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Online learning has been considered a successful source for reaching learners anywhere, and anytime despite all challenges for decades. This two-fold study was designed to explore how COVID-19 fear affected students' social presence in online learning, and how their internal psychological resources such as motivation moderated to make their online learning experience successful in public, and private universities. A cross-sectional, descriptive, and correlational research design was carried out by using a simple random sampling (N=244 students from Public sector universities, and N=178 students from Private universities). Online structured questionnaires were developed to collect data by using Google forms. The study found fear of COVID-19 highly insignificant in relationship with Social Presence, while Cognitive Problem-Solving Skill was significant with Psychological Motivation in Public Sector universities. Psychological Motivation also exhibited a strong positive and significant correlation with Cognitive Problem-Solving Skills. The study concluded that in Public Sector Universities, the existence of fear of COVID-19 was accompanied by greater psychological motivation among students, resulting in an increase in their cognitive problem-solving ability. While in Private Sector universities fear of COVID-19 was seen having a significant relationship with Social Presence, Cognitive Problem-Solving capability, and Psychological Motivation. In Private Sector universities, fear of COVID-19 was also accompanied by greater psychological motivation among students, resulting in an increase in their social presence.

Camel production in Pakistan is adversely affected by several pathogenic infections and insufficient veterinary facilities. Haemoparasitic diseases significantly affect health and productivity of camels causing a substantial financial burden to camel breeders and owners. The present study was designed for the identification and molecular detection of haemoparasites particularly piroplasms (Theileria spp. / Babesia spp.) infection in naturally infected local onehumped camels (Camelus dromedaries) in Punjab by using parasitological as well as molecular tools like polymerase chain reaction (PCR) followed by phylogenetic analysis. Blood samples (n=400) were collected from camels suspected for piroplasms infections in ten districts of Punjab and processed for blood smears and PCR targeting 18S rRNA gene. The findings revealed that Theileria is the most common parasite in camels of all study areas with overall prevalence of 12% and 13.5% by microscopic examination of GSBS and PCR, respectively. The phylogenetic analyses of the isolates on sequencing revealed that all analyzed isolates were closely related to Theileria annulata present in NCBI from several parts of the world. However, all samples tested for presence of Babesia spp. were found negative by microscopy and PCR. Chi square based risk factors analyses exhibited significant (P<0.05) association between gender, age, tick infestation, previous tick history and prevalence of Theileria. In conclusion, current study on haemoparasites is evident for first ever molecular identification of Theileria annulata infection in camels of Pakistan along with assessment of potential risk factors associated with disease. Recent outcomes are ascertaining it as a silent killer with damaging effects on immune system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hemoparasites like Trypanosomes and Theileria impose drastic effects on normal functioning of vital organs with substantial changes in blood profile. Therefore, this study was designed to envisage such alterations in hemato-biochemical indices of camels naturally infected with Trypanosoma evansi (Tr. evansi) and Theileria annulata (Th. annulata). Blood samples (400) were collected from camels in Punjab, Pakistan and processed for Tr. evansi and Th. annulata by parasitological and molecular assays such as PCR (Polymerase chain reaction). The PCR positive samples for each parasites were evaluated for changes in hemato-biochemical parameters by performing hematology and serum biochemistry. The data obtained was analyzed in R statistical language (R version 4.1.3) using T-test and Mann Whitney Wilcox test at (P = 0.05). Results revealed the presence of Tr. evansi (8.25%) and Th. annulata (12%) by microscopic examination of Giemsa/Field stained blood smears while (14.8%) and (13.5%) prevalence was found respectively, by PCR using specific primers. The effects of Trypanosomiasis and Theileriosis on (Mean ± SE) values of several hematological parameters like, RBCs count, Hb conc., HCT, MCV, MCH, MCHC were significantly (P = 0.05) increased while WBCs count, lymphocytes, PLT and PCT were decreased compared with control. Likewise, values (Mean ± SE) of sero-biochemical parameters including glucose, iron, ALT, AST and total bilirubin had significant difference (P = 0.05), while creatinine, urea, ALP and BUN exhibited non-significant variations (P > 0.05) among the control and infected camels. The study inferenced the significant alterations in hemato-biochemical parameters of Tr. evansi and Th. annulata infected camels with the provision of comparable data for future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of current exploration was to validate therapeutic efficacy of Ibuprofen, a nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug and coccidiostat (Clopidol) alone and in combination against coccidiosis in broiler birds. Chicks were randomly allocated to five treatment groups of 25 broilers in each pen on 5th day of age. Birds in groups A, B, C and D were challenged by 60,000-70,000 sporulated oocysts of mixed species local isolates at 21st day of age. Groups A and B were medicated with Ibuprofen (100mg/kg body weight) orally and Ibuprofen (100mg/kg B.W) orally plus Clopidol (0.5g/kg) of feed respectively, post infection for five days. The group C was medicated with Clopidol (0.5g/kg) of feed. The group D served as infected unmedicated (negative) control and birds in group E were kept as noninfected and nonmedicated (positive) control. Therapeutic effects were measured in terms of mortality, growth performance, oocysts count, coccidial lesion scoring and weight of lymphoid organs. Coccidial lesion scores and oocysts count was lower in group A, B and C than in group D. No mortality was observed in group E, while highest in group D as compared to A, B and C. Highest growth performance, a significant reduction in oocysts count and reduction in lymphoid organ body weight ratio was observed in groups B as compared to groups A and C. This study suggested protective, therapeutic as well as a synergistic effect of Ibuprofen with clopidol in chicken coccidiosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: People with severe mental illness (SMI) are more likely to have obesity and engage in health risk behaviours than the general population. The aims of this study are (1) evaluate the effectiveness of interventions that focus on body weight, smoking cessation, improving sleeping patterns, and alcohol and illicit substance abuse; (2) Compare the number of interventions addressing body weight and health risk behaviours in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) v. those reported in published systematic reviews focusing on high-income countries (HICs). Methods: Intervention studies published up to December 2020 were identified through a structured search in the following database; OVID MEDLINE (1946–December 2020), EMBASE (1974–December 2020), CINAHL (1975–2020), APA PsychoINFO (1806–2020). Two authors independently selected studies, extracted study characteristics and data and assessed the risk of bias. and risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias tool V2. We conducted a narrative synthesis and, in the studies evaluating the effectiveness of interventions to address body weight, we conducted random-effects meta-analysis of mean differences in weight gain. We did a systematic search of systematic reviews looking at cardiometabolic and health risk behaviours in people with SMI. We compared the number of available studies of LMICs with those of HICs. Results: We assessed 15 657 records, of which 9 met the study inclusion criteria. Six focused on healthy weight management, one on sleeping patterns and two tested a physical activity intervention to improve quality of life. Interventions to reduce weight in people with SMI are effective, with a pooled mean difference of −4.2 kg (95% CI −6.25 to −2.18, 9 studies, 459 participants, I 2 = 37.8%). The quality and sample size of the studies was not optimal, most were small studies, with inadequate power to evaluate the primary outcome. Only two were assessed as high quality (i.e. scored 'low' in the overall risk of bias assessment). We found 5 reviews assessing the effectiveness of interventions to reduce weight, perform physical activity and address smoking in people with SMI. From the five systematic reviews, we identified 84 unique studies, of which only 6 were performed in LMICs. Conclusion: Pharmacological and activity-based interventions are effective to maintain and reduce body weight in people with SMI. There was a very limited number of interventions addressing sleep and physical activity and no interventions addressing smoking, alcohol or harmful drug use. There is a need to test the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of context-appropriate interventions to address health risk behaviours that might help reduce the mortality gap in people with SMI in LMICs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]