Intervention of PAR-2 Mediated CGRP in Animal Model of Visceral Hyperalgesia

Protease-activated receptor-2 (PAR-2) mediates calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) release and collectively plays a crucial role in inflammation-induced visceral hyperalgesia (VH). The present review chapter outlines the substantial advances that elucidated the underlying role of PAR-2 and CGRP in gut inflammation-induced VH and highlights their relevancies in the management of VH. PAR-2 is expressed in a wide range of gastrointestinal cells and its activation on primary afferent nerves by tryptase, trypsin or cathepsin-S is the key mechanism of sensitization during intestinal inflammation. The activated PAR-2 sensitizes transient receptor potential vanilloid subtype-1 receptors and triggers the release of substance-P (SP) and CGRP that are involved both in the transmission and modulation of VH. Approximately, two-thirds of sensory neurons express PAR-2 and 40% of the PAR-2-expressing sensory neurons also express SP and CGRP. Accumulating set of experiments devised that the blockade or antagonism of PAR-2 in inflammatory diseases of the gut depicts double advantages of reducing inflammation and VH. Simultaneously, the uses of CGRP-antagonists inhibit VH and completely suppress PAR-2-agonists-induced intestinal inflammation in animals. However, further study is imperative to improve our understanding of the blockade or antagonism of PAR-2 and CGRP release before its implication as a novel therapeutic for the clinical management of VH in human patients

Secure Image Transmission using Visual Steganography

In today’s information age, information sharing and transfer has increased exponentially. The threat of an intruder accessing secret information has been an ever existing concern for all. Cryptography and Steganography are the most widely used techniques to overcome these threats. Steganography is a branch of security technique which involves the art of hiding the existence of the message between sender and the intended recipient. Here, steganography has been used to hide digital images. Cryptography involves converting the message text into an unreadable cipher. To overcome this predictability, we propose the concept of visual cryptographic steganography where slices of original secret image upon encryption are embedded within a cover image. The resultant stego image is then decrypted to recover the original image

Participatory Ranking of Fodders in the Western Hills of Nepal

Fodder is an important source of feed of the ruminants in Nepal. In the mid hills of Nepal, farmers generally practice integrated farming system that combines crop cultivation with livestock husbandry and agroforestry. Tree fodders are good sources of protein during the forage and green grass scarcity periods especially in dry season. Local communities possess indigenous knowledge for the selection of grasses and tree fodders at different seasons in mid hills of western Nepal. A study was conducted on the perception of farmers with respect to selection of fodder species in eight clusters in Kaski and Lumjung districts that range 900-2000 meter above sea level and receive average precipitation of 2000- 4500mm per annum. During the fodder preference ranking, farmers prepared the inventory of fodders found around the villages and nearby forests and selected top ten most important fodders in terms of their availability, palatability, fodder yield, milk yield and milk fat yield. In total, 23 top ranking fodders species were selected from the eight clusters. These fodder species were also ranked using pairwise ranking and weighted scoring methods and ranking was done on the basis of merit numbers obtained from weighted scores. The analysis revealed Artocarpus lakoocha as best tree fodder followed by Ficus semicordata, Thysanolena maxima and Ficus calvata. Similarly, the calendar of fodders trees for lopping season and the best feeding time was prepared on the basis of farmers\u27 local knowledge. This study suggests strategies for promotion of locally preferred tree fodder species and supplementing tree fodder with feed in different seasons depending on their availability and local preferences

Effect of different doses of probiotics on growth performance of New Hampshire chicken

The feed additive is one of the important components in poultry production to enhance the performance of birds. An experiment was conducted atNational Animal Nutrition Research Center, Khumaltar, Lalitpur, Nepal in order to evaluate the feasibility of probiotics as feed additives in New Hampshire chicken performance. The experiment was laid out with four treatments viz. basal diet which is concentrate mixture without inclusion of probiotic (Lactobacillus acidophilus - 50*109 cfu/kg, Bacillus subtilis - 1*109 cfu/kg, Bacillus licheniformis - 1*109 cfu/kg, Saccharomyces boulardii - 10*109cfu/kg) as basal diet with 0.5 gram of probiotic per liter of water , basal diet with 1 gram of probiotics per liter of water and basal diet with 1.5 gram of probiotics per liter of water under completely randomized design replicated three times. A total of 180, 8th week New Hampshire chickens were allotted with 15 birds in each experimental unit. Experimental birds were fed ad-libitum amount of formulated concentrate feed and clean drinking water with proper management practices.The highest weight gain was observed in treatment group provided with 1g of probiotic in diet (1957.96 g) followed by treatment group provided with 0.5 g of probiotic in diet (1891.40 g), 1.5g probiotic in diet (1879 g) and lowest in treatment group without probiotic in diet (1793.62 g). However there was no significant difference in total feed intake between all the treatment groups. Similarly, better feed conversion ratio (FCR) was found inbirds fed with 1g probiotic (3.59) followed by 0.5g probiotic (3.67), 1.5 g probiotic (3.72) and without probiotic in diet (3.87). Dressing percentage was also found higher (85.03 %) in birds fed with 1g of probiotic included diet than other groups of birds

Regional desk review of haemoglobinopathies with an emphasis on thalassaemia and accessibility and availability of safe blood and blood products as per these patients\u27 requirement in South-East Asia under universal health coverage

Disorders of haemoglobin are one of the most common monogenic disorders prevalent across the world. While sickle cell disorders are more prevalent worldwide, the thalassaemic syndromes including α and β-thalassaemia and haemoglobin-E disease are associated with high prevalence rates in the countries of the WHO SEA Region. This desk review was performed using data from thalassaemia societies, the nodal authorities dealing with blood product support, data published in the literature and data from WHO. Member states may find it useful to leverage the information contained herein to develop national action plans to address this problem in all possible ways including access to sufficient and secure blood and blood products, and safe transfusion services, as a vital part of achieving universal health coverage

Study on nutrient supply in relation to feeding system of buffalo in Chitwan, Nepal

Livestock farming in Nepal, especially buffalo farming alone contributes a major share in livelihoods of farmers. Stall feeding of buffalo is common in Chitwan with occasional grazing. This raises questions about status of nutrients supplied to maintain productivity as feed resources varied in forest and crop land according to the season. A study was carried out in Chitwan from April 2015 to March 2016 to find out the status of nutrient supply in relation to the feeding system of buffalo. Total fifteen farms were selected from three villages, the amount of feedstuff fed to the animals was measured every month and the nutrient contents of the feed were analyzed. The mean concentrations of DM, CP, TDN, Ca and P were 641g/kg, 75.0 g/kg, 462 g/kg, 4.9 g/kg and 4.2 g/kg. A significant difference of CP contents among the villages was observed (72.0 g/kg, 70.7 g/kg and 81.2 g/kg (P<0.01), and the highest content of CP, TDN, Ca and P were found in July (P<0.05)). The study showed variation in nutrient supplied, irrespective of the status and condition of buffalo in the farms which need to be considered to maintain productivity of the animals

Risk factors for malaria deaths in Jalpaiguri district, West Bengal, India: evidence for further action

BACKGROUND: In 2006, a cluster of malaria deaths in the highly endemic Jalpaiguri district, West Bengal, India, led to assignment of additional resources. Malaria deaths decreased, but continued to occur. A study was conducted to identify the risk factors for residual malaria deaths. METHODS: Malaria death was defined as a death from fever with microscopically confirmed Plasmodium falciparum among residents of Jalpaiguri during 2007–2008. For each case, three age-, sex- and locality-matched controls were recruited among microscopically confirmed falciparum malaria patients cured during the same period. Clinical and treatment information was abstracted from records. Information about knowledge about malaria, presence of bed nets and DDT spraying was collected through interviews of the close relatives of study subjects. Odds ratio (OR) were calculated using multivariate methods. RESULTS: 51 malaria deaths were matched with 153 controls, which did not differ by age (median: 35 versus 36 years) and proportion of males (63% versus 63%). On multiple logistic regression analysis, compared with survivors, malaria deaths were more likely to have been admitted with already existing complications [OR = 4.1, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.6–10)], treated at a private facility (OR = 3.7, 95% CI = 1.2–12), received treatment after 48 hours of fever onset (OR = 14, 95% CI = 2.9–64), received chloroquine (OR = 13.3, 95% CI = 3.7–47). Households of the deceased were also more likely to miss bed nets (OR = 6.3, 95% CI = 1.9–24) and DDT spraying (OR = 9.2, 95% CI = 2.8–31). CONCLUSION: Elimination of malaria deaths will require education of providers for prompt referral before complications, engagement of the private sector, community awareness for early treatment as well as scaled-up use of bed nets use and DDT. Use of newer generation anti-malarials must to be generalized

Management of a case of thromboembolism post spine surgery: a case report

Postoperative deep vein thrombosis (DVT) of lower limbs is often asymptomatic. In many patients, fatal pulmonary embolism (PE) is the first clinical manifestation of postoperative venous thromboembolism (VTE). Routine screening for asymptomatic DVT of the lower limbs has a low sensitivity and is quite impractical. For these reasons, routine and systematic prophylaxis in patients at risk, is the strategy of choice to reduce the burden of VTE after surgery. If used appropriately such prophylaxis is cost effective since it reduces the incidence of symptomatic thromboembolic events, which require costly diagnostic procedures and prolonged anticoagulation therapy. Here we report the post-operative course of a spine surgery patient, presenting with DVT in calf veins, which lodged into pulmonary artery and was managed successfully with low molecular weight heparin (LMWH), embolectomy, inferior vena cava (IVC) filter, and dabigatran