Influence of low levels of dietary aflatoxins on Eimeria tenella infections in broilers

The present study was conducted to evaluate the adverse effects of an interaction between low levels of dietary aflatoxins (AF) and Eimeria tenella infection on broiler chicks. A set of 1-day-old chicks were raised for 35 days in the following groups: a control group, a group fed AF, a group fed AF and inoculated with E. tenella (AF + E.ten), and a group inoculated with E. tenella alone. AF in the contaminated diet were given at 200 ppb starting from the seventh day after hatching while E. tenella was inoculated at a dose of 5 × 10⁴ sporulated oocysts per chick at the 14th day after hatching. Worsened performance traits and high mortality were all observed in the treated birds, particularly the AF + E.ten group. Lesion scores and oocyst outputs were not different within groups. Chickens fed with AF had significantly increased serum ALT and ALP activities as well as decreased albumin content. They also showed hepatomegaly, hepatocytic vacuolation and necrosis, an atrophied bursa of Fabricius, and a thymus with tissue depletion. E. tenella-infected broilers displayed a significant reduction in packed cell volume, hemoglobin content and lymphocyte percentage, and showed hemorrhagic typhlitis. The deficits in hepatic function and hematologic parameters as well as the gross pathological, and histopathological changes, were more common and more severe in the group that was exposed to both aflatoxicosis and coccidiosis than in the groups exposed to either treatment alone. Thus, the combination of aflatoxicosis and E. tenella infection may influence the course of coccidial infection due to additive effects.     

Reforestation with native tree species using site preparation techniques for the restoration of woodlands degraded by air pollution in the Erzgebirge,Germany

Reforestation of woodlands with native species in the Erzgebirge, where large-scale deforestation has been caused by severe air pollution, was investigated. In an experiment, three tree species (Norway spruce, rowanberry, and birch) were studied with regard to fencing (no protection versus protection against game browsing) and site preparation techniques with eight levels: a control and seven amelioration techniques (soil cultivation, weed control, liming, and their combinations). Four criteria, survival, growth, production, and vitality, were used in assessing the success of the plantings. Repeated-measures analyses were performed to examine the development of the young plantations over an observation period of 7 years, and to determine whether this development was dependent on the experimental factors. Spruce showed high survival rates, reasonable growth and production, and good individual vitality. With the exception of survival, birch responded similarly to spruce. The low survival rate of birch resulted from the initial small size of the seedlings. By providing appropriate seedling material, both species could be used for reforestation. Seedlings of rowanberry were unsuccessful due to severe mouse damage, confirming the necessity of rodent control when planting cleared areas with this species is undertaken. Game browsing was not significant. None of the amelioration techniques had a major effect on the studied criteria of the three tree species. Slightly positive effects occurred only when spruce was limed and when birch received soil cultivation. Weed control by scything showed undesirable results, particularly for birch. For reasons of financial thriftiness, none of the amelioration techniques could be justified for the study area.     

Comparative effectiveness of Sumaq and Neem extract cream,Eniloconazole and glycerine iodine on dermatophytosis in Arabian horses: a randomized clinical trial

Dermatophytosis is a contagious fungal disease among animal communities. The major concerns of dermatophytosis are cost of treatment, difficulty of control, and the public health consequences. The objective of the present study was to compare the clinical efficacy of Sumaq and Neem extract cream with that of traditional treatments, eniloconazole and glycerine iodine, on dermatophytosis in Arabian horses. For this purpose, 37 Arabian horses with dermatophytosis had been used. Fungal isolation and identification for each horse were carried out by standard microbiological procedures. Sumaq (Rhus coriaria Linn.) and Neem (Azadirachta indica) seed extracts were selected based on in vitro effectiveness. Horses were randomly allocated into four groups. The first group (n?=?8) was treated with glycerine iodine 10% daily for 7 days. The second group (n?=?10) was treated using eniloconazole 10% emulsified concentrate four times with 2 days interval. The third group (n?=?11) was treated with Neem seeds extract (20% cream) daily for 10 days, and the fourth group (n?=?8) was treated with Sumaq extract (5% cream) daily for 10 days. Clinical and mycological evaluations were assessed at 0, 7, 14, 21, and 28 days post-treatment. The Sumaq and eniloconazole were more effective on clinical index score after 7 days of treatment followed by Neem seed 20% cream. At 28 days post-treatment, a complete healing was obtained by Sumaq 5% cream and eniloconazole (median clinical sum score?=?zero) followed by Neem (median clinical sum score?=?1.5). Moreover, Dermatophytes spp. was isolated only from two horses, one from Neem group and the other from glycerin iodine group. The present results indicate that Sumaq 5% and Neem seed extract are effective alternative treatment for dermatophytosis in Arabian horses.

     

Host cholesterol synthesis contributes to growth of intracellular Toxoplasma gondii in macrophages

The intracellular protozoan Toxoplasma gondii lacks the ability to synthesize sterol and scavenges cholesterol from the low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) pathway of its host to facilitate replication. Sterol biosynthesis inhibitors, however, have a demonstrated anti-Toxoplasma effect. In this study, we examined the host mevalonate pathway as a novel source of cholesterol for T. gondii and its effects on parasite growth in macrophages. Parasite growth did not significantly change in the absence of LDLR or when LDL was exogenously supplemented. Lovastatin and compactin, both inhibitors of hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA (HMG-CoA) reductase in the mevalonate pathway, significantly inhibited T. gondii growth in both wild-type and LDLR-knockout macrophages. Parasite growth was also suppressed by squalestatin, an inhibitor of squalene synthase, despite mevalonate producing isoprenoid intermediates in host cells. The present study demonstrates that lovastatin, compactin and squalestatin have anti-Toxoplasma activities and that the host cholesterol synthesis may contribute to parasite growth in macrophages.     

Beetle-specific Bacillus thuringiensis Cry3Aa toxin reduces larval growth and curbs reproduction in Spodoptera littoralis (Boisd.)

Application of Bacillus thuringiensis tenebrionis (Bt) and expression of the Bt protein Cry3Aa in genetically modified crops are used for targeted control of the Colorado potato beetle Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Say). The Cry3A proteins are selectively toxic for the beetles but the present study describes effects of Cry3Aa on the Egyptian armyworm, Spodoptera littoralis (Boisduval). Cry3Aa expressed in potatoes or added to an agar-base wheat-germ diet reduced the growth of S. littoralis caterpillars and the fertility of adults. The effect of 1.4 mg kg(-1) Cry3Aa in potato leaves was comparable with that of 3.3 mg kg(-1) in the diet. This difference in activity was correlated with better digestibility and higher conversion efficiency of the diet that also supported higher reproduction rate: S. littoralis grown on the potatoes reached a similar size to those on the diet but laid only 702 instead of 1077 eggs per female. Cry3Aa consumption reduced body growth as a consequence of lower food intake without significantly affecting food digestibility and the conversion efficiency of nutrients. The 11% and 5% body weight reductions caused by 1.4 mg kg(-1) Cry3Aa in potatoes and 3.3 mg kg(-1) in the diet, respectively, were associated with 74% and 65% reduction in the number of progeny; S littoralis grown on a diet with 9.1 mg kg(-1) Cry3Aa were 10% smaller and produced no viable progeny. These data suggest that the curtailment of reproduction was not caused by a general shortage of nutrient reserves but by a more direct Cry3Aa effect on the reproduction process.     

Antibacterial effect of carbon nanofibers containing Ag nanoparticles

Silver nanoparticles imbedded in polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofibers and converted into carbon nanofibers by calcination was obtained in a simple three-step process. The first step involves conversion of silver ions to metallic silver nanoparticles, through reduction of silver nitrate with dilute solution of PAN. The second step involves electrospinning of viscous PAN solution containing silver nanoparticles, thus obtaining PAN nanofibers containing silver nanoparticles. The third step was converting PAN/Ag composites into carbon nanofibers containing silver nanoparticles. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed that the diameter of the nanofibers ranged between 200 and 800 nm. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) showed silver nanoparticles dispersed on the surface of the carbon nanofibers. The obtained fiber was fully characterized by measuring and comparing the FTIR spectra and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) diagrams of PAN nanofiber with and without imbedded silver nanoparticles, in order to show the effect of silver nanoparticles on the electrospun fiber properties. The obtained carbon/Ag composites were tested as gram-class-independent antibacterial agent. The electrosorption of different salt solutions with the fabricated carbon/Ag composite film electrodes was studied.     

Morphological and physiological responses to drought stress of European provenances of Scots pine

Increased frequency and intensity of drought episodes as a consequence of current and predicted climatic changes require an understanding of the intra-specific variability in structural and physiological characteristics of forest trees. Adaptive plasticity and genotypic variability are considered two of the main processes by which trees can either be selected or can acclimate to changing conditions. We tested for the relative importance of genotypic variability, phenotypic plasticity and their interaction by comparing the growth and physiological performance of 15 provenances of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.), under two contrasting irrigation regimes. Selected provenances representing the distribution range of the species in Anatolia, Turkey, were contrasted with seed sources spanning the range from Spain to the UK, in Europe. We found a strong latitudinal differentiation among the 15 provenances for survival after drought, largely the result of the higher mortality of some western and central European provenances. Differentiation in diameter and height growth was also clear with the worst provenance coming from Western Europe (UK). Among the Turkish provenances, the more extreme southern high-elevation populations showed greater survival and lower growth rates overall. Differences in growth and survival were related to differences in photosynthetic pigment and nutrient contents and in the photosynthetic efficiency of photosystem II. Plasticity was strongest for growth characters and pigment contents.     

Effects of dietary supplementation of Astragalus membranaceus,Codonopsis pilosula,and Glycyrrhiza uralensis extract mixture on growth performance,haematological parameters and hepatopancreatic performance in juvenile Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei)

Pacific white shrimp is the major farmed shrimp species in the world. It is known to be very sensitive to the environmental and management changes such as intensification, which is one of the primary necessities to increase shrimp production, but represents a stressful condition, and needs to be managed properly to diminish its negative effects in aquaculture. In this study, juvenile Pacific white shrimp were fed diets supplementing with equal quantities of Astragalus membranaceus, Codonopsis pilosula and Glycyrrhiza uralensis extracts in different concentrations (0, 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0 g/kg) for 8 weeks. We subsequently estimated the effects of supplemented diets on growth performance, haematological parameters, and histological changes of hepatopancreas. Results revealed that the supplemented mixture had no benefits on growth and survival rate, but had favourable effects on haemocyte count, number of granulocytes, and hemocyanin concentration in the haemolymph (p > 0.05). We observed that R cells and B cells were increased in hepatopancreatic tubules of shrimps fed on supplemented diets. Besides, a diet containing 2.0 g/kg of extract mixture maintained the decreased levels of alanine aminotransferase (p < 0.05) and aspartate aminotransferase (p > 0.05). Among the used concentrations, 2.0 g/kg seemed to be the most suitable concentration.