Jorge Acosta-Dibarrat

Changes in the metabolic profile of pregnant ewes to an acute feed restriction in late gestation

AIM: To detect early changes in the metabolic profile of pregnant ewes subject to acute feed restriction at 130 days of gestation, and to establish indicators of risk for ovine pregnancy toxaemia (OPT) for diagnostic purposes. METHODS: Twenty Corriedale ewes with known mating dates, carrying a single fetus, were used. Ewes were maintained on meadow grasslands and at 130 days of gestation were randomly divided in two groups of 10 ewes. The control group had ad libitum access to pasture. Ewes in the restricted group were subjected to an acute feed restriction for a maximum of 144 hours (6 days), with free access to water. From the start (0 hours) until the end of feed restriction, blood samples were collected from all ewes to monitor concentrations of cortisol, non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), ß-hydroxybutyrate (BOHB) daily, and glucose in plasma every 6 hours; urinary pH was also measured. Every 6 hours the food restricted ewes were observed to detect clinical signs of OPT e.g. apathy, grinding teeth, empty chewing movements, head leaning against the wall, tachypnea and not drinking water. RESULTS: In food-restricted ewes, concentrations of glucose decreased and differed from control ewes from 54 to 90 hours (p<0.001), and 96 to 102 hours (p<0.05). Concentrations of BOHB, cortisol and NEFA increased following feed restriction and differed from control ewes after 48 to 144 hours (p<0.01). Eight of the 10 restricted ewes showed clinical signs of OPT after 102–132 hours. Mean concentrations of glucose, BOHB and cortisol differed between control and restricted ewes prior to the onset of clinical signs of OPT, after 48–96 hours of feed restriction (p<0.01). Mean gestational length, and time from birth to placental expulsion was not affected by the feed restriction. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that concentrations of glucose, BOHB and cortisol in plasma may provide a precocious diagnosis of subclinical OPT, using values of 1.59 (SD 0.24) mmol/L, 2.26 (SD 1.03) mmol/L and 15.09 (SD 7.75) nmol/L, respectively. The identification of a potentially harmful metabolic imbalance could lead to the improvement of treatment success.

Phenotypical characteristics, genetic identification, and antimicrobial sensitivity of Aeromonas species isolated from farmed rainbow trout (Onchorynchus mykiss) in Mexico

In the present study, Aeromonas isolates from diseased and healthy farmed rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) in Mexico, were characterized phenotypically and identified to species level by using 16S rDNA RFLP-PCR. A total of 50 isolates were included in the study and 10 Aeromonas species identified. The species A. veronii biovar sobria (22%), A. hydrophila (20%) and A. bestiarum (20%) were the most predominant. All isolates (100%) were resistant to cephalothin.

Identification of Pasteurella multocida capsular types isolated from rabbits and other domestic animals in Mexico with respiratory diseases

Pasteurella multocida is the causative agent of pasteurellosis, a major disease in most domestic animals and livestock. In this study, a total of 34 isolates of P. multocida from rabbits and other domestic animals from Mexico with respiratory diseases underwent polymerase chain reaction-based capsular typing. One sheep isolate was found to belong to capsular serogroup D, whereas the rest of the rabbit, sheep, cattle, pig, goat, and duck isolates belonged to capsular serogroup A of P. multocida. This is the first report of capsular type A in P. multocida isolates from rabbits and duck origin in Mexico.

Distribution of immune response cells in the pelvic urethra and the prepuce of rams

The pathogens of the reproductive system in the male can penetrate and establish by ascending route, from to the prepuce to the urethra, accessory glands, epididymis and testicles. The aim of this paper is determine the distribution and number of cells involved in the immune response in prepuce and pelvic urethra of rams, without apparent clinical alterations in testicle, epididymis and prepuce. The distribution of some of the cells involved in the immune response at the level of the prepuce and the pelvic urethra was quantified in four one-year-old rams seronegative for B. ovis and A. seminis and without apparent lesions in the testicles, the epididymis, and the prepuce. At the moment of slaughter, samples were taken from the preputial fornix and the pelvic urethra and placed in 10% formalin and under freezing conditions. CD4, CD8, WC1, CD45RO, CD14 and CD1b cells were demonstrated by immunohistochemistry, and immunoglobulin-containing cells (ICC) of the IgA, IgG and IgM classes were demonstrated by immunofluorescence. The labeled cells present in the mucosa of both organs were counted with an image analyzer. The total number of cells was compared between both tissues and differentially between the epithelium and the connective tissue of the mucosa. Significant differences were found in the total number of CD4, CD45RO, and WC1 lymphocytes, in CD14 macrophages, and CD1b dendritic cells, with mean values being greater in the fornix than in the urethra (p<0.05) in all cases. Only dendritic cells were found in the prepuce. No differences were found in the number of CD8 lymphocytes between both organs. The ratio between each cell type in the connective and the intraepithelial tissues and between organs was 10/1 for CD4 in the fornix (p<0.05), against 7/1 in the urethra (p<0.05), while CD8 had a 1/1 distribution in both mucosae. The WC1 ratio was 5/1 in both mucosae (p<0.05). CD45RO labeling was 19/1 in the prepuce (p<0.05) and 1/1 in the urethra. IgA-containing cells did not show differences in the total number of cells in both tissues. In the urethra, no IgG-containing cells were observed and IgM-containing cells were scarce; in contrast, both cell types were present in the prepuce, in amounts greater than in the urethra (p<0.05). IgA-, IgG-, and IgM-containing cells were located in both organs in the mucosal connective tissue. The presence of antigen-presenting cells, macrophages, and dendritic cells, as well as of lymphocytes CD4, CD8 TCR γδ (WC1), IgA-, IgG and IgM positive cells, and CD45RO cells suggests that both mucosae may behave as inductive and effector sites for the mucosal immune response.

Resistance of cervical adenocarcinoma cells (HeLa) to venom from the scorpion Centruroides limpidus limpidus

BackgroundThe venom of Centruroides limpidus limpidus (Cll) is a mixture of pharmacologically active principles. The most important of these are toxic proteins that interact both selectively and specifically with different cellular targets such as ion channels. Recently, anticancer properties of the venom from other scorpion species have been described. Studies in vitro have shown that scorpion venom induces cell death, inhibits proliferation and triggers the apoptotic pathway in different cancer cell lines. Herein, after treating human cervical adenocarcinoma (HeLa) cells with Cll crude venom, their cytotoxic activity and apoptosis induction were assessed.ResultsCll crude venom induced cell death in normal macrophages in a dose-dependent manner. However, through viability assays, HeLa cells showed high survival rates after exposure to Cll venom. Also, Cll venom did not induce apoptosis after performing ethidium bromide/acridine orange assays, nor was there any evidence of chromatin condensation or DNA fragmentation.ConclusionsCrude Cll venom exposure was not detrimental to HeLa cell cultures. This may be partially attributable to the absence of specific HeLa cell membrane targets for molecules present in the venom of Centruroides limpidus limpidus. Although these results might discourage additional studies exploring the potential of Cll venom to treat human papilloma cervical cancer, further research is required to explore positive effects of crude Cll venom on other cancer cell lines.

Phenotypic and genotypic profile of clinical and animal multidrug-resistant Salmonella enterica isolates from Mexico

The objective of this study was to obtain a phenotypic and genotypic profile of Salmonella enterica including multidrug‐resistant (MDR) isolates from food‐producing animals and clinical isolates, as well as their genetic relatedness in two different States of Mexico (Jalisco and State of Mexico).

Mineral Status and Interrelationship in Soil, Forage, and Blood Serum of Horses in the Rainy and Dry Seasons

Abstract The objective was to evaluate the content of P, Ca, Mg, K, Na, Cu, Fe, Zn, Se, and Mn in soil, forage, and serum of horses in several production units (PU) during rainy and dry seasons and predict their concentration in serum from their content in soil and forage. Soil and pastures were sampled in the dry (November–December) and in rainy seasons (June–July), and blood samples were collected from the jugular vein of 76 horses in both seasons at four PU. The experimental design was a completely random design within a 4 × 2 (PU × season) factorial arrangement of treatments. Concentration of minerals in soil differed (P < .05) among PU, and contents of P, Ca, Mg, and K were low; Zn and Fe were high; and Cu and Mn were adequate. Mineral concentrations in forage differed among PU and season, and among PU within season (interaction P < .05). Contents of Ca, Mg, Na, Zn, and Cu were low; Fe was high; and P, K, Se, and Mn adequate. The mineral concentration in equine blood serum differed (P < .05) among PU and season. Overall, there were deficiencies of P, Ca, Mg, Na, Cu, and Se, but adequate amounts of K, Zn, and Fe. There are imbalances of minerals in soil and forages which effected their concentration inequine blood. HighlightsConcentrations of P, Ca, Mg, Na, Cu, and Se were deficiency in equine serum.Equine serum has adequate amounts of K, Zn, and Fe.Higher regression effect (R2 = 0.97) in serum iron with forage.Lower regression effect (R2 = 0.54) in serum copper with forage.

Prevalence of Chlamydia abortus Antibodies in Horses From the Northern State of Mexico and Its Relationship With Domestic Animals

ABSTRACT Chlamydia abortus is obligate intracellular bacteria that cause a wide range of reproductive and respiratory diseases in animals and humans. Serologic and molecular evidences of C. abortus in Mexico have been reported in sheep and goats. The presence of C. abortus antibodies in horses (n = 301) was detected by a commercial indirect enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay test. Additionally, C. abortus antibodies in bovines (n = 25), goats (n = 8), and sheep (n = 94) reared with horses were detected to identify probable animal species that could infect horses. The prevalence obtained was 1.32% for horses, 48% for bovines, 12.5% for goats, and 29.7% for sheep. The 75% of horses seropositive to C. abortus were obtained from farms with the presence of sheep seropositive to C. abortus. These results suggest that the presence of C. abortus in horses from Mexico exist and can be related with the presence of sheep positive to C. abortus. HIGHLIGHTSPresence of Chlamydia abortus antibodies in horses (n = 301) was detected by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay test.Horses had the lowest prevalence (1.32%) of C. abortus versus other domestic animals.The 75% of horses seropositive to C. abortus were from farms reared sheep.

Distribution of lymphocytes, immunoglobulin-containing cells, macrophages, and dendritic cells in the accessory sex glands of rams experimentally infected with Actinobacillus seminis

A distribuicao das celulas envolvidas na resposta imune em glândulas sexuais acessorias de carneiros experimentalmente infectados com Actinobacillus seminis foi estudada. Doze carneiros de um ano de idade foram experimentalmente infectados via intrauretral (IU) (n=4) e via intraepididimal (IE) (n=4) e quatro animais controles (CON) foram utilizados. Os animais foram abatidos 35 dias apos a inoculacao, amostras foram retiradas das glândulas sexuais acessorias e testes bacteriologicos e histopatologicos foram realizados. A presenca de linfocitos CD4, CD8 e TCRγδ (WC1), celulas CD45RO, macrofagos (CD14), celulas dendriticas (CD1b) e celulas contendo IgA, IgG and IgM (IgCC) foi determinada. Os animais do grupo IE desenvolveram epididimite clinica. Nao foram visualizadas lesoes nos carneiros do grupo IU, dois dos CON inoculados intraepididimalmente desenvolveram pequenas lesoes no epididimo. Isolados de A. seminis foram obtidos de 6:16 (37,5%) nas glândulas sexuais acessorias no grupo IE mas nao nos grupos IU e CON. No grupo CON celulas contendo IgA and IgM predominaram nas glândulas bulbouretrais e na prostata e foram escassas ou ausentes nas vesiculas e na ampola. Um incremento significativo de celulas contendo IgA, IgG and IgM foi confirmado nas vesiculas seminais, na ampola e nas glândulas bulbouretrais no grupo IE. Nos grupos IE e IU foi evidenciado um aumento em CD4, CD8, WC1, CD45RO e CD14 nas vesiculas e ampola. As celulas dendriticas CD1b estavam presentes na ampola e nas vesiculas com processo inflamatorio. A. seminis induziu uma resposta imune local nos grupos IE e IU. Estes resultados indicam um padrao diferente de celulas imunes infiltrantes nas glândulas sexuais acessorias de carneiros infectados por A. seminis.