Objectives: Avian lymphatic system plays a very significant role in immunity as well as disease control. This research aimed to investigate the histomorphological changes and involution of the thymus of Sonali chicken at different post-natal stages in Bangladesh as the age-related changes of the thymus of Sonali chicken were not described before. Materials and methods: A gross and microscopic investigation was performed on the thymus of 25 healthy Sonali chickens representing different stages of post-natal life: days 1, 14, 28, 42, and 56. Experimental chickens were sacrificed by cervical subluxation, and the thymus was collected and subjected for both the gross and histological studies. The histological changes were examined with light microscopy after H&E staining. Results: The thymus was located in close association of the jugular vein, having a long chain of thy¬mic lobes, 58 lobes on each side. The statistically significant age-related changes were observed (p < 0.05). All gross parameters (weight, length, width, and thickness) found to be increased up to day 42. On day 56, the growth was found to decline from the previous groups. The microscopic observations revealed the same pattern of changes such as gross parameters, i.e., continuously increased till day 42 and then declined (p < 0.05). At day 56, the involutory signs such as partial loss of interlobular septa and accumulation of adipose tissue in connective tissue septa were found. Conclusion: It is well known that in chicken, after a certain period, the thymus got involuted. In Sonali chicken of Bangladesh, the age of involution was notified at day 56/8th week of the post-natal stage, which was correlated both in macro- and microscopic observations. [J Adv Vet Anim Res 2020; 7(2.000): 324-330]

Objective: Mastitis is considered as an economically important disease of dairy buffaloes in Asia. This study examined the mastitis milk and nasal swab samples for the detection and genotyping of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in water buffaloes. Materials and Methods: Staphylococcus aureus was identified based on biochemical tests and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) detection of nuc gene, whereas MRSA on mecA gene. The disc diffusion test was used to determine the antibiotic resistance and staphylococcal cassette chro¬mosome mec (SCCmec), spa, and multilocus sequence typing for the genotyping of isolates. Results: Staphylococcus aureus was detected on 39/93 milk (41.94%) and 27/384 nasal swab (7.03%) samples. However, only nine isolates (23.08%) harbored the mecA gene from milk sam¬ples and three isolates (11.11%) from the nasal carriage. All MRSA isolates exhibited resistance to cefoxitin and penicillin, whereas 50% were found resistant to clindamycin. All these isolates were found susceptible to sulfa-trimethoprim and chloramphenicol, whereas the majority of the isolates were susceptible to gentamicin, ciprofloxacin, tetracycline, and rifampicin. The SCCmec types of the MRSA isolates were type IVc (50.00%), type II (8.33%), type I (8.33%), and non-typea¬ble (33.33%). The spa types and sequence type (ST) identified were t019 (ST30), t701 (ST1649), t311 (ST5), t657 (ST1148), t015 (ST508), t1939 (ST12), t800 (ST9), t091 (ST2454), t138 (ST5991), and t1642 (ST5992). Conclusion: Milk and nasal swab samples from dairy water buffaloes were found positive for MRSA. The MRSA isolates were still susceptible to most antibiotics tested. Moreover, the gen¬otypes of some MRSA isolates were found similar to some human MRSA strains, suggesting a possible human to animal transmission. [J Adv Vet Anim Res 2020; 7(3.000): 397-406]

Objectives: Knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) of rabies in the community are essential for developing post-exposure behavioral treatment and for understanding current prevention and control policy on rabies. This was a cross-sectional study in Gaibandha Sadar, a northern district of Bangladesh, investigating the level of KAP about rabies. Materials and methods: A total of 368 interviewed respondents, of whom 280 (76.09%) were male, and 88 (23.91%) were female. A structured questionnaire was used for the data collection from respondents on socio-demographic information and KAP regarding rabies. The data analyzed with STATA-IC-11.0 and the association of independent variables with rabies KAP scores were cal¬culated using Pearsons Chi-square. Results: Most respondents had adequate KAP levels and positive thoughts on rabies prevention. The KAP scores were strongly associated with education and employment status (p < 0.05). Most respondents said that stray dogs are a headache in the area and believed that control of the dog population in Gaibandha is essential. Conclusion: These outcomes also revealed that there is an information gap about rabies that might improve by developing an education program for awareness. [J Adv Vet Anim Res 2020; 7(3.000): 414-420]

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the comparative larvicidal efficacy of com¬mercial ylang-ylang (Cananga odorata) essential oils from India and Thailand against the Aedes aegypti mosquito to be used as a guideline for Aedes mosquito control. Materials and Methods: The bioassay for the larvicidal activity of commercial ylang-ylang essen¬tial oils in this experiment was modified from the World Health Organization standard protocols. The concentration ranges at 0.025, 0.050, 0.075, 0.100, 0.125, and 0.150 ppm in each treatment were used for testing, and four replicates were used per concentration. The larval mortality was observed and recorded 24- and 48-h after exposure. Results: The results of this study clearly revealed that commercial ylang-ylang essential oils from India and Thailand were highly toxic to the larvae of the dengue vector Ae. aegypti, and Indian ylang-ylang had an LC50 value of 0.064 ppm, whereas Thai ylang-ylang had an LC50 value of 0.042 ppm after 24-h exposure. Conclusion: This study revealed the efficacy of commercial Indian and Thai ylang-ylang essential oils as natural vector control for the larval stage of the dengue vector Ae. aegypti. Usually, natural larvicide products are not commonly found in the market due to complex production processes. The results of this research support the use of commercial essential oils to aid in further control of Aedes mosquito larvae populations in the community. [J Adv Vet Anim Res 2020; 7(3.000): 391-396]

Objective: The objectives of this study were to determine the biofilm-forming capability and anti¬microbial susceptibility of Escherichia coli recovered from bovine endometritis samples. Materials and Methods: A total of 120 uterine specimens were collected from cows suffering from endometritis for bacteriological examination. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was carried out for all isolated E. coli by using the disc diffusion method. The isolates were phenotypically studied for biofilm-forming ability by cultivation on yeast extract -casamino acids Congo red agar (CRA). Some randomly selected isolates were chosen for the molecular identification of some virulence and resistance genes. Results: A total of 58(48.3%) E. coli isolates could be isolated from the 120 samples. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing exhibited that 91.4%, 79.3%, 79.3%, 74.1%, and 58.6% of the isolates were sensitive to gentamicin, amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, ciprofloxacin, cephalexin, and sulfamethox¬azole-trimethoprim, respectively. On the other hand, 91.4% and 70.7% isolates were resistant to cefotaxime and doxycycline, respectively. Cultivation on CRA revealed that 46.6% of isolates were biofilm producers. The molecular detection of resistance and virulence genes declared that all iso¬lates harbored blaTEM, sul1, tetA, qnrS, blaCTX-M, and fimH with a percentage of 100%, papC (40%), and hlyA (10%). FimH was the most prevalent biofilm-associated gene. Conclusion: The present study highlights the high prevalence of multi-drug- resistant E. coli asso¬ciated with bovine endometritis. The detection of the fimH gene is circumstantial evidenced that this gene has a crucial role in biofilm formation in intrauterine pathogenic E. coli. [J Adv Vet Anim Res 2020; 7(3.000): 442-451]

Objective: The aim of this research is to investigate the relationship level of oxytocin released and the tactile stimulation of the cervix in Holstein cattle from the northwestern arid regions in Mexico. Materials and Methods: The cervixes of 10 Holstein Friesian dairy cows in mid-lactation were manually stimulated for 60 sec. Oxytocin released in the blood was analyzed before and after stimulation. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used in the analysis to make oxytocin detectable by spectrometry techniques and by converting the luminescence absorbance of each sample into pg per mol. Results: The study revealed that tactile stimulation of the cervix increased oxytocin levels. The highest increase in oxytocin level was 10,940.8222 pg/mol, while the lowest increase in oxytocin level was 1,830.94254 pg/mol. Besides, the milk production by tactile stimulation of the cervix had a higher milk yield and a p-value of 9.4 × 10−4 (p < 0.05) in comparison to the monthly average without tactile stimulation. Conclusion: Tactile stimulation of the cervix activates the Ferguson reflex and increases the oxyto¬cin released in the blood and increases the milk released from the alveolar glands. [J Adv Vet Anim Res 2020; 7(4.000): 608-613]

Objective: In recent years, lead (Pb) has arisen as a foremost contaminant due to overpopulation, rapid industrialization, and expansion that could contaminate the human food chain. However, the correlation between the environmental contamination of Pb and its spatial transfer to the dairy products is still unmapped. In this paper, we intend to evaluate the concentration of environ¬mental Pb and its spatial distribution in dairy feed and products in Narayangonj, a highly polluted district of Bangladesh. Materials and Methods: A total of 125 samples of soil, water, forage, and milk were collected from five upazilas (Narayangonj Sadar, Bondor, Rupgonj, Araihazar, and Sonargoan) of Narayangonj. The samples were digested by acid digestion, and Pb was detected by flame atomic absorption spectrophotometer and graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometer. The bioconcentration factor of the samples was also calculated. Results: In this study, 25% of the soil, 20% of the water, 5% of the forage, and 2% of the milk samples contained Pb at a variable level. Among the environmental samples, the highest concen¬tration (2639 μg/kg) of Pb was detected in the soil, followed by in the water (0.0230.059 μg/ kg) and forage (0.0170.035 μg/kg). The contamination (0.0410.068 μg/kg) in the milk, however, was lower than the soil but higher than the water and forage. The concentration of Pb in all the samples was within a safer limit. None of the forage samples was the potential bioaccumulator. Conclusion: Although no linear correlation was established between the environmental samples, forage, and milk, the study identifies the potentials of the spatial distribution of Pb from the environment to the dairy feed and products. Therefore, feasible procedures should be adapted to cease the residue to the human food chain. [J Adv Vet Anim Res 2020; 7(4.000): 621-625]

Objective: This study aimed at determining the existence of oils and fats in ghee manufactured in Bangladesh and to validate the nature of the impurity. Materials and Methods: In this study, a ghee sample was prepared in the laboratory by follow¬ing standard methods and was used as a control sample. On the other hand, 19 ghee samples, including five branded samples (B1B5), and 14 local samples (L1L14) were collected from dif¬ferent manufacturers. The ghee samples were assessed for fat composition, Reichert Meissl (RM), saponification, Polenske, acid, Kirschner, and butyro refractometer (BR) values. To validate the ghee samples, vegetable oils and body fats were mixed in different ratios and then analyzed. Results: All the branded samples contained more than 99.5% fat, but only three local samples showed more than 97% fat. Admixing of soybean oil and coconut oil in different ratios showed the RM value from 1.57 ± 0.09 to 4.14 ± 0.21, whereas incorporation of hydrogenated vegetable oils and tallow showed 6.36 ± 0.03 to 14.10 ± 0.14. Nine local samples revealed RM values similar to external fat admixed samples. B2, B4, B5, L2L8, and L10L14 samples saponification values differed from the standard limits. Polenske, acid, Kirschner values and BR reading for L4, L6, L7, L8, L10, L12, L13, and L14 showed the worst results. All values varied significantly (p < 0.01). Conclusion: Local samples, L4, L6, L7, L8, L10, L12, L13, and L14, were assumed to be adulterated with external oils and fats. The quality of local ghee is questionable, as the samples contained more than 8% moisture, whereas pure ghee had less than 0.5% moisture. [J Adv Vet Anim Res 2020; 7(4.000): 678-684]

Objective: To evaluate the use of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in the attenuation of canine atopic dermatitis (AD). Materials and methods: Sixteen dogs were selected and divided into three groups, mild, moder¬ate, and severe, according to the Canine Atopic Dermatitis Extent and Severity Index (CADESI-4). They were evaluated for 82 days. The protocol recommended in this experiment was to inject 2 × 106/kg bodyweight of MSCs in all groups by the intravenous route with intervals of applications of 21 days. The degree of pruritus was evaluated by examining the visual analog scale, the CADESI-4, the histopathology of the skin, hematological and biochemical parameters, the pyogenic effect of MSCs, and the thickness of the epidermis. Results: There was a significant difference in the reduction of epidermal thickness in the moder¬ate and severe groups. Hematological, biochemical, and body temperature parameters remained within normal limits for the species with no side effects Conclusion: MSCs attenuated the clinical signs of AD. [J Adv Vet Anim Res 2020; 7(3.000): 554-565]

Objective: Granulosa cells (GCs) play a very important role in reproductive physiology due to their effect on developmental and functional changes. However, there are differing views regard¬ing the mechanism by which hormones stimulate GCs. Therefore, our study aims to determine whether GCs, in the absence of initial stimulation (17β-estradiol), select specific types of MMPs that reconstitute cells by stimulation of major hormones [follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) or/ and luteinizing hormone (LH)]. Materials and methods: Early GCs were extracted from immature follicles of the porcine ovary to analyze the MMPs levels. Using early GCs in pigs, the cell development rate was evaluated by add¬ing 17β-estradiol, FSH, LH, or FSH + LH, respectively, to the DMEM containing 10% FBS. Real-time PCR, zymography, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, western blot, and immunofluorescence analysis were also performed to determine the MMPs activation in the GCs. Results: Our results confirm that FSH or LH stimulation regulates cell development and intracel¬lular MMPs. In particular, FSH activity kept the MMP-2 and MMP-9 expressions constant in GCs. Conversely, LH activity initially led to rapid increases in the MMP-9 expression, which 96 h later was similar to the MMP-2 expression. Simultaneous utilization of FSH + LH maintained a steady MMP-9 expression and the development of GCs increased. Additionally, when FSH and LH were processed simultaneously, the number of cells increased without changes in cell size, while the cell size changed when LH alone was used. Conclusion: Therefore, the results of this study confirm that even without the initial stimulation of GCs, physiological changes occur according to hormonal changes in the environment, and there is variability in the expression of MMPs. [J Adv Vet Anim Res 2020; 7(2.000): 367-373]