The present study aimed to investigate the long-term effect of feeding barley grain steeped in lactic acid (La) with or without thermal treatment on reticuloruminal pH dynamics and metabolic activity of the liver in 12 primiparous and 18 multiparous early-lactating dairy cows. All cows were included on d 21 postpartum and sampled until d 90 postpartum. Cows were fed a diet based on differently processed ground barley grain: untreated grain (control diet, CON), or grain treated with 1% La alone for 24 h before feeding (La), or with an additional oven-heating at 55°C for 12 h (LaH). The reticuloruminal pH and temperature were measured via indwelling sensors that allowed for continuous (every 10 min) and long-term measurement from d 21 to 80 postpartum. Blood samples were taken on d 21, 40, and 90 of lactation and analyzed for liver enzymes aspartate aminotransferase (AST), gamma-glutamyltransferase, and glutamate dehydrogenase, as well as bilirubin, bile acids, and serum amyloid A. Dry matter intake was higher in multiparous cows (20.7 ± 0.27 kg/d) compared with primiparous cows (18.2 ± 0.33 kg/d), but was not affected by dietary treatment. Overall, the relatively short duration (51 ± 5 min/d) of reticuloruminal pH 5.8 suggests low risk of subacute ruminal acidosis throughout the experiment. Results indicated that La treatment of barley, with or without heat, lowered the time duration of pH 5.8 compared with CON, but only in primiparous cows (from 118 ± 13 to 46 ± 11 and 25 ± 11 min/d for CON, La, and LaH, respectively). In multiparous cows, the opposite effect of feeding the La-treated barley on time duration of pH 5.8 (11 ± 8 vs. 46 ± 9 vs. 57 ± 9 min/d for CON, La, and LaH, respectively) was observed. Multiparous cows generally showed higher pH readings and shorter periods in which the ruminal pH dropped below the threshold of pH 5.8. The reticuloruminal temperature was not affected by dietary treatment, whereas parity affected the time duration of reticuloruminal temperature >39.5°C, being 60 ± 19 min/d shorter in primiparous cows. The measured activities of the liver enzymes AST, gamma-glutamyltransferase, and glutamate dehydrogenase, as well as bilirubin, bile acids, and the acute phase protein serum amyloid A, were not affected by grain feeding. Additionally, only one small effect of parity on investigated serum variables was noticed, showing slightly but significantly higher values of AST in multiparous (80.5 ± 1.4 U/L) compared with primiparous cows (76.0 ± 1.7 U/L). In conclusion, our results indicate greater risk for primiparous cows to develop subacute ruminal acidosis-like conditions during early lactation than multiparous cows. The study also suggests limited benefits of feeding processed barley grain with La with or without thermal treatment to modulate ruminal tolerance of grain feeding, whereby differing effects in primiparous cows were observed compared with multiparous cows.

Ruminal disappearance kinetics of nutrients such as phosphorus (P), starch and protein in cereal grains is determinant of their nutritional and health value in ruminants. The objective of the present in vivo and in situ trials was to evaluate whether feeding barley grain processed with lactic acid (LA), with or without thermal treatment, affects in situ degradation kinetics of nutrients, reticuloruminal pH dynamics, and apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) in dairy cows. The experiment involved 6 rumen-fistulated Holstein cows in a double 3 × 3 Latin square design fed a diet based on differently processed barley grain: untreated grain as control (CON), or grain treated with 1% LA alone (LA diet), or 1% LA plus oven-heating (LAH diet) prior to feeding. Each experimental period lasted 21 d, with the first 11 d used for adaptation to the diets. The in situ trial consisted in the incubation of the differently treated barley grains (i.e., CON, LA, LAH) up to 48 h in the rumen of cows fed diets containing the respective barleys. The reticuloruminal pH and temperature were continuously measured throughout the experiment via wireless indwelling sensors. In situ data demonstrated increased (P 0.001) disappearance of barley P, being on average more than twice as high during the first 24 h of incubation with LA and LAH compared to CON barley. In contrast, the degradation of starch decreased (P 0.05) after 2 h and 4 h of the ruminal incubation, but not thereafter. Feed intake remained unchanged among treatment groups, whereas ATTD of dry matter was slightly greater (P = 0.05) in cows fed the LA-treated barley. There was no effect of diet on reticuloruminal pH and temperature dynamics either. In conclusion, the present study indicates that treatment of barley grain with LA and LAH lowers rumen degradability of starch early after incubation, without affecting reticuloruminal pH and the ATTD of most nutrients. The improved ruminal disappearance of barley P suggests an improved solubility and faster ruminal availability of organic P of the treated grain, and warrants further investigations to tap its potential with regards to improved P nutrition and minimization of P excretion in dairy cows.

Copyright © 2015 Amira A. T. Al-Hosary et al.This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. The present study assesses the efficacy of SVANOVIR Theileria annulata-Ab, the first commercial ELISA kit for the diagnosis of Theileria annulata infection in cattle based on a recombinant protein known as T. annulata surface protein (TaSp). As a reference test, a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay depending on T. annulata merozoite surface antigen (Tams-1) was applied. A total of 468 blood samples as well as serumsamples were randomly collected fromcattle and tested in the PCR as well as in the ELISA developed in this study. Moreover, all samples were also analyzed by conventional Giemsa-stained blood smear. The results of this study revealed a good correlation between the results obtained by PCR and the ELISA, whereas all PCR positive samples scored correctly positive in the ELISA and 73 of the 125 PCR negative samples scored correctly negative. Taken together, a sensitivity of 91.25% and a specificity of 78.4%were recorded,when compared to the PCR data. In conclusion, the SVANOVIRTheileria annulata- Ab is a suitable diagnostic assay for use in the diagnosis and epidemiological surveys ofTheileria annulata infection in chronic and carrier animals.

Thirty California female rabbits were obtained from the Animal Care Center, College of Agriculture, South Valley University and acclimated to laboratory conditions for one week. The Leiurus quinquestriatus (LQ) venom was collected from mature scorpions by electrical stimulation of the telson. A single dose of crude venom of 0.4 ml/kg (diluted in normal saline with a ratio of 1:1) was injected into a peripheral ear vein. The lungs, brains, hearts, kidneys, were sampled and fixed in 10% formalin from rabbits sacrificed at zero, 30 minutes, 1hr, and 4hrs, post-envenomation (three animals at each sacrifice). Respiratory distress and neurological manifestations were the main clinical signs. Congestion of the lungs was started at one hour postenvenomation. Vascular changes including hyperemia and hemorrhage were also observed till 24 hours post-envenomation. The main histopathological changes of the lungs were edema, hemorrhage, emphysema, and eosinophilic bronchitis. Transmission electron microscopy revealed several eosinophils with abundant granules and breakdown of their membranes suggesting degranulation. The cerebrum showed malacia and edema. Myocardial damage expressed by focal area of myolysis at half-hour post-envenomation and interstitial edema by at 1, and 4 hour post-envenomation was also evident. In conclusion, scorpion venom induced consistent and relevant histopathological changes in all examined organs.

Thirty California female rabbits were obtained from the Animal Care Center, College of Agriculture, South Valley University and acclimated to laboratory conditions for one week. The Leiurus quinquestriatus (LQ) venom was collected from mature scorpions by electrical stimulation of the telson. A single dose of crude venom of 0.4 ml/kg (diluted in normal saline with a ratio of 1:1) was injected into a peripheral ear vein. The lungs, brains, hearts, kidneys, were sampled and fixed in 10% formalin from rabbits sacrificed at zero, 30 minutes, 1hr, and 4hrs, post-envenomation (three animals at each sacrifice). Respiratory distress and neurological manifestations were the main clinical signs. Congestion of the lungs was started at one hour postenvenomation. Vascular changes including hyperemia and hemorrhage were also observed till 24 hours post-envenomation. The main histopathological changes of the lungs were edema, hemorrhage, emphysema, and eosinophilic bronchitis. Transmission electron microscopy revealed several eosinophils with abundant granules and breakdown of their membranes suggesting degranulation. The cerebrum showed malacia and edema. Myocardial damage expressed by focal area of myolysis at half-hour post-envenomation and interstitial edema by at 1, and 4 hour post-envenomation was also evident. In conclusion, scorpion venom induced consistent and relevant histopathological changes in all examined organs

The rapid rise of bacterial resistance to traditional antibiotics combined with the decline in discovery of novel antibacterial agents has created a global public health crisis. Repurposing existing drugs presents an alternative strategy to potentially expedite the discovery of new antimicrobial drugs. The present study demonstrates that simvastatin, an antihyperlipidemic drug exhibited broad-spectrum antibacterial activity against important Gram-positive (including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)) and Gram-negative pathogens (once the barrier imposed by the outer membrane was permeabilized). Proteomics and macromolecular synthesis analyses revealed that simvastatin inhibits multiple biosynthetic pathways and cellular processes in bacteria, including selective interference of bacterial protein synthesis. This property appears to assist in simvastatin’s ability to suppress production of key MRSA toxins (α-hemolysin and Panton-Valentine leucocidin) that impair healing of infected skin wounds. A murine MRSA skin infection experiment confirmed that simvastatin significantly reduces the bacterial burden and inflammatory cytokines in the infected wounds. Additionally, simvastatin exhibits excellent anti-biofilm activity against established staphylococcal biofilms and demonstrates the ability to be combined with topical antimicrobials currently used to treat MRSA skin infections. Collectively the present study lays the foundation for further investigation of repurposing simvastatin as a topical antibacterial agent to treat skin infections. The blockbuster statin drugs have revolutionized the treatment of cardiovascular disease, primarily by reducing low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels, leading to a decline in the morbidity and mortality associated with coronary artery diseases1. All statins drugs exert their effect by inhibiting the enzyme class I 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl-CoenzymeA reductase (HMG-CoA) leading to decreased synthesis of cholesterol and increased removal of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) circulating in the body2,3. These drugs possess a good safety profile with limited side effects thus permitting their frequent use in reducing lipid levels in patients with high cholesterol levels. In addition to their lipid-lowering effect, statins have been found to have potential use for other applications including influencing the host immune response via the drugs’ anti-inflammatory and immune-modulatory properties4. Furthermore, multiple reports have investigated the potential role of statins in preventing and treating various infectious diseases and have demonstrated that statins can pre- vent the establishment of infections (by decreasing host cholesterol synthesis5,6 limiting certain bacterial species’ ability to invade host cells) and potentially decrease the mortality rate attributed to bacterial infection7,8. Interestingly, several studies have shown that certain statins possess antimicrobial activity

The rapid rise of bacterial resistance to traditional antibiotics combined with the decline in discovery of novel antibacterial agents has created a global public health crisis. Repurposing existing drugs presents an alternative strategy to potentially expedite the discovery of new antimicrobial drugs. The present study demonstrates that simvastatin, an antihyperlipidemic drug exhibited broad-spectrum antibacterial activity against important Gram-positive (including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)) and Gram-negative pathogens (once the barrier imposed by the outer membrane was permeabilized). Proteomics and macromolecular synthesis analyses revealed that simvastatin inhibits multiple biosynthetic pathways and cellular processes in bacteria, including selective interference of bacterial protein synthesis. This property appears to assist in simvastatin’s ability to suppress production of key MRSA toxins (α-hemolysin and Panton-Valentine leucocidin) that impair healing of infected skin wounds. A murine MRSA skin infection experiment confirmed that simvastatin significantly reduces the bacterial burden and inflammatory cytokines in the infected wounds. Additionally, simvastatin exhibits excellent anti-biofilm activity against established staphylococcal biofilms and demonstrates the ability to be combined with topical antimicrobials currently used to treat MRSA skin infections. Collectively the present study lays the foundation for further investigation of repurposing simvastatin as a topical antibacterial agent to treat skin infections. The blockbuster statin drugs have revolutionized the treatment of cardiovascular disease, primarily by reducing low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels, leading to a decline in the morbidity and mortality associated with coronary artery diseases1. All statins drugs exert their effect by inhibiting the enzyme class I 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl-CoenzymeA reductase (HMG-CoA) leading to decreased synthesis of cholesterol and increased removal of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) circulating in the body2,3. These drugs possess a good safety profile with limited side effects thus permitting their frequent use in reducing lipid levels in patients with high cholesterol levels. In addition to their lipid-lowering effect, statins have been found to have potential use for other applications including influencing the host immune response via the drugs’ anti-inflammatory and immune-modulatory properties4. Furthermore, multiple reports have investigated the potential role of statins in preventing and treating various infectious diseases and have demonstrated that statins can pre- vent the establishment of infections (by decreasing host cholesterol synthesis5,6 limiting certain bacterial species’ ability to invade host cells) and potentially decrease the mortality rate attributed to bacterial infection7,8. Interestingly, several studies have shown that certain statins possess antimicrobial activity

Background: the chick embryo act as a model for embryology and its liver development is of special interest. There is a lack in literatures about morphogenesis of liver of chicken.Methods and Results: 50 chick embryo of Dandarawi chicken were collected from Assiut University Farm at 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17 and 19 day of prehatching life. At 3rd day of incubation, the parenchyma of the liver was consisted mainly of hepatic cords and some acini. At 5th day, the liver consisted of a mass of hepatic cells and hepatic sinusoids, the hepatocytes divided into dark and light cells. At 7th day, the light cells became numerous, and then they gradually decreased to reach their minimum level at 13th day, but at 15th day of incubation these cells were difficult to be observed. The apical borders of hepatocytes bear microvilli, which had maximum length at 7th day then decreased gradually till 19th day of incubation. Also, the bile canliculi was wide at 7th day and then became narrow to reach the narrowest level at 19th day of incubation. The amount of lipid increased gradually from 7th day to gain its maximum at the 19th day. The glycogen began to increase gradually to gain its maximum at 9th day and reached the lowest level at 11th day, then increased in 13th day and continued at this level till end of incubation. The gall bladder was firstly observed at the fifth day of incubation on the periphery of the right lobe and lined by pseudo stratified columnar epithelium from 5th to 7th day and from 9th to 19th incubation day, the epithelium became simple columnar.Conclusion: histogenesis of liver and gall bladder of Dandarawi chicken were described and discussed at different prehatching ages.

Background: the chick embryo act as a model for embryology and its liver development is of special interest. There is a lack in literatures about morphogenesis of liver of chicken.Methods and Results: 50 chick embryo of Dandarawi chicken were collected from Assiut University Farm at 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17 and 19 day of prehatching life. At 3rd day of incubation, the parenchyma of the liver was consisted mainly of hepatic cords and some acini. At 5th day, the liver consisted of a mass of hepatic cells and hepatic sinusoids, the hepatocytes divided into dark and light cells. At 7th day, the light cells became numerous, and then they gradually decreased to reach their minimum level at 13th day, but at 15th day of incubation these cells were difficult to be observed. The apical borders of hepatocytes bear microvilli, which had maximum length at 7th day then decreased gradually till 19th day of incubation. Also, the bile canliculi was wide at 7th day and then became narrow to reach the narrowest level at 19th day of incubation. The amount of lipid increased gradually from 7th day to gain its maximum at the 19th day. The glycogen began to increase gradually to gain its maximum at 9th day and reached the lowest level at 11th day, then increased in 13th day and continued at this level till end of incubation. The gall bladder was firstly observed at the fifth day of incubation on the periphery of the right lobe and lined by pseudo stratified columnar epithelium from 5th to 7th day and from 9th to 19th incubation day, the epithelium became simple columnar.Conclusion: histogenesis of liver and gall bladder of Dandarawi chicken were described and discussed at different prehatching ages.

Background: the chick embryo act as a model for embryology and its liver development is of special interest. There is a lack in literatures about morphogenesis of liver of chicken.Methods and Results: 50 chick embryo of Dandarawi chicken were collected from Assiut University Farm at 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17 and 19 day of prehatching life. At 3rd day of incubation, the parenchyma of the liver was consisted mainly of hepatic cords and some acini. At 5th day, the liver consisted of a mass of hepatic cells and hepatic sinusoids, the hepatocytes divided into dark and light cells. At 7th day, the light cells became numerous, and then they gradually decreased to reach their minimum level at 13th day, but at 15th day of incubation these cells were difficult to be observed. The apical borders of hepatocytes bear microvilli, which had maximum length at 7th day then decreased gradually till 19th day of incubation. Also, the bile canliculi was wide at 7th day and then became narrow to reach the narrowest level at 19th day of incubation. The amount of lipid increased gradually from 7th day to gain its maximum at the 19th day. The glycogen began to increase gradually to gain its maximum at 9th day and reached the lowest level at 11th day, then increased in 13th day and continued at this level till end of incubation. The gall bladder was firstly observed at the fifth day of incubation on the periphery of the right lobe and lined by pseudo stratified columnar epithelium from 5th to 7th day and from 9th to 19th incubation day, the epithelium became simple columnar.Conclusion: histogenesis of liver and gall bladder of Dandarawi chicken were described and discussed at different prehatching ages.