Effects of olive oil calcium soaps and phase of lactation on the fatty acid composition in the milk of Massese ewes

A basic diet of hay and concentrate, the latter supplemented with olive oil calcium soap (7% as fed) was given to 11 Massese ewes (group S) for a 3-month period, while a basic diet without the supplement was given to 11 control Massese ewes (group C) during the same period. Fatty acid composition of milk produced from the 5th to the 16th week post-partum was evaluated monthly. In group S, the fatty acids C6:0, C8:0, C10:0, C12:0, C14:0, C14:1, C18:3n-6 and C20:3n-3 (P<0.01) decreased significantly and C16:0, C18:1, total CLA, C20:0, C20:1, C20:2, C20:5n-3 (EPA), C23:0 (P<0.01) and C18:2 (P<0.05) increased with respect to the control group C. This trend lead to a decrease in short-chain fatty acids (P<0.05), an increase in unsaturated fatty acids (P<0.01), particularly MUFA, and an improved UFA/SFA ratio in group S (P<0.01). The lactation phase also significantly influenced fatty acid composition: the unsaturated/saturated fatty acids ratio was higher at the end of the lactation period. It can be concluded that the addition of protected olive oil fats to the diet of lactating ewes may improve fatty acid milk composition. In addition, the final phase of production positively affects milk quality relative to human health

Measurement of inclusive jet charged-particle fragmentation functions in Pb plus Pb collisions at root S-NN=2.76 TeV with the ATLAS detector

© 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/license/by/3.0/). Funded by SCOAP3

Occurrence, distribution and population size of Malassezia pachydermatis on skin and mucosae of atopic dogs

Aim of the present study was to determine the distribution and quantification of Malassezia yeasts on a wide number of cutaneous sites in atopic dogs by means of a semiquantitative swab technique. A possible relationship between the presence of clinical signs and the occurrence and population size of yeasts was attempted. Forty-one privately owned atopic dogs of different age and breed were sampled. Results were expressed as colony forming units per swab. Malassezia colonies obtained from each plate were counted, scored and typed. All dogs yielded Malassezia pachydermatis from at least one skin area. Yeast population mean size by site was 6.98 (S.D. = 3.47) as compared to other body areas. The frequence of isolation was higher from interdigital areas (70.7%), ears (63.4%), nail folds (35.7%), mouth (33.3%), groin (30.9%), conjunctiva and axillae (23.8%), perineum and anus (19%), perianal glands (9.5%). Ears, anus, interdigital areas, perianal glands and groin yielded the largest mycotic amount. M. pachydermatis was the sole species of yeast to colonize canine skin in examined animals. No statistical correlation between the presence of cutaneous alterations and Malassezia isolation was detected. Highest scores were not exclusively found on affected areas, but also on lesion-free sites, demonstrating that atopic animals can be heavily colonized also in apparently healthy areas. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved