The use of chemoprophylaxis in East African Zebu village cattle exposed to trypanosomiasis in Muhaka, Kenya

A study conducted to assess the efficacy of chemoprophylaxis for the improvement of the health and productivity of East African Zebu village cattle exposed to trypanosomiasis. Examines the cost-effectiveness of the treatment. Includes data on calf pre-weaning health and weight traits, weight traits of calves from 12-18 months of age, calf post-weaning health and weight traits, and breeding cow health and production traits - for the non-prophylactic and prophylactic groups

Gadolinium and nephrogenic systemic fibrosis: time to tighten practice

Nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF) is a relatively new entity, first described in 1997. Few cases have been reported, but the disease has high morbidity and mortality. To date it has been seen exclusively in patients with renal dysfunction. There is an emerging link with intravenous injection of gadolinium contrast agents, which has been suggested as a main triggering factor, with a lag time of days to weeks. Risk factors include the severity of renal impairment, major surgery, vascular events and other proinflammatory conditions. There is no reason to believe that children have an altered risk compared to the adult population. It is important that the paediatric radiologist acknowledges emerging information on NSF but at the same time considers the risk:benefit ratio prior to embarking on alternative investigations, as children with chronic kidney disease require high-quality diagnostic imaging

Determination of surface moisture and particle size distribution of coal using online image processing

Production of sponge iron requires iron ore, coal, and dolomite. The quality of sponge iron is affected by particle size variation and moisture content of the feed materials. In the present work, image processing was used to detect both particle size and moisture variation of the feed materials on an online basis. Noise and signal irregularities in images were removed by image analysis through MATLAB. Continuous (online, every 30 minutes) images were taken over a coal bed which was moving on a conveyor belt. It was a challenge to determine the particle size distribution and surface moisture of coal online. The distribution of reflectivity of coal in the image varied according to the moisture content and particle size. It affected the intensity information of the image which was then used to predict the surface moisture content of the coal. The method is now being used successfully in a processing plant.</jats:p

Seroprevalences of vector-transmitted infections of small-holder dairy cattle in coastal Kenya

A cross-sectional study was carried out from July to September 1989 in Kaloleni Division, Coast Province, Kenya to estimate the prevalence of vector-transmitted diseases in small-holder dairy cattle and to identify the risk factors associated with different management systems. One hundred and thirty of the 157 herds with dairy cattle in Kaloleni Division were surveyed. These were from three agro-ecological zones (coconut¯cassava, cashewnut¯cassava and livestock¯millet), comprised two management systems (stall-feeding and herded grazing) and were herds with either dairy cattle only or with Zebu and dairy cattle. A formal questionnaire sought answers to questions on cattle health and management practices. A total of 734 dairy and 205 Zebu cattle in 78 dairy and 52 mixed (dairy and Zebu) herds were sampled and screened for haemoparasites (Trypanosoma, Anaplasma, Babesia, and Theileria infections). Sera were tested for antibodies to Theileria parva, using the schizonts-antigen indirect fluorescent-antibody (IFA) test and to antibodies for Babesia bigemina and antigens to Anaplasma marginale by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Packed-cell volume (PCV) also was measured. Tick-control measures were practised by all except three of the farmers. Despite this, overall seroprevalence to T. parva was >70% suggesting either that control practices were not strictly implemented or they were ineffective. The seroprevalence of T. parva in adult cattle kept in stall-feeding systems in the coconut¯cassava zone was significantly lower (57±8% (S.E.)) than in herded-grazing systems (79±3%) and there was no association between antibody prevalence and age of cattle in this zone. Antibody prevalences in cattle in the cashewnut¯cassava and the drier livestock¯millet zone increased with age. Cattle in herded-grazing systems had an overall lower seroprevalence of T. parva infection in the livestock¯millet zone (45±6%) than in the other two zones. Analysis was confined to the coconut¯cassava zone for B. bigemina and to the coconut¯cassava and cashewnut¯cassava zones for A. marginale. Mean prevalences of B. bigemina were 40.9±9 and 73±6% for dairy cattle under stall-feeding and herded-grazing systems, respectively, and increased with age. Antigen prevalences of A. marginale were over 80% in all age groups of cattle in the coconut¯cassava and cashewnut¯cassava zones. Overall trypanosome prevalence in cattle was <1%. Trypanocidal treatment was uncommon. The variations in antibody prevalence associated with risk factors such as feeding system, agro-ecological zone and age of animal suggest that management system influenced exposure to tick-borne infection (particularly, T. parva infections) in small-holder dairy cattle in coastal Kenya

Health and productivity of East African Zebu under village management in a tsetse area on the coast of Kenya

Evaluates the health and productivity of East African Zebu cattle under village management in a tse-tse infested area surrounding the Muhaka Forest on the Kenya Coast south of Mombassa, and assesses the cost-effectiveness of intervention with trypanocidal drugs

Detection of trypanosome infections in the saliva of tsetse flies and buffy-coat samples from antigenaemic but aparasitaemic cattle

SUMMARYRelatively simple protocols employing non-radioactive DNA probes have been used for the detection of African trypanosomes in the blood of mammalian hosts and the saliva of live tsetse flies. In combination with the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), the protocols revealed trypanosomes in buffy-coat samples from antigenaemic but aparasitaemic cattle and in the saliva of live, infected tsetse flies. Furthermore, the protocols were used to demonstrate concurrent natural infections of single tsetse flies with different species of African trypanosomes.</jats:p

Stability Analysis in Chilli under Konkan Region of Maharashtra (Capsicum annuum L.)

In present investigation thirty hybrids were evaluated at three locations in Konkan region of Maharashtra. Out of that five stable hybrids viz, AVPP0711S × BC-28, AVPP0709S × BC-28, AVPP0517S × DPLC-1, AVPP0711S × Pusajwala and AVPP0709S × DPLC-1 had high net plot yield of fresh fruits and high stability for some characters viz, days to 50 per cent flowering, fresh weight per fruit, fruit length, 1000 seed weight, dry weight per fruit and net plot yield of fresh fruits. Stability of these hybrids might have resulted due to stability for various component traits. Out of these five hybrids AVPP0709S × BC-28 was found to be most adaptable while other two hybrids were responsive to favorable environments. Hence, it would be advantages to exploit high yield and stable hybrid AVPP0709S × BC-28 in practical plant breeding.</jats:p

ISSR-BASED MOLECULAR CHARACTERIZATION OF TRITICUM EASTIVUM L. CULTIVARS

Abstract: Molecular genetic markers are widely used tools in genotype and species identification. Genetic relationship study was performed with 20 ISSR primers among 12 Indian wheat accessions (6 salt tolerant and 6 salt susceptible). Genomic DNA from wheat genotypes were analyzed using inter simple sequence repeats (ISSR) markers. Thirteen ISSR primers produced 78 amplified DNA fragments ranging in size from 100-2200 base pairs, 6 fragments were monomorphic (7.7%) and 72 fragments were polymorphic (92.3%) with an average of 6 fragments per primer and 5.53 polymorphic fragments per primer. Six primers were found to be highly informative as they gave unique bands to differentiate between salt susceptible and salt tolerant genotypes. From ISSR profiles similarity matrix was obtained and Jaccard&apos;s similarity coefficient was observed in between 0.40 to 0.77 and on this basis a dendogram was constructed with UPGMA method. Easy handling, high information levels and reliability are the features that justify the utility of ISSR markers in DNA fingerprinting and genetic variability analysis which is highly useful for finding genes controlling agronomically important traits in whea

Identification of a target population for immunisation against East Coast fever in coastal Kenya

Two experiments were carried out to identify the target population of cattle for immunisation against East Coast fever (ECF) using the infection-and-treatment method. Firstly, a sentinel-calf study was used to determine the age window for ECF immunisation by determining ages at clinical detection of infection with Theileria parva. Six groups of five naive cross-bred (Bos taurus/Bos indicus) male calves, introduced at intervals of 2 months at a mean age of 26 days, were exposed to natural tick challenge on a high ECF-risk, small-holder farm in the coastal lowland, coconut¯cassava agro-ecological zone of coastal Kenya. Secondly, a challenge study evaluated the relationship between the presence of T. parva antibodies and immunity. Ten indigenous adult Zebu cattle and nine Zebu young stock purchased from farmers in the same zone, and eight cross-bred calves (survivors of the sentinel-calf study) were challenged with 10 times the immunising dose of T. parva Marikebuni stock. Twenty-four of these 27 cattle had high antibody titres before challenge. Two cross-bred calves, obtained from an ECF-free area and seronegative to T. parva schizont antigen, also were challenged and used as susceptible controls. Twenty-five (83%) of the 30 sentinel calves contracted ECF over an age range of 36¯116 days (mean 72 days). The remaining five calves died of other causes within 2 months of arrival on the farm. Fourteen of the 25 calves survived the infection and developed antibodies to T. parva. Despite tick control, seven of these 14 calves had a second episode of ECF and two died. In total, 13 of the 25 calves that contracted ECF died. Only one of 19 indigenous Zebu animals developed clinical ECF when challenged with T. parva Marikebuni (mild clinical signs with spontaneous recovery). Of the eight cross-bred survivors from the first experiment, only one succumbed to ECF when challenged and it died. Both susceptible cross-bred calves developed severe clinical signs of ECF and one died. The experimental studies show that in the high ECF-risk areas of the coconut¯cassava zone of coastal Kenya, immunisation against ECF in cross-bred (B. taurus/B. indicus) cattle should be targeted at an early age (preferably within 1¯2 months of birth)