SCIENTIFIC PERSPECTIVE ON MORPHOLOGICAL FEATURE OF PECTEN OCULI AND THEIR FUNCTIONAL PRINCIPLES ON APPARATUS OF VISION IN GUINEA FOWL (NUMIDA MELEAGRIS) BIRDS.

The study was conducted on 18 eyes, which revealed that dark black velvety pecten oculi has 13 to 17 number of accordion (pectineal) folds. These accordion folds were initiated from cauda of optic nerve and travelled via fundus distally into the vitreous humour in the manner of undulated natured pathway of snake. Macroscopically the shape of pecten oculi was observed without much difference of the sail board. The maximum average length and height of pecten oculi was found on the tune of 3.378?0.061 mm and 5.913?0.074 mm respectively. Histomorphologically the pecten oculi showed an organization as the festoon of blood capillaries with their elastic, collagen and reticular fibers which correspond with the structure of spring diving board. Its working principle was also being matched with Hook?s law, how the diving spring board work. Melanocytes, melanosomes and melanin granules were observed in and around blood capillaries of pecten oculi. The highest concentration of melanin was observed in the apex. Histochemically the pecten oculi was shown very weak activity of acid phosphatase and alkaline phosphatase. It has shown a strong activity of glycogen at optic nerve and collagen fibers of pectineal capillaries. Ultrastructurally, the nucleated erythrocytes were witnessed at luminal area of pectineal blood capillary and the endothelium was elaborating tight intercellular junction. The primary and secondary lamellae were observed in the luminal region of pectineal capillary wherein pigment depositing globules were discovered. Pecten oculi of Guinea fowl (Numida meleagris) perform various functions, after which it is identified as the organ of haemostatic function, support system to retina to get visual acuity, phagocytic, immunity shield and the source of energy for vitreous humour by performing process of diffusion

Design and Comparison of LEACH and Improved Centralized LEACH in Wireless Sensor Network

A WSN consists of a setup of sensor nodes/motes which perceives the environment under monitoring, and transfer this information through wireless links to the Base Station (BS) or sink. The sensor nodes can be heterogeneous or homogeneous and can be mobile or stationary. The data gathered is forwarded through single/multiple hops to the BS/sink. In this paper, propose improvements to LEACH routing protocol to reduce energy consumption and extend network life. LEACH Distance Energy (LEACH-DE) not only selects the cluster head node by considering that the remaining energy of the node is greater than the average remaining energy level of the nodes in the network, but also selects the cluster head node parameters based on the geometric distance between the candidate node and the BS. The simulation results show that the algorithm proposed in this work is superior to LEACH and LEACH-C (Centralized) in terms of energy saving and extending the lifetime of wireless sensor networks

Biochemical, Antimicrobial, and Antioxidant activities of some wild Mushrooms from Nepal

Wild mushrooms represent a crucial dietary staple for many tribal groups throughout the world since they consist of a significant source of bioactive constituents such as phenolic compounds, tocopherol, and act as anti-cancer, anti-allergic, anti-obesity, anti-inflammatory compounds, etc. Wild mushrooms including Scleroderma citrinum, Heterobasidion annosum, Coriolus hirsutus, Cavimalum indicum, Russula sanguinea, and Suillus punctatipes were studied to evaluate their phytochemical constituents, antimicrobial activity, antioxidant activity, toxicity and its importance as a source of food along with safety concerns. Initially, the total flavonoid content (TFC), total phenolic content (TPC), and total tannin content (TTC) along with antioxidant, and antimicrobial activity were assessed using ethanolic extracts of fungus. Furthermore, a Brine shrimp bioassay was performed, the correlation of which with antioxidant activity, TPC, TFC, TTC, and lethal concentration (LC50) value was shown by principal component analysis (PCA). Secondary metabolites like glucosides, flavonoids, polyphenols, alkaloids, terpenoids, saponins, and quinones were identified using phytochemical investigations. The TPC ranged from 45.98 to 102.3 mg GAE/g for the extracts, TFC from 100 to 225 mg QE/g, and the TTC was found to vary between 80 to 180 mg GAE/g. The findings of the antioxidant studies demonstrated that S. punctatipes exhibited the highest antioxidant activity (IC50 = 16.95 µg/mL), followed by C. indicum (IC50 = 22.5 µg/mL), and C. hirsutus (IC50 = 35.34 µg/mL). Likewise, S. punctatipes exhibited strong antimicrobial activity as compared to other extracts. The larvicidal efficacy against brine shrimp tests revealed that three mushrooms; C. hirsutus, C. indicum, and S. punctatipes—contain highly toxic substances while the other three are non-toxic and when properly examined can be consumed to some extent

Assessing the efficacy of spironolactone on adult acne in subjects with polycystic ovary syndrome

Aim: The present prospective clinical study was conducted to assess the long‑term spironolactone therapy and its effect with and without dietary‑induced weight‑loss, on insulin levels, lipid profile, and clinical features in females with PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome). Methods: The present study included 22 females 12 normal weight and 10 obese within the age of 17-32 years having symptoms of PCOS including hyperandrogenism with clinical or biochemical evidence with amenorrhea and/or oligomenorrhea. These subjects were assessed before spironolactone therapy and after 100mg/day spironolactone orally for 12 months. Lifestyle modification was advised for obese females. Before starting and following antiandrogen therapy, metabolic, endocrine, and clinical parameters were assessed. Results: Spironolactone orally resulted in a significant reduction of triglycerides in overweight females and an increase in HDL (high-density lipoproteins) in subjects who were lean and have normal weight. After 12 months of oral spironolactone therapy, the area under the curve of insulin, insulin resistance with hemostasis model, and levels of insulin during OGTT at 60 minutes were significantly reduced in obese females. In females with PCOS following therapy, no negative change in insulin sensitivity and secretion and weight loss was seen after pharmacologic treatment.&nbsp

Assessing the efficacy of spironolactone on adult acne in subjects with polycystic ovary syndrome

Aim: The present prospective clinical study was conducted to assess the long‑term spironolactone therapy and its effect with and without dietary‑induced weight‑loss, on insulin levels, lipid profile, and clinical features in females with PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome). Methods: The present study included 22 females 12 normal weight and 10 obese within the age of 17-32 years having symptoms of PCOS including hyperandrogenism with clinical or biochemical evidence with amenorrhea and/or oligomenorrhea. These subjects were assessed before spironolactone therapy and after 100mg/day spironolactone orally for 12 months. Lifestyle modification was advised for obese females. Before starting and following antiandrogen therapy, metabolic, endocrine, and clinical parameters were assessed. Results: Spironolactone orally resulted in a significant reduction of triglycerides in overweight females and an increase in HDL (high-density lipoproteins) in subjects who were lean and have normal weight. After 12 months of oral spironolactone therapy, the area under the curve of insulin, insulin resistance with hemostasis model, and levels of insulin during OGTT at 60 minutes were significantly reduced in obese females. In females with PCOS following therapy, no negative change in insulin sensitivity and secretion and weight loss was seen after pharmacologic treatment.&nbsp

The draft genome sequence of Mangrovibacter sp. strain MP23, an endophyte isolated from the roots of Phragmites karka

Till date, only one draft genome has been reported within the genus Mangrovibacter. Here, we report the second draft genome shotgun sequence of a Mangrovibacter sp. strain MP23 that was isolated from the roots of Phargmites karka (P. karka), an invasive weed growing in the Chilika Lagoon, Odisha, India. Strain MP23 is a facultative anaerobic, nitrogen-fixing endophytic bacteria that grows optimally at 37 °C, 7.0 pH, and 1% NaCl concentration. The draft genome sequence of strain MP23 contains 4,947,475 bp with an estimated G + C content of 49.9% and total 4392 protein coding genes. The genome sequence has provided information on putative genes that code for proteins involved in oxidative stress, uptake of nutrients, and nitrogen fixation that might offer niche specific ecological fitness and explain the invasive success of P. karka in Chilika Lagoon. The draft genome sequence and annotation have been deposited at DDBJ/EMBL/GenBank under the accession number LYRP00000000

Role of environmental factors & oxidative stress with respect to in vitro fertilization outcome

Background & objectives: Oxidative stress, lifestyle factors as also exposure to certain environmental factors are known to affect the fertility status in human beings. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of OS and lifestyle and environmental factors affecting IVF outcome. Methods: A total of 253 couples were included, and biological samples such as blood, follicular fluid (FF), cumulus cells and semen were collected. Relevant biochemical parameters and metals namely lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) were determined in the biological samples. β-human chorionic gonadotropin levels ≥100 IU/l were considered to predict viable pregnancy on the 15th day of embryo transfer (ET). Results: The mean body mass index (BMI) was significantly lower in females with positive IVF outcome compared to those with negative outcome. Couples residing in the residential area showed more percentage of positive IVF outcomes as compared to couples residing in industrial/agricultural area. FF Zn level was significantly higher (P<0.001) among the females' participants who have undergone ET as compared to those who have not undergone ET. FF MDA and serum Cu levels were significantly higher (P<0.05) in the female participants with negative IVF outcome as compared to positive IVF outcome. Logistic regression revealed that maternal BMI (P=0.034) and FF MDA level (P=0.047) were significantly associated with the IVF outcome. Interpretation & conclusions: The success rate of IVF was about 31.8 per cent, and BMI was significantly lower in females with positive outcome. The higher levels of MDA in FF and SP might have a negative impact on IVF outcome, higher Zn level in SP, FF and serum might have a positive role in embryo transfer as well as IVF outcome. The role of stress management and nutrition supplementation during the IVF treatment may be explored

Evolutionary Signatures Governing the Codon Usage Bias in Coronaviruses and Their Implications for Viruses Infecting Various Bat Species

Many viruses that cause serious diseases in humans and animals, including the betacoronaviruses (beta-CoVs), such as SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, and the recently identified SARS-CoV-2, have natural reservoirs in bats. Because these viruses rely entirely on the host cellular machinery for survival, their evolution is likely to be guided by the link between the codon usage of the virus and that of its host. As a result, specific cellular microenvironments of the diverse hosts and/or host tissues imprint peculiar molecular signatures in virus genomes. Our study is aimed at deciphering some of these signatures. Using a variety of genetic methods we demonstrated that trends in codon usage across chiroptera-hosted CoVs are collaboratively driven by geographically different host-species and temporal-spatial distribution. We not only found that chiroptera-hosted CoVs are the ancestors of SARS-CoV-2, but we also revealed that SARS-CoV-2 has the codon usage characteristics similar to those seen in CoVs infecting the Rhinolophus sp. Surprisingly, the envelope gene of beta-CoVs infecting Rhinolophus sp., including SARS-CoV-2, had extremely high CpG levels, which appears to be an evolutionarily conserved trait. The dissection of the furin cleavage site of various CoVs infecting hosts revealed host-specific preferences for arginine codons; however, arginine is encoded by a wider variety of synonymous codons in the murine CoV (MHV-A59) furin cleavage site. Our findings also highlight the latent diversity of CoVs in mammals that has yet to be fully explored

Microsoft Word - Research-Paper-2

Abstract: Syntheses of a small library of hydroxamates by reacting esters of different carboxylic acids with hydroxyl amine hydrochloride has been achieved. All the synthesized compounds were screened in vitro against Trypanosoma brucei brucei S427 and Plasmodium falciparum 3D7 strain. The IC 50 values of potent anti-trypanosomal agents ranged between 0.025-5.69 μg/mL, while these values varied in the range of 0.78 -40.89 μg/mL against P. falciparum. Five compounds with very good SI values were active against both the protozoans. Some compounds have also shown strong antifungal activities with MIC as low as 0.19 μg/mL. These simple low molecular weight hydroxamates with triple activities and high degree of SI values revealed a new strategy in malaria/HAT and fungal chemotherapy

Predictors for timely initiation of breastfeeding after birth in the hospitals of Nepal : a prospective observational study

Background Timely initiation of breastfeeding can reduce neonatal morbidities and mortality. We aimed to study predictors for timely initiation of breastfeeding (within 1 h of birth) among neonates born in hospitals of Nepal. Method A prospective observational study was conducted in four public hospitals between July and October 2018. All women admitted in the hospital for childbirth and who consented were included in the study. An independent researchers observed whether the neonates were placed in skin-to-skin contact, delay cord clamping and timely initiation of breastfeeding. Sociodemographic variables, obstetric and neonate information were extracted from the maternity register. We analysed predictors for timely initiation of breastfeeding with Pearson chi-square test and multivariate logistic regression. Results Among the 6488 woman-infant pair observed, breastfeeding was timely initiated in 49.5% neonates. The timely initiation of breastfeeding was found to be higher among neonates who were placed skin-to-skin contact (34.9% vs 19.9%, p - value &lt; 0.001). The timely initiation of breastfeeding was higher if the cord clamping was delayed than early cord clamped neonates (44.5% vs 35.3%, p - value &lt; 0.001). In multivariate analysis, a mother with no obstetric complication during admission had 57% higher odds of timely initiation of breastfeeding (aOR 1.57; 95% CI 1.33, 1.86). Multiparity was associated with less timely initiation of breastfeeding (aOR 1.56; 95% CI 1.35, 1.82). Similarly, there was more common practice of timely initiation of breastfeeding among low birthweight neonates (aOR 1.46; 95% CI 1.21, 1.76). Neonates who were placed skin-to-skin contact with mother had more than two-fold higher odds of timely breastfeeding (aOR 2.52; 95% CI 2.19, 2.89). Likewise, neonates who had their cord intact for 3 min had 37% higher odds of timely breastfeeding (aOR 1.37; 95% CI 1.21, 1.55). Conclusions The rate of timely initiation of breastfeeding practice is low in the health facilities of Nepal. Multiparity, no obstetric complication at admission, neonates placed in skin-to-skin contact and delay cord clamping were strong predictors for timely initiation of breastfeeding. Quality improvement intervention can improve skin-to-skin contact, delayed cord clamping and timely initiation of breastfeeding