Differential Cell Counts Research Articles

Determination of hematologic reference intervals for free-living King vultures (Sarcoramphus papa).

As obligate scavengers, New World vultures (Cathartiformes: Cathartidae) play a key role in carcass removal and disease control. Associated with this ecosystem service, vultures are exposed to the consumption of harmful substances such as poisons, heavy metals, antibiotics, or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Monitoring the health status of vulture populations is a priority and an important conservation strategy, and hematologic analysis is a practical and effective method that can be useful for this purpose. Report hematologic reference intervals in free-living King vultures (Sarcoramphus papa), one of the least studied New World vulture species. Red blood cell concentration, packed cell volume, hemoglobin (Hb) concentration, MCV, MCH, MCHC, WBC concentration, differential count and absolute WBC concentration, heterophil to lymphocyte ratio, and total protein concentration were determined. We used a non-parametric method to calculate the reference intervals. In addition, we compared our results with the hematologic measurands reported for the Black vulture (Coragyps atratus), the Andean condor (Vultur gryphus) and the California condor (Gymnogyps californianus). With the exception of Hb, monocyte, basophil, and eosinophil concentrations, the mean hematologic measurands observed in the King vulture were similar to those recorded for the other New World vulture species, and the heterophil to lymphocyte ratio was lower in the King vulture compared to the Black vulture. In this study, we have reported for the first time the hematologic reference intervals in a free-living population of King vultures in Costa Rica. Future research should consider comparison among free-living New World vulture species.

Revealing Sarcophyton extract's alleviating potential against gentamicin-induced renal and testicular toxicity in rat model

BackgroundGentamicin (GEN) is a potent antibiotic known for inducing oxidative stress and causing adverse effects in the kidneys and testes. Sarcophyton species possess significant antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, making them potential candidates for addressing oxidative stress and inflammation-related gentamicin toxicity. The study aims to explore the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of Sarcophyton acutum methanol extract (SAME) to counteract gentamicin effects.MethodsSarcophyton acutum were collected and macerated with methanol, followed by phytochemical analysis of extract. Twenty-four adult male albino rats were separated into four equal groups: Control, SAME-treated (200 mg/kg/day), GEN-treated (100 mg/kg/day), and GEN + SAME-treated rats. Various parameters, including body weight, relative kidney and testes weight, differential white blood cell count, blood urea, creatinine, luteinizing hormone, testosterone, total antioxidant capacity, myeloperoxidase activity, and histopathological changes in kidney and testes tissue, were analyzed.ResultsPhytochemical analysis revealed SAME's composition, including alkaloids, saponins, phenolics, flavonoids, and tannins, with an average total antioxidant capacity of 10.503 ± 0.632 mg AAE/g extract. GEN treatment resulted in altered body and organ weights, changes in white blood cell percentages, elevated urea and creatinine levels, reduced luteinizing hormone and testosterone, decreased renal and testicular tissue total antioxidant capacity, and increased myeloperoxidase levels in both tissues. However, the administration of SAME with GEN attenuated these effects, restoring parameters closer to control levels. Histological evaluation showed that GEN treatment induced significant renal tissue damage characterized by enlarged renal corpuscles, glomerular tuft hypertrophy, tubular dilation, and necrosis, interstitial leukocyte infiltration, and tubular hyaline cast formation. Co-administration of SAME with GEN mitigated these effects, reducing renal corpuscle swelling, tubular vacuolization, and hypertrophy and preventing hyaline deposition and leukocyte infiltration. In testicular tissue, GEN injection caused seminiferous tubule atrophy, decreased spermatogenic layer thickness, and interstitial expansion and degeneration. However, SAME administration with GEN preserved normal tubular size and spermatogenic layer thickness, reduced vacuolization, and epithelial necrosis, and maintained spermatogenesis.ConclusionSarcophyton acutum methanol extract demonstrates promising protective effects against gentamicin-induced renal and testicular toxicity in rats, signifying its potential as a therapeutic agent to mitigate antibiotic-induced oxidative damage in vital organs.

Phytogenic Feed Additives as a Sustainable Alternative to Antibiotics: Enhancing Growth and Disease Resistance in Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)

Pathogens and challenging conditions in fish farming are common problems that cause mortality and reduce growth performance. Phytogenic feed additives can support the immunity of fish and thereby improve performance, production, and disease resistance. Two experiments with Nile Tilapia aimed to evaluate the effects of a matrix-encapsulated phytogenic additive (Digestarom® P.E.P. MGE) in different feed formulations, which vary in the marine meal inclusion level (5% and 12.8%), on growth performance and resistance against Streptococcus agalactiae. Fish were stocked in a recirculating aquaculture tank system per experiment and were fed with diets with or without the phytogenic supplementation for 8 weeks (six replicates per group). After an intraperitoneal injection with a sterilized saline solution and bath immersion with S. agalactiae (5 × 106 CFU/mL), mortality of the fish was recorded for 20 days. Independent of the diet formulation, the supplementation with the phytogenic feed additive significantly improved the fish production; feed conversion ratio; immune response (mainly lactic acid dehydrogenase, differential blood cell counts, and the lysozyme activity in blood); and fish survival after the S. agalactiae challenge. Thus, phytogenic feed additives are promising strategies to improve Nile tilapia production by enhancing fish growth performance, health, and protection against S. agalactiae infections.

Impact of Dietary Inclusion of Rice Distillers Dried Grains with Solubles (DDGS) on Hematological Parameters of Commercial Broiler Chicks

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the impact of dietary inclusion of rice-derived distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) on the hematological parameters of commercial broiler chicks. A total of 2250 day-old broiler chicks were randomly assigned to treatment groups, each with five replicates. The birds in the control group were fed a basal diet fulfilled with the all nutrient requirements. The experimental diets contained rice DDGS at inclusion levels up to 16 per cent, respectively. At the end of the experiment, blood samples were collected from one bird per replicate for hematological analysis. The results showed significant differences (P<0.05) in red blood cell (RBC) count, packed cell volume (PCV) and hemoglobin levels between the control and DDGS-treated groups, although the numerical differences were minimal. Non-significant differences (P>0.05) in white blood cell (WBC) count and differential leukocyte counts between the control and DDGS-treated groups were observed. These findings revealed that the inclusion of rice DDGS up to 16% in broiler diets does not negatively affect key hematological indices. It was concluded that rice DDGS can be incorporated into broiler diets at inclusion levels up to 16% without adverse effects on hematological parameters.

Studies on C-Reactive Protein, Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate, White Blood Cell and Differential White Cell Counts in Patients Diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis in Owerri, Nigeria

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic, systemic autoimmune disease characterized by persistent synovial inflammation, joint pain, and progressive joint damage. It affects approximately 1% of the global population, disproportionately impacts women and is associated with significant morbidity, reduced quality of life, and economic burden. Aim: This study was aimed at determining the changes in some haematological parameters and C-reactive protein in rheumatoid arthritis patients attending Federal University Teaching Hospital, Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out from the month of June to August, 2023, and all subjects who gave a written informed consent were enrolled in the study. The study population consisted of 50 rheumatoid arthritis and an equivalent number of age matched apparently healthy patients who served as controls. The procedure was carried out at the Federal University Teaching Hospital, Owerri, and standard operating procedures were followed. The results of the tests were analyzed using SPSS version 21. Eight millilitres of venous blood sample was collected at the ante-cubital vein aseptically, 4ml was dispensed into ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid containers for the estimations of erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), white blood cell (WBC) and differential white cell counts, while the remaining 4ml was dispensed into plain containers for the determination of C-Reactive Proteins. The EDTA and plain containers were properly labeled with the subject’s name, sample number and date of collection. The blood sample dispensed into the EDTA containers were stored in a refrigerator at 40C while the serum was stored in a freezer at -200C prior to use. Results: The mean values of TWBC, (15.04 ± 13.98) cells/μl, neutrophils (62.67 ± 16.08) %, eosinophils (5.47 ± 3.39)%, and monocytes (4.70 ± 3.12)% were significantly raised in rheumatoid arthritis patients when compared to controls (8.93 ± 2.35) cells/μl, (51.52 ± 10.79)%, (28.07 ± 10.12)%, (3.28 ± 2.54)% and (1.80±1.29)% (p = 0.031, p= 0.000, p= 0.001, p= 0.002 and p=0.000). The mean values of lymphocytes (28.07 ± 10.12) %, was significantly reduced in rheumatoid arthritis patients when compared to controls (40.48±10.92) %. The mean value of ESR (50.16 ± 40.87) mm/hr and C-reactive protein (79.16 ± 55.55) mg/dl were significantly increased in rheumatoid arthritis patients when compared to controls (6.89 ± 2.09) mm/hr and (8.32 ± 3.03) mg/dl respectively (p= 0.000 and p=0.001). There were no significant differences in the mean values of WBC, neutrophils, lymphocytes, eosinophils, monocytes, ESR and C-reactive protein in male rheumatoid arthritis compared to female rheumatoid arthritis patients (p=0.886, p=0.695, p=0.881, p=0.652, p=0.341, p=0.516 and p=0.434). A significant positive correlation of C-reactive protein occurred with ESR, WBC and neutrophils in rheumatoid arthritis patients (r=0.32, p=0.011, r=0.44 and p=0.021, r=0.54, p=0.043), and a non-significant positive correlation with lymphocytes, monocytes and eosinophils (r=0.87, p=0.179, r=0.96, p=0.317 and r=1.06, p=0.398). Conclusion: Rheumatoid arthritis is associated with increase in total white blood cell, neutrophils, eosinophils, monocytes counts, ESR and C-reactive protein. Lymphocytopenia is linked to rheumatoid arthritis. Therefore, monitoring the parameters in rheumatoid arthritis is essential for diagnosis, disease activity assessment, and management.

A Multianalyte Machine Learning Model to Detect Wrong Blood in Complete Blood Count Tube Errors in a Pediatric Setting.

Multianalyte machine learning (ML) models can potentially identify previously undetectable wrong blood in tube (WBIT) errors, improving upon current single-analyte delta check methodology. However, WBIT detection model performance has not been assessed in a real-world, low-prevalence context. To estimate real-world positive predictive values, we propose a methodology to assess WBIT detection models by evaluating the impact of missing data and by using a "low prevalence" validation data set. We trained a range of model specifications using various predictors in a pediatric setting. We assessed the top-performing model on a modified, "low prevalence" validation data set across a range of probability thresholds. Model performance was also compared to a pre-positive patient identification (pre-PPID) dataset. An Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) model with minimal preprocessing performed the best for both complete blood count with differential white cell count (CBC with Diff) tests (accuracy 0.9715) and complete blood count without differential white cell count (CBC without Diff) tests (accuracy 0.9647). Assessment on a downsampled, "low prevalence" validation data set resulted in estimated positive predictive values ranging from 0.01 to 0.67 (CBC with Diff) and 0.01 to 0.75 (CBC without Diff), depending on the probability threshold chosen. A comparison of prospective performance to PPID data demonstrated a large decrease in estimated WBIT errors. We find that ML models can accurately predict WBITs in a primarily pediatric setting. Evaluating model performance across a range of probability thresholds minimizes the number of false positives while still providing added safety benefits. The decrease in estimated WBITS post-PPID implementation shows the potential safety benefits of a WBIT model for hospitals not using PPID when collecting laboratory specimens.

Usefulness of differential somatic cell count for udder health monitoring: association of differential somatic cell count and somatic cell score with quarter-level milk yield and milk components.

Mastitis is the most common disease affecting dairy cattle and is associated with substantial milk loss. Somatic cell count (SCC) has been widely used as an indicator of udder inflammation (e.g., subclinical mastitis). More recently, differential somatic cell count (DSCC) has become available as an auxiliary tool for milk quality control, with the potential to indicate different stages of inflammation when combined with SCC. This paper aimed to investigate the association of somatic cell score (SCS) and DSCC with milk yield and milk components at the quarter-level. A convenience sample of 5 dairy herds using an automated milking system (AMS) was selected and visited every other week for milk sample collection. Fat, protein, and lactose content were analyzed at Lactanet (Canadian Network for Dairy Excellence, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec, Canada) by mid-infrared spectroscopy using a MilkoScan FT6000. Determination of SCC and DSCC was also performed by Lactanet using a CombiFoss 7 DC instrument. Milk yield data was retrieved from the AMS. Given the hierarchical structure of the data, a linear mixed model was built with either milk yield or milk components as the outcomes. The results showed that elevated somatic cell score (SCS), in combination with lower proportions of DSCC, was associated with the highest milk loss for primiparous and multiparous cows. For instance, the estimated milk loss for a quarter with a SCS of 7 and a DSCC of 55% was 1.45 kg/d compared with a quarter with a SCS of 2 and DSCC of 65% in multiparous cows. The association was similar when the outcome was the lactose content. Quarters with elevated SCS and lower DSCC had the lowest lactose percentage. No significant changes in fat content were observed across different SCS levels in multiparous cows, and quarters with higher DSCC had the lowest fat percentage in primiparous and multiparous cows. Protein content tended to be lower in quarters with increased SCS and low DSCC. In quarters from primiparous cows with DSCC levels above 70%, protein content showed slight variation across SCS levels. For multiparous cows, however, protein content remained relatively stable across different SCS and DSCC levels. In conclusion, our findings revealed that the combination of elevated SCS and low DSCC was associated with the most substantial milk loss. These results could be used to optimize udder health management.

Sputum Microbiota Correlates With Metabolome and Clinical Outcomes in Asthma-Bronchiectasis Overlap.

To investigate the microbiota and metabolome of patients with ABO compared with bronchiectasis and asthma, and determine the relevance with clinical characteristics, inflammatory endotype and exacerbation risks. In this prospective cohort study, patients underwent comprehensive assessments, including sputum differential cell count, and sputum collection at baseline. Sputum microbiota was profiled via 16S rRNA gene sequencing and metabolome via liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry. Shannon-Wiener Diversity Index (SWDI) was used to reflect dysbiosis. Patients were followed-up to record exacerbations. ABO patients were stratified by the SWDI and sputum eosinophilia to determine the exacerbation risks. Two hundred forty-seven patients were recruited, including 99 ABO (median age: 53.2 years, 65.7% female), 61 asthma (median age: 39.5 years, 50.8% female) and 87 bronchiectasis patients (median age: 52.3 years, 55.2% female). Both microbiota compositions and metabolites differed among asthma, ABO and bronchiectasis, and between eosinophilic and non-eosinophilic ABO at steady-state. Baseline SWDI of microbiota was highest in asthma, followed by ABO. Both Pseudomonadaceae and Rothia most effectively discriminated ABO from asthma and bronchiectasis. Pseudomonas exhibited a more pronounced negative correlation with other taxa in nonEos-ABO. ABO patients with low SWDI with sputum eosinophilia, or those with high SWDI without sputum eosinophilia, had a shorter time to the first exacerbation. Metabolomic compositions in Eos-ABO separated from nonEos-ABO. The relative abundance of Enterobacteriaceae correlated negatively with 15-hydroxylated eicosatetraenoic acid, whose concentrations were higher in Eos-ABO. Integrating microbiota and metabolome profiles, together with eosinophilic inflammatory endotyping, can inform exacerbation risk and personalized management of ABO.

Immunopathological Changes of Streptococcus pneumoniae Causing Respiratory Infection in Lambs

Streptococcus pneumoniae are common bacterial pathogens that can cause a range of diseases in humans and animals. This study attempts to clarify the course and consequences of pneumonia caused by this bacterial infection. A total of 6 male un-weaned lambs aged between 1 to 2 months and weighing 5 to 7 kg were subjected to S. pneumoniae strain ATCC 6303 serotype 3 at ‎2×106 ‎CFU/mL by inhalation to induce pneumonia. Pneumonic clinical signs were ‎monitored daily throughout the study period. The blood samples were collected from all animal groups at day zero before pneumoniae induction and 3, 6, and 14 days post infection for total and differential white blood cell count ‎(WBCs) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) assessments. Additionally, on days 6 and 14 post-exposure, trachea and lung tissue samples were harvested for macroscopic and microscopic pathological changes evaluation. The results showed that there was a significant increase (P<0.001) in total WBC counts from day 3 post-exposure and maintaining elevated levels on days 6 and 14 compared to day zero. Differential WBC counts showed an early, significant rise in neutrophils, with sustained ‎elevation in lymphocytes and monocytes. TNF-α‎ levels significantly elevated on day 3‎ and gradually declined by day 14‎ post-exposure (P<0.001). On day 6 post-exposure, the gross pathological changes in the lung showed pulmonary edema, and emphysema, with mild to moderate lung congestion and emphysematous changes observed on day 14 post-exposure. Histopathologically, severe erosion and necrosis in the trachea and bronchus epithelium, along with inflammation in adjacent mucosa and submucosa, accompanied by focal inflammatory infiltration and emphysema in the lung by day 6 post-exposure, were observed. By day 14, these changes progressed to marked epithelial vacuolation and necrosis in the trachea, with lung sections revealing perivascular cuffing, peri bronchiolitis, mild bronchiectasis, atelectasis, and alveolar collapse. This study is attempt for a better understanding of S. pneumoniae infection in lamb and contributing to the development of preventive and management strategies in Iraq‎‎‎.

Immunohistochemical expression of TLR1, TLR2, TLR4, and TLR9 in the different types of lesions associated with bovine paratuberculosis

The factors that determine the appearance of the different pathologic forms associated with bovine paratuberculosis are not fully understood, but new research suggests a critical role of innate immunity. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) trigger the recognition of invading pathogens by innate immune cells and the onset of specific immune responses. The aim of this work was to assess, immunohistochemically, the expression of TLR1, TLR2, TLR4, and TLR9 in intestinal samples of 20 cows showing different types of paratuberculous lesions: uninfected controls, focal lesions, paucibacillary, and multibacillary diffuse forms. The majority of labeled cells were morphologically consistent with macrophages. A differential cell count was performed in the intestinal lamina propria, gut-associated lymphoid tissue, and mesenteric lymph node. TLR9 immunolabeling between the different types of lesions was compared using a complete H-score. Focal and diffuse paucibacillary forms contained significantly increased TLR2-expressing macrophages outside of the lesions compared with the controls and diffuse multibacillary forms, and moderate TLR9 immunolabeling within granulomas. In the multibacillary granulomatous lesions, the expression of TLR1 and TLR4 was observed as well as increased TLR9 expression compared with the rest of the groups. Differences in the predominance of one type or another of TLR allows us to elucidate the importance of the innate immune response and its possible role in the development of the different types of paratuberculosis lesions.

Acute airway inflammation following controlled biodiesel exhaust exposure in healthy subjects

BackgroundExposure to standard petrodiesel exhaust is linked to adverse health effects. Moreover, there is a mounting request to replace fossil-based fuels with renewable and sustainable alternatives and, therefore, rapeseed methyl ester (RME) and other biofuels have been introduced. However, recent toxicological research has indicated that biodiesel exhaust may also induce adverse health-related events.AimTo determine whether exposure to 100% RME biodiesel (BD100) exhaust would cause an acute airway neutrophilic recruitment in humans.MethodsFourteen healthy subjects underwent exposure to diluted BD100 exhaust and filtered air for 1-h, in a blinded, random fashion. Bronchoscopy with endobronchial mucosal biopsies, bronchial wash (BW) and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) was performed six hours after exposure. Differential cell counts and inflammatory markers were determined in the supernatant and biopsies were stained immunohistochemically.ResultsCompared with filtered air, BD100 exhaust exposure increased bronchial mucosal endothelial P-selectin adhesion molecule expression, as well as neutrophil, mast cell and CD68 + macrophage numbers. An increased influx of neutrophils and machrophages was also seen in BW.ConclusionExposure to biodiesel exhaust was associated with an acute airway inflammation that appeared similar to preceding petrodiesel exposure studies. The present findings, together with the recently reported adverse cardiovascular effects after similar biodiesel exposure, indicate that biodiesel is not free of toxicity and may affect human health.

Predicting Surgical Site Infections in Spine Surgery: Association of Postoperative Lymphocyte Reduction.

Postoperative lymphopenia is reported as an excellent indicator to predict surgical-site infection (SSI) after spine surgery. However, there is still controversy concerning which serological markers can predict spinal SSI. This study aims to evaluate excellent and early indicators for detecting SSI, focusing on spine instrumented surgery. This study included 268 patients who underwent spinal instrumented surgery from January 2022 to December 2023 (159 female and 109 male, average 62.9 years). The SSI group included 20 patients, and the non-SSI group comprised 248 patients. Surgical time, intraoperative blood loss, and glycemic levels were measured in both groups. The complete blood cell counts, differential counts, albumin, and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were measured pre-surgery and postoperative on Days 1, 3, and 7. In comparing the groups, the Mann-Whitney U test analysis was used for continuous variables, while the chi-squared test and Fisher's exact test were used for dichotomous variables. The incidence of SSI after spinal instrumentation was 7.46% and was relatively higher in scoliosis surgery. The SSI group had significantly longer surgical times (248 min vs. 180 min, p = 0.0004) and a higher intraoperative blood loss (772 mL vs. 372 mL, p < 0.0001) than the non-SSI group. In the SSI group, the Day 3 (10.5 ± 6.2% vs. 13.8 ± 6.0%, p = 0.012) and Day 7 (14.4 ± 4.8% vs. 18.8 ± 7.1%, p = 0.012) lymphocyte ratios were lower than the non-SSI group. Albumin levels on Day 1 in the SSI group were lower than in the non-SSI group (2.94 ± 0.30 mg/dL vs. 3.09 ± 0.38 mg/dL, p = 0.045). There is no difference in CRP and lymphocyte count between the two groups. SSI patients had lower lymphocyte percentages than non-SSI patients, which was a risk factor for SSI, with constant high inflammation. The Day 3 lymphocyte percentage may predict SSI after spinal instrumented surgery.

Usefulness of differential somatic cell count for udder health monitoring: effect of intramammary infections, days in milk, quarter location, and parity on quarter-level differential somatic cell count and somatic cell score in apparently healthy dairy cows.

Microbial infections of the mammary gland often cause mastitis, and it can lead to substantial economic losses within the dairy industry due to its direct negative impact on milk production and composition and the associated treatment costs. Somatic cell count has emerged as a critical indicator in monitoring udder health, and recently, the large-scale availability of differential cell count analysis potentially offers new insights into underlying physiological processes. Therefore, the main objective of this study was to estimate the variation of DSCC and SCC of individual quarter-level milk samples of cows according to 1) their intramammary infectious status; 2) parity of the cow; 3) quarter location; and 4) DIM at the time of sampling. A convenience sample of 5 dairy herds using an automated milking system was selected and visited every 2 weeks for milk sample collection. The determination of SCC and DSCC was performed by Lactanet using a CombiFoss 7 DC instrument. The bacteriological culture was performed according to the National Mastitis Council standards. The different types of colonies (up to 10 colonies) were counted and identified MALDI-TOF. Given the hierarchical structure of the data, a 4-level, linear mixed model with herd, cow, and quarter as random intercepts was built with either SCS or DSCC as the outcome. Differential SCC varied broadly in the SCS range 2 to 12 but tended to have a narrower variation at higher SCS levels. The effect of DIM on DSCC depended on the parity. Early in lactation, primiparous cows tended to have lower DSCC than older cows. Following 230 DIM, the DSCC in primiparous exhibited an upward trend, whereas, in older cows, it tended to decline. The quarter position did not affect either DSCC or SCS. Quarters infected with S. chromogenes, S. dysgalactiae, S. aureus, S. epidermidis, "other major," and "other minor," had an increase in DSCC by approximately 10.2%, 9.9%, 9.8%, 9.2%, 6.0%, and 4.9% when compared with quarters with no growth. Our findings highlighted that IMI, parity, and DIM influenced DSCC. Therefore, these parameters should be considered when interpreting DSCC.

Usefulness of differential somatic cell count for udder health monitoring: Identifying referential values for differential somatic cell count in healthy quarters and quarters with subclinical mastitis.

Mastitis, an inflammation of the udder primarily caused by an intramammary infection, is one of the most common diseases in dairy cattle. Somatic cell count (SCC) has been widely used as an indicator of udder inflammation, assisting in the detection of subclinical mastitis. More recently, differential somatic cell count (DSCC), which represents the combined proportion of lymphocytes and polymorphonuclear leukocytes, has become available for routine dairy milk screening, though it was not yet widely studied. Therefore, the objective of this study was to assess and compare the usefulness of quarter-level somatic cell score (SCS) or DSCC to predict the probability of subclinical mastitis. Additionally, our goals included estimating the sensitivity (Se) and specificity (Sp) of SCS and DSCC across all potential cut-off values. The current study was an observational study conducted on commercial dairy farms. Five dairy herds were selected using a convenience sampling. A Gaussian finite mixture model (GFMM) was applied to investigate the latent quarter subclinical mastitis status with either measurement, i.e., SCS or DSCC. Posterior values for SCS and DSCC obtained from the GFMM were used for predictive estimation of the parameters. The estimated SCS distribution for healthy quarters had a mean (standard deviation) of 1.4 (1.3), while, for quarters with subclinical mastitis, it was 4.5 (2.4). For DSCC, the estimated mean was 55.6% (15.2) for healthy quarters, whereas it was 80.4% (6.4) for quarters with subclinical mastitis. The most discriminant cut-off for SCS, as indicated by the Youden index, was 3.0, corresponding to exactly 100,000 cells/mL. At this threshold, the Se and Sp of SCS were 0.73 (95% Bayesian Credible Interval [BCI]: 0.70-0.77) and 0.90 (95% BCI: 0.89-0.91), respectively. The most discriminant cut-off point for DSCC was 70.0%, with corresponding the Se and Sp values of 0.95 (0.93, 0.96) and 0.83 (0.81, 0.85), respectively. For the SCS analysis, we obtained predictive probabilities of subclinical mastitis approaching 0 and 100%, with only a narrow range of SCS results yielding intermediate probabilities. On the other hand, predictive probabilities ranging from 0 to 90% were obtained for DSCC analysis, with a large range of DSCC results presenting intermediate probabilities. Thus, SCS seemed to surpass DSCC for predicting subclinical mastitis. These findings provided a foundation for future studies to further explore and validate the efficacy of GFMM for diagnostic tests yielding quantitative results.

Usefulness of differential somatic cell count for udder health monitoring: Diagnostic performance of somatic cell count, and differential somatic cell count for diagnosing of intramammary infections in dairy herds with automated milking systems.

Mastitis poses significant economic challenges for dairy farms. Therefore, enhancing the accuracy of diagnostic methods for detecting intramammary infections (IMI) can potentially improve prevention, control and treatment strategies. The somatic cell count (SCC) is a well-established parameter for identifying inflammation resulting from IMI. Given the recent introduction of differential somatic cell count (DSCC) for routine milk sample screening, limited research has been conducted to assess its additional benefits for diagnosing IMI. Therefore, our main objective was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of SCC, DSCC and SCC-DSCC combinations in detecting IMI caused by any pathogen or by major pathogens using quarter milk samples. Five dairy herds using automated milking systems were selected using convenience sampling in Québec, Canada. Determination of SCC and DSCC was performed by Lactanet (Ste-Anne de Bellevue, QC, Canada) using a CombiFoss 7 DC instrument. A 5-populations 2-tests Bayesian latent class models was used, with bacteriological culture employed as the imperfect reference test. Posterior estimates for sensitivity (Se), specificity (Sp), and the predictive values for 2 hypotheticals IMI prevalences due to any pathogen or major pathogens were computed. The proportion of quarters positive for any pathogen or major pathogen using milk culture was 31.7% (5,125/16,176) and 5.4% (871/16,176), respectively. For the detection of IMI by any pathogen, using a serial interpretation for the combination of SCC ≥100,000 and DSCC at ≥65% increased the Sp from 0.71 (95BCI: 0.70, 0.72) to 0.84 (95BCI: 0.83, 0.86) compared with SCC alone at the cut-off ≥100,000 cells/mL, although resulting in a slight decrease in Se from 0.49 (95BCI: 0.43, 0.54) to 0.46 (95BCI: 0.42, 0.50). Moreover, for detecting IMI caused by major pathogens, combining SCC at the threshold of ≥100,000 cells/mL and DSCC at the threshold of ≥65% using serial interpretation increased the Sp from 0.68 (95BCI: 0.67, 0.69) to 0.80 (95BCI: 0.79, 0.81) compared with SCC alone at the ≥100,000 cells/mL threshold. Our findings suggest that DSCC could be combined with SCC to provide a modest improvement in Sp with minimal compromise in Se for identifying IMI caused by any or by major pathogens. In addition, DSCC combined with SCC provided a small improvement in Se for detecting any pathogen using the parallel interpretation. However, no improvements in Se were observed when using the combination of SCC and DSCC for detecting major pathogens.

Influences of fat-protein-ratio and udder health parameters on the milk urea content of dairy cows.

The milk urea content is influenced by a large variety of factors, including the quantity and quality of protein fed, its balance with energy, diurnal fluctuations, management, season, analysis method, and also individual cow factors which include the health status of the cow. Aim of this study was to investigate the effects of metabolic disorders (ketosis, ruminal acidosis; indicated by the fat-protein-content of the milk) as well as high somatic cell counts and udder diseases on the milk urea content of dairy cows from different regions and farms across Germany. For this purpose, 5 independent data sets which contain information derived from monthly milk recordings (data sets A (6,140,342 test-data in 2015), data set D (439,767 test-data in 2020-2023), data set E (399,279 test-data in 2019-2020)) in combination with the differential somatic cell count (DSCC) in data set D and E, or individual recordings of daily feed and energy intake and milk analysis (data set B (58,235 test-data in 2014-2017) and data set C (352,346 test-data in 2018-2021)), were analyzed. The group of cows with severe energy deficiency showed a 11.0 to 20 mg/l higher milk urea content than cows with a demand-orientated energy supply. The results for the effect of a very high energy supply are inconsistent across the 5 data sets. Furthermore, the milk urea content of cows with the highest somatic cell count are observed to be 9.0 to 13.0 mg/l lower in comparison to cows with a healthy udder. Moreover, the milk urea content is 14 mg/l lower in cows diagnosed with mastitis compared with those without a diagnosis. While this may have impact on judgements for the individual cow, in groups of cows, individual incidences of a disease will not have a significant impact on the average milk urea content. However, this should be taken into account for herds with a high prevalence of sick cows.

A Population-Based Study of the Mediating Role of WBC, NEUT and PLT in the Relationship Between Triglyceride-Glucose Index and Urinary Albumin Excretion.

To assess the potential association between the TyG index and the risk of abnormal UACR. Additionally, we aimed to determine the role and degree of influence of inflammatory biomarkers between the TyG index and abnormal UACR. A cross-sectional study recruited 1021 participants from a health management center between 2021 and 2022. Logistic or linear regression models, as well as mediation analysis, were employed to investigate the associations between the TyG index, inflammatory biomarkers (total and differential white blood cell counts, platelet, mean platelet volume(MPV), C-reactive protein(CRP)), and the risk of abnormal UACR. The study included 1021 participants, of whom 55.0% were men. The median age (interquartile range [IQR]) was 61.0 (53, 70) years. In multivariable-adjusted logistic regression models, both with and without the inclusion of smoking, alcohol drinking, BMI, Lipid-lowering drugs using, TC, SUA, ALT, and AST as potential covariates, the TyG index was associated with the risk of UACR, both with the odds ratios (ORs) per 1-standard deviation (SD) increase were 1.32 (95% CI, 1.08-1.62) and 1.27 (95% CI, 1.05-1.52), respectively. This study also demonstrated a significant indirect effect of the TyG index on the risk of abnormal UACR through total white blood cell counts, neutrophil counts and platelet (P values < 0.05); The proportions mediated was 11.2%, 3.5% and 29.6% for each respective variable. Insulin resistance and inflammation are associated with an increased risk of kidney insufficiency. And indicators of inflammation weakly mediate insulin resistance and risk of kidney insufficiency.

The inhibitory influence of carvacrol on behavioral modifications, brain oxidation, and general inflammation triggered by paraquat exposure through inhalation

The current study investigated how carvacrol (C) can prevent behavioral and brain oxidative changes, along with systemic inflammation caused by inhaled paraquat (PQ). Control rats exposed to saline solution, whereas six rat groups were subjected to PQ aerosols at a concentration of 54mg/m3 in 16 days. The PQ-exposed groups received saline (PQ group), C at dosages of 20 (C-L) and 80mg/kg/day (C-H), dexamethasone at a dosage of 0.03mg/kg/day, pioglitazone at dose of 5 and 10mg/kg/day (Pio-L and Pio-H), and a combination of C-L + Pio-L. Various parameters were assessed following the end of the treatment duration. There were marked elevation in total and differential white blood cell counts (WBCs), and malondialdehyde levels in the blood, hippocampus, and cerebral tissue but, thiol, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) exhibited a notable decrease (p < 0.05 to p < 0.001). The escape delay and traveled distance exhibited enhancement, however, on the probe day, the duration spent in the target quadrant and the time taken to enter the dark room at 3, 24, 48, and 72hours post an electrical shock, showed a reduction in the PQ group (P<0.05 to P<0.001). Inhaled PQ-induced changes were significantly improved in C, Pio, Dexa, and C-L + Pio-L treated groups (P<0.05 to P<0.001). The effects of C-L + Pio-L on most measured variables were higher than C-L and Pio-L (P<0.05 to P<0.001). C improved PQ-induced changes similar to dexamethasone and C-L showed additive effects when administered in combination with Pio.

Models for the marrow: A comprehensive review of AI-based cell classification methods and malignancy detection in bone marrow aspirate smears.

Given the high prevalence of artificial intelligence (AI) research in medicine, the development of deep learning (DL) algorithms based on image recognition, such as the analysis of bone marrow aspirate (BMA) smears, is rapidly increasing in the field of hematology and oncology. The models are trained to identify the optimal regions of the BMA smear for differential cell count and subsequently detect and classify a number of cell types, which can ultimately be utilized for diagnostic purposes. Moreover, AI is capable of identifying genetic mutations phenotypically. This pipeline has the potential to offer an accurate and rapid preliminary analysis of the bone marrow in the clinical routine. However, the intrinsic complexity of hematological diseases presents several challenges for the automatic morphological assessment. To ensure general applicability across multiple medical centers and to deliver high accuracy on prospective clinical data, AI models would require highly heterogeneous training datasets. This review presents a systematic analysis of models for cell classification and detection of hematological malignancies published in the last 5 years (2019-2024). It provides insight into the challenges and opportunities of these DL-assisted tasks.

TELOMERE LENGTH IN RHESUS MACAQUES WITH VOLUNTARY CHRONIC ETHANOL CONSUMPTION

Introduction. Alcohol abuse is associated with telomere shortening. There is no convincing evidence of a “safe” level of alcohol consumption in this regard. Long-term studies in rodents are not feasible, and clinical trials with the administration of alcohol to healthy individuals is not ethically acceptable. An approach based on a relevant model of voluntary alcohol consumption in monkeys under controlled conditions is a significant alternative. The aim of the study. To estimate the length of telomeres at long-term ethanol consumption by male rhesus macaques in under free choice with water Methods. The study was performed on fourteen mature male Rhesus macaques of groups with low (median 0.62 g/kg/day) and high (median 2.71 g/kg/day) ethanol consumption as 4% (v./v.) solution with condition of all-day access and free choice with drinking water. The duration of consumption was 920 days. The relative length of telomeres was determined by quantitative PCR according to Cawthon (2002) in blood leukocytes. Results. The relative average telomere length in the high-consumption group was 1.53±0.57 before the presentation of ethanol in the adaptation period (-32 day of the study), and at the consumption stage it was on 717 day 2.13±0.19 and on 917 day 4.61±0.7. In the low-consumption group, the average relative telomere length constituted 1.42±0.22, 1.55±0.15 and 3.3±0.47, respectively. The absolute count of leukocytes did not change significantly during the study. However, changes in the differential white cells count were revealed representing development of relative monocytosis by 917 day in both groups. Conclusion. The data obtained do not confirm the association of long-term alcohol consumption in moderate doses with telomere length. The completed study has limitations related to the lack of control without consumption and evaluation in one sex.