Milk quality characteristics from Greek indigenous goats

The aim of this study was to assess the chemical and microbiological characteristics of goat milk from indigenous Greek breeds, domestic (Capraprisca) and Skopelos. Each breed's milk yield was recorded three times during lactation (early, mid and late stage of lactation) for two consecutive years. No significant differences were observed for fat. protein, lactose, casein and solids-non-fat contents of milk from both breeds. The dominant fatty acids (FA) in milk for both breeds were: palmitic (CI 6:0) and oleic (CI8:1). Other abundant FA was stearic (CI8:0), myristic (CI4:0). capric (CI0:0) and lauric (C12:0). The conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) content was similar in both breeds. Linolenic acid content in milk of Capra prisca breed was higher than in Skopelos. A high number of minor short chain fatty acids (SCFA). medium chain fatty acids (MCFA) and long chain fatty acids (LCFA) was also observed in milk fat. SCFA's increased in mid lactation in goats of Capra prisca breed, while no significant differences were noted during early, mid or late lactation period in medium or long chain FA. In Skopelos breed. SCFA's increased gradually from early to late lactation, while LCFAs followed a descending order. Enumeration of bacteria presented similar numbers of total viable count in milk of both breeds and higher number of Psychrotrophic ones in milk from Skopelos goats to domestic. Somatic cell counts (SCC) values were significant lower in Skopelos breed compared to Capra prisca. Caprine milk can be an important source of health promoting substances and deserves further investigation with specific investigation on milk of indigenous local breeds

Milk quality characteristics of indigenous sheep breeds Boutsko, Frisarta and Karagouniko

In this study, the chemical and microbiological characteristics of ovine milk from three indigenous Greek breeds, Boutsko, Frisarta and Karagouniko were examined, while reared in the semi mountainous areas. The milk yield of each sheep breed was recorded at the early, mid and late stages of lactation for two consecutive years. The average composition of the samples of ewe's milk used in this study was similar for protein, lactose and total solids among the three; however fat values were significantly lower (p < 0.05) in Frisarta milk compared to Boutsko and Karagouniko. Total viable cells of Boutsko and Karagouniko raw milk were lower (p < 0.05) than those of Frisarta. Enterobacteria detected in bulk raw milk from Boutsko and Frizarta breeds were in lower numbers (p < 0.05) compared to milk from Karagouniko breed. Somatic cells were also counted in lower numbers in milk collected from Boutsko and Karagouniko breeds compared to Frisarta. The percentage of detected as potentially pathogenic bacteria (coagulase negative staphylococci and enterobacteriae) was higher in the milk from Frisarta sheep milk. © 2018 I Skoufos, I Giannenas, A Karamoutsios, A Tsinas, GK Papadopoulos, A Tzora

Milk quality characteristics of Boutsiko, Frisarta and Karagouniko sheep breeds reared in the mountainous and semimountainous areas of Western and Central Greece

In this study, the chemical and microbiological characteristics of ovine milk from three indigenous Greek breeds was assessed. The breeds selected for this study were Boutsiko, Frisarta and Karagouniko. The milk yield of each breed was recorded at the early, mid- and late stages of lactation for two consecutive years. Among the three breeds, the average milk compositions obtained were similar for protein, lactose and total solids; however, fat values were significantly lower in Frisarta milk compared with Boutsiko and Karagouniko milk. The major fatty acids (FAs) in ovine milk were palmitic and oleic. The microbiological quality of Boutsiko and Karagouniko milk was superior to Frisarta milk. © 2016 Society of Dairy Technolog

The bacterial flora of the udder of goats

Aims of the study were to identify microbial flora in healthy caprine udders and to evaluate possible sources of principal caprine mastitis pathogens. Samples of teat duct material and mammary secretion from goats in two farms (flock A, polyparous n=30; flock B, polyparous n=60) were collected from both glands, four times during the lactation period. Subsequently, bacteriological investigation took place from 200 udders of slaughtered goats (n=100). Mammary gland skin swabs were examined bactcrio-logically from one farm (flock C. polyparous n=60) four times, one before and three during the lactation period. In all milk samples, cytological examinations were negative. Conventional bacteriological techniques were used. Bacterial contamination was found in 93% of samples from the skin of the teat, in 44% of teat duct scraping samples, in 6% of teat duct material samples and in 4% of mammary secretion samples. Different bacterial species were isolated, mainly coagulase negative staphylococci. This investigation showed smaller proportion of contamination in the teat canal than in the outer surface of the teat skin, indicating that teat provides innate defensive systems against bacterial invasions

Expression of heat shock proteins in medulloblastoma: Laboratory investigation

Object. Medulloblastoma (MB) is the most common malignant brain tumor in children. Heat shock proteins (HSPs) comprise a superfamily of proteins that serve as molecular chaperones and are overexpressed in a wide range of human cancers. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the expression of HSP27 (pSer82), HSP27 (pSer15), HSP40, HSP60, HSP70, HSP90-α, Akt, and phospho-Akt by multiplex bead array assay of MBs. The results of HSP and Akt expression were correlated with MB subtype; immunohistochemical expression of Ki-67 index, bcl- 2, and p53; and patients&apos; prognosis. Methods. The authors retrospectively evaluated 25 children with MB who underwent surgery. Immunohistochemical analysis of Ki-67, p53, and bcl-2 expression was performed in all cases. By using multiplex bead array assay, a simultaneous detection of HSP27 (pSer82), HSP27 (pSer15), HSP40, HSP60, HSP70, HSP90-α, Akt, and phospho-Akt was performed. Results. Medulloblastoma with extensive nodularity had significantly lower HSP27 (pSer15) expression (p = 0.039) but significantly higher HSP60 expression (p = 0.021) than classic MB. Large-cell MB had significantly higher HSP70 expression (p = 0.028) than classic MB. No significant difference was found between HSP27 (pSer82), HSP40, HSP90-α, Akt, or phospho-Akt expression and MB subtype. Large-cell MBs had significantly higher Ki-67 index compared with classic MBs (p = 0.033). When analyzing all MBs, there was a significant negative correlation between HSP27 (pSer15) and Ki-67 index (r = -0.475, p = 0.016); a significant positive correlation between HSP70 expression and Ki-67 index (r = 0.407, p = 0.043); and a significant positive correlation between HSP70 expression and bcl-2 index (r = 0.491, p = 0.023). Patients with large-cell MB had a worse survival than those with classic MB, but the difference did not reach statistical significance (p = 0.076). Conclusions. A substantial expression of several HSPs in MB was observed. Given that HSPs represent an attractive strategy for anticancer therapy, further studies, involving larger series of patients, are obviously necessary to clarify the relationship of HSPs with tumor aggressiveness and prognosis. © Copyright 1944-2013 American Association of Neurological Surgeons

Effects of Enterococcus faecium, mannan oligosaccharide, benzoic acid and their mixture on growth performance, intestinal microbiota, intestinal morphology and blood lymphocyte subpopulations of fattening pigs

A total of 160 pigs were used during the fattening period to evaluate the efficacy of a probiotic, a mannan-oligosaccharide, an organic acid and their mixture on growth performance, intestinal microbiota composition, intestinal morphology and immune response. Pigs were randomly distributed into five treatments with four replicates of eight pigs per pen: control group was fed with a basal finishing ration, whereas the other groups received the same basal diet further supplemented either the probiotic Cylactin® at 35 mg/kg (containing 2 × 1010 CFU/gr Enterococcus faecium), or the mannan-oligosaccharide Biomos® at 1 g/kg, or the organic acid Vevovital® at 5 g/kg (containing 100% benzoic acid) or a mixture of the examined substances (35 mg/kg Cylactin®, 1 g/kg Biomos® and 5 g/kg benzoic acid). At the end of the trial all pigs were weighed and slaughtered, and samples were taken for blood, histologic and microbiologic analyses. Total counts of aerobes and anaerobes, Lactobacilli, Bifidobacteria, Enterococci, Enterobacteriaceae and Coliforms, were enumerated by conventional microbiological techniques at both jejunum and cecum. Intestinal morphology was carried out in the jejunum, for villus height, crypt depth and goblet cells evaluation. Blood samples were evaluated by flow cytometry to assess the immune response of lymphocyte subpopulations. The results showed that dietary inclusion of a mixture of probiotic, prebiotic and organic acid improved growth performance of fattening pigs despite that each additive alone did not have a significant effect. Jejunal villus height was also increased in the group received the mixture of the feed additives compared to the mannoligosaccharide group, although no differences were noted on the goblet cell numbers among the different groups. The inclusion of the E. faecium increased the enterococci counts in both group receiving the probiotic in digesta samples of both jejunum and cecum; however no differences were noted in the total B- and T-helper cytotoxic cell populations in the presence or absence of the nutritional factors studied, although their ratio (CD4/CD8) was decreased in the group that received the mixture of the feed additives. In conclusion, dietary supplementation with a combination of probiotic, mannan-oligosaccharide and organic acid could promote growth in fattening pigs and improve their intestinal microbiota and functionality. © 2016 Elsevier B.V