Distribution of different forms of sulphur (S) and carbon-nitrogen-sulphur relationships were studied in surface and subsurface soils of some tea growing areas of Northeastern India. The soils were strongly acidic in reaction (pH - 4.0 to 5.5), low to very high in organic carbon (4 to 54 g kg-1), with cation exchange capacity (8.8 to 19.2 cmol(p+)kg-1) and base saturation (50 to 77 %). Organic S mostly contributed to the total - sulphur (62 to 77 %) followed by Non sulphate S (28.8 to 37.2%) and sulphate S (0.7 to 1.4 %). Except sulphate S, other forms of sulphur showed significant positive correlation among themselves as well as with organic carbon and total nitrogen. The C:N, C:S, N:S and C:N:S ratio varied from 8.2 to 10.0, 6.18 to 71.57, 0.62 to 7.26 and 100:10.1:1.4 to 100:12.2:16.2 respectively. Wider C:N:S ratios in all the surface and sub-surface soils indicated that the major portion of nitrogen and sulphur in tea growing soils of Northeastern India is locked up in organic combination which might pose as a potential threat towards tea plantation if application of sulphur is continuously ignored.

This study examined whether tocotrienol supplementation to corticosterone-treated male rats could prevent foetal loss in females upon their mating. Epididymides of adult male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats with proven fertility were surgically separated at the testis-caput junction. Twenty-four hours post-surgery, these animals received for 7 days either: tocopherol-stripped corn oil (Control), corticosterone 25 mg/kg s.c. (CORT), CORT 25 mg/kg s.c. and tocotrienol-rich fraction (TRF) 100 mg/kg orally (CORT + TRF) or TRF 100 mg/kg orally (TRF). On day 8, males were cohabited with proestrus females. A spermatozoa-positive vaginal smear indicated pregnancy. Males were euthanised for analysis of testosterone and antioxidant activities. Reproductive organs were weighed. On day 8 of pregnancy, females were laparotomised to count the number of implantation sites. Pregnancy was continued until term. Number of pups delivered and their weights were determined. Data were analysed using ANOVA. Malondialdehyde levels were significantly lower in CORT + TRF group compared with CORT group. Enzymatic antioxidant activities, testosterone level and reproductive organ weights were significantly higher in CORT + TRF group compared with CORT group. Number of implantation sites and live pups delivered, and their birth weights from females mated with CORT + TRF males were significantly higher compared to CORT group. Therefore, TRF prevents foetal loss in females mated with CORT + TRF-treated males.

Preparation of live attenuated freeze dried Pigeon Paramyxo Virus-1 (PPMV-1) vaccine selection of proper cryoprotectant which could preserve and protect the virus against injury due to reduction of temperature at the time of lyophilization, was very necessary. PPMV-1 locally isolated lentogenic strain was selected as seed virus which was properly attenuated by serially passaging in 9 to 10 days old embryonated specific pathogen free (SPF) fowl eggs and produced master seed virus and working seed virus. Five per cent lactalbumin hydrolysate with 10% sucrose (LAS) and 1% polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) were used as two different cryoprotectant for lyophilization of working seed virus. After lyophilization value of haemagglutination (HA) titer and embryo infective dose fifty per ml (EID50/ml) were changed and concluded that both LAS and PVP could be used as suitable cryoprotectant where LAS was better than PVP which was first time done in the whole world.

AIM:The aim of this work was to detect antibiotic resistance in Gram-negative bacteria isolated from subclinical mastitis in cattle in West Bengal.MATERIALS AND METHODS:The milk samples were collected from the cattle suffering with subclinical mastitis in West Bengal. The milk samples were inoculated into the nutrient broth and incubated at 37°C. On the next day, the growth was transferred into nutrient agar and MacConkey agar. All the pure cultures obtained from nutrient agar slant were subjected to Gram-staining and standard biochemical tests. All the bacterial isolates were tested in vitro for their sensitivity to different antibiotics commonly used in veterinary practices. All Gram-negative isolates including positive control were subjected to polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for detection of blaCTX-M, blaTEM, blaSHV, blaVIM, tetA, tetB, tetC, and tetM genes considered for extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL), metallo-β-lactamase, and tetracycline resistance.RESULTS:In total, 50 Gram-negative organisms (Escherichia coli, Proteus, Pseudomonas, Klebsiella, and Enterobacter) were isolated from milk samples of subclinical mastitis infected cattle. Among these Gram-negative isolates, 48% (24/50) were found either ESBL producing or tetracycline resistant. Out of total 50 Gram-negative isolates, blaCTX-M was detected in 18 (36%) isolates, and 6 (12%) harbored blaTEM genes in PCR. None of the isolates carried blaSHV genes. Further, in this study, 5 (10%) isolates harbored tet(A) gene, and 8 (16%) isolates carried tet(B) gene. No tet(C) gene was detected from the isolates.CONCLUSION:This study showed emerging trend of antibiotic-resistant Gram-negative bacteria associated with subclinical mastitis in cattle in West Bengal, India.

The adverse effects of smoking on reproduction are well documented, yet the current trend of tobacco smoking among women still remains. Approximately 4% of Malaysian population aged ≥15 years are female smokers (WHO Policy, Strategy Advisory Committee for Tobacco Free Initiative Estimated, 2000). In general, people smoke cigarettes for the psychoactive effects of nicotine where it is believed that nicotine may enhance the sense of well-being, produce arousal or relaxation, help maintain vigilance, or reduce anxiety (Benowitz, 1988). However, nicotine has shown many potential adverse health consequences in reproductive or perinatal disorders including low birth weight, prematurity and spontaneous abortion (Benowitz, 1988), delay in conception (Zenzes, 1995) and the onset of menopause in female smokers (Midgette and Baron, 1990). Therefore, certain components in cigarette smoke may directly or indirectly interfere with embryo development and viability. Nicotine is present in cigarettes in amounts varying from 0.8 to 1.8 mg per cigarette depending on the brand and size of cigarette (Benowitz et al., 1983; Rosa et al., 1992). As much as 1.0 mg of nicotine is recorded to be absorbed by smoking a single cigarette (Barbieri et al., 1986). Nicotine is a toxic alkaloid and is quickly absorbed through the respiratory track, mucosa of the mouth and skin (Gandini et al., 1997). It has also been reported that lung appears to serve up as a reservoir for nicotine, which slows its entry into the arterial circulation, implying that even though almost all of the nicotine inhaled in each puff being absorbed in a few seconds, it may require 30–60 seconds or longer for the nicotine to be fascinated (Brewer et al., 2004).

BACKGROUND:This study aimed to evaluate the adverse effects of various doses of nicotine and protective effects of different concentrations of gamma-tocotrienol (gamma-TCT) on in vitro embryonic development and lipid peroxidation in mice. MATERIAL AND METHODS:A) Effects of various doses of nicotine on in vitro embryonic development: Female mice were treated with 1.0, 3.0, or 5.0 mg/kg/day nicotine for 7 consecutive days. Animals were superovulated, cohabited overnight, and sacrificed. Embryos were cultured in vitro. Plasma was assayed. B) Effects of concomitant treatment of nicotine concurrently with various doses of gamma-TCT on in vitro embryonic development: Female mice were treated with nicotine (5.0 mg/kg/day), gavaged gamma-TCT of 30, 60, or 90 mg/kg/day or nicotine concurrently with gamma-TCT of 3 different doses for 7 consecutive days. Animals were superovulated, cohabited overnight, and sacrificed. Embryos were cultured and plasma was assayed. RESULTS:A) Effects of various doses of nicotine on in vitro embryonic development: Number of hatched blastocysts decreased in 1.0 and 3.0 mg/kg/day nicotine groups. Nicotine at 5.0 mg/kg/day stopped embryo development at morula. MDA concentrations increased following all nicotine doses. B) Effects of concomitant treatment of nicotine concurrently with various doses of gamma-TCT on in vitro embryonic development: Embryo development was completed in all groups. MDA concentration increased only in the group treated with nicotine concurrently with 30 mg/kg/day gamma-TCT. CONCLUSIONS:Nicotine impairs in vitro embryo development and increases MDA in plasma. The deleterious impact of nicotine on embryo development is reversed by supplementing gamma-TCT concurrently with nicotine.

Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis (BoHV-1) is the most important emerging disease of cattle in India. With an aim to reactivate BoHV-1 from latently infected sero-positive cattle for molecular characteristics of the isolates prevalent in tropical and sub-tropical countries like India and further epidemiological investigations on IBR infections this study had been conducted. Artificial stress with dexamethasone at the dose rate of 0.1 mg kg(-1) body weight for 5 consecutive days was induced in BoHV-1 sero-positive cows. Then isolation from nasal swabs was attempted in Madin Darby Bovine Kidney (MDBK) cell line to find out the prevalent strain in India. The virus was isolated from all the three cows. All the three isolates were typed as BoHV-1.2 (Strain India 4, India 5 and India 6). The reactivation obtained in this study with dexamethasone suggests the usefulness of BoHV-1 cow latency model for epidemiological investigations on BoHV-1 infections in tropical and sub-tropical countries like India, Pakistan etc.

Stress activates the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis which results in increased circulating glucocorticoids. Corticosterone is a major glucocorticoid in rats and its excess causes a significant increase in the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The objective of this study was to assess the effects of different doses of corticosterone on epididymal sperm fertilizing capacity in surgically manipulated rats. Epididymides of the fertile male rats were surgically separated at the testis-caput junction. Twenty-four hours post-surgery, animals were injected (s.c.) with corticosterone at a dose of 5, 10 or 25 mg/kg/day for 7 consecutive days. On day 8, experimental male rats were cohabitated with cyclic proestrus females. Sperm-positive vaginal smear was considered as day 1 of pregnancy (p.c.). Pregnant females were laparotomized on day 8 p.c. to determine the number of implantation sites and were left until term. At parturition, the number of pups delivered was counted and compared with the number of implantation sites to determine pregnancy outcome. Results showed that only corticosterone of 25mg/kg/day for 7 consecutive days significantly decreased (p<0.05) the number of implantation sites as compared to controls. Moreover, the intrauterine embryonic loss was found to be significantly increased (p<0.01). It is concluded that corticosterone-induced attenuated fertilizing ability of the sperm and the embryonic viability that is fertilized by the damaged sperm could possibly result from an excess ROS which has yet to be verified.

Isolation of BoHV-1 was attempted from nasal swabs as well as aborted foetuses and vaginal swabs in Madin Darby Bovine Kidney (MDBK) cell line to find out the prevalent strain in the state of West Bengal, India. The virus was isolated from only one case out of 65 nasal swabs whereas no virus was isolated from aborted foetuses and vaginal swabs. The isolate was typed as BoHV-1.2 (Strain India 3). 1

Several hormonal and other factors have been proposed to be involved in the initiation of parturition. However, definitive sequential events leading to initiation of parturition are still lacking. Conceptual evolution on the mechanism of initiation of parturition since 1891 has been briefed.

Chronic anxiety, depression and physical exertion-related stress consistently activate the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. Almost each component of this activated axis, such as CRH, ACTH, β-endorphin and glucocorticoids exerts profound inhibitory effects on the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis and subsequently leads to reproductive failure in females. The pulsatile secretion of GnRH and the response of gonadotrophs to GnRH stimulation are severely impaired. Increased levels of glucocorticoids moreover inhibit gonadal axis at the hypothalamic, pituitary and ovarian levels and concurrently result in deficient ovarian steroidogenesis, amenorrhea, anovulation, defective endometrial decidualization and implantation, abnormal fetal outcome and delayed parturition. Stress-associated growth hormone deficiency with a corresponding deficiency of insulin-like growth factor-1 at the level of the pituitary, ovary and uterine endometrium also leads to defective reproductive outcome in females. Moreover, stress-related imbalance between prooxidant and antioxidant forces may cause damage to the released ovum, embryo fragmentation, implantation failure or abortion.

Nb-Ti-Cr-Si-Al-X alloys have been considered as candidate materials for high-temperature structural applications in aero engines. Using a multicomponent approach, attempts are being made to obtain good strength with adequate oxidation resistance at the expected operating temperatures (∼1073 through 1273 K) in these alloys. In the microstructure of these alloys, which essentially consist of the silicide phase distributed in the bcc β matrix, the presence or absence of the Laves phase can bring about considerable changes in the mechanical properties. The present article reports on the instability observed in the β phase and also on the formation of the Laves phase in the β matrix. The extent of the chemical separation and elements responsible for this separation has been determined. Different morphologies of the Laves phase have been obtained by aging at different temperatures for various durations and the structure, chemistry, and volume fraction of these phases have been determined.

Chronic anxiety, depression or physical exertion-associated stress consistently activates the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Each individual component of the HPA axis, such as CRH, ACTH, β-endorphin or glucocorticoid exerts deleterious effect on the hypo-thalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis and subsequently leads to reproductive failure. Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) secretion and the response of gonadotrophs to GnRH stimulation are severely impaired. Moreover, failure of gonadal response to gonad-otropin concurrently results in deficient steroidogenesis, anovulation, defective endometrial decidualization and implantation, abnormal fetal outcome and delayed parturition. In male, a consistent testosterone deficiency due to stress-linked altered functioning of the HPG axis has also been documented. Stress-associated growth hormone (GH) deficiency with a corresponding deficiency of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) at the level of the hypothalamus, pituitary, ovary, and uter-ine endometrium leads to defective reproductive outcome and lactation. GH or IGF-1 deficiency also impairs testosterone biosynthesis, spermatogenesis, sperm maturation and erectile process.

Chronic anxiety, depression or physical exertion-associated stress consistently activates the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Each individual component of the HPA axis, such as CRH, ACTH, β-endorphin or glucocorticoid exerts deleterious effect on the hypo- thalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis and subsequently leads to reproductive failure. Go- nadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) secretion and the response of gonadotrophs to GnRH stimulation are severely impaired. Moreover, failure of gonadal response to gonad- otropin concurrently results in deficient steroidogenesis, anovulation, defective endometrial decidualization and implantation, abnormal fetal outcome and delayed parturition. In male, a consistent testosterone deficiency due to stress-linked altered functioning of the HPG axis has also been documented. Stress-associated growth hormone (GH) deficiency with a corresponding deficiency of insu- lin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) at the level of the hypothalamus, pituitary, ovary, and uter- ine endometrium leads to defective reproductive outcome and lactation. GH or IGF-1 deficiency also impairs testosterone biosynthesis, spermatogenesis, sperm maturation and erectile process.