Size-selective feeding on phytoplankton by two morpho-groups of the small freshwater fish Amblypharyngodon mola

Two morpho-groups (i.e., small, MGS and big, MGL) of the small freshwater fish Amblypharyngodon mola were studied for their feeding behaviour in the natural environment. Both the morpho-groups fed on a variety of phytoplankton including Cyanophyceae, Chlorophyceae, Bacillariophyceae and Euglenophyceae. The fish had more Chlorophyceae and Bacillariophyceae in their gut than other phytoplankton. Costello's selectivity plots revealed that the MGS fed on the smaller phytoplankters (2-6 µm in size), whereas the MGL fed on both the small and large (up to 12 µm in size) phytoplankters. The differences in mouth areas between the two morpho-groups were explained as a possible reason of size-selective feeding and contribute to overcome gape limitation in A. mola. This is further accompanied by the uniform pore size of the gills (2 µm) in all the morpho-groups. This study concluded that A. mola exhibits a size-dependent feeding strategy regulated by gape limitation at the ingestion level. With ontogenetic shifts, flexibility appears to overcome such a limitation in the MGL, having a wider mouth area supported by jaw opening ability.

Investigation of an outbreak of infectious pustular balanoposthitis in cattle breeding bulls at a frozen semen bank

Infectious pustular balanoposthitis (IPB) is one of the reproductive disorders caused by bovine herpesvirus 1 (BoHV1) that can be transmitted through artificial insemination. A herd of 63 breeding bulls at a frozen semen bank in Odisha state in India experienced a suspected outbreak of IPB, with 11 bulls showing clinical signs of the infection. Clinical signs were noticed in two bulls initially and a few days after in the other nine animals. Serum samples from 53 bulls were examined for anti-BoHV1 antibodies using a virus neutralisation test (VNT) and a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (cELISA); the remaining ten bulls were not included in the study because it was difficult to restrain them at that time. Paired serum samples were collected 21 days apart from ten clinically affected bulls (the eleventh clinically affected bull was not included in the study for the reason stated above). In the neutralisation test, the paired serum samples showed a two- to fourfold increase in anti-BoHV1 antibody titre; in the cELISA, the paired samples were also found positive for anti-BoHV1 antibodies. Serum samples from 43 in-contact bulls were collected about day 22 after the first observation of clinical infection in the herd. Among these serum samples, a total of 30 were found positive for anti-BoHV1 antibodies in the VNT and a total of 30 were found positive in cELISA. Ten samples were positive in one test but not the other and 25 tested positive in both tests. In all, 35 serum samples from in-contact bulls tested positive in either one or both of the two types of test. An overall agreement of 76.74% was found in detection of anti-BoHV1 antibodies in the two tests. Sensitivity was higher than specificity in detection of anti-BoHV1 antibodies in the serum samples. The glycoprotein C region of the genomic DNA of BoHV1 was amplified from semen samples by polymerase chain reaction. The findings from the outbreak indicate that continuous monitoring of breeding bulls at frozen semen banks is warranted to avoid the risks associated with artificial insemination.

A pilot study of extralevator abdominoperineal excision for primary melanoma of the anorectum

Melanoma of the anorectum represents <2 % of all anorectal cancers and 0.3 % of all primary melanomas. Prognosis is poor, and optimal surgical management is controversial. This series details the surgical management of patients with anorectal melanoma presenting between 2002 and 2013 to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, UK, a tertiary referral centre for colorectal disease. A retrospective review of patient notes, histology reports, and clinical letters was used to assess perioperative course and long-term outcome of all surgical methods. Eight patients with a median age of 65.5 presented with primary anorectal melanoma during the study period. Six cases were staged as T4 pre-operatively, with two referred as incompletely excised polyps. All eight patients underwent abdominoperineal excision of the rectum (APER), with the most recent four cases undergoing extralevator APER. Clear resection margins were achieved in three out of the four patients in the extralevator APER group with no nodal spread detected at histological assessment. Extralevator APER appears to be feasible and safe in the treatment of melanoma of the anorectum, with 75 % medium-term survival (median 38 months) in selected patients. As it is known that clear margins at surgery are associated with disease-free survival, the wider excision margin at the level of the pelvic floor offered by extralevator APER could result in more favourable surgical outcomes in this prognostically poor malignancy.

A rare case of primary adenoid cystic carcinoma of lung

A 33-year-old male presented with repeated episodes of blood-streaked sputum for last one-and half-year. Chest radiograph showed consolidation in the right lower zone. Fibreoptic bronchoscopy revealed an endoluminal growth in the right lower lobe bronchus. Histopathological examination of bronchoscopic biopsy specimen confirmed adenoid cystic carcinoma.

Isolation and characterization of luteal cells in buffalo (Bubalus bubalis)

The objective of the study was to evaluate the morphological and functional characteristics of luteal cells isolated from buffalo ovary. Luteal cells exhibited columnar morphology and contact inhibition at the stage of confluence. Protein concentrations increased linearly from Day 3 to Day 7 of culture. DNA concentrations increased from Day 3 to Day 5 and then declined to Day 7 of culture. PGF2alpha concentrations decreased progressively from Day 3 to Day 7 of culture. It was concluded that buffalo luteal cells could serve as an excellent model for studying the specific role of PGF2alpha in maternal recognition of pregnancy and implantation.

Glycoprotein C gene based molecular subtyping of a bovine herpesvirus -1 isolate from uttar pradesh, India

Bovine herpesvirus -1 (BHV-1) is the etiological agent of many clinical syndromes in cattle which causes huge economic losses to the animal husbandry sector annually. Since the first report of its presence in India in 1976, the disease is considered to be endemic in the country. In the present study, a case of keratoconjunctivitis in a cow was investigated to find out the underlying cause of the condition. The clinical material (ocular swab) was tested by BHV-1 glycoprotein D gene specific PCR using in house designed primers and found to be positive by the presence of a 212 bp DNA product in agarose gel electrophoresis. The virus was isolated in MDBK cell line in the third passage and the serum from the animal, was positive for antibodies against BHV-1 by ELISA. A 575 bp segment of the glycoprotein C gene of the isolate was amplified by PCR, cloned and sequenced. On phylogenetic analysis, it was seen that the sequence matched with published BHV-1.1 sequences from USA and Uruguay whereas it was divergent from Brazilian BHV-1.1 isolates. This study highlights the isolation, rapid and sensitive detection of BHV-1 virus from clinical cases and its subtyping by nucleotide sequencing and subsequent phylogenetic analysis which gives invaluable information about the molecular epidemiology of BHV-1 subtypes prevalent in the country.

Differential expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines in endometrial tissue of buffaloes with clinical and sub-clinical endometritis

The objective of this study was to investigate the endometrial expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL1β, IL6, IL8 and TNFα) along with TLR4 and CD14 in normal and endometritic buffaloes. The genitalia were collected in the abattoir and divided into three groups as normal (gr. I=12), clinical endometritis (CE, gr. II=12) based on positive color reaction to white side test of uterine discharge and sub-clinical endometritis (SCE, gr. III=12) based on endometrial cytology (presence of ≥5% PMNs) and histopathology. The equal numbers of genitalia were grouped into follicular and luteal stage in each group. Endometrial tissue scrapings were used for total RNA extraction and cDNA was transcribed and amplified by Real time PCR. The results showed several fold higher expression of all cytokine transcripts in CE (gr. II), whereas significant up-regulation of CD14 (1 to 2-fold), IL6 (15 to 36-fold), IL8 (8 to 14-fold) and TNFα (10 to 11-fold) mRNA was observed in SCE. This indicates that the evaluation of expression patterns of certain cytokines gene holds promise to diagnose the severity and degree of uterine inflammation.

Leucocytosis in a case of Lung Cancer: Infection or Paraneoplastic Syndrome? - Dilemma in Diagnosis and Treatment

A 65 year old male smoker was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma of upper lobe of the right lung complicated with Horner's syndrome and gradually increasing leucocytosis. Alhough the inflammatory biomarker level in serum was low, there was no definite way to determine the cause of the leucocytosis (whether infection or hematologic paraneoplastic syndrome). After empirical antibiotic therapy, his fever subsided but the leucocytosis persisted. It was difficult for us to take a decision regarding the priority of the treatment of infection or the lung cancer. Only after the first cycle chemotherapy, did the leucocytosis rapidly drop down. Normal serum procalcitonin level and quick response to chemotherapy indicated that leucocytosis was a manifestation of paraneoplastic syndrome. Treating the underlying cancer is the first step.

The Implementation of RSBY in Chhattisgarh, India: A study of the Durg district

The Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY) scheme is a health insurance model currently being implemented by the Indian government. It is a model, however, still in nascent state, subject to tensions and value testing. Very few studies have hitherto assessed the scheme’s implementation and whether the stated objectives of the government initiative are being fulfilled. This short study undertaken in the Durg district of Chhattisgarh reveals that RSBY fails to cover the population living Below the Poverty Line (BPL). Likewise there is discrepancy in the consistency of information and knowledge regarding the scheme among the beneficiaries who are themselves continuing to incur high out-of-pocket expenses. There are thus severe issues in transparency and accountability within the RSBY scheme. Unless the public health delivery system is strengthened and the private sector regulated and indeed monitored, the scheme will not yield the desired results, and the cost of healthcare will further escalate for the poor. In the absence of regulated health services there needs to be more debate, and indeed greater research, on the implementation and the design of RSBY. 

Effect of prostaglandin producing modulators on in vitro growth of buffalo uterine epithelial cells

Studies were conducted to examine the effect of seven prostaglandin producing modulators on the in vitro growth of uterine epithelial cells in buffalo. The uterine epithelial cells isolated from slaughtered buffaloes were cultured in media containing a) Lipopolysaccaride (LPS): 0, 0.01, 0.1, 1, 10 and 100 μg/ml, b) linoleic acid: 0, 0.01, 0.1, 1, 10 and 100 μg/ml, c) linolenic acid: 0, 0.01, 0.1, 1, 10 and 100 μg/ml, d) oxytocin: 0, 10, 100, 1,000, 10,000 and 100,000 nm, e) tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α): 0, 0.05, 0.5, 1, 2.5 and 5 nm, f) progesterone: 0.1, 10, 25, 50, 75 and 100 nM, and g) estradiol: 0, 2.5, 5, 10, 20 and 50 nM. The control medium consisted of RPMI-1640 plus 10% bovine fetal serum. The growth of uterine epithelial were measured in terms of viability, cell number increment and monolayer formation. Results suggested that the growth of uterine epithelial cells were significantly (P < 0.05) higher in media containing 10 μg/ml, 10 μg/ml, 1 nm and 10 μg/ml linoleic acid, linolenic acid, TNF-α and LPS, respectively compared to control and lower doses used. Progesterone, estradiol and oxytocin did not significantly (P > 0.05) increase the growth of uterine epithelial cells. In conclusion, the growth of uterine epithelial cells increased when exposed to modulators in the order of linoleic acid ≥ linolenic acid ≥ LPS ≥ TNF-α > progesterone > estrogen > oxytocin.

Isolation and culture of preantral follicles for retrieving oocytes for the embryo production: present status in domestic animals

The development of efficient ovarian preantral follicle (PF) isolation and culture systems provide a large number of oocytes for the manipulation and embryo production. It also helps for understanding the mechanisms of follicle and oocyte development. Isolation and culture protocols for PFs were developed for many domestic species like cattle, buffalo, sheep, goat, pig, horse, camel, dog and cats; however, embryo production from oocytes derived from in vitro grown PFs was reported only in pigs, buffalo, sheep and goat. The rate of oocyte maturation from PFs grown in vitro is low and requires considerable research. This paper presents an overview of isolation and culture systems of PFs that have been developed for domestic species (cattle, buffalo, sheep, goat, pigs, horse, camel, dog and cat) along with the current status of progress achieved in the direction of producing embryos using PFs as the source of oocyte in these species.

Molecular typing of canine parvovirus variants by polymerase chain reaction and restriction enzyme analysis

Canine parvovirus type 2 (CPV-2) is a pathogen of dogs, which causes acute gastroenteritis and lymphopenia mostly in young pups. This paper reports the incidence of CPV-2 infection in diarrhoeic dogs with an aim to define the involvement of various variants of canine parvovirus circulating in India. CPV-2a, a variant of CPV-2 was differentiated from CPV-2b by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The samples positive for CPV-2b were further analysed by PCR and restriction endonuclease (RE) analysis using Mbo II to detect the CPV-2c variant. Of 129 faecal samples studied, 78 were found positive for canine parvovirus by PCR. Among the 78 samples, 27 were of CPV-2a, 39 of CPV-2b and 12 of CPV-2c type, respectively. This study also showed that CPV-2c, anew variant, is circulating in India. The CPV-2c could be successfully detected by PCR and RE analysis while CPV-2b is the major antigenic type prevalent in this region followed by CPV-2a.

Prevalence of classical swine fever virus in India: a 6-year study (2004-2010)

A study was undertaken regarding the prevalence of classical swine fever virus (CSFV) antibodies and antigens in sera and suspected tissue samples of domestic pigs. The samples were received between January 2004 and September 2010. A total of 594 serum samples from 12 states and 287 tissue samples from 13 states of India were tested using commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits. The mean prevalence of CSFV antibodies in suspected sera was 63.3% (376/594), whereas 76.7% (220/287) of the suspected samples were found to contain CSFV antigen. The high prevalence of CSFV antibodies suggests that the disease is endemic in the country. This baseline data will be of use in the formulation of control and eradication programmes.

Chlorpyrifos and endosulfan affect buffalo oocyte maturation, fertilization, and embryo development in vitro directly and through cumulus cells

This study was undertaken to examine the effect of 10 different levels (0, 0.005, 0.01, 0.02, 0.05, 0.1, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, and 4.0 μg/mL) of two pesticides (chlorpyrifos and endosulfan) on buffalo oocyte viability, maturation, fertilization, and developmental competences in vitro. Studies were conducted to test the development of oocytes cultured with pesticides during maturation, fertilization, and during different embryo development stages. We also conducted experiments to test the hypotheses that the effects of these pesticides are hormones and somatic cells mediated. We observed a dose dependent decline in viability and developmental competence rates of oocytes. Chlorpyrifos and endosulfan had a negative impact on oocytes at 0.02 and 0.1 μg/mL levels, respectively. These pesticides reduced the oocyte nuclear maturation by a direct effect on oocytes, cumulus cell-mediated action, and by blocking the action of hormones. Chlorpyrifos was found to be more ovotoxic and embryotoxic than endosulfan. This study will provide information on dose-response relationship and risk assessment in domestic buffaloes.