Upgrading Milk Productivity of Primiparous Buffaloes Using Glycogenic Precursors; Implications on Milk Production and Blood Biochemical Parameters

This study was performed to explore the effect of drenching propylene glycol (PG) and calcium propionate (CP) as a source of energy to primiparous Egyptian buffalo cows (Bubalus bubalis) on milk production and some blood biochemical parameters. Eighteen primiparous buffalo cows (8 weeks before calving) with an average live body weight (LBW) of 500±25kg and aged 35±5 months were used. Animals were classified to three comparable groups (6, each) based on (LBW), body condition scores and expected calving date. Animals in the 1stgroup served as a control (C), were drenched 3L of saline solution (NaCl 0.9%) without any additives, the animals in the 2nd group (PG) were drenched 300 mL of propylene glycol dissolved in 3L of a saline solution. In the 3rd group (CP), animals were drenched 335g of calcium propionate dissolved in 3L of a saline solution. Milk production and milk composition of primiparous buffalo cows were measured. Blood samples were collected from all buffalos for biochemical analysis. Results showed significant effects on average daily and total milk yield but no significant difference on milk composition. All blood biochemical parameters revealed no significant variation between treated and control groups except for plasma beta-hydroxy butyrate (BHB) and both T3 and T4 hormones concentrations. The overall mean of BHB in treated (PG) and (CP) was also lower (17.67 and 14.67 vs. 26) than control group. Overall mean of T3 concentration hormone was the lowest in control group represented 3.13 vs. 5.28 and 4.99 ng/ml) for (PG) and (CP) treated group. The highest overall mean of T4 concentration hormone was recorded in (CP) treated group represented 19.55 ng/ml. Concisely, the present results indicate that drenching (PG) and (CP) have a positive effect on the productive traits of primiparous Egyptian buffalo cows while, did not affect the blood biochemical parameters

Morphological segmentation analysis and texture-based support vector machines classification on mice liver fibrosis microscopic images

Background To reduce the intensity of the work of doctors, pre-classification work needs to be issued. In this paper, a novel and related liver microscopic image classification analysis method is proposed. Objective For quantitative analysis, segmentation is carried out to extract the quantitative information of special organisms in the image for further diagnosis, lesion localization, learning and treating anatomical abnormalities and computer-guided surgery. Methods in the current work, entropy based features of microscopic fibrosis mice’ liver images were analyzed using fuzzy c-cluster, k-means and watershed algorithms based on distance transformations and gradient. A morphological segmentation based on a local threshold was deployed to determine the fibrosis areas of images. Results the segmented target region using the proposed method achieved high effective microscopy fibrosis images segmenting of mice liver in terms of the running time, dice ratio and precision. The image classification experiments were conducted using Gray Level Co-occurrence Matrix (GLCM). The best classification model derived from the established characteristics was GLCM which performed the highest accuracy of classification using a developed Support Vector Machine (SVM). The training model using 11 features was found to be as accurate when only trained by 8 GLCMs. Conclusion The research illustrated the proposed method is a new feasible research approach for microscopy mice liver image segmentation and classification using intelligent image analysis techniques. It is also reported that the average computational time of the proposed approach was only 2.335 seconds, which outperformed other segmentation algorithms with 0.8125 dice ratio and 0.5253 precision

The evolving SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in Africa: Insights from rapidly expanding genomic surveillance

INTRODUCTION Investment in Africa over the past year with regard to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) sequencing has led to a massive increase in the number of sequences, which, to date, exceeds 100,000 sequences generated to track the pandemic on the continent. These sequences have profoundly affected how public health officials in Africa have navigated the COVID-19 pandemic. RATIONALE We demonstrate how the first 100,000 SARS-CoV-2 sequences from Africa have helped monitor the epidemic on the continent, how genomic surveillance expanded over the course of the pandemic, and how we adapted our sequencing methods to deal with an evolving virus. Finally, we also examine how viral lineages have spread across the continent in a phylogeographic framework to gain insights into the underlying temporal and spatial transmission dynamics for several variants of concern (VOCs). RESULTS Our results indicate that the number of countries in Africa that can sequence the virus within their own borders is growing and that this is coupled with a shorter turnaround time from the time of sampling to sequence submission. Ongoing evolution necessitated the continual updating of primer sets, and, as a result, eight primer sets were designed in tandem with viral evolution and used to ensure effective sequencing of the virus. The pandemic unfolded through multiple waves of infection that were each driven by distinct genetic lineages, with B.1-like ancestral strains associated with the first pandemic wave of infections in 2020. Successive waves on the continent were fueled by different VOCs, with Alpha and Beta cocirculating in distinct spatial patterns during the second wave and Delta and Omicron affecting the whole continent during the third and fourth waves, respectively. Phylogeographic reconstruction points toward distinct differences in viral importation and exportation patterns associated with the Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron variants and subvariants, when considering both Africa versus the rest of the world and viral dissemination within the continent. Our epidemiological and phylogenetic inferences therefore underscore the heterogeneous nature of the pandemic on the continent and highlight key insights and challenges, for instance, recognizing the limitations of low testing proportions. We also highlight the early warning capacity that genomic surveillance in Africa has had for the rest of the world with the detection of new lineages and variants, the most recent being the characterization of various Omicron subvariants. CONCLUSION Sustained investment for diagnostics and genomic surveillance in Africa is needed as the virus continues to evolve. This is important not only to help combat SARS-CoV-2 on the continent but also because it can be used as a platform to help address the many emerging and reemerging infectious disease threats in Africa. In particular, capacity building for local sequencing within countries or within the continent should be prioritized because this is generally associated with shorter turnaround times, providing the most benefit to local public health authorities tasked with pandemic response and mitigation and allowing for the fastest reaction to localized outbreaks. These investments are crucial for pandemic preparedness and response and will serve the health of the continent well into the 21st century

Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries

The effects of Heat Treatment (T6) Technique and Some Centrifugal Casting Parameters on the Fatigue behavior of the Composite Material (A380/Al2O3)

Aluminum alloys composite is one of the most common types of composite materials and are used a lot in the recent years. In this paper, it had been dealt with the effects of the heat treatment techniques and some centrifugal casting parameters on the fatigue behavior of the composite material (A380/Al2O3) for high-cycle fatigue resistance which is one of the most important property for the automotive industry. It has been used aluminum alloy A380 with alumina particles Al2O3 to form composite materials through the process of centrifugal casting. The proportions were 10% and 20% with a grain size 63μm. After there, it has been manufactured Thirty-two models of composite material (A380/ Al2O3). Half of them are examined directly without treatment while the other half was treated with (T6) and then examined. The results showed that adding the amount of alumina 20% without heat treatment will increase relatively resistant composite material for the fatigue resistance by 17% percentage. And adding 10% alumina to the composite material and them cause distortion of the surface structure samples had been by blisters with completely discolored. A high Alumina content improves the fatigue behavior of the composite material (A380/Al2O3). DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.25130/tjes.24.2017.29</p

Effect of Moringa olifera Aqueous Extract on Food Poisoning Pathogens Isolated from Dairy Products

The high nutritional value of milk and dairy products renders them susceptible for bacterial contamination easily under the absence of hygienic practices and regulations. Therefore, a total of 100 random samples of milk and milk products (25 of each: raw milk, kareish cheese, processed cheese and ice cream) were collected from both Sharkia and Dakahlia Provinces, Egypt, for microbiological examinations. Staphylococcus. aureus and Pseudomonas. aeroginosa counts were performed using HiCrome™ Staph Selective Agar (Himedia, Mumbai) and Pseudomonas Agar Base (Himedia, Mumbai) with glycerol and CetriNix Supplement (Himedia, Mumbai) as a selective media. The obtained results revealed that the mean S. aureus counts in the examined raw milk, kariesh cheese, processed cheese and ice cream were 3.08x105±1.73x105, 3.20x105±2.80x105, 5.78x104±4.24x104 and 6.60x105±2.93x105 CFU/g, respectively; the mean Pseudomonas. aeruginosa counts in the examined raw milk, kariesh cheese, processed cheese and ice cream were 2.02x106±1.24x106, 1.85x104±8.80x104, 2.26x105±1.43x105 and 7.68x105±4.22x105 CFU/g, respectively According to the Egyptian Organization for Standardization and Quality (EOS) all samples examined in this study exceeded the permissible limits of S. aureus counts reported in Egyptian Standards. The examined samples were not accepted for S. aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa count. In conclusion, the examined products revealed unsatisfactory hygienic measures. Therefore, strict hygienic practices should be adopted during processing of dairy products to improve the bacteriological quality of such products. Moringa olifera 0.05% aqueous extract showed antibacterial effect against S. aureus by 56.7% and 83.3% reduction percentage in examined yogurt at day one and day three, respectively, but no effect against Pseudomonas. aeruginosa.

Effect of Probiotics and Natural Extracts on Hygienic Quality of Some Dairy Products

Dairy products are responsible of contamination with multiple microorganisms by different ways during handling, processing, and production, thus it would be unfit for consumption and form a public health hazard. Food borne diseases become a great trouble containing an extensive range of disorders caused by viral, bacterial, parasitic, or even chemical contamination of food. That reflected a problem due to the massive use of traditional antibiotics in human and animal diseases treatment and from this time, the persisted development of new programs of antimicrobial agents has become of rising importance to medicine. Probiotics not only used in treating gastrointestinal disease, but also used in food industry as natural antimicrobial substances which have a lot of bacteriostatic or bactericidal effect against different food borne pathogens. Contamination by foodborne pathogen in foods represents a serious challenge that may lead to severe disorders as toxic infection, food poisoning and intoxication. These pathogens caused illness, mortality and product withdraws. In fact, attention the using of herbal products has increased during the recent decades. Plants play an significant role in human health, it is likely that 25% of modern medicine were originated directly or indirectly from herbs. Many compounds present in plants have been reported to be antimicrobial, allopathic antioxidants, biologically active and have bioregulatory properties that have been proven real anti-bacterial, insecticidal, antifungal, antiparasitic, anti-viral and antioxidants. Aromatic essential oils are used as flavouring and prevent the growth of microbial contaminants and mould in food industry. Recently, probiotic bacteria have been used as substitutes for antibiotics to treat or different prevent intestinal infections. Studies of using natural preservatives either alone or in combination with other alternative have been verified (as probiotic) not only to evaluate synergism but also to produce effective combinations. Finally, we will discuss the effect of probiotic and natural extract on hygienic quality of some dairy products

Field evaluation of two bait delivery systems for the oral immunization of dogs against rabies in Tunisia

International audienceTwo bait delivery systems for the oral immunization of dogs against rabies were tested in small scale field trials in a semi-rural area in Tunisia: bait delivery to owned dogs during door to door visits of households (door to door baiting) and distribution of baits on transect lines (transect line baiting). A prototype bait (DBL2) configured for industrial production and containing either sulfadimethoxine (SDM) as a systemic marker or Rhodamine B as a topical marker was used. The overall proportion of dogs which took a bait and presented topical marker staining after door to door baiting was 59.1%. The total time and costs spent per bait accepting dog averaged 34 person minutes and US$4, respectively. Unconsummated baits were readily recovered. No unprotected human contacts with baits were recorded. Door to door baiting is a very specific but time-consuming method that enables a safe administration of vaccine baits to owned dogs. For transect line baiting, baits were distributed at a density of ca 3000 baits per km2 along double transect lines. Baits were recovered after 20 h. According to the proportion of SDM positive serum samples, 24.1$20, respectively. The household census revealed 32 direct human contacts with the bait matrix which corresponds to 1.4% of inhabitants. Placing baits on transect lines gives the possibility to vaccinate dogs not accessible by vaccination systems which base on dog owner participation. However, the method is not specific, less safe than other systems, not easily accepted by the human population, and costly