Retrospective analysis of the efficacy of different hormone treatments of cystic ovarian disease in cattle

Cystic ovarian disease in cows was treated either with a single intramuscular injection of 500 micrograms cloprostenol, a prostaglandin F2 alpha analogue, in 77 cases of luteal cysts or with 500 micrograms gonadorelin or 20 micrograms buserelin, gonadotrophin releasing hormone or its analogue (GnRH), in 116 cases of follicular cysts. Recovery was defined as the absence of cysts and the formation of a corpus luteum either with or without observed oestrus within 10 days after treatment with cloprostenol and 15 days after treatment with GnRH. Recovery occurred in 65 per cent and 52.6 per cent of cases, respectively, in average times of 4.9 and 19 days. Fifteen days after treatment with GnRH, 20 cows with luteinised cysts were treated with cloprostenol and 15 recovered in a mean of 20.4 days, while 10 which still had follicular cysts, were given GnRH and one recovered 31 days after the beginning of treatment. Another 27 cows, in which cysts became luteinised, were treated with cloprostenol seven days after treatment with GnRH to give quicker (average 11.5 days) but poor (48 per cent) recovery and with a higher rate (33 per cent) of recurrence of cysts. A progesterone releasing intrauterine device was used in 25 cases of cystic ovarian disease, some of which had been previously treated. Sixty-eight per cent recovered in an average of 15 days. The proportions of cows becoming pregnant to one to three inseminations after the different methods of treatment were similar (77 to 94 per cent).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Enzyme-assisted acidolysis of borage (Borago officinalis L.) and evening primrose (Oenothera biennis L.) oils: incorporation of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids.

Lipase-catalyzed acidolysis of borage (Borago officinalis L.) and evening primrose (Oenothera biennisL.) oils with long-chain omega3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), namely, eicosapentaenoic (EPA) and docosahexaenoic (DHA) acids, was carried out in hexane, and the products were analyzed using gas chromatography. The most effective lipase for incorporation of omega3 PUFA into these oils was Pseudomonas sp. as compared to lipases from Mucor miehei and Candida antarctica. Response surface methodology was used to obtain a maximum yield of EPA+DHA incorporation while using the minimum amount of enzyme possible. The process variables studied were the amount of enzyme (150-350 units), reaction temperature (30-60 degrees C), and reaction time (6-30 h). All experiments were carried out according to a face-centered cube design. Under optimum conditions, incorporation of EPA+DHA was 35.5% in borage oil and 33. 6% in evening primrose oil. The modified borage and evening primrose oils containing gamma-linolenic acid, EPA, and DHA were successfully produced and may have potential health benefits.     

Age related changes in the capillary index of the caprine hypophysis cerebri

The capillary index of the hypophysis cerebri of goats, ranging in age from one day to over 6 years of age. Observations in rostral, middle and caudal regions were made and comparisons are made with other species.     

印度将扩大香蕉出口

印度每年可产1500万吨的香蕉,占全球香蕉产量的19%。但因国内消费量过大,导致其出口量所占全球香蕉出口份额不到1%。香蕉生产公司(Bancom)主席称,印度是最大的香蕉生产国和消费国,但还必须增加出口量,而海湾国家将成为印度香蕉出口的主要目标国。由于印度邻近中东市场,运输成本     

Potential use of rock-phosphate-solubilizing bacteria associated with wild rice as inoculants for improved rice (Oryza sativa)

A study was conducted to isolate P-solubilizing bacteria from the rhizosphere of three wild rice species and to test their ability to mobilize P from rock phosphate (RP). Inoculated seeds or seedlings of eight different strains were grown in soils supplemented with a P fertilizer mixture (PFM) consisting triple super phosphate (TSP) and RP, each providing equal amounts of P₂O₅. Crop growth, NaHCO₃-extractable P, crop P uptake and yield were compared with two uninoculated controls, with either TSP or PFM added. In the pot experiment, P availability varied from 20 to 48 mg P kg^?1 soil. Yields ranged between 4.8 and 6.6 g per pot and were not significantly different between treatments. In the field experiment, shoot P accumulation in inoculated and TSP-control treatments at the heading stage ranged between 79–129 mg and 219 mg per pot, respectively. Dual inoculants comprising Staphylococcus scirui, Bacillus pumilus, Bacillus subtilus and Bacillus cereus increased yield by about 29% over PFM-controls (324 g m^?2) but those yields were 21% lower than TSP-controls (510 g m^?2). Therefore, application of inoculants combined with PFM is not a viable alternative for TSP under the tested conditions because yield was limited by the P availability.     

Relationship between an increase in plasma cortisol during transport-induced stress and failure of oestradiol to induce a luteinising hormone surge in dairy cows

This study investigated whether the stress associated with a 30-minute journey in a truck could distort the oestradiol-induced surge of luteinising hormone (LH) in dairy cows. Altogether 20 journeys were monitored, 16 to 18 hours after intramuscular administration of 1 mg oestradiol benzoate (OE2). Plasma cortisol concentration was elevated (P less than 0.001) within 30 minutes of the start of each journey, even when the journey was repeated at about weekly intervals, indicating a lack of habituation. The LH surge in response to 11 OE2 treatments in nine non-cycling cows within 30 days after calving was either absent (one cow) or significantly delayed, of shorter duration or of lesser amplitude following transport, compared with untransported OE2-treated controls. However, in six cycling cows, 58 days or more after calving, transport affected the LH surge only once. Even in these cows, the LH surge did not start until the cortisol concentration returned to normal, which may suggest a transient postponement of the LH surge by transport. In conclusion, transport impaired the LH surge in early post partum cows with little or no effect after ovarian cyclicity was resumed. It is hypothesised that endocrine events leading to the onset of the LH surge are more vulnerable to stressors in early post partum cows and in the natural situation this might be responsible for the occurrence of anovulation and cystic ovarian disease.     

A study of the acaricidal properties of an essential oil extracted from the leaves of Ageratum houstonianum

Study on acaricide property of foam soap containing essential oil of Ageratum houstonianum leaves was tested on Rhipicephalus lunulatus. Four doses of the oil (0.00, 0.02, 0.025 and 0.03 microl/g) with four replications for each dose were used in vitro. Each replication consisted of 10 ticks in a Petri dish with filter paper impregnated uniformly with the foam soap on the bottom. The same four doses in three replications were used in vivo. Each replication was made up of 10 naturally ticks infested goats. Results of this study indicate that foam soap containing essential oil of A. houstonianum leaves is toxic to R. lunulatus. The in vitro mortality rate was observed to vary from 0 to 50% on day 8 after treatment with the controls as compared to 95% with the lowest dose (0.02 microl/g) on day 8 and 100% with the highest dose (0.03 microl/g) on day 3. Meanwhile, the in vivo mortality rate was observed to be 23.4% with the control on day 8 after treatment whereas the highest dose killed 95.1% of the ticks by this day. The LD50 of the foam soap containing essential oil of this plant was 0.0259 and 0.0173 microl/g on day 2 after treatment, in the laboratory and on the farm, respectively. This indicates a potentially high efficiency of this medicated soap on this parasite.     

High level of variation among Sri Lankan weedy rice populations,as estimated by morphological characterization

Weedy rice (Oryza sativa f. spontanea) is a notorious weed that infests paddy fields worldwide. Understanding the morphological variation pattern of this weed in a given rice‐planting region will facilitate its effective management and use. Here, 29 populations, covering nearly all the rice‐cultivation regions in Sri Lanka, were characterized in a common‐garden cultivation experiment that was based on 13 morphological traits. The variation level of the weedy rice populations was considerably high, as estimated by the Simpson and Shannon–Weaver indices. An ANOVA revealed a higher level of among‐population variation than within‐population variation. Seed shattering was the most variable trait and the seed length and width were the least variable traits, as indicated by their coefficient of variation. The results of the principal component analysis, in which the first two principal components represented 57.5% of the total variation, indicated the important role of such traits as plant height, seed weight and number of tillers and panicles in the divergence of the weedy rice populations. However, the variation was not associated with their geographical locality. Knowledge of such a morphological variation pattern provides opportunities to design strategic management methods for weedy rice control in Sri Lanka, in addition to the proper use of it as a genetic resource for rice improvement.     

Simple and rapid portable chromatographic method for separation and detection of phenylmercuric acetate in seeds and water

Phenylmercuric acetate can be detected by horse liver acetone powder succinate dehydrogenase inhibition, using a mixture of 2-(4-iodophenyl)-3-(4-nitrophenyl)-5-phenyl tetrazolium chloride (INT), sodium succinate, and N-methylphenazonium methosulfate as the chromogenic reagent. The simple cleanup involves extraction of phenylmercuric acetate in chloroform and concentration by evaporation. In the extract, the compounds in seeds or water could be separated and identified by paper chromatography in the field or laboratory at microgram levels with an acetone-water (70 + 30) solvent system.