Giovanni Perona

Use of injectable transponders for the identification and traceability of pigs

Individual identification in pigs is a key point for management, traceability and trade control. The aim of this experiment was to study retention rate and functionality of electronic identification systems in pigs, injected in different sites, evaluate traceability of animals and highlight histopathological alterations of tissues in different inoculation sites. A total of 60 crossbred piglets were used to compare different transponder inoculation sites. One group (15 piglets) was identified only by plastic ear-tags, while three groups were identified by passive injectable transponders (PIT), with different inoculation sites. Pigs were slaughtered in two different moments, in order to evaluate injection sites, macroscopically and histologically, either 50 days after injection or at a normal slaughtering weight. In general, no apparent animal health problems were observed the day after the injection or during the control readings performed during the experiment. Intraperitoneal localization gave excellent results in term of readability until the slaughter time. Transponders at the slaughter line were always recovered in the viscera tray, as they were found loose in the peritoneal cavity. In some cases, they were found on the carcasses, attached to the peritoneum. In those cases a sample of peritoneal tissue was collected for histological examination. A reparative chronic reaction with moderate and multifocal fibrosis and neoformed vessels associated to multifocal and mild lymphoplasmacytic infiltrate were detected. In one case (6.7%) the transponder was found on the visceral side of the liver and the histological examination highlighted a localized superficial hepatic atrophy by compression. Retroauricolar site of injection gave lower readability results, as 2 transponders (13.3%) were no more readable during the first month after injection. No lesions were found with this inoculation site. PIT injected in the perineal region were operative until slaughter time. Recovery procedures at the slaughterhouse were simple for animals slaughtered at a low weight, but much more difficult in the case of heavy pigs. Moreover, in three cases (20%), PITs were no more in the subcutaneous tissue but had an intramuscular localization. The histological examination of the muscles revealed a chronic reparative process. In our experiment, injectable transponders in the intraperitoneal position provided the best identification system for pigs. Histo -pathological examination revealed only local reparative processes in the tissues interested by PIT contact, and no other pathological changes.

Effect of Breed, Cage Type, and Reproductive Phase on Fecal Corticosterone Levels in Doe Rabbits

Fecal corticosterone concentration (FCC) is increasingly being used as a noninvasive indicator of stress in assessment of nonhuman animal welfare. The aim of this study was to evaluate effects of breed, cage type, reproductive phase, and their interactions on FCC levels in doe rabbits. A total of 252 doe rabbits were randomly assigned to 2 groups. Does were individually housed in either standard dimension cages (SC) or in cages with a volume more than double that of the SC. Bigger cages (BC) were equipped with a plastic foot mat. Breed, cage type, and reproductive phase significantly affected FCC. New Zealand hybrids showed higher FCCs (p < .001) when compared witho the autochthonous breed (27.77 ± 0.47 vs. 24.61 ± 0.36 pg g−1, respectively). Increased cage size coupled with a plastic foot mat resulted in a significant decrease in doe FCC. The highest FCCs were detected at partum (BC: 30.40 ± 0.81 pg g−1; SC: 33.36 ± 0.86 pg g−1; p ≤ .05), followed by postweaning (BC: 25.09 ± 0.95 pg g−1; SC: 27.63 ± 0.95 pg g−1; p ≤ .05). These results support the hypothesis that measurement of FCC provides a useful indicator of chronic stress in doe rabbits.

Gene expression and inducibility of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor-dependent pathway in cultured bovine blood lymphocytes.

The exposure to dioxin-like (DL) compounds, an important class of persistent environmental pollutants, results in the altered expression of target genes. This occurs through the binding to the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), the subsequent dimerization with the AhR nuclear translocator (ARNT), and the binding of the complex to DNA responsive elements. A number of genes are up-regulated, including, among others, the AhR repressor (AHRR) and several biotransformation enzymes, such as the members of CYP1 family and NAD(P)H-quinone oxidoreductase (NOQ1). The expression and the inducibility of the above genes were investigated in mitogen-stimulated cultured blood lymphocytes from cattle, which represent a notable source of DL-compound human exposure through dairy products and meat. As assessed by real-time PCR, all the examined genes except CYP1A2 and NQO1 were detected under basal conditions. Cell exposure to the DL-compounds PCB126 or PCB77 in the 10(-6)-10(-9)M concentration range resulted in a 2-4-fold induction of CYPIA1 and CYP1B1, which was antagonized by α-naphthoflavone or PCB153. This study demonstrates for the first time the presence and inducibility of the AhR pathway in easily accessible cells like bovine peripheral lymphocytes and prompts further investigations to verify whether similar changes could occur under in vivo conditions.

Small ruminant lentivirus genotype B and E interaction: Evidences on the role of Roccaverano strain on reducing proviral load of the challenging CAEV strain.

Live attenuated vaccines provide the most consistent protective immunity in experimental models of lentivirus infections. In this study we tested the hypothesis that animals infected with a naturally attenuated small ruminant lentivirus field strain of genotype E may control a challenge infection with a virulent strain of the caprine arthritis encephalitis virus (CAEV-CO). Within genotype E, Roccaverano strain has been described as attenuated since decreased arthritic pathological indexes were recorded in Roccaverano-infected animals compared to animals of the same breed infected with genotype B strains. Moreover, under natural conditions, animals double-infected with genotypes B and E appear less prone to develop SRLV-related disease, leading to a putative protective role of Roccaverano strain. Here we present evidence that goats experimentally infected with the avirulent genotype E SRLV-Roccaverano strain control the proviral load of a pathogenic challenge virus (CAEV-CO strain) more efficiently than naïve animals and appear to limit the spread of histological lesions to the contralateral joints.

Tissue-Engineered Heart Valves: Intra-operative Protocol

Tissue engineering of heart valves investigates the possibility to create a fully compatible and biomimetic graft able to provide host cell repopulation like the native living valve. Decellularized aortic and pulmonary valves and synthetic polymers have been used to promote the creation of a native-like scaffold suitable to be colonized by cells either in vitro, in dynamic bioreactors or in vivo using different animal models. The herein presented research provides the intra-operative protocol and details of surgical technique. Porcine aortic valve conduits were decellularized and implanted in the right ventricular outflow tract of Vietnamese pigs.

The Vietnamese pig as a translational animal model to evaluate tissue engineered heart valves: promising early experience

Several animal models are currently used for the surgical implantation of either biologic or biopolymeric scaffolds in order to provide in vivo assessment of tissue-engineered heart valves. The Vietnamese pig (VP) is herein proposed as a suitable recipient to test the function of novel bioengineered valve substitutes, in the reconstruction of the right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT). This review aims to provide a complete and exhaustive panel of physiological parameters and methodological information for preclinical studies of tissue-engineered heart valves in the VP animal model.

Pestivirus infection in cattle dairy farms: E2 glycoprotein ELISA reveals the presence of bovine viral diarrhea virus type 2 in northwestern Italy

BackgroundBovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) types 1 and 2 are members of the Pestivirus genus of the Flaviviridae family. This genus also includes the HoBi-like virus, tentatively classified as BVDV type 3. BVDV-1 is widely distributed in Italy despite the extensive use of BVDV-1-based vaccines, while BVDV-2 and HoBi-like Pestivirus have been detected occasionally. Monitoring the occurrence of sporadic or atypical pestiviruses is a useful approach to evaluate the need for additional vaccine strains that can be used in BVDV control programs.ResultsIn this study we developed a multiwell antibody ELISA based on the recombinant E2 protein of the three bovine pestiviruses. We evaluated the assay’s applicability for surveillance purposes using pooled milk samples, each prepared from a maximum of 35 lactating cows and collected from 176 dairy herds. As expected, the majority of the pooled samples reacted to a greater extent against the BVDV-1 E2 antigen. All three milk pools from a single farm reacted to the BVDV-2 antigen, however. Further analysis using spot tests, antigen detection, and sequence analysis of the 5′-UTR region confirmed the presence of five persistently infected calves carrying a BVDV-2a strain.ConclusionsThis study highlights for the first time that sporadic circulation of BVDV-2 can be predicted by immunoenzymatic methods in the absence of specific vaccination.

Effect of Cage Type on Fecal Corticosterone Concentration in Buck Rabbits During the Reproductive Cycle

Fecal corticosterone concentration (FCC) was measured in 14 buck rabbits individually housed in standard-dimension cages (SC) or in bigger cages (BC; with a volume more than double that of SC and equipped with a plastic foot mat) during 4 consecutive reproductive cycles. Cage type and reproductive phase (estrous synchronization of doe rabbits, artificial insemination, partum, preweaning, and postweaning) were not statistically significant but tendentially affected FCCs (.05 < p < .10). Buck rabbits housed in SC showed higher FCCs than those housed in BC (27.42 pg g− 1 dried feces and 25.57 pg g− 1, respectively; SEM = 2.952). The highest FCC values were detected at artificial insemination (BC, 27.91 pg g− 1; SC, 30.45 pg g− 1; SEM = 3.520), highlighting that the phase of semen collection could be one of the most critical moments for buck rabbits, although further investigations are needed. These preliminary results suggest that measurement of FCC could be used as an indicator of chronic stress in buck rabbits.

The X‐ray ultraviolet imager for the orbiting solar laboratory

A normal incidence multimirror telescope, the X‐ray Ultraviolet Imager, for high resolution imaging of the solar atmosphere in the soft X‐ray/XUV region, is being developed as part of the scientific payload of the NASA Orbiting Solar Laboratory. The X‐ray Ultraviolet Imager is formed by two units: a high resolution telescope (0.25 arcsec pixel size and 8×8 arcmin2 field of view) and a wide field one (2.3 arcsec pixel size and 5×5 solar radii2 field of view). The two systems complement each other and allow a full coverage of solar features from the small scale (200 km on the sun) to the global phenomena. Each system consists of 8 channels with multilayer mirrors, imaging at different wavelengths. In each channel the mirror coating is optimized to select a narrow spectroscopic window corresponding to an intense line in the region 40–400 A. In order to provide imaging and temperature diagnostics from the chromosphere to the upper corona, 8 wavelengths are chosen to cover the broad temperature range from 105 ...