T2 Group Research Articles

The effect of a herbal anthelmintic (garlic and neem) on the production performance of Karan Fries cows

The present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of a herbal anthelmintic (Garlic and Neem combination) on the production parameters of Karan Fries cows. For this study, a total of 28 freshly calved cows (1-3 parity), were divided into four groups with 7 cows in each group (T1, T2, T3, T4). The cows in T1 were kept as the control. In T2, a commercial dewormer was used, whereas in T3, a single dose of garlic and neem in the ratio of 1:5 @ 4g/kg BW was used 7 days post calving, and in T4, in addition to the first dose, a second dose was also supplemented on day 60 after calving. The milk samples were collected at 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 fortnights after the deworming treatment and analyzed for milk composition and SCC. From the 5th fortnight onwards, a significantly higher (P≤0.05) daily milk yield (kg) was observed in T1, T2, T3 groups compared to T1. The overall average Somatic Cell Count (SCC) was found to be significantly lower in T4 followed by T3, compared to T2, which was further significantly lower than T1. From the 3rd to the 8th fortnight, protein (%) was observed to be significantly (p≤0.05) higher in the anthelmintic treated groups (significantly higher in T4 followed by T2, T3) compared to T1. From the 4th to the 8th fortnight, fat (%) was significantly (P≤0.05) higher in T4 compared to T1. The overall SNF (%) in T2, T3 and T4 differed significantly (P≤0.05) from the control group (T1). The overall value of lactose (%) was found to be significantly higher in the T4 group compared to the other groups. During the 7th and 8th fortnight significantly higher (P≤0.05) lactose (%) was observed in the T4 group compared to the other groups. This study concluded that besides providing better anthelmintic effects in comparison to chemical anthelmintics, the garlic and neem combination might improve the production performance of dairy cows.

IMPACT OF EMPTY PEA SHELL IN FEED ON GROWTH PERFORMANCE OF COMMON CARP (CYPRINUS CARPIO)

The present study was intended to assess the potential of a mature empty pea shell (Pisum sativum) as a feed additive to the common carp (Cyprinus carpio) diet. This study was conducted for 90 days with the inclusion of 15 % pea shells into the feed with one control without pea shells in common carp feed. Pea shell was used as an additive to the feed in three experimental groups (T1, T2, T3) and the control group. In the T1 group, inclusion of pea shell partially replaced the fish meal, in the T2 group − partially replaced the fish meal and de-oiled groundnut cake, in the T3 group − partially replaced the deoiled groundnut cake and fully replaced the de-oiled mustard cake. An increase in the average weight gain was observed in the T3 group (11.17 ± 0.08) with respect to the T1 (10.89 ± 0.11) and T2 (11.05 ± 0.11) groups but lower than that of control (11.84 ± 0.09; at p < 0.05). In the T3 group, the specific growth rate (SGR) was significantly lower (1.04 ± 0.01) than the control (1.08 ± 0.02; at p < 0.05) but not significantly different with T1 (1.01 ± 0.03) and T2 (1.03 ± 0.03) groups. In the T3 group, the feed conversion ratio (FCR) was comparably higher (1.07 ± 0.01) than control (1.01 ± 0.01) but lower than T1 (1.10 ± 0.01) andT2 (1.09 ± 0.01) groups (p < 0.05). The study revealed that the inclusion of pea shells into fish feed can replace plant-based protein sources (mustard cake and groundnut cake).

Dietary supplementation with fermented wheat bran improves the inflammatory state and intestinal health in pigs

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of feeding fermented wheat bran (FWB) on growth performance, antioxidant activity, inflammatory status, and intestinal microbiota in Min pigs. A total of seventy-two castrated Min pigs were randomly divided into 3 treatments, each with four replicates pens and six pigs per pen. The treatment groups were as follows: (1) C (a corn-soybean meal basal diet, 100 g/kg wheat bran (WB)), (2) T5 (basal diet with 50 g/kg WB and 50 g/kg FWB), (3) T10 (basal diet with 100 g/kg FWB). The results showed that there was no significant difference in growth performance among groups (P > 0.05). The plasma levels of immunoglobulin and anti-inflammatory factors were higher and the levels of pro-inflammatory factors were lower in Min pigs fed FWB (P < 0.05). Compared with C group, the levels of glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX), total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were significantly increased in the T5 group, and the level of methane dicarboxylic aldehyde (MDA) was significantly decreased (P < 0.05). Significant increases in the relative gene expression of intestinal development (EGF, IGF-1, and IGF-1R) and barrier (OCLN) were observed in the T5 group (P < 0.05). The intestinal integrity of pigs fed FWB was better than pigs fed C diet. Additionally, dietary supplementation with FWB improved the composition of the intestinal microbiota. T5 treatment had higher relative abundance of Terrisporobacter, Turicibacter, Romboutsia, and Blautia (P < 0.05) than that of the C treatment. Meanwhile, the relative abundance of Streptococcus and Muribaculaceae in the T5 group was decreased significantly (P < 0.05). Collectively, Min pig inflammatory and antioxidant status, intestinal development and health indicators were sustained improved when in-feed WB was replaced by FWB.

Assessing chamomile and marjoram meals as feed additives on growth indices and haematological parameters of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) reared under biofloc system

First report on using chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla) flower meal [CFM] and marjoram (Origanum majorana) leaves meal [MLM] as dietary supplements in low-protein fish diets on Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) reared in a bio-floc system. The experiment consisted of 6 groups in triplicates, where the first (T1) and second (T2) groups were fed diets containing 25 and 20% protein, respectively, without any additives. In contrast, the rest of the groups were fed a 20% protein diet, adding CFM at rates of 1% (T3) and 2% (T4) or MLM at rates of 1% (T5) and 2% (T6). The fish were initially weighed 18.44 g ± 0.38 (S.E.) and randomly stocked in 18 experimental tanks at six fingerlings in a water volume of 40 litres (150 fish/m3). Molasses was used as a carbon source with a carbon-to-nitrogen ratio of 16:1 in the treatments fed 20% protein; 12:1 in the treatments provided 25% protein. Feeding was done twice daily, six days a week, at a rate of 3% of body weight for 42 days. Water quality was within the desirable tilapia growth and health limit regarding temperature (23.20 - 24.70 °C), pH (8.43 - 8.65), dissolved oxygen (5.5 - 6.1 mg/L), and NH3 (0.03–0.051 mg/L). Fish fed on a 20% CP diet containing 1% CFM had the highest values in all growth indicators, followed by 2% CFM and 1% MLM then T1 and T2 groups. Blood analysis showed variation (P ≤ 0.05) among groups, and T3 had the highest levels of hemoglobin (Hb), hematocrit (Hct), and red blood cells (RBCs) followed by T5 then T4, T2, while T6 and T1 were the least. In conclusion, using chamomile or marjoram as a feed supplement maximizes the benefits of using the bio-floc system, especially in a lack of water resources and poor protein feeds. Nile tilapia growth and hematological parameters were the best with a 1% chamomile (M. chamomilla) supplement under a biofloc system.

Effect of the magnitude of condylar head displacement on the TMJ function in skeletal class II patients undergoing different degrees of mandibular advancement: A retrospective comparative study

This study aimed to compare the condylar head displacement (CHD) after bilateral sagittal split ramus osteotomy (BSSO) between different degrees of mandibular advancement in skeletal class II patients and to evaluate whether the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) function would be affected. Fifty-nine patients (118 condyles) were included in this retrospective study and were divided into three groups based on the distance of mandibular advancement. The CHD in three directions, x (sagittal direction), y (coronal direction), and z (axial direction), was measured before operation (T0), immediately after operation (T1), and at least 6 months after operation (T2), and the TMJ function of patients was followed up and scored using the Helkimo index system. All the abovementioned data were statistically analyzed, and p<0.05 was considered the statistical difference standard. During the BSSO surgery, the condyle was predominantly displaced in a lateral, posterior, and superior direction whenever in T1 and T2, even though the degree of CHD was different. Regarding the amount of CHD, the large advancement group was higher than the other two groups in T1 and T2 (p＜0.01). The Helkimo index scores of the three groups were evaluated, and there was no significant statistical difference between the Ai and Di index of the three groups. In our center, CHD occurred in lateral, posterior, and superior directions following mandibular advancement in skeletal class II patients, with a positive correlation between the CHD and the mandibular advancement; however, the TMJ function of the three groups did not show significant differences.

Economics of Feeding Rice DDGS and Mixture of Wheat Straw and Groundnut Straw to Growing Crossbred Heifers

Feeding of growing heifers is generally ignored by the farmers as they do not want to spend their limited recourses during their non-productive growing phase. This deprives heifers of essential nutrients. Present study was planned on twenty-four HF×Kankrej heifers (avg. BW=116.13±4.74kg) and conducted for 168 days to note the effect of feeding rice DDGS and mixture of wheat straw and groundnut straw on feeding cost and feed efficiency. Three different concentrates containing 0%, 20% and 40% rice DDGS (RDDGS) were offered to T1, T2 and T3 group heifers, respectively. Under each group half of the heifers were offered wheat straw and another half a mixture of wheat straw (50%) and groundnut straw (50%). The protein requirement of heifers was fulfilled as per ICAR (2013) feeding standards. Cost of feeding under different treatments was calculated from the records of daily feed consumption and by considering the procurement cost of feeds and fodders. The recorded data was analyzed by RBD factorial design. Daily feed cost (₹/head/d) reduced linearly and significantly (p&lt;0.05) on replacing soyaDOC with RDDGS. Feed cost (₹/kg BW gain) also reduced linearly but there was significant (p&lt;0.05) reduction only when 40% soyaDOC in concentrate was replaced with RDDGS. There was net saving of ₹ 11.91 and ₹ 23.83/kg BW gain on replacing half and full soyaDOC with RDDGS. Daily feed cost (₹/head/d) increased significantly on feeding mixture of groundnut straw and wheat straw but the feed efficiency improved as feed cost (₹/kg BW gain) reduced by 4.74 % in heifers.

Effect of Bedding Systems on Hygiene and Milk Yield of Crossbred Dairy Cows

In dairy cattle, bedding and its management contribute predominantly to the comfort of the cow, udder health and milk quality. The aim of the study is to assess the effect of different bedding materials such as concrete floor, rubber mats, coir pith and dried solid manure on hygiene and milk yield and in crossbred dairy cows. Twenty-four crossbred cows with six animals in each group were selected for the study for one lactation period spread over three different seasons. The control group (T1) was maintained in concrete floor without any bedding material. In (T2) rubber mats of 1.2 m × 1.8 m × 0.025m area were provided on concrete floor. In (T3) coir pith and (T4) dried solid manure (DSM) on concrete floor was the bedding. The mean tail head, upper rear limb, ventral abdomen, udder and lower rear limb hygiene score of the T1 group were higher than other groups, which indicated that the cows became ‘dirty’ and the T3 group had lower score than others which denoted cows were ‘very clean’ with significant difference (P&lt;0.01) between them. The range of hygiene score in cows of T2 group revealed that the cows were ‘average to dirty’ whereas in T4 ‘clean to average’. The hygiene score of cows improved during summer season and reduced in monsoon. The cows of T1 group had the lowest overall daily milk yield (8.66 ± 0.22 kg) while the cows of T3 group had the highest yield (9.98 ± 0.30 kg).

Sex Differences and Positive Dose-Response Relationships between Serum Osteocalcin Levels and Low Muscle Strength

Introduction: Impaired handgrip strength is an indication for sarcopenia and frailty screening, and is associated with increased osteoporotic risks and all-cause mortality. Osteocalcin, secreted by osteoblasts, is a versatile factor that participates in bone turnover and muscle adaptation. The role of osteocalcin in muscle strength has mainly been discussed in animal models and requires more human data. The study aimed to investigate the association between the serum osteocalcin level and handgrip strength in middle-aged individuals and older adults with diabetes. Methods: Adult participants (aged 40 and above, N = 237) with diabetes were enrolled in a medical center in northern Taiwan. Subjects were divided into normal, low muscle mass without dynapenia, dynapenia without low muscle mass, and groups of low muscle mass with dynapenia according to their handgrip strength and muscle mass measurements. Physical performance, including handgrip strength, repeated sit-to-stand tests, walking speed, and short physical performance batteries, was documented. Body composition was measured by bioelectrical impedance analysis. Results: The median serum osteocalcin level was highest in the dynapenic group without low muscle mass (median [Q1, Q3], 14.1 [11.2, 16.3] ng/mL). Multivariate logistic regression showed that a higher serum osteocalcin level was associated with worse handgrip strength (OR: 3.89, 95% CI: 1.66–9.10) after adjusting for body mass index (adiposity), skeletal muscle mass index (muscle), and medication with dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitor. Further sex stratification revealed a more significant association between serum osteocalcin level and impaired handgrip strength in women but not in men. The female groups showed increases in the risk of impaired handgrip strength: 4.84-fold in the osteocalcin T2 group (11.4 ≤ osteocalcin <15.0 ng/mL) and 4.54-fold in the osteocalcin T3 group (osteocalcin ≥15.0 ng/mL). Moreover, after adjusting for various confounders, 8.41-fold and 8.03-fold increases in the risk of impaired handgrip strength were observed in the osteocalcin T2 group (11.4≤ osteocalcin <15.0 ng/mL) and osteocalcin T3 group (osteocalcin ≥14.5 ng/mL), respectively. Conclusion: Higher serum osteocalcin is associated with increased risks of impaired handgrip strength and impaired physical performance. Dose-dependent associations were found especially in postmenopausal women but not in men.

Efficacy of Dietary Fenugreek and Kalonji Seed Powder on Carcass Traits of Guinea Fowls

A study was conducted on 100, day old guinea fowls (Pearl variety) for 12 weeks to study the efficacy of fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum) and kalonji (Nigella sativa) seed powder supplementation on carcass traits and meat composition of thigh and breast. The experimental guinea fowls were randomly divided into five treatment groups viz. T1 control, T2 (2.0% fenugreek seed powder), T3 (1.0% kalonji seed powder), T4 (2.0% fenugreek +1.0% kalonji seed powder) and T5 (1.0% fenugreek + 0.5% kalonji seed powder), with two replications of ten guinea fowls each. The supplementation was done for 84 days. On 84th day, three guinea fowls from each replicate (6 guinea fowls/treatment) were sacrificed for study of carcass yield, cut up parts, organ weights and processing losses. The results indicated that dietary fenugreek and kalonji seed powder supplementation in guinea fowls improved dressed yield in T4 group of guinea fowls. Cut up parts in terms of thigh weights were improved in fenugreek and kalonji seed powder supplemented groups with maximum weight observed in T5 group of guinea fowls whereas breast weight was significantly increased in T4 group of guinea fowls. From the results of present study, it can be concluded that combination of fenugreek (2%) and kalonji (1%) seed powder through feed may be advised to improve carcass yield in guinea fowls.

Update on the outcome of patients with metastatic prostate cancer in Kentucky: A Kentucky Cancer Registry (KCR) study.

e17121 Background: Overall survival (OS) of metastatic Prostate Cancer (mPC) in USA has improved by 3.6% during 2011–2016 compared to 2001–2005 (CDC, Oct 2020). Improvements in OS for mPC might reflect changes in clinical management, with approval of several new treatments. We aim to analyze if there is an improvement in OS of mPC in Kentucky between 2004-2011(T1) and 2012-2019(T2) and also analyze the impact of socioeconomic status as defined by Area Deprivation Index (ADI) on survival of mPC. Methods: All Kentucky male patients diagnosed between 2004 and 2019 who were &gt; 20 years old at diagnosis with first primary of metastatic prostate adenocarcinoma were extracted from the Kentucky Cancer Registry (KCR) data. Basic demographics and survival outcomes were compared between two time periods - T1 vs T2 and by Appalachian status. Kaplan Meir (KM) and Multivariate Cox Regression (MCR) were used to examine OS. ADI is divided into three groups – bottom tertile (low deprivation-ADI 1-3, Gr 1), middle tertile (ADI 4-6, Gr 2), and top tertile (high deprivation-ADI 7-10, Gr 3). Results: A total of 2619 patients with mPC were included in this retrospective analysis, of which 69.3% were Non-Appalachian (Non-AP) and 30.7% were Appalachian (AP). Caucasians predominated in both time periods (89.2% vs 90%). T2 had a higher proportion of patients aged 50-74 years (72.5% vs 64.2%), and private insurance (31.4% vs 27.1%) compared to T1. T1 had more patients who were &gt; 75 years (31.6% vs 24.8%), smokers (51.2% vs 47.4%), had medicare (59.6% vs 56.8%) and no insurance (4.2% vs 1.5%) compared to T2. KM showed improved OS in T2 (p &lt; 0.0001). Non-AP had better OS compared to AP and improved more between T1 &amp; T2. Median OS in months(95% CI) in T1 vs T2 for Non-AP was - 30(27-38) vs 58(53-69), p &lt; 0.0001 &amp; for AP was -34 (27-39) vs 44 (37-51), p = 0.0163. MCR showed that younger age, private insurance, being a nonsmoker, and receiving treatment, contributed to better OS. Gr 3 had higher proportion of African Americans (10.7% vs 6.5%), less private insurance (23.9% vs 39.7%) and more patients receiving no treatment (10.9% vs 7.5%) compared to Gr 1. AP Kentucky had more patients in Gr 3 (60.5% vs 39.5%) compared to Non-AP. KM showed OS had improved for all ADI groups in T2 vs T1. Within ADI groups, Gr 3 had significantly lower OS compared to Gr 1 &amp; Gr 2 (p = 0.04) in T2. In T1, OS was not different within ADI groups. In MCR, race and ADI did not impact OS. Conclusions: OS has improved in mPC patients in Kentucky during 2012-2019, likely due to new treatments being available. There is improvement in OS in Appalachian Kentucky but numerically lower than Non-Appalachian, and worse OS in Gr 3 during 2012-2019 which could be partially due to differences in access to new treatments (or quality of care). Interestingly, race did not impact survival.

Profile of maternal serum oxytocin in postpartum and non-pregnant rats

Oxytocin is primarly secreted in the brain as a neuromodulator that affects numerous neurophysiological and behavioral processes. It is also produced in the ovaries and uterus to stimulate delivery and lactation. Oxytocin mRNA is found in the endometrial epithelial cells of non-pregnant women during ovulation and menstruation. Until recently, there have been no data on scientific-level oxytocin in virgin female rats. This study aimed to compare the level of oxytocin in different physical biology between postpartum and non-pregnant experimental animals (virgin or had never given birth). This experimental study was conducted on 19 female white rats (Rattus norvegicus) allocated to two groups: T1 and T2. The ten rats in group T1 (nulliparous virgin) and the nine in group T2 (postpartum) were sacrificed on day two, except for group T1, which were sacrificed following vaginal delivery. Blood was collected intracardiacally, and serum oxytocin levels were evaluated using an ELISA assay. The T-test was used for statistical data analysis. The serum oxytocin level in the T2 group (628.06 ± 168.72 pg/mL) was significantly higher than in the T1 group (366.71 ± 185.03 pg/mL; P &amp;lt; 0.05). In conclusion, oxytocin levels were higher in postpartum animals than in virgin animals. Thus, oxytocin plays a greater role in female reproduction than in normal physiological condition.

Association of triglyceride-glucose index with early neurological deterioration events in patients with acute ischemic stroke

BackgroundThe Triglyceride and Glucose (TyG) index has been found to have a strong correlation with the recurrence of acute ischemic stroke (AIS) and poor patient outcomes. Nevertheless, the relationship between the TyG index and early neurological deterioration (END) has not been fully explored. Therefore, the present study aims to investigate the potential association between the TyG index and END.MethodsA retrospective analysis of 2129 patients diagnosed with AIS between January 2019 and December 2022 at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University. Patients were divided into END and non-END groups based on changes in National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale scores within 7 days of admission, and the differences in the indicators between the two groups were examined using univariate analysis. The patients were then divided into three groups based on the tertile of the TyG index (T1: TyG index < 8.662; T2: 8.662 ≤ TyG index < 9.401; T3: TyG index ≥ 9.401), and logistic regression analysis was used to examine the association between the TyG index and END. Finally, the predictive ability of the TyG index was evaluated using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve.ResultsA total of 724 patients experienced END. The results of the analysis showed that the TyG index was significantly higher in the END group compared to the non-END group. Furthermore, the TyG index was found to be an independent risk factor for the development of END (OR, 1.561; 95% 1.166–2.090, P = 0.003). After adjusting for confounders, the risk of END was 3.953 (95% CI 2.793–5.595; P < 0.001) and 5.906 (95% CI 3.676–9.488; P < 0.001) times higher in the T2 and T3 groups, respectively, in contrast to the T1 group. The area under the ROC curve of the TyG index was 0.711 (0.688–0.733), indicating an excellent predictive indicator.ConclusionsOur study uncovered that higher TyG index levels were associated with END development in AIS patients.

ГЛУБОКОЕ ОБУЧЕНИЕ МЕТОДАМ ЗАЩИТЫ ОТ АТАК

In recent years, machine learning algorithms, or rather deep learning algorithms, have beenwidely used in many fields, including cybersecurity. However, machine learning systems are vulnerableto attacks by attackers, and this limits the use of machine learning, especially in nonstationaryenvironments with hostile actions, such as the cybersecurity field, where real attackersexist (for example, malware developers). With the rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI)and deep learning (GO) methods, it is important to ensure the safety and reliability of the implementedalgorithms. Recently, the vulnerability of deep learning algorithms to conflicting patternshas been widely recognized. Fabricated samples for analysis can lead to various violations of thebehavior of deep learning models, while people will consider them safe to use. The successful implementationof enemy attacks in real physical situations and scenarios of the real physical worldonce again proves their practicality. As a result, methods of adversarial attack and defense areattracting increasing attention from the security and machine learning communities and havebecome a hot topic of research in recent years not only in Russia, but also in other countries.Sberbank, Yandex, T1 Group, Atlas Medical Center and many others are developing competitivesolutions, including on the international market. Unfortunately, in the list of the 10 largest ITcompanies, the direction of Big Data, in particular, and protection against attacks is representedonly by the T1 Group company, but the market growth potential is huge. In this paper, the theoreticalfoundations, algorithms and application of methods of adversarial attacks of the enemy arepresented. Then a number of research papers on protection methods are described, covering awide range of research in this area. This article explores and summarizes adversarial attacks anddefenses, which represent the most up-to-date research in this field and meet the latest requirementsfor information security.

The association between triglyceride-glucose index and hyperferritinemia in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

To investigate the relationship between the triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index and serum ferritin (SF) levels in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). A total of 881 T2DM patients were divided into T1(TyG index < 1.66), T2 (1.66 ≤ TyG index < 2.21), and T3 (TyG index ≥ 2.21) groups according to the tertiles of the TyG index. The differences in SF levels and the prevalence of hyperferritinemia (SF ≥ 300ng/mL for male or SF ≥ 150ng/mL for female) were compared. The independent correlations between the TyG index and SF, and between hyperferritinemia and TyG in T2DM patients were analyzed, respectively. SF levels in male T2DM patients were higher in the T3 group (250.12ng/mL) than in the T1 and T2 groups (180.45 and 196.56ng/mL, both p < 0.01),while in female patients with T2DM,SF levels were higher in the T3 group (157.25ng/mL) than in the T1 group (111.06ng/mL, p < 0.05).The prevalence of hyperferritinemia in male T2DM patients was higher in the T3 group (31.3%) than those in the T1 and T2 groups (10.4% and 17.3%, both p < 0.05).The TyG index was positively correlated with SF levels in T2DM patients (R = 0.178, p < 0.001).TyG index was independently and positively correlated with SF levels after adjusting for confounders (β = 0.097, 95%CI [2.870,38.148], p = 0.023).The TyG index was positively independently correlated with hyperferritinemia in male T2DM patients (OR = 1.651, 95%CI [1.120,2.432], p = 0.011). In parallel with increasing TyG index SF levels gradually increased. The TyG index was positively correlated with SF levels in patients with T2DM and was positively correlated with hyperferritinemia in male T2DM patients.

Comparative Evaluation of Extruded Complete Feeds based on Finger Millet (Eleusine coracana) Straw, Areca (Areca catechu) Sheath and Maize (Zea mays) Cob in Mandya Lambs

Background: Although crop residues rich in lignocellulose are a potential source of energy, their utilization is limited due to lack of lignolytic activity of the rumen microbial population. Feed processing by heat treatment is known to break the ligno-cellulolse complexes, in which extrusion has been reported as one of the best processing techniques to improve the nutritional value and efficient utilization of complete diets. A comparative evaluation of extruded complete feed based on finger millet straw, a conventional crop residue, along with areca sheath and maize cob has been taken up in this study. Methods: The extruded complete feed was prepared using roughage and concentrate at proportion of 40:60, respectively. Twenty four Mandya lambs of about 3 to 4 months of age with body weight ranging from 7.8 to 12.9 kg were divided into three groups of eight each in a completely randomized design. Feeding trial was carried out for 12 weeks. The animals were randomly assigned to one of the treatment groups viz., T1 (Finger millet straw based extruded complete feed), T2 (Areca sheath based extruded complete feed) and T3 (Maize cob based extruded complete feed). Digestion trial was conducted using 5 animals in each group during the last week of the growth trial. Result: Analysis of chemical composition (%) revealed that, maize cob and areca sheath were comparable with finger millet straw except that the maize cob contained lower total ash (2.52 v/s 8.61) and higher NDF and hemicellulose content (86.66 v/s71.61; 29.79 v/s17.18). Rumen in vitro net gas (ml / 200 mg DM / 24 h) production and energy density (ME MJ / kg DM) was higher in areca sheath and maize cob as compared to finger millet straw. There was significant difference in total DMI (g/d and g/kgW0.75) among the treatment groups (P£0.05). There was also a significant difference in OM, CP, EE and ADF intake (P£0.05). The ADG (g) and FCR (g DMI/ g BW gain) for T1, T2 and T3 groups were statistically non-significant. The mean apparent digestibility (%) of DM, OM, CP, NDF and ADF was significantly different among the treatment groups(P£0.01). The per cent Digestible organic matter in dry matter (DOMDM) (T1:70.89,T2:76.13and T3:63.33) was also significantly different among the treatments (P£0.01). It was concluded that the growth rate of lambs fed finger millet straw, areca sheath and maize cob based extruded complete feeds was comparable and could be utilized to sustain production performance of growing Mandya lambs.

Evaluating the inclusion of phytase sources to phosphorus-free diets for GIFT tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus): Growth performance, intestinal morphometry, immune-antioxidant responses, and phosphorus utilization

The current study aimed at evaluating the growth performance, phosphorus (P) retention, and welfare status of GIFT strain of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) fed on P-free diets containing fungal phytase (FPhyt) and/or a novel hybrid bacterial phytase (HB-Phyt). The control reference diet (T1) was supplemented with dicalcium phosphate (DCP; 8.7 g total P/kg). Other five low-P (with no DCP; 5.9 g total P/kg feed) diets were supplemented with 500, 1000 FTU/g of FPhyt (T2-T3) or 500, 1000 FTU/g of HB-Phyt (T4 – T5), while T6 contained 1000 and 1000 FTU/g of both phytase sources. Each diet was allocated randomly to three 100-L tanks stocked with GIFT tilapia (n = 15 fish per tank, initial mean weight, 2.38 ± 0.22 g). Fish were fed on experimental diets up to satiation thrice a day for 60 days. Fish in T1, T3, T5, and T6 recorded highest growth performance; meanwhile, highest values of villi length/width and absorption area were observed in T3, T5, and T6 fish groups as compared with other groups. Highest values of hematological indices (red blood cell, hemoglobin, packed cell volume, white blood cell, and lymphocytes %) and immune-antioxidant biomarkers (superoxide dismutase, catalase, lysozyme, and respiratory burst activity) were highest in the case of fish in T3, T5, and T6 with no significant difference among them. Meanwhile, feeding fish on diets with 500 FPhytase (T2) or 500HB-Phyt (T4) showed lowest values of immune-antioxidant indices accompanied with highest value of malondialdehyde as compared with other treatments. Compared with other treatments, highest values of bone-P were observed in T3, T5, and T6, while highest whole-body P values were detected in T5 and T6 only, with no significant difference among them. The present study revealed much lower feed input per unit production accompanied with higher return on investment in GIFT fed on diets supplemented with 500 FTU/g of HB-Phyt than 1000 FTU/g of either FPhyt or HB-Phyt. Hence, the present study showed that the dietary inorganic P could be compensated by adding 1000 FTU/g of either FPhyt or HB-Phyt to fish diets. The growth and immune-antioxidant indices in fish fed with HB-Phyt were superior to FPhyt treatments. No synergetic effects of using both of FPhyt and HB-Phyt were detected in this study.

The Combination of Progesteron Sponge, PMSG and Minimal Dose PGf2 Alfa toward Sheep Pregnantion

Background: The goal of this study was to confirm the effects of the engineering design of the vaginal progesterone implant capsule, which had a 2 cm sponge with a diameter of 5 cm, a 2 cm porous capsule with a dose of 50 mg MAP in the centre and 13 cm nylon cord for keeping the sponge in position. Methods: A full concentrate total protein 17% consumed at 0.05 kg/day/head was previously administered to as many as 30 overweight ewes with a body score of at least 3 and those who were positively identified as having ever given birth to help them improve their body score condition. It was found that T0 consisted of 10 obese female sheep that underwent a normal oestrous cycle without oestrus synchronization therapy and waited for natural oestrus, while T1 and T2 consisted of 10 sheep that received progesterone implant capsule vaginal sponges with a dose of 50 mg MPA on day 0 getting 100 IU sc PMSG folligon intervet Holland in addition. Result: On day 35, the oestrous response was 100% and the pregnancy rates were 70%, 80% and 80% in T0, T1 and T2 groups, respectively (p greater than 0.05). Progesterone levels in the groups non pregnant are 1,66±0.8; 1,23±0.78 and 1,60 ± 0.90 ng/ml (p greater than 0.05).

Organoleptic Quality, Pork Characterization and Hematological Indices of Growing Pigs Fed Supplemental Diets Containing Bitter Leaf and Hospital Too Far

Effect of bitter leaf (Vernonia amygdalina) and hospital too far (Jathropha tanjorensis) leaf meals on organoleptic characteristics of pork and haematological indices of growing pigs was investigated. A total of 32 grower pigs were completely randomized into 4 dietary treatments. Eight young pigs were placed on each treatment with four replicates of 2 pigs each. Four diets were formulated: T1 (basal feed only), T2 (basal feed + 4% bitter leaf meal), T3 (basal feed + 4% hospital too far leaf meal) and T4 (basal feed + 2% bitter leaf meal + 2% hospital too far leaf meal). Haematological indices measured include: haemoglobin, packed cell volume, red blood cells, and white blood cells from 16 pigs (4 per treatment). The pigs were thereafter slaughtered for carcass evaluation and organoleptic quality assessment. Results indicated significant (P&lt;0.05) increase in terms of carcass yield and primal cuts (loin, chump chop, breast and rib chop) for T3 followed by T2 and T4. Pigs in T3 group recorded the best dressing percentage and increase in the primal cuts. The test diets had no negative effects on the organoleptic quality of pork. However, T1 was significantly better in terms of tenderness followed by T2 and T4 indicated significant difference (P&lt;0.05) among treatment groups with the highest score recorded in T1. Red and white blood cells were significantly higher in the T3 group compared to other treatments. Haemoglobin and packed cell volume were significantly higher in the T4 group while the control (T1) had the least. MCH and MCHC were significantly higher in all treatments except in the control. It is concluded that the test diets improved the carcass characteristics, organoleptic quality and haematological indices of the pigs. Based on the results, hospital too far leaf meal (HTFLM) is recommended.

Comparison of machine learning models based on multi-parametric magnetic resonance imaging and ultrasound videos for the prediction of prostate cancer.

To establish machine learning (ML) prediction models for prostate cancer (PCa) using transrectal ultrasound videos and multi-parametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) and compare their diagnostic performance. We systematically collated the data of 383 patients, including 187 with PCa and 196 with benign lesions. Of them, 307 patients (150 with PCa and 157 with benign lesions) were randomly selected to train and validate the ML models, 76 patients were used as test set. B-Ultrasound videos (BUS), mpMRI T2 sequence (T2), and ADC sequence (ADC) were obtained from all patients. We extracted 851 features of each patient in the BUS, T2, and ADC groups and used a t-test, the Mann-Whitney U test, and LASSO regression to screen the features. Support vector machine (SVM), random forest (RF), adaptive boosting (ADB), and gradient boosting machine (GBM) models were used to establish radiomics models. In addition, we fused the features screened via LASSO regression from three groups as new features and rebuilt ML models. The performance of the ML models in diagnosing PCa in the BUS, T2, ADC, and fusion groups was compared using the area under the ROC curve (AUC), sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy. In the test cohort, the AUC of each model in the ADC group was higher than that of in the.BUS and T2 groups. Among the models, the RF model had the best diagnostic performance, with an AUC of 0.85, sensitivity of 0.78 (0.61-0.89), specificity of 0.84 (0.69-0.94), and accuracy of 0.83 (0.66-0.93). The SVM model in both the BUS and T2 groups performed best. Based on the features screened in the BUS, T2, and ADC groups fused to construct the models, the SVM model was found to perform best, with an AUC of 0.87, sensitivity of 0.73 (0.56-0.86), specificity of 0.79 (0.63-0.90), and accuracy of 0.77 (0.59-0.89). The difference in the results was statistically significant (p<0.05). The ML prediction models had a good diagnostic ability for PCa. Among them, the SVM model in the fusion group showed the best performance in diagnosing PCa. These prediction models can help radiologists make better diagnoses.

ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITIES OF MORINGA OLEIFERA LEAF EXTRACT AGAINST ARSENIC INDUCED TOXICITY IN CIRRHINUS MRIGALA

This experimental study was conducted to evaluate the antioxidant activities of Moringa oleifera leaf extract against Arsenic (As) induced toxicity in Cirrhinus mrigala in Tawakkal Fish Hatchery at Muzaffargarh, Punjab, Pakistan. 288 fingerlings were collected from fish pond and kept in circular tank for acclimatization. 12 fish about 100-day old having similar size were selected randomly and kept in separate glass aquaria for each treatment groups T1, T2, T3 and control group T4. Fish in treatments groups T1, T2 and T3 were exposed with water born sublethal concentration of 1/10th LC50 of arsenic (As) for 7days (240 hours). On 8th and 16th days of the experiment three fish were collected from each aquarium, humanly dissected targeted organ was taken out and used for liver, muscle, and gills antioxidant enzyme activities and histopathological alteration. The findings indicate that in treatment group T2 which feed with 2% and 4% Moringa oleifera supplemented diet reduced significantly (P&lt;0.05) arsenic induced oxidative stress in fish, enhance the superoxide dismutase and catalase activities but treatment group T2 is 2% Moringa oleifera supplemented diet is more effective near to control group T4 as compared to treatment group T3 with 4% Moringa oleifera supplemented. After 16 days exposure of 1/10th concentration of arsenic with 0% Moringa oleifera various degenerative alteration were seen in gills. In 2% and 4% Moringa oleifera with 1/10th arsenic, spiked secondary lamellae and lamellar epithelium lifting (EL) and rupture of epithelial layer (↑↑) and fusion of lamellae were observed at several points. Moringa oleifera is medicinal herb, which has various tremendous benefits.