Effect of Aloe vera and clove powder supplementation on carcass characteristics, composition and serum enzymes of Japanese quails.

AIM: The aim was to study the effect of Aloe vera and clove powder supplementation on carcass characteristics, composition and serum enzymes of Japanese quails. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was conducted on 120-day-old Japanese quails, which were randomly divided into four treatment groups viz. T1-control, T2-0.5% A. vera, T3-0.5% clove, and T4-(0.25% A. vera + 0.25% clove) powder, each having three replications consisting of ten Japanese quails. The birds in control group (T1) were fed no supplement whereas in treatments T2-T4 birds were supplemented with A. vera leaf powder, clove, and mixture of both (powdered form) at 0.5, 0.5, and 0.25+0.25% of feed, respectively. After 7 days of brooding, a feeding trial of 35 days was conducted. On 35(th) day of trial birds were sacrificed and dressing percentage, cut up parts, organ weight, processing losses and carcass meat composition of the breast, thigh, and drumstick were recorded. Blood samples were collected on the same day and serum was separated to evaluate serum enzymes alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST). RESULTS: It showed significantly (p<0.05) higher values of dressing percentage with and without giblet and breast weight in the T2-T4 group as compared to the T1 group. No significant (p>0.05) differences were observed in giblet weight, other cut up parts and composition of the breast, thigh, and drumstick muscles in all the treatment groups. Serum ALT and AST did not vary significantly among different treatment groups. CONCLUSION: A. vera and clove supplementation improved the dressing percentage and breast weight without adversely affecting the meat composition and serum enzymes. Thus, these can be used as a growth promoter in Japanese quails.

e19a2 BCR-ABL fusion transcript in typical chronic myeloid leukaemia: a report of two cases.

This report describes two patients with chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML): one of them developed accelerated phase CML and died 8 years after diagnosis and the other is at the chronic phase. Sequence analysis of reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction products showed the presence of BCR-ABL fusion transcript e19a2. This finding suggests that CML carrying mu-BCR breakpoint may exhibit a clinical course similar to typical CML.

Glutathione S-transferase M1 and T1 null genotype frequency in chronic myeloid leukaemia.

Polymorphisms associated with genes coding for glutathione S-transferase enzymes are known to influence metabolism of different carcinogens and have been associated with incidence of various types of cancer. We have determined the GST M1 and GST T1 'null' genotype frequency in 81 patients with chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) and 123 racially and geographically matched control individuals by multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR). GST M1 null genotype frequencies in CML and controls were 28.4% and 27.7%, respectively. GST T1 null genotype frequencies in CML and controls were 19.8% and 7.3%, respectively. The GST T1 null genotype frequency in CML patients is significantly different from that in controls (odds ratio (OR) 3.12, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.3-7.45, P=0.008).