Cabergoline treatment at dry-off accelerated mammary involution as indicated by mammary secretion composition changes in dairy cows

In ruminants, the early phase of drying-off is a period of mammary gland involution that is marked by the cessation of prolactin (PRL) release. The speed at which the bovine mammary gland involutes following the abrupt cessation of lactation is directly related to the risk of new intramammary infections.ObjectivesOur aim was to assess the effect of PRL inhibition by cabergoline on the speed of the mammary gland involution, through analysis of the changes of mammary secretion composition.Materials and methodsFourteen Holstein dairy cows were injected with a single i.m. administration of 5.6 mg cabergoline (n=7) (Velactis ®, Ceva Sante Animale) or placebo (n=7) at the first day of dryingoff (D0). Mammary secretion samples were collected using a teat-cannula once during lactation (D-6) and at D1, D2, D3, D4, D8 and D14 after the drying-off. The mammary secretion samples were used for milk fat, lactose, true protein, alpha-lactalbumin and SCC analysis. Mammary biopsy samples were collected one week before drying-off (D-6), at D1 and at D8 and used for RNA extraction and RT-PCR analyses.ResultsAs expected, SCC progressively increased whereas lactose content decreased in mammary secretions after drying-off (P < 0.001). The increase in SCC was 2.4 fold higher in cabergoline treated cows than in control cows (P < 0.01). The decrease of lactose content in mammary secretions progressively decreased during involution and was associated with paralleled change in GLUT-1 mRNA level coding the main glucose transporter in the udder. These decreases were faster in cabergoline treated cows compared to controls with lower lactose content in cabergoline treated cows already by D1 than in controls (P < 0.05) and significant decrease in GLUT-1 mRNA levels at D1 and D8 respectively for cabergoline and control treatments compared to D-6 (P ≤ 0.05). Cabergoline treatment tended to increase fat content at D3 after drying-off (P < 0.10). No significant effects of cabergoline treatment were observed both in true protein and in alpha-lactalbumin contents in mammary secretions or in alphalactalbumin and kappa-casein mRNA levels in mammary tissues.ConclusionsThe changes in lactose, SCC and fat in mammary secretions and GLUT-1 mRNA level in the udder, indicate that cabergoline treatment was efficient to hasten the mammary gland involution without affecting milk protein synthesis in the mammary tissue. Cabergoline could facilitate dairy management at the time of dry-off

Mass Transfer by Stellar Wind

I review the process of mass transfer in a binary system through a stellar wind, with an emphasis on systems containing a red giant. I show how wind accretion in a binary system is different from the usually assumed Bondi-Hoyle approximation, first as far as the flow's structure is concerned, but most importantly, also for the mass accretion and specific angular momentum loss. This has important implications on the evolution of the orbital parameters. I also discuss the impact of wind accretion, on the chemical pollution and change in spin of the accreting star. The last section deals with observations and covers systems that most likely went through wind mass transfer: barium and related stars, symbiotic stars and central stars of planetary nebulae (CSPN). The most recent observations of cool CSPN progenitors of barium stars, as well as of carbon-rich post-common envelope systems, are providing unique constraints on the mass transfer processes.Comment: Chapter 7, in Ecology of Blue Straggler Stars, H.M.J. Boffin, G. Carraro & G. Beccari (Eds), Astrophysics and Space Science Library, Springe

Clinical significance of VEGF-A, -C and -D expression in esophageal malignancies

Vascular endothelial growth factors ( VEGF)- A, - C and - D are members of the proangiogenic VEGF family of glycoproteins. VEGF-A is known to be the most important angiogenic factor under physiological and pathological conditions, while VEGF-C and VEGF-D are implicated in the development and sprouting of lymphatic vessels, so called lymphangiogenesis. Local tumor progression, lymph node metastases and hematogenous tumor spread are important prognostic factors for esophageal carcinoma ( EC), one of the most lethal malignancies throughout the world. We found solid evidence in the literature that VEGF expression contributes to tumor angiogenesis, tumor progression and lymph node metastasis in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma ( SCC), and many authors could show a prognostic value for VEGF-assessment. In adenocarcinoma (AC) of the esophagus angiogenic properties are acquired in early stages, particularly in precancerous lesions like Barrett's dysplasia. However, VEGF expression fails to give prognostic information in AC of the esophagus. VEGF-C and VEGF-D were detected in SCC and dysplastic lesions, but not in normal mucosa of the esophagus. VEGF-C expression might be associated with lymphatic tumor invasion, lymph node metastases and advanced disease in esophageal SCC and AC. Therapeutic interference with VEGF signaling may prove to be a promising way of anti-angiogenic co-treatment in esophageal carcinoma. However, concrete clinical data are still pending

Modified Whole-Mount In situ Hybridization Protocol for the Detection of Transgene Expression in Electroporated Chick Embryos

hybridization. hybridization (WISH).Here we describe a modification to the WISH protocol that is essential to prevent DNA cross-hybridization and to specifically detect transgene mRNA transcripts in electroporated embryos. Our optimized WISH procedure can be applied not only to electroporated chick embryos but also to other embryos or adult tissues that have been transfected with large amounts of reporter- or expression construct DNA

The B subunits of cholera and Escherichia coli heat-labile toxins enhance the immune responses in mice orally immunised with a recombinant live P-fimbrial vaccine for avian pathogenic E. coli

This study aimed to investigate the adjuvant effect of recombinant attenuated Salmonella expressing cholera toxin B subunit (CTB) and Escherichia coli heat-labile enterotoxin B subunit (LTB) for the P-fimbriae subunit-based vaccine of avian pathogenic E. coli (APEC) in a murine model. The PapA-specific sIgA and IgG responses were significantly enhanced after immunisation with the Salmonella-PapA vaccine in the presence of CTB or LTB. The group immunised with the Salmonella-LTB strain promoted Th1-type immunity, whereas that immunised with the Salmonella-CTB strain produced Th2-type immunity. We concluded that both Salmonella-CTB and -LTB strains can enhance the immune response to PapA, and that the LTB strain may be a more effective adjuvant for APEC vaccination, which requires higher Th1-type immunity for protection. Thus, our findings provide evidence that immunisation with an adjuvant, LTB, is one of the strategies of developing effective vaccines against P-fimbriated APEC

Secondary metabolites of the sponge-derived fungus Acremonium persicinum

This study reports the isolation and characterization of six new acremine metabolites, 5-chloroacremine A (4), 5-chloroacremine H (5), and acremines 0 (6), P (7), Q(8), and R (9), together with the known acremines A (1), F (2), and N (3) from the fungus Acremonium persicinum cultured from the marine sponge Anomoianthella rubra. The relative configuration of acremine F (2) was determined by analyses of proton coupling constant values and NOESY data, and the absolute configuration confirmed as (IS, 4S, 6R) by X-ray crystallographic analysis of the borate ester derivative 15. Acremines O, P, and R were each shown to be of 8R configuration by H-1 NMR analyses of MPA esters. The relative configurations suggested for acremines P and Q were each deduced by molecular modeling together with NOESY and coupling constant data. The (3)J(H-C) values in acremine P were measured using the pulse sequence EXSIDE, and the observed (3)J(H8-C4) of 5.4 Hz and small (3)J(H-C) values

Low-dose oral immunization with lyophilized tissue of herbicide-resistant lettuce expressing hepatitis B surface antigen for prototype plant-derived vaccine tablet formulation

Efficient immunization against hepatitis B virus (HBV) and other pathogens with plant-based oral vaccines requires appropriate plant expressors and the optimization of vaccine compositions and administration protocols. Previous immunization studies were mainly based on a combination of the injection of a small surface antigen of HBV (S-HBsAg) and the feeding with raw tissue containing the antigen, supplemented with an adjuvant, and coming from plants conferring resistance to kanamycin. The objective of this study was to develop a prototype oral vaccine formula suitable for human immunization. Herbicide-resistant lettuce was engineered, stably expressing through progeny generation micrograms of S-HBsAg per g of fresh weight and formed into virus-like particles (VLPs). Lyophilized tissue containing a relatively low, 100-ng VLP-assembled antigen dose, administered only orally to mice with a long, 60-day interval between prime and boost immunizations and without exogenous adjuvant, elicited mucosal and systemic humoral anti-HBs responses at the nominally protective level. Lyophilized tissue was converted into tablets, which preserved S-HBsAg content for at least one year of room temperature storage. The results of the study provide indications on immunization methodology using a durable, efficacious, and convenient plant-derived prototype oral vaccine against hepatitis B

Antimicrobial activity and bioactive compounds of portuguese wild edible mushrooms methanolic extracts

The antimicrobial properties of phenolic extracts of Portuguese wild edible mushroom species (Lactarius deliciosus, Sarcodon imbricatus and Tricholoma portentosum) against pathogens were investigated. The minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were evaluated for the entire mushroom, the cap and the stipe, separately; the portion of the mushroom used proved to be influenced in the results obtained, which are directly correlated with the content of total phenols and flavonoids in the extracts. The growth of Grampositive bacteria (Bacillus cereus, B. subtilis,) was well inhibited by these mushrooms, while Escherichia coli (Gramnegative bacteria) was resistant. The study on the antifungal effect of these mushrooms revealed that Candida albicans and Cryptococcus neoformans were differently inhibited for the mushrooms used