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It has been widely known that oxidative stress disrupts the balance between reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the antioxidant system in the body. During pregnancy, the physiological generation of ROS is involved in a variety of developmental processes ranging from oocyte maturation to luteolysis and embryo implantation. While abnormal overproduction of ROS disrupts these processes resulting in reproductive failure. In addition, excessive oxidative stress impairs maternal and placental functions and eventually results in fetal loss, IUGR, and gestational diabetes mellitus. Although some oxidative stress is inevitable during pregnancy, a balancing act between oxidant and antioxidant production is necessary at different stages of the pregnancy. The review aims to highlight the importance of maintaining oxidative and antioxidant balance throughout pregnancy. Furthermore, we highlight the role of oxidative stress in pregnancy-related diseases.

The aim of this study was to investigate the antimicrobial and biopreservation potential of lactic acid bacteria. The potential probiotic culture inhibited the growth of gram-positive and gram-negative foodborne pathogens in agar spot assay with inhibition zones ranging from 10 to 21 mm in diameter. The strains showed coaggregation capabilities ranging from 7 to 71% with tested food pathogens including Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, and Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Typhimurium. The effect of cell-free supernatants on the release of 260 nm absorbing material, especially nucleic acids, was evaluated and indicated the antagonistic activity on foodborne pathogens, the highest being Lactobacillus paraplantarum against E. coli (3.77) and S. aureus (3.86) after 60 min. The effect of cell-free supernatant (CFS) on the growth of pathogens showed that Lactobacillus paraplantarum 11 and L. pentosus 93 had the highest inhibitory activity against tested strains. The biopreservation assay indicated that the potential probiotic strains Lactobacillus paraplantarum 11 (BT), Lactiplantibacillus plantarum 19, Lactobacillus pentosus 42, Limosilactobacillus fermentum 60, Lactobacillus pentosus 93, and Limosilactobacillus reuteri 112 were effective in reducing the Listeria monocytogenes population in raw buffalo milk. Complete Listeria monocytogenes inhibition was observed after 6-8 days. This study showed that probiotic LAB from buffalo milk have antimicrobial and biopreservation potential; these strains have the potential to be utilized as biopreservative agents in food products.

The fetal-maternal immune system determines the fate of pregnancy. The trophoblast cells not only give an active response against external stimuli but are also involved in secreting most of the cytokines. These cells have an essential function in fetal acceptance or fetal rejection. Other immune cells also play a pivotal role in carrying out a successful pregnancy. The disruption in this mechanism may lead to harmful effects on pregnancy. The placenta serves as an immune barrier in fetus protection against invading pathogens. Once the infections prevail, they may localize in placental and fetal tissues, and the presence of inflammation due to cytokines may have detrimental effects on pregnancy. Moreover, some pathogens are responsible for congenital fetal anomalies and affect almost all organs of the developing fetus. This review article is designed to address the bacterial and viral infections that threaten pregnancy and their possible outcomes. Moreover, training of the fetal immune system against the exposure of infections and the role of CD49a + NK cells in embryonic development will also be highlighted.

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARBs) and antibiotic-resistant genes (ARGs) as new types of contaminants are discharged into the environment, increasing the risk of horizontal gene transfer (HGT). However, few researchers have examined the impacts of airborne ARB deactivation on HGT risk. The deactivation of airborne Escherichia coli 10667 (carrying sul genes) and the emission and removal of ARGs were mainly investigated in this study. Moreover, the potential mechanisms of HGT and transfer frequencies under microwave (MW) and ultraviolet (UV) irradiation were investigated using the nonresistant E. coli GMCC 13373 and E. coli DH5α with plasmid RP4 as the recipient and donor, respectively. E. coli CICC 10667 and E. coli DH5α with RP4 plasmid achieve log inactivation values as high as 5.5-log and 5.0-log, respectively, which were quite different from the antibiotic-sensitive strain E. coli CGMCC 13373 (3.4-log) subjected to MW irradiation. For UV disinfection, E. coli DH5α with the RP4 plasmid was reduced at 4.4-log, E. coli CGMCC 13373 was reduced at 2.3-log, and E. coli CICC 10667 was inactivated at 2.1-log. The removal rates of ARGs and HGT frequencies under MW irradiation were compared with those under UV irradiation. The ARGs removal efficiency (85.5%) obtained by MW was higher than that obtained by UV (48.2%). Consequently, the HGT frequency (0.008) of airborne ARGs released to the recipient (forward transfer) decreased and was lower than that under UV irradiation (0.014). Moreover, the plasmid RP4 was transferred from the donor to the surviving damaged E. coli 10667 as cell permeability (reverse transfer) was increased at a high HGT frequency (0.003) by MW, which was close to the value by UV (0.002). Additionally, sul1 and sul2 genes were confirmed to be more resistant to MW than the sul3 gene. These findings reveal the mechanism of HGT between damaged E. coli 10667 and surrounding environmental microbes. Microwave is a promising technology for disinfecting airborne microbes and preventing the spread of antibiotic resistance.

Defective implantation is related to pregnancy-associated disorders such as spontaneous miscarriage, intrauterine fetal growth restriction and others. Several factors proclaimed to be involved such as physiological, nutritional, environmental and managemental that leads to cause oxidative stress. Overloading of free radicals promotes oxidative stress, and the internal body system could not combat its ability to encounter the damaging effects and subsequently leading to pregnancy-related disorders. During pregnancy, essential amino acids display important role for optimum fetal growth and other necessary functions for continuing fruitful pregnancy. In this context, dietary amino acids have received much attention regarding the nutritional concerns during pregnancy. Arginine, glutamine, tryptophan and taurine play a crucial role in fetal growth, development and survival while ornithine and proline are important players for the regulation of gene expression, protein synthesis and angiogenesis. Moreover, amino acids also stimulate the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway which plays a central role in the synthesis of proteins in placenta, uterus and fetus. This review article explores the significances of dietary amino acids in pregnancy development, regulation of nutrient-sensing pathways such as mTOR, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs), insulin/insulin-like growth factor signaling pathway (IIS) and 5′ adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) which exhibit important role in reproduction and its related problems. In addition, the antioxidant function of dietary amino acids against oxidative stress triggering pregnancy disorders and their possible outcomes will also be enlightened. Dietary supplementation of amino acids during pregnancy could help mitigate reproductive disorders and thereby improving fertility in animals as well as humans.

Gut microbiota is the natural residents of the intestinal ecosystem which display multiple functions that provide beneficial effects on host physiology. Disturbances in gut microbiota in weaning stress are regulated by the immune system and oxidative stress-related protein pathways. Weaning stress also alters gut microbiota response, limits digestibility, and influences animal productive performance through the production of inflammatory molecules. Heat shock proteins are the molecular chaperones that perform array functions from physiological to pathological point of view and remodeling cellular stress response. As it is involved in the defense mechanism, polyphenols ensure cellular tolerance against enormous stimuli. Polyphenols are nature-blessed compounds that show their existence in plenty of amounts. Due to their wider availability and popularity, they can exert strong immunomodulatory, antioxidative, and anti-inflammatory activities. Their promising health-promoting effects have been demonstrated in different cellular and animal studies. Dietary interventions with polyphenols may alter the gut microbiome response and attenuate the weaning stress related to inflammation. Further, polyphenols elicit health-favored effects through ameliorating inflammatory processes to improve digestibility and thereby exert a protective effect on animal production. Here, in this article, we will expand the role of dietary polyphenol intervention strategies in weaning stress which perturbs gut microbiota function and also paid emphasis to heat shock proteins in gut health. This review article gives new direction to the feed industry to formulate diet containing polyphenols which would have a significant impact on animal health.

Humans and wildlife, including domesticated animals, are exposed to a myriad of environmental contaminants that are derived from various human activities, including agricultural, household, cosmetic, pharmaceutical, and industrial products. Excessive exposure to pesticides, heavy metals, and phthalates consequently causes the overproduction of reactive oxygen species. The equilibrium between reactive oxygen species and the antioxidant system is preserved to maintain cellular redox homeostasis. Mitochondria play a key role in cellular function and cell survival. Mitochondria are vulnerable to damage that can be provoked by environmental exposures. Once the mitochondrial metabolism is damaged, it interferes with energy metabolism and eventually causes the overproduction of free radicals. Furthermore, it also perceives inflammation signals to generate an inflammatory response, which is involved in pathophysiological mechanisms. A depleted antioxidant system provokes oxidative stress that triggers inflammation and regulates epigenetic function and apoptotic events. Apart from that, these chemicals influence steroidogenesis, deteriorate sperm quality, and damage male reproductive organs. It is strongly believed that redox signaling molecules are the key regulators that mediate reproductive toxicity. This review article aims to spotlight the redox toxicology of environmental chemicals on male reproduction function and its fertility prognosis. Furthermore, we shed light on the influence of redox signaling and metabolism in modulating the response of environmental toxins to reproductive function. Additionally, we emphasize the supporting evidence from diverse cellular and animal studies.

The current study investigated the role of selenium (Se) and curcumin (Cur) in alleviating the severity of Pasteurella multocida (P. multocida) infection associated with hematological and biochemical variations. Twenty rabbits were randomly assigned into four groups (n=5/group). Except group A (Negative control), the rabbits in all groups (B, C and D) were challenged with 0.2 ml P. multocida (2× 105 colony forming unit (CFU)/ml) via intranasal route. After 24 h of challenge, rabbits were seen depressed and off feed, showing the signs of sneezing, nasal discharge and oral ventilation. Afterwards, group B was kept infected and untreated (Positive control), group C was treated with Cur at a dose 13 g/kg diet and D was treated with Se at the dose 0.5mg/kg diet for 14 days. On days 7th and 14th blood samples were collected for hematology, biochemical hepatic renal markers and indicators of oxidative stress. The challenged rabbits showed increase in leukogram and decrease in erythrogram, total protein, albumin, globulin and total lipid. Moreover, biomarkers of the hepato-renal injury such as aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), urea and creatinine were increased in group B than A. The treated groups, after infection causes alteration in such changes in C and D respectively. Infected rabbits showed elevated serum MDA concentration and reduction in glutathione peroxidase and Superoxide dismutase activity in group B than A. The treatment of Cur and Se alleviated the altered findings in group C and D. In conclusion, the treatment of Cur and Se ameliorate P. multocida induced oxidative stress and endorsed antioxidant role followed by improving biochemical analysis, hepatic and renal biomarkers. However, Se provided better protection against infection presenting improved anti-bacterial properties than Cur.

ABSTRACT Poultry meat is mostly consumed by people due to its good quality of protein and presence of all essential amino acids. In the present study, 100 poultry meat samples were randomly collected from district Hyderabad and cultured on selective media for the isolation and identification; mannitol salt agar for Staphylococus aureus (Staph. aureus), Salmonella Shigella agar and brilliant green agar for Salmonella and MacConkey agar for Escherichia coli (E. coli.). Furthermore, biochemical tests were performed for the confirmation of bacterial species. Overall, 19%, 35% and 56% prevalence were found for Staph. aureus, Salmonella and E. coli, respectively. Antimicrobial resistance of fourteen antibiotics (gentamycin, erythromycin, penicillin, ampicillin, vancomycin, neomycin, tetracycline, oxytetracycline, doxycycline, bacitracin, cephalothin, norfloxacin, streptomycin and kanamycin) were performed by disk diffusion method against Staph. aureus, Salmonella and E. coli showed resistance against all drugs. However, Staph.aureus showed high resistance to norfloxacin 84%, penicillin and ampicillin 78%, tetracycline, oxytetracycline and kanamycin 73%, bacitracin, doxycycline and vancomycin 68%, cephalothin 63%, neomycin 36%, erythromycin and gentamycin 31% and streptomycin 15%. Salmonella showed high resistance to ampicillin 94%, penicillin 91%, oxytetracycline 88%, bacitracin and neomycin 85%, doxycycline and tetracycline 82%, erythromycin, gentamycin and cephalothin 80%, kanamycin 74%, vancomycin 68%, norfloxacin and streptomycin 62%. Whereas, E coli showed high resistance to penicillin and ampicillin 87%, norfloxacin 85%, tetracycline and doxycycline 82%, neomycin and streptomycin 80%, doxycycline 78%, vancomycin 76%, kanamycin 75% and gentamycin 8%. In conclusion, high prevalence of Staph. aureus, Salmonella and E. coli were observed in poultry meat. The bacteria were found to be highly resistant to penicillin and ampicillin. Proper use of antibiotics is recommended to control the emergence of drug resistance.

Canine influenza virus (CIV) is a newly identified, highly contagious respiratory pathogen in dogs. Recent studies indicate that avian-origin H3N2 CIV are circulating in Chinese dogs. To investigate the effects of a two-amino acid (2-aa) insertion naturally occurring at the distal end of the neuraminidase (NA) stalk found in Chinese isolates since 2010 on virus replication and virulence, we rescued the CIV strain, A/canine/Jiangsu/06/2011(H3N2) and its NA mutant without the 2-aa insertion using reverse genetics. The NA stalk length affected virus growth in cell culture. Compared to the short stalk strain (without 2-aa insertion), the long stalk strain (with 2-aa insertion) exhibited higher peak titers and greater yields in Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells, chicken embryo fibroblasts and canine bronchiolar epithelial cells, as well as much larger plaques in MDCK cell monolayers. Furthermore, mice inoculated with the long stalk strain showed more severe pathologic damage in lung and higher proportion of detectable viral RNA in tissues. The long stalk strain induced local IFN-γ production with faster kinetics and higher levels in mice. However, in chickens, the two viral strains showed no significant difference with nearly the same proportion of detectable viral RNA loads in tissues. These observations suggest that the 2-aa insertion in the NA stalk acquired by avian-origin H3N2 CIV helps to enhance viral replication and is likely a result of adaptive evolution in canine hosts.