Pig reactivity to backtest and growth during the first three months of life.
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Adaptation, Psychological↗
Biomedical subjects
D Vigo
Publications and source records attributed to D Vigo.
Reference intervals and age-related changes for platelet count, mean platelet volume and plateletcrit in healthy pre-weaning piglets in Italy.
Platelet count (PLT) mean platelet volume (MPV) and plateletcrit (PCT) were determined for 117 Landrace x Large White piglets aged 3-21 days; counts were performed with an automated blood cell counter (ABX Pentra 120). Reference values were estimated following the guidelines of the International Federation of Clinical Chemistry (IFCC) and the International Committee for Standardization in Haematology (ICSH). The calculated central 95% reference limits for PLT was 49.9-516.2 x 10(9)/1, for MPV 6.71-9.91 fl and for PCT 0.009-0.395%. When observations are divided into three age groups (about 1 week each) there is an increase in mean PLT count and PCT in 2-week piglets, and a decrease in MPV from the first to the third week of life. These reference values provide guidelines for interpreting for experimental and clinical observations, as well as for monitoring of the health status of similar aged piglets determined using automated impedance-light focusing methodology.
Age Factors↗
5'-deiodinase activity and circulating thyronines in lactating cows.
To investigate the correlation between lactation and thyroid hormone metabolism, the authors studied concentrations of total and free thyroxine (T4 and fT4), triiodothyronine (T3 and fT3), and reverse triiodothyronine (rT3) in plasma and milk, as well as liver and mammary gland 5'-deiodinase (5'D) activity in dry, early, middle, and late lactating dairy cows. Cows in early lactation show lower plasma levels of T4 and rT3 than dry, middle, and late lactating animals, whereas T3 shows the lowest plasma levels in the dry period; free T4 and T3 show a similar pattern. In early lactation there is a clear decrease in liver 5'D associated with a notable increase in mammary 5'D. Concentrations of T4 and T3 in milk drop significantly in the first few days after delivery, whereas rT3 increases up to the fourth month. The findings suggest a relationship between the hypothyroid status of lactating cows and the rearrangement of organ-specific 5'-deiodinase activity related to the maintenance of the udder's function.
Animals↗
Boar semen controlled delivery system: storage and in vitro spermatozoa release.
Swine spermatozoa were encapsulated in barium alginate and protamine-barium alginate membranes to lengthen their preservation time and to provide a means of controlling their release. Precocious acrosome reactions and secondary anomalies were measured as indices of semen quality. These characteristics were observed for two forms of encapsulated spermatozoa when stored at 18 and 38 degrees C for 24 h and for semen diluted in a classical extender at both temperatures. The results indicate that encapsulation enhances semen preservation, providing protection against membrane damage upon dilution. The effect is even more evident at the higher temperature (38 degrees C), where cell metabolism is higher. An in vitro release test of spermatozoa showed a massive cell delivery from barium alginate capsules within 6 h, and a slow release from protamine-barium alginate capsules. The properties of spermatozoa 24 h after release did not differ from the semen stored at the same temperature in capsules, indicating that the release process does not impair semen quality.
Alginates↗
Boar semen controlled delivery system: analysis of batch seasonal variability.
A new encapsulation technology of swine semen is proposed to improve the quality of stored spermatozoa and to obtain the controlled release of viable cells, reducing the number of instrumental inseminations. This technology has been employed to produce barium alginate gel capsules in different seasons; an analysis of batch reproducibility was performed, and total capsule diameter, gel thickness and weight of capsules were determined as indices of batch properties. A seasonal variability was found but each batch was substantially homogeneous. The variability could be related to the biological variability of the semen employed as raw material as well as to the technological process.
Animals↗
Barium alginate cell-delivery systems: correlation between technological parameters.
The most recent trends for the development of several in vitro cell cultures have been oriented towards the cell immobilisation in 3-dimensional scaffolds and cell encapsulation. In fact, an important requirement of cell survival is self-assembly in functional communities, in the presence of an artificial extracellular matrix. In our research, a previously described technique for spermatozoa encapsulation was applied to obtain capsules loaded with an opaque agent as a model, and to perform a formulative study. A process variable, barium ion concentration, was correlated to some capsule properties, such as weight, gel thickness, total and core diameter. Ion concentration can be modified to obtain capsules with predictable characteristics.
Alginates↗
17beta-estradiol, progesterone and testosterone concentrations in cystic fluids and response to GnRH treatment after emptying of ovarian cysts in dairy cows.
The aim of this study was to determine possible links between steroidogenic activity of single ovarian cysts and response to intramuscular treatment with 20 microg of buserelin (GnRH-analogue) after cyst emptying, in pluriparous Friesian cows bearing a singleton cyst treated not earlier than 55 days post-partum. Progesterone, 17beta-estradiol and testosterone were determined in cystic fluids collected by needle aspiration of the cyst. Of the cows, 75.6% began ovarian cyclicity within 30 days after treatment with a conception rate of 64.7%. In this study it was found that as progesterone concentration in cystic fluids rose, the number of positive responses to the treatment fell.
Animals↗
The alkaline hydrolysis of aryl (2E)-3-(4'-hydroxyphenylazo)propenoates. A kinetic study.
The alkaline hydrolysis of the title esters, possessing three conjugated pi units between the internal nucleophile (the hydroxyl group) and the reaction center, follows an E1cB mechanism involving the participation of an "extra extended" p-oxo azoketene type intermediate. For the hydrolysis of the 2,4-dinitrophenyl ester kinetic data, activation parameters and trapping of the intermediate are consistent with a dissociative pathway carrying the reaction flux. The effect of the leaving group variation on reactivity agrees with the proposed mechanism, and the existence of an intermediate is also supported by diode array stopped-flow experiments. The presence of sp(2) nitrogen atoms in the conjugated backbone is beneficial to the dissociative mechanism.
Journal Article↗
Effects of mepartricin on estradiol and testosterone serum levels and on prostatic estrogen, androgen and adrenergic receptor concentrations in adult rats.
The effects induced by oral administration of 0, 5 and 20 mg of meparticin kg(-1)of body weight for 28 days (group 1, 2 and 3, respectively) upon prostatic estrogen, androgen, alpha(1)- and beta-adrenergic receptor concentrations and on estradiol and testosterone serum levels in adult male rats were studied. The effects produced by mepartricin treatments on the weight and dimension of the gland were investigated. Both mepartricin dosages induced significant decreases (P< 0.05) of the absolute and relative weights and of the dimensions of the prostate. A significant dose-dependent decrease (P< 0.05) in estradiol serum levels was observed in treated rats, whereas no significant modifications were found in testosterone serum levels. As far as prostatic steroid receptor concentrations were concerned, a significant (P< 0.05) decrease in estrogen receptor number was observed in both treated groups, whilst a significant increase (P< 0.05) of androgen receptor concentrations was recorded only in rats treated with 20 mg mepartricin kg(-1). Conversely, a dose-dependent up-regulation of both prostatic alpha(1)- and beta-AR was found. Data obtained suggest that the prostatic alpha(1)-AR expression may be strongly influenced by estrogen deprivation (mepartricin treatment), therefore the combination of estrogen suppression (mepartricin) and adrenergic suppression (alpha(1)-AR blockers) may be suggested as a possible pharmacotherapeutic strategy for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia.
Administration, Oral↗
Fumonisin B1 carry-over into milk in the isolated perfused bovine udder.
The mycotoxin fumonisin B1 (FB1) causes a variety of health problems in animals, while epidemiological evidence suggests it is linked to human esophageal cancer. We investigated the carry-over of FB1 into bovine milk using the isolated perfused bovine udder. Two mg of FB1 was injected into the perfusion blood of 3 udders, and milk and perfused serum levels were determined for 150 min. FB1 passed through the mammary barrier into the milk, but in such low concentrations as to present a negligible risk for consumers.
Animals↗
Occurrence of an elongated p-Oxo ketene intermediate in the dissociative alkaline hydrolysis of aryl (2E, 4E)-5-(4'-Hydroxyphenyl)pentadienoates
The alkaline hydrolysis of title esters possessing acidic leaving groups follows an E1cB mechanism involving the participation of an "extra extended" p-oxo ketene intermediate. For the hydrolysis of the 2,4-dinitrophenyl ester kinetic data, activation parameters and trapping of the intermediate clearly indicate that the dissociative pathway carries the reaction flux. Break in the Bronsted plot of the apparent second-order rate constants versus the pK(a) of the leaving group suggests that the reaction mechanism changes from E1cB to B(Ac)2 for esters having pK(a) higher than about 6.
Journal Article↗
Controlled release of swine semen encapsulated in calcium alginate beads.
A quick and successful encapsulation method of swine spermatozoa is described: hydroxypropylmethylcellulose and calcium chloride were added to the sampled ejaculate swine sperm (sperm-rich fraction: creamy white) and then this suspension was dropped into an aqueous solution of sodium alginate. In order to obtain different capsule thicknesses, different calcium chloride concentrations were used. The influence of different formulations on in vitro spermatozoa release behavior and on the mechanical properties has been studied. In vitro sperm kinetics (motility and average velocity) have been determined. The results obtained from motility and average velocity tests of treated seminal material are promising, especially if the difficulty of preservation of swine spermatozoa compared to bovine sperm is considered. The different membranes obtained from the different calcium concentrations have had an influence on mechanical properties and on the release profile of spermatozoa from the capsules, and therefore, it is possible to modulate the release rate of the cells.
Alginates↗
Haematology and plasma biochemistry of Stamboek pre-pubertal gilts in Italy: reference values.
Blood samples were taken between February and April from 105 healthy Stamboek pre-pubertal gilts, aged 1-3 months, which were housed at a modern pig farm in northern Italy. The blood was analysed for nine haematological and nine selected haematochemical variables by means of automated and semiautomated blood analysis apparatus. After detection and rejection of outliers, the data were submitted to reference limits evaluation, also taking into account the limits for the red blood cell volume histogram as the anisocytosis index. Some haematological reference values deal with previously published data; in the haematochemical parameters, several discrepancies between evaluated limits and existing reference limits were noted, mainly for aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase and lactate dehydrogenase levels and total protein concentration. The results confirm the relevance of age in determining blood reference intervals and that 'normal' values should be determined by each laboratory, taking into account the age of subjects, the sample size and methods of analysis.
Age Factors↗
Modifications of receptor concentrations for adrenaline, steroid hormones, prostaglandin F2alpha and gonadotropins in hypophysis and ovary of dairy cows with ovarian cysts.
Receptor concentrations for adrenaline, steroid hormones, PGF2alpha, LH and FSH were measured in the hypophysis and ovary of dairy cows with ovarian cysts and the results were compared with those of healthy animals. Significant modifications were found in all receptor concentrations, either between follicular and luteal structures or between the hypophyseal and ovarian receptorial status. The correlations between catecholaminergic and steroidal systems have already been demonstrated, particularly those existing between beta-adrenoceptors and steroid hormone receptors. Particular attention has been given to the possibility that a derangement in neurogenic inputs may be at the basis of some ovarian pathologies. The results of the present study suggest that the modifications of the ovarian and hypophyseal receptorial status of healthy and affected cows could play an important role in the pathogenesis of ovarian cysts.
Animals↗
Two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis map of bovine ovarian fluid proteins.
Molecular mechanisms underlying the cystic degeneration of ovarian follicles in the dairy cow have not been clarified yet. A useful approach for complementing endocrinological and clinical studies could be represented by the systematic analysis of the protein patterns in follicular and cystic fluid. With this aim, a two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis map of proteins contained in fluid from bovine ovarian follicles at different stages of development and from bovine ovarian cyst has been obtained. About 200 spots were detected after silver staining. Polypeptides from nine spots or series of spots have been identified by N-terminal sequencing, and further analysis of the map has been performed by gel comparison. Alpha-1-antitrypsin, albumin, serotransferrin and apolipoprotein A-I and A-IV were located on the map. Comparison between protein patterns revealed the differential expression of some spots among follicles of smaller diameter, follicles of larger diameter, and cysts. This could represent the first step toward the identification of proteins differentially expressed and associated with ovarian cyst development.
Amino Acid Sequence↗
Follicle-like model by granulosa cell encapsulation in a barium alginate-protamine membrane.
Granulosa cells from bovine and porcine ovaries were cultured either in monolayer or in follicle-like barium alginate capsules for 6 days. Morphological investigation by electron scanning microscopy indicated that culture in a three-dimensional (3D) system allows self-organization of spherical-polyhedral shape cells. The luteinization index (progesterone:17beta-estradiol ratio) was significantly higher for monolayer cells than for the 3D cell culture system, confirming the results of morphological analysis and indicating more physiological growth. The encapsulated 3D culture system appears to be a promising way of obtaining in vitro maturation and development of follicles and oocytes.
Alginates↗
Transient transfection of porcine granulosa cells after 3D culture in barium alginate capsules.
Three-dimensional culture systems in barium alginate capsules can be employed to maintain primary granulosa cells in an undifferentiated state for almost 6 days. This is due to a self-organization of cells in a pseudofollicular structure. The transfection of primary granulosa cells is a necessary condition when employing these culture systems for several purposes, for example as an in vitro toxicity test or the development of oocytes or zygotes. In this work, the feasibility of two transient transfection techniques (liposome-mediated and electroporation) was assessed in primary porcine granulosa cells after a 6-day culture in an artificial extracellular matrix (barium alginate membrane). Human recombinant green fluorescent protein was chosen as a molecular readout, and protein expression was assessed after 48 hours from transfection. Liposome-mediated transfection gave low transfection levels, with increasing yields from 2 to 12 microgDNA/ml of medium; the maximum percentage (85.7%) was reached at 12 microgDNA/ml of medium. Electroporation-mediated transfection yields were higher: the best results (81.7% of transfected cells) were achieved with two 50V pulses and 12 microg/ml DNA. The application of a single or double pulse (50V) at 4 mgDNA/ml gave negligible results. These results indicate that primary granulosa cell cultured in barium alginate capsules can be transfected by electroporation with high transfection yields.
Alginates↗