Search Results (437)

Chiroptera includes over 1400 bat species, with at least 35 of these present in Italy. Due to their role as Lyssavirus reservoirs, bats found dead, with and without signs suggestive of this infection, are routinely submitted to the laboratory network of the Istituti Zooprofilattici Sperimentali in the framework of the rabies national passive and active surveillance program. Carcasses and biological samples collected from January to December 2021 in Latium and Tuscany, regions of our jurisdiction, were further screened for the presence of Coronaviruses (CoVs) and Herpesviruses using pan-family virus PCR tests, and relative PCR products were Sanger sequenced. Genetic characterization through sequencing detected AlphaCoVs in Miniopterus schreibersii and Beta- and Gammaherpesviruses in Tadarida teniotis. Samples were also submitted to bat genetic species identification. Full article

The non-traditional companion animal (NTCA) sector, particularly involving avian species, has significantly expanded in Italy, raising concerns over the spread of infectious diseases. These animals can harbor various pathogens and act as reservoirs, posing risks to native wildlife through legal or illegal trade, escapes, or intentional releases. However, the epidemiology of avian pathogens in NTCAs remains poorly understood and is typically investigated only in symptomatic individuals. In the present study, cloacal and choanal cleft swabs were collected from 319 ornamental and raptor birds across 19 families, pooled and tested for beak and feather disease virus (BFDV), avian polyomavirus (APV-1), psittacid herpesvirus 1 (PsHV-1), and avian metapneumovirus (aMPV). BFDV and APV-1 were detected in 13.79% and 2.19% of birds, respectively, with five co-infections. No cases of PsHV-1 or aMPV were found. Both viruses showed a higher prevalence than in previous Italian and most of international studies, with several non-psittacine species, including birds of prey, testing positive—some for the first time. Mixed-species settings and participation in public exhibitions were proven as significant infection risk factors. The study highlights the growing relevance of BFDV and APV-1 in non-commercial birds and recommends improved biosecurity and preventive screening to reduce disease spread and safeguard animal health. Full article

Peptides play a crucial role in the development of pharmaceuticals and functional foods. Multiple studies have shown that natural bioactive peptides possess antioxidant, antihypertensive, anti-tumor, and anti-inflammatory activities. Marine bioactive peptides, especially those sourced from fish, constitute a substantial reservoir of these molecules. Although considerable research has been undertaken on fish-derived peptides, studies specifically concerning those from tuna are limited. Tuna, a marine fish of high nutritional value, generates substantial by-product waste during fishing and processing. Therefore, it is essential to conduct an evaluation of the advancements in study on tuna-derived active peptides and to offer a perspective on the direction of future investigations. This review integrates prospective bioactive peptides derived from tuna and reports contemporary strategies for their investigation, including extraction, purification, screening, identification, and activity evaluation procedures, including Yeast Surface Display (YSD) and molecular docking. This review seeks to promote the continued investigation and application of bioactive peptides derived from tuna. Full article

Sternal bursitis is an underexplored lesion in poultry, often overlooked in microbiological diagnostics. In this study, we characterized 36 Escherichia coli isolates recovered from sternal bursitis in broiler chickens, combining phenotypic antimicrobial susceptibility testing, PCR-based screening, and whole genome sequencing (WGS). The genetic analysis revealed a diverse population spanning 15 sequence types, including ST155, ST201, and ST58. Resistance to tetracycline and ciprofloxacin was common, and several isolates carried genes encoding β-lactamases, including blaTEM-1B. Chromosomal mutations associated with quinolone and fosfomycin resistance (e.g., gyrA p.S83L, glpT_E448K) were also identified. WGS revealed a high number of virulence-associated genes per isolate (58–96), notably those linked to adhesion (fim, ecp clusters), secretion systems (T6SS), and iron acquisition (ent, fep, fes), suggesting strong pathogenic potential. Many isolates harbored virulence markers typical of ExPEC/APEC, such as iss, ompT, and traT, even in the absence of multidrug resistance. Our findings suggest that E. coli from sternal bursitis may act as reservoirs of resistance and virulence traits relevant to animal and public health. This highlights the need for including such lesions in genomic surveillance programs and reinforces the importance of integrated One Health approaches. Full article

Deep saline aquifers in the eastern part of Drava Basin were screened for potential storage sites. The input dataset included three seismic volumes, a rather extensive set of old seismic sections and 71 wells. Out of all identified potential storage objects, only two sites were found to be situated in the favorable geological settings, meaning that the inspected wells drilled through structural traps had a seal at least 20 m thick which was intersected by only a few faults with rather limited displacement. Many more closed structures in the area were tested by exploration wells, but in all other wells, various problems were encountered, including inadequate reservoir properties, inadequate seal or inadequate depth of the identified trap. Analysis was highly affected by the insufficient quality and spatial distribution of the seismic input data, as well as in places with insufficient quality of input well datasets. An initial characterization of identified storage sites was performed, and their attributes were compared, with potential storage object B recognized as the one that should be further developed. However, given the depth and increased geothermal gradient of the potential storage object B, it is possible that it will be developed as a geothermal reservoir, and this brings forward the problem of concurrent subsurface use. Full article

Bulgarian botanical gardens harbor more than 3600 plant species from across the world. Some of them are well-known plants widely used by humans, others are underutilized crops or little-known exotic species. The latter group constitutes a rich reservoir of plant resources whose potential to bring benefits to society is still untapped. The aim of this review is to describe the diversity of species and their potentially valuable secondary metabolites in three of the largest Bulgarian botanical gardens, with a focus on underutilized crops and medicinal plants that are typical of Bulgaria. With this, we aim to pave the way for future research on the most promising of these plants. The report includes currently available ethnobotanical data on the properties and composition of their bioactive components, known culinary or therapeutic uses, and nutritional profiles. We also outline the vast potential of these plants in providing healthy diets, as well as for performing future groundbreaking biomedical research. Finally, we present the approach that will be used to screen extracts from these plants for biological activity. Full article

Hericium erinaceus, a medicinal macrofungus, is renowned for its potential neuroprotective benefits. Here, we isolated and characterized secondary metabolites from H. erinaceus fruiting bodies and explored their neuroprotective effects and primary mechanisms of action. A novel terpenoid (4) and four known compounds (1, 2, 3, and 5) were identified. Their chemical structures were determined using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS), and x-ray diffraction (XRD). Bioactivity screening using PC12 cells indicated that (3R,4R)-4-acetyl-3,4-dihydro-6,8-dihydroxy-3-methoxy-5-methyl-1H-2-benzopyran (3) and the terpenoid, (1R,4S,8aS)-1,4-dihydroxy-2,5,5,8a-tetramethyl-1,4,4a,5,6,7,8,8a-octahydronaphthalene-1-carbaldehyde (4), demonstrated protective properties against hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂)-induced damage. Transcriptomics, network pharmacology, and molecular docking showed that compound 4 counteracted H₂O₂-induced oxidative stress and inflammation by substantially attenuating pro-inflammatory cytokine (IL-1β, IL-6) expression, downregulating pro-oxidant factors (Aoc3, Dusp3), and decreasing reactive oxygen species levels, while boosting superoxide dismutase activity. Compound 4 exerted neuroprotective effects via the NF-κB pathway. H. erinaceus represents a valuable natural reservoir of bioactive compounds for treating and preventing neurodegenerative diseases. Full article

To address the challenges of water coning and early water breakthrough commonly encountered during the development of bottom-water gas reservoirs, this study establishes a fully coupled numerical simulation model integrating a horizontal wellbore, inflow control device (ICD) screens, and a zonal water control system. A novel “dual inflow performance index” method is introduced for the first time, enabling separate calculation of the pressure drops induced by gas and water phases flowing through the ICDs, thereby improving the accuracy of pressure simulations throughout the production lifecycle. The model divides the entire production system into four physically distinct subsystems, the bottom-water gas reservoir, ICD screens, production compartments, and the horizontal wellbore, which are dynamically coupled through transient interflow exchange. Based on geological parameters from the SPE10 dataset, the model simulates realistic production scenarios. The results show that the proposed model accurately captures the time-dependent increase in ICD pressure drop as fluid properties evolve during production. Moreover, the zonal water control method outperforms the single ICD-based control strategy in water control performance, achieving a 23% reduction in cumulative water production. Additionally, the water control intensity of the ICD screens increases nonlinearly with the reduction in the number of openings. In highly heterogeneous reservoirs with significant permeability contrast, effective suppression of water coning can only be achieved by setting a minimal number of openings in the high-permeability compartments, resulting in up to a 15% reduction in cumulative water production. The timing of production compartment shutdown exerts a significant influence on water control performance. The optimal strategy is to first identify the water breakthrough point through unconstrained production simulation as production with all eight ICD screen openings fully open and then shut down the high-permeability production compartment around this critical time. This approach can suppress cumulative water production by up to 27%. Overall, the proposed model offers a practical and robust tool for optimizing completion design and water control strategies in complex bottom-water gas reservoirs. Full article

Considering the global health concern and the significant morbidity associated with canine angiostrongylosis, this study aimed to update the epidemiological profile and geographic distribution of the disease in canine populations across all continental and insular districts of Portugal, some of which were never studied before. A total of 1059 dogs were included in the study and tested for Angiostrongylus vasorum antigens using a commercial immunochromatographic assay. The overall prevalence was 1.13%. Higher infection rates were found in northern (3.9% in Viana do Castelo) and central (3.6% in Viseu and 3.8% in Lisbon) districts, and infection was reported, for the first time, in the districts of Leiria and Beja. The mild temperatures and elevated humidity levels, characteristic of Portugal’s northern and coastal regions, promote increased gastropod host activity and population density while also accelerating parasite development. The effect of wildlife reservoirs must also be considered, since higher seroprevalences were detected recently in red foxes from Portuguese northern regions. Bivariate Chi-square test analysis identified male sex and an outdoors lifestyle as risk factors. These findings confirm the enzootic presence of A. vasorum throughout the country and highlight the need for increased clinical awareness, routine screening, and the implementation of effective prophylactic strategies. Full article

Plant species harbor diverse rhizospheric bacteria within their resilient root zones, serving as a valuable reservoir of bioactive microorganisms with strong potential for natural antifungal and plant growth-promoting applications. This study aimed to investigate the antagonistic potential of Bacillus zhangzhouensis, isolated from Zygophyllum oxianum in the Aral Sea region, Uzbekistan, against the fungal pathogen Cytospora mali. Due to its strong antifungal activity, B. zhangzhouensis was selected for bioactive compound profiling. Methanolic extracts were fractionated via silica and Sephadex gel chromatography, followed by antifungal screening using the agar diffusion method. A highly active fraction (dichloromethane/methanol, 9:1) underwent further purification, yielding twelve antifungal sub-fractions. Mass spectrometry analysis across positive and negative ion modes identified 2475 metabolites, with polar solvents—particularly methanol—enhancing compound recovery. Refinement using Bacillus-specific references identified six known antibiotics. Four pure compounds were isolated and structurally characterized using NMR: oleanolic acid, ursolic acid, cyclo-(Pro-Ser), and uracil. Their growth regulatory activity was assessed on Amaranthus retroflexus, Nicotiana benthamiana, triticale, and Triticum aestivum at concentrations of 5, 20, 100, and 500 mg L−1. All compounds negatively affected root growth in a concentration-dependent manner, especially in monocots. Interestingly, some treatments enhanced stem growth, particularly in N. benthamiana. These findings indicate that B. zhangzhouensis produces diverse bioactive compounds with dual antifungal and plant growth-modulatory effects, highlighting its potential as a biocontrol agent and a source of natural bioactive compounds. Full article

Formation Microresistivity Scanner Imaging (FMI) plays a crucial role in identifying lithology, sedimentary structures, fractures, and reservoir evaluation. However, during the lithology identification process of FMI images relying on transfer learning networks, the limited dataset size of existing models and their relatively primitive architecture substantially compromise the accuracy of well-log interpretation results and practical production efficiency. This study employs the VGG-19 transfer learning model as its core framework to conduct preprocessing, feature extraction, and analysis of FMI well-log images from glutenite formations in an oilfield in Xinjiang, with the objective of achieving rapid and accurate intelligent identification and classification of formation lithology. Simultaneously, this paper emphasizes a systematic comparative analysis of the recognition performance between the VGG-19 model and existing models, such as GoogLeNet and Xception, to screen for the model exhibiting the strongest region-specific applicability. The study finds that lithology can be classified into five types based on physical structures and diagnostic criteria: gray glutenite, brown glutenite, fine sandstone, conglomerate, and mudstone. The research results demonstrate the VGG-19 model exhibits superior accuracy in identifying FMI images compared to the other two models; the VGG-19 model achieves a training accuracy of 99.64%, a loss value of 0.034, and a validation accuracy of 95.6%; the GoogLeNet model achieves a training accuracy of 96.1%, a loss value of 0.05615, and a validation accuracy of 90.38%; and the Xception model achieves a training accuracy of 91.3%, a loss value of 0.0713, and a validation accuracy of 87.15%. These findings are anticipated to provide a significant reference for the in-depth application of VGG-19 transfer learning in FMI well-log interpretation. Full article

Q fever, caused by the intracellular bacterium Coxiella burnetii, is a significant zoonotic disease for which ruminants are the main reservoir. This cross-sectional study aimed to assess the seroprevalence of C. burnetii in farm animals (sheep, goats, cattle, and camels) across Saudi Arabia. A total of 7760 serum samples were collected from 2253 sheep, 2224 goats, 1111 cattle, and 2172 camels, representing various regions of the country. The samples were screened for C. burnetii antibodies using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The findings revealed significant regional and species-specific differences. The findings revealed notable regional and species-specific variations in seroprevalence. In goats, seropositivity was detected in 92% of the tested herds; however, only 48% of the individually tested animals were found to be positive. Similarly, camels exhibited herd-level seropositivity of 92.9% of the examined herds, with only 46.7% of the individually examined animals testing positive. For sheep, 80% of the examined sheep flocks were positive, while 30.2% of the individually tested animals were positive. Cattle showed a significantly lower seroprevalence, since only 27.6% of the screened herds were found to be positive, and only 8.2% of the individually tested animals were positive. In conclusion, the results indicate that C. burnetii infection is widespread among livestock in Saudi Arabia, with goats, camels, and sheep posing a particularly elevated risk of zoonotic transmission. The observed regional disparities and species-specific infection rates highlight the need for comprehensive surveillance and targeted control strategies to mitigate the spread of Q fever in Saudi Arabia. Full article

Rodents are among the most abundant and ecologically diverse mammals, playing key roles in terrestrial ecosystems and often serving as reservoirs for various zoonotic and wildlife pathogens. Among these are protozoan parasites of the genera Hepatozoon and Theileria, which are known to infect a wide range of domestic and wild animals worldwide. However, little is known about the diversity and phylogenetic relationships of these hemoprotozoans in rodent hosts, particularly in the Arabian Peninsula. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence and genetic diversity of Hepatozoon sp. and Theileria sp. in rodents from different regions of Saudi Arabia and to determine potential reservoir species. A total of 111 rodents were captured and identified by molecular analysis of the mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene. Screening for parasites was performed using PCR amplification of the 18S rRNA gene, followed by sequencing, haplotype analysis, and phylogenetic reconstruction using both maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference methods. Our results represent the first molecular detection of Hepatozoon sp. in Arvicanthis niloticus (31.3%), Gerbillus cheesmani (26.5%), G. nanus (28.5%), and Rattus rattus (32.0%) and of Theileria sp. in G. nanus (21.5%) and R. rattus (24.0%) in Saudi Arabia. Haplotype network analysis revealed seven distinct Hepatozoon haplotypes forming a star-like cluster, suggesting host specificity. One divergent haplotype (Hap_2), 19 mutation steps apart, may represent a novel lineage. Phylogenetic analyses grouped Saudi Hepatozoon sequences with those from reptiles and rodents, forming a clade distinct from sequences isolated from felids and canids. In contrast, Theileria sequences showed low diversity, clustering with a single widespread haplotype found in rodents and ruminants in several regions. These findings significantly expand the current knowledge on rodent-associated apicomplexan parasites in Saudi Arabia, revealing novel Hepatozoon haplotypes and highlighting the role of rodents in the transmission of reptile-associated Hepatozoon spp. This study provides basic molecular data crucial to understanding host–parasite relationships and the potential public and veterinary health implications of these parasites in arid ecosystems. Full article

The quorum-quenching activity of essential oils (EOs) from Corsican aromatic plants was evaluated using the marine bacterium Aliivibrio fischeri as a model system. Among the eleven EOs screened, Myrtus communis EO showed significant interference with QS-regulated phenotypes (swimming motility, bioluminescence, and biofilm formation). Its activity was compared to Origanum vulgaris EO, known for its high carvacrol content and potent QS inhibition. The fractionation of M. communis EO revealed that its most polar fractions exhibited comparable levels of QS-disrupting activity. These chromatographic fractions significantly affected QS-controlled traits, indicating that minor or less volatile compounds may contribute to, or enhance, the overall bioactivity. Furthermore, M. communis EO and its polar fractions displayed stronger anti-QS effects against A. fischeri than O. vulgaris EO. These results highlight M. communis EO as a promising source of natural QS inhibitors and underscore the importance of exploring both complete EOs and their active fractions. This study supports the valorization of Mediterranean endemic flora as a reservoir of bioactive compounds, tested on a model system A. fischeri, and encourages future research on the potential of Myrtus communis against clinical bacterial isolates and the development of novel anti-virulence strategies. Full article

The emergence and dissemination of antibiotic-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae, particularly those are extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) producers, thought to pose a serious threat to global health. This study aimed to isolate and identify the ESBL-producing K. pneumoniae from captive wild and migratory birds in Bangladesh along with their antimicrobial resistance characteristics. In this investigation, standard bacteriological methods were used to detect K. pneumoniae in 219 fecal samples. The positive isolates were confirmed by PCR and antibiotic susceptibility testing was performed by disk diffusion method. K. pneumoniae was detected in 93 (42.47%, 95% CI: 35.8–49.3) out of 219 fecal samples. The prevalence of K. pneumoniae was higher in captive wild birds (50%; 40/80) compared to migratory birds (38.1%; 53/139). The isolates showed high resistance to ampicillin (69.9%) and streptomycin (64.5%). Conversely, the highest sensitivity was recorded for trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (84.95%), followed by levofloxacin (79.57%) and gentamicin (69.89%). Molecular screening revealed that all positive isolates harbored bla_TEM-1&2 encoding genes, with 45.2% and 15.1% carried bla_SHV-1 and bla_OXA-1,4&30, respectively. Additionally, resistance genes strA (30.1%), tetA (9.7%), and sul1 (9.7%) were detected. The Multiple Antibiotic Resistance (MAR) index ranged from 0.18 to 0.64, with 63.4% of isolates classified as MDR. The isolation of MDR and ESBL producing K. pneumoniae from captive wild and migratory birds suggests that these birds may serve as reservoirs for the spread of these bacteria, potentially impacting public health in the study region. Full article