This study describes the toxicity signs that developed when the diet of male broiler chickens was artificially contaminated with different levels of the mycotoxin ochratoxin A (OTA). Chicks were assigned randomly to three groups of 80 chicks that were fed a diet containing 0 parts per billion (ppb) (control, group 1), 400 ppb (group 2) or 800 ppb (group 3) OTA from day 1 to 5 weeks of age. Signs of ochratoxicosis were assessed on the basis of changes in the following criteria: body weight, relative weights of two representative internal organs (gizzard and thymus), feed consumption, feed conversion ratio, mortality, thyroid activity, blood profile, humoral and cell mediated immunity. Feeding OTA at levels of 400 and 800 ppb (groups 2 and 3) significantly decreased the body weight, thymus weight, feed consumption, feed conversion ratio and thyroxine concentration (P B/0.05). The OTA groups developed anaemia manifested by a significant decrease in the red blood cell count, packed cell volume percentage and haemoglobin concentration (P B/0.05). By the end of the experiment both groups that received OTA showed a 37% reduction in red blood cell count compared with the control group. Furthermore, a significant decrease in the white blood cell count, humoral immune response and cell-mediated immunity was found in both groups fed ochratoxin compared with the control group (P B/0.05). The reduction in the above parameters was more noticeable with time and was proportional to the level of OTA exposure. A significant increase in relative gizzard weight, cumulative mortality and triiodothyronine concentration was found in OTA-fed chicks (P B/0.05). These data provide a description of ochratoxicosis in broilers that should be useful in diagnosis and in improved understanding of the practical implications on broiler performance and health, a problem that can threaten the poultry industry.

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An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of selection for egg production performance of Cairo L-2 strain, as a local layer strain, after five generations of selection on productivity, ovarian morphology and some egg quality traits versus commercial Lohmann Brown-Lite (LBL) strain. The performance in the 5th generation was evaluated in Cairo L-2 and LBL strains for live body weight at sexual maturity (BWSM), age at sexual maturity (ASM), first egg weight (FEW), ovarian morphology, ovarian follicles number, ovarian weights and diameter, oviduct weight, liver weight, and stroma weight and their percentages to live body weight at sexual maturity for Cairo L-2 and LBL strains. Egg traits at 36 weeks of age including: egg number (EN), egg weight (EW), shell thickness (ST), and shell index (SI) were also obtained. Current results indicated that Cairo L-2 strain had higher ASM compared with LBL strain. Also, Cairo L-2 strain had lower BWSM, oviduct, ovary, stroma, and liver absolute weights and relative ovary weight compared with LBL strain. Ovarian follicles number, weights and diameter, FEW, and EN until 36 weeks of age were higher in LBL than in Cairo L-2 strain. Also, SI of the LBL was higher than that of Cairo L-2 strain. Moreover, Cairo L-2 strain egg production until 36 weeks of age was about 80% of that of LBL strain with good ST and SI. In conclusion, there were positive responses in ovarian morphology, egg production, and egg quality traits of Cairo L-2 strain associated with breeding program.

Microsatellite markers are presently used in selection to facilitate the genetic improvement of growth and carcass traits in chickens. The genetic improvement of six weeks live body and carcass weights of Cairo B-2 line, after six generation of selection, was compared with the control line (C line). Cairo B-2 line had higher body weight, breast meat, and carcass parts than the C line. Seven microsatellites, associated with body and carcass weights, were efficiently used to study the effect of selection on the microsatellite marker frequencies of Cairo B-2 line. The allelic number of the microsatellite markers ADL0328, MCW0097, and ROS0025 associated with live body, breast, carcass, and wings weights increased in the Cairo B-2 line than the C line. The association between these important economic characteristics and microsatellite loci will facilitate the selection process by applying marker assisted selection in future breeding programs.

Objective: To assess the reproductive outcome after hysteroscopic septal resection in women with unexplained infertility or recurrent miscarriage. Design: Prospective clinical trial.Setting: Zagazig university hospitals, Egypt.Patients: 47 patients (20 patients with primary infertility and 27 patients with recurrent miscarriage diagnosed to have uterine septum) Intervention: hysteroscopic septal resection.Main outcome measures: pregnancy rate and its outcome (miscarriage, preterm birth, term birth and live-birth rates). Results:There was signifi cant improvement in reproductive outcome in patients with primary infertility and uterine septum after hysteroscopic metroplasty; pregnancy rate was 55% (11 pregnancies out of 20 patients). Abortion and preterm labor rates were low (5 and 10% respectively) while term delivery and live-birth rates were high (40 and 45% respectively).Also, there was signifi cant improvement in the reproductive outcome in patients with recurrent pregnancy loss, there was highly signifi cant reduction in the abortion rate to 11.1% (p= 0.00) after hysteroscopic metroplasty but there was non-signifi cant reduction in preterm birth from 11.1% to 7.4% (p= 0.63). There was highly signifi cant rise in term delivery rate that increased from 3.8% to 51.9% (p=0.00007) and highly signifi cant increase in live-birth rate from 7.4% to 55.6% (p=0.0001).Conclusion: performing hysteroscopic metroplasty could markedly improve the reproductive outcome in patients having recurrent miscarriage in the form of reduction in abortion rate and increase in term delivery and live-birth rates. There was also signifi cant improvement in pregnancy rate among patients with unexplained primary infertility.