The economic and public health impact of brucellosis remains of concern in developing countries. The disease can generally cause significant loss of productivity through abortion, still birth, low herd fertility and comparatively low milk production. In Ethiopia brucellosis prevalence studies have been conducted in different agro-ecology of the country. But, in general there was information gap on disease dynamics, identification of strain circulating in the region. The paper reviewed the distribution of brucellosis in different regions of Ethiopia and its prevalence among different livestock hosts. Risk factors for the occurrence of brucellosis and finally, different strategies for the control and prevention of brucellosis under Ethiopian conditions are discussed.
We studied the remains of Coleoptera in Asian badger (Meles leucurus Hodgson, 1847) scats collected during 6years in the northern forest-steppe zone of Urals region (Sverdlovsk Region). Species list and also ecological (habitat) groups and size classes' ratios were compared with the results of censuses of insects made by pitfall traps in the same study area and with literature data for the southern taiga and the northern forest-steppe zones of Urals region. Badgers consumed mainly the beetles living in the ground and herbal layers. The highest number of individuals was observed for big beetles (15–30mm), while the highest number of species was found for small beetles (5–10mm). Ecological (habitat) groups and size classes' ratios were different for the insects consumed by badger and those caught in pitfall traps. Such differences should be taken into account in the studies where predators' food remains are the main (or the only) source of information about the insect fauna. Assessments of the availability of insects for badgers cannot be based only on the data of pitfall-trap censuses, but other entomological methods should be used as well.
The study is aimed on the dynamics, structure and interactions in binary systems based on gelatin and one of two polysaccharides, κ-carrageenan and sodium alginate, by means of NMR and IR spectroscopy techniques. The gelation temperatures are determined as well as molecular structure of studies systems is characterized.
The upper Malwathu Oya is a seasonal river. The main livelihood of people living in the immediate vicinity of the river is paddy cultivation, and chronic kidney disease is reported among them. Farmers utilize different types of agricultural chemicals in their fields expecting bumper harvests. Several agricultural chemicals have been reported to contain toxic trace elements in Sri Lanka. Therefore, arsenic and cadmium might end up in the river water. The presence of these trace elements in the river water and sediments can result in their bioaccumulation in fish tissues. The main purpose of this study was to investigate the presence of two trace elements in water and sediments, as well as in fish tissues (gills, kidney, liver and muscle) of three food fish species, Etroplus suratensis, Anabas testudineus and Channa striata during cultivating and non-cultivating seasons of the year. Further, the level of bioaccumulation of two trace elements in fish tissues in relation to the contamination level of water and sediments was assessed. Data were gathered for 43months. Arsenic and cadmium concentration in water showed a significant (P<0.05) seasonal variation. Generally, the two trace elements in the river water were highest during the cultivating seasons than in other seasons. In all species, both trace elements in the gills highly depended on the concentration in the water. In all species, two trace elements in water and sediment did not significantly affect the levels in muscle tissue. Therefore, the trace element levels in the edible parts of these three fish were well below the maximum permissible levels of international institutions.
An O-specific polysaccharide was obtained by mild acid degradation of the lipopolysaccharide of bacteria Pseudomonas putida TSh-18, capable of degrading non-ionogenic technical detergents. The polysaccharide was found to contain a rarely occurring sugar derivative 4,6-dideoxy-4-[(R)-3-hydroxybutanoylamino]-d-galactose [d-Fucp4N(RHb)]. Sugar and methylation analyses, Smith degradation, solvolysis with CF3CO2H, and 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy enabled elucidation of the following structure of the branched trisaccharide repeating units of the polysaccharide.
