Effect of synchronization protocols on reproductive indices,progesterone profile and fertility under subtropical environmental conditions in repeat breeder Holstein cows

The objectives were to evaluate the reproductive indices and survival analysis of pregnancy outcomes in multiparous repeat breeder Holstein cows (n = 557). The cows were synchronized to ovulate by Ovsynch, new controlled internal drug release device (N‐CIDRsynch), and once‐used CIDR device (U‐CIDRsynch). The pregnancy per AI at 28 days post‐insemination (P/AI 28) in the N‐CIDRsynch group (28.75%) was significantly (COR = 1.49; p = 0.011) greater than that reported in the Ovsynch (23.46%) and U‐CIDRsynch (21.73%) groups. Furthermore, the pregnancy per AI at day 75 post‐insemination (P/AI 75) in the N‐CIDRsynch group was significantly greater than the Ovysync group (COR = 1.35; p = 0.050). The repeat breeder cows received a N‐CIDR device had a significantly higher progesterone level on day 2 and day 4 of CIDR insertion (1.38 and 1.67 ng/ml, respectively) than those received a U‐CIDR device or the control group (p = 0.012 and 0.001, respectively). The Cox regression model recorded significant associations for synchronization protocols, THI at the TAI and season of calving with the hazard of P/AI 28 and P/AI 75 (p = 0.044 and 0.046; 0.001 and 0.005; 0.003 and 0.001, respectively). Multiparous repeat breeder cows (>3) had a lower hazard ratio (HR) of P/AI 28 than that reported in the reference (2nd parity) group (HR = 0.74, p = 0.050). The repeat breeder cows inseminated at 76–80 and >80 temperature‐humidity index (THI) had significantly lower HR of P/AI 28 than those inseminated at the baseline (<70) THI value (HR = 0.73 and 0.30, p = 0.036 and 0.001, respectively). The current results indicate that the use of N‐CIDR synch protocol may achieve satisfactory pregnancy outcomes in repeat breeder cows.     

Effect of dietary supplementation of calcium butyrate on growth performance,carcass traits,intestinal health and pro‐inflammatory cytokines in Japanese quails

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the potential effect of dietary calcium butyrate on growth performance, carcass traits and gut health in Japanese quails. In total, 320 one‐day‐old Japanese quails were randomly assigned to 4 equal treatments, with 8 replicates of 10 Japanese quails, for 4 weeks. The Japanese quails in control treatment were fed control diet whereas in the other treatments the Japanese quails were fed diet supplemented with calcium butyrate at 0.3, 0.5 and 0.7 g/kg diet. Data concerning performance measurements were recorded weekly. In addition, eight Japanese quails (one/replicate) from each treatment were selected randomly for serum collection to measure pro‐ and anti‐inflammatory cytokines. Pooled faecal samples from each replicate of each treatment were also collected at three time points (0, 2 and 4 weeks) for count E. coli and C. perfringens. The results showed that after 7 days of the experimental period, Japanese quails fed calcium butyrate supplemented diet at 0.7 g/kg showed a greater (p < .05) body weight and a favourable (p < .05) feed conversion ratio than the other treatments. Moreover, serum superoxide dismutase and catalase activities were increased (p < .05) in Japanese quails fed calcium butyrate supplemented diet at 0.7 g/kg. Calcium butyrate supplementation at 0.7 g/kg was associated with reduction (p < .05) in TNF‐α, IL‐6 and IL1‐β, while IL‐10 was increased (p < .05). In addition, after 2 weeks of calcium butyrate supplementation, a reduction (p < .05) in E. coli and C. perfringens counts was observed in excreta of Japanese quails fed 0.5 and 0.7 g calcium butyrate/kg diets. It is concluded that calcium butyrate supplementation improves body weight gain, reduces E. coli and C. perfringens counts and has anti‐inflammatory/anti‐oxidant effect in Japanese quails.     

Patterns and determinants of human-carnivore conflicts in Central Iran: realities and perceptions behind the conflict

This article assessed the patterns and determinants of human-carnivore conflicts and local attitudes toward carnivores in 18 villages in eastern Isfahan Province, Central Iran. Livestock depredation by carnivores was common, representing a total loss of 3% and 13% of sheep and poultry population, respectively. Over 93% depredation events were attributed to the gray wolf. Households and herders held negative attitudes toward the gray wolf due to their perceived threat to livestock and humans and expressed positive attitudes toward other carnivore species. Preventative measures, such as improved livestock husbandry seem to reduce damage caused by carnivores. In general, livestock that were herded by day with the presence of shepherds and guardian dogs and kept within an enclosure at night with dog presence were 35% less likely to be killed by wild predators. Education influenced peoples’ attitudes toward carnivores.     

Influence of Atrazine and Roundup pesticides on biochemical and molecular aspects of Biomphalaria alexandrina snails

The excessive use of pesticides in agriculture has sparkled the interest of scientists in investigating the harmful effects of these compounds. The present study evaluates the pesticides Atrazine and Roundup (glyphosate) on biochemical and molecular aspects of Biomphalaria alexandrina snails. The results showed that LC₁₀ of these two pesticides caused considerable reduction in survival rates and egg production of treated snails. Additionally, Atrazine proved to be more toxic to B. alexandrina snails than Roundup. In treated snails, glucose concentration (GL) in the hemolymph as well as lactate (LT) and free amino acid (FAA) in soft tissues of treated snails increased while glycogen (GN), pyruvate (PV), total protein (TP), nucleic acids (DNA and RNA) levels in snail’s tissues decreased. The activities of glycogen phosphorylase (GP), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione reductase (GR), succinic dehydrogenase (SDH), acetylcholinesterase (AChE), lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) and phosphatases (ACP and ALP) enzymes in homogenate of snail’s tissues were reduced in response to the treatment with the two pesticides while lipid peroxide (LP) and transaminases (GOT and GPT) activity increased (P < 0.001). The changes in the number, position and intensity of DNA bands induced by pesticides may be attributed to the fact that pesticide can induce genotoxicity through DNA damage. It was concluded that the pollution of the aquatic environment by Atrazine and Roundup pesticides, would adversely affect the metabolism of the B. alexandrina snails, and have adverse effects on its reproduction.     

Effects of deficit irrigation and transplanting methods of irrigated rice on soil physical properties and rice yield

This study evaluated how deficit irrigation and method of transplanting irrigated rice affected soil physical properties in the short term and rice yields under cultivation that did not involve wet levelling (puddling). Field experiments were conducted in 2009 and 2010 at Sakha Agric. Res. Sta., Egypt. Planting methods were as follows: traditional transplanting into flat flooded soil (M₁), transplanting into furrows (M₂) and into beds (M₃). The deficit irrigation treatments were as follows: irrigation every 6 days between transplanting and 2 weeks before harvesting, reference method (I₁), irrigation as in I₁ but with a continuous period of 12 days without irrigation (i.e. one irrigation event missed) at heading (I₂), irrigation as in I₁ but with an event missed at the beginning of tillering and at the start of head development (I₃) and irrigation as in I₁ but with 3 missed events, one each at the beginning of tillering, the start of the head development and panicle initiation (I₄). Results showed that relative to soil conditions before planting, both rice transplanting methods and deficit irrigation decreased soil bulk density, water holding pores percentage, fine capillary pores percentage and soil shear strength, whereas drainable porosity percentage increased. Soil cracked more under the reference treatment than under the other treatments. Rice transplanting into beds and maintaining irrigation every 6 days without any irrigation skip, treatment (I₁ × M₃), appeared appropriate for growing rice. This combination resulted in soil physical properties favourable for plant growth, producing the largest grain and straw yields of all the treatments.     

Characterisation and pathogenicity of Pestalotiopsis uvicola and Pestalotiopsis clavispora causing grey leaf spot of mango (Mangifera indica L.) in Italy

During 2009 and 2010, twenty-one isolates of Pestalotiopsis spp. Associated with grey patches on the leaves, twigs, and panicles of mango were collected in six orchards located in Sicily (Italy). Morphological characteristics of colony (colour and mycelium appearance), and conidia (size, shape, septation, length and the number of apical and the basal appendages) as well as phylogenetic analysis of the Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) region (ITS1, 5.8S gene, and ITS2) of six representative isolates revealed the occurrence of P. uvicola and P. clavispora. The representative isolates of both species were pathogenic to the artificially inoculated detached mango leaves cv. Kensington Pride and showed significant variation in lesion size. This is the first report worldwide of P. uvicola and P. clavispora causing grey leaf spot of mango.     

The hypocholesterolemic and antioxidative effect of dietary diosgenin and chromium chloride supplementation on high-cholesterol fed Japanese quails

The current study investigated the effect of natural diosgenin extracted from fenugreek seeds, in comparison with the pure standard diosgenin, plus chromium chloride (CrCl3) supplementation on high-cholesterol fed Japanese quails. Quails were randomly divided into four groups. Group one (n = 25) fed experimental diet only (control; contained basal diet supplemented with 1% cholesterol), group 2 (n = 20) fed experimental diet supplemented with CrCl3 only (400 microg kg(-1) of body weight), groups 3 and 4 (n = 30 per group) were fed experimental diet supplemented with either 0.5% (w/w) of extracted diosgenin plus CrCl3 or pure standard diosgenin (0.5%) plus CrCl3 respectively, for 12 days. Blood samples were collected at days 0 and 12 for measuring levels of lipid profile. The work was carried out at Applied Science University and Amman University, Amman, Jordan during the period from October 2009 through October 2010. The mean levels of total cholesterol (TC) in control quails at d12 was significantly (p < 0.01) increased compare to those at d0. Supplementation of diet with CrCl3 alone or CrCl3 with diosgenin either extracted or pure standard for 12 days showed a significant (p < 0.01) decrease in TC and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels as compared to those in the control quails. While, high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) increased significantly (p < 0.01) in quails supplemented with diosgenin and CrCl3. At d12, the mean Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) activities in erythrocytes of quails in all supplemented groups was significantly (p < 0.01) increased as compared to those in control group and was more pronounced in erythrocytes of quails supplemented with pure standard diosgenin plus CrCl3. These results indicated that the combined diosgenin and CrCl3 supplementation to high-cholesterol fed quails might induce a protective effect by both regulating lipid and antioxidative damage.     

Microbiological study and insecticidal potential of purified extract from Streptomyces sp. on the larvae of Galleria mellonella

Journal of Plant Diseases and Protection - In the present study, one Streptomyces species was isolated from a soil sample that was collected in Khafr El Shikh Governorate. Actinomycetes are...     

Molecular investigation of foot-and-mouth disease virus in domestic bovids from Gharbia,Egypt

An outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) affecting cattle and water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) occurred in Egypt during 2012/2013. The present study was undertaken to determine the current strains of the FMD virus (FMDV) and the prevalence of FMD among cattle and buffalo in Gharbia, Egypt. The diagnostic sensitivity of two RT-PCR assays for the detection of FMDV was evaluated. The results revealed that SAT2 was the causative agent. The percentage of infected of animals varied with the detection method, ranging from 62.5 % by the untranslated region (UTR) RT-PCR to 75.6 % by SAT2 RT-PCR. The overall prevalence and mortality rates were 100 and 21 %, respectively. The mortality was higher in buffalo (23.3 %) than it was in cattle (17 %). A partial sequence of SAT2 was identical (90–100 %) to Egyptian isolates and was close in similarity to sequences from Sudan and Libya. In conclusion, FMD in Egypt is caused by SAT2. No other serotypes were detected. The results of this study provided the valuable data regarding the epidemiology of SAT2 in cattle and water buffalo from Egypt, which strengthens the need to change the strategies of both control and prevention that help to prevent the spread of the disease.     

Antiviral activity of esterified alpha-lactalbumin and beta-lactoglobulin against herpes simplex virus type 1. Comparison with the effect of acyclovir and L-polylysines

The antiviral activity of methylated alpha-lactalbumin (Met-ALA), methylated and ethylated beta-lactoglobulins (Met- and Et-BLG) was evaluated against acyclovir (ACV)-sensitive and -resistant strains of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) and compared to that of ACV and L-polylysines (4-15 kDa) using fixed or suspended Vero cell lines. Esterified whey proteins and their peptic hydrolyzates displayed protective action against HSV-1, which was relatively lower than that induced by ACV or L-polylysines. The higher activity of L-polylysines was maintained against an ACV-resistant strain of HSV-1, whereas ACV lost much of its activity. The mean 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) was about 0.8-0.9 microg/mL for L-polylysines against ACV-sensitive and -resistant strains of HSV-1 when using two concentrations of virus (50% and 100% cytopathic effect, CPE). The IC50 values of ACV against the sensitive strain of HSV-1 were 3 and 15 microg/mL when using the low and high concentrations of virus, respectively. When using 50% CPE, IC50 values for esterified whey proteins ranged from 20 to 95 microg/mL, depending on the nature of the ester group, the degree of esterification, and the nature of the protein. Using the real-time PCR technique, it was shown that Met-ALA inhibited HSV-1 replication.