Impact of Alpinia galanga and zinc on semen quality and some reproductive hormone constituents in California rabbit bucks.

The objective of the current study was to investigate the influence of synergism of the dry powder of Alpinia galanga rhizomes (AGR) and/or zinc sulfate in the diet on semen quality and reproductive traits of California rabbit bucks. The study was conducted in two stages. First stage: appreciation of semen characteristics, 36 California rabbit bucks (aged 5 months) with average body weights of 2980 g were divided randomly into six treatments (six individuals each). The treatment groups were: first group, control fed basal diet (C); second group, fed basal diet plus 1 g AGR/kg dry matter (DM) (AGR1); third group, fed basal diet plus 2 g AGR/kg DM (AGR2); fourth group, fed basal diet plus 200 mg Zn/litre drinking water (Zn); fifth group, fed basal diet plus 1 g AGR/kg DM and 200 mg Zn/litre drinking water (AGR1 + Zn); sixth group, fed basal diet plus 2 g AGR/kg DM and 200 mg Zn/litre drinking water (AGR2 + Zn). Second stage: the previous bucks were used to determine the efficiency of semen on reproductive fertility traits, 48 mature does (aged 6 months, nulliparous) with an average body weight of 3050 ± 20.7 g were divided randomly into six treatments and inseminated with previous groups of treated bucks. The results of the first stage, recorded high activity on gonadotropins hormones: follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH), free testosterone (FT), progesterone (P4) and oestrogen (E217ß) concentrations for AGR1 + Zn and AGR2 + Zn compared with the control group. Groups AGR1, AGR2, AGR1 + Zn and AGR2 + Zn had significantly lowered concentrations of triglycerides, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein, and malondialdehyde (MDA), whereas high-density lipoprotein and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) were increased significantly compared with the control group. The group supplemented with AGR with or without Zn had significantly improved ejaculate volume, advanced motility, sperm concentration, and cell integrity. Fertility rate and litter size were improved in all groups compared with the control. It was concluded that supplementing diets with Alpinia galanga and Zn significantly increased sperm percentage, motility and reproductive hormones (testosterone, FSH, LH, E217ß, P4). This suggested that this plant when used may be favourable for improved sperm quality and fertility parameters.

Repeat breeding: prevalence and potential causes in dairy cows at different milk pocket areas of Bangladesh.

The objective of this study was to figure out the prevalence and probable causes of repeat breeding (RB) in dairy cows. Hence, a cross-sectional study was conducted on randomly selected 265 dairy farms in Sirajganj, Bogura, Rangpur, Satkhira, and Munshiganj districts of Bangladesh from December 2018 to February 2019. Data were collected through a direct interview method using a survey questionnaire. The reproductive organs of repeat breeder cows were examined for pathological, infectious, and functional reasons, and genital tract abnormalities. Additionally, the influence of nutrition, season, and age on the frequency of RB was recorded. The prevalence of RB was 28% among the 3824 cows investigated. Among the total repeat breeder cases, 72.54% of RB cases were found in Holstein-Friesian crossbred, 23.90% in Jersey crossbred, 1.50% in Sahiwal crossbred, and 2.06% in indigenous cows. The prevalence of RB was significantly highest (P < 0.01) in Satkhira (44.35%) and lowest in the Munshiganj district (15.87%). Data indicated that a major proportion of cows significantly (P < 0.05) faced RB problems due to functional causes (34.18%), followed by pathological causes (28.01%), genital tract abnormalities (21.32%), and infectious causes (16.49%). Furthermore, the cows were remarkably (P < 0.001) affected in RB during the summer season and nutritional deficient diseases like milk fever (70%). Age (3-7 years) had a significant (P < 0.001) effect on the RB occurrence (90%) in crossbred cows. However, particular focus should be given to systematic breeding, balanced nutrition, artificial inseminator efficiency, and hygienic inseminating tools to reduce RB incidence in high-yielding crossbred cows.

Small footprint phase locking system for a large tiled aperture laser array.

A phase sensing system fitted to the control of coherent laser beam array of large cross section is experimented. It is based on the use of a fiber bundle that collects a weak part of the synthetic wavefront, that scales it down (1/40) and that reshapes it in a more compact arrangement (2D to 1D array). Then, the reconfigured beam array can be analyzed by a small footprint system making the large laser beam array easier to phase-lock. The discrete laser array wavefront transmitted by the meter long fiber bundle was stabilized thanks to a multiple arm servo loop. Laser array phase locking was further ensured by random scattering through a diffuser, associated to an alternating projection algorithm. Six fiber laser beams constituting a 110 mm diameter synthetic aperture, were phase-locked with λ/16 accuracy.

Classification Accuracy of Hepatitis C Virus Infection Outcome: Data Mining Approach.

BACKGROUND: The dataset from genes used to predict hepatitis C virus outcome was evaluated in a previous study using a conventional statistical methodology. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to reanalyze this same dataset using the data mining approach in order to find models that improve the classification accuracy of the genes studied. METHODS: We built predictive models using different subsets of factors, selected according to their importance in predicting patient classification. We then evaluated each independent model and also a combination of them, leading to a better predictive model. RESULTS: Our data mining approach identified genetic patterns that escaped detection using conventional statistics. More specifically, the partial decision trees and ensemble models increased the classification accuracy of hepatitis C virus outcome compared with conventional methods. CONCLUSIONS: Data mining can be used more extensively in biomedicine, facilitating knowledge building and management of human diseases.

Sequence analysis and biological characterization of virulent Avian avulavirus 1 isolated from asymptomatic migratory fowl.

Continuous monitoring and surveillance of avian avulaviruses (AAvVs) in water/migratory fowl is imperative to ascertain the evolutionary dynamics of these viruses. Here, we report genomic and amino acid characteristics of two AAvVs strains isolated from asymptomatic waterfowl (Anas carolinensis). Sequence characteristics including the presence of virulent motif (112RRQKR↓F117) and biological assessment confirmed the virulent nature of study isolates. Phylogenetic analysis of complete fusion (F) and hemagglutinin-neuraminidase (HN), and hyper-variable region of F gene revealed clustering of both strains within genotype VII and sub-genotype VIIi. The inferred residue analysis of complete F and HN genes revealed a number of substitutions in functionally and structurally important motif/s compared to reference strains of each genotype (I-XI). This study concludes an evolutionary nature of avian avulavaris 1 (AAvV-1), ascertaining continuous surveillance of migratory fowl to better elucidate their infection, epidemiology and subsequent impacts on commercial and backyard poultry. Keywords: virulent AAvV-1; migratory fowl; genetic characterization; evolutionary analysis; Pakistan.

[Factors associated with medication non-adherence in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: The first Algerian survey]. / Facteurs associés à la non-observance thérapeutique chez les diabétiques de type 2 : première enquête algérienne.

BACKGROUND: Non-adherence in patients with type 2 diabetes is a frequent phenomenon with important impact in terms of management of this disease. The aim of this study was to assess the level of medication adherence and to identify the factors associated with non-adherence in type 2 diabetic patients. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in type 2 diabetic patients at the endocrinology and diabetology department of University Medical Center of Sidi Bel Abbes (Algeria) in 2017. Medication adherence was determined using a morisky 8-Item medication adherence questionnaire. A logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with non-adherence. RESULTS: The study enrolled 403 type 2 diabetic patients. The mean age was 60 years and sex-ratio was 0.8. Medication non-adherence rate was 31.3% (95% CI: 26.8-35.8%). The factors significantly associated with non-adherence in multivariate analysis were: health insurance status, self-monitoring of blood glucose, disease duration, education level and need for information on diabetes. CONCLUSION: Our study had demonstrated a low adherence in patients with type 2 diabetes. The results suggest that implementation of a therapeutic education program could be important in management of diabetes.

Scoping Review of Systems to Train Psychomotor Skills in Hearing Impaired Children.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this work is to provide a scoping review to compile and classify the systems helping train and enhance psychomotor skills in hearing impaired (HI) children. METHODS: Based on an exhaustive review on psychomotor deficits in HI children, the procedure used to carry out a scoping review was: select keywords and identify synonyms, select databases and prepare the queries using keywords, analyze the quality of the works found using the PEDro Scale, classify the works based on psychomotor competences, analyze the interactive systems (e.g., sensors), and the achieved results. RESULTS: Thirteen works were found. These works used a variety of sensors and input devices such as cameras, contact sensors, touch screens, mouse and keyboard, tangible objects, haptic and virtual reality (VR) devices. CONCLUSIONS: From the research it was possible to contextualize the deficits and psychomotor problems of HI children that prevent their normal development. Additionally, from the analysis of different proposals of interactive systems addressed to this population, it was possible to establish the current state of the use of different technologies and how they contribute to psychomotor rehabilitation.

Influence of green grass-based diets on growth and reproductive performance in dairy heifers.

The objective of this study was to monitor the changes in growth, dry matter intake, and blood profiles (nutrition and reproductive hormones) of dairy heifers in response to green grass-based diets. Twelve crossbred heifers were equally divided into group 1: rice straw and concentrate; group 2: rice straw, green grass, and concentrate; group 3: green grass and concentrate; group 4: green grass, soybean hay, and concentrate. Dry matter intake in group 4 was found 6% higher (P < 0.05) than group 1. Negative body weight gain was found in group 1 and group 2 showed 14% higher body weight gain per 30 days compared to groups 3 and 4 (P < 0.05). Heifers in group 4 had significantly (P < 0.05) higher heart girth gain, serum albumin, urea, and blood urea nitrogen than the heifers in other groups. Endocrine parameters were found similar among groups. Overall, supply of green grass especially a mix of leguminous and non-leguminous was found advantageous in heifer feeding.

Fowl adenovirus: history, emergence, biology and development of a vaccine against hydropericardium syndrome.

The poultry industry has emerged as one of the largest and fastest growing public sectors in the developed and developing countries. Unfortunately, this industry is under a major threat from diseases that are viral (Newcastle disease, infectious bursal disease, influenza, hydropericardium syndrome), bacterial (colibacillosis, pasteurellosis, salmonellosis, mycoplasmosis), parasitic (coccidiosis, histoplasmosis) or nutritional (dyschondroplasia, osteoporosis). Among these diseases, hydropericardium syndrome (HPS) is one of the important emerging diseases occurring in the specific areas of the world where broilers (chickens) are reared under intensive conditions. HPS was first observed in 1987 at Angara Goth, an area near Karachi, Pakistan, where broilers are raised. Since then, HPS has been reported in many countries of the world. From these reported cases, an adenovirus that was either isolated from or visualized electron microscopically in the liver of affected broilers has been implicated in the syndrome. The syndrome has been reproduced by inoculation of isolated fowl adenovirus (FAdV) strains, and hence, the syndrome is also called infectious hydropericardium syndrome. To our knowledge, HPS has not been observed in humans, so it is not considered a zoonotic disease, but it is of economic importance and causes huge losses to the poultry industry. Efforts have been made to develop conventional vaccines against this disease, which were formulated from infected liver homogenate. Formalin-inactivated liver organ vaccines have failed to protect the poultry industry. Hence, there is a dire need to develop a suitable vaccine to combat this disease. Currently, recombinant vaccine candidates are being developed by using molecular biology and biotechnological approaches for the prevention and control of infectious diseases, including HPS. Therefore, it is suggested that the immunogenicity of these recombinant proteins should be evaluated for their use as subunit vaccines.

A thoracic parasternal granular cell tumor in a child: About one case and review of the literature, discussion about treatment guidelines, is complete resection compulsory?

Granular cell tumor is a well known soft tissue tumor, very rare in children; we describe here the first case of GCT in this particular location in a child. The diagnostic is easily done with histopathology. The treatment is based on the complete resection, no other validated treatment exists. We reviewed the literature to find out if it would be safe to consider a simple follow-up after partial resection of the tumor.

Effect of photoanode surface coverage by a sensitizer on the photovoltaic performance of titania based CdS quantum dot sensitized solar cells.

In spite of the promising design and architecture, quantum dot sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs) have a long way to go before they attain the actual projected photoconversion efficiencies. Such an inferior performance displayed by QDSSCs is primarily because of many unwanted recombination losses of charge carriers at various interfaces of the cell. Electron recombination due to back electron transfer at the photoanode/electrolyte interface is an important one that needs to be addressed, to improve the efficiency of these third generation nanostructured solar cells. The present work highlights the importance of conformal coverage of CdS quantum dots (QDs) on the surface of the nanocrystalline titania photoanode in arresting such recombinations, leading to improvement in the performance of the cells. Using the successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) process, photoanodes are subjected to different amounts of CdS QD sensitization by varying the number of cycles of deposition. The sensitized electrodes are characterized using UV-visible spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry and transmission electron microscopy to evaluate the extent of surface coverage of titania electrodes by QDs. Sandwich solar cells are then fabricated using these electrodes and characterized employing electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and J-V characteristics. It is observed that maximum solar cell efficiency is obtained for photoanodes with conformal coating of QDs and any further deposition of sensitizer leads to QD aggregation and so reduces the performance of the solar cells.

Molecular cloning, expression and characterization of 100K gene of fowl adenovirus-4 for prevention and control of hydropericardium syndrome.

Fowl adenovirus-4 is an infectious agent causing Hydropericardium syndrome in chickens. Adenovirus are non-enveloped virions having linear, double stranded DNA. Viral genome codes for few structural and non structural proteins. 100K is an important non-structural viral protein. Open reading frame for coding sequence of 100K protein was cloned with oligo histidine tag and expressed in Escherichia coli as a fusion protein. Nucleotide sequence of the gene revealed that 100K gene of FAdV-4 has high homology (98%) with the respective gene of FAdV-10. Recombinant 100K protein was expressed in E. coli and purified by nickel affinity chromatography. Immunization of chickens with recombinant 100K protein elicited significant serum antibody titers. However challenge protection test revealed that 100K protein conferred little protection (40%) to the immunized chicken against pathogenic viral challenge. So it was concluded that 100K gene has 2397 bp length and recombinant 100K protein has molecular weight of 95 kDa. It was also found that the recombinant protein has little capacity to affect the immune response because in-spite of having an important role in intracellular transport & folding of viral capsid proteins during viral replication, it is not exposed on the surface of the virus at any stage.

Otitis media with effusion in children admitted for adenoidectomy.

This cross-sectional prospective study was done in the Department of Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Dhaka during the period of January 2008 to December 2009 with the aim to find out the frequency of otitis media with effusion in patients with enlarged adenoid admitted for Adenoidectomy, To see the frequency of otitis media with effusion in different age group, To find out the degree of hearing loss in enlarged Adenoid patients. A total number of 60 patients who were admitted for adenoidectomy with or without tonsillectomy were purposively collected. Male female ratio was 1.6:1. Majority of patients (61.67%) came from lower socioeconomic group. Amongst the patients with enlarged adenoids, OME was found in 32(53.33%) cases. Out of 25 grossly enlarged adenoid cases, OME was found in 19(76%) cases. In 35 cases of moderately enlarge adenoid, OME was found in 13(37.14%) cases. Out of 28 enlarged adenoid cases in age group 0-5 years, OME was present in 19(67.86%) cases and out of 32 enlarge adenoid cases in age group 6-15 years; OME was present in 13(40.62%) cases. Most of the patients presented with multiple clinical features, the commonest was mouth breathing (80%), other features were snoring (58.33%), nasal discharge (56.67%) and hearing impairment (53.33%). In tympanometry, flat curve without peak was found in 25 cases and negative middle ear pressure was seen in 7 cases. Regarding hearing status of patients, 25 cases had a mild to moderate degree of hearing loss and PTA was not done in 7 cases due to lower age group (below 4 years).

Digital Subtraction Angiography is Superior to Magnetic Resonance Angiography in Diagnosis of Cerebral Arteriovenous Malformation.

This study was carried out to compare MRA and DSA in diagnosis of cerebral AVM. It was a retrospective observational study conducted in the Department of Neurology Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH), Dhaka during the period of January 2010 to December 2010. Thirty patients with haemorrhagic stroke age ranging from 13 to 65 years were selected on the basis of inclusion and exclusion criteria as the study sample. MRA and DSA were done in all the selected patients. The mean age of the patients of haemorrhagic stroke was 30.3 ± 14.3 years and male female ratio was 2.7:1. Regarding the venous drainage of AVM 13 and 12 were superficial and deep respectively, and evaluated 100% by MRA. In the diagnosis of cerebral AVM nidus size S1: <3 and S2: 3-6 cm sensitivity was 100% but accuracy was 100% and 73.3% respectively. DSA was 100% sensitive in the diagnosis of superficial and deep venous drainage AVM. Regarding the eloquence of brain area 15 had no eloquence by both MRA and DSA and identification of eloquence of brain area sensitivity was 73.3% and accuracy was 86.7%. The main feeding vessels was found (22, 73.3%) in both DSA and MRA findings. Distal vessels was seen (8, 26.7%) in DSA but not seen in MRA findings. Intranidal aneurysm and Angiopathic AVM were seen in 3(10.0%) and 4(13.3%) respectively in DSA. This study was carried out to diagnose the patients presented with cerebral AVM by MRA and DSA. MRA could not be evaluated flow status of AVM, distal feeding arteries, intranidal aneurysm and angiopathic AVM which could be detected by DSA. So, DSA is superior to MRA in diagnosis of cerebral AVM.