Effects of Deoxynivalenol and Fumonisins Fed in Combination to Beef Cattle: Immunotoxicity and Gene Expression

We evaluated the effects of a treatment diet contaminated with 1.7 mg deoxynivalenol and 3.5 mg fumonisins (B1, B2 and B3) per kg ration on immune status and peripheral blood gene expression profiles in finishing-stage Angus steers. The mycotoxin treatment diet was fed for a period of 21 days followed by a two-week washout period during which time all animals consumed the control diet. Whole-blood leukocyte differentials were performed weekly throughout the experimental and washout period. Comparative profiles of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, along with bactericidal capacity of circulating neutrophils and monocytes were evaluated at 0, 7, 14, 21 and 35 days. Peripheral blood gene expression was measured at 0, 7, 21 and 35 days via RNA sequencing. Significant increases in the percentage of CD4-CD8+ T cells were observed in treatment-fed steers after two weeks of treatment and were associated with decreased CD4:CD8 T-cell ratios at this same timepoint (p ≤ 0.10). No significant differences were observed as an effect of treatment in terms of bactericidal capacity at any timepoint. Dietary treatments induced major changes in transcripts associated with endocrine, metabolic and infectious diseases; protein digestion and absorption; and environmental information processing (inhibition of signaling and processing), as evaluated by dynamic impact analysis. DAVID analysis also suggested treatment effects on oxygen transport, extra-cellular signaling, cell membrane structure and immune system function. These results indicate that finishing-stage beef cattle are susceptible to the immunotoxic and transcript-inhibitory effects of deoxynivalenol and fumonisins at levels which may be realistically encountered in feedlot situations.

Causal relationships between the parameters of gas discharge visualization and phagocytosis

Background. Previously we have been shown that between parameters of GDV and principal neuroendocrine factors of adaptation exist strong canonical correlation. In the next study, we detected very strong (R=0,994) integral canonical correlation between the parameters of GDV and Immunity. This study, conducted in the same contingent, will analyze the relationships between GDV parameters, on the one hand, and Phagocytosis parameters, on the other. Material and Methods. We observed twice ten women and ten men aged 33-76 years without clinical diagnose. In the morning in basal conditions at first registered kirlianogram by the method of GDV by the device “GDV Chamber” (“Biotechprogress”, SPb, RF). Than we estimated the parameters of Phagocytic function of neutrophils. Results processed by method of canonical analysis, using the software package “Statistica 5.5”. Results. According to the value of the canonical correlation coefficient R with GDV parameters, the registered Phagocytosis parameters are arranged in the following order: activity (0,616), bactericidal capacity (0,493), completeness (0,489) and intensity (0,484) of Phagocytosis of E. coli; completeness (0,482), bactericidal capacity (0,448), activity (0,364) and intensity (0,338) of Phagocytosis of Staph. aureus. Coefficient of canonical correlation between parameters of GDV, on the one hand, and Phagocytosis, on the other hand, makes 0,847. Conclusion. The above data, taken together with the previous ones, state that between parameters of Neuroendocrine-Immune complex and GDV exist strong canonical correlation suggesting suitability of the latter method.

Maternal provisioning and fluctuating thermal regimes enhance immune response in a reptile with temperature-dependent sex determination

The Charnov-Bull model of differential fitness is often used to explain the evolution and maintenance of temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD). Most tests of the model focus on morphological proxies of fitness, such as size traits, whereas early life physiological traits that are closely related to lifetime fitness might provide a framework for generalising the Charnov-Bull model across taxa. One such trait is the strength of early life immune response, which is strongly linked to early life survival and fitness. Here, we manipulate temperature, variance in temperature, and sex to test the Charnov-Bull model using a physiological trait, immune system strength, in the snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina L. 1758). We find no evidence of sex-specific differences in bactericidal capacity of hatchling blood, and no evidence that mean temperature influences bactericidal capacity. However, we find that fluctuating incubation temperature (i.e., a more naturalized incubation regime) is associated with a greater bactericidal capacity compared to constant temperature incubation. We also find that egg mass, a proxy for maternal provisioning, is positively associated with bactericidal capacity. Our findings suggest that the evolution of temperature-dependent sex determination in reptiles is unrelated to our measure early-life innate immunity. Our study also underlines how immune response is condition-dependent in early life, and questions the biological relevance of constant temperature incubation in experimental studies on ectotherm development.

Low-frequency ultrasound bactericidal capacity study in intermittent ultrasonication process

The low-frequency ultrasound (f = 26.5 kHz) was found to have a bactericidal effect upon the main representatives of bacterial flora: Staphylococcus, Proteus, E-coli and Pseudomanas aeruginosa. However, ultrasound suppresses bacterial flora during a comparatively long ultrasonication time ranging from 18 to 27 min. It was found that the determinant factor ensuring the bactericidal effect of low-frequency ultrasound is cavitation. To reduce the required ultrasonication time, while maintaining the high bactericidal effect, Bauman Moscow State Technical University (BMSTU) has developed a new ultrasonic treatment method designed for infected wounds and patented in the RF [8]. When implementing this method, it is proposed to intensify the cavitational effect of ultrasound through complementary physical and chemical factors: low-concentration antiseptic agents, excessive external static pressure, and optimum temperature of ultrasonicated solution. The proposed intensification of ultrasonic effect was found to reduce the sterilization time of bacterial suspensions from 5 to 7.2 times, while keeping the maximum required ultrasonication time within 5 min. The article considers further potential reduction of cavitational exposure time for tissues on the basis of earlier found aftereffect of ultrasound. This aftereffect means that a pre-sonicated solution has higher bactericidal properties than non-sonicated solutions and preserves its bactericidal capacity for specific time [11]. The article demonstrates the efficacy of the continuous ultrasonication process replacement by the intermittent process, which follows the cycle: ultrasonication – pause – ultrasonication. Experiments proved that, with optimum temporal relationship between the periods of ultrasonic exposure and rest, the complete sterilization end-time of bacterial suspensions can be reduced still more by 20…30%. Thus, the proposed intermittent ultrasonication process is an effective instrument of reducing the cavitational exposure of an organism, while maintaining its high bactericidal effect no worse than that of the continuous ultrasonication process. The research findings were successfully tested in the Traumatology department of N.N. Burdenko Main Military Clinical Hospital during the trial of the proposed method for ultrasonic treatment of infected wounds.

Foraging in Urban Environments Increases Bactericidal Capacity in Plasma and Decreases Corticosterone Concentrations in White Ibises

As humans continue to infringe on natural habitats, more animals are exposed to urbanization and its associated challenges. It is still unclear, however, whether the movement of animals into urban habitats negatively influences the health and/or survival of those animals, however those animals often experience shifts in resource availability, diet composition, and exposure to stimuli that are new and potentially stressful. Recently, white ibises (Eudocimus albus) have become increasingly common in urban habitats where they forage in close proximity to humans and even interact with them, collecting food handouts. We hypothesized that foraging in urban habitats would negatively impact measures of health, impair innate immunity, trigger elevated concentrations of corticosterone, and depress physiological responses to stressors in white ibises. We found that plasma from birds captured from urban sites had higher bactericidal capacity against Escherichia coli than those captured in natural sites. Additionally, adults captured in urban habitats had a significantly lower baseline corticosterone concentrations during the post-breeding season, and corticosterone responses to a handling challenge were lower for birds captured from urban sites during year 2 of the study. These results indicate that exposure to urban habitats impacts ibis health, though in the opposite direction of what was predicted.

Immunomodulatory activity and protective effects of chokeberry fruit extract on Listeria monocytogenes infection in mice

Chokeberry extract boosts anti-bacterial immune response through the activation of macrophage bactericidal capacity and increased proportions of cytotoxic T lymphocytes resulting in faster eradication of Listeria monocytogenes.