Extracellular vesicles derived from bovine adipose-derived mesenchymal stromal cells enhance in vitro embryo production from lesioned ovaries.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Ovum pick-up (OPU) is an intrinsic step of in vitro fertilization procedures. Nevertheless, it can cause ovarian lesions and compromise female fertility in bovines. Recently, we have shown that intraovarian injection of adipose-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (AD-MSCs) effectively preserves ovarian function in bovines. Given that MSC-derived extracellular vesicles (MSC-EVs) have been shown to recapitulate several therapeutic effects attributed to AD-MSCs and that they present logistic and regulatory advantages compared to AD-MSCs, we tested whether MSC-EVs would also be useful to treat OPU-induced lesions. METHODS: MSC-EVs were isolated from the secretome of bovine AD-MSCs, using ultrafiltration (UF) and ultracentrifugation methods. The MSC-EVs were characterized according to concentration and mean particle size, morphology, protein concentration and EV markers, miRNA, mRNA, long noncoding RNA profile, total RNA yield and potential for induction of the proliferation and migration of bovine ovarian stromal cells. We then investigated whether intraovarian injection of MSC-EVs obtained by UF would reduce the negative effects of acute OPU-induced ovarian lesions in bovines. To do so, 20 animals were divided into 4 experimental groups (n = 5), submitted to 4 OPU cycles and different experimental treatments including vehicle only (G1), MSC-EVs produced by 7.5 × 106 AD-MSCs (G2), MSC-EVs produced by 2.5 × 106 AD-MSCs (G3) or 3 doses of MSC-EVs produced by 2.5 × 106 AD-MSCs, injected after OPU sessions 1, 2 and 3 (G4). RESULTS: Characterization of the MSC-EVs revealed that the size of the particles was similar in the different isolation methods; however, the UF method generated a greater MSC-EV yield. MSC-EVs processed by both methods demonstrated a similar ability to promote cell migration and proliferation in ovarian stromal cells. Considering the higher yield and lower complexity of the UF method, UF-MSC-EVs were used in the in vivo experiment. We evaluated three therapeutic regimens for cows subjected to OPU, noting that the group treated with three MSC-EV injections (G4) maintained oocyte production and increased in vitro embryo production, compared to G1, which presented compromised embryo production following the OPU-induced lesions. CONCLUSIONS: MSC-EVs have beneficial effects both on the migration and proliferation of ovarian stromal cells and on the fertility of bovines with follicular puncture injury in vivo.

Uncovering the effects of Giardia duodenalis on the balance of DNA viruses and bacteria in children's gut microbiota.

The neglected parasitosis giardiasis is one of the most common intestinal infections worldwide, affecting mainly infants and young children. Giardia duodenalis may disturb the local microbiome, leading to intestinal ecosystem disorders, and altering different processes in the host, such as the immune response. Nevertheless, the alterations promoted by G. duodenalis on the human gut microbiome have not been thoroughly investigated. Here, we characterized the gut microbiota of G. duodenalis-infected children and determine the main alterations promoted by the parasite. To do so, fecal samples of 26 infected and four uninfected children aged 2 to 6 years old were processed for High Efficiency Microarray analysis, in order to describe their bacterial and viral profiles. Then, we quantified the total bacterial population by qPCR and assessed fecal calprotectin levels, which are closely related with gut inflammation. A total of 286 bacteria's species and 17 viruses' strains were identified. Our results revealed no statistically significant differences between G. duodenalis positive and negative groups in the taxa's phyla and families. However, bacterial species diversity was increased in children infected with G. duodenalis (p < 0.05), while the total number of bacteria was decreased (p < 0.05). Considering the virome analysis, 17 different strains were identified, 88% being bacteriophages. The correlation analysis revealed an important disruption in the balance of DNA virus and bacteria within the intestinal microbiota of Giardia-positive children. Our findings constitute the first description of the gut virome of Giardia-infected children and suggest that G. duodenalis infection exerts a modulatory effect on the gut microbiome, promoting local inflammation and altering the equilibrium of the parasite-microbiota-host triad. This highlights the importance of considering polymicrobial associations and understanding the broader context of giardiasis. Overall, our study provides new insights into the complex interactions between intestinal parasites and the microbiota, which may have implications for the development of novel therapeutic interventions in the future.

In-Vitro Growth Kinetics of Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Cytotoxicity Tests Using Low-Diluted Viscum Album.

INTRODUCTION: The use of mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) in cytotoxicity tests is an in-vitro alternative model for predicting initial doses. Homeopathic medicines may stimulate the immune system to combat a pathology effectively and have been used for over two centuries. Viscum album (VA) extracts are widely used in the treatment of cancer, due to their immunomodulatory, cytotoxic and pro-apoptotic properties. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the in-vitro growth kinetics of canine MSC in relation to cytotoxicity, cell differentiation and expression of pluripotentiality markers, using a VA preparation at the D1D2 (1×10-1, 1×10-2 potency (VAD1D2). METHODS: MSC were obtained from adipose tissue sampled from a healthy dog that was undergoing an elective veterinary procedure and with its owner's permission. The experiments were performed in three groups: MSC treated with VAD1D2 or diluent or untreated (control). The cytotoxicity was evaluated by MTT assay. The differentiation was induced in three lineages, and apoptotic cell labeling was performed by an Annexin-V test. RESULTS: At the concentration of 10 µL/mL of VA, the number of cells after in-vitro culture was maintained when compared with the control (untreated) group. A significant and gradual decrease in cell viability was recorded as VA concentrations increased. The apoptosis analysis showed that VA at 20 µL/mL presented absolute percentages of initial apoptosis twice as high as at 10 µL/mL, which was similar to the control (untreated group). CONCLUSION: The results suggest that the use of efficient methods to assess the in-vitro cytotoxicity of VA-based homeopathic medicines using MSC lineages may predict the potential action at different concentrations. These findings demonstrated that VAD1D2 interferes with canine MSC growth kinetics.

Detecting Leishmania in dogs: A hierarchical-modeling approach to investigate the performance of parasitological and qPCR-based diagnostic procedures.

BACKGROUND: Domestic dogs are primary reservoir hosts of Leishmania infantum, the agent of visceral leishmaniasis. Detecting dog infections is central to epidemiological inference, disease prevention, and veterinary practice. Error-free diagnostic procedures, however, are lacking, and the performance of those available is difficult to measure in the absence of fail-safe "reference standards". Here, we illustrate how a hierarchical-modeling approach can be used to formally account for false-negative and false-positive results when investigating the process of Leishmania detection in dogs. METHODS/FINDINGS: We studied 294 field-sampled dogs of unknown infection status from a Leishmania-endemic region. We ran 350 parasitological tests (bone-marrow microscopy and culture) and 1,016 qPCR assays (blood, bone-marrow, and eye-swab samples with amplifiable DNA). Using replicate test results and site-occupancy models, we estimated (a) clinical sensitivity for each diagnostic procedure and (b) clinical specificity for qPCRs; parasitological tests were assumed 100% specific. Initial modeling revealed qPCR specificity < 94%; we tracked the source of this unexpected result to some qPCR plates having subtle signs of possible contamination. Using multi-model inference, we formally accounted for suspected plate contamination and estimated qPCR sensitivity at 49-53% across sample types and dog clinical conditions; qPCR specificity was high (95-96%), but fell to 81-82% for assays run in plates with suspected contamination. The sensitivity of parasitological procedures was low (~12-13%), but increased to ~33% (with substantial uncertainty) for bone-marrow culture in seriously-diseased dogs. Leishmania-infection frequency estimates (~49-50% across clinical conditions) were lower than observed (~60%). CONCLUSIONS: We provide statistical estimates of key performance parameters for five diagnostic procedures used to detect Leishmania in dogs. Low clinical sensitivies likely reflect the absence of Leishmania parasites/DNA in perhaps ~50-70% of samples drawn from infected dogs. Although qPCR performance was similar across sample types, non-invasive eye-swabs were overall less likely to contain amplifiable DNA. Finally, modeling was instrumental to discovering (and formally accounting for) possible qPCR-plate contamination; even with stringent negative/blank-control scoring, ~4-5% of positive qPCRs were most likely false-positives. This work shows, in sum, how hierarchical site-occupancy models can sharpen our understanding of the problem of diagnosing host infections with hard-to-detect pathogens including Leishmania.

Molecular characterization and biofilm-formation analysis of Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella spp., and Escherichia coli isolated from Brazilian swine slaughterhouses.

This study aimed to verify the presence of Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella spp., and Escherichia coli in two Brazilian swine slaughterhouses, as well as to perform antibiograms, detect virulence and antimicrobial resistance genes, and evaluate the in vitro biofilm-forming capability of bacterial isolates from these environments. One Salmonella Typhi isolate and 21 E. coli isolates were detected, while L. monocytogenes was not detected. S. Typhi was isolated from the carcass cooling chamber's floor, resistant to several antimicrobials, including nalidixic acid, cefazolin, chloramphenicol, doxycycline, streptomycin, gentamicin, tetracycline, and sulfonamide, and contained resistance genes, such as tet(B), tet(C), tet(M), and ampC. It also showed moderate biofilm-forming capacity at 37°C after incubating for 72 h. The prevalence of the 21 E. coli isolates was also the highest on the carcass cooling chamber floor (three of the four samplings [75%]). The E. coli isolates were resistant to 12 of the 13 tested antimicrobials, and none showed sensitivity to chloramphenicol, an antimicrobial prohibited in animal feed since 2003 in Brazil. The resistance genes MCR-1, MCR-3, sul1, ampC, clmA, cat1, tet(A), tet(B), and blaSHV, as well as the virulence genes stx-1, hlyA, eae, tir α, tir ß, tir γ, and saa were detected in the E. coli isolates. Moreover, 5 (23.8%) and 15 (71.4%) E. coli isolates presented strong and moderate biofilm-forming capacity, respectively. In general, the biofilm-forming capacity increased after incubating for 72 h at 10°C. The biofilm-forming capacity was the lowest after incubating for 24 h at 37°C. Due to the presence of resistance and virulence genes, multi-antimicrobial resistance, and biofilm-forming capacity, the results of this study suggest a risk to the public health as these pathogens are associated with foodborne diseases, which emphasizes the hazard of resistance gene propagation in the environment.

Multiparametric analysis of host and parasite elements in new world tegumentary leishmaniasis.

Tegumentary leishmaniasis is a tropical disease caused by protozoa of the genus Leishmania. Clinically, the disease presents a broad spectrum of symptoms, the mechanisms underlying the development of lesions remaining to be fully elucidated. In the present work, we performed a correlation and multiparametric analysis to evaluate how parasite- and host-related aspects associate with each other, and with the different clinical manifestations of tegumentary leishmaniasis. This cross-sectional study involved 75 individuals from endemic areas of Brazil, grouped according to their symptoms. Leishmania species were determined by DNA sequencing, and parasite load, antibody production, and cytokine profile were evaluated by kDNA qPCR, ELISA, and flow cytometry. Data were analyzed using the Chi-square test, principal component analysis, canonical discriminant analysis, and correlation analysis. Among the recruited patients, 23 (31%) were asymptomatic, 34 (45%) had primary cutaneous leishmaniasis, 10 (13%) presented recurrent cutaneous leishmaniasis, and eight (11%) had mucocutaneous leishmaniasis. Leishmania species identified included L. amazonensis, L. braziliensis, and L. guyanensis. Surprisingly, no Leishmania RNA virus infection was detected in any sample. In summary, our work showed that parasite load, antibody production, and cytokine levels alone are not determinants for tegumentary leishmaniasis symptoms. However, the correlation analysis allowed us to observe how these factors are correlated to each other within the groups, which revealed a unique network for each clinical manifestation. Our work reinforces the complexity of tegumentary leishmaniasis outcomes - which are associated with multiple host and parasite-related elements and provides a holistic model of the disease.

Insights from the use of erythropoietin in experimental Chagas disease.

In addition to the long-established role in erythropoiesis, erythropoietin (Epo) has protective functions in a variety of tissues, including the heart. This is the most affected organ in chronic Chagas disease, caused by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi. Despite seven million people being infected with T. cruzi worldwide, there is no effective treatment preventing the disease progression to the chronic phase when the pathological involvement of the heart is often observed. Chronic chagasic cardiomyopathy has a wide variety of manifestations, like left ventricular systolic dysfunction, dilated cardiomyopathy, and heart failure. Since Epo may help maintain cardiac function by reducing myocardial necrosis, inflammation, and fibrosis, this study aimed to evaluate whether the Epo has positive effects on experimental Chagas disease. For that, we assessed the earlier (acute phase) and also the later (chronic phase) use of Epo in infected C57BL/6 mice. Blood cell count, biochemical parameters, parasitic load, and echocardiography data were evaluated. In addition, histopathological analysis was carried out. Our data showed that Epo had no trypanocide effect nor did it modify the production of anti-T. cruzi antibodies. Epo-treated groups exhibited parasitic burden much lower in the heart compared to blood. No pattern of hematological changes was observed combining infection with treatment with Epo. Chronic Epo administration reduced CK-MB serum activity from d0 to d180, irrespectively of T. cruzi infection. Likewise, echocardiography and histological results indicate that Epo treatment is more effective in the chronic phase of experimental Chagas disease. Since treatment is one of the greatest challenges of Chagas disease, alternative therapies should be investigated, including Epo combined with benznidazole.

Socio-Economic and Political Challenges of EU Member Countries: Grasping the Policy Direction of the European Semester.

The European Semester (ES) and the country-specific recommendations (CSRs) have been introduced with the purpose to promote flexibility and adaptation to national circumstances in the governance of fiscal policies. To assess whether the ES has contributed to reconcile economic and social objectives, we measured, through the distance to frontier (DTF) score methodology, the distance of each member country from a benchmark based on EU aims and values defined in the EU treaties. Results show that EU member countries are far from the benchmark and CSRs have not prevented a progressive deterioration of stability and cohesion from an economic, political and social perspective. A content analysis of the CSRs issued from 2011 to 2018 and a comparison with the DTF scores reveal a weak connection between member countries' performance and CSRs. Despite the social content of many CSRs, we actually observe a "commodification" of their goals. CSRs promote a society functional to flexible and competitive markets, and compatible with the requirements of fiscal discipline and sustainability. This neoliberal approach apparently played a role in the EU deterioration and makes the "socialization" of the ES a process with ambiguous implications for European citizens. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1057/s41294-021-00171-2.

Molecular characterization of Salmonella spp. and Listeria monocytogenes strains from biofilms in cattle and poultry slaughterhouses located in the federal District and State of Goiás, Brazil.

Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella spp. are considered important foodborne pathogens that are commonly associated with foods of animal origin. The aim of this study was to perform molecular characterization of L. monocytogenes and Salmonella spp. isolated from biofilms of cattle and poultry slaughterhouses located in the Federal District and State of Goiás, Brazil. Fourteen L. monocytogenes isolates and one Salmonella sp. were detected in poultry slaughterhouses. No isolates were detected in cattle slaughterhouses. All L. monocytogenes isolates belonged to lineage II, and 11 different pulsotypes were detected. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis analysis revealed the dissemination of two strains within one plant, in addition to the regional dissemination of one of them. The Salmonella isolate was identified via whole genome sequencing as Salmonella enterica serovar Minnesota ST548. In the sequence analysis, no premature stop codons were detected in the inlA gene of Listeria. All isolates demonstrated the ability to adhere to Caco-2 cells, while 50% were capable of invading them. Antimicrobial resistance was detected in 57.1% of the L. monocytogenes isolates, and resistance to sulfonamide was the most common feature. The tetC, ermB, and tetM genes were detected, and four isolates were classified as multidrug-resistant. Salmonella sp. was resistant to nine antimicrobials and was classified as multidrug-resistant. Resistance genes qnrB19, blaCMY-2, aac(6')-Iaa, sul2, and tetA, and a mutation in the parC gene were detected. The majority (78.5%) of the L. monocytogenes isolates were capable of forming biofilms after incubation at 37°C for 24 h, and 64.3% were capable of forming biofilms after incubation at 12°C for 168 h. There was no statistical difference in the biofilm-forming capacity under the different evaluated conditions. Salmonella sp. was capable of forming biofilms at both tested temperatures. Biofilm characterization was confirmed by collecting the samples consistently, at the same sampling points, and by assessing biofilm formation in vitro. These results highlight the potential risk of cross-contamination in poultry slaughterhouses and the importance of surveillance and pathogen control maintenance programs within the meat production industry.

Spraying Hatching Eggs with Clove Essential Oil Does Not Compromise the Quality of Embryos and One-Day-Old Chicks or Broiler Performance.

The objective of this study was to evaluate whether sanitizing hatching eggs with clove essential oil in the preincubation phase affects broiler performance and influences the hatch window and quality of embryos and one-day-old chicks. Hatching eggs (n = 1280; mean weight = 58.64 ± 0.49 g) from a batch of 37-week-old broiler breeder hens of the CPK (Pesadão Vermelho) lineage were randomly distributed into four treatments in the preincubation phase. The treatments consisted of three different sanitization procedures (spraying with grain alcohol, spraying with clove essential oil, and fumigation with paraformaldehyde) and a control treatment (nonsanitized). The lengths of the embryos and one-day-old chicks (one of the parameters used to assess bird quality) were not significantly different among the treatments, with means of 15.30 ± 1.41 and 18.37 ± 0.76 mm, respectively. Body weight, body weight gain, feed consumption, and feed conversion rate in different rearing periods did not differ significantly among the treatments. However, there was a significant difference in the percentage of survivability during the initial period (1 to 28 days) among the treatments. In conclusion, clove essential oil treatment did not negatively affect the quality of embryos and one-day-old chicks or the performance of broilers.

Phytobiotics blend as a dietary supplement for Nile tilapia health improvement.

Functional additives of natural origin included as dietary supplements have become an alternative to synthetic antibiotics to improve health and resistance to ecologically correct pathogenic diseases in fish farming. We tested whether incorporating a mixture of phytobiotics such as volatile oils of thyme, red thyme and pepper rosemary into the diet improves growth performance, oxidative stress, immune and hematological responses and resistance of juvenile Nile tilapia when subjected to a challenge with Aeromonas hydrophila compared to a synthetic antibiotic (enrofloxacin). The experimental design was completely randomized with three experimental groups: control diet, diets containing a mixture of thyme phytobiotic essential oils, red thyme and pepper rosemary (FTB) and the synthetic antibiotic enrofloxacin (ATB), with four replicates (14 fish per repetition/experimental unit). Plasma glucose levels, leukocyte respiratory activity, serum lysozyme levels, number of circulating erythrocytes and leukocytes, levels of lipid peroxidation (LPO), catalase (CAT) and glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity at the end of 20 days of feeding (phase) were evaluated and 24 h after exposure to bacteria (phase II). The supplementation of FTB and ATB did not change the performance parameters, but it was sufficient to increase lysozyme, leukocytes, neutrophils and monocytes after the bacterial challenge, reduction of CAT and LPO activity and the highest GST activity (P < 0.05). The results of the present study suggest that FTB as a dietary supplement has benefits and can replace synthetic ATB, including supplementation with FTB for 20 days to provide greater antioxidant protection in Nile tilapia, mitigate the impacts of stressors and modulate immunity, providing to fish greater resistance and protection against diseases.

Integration of georeferenced and genetic data for the management of biodiversity in sheep genetic resources in Brazil.

There are few animal germplasm/gene bank collections in Brazil, and basic studies are needed to attend the future internal and external demands from international partners. The aim of this work was to validate a "proof of concept" that integrates spatial (georeferenced data) and genetic data regarding the local of origin from 3518 DNA samples from 17 different genetic groups or breeds of sheep in the Brazilian Germplasm bank. Spatialisation shows that not all genetic groups have samples in the bank, and collection is concentrated in the conservation nuclei spread nationwide. Only 21% of states with a specific breed have samples in the gene bank. The mean number of animals sampled per collection was 32, while the mean distance travelled to collect samples was 262 km from the conservation nuclei. For example, the Brazilian Somali were only collected in the conservation nucleus in Ceará State. No samples were collected to date for the Cariri breed, which is recognised by the Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture. Only two farms and one breed in the bank are from the northern region. Of the 27 states, there are samples in the gene bank of sheep from 13, so several states have no samples, requiring collection from herds outside the official system of conservation to make sure that studies using this germplasm realised are not biased. Significant genetic differences are seen above 332 km, which should guide future sampling efforts. Suggestions are given for improving the quantity, quality and diversity of samples in the gene bank.

Clinical and biochemical parameters of COVID-19 patients with prior or active dengue fever.

Originated in Wuhan, China, the coronavirus 19 disease (COVID-19) has quickly spread worldwide, reaching countries that already faced other endemics and epidemics. In Brazil, such a concerning situation includes arboviruses, among which the dengue virus stands out. Here, we determined the rate of SARS-CoV-2/dengue virus co-infection in a total of 178 patients with COVID-19 symtoms admitted into a large public hospital of the Federal District of Brazil. Furthermore, we evaluated whether prior or active dengue virus infection influenced hematological, biochemical, and clinical parameters of such patients. One hundred and twelve (63%) individuals tested positive for COVID-19, of which 43 (38.4%) were co-infected with dengue virus, and 50 (44.6%) had antibodies indicative of previous dengue infection. Co-infected patients showed lower numbers of circulating lymphocytes and monocytes, higher glucose rates, and a worse pulmonary condition. Of note, prior infections with dengue virus did not influence clinical parameters, but active dengue fever resulted in higher hospitalization rate. In conclusion, amid the current complex epidemiological scenario in Brazil, our data support the notion that SARS-CoV-2 and dengue co-infection affects an important percentage of COVID-19 patients and leads to worse clinical parameters, requiring greater attention from health authorities.

Effect of allogeneic mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) on corneal wound healing in dogs.

Image 1.

Effect of transportation distances, seasons and crate microclimate on broiler chicken production losses.

The goal of this research was to evaluate the microclimate (temperature, relative humidity and ECI-enthalpy comfort index) of commercial loads of broiler chickens at different transport distances: Dist15 (15 km on average) and Dist90 (90 km on average) in the summer and winter seasons and their effects on the production parameters body weight difference (BWD), mortality (%) and bruising prevalence (%). Twelve broiler loads were monitored using dataloggers to record temperature and humidity, with a total of 24 target crates per load. The experiment followed a factorial design [2 seasons (rainy and dry) × 2 distances (Dist15 and Dist90)] with a randomized complete block arrangement, 3 sexes (all males, all females, or mixed shipments) and one shipment per combination. BWD had a heterogeneous distribution throughout the load, and this distribution was not significantly correlated with the mean ECI measured during transport at 12 positions along the load. In terms of comfort, summer is the most critical period for broiler transport. In the interaction between rainy season and Dist90, the highest ECI was scored in the lethal zone (where physiological mechanisms are not enough to control body temperature). Mortality during the rainy season was not significantly different between distances. However, during the dry season, mortality was twice as high as broilers that travelled for 15 km. The prevalence of bruising on carcasses was not affected by the interaction between season and distance. As we know, broiler chicken performance, during transport, can be also related to road conditions, being hard to evaluate the real impact of seasons and distances on animal welfare. Load microclimate can compromise broiler chicken welfare during transport and it does not necessary reflect significant losses pre and post-slaughter.

Correlation of Parasite Burden, kDNA Integration, Autoreactive Antibodies, and Cytokine Pattern in the Pathophysiology of Chagas Disease.

Chagas disease (CD), caused by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi (T. cruzi), is the main parasitic disease in the Western Hemisphere. Unfortunately, its physiopathology is not completely understood, and cardiomegaly development is hard to predict. Trying to explain tissue lesion and the fact that only a percentage of the infected individuals develops clinical manifestations, a variety of mechanisms have been suggested as the provokers of CD, such as parasite persistence and autoimmune responses. However, holistic analysis of how parasite and host-related elements may connect to each other and influence clinical outcome is still scarce in the literature. Here, we investigated murine models of CD caused by three different pathogen strains: Colombian, CL Brener and Y strains, and employed parasitological and immunological tests to determine parasite load, antibody reactivity, and cytokine production during the acute and chronic phases of the disease. Also, we developed a quantitative PCR (qPCR) protocol to quantify T. cruzi kDNA minicircle integration into the mammalian host genome. Finally, we used a correlation analysis to interconnect parasite- and host-related factors over time. Higher parasite load in the heart and in the intestine was significantly associated with IgG raised against host cardiac proteins. Also, increased heart and bone marrow parasitism was associated with a more intense leukocyte infiltration. kDNA integration rates correlated to the levels of IgG antibodies reactive to host cardiac proteins and interferon production, both influencing tissue inflammation. In conclusion, our results shed light into how inflammatory process associates with parasite load, kDNA transfer to the host, autoreactive autoantibody production and cytokine profile. Altogether, our data support the proposal of an updated integrative theory regarding CD pathophysiology.

Efeito da luz ultravioleta na eclodibilidade e viabilidade de pintos provenientes de ovos férteis sujos / Effect of ultraviolet light in hatchability and viability of chicks from dirty fertile eggs

Considerando a necessidade de se desenvolver estratégias para a incubação de ovos sujos e a demanda de se utilizar métodos renováveis de sanitização, a utilização da luz ultravioleta para desinfecção de ovos incubáveis sujos foi o objetivo desta pesquisa. Foram avaliados ovos sem desinfecção (C-), desinfetados com paraformaldeído (C+), e expostos a tempos diferentes de exposição ultravioleta: UV 3’30”, UV 4’30” e UV 5’30”. Os ovos C(+) e os expostos à UV por 3’30” e 5’30” tiveram uma redução significativa na quantidade de colônias na casca dos ovos em relação ao C(-), variando de 0.64 a 1 logUFC/g. Os tratamentos C(+), UV 3’30” e UV 5’30” foram aplicados para avaliação da incubabilidade dos ovos. A eclodibilidade do tratamento UV 3’30” (70,51%) foi superior ao UV 5’30” (51,16%) e similar ao C(+) (55,81%). Conclui-se que o tratamento UV 3’30” é eficaz na redução da contaminação microbiológica de ovos sujos e não afeta negativamente a eclodibilidade e a viabilidade dos pintinhos nascidos.

Considering the need to develop strategies for dirty eggs incubation and the demand to use renewable methods of sanitation, the use of ultraviolet light for disinfecting hatching dirty eggs was the objective of this research. Eggs not disinfected (C-), disinfected with paraformaldehyde (C+) and exposed to different times of UV radiation (UV 3’30”, UV 4’30” and UV 5’30”) were tested. The eggs C(+) and those exposed to UV for 3’30” and 5’30” presented a significant reduction on the number of colonies of eggshells comparing to C(-), with a 0.64 to 1 logUFC/g variation. The treatments C(+), UV 3’30” and UV 5’30” were applied in an incubation phase. The hatchability of treatment UV 3’30” (70,51%) was superior to UV 5’30” (51,16%) and alike C(+) (55,81%). In conclusion, the treatment UV 3’30” is effective in reducing microbiologic contamination of dirty eggs and do not affect negatively hatchability and quality of chicks.

Hemato-biochemical profile of meat cattle submitted to different types of pre-loading handling and transport times.

Pre-loading handling and conditions of transport are related to welfare, disease risk and product quality of production animals. These steps continue to be one of the major animal management problems in Brazil. This study evaluated the effects of different types of pre-loading handling and road transport times on the haematological and biochemical traits of cattle. Eighteen male cattle were submitted to three travel times (24, 48 and 72 h) in a truck soon after load using different types of pre-loading handling: traditional (rough handling), training (gentle handling) and use of flags to movement cattle. Haematological traits, blood biochemical measures as well as blood and faecal cortisol were analysed in order to assess animal welfare and physiological status. The traditional management showed to be more stressful, also had animals with a greater number of neutrophils and lower numbers of lymphocytes than handling with flags, showing that animals submitted to more stressful situations can have compromised immune system. Serum aspartate aminotransferase concentrations were within the reference levels and when taken together with increased creatine kinase patterns observed indicate muscle damage in traditional management. Decrease in glucose concentrations over time from traditional management to flag management was observed, while fructosamine was increased in traditional management with 72 h of travel. When taken together, all reported factors, immune, enzymatic, energetic and hormonal, indicate that the quality of pre-loading handling and time of transport were determinant for animal welfare, its homeostatic balance and sanitary conditions.

Effects of Dietary Exposure to Sulfamethazine on the Hematological Parameters and Hepatic Oxidative Stress Biomarkers in Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus).

Sulfamethazine (SMZ) is one of the most commonly used sulfonamide compounds in fish farming, and its physiological effects on fish are unknown. SMZ was administered to juvenile Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) at a dose level of 422 mg kg(-1) body weight, for a period of 11 days, via medicated feed. Fish were divided into two groups, the control group (CG) and the group fed with SMZ in feed. The administration of SMZ did not alter the erythrograms and leukograms of the Nile tilapia. The SMZ-fed group showed the same hepatic lipid peroxidation (LPO) concentration as the CG. Nonetheless, the oral administration of SMZ raised the hepatic catalase (CAT) and glutathione S-transferase (GST) activities, the increase probably being sufficient to prevent hepatic LPO production. The oral administration of SMZ affects the hepatic GST and CAT activities of Nile tilapia.

Tissue accumulation and urinary excretion of Cr in chromium picolinate (CrPic)-supplemented lambs.

Chromium (Cr) concentrations in liver, kidney, spleen, heart, lymph node, skeletal muscle, bone, testis and urine of lambs were measured to trace the biodistribution and bioaccumulation of Cr after oral supplementation with chromium picolinate (CrPic). Twenty-four Santa Inês lambs were treated with four different concentrations of CrPic: placebo, 0.250, 0.375 and 0.500 mg of CrPic/animal/day for 84 days. The basal diet consisted of Panicum maximum cv Massai hay and concentrate. Cr concentrations were measured by ICP-MS measuring (52)Cr as collected mass. There was a positive linear relationship between dose administered and the accumulation of Cr in the heart, lungs and testis. Urinary excretion of Cr occurred in a time and dose-dependent manner, so the longer or more dietary Cr provided, the greater excretion of the element. As some non-carcass components (such as lungs or heart) are added to bone and visceral meal to feed animals, there is a risk of bioaccumulation and biomagnification due to Cr offered as CrPic in the diet.