COMPARATIVE EFFICACY OF FIVE DIFFERENT BRANDS OF COMMERCIAL NEWCASTLE DISEASE LASOTA VIRUS VACCINES IN BROILERS

Five commercial LaSota strain Newcastle disease (ND) vaccines namely A, B, C, D and E were evaluated for their potency, efficacy, thermostability and influence on productivity in broilers. A 3-log10 difference of EID50 and two-to-eight fold difference of HA activity was found among the various vaccines tested. One hundred and fifty day-old broiler chicks were divided into six equal groups tagged as I, II, III, IV, V and VI. The birds in groups I, II, III, IV and V were actively immunized against ND on days 7 (eye drop method) and 21 (drinking water) using vaccines A, B, C, D and E, respectively. The birds in group VI served as unvaccinated control. The serum HI antibody response to five vaccines was determined 7, 14, 21 and 28 days post-vaccination. Fifteen birds from each group including unvaccinated control were challenged at day 35 with local virulent ND field isolate. The HI serum antibody profile and post-challenge mortality pattern revealed a dose-response relation between the virus content, humoral antibody response and clinical protection. To compare the heat stability, the vaccines were incubated at 4, 25 and 400C for a period of 24 hours. There was no remarkable reduction in HA titer, however slight dips (less than 2 logarithmic units) in EID50 values were found in all the vaccines. All the vaccines caused significant suppression in weight gain, leading to a poor performance in terms of feed conversion ratio (FCR) and European Efficiency Factor (EEF)

Phylogenomics and Infectious Potential of Avian Avulaviruses Species-Type 1 Isolated from Healthy Green-Winged Teal (Anas carolinensis) from a Wetland Sanctuary of Indus River

Given the importance of Avian avulaviruses (AAvVs) in commercial poultry, continuous monitoring and surveillance in natural reservoirs (waterfowls) is imperative. Here, we report full genomic and biologic characterization of two virulent AAvVs isolated from apparently asymptomatic green-winged teal (Anas carolinensis). Genetic characterization (genome length, coding potential, and presence of typical cleave motif [112RRQKR| F117]) and biologic assessment (HA, log 2 9 ; mean death time, 49.2-50 hr; 10 -6.51 50% egg infective dose [EID50]/0.1 mL; and 1.5 intracerebral pathogenicity index [ICPI] value) revealed virulence of both isolates. Phylogenetic analysis of the complete genome and hypervariable region of the fusion (F) gene revealed clustering of both isolates within class II strains in close association with domestic poultry-origin AAvVs representing genotype VII and subgenotype VIIi. The inferred residue analysis of F and hemagglutinin-neuraminidase genes showed a number of substitutions in critical domains compared with reference strains of each genotype (I-XVIII). The isolates showed a high nucleotide resemblance (99%) with strain isolated previously from backyard poultry; however, they also showed a variable similarity (16.1% to 19.3%) with the most commonly used vaccine strains, Mukteswar (EF201805) and LaSota (AF077761). In accordance with pathogenicity assessment and horizontal transmission, the clinical and histopathologic observations in experimental chickens indicated the velogenic viscerotropic nature of AAvV 1 isolates. Taken together, this study confirms the evolutionary nature of AAvVs and their potential role in disease occurrence, necessitating continuous surveillance of migratory/aquatic fowls to better elucidate infection epidemiology and potential impacts on commercial poultry. © 2019 American Association of Avian Pathologists

Evaluation of the potency of Newcastle disease vaccine from veterinary outlets in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria

Vaccination against Newcastle disease (ND) is the most reliable tool in its prevention and control, it is therefore important that vaccines used are of good quality. This study was conducted to assess the quality of live ND vaccines sold in Abeokuta over a six months’ period. Live Newcastle disease vaccines were purchased from ten different veterinary sales outlets and their antigenic titres were determined using Hemagglutination assay (HA). The results revealed a difference in antigenic titres amongst the various ND vaccines sold in Abeokuta with only 20.33 % having high titre, 55.9 % having an average titre, and 23.7 % having low titre. The vaccine titres varied between different brands with storage and handling as contributing factors to the variations. Antigenic titre contained in vaccines properly stored showed significantly (p<0.05) higher antigenic titre and vaccines that were close to their expiration dates had lower titres. Newcastle disease vaccines in Abeokuta are of average titres, it is therefore necessary that adequate evaluation of ND vaccines be recommended before use in flocks and owners of vaccine sales outlets be educated on the need for proper handling and storage of these biologicals

In vitro assessment of the potency of some Newcastle disease vaccine brands in Ibadan, Nigeria

Background: Newcastle disease (ND) is a very common and economically important disease of poultry. There is no drug for treatment of the disease during an outbreak in poultry flocks, and prevention by vaccination is one of the recommended control measures. However, post vaccination outbreaks have been observed on many occasions in chicken flocks and one of the causes has been attributed to possible failure of vaccine to confer immunity. This study was designed to evaluate the potency of ND vaccines available in Ibadan, Nigeria. Methodology: Haemagglutination (HA) technique and elution phenomenon were employed to evaluate the potency of ND vaccines randomly selected in Ibadan. A total of 45 vaccines comprising 9 brands and 5 different strains were selected for potency test. The vaccine brands included ‘Vireo 116’ (n=10), ‘ABIC’ (n=5), ‘Biovac’(n=9), ‘Nobilis’(n=3), ‘NVRI’(n=12), ‘R2B’ (n=2), ‘BAL-ND’ (n=2), ‘Forte dodge’(n=1) and ‘Jovac’ (n=1), while the vaccine strains in the brands included Lasota, B1, Clone, Komarov, Hitcher, and an unknown strain. Results: Thirty-five of the 45 (77.8%) ND vaccines tested had more than 4 HA titer (>64) and were therefore regarded as potent. All the 15 (100%) ND Lasota vaccine strain, 7 out of 10 (70%) ND Komarov strain, 4 out of 5 (80%) ND clone and 5 out of 8 (62.5%) ND B1 strains were potent. None of the ND brand ‘R2B’ vaccine as well as Hitchner strain from ‘Nobilis’ brand was potent, but all 5, 2, 1 and 1 vaccines tested from brands ‘ABIC’, ‘BAL-ND’, ‘Fort dodge’ and ‘Jovac’ respectively were potent. Similarly, 9 of 10, 6 of 9, 2 of 3 and 9 of 12 vaccine strains tested from brands ‘Vireo 116’, ‘Biovac’, ‘Nobilis’ and ‘NVRI’ were respectively potent Conclusion: The occurrence of ND vaccines that are not potent in this study may be contributing to post vaccination failure. It is advisable to subject vaccines to potency test before use. Key words: in vitro, assessment, potency, Newcastle disease, vaccine brands, vaccine strains   French Title; Évaluation in vitro de la puissance de certaines marques de vaccins contre la maladie de Newcastle à Ibadan, Nigéria Contexte: La maladie de Newcastle (ND) est une maladie très courante et économiquement importante des volailles. Il n'existe aucun médicament pour le traitement de la maladie lors d'une épidémie dans des troupeaux de volailles, et la prévention par vaccination est l'une des mesures de contrôle recommandées. Cependant, des flambées post-vaccination ont été observées à de nombreuses reprises dans des troupeaux de poulets et l'une des causes a été attribuée à un éventuel échec du vaccin à conférer l'immunité. Cette étude a été conçue pour évaluer la puissance des vaccins contre la MN disponibles à Ibadan, au Nigéria. Méthodologie: La technique d'hémagglutination (HA) et le phénomène d'élution ont été utilisés pour évaluer la puissance des vaccins contre la MN sélectionnés au hasard à Ibadan. Un total de 45 vaccins comprenant 9 marques et 5 souches différentes ont été sélectionnés pour le test d'activité. Les marques de vaccins comprenaient 'Vireo 116' (n=10), 'ABIC' (n=5), 'Biovac' (n=9), 'Nobilis' (n=3), 'NVRI' (n=12), 'R2B' (n=2), 'BAL-ND' (n=2), 'Forte dodge' (n=1) et 'Jovac' (n=1), tandis que les souches vaccinales des marques comprenaient Lasota, B1, Clone, Komarov, Hitcher et une souche inconnue. Résultats: Trente-cinq des 45 vaccins contre la MN testés (77,8%) avaient plus de 4 titres en HA (>64) et étaient donc considérés comme puissants. Toutes les 15 (100%) souches de vaccin ND Lasota, 7 souches sur 10 (70%) ND Komarov, 4 sur 5 (80%) clones ND et 5 sur 8 (62,5%) souches ND B1 étaient puissantes. Aucun des vaccins ’R2B’ de marque ND ni la souche Hitchner de la marque ’Nobilis’ n'étaient puissants, mais tous les vaccins 5, 2, 1 et 1 testés des marques ‘ABIC’, ‘BAL-ND’, ‘Fort dodge’ et ‘Jovac’ respectivement était puissant. De même, 9 des 10, 6 des 9, 2 des 3 et 9 des 12 souches vaccinales testées des marques ’Vireo 116’, ‘Biovac’, ‘Nobilis’ et ‘NVRI’ étaient respectivement puissantes Conclusion: La présence de vaccins contre la MN qui ne sont pas puissants dans cette étude peut contribuer à l'échec post-vaccinal. Il est conseillé de soumettre les vaccins à un test de puissance avant utilisation. Mots-clés: in vitro, évaluation, puissance, maladie de Newcastle, marques de vaccin, souches vaccinale

Biological characterization of wild-bird-origin avian avulavirus 1 and efficacy of currently applied vaccines against potential infection in commercial poultry

Newcastle disease virus (NDV), the type member of the species Avian avulavirus 1 (formerly known as avian paramyxovirus serotype 1), causes a highly contagious and economically important disease in a myriad of avian species around the globe. While extensive vaccination programs have been implemented in ND-endemic countries, the disease is continuously spreading in commercial, backyard, and wild captive poultry. In order to investigate the evolution of the virus and assess the efficiency of the vaccine regimens that are currently being applied in commercial poultry, four wild-bird-origin NDV strains were characterized biologically, based on mean death time and intracerebral pathogenicity index, and genetically, based on the cleavage motif (112RRQKRF117) in the fusion (F) protein. Based on these features, all of the isolates were characterized as velogenic strains of NDV. Phylogenetic analysis based on the complete genome sequence revealed clustering of these isolates within class II, genotype VII. This class of NDV remains the predominant genotype in the Egyptian poultry industry, as well as in those of many Asian and African countries. To investigate the potential of these wild-bird-origin NDV isolates to cause infection in domesticated poultry and to assess the efficacy of currently available vaccines for protection of commercial poultry, an extensive animal challenge experiment was performed. Cumulative clinicopathological and immunological investigations of virus-challenged chickens indicate that these isolates can potentially be transmitted between chicken and cause systemic infections, and the currently applied vaccines are unable to prevent clinical disease and virus shedding. Taken together, the data represent a comprehensive evaluation of the ability of Egyptian wild-bird-origin NDV strains to cause infection in commercial poultry and highlights the need for a continuous and large-scale surveillance as well as revised vaccine approaches. These integrated and multifaceted strategies would be crucial in any efforts to control and eradicate the disease globally

Comparative evolutionary and phylogenomic analysis of Avian avulaviruses 1 to 20

Avian avulaviruses (avulaviruses or AAvVs) infect a wide range of avian species worldwide with variable clinical outcomes and economic impacts. Owing to broad host spectrum, several novel avulaviruses are being reported from both wild and domesticate birds that highlight the potential of the virus to evolve, adapt and emerge in susceptible population. Pathobiological and phylogenetic characterizations of individual avulaviruses are often demonstrated, however, a cumulative and comparative assessment of avulaviruses remains elusive. To assess evolutionary dynamics and potential emergence of novel avulaviruses, we enriched existing databases of all known avulaviruses (specie-type 1-20), and determined their genomics features based on both complete genomes and individual complete genes. While a high nucleotide divergence (up to 65.4%) was observed among avulaviruses, phylogenomic analysis revealed clustering of all avulaviruses into three distinct clades. The major clade (Clade-I) included both oldest and newest avulaviruses (2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 14, 15 and 20) and the second clade (Clade-II) consisted of avulaviruses 1, 9, 12, 13, 16, 17, 18 and 19, whereas the third clade (Clade-III) carried only avulaviruses 3 and 4. Intriguingly, clustering pattern was descriptive for individual gene-based analysis, however, the hemagglutinin-neuraminidase (HN) and polymerase (L) genes showed clear and discrete branching patterns similar to complete genome-based clustering. Therefore, we propose the use of HN, or L genes or complete genome to study epidemiological aspects of the avulaviruses. Genomic and residue characteristics of all genes indicated a continuous evolution of the virus, and substitutions in biologically important motifs warrant future investigations to assess their roles in the pathobiology of the virus. Taken together, this comprehensive analysis of all known avulaviruses ascertains continuous monitoring and surveillance of wild/water-fowls and commercial poultry. These findings further our understanding on the evolutionary dynamics and potential emergence of novel avulaviruses and will establish bases to identify potential of wild-bird origin apathogenic viruses to cause infections in commercial poultry

Plants as a Source of Anticancer Agents: from Bench to Bedside

Cancer is the second leading cause of death after cardiovascular diseases. Conventional anticancer therapies are associated with lack of selectivity and serious side effects. Cancer hallmarks are biological capabilities acquired by cancer cells during neoplastic transformation. Targeting multiple cancer hallmarks is a promising strategy to treat cancer. The diversity in chemical structure and the relatively low toxicity make plant-derived natural products a promising source for the development of new and more effective anticancer therapies that have the capacity to target multiple hallmarks in cancer. In this review, we discussed the anticancer activities of ten natural products extracted from plants. The majority of these products inhibit cancer by targeting multiple cancer hallmarks, and many of these chemicals have reached clinical applications. Studies discussed in this review provide a solid ground for researchers and physicians to design more effective combination anticancer therapies using plant-derived natural products

The role of private vending in Developing country water service delivery : the case of Karachi, Pakistan

Thesis (M.C.P.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Urban Studies and Planning, 1999.Includes bibliographical references (leaves 84-85).The private water vending industry in Karachi is an important source of water service delivery in Karachi, Pakistan. Water vending is largely a supplemental service to households with private water connections, due to limited service from the public utility. This research attempts to: i) Characterize the existing water supply situation in Karachi, with particular focus on the water vending industry; ii) Evaluate the extent to which water vending in Karachi affects households' water supply situation and generates excessive profits for vendors; and iii) Assess possible strategies for water sector reform in Karachi. The case of Karachi, where water vending coexists with a piped supply network, poses a challenge to policy makers in water supply planning. The study shows that the major clients of vended water in the city are those who have water connections, storage capacity, and the ability to buy water. The key findings of the study are: i) Karachi's water vending market may not be economically efficient. Although the vending market provides only 9% of the water consumed by city residents on a daily basis, it earns almost 50% of all revenues received from water. ii) Groundwater supplying households' wells and private hydrants is not recognized as a common property resource by the concerned public agencies. As a result, existing government policy fails to address the consequences of unregulated groundwater use by private individuals. iii) Surprisingly, a market for vended water exists even in a city where more than 3/4 of all households are served by piped water connections. When levels of the public utility's service are low - in this case an average of 3 hours of service each day - households are forced to turn to other sources to meet their water supply needs. In view of these findings, there appears to be a need for regulatory reforms. The study proposes the adoption of a dual strategy to solve the problem of rent seeking by hydrant owners in Karachi: regulation, and promotion of competition.by Roohi Abdullah.M.C.P

Sustainability, Digital Transformation and Fintech: The New Challenges of the Banking Industry

In the current competitive scenario, the banking industry must contend with multiple challenges tied to regulations, legacy systems, disruptive models/technologies, new competitors, and a restive customer base, while simultaneously pursuing new strategies for sustainable growth. Banking institutions that can address these emerging challenges and opportunities to effectively balance long-term goals with short-term performance pressures could be aptly rewarded. This book comprises a selection of papers addressing some of these relevant issues concerning the current challenges and opportunities for international banking institutions. Papers in this collection focus on the digital transformation of the banking industry and its effect on sustainability, the emergence of new competitors such as FinTech companies, the role of mobile banking in the industry, the connections between sustainability and financial performance, and other general sustainability and corporate social responsibility (CSR) topics related to the banking industry. The book is a Special Issue of the MDPI journal Sustainability, which has been sponsored by the Santander Financial Institute (SANFI), a Spanish research and training institution created as a collaboration between Santander Bank and the University of Cantabria. SANFI works to identify, develop, support, and promote knowledge, study, talent, and innovation in the financial sector