The Expression of Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF) and its Receptor (EGFR) During Post‐Natal Testes Development in the Yak

Growth factors play critical role in cell proliferation, regulate tissue differentiation and modulate organogenesis. Several growth factors have been identified in the testes of various mammalian species in last few years. In present investigation, the objective was to determine the expression of epidermal growth factor (EGF) and the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in yak testicular tissue by relative quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR), Western blot (WB) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) from mRNA and protein levels. The testicular tissues were collected from male yak at 6 and 24 months old. Results of RT‐PCR and WB showed that the expression quantity of EGF and EGFR at 24 months of age was higher than at 6 months, and the increase rate of EGFR on mRNA and protein levels was higher than the increase rate EGF during post‐natal testes development. Positive staining for EGF and EGFR was very low and mainly localized to Leydig cells testes at 6 months of age with immunohistochemistry, and seminiferous tubules were not observed. At 24 month of age, both the EGF and EGFR could be detected in Leydig cells, peritubular myoid cells, sertoli cells and germ cells of the yak testes. However, EGF and EGFR were localized to preferential adluminal compartment and basal compartment in the seminiferous tubules, respectively. In conclusion, the findings in present studies suggest that EGF and EGFR as important paracrine and/or autocrine regulators in yak testes development and spermatogenesis.     

Two resistance mass transfer model for the adsorption of dyes onto Bagasse Pith

The adsorption of four dyestuffs onto bagasse pith has been studied. A method has been presented for the prediction of concentration decay vs time. The model is based on external mass transfer and pore diffusion and enables the external transport coefficients and the effective diffusivities to be determined. Constant mass transport. coefficients were obtained for each dye-pith system to correlate the effects of varying the initial dye concentration and pith mass. The external mass transfer coefficients are 1.4 × 10^?2, 1.24 × 10^?2, 1.5 × 10^?3, and 2.5 × 10^?3 cm s^?1 and the effective diffusivities are 6.5 × 10^?6, 2.6 × 10^?6, 4.5 × 10^?7, and 5.7 × 10^?7 cm² s^?1 for Basic Blue 69, Basic Red 22, Acid Blue 25, and Acid Red 114, respectively.     

Genetic relationship in Vigna mungo (L.) Hepper and V. radiata (L.) R. Wilczek based on morphological traits and SDS-PAGE

Thirty seven diverse genotypes of Vigna mungo and three of V. radiataresembling to V. mungo for seed characters were studied to determine the extent of genetic variation based on morphological characters. In addition, 4black seeded genotypes in each species and8 green seeded V. radiata genotypes were included for SDS-PAGE analysis. Seed proteins were analyzed through slab type SDS-PAGE. High variance was observed for plant height, days to flowering, days to maturity, number of branches/plant, number of pods/plant, pod length, seeds per pod,biomass yield/plant, grain yield/plant and harvest index (%) during 2 consecutive years. First four components of PCA with eigenvalues >1 contributed 78.7 and79.1% of the total variance amongst 40genotypes during 1998 and 1999. The populations with high PC₁ values were expected to be high yielding characterised by earlyness, high seed weight and harvest index, all traits strictly related to reproductive phase. Four clusters of genotypes were observed during both the years and genetic diversity was in association for both the years. Based on SDS-PAGE, specific bands were suggested to be used for identifying Vigna radiatafrom mixed germplasm with Vigna mungo. The SDS-PAGE proved to be a powerful tool for differentiating Vigna radiata and Vigna mungo, whereas a low level inter-specific genetic diversity was observed and no clear differentiation was observed both for agronomic characteristics and for geographical origin. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Occurrence of Campylobacter species from broiler chickens and chicken meat in Malaysia

Tropical Animal Health and Production - Campylobacter is reported as a major cause of foodborne illness worldwide. Consumption of contaminated chicken meat is considered a significant risk factor...     

Assessing the fate of recombinant plant DNA in rabbit’s tissues fed genetically modified cotton

Various feeding studies have been conducted with the different species of animals to evaluate the possible transfer of transgenic DNA (tDNA) from genetically modified (GM) feed into the animal tissues. However, the conclusions drawn from most of such studies are sometimes controversial. Thus, in the present study, an attempt has been made to evaluate the fate of tDNA in rabbits raised on GM cotton-based diet through PCR analysis of the DNA extracted specifically from blood, liver, kidney, heart and intestine (jejunum). A total of 48 rabbits were fed a mixed diet consisting variable proportions of transgenic cottonseeds meal (i.e. 0% w/w, 20% w/w, 30% w/w and 40% w/w) for 180 days. The presence of transgenic DNA fragments (Cry1Ac, Cry2A and CP4 EPSPS) or plant endogenous gene (Sad1) was traced in those specific tissues and organs. The presence of β-actin (ACTB) was also monitored as an internal control. Neither the transgenic fragments (459 bp of Cry1Ac gene, 167 bp of Cry2A gene and111 bp of CP4 EPSPS gene) nor cotton endogenous reference gene (155 bp of Sad1) could be detected in any of the DNA samples extracted from the rabbit's tissues in both control and transgenic groups. However, 155 bp fragment of the rabbit's reference gene (ACTB) was recovered in all the DNA samples extracted from rabbit tissues. The results obtained from this study revealed that both plant endogenous and transgenic DNA fragments have same fate in rabbit's tissues and were efficiently degraded in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT).     

Development and characterization of five novel cell lines from snubnose pompano,Trachinotus blochii (Lacepede, 1801), and their application in gene expression and virological studies

Five novel permanent cell lines have been established from gill, heart, kidney, eye and fin of snubnose pompano, Trachinotus blochii. They were designated as snubnose pompano gill (SPG), snubnose pompano heart (SPH), snubnose pompano kidney (SPK), snubnose pompano eye (SPE) and snubnose pompano fin (SPF), respectively. All these cell lines were characterized and cryopreserved successfully at different passage levels. Cell lines were passaged every alternate day; SPG, SPH, SPK, SPE and SPF cell lines attained passage levels of 68, 74, 82, 79 and 106, respectively, since the initiation of their development in 2019. The cell lines grew well in Leibovitz's 15 medium containing 15% foetal bovine serum at 28°C. Immunophenotyping of the cell lines revealed the presence of fibronectin and pancytokeratin. No mycoplasma contamination was found. The transfection study revealed the gene expression efficiency of these cell lines by expressing the green fluorescent protein (GFP). The authentication on origin of cell lines from T. blochii was confirmed by amplification of species-specific mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I gene. The results showed the susceptibility of these cell lines to fish nodavirus (FNV) and tilapia lake virus (TiLV) and resistance to cyprinid herpesvirus 2 (CyHV-2). The FNV infection in the cell lines was confirmed by RT-PCR, Western blot, ELISA and immunocytochemistry, while TiLV infection was confirmed by RT-PCR assay. These results revealed that these cell lines are suitable for virological and foreign gene expression studies.     

Heavy metals and arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi can alter the yield and chemical composition of volatile oil of sweet basil (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Ocimum basilicum</Emphasis> L.)

The effects of increasing levels of metals (10 and 20 mg of Cr kg^-1 and 25 and 50 mg of Cd, Pb, and Ni kg^-1 soil) and arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi Glomus intraradices on the yield, chemical composition of volatile oil, and metal accumulation in sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) were investigated in a pot experiment. The shoot yield, content of essential oil, and root yield of sweet basil were increased by the application of low dose of Cd, Pb, and Ni as compared to control. The application of high level of metals had deleterious effect on the yield. In soil with low dose of metal applied, AM fungi inoculation significantly enhanced the metal concentration in shoots and had adverse effect on the yield, whereas in soil with high dose of metal applied, AM fungal inoculation reduced the metal concentration in shoot and had beneficial effect on the yield. The content of linalool in basil oil was decreased and that of methyl chavicol was increased by the application of Cr, Cd, and Pb in soil as compared to control. Similarly, the level of linalool and methyl chavicol was decreased and that of methyl eugenol was increased by the application of Ni as compared to control. However, AM fungal inoculation led to maintain the content of linalool, methyl chavicol, and methyl eugenol in volatile oil, which were either increased or decreased by the application of metals. We conclude that the AM–sweet basil symbiosis could be used as a novel approach to enhance the yield and maintain the quality of volatile oil of sweet basil under metal-contaminated soils.     

Photosensitisation and crystal-associated cholangiohepatopathy in sheep grazing Brachiaria decumbens

Two outbreaks of photosensitivity and jaundice in sheep grazing the grass, Brachiaria decumbens. In West Java in 1983 and 1983 and 1990 are described. Aggregates of acicular clefts and crystals were present in bile canaliculi, bile ducts, Kupffer cells, hepatocytes and in kidney tubules. The number of crystals increased with the length of exposure to the plant and sheep that died had the largest accumulations. These crystalline structures have been reported before in this syndrome, but are similar to those seen in Tribulus terrestris and Panicum spp toxicities.     

Characterisation of genotype VII Newcastle disease virus (NDV) isolated from NDV vaccinated chickens,and the efficacy of LaSota and recombinant genotype VII vaccines against challenge with velogenic NDV

A Newcastle disease virus (NDV) isolate designated IBS002 was isolated from a commercial broiler farm in Malaysia. The virus was characterised as a virulent strain based on the multiple basic amino acid motif of the fusion (F) cleavage site ¹¹²RRRKGF¹¹⁷ and length of the C-terminus extension of the hemagglutinin-neuraminidase (HN) gene. Furthermore, IBS002 was classified as a velogenic NDV with mean death time (MDT) of 51.2 h and intracerebral pathogenicity index (ICPI) of 1.76. A genetic distance analysis based on the full-length F and HN genes showed that both velogenic viruses used in this study, genotype VII NDV isolate IBS002 and genotype VIII NDV isolate AF2240-I, had high genetic variations with genotype II LaSota vaccine. In this study, the protection efficacy of the recombinant genotype VII NDV inactivated vaccine was also evaluated when added to an existing commercial vaccination program against challenge with velogenic NDV IBS002 and NDV AF2240-I in commercial broilers. The results indicated that both LaSota and recombinant genotype VII vaccines offered full protection against challenge with AF2240-I. However, the LaSota vaccine only conferred partial protection against IBS002. In addition, significantly reduced viral shedding was observed in the recombinant genotype VII-vaccinated chickens compared to LaSota-vaccinated chickens.