CADMIUM TOXICITY INDUCED MORPHOLOGICAL ALTERATION IN INDIGENOUS FISH Heteropneustes fossilis (Bloch.)

The aim of present study was to determine the toxicity (LC50) of cadmium chloride in freshwater catfish Heteropneustes fossilis. Acute toxicity of cadmium on the indigenous fish H., fossilis was designed in the fish aquarium in laboratory at room temperature in Department of Zoology, DGPG College at Kanpur. Treated fish H., fossilis induced morphological alteration against cadmium chloride toxicity. H. fossilis showed morphological alteration such as increased opercula movement, abnormal swimming, and loss of buoyancy and fading of their body colour. Control fishes were also continuously monitored and compared with the changes caused by cadmium concentration. Heteropneustes fossilis exposed different concentration of cadmium chloride toxicity i.e. 0 ppm for 24 h, 10 ppm for 48h, 15ppm for 72h and 20 ppm for 96 h. From this present study it seems that the indigenous fish, H. fossilis is more susceptible to cadmium toxicity

DETERMINATION OF CHLORIDE ION(Cl-) CONCENTRATION IN GANGA RIVER WATER BY MOHR METHOD AT KANPUR, INDIA

Purpose of the study: The purpose of this present study was to determine the concentration of chloride ion in the water sample which collected different site and season of river Ganga. Chloride ions in the environment can come from sodium chloride or from other chloride salts such as potassium chloride, calcium chloride and magnesium chloride. Methodology: Water sample was collected from a different site(Bithor ghat, Siddnath ghat and Dhoni ghat) and different season(Pre-monsoon, Monsoon and post-monsoon) of river Ganga from Kanpur in the 2016-2018 year. Mohr method (Argentometric method) was a very simple and highly selective method for the determination of chloride ion (Cl-) using silver nitrate as the titrant. Main Findings: In both the years 2016 till 2018, chloride concentration was within the limit at testing sites.  Applications of this study: To create awareness among the people to maintain the Ganga river water at its highest quality and purity levels. Originality: This project was done in the D G P G College C S J M University, Kanpur India

Assessment of thyroid dysfunction in women with menstrual disorders in reproductive age group

Background: Thyroid disorders are among the most common endocrine disorders in the world. Thyroid dysfunction can disrupt a variety of metabolic and physiological processes, including the menstrual cycle. The purpose of this study was to discover a pattern of thyroid dysfunction in women with menstrual disorders. Methods: It is a cross-sectional study that includes 116 women. With reproductive age menstrual disorder. Thyroid dysfunction was tested in women who had menstrual problems. Serum free triiodothyronine (T3), free thyroxine (T4), and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) levels were used to assess thyroid function. Results: The mean age of study patients was 25.7±6.8 years. The most common menstrual disorder was irregular cycle 72.5%, amenorrhea 21.9%, and menorrhagia 5.6%. The majority of the patients were between the ages of 15 and 24 (51.1%), followed by 25-34 (36.1%) and 35-45 (12.9%). The mean free T3 and T4 levels were 2.911.05 pg/ml and 1.420.57 ng/dl, respectively. TSH was 2.0 mIU/L on average (IQR, 1.0-4.0). Thyroid dysfunction was observed in 25.8% of the women (n=60). Subclinical hypothyroidism (14.2%, n=33) was the most common thyroid dysfunction, followed by subclinical hyperthyroidism (6.9%, n=16), overt hyperthyroidism (3%, n=7), and overt hypothyroidism (1.7%, n=4). Conclusions: The study reveals that women with menstrual disorders frequently have thyroid dysfunction, particularly subclinical hypothyroidism. In order to rule out thyroid disorders as potential etiological agents for menstrual disturbances, it may therefore be advantageous to screen patients with menstrual disorders for thyroid function

Post-partum hypertriglyceridemia induced acute pancreatitis

Gestational hypertriglyceridemia is well established but is considered an unusual cause of acute pancreatitis with a relatively low incidence. We hereby report a notable triad of hypertriglyceridemia, diabetic ketoacidosis and acute pancreatitis in a woman with 2 months of post-partum status delivered at a private hospital with known case of gestational diabetes mellitus. Presenting with acute abdomen with a surprise on table. Salmon pink coloured blood withdrawn in the vacutainer, turning lactescent post centrifugation. Her serum triglycerides level were 1750 mg/dl, random blood sugar of 870 mg/dl and total cholesterol of 978 mg/dl. Computerized tomography of abdomen was confirmatory of acute pancreatitis. Patient was treated aggressively with intravenous (IV) fluid resuscitation and IV insulin therapy as per diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) management protocol. She recovered well and was discharged on day 4

EFFECTS OF PESTICIDES ON BIODIVERSITY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Pesticides are the biological pollutants, which are being used by the man to kill the pests for increasing the yield of many crops and insect vectors to control the spread of disease. The tremendous use of pesticides has caused severe health hazards to organisms including human beings due to climate change. Excessive use of pesticides may lead to the destruction of biodiversity. Many birds, aquatic organisms and animals are under the threat of harmful pesticides for their survival. The pesticides effects can be lessen by organizing awareness program among the farmers, special training to them regarding consequences of pesticides, their screening and monitoring methods

Complementary feeding at 4 versus 6 months of age for preterm infants born at less than 34 weeks of gestation: a randomised, open-label, multicentre trial

Background Evidence on the optimal time to initiation of complementary feeding in preterm infants is scarce. We examined the effect of initiation of complementary feeding at 4 months versus 6 months of corrected age on weight for age at 12 months corrected age in preterm infants less than 34 weeks of gestation. Methods In this open-label, randomised trial, we enrolled infants born at less than 34 weeks of gestation with no major malformation from three public health facilities in India. Eligible infants were tracked from birth and randomly assigned (1:1) at 4 months corrected age to receive complementary feeding at 4 months corrected age (4 month group), or continuation of milk feeding and initiation of complementary feeding at 6 months corrected age (6 month group), using computer generated randomisation schedule of variable block size, stratified by gestation (30 weeks or less, and 31–33 weeks). Iron supplementation was provided as standard. Participants and the implementation team could not be masked to group assignment, but outcome assessors were masked. Primary outcome was weight for age Z-score at 12 months corrected age (WAZ12) based on WHO Multicentre Growth Reference Study growth standards. Analyses were by intention to treat. The trial is registered with Clinical Trials Registry of India, number CTRI/2012/11/003149. Findings Between March 20, 2013, and April 24, 2015, 403 infants were randomly assigned: 206 to receive complementary feeding from 4 months and 197 to receive complementary feeding from 6 months. 22 infants in the 4 month group (four deaths, two withdrawals, 16 lost to follow-up) and eight infants in the 6 month group (two deaths, six lost to follow-up) were excluded from analysis of primary outcome. There was no difference in WAZ12 between two groups: –1·6 (SD 1·2) in the 4 month group versus –1·6 (SD 1·3) in the 6 month group (mean difference 0·005, 95% CI –0·24 to 0·25; p=0·965). There were more hospital admissions in the 4 month group compared with the 6 month group: 2·5 episodes per 100 infant-months in the 4 month group versus 1·4 episodes per 100 infant-months in the 6 month group (incidence rate ratio 1·8, 95% CI 1·0–3·1, p=0·03). 34 (18%) of 188 infants in the 4 month group required hospital admission, compared with 18 (9%) of 192 infants in the 6 month group. Interpretation Although there was no evidence of effect for the primary endpoint of WAZ12, the higher rate of hospital admission in the 4 month group suggests a recommendation to initiate complementary feeding at 6 months over 4 months of corrected age in infants less than 34 weeks of gestation

Efficacy of a monovalent human-bovine (116E) rotavirus vaccine in Indian children in the second year of life

Rotavirus gastroenteritis is one of the leading causes of diarrhea in Indian children less than 2 years of age. The 116E rotavirus strain was developed as part of the Indo-US Vaccine Action Program and has undergone efficacy trials. This paper reports the efficacy and additional safety data in children up to 2 years of age. In a double-blind placebo controlled multicenter trial, 6799 infants aged 6-7 weeks were randomized to receive three doses of an oral human-bovine natural reassortant vaccine (116E) or placebo at ages 6, 10, and 14 weeks. The primary outcome was severe (≥11 on the Vesikari scale) rotavirus gastroenteritis. Efficacy outcomes and adverse events were ascertained through active surveillance. We randomly assigned 4532 and 2267 subjects to receive vaccine and placebo, respectively, with over 96% subjects receiving all three doses of the vaccine or placebo. The per protocol analyses included 4354 subjects in the vaccine and 2187 subjects in the placebo group. The overall incidence of severe RVGE per 100 person years was 1.3 in the vaccine group and 2.9 in the placebo recipients. Vaccine efficacy against severe rotavirus gastroenteritis in children up to 2 years of age was 55.1% (95% CI 39.9 to 66.4; p<0.0001); vaccine efficacy in the second year of life of 48.9% (95% CI 17.4 to 68.4; p=0.0056) was only marginally less than in the first year of life [56.3% (95% CI 36.7 to 69.9; p<0.0001)]. The number of infants needed to be immunized to prevent one episode of severe RVGE in the first 2 years of life was 40 (95% CI 28.0 to 63.0) and for RVGE of any severity, it was 21 (95% CI 16.0 to 32.0). Serious adverse events were observed at the same rates in the two groups. None of the eight intussusception events occurred within 30 days of a vaccine dose and all were reported only after the third dose. The sustained efficacy of the 116E in the second year of life is reassuring

Evaluation of radioprotective effect of unripe stone fruit pulp extract on liver

125-128To find out natural plant based radioprotectors, a well known medicinal plant, which is acceptable to the body, Aegle marmelos extract (AME), was tested in animals against gamma radiations. Radioprotective effect of unripe stone fruit pulp extract on some liver enzymes of Swiss albino mouse were investigated. For experimental study healthy Swiss albino mice were selected from an inbred colony and divided into two groups and exposed to 8Gy gamma radiation (control) or 8Gy gamma radiation with 100mg/kg body weight of Aegle marmelos extract (experimental), sham irradiated (normal) and plant extract only. Mice were sacrificed at various post irradiation intervals and liver was removed for quantitative estimation of Glutathione (GSH) and Lipid peroxidation (LPO). It was observed that GSH content decreased significantly on 5th day after exposure to 8Gy of gamma radiation in control group .Then it started to decrease on 7th day of the treatment. In the experimental group GSH content was higher as compared to their corresponding control . The animals which were treated with only AME showed greater protection. Irradiation resulted an elevation in lipid peroxidation level in liver. On the other hand, treatment of animals with Aegle marmelos before irradiation caused a significant decrease in LPO. These results indicate that Aegle marmelos protects from damage to the liver of Swiss albino mouse against of gamma radiations lethal dose

AGRIS Database: An experience with CAZRI Scientists

65-76Evaluates the AGRIS database through a study and training conducted at Dr. Raheja Library. CAZRI, Jodhpur for the agricultural scientists. The paper provides an extensive manual prepared for the users which is user-friendly and self-explanatory. Study reveals that the present coverage of abstracted references is very less (15- 20%) in the AGRIS and hence does not fulfill the complete requirements of agricultural scientists. Scientists feel that AGRIS should provide more abstracts. Suggestions have also been made to procure CAB CDs instead of AGRIS-CDs