ELLA: A Rapid Technique to Estimate Chromium Stress-Induced Modification of E. coli EI19

An enzyme-linked lectin assay (ELLA) was used to differentiatebetween chromium-stressed and unstressed cells of Escherichia coli EI19. The assay is a modification of the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) that uses Concanavalin A (Con A) conjugated with peroxidase to detect the carbohydrate moiety of the cell envelope glycoconjugates. The ELLA test shows that Con A binds to stressed bacteria much moreefficiently than it does to unstressed bacteria. Effects of heat,phenol and papain treatments on Con A-binding to chromium-stressed bacteria were also studied. Con A-binding to bacteria was sensitive to heat and phenol treatment, but not to treatment with papain. A potential analytical method for estimating the concentration of certain environmental pollutants is outlined.     

Study on furundu, a traditional Sudanese fermented roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) seed: effect on in vitro protein digestibility, chemical composition, and functional properties of the total proteins

Furundu, a meat substitute, is traditionally prepared by cooking the karkade (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) seed and then fermenting it for 9 days. Physicochemical and functional properties of raw and cooked seed and of furundu ferments were analyzed. Furundu preparation resulted in significant changes in karkade seed major nutrients. Total polyphenols and phytic acid were also reduced. The increase in total acidity and fat acidity coupled with a decrease in pH indicates microbial hydrolysis of the major nutrients; proteins, carbohydrates, and fats. In vitro digestibility of the seed proteins reached the maximum value (82.7%) at the sixth day of fermentation, but thereafter it significantly decreased. The effect of furundu preparation on N solubility profiles and functional properties, such as emulsification and foaming properties and other related parameters, is investigated in water and in 1 M NaCl extracts from defatted flour samples. The results show that cooking followed by fermentation affects proteins solubility in water and 1 M NaCl. The foaming capacity (FC) from the flour of raw seed decreased as a result of cooking. Fermentation for 9 days significantly increased the FC of the cooked seed, restoring the inherent value. Foam from fermented samples collapsed more rapidly during a period of 120 min as compared to the foam from raw and cooked karkade seeds; stability in 1 M NaCl was lower as compared to those in water. In water, the emulsion stability (ES) from the fermented samples was significantly higher than that of the raw seed flour. Addition of 1 M NaCl significantly decreased the ES of the fermented samples.     

The adsorption characteristics of soils and removal of cadmium and nickel from wastewaters

The interactions between the adsorption characteristics of 27 experimental soils and the sorption of Cd and Ni from the municipal wastewaters were investigated in this study. The removal of these elements from soil solution was followed for 50 days. All the adsorption characteristics, except cation exchange capacity and organic matter, were significantly correlated to the sorption of Cd after one day shaking. After 7 days of shaking, none of the soil adsorption characteristics except free CaCO₃ was significantly correlated to Cd removal from wastewater. The soil saturated paste pH and suspension pH were strongly correlated to Cd sorption throughout this experiment. The behavior of Ni in soils was different from that of Cd. Surface area, total Fe, and total Al were significantly correlated to Ni sorption. The correlation between Ni removal and pH was the strongest than any other parameter studied. After 7 days shaking, clay content and total Ca were not significantly correlated to Ni sorption. The cation exchange capacity of the soils was not significantly correlated to Cd or Ni sorption in this experiment. It seems that in the experimental soils, concentration of Cd and Ni were probably not controlled by adsorption process. The precipitation process was probably playing a major role in the removal of these elements from the municipal wastewaters. As observed in this experiment, the cation exchange capacity of experimental soils was a poor parameter to define sorption capacity of these soils for Cd and Ni. The guidelines for determining the soil sludge load, which are mainly based on the cation exchange capacity of soils, should be revised.     

Fatty acid distribution in muscle,liver, and gonads of rays (Dasyatis marmorata,Rhinobatos cemiculus,and Rhinoptera marginata) from the East Tropical Atlantic Ocean

If a great number of rays are fished in the Tropical East Atlantic Ocean for their caudal fins, only a small amount of ray flesh is processed. Among them, three species of rays, Dasyatis marmorata, Rhinobatos cemiculus, and Rhinoptera marginata, from the Mauritanian coast have been investigated for the fatty acid composition of their lipids. Gas chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry allowed identification of 50 molecules from muscles, livers, and gonads of these fishes. Principal component analysis, starting from >50 samples, reveals significant differences in various fatty acid distributions, related to the species and sex of the sampled fish. Some of them are preferentially present in one sex or in both species, whereas the occurrence of others characterizes the male and female of one or two species. The results show that rays are potential resources of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and should be used in the diet of local populations. The lipidic fractions contained a high amount of PUFA (up to 30% of the total), mainly composed of docosa-4,7,10,13,16,19-hexaenoic acid, eicosa-5,8,11,14-tetraenoic acid, and eicosa-5,8,11,14,17-pentaenoic acid.     

Effect of treatment of chronic theileriosis with buparvaquone on milk yields

Summary Chronic, undulatingTheileria annulata infection was diagnosed as the cause of severely depressed milk yields in a herd of 44 Friesian cows in Egypt. The herd was divided at random into two groups of 22; one group was injected intramuscularly with a single dose of the experimental antitheilerial drug, buparvaquone, while the other remained untreated. Over the subsequent seven weeks milk yield in the treated group increased to double that of the untreated group (P<0.05). Pyrexia was controlled within two days of injection of buparvaquone and piroplasm parasitaemia was eliminated in one week. It is suggested that treatment of dairy cattle chronically infected withT. annulata using buparvaquone may have the dual beneficial effect of reducing the pathogenic effects of theileriosis, thereby permitting restoration of an impaired immune system, thus increasing resistance to other infections. If a similar effect could be produced inBos indicus cattle inT. annulata endemic areas, treatment of indigenous cattle with buparvaquone could be a useful alternative to the introduction ofBos taurus blood as a way of boosting milk production.

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Efecto Sobre La Produccion De Leche Del Tratamiento De La Theileriosis Cronica Con Buparvaquone

Resumen Se diagnosticó infección crónica ondulate deTheileria annulata, en un hato de 44 vacas Friesian en Egipto; la causa fue, la caida severa de la producción láctea. Se dividió el hato al azár, en dos grupos de 22 vacas cada uno; un grupo se inyectó via intramuscular, con una dosis única de la droga experimental buparvaquone y el otro no se trató. Durante las siete semanas subsiguientes, la producción láctea aumentó el doble en el grupo tratado, en relación con el grupo sin tratar (P<0.05). La pirexia fue controlada, dentro de los dos primeros dias después de la inyección de buparvaquone, y la parasitemia por piroplasmas se eliminó en una semana. Se sugiere, que el tratamiento con buparvaquone del genado de leche infectado crónicamente conT. annulata, podría tener doble efecto benéfico, al reducir el efecto patógeno de la theileriosis, permitiendo la restauración del sistema inmunológico, incrementando así la resistencia a otras infecciones. Si un efecto similar se produjera en ganadoBos indicus, en áreas endémicas deT. annulata, el tratamiento del ganado nativo con buparvaquone, podría convertirse en una alternativa a la introducción de sangreBos taurus, para incrementar la producción láctea.

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Effet Du Traitement De La Theileriose Chronique Par La Buparvaquone Sur Les Rendements Laitiers

Résumé L'infection chronique et à rechutes àTheileria annulata a été diagnostiquée comme étant la cause de rendements laitiers fortement déprimés dans un troupeau de 44 vaches frisonnes en Egypte. Le troupeau fut partagé, au hasard, en deux groupes de 22; un groupe a reçu par voie intramusculaire, une dose unique d'un médicament antitheileriose expériemental, la buparvaquone, tandis que l'autre n'était pas traité. Pendant les sept semaines suivantes, le rendement laitier du groupe traité a doublé par rapport à celui du groupe non triaté (P<0.05). L'hyperthermie a été contrôlée dans les deux jours suivant l'injection de buparvaquone, et la parantémie à piroplasme éliminée en une semaine. Il est suggéré que le traitement du bétail laitier chroniquement infecté parT. annulata à l'aide de la buparvaquone peut avoir le double effet bénéfique de réduire les effects pathologiques de la theilériose, permettant ainsi la restauration d'un système immunitaire affaibli, ce qui augmente la résistance aux autres infections. Si un effet similaire pouvait être produit chez le bétailBos indicus des régions à endémicitéT annulata, le traitement du bétail indigène avec la buparvaquone pourrait être une alternative utile à l'introduction du sangBos taurus dans le but de stimuler la production laitière.

     

In vitro hatching of the infective eggs of Ascaridia galli in tissue extracts

Extracts of proventriculus (PE) and small intestine (IE) of fowl were used, for the first time, as media for the in vitro hatching of infective eggs of Ascaridia galli. Hatching was successful in a mixture of equal parts of PE and IE (MIP) under normal air and under different concentrations of CO2, but not under 100% CO2. A very highly significant retardation (P less than 0.001) in the rate of hatching appeared as the concentration of CO2 was increased, indicating that high levels of CO2 inhibit the process of hatching. 100% of the eggs hatched in PE in 40.5 min whereas they did not hatch at all in IE, suggesting that IE alone has no influence on egg hatching. The shortest time taken for 100% of the eggs to hatch in this study suggests that the present method of hatching is faster than all previous methods used by different workers.     

Oxfendazole--anthelmintic activity in Egyptian goats artificially infected with gastrointestinal nematodes.

The recently developed benzimidazole anthelmintic, oxfendazole, was tested against artificial nematode infestations in Egyptian goats using oral dosing at 4.5 and 2.8 mg/kg. A 100% clearance of mature and immature Haemonchus contortus, Trichostrongylus axei, Ostertagia circumcincta, Coopera curticei, Bunostomum trigonocephalum and Chabertia ovina was obtained at the 4.5 mg/kg level. Very high levels of clearance against the mature worms were obtained at 2.8 mg/kg but the drug was less effective against immature worms at the lower dose rate. PCV, hemoglobin concentration and total erythrocyte counts declined after infection but became significantly (P less than 0.001) raised in treated animal.     

The effect of postexsanguination infusion of beef on composition, tenderness, and functional properties.

Ninety culled dairy cows were used in this study and were paired by weight and conformation similarity. Forty-five cows were arterially infused immediately after bleeding with 10% volume by weight of a solution composed of dextrose (.23%), glycerin (.21%), a phosphate blend (.14%) and maltose (.1%). The remaining cows (45) served as controls. In infused carcasses, some quantity of solution retained was in the following order: supraspinatus, chuck greater than longissimus, loin greater than semitendinosus, round muscles. Accordingly, percentage of protein, ether-extractable fat, and protein fat-free amounts were lowered (P less than .05) and percentage of moisture and moisture protein ratio were raised (P less than .05) in the supraspinatus muscle. Tenderness (P less than .01) and protein extractability (P less than .15) were improved. No difference was observed in water-holding capacity between infused and control carcasses. Percentages of moisture fat-free (r = .85) and protein fat-free (r = -.97) were highly correlated to moisture-protein ratio. Moisture percentage of the fat-free tissue was shown to be a more consistent indicator of added moisture in infused whole carcasses compared with moisture:protein ratio and percentage of protein fat-free. Very low correlations were observed between tenderness, percentage of moisture, percentage of water-holding capacity, and ether-extractable fat. The economics of the infusion process to the beef industry is discussed.