Influence of gender and age on haematological indicators of Polbar’s breed chickens

The aim of the study was to determine the values of selected haematological indices of the Polbar breed of chickens by gender and age. There was a significant WBC difference in cocks and hens with age. In each of the periods, cocks were characterized by a lower than hens number of LY. LY and NE declined with increasing age. Most values showed significant (P ≤ 0.05) differences for birds at different ages. These results of the haematological indices from consolidated Polbar breed can be used for comparisons with other breeds of poultry. The study deepens and organizes the knowledge within the possibilities of using and interpreting levels of haematological indicators for monitoring health of hens. In this paper, we managed to obtain information on the level of indicators rarely determined in chickens

Inhalacijsko trovanje palitoksinom iz akvarijskoga koralja – kratki pregled slučaja i sigurnosni savjeti

Palythoa spp. corals and some other marine organisms contain one of the most poisonous substances ever known – palytoxin (PTX). Due to their modest life requirements and ease of breeding, these corals are popular in home aquariums. Here we refer to a case of PTX poisoning of a middle-aged woman who inhaled poisonous vapours while brushing the corals from live rock and compare it with the available literature. As the case revealed that the symptoms of PTX poisoning are not specific and neither is treatment, our aim was to give a brief tabulated review of the symptoms that may indicate such poisoning. Cases of palytoxin poisoning have been reported worldwide, and severe ones (mostly due to ingestion of contaminated sea food) can end in death. As it appears, most (if not all) poisonings result from unawareness of the risk and reckless handling by aquarists. This is one of the first articles which provides some practical advice about the use of personal protection equipment, including gloves, masks, eyewear, and other clothing during any coral manipulation to minimise the risk. We also draw attention to the lack of marketing/trading regulations for dangerous coral species and/or regulations or instructions dealing with their removal and health protection.Koralji roda Palythoa spp. i neki drugi morski organizmi mogu sadržavati i jedan od najjačih otrova u prirodi – palitoksin (PTX). Budući da ti koralji nisu zahtjevni u pogledu održavanja i lako se razmnožavaju, postali su veoma popularni među vlasnicima kućnih akvarija. Ovdje kratko opisujemo jedan slučaj trovanja palitoksinom u sredovječne žene koja je udahnula otrovne pare četkajući koralj s kamena te ga uspoređujemo sa slučajevima iz literature. Ustanovili smo da trovanje palitoksinom nema specifične simptome, a ni liječenje nije specifično. Stoga donosimo tablični pregled simptoma koji mogu upozoravati na takvo trovanje. Slučajevi trovanja zabilježeni su diljem svijeta, a oni teški (uglavnom zbog konzumacije otrovane morske hrane) mogu biti smrtonosni. Većina (ako ne i svi) slučajeva trovanja posljedica je nepoznavanja rizika i nepažljiva rukovanja akvarijem. Ovo je jedan od prvih članaka u kojemu su dani i neki praktični savjeti za smanjenje rizika: od uporabe zaštitne opreme (rukavica, maski i naočala) do drugih zaštitnih mjera tijekom rukovanja koraljima. Njime također želimo upozoriti na nedostatak zakonske regulative kojom bi se definirala ili zabranila trgovina opasnim vrstama koralja odnosno njihovo uklanjanje i zaštita zdravlja

The CRISPR/Cas9 system sheds new lights on the biology of protozoan parasites

The CRISPR/Cas9 system, a natural defence system of bacterial organisms, has recently been used to modify genomes of the most important protozoa parasites. Successful genome manipulations with the CRISPR/Cas9 system are changing the present view of genetics in parasitology. The application of this system offers a major chance to overcome the current restriction in culturing, maintaining and analysing protozoan parasites, and allows dynamic analysis of parasite genes functions, leading to a better understanding of pathogenesis. CRISPR/Cas9 system will have a significant influence on the process of developing novel drugs and treatment strategies against protozoa parasites

ATR-FTIR-based fingerprinting of some Cucurbitaceae extracts: a preliminary study

The attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) fingerprinting of some selected cucurbits was performed on three types of seed extracts (alcoholic, cold-water, and hot-water) in order to elaborate a characteristic FTIR profile of their family representatives and to determine their biochemical content. Cluster analysis and principal component analysis were performed on Cucumis melo subsp. melo var. inodorus, Cucurbita pepo, C. maxima, C. pepo var. cylindrica, C. maxima subsp. maxima convar. maxima ‘Hokkaido’ to determine the similarities between their seed extracts. The ethanol extract of the C. pepo seeds was different from the other seed extracts because in addition to esters, it contained free fatty acids, which could influence its pharmacological activity. The main variable differentiating the extracts was the absorption band at 2,920–2,925 cm−1, which represented saturated fatty acids. The obtained results were analyzed by various statistical tools to evaluate the fingerprints of the selected species of cucurbits

Zoonotic Virus Seroprevalence among Bank Voles, Poland, 2002-2010

Bank voles in Poland are reservoirs of zoonotic viruses. To determine seroprevalence of hantavirus, arenavirus, and cowpox virus and factors affecting seroprevalence, we screened for antibodies against these viruses over 9 years. Cowpox virus was most prevalent and affected by extrinsic and intrinsic factors. Long-term and multisite surveillance is crucial.Non peer reviewe

Reproductive potential accelerates preimaginal development of rebel workers in Apis mellifera

SIMPLE SUMMARY: All female honeybee larvae may develop into workers or queens, depending on the food they receive. During this period, queen mandibular pheromones (QMP) perform a regulatory function in inhibiting ovarian development in adult workers. These pheromones are transmitted (via trophallaxis) by workers to pass information to larvae on the presence or absence of the queen. Queen-less conditions are conducive to the emergence of rebel workers that are set to reproduce, and do not participate in the rearing of successive bee generations in contrast to the sterile, normal workers. We posited that rebels are not only similar to queens in some anatomical features, but also develop in a shorter time in comparison to normal workers. Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare the duration of preimaginal development in rebel and normal workers. Our results confirmed that the workers who develop in a queen-less colony undergo a shorter preimaginal development than those in a queen-right colony. ABSTRACT: Rebel workers develop from eggs laid by the previous queen, before it went swarming and left the colony orphaned, until the emergence of a new queen. In contrast to normal workers developing in the queen’s presence, rebels are set to reproduce and avoid rearing of successive bee generations. They have more ovarioles in their ovaries, as well as more developed mandibular glands and underdeveloped hypopharyngeal glands, just like the queen. We posited that rebels are not only similar to queens in some anatomical features, but also develop in a shorter time in comparison to normal workers. Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare preimaginal development duration in rebel and normal workers. The results show that rebels, i.e., workers with a higher reproductive potential, had a significantly shorter preimaginal development period (mean ± SD, 19.24 ± 0.07 days) than normal workers (22.29 ± 0.32 days). Our result confirmed that workers who develop in a queen-less colony undergo a shorter preimaginal development than those in a queen-right colony

Cannabidiol (CBD) Supports the Honeybee Worker Organism by Activating the Antioxidant System

In the experiment, we tested the effect of 30% CBD oil on the activity of the antioxidant system (superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione), the level of total antioxidant capacity, and the concentrations of ions (calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus) in honeybee workers in the hive test. For this purpose, we prepared hives containing all stages of the development of honey bees and started the experiment by adding 200 marked, one-day old bees to each colony (intended for hemolymph collection). In the test, we created three groups (two colonies per group): (1) Experimental with CBD oil mixed with sugar syrup (CSy); (2) experimental with CBD oil on textile strips (CSt); and (3) control with pure sugar syrup only (C). Every week, we collected hemolymph from the marked bees. In the experiment, all antioxidant enzyme activities were higher for the experimental groups CSy and CSt compared to group C. The highest concentrations/levels were obtained for the CSy group. Concentrations of calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus ions were also higher for the experimental groups compared to the C group (the highest concentration for the CSy group). We conclude that CBD oil positively contributes to stimulating the antioxidant system of honeybees