Outbreak of toxoplasmosis in a flock of domestic chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus) and guinea fowl (Numida meleagris).

Toxoplasmosis is a disease with a worldwide distribution that affects a wide variety of animal species, though with rare descriptions in chickens. We describe the clinical, epidemiological, pathological, and molecular aspects of a toxoplasmosis outbreak in domestic chickens and guinea fowl in southern Brazil. The flock was composed of 47 domestic chickens and 29 guinea fowl.

Chronic Overexpression of Bradykinin in Kidney Causes Polyuria and Cardiac Hypertrophy.

Acute intra-renal infusion of bradykinin increases diuresis and natriuresis via inhibition of vasopressin activity. However, the consequences of chronically increased bradykinin in the kidneys have not yet been studied. A new transgenic animal model producing an excess of bradykinin by proximal tubular cells (KapBK rats) was generated and submitted to different salt containing diets to analyze changes in blood pressure and other cardiovascular parameters, urine excretion, and composition, as well as levels and expression of renin-angiotensin system components.

Supplementation with beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate impacts glucose homeostasis and increases liver size in trained mice.

β-hydroxy-β-methyl butyrate (HMB) is a bioactive metabolite derived from the amino acid leucine, usually applied for muscle mass increase during physical training, as well as for muscle mass maintenance in debilitating chronic diseases. The hypothesis of the present study is that HMB is a safe supplement for muscle mass gain by strength training. Based on this, the objective was to measure changes in body composition, glucose homeostasis and hepatic metabolism of HMB supplemented mice during strength training.

Follicle populations and gene expression profiles of Nelore and Angus heifers with low and high ovarian follicle counts.

The number of antral follicles counted (AFC) by ultrasound is associated with fertility in cattle. Cows with higher follicle count (HFC) have higher performance in reproductive-assisted technologies than cows with lower follicle count (LFC). In this study, we aimed to define the preantral follicle count by histology and to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) using a microarray in Nelore and Angus heifers with HFC and LFC.

Early myocardial changes induced by doxorubicin in the nonfailing dilated ventricle.

Several studies have demonstrated that administration of doxorubicin (DOXO) results in cardiotoxicity, which eventually progresses to dilated cardiomyopathy. The present work aimed to evaluate the early myocardial changes of DOXO-induced cardiotoxicity. Male New Zealand White rabbits were injected intravenously with DOXO twice weekly for 8 wk [DOXO-induced heart failure (DOXO-HF)] or with an equivolumetric dose of saline (control).

NMR insights on nano silver post-surgical treatment of superficial caseous lymphadenitis in small ruminants.

Caseous lymphadenitis (CL), caused by a pathogen of the second class of biosafety - , is a chronic and severe infectious disease that affects small ruminants and requires long, ineffective treatment which generally leads to animal sacrifice so as to stop the disease spreading. The infected animals suffer the excision of affected superficial lymph nodes and post-surgical treatment with iodine (10% solution in ethanol) and, sometimes, prolonged antibiotic use, but only if the sick animals are of great importance to breeding. Herein, we propose a cheap and easy to apply treatment of CL with excellent results using biogenic silver nanoparticles (AgNP) based technology.

Polymorphisms in the anti-oxidant paraoxonase-1 (PON1) gene associated with fertility of postpartum dairy cows.

Paraoxonase 1 (PON1) is a negative acute phase plasma protein synthesized by the liver that has anti-oxidant activity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the PON1 promoter region with plasma PON1 activity and fertility in Holstein dairy cows. Sixty-eighty Holstein cows were used in this initial investigative study.

Toxicity of the different vegetative stages of Amorimia pubiflora to sheep.

Toxic plants containing monofluoroacetate (MFA) cause sudden death in livestock in Australia, South Africa and Brazil, causing economic losses to producers. The objective of this study was to determine the amount of MFA present in young leaves, mature leaves, senescent leaves, and seeds of Amorimia pubiflora harvested at different times of the year and to determine their toxic effect on sheep. Samples of Amorimia pubiflora were collected during April, August and December of 2015 and March of 2016, separated according to the vegetative stage (young leaves, seeds, mature leaves, and senescent leaves), dried in an oven, and administered in daily doses of 5 g/kg/body weight (bw) of fresh leaves to sheep through ruminal cannulae.

Type C botulism outbreak in feedlot cattle fed contaminated corn silage.

A large outbreak of botulism in feedlot steers fed corn silage contaminated with Clostridium botulinum neurotoxin type C (BoNT/C) is reported occurring in Midwestern Brazil in August 2017. The onset of the outbreak occurred 15 days after 1700 steers started to be fed the contaminated corn silage. Affected steers were alert and afebrile with varying degrees of flaccid paralysis in various muscle groups.

Cetacean morbillivirus in Southern Right Whales, Brazil.

Cetacean morbillivirus (CeMV) has caused repeated epizootics and interepizootic fatalities in a variety of cetacean species worldwide. Recently, a novel CeMV strain (GD-CeMV) was linked to a mass die-off of Guiana dolphins (Sotalia guianensis) in Brazil. Southern right whales (SRWs; Eubalaena australis) migrate to the southern Brazilian coast during austral winter and spring (June through November) for breeding and calving.

Drought effects on the stability of forest-grassland ecotones under gradual climate change.

Plant communities in forest-grassland ecotones of the European Alps are already suffering from gradual climate change and will likely be exposed to more frequent and intense drought periods in the future. Yet, how gradual climate change and extreme drought will affect the stability of these plant communities is largely unknown. Here, we investigated how drought modulates the effects of gradual climate change on the long-term structural stability of these ecotone communities using a multidimensional approach.

CD32 Expression is not Associated to HIV-DNA content in CD4 cell subsets of individuals with Different Levels of HIV Control.

A recent study has pointed out to CD32a as a potential biomarker of HIV-persistent CD4 cells. We have characterized the level and phenotype of CD32+ cells contained in different subsets of CD4 T-cells and its potential correlation with level of total HIV-DNA in thirty HIV patients (10 typical progressors naïve for cART, 10 cART-suppressed patients, and 10 elite controllers). Total HIV-DNA was quantified in different subsets of CD4 T-cells: Trm and pTfh cells.

Synthesis of cyclodextrin polymers containing glutamic acid and their use for the synthesis of Ag nanoparticles.

Crosslinking and functionalizing agents play crucial roles in the properties/applications of cyclodextrin polymers. Here we report the synthesis of water-insoluble cyclodextrin polymers containing l-glutamic acid. In a first route, β-cyclodextrin was crosslinked with citric acid and subsequently functionalized with l-glutamic acid, while a second route involved esterification of β-cyclodextrin with l-glutamic acid, catalyzed by tin octoate.

Measuring and mapping the effectiveness of the European Air Quality Directive in reducing N and S deposition at the ecosystem level.

To protect human health and the environment (namely ecosystems), international air quality protocols and guidelines, like the Gothenburg protocol (1999) and the 2001 EU Air Quality Directive (NECD), conveyed national emission ceilings for atmospheric pollutants (Directive 2001/81/EC), including the reduction of sulfur (S) and nitrogen (N) emissions by 2010. However, to what degree this expected reduction in emissions had reflections at the ecosystem level (i.e.

Can the antral follicular count modulate the gene expression of bovine oviducts in Aberdeen Angus and Nelore heifers?

The number of visible ovarian antral follicles (antral follicle count-AFC) is repeatable in bovine individuals, but highly variable between animals, and with differences between Bos taurus and Bos indicus breeds. Several studies have tried to determine the correlation between AFC and increased fertility in cattle. While the impacts of AFC on embryo production, hormonal levels, and pregnancy rates have been described, the molecular effects of AFC on bovine oviducts have not yet been investigated.

A zinc-finger fusion protein refines Gal4-defined neural circuits.

The analysis of behavior requires that the underlying neuronal circuits are identified and genetically isolated. In several major model species-most notably Drosophila-neurogeneticists identify and isolate neural circuits with a binary heterologous expression-control system: Gal4-UASG. One limitation of Gal4-UASG is that expression patterns are often too broad to map circuits precisely.

Biogenic Nanosilver against Multidrug-Resistant Bacteria (MDRB).

Multidrug-resistant bacteria (MDRB) are extremely dangerous and bring a serious threat to health care systems as they can survive an attack from almost any drug. The bacteria's adaptive way of living with the use of antimicrobials and antibiotics caused them to modify and prevail in hostile conditions by creating resistance to known antibiotics or their combinations. The emergence of nanomaterials as new antimicrobials introduces a new paradigm for antibiotic use in various fields.

Effects of daily inspiratory muscle training on respiratory muscle strength and chest wall regional volumes in haemodialysis patients: a randomised clinical trial.

Evaluating the effects of interdialytic daily inspiratory muscle training (IMT) on respiratory muscle strength, chest wall regional volumes, diaphragmatic mobility and thickness, pulmonary function, functional capacity, and quality of life (QoL) in haemodialysis (HD) patients. A randomised, and double-blind clinical trial composed of 24 chronic kidney disease patients undergoing HD. Patients were allocated into the IMT group ( = 12) or sham group ( = 12) and performed daily IMT twice per day with a load of 50% inspiratory muscle strength for the IMT group and 5 cmHO for the sham group during 8 weeks.

Healthcare Workers: Occupational Health Promotion and Patient Safety.

The purpose of the present study was to explore the relation of work-related risk factors and well-being among healthcare workers and the impact on patient safety, using the Health and Work Survey (INSAT) and Mental Health Continuum - Short Form (MHC-SF). A sample of 361 Portuguese healthcare workers participated in this study. The results indicate some significant work-related risk factors: for emotional well-being, Impossible to express myself (β = -0.

Effects of Selenium in the Microcirculation of Fructose-Fed Hamsters.

Background And Aims: Fructose intake is directly related to vascular dysfunction and it is a risk factor for the development of metabolic and cardiovascular diseases, such as obesity, diabetes, and hypertension. Selenium, a component of antioxidant enzymes, improves hyperglycemia and vascular function in diabetic animals. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of dietary selenium supplementation on microcirculatory and metabolic parameters of fructose-fed hamsters.

Theoretical and practical study of the cefoxitin-Escherichia coli PBP5 complex interaction by molecular dynamics to obtain computational prototype of antimicrobial susceptibility to Gram negative bacteria.

The penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs) are important biological target for new antibacterial drugs development. This study focused on molecular interaction between cefoxitin and the Escherichia coli PBP5 by molecular dynamics (MD) using hybrid quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) simulations approach, searching to develop a computational simulations prototype method on antimicrobial susceptibility of gram-negative bacteria against antibiotics. Escherichia coliATCC 8739 strain susceptibility for the drugs used in the antimicrobial susceptibility testing and selection of bioactive molecules against resistant strain.