Innovations in Biological Science Vol. 8

Natural products are the major sources of bioactive compounds with vast applications in medicine, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, food industry, textile industry, and cosmetic industry. Chromolaena odorata is a medicinal plant that possesses several therapeutic properties, including antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, anticancer and antioxidant, and has been used in traditional medicine by different ethnic groups in various parts of the world. Study on distribution, diversity, antifungal activity and biochemical analysis of endophytic fungi is the primary focus of this chapter. In this study, endophytic fungi were isolated from the leaves, stems, roots, and inflorescence of C. odorata and identified based on morphological properties. Nineteen sporulating endophytic fungi belonging to 9 genera were obtained. The highest Isolation rate was found in the stem part (34.75%); the highest overall Colonization frequency (%) was shown by Chaetomium globosum (8.51%); the maximum Infection rate was found in root segments (77.86%); and the maximum number of isolates belong to Sordariomycetes, showing 43.50%. The highest degree of diversity was recorded in the leaf part having Simpson’s diversity value of 0.99. Petri plate dual culture antifungal activity has shown that all the sporulating isolates possess antifungal properties. The qualitative biochemical analysis reveals that all the endophytic fungi produce flavonoids and phenols. This indicates that endophytic fungi are a storehouse of natural compounds. Exploring the diverse potential of endophytic fungi through research on their biological activities and secondary metabolites using Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and Nuclear magnetic resonance are promising areas for future scientific investigation.

Chromium and Nickel are widely used in electroplating to manufacture imitation ornaments, parts of automobiles, ovens and many other domestic and commercial uses. Excessive use of above indicated heavy metals for electroplating has caused pollution of soil and water. All concentrations of Chromium and Nickel used were found inhibitory to seedling growth. Study of different sites of Chromium and Nickel Varanasi (Basahi) plating industry effluents on germination and growth of Cicer arietinum cv. G-130 and Cicer arietinum cv. For seedling growth studies, pre-radicle emergence treatment seeds were pre-treated with three sites (Site-I, Site-II and Site-III) of factory effluent solutions. H-208 leguminous crop plants were carried out. Chromium and Nickel-plating effluents used from three sites were inhibitory for seed germination for all the cultivars of the test plants. The maximum inhibition in seed germination and growth was reported in site I where as it was maximum concentration. Among two cultivars of Cicer arietinum cv. H-208 was found to be more susceptible to Chromium and Nickel-plating effluent toxicity than cv. G-130. In this way, differential responses were shown by above stated genotypes of Cicer arietinum to Chromium and Nickel-plating effluent toxicity.

Aim: To the present study aimed to develop and standardize the sausages prepared from the meat of spent broiler breeder hens and also to improve the functionality by using ground peanut seed as a partial animal fat substitute based on physicochemical, proximate, and sensory properties of the product.

Background: The fatty acid profile of meat and meat products can be changed by supplementing animal feeds with monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) or by adding different lipids into meat products during processing.

Methodology: The present work was done at the Department of Livestock Products Technology, College of Veterinary Science, Tirupati, Chittoor District, Andhra Pradesh India. The duration of the study was 2 years (2018 to 2019). The study conducted six numbers of trials to develop and standardize functional chicken sausages fortified with ground peanut seed by utilizing cheaply available meat from spent broiler breeder hens. Ground peanut seed was used at three different levels as a fat replacer in order to study the influence of its addition on the physicochemical, proximate, fatty acid composition, and sensory evaluation of functional chicken sausages.

Results: Results showed that functional chicken sausages fortified with ground peanut seed at 10% level were found to have significantly (P<0.05) higher pH, cooking yield, emulsion stability, hardness, crude protein, crude fiber, total ash, PUFA/SFA ratio, mono and polyunsaturated fatty acids and significantly lower moisture, crude fat, cholesterol and saturated fatty acids when compared to the control and rest of the peanut seed fortified sausages with no significant difference was observed in sensory scores. Linoleic and oleic acid percent of low-fat chicken sausages increased with increased level of addition of ground peanut seed and highest value was recorded in T3 sausages.

Conclusion: Replacing chicken fat with ground peanut seeds makes it possible to develop a healthy fatty acid profile and fiber-enriched chicken sausages. It is concluded that ground peanut seed will be the better alternative to replace chicken fat to develop functional chicken sausages with a healthy fatty acid profile and rich fiber content without affecting consumer acceptability.

The present study was planned to generate scientific baseline data on prenatal development of teeth in goat. The mammalian dentition is classified as heterodont dentition because the teeth develop differently in each region of the mouth according to their use and are grouped into incisors, canines, premolars, and molars. For the present investigation, a total of 42 representative goat fetuses were taken and they were prepared for incisor block and hemisections of head. After preparation, they were radiographed in dorso-ventral and latero-medial projection, respectively. The sequential progression of development of deciduous incisors was found as Di1, Di2, Di3, Di4. The beginning of crown formation was detected at the 12th, 13th, 14th, and 15th week for Di1, Di2, Di3 and Di4 in goat fetuses, respectively. The complete crown formation and beginning of root formation were detected at 18th, 19th, 20th, and 21st weeks for Di1, Di2, Di3 and Di4, respectively. All deciduous incisor teeth had roots at different stages of development at full term, but none had fully developed. The current investigation found bilateral symmetry in the development of the goat fetuses' deciduous incisor teeth. No radiological evidence was found to support the development of permanent incisor teeth in the upper and lower jaw or upper deciduous incisors. The scientific baseline data generated from the present study on various radiographic developmental stages of deciduous incisor teeth could be utilized as a guideline to estimate age in goat fetuses from the 12th week to full term. The present investigation revealed bilateral symmetry in deciduous incisor teeth development in goat fetuses. There was no any radiographic indication for development of upper deciduous incisors as well as permanent incisor teeth in the upper and lower jaw.

An experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of gossypol on the growth and protein content of animal cells in culture. Four treatments examined were To = cells + media, Te = cells + ethanol, Tgl = cells + 5 \(\mu\)M gossypol, and TgH = cells + 20 \(\mu\)M gossypol. Total protein was examined spectrophotometrically and the cell cultures were established according to a standard method at Tissue Culture Laboratory Aberdeen University Scotland United Kingdom (UK). Gossypol was obtained from Sigma, Ltd., Poole, Dorset, UK. Secondary 3T3 animal cells and reagents standard medium were obtained from Life Technologies Ltd. Paisley, UK. The results of this experiment indicated that the presence of gossypol 5 \(\mu\)M and 20 \(\mu\)M inhibited (p<0.01) the cell growth and the protein content of the animal cells in culture. However, the cells appeared to adapt to the presence of gossypol 5 \(\mu\)M in culture. Gossypol 20 \(\mu\)M (TgH) completely stopped the increase in number of the cells. It was concluded that the protein content of animal cells in culture was adversely affected by gossypol probably due to protein-gossypol binding which reduced protein availability for growth and protein synthesis. It is considered that gossypol may be used as an anticancer agent.

Teat injuries in dairy cattle are often responsible for premature culling of affected cows. Teat injuries are responsible for great economic loss in dairy animals especially in high yielders if not treated promptly. This paper reports and describes the surgical management of deep bilateral longitudinal teat laceration in a cow. A 5.5-year-old Holstein Friesian crossbred cattle was presented with a history of traumatic injury by barbed metallic wire on the right fore-teat six hours before. Clinical examination revealed full-thickness, bilateral, longitudinal laceration of the same teat, extending from the base of the teat to the distal teat orifice with leakage of milk. The animal was active and alert with vital parameters recorded within the normal physiological range. Prompt reconstructive surgery was performed under sedation and local anesthesia to repair the laceration. The closure of the teat cistern was performed by suturing the laceration in a three-layer suture pattern. The outer-most skin layer was apposed with braided silk No. 1-0 in a simple interrupted suture pattern. Post-operative care included intramammary and systemic antibiotic therapy with NSAID for five consecutive days along with daily antiseptic dressing of the wound and regular drainage of milk via the fixed infant feeding tube in the teat cistern. The animal had shown uneventful recovery without any complication with the removal of skin suture on the 10^th post-operative day and started hand milking of the teat on the 20^th postoperative day. Surgical affections of the teat are best operated during the first 12 hrs. following injury because adequate reconstruction of the tissue becomes very difficult in later stages due to the development of severe inflammation.

The present study aims to find the therapeutic efficacy of different drugs in combination with ursodeoxycholic acid to find an effective therapeutic protocol for canine hepatic dysfunction.

Liver dysfunction in dogs presents significant challenges to veterinary practice, with clinical symptoms ranging from modest to severe. The clinical manifestations of hepatic disorders are frequently nonspecific. Dogs with hepatic dysfunction may present with a number of clinical signs, including anxious symptoms such as polydipsia, polyuria, lethargy, ascites, jaundice, and nervous disorders. For the development of optimised treatment strategies, this study was conducted at the College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, G.B.P.U.A. & T. Pantnagar, U.S. Nagar (Uttarakhand) from September 2021 to April 2022 in dogs diagnosed with hepatic dysfunction. The study involved a therapeutic trial on dogs with liver impairment. 18 dogs diagnosed with hepatic dysfunction were divided into three groups, i.e., B, C, and D. Each group received different therapeutic protocols, and changes in hematobiochemical profiles were observed and compared before and after treatment. Dogs in Group B received ursodeoxycholic acid, Group C received ursodeoxycholic acid and silymarin while Group D received ursodeoxycholic acid and L-ornithine L-aspartate. Haematological and biochemical parameters were evaluated at presentation and after 21 days of treatment. Ursodeoxycholic acid demonstrated efficacy in improving biochemical parameters, with additional benefits observed when combined with L-ornithine, L-Aspartate, or Silymarin. Group D exhibited the most significant improvement, suggesting the effectiveness of combination therapy. In this study, a combination of ursodeoxycholic acid and L-ornithine L-aspartate was found to be more effective as a therapeutic agent in canine hepatic dysfunction, followed by a combination of ursodeoxycholic acid and silymarin and ursodeoxycholic acid as an individual therapeutic agent.

These findings underline the importance of regular monitoring and appropriate therapeutics in managing hepatic dysfunction in dogs, with combination therapies offering enhanced recovery through hepatoprotective, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory mechanisms. The study can contribute to the selection of good therapeutic medicines that can be used in combination with ursodeoxycholic acid in dogs with hepatic dysfunction.

Feed is an essential element in animal husbandry, and silage is increasingly becoming the top choice in providing quality feed to ruminants. In this context, an overview of the use of legume leaves in improving the quality of silage attracts attention for its potential in increasing the nutritional value of feed. The purpose of this review was to explore the advantages, challenges, and strategies associated with the use of legume leaves in silage for ruminants. Leguminosae, with its ability to nitrogen fixation, offers a major advantage in the provision of protein and another significant role of improving silage qualities. However, challenges such as diversity of legume species, proper silage management, how to procure it efficiently and toxicity are factors to consider. Necessary strategies include selection of suitable varieties, increased cultivation of legumes, and application of effective silage conservation technologies and addressing risks. The implication of this review is that the use of legume leaves in silage has enormous potential to improve ruminant feed quality, which in turn can increase livestock productivity. In the livestock industry, this can lead to improved production efficiency and animal welfare. While in the context of research, this broadens horizons about innovative feed strategies. The conclusions and recommendations of this review affirm the importance of further research in this area as well as the need to develop policies that support the use of legume leaves in silage to strengthen the sustainability and production efficiency of ruminant animals.

The independent hereditary factors, such as Mendelian genes, are not sufficient for the existence and operation of genetic systems. The hereditary factors of a different type were searched for. A new class of mutations, referred to as conditional mutations, was discovered in Drosophila melanogaster. Such a mutation dies in a restrictive genotype but survives and reproduces in a permissive genotype. Besides their conditional nature, mutations in a permissive genotype display a set of specific features that drastically distinguish them from conventional mutations, namely, they are (1) dominant; (2) as a rule, lethal; (3) drastically decrease fertility; (4) interact with chromosomal rearrangements; (5) switch the genome from a stable to an unstable state; (6) increase the basal metabolism; (7) induce modifications and morphoses; (8) their manifestation is inherited in a parental manner. The total number of experiments was performed from 2000 to recover conditional mutations in D. melanogaster is 8. As a result, 60 conditional dominant lethals were identified in the X chromosome, 10 in chromosome 2, and 4 in chromosome 3. Six mutations had visible phenotypes.

Four properties of these mutations—conditional manifestation together with (1), (4), and (8) suggest that the mutant genes (1) are segments of DNA, (2) their products are RNA duplexes (3) active in germ cells and (4) repeated in the genome. The emergence of morphoses in mutants suggests that the genes are involved in the control of ontogeny. Correspondingly, these genes were named ontogenes. Thus, the genetic system comprises the genes working according to a DNA–RNA–protein script and the ontogenes following a DNA–RNA script. The first entity is engaged in the production of the "building material" for the organism, proteins, while the second entity controls this process during the preparation of the individual developmental program. These different functions of genes depend on the type of transcript formed from DNA as well as the time and place of its origin in DNA. In conclusion, three independent lines of evidence suggest that an enigmatic class of non-Mendelian genes (ontogenes) is present in the genome: first, efficient screening tools and the resulting collections of mutants; second, highly unusual properties of the obtained mutations; and third, unusual temporal and tissue specificities of when these mutations work.

Morphogenesis consists of the process of increasing the number of cells and the process of activation of protein synthesis in cells. Mendelian protein-coding genes are responsible for protein synthesis. As for the genes responsible for the construction of ensembles consisting of cells, they are not known. In 2000, a new class of mutations was discovered in D. melanogaster, which were called conditional. The genes responsible for the formation of these mutations were called ontogenes. Based on the results of the research on conditional mutations in D. melanogaster, we attempt to figure out the biological role of ontogenes. We conclude that ontogenes in the process of individual development control the construction of the living organisms of cells (cellular construction), which comprises the induction of cell division, determination of division plane, and the location of daughter cells after the division is completed. According to the data obtained, the morphogenesis process is controlled by ontogenes and Mendelian genes. Protein synthesis is controlled by protein-coding (Mendelian) genes. Mendelian genes are switched on by ontogenes. In terms of the two-component genome composed of Mendelian genes and ontogenes, we consider 1) the concept of biological character; 2) interspecific incompatibility; 3) ontogenesis; 4) phylogenesis; and 5) mutagenesis. Ontogenes, which control cellular construction, possess the specific features unusual for Mendelian genes, namely, 1) the activity in germ line tissue; 2) remote interaction; and 3) activity in a compacted state (heterochromatization). These specific features of ontogenes suggest that, unlike the Mendelian genes with their chemical activity, ontogenes possess another type of activity (biophysical) involving the induction of an electromagnetic field.

Background: Hepatitis B virus, as a member of the Hepadnaviridae family, causes acute and chronic hepatitis in humans. In low-income countries with a high burden of hepatitis B and C viruses, it is important to develop inexpensive but effective strategies to diagnose and treat hepatitis. The aim of this study is to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of the serum hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and that of the HBeAg envelope of the different tests used in the south of the DR Congo compared to the reference laboratory method.

Methods: This is a cross-sectional descriptive study conducted in the Democratic Republic of Congo precisely in the province of Haut-Katanga, the case of the city of Lubumbashi, Likasi and that of Likasi. By identifying tests in medical structures and collecting data on the principle of the test, antigen preparation, manufacturer, sensitivity, and specificity. These tests were further evaluated using samples previously evaluated by DNA PCR, sixty-five of which had non-detected results and twenty-one detected for the calculation of the evaluation parameters of a diagnostic test.

Results: 17 HBsAg tests were identified, 12 of which had a mention of antigenic preparation consisting of monoclonal and polyclonal AntiHBsAg antibodies and for which the Sensitivity for the test was 93.65%, specificity of 99.35% for a PPV of 97.92% and an NPV of 97.97%; and for the 5 which did not mention it, the values are respectively: 90% for sensitivity, 92.87% for specificity, 87.09% for PPV and 92.87% NPV. The evaluation of the HBeAg test compared to the HBV DNA PCR gave a sensitivity of 61.84%, a specificity of 78.55%, a PPV of 18.65% and an NPV of 96.28% for the tests including antigenic preparation mentioned and 57.14% of sensitivity, 76.689% specificity, 7.61% PPV and 097.55% NPV for tests which do not mention any.

Conclusion: The rapid tests used for HBsAg screening have low sensitivity compared to WHO recommendations and specificity within the standards. In low-income countries with a hepatitis B virus load, such as DR Congo, it is necessary to choose a screening test that is highly effective, easy to use, less expensive and gives rapid and accurate results. There is an urgent need to develop HBeAg RDTs with improved sensitivity, suitable for use in sub-Saharan Africa and validated with locally prevalent HBV genotypes, to facilitate effective screening programs, treatment, and prevention of HBV.