Effect of Dietary Pumpkin Stem Waste on Haematological Indices, Meat and Serum Lipid Profiles of Rabbits

This study evaluated the effect of different supplementary dietary levels of pumpkin stem waste (PSW) on the haematological indices, meat and serum lipid profile of rabbits. Three experimental feed regime:D1 (control), basal feed+ 0% PSW; D2,basal feed + 5% PSW and D3, basal feed + 10% PSW were randomly assigned to the three treatment groups in a 3x2 factorial arrangement in a completely randomized design experiment. The PSW percentage were offered on rabbit weight basis. Thirty six (18 males and 18 females) crossbred (California x New Zealand white) weaned rabbits aged 6 and 7 weeks were divided into three treatment groups of 12 rabbits each with 4 rabbits per replicate (2 females and 2 males) and randomly allotted to the three dietary treatments. At the end of 12 weeks feeding trial( prior to slaughtering), blood samples were collected from 6 rabbits (3 males and 3 females) per treatment totalling 18 rabbits and used to determine the serum lipid profile and haematological blood indices. Similarly, breast meat sample was used to determined lipid profile. Results obtained showed that while red blood cell (RBC),haemoglobin (Hb), packed cell volume (PCV),Mean cell haemoglobin (MCH) and mean cell haemoglobin concentration MCHC increased (P<0.05) with increasing dietary PSW. White blood cell (WBC) and MCHC however showed no significant difference (P>0.05) among the treatments groups. Lipid profile of both serum and meat indicated that HDL increased significantly (P<0.05) with increase in PSW while total cholesterol (TC), low density lipoprotein (LDL), triglyceride (TG) and very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) decreased significantly (P<0.05). Diet by sex interaction showed that male rabbits recorded significantly different (P<0.05) values from their female counterparts in all the blood and meat lipid parameters assessed. These results suggest that pumpkin stem waste is hypolipidaemic therefore could lower rabbits’ meat cholesterol and improve blood constituents

Comparative evaluation of carcass quality and sensory characteristics of meat of rabbits fed Vernonia amygdalina and Mucuna pruriens

Reduction of total fat and cholesterol contents as well as alteration of lipid profile to a more unsaturated kind are some methods for improving quality of meat. One of the safest strategies for achieving this is through dietary inclusion of natural occuring herbs. Therefore, a study was conducted to evaluate the effects of Vernonia amygdalina meal (VALM) and Mucuna pruriens meal (MPM) on performance, carcass and sensory quality of rabbits. Seventy-two weaned rabbits were randomly allotted to three dietary treatments, each replicated 3 times with 8 rabbits per replicate. Diet 1 was the control, diets 2 and 3 comprised of 15% each of VALM and MPM respectively each representing a treatment. At the end of 12th week, carcass evaluation, meat lipid profile and sensory evaluation were carried out. Results showed significant (P<0.05) increase in feed intake and daily weight gain for rabbits fed diets 2 and 3 as well as lower feed conversion ratio for rabbits fed diet 3 compared to the control. Rabbits on diet 3 indicated significan (P<0.05) increase in pre-slaughter weight, dressed weight as well as prime cuts (forelegs, thoracic cage, loin and hind legs). Meat lipid profile showed significant (P<0.05) reduction in total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL, and VLDL while HDL increased for T3 and T2. Meat protein values showed significant (P<0.05) increase in T3 followed by T2 while abdominal fat decreased as against the control. Sensory evaluation showed significant (P<0.05) decline in tenderness from T3 to T2 without adverse effect on overall acceptability. Inclusion of the VALM and MPM in rabbit diets therefore improved performance, carcass quality and sensory characteristics

Large-Scale MDO of a Small Satellite using a Novel Framework for the Solution of Coupled Systems and their Derivatives

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/106515/1/AIAA2013-1599.pd

Effects of ethanolic and aqueous leaf extracts of Bryophyllum pinnatum on haematological parameters of normal and streptozotocin–induced diabetic rats

The effect of the oral administration of both ethanolic and aqueous leaf extracts from Bryophyllum pinnatum (BP) on haematological parameters of normal and streptozotocin - induced (STZ) diabetic rat was investigated. Twenty-five male Wister rats were used and divided into five groups of five rats each. They were designated as (Normal Control – NC, Diabetic Control – DC, Diabetic Ethanolic Extract – DEE, Diabetic Aqueous Extract – DAE, and Normal Aqueous Extract – NAE). Groups NC and DC served as ‘control’ animals receiving food and water only. Groups DC, DEE and DAE were injected intraperitoneally with 65mg/kg body weight streptozotocin. Induction of diabetes mellitus was confirmed after 48 hours using glucose test strips. The test rats were all treated with 100mg/kgbwt ethanolic and aqueous leaf extracts of Bryophyllum pinnatum for 28days. At the end of the 28days, the rats were sacrificed and whole blood collected for Haematological assay. Results obtained showed a significant difference(P<0.05) in White Blood Cell (WBC), Red Blood Cell (RBC), Platelet (PLT), Haemoglobin (HBG), Packed Cell Volume (PCV), Mean Cell Volume (MCV), Mean Cell Haemoglobin (MCH), Mean Cell Haemoglobin Concentration (MCHC) and Lymphocytes (LYM) in treated rats with BP leaf extracts when compared to the diabetic and normal control groups

RABIES IN A TWO -AND -A-HALF MONTH

Rabies has no cure but can be prevented through vaccination. It is a disease of zoonotic importance. It is believed that maternal immunity protects dogs up to and about 3 months of age thereafter they have to be given vaccination that will protect them against the disease. An unvaccinated bitch with anti rabies vaccination will not confer on her puppies any immunity against rabies virus infection

Endoparasites of Bucks Raised under Intensive and Semi-Intensive System

An investigation was carried out on bucks in intensive and semi-intensive systems of management. A total of sixteen (16) bucks (male goats) were randomly purchased for the study. The animals were divided into four groups of four animals per treatment and fed Panicum maximum, Gliricidia sepium for Treatment 1 while Treatment 2 were fed Panicum maximum, Gliricidia sepium plus concentrates. Those in T3 were fed concentrate and allowed to graze and T4 were fed Panicum maximum and were also allowed to forage. The result showed significant difference (P<0.05) in infestations of strongyles amongst the treatments

Optimism/pessimism and health-related quality of life during pregnancy across three continents: a matched cohort study in China, Ghana, and the United States

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Little is known about how optimism/pessimism and health-related quality of life compare across cultures.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Three samples of pregnant women in their final trimester were recruited from China, Ghana, and the United States (U.S.). Participants completed a survey that included the Life Orientation Test - Revised (LOT-R, an optimism/pessimism measure), the Short Form 12 (SF-12, a quality of life measure), and questions addressing health and demographic factors. A three-country set was created for analysis by matching women on age, gestational age at enrollment, and number of previous pregnancies. Anovas with post-hoc pairwise comparisons were used to compare results across the cohorts. Multivariate regression analysis was used to create a model to identify those variables most strongly associated with optimism/pessimism.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>LOT-R scores varied significantly across cultures in these samples, with Ghanaian pregnant women being the most optimistic and least pessimistic and Chinese pregnant women being the least optimistic overall and the least pessimistic in subscale analysis. Four key variables predicted approximately 20% of the variance in overall optimism scores: country of origin (p = .006), working for money (p = .05); level of education (p = .002), and ever being treated for emotional issues with medication (p < .001). Quality of life scores also varied by country in these samples, with the most pronounced difference occurring in the vitality measure. U.S. pregnant women reported far lower vitality scores than both Chinese and Ghanaian pregnant women in our sample.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This research raises important questions regarding what it is about country of origin that so strongly influences optimism/pessimism among pregnant women. Further research is warranted exploring underlying conceptualization of optimism/pessimism and health related quality of life across countries.</p

After the epidemic: Zika virus projections for Latin America and the Caribbean

Background: Zika is one of the most challenging emergent vector-borne diseases, yet its future public health impact remains unclear. Zika was of little public health concern until recent reports of its association with congenital syndromes. By 3 August 2017 ~217,000 Zika cases and ~3,400 cases of associated congenital syndrome were reported in Latin America and the Caribbean. Some modelling exercises suggest that Zika virus infection could become endemic in agreement with recent declarations from the The World Health Organisation. Methodology/Principal findings: We produced high-resolution spatially-explicit projections of Zika cases, associated congenital syndromes and monetary costs for Latin America and the Caribbean now that the epidemic phase of the disease appears to be over. In contrast to previous studies which have adopted a modelling approach to map Zika potential, we project case numbers using a statistical approach based upon reported dengue case data as a Zika surrogate. Our results indicate that ~12.3 (0.7–162.3) million Zika cases could be expected across Latin America and the Caribbean every year, leading to ~64.4 (0.2–5159.3) thousand cases of Guillain-Barré syndrome and ~4.7 (0.0–116.3) thousand cases of microcephaly. The economic burden of these neurological sequelae are estimated to be USD ~2.3 (USD 0–159.3) billion per annum. Conclusions/Significance: Zika is likely to have significant public health consequences across Latin America and the Caribbean in years to come. Our projections inform regional and federal health authorities, offering an opportunity to adapt to this public health challenge

Toward an Open-Access Global Database for Mapping, Control, and Surveillance of Neglected Tropical Diseases

There is growing interest in the scientific community, health ministries, and other organizations to control and eventually eliminate neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). Control efforts require reliable maps of NTD distribution estimated from appropriate models and survey data on the number of infected people among those examined at a given location. This kind of data is often available in the literature as part of epidemiological studies. However, an open-access database compiling location-specific survey data does not yet exist. We address this problem through a systematic literature review, along with contacting ministries of health, and research institutions to obtain disease data, including details on diagnostic techniques, demographic characteristics of the surveyed individuals, and geographical coordinates. All data were entered into a database which is freely accessible via the Internet (http://www.gntd.org). In contrast to similar efforts of the Global Atlas of Helminth Infections (GAHI) project, the survey data are not only displayed in form of maps but all information can be browsed, based on different search criteria, and downloaded as Excel files for further analyses. At the beginning of 2011, the database included over 12,000 survey locations for schistosomiasis across Africa, and it is continuously updated to cover other NTDs globally