Phaidra - University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna
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Clec12a is required for the pathogenesis of NUP98::NSD1 AML
No full textNUP98::NSD1 is one of the most recurring nucleoporin 98 (NUP98) fusions in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). NSD1-driven AML is associated with adverse outcomes and poor response to conventional treatments. However, limited studies have been done to identify new potential targets to develop better treatment approaches. The C-type lectin domain family 12, member A (CLEC12A) is a cell surface receptor that is differentially expressed in leukemic stem cells (LSCs) compared to healthy hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). We demonstrated a strong overexpression of CLEC12A in both NUP98::NSD1 patients and murine AML cells transformed with NUP98::NSD1. To understand the role of Clec12a in NUP98::NSD1 AML, we depleted Clec12a expression in NUP98::NSD1+NRASG12D immortalized cells using the CRISPR/Cas9 approach. NUP98::NSD1+NRASG12D/Clec12a knockout cells showed higher levels of apoptosis and lower colony numbers in vitro compared to NUP98::NSD1+NRASG12D/Clec12a wildtype cells. Importantly, the deletion of Clec12a significantly reduced leukemic engraftment and prolonged survival of the NUP98::NSD1+NRASG12D murine model. Our data suggest to further explore CLEC12A as a potential target for the treatment of NUP98::NSD1 AML
Chewing lice (Phthiraptera) on a wild Golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) and a zoo-kept Eurasian griffon vulture (Gyps fulvus) in Tyrol, Austria
No full textChewing lice (Phthiraptera) are obligate and permanent ectoparasites commonly found on birds. The life cycle of these insects is completed on the body of the host and therefore many are host specific. This is the first report of chewing lice on a wild Golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) and a zoo-kept Eurasian griffon vulture (Gyps fulvus) in Tyrol, Austria. Three different species of chewing lice were identified: Craspedorrhynchus aquilinus was found on Aquila chrysaetos and Colpocephalum turbinatum and Falcolipeurus quadripustulatus were found on Gyps fulvus. The lice were identified morphologically and by barcoding. Chewing lice (Phthiraptera) of eagles, vultures, and other Accipitriformes are understudied, and further research is needed
A Cyclic-di-AMP Adjuvanted CPAF Protein Vaccine Is Immunogenic in Swine, but It Fails to Reduce Genital Chlamydia trachomatis Burden
No full textBackground/Objectives: Chlamydia trachomatis (Ct) is the leading bacterial cause of sexually transmitted infection globally. If undiagnosed or left untreated, these infections can lead to serious complications such as infertility, ectopic pregnancies, and chronic pelvic pain. Despite the high prevalence and potential for serious health complications, no vaccine has been licensed. Pigs offer a valuable biomedical model for chlamydia research: they have an overall high degree of similarity to humans and serve as natural hosts for Chlamydia suis (Cs), a close relative of Ct. Thus, in this study, the pig model was used to evaluate a vaccine candidate against Ct. Methods: The vaccine candidate consists of chlamydial-protease-like activity factor (CPAF) protein adjuvanted with STING (Stimulator of Interferon Genes) pathway agonist cyclic-di-AMP (c-di-AMP). Pigs received two doses intramuscularly followed by two intranasal doses. Each week, the systemic T cell response was assessed via IFN-gamma and IL-17 ELISpots, as well as multi-parameter flow cytometry on 0, 14, and 28 days post vaccination (dpv). The humoral immune response was analyzed by measuring CPAF-specific antibody levels and avidity via ELISAs. Results: Vaccination with c-di-AMP adjuvanted CPAF triggered low-level systemic IFN-gamma and multifunctional IFN-gamma+TNF-alpha+ CD4 T cell responses. Despite the rather low systemic effector cytokine production, robust anti-CPAF IgG responses were detected in serum, vaginal swab eluates, and oviduct flushes. Genital Ct challenge 42 dpv resulted in only transient infection, precluding a confident assessment of vaccine efficacy of the tested CPAF/c-di-AMP vaccine candidate. However, after challenge, vaccinated pigs exhibited boosted systemic anti-CPAF IFN-gamma and mucosal IgG responses compared to unvaccinated pigs. Conclusions: Thus, while vaccine efficacy remains elusive, the CPAF/c-di-AMP vaccine candidate was immunogenic: it elicited a low-level systemic cell-mediated response and robust humoral immune responses. Future studies will incorporate a STING agonist directly conjugated to CPAF as well as addition of other Th1-inducing adjuvants to enhance cellular immunity
Association between radiographic equine distal phalanx characteristics and absence, presence and type of horseshoes
No full textMost horses are used with horseshoes additionally supported by either dorsoabaxial or dorsal clips. The effects of such clips on bone density and shape of the distal phalanx are currently unclear. The aim of this study was to identify correlations between density and shape of the distal phalanx, comparing front hooves unshod or shod with standard shoes either with two dorsoabaxial clips or with a single dorsal clip. Researchers analyzed Oxspring radiographs of either the left or right front hoof from warmblood horses (n = 132) and ponies (n = 43) aged 3–28 years. The evaluation focused on distal phalanx density at the margo solearis, particularly at three locations corresponding to the clip positions: dorsomedial, dorsal, and dorsolateral. The study examined horse related variables such as age, breed, use, and shoeing type in relation to density parameters, presence of a crena marginalis solearis, an anatomical variation that is an indentation dorsal on the margo solearis, and the shape of the distal phalanx. Distal phalanges of hooves shod with dorsoabaxial clips showed a significantly (p < 0.001) lower width to length ratio (median 1.31, minimum 0.70, maximum 1.66) compared to those with a single dorsal clip (median 1.40, minimum 0.89, maximum 1.75). The width to length ratio of unshod hooves (median 1.37, minimum 0.80, maximum 1.82) was not significantly different from both groups of shod hooves. The results of this study should be considered when selecting horseshoes for equids
Aging Reduces Intestinal Stem Cell Activity in Killifish and Intermittent Fasting Reverses Intestinal Gene Expression Patterns
No full textThe process of aging is associated with a decline in cell, tissue, and organ function, leading to a range of health problems. Increasing evidence indicates that dietary restriction can counteract age-dependent effects and improve health and longevity in whole organisms, but less is known about the influence of aging and the impact of nutrition on individual organs of an organism. In this study, we examined the intestine of the very short-lived aging model system, the African turquoise killifish (Nothobranchius furzeri), throughout its lifetime. We investigated the effects of age and nutrition on the preservation of gut tissue at stages corresponding to human neonatal, adolescent, adult, and old age, and integrated morphological measurements, histology, and transcriptomics. The intestinal mucosa is characterized by folds and intervening interfold regions, where intestinal stem cells localize. The stem cells occur in clusters, and the cycle time of stem cells increases with age. We also observed a reduction in intestinal length and volume with age. Age-dependent transcriptomic profiling revealed significant changes in the expression of peripheral circadian clock genes and stem cell niche markers. Notably, the majority of these genes maintained their adult gene expression levels in old age following intermittent fasting during adulthood. Therefore, our results demonstrate that the decline in structural intestinal tissue homeostasis is associated with a decline in stem cell activity that can be counteracted by intermittent fasting. Since the intestinal mucosa of killifish is similar to that of mammals, the results of this study can be translated to general gut biology
Intraspecific Morphometric Variation in a New Species of Ceratomyxa Thélohan 1892 (Cnidaria) from the South Atlantic Ocean: An Ecomorphological Study Using Geometric Morphometrics
No full textA new species of Ceratomyxa (Ceratomyxidae, Myxosporea) was found infecting the gall bladder of the Argentine croaker Umbrina canosai Berg 1895 (Sciaenidae, Perciformes) from the Argentine sea. Using an integrative taxonomic approach that combines morphological, bioecological, and molecular analyses, we provide evidence that clearly differentiates this species from known taxa and formally describe Ceratomyxa fialai as a new species. This study is the first to apply landmark-based geometric morphometrics (GM) in myxozoan research, providing a detailed analysis of conspecific morphometric variation of ceratomyxid myxospores, examining their natural variation within and among different ceratomyxids infecting the gall bladder of U. canosai. Using GM analyses, we successfully capture and quantify phenotypic variation at the organismal level. Our results suggest that myxospore shape variation may be driven by both developmental noise and phenotypic plasticity. The work highlights the utility of GM in advancing the understanding of myxozoan morphology and its evolutionary implications and emphasizes the need for further research on myxospore shape evolution and its ecological and adaptive significance in natural populations
Evaluating the Impact of Clinical Mastitis on Ovarian Morphometry and the Effectiveness of the Synchronisation Protocol in Dairy Cows
No full textInflammatory processes within the body have been hypothesised to be causative agents of various health complications, including reproductive issues. This study investigates the effects of mastitis on ovarian morphometry and fertility outcomes while also comparing the effectiveness of different synchronisation protocols in affected cows. Healthy multiparous Holstein dairy cows, in their second to fifth lactations and with an average milk yield of approximately 12,000 kg in the preceding lactation, were selected for this study. The average milk yield per lactation was approximately 12,000 kg, with an average daily milk yield of 30 kg. The aim of this study was to determine the impact of mastitis on the reproductive cycle, ovarian morphometry, and function in dairy cows, as well as its effect on synchronisation efficiency. This study focused on both clinically healthy cows and those diagnosed with clinical mastitis postpartum. Three different synchronisation protocols—OvSynch, G7G, and Presynch—were evaluated at 60 days in milk (DIM). A total of 110 cows were included in this study, with 53 being clinically healthy and 57 affected by mastitis. The results indicated that inflammation affects ovarian morphometric parameters such as the area and the number of functional structures. In addition, the G7G protocol was observed to result in higher conception rates in cows suffering from mastitis following the second insemination. This study demonstrated that cows that developed mastitis within the first 30 DIM exhibited higher conception rates after the first insemination compared to those in cows that developed mastitis later in lactation
A large-scale study across the avian clade identifies ecological drivers of neophobia
No full textNeophobia, or aversion to novelty, is important for adaptability and survival as it influences the ways in which animals navigate risk and interact with their environments. Across individuals, species and other taxonomic levels, neophobia is known to vary considerably, but our understanding of the wider ecological drivers of neophobia is hampered by a lack of comparative multispecies studies using standardized methods. Here, we utilized the ManyBirds Project, a Big Team Science large-scale collaborative open science framework, to pool efforts and resources of 129 collaborators at 77 institutions from 24 countries worldwide across six continents. We examined both difference scores (between novel object test and control conditions) and raw data of latency to touch familiar food in the presence (test) and absence (control) of a novel object among 1,439 subjects from 136 bird species across 25 taxonomic orders incorporating lab, field, and zoo sites. We first demonstrated that consistent differences in neophobia existed among individuals, among species, and among other taxonomic levels in our dataset, rejecting the null hypothesis that neophobia is highly plastic at all taxonomic levels with no evidence for evolutionary divergence. We then tested for effects of ecological factors on neophobia, including diet, sociality, habitat, and range, while accounting for phylogeny. We found that (i) species with more specialist diets were more neophobic than those with more generalist diets, providing support for the Neophobia Threshold Hypothesis; (ii) migratory species were also more neophobic than nonmigratory species, which supports the Dangerous Niche Hypothesis. Our study shows that the evolution of avian neophobia has been shaped by ecological drivers and demonstrates the potential of Big Team Science to advance our understanding of animal behavior
PainTrace®-Gerät: Bewertung akuter Schmerzen bei Pferden mit Schmerzmedikation im Vergleich mit zwei unterschiedlichen validierten Schmerzskalen
No full textDiplomarbeit - Veterinärmedizinische Universität Wien - 2025In der Veterinärmedizin gibt es bisher keinen universellen Goldstandard zur Schmerzbeurteilung bei Pferden. Stattdessen kommen verschiedene Methoden und Skalen zum Einsatz, die jedoch häufig auf Beobachtungen beruhen und daher subjektiv sowie vom Einschätzungsvermögen des Beobachters abhängig sind. Das PainTrace®-Gerät misst Hautpotentiale, also elektrischen Spannungsdifferenzen zwischen zwei Punkten auf der Hautoberfläche, welche durch die Aktivität des autonomen Nervensystems beeinflusst werden. Eine erhöhte parasympathische Aktivität führt zu negativen Differenzen, die auf Schmerzen hindeuten. Studien zeigen, dass diese Messungen mit von Patienten angegebenen Schmerzstufen korrelieren. Zielsetzung dieser Studie war die Evaluierung des PainTrace®-Geräts zur objektiven Beurteilung akuter Schmerzen bei Pferden. Dazu wurden 16 akut schmerzhafte und 16 gesunde Pferde mithilfe der Equine Pain Scale (EPS), der Musculoskeletal Pain Scale (MPS) und des PainTrace®-Geräts untersucht. Die Datenanalyse diente der Unterscheidung zwischen schmerzhaften und schmerzfreien Pferden sowie dem Vergleich der Korrelation zwischen PainTrace®-Messungen und den Ergebnissen beider Schmerzskalen. Die Ergebnisse zeigen signifikante Unterschiede in den PainTrace®-Daten zwischen schmerzhaften und schmerzfreien Pferden und eine Korrelation mit den EPS- und MPS-Werten. Es wurde auch eine starke Korrelation zwischen EPS und MPS festgestellt, obwohl die MPS ursprünglich für chronische Schmerzen entwickelt wurde. Weitere Studien sind erforderlich, um die PainTrace®-Messmethode zu optimieren und Schwellenwerte für eine zuverlässige Beurteilung akuter Schmerzen bei Pferden zu etablieren.Diploma thesis - University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna - 2025Currently, there is no universal gold standard for pain assessment in horses. Clinical practice relies on various methods and scales, many of which are subjective and observer-dependent. The PainTrace® device measures skin potentials, which are influenced by autonomic nervous system activity. Increased parasympathetic activity results in negative differences, indicative of pain. Studies have shown that these measurements correlate with patient-reported pain levels. This study aimed to evaluate the PainTrace® device as an objective tool for assessing acute pain in horses. Sixteen acutely painful and 16 healthy horses were assessed using the Equine Pain Scale (EPS), the Musculoskeletal Pain Scale (MPS), and the PainTrace® device. Data were analyzed to differentiate between painful and non-painful horses and to compare the correlation of PainTrace® measurements with both pain scales. Results revealed significant differences in PainTrace® data between painful and non-painful horses, demonstrating a correlation with both EPS and MPS scores. A strong correlation was also observed between the EPS and MPS, despite the MPS being designed for chronic pain. Further research is needed to optimize the PainTrace® method and establish thresholds for reliable acute pain assessment in horses
Beyond borders: A decade of change in Europe\u27s Saker Falcon ("Falco cherrug" Gray, 1834) population (2012-2022)
No full textThe westernmost population of the globally endangered Saker Falcon (Falco cherrug) resides in Europe. Despite its small size, this European population is fragmented by political borders, complicating a holistic understanding of its demographic processes, ecology, and threats at the population level. Prior research has predominantly focused on national-level data, summarizing the numbers of breeding pairs in various countries without conducting a unified analysis. This study aims to consolidate and examine the aggregated national data-sets from 2012 to 2022, providing a comprehensive overview of the status of European Saker Falcon breeding population, its trends, and demographic processes. We estimate the European population at 535–700 pairs and identify three distinct subpopulations: the interconnected and growing yet demographically diverse western and eastern subpopulations in Central Europe, and the declining Eastern European (Black Sea) subpopulation, which has limited connection to the two Central European subgroups. The results highlight the necessity of continued large-scale conservation efforts, particularly for the Eastern European subpopulation. Furthermore, cross-border cooperation is crucial for the development and implementation of joint research and conservation strategies