Search

Background: Neosuporosis is caused by a parasitic protozoan called Neospora caninum. This parasite can infect different species of domestic and wild animals. Some studies have reported the possibility of human infection with this parasite. The aim of this study was to evaluate the anti-Neospora caninum antibody in raw milk of cattle in Kashan city. Materials and Methods: In this study, 187 milk samples were collected from two industrial farms in Kashan. The breed of all cows was Holstein. Before sampling, the livestock information such as age, race, history of abortion and stillbirth, the daily milk yield was recorded in the prepared forms. Fat of the samples was separated by centrifuge and lactoserums were collected. To determine anti-Neospora caninum antibody in milk samples, an indirect ELISA kit was used. Results: Results showed that 18.8% (CI=18.18±5.53) of the samples were infected with Neospora caninum. No significant relationship was found between the infection with this protozoa and milk production and age of the cows (P=0.84). Also, the results showed that there was no significant relationship between abortion and infection with Neospora. Conclusion: Considering the contamination rate of cow's milk in Kashan, the implementation of control programs in livestock has great importance. Also, considering the possibility of human infection with Neospora, the need for attention to these control programs is more and more evident.

Present study was done to evaluate the antimicrobial effect of chitosan and Echinophora platyloba and Satureja bachtiarica essential oils on Listeria monocytogenes in Rainbow trout. Essential oil extraction was done from the aerial parts of E. platyloba and S. bachtiarica plants. Minimum inhibitory concentration bacterial concentration of essential oils against bacterium were evaluated by microdilution method. Fish samples were coated using chitosan, E. platyloba (0.062, 0.125 and 0.25 mg/ml) and S. bachtiarica (0.062, 0.125 and 0.25 mg/ml) essential oils. L. monocytogenes (1X103 cfu/g) was inoculated into fish samples and was evaluated during 16 days at refrigerator temperature. The most frequent components detected in S. bachtiarica essential oil were carvacrol (31.25%), thymol (23.50%), o-cymene (13.87%) and Gamma-terpinene (10.65%). The most frequent components detected in E. platyloba essential oil were ocimene (44.15%), alpha-phellandrene (16.80%), gamma-terpinene (8.52%) and beta-myrcene (6.08%). Amount of MIC (0.062 mg/ml) and MBC (0.125 mg/ml) of S. bachtiarica was lower than E. platyloba essential oil. L. monocytogenes was increased in all treatments. The highest number of bacteria in 16th day of maintenance was related to control fish samples and the lowest number was related to chitosan, S. bachtiarica (0.25 mg/ml) and E. platyloba (0.25 mg/ml) essential oils (8.02X0.02 cfu/g) groups. Total volatile nitrogen in control treatment was higher than other samples ( P X 0.05). Chitosan and S. bachtiarica (0.25 mg/ml) and E. platyloba (0.25 mg/ml) essential oils had highest sensory scores related to flavor and odor, texture and overall acceptance factors. Use of chitosan, S. bachtiarica and E. platyloba essential oils caused controlling number of L. monocytogenes and total volatile nitrogen and improvement of organoleptic characteristics of samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

aim of this study was to evaluate the synergistic effects of Thymus daenensis (TD) and Camellia sinensis (CS) hydro-alcoholic extracts on chemical and microbial properties of rainbow trout during frozen storage. In this experimental study, hydro-alcoholic extracts of TD and CS were extracted using maceration method and determined their compounds by HPLC. Extracts in 0.5% concentrations were studied separately and in combination for coating rainbow trout meat. The coated fish fillet was kept at -18 °C for 60 days and subjected to pH-testing, total volatile nitrogen (TVN), thiobarbituric acid (TBA), count of Listeria monocytogenes and sensory evaluation every 10 days. Major compounds in Thymus daenensis and Camellia sinensis extracts were thymol (39.4 mg/g), carvacrol (36.27 mg/g) and epigallocatechin gallate (105.88 mg/g), epicatechin gallate (41.2 mg/g), epigallocatechin (29.55 mg/g) and caffeine (29.45 mg/g), respectively. The results showed that during the storage period, all treatments reduced TVN, pH, TBA, count of L. monocytogenes compared to the control sample. Also, combination treatment (0.5% thyme and 0.5% green tea) significantly improved the chemical, microbial and sensory properties of fish fillet during storage.Therefore, green tea and thyme can be used as antimicrobial and antioxidant compounds in meat industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Satureja bachtiarica Bunge and Echinophora platyloba DC. are two important indigenous medicinal plants of Iran with high antimicrobial and antioxidant effects. The existing examination was done to assess the chemical composition and antioxidant and antibacterial properties of S. bachtiarica and E. platyloba essential oils against Listeria monocytogenes. Aerial parts of plants were collected and their essential oil were extracted using the water distillation method (Clevenger apparatus). Chemical components were analyzed using the GC-MS. Total phenolic and flavonoid components and DPPH radical scavenging effects of essential oils were analyzed. Antibacterial effects were assessed using the disk diffusion and MIC and MBC values were assessed by the micro broth dilution. Carvacrol (31.25%), thymol (23.50%) and o-cymene (13.87%) were the most frequently identified chemical components in S. bachtiarica. Ocimene (44.15%), a-phellandrene (16.80%) and -terpinene (8.52%) were the most frequently identified chemical components in the E. platyloba. DPPH radical scavenging effects of S. bachtiarica and E. platyloba were 76.72 ± 2.52% and 64.21 ± 2.11%, respectively. TPC of S. bachtiarica and E. platyloba were 88.33 ± 1.69and 30.05 ± 1.14 (mg GAE per 100 g dw), respectively. TFC of S. bachtiarica and E. platyloba were 20.63 ± 1.24 and 17.28 ± 1.07 (mg quercetin per 100 g dw), respectively. Antibacterial effects of S. bachtiarica and E. platyloba essential oils were dose-dependent (P<0.05). S. bachtiarica (40 mg/mL) had the highest diameter of the growth inhibition zone (23.64 ± 0.35 mm). MICs and MBCs of S. bachtiarica and E. platyloba essential oils were 5 and 20 and 10 and 40 mg/mL, respectively. Both plants are suitable candidate as food preservatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the dynamic linkages between the efficiency of 126 selected banks and the Single Monetary Policy (SMP) defined by credit channel, interest rate channel, exchange rate channel, and price stability in 17 Euro area countries from 1999 to 2012. The dynamic generalised method of moments (GMM) estimator shows a positive relationship between the bank's cost and profit efficiency and bank lending and liquidity by estimating the two-stage panel regression model. Still, capitalisation, exchange rate, inflation targeting (price stability), long term interest rate targeting was associated with lower cost and profit efficiency scores. Therefore, the impact of the Maastricht Protocol targeted policy, coefficients of inflation and long-term interest rate targeting variables are negatively related to the bank efficiency level. Specifically, on average higher bank lending, liquidity and deposit facility can be associated with improving profit efficiency of banks. In contrast, capitalisation, exchange rate, inflation targeting, and long-term interest rate targeting variables had a negative effect on cost and profit efficiency levels. The policy implication arising from the analyses presented is that the European monetary authority has faced significant pressures of inflation targeting and long-term interest rate targeting policy on bank performance that negatively influence bank efficiency.

This study analyses the cost and profit efficiency of the banking sector in all 17-Euro area Member States during the period from 1999 until 2012. The two-stage approach, the generalized method of moment (GMM) regression model is used to regress the efficiency level obtained from the first stage on factors that could influence the efficiency score. Therefore, the efficiency score measures that derived from the DEA estimations are used as the dependent variable and then regressed upon environmental variables. The result suggests that the cost and profit efficiency of 126 listed bank is found to be on average negatively related to population density, banking activity, loan management activity, and profitability while economic condition, financial deeping rate, and bank network extension have a positive influence on cost and profit efficiency. Overall, our results demonstrate that environmental variables contribute significantly to the difference in efficiency scores between the Member States.