Relationship of conventional and fluorescent microscopic technique to assess in vitro semen quality status of murrah buffalo males

In vitro fertility assessment using fluorescent technique is a better predictor of fertility status of bulls as compared to traditional semen quality assessment techniques, therefore, the study was planned to assess in vitro fertility status of bulls based on conventional and fluorescent techniques. Seventy-three ejaculates were collected from 12 Murrah buffalo bulls maintained at Artificial Breeding Research Centre, NDRI, Karnal, India for the experiment and subjected to statistical analysis using SYSTAT. The mean values of ejaculate volume [ml], mass activity, individual motility [%], sperm concentration [millions/ml], live sperm [%], total abnormalities [%], HOST [%] and acrosomal integrity [%] were 2.70 +/- 0.28, 2.8 +/- 0.14, 63.8 +/- 2.16, 1749.7 +/- 122.24, 77.3 +/- 2.48, 6.2 +/- 0.51, 75.1 +/- 1.81 and 84.5 +/- 2.26, respectively. The repeatability estimates were significant [P<0.05] for ejaculate volume [0.34 +/- 0.137], acrosomal integrity [0.29 +/- 0.134] and live percentage [0.28 +/- 0.133], indicating sufficient bull to bull variation for the parameters. The mean values of seminal attributes of fluorescent based criteria of CMA3 [Chromomycin A3], SYBR-PI and FITC-PNA [fluorescent isothiocynate-conjugated peanut agglutinin] were 5.25 +/- 0.41, 67.91 +/- 1.24 and 82.00 +/- 1.25 percent, respectively. Bulls were ranked on the basis of expected producing ability [EPA] for semen characteristics assessed by conventional and fluorescent criteria. Rank correlations were found to be significant for FITC with most of the parameters evaluated by conventional methods. In conclusion, among the conventional criteria, individual motility [%] revealed ranking of bulls almost similar to that of fluorescent criteria

Estimation of petrol and diesel adulteration with kerosene and assessment of usefulness of selectd automobile fuel quality test parameters

Kerosene is common adulterant utilized for mixing with diesel. Five fuel-adulterant mixtures in different proportions by volume were prepared and individually tested for density and kinematic viscosity. The mixtures were administered to six light cargo vehicles and the tail pipe exhaust emission was tested for opacity value. No appreciable density variation at different levels of adulteration was observed. Density was within the prescribed value even at higher adulteration. Considerable decrease in kinematic viscosity, a departure from prescribed viscosity, was noted at higher adulteration level. The percent opacity value decreased sharply even at small level of adulteration. The probable amount of kerosene present as an adulterant in diesel dispensed at filling stations in Kathmandu city ranged between 35% and 50%. The observations suggest density test is not a good indicator of diesel adulteration. Kinematic viscosity and opacity value are useful diesel adulteration test parameters. Existing diesel adulteration warrants initiation of strict compliance regulation