pH-induced difference spectrophotometric assay of acetazolamide, hydrochlorothiazide, and furosemide.

On the basis of pH-induced spectral changes for acetazolamide, hydrochlorothiazide, and furosemide, 3 different spectrophotometric methods are described. The methods were successfully applied to the assay of these drugs in different pharmaceutical formulations (tablets and ampoules). The accuracy of the analysis is increased by using the suggested methods as compared with conventional spectrophotometry.     

Effects of interaction of Meloidogyne incognita,Alternaria dauci and Rhizoctonia solani on the growth,chlorophyll, carotenoid and proline contents of carrot in three types of soil

Disease complex of carrot (Daucus carota L.) involving root knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita and two fungi Alternaria dauci and Rhizoctonia solani were studied in three soil types. More plant growth, chlorophyll, carotenoid and proline contents were found in carrot grown in fly ash mix soil than plants grown in sand mix soil and loamy soil. Inoculation of M. incognita, R. solani, and A. dauci reduced plant growth, chlorophyll and carotenoid but increased proline contents. Inoculation of M. incognita 20 days prior to a fungal pathogen caused a greater reduction in plant growth, chlorophyll and carotenoid than fungal pathogen was inoculated prior. Inoculation of A. dauci prior to R. solani or vice versa had a similar effect on plant growth, chlorophyll, and carotenoid. Nematode multiplication and galling was higher in plants grown in sand mix soil followed by loamy soil and fly ash mix soil. Both fungi had adverse effects on galling and nematode multiplication. Blight disease index caused by A. dauci was 3 and crown rot index by R. solani was also recorded 3. These disease indices were 5 when pathogens were inoculated in combinations.     

The optimized inclusion level of Bacillus subtilis fermented Azolla pinnata in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) diets: immunity,antioxidative status,intestinal digestive enzymes and histomorphometry,and disease resistance

Fish Physiology and Biochemistry - A 95-day feeding trial was conducted to evaluate the outcomes of feeding Bacillus subtilis fermented Azolla (BSFA) on nonspecific immunity, antioxidative status,...     

Relationship between gut microbiota and host-metabolism: Emphasis on hormones related to reproductive function

It has been well recognized that interactions between the gut microbiota and host-metabolism have a proven effect on health. The gut lumen is known for harboring different bacterial communities. Microbial by-products and structural components, which are derived through the gut microbiota, generate a signaling response to maintain homeostasis. Gut microbiota is not only involved in metabolic disorders, but also participates in the regulation of reproductive hormonal function. Bacterial phyla, which are localized in the gut, allow for the metabolization of steroid hormones through the stimulation of different enzymes. Reproductive hormones such as progesterone, estrogen and testosterone play a pivotal role in the successful completion of reproductive events. Disruption in this mechanism may lead to reproductive disorders. Environmental bacteria can affect the metabolism, and degrade steroid hormones and their relevant compounds. This behavior of the bacteria can safely be implemented to eliminate steroidal compounds from a polluted environment. In this review, we summarize the metabolism of steroid hormones on the regulation of gut microbiota and vice-versa, and also examined the significant influence this process has on various events of reproductive function. Altogether, the evidence suggests that steroid hormones and gut microbiota exert a central role in the modification of host bacterial action and impact the reproductive efficiency of animals and humans.     

Bioprocess enhancement of feather degradation using alkaliphilic microbial mixture

1. The main aim of this work is to develop a robust method to generate a microbial mixture which can successfully degrade poultry feathers to overcome environmental problems.

2. Four different alkaliphilic microbes were isolated and shown to degrade poultry feathers.

3. Two of the isolates were phylogenetically identified as Lysinibacillus and the others were identified as Nocardiopsis and Micrococcus.

4. The best microbial co-culture for white and black feather degradation was optimised for pH, temperature and relative population of the isolates to achieve almost 96% of degradation compared with a maximum of 31% when applying each isolate individually.

5. The maximum activity of keratinase was estimated to be 1.5 U/ml after 3 d for white feathers and 0.6 U/ml after 4 d for black feathers in a basal medium containing feather as the main carbon source. Additionally, non-denaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis showed 4 and 3 protease activity bands for white and black feather, respectively.

6. This study provides a robust method to develop potential new mixtures of microorganisms that are able to degrade both white and black feathers by applying a Central Composite Design.     

Comparative therapeutic effect of steroidal and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs on pro-inflammatory cytokine production in water buffalo calves (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Bubalus bubalis</Emphasis>) naturally infected with bronchopneumonia: a randomized clinical trial

In the current study, we compared the therapeutic effects of a non-steroidal and a steroidal anti-inflammatory drug on the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-12p40 (IL-12p40), interferon gamma (IFNγ), and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) in the blood of water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) calves naturally infected by bronchopneumonia. Twenty-seven buffalo calves (7 ± 2-month-old, 163 ± 12 kg) reared in smallholder farms in El-Dakahlia province in Egypt were identified to have bronchopneumonia and randomly allocated into three equal groups. Ten clinically healthy buffalo calves with negative bronchoalveolar lavage results were served as negative control. Diseased calves were treated with tulathromycin alone, a combination of tulathromycin with dexamethasone (steroidal anti-inflammatory drug) or tulathromycin with flunixin meglumine (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug). The results revealed significant elevations (P < 0.05) in the production of selected cytokines in all diseased calves in comparison with healthy animals. Six days post-treatment, a significant inhibition (P < 0.05) in the production of all assessed cytokines was observed in the blood of all treated calves. Interestingly, the serum concentrations of IL-1β and IL-12p40 were returned to the normal levels in pneumonic calves treated with the combination therapy of tulathromycin and flunixin meglumine. A strong significant positive correlation (P < 0.05) was detected between clinical sum scoring and IL-12p40 and TNF-α concentrations. The obtained results indicate the selectively potent anti-inflammatory effect of flunixin meglumine on the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines in pneumonic buffalo calves and highlight the efficacy of flunixin meglumine in the treatment of bronchopneumonia in buffalo calves when used in combination with tulathromycin.