Action of Extracellular Proteases of Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus ochraceus Micromycetes on Plasma Hemostasis Proteins

In this study, we investigated the properties of proteolytic enzymes of two species of Aspergillus, Aspergillus flavus 1 (with a high degree of pathogenicity) and Aspergillus ochraceus L-1 (a conditional pathogen), and their effects on various components of the hemostasis system (in vitro) in the case of their penetration into the bloodstream. We showed that micromycete proteases were highly active in cleaving both globular (albuminolysis) and fibrillar (fibrin) proteins, and, to varying degrees, they could coagulate the plasma of humans and animals (due to proteolysis of factors of the blood coagulation cascade) but were not able to coagulate fibrinogen. The proteases of both Aspergillus fully hydrolyzed thrombi in 120–180 min. Micromycetes did not show hemolytic activity but were able to break down hemoglobin

State of humoral immunity in lactating sows and suckling piglets

The state of humoral immunity in lactating sows and its formation in suckling piglets in the conditions of a pig-breeding complex were studied. In sows after farrow, a high content of total immunoglobulins, the main classes of IgG, IgM and IgA, the concentration of which decreased in a day, followed by an increase in serum as lactation continued was detected in the serum and colostrum. In piglets at birth, the content of total immunoglobulins and the main Ig isotypes was insignificant, and at the age of twenty-four hours, as a result of absorption of colostral immunoglobulins in the small intestine, their amount in the serum was the highest, followed by a decrease in the concentration of IgG and IgA until the end of the suckling period, and IgM - up to day 14 with a further increase in its content, indicating the formation of a primary immune response. It has been detected that the dominant class of immunoglobulins in the serum and colostrum of sows and the serum of piglets is IgG, and in milk - IgA. An increase in the level of medium-dispersed circulating immune complexes (C4%) and their relation to giant (C3%) CICs was revealed, associated with an increase of the antigenic load in sows in the second half of lactation as a result of immunization, in milk - with a decrease in the content of the main classes of immunoglobulins, and in piglets, due to this, with a decrease in passive immunity

Biological Processing of Renewable Raw Materials Resources with Regard to the Environmental and Technological Criteria

The research was devoted to studying the influence of the Tamir biological product in the loose deep-litter keeping of the cattle on the indicators of rearing stock live weight, average daily weight gain, and withdrawal of replacement heifers, cows, and first-calf heifers due to the limb diseases. The study was performed at the stud farm for breeding the black-motley breed of the Integrated Agricultural Production Company (collective farm) Udmurtia in the Vavozhsky district of the Udmurtian Republic in the period from 2013 to October 2018. The report on animals culling from the main herd, and reports on animals weighing have shown that in 2013–2014, before the use of the biological product, the number of heifers withdrawn from the herd at the age of 10–12 months was 12 (in 2013), or 1.4%, and 13 (in 2014), or 1.4%; at the age from 12 to 18 months – nine (2013), or 1.1%, and 12 (2014), or 1.3%; at the age of 18 months and older – three (2013), or 0.6%, and eight (2014), or 0.5% of the total number in the age groups of the animals. In 2015–2017, i.e., after the use of the biological product, the number of heifers withdrawn from the herd at the age of 10–12 months was nine (1.1%), six (0.6%), and seven (0.6%); at the age of 12–18 months – seven (0.8%), five (0.5%), and three (0.3%); at age 18 months and older – two (0.2%), two (0.2%), and one (0.01%) of the total number in the age groups of the animals. Withdrawal of rearing stock due to limbs diseases was also analyzed. While before the use of the biological product, in 2013–2014, 26 animals, or 3.0% (2013) and 33 animals, or 3.5% (in 2014) had been withdrawn from the herd, after the use of the biological products in 2015–2017, this figure dropped to 18 animals, or 2.2% in 2015, 13 animals, or 1.2% in 2016, and 11 animals, or 1.0% in 2017. Thus, the percentage of the withdrawn heifers after the use of the biological product decreased from 3.0–3.5% to 1.0–2.2%, or almost three times. Analysis of the average daily weight gain by young animals in all age periods has shown that after the use of the biological product, the average daily weight gain increased, compared to the period before its use, which confirms the growth of this indicator. The live weight of the replacement heifers at first insemination before the use of the product amounted to 382–381 kg, and in 2015–2017, after the use of the product, it amounted to 385–388–390 kg, which also indicated the positive effect of the product on the growth. The percentage of the cows withdrawn from the main herd after the use of the biological product reduced from 10.3–15.4% to 5.8–6.1%, i.e., by 4.5–9.3%; of first-calf heifers – from 11.0–17.1% to 3.4–7.1%, i.e., by 7.6–10.0%, by the years of withdrawal, respectively. After processing the manure with the Tamir biological product, the fraction of manure became solid (crumbly) and lost the smell. Thus, the use of the Tamir biological product in the technology of loose keeping of cattle on deep litter increased the daily weight gain in heifers and their live weight at first insemination, and reduced the share of low-productive cows and first-calf heifers, as well as the incidence rate of limb diseases

Bacterial Cellulose-Based Nanocomposites Containing Ceria and Their Use in the Process of Stem Cell Proliferation

A technique for the fabrication of bacterial cellulose-based films with CeO2 nanofiller has been developed. The structural and morphological characteristics of the materials have been studied, their thermal and mechanical properties in dry and swollen states having been determined. The preparation methodology makes it possible to obtain composites with a uniform distribution of nanoparticles. The catalytic effect of ceria, regarding the thermal oxidative destruction of cellulose, has been confirmed by TGA and DTA methods. An increase in CeO2 content led to an increase in the elastic modulus (a 1.27-fold increase caused by the introduction of 5 wt.% of the nanofiller into the polymer) and strength of the films. This effect is explained by the formation of additional links between polymer macro-chains via the nanoparticles’ surface. The materials fabricated were characterized by a limited ability to swell in water. Swelling caused a 20- to 30-fold reduction in the stiffness of the material, the mechanical properties of the films in a swollen state remaining germane to their practical use. The application of the composite films in cell engineering as substrates for the stem cells’ proliferation has been studied. The increase in CeO2 content in the films enhanced the proliferative activity of embryonic mouse stem cells. The cells cultured on the scaffold containing 5 wt.% of ceria demonstrated increased cell survival and migration activity. An analysis of gene expression confirmed improved cultivation conditions on CeO2-containing scaffolds