Search results for "sheep"
showing 10 items of 279 documents
Identification of enolase as a plasminogen-binding protein in excretory-secretory products ofFasciola hepatica
2004
AbstractWe have followed a combined proteomic approach to identify proteins of Fasciola hepatica that could be involved in host–parasite interactions. Using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis, far Western immunoblot and mass spectrometry analyses, we have identified the enolase enzyme, present in the excretory/secretory materials of F. hepatica, as a human plasminogen-binding protein. This enzyme has an apparent molecular weight of 47 kDa with pI ranging from 6.2 to 7.2. These results suggest that enolase could act as a plasminogen receptor.
Impact of T-cell-mediated immune response on xenogeneic heart valve transplantation: short-term success and mid-term failure.
2017
Objectives Allogeneic frozen cryopreserved heart valves (allografts or homografts) are commonly used in clinical practice. A major obstacle for their application is the limited availability in particular for paediatrics. Allogeneic large animal studies revealed that alternative ice-free cryopreservation (IFC) results in better matrix preservation and reduced immunogenicity. The objective of this study was to evaluate xenogeneic (porcine) compared with allogeneic (ovine) IFC heart valves in a large animal study. Methods IFC xenografts and allografts were transplanted in 12 juvenile merino sheep for 1-12 weeks. Immunohistochemistry, ex vivo computed tomography scans and transforming growth fa…
Receiver-operating characteristic curves for somatic cell scores and California mastitis test in Valle del Belice dairy sheep.
2013
Using receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve methodology this study was designed to assess the diagnostic effectiveness of somatic cell count (SCC) and the California mastitis test (CMT) in Valle del Belice sheep, and to propose and evaluate threshold values for those tests that would optimally discriminate between healthy and infected udders. Milk samples (n = 1357) were collected from 684 sheep in four flocks. The prevalence of infection, as determined by positive bacterial culture was 0.36, 87.7% of which were minor and 12.3% major pathogens. Of the culture negative samples, 83.7% had an SCC < 500,000/mL and 97.4% had <1,000,000 cells/mL. When the associations between SC score (SC…
Horn growth rate and longevity: implications for natural and artificial selection in thinhorn sheep (Ovis dalli).
2007
We used horn measurements from natural and hunted mortalities of male thinhorn sheep Ovis dalli from Yukon Territory, Canada, to examine the relationship between rapid growth early in life and longevity. We found that rapid growth was associated with reduced longevity for sheep aged 5 years and older for both the hunted and natural mortality data sets. The negative relationship between growth rate and longevity in hunted sheep can at least partially be explained by morphologically biased hunting regulations. The same trend was evident from natural mortalities from populations that were not hunted or underwent very limited hunting, suggesting a naturally imposed mortality cost directly or in…
Retina in various animal models of neuronal ceroid-lipofuscinosis
1992
The childhood forms of human neuronal ceroid-lipofuscinosis (NCL) are invariably associated with a severe progressive retinopathy which commences at the photoreceptor level morphologically and proceeds to a final loss of neuronal cells accompanied by severe gliosis. In respective spontaneous animal conditions of NCL, in English setters, Dalmatian dogs, and New Zealand sheep, retinal involvement is not commensurate although the retina does not seem to be completely unaffected. In canine NCL, there might be functional and electro-physiological impairment of retinal cells, but retinal atrophy is not obvious. In ovine NCL, the retina, apart from accumulating NCL-specific lipopigments within neu…
Serological evidence for Borna disease virus infection in humans, wild rodents and other vertebrates in Finland
2005
Abstract Background Borna disease virus (BDV) can infect many vertebrate species, including humans. BDV infection may lead to meningoencephalomyelitis in animals. An association with human neuropsychiatric diseases has been reported, but the causal relationship between BDV and human disease remains unclear. Objectives and study design To find out whether BDV is present in Finland and to look for a potential reservoir, we examined a large panel of blood samples from different vertebrate species with immunofluorescence assay. Samples from horses, cats, dogs, sheep, cattle, large predators, grouse, wild rodents and humans were included. Most positive results were confirmed by other specific me…
Genomic characterization of a novel group A lamb rotavirus isolated in Zaragoza, Spain.
2008
An ovine rotavirus (OVR) strain, 762, was isolated from a 30-day-old lamb affected with severe gastroenteritis, in Zaragoza, Spain, and the VP4, VP7, VP6, NSP4, and NSP5/NSP6 genes were subsequently characterized molecularly. Strain OVR762 was classified as a P[14] rotavirus, as the VP4 and VP8* trypsin-cleavage product of the VP4 protein revealed the highest amino acid (aa) identity (94% and 97%, respectively) with that of the P11[14] human rotavirus (HRV) strain PA169, isolated in Italy. Analysis of the VP7 gene product revealed that OVR762 possessed G8 serotype specificity, a type common in ruminants, with the highest degree of aa identity (95–98%) shared with serotype G8 HRV, bovine rot…
Effect of grape pomace from red cultivar 'Nero d’Avola' on the microbiological, physicochemical, phenolic profile and sensory aspects of ovine Vasted…
2022
Abstract Aims The purpose of this study was to functionalize an ovine stretched cheese belonging to 'Vastedda' typology with red grape pomace powder (GPP) of Nero d’Avola cultivar and to characterize the microbiological, physicochemical, phenolic profile and sensory characteristics of the final cheeses. Methods and Results Before cheeses production, GPP was characterized for its microbiological profile, antibacterial activity and polyphenolic content. No colonies of bacteria and yeasts were detected in the GPP. GPP showed a large inhibition spectrum against spoilage and pathogenic bacteria. Three classes of polyphenolic compounds belonging to flavan-3-ols, flavonol and phenolic acids were i…
Genome-wide association study for milk production traits in Valle del Belice sheep
2017
Over the last years, high-throughput technologies have provided the opportunity to explore the genomes of livestock species to identify regions influencing traits of economic interest. Genome wide association studies (GWAS) have been widely used to disentangle the genetic variation in complex phenotypes, such as milk production traits in sheep. The study presented here investigated the possible association of genome-wide SNPs and breeding values for milk production traits in the Valle del Belice sheep. The studied population consisted of a total of 481 ewes belonging to 9 half-sib families with available records for milk yield (MY), protein and fat percentage (P% and F%, respectively). All …
High-density SNP markers elucidate the genetic divergence and population structure of Noticiana sheep breed in the Mediterranean context
2023
Among livestock species, sheep have played an early major role in the Mediterranean area. Italy has a long history of sheep breeding and, despite a dramatic contraction in numbers, still raise several local populations that may represent a unique source of genetic diversity. The Noticiana is a breed of the south-eastern part of Sicily appreciated both for its dairy products and for its resistance to harsh environment. In this study, the high-density Illumina Ovine SNP600K BeadChip array was used for the first genome-wide characterization of 48 individuals of Noticiana sheep to investigate its diversity, the genome structure and the relationship within the context of worldwide and Italian br…