Ethnomedicinal study of common medicinal plants of Kapilvastu district, Nepal

Background & Aim: Medicinal plants have served as the primary constituents of traditional healthcare methods. Such plants have served mankind since primordial times. But such traditional knowledge is lacking conservation and promotion in present times. Documentation of such traditional knowledge can serve as safeguards for the conservation of such knowledge. The study primarily aims at the documentation of locally abundant medicinal plants available in the Kapilvastu district of Southern Nepal. Experimental: Data on medicinal plants regarding their local name, parts used along with their usage were collected through a questionnaire survey with a total of n=54 individuals of the locality. Excel software was used to analyze the pooled data and results were demonstrated in tables, charts, and graphs. Google Scholar and Researchgate were assessed for secondary data collection. Results: A total of 50 plant species from 46 genera representing 30 families used for curing 55 types of diseases were identified in the study area. Family Fabaceae was reported with the maximum number of species used (n=6). Trees (n=26) was the major used life form and leaf was the most frequently used (n=28) in terms of parts used. Recommended applications/industries: This study serves as a future basis for research promotion, resource production, policy formulation, and protection of these highly valuable plants. The paper will also be useful for those looking for traditional remedial measures using locally available plants in Kapilvastu district, and also will serve as informational bank for homeopathy-based curative measures

Feasibility of screening and referring women experiencing marital violence by engaging frontline workers: Evidence from rural Bihar

The Population Council, together with partners, the Centre for Catalyzing Change, and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, with support from UKaid, implemented the Do Kadam Barabari Ki Ore (Two Steps Towards Equality) project in rural areas of Patna district in Bihar, India. The project engaged frontline workers (FLWs) to screen women for their experience of marital violence, inform them about their options in case of such an experience, and provide basic counseling and referral to women reporting the experience. Overall, the findings from the implementation of the Do Kadam program have been encouraging. They suggest that interactions between FLWs and women on violence-related issues increased significantly and that project activities could be incorporated into the regular responsibilities of FLWs. Yet, several recommendations emerge, including the need to recognize that domestic violence is both a public health concern and a violation of women’s rights, on the one hand; and to understand, on the other, the importance of incorporating screening, counseling, and referrals of women experiencing violence into the responsibilities of FLWs

Modifying behaviours and notions of masculinity: Effect of a programme led by locally elected representatives

The Population Council, together with the Centre for Catalyzing Change and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, and with support from UKaid, implemented the Do Kadam Barabari Ki Ore (Two Steps Towards Equality) program. The project, situated in Patna district, India aimed to orient and engage locally elected leaders—namely, members of Gram Panchayats and Gram Kachehris—in changing community norms relating to the acceptability of violence against women, and preventing violence against women as well as one factor closely associated with the perpetration of such violence, namely alcohol abuse. Specifically, it assessed: 1) the feasibility of sensitizing and training members of the Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs, local self-governance bodies) to act as change agents to transform gender norms among men and women in their communities; 2) the effect of the intervention on generating egalitarian gender-role attitudes among PRI members and a reduction in violence against women and girls (VAWG) perpetrated/experienced by them; and 3) the effect of the intervention on changing gender-role attitudes, including attitudes about marital violence among men and women at the community level, and reduction in VAWG and alcohol misuse at the community level

Alzheimer's disease-like perturbations in HIV-mediated neuronal dysfunctions: understanding mechanisms and developing therapeutic strategies

Excessive exposure to toxic substances or chemicals in the environment and various pathogens, including viruses and bacteria, is associated with the onset of numerous brain abnormalities. Among them, pathogens, specifically viruses, elicit persistent inflammation that plays a major role in Alzheimer's disease (AD) as well as dementia. AD is the most common brain disorder that affects thought, speech, memory and ability to execute daily routines. It is also manifested by progressive synaptic impairment and neurodegeneration, which eventually leads to dementia following the accumulation of Aβ and hyperphosphorylated Tau. Numerous factors contribute to the pathogenesis of AD, including neuroinflammation associated with pathogens, and specifically viruses. The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is often linked with HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND) following permeation through the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and induction of persistent neuroinflammation. Further, HIV infections also exhibited the ability to modulate numerous AD-associated factors such as BBB regulators, members of stress-related pathways as well as the amyloid and Tau pathways that lead to the formation of amyloid plaques or neurofibrillary tangles accumulation. Studies regarding the role of HIV in HAND and AD are still in infancy, and potential link or mechanism between both is not yet established. Thus, in the present article, we attempt to discuss various molecular mechanisms that contribute to the basic understanding of the role of HIV-associated neuroinflammation in AD and HAND. Further, using numerous growth factors and drugs, we also present possible therapeutic strategies to curb the neuroinflammatory changes and its associated sequels.Peer reviewe

Компьютерное моделирование стендовых испытаний материалов дорожных покрытий

Материалы IX Междунар. межвуз. науч.-техн. конф. студентов, магистрантов и аспирантов,Гомель, 28–29 апр. 2009 г

The effect of a gender transformative life skills education and sports-coaching programme on the attitudes and practices of adolescent boys and young men in Bihar

The importance of starting young to change youths’ attitudes and behaviors—especially of young boys—has been widely acknowledged, but a key challenge has been the limited evidence on the kinds of programs that have succeeded in making such changes. In order to fill this gap, the Population Council, together with partners, the Centre for Catalysing Change and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, and with support from UKaid, implemented the Do Kadam Barabari Ki Ore (Two Steps Towards Equality) project among boys. Implemented in rural areas of Patna district, India this project sought to promote, among adolescent boys and young men who were members of youth clubs supported by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, egalitarian gender attitudes and abhorrence of violence against women and girls. This report describes the Do Kadam Barabari Ki Ore project and its implementation and examines the extent to which it transformed gender-role attitudes of boys

Empowering women and addressing violence against them through self-help groups (SHGs)

This report details results of a program implemented by the Population Council, together with the Centre for Catalyzing Change and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine: Do Kadam Barabari Ki Ore (Two Steps Towards Equality). The primary objective of the program was to test whether strengthening existing village-level self-help groups (SHGs); orienting members on violence against women and girls, and supporting them in prevention activities; and helping women who experience violence had changed their gender-role attitudes and reduced the experience of marital violence. On the whole, findings show that the program was acceptable and effective in many ways. Its gender-transformative group-learning curriculum was effectively transacted and tested, its quality commended by study participants; and its effect in improving SHG members’ agency, financial literacy, and access to social support and changing their gender role attitudes was observed. Indeed, the program implemented among SHG members holds considerable promise for replication and upscaling, with perhaps some modification, and can be easily incorporated within the SHG structure at state level

Vasospasm in children with traumatic brain injury

To determine the incidence of vasospasm in children who have suffered moderate to severe traumatic brain injury. A prospective observational pilot study in a 24-bed pediatric intensive care unit was performed. Twenty-two children aged 7 months to 14 years with moderate to severe traumatic brain injury as indicated by Glasgow Coma Score ≤12 and abnormal head imaging were enrolled. Transcranial Doppler ultrasound was performed to identify and follow vasospasm. Patients with a flow velocity in the middle cerebral artery (MCA) >120 cm/s were considered to have vasospasm by criterion A. If flow velocity in the MCA was >120 cm/s and the Lindegaard ratio was >3, vasospasm was considered to be present by criterion B. Patients with basilar artery (BA) flow velocity >90 cm/s met criteria for vasospasm in the posterior circulation (criterion C). In the MCA, 45.5% of patients developed vasospasm based on criterion A and 36.3% developed vasospasm based on criterion B. A total of 18.2% of patients developed vasospasm in the BA by criterion C. Typical day of onset of vasospasm was hospital day 2–3. Duration of vasospasm in the anterior circulation was 4 ± 2 days based on criteria A and 3 ± 1 days based on criteria B. Vasospasm in the posterior circulation persisted for 2 ± 1 days. Using the adult criteria outlined above to diagnose vasospasm, a significant proportion of pediatric patients who have suffered moderate to severe traumatic brain injury develop vasospasm during the course of their treatment

Development of PAR-CLIP to analyze RNA-protein interactions in prokaryotes

Abstract The ability to identify RNAs that are recognized by RNA-binding proteins (RNA-BPs) using techniques such as “Crosslinking and Immunoprecipitation” (CLIP) has revolutionized the genome-wide discovery of RNA targets. Among the different versions of CLIP developed, the incorporation of photoactivable nucleoside analogs into cellular RNA has proven to be especially valuable, allowing for high efficiency photoactivable ribonucleoside-enhanced CLIP (PAR-CLIP). Although PAR-CLIP has become an established technique for use in eukaryotes, it has not yet been applied in prokaryotes. To determine if PAR-CLIP can be used in prokaryotes, we first investigated whether 4-thiouridine (4SU), a photoactivable nucleoside, can be incorporated into E. coli RNA. After determining 4SU incorporation into RNA, we developed suitable conditions for crosslinking of proteins in E. coli cells and for the isolation of crosslinked RNA. Applying this technique to Hfq, a well-characterized regulator of small RNA (sRNA) - messenger RNA (mRNA) interactions, we showed that PAR-CLIP identified most of the known sRNA targets of Hfq. Based on our results, PAR-CLIP represents an improved method to identify the RNAs recognized by RNA-BPs in prokaryotes

Implementation of PAR-CLIP to characterize RNA-protein interactions in prokaryotes at nucleotide resolution

The identification of RNAs that are recognized by RNA-binding proteins (RNA-BPs) using techniques such as Crosslinking and Immunoprecipitation (CLIP) has revolutionized the genome-wide discovery of RNA-BP RNA targets. Among the different versions of CLIP that have been developed, the use of photoactivable nucleoside analogs incorporated into cellular RNA has resulted in high efficiency photoactivable ribonucleoside-enhanced CLIP (PAR-CLIP). Nonetheless, PAR-CLIP has not yet been applied in prokaryotes. To determine if PAR-CLIP can be used in prokaryotes, we determined suitable conditions for the incorporation of 4-thiouridine (4SU), a photoactivable nucleoside, into E. coli RNA, and for the isolation of crosslinked RNA. Applying this technique to Hfq, a well-characterized regulator of small RNA (sRNA)-messenger RNA (mRNA) interactions, we showed that PAR-CLIP identified most of the known sRNA targets of Hfq, as well as functionally relevant sites of Hfq-mRNA interactions at nucleotide resolution. Based on our findings, PAR-CLIP represents an improved method to identify both the RNAs and the specific regulatory sites that are recognized by RNA-BPs in prokaryotes. Competing Interest Statement The authors have declared no competing interest