The present study was aimed to assess the seroprevalence of brucellosis in sheep of Cauvery Delta region by collecting serum samples from apparently healthy sheep and sheep with the history of abortion. Serum samples from a total of about 123 animals including 64 from apparently healthy animals, 54 from animals with previous history of abortion and 5 from aborted animals were subjected to serological tests like Rose Bengal Plate Test (RBPT), Standard Plate Agglutination Test (SPAT) and indirect Enzyme Linked Immuno-sorbent Assay (i-ELISA). Molecular identification was carried out with the aborted materials from 5 animals with Bcsp31 gene. The prevalence rate of Brucellosis was 26.01 %, 22.76 % and 41.46 % by RBPT, SPAT and i-ELISA respectively. Among the 5 aborted animals, two were found to be positive for brucellosis with all the four diagnostic tests. Among the three serological tests, the highest seroprevalence of 41.46 % was observed when i-ELISA was used. However, RBPT was considered to be cost effective and easy to test. Hence, from this study it can be concluded that periodical screening of animals with cost effective serological tests for diseases like brucellosis, which is of economic and public health significance is mandatory to prevent the disease outbreak and economic loss to thefarmers.

Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease caused by pathogenic species of Leptospira interrogans. Dogs can act as maintenance host for some serovars and transmit to other animals and humans through direct and/or indirect contact with urine or contaminated water and soil. A study was conducted to identify the presence of Leptospira and assessment of seroprevalence in apparently healthy dogs in Cauvery delta region (Thanjavur, Thiruvarur and Nagapattinam districts) of Tamil Nadu. Serum (n=50) and urine (n=50) samples were collected randomly from 50 dogs with history of non vaccination to leptospirosis. Dark field microscopic (DFM) examination revealed the presence of Leptospira in 12.0 per cent of serum and 24.0 per cent of urine samples. Serological screening was done by microscopic agglutination test (MAT) using a battery of 12 Leptospira serovars (representing the serogroups of Australis, Autumnalis, Ballum, Canicola, Grippotyphosa, Hardjo, Hebdomadis, Icterohaemorrhagiae, Javanica, Pomona, Pyrogenes and Tarassovi), which revealed 56.0 per cent seropositivity to either one or several serovars, which was Icterohaemorrhagiae (46.4 per cent), Grippotyphosa (32.1 per cent), Australis (32.1 per cent), Canicola (25.0 per cent) and Autumnalis (17.9 per cent) with highly significant difference (p<0.05) in seropositivity between serovars. The predominant serovar detected in dogs in this study was Icterohaemorrhagiae followed by Grippotyphosa. It is concluded that presence of leptospirosis in dogs in Cauvery delta regions of Tamil Nadu poses the risk of transmission to animals and humans and dogs can be used as sentinel animals for identification of leptospirosis.

Resveratrol and silibinin are natural phytochemicals with considerable anticancer properties. They induce apoptosis of cancer cells by binding to various protein targets. Hence in this study, in silico molecular interaction studies were made between ligand resveratrol and ligand silibinin with NF-kB p50 subunit and p65 subunit, MMP9, caspase 3 and Bax proteins. The in silico molecular interaction revealed that silibinin and resveratrol interacted with five receptors with a high binding affinity and docking score making them novel inhibitors against various types of diseases. 

An investigation among fifty each tribal and non-tribal dairy farmers in four dairy dominated development blocks of Cachar district of Assam revealed that, among tribal and non-tribal farmers attitude towards dairy farming, economic motivation and source of motivation for dairy communication were found to have favourable scores with positive and significant correlation with communication behaviour. Regression analysis revealed that source of motivation for dairy communication crucially influenced communication behaviour of dairy farmers. Further, there louid significant difference between the tribal and non-tribal dairy farmers indicating sensitive strategies for dairy development in the area involving the veterinarians. 

Swiss cheese samples collected aseptically from private dairies were analysed for the presence of Penicillium citrinum and for the efficacy of antimycotic agents against P.enicillium citrinum. The spore suspension of Penicillium citrinumand antimycotic agents like pimaricin and potassium sorbate at specified concentrations were added to cheese and stored at 250 C for 21 days. The keeping quality of cheese was assessed at 0, 7, 14 and 21 days. On statistical analysis, pimaricin at 10 ppm concentration was found to be highly significant (P <0.01) over 5 ppm of pimaricin, 500 and 1000 ppm of potassium sorbate with regard to anti-mycotic effect.

This study on the employment and income of fishermen in the nonmechanized fishing craft categories of Pudukkottai District, Tamil Nadu was carried out with the specific objectives of estimation of costs per fishing trip, seasonal employment and identification of the factors determining quantity of fish catch. The sample size was 90 fishermen respondents equally distributed among canoe, vallam and FRP boat operating villages. Descriptive analyses were used to estimate the items of costs and returns, pattern of employment and levels of net income per fishing trip for different fishing seasons. The average annual fishing days of employment was 243, 138 and 136 for canoe, vallam and FRP boat categories, respectively. The overall mean gross income per fishing trip was r. 1843.42, r.2444.77 and r. 2116.97 for canoe, vallam and FRP boat categories, respectively.

The present study was carried out to evaluate the effect of curcumin on lipid peroxidation and antioxidant levels in DMBA (7, 12 Diemthyl Benanthracene) induced mammary carcinogenesis in rats. Twenty four Sprague-Dawley rats were equally distributed to control, DMBA, Tamoxifen (Standard drug) and curcumin groups. DMBA group showed significant (P<0.05) increase in lipid peroxidation and antioxidants superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) levels besides reduced glutathione (GSH). Whereas, curcumin and Tamoxifen treated groups did not show any significant difference in lipid peroxidation and antioxidant status when compared to the control. Selective growth advantage of tumour cells was evident in the DMBA group and curcumin was able to prevent lipid peroxidation.

A study was conducted in buffaloes suffering with horn affections .The physiological and haematological parameters were within the normal limits in all the horn affections, but the plasma cortisol and C-reactive protein were more than the normal levels in all the horn affections for initial periods. A radiological sign like increased radio-opacity was noticed in the septic horn cases. Microscopic examination of biopsy samples of horn and skin following amputation revealed normal histology except in horn cancer where squamous cell nests and mitotic figures in the squamous cells were observed.

A trial was conducted to assess the influence of different methods of garlic supplementation on the blood profile of crossbred calves. For studying the blood profile, 18 Jersey crossbred calves of both sexes in the age group of 2-3 months were randomly allotted into three treatment groups of 6 calves in each group. Calves in the first group (T1) were supplemented with garlic powder at the dose rate of 250 mg/Kg BW for a period of 150 days in water whereas calves in the second group (T2) were supplemented with 250mg/Kg BW in concentrate feed and the third group (T3) was treated as control. The data on haemogram were collected and analysed as per standard procedures. There was no significant difference between the treatment groups in the values of either haemogram or serum biochemical parameters during experimental period.

Odontotermes formosanus termites are recognized as one of the major ecosystem engineers in tropical soils. This termite depends on intestinal microorganisms for cellulose digestion. Nine bacterial isolates from termite gut were identified using sugar fermentation and biochemical tests and confirmed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The aerobes isolated from the termite gut were Bacillus sp., Citrobacter freundii and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The facultative anaerobes isolated were Salmonella entrica, Enterococcus casseliflavus, Staphylococcus gallinarum and Serratia marcescens. DNA from these bacterial cultures was extracted for molecular identification by 16S rRNA gene amplification. The cellulolytic activities of these bacteria were assessed by congo red assay. This study revealed the presence of cellulolytic aerobic and facultative anaerobic bacteria in the gut of termite Odontotermes formosanus which could be manipulated for their cellulose digestion in rumen.