Phaidra - University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna
Not a member yet
3528 research outputs found
Sort by
Bilateral rostral mandibulectomy in case of a complete fracture of the pars incisiva in a Simmental fattening bull
No full textA 9-month-old Simmental fattening bull with a history of anorexia, severe salivation and marked bilateral swelling of the mandible was referred to the clinic. The physical examination and radiographs revealed a bilateral complete displaced mandibular fracture involving the symphysis. Treatment consisted of rostral mandibulectomy, including the symphysis, which resulted in a loss of integrity and therefore instability of the hemi-mandibulae. To promote early food intake and to ensure appropriate analgesia, a multimodal analgesic plan was implemented, and repeated pain scoring was initiated immediately following surgery. The bull was discharged 16 days after surgery, at which point the bull was able to eat normally. The bull showed sufficient weight gain at the end of the fattening period. At slaughter, physical examination showed a stable connection between both sides of the mandibles, and a radiographic examination of the head revealed osseous fusion of both hemi-mandibulae through a renewal of the symphysis
Combined LC-MS and qPCR Analysis of Authentic Cumin Samples to Identify the Botanical Origin of Their Pyrrolizidine Alkaloid Contamination
No full textPyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) and tropane alkaloids (TAs) are toxins that naturally occur in plants worldwide and can contaminate food such as (herbal) teas, culinary herbs, and spices if these plants are unintendedly coharvested. Cumin has been identified as a particularly problematic matrix regarding PA contamination, frequently exceeding the European Union (EU) regulatory limits. However, the botanical causes of PA contamination in cumin remain largely unknown. In the current study, 74 authentic cumin samples provided by vendors were analyzed for PAs and TAs using LC-MS and screened for PA-producing plants using qPCR. Analytes were detected in all samples, with 18 exceeding the EU regulatory PA limit. The identified PAs predominantly matched those typically found in European heliotrope (Heliotropium europaeum). However, qPCR did not detect known PA- or TA-producing plants and therefore did not align with the LC-MS findings. The clear indication of a specific plant responsible for PA contamination in cumin could help manufacturers improve weed control and minimize product contamination in the future
Combined effects of fine-scale intensity and spatial extent of exposure to outdoor recreation shape wildlife responses and tolerance to human activity
No full textOutdoor recreational activities and nature-based tourism are rapidly expanding, both in intensity and space. Even non-consumptive activities can have adverse effects by altering animal behaviour and physiology, but wildlife can also develop behavioural tolerance to humans and adjust to human activities. However, few general patterns have emerged, likely due to incomplete knowledge of the factors that modulate wildlife responses. For example, it remains unclear how fine-scale intensity and spatial extent of exposure to outdoor recreational activities influence disturbance effects on wildlife. Here, we investigated how the combined effects of current onsite visitor numbers, the extent of areas used by humans, such as around picnic areas, within animal\u27s home ranges and the proximity of animals\u27 activity centres to main recreational infrastructure, such as main hiking trails, affect behavioural and physiological responses to outdoor activity. We used Alpine marmots Marmota marmota in Stelvio National Park (central Italian Alps) as a case study. Marmots occupying territories with low human area use and with activity centres located farther from the main hiking trail in the study area increased anti-predator behaviours and decreased foraging during higher visitor presence. In contrast, marmots from territories with higher area use and/or activity centres closer to the main trail were more tolerant. Stress levels assessed through faecal cortisol metabolites (FCMs) mirrored this pattern, but high uncertainty around FCMs estimates suggests cautious interpretation. This case study demonstrates that wildlife responsiveness to outdoor activity can depend on multiple interacting factors, highlighting the importance of context-specific impact assessment and targeted mitigation strategies
Autogenous Streptococcus suis serotype 1 bacterin: immunogenicities of sow and gilt vaccination protocols
No full textBackground
Diseases caused by Streptococcus suis (S. suis) infection have a major impact on return on investment, use of antibiotics and animal welfare in piglet rearing worldwide. S. suis bacterins are commonly used as autogenous vaccines in different countries but experimental studies indicate limitations of bacterins in protective efficacy. In this study we read out levels of IgG, IgM and IgA binding to a S. suis serotype (cps) 1 outbreak strain and bactericidal immunity after application of a homologous bacterin to sows and gilts. In the first trial we recorded immunogenicities after preparturient sow vaccination. In the second trial we compared an intranasal versus an intramuscular second boost application in gilts, and in the third trial the impact of the second boost application prior farrowing of gilts was specifically investigated.
Results
Preparturient intramuscular application of a S. suis cps1 (sly+, mrp+, epf+) autogenous bacterin elicited significantly increased levels of serum IgG but not IgM binding to the surface of the homologous strain. Accordingly, specific serum IgG levels were significantly increased in the second and fourth week of life in piglets of these sows. Increased IgG levels were associated with decreased proliferation of S. suis cps1 in blood of 2-week-old piglets reared by vaccinated sows. The increase of IgM binding to cps1 between the fourth and sixth week of life was comparable between piglets farrowed by vaccinated and non-vaccinated sows. Levels of serum IgA binding to S. suis cps1 were not different between piglets fostered by vaccinated and non-vaccinated sows. Between the fourth and sixth week of life we recorded a significant increase in specific serum IgA levels. Intramuscular prime boost vaccination of gilts during quarantine elicited significantly increased specific serum IgG but not IgA levels. Levels of IgG in colostrum binding to S. suis cps1 were significantly increased only in gilts boostered intramuscularly 3 weeks pre farrowing and not in gilts boostered intranasally. Neither intramuscular nor intranasal boostering was associated with increased levels of specific IgA in colostrum. The significant influence of the second intramuscular boost vaccination pre farrowing in gilts on IgG levels in colostrum and in blood of 2-week-old-piglets was confirmed in the last trial.
Conclusions
Intramuscular prime-boost vaccination of sows and gilts with an autogenous S. suis cps1 bacterin is associated with significantly increased levels of specific IgG in their colostrum and serum of 2- and 4-week-old piglets based on the investigations in one herd that had experienced a severe S. suis cps1 outbreak. After prime-boost vaccination during quarantine gilts should be boostered again pre-farrowing to ensure increased IgG levels in their piglets. A way to elicit increased specific IgA levels in colostrum, milk or serum through intramuscular or intranasal bacterin application was not identified
Co-evolving infectivity and expression patterns drive the diversification of endogenous retroviruses
No full textTransposable elements are major contributors to the evolution of their hosts, but the mechanisms driving their own diversification remain poorly understood. Here, we reveal key principles governing the evolution of insect endogenous retroviruses (ERVs), a class of infectious LTR-retrotransposons that encode an Envelope protein. Through comparative analyses and experimental studies of transposon replication cycles in Drosophila, we demonstrate how two crucial ERV traits-infectivity and spatiotemporal expression-co-evolve. We find that ERVs have adapted their cis-regulatory sequences to function across all ovarian cell types. Strikingly, infectious ERV lineages display distinct expression patterns in somatic cells, from where they infect the germline, whereas derived retroelement lineages that have lost infectivity are expressed exclusively in the germline. Co-evolutionary changes in the piRNA pathway, which integrates transposon promoter and sequence information into differentially expressed piRNA clusters, highlight the functional significance of the diverse ERV expression niches. By investigating a unique ERV lineage, rover, we reconstruct the molecular events that transformed an infectious ERV into a retroelement. Overall, our study uncovers fundamental mechanisms that drive the co-evolution of ERVs and their hosts, with important implications for understanding the functional diversification of LTR sequences.Online Version of Record before inclusion in an issu
Are Reusable Dry Electrodes an Alternative to Gelled Electrodes for Canine Surface Electromyography?
No full textDespite its increasing use in veterinary rehabilitation, practical constraints—such as skin preparation and single-use electrodes—limit the wider adoption of surface electromyography (sEMG). Having conventional pre-gelled Ag/AgCl electrodes as reference, we made a pioneering comparison of the performance of reusable soft polymeric dry electrodes for recording paraspinal muscle activity in dogs during treadmill walking. Twelve clinically healthy Dachshunds from both genders were evaluated under two conditions, namely: (i) dry electrodes on untrimmed hair; and (ii) pre-gelled electrodes after trichotomy. Signals were acquired from the longissimus dorsi muscle at 1 kHz, processed with standardized filtering and rectification, and analyzed in both time and frequency domains. Dry electrodes yielded higher amplitude and Root Mean Square (RMS) values, but slightly lower power spectral density metrics when compared to pre-gelled electrodes. Nevertheless, frequency-domain results were broadly comparable between configurations. Dry electrodes reduce the preparation time, avoid hair clipping, and allow reusability without major signal degradation. While pre-gelled electrodes may still offer marginally superior stability during movement, our results suggest that soft polymeric dry electrodes present a feasible, less invasive, and more sustainable alternative for canine sEMG. These findings support further validation of dry electrodes in clinical populations, particularly for neuromuscular assessment in intervertebral disk disease
Behavioral and systemic differences in Holstein cows with known severity of rumen acidosis during low and high-grain feeding
No full textThis study investigated behavioral and systemic differences in second-lactation Holstein cows with known susceptibility to subacute ruminal acidosis (SARA) when transitioned from a low to high-grain diet. Eighteen cows (9 SARA-susceptible, 9 SARA-resistant; 646 ± 59 kg body weight) were used in a longitudinal experimental design, with two experimental runs. In each run, the cows were first fed a 40 % concentrate diet for 2 weeks followed by a 65 % concentrate diet for 4 weeks. Behavioral parameters (chewing, lying, eating, ruminating, feed sorting), salivary characteristics, milk production, and blood metabolites were evaluated. SARA-resistant cows exhibited greater rumination activity (rumination time, chews per bolus, chews per minute; P < 0.05), higher body weight (P = 0.04), and elevated serum total protein (P = 0.01), despite no differences in ruminal pH indices. The dietary shift to high-grain significantly affected most behavioral, production, and physiological parameters (P < 0.01), including increased sorting for physically effective fiber (peNDF), eating rate, meal frequency, milk yield, milk protein, blood glucose, and salivary osmolality, alongside reductions in rumination time, eating duration, milk fat, and blood lipid metabolites. Significant SARA type × diet interactions were observed in rumination indices, eating behavior (visit size, number of meals), blood glucose, and non-esterified fatty acids concentrations, with SARA-resistant cows showing improved metabolic adaptation during the high-grain phase. In conclusion, cows previously identified as SARA-resistant demonstrated enhanced behavioral and metabolic resilience to high-grain diets, suggesting that prior SARA status may influence adaptation strategies during dietary transitions. Additional research is suggested to evaluate prolonged impact of high-grain diets on behavioral and production parameters across different SARA phenotypes
Don\u27t forget the dams! Dairy cows\u27 responses to two separation methods after 3 months of cow-calf contact
No full textWeaning and separation remain among some of the biggest challenges for cow-calf contact systems, making the development of practical and low-stress separation methods mandatory for future success of these systems. This study aimed to compare behavioral and physiological responses of dairy cows to separation from their calves after 3 mo of full-time contact, with either the 2-step method (NF, 2 wks full-time contact while calves wore a nose flap, 1 wk fence-line contact before total separation, n = 18) or by gradual reduction of contact time between cow and calf (GR, 1 wk half day contact, 1 wk morning contact, 1 wk fence-line contact before total separation, n = 18). Vocalizations and searching behavior were observed on 4 d/wk from 1 wk before separation until 1 wk after total separation. During the same period, lying behavior and rumination time was automatically assessed via accelerometers and pressure sensors. Fecal and blood samples were collected twice per week from day -1 until +23 relative to separation start for analysis of fecal cortisol metabolites and the immune response. Milk yield in the parlor was continuously recorded. Statistical analysis was conducted using linear mixed effects models. We found no difference between the 2 separation methods in any of the examined behavioral and physiological response variables. However, a significant increase in vocalizations and searching behavior compared with baseline was present with both methods. Furthermore, there was a transient increase in physiological distress markers and a short-lived retention of milk yield at initiation of treatments, indicating that both methods induced distress for the cows. Descriptively, there were large interindividual differences between cows as well as a different temporal distribution in occurrence of behavioral responses, as GR cows vocalized most frequently during the week with fence-line contact and after total separation from the calf, while NF cows reacted strongest during the 2 wk while calves wore the nose flap. Milk yield was higher in NF than GR cows during the 2 wk while GR calves had time-restricted access to their dams and NF calves were prevented from suckling, but showed no difference afterward. However, similar evening milk yields of GR cows in the weeks with half-day and morning contact, indicated that the weekly reductions in contact time worked in a rather stepwise than gradual manner, which warrants further improvement of the GR method. Taken together, results showed that cows experienced distress during separation with the GR method, when implemented over 3 wk in 3 steps, as well as with the NF method, but differences between individuals were considerable
Cdk6’s functions are critically regulated by its unique C-terminus
No full textThe vital cell cycle machinery is tightly regulated and alterations of its central signaling hubs are a hallmark of cancer. The activity of CDK6 is controlled by interaction with several partners including cyclins and INK4 proteins, which have been shown to mainly bind to the amino-terminal lobe. We analyzed the impact of CDK6\u27s C-terminus on its functions in a leukemia model, revealing a central role in promoting proliferation. C-terminally truncated Cdk6 (Cdk6 D C) shows reduced nuclear translocation and therefore chromatin interaction and fails to enhance proliferation and disease progression. The combination of proteomic analysis and protein modeling highlights that Cdk6\u27s C-terminus is essential for protein flexibility and for its binding potential to cyclin D, p27 Kip1 and INK4 proteins but not cyclin B. We demonstrate that the C-terminus is a unique and essential part of the CDK6 protein, regulating interaction partner binding and therefore CDK6\u27s functionality
Neurotropic Tick-Borne Flavivirus in Alpine Chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra rupicapra), Austria, 2017, Italy, 2023
No full textThe European subtype of tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV-Eur; species Orthoflavivirus encephalitidis, family Flaviviridae) was the only tick-borne flavivirus present in central Europe known to cause neurologic disease in humans and several animal species. Here, we report a tick-borne flavivirus isolated from Alpine chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra rupicapra) with encephalitis and attached ticks, present over a wide area in the Alps. Cases were detected in 2017 in Salzburg, Austria, and 2023 in Lombardy and Piedmont, Italy. The virus strains exhibit 94.8-97.3% nucleotide identities to each other and are more closely related to Louping ill viruses (LIV; Orthoflavivirus loupingi; 90-92% identities) than to TBEV-Eur (less than 88%). The chamois-derived virus strains, tentatively termed "Alpine chamois encephalitis virus", form a well-supported independent genetic clade with Spanish goat encephalitis virus, clearly separated from other LIV. This supports its designation as a new virus subtype with the proposed shared taxonomic name "Spanish goat and Alpine chamois encephalitis virus subtype" within the species Orthoflavivirus loupingi. The zoonotic potential of this newly identified virus subtype as well as its host range in other animal species including farm animals needs to be further investigated