Identification of neuropeptide Y in superior cervical ganglion neurons that project to the oesophagus – A combined immunohistochemical labelling and retrograde tracing study in pigs

Neuropeptide Y (NPY) is a neuronal active substance taking part in the regulation of gastrointestinal (GI) tract activity. This study used retrograde neuronal tracing and immunofluorescence methods to analyse NPY-positive neurons located in superior cervical ganglion and supplying the cervical oesophagus in the pig. The presence of NPY was observed in 30% of all neurons supplying the part of oesophagus studied. Probably the number of Fast Blue (FB) positive cells depends on the area of the wall injected with FB and the fragment of oesophagus studied. Therefore, the obtained results indicate that the described peptide is an important factor in the extrinsic innervation of this part of the GI tract

Činitelji rizika i prevalencija supkliničke ketoze u mliječnih krava u Hrvatskoj

The purpose of this study was to assess the risks or associations between the prevalence of subclinical ketosis (SCK) and some periparturient diseases in Holstein cows, by determining beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHBA) serum levels using a Precision Xceed® BHBA meter (Abbott, USA) or spectrophotometer, and to evaluate the reproductive performance of cows positive for SCK. The study was conducted on 841 cows, from 107 randomly selected farms, aged 2-8 years, divided into two groups: positive (POS = BHBA level≥1200 μmol/L), with clinical or SCK, and a negative (control) group (NEG = BHBA level<1200 μmol/L). Blood samples were collected from lactating cows in the period between 1-15 days after parturition. There was a positive correlation (r = 0.99; P<0.0001) between BHBA determined spectrophotometrically and by using Precision meter. The correlation between BHBA concentration and milk yield (total lactation) was not significant (r = 0.04; P = 0.26). The POS group of cows had a significantly higher mean lactation yield (P<0.001) than the NEG group of cows (7076 kg vs. 6409 kg). The cows in the NEG group had a significantly shorter period of median days open to pregnancy (MDOP) compared to the POS group (124 vs. 138; P<0.0001). The hazard ratio (HR) for days open to pregnancy (DOP) in the POS group of cows was 0.66 (P<0.0001). The results showed that multiparous cows had 1.41 times more chance of being affected with SCK than primiparous cows. The prevalence of SCK was 15.8% in Holstein cows from central, northern, northwestern and eastern parts of Croatia. About 55.6% of the cows with SCK were affected by some of the observed periparturient diseases (relative risk was 1.91; P = 0.001).Svrha ovog istraživanja bila je procijeniti rizike ili povezanost između prevalencije supkliničke ketoze (SKK) i nekih peripartalnih bolesti u krava holštajnske pasmine, određivanjem serumske razine beta-hidroksibutirata (BHBA) s pomoću elektroničkog uređaja Precision Xceed® BHBA device (Abbott, SAD) ili spektrofotometrijski te vrednovati reprodukcijska obilježja u krava pozitivnih na SKK. Istraživanje je provedeno na 841 kravi s nasumično odabranih 107 farmi, u dobi od 2 do 8 godina, podijeljenih u dvije skupine: pozitivne (POZ = BHBA razina ≥1200 μmol/L), s kliničkom ili SKK te negativnu (kontrolnu) skupinu (NEG = BHBA razina <1200 μmol/L). Uzorci krvi su prikupljani od krava u laktaciji tijekom razdoblja od 1. do 15. dana nakon teljenja. Ustanovljena je pozitivna korelacija (r = 0,99; P<0,0001) razine BHBA određene spektrofotometrijski ili pomoću elektroničkog uređaja Precision Xceed (Abbot, SAD). Korelacija između koncentracije BHBA i proizvodnje mlijeka (ukupne laktacije) nije bila značajna (r = 0,04; P = 0,26). POZ skupina krava imala je značajno višu prosječnu proizvodnju mlijeka (P<0,001) od NEG skupine krava (7076 kg vs. 6409 kg). Krave iz NEG skupine imale su značajno kraće razdoblje medijan dana do koncepije u usporedbi s POZ skupinom krava (124 vs. 138; P<0,0001). Omjer rizika za dane do koncepcije u krava iz POZ iznosio je 0,66 (P<0,0001). Rezultati ovog istraživanja su pokazali da su multiparne krave imale 1,41 puta veću vjerojatnost oboljeti od SKK nego primiparne krave. Prevalencija SKK u krava holštajnske pasmine u središnjim, sjevernim, sjeverozapadnim i istočnim dijelovima Hrvatske iznosila je 15,8%. Oko 55,6% krava sa SKK oboljelo je od nekih praćenih peripartalnih bolesti (relativni rizik je iznosio 1,91; P = 0,001

Intrauterino liječenje puerperalnih poremećaja domaćih preživača ozonom - pregledni članak

In the fight against infectious diseases, with the combined efforts of basic and clinical veterinary scientists, practitioners and domestic animal producers, antimicrobials of natural origin will bring to veterinary medicine the same type of curative revolution as antibiotics did. To realize the main objective of animal husbandry, in diminishing negative economic trends, it is necessary to introduce contemporary management to reproduction. Amongst the numerous preventive measures in use in practice, it is also important to use alternative preparations such as ozone, which has germicidal and fungicidal activities. Ozone is frequently used within the field of veterinary medicine for prophylaxis/treatment of pathological conditions of the genital system in domestic ruminants, such as retained fetal membranes, clinical metritis/endometritis, and improvement of fertility, according to some previous studies. The advantages of ozone in comparison to antibiotics are usage without prescription, low medication costs, lack of bacterial resistance, and the absence of residues in animal products. However, ozone is frequently but still insufficiently used in veterinary practice, particularly in buiatrics. More recently, it has exhibited very promising results in treatment of puerperal disorders in cows, goats and sheep as an alternative to the use of antibiotics, which are restricted and/or being gradually withdrawn in production of food animals in the EU.Zajedničkim naporima temeljnih i kliničkih veterinarskih znanstvenika i stručnjaka te uzgajivača domaćih životinja, protumikrobni lijekovi prirodnog podrijetla unijet će u veterinarsku medicinu isti oblik terapijske revolucije kakav se danas pripisuje antibioticima u borbi protiv zaraznih bolesti. To je od posebne važnosti u reprodukcijskom managementu u govedarstvu gdje je ozon rabljen kao alternativa antibioticima zbog svoje germicidne i fungicidne djelotvornosti. U veterinarskoj medicini ozon je najčešće rabljen za profilaksu i terapiju patoloških stanja spolnog sustava domaćih preživača, kao što su zaostajanje posteljice, klinički metritis i endometritis te za unapređivanje plodnosti prema navodima nekih prethodnih istraživanja. Prednosti ozona u usporedbi s antibioticima su: uporaba bez recepta, niski troškovi liječenja, izostajanje bakterijske rezistencije te odsutnost rezidua u animalnim proizvodima. Može se zaključiti da je ozon često rabljen u veterinarskoj praksi posebice u bujatrici, ali još uvijek nedostatno. Naime, pokazao je vrlo obećavajuće rezultate u liječenju puerperalnih poremećaja u krava, koza i ovaca kao alternativa uporabi antibiotika, čija je primjena ograničena ili zabranjena u proizvodnji konzumnih životinja

Nebulization as complementary therapy for dogs with respiratory tract infections

Respiratory tract infections in dogs pose a significant problem and often require prolonged treatment. The effectiveness of pharmacological therapy can be improved through the administration of nebulized compounds to liquidize mucus and promote its evacuation from the respiratory tract. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of nebulized 0.9% NaCl in dogs with respiratory tract infections. Respiratory functions were assessed based on the results of arterial blood gas analyses, and the patients&rsquo; clinical status was determined by evaluating the severity of symptoms on a point grading scale. Inhalation of nebulized 0.9% NaCl significantly accelerated improvement in the patents&rsquo; clinical status (normalization of body temperature, decreased cough frequency, decrease/elimination of nasal and ocular discharge, improved appetite) and improved pulmonary gas exchange by reducing partial pressure and total content of carbon dioxide and increasing partial pressure and total content of oxygen in blood

MODULATION OF SYSTEMIC INNATE AND ADAPTIVE IMMUNE PARAMETERS IN WEANED PIGS BY SINGLE ORAL APPLICATION OF IMMUNOBIOTICS

The aims of this study were to evaluate the effects of peroral treatment of 4-week old pigs at weaning (Day 0) with a single dose of levamisole (LEVA) or polyoxyethyle-polyoxypropylene (POE-POP), well known immunobiotics (IBC) and promising alternatives to dietary antibiotic growth promoters (AGP), on systemic innate and adaptive immunity by determining phagocytosis (PHC) and microbicidity (MBC) efficiency of their monocytes (MO) and granulocytes (GR), changes of serum C-reactive protein (CRP) and haptoglobin (HpG) profiles and kinetics of CD4+ CD8+ T cells expression during 5 weeks following the treatments. Levels of CRP were decreased by either POE-POP or LEVA (P<0.05) at Day 7 and 21, respectively. LEVA-treated pigs had increased levels of HpG (P<0.05) at Day 14 and 21, whereas POE-POP-treated pigs had decreased and increased levels (P<0.05) at Day 7 and 21, respectively. Both IBC stimulated in vitro PHC of GR (from Day 7 to 35) and MBC of MO (at Day 35) from treated pigs (P<0.05). MO from POE-POP-treated pigs exhibited increased PHC (P<0.05) at Day 35, whereas GR from LEVA- or POE-POP-treated pigs showed increased MBC (P<0.05) at Day 7 and 35, respectively. The pigs treated by LEVA or POE-POP had higher proportions of CD4+ CD8+ T cells (P<0.05) from Day 14 to 35 or Day 28 to 35, respectively. Tested IBC showed capability of stimulating particularly cellular components of nonspecific and specific immunity during early postweaning period before pigs reach adult immunocompetence values, and thus could be considered as potent immunostimulators in swine production. Key words: synthetic immunobiotics; innate/adaptive immunity; weaned pig VPLIV NA SISTEMSKO PRIROJENO IN PRIDOBLJENO IMUNOST PRI ODSTAVLJENIH PUJSKIH PO ENKRATNEM DODATKU IMUNOBIOTIKOV PREKO PREBAVNEGA TRAKTA Namen raziskave je bil ugotoviti vpliv lavamisola (LEVA) in polyoxyethylen-polyoxypropylena (POE-POP), znanih imunobiotikov, ki bi jih lahko uporabljali v prašičereji za boljši prirast namesto antibiotikov, na sistemsko prirojeno in pridobljeno imunost pri odstavljenih, 4 tedne starih pujskih. Vsem živalim smo LEVA in POE-POP dajali preko ust (peroralno) in tedensko v odobju petih tednov dodajanja imunobiotikov ugotavljali stopnjo fagocitoze in protimikrobno aktivnost monocitov in granulocitov, raven serumskega C-reaktivnega proteina (CRP), profil haptoglobina (HpG) ter raven prisotnosti limfocitov T, ki izražajo gena CD4 in CD8 v krvi. Rezultati so pokazali, da je bila raven serumskega CRP znižana pri pujskih, ki so prejemali tako LEVA kot POE-POP 7. in 21. dan raziskave (p < 0,05). Pujski, ki so prejemali LEVA, so imeli zvišan HpG 14. in 21. dan raziskave (p < 0,05), medtem ko so imeli pujski, ki so prejemali POE-POP, 7. dan raziskave HpG znižan, 21. dan pa zvišan (p < 0,05). Oba imunobiotika sta v pogojih in vitro dvignila stopnjo fagocitoze pri granulocitih in protimikrobno aktivnost monocitov na 35. dan raziskave (p < 0,05). Pujski, ki so prejemali en ali drugi imunobiotik, so imeli 35. dan raziskave višje vrednosti limfocitov T, ki so izražali CD4 in CD8, od vrednosti na 14. ali 28. dan raziskave (p < 0,05). Rezultati raziskave torej kažejo, da sta oba imunobiotika pozitivno vplivala na izbrane kazalce delovanja imunskega sistema in sta potencialno zanimiva za uporabo v prašičereji za spodbujanje delovanja imunskega sistema in s tem boljši prirast prašičev. Ključne besede: odstavljeni pujski; umetni imunobiotiki; prirojena imunost; pridobljena imunost