Inclusion of β-1,3/1,6-glucan in the ornamental fish,Jewel tetra (Hyphessobrycon eques), and its effects on growth,blood glucose,and intestinal histology

The effects of β-1,3/1,6-glucan on Hyphessobrycon eques were assessed after 42 days of feeding diets containing 0 (control group given commercial feed), 0.5, 1, or 2 g β-glucan/kg diet. In total, 180 fish, with an initial weight of 0.43?±?0.03 g, were used. There were 15 fish in each of twelve 42-L aquariums, and there were 3 aquariums of fish for each dietary treatment. The fish were fed until apparent satiety. Performance parameters (final weight, total length, standard length, feed intake, survival rate, weight gain, feed conversion, specific growth rate, and condition factor) and plasma glucose concentration were measured. Histological analysis of the proximal portion of the intestine (width and height of the villi, depth of the crypts, height of the enterocytes, thickness of the muscle layer, and number of goblet cells) was performed. Different levels of the additive did not influence fish performance (for example, final weight: control: 0.63 g, 0.5: 0.60, 1: 0.58, and 2: 0.61). Likewise, there was no influence on the plasma glucose concentration (control: 81.80 mg/dL, 0.5: 75.33, 1: 85.00, and 2: 81.00) and intestinal morphometry of the animals. However, the results showed that 2.0 g/kg of β-1,3/1,6-glucan provided a greater abundance of goblet cells secreting acidic and neutral mucus present in the epithelium (periodic acid-Schiff: 66.67 cells, Alcian blue pH 1.0: 72,67 cells, and Alcian blue pH 2.5: 95.00 cells), showing significant differences when compared to animals in the control group, which may represent better protection of the intestinal epithelium of H. eques.

     

Hepatic profile of Gallus gallus Linnaeus, 1758 experimentally infected by Plasmodium juxtanucleare Versiani & Gomes, 1941

One of the species that causes avian malaria is Plasmodium juxtanucleare. It is commonly found in poultry, especially when the birds receive food free of coccidiostats. Since industrial and organic poultry breeding is increasing in the world and few studies have been conducted examining the clinical parameters of both healthy and infected birds, this work evaluated whether the infection caused by P. juxtanucleare in Gallus gallus provokes alterations in the birds' hepatic profile. We analyzed the activity of ALT and AST and carried out histological analyses of liver sections of infected fowls by intracelomic inoculation with infected blood from a donor fowl with a parasite load of around 7%. The infected birds' parasite load was evaluated during 45 days by means of blood smears. There was a positive correlation between the increase in parasite load and higher ALT activity in the infected fowls, but there was no significant variation of the AST activity between the control and infected groups, possibly because of the non-specificity of this enzyme as an indicator of hepatic lesion. The results show that infection caused by P. juxtanucleare in G. gallus provokes hepatic alterations, indicated by the increase in the ALT enzyme activity and by the inflammatory infiltrates found in the liver sections of the infected fowls.     

Light and scanning electron microscopy of sporocysts of Eurytrema coelomaticum (Giard et Billet, 1892) Looss, 1907

CD154 is a cell surface molecule expressed by activated T cells. CD40 and CD154 interaction is critically important in regulating humoral and cell-mediated immune responses. In this study we have investigated whether a DNA vaccine encoding rhoptry protein 1 (ROP1) of Toxoplasma gondii, and encoding ovine CD154 induces an enhanced ROP1-specific immune response in sheep. Two groups of twelve animals received two intramuscular injections, of a DNA plasmid encoding T. gondii ROP1 antigen (group 1) or an ROP1 antigen fused to ovine CD154 (group 2). There were two control groups of sheep. One was injected with an empty vector (group 3) and the other received no injections at all (group 4). The injection of the plasmid containing ROP1 (group 1) at weeks 0 and 4 induced a significant IgG2 response at week 2 which was amplified at week 4 after the booster injection and persisted to week 8 compared to the control animals in groups 3 and 4. For IgG1, significant differences from the control animals were only observed from week 5 onwards. The fusion of CD154 and ROP1 elicited significant IgG1 and IgG2 responses from week 1 which were amplified from weeks 5 to 8 compared to the control animals in groups 3 and 4. The IgG1 response was significantly higher in group 2 animals receiving pROP1-CD154 compared to group 1 receiving pROP1 only. There was no significant difference in IgG2 responses between groups 1 and 2. Significant differences in IFN-γ levels were only observed in treatment group 1 at week 2 and treatment group 2 at weeks 1 and 2 compared to the control animals. The results demonstrated that an intramuscular injection of pROP1-CD154 gene to sheep significantly enhanced their immune response and induced a mixed Th1/Th2 response while the intramuscular injection of pROP1 only induced a Th1-specific immune response.     

Potential synergistic effect of Melia azedarach fruit extract and Beauveria bassiana in the control of Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus (Acari: Ixodidae) in cattle infestations

The use of a concentrate emulsion of Melia azedarach green fruits and a suspension of the fungus Beauveria bassiana was evaluated in the control of Rhipicephalus microplus on artificially infested cattle. The evaluation was conducted following the protocol established by the Brazilian Agriculture Ministry. Five groups of 4 or 5 animals were allocated to one of the following treatments: emulsion concentrate of M. azedarach at 0.25% (T AZED 0.25%), emulsion concentrate of M. azedarach at 0.5% (T AZED 0.5%), B. bassiana at 2.4 × 10(8) conidia (T BASS), association of the concentrate of M. azedarach at 0.25% with B. bassiana at 2.4 × 10(8) conidia (T AZED 0.25%+BASS), and control (untreated). The association of the two compounds provided better results than any one isolated treatment, indicating compatibility or perhaps a synergy between M. azedarach and B. bassiana. This treatment resulted in fewer engorged females (129 ± 70) than in the control group (233 ± 82), showing high performance against all developmental stages of the tick. Results revealed an apparent synergistic effect of M. azedarach and B. bassiana in the control of R. microplus that should be further investigated.     

Weathering and allophane neoformation in soils developed on volcanic ash in the Azores

On Faial and Pico islands (Azores), we studied two profiles on basaltic pyroclasts that contain buried horizons, and we focussed on petrography, micropedology and mineralogy. Emphasis was given to weathering of the lapilli and ashes, and the neoformation of allophane. A combination of optical studies, in situ chemical analyses, X‐ray diffraction and infrared spectroscopy of clay fractions revealed that allophane is present both in the micromass of the groundmass, in alteromorphs after lapilli or pumice, and in clay coatings. Whereas most studies describe allophane as a colloidal fraction formed by the congruent and total dissolution of the ashes, this study shows evidence for the formation of allophane alteromorphs, due to leaching of Si and cations, with preservation of the original shapes of the tephra. The allophane alteromorphs often display optical characteristics that resemble those of palagonite. Increasing alteration is observed through three steps: (i) hydration of the glass associated with strong cation and Si leaching, (ii) allophane hypocoatings, and (iii) allophane alteromorphs with development of intragrain bridges. The chemical signature of the alteromorphs varies from a pure alumino‐silicate at one extreme to an Fe(Ti) enriched alumino‐silicate at the other. Between those two extremes, the colour grades from yellow to dark orange, with microzonations. An Al‐rich allophane composition is associated with gibbsite in the EUR6‐Pico profile, whereas at the base of the EUR5‐Faial profile, Si‐rich allophane is associated with halloysite. Some variations of the palaeo‐environment are also suggested by strong iron segregation observed with various secondary phases (ferrihydrite, haematite, iddingsite).     

Phenolic compounds in external leaves of tronchuda cabbage (Brassica oleracea L. var. costata DC)

Glycosylated kaempferol derivatives from the external leaves of tronchuda cabbage (Brassica oleracea L. var. costata DC) characterized by reversed-phase HPLC-DAD-MS/MS-ESI were kaempferol 3-O-sophorotrioside-7-O-glucoside, kaempferol 3-O- (methoxycaffeoyl/caffeoyl)sophoroside-7-O-glucoside, kaempferol 3-O-sophoroside-7-O-glucoside, kaempferol 3-O-sophorotrioside-7-O-sophoroside, kaempferol 3-O-sophoroside-7-O-sophoroside, kaempferol 3-O-tetraglucoside-7-O-sophoroside, kaempferol 3-O-(sinapoyl/caffeoyl)sophoroside-7-O-glucoside, kaempferol 3-O-(feruloyl/caffeoyl)sophoroside-7-O-glucoside, kaempferol 3-O-sophorotrioside, kaempferol 3-O-(sinapoyl)sophoroside, kaempferol 3-O-(feruloyl)sophorotrioside, kaempferol 3-O-(feruloyl)sophoroside, kaempferol 3-O-sophoroside, and kaempferol 3-O-glucoside. These acylated derivatives are reported for the first time in nature, with the exception of kaempferol 3-O-(sinapoyl)sophoroside. Quantification of the identified compounds was achieved by HPLC-DAD and carried out in samples cultivated under conventional or organic practices and collected at different times. In general, samples from organic production exhibited higher total phenolics content than those from conventional practices collected in the same period.     

Tramadol plus metamizole combined or not with anti‐inflammatory drugs is clinically effective for moderate to severe chronic pain treatment in cancer patients

ObjectiveTo test the effectiveness and safety of tramadol plus metamizole combined or not with a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) for treating moderate to severe chronic neoplastic pain in dogs, and its impact on quality of life (QL).Study designProspective, uncontrolled, open-label, clinical study.AnimalsSixty nine client-owned dogs with multiple forms of cancer and visual analog scale (VAS) pain score ≥40 after receiving NSAIDs for at least 7 days.MethodsThe MN group received metamizole + NSAID, MNT group received metamizole + NSAID + tramadol and MT group received metamizole + tramadol. Pain was scored by the 0 to 100 mm VAS (0 = no pain, 100 = worst pain) and analgesic therapy was considered effective if 25 mm differences in VAS scores were observed between day 0 and the follow ups. The QL was evaluated according to a 0 to 36 scoring method for dogs (0 = worst, 36 = best) and side effects were recorded. Data were registered at day 0 (baseline) and at the first and second follow ups (7 and 14 days after day 0, respectively).ResultsThe MN group had less analgesia at day 7 (25%) and day 14 (42%) than MNT (59%, p = 0.0274; 76%, p = 0.0251, respectively) and MT groups (69%, p = 0.0151; 81%, p = 0.0341, respectively). The QL scores were lower in the MN group at the first (score 23) and second follow up (score 26) than in MNT (27, p = 0.0847; 30, p = 0.0002) and MT (28, p = 0.0384; 31, p = 0.0001) groups. Side effects were more commonly observed in the MN group (87%) than in MNT (24%, p < 0.0001) and MT groups (25%, p = 0.0003) at the first follow up.Conclusions and clinical relevanceTramadol plus metamizole combined or not with NSAID were well tolerated and clinically effective to treat moderate to severe pain in dogs with cancer and improved QL.     

Treatment of Olive Oil Mill Wastewater by Silica–Alginate–Fungi Biocomposites

Olive oil mill wastewater (OMW) generates a wide variety of pollutants depending on the production process and other factors such as olive varieties and cultivation system. Efforts to mitigate the impact of these effluents in the environment have been made by developing more efficient treatment systems in terms of removal of chemical oxygen demand (COD), color, organic compounds, and toxicity. This study is the first that reports the potential of a treatment of OMW by biocomposites of silica?Calginate?Cfungi (Pleurotus sajor caju and Trametes versicolor). The treatment by biocomposites can be considered as a three-step process responsible for the removal of the compounds: (1) adsorption of reactants on the monolithic structure and diffusion to the biological active sites, (2) biodegradation by the fungi, and (3) diffusion of the products resulting from the biodegradation. Both treatments tested showed potential capacity to remove organic compounds, color, COD, and toxicity. The T. versicolor biocomposites were the most effective and responsible for the reduction in color (from 38.4 to 44.9?%), COD (from 42.8 to 63.8?%), and total phenolic content (from 85.3 to 88.7?%) after 29?days of treatment. The toxicity reduction on Portuguese OMW was minimal, but the use of composites on the Moroccan OMW caused a 9.5- to 19-fold reduction in toxicity. Furthermore, the biocomposites showed potential for re-utilization for more 29?days of treatment.