Studies on some biochemical characteristics of Staphylococcus aureus of buffalo mammary origin

A total of 49 isolates of Staphylococcus aureus of buffalo mammary origin were studied for biochemical characteristics. Coagulase production, clumping factor, haemolytic activity, pigment production and fermentation of maltose and mannitol were employed to differentiate S. aureus from S. hyicus and S. intermedius. Out of 49 isolates, 97.95, 93.87, 93.87, 89.79, 95.91, 100.0, 95.91, 59.18, 100.0, 100.0, 100.0, 89.79, 91.83 and 100.0% isolates were positive for coagulase production, protein-A production, haemolysin production, thermostable nuclease production, deoxyribonuclease production, tellurite reduction, nitrate reduction, lipase production, phosphatase production, mannitol fermentation, glucose fermentation, M.R. test, V.P. test and pigment production respectively. The only isolate from which coagulase production could not be detected, however, showed haemolytic activity, protein-A productivity, pigmentation and mannitol fermentation. One of the protein-A negative isolate was coagulase positive and showed mennitol fermentation, pigmentation and haemolytic activity. The study revealed that the biochemical characteristics of S. aureus of buffalo mammary origin did not differ from those of cattle origin. Coagulase, haemolysin, thermostable nuclease, deoxyribonuclease, phosphatase, lipase, tellurite and nitrate reduction closely related with protein-A. The presence of protein-A seems to be as reliable an indicator for S. aureus of buffalo origin as is coagulase production.     

Phytosanitary risk of bruchids in lentil imported into India

Import of lentil grain for various purposes involves an inherent risk of introducing exotic pests. There are 26 seed pests reported on lentil including 18 bruchids, of which 12 have not yet been reported from India. These may be transported across geographical boundaries as hidden infestations of imported lentil grain. An attempt has been made to analyse the literature, according to the relevant ISPMs, to provide scientific justification of the relevant phytosanitary measures applied in India. The various aspects of risk analysis considered were: initiation (compilation of world pest record and identification of pathway), risk assessment (ascertaining pest status, pest distribution, damage, host range, etc.) and risk management (pest exclusion) through X-ray radiography, thermal and insecticidal treatments. The repeated detection of bruchids in imported breeding material of lentil ( Acanthoscelides obtectus , Bruchus ervi , Bruchus lentis , Callosobruchus analis , Callosobruchus chinensis and Callosobruchus maculates ) highlights their potential phytosanitary importance in bulk imports. Analysis of risk prior to import is the first step in this direction.     

An improved method for determination of Holocene coastline changes around two ancient settlements in southern Anatolia: a geoarchaeological approach to historical land degradation studies

Two well‐known ancient sites in southern Anatolia were selected to investigate and quantify the impact of historical land degradation on the Mediterranean coast of Turkey. These sites are the Luwian settlements of Kelenderis (modern Aydıncık) and nearby Nagidos (Bozyazı), both in Mersin Province and both occupied since around 4000 BP . Changes in local climatic conditions over this period have produced variations in the rates of fluvial transport of sediment/soil from the hinterland into the relevant deltaic regions, thus influencing rates of coastal progradation and aggradation. In addition, both eustatic and neotectonic movements have contributed to deltaic subsidence and/or hinterland uplift, with consequential impact on coastal evolution (positive or negative). The novel geoarchaeological methodology adopted in this study involves the creation of a graphical archive from detailed and standardised measurements taken from rectified mono‐ and stereoscopic aerial photographs. These archival data were then integrated with data from several types of historical map and field measurements in order to develop a geographical information system (GIS) database that could be interrogated, enabling graphical models of past coastal change to be constructed and calculations then made of the coastal configurations at successive historical periods. These calculations reveal that over the past 6000 years there has been only limited erosion/degradation in the karstic hinterland supplying the sediment to these two study sites (contrary to some previous statements concerning the high degradation risk of Mediterranean karst terrains). Furthermore, rates of progradation in each delta appear to have become diminished or even reversed in the past several decades as a result of both natural and anthropogenic factors. The precise contribution of neotectonic movements in this seismically active zone remains unquantified and is a topic requiring further interdisciplinary study. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Effects of deficit irrigation on the yield and yield components of drip irrigated cotton in a mediterranean environment

A field study on cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L., cv.) was carried out from 2005 to 2008 in the Çukurova Region, Eastern Mediterranean, Turkey. Treatments were designated as I₁₀₀ full irrigation; DI₇₀, DI₅₀ and DI₀₀ which received 70, 50, and 0% of the irrigation water amount applied in the I₁₀₀ treatment. The irrigation water amount to be applied to the plots was calculated using cumulative pan evaporation that occurred during the irrigation intervals. The effect of water deficit or water stress on crop yield and some plant growth parameters such as yield response, water use efficiencies, dry matter yield (DM), leaf area index (LAI) as well as on lint quality components was evaluated. The average seasonal evapotranspiration ranged from 287 ± 15 (DI₀₀) to 584 ± 80 mm (I₁₀₀). Deficit irrigation significantly affected crop yield and all yield components considered in this study. The average seed cotton yield varied from 1369 ± 197 (DI₀₀) to 3397 ± 508 kg ha⁻¹ (I₁₀₀). The average water use efficiency (WUE_ET) ranged from 6.0 ± 1.6 (I₁₀₀) to 4.8 ± 0.9 kg ha⁻¹ mm⁻¹ (DI₀₀), while average irrigation water use efficiency (WUE_I) was between 9.4 ± 3.0 (I₁₀₀) and 14.4 ± 4.8 kg ha⁻¹ mm⁻¹ (DI₅₀). Deficit irrigation increased the harvest index (HI) values from 0.26 ± 0.054 (I₁₀₀) to 0.32 ± 0.052 kg kg⁻¹ (DI₅₀). Yield response factor (Ky) was determined to be 0.98 based on four-year average. Leaf area index (LAI) and dry matter yields (DM) increased with increasing water use. This study demonstrated that the full irrigated treatment (I₁₀₀) should be used for semiarid conditions with no water shortage. However, DI₇₀ treatment needs to be considered as a viable alternative for the development of reduced irrigation strategies in semiarid regions where irrigation water supplies are limited.     

Immune status and haemato-biochemical profile of buffalo calves supplemented with phytogenic feed additives rich in tannins,saponins and essential oils

Tropical Animal Health and Production - The present study was performed to ascertain the synergistic effects of phytogenic feed additives (PFA-7) supplementation on immune status and...     

Use of repetitive sequence-based polymerase chain reaction for molecular epidemiologic analysis of Streptococcus equi subspecies equi

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether repetitive sequence-based polymerase chain reaction (rep-PCR) could be used to differentiate Streptococcus equi isolates, to examine S equi isolates from throughout the world, and to determine whether a horse had > 1 subtype of S equi during an outbreak of disease. SAMPLE POPULATION: An initial group of 32 S equi isolates, 63 S equi isolates from various geographic areas, and 17 S equi isolates obtained during outbreaks of disease. PROCEDURE: An aliquot of S equi genomic DNA was amplified, using enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus primers. Gel electrophoresis was performed on 1.5% agarose gels, and a computed-assisted program was used to compare rep-PCR results. RESULTS: Use of these primers to analyze 100 ng of S equi genomic DNA resulted in patterns of 6 to 14 bands. The 32 initial isolates were separated into 7 rep-PCR subtypes. There were 30 rep-PCR subtypes found among 29 S equi isolates obtained from Minnesota, Michigan, Canada, and Australia and 34 S equi isolates obtained from Kentucky and other sources. Furthermore, the same clone was identified in several horses during an outbreak of disease. Infected horses on the same farm all had a single clone of S equi. CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Analysis of these results suggests that rep-PCR is useful for delineating S equi into rep-PCR subtypes. Results revealed that isolates with the same geographic source or similar date of collection did not always have the same rep-PCR subtype. A single clone of S equi usually predominated during an outbreak of disease.     

Occurrence and aeruginocine typing of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in buffaloes and their environment

The occurrence and distribution of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in buffaloes and their environment was studied. Environmental sources included milkers, milking utensils, watering troughs, animal shed floor, barn-yard soil and drains. Of the different body sites examined, the organism could only be isolated from 15% of the muzzle and 5% of the belly samples. The organism was widely prevalent in the animal environment and could be isolated from milking utensils (56.67%), watering troughs (44.00%), drains (36.37%), shed floor (4.00%), barnyard soil (3.33%), and milkers' throats (50.00%) and hands before and after milking (7.14 and 10.71%, respectively). Aeruginocine typing revealed that of the 68 strains of P. aeruginosa, 65 (95.59%) were typable. Amongst the typable strains, 21 (32.30%) were classifiable and 44 (67.69%) unclassifiable. Unclassifiable pattern 23478- was most predominant and common to animals and environmental sources. Different aeruginocine types encountered were: A(2), B(4), F(1), L(1), P(4), 1(1), 8(1), 9(1), 11(3), 12(1), 14(1) and 17(1). This is of significance as most of the types encountered have been reported from clinical specimens of animal and human origin.