Research on animal nutrition, including the impact of diets on immune system development and function, continues to expand our understanding of nutritional immunology to improve animal health and performance. From the perspective of research conducted in mammalian and avian immunology, this manuscript highlights species-appropriate approaches for performing immune assessments in experimental animals. Emphasis is placed on the importance of basic immunology knowledge, attention to detail to avoid flawed experiments, and precision in reporting and interpreting results to avoid incorrect conclusions and health recommendations. Animal nutritionists who incorporate immunological approaches into their research must use standardized procedures, validated tools, appropriate controls, and collaborate closely with immunologists to gather valid, reliable immunological insights from their studies. Topics addressed include the uses of peripheral blood analysis as a window into systemic immune system activities, along with methodological approaches ranging from establishing profiles of circulating leukocyte populations to leukocyte isolation methods and commonly used procedures to gain insight into their functional capabilities. By highlighting the differences in mammalian and avian procedures, researchers will also be made aware of potential pitfalls when working with other animal species. For example, white blood cells in birds and fish also include thrombocytes that may make up the majority of white blood cells but are not considered part of the immune cell populations (lymphocytes, neutrophils [heterophils in birds], monocytes, eosinophils, and basophils) in the blood. The methodologies described for blood are also applicable to immune system-related studies in tissues (e.g., lymphoid organs and sites of inflammation, etc.), including establishment of leukocyte profiles and leukocyte isolation for in vitro assessment. In addition to in vitro assays, methodologies to assess cell-mediated immunity in vivo are addressed. These include using the skin as a window into responses taking place in a complex tissue. Among characteristic skin swelling responses following intradermal injection of antigens or immunostimulants, the unique in vivo growing feather pulp bioassay in poultry is highlighted, as it is a minimally invasive procedure that enables assessment of local tissue/cellular immune responses across time in an individual without invasive surgical procedure or euthanization of the birds. Overall, the objective is to assist nutritionists and animal health researchers in implementing and integrating scientifically sound immunological approaches and considerations in research studies to acquire important insights that will further expand knowledge in nutritional immunology.

A.M. Maged, D.S. Belal, H.M. Marie, H. Rashwan, S. Abdelaziz, A. A. Gabr, and A.R. Elzayat, "Prospective Study of the Effect of Maternal Body Mass Iwndex on Labor Progress in Nulliparous Women in Egypt," International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics 139, no. 3 (2017): 329-335, 10.1002/ijgo.12322. The above article, published online on 08 September 2017 in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com) has been retracted by agreement between the journal Editor-in-Chief, Michael Geary; and John Wiley & Sons Ltd. Concerns were raised on PubPeer [1] that the reported p-values in Table 1 are not consistent with the reported summary statistics, including maternal age, maternal height, and pregnancy duration at admission. When the editorial team re-calculated the p-values, they showed a very high statistical significance, as opposed to the non-significance presented in the article. The publisher asked the authors to clarify these inconsistencies and provide the raw data for the study. The authors did not provide the requested data as the study was conducted more than 10 years ago, but responded to the concerns by acknowledging that there may have been errors in reporting, including the cervical dilation measurements, the p-values, and the sub-group data. Without the study data to clarify and correct further, the Editor-in-Chief has lost confidence in the reported data and conclusions. Therefore, a retraction is warranted. [1] J. Thornton, and N. Brown "Prospective Study of the Effect of Maternal Body Mass Index on Labor Progress in Nulliparous Women in Egypt," PubPeer, May 2024-May 2026, https://pubpeer.com/publications/850968C31F9E584350E0445D5A5BEC.

Antegrade cardioplegia delivery during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) is standard practice in cardiac surgery, but it carries a risk of perfusion failure and acute myocardial distension in the presence of aortic regurgitation (AR). In patients with a bicuspid aortic valve (BAV), acute exacerbation of AR can occur immediately after initiating CPB. An 80-year-old man with a bicuspid aortic valve (Sievers classification type 1: L/R fusion), severe aortic stenosis, mild AR, and an ascending aortic aneurysm underwent elective aortic valve replacement and ascending aortic replacement. Immediately after starting CPB and entering ventricular fibrillation (VF), the patient developed sudden, severe AR (vena contracta: 10 mm). This caused rapid left ventricular (LV) dilation and subsequent dislodgement of the LV vent cannula into the left atrium. Real-time transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) promptly identified both the severe AR and the cannula displacement. Following aortic cross-clamping, antegrade cardioplegia failed due to massive regurgitant volume overload into the LV. Prophylactically placed retrograde cardioplegia via the coronary sinus was immediately initiated, successfully achieving rapid cardiac arrest. The planned surgical procedures were completed successfully without further complications, and the patient was discharged in good condition on postoperative day 11. In this patient, the acute exacerbation of AR was likely driven by two key factors: first, a rapid elevation in the transvalvular pressure gradient following CPB onset and VF; and second, the unmasking of latent coaptation failure, stemming from BAV asymmetry and calcification, due to the loss of myocardial tone during VF. Real-time TEE monitoring and prophylactic placement of a retrograde cardioplegia cannula are critical for rapid diagnosis, troubleshooting, and ensuring effective myocardial protection.

As the global population ages, the incidence of neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs) has increased. Neurodegenerative diseases have complex pathogenesis and currently lack fundamental treatment methods. The gut-brain axis (GBA) participates in the pathogenesis of NDDs through bidirectional communication between the gut microbiota and the central nervous system (CNS). This review systematically introduces the pathogenic characteristics of representative NDDs such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), and multiple sclerosis (MS), as well as the association mechanisms between these diseases and GBA. The pathogenic characteristics of NDDs are closely related to changes in the composition of the gut microbiota and differences in gut microbiota metabolites (such as short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), neurotransmitters, tryptophan metabolites, etc.). These changes influence the CNS through multiple pathways, including neuroendocrine, vagus nerve, and immune regulation, ultimately contributing to the onset and progression of the diseases. Furthermore, we have collected and summarized preclinical and clinical evidence from recent years regarding therapeutic interventions based on the GBA mechanism, including probiotics, prebiotics, and fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT). Nevertheless, major knowledge gaps remain, particularly regarding causality between gut microbiota changes and NDDs, the underlying molecular mechanisms, and the clinical efficacy of GBA-targeted therapies. This article aims to review the mechanisms of the interaction between the gut microbiota and the brain in neurodegenerative diseases, and based on the existing experimental evidence, provide theoretical basis and future development directions for future prevention and treatment strategies targeting GBA.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of pour-on fluralaner formulations for the prevention of cutaneous myiasis caused by Cochliomyia hominivorax in newborn calves under field conditions. Three field trials were conducted in Argentina, including subtropical and temperate regions. In Trial 1, calves with unhealed navels were assigned to two fluralaner-treated groups with different commercial pour-on formulations and an untreated control group. In Trial 2, two groups of newborn calves were treated either with fluralaner pour-on or injectable doramectin. Trial 3, where 84 calves were also treated with a pour-on formulation of fluralaner, was performed in an island livestock farming systems located along the Paraná River, where extensive grazing conditions are extreme, and the operational difficulties associated with providing meticulous animal husbandry practices to prevent parasitic diseases in cattle are amplified. Animals were monitored daily for the occurrence of myiasis. In Trial 1, no cases of myiasis were recorded in fluralaner-treated calves, whereas all control animals became infested. In Trial 2, no infestations were observed in the fluralaner-treated group, while myiasis was recorded in 3.5% of calves treated with doramectin. In Trial 3, the prevalence of myiasis in fluralaner-treated calves was 7.1%, with most cases associated with treatments applied under rainy conditions. In contrast, a prevalence of 34.5% was recorded in the previous year in the same herd when treatment consisted of insecticidal formulations based on organophosphates and pyrethroid. No adverse effects associated with fluralaner treatment were observed in all treated calves. These results demonstrate the high efficacy of fluralaner pour-on formulations for the prevention of C. hominivorax myiasis in newborn calves under extensive production systems.