Interaction of textile parameters,wash-ageing and fabric conditioner with mechanical properties and correlation with textile-hand. II. Relationship between mechanical properties and textile-hand

In first part of this study, influences of wash-ageing and the use of fabric softener on the different mechanical parameters of textiles were examined. This paper deals with correlation of those mechanical parameters with sensory attributes. We defined the tracking criterion to investigate the relevancy of mechanical parameters with different sensory attributes. An intelligent system based on Fuzzy-Logic was developed in order to predict the sensory attribute score using two most relevant mechanical parameters.     

Effects of iodine methionine on boar sperm quality during liquid storage at 17°C

Microbial environment is one of the important factors that affect the quality of preserved semen. Iodine methionine (IM), participating in the production and activation of metabolic enzymes, is a new type of amino acid chelate. To date, there has been no report to evaluate the effects of IM on boar semen preservation at 17°C. This study was designed to investigate the effects of IM on boar sperm quality and reproductive performance during liquid storage at 17°C and its antibacterial effect. Semen samples collected from six Yorkshire boars were diluted with basic liquid containing different concentrations of IM (0, 20, 40, 80, 160 and 320 μM). Subsequently, sperm motility, plasma membrane integrity and acrosome integrity were determined. After 6 days of preservation, the difference in microbial composition between control group and 80 μM IM group was compared using 16S rDNA sequencing, and the effects of IM on reproductive performance were also compared and analysed between the two groups. The results demonstrated that 20, 40 and 80 μM IM improved boar sperm motility, plasma membrane integrity and acrosome integrity. 80 μM IM was the optimum concentration. Conversely, 160 and 320 μM IM resulted in deleterious consequences to boar sperm quality compared to the control group and other treatment groups (p < .05). After 6 days of preservation, sperm motility, plasma membrane integrity and acrosome integrity were 56.0%, 51.8% and 59.4%, respectively. There was no significant difference in non‐return rate between the two groups (p > .05). But the litter size of 80 μM IM group was significantly higher than that of control group (p < .05). 80 μM IM inhibited proliferation of the phylum Proteobacteria and the genus Staphylococcus as well as Pseudomonas (p < .05). Further studies are required to understand the antibacterial mechanism of IM in liquid‐preserved boar semen.     

Chlamydial Group Antigen: Its Preparation and Use in complement Fixation Test for Measuring Chlamydial Group Antibodies in Animals

Chlamydien Gruppentantigen: Seine Herstellung und Anwendung in der Komplementbindungsreaktion zur Messung des Antikörpergehalts in Tieren gegen die Chlamydiengruppe Ein hochwirksames, ätherextrahiertes Gruppenantigen (Titer 1:256) wurde hergestellt. Benutzt wurde Stamm Bour von Chlamydia Trachomatis. Bei dieser Technik werden nur solche Einrichtungen benötigt, wie sie in jedem Routinelabor zu finden sind. Insgesamt wurden 886 Seren von gesund erscheinenden Rindern, Büffeln, Schafen und Ziegen (etwa 200 Stück pro Tierart) mit Hilfe der KBR gegen das Chlamydien-Gruppenantigen getestet. Serologisch positiv reagierten 53% der Rinder, 44% der Büffel, 52,9% der Ziegen und 38% der Schafe. Es wurden Titer zwischen 1:4 und 1:64 beobachtet. Die Verbreitung der Gruppen-Antikörper bei diesen Tieren, die keine offensichtliche Erkrankung zeigen, wird diskutiert.     

Changes induced by phorate in the carbohydrate metabolism of the snail Lymnaea acuminata

Carbohydrate metabolism was studied in the hepatopancreas, mantle, intestine and foot of the snail Lymnaea acuminata, exposed to 40% and 80% of the LC₅₀ dose of phorate (12 and 24 mg litre^?1, respectively) for 24 and 48 h. Following treatment with the pesticide, the rate of oxygen consumption and the glycogen contents were reduced, while the levels of lactic acid and reducing sugars were enhanced. Withdrawal of the pesticide for 7 days after exposure of the snails to 12 mg of phorate litre^?1 for 48 h did not reverse these changes.     

Synchronization of Ovulation and Fixed Time Intrauterine Insemination in Ewes

A novel method for oestrus-ovulation synchronization in sheep followed by fixed time insemination is presented herewith. Mature dry ewes (n = 28) of Karagouniko breed being at an unknown stage of the oestrous cycle, were used during the middle of breeding season. The treatment protocol consisted of an initial administration of a GnRH analogue followed 5 days later by a prostaglandin F2alpha injection. Thirty-six hours later a second GnRH injection was administered to synchronize ovulation, and laparoscopic intrauterine insemination was performed 12-14 h later. Three days after insemination, fertile rams were introduced into the flock twice daily and oestrus-mating detection was carried out. For progesterone (P(4)) determination, blood samples were collected on alternate days, starting 2 days before the first GnRH injection and continuing for 17 days after insemination. An additional sample was taken on the day of insemination. Pregnancy diagnosis was carried out by trans-abdominal ultrasonography. Fourteen ewes (50%) conceived at insemination and maintained pregnancy; from the remainder 14 ewes 10 became pregnant at natural service, while four, although they mated at least two to three times, failed to conceive. In response to the first GnRH, P(4) concentration increased at higher levels in ewes that conceived at AI compared with those that failed to conceive (47.54 and 22.44%, respectively; p < 0.05). Significant differences (p < 0.05) in mean P(4) concentration between pregnant and non-pregnant animals were detected 1 day before AI (0.17 +/- 0.06 and 0.26 +/- 0.14 ng/ml, respectively) on the day of AI (0.15 +/- 0.04 and 0.24 +/- 0.08 ng/ml, respectively) as well as 9 and 11 days thereafter (0.48 +/- 0.12 and 0.38 +/- 0.12 ng/ml; 0.68 +/- 0.14 and 0.50 +/- 0.18 ng/ml, respectively). These results indicate that using the proposed protocol, an acceptable conception rate can be achieved which could be further improved by modifying the time intervals between interventions.     

Antigens of Goat Spermatozoa that Recognize Homologous Zona Pellucida

Goat sperm surface proteins obtained from purified plasma membrane (PPM) vesicles (purity of membrane checked by marker enzymes and transmission electron microscopy) were size fractionated on an fast protein liquid chromatography (FPLC) gel filtration column. All the seven surface proteins (129, 100, 46, 28, 27, 18 and 10 kDa) obtained were further fractionated and purified on high-efficiency gel filtration (GFC-HPLC) as well as ion exchange (DEAE-HPLC) columns. Antibodies were generated against the PPM and the protein fractions. Such resolved and purified surface antigens were tested by Dot Blot Immunoassay and homologous in vitro sperm-zona binding assays. It was revealed that the binding of goat spermatozoa to homologous zona pellucida was inhibited by antisera raised against the five lower molecular weight surface antigens. Further, the components of FPLC-AIII (46 kDa; A represents antigenic protein) and IV (28 kDa) were most promising as the antibodies against these fractions inhibited sperm binding to zona pellucida even at a dilution of 1 : 1000 as tested by the sperm-zona binding assays.     

Effect of thiourea on the histopathology and the reproductive performance of the male flesh fly Sarcophaga ruficornis (Fabr.)

When newly emerged and 24-hour-old male flesh flies Sarcophaga ruficornis (Fabr.) were fed on food containing 1.5% thiourea for 24 h, there was a small decrease in the size of the testes in both cases. Disturbance in spermatogenesis and histopathological damage were also observed in both cases. However, in the newly emerged flies the effect was mainly on secondary spermatocytes and spermatids, while in the others the effect was more pronounced on spermatogonia. The reproductive performance in respect of the production of larvae was considerably diminished in the newly emerged treated flies and was even further diminished in flies that were 24 h old when treated. The rate of adult emergence, however, remained unaffected for both kinds.     

Polymerase Chain Reaction–Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism of Mitochondrial 12S rRNA Gene: A Simple Method for Identification of Poultry Meat Species

Chicken (Gallus gallus), duck (Anas platyrhynchos), turkey (Meleagris gallopavo), guinea fowl (Numida meleagris) and quail (Coturnix japonica) are the common poultry species consumed as meat throughout the world. In this work, a molecular technique has been developed for identification and differentiation of meat originating from these species. This tool helps in detection of misrepresentation of different poultry meats. The technique involves the extraction of DNA from the given sample, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of mitochondrial 12S rRNA gene using universal primers, restriction analysis with selected restriction enzymes, followed by identification of meat species based on restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) pattern. In this study, we used HinfI, Mph1103I, MvaI, and Eco47I to identify and differentiate to poultry species referred to above. This species identification technique has also been applied successfully to processed meat products including those cooked at 120^∘C for 30 min. Simplicity of interpretation of results combined with versatility makes this a convenient and appropriate technique in the hands of meat analysts for identifying poultry meat species.     

Impacts of rising atmospheric carbon dioxide on model terrestrial ecosystems

In model terrestrial ecosystems maintained for three plant generations at elevated concentrations of atmospheric carbon dioxide, increases in photosynthetically fixed carbon were allocated below ground, raising concentrations of dissolved organic carbon in soil. These effects were then transmitted up the decomposer food chain. Soil microbial biomass was unaffected, but the composition of soil fungal species changed, with increases in rates of cellulose decomposition. There were also changes in the abundance and species composition of Collembola, fungal-feeding arthropods. These results have implications for long-term feedback processes in soil ecosystems that are subject to rising global atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations.