Perilaku Alami dan Tidak Alami Burung Kakatua Jambul Kuning (Cacatua sp.) di Animal Sanctuary Trust Indonesia, Jawa Barat

Cockatoo (Cacatua sp.) is one of birds that is widely distributed in Indonesia and often kept as pet, thus threatening the Cacatua population in the wild. Environmental condition may affect the behavior of Cockatoo. Some unnatural behavior may arise due to living in the captive. Different cage conditions may result in different behavior performance in Cockatoo. Research on daily behavior at animal rescue sites at ASTI Bogor has never been conducted. This study aimed to analyze natural and stereotype behavior of Cacatua sp. at animal rescue center due to foreclosure, and analyze the relationship between cage condition and environmental factors. This study used focal instantaneous sampling, using eight individuals Cacatua sp. Cacatua sp. in ASTI performed natural behavior more than unnatural behavior, therefore ASTI can be a good place for animal rescue. The dominant natural behaviors were Resting (Re), Preening (Pr), Feeding (Fe), Locomotion (Lo), and Fighting (Fg), while unnatural behaviors were play, bite, abnormal vocalization, feather picking and aggressive. There are no difference in behavior between male and female, and also behavior in the morning and afternoon (p>0.05), but cage condition had a significant effect to daily behavior of Cacatua sp. (<0.05).

Titanium Cage in Comparison with Nano-Hydroxyapatite Bone Graft Substitutes in Cervical Reconstruction

Cervical spondylosis is a disease that occurs with age and affects the discs and joints in the cervical spine located in the neck. The hydroxyapatite (HA) bone graft substitutes can used as a potential bone-forming agent, however, the efficacy of using HA is challenging in cervical reconstruction. In this regard, nano-based HA was used in this study to explore its sagittal parameters and clinical potency in relative to titanium (TiO2) cage in patient with cervical spondylosis. 50 patients suffering from cervical spondylosis were divided in two groups and were grafted with either TiO2 cage or nano-HA. The sagittal parameters, including cervical spine lateral radiographs (C0−2Coob and C2−7Coob) were taken pre- and post-operation (3-month, one-year and two-year). The clinical potency was also done based on the JOA scores. Angle analysis indicated that the C0−2Cobb and C2−7Cobb angles were significantly changed after the operation in both TiO2 cage and nano-HA groups, whereas no significant changes was determined in nano-HA relative to TiO2 cage condition. Also, it was shown that JOA scores were significantly higher after the operation than pre-operation, indicating a potential cervical reconstruction after surgery in both groups which slightly were higher for nano-HA groups.

Shifted Dynamics of Glucose Metabolism in the Hippocampus During Aging

Aging is a process that adversely affects brain functions such as cognition. Brain activity is highly energy consuming, with glucose serving as the main energy source under normal circumstances. Whether the dynamics of glucose metabolism change with aging is not well understood. This study sought to investigate the activity-dependent changes in glucose metabolism of the mouse hippocampus during aging. In brief, after 1 h of contextual exploration in an enriched environmental condition or 1 h in a familiar home cage condition, metabolites were measured from the hippocampus of both young adult and aged mice with metabolomic profiling. Compared to the home cage context, the enriched contextual exploration condition resulted in changes in the concentration of 11 glucose metabolism-related metabolites in the young adult hippocampus. In contrast, glucose metabolism-related metabolite changes were more apparent in the aged group altered by contextual exploration when compared to those in the home cage condition. Importantly, in the aged groups, several key metabolites involved in glycolysis, the TCA cycle, and ketone body metabolism accumulated, suggesting the less efficient metabolization of glucose-based energy resources. Altogether, the analyses revealed that in the aged mice altered by enriched contextual exploration, the glucose resource seems to be unable to provide enough energy for hippocampal function.

Shifted dynamics of glucose metabolism in the hippocampus during aging

Aging is a process that adversely affects brain functions such as cognitive behaviors. Brain activity is a high-energy consumption process. Glucose serves as the main energy source under normal circumstances. Whether the dynamics of glucose metabolism during aging remains unchanged is not well understood. This study sought to investigate the activity-dependent changes in glucose metabolism of the mouse hippocampus during aging. In brief, after one hour of contextual exploration in an enriched environmental condition or one hour in a familiar home cage condition, metabolites were measured from the hippocampus of both adult and aged mice with metabolomic profiling. Compared to the home cage context, the enriched contextual exploration condition resulted in changes in the concentration of 11 glucose metabolism-related metabolites in the adult hippocampus. In contrast, glucose metabolism-related metabolite changes were more apparent in the aged group during contextual exploration when compared to those in the home cage condition. Importantly, in the aged groups, several key metabolites involved in glycolysis, the TCA cycle, and ketone body metabolism accumulated, suggesting the less efficient metabolization of glucose-based energy resources. Altogether, the analyses revealed that in the aged mice during enriched contextual exploration, the glucose resource seems to be unable to provide enough energy for hippocampal function.

Dentate Granule Cells Recruited in the Home Environment Display Distinctive Properties

The dentate granule cells (DGCs) play a crucial role in learning and memory. Many studies have described the role and physiological properties of these sparsely active neurons using different behavioral contexts. However, the morpho-functional features of DGCs recruited in mice maintained in their home cage (without training), considered as a baseline condition, have not yet been established. Using fosGFP transgenic mice, we observed ex vivo that DGCs recruited in animals maintained in the home cage condition are mature neurons that display a longer dendritic tree and lower excitability compared with non-activated cells. The higher GABAA receptor-mediated shunting inhibition contributes to the lower excitability of DGCs activated in the home environment by shifting the input resistance towards lower values. Remarkably, that shunting inhibition is neither observed in non-activated DGCs nor in DGCs activated during training in virtual reality. In short, our results suggest that strong shunting inhibition and reduced excitability could constitute a distinctive neural signature of mature DGCs recruited in the context of the home environment.

Prevalence and Risk Factors of Fasciolosis in Bali Cattle in Ujung Loe Subdistrict, Bulukumba Regency

This study aimed to determine the prevalence and risk factors of fasciolosis in Bali cattle in Ujung Loe District, Bulukumba Regency. A total of 157 Balinese cattle fecal samples were collected and selected proportionally from 13 villages in Ujung Loe Subdistrict, Bulukumba Regency. The fecal examination was carried out by the sedimentation method to detect the presence of Fasciola sp. eggs based on the morphology. Risk factors of fasciolosis such as animal age, management, cage condition, intermediate host control, and farmer knowledge were analyzed using Chi-square and Odds Ratio. The results of this study indicated that the prevalence of fasciolosis in Ujung Loe District, Bulukumba Regency was 4.4%. The results of the Chi-square analysis showed that age and management system had a relationship with the incidence of fasciolosis, while other factors were not related to fasciolosis.

TEKNOLOGI TEPAT GUNA PEMANFAATAN LISTRIK DAYA KECIL UNTUK PENGELOLAAN KANDANG PADA BUDIDAYA AYAM PEDAGING DI DESA PUCANGSONGO KABUPATEN MALANG

One of the problems faced by small-scale broiler cultivators in Pucangsongo-Malang was the use of PLN electricity that exceeds the installed capacity. Partners feel it was too expensive to raise the power capacity. To overcome the problem, timing settings to power the equipment is needed. The cage-smell’ problem needs to be handled because the cage-locations are in settlement. The purpose of this activity was helping partners to increase productivity by helping solve problems from production aspects, as well as the safety. The implementation method was providing appropriate science and technology to partners in the form of electricity utilization management equipped with a cage monitoring system. In addition, it also developed a backup power source safety system that works when the electricity goes off to keep the cage remain conducive. Prior this activity, the cage-capacity was 3300 with an average death of 200 chickens. Currently, the cage-capacity increased to 3500 chickens with deaths down to 110 chickens. With the developed and installed electric power management equipped with monitoring system of cage condition, broiler cultivators in Pucangsongo-Malang can monitor the cage’s state at any time and power shortage problem can be resolved.

Host Preference of Epilachna Beetle, Epilachna dodecastigma (Wied.) among Cucurbitaceous Vegetables

A series of experiments were carried out at the field and laboratory of the Department of Entomology, Bangladesh Agricultural University to determine the host preference of Epilachna beetle, Epilachna dodecastigma (Wied.) among four cucurbitaceous crops viz. cucumber, bottle Gourd, sweet Gourd and bitter Gourd. Three varieties of each crop were tested. Data on insect incidence, infestation, food consumption and fecundity of E. dodecastigma were collected. The highest number of Epilachna beetle was recorded on cucumber and the lowest was on bottle Gourd both in open field and in net cage condition. Among the varieties, the highest insect incidence was recorded on Sitol Sosa and the lowest was on BARI Lau-4 both in open field and in net cage. The highest leaf and twig infestation was found on cucumber crop and its’ Sitol Sosa variety, while the lowest was on bottle Gourd crop and its' BARI Lau-4 variety in both open field and in net cage. The Epilachna beetle showed the similar host preference in case of daily food consumption and oviposition rate both in net cage and laboratory condition. Thus, considering the insect incidence, infestation, food consumption and fecundity, the crop cucumber and the tested Sitol Sosa variety appeared to be the most preferred host for Epilachna beetle.Int J Appl Sci Biotechnol, Vol 3(2): 352-358 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/ijasbt.v3i2.12809