Relationship between biochemical markers and radiographic scores in the evaluation of the osteoarticular status of Warmblood stallions

Establishing the osteoarticular status of the horse is often performed by means of radiological screening of the animals. Widespread blood sampling could reveal to be an interesting alternative to this procedure which is time consuming and sometimes technically difficult. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the radiological status of the horses and the levels of biochemical markers of cartilage degradation and synovial inflammation. A specific radiological scoring and classification system was therefore developed and applied on 63 stallions presented for studbook admission. Additionally, groups of horses were established according to the occurrence of osteochondrosis, degenerative joint disease and distal interphalangeal joint effusion. Insulin growth factor-I, myeloperoxidases, Coll2-1 and Coll2-1NO₂ were used as blood markers. The combination of the blood parameters did not seem to correlate with the used scoring system. Coll2-1NO₂ levels however tended to increase with poorer radiological class and this could therefore potentially be a useful predictor of the osteoarticular status in the horse. Coll2-1 levels were significantly higher in the degenerative joint disease group. A high percentage of horses with distal interphalangeal joint effusion was present in this study and was associated with decreased IGF-I and increased Coll2-1 levels.     

The prevalence of Bartonella, hemoplasma, and Rickettsia felis infections in domestic cats and in cat fleas in Ontario

The prevalence of persistent bacteremic Bartonella spp. and hemoplasma infections was determined in healthy pet cats in Ontario. Blood samples from healthy cats sent to a diagnostic laboratory for routine health assessment over the course of 1 y were tested for Bartonella spp. using both polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and blood culture, and for the presence of hemoplasma by PCR. The overall prevalence of Bartonella spp. by PCR and by culture combined was 4.3% (28/646) [3.7% (24/646) Bartonella henselae, 0.6% (4/646) Bartonella clarridgeiae]. The novel B. henselae PCR developed for this study demonstrated nearly twice the sensitivity of bacterial isolation. The overall prevalence of hemoplasma was 4% (30/742) [3.3% (25/742) Candidatus Mycoplasma haemominutum, 0.7% (5/742) Mycoplasma haemofelis]. There was no significant difference between the prevalence of infection by season or by age (≤ 2 y, > 2 y). Candidatus Mycoplasma turicensis was identified, for the first time in Canada, in 1 cat. The prevalence of Bartonella (58%) and hemoplasma (47% M. haemofelis, 13% M. haemominutum) in blood from a small sampling (n = 45) of stray cats was considerably higher than that found in healthy pet cats.     

In vivo mechanical and in vitro electromagnetic side-effects of a ruminal transponder in cattle

This work was undertaken to assess the long-term impacts of a ruminal transponder, used for electronic identification, on ruminal motility and on health and performance of cattle, as well as to study the electromagnetic effects on ruminal bacteria in vitro. A passive transponder (51.4 g, 67 x 17 mm) was delivered into the forestomachs of 8 calves, 32 bulls, 10 heifers, and 40 dairy cows. Final readability was 87.5% in calves, 96.9% in bulls, 90% in heifers, and 100% in cows at 481, 360, 650, and 601 d, respectively, after transponder administration. The transponder did not affect production or reproduction of cows over a 2-yr period, or performance of bulls, or mortality compared with control animals. Chewing movements per bolus were lower (P <0.01) in treated animals than in controls (49.6 vs. 52.2, 51.2 vs. 63.6, and 57.0 vs. 59.7 for bulls, heifers, and cows, respectively). Regurgitation frequency (number of boluses/10 min) tended to be greater in treated cattle: 12.4 vs. 11.3 (P = 0.07), 11.3 vs. 10.6, and 11.3 vs. 10.7 (P = 0.08) for bulls, heifers, and cows, respectively. Rumination patterns of calves fitted with transponders within the first weeks of life were similar to controls. During the experiment, 43 treated animals (8 calves, 29 bulls, and 6 cows) were slaughtered. Thirty transponders were localized in the reticulum (3 calves, 24 bulls, and 3 cows), 11 in the rumen (4 calves, 4 bulls, and 3 cows), and 2 were not recovered (1 calf and 1 bull). Within the calves, 57% of the boluses were found in the rumen. In 8 reticula (2 calves and 6 bulls) and 1 rumen (1 cow), an impression left by physical contact of the transponder was observed, although histological examination did not reveal specific lesions in the mucosa of the dystrophic areas. In strained, whole ruminal contents incubated in vitro, pH values were lower after 24 and 48 h (P <0.001) of continuous exposure to an electromagnetic field induced by the transponder-reading system. After 48 h of incubation, total bacterial numbers and NH3-N concentration were greater (P <0.001) in exposed flasks than in controls. These data indicate that the transponder may alter, via mechanical action, the reticuloruminal mucosa and rumination patterns. Furthermore, the transponder may increase, via its electromagnetic action, the growth rate and metabolic activity of ruminal bacteria.     

Characterization of Clostridium perfringens in the feces of adult horses and foals with acute enterocolitis

Up to 60% of cases of equine colitis have no known cause. To improve understanding of the causes of acute colitis in horses, we hypothesized that Clostridium perfringens producing enterotoxin (CPE) and/or beta2 toxin (CPB2) are common and important causes of severe colitis in horses and/or that C. perfringens producing an as-yet-undescribed cytotoxin may also cause colitis in horses. Fecal samples from 55 horses (43 adults, 12 foals) with clinical evidence of colitis were evaluated by culture for the presence of Clostridium difficile, C. perfringens, and Salmonella. Feces were also examined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for C. difficile A/B toxins and C. perfringens alpha toxin (CPA), beta2 toxin (CPB2), and enterotoxin (CPE). Five C. perfringens isolates per sample were genotyped for the following genes: cpa, cpb, cpb2 consensus, cpb2 atypical, cpe (enterotoxin), etx (epsilon toxin), itx (iota toxin), netB (necrotic enteritis toxin B), and tpeL (large C. perfringens cytotoxin). The supernatants of these isolates were also evaluated for toxicity for an equine cell line. All fecal samples were negative for Salmonella. Clostridium perfringens and C. difficile were isolated from 40% and 5.4% of samples, respectively. All fecal samples were negative for CPE. Clostridium perfringens CPA and CPB2 toxins were detected in 14.5% and 7.2% of fecal samples, respectively, all of which were culture-positive for C. perfringens. No isolates were cpe, etx, netB, or tpeL gene-positive. Atypical cpb2 and consensus cpb2 genes were identified in 15 (13.6%) and 4 (3.6%) of 110 isolates, respectively. All equine C. perfringens isolates showed far milder cytotoxicity effects than a CPB-producing positive control, although cpb2-positive isolates were slightly but significantly more cytotoxic than negative isolates. Based on this studied population, we were unable to confirm our hypothesis that CPE and CPB2-producing C. perfringens are common in horses with colitis in Ontario and we failed to identify cytotoxic activity in vitro in the type A isolates recovered.     

Adaptability and variation in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Isatis tinctoria</Emphasis> L.: a new crop for Europe

Isatis tinctoria L. was cultivated until the 19th century to produce indigo, a natural blue pigment used principally for dyestuffs. The current search for alternative crops and interest in natural products has led to reconsidering I. tinctoria as a crop to be grown in marginal areas to produce natural indigo. To reintroduce I. tinctoria into cultivation, its behaviour under different climatic conditions as well as its morpho-physiological and genetic diversity must be assessed in order to evaluate the possibilities of future breeding work. To do this, a Eurasian collection of 15 accessions was studied in a 2-year experiment. The study was carried out in four locations in order to assess plant performance at altitudes ranging from 380 to 1,700 m a.s.l. A second experiment evaluated the morpho-physiological diversity of several traits (some related to agronomic performances) of the collection. In a third experiment the genetic traits of the collection were characterised by using eight AFLP and eight SAMPL markers. The species showed a wide adaptability to different mountainous conditions and the populations showed high morphologic and genetic variability and differed according to their origins. Both morpho-physiological and molecular characterisation allowed the accessions to be distinguished into groups of European and Asian origin. Future breeding work is recommended because some accessions have good agronomic potential.

Vinasse irrigation: effects on soil fertility and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi population

Purpose

The aim of this research was to determine the vinasse irrigation effects on the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) population (total spore abundance (TSA), richness, relative abundance, and diversity indices) and soil parameters and nutrients at high doses. The irrigation of soil with vinasses derived from sugarcane, beet, or alcohol production is a common practice around the world. Little is known about how this affects the AMF community and soil nutrients.

Materials and methods

The spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum, (Thunb.) Jacques), a mycorrhizable plant, was used to investigate the effect of 4 months of frequent vinasse irrigation (0, 25, 50, 75, and 100% vinasse concentration) on AMF and soil characteristics, e.g., electrical conductivity (EC), pH, mineral N, available P, Na⁺, K⁺, Ca²⁺, and Mg²⁺.

Results and discussion

The vinasse irrigation decreased the TSA, AMF richness and diversity after 4 months, regardless of vinasse concentration. The vinasse irrigation did not acidify the soil, but the EC, mineral N and available P increased. The biomass of C. comosum decreased (77–81%) after vinasse irrigation for 4 months.

Conclusions

Frequent irrigation with vinasse at concentrations ≥50% increases EC, K⁺, Na⁺, Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺ and available P in the soil, and decreases the amount of AMF spores, richness and diversity, which is not desirable in agricultural soils.

     

Exploring Chemical Diversity of Phorbas Sponges as a Source of Novel Lead Compounds in Drug Discovery

Porifera, commonly referred to as marine sponges, are acknowledged as major producers of marine natural products (MNPs). Sponges of the genus Phorbas have attracted much attention over the years. They are widespread in all continents, and several structurally unique compounds have been identified from this species. Terpenes, mainly sesterterpenoids, are the major secondary metabolites isolated from Phorbas species, even though several alkaloids and steroids have also been reported. Many of these compounds have presented interesting biological activities. Particularly, Phorbas sponges have been demonstrated to be a source of cytotoxic metabolites. In addition, MNPs exhibiting cytostatic, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory activities have been isolated and structurally characterized. This review provides an overview of almost 130 secondary metabolites from Phorbas sponges and their biological activities, and it covers the literature since the first study published in 1993 until November 2021, including approximately 60 records. The synthetic routes to the most interesting compounds are briefly outlined.     

The 70-kDa Heat-shock Protein as a Potential Biomarker of Quality of the Parapenaeus longirostris Shrimp Flesh

The deep-water rose shrimp, Parapenaeus longirostris, is a target species of the Mediterranean fisheries mostly caught by trawlers offshore, processed, and frozen on board. The effects of thawing on shrimp muscle exudate collected at 0, 1, 2, 3 days after thawing were investigated. In total, 70-kDa heat-shock protein (Hsp70), alpha (α)-enolase, and manganese superoxide dismutase (Mn-SOD) were selected as metabolic and stress-related proteins and analyzed by immunoblotting on exudates. Data were compared for the amount of exudates collected and the pH values. Among the investigated proteins, only the Hsp70 levels showed a decrease related to the post-thawing period and correlated with both the significant increase of the exudate amount and the pH values. These data strongly suggest the potential use of Hsp70 as an early predictive biomarker for quality of the P. longirostris shrimp after thawing.