Canine behaviour type index in experimental Units trial

We ran the present research in canine behaviour over 18 months, on the premises of Experimental infrastructure of Horia Cernescu Research Unit, under behaviour study project of animal lodging Research contract no. 4833 / September, 4, 2014. The study considered a 360 dogs group, data being extracted from our (March, 31, 2015 to July, 31, 2017) pet databases. The research is structured based on Canine Behaviour Type Index (CTBI) 12 types canine behaviour, considering three psychological interactive factors further itemized into (1) Environmental (either Organized or Spontaneous); (2) Social (Alpha, Beta, or Gamma); (3) Motivation (either Medium or High), i.e. 12 possible outcomes. The breed type (χ2=818.59, at p < 0.000), age (F=9.31, at p < 0.001) and period of staying (F=3.185, at p ≤ 0.001) appear to be associated with CBTI. The older dogs resulted more like Dreamer (SBM) and Aristocrat (SAM) behaviour types, while younger more like Adventurer (SBH) and Rebel (SAH). Our study results cannot sustain gender association hypothesis based on CBTI profiles (χ2=17.31, at p = 0.099), suggesting, nevertheless, that CBTI is a useful tool in canine behaviour research, in matters of pets’ owners – research financed by private funds, win-win case

OSMOLARITY AND APOPTOSIS IN IVF BOVINE EMBRYOS

The aim of this research was to establish the optimal conditions for culture of bovine embryos obtained in vitro and the effects of osmolarity on development and apoptosis. The embryos obtained by in vitro fertilization (IVF) procedure were divided into two different groups. The embryos from the control group were cultured for 7 days in B2-Menezo. The embryos from the experimental group were cultured in medium with NaCl, having variation of concentration and osmolarity. Results showed that there are differences in development stage and apoptosis. Increasing the concentration from 90 to 120mM NaCl generated decreasing of the blastocyst stage (P&lt;0.05), and also the apoptosis was increased in the blastocyst stage. The optimum concentration of NaCl was 90mM and the optimum osmolarity of the medium was between 260-280 mOsmol for the studied IVF bovine embryos, affecting positively the embryos development

Application of infrared Thermography in rabbit orthopaedic models

The rectal or internal temperature (BT) is a reference method for body temperature. BT and ear temperature (BTear) were recorded in rabbit orthopaedic experimental model - White New Zeeland rabbits (N = 14), for a six day post-surgery period. Ear (BTear) temperature measured with infrared thermography (IRT) camera was compared with rectal body temperature (BT) measured with digital thermometer. Each BTear and BT methods were studied by analysis of variance and for BT classes such as: hypothermia (BTh≥ than 38,5оC), normothermia (BTn) and hyperthermia or fever (BTf ≥ 40,0 оC). Mean differences, linear regression and Pearson correlation were analysed. BTear was positively correlated with rectal temperature (BT); r=+0.579 at p <0.001. The regression equation model was statistically acceptable (p<0.001) and value of internal body temperature can be estimated on ITR measurements by relation: BT (оC) = 25.498 + BTear x 0.361 with R2=0.336. This study demonstrates that IRT technology, a passive and non-contact technology can be effectively used for estimating BT changes in rabbits

Nigella sativa - a Plant with Personality in Biochemistry and Experimental Medicine Researches

Last decades often presented references to traditional medicine, or culinary use of natural resources for a better health status, prevention or treatment of different diseases. One of the natural plants came lately in the researches as a miracle salve: Nigella sativa. Also commonly known as black cumin, the most use of this plant are the seeds, such as, as powder, as oil extract, or as hydro or alcoholic extracts. Culinary usage of N. sativa is referring to the seeds used as spice. Medical usage of this plantis mostly used as oil or extracts administrated orally or intraperitoneal. The best demonstrated bioactive component is thymoquinone, an alkaloid, monotherpenoid compound, that seems to be the key of medical benefits of N. sativa. Experimental medicine proved that seeds of black cumin have health enhancement and pharmaceutical effects, being used in various disseases (cardiac, digestive and respiratory diseases; hepatic and renal tonic; inflammations; reproductive and neural disorders, analgesic; appetite stimulant; cancer prevention and treatment; spasmolytic and diabetes. Seeds (as powder, oil or hydro, alcoholic extracts) have been demonstrated that have antimicrobial, antiparasitic, antitumoral, antidiabetic, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory action. N. sativa is easy to cultivate, storing, and offering diver potential of use as seed, seed oil, different type of seed extracts

Retrospective analysis on somatic cells count trend in Staphylococcus aureus cows' mastitis

cells count (SCC) of two successive samplings. The analysis was performed to identify the associations between SCC trend with retrospective and transversal milk quality indicators, and mastitis. From a BIOAMR database, 28 cows with a posteriori diagnosed mastitis with Staphylococcus aureus (4/28 cases were methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus – MRSA) were sampled. The trend of SCC was Spearman's rho correlated with previous lactose (rs = +0.785, p=0.03), pH (rs = +0.662 at p=0.019), and current SCC measurements (rs = +0.781, at p=0.000). Increasing trend of SCC was retrospectively associated with lactose content (Z = -2.152 at p = 0.031), pH (Z = -2.152 at p = 0.031) SCC at first measurement (Z = - 1.764 at p = 0.078) and currently associated with SCC (Z = -3.316 at p = 0.001), fat content (Z = -1.88 at p = 0.060) and fat/protein ratio (Z = -1.717 at p = 0.086). The 28 samples of the study did not revealed strong association between SCC trend and type of Staphylococcus aureus (p = 0.186 by Mann-Whitney test), even if MRSA had a higher increasing trend of SCC in comparison whit S. aureus (non-MRSA) infections (1403.5 vs. 288.2 thousands somatic cells). By preliminary results the trend of somatic cells could be an indicator in detection of mastitis but more case studies are necessary

Rabbits in vivo experiments and hematological evaluation after iron toxicity

Iron is essential elements for human, animals and plant organism. The depletion of organism in iron leads to modification in the concentration of hemoglobin which is responsible for oxygen transportation. Also, overload of iron represents a possible intoxication that can affect negatively the liver tissue and then all cells. Our experiments was conducted on two groups (control and experimental) of rabbits – German Lop Eared Rabbits breed, and we administrated ferrous gluconate (10mg/kg body weight) to the experimental group, two times. Also, during the experiment the rabbits had a special diet with plants from garden administrated fresh. The plants have very good antioxidant properties, and can prevent the iron intoxication and also participate intense to detoxification of the liver after iron overload. Hematological analysis were preformed for red blood cells, hemoglobin, hematocrit, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, red cell distribution width, platelet and leukocyte evaluation. The results demonstrated a very good protective action of the diet plants, meaning that the hematological parameters were not out of normal range after iron overload

Flame atomic absorption spectroscopy in mineral analysis of barley from Banat area

Barley as a cereal grain is very important for animal and human nutrition, being also used in food products technology for fermented or distillated beverages. It has very good nutritional properties for animals and human, being the forth ranks in cultivation and quantity production in the world. The flame atomic absorption spectroscopy (FAAS) is an analysis method for metals, but the laboratory procedure is essential for the final result. Our goal was to analysis the barley content from Banat area with FAAS method using direct determination from the solution after digestion and using a diluted solution. The direct determination for copper content in barley (in mg/Kg, presented as mean and SD) was 4.146±0.205; iron content was 25.657±0.583; manganese determination was 10.391±0.192 and zinc content was 17.911±0.565. The quantity of metals (in mg/Kg, presented as mean and SD) from diluted (5x) samples for copper was 4.463±0.403; for iron was 26.821±1.083; for manganese was 11.136±0.444; for zinc was 18.731±0.665. Comparative evaluation of the mineral content for copper, iron, manganese and zinc showed that the quantitative analysis of five times diluted samples present higher values for all analyzed minerals comparative with direct determination

Protocol developing for identification of vegetal matrices used in ammodytes ammodytes freeze-dried venom adulteration

Presence of corn flour adulteration was detected by extracting the DNA from 25mg of freeze dried venom and using it as template in PCR amplification with zein specific primers known to be highly specific for corn species. The obtained amplicon was purified from agarose gel and sequenced in order to further confirm the presence of corn specific DNA sequences. The sequence thus obtained was uploaded in a DNA Data Base, and aligned with the reference zein sequence. The 99% of similarity between the two sequences enables us to confirm the corn flour adulteration in the analyzed venom sample

Hoop structure for wean to finish pigs: management and gender influence in a summer trial

The study was carried out in a hoop structure at the university’s Animal Experimental Unit. Twenty hybrid barrows at 28 kg average body weight and 21 hybrid gilts with 27 kg were populated into two separate pens on 06 of April 2016. The animals were kept in a hoop structure utilizing a deep bedded production system at ambient summer conditions with natural ventilation for 97 days. No clinical heat stress signs were observed during the trial even though the inside temperature was 19.95±0.07оC and the humidity index was 65.15±0.18 over an average of 7,389 inside and outside environmental measurements. The inside temperature was higher (+0.78 оC at p < 0.000) and humidity index was lower (-0.74% at p < 0.000) than outside measurements. There was a strong correlation between inside and outside temperature (r = 0.984 at p < 0.01) and humidity index (r = 0.926 at p < 0.010). Animals were weighed twice per month and they were scanned monthly for body fat and eye muscle depth and area. On 13 of April, at initiation of the experiment, the body weight was 33±0.65 for 20 barrows vs. 31.9±0.59 for 19 gilts (p = 0.220) and at delivery to the slaughter house the body weight was 114.25±1.74 kg and 108.71±2.13 kg (p = 0.049) respectively. During the entire wean-finish period the average daily gain was 902.70±18.37 for barrows and 850.95±24.15 for gilts (p = 0.097) and feed conversion was 2.71 kg feed: kg live weight for barrows and 2.69 kg feed: kg live weight in gilts. The study is encouraging for the use of deep bedded hoop structures on low input farms as a swine wean-finish management system during the Romanian summer environment