CONTRAST‐ENHANCED ULTRASONOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS OF ADRENAL GLANDS IN DOGS WITH PITUITARY‐DEPENDENT HYPERADRENOCORTICISM

A noninvasive method for quantifying adrenal gland vascular patterns could be helpful for improving detection of adrenal gland disease in dogs. The purpose of this retrospective study was to compare the contrast‐enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) characteristics of adrenal glands in 18 dogs with pituitary‐dependent hyperadrenocorticism (PDH) vs. four clinically healthy dogs. Each dog received a bolus of the contrast agent (SonoVue®, 0.03 ml/kg of body weight) into the cephalic vein, immediately followed by a 5 ml saline flush. Dynamic contrast enhancement was analyzed using time–intensity curves in two regions of interest drawn manually in the caudal part of the adrenal cortex and medulla, respectively. In healthy dogs, contrast enhancement distribution was homogeneous and exhibited increased intensity from the medulla to the cortex. In the washout phase, there was a gradual and homogeneous decrease of enhancement of the adrenal gland. For all dogs with PDH, there was rapid, chaotic, and simultaneous contrast enhancement in both the medulla and cortex. Three distinct perfusion patterns were observed. Peak perfusion intensity was approximately twice as high (P < 0.05) in dogs with PDH compared with that of healthy dogs (28.90 ± 10.36 vs. 48.47 ± 15.28, respectively). In dogs with PDH, adrenal blood flow and blood volume values were approximately two‐ to fourfold (P < 0.05) greater than those of controls. Findings from the present study support the use of CEUS as a clinical tool for characterizing canine adrenal gland disease based on changes in vascular patterns.     

Evaluation of the Impact of Sequential Microwave/Ultrasound Processing on the IgE Binding Properties of Pru p 3 in Treated Peach Juice

Peach lipid transfer protein (LTP) can cause severe allergic reactions to peach-allergic patients. It belongs to the nonspecific LTPs family, a class of proteins extremely resistant both to proteolytic digestion and to high temperatures. Food processing can either drop or increase the allergenicity, depending on the process and on the food. As far as peach-derived products (pulp, juice) are concerned, it has been previously shown how thermal treatment performed in an autoclave does not decrease LTP allergenicity. In this work, it was attempted to investigate whether sequential microwave and ultrasound processing could affect the allergenicity of peach juice. Incubation with specific anti-Pru p 3 serum showed how treating peach peel with microwave at 140 °C and with ultrasound does not eliminate Pru p 3 IgE binding properties. The application of MW/US protocol on peach pulp appeared to be insufficient for the reduction of IgE binding to Pru p 3.     

Natural Biofilms in Freshwater Ecosystem: Indicators of the Presence of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons

Hydrophobic organic compounds are common in the environment, especially in water bodies like rivers and lakes. Generally, due to their physico-chemical characteristics, mainly to hydrophobicity, these compounds are adsorbed by suspended material or other compartments which provide compatibility. Thus, compounds such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are rapidly adsorbed onto suspended material or even naturally occurring biofilms in water bodies. Biofilms can be defined as complex structures with cells and aggregates of cells. The extracellular polymers present empty spaces that can be filled by water. The biofilm is a sessile microbial community with several kinds of organisms such as bacteria, protozoa, fungi, algae, and extracellular polymeric substances, which may be found on almost any surface exposed to water. Here, biofilms were used to monitor the presence of PAHs in the Barigui River in Curitiba, Brazil. For the measurements and collection of representative microcoenoses, a biofilm sampling device was designed consisting of six glass plates installed in an open polyvinyl chloride pipe of 30?cm diameter and 60?cm length. The sampling device was exposed in the Barigui River for 2?weeks campaigns. The formed biofilm was treated and chemical analysis was performed for PAHs determination. The results showed that biofilms can trap most of the PAHs, especially those with high K _ow values (octanol?Cwater partition coefficient). Four campaigns were conducted. The total PAHs concentration ranged from 11,204.34?±?560.12 to 45,846.90?±?2,290.45?ng/g. According to the isomers ratio, the main source of PAHs in the first and second campaign was of pyrolytic origin, in other words, the PAHs were by-products from burning of light-refined oil products (gasoline and diesel oil). Meanwhile, the other campaigns revealed that the main source is of petrogenic origin. However, the possibility of both sources is not discarded considering the scenario studied and the records of sediments samples. Most of the investigations carried out focused on the loading of river sediments and suspended solids, but the biofilms might detect the amount that could be taken up by benthic organisms, for instance.     

Exploitation of Marine-Derived Robust Biological Molecules to Manage Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Naturally occurring biological entities with extractable and tunable structural and functional characteristics, along with therapeutic attributes, are of supreme interest for strengthening the twenty-first-century biomedical settings. Irrespective of ongoing technological and clinical advancement, traditional medicinal practices to address and manage inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are inefficient and the effect of the administered therapeutic cues is limited. The reasonable immune response or invasion should also be circumvented for successful clinical translation of engineered cues as highly efficient and robust bioactive entities. In this context, research is underway worldwide, and researchers have redirected or regained their interests in valorizing the naturally occurring biological entities/resources, for example, algal biome so-called “treasure of untouched or underexploited sources”. Algal biome from the marine environment is an immense source of excellence that has also been demonstrated as a source of bioactive compounds with unique chemical, structural, and functional features. Moreover, the molecular modeling and synthesis of new drugs based on marine-derived therapeutic and biological cues can show greater efficacy and specificity for the therapeutics. Herein, an effort has been made to cover the existing literature gap on the exploitation of naturally occurring biological entities/resources to address and efficiently manage IBD. Following a brief background study, a focus was given to design characteristics, performance evaluation of engineered cues, and point-of-care IBD therapeutics of diverse bioactive compounds from the algal biome. Noteworthy potentialities of marine-derived biologically active compounds have also been spotlighted to underlying the impact role of bio-active elements with the related pathways. The current review is also focused on the applied standpoint and clinical translation of marine-derived bioactive compounds. Furthermore, a detailed overview of clinical applications and future perspectives are also given in this review.     

Spirulina meal has acted as a strong feeding attractant for Litopenaeus vannamei at a very low dietary inclusion level

The present work aimed at studying the growth performance and feeding preference of Litopenaeus vannamei juveniles fed on diets supplemented or not with Spirulina meal. Litopenaeus vannamei juveniles (3.89 ± 0.25 g) were stocked for 72 days in 28 round 500‐L tanks at 44 shrimp/tank (77 juveniles/m²). The diets were supplemented with 0.5% of a commercial feed attractant (C25 and C50) or with Spirulina meal (S25 and S50). In C25/S25 and C50/S50 there were reductions of 25% and 50% in fishmeal inclusion level respectively. In a further study, two feeding trays with different diets were allowed to shrimp at the same moment and they were located in opposite walls of the tank. The feed remains in each feeding tray were collected and weighted to calculate the dry feed remains. The weekly growth rate of shrimp fed on S25 (0.89 ± 0.03 g) was not significantly different from those fed on C25 (0.89 ± 0.01 g). The attractiveness experiment showed that S25 was preferred significantly more by shrimp than C25. In conclusion, Spirulina meal added at 0.5% in a complete diet for L. vannamei juveniles, with 14% of Peruvian fishmeal, has proved itself as a nutritionally efficient feeding attractant.     

VCG and AFLP analyses identify the same groups in the causal agents of mango malformation in Brazil

The causal agents of mango malformation disease in Brazil are a new Fusarium lineage in the Gibberella fujikuroi species complex and Fusarium sterilihyphosum; however information on the genetic and geographical diversity of these pathogens in Brazil is missing. Vegetative compatibility group (VCG) and amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) analyses were used to measure the genetic diversity within these populations. Both techniques identified the same genetic groups. Six VCG and AFLP groups were identified amongst isolates of the new lineage from Brazil. FB-VCG 1/AFLP I was the most widespread group, found in seven of the 13 sites sampled. The second most frequent group was recovered from three sites. The remaining four groups were recovered from single-sites. We think that this lineage represents a genetically and geographically diverse indigenous population that reproduces clonally. In F. sterilihyphosum, group FS-VCG 1/AFLP VII was found at three sites in the southeast region of Brazil. FS-VCG 2/AFLP VIII contained isolates from South Africa but not from Brazil. Fusarium mangiferae isolates from India and South Africa formed one group, while isolates from Egypt and the USA formed a second group. F. sterilihyphosum at present is represented by a small population that might have been introduced only once into a restricted area. The clonal nature of the observed populations suggests that these fungi either occur naturally on indigenous hosts and have jumped to the introduced mango host (introduced in Brazil) or that they originated with mango and went through a severe population bottleneck when they were introduced to Brazil from India or Southeast Asia.     

Genetic control of yield and yield components in winter oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) grown under nitrogen limitation

Despite its high nitrogen absorption capacity, oilseed rape (OSR) has a low apparent nitrogen use efficiency (NUE), which makes its production highly dependent on nitrogen fertilization. Improving NUE in OSR is therefore a main target in breeding. The objectives of the present work were to determine the genomic regions (QTLs) associated with yield and to assess their stability under contrasted nitrogen nutrition regimes. One mapping population, AM, was tested in a French location for three growing seasons (2011, 2012 and 2013), under two nitrogen conditions (optimal and low). Eight yield-related traits were scored and nitrogen-responsive traits were calculated. A total of 104 QTLs were detected of which 28 controlled flowering time and 76 were related to yield and yield components. Very few genotype × nitrogen interactions were detected and the QTLs were highly stable between the nitrogen conditions. In contrast, only a few QTLs were stable across the years of the trial, suggesting a strong QTL × year interaction. Finally, eleven critical genomic regions that were stable across nitrogen conditions and/or trial years were identified. One particular region located on the A5 linkage group appears to be a promising candidate for marker assisted selection programs. The different strategies for OSR breeding using the QTLs found in the present study are discussed.     

Modulation of neuronal activity and hepatic metabolism by ploidy and l‐carnitine supplement in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

l ‐carnitine, a multiphysiological, bioactive and pollution‐free additive, is known to act as a growth‐enhancer and appears to act as an antioxidant compound. However, high dosages may cause detrimental physiological effects to fish. Considering such, a feeding trial was carried out to evaluate the effects of dietary l ‐carnitine content on neuronal activity (acetylcholinesterasic activity), hepatic metabolism (catalase activity) and liver histological markers in both diploid and triploid trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) juveniles. Fish were hand‐fed for 56 days on three nutritionally identical diets, varying in l ‐carnitine content; unsupplemented diet (15 mg kg^?1) and supplemented (200 or 530 mg kg^?1) diets. Moderate to severe glycogen/lipid depletion was the major liver histopathological disorder observed in all dietary groups. This cause–effect relationship appeared to be dose and time‐dependent, suggesting an important role of l ‐carnitine in the liver metabolism. Moreover, the hepatocite size and nuclear diameter appeared to be larger in l ‐carnitine supplemented groups than in control group. l ‐carnitine caused significant induction of catalase activity and inhibition of AChE. Diploid and triploid trouts showed marked differences in enzymatic activities, reflected by consistently higher values of AChE activities for triploid animals.     

Use of satellite images for geographical localization of livestock holdings in Brazil

Google Earth^® provides free access to satellite images and has been used in several areas that require cartographic information. The present study assessed the inconsistencies between geo-referencing of livestock premises by GPS and the acquisition of geographic coordinates by remote sensing (RS) images provided by Google Earth^® in the Brazilian states of Bahia, Distrito Federal, Minas Gerais and Parana. The overall mean and standard deviation of the distances in the study were 30.98 ± 19.89 m. The mean distance differences between the two techniques were, for these states, 37.20 ± 19.75 m, 28.38 ± 17.38 m, 31.61 ± 15.72 m, 28.43 ± 24.30 m, respectively. Despite the fact that there is variation between the geo-referencing points using GPS and RS, geographical localization of health inspections should be useful as long as the errors between the results of the two methodologies are considered.