Journal of Experimental Biology and Agricultural Sciences
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Sheep Associated-Malignant Catarrhal Fever: Past, present, and future
Get PDFMembers of Artiodactyla can contract the infectious disease Malignant Catarrhal Fever (MCF), which has a wide range of symptoms. Ten known viruses contribute to the disease, the two most significant ones being Ovine gamma herpes virus 2 (OvHV-2) and Alcelaphine gamma herpes virus 1 (AIHV-1). In the African subcontinent, AIHV-1 is seen in most MCF cases. In the Indian scenario, Ovine gamma herpes virus-2 is the main culprit. MCF is reported in certain pockets of India. Its threat to wildlife is not yet completely understood. In AIHV-1, wildebeests serve as the primary MCF reservoir, whereas with OvHV-2, the primary MCF reservoir is sheep. In India, OvHV-2 causes MCF in deer species, bison, and water buffaloe. The life cycle and properties of this virus are not yet wholly deciphered. To understand the impact of the disease and the threat it may pose in the future, we need to have diagnostic techniques in place. Currently, PCR is the most commonly used diagnostic technique. Work should be done on field-oriented tests like ELISA and LFA, which are helpful in areas without sophisticated lab facilities. Treatment protocols must be in place, as culling bovines is not an accepted policy in India. Probable plans for overcoming all these problems are discussed in this article
Effects of forest conversion to oil palm plantation on soil erosion and surface runoff
Get PDFThe vegetation type and its coverage in forest ecosystems are crucial in soil erosion and surface runoff. Cover crops provide significant protection to the soil aggregates, preventing damage caused by rainfall and runoff that might occur in the absence of these crops. However, changes in land use, such as converting forests into oil palm plantations, have resulted in changes to the land cover, which affect erosion, surface runoff, and, ultimately, the forest ecology of the watershed. This study aimed to provide an overview of erosion and runoff in forest areas and oil palm plantations. This field research was conducted to study erosion, runoff, and nutrient loss using plots measuring 15m x 25m, including oil palm plantation areas and forest areas. After each rain, sediment weighing and runoff volume measurements were carried out. Laboratory analysis was conducted for sediment and surface runoff water samples’ N, P, and K elements. The study results showed that five-year-old oil palm plantation areas experience the highest levels of erosion and runoff, followed by three-year-old oil palm plantation and forest areas. Nutrients were found to be lost in sediment across all land cover types, with a minimal amount recorded in surface runoff
Work Place Self-Management by Academic Cum Clinical Physiotherapist – A Case Study
Get PDFOne of the main issues in industrialized nations is work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSD), which are linked to demanding and repetitive work environments. Repetitive actions and work without leisure can lead to musculoskeletal problems. To prevent this occurrence, promoting healthy lifestyle self-care management is essential. The main objective of this case study was to assess the risk of work-related musculoskeletal disorders in professional physiotherapist and their workplace self-management. Case Description: a case of a 39-year-old male assistant professor cum clinical practitioner with 12 years of experience in the profession, who engages in using the computer for 6 hours a day for his academic and clinical documentation purposes, was assessed in the workstation. He complains of neck and shoulder pain after engaging in front of the computer for more than one hour, which he manages during the routine practice. He manages his pain by doing simple exercises like chin tuck-in and shoulder bracing by taking a short break every hour while working on a computer. Musculoskeletal-related pain was analyzed using the VAS score (visual analogue scale), and the level of the risks was analyzed using the rapid entire body assessment (REBA) scale. The case study showed that professional physiotherapists have a high risk of MSDs due to their engagement in multiple tasks and less attention to body posture. Regular exercise in the workstation and ergonomic workplace awareness would prevent the occurrence of work-related MSD
Assessing the Migration of BPA and Phthalic Acid from Take-out Food Containers: Implications for Health and Environmental Sustainability in India
Get PDFThe research investigates the escalating consumption of take-out food in India and the associated health risks stemming from the extensive use of plastic packaging. Through a comprehensive nationwide online survey, the study delved into dietary preferences, frequency of take-out food consumption, delivery service timing, and the types of packaging commonly encountered by Indian consumers. To address these concerns, the research team developed an analytical method to detect Bisphenol A (BPA) and Phthalic acid migration from food-contact materials (FCMs) into various food simulants. The investigation revealed that prolonged exposure to elevated temperatures led to increased migration of BPA and Phthalic acid, particularly in polyethylene pouches using 3% acetic acid as a food simulant, with the highest concentrations observed after 45 minutes of exposure. Additionally, a microbial bioassay demonstrated the mutagenic potential of migrated plasticizers, showcasing significant effects in mammalian systems, particularly under metabolic activation. The study underscores the substantial health risks associated with plastic packaging in take-out food, emphasizing potential implications for consumer health and calling for more extensive research and considerations regarding food packaging materials
Ecological desalination of anchovy residues and their mixture with soybean meal for the production of poultry feed: Optimization of waste through response surface methodology (RSM)
Get PDFSalted anchovy bones are a non-recyclable waste product containing high salt levels. However, they also contain valuable minerals such as calcium, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, and nitrogen. This study aimed to find a cost-effective method to desalinate anchovy bones while preserving their nutritional value and repurposing them as a raw material for poultry feed. Through various tests, we were able to reduce the salt content of the anchovy bones from 15.4% to 4.7% using a 50/50 percent mixture of tap water and from 15.4% to 3.7% using a mixture of tap water and soybean meal in a 30/70 percent ratio. Combining soybean meal with desalted anchovy bones resulted in a nutritional composition comparable to that found in poultry feed, reducing salt content. The response surface method (RSM) was employed to determine the optimal proportions of desalted anchovy bones (70-90%) and soybean meal (10-30%) and to study the variables affecting the concentrations of NaCl, Ca, P, Ash, and TNM. The study revealed the influence of desalted anchovy bone and soybean meal percentages on these concentrations. This study demonstrates that the method used provides an ideal approach for understanding the interactions between input parameters (% DAR, % SM) and output parameters (NaCl, Ca, P, Ash, and TNM) and shows promising results for the desalination of anchovy bones using a soybean meal cake as well as the feasibility of creating poultry feed
Efficient Solar-Powered IoT Drip Irrigation for Tomato Yield and Quality: An Evaluation of the Effects of Irrigation and Fertilizer Frequency
Get PDFThe optimal management of irrigation and fertilization is crucial for maximizing the yield and quality of tomatoes grown in greenhouses. To address this challenge, this study aimed to develop and implement a solar-powered Internet of Things (IoT) based drip irrigation system for tomato cultivation in plastic roof net houses. Additionally, the study evaluated the effects of water and fertilizer frequency on tomato yield and quality. The experiment was designed with 2 irrigation frequencies (1 time in a day and 1 time in 2 days) and 3 fertilizer frequencies (1 time in 2, 4, and 6 days), with 4 replicates of the tomato variety CH154. The results showed that the solar-powered IoT-based drip irrigation system was efficient, precise in water and fertilizer control, and inexpensive to install and maintain. This allows for real-time monitoring of water flow rate, flow sensor status, treatment status, and electrical parameters on the Node-Red dashboard. Irrigation frequency had a significant impact (p < 0.05) on fruit number, weight, and length per plant, with 1-day irrigation resulting in a higher yield than 2-day irrigation. No significant interaction effect was found between irrigation and fertilizer frequency on tomato yield or quality. In conclusion, the solar-powered IoT-based drip irrigation system demonstrated precise control over water and fertilizer, proving its efficiency and cost-effectiveness. Real-time monitoring capabilities and the observed impact of irrigation frequency underscore its potential for enhancing tomato cultivation in greenhouses, offering a valuable contribution to sustainable and technology-driven agricultural practices
Application of olive mill waste-based biochar for improving wheat response to salt stress
Get PDFThe production of olive mill solid waste (OMSW) raises concerns due to its toxicity and negative environmental impact. However, by utilizing pyrolysis, OMSW can be converted into biochar, a carbon-rich material that detoxifies the waste and preserves its nutrient content. The OMSW-based biochar possesses alkaline properties (pH 9.6), low electrical conductivity (EC), high cation exchange capacity (CEC), a porous surface morphology, various surface functional groups, and high mineral content. This study assessed the influence of two concentrations (5% and 10%) of OMSW-based biochar on wheat plants' growth biomarkers and physiological characteristics subjected to salt stress conditions (150 mM NaCl). Findings of the study revealed that salt stress had deleterious effects on various parameters, including shoot height, fresh and dry weights of shoots and roots, relative water content (RWC%), membrane stability index (MSI%), photosynthetic pigments, and photosynthetic parameters such as the coefficient of the effective quantum yield of photochemical energy conversion of PSII (ØPSII), photochemical quenching (qP), and photochemical efficiency of PSII (Fo, Fm, Fv/Fo, and Fv/Fm). Furthermore, the levels of lipid peroxidation (MDA), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and peroxidase (POD) activities significantly increased in stressed plants. On the other hand, applying both concentrations of OMSW-based biochar effectively improved the overall performance of wheat plants, irrespective of the presence of salinity. OMSW-based biochar is a promising strategy for promoting wheat growth in salt-stressed soil by improving various growth parameters and mitigating plant oxidative stress
Cytotoxic Study of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles on Cervical Cancer Cell Line
Get PDFThe advancement of nanomedicine drugs as an outcome of nanotechnology offers tremendous potential to enhance cancer-fighting tactics. Scientists have begun studying the role of NPs in immunotherapy, an area that is particularly beneficial in treating malignancies. Conventional treatment of cancer uses medications known as chemotherapy that frequently cause adverse effects on healthy tissues. Zinc is a vital micronutrient for the well-being of humans; therefore, nanomaterials such as zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) are progressively appealing as cutting-edge medical agents with implementations like anticancer properties. A bottom-up approach was utilized to chemically produce the ZnO NPs, which were characterized using Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FESEM) and Energy Dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX). MTT assays have been carried out to study the cell viability percentage against multiple ZnO NPs concentrations and durations. The white ZnO NPs displayed a diverse morphology within the nanoscale range, featuring rod and spherical shapes. This synthesis was confirmed through EDX, which revealed distinct peaks corresponding to zinc and oxygen, affirming the formation of pure ZnO NPs. MTT assay data showed that ZnO NPs had a dose and time-dependent cytotoxicity against HeLa cells. This observation suggests that the ZnO NPs possess the potential to combat cancer and may hold promise for applications in biomedical research, particularly in the development of anticancer drugs
An overview of artificial nutrition in apiculture
Get PDFArtificial nutrition in apiculture is a long-term subject of discussion and investigation. The maintenance and boosting of bee colonies in apiculture depends on synthetic food around the globe to overcome the suppressing factors, including dearth periods. The information on types of food components and their combinations used is haphazard and hardly helpful in determining the advancements in the artificial feeding of bees. This study aimed to extract the available information on artificial feeding on honeybees and arrange it most scientifically. The information in the form of research or review articles available on every platform, viz., soft portals, printed journals, books and scientific proceedings, were collected and analyzed to produce a comprehensive and informative review article on the artificial nutrients in apiculture. Compilation of the available information revealed that artificial feeding of bees depends on food components and their combinations. Based on this, it can be suggested that nectar and pollen are basic foods of honey bees, and based on this, the food components were further categorized as nectar supplements and pollen supplements. These supplements were fed to bees as natural nutrients and food components. The natural nutrients include proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, yeasts, antibiotics, amino acids, enzymes, antioxidants, etc. Meanwhile, under natural food components, cereal grains, pulses, beans, fruits, vegetables, medicinal plants, spices, condiments, and some non-traditional/ miscellaneous kinds of stuff have been included in the bee diets. On the other hand, many diet categories have been prepared using the abovementioned nutrients and food components in various forms and proportions. In general, the pollen and nectar, the main food of bees, have been supplemented under different diet combinations. These diet combinations used pollen and nectar substitutes or combined with other nutrition, drugs, antibiotics, etc. The present investigation provides an updated overview of the food categories and their combinations used in the artificial feeding of bees to date. These findings can help explore new food items and their effective diet combinations
Morphology and DNA marker for distinguishing Paphiopedilum hangianum and Paphiopedilum emersonii from Vietnam
Get PDFGenus Paphiopedilum has species having lovely flowers which are incredibly attractive to everyone. Their ornamental and commercial value caused over-collection and illegal poaching and trade. Due to these reasons, nowadays, the Venus slipper orchids are facing to deplete in nature. Therefore, it is important to consider these species conservation. Mainly, it is necessary to prioritize the identification and phylogenetic analysis methods of the genus Paphiopedilum which includes many species with similar morphological characteristics. Consequently, it isn't easy to distinguish the identical species of this genus when the plants are young or not yet fully flowering. Therefore, this study aimed to distinguish two Paphiopedilum species, i.e. P. hangianum and P. emersonii, which have similar morphological characteristics, through comparative morphological analysis and differences in DNA barcoding sequences. To solve the problem associated with species identifications, a morphological comparison table was created with the four DNA sequence markers matK, rbcL, rpoC1 and trnH-psbA. The results of the morphological analysis showed that P. hangianum and P. emersonii are significantly different from each other in the flower's characteristics. While the difference in leaf morphology of both selected species is found very little, it is also distinguishable upon careful comparison. Moreover, the DNA barcoding indicator gave accurate and rapid distinctions between the two species, even when the plants are young or without flowers. Furthermore, this DNA barcoding can establish an evolutionary relationship between the two selected species and the other species of the genus Paphiopedilum. The results of this study also suggested that the indicator trnH-psbA is a suitable marker for distinguishing these two species and can be applied for the phylogenetic analysis of the genus Paphiopedilum in Vietnam