LOOP-MEDIATED ISOTHERMAL AMPLIFICATION FOR DETECTION OF C. BURNETII IN BULGARIA

Q fever, which is caused by Coxiella burnetii, a small, pleomorphic intracellular bacterium, is the most widespread zoonosis in the world. The chronic form of the disease can lead to disability and death. Rapid diagnosis of Q fever is needed in order that effective treatment can be initiated. The conventional retrospective diagnosis of Q fever, based on serology, is useless for the treatment of afflicted patients. Thus, molecular methods have been created to close the diagnostic gap between the onset of the disease and the presence of specific antibodies in serum. A polymerase chain reaction is a suitable and reliable method with high sensitivity and specificity, but it requires expensive equipment and post-amplification protocol. Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) is an isothermal technique, conducted at constant temperature that can amplify a negligible amount of DNA to more than 109 copies within one hour, using special primers and polymerase. We have tested the sensitivity and specificity of LAMP in the detection of C. burnetii. The mean positive rate of LAMP and polymerase chain reaction in patients was 100% and 74%, respectively. LAMP reacted negatively with non-C. burnetii pathogens and non-infected blood samples. We conclude that LAMP is a sensitive and specific technique for the detection of C. burnetii and has advantages over serological methods and PCR that make it attractive for diagnosing Q fever in countries around the world.

Evaluation of the economic effectiveness in pepper production in drought conditions

The aim of the study is to select pepper genotypes with increased drought tolerance based on an economic assessment of productivity in conditions of water deficit. The experiments were conducted during 2018-2019 in glasshouse Venlo type in the MVCRI. Two variants of irrigation regime are applied: 100% irrigation norm and 50% irrigation norm according to the technology adopted for this production in eight pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) genotypes - lines № 1966, 1917, 1931, 1936, 1928, 1930, C41 and C45, which were cultivated as a substrate culture (PE bag 16 L) without heating. In assessing the economic indicators in greenhouse production of pepper in order to select drought-tolerant genotypes of pepper according to the summary indicator rate of return with the highest economic effect of drought achieved with reduced to 50% irrigation regime are distinguished lines № 1928, № 1966 and № 1931.

Voluntary wheel running is effective on suppressing of obesity but not on blood pressure and insulin resistance in female rats fed with high fructose diet

A fructose-rich diet has been known to cause metabolic syndrome effects such as body weight gain, increased blood pressure, blood lipids and glucose levels. The role of voluntary physical activity in these alterations is not known clearly. The aim of this study was to investigate the possible improving effects of voluntary physical activity in rats that were feeding with a fructose-rich diet. Spraque-Dawley female rats were separated as control (C;n=7), voluntary physical activity (A;n=7), fructose (F;n=7) and fructose+activity (F+A;n=7) groups. A and FA groups were kept in cages with running wheels during six weeks. F and FA groups were fed with adding 20% fructose in drinking water. Body weight was measured weekly and Lee Index was used to determine obesity. At the end of the feeding period serum glucose, insulin and lipid levels were measured by enzymatic method and blood pressure was determined with the tail-cuff method. Daily voluntary walking distance in F+A and A groups were similar during six weeks. Fructose intake induced to increase systolic blood pressure (p=0.001), diastolic blood pressure (p=0.002), glucose (p=0.041), insulin (p=0.001), cholesterol (p=0.001), triglyceride (p=0.001) and liver weight (p=0.035). The voluntary activity was found effective on the decrease of weight gain (p=0.018) however we did not observe a significant effect on blood pressure (p=0.917) and insulin resistance (p=0.565) following the fructose-rich diet. We conclude that voluntary activity has preventive effect on obesity but may not to be effective on increased blood pressure and insulin resistance in female rats which were feeding fructose-rich diet during six weeks.

RARE CAUSES OF SPONTANEOUS PNEUMOTHORAX: TWO CASE REPORTS

Secondary spontaneous pneumothorax (SSP) may be a result of different rare diseases. In the following article are presented two interesting cases of SSP related to genetic disorders – Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) and Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF-1). We share our clinical, laboratory and imaging findings as well as the surgical techniques we used and the postoperative complications we had. We performed a detailed literature review on this topic.

Мeat performance of domestic quails after partial feed replacement of wheat with extruded bakery waste

The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of the partial replacement of wheat with bakery waste in compound feed on slaughter characteristics, quality and composition of meat in a heavy population of domestic quail. A control group (n = 90), I experimental (n = 90), and II experimental groups (n = 90) quails from meat-producing population WG were formed, respectively fed with basic feed, 5% and 10% replacement of wheat in the feed with extruded baking waste. A slaughter analysis, qualitative and chemical analysis of the meat of male and female representatives of the three experimental groups was performed. The replacement of 5% and 10% of the wheat in the compound feed with extruded bakery waste does not have a negative effect on the slaughter characteristics of the studied quail population. No relationship was observed between the studied physicochemical characteristics of quail meat and the addition of 5% and 10% extruded bakery waste. A similar effect is not observed with regard to the color characteristics of the meat. An exception is the Chroma (C*), where there is a tendency to higher values on the basis of experimental groups. With an increasing proportion of wheat substitution with extruded baking waste, the fat content in breast meat increases (P<0.001). The study leads to the conclusion that the replacement of up to 10% of wheat in the combined feed for quails with extruded bakery waste does not adversely affect the slaughter characteristics, quality, and nutritional value of quail meat.

Comparative study of the antioxidant properties of silymarin and milk thistle extracts

Purpose: Milk thistle (Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn) has been used for centuries as a natural remedy for liver and gall bladder / biliary tract diseases. Silymarin is the purified and standardized extract from milk thistle seeds. The purpose of the present study is to present a comparative analysis of the total phenolic substances content and the antioxidant effect of silymarin and three different types of Silybum marianum extracts (i.e. ethanol extract, water extract and lyophilized extract). Methods: Total phenolic and flavonoid content of extracts was analysed and the antioxidant activity was assessed by determining their free radical scavenging ability by DPPH method. Results: Total phenolic content is the highest in silymarin– 134.12±3.22 mg GAE/g, followed by lyophilized water extract – 51.74±2.10 mg GAE/g. Silymarin has also been found to have the highest antioxidant activity among all extract samples (338.03 VCEAC µmol /g), followed by S.marianum lyophilised extract (123.05 VCEAC µmol/g). Conclusions: A strong correlation between total phenolic and flavonoid content in the extracts and their antioxidant activity has been found.

PREGNANCY RELATED PLASMA PROTEIN–A AND PREMATURE BIRTH

Introduction: Children born prematurely are at higher risk of mortality, morbidity, and impaired motor and cognitive development in childhood than prematurely born babies. Aim: To establish the relationship between the corresponding levels of pregnancy-related plasma protein-A (PAPP-A) and the frequency of premature birth. Materials and methods: The study is prospective. The data was collected through monitoring patients through a questionnaire and sonographic examination at 11-13 gestational weeks. The study excluded all known risk factors for preterm birth, such as previous preterm births, pregnant women with gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, hypertension, placenta previa, hydramnion, multiple pregnancies, smoking, structural and chromosomal abnormalities of the fetus and planned preterm birth. The data from the measured values of PAPP-A and the frequency of premature birth in 636 pregnant women were analyzed. Conclusions: PAPP-A levels are a statistically significant factor for preterm birth. It is expected with a 95% probability in the population with PAPP-A values below 0,515 that the cases with premature birth will be from 7 to 14 times more. Pregnant women with PAPP-A level less than 10th per cent are significantly associated with an increased risk of preterm birth.

RESISTANCE IN COMMON BEAN TO UROMYCES APPENDICULATUS UNDER FIELD AND GREENHOUSE CONDITIONS

Bean rust, caused by Uromyces appendiculatus, is a major disease in common bean which occurs annually in The Rhodope Mountains and sporadic in the plains of Bulgaria. The present study aims to find sources of resistance in common bean to the pathogen for using in a breeding program. The reaction of fifty-five Phaseolus vulgaris accessions to the pathogen was monitored under field condition. Infection type, disease intensity and area under the disease progress curve were calculated. Twelve common bean cultivars were inoculated with eight pathotypes of races 20-2, 20-16, and 20-18 in the greenhouse, and infection type was estimated. Twelve accessions had an immune reaction, eight accessions had resistant a reaction, two accessions had a middle resistant reaction, and seven accessions had a susceptible reaction to U. appendiculatus population in both field estimations. Five cultivars showed resistant phenotype to the eight pathotypes in the greenhouse, four of which were resistant in the field (Abritus, Beslet, Trakiya, and Prelom). Five cultivars had a susceptible or resistant reaction to the pathotypes of the same race, resulting from different interaction between resistant genes in the host and virulent genes in the pathogen. Nine accessions showed race-nonspecific resistance in the field expressed in low disease intensity and susceptible/resistant phenotype.

SERUM EXPRESSION OF MICRORNA-142 IN A COHORT OF BULGARIAN PATIENTS WITH INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASES

The focus of the research was to investigate the anatomical location of the rabbit liver. Thus, we applied a topographic algorithm, using dorsal frozen cuts and CT algorithm with coronary slices. The used animals were 13 matured, healthy clinically white New Zealand rabbits. We measured the metric CT parameters – transverse and craniocaudal sizes. At the level of the dorsal plane, located 15 mm ventrally from the spine, dorsal part of lobus hepatis sinister was found, and on the right and laterally - lobus hepatis dexter. At the level of the dorsal plane, located 30 mm ventrally from the spine, lobus hepatis dexter was located cranially relative to lobus hepatis sinister medialis and reached caudally to pars pylorica. Lobus hepatis sinister lateralis remained caudal to lobus hepatis sinister medialis and touched corpus ventriculi. Lobus hepatis sinister lateralis was found cranially to corpus ventriculi and pars pylorica. Lobus caudatus caudally touched the right kidney. At the level of the dorsal plane, located 45 mm ventrally from the spine, lobus hepatis dexter was found to be in the same dorsal plane with the left lobe of the liver. CT normodense heterogeneous anatomical image of lobus hepatis dexter was parallel to that of lobus hepatis sinister, which determined the transverse location of the organ. The obtained imaging analysis of the liver’s anatomical parts and their proximity to other organ structures were interpreted depending on their attenuation profile. The transverse size of the organ at 15 mm ventrally from the spine showed a value of 76.16 mm, and at 30 mm ventrally, this parameter reached a value of 81.48 mm. The highest values were obtained at 45 mm ventrally - 85.21 mm. CT anatomical study added and confirmed the results of the topographic investigation.

The influence of the sex and height at the withers on pelvis size of donkeys in Austria

During the recent decades, the donkey, as an ever-employed labour animal, is slowly but steadily losing its value. The agricultural industrialization, mechanization of many processes at the mountain and valley farms led to rejection of the donkeys as a livestock. This reduction in donkey numbers evokes some concerns. This fact is a good reason to study all aspects of these domestic animals, in order to revive their role and to restart their livestock growth in the familiar habitat, and bring them into the new environmental conditions. For the recent research, 35 donkeys (23 males and 12 females) were chosen. All animals lived on Styria terrain in Austria. The following morphometric parameters were analysed: height at the withers (VG), pelvis length (DK), pelvis width (SK), and point of buttock width (SSK). For the males, the average height at the withers was 116.70 cm and the average pelvis length – 40.13 cm. The average pelvis width was 38.56 cm, and the average point of buttock width – 16.39 cm. For the females the average height at the withers was 101.48 cm, the average pelvis length – 36.00 cm, pelvis width was 35.41 cm. The average point of buttock width was 13.66 cm. These measurements show the influence of the height at the withers on the development of the pelvis, particularly on its width and height for both males and females. Comparatively to other donkey populations of the world, the Austrian donkey has an average size.