Veterinary Medicine Commons^™

From Crystal Structure Of Α-Conotoxin Gic In Complex With Ac-Achbp To Molecular Determinants Of Its High Selectivity For Α3Β2 Nachr, Bo Lin, Manyu Xu, Xiaopeng Zhu, Yong Wu, Xi Liu, Dongting Zhangsun, Yuanyan Hu, Shi-Hua Xiang, Igor E. Kasheverov, Victor I. Tsetlin, Xianquan Wang, Sulan Luo

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Acetylcholine binding proteins (AChBPs) are unique spatial homologs of the ligand-binding domains of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs), and they reproduce some pharmacological properties of nAChRs. X-ray crystal structures of AСhBP in complex with α-conotoxins provide important insights into the interactions of α-conotoxins with distinct nAChR subtypes. Although considerable efforts have been made to understand why α-conotoxin GIC is strongly selective for α3β2 nAChR, this question has not yet been solved. Here we present the structure of α-conotoxin GIC in complex with Aplysia californica AChBP (Ac-AChBP) at a resolution of 2.1 Å. Based on this co-crystal structure complemented with molecular docking …

Guidelines For The Use And Interpretation Of Assays For Monitoring Autophagy (3rd Edition), Daniel J. Klionsky, Rodrigo Franco, More Than 2,000 Co-Authors

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

In 2008 we published the first set of guidelines for standardizing research in autophagy. Since then, research on this topic has continued to accelerate, and many new scientists have entered the field. Our knowledge base and relevant new technologies have also been expanding. Accordingly, it is important to update these guidelines for monitoring autophagy in different organisms. Various reviews have described the range of assays that have been used for this purpose. Nevertheless, there continues to be confusion regarding acceptable methods to measure autophagy, especially in multicellular eukaryotes.

For example, a key point that needs to be emphasized is that …

Echinococcus Multilocularis In Foxes And Raccoon Dogs: An Increasing Concern For Baltic Countries, Guna Bagrade, Gunita Deksne, Zanda Ozoliņa, Samantha Jane Howlett, Maria Interisano, Adriano Casulli, Edoardo Pozio

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Library Materials

Background

In Europe, the life cycle of Echinococcus multilocularis is predominantly sylvatic, involving red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) as the main definitive hosts and rodents such as muskrats and arvicolids as intermediate hosts. The parasite is the etiological agent of human alveolar echinococcosis, a malignant zoonotic disease caused by the accidental ingestion of eggs shed by definitive hosts in their feces. The aims of this study were to investigate the prevalence of E. multilocularis in red foxes and raccoon dogs (Nyctereutes procyonoides) and to study the environmental factors favoring the perpetuation of the parasite in Latvia. …

Breaking The Silence: The Veterinarian’S Duty To Report, Martine Lachance

Animal Sentience

Animals, like children and disabled elders, are not only the subjects of abuse, but they are unable to report and protect themselves from it. Veterinarians, like human physicians, are often the ones to become aware of the abuse and the only ones in a position to report it when their human clients are unwilling to do so. This creates a conflict between professional confidentiality to the client and the duty to protect the victim and facilitate prosecution when the law has been broken. I accordingly recommend that veterinarian associations make reporting of abuse mandatory.

Veterinarians Need Support To Break The Silence, Anne Fawcett

Animal Sentience

The question of whether reporting animal abuse should be mandatory for veterinarians is an important one. Veterinarians have dual obligations, both to their animal patients and to their human clients. Mandatory reporting can only be supported in a context in which veterinary professionals are (a) trained to recognise the signs of animal abuse; (b) trained to elicit a history sensitively from clients who may themselves be victims of abuse or supported in doing so; (c) supported by appropriate, responsive authorities; (d) reasonably protected from legal recriminations.

The Science Of Sentience Is Reshaping How We Think About Animals, Debra Durham

Animal Sentience

Broom’s Sentience and Animal Welfare (2014) provides its readers with an excellent overview of the evolving role of sentience in our understanding animal welfare as well as insights into why sentience matters for practice and policy.

Molecular Mechanisms Of Suberoylanilide Hydroxamic Acid In The Inhibition Of Tgf-Β1-Mediated Canine Corneal Fibrosis, Kristina M. Gronkiewicz, Elizabeth A. Giuliano, Ajay Sharma, Rajiv R. Mohan

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Objective—To investigate molecular mechanisms mediating anti-fibrotic effect of SAHA in the canine cornea using an in vitro model. We hypothesized that SAHA attenuates corneal fibrosis by modulating Smad-dependent and, to a lesser extent, Smad-independent signaling pathways activated by TGF-β1, as well as matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) activity.

Methods—Cultured canine corneal fibroblasts (CCF) were incubated in the presence/absence of TGF-β1 (5ng/ml) and SAHA (2.5μM) for 24hrs. Western blot analysis was used to quantify non-phosphorylated and phosphorylated isoforms of Smad2/3, p38 MAP kinase (MAPK), ERK1/2 and JNK1. Real-time PCR and zymography were utilized to quantify MMP1, MMP2, MMP8 and MMP9 mRNA expression and …

Animal Mourning: Précis Of How Animals Grieve (King 2013), Barbara J. King

Animal Sentience

Abstract: When an animal dies, that individual’s mate, relatives, or friends may express grief. Changes in the survivor’s patterns of social behavior, eating, sleeping, and/or of expression of affect are the key criteria for defining grief. Based on this understanding of grief, it is not only big-brained mammals like elephants, apes, and cetaceans who can be said to mourn, but also a wide variety of other animals, including domestic companions like cats, dogs, and rabbits; horses and farm animals; and some birds. With keen attention placed on seeking where grief is found to occur and where it is absent …

Analysis Of Risk Factors In The Management Of Foot-And-Mouth Disease In Turkey, Berri̇n Şentürk, Cengi̇z Yalçin, Aytaç Akçay

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

The aim of this study was to perform a risk analysis of the management of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) epidemics in Turkey. The relationship between disease outbreaks and risk was analyzed by evaluating 11 disease risk factors related to the input, processing, production, movement, and marketing infrastructure aspects of the animal production chain. A progressive (hierarchical) clustering analysis method was employed to group the quantitative data obtained for each of the risk variables. The total risk scores were grouped in a dendrogram. There was a strong positive relationship (72%) between risk variables and total outbreak numbers (P < 0.01). Results showed the districts in which the FMD risk is high and indicate where the appropriate measures should be taken to eradicate or at least minimize outbreaks.

Lactose-Rich Milk Replacer Modifies The Proteome Of Bloodplasma In 2-Week-Old Calves, Alicja Dratwa Chalupnik, Malgorzata Ozgo, Agnieszka Herosimczyk, Adam Lepczynski, Katarzyna Michalek

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

The aim of the study was to create a specific pattern of protein expression changes in the plasma of 2-week-old calves treated with excessive lactose doses. Identification of proteins, the expression of which changes during the short-term administration of lactose, may help to exclude or confirm the causes of diarrhea observed in newborn calves. The present study utilized 2-D electrophoresis combined with MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry and identified 6 blood plasma proteins, the expression of which changed under the influence of lactose added to the milk replacer. The pattern of expression of blood plasma proteins, including decreased expression of fibrinogen and …

In Ovo Feeding With Ss-Hydroxy Ss-Methylbutyrate And Broilerperformance, Intestinal Health, And Immunity Status, Ömer Hakan Muğlali, Mustafa Salman, Ayhan Gacar, Fi̇li̇z Akdağ, Mustafa Yavuz Gülbahar, Alper Çi̇ftçi̇, Ertan Emek Onuk, Fi̇li̇z Karadaş, Hüseyi̇n Eseceli̇

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

The effects of in ovo administration of β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate (HMB) on broiler performance, intestinal health, and immunity were investigated. At day 18 of incubation, fertile eggs were divided into negative (no injection) and positive (physiologic serum injection) controls and three HMB treatment groups. HMB solution was injected at 0.1% (Group 1), 0.2% (Group 2), and 0.3% (Group 3) concentrations. There were no significant differences between the groups for live weight gain, feed conversion rate, and hot carcass, breast meat, liver, and heart weight. However, the gizzard weight in Group 1 was significantly higher than those in the other groups (P < 0.05). Although the intestinal villi lengths in the treatment Groups 1 and 3 on day 20 were greater than those in the control groups (P < 0.01), at the end of the experiment there were no significant differences among the groups. For antibody levels, the differences between groups on days 4 and 42 were highly significant (P < 0.01), and the antibody levels in Group 2 were higher than those in the other groups. Separately, growth performance and antibody levels were positively correlated with the length of villi in Group 2 (HMB 0.2%).

Progesterone Concentration In Milk And Blood Serum And Reproductiveefficiency Of Cows After Ovsynch Treatment, Dejan Vukovic, Aleksandar Bozic, Renata Relic, Blagoje Stancic, Dragan Gvozdic, Denis Kucevic

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

An experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of hormonal synchronization of ovulation on progesterone concentrations in milk and blood serum and on reproductive performance. Sixty Holstein-Friesian cows averaging 8000 L over 305 days of lactation were divided into 2 groups of 30 animals. One-factor ANOVA and a t-test of progesterone concentrations in venous serum and milk revealed that the lowest concentrations of progesterone in milk (Ovsynch 5.8 ± 1.0 ng/mL; control 4.5 ± 0.6 ng/mL) and blood serum (Ovsynch 1.3 ± 0.9 ng/mL; control 1.4 ± 0.5 ng/mL) in both groups were found on the day of estrus or …

Comparison Of Hematological Parameters Of Brucella-Seronegative Naturallyinfected Cattle With Bvdv, Bhv-1, And Bhv-4, Muhammet Eren Aslan, Ahmet Kürşat Azkur, Emel Biyikli, Serkal Gazyağci, İbrahi̇m Sözdutmaz

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

Abortion, neonatal deaths, and infertility cause important production losses in the livestock industry. Many viral infections are responsible for changes in hematological values of animals. This study aimed to find whether there is any difference in blood parameters of cattle that are naturally infected with BVDV, BHV-1, and BHV-4 and Brucella-seronegative. For this purpose, 401 whole-blood samples collected from cattle were analyzed by ELISA and PCR/RT-PCR to detect specific antibodies and antigens for BVDV, BHV-1, and BHV-4. Hematological analysis and results were compared between naturally infected BVDV, BHV-1, and BHV-4 groups and a control group. Results showed a statistically significant …

Subarachnoid Transplantation Of Autologous Neurogenically Induced Bone Marrow Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells For The Treatment Of Fibrocartilaginous Embolic Myelopathy In Two Dogs, Pinar Can, Ömer Beşalti, Eylül Akpinar, Zeynep Aktaş, Ayşe Eser Elçi̇n, Yaşar Murat Elçi̇n

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of autologous neurogenically induced bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (NIBM-MSCs) in two dogs suspected to have fibrocartilaginous embolic myelopathy (FCEM). Both dogs were paraplegic without deep pain perception (DPP) and tentatively diagnosed by MRI. Autologous NIBM-MSCs (5 × 106) were transplanted into the lumbar subarachnoid space two times with a 21-day interval for each patient. Based on a 21-month follow-up of the treated animals, the transplantation of NIBM-MSCs seems to be promising in subjects with FCEM lacking DPP.

Canine Brucellosis In Turkey From An Environmental Perspective, Uçkun Sai̇t Uçan

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

Brucellosis is a zoonotic disease that affects not only livestock with economical losses but also human beings by causing serious health problems worldwide. Canine brucellosis has largely been overlooked in the world. In Turkey, brucellosis has also been one of the major concerns for decades. Canine brucellosis in this country has been reviewed and discussed from an environmental perspective in this review. As a part of prevention measures, one of the urgent practices that should be applied is to expand the routine examinations to include serological testing for all animals on arrival to kennels and then to decide the fate …

Isolation Of Adipose Tissue-Derived Stem Cells, Asuman Özen, İrem Gül Sancak, Ahmet Ceylan, Özge Özgenç

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

Mesenchymal stem cells are being used increasingly in cell-based therapies. Adipose tissue is an important source of mesenchymal stem cells and is also routinely used in research on lipid metabolism and obesity. Their high expansion potential and the ease of isolation make these cells an attractive cell source for regenerative therapies. The objective of this review is to give detailed information about the isolation, expansion, and clinical use of these cells in veterinary medicine.

Polymorphism Of Exon 2 Of Dio2 Gene And Its Association Withseasonal Reproduction In Sheep, Jianning He, Dongwei Huang, Ran Di, Jinxin Wang, Mingxing Chu, Qiuyue Liu, Wenping Hu, Xiangyu Wang, Zhangyuan Pan

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

DIO2 was studied as a candidate gene for reproduction in sheep. Three pairs of primers were designed to detect single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of exon 2 of DIO2 in nonseasonal and seasonal reproduction breeds. The polymorphisms were detected using SeqMan II and analyzed by PCR-RFLP. The sheep DIO2 gene was cloned and its mutations were detected in five sheep breeds whose reproductive seasonality and litter sizes were different. Association analyses were performed to reveal the relationships between SNPs and reproductive seasonality as well as litter size in sheep. The results showed that a 1041-bp DNA fragment of the sheep DIO2 …

Characterization Of Porcine Adiponectin Gene (Adipoq) Polymorphismsand Their Association With Litter Size, Xiaodong Zhang, Ning Zhou, Jie Zhou, Ning Wang, Xiang Qin, Hui Dong, Yueyun Ding, Zongjun Yin

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

Litter size is one of the most important economic traits for pig production as it is directly related to production efficiency. To evaluate the effects of the adiponectin (ADIPOQ) gene on porcine litter size, we investigated ADIPOQ polymorphisms in three breeds, Wannan Black pigs, Berkshire pigs, and BW pigs (crossbred pigs produced from mating male Berkshire pigs and female Wannan Black pigs), using the PCR-SSCP method. Three SNPs (c. 178G > A, c. 1165A > G, and c. 1138G > A) were identified. In Wannan Black pigs, association analysis indicated that the c. 178G > A SNP genotype was significantly associated with an effect …

Effect Of Oxytocin On Milk Proteins And Fatty Acid Profile Insahiwal Cows During Lactation Periods, Aneela Hameed, Faqir Muhammad Anjum, Tahir Zahoor, Zia Ur-Rahman, Saeed Akhtar, Majid Hussain

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

Bovine milk, a rich source of proteins and fatty acids, has a beneficial impact on physicochemical and organoleptic properties. The current study was planned to identify oxytocin's effects on protein and fatty acid profiles of cow milk (the Sahiwal breed) at various lactation stages (early, middle, and late) under a controlled atmosphere and feeding inputs. Examination of milk protein and fatty acid profiles by urea polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry respectively revealed the significant effect (P < 0.01) of oxytocin during the cow's lactation stages. In electrophoretic patterns, casein (αs1-CN, αs2-CN, β-CN, and k-CN) and whey protein fractions (Ig, BSA, β-Lg, and α-La) appeared as low-intensity bands in oxytocin-injected milk when compared to the control. Reductions in concentrations of fatty acids C16:0 (25.00%) and C18:1 (21.60%) were observed in oxytocin-treated milk as compared to the control group (29.30% and 29.10%, respectively) at late lactation.

Effects Of Ultrasonication On Damaged Spermatozoa And Mitochondrial Activity Rate, Pinar Peker Akalin, Nuri̇ Başpinar, Kenan Çoyan, Mustafa Numan Bucak, Şükrü Güngör, Caner Öztürk

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

The aim of this study was to describe an optimal sonication procedure for sperm cells. Therefore, we used several parameters such as damaged spermatozoa rate (%), mitochondrial activity rate (%), levels of lipid peroxidation, and total antioxidant potential. Ejaculates were collected from rams (n = 3) and were divided into aliquots and 3-, 6-, and 10-s duration times; 1, 3, 5, and 8 repetitive application groups were established. In the groups with 3-, 6- and 10-s duration times, with the increasing number of repeated applications, damaged spermatozoa rates increased (P < 0.05) while mitochondrial activity rates decreased (P < 0.05). In relation with sonication duration time, total antioxidant potential levels increased (P < 0.05) in single-application groups compared to those in control groups and gradually decreased as the repetitions increased. The most effective results were obtained in the group with 8 repetitions and 10-s duration based on damaged spermatozoa rate and mitochondrial activity rate.