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The ability of Diatomacious earth (DAE) in reducing the toxic effects of aflatoxin (AF) in broiler diet was evaluated. DAE was supplemented @ 400 and 800 mg kg -1 of feed along with 0.5 and 1 ppm of AF kg -1 of feed. Healthy unsexed day old broiler chicks (n=360) were assigned to 9 groups comprising of control and treatment groups. Feeding of AF resulted in significantly lower feed intake as well as body weight gain and increase in feed conversion ratio in comparison to the control groups. Supplementation of DAE in aflatoxin mixed diet significantly reduced the deleterious effects of AF on growth parameters. Feeding of AF alone caused significant decrease in serum levels of total proteins, albumin, triglycerides and cholesterol. However, significant increase was found in serum levels of AST, ALT, ALP, BUN and creatinine in AF fed broilers. Supplementation of DAE to the AF mixed feed ameliorated the adverse effect of AF on the serum biochemical values by causing increase in serum total proteins, albumin, triglycerides and cholesterol levels. In addition, a significant increase was recorded in AST, ALT, ALP, BUN and creatinine levels in DAE supplemented broilers. The study concluded that diatomaceous earth is an effective adsorbent to decrease the negative effects of aflatoxin in broiler chicken

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Salmonella infections are an important cause of mortality and morbidity in subclinically infected bovines. Bovines thus constitute an important reservoir for human infections. Interestingly, despite decades of research into salmonellosis, the disease and its public health consequences are not really resolved.Salmonella is transmitted to animals and humans through the fecal-oral route. Animals

Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is a highly contagious and economically important viral disease with high morbidity and reduced productivity of affected animals. We studied the heat intolerance (HI) (panting) syndrome and the effect of FMD virus (FMDV) infection on thyroid gland function in Indian cattle (Bos indicus). Experimental infection with FMDV Asia 1 resulted in a mild form of disease with superficial lesions. Heat intolerance syndrome and its signs were not observed among the recovered animals. Subtle changes in the serum level of thyroid hormones, triiodothyronine (T₃) and thyroxine (T₄) were observed. However, there were no distinct histological changes in the thyroid gland, and FMDV antigens were not detected in the thyroid tissues. Our results thus suggest that the absence of panting syndrome in FMD-affected Bos indicus cattle may be associated with intact thyroid gland function.

Biofilm (BF) of Vibrio alginolyticus was developed on chitin flakes. BF formation was studied at various nutrient concentrations and incubation time. Highest colonyforming units of BF cells were obtained with 0.15% trypticase soya broth and at 3 days of incubation. The BF cells could be completely inactivated at 80°C in 10 min and with 10% formalin in 24 h. SDS-PAGE profile of BF cells revealed repression of four proteins and expression of three new proteins compared to free cells (FC). The preliminary immune response studies showed that BF cells were superior to FC in stimulating the non-specific immune response of Penaeus monodon.

The present study was carried out to examine the ameliorative potential of nanocurcumin against arsenic induced (sub-chronic) alterations in central nervous system in male Wistar rats. Nanocurcumin was synthesised and the hydrodynamic diameter, zeta potential and particle size were~76.60 nm, (-) 30 mV and 95nm, respectively. Experimental rats sub-chronically exposed to sodium (meta) arsenite (As; 10 mg.kg-1; 70 days; p.o) induced significant (p<0.05) reduction in superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, glutathione and favoured free radical generation and induced lipid peroxidation in brain tissue. The exposure resulted in significant (p<0.05) decrease in voluntary- and involuntary motor activities and enhanced anxiety levels. However, experimental rats receiving nanocurcumin (15 mg.kg-1; p.o) showed significant (p<0.05) recovery in enzymatic - and non-enzymatic antioxidant defence system and restoration of redox balance and overcome arsenic induced depression in motor activities and elevated anxiety levels. Further, Arsenic induced elevation in pro-inflammatory cytokines, cyclooxygenase-2 activity and prostaglandin-E2 in brain and angiotensin-II levels (plasma) was significantly (p<0.05) ameliorated by nanocurcumin. Additionally, quantitative real -time polymerase chain reaction revealed a fivefold decrease in Nox2 expression in brain following nanocurcumin administration. Thus, the study concludes that nanocurcumin can serve as a potential therapeutic candidate to counter arsenic induced redox imbalance and neuropharmacological disturbances and there exists a vast scope to exploit its utility after appropriate clinical modelling.

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