Diagnosis of Fasciola infection by SDS–PAGE eluted excretory secretory (ES) protein fractions using dot-ELISA

Fascioliasis is now recognized as an emerging zoonotic disease in Egypt. Diagnosis in suspected patients still needs some degree of accuracy. In the present study, three Fasciola gigantica execratory secretory (ES) protein bands of molecular weight (MW) ranging from 14 to 20 kDa, 25 to 32 kDa and 45 to 65 kDa were eluted after fractionation of the parasite antigen using SDS–PAGE. The extracted kDa protein bands were concentrated and evaluated in diagnosis of Fasciola infection. Moreover the level of their cross reaction with other parasitic infections in infected and suspected patients of known parasite eggs/gram stool was evaluated using the dot-ELISA technique. Protein bands in the range of 14–20 kDa and that of 25–32 kDa were markedly specific and sensitive in diagnosis of different levels of anti-Fasciola antibodies (Ab) in sera of infected cases. These two groups of bands were able to exclude cross-reaction between anti-Fasciola Ab and other parasites recorded in stool of selected patients suffering from Schistosoma mansoni, Ascaris, and Giardia, either in single or mixed conditions with Fasciola eggs. While that of 45–65 kDa appeared less specific than the other previously mentioned bands. Protein bands in the range of 25–32 kDa appeared more sensitive than the other protein bands in detection of anti-Fasciola Ab at higher serum dilutions. The Dot-ELISA technique was proved to be more economic and easy in application. The dotted very small amount of antigens can be stored in a freezer and used at request in diagnosis of large numbers of samples

Wheat Response to Partially Acidified Phosphate Rock, Triple Super Phosphate and their Combinations in Vertisols in Sudan

Conventional water soluble phosphorus fertilizers(PF) such as triple super phosphate (TSP) is expensive because it is an imported commodity. Therefore, it is wise to substitute it by a cheap local material where possible. Phosphate rock (PR) was found to be a suitable material as a source of phosphorus (P) for plants. To investigate this, a two year(Novermber1999 and 2000) field experiment with wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), was carried out on a clay soil, in the Research Farm of the College of Agricultural Studies, University of Sudan. This was meant to test the agricultural value of using partially acidified phosphate rock (PAPR). Treatments consisted of two P sources (TSP and PAPR) applied at the rates of O, 43.0, 64.5 and 86.0 kg P205 ha-1 Inoculation of wheat seeds with Vesicular arbuscular mychorrhiza   (VAM) was also tested to determine its effects on release of P from PAPR. Results showed that P APR, alone or in combination with TSP, significantly increased grain and straw yield over those of TSP alone by 31 to 41% and 9 to 18% in the two seasons, respectively. Phosphorus residual effect on yield of grain and straw of wheat was significantly higher in plots treated with PAPR compared to those treated with TSP. Inoculation of the seeds with VAM fungus did not show any significant effects on yield. It could be concluded that, mixing PAPR with TSP increased its effectiveness relative to PAPR alone, and therefore PAPR is proposed as a source of P for irrigated wheat in the Vertisols of the Sudan

Higher order statistical frequency domain decomposition for operational modal analysis

Experimental methods based on modal analysis under ambient vibrational excitation are often employed to detect structural damages of mechanical systems. Many of such frequency domain methods, such as Basic Frequency Domain (BFD), Frequency Domain Decomposition (FFD), or Enhanced Frequency Domain Decomposition (EFFD), use as first step a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) estimate of the power spectral density (PSD) associated with the response of the system. In this study it is shown that higher order statistical estimators such as Spectral Kurtosis (SK) and Sample to Model Ratio (SMR) may be successfully employed not only to more reliably discriminate the response of the system against the ambient noise fluctuations, but also to better identify and separate contributions from closely spaced individual modes. It is shown that a SMR-based Maximum Likelihood curve fitting algorithm may improve the accuracy of the spectral shape and location of the individual modes and, when combined with the SK analysis, it provides efficient means to categorize such individual spectral components according to their temporal dynamics as coherent or incoherent system responses to unknown ambient excitations.http://www.esat.kuleuven.be/pub/SISTA/data/mechanical/flexible%20structure.dat.gz . This research was made possible by NPRP 6-150-2-0597 grant from the Qatar National Research Fund (a member of The Qatar Foundation). The statements made herein are solely the responsibility of the authors.Scopu

Reassessment of paleointensity estimated of a single lava flow from Xitle volcano, Mexico, by means of multispecimen domain-state corrected

International audienceDetermining paleomagnetic field intensity (paleointensity: PI) for lavas with high reliability and low measurement uncertainty is still difficult to achieve. Some of the factors on which the PI used methods depends are the non-ideal physical and magnetic characteristics of lava sample, grain size, cooling rate effect and thermal stability. Xitle volcano (SW Mexico City) is a good example to illustrate and discuss this problem because several previous PI studies that were carried out on its evolved flow units, have commonly resulted in different mean values with large dispersions. Indeed, 211 published PI data obtained by use of Thellier and microwave experiments gave a mean of 64.1 μT with a standard deviation of 11.0 μT. After a careful evaluation, we found that only 134 of these data can be considered reliable, as they meet a set of selection criteria designed in this study. These evaluated data gave an average mean of 62.0 ± 9.3 μT. In order to strengthen the PI estimates of Xitle, we conducted a multispecimen domain-state corrected (MSP-DSC) method along one vertical (ca. 4.5 m) and three horizontal (ca. 1.25 m, each) profiles. Top horizontal and vertical profiles have fulfilled a stringent criteria set while central and lower profiles exceeded the alteration check criteria limit and thus are considered unreliable. Accordingly, Xitle PI mean derived from MSP-DSC experiment is calculated at 60.5 ± 4 μT, thus in a good agreement with the mean value estimated from previous filtered data. The result and success rate obtained in this study may be ascribed to cooling rate variations commonly found at the lava profile, and indicate that MSP-DSC outcome is governed by the magnetic properties such as the domain-size behavior and the thermal stability of the magnetic carriers present in the treated specimens, as in the conventional Thellier & microwave-style experiments. From these two averages, a combined mean and standard deviation of 61.9 ± 9 μT is calculated, which technically is considered the most probable intensity estimate at the Xitle eruption time, ca 370 AD

Productive performance, fertility and hatchability, blood indices and gut microbial load in laying quails as affected by two types of probiotic bacteria

This study investigated two kinds of probiotic bacteria (Bacillus toyonensis, B1 and Bifidobacterium bifidum, B2) on laying Japanese quail’s performance, egg quality, fertility and hatchability, blood biochemical characteristics and microbiological parameters. A total of 270 mature quails (180 females and 90 males) were distributed into ten groups in a completely randomized design at eight weeks of age. The experimental groups were as follows: T1: basal diet only (control); T2-T5, basal diet plus 0.05, 0.075, 0.10 and 0.125% B1, respectively; T6: basal diet plus 0.10% B2; T7-T10: basal diet plus 0.05, 0.075, 0.10 and 0.125% B1 plus 0.05% B2, respectively. Results revealed that egg number (EN) and egg weight (EW) were gradually increased (P < 0.01) as the levels of both probiotic types increased. The feed conversion ratio (FCR) was significantly (P < 0.05) better within the total experimental period (8–20 weeks) due to B1 alone or/with B2 supplementation. Values of yolk percentage (Y%) were statistically (P < 0.01) higher only at 8–20 weeks of age and T10 recorded the highest value. By increasing the level of probiotics, fertility and hatchability percentages (F% and H%) were gradually increased (P < 0.01 and P < 0.05). Creatinine (CR) level was statistically reduced in birds fed T4 diet. Also, urea-N and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels were reduced in treated birds. The opposite was found regarding alkaline phosphatase (ALP). Conclusively, using B1 and B2 enhanced the productive performance, some egg quality traits, fertility and hatchability, digestive enzyme activities, and reduced the harmful bacteria in the gut of laying Japanese quail. Our findings could recommend to apply T4 (basal diet + 0.10 % B1), T6 (basal diet + 0.10% B2) and T9 (basal diet + 0.10% B1 + 0.05% B2) levels for the best results