Antimicrobial activity of Toona ciliata and Amoora rohituka

The extracts of two Bangladeshi medicinal plants, Toona ciliata (stem bark) and Amoora rohituka (stem bark), along with siderin, a major coumarin from T. ciliata, exhibited significant in vitro antibacterial activity. The extracts also demonstrated mild antifungal effect.     

Antifungal and antitermitic activities of wood vinegar from oil palm trunk

We evaluated the antifungal and antitermite activities of wood vinegars produced from oil palm trunk. The wood vinegars were produced at three different pyrolysis temperatures, 350, 400, and 450 °C. Antifungal activities of vinegars were evaluated using a Petri dish bioassay with 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5% (v/v) against a white-rot fungus, Trametes versicolor, and a brown-rot fungus, Fomitopsis palustris. Antitermite activities were tested using a no-choice bioassay method for Coptotermes formosanus with 2.5, 5.0, 7.5, and 10.0% (v/v). All the wood vinegars exhibited antifungal activities against T. versicolor. In particular, the wood vinegar produced at 350 °C resulted in complete inhibition of T. versicolor growth at 1.0 and 1.5%. However, higher concentrations were required to obtain growth inhibition of F. palustris. All the wood vinegars exhibited antitermite activity to C. formosanus workers in the no-choice experiment at relatively high concentrations. For instance, 10% concentration was required to achieve 100% mortality against C. formosanus at all production temperatures. The lowest mass loss of the treated filter paper of 11.75% was obtained with a 350 °C—10.0% combination.     

Antibacterial activity of Parmelia kamstchandalis

The ethanol extract of P. kamstchandalis as well as ethyl haematommate, ethyl-2,4-dihydroxy-6-methylbenzoate and methyl-β-orsellinate isolated from it exhibited varying degrees of antibacterial activity.     

First detection of feline bocaparvovirus 2 and feline chaphamaparvovirus in healthy cats in Turkey

Veterinary Research Communications - The pet cat’s population and the number of viruses that infect them are increasing worldwide. Recently, feline chaphamaparvovirus (FeChPV, also called...     

Digital image analysis to estimate the live weight of broiler

Computer assisted digital image analysis was performed to investigate the possibility of estimating body weight of live broiler. To achieve the stated objective, 100 Arbor acres broiler chicks were reared under standard rearing condition and 1200 digital images were captured from 20 randomly selected broilers during the 7-42 days growing period. The captured images were analyzed by raster image analysis software (IDRISI 32) to determine the broiler body surface area and developed a linear equation to estimate weights of the broiler from its body surface-area pixels. The developed weight predicted equation based on surface-area pixels was log W = 1.060406(log P) + 0.173756(log A) − 2.029268 (W = estimated body weight, P = surface-area pixels and A = age at weighing) and the degree of goodness of fit of this equation was 0.999. The relative error in weight estimation of broiler chicken by image analysis, expressed in terms of percent error of the residuals from surface-area pixels was in between 0.04 and 16.47. On the other hand, the estimated body weights were not significantly (p > 0.05) difference from manually measured body weights up to 35 days of age. Thus, the development of a practical imaging system for weighing live broiler is feasible.     

Constituents and cytotoxicity of Zanthoxylum rhesta stem bark

3,5-Dimethoxy-4-geranyloxycinnamyl alcohol (1), 8-methoxy-N-methylflindersine (2), xanthyletin and sesamin have been isolated from petroleum ether extract of the stem bark of Zanthoxylum rhesta. The petroleum ether extract and 8-methoxy-N-methylflindersine showed cytotoxicity on brine shrimp nauplii.     

A survey of animal bites on humans in Bursa,Turkey

Animal bites are a major public health problem. The aim of this study was to conduct a survey of animal bites in Bursa, Turkey. Patients who sought medical care for animal bites over an 18-month period were included in our study (n = 1,715). Data were obtained from the registry of the Bursa State Hospital; 71.84% of the patients were men and 28.16% were women. Bites were most frequent among patients who were >18 years of age (comprising 60.83% of all bites). The anatomical site of the bite was recorded in all 1,715 cases, and 1,778 bite locations on the body were reported. The upper extremities were the most frequent sites of animal bites (53.83%), followed by the lower extremities (38.03%). Bites were most frequently inflicted by dogs (68.04%), followed by cats (28.45%), mice (2.56%), and other animals (hamsters, donkeys, horses, foxes, and rabbits together comprised 0.95% of the bites). As a result, bite incidents were mostly associated with males aged >18 years and occurred in the upper extremities. This study showed that dog bites constitute a major animal bite problem in Bursa, Turkey.     

High prevalence of antibiotic resistance in pathogenic Escherichia coli from large- and small-scale poultry farms in Bangladesh

Antibiotic resistance in avian bacterial pathogens is a common problem in the Bangladesh poultry industry. The aim of the present study was to provide information on the present status of antibiotic resistance patterns in avian pathogenic Escherichia coli in Bangladesh. Of 279 dead or sick poultry of different ages, 101 pathogenic E coli strains isolated from broilers and layer hens with colibacillosis infections were screened to determine phenotypic expression of antimicrobial resistance against 13 antibiotics used in both veterinary and human medicine in Bangladesh. Of 101 pathogenic E. coli isolates, more than 55% were resistant to at least one or more of the tested compounds, and 36.6% of the isolates showed multiple-drug-resistant phenotypes. The most common resistances observed were against tetracycline (45.5%), trimethoprim-sulphamethoxazole (26.7%), nalidixic acid (25.7%), ampicillin (25.7%), and streptomycin (20.8%). Resistance to ciprofloxacin (12.9%), chlormaphenicol (8.9%), nitrofurantoin (2%), and gentamicin (2%) was also observed, and none of the isolates were resistant to tigecycline as well as extended spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) producers. One isolate was resistant to cefuroxime (1%), cefadroxil (1%), and mecillinam (1%) but was not an ESBL producer. Resistance rates, although significant in Bangladeshi isolates, were found to be lower than those reported for avian isolates from the Republic of Korea and clinical, avian, and environmental isolates from Bangladesh. The high level of antibiotic resistance in avian pathogens from Bangladesh is worrisome and indicates that widespread use of antibiotics as feed additives for growth promotion and disease prevention could have negative implications for human and animal health and the environment.     

Forecasting monthly catfish (Ictalurus punctatus.) pond bank and feed prices

Volatility in catfish pond bank and feed prices lead to profit uncertainty in the catfish industry. Analysis of the factors that affect those prices and development of a forecasting model would provide guidance to catfish farm managers. Error-correction models (ECM) based on cointegrating relationships among variables were specified following development of a single-equation ARIMAX model. Factors identified as those that influence catfish price were: lagged value of catfish, feed and substitute product prices, while those that influenced feed price were: lagged value of feed, corn and soybean prices. ECM estimates implied that fish price adjusts approximately 6% and feed price 22% to the long-run equilibrium in 1?month. The analysis showed that it takes less than 17?months and 5?months to correct for long-run disequilibrium for catfish and feed prices, respectively. The ARIMAX model demonstrated a better fit for both in-sample and out-of-sample forecasting for catfish price and had better out-of-sample predictive ability for feed prices.     

Population ecology parameters and biomass of golden grey mullet (Liza aurata) in Iranian waters of the Caspian Sea

This paper examines the changes in the population ecology parameters and biomass of golden grey mullet (Liza aurata) in Iranian waters of the Caspian Sea from 1991 to 2005. For most years during this 14-year period, we estimated the age structure of the catch, length–weight relationship, von Bertalanffy growth parameters, condition factor, natural and fishing mortality and biomass. Growth parameters were estimated as L_∞ = 62.7 cm, K = 0.15 year⁻¹, t₀ = −0.23 year⁻¹. The instantaneous coefficient of natural mortality was estimated as 0.350 year⁻¹ and the instantaneous coefficient of fishing mortality varied during the 14-year period between 0.111 to 0.539 year⁻¹. Biomass estimates of golden grey mullet, from the biomass-based cohort analysis were increased from 13,527 mt in 1991–1992 to 23,992 mt in 2002–2003. In 2004–2005, it was estimated to be 23,658 mt. We concluded that at the present time, the stock of golden grey mullet is not being over-fished.