Immunological basis of differences in disease resistance in the chicken

Genetic resistance to diseases is a multigenic trait governed mainly by the immune system and its interactions with many physiologic and environmental factors. In the adaptive immunity, T cell and B cell responses, the specific recognition of antigens and interactions between antigen presenting cells, T cells and B cells are crucial. It occurs through a network of mediator proteins such as the molecules of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC), T cell receptors, immunoglobulins and secreted proteins such as the cytokines and antibodies. The diversity of these proteins that mainly is due to an intrinsic polymorphism of the genes causes phenotypic variation in disease resistance. The well-known linkage of MHC polymorphism and Marek's disease resistance difference represents a classic model revealing immunological factors in resistance differences and diversity of mediator molecules. The molecular bases in any resistance variation to infectious pathogens are vaguely understood. This paper presents a review of the major immune mediators involved in resistance and susceptibility to infectious diseases and their functional mechanisms in the chicken. The genetic interaction of disease resistance with production traits and the environment is mentioned.     

Production of Biscuit from Chinese Sturgeon Fish Fillet Powder (Acipeneser sinensis): A Snack Food for Children

ABSTRACT

Malnutrition in children is a current global burden. A common snack for children is biscuits prepared from cereals. However, these types of biscuits have low protein content. Therefore, producing healthier biscuits enriched with essential amino acids (EAAs) and other micronutrients is of great interest to researchers and manufacturers. In this study, biscuits produced from low gluten wheat flour fortified with sturgeon fillet powder (SFP) in various mixing ratios (100:0, 95:5, 93:7, and 90:10, respectively) were investigated. The results revealed that the nutritional and proximate composition of biscuits were significantly (P ≤ 0.05) improved: moisture (6.77 ± 0.06–7.65 ± 0.06), protein (13.23 ± 0.35–17.12 ± 0.02), fat (15.57 ± 0.18–15.85 ± 0.25), ash (0.84 ± 0.07–0.92 ± 0.06), spread ratio (14.0 ± 0.92–14.33 ± 0.21), and hardness (2,057.90 ± 28.33–3,089.02 ± 51.53). Total amino acids were 6.91, 9.34, 10.32, and 10.58; and EAAs were 2.43, 3.97, 4.48, and 4.22 g/100 g for 0%, 5%, 7%, and 10% SFP, respectively. Leucine was the major amino acid with 5% and 10% SFP, while methionine was the major amino acid with 7% SFP. Fungal counts were not observed, and quality indices were below the maximum acceptable limits in the products. Biscuits supplemented with 7% SFP showed the highest sensory evaluation score. Overall, the inclusion of 7% SFP could produce protein enriched cereal-based fortified biscuits with acceptable sensory and quality attributes and ultimately could insure effective fish utilization and solve malnutrition problems.     

Quality Evaluation of Grass Carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) Protein Concentrate Supplemented Noodles

ABSTRACT

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the quality of wheat flour noodles supplemented with 0%, 10%, 20% and 30% grass carp protein concentrate (GCPC). Proximate composition, color analyses, cooking properties (cooking time, cooking loss, swelling index and water absorption index), texture profile analyses (TPA), and sensory evaluations were performed. Significant (p ≤ 0.05) increases in the crude protein (18.94–35.19%), crude fat (0.88–1.06%), and ash (0.89–1.02%) were recorded for GCPC supplemented cooked noodles. Brightness (L*), redness (a*) and yellowness (b*) of GCPC 10–30% fortified cooked noodles was recorded as 77.00–69.97, 1.50–2.81 and 19.08–22.25, respectively. Cooking loss (CL) and optimal cooking time were significantly (p ≤ 0.05) increased with increased level of GCPC from 0%-30%, with readings of 6.13% ?8.90% and 7.53–11.77 min, respectively. Swelling and water absorption indices showed a decreasing trend at 2.33–1.77 and 102.6–78.49%, respectively. A significant (p ≤ 0.05) decreasing trend in hardness (24.50–19.03N) was observed for cooked noodles with increased level of GCPC, while the remaining TPA parameters were significantly different at p> .05. Sensory analyses showed higher preference for control noodles and noodles fortified with 10% GCPC.     

Evaluating the long-term effects of tillage systems on soil structural quality using visual assessment and classical methods

Current agricultural practices and their impacts on the sustainability of crop production can be evaluated by simple and reliable soil structure assessment tools. The study was conducted to determine the effects of long-term (2006–2017) tillage systems on structural quality of a clayey soil using the visual evaluation of soil structure (VESS) and classical field and laboratory measurements. A field experiment with seven tillage systems, representing both traditional and conservation tillage methods, was conducted on a clayey soil in the Cukurova region, Turkey. Soil samples from 0–10, 10–20 and 20–25 cm depths were analysed for mean weight diameter (MWD), porosity and organic carbon. Penetration resistance (PR) was determined in each treatment plot. The VESS scores (<2) of upper 0–5 cm indicated a good structural quality for all tillage systems. The VESS scores were positively related to PR and MWD and negatively to macroporosity (MaP) and total porosity. In reduced and no-till systems, poorer soil structures were observed in subsurface layers where firm platy and angular blocky structures were defined. Mean VESS score (3.29) in 20–25 cm depth where PR was 3.01 MPa under no-till indicated a deterioration of soil structural quality; thus, immediate physical interventions would be needed. Lower VESS scores and PR values under strategic tillage which was created by ploughing half of no-till plots in November 2015 indicated successful correction of compaction caused by long-term no-till. The results suggest that the VESS approach is sensitive and useful in distinguishing compacted layers within the topsoil.     

Teff (Eragrostis tef) production constraints on Vertisols in Ethiopia: farmers' perceptions and evaluation of low soil zinc as yield-limiting factor

Thirty samples of grassland surface soil, which had a diverse management history and consequently displayed a wide range of soil properties, were studied to analyze the relationships between soil microbial activity and soil properties. The microbial measurements included the number of bacteria, number of Gram negative bacteria, number of fungi obtained by the plate method, TTC reducing activity and nitrifying activity. In the uppermost layers (at the 0 to 2 cm depth), Simple correlation analyses showed that bacterial numbers were positively correlated with soil pH and negatively correlated with Bray No. 2 P, total C, and grassland age. TTC reducing activity and nitrifying activity were also positively correlated with soil pH, while the fungal number was not significantly related to any soil properties. In the lower layer (at the 5 to 15 cm depth), all of the microbial measurements were negatively correlated with grassland age and were positively correlated with microbial substrate level. soil pH and exchangeable K were positively correlated with the microbial measurements except for the Gram negative bacteria, and significant correlations among almost all the microbial measurements were observed. These results suggest that soli pH accounted primarily for microbial activities in the uppermost layers. Also microbial substrate level, soil pH and probably amounts of exchangeable K, which inevitably decreased with grassland age, appeared to control the microbial activities in the lower soil layers.     

Does communal forest intervention management enhance forest benefits of smallholder farmers? Evidence from Hugumbirda forest,Tigray, Ethiopia

Forest rehabilitation activities within centrally controlled state-owned forests in Ethiopia could not deliver communities with increased income. A study aiming to assess the benefits of forests for smallholder farmers whose land falls close to the state forest was conducted in Hugumbirda and Endedo kebele, two villages located adjacent to the Hugumbirda forest. Semi-structured questionnaires were used to collect data from 251 randomly selected households living near or adjacent to the state forest. A logit model was used to analyze factors affecting household’s willingness to scale up forests at the communal level. Most of the respondents living near or adjacent to the national forest were found to be dependent on the forest for fuelwood and therefore energy, timber products, and farming equipment. Furthermore, households were found to perceive that communal intervention management is a significant factor in attempts to further scale up forests. Scale-up of forests at the community was one option to enhance the vegetation cover and therefore increase primary production by promoting infiltration and decrease evaporation and runoff water. Finally farmers have suggested the state forest should be devolved to the community to improve the current level of forest contributions to the livelihood of smallholder farmers.     

Resveratrol supplementation into extender protects against cryodamage in dog post-thaw sperm

Antioxidants have multiple protective roles in a variety of cells and thus can be used to protect sperm against cryo-damage during freezing, which affects fertility. The antioxidant resveratrol (3,5,4-trihydroxytrans-stilbene; RSV) has been reported to protect the animal sperm during cryopreservation, including human sperm. In this study, we assessed the protective effects of RSV supplementation on dog sperm cryopreservation. Semen was collected from four dogs and the effect of different concentrations of RSV (0, 100, 200, and 400 µM) on post-thaw sperm quality was examined. After thawing, sperm motility was assessed using computer-aided sperm analysis, and the structural integrity of the plasma membrane, acrosome, and chromatin was examined. In addition, their mitochondrial activity and gene expression were also assessed. Dog sperm cryopreserved with 200 µM RSV showed significant improvement in post-thaw sperm motility and viability compared with that of the control group (P<0.05). Moreover, RSV-supplemented samples showed significantly higher numbers of sperm with an intact plasma membrane, active mitochondria, and structural integrity of acrosomes and chromatin than that of control samples (P<0.05). Furthermore, gene expression showed that RSV supplemented samples showed lower expression of pro-apoptotic (BAX), reactive oxygen species (ROS) modulator oxidative stress-related (ROMO1) and 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase 1 (OGG1) whereas higher expression levels of anti‐apoptotic (BCL2), protamine-2 (PRM2), protamine-3 (PRM3) and sperm acrosome‐associated 3 (SPACA3) genes than control. Our results suggest that RSV, at its optimum concentration, can be efficiently used as an antioxidant in the cryopreservation of dog sperm.