Seasonal changes in the parasite prevalence of a small Malagasy lemur species (Lepilemur edwardsi)

Parasitic infections can impact the fitness of individuals and can have influence on animals’ population dynamics. An individuals’ parasite prevalence often changes depending on external or seasonal changes, for example, rainfall and ambient temperatures, but also on internal changes, for example, changes in body condition. In this study we aimed to identify the environmental factors that may influence the intestinal parasite and ectoparasite prevalence of the folivorous Malagasy primate species, Lepilemur edwardsi, living in a seasonal dry deciduous forest. Species living in this habitat have to adapt to seasonal changes of ambient temperature, with almost no precipitation during the dry season and hence strong fluctuations of resource availability throughout the year. We sampled the feces and ectoparasites of L. edwardsi throughout the year. Intestinal parasite prevalence increased from the wet to the dry season and was highest in the late dry season, which might be due to the accompanying decrease in diet quality. Conversely, ectoparasite prevalence decreased in the dry season, presumably due to the prevailing unfavorable environmental conditions for the development of ectoparasites (i.e., mites and ticks). Paired with the higher resting metabolism and stress level of L. edwardsi during the late dry season, it seems that this species may struggle when dry seasons intensify in its habitat.     

Novel betapapillomavirus associated with hand and foot papillomas in a cynomolgus macaque

Betapapillomavirus is a genus of papillomaviruses (PVs) commonly found in human skin and associated with both benign and malignant skin lesions. Only 2 previous beta-PVs have been fully characterized in nonhuman species. This report describes a novel beta-PV, named Macaca fascicularis PV type 2 (MfPV2), isolated from exophytic skin papillomas on the hands and feet of a 2-year-old male cynomolgus monkey (M. fascicularis). On histology the papillomas were composed of diffusely thickened epidermis with superficial foci of cytomegaly, cytoplasmic pallor, marginalized chromatin, and rare eosinophilic intranuclear inclusion bodies. Positive immunostaining for p16 and the proliferation marker Ki67 was present multifocally within affected epidermis, most prominently within basal-type cells. Complete sequence identity (100%) was noted between PV genomes fully sequenced from hand and foot lesions. The MfPV2 genome was 7632 base pairs in length and included putative open reading frames (ORFs) for E1, E2, E4, E6, E7, L1, and L2 genes, similar to other PVs. The closest relatives to MfPV2 based on the L1 ORF sequence were all beta-PVs. These included human PV (HPV) 9, HPV115, HPV76, HPV75, and MfPV1 (60-70% pairwise identity for all), the latter of which was also isolated from hand and foot papillomas in a cynomolgus macaque. Phylogenetic analysis placed MfPV2 in a new species group (beta-6), distinct from HPVs (beta-1 to beta-5) and MfPV1 (beta-1). These findings characterize a new nonhuman beta-PV and provide additional support for the idea that tissue tropism among ancestral primate PVs developed prior to divergence of certain Old World primate lineages.     

Congenital Pelger-Hu?t anomaly in a Danish/Swedish Farmdog: Case Report

A 13 year old Danish/Swedish Farmdog from Denmark was evaluated in a veterinary clinic in Warsaw, Poland for evaluation of an orthopedic problem. Radiographs revealed spondylosis and degenerative vertebral disease, which responded to treatment with anti-inflammatory medications. A predominance of hyposegmented neutrophils and eosinophils containing condensed chromatin and normal cytoplasm were identified on a routine CBC. Follow-up blood film evaluations over the course of 12 months confirmed that the hyposegmented granulocytes persisted. The majority of neutrophils contained Grade 2 nuclei (slightly indented), and the mean nuclear score varied from 1.9 to 2.3. Pelger-Huët anomaly (PHA), presumably congenital, was diagnosed based on persistent hyposegmented granulocytes in the absence of an underlying cause for acquired PHA; genetically related dogs were unavailable for testing to confirm vertical transmission. To the authors'' knowledge this is the first report of PHA in a Danish/Swedish Farmdog.     

Effects of diet and weight gain on circulating tumour necrosis factor‐α concentrations in Thoroughbred geldings

Low‐grade inflammation precedes the development of obesity‐related metabolic disorders in humans, but whether the same is true in the horse is not known. The objective of this study was to examine the effects of weight gain and diet on the inflammatory state of horses as determined by serum concentrations of tumour necrosis factor‐α (TNF), an inflammatory cytokine. Fifteen mature Thoroughbred geldings with an initial body weight (BW) of 519 ± 12 kg and body condition score (BCS) of 4.3 ± 0.1 were fed a diet of hay plus a concentrate that was either high in non‐structural carbohydrates (NSC) (i.e. starch and sugar), similar to those commercially available (CON) or one that had the energy source replaced with fat and fibre (FAT) for 32 weeks. Weight gain was achieved by feeding an additional 20 Mcal/day in excess of digestible energy maintenance requirements and resulted in a final BW of 608 ± 12 kg and BCS of 6.9 ± 0.1. Horses were exercised twice daily at a walk during the weight gain period. Horses were assessed bi‐weekly for BW and BCS. Serum TNF was analysed from blood samples collected at 4‐week intervals. Although treatment groups began the study with similar mean serum TNF concentrations, 12 weeks of FAT feeding promoted a decrease in circulating TNF that was maintained throughout the study with the exception of weeks 20 and 32. For either diet, there were no linear correlations between serum TNF concentration and BCS when horses increased in BCS from four to seven. The higher level of TNF observed in horses fed the CON diet indicates an increase in some level of systemic inflammation that was independent of their weight gain from a moderately thin to fleshy condition. The influence of diet on serum TNF concentrations should be investigated in horses fed to maintain body condition.     

Long-Term Changes of Particulate Emission in the Industrial Region of Upper Silesia (Poland) and their Effect on the Acidity of Rainwater

The article presents data from ten-year measurements, which provethat the positive effects in particulate emission were accompanied by some adverse effects in the form of acidified rainwater. A distinctive change of rainwater pH in the SilesiaRegion (Poland) was first recorded in the early 90's. While in 1989, pH of over 55% of the investigated rainwater samples wasabove 6, in 1997 the average yearly pH was 4.1 and the pH of20%of the investigated samples was in the range of 3.1–4.0. Seekingthe reason for an increased acidity of rainwater, pH values were compared with emission changes of particulate, SO₂ and NO₂ acrossthe studied area. Emission factors of Ca, Mg, Na and K were determined based on the data of particulate matter emission fromcement production processes, coal combustion processes and metallurgy. This allowed comparing the changes of pH rainwater with the area emissions of alkali elements. An analysis of thecorrelation between pH values and the changes of particulatematter and alkali elements emission as well as SO₂ and NO₂ emission in the area under study showed that particulate emission followed by SO₂ emission had the strongest impact onthe modification of rainwater pH, while the impact of NO₂ emission was less distinctive. Additionally, an analysis was made to investigate the relationbetween rainwater pH and the concentration of alkaline ions inrainwater samples. The highest value r = 0.96 was recorded forMg²⁺ ions, the lowest i.e. r = 0.54 for Ca²⁺ ions.This situation can be explained by the fact that calciumcompounds are the soluble substances among the investigatedmetals. Thus, despite the presence of calcium compounds inrainwater samples, a large amount of their portion does notinfluence rainwater pH.     

Antioxidative effect of kaempferol and its equimolar mixture with phenyltin compounds on UV-irradiated liposome membranes

The work investigates the possibility of the protective action of kaempferol on phosphatidylcholine liposome membranes exposed to the pro-oxidative action of diphenyltin dichloride (DPhT) and triphenyltin chloride (TPhT) induced by UV radiation (lambda = 253.7 nm). The concentrations of kaempferol and its equimolar mixtures with DPhT and TPhT were determined so that they induce 50% inhibition in oxidation of liposomes irradiated with UV. They are 11.6, 10.0, and 4.5 microM/L, which constitute the following sequence of antioxidative activity: kaempferol/triphenyltin > kaempferol/diphenyltin > kaempferol. This relationship is confirmed by the results on the antiradical ability of kaempferol and its mixtures with DPhT and TPhT toward the free radical 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl. Similar sequences obtained in both studies suggest a possible mechanism of the antiradical action of the mixtures as free radical scavengers. Kaempferol's ability, then documented, to form complexes with phenyltins indicates (a) a possible way to liquidate the peroxidation caused by the free radical forms of phenyltins and (b) the stabilizing role of chelating in the antioxidative action of the kaempferol/phenyltins. The differentiation in the action of the compounds studied may, among others, result from different localizations in the liposome membrane, which is indicated by the results of the fluorometric studies.