<div style="text-align: justify;">The aim of this study was to investigate the macroanatomy and histology of the caecum in guinea fowl using light and scanning electron microscopy. Six adult male and six adult female guinea fowl were used as the study material. The cavum abdominis of the animals was opened under anaesthesia, and the caeca uncovered. The height and thickness of the villi were smaller in the apex and corpus caeca than in the basis caeci. The SEM image of the guinea fowl caeca showed that the villi send finger like extensions into the lumen, and the height of the villi towards the basis caeca increases and exhibits a tight structure.Thus, in this study, the anatomy and histology of guinea fowl caeca were examined in detail using light and scanning electron microscopy, and the similarities and differences with the caeca of other poultry species were investigated.</div>

Macroanatomical and histological study of caecum of the guinea fowl (<em>Numida meleagris</em>) using light and scanning electron microscopy

<div><strong>Background: </strong>Kidneys, the paired organ which essentially plays for excreting nitrogenous wastes, excessive water, inorganic salts and toxic substances produced during the process of body metabolism. Maintenance of osmotic regulation and homeostatic fluid balance of the body has also be performed by kidneys. Each of the kidneys filtrate carried to cloaca by respective ureter from where the urine leaves the body. The present macroscopic, histomorphological and histochemical studies undertaken on the Kidneys of Guinea fowl (<em>Numida meleagris</em>) is nothing but the attempt to widen our thrust area for that bird which is nonexistent as on documentation.<br />
<br />
<strong>Methods: </strong>The present studies were carried upon 12 pairs of <em>in-vitro</em> kidney samples in Guinea fowl. Gross morphology and morphometrical observations were carried on fresh specimens. Histological studies were carried on fixed samples those were processed for dehydration, clearing, embedding into paraffin and sections of 5-6 &mu; thickness were obtained. Different staining procedure as to Haematoxylin and Eosin, Silver orcein, Aniline blue and Weigert&rsquo;s staining methods were employed for different histological components. The histochemical and histoenzymic studies were also accomplished with Periodic acid Schiff&lsquo;s (PAS), Alcian blue methods (pH-2.5) and Gomori&rsquo;s cobalt method for Alkaline phosphatase and Acid phosphatase. The Succinic dehydrogenase enzyme was also estimated on cryostat sections.<br />
<br />
<strong>Result: </strong>The observations on kidneys of Guinea fowl were accomplished after macroscopic, histomorphological and histochemical means. This reddish-brown colored paired organ of kidneys was retroperitoneally placed in synsacral fossa and had incomplete division of three parts. The wrapping material of capsule was the dense connective tissue. The outer cortex and inner medulla had different parts of nephrons. Two types of nephrons <em>viz</em>. mammalian type (with Henle loop) and reptilian type (without Henle loop) were observed. Collagen, elastic and reticular fibers were there in different components of the kidney. Histochemically it has determined the secretion of neutral as well as acidic mucopolysaccharide substances. PAS activity was observed at mesangial cells and basement membrane of DCT. The Alkaline phosphatase showed the positive activity in capsule, brush border of proximal and distal convoluted tubules. The Acid phosphatases were showing intense activity in parietal and visceral layer of renal corpuscles, lumen and basement membrane of PCT. The intense activity of Succinic dehydrogenase showed at PCT, DCT, collecting tubule whereas renal corpuscles showed feeble activity.</div>


<div>Macroscopic, Histomorphological and Histochemical Studies on the Kidneys of Guinea Fowl (<em>Numida meleagris</em>)</div>


<div><strong>Background:</strong> The proventriculus, component of digestive system of bird secretes hydrochloric acid and pepsinogen which helps the churning of food material that takes place in ventriculus. Pepsinogen produces pepsin and it smashes the peptide bonds of amino acid of food material.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
<strong>Methods:</strong> The twelve proventriculus samples of Guinea fowl birds were fixed in 10% neutral buffered formalin and Bouin&rsquo;s fluid for &nbsp;histological procedure while chilled acetone and chilled ethanol were used as the fixatives for histochemical studies. The fresh unfixed samples were used on cryostat for studies of succinic dehydrogenase enzyme.<br />
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<strong>Result:</strong> Histomorphologically the proventriculus of Guinea fowl was observed as the typical tubular component with four tunics from inside to outside as tunica mucosa, tunica sub mucosa, tunica muscularis and tunica serosa. The submucosal layer comprised with proventricular submucosal gland (PVSMG) which was encapsulated by elastic fibers. Tunica muscularis was inner longitudinal and outer circular layer, while the tunica serosa was observed with surrounding adipose tissue as the connective tissue constituent to endow the access of nutritional supply in the form of blood vessels. The luminal surface of proventricular submucosal glands has shown the significant activity of glycogen while intercalated, intralobular and interlobular ducts have exhibited the weak activity towards the same. The glandular cell rod of PVSMG, serosal layer and adjoining connective tissue with blood vessels has exhibited very weak activity of alkaline phosphatase. Mucosal folds and lumen of PVSMG has shown the weak activity of acidic phosphatase but the serosal limiting membrane has shown very weak activity.&nbsp;The succinic dehydrogenase activity was seen in the connective tissue septa of submucosal glandular cellular rods and the intense activity was observed at tunica muscularis.</div>


<div>Histomorphological and Histochemical Studies on Proventriculus in Guinea Fowl (<em>Numida meleagris</em>)</div>


<p>An experiment was undertaken on a total one hundred eighty, guinea fowls (Numida meleagris) of day old age, which were randomly divided into four groups [Control, Bael (Aegle marmelos), Chelidonium (Chelidonium majus) and Punarnava (Boerhaavia diffusa) mother tincture], each group having three replications consisting of fifteen guinea fowls each, for a period of 12 weeks to test their effect on serum biochemical profile and immune response. &nbsp; Results revealed that inclusion of Bael, Chelidonium and Punarnava decreased serum cholesterol and serum glucose levels with minimum in Bael, however all treatments acted as immunomodulator with best immune enhancement recorded in Chelidonium supplemented group.</p>


<p>Serum-biochemical profile and immunomodulatory effect of <em>Aegle marmelos, Chelidonium majus</em> and <em>Boerhaavia diffusa </em>homeopathic mother&nbsp;tincture supplementation in guinea fowl</p>


<div><strong>Background: </strong>The gizzard is a muscular stomach of the Gastrointestinal tract of bird that holds sparing crystals which aids as the mechanical multure component for food material to be ingested by birds. Its specialty is to grinding of ingested food material after secretion of HCL (Hydrochloric Acid) and pepsinogen enzymes in the proventriculus.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
<strong>Methods: </strong>The twelve samples of gizzard of guinea fowl were fixed in 10% NBF (Neutral buffered formalin) and Bouin&rsquo;s fluid for histological while chilled acetone and chilled ethanol for histochemical studies. The fresh unfixed tissues were used for the cryostat section for the demonstration of different enzymes.<br />
<br />
<strong>Result: </strong>The tubular glands were main feature of mucosal layer but sometime acinar glands also found as the replacement of tubular glands with lymphoid aggregation. The horizontal koilin was also noticed between long mucosal folds. Tunica submucosa was discovered in squeezed manner in comparison to the mucosa. The tunica muscularis has shown inner circular and outer longitudinal as the thick layer. It was intermingling with collagen and elastic fibers. Histochemically the gizzard was examined for glycogen, alkaline phosphatase, acid phosphatase and succinic dehydrogenase.</div>


<div>Histoarchitectural and Histoenzymatic Studies on Gizzard of Guinea Fowl (<em>Numida meleagris</em>)</div>


<div style="text-align: justify;">In the present investigation, 6 numbers of each apparently healthy adult Pati duck and local fowl of Assam were utilized for detailed gross, histomorphological, histochemical and ultrastructural studies. The Harderian gland in the Patiducks &nbsp;and Fowl were located in the medioventral region of the orbital cavity attached along with the eye ball. The gland was not having any grossly demercablelobulation but still there was dorsally slightly narrow part whereas the ventral part was somewhat more wider. In duck, from the capsule, thin connective tissue septa penetrated into the gland and divided parenchyma it into lobes and lobules which were unequal and polygonal in shape. Each lobule contained a central lumen. From the capsule and septa thin streaks of interstitial connective tissue penetrated between the acini and tubules. The columnar epithelial cells lining the acini showed considerable variation in height depending on their functional state. The nerve fibers were also extending from the capsule inside the parenchyma along with the other connective tissue fibers. Harderian gland of Fowl was also covered with a thin connective tissue capsule and consisted of coarse collagen, fine reticular and elastic fibers, blood vessels, &nbsp;and nerve fibers, which were penetrating the parenchyma very frequently by forming septa and trabeculae. The glands were to be of multilobulartubulo-alveolar type and emptied into a wide lumen which was lined by columnar epithelial cells. The histochemical sections were found positive for PAS Alcian blue. The reaction for acid phosphates and alkaline phosphatase were also moderate to intense in the harderian gland. The scanning electron microphotograph of harderian gland showed the acini, secretory granules and connective tissue fibers in the duck and fowl. The secretions of the gland were accommodated inside the acini and looks like a woollen ball.&nbsp;</div>

Macro and Micro anatomical study of Harderian Gland of Duck and Fowl

<div style="text-align: justify;">Occurrence of Newcastle disease (ND) and characterization of the Avian Paramyxovirus-1 (APMV-1) amongst backyard fowls (Gallus gallus domesticus) and pigeon (Columba livia domestica) was studied. ND was suspected in two fowl flocks (100% morbidity, 86% mortality) and six pigeon flocks (21.68% morbidity, 14.16% mortality) with respiratory and/or enteric clinical signs in fowls and predominantly neurological signs in pigeons was observed. Cloacal swabs, tissue lysates or infected allantoic fluid could haemagglutinate (HA) chicken erythrocytes and pigeon convalescent serum inhibited haemagglutination (antibody titres &gt;1/16). A 534 bp product was amplified from clinical samples and infected allantoic fluids by Reverse Transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR) targeting a partial Fusion protein gene including its cleavage site. The fowl and pigeon isolate was found to be velogenic and lentogenic respectively by virulence characterization. Fowl isolate grown in chicken embryonated eggs (CEE) showed 10-8.68 Embryo Infectious Dose (EID50) with a Mean Death Time (MDT) of 51.43 h and the Intra-Cerebral Pathogenicity Index (ICPI) in day-old chicks was 1.51. Pigeon isolate had corresponding values of 10-7.20 EID50, MDT of 92.00 h and ICPI of 0.43. Deduced amino acid sequence at Fusion protein cleavage site showed 112R-R-R-K-R*F117 velogenic motif for the fowl isolate and 112G-R-Q-G-R*L117 lentogenic motif for the pigeon isolate. Both isolates were found to be 84.1% related phylogenetically, while fowl isolate clustered with genotype XIII, the pigeon isolate clustered with genotype II and vaccine strains of APMV-1. This is the first instance of APMV-1 characterization in the region with the possibility of a vaccine spill over in pigeons.</div>

<div style="text-align: justify;">Molecular and Virulence Characterization of Newcastle Disease Virus in Fowls and Pigeons From Jammu, India</div>

<div><strong>Background:</strong> Ceftiofur is a third-generation cephalosporin antibiotic developed exclusively for veterinary applications. Although not approved in China, ceftiofur is being used extensively in an extra-label manner to treat poultry infections. Black-bone silky fowl is a unique chicken breed which is different from the common chicken breeds in both morphology and other physiology. These differences may result in varied pharmacokinetic profiles. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the pharmacokinetics of ceftiofur (measured by ceftiofur and its active metabolites concentrations) in black-bone silky fowl following a single intravenous or intramuscular injection of ceftiofur sodium.<br />
<br />
<strong>Methods: </strong>Ceftiofur sodium was intravenously and intramuscularly given to six healthy black-bone silky fowl at the dose of 10 mg/kg body weight. A derivatization method was used to quantify the concentrations of ceftiofur and its active metabolites (expressed as desfuroylceftiofur acetamide) in plasma samples. A non-compartmental method was used to calculate the pharmacokinetics parameters. &nbsp;<br />
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<strong>Results: </strong>The terminal half-life (t1/2lz) was calculated as 3.19&plusmn;0.28 and 3.36&plusmn;0.17 h following intravenous and intramuscular injections, respectively. After intravenous treatment, the total body clearance (Cl) and volume of distribution at steady state (VSS) were determined as 73.79&plusmn;5.83 ml/h/kg and 318.65&plusmn;30.06 ml/kg, respectively. After intramuscular injection, the peak concentration (Cmax; 22.55&plusmn;0.89 &igrave;g/ml) was observed at 1.67&plusmn;0.26 h and the absorption half-life (t1/2ka) and absolute bioavailability (F) were calculated as 0.40&plusmn;0.13 h and 93.03%&plusmn;7.07%, respectively. The current results demonstrated the rapid and complete absorption, however, poor distribution and rapid elimination of ceftiofur and its active metabolites in black-bone silky fowl.</div>


<div>Pharmacokinetics of Ceftiofur Sodium in Black-bone Silky Fowl after One Single Intravenous and Intramuscular Injection</div>


<div style="text-align: justify;">In the present study, sixty genotypes of Guinea grass were evaluated for assessing genetic diversity for ten different quantitative characters for exploitation in a breeding programme aimed at improving yield potential of Guinea grass by using Mahalanobis D2 statistics. The genotypes were grouped into ten clusters suggesting the presence of genetic diversity. The cluster I had maximum of 30 genotypes followed by II and III having 15 and 7 genotypes, respectively. These clusters having maximum number of genotypes, reflecting narrow genetic diversity. The inter cluster distances were greater than intra cluster distances, revealing that the selected genotypes were highly divergent. The maximum intra cluster distance was recorded for cluster III (5.63) while clusters IV, V, VI, VII and VIII and X (0.00) were solitary and showed no intra-cluster distance values. The genetically more divergent genotypes present in cluster III and IX as indicated by inter cluster distance value (21.63). Cluster VIII and Cluster V had least number of single genotype and emerged with contained highest cluster mean value for number of tillers/plant, number of leaves/plant, good leaf weight, leaf: stem ratio, green fodder yield/plant and crude protein content. Hence, GGLC 12 genotype in cluster VIII and GGLC 19 in cluster V can be successfully utilized in breeding programme for development of Guinea grass varieties with improved fodder yield and quality.&nbsp;</div>

Assessment of genetic diversity in germplasm of Guinea grass (<em>Panicum maximum</em> Jacq.)&nbsp;

<div style="text-align:justify"><strong>Background:</strong> Baseline information on the morphological development of laboratory animals is very scanty. Hence the present study was undertaken to understand the morphological development of experimental animals.&nbsp;<br />
<strong>Methods:</strong> An experiment was conducted at Biogen animal facility, Bangalore in the year 2018 to study the morphological changes with regard to growth and developmental parameters in Swiss albino mice and Wistar rats and body weight in guinea pigs. Ten Swiss albino mice and Wistar rats in advanced pregnancy of similar age groups and comparable litter sizes in the previous kindlings were selected for the experiment, where as five guinea pigs males and females each were selected with same age group. During the study period, litter weight and size at birth and at weaning, time of initiation and completion (full growth of hair) of hair growth, time of opening of eyes and ears recorded in Swiss albino mice and Wistar rats whereas body weight at birth, 3<sup>rd</sup> day, 6<sup>th</sup> day, 9<sup>th</sup> day, 12<sup>th</sup> day and 15<sup>th</sup> were recorded in Dunkin Hartley guinea pigs.&nbsp;<br />
<strong>Result:</strong> The results of Swiss albino mice indicated that the average litter weight (grams) and litter size at birth ranged from 1.39 and 7.50 respectively. The average time taken from initiation and full growth of hair covering on body was 7.50 to 15.30 days. Eyes and ears opened at 7.90 and 8.20 days respectively. Average weight of male and female recorded at weaning (25 days) 19.38 and 15.12 respectively and the litter size at the weaning was 9.70 whereas, livability percent was recorded 87.81 at the end of the trial. The results of Wistar rats indicated that the average litter weight (grams) and litter size at birth ranged from 5.07 and 11 respectively. The average time taken from initiation to full growth of hair covering on body was 9 to 16.20 days. Eyes and ears opened at 12.20 days, average weight (grams) of male and female recorded at weaning (25 days) 78.03 and 63.09 respectively. The litter size at the weaning was 9.70. The livability percent was recorded 88.02 at the end of the trial. The results of Dunkin Hartley guinea pigs indicated that the average body weight (grams) of female at birth, 3<sup>rd</sup> day, 6<sup>th</sup> day, 9<sup>th</sup> day, 12<sup>th</sup> day, 15<sup>th</sup> (Weaning period) ranged from 94.88, 109.34, 123.94, 139.74, 152.14 and 166.66, respectively. On the other hand, average body weight (grams) of male at birth, 3<sup>rd</sup> day, 6<sup>th</sup> day, 9<sup>th</sup> day, 12<sup>th</sup> day, 15<sup>th</sup> (Weaning period) ranged from 145.38, 155.42, 170.50, 185.54, 200.64 and 215.7, respectively.</div>


Macroanatomical and histological study of caecum of the guinea fowl (Numida meleagris) using light and scanning electron microscopy

Macroscopic, Histomorphological and Histochemical Studies on the Kidneys of Guinea Fowl (Numida meleagris)

Histomorphological and Histochemical Studies on Proventriculus in Guinea Fowl (Numida meleagris)

Serum-biochemical profile and immunomodulatory effect of Aegle marmelos, Chelidonium majus and Boerhaavia diffusa homeopathic mother tincture supplementation in guinea fowl

Histoarchitectural and Histoenzymatic Studies on Gizzard of Guinea Fowl (Numida meleagris)

Macro and Micro anatomical study of Harderian Gland of Duck and Fowl

Molecular and Virulence Characterization of Newcastle Disease Virus in Fowls and Pigeons From Jammu, India

Pharmacokinetics of Ceftiofur Sodium in Black-bone Silky Fowl after One Single Intravenous and Intramuscular Injection

Assessment of genetic diversity in germplasm of Guinea grass (Panicum maximum Jacq.)

A Study on Morphological Growth and Development of Swiss Albino Mice, Wistar Rat and Dunkin Hartley Guinea Pigs