Antibacterial and antifungal activity of Indonesian ethnomedical plants

Methylene chloride and methanol extracts of 20 Indonesian plants with ethnomedical uses have been assessed for in vitro antibacterial and antifungal properties by disk diffusion method. Extracts of the six plants: Terminalia catappa, Swietenia mahagoni Jacq., Phyllanthus acuminatus, Ipomoea spp., Tylophora asthmatica and Hyptis brevipes demonstrated high activity in this bioassay system. These findings should stimulate the search for novel, natural product such as new antibacterial and antifungal agents.     

Effect of Relaxin on Fertility Parameters of Frozen–Thawed Buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) Sperm

The aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of relaxin on fertility parameters of buffalo frozen/thawed sperm. Sperm were incubated in the absence of capacitating agents (negative control), with a known capacitating agent such as heparin (positive control) and with 50 and 100 ng/ml relaxin for 2 and 4 h. Sperm viability, motility, capacitation and the effect of relaxin on the fertilizing ability after heterologous IVF were evaluated. Although viability was not affected, relaxin increased (p < 0.05) sperm motility compared to the negative and positive controls both after 2 h (60.0 ± 2.0, 60.0 ± 3.1, 68.3 ± 1.7 and 69.4 ± 2.7, respectively, in negative control, positive control, 50 and 100 ng/ml relaxin) and 4 h (55.0 ± 2.5, 53.3 ± 3.0, 62.2 ± 3.0 and 65.0 ± 3.2, respectively, in negative control, positive control, 50 and 100 ng/ml relaxin) incubation. When sperm were incubated with both 100 ng/ml relaxin and heparin, a decrease (p < 0.01) of pattern A, that is low capacitation level, was observed compared to the negative control both after 2 h (54.4, 34.3 and 36.4%, respectively, in negative control, positive control and 100 ng/ml relaxin) and 4 h (51.9, 35.0 and 34.3%, respectively, in negative control, positive control and 100 ng/ml relaxin). Moreover, an increase (p < 0.01) of pattern EA, that is high capacitation level, was recorded with 100 ng/ml relaxin and heparin compared to the negative control both after 2 h (44.1, 59.3 and 57.7%, respectively, in negative control, positive control and 100 ng/ml relaxin) and after 4 h (43.0, 54.4 and 56.0%, respectively, in negative control, positive control and 100 ng/ml relaxin). Finally, relaxin increased (p < 0.01) cleavage rate compared to the negative control (57.1 ± 4.4, 72.5 ± 6.0, 71.4 ± 5.5 and 73.6 ± 2.9, respectively, in negative control, positive control, 50 and 100 ng/ml relaxin). In conclusion, relaxin has a beneficial effect on motility, capacitation and fertilizing ability of frozen–thawed buffalo sperm.     

A Randomized Study Assessing the Effect of Diet in Cats with Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy

Background

Diet might influence progression of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM).

Objective

To investigate whether diet composition could alter clinical, biochemical, or echocardiographic variables in cats with HCM.

Animals

Twenty‐nine cats with HCM (International Small Animal Cardiac Health Council stage 1b) examined at a university teaching hospital.

Methods

Randomized, placebo‐controlled trial. After physical examination, echocardiogram, and blood collection, cats were randomized to 1 of 3 diets, which varied in carbohydrate and fat content and ingredients. Measurements were repeated after 6 months.

Results

There were no significant differences among the 3 groups at baseline. After 6 months, there were no significant changes in the primary endpoints, left ventricular free wall (Group A, P = .760; Group B, P = .475; Group C, P = .066) or interventricular septal thickness in diastole (Group A, P = .528; Group B, P = .221; Group C, P = .097). Group A had significant increases in BUN (P = .008) and cholesterol (P = .021), while Group B had significant increases in BUN (P = .008), cholesterol (P = .007), and triglycerides (P = .005), and significant decreases in NT‐proBNP (P = .013) and hs‐troponin I (P = .043). Group C had significant decreases in body weight (P = .021), left atrial dimension (P = .035), interventricular septal thickness in systole (P = .038), and liver enzymes (P = .034–.038).

Conclusions and Clinical Importance

These data suggest that diet might influence some clinical, biochemical, and echocardiographic variables in cats with HCM.     

Monensin controlled-release intraruminal capsule for control of bloat in pastured dairy cows

Monensin, a polyether ionophore antibiotic, is potentially an important agent for bloat relief in dairy cows grazing temperate legume-based pasture. A series of studies was undertaken to determine the effect of monensin, when delivered continuously in the rumen of lactating dairy cows by means of controlled-release capsules (monensin CRC). Such devices release approximately 300 mg/head/day for 100 d. A short-term pilot study made at Ruakura, New Zealand, tested monensin CRC in cows selected for high susceptibility to bloat and grazing lucerne (Medicago sativa) or red clover (Trifolium pratense). Treatment significantly reduced the incidence of bloat, while milk yield and protein yield were increased. There was no effect on fat yield. Following the pilot study, 6 large-scale field experiments involving a total of 368 lactating dairy cows, were made in Australia and New Zealand to confirm the effectiveness of monensin CRC for bloat control and to measure the effect of such treatment on milk production and composition. A severe bloat problem occurred in 2 experiments, mild bloat occurred in 2 others, while no visual signs of bloat were observed in the remaining 2 experiments. Bloat was significantly (P less than 0.05) reduced by monensin CRC treatment when data was pooled over the 4 experiments in which bloat occurred. Daily milk yield was increased in all experiments from a mean of 17.7 in untreated groups to 18.8 kg/head/day (P less than 0.05) in monensin CRC-treated cows. Protein percentage was not affected by treatment, while there was a decrease from 4.29 to 4.10% fat, although total fat yield was not affected.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis infections (Pigeon Fever) in horses in Western Colorado: An epidemiological investigation

Following reports of an increase in the number of Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis infections in horses in the western counties of Colorado in 1997, an epidemiological assessment of the problem was conducted using a survey of premises with affected horses. No gender, age or breed predilections were found. Most diagnoses of disease were made in the summer or fall of 1997. Abscesses were reported to occur in various locations with a mean healing time of 77 days. A majority of premises owners reported potential contact of horses with sheep or goats. The days of lost use and treatment costs per case had a mean of 13 days and $139, respectively.     

Effects of tick infestation on Boran (Bos indicus) cattle immunised against theileriosis in an endemic area of Kenya

Boran (Bos indicus) heifers were immunised by infection with local Theileria parva parva, T p lawrencei and T mutans stocks and treated with parvaquone and later exposed to natural tick and tick-borne disease challenge in the Trans-Mara Division of Kenya. The Theileria species parasites in the challenge were maintained in African buffalo and cattle and the tick vectors were supported by several species of wild Bovidae and domestic livestock present in the area. Thirty immune cattle were observed for 30 weeks while grazing on a ranch in the Trans-Mara Division. Of these, 15 were immersed in toxaphene at weekly or twice-weekly intervals while 15 cattle remained without acaricide application. Cattle which became pregnant were withdrawn from the experiment. There was no evidence of any clinical tick-borne disease in either group of cattle during the experiment. Five species of ixodid ticks infested the cattle during the experiment and cattle which were not treated with acaricide had far more ticks. Rhipicephalus appendiculatus was the most abundant tick species, with a mean infestation of 46 adults per animal in the undipped cattle. This tick also appeared to be the cause of the observed reduction in weight gains. Major haematological parameters did not differ significantly between the groups. Behavioural studies showed that the undipped cattle spent less time grazing and ruminating. This study has shown that, at the expense of some loss in productivity, zebu cattle, immunised against ticks and theileriosis, can be kept despite tick infestation.     

Does Biochar Improve Establishment of Tree Seedlings in Saline Sodic Soils?

Reforestation of saline sodic soil is increasingly undertaken as a means of reclaiming otherwise unproductive agricultural land. Currently, restoration of degraded land is limited to species with high tolerances of salinity. Biochar application has the potential to improve physical, biological and chemical properties of these soils to allow establishment of a wider range of plants. In a glasshouse trial, we applied biochar made from Acacia pycnantha (5 Mg ha⁻¹) or no biochar to either a low (EC_e 4·75 dS m⁻¹, ESP 6·9), a moderate (EC_e 27·6 dS m⁻¹, ESP 29·3) or a high (EC_e 49·4 dS m⁻¹, ESP 45·1) saline sodic soil. The regional common reforestation species Eucalyptus viminalis and Acacia mearnsii were planted as tubestock in to the soils. Early establishment indicators, including growth, plant condition and nutrition, were assessed at the end of a simulated growing season, 108 days after biochar application. Application of biochar increased height, and decreased root : shoot and the concentration of Mn, N and S in plants of E. viminalis when grown in the highly saline sodic soil. Biochar application increased the concentration of B in leaves of E. viminalis and increased the concentration of P, K and S in leaves of A. mearnsii when grown in the low saline sodic soil. The results confirm that there is potential for biochar to assist in reforestation of saline sodic soils. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A comparison of constructed and natural habitat for frog conservation in an Australian agricultural landscape

Constructed ponds are an important consideration in the conservation of wetland biota in agricultural landscapes. Twenty-two natural ponds and 22 adjacent constructed ponds (farm dams) were surveyed on the Southern Tablelands of New South Wales to compare patterns of use by frogs and develop frog conservation recommendations. Farm dams supported similar numbers of frog species to natural ponds, although differences in frog assemblage were observed between the pond types. Limnodynastes tasmaniensis and Uperolia laevigata were significantly more likely to occur at farm dams while L. peronii was more likely to occur at natural ponds. Results suggest waterbodies with high levels of emergent vegetation cover that lack fish are likely to support a high number of frog species, regardless of origin (i.e. natural or constructed). However, it is important for landholders to conserve natural waterbodies as these environments appear likely to support frog species that do not use farm dams.