One Step Thermochromic Pigment Printing and Ag NPs Antibacterial Functional Finishing of Cotton and Cotton/PET Fabrics

One step thermochromic pigment printing and antibacterial functionality of cotton (100 %) and cotton/polyester blend (50/50 %) were demonstrated in this study. The improvement in antimicrobial activity against G+ve (Bacillus cereus) and G-ve (E. coli), and pigment printability were achieved by inclusion of Ag-NPs (30 g/kg) into pigment printing paste followed by printing and microwave curing at 700 W for 5 min. Modes of interactions were proposed, and surface modification was also confirmed by SEM and EDX analysis that proved the presence of Ag-NPs in cotton and cotton/ polyester blended samples. The results indicated that the colour fastness to wash and rubbing was excellent, the surface roughness reduced, and exhibited good antibacterial activity against Bacillus cereus and E. coli bacteria.     

Susceptibility of Sudanese sheep to a bluetongue virus isolated from apparently healthy cattle in the Sudan

This study intends to clarify the role of apparently healthy cattle as a reservoir of bluetongue (BT) virus to sheep in the Sudan. It confirms earlier work and establishes that cattle can harbour bluetongue virus to which sheep are susceptible in the country. Experimental transmission of BT virus between the two species suggests that the best indicator to determine viraemia in apparently healthy cattle is to inoculate susceptible sheep with suspected cattle virus. The condition of the viraemia and the virus survival in the field are discussed.     

Removal of methylene blue by amidoxime polyacrylonitrile-grafted cotton fabrics: Kinetic,equilibrium, and simulation studies

In this study, an amidoxime-grafted cotton fabric ion exchanger was developed for methylene blue (MB) removal from wastewater. The ability of the amidoxime-grafted cotton fabrics to remove MB ions from an aqueous solution was investigated in equilibrium, kinetics and thermodynamics studies. Equilibrium data agreed well with the Freundlich and Langmuir isotherm models. The result indicated that, based on the Langmuir coefficient, the maximum capacity (monolayer saturation at equilibrium) of the amidoxime-grafted cotton fabric was 22.27 mg/g. The kinetic data were found to follow the pseudo-second-order model, and intra-particle diffusion is the sole rate-controlling factor. Negative values of ΔG ⁰, ΔH ⁰, and ΔS ⁰ revealed the spontaneous, exothermic and entropy-driven nature of the process.     

Association between energy status early postpartum and subsequent embryonic mortality in high‐yielding recipient cows

High‐yielding Holstein‐Friesian recipients (n = 43) were used in order to investigate the relation between energy balance status during the early postpartum period and subsequent embryonic mortality after transferring good‐quality frozen embryos. Blood samples were collected during the second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh weeks postpartum in order to measure energy status indicators. These indicators include β hydroxyl butyric acid (BHBA), non‐esterified fatty acid (NEFA), total cholesterol (T‐chol), glucose and blood urea nitrogen (BUN). Moreover, body condition scores (BCS) were assessed during the same period. Pregnancy diagnosis by ultrasonography at the 28th day postestrus and embryo viability was ascertained until 45 days postestrus in order to detect late embryonic mortality (LEM). The pregnancy rate on day 28 was 44.2% (19/43); however, five cows (11.6%) experienced LEM by day 45. Based on the non‐return rate at day 24, non‐pregnant animals, as diagnosed by ultrasonography, were allocated into animals with longer estrus intervals than 24 days (32.5%; mid‐embryonic mortality (MEM) group) and animals returning to estrus by day 24 postestrus (23.5%; early embryonic mortality (EEM) group). At week 5 postpartum, BCS was significantly (P < 0.05) lower in the LEM group than that of pregnant (PREG), EEM and MEM groups. NEFA was significantly higher in animals that experienced LEM (LEM group) at week 7 postpartum (289.6 ± 47.0 µEq/L; P < 0.01) than that of PREG (196.8 ± 16.0 µEq/L), EEM (157.2 ± 18.6 µEq/L) and MEM groups (191.5 ± 14.4 µEq/L). In conclusion, lower BCS at week 5 postpartum and higher NEFAs at week 7 postpartum may be associated with subsequent LEM in high‐yielding recipient cows.     

Preliminary observations on vaccination against bovine cysticercosis in the Sudan

Four Zebu calves, 1-1.5 years old, were vaccinated subcutaneously with hatched ova of Taenia saginata. The immunity elicited protected the animals from subsequent oral infections with this cestode as manifested by the early degeneration of the metacestodes and failure to attain maturity in three of four animals. Three viable cysts were found in the fourth calf compared to more than 300 specimens in non-vaccinated controls.     

β-carotene and retinol contents in the meat of herbivorous ungulates with a special reference to their public health importance

The aim of this study was to estimate total carotenoids, β-carotene and retinol concentrations in the livers and muscles of some ungulates (cattle, buffalo, sheep, goats and horses) in comparison with the Wistar rats as a control. Cattle and horses had the highest contents of total carotenoids and β-carotene. Unexpectedly, sheep was the highest accumulator of retinol with a mean concentration of 203 ± 23.34 µg/g, while the least accumulator was buffalo, having a mean value of 58.28 ± 13.77 µg/g. Livers had higher contents of the examined phytochemicals than muscles. Consumption of these tissues may provide human with some needs from these important phytochemicals, though ingestion of livers, especially that of the sheep, is not advisable for the pregnant women.     

Prevalence,virulence attributes,and antibiogram of Bordetella avium isolated from turkeys in Egypt

Tropical Animal Health and Production - Turkey coryza is a major respiratory disease caused by Bordetella avium (B. avium). It occurs in all ages of turkeys and is characterized by high morbidity...     

Influence of Acacia senegal agroforestry system on growth and yield of sorghum, sesame, roselle and gum in north Kordofan State, Sudan

We examined the effects of intercropping with Acacia senegal (L.) Willd on growth and yield of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.), sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) and roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa). Field experiments were conducted in El-Obeid Research farm (13°10’ N; 30°12’ E), North Kordofan State, Sudan, during 2002 2003 in an 11-year-old A. senegal plantation. The experimental design was randomized complete block design (RCBD) with four replications. Data were recorded for plant height (cm), fresh weight (kg ha -1 ), dry weight (kg ha -1 ), crop yield (kg ha -1 ), and gum yield (kg ha -1 ). We used Land Equivalent Ratios (LER) and simple financial analyses of gross surpluses to evaluate the productivity and profitability of the different treatments. The results indicated that A. senegal trees had a beneficial effect on crop performance and yield as well as gum yield. Significant differences (p<0.05) were obtained for plant height, fresh weight, dry weight and crop yield. Therefore, yield of sorghum, sesame and roselle under intercropping system were 13.7%, 23.8% and 20.9% higher than that obtained in the sole cropping system respectively. The highest yield increase was observed with sesame (23.8%). Gum yield (g/tree/picking) was signifi- cantly (p<0.05) increased for sorghum, sesame and roslle under inter-cropping system. The highest yield of (298g/tree/picking) was obtained when roselle was intercropped with A. senegal, while the least gum yield of (239 g tree-1 ) was recorded in pure A. senegal plot. All the treatments gave land equivalent ratio (LER) of more than one-indicating the superiority of growing the field crops in intercropping over the sole cropping systems. The highest LER of 3.8 was obtained for sesame intercropped with A. senegal (Hashab), followed by 3.7, when sorghum was intercropped with A. senegal and 3.3 when roselle intercropped with A. senegal. All the treatments gave positive net revenues, the highest being for intercropped sorghum (558 SDG ha -1 ) (SDG=Sudanese gienh). The intercropping of roselle gave the second net revenue (518 SDG ha -1 ),while the sole sorghum gave the lowest net revenue (501 SDG ha -1 ).     

Effect of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Acacia senegal</Emphasis> on growth and yield of groundnut,sesame and roselle in an agroforestry system in North Kordofan state,Sudan

Two field trials were conducted under rainfed conditions at El-Obeid Research Farm and Eldemokeya Forest Reserve, North Kordofan State during the growing seasons 2004/2005 and 2005/2006. The objective was to investigate the effect of Acacia senegal on the performance and yield of groundnut (Arachis hypogea), sesame (Sesamum indicum) and roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa) in an agroforestry system. The two trials consisted of seven treatments: three represented the intercropping of groundnut, sesame and roselle with A. senegal, three without trees and one represented A. senegal alone. Data were recorded on soil physical and chemical properties, soil moisture content, crops fresh weight (kg/ha), dry weight (kg/ha), gum yield (g/picking) and crop yield (kg/ha). The trees at El-Obeid yielded no gum, whereas those at Eldemokeya were 15 years old and were tapped as part of the total harvest in the agroforestry plots. Land equivalent ratios (LER) and simple financial analyses of gross surpluses were used to evaluate the productivity of the different treatments. Fresh weight of groundnut, sesame and roselle was significantly different (P < .0.05) at both sites. Higher fresh weights were found under the intercropping system than the sole cropping system. This could be attributed to a shading effect that limits fruit production of the field crops more than vegetative growth. Dry weights were significantly greater for sesame and roselle in both sites, while that of groundnuts was not significantly different. In both sites, intercropping reduced the yield of sesame by 6 and 11% in the first season and 37 and 39% in the second season. The reduction in roselle yield was 19 and 28% in the first season and 15 and 8% in the second season. Yield reduction in groundnut was 35 and 17% in the first season and 35 and 11% in the second season. The combined analysis indicated that intercropping reduced groundnut yield by 26%, sesame by 21% and roselle by 20%. All the treatments gave LER of more than one—indicating the superiority of growing the field crops in intercropping over the sole cropping systems. The highest LER of (1.71) was obtained when roselle was intercropped with A. senegal, while the lowest LER (1.48) was obtained when groundnuts were intercropped with A. senegal. All the treatments gave positive net revenues, the highest being for intercropped roselle (438 SDG/ha). The intercropping of sesame gave the second highest net revenue (387 SDG/ha), while the sole roselle gave the lowest net revenue (97 SDG/ha).