Rapid Serological Profiling by an Immunocomb-based Dot-enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Test for Three Major Poultry Diseases

An immunocomb-based dot-ELISA, employing specially designed apparatus, was used to measure the antibody status for the three major poultry diseases--Newcastle disease, infectious bursal disease and infectious bronchitis--in single test sera. Positive samples could be classified into strong, moderate and weak positives by comparison with the colour reaction given by known strong and weak positive serum controls. The simultaneous dot-immunobinding assay gave reproducible results and allowed considerable savings on the cost of reagents compared to liquid ELISA. The antigen-coated immunocomb can be stored under refrigeration and the test can be performed rapidly under field conditions by trained personnel.     

Accumulation of Cadmium and Antioxidant and Hormonal Responses in the Indian Major Carp <Emphasis Type="Italic">Cirrhinus mrigala</Emphasis> During Acute and Sublethal Exposure

Acute (24 h) and sublethal (35 days) effects of cadmium chloride (CdCl₂) were examined in Cirrhinus mrigala using various endpoints (accumulation pattern, thyroid hormones (THs), and antioxidants). The mean concentrations of CdCl₂ for 24 and 96 h were found to be 35.974 and 22.387 mg L^?l, respectively. LC50 concentration of CdCl₂ for 24 h (35.97 mg L^?l) was used for the acute study. For the sublethal studies, fish were exposed to 3.59 mg L^?1 (Treatment I) and 7.19 mg L^?1 (Treatment II) corresponding to 1/10th and 1/5th of 24 h LC50 of the CdCl₂. During acute exposure, higher accumulation of CdCl₂ was noticed in the gill, liver, and kidney of C. mrigala, which is found in the order gill > liver > kidney tissues. Similarly, in sublethal treatments (Treatment I and II), a concentration and time-dependent increase of CdCl₂ accumulation was noticed in the order of gill > liver > kidney. GSH, GST, and GPx activities were found to be relatively lower from the treated groups in both acute and sublethal treatments. However, LPO activity was significantly increased in CdCl₂-treated fish C. mrigala. Further, plasma T₃ reduction was more pronounced than T₄ in acute study. During sublethal treatments, both T₄ and T₃ levels showed a continuous decrease as the exposure period extended. All the values in this study were statically significant (P < 0.01 and P < 0.05).     

Genetic diversity among <Emphasis Type="Italic">Jatropha</Emphasis> species as revealed by RAPD markers

The genus Jatropha is native of tropical America with more than 200 species that are widely distributed in tropics with a promise for use as an oil crop for biodiesel. This investigation was carried out to assess the genetic diversity of 12 Jatropha species based on random amplified polymorphic DNA markers. From 26 random primers used, 18 primers gave reproducible amplification banding patterns of 112 polymorphic bands out of 134 bands scored accounting for 80.2% polymorphism across the genotypes. Three primers viz., OPA 4, OPF 11, and OPD 14 generated 100% polymorphic patterns. The polymorphic information content was highest for the primer OPD 14 (0.50) followed by the primers OPF 11 and OPAD 11 (0.48). Jaccard’s coefficient of similarity varied from 0.00 to 0.85, indicative of high level of genetic variation among the genotypes studied. UPGMA cluster analysis indicated three distinct clusters, one comprising all accessions of J. curcas L., while second included six species viz., J. ramanadensis Ramam., J. gossypiifolia L., J. podagrica Hook., J. tanjorensis J. L. Ellis et Saroja J. villosa Wight and J. integerrima Jacq. J. glandulifera Roxb. remained distinct and formed third cluster indicating its higher genetic distinctness from other species. The overall grouping pattern of clustering corresponds well with principal component analysis confirming patterns of genetic diversity observed among the species. The result provides valid guidelines for collection, conservation and characterization of Jatropha genetic resources.     

The odds of neoplasia in dogs with and without diabetes mellitus

BackgroundIncreased risk of neoplasia in humans with diabetes mellitus (DM) is well documented. It is unknown if dogs with DM have increased risk of neoplasia.ObjectiveDetermine if dogs with DM have an overall increased risk of neoplasia and risk for specific forms of neoplasia compared to dogs without DM.AnimalsSeven hundred dogs with DM and 700 breed, age, and sex‐matched dogs without DM, examined during the same years.MethodsRetrospective case‐control study. Odds ratios (OR), corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI), and P‐values were calculated using conditional logistic regression to determine if dogs with DM had increased odds of developing neoplasia compared to dogs without DM.ResultsThe overall odds of developing neoplasia were not significantly different in dogs with and without DM. However, dogs with DM had significantly higher odds of developing an adrenal mass (OR, 4; 95% CI, 1.1‐14.2; P = .03) compared to dogs without DM. The odds of developing a splenic mass in dogs with DM (OR, 1.2; 95% CI, 0.99‐1.39) were increased compared to dogs without DM, but this difference was not significant (P = .07).Conclusions and Clinical ImportanceDogs with DM may be at increased risk for adrenal neoplasia. Awareness of this risk can facilitate early diagnosis of this life‐threatening comorbidity. Larger studies are needed to confirm these findings.     

Chemopreventive potential of 18beta-glycyrrhetinic acid: an active constituent of liquorice, in 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene induced hamster buccal pouch carcinogenesis

Chemoprevention, a useful and attractive approach in experimental oncology, helps to investigate the cancer preventive potential of natural products and synthetic entities. Present study evaluated the chemopreventive potential of glycyrrhetinic acid in 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA) induced hamster buccal pouch carcinogenesis. Oral tumor was developed in the buccal pouch of golden Syrian hamsters by painting with DMBA three times a week for 14 weeks. The tumor incidence and the status of phase I and phase II detoxification enzymes were assessed in hamsters treated with DMBA alone and DMBA+glycyrrhetinic acid treated hamsters. One hundred percent tumor formations, which were histopathologically confirmed as well-differentiated squamous cell carcinoma, were observed in hamsters treated with DMBA alone. Also, the status of detoxification enzymes were markedly altered in the liver and buccal mucosa of hamsters treated with DMBA alone. Oral administration ofglycyrrhetinic acid at a dose of 45 mg kg(-1) body weight to hamsters treated with DMBA completely prevented the tumor formation as well as restored the status of detoxification enzymes. Present study thus demonstrated the chemopreventive potential of glycyrrhetinic acid in DMBA induced oral carcinogenesis.     

The effect of spin splitting on the metallic behavior of a two-dimensional system

Experiments on a constant-density two-dimensional hole system in a gallium arsenide quantum well revealed that the metallic behavior observed in the zero-magnetic-field temperature dependence of the resistivity depends on the symmetry of the confinement potential and the resulting spin splitting of the valence band.