The impact of the dietary supplement N- carbamylglutamate on the biochemical and morphological aspects of blood in lactating cows investigated

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of N- carbamylglutamate supplements on protein metabolism and nitrogen utilization in lactating cows. The findings revealed that the total protein level in the experimental group was significantly greater than in the control group (p<0.05), suggesting an improvement in dietary nitrogen utilization efficiency. Additionally, albumin levels were increased in the experimental group, indicating enhanced protein synthesis and utilization. Ammonia levels were significantly lower in the experimental group (p<0.05), demonstrating enhanced metabolic utilization of ammonia nitrogen. Urea levels were also lower in this group (p<0.05), implying increased use of endogenous urea for microbial protein production. Creatinine levels, on the other hand, were higher in the experimental group (p<0.05), reflecting an increased utilization of ammonia nitrogen in the synthesis of nitrogenous compound

Evaluation of myocardial damage in different types of rheumatoid arthritisduring disease-modifying antirheumatic drug or biological therapy (with infliximab)

Objective. To estimate the extent and pattern of myocardial damage in different types of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) during disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD) or biological therapy. Subjects and methods. Seventy-one patients with RA were examined; some of them received biological therapy with infliximab, while the others took DMARDs. A group of patients with incipient RA was also identified. B-type brain natriuretic peptide levels were estimated and electrocardiography, echocardiography (EchoCG), and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRT) using the contrast medium Dotarem were conducted in all the patients. The follow-up totaled 6 months. A control examination was made at the moment of randomization and 6 months posttreatment. Results. Tn the bulk of patients, the level of B-type brain natriuretic peptide did not differ from the reference values, however, its lower level was observed in the incipient RA group, which was associated with the absence of cardiovascular diseases and with a younger age group. There were no negative EchoCG changes in myocardial viability values. Cardiac MRT demonstrated that the majority of patients had the similar changes that failed to affect myocardial kinetics and ejection fraction. These changes were not found in incipient RA patients without cardiovascular diseases. No improvement in myocardial viability was recorded in the patients receiving the biological therapy. Conclusion. Thus, cardiac MRT showed the similar changes that failed to affect myocardial kinetics and ejection fraction in patients with RA during both methotrexate and infliximab therapy

Identification of endoplasmic reticulum stress response genes in homologous vs. heterologous asf infections in vitro

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is crucial for the production, processing and transport of proteins. Infection with pathogens activates Unfolded Protein Response (UPR), which can lead to their survival/replication or elimination from the body. Although little is known about the role of the ER stress response in the pathogenesis of viral infections, the regulation of ER stress may be important in intractable infectious diseases. We conducted a comparative analysis of the expression of genes involved in ER stress response in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from animals immunized with an attenuated strain of ASFV strain Congo-a (KK262) and then stimulated in vitro by two serologically different virulent strains Congo-v (K49) or Mozambique-v (M78), to expand our understanding of the early determinants of response to homologous and heterologous infection. We found up-regulation of genes of all three sensory molecules (PERK, ATF6 and IRE1) of UPR pathway in cells infected with only a homologous strain. For the first time, a number of up-regulated genes of the ER-associated degradation pathway (ERAD), which destroys misfolded proteins, were also detected. By understanding how viruses modify elements of cellular response to stress, we learn more about the pathogenesis, as well as how we can use it to prevent viral diseases

Growth Kinetics and Protective Efficacy of Attenuated ASFV Strain Congo with Deletion of the EP402 Gene

African swine fever (ASF) is an emerging disease threat to the swine industry worldwide. There is no vaccine against ASF, and progress is hindered by a lack of knowledge concerning the extent of ASFV strain diversity and the viral antigens conferring type-specific protective immunity in pigs. We have previously demonstrated that homologous ASFV serotype-specific proteins CD2v (EP402R) and/or C-type lectin are required for protection against challenge with the virulent ASFV strain Congo (Genotype I, Serogroup 2), and we have identified T-cell epitopes on CD2v which may be associated with serotype-specific protection. Here, using a cell-culture adapted derivative of the ASFV strain Congo (Congo-a) with specific deletion of the EP402R gene (ΔCongoCD2v) in swine vaccination/challenge experiments, we demonstrated that deletion of the EP402R gene results in the failure of ΔCongoCD2v to induce protection against challenge with the virulent strain Congo (Congo-v). While ΔCongoCD2v growth kinetics in COS-1 cells and primary swine macrophage culture were almost identical to parental Congo-a, replication of ΔCongoCD2v in vivo was significantly reduced compared with parental Congo-a. Our data support the idea that the CD2v protein is important for the ability of homologous live-attenuated vaccines to induce protective immunity against the ASFV strain Congo challenge in vivo

Deletion of the CD2 Gene in the Virulent ASFV Congo Strain Affects Viremia in Domestic Swine, but Not the Virulence

African swine fever (ASF) is an infectious disease that causes the most significant losses to the pig industry. One of the effective methods for combating this disease could be the development of vaccines. To date, experimental vaccines based on the use of live attenuated strains of the ASF virus (ASFV) obtained by the deletion of viral genes responsible for virulence are the most effective. Deletion of the EP402R gene encoding a CD2-like protein led to the attenuation of various strains of the ASFV, although the degree of attenuation varies among different isolates. Here we have shown that the deletion of the EP402R gene from the genome of a high-virulent Congo isolate did not change either the virulence of the virus or its ability to replicate in the swine macrophage cell cultures in vitro. However, in vivo, animals infected with ΔCongo-v_CD2v had a delay in the onset of the disease and viremia compared to animals infected with the parental strain. Thus, deletion of the CD2 gene in different isolates of the ASFV has a different effect on the virulence of the virus, depending on its genetic background

Methods of tilling under conditions of insufficient and unstable moistening during winter wheat cultivation

Acute deficit of soil moisture during the growing season of crops negatively affects the yield. Various tillage methods that are part of the technology (traditional and zero) of winter wheat cultivation affect the soil structure in the topsoil, forming the soil structure in such a way that it acquires the properties of accumulation and preservation of atmospheric moisture. Purpose of the study is to determine the method of soil cultivation that contributes into increase in winter wheat productivity and moisture preservation in the soil. The study of various tillage methods was carried out under the conditions of many years of stationary experience in leguminous crop rotation. Soil and climatic conditions over the years of research were taken into account. The researched processing methods that form the basis of the traditional cultivation technology and implement their tillage tools are: surface - disc harrow B7T; small combined unit KUM 4; dump plow PN5-35. And cultivation of winter wheat by seeder of direct sowing WINTERSTEIGER Plotseed according to zero technology was studied, i.e. the main tillage was absent

Comparison of Attenuated and Virulent Strains of African Swine Fever Virus Genotype I and Serogroup 2

African swine fever (ASF) is a contagious disease of pigs caused by the ASF virus (ASFV). The main problem in the field of ASF control is the lack of vaccines. Attempts to obtain vaccines by attenuating the ASFV on cultured cell lines led to the production of attenuated viruses, some of which provided protection against infection with a homologous virus. Here we report on the biological and genomic features of the attenuated Congo-a (KK262) virus compared to its virulent homologue Congo-v (K49). Our results showed differences in in vivo replication and virulence of Congo-a. However, the attenuation of the K49 virus did not affect its ability to replicate in vitro in the primary culture of pig macrophages. Complete genome sequencing of the attenuated KK262 strain revealed an 8,8 kb deletion in the left variable region of the genome compared to the virulent homologue K49. This deletion concerned five genes of MGF360 and three genes of MGF505. In addition, three inserts in the B602L gene, genetic changes in intergenic regions and missense mutations in eight genes were detected. The data obtained contribute to a better understanding of ASFV attenuation and identification of potential virulence genes for further development of effective vaccines

Immunobiological Characteristics of the Attenuated African Swine Fever Virus Strain Katanga-350

The African swine fever virus (ASFV) is the cause of a recent pandemic that is threatening the global pig industry. The virus infects domestic and wild pigs and manifests with a variety of clinical symptoms, depending on the strain. No commercial vaccine is currently available to protect animals from this virus, but some attenuated and recombinant live vaccine candidates might be effective against the disease. This article describes the immunobiological characteristics of one such candidate&mdash;the laboratory-attenuated ASFV strain, Katanga-350&mdash;which belongs to genotype I. In this study, we assessed clinical signs and post-mortem changes, the levels of viremia and the presence of viral DNA caused by injection of ASF virus strains Katanga-350, Lisbon-57, and Stavropol 08/01. Intramuscular injection of this strain protected 80% of pigs from a virulent strain of the same genotype and seroimmunotype (Lisbon-57). At least 50% of the surviving pigs received protection from subsequent intramuscular infection with a heterologous (genotype II, seroimmunotype VIII) virulent strain (Stavropol 08/01). Virus-specific antibodies were detectable in serum and saliva samples between 8&ndash;78 days after the first inoculation of the Katanga-350 strain (the observational period). The results suggested that this strain could serve as a basis for the development of a recombinant vaccine against ASF viruses belonging to seroimmunotype I