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Suckling piglet coccidiosis is a common diarrhoeal disease of unweaned pigs caused by Cystoisospora suis with previously reported herd prevalences of 60% and more. The parasite quickly spreads in affected herds and causes malabsorption and a reduced and uneven body weight gain. The only drug currently licenced for the control of porcine cystoisosporiasis is toltrazuril, which suppresses parasite development and the corresponding diarrhoea. A recent study detected high prevalences of C. suis on swine farms in Austria, Germany, Spain and the Czech Republic independent of the treatment. Here, the situation in the Czech Republic is evaluated in more detail. In total, faecal samples from 161 litters (two samples/litter in the second and third week of life) from 17 farms (250-2 000 sows) were examined for the presence of C. suis oocysts by autofluorescence and for faecal consistency. An accompanying questionnaire revealed details on the herd management and treatments. Eight farms applied toltrazuril on the 3^rd, 4^th or 5^th day of life. Overall, 70.6% of the farms and 32.2% of the litters were positive for C. suis at least once, 39.4% in the untreated litters (n = 76) and 24.8% in the treated litters (n = 85). Diarrhoea occurred on eight farms (six with the toltrazuril treatment) in 11.9% of the untreated and 2.5% of the treated litters. This study shows that coccidiosis is still common in Czech swine farms and that treatment in the recommended time frame may reduce the diarrhoea, but cannot interrupt the parasite's life cycle. Some type of effective disinfection, which may have contributed to a more effective parasite control, was not in place in any of the farms.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of a year of cultivation and three agronomic measures (pre-crop, soil tillage, application of fungicides) on the yield of winter wheat grown in the crop rotation without the livestock production. The results from the years 2011-2017, except for the year 2012, from the Žabčice Field Experimental Station (49°01'20''N, 16°37'55''E) were evaluated. The soil texture is clay loam soil and the soil type is fluvisol. In the field trial, winter wheat was grown after two pre-crops (winter wheat, pea). Two soil tillage technologies, namely the conventional tillage - CT (ploughing - at a depth of 24 cm) and the minimum tillage - MT (shallow loosening - at a depth of 15 cm) were used. Two fungicide treatments against leaf and spikelet diseases were used, and they were compared to the non-treated variants. The obtained results showed that the grain yield of winter wheat was statistically influenced not only by a year of cultivation, but also by the pre-crop, the application of fungicides, and mostly by the interaction of these factors with the soil tillage. The importance of pea as a suitable pre-crop for winter wheat was confirmed as the grain yield was higher compared to winter wheat as a pre-crop by an average of 0.49 t/ha. It was also found that the MT is a more appropriate technology than the CT, on average by 0.12 t/ha over the six years. The importance of fungicide treatment was also confirmed, where the grain yield of winter wheat was higher by 0.26 t/ha compared to the non-treated variant. The presented results brought a new knowledge for winter wheat management practice in dry conditions.

The three-year field experiment (2015-2017) with graded doses of magnesium (Mg) and sulphur (S) was carried out at the Humpolec experimental station (49.5546239N, 15.3485489E; Czech Republic). The interactions between boron (B), Mg and S in the soil were studied. No boron was applied into soils. Contents of B, S and Mg in the soil were determined by the Mehlich 3 and NH₄ acetate methods. The crop rotation was: spring barley-oilseed rape-winter wheat. Three Kieserite doses (S and Mg fertiliser) were applied. Sulphur treatments were 10-20-40 kg S/ha to cereals and 20-40-80 kg S/ha to oilseed rape. The doses of Mg were: 13-26-52 kg Mg/ha to cereals and 26-52-104 kg Mg/ha to oilseed rape. A significant gradual decrease of B-Mehlich 3 was observed under Kieserite treatments during the experiment (from 1.24 mg B/kg in control in the 1^st year to 0.92 mg B/kg in the 3^rd year). On the contrary, B-NH₄ acetate contents in soils remained similar during 2015-2017 in control soils (0.33-0.39 mg B/kg) and significantly decreased under Kieserite treatments, namely by 55-57% in 2016 and by 43-48% in 2017. A significant decrease of B content in soils was noted since the second year of experiment after oilseed rape. The boron contents in soils were affected in several ways - by adsorption of B on magnesium oxides and other substances, exchange with SO₄^2- anions and possible leaching, and also by the uptake by grown crops, mainly oilseed rape.

This paper analyses regional heterogeneity under the discretionary measures of non-operating earnings quality and stock returns on firm value in Taiwan's biotech industry during 2008-2015. An econometric framework based on panel smooth transition regression models is employed in a non-linear panel data model. The results show that biotech firms near the bottom threshold for operating income have low-quality non-operating earnings and those near the upper threshold demonstrate the opposite. Investors who exclusively focus on stock returns are thus likely to miss important information about the quality of earnings.

The efficiency of three modified plastic digesters (3.6 m³ each) using food waste for biogas generation in cooking food was evaluated. The experiment was laid out based on a completely randomised design. A plastic tank was modified as a biodegradation system for food waste digestion to generate a biogas. The biochemical and chemical oxygen demand ranged from 44.58 to 49.62% and 130.42 to 139.20%, respectively, before digestion, but decreased significantly (P < 0.05) after digestion. The pH of the fermenting slurry fluctuated (6.24-6.86) and an average biogas of 0.574 m³ (505-601 L.day^-1) per day was generated from the three experimental waste proportions which would be sufficient to cook three meals per day for 3 to 4 people. The methane gas significantly increased (P < 0.05) while the carbon-dioxide significantly decreased (P < 0.05) at the peak of the biogas production. The generated biogas significantly cooked (P < 0.05) faster than kerosene, but not faster than liquefied petroleum gas. The flammable biogas generation and high significant (P <0.05) percentage change in the physico-chemical properties of the wastes after digestion implied high efficiency performance of the digesters modified from the plastic tanks.

The aim of this study was to evaluate differences in the presence of sperm subpopulations in frozen-thawed semen in stallions with different freezability. The motility of individual spermatozoa of 24 stallions from 15 breeds was evaluated using computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA) immediately after thawing (T0) and after 30 min of incubation (T30). In accordance with our previous studies, samples were initially divided based on their total motility into categories of good (GF) and poor (PF) freezers. K-means cluster analysis of kinematic parameters of spermatozoa was used to divide motile sperm (n = 57 630) into three subpopulations. Analysis of variance was used to evaluate differences in the subpopulations between GF and PF stallions at the times of incubation T0 and T30. Statistically significant differences were found in most kinematic parameters between PF and GF stallions as well as between the times of incubation T0 and T30 (P < 0.05). Spermatozoa of good freezers are represented more frequently in the fast and medium fast subpopulations and are faster and more linear than those of poor freezers (P < 0.05). Sperm from PF stallions were more strongly affected by longer incubation. The percentage of sperm in the fast and medium fast subpopulations was lower in samples from PF stallions, but assessment of the motility parameters in particular sperm subpopulations revealed that these sperm had good velocity. Poor freezer samples had lower sperm quality due to a reduced total proportion of motile sperm, and these samples were more sensitive to prolonged time after thawing. Thus, an efficient sperm selection method or a special insemination technique should be used for obtaining doses from stallions with poor freezability. Our study showed that the CASA system and cluster analysis are promising tools for better understanding the significant differences in the individual stallion freezability, and further research should be focused on their application in the field.

Guinea pigs are common patients in veterinary clinics. Knowledge of the urine composition is necessary for the evaluation of their health. We, therefore, analysed the urine of fifty guinea pigs, thirty-two males, and eighteen females, aged between four months and seven years. None of these guinea pigs showed clinical signs of urinary tract diseases. The urine samples were obtained as part of a preventive check-up, during a regular dental check-up or another minor procedure. The urine was acquired by spontaneous micturition after inducing a short-term, light isoflurane anaesthesia. A macroscopic evaluation of the urine samples and a urine dipstick test were used for the preliminary examination. The average pH was determined to be 8.5 ± 0.5, and in three animals, moderate glycosuria was detected using the urine dipsticks. No urobilinogen, ketone bodies, haemoglobin, or blood traces were present in any of the samples. Severe proteinuria was detected in all the samples. The samples were subsequently evaluated in a laboratory for the following values: specific gravity 1 024.40 ± 1.83 kg/m³, osmolality 601.14 ± 52.28 mOsm/kg, total protein 290.16 ± 34.73 mg/l, albumin 12.04 ± 1.92 mg/l, glucose 0.77 ± 0.20 mmol/l, urea 217.60 ± 24.23 mmol/l, creatinine 3.98 ± 0.48 mmol/l, bilirubin 9.63 ± 1.73 μmol/l, calcium 6.14 ± 0.40 mmol/l, phosphorus 4.95 ± 1.30 mmol/l, magnesium 9.86 ± 0.57 mmol/l, sodium 49.15 ± 6.67 mmol/l, potassium 152.21 ± 10.62 mmol/l, chloride 51.14 ± 5.81 mmol/l, activity of gamma-glutamyltransferase 0.72 ± 0.14 μkat/l, alkaline phosphatase 0.56 ± 0.11 μkat/l and lactate dehydrogenase 0.68 ± 0.14 μkat/l. The descriptive values of the urine biochemical parameters of guinea pigs were determined for the first time in this study.

The design of animal housing and manure management systems are key factors in livestock farming. Frequent removal methods, in fact, allow for the reduction of gasses produced from fermentations of the organic matter contained in manure, that affect animal welfare and farmer health and are emitted from animal housings into the atmosphere as a consequence of ventilation. The present study aims to evaluate the performance of a Robotic Scraper (RS) operating on the floors in a full-scale, operative free-stall dairy barn. The research is focused on the evaluation of gaseous emissions from the two types of floors (concrete and rubber mat coated), and with and without RS operation. The floors with rubber coating demonstrated higher emission rates of ammonia (NH₃), carbon dioxide (CO₂), nitrous oxide (N₂O), and methane (CH₄) compared to the uncovered concrete floors, both before and after RS operations. The operation of RS, furthermore, determined significant reduction of greenhouse gasses (GHG) but did not have relevant effect in terms of NH₃ emission, which reduced only of 1.4% from concrete floors, but increase of 12.7% from rubber coated floors.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of fermented Caragana korshinskii on the intramuscular fat content and varied expression of the intramuscular fat deposition-related genes FABP3, UBE3C, ADRB3, LIPE, and SCD among four muscle tissues (m. psoas, gluteus, quadriceps, and supraspinatus) of Tan sheep. Twenty-eight male animals of similar age (270 ± 10 days) and weight (24.6 ± 1.06 kg) were randomly divided into a control group (fed the basal diet) and an experimental group (fed the same diet except 10% of corn stalks were replaced with fermented C. korshinskii). Soxhlet petroleum-ether extraction and quantitative real-time PCR were applied to evaluate the fat content and gene expression in tissues, respectively. We observed a significant improvement (P < 0.05) in the intramuscular fat contents in the m. gluteus and supraspinatus of treated sheep compared to those of non treated sheep. The FABP3 mRNA level was markedly higher (P < 0.05) in the m. quadriceps and supraspinatus of treated sheep than in the control sheep. UBE3C mRNA levels were significantly decreased in the m. gluteus, quadriceps, and supraspinatus (P < 0.05) of treated sheep compared with those of the control sheep. ADRB3 mRNA levels were significantly lower (P < 0.05) in the m. psoas, gluteus, and supraspinatus of sheep fed fermented C. korshinskii than in the control group, whereas LIPE mRNA levels were significantly increased (P < 0.05) in the m. gluteus and quadriceps of sheep fed fermented C. korshinskii. The SCD mRNA levels in m. psoas, quadriceps, and supraspinatus of sheep fed fermented C. korshinskii were significantly higher than those of the control group (P < 0.05). Our results indicated that fermented C. korshinskii could partially replace the roughage used in Tan sheep feed, and its substitution affected the intramuscular fat content and altered the expression of intramuscular fat deposition-related genes. The present study lays a solid foundation for further exploring the utilization of C. korshinskii in ruminant husbandry.

In the current research, some of the mechanical and physical properties of two industrial varieties of potato tubers that have a prominent role in the mechanised separation process from clods and stones were investigated. These properties include the physical dimension, mass, volume, sphericity, surface area, density, projected areas and Young's modulus. In addition, the static coefficient of friction and rolling resistance for tubers on five surface materials were determined. The tuber's size positively affected the physical and mechanical properties of the tubers. The frictional properties of the tubers were affected by the tuber size, the surface type, and the interaction between them. The results showed that most of the apparent properties for the Sante variety were greater than those of the Marfona variety. The static coefficient of friction for the tubers on a wood surface was the maximum and was the minimum value on a galvanized sheet, but for the tuber's rolling resistance, the results were inversed. The results proposed that the automatic separation of the potato tubers from the impurities using the properties of the crop is possible.

The aim of this study was to determine the suitable conservation treatments to control water erosion from skid trails in ShastKalate forests. Two longitudinal slopes of 20-40% and > 40% were considered as critical slopes for skid trails. Treatments of water diversion ruts, water diversion ruts filled with slash and stones were implemented on each slope. A rubber bar was installed at the end of the slope to convert runoff into collectors. Sampling was done during rainfall events in autumn and winter seasons. Findings indicated that the treatment of water diversion ruts filled with slash was better than the other treatments in the control of sediment and soil loss, especially in the slope class of 20-40%. In the slope class of > 40%, there was not any significant difference between treatments in sediment and soil loss control, but generally water diversion ruts filled with slash and stones were better in soil erosion control than water diversion ruts. In both slope classes, the rainfall intensity of 0.11 mm.h^-1 (2.64 mm in 24 h) was the threshold of soil erosion on skid trails. The control of water erosion of soil on skid trails by the operation of water diversions is a suitable treatment for conserving skid trails.

The drying process of vegetables is a widely used technique for food conservation. However, this process can be expensive, and the cost highly depends on the ventilation, drying temperature and drying characteristics of the chillies. The contribution of this new study was to obtain the drying kinetics parameters of two different types of Mexican Capsicum annuum (Puya and Mulato) and model it at different temperatures with two different ventilation levels. The aim of this study is to provide a method to analyse the cost of the drying process by studying its drying kinetics parameters. The experimental results were fitted to Weibull distribution and Newton's model, obtaining an adequate numerical fit at different drying temperatures. The Weibull distribution demonstrates to be a better fit than Newton's model. Drying kinetics parameters were also studied by a diffusive model with effective diffusivity. The effect of temperature on the diffusivity was described by the Arrhenius equation with activation energy of 49.7 kJ mol-1 for Puya and 24.1 kJ mol-1 for Mulato. The ventilation effect on chilli drying kinetics parameters was qualitatively assessed. As expected, the ventilation effect improved the drying rate and reduced the drying time, and consequently the cost of the drying process was reduced. In addition, a new method is presented to evaluate the cost of the drying process considering the kinetic parameters obtained. This new method allows evaluating the cost of the drying process in a simple way and with little experimental work. Consequently, it is possible to greatly reduce the cost of the drying process.

Avermectins are used in animals and humans for their broad-spectrum effects against parasites causing cytotoxicity and damage to the cellular DNA. In this study, we examined the toxicological changes of ivermectin (IVM) and doramectin (DME) with or without the co-administration of vitamin E (Vit. E) and selenium (Se). The drugs used were for animal use. Twenty-five adult male rats were divided into five groups. Group 1 (control) was given saline, Group 2 was given IVM (0.2 mg/kg b.w.), Group 3 was given IVM and Vit. E/Se (80/1.6 mg/kg b.w., respectively), Group 4 received DME (0.2 mg/kg b.w.), and Group 5 received DME and Vitamin E/Se. Both IVM and DME were given by subcutaneous injections whereas Vit. E and Se were given orally. All the treatments were given once per week throughout the eight weeks. Although the doses were off-label use, they were given in a long-term course to unveil their toxicity effects in a clear manner and the response of the amelioration. By 24-h after the 8^th week, the rats were sacrificed. Their blood was sampled for the haematological and serobiochemical examinations. Histopathological changes and caspase-3 were determined in the hepatic and renal tissues. The histopathological findings showed that Vit. E and Se reduced the cellular changes induced by IVM or DME, indicating that Vit. E and Se protect against both types of avermectins, and that DME was safer than IVM. The cytotoxicity was assessed on a human embryo kidney (HEK) and skin cells by the SRB/IC₅₀ method and AO/EB (acridine orange-ethidium bromide) staining. Both IVM and DME caused apoptosis in the cultured HEK more than in the skin cells (80% vs. 30%, respectively). The cellular apoptosis in response to the IVM was more than that of DME, and the use of Vit. E and Se reduced the cytotoxicity as observed by caspase-3, in vivo, and IC₅₀, in vitro.

The experiment aimed to obtain a quadratic regression mathematical model of the comprehensive evaluation score of yield, quality, and four macroelements (N, K, P and Ca). The suitable nutrient solution was chosen and verified via computer simulation of the model and the highest comprehensive score in all treatments. Results showed that P, K and Ca had a positive effect on the comprehensive evaluation value of tomato, whereas N showed a negative effect. The optimal formula calculated using the regression equation could promote high-yield and high-quality tomato. The single-plant yield, soluble protein, vitamin C, total sugar, lycopene, and elemental utilisation of K and Ca in the tomato were 13.93, 78.95, 3.29, 20.98, 51.91, 16.69 and 24.14% higher than those in the special formula treatment of Japanese Yamazaki tomato, respectively. In summary, the optimal nutrient solution formula of tomato cultivation was obtained, in which the N, P, K and Ca levels were 24.83, 4.50, 9.49 and 5.73 mmol/L, respectively.

A survey of the pond system in Veľké Blahovo, Dunajská Streda district, Slovak Republic, confirmed the occurrence of tapeworms in carp with a prevalence of 63.5% and mean intensity of 1.7 ± 2.72. The species Khawia sinensis and Atractolytocestus huronensis were identified. We attempted to reduce the occurrence of tapeworms using a medicated feed mixture (granules) with 1% fenbendazole as active substance under controlled conditions. Faeces collected from carp (K2) were examined and the presence of tapeworm eggs was confirmed by the flotation method. Positive carp were divided into three groups; each group, labelled F1 to F3, included 15 individuals. The carp were placed in concrete pools (storage ponds) nourished by fish pond water at the peak of the vegetation period from August 7-17, 2015. The medicated feed mixture was administered to the first two groups (F1 and F2), while the third group was fed with a non-medicated feed mixture and served as the control (F3). A single dose was administered to the F1 group; tapeworm prevalence 24 hours after administration in the F1 group was 26.66% with a mean intensity of 1.3 ± 0.57. The F2 group was fed three times in total with 24-hour intervals between feeding. Tapeworm prevalence 24 hours after the last administration in the F2 group was 13.33% with a mean intensity of 2.0 ± 0.77. The prevalence in the control group was 66.66% with a mean intensity of 2.2 ± 1.62. Khawia sinensis tapeworms responded well to fenbendazole, while A. huronensis tapeworms responded poorly and, despite repeated administration of the active substance, this species remained attached to the intestinal mucosa. When compared with the control group, the reduction in the number of tapeworms was statistically significant (P ≤ 0.05) in the F2 group; however, it was not statistically significant in the F1 group.

This study is aimed at describing the ovarian follicular dynamics, corpora lutea and their hormonal control during early pregnancy in Saanen goats. The ovaries of pregnant goats (n = 10) were monitored daily for follicles (≥ 2 mm) and corpora lutea by transrectal ultrasound over the 35 days after mating. Blood samples were collected by jugular venipuncture at the time of ultrasonography and were analysed for the concentrations of oestradiol (E₂) and progesterone (P₄), inhibin, FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone) and LH (luteinizing hormone). The pattern of follicular growth was characterised by five (n = 2; 20 %), six (n = 5; 50 %) and seven (n = 3; 30 %) follicular waves during early pregnancy. The first corpora lutea (size 6.8 ± 0.4 mm, mean + SEM) were detected at 5.0 ± 0.3 days after the mating with a maximum diameter (12.2 ± 0.3 mm) observed on day 24.0 ± 1.1 of pregnancy. The dominant follicle diameter of waves 1 and 4, and the duration of waves 1-4 and 7 were maximal during the early pregnancy period (P < 0.05). In addition, the inter-wave interval of the 5 waves was significantly (P < 0.05) longer compared to the six and seven inter-wave intervals (7.0 ± 0.1, 5.8 ± 0.1 and 5.0 ± 0.2 days, respectively). Although the number of small and medium-sized follicles did not differ with the days post-breeding, the number of large-sized follicles in the same period significantly decreased between 16 and 26 days and was negatively correlated with the period of pregnancy (P < 0.05). The plasma LH and E₂ concentrations were negatively correlated with the P₄ concentration. The inhibin concentrations were negatively correlated with FSH, but positively correlated with the number of large-sized follicles. These results indicate that ovarian follicular growth during the first 35 days of pregnancy in goats was characterised by a wave-like pattern and there was a close relationship between the number of FSH peaks and the number of follicular waves.

The African Grey parrot (Psittacus erithacus) is one of the most popular avian pets in exotic animal practice. In this study, blood samples (n = 459) from healthy African Grey parrots (n = 239) were collected for haematological testing. Reference intervals were determined according to the guidelines of the American Society of Veterinary Clinical Pathology with the Reference Value Advisor (v2.1) freeware. The calculated reference intervals (RIs) were: packed cell volume 38-59%; haemoglobin 105-154 g/l; RBC 2.3-3.3 10⁶/µl; MCV 145.5-199.7 fl; MHC 38.3-55.6 pg; MCHC 232-313 g/l; WBC 2.7-12.6 10³/µl; heterophils 1.2-10.2 10³/µl; lymphocytes 0.8-4.3 10³/µl; monocytes 0.0-0.6 10³/µl; basophils 0.0-0.1 10³/µl; eosinophils 0.0-0.2 10³/µl. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study in psittacines to use such a high number of birds and samples to establish haematological species-specific RIs, providing a valuable tool to professionals dealing with the health of African Grey parrots.

The aim of this study was to determine the proportion of feed consumed by pigs when they had the choice to meet their nutrient requirements offering a low (LND) or a high (HND) nutrient dense diet on animal performance and feeding behaviour. In total 120 barrows and gilts were allotted to three dietary treatments (LND, HND and a feed choice group, FC). Diets were calculated to keep a constant ratio of megajoule net energy (MJ NE) to nutrient standardised ileal digestible (SID) lysine, SID methionine and cysteine, SID threonine, SID tryptophan, Ca, available P and Na. Pigs of the feed choice treatment that could choose between LND and HND chose an energy content between 13.3 and 13.6 MJ ME or rather 10.1 and 10.4 MJ NE. The ratio between LND and HND changed during the growing period to a higher percentage of HND (26.2% : 73.8% in the starter, 22.0% : 78.0% in the grower and 20.0% : 80.0% in the finisher phase). No differences between barrows and gilts were detected regarding the selected diet. As a result, similar zootechnical performance data were observed for HND and FC, whereas LND led to a declined (P < 0.05) performance. Regarding the feeding behaviour no differences in the parameters meal size and daily feeder visits between LND and HND (P > 0.1) were observed. However, within the FC treatment more and greater meals were consumed (P < 0.05) at the HND feeder compared to the LND feeder. Pigs of modern genetics still have the ability to cover their nutrient requirements choosing between diets differing in nutrient density without impairing performance. Furthermore, the results give no indication for the necessity of different energy levels in diets for sexed pigs.

Coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) are a group of commensal microorganisms residing on the skin and mucous membranes of both humans and animals. Until recently, they have been regarded as non-pathogenic to livestock and companion animals, but since then, their clinical importance in veterinary medicine has increased with the discovery of their potential pathogenic roles in animals causing skin and soft tissue infections together with spontaneous abortions and mastitis. Scientific data concerning the presence of CoNS in North Cyprus are very limited. Therefore, the purpose of the study reported herein was to investigate the presence and antimicrobial resistance patterns of CoNS species isolated from various animals presented at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital in North Cyprus between July 2018 and 2019. Staphylococci were isolated from 37.0% (87/235) of the samples submitted, within which 60.9% (53/87) and 39.1% (34/87) were identified as coagulase-positive staphylococci (CoPS) and coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS), respectively. Among the CoNS, S. chromogenes was the most predominantly isolated species (14/34, 41.2%), followed by S. capitis (5/34, 14.7%) and S. simulans (4/34, 11.8%). Of these 34 CoNS, 24 (70.6%) and 10 (29.4%) were identified as MRCoNS and MSCoNS, respectively. The CoNS isolates showed relatively high levels of resistance towards amoxicillin/clavulanic acid (19/34, 55.9%), tetracycline (14/34, 41.2%) and penicillin (13/34, 38.2%). In conclusion, the presence of CoNS, especially MRCoNS, and the detection of multiple drug resistant (MDR) species with a high prevalence were regarded as being important since they might limit and have negative effects on the therapeutic treatment options of staphylococcal infections in animals, and might have both public and veterinary concerns.

The effect of plant heat-shock (HS) pre-treatment (40.5°C, 2 h) on Pseudoidium neolycopersici development in the susceptible and moderately resistant Solanum spp. genotypes was studied together with biochemical responses (endogenous concentrations of salicylic (SA), jasmonic (JA), abscisic acid (ABA), and peroxidase (POX) activity). In HS pre-treated S. lycopersicum, an acceleration of pathogen, chlorosis and necrosis development, strong SA, JA accumulation, and increased POX activity were detected. In S. chmielewskii, HS pre-treatment caused a slight suppression of pathogen development, increase in JA, ABA concentrations, and POX activity. HS accelerated and strengthened the development of symptoms and biochemical responses to the infection in the susceptible genotype in contrast to moderately resistant genotype with a robust defence response to an infection per se.

In order to alleviate the potential damage from climate change and fulfil the requirements contracted in the Paris Agreement (COP 24), China has promulgated the mandatory regulation on ethanol-blend gasoline to reduce current levels of CO2 emissions. Since large-scale bioenergy development involves various aspects such as feedstock selection (energy crops, crop wastes), technology alternatives (conventional and cellulosic ethanol, pyrolysis), government subsidy (land use, energy crop subsidy) and carbon trade mechanism, an analysis that integrates economic, environmental, and social effects is necessary to explore the optimal biofuel strategy and social effects. This study proposes a price endogenous, partial equilibrium mathematical programming model to investigate how the selection of bioenergy crops and bioenergy technologies influences the amount of net bioenergy production, carbon sequestration, government subsidies, and cultivation patterns. We show that the conjunctive use of agricultural wastes can be an effective addition to current biofuel production. The results also indicate that at high gasoline and emissions prices, more land used for the energy crop program results in a significant change in government expenditure. In addition, net emissions reduction and emissions offset efficiency can vary substantially when different bioenergy techniques are adopted.

The Magnaporthe oryzae isolate PO2 was proven to cause rice blast var. PSL 2 in this study. Chaetomium elatum, Chaetomium lucknowense and Chaetomium brasiliense were antagonised to M. oryzae. The hexane extract of C. brasiliense gave the highest inhibition of the spore production with an ED₅₀ of 35 ppm, the EtOAC extract of C. lucknowense inhibited the spore production at 57 ppm and the EtOAC extracts of C. elatum inhibited the spore production at 106 ppm. The nano-CLM (C. lucknowense) inhibited the spore production at 5.24 ppm, the nano-CBH (C. brasiliense) inhibited the spore production at 6.86 ppm and the nano-CEE (C. elatum) inhibited the spore production at 7.89 ppm. The rice leaves treated with nano-CBH from C. brasiliense produced Sakuranertin and Oryzalexin B as seen on the thin layer chromatography where the Rf value was 0.08 assumed to be Sakuranertin, and the Rf value of 0.28 supposed to be Oryzalexin B. It was found that the nanoparticles act as elicitors to induce immunity in rice plants through the production of phytoalexin.

There are several dietary supplements, particularly herbal foods, that have been used in an attempt to improve bone growth. In this study, we aim at determining the effects of low- and high-doses of Spirulina platensis, a "Superfood", on the bone growth and biomechanical indicators. Thirty Wistar rats, weighing 250 g, at the age of 7-8 weeks were assigned to three groups: The Control group (basal diet), Low-dose group (LDG; 500 mg/kg) and High-dose group (HDG; 1 000 mg/kg) of S. platensis. S. platensis was given daily by oral gavage in a 45-day-trial. At the end of the study, the right tibiae were collected and subjected to bone biomechanical tests (bone weight, bone length, maximum load, stiffness, breaking deflection, fracture toughness, post-yield displacement and yield load). Serum samples were also analysed for the calcium and phosphorus concentrations. There were significant increases in bone weight, bone length, maximum load, breaking deflection, work to fracture, post-yield displacement and yield load (P = 0.025, P = 0.019, P = 0.030, P = 0.015, P = 0.031, P = 0.028, P = 0.049, respectively), whereas stiffness non-significantly increased. However, there were no significant differences (P > 0.05) for any variables between the LDG and the HDG. Although the serum phosphorus concentrations showed no differences among any of the groups, the serum calcium concentration increased significantly in LDG compared to Control group (P = 0.009; 7.14 ± 0.47 and 9.45 ± 0.67, respectively). However, no differences were observed in HDG in terms of serum calcium. In conclusion, S. platensis had positive effects on the bone growth and biomechanical bone features. Therefore, our study supports the use of S. platensis as an alternative food additive for bone growth and health in growing animals.

Modern pig feeding systems allow the collection of highly detailed feeding data for each animal. These data enable the examination of individual feeding behaviours to assess an animal's wellbeing. As such, four different treatments ‒ undisturbed control, starving (no feed for 24 h, restrictive feeding), feed change (changes in feed composition) and social stress (exchanging of animals between the pens and short-term reduction of accessible water) ‒ were designed to simulate typical short-term disturbances in a practical stable routine. Each treatment was conducted over 2 pens with 12 animals each. Zootechnical performance and feed intake behaviour measures were assessed for each animal. Treatments did not affect zootechnical performance. Results showed that short-term disturbances did not influence feed intake behaviours, such as daily feed intake, amount of intake per feeder visit, number of daily feeder visits and daily feeding action with highest feed intake. Animals developed individual feeding patterns that persisted through artificial short-term disturbances. However, data suggested that an individual animal's behavioural pattern was strongly influenced by the group (pen) due to group dynamics among animals.

Plants under herbivore attack emit mixtures of volatiles that can attract the natural enemies of the herbivores. Entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) are organisms that can be used in the biological control of insect pests. Recent studies have shown that the movement of EPNs is associated with the detection of chemical stimuli from the environment. To date, several compounds that are responsible for the mediation in below ground multitrophic interactions have been identified. In the review, we discuss the use of EPNs in agriculture, the role of belowground volatiles and their use in plant protection programmes.

Salt stress is a major challenge for reforestation in arid to semi-arid regions. Therefore the effect of salt stress was tested in 4-months-old saplings of Eucalyptus camaldulensis under controlled conditions. Individuals were subjected to three levels of salt stress (2, 8, 16 d.Sm^-1) and several traits describing growth and dry weight production/allocation, as well as physiological attributes were measured. The results showed that salt stress had no impact on plant height or stem diameter. Number of leaves, number of branches, and leaf chlorophyll content decreased significantly under high salt stress treatment. Leaf dry weight decreased significantly, but root dry weight increased significantly from 6.22 to 8.24 g under high salt stress treatment. Total plant dry weight remained similar while the root/shoot ratio increased significantly under high salt stress treatment. The net CO₂ assimilation rate remained stable at ~ 10.1 mmol.m^-2.s^-1 and stomatal conductance decreased significantly to 79 mmol.m^-2.s^-1 under high salt stress. Consequently, water use efficiency increased significantly to 3.25 mmol.mol^-1 under high salt stress. Therefore we may conclude that the young Eucalyptus camaldulensis saplings can tolerate moderate salt stress by increasing dry weight allocation towards the root system and sustaining the CO₂ assimilation rate.

The tomato (Solanum lycopersicum Linnaeus) is one of the most important vegetable crops in the world. Still, there are phytopathogenic bacteria that cause a decrease in the yield or can kill the plant, like Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato (Pst), Xanthomonas vesicatoria (Xv), Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis (Cmm), Ralstonia solanacearum (Rs ) and Agrobacterium tumefeciens (At). Synthetic chemical fungicides are primarily used to control plant pathogenic bacteria, but their rapid growth makes them resistant to control. This research work is aimed at assessing the in vitro antibacterial activity of the ethanolic extract of Magnolia tamaulipana Vazquez leaves against Rs, Pst, Xv, Cmm, and At, as well as obtaining information about this plant species' chemical composition. The extract inhibited the growth of the five phytopathogenic bacteria that were tested. The growth inhibition rate ranged between 8.22 and 100%. The inhibitory concentration, IC₅₀₍₉₀₎, required to inhibit 50 (90%) of Pst, Xv, Cmm, and At bacterial growth, was 34.71 (39.62), 23.09 (441.88), 64.75 (176.73) and 97.72 (535.48) ppm, respectively. The phytochemical analysis detected the presence of phenols, tannins, terpenes, saponins. M. tamaulipana ethanolic extract has antimicrobial properties and it must be considered a new control agent.

We investigated the anther culture (AC) efficiency of thirteen F₄ combinations of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). The genotype dependency was assessed during the induction of the androgenic entities, i.e. embryo-like structures (ELS), regenerated-, green-, albino-, and transplanted plantlets. The number of green plantlets per 100 anthers (GP/100A) varied from 0.36 to 24.74 GP/100A with a mean of 8.31 GP/100A. Albino plantlets (AP) occurred in each combination, ranging from 0.20 to 22.80 AP/100A with an average value of 5.59 AP/100A. Between 25-87.76 doubled haploid (DH) plants per 100 acclimatised plantlets (DH/100ADP), depending on the combination, with a mean of 59.74% were recovered. We have found the highest DH production in the combinations Béres/Midas, Kalász/Tacitus, Béres/Pamier, and Premio/5009. This improves remarkably the choice of basic genetic material in subsequent crossing programmes. These observations emphasise the usability and efficiency of in vitro AC in producing a large number of DH lines for breeding and the applied researches of winter wheat. Although albinism was found in each combination, it was mitigated by the in vitro AC application.

Two varieties of palm date seeds (PDS), Sukkari and Khalas, were examined for their antioxidant and antibacterial activities. Total phenol content was 2 014.37 ± 212.05 and 2 060.40 ± 176.0 mg GAE 100 g-1 dry weight (DW); and total flavonoid content was 83.98 ± 1.10 and 94.97 ± 1.36 mg QE 100 g-1 DW for Sukkari and Khalas, respectively. PDS extracts showed potential scavenging activity against ABTS, DDPH, and hydroxyl radical; the calculated IC50s were 431.17 ± 12.45, 400 ± 10.87 and 680 ± 18.12 µg for Sukkari, and 476 ± 20.25, 302.24 ± 14.08 and 284.18 ± 11.62 µg for Khalas, respectively. PDS extracts did not show potential activity against superoxide anion. Both extracts showed a high percentage of reducing power as the calculated FRAP (ferric reducing antioxidant power) concentrations were 12.66 ± 1.08 and 16.14 ± 1.94 mmol ascorbic acid equivalent 100 g-1 for Sukkari and Khalas, respectively. Bacillus subtilis showed a remarkable sensitivity to PDS extracts; the inhibition zones were 21 ± 0.82 and 22 ± 0.67 mm for Sukkari and Khalas, respectively. PDS extracts possess good antioxidant and antibacterial activity, and therefore PDS could be effectively used as a natural source of antioxidants and to be detected against gram-positive bacteria.

The novelty of this project is to describe how chronic diabetes altered the haematological and uterine indicators in a time dependent-manner that were reversed by camel milk (CM) therapy in pregnant and non-pregnant rat models. Fifty-four female rats were divided into three groups: Placebo (N), diabetic control (DC) and diabetic treated (DT) with CM at 40 ml/kg/24 h for 90 days. A single intact male was introduced into every group for mating at day 60 of the experiment. The sample collection was undertaken at day 30 and 60 of the non-pregnant rats and at day 90 immediately after parturition for the pregnant rats. At every collection, the dam's blood, as well as the uteri and neonatal kidneys were collected and subjected to a paraffin tissue preparation technique for a histological evaluation. The data revealed that at day 30, the uterine endo- and myometrium remained unaffected by diabetes, but at day 60, a significant reduction in the uterine indicators from diabetes was observed. However, the CM restored the uterine histology in the DT. At 90 day, chronic diabetes showed (P < 0.05) a harmful effect on the pregnant uterus which was reversed (P < 0.05) by the CM. The RBC (red blood cell) indices, platelets, and leucocyte counts were severely affected by the diabetes and protected by the CM at every point of collection. The kidney tissues of the neonate rats, delivered by the dams, in the DC presented a significant (P < 0.05) shrinkage in the cortex and glomeruli while the CM potentially reversed these changes. These results will help to understand the chronic diabetes effects on the uterus and neonate's renal genesis, and the role of camel milk in the management of chronic pre-gestational diabetes.