis and brucella abortus. the aim of this study was the first genetic analysis of b. melitensis strains isolated from dromedary camels (camelus dromedarius) using multiple-locus variable-number tandem repeat analysis (mlva). mlva 16 and its mlva 8 and mlva11 subsets were used to determine the genotypes of 15 b. melitensis isolates from dromedary camels (11 strains) and other host species (4 st ...201627016751
genetic characterization of poxviruses in camelus dromedarius in ethiopia, 2011-2014.camelpox and camel contagious ecthyma are infectious viral diseases of camelids caused by camelpox virus (cmlv) and camel contagious ecthyma virus (ccev), respectively. even though, in ethiopia, pox disease has been creating significant economic losses in camel production, little is known on the responsible pathogens and their genetic diversity. thus, the present study aimed at isolation, identification and genetic characterization of the causative viruses. accordingly, clinical case observation ...201627544702
an orthopoxvirus-based vaccine reduces virus excretion after mers-cov infection in dromedary camels.middle east respiratory syndrome coronavirus (mers-cov) infections have led to an ongoing outbreak in humans, which was fueled by multiple zoonotic mers-cov introductions from dromedary camels. in addition to the implementation of hygiene measures to limit further camel-to-human and human-to-human transmissions, vaccine-mediated reduction of mers-cov spread from the animal reservoir may be envisaged. here we show that a modified vaccinia virus ankara (mva) vaccine expressing the mers-cov spike p ...201626678878
expression of recombinant arabian camel lactoferricin-related peptide in pichia pastoris and its antimicrobial identification.lactoferricin (lfcin) is a strong cationic peptide released from the n-terminus of lactoferrin by gastric pepsin digestion. lfcin has some important properties, including high antimicrobial activity. to date, lactoferricins have been isolated and characterised from various animal species, but not from camel. the aim of this study was to characterise and express recombinant camel lactoferricin (lfcinc) in pichia pastoris and investigate its antimicrobial activity.201625655077
isolation and characterization of dromedary camel coronavirus uae-hku23 from dromedaries of the middle east: minimal serological cross-reactivity between mers coronavirus and dromedary camel coronavirus uae-hku23.recently, we reported the discovery of a dromedary camel coronavirus uae-hku23 (dccov uae-hku23) from dromedaries in the middle east. in this study, dccov uae-hku23 was successfully isolated in two of the 14 dromedary fecal samples using hrt-18g cells, with cytopathic effects observed five days after inoculation. northern blot analysis revealed at least seven distinct rna species, corresponding to predicted subgenomic mrnas and confirming the core sequence of transcription regulatory sequence mo ...201627164099
co-circulation of three camel coronavirus species and recombination of mers-covs in saudi arabia.outbreaks of middle east respiratory syndrome (mers) raise questions about the prevalence and evolution of the mers coronavirus (cov) in its animal reservoir. our surveillance in saudi arabia in 2014 and 2015 showed that viruses of the mers-cov species and a human cov 229e-related lineage co-circulated at high prevalence, with frequent co-infections in the upper respiratory tract of dromedary camels. viruses of the betacoronavirus 1 species, we found that dromedary camels share three cov species ...201626678874
corrigendum to "bluetongue virus surveillance in the islamic republic of mauritania: is serotype 26 circulating among cattle and dromedaries?" [infect. genet. evol. (2016) 40:109-112]. 201627491599
bluetongue virus surveillance in the islamic republic of mauritania: is serotype 26 circulating among cattle and dromedaries?in march 2013, edta-blood and serum samples were collected from 119 cattle and 159 dromedaries at the slaughterhouse of nouakchott, the capital city of the islamic republic of mauritania. serum samples were screened for the presence of bluetongue (bt) antibodies by competitive elisa (celisa). positive samples were then tested by serum-neutralization (sn) to determine btv serotype. rna from blood samples was first tested by a genus-specific quantitative rt-pcr assay which is able to detect all 27 ...201626932578
first isolation of west nile virus from a dromedary camel.although antibodies against west nile virus (wnv) have been detected in the sera of dromedaries in the middle east, north africa and spain, no wnv has been isolated or amplified from dromedary or bactrian camels. in this study, wnv was isolated from vero cells inoculated with both nasal swab and pooled trachea/lung samples from a dromedary calf in dubai. complete-genome sequencing and phylogenetic analysis using the near-whole-genome polyprotein revealed that the virus belonged to lineage 1a. th ...201627273223
crimean-congo hemorrhagic fever in the one-humped camel (camelus dromedarius) in east and northeast of iran.this comprehensive study was conducted on multi-purpose one-humped camel (camelus dromedarius) sera and ticks to assess the epidemiological aspects of the crimean-congo hemorrhagic fever virus (cchfv) in northeast iran.201627308275
canine and ovine tick-borne pathogens in camels, nigeria.in april 2008, whole blood samples were collected from 36 dromedary camels in sokoto, north-western nigeria. following pcr and reverse line blotting, twenty-two samples (61%) resulted positive for ehrlichia/anaplasma spp. and three (8%) for theileria/babesia spp., with three (8%) cases of co-infections being found. both sequence and blast analyses identified ehrlichia/anaplasma spp. and theileria/babesia spp. positive cases as anaplasma platys and theileria ovis, respectively. this is the first ...201627692338
molecular modeling and phylogeny of the krüppel-like factor 4 (cklf4) protein from the arabian camel, camelus dromedarius.krüppel-like factor 4 (klf4) is a pluripotency transcription factor that helps in generating induced pluripotent stem cells (ipscs). we sequenced for the first time the full coding sequence of camelus dromedarius klf4 (cklf4), which is also known as the arabian camel. bioinformatics analysis revealed the molecular weight and the isoelectric point of cklf4 protein to be 53.043 kda and 8.74, respectively. the predicted cklf4 protein sequence shows high identity with some other species as follows: ...201628050127
phylogenetic and structural analysis of the pluripotency factor sex-determining region y box2 gene of camelus dromedarius (csox2).although the sequencing information of sox2 cdna for many mammalian is available, the sox2 cdna of camelus dromedaries has not yet been characterized. the objective of this study was to sequence and characterize sox2 cdna from the brain of c. dromedarius (also known as arabian camel). a full coding sequence of the sox2 gene from the brain of c. dromedarius was amplified by reverse transcription pcrjmc and then sequenced using the 3730xl series platform sequencer (applied biosystem) for the first ...201627486314
homology modeling of a camelid antibody fragment against a conserved region of acinetobacter baumannii biofilm associated protein (bap).vhh or the single-domain antibodies (sdab), are studied for therapeutic applications in cancers, infections and other diseases. in our previous study, we expressed and produced a soluble vhh against a conserved region of acinetobacter baumannii biofilm associated protein (bap). the present study was undertaken to predict the 2d and 3d structure of the receptor and ligand as well as residues involved in their interactions.201626907201
serological survey of viral diseases relating to reproductive failure among artiodactyla in ethiopian camelus dromedarius.serological surveys were performed on ethiopian camels with a history of abortion to investigate the presence of antibodies against viruses that infect animals classified in the order artiodactyla. in 2013, 120 serum samples were collected from camels in various parts of ethiopia. several viruses related to abortion in ruminants were prevalent. in particular, antibodies against bluetongue virus, were detected at a high rate (76.7% of samples). additionally, antibodies against akabane virus and j ...201627278458
adenoviral expression of a bispecific vhh-based neutralizing agent that targets protective antigen provides prophylactic protection from anthrax in mice.bacillus anthracis, the causative agent of anthrax, secretes three polypeptides, which form the bipartite lethal and edema toxins (lt and et, respectively). the common component in these toxins, protective antigen (pa), is responsible for binding to cellular receptors and translocating the lethal factor (lf) and edema factor (ef) enzymatic moieties to the cytosol. antibodies against pa protect against anthrax. we previously isolated toxin-neutralizing variable domains of camelid heavy-chain-only ...201626740390
[middle east respiratory syndrome (mers)].middle east respiratory syndrome (mers) is an emerging infectious disease of growing global importance, which has caused severe acute respiratory disease in more than 1,700 people, resulting in almost 600 deaths. mers is caused by a novel betacoronavirus (mers-cov). all cases of mers have been linked through travel to or residence in countries in or near the arabian peninsula. dromedary camels are considered natu- ral reservoirs for mers-cov. mers-cov is mainly transmitted from infected dromedar ...201630609457
[advances in the animal models of mers-cov].the middle east respiratory syndrome coronavirus (mers-cov) was first isolated in 2012 from patients that died from severe pneumonia. it was another coronavirus which resulted in severe infection of humans, apart from the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus. the development of an appropriate animal model is necessary to study the pathogenesis and to evaluate the intervening measures against mers-cov infection. to date, several small animals(e.g., mice, syrian hamsters, and ferrets) hav ...201629963837
morphofunctional structure of the lingual papillae in three species of south american camelids: alpaca, guanaco, and llama.the aim of this study was to compare the anatomical and functional characteristics of the lingual papilla among the camelidae. for this purpose, tongues of alpaca, guanaco, and llama were used. numerous long and thin filiform papillae were located in the median groove and none were detected on the rest of the dorsal surface of the lingual apex in alpaca. secondary papillae originated from the base of some filiform papillae on the ventral surface of alpaca tongue. the bases of some filiform papil ...201626572928
communication requested: boar semen transport through the uterus and possible consequences for insemination.recent insemination techniques bypass the interactions between sperm and the uterine wall because the semen is deposited deep into the tip of uterine horn or directly into the oviduct. such techniques allow high dilution of the ejaculates. after normal mating, semen entering the uterus communicates with the uterine milieu. intact sperm of high mitochondrial membrane potential bind to uterine epithelial cells, whereas most of the unbound sperm in the uterine lumen have damaged membranes. lectins ...201626462662
morphological studies on the peripheral circulation of the ovary in one-humped camel (camelus dromedarius).histological examination of the peripheral circulation of the ovary of 18 females of the one-humped camel revealed a series of blood vessels with special structures. throttle or occlusive artery was recorded in the ovarian zona vasculosa and in the cortex, and it showed an intimal cushion-like thickening made up of intimal bolsters that formed of smooth muscle fibres and glomus cells. the smooth muscle cells of the tunica media and the tunica adventitia of throttle artery pursued a circumferenti ...201626394713
scarabaeus cristatus (coleoptera: scarabaeidae) as intermediate host of physocephalus dromedarii (nematoda: spirocercidae)--a contribution to the epidemiology of camel physocephalidosis.in uae, camel physocephalus dromedarii was diagnosed for the first time in 2011 in dromedaries from a farm that previously had imported animals from foreign countries. the large scarab beetle, scarabaeus cristatus, was found to be the major intermediate host for this parasite in dubai. a total of 638 specimens of s. cristatus were collected and examined for the presence of third-stage larvae of nematode larvae at two sites in the dubai emirate (emirates industry for camel milk and products and h ...201626621282
optimization of a vitrification protocol for hatched blastocysts from the dromedary camel (camelus dromedarius).the objective of this study was to modify and optimize a vitrification protocol (open pulled straw) that was originally designed for human oocytes and embryos, to make it suitable for the cryopreservation of camel hatched blastocysts. the original open pulled straw protocol was a complex process with 15-minute exposure of oocytes/embryos in 7.5% ethylene glycol (eg) and 7.5% dimethyl sulfoxide (me2so) for equilibration, and cooling in 16% eg + 16% me2so + 1 m sucrose. recognizing a need to bette ...201626603656
the role of intra-domain disulfide bonds in heat-induced irreversible denaturation of camelid single domain vhh antibodies.camelid-derived single domain vhh antibodies are highly heat resistant, and the mechanism of heat-induced vhh denaturation predominantly relies on the chemical modification of amino acids. although chemical modification of disulfide bonds has been recognized as a cause for heat-induced denaturation of many proteins, there have been no mutagenesis studies, in which the number of disulfide bonds was controlled. in this article, we examined a series of mutants of two different vhhs with single, dou ...201626289739
protection of farmed camels (camelus dromedarius): welfare problems and legislative perspective.in the last years animal welfare has assumed an increasing interest in our society, influencing legislation to enact many provisions aimed at the protection of animals. along with increased consumer awareness of the need to maintain ethically acceptable conditions of raised animals, scientists too have begun to investigate the conditions of animal welfare, the tools for its evaluation and for its improvement. although there are many advances in knowledge, much remains to be investigated concerni ...201626260977
development of a new platform for secretory production of recombinant proteins in corynebacterium glutamicum.corynebacterium glutamicum, which has been for long an industrial producer of various l-amino acids, nucleic acids, and vitamins, is now also regarded as a potential host for the secretory production of recombinant proteins. to harness its potential as an industrial platform for recombinant protein production, the development of an efficient secretion system is necessary. particularly, regarding protein production in large-scale bioreactors, it would be appropriate to develop a secretory express ...201626134574
human-dromedary camel interactions and the risk of acquiring zoonotic middle east respiratory syndrome coronavirus infection.middle east respiratory syndrome coronavirus (mers-cov) cases without documented contact with another human mers-cov case make up 61% (517/853) of all reported cases. these primary cases are of particular interest for understanding the source(s) and route(s) of transmission and for designing long-term disease control measures. dromedary camels are the only animal species for which there is convincing evidence that it is a host species for mers-cov and hence a potential source of human infections ...201625545147
camelid genetics and reproductive biotechnologies. 201625326629
molecular identification and phylogenetic analysis of dipetalonema evansi (lewis, 1882) in camels (camelus dromedarius) of iran.despite the economic importance of camels, the parasites that affect them have not received adequate attention so far and molecular studies are scarce compared to other livestock. in this study, we characterized peripheral blood microfilariae in 200 healthy one-humped camels (camelus dromedarius) from south-east iran by microscopy and molecular tools to receive a more detailed insight into prevalence and species that affect them. moreover, adult specimens of the filarial nematode dipetalonema ev ...201626750131
the sample of choice for detecting middle east respiratory syndrome coronavirus in asymptomatic dromedary camels using real-time reversetranscription polymerase chain reaction.the newly identified middle east respiratory syndrome coronavirus (mers-cov), which causes severe respiratory disease, particularly in people with comorbidities, requires further investigation. studies in qatar and elsewhere have provided evidence that dromedary camels are a reservoir for the virus, but the exact modes of transmission of mers-cov to humans remain unclear. in february 2014, an assessment was made of the suitability and sensitivity of different types of sample for the detection of ...201628332641
110 effect of melatonin treatment on libido and endocrine function of dromedary camel bulls out of the breeding season.the reproductive performance of camels is poor and has remained a major obstacle to the growth of dromedary populations. the limited breeding season is one of the most important causes of the poor reproductive performance. in seasonal animals, melatonin is the chemical messenger that allows the perception of daylight length changes. commercial melatonin products have been developed for the manipulation of seasonal breeding in animals. the present study aimed to evaluate the influence of melatoni ...201628278907
risk factors for primary middle east respiratory syndrome coronavirus illness in humans, saudi arabia, 2014.risk factors for primary middle east respiratory syndrome coronavirus (mers-cov) illness in humans are incompletely understood. we identified all primary mers-cov cases reported in saudi arabia during march-november 2014 by excluding those with history of exposure to other cases of mers-cov or acute respiratory illness of unknown cause or exposure to healthcare settings within 14 days before illness onset. using a case-control design, we assessed differences in underlying medical conditions and ...201626692185
pharmacokinetics of moxidectin in alpacas following administration of an oral or subcutaneous formulation.the purpose of this study was to evaluate the pharmacokinetics of moxidectin in alpacas after single subcutaneous injection of a non-aqueous formulation or oral administration of an aqueous drench at 0.2 mg∗kg(-1). plasma moxidectin concentrations were measured with reverse phase hplc, and data analyzed using non-compartmental methods. half-life was longer (p=0.02) after subcutaneous administration than oral (292+/-170 vs 33+/-39 h). the area under the concentration-time curve was greater (p=0.0 ...201627033926
effect of α-amylase, papain, and spermfluid treatments on viscosity and semen parameters of dromedary camel ejaculates.ejaculates from five clinically healthy dromedary camels (camelus dromedarius) were used to evaluate the effects of different enzymatic treatments (amylase, papain, spermfluid) on liquefaction and seminal parameters. after collection, ejaculates were divided into 5 aliquots: (1) kept undiluted (control); or diluted 1:1 with: (2) tris-citrate-fructose (tcf), (3) tcf containing amylase, (4) tcf containing papain or (5) spermfluid containing bromelain. at 120 min after dilution, each aliquot was ev ...201627033899
inhibition of the myotoxicity induced by bothrops jararacussu venom and isolated phospholipases a2 by specific camelid single-domain antibody fragments.antivenoms, produced using animal hyperimmune plasma, remains the standard therapy for snakebites. although effective against systemic damages, conventional antivenoms have limited efficacy against local tissue damage. additionally, the hypersensitivity reactions, often elicited by antivenoms, the high costs for animal maintenance, the difficulty of producing homogeneous lots, and the instability of biological products instigate the search for innovative products for antivenom therapy. in this s ...201627028872
studies on liquefaction time and proteins involved in the improvement of seminal characteristics in dromedary camels (camelus dromedarius).semen was collected from six dromedary camels using artificial vagina during rutting season. liquefaction of the viscous semen occurred in 23.89 ± 1.49 h. during liquefaction, proteins with molecular masses of 24.55 kda and 22.07 kda appeared in conjunction with the disappearance of intact 26.00 kda protein after 18-24 h. these proteins were identified as β-nerve growth factors (β-ngfs) in liquefied camel semen. guanidine-hcl improves the rheological characteristics of dromedary camel semen alon ...201627022505
epidemiology, genetic recombination, and pathogenesis of coronaviruses.human coronaviruses (hcovs) were first described in the 1960s for patients with the common cold. since then, more hcovs have been discovered, including those that cause severe acute respiratory syndrome (sars) and middle east respiratory syndrome (mers), two pathogens that, upon infection, can cause fatal respiratory disease in humans. it was recently discovered that dromedary camels in saudi arabia harbor three different hcov species, including a dominant mers hcov lineage that was responsible ...201627012512
bidirectional electromagnetic control of the hypothalamus regulates feeding and metabolism.targeted, temporally regulated neural modulation is invaluable in determining the physiological roles of specific neural populations or circuits. here we describe a system for non-invasive, temporal activation or inhibition of neuronal activity in vivo and its use to study central nervous system control of glucose homeostasis and feeding in mice. we are able to induce neuronal activation remotely using radio waves or magnetic fields via cre-dependent expression of a gfp-tagged ferritin fusion pr ...201627007848
review of present knowledge on machine milking and intensive milk production in dromedary camels and future challenges.the camel dairy industry has gone through major development in the last decade. the world's first large-scale camel dairy farm was established 10 years ago in dubai, united arab emirates, and since then, several commercial and scientific projects have been started, and more studies have been published demonstrating increasing interest in camel milk. the aims of this paper are to summarize relevant published data on factors influencing milk production under intensive management, compare those wit ...201626992732
effect of continuous female exposure on behavioral repertoire and stereotypical behaviors in restrained male dromedary camels during the onset of the breeding season.this study aimed to test the effects of the three management systems on the behavioral repertoire and particularly on the incidence of stereotypical behavior in restrained camels. five male camels were tested under the following management systems: (i) unexposed, housing in a single box (unexpo); (ii) continuous exposure, exposed continuously to females (conexpof); and (iii) re-unexposed, housing again in a single box (re-unexpo). every day, bulls were filmed for 30 min and videos were analyzed ...201626970973
fixed-time induction of ovulation in camels superovulated by different ecg modalities during the transition period in egypt : superovulation in camels during the transition period.the current investigation aimed to establish a fixed-time induction of ovulation/ insemination protocol in camels superovulated by different equine chorionic gonadotropin (ecg) regimens during the transition period in egypt (mid-october to mid-november). seventeen pluriparous camels, camelus dromedarius, were used. all females retained controlled intra-vaginal drug releasers (cidrs) for 13 consecutive days, and at cidr withdrawal, the camels were randomly divided into three groups. the control g ...201626969315
developing mechanical milking in camels? some main steps to take….after a first phase of development in the ex-soviet union in the 1940s, camel mechanical milking is now developing again in the arabic peninsula, north and east africa, asia, australia and even in the usa and europe in a lesser extent, because of the great demand and important health value of camel milk. nevertheless, such a development remains empirical and uses trial and error methodology, which is generally more time-consuming and more expensive and could create a deadlock in the situation. n ...201626936275
successful use of camelid (alpaca) antivenom to treat a potentially lethal tiger snake (notechis scutatus) envenomation in a dog.this report describes a confirmed clinical case of tiger snake (notechis scutatus) envenomation in a domestic dog that was successfully treated with a novel polyvalent camelid (alpaca; llama pacos) antivenom. samples collected from the dog were assayed for tiger snake venom (tsv) using a highly sensitive and specific elisa. the tsv concentration in serum and urine at initial presentation was 365 ng/ml and 11,640 ng/ml respectively. at the time of initial presentation whole blood collected from t ...201626930223
behavioral indicators to detect ovarian phase in the dromedary she-camel.this pilot study was conducted to test the hypothesis that female camels behave differently in various ovarian phases in the presence of a restrained male camel. the aim was to identify behavioral patterns which could be used as indicators to detect ovulatory phase by visual observation in the presence of a restrained virile bull. twenty-four healthy, nonpregnant, and nonlactating adult females were used. transrectal ultrasonography was performed for each animal once a week over a 3-week period ...201626928646
the differentiation of camel breeds based on meat measurements using discriminant analysis.the meat productivity of camel in the tropics is still under investigation for identification of better meat breed or type. therefore, four one-humped saudi arabian (sa) camel breeds, majaheem, maghateer, hamrah, and safrah were experimented in order to differentiate them from each other based on meat measurements. the measurements were biometrical meat traits measured on six intact males from each breed. the results showed higher values of the majaheem breed than that obtained for the other bre ...201626922738
computed tomographic arthrography of the normal dromedary camel carpus.the aim of this prospective cadaveric study was to provide a detailed computed tomographic (ct) reference of the carpal joint in healthy dromedary camels. twelve forelimbs of six apparently healthy camels were used. computed tomographic imaging of 12 normal cadaveric camel carpal joints was performed before and after intra-articular administration of iodinated contrast medium. transverse ct images were reconstructed in dorsal and parasagittal planes. the six carpal bones, the radial trochlea, an ...201626898661
absence of middle east respiratory syndrome coronavirus in camelids, kazakhstan, 2015. 201626889787
differential expression of the middle east respiratory syndrome coronavirus receptor in the upper respiratory tracts of humans and dromedary camels.middle east respiratory syndrome coronavirus (mers-cov) is not efficiently transmitted between humans, but it is highly prevalent in dromedary camels. here we report that the mers-cov receptor--dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (dpp4)--is expressed in the upper respiratory tract epithelium of camels but not in that of humans. lack of dpp4 expression may be the primary cause of limited mers-cov replication in the human upper respiratory tract and hence restrict transmission.201626889022
phimosis in male dromedary camels: clinical findings and changes in the hemogram, nitric oxide metabolites, and testosterone concentrations.the objectives of this study were to elucidate the clinical findings in male dromedary camels with phimosis (phi, n = 43) and to investigate the association of this syndrome with the hemogram, nitric oxide metabolites (noms), and testosterone concentrations. history and signalment were obtained, and a breeding soundness examination was performed. the penis was exteriorized after administration of a pudendal nerve block. abnormal masses obtained from the prepuce and penis were prepared for histop ...201626879996
differential effects of camel milk on insulin receptor signaling - toward understanding the insulin-like properties of camel milk.previous studies on the arabian camel (camelus dromedarius) showed beneficial effects of its milk reported in diverse models of human diseases, including a substantial hypoglycemic activity. however, the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in such effects remain completely unknown. in this study, we hypothesized that camel milk may act at the level of human insulin receptor (hir) and its related intracellular signaling pathways. therefore, we examined the effect of camel milk on the activ ...201626858689
structurally defined αmhc-ii nanobody-drug conjugates: a therapeutic and imaging system for b-cell lymphoma.antibody-drug conjugates (adcs) of defined structure hold great promise for cancer therapies, but further advances are constrained by the complex structures of full-sized antibodies. camelid-derived single-domain antibody fragments (vhhs or nanobodies) offer a possible solution to this challenge by providing expedited target screening and validation through switching between imaging and therapeutic activities. we used a nanobody (vhh7) specific for murine mhc-ii and rendered "sortase-ready" for ...201626840214
fatal presumed tiger snake (notechis scutatus) envenomation in a cat with measurement of venom and antivenom concentration.a fatal outcome of a presumed tiger snake (notechis scutatus) envenomation in a cat is described. detectable venom components and antivenom concentrations in serum from clotted and centrifuged whole blood and urine were measured using a sensitive and specific elisa. the cat presented in a paralysed state with a markedly elevated serum ck but with normal clotting times. the cat was treated with intravenous fluids and received two vials of equine whole igg bivalent (tiger and brown snake) antiveno ...201626836396
cross host transmission in the emergence of mers coronavirus.coronaviruses (covs) able to infect humans emerge through cross-host transmission from animals. there is substantial evidence that the recent middle east respiratory syndrome (mers)-cov outbreak is fueled by zoonotic transmission from dromedary camels. this is largely based on the fact that closely related viruses have been isolated from this but not any other animal species. given the widespread geographical distribution of dromedaries found seropositive for mers-cov, continued transmission may ...201626826951
site-directed immobilization of a genetically engineered anti-methotrexate antibody via an enzymatically introduced biotin label significantly increases the binding capacity of immunoaffinity columns.in this study, the effect of random vs. site-directed immobilization techniques on the performance of antibody-based hplc columns was investigated using a single-domain camelid antibody (vhh) directed against methotrexate (mtx) as a model system. first, the high flow-through support material poros-oh was activated with disuccinimidyl carbonate (dsc), and the vhh was bound in a random manner via amines located on the protein's surface. the resulting column was characterized by frontal affinity ch ...201626809205
camelid antivenom development and potential in vivo neutralization of hottentotta saulcyi scorpion venom.scorpion envenoming is a serious health problem which can cause a variety of clinical toxic effects. of the many scorpion species native to iran, hottentotta saulcyi is important because its venom can produce toxic effects in man. nowadays, antivenom derived from hyper immune horses is the only effective treatment for sever scorpion stings. current limitations of immunotherapy urgently require an efficient alternative with high safety, target affinity and more promising venom neutralizing capabi ...201626809016
cardiac-gated computed tomography angiography in three alpacas with complex congenital heart disease.the prevalence of congenital heart disease is higher in camelids than in other domestic species and complex defects, often involving the great vessels, are more frequently encountered in llamas and alpacas than in other species. some of these complex defects can be difficult to accurately characterize via echocardiography, the most commonly used diagnostic imaging technique to evaluate the heart in veterinary patients. contrast-enhanced, electrocardiogram (ecg)-gated computed tomography (ct) has ...201626803197
the fecal virome of south and central american children with diarrhea includes small circular dna viral genomes of unknown origin.viral metagenomics of feces collected from 58 peruvian children with unexplained diarrhea revealed several small circular ssdna genomes. two genomes related to sequences previously reported in feces from chimpanzees and other mammals and recently named smacoviruses were characterized and then detected by pcr in 1.7 % (1/58) and 19 % (11/58) of diarrheal samples, respectively. another three genomes from a distinct small circular ssdna viral group provisionally called pecoviruses encoded cap and r ...201626780893
optimizing selection of large animals for antibody production by screening immune response to standard vaccines.antibodies made in large animals are integral to many biomedical research endeavors. domesticated herd animals like goats, sheep, donkeys, horses and camelids all offer distinct advantages in antibody production. however, their cost of use is often prohibitive, especially where poor antigen response is commonplace; choosing a non-responsive animal can set a research program back or even prevent experiments from moving forward entirely. over the course of production of antibodies from llamas, we ...201626775851
deciphering mers-cov evolution in dromedary camels.the emergence of the middle east respiratory syndrome coronavirus (mers-cov) poses a potential threat to global public health. many aspects of the evolution and transmission of mers-cov in its animal reservoir remain unclear. a recent study provides new insights into the evolution and transmission of mers-cov in dromedary camels.201626775034
effects of age and period of fattening on carcass and non-carcass characteristics of one-humped camels.this study was conducted to compare the carcass characteristics and quantity of carcass and non-carcass components of 2- and 3-year-old male camels fattened for either 3 or 6 months. twelve 2-year-old camels with an average body live weight of 268.5 ± 21.4 kg and twelve 3-year-old camels with an average body live weight of 307.5 ± 29.9 kg were used in a completely randomized design with a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement. for carcass analysis, three camels from each group were selected and slaughtere ...201627256367
middle east respiratory syndrome coronavirus (mers-cov) origin and animal reservoir.middle east respiratory syndrome-coronavirus (mers-cov) is a novel coronavirus discovered in 2012 and is responsible for acute respiratory syndrome in humans. though not confirmed yet, multiple surveillance and phylogenetic studies suggest a bat origin. the disease is heavily endemic in dromedary camel populations of east africa and the middle east. it is unclear as to when the virus was introduced to dromedary camels, but data from studies that investigated stored dromedary camel sera and geogr ...201627255185
development and application of functionalized protein binders in multicellular organisms.protein-protein interactions are crucial for almost all biological processes. studying such interactions in their native environment is critical but not easy to perform. recently developed genetically encoded protein binders were shown to function inside living cells. these molecules offer a new, direct way to assess protein function, distribution and dynamics in vivo. a widely used protein binder scaffold are the so-called nanobodies, which are derived from the variable domain of camelid heavy- ...201627241221
a camelid-derived antibody fragment targeting the active site of a serine protease balances between inhibitor and substrate behavior.a peptide segment that binds the active site of a serine protease in a substrate-like manner may behave like an inhibitor or a substrate. however, there is sparse information on which factors determine the behavior a particular peptide segment will exhibit. here, we describe the first x-ray crystal structure of a nanobody in complex with a serine protease. the nanobody displays a new type of interaction between an antibody and a serine protease as it inserts its complementary determining region- ...201627226628
crystal structures of the human doublecortin c- and n-terminal domains in complex with specific antibodies.doublecortin is a microtubule-associated protein produced during neurogenesis. the protein stabilizes microtubules and stimulates their polymerization, which allows migration of immature neurons to their designated location in the brain. mutations in the gene that impair doublecortin function and cause severe brain formation disorders are located on a tandem repeat of two doublecortin domains. the molecular mechanism of action of doublecortin is only incompletely understood. anti-doublecortin an ...201627226599
back to the roots and routes of dromedary domestication. 201627226295
time course of mers-cov infection and immunity in dromedary camels.knowledge about immunity to middle east respiratory syndrome coronavirus (mers-cov) in dromedary camels is essential for infection control and vaccination. a longitudinal study of 11 dam-calf pairs showed that calves lose maternal mers-cov antibodies 5-6 months postparturition and are left susceptible to infection, indicating a short window of opportunity for vaccination.201627224315
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