Veterinarijos Akademija (VA)

26.1 Introduction. Fermentation is an ancient technique that has been employed for centuries to extend the shelf life of food and enhance its nutritional value (Augustin et al., 2024). This method has been applied to preserve a wide range of products, including those derived from animals, seafood, plants, and mushrooms. Despite microorganisms having long been a part of food history, recent research has highlighted the extensive health benefits and environmental advantages that can be gained from incorporating them into food production (Graham & Ledesma-Amaro, 2023). While traditional preservation methods relied on natural fermentation processes, modern industrial production now often uses carefully selected starter cultures to ensure consistency and maintain high quality in the final product. [...] This chapter will focus on the role of LAB in improving food safety, given their extensive use in the food industry. Both the bio- and chemical-safety aspects of cereal, meat, dairy products, and edible mushrooms will be discussed. In addition to discussing the desirable aspects of fermentation, this chapter will highlight the challenges associated with undesirable changes in the food matrix during fermentation. Understanding the relevance of this traditional, used since ancient times, but very complex technology, leads to the development of new strategies for ensuring food safety in a natural manner and reducing the use of synthetic preservatives in the food industry.

Background/Aim Avulsion of a permanent tooth is a critical dental emergency requiring rapid intervention to optimize replantation outcomes and minimize complications. Conventional storage media maintain periodontal ligament cell viability but often lack sufficient antimicrobial protection and mechanical stabilization during transport. Hydrogels, specifically those combining gellan gum and natural additives like propolis, offer promising improvements by providing enhanced antimicrobial activity and mechanical cushioning. The aim of this study was to systematically evaluate a hydrogel-based transport medium supplemented with propolis and optimized gellan gum concentration for its ability to preserve cell viability, inhibit microbial growth, and confer mechanical stability to avulsed teeth during simulated transport.

DNA has emerged as a promising medium for long-term digital data storage because of its exceptional information density and durability. However, reliable data recovery remains challenging for Oxford Nanopore sequencing, where insertion, deletion, and substitution errors can disrupt sequence synchronization and increase ambiguity during decoding. In this study, we present a proof-of-concept framework for DNA-based RGB image storage and reconstruction that integrates marker-aware codebook construction, consensus-based marker-guided decoding from a single sequence, and AI-assisted image restoration. The framework systematically evaluates how different codebook construction strategies influence downstream decoding, candidate ambiguity, and final image reconstruction. Under simulated nanopore sequencing conditions, all constrained codebooks achieved high payload recovery (> 91%), but substantial differences were observed in their ability to preserve the correct payload among decoded candidate sequences. The codebook combining sequence-space discrimination, biochemical quality control, and structural compatibility produced the highest candidate-set quality and, when coupled with Random Forest-based reliability filtering, achieved the best image reconstruction performance, with a peak signal-to-noise ratio of 29.82 dB, a structural similarity index of 0.9309, and 80.19% exact pixel recovery. These findings demonstrate that payload recovery alone is insufficient to evaluate DNA storage performance, as downstream candidate ambiguity directly impacts the quality of reconstructed data. The proposed framework provides an end-to-end approach to investigating the relationship among codebook design, decoding robustness, and image reconstruction, thereby supporting the development of more reliable nanopore-based DNA data storage systems.

Laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) is a common respiratory malignancy with increasing incidence and a strong association with lifestyle and environmental risk factors. Currently, there are no reliable biomarkers for early detection or prognosis of LSCC. CXCL8 is a proinflammatory chemokine that promotes angiogenesis, tumor growth, and migration, and its genetic variants have been linked to increased cancer risk and poor outcomes. CXCL12 plays a critical role in tumor cell migration, invasion, metastasis, and angiogenesis through the CXCL12/CXCR4 signaling axis. This study aims to investigate the role of CXCL8 and CXCL12 genetic variants, as well as their protein levels, in male patients with LSCC. In all, 300 healthy male controls and 256 male LSCC patients took part in the study. The salting-out technique was used to extract deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). For genotyping (CXCL12 rs1029153, rs1801157, rs2297630, and CXCL8 rs2227306), real-time polymerase chain reaction was used. Serum levels were measured by the ELISA method. IBM SPSS Statistics 30.0.0.0 was used to perform statistical analysis. CXCL8 serum levels were significantly higher in LSCC males than in controls (median (IQR): 14.47 (4.89) vs. 12.71 (4.20) pg/ml, p = 0.014). ROC curve analysis demonstrated a modest discriminative ability for CXCL8 (AUC = 0.660, 95% CI: 0.540–0.780, p = 0.009). At the optimal cut-off value of 12.170 pg/ml, selected to maximize sensitivity for screening purposes, serum CXCL8 yielded a sensitivity of 85.0% and a specificity of 42.5%. Although initial unadjusted analyses indicated nominal associations between CXCL12 rs1029153 and rs2297630 variants and advanced LSCC characteristics, none retained significance after Bonferroni adjustment, highlighting their purely exploratory nature. Serum CXCL8 levels were modestly higher in LSCC patients; however, given its limited discrimination (AUC = 0.660) and the absence of validation, serum CXCL8 does not possess clinical utility as a standalone screening or diagnostic biomarker for male LSCC but represents an exploratory finding reflecting tumor-associated inflammation. These findings warrant further investigation into larger independent cohorts and functional studies to determine their biological and clinical relevance.

The period between calving and first artificial insemination (AI) is characterised by major metabolic adaptations that may influence subsequent reproductive performance in dairy cows. In this retrospective matched cohort study we examined the association between mineral-vitamin bolus supplementation during the early breeding period, reproductive performance, and blood biochemical parameters under commercial dairy farm conditions. Clinically healthy dairy cows were enrolled in matched pairs based on calving date and lactation number. Within each pair, one cow received the bolus and the other served as a control. Allocation was not randomised. A total of 88 cows were included in the final analysis (45 supplemented and 43 control cows). Cows received two boluses at 51.13 ± 3.15 days in milk (DIM) and two additional boluses 14 days later. Each dose of two boluses provided a declared daily delivery of 2.4 g magnesium, 130 mg zinc, 36 mg copper, 1.5 mg selenium, 132,000 IU vitamin A, 500 IU vitamin E and 300 mg β-carotene over a 10-day release period. Reproductive outcomes included conception at first AI, pregnancy by 150 and 300 days in milk (DIM), time to confirmed pregnancy, days to first oestrus, and days to first AI. Blood samples were collected at enrolment and 14 and 21 days later. After adjustment for baseline metabolic status, parity, and DIM at enrolment, bolus supplementation was associated with higher odds of conception at first AI (OR = 3.45; 95% CI: 1.07–11.11; p = 0.038) and, as an exploratory endpoint, pregnancy by 300 DIM (OR = 3.80; 95% CI: 1.19–12.19; p = 0.025). No differences were observed in pregnancy by 150 DIM or time to confirmed pregnancy. Supplementation was not associated with the resumption of oestrus overall. An earlier resumption in multiparous cows was an exploratory subgroup finding. Supplemented cows had higher serum magnesium concentrations and lower LDH activity than controls (supplementation-by-time interaction, p < 0.001 and p = 0.025, respectively). Bolus supplementation was therefore associated with higher odds of conception and pregnancy and with altered mineral status. The difference in cumulative pregnancy emerged only after 180 DIM, more than 100 days after supplementation ended.

Since 2014, Lithuania has been affected by African swine fever (ASF), with varying levels of disease occurrence. This study investigated factors associated with ASF persistence in wild boar populations across Lithuanian municipalities. Based on ASF occurrence patterns, municipalities were classified into three groups: endemic, non-endemic, and ‘no ASF detected’. Endemic municipalities had ASF cases reported for at least three consecutive years. Data from 2016 to 2022 were analysed, including numbers of wild boar hunted or found dead, environmental variables, and spatial characteristics. Analyses included non-parametric tests, correlation analyses, negative binomial regression, and longitudinal logistic regression using generalised estimating equations to assess associations with ASF occurrence. Differences were observed between municipality groups, with endemic areas showing higher numbers of ASF cases and found dead wild boar. The number of hunted wild boar was positively correlated with the number of ASF-positive hunted wild boar, likely reflecting hunting-related sampling effort. Forest cover was negatively associated with ASF case counts, while wetland coverage was positively associated with endemic status, case counts and ASF presence over time. The findings highlight the importance of surveillance strategies, especially those based on carcass detection and testing. Environmental factors, including wetland-associated conditions, may influence ASF occurrence. Results support the need for targeted, landscape-informed approaches to ASF surveillance and control in endemic regions.

African swine fever (ASF) has persisted in Ukraine's wild boar population since its detection in 2014, particularly in regions bordering Belarus, Poland, Hungary, and Moldova. The long-term circulation of ASF virus (ASFV), combined with low numbers of hunted wild boars, raises concerns about the effectiveness of surveillance and control measures. This study assessed how the ongoing full-scale war in Ukraine has affected hunting ground operations and evaluated hunters' awareness, practices, and perceptions related to ASF surveillance and biosecurity in wild boar management. We conducted 74 telephone surveys with hunters across 19 regions between December 2022 and January 2023. All respondents were male; most were aged 31-60, had formal education in hunting management, and over 10 years of experience. Respondents reported major war-related disruptions, including staff shortages due to mobilization, damaged infrastructure, restricted access to areas affected by occupation, active hostilities, or landmines and reduced expenditure on habitat maintenance. Most respondents reported that wild boar carcass monitoring was not conducted regularly, and that found carcasses were often not tested for ASFV in a laboratory. Some respondents also indicated that suspected ASF cases may not always be reported. Practices related to carcass handling, storage pending laboratory results, and the biosecurity standard of dressing facilities were inconsistent. These findings indicate that the war has substantially disrupted hunting operations and likely constrained ASF surveillance and control. Targeted hunter education, improved infrastructure, practical biosecurity guidance, and enhanced operational support are needed to mitigate ASF risks under wartime conditions.

Fungal DNA in the equine uterus remains poorly characterized, particularly in mares without overt clinical uterine disease. This exploratory pooled pilot study used ITS2 amplicon sequencing to describe fungal DNA profiles in pooled uterine samples and to perform descriptive comparisons by subsequent pregnancy outcome and sampling method. Conventional microbiological culture findings were summarized as clinical context. samples were collected during naturally occurring estrus and, in mares that were subsequently mated, before the first mating of the studied estrous cycle. Low-volume uterine lavage (LVL) samples from 12 naturally mated Trakehner mares were pooled by outcome into a pregnant-LVL pool (1FR; n = 5) and a non-pregnant-LVL pool (2NFR; n = 7). The paired sampling-method comparison comprised a paired LVL pool (3LVL) and a paired SWAB pool (4SWAB), each constructed from samples collected from the same five mares. After bioinformatic processing, 82,862–130,870 reads and 27–111 final unique amplicon sequence variants were retained per pooled library. ITS2-target quantitative PCR detected 1,107–1,728 target copies/μL of pooled DNA extract. Neither the extraction blank nor the library-preparation blank crossed the qPCR detection threshold within 40 cycles; however, both yielded sequencing reads, and sequence-resolved control analysis could not exclude low-level laboratory or sequencing-related contamination. A targeted sensitivity analysis excluding the sequence feature shared by the library-preparation blank and two biological libraries did not materially alter the descriptive taxonomic composition, diversity, or ordination patterns. Ascomycota predominated across the pooled libraries (50.7–72.5%), followed by Basidiomycota (8.1–24.1%). The pregnant-LVL library had the lowest pool-level Shannon diversity value and occupied an ordination position that differed from the other libraries primarily along the first principal coordinate. The paired LVL and swab libraries also differed descriptively in taxonomic composition and ordination position. No fungal growth was reported in the available routine culture reports. These observations demonstrate the presence of diverse fungal DNA signals but do not establish viable uterine colonization, fungal infection, an association with subsequent pregnancy outcome, or equivalence between sampling methods. Confirmation requires sequencing of individual mares, comprehensive field and laboratory controls, standardized mycological culture, and integration with cytological, histopathological, and reproductive data.

Iodine is a rapidly acting antiseptic with bactericidal, fungicidal, sporicidal properties (McDonnell and Russell, 1999). Iodine-based teat dips are widely used in dairy farms for teat disinfection (Ruegg, 2017). Fungi have been associated with subclinical and clinical mastitis in dairy cattle (Mahendra Pal, 2022). Therefore, evaluation of iodine-based teat disinfectants against fungal species isolated from teat skin is important for improving udder hygiene and mastitis prevention.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the antifungal activity of different iodine concentrations against Aspergillus species isolated from dairy cow teat skin.

Aspergillus spp. were isolated from teat skin samples using direct plating and washing–dilution methods on Sabouraud Dextrose Agar supplemented with chloramphenicol. Pure cultures were identified according to cultural and morphological characteristics using light microscopy. Antifungal activity was evaluated using the disk diffusion method. 1 mL fungal suspension (3 × 10^8 CFU mL) was inoculated onto Sabouraud Dextrose Agar. Iodine concentrations of 0.15%, 0.25%, 0.50%, and 0.75% (w/w iodine) were tested. Plates were incubated at 25 ± 1°C for 72–96 h, and antifungal activity was assessed by measuring fungal growth inhibition zones (mm).

Antifungal activity varied depending on iodine concentration and fungal species susceptibility. The strongest antifungal effect was observed at 0.50% iodine concentration. The highest susceptibility was detected in Aspergillus candidus (19.58 mm), followed by A. oryzae (11.0 mm), A. flavus (10.42 mm), and A. ochraceus (9.17 mm). A. niger showed the lowest sensitivity (5.58 mm). Lower iodine concentrations demonstrated weaker and species-dependent activity, while increasing iodine concentration to 0.75% did not improve antifungal efficacy.The results indicate that iodine-based teat disinfectants possess antifungal activity against environmental Aspergillus species isolated from teat skin. The 0.50% iodine concentration showed the highest inhibitory effect and may contribute to improved teat hygiene and reduced fungal contamination in dairy farms.

This retrospective study evaluated the potential role of autologous conditioned serum (ACS) as an adjunctive therapy to improve postextraction dental wound healing in dogs. Clinical records of 40 dogs that underwent tooth extraction were included in the analysis. Data from 20 dogs that had received ACS applied to the extraction site following suturing were compared with those from 20 dogs that received the standard treatment. Healing outcomes were assessed from follow-up notes at days 3, 7 and 14, using the Early Wound Healing Score (EHS) to evaluate haemostasis, inflammation, and wound margin closure. Analysis revealed that dogs treated with ACS demonstrated significantly higher EHS compared to controls. By day 3, the ACS group showed a significant improvement in EHS compared to controls (P = .01), with a large effect size (Hedges g = 0.87). The higher clinical scores persisted at day 7, with a significantly higher score for clinical signs of reepithelialization in the ACS group (P = .02, Hedges g = 0.78). These differences were observed across subgroups, regardless of patient demographics or clinical presentation within the study population. The findings suggest that ACS is associated with improved EHS, including reepithelialization and haemostasis scores.