Physicochemical parameters and antibiotics residuals in Algerian honey

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the quality of 36 samples of different honey type supplied by local producers from Algeria in order to verify its compliance with the standards of Codex Alimentarius and  European Union (EU). For that, five physicochemical parameters were  analyzed using the HPLC method: hydroxyl-methyl furfural (HMF), sugars, diastase activity and search of antibiotic contamination with streptomycin and tetracycline. The physicochemical analyses of the Algerian honeys show that 56% of samples correspond to Codex standards and 44% not in  conformity with the standards required by the Codex Alimentarius and EU, because part of the samples had one or more defects. The percentage not in conformity was due to the high rates of hydroxyl-methyl furfural, sucroseand also to the low enzyme level. Analysis performed by the laboratory to detect residues of tetracycline and streptomycin in honey have revealed insignificant traces of oxytetracycline in two samples of honey (0.03 ppb). From the present study, it is observed that the Algerian honey samples is not completely in agreement with the requirements of international honey standards which could be caused by inappropriate actions during processing and storage steps.Key words: Honey quality, sugar, diastase activity, hydroxymethylfurfural, antibiotic residues

Detection of replicative Kashmir Bee Virus and Black Queen Cell Virus in Asian hornet Vespa velutina (Lepelieter 1836) in Italy

Information concerning the pathogenic role of honey bee viruses in invasive species are still scarce. The aim of this investigation was to assess the presence of several honey bee viruses, such as Black Queen Cell Virus (BQCV), Kashmir Bee Virus (KBV), Slow Paralysis Virus (SPV), Sac Brood Virus (SBV), Israeli Acute Paralysis Virus (IAPV), Acute Bee Paralysis Virus (ABPV), Chronic Bee Paralysis Virus (CBPV), in Vespa velutina specimens collected in Italy during 2017. Results of this investigation indicate that among pathogens, replicative form of KBV and BQCV were detected, assessing the spillover effect of both these viruses from managed honey bees to hornets

Results of international standardised beekeeper surveys of colony losses for winter 2012-2013 : analysis of winter loss rates and mixed effects modelling of risk factors for winter loss.

This article presents results of an analysis of winter losses of honey bee colonies from 19 mainly European countries, most of which implemented the standardised 2013 COLOSS questionnaire. Generalised linear mixed effects models (GLMMs) were used to investigate the effects of several factors on the risk of colony loss, including different treatments for Varroa destructor, allowing for random effects of beekeeper and region. Both winter and summer treatments were considered, and the most common combinations of treatment and timing were used to define treatment factor levels. Overall and within country colony loss rates are presented. Significant factors in the model were found to be: percentage of young queens in the colonies before winter, extent of queen problems in summer, treatment of the varroa mite, and access by foraging honey bees to oilseed rape and maize. Spatial variation at the beekeeper level is shown across geographical regions using random effects from the fitted models, both before and after allowing for the effect of the significant terms in the model. This spatial variation is considerable

An epidemiologic calculator supporting spanish speaking veterinarians in a resource-limited computing environment

Statistical analysis is fundamental to the field of epidemiologic research. However, commercial statistical software packages are very expensive for personal use. Some free packages are available from the Internet, but researchers do not always have access to a computer for installing such software as they like. The authors developed an epidemiologic calculator, enabling sample size calculations as well as simple analyses, for Spanish speaking veterinarians in a resource-limited computing environment. There are at least four advantages to using the calculator, such as (1) no installation required, (2) no on-line connection required during the calculation process, (3) the open-source attitude, and (4) the publicdomain attitude.El análisis estadístico es fundamental en el campo de la investigación epidemiológica. De todas maneras, el software comercial para análisis estadístico es demasiado caro para un uso personal. Algunos programas gratuitos se consiguen en Internet, pero los investigadores no siempre tienen acceso a una computadora para instalar dicho software como quisieran. Los autores desarrollaron un Calculador Epidemiológico, permitiendo cálculos de tamaño muestral, así como análisis simples, para veterinarios hispano parlantes en un ambiente informático de recursos limitados. Tenemos entonces, al menos, cuatro ventajas por el uso del Calculador: (1) No se necesita instalación, (2) No se requiere conexión a la red durante el proceso de cálculo, (3) Una actitud de código abierto, además de, (4) Una actitud que proponga el dominio público

Calculador epidemiológico que acepta veterinarios hispanoparlantes en un ambiente informático de recursos limitados

El análisis estadístico es fundamental en el campo de la investigación epidemiológica. De todas maneras, el software comercial para análisis estadístico es demasiado caro para un uso personal. Algunos programas gratuitos se consiguen en Internet, pero los investigadores no siempre tienen acceso a una computadora para instalar dicho software como quisieran. Los autores desarrollaron un Calculador Epidemiológico, permitiendo cálculos de tamaño muestral, así como análisis simples, para veterinarios hispano parlantes en un ambiente informático de recursos limitados. Tenemos entonces, al menos, cuatro ventajas por el uso del Calculador: (1) No se necesita instalación, (2) No se requiere conexión a la red durante el proceso de cálculo, (3) Una actitud de código abierto, además de, (4) Una actitud que proponga el dominio público.Statistical analysis is fundamental to the field of epidemiologic research. However, commercial statistical software packages are very expensive for personal use. Some free packages are available from the Internet, but researchers do not always have access to a computer for installing such software as they like. The authors developed an epidemiologic calculator, enabling sample size calculations as well as simple analyses, for Spanish speaking veterinarians in a resource-limited computing environment. There are at least four advantages to using the calculator, such as (1) no installation required, (2) no on-line connection required during the calculation process, (3) the open-source attitude, and (4) the publicdomain attitude.Facultad de Ciencias Veterinaria

Global gene expression analysis of Canine cutaneous mast cell tumor: Could molecular profiling be useful for subtype classification and prognostication?

Prognosis and therapeutic management of dogs with cutaneous mast cell tumors (MCTs) depend on clinical stage and histological grade. However, the prognostic value of this latter is still questionable. In the present study, MCT transcriptome was analyzed to identify a set of candidate genes potentially useful for predicting the biological behavior of MCTs. Fifty-one canine MCT biopsies were analyzed. Isolated and purified total RNAs were individually hybridized to the Agilent Canine V2 4x44k DNA microarray. The comparison of reference differentiated and undifferentiated MCT transcriptome revealed a total of 597 differentially expressed genes (147 down-regulated and 450 up-regulated). The functional analysis of this set of genes provided evidence that they were mainly involved in cell cycle, DNA replication, p53 signaling pathway, nucleotide excision repair and pyrimidine metabolism. Class prediction analysis identified 13 transcripts providing the greatest accuracy of class prediction and divided samples into two categories (differentiated and undifferentiated), harboring a different prognosis. The Principal Component Analysis of all samples, made by using the selected 13 markers, confirmed MCT classification. The first three components accounted for 99.924% of the total variance. This molecular classification significantly correlated with survival time (p = 0.0026). Furthermore, among all marker genes, a significant association was found between mRNA expression and MCT-related mortality for FOXM1, GSN, FEN1 and KPNA2 (p<0.05). Finally, marker genes mRNA expression was evaluated in a cohort of 22 independent samples. Data obtained enabled to identify MCT cases with different prognosis. Overall, the molecular characterization of canine MCT transcriptome allowed the identification of a set of 13 transcripts that clearly separated differentiated from undifferentiated MCTs, thus predicting outcome regardless of the histological grade. These results may have clinical relevance and warrant future validation in a prospective study

Managed honey bee colony losses in Canada, China, Europe, Israel and Turkey, for the winters of 2008-9 and 1009-10

In 2008 the COLOSS network was formed by honey bee experts from Europe and the USA. The primary objectives set by this scientific network were to explain and to prevent large scale losses of honey bee (Apis mellifera) colonies. In June 2008 COLOSS obtained four years support from the European Union from COST and was designated as COST Action FA0803 – COLOSS (Prevention of honey bee COlony LOSSes). To enable the comparison of loss data between participating countries, a standardized COLOSS questionnaire was developed. Using this questionnaire information on honey bee losses has been collected over two years. Survey data presented in this study were gathered in 2009 from 12 countries and in 2010 from 24 countries. Mean honey bee losses in Europe varied widely, between 7-22% over the 2008-9 winter and between 7-30% over the 2009-10 winter. An important finding is that for all countries which participated in 2008-9, winter losses in 2009-10 were found to be substantially higher. In 2009-10, winter losses in South East Europe were at such a low level that the factors causing the losses in other parts of Europe were absent, or at a level which did not affect colony survival. The five provinces of China, which were included in 2009-10, showed very low mean (4%) A. mellifera winter losses. In six Canadian provinces, mean winter losses in 2010 varied between 16-25%, losses in Nova Scotia (40%) being exceptionally high. In most countries and in both monitoring years, hobbyist beekeepers (1-50 colonies) experienced higher losses than practitioners with intermediate beekeeping operations (51-500 colonies). This relationship between scale of beekeeping and extent of losses effect was also observed in 2009-10, but was less pronounced. In Belgium, Italy, the Netherlands and Poland, 2008-9 mean winter losses for beekeepers who reported ‘disappeared’ colonies were significantly higher compared to mean winter losses of beekeepers who did not report ‘disappeared’ colonies. Mean 2008-9 winter losses for those beekeepers in the Netherlands who reported symptoms similar to “Colony Collapse Disorder” (CCD), namely: 1. no dead bees in or surrounding the hive while; 2. capped brood was present, were significantly higher than mean winter losses for those beekeepers who reported ‘disappeared’ colonies without the presence of capped brood in the empty hives. In the winter of 2009-10 in the majority of participating countries, beekeepers who reported ‘disappeared’ colonies experienced higher winter losses compared with beekeepers, who experienced winter losses but did not report ‘disappeared’ colonies

Calculador epidemiológico que acepta veterinarios hispanoparlantes en un ambiente informático de recursos limitados

El análisis estadístico es fundamental en el campo de la investigación epidemiológica. De todas maneras, el software comercial para análisis estadístico es demasiado caro para un uso personal. Algunos programas gratuitos se consiguen en Internet, pero los investigadores no siempre tienen acceso a una computadora para instalar dicho software como quisieran. Los autores desarrollaron un Calculador Epidemiológico, permitiendo cálculos de tamaño muestral, así como análisis simples, para veterinarios hispano parlantes en un ambiente informático de recursos limitados. Tenemos entonces, al menos, cuatro ventajas por el uso del Calculador: (1) No se necesita instalación, (2) No se requiere conexión a la red durante el proceso de cálculo, (3) Una actitud de código abierto, además de, (4) Una actitud que proponga el dominio público.Statistical analysis is fundamental to the field of epidemiologic research. However, commercial statistical software packages are very expensive for personal use. Some free packages are available from the Internet, but researchers do not always have access to a computer for installing such software as they like. The authors developed an epidemiologic calculator, enabling sample size calculations as well as simple analyses, for Spanish speaking veterinarians in a resource-limited computing environment. There are at least four advantages to using the calculator, such as (1) no installation required, (2) no on-line connection required during the calculation process, (3) the open-source attitude, and (4) the publicdomain attitude.Facultad de Ciencias Veterinaria

Case Report Balanced Anaesthetic Approach in a Late-Term Gravid Cow Undergoing Metacarpal Fracture Repair

An 800 kg Swiss cow, eighth months gravid, was presented for anaesthesia to repair metacarpal fracture. The cow was premedicated with intravenous isoxsuprine, butorphanol, ketoprofen, and xylazine IM and induced with ketamine and diazepam IV. In lateral recumbency, the trachea was intubated, and isoflurane in oxygen and air was administered. Despite a ring block with lidocaine, purposeful movement happened, and xylazine 0.02 mg kg −1 h −1 and ketamine 0.6 mg kg −1 h −1 constant rate infusion was started. During anaesthesia, slight hypercapnia and hypoxaemia developed. Total time of xylazine and ketamine infusion was 3.5 hours. Total anaesthesia time was 4.5 hours. For recovery of anaesthesia, isoflurane was discontinued, and in sternal recumbency, the trachea was extubated when the cow swallowed. Paralysis of the left radial nerve occurred, and the cow was supported to stand up after 2 hours. The radial nerve paralysis resolved within three days. A healthy calf was born at term. This is the first paper that describes the successful use of adjunctive xylazine and ketamine infusion to isoflurane anaesthesia in a late-term gravid cow undergoing fracture repair during 4.5 hours