Blood serum concentrations of total proteins and main protein fractions in weaning rabbits experimentally infected with E. coli

The objective of the present Study was to evaluate the changes in the concentrations of major blood proteins associated with experimental E. coli infection in weaning rabbits. For that, in the assay group. 12 weaning White New Zealand rabbits (45 days old) were orally infected with a bacteria] suspension of enteropathogenic E. coli strain type O15:H- (6.10(7) cfu) whereas the 6 control rabbits received only 0.9% NaCl solution. Serum total protein. albumin, globulin and lysozyme concentrations as well as plasma fibrinogen concentrations were measured before (0h) and 1, 3, 7, 11 18 and 30 days after oral treatment. In parallel. presence of coliforms was investigated in rectal samples on clays 0, 1, 6, 11, 16, 25 and 30. Infected rabbits began to excrete E. coli strains on (lay 2 after administration, whereas the first signs of diarrhoea were observed on day 5. Between days 11 and 18 severe diarrhoea was found in all rabbits and then clinical signs gradually disappeared although 3 rabbits continue to excrete the bacteria on day 30. In inoculated rabbits, hypoproteinemia and hypo-albuminemia compared to control values were evidenced since the 7(th) day whereas the blood concentrations of lysozyme and fibrinogen at a lesser extend were dramatically increased on days 11 - 18 and on days 3-18 respectively, leading to a significantly lowered albumin/globulin ratio since the 11(th) day. These results confirm that albumin is a negative acute phase protein (APP) while fibrinogen and lysozyme were 2 positive APP in response to an experimental bacterial infection in rabbit

Variations of acute phase protein (haptoglobin, fibrinogen and ceruloplasmin) concentrations in weaning rabbits after experimental infection with E.coli

Infections with E. coli are a common cause of diarrhoea in weaning rabbits. The present study was conducted to evaluate the changes in the blood concentrations of haptoglobin (Hp), ceruloplasmin (Cp) and fibrinogen (Fb) during experimentally induced E. coli infection in weaning rabbits. A total of 18 rabbits, 40-45 days old and weaned at 4 weeks were used: 12 were inoculated with the E. coli strain type 015:H- suspension (6. 107 cfu) and the 6 remained rabbits served as controls. Blood samples for acute phase proteins (APPs) analysis were collected before (0 h) and at 24 th and 72th hours and on days 7, 11, 18 and 30 after inoculation. The presence of coliforms was investigated in rectal samples on days 1, 6, 11, 16, 25 and 31. The excretion of the 015:H- type began 2 days after experimental challenge in 3 rabbits and was intensified on day 3 whereas mild to severe diarrhoea episodes were observed between the 5 th day to the 21st day in all rabbits except 2. In parallel, bacterial excretion gradually declined. Moreover, Hp concentrations dramatically increased after E. coli inoculation since 24th hours, reached maximal values on day 7 (multiplied by a factor 9) and remained significantly elevated compared to basal values until the 30th day. By contrast, significant changes in Fb and Cp concentrations compared to initial values appeared later (on days 3 and 7 respectively), less intense (maximal concentrations observed on day 11 were only roughly doubled) and were more transient (normal values were obtained on days 30 and 18 respectively). Increases of all APP concentrations were associated with the intensity of the diarrhoea. Moderate positive correlations were evidenced between Hp and Cp or Fb concentrations while Cp and Fb concentrations were strongly correlated. The time course and the magnitude of changes of these APPs induce to consider Cp and Fb as slow reacting positive APPs while Hp has to be classified as a rapid major positive APP useful for early detection of bacterial infections in weaning rabbits, before the clinical appearance of diarrhoea and faecal excretion of E. coli

Blood serum concentrations of total proteins and main protein fractions in weaning rabbits experimentally infected with E. coli

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the changes in the concentrations of major blood proteins associated with experimental E. coli infection in weaning rabbits. For that, in the assay group. 12 weaning White New Zealand rabbits (45 days old) were orally infected with a bacterial suspension of enteropathogenic E. coli strain type O15:H- (6.107 cfu) whereas the 6 control rabbits received only 0.9% NaCI solution. Serum total protein, albumin, globulin and lysozyme concentrations as well as plasma fibrinogen concentrations were measured before (0h) and I, 3, 7, 11, 18 and 30 days after oral treatment. In parallel, presence of coliforms was investigated in rectal samples on days 0, 1.6. 11, 16, 25 and 30. Infected rabbits began to excrete E. coli strains on day 2 after administration, whereas the first signs of diarrhoea were observed on day 5. Between days 11 and 18 severe diarrhoea was found in all rabbits and then clinical signs gradually disappeared although 3 rabbits continue to excrete the bacteria on day 30. In inoculated rabbits, hypoproteinemia and hypo-albuminemia compared to control values were evidenced since the 7th day whereas the blood concentrations of lysozyme and fibrinogen at a lesser extend were dramatically increased on days 11-18 and on days 3-18 respectively, leading to a significantly lowered albumin/globulin ratio since the 11th day. These results confirm that albumin is a negative acute phase protein (APP) while fibrinogen and lysozyme were 2 positive APP in response to an experimental bacterial infection in rabbits

Comparison of the results of serum total protein concentration measured by 3 methods: Preliminary results

The present study provides the results from a comparative study of the 3 commonly used methods for total protein (TP) measurement. The experiments were carried out with 6 dogs (4-7 year-old, weighing 12.8 ± 1.4 kg). Five blood samples were obtained by saphena venepuncture from all dogs, during the time course of the experimentally induced infection with Staphylococcus intermedius, administered subcutaneously at a dose rate of 5 ml of 1.109 CFU/ml within 14 days. TP concentration was measured by 2 macro protein techniques - biuret method (commonly used) and method of Lowry, and a modified version of biuret method (micro protein technique), suggested by Popov. Serum TP concentration determined by the method of Lowry was significantly (P < 0.001) higher than the ones obtained by standard biuret and Popov's methods. The mean differences between TP values obtained by standard biuret technique and Lowry's method and, Lowry's and Popov's method were 18.6 g/l and 23.5 g/l, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference between standard biuret method and its modified version suggested by Popov

Effects of castration-induced visceral obesity and antioxidant treatment on lipid profile and insulin sensitivity in New Zealand white rabbits

Molecular mechanisms, responsible for the impaired insulin-sensitivity state due to the obesity are not fully understood in both humans and animals. The purpose of this study was to i

Perfil bioquímico, inclusive proteinograma, do soro lácteo de búfalas primíparas e pluríparas sadias ao longo da lactação

Resumo: Para avaliar o perfil bioquímico, inclusive proteínas, do soro lácteo de búfalas Murrah primíparas e pluríparas sadias foram analisadas amostras de leite de 30 fêmeas bubalinas durante uma lactação completa. Os animais foram distribuídos em três grupos: G1 - 10 búfalas primíparas, G2 - 10 búfalas pluríparas com duas a três lactações e G3 - 10 búfalas pluríparas com mais de três lactações. O período de lactação foi dividido em: fase inicial (I: primeiro ao terceiro mês de lactação), fase intermediária (T: quarto ao sexto mês de lactação) e fase final (F: sétimo ao nono mês de lactação). Antes da colheita das amostras de leite foram realizados o exame físico da glândula mamária, o teste da caneca de fundo escuro e o California Mastitis Test (CMT). Após a assepsia dos quartos mamários, foram colhidas mensalmente, durante uma lactação completa, amostras de 20mL de leite de cada quarto mamário, em frascos plásticos esterilizados e sem conservante, para a realização do isolamento microbiológico, determinação do perfil bioquímico e fracionamento proteico por meio de eletroforese em gel de poliacrilamida contendo dodecil sulfato de sódio (SDS-PAGE), e amostras de 30mL de leite de cada quarto mamário, em frascos plásticos esterilizados contendo conservante bronopol, para contagem de células somáticas (CCS). Das 1.042 amostras de leite colhidas dos três grupos experimentais durante a lactação, 923 amostras de leite apresentaram reação negativa ao CMT e isolamento microbiológico negativo e foram selecionadas para as análises do perfil bioquímico e fracionamento proteico em SDS-PAGE. Notou-se influência da ordem de parto e da fase da lactação no perfil bioquímico e no proteinograma do soro lácteo de búfalas da raça Murrah sadias. As búfalas primíparas (G1) apresentaram maior atividade das enzimas gamaglutamiltransferase (GGT: 2.346U/L) e fosfatase alcalina (ALP: 181U/L) e maiores concentrações de fósforo (P: 56,6mg/dL), potássio (K: 32,0mg/dL) e α-lactoalbumina (458mg/dL). As fêmeas com duas a três lactações (G2) apresentaram maior CCS (70.700 células/mL) e maiores concentrações de proteína total (1,55g/dL), albumina (100mg/dL), magnésio (Mg: 8,80mg/dL), cloretos (Cl: 176mg/dL), ferro (Fe: 10,7μg/dL), sódio (Na: 178mMol/L) e lactoferrina (59,5mg/dL). As fêmeas com mais de três lactações (G3) apresentaram maiores concentrações de cálcio total (Ca: 41,8mg/dL), cálcio ionizado (Cai: 2,92mMol/L), imunoglobulina A (IgA: 1,32mg/dL), albumina sérica (99,1mg/dL), imunoglobulina G (IgG: 49,7mg/dL) e b-lactoglobulina (1.068mg/dL). Durante a lactação foi observado aumento da CCS, aumento das atividades das enzimas GGT e ALP, aumento das concentrações de proteína total, albumina, P, Mg, Cl, Na, lactoferrina, albumina sérica, IgG, α-lactoalbumina e redução das concentrações de Ca, Fe, Cai, K, IgA e b-lactoglobulina no soro lácteo das búfalas. Os resultados obtidos podem ser utilizados como referências para a espécie bubalina e auxiliar no diagnóstico e no prognóstico de doenças de ocorrência comum na fase de lactação

AGATA-Advanced GAmma Tracking Array

AGATA CollaborationThe Advanced GAmma Tracking Array (AGATA) is a European project to develop and operate the next generation gamma-ray spectrometer. AGATA is based on the technique of gamma-ray energy tracking in electrically segmented high-purity germanium crystals. This technique requires the accurate determination of the energy, time and position of every interaction as a gamma ray deposits its energy within the detector volume. Reconstruction of the full interaction path results in a detector with very high efficiency and excellent spectral response. The realisation of gamma-ray tracking and AGATA is a result of many technical advances. These include the development of encapsulated highly segmented germanium detectors assembled in a triple cluster detector cryostat, an electronics system with fast digital sampling and a data acquisition system to process the data at a high rate. The full characterisation of the crystals was measured and compared with detector-response simulations. This enabled pulse-shape analysis algorithms, to extract energy, time and position, to be employed. In addition, tracking algorithms for event reconstruction were developed. The first phase of AGATA is now complete and operational in its first physics campaign. In the future AGATA will be moved between laboratories in Europe and operated in a series of campaigns to take advantage of the different beams and facilities available to maximise its science output. The paper reviews all the achievements made in the AGATA project including all the necessary infrastructure to operate and support the spectrometer. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.AGATA and this work is supported by the European funding bodies and the EU Contract RII3-CT-2004-506065, the German BMBF under Grants 06K-167 and 06KY205I, the Swedish Research Council and the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation, UK EPSRC Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, UK STFC Science and Technology Facilities Council, AWE plc, Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (Proj. nr. 106T055) and Ankara University (BAP Proj. nr. 05B4240002), the Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education under Grant DPN/N190/AGATA/2009, the Spanish MICINN under grants FPA2008-06419 and FPA2009-13377-C02-02, the Spanish Consolider-Ingenio 2010 Programme CPAN (contract number CSD2007-00042) the Generalitat Valenciana under Grant PROMETEO/2010/101, and research performed in the frame of the GSI-IN2P3 collaboration agreement number 02-42. MICINN, Spain, and INFN, Italy, through the AIC10-D-000568 bilateral action.Peer Reviewe