Clinical and hematological findings on "Degnala", a disease of buffalo in Eastern Nepal

A buffalo disease, called "Degnala", causing lameness, edema, gangrenous ulceration of hooves or tail, emaciation, recumbency and eventual death, occurs in Eastern Nepal. Clinical examinations manifested lice eggs on hairs, bradycardia, hypothermia, dehydration, exanthema and icterus. Hematologically, increase of band neutrophil, giant platelet, hypoalbuminemia and hyperglobulinemia were characteristics. Microscopically, dark blue tiny particles were seen on red blood cell (RBC) after Giemsa staining. Administration of tetracycline at an early stage of the disease was effective.     

Rhizobacteria-Mediated Growth Promotion of Tomato Leads to Protection Against Cucumber mosaic virus

ABSTRACT We evaluated combinations of two strains of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) formulated with the carrier chitosan for the ability to induce growth promotion of tomato plants and resistance to infection by Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV). Each PGPR combination included GB03 (Bacillus subtilis) and one of the following PGPR strains: SE34 (B. pumilus), IN937a (B. amyloliquefaciens), IN937b (B. subtilis), INR7 (B. pumilus), or T4 (B. pumilus). The PGPR combinations formulated with chitosan are referred to as biopreparations. Tomato plants treated with each of the biopreparations appeared phenotypically and developmentally similar to nonbacterized control plants that were 10 days older (referred to as the older control). When plants were challenged with CMV, all plants in the biopreparation treatments and the older control treatment had significantly greater height, fresh weight, and flower and fruit numbers than that of plants in the CMV-inoculated same age control treatment. CMV disease severity ratings were significantly lower for biopreparation-treated and older control tomato plants than for that of same age control plants at 14 and 28 days postinoculation (dpi). CMV accumulation in young noninoculated leaves was significantly less for all biopreparation-treated plants and those in the older control than for the same age control plants at 14 dpi and for four of the five biopreparation treatments at 28 dpi. In those tomato plants shown to be infected, the amount of CMV in noninoculated leaves was significantly lower for three of the biopreparation treatments and the older control treatment at 14 dpi and biopreparation G/INR7 treatment at 28 dpi when compared with the control treatment. These data show that treatment of tomato plants with biopreparations results in significant enhancement of growth and protection against infection by CMV.     

Resistance to early blight of tomato with respect to various parameters of disease epidemics

Resistance to early blight in the tomato was assessed by examining various parameters of the progress of the disease. Artificial inoculation and the scoring technique were standardized. Test plants were inoculated with 125cfu/ml of a 12-day-old culture of a pathogenic isolate of Alternaria solani. Screening under artificial conditions was more informative than that under natural epidemic conditions. Tomato cultivars CLN-2071-C, CLN-2070-A, BSS-174, and DTH-7 with resistance expressed as slow blighting against four pathogenic isolates of A. solani, were selected for cultivation in disease-prone areas. Disease intensity increased with the age of plants under the same inoculum load. The area under the disease progress curve (AUDPC) was positively correlated with the percentage disease index and negatively with resistance. Calculation of the apparent infection rate (r) was more informative for natural epidemics than for artificial conditions. The sequential apparent infection rate between observation periods was better correlated with disease progress than was the total apparent infection rate between the first and last observations. A double sigmoidal disease progress curve during the same cropping season was characteristic of some varieties when fungal infection took place during the vegetative phase of crop growth.     

Relative bio-availability and utilisation of phosphatic fertilisers as sources of phosphorus in broilers and layers

1. Different concentrations of non-phytate phosphorus (NPP, 2.5, 3.0, 3.5, 4.0 and 4.5 g/kg diet) were given to broilers (8 to 42 d of age) to establish regressions between dietary NPP concentration and body weight gain and tibia ash content. Second and third experiments were conducted to study the feasibility of utilisation of different phosphatic fertilisers [ammonium phosphate (AP), ammonium polyphosphate (APP), single super phosphate (SSP), NPK (17:17:17, NPK) and NP (28:28:0, NPK)] in commercial broilers (8 to 42 d) and White Leghorn layers (252 to 364 d). 2. Phosphatic fertilisers were incorporated both in broiler (10 g calcium and 4.5 g NPP/kg) and layer (35 g calcium and 3.5 g NPP/kg) diets by replacing dicalcium phosphate (DCP) in toto. 3. The logarithmic curves obtained for predicting the body weight gain and tibia ash content at different levels of NPP used in experiment 1 were Y = 156.27 + 2,468.8 logX (r2= 0.958) and Y = 530.82 + 144.26 log X (r2 = 0.916), respectively. 4. Body weight gain and food intake in broilers given APP- or NP-supplemented diets were comparable to these in the DCP-fed group. Feeding of NPK, AP or SSP resulted in significant depression in weight gain and food intake and high excreta moisture content. Food/gain, Ca and P contents in tibia ash and serum were not influenced by the use of phosphatic fertilisers as P sources in broiler diets. 5. Tibia ash content in broilers fed on diets containing fertilisers was either similar to or significantly higher than that in the DCP-fed group. Broilers on AP or SSP retained more P and had higher tibia ash content than those on DCP. AP, SSP or NPK caused degenerative and necrotic changes in liver, kidney and intestine of broilers. 6. Relative bio-availability of P from APP or NP was better for body weight gain than AP, SSP or NPK, while the reverse was true for bone calcification. 7. APP and NP gave hen-d egg production similar to that of DCP-fed layers. Food intake was significantly reduced in layers fed on diets containing fertilisers. However, food/egg mass, egg weight and serum Ca and inorganic P contents were not influenced by inclusion of fertilisers in layer diets. 8. Except for AP, inclusion of fertilisers in layer diets reduced shell weight and shell thickness compared with the DCP-fed group. However, no apparent eggshell defects were found which could be attributable to diet. 9. Results of these experiments suggest that APP and NP can be used as the sole source of P both in broiler and layer diets, replacing DCP in toto. However, when utilising these P sources in layers, due attention should be given to shell quality. Fertilisers containing high F (AP and SSP) or K (NPK) reduced performance in broilers and layers and caused microscopic changes in liver, kidney and intestine in broilers.     

Carbon fibres and plasma-preserved tendon allografts for gap repair of flexor tendon in bovines: gross,microscopic and scanning electron microscopic observations

The efficacy of carbon fibres and plasma-preserved tendon allografts for gap repair in the superficial digital flexor tendon in the mid-metatarsal region was evaluated in 12 crossbred calves. Experimental tenectomies were performed, followed by implantation of carbon fibres in group I (12 legs) and plasma-preserved tendon allografts in group II (12 legs). Gross observations in group I showed filling of the defect with granulation tissue with more vascularity on day 7, which was less prominent at day 14. On day 30, the neotendon formed was slightly thicker and comparable to normal tendon in appearance and texture. On day 90, it exhibited all the characteristics of a fully developed tendon. Whereas, in group II increased vascularity at the site and encapsulation of the graft with connective tissue in early periods was observed. The gap between graft and host was filled with fibrous connective tissue. Peritendinous adhesions were maximum on day 7 which were gradually reduced in both groups. Microscopically, an acute inflammatory reaction in the periphery of carbon fibres was observed on day 7. Immature fibroblasts were arranged in a haphazard pattern at this stage. By day 14, numerous newly formed capillaries and comparatively more mature fibroblasts were present in between and around the carbon fibres which were aligning parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tendon. By day 30 the healing tissue exhibited longitudinal orientation of collagen fibres and was at a more advance stage of maturation. By day 90, the neotendon formed simulated the picture of normal tendon. In the grafted tendon group, there was normal healing tissue at the functional sites between host and grafted tendon. The fibroblastic activity appeared to be both extrinsic and intrinsic in origin. The connective tissue had invaded the graft to a variable distance and there was resorption of graft which was replaced by newly formed connective tissue on day 90. Scanning electron microscopic observation revealed formation of neotendon between carbon fibre strands, resulting in thickening of the implant. In later stages parallel collagen fibres resembling normal tendon were observed in both groups.     

Identification of immunoreactive polypeptides of Babesia equi parasite during immunization

This study was carried out to identify immunoreactive polypeptides in Babesia equi merozoite antigen. Three fractions of killed B. equi merozoite antigen viz.; whole merozoite (WM), cell membrane (CM) and high speed supernatant (HSS) antigens were prepared from the parasite infected erythrocytes. These antigenic preparations along with ghost antigen from non-infected erythrocytes were fractionated on 12% sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and immunoblotted with sera showing high antibody titres. On SDS-PAGE, 16 polypeptides with molecular weight (Mr) in the range of 112-17kDa were obtained from the WM and CM antigens. But only six polypeptides were detected (96.5-28kDa) in the HSS antigen. On immunoblotting with high titred serum collected from donkeys following two immunizations with a killed B. equi merozoite immunogen, 11 polypeptides were observed in the WM and CM antigens (Mr 112-18kDa). Of these, four polypeptides (Mr 112, 45, 33 and 18kDa) were identified as most immunoreactive. Besides these, a 28kDa was observed as strong immunoreactive protein in WM and CM antigens. The HSS antigen showed only six polypeptides and one peptide (28kDa) was identified as immunoreactive. When high titred serum collected from immunized donkeys following challenge with B. equi infected blood and was used for immunoblotting, the protein profile of WM and CM antigens remained the same. However, three additional polypeptides (Mr 81, 54.5 and 39kDa) were detected in HSS antigen.     

Induced systemic protection against tomato late blight elicited by plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria

ABSTRACT Two strains of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), Bacillus pumilus SE34 and Pseudomonas fluorescens 89B61, elicited systemic protection against late blight on tomato and reduced disease severity by a level equivalent to systemic acquired resistance induced by Phytophthora infestans or induced local resistance by chemical inducer beta-amino butyric acid (BABA) in greenhouse assays. Germination of sporangia and zoospores of P. infestans on leaf surfaces of tomato plants treated with the two PGPR strains, pathogen, and chemical BABA was significantly reduced compared with the noninduced control. Induced protection elicited by PGPR, pathogen, and BABA were examined to determine the signal transduction pathways in three tomato lines: salicylic acid (SA)-hydroxylase transgenic tomato (nahG), ethylene insensitive mutants (Nr/Nr), and jasmonic acid insensitive mutants (def1). Results suggest that induced protection elicited by both bacilli and pseudomonad PGPR strains was SA-independent but ethylene- and jasmonic acid-dependent, whereas systemic acquired resistance elicited by the pathogen and induced local resistance by BABA were SA-dependent. The lack of colonization of tomato leaves by strain 89B61 suggests that the observed induced systemic resistance (ISR) was due to systemic protection by strain 89B61 and not attributable to a direct interaction between pathogen and biological control agent. Although strain SE34 was detected on tomato leaves, ISR mainly accounted for the systemic protection with this strain.     

Concentrations of substance P and prostaglandin E2 in synovial fluid of normal and abnormal joints of horses

OBJECTIVE: To correlate substance P content of synovial fluid with prostaglandin E2 content, radiographic evidence of joint abnormality, and anatomic location of the joint for normal and osteoarthritic joints of horses. SAMPLE POPULATION: Synovial fluid from 46 normal joints in 21 horses and 16 osteoarthritic joints in 10 horses. PROCEDURE: Normal and osteoarthritic joints were identified by clinical and radiographic examination, by response to nerve blocks, during scintigraphy or surgery, or by clinicopathologic evaluation. Substance P and prostaglandin E2 contents of synovial fluid were determined by radioimmunoassay. Radio-graphs of joints were assigned a numeric score reflecting severity of lesions. Joints were assigned a numeric score reflecting anatomic location. RESULTS: Median concentrations of substance P and prostaglandin E2 were significantly increased in osteoarthritic joints, compared with normal joints. A significant correlation was found between concentrations of substance P and prostaglandin E2 in synovial fluid, but a correlation was not detected between substance P concentration in synovial fluid and anatomic location of the joint or between radiographic scores of osteoarthritic joints and concentrations of substance P or prostaglandin E2. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: A correlation existed between concentrations of substance P and prostaglandin E2 in synovial fluid obtained from normal and osteoarthritic joints. However, content of substance P in synovial fluid cannot be predicted by the radiographic appearance of the joint or its anatomic location. Substance P and prostaglandin E2 may share an important and related role in the etiopathogenesis of osteoarthritis, lending credence to the importance of neurogenic inflammation in horses.     

Immune Responses to Intermediate Strain IBD Vaccine at Different Levels of Maternal Antibody in Broiler Chickens

Tropical Animal Health and Production -