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This study was conducted in Al-Sharkia and El-Fayoum provinces, Egypt, and aimed to determine factors affecting small-scale broiler chicken farm profitability and challenges faced by broiler farmers in Egyptian rural. A stratified random sampling technique was applied to collect data from 200 individual small-scale broiler farmers randomly selected in two provinces, 100 from each province. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with questionnaires and direct observation at the farm level. The log-linear regression model form of a flexible Cobb-Douglas production function was used to analyze factors affecting the profitability of small-scale broiler chicken farms. The results indicated that women (60%) were the majority of owned flocks. The average respondent farmer's age was 41.98 years old. The majority of the small-scale broiler performance was low and medium performance. The coefficients of the value of experience, gender, education, labor type, extension, training, veterinary, credit, flock size, management interventions, marketing information, and the market price of live chickens were positive influences, while farmer age, feed cost, home consumption, and mortality rate negatively influence the broiler profitability. The major challenges faced by small-scale broiler producers to increase their profitability are poor feed quality and access to marketing, veterinary services and credit. Therefore, efficient feed resources, marketing and veterinary services should be implemented to support small-scale broiler producers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study was designed to investigate the current incidence of Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus agalactiae and Escherichia coli in bovine subclinical mastitis (SCM) in two groups of herds, large dairy herd: group 1 (≥100 head/farm) and small and medium dairy herds: group 2 (≤50 head / farm + small owner's herds) in Egypt. S. aureus and S. agalactiae are contagious major pathogens of mastitis, while E. coli is an environmental major pathogen. PCR amplification and gene detection were carried out on the extracted DNA of the pathogens' isolates which were identified by conventional methods. Three pairs of specific primers, one for each of the pathogens were used in PCR amplification. Detection of the amplified three products of sizes 231 bp, 280 bp and 108 bp resulted in confirmation of 100%, 72% and 40% of isolates of the E. coli, S. agalactiae and S. aureus respectively. Additionally, the study referred to the associated variable values of somatic cell count, enzymatic activities of lactate hydrogenase (LDH), glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP). The study included examination of randomly selected 476 of apparently normal milk samples belonged to 137 apparently healthy Holstein Friesian cows. Incidence of SCM was 42.6% of the examined quarters and 62% of cows represented by 203 samples and 85 cows with the result of recovered 242 isolates. In relative to total number of examined quarters, SCM quarters and total number of isolates, S. agalactiae constituted 2.31 %, 5.41% and 4.54 % while S. aureus was 3.6%, 8.37% and 7.2% whereas E. coli represented 7.4%, 17.2% and 14.5% respectively. SCC Geometric mean of SCM samples in the overall study was 483000 cell/mL. In the present study, the higher SCC mean was in SCM samples with S. aureus (611000) followed by E. coli (545000) then S. agalactiae (394000). Geometric mean of LDH, GOT and ALP were 378, 147 and 469 IU/L in the overall study SCM samples. The higher mean of LDH was recorded in case of S. aureus (402) followed by S. agalactiae (398) then E. coli (369). The higher GOT value was in case of S. agalactiae (150) followed by E. coli (149) then S. aureus (147). The higher ALP value was in E. coli (614) followed by S. aureus (560) then S. agalactiae (553). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ZnO nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) can be synthesized by chemical, physical and biological methods; many studies have indicated that biologically synthesized ZnO-NPs have ecofriendly benefits over physically and chemically synthesized ZnO-NPs. This study was carried out to evaluate the differences in characteristics and effects on pathogenic bacteria between ZnO-NPs synthesized by a chemical method and a biological method using the marine green alga Ulva fasciata. Additionally, the synergistic or antagonistic effects of loading ZnO-NPs synthesized by chemical and biological methods on antibiotics are investigated. The results show that there are differences in the characteristics of ZnO-NPs synthesized by the various methods, as determined by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). ZnO-NPs had antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella enterica subsp. salamae (Em.1-EGY015), Aeromonas hydrophila, Escherichia coli O157 (KY797670) and Bacillus cereus SH06; moreover, green-synthesized ZnO-NPs were more effective against pathogenic bacteria than chemically synthesized ZnO-NPs. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of ZnO-NPs synthesized by the green method was less than that of ZnO-NPs synthesized by the chemical method. The results demonstrated that the synergistic or antagonistic effects of ZnO-NP loading on antibiotics (ampicillin/sulbactam, tobramycin, flucloxacillin, chloramphenicol, amoxicillin, cephalexin, of loxacin, and neomycin) varied according to the type of pathogenic bacteria, antibiotic, and method of synthesis of ZnO-NPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper a rigorous mathematical model describing the transient behavior of three phase reluctance motors under the effect of torsional dynamics is developed. Provisions are made to allow the analysis of both the three phase balanced mode of operation and the single phase mode of operation of such motors. The resulting state space equations are then solved numerically in order to yield the required transient response curves. The outcome of this study will help in devising techniques to deal with the dangerous consequences of the electromechanical resonance phenomenon that may arise.

The study was conducted in two governorates Al-Sharkia and El-Fayoum, to investigate the impact of management interventions packages on poultry productivity under family chicken production system in Egyptian rural. The management intervention packages included housing, vaccination, chick rearing, improved strains and feed supplementation. All data collected during the period from January to December 2015. The target population was smallholder keeps indigenous chicken and management interventions had been disseminated by extension services. Samples of two hundred individual householders' were randomly chosen, through semi-structured interviews with questionnaires to collect data through monthly visits. The results indicate that 45% of the smallholders adopted the management interventions package as disseminated. Majority (50%) selective components of the management interventions package were considered full packages; feed supplementation and improved strains; feed supplementation and vaccination. The highest average in flock size was observed at full package adopters (96.47 birds) followed by feed supplementation and improved strains adopters packages (73.22 birds) and feed supplementation and vaccination adopters (45.76 birds). There were highly significant differences between management intervention packages in hen's and cocks sexual maturity age, hen's age at the end of egg production period age. The highly average of egg number/hen/year was reported for chicken raised under full packages group (183.26 eggs) with highly average weight of 44.26 gm during the shortest period of 46.40 weeks. However, the lowest average of egg number/hen/year was produced by chicken raised under non-adoption packages group (86.50 eggs) with lowest average weight of 28.60 gm during longest period of 94.00 weeks. Therefore, it could be recommended that the government and development partners should design a management intervention adoption program based on the demographic and socioeconomic conditions of smallholder farmers to increase indigenous chicken productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study was conducted in Al-Sharkia and El-Fayoum governorates, Egypt. This study aimed to determine the socio-economic factors that influencing on chicken smallholder's adoption behavior of management intervention packages in Egyptian rural sector. Samples of two hundred individual households' were randomly selected, through semi-structured interviews with questionnaires to collect data through monthly visits from January to December 2015. The results indicated that adoption of the management intervention package was influenced by gender, smallholder’s experience, smallholder’s education level, group membership, distance to the market, access to extension and training programs, veterinary services and marketing information. Smallholders with a lower education level were likely to adopt housing, chick rearing, improved strains and feed supplementation; and improved strains packages, whereas, smallholders with a higher education level increased the likelihood of adopting the full package. Males were more likely to adopt the full package, while females more likely to adopt components of management intervention packages. Smallholder experience in raise indigenous chicken had a positive significant and marginal effect on adoption of the full package. Access to training and extension services increased the probability of adopting disseminated packages, the ability to selective from the packages and the adoption of full packages. A decrease in distance to the market increased the probability of adopting the full package, but reduces the probability of adopting feed supplementation and vaccination. It could be recommended that, it should to encourage the chicken smallholders, in Egyptian rural sector, to work in self-help groups and create awareness through training. Micro-credit providers should provide credit in order to encourage adoption of the management intervention package. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study aimed to isolate and characterize staphylococcus species and poxvirus in skin lesions of teats and udders of she-camels using conventional and molecular techniques with exploration of their histopathological alterations. A total of 82 tissue samples were collected from affected she-camels. Isolation of staphylococci was attained and determined their antibiogram. Isolation of poxvirus (on Vero cell and chorioallantoic membrane) was achieved and identified as camel poxvirus (CMLV) by virus neutraliztion test. Bacterial and viral isolates were confirmed by PCR. Sequencing and viral phylogenic analyses were performed to determine the homology of isolated sequences with other sequences available in GenBank and to identify the probabilities of zoonotic transmission. Staphylococci were isolated of which, 11 isolates were S.aureus. The other isolates were S.simulanis, S.hemolyticus and S.carnosus. PCR results confirmed S.aureus isolates by specific amplification of 279bp. Two poxviruses were successfully isolated (with titres of 105.5TCID50 and 104TCID50) and confirmed by PCR by amplification of 881bp. Sequence and phylogenic analyses revealed that the two pox isolates were closely resemble Al-Ahsaa strain (CMLV). Pathologically, the udder of she-camels with poxvirus showed crusts grossly and histopathological results revealed hyperkeratosis, acanthosis with degeneration of prickle cells. Udder affected with staphylococci showed edema with abscess grossly. Histopathology revealed pus, necrotic debris and inflammatory cells in the dermis. In conclusion, Isolation, PCR and sequencing with histopathological examination ensure the presence of (CMLV) and staphylocci in skin of udder and teat of she-camels also, confer high level of diagnostic assays for investigation of the diseases in dromedaries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shunt connection has been recently proposed by the authors to attain fast starting of slip-ring induction motors. Torsional torques, which might be experienced with this connection, is a reservation of this method and should be investigated. Therefore, this paper analyzes the expected torsional problems of the shafts of these motors when driving distributed inertias. The analysis aims at investigating the developed pulsating torque, the resulting torsional oscillations, the transmitted torques, and the twist angles at different shaft sections. Effects of motor parameters on the torsional oscillation problem are studied. For this purpose, a rigorous mathematical model is presented and simulated by a developed computer program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Petroleum hydrocarbons are one of the most common groups of persistent organic contaminants in the environment. The degradation process of the oil takes place by microorganisms to remove it from the environment. The cyanobacteria Nostoc punctiforme and Spirulina platensis are used in this study to investigate their ability to grow and degrade different concentrations of crude oil under heterotrophic conditions. It was found that S. platensis can grow at different concentrations of crude oil (0.5, 1, 1.5, and 2%). No growth was obtained with N. punctiforme incubated with crude oil concentrations (0.5, 1, 1.5, and 2%) until 11 days, after this period the growth progressively increased, especially with 2% crude oil. Chlorophyll a, contents of S. platensis, decreased with increasing incubation period and approximately unchanged with increasing concentration of crude oil. High carotenoids contents in S. platensis was obtained after 7 and 11 days of incubation with different concentrations of oil except at 1.5% oil. Increase in chlorophyll a and carotenoids was observed in N. punctiforme, incubated with crude oil at different concentration and incubation period. The analyses of crude oil residue by GC-MS showed that Decane (C10H22), Pentacosane (C25H52), Hexacosane (C26H54), Octacosane (C28H58), Nonacosane (C29H60) totally removed from the medium by cyanobacteria. Aromatic compounds increased compared to the blank. Overall, our results indicate that S. platensis and N. punctiforme can grow heterotrophically, and biotransfer aliphatic compounds to aromatic compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]