Disturbance-dependent Yellow-legged Gull (Larus michahellis) predation on Larid chicks decreases with chick age

Predation is one of the key factors shaping the dynamics of animal populations. In birds, nest loss due to predation can be a significant cause of low reproductive success. Ground-nesting birds are among the bird groups most susceptible to predation, mainly because their nests are easily accessible to a broad suite of potential predators. For these birds, anthropogenic disturbances can generate changes in nest predation risk by altering their antipredator behaviour and also by altering the behaviour of the predator species, i.e. the predator becoming much more aware of predation opportunities due to frequent disturbances and/or motivated to repeat predation attempts when some are successful. To date, most previous studies investigating this have focused on a single effect, either predation or disturbance, on chick survival. It remains unknown how the risk of predation with and without disturbance varies with chick age. In this study, we used behavioural observations to assess how the interaction between predators and disturbance affects predation risk in chicks and how this interacts with chick age. Specifically, we investigated the effect of disturbance caused by humans and stray dogs on the predation of Slender-billed Gull Chroicocephalus genei chicks by Yellow-legged Gulls Larus michahellis, and whether this depended on the age of the chicks. Our results revealed that disturbance had a significant positive effect on predation measures of Slender-billed Gull chicks by Yellow-legged Gulls, but that this effect was mediated both by disturbance type and the age of chicks. Stray dogs entering the colony had a stronger disturbance effect on chicks than passing humans, increasing predation risk by Yellow-legged Gulls. Our results also showed that chick age interacts with disturbance type to determine the predation risk. This is probably mediated by chicks' capacity to escape predation by gathering in a single large crèche that runs into the water when disturbed. To preserve Slender-billed Gull colonies in one of its few remaining breeding sites in Tunisia, and as gulls tend to react even when the disturbance occurs relatively far from the colonies, it is crucial to (1) restrict human access to dikes and islets where large colonies breed and (2) construct artificial islets attractive to gulls and inaccessible to stray dogs.     

Bacillus Species as Direct-Fed Microbial Antibiotic Alternatives for Monogastric Production

Probiotics and Antimicrobial Proteins - Antibiotic growth promoters have been utilized for long time at subtherapeutic levels as feed supplements in monogastric animal rations. Because of their...     

Novel chalcone/aryl carboximidamide hybrids as potent anti-inflammatory via inhibition of prostaglandin E2 and inducible NO synthase activities: design,synthesis, molecular docking studies and ADMET prediction

Two series of chalcone/aryl carboximidamide hybrids 4a–f and 6a–f were synthesised and evaluated for their inhibitory activity against iNOS and PGE2. The most potent derivatives were further checked for their in vivo anti-inflammatory activity utilising carrageenan-induced rat paw oedema model. Compounds 4c, 4d, 6c and 6d were proved to be the most effective inhibitors of PGE2, LPS-induced NO production, iNOS activity. Moreover, 4c, 4d, 6c and 6d showed significant oedema inhibition ranging from 62.21% to 78.51%, compared to indomethacin (56.27 ± 2.14%) and celecoxib (12.32%). Additionally, 4c, 6a and 6e displayed good COX2 inhibitory activity while 4c, 6a and 6c exhibited the highest 5LOX inhibitory activity. Compounds 4c, 4d, 6c and 6d fit nicely into the pocket of iNOS protein (PDB ID: 1r35) via the important amino acid residues. Prediction of physicochemical parameters exhibited that 4c, 4d, 6c and 6d had acceptable physicochemical parameters and drug-likeness. The results indicated that chalcone/aryl carboximidamides 4c, 4d, 6c and 6d, in particular 4d and 6d, could be used as promising lead candidates as potent anti-inflammatory agents.     

Development of unit cost for the health services offered at King FAHD Central hospital Jazan,Saudi Arabia

BackgroundEfficiency remains one of the most important drivers of decision making in health care system. Fund allocators need to receive structured information about the cost healthcare services from hospitals for better decisions related to resource allocation and budgeting. The objective of the study was to estimate the unit cost for health services offered to inpatients in King Fahd Central hospital (KFCH) Jazan during the financial year 2018.MethodsWe applied a retrospective approach using a top-down costing method to estimate the cost of health care services. Clinical and Administrative departments divided into cost centres, and the unit cost was calculated by dividing the total cost of final care cost centres into the total number of patients discharged in one year. The average cost of inpatient services was calculated based on the average cost of each ward and the number of patients treated.ResultsThe average cost per patient stayed in KFCH was SAR 19,034, with the highest cost of SAR 108,561 for patients in the Orthopedic ward. The average cost of the patient in the Surgery ward, Plastic surgery, Neurosurgery, Medical ward, Pediatric ward and Gynecology ward was SAR 33,033, SAR 29,425, SAR 23,444, SAR 20,450, SAR 9579 and SAR 8636 respectively.ConclusionThis study provides necessary information about the cost of health care services in a tertiary care setting. This information can be used as a primary tool and reference for further studies in other regions of the country. Hence, this data can help to provide a better understanding of tertiary hospital costing in the region to achieve the privatization objective.     

The microRNAs (miRs) overexpressing mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) therapy in neurological disorders; hope or hype

Altered expression of multiple miRNAs was found to be extensively involved in the pathogenesis of different neurological disorders including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, stroke, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and Huntington's disease. One of the biggest concerns within gene-based therapy is the delivery of the therapeutic microRNAs to the intended place, which is obligated to surpass the biological barriers without undergoing degradation in the bloodstream or renal excretion. Hence, the delivery of modified and unmodified miRNA molecules using excellent vehicles is required. In this light, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have attracted increasing attention. The MSCs can be genetically modified to express or overexpress a particular microRNA aimed with promote neurogenesis and neuroprotection. The current review has focused on the therapeutic capabilities of microRNAs-overexpressing MSCs to ameliorate functional deficits in neurological conditions.     

In Vitro Scolicidal Effects of Salvadora persica Root Extract against Protoscolices of Echinococcus granulosus

It has been known that Arak, Salvadora persica, has a number of medicinal properties. We tried to investigate in vitro scolicidal effect of root extracts of this plant against protoscolices from hydatid cysts of Echinococcus granulosus. Protoscolices were aseptically collected from sheep livers containing hydatid cysts. S. persica root extract was used in 10, 30, and 50 mg/ml concentration for 10, 20, and 30 min. The viability of protoscolices was ascertained by 0.1% eosin staining. Scolicidal activity of S. persica extract at a concentration of 10 mg/ml was 36.3%, 50.3%, and 70.8% after 10, 20, and 30 min of exposure, respectively. The scolicidal effect of this extract at a concentration of 30 mg/ml was 52.9%, 86.7%, and 100% after 10, 20, and 30 min of exposure, respectively. S. persica extract at a concentration of 50 mg/ml, meanwhile, killed 81.4%, 100%, and 100% of protoscolices after 10, 20, and 30 min, respectively. Also, the cytotoxic potential of S. persica was assessed on human liver cells (HepG2) using trypan blue exclusion test. No cytotoxic effect was observed on HepG2 cell line. The present study confirmed for the first time that the ethanolic extract of S. persica has high scolicidal power in vitro. However, in vivo effect of this material remains to be studied for treatment of echinococcosis in humans and herbivorous animals.     

Prevalence and characterization of hydatidosis in Najdi sheep slaughtered in Riyadh city,Saudi Arabia

Hydatidosis is considered to be one of the important zoonotic diseases and has a significant public health importance due to the difficulties of the diagnosis. Domestic animals act as intermediate hosts and the main reservoir for the disease in humans. The main purpose of this work therefore was to determine the prevalence of hydatidosis in Najdi sheep slaughtered in Riyadh city, Saudi Arabia. Cyst location and cyst fertility and viability were also estimated, together with effect of seasons, age and sex on the prevalence of the infection. The prevalence of hydatidosis was evaluated by post-mortem examination, with intensive inspection of the visceral organs of 2785 Najdi sheep. The infection was found to prevail throughout the year in both sex, with an overall prevalence of 2.33%. The highest prevalence was recorded in winter (6.48%) while the lowest was encountered in summer (1.36%). Females were proved to be more prone to infection (70.7%) than males (29.3%). In the present study, younger sheep tended to have a higher prevalence of infection than older ones. The most commonly infected organ was the liver, with a prevalence of 81.5%. The recorded cysts showed a fertility rate of 75.4%, and a high viability rate of 61.2%. Hepatic cysts were the most fertile and viable ones (46%), while calcified cysts were not recorded during the study. Measurements of recorded cysts in all organs ranged from 2 to 6?cm in diameter.In conclusion, the high fertility and viability rate of the recorded cysts suggest that sheep are a potential source of hydatidosis transmission to dogs and the continuation of its life cycle in this region. Consequently, authorities are recommended to instigate stricter regulation of the slaughtering process, including the secure disposal of infected offal so as to minimise the transmission of cysts from slaughter houses, along with treatment of stray dogs.     

Physiological study on the influence of some plant oils in rats exposed to a sublethal concentration of diazinon

The present study was aimed to evaluate the influence of olive, sesame and black seed oils on levels of some physiological parameters in male rats exposed to diazinon (DZN). Body weight changes, and levels of serum total protein, albumin, glucose, triglycerides, cholesterol, high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), very low density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL-C), atherogenic index (AI), atherogenic coefficient (AC), cardiac risk ratio (CRR), glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MAD) were selected as physiological parameters. The experimental animals were distributed into nine groups. Rats group exposed to DZN and fed with normal diet resulted in pronounced severe changes including reduced body weight gain rate, significantly increase in levels of serum albumin, glucose, cholesterol, LDL-C, AI, AC, CRR and MDA while levels of HDL-C, GSH and SOD were decreased. In rats treated with DZN, the supplementation of the olive, sesame and black seed oils showed remarkable lowering influences of physiological alterations. Moreover, the present results confirmed that these oils possess antioxidative effects against DZN toxicity. Finally, the present findings suggest that these oils are safe and promising agents for the treatment of physiological disturbances induced by DZN and may be also by other pollutants, and toxic and pathogenic factors.     

Does Lake Balaton affected by pollution? Assessment through surface water quality monitoring by using different assessment methods

In order to maintain a good environmental status of surface waters, an assessment of water quality carried out at specific intervals to monitor the changes of water quality in function of time. Human knowledge and experience are currently focused on using assessment methods, especially the integration of multiple constraining factors and considering them in conjugation with the correct decision-making process concerning the environment. When surface water is highly exposed to human activities, either from recreational or economic activity, the degree of vulnerability is high, and the quality of surface water is highly compromised. In case of Lake Balaton, there are many activities that can disrupt water dynamics. The first goal of this study is to determine the location of the least and most polluted sites around Lake Balaton. The processing of data was carried out by using multi-criteria decision techniques and environmental impact assessment method based on physical–chemical parameters in comparison with the limiting parameters. Based on the results of those methods water quality needs to be improved in western parts of the lake by using several geoengineering treatment techniques. This work covers a novel approach to comparing methods based on sum of ranking differences, whereas many method comparison studies suffer from ambiguity or from comparisons not being quite fair. This problem can be avoided if there are differences between ideal and actual rankings.