Antimicrobial potential of egg yolk ovoinhibitor, a multidomain Kazal-like inhibitor of chicken egg

Chicken egg ovoinhibitor is a multidomain Kazal-type serine protease inhibitor with unknown function. Comparison of expression between different tissues indicated that ovoinhibitor is highly expressed in the magnum and liver followed by the uterus, which secrete egg white, egg yolk, and eggshell precursors, respectively. The results also revealed that ovoinhibitor expression is increased in the liver during sexual maturation followed by a subsequent decrease in mature hens. Ovoinhibitor was purified from the egg yolk plasma from nonfertilized eggs using two consecutive affinity chromatographies and gel filtration. Purified egg yolk ovoinhibitor was shown to inhibit trypsin and subtilisin. It was shown that purified egg yolk ovoinhibitor exhibited antimicrobial activities against Bacillus thuringiensis . The results suggest that this anti-protease plays a significant role in antibacterial egg defense against Bacillus spp., preventing contamination of table eggs (nonfertilized eggs) and protecting the chick embryo (fertilized eggs).     

Larval development in European hake (Merluccius merluccius L.) reared in a semi-intensive culture system

Eggs of European hake (Merluccius merluccius L.) were stripped from fish caught at sea. Larvae were kept under semi‐intensive conditions at around 12°C. In addition, eggs were incubated in single wells at 9.2, 12.7 and 14.5°C, where hatching, development and survival were closely examined. During the larval stage, a total of 299 larvae were sampled to follow development and growth. In addition a small number of juveniles were sampled. Larvae hatched approximately 4 days after fertilization, and were 2.9 mm in total length (TL). At 6‐day post hatching (dph), the larvae were 4.1 mm (TL), the jaw apparatus was developed, and the larvae had started to feed. Most of the growth during the early larval period is restricted to the head, and there is almost no increase in length for the first 3–4 weeks post hatching. Teeth and pelvic fins appear at 25 dph. Development of unpaired fins at approximately 30 dph marks the start of the larval–juvenile transition. Weaning to formulated feed was accomplished 50 dph, when external morphology was similar to that of adult hake.     

Primary epitheliotropic intestinal T-cell lymphoma in a horse.

A 17-year-old Quarterhorse gelding with a clinical diagnosis of protein-losing enteropathy was submitted for necropsy following a 4-5-month duration of weight loss, decreased appetite, and hypoproteinemia. Gross findings included multiple 1-2-cm diameter ulcers on the luminal surfaces of the duodenum and ileum. Histologic examination revealed individual large, round cells infiltrating much of the mucosal epithelium of the duodenum, jejunum, ileum, and colon in addition to multifocal areas of ulceration. Similar round cells infiltrated Brunner's glands and expanded the submucosa beneath the foci of ulceration. Immunohistochemical staining indicated the round cell population was of T-lymphocyte origin. Several features of this equine neoplasm bear similarities to enteropathy-associated T-cell lymphoma in humans.     

What veterinary practitioners should know about scrapie

Scrapie is the longest known and most widely spread of the transmissible spongiform encephalopathies and remains the model for much of the research regarding these diseases. Because scrapie is a reportable disease and the subject of an active eradication program in the United States, veterinary practitioners should have a basic understanding of the disease.     

Ability of possible DMS precursors to release DMS during wine aging and in the conditions of heat-alkaline treatment

The origin of dimethyl sulfide (DMS) produced during wine aging was examined through different assays. The production of DMS during the model aging of a wine and the concomitant decrease of residual potential DMS (PDMS), as DMS released by heat-alkaline treatment in 0.5 M sodium hydroxide at 100 degrees C for 1 h, were demonstrated. Then, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), methionine sulfoxide (MSO), S-methylmethionine (SMM), and dimethylsulfonium propanoic acid (DMSPA), reported previously as possible DMS precursors, were investigated for their ability to be DMS precursors in wine in the conditions of this model aging and of the heat-alkaline treatment. The results showed that DMSO, MSO, and DMSPA could hardly be DMS precursors in the conditions used, whereas SMM appeared to be a good candidate. Finally, the use of [(2)H(6)]-DMSPA as an internal standard for PDMS determination was proposed, because it provided better reproducibility than [(2)H(6)]-DMS used as an external standard.     

Changes in fruit antioxidant activity among blueberry cultivars during cold-temperature storage

Antioxidant activity, total phenolic content, anthocyanin content, and six other fruit characters including titratable acid concentration, soluble solids, firmness, and percentage of bruised berries were determined for nine blueberry (Vaccinium L. sp.) cultivars at harvest and at various postharvest intervals after storage at 5 degrees C. Berries from MSU-58, Brigitta, and Legacy stored successfully for 7 weeks, Bluegold stored for 3-5 weeks, Bluecrop, Elliott, and Nelson stored for 3 weeks, and Jersey and Little Giant stored for fewer than 3 weeks. During the time they retained marketable quality, one cultivar (MSU-58) demonstrated a 29% increase in antioxidant activity. None of the cultivars showed a significant decrease from the harvest antioxidant activity value during storage. Antioxidant activity, total phenolic content, and anthocyanin content were strongly correlated with each other (r = 0.87-0.99, P < 0.01). All three parameters were moderately correlated with soluble solids (r = 0.47, P < or =0.05; r = 0.44, P < or = 0.05; and r = 0.64, P < or = 0.01, respectively), and antioxidant activity and total phenolic content were both moderately correlated with pH (r = 0.53 and 0.49, respectively; P < or = 0.05). However, antioxidant activity, total phenolic content, and anthocyanin content showed no correlation with firmness, percent severely bruised berries, or weight loss. Antioxidant activity and total phenolic content at harvest both correlated with titratable acidity at harvest (r = 0.68, P < or = 0.05 and r = 0.70, P < or = 0.05, respectively) on a cultivar mean basis. Berries from Elliott were also harvested from plants at two levels of bush ripeness (30-50% and 60-80% ripe berries on plants) and separated into three fruit maturity classes on the basis of percent blue color. The level of bush ripeness had no significant effect on antioxidant activity, total phenolic content, or anthocyanin content; however, fruit maturity had a significant effect on antioxidant activity, total phenolic content, and anthocyanin content, and bush ripeness x fruit maturity interactions were significant for these three traits. Berries with 50-75% blue coloration harvested from bushes with 60-80% mature fruit showed a significant increase in antioxidant activity, total phenolic content, and anthocyanin content during the first 3 weeks in storage. Our results demonstrate that increases in antioxidant activity, total phenolic content, and anthocyanin content may occur in the blueberry during cold storage and are cultivar-dependent. The increases that occur in immature fruit, such as in Elliott, may be advantageous for producers who wish to delay marketing of the fruit.