Spontaneous internal desynchronization of locomotor activity and body temperature rhythms from plasma melatonin rhythm in rats exposed to constant dim light

Background  

Daylight saving time is widely adopted. Little is known about its influence on the daily rest-activity cycles. We decided to explore the effects of transition into daylight saving time on the circadian rhythm of activity.     

Physiological changes in the adenosine deaminase activity,antioxidant and inflammatory parameters in pregnant cows and at post‐partum

The aim of this study was to evaluate the behaviour of adenosine deaminase (ADA) activity, as well as its participation in the immunomodulation of pregnant cows. Thus, sixteen cows were divided into two groups (A and B): the group A was composed by cows not pregnant (n = 8), while the group B was composed by pregnant cows (n = 8). Serum levels of interleukin‐10 (IL‐10), IL‐6, tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF‐α), reactive oxygen species (ROS) and C‐reactive protein (CRP), as well as ADA and glutathione S‐transferase (GST) activities, were measured on five sampling times (3, 5, 7 and 8 months of gestation, and soon after calving). Serum ADA activity was similar throughout the experiment in the cows belonging to the group A, but its activity increased during the experiment in cows from the group B, that is it was lower in the third and fifth months of pregnancy, and higher on months 7, 8 and after calving when compared to the group A. TNF‐α and IL‐6 serum levels were lower in pregnant cows compared to non‐pregnant animals; however, they significantly increased after calving. Serum levels of IL‐10 increased after 8 months of gestation, but it reduced after calving when compared to the group A, while CRP increased on month 8 of gestation and after calving compared to the group A. Pregnant cows showed lower serum ROS levels on months 3, 5 and 7 of gestation, and higher levels at the post‐partum. Serum GST activity was higher on month 5 of gestation in pregnant cows, but it was lower on months 7, 8 and in the post‐partum compared to the group A. Based on these evidence, we concluded that ADA activity and the others mediators or inflammatory modulators have important role in the maintenance of cow′s gestation due to their immunomodulatory effects.     

Soil porosity in physically separated fractions and its role in SOC protection

Purpose

Processes that lead to soil organic carbon (SOC) protection depend on both soil porosity and structure organization, as well as chemical and biological properties. In particular, the soil micro-nano porosity (<30 μm) regulates microorganism accessibility to the soil pore system and offers surfaces for organic carbon adsorption and intercalation into soil minerals. The aim of this work was to investigate how pore size distribution can selectively protect specific carbon pools in different aggregate size fractions, by considering the effects of long-term application of farmyard manure (FYM) and mineral (Min) fertilization.

Materials and methods

Macroaggregates (250–2000 μm), microaggregates (53–250 μm), and silt–clay (<53 μm) fractions of three different soils (clayey, peaty, and sandy) were separated by wet sieving technique and then subjected to chemical and physical analysis. Sample porosity and pore size distribution were analyzed using mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP), while SOC chemical structure was characterized by means of nuclear magnetic resonance (¹³C cross-polarization–magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (CP MAS ¹³C NMR)) and diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform (DRIFT) spectroscopies.

Results and discussion

Results showed that FYM increased organic (OC) and humic carbon (HC) content compared to the Min fertilization and unfertilized soils. However, it caused a gradual decrease in O,N-alkyl C, and alkyl C of humic C from macroaggregate to silt–clay fractions, suggesting an advanced state of humic component degradation as revealed by CP MAS ¹³C NMR, DRIFT analyses. MIP analysis showed a clear increase of micropores (5–30 μm) and cryptopores (0.0035–0.1 μm) from macroaggregate to silt–clay fractions, while minor differences were observed among the treatments. The application of principal component analysis to mineral soil fractions identified the formation of three main clusters, where (i) macroaggregates of clayey soil were mainly associated to cryptopores and OC and (ii) microaggregates and silt–clay fraction were mainly isolated by carbonyl C, ultramicropores, and total porosity. The third cluster was associated with medium and fine sand of the sand soil fraction as coupled with O,N-alkyl C, anomeric C, mesopores, and HC/OC ratio.

Conclusions

Overall, this study indicates that pore size distribution may be a valuable indicator of soil capacity to sequester carbon, due to its direct influence on SOC linkages with soil aggregates and the positive effects against SOC decomposition phenomena. In this context, micropore- to nanopore-dominated structures (e.g., clayey soil) were able to protect OC compounds by interacting with mineral surfaces and intercalation with phyllosilicates, while meso/macropore-dominated structures (i.e., sandy soil) exhibited their low ability to protect the organic components.

     

Evaluation of risk and vulnerability using a Disease Flow Centrality measure in dynamic cattle trade networks

A new method for the calculation of a centrality measure (Disease Flow Centrality, DFC), which takes into account temporal dynamics of livestock movement networks, is proposed. The method is based on a network traversal algorithm which represents an epidemic process more realistically compared with traditional graph traversal algorithms used in the calculation of centrality measures on static networks. The new approach was tested on networks generated from all the registered movements of cattle in Italy in the years 2007, 2008 and 2009 and the results were compared to those obtained by classical centrality measures. The results show that DFC values often differ substantially from those of other centrality measures and that these DFC values tend to be more unstable in time. The DFC offers several advantages for assessing risk and vulnerability of specific holdings and of an entire network, using recent movement data from national livestock databases. Some examples also indicate how the basic approach in the DFC calculation could be expanded into a more complex epidemic model by incorporating weights and how it could be combined with a geo-spatial perspective.     

Combined approaches to identify genomic regions involved in phenotypic differentiation between low divergent breeds: Application in Sardinian sheep populations

Selective breeding has led to modifications in the genome of many livestock breeds. In this study, we identified the genomic regions that may explain some of the phenotypic differences between two closely related breeds from Sardinia. A total of 44 animals, 20 Sardinian Ancestral Black (SAB) and 24 Sardinian White (SW), were genotyped using the Illumina Ovine 50K array. A total of 68, 38 and 15 significant markers were identified using the case–control genome‐wide association study (GWAS), the Bayesian population differentiation analysis (F_ST) and the Rsb metric, respectively. Comparisons among the approaches revealed a total of 22 overlapping markers between GWAS and F_ST and one marker between GWAS and Rsb. Three markers detected by Rsb were also located near (<2 Mb) to highly significant regions identified by GWAS and F_ST analyses. Moreover, one candidate marker identified by GWAS and F_ST approaches was located in a run of homozygosity island that was shared by both breeds. We identified several genes involved in many phenotypic differences (such as stature and growth, reproduction, ear size, coat colour, behaviour) between the two analysed breeds. This study shows that combining several genome‐wide approaches could improve discovery of regions involved in the variability of breeding traits and responsible for the phenotypic diversity even between closely related breeds. Overall, the combination of such genome‐wide methods can be extended to other livestock breeds that share between them a similar genetic background, to understand the process that shapes the patterns of genetic variability between closely related populations.     

A microarray platform for parallel detection of five transgenic events in foods: a combined polymerase chain reaction-ligation detection reaction-universal array method

We recently developed a multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) system for the simultaneous detection of four transgenic maize (MON810, Bt176, Bt11, and GA21), one transgenic soybean (Roundup Ready), and two control genes (lectin and zein). Because PCR can lead to ambiguous interpretations due to low specificity, we have developed the ligation detection reaction (LDR) combined with a universal array as a molecular tool to confirm results of PCR analysis. Here, we describe the PCR-LDR-universal array procedure and demonstrate its specificity in revealing the presence of transgenic DNA in experimental samples, raw materials, and commercial foodstuffs.     

Exploring consumer’s preferences for farmed sea bream

Sea bream (Sparus aurata) production plays a significant part in Italian aquaculture, contributing to almost 18% of national pisciculture sales revenue. In recent years, Italian firms faced higher competition from countries with lower production costs. This prompted responses toward both cost reduction and product differentiation. The objective of this study was to investigate the preferences of Italian consumers for sea bream from fish farms, with a focus on aspects of product differentiation as gleaned from the analysis of the market situation: price, product origin, type and place of fish farming, and, in particular, type of feed. Data were collected with a consumers’ survey using personal interviews conducted on a questionnaire that included a choice experiment. Consumer preferences were analyzed with choice models based on stated preference data. The models made it possible to evaluate the potential of products with different combinations of attributes for which there is currently no market information available. In particular, the country of origin emerged as an important element of consumer choice, and to a lesser degree, organic certification and fish farming in marine cages also play a relevant role and may command a price premium.     

Human outbreak of trichinellosis in the Mediterranean island of Sardinia, Italy

Trichinella sp. infection has been documented in both humans and animals in most Mediterranean countries, yet in the past 60 years no infections have been reported on the Mediterranean islands. We describe the first outbreak of Trichinella sp. infection to have been reported on the island of Sardinia. The outbreak occurred in two villages in 2005 and involved 11 persons who had eaten raw sausages made from the same free-ranging sow. All 11 persons developed signs and symptoms of trichinellosis and seroconverted within 48 days of consuming the infected meat. The etiological agent was Trichinella britovi. Sardinia, like all Mediterranean islands, had been considered to be Trichinella-free. The present report, together with a recent report of T. britovi infection in animals on the nearby island of Corsica (France), raises questions as to the validity of the concept of Trichinella-free areas or regions.     

Molecular characterization of feline Hepatozoon species from Brazil

Feline Hepatozoon species from Brazil was molecular identified and characterized for the first time in S?o Paulo state, Brazil. Partial sequences of the 18S rRNA gene from the Hepatozoon from three naturally infected cats were analyzed. Sequences revealed that feline Hepatozoon was closely related to the canine Hepatozoon canis from Brazil.