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Since centuries, the camel is fascinating scientists over the world. If the first scientific investigations were focused on his remarkable adaptability to desert conditions and to his health management in the context of colonial expansion of European countries in desert areas, recent researches have mobilised several specific disciplines as archaeology, physiology, immunology, breeding and genetics, parasitology, surgery, imaging, diseases, food sciences, economy, or sociology. However, the camel can be regarded as a “full scientific object” legitimising the use of the word “camelology”. Present paper is an overview of chronological development of camel cultures, production and science.

The one-humped camel is well-adapted to low nutritive resources, arid environments and desert ecosystems. Salivary glands have an essential role in moistening and swallowing the ingested food and forestomach digestion regulation and in water body homeostasis. The present study aims to find out the morphological, histological and histochemical characterization of the salivary glands of the dromedary camel concerning the salivation process's role in challenging the arid conditions and to mitigate the climate change impacts. Representative samples of the salivary glands of healthy 16 adult one-humped camel (Camelus dromedaries) of both sexes were tested including mandibular glands, parotid glands, sublingual glands, buccal glands, lingual glands, labial glands and palatine ones. The samples were processed according to the following handling: gross examination, fixation, dehydration, clearing, wax impregnation, embedding, trimming, sectioning, slide mounting, hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) and a battery of histological and histochemical staining. The salivary glands demonstrated variable types of tubule-acinar and tubule-alveolar secretory portions surrounded by numerous myoepithelial cells and armed with interlobular and intralobular ducts rich with goblet cells. In addition, the glands showed variable secretory cells (mucous, serous, mucoserous and mixed seromucous) with variable secretory products mainly mucusubstances, neutral mucin, acidic mucosubstances, sialomucins, sulphomucins, and29T glycoproteins. Moreover, the glands collectively demonstrated activities for the following enzymes: dehydrogenases, phosphatases, esterases, carboxylases, aminopeptidases, peroxidases, cytochrome oxidases and carbonic anhydrases. furthermore, the glands exhibited alcianophilia and metachromasia. The findings of the present study indicate that the structure and the secretion of the salivary glands of the camel support an efficient salivation process and represent a strong challenge to gro

Skeletal muscle is essential for locomotion and plays a crucial role in energy homeostasis. It is regulated by nutrition, genetic factors, physical activity and hormones. Furan fatty acids (FuFAs) are minor fatty acids present in small quantities in food from plants and animals origin. Recently, we showed that a preventive nutritional supplementation with furan fatty acid in a DIO mouse model reduces metabolic disorders. The present study was designed to determine the influence of FuFA-F2 extracted from Hevea brasiliensis latex on skeletal muscle phenotype. In C2C12 myotubes we found that FuFA-F2 whatever the concentration used increased protein content. We revealed that in C2C12 myotubes FuFA-F2 (10 µM) increases protein synthesis as shown by the stimulation of mTOR phosphorylation. Next, to confirm in vivo our results C57Bl6 mice were supplemented by oral gavage with vehicle or FuFA-F2 (20 mg/kg) for 3 and a half weeks. We found that mice supplemented with FuFA-F2 had a greater lean mass than the control mice. In line with this observation, we revealed that FuFA-F2 increased muscle mass and promoted more oxidative muscle metabolism in mice as attested by cytochrome c oxidase activity. In conclusion, we demonstrated that FuFA-F2 stimulates muscle anabolism in mice in vitro and in vivo, mimicking in part physical activity. This study highlights that in vivo FuFA-F2 may have health benefits by increasing muscle mass and oxidative metabolism.

The increase in obesity has become a major global health problem and is associated with numerous metabolic dysfunctions. Furan fatty acids (FuFAs) are minor lipids present in our diet. Recently we showed that FuFA-F2 extracted from Hevea brasiliensis latex stimulates muscle anabolism in mice in vitro and in vivo, mimicking in part physical activity. While skeletal muscle is essential for energy metabolism and is the predominant site of insulin-mediated glucose uptake in the post prandial state, our results suggested that FuFA-F2 could have favorable effects against obesity. The aim of this work was therefore to study whether a preventive nutritional supplementation with FuFA-F2 (40 mg or 110 mg/day/kg of body weight) in a diet-induced obesity (DIO) mouse model may have beneficial effects against obesity and liver and skeletal muscle metabolic dysfunction. We showed that 12 weeks of FuFA-F2 supplementation in DIO mice decreased fat mass, increased lean mass and restored normal energy expenditure. In addition, we found that FuFA-F2 improved insulin sensitivity. We revealed that FuFA-F2 increased muscle mass but had no effect on mitochondrial function and oxidative stress in skeletal muscle. Furthermore, we observed that FuFA-F2 supplementation reduced liver steatosis without impact on mitochondrial function and oxidative stress in liver. Our findings demonstrated for the first time that a preventive nutritional supplementation with a furan fatty acid in DIO mice reduced metabolic disorders and was able to mimic partly the positive effects of physical activity. This study highlights that nutritional FuFA-F2 supplementation could be an effective approach to treat obesity and metabolic syndrome.

Tilapiine fishes of the genus Oreochromis vary in their euryhaline capabilities, therefore inhabiting aquatic environments of different salinities across the African continent. We analyzed the differential gene expression in the gills before and after 6 weeks salinity challenge between the highly tolerant Mozambique tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus) and the less tolerant Nile tilapia (O. niloticus). The pathways triggered by salinity in both tilapia species reveal immune and cell stress responses as well as turnover of ionocytes. Nevertheless, the actual differential expressed genes vary between these two species, pointing at differential transcriptomic architecture, which likely contribute to the species osmoregulation capabilities in elevated salinities.

Spatio-temporally heterogeneous environments may lead to unexpected population dynamics. Knowledge is needed on local properties favouring population resilience at large scale. For pathogen vectors, such as tsetse flies transmitting human and animal African trypanosomosis, this is crucial to target management strategies. We developed a mechanistic spatio-temporal model of the age-structured population dynamics of tsetse flies, parametrized with field and laboratory data. It accounts for density- and temperature-dependence. The studied environment is heterogeneous, fragmented and dispersal is suitability-driven. We confirmed that temperature and adult mortality have a strong impact on tsetse populations. When homogeneously increasing adult mortality, control was less effective and induced faster population recovery in the coldest and temperature-stable locations, creating refuges. To optimally select locations to control, we assessed the potential impact of treating them and their contribution to the whole population. This heterogeneous control induced a similar population decrease, with more dispersed individuals. Control efficacy was no longer related to temperature. Dispersal was responsible for refuges at the interface between controlled and uncontrolled zones, where resurgence after control was very high. The early identification of refuges, which could jeopardize control efforts, is crucial. We recommend baseline data collection to characterize the ecosystem before implementing any measures.

Many animals have evolved associations with symbiotic microbes that benefit the host through increased growth, lifespan, and survival. Some interactions are obligate (essential for survival) while others are facultative (usually beneficial but not essential). Not all individuals host all facultative symbionts in a population, and thus there is probably a trade-off between the cost of hosting these symbionts and the benefits they confer to the host. Plant-sucking insects have been one of the most important models to test these costs and benefits experimentally. This research is now moving beyond the description of symbiont effects towards understanding the mechanisms of action, and their role in the wider ecological community. We present a quantitative and systematic analysis of the published evidence exploring this question. We found that whitefly and true bugs experience benefits through increased growth and fecundity, whereas aphids experience costs to their fecundity but benefits through increased resistance to natural enemies. We also report the lack of data in some plant-sucking groups, and explore variation in effect strengths and directions across aphid host, symbiont and plant species thus highlighting the importance of considering the context dependency of these interactions.

The process of local adaptation involves differential changes in fitness over time across different environments. Although experimental evolution studies have extensively tested for patterns of local adaptation at a single time point, there is relatively little research that examines fitness more than once during the time course of adaptation. We allowed replicate populations of the fruit pest Drosophila suzukii to evolve in one of eight different fruit media. After five generations, populations with the highest initial levels of maladaptation had mostly gone extinct, whereas experimental populations evolving on cherry, strawberry and cranberry media had survived. We measured the fitness of each surviving population in each of the three fruit media after five and after 26 generations of evolution. After five generations, adaptation to each medium was associated with increased fitness in the two other media. This was also true after 26 generations, except when populations that evolved on cranberry medium developed on cherry medium. These results suggest that, in the theoretical framework of a fitness landscape, the fitness optima of cherry and cranberry media are the furthest apart. Our results show that studying how fitness changes across several environments and across multiple generations provides insights into the dynamics of local adaptation that would not be evident if fitness were analysed at a single point in time. By allowing a qualitative mapping of an experimental fitness landscape, our approach will improve our understanding of the ecological factors that drive the evolution of local adaptation in D. suzukii.

A simple and intuitive formula for the estimation of urine osmolality (Uosm) using the measured concentrations of major active urine osmolytes over a wide range of urine dilutions was proposed in healthy cats. Sixty-three urine samples were retrieved using ultrasound-guided cystocentesis from sixteen healthy cats under 5 years of age receiving intravenous infusion over a period of 24 h. Samples were collected at baseline (T0), T2, T6, T12, and T24. Urine osmolality was measured using a freezing-point osmometer, and the concentrations of osmolytes (urea, sodium, glucose, and potassium) were evaluated. A simple linear regression model for a clinical use was selected, and the agreement between the calculated and actual urine osmolalities was assessed. Urinary concentrations of urea, sodium and glucose were the three variables included in the model with the lowest AICC. Urine osmolality can be predicted accurately and precisely using urine urea, sodium and glucose with the following equation: Uosm = 1.25 × urea (mmol/l) or 20.87 × urea (g/l) + 1.1 × sodium (mmol/l) + 67 × glucose (mmol/l) or 3.72 × glucose (mg/dl). The concordance correlation coefficient for repeated measures between the actual and the calculated urine osmolality was extremely close to 1, which supported a high agreement: 0.996 (CI 95%: [0.993; 0.998]). In a population of healthy cats, urine osmolality can be predicted accurately and precisely using urinary urea, sodium and glucose concentrations. Similar formulae could potentially be established to help the clinician in pathological situations.

Milk contains extracellular vesicles that are released by udder cells and are recognized as a new mechanism for transmitting information from mother to newborn. In this study, extracellular vesicles were isolated from milk of C. dromedarius, C. bactrianus and hybrids from Kazakhstan using optimized density gradient ultracentrifugation. Vesicles were visualized using transmission electron microscopy and characterized using nanoparticle tracking analysis. The purified extracellular vesicles had a heterogeneous size distribution ranging from 25 to 170 nm in diameter with an average yield of 9.5*108 – 4.2*1010 particles per milliliter of milk. Combining classical and advanced proteomic approaches, a comprehensive proteomic analysis of camel milk vesicles was carried out. One thousand ten (1010) unique proteins have been identified that are involved in various biological processes, including most markers associated with small vesicles. As a result, the extracellular vesicles of camel milk are enriched with exosomal proteins. The most common biological processes have been associated with the synthesis and secretion of exosomes. They are mainly involved in molecular functions such as poly RNA and ATP binding, protein binding and structural constituent of the ribosomes.

Our previous article demonstrated that ar-turmerone ((6S)-2-methyl-6-(4-methylphenyl)-2-hepten-4-one) extracted from Curcuma longa L. has a significant larvicidal activity against the fourth instar larvae of Culex pipiens pallens. To reveal the effects of ar-turmerone on C. pipiens pallens larvae, light microscopy and transmission electron microscopy were used to observe the histological and ultrastructure changes in muscle and digestive tissues of fourth instar larvae. It was also revealed by detecting the activity of the acetylcholinesterase (AChE) enzyme and three detoxifying enzymes, including carboxylesterase (CarE), glutathione-S-transferase (GST) and Cytochrome P450 monooxidases (P450). The observation under the light microscope showed that the larvae displayed a disruption of myofibril in ventral muscle cells, the disappearance of nucleolus in the malpighian tubule cells, and the exfoliation of the brush border in midgut epithelial cells, 24 h after treatment. The observation under the transmission electron microscope displayed disorganized Z-lines in the ventral muscle cells, and dissolved membrane of mitochondria, nuclear and endoplasmic reticulum in abdominal cells. The enzymatic activity results showed that ar-turmerone significantly increased the level of detoxifying enzymes, while the activity of AChE was not obviously affected. All the results suggest that the larvicidal mechanism of ar-turmerone is estimated to be stomach poison and the active sites might be the muscle and digestive tissues, and the mode of action of ar-turmerone may be unrelated to AChE.

A study was conducted to investigate the seroprevalence and associated risk factors of Rift Valley fever (RVF) infection in cattle and some selected wildlife species at selected interface areas at the periphery of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Conservation Area in Zimbabwe. Three study sites were selected based on the type of livestock–wildlife interface: porous livestock–wildlife interface (unrestricted); non-porous livestock–wildlife interface (restricted by fencing) and livestock–wildlife non-interface (totally absent contact or control). Sera were collected from cattle aged ≥ 2 years representing both female and intact male. Sera were also collected from selected wild ungulates from Mabalauta (porous interface) and Chipinda Pools (non-interface) areas of the Gonarezhou National Park. Sera were tested for antibodies to Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) using a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test. AX2 test was used to assess differences between categories, and p < 0.05 was considered as significant. In cattle, the overall seroprevalence was 1.7% (17/1011) (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.01–2.7). The porous interface recorded a seroprevalence of 2.3% (95% CI: 1.2–4.3), the non-porous interface recorded a prevalence of 1.8% (95% CI: 0.7–4.3) and the non-interface area recorded a seroprevalence of 0.4% (955 CI: 0.02–2.5), but the difference in seroprevalence according to site was not significant (p > 0.05). All impala and kudu samples tested negative. The overall seroprevalence in buffaloes was 11.7% (95% CI: 6.6–19.5), and there was no significant (p = 0.38) difference between the sites (Mabalauta, 4.4% [95% CI: 0.2–24] vs. Chipinda, 13.6% [95% CI: 7.6–23]). The overall seroprevalence in buffaloes (11.7%, 13/111) was significantly (p < 0.0001) higher than in cattle (1.7%, 17/1011). The results established the presence of RVFV in cattle and selected wildlife and that sylvatic infections may be present in buffalo populations. Further studies are

The sugarcane aphid (SCA), Melanaphis Sacchari (Zehntner) (Hemiptera: Aphididae), has been considered an invasive pest of sugarcane in the continental United States since 1977. Then, in 2013, SCA abruptly became a serious pest of U.S. sorghum and is now a sorghum pest in 22 states across the continental United States. Changes in insect-associated microbial community composition are known to influence host-plant range in aphids. In this study, we assessed whether changes in microbiota composition may explain the SCA outbreak in U.S. sorghum. We characterized the SCA bacterial microbiota on sugarcane and grain sorghum in four U.S. states, using a metabarcoding approach. In addition, we used taxon-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primers to screen for bacteria commonly reported in aphid species. As anticipated, all SCA harbored the primary aphid endosymbiont Buchnera aphidicola, an obligate mutualistic bacterial symbiont. Interestingly, none of the secondary symbionts, facultative bacteria typically associated with aphids (e.g., Arsenophonus, Hamiltonella, Regiella) were present in either the metabarcoding data or PCR screens (with the exception of Rickettsiella and Serratia, which were detected by metabarcoding at low abundances <1%). However, our metabarcoding detected bacteria not previously identified in aphids (Arcobacter, Bifidobacterium, Citrobacter). Lastly, we found microbial host-associated differentiation in aphids that seems to correspond to genetically distinct aphid lineages that prefer to feed on grain sorghum (MLL-F) versus sugarcane (MLL-D).

Ticks transmit a wide variety of pathogens including bacteria, parasites and viruses. Over the last decade, numerous novel viruses have been described in arthropods, including ticks, and their characterization has provided new insights into RNA virus diversity and evolution. However, little is known about their ability to infect vertebrates. As very few studies have described the diversity of viruses present in ticks from the Caribbean, we implemented an RNA-sequencing approach on Amblyomma variegatum and Rhipicephalus microplus ticks collected from cattle in Guadeloupe and Martinique. Among the viral communities infecting Caribbean ticks, we selected four viruses belonging to the Chuviridae, Phenuiviridae and Flaviviridae families for further characterization and designing antibody screening tests. While viral prevalence in individual tick samples revealed high infection rates, suggesting a high level of exposure of Caribbean cattle to these viruses, no seropositive animals were detected. These results suggest that the Chuviridae- and Phenuiviridae-related viruses identified in the present study are more likely tick endosymbionts, raising the question of the epidemiological significance of their occurrence in ticks, especially regarding their possible impact on tick biology and vector capacity. The characterization of these viruses might open the door to new ways of preventing and controlling tick-borne diseases.

Flooded rice fields are ecosystems favorable to growth and production of aquatic organisms. They can even play a major role in feeding and nutrition of local communities, as source of self-recruiting species or supporting production of farmed fish in association with rice. In Madagascar, integrated rice-fish culture has proven a yield net increase, without fertilizers or feed inputs, of more than 10% compared to traditional rice culture. Common carp (Cyprinus carpio), have been either demonstrated to improve rice production through fertilization of rice plots. Fertilization is indeed provided through bioturbation of sediments aside from any confirmed impact on pests and weeds. Although common carp can improve rice production, fish is often limited to small yields (av. 50kg/ha/cycle). Fish yields can however reach 500kg/ha/cycle (av. 100 days) through intensification with fertilizers and feeds. In that context, trophic characterization of rice-fish systems may improve knowledge on ecosystem functioning as well as fish and rice yields. Natural abundances of carbon and nitrogen stables isotopes ratio (δ13C and δ15N) are often used in ecological studies to characterize trophic functioning of aquatic ecosystems. The aim of the current study was therefore, to characterize feeding behavior of common carp in rice fish integrated agriculture to aquaculture system, through stable isotopes analysis of the compartments of this aquatic ecosystem. At the beginning of the experiment, carp larvae signature was -18.8±0.5‰ and 9.3±0.6‰, for δ13C and δ15N respectively. This signature suggest that larvae feeds were supplied by animal proteins (e.g. fish meal) and C4 carbohydrate (e.g. corn). However, following 100 days of extensive feeding in the riceplot, fish signature was depleted compared to larvae, down to -24.9±1.0 and 5.7±0.9‰, for δ13C and δ15N respectively. Stable isotopes signatures of produced fish were in the range of riceplot ecosystem, confirming that feeding was supplied

Relationship between serum levels of cortisol at slaughter and changes of some parameters of meat was investigated in 50 male camels, during ageing for 10 days at 4±1°C. Blood was sampled at slaughter to determine serum levels of cortisol and oblique abdominal external muscle was collected after slaughter to analyze pH, electrical conductivity (EC), drip loss (DL), cooked loss (CL), moisture, solids, ashes, protein total, calcium (Ca), phosphorus (Pi), magnesium (Mg), sodium (Na), potassium (K), catalase activiry (CATa), malondialdehyde (MDA), shrinkage, R-value and total haem pigment (THP) at days 0 (four hours postmortem), 5 and 10 of refrigerated storage. The camels were divided into 3 groups (Gr) with different serum levels of cortisol at slaughter (low, high and very high levels): Gr1 (13.07-67.9 ng/mL, n= 24), Gr2 (80.29-107.21 ng/mL, n= 7) and Gr3 (133.7-198.04 ng/mL, n= 19). Compared to Gr1, Gr2 and Gr3 had a significant (P<0.05) increase of pH, EC, DL, CL, THP, dimensional shrinkage and MDA, and a significant (P<0.05) decrease of CATa at the 5th and 10th postmortem days. However, the bleeding efficiency, moisture, ashes, R-value and levels of Ca, Pi, Na, K and total protein showed no significant differences between twoo cortisol groups. The antemortem circulating levels of cortisol were positively correlated with postmortem pH, EC, DL, CL, THP, dimensional shrinkage and MDA, and negatively correlated with CATa. The analysis of circulating cortisol at slaughtering may predict the quality and oxidant stress status of camel meat during postmortem cold storage.

Cattle trypanosomosis caused by Trypanosoma vivax is a widely distributed disease in Africa and Latin America. It causes significant losses in the livestock industry and is characterized by fluctuating parasitemia, anemia, fever, lethargy, and weight loss. In this study we evaluated the virulence (capacity to multiply inside the host and to modulate the host response) and pathogenicity (ability to produce disease and/or mortality) patterns of two T. vivax strains (TvMT1 and TvLIEM176) in experimentally-infected sheep and determined the proteins differentially expressed in the proteomes of these two strains. Hematological and clinical parameters were monitored in experimentally-infected versus non-infected sheep for 60 days. All the infected animals developed discernable parasitemia at 3 days post-infection (dpi), and the first parasitemia peak was observed at 6 dpi. The maximum average value of parasitemia was 1.3 × 107 (95% CI, 7.9 × 105–2 × 108) parasites/ml in TvLIEM176-infected animals, and 2.5 × 106 (95% CI, 1.6 × 105–4 × 107) parasites/ml in TvMT1-infected ones. Anemia and clinical manifestations were more severe in the animals infected by TvMT1 strain than in those infected by TvLIEM176. In the proteomic analysis, a total of 29 proteins were identified, of which 14 exhibited significant differences in their expression levels between strains. Proteins with higher expression in TvLIEM176 were: alpha tubulin, beta tubulin, arginine kinase, glucose-regulated protein 78, paraflagellar protein 3, and T-complex protein 1 subunit theta. Proteins with higher expression in TvMT1 were: chaperonin HSP60, T-complex protein 1 subunit alpha, heat shock protein 70, pyruvate kinase, glycerol kinase, inosine-5'-monophosphate dehydrogenase, 73 kDa paraflagellar rod protein, and vacuolar ATP synthase. There was a difference in the virulence and pathogenicity between the T. vivax strains: TvLIEM176 showed high virulence and moderate pathogenicity, whereas TvMT1 showed low virulen

Slaughter stress responses were evaluated in the dromedary camel by analyzing hematocrit (Hct), neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR), hemolysis (H%), catalase activity (CATa) and plasma levels of cortisol (COR), triiodothyronine (T3), thyroxine (T4), glucose and malondialdehyde (MDA). Blood was collected during three different steps: at the arrival of the animals at the slaughterhouse just after unloading (step 1), at the end of a rest period of 16 to 20 hours (step 2) and finally during bleeding (step 3) after exposure to traditional slaughter stress. NLR, H%, MDA, glucose, COR, T3 and T4 measured at step 2 were significantly (P<0.05) lower compared to those observed at step 1 or step 3. On the contrary, CATa measured at step 2 were significantly (P<0.05) higher than that analyzed at steps 1 and 3. In the camel, the slaughter procedure used here was muchmore stressfuland was able to alter the physiology of the animal.

In ruminants, circulating vitamin D levels may be influenced by photoperiod, nutrition, physiological stage, ambient temperature, attitude and season, whereas, in meat, vitamin D content may be impacted by vitamin D status of animal, ageing and cooking. The information on nutritional value of camel milk and meat is largely available, but, there are very few reports evaluating the vitamin D levels and their variations in blood and these products in the dromedary camel. In this context, this review proposes a gathering of cur-rent knowledge about the vitamin D in this species and discusses findings considering those obtained in other mammal animals.

In genetic control programmes, including the sterile insect technique (SIT), it is crucial to release insects of the highest quality with maximum survival. It is likely that male mosquitoes will follow the trend of other insects in SIT programmes and be stored, transported and eventually released under chilled conditions. The aim of our study was to investigate the impact of different chilling temperatures on male Aedes aegypti and Ae. albopictus survival by exposing them to a range of temperatures for different durations. Ae. aegypti were found to be less sensitive to the impact of chilling, with only 6°C causing a marginal decrease in survival in comparison to non-chilled controls. Conversely, Ae. albopictus displayed a significantly reduced survival at all chilling temperatures even when exposed for a short time. In both species, longer exposure to low temperatures reduced survival. Our results uncovered that Ae. albopictus are more sensitive to chilling, regardless of the temperature, when compared to Ae. aegypti. Such results indicate differences in thermal tolerances between species and the necessity of conducting experiments on a species by species basis when determining temperature limits for any insect destined for release as part of a genetic control programme.

Gelatinolytic matrix metalloproteinases (MMP-2, -9) play a critical role not only in mammals physiology but also during inflammation and healing processes. The natural stilbenoid, resveratrol (RES), exhibits potent antioxidant effects, in a hormetic mode of action, and is known to inhibit MMP-9. However, RES administration exhibits major issues, including poor bioavailability and water solubility, hampering its potential therapeutic effect in vivo. In the present study, we synthesized and evaluated five novel RES–lipid conjugates to increase their cell membrane penetration and improve their bioavailability. The best in vitro MMP-9 inhibitory activity of RES–lipids conjugates was observed with RES-linoleic acid (LA) (5 µM), when dissolved in a natural deep eutectic solvent (NADES), composed of an equimolar content of 1,2-propanediol:choline chloride (ChCl):water. The inhibition of MMP-9 expression by RES-LA in activated THP-1 monocytes, was, at least due to the deactivation of ERK1/2 and JNK1/2 MAP kinase signaling pathways. Moreover, RES-LA exhibited a strong effect protecting the TNF-α-induced exacerbated permeability in an HUVEC in vitro monolayer (by 81%) via the integrity protection of intercellular junction proteins from the MMP-9 activity. This effect was confirmed by using several complementary approaches including, the real-time monitoring of trans-endothelial electric resistance (TEER), the Transwell HUVEC permeability level, the microscopic examination of the platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 (CD31/PECAM-1) integrity as well as the fluorescence in intercellular spaces. Consequently, following this strong in vitro proof-of-concept, there is a need to test this promising RES–lipid derivative compound to control the pathological endothelial permeability in vivo.

The study aimed to determine the accumulation and depuration of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in Bactrian camels. Four lactating, two-humped camels (Camelus bactrianus) received 0.8 mg PCBs (1.3 μg/kg body weight) daily for 56 days. Then, the depuration of the animals was monitored for the next 4 months. Milk, blood and hump fat of the camels were sampled every 2 weeks and analyzed. Body weight increased significantly, from approximately 550 to 613 kg, by the end of the study. The fat mass in the humps initially decreased (-2.3 kg, P<0.05) then increased at the end of the depuration period (+2.0 kg, P<0.05). At the end of the exposure period, the concentrations of the indicator PCBs were 1.6 mg/g hump fat, 0.85 mg/g milk fat and 0.56 mg/L blood serum, i.e., ten times over the background level. The concentrations in the hump fat decreased significantly during the depuration period, for congeners 28, 52, 101 and 118, but did not vary appreciably for the heavily chlorinated congeners 138, 153 and 180. The apparently stable concentrations of the heavier congeners may be an artifact of the reduced fat mass in the humps during the first part of the depuration period, combined with fat mobilization, which may mask the reduction of stored PCBs. PCB concentrations in the milk and blood were not significantly reduced during the depuration periods, as they represent the outflow of PCBs from the pool stored in the humps and have a weak affinity for lipophilic compounds, respectively. Therefore, it should be recommended to avoid the consumption of raw fat from camel hump in polluted areas because this organ would easily bioaccumulate organic pollutants during an exposure and store it over an extended period. PCB contaminants in milk would reflect the intensity of the outflow from the stored pool, and it would take a longer time in camels than in other ruminants to obtain safe food after the exposure of the animals to persistent organic pollutants.

In organisms with complex life histories, dramatic changes in microbial community structure may occur with host development and immune system maturation. Amphibian host susceptibility to diseases such as chytridiomycosis may be affected by the reorganization of skin microbial community structure that occurs during metamorphosis. We tracked changes in the bacterial communities inhabiting skin of Korean fire-bellied toads (Bombina orientalis) that we infected as tadpoles with different strains of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), the pathogenic fungus that causes chytridiomycosis. We found that B. orientalis undergoes a major change in skin bacterial community composition between 5 and 15 days following metamorphosis. Richness indices and phylogenetic diversity measures began to diverge earlier, between aquatic and terrestrial stages. Our results further reveal differences in skin bacterial community composition among infection groups, suggesting that the effect of Bd infection on skin microbiome composition may differ by Bd strain. Additional studies are needed to further investigate the structural and temporal dynamics of microbiome shifts during metamorphosis in wild and captive amphibian populations. Analyses of the ontogeny of microbiome shifts may contribute to an understanding of why amphibians vary in their susceptibility to chytridiomycosis. (Résumé d'auteur)

The intensity of stress depends on several external factors, such as distance and conditions of transport, climate change, the nature of the journey and the vehicle used, etc. Our research aims to study the effect of loading density on certain physiological, hematological, biochemical and hormonal parameters in camels. Sixteen male animals belonging to the municipal slaughterhouse of Casablanca (west of Morocco) were divided into two groups of 8 camels to study the effect of 2 loading densities: 1camel/2-3.6 m2 (Group I) and 1camel/1.44-1.80 m2 (Group II). Hct, NLR, H% and biochemical parameters were analyzed in our laboratory (LPGM) at the Ben M'Sik Faculty of Sciences in Casablanca, while the hormones were analyzed by radioimmunology at the National Center of Energy, Sciences and Nuclear Techniques of Maâmoura, Morocco. In Groups I and II, rectal temperature, heart and respiratory rates, hemolysis, neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio and plasma levels of Glu, COR, T3 and T4 showed a significant increase (P<0.05) at the end of transport just after unloading by comparison to those measured before loading and transport. All these parameters were significantly (P<0.05) higher in Group II than those observed in Group I. An increase of the loading density (1camel/1.44-1.80 m2) during road transport is considered as a stressful factor that could alter the physiology of the dromedary and influence the postmortem quality of its meat. The impact of this factor on the antioxidant status of this species will be studied later.

The set of chemosensory receptors expressed by the olfactory receptor neurons lying in an insect's antennae and maxillary palps define the ability of this insect to perceive the volatile chemicals of its environment. The main two electrophysiological methods of antennal recordings for studying the range of chemicals that activate chemosensory receptors have limitations. Single-sensillum recording (SSR) samples a subset of olfactory receptor neurons and therefore does not reveal the full capacity of an insect to perceive an odor. Electroantennography (EAG), even if less resolutive than SSRs, is sometimes preferred since it samples the activity of a large number of the olfactory receptor neurons. But, at least in flies, the amplitude of the EAG signal is not directly correlated with the degree of sensitivity of the insect to the olfactory compound. Such dual methodology was also used to study mammalian brains, and the current source density (CSD) analysis was developed to bridge the gap between the cellular and the population recordings. This paper details the use of a similar approach adapted to the study of olfactory responses within insects with bulbous antennae. The EAG was recorded at multiple antennal positions and the CSD that generates the EAG potentials were estimated. The method measures the activation of olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs) across the antennae and thus it quantifies the olfactory sensitivity of the insect. It allows a rapid mapping of olfactory responses and thus can be used to guide further SSRs or to determine that two chemicals are detected by independent ORNs. This study further explored biases resulting from a limited number of recording positions or from an approximation of the antennal geometry that should be considered for interpreting the CSD maps. It also shows that the CSD analysis of EAGs is compatible with a gas chromatograph stimulator for analyzing the response to complex odors. Finally, I discuss the origin of the EAG signal in

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of slaughter season on the postmortem metabolic characteristics of dromedary camel longissimus thoracis (LT) muscle. A total number of thirty male camels (5-7 years old) were included in this work. Ten camels were slaughtered according to season of the year (winter, spring and summer). The samples were analyzed for muscle pH, muscle temperature, electrical conductivity, drip loss (DL), cooking loss(CL) and thawing loss (TL). No significant (p> 0.05) effect of slaughter season on muscle pH and cooking loss was observed. However, slaughter season significantly (p< 0.05) influenced the electrical conductivity, muscle temperature, drip loss and thawing loss. All of these parameters were higher (p< 0.05) during summer as compared to winter and / or spring seasons. Moreover, several correlations between different studied parameters were reported. In conclusion, these findings indicated that slaughter season had a significant (p< 0.05) effect on several postmortem metabolic parameters of camels. Therefore, this study demonstrated that the electrical conductivity late postmortem measurement can be used as a suitable method for the evaluation of camel's meat quality.