Effect of low level of dietary aflatoxins on baladi rabbits

Aflatoxins B1, B2, G1 & G2 were administered in a low concentration (100 ppb of each aflatoxin (AN] in a mash offered to Baladi rabbits. An other group of rabbits were fed on the same contaminated mash in addition to 0.25% charcoal (CC). The two groups were compared to control animals fed on AN-free mash. Inclusion of AN in the diet decreased feed and water consumption, body weight and survival rate. Charcoal improved somewhat feed and water consumption and growth rate than AN-group. However, CC-group affected digestibility of organic matter more than AN-group. Relative weights of liver, kidneys, heart and adrenal glands were significantly higher in AN and CC groups than the control group. Blood haemoglobin content, packed cell volume percentage and sedimentation rate were lower in AN group. Although there were an increase in each of serum, calcium, inorganic phosphorus, cholesterol, phospholipids and glutamic-pyruvic transaminase in AN group, yet the serum nitrogen and glutamic-oxalacetic transaminase were reduced. Charcoal had alleviated AN-effects concerning N, GPT and phospholipids. Chemical analysis revealed elevation of water, ash and silica contents of liver and water content of muscles from AN-animals. On the other hand, fat content, GOT and vitamin A in the liver as well as muscles ash were reduced. Addition of CC to the diet reduced AN-effects on liver fat, ash and silica but resulted in a rise of the water content of liver and muscles and liver GPT activity. Charcoal also resulted in a sharp decrease in vitamin A content of the liver. Aflatoxin treatments (in AN and CC groups) reduced bone ash, silica and magnesium as well as bone volume. Charcoal administration increased Ca-content of bones. Aflatoxin feeding (in AN group) resulted in a high residual percentage of AN in muscles, serum, liver, heart and kidneys with relationships of 51 :24 : 3 :2 : 1, respectively. Only 1.42% of the fed AN was excreted in the faeces. Charcoal usage had a good effect as it prevented AN to accumulate in the organs. Aflatoxin contaminated diets (in AN and CC groups) resulted in paralysis, disorder of fat deposition, discolouration and haemorrhages of some organs. Scanning electron microscopic examination revealed no ill effect on the surface structure of the small intestine due to either AN or AN + CC. Pathological examination showed that the main affected organs were liver, heart and spleen, respectively. The changes include hepatic round cell infiltration, irregularities of lobular plats, focal necrosis and periportal fibrosis.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

A cluster of metabolic defects caused by mutation in a mitochondrial tRNA

Hypertension and dyslipidemia are risk factors for atherosclerosis and occur together more often than expected by chance. Although this clustering suggests shared causation, unifying factors remain unknown. We describe a large kindred with a syndrome including hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and hypomagnesemia. Each phenotype is transmitted on the maternal lineage with a pattern indicating mitochondrial inheritance. Analysis of the mitochondrial genome of the maternal lineage identified a homoplasmic mutation substituting cytidine for uridine immediately 5' to the mitochondrial transfer RNA(Ile) anticodon. Uridine at this position is nearly invariate among transfer RNAs because of its role in stabilizing the anticodon loop. Given the known loss of mitochondrial function with aging, these findings may have implications for the common clustering of these metabolic disorders.     

Pharmacokinetics of levamisole after intramuscular and oral administrations to Caspian salmon (Salmo trutta caspius)

The pharmacokinetic parameters of levamisole were determined in the Caspian salmon after intramuscular (IM), oral by gavage, and oral by feed administrations. Eighty-one healthy fish in three different groups received levamisole at the dose of 25 mg/fish by each route. Blood samples were collected at time points of 0, 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 6, 12, 14, and 24 hr after administrations. Plasma levamisole concentrations were measured by a validated high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) assay and were analyzed using a noncompartmental approach. The mean terminal half-life was 4.56, 3.95, and 2.91 hr for IM, gavage and feed routes, respectively. The peak plasma concentration for IM, gavage, and feed routes of levamisole were 35.53, 4.63, and 8.36 µg/ml, respectively, at the time of 0.25 for IM, and 1 hr for gavage and feed. The relative bioavailability for gavage and feed routes was 54.80 and 69.30. The similar bioavailability for gavage and feed might be indicative of similar efficacy for these routes of administrations. Further studies are warranted to evaluate the absolute oral bioavailability and the effective dose in Caspian salmon.     

Estimation of additive and non-additive genetic variance component for growth traits in Adani goats

Tropical Animal Health and Production - Non-additive genetic effects are important to increase the accuracy of estimating genetic parameters for growth traits. The aim of this study was to estimate...     

Genetic structure of Iranian indigenous sheep breeds: insights for conservation

Tropical Animal Health and Production - Genetic structure and genetic diversity levels of indigenous Iranian sheep breeds are not clear, despite the interest this region has in itself as an...     

灌溉模式与种植方式对河西地区青贮玉米生长、产量和经济效益的影响

为探究灌溉模式与种植方式对青贮玉米（Zea mays L.）生长、产量和经济效益的影响,本研究在河西地区设置3个种植方式（S：青贮玉米单播;SM：青贮玉米与秣食豆（Glycine max L.Merr）混播;SL：青贮玉米与拉巴豆（Lablab purpureus L.Sweet）混播）和6种灌溉模式（W1：6叶期灌溉;W2：6叶期和12叶期灌溉;W3：6叶期和散粉期灌溉;W4：6叶期、12叶期和散粉期灌溉;W5：6叶期、散粉期和灌浆期灌溉;W6：6叶期、12叶期、散粉期和灌浆期灌溉）进行田间试验。结果表明：SM、SL和S种植下玉米的株高、茎粗和相叶绿素含量差异不显著,但SM和SL较S显著提高了叶面积指数;SM和SL的鲜干草产量和净收益显著高于S;在灌浆期和收获期,W5和W6的株高、茎粗、相对叶绿素含量和叶面积指数显著高于W1;W5、W6的鲜干草产量和净收益显著高于W1,W2和W3。所有处理中,SM-W5获得了最高的干草产量和净收益,是河西地区青贮玉米适宜的栽培模式。     

The adrenergic receptor antagonists propranolol and carvedilol decrease bone sarcoma cell viability and sustained carvedilol reduces clonogenic survival and increases radiosensitivity in canine osteosarcoma cells

Adrenergic receptor (AR) expression has been demonstrated at several sites of primary and metastatic tumour growth and may influence proliferation, survival, metastasis and angiogenesis. AR antagonists like propranolol and carvedilol inhibit proliferation, induce apoptosis and synergize with chemotherapy agents in some cancers. Radiation resistance is mediated in many cells by upregulation of pro‐survival pathways, which may be influenced by ARs. Studies evaluating AR antagonists combined with radiation are limited. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of propranolol and carvedilol on viability and radiosensitivity in sarcoma cell lines. The hypothesis was that propranolol and carvedilol would increase radiosensitivity in four primary bone sarcoma cell lines. Single agent propranolol or carvedilol inhibited cell viability in all cell lines in a concentration‐dependent manner. The mean inhibitory concentrations (IC₅₀) for carvedilol were approximately 4‐fold lower than propranolol and may be clinically relevant in vivo. Immunoblot analysis confirmed AR expression in both human and canine sarcoma cell lines; however, there was no correlation between baseline AR protein expression and radiosensitivity. Short duration treatment with carvedilol and propranolol did not significantly affect clonogenic survival. Prolonged exposure to propranolol and carvedilol significantly decreased the surviving fraction of canine osteosarcoma cells after 3Gy radiation. Based on our results and possible in vivo activity in dogs, further studies investigating the effects of carvedilol on sarcoma are warranted.     

Phenolic Compounds,Antioxidant Activity,Fatty Acids and Volatile Profiles of 18 Different Walnut (Juglans regia L.) Cultivars and Genotypes

The study was carried out to determine phenolic compounds, antioxidant activity, total lipids, saturated fatty acids, unsaturated fatty acids, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) of 18 different walnut (Juglans regia L.) cultivars and genotypes grown in Usak province, Turkey. The biochemical compounds were identified for each cultivar and genotype and a comparative evaluation was carried out. The results showed that most of the biochemical compounds are significantly varying among each other (p?<?0.05). The existence and abundance of the biochemical compounds in the cultivars and genotypes have not only found to be a cause of differentiation, but they have been important parameters for the similarities among the cultivars and genotypes. Total phenolic content and antioxidant activity ranged from 750.67 to 1245.64?mg GAE ml^?1 and from 42.46 to 56.50% in kernels, respectively. The highest contents of the phenolic compounds were noted from gallic acid (11991?mg kg^?1), ellagic acid (1057.16?mg kg^?1), catechin (425.4?mg kg^?1), and rutin (216.6?mg kg^?1), as an average of all cultivars and genotypes. The highest lipid contents were noted from ‘Franquette’ and ‘Fernette’ as 64.28% and 63.26%, respectively, while the lowest content was noted from ‘Oguzlar 77’ (52.52%). A total of 42 VOCs were described from the 18 different walnut cultivars and genotypes. Overall, results showed that the phenolic profiles, fatty acids composition, and VOCs play an important role in similarities and diversities among the cultivars. According to the results, 7 different clusters were developed from the 18 cultivars and genotypes. Herein, ‘Fernor’, ‘Maras 18’, ‘Arslan Local Type’ and ‘Cisco’ cultivars were found to have the lowest biochemical compositions. The superior cultivars or genotypes, in terms of the abundance of the biochemical composition, were found to be ‘Gulizar Hanim Type’, ‘Lara’, ‘Pedro’, ‘Tulane’, ‘Fernette’, ‘Balkan’ and ‘Franquetta’, where they were found to develop 3 clusters by 1:3:3, respectively.

     

解淀粉芽胞杆菌ZF57微粉剂的研制及对黄瓜棒孢叶斑病的防治效果

 采用单因素试验和响应面分析等方法优化解淀粉芽胞杆菌ZF57的发酵工艺。得到解淀粉芽胞杆菌ZF57发酵的最优条件为山梨醇10 g·L^-1、棉籽饼粉17 g·L^-1、NaH₂PO₄ 0.5 g·L^-1、Na₂HPO₄ 0.4 g·L^-1,初始pH 7.0、装液量80 mL/250mL三角瓶、接种量2.1%、培养温度30℃、转速180 r·min^-1、发酵时间32 h,此时含菌量达到3.8×10⁸ CFU·mL^-1,较优化前提高了80%。明确了解淀粉芽胞杆菌微粉剂的最佳配方为解淀粉芽胞杆菌母粉50%,白炭黑10%,分散剂木质素磺酸钠1%,表面活性剂十二烷基硫酸钠4%,保护剂羧甲基纤维素钠1%,硅藻土补足至100%。该制剂含菌量为3.26×10⁹ CFU·mL^-1,平均粒径8.31 μm,分散指数98.16%,浮游性指数85.37,含水率1.42%,坡度角68°,各项检测结果均符合标准。解淀粉芽胞杆菌ZF57微粉剂对黄瓜棒孢叶斑病的田间防治效果高达97.12%。