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AKI has a high mortality rate, may lead to chronic kidney disease, and effective therapies are lacking. Micro-RNAs (miRNAs) regulate biologic processes by potently inhibiting protein expression, and pre-clinical studies have explored their roles in AKI. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of miRNAs as therapeutics in pre-clinical AKI. Study screening, data extraction, and quality assessments were performed by 2 independent reviewers. Seventy studies involving 42 miRNA species were included in the analysis. All studies demonstrated significant effects of the miRNA intervention on kidney function and/or histology, with most implicating apoptosis and phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) signaling. Fourteen studies (20.0%) examined the effect of miRNA-21 in AKI, and meta-analysis demonstrated significant increases in serum creatinine and kidney injury scores with miR-21 antagonism and pre-conditioning. No studies reported on adverse effects of miRNA therapy. Limitations also included lack of model diversity (100% rodents, 61.4% ischemia–reperfusion injury), and predominance of male sex (78.6%). Most studies had an unclear risk of bias, and the majority of miRNA-21 studies were conducted by a single team of investigators. In summary, several miRNAs target kidney function and apoptosis in pre-clinical AKI models, with data suggesting that miRNA-21 may mediate protection and kidney repair.Systematic review registration ID: CRD42019128854.

Administration of human cord blood endothelial colony-forming cells (ECFCs) or their exosomes protects mice against kidney ischemia/reperfusion injury. Here we studied the microRNA (miRNA) content of ECFC exosomes and the role of miRNA transfer in kidney and endothelial cell protection. ECFC exosomes were enriched in miR-486-5p, which targets the phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) and the Akt pathway. In cultured endothelial cells exposed to hypoxia, incubation with ECFC exosomes increased miR-486-5p, decreased PTEN, and stimulated Akt phosphorylation. Exposure of hypoxic endothelial cells to conditioned medium from ECFCs pretreated with anti-miR-486-5p blocked increases in miR-486-5p and phosphorylated Akt, restored expression of PTEN, and enhanced apoptosis. Coculture of endothelial cells with ECFCs enhanced endothelial miR-486-5p levels. Targeting of PTEN by miR-486-5p was observed in endothelial cells, and PTEN knockdown blocked apoptosis. In mice with ischemic kidney injury, infusion of ECFC exosomes induced potent functional and histologic protection, associated with increased kidney miR-486-5p levels, decreased PTEN, and activation of Akt. Infusion of exosomes from ECFCs transfected with anti-miR-486-5p had no protective effect. Thus, delivery of ECFC exosomes reduces ischemic kidney injury via transfer of miR-486-5p targeting PTEN. Exosomes enriched in miR-486-5p could represent a therapeutic tool in acute kidney injury.

Serum protein and immunoglobulin G (IgG) levels were measured from 16 healthy mouflons (Ovis orientalis musimon) and from 28 roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) in French and Catalonian populations. Electrophoretic patterns were described for each species. The only significant gender-related difference was increased β-globulins in French roe deer males. Significantly increased α 1 -globulin levels and decreased IgG levels occurred in the young Catalonian roe deer compared with adults from the same group. Values for total proteins, β-globulins, γ-globulin, and IgG were significantly higher in the French roe deer, while albumin and albumin/globulin ratio were higher in the Catalonian roe deer. Both populations had the same relative migration distances of the various protein fractions of the electrophoresis.

Familial Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis type 3 (FHL3) is a genetic disorder caused by mutations in UNC13D gene, coding the granule priming factor Munc13-4 that intervenes in NK and T cell cytotoxic function. Here we report the case of a 17-month-old girl with prolonged symptomatic EBV infectious mononucleosis and clinical symptoms of hemophagocytic syndrome. In vitro functional analysis pointed to a degranulation defect. The genetic analysis of UNC13D gene identified initially a heterozygous mutation (c.753 + 1G > T) in the donor splice-site that resulted in exon 9 skipping (maternal allele). Mutations in other genes were considered, but additional analysis of UNC13D cDNA revealed in the paternal allele a heterozygous transition from G to A (c.2448 − 13G > A) at the 3′ acceptor splice-site in intron 25, generating a new acceptor splice-site that leads to a frameshift and a premature STOP codon. Allele specific amplification of the cDNA confirmed the absence of a functional mRNA from the paternal allele. This case illustrates an atypical compound heterozygous UNC13D mutation affecting the RNA splicing that generates a typical FHL3 phenotype.

Summary Haematological and blood biochemical parameters of 15 capercaillie {Tetrao urogallus) reared in captivity have been determined. Statistically significant age differences were observed in the following parameters: haemoglobin, MCHC, total bilirubin, triglycerides, alkaline phosphatase, potassium and total proteins.

Seven species of Spanish ungulates were tested for the presence of homologous immunoglobulin G (IgG) with a gel-diffusion test using bovine, ovine, caprine and porcine IgG antisera. Homologous ovine and caprine IgG were detected in sera from chamois (Rupicapra pyrenaica), Spanish ibex (Capra pyrenaica hispanica), mouflon (Ovis orientalis musimon), red deer (Cervus elaphus), fallow deer (Dama dama) and roe deer (Capreolus capreolus). Homologous porcine IgG was detected in wild boar (Sus scrofa) serum. Immunoelectrophoretic assays were performed to compare the electrophoretic mobility of IgG from domestic and wild species.

Three groups of chamois (Rupicapra pyrenaica) and three groups of Spanish ibex (Capra pyrenaica) were established to study the effects of sarcoptic mange on serum proteins and immunoglobulin G (IgG) levels. The first group of chamois consisted of 22 healthy Pyrenean chamois (R. pyrenaica pyrenaica) from a non-infested area, the second group consisted of 20 healthy Cantabrian chamois (R. p. parva) from an area where sarcoptic mange has been reported since 1994 and the third group consisted of 16 Cantabrian chamois from the same area but naturally infested by Sarcoptes scabiei. The first group of Spanish ibex was 39 healthy animals from a sarcoptic mange non-infested area, the second group was 23 healthy animals from a sarcoptic mange infested area and the third group consisted of 20 animals from the same area but naturally infested with the parasite. Blood samples were taken after killing the animals as part of hunting programmes. Values for total proteins, gamma-globulin and IgG were higher in infested and healthy chamois from the infested area compared to healthy chamois from the non-infested area, and IgG levels were higher in infested chamois compared to healthy-exposed chamois. Values for alpha2-globulin were higher in healthy Cantabrian chamois. In Spanish ibex, albumin, alpha2-globulin and IgG levels were lower in the healthy Spanish ibex from the non-infested area than in healthy animals from an infested area. The differences found in the chamois were indicative of the establishment of a humoral antibody response in the animals in contact with the disease. As the IgG levels were not significantly different between healthy and infested Spanish ibex from the same area, a different pattern of chronic infection with humoral response to the disease was suggested.

Two cases of haemonchosis occurred in the Spanish ibex (Capra pyrenaica) population of the National Hunting Reserve of Tortosa and Beseit, northeastern Spain, in July 1992 and May 1993. The animals were cachectic and recumbent and had an acute hemorrhagic, macrocytic and hypochromic anemia; which was related to a high infection of 2,016 and 1,863 Haemonchus contortus, respectively, in the abomasum of the animals.

1. 1. The hematology and erythrocyte dimensions of 11 Montagu's harrier (Circus pygargus) have been studied. 2. 2. Significant statistical differences between the male and female groups were only detected for MCHC (P < 0.05), length of nucleus (P < 0.01) and cellular surface (P < 0.05). 3. 3. Both sexes have similar values of erythrocyte number, hematocrit value and hemoglobin content. 4. 4. Montagu's harrier have higher number of heterophils (70.63%) than lymphocytes (16.54%).

A STUDY of mouflon (Ovis musimon) diseases was initiated in 1992 in order to ascertain the health status of the two populations of mouflon in Catalonia (north-east Spain) and to establish a disease surveillance programme. One population, of over 300 individuals, is located in northern Catalonia (National Hunting Reserve of Freser-Setcases, 42°20'N, 2'15'E). Mouflons are distributed in a 1200 hectare area located at an altitude of between 2000 and 2800 m, in a typical Pyrenean alpine habitat. The other population is in southern Catalonia (National Hunting Reserve of Ports Tortosa-Beseit, 40°45'N, 0°15'E) and is distributed in a 1000 hectare area located at an altitude of between 600 and 1300 m, in a typical Mediterranean mountain habitat. This population was established following the introduction of 12 animals (seven females and five males) in September 1971 (Ruiz-Olmo and Aguilar 1995). After 10 years, the population had grown to about 250 mouflons, but it began to decrease in 1982 for unknown reasons and only two mouflons were left by the end of 1996. In order to investigate the health of these populations, 10 mouflons (seven adult females, one adult male and two yearling males) were shot between 1992 and 1996 in the National Hunting Reserve of Freser-Setcases, and 25 were captured alive for translocation (18 adult females, five adult males and two yearling males). Twelve animals (seven adult females, four adult males and one yearling male) were shot in the National Hunting Reserve of Ports Tortosa-Beseit during the same period. Necropsy of the mouflons was performed immediately after death. A liver fluke was recovered from a number of the animals. Some parasites were placed into a bottle containing 70 per cent alcohol for identification. Samples of altered hepatic areas were taken and fixed in 10 per cent buffered formalin for histopathological study. Parasites obtained from the livers of mouflons from the two populations were identified as Dicrocoelium dendriticum. This trematode shows intraspecific variations in both wild and domesticated ungulates (Macro and Birova 1987, 1989), and a different species, D supperei (otherwise called D orientalis) (Hinaidy 1983), has been described in Austrian mouflons and roe deer. Faeces samples were taken directly from the rectum of the live animals and the number of D dentriticum eggs was determined by counting in a MacMaster chamber using formalin-ethyl acetate sedimentation. No macroscopic or microscopic lesions were found in the liver of mouflons from the National Hunting Reserve of FreserSetcases. Parasites were only obtained from two animals (adult females), which had 100 and 200 parasites in the gall bladder and bile ducts. None of the live animals was shedding D dendriticum eggs in faeces. On the other hand, all 12 animals from the National Hunting Reserve of Ports Tortosa-Beseit showed macroscopic and microscopic hepatic lesions, and their hepatic parasite burden was between 663 and 2500. The livers of these animals showed extensive biliary fibrosis and appeared indurated, scarred and lumpy, with shrunken and sclerotic areas at the margins. The bile ducts stood out as whitish, firm (sometimes calcified), branching cords, with irregularly stenotic lumina which contained a dark brown fluid with many clumps of flukes. Histopathologically (Fig 1), the hepatic changes were those of a cholangiohepatitis with numerous

1. 1. This study deals with the hematological and blood chemistry of 13 adult marsh harriers ( Circus aeruginosus ). 2. 2. No significant differences were observed between male and female groups in any of the parameters. 3. 3. The value of white blood cells was 14,677/mm 3 heterophils and lymphocytes, these being the most abundant cellular type (81.42 and 12%, respectively). 4. 4. Urea and uric acid are present in approximately similar proportions, though birds are said to be uricotelic. 5. 5. The cholesterol concentration values determined in our study, are higher than those reported in most other birds.

Two groups of mouflons (Ovis ammon) were held in captivity to study the effects of repeated capture on physiological, haematological and biochemical parameters. The first one (Group I) was of 6 mouflons captured in the wild, while the second (Group II) was also of 6 mouflons, but which had been in captivity for 3 years. In Group I, body temperature, mature neutrophil count and lactate increased during activity, while red blood cells, haemoglobin, ALT, AST, total lipid, phospholipids, cholesterol, BUN, creatinine, phosphorus and zinc decreased at different times during the study period. In Group II, few statistical differences were observed. Most of these changes were related to stress and reflected a lack of adaptation to repeated handling.