Nigella sativa meal alleviates injury against benzo[a]pyrene exposures in broilers

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of Nigella sativa (Ns) meal on such influences of Benzo[a] Pyrene (BaP) on the broilers performance, pulmonary index (PI), and histopathological changes. Chicks were assigned into four equal groups, namely as controls, Ns, BaP and BaP with Ns. Six birds were sacrificed at days 7, 14, 21, and 35. The results revealed that there were significant decreases (p<0.05) in the mean body weight (BW) values and body weight gain (BWG) in the BaP alone group. Pulmonary weight (PW) and index increased (p<0.05) in the same group compared to the control groups. Pulmonary morphology showed heavy infiltration and denudation of ciliated epithelium in the trachea, with infiltration by polymorphonuclear and mononuclear cells in the parabronchi of the lung, in the BaP exposed chickens. Nigella sativa (Ns) supplementation significantly alleviated these alterations, and thereby showing a potent anti-inflammatory effect after 14 days in the treated group. A key finding from this study is that BaP triggers inflammatory disorders and this transient effect is believed to be fatal if an infection occurs warranting a reassessment of the health status on exposure, and Ns was found to be helpful in alleviating such effects in broiler chickens

Pulmonary modulation of benzo[a]pyrene-induced hemato- and hepatotoxicity in broilers

Aftermath in several air pollution episodes with high concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons did not significantly affect health and performance of broilers despite its renowned sensitivity to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. The aim of the study was to elucidate the previous lack of response in birds exposed to such severe episodes of air pollution. Benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) was used to simulate the influence of air pollution on hematology, selected organ function, and oxidative stress in broilers. One-day-old chicks were assigned to 5 equal groups composed of a control group, tricaprylin group, and 3 groups treated with BaP (at 1.5 micro g, 150 micro g, or 15 mg/kg of BW). The BaP was intratracheally administered to 1-d-old chicks for 5 consecutive days. The hematology, liver and kidney function, P450 activity, and malondialdehyde level especially in the group receiving 15 mg of BaP/kg of BW demonstrated evidence of hemato- and hepatoxicity via BaP-induced oxidative stress. The deleterious effect of exposure to high concentration of BaP in broiler chickens was probably due to the anatomy of this species and the half-life of BaP. Although the effect of BaP may be transient or irreversible, pathogen challenges faced during the period of suppression may prove fatal

Identification of bovine growth hormone (BGH) gene polymorphism using PCR-RFLP method in buffalo bulls

Growth Hormone (GH) is a single polypeptide chain synthesised and secreted from anterior pituitary gland by somatroph cells. The product of GH gene hastens metabolism and promotes the growth of many organs and tissues especially bone, muscle and visceral organs. It also regulates growth, mammary gland development and lactation. Polymorphism in this gene is associated with increase in growth and development of many tissues in the body. Aim: The objective of this study was to investigate the polymorphism of bovine growth hormone (bGH) gene in buffalo bulls (Bubalus bubalis) using the PCR-RFLP (polymerase chain reaction–restriction fragment length polymorphism) technique. Design: Genomic DNA was extracted from a total of 10 bulls, consisting of Murrah – Swamp crossbred and pure Swamp buffalo bulls. A The 446 segment of the bGH gene was amplified. The DNA amplicons were detected in 2% agarose gel following 45 minutes of electrophoresis. They were thereafter digesting with AluI endonuclease restriction enzyme, and the digested DNA were detected in 2% agarose gel following electrophoresis for about 45minutes in all samples Results: Similar bands of approximately 300 and 146-bp each, with no variation, were detected in 2% agarose gel following electrophoresis in all the animals tested. Conclusion: Based on the Alu1 digestion result, all samples produced the same allele of the gene, with no polymorphism detected

Respiratory macrophage activity and pulmonary morphology following exposure to benzo(a)pyrene in broilers

The effect of benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) on the macrophage defense system and lung morphology in broilers was evaluated. One day age chicks were divided into 4 groups of 40. Control chicks were given tricaprylin alone intratracheally (IT), while treated groups were given BaP (viz, at 1.5 micro g, 150 micro g or 15 mg/kg bodyweight) for 5 consecutive days IT. Ten birds per group were sacrificed at days 7, 14, 21 and 35. Respiratory lavage was performed immediately to procure avian respiratory macrophages (ARM). A significant decrease in the mean values of the given lavage volume, phagocytosis and intracellular killing activities along with an increase in ARM counts was observed especially in the group receiving 15 mg BaP, suggesting a possible immunopulmonary toxic effect of inhaled BaP

Quantization rule solution to the Hulth\'en potential in arbitrary dimension by a new approximate scheme for the centrifugal term

The bound state energies and wave functions for a particle exposed to the Hulth\'en potential field in the D-dimensional space are obtained within the improved quantization rule for any arbitrary l state. The present approximation scheme used to deal with the centrifugal term in the effective Hulth\'en potential is systematic and accurate. The solutions for the three-dimensional (D=3) case and the s-wave (l=0) case are briefly discussed. Keywords: Hulth\'en potential, improved quantization rule, approximation schemes. 03.65.Ge, 12.39.JhComment: 15 pages. arXiv admin note: substantial text overlap with arXiv:1009.508

Fetal Growth versus Birthweight: The Role of Placenta versus Other Determinants

in utero. We aimed to study the effects of maternal characteristics on both birthweight and fetal growth in third trimester and introduce placental weight as a possible determinant of both birthweight and fetal growth in third trimester.The STORK study is a prospective cohort study including 1031 healthy pregnant women of Scandinavian heritage with singleton pregnancies. Maternal determinants (age, parity, body mass index (BMI), gestational weight gain and fasting plasma glucose) of birthweight and fetal growth estimated by biometric ultrasound measures were explored by linear regression models. Two models were fitted, one with only maternal characteristics and one which included placental weight.Placental weight was a significant determinant of birthweight. Parity, BMI, weight gain and fasting glucose remained significant when adjusted for placental weight. Introducing placental weight as a covariate reduced the effect estimate of the other variables in the model by 62% for BMI, 40% for weight gain, 33% for glucose and 22% for parity. Determinants of fetal growth were parity, BMI and weight gain, but not fasting glucose. Placental weight was significant as an independent variable. Parity, BMI and weight gain remained significant when adjusted for placental weight. Introducing placental weight reduced the effect of BMI on fetal growth by 23%, weight gain by 14% and parity by 17%.In conclusion, we find that placental weight is an important determinant of both birthweight and fetal growth. Our findings indicate that placental weight markedly modifies the effect of maternal determinants of both birthweight and fetal growth. The differential effect of third trimester glucose on birthweight and growth parameters illustrates that birthweight and fetal growth are not identical entities