Showing papers on "Mink published in 2019"
TL;DR: Indices of mink densities showed significant nonlinear change over time since local populations were established and were highest in populations estimated to be 10–15 years old, which means the prediction of non-native species invasion rates and population dynamics should be incorporated into management actions curbing their negative impact on native fauna.
Abstract: The American mink, an invasive mammal introduced to Europe, severely impacts native biodiversity. The history of its invasion has been poorly investigated in central and eastern Europe, and the current variations in densities of mink populations are not well studied, thus making a reduction of its impact difficult. Here we analyse the temporal dynamics and spatial distribution of the American mink population in Poland, which began to establish itself at the beginning of the 1980s and originated from Polish farm escapees and immigrants from Lithuania and Belarus. Mink dispersal started in the north and continued to the south and in 2016 mink occurrence was recorded across ca. 75% of the country. By about 1997 mink had colonised half of Poland, and in 2016 the only mink-free area was in the south and south-east of the country. The rate of expansion showed accelerating and decelerating patterns, and reached its maximum 12 years after the beginning of the expansion. Mink farming in western Poland developed rapidly after 2000 and probably influenced acceleration of mink range expansion rates in years 2006–2008. Indices of mink densities showed significant nonlinear change over time since local populations were established and were highest in populations estimated to be 10–15 years old. The prediction of non-native species invasion rates and population dynamics should be incorporated into management actions curbing their negative impact on native fauna.
27 citations
TL;DR: Modelling the growth curves in mink indicated that males and females had different growth curves as males grew faster and reached to the maximum body weight later compared to females, which suggested that Richards model can be used for modelling the mink growth.
Abstract: Modelling the growth curves of animals is important for optimizing the management and efficiency of animal production; however, little is known about the growth curves in American mink (Neovison vison). The study evaluated the performances of four three-parameter (Logistic, Gompertz, von Bertalanffy, and Brody), four four-parameter (Richards, Weibull, Bridges, and Janoscheck) and two polynomial models for describing the growth curves in mink. Body weights were collected from the third week of life to the week 31 in 738 black mink (373 males and 365 females). Models were fitted using the nls and nlsLM functions in stats and minpack.lm packages in R software, respectively. The Akaike's information criterion (AIC) and Bayesian information criterion (BIC) were used for model comparison. Based on these criteria, Logistic and Richards were the best models for males and females, respectively. Four-parameter models had better performance compared to the other models, except Logistic model. The estimated maximum weight and mature growth rate varied among the models and differed between males and females. The results indicated that males and females had different growth curves as males grew faster and reached to the maximum body weight later compared to females. Further studies on genetic parameters and selection response for growth curve parameters are required for development of selection programs based on the shape of growth curves in mink.
24 citations
TL;DR: The whole genome sequencing for two American mink breeds with Silverblue and Hedlund white coats is performed and mutations in splice donor sites of genes coding melanophilin and microphthalmia-associated transcription factor that regulate melanosome transport and neural-crest-derived melanocyte development are identified.
Abstract: The fur colour of American mink (Neovison vison) involves over 35 traits, but only three of these have been linked to specific genes. Despite being the most popular, coat colours Silverblue and Hedlund white remain uncharacterized genetically. The former is the first genetic mutant of fur colour identified in minks, while the latter is a commercially valuable phenotype that can be dyed easily. Here, we performed the whole genome sequencing for two American mink breeds with Silverblue and Hedlund white coats. We identified mutations in splice donor sites of genes coding melanophilin (MLPH) and microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF) that regulate melanosome transport and neural-crest-derived melanocyte development, respectively. Both mutations cause mRNA splicing impairments that lead to a shift in open reading frames of MLPH and MITF. We conclude that our data should be useful for tracking economically valuable fur traits in mink breeding programs to contribute to global fur production.
17 citations
01 Jan 2019
TL;DR: The results of this study show that viruses shed in the fecal matter of healthy commercial mink are highly diverse and could be closely associated with diet, and that more research is necessary to determine how the detected viruses may impact mink health.
Abstract: Recent viral metagenomic studies have demonstrated the diversity of eukaryotic viruses and bacteriophage shed in the feces of domestic species. Although enteric disease is a major concern in the commercial mink farming industry, few etiologic agents have been well characterized. This study aimed to identify viruses shed in the fecal matter of clinically healthy commercial mink from 40 southern Ontario farms. Viral RNA was extracted from 67 pooled fecal samples (30 adult female mink and 37 kit) and amplified for Illumina sequencing on the NextSeq platform, and the resulting contigs were trimmed and assembled using Trimmomatic 0.36.0 and Spades 3.8.0 in iVirus (CyVerse, AZ, USA) and SeqMan NGen 12 (DNAStar, WI, USA). Identification of assembled sequences >100 bp (Geneious 10.1.3) showed an abundance of bacteriophage sequences, mainly from families Siphoviridae (53%), Podoviridae (22%), Myoviridae (20%), Inoviridae (1%), Leviviridae (0.04%), Tectiviridae (0.01%), and Microviridae (0.01%). A diverse range of vertebrate viruses were detected, of which posavirus 3, mink bocavirus, gyroviruses, and avian-associated viruses were most abundant. Additionally, sequences from nonvertebrate viruses with water and soil-associated amebal and algal hosts were also highly prevalent. The results of this study show that viruses shed in the fecal matter of healthy commercial mink are highly diverse and could be closely associated with diet, and that more research is necessary to determine how the detected viruses may impact mink health.
17 citations
TL;DR: The aim of the present study was to identify the animal prevalence and environmental reservoir of livestock-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (LA-MRSA) in mink farms and to support the hypothesis of LA- MRSA being transmitted by contaminated pig by-products.
14 citations
06 Nov 2019
TL;DR: This was the first study to isolate and characterize MCR-producing isolates from mink, as well as to report the coexistence of two different M CR-1 producers in the same farmer, and highlights that fur farms can be reservoirs of mcr-1 genes.
Abstract: The spread of colistin resistance gene mcr-1 at the animal-human interface remains largely unknown. This work aimed to investigate the molecular characteristics of two extended-spectrum-β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Escherichia coli strains with mcr-1, i.e., strains H8 and H9, isolated from the same mink farmer. In this study, five mcr-positive E. coli strains were isolated from the mink farm. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and multilocus sequence typing (MLST) identified two genetically unrelated MCR-1 producers (H8 and H9) from the same farmer and two clonally related MCR-1-positive isolates (M5 and M6) from two different mink samples. Additionally, a mcr-1 variant, designated mcr-1.12, was identified in isolate M4. MIC determination revealed that all of the MCR-producing strains exhibited multiresistant phenotypes but showed susceptibility to imipenem, meropenem, amikacin, and tigecycline. Replicon typing showed that mcr-1 was associated with IncHI2 plasmids in 4 cases, while the gene was located on an IncI2 plasmid in 1 case. PacBio sequencing and plasmid analysis confirmed that the mcr-1 gene was located on an ∼204-kb IncHI2 plasmid in H8 and was carried by an ∼61-kb IncI2 plasmid in H9. To our knowledge, this work represents the first report of the occurrence of MCR-producing isolates from mink. Moreover, our report also describes the coexistence of two different MCR-1 producers in the same farmer. It highlights that fur farms can be reservoirs of mcr-1 genes. The identification of mcr-carrying plasmids on a fur farm is of potential public health importance, as it suggests that mcr is widespread in the animal husbandry industry.IMPORTANCE Colistin resistance is a real threat for both human and animal health. The mobile colistin resistance gene mcr has contributed to the persistence and transmission of colistin resistance at the interfaces of animals, humans, and ecosystems. Although mcr genes have usually been recovered from food animals, patients, and healthy humans, transmission of mcr genes at the animal-human interface remains largely unknown. This was the first study to isolate and characterize MCR-producing isolates from mink, as well as to report the coexistence of two different MCR-1 producers in the same farmer. The characterization and analysis of two MCR-1-producing E. coli isolates may have important implications for comprehension of the transmission dynamics of these bacteria. We emphasize the importance of improved multisectorial surveillance of colistin-resistant E. coli in this region.
13 citations
TL;DR: The body length of mink, and fluorescent biomarkers in canine teeth are considered as useful tools to identifing mink that have escaped from farms.
Abstract: In Denmark, American mink (Neovison vison) have been bred for their fur since the mid-1920s. Mink escaping from farms may supply the feral population. Often, it is of biological and management interest to separate the population of feral mink (i.e. mink caught in the wild) in two groups: 1) mink born on farms i.e., escapees, and 2) mink born in the wild. In this study, two methods were used for separating feral mink into the two groups: a) Comparison of body length of farmed mink and feral mink, and b) Presence of a biomarker (tetracycline: an oral antibiotic used on mink farms). A total of 367 wild caught mink (from the mainland of Denmark and the island of Bornholm), and 147 mink from farms, collected during the period 2014-2018, were used for the analysis of body length. For the testing of tetracycline (TC) as a biomarker, 78 mink from farms where there was knowledge about TC treatment (with or without) were examined for fluorescent markings in the canine teeth. Results from both univariate analyses and Gaussian mixture model analysis demonstrated clear divisions between the mean body length (mean ± S.E., range) of farmed males (52.1 cm ± 0.4, 48-68) and farmed females (mean 44.0 ± 0.2, 40-50), and between farmed mink and wild caught mink. Mixture analysis identified two groups within each sex of the wild caught mink, one assigned to farmed mink (born in captivity) and another group of smaller mink suspected of being born in the wild. On Bornholm, the mean (±SD, range) length of males born in the wild was 43.7cm (± 0.3, 36-57) and for females 37.5cm (± 0.3, 32-45). The mean length (±SD, range) of males born in the wild in the mainland of Denmark was 42.5cm (± 2.3, 36-46) and for females 36.1cm (± 1.0, 34-37). Among the feral mink from mainland Denmark, 28.4% of males and 21.6% of females were identified as escapees, while 0% of the males and 1% of the females were identified as escapees among the wild caught mink on Bornholm. Eight percent of mink from farms using tetracycline were false negatives, while no false positives were found among mink from farms not using TC. TC fluorescence was found in five of 217 mink caught in the wild equivalent to 22% escapees in mainland Denmark. No TC markings were found in mink caught in the wild on Bornholm. In conclusion, both methods a) the body length of mink, and b) fluorescent biomarkers in canine teeth are considered as useful tools to identifing mink that have escaped from farms.
12 citations
TL;DR: It is found that the species of mink can be infected by more subtypes of influenza A viruses with considerably higher α-diversity related indices and suggested that the semiaquatic mammals (riverside mammals), rather than pigs, might be the intermediate host to spread AIVs and serve as a potential mixing vessel for the interspecies transmission among birds, mammals and human.
Abstract: Avian influenza A viruses (AIVs) can occasionally transmit to mammals and lead to the development of human pandemic. A species of mammal is considered as a mixing vessel in the process of host adaptation. So far, pigs are considered as a plausible intermediate host for the generation of human pandemic strains, and are labelled ‘mixing vessels’. In this study, through the analysis of two professional databases, the Influenza Virus Resource of NCBI and the Global Initiative on Sharing Avian Influenza Data (GISAID), we found that the species of mink (Neovison vison) can be infected by more subtypes of influenza A viruses with considerably higher α-diversity related indices. It suggested that the semiaquatic mammals (riverside mammals), rather than pigs, might be the intermediate host to spread AIVs and serve as a potential mixing vessel for the interspecies transmission among birds, mammals and human. In epidemic areas, minks, possibly some other semiaquatic mammals as well, could be an important sentinel species for influenza surveillance and early warning.
11 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors investigated the diversity and evolution of Finnish AMDV strains by sequencing the complete coding sequences of 31 strains from mink originating from farms differing in their virus history, as well as from free-ranging mink.
Abstract: Aleutian mink disease virus (AMDV) is the causative agent of Aleutian disease (AD), which affects mink of all genotypes and also infects other mustelids such as ferrets, martens and badgers. Previous studies have investigated diversity in Finnish AMDV strains, but these studies have been restricted to small parts of the virus genome, and mostly from newly infected farms and free-ranging mustelids. Here, we investigated the diversity and evolution of Finnish AMDV strains by sequencing the complete coding sequences of 31 strains from mink originating from farms differing in their virus history, as well as from free-ranging mink. The data set was supplemented with partial genomes obtained from 26 strains. The sequences demonstrate that the Finnish AMDV strains have considerable diversity, and that the virus has been introduced to Finland in multiple events. Frequent recombination events were observed, as well as variation in the evolutionary rate in different parts of the genome and between different branches of the phylogenetic tree. Mink in the wild carry viruses with high intra-host diversity and are occasionally even co-infected by two different strains, suggesting that free-ranging mink tolerate chronic infections for extended periods of time. These findings highlight the need for further sampling to understand the mechanisms playing a role in the evolution and pathogenesis of AMDV.
11 citations
TL;DR: Mink feed contained a cocktail of mycotoxins and bacteria, which may not per se cause clinical disease, but may affect organ function and animal performance and well-being.
Abstract: The quality of mink feed and raw ingredients affect health and growth. The objectives of this study were to examine the microbiological quality of ready-to-eat mink feed and its raw ingredients, screen the plant part of the feed for mycotoxins, and determine the hygiene of the production environment in the feed processing facilities. The results of the study are important for identification of critical steps in the feed production and for formulation of recommendations for improvements of production processes to obtain better quality feed. Feed and swab samples were taken at three Danish mink feed producers October 2016 and May 2017, respectively. Viable counts, detection of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), influenza virus and filamentous fungi were performed together with qualitative chemical analyses for bioactive fungal metabolites and mycotoxins. Swab samples were analyzed for total viable counts. Viable counts varied between 7.2 × 102 and 9.3 × 107 cfu/g in raw ingredients and between 107 and 109 cfu/cm2 on different surfaces at the feed production facilities. A pork meat product, pork haemoglobin, pork liver and a poultry mix was found positive for MRSA, while monophasic Salmonella [4,5,12:i:-] was detected in a pork meat product. Neither MRSA nor Salmonella was detected in any ready-to-eat feed. Influenza A virus was not detected in any sample. Filamentous fungi were detected in all analysed samples of ready-to-eat feed while dihydro-demethyl-sterigmatocystin was found in almost 50% of all ready-to-eat feed samples and in 80% of the sugar beet pulp. Fumonisins and other Fusarium toxins were found especially in corn gluten meal and extruded barley and wheat. Mink feed contained a cocktail of mycotoxins and bacteria, which may not per se cause clinical disease, but may affect organ function and animal performance and well-being.
10 citations
13 Feb 2019
TL;DR: Caution is suggested to authors who plan to study geographical variations in diet of animals using stable isotope analysis without acknowledging that taxonomically and ecologically similar prey can differ in isotopic composition between studied areas.
Abstract: Invasive alien predators pose a threat to native fauna and the studies of their feeding habits are crucial to understanding their impact on prey populations. Diet of the American mink Neovison vison, an invasive species in Europe, is relatively well studied based on scat analysis, however, the use of other methods of diet analysis enables a better overview of this issue. We analyzed the isotopic composition of carbon and nitrogen in the livers, which reflects the diet from about 30–40 days (scat analysis provides information on the diet over 1–2 days only) of the American mink from four national parks in Poland and in the muscles of three types of mink prey (root voles, common frogs, and roach) in order to estimate their contribution to the mink diet. Mink in Biebrza and Narew National Parks fed mainly on frogs and fish, in Drawa National Park on voles and fish, and in Warta Mouth National Park almost exclusively on fish—as shown by Bayesian mixing models calculated for three selected groups of prey. There was no isotopic evidence for differences between the diets of male and female mink. In all groups of prey, we found surprisingly high differences between individuals of the same species from different study sites in the isotopic composition of both δ13C (up to 3‰) and δ15N (up to 6‰). Based on a detailed literature review, we predict that the main reasons for these variations are differences in abiotic environment, food availability, and trophic position. We also indicate a lack of data on trophic discrimination in fish and amphibians, which makes it hard to assess the influence of differences in trophic position on isotopic variations. We suggest caution to authors who plan to study geographical variations in diet of animals using stable isotope analysis without acknowledging that taxonomically and ecologically similar prey can differ in isotopic composition between studied areas.
TL;DR: Collectively, AstV truncated CPs exhibit better parameters for protection than full-length CP and lymphoproliferation responses and Th1/Th2 cytokine induction of mice splenocytes ex vivo re-stimulated by truncation CPs were significantly higher than those by CP, with the highest level for CPΔN.
TL;DR: It is concluded that confidence may be selected for among farm mink without detrimental effects on economically important production traits, such as pelt quality and fertility.
Abstract: Danish and European legislation recommend mink breeding programs that include selection for "confidence," defined as exploratory activity in a standardized behavioral test. Although this recommendation may improve mink welfare, farmers may consider this criterion risky due to possible negative consequences on other traits. The overall objectives of this study were to estimate the heritability of exploratory/fearful behavior and to identify genetic correlations with other traits of major economic importance in mink fur production. Various aspects of social influence on exploratory/fearful behavior, such as effects of the mother and litter siblings before weaning, the mother's age, and cage mates after weaning, were analyzed. In total, 26,371 1-yr-old Brown mink (Neovison vison) individuals born during the period of 2013 to2016 were included in the study. Exploratory/fearful behavior was the main trait analyzed. The production traits analyzed were live pelt quality and body weight. Both of these traits were assessed during live grading in November. Pelt length and quality were determined using the dried pelts of nonbreeders. Fertility data were obtained from the Fur Farm database. Linear mixed models were run using the restricted maximum-likelihood method. The genetic correlation between female and male behavior was 0.95 (SE = 0.06), indicating similar genetic backgrounds for both sexes (P = 0.40). For both sexes, the estimated heritability of behavior was 0.19 (SE = 0.03). We found no significant genetic correlation between behavior and production/fertility traits (P > 0.05). Common litter variance indicated a preweaning effect of litter mates and/or dam on postweaning temperament. There was a tendency for offspring from older mothers to explore more than offspring from 1-yr-old mothers. This trend was especially pronounced for males of 2-yr-old mothers (P = 0.05) and females of 4-yr-old mothers (P = 0.06). We conclude that confidence may be selected for among farm mink without detrimental effects on economically important production traits, such as pelt quality and fertility.
TL;DR: It was concluded that INS route was the most effective method for establishing infection in mink without breaking the integrity of the animals' anatomical barriers.
TL;DR: The results showed that LA-MRSA can be transmitted to paws and pharynx on mink after exposure to contaminated feed and that LA -MRSA may spread indirectly through contaminated environmental sites and that mink tend to clear off LA- MRSA, however, the bacterium may persist on minks for more than 26 days.
TL;DR: A high degree of genetic variation was identified among the majority of the samples, which indicates that AMDV has been introduced to Poland multiple times, however, the results within one area showed high identity between isolates, suggesting that one common ancestor was the source of these outbreaks.
TL;DR: The results thus implicate the NAc in individual differences in mink SB, but because they cannot explain why NE subjects showed more SB, they provide limited support for the BG dysfunction hypothesis for housing-induced SB.
TL;DR: Global gene expression changes in the mink uterus during embryo diapause and activation leading to implantation are analyzed to provide novel information for understanding the molecular mechanisms of maternal regulation of embryo activation in mink.
Abstract: Embryo implantation in the mink follows the pattern of many carnivores, in that preimplantation embryo diapause occurs in every gestation. Details of the gene expression and regulatory networks that terminate embryo diapause remain poorly understood. Illumina RNA-Seq was used to analyze global gene expression changes in the mink uterus during embryo diapause and activation leading to implantation. More than 50 million high quality reads were generated, and assembled into 170,984 unigenes. A total of 1684 differential expressed genes (DEGs) in uteri with blastocysts in diapause were compared to the activated embryo group (p < 0.05). Among these transcripts, 1527 were annotated as known genes, including 963 up-regulated and 564 down-regulated genes. The gene ontology terms for the observed DEGs, included cellular communication, phosphatase activity, extracellular matrix and G-protein couple receptor activity. The KEGG pathways, including PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, focal adhesion and extracellular matrix (ECM)-receptor interactions were the most enriched. A protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed, and hub nodes such as VEGFA, EGF, AKT, IGF1, PIK3C and CCND1 with high degrees of connectivity represent gene clusters expected to play an important role in embryo activation. These results provide novel information for understanding the molecular mechanisms of maternal regulation of embryo activation in mink.
TL;DR: According to the results of interbreed comparisons of sables and minks, parallelism was found in the variability of the reproductive capacity of females, which is manifested in the fact that animals that are dark in color are characterized by a greater number of barren females and low fecundity.
Abstract: Based on the materials of 23 fur-bearing animal farms of the Russia for different periods of years, a comparative assessment of the reproductive capacity of sable and mink females of standard breeds (wild type) has been carried out. It was established that during intrabreeding differentiation according to the overall color of the hair coat (almost black, black-brown, dark brown and chestnut), the lowest reproduction level is characterized by darker females of sable, which are a significant increase in the number of them, mated with male, but not given offspring (barren females). According to the results of interbreed comparisons of sables and minks, parallelism was found in the variability of the reproductive capacity of females, which is manifested in the fact that, in contrast to relatively light animals, animals that are dark in color are characterized by a greater number of barren females and low fecundity.
Journal Article•
TL;DR: In the whole genome sequence of one multidrug resistant strain, the authors identified 27 genes that conferred resistance to 14 types of drugs, implying possible transmission events in humans and other animals.
Abstract: Hemorrhagic pneumonia in mink is a fatal disease caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Very little is known about P. aeruginosa in relation to genotype and the mechanisms underlying antimicrobial resistance in mink. A total of 110 P. aeruginosa samples were collected from mink from Chinese mink farms between 2007 and 2015. Samples underwent molecular genotyping using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and multi-locus sequence typing (MLST), antimicrobial susceptibility and its mechanism were investigated at the molecular level. The PFGE identified 73 unique types and 15 clusters, while MLST identified 43 (7 new) sequence types (ST) and 12 sequence type clonal complexes (STCC). Sequence types and PFGE showed persistence of endemic clones in cities Wendeng (Shandong, China) and Dalian (Liaoning, China), even in different timelines. The MLST also revealed the gene correlation of the mink P. aeruginosa across different time and place. The ST1058 (n = 14), ST882 (n = 11), and ST2442 (n = 10) were the predominant types, among which ST1058 was the only one found both in Shandong province and Dalian (Liaoning, China). The MLST for P. aeruginosa infection in mink was highly associated with that in humans and other animals, implying possible transmission events. A small proportion of mink exhibited drug resistance to P. aeruginosa (9/69, 13%) with resistance predominantly to fluoroquinolone, aminoglycoside, and β-lactamase. Eight strains had mutations in the quinolone-resistance determining regions (QRDR). High proportions (65%; 72/110) of the fosA gene and 2 types of glpt deletion for fosmycin were detected. Furthermore, in the whole genome sequence of one multidrug resistant strain, we identified 27 genes that conferred resistance to 14 types of drugs.
TL;DR: It is assumed that histopathological lesions appeared as a local and general host response to invasive L3 T. canis and T. leonina larvae migrating through the tissues of infected farm mink.
Abstract: Introduction Canine roundworm T. canis and T. leonina infections were investigated in experimentally infected farm mink (Neovison vison) to describe the pattern of pathological lesions in this paratenic host. Material and Methods Material and MethodsInfections in mink developed following ingestion of embryonated eggs of either parasite or mice tissue infected with both parasite species. Results Comparative analysis of haematoxylin- and eosin-stained slides showed essential differences among the experimental groups. The lesions observed included eosinophil and mononuclear inflammatory infiltrates of the intestinal wall and local lymph nodes, inflammation and haemorrhages in liver tissues, and interstitial inflammation and mineralisation of the kidneys and lungs. Larvae migrating through the minks' bodies also caused particularly salient enlargement of lymphoid follicles in the spleen and inflammatory infiltrates of mononuclear cells in skeletal and heart muscles. Conclusions It is assumed that histopathological lesions appeared as a local and general host response to invasive L3 T. canis and T. leonina larvae migrating through the tissues of infected farm mink. Interestingly, mink infected with embryonated eggs had more pronounced lesions than animals infected with tissue larvae. Detailed histopathological examinations of parenchymal organs and striated muscles revealed lesions resembling those observed in other paratenic host species due to toxocarosis.
Dissertation•
01 Sep 2019
TL;DR: WELFARE BENEFIT FROM ENRICHMENT PROVISION SCHEMES in AMERICAN MINK as mentioned in this paper was shown to benefit from the EIT in the following way:
Abstract: WELFARE BENEFIT FROM ENRICHMENT PROVISION SCHEMES IN AMERICAN MINK
TL;DR: Assessment of Hg and selenium concentrations in otter and mink within and outside of the Williston Reservoir watershed in northern British Columbia found the general trend was the same for both species; the Peace-Williston having the highest and Mackenzie having the lowest Hg concentrations.
Abstract: Although reservoir creation increases fish mercury (Hg) concentrations, little information exists on its effects on Hg concentrations in aquatic mammals. River otters (Lontra canadensis) and American mink (Neovison vison) are two aquatic mammals that have been used as model species for assessing Hg bioaccumulation in aquatic systems. We assessed Hg and selenium (Se) concentrations in these two species within and outside of the Williston Reservoir (Peace-Williston (PW) watershed) in northern British Columbia (BC) and used these data to investigate potential explanatory factors (i.e., watershed, gender, trophic level (δ15N), and regional geology) influencing Hg concentrations. Hg concentrations in otter and mink inhabiting the Mackenzie watershed (outside the PW) were significantly lower than other watersheds in Northern BC. The general trend was the same for both species; the Peace-Williston having the highest and Mackenzie having the lowest Hg concentrations. For mink, the Peace-Williston watershed, higher trophic levels, and higher proportions of igneous/metamorphic bedrock were all significant influences on higher Hg concentrations (logistic regression). Higher trophic levels or proportions of of igneous/metamorphic bedrock, however, were not directly associated with the PW watershed suggesting there may be an impoundment effect. Baseline data on natural Hg inputs before planned anthropogenic changes occur is a critical first step to aiding interpretations of Hg-related effects on wildlife populations and their related ecosystems.
TL;DR: The aim of the present study was to investigate if amoxicillin is transferred via the milk to the kits after oral (PO) and intramuscular (IM) treatment, respectively, of the dam, and to estimate the concentrations of am toxicillin continuously in serum from the kits up to 8 h after administration.
TL;DR: The mink heart DNA fingerprint identification method established is accurate and reliable, and the procedure of the developed DNA kit is easy, the results obtained using this kit is stable and the method is suitable for popularization and application.
Abstract: In this study, the mink heart mitochondrial DNA was used as the target gene to design the specific primers of mink heart mtDNA Cytb, the extraction and detection reagents of mink heart DNA were developed using DNA fingerprinting technique, and the specificity, reproducibility, and stability of the reagents were investigated. Molecular cloning and sequencing technique were used to clone the standard substance of mink heart DNA detection, then a DNA fingerprint detection method of mink heart and the quality standard for mink heart were established, and a DNA detection kit of mink heart was developed. The results showed that the structure of DNA extracted from mink heart by self-developed reagents was complete, and both the concentration and purity of DNA were high. A specific amplification band of the original mink samples was found at 337 bp. The sequence of mink heart DNA was consistent with that of mink heart mtDNA specific fingerprint region. The mink heart DNA fingerprint identification method established, in this study, is accurate and reliable, and the procedure of the developed DNA kit is easy, the results obtained using this kit is stable and the method is suitable for popularization and application.
TL;DR: Gene annotation analysis indicated multiple biological pathways to be significantly enriched for DEGs, including immune response, ECM complex, cytokine activity, chemokine activity and protein binding.
TL;DR: The data indicate that mammal-origin H9N2 viruses are more adapted and virulent in mice than the avian-origin viruses.
Abstract: H9N2 subtype influenza A virus (IAV) has more than 20 genotypes that are able to cross species barriers and expand from birds to mammals and humans. To better understand the impact of different H9N2 genotypes and their characteristics, five H9N2 viruses from different hosts including chickens, geese, pigs, mink, and humans representing the B69 88(Gs/14, Ck/15, and Mi/14), B35 (Sw/08) and G9 genotypes (Hu/04) were infected in chicken and mice. In mice, mammal-origin viruses replicated at higher levels in the lungs compared to avian viruses. The goose-virus replicated at the lowest levels indicating poor adaptation. Increased pro-inflammatory cytokines were positively correlated with viral loads in the lung. In chickens, all viruses were excreted from cloacal and/or oropharyngeal swabs. Interestingly, Mink-origin virus exhibited higher virulence and replication in mice and chickens. Our data indicate that mammal-origin H9N2 viruses are more adapted and virulent in mice than the avian-origin viruses.
TL;DR: In this paper, the effects of dietary calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), and vitamin D (VD) supplements on growth performance, Ca:P digestion and metabolism, and serum biochemical indexes of growing male mink (Mustela vison) under conditions of a fixed 2:1 ratio of Ca to P.
Abstract: The present study investigated the effects of dietary calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), and vitamin D (VD) supplements on growth performance, Ca:P digestion and metabolism, and serum biochemical indexes of growing male mink (Mustela vison) under conditions of a fixed 2:1 ratio of Ca to P. About 135 dark male mink were randomly assigned to nine groups. The experiment was conducted with a 3 × 3 (Ca:P × VD) factorial design using a corn–fish meal-based diet that contained 2.3% Ca, 1.15% P, and 2100 IU kg VD. The supplementary Ca and P levels were 0%:0%, 0.4%:0.2%, and 0.8%:0.4% of the diets, respectively, whereas supplementary VD levels were 0, 2000, and 4000 IU kg. The Ca and P dosage had a significant effect on growth performance of the mink (P < 0.05). The appropriate VD level, which was 4100 IU kg, significantly improved protein utilization and Ca and P digestibility of growing mink (P < 0.05). In addition, excreta pollution to the environment was also significantly reduced (P < 0.05). In conclusion, Ca:P (3.1%:1.55%) and VD (4100 IU kg) had an important effect on growth performance and protein utilization in growing mink and could reduce environmental pollution by improving protein and P utilization.
TL;DR: A PCR-based assay kit for identification of Chinese mink tissues from 10 animal species in meat products and to evaluate its quality indices including specificity, stability, sensitivity, and repeatability proved to be effective, stable, and reliable.
Abstract: Species authentication of meat product origins has become an important subject for ensuring the health of consumers. Based on the cytochrome b gene, we developed a PCR-based assay kit for identific...