Pigment identification with optical coherence tomography and multispectral imaging

We describe a new method for non-invasive pigment identification by combining the spectral reflectance in the visible spectrum with near infrared OCT cross-section images of the subsurface layer structure

Comparison of AlphaLISA and RIA assays for measurement of wool cortisol concentrations

Radioimmunoassay (RIA) methods have always represented a technique of choice for the determination of steroids in biological samples. The Amplified Luminescent Proximity Homogenous Assay-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (AlphaLISA) is now emerging as the new-generation immunoassay technology that does not require washing/separation steps. The aim of this study was to adapt the Perkin-Elmer's AlphaLISA kit for wool cortisol and compare it with a RIA wool cortisol assay. Wool from lambs, 35 at birth (A0) and 54 at two months old (A2), was collected and each extract was evaluated for wool cortisol concentrations (HCC) both by RIA and AlphaLISA immunoassay. The two methods showed good precision, sensitivity and specificity for determining HCC. Both methods were able to detect significant differences between the high and the low HCC assessed in lambs at A0 and A2 (P < 0.01). The HCC assessed with RIA were significantly higher than those assessed with AlphaLISA (P < 0.01). Moreover, the correlation between HCC measured using the AlphaLISA and RIA methods was strong (r = 0.878). The regression analyses show a constant and not proportional error. This could be due to the diversity in the dosage steps and to the diversity of the molecules used in the two methods. Results support the validity of using AlphaLISA as an alternative method to RIA for the quantification of cortisol in sheep wool and considering the performances showed it has a great potential to be further applied as an excellent tool to evaluate HCC in samples derived from animal species

Effects of Alfaxalone or Propofol on Giant-Breed Dog Neonates Viability During Elective Caesarean Sections

Nowadays, thanks to the increased awareness of owners and breeders and to the most recent techniques available to veterinarians, the management of parturition, especially of C-sections, has become a topic of greater importance. Anesthesia is crucial and must be targeted to both the mother and neonates. The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of the induction agent alfaxalone on the vitality of puppies born from elective C-section, in comparison to propofol. After inducing general anesthesia for elective C-section, puppies from the mothers induced with alfaxalone had higher 5-min Apgar scores than those induced with propofol. The concentration of cortisol in fetal fluids collected at birth is neither influenced by the anesthetic protocol used, nor does it differ between amniotic and allantoic fluids. Nevertheless, the cortisol concentration in fetal fluids affects the relationship between anesthesia and the Apgar score: the present study highlights a significant relationship between the anesthetic protocol used and Apgar score in puppies, and fetal fluids cortisol concentration acts as a covariate of this relationship. Alfaxalone is a safe and effective drug for the induction of anesthesia in dogs, and it can be successfully employed for elective C-section, with neonatal wellbeing improvements

Effects of Phytogenic Feed Additive and Enzyme on Growth Performance of Broilers Fed Diets with Reduced Energy Concentrations

The effects of dietary supplementation with phytogenic feed additives (PFA) and enzyme (E) on performance parameters were investigated using Ross 308 as hatched broilers fed standard diets or diets with reduced energy concentrations. Birds were assigned to 5 treatments with 5 replications each and fed either a standard basal diet or a re-formulated basal diet with reduced energy concentrations. Reduction was made according to enzyme matrix (Ronozyme WX, DSM). Treatments were: (1) Standard diet; (2) Negative control (NC) – 4% reduction in ME (3) NC + E; (4) NC + PFA (5) NC + E + PFA. Body weight and feed consumption were recorded weekly. Mortality was recorded on daily basis. Foot pad lesions were scored at day 35 using scale from 0 (no lesion) to 2 (lesion extending through skin). The results showed that birds fed Negative control diets had a significantly lower body weights (P0.05). Mortality and FCR did not differ significantly between treatments. Average foot pad lesion score was the highest in Negative control (1.05) and the lowest in NC+E (0.55). In conclusion, re-formulation of diets for 4% energy reduction decreased broiler growth rate. Supplementation of diets with PFA improved live weight especially in combination with enzyme, hence confirming a growth-promoting effect of both phytogenics and enzymes in broilers

Hair and Claw Dehydroepiandrosterone Concentrations in Newborn Puppies Spontaneously Dead within 30 Days of Age

The latest intrauterine fetal developmental stage and the neonatal period represent the most challenging phases for mammalian offspring. Toward the term of pregnancy, during parturition, and after birth, the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis (HPA) is a key system regulating several physiologic processes, through the production of cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA). This study was aimed to assess DHEA concentrations in hair and claws of 126 spontaneously dead newborn puppies, classified as premature puppies (PRE-P), stillborn puppies (STILL-P) and puppies that died from the 1st to the 30th day of life (NEON-P). The possible influence of newborn sex, breed body size, and timing of death on DHEA concentrations in both matrices was evaluated. Claw DHEA concentrations were higher in the PRE-P group when compared to STILL-P and NEON-P puppies (p < 0.05), whilst no significant differences were found in hair for all the studied factors. The results confirm the hypothesis that higher amounts of DHEA are produced during the intrauterine life in dogs, also in puppies that will die soon after birth

How stressful is maternity? Study about cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate coat and claws concentrations in female dogs from mating to 60 days post-partum

In dogs, the phase from mating to the end of weaning lasts about 120 days and encompasses many aspects that, interacting, contribute to increase the allostatic load. The coat and claws, useful for long-term change assessments, have the advantage of being collectable without invasiveness. In the present study, the Cortisol (C) and Dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate (DHEA-S) concentration monthly changes in the coat and claws were studied in female dogs from mating to the end of weaning to assess Hypothalamic\u2013Pituitary\u2013Adrenal (HPA) axis activation during pregnancy and the post-partum period. The results from 15 Dobermann Pinscher female dogs showed a trend of increase of the coat C from mating to 60 days post-partum, with significant changes between mating and parturition-60 days post-partum (p < 0.01) and between the 30-day pregnancy diagnosis (PD) and 30\u201360 days post-partum (p < 0.05). The claws C trend showed significant increases between mating and 30\u201360 days post-partum (p < 0.05) and between the PD and 60 days post-partum (p < 0.01). DHEA-S in both matrices showed non-significant changes. The results suggest that maternity could play a pivotal role in the HPA axis activation, with a subsequent chronic secretion of C determining an increase in the allostatic load in the mothers. Neither maternal parity nor litter size played a significant role in the accumulation of C and DHEA-S in both matrices

Postnatal and postweaning endocrine setting in dairy calves through hair cortisol, dehydroepiandrosterone and dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate

Importance of the work: The care of calves on dairy farms between birth and weaning can improve their long-term development and growth. In fact, a poor newborn health status and a high allostatic load may adversely affect development in dairy cows. To determine cortisol, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEA-S) individually is useful for an understanding of the individual state, being biomarkers of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity. Objectives: As a preliminary study, to investigate the hair concentrations of cortisol, DHEA, DHEA-S and their ratios in dairy calves in two key periods of their growth characterized by considerable environmental changes. Materials & Methods: Hair sampling was conducted on clinically healthy dairy calves during the postnatal period at age 64.8±0.65 d (POP; mean±standard error; n = 73) and during the postweaning period at age 155.3±0.85 d (PWP, n = 62). The hair hormone concentrations were measured using a radioimmunoassay. Results: Hair cortisol concentrations were higher in the POP than in the PWP. Furthermore, the cortisol:DHEA and cortisol:DHEA-S ratios were higher in the first period of evaluation, showing a higher animal allostatic load at birth. Main finding: Identification was achieved non-invasively of calves with a high allostatic load through biomarkers of HPA axis activity. The evaluation of this activity is very important given its influence on many biological processes, such as energy balance, development of the reproductive system and immune response

Qualitative behaviour assessment in intensively and extensively reared lambs

Qualitative behaviour assessment (QBA, from the AWIN welfare assessment protocol for sheep) relies on the ability of humans to integrate perceived details of behaviour into descriptors with emotional connotation that can be scaled and added to other quantitative indicators. The complete AWIN protocol was performed in 14 groups (6 extensive, 2 semi-intensve and 6 intensive rearing system) of 15 young lambs (2 months of age) participating in the EcoLamb project (ERA-Net SusAn funded), which aims to holistically evaluate lamb production sustainability (meat quality, ecological footprint and animal welfare). Data on QBA (items were being scaled from 0 –absence- to 10 -all the animals fully expressed the evaluated item-), familiar approach and fleece quality tests were subjected to descriptive statistics analyses and showed herein. Extensively reared lambs scored higher in descriptors such as aggressive, defensive, physically uncomfortable or apathetic, whereas intensively reared lambs showed higher values in descriptors such as agitated and fearful but also in other as active, sociable, vigorous, subdued, calm, inquisitive and assertive. Semi-intensively reared lambs scored in between. All the animals ruminated to some extent (when observed), the quality of the fleece was always acceptable and no stereotypes were recorded. Minor lameness problems were observed in one extensive farm. Regarding familiar approach, all animals (except in one farm) voluntarily approached to human, despite a flight distance of 2 to 4 m was observed at the beginning. Although animal welfare is a real complex matter to be assessed, do animals from different rearing systems express different degree of positive emotional state?info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Hair Cortisol and DHEA-S in Foals and Mares as a Retrospective Picture of Feto-Maternal Relationship under Physiological and Pathological Conditions

Equine fetal hair starts to grow at around 270 days of pregnancy, and hair collected at birth reflects hormones of the last third of pregnancy. The study aimed to evaluate cortisol (CORT) and dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate (DHEA-S) concentrations and their ratio in the trichological matrix of foals and mares in relation to their clinical parameters; the clinical condition of the neonate (study 1); the housing place at parturition (study 2). In study 1, 107 mare-foal pairs were divided into healthy (group H; n = 56) and sick (group S; n = 51) foals, whereas in study 2, group H was divided into hospital (n = 30) and breeding farm (n = 26) parturition. Steroids from hair were measured using a solid-phase microtiter radioimmunoassay. In study 1, hair CORT concentrations measured in foals did not differ between groups and did not appear to be influenced by clinical parameters. A correlation between foal and mare hair CORT concentrations (p = 0.019; r = 0.312, group H; p = 0.006; r = 0.349, group S) and between CORT and DHEA-S concentrations in foals (p = 0.018; r = 0.282, group H; p &lt; 0.001; r = 0.44, group S) and mares (p = 0.006; r = 0.361, group H; p = 0.027; r = 0.271, group S) exists in both groups. Increased hair DHEA-S concentrations (p = 0.033) and decreased CORT/DHEA-S ratio (p &lt; 0.001) appear to be potential biomarkers of chronic stress in the final third of pregnancy, as well as a potential sign of resilience and allostatic load in sick foals, and deserve further attention in the evaluation of prenatal hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity in the equine species. In study 2, hormone concentrations in the hair of mares hospitalized for attended parturition did not differ from those that were foaled at the breeding farm. This result could be related to a too brief period of hospitalization to cause significant changes in steroid deposition in the mare’s hair

Analysis of 19 Minerals and Cortisol in Red Deer Hair in Two Different Areas of the Stelvio National Park: A Preliminary Study

The aim of the study was to perform an investigation on the concentration of 19 minerals and cortisol in red deer (Cervuselaphus) hair, a matrix that is easy to collect with non-invasive and painless sampling, able to represent an integrative values of long-term substance concentrations, and able to give useful information, also when performed on dead animals, given its extreme stability over time. In the study thirty-five animals were included, coming from two different sides of a valley in the Stelvio National Park, where official water analysis had pointed out elevated concentrations of As in one of the two orographic sides. Hair cortisol concentrations were measured using a RIA(Radio Immuno Assay), while minerals were detected using ICP-MS (Inductively Coupled Plasma- Mass Spectrometry). Results showed a negative relationship between cortisol and some mineral concentrations (Li, Co, As, Cd, Cr and Tl) and significant differences in some mineral concentrations between park areas (Al, Co, Cu, Cd and Ni). As, Cr and cortisol differences approached statistical significance. This preliminary study represents a step forward in the study of wildlife allostatic load and a valid method for applications in wildlife management programs, in environmental studies and in public health programs