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Gastrointestinal (GI) parasitic infection is a great concern for livestock management in Nepal, which may vary with the age and sex of the animals, feeding practices, habitat types, and interaction with other domestic and wild animals. As a consequence of growing environmental changes, it is anticipated that temperature and precipitation variation in altitudinal gradients will influence parasite communities and their hosts with unpredictable impacts. In light of this, the current study aimed to explore the pattern of prevalence and factors affecting GI parasites in bovines along the altitudinal and environmental gradients of Chitwan Annapurna Landscape. A total of 600 faecal specimens of bovines were collected from six different blocks and examined microscopically in the Zoology laboratory of Birendra Multiple Campus, Bharatpur, Nepal in between 2019 to 2020. The presence of cysts, oocysts and eggs of parasites in faecal samples were detected morphometrically using standard qualitative and quantitative methods. Out of 600 faecal samples of cattle and buffaloes examined, 64.8% were found positive for one or more species of GI parasites. The prevalence of parasitic infection was significantly higher in cattle (68.8%) as compared to the buffaloes (62.7%, p=0.007). A total of 16 species (5 protozoans, 11 helminths) were reported. The prevalence of GI parasites was significantly lower with increasing annual rainfall, elevation, distance from the forest and water resources (p=0.0001) but significantly higher with increasing temperature (p=0.001). The calf (p=0.028) and sub-adults (p=0.028) were significantly infected than the adults. Despite the fact that a large number of the herders used veterinary drugs for deworming, GI parasites were still rampant in the cows and buffaloes. We conclude that GI parasites are serious problems in the cattle and buffaloes of Chitwan Annapurna Landscape. Hence, regular health checkups, deworming, cleanliness of the sheds, and water resources are suggested regularly.

Abstract: Stress creates disharmony in the body's natural environment and thus causes an imbalance in the normal physiological system. The term diabetes describes a group of metabolic disorders, characterized and identified by the presence of hyperglycemia. Essential factors identified to initiate hyperglycemia are excess body weight, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and lifestyle changes like stress, genetics, etc. Different types of stress and related conditions like depression, anxiety, etc., cause pancreatic β-cell dysfunction and insulin resistance, the prime risk factors in the progression of type 2 diabetes. The neuroendocrine system plays a pivotal role in countering psychological stress is the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, which secretes glucocorticoids (GCs), e.g., cortisol is the principal stress-responsive natural steroid hormone. The stress system essentially hampers the body's homeostasis and develops serious clinical manifestations. Glucocorticoids exert a strong physiological impact on glucose metabolism directly or indirectly, cause hyperglycemic effect and play an important role in the development of type 2 diabetes observed in patients suffering from chronic stress, Cushing’s syndrome, or patients on long term GCs therapy. This review provides a clear outline on the pathways and mechanisms of stress-linked type 2 diabetes.

Covid-19 is a pandemic that has swept the globe since the end of 2019. Scientists are working around the clock to create a vaccine to combat the Coronavirus. People are now monitored using smart-phone and web-based software. The Internet of Things (IoT) refers to items that have sensors embedded in them. To check the spread of Covid-19, the IoT can be used. Social Distancing breaks the chain of spreading. It has an effect not only on healthcare spending but also on the speed at which infected patients recover. IoT can be used efficiently for maintaining social distance. As a result, the current research aims to define, analyze and highlight the inclusive applications of the IoT philosophy by providing a perspective roadmap to combat the COVID-19 pandemic by maintaining social distancing. Reviewing the literature, a real-time detecting and alerting method for the COVID-19 condition monitoring is proposed.

The anthropometric parameters are regarded as sensitive indicators. The core elements of anthropometric parameters are bodyweight, height and body mass index. To assess certain anthropometric features of males of Sasaram in respect to the standards and the variations in these features due to 60 days feeding of soybean added diet was the purpose of the work. Experimental studies indicate that soybean added diet might facilitate loss of bodyweight. All subjects were observed for anthropometric measurements after feeding of routine diet and soybean added diet. The average bodyweight was 63.65±8.97kg of volunteers aged 20-59 years with a height of 162.0+6.0cm in controlled condition among 2127 males. The average height of volunteers of 162.0+6.0cm was found less than the present standard of the Bihar, India as well as the world. On the other hand, the average of body mass index was 24.88±3.01 kg/m2 among the volunteers of the above age group and was found less than the present standard of the world but more than the standard of India. Consumption of soybean added diet was related to a moderately significant decreased weight (p

A study was carried out to evaluate the ecology and diversity of the zooplankton of the Ganga River at Arrah from Bihar, India from January 2018 to December 2019. Varied physical and chemical parameters supporting the zooplankton and corresponding biodiversity indices were studied. The water temperature showed inverse correlation with pH, dissolved oxygen, whereas direct relationship with total alkalinity, hardness, chloride, nitrate and sulfate. A total of 23 genera of zooplankton belonging to 6 genera of Rotifera, 5 of Protozoa, 5 of Cladocera, 4 of Copepoda and 3 of Ostracoda were identified with a density from 2 to 213 ind./L. The analysis showed that density of zooplankton declined in post-monsoon and remained maximum in summer because of the various environmental and inflow characteristics of the water body. The density of zooplankton showed direct correlation with total alkalinity, hardness and chloride of water but inverse correlation with water temperature, pH and dissolved oxygen. Shannon-Weiner index, Margalef richness index, Pielou’s evenness index, Menhninick’s index and Simpson index were won’t to assess relation of water quality with zooplankton and limnological profile of the river. The diversity indices indicated moderate to high diversity of zooplankton and moderately polluted conditions of the river.

Climate change refers to long-term local, regional and global alternations in average temperature and weather patterns. It has been a global concern in recent decades and is related to human activity. Fish can be stenothermal or eurythermal as well as warm-water or cold water depending on their tolerance limits of temperature. The decline of global fish production because of climate change in many parts of the world is widely documented as fishing down the food web or overfishing may lead to further decline of fisheries production and food insecurity. Changes in physicochemical parameters of water are one of the most important consequences of climate change that will have a significant impact on the fisheries. Most physicochemical characteristics, including salinity, turbidity, conductivity, total hardness, FCO2, TDS, ammonia and nitrate are directly related to water temperature. pH and DO have an inverse relationship, whereas BOD showed a direct relationship up to 50 0C but total alkalinity and chloride provide no definiterelationships. This paper reviews the link between these physicochemical factors and temperature changes, as well as potential effects on fisheries. &nbsp

The present work was carried out to apply overall index of pollution and water quality index to assess status of Rani Pond, Aurangabad, Bihar, India which has been under pressure due to the increasing anthropogenic activities. Physicochemical parameters like water temperature, pH, electrical conductivity, dissolved oxygen, total alkalinity, hardness, total dissolved solids, biochemical oxygen demand chloride, fluoride and nitrate were analyzed using standard procedures. The values obtained were compared with the guidelines for drinking purpose suggested by BIS (2012). The result shows the higher concentration of electrical conductivity, hardness, total dissolved solids and fluoride beyond the permissible limit. Ten parameters were selected to derive the overall index of pollution and water quality index for the estimation of water potential. The range of 2.70-3.50 of overall index of pollution and 165.83- 224.58 of water quality index indicating that the water of Rani Pond is not fit for drinking including both human and animals. The implementation of overall index of pollution and water quality index is necessary for proper management of the Rani Pond and it will be a very helpful tool for the public and decision makers to evaluate the water quality of the Rani Pond for sustainable management.

It was aimed at to evaluate the activity of Carica papaya fruit juice on induced diabetic rats (Rattus norvegicus) with a view of proposing a management scheme. Animals were sacrificed after treatment with unripe and ripe papaya juice. The plasma glucose, cholesterol, protein and tissue glycogen concentrations were estimated. Feeding of papaya juice raised the levels of these parameters more than the controlled value throughout the work. The results showed that the concentrations of these parameters were significantly increased (p

A freshwater Indian air breathing catfish, Clarias batrachus was subjected to low (3.75 mg/L) and high (18.75 mg/L) sub lethal dose of lead nitrate for short (24, 48 and 96 hours) and long term (15, 30 and 45 days) treatment to study serum biochemical features. All the variations were more dependent on the dose in comparison to the duration. At the end of the experiment, serum glucose, serum cholesterol and serum urea levels raised (p

Background: Presence of blood brain barrier is one of the major hurdle in drug delivery to brain for the treatment of neurological diseases. Alternative and more effective drug delivery approaches have been investigated for the drug targeting to brain in therapeutic range. Objective: The present investigation was carried out to improve the galantamine bioavailability in brain by intranasal drug delivery through thiolated chitosan nanoparticles and compared to nasal and oral delivery of its solution using pharmacodynamic activity as well as biochemical estimation. Methods: Thiolated chitosan (modified) nanoparticles were fabricated using modified ionic gelation method and intranasal delivery is evaluated by reversal of scopolamine induced amnesia and biochemical estimation of acetylcholinesterase activity in Swiss albino mice brain. Scopolamine (0.4 mg/kg, i.p.) was used to induce amnesia. Piracetam (400mg/kg, i.p.) was used as positive control. Mice were treated with galantamine solution (4mg/kg) by oral and nasal route and formulated galantamine nanoparticles (equivalent to 4mg/kg) by intranasal administration for 7 successive days and the results were compared statistically. Results: Intranasal delivery of galantamine loaded thiolated chitosan nanoparticles was found significant (p Conclusion: Significant recovery in amnesia induced mice model by intranasal administration of galantamine loaded thiolated chitosan nanoparticles established the relevance of nose to brain delivery over the conventional oral therapies for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.

Introduction: Drug targeting to brain by circumventing the physiological barriers is a prerequisite for drugs acting on central nervous system (CNS) and therapeutic potential of many drugs can be improved by effectively targeting the drug(s) to brain. Areas covered: Present review describes blood–brain barrier (BBB), drug transport mechanisms and factors affecting drug transportation across BBB along with in vitro BBB models; and the approaches for evaluation of permeability of drug across BBB. Expert opinion: The development of a still awaited perfect in vitro model to mimic BBB is a challenging task. System biologist, network biologist and computational technologist should come together to integrate the role of transporters, physiological and pathophysiological complexity of BBB to replicate vascular properties of the brain microcapillaries as a suitable model to facilitate the high-throughput screening of CNS acting biomolecules.

The minocycline hydrochloride (MH), at higher doses, is useful in the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders and owing to its antioxidant potential, it may have nootropic effects. MH loaded nanoparticles (MHNP) were coated with tween 80 (cMHNP) to improve its brain uptake followed by their optimization employing two factor-three level (3(2)) central composite design (CCD) in order to minimize particle size and maximize drug entrapment efficiency (DEE) and validated. The optimized formulations were further subjected to in vitro drug release study; in vivo biodistribution studies in male wistar rats. The pharmacodynamic study was carried out using elevated plus maze (EPM) and Morris water maze (MWM) behavioral models for nootropic activity in swiss albino mice; and biochemical estimations (acetylcholine esterase, reduced glutathione, malondialdehyde and brain nitrite level). After intravenous (i.v.) administration, the concentration of MH in brain of cMHNP (6.21±0.64 µg/mL) treated rats was significantly higher with MH solution treated (0.70±0.06 µg/mL) as well as MHNP (1.03±0.12 µg/mL) treated animals. Pharmacodynamic studies revealed a significant improvement in memory of MH, MHNP and cMHNP treated swiss albino mice than saline treated control group. However, cMHNP revealed maximum decrease in transfer latency (TL) in EPM and maximum increase in time spent in target quadrant (TSTQ) in MWM. Although cMHNP did not produce significant change in brain acetylcholinesterase, but, significantly increased reduced glutathione, malondialdehyde and reduced brain nitrite level as compared to saline, MH solution and MHNP treated groups. The results suggest that cMHNP is a promising candidate for improved brain uptake of MH with better nootropic effect.