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The laccase enzyme was purified and characterized from the supernatant of the Aspergillus flavus (A. flavus) sprouting culture and its paper pulp delignification capacity was determined. The laccase production reached maximum level on 14th day of incubation in malt extract media at 40 oC. Specific activity and molecular mass of purified monomeric enzyme was found to be 780 U/mg and 40 kDa respectively. Km and Vmax values of the purified laccase were determined to be 12 μM and 3804 μM/min respectively. A. flavus laccase was strongly impeded by 5 mM L-cysteine, di-thiothreitol, Na-azide and moderately impeded by SDS and EDTA at concentration of 5 mM. Laccase activity was improved by Cu2+, Ca+2and Mg2+ ions while impeded by K+1, Ni+2, ,NH4+1, Ba+2 and Ag+2 at 1.0 mM concentration. The delignification capacity of extracellular laccase enzyme was examined by using 2, 2-azinobis-3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonate as a mediator.The optimum pH and temperature for paper pulp delignification were established to be 4.5 and 40°C respectively while the optimum time was found to be 2 hours. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zinc (Zn) deficiency is one of the major factors causing substantial loss to chickpea production. Zinc can be applied by several means including seed priming. Before field application, optimization of Zn seed primingis requiredas both toxicity and deficiency of Zn badly impacts chickpea growth and productivity. Therefore, this study was conducted to optimize the Zn concentration forseed priming in both desi and kabuli chickpea. For this, four independent experiments were performed both in petri plates and sand filled small pots. In petri plates, seeds were sown between the layers of moist filter papers, while in sand filled pots, seeds were sown in small sand filled (500 g) pots. In the first two experiments, Zn was applied using different seed priming concentrations viz.,0.01, 0.05, 0.1, 0.5, 1.0 M Zn and no Zn was taken as control. At all these Zn seed priming concentrations, there was no germination/emergence owing to Zn toxicity (data not given).In third and fourth experiments, based on above results, the Zn concentrations were reduced to 0.01, 0.001 and 0.0001 MZn solutions, taking non-primed seeds as control. The mean germination/emergence time and seedling growth of both chickpea typeswereimproved with Zn seed priming in 0.001 and 0.0001 M Zn solution except 0.01 M Zn that caused toxicity. In both experiments, seed priming with 0.001 M Zn decreased mean germination/emergencetime, improvedthe seedling root(47.8 and 30.4%)and shoot length (27.1 and 10.9%),number of secondary roots(80.0 and 28.6%),seedling dry weight (25.5 and 42.5%) and seedling Zn concentration(30.3 and 47.2%),respectively in petri plates and sand filled pots in both chickpea types. In conclusion, seed priming = 0.01 M Zn proved toxic. Chickpea seed may be primed with 0.001 MZn to improvethe seedling germination/emergence and early seedling growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The experiment was carried out on date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) cv. "Shamran" at Horticultural Research Station, Bahawalpur (Pakistan) during 2009-11 with the objectives to observe the effect of different bunch covering materials to reduce the rainfall effect for enhancement of economical yield. The experiment was laidout in Randomized Complete Block Design with 5 replications (5 palms). A set of treatments consisting of 5 treatments such as bunches without covering treated as control treatment (T1), bunches covered with polythene bags (T2), glazed paper bags (T3), art paper bags (T4) and polypropylene bags (T5), was applied to tagged bunches on a single palm before the onset of monsoon rains in the month of June (leaving downside of the bags open). Other cultural practices i.e., irrigation, fertilizer applcation and pollination were applied uniformly to all experimental units. The parameters under study were Ferment fruit (%), Fruit drop (%), Benefit ratio (%) over control, Bunch weight (kg) and Cost benefit ratio. Three years data results average indicated that bunches which were covered with polythene bags resulted in minimum fermented fruit (13.4%), minimum fruit drop (11.3%), maximum benefit ratio (56.7%) over control, the heaviest bunch weight (6.7kg), the highest cost benefit ratio (1:34) with maximum profit (67%) over uncovered bunches, followed by those bunches which were covered with polypropylene bags in these parameters. However, bunches covered with either glazed paper bags or art paper bags, both remained statistically similar in effect on the parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main purpose of the paper is to highlight the millennial tradition of large-scale sheep husbandry in Romania (transhumance practices from the past) by adapting technologies, to preserve this extensive system, even nowadays. The second aim of the paper is to identify the medicinal plants used by shepherds as part of extensive sheep farming. The phytogeographical resources underlying the development of the pastoral landscape are natural pastures and hayfields. Their floristic composition includes numerous plant species with a beneficial role for the health and wellbeing of sheep. The research was conducted in the "Mărginimea Sibiului" area (Sibiu County), Romania, in the period 2016-2020. The employed methodology is complex and it is based, on the one hand, on the study and analysis of bibliographic resources and, on the other hand, on site visits to representative pastoral villages and interviews with shepherds who practised transhumance in the past. Data was collected from local and national authorities. Classical or traditional transhumance represents the seasonal movement of shepherds with sheep herds from the mountains to the plains in the autumn (from the 1st of October to the 1st of April) and back, in the spring, until the end of summer. It involves the movement of large herds (generally between 500 and 2000 head) of Ţurcana breed sheep, over distances between 100 and 500 km. The commute between the mountains and the plains is necessary in order to make efficient use of all available forage resources. The findings include the following: the number of sheep in Romania varied from 18,000 thousand head in 1985, to 14,062 thousand head in 1990, with the lowest value in 2001 (7,251 thousand head). After Romania joined the EU, the number increased, reaching 10,281 thousand head in 2020 (16.8% of the EU population). The distribution of sheep breeds in the country is the consequence of the shepherds' long-term experience, being closely related to the landscape conditions and the pedoclimatic characteristics. In the areas with large herds of sheep, pastoral villages were formed, grouped into 4 main centres, as well as centres derived from them (in the south-eastern part of the country, namely Dobrogea, and in counties located in the western area). Regarding the use of medicinal plants from the spontaneous flora for animals, it can be stated that the literature cites 49 plant species identified in the area. Of these, only 33 plant species, belonging to 21 families, are used on sheep breeds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rice is one of the major cereal crop of the world. Its production potential is lower than in Pakistan because of rice seed mycoflora. Present study provides analysis of fungal mycoflora from rice seeds of 39 different germplasm lines (08 local and 30 exotic). Fungi were isolated from rice by agar and blotter paper methods. Surface sterilization of rice samples were done by using ethanol and sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) (2% each). Total of 18 different fungal species belong to 8 different genus were isolated from tested exotic and local germplasm lines of rice. The diversity of fungal species were observed included Alternaria juxtiseptata, five species of Aspergillus, Cladosporium cladosporoides, three species of Curvularia, two species of Drechslera biseptata, Fusarium globosum, Mucor sp., Penicillium oxalicum, Phoma sp., Rhizoctonia sp. and Rhizopus arrhizus. Curvularia lunata had highest percent frequency in all the local germplasm lines although Penicillium globosum, Rhizoctonia sp., Phoma sp. were isolated in higher frequency from blotter paper method as compared to agar plate. In the preview of such high association of mycoflora with stored rice grains, a proper seed treatment is the need of the hour. Moreover, it must be evaluated for all the cultivated as well as research germplasm for proper control of these seed mycoflora for future utilization/availability, production of healthy and high yielding rice varieties to the farmers community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Medicinal plants are extensively used throughout the world to treat a variety of ailments because of their safety, efficacy and affordability. Lawsonia inermis or Henna is commonly used in folk medicine for the cure of several illnesses. Particularly, it is used as a hair and hand dye. The objective of this study is to offer the most recent information regarding the pharmacological and phytochemical profile of the medicinal plant that is backed by evidence. Only indexed research and review papers were taken into account for the present study's data gathering in order to ensure authenticity. Only articles published in English language were considered for this study. To conduct a literature survey, various databases such as Scopus, Google Scholar, PubMed, Science Direct, and MEDLINE were searched without any year limit. The following keywords are used to search the data: "Lawsonia inermis", "medicinal plants", "herbs", "phytochemical", "pharmacological", "in vivo", "in vitro", "Henna" and "toxicity". The study's findings showed that the plant contains a variety of potent phytochemicals, including Lawsona, linarigenin, linarisenin, luteolin, lawsochrysin, lawsoniaside, lawsonaphthoate etc. The fruits, leaves, and stems of L. inermis have all been demonstrated to have potential pharmacological effects in previous investigations. So far, its antioxidant, cytotoxic, antimicrobial, antiprotozoal, immunomodulatory, hypoglycemic, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer properties have been documented. Even though many aspects of the plant have been researched, additional study is still necessary to completely understand the mechanism behind its pharmacological actions, to confirm its medicinal efficacy, and to justify its usage in traditional medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As human lifespan increase, interest in human health and the digital livestock system is also increasing. Therefore, it is necessary to converge the digital livestock system and animal biomodels. In the fourth industrial revolution, animal biomodels and the digital livestock system as algorithms in agriculture are emerging rapid evolution by converging enovation technologies in fields of bio-healthcare, biomedical research, and life science. Animal biomodels have been used as important foundational tools to transit screening processes and clinical trials for useful substances and potential drugs in human and animal life science. Animal biomodels for studying human and animal diseases have enabled medical innovation and derived numerous outcomes such as vaccines. It is very important to choose appropriate animal biomodels in clinical studies. When selecting experimental animals for human and animal diseases, some parameters should be kept in mind. Convergence of the digital livestock system with animal biomodel can help us greatly solve human and animal health diseases and welfare issues. It enables prevention of human diseases and vaccine development for emerging infectious diseases by applying appropriate animal biomodels, thus contributing to the development of biohealthcare industry. Animal biomodels are in vivo models for determining mechanisms of life phenomena and diseases progression. They can also be used to evaluate the safety, effectiveness, new cosmetic materials, and action mechanisms of functional materials and foods. Animal experiments using animal biomodels must be based on ethical considerations. Animal biomodels can be produced through drugs, diet, surgical procedures, spontaneous mutation, crossbreeding, biotechnology such as transformation and genetic manipulation, and so on. In this paper, preemptive response strategies for the development of livestock and biomedical industry of the future are reviewed through understanding the importance of animal biomodels and the digital livestock system as agriculture algorithms. Animal models for studying mechanisms of diseases in human, livestock, and birds, in ovo technology for poultry, preparation theories, animal bioethics, and practical cases are also explained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rooting ability of'Domat'olive cuttings is very low. Therefore, it is necessarily propagated by grafting onto seedling rootstocks. Hence, nursery tree propagation is time consuming and costly. Thus, this work was necessitated to predict the effects of auxin injections to the rooting medium to support the exogenously applied auxin. Besides, predicting the auxin sensitive phase of rooting, when the applied auxin showed the highest efficiency on cuttings treated with hormones, in different days from the cutting insertion was also aimed. Semi-hardwood olive cuttings was used. As the rooting medium, phenol-formaldehyde foam and paper pot were used. The highest rooting percentage (76.6%) was obtained from the foam, injected with 50 mg l-1IBA. However, the highest root number (2.9) and root length (54.1 mm) were observed in foam medium, without injected with IBA. As for the delayed application of hormones, cuttings treated with 5000 mg l-1 IBA on day 5, gave the highest figures of percent rooting (83.3%) and the other rooting parameters. Application of 5000 mg l-1 IBA 5 days later than cutting insertion, would be a good approach due to the highest rooting, and root quality of the cuttings of the studied cultivar and some other table olives which have difficult-to-root cuttings as well.. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Present study aimed to investigate Cestode fauna of avian host Little Cormorant, Microcarbo niger captured from Kamber-Shahdadkot district, Sindh province of Pakistan. Eight Little Cormorant Microcarbo niger hosts were investigated for the presence of Cestode parasites. Anesthetized birds were dissected and entire alimentary canal and associated organs were removed. A total of five specimens of Dilepidid Cestodes were recovered from the intestine of three hosts. Cestodes collected from the freshly dissected hosts were initially placed in saline solution and dehydrated in graded series of ethanol, stained with borax carmine, cleared in clove oil and xylene and finally mounted in Canada balsam permanently. Parasitic examination revealed an apparently undescribed species of genus Dilepis Weniland, 1858 from the intestine of the host, M. niger. Recovered specimens differ remarkably from other known species of genus Dilepis Weniland, 1858 in having some unique features such as, 12 rostellar hooks, long neck, four pre-ovarian testes, unilateral genital pore and spinose cirrus sac located at lower part of each segment. On the basis of the above morphometric variations, but absence of molecular study, present specimens are identified as Dilepis sp. This paper also constitutes the first record of the genus Dilepis Weinland, 1958 from Pakistan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) program is seen as a sustainable approach to cotton production in Pakistan. It trains its farmers to adapt to climate change and increase profits by efficient resource allocation. This paper analyses the resource allocation, profitability, and economic uplift of BCI farmers in comparison to non-BCI farmers. Primary data were collected from three districts of Punjab province. The results showed that the land area under cotton, land preparation cost, seed and sowing cost, irrigation cost, fertilizer cost, pesticide cost, thinning cost-plus weeding cost are positively associated with the profit of BCI farmers, whereas picking cost negatively affects the profit of BCI farmers. In the case of non-BCI farmers, the area under cotton and seed and sowing costs were positively associated with the profit. In contrast, land preparation costs, irrigation costs, fertilizer costs, and pesticide costs were negatively associated with the profit. Poverty incidence, depth, and severity among different socio-economic categories of farmers is lower among BCI farmers compared to non-BCI farmers. Therefore, the BCI program prevents overutilization of inputs by maintaining judicious use of resources. Supporting the Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) program can make better cotton a mainstream and long-term product in Pakistan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interest on building an early warning indicator to detect abnormal growth in prices in consumer markets has increased after the global food crisis of 2007/2008 and 2011. The indicator of food price anomalies (IFPA) identifies abnormally high or low prices that occur for a food commodity price series over a given period of time. This paper aims to present IFPA for selected products in Türkiye for the last ten years (2012-2021) in order to detect the anomalies in food prices through the quarterly and annual Compound Growth Rates (CGR), of the monthly price level. CGR is modified in order to account seasonality in this method. According to the results, abnormally high prices were measured in the years of 2013 and 2021 at most in Türkiye. And, no abnormally high prices were measured in the years of 2017 and 2019. Bread, veal, sunflower oil, milk, tea, wheat flour, fresh fish and olive were the food items abnormally high prices were measured more than one. Chicken meat, sunflower oil, milk, yoghurt and fresh fish were the food items abnormally high prices were measured in 2021. And, moderately high prices were measured for veal, egg and wheat flour in 2021. When the last three year situations of food items with abnormally high food prices were examined, it was observed that the abnormally high prices were intensively observed after COVID-19 pandemic started. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Jujube belongs to the family "Rhamnaceae" is an evergreen plant having 170 species. It is a highly nutritious fruit crop riched in phenolic, antioxidant, and flavonoids. However, in Pakistan, it is considered a neglected crop with very little work performed and is growing in the Cholistan desert of Pakistan without any evaluation. This paper describes the physical and biochemical attributes of eight jujube genotypes (Anokee, Ajoba, Bahawalpur selection, Dilbahar, Dehli white, Karela, Mahmood wali and Gola) with its three stages (Unripe, Semi ripe and Fully ripe) growing in Cholistan dry and hot climatic conditions. The results revealed that these genotypes have significant variations in fruit traits such as fruit length, fruit width, and fruit weight during the ripening stages and the maximum increase in these parameters were observed at the fully ripe stage of jujube. Similarly, in biochemical analysis, TSS, total sugars, reducing and nonreducing sugars were increased with maturity and were highest at the fully ripe stage. Whereas, titratable acidity and ascorbic acid contents were decreased with maturity and were least at the final stage. However, total phenolic and flavonoids were highest at the semi-ripe stage. In physical evaluation, the genotypes "Gola", "Mehmood wali" and "Dehli white performed better in the climatic conditions of Cholistan, Bahawalpur. While the genotypes "Dilbahar", "Anokee", "Karela" and "Bahawalpur selection" were enriched with phenolic and flavonoid contents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of oils rich in long chain monounsaturated fatty acids (LCMUFA) against hyperlipidemia and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has been inadequately described. In addition, the chemical solvents and the high temperature used in vegetable oils extraction process from seeds cause severe loss of many vital compounds. So the goal of this paper was to examine the effect of cold pressed Eruca sativa Mill seeds oil (ESSO), as a source of LCMUFA, on hyperlipidemia and NAFLD in Syrian hamster. The ESSO content of fatty acids was analyzed using chromatographic methods. Fifty two (52) healthy male golden Syrian hamsters used in this experiment were randomly divided into 4 groups (Completely Randomized Design). Negative control group, CHD group, positive control group and ESSO group. This experiment was achieved in two periods. The first period continued 4 weeks, in which hyperlipidemia and NAFLD were induced in CHD, positive control and ESSO groups through feeding on a hyperlipidemic diet. The second period also lasted 4 weeks, in which ESSO was orally gavaged at 2 g/kg of the body weight daily to animals of ESSO group. The levels of total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides, HDL-C and glucose and the activities of ALT, AST, ALP, LDH and CK were analysed in the serum. One way analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Duncan's multiple range test was used for statistical analysis. The consumption of hyperlipidemic diet for 4 weeks caused a significant raise (P<0.05) of triglycerides, glucose, ALT, AST, LDH, CK and a significant reduction (P<0.05) of the HDL-C/TC ratio, at the same time created lipid accumulation in liver cells in CHD, positive control and ESSO groups in comparison with negative control group at the end of the first period. These negative influences were alleviated in ESSO group by administration of ESSO at the end of second period. In conclusion, The examined cold pressed ESSO has effective hypolipidemic and hepatoprotective effects in Syrian hamsters with hyperlipidemia and NAFLD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stem cells are self-organized, unspecialized cells which are produced from various types of cells in all tissues of the body. They can be derived through a proper methodology from embryos, fetus, and adults. Stem cells can divide into specific cell types, such as nerves or muscles. These cells are a source of information about cell differentiation processes and tissue homeostasis, but they are also one of the main biological tools for treating degenerative diseases. In the past 20 years, researchers have paid great attention to stem cell biology. Therefore, an understanding of its characteristics has greatly enhanced regarding to its therapeutic potential in all aspects in past few years. Role of stem cells is important for veterinary medicine in various ways. Several stem cell treatments for animals are currently being developed, such as treatment of equine tendinopathies disease through mesenchymal stem cells. In addition, animal models are widely being used to study the properties of stem cells and their potential in human medicine. These cells are now being artificially grown and transformed into special types of cell cultures that are compatible with cells from different tissues. This paper summarizes the current knowledge of stem cells potential in veterinary medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kosumpee Forest Park (KFP) is located in Northeast Thailand and is home to a resident population of long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis). This study analyzed the genetic diversity of the KFP population based on random amplified polymorphic DNA technique by the Shannon-Weinner index of diversity (H') using the NTSYS program. Blood samples were collected from two of the social groups (RedDot group and HareLip group), and 16 successful primers produced 143 loci with 74.12% polymorphism. The H' value of the population was 3.30 and the genetic evenness was 0.97. A UPGMA dendrogram divided the samples into three distinct clusters base on pelage color: the first cluster consisted of individuals with gray pelage from both social groups, the second included individuals with yellowgray and yellow pelage from both social groups, and the third included individuals with gray pelage from only the HareLip group. The H' values for the gray, yellow-gray, and yellow pelage groupings were 2.83, 2.30 and 1.10, respectively. The genetic similarity values ranged from 55 to 96%. Genetic diversity analysis indicated that yellow-gray macaques were genetically similar to yellow macaques. The results of this study indicate that the macaque population at KFP currently possesses substantial genetic diversity. To our knowledge, this paper represents the first report of genetic diversity in this population, and as such, provides an important baseline measure for future comparison. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examined the probiotic characteristics of 29 lactic acid bacteria isolated from traditional sheep ham. The research included isolation and identification of Lactobacillus and Leuconostoc strains. In vitro tests related to their probiotic potential included auto-aggregation and co-aggregation, antibiotic resistance, and hemolysis tests. Autoaggregation values of the tested strains ranged from 24.5 to 68.1%, co-aggregation values of Lactobacillus, Leuconostoc, and ATCC strain of Escherichia coli ranged from 22.5 to 65.5% after four hours. The isolates showed a significant difference in the hydrophobic ability of the tested hydrocarbons, n-hexadecane, xylene, and chloroform, ranging from 5.25% to 80.9%. All of the isolates have shown high sensitivity to most analyzed antibiotics, while Lactobacillus and Leuconostoc strains had no positive hemolysis. The zone of inhibition against all tested pathogens was demonstrated by 55.1% of strains. The most significant inhibition zones were exhibited against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923 and Bacillus cereus ATCC 14579, while 31.03% of strains did not show a zone of inhibition towards Listeria monocytogenes ATCC 19115. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phytochemical characterization and biological activities of many plants from Achillea genus have been described in scientific reports, while there are no published results regarding Achillea ageratifolia subsp. serbica (Nyman) Heimerl. Therefore, the aim of this paper was to investigate the different biological activities of methanolic extracts of this plant: antioxidant, antimicrobial, antibiofilm, genotoxic and antimutagenic, and also its phytochemical characterization. Results have demonstrated that extracts of different parts of the plant show significant antimicrobial activity against bacteria that cause food spoilage such as Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis. This extracts also showed the highest antioxidant activity and significantly inhibits Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853 to form the biofilm. HPLC analysis showed that flavonoid epicatechin was present in the root extract only, whereas rutin and quercetin were found in the extract of aerial part, while myricetin was only present in the inflorescence extract. The extracts of different parts of the plant were not genotoxic in all tested concentrations except the aerial part extract applied in the highest concentration, and also had a significant antimutagenic effect against known mutagens. Based on the results, methanolic extracts of the plant showed significant potential and these results could be used in the further investigation for the possible use in food protection and pharmacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pakistan contributes the lowest to per capita greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions but is among the five worst affected countries in the world. This paper forecasts tomato production under climate variability in Pakistan. Time series data were collected from Government of Pakistan (GOP), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and World Bank's online sources. Both quantitative and qualitative techniques were applied to analyze the data. For quantitative analyses, dynamic forecasting techniques were used, and qualitative analyses were carried out using the rapid appraisal method. The results concluded that temperature shocks have adverse dynamics on tomato production as well as prices. An ambiguous role of rainfall was found i.e., in some areas it had positive impact while in other areas had negative impacts. Several issues were identified including limited area of production, low yields, pests and disease stresses, labor shortage, poor water management and lack of modern information. It is suggested that value chain industry of tomato must be developed in tomato growing areas Furthermore, the access of farmers to reliable information about weather dynamics must be ensured. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The importance of market participation for poverty reduction and the wellbeing of the subsistence farmers is proven beyond doubt. Increased market integration and commercialisation of traditional agriculture in the Himalayas is part of a development strategy towards growth and poverty reduction for more than 97% of households who are dependent on agricultural and allied activities for livelihood. This paper examines the roles of physical capital, human capital and the transaction cost in market participation in food crops, cash crops and livestock separately. The results show that the land size, gender of the household head, livestock assets, ethnicity, education, distances to market and location are important determinants of commercialisation. To estimate the impact of market participation on household income and poverty level, this paper uses propensity score matching approach. The results show a positive and significant relationship between the market participation and the household income, and a negative and significant relation between market participation and poverty levels, indicating that market participation can increase the well-being of rural subsistence farmers by increasing income levels and reducing poverty levels considerably. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main objective of the present study was to investigate the effect of avermectin Bib on nematodes and arthropods. Avermectin Bib, a component of commercially available abamectin, was obtained as fermentation product of S. avermitilis 41445 and used after purification. In the case of earthworm, a representative nematode, the LC50 values determined for contact filter paper test from Probit's analysis after 48 and 72 h were 5C%ig/cm2 and 3C%ig/cm2 respectively. The mortality increased as the concentration of the applied substance increased. The LCso values calculated after 7, 14 and 28 days from Probit's analysis were 712.5248 mg/Kg, 382.6 mg/Kg and 74.6 mg/Kg respectively showing a clear concentration-mortality relationship. For cockroach, a representative arthropod, the I.(\ values for mortality were lower for oral exposure as compared to the dermal. The no observed effective concentration (NOEC) and lowest observed effective concentration (LOEC) values determined for earthworm mortality calculated on the basis of student's t-test were 0.1 mg/Kg and 1.0 mg/Kg respectively. At lower concentrations the cocoon formation was observed with subsequent elimination at 1000 mg /kg of avermectin Bib. The results of present study revealed that avermectin Bib is highly effective against nematodes and arthropods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The accurate data on protein and amino acids digestibility of feed components is one of the ways to enhance nitrogen and protein utilization and to mitigate nitrogen pollution in a poultry farm. Digestibility and bioavailability of dietary nutrients depend on different factors like the type of feedstuffs, nutrients utilization, fiber contents, and diet adjustments in poultry. Diet formulation depends on dietary sources of protein, which is responsible to improve or maintain amino acid digestibility. The nutrients digestibility and absorption of the diet always decrease with increasing endogenous amino acid losses (EAAL). A lot of factors such as age, species and breeds play important role in EAAL contents. Furthermore, the high values of EAAL have been recorded in early ages in comparison with advanced ages; this result may be owed to the incomplete development of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) and low digestion in early age as reported by several researchers. The estimation method and factors of the environment are strongly effective on the accurate measurement of EAAL. The aim of this review article is to compare the results of from different methods and highlight the issue EAAL of various poultry species including broiler chickens, laying hens and turkey poults. Besides, this paper illustrates some comparative studies among the aforementioned species according to different ages and methods to correctly understand the nutritional values of feed components, nutrient digestibility and utilization. Based on the review of existing literature this paper direct the attention of researchers and poultry producers to improve the accuracy of estimating EAAL among various poultry models, and to improve the productive and reproductive performance on commercial basis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Meat consumption elasticity coefficient can reflect the processing traces of living standard. This paper analyzes these coefficients of urban and rural residents in China with the AIDS (Almost Ideal Demand System Model). Meat consumption structure of residents has begun to show signs of adjustment following their respective trajectories, which has been discussing in academic but lacks theoretical proof for decade years. Based on elastic theory, we have provided favorable evidence for this fact, and we found: (1) Elasticity coefficients show both urban and rural residents have been all sensitive to price, especially the city dwellers. The Urban residents is more sensitive to poultry than others. Rural residents have long been more interested in pork, though the mutton has been the trustiest. (2) Income and meat price are two main causes affect meat consumption, but there is no significant positive correlation between meat consumption and disposable income in Urban, different from Rural. With the income increasing, the kinds and quality of meat in basket of different residents are changing. (3) Furthermore, meat consumptions between urban and rural residents are not synchronized, and even sometimes the trends show the opposite directions because of income, habits, etc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food shortage is a primary challenge as the human population is increasing rapidly. Therefore, the world is looking for ways to establish sustainability in the food system to generate nutritious food with better sensory qualities. To fulfill the animal protein requirements of the world, different meat alternatives are available in the market, like cultured meat, mycoprotein, and insects, but from a sustainable point of view, plant-based meat alternatives are the most suitable. However, in producing these alternatives, industrialists need to be aware of particular challenges and opportunities in production and marketing while manufacturing. The major challenge for industrialists is the consumer acceptance rate, which depends on plant-based products' physical appearance and taste. They can improve the marketing of plant-based meat products by improving plant-based meat alternatives' physical and sensory characteristics. The focus of this paper is to discuss the technologies necessary for the production of plant-based meat alternatives. The current findings suggest that the market scenario will change for plant-based meat producers, in which customer preference and beliefs will have a massive role in the acceptance and marketing of this meat. The development of plant-based meat alternatives is the first step to achieving the goal of sustainable food; more innovations are needed to establish a healthier and sustainable food system as this type of food has a low carbon footprint compared to other products available. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zoonotic infectious diseases like Zika, Ebola, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and the very recent Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) can leap from one species to another and within the same species by constantly mutating to defy therapeutics and vaccines. The SARS-CoV-2 is emerging to be closely related to bat coronaviruses, highlighting the need of One Health approach to combat new disease threats that affects both animals and human beings. One Health is a collaborative, multi-sectoral and trans-disciplinary approach - working at the local, regional, national, and global levels, with the goal of achieving optimal health outcomes recognizing the interconnection between people, animals, plants and their shared environment. Therefore, One Health can be considered as a global approach to maintain health of human beings, animals and ecosystem. The present study plots the One Health publications available in Web of Science (WoS) database from 1997 to 2021. WoS provides access to databases that supplies reference and citation data from research publications. Globally, a total of 4397 publications were published. In Indian context, about 230 scientific literatures were published and only 94 publications were found relevant to policy makers. Relevance to policy-makers was judged by the presence of policy implications in the research publication. Further, data were analysed using bibliometrix R-package to evaluate research publications of authors, the annual growth of research publications and citation analysis to understand the status of One Health research in India. The annual growth rate of publications in India was 47.48 per cent with collaboration index 6.58, which is greater than global collaboration index. Three-fields plot exhibited that in Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Science University (GADVASU), Ludhiana, dedicated research on One Health is being carried out with 13 publications on One Health. The collaboration network analysis found that Indian authors are highly collaborative with researchers from Australia, USA and Germany. In addition to these formal collaborations, there is opportunity to strengthen informal collaboration through digital platforms like Google Scholar, ResearchGate, LinkedIn, Facebook, Google+, Twitter etc. With judicious use, they could be used to sprout fruitful collaborations. Thus, the trend of policy oriented One Health research in India was analysed to illuminate on the possible researchable themes and future line of works. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current paper represents taxonomic studies of genus Selaginella from Pakistan based upon the studying of plant specimens in different herbaria of Asia, Europe and North America. A total of six species viz. Selaginella aitchisonii Hieron., Selaginella chrysocaulos (Hook. and Grev.) Spring, Selaginella jacquemontii Spring, Selaginella reticulata (Hook. and Grev.) Spring, Selaginella subdiaphana (Wall. ex Hook. and Grev.) Spring and Selaginella vaginata Spring were reported; detailed descriptions of species, distribution pattern, ecology, general distribution and specimens examined from Pakistan were documented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyphenol oxidases (PPOs) are copper containing enzymes that play a significant role in the browning of fruits and vegetables by catalyzing hydroxylation and oxidation reactions. Currently, PPO gained significant interest of the researchers due to its potential applications in food, paper, pulp and, textile industries and also in pharmaceuticals. The present study was designed to purify and characterized PPO isoforms from fresh banana fruit pulp. The three novel active PPO isoforms (65 kDa, 45 kDa, 28 kDa) were detected by gel filtration chromatography and sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). The purified isoforms were further studied for the optimum pH (6.5), temperature (40°C), Michaelis constant (Km) and maximum reaction velocity (Vmax). The N-terminal microsequencing was performed on applied biosystem's pulse liquid protein sequencer and was found to be 28 kDa (Alanine, proline, asparagine, serine, arginine) and 45 kDa (Alanine, proline, isoleucine, alanine, proline). Sequences were aligned by CLUSTALW and showed significant similarity with previously reported banana PPOs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three separate experiments were conducted during the growing season 2013. The first experiment was applied to estimate the leaf area of buckwheat Fagopyrum esculentum Moench Var. Hruszowska via a simple model derived from triangle area. Buckwheat leaf parameters; height (h) and the baseline (b) were combined as an equation of triangle area then adjusted. Two models were compared with the conventional method (Millimeter graph paper) using simple linear regression. Regression analysis showed that the two models could be used for determining leaf area of buckwheat. The model equation of (((1/2BC.AG)-(1/2EF.DG)).(1/2EF.DG) /(1/2BC.AG)-(1/2EF.DG)) gave the most accurate estimate (r2=0.989, with linear equation of y=0.707x+0.596). The second experiment was conducted to evaluate buckwheat growth performance under various sowing dates. Results showed that the buckwheat seed sowing at 6th September was significantly improved number of leaves per plant11.83, inflorescences per plant19.33 and seeds per plant 47.67. As well as, plants were sown in this date were taken the lowest period from sowing to germinate. The third experiment was applied to evaluate growth performance of buckwheat under two growing locations. Al-Fallujah location was more suitable to buckwheat plants as compared with Al-Ramadi location wherein most of the growth parameters were increased. As a result, the proposed linear equation could be replaced with the derived model equation above (x= calculated area, y= adjusted area) to estimate buckwheat leaf area. Furthermore, al -- Fallujah location was fitted to establish buckwheat and this plant could be sown at 6th September. Thus, it could be recommended that multi-environment test it is very important to evaluate proposed leaf area model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Allelopathic effects of invasive weed parthenium (Parthenium hysterophorus L.) were studied by using whole plant, leaf and root aqueous extracts at 0, 2.5, 5.0, 7.5 and 10% (w/v) concentrations against germination and early seedling growth of wild oat (Avena fatua L.) and canary grass (Phalaris minor Retz.). Studies were carried out in Petri plates using filter paper as substratum placed in controlled conditions and soil-filled plastic pots placed in open environments. Both the experiments were laid out in a completely randomized design using four replicates. Pronounced variation was noticed for allelopathic activity of different plant parts of parthenium, extract concentrations, test species, and bioassay techniques. Parthenium extracts either inhibited or delayed the germination and suppressed seedling growth of test species. Various germination and seedling growth attributes were diminished to a much greater extent in Petri plates than in soil. Soil application of these extracts failed to reproduce results identical to those achieved in Petri plates, suggesting variable allelopathic response under different bioassay techniques. Leaf extracts were more suppressive to germination of test species than whole plant and root extracts in both Petri plates and pot studies at all concentrations. Highest chlorophyll inhibition coupled with enhanced tissue phenolic contents was recorded by aqueous extracts of parthenium in both the test species. Canary grass appeared to be more susceptible than wild oat at all concentrations of aqueous extracts. It is concluded that bioassays conducted under controlled condition using filter paper as substratum may be misleading due to over estimation of allelopathic response and variation in potential of receiver and donor species. Hence, allelopathic bioassays must consider the components of natural settings in order to generate ecologically reliable information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This is a review of the nutritional value of Colophospermum mopane leaves, twigs, pods and seeds and its chemical defence against browsers. This paper showed that C. mopane is nutritious and contain crude protein (CP), phosphorus (P), calcium (Ca), crude fibre (CF), energy, fatty acids and essential oil, which are necessary in the diet of herbivores. Despite the nutritional value of C. mopane, browsing is mainly during the dry season, when secondary metabolites such as total phenols (TP), condensed tannins (CT) and protein-precitating tannins (PPT) are relatively low. This paper further showed that the nutritional value and secondary metabolites are high during leaf flush, but declined during the dry season as the leaves matured and aged. The ability of C. mopane to produce secondary metabolites is a critical adaptation mechanism in order to defend itself against browsers, especially during the growing season. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alternative gastrointestinal (GI) parasite control strategies including phytomineral/trace-element supplementation have gained currency in preview of anthelmintic resistance in the grazing sheep. This paper reports an association of the selected plants/forages having optimum levels of Zinc (Zn), Copper (Cu), Manganese (Mn) and Cobalt (Co) on the GI parasitic burden in sheep and hence on the productive performance of the grazing sheep of Multan district, Punjab, Pakistan. To this end, levels of trace elements were determined in the plants/forages preferred by the grazing sheep, and in the sera of randomly selected grazing sheep (n =384). Serum trace element profile was correlated with the GI parasitic burden to determine the possible impact of trace-elements on GI parasitic load. After pre-treatment, wet digestion of sera and plants, concentration of the selected minerals (Cu, Co, Zn and Mn) were measured using spectrophotometry. Faecal samples (n=384) were subjected to the quantitative faecal examination using McMaster technique. Overall 42.44% prevalence of GI parasites was found in the study population. Of the eight screened forages, Cynodon dactylon, Launaea nudicaulis and Digitaria sanguinalis showed top three levels of Mn in decreasing order. Comparative mineral profile of sera was significantly different among the four tehsils (administrative units) of Multan district, Punjab, Pakistan. Mn showed significant correlation with the egg per gram (EPG) of faeces in sheep of tehsil Shujabad, whereas, Cu, Zn and Co showed insignificant results in all tehsils of Multan district. Further research is needed to explain the possible mechanism involved in the role of Mn in the indirect resilience of animals against the GI parasites. These forages might be preferred as holistic approach and possible use as a preventive management of GI parasitism in grazing sheep of the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Quranic concept of Halal-un-Tayyab assures the compliance of food safety measures together with the consumption of lawful food. The concept of Halal food without the inclusion of Tayyab (pure and safe) is lacking with the comprehensiveness of the Quranic concept of Halal-un-Tayyab. This paper is an effort to develop certain parameters called ‘Halal Compliance Critical Points (HCCP)' in the light of the guidance of the Holy Quran and Sharia for Halal slaughtering & processing system. The paper also aims to explore whether and to what extent food safety is a part of the Halal and Tayyab concept and how that is currently backed up by the Halal food sector in the Muslim and non-Muslim countries. Since Tayyab sets the general principle for assuring food safety in the Halal sector, it is apparent that Halal food chain should comply with both Halal fundamental and food safety requirements. In order to ensure the compliance of Sharia procedures for Halal-un-Tayyab system, attempt has been made to develop procedure for Halal Compliance Critical Points (HCCP). This research based HCCP system would help formalize the credible Halal certification and audit system in the interest of Halal industry and the satisfaction of Halal consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wildlife, as well as human beings, are prone to be affected by fear. Large predators and mesopredators usually produce this fear in animals. This effect is recognised in the form of various behavioural changes and adaptations, which, in turn, affects the whole ecosystem. However, we often overlook the role of large predators and mesopredators in the sustenance of our ecosystem by such non-lethal effects, because fear is often seen as a psychological effect rather than something that can be found through explicit scientific means. Indeed, the fear that predators trigger inside their prey may play a significant role in the maintenance of the natural environment. This paper aims to analyse this hypothesis by reviewing the function of the ecology of fear based on the interaction among predators, prey, and mesopredators. We consider the factors involved in the effective functionality of the ecology of fear, including habitat landscape, season, weather, and predation risk. We also assess the extent of influence of large predators on behaviour and distribution of prey and mesopredators in terms of predation cues and prey grouping as responses to predation risk. Finally, we discuss the implications of fear ecology for wildlife conservation and management and new challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New tragulid fossils were collected from the Late Miocene sites of Potwar Plateau in the Punjab province, Pakistan. The studied sites include the classical localities of Dhok Pathan and Nagri from Chakwal district and Padhri from Jhelum district, Punjab, Pakistan. The material belongs to two tragulid species Dorcatherium majus and D. minus. This paper presents the dental material of both species from the Siwalik Group of Pakistan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research exploiting biochar-phosphorus interactions on biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) and nutrient uptake in legumes is very scarce. This paper reports the short-term effect of rice husk biochar and phosphorus application on nutrient uptake, nodulation and nitrogen fixation of cowpea in both pot and field experiments in the semi-deciduous forest zone of Ghana. Phosphorus fertilizer (triple superphosphate (TSP)) was applied at 0, 30 and 60 kg ha-1designated respectively as P0, P30 and P60 while biochar was applied at 0, 2.5, 5 and 7.5 t ha-1 designated respectively as B0, B2.5, B5 and B7.5. Interaction between biochar and phosphorus increased nodule dry weight, number of nodules per plant and fixed nitrogen more than the sole applications. The highest number of nodules plant-1 and nodule dry weight were observed under P30B5. The highest N fixed (36.15 kg ha-1) was observed under P60B5 emphasizing the role of phosphorus in BNF. Increasing biochar beyond 5.0 tha-1 decreased BNF. Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium uptake were significantly (p= 0.05) improved following biochar and TSP applications under both greenhouse and field conditions. The highest N uptake of 30.79 kg ha-1 was observed under P30B5 amended plots while P60B7.5 plots produced the highest P and K uptake. Overall, the results indicate good prospect of exploiting biochar-phosphorus interactions to enhance BNF and productivity of legumes in tropical climate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An efficient method was developed for multiple shoot regeneration of Albanian wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivar “Dajti” from mature embryos without callus formation, for a short period of time. The effect of explants, isolated shoot embryonic meristem and shoot embryonic meristem with scutellum and various combinations of plant growth regulators in MS media on direct shoot regeneration of wheat was investigated. Among different combination of 2,4-D, IBA, NAA and BAP tested, embryo explants cultured in MS medium supplemented with 2 mg/L BAP, 0.6 mg/L 2,4-D resulted as the most efficient direct shoot regeneration and produces a maximum of 2.5 shoot per explants and 3.4 cm shoot length. Plantlets were successfully transferred to rooting medium. The greatest mean numbers of roots were obtained on MS media supplemented with 0.5 mg/L NAA, and the best mean value of root length (8.2 cm) at 0.5 mg/L IBA. In this paper by simple manipulating the concentrations of BAP, 2,4 D, IBA and NAA in the culture medium, is described a method for rapidly obtaining whole plants of wheat without the subculture, using embryo explants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Weevils (Sitophilus spp) are serious pests that can damage sorghum grains in stores if not controlled. The infestation of sorghum by the pest can cause huge economic loss ranging from 15% to 75% depending on levels of susceptibility. While the weevil uses several infection mechanisms such as avoidance, adaptation and sequestration to arrest its host, the host plant has developed certain chemical mechanisms for defence. The weevil must overcome the hosts’ defensive layers of chemical compounds such as protein resistant molecules, tannin, phenolics and flavonoids that confer antixenosis and or antibiosis functions in sorghum. Besides, the biochemical molecules present in sorghum are also responsible for modulating grain hardness and strength, which are important phenotypic parameters for grain resistance to weevil in sorghum. This paper reviews traits and or their associated produced chemical compounds in sorghum and reveals the gaps or need for incorporating appropriate desirable traits in sorghum through plant breeding techniques as a strategy towards management of grain weevils in sorghums. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Beef has been considered a semi-luxury by Chinese residents, as its price is significantly higher than other meats, like pork and chicken. Rising disposable income of residents has contributed to the growth of beef consumption in China. And the potential of beef market is enormous. Based on the panel data from 2007 to 2016, this paper uses SBM (Slacks Based Measure of Efficiency) to calculate the productive efficiency of beef cattle breeding in china, analyze each breeding area’s spatial and temporal distribution characteristics, and explore the factors influencing the efficiency. The results prove that: (1)The beef cattle breeding efficiency in China was much lower than expected, there are input-output slacks in nearly all areas in different degree. (2) the net efficiency of beef cattle breeding did not show a significant upward trend, while the growth range was quite different among regions. The agricultural areas in central plains have higher efficiency and obvious annual upward trend than the northwest and northeast pastoral areas in China. (3) Beef cattle breeding model and geographical location conditions are important factors affecting the net breeding efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polygalacturonase being a major part of pectinase enzyme group used in different industries urged scientists to look for temperature and pH stable fungal polygalacturonase to meet industrial demands more efficiently. In this regard, current study was focused to look for novel polygalacturonase producing fungal strain. To achieve the task, less explored spoiled fruit samples i.e. Chiku, Lemon, Date, kiwi, Strawberry and Grapes were targeted for the isolation of polygalacturonase producing fungi. Primary screening resulted in the isolation of fifty fungal strains, out of which thirty five showed pectinolytic activity. Five best pectinolytic fungi i.e. RMLC-2, 6, 9, 10, 28 and 59 on the basis of pectin lysis zones were further assessed by secondary screening using chiku peels and pulp dried powder as substrate in submerged fermentation. Among these, RMLC-10 showed maximum polygalacturonase activity i.e. 24.57±0.10 U/ml/min and further subjected to molecular identification which revealed fungal strain RMLC-10 as Aspergillus tamarii. Multi stress, pH (3-6) and temperature (30-60°C), tolerance profile of enzyme was carried out. It was found stable to appreciable extent in a broad range of pH and temperature for 1 h. These properties make this enzyme a potential candidate, after evaluation of further industrial related parameters, for applications in food, beverages, paper, pulp and textile industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objectives of the present study were to explore, identify and document Pyrus (pears) species from Pakistan, their screening and recommendation for further breeding program. Extensive surveys were conducted during 2010-2011 to identify and document Pyrus (Pears) from Pakistan. Plant specimens were collected, processed and identified. Using established floristic keys for different countries and literature, four new records of the genus Pyrus L. (Rosaceae) viz., P. ussuriensis, P. armeniacifolia, P. hopeiensis and P. communis are reported for the flora of Pakistan. The detailed morphological description, flowering and fruiting duration, ecological notes, distribution, GPS coordinates, altitudes and voucher specimens of the taxa are reported in this paper, along with images, distribution map and a table of comparative differentiating characters of these taxa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A variety of suids from the Dhok Pathan Formation of the Middle Siwaliks are identified, described and discussed in this paper. The new remains were recovered from the Late Miocene continental deposits, located in the vicinity of the Hasnot village, Jhelum district, Punjab province, Pakistan. A three suid species namely Propotamochoerus hysudricus, cf. Hippohyus sivalensis and Hippopotamodon sivalense have been identified. A documentation of the new remains is the objective of this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper demonstrates the survey and review of conceptual data models and the novel data modeling techniques of biological data. The term conceptual data modeling is used in broad categories in this sense. The biological data, its concepts and frameworks have diversity of expressiveness under the umbrella of bioinformatics. If we consider the biological data a single field of research, it is not possible to handle all these things efficiently and completely. For provision of highly maintainable and efficient solutions, which will have less cost and complexity, we must reduce its scope by making its sub domains in bioinformatics. Keep in mind the aforementioned reasons, we considered only the concept of central dogma of molecular biology; produces sequence biological data (DNA, RNA and protein structures); to describe this reviewed study of conceptual modeling. Our objectives are to provide a current state of art study of conceptual data models for a sequence biological data. Based on this research, we will propose a uniform data model for biological data for unification purposes. In this review paper, we provide the analysis and post-mortems of existing conceptual biological data models, and present their comparison, provided on the basis of conceptually proposed methodologies, Meta data, modeling methods and other critical aspects, necessary for sequence data. This study provides us the cutting edge for the integration of biological data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The identification of interdependencies among various product markets is imperative both from the macro and microeconomic viewpoint. This paper examines price volatility spillover effects among ten domestic cotton markets (7 from Punjab and 3 from Sindh) of Pakistan by employing the DCC-MGARCH model. Analysis is done using quarterly wholesale prices of seed cotton from 1st quarter of the year 1991 till second quarter of 2017. Results indicate that seed cotton prices are volatile in all the domestic markets considered as well as volatility is persistent. Dynamic conditional correlation coefficient shows that seed cotton markets have positive conditional correlation with each other. It is concluded from the study results that because of volatile nature of cotton prices, farmer’s profit is at risk. This further suggests the government’s investment in road and infrastructure and intervention in seed cotton markets to keep the markets stable and support cotton farmers against risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we are studing the diet composition of the short-toed treecreeper's Certhia brachydactyla (Brehm, 1820) nestling in the suburban area of El Harrach (Algeria). The diet analysis is based on examining fecal sacs which were carried out by parents and placed on the bark of Washingtonia robusta and Jacaranda mimosifolia near the nest during the breeding season 2014/2015. Fecal sacs were collected and treated separately in 70% alcohol to identify prey-species. In total, 277 items, representing 66 prey-species were identified from the collected fecal sacs of short-toed treecreeper nestling. The relative abundance index revealed that the insects were dominants with 67.15%, followed by arachnids 27.44%, Gastrapoda 3.61% and the other classes were poorly represented. Regarding the order of the different class-preys, the diet consisted predominantly of Araneae with (27.44%), followed by Coleoptera (24.91%) and Hymenoptera (18.05%). For the prey size, it varied from 1 mm to 15 mm with an average of 4.33±0.13 mm. And the most represented prey measuring was between [2,55-4,11 mm]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wheat is one of the most commonly consumed foods on the Indian subcontinent, especially in Pakistan. It is difficult to find literature regarding wheat consumption forecasting, although some researchers have already focused on wheat production forecasting. Time-series modeling has been adopted with only historical data on wheat, while several influential factors have been neglected. This paper proposes that historical consumption data cannot provide complete information and lacks the power to forecast future values accurately; thus, a simple but powerful model is derived that includes economic and social factors. The proposed model is also compared with conventional approaches, demonstrating its ability to capture highly efficient and accurate forecasts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inhibin A (INHA) is a glycoprotein hormone which has a role in regulating the synthesis and secretion of pituitary follicle-stimulating hormone. In this paper, single nucleotide polymorphisms of 5' regulatory region and exon 1 of INHA gene were detected in one prolific goat breed (Jining Grey goat) and five low to medium fecundity breeds (Boer, Liaoning Cashmere, Wendeng Dairy, Taihang and Inner Mongolia Cashmere goats) by PCR-SSCP and sequencing methods. Its effects on litter size in Jining Grey goats were analyzed. Concerning primer P2, two genotypes (AA and Aa) were detected in Jining Grey, Liaoning Cashmere, Wendeng Dairy and Taihang goats. Sequencing revealed a G→-A transition at the 258th position of the amplified region in the genotype AA in comparison to the genotype Aa. For primer P4, two genotypes (BB and Bb) were identified in six goat breeds tested. Sequencing revealed a G→A transition at the 759th position of the amplified region in the genotype BB compared with Bb. Jining Grey goat does with genotype Bb had 0.79 (P<0.01) kids more than those with genotype BB. These results preliminarily showed that G841A of the INHA gene was a potential marker for improving litter size in goats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents the study of the habitat of mycobacteria in various natural and climatic zones of the Karaganda region, which showed that out of all the isolated cultures, 307 (94.5%) were atypical mycobacteria (M. scrofulaceum, M. avium). At that, 64.5% of atypical mycobacteria cultures (M.scrofulaceum, M. avium) were isolated from the diagnostic material and objects of the external environment of the steppe zone.Thesensitinsfrom epizootic strains of mycobacteria were tested in terms of such criteria as sterility, safety, reactogenicity, lack of sensitizing properties, activity, and specificity. The sensitinswere administered to guinea pigs and cattle using an intradermal needless syringe. Preliminary experiments on guinea pigs found that sensitins had biological and specific activity, identical to avian purified protein derivative tuberculin. The tests of developed sensitinsM. Scrofulaceumand M. avium on 59 cattle showed that the sensitins were highly effective in differentiating nonspecific reactions and demonstrated the expedience of their application.Using sensitins for lifetime differentiation of nonspecific reactions to tuberculin mammalian in healthy animals and cattle recovering from tuberculosis prevents the premature slaughtering of commercially valuable animals of a reproductive age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Priming is considered a promising technique to speed up germination and to improve seed performance under unfavorable conditions. The effects of incorporating Prohexadione-Calcium (Pro-Ca) into priming solutions on low temperature germination and emergence performances of sweet pepper seeds were investigated. Seeds were primed in 3% KNO3, 2% KH2PO4, and 10% PEG solutions containing 0, 25, 50, and 100 mg.L-1Pro-Ca in darkness at 25°C for three days. The total number of treatments was 12. After priming treatment, the seeds were washed with distilled water and dried at 20°C on filter paper for 24 h, and then subjected to germination and emergence tests at 15°Cingrowth chamber. Priming pepper seeds in the presence or absence of plant growth regulators improved final germination percentage (FGP), mean time to germination time (MTG), and germination index (GI), final emergence percentage (FEP), and mean time to emergence (MTE) compared to nonprimed seeds. Priming seeds in KH2PO4 solution containing 25 mg.L-1 Pro-Ca resulted in the highest FGP (85.33%), and the lowest MTG (12.83 days) at 15°C. The highest FEP (95%) was obtained from the application of KNO3 + 50 mg.L-1 Pro-Ca treatment. Final emergence percentage was 64% in nonprimed seeds. The improvements by Pro-Ca might be related to the alterations of some ingredients of seeds, such as proline content, total carbohydrates and total soluble sugars. The results indicated that inclusion of Pro-Ca into the priming solutions can be used as an effective method to improve performance of sweet pepper seeds at low temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the antioxidant and antimicrobial activity, the concentrations of total phenols, flavonoids, tannins and proanthocyanidins in the water, acetone, diethyl ether and ethanol extracts of Melilotus officinalis L. were analysed and their effect on the bacterial biofilm formation. The highest concentration of total phenols (36.25 mgGA/g) and tannins (21.25 mgGA/g) were detected in the water extract. The highest concentration of flavonoids (53.09 mgRU/g) was detected in the acetone extract. Proanthocyanidins were not detected in the water extract, while the highest concentration of these compounds was measured in the acetone extract (3.77 mgCChE/g). The antioxidant and reducing power of the M. officinalis extracts were measured by spectrophotometric method, and all results were compared to vitamin C and water extract of Aronia melanocarpa. The water extract showed the highest antioxidant activity, while the diethyl ether extract the lowest one. The extent of reducing power in the examined extracts was various. The water extract demonstrated the highest activity and the absorbance was from 0.03 to 0.68, while the lowest reducing power was demonstrated in the diethyl ether extract whose absorbance was from 0.04 to 0.20. In vitro antimicrobial activity was tested by microdilution method determining the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum microbicidal concentration (MMC). 25 microorganisms were examined, including 19 species of bacteria and 6 species of fungi. The extracts showed greater effect on G+ bacteria than on the G- bacteria. The acetone extract showed the highest antimicrobial activity. The acetone extract inhibit the biofilm formation of bacteria Proteus mirabilis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growing complexity of the private sector in agricultural extension services provision has stimulated the debate on which determinants hamper its role in promotion of agricultural knowledge and information system. The aim of this paper was to analyze the coordination and cooperation relationships between the private sector and other actors in Dakhlia governorate along with the constraints faced by the private sector. Data were collected from fifty three board members of different agricultural companies who had attained the workshop at Mansoura University. The results showed no strong relationship between the private sector and the other actors. Moreover, financial and technical issues are the main constraints faced by the private sector. This study recommends a legal framework to realize cooperation and coordination in order to ensure synergy and integration among the actors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food poisoning due to toxicity of heavy metals and pathogenic microorganisms is a major food safety issue that impacts on agriculture production. In the current research work, polygonal interaction of plant-pathogen-metal was investigated in vitro in terms of seed germination, seedling growth, physiology and antioxidant enzymes activity in Vigna mungo L. An experiment was conducted in growth chamber in glass Petri plates contained mash bean seeds on sterilized filter papers provided with spore suspension of M. phaseolina and four different concentrations of copper [Cu(II)] (25, 50, 75 and 100 ppm) either alone and in combination. Germination and seedling growth were significantly decreased by 40-98% and 30-98% due to separate effect of M. phaseolina and Cu, respectively. Germination and seedling growth were either insignificantly affected or stimulated at lower concentration (25 ppm) of Cu, while declined by 10-62% with increase in metal concentration from 50-100 ppm given in combination with pathogen. Total chlorophyll, sugar and carotenoid contents were reduced, while proline and total phenolic contents were increased due to given stresses. However, both proline and total phenolic contents were gradually decreased with increasing amount of Cu treatment (25-100 ppm). Antioxidant enzymes activities (peroxidase, polyphenol oxidase, catalase and superoxide dismutase) were increased to variable extents in all treatments. It was concluded that detrimental effect of Cu was increased with increase in its concentration. The simultaneous occurrence of M. phaseolina and excess Cu decreased harmful effect of individual stress on the plant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]