Feeding gelatinized carbohydrate in the diets of magur,Clarias batrachus (Linnaeus, 1758): Effects on growth performance,enzyme activities and expression of muscle regulatory factors

This study was conducted to illustrate the effect of dietary gelatinized starch (GS) on the growth performance, enzyme activities and expression of MyoD and Myf5 in magur, Clarias batrachus fingerlings. Four iso‐nitrogenous (37%) and iso‐lipidic (6%) diets containing 15% (D‐1), 25% (D‐2), 35% (D‐3) or 45% (D‐4) GS were fed to 240 fingerlings (2.5 ± 0.5 g) in triplicates groups for 8 weeks. The maximum weight gain %, specific growth rate, protein efficiency ratio, lower FCR and higher mRNA expression of MyoD or Myf5 were found in the D‐3 group fed with 35% GS. Higher hepatosomatic index, viscerosomatic index, body lipid and lower moisture content were found in the D‐4 group. Aspartate transaminase and alanine transaminase activities were found to be higher in the D‐1 group. Amylase, glucose‐6‐phosphate dehydrogenase and blood glucose were higher in the D‐4 group. Superoxide dismutase, catalase and hexokinase activities remain unaffected by the dietary GS levels. Hence, the overall results indicate that 35% GS can improve growth performance and upregulate myogenic regulatory factors, but 45% GS level will favor lipogenesis and compromise growth. Furthermore, Myf5 gene showed more immediate response than the MyoD to the dietary carbohydrate in magur.     

Sesbania aculeata leaf meal as replacer of de‐oiled rice bran in aquaculture feed: Growth,IGF‐1 expression,metabolic and biochemical responses in Cyprinus carpio (Linnaeus 1758)

A feeding trial was conducted to evaluate the effect of inclusion of Sesbania leaf meal in the diet of Cyprinus carpio as a replacer of de‐oiled rice bran (DORB). Bacillus subtilis was used to ferment the Sesbania leaf meal (SLM) to produce FSLM (fermented sesbania leaf meal). Fishes were fed with five isonitrogenous (30% CP) and isocaloric diets for 60 days and treatments were viz., C (30% DORB, 0% SLM), R15 (15% DORB, 15% SLM), R30 (0% DORB, 30% SLM), F15 (15% DORB, 15%FSLM) and F30 (0% DORB, 30% FSLM) by replacing DORB with SLM. A similar growth performance with control was observed in 15% FSLM group while there was a growth reduction in all the raw leaf meal fed groups. Similarly, the expression of insulin‐like growth factor‐1 (IGF‐1) was significantly (p < .05) higher in control and 15% FSLM fed groups. Growth and metabolic enzymes such as protease, amylase, ALT and AST activities were significantly higher in the fermented leaf meal fed groups compared to their non‐fermented counterparts. Antioxidant enzymes, serum transaminase enzymes (SGOT, SGPT) and total bilirubin (TBR) were found to be increased by enhanced level of RSLM, however, reduced by inclusion of FSLM. However, 30% inclusion level of FSLM even after fermentation showed detrimental effect on growth and metabolic response at cellular and molecular level. Thus, the results concluded that fermented Sesbania leaf meal (FSLM) using B. subtilis could replace 50% DORB (15% FSLM group) in the diet of C. carpio without affecting the growth and other physiological responses.     

Porcine coccidia in Papua New Guinea

Faecal samples from 232 domestic pigs raised on concrete, 98 free-ranging village pigs, and five wild boar showed 46.6 (108/232), 54 (53/98) and 80% (4/5) prevalence of coccidian oocysts, respectively. Eight species of Eimeria, and Isospora suis, were recovered. In their descending order of predominance in the pigs raised on concrete, the species of coccidia were E. debliecki (26.7%), E. scabra (22.4%), E. neodebliecki (19.8%), E. porci (15.5%), E. suis (11.6%), E. polita (8.6%), E. perminuta (7%), E. spinosa (5.6%) and I. suis (3.9%). The first five species listed above predominated in the village pigs as well. E. polita, E. spinosa and I. suis were not found in the wild boar. I. suis oocysts prevailed in 8.3% of the 36 sows on concrete, and in 11.1% (3/27) of those which were positive for coccidia. Isosporoid oocysts were absent in the village sows. Of the 125 less than 24-day-old piglets, 29.6% were diarrhoeic, and of these, 43.2% were positive for coccidia. Four of the 16 (25%) coccidia-positive, diarrhoeic piglets, and four of the 37 (10.8%) coccidia-positive non-diarrhoeic piglets shed I. suis oocysts, an observation which seems to weaken the present contention that I. suis is the primary causative agent of neonatal porcine coccidiosis. The highest mean number of oocysts per gram faeces (23,550) was recorded from the diarrhoeic farm piglets on concrete, and the lowest of 6,100 from the gestating farm sows. Mean opg data revealed very little significant quantitative variation between the corresponding age groups of the free-ranging village pigs and the commercially-farmed ones. One of the most interesting findings in the study was that the sows were more frequently infected than all other age groups.     

Toxicity ameliorative effect of vitamin E against super-paramagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles on haemato-immunological responses,antioxidant capacity,oxidative stress,and metabolic enzymes activity during exposure and recovery in Labeo rohita fingerlings

Aquaculture International - The present study assessed the toxic effect of super-paramagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) on haemato-immunological responses, antioxidant capacity, oxidative...     

Crystal and molecular structure of a thymine-thymine adduct

Thymine-thymine adduct is a product isolated from thymine irradiated with ultraviolet light in frozen aqueous solution. This compound is presumably formed through the rearrangement of an initial photoproduct. Single crystal x-ray diffraction analysis has confirmed the molecular formula of the adduct, 5-hydroxy-6-4'-(5'-methylpyrimid-2'-one)-dihydrothymine, except for the possibility of a hydrogen atom on the 3' nitrogren rather than the 1' nitrogen, and has established the stereoconfiguration of the molecule.