Experimental inoculation of heifers with bovine adenovirus type 3.

Nine 2-year-old heifers having BAd3-neutralizing antibody titers between 1:120 and 1:1080 were individually exposed intranasally to an aerosol of 10(8) pfu of wild type (wt) bovine adenovirus type 3 (BAd3). Four animals were kept as non-inoculated controls. The heifers were examined daily for rectal temperature, weight gain/loss, nasal and ocular discharges, and other clinical signs for 10 d post-inoculation. None of the animals showed any sign of clinical disease. Virus excretion was observed in one animal only on Day 3 post-inoculation. All BAd3-inoculated heifers demonstrated a significant (P < 0.005, paired t-test) rise in BAd3-specific serum IgG, IgG1, or IgG2 ELISA titers and virus-neutralizing antibody titers compared to the titers before inoculation. All virus-inoculated animals demonstrated increased levels of BAd3-specific IgA ELISA titers in nasal secretions. These results suggest that in the presence of circulating BAd3-neutralizing antibodies, intranasal inoculation of cattle with wt BAd3 would result in inapparent infection.     

Role of soil physicochemical characteristics on the present state of arsenic and its adsorption in alluvial soils of two agri-intensive region of Bathinda,Punjab, India

Journal of Soils and Sediments - Arsenic (As) contamination of groundwater has received significant attention recently in district Bathinda, due to consequent health risk in this region. Soil is...     

Evaluation of antibacterial activity and innate immune components in skin mucus of Indian major carp,Cirrhinus mrigala

The present work has been undertaken to analyse the antibacterial activity and innate immune components in the skin mucus of Indian major carp, Cirrhinus mrigala. Skin mucus was extracted separately in triple‐distilled water (TDW), 3% acetic acid (3% AA) or 0.1% trifluoroacetic acid (1% TFA). All mucus extracts exhibited different spectrum of the antibacterial activity against different groups of pathogenic bacteria. Protein profiling by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis revealed a series of protein bands in the TDW extract, four major protein bands in the AA extract and two protein bands in the TFA extract. Tandem mass spectrometry analysis of distinct protein bands identified potential innate immune factors – histone H2A, histone H3, histone H4, haemoglobin, cofilin and nucleoside diphosphate kinase in the TDW extract, and ubiquitin and histone H2B isoforms in acidic extracts of skin mucus of C. mrigala. The presence of these innate immune molecules suggests that skin mucus play an important role in the protection of the fish against microbial invasion.     

Effects of l-Ascorbic Acid, α-Tocopherol and Co-culture on In Vitro Developmental Potential of Porcine Cumulus Cells Free Oocytes

The maturation and developmental potential on cumulus-cell-free oocytes is of great importance theoretically and practically. The present study was to investigate the effects of l -ascorbic acid, α-tocopherol and co-culture on in vitro developmental potential of porcine denuded oocytes (DOs). Porcine DOs were cultured in maturation medium supplemented with vitamin C (0, 50, 100, 250, 500, 750 μM) and vitamin E (0, 10, 20, 50, 100, 250 μ m ), respectively. And they were also co-cultured with dispersed cumulus cells (group CCscoculture), intact cumulus cells oocyte complexes (COCs) (group COCscoculture), and COCs whose oocytes were removed (group OOXcoculture), respectively. After 44 h incubation, the maturation rates, cleavage rates and blastocyst rates after parthenogenetic activation in three experiments mentioned above were collected and analysed, respectively. L -Ascorbic acid promoted porcine DOs in vitro maturation and blastocyt development after parthenogenetic activation while α-tocopherol did not increase the in vitro maturation rates, but improved the blastocyst rate. None of the three co-culture manner promoted the in vitro maturation and the cleavage of porcine DOs after parthenogenetic activation, but all the co-culture manners improved the blastocyst rates. Both Vitamin C and E enhance the in vitro developmental potential of porcine DOs. Co-culture increases the developmental potential of porcine DOs.     

Alterations in the epidermis of the carp,Labeo rohita (Cyprinidae: Cypriniformes), infected by the bacteria,Aeromonas hydrophila: A scanning electron microscopic,histopathological and immunohistochemical investigation

This study was carried out to comprehend the pathogenicity of the bacteria in the epidermis of Labeo rohita inoculated with Aeromonas hydrophila. Alterations in the histopathology of the epidermis were examined using scanning electron microscopy, light microscopy and the localization of iNOS and caspase 3 + ve cells by means of immunohistochemical methods. Skin samples obtained from infected fish at different intervals 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 days showed significant changes in the cellular components of the epidermis. Epithelial cells often appeared hypertrophied with fragmented and loosely arranged microridges, and in the process of exfoliation. Mucous goblet cells increased significantly in density. Club cells showed degenerative changes, often with simultaneous confluence of adjacent cells and release of their contents. Increase in density of iNOS and caspase 3 + ve cells indicates inflammatory response and apoptosis. This study could provide valuable information on the pathogenesis of the disease, and disease outbreaks in farmed fish. Further, it could provide useful guidelines for fish farmers to take preventive measures for the control of the disease.     

Impact on beef cattle productivity of infection with anthelmintic-resistant nematodes

ABSTRACT

Aims: The main goal of the current study was to evaluate, on a commercial beef cattle farm, the impact of infection with gastrointestinal nematodes resistant to both ivermectin (IVM) and moxidectin (MXD) on the productivity of calves.

Methods: Male Aberdeen Angus calves, aged 9–11 months, with faecal nematode egg counts (FEC) ≥200 epg and body weight ≥190?kg, were allocated to two herds. Herd A (n?=?90) grazed a maize-winter forage crop rotation and Herd B (n?=?90) grazed a 2-year-old Agropyrum pasture. On Day 0 in each herd, calves were randomly allocated into five groups (n?=?18), which were treated with 0.2?mg/kg IVM; 0.2?mg/kg MXD; 3.75?mg/kg ricobendazole (RBZ), both IVM and RBZ, or remained untreated. Faecal samples collected on Days ?1 and 19 were used to determine the percentage reduction in FEC, and genera of the nematodes were determined by the identification of the third-stage larvae recovered from faecal cultures. Total weight gain was determined from body weights recorded on Days ?1 and 91.

Results: Overall mean reduction in FEC was 42% for IVM, 67% for MXD, 97% for RBZ and 99% for IVM?+?RBZ. The reduction in FEC for Cooperia spp. was ≤78% for IVM and MXD, and for Haemonchus spp. was 0 and 36% for IVM and MXD, respectively, confirming the presence of parasites resistant to both anthelmintics. Only IVM?+?RBZ treatment resulted in 100% efficacy against Haemonchus spp. The overall estimated mean total weight gain for calves treated with IVM was 15.7 (95% CI?=?11.9–19.7) kg and for calves treated with IVM?+?RBZ was 28.8 (95% CI?=?25–32.5) kg (p?<?0.001). Mean total weight gain for calves treated with MXD was 23.5 (95% CI?=?19.7–27.2) kg.

Conclusions and clinical relevance: In calves naturally infected with resistant nematodes, under the production system assessed here, weight gains were lower in calves treated with anthelmintics that were moderately or highly ineffective compared to those treated with highly effective anthelmintics. These results demonstrate to farmers and veterinarians the importance of a sustainable and effective nematode control under field conditions.     

Biodegradable alginate microspheres as a delivery system for naked DNA.

Sodium alginate is a naturally occurring polysaccharide that can easily be polymerized into a solid matrix to form microspheres. These biodegradable microspheres were used to encapsulate plasmid DNA containing the bacterial beta-galactosidase (LacZ) gene under the control of either the cytomegalovirus (CMV) immediate-early promoter or the Rous sarcoma virus (RSV) early promoter. Mice inoculated orally with microspheres containing plasmid DNA expressed LacZ in the intestine, spleen and liver. Inoculation of mice with microspheres containing both the plasmid DNA and bovine adenovirus type 3 (BAd3) resulted in a significant increase in LacZ expression compared to those inoculated with microspheres containing only the plasmid DNA. Our results suggest that adenoviruses are capable of augumenting transgene expression by plasmid DNA both in vitro and in vivo.