Aims: To investigate aggregation and adhesiveness of Lactobacillus acidophilus M92 to porcine ileal epithelial cells in vitro, and the influence of cell surface proteins on autoaggregation and adhesiveness of this strain. Methods and Results: Lactobacillus acidophilus M92 exhibits a strong autoaggregating phenotype and manifests a high degree of hydrophobicity determined by microbial adhesion to xylene. Aggregation and hydrophobicity were abolished upon exposure of the cells to pronase and pepsin. Sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of cell surface proteins revealed the presence of potential surface layer (S-layer) proteins, approximated at 45 kDa, in L. acidophilus M92. The relationship between autoaggregation and adhesiveness to intestinal tissue was investigated by observing the adhesiveness of L. acidophilus M92 to porcine ileal epithelial cells. Removal of the S-layer proteins by extraction with 5 mol l )1 LiCl reduced autoaggregation and in vitro adhesion of this strain.Conclusions: These results demonstrate that there is relationship between autoaggregation and adhesiveness ability of L. acidophilus M92, mediated by proteinaceous components on the cell surface. Significance and Impact of the Study: This investigation has shown that L. acidophilus M92 has the ability to establish in the human gastrointestinal tract, which is an important determinant in the choice of probiotic strains.

A naturally occurring outbreak of fasciolosis in a group of 20 Merinolandschaf (German Merino) sheep was studied. Hematological and blood biochemical values in sheep spontaneously infected with liver fluke Fasciola hepatica were compared with equivalent values in 20 parasite-free sheep from organically farmed flock. Investigated animals were kept in outdoor system, on pastures covered with swamps, which remain flooded after rainy season. Significantly lower red blood cell (RBC) count, lymphocytes, hemoglobin (Hb), packed cell volume (PCV), mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine, and albumin were recorded in sheep from the infected herd, whereas white blood cell (WBC) count, eosinophil, segmented and band neutrophil count, mean corpuscular volume (MCV), gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), concentrations of glucose, and globulins were significantly higher than in the parasite free herd. No significant correlation between the investigated blood parameters and the number of F. hepatica eggs in the feces was detected. This study shows that hematological and biochemical values can be useful in early diagnosis and prognosis of sheep fasciolosis.

The aim of this study was to research changes in metabolic and antioxidative status of Saanen goats of different parity occurring during the peripartum period. Blood samples were taken on 10-7 and 3-1 d prepartally and 1-3, 14 and 28 d postpartally from goats allocated in three groups according to their parity: primiparous (PRIM), goats that kidded the 2nd or 3rd time (MID), and goats that kidded 4 or more times (MULTI)). Metabolic profile parameters (non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), glucose, triglycerides, albumin and urea) and indicators of oxidative stress ((superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and malondialdehyde (MDA)) were determined. Intense metabolic changes associated with late pregnancy and onset of lactation were pronounced the most in MULTI goats that also had the biggest litter per goat. Significant differences were found in metabolic parameters NEFA, BHB, glucose, triglycerides within groups during peripartum period, as well as between them (the effect of parity). MDA concentrations were indicative of increased lipid peroxidation around parturition, especially pronounced in MULTI group 1-3 d prepartally, when the highest GSH-Px/SOD ratio was also found. Postpartally, antioxidant enzymes ratio in MID and MULTI group decreased while MDA concentrations remained high, suggesting antioxidant system inefficiency. Significant time × group interaction was observed for most of the parameters. The obtained results show that the goats of higher parity display higher levels of metabolism intensity and consequently, varying levels of oxidative stress during the peripartum period. Further studies should determine applicability of NEFA and BHB in periparturient metabolic profiling in dairy goats as well as establish normal ranges and cut-off levels for these biomarkers.

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Floating fish farms attract a great number of wild fish species, changing their behaviour and physiology. The saddled bream, Oblada melanura, sampled from populations aggregated around the Adriatic fish farm and from natural/control populations, were analysed for differences in eleven blood biochemistry parameters and liver histomorphology. The levels of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), alkaline phosphatase (ALKP) and urea (URE) in cage-associated saddled bream (428.00±SD 321.56 U/L, 86.13±SD 39.87 U/L and 0.05±SD 0.16 mmol/L, respectively) were significantly lower than those observed in the control specimens (1047.06±SD 505.56 U/L, 125.75±SD 34.70 U/L and 1.99±SD 0.73 mmol/L, respectively). In contrast to that, concentrations of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) in cage-associated fish (87.63±SD 132.34 U/L) were higher than values noted for the control population (6.55±SD 5.90 U/L). URE and AST presented the main variables contributing to the discrimination between two analysed populations. One-way ANOSIM based on the blood parameters showed significant difference between saddled bream that fed around cages and those from the remote waters (R=0.697; P < 0.01). Hepatocytes of cage-associated fish contained large cytoplasmatic clear spaces indicating excessive accumulation of fat in the hepatocyte cytoplasm. All observed differences can be attributed to contrasting feeding behaviour of sampled populations but basic nutritional differences between them should be quantified in the future. Moreover, further research is necessary to detect their impact on the health status of the fish.