Iodine Deficiency in Goats

Iodine deficiency is a common problem among humans and livestock throughout the world. Prevalence is very high in goats due to less access to soils and browsing habits of goats. It is primarily due to deficiency of iodine in soil, feed, fodder, and water or secondarily due to the presence of goitrogens in diet of animals. Clinical deficiency is characterized by cardinal signs of goiter, whereas subclinical deficiency is difficult to diagnose because clinical signs are not evident. Clinical signs are more prevalent in kids as compared to adults. Diagnosis is on the basis of clinical sign of goiter and estimation of thyroid hormones, the plasma organic iodine level. Milk and urine iodine levels are good indicators of iodine deficiency. Deficiency can be prevented by daily supplementation of iodine and avoiding diets high in goitrogens

Genetic diversity among selected genotypes of almond Prunus dulcis Miller D.A. Webb assessed by random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers

Genetic relatedness and diversity in 32 almond genotypes were analysed using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers. All the genotypes maintained at Dr. Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Solan, India comprised ten exotic introductions and 22 indigenous selections. Using 16 selected 10-mer primers, 87 bands were generated and all the bands were recorded to be polymorphic. The RAPD primers namely S073 (CCAGATGCAC) and S081 (TCGCCAGCCA) gave maximum and minimum number of polymorphic bands, respectively. Cluster analysis of all the genotypes was performed based on data from polymorphic bands using Jaccard’s similarity coefficient and unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean (UPGMA) clustering method. The highest and lowest similarities detected between genotypes were 0.667 and 0.000, respectively. Average polymorphic information content (PIC) value of 16 selected primers was 0.684 and maximum and minimum PIC value was 0.8687 and 0.2551 for primers S073 and S081, respectively. Cophenetic correlation was found to be 0.89. RAPD data on genetic diversity matched classification of studied genotypes based on morphological and geographical traits.Keywords: Prunus dulcis, genetic diversity, accessions, DNA isolation, cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB), random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) marker, polymorphic information content (PIC) valu

Microbial production of dicarboxylic acids from edible plants and milk using GC-MS

Abstract Objective The present experiment was designed to assess the contents of organic acids such as citric acid, succinic acid, fumaric acid, and malic acid in edible food plants and milk under the influence of Eschericia coli. Methods Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was used to estimate the contents of organic acids in edible plants and milk. Two microliters of samples was injected into the GC-MS, and the contents of organic acids were computed using standard curves. Results Maximum citric content (204 mg/g DW, 24 h E. coli treatment) was observed in tomato followed by papaya (175 mg/g DW). Papaya and grapes (715 and 504 mg/g DW, 24 h E. coli treatment respectively) can be good sources of succinic acid. Malic acid content was highest in E. coli-treated milk (168 mg/g DW). In general, there was a decrease in average citric acid and increase in succinic acid contents in the food sources tested on treatment with E. coli. Conclusion It was found that among the tested raw food items and milk, with or without E. coli inoculation, tomato and papaya hold a good potential for citric acid production, grapes and papaya for succinic acid, and milk for malic acid production. The study can be a basis for utilization of vegetables, fruits, and milk for the production of dicarboxylic acids to boost the agrarian economy

Hepatotoxicity and Cholestasis in Rats Induced by the Sesquiterpene, 9-oxo-10,11-Dehydroageraphorone, Isolated from Eupatorium adenophorum

: Eupatorium adenophorum leaves cause hepatotoxicity and cholestasis in rats. The hepatotoxicant has been characterized as 9-oxo-10,11- dehydroageraphorone (ODA), a cadinene sesquiterpene. Oral administration of ODA, mixed in feed to rats, caused jaundice in 24 h. The liver of the intoxicated animals had focal areas of hepatocellular necrosis, proliferation, and dilation of bile ducts with degenerative changes in the lining epithelium. There was marked increase in the conjugated form of plasma bilirubin and in the activities of the enzymes glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase, glutamate pyruvate transaminase, alkaline phosphatase, lactate dehydrogenase, g-glutamyltranspeptidase, glutamate dehydrogenase, and 50-nucleotidase. The histopathological lesions in liver and biochemical profile of marker enzymes show that ODA induced hepatotoxicity and cholestasis in rats. This is the first report on the toxicity of a cadinene sesquiterpene in rats.