Herbage Mass and Chemical Composition of the Heterogeneous Grasslands Affected by Harvesting TIME in Subtropical Terrain Nepal

A study was carried out to evaluate the productivity and chemical composition of heterogeneous grasslands at Agriculture and Forestry University (AFU) livestock farm. The four grassland ecotypes were chosen as upland north, upland south, lowland south and lowland north. The dominating herbage species and cover abundance by the botanical groups were studied on day before the harvesting. Later, the herbage dry matter productivity was estimated by quadrat cutting during May and June, 2017. Chemical analysis was done by using the proximate method for dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), crude fiber (CF) and ether extract (EE) content. Research results showed that the AFU grassland dominated by perennial grasses and sedges followed by the forbs. The mean coverage of grasses and sedges was about 55%, whilst that of forbs was about 29% and the least was for legumes (about 4%). The cumulative herbage mass was about 1.53 t/ ha on the DM basis, whilst the highest DM was found in the upland-south (1.74 t/ha) and the least was in the upland-north (1.334 t/ha). The proximate analysis further revealed that the site had no effect on CF content, whilst the CP was significant only at the second harvest for the lowland north (8.34%).  Data revealed that the herbage composition might depend upon the soil moisture availability and geographical aspect. The dominance of perennial grasses at AFU grasslands revealed the yield stability, but needs the improvement through inoculation with leguminous forages for improved feed quality

Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries

Mapping inequalities in exclusive breastfeeding in low- and middle-income countries, 2000–2018

Exclusive breastfeeding (EBF)—giving infants only breast-milk for the first 6 months of life—is a component of optimal breastfeeding practices effective in preventing child morbidity and mortality. EBF practices are known to vary by population and comparable subnational estimates of prevalence and progress across low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are required for planning policy and interventions. Here we present a geospatial analysis of EBF prevalence estimates from 2000 to 2018 across 94 LMICs mapped to policy-relevant administrative units (for example, districts), quantify subnational inequalities and their changes over time, and estimate probabilities of meeting the World Health Organization’s Global Nutrition Target (WHO GNT) of ≥70% EBF prevalence by 2030. While six LMICs are projected to meet the WHO GNT of ≥70% EBF prevalence at a national scale, only three are predicted to meet the target in all their district-level units by 2030

Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Abstract Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries

Alterations in Hippocampal Oxidative Stress, Expression of AMPA Receptor GluR2 Subunit and Associated Spatial Memory Loss by Bacopa monnieri Extract (CDRI-08) in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetes Mellitus Type 2 Mice.

Bacopa monnieri extract has been implicated in the recovery of memory impairments due to various neurological disorders in animal models and humans. However, the precise molecular mechanism of the role of CDRI-08, a well characterized fraction of Bacopa monnieri extract, in recovery of the diabetes mellitus-induced memory impairments is not known. Here, we demonstrate that DM2 mice treated orally with lower dose of CDRI-08 (50- or 100 mg/kg BW) is able to significantly enhance spatial memory in STZ-DM2 mice and this is correlated with a significant decline in oxidative stress and up regulation of the AMPA receptor GluR2 subunit gene expression in the hippocampus. Treatment of DM2 mice with its higher dose (150 mg/kg BW or above) shows anti-diabetic effect in addition to its ability to recover the spatial memory impairment by reversing the DM2-induced elevated oxidative stress and decreased GluR2 subunit expression near to their values in normal and CDRI-08 treated control mice. Our results provide evidences towards molecular basis of the memory enhancing and anti diabetic role of the Bacopa monnieri extract in STZ-induced DM2 mice, which may have therapeutic implications

Alterations in Hippocampal Oxidative Stress, Expression of AMPA Receptor GluR2 Subunit and Associated Spatial Memory Loss by <i>Bacopa monnieri</i> Extract (CDRI-08) in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetes Mellitus Type 2 Mice

<div><p><i>Bacopa monnieri</i> extract has been implicated in the recovery of memory impairments due to various neurological disorders in animal models and humans. However, the precise molecular mechanism of the role of CDRI-08, a well characterized fraction of <i>Bacopa monnieri</i> extract, in recovery of the diabetes mellitus-induced memory impairments is not known. Here, we demonstrate that DM2 mice treated orally with lower dose of CDRI-08 (50- or 100 mg/kg BW) is able to significantly enhance spatial memory in STZ-DM2 mice and this is correlated with a significant decline in oxidative stress and up regulation of the AMPA receptor GluR2 subunit gene expression in the hippocampus. Treatment of DM2 mice with its higher dose (150 mg/kg BW or above) shows anti-diabetic effect in addition to its ability to recover the spatial memory impairment by reversing the DM2-induced elevated oxidative stress and decreased GluR2 subunit expression near to their values in normal and CDRI-08 treated control mice. Our results provide evidences towards molecular basis of the memory enhancing and anti diabetic role of the <i>Bacopa monnieri</i> extract in STZ-induced DM2 mice, which may have therapeutic implications.</p></div

Effects of CDRI-08 on diabetic parameters in normal and CDRI-08 control and DM2 mice.

<p>A) Body weight (g/mouse); B) Serum insulin (μIU/ml); C) Insulin resistance (HOMA-IR); D) Blood glucose content (mg/1dL);E) Water consumption (ml/mouse/day) and F) Urine discharge (ml/mouse/day). Bar values represent mean ± SEM. Cont, Control; STZ, Streptozotocin treated; BR, CDRI-08 treated (figures on the x axis indicate CDRI-08 dose in mg/kg BW of mice; * denotes comparison within groups of control and different dose of CDRI-08 alone; ¥ denotes comparison within groups of DM2 and CDRI-08 treated DM2 mice; # denotes comparison between same dose of CDRI-08 in normal and DM2. *, # & ¥ denote <i>P</i><0.05).Details of fasting serum insulin and glucose content and the corresponding HOMA-IR data are shown in <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0131862#pone.0131862.s002" target="_blank">S1 Table</a>.</p

Semi quantitative RT-PCR analysis of effects of CDRI-08 on expression of GluR2 subunit transcript in hippocampus of the normal control and DM2 mice.

<p>Bar values represent mean RDV ± SEM. Cont, Control; STZ, Streptozotocin treated; BR, CDRI-08 treated (figures indicate CDRI-08 dose in mg/kg BW of mice; * denotes comparison between experimental groups and control; ¥ denotes comparison between STZ- treated (diabetic) mice. *, # & ¥ denote <i>P</i><0.05).</p