Hemato-biochemical and ultrasonographic evaluation of hepatic lipidosis in dairy buffaloes.

Around 60% dairy animals developed moderate to severe hepatic lipidosis at the time of parturition or during early lactation stage. Most of clinician suspect the hepatic lipidosis during above time window only. However, negative energy balance or feeding of high concentrate diet can lead to hepatic lipidosis at any phase of life. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the potential for diagnosis of hepatic lipidosis by means of hemato-biochemical parameters and ultrasonography of the liver at any stage of life. Here, ultrasonographic back fat thickness measurement was correlated with ultrasonographic features of hepatic lipidosis. A total 60 buffaloes were included under the study and sampled for hematological and biochemical parameters. Hematological parameters did not exhibit any significant difference between healthy and hepatic lipidosis-affected buffaloes. Biochemical parameters like beta hydroxy butyric acid, non esterified fatty acid, aspartate amino transferase, gamma glutamyl transferase and alkaline phosphatase revealed a significant increase, while triglyceride, cholesterol, and glucose declined significantly in hepatic lipidosis-affected buffaloes. Total protein, albumin, and total bilirubin levels did not exhibit any significant difference. Based on ultrasonographic findings, the hepatic lipidosis-affected buffaloes were further sub divided into mild, moderate, and severe groups. Portal vein diameter and depth of portal vein were also estimated in current study. Ultrasonographic examination could diagnose 53.33% hepatic lipidosis cases in buffaloes. Among it, 37.50% buffalo had mild hepatic lipidosis, 33.33% had moderate hepatic lipidosis, and 29.16% had severe hepatic lipidosis. Depth of portal vein significantly increased in hepatic lipidosis cases. However, portal vein diameter exhibited a non-significant difference in mild, moderate, and severe groups of hepatic lipidosis. Back fat thickness also revealed a non-significant difference in mild, moderate, and severe hepatic lipidosis. Above study indicate that B mode ultrasonography of the liver can be employed to differentiate various grades of hepatic lipidosis in buffaloes. Biochemical parameters like NEFA, BHBA, AST, GGT, ALP, TG, cholesterol, and glucose can be helpful to screen the hepatic lipidosis at farm level.

Geometry-driven carrier extraction enhancement in photovoltaic cells based on arrays of subwavelength light funnels.

Texturing the front surface of thin film photovoltaic cells with ordered or disordered arrangements of subwavelength structures is beneficial in terms of efficient light harvesting as well as efficient carrier extraction. Previous studies demonstrated efficient broadband absorption of solar radiation with surface arrays of subwavelength inverted cones (light funnels - LFs). In the current work, we use three-dimensional finite-difference time-domain electromagnetic calculations as well as three-dimensional device calculations to examine carrier extraction from photovoltaic cells that are composed of LF arrays on top of underlying substrates. For the selected geometry under examination, we show a broadband absorption enhancement of 14% for the LF photovoltaic cell compared with a cell based on the respective optically optimized nanopillar arrays. However, we show that the nominal power conversion efficiency is 60% higher in the LF cell which is due to the enhancement of both open-circuit voltage and short-circuit current. The higher open-circuit voltage in the LF cell is due to the higher injection of photocarriers, and the higher short-circuit current is a result of the unique LF geometry that supports efficient carrier extraction due to the naturally occurring gradients of the quasi-Fermi levels and minority carrier conductivity that allow for enhanced contact selectivity. We believe that this work paves the way towards a new approach for carrier collection in photonic devices for energy applications.

Meta-analysis of classical swine fever prevalence in pigs in India: A 5-year study.

AIM: The aim of the study was to determine the overall prevalence of classical swine fever (CSF) in pigs in India, through a systematic review and meta-analysis of published data. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Consortium for e-Resources in Agriculture, India, Google Scholar, PubMed, annual reports of All India Coordinated Research Project on Animal Disease Monitoring and Surveillance, and All India Animal Disease database of NIVEDI (NADRES) were used for searching and retrieval of CSF prevalence data (seroprevalence, virus antigen, and virus nucleic acid detection) in India using a search strategy combining keywords and related database-specific subject terms from January 2011 to December 2015 in English only. RESULTS: A total of 22 data reports containing 6,158 samples size from 18 states of India were used for the quantitative synthesis, and overall 37% (95% confidence interval [CI]=0.24, 0.51) CSF prevalence in India was estimated. The data were classified into 4 different geographical zones of the country: 20% (95% CI=0.05, 0.55), 31% (95% CI=0.18, 0.47), 55% (95% CI=0.32, 0.76), and 34% (95% CI=0.14, 0.62). CSF prevalence was estimated in northern, eastern, western, and southern regions, respectively. CONCLUSION: This study indicates that overall prevalence of CSF in India is much lower than individual published reports.

Preparation, characterization and in vivo evaluation of pH sensitive, safe quercetin-succinylated chitosan-alginate core-shell-corona nanoparticle for diabetes treatment.

The study aims for development of an efficient polymeric carrier for evaluating pharmaceutical potentialities in modulating the drug profile of quercetin (QUE) in anti-diabetic research. Alginate and succinyl chitosan are focused in this investigation for encapsulating quercetin into core-shell nanoparticles through ionic cross linking. The FT-IR, XRD, NMR, SEM, TEM, drug entrapment and loading efficiency are commenced to examine the efficacy of the prepared nanoparticles in successful quercetin delivery. Obtained results showed the minimum particle size of ∼91.58nm and ∼95% quercetin encapsulation efficiently of the particles with significant pH sensitivity. Kinetics of drug release suggested self-sustained QUE release following the non-fickian trend. A pronounced hypoglycaemic effect and efficient maintenance of glucose homeostasis was evident in diabetic rat after peroral delivery of these quercetin nanoparticles in comparison to free oral quercetin. This suggests the fabrication of an efficient carrier of oral quercetin for diabetes treatment.

Control of campylobacter in poultry industry from farm to poultry processing unit: A review.

Campylobacter is an emerging zoonotic bacterial threat in the poultry industry. Most of the human cases of campylobacteriosis recorded have revealed their poultry origins. Various control measures have been employed both at the farm and processing levels to combat with it. The antibiotic treatment, phage therapy, competitive exclusion, and vaccination have been adapted at the farm level to reduce colonization of Campylobacter in poultry gut. While prevention of intestinal spillage, scheduled slaughter, logistic slaughter, chemical decontamination of carcasses are recommended to reduce contamination during processing. The postharvest interventions such as heat treatment, freezing, irradiation of contaminated carcass can effectively reduce Campylobacter contamination. Thus, integrated approaches are required to tackle infection of Campylobacter in humans.

Phylogenetic analysis of glycoprotein B gene sequences of bovine herpesvirus 1 isolates from India reveals the predominance of subtype 1.1.

AIM: This study was conducted for the isolation and molecular characterization of bovine herpesvirus 1 (BoHV-1) isolated from the nasal and vaginal swabs collected from naturally infected cattle showing clinical symptoms of the respiratory disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Isolation of BoHV-1 virus performed on clinical samples collected from 65 cattle from five states of India. The BoHV-1 isolates were further confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using primers specific for glycoprotein B (gB) genomic region. PCR amplification was performed using previously published gB gene-specific primer pairs. gB PCR amplicons obtained from all isolates were sequenced, and phylogenetic analysis was performed using software. RESULTS: A total of 12 samples were found positive in cell culture isolation. 11 isolates showed the visible cytopathic effect on Madin-Darby bovine kidney after 72 h. Partial sequence analysis of gB gene of all isolates revealed 99.0-100% homology between them. All isolates showed 99.2-99.8% homology with Cooper stain. CONCLUSION: BoHV-1.1 is the predominant circulating subtype of BoHV in India, and all isolates have homology with Cooper stain.

Assessment of knowledge and practice of community pharmacy personnel on diabetes mellitus management in Kathmandu district: a cross sectional descriptive study.

BACKGROUND: Pharmacists are the most reachable healthcare professionals to many chronically ill patients. It has been found that pharmacists see patients with diabetes up to five times more often than any other healthcare provider. Therefore, to provide quality health care to patients it is important that they have appropriate knowledge and practice on diabetes mellitus management. Thus, this study was conducted to assess the knowledge and practice of diabetes mellitus management among community pharmacy personnel involved in retail community pharmacies of Kathmandu. METHODS: Three hundred and fifteen community pharmacies, selected by systematic random sampling were surveyed by using pre-validated self-administered questionnaires. The first set of questionnaire evaluated the community pharmacy personnel's diabetes knowledge based on a pre-validated 20-item questionnaire. The second set of questionnaire documented about the practice of community pharmacy personnel on diabetes mellitus management which contained 22 questions. Data was entered in EPI Data and analyzed by using SPSS version 20. RESULTS: This survey demonstrated that 76.5 % respondents had poor knowledge and 86.4 % had negative practice on diabetes mellitus (DM) management. Only 26.2 % respondents had good knowledge as well as good practice. 31.4 % of respondents had poor knowledge as well as poor practice on DM management. CONCLUSIONS: Laws and regulations regarding community pharmacy personnel need to be implemented. There should be more advanced and experiment based training. Additionally, the provision for further education curriculum in pharmacy education should be implemented which should intensively include disease and proper management. Guidelines covering diabetes care should be distributed and implemented throughout community pharmacies.

Face-to-face Training as an Effective Approach for Teaching Rotahaler Technique in Newly Diagnosed Patients of Asthma and COPD.

INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of face-to-face training for teaching rotahaler technique in newly diagnosed patients of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). METHODS: A hospital-based study was conducted among twenty patients who were prescribed rotahaler for the first time. Patients received face-to-face training on rotahaler technique from pharmacist using GINA guidelines. The patients rotahaler technique was assessed after two weeks of training and scored one for correct and zero for incorrect steps. Descriptive statistics were performed. RESULTS: The mean age of the study population was 48.85±20.49 years. Eleven (55%) patients were females. Thirteen (65%) patient were not formally educated in school. Fourteen patients (70%) were able to perform all the steps correctly giving overall median score of eight (7-8). CONCLUSIONS: Face-to-face training seems to be effective approach for teaching rotahaler technique in asthma and COPD patients.

Burden of schizophrenia on caregivers in Nepal.

Schizophrenia is the one of the severest form of psychiatric disorder. The disorder affects not only the patient but the family also. This study is performed to assess the burden faced by care givers of schizophrenic patients. Family burden interview schedule was used in this study. There were forty patients in study, twenty six male and fourteen female. Forty caregivers were interviewed for assessment of burden, among whom thirty were female and ten male. And to compare burden forty care givers of bipolar patients were taken. Female parents were the most usual care givers, with average age of 58.3 years and most of them were housewives. The most burden were in the area of finance and family dynamics and overall burden was moderate.

Intestinal protozoan parasitic infection among school children.

BACKGROUND: Intestinal protozoan parasitosis is highly prevalent among general population, majority of them are children. The objective of the study is to find out the prevalence of intestinal protozoan infection in school children of Sindhuli. METHODS: Stool samples were collected from school children of Sindhuli in June 2011 and investigated in National Institute of Tropical Medicine and Public Health Research, Laboratory by using formal-ether concentration method. Statistical significance was analyzed by using Chi-Square test. RESULTS: A total of 342 stool samples were collected and 68 (19.8%) protozoan parasites were identified. The prevalence rate of protozoa in boys and girls were 16.9% and 22.0% respectively. Altogether 5 species of protozoan parasites were detected. Of them Entamoeba coli was most common followed by Giardia lamblia, Entamoeba histolytica, Blastocystis hominis and Endolimax nana. Positive rate was highest in Dalit (20.3%), and least in Indo-Aryan (19.6%). CONCLUSIONS: There is a low prevalence of intestinal protozoan parasitosis among children even though this study emphasizes the need for improved environmental hygiene i.e. clean water supplies and enhanced sanitation.

Investigating the effect of CoCl2 administration on diabetic nephropathy and associated aortic dysfunction.

AIM: Endothelial dysfunction appears to be a consistent finding in diabetic nephropathy. The study aimed to investigate the effect of cobalt chloride in the amelioration of endothelial dysfunction in uninephrectomized diabetic rats. METHODS: We examined the effect of CoCl(2) (10 mg/kg, i.p., OD = once a day) treatment on contractile responses to angiotensin II (10(-10) to 10(-6)M) in an aortic preparation of control rats and uninephrectomized diabetic control rats. Blood glucose, plasma urea, creatinine, uric acid, aortic endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), nitrate/nitrite (NOx), superoxide dismutase, catalase and reduced glutathione levels were checked in the different groups. RESULTS: A significant attenuation of the augmented responses to angiotensin II was observed in CoCl(2)-treated animals along with a fall in plasma urea, creatinine and uric acid levels. A significant reduction in blood glucose and an increase in aortic eNOS and NOx levels along with antioxidants levels were observed. CONCLUSION: Chronic hypoxia augments angiotensin II responses in the thoracic aorta of uninephrectomized diabetic control rats. CoCl(2) attenuates these enhanced vascular responses with a significant decrease in blood glucose signifying stabilization of the hypoxia-inducible factor in the alleviation of endothelial dysfunction in diabetic nephropathy.

Study on carrier rate of Streptococcus pyogenes among the school children and antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of isolates.

This study was done to investigate the rate of Streptococcus pyogenes or Group A streptococcus (GAS) and antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of isolates in asymptomatic school children in Kathmandu and Sindhuli districts. Pharyngeal swabs were collected and subjected to crystal violet blood agar (CVBA). A total of 468 asymptomatic school aged children were included and 51 (10.8%) were found to be GAS carrier. Among the isolates 23 (12.0%) were from boys where 28 (10.1%) were from girls. The GAS colonization rate was statistically insignificant (P > 0.05) with sex and age sub-group, although the rate was slightly higher among the boys and age sub group 10-12 years. GAS was significantly higher in large family size (p < 0.05). Out of 51 isolates, 100.0% isolates were sensitive to antibiotic penicillin where as 7.8% and 5.8% isolates were resistant to antibiotic ampicillin and erythromycin respectively.

RP-HPLC Method for the Estimation of Dutasteride in Tablet Dosage Form.

A simple, sensitive and precise RP-HPLC method was developed for the determination of dutasteride in tablet dosage form. The RP-HPLC separation was achieved on phenomenex C(18) column (250 mm, id 4.6 mm, 5 mum) using mobile phase methanol:water (90:10 v/v) at a flow rate of 1 ml/min at an ambient temperature. Quantification was achieved with photodiode array detection at 235 nm over the concentration range 1-12 mug/ml. The method was validated statistically and was applied successfully for the determination of dutasteride in tablets.

Splay-bend elasticity of a nematic liquid crystal with T-shaped molecules.

We measured the splay (K11) and bend (K33) elastic constants in the nematic phase of a liquid crystal with T-shaped molecules. We find that the ratio, K33/K11 ≃1 in the entire nematic range except very close to the nematic to Sm-A (SN) transition. Both K33 and K11 show pretransitional divergence as the SN transition is approached from higher temperature. The ratio, K33/K11 suggests that the length (L) to effective width (D) ratio (i.e., L/D ) is significantly smaller due to the presence of long and flexible lateral group, compared to that of rigid rodlike molecules. It is argued that apart from the extra contribution to the elasticity the long and flexible lateral group also has a significant contribution to the suppression of the splay fluctuations in the onset of smectic short-range fluctuation. The structure of the Sm-A phase is investigated by using small angle x-ray diffraction, and a possible arrangement of the molecules in the Sm-A layer is proposed.

Novel mesogenic azobenzene dimer at air-water and air-solid interfaces.

We have synthesized a novel mesogenic azobenzene molecule and studied its monolayer film properties at air-water interface (Langmuir film) and air-solid interface (Langmuir-Blodgett film). The material, H-shaped dimer bis[5-(4'-n-dodecyloxy benzoyloxy)-2-(4''-methylphenylazo)phenyl] adipate (12D1H) exhibits a smectic C phase between 51 and 48 degrees C on cooling. Surface manometry studies showed the formation of a stable monolayer at the air-water interface. Brewster angle microscopy (BAM) showed that liquid domains coexisting with the gas region at large area transformed to a uniform liquid phase with increasing surface density and finally to a collapsed state. We have carried out atomic force microscope (AFM) studies on Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) films transferred onto freshly cleaved hydrophilic mica substrate. The AFM images showed domains of height of about 3.8 nm, which corresponds to the estimated height of the molecule confirming the formation of monomolecular film. On a hydrophobic silicon substrate, the LB transfer yields a bilayer film, which dewets to form uniform nanodroplets of diameter of about 100 nm and height in the range 10-50 nm. Our analysis indicated that the mechanism involved in the formation of nanodroplets can be attributed to spinodal dewetting. The 12D1H molecule containing an azobenzene group undergoes a trans to cis transformation in the presence of ultraviolet light. Our surface manometry studies showed that the monolayer in the presence of ultraviolet light was more stable with a collapse pressure three times that of the monolayer in the dark.

Autologous and allogeneic mixed-lymphocyte responses following thermal injury in man: the immunomodulatory effects of interleukin 1, interleukin 2, and a prostaglandin inhibitor, WY-18251.

A group of 30 burn patients with 36-87% total body surface area (TBSA) burns was studied at 24-48 hr postburn. These included studies of (1) autologous and allogeneic mixed-lymphocyte reactions (MLR); (2) the immunoregulatory influence of mitomycin C-treated T cells, non-T cells, and unfractionated peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) on allogeneic MLR; and (3) correlation between the proportions of T-cell subsets defined with monoclonal antibodies (OKT4 and OKT8) and autologous MLR. Studies concerning adherent cell production of thromboxane, prostaglandin E2, and prostaglandin F2a and the immunomodulatory effects of Interleukin 1 (IL-1), Interleukin 2 (IL-2), and a prostaglandin inhibitor, WY-18251, on autologous MLR are presented. The autologous mixed-lymphocyte reaction was depressed in 60% of the burn patients tested. This depressed response correlated closely to the extent of third-degree injury (P less than 0.025) and to TBSA injury greater than 60% (P less than 0.025). A linear correlation was observed between the depression in autologous MLR and a decrease in both the percentage of OKT4+ T cells and the OKT4+/OKT8+ ratio. The response of T cells from burn patients in allogeneic MLR was normal. Age, sex, TBSA of the burn, and size of second-degree burn did not correlate with the abnormalities observed in MLR. Mitomycin C-treated mononuclear cells, purified T cells, or non-T cells from burned patients did not demonstrate any suppressive influence on MLR in normals. Monocyte number and arachidonic acid metabolism were investigated. In addition to increased numbers of monocytes following thermal injury, adherent cells produced increased quantities of thromboxane, prostaglandin E2, and prostaglandin F2a. The effects of Interleukin 1, Interleukin 2, and a prostaglandin inhibitor, WY-18251, were studied in autologous MLR (AMLR) of burned and normal patients. Interleukin 1 and WY-18251 did not induce any significant changes in proliferation in burned patients or normal controls. When compared to cultures without exogenous IL-2, an increase in AMLR was observed following the addition of IL-2 to burn patient cultures at Day 6 and Day 7 of culture. Although the addition of IL-2 did increase proliferation in AMLR of normal controls at Day 6 and Day 7, the enhancement observed for the burn patient cultures represented a restoration to the level of normal control cultures without IL-2. A dose-dependent increase in AMLR was observed in T cells isolated from normal and burned patients in the presence of purified Interleukin 2.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)