Role of Clostridium perfringens in causing abomasal ulcers in buffalo

In this study, the correlation between abomasal ulcers and presence of Clostridium perfringens (C. perfringens) was evaluated in 80 (50 affected and 30 non affected) randomly slaughtered buffaloes in Ahvaz slaughterhouse. Immediately after the slaughter, the abomasums was isolated and an incision was made on the wall of it. Then the abomasums were emptied and its interior was washed with water. The inner surface was examined for presence of abnormal lesion. Ulcers from affected and piece of abomasa from non affected buffaloes were cultured. Cultures were also made from contents of all samples and smears were also prepared from affected and non affected tissues. Cultures from content samples (12%) of 50 ulcerated abomasa were positive for C. perfringens while the agents were isolated from 1 content (3.3%) of non ulcerated abomasa. There was no statistical difference between presence of C. perfringens in contents and abomasal ulcers. Totally C. perfringens were isolated from ulcers of 6 (12%) ulcerated and tissues of 3 (10%) non ulcerated cases. Statistical analysis showed no correlation between presences of C. perfringens and abomasal ulcers. There was no statistical difference between sex and age of the affected animals. In conclusion C. perfringens seems not to be solely, a cause ofabomasal ulcers in buffaloes.     

Early Innate Immune Response of Mannose‐binding Lectin and Lysozyme in Juvenile Channel Catfish,Ictalurus punctatus

Innate immune proteins mannose‐binding lectin (MBL) and lysozyme were studied in channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus, during two consecutive years at 2, 4, 6, 9, and 12 mos of age. Both groups maintained in indoor tanks in light/dark photoperiod at mean temperature 27 C. Dot‐blot enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for MBL and turbidometry lysozyme assay done to quantify the two innate proteins and means determined for two consecutive years. An increase in mean MBL was seen in 4‐mo catfish (26.9 ± 0.8 µg/mL) when compared with all other age groups. A decrease in mean MBL was seen in 6‐ and 9‐mo catfish when compared with all other age groups. Both 2‐mo (21 ± 1.4 µg/mL) and 12‐mo (19.9 ± 0.4 µg/mL) catfish were very similar in mean MBL concentrations. The greatest increase in mean lysozyme was seen at 4 mo (15 ± 5.0 µg/mL). Juvenile channel catfish could produce lysozyme at 2 mo equivalent to lysozyme concentrations found in 9‐ and 12‐mo catfish. The greatest increases for MBL and lysozyme were seen in 4‐mo catfish. Mean total protein of 26.7 mg/mL and mean albumin/globulin ratio of 0.7 were found for the two groups of channel catfish sera.     

Pesticides‐non target plants interactions: An overview

Pesticides are widely used for crop protection in agriculture, plantation and forestry. Pesticides, when sprayed or dusted in the fields, only a small amount fall directly on the target organisms due to the small size and mobility of the pests. Most of them come to the soil or to the plants by direct precipitation or spray drift. Plants growing in the contaminated soil take up these chemicals along with water and mineral nutrients and translocate them to the aerial parts. Pesticides fallen on the leaf surface may find their way inside through leaf cuticle, stomata, hydrathodes, lenticels or tissues in the bark. Several factors influence pesticide uptake by plants. Pesticides are highly toxic chemicals and may not be absolutely specific in their actions. Impact of pesticide on plant depends upon its absorption, translocation and metabolism within the plant. Pesticides are usually detoxified in plants through series of degradation reactions and conjugation processes forming bound or insoluble residues. Failing to do so, plants show phytotoxic effects. Pesticides may affect different physiological processes in plants vital to their normal growth. They may also alter genetic materials in plants inducing gene mutation, chromosomal aberrations and chromosome break influencing their physiology and growth. Interaction of pesticides and their degradation products with non‐target plants is discussed here on different areas of research that are of particular interest in the context of this discussion.     

Fate of 14C-carbofuran in soils

The degradation of¹⁴ C-Carbofuran was studied in sterilized, unsterilized and green manure amended clay soil under moist and flooded conditions overa period of 30 days. The¹⁴ C mass balance showed that carbofuran did not undergo any degradation in sterilized moist soil. In sterilized flooded soil bound residues were formed to the extent of about 47% of the applied radioactivity at the end of 30 days. Carbofuran underwent considerable degradation in unsterilized moist and flooded soils. In moist soil about 48% of the applied¹⁴ C activity was recovered as bound activity while in flooded soil, about 23% of the activity was bound. Green manure amendment resulted in formation of more bound residues under moist conditions while it enhanced the degradation of carbofuran under flooded conditions. In flooded amended soil about 44% of the applied^l4 C-activity was recovered as against about 54% in the unamended flooded soil. The notable degradation products formed under flooded soil conditions were 3-keto carbofuran and 3-hydroxy carbofuran.     

Determinants of adoption and adoption intensity of precision agriculture technologies: evidence from South Dakota

Precision Agriculture - Precision agriculture technologies (PATs) are promoted as part of both economically efficient and environmentally sustainable agriculture practices. Available PATs are...     

Effect of dietary ligands and food matrices on zinc uptake in Caco-2 cells: implications in assessing zinc bioavailability

The kinetics, depletion/repletion of zinc, and effects of dietary ligands/food matrices on (65)Zn uptake was studied in Caco-2 cells. The uptake of zinc showed a saturable and nonsaturable component, depending upon the media zinc concentrations. Intracellular depletion increased zinc uptake, whereas zinc loading did not. Phytic acid and histidine inhibited zinc uptake, while tannic acid, tartaric acid, arginine, and methionine increased zinc uptake. Tannic acid at a 1:50 molar ratio promoted zinc uptake from wheat- and rice-based food matrices. Further, Caco-2 cells responded similarly with zinc and iron uptake when fed Indian bread prepared from low- and high-extraction wheat flour, representing low and high phytate content. However, inclusion of tea extract or red grape juice as a source of polyphenols enhanced the uptake of zinc while decreasing that of iron. These results suggest that the Caco-2 cells predict the correct direction of response to dietary ligands even from complex foods.     

Production of Buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) Embryos in vitro: Premises and Promises

Techniques for in vitro production (IVP) of buffalo embryos adopting the procedures developed in cattle have received increasing interest in the recent times. A high oocyte maturation, fertilization and cleavage rate and a low rate of blastocyst yield and calving following transfer of in vitro produced buffalo embryos have been obtained. The efficiency of IVP in buffalo is much lower than that in cattle. Several problems need to be resolved before IVP technology can be used regularly in buffalo breeding. This review attempts to present an overview of the different techniques used in buffalo to produce transferable embryos in vitro, namely in vitro maturation and fertilization of immature oocytes and in vitro development of the resulting cleaved embryos to the blastocyst stage before transfer. The problems associated with IVP, the possible solutions and the new biotechniques linked to IVP are discussed.     

An efficient micropropagation system for Celastrus paniculatus Willd.: a vulnerable medicinal plant

A micropropagation protocol was developed for Celastrus paniculatus, a vulnerable medicinal plant. Cultures were initiated from nodal explants collected from young shoots of a 12-year-old plant in MS basal medium. An average of five shoots were produced in MS medium supplemented with 1.5 mg l⁻¹ benzyl adenine (BA) and 0.1 mg l⁻¹ naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) after two subculture cycles with a 30-day interval. Continuous subculture in the same medium for three more cycles resulted in reduction of the number of multiple shoots (2 or 3 shoots), vitrification of the shoots, and callus formation. Vitrification of cultures could be overcome by the use of MS medium supplemented with lower concentrations of BA (0.05 mg l⁻¹) and NAA (0.01 mg l⁻¹). Among the various rooting trials, ex vitro rooting of shoots with simultaneous hardening was most efficient. The method standardized in the present study is simple, as it eliminated separate steps for in vitro rooting and hardening. Qualitative chemical similarity of the tissue culture regenerants with the mother plant was confirmed using high performance thin-layer chromatographic (HPTLC) profiling.