Effects of Probiotics Supplementation on Growth Performance and Certain Haemato-biochemical Parameters in Broiler Chickens

The study was carried out to know the effects of probiotics (Protexin® Boost) supplementation on growth performances and haemato-biochemical parameters of "Shaver Star Bro" broiler chickens during the period from September to October 2003. A total of 20, day-old broiler chickens were randomly assigned into four equal groups (n = 5) as A, B, C and D. Group A was considered as control fed with commercial ration while group B, C and D were fed with commercial ration with the addition of 1 g, 2 g and 3 g probiotics / 10 litres drinking water respectively up to 35 days of age. The results showed that the body weight gains corresponding to the different treatments were differed significantly (p < 0.01) at the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th weeks of age. The meat yield characteristics corresponding to the different treatments did not differ significantly (p > 0.05) whereas bursa weight differed significantly (p < 0.05) among the different groups. The mean values of Hb, PCV and ESR corresponding to the different treatments were significantly (p < 0.01) differ. Triglycerides, HDL, LDL, SGPT and SGOT values corresponding to the different treatments were also differed significantly (p < 0.01). The findings suggest that supplementation of probiotics has significant effects on live weight gain and haemato-biochemical parameters of broiler chickens. Key words: Probiotics; effects; growth; haemato-biochemical parameters; broiler chickens doi: 10.3329/bjvm.v2i1.1933 Bangl. J. Vet. Med. (2004). 2 (1) : 39-43

Clinical Profile of Neurological Disorders in Children

A study was done on 110 children in the age group of 1 month to 12 years admitted with neurological problems in the Dept. of Paediatrics, IPGMR, Dhaka from September 1993 to August 1994. The aim of the study was to find out neurological disorders of children and to investigate the quality of neurodiagnostic services presently available. These 110 neurological cases comprised of 8.9% of the total admission during this period. Of the 110 patients 69.10% (76) patients were male and 30.90% (34) female with a male-female ratio of 2.23%:1. 50% (55) of the patients were under two years of age. Majority of the neurological disorders were meningitis (24.55%) and cerebral palsy (21.91%). Febrile convulsion was present in 15 patients (13.64%). Other neurological problems were Encephalitis (7.27%), Epilepsy (8.81%), Hydrocephalus (3.36%), Guillain-Barré syndrome (5.45%), Brain Tumours (3.65%), Post-Polio Paresis (3.65%), Cerebral Infarction (1.82%) and others. Among 27 children with meningitis 11 cases were pyogenic, 12 cases tubercular and 4 cases were aseptic. Of the 23 cerebral palsy children 6 were due to birth asphyxia and 6 were post meningitis and in the rest 11 the cause could not be ascertained. CT scan of the brain was an effective method of investigation to determine the patholocal lesions. Only one patient (0.9%) suffering from cerebellar haemorrhage expired among these 110 patients. This study emphasized the need for a comprehensive, preventive, better neurodiagnostic service and timely management of neurological cases.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjms.v3i1.8223BJMS 1996; 3(1): 21-26

Osteopetrosis - A Case Report

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjms.v3i1.8224BJMS 1996; 3(1): 27-31

Histomorphology and histochemistry of testis of indigenous bull (Bos indicus) of Bangladesh

Histomorphological and histochemical features of testes were studied in six adult indigenous bulls (Bos indicus) of two different age groups, 1 year 9 months to 2 years of age (group A) and 2 years 3 months to 2 years 6 months of age (group B) during the period from September 2006 to April 2007 by using Hematoxylin and Eosin (H&E) stain, Verhoeff's stain, Van Gieson's stain and Periodic Acid-Schiff Reaction (PAS) stain. The testes were surrounded by visceral layer of tunica vaginalis (consisted of mesothelium and connective tissue) and tunica albugenia mainly composed of collagen fibers. The seminiferous tubules were tortuous, two ended loops and varying in appearance and the wall of tubules consisted of lamina propria, basement membrane supported by reticular fibers and a lining of complex stratified epithelium consisted of sertoli cells and spermatogenic cells. The sertoli cells are irregulary columnar cells, extended from basal lamina to lumen of tubules and the spermatogenic cells situated between the sertoli cells in an orderly manner with four to eight layers occupying the space between the basal lamina and the lumen of the tubules. There was presence of both spermatid and spermatozoa in the lumen of some seminiferous tubules of testes of bulls of both age groups. The spermatogonia, primary spermatocytes and secondary spermatocytes showed more staining affinity than the spermatid in routine staining technique. The basement membrane of tubules, spermatid and spermatozoa showed positive affinity whereas spermatogonia, primary spermatocytes and secondary spermatocytes showed negative affinity to PAS stain. The interstitial tissues located between the sminiferous tubules, consisted of connective tissue network, mainly composed of collagenous and reticular fibers; blood and lymph vessels with Leydig cells. The Leydig cells were present as single or groups within intertubular spaces. It was concluded that the thickness of tunica albuginea, the stratification of growing spermatogenic cells and cross sectional length and breadth of the seminiferous tubules of testes were higher in the bull of group B than group A and the number of Leydig cells were more in the testis of group A than group B and in between left and right testes, the thickness of tunica albuginea and cross sectional length and breadth of the seminiferous tubules were higher in the left testis but the number of Leydig cells was higher in right testis in both age groups. Key words: Testis, seminiferous tubule, Leydig cell, indigenous bull DOI = 10.3329/bjvm.v6i1.1341 Bangl. J. Vet. Med. (2008). 6 (1): 67-74

Macro-anatomy of the bones of the forelimb of Black Bengal goat (Capra hircus)

In the present study, five Black Bengal goats (Capra hircus) were used to investigate the bones of fore limb during January to June 2006. It was observed topographically that the scapula was more or less similar to other ruminant animal topographically with exception that, the presence of very short coracoid process, more or less oval shaped glenoid cavity and more extensive subscapular fossa. The humerus of adult Black Bengal goat was 12.06 ± 0.27cm in length. The diameter of shaft at the level of nutrient foramen was 4.24 ± 0.05 cm. The breadth of humerus was 1.66 ± 0.06 cm. The deltoid tuberosity was less prominent and there was shallow radial and olecranon fossa. The radius of adult Black Bengal goat was 11.12 ± 0.23 cm in length. The diameter of shaft of radius-ulna just below the interosseous space was 3.86 ± 0.12cm. The total length of ulna of adult Black Bengal goat was 14.20 ± 0.20 cm. The interosseous space was found very narrow in the present study. Six carpal bones arranged in two rows, four in proximally and two in distally were found in Black Bengal goat. Two fully developed digits were found in Black Bengal goat. Each digit had three phalanges. The total length of proximal phalanx of adult Black Bengal goat was 2.88 ± 0.08 cm, in the middle phalanx it was 1.88 ± 0.03 cm and in distal phalanx the length was2.56 ± 0.05 cm. In conclusion the present data suggest that, the anatomy of the bones of fore limbs of Black Bengal goat was differed slightly, both structurally and morphometrically with other ruminants and varied widely with non-ruminant animals. Key Words: Macro-anatomy, fore limb, skeleton, black bengal goat DOI = 10.3329/bjvm.v6i1.1340 Bangl. J. Vet. Med. (2008). 6(1): 59-66

Effect of massive doses of bacteriophage on excretion of vibrios, duration of diarrhoea and output of stools in acute cases of cholera

Each member of a group of 8 patients with acute cholera was treated with a mixture of four cholera bacteriophage preparations containing over 2 x 10(12) phage particles/ml. These massive doses were intended to kill immediately all vibrios in the intestine by "lysis from without". The numbers of Vibrio cholerae were drastically reduced rapidly. In 4 patients, V. cholerae was completely eliminated from the stools early in the treatment; the total stool volume and after-treatment of diarrhoea were reduced in comparison with a control group but were higher than in a group of patients treated with tetracycline. In the other 4 patients treated with phage, vibrios disappeard more slowly from the stools and there was no apparent clinical effect of the phage. In all the patients treated with phage, the duration of diarrhoea was longer than in patients in a control group who excreted vibrios for a similar length of time although the stool output was similar. This was interpreted as being due to the persistence of vibrios in foci of infection in the upper intestine.It is concluded that treatment of cholera with massive doses of bacteriophage is not as effective as treatment with tetracycline. However, phage can selectively eliminate the majority of vibrios without affecting the other intestinal flora and without any apparent toxic effect on the patient. Phage might therefore be useful as a research tool.

Study on Rehydration Characteristics of Dried Lablab Bean (Lablab purpureus) Seeds

The present study was carried out to evaluate the rehydration characteristics of solar and mechanically dried lablab bean (Lablab purpureus (L.) sweet; hitherto Dolichos lablab) seeds. Bean seeds with and without coat were used to study the rehydration properties. The rehydration ratios were higher for both mechanically and solar dried bean seeds without seed coat than those with coat. Mechanically dried without coat bean seeds had rehydration ratio of 2.34 while with coat was 2.06. For mechanically dried samples, the co-efficient of reconstitution were 0.58 and 0.56 for bean seeds without and with coat, respectively, and were higher than those of solar dried samples having co-efficient of reconstitution of 0.54 and 0.52 for bean seeds without and with coat, respectively. For both mechanical and solar drying the rehydration rate constant was higher for bean seeds without coat than those with coat. Both rehydration ratio and rehydration rate indicated that mechanically and solar dried bean seeds samples without coat showed better reconstitution properties than those with coat. Both fresh and dried bean seeds without seed coat gave higher nutrient content than their counterpart with coat. Solar and mechanical dried seeds were good source of nutrients. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jard.v6i1.1673 J Agric Rural Dev 6(1&2), 157-163, June 2008

Clinical Profile and Outcome of Acute Post-Streptococcal Glomerulonephritis in Children

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjms.v1i1.7848 Bangladesh Journal of Medical Science Vol.1(1) 1994 pp.22-27

Role of Serum Alanine Aminotransferase Aspartate Aminotransferase and Alkaline Phosphatase in Early Detection of Protein Energy Malnutrition

Objective: Although Protein Energy Malnutrition (PEM) has been studied extensively; the best criteria for its detection in early stages have not been established. This study was carried out to observe the change in transaminases, alkaline phosphatase levels when compared with control and also to see their relationships with various grades of PEM. Then to see if certain biochemical parameters could be used to detect malnutrition in early stage. Methods: Cross sectional study between Jan 1999-Dec 2000,124 children from 5 months to 5 years were included in the study. Out of 124 children 98 (79%) were cases and 26 (21%) normal age matched healthy controls. Cases were divided into groups as per Gomez classification (Group 1-Grade I PEM, 37;Group 2- Grade II PEM, 34; Group 3- Grade III PEM27; and Group 4 26 Healthy controls). Three serum enzymes, Alanine aminotransferase (ALT), Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP) was analyzed and for statistical analysis student's "t" test was used. Results: The mean serum values +SD of ALT (Grade I PEM-41.40 +13.25,Grade II PEM-31.53+10.6,GradeIIIPEM-33.77+12.45,Control-23.11+8.73) and Aspartate aminotransferase (Grade I PEM-42.8+11.06,Grade II PEM 31.47+8.32,GradeIII PEM 35.00+10.86, Control-25.42+8.77) in patients with PEM were significantly (p