Evaluation of the carryover effect of antibiotic,bee pollen and propolis on growth performance,carcass traits and splenic and hepatic histology of growing rabbits

Sixty‐four nulliparous female rabbits were distributed among eight groups (eight animals/group). Group one was the unsupplemented control group; the other seven groups were supplemented with zinc bacitracin (ZnB) at 100 mg, or bee pollen (BP) and/or propolis (Pro) at 150 and 300 mg in a capsulated form, three times a week, day after day, continuously all over the experimental period. The experiment was run for eight parties; at each parity, 28 kids of each doe group (a total of 224 rabbits) were divided into two subgroups weaned, respectively, at 24 and 30 days of age. Thus, for each parity, there were 16 groups (eight does treatments × two weaning age, 14 rabbits per group). The growing rabbits fed the standard diets without supplements. The growth performance, the carcass traits, the liver and the spleen histology of rabbits were checked up to 90 days of age to find possible carryover effects of the supplements. The supplements had no significant effect on most of the growth performance at 90 days of age, but BP150 and BP+Pro300 increased the growth rate in comparison with ZnB group. The liver weight in the control, BP300 and Pro300 groups was higher than the ZnB one. The spleen weight was higher in the groups ZnB, BP150, Pro300 and BP+Pro300, followed by the control, BP300 and BP+Pro150 and thus Pro150. The heart % in the BP150 and Pro300 groups was higher than ZnB and BP+Pro150 groups. A lymphoid hyperplasia of splenic white pulp was observed in the BP+Pro groups, while propolis alone showed a mild activation of lymphobiosis. The Pro and BP groups showed the same picture of the control group exhibiting a hydropic degeneration of mostly hepatic cells, while the ZnB group exhibited adverse effect on the bile ducts featuring portal periductal inflammatory cells infiltration with epithelial hyperplasia reflecting chronic cholangitis.     

Vaccination of chickens with a chimeric DNA vaccine encoding Eimeria tenella TA4 and chicken IL-2 induces protective immunity against coccidiosis

A fusion DNA vaccine co-expressed Eimeria tenella TA4 and chicken IL-2 (chIL-2) was constructed and its efficacy against E. tenella challenge was observed. TA4 gene of E. tenella and chIL-2 gene were cloned into expression vector pcDNA3.1 and pcDNA4.0c in different forms, producing vaccines pcDNA3.1-TA4-IL-2, pcDNA3.1-TA4 and pcDNA4.0c-IL-2. The expression of aim genes in vivo was detected by RT-PCR and western blot. Animal experiment was carried out to evaluate the immune efficacy of the vaccines. Results indicated these DNA vaccines were successfully constructed and the antigen genes could be expressed effectively in vivo. The animal experimental results showed that DNA vaccines could obviously alleviate cecal lesions, body weight loss and increase oocyst decrease ratio. The ACI of pcDNA3.0-TA4-IL-2 group was 192, higher than that of pcDNA3.1-TA4 group. The results suggested that TA4 was an effective candidate antigen for vaccine and co-expression of cytokine with antigen was an alternative method to enhance DNA vaccine immunity.     

Genotype dynamics of Campylobacter jejuni in a broiler flock

We investigated the genotype diversity and dynamics of Campylobacter in a commercial broiler flock during rearing and slaughter. In total, 220 Campylobacter jejuni isolates collected on four sampling occasions during rearing and from routine sampling during slaughter were subtyped by SmaI macrorestriction and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, PFGE. Eight different SmaI types were found. During rearing, a subsequent addition of genotypes occurred, with two SmaI types found at 2 weeks of age and six types on the day before slaughter. All types that were detected in more than one isolate were also found on all succeeding sampling occasions, including the slaughter sampling. Two new types were found in the slaughter samples. In two-thirds of the individual birds sampled the day before slaughter, more than one SmaI type were found, although there was a clear tendency for dominance of one type in individual birds. Our results show that multiple genotypes of C. jejuni may be present in a commercial broiler flock during rearing and even in gastrointestinal tracts of individual birds. Both recurring environmental exposure and genetic changes within the population may explain the genotype diversity. Although the distribution of genotypes varied between different sampling occasions, we found no indication that any subtype excluded another during the rearing of the broiler flock.     

Milk progesterone enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay as a tool to investigate ovarian cyclicity of water buffaloes in relation to body condition score and milk production

Background

Application of assisted reproductive technologies in buffaloes is limited to some extent by farmers’ inability to detect oestrus because of its poor expression. The present study aimed at investigating reliability of a milk progesterone enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to assess the ovarian cyclicity during post partum, oestrus and post-breeding periods in water buffaloes.

Methods

Progesterone concentrations were measured by an ELISA in milk of 23 postpartum buffaloes in relation to oestrus, pregnancy, body condition score (BCS) and milk production. Two milk samples were taken at 10 days intervals, every month starting from day 30 and continued to day 150 post partum. BCS and milk production were recorded during sample collection. Milk samples from bred buffaloes were collected at Day 0 (day of breeding), Days 10–12 and Days 22–24. Defatted milk was preserved at −80°C until analysis. Pregnancy was confirmed by palpation per rectum on Days 70–90.

Results

Seventeen buffaloes had 47 ovulatory cycles, one to four in each, 13 were detected in oestrus once (28 % oestrus detection rate). Progesterone concentration ≥1 ng/ml in one of the two 10-day-interval milk samples reflected ovulation and corpus luteum formation. The intervals between calving to first luteal activity and to first detected oestrus varied from 41 to 123 days (n = 17) and 83 to 135 (n = 13) days, respectively. Eight buffaloes were bred in the course of the study and seven were found pregnant. These buffaloes had a progesterone profile of low (<1 ng/ml), high (≥ 1 ng/ml) and high (≥ 1 ng/ml) on Day 0, Days 10–12 and Days 22–24, respectively. Buffaloes cycling later in the postpartum period had fewer missed oestruses (P < 0.05). Buffaloes with a superior BCS had a shorter calving to oestrus interval and produced more milk (P < 0.05).

Conclusions

Milk progesterone ELISA is a reliable tool for monitoring ovarian cyclicity and good BCS may be an indicator of resuming cyclicity in water buffalo.     

Iron Fortification of Whole Potato Using Vacuum Impregnation Technique with a Pulsed Electric Field Pretreatment

In this study, the effect of a vacuum impregnation (VI) process with pulsed electric field (PEF) pretreatment on fortification of whole potato with ferric pyrophosphate was investigated. The VI process and PEF pretreatment were optimized with respect to physicochemical attributes of PEF-VI-processed samples using response surface methodology (RSM). The results indicated that the iron content of VI-processed and PEF-VI-processed potatoes was increased about 126 and 457%, respectively, compared to unprocessed potatoes. A more intensive PEF pretreatment led to a higher cell disintegration, decrease in colour and textural parameters and also increase in components leakage from treated potato. Our study suggests that whole 180-g potatoes should be pretreated at 394 V/cm with 36 pulses and then treated at 3.5 kPa for 37 min in vacuum stage and 39 min restoration time in atmospheric stage to achieve the highest iron fortification and the lowest physicochemical changes during PEF-VI processing.     

Variation of heartrot,sapwood infection and polyphenol extractives with provenance of Acacia mangium

Infection of heartwood by decay fungi (heartrot) is a concern for growers of Acacia mangium for solid‐wood products as the incidence can be high in some regions of Indonesia. Variation of heartrot incidence for different provenances of A. mangium was determined using two field trials in Sumatra, Indonesia. In a Riau Province trial of 21 provenances, the effect of provenance was statistically significant for natural heartrot incidence, which ranged from 1.6% to 27.2%. In a smaller trial using artificial inoculation in South Sumatra, heartwood infection incidence ranged from 39.4% to 70.8% across six provenances and both wound type and provenance were statistically significant factors. There was also significant variation in sapwood infection length related to provenance. Wood extractives (yield, total phenols, protein‐precipitable tannin and 2,3‐trans‐3,4′,7,8‐tetrahydroxyflavanone) were quantified from a subsample of trees for each trial. However, no significant differences in extractive concentration were detectable according to provenance and evidence for a relationship between heartwood extractives and heartrot incidence was generally poor. While further studies need to be completed to establish the basis for heartrot incidence, results from these trials allow for recommendations on provenance selection to reduce heartrot incidence and provide information for further genetic selection programmes.     

Effect of varying density and water level on the spawning response of African catfish Clarias gariepinus: Implications for seed production

The development of a reliable methodology for spawning of African catfish, Clarias gariepinus without the use of hormone injections would greatly improve the prospects of aquaculture in Africa. Earlier work has shown that it is possible to produce C. gariepinus fingerlings by subjecting the broodfish to a physical stress of reduced water depth and/or increased temperature. The hypothesis that C. gariepinus could be induced to spawn through a combined physical stress of lowered water level and increased stocking density was tested in concrete tanks. Three water levels (25, 50 and 75 cm) and three stocking densities (2, 4 and 6 pairs of broodfish at a 1:1 sex ratio in each hapa) were tested. Water depth in the tanks and brood fish density in the hapas affected spawning success. The percentage of spawning females was significantly higher when broodfish were stocked at 2 and 4 pairs in each hapa at water levels of 25 cm or 50 cm. There was no significant difference in spawning response between the 25 and 50 cm depths while a significant difference was seen between the 75 cm and both 25 and 50 cm depths. The results indicate optimum levels and densities for enhancing spawning success in C. gariepinus.     

The cell and molecular basis of mechanical, cold, and inflammatory pain

Peripheral pain pathways are activated by a range of stimuli. We used diphtheria toxin to kill all mouse postmitotic sensory neurons expressing the sodium channel Nav1.8. Mice showed normal motor activity and low-threshold mechanical and acute noxious heat responses but did not respond to noxious mechanical pressure or cold. They also showed a loss of enhanced pain responses and spontaneous pain behavior upon treatment with inflammatory insults. In contrast, nerve injury led to heightened pain sensitivity to thermal and mechanical stimuli indistinguishable from that seen with normal littermates. Pain behavior correlates well with central input from sensory neurons measured electrophysiologically in vivo. These data demonstrate that Na(v)1.8-expressing neurons are essential for mechanical, cold, and inflammatory pain but not for neuropathic pain or heat sensing.     

Highly conserved protective epitopes on influenza B viruses

Identification of broadly neutralizing antibodies against influenza A viruses has raised hopes for the development of monoclonal antibody-based immunotherapy and "universal" vaccines for influenza. However, a substantial part of the annual flu burden is caused by two cocirculating, antigenically distinct lineages of influenza B viruses. Here, we report human monoclonal antibodies, CR8033, CR8071, and CR9114, that protect mice against lethal challenge from both lineages. Antibodies CR8033 and CR8071 recognize distinct conserved epitopes in the head region of the influenza B hemagglutinin (HA), whereas CR9114 binds a conserved epitope in the HA stem and protects against lethal challenge with influenza A and B viruses. These antibodies may inform on development of monoclonal antibody-based treatments and a universal flu vaccine for all influenza A and B viruses.