Morphologic observations on respiratory tracts of chickens after hatchery infectious bronchitis vaccination and formaldehyde fumigation

The histologic changes in the respiratory tracts of chickens were evaluated after hatchery fumigation with 40% formaldehyde vapors and vaccination against infectious bronchitis virus with live attenuated vaccine (Massachusetts serotype). One-day-old chickens were housed in four isolation units in controlled environmental conditions, fed and watered ad libitum, and separated into four groups: 1) fumigated and vaccinated birds (FV group); 2) nonfumigated and vaccinated birds (NFV group); 3) fumigated and nonvaccinated birds (FNV group); and 4) control group (C group). All birds were tested to be free from Mycoplasma gallisepticum and Mycoplasma synoviae. After necropsy on the first, eighth, and twenty-sixth days after birth, samples from tracheal upper portion and lungs were conventionally processed for light, scanning, and transmission electron microscopy. Tissue response was monitored by microscopic examination of trachea and lung. On the first day of observation, fumigated and vaccinated birds (FV group) showed extensively damaged tracheal epithelium with exfoliated areas and some active glands with electrodense granules, and in the lung, the primary bronchi epithelium had disorganized cilia and abundant lymphocytes, with emphysematous areas in tertiary bronchus. On day 8 after vaccination, cubical and cylindrical tracheal cell proliferation was observed, and on day 26, ciliated columnar epithelium was almost regenerated with heterophil corion infiltration, and hyaline cartilage nodules appeared in parabronchi. The nonfumigated and vaccinated birds (NFV) revealed less injury on the epithelial surface and a more rapid response to epithelial regeneration than the in only fumigated animals (FNV). The control group did not show remarkable morphologic changes. Postvaccinal and fumigation effects on the upper respiratory tract were temporary, whereas in lungs, increased emphysema, cartilage nodules in the interchange zone, and general lymphocyte infiltration had caused intensive injury.     

METHOD OF SEMEN COLLECTION AND ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION IN SNAKES

This study focuses on the method for sperm extraction and artificial insemination in snakes. Ten adult healthy snakes (4.6) were included in the study (Pantherophis guttatus 1.3; Hydrodynastes gigas 1.1; Corallus hortulanus 1.1; and Sanzinia madagascariesis 1.1). Massage of the ventral aspect of the caudal third of the male snake body for 2 to 3 minutes was performed successfully for the semen collection. Both female and male P. guttatus and H. gigas were placed in brumation, with the female snakes being assessed for ovarian activity after emerging from dormancy. Only females showing ultrasonographic evidence of vitellogenic follicles were included in the study. S. madagascariensis and C. hortulanus were maintained at the same temperature through the year, and the ovarian activity was assessed ultrasonographically prior to artificially inseminating the animal. With the aid of a rigid endoscope, fresh semen was delivered through the cloaca and into the females’ oviducts using a catheter connected to the syringe. The technique failed in female S. madagascariensis and H. gigas. Two female P. guttatus laid eggs 2 months after artificial insemination, with hatchlings emerging following 2 months of development within the eggs. The third female corn snake did not lay an egg. The female C. hortulans produced eggs 4 months after insemination. The manual massage method of sperm collection in male snakes and endoscopy-assisted insemination in female snakes may be useful for conservation programs.     

Effects of a selection of additives on in vitro ruminal methanogenesis and in situ and in vivo NDF digestibility

The effects of 18 essential oils, yeast, Quebracho tannin and Quillaja saponin on ruminal methane and gas production (GP) were studied in vitro. A lactating cow diet was incubated with rumen inoculum. Doses of the additives (mg/L) were: essential oils = 500; tannin = 67; yeast = 8.35 and 16.7; and saponin = 300. Lemongrass, estragole, eugenol, geraniol, limonen, thyme oil and thymol produced less gas (overall mean 33.8 mL/200 mg dry matter (DM)) than control (43.6 mL/200 mg DM; P < 0.001). Methane produced (mL/200 mg DM) by guaiacol (10.7), lemongrass (9.6), limonene (11.4), thyme oil (10.9) and thymol (2.1) was lower than control (12.5) (P < 0.001). Methane percentage on total GP was lower (P < 0.001) for cinnamic alcohol (25.4), guaiacol (24.5), thymol (19.7) and vanillin (26.3) than control (28.8). In a second experiment, thymol, guaiacol and yeast were added to the diet of dry fistulated cows to determine in situ neutral detergent fiber digestibility (NDFD) of six forages and in vivo dietary NDFD. Thymol and yeast decreased in situ NDFD after 24 h (33.9% and 33.5% vs. 38.1%; P = 0.008). Thymol decreased in vivo total tract NDFD (40.8% vs. 51.4%; P = 0.02). Differences in GP and methane levels were registered within classes of additives. A careful selection of additives may allow for the manipulation of ruminal fermentation.     

The influence of land abandonment on forest disturbance regimes: a global review

Landscape Ecology - Since the nineteenth century, rural areas have experienced progressive abandonment mostly due to socioeconomic changes, with direct and indirect effects on forest disturbance...     

SSR markers reveal the uniqueness of olive cultivars from the Italian region of Liguria

Twenty-three important Ligurian olive accessions corresponding to 16 cultivars were studied using 12 SSR markers and 40 Mediterranean cultivars were included in the study in order to investigate the relationships between Ligurian and Mediterranean germplasm. All SSRs produced polymorphic amplifications. One hundred and forty-nine alleles were found in the 63 accessions analysed. Twenty-two alleles were specific to germplasm from Liguria and of these 12 were unique to single cultivars. Heterozygosity and discriminating power calculated in this regional germplasm were high on average (0.70 and 0.74) and not so much lower than the values in the total sample that includes cultivars from different Mediterranean countries (0.77 and 0.88 respectively). No cases of genetic identities were found between Ligurian and Mediterranean accessions. Several cases of homonyms and synonyms within the Ligurian germplasm were explained. Cluster analysis generally revealed a clear discrimination of the profiles from Liguria and Italy with respect to the cultivars from other Mediterranean countries. Only one Ligurian cultivar, “Negrea”, appeared to have a different origin, grouping with the Mediterranean cultivars.     

Glue barriers reduce earwig damage on apricots in north-western Italy

The European earwig, Forficula auricularia L. (Dermaptera: Forficulidae), is a well-known species that is cosmopolitan and present throughout Europe. Due to its omnivorous feeding behaviour, this species can act as a generalist predator, preying on several top fruit pests, but also as a pest causing shallow gouges or holes in stone and soft fruits such as apricots, strawberries, raspberries or blackberries. In Piedmont (NW Italy), significant fruit damage has been observed lately in apricot orchards where earwigs fed on ripening fruits and made a considerable part of the produce unmarketable. In this study, we sampled earwig populations in three apricot orchards in Piedmont and tested the effectiveness of glue barriers applied to the tree trunks in reducing both earwig density in the canopy and fruit damage. The arboreal glues Rampastop® and Vebicolla® were tested both in the field and laboratory trials. Glue barriers demonstrated to be effective control measures, significantly reducing earwig abundance in the canopy and fruit damage. Rampastop® gave better results on old trees with a very rough and cracked bark, since in that case Vebicolla® could not perfectly bond with the trunk.     

Identification of herbaceous hosts of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">Grapevine Pinot gris virus</Emphasis> (GPGV)

Grapevine Pinot gris Virus (GPGV) is a single stranded RNA of the genus Trichovirus infecting grapevine (Vitis vinifera) and associated with stunting, chlorotic mottling and leaf deformation symptoms. During a monitoring of GPGV infection in vineyards of the Trentino region in Italy, we have detected the virus in the herbaceous plants Silene latifolia subsp. Alba (Mill.) (bladder campion) and Chenopodium album L. (white goosefoot), which showed symptoms of viral infection. The full-length GPGV RNA genome, amplified from these infected hosts, was sequenced and a phylogenetic analysis revealed that its closest relative is the strain SK13, recently isolated in Slovakia. Our results indicate that herbaceous plants can be considered as a reservoir for the GPGV virus. This finding is important for studying the epidemiological aspects of GPGV disease and to formulate appropriate control measures.     

Studies on the effect of Amadoriase from Aspergillus fumigatus on peptide and protein glycation in vitro

Amadoriase I is a fructosyl amine oxidase from Aspergillus fumigatus that catalyzes the oxidation of Amadori products (APs) producing glucosone, H2O2, and the corresponding free amine. All the enzymes of this family discovered so far only deglycate small molecular weight products and are inactive toward large molecular weight substrates, such as glycated BSA or ribonuclease A. Therefore, they cannot be used to reverse protein glycation occurring in diabetes or in foods. In this paper, the effect of Amadoriase I added during the in vitro reaction between glucose and peptides having different polarities or proteins with molecular weights ranging from to 5 to 66 kDa was tested. The formation of APs was monitored by ESI-MS of intact glycated protein or peptides and by measuring the Nepsilon-(1-deoxy-d-fructos-1-yl)-L-lysine and furosine concentrations. Results showed that the formation of APs is reduced up to 80% when peptides and glucose are incubated in the presence of Amadoriase. The effect is more evident for hydrophobic peptides. In protein-glucose systems, the effect was dependent on the molecular weight and steric hindrance being negligible for BSA and at a maximum for insulin, where the formation of APs was reduced up to 60%. These findings indicate new potential applications of Amadoriase I as an efficient tool for inhibiting protein glycation in real food systems.     

Genetic variability of the prion protein gene (PRNP) in wild ruminants from Italy and Scotland

The genetics of the prion protein gene (PRNP) play a crucial role in determining the relative susceptibility to transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs) in several mammalian species. To determine the PRNP gene variability in European red deer (Cervus elaphus), roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) and chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra), the PRNP open reading frame from 715 samples was analysed to reveal a total of ten single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). In red deer, SNPs were found in codons 15, 21, 59, 78, 79, 98, 136, 168 and 226. These polymorphisms give rise to 12 haplotypes, and one of which is identical to the PRNP of American wapiti (Rocky Mountain elk, Cervus elaphus nelsoni). One silent mutation at codon 119 was detected in chamois and no SNPs were found in roe deer. This analysis confirmed that European wild ruminants have a PRNP genetic background that is compatible with TSE susceptibility, including chronic wasting disease.