scholarly journals The Structural Characteristics, Management, and Challenges of Backyard Poultry Farming in Residential Areas of Turkey

Animals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 2336
Author(s):  
Demir Özdemir

The aim of this study was to collect, for the first time, comprehensive information about the backyard poultry sector in Turkey. This included a profile of the poultry owners, flock characteristics, husbandry, housing conditions, the owners’ biosecurity measures and the challenges of backyard poultry farming in residential areas of Turkey. An online semi-structured survey was fully completed by 1094 respondents. The majority of respondents (91%) owned fewer than 50 birds and reported raising other poultry species besides chickens (64%). Most of the participants indicated that they kept poultry as food for family use (83%) and had been involved in chicken-raising activities for less than 10 years (86%). Free-range coops were the type of housing most preferred by the respondents (86%). However, there was a lack of awareness about poultry diseases and poultry health care conditions. Respondents that confirmed wild bird and rodent access to their feeders and drinkers reported high rates of internal-external parasites, Escherichia coli infections and chronic respiratory diseases (p < 0.001). Lack of regional regulations (84%), animal theft (80%), lack of information on poultry management (79%), minimizing predation (75%), and the need for vaccination and veterinary services (73%) were the most cited challenges. The results highlighted the need for improved biosecurity measures and for a regulatory framework that takes into account the risks to commercial poultry flocks and public health.

Crystals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 451
Author(s):  
Marta Kubiak ◽  
Janine Mayer ◽  
Ingo Kampen ◽  
Carsten Schilde ◽  
Rebekka Biedendieck

In biocatalytic processes, the use of free enzymes is often limited due to the lack of long-term stability and reusability. To counteract this, enzymes can be crystallized and then immobilized, generating cross-linked enzyme crystals (CLECs). As mechanical stability and activity of CLECs are crucial, different penicillin G acylases (PGAs) from Gram-positive organisms have proven to be promising candidates for industrial production of new semisynthetic antibiotics, which can be crystallized and cross-linked to characterize the resulting CLECs regarding their mechanical and catalytic properties. The greatest hardness and Young’s modulus determined by indentation with an atomic force microscope were observed for CLECs of Bacillus species FJAT-PGA CLECs (26 MPa/1450 MPa), followed by BmPGA (Priestia megaterium PGA, 23 MPa/1170 MPa) and BtPGA CLECs (Bacillus thermotolerans PGA, 11 MPa/614 MPa). In addition, FJAT- and BtPGA CLECs showed up to 20-fold higher volumetric activities compared to BmPGA CLECs. Correlation to structural characteristics indicated that a high solvent content and low number of cross-linking residues might lead to reduced stability. Furthermore, activity seems to be restricted by small water channels due to severe diffusion limitations. To the best of our knowledge, we show for the first time in this study that the entire process chain for the characterization of diverse industrially relevant enzymes can be performed at the microliter scale to discover the most important relationships and limitations.


Insects ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 100
Author(s):  
Piotr Olszewski ◽  
Petr Bogusch ◽  
Krzysztof Szpila

The first comprehensive information on the bionomics of the digger wasp Oxybelus variegatus Wesmael, 1852 is presented. Females nested in small aggregations in crevices between paving stones of a frequently used pedestrian pathway in lowland agricultural wasteland. Nests were dug in the ground using mandibles, legs and abdomen. The nest consists of a main burrow with one or, rarely, two cells. The mature larva is described for the first time. The egg stage lasts for about two days before the larva hatches. The female provisioned each cell with an average of 11 paralysed male flies of Delia platura (Meigen, 1826) (Diptera: Anthomyiidae). Numerous females of dipteran kleptoparasites were observed in the nesting area of O. variegatus. However, only a few nests were infested by larvae of Senotainia conica (Fallen, 1810).


Author(s):  
А.Т. Kazbekova ◽  

The article is based on the analysis of archival documents introduced into scientific circulation for the first time and examines the process of economic and labor settlement of special settlers-Chechens who were subjected to repeated internal resettlement in the Zyryanovsky district (now the Altai district) East Kazakhstan region in the first years of settlement. Тhe study identified the main problems faced by special settlers-Chechens in the Zyryanov district. Social and living conditions of special settlers were reconstructed. Housing conditions, medical care and everyday life are considered. On the basis of the studied materials, the attitude of special settlers to new living conditions and the host society to the special component is shown. The author, relying on archival materials, comes to the conclusion that repeated internal migrations of special settlers-Chechens did not solve social problems.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hui Jia ◽  
Bin Zhao ◽  
Fangfang Zhang ◽  
Ramesh Kumar Santhanam ◽  
Xinying Wang ◽  
...  

Polysaccharides are the main active ingredients of ginseng. To extract the most effective polysaccharides against hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), we isolated and characterized the polysaccharides from the mountain cultivated ginseng (MCG) and compared their composition and cytotoxic effect with cultivated ginseng (CG) polysaccharide against HepG2 cell lines for the first time. MCG polysaccharides and CG polysaccharides were fractionated into two fractions such as MTPS-1, MTPS-2 and CTPS-1, CTPS-2 by salting out, respectively. Compared to CG, MCG possessed appreciable cytotoxic effect against HepG2 cells among that MTPS-1 possess fortified effect. Then, MTPS-1 was selected for further isolation process and seven acidic polysaccharides (MCGP-1–MCGP-7) were obtained using ethanol precipitation, ion-exchange, and gel permeation chromatography techniques. Structural characteristics of the polysaccharides (MCGP-1–MCGP-7) were done by adapting methylation/GC-MS and NMR analysis. Overall, MCGP-3 polysaccharide was found to possess significant cytotoxic effect against HepG2 cells with the IC50 value.


2011 ◽  
pp. 157-172 ◽  
Author(s):  
Milic Curovic ◽  
Milan Medarevic ◽  
Rade Cvjeticanin ◽  
Mirko Knezevic

In order to manage forest ecosystems at a sufficiently high biodiversity level it is necessary to study the ecological, structural and production characteristics of virgin forests. The research was directed towards identifying the characteristics of mixed fir and beech forests (Abieti-Fagetum s. lat.) in the area of the strict reserve of the National Park Biogradska Gora in Montenegro. Basic characteristics of these forests were researched in the process of definition of forest types. In this manner, it is for the first time that a realistic base for typological management of forests and forest ecosystems with similar ecological and structural characteristics was provided for the specific sites.


Author(s):  
Kamran Baseer Achakzai ◽  
Muhammad Abbas Shah ◽  
Ramla Achakzai ◽  
Ghulam Hussain Kakar

Backyard chicken farming is as an effective tool for poverty reduction in rural areas, by providing living to resource poor communities; it is an important source of extra cash income other than eggs and meat for family consumption. The present study was carried out to assess the role of backyard poultry farming in supplementing household economy of rural farmers dwelling in district Quetta, Pakistan. Information from ninety-nine randomly selected female backyard poultry farmers were gathered during November 2016 to March 2017. Owing to previous government and non-government interventions backyard poultry keeping was found as an established practice. Women were found the main custodian of backyard poultry birds and consequently were the main beneficiary of the activity. Poultry birds of Fayoumi and Golden / Rhode Island Red (RIR) breeds were the main types. Majority of the farmers reared these birds under scavenging conditions in combination with feeding on household left over dry bread (52%); most of the respondents (62%) were taking care of the birds by themselves which resulted in overall low production cost. Income included the earning received from sale of birds, eggs and the home consumption of poultry meat and eggs. Net income per annum per household was estimated as Pakistani Rupee (PKR) 79290/- (US$ 566). The estimated Rank Based Quotients (R.B.Q) based on farmers perception disclosed backyard poultry keeping as an important domestic source of meat and eggs with almost no or very little capital investment, ranked (I, 80%) followed by a substantial source of supplementary income and was ranked (II, 79%). Amongst the problems, disease outbreaks were the most prevailing problem (I, 90%) followed by unavailability of vaccines (II, 85%). The backyard poultry farming generated subsistence income and provided high quality valuable food that improved household nutrition.


2021 ◽  
pp. 1-2
Author(s):  
Panagiota Xanthouli

<b>Background:</b> Studies on the role of eosinophils in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are scarce, though available findings suggest a possible association with disease severity. Our study analyzes the relationship between eosinophils and COVID-19, with a focus on disease severity and patients with underlying chronic respiratory diseases. <b>Methods:</b> We performed a retrospective analysis of 3,018 subjects attended at two public hospitals in Madrid (Spain) with PCR-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection from January 31 to April 17, 2020. Patients with eosinophil counts less than 0.02 × 10<sup>9</sup>/L were considered to have eosinopenia. Individuals with chronic respiratory diseases (<i>n</i> = 384) were classified according to their particular underlying condition, i.e., asthma, chronic pulmonary obstructive disease, or obstructive sleep apnea. <b>Results:</b> Of the 3018 patients enrolled, 479 were excluded because of lack of information at the time of admission. Of 2539 subjects assessed, 1,396 patients presented an eosinophil count performed on admission, revealing eosinopenia in 376 cases (26.93%). Eosinopenia on admission was associated with a higher risk of intensive care unit (ICU) or respiratory intensive care unit (RICU) admission (OR:2.21; 95% CI:1.42–3.45; <i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.001) but no increased risk of mortality (<i>p</i> &#x3e; 0.05). <b>Conclusion:</b> Eosinopenia on admission conferred a higher risk of severe disease (requiring ICU/RICU care), but was not associated with increased mortality. In patients with chronic respiratory diseases who develop COVID-19, age seems to be the main risk factor for progression to severe disease or death.


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