Field evaluation of some bait additives against Indian crested porcupine (Hystrix indica) (Rodentia: Hystricidae)

This research study evaluated the effect of different additives on the bait consumption by Indian crested porcupine, a serious forest and agricultural pest, under field conditions. Different additives (saccharin, common salt, bone meal, fish meal, peanut butter, egg yolk, egg shell powder, yeast powder, mineral oil and coconut oil) at 2 and 5% each were tested for their relative preference, using groundnut–maize (1:1) as basic bait. All the additives were tested under a no‐choice test pattern. For control tests, no additive was mixed with the basic bait. Saccharin at 5% concentration significantly enhanced the consumption of bait over the basic bait, while 2% saccharin supplemented bait resulted in a non‐significant bait consumption. All other additives did not enhance the consumption of the bait material; rather, these worked as repellents. However, the repellency was lowest with the common salt, followed by egg yolk, egg shell powder, bone meal, peanut butter, mineral oil, fish meal and yeast powder, while coconut remained the most repellent compound. The present study suggested that groundnut–maize (1:1) supplemented with 5% saccharin was the preferred bait combination, and can be used with different rodenticides for the management of Indian crested porcupine.     

Studies on the potential use of Pasteuria penetrans as a biocontrol agent of root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.)

Some aspects of the interaction of the bacterial parasite Pasteuria penetrans and the root-knot nematode ( Meloidogyne spp.) were investigated in laboratory and pot experiments. The variable spore attachment on juveniles exposed to water suspensions of the bacterium is probably attributed to differential susceptibility of biotypes within a heterogeneous Meloidogyne population. The relationship between spore concentration and attachment level is not linear over a range of spore dosages, indicating that even at very high spore concentrations the number of spores capable of attachment may not be present in excess and it is difficult to ensure sufficient numbers of spores to ensure infection will attach to all nematodes. Attempts to apply the bacterium in conditions such as might occur in seedbeds did not suppress nematode multiplication after transplanting in nematode-infested soil, indicating that the only effective application method is a thorough spore distribution in the planting sites. Two major constraints were revealed: high levels of spore attachment to juveniles does not always guarantee a significant reduction of egg laying and this is greatly influenced by the Meloidogyne biotype. Furthermore, the cumulative effect of the parasite in reducing Meloidogyne populations over several crop cycles was less than expected as the bacterium reduced intra-specific competition for the food supply and the less damaged root enabled many nematodes to survive.     

Conservation of a Tropical Wet Semi-evergreen Forest Ecosystem by an Indigenous Community in the Bandarban Hill District of Bangladesh: The Role of Intervention

Indigenous communities in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) of Bangladesh had been conserving small patch of forests, commonly called village common forests (VCFs), especially for drinking water and non-timber forest produce. The size of VCFs has been decreasing, due to increasing population and conversion of forests for shifting cultivation. To restore the degraded forest resources and conserve the forest ecosystems in the VCF of the CHT, an intervention was undertaken in Bandarban, Bangladesh by Arannayk Foundation, an organization established jointly by the Government of Bangladesh and the United States of America. A training program on leadership, organizational development and alternative income generating activities was implemented to build the capacity of the members of the VCF management committee. The impact of the interventions was measured at the end of third year. Incomes of VCF-dependent communities were found to increase with resultant reduction of their dependence on VCFs. The intervention encouraged women’s participation in forest management and facilitated a written format of the constitution of the VCF management. The study identified that more training and awareness-raising activities are needed to ensure sustainability of the interventions. Mobilizing funds for the communities for sustainable alternative livelihoods was found effective. Appropriate compensation for conservation was found to make the restoration and conservation activities sustainable.     

Relationship of fatty acid composition to intramuscular fat content in beef from crossbred Wagyu cattle.

The deposition of i.m. fat, or marbling, in cattle is recognized as a desirable carcass trait in North American beef grading schemes. In order to investigate the relationship between degree of marbling and fatty acid composition of whole bovine muscle, we extracted the total lipid from pars costalis diaphragmatis (PCD) (n = 23) and longissimus (n = 36) muscles from Wagyu crossbred cattle that were assigned Canadian Grading Agency marbling scores ranging from 1 to 8 on an inverse 10-point scale (i.e., a score of 1 indicated "very abundant" marbling and a score of 10 would be assigned to a carcass "devoid" of marbling). Fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) of the total lipid and triacylglycerol fractions were resolved and quantified through GLC. Marbling scores were negatively associated with total lipid from both PCD (r = -.57, P < .01) and longissimus (r = -.80, P < .001). Differences between PCD and longissimus were found for almost all FAME studied from both lipid fractions, but no differences (P > .05) were seen when the monounsaturated:saturated fatty acid (MUFA/SFA) ratios were compared. Heifers had higher (P < .05) oleic acid content and lower (P < .05) palmitic acid content in lipid extracted from both muscles, resulting in higher (P < .05) MUFA/SFA ratios than those for steers. The relative amount of myristic acid increased as the lipid content (total lipid and triacylglycerol) increased in either longissimus (r values from .48 to .55; n = 36; P < .01) or PCD muscles (r from .67 to .76; n = 23; P < .001). The relative amount of linoleic acid (cis-9, cis-12 isomer) from total lipid was negatively associated with all chemical measurements of lipid from the longissimus (r from -.52 to -.64; n = 36; P < .001) and PCD muscles (r from -.75 to -.85; n = 23; P < .001). This association was not significant (P > .1) for either muscle when linoleic acid from the triacylglycerol fraction was examined, suggesting the negative association between this fatty acid and lipid content was due to a dilution of membrane phospholipids with increasing triacylglycerol. Indices of fatty acid elongase activity, calculated from FAME data, implicated the balance between this enzyme activity and fatty acid synthase as a source of variation between animals displaying various degrees of marbling and worthy of further investigation to better understand the process of marbling fat deposition in beef cattle.     

Determination of fisheries benefits from floodplain riverine systems in Bangladesh: a mathematical programming approach

Abstract. A non-linear programming model was developed to determine the benefits obtainable from the inland capture fisheries of Bangladesh. Functions and parameters of a base model were estimated by deriving non-linear catch-effort and cost functions as well as rice responsive demand functions using both primary and secondary data. Results of LP (linear programming) solution of the base model suggest that the inland fisheries of Bangladesh are capable, under optimal conditions, of generating a total net benefit of Bangladesh Taka (BDT) 1383 million per annum (US$1 = BDT38), most of which (96%) accrues as producer surplus. Under the optimal allocation of total fishing effort the model shows a 13% reduction in overall fish catch with 54% less effort. Sensitivity analysis, through variations of fishing effort, shows that the incorporated variables (e.g. catch, cost, benefit and shadow price) change in line with theoretical expectations. The implication of these results for management is that a reduction in effort would be required in order to generate a greater net economic benefit from the riverine fisheries. Such reduction should be specific to individual fishery and/or fishing grounds.     

Effects of vitamin and mineral premix withdrawal from diets on carcass and meat quality of feedlot steers

Tropical Animal Health and Production - The primary objective of the present study was to assess the effects of vitamin and mineral premix (VMP) withdrawal from the diets 30 and 60&nbsp;days...     

A Systematic Review on Marine Algae-Derived Fucoxanthin: An Update of Pharmacological Insights

Fucoxanthin, belonging to the xanthophyll class of carotenoids, is a natural antioxidant pigment of marine algae, including brown macroalgae and diatoms. It represents 10% of the total carotenoids in nature. The plethora of scientific evidence supports the potential benefits of nutraceutical and pharmaceutical uses of fucoxanthin for boosting human health and disease management. Due to its unique chemical structure and action as a single compound with multi-targets of health effects, it has attracted mounting attention from the scientific community, resulting in an escalated number of scientific publications from January 2017 to February 2022. Fucoxanthin has remained the most popular option for anti-cancer and anti-tumor activity, followed by protection against inflammatory, oxidative stress-related, nervous system, obesity, hepatic, diabetic, kidney, cardiac, skin, respiratory and microbial diseases, in a variety of model systems. Despite much pharmacological evidence from in vitro and in vivo findings, fucoxanthin in clinical research is still not satisfactory, because only one clinical study on obesity management was reported in the last five years. Additionally, pharmacokinetics, safety, toxicity, functional stability, and clinical perspective of fucoxanthin are substantially addressed. Nevertheless, fucoxanthin and its derivatives are shown to be safe, non-toxic, and readily available upon administration. This review will provide pharmacological insights into fucoxanthin, underlying the diverse molecular mechanisms of health benefits. However, it requires more activity-oriented translational research in humans before it can be used as a multi-target drug.     

二倍体与四倍体刺槐组培苗形态和生理性状比较

为了比较二倍体与四倍体刺槐组培苗不同无性系之间的差异,本研究分别测定二倍体刺槐组培苗和人工诱导四倍体刺槐组培苗的形态及生理指标,并进行相关分析.结果表明,多数四倍体刺槐无性系的长势、抗逆性优于二倍体;二倍体与四倍体刺槐不同无性系以及不同形态、生理指标之间存在丰富的变异,其中四倍体刺槐的变异更为丰富;各测定指标之间存在较...     

Evaluation of Meat and Bone Meal as Replacement for Protein Concentrate in the Practical Diet for Sutchi Catfish,Pangasius hypophthalmus (Sauvage 1878), Reared under Pond Condition

An 80‐d feeding trial was conducted to evaluate meat and bone meal (MBM) as replacement of protein concentrate (PC) in practical diets for sutchi catfish, Pangasius hypophthalmus. Triplicate groups of juvenile sutchi catfish (initial weight 4.80 g) were stocked at the rate of 20,000 fish/ha in 12 earthen ponds (30 m² each). Four isocaloric diets (4.12 kcal/g) were formulated by replacing 0 (Diet 1, control), 33 (Diet 2), 67 (Diet 3), and 100% (Diet 4) PC protein with MBM. The growth parameters [final weight, % weight gain, and specific growth rate (SGR)] of fish fed Diets 1, 2, and 3 were not significantly different (P > 0.05) from each other but were significantly (P < 0.05) higher than those in Diet 4. The protein content in fish fed Diet 4 was significantly (P < 0.05) lower than the others. The total production of fish in different treatments ranged between 1917 and 2648 kg/ha/80 d. A simple economic analysis determined that the highest net profit (Tk. 52,965/ha) was obtained with Diet 2 and the lowest (Tk. 27,127/ha) with Diet 4 having 100% PC protein replacement. From the results of the study it is concluded that MBM can substitute up to 67% PC protein in catfish diet without hampering the growth and feed utilization.     

Comparison of horse mackerel and tilapia surimi gel based on rheological and <Superscript>1</Superscript>H NMR relaxation properties

ABSTRACT:   Horse mackerel and tilapia surimi were subjected to six different heat and pressure treatments in order to compare gelation characteristics of easy- and difficult-setting gels, that is, temperature dependence, by observing rheological properties and microscopic molecular mobility. The stress–relaxation and proton spin–spin relaxation time (¹H T ₂) of water were measured for all treated gels. Horse mackerel gel demonstrated higher elasticity, large distribution of the stress–relaxation process, and smaller water ¹H T ₂ than tilapia in both heat and pressure treatments. The water ¹H T ₂ was steeply increased in the pressure treatment at around 294 MPa for both fishes. In contrast, the ¹H T ₂ rarely changed in the heat treatment in spite of the considerable change in rheological properties. From the experimental results, it is considered that the gelation of horse mackerel (easy setting) surimi is induced by highly unfolding and re-aggregation of protein, which contributes to the formation of a strong network structure compared with tilapia in both heat and pressure treatments, and that pressure treatments hardly improve the gel strength of tilapia (difficult setting) surimi. The water ¹H T ₂ measurement was used effectively in order to study gelation characteristics of easy- and difficult-setting fish through observing its molecular dynamics.