Adiponectin as a sepsis biomarker in dogs: Diagnostic and prognostic value

Mild Intermittent Cold Stimulation Affects Cardiac Substance Metabolism via the Neuroendocrine Pathway in Broilers

This study aimed to investigate the impact of cold adaptation on the neuroendocrine and cardiac substance metabolism pathways in broilers. The broilers were divided into the control group (CC), cold adaptation group (C3), and cold-stressed group (C9), and experimental period was divided into the training period (d 1-35), recovery period (d 36-43), and cold stress period (d 43-44). During the training period, the CC group was reared at ambient temperature, while C3 and C9 groups were reared at 3 °C and 9 °C lower than the ambient temperature, respectively, for 5 h/d at 1 d intervals. During the recovery period, all the groups were maintained at 20 °C. Lastly, during the cold stress period, the groups were divided into two sub-groups, and each sub-group was placed at 10 °C for 12 h (Y12) or 24 h (Y24) for acute cold stimulation. The blood, hypothalamic, and cardiac tissues samples were obtained from all the groups during the training, recovery, and acute stress periods. The results revealed that the transcription of calcium voltage-gated channel subunit alpha 1 C (CACNAIC) was increased in the hypothalamic tissues of the C3 group (p < 0.05). Moreover, compared to the CC group, the serum norepinephrine (NE) was increased in the C9 group (p < 0.05), but insulin (INS) was decreased in the C9 group (p < 0.05). In addition, the transcription of the phosphoinositide-3 kinase (PI3K), protein kinase B (Akt), mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), SREBP1c, FASN, ACC1, and SCD genes was down-regulated in the C3 and C9 groups (p < 0.05); however, their expression increased in the C3 and C9 groups after acute cold stimulation (p < 0.05). Compared to the CC group, the transcription of forkhead box O1 (FoxO1), PEPCK, G6Pase, GLUT1, HK1, PFK, and LDHB genes was up-regulated in the C3 and C9 groups (p < 0.05. Furthermore, compared to the CC and C9 groups, the protein and mRNA expressions of heat shock protein (HSP) 70 and HSP90 were significantly increased in the C3 group (p < 0.05). These results indicate that intermittent cold training can enhance cold stress tolerance in broilers by regulating their neuroendocrine and cardiac substance metabolism pathways.

Comparison of Protein Carbonyl (PCO), Paraoxonase-1 (PON1) and C-Reactive Protein (CRP) as Diagnostic and Prognostic Markers of Septic Inflammation in Dogs

Reliable diagnostic and prognostic markers of sepsis are lacking, but essential in veterinary medicine. We aimed to assess the accuracy of C-Reactive Protein (CRP), protein carbonyls (PCO) and paraoxonase-1 (PON1) in differentiating dogs with sepsis from those with sterile inflammation and healthy ones, and predict the outcome in septic dogs. These analytes were retrospectively evaluated at admission in 92 dogs classified into healthy, septic and polytraumatized. Groups were compared using the Kruskal–Wallis test, followed by a Mann–Whitney U test to assess differences between survivors and non-survivors. Correlation between analytes was assessed using the Spearman’s test, and their discriminating power was assessed through a Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve. PON1 and CRP were, respectively, significantly lower and higher in dogs with sepsis compared with polytraumatized and clinically healthy dogs (p < 0.001 for both the analytes), and also in dogs with trauma compared with healthy dogs (p = 0.011 and p = 0.017, respectively). PCO were significantly increased in septic (p < 0.001) and polytraumatized (p < 0.005) as compared with healthy dogs. PON1 and CRP were, respectively, significantly lower and higher in dogs that died compared with survivors (p < 0.001 for both analytes). Ultimately, evaluation of CRP and PON1 at admission seems a reliable support to diagnose sepsis and predict outcomes.