Antimicrobial ability and growth promoting effects of feed supplemented with probiotic bacterium isolated from gut microflora of Cirrhinus mrigala

The present studies were conducted to isolate, select, identify and characterize gut bacteria as antimicrobial and growth promoting agent for the feed of economically important fish Cirrhinus mrigala. Intestinal microflora were isolated, counted, and identified, and their in vitro antibacterial properties were determined. The results have revealed that occurrence of Gram-negative rods was around 75% and of Gram-positive rods was 25%. Among the isolates Gram-positive were maintained in nutrient agar slants at 4°C. Of these, eight strains were replica-plated on agar seeded with Aeromonas hydrophila and only one strain CM2(C. mrigala 2) exhibited antibacterial properties in vitro showing inhibition against fish pathogen by well diffusion assay. This isolated strain was identified as Bacillus cereus. This bacterium was mass cultured and incorporated in the pelleted diet(40% protein and 18 k J g–1 gross energy) of C. mrigala to investigate its effect on growth performance, digestibility, nutrient retention and activities of digestive enzymes. The results of feeding trial revealed significantly(P<0.05) high growth performance in terms of specific growth rate, growth percent gain in body weight(BD)(272.4±1.5)%, high apparent protein digestibility((79.9±0.30)%) and low food conversion ratio in the group of fishes fed on diet containing B. cereus in comparison to the fishes fed on diet without probiotics. The carcass composition also revealed high accumulation of proteins((15.28±0.15) g 100 g–1) in fishes fed on diet containing probiotics. Intestinal enzyme activities of protease, amylase and cellulase were also significantly(P<0.05) high in the group of fishes fed on diet supplemented with probiotics indicating the extracellular enzyme production by B. cereus. These results indicate that probiotics stimulate the digestion through the supply of digestive enzyme and certain essential nutrients to animals. Also significantly(P<0.05) low excretion of metabolites, i.e., ammonia excretion and phosphate production(mg kg–1 BW d–1) was observed in the fishes fed with probiotic based diets. Thus, B. cereus appears to be a promising candidate for ptobiotic applications which can enhance growth performance and nutrient retention in C. mrigala.     

Ultrastructure of the testis of Pekin ducks fed methyl mercury chloride: seminiferous epithelium

Testicular cells of Pekin ducks (Anas platyrhynchos) fed with 0 (control), 0.5 (group 1), 5 (group 2), or 15 (group 3) mg of methyl mercury chloride (CH3HgCl)/kg of basal feed for 12 weeks were examined by electron microscope. Sertoli's cells from ducks in group 2 had dilated smooth endoplasm reticulum, increased lysosomes, and large vacuoles, some with lipid droplets. Degenerative changes were more advanced in group 3 ducks. There were increases in lysosomes, myelinoid figures, vacuolations, cytoplasmic and nuclear debris, cristolyses of mitochondria, and distended Golgi's complexes, and a reduction in smooth endoplasm reticulum and microtubules when compared with those of the controls. Spermatogonia were resistant to CH3HgCl exposure, except in 2 ducks from group 3 which had cells that showed electron-lucent cytoplasm, abnormal mitochondria, and membrane-bound vacuoles. In primary spermatocytes, degenerative changes were evident in ducks fed the larger dose levels. In nuclei, synaptonemal complexes showed unpaired elements. In cytoplasm, cellular debris and vacuoles predominated. There was an increase in synchronized meiosis and apparent incomplete cell division. In ducks from group 3, the cellular damage was more severe and was present throughout the germinal epithelium. Spermatids differentiation was affected variably in groups 2 and 3. Severity of damage increased with the increased dosage of mercury. Where there was spermiogenic activity, the electron-dense acrosome granules, manchette, and midpiece were rarely found. Since the seminiferous tubules from 2 ducks in group 3 had severe destruction of spermatocytes and spermatids, the spermiogenic activity was negligible. Ingestion of CH3HgCl caused toxic injury to seminiferous tubules in groups 2 and 3 ducks. The degree of damage was related to the dietary amount of mercury.     

Intracellular pool of unhydroxylated polypeptide precursors of collagen

The hydroxyproline and hydroxylysine in collagen are synthesized by an apparently unique pathway in which proline and lysine are hydroxylated after they are incorporated into a large polypeptide precursor of collagen called protocollagen. When the hydroxylation of protocollagen in isolated tissues is intermittently interrupted, hydroxylation can occur after complete polypeptides are released from ribosomal complexes. Cartilage from chick embryos was incubated with the iron chelator alpha,alpha'-dipyridyl for 2 hours to inhibit protocollagen hydroxylase, and then the inhibition was reversed by transferring the tissues to medium containing ferrous iron and no alpha,alpha'-dipyridyl. "Pulse labeling" of the tissues during these two periods indicated that both the accumulated protocollagen and the polypeptides synthesized after reversal of the inhibition were hydroxylated at the same rate. Even when no measures are taken to inhibit the hydroxylation of protocollagen, most of the hydroxyproline in collagen is probably synthesized after complete protocollagen polypeptides are released from ribosomes.     

Effect of ageing on quality of jojoba oil from Indian locations

Jojoba oil is a source of specialty chemicals and its uses for industrial application are gaining in adaptability and importance. For prolong use of jojoba oil, the details of its storage behaviour are required. This information is scarce for the products obtained from Indian locations. In this study, the ageing effect on the quality of oils was studied for oils from five locations of Rajasthan (India). The oils were extracted/expelled from the seeds that contained 2.5–3.9 wt.% moisture and 42–50 wt.% oil.Physico-chemical properties were determined by standard analytical test methods. Effect of storage time on quality of solvent extracted oil samples with respect to acid value, iodine value, saponification value and peroxide value were determined. The samples were stored for 18 months in the laboratory under climatic condition prevailing in Dehradun (India) during study period. The analysis of samples was done at an interval of 3 months. The properties of jojoba oils compare well with the International Jojoba Expert Council (IJEC) specifications. During storage, acid values, iodine values and peroxide values of the oil increase with time while saponification values remain almost unchanged.     

Age related changes and osteochondrosis in swine articular and epiphyseal cartilage: light ane electron microscopy.

Age related changes and osteochondrosis in swine were studied using light microscopy and electron microscopy in articular cartilage and light microscopy and epiphyseal cartilage of swine from three days to 30 weeks of age. Thickness, cellularity and vascularity of both the epiphyseal and articular cartilage, decreased as the swine aged. Osteochondrotic changes included formation of "plugs" of cartilage indicating localized failure of ossification and separation and space formation in epiphyseal cartilage. Eosinophilic streaks and space formation in epiphyseal cartilage was observed in relation to epiphyseal separation. Electron microscopy showed a continuous fibrillar layer on the surface of the cartilage corresponding to the lamina splendens of light microscopy. This layer increased in the thickness and showed accumulation of amorphous material between the fibrils with aging. In the matrix, the orientation and distribution of the collagen fibers changed with growth and thicker fibers with clear sub banding were more common in older age groups. Also, necrotic cells, glycogen containing bodies and cellular debris were noticed in the matrix of normal cartilage in old animals. Chondrocytes in the younger cartilage showed accumulation of organelles responsible for protein synthesis; while Golgi bodies, vesicles, lysosomes, well developed foot processes and other inclusions were noticed in older cartilage. Cartilage erosions had a clumped and disrupted lamina splendens on the surface and electron lucent patches in the ground substances of the matrix and chondrocyte cytoplasm.     

Evaluation of raw and hydrothermically processed leguminous seeds as supplementary feed for the growth of two Indian major carp species

To study the effect of four different raw and hydrothermically processed leguminous seeds, namely Glycine max (soybean), Vigna radiata (moong), Vigna ungiculata (cowpea) and Cyamopsis tetragonaloba (guar) on growth in the fingerlings of Cirrhinus mrigala (mrigal) and Labeo rohita (rohu), two experiments were conducted. The first experiment was conducted under laboratory conditions (LD 12:12 at 25 °C) and the mrigal fingerlings were fed @2% BW d^?1 for 30 days. Before using the seeds as feeds, they were hydrothermically processed (15 lbs at 121 °C for 15 min) for the elimination of antinutrient factors (ANF). The results indicate that 15 minute autoclaving significantly reduces the trypsin inhibitor activity. Phytase‐phosphorous and tannins were also analysed from raw and treated beans. Studies on mrigal have revealed that weight gain was significantly low (P < 0.05) in the fish fed on raw beans compared with the fingerlings fed on processed bean proteins. Among the various raw diets used, significantly highest growth (P < 0.05) was observed in fish fingerlings fed on raw moong, followed by raw soybean, cowpea and guar. On the other hand, when beans were processed, the highest growth was observed in fingerlings fed on processed soybean. Studies have further revealed that hydrothermal processing also affected the values of the feed conversion ratio, gross conversion efficiency, protein efficiency ratio, gross protein retention, gross energy retention and ammonia excretion. Proximate composition of the carcass revealed high accumulation of protein, fat and energy in fingerlings fed on processed soybean in comparison with other diets. Keeping in view the higher weight gain in fish fed on hydrothermically processed bean proteins, only processed bean diets were fed to the fingerlings of mrigal and rohu stocked in fish ponds (experiment 2). A significant (P < 0.05) increase in mean fish weight, and specific growth rate was observed in fingerlings fed on hydrothermically processed soybean, followed by moong and cowpea. Weight gain for mrigal fingerlings remained significantly low in comparison to the rohu fingerlings fed on similar diets. An investigation on the effects of feeds on water quality parameters indicate that the trophic status of the ponds where soybean was used as fish feed remained high in comparison to the other treatments. A significant positive correlation of nutrients, NPP and plankton population with fish growth was also observed.     

Hoof Conformation and Palmar Process Fractures of the Distal Phalanx in Warmblood Foals

This study evaluated onset and incidence of palmar process fractures in foals and investigated corresponding changes in hoof conformation. Radiographs of 17 warmblood foals were taken at 1 week and at 2, 4, 6, 8, and 12 months of age and examined for evidence of palmar process fractures. Hoof parameters were measured from the radiographs, and comparisons were made between fractured and nonfractured feet. All foals suffered at least one fracture during the study period, with an average age of 3.68 ± 0.20 months at fracture occurrence. Hoof conformation and fracture occurrence were not significantly correlated. Foals consistently demonstrated higher lateral heights in the right foot and higher medial heights in the left foot. Hoof angle increased until 3 months of age and then gradually dropped. Hoof-pastern axis exhibited a broken forward conformation, but approached a more correct conformation by 12 months of age. There was a significant reduction in variation of variables for hoof and pastern angle in both feet, and hoof-pastern axis in the right foot. Hoof conformation does not appear to be a causative factor of palmar process fractures. It is possible that these fractures are a normal part of bone remodeling.