Exposure to Imidacloprid under variable conditions disturbs the muscle fatty acid profile of a fresh water non target fish: Labeo rohita.

Economy of Pakistan is heavily dependent upon agriculture and extensive use of pesticide is quiet common to enhance the crop yield. Imidacloprid is among the first choice pesticides in Pakistan and it has been reported that through run off along with water it ends up in water bodies affecting non target aquatic fauna. Through the present investigation, we are reporting the effects of Imidacloprid on the fatty acids composition of a non-target, commercially important carp: Labeo rohita. Fish were exposed to sub lethal concentration of Imidacloprid (120 mgL1) for 2, 4 and 8 days (short term) as well as for 16, 32 and 64 days (long term experimental conditions). Pesticide untreated controls were also maintained for each treatment. Following the specific Imidacloprid exposure, fatty acid composition (%) was determined in the muscle of all experimental groups by using gas chromatography. Fish exposed to Imidacloprid for 8 days had reduced Palmitic acid (p = 0.02) and elevated muscle Arachidic acid (p < 0.001) than control group. Labeo rohita exposed to the pesticide for 32 days had elevated muscle Oleic (p = 0.02) and Linoleic acid (p = 0.02) while fish exposed to Imidacloprid to 64 days had reduced muscle Palmitic (p = 0.04) and Oleic acid (p = 0.03). In conclusion, we are reporting that the exposure to sub lethal concentration of Imidacloprid disturb the muscle fatty acid composition of Labeo rohita that may affect its food quality. The effects were more pronounced under long term experimental conditions and were probably due to potentiating lipid peroxidation and disturbed fish metabolism upon Imidacloprid exposure.

Himalayan mountains imposing a barrier on gene flow of wheat yellow rust pathogen in the bordering regions of Pakistan and China.

The wheat yellow rust pathogen has been shown to be diverse and potentially originated in the Himalayan region. Although Himalayan populations of Pakistan, Nepal and Bhutan have been previously compared, little is known about the relative divergence and diversity in Puccinia striiformis populations in the bordering regions of Pakistan and China. To assess the relative diversity and divergence in these regions of Pakistan (Gilgit-Baltistan, Hazara and Azad Jammu Kashmir) and China (Xinjiang, Qinghai, Tibet, Sichuan, Guizhou and Yunnan), a total of 1245 samples were genotyped using 17 microsatellite SSR markers. A clear divergence was observed between the bordering regions of Pakistan and China (FST = 0.28) without any resampling of genetic groups and multilocus genotypes across two sides of the Himalayan mountains. The closest subpopulations across the two countries were Xinjiang and Gilgit-Baltistan (Nei's distance = 0.147), which were close geographically. A very high diversity and recombinant population structure was observed in both populations, though slightly higher in China (Genotypic diversity = 0.970; r¯d = 0.000) than in Pakistan (Genotypic diversity = 0.902; r¯d = 0.065). The distribution of genetic groups and resampling of MLGs revealed more gene flow across Yunnan, Guizhou and Sichuan regions in China, while between Hazara and Azad-Jammu Kashmir in Pakistan. The lack of gene flow between Pakistan and China populations is due to geographical barriers and a large patch of land without wheat. The information on the relative diversity and divergence in different geographical zones of the pathogen center of diversity and neighboring region should be considered in resistant wheat deployment while considering the invasion potential of the pathogen at regional and global contexts.

Phosphatidic acid-mediated binding and mammalian cell internalization of the Vibrio cholerae cytotoxin MakA.

Vibrio cholerae is a noninvasive intestinal pathogen extensively studied as the causative agent of the human disease cholera. Our recent work identified MakA as a potent virulence factor of V. cholerae in both Caenorhabditis elegans and zebrafish, prompting us to investigate the potential contribution of MakA to pathogenesis also in mammalian hosts. In this study, we demonstrate that the MakA protein could induce autophagy and cytotoxicity of target cells. In addition, we observed that phosphatidic acid (PA)-mediated MakA-binding to the host cell plasma membranes promoted macropinocytosis resulting in the formation of an endomembrane-rich aggregate and vacuolation in intoxicated cells that lead to induction of autophagy and dysfunction of intracellular organelles. Moreover, we functionally characterized the molecular basis of the MakA interaction with PA and identified that the N-terminal domain of MakA is required for its binding to PA and thereby for cell toxicity. Furthermore, we observed that the ΔmakA mutant outcompeted the wild-type V. cholerae strain A1552 in the adult mouse infection model. Based on the findings revealing mechanistic insights into the dynamic process of MakA-induced autophagy and cytotoxicity we discuss the potential role played by the MakA protein during late stages of cholera infection as an anti-colonization factor.

A Recurrent Nonsense Mutation in NECTIN4 Underlying Ectodermal Dysplasia-Syndactyly Syndrome with a Novel Phenotype in a Consanguineous Kashmiri Family.

EDSS1, a syndrome characterized by ectodermal dysplasia-syndactyly, is inherited in an autosomal recessive manner due to mutations in the NECTIN4/PVRL4 gene. Clinical manifestations of the syndrome include defective nail plate, sparse to absent scalp and body hair, spaced teeth with enamel hypoplasia, and bilateral cutaneous syndactyly in the fingers and toes. Here, we report a consanguineous family of Kashmiri origin presenting features of EDSS1. Using whole exome sequencing, we found a recurrent nonsense mutation (NM_030916: c.181C > T, p.(Gln61 ∗)) in the NECTIN4 gene. The variant segregated perfectly with the disorder within the family. The candidate variant was absent in 50 in-house exomes pertaining to other disorders from the same population. In addition to the previously reported clinical phenotype, an upper lip cleft was found in one of the affected members as a novel phenotype that is not reported by previous studies in EDSS1 patients. Therefore, the study presented here, which was conducted on the Kashmiri population, is the first to document a NECTIN4 mutation associated with the upper lip cleft as a novel phenotype. This finding broadens the molecular and phenotypic spectrum of EDSS1.

Explicit mechanistic insights of Prosopis juliflora extract in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats at the molecular level.

Background: The Ancient system of medicine showed the limelight on the use of herbal remedies and was found to possess minimal side effects and acceptable therapeutic outcomes. In this context, Prosopis juliflora gained importance in managing chronic diseases such as cancer, dermatological diseases, and chronic inflammatory disorders. Hence, P. juliflora was selected for further investigation associated with diabetes and inflammation. Aim: The present study aimed to evaluate the anti-diabetic activity in chemically induced experimental rats and explore the nature of phytocomponents that may produce this activity. Methods: Experimentally, diabetes was induced by a single administration of streptozotocin at 50 mg/kg intraperitoneally in Wistar rats. The animals were treated orally with P. juliflora at low and high doses (200 and 400 mg/kg) for 10 days. Blood collected from the retro-orbital plexus was analyzed for parameters like blood glucose levels, insulin, adiponectin, Keap1 and Nrf2. PPAR-γ, AMPK and GLUT 2 levels were analyzed in the pancreatic tissue. Besides, at the end of the experiment, animals were sacrificed, and the pancreatic tissue sections were subjected for histopathological, morphometrical and immune histochemical exploration. The phytochemical composition of the plant was investigated by GC-MS. Results: The administration of P. juliflora higher dose showed a significant decrease (**p< 0.001) in blood glucose levels with a rise in adiponectin, PPARγ, Keap1, Nrf2, Glut 2, and AMPK significantly (**p< 0.001). The inflammatory cytokine TNFα was also estimated and was found to be lowered significantly (**p< 0.001) in test drug-treated animals. Furthermore, in the pancreatic tissue, the number of Islets, the area, and the number of ß-cells were improved significantly with the sub-chronic treatment of P. juliflora extract. The structure and function of ß-cells were also revamped. Conclusion: The study results demonstrated a significant effect of P. juliflora on glycemic status, inflammatory condition, and the architecture of pancreatic tissue. In the identification and isolation process by GC MS, it was noticed that P. juliflora contained few phytochemical constituents from which it might be considered a promising drug for type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Devising and validating a pen-side hematological formula for hemoglobin estimation in Cholistani cattle.

The present study has been designed to devise a pen-side hematological formula for estimation of hemoglobin (Hb) from packed cell volume (PCV) in Cholistani breed of cattle being reared under pastoralism in Cholistan desert, Pakistan. It also aims to validate the soundness of rule of calculating Hb concentration as one-third of PCV and vice versa as being used in human medicine. Cholistani cattle (n = 364) were bled for PCV determination (microhematocrit) method and Hb estimation (hematology analyzer) (HbD) as well as through calculation being one-third of PCV (HbC). The independent-sample t-test was implied for deducing difference between HbD and HbC, and between HbD and corrected Hb (CHb) for all study groups. The CHb was deduced through regression prediction equation attained from linear regression model. Scatter-plots were drawn and linear regression was carried out between various studied hematological attributes. Significantly (P ≤ 0.01) positive correlation coefficient was noticed for all study groups being highest for female adult stock (r = 0.893; adjusted R-square = 0.79) between HbD and PCV and between HbD and HbC. The regression equation for overall results attained, i.e., Hb = 0.13 (PCV) + 6.3 was used to deduce CHb. A non-significant (P ≥ 0.05) difference was noticed between HbD and CHb. In conclusion, a convention of human clinical medicine that Hb concentration is third of PCV and vice versa cannot be implied for Cholistani cattle. A different equation, i.e., Hb (g/dL) = 0.13 (PCV) + 6.3 may provide reliable results for Hb estimation from the PCV in cattle.

Scleroderma in Cairns: an epidemiological study.

BACKGROUND: Systemic sclerosis (SSc) refers to an autoimmune fibrosing disorder with high disease burden and mortality. The prevalence of 23/100 000 in South Australia (SA) is among the highest documented, but anecdotally it is higher still in Cairns. AIMS: To ascertain the prevalence of SSc in Cairns and surrounding regions, and to compare the demographic and clinical characteristics of patients with SSc in Cairns with those in SA. METHODS: Patients with SSc in Cairns were ascertained through hospital records and by referrals from specialist physicians in the region. These patients were interviewed and completed a structured questionnaire. Their physical findings and autoantibodies were recorded. These patients were compared with the SA patients enrolled in the Australian Scleroderma Cohort Study. RESULTS: A total of 81 patients was identified in Cairns, giving an estimated cross-sectional prevalence of 33.7/100 000. Among 65 patients interviewed in Cairns, 23 were born in Cairns, 16 had migrated to Cairns to ameliorate their Raynaud phenomenon and 26 for other reasons. The clinical features in both cohorts were similar, although Cairns had a lower prevalence of digital ulcers (30.8% vs 46.6%; odds ratio (OR) = 0.5035, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.2839-0.8929, P = 0.0271) and higher prevalence of calcinosis (29.2% vs 17.0%; OR = 2.005, 95% CI: 1.055-3.382). CONCLUSIONS: The higher prevalence of SSc in Cairns is partly, but not completely, due to migration. Differences in clinical features are not entirely explained by the warmer climate. There is a need for greater rheumatologic services in the Cairns region.

Ferromagnetism in CVT grown tungsten diselenide single crystals with nickel doping.

Two dimensional (2D) single crystal layered transition materials have had extensive consideration owing to their interesting magnetic properties, originating from their lattices and strong spin-orbit coupling, which make them of vital importance for spintronic applications. Herein, we present synthesis of a highly crystalline tungsten diselenide layered single crystal grown by chemical vapor transport technique and doped with nickel (Ni) to tailor its magnetic properties. The pristine WSe2 single crystal and Ni-doped crystal were characterized and analyzed for magnetic properties using both experimental and computational aspects. It was found that the magnetic behavior of the 2D layered WSe2 crystal changed from diamagnetic to ferromagnetic after Ni-doping at all tested temperatures. Moreover, first principle density functional theory (DFT) calculations further confirmed the origin of room temperature ferromagnetism of Ni-doped WSe2, where the d-orbitals of the doped Ni atom promoted the spin moment and thus largely contributed to the magnetism change in the 2D layered material.

Association of MAP4K4 gene single nucleotide polymorphism with mastitis and milk traits in Chinese Holstein cattle.

The objective of the studies presented in this Research Communication was to investigate the association of single nucleotide polymorphisms present in the MAP4K4 gene with different milk traits in dairy cows. Based on previous QTL fine mapping results on bovine chromosome 11, the MAP4K4 gene was selected as a candidate gene to evaluate its effect on somatic cell count and milk traits in ChineseHolstein cows. Milk production traits including milk yield, fat percentage, and protein percentage of each cow were collected using 305 d lactation records. Association between MAP4K4 genotype and different traits and Somatic Cell Score (SCS) was performed using General Linear Regression Model of R. Two SNPs at exon 18 (c.2061T > G and c.2196T > C) with genotype TT in both SNPs were found significantly higher for somatic SCS. We found the significant effect of exon 18 (c.2061T > G) on protein percentage, milk yield and SCS. We identified SNPs at different location of MAP4K4 gene of the cattle and several of them were significantly associated with the somatic cell score and other different milk traits. Thus, MAP4K4 gene could be a useful candidate gene for selection of dairy cattle against mastitis and the identified polymorphisms might potentially be strong genetic markers.

Chlorpyrifos and lambda cyhalothrin-induced oxidative stress in human erythrocytes.

Pesticides are one of the most potentially harmful chemicals introduced into the environment, and their adverse impacts on non-target organisms can be significant. The present study was conducted to shed light on effects of locally used insecticides chlorpyrifos (CPF) and lambda cyhalothrin (LCT) on oxidative stress biomarkers in human erythrocytes. The activity of catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and protein contents as well as the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and osmotic fragility (OF) were measured in human erythrocytes exposed to CPF at concentrations of 0, 100, 500, 1000, and 2000 ppm and LCT at concentrations of 0, 100, 300, 600, and 800 ppm for 1 h and 3 h at 37°C. MDA levels and OF of erythrocytes were significantly higher in erythrocytes incubated with CPF and LCT at increasing concentrations of both insecticides and increased incubation time. However, erythrocyte CAT and SOD activities were decreased at all concentrations of CPF and LCT tested. Protein oxidation products were decreased at lower doses of CPF (100 and 500 ppm); at higher doses (1000 and 2000 ppm), total protein content was increased compared with control. In contrast LCT was associated with decreased in protein contents at all the concentrations. These results clearly demonstrated that CPF and LCT can induce oxidative stress in human erythrocytes ( in vitro).

Validity of the fast scan for diagnosis of intraabdominal injury in blunt abdominal trauma.

BACKGROUND: Blunt abdominal trauma is regularly encountered in the emergency department. The aim of the study is to determine the validity of assessment with sonography for trauma (FAST) scans in the evaluation of BAT in comparison to Computed tomogram/Exploratory laparotomy (CT/FLAP). METHODS: This cross-sectional study was carried out at Ayub Teaching Hospital Abbottabad from January 2010 to December 2011. FAST was performed as part of the primary or secondary survey of the trauma patient in the emergency department in all patients with suspected blunt abdominal trauma. All of them also underwent either CT or ELAP depending on their clinical condition. The validity of FAST scan in comparison to CT/ELAP was documented. RESULTS: Our study included 100 patients with suspected blunt abdominal trauma. The mean age was 3 1.52 ± 16.79 years with 88% males. Road traffic accidents accounted for 80% cases and 20% were due to fall. Seventy percent were hemodynamically stable and 30% were unstable. Haemodynamically unstable patients had significantly more positive FAST scans and more positive CTIELAP (p < 0.05). Of the total, 52% had positive CTIELAP and 54% had positive FAST scan. Majority (28%) had splenic injury. A positive scan had a statistically significant probability of a confirmed blunt abdominal trauma on CT/ELAP; p = O.OO, OR = 8.095, 95% CI = 3.3-19.8. FAST scan had a sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of 76.92%, 70.83%, 74.07% and 73.9% respectively. CONCLUSION: FAST scan had lesser accuracy as compared to previously published local and international data. More work is required before it can be routinely utilized to triage the blunt abdominal trauma patients to laparotomy.

Microalgal-bacterial immobilized co-culture as living biofilters for nutrient recovery from synthetic wastewater and their potential as biofertilizers.

This study investigates nutrient recovery from synthetic municipal wastewater using co-immobilized cultures of Chlorella vulgaris TISTR 8580 (CV) and plant growth-promoting bacteria, Bacillus subtilis TISTR 1415 (BS) as living biofilters for a subsequent biofertilizer activity. The optimal condition for nutrient recovery was at the 1:1 ratio of CV/BS using mixed guar gum/carrageenan (GG/CG) binders. After 7-day wastewater treatment, the living biofilters removed 86.7 ± 0.5% of ammonium and 99.3 ± 0.3% of phosphates and were tested subsequently as biofertilizers for 20 days to grow selected plants. The highest optimal biomass and chlorophyll a content was 2 ± 0.3 g (CV/BS 3:1) and 12.4 ± 0.7 µg/g (CV/BS 1:1) from cucumber respectively, however, the close-to-neutral pH (8.0 ± 0.3) was observed from sunflower using CV/BS 1:1 living biofilters. Conclusively, the designed living biofilters exhibit the potential to recover nutrients from wastewater and be used as biofertilizers for circular agriculture.

Physicochemical and adulteration study of fresh milk collected from different locations in Pakistan.

The present research was carried out to assess raw milk's quality as collected from the commercial markets of the Mardan district (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa). The locality from which milk samples were collected included; Bijligar (BG), Manga (M), Chamthara (CM), Main Bazar Mardan (MB), Mahidherai (MD), and Sharif Abad (SB), located in district Mardan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). A total of 36 milk samples were collected at the rate of 6 samples per location. The outcome of the data exhibited that the percentage of protein content was highest (3.34%) in MB and SA (3.30%), while lower percentages were recorded in sample M (3.03%) and CM 93.06%). Maximum pH were shown in M and BG to be 7.55 and 7.33, respectively. For fats content, the highest percentage of fats was witnessed in MB as 4.04%, and minimum fats content was noted in Sample M as 3.57%. Water content was highest in Sample SA and BG at 15.85% and 15.64%, respectively. Qualitative analysis of adulterants like detergents, Formalin, starch, and Hydrogen peroxide was also carried out for all the collected samples. Adulteration results were positive for all the milk samples, with the highest being in samples MB (30%), while all the remaining samples had adulteration at 20% each. Both MB and CM samples were adulterated with urea, while the remaining 4 were adulterated with neutralizers. Thus, it may be summarized from the whole analysis that the milk available in commercial markets of district Mardan was adulterated with different adulterants and is not recommended for consumption.

G-protein-coupled receptor prediction using pseudo-amino-acid composition and multiscale energy representation of different physiochemical properties.

G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are the largest family of cell surface receptors that, via trimetric guanine nucleotide-binding proteins (G-proteins), initiate some signaling pathways in the eukaryotic cell. Many diseases involve malfunction of GPCRs making their role evident in drug discovery. Thus, the automatic prediction of GPCRs can be very helpful in the pharmaceutical industry. However, prediction of GPCRs, their families, and their subfamilies is a challenging task. In this article, GPCRs are classified into families, subfamilies, and sub-subfamilies using pseudo-amino-acid composition and multiscale energy representation of different physiochemical properties of amino acids. The aim of the current research is to assess different feature extraction strategies and to develop a hybrid feature extraction strategy that can exploit the discrimination capability in both the spatial and transform domains for GPCR classification. Support vector machine, nearest neighbor, and probabilistic neural network are used for classification purposes. The overall performance of each classifier is computed individually for each feature extraction strategy. It is observed that using the jackknife test the proposed GPCR-hybrid method provides the best results reported so far. The GPCR-hybrid web predictor to help researchers working on GPCRs in the field of biochemistry and bioinformatics is available at http://111.68.99.218/GPCR.

Spectral analysis and antibacterial potential of bioactive principles of Sargassum crassifolium J. Agardh from Red sea of Jazan origin.

Seaweeds have been focused as potential and promising resources to develop novel pharmaceuticals. The present study was aimed to investigate the bioactive principles of Sargassum crassifolium (S. crassifolium) through organic solvents methanol and petroleum ether extractions individually. The present study also extended to determine the antibacterial potentiality of the bioactive principles from methanolic extract (ME) and petroleum ether extract (PEE) of S. crassifolium against a set of human pathogenic bacteria. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) analysis of the ME and PEE were exhibiting unique bioactive constituents. The antibacterial effect of ME and PEE were showed the moderate spectrum of activity when compared to the standard streptomycin disc against the screened human pathogenic bacteria. The bacterial sensitivity to the ME was sequenced as Bacillus subtilis > Pseudomonas aeruginosa > Escherichia coli > Klebsiella pneumoniae > Staphylococcus aureus > Streptococcus pyogenes. Furthermore, the spectrum of activity of PEE was showing more or less similar pattern of action with almost equal potency. The spectrum of activity of PEE extract was in the order Bacillus subtilis > Pseudomonas aeruginosa > Escherichia coli > Staphylococcus aureus > Streptococcus pyogenes > Klebsiella pneumoniae.

Phytochemical and spectral analysis of the methanolic extracts of leaves of Murraya koenigii of Jazan, Saudi Arabia.

The present study aimed to explore the biocomponents of Murraya koenigii leaves through hot continuous percolation method using methanol as solvent. The spectral analysis by GC-MS and FTIR study demonstrated the presence of alkaloids, tannins, fatty acids, and steroids. The extract was characterized by the presence of unique compounds such as epiyangambin, stigmasterol, α-terpineol, eucalyptol, ethyl cinnamate, fatty acids, and other steroids.

Acute mesenteric, portal and inferior vena cava (IVC) venous thrombosis: optimal outcome achieved with anticoagulation.

The prevalence and clinical spectrum of acute mesenteric venous thrombosis (AMVT) in Pakistan is largely unknown. The authors report two patients with acute mesenteric, portal and inferior vena cava venous thrombosis confirmed on CT imaging. The diagnoses were established within 24 hours of presentation and both patients were successfully treated with therapeutic heparin during hospital admission and continued on oral warfarin because of hypercoagulable state. The protocol that we currently use is evidence based and is leading to optimal outcome.

Seasonal Dynamics, Record of Ticks Infesting Humans, Wild and Domestic Animals and Molecular Phylogeny of Rhipicephalus microplus in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pakistan.

Although ticks prevalent in various agro-systems of Pakistan are associated with economic losses, information is still missing about the tick's diversity, hosts they infest, seasonal dynamics and molecular phylogeny of Rhipicephalus microplus in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Pakistan. This study for the first time enlisted ticks infesting diverse hosts including humans in various regions of KP. A total of 8,641 ticks were collected across the northern, southern and central regions of KP and were morpho-taxonomically categorized into six genera comprising 17 species, R. microplus (n = 3,584, 42%), Hyalomma anatolicum (n = 2,253, 27%), Argas persicus (n = 1,342, 16%), Hya. impeltatum (n = 586, 7%), R. turanicus (n = 161, 2%), R. haemaphysaloides (n = 142, 2%), R. annulatus (n = 132, 2%), Hae. montgomeryi (n = 123, 1.4%), Hya. marginatum (n = 110, 1.3%), R. sanguineus (n = 34, 0.4%), and Hae. longicornis (n = 31, 0.4%). Ticks infesting wild animals included Amblyomma gervaisi, Amb. exornatum, Amb. latum, Dermacentor marginatus, and Hae. indica, while ticks collected from humans included R. microplus, R. annulatus, Hya. anatolicum, Hya. marginatum, and Hae. punctata. The overall prevalence of ticks infesting domestic animals was 69.4% (536/772). Among animal hosts, cattle were found highly infested (87.2%, 157/180) followed by buffalos (79%, 91/114), domestic fowls (74.7%, 112/150), goats (68.3%, 82/120), dogs (66.7%, 32/48), horses (61.3%, 49/80), and sheep (16.3%, 13/80). Analysis revealed that the tick burden significantly differed among domestic animals and was found to be high in cattle, followed by buffalos, goats, sheep, domestic fowl, dogs, and horses. Seasonal patterns of ticks distribution showed highest prevalance in July, August, and September due to the prevailing high temperature and humidity during these months. The phylogenetic analysis of cattle tick R. microplus based on partial mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COX1), 16S ribosomal RNA (16S rRNA) and internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) sequences, revealed that R. microplus prevalent in this region belongs to clade C which include ticks originating from Bangladesh, Malaysia, and India. Further large scale studies across the country are necessary to explore the molecular and cross breeding aspects at the geographical overlapping of various tick species and their associated pathogens to facilitate designing control strategies as well as awareness against tick infestation in the region.

Effect of Sea Buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) Seed Supplementation on Egg Quality and Cholesterol of Rhode Island Red×Fayoumi Laying Hens.

The present trial was carried out to study the effect of sea buckthorn seed supplementation on egg quality of laying birds. A total of 160 Rhode Island Red× Fayoumi layers was divided into four groups of 40 birds each, which was further replicated four times with 10 hens per replicate. Group one was kept as a control, while other three groups were supplemented with sea buckthorn seed powder at a dose rate of 1 (T1), 2 (T2) and 3 (T3) g/kg of feed. The results showed that egg production was significantly (p<0.05) higher in T3 at the end of the study. Egg weight was significantly (p<0.05) high in T2 and T3 during week 39 and 40. Egg yolk weight was significantly (p<0.05) in T3 compared to the control. Significantly (p<0.01) lower egg cholesterol was recorded in T2 and T3. From the results of the present study, we concluded that laying hens supplemented with sea buckthorn at the rate of 2 and 3 g/kg improved the egg quality parameters and egg cholesterol.

Magnetic Isotropy/Anisotropy in Layered Metal Phosphorous Trichalcogenide MPS3 (M = Mn, Fe)Single Crystals.

Despite the fact that two-dimensional layered magnetic materials hold immense potential applications in the field of spintronic devices, tunable magnetism is still a challenge due to the lack of controllable synthesis. Herein, high-quality single crystals MPS3 (M= Mn, Fe) of millimeter size were synthesized through the chemical vapor transport method. After systemic structural characterizations, magnetic properties were studied on the bulk MPS3 layers through experiments, along with first principle theoretical calculations. The susceptibilities as well as the EPR results evidently revealed unique isotropic and anisotropic behavior in MnPS3 and FePS3 crystals, respectively. It is worth noting that both of these materials show antiferromagnetic states at measured temperatures. The estimated antiferromagnetic transition temperature is 78 K for bulk MnPS3 and 123 K for FePS3 crystals. The spin polarized density functional theory calculations confirmed that the band gap of the antiferromagnetic states could be generated owing to asymmetric response all over the energy range. The ferromagnetic state in MnPS3 and FePS3 is less stable as compared to the antiferromagnetic state, resulting in antiferromagnetic behavior. Additionally, frequency-dependent dielectric functions for parallel and perpendicular electric field component vectors, along with the absorption properties of MPS3, are thoroughly investigated.