Digestible threonine and its effects on growth performance, gut morphology and carcass characteristics in broiler Japanese quails (Coturnix coturnix japonica)

Threonine is the third limiting amino acid in corn-soy-based poultry diets and has an important role in body and intestinal development of chicken. Although work on threonine (Thr) in chicken is well established, information about the effects of digestible threonine (dThr) on quail performance is limited. Therefore, the current study was designed to determine the impact of increasing levels of dThr on growth performance, feed conversion ratio (FCR), gut health and carcass characteristics in meat-type quails. A total of 324 mixed-sex day-old quail were randomly allocated to three treatments with six replicates per treatment and 18 birds per replicate. There were three dietary treatments, namely control (C) with recommended levels of dThr according to the Brazilian Tables guidelines for Japanese quails: 10% dThr (C diet supplemented with 10% more dThr) and 20%dThr (C diet supplemented with 20% more dThr). At day 35 of the experiment, three birds from each pen were slaughtered. A duodenal sample was collected and preserved to evaluate gut health. The carcass characteristics were determined from the slaughtered birds. Total feed intake and average daily feed intake were higher in the C treatment than in 10% dThr. Final bodyweight (BW), weight gain and average daily gain (ADG) increased linearly. The birds fed diets supplemented with 20% extra dThr had the highest final weight and bodyweight gain (BWG) compared with those birds that were fed on C and 10% dThr supplemented diets. Feed conversion ratio was improved in 10% dThr compared with the C birds. Villus height (VH) was similar among treatments. The highest crypt depth (CD) was observed in C, followed by 10% dThr and 20% dThr. The birds fed 20% dThr had higher VH:CD than 10% dThr. The birds in the C treatment had lowest VH:CD. Carcass weights with and without giblets were higher in the 20% dThr than in the 10% dThr and C treatments. Breast mass yield (BMY) was greatest in 20% dThr compared with C and 10% dThr. It may be concluded that supplementation of Thr higher than the requirements referred to in Brazilian Tables improves growth performance and gut health of meat-type quail.Keywords: Crypt depth, mucin, performance, quail, villus heigh

Load Management System with Integration of Renewable Energy Resources

This article presents, a load management system is designed and implemented to integrate renewable energy resources (RES) (solar and wind), which manage the load according to the supply/demand and the user's priorities. The system is implemented on a hybrid system integrating wind energy, solar energy, utility supply, and battery energy storage system. Load management is carried out via switching of the loads. The sources can also be turned ON and OFF. During excess power, the battery module works as an energy storage unit or backup energy supply unit during demand. Loads can be turned ON and OFF wirelessly via GSM. The grid operator can switch the loads by simply sending a command via a short service message (SMS). In the end, the system is tested, and the results are presented.   The hybrid system is simulated in MATLAB/Simulink first and then hardware implementation is carried out, which involves integrating renewable resources via converters and load management by switching using a microcontroller (Arduino)

Experience of managing acute pancreatitis in a surgical unit of a tertiary care hospital

Objective: To study the etiology, diagnosis, treatment and complications of acute pancreatitis in a tertiary care hospital.  Methodology: Study Design: It was a descriptive study. The study was conducted at Surgical Unit of Benazir Bhutto Hospital (BBH) Rawalpindi from 1st January 2014 to 31 July 2017.  All the patients who presented in emergency with abdominal symptoms and diagnosed as a case of acute pancreatitis were included in the study. All the data of gender, age, serum amylase & lipase, etiology, CT severity index, Ranson’s criteria, complications, mortality and management were noted on a predesigned proforma. Percentages and frequencies were calculated for all the data by SPSS 21 version. Results: Total 161 patients were included in the study, with 60.9% females and 39.1% males. Maximum patients 31% were from age group of 26 to 40  years of age and minimum 1.2% from 71 to 85 years. Gall stones were the major cause of the disease contributing 67% of cases.  At admission Ranson’s score of the maximum patients 32.2% had total score of 1, While only 1.2% had moderate pancreatitis.  After 48 hours of admission 24.2% had 2 score while only 1.2%had severe pancreatitis.  The radiological CT severity index 82.6% patients had mild pancreatitis while1.2% patients had severe disease. 93.1% patients were managed conservatively, 1.9%  patients went Cystogastrostomy, 1.2% patients needed Exploratory laparotomy and  1.2% patients went for Pancreatic Necrosectomy.  On calculating the morbidity 67.7% patients had no significant morbidity. 32.3% had complications including pleural effusion, ascites, pancreatic necrosis, pseudo cyst formation, shock, acute renal failure and multi organ failure.  Overall mortality rate was  3.7%. Conclusion: Acute pancreatitis in our set up is mainly due to gall stones. A multidisciplinary approach, measurement of severity of disease with computerized tomography scan and Ranson’s scoring system is always helpful in disease management and its complications. Key Words : Acute pancreatitis, Gall stones, Ranson’s scoring, Pancreatic necrosis, Pseudocyst

The influence of attitudinal factors of SME owner-managers on adoption of financial products

Given the key role of owner managers in the decision making process, understanding socio-psychological factors of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) financial behavior has often been prescribed as an important research direction.In accordance with the above, present study in context of Pakistan investigated the attitudinal factors of SMEs owner-managers’ towards adoption of financial products.The attitudinal factors are depicted as perceived relative advantage, perceived compatibility and perceived complexity.The proposed model has been adapted, which is composed of decomposed theory of planned behavior (DTPB) and decomposed attitudinal factors of SMEs owner-manager to investigate their intention to adopt financial products in Pakistan. Relying on a survey research design, and following stratified sampling method, after screening process 285 owner-managers responses have been considered for further analysis.The findings revealed that perceived relative advantage and perceived compatibility possess significant positive relationships with owner-manager attitude towards adoption of financial product which further significantly predicts behavioral intention.Moreover, perceived complexity has negative but significant relationship with SMEs owner-manager attitude towards adoption of financial products. SMEs owner-managers exhibit serious concern towards formal financial products adoption, the policy makers are suggested to focus on creating specialized products which are useful, compatible and easy to understand for SMEs owner-manager in Pakistan

Colonizer to Drug Resistant isolate, What is Happening to our Staphylococcus Aureus?

Objective: To evaluate resistant trend of multiple antimicrobial agents against Staphylococcus aureus isolates along with its prevalence.  Material and Methods: This prospective descriptive study was carried out in the department of microbiology Allama Iqbal Medical College Lahore from 1st January 2015 to 25 may 2016. Simple random technique was used, and 4570 clinical samples (Pus, blood, pleural fluid, tracheal aspirate, urine, sputum, HVS) were received from ICU, Surgical Unit, Medical Unit and OPD for culture sensitivity testing, antimicrobial resistant trend was tested according to CLSI guidelines  Results: Maximum isolates were recovered from surgical unit 31.9%, sample-wise maximum isolates were recovered from pus samples 26.8%. age group and genderbased distribution showed among male’s high isolation rate was observed in 21-40 years while in females 41-60-year age group. Every isolate was (100%) susceptible to linezolid, vancomycin and teicoplanin, cotrimoxazole also showed very low rate of drug resistance only 8.3%, while penicillin Doxycycline, Ciprofloxacin, Erythromycin showed 95.9%,69.8%55.4% and 48.2% drug resistance respectively, 43-45% drugresistant rate observed in case of Co-amoxiclave, Methicillin, Gentamicin, Fusidic Acid, Amikacin, and Clindamycin  Conclusion: Linezolid, Vancomycin, and Teicoplanin are best therapeutic Choices against Staphylococcus aureus associated infections

Bioenergy recovery analysis from various waste substrates by employing a novel industrial scale AD plant

In this novel industrial scale case study, the bioenergy recovery based on sole and mixed cow-buffalo (CBM) and potato waste (PW) substrates has been analyzed in real time, i.e., on-site on a full-scale operational anaerobic digestion (AD) plant. The plant employed in this study is a novel design, consisting of tri-digesters connected via an underground upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) type lagoon allowing it to function as a continuous-flow reactor. The system has been further equipped with CSTR, microwave heating, gas scrubbers, compression, and storage systems. The highest energy recovery readings were 123.9 m3/1,000 kg, 77 m3/1,000 kg, and 151.6 kWh/1,000 kg in terms of biogas, bio-methane, and electricity generated, respectively, with 75:25 ratio of CBM:PW. Operating with 100% CBM, yields of 79.9 m3/1,000 kg, 47 m3/1,000 kg, and 95 kWh/1,000 kg were obtained. The percentage of recovery in bio-methane production increased on using the mixed substrates, but it was the lowest with a 25:75 ratio of CBM:PW. The electrical power generation efficiency was found to be significantly increased, but not distinctively with the plant aggregate power rating that was probably associated with the variable quality of biogas which was fed to the power generator. A linear regression analysis had shown a significant and positive correlation between the rate of VS removal and biogas yield

Risks of vaccination: a review

To be granted a product license, a vaccine must present adequate quality, safety and efficacy. Studies on these criteria often utilize target species in a laboratory setting. Vaccines that had been proven effective during laboratory analysis may not present the same features when sold on a large scale, after encountering field conditions, and furthermore, can even produce complications. Measures are already in place to detect adverse reactions as reported by veterinarians to manufacturers, so that vaccines under suspicion of failing can be identified and investigated. The present review article describes the main problems, specifically adverse reactions and lack of efficacy, that have been encountered following release of vaccines for general use

An Economic Evaluation of Swaranjayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana in Kashmir Valley-A Case Study of Block Kulgam

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Efficient Circular Repeated Measurements Designs Nearly Strongly Balanced for Carryover Effects

Repeated measurements designs (RMDs) are always economical but with the use of these designs, there may arise carryover effects. Minimal strongly balanced RMDs are well known to estimate the treatment effects and carryover effects independently. Where these minimal designs cannot be constructed, minimal nearly strongly balanced RMDs are used to balance the carryover effects. In this article, efficient circular nearly strongly balanced RMDs are constructed in periods of two and three different sizes with the smallest of size four