Evaluation of polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) synthesis by Pichia sp. TSLS24 yeast isolated in Vietnam.

Following the rising concern on environmental issues caused by conventional fossil-based plastics and depleting crude oil resources, polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are of great interest by scientists and biodegradable polymer market due to their outstanding properties which include high biodegradability in various conditions and processing flexibility. Many polyhydroxyalkanoate-synthesizing microorganisms, including normal and halophilic bacteria, as well as algae, have been investigated for their performance in polyhydroxyalkanoate production. However, to the best of our knowledge, there is still limited studies on PHAs-producing marine yeast.

Dibutyryl-cAMP and roscovitine differently affect premature meiotic resumption and embryo development of vitrified immature porcine oocytes.

Vitrification and warming can trigger premature meiosis in immature porcine oocytes. Our aim was to compare the efficacies of two meiotic inhibitors, dibutyryl-cAMP and roscovitine for the meiosis synchronization during in vitro maturation (IVM) of porcine oocytes vitrified at the germinal vesicle (GV) stage. We first compared the efficacy of 1 mM dibutyryl-cAMP and 25 μM roscovitine on meiotic arrest during the first 22 h of IVM.

Cercopithifilaria spp. in ticks of companion animals from Asia: new putative hosts and vectors.

Cercopithifilaria bainae, Cercopithifilaria grassi, and Cercopithifilaria sp. II sensu Otranto et al., 2013 tick borne filarioids are typically found in dogs.

Excess polyspermy reduces the ability of porcine oocytes to promote male pronuclear formation after in vitro fertilization.

Male pronucleus (MPN) formation is a very important physiological event during fertilization, which affects in vitro production of transferrable embryos. The aim of this study was to find out the correlation between the number of penetrated sperm and the occurrence of failure of MPN formation in porcine oocytes. In vitro matured porcine oocytes were fertilized in vitro with frozen epididymal sperm.

Evaluation of an automated insulated isothermal polymerase chain reaction system for rapid and reliable, on-site detection of African swine fever virus.

Objective: To evaluate the utility of an automated insulated isothermal PCR (iiPCR) system for rapid and reliable on-site detection of African swine fever virus (ASFV) in swine biological samples.

Sample: Lymph node, tissue homogenate, whole blood, serum, spleen, and tonsil samples collected from swine in North and South Vietnam.

Procedures: Analytic sensitivity of the iiPCR system was determined by serial dilution and analysis of 2 samples (swine tissue homogenate and blood) predetermined to be positive for ASFV.

Seropositivity to canine tick-borne pathogens in a population of sick dogs in Italy.

Background: Canine vector-borne diseases (CVBDs) associated to ticks are among the most important health issues affecting dogs. In Italy, Ehrlichia canis, Anaplasma spp., Rickettsia conorii and Borrelia burgdorferi (s.

Molecular detection of Trypanosoma evansi in dogs from India and Southeast Asia.

Trypanosoma evansi, the causative agent of surra, is a hemoflagellate protozoan mechanically transmitted by hematophagous flies, mainly in tropical and subtropical regions. This protozoan affects several mammalian hosts, including dogs, which are highly susceptible to the infection. To investigate the occurrence of T.

Advanced materials for immobilization of purple phototrophic bacteria in bioremediation of oil-polluted wastewater.

Oil pollution which results from industrial activities, especially oil and gas industry, has become a serious issue. Cinder beats (CB), coconut fiber (CF) and polyurethane foam (PUF) are promising immobilization carriers for crude oil biodegradation because they are inexpensive, nontoxic, and non-polluting. The present investigation was aimed to evaluate this advanced technology and compare the efficiency of these immobilization carriers on supporting purple phototrophic bacterial (PPB) strains in hydrocarbon biodegradation of crude oil contaminated seawater.

Vector-borne pathogens in dogs of different regions of Iran and Pakistan.

Canine vector-borne diseases (CVBDs) are highly prevalent in tropical and subtropical countries, mainly due to favorable climate conditions and reduced adoption of preventive measures. This study aimed to provide a comprehensive overview on the prevalence of CVBDs in Iran and Pakistan where limited data are available. Blood samples were collected from 403 dogs from six provinces in Iran and Pakistan to assess the presence of pathogen DNA (i.

A case of Trypanosoma evansi in a German Shepherd dog in Vietnam.

A 2.5-year-old male German Shepherd was presented to a private veterinary clinic in Hanoi, Vietnam showing anorexia, weakness, lethargy, reluctant to go for walks with a recent history of intermittent fever. Clinical examination of the dog showed pale mucous membrane, impaired eyesight, edema of the back legs.

Molecular detection of pathogens in ticks and fleas collected from companion dogs and cats in East and Southeast Asia.

Background: Ticks and fleas are considered amongst the most important arthropod vectors of medical and veterinary concern due to their ability to transmit pathogens to a range of animal species including dogs, cats and humans. By sharing a common environment with humans, companion animal-associated parasitic arthropods may potentially transmit zoonotic vector-borne pathogens (VBPs). This study aimed to molecularly detect pathogens from ticks and fleas from companion dogs and cats in East and Southeast Asia.

Optimization of in vitro embryo production and zygote vitrification for the indigenous Vietnamese Ban pig: The effects of different in vitro oocyte maturation systems.

The Vietnamese Ban pig is a precious genetic resource that needs to be preserved. In vitro embryo production from in vitro matured (IVM) oocytes is an important tool for the utilization of cryopreserved porcine sperm. The aim of this study was to compare two media for the IVM of Ban pig oocytes.

Pluripotency-associated genes reposition during early embryonic developmental stages in pigs.

We examined the allelic expression and positioning of two pluripotency-associated genes, OCT4 and SOX2, and two housekeeping genes, ACTB and TUBA, in 4- and 8-cell porcine embryos utilizing RNA and DNA fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) in single blastomeres. The proportion of blastomeres expressing SOX2 bi-allelically increased from 45% at the 4-cell stage to 60% at the 8-cell stage. Moreover, in 8-cell embryos, SOX2 was expressed bi-allelically in significantly more blastomeres than was the case for OCT4, and this was associated with a tendency for SOX2 alleles to move toward the nuclear interior during 4- to 8-cell transition.

Selection based on morphological features of porcine embryos produced by in vitro fertilization: Timing of early cleavages and the effect of polyspermy.

The aim of this study was to examine whether a morphological approach is efficient for selecting high-quality porcine embryos produced by in vitro fertilization (IVF) under high polyspermy conditions. Frozen-thawed Meishan epididymal spermatozoa showing moderate and high polyspermy were subjected to IVF (1 × 10  sperms/ml). Under conditions of moderate polyspermy, 4-cell embryos selected at 48 hr after IVF (single selection) and 8-cell embryos selected at 79 hr after IVF from the collected 4-cell embryos (double selection) showed high developmental competence.

Ticks and associated pathogens in camels (Camelus dromedarius) from Riyadh Province, Saudi Arabia.

Background: Camel production in Saudi Arabia is severely affected by various diseases and by inadequate veterinary services. Ticks and tick-borne pathogens (TBPs) affect the health and wellbeing of camels consequently diminishing their productivity and performances. In addition, camels may act as hosts for TBPs (e.

Cryopreservation of immature oocytes of the indigeneous Vietnamese Ban Pig.

We report the cryopreservation of oocytes from Ban miniature pigs which are endemic in Vietnam. Immature cumulus-oocyte complexes were collected from antral follicles of 7-8 mo old female cyclic Ban pigs and vitrified in micro-drops. Oocyte morphology, lipid content, post-warming survival, nuclear maturation, and embryo development were compared to those of oocytes from commercially slaughtered Landrace × Large white hybrid pigs.

Borrelia burgdorferi (sensu lato) in ectoparasites and reptiles in southern Italy.

Background: Borrelia burgdorferi (sensu lato) is a complex containing pathogenic bacteria of which some species, such as Borrelia lusitaniae, use birds, small mammals and reptiles as reservoirs. In Italy, the bacteria have been detected in reptilian and avian reservoirs in the northern and central regions.

Results: Here, 211 reptiles from three orders [Squamata (Sauria with seven species in five families and Ophidia with 11 species in three families), Crocodylia (one family and two species), and Testudines (two families and two species)] were examined for ectoparasites and molecular detection of B.

Ticks and associated pathogens from dogs in northern Vietnam.

The medical and veterinary significance of ticks and tick-borne pathogens (TBPs) in tropical and subtropical zones is well recognized. Although ticks and TBPs are known to occur in Southeast Asia, limited data is available in the international literature for some countries, such as Vietnam. The aim of this study was to investigate the species of ticks and TBPs associated with dogs in northern Vietnam.

Optimization of the in vitro fertilization protocol for frozen epididymal sperm with low fertilization ability in Ban-A native Vietnamese pigs.

The aim of the present study was to improve the penetration during in vitro fertilization (IVF) of a frozen lot of epididymal sperm with a notoriously low fertilization ability of a Ban boar which is a native Vietnamese breed by optimizing different parameters of the IVF system. In Experiment 1, we determined that Pig-fertilization medium was superior medium to Tyrode's albumin lactate pyruvate-polyvinyl alcohol medium for IVF and defined the optimum the sperm concentration (1 × 10  sperm/ml). In Experiment 2, we clarified that partial removal of cumulus cells from cumulus-oocyte complexes by hyaluronidase treatment before IVF enhances sperm penetration, whereas complete cumulus removal reduces penetration.

Sucrose assists selection of high-quality oocytes in pigs.

We investigated whether high-quality in vitro matured (IVM) oocytes can be distinguished from poor ones based on the morphological changes after treatment with hyperosmotic medium containing 0.2 mol/L sucrose in pigs. We hypothesize that IVM oocytes maintaining round shape have higher quality than mis-shapened oocytes following dehydration.

Klotho sensitive regulation of dendritic cell functions by vitamin E.

Background: Dendritic cells (DCs) are the most potent professional antigen-presenting cells for naive T cells to link innate and acquired immunity. Klotho, an anti-aging protein, participates in the regulation of Ca dependent migration in DCs. Vitamin E (VitE) is an essential antioxidant to protect cells from damage and elicits its inhibitory effects on NF-κB-mediated inflammatory response.