Zootherapeutics (animal-based remedies) for urolithiasis: history, current scenario and future dimensions

Animals like plants are also medicinal agents for preventing and curing different health problems worldwide, practically in all human cultures. Zootherapy is ancient and has strong evidence of the medicinal use of animal resources. Different animal body parts and preparations are used in folk medicines. Zootherapy reveals that medical practitioners have always considered animals a source of surprising and numerous therapeutic effects. A high diversity of animals, their parts, and derivative products are used, and this is a heritage that could constitute a fundamental step in the discovery and isolation of natural extracts and new and low-cost alternative drugs from animals. About 12% of people worldwide are affected by different types of urolithiasis; the recurrence rate in females is 47-60%, and in males is 70-80%. According to WHO, 75% of the population relies on traditional medicines to prevent and cure diseases. Hence, there is a need to concentrate on all folk natural products effective in urolithiasis for their pharmacological evaluation and isolation of single drug molecules responsible for anti-urolithiasis activity to develop suitable formulations against urolithiasis.

Dr. Salman Ahmed Dr. salman ahmed

Surface modification of anhydrous borax with stearic acid by wet coating method

The wet coating of anhydrous borax powders with stearic acid (SA) to reverse their inherent hydrophilic surface properties was investigated. The coating procedure was based on the results from a previous study that revealed that the stearic acid solution (2 wt. % SA) mixed for 60 minute at 750 rpm on the magnetic stirrer was sufficient for the surface modification of anhydrous borax. For the experiments, stearic acid powders were first dissolved in water at 80 °C. The mixture obtained by adding anhydrous borax powders to this solution was vigorously mixed on a magnetic stirrer to initiation and completion the surface modification. Each of these solutions was then filtered using a filter paper to separate the undissolved particles, and the residue on paper was dried at 50 °C for 48 h until constant weighing was obtained. Wettability has been accepted as a key parameter for success in wet coating treatment. This parameter gained via the experimental characterization technique was used for an evaluation of the powder properties. The degree of wettability of anhydrous borax powders was measured and compared both after their surfaces were coated with stearic acid and after they were treated with water for a certain period of time in an aqueous environment. The stearic acid coating made the powder hydrophobic and this property was highly preserved after washing.

Journal of Characterization Journal of characterization

Sulphate and chloride resistance of vermiculite blended concrete

In the construction industry lot of natural sand is being used in the preparation of concrete. Levels of natural sand are depleting day by day. The cost of natural sand is also increasing every day. Therefore, there is a need for alternative materials to natural sand. In this study, exfoliated vermiculite is replacing natural sand partially. Vermiculite at 5%, 10%, and 15% is used for replacement. The concrete cubes are cast for M 30 grade to determine the optimal percentage of replacement of natural sand by vermiculite. In this study, coarse aggregate used includes both normal aggregate and recycled aggregate. The water-cement ratio of 0.45 is adopted. The durability tests conducted include the sulfate resistance Test and the chloride resistance test. The cost analysis was also done and results are presented. The test results are promising when vermiculite was used to replace natural sand at 10%.

Kiran kumar narasimhan

Clinical profile of glaucoma patients: a cross-sectional study at a tertiary eye center in bangladesh

Background: Glaucoma is a group of disorders that can lead to irreversible vision loss if untreated. It affects individuals across all ages, genders, and ethnicities, with intraocular pressure (IOP) being the only modifiable risk factor. Regional studies highlight variations in the prevalence of glaucoma subtypes, underscoring the need for population-specific data to guide effective prevention and treatment efforts. This study aimed to explore the clinical characteristics and patterns of glaucoma patients in a tertiary care setting in Bangladesh. Methods: This was a hospital-based cross-sectional study, conducted from January to December 2023 at the Glaucoma Department of Deep Eye Care Foundation. A total of 2,172 individuals aged 20 years and above were conveniently selected as the study population. After explaining the study objectives, written informed consent was obtained from all participants. Ethical approval was obtained from the institutional review board of the Deep Eye Care Foundation. Data analysis was performed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS), with a P-value of less than 0.05 considered statistically significant. Results: The study population predominantly consisted of middle-aged and older adults, with a slightly higher proportion of females than males. Most participants were housewives, followed by farmers. A majority resided in rural areas rather than urban, and only a negligible number reported a family history of glaucoma. More than half of the patients presented with reduced visual acuity. The average IOP was nearly similar in both eyes. Most cases showed bilateral involvement of glaucoma. The predominant types of glaucoma were primary angle-closure suspects (PACS) and primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG). The main treatment approaches included beta-blockers and laser peripheral iridotomy, while a notable proportion of patients were kept under observation. Conclusions: Bilateral involvement and reduced visual acuity were common, with PACS and POAG being the predominant subtypes. This study offers unique insights into the demographic and clinical profile of glaucoma in rural communities, emphasizing the need for communitybased screening, gender-sensitive eye care, and early detection to reduce visual disability.

Karishma Karishma

Estimation of snr based adaptive-feedback equalizers for feedback control in hearing aids

Despite the evolution of modern technology, the users of hearing aids do not realize the persistence of feedback, while wearing the device until the condition becomes worse. The feedback cancellation algorithms, instead of cancelling the acoustic feedback, limits speech intelligibility. The paper presents a novel method for estimation of SNR based adaptive-feedback equalizers (SBAFE) algorithm to develop an optimized hearing aid for the feedback less sound transmission and achieving better speech discrimination. The data gathered for the optimization is visualized and compared with the traditional technology, which provides the subjective and objective quality of the hearing aids.

Jayanthi G Jayanthi g

Critical process parameters evaluation of modified nanoprecipitation method on lomustine nanoparticles and cytostatic activity study on l132 human cancer cell line.

This work was focused on identification and evaluation of process parameters of modified nanoprecipitation method, for fabrication of lomustine nanoparticles, with the aim of reducing cancer cell viability at low concentration of lomustine. The parameters controlling particle size, mostly in nanosize, were solvent/nonsolvent composition and emulsification speed of homogenizer along with aqueous phase volume. This controlled particle size is below 250 nm. The stabilizer concentration controlled particle size is within 68 nm ± 0.89 to 137 ± 0.94 nm with PDI 0.06 ± 0.008 to 0.25 ± 0.001. But, the stabilizer addition mode showed more uniform size distribution with PDI 0.085 ± 0.004. Entrapment efficiency was maintained well above 47 ± 0.23%. The drug release pattern was monophasic with controlled release over 24 hrs. In the method used, drug content was affected by ratio of polymer to drug to organic solvent, as well as homogenization speed and time. Percentage viable cells of L132 human lung cancer cell line remained, were only 5% at 100 μg/ml lomustine equivalent PLA nanoparticles.

Archana Mehrotra Archana mehrotra

Voices of change: assessing the significance of social movements in shaping indian politics

This research paper examines the dynamic interplay between social movements and Indian politics to assess their importance in shaping the socio-political landscape of the nation. In recent decades, India has witnessed the rise of various social movements, from grassroots activism to large-scale protests, each with distinct goals and socio-political implications. This study uses a multidimensional approach that combines historical analysis, case studies, and theoretical frameworks to reveal the complex connections between social movements and political transformations. The research begins by delving into the historical context of social movements in India, highlighting their evolution from the pre-independence era to the present. By examining key movements such as India's independence struggle, the Chipko movement, anti-corruption protests and farmers' agitations, this paper seeks to identify recurring patterns, strategies and outcomes across periods. The study further examines the impact of social movements on policy-making, political discourse and institutional reforms. By analyzing specific cases where social movements have influenced legislative decisions or brought about political change, the research aims to assess the tangible results of grassroots activism on the functioning of Indian democracy. The role of social media and technology in amplifying the voices of social movements is also explored, emphasizing their transformative influence on public opinion, mobilization and information dissemination. This study uses a comparative analysis of movements with varying degrees of success to distinguish the factors that contribute to their effectiveness and endurance. the research presents a comprehensive assessment of the role played by social movements in shaping Indian politics. By synthesizing historical perspectives, contemporary case studies and theoretical insights, this article contributes to a nuanced understanding of the complex relationship between social activism and political change in the Indian context. The aim of the findings is to inform policy makers, scholars and activists about the potential of social movements as catalysts for positive social transformations and democratic development.

Dr Gedam Kamalakar Dr gedam kamalakar

Covid-19 and its implications in dental care

COVID-19 was first reported in Wuhan, Hubei Province of China a few months ago (December 2019) and had since become a major challenging public health problem for not only China but also many countries around the world. It was on March 11, 2020, characterized by WHO as a pandemic. The pandemic so far has killed more than 526,465 people and infected more than 11,046,917 people around the world as of 05 July 2020. Nigeria currently has 28,167 confirmed COVID-19 cases with 11,462 (40%) discharged, 16,071 (57%) currently receiving treatment at designated facilities across the country and unfortunately 634 (3%) deaths as at the time of writing this manuscript. As far as the authors are aware, there are little or no work carried out on the implications of COVID-19 on dental practices in Nigeria. Recently, COVID-19 was identified in saliva of infected patients and so transmission via aerosols and splatter generated during dental procedures is sure. To limit exposure, there was a need to avoid scheduling patients except for emergency dental care during this outbreak. This limitation on activities of the dental sector has a very huge impact on the economy of the sector as it has already resulted in serious monetary implications for dental practices worldwide. While dental practices in the high-income countries are getting help from their respective Government, those in the middle and low-income countries like Nigeria have been left to wallow in bankruptcy without support. The authors highly recommend that the Government of these neglected countries, step up and support dental practices that are on the brink of closing down due to the low turnout of patients to their practice during this outbreak.

Hope Inegbenosun Hope inegbenosun

Knowledge, attitudes, and practices toward covid-19 among healthcare workers in shabwah governorate, yemen: a cross-sectional study

Background: The first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with significant morbidity and mortality among healthcare workers worldwide. The present study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of healthcare workers toward COVID-19 at Ataq General Hospital, and three other hospitals and health centers in Shabwah Governorate, Yemen. Materials and Methods: From January 1, 2022, to February 28, 2022, a cross-sectional survey of healthcare workers was conducted in the city of Ataq, Shabwah Governorate at the following hospitals: Ataq General Hospital, Al Shefa’a Hospital, Al Aafiah Hospital, and COVID-19 Isolation Center. Results: A total of 107 healthcare workers completed the survey. Their mean age was 28.17 ± 7.73 years, 79 (73.8%) of them were male and 28 (26.2%) were female. The overall knowledge was good, with a score of 19 out of 21; however, most participants were unaware of some of the extra-respiratory symptoms of the disease, such as diarrhea and confusion, and about 57% of them were unaware that eating or interacting with wild animals may contribute to the infection with the COVID-19 virus. Attitude analysis of the participants revealed that about half of those surveyed do not believe that Yemen can contain COVID-19. In general, the practice of the participants was good. Conclusion: Although the overall knowledge score in this study was good, most respondents could not recognize some of the extrapulmonary manifestations of COVID-19 and were unaware of the possibility of transmission of the disease from wild animals. In addition, about half of those surveyed do not believe that Yemen can contain COVID-19

Karishma Karishma

A review of thermal performance of solar concentrator – the future needs

Abstract Abundant solar energy is freely available almost round the year in India. As per the current scenario of global warming and climatic change, solar energy is the cleanest source in nature. Concentrated solar power (CSP)has hardly contributed to the overall installed solar power capacity in the country. CSP technologies are Parabolic Trough Collector (PTC), Linear Fresnel Reflector (LFR), Paraboloid Dish and Solar Power Tower. This paper presents a review of CSP in solar parabolic dish concentrator to understand thermal aspect like thermal efficiency, optical efficiency, useful heat gain, heat losses, solar irradiation, etc. for various applications and current development. The current scenario of global CSP is discussed to meet the future challenges and need of the society.

Pramod wadate

Conflict-adapted hematological thresholds for cardiovascular risk prediction in yemen and high-malnutrition settings: a global meta-analysis

Background: Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) disproportionately affect conflict zones like Yemen, where diagnostic limitations persist. This meta-analysis evaluated the global prognostic utility of the red cell distribution width (RDW) and the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) as predictors of CVD and aimed to establish region-specific thresholds for low-resource settings. Methods: Following PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) and MOOSE (Meta-analysis Of Observational Studies in Epidemiology) guidelines, we analyzed 75 prospective cohort studies (2014–2025) that included 201,604 adults from 142 countries. Random-effects models were used to pool hazard ratios (HRs) and the area under the curve (AUC). Results: NLR > 3.0 (HR, 2.2 [95% CI, 1.8–2.7]) independently predicted an elevated CVD risk (p < 0> 14% was associated with increased CVD risk in unadjusted analyses (HR, 2.3 [95% CI, 1.9–2.8]), this association became non-significant after adjusting for ferritin (HR, 1.02 [95% CI, 0.98–1.07]). This indicates that RDW primarily reflects iron status, emphasizing the need to measure ferritin before attributing high RDW to CVD risk. The combined RDW + NLR showed superior discriminative power (AUC, 0.82 vs. 0.71–0.74 for individual markers). Subgroup analyses revealed higher NLR cutoffs (>3.8) in HIV-endemic African populations (reflecting chronic immune activation). Sensitivity analyses revealed attenuated NLR effects in rural populations (HR, 1.9) and non-significant RDW-CVD associations when adjusting for ferritin (HR, 1.02), highlighting contextual limitations. Conclusions: While NLR stands as an independent CVD predictor, RDW > 14% must be interpreted with concurrent ferritin measurement. This is crucial to avoid misattributing CVD risk in malnutrition-endemic regions, such as Yemen, where an RDW > 15% is common. The RDW primarily reflects iron status and requires iron-status validation, especially in these high-malnutrition areas. However, caution is warranted when generalizing findings to rural settings where the CVD burden is rising fastest, given the underrepresentation of rural populations (only 16% of included studies). We strongly recommend standardized automated hematology analyzers (k > 0.85).

Karishma Karishma

The effects of aggressive-pornographic mass media stimuli

This chapter discusses the effects of stimuli that combine sexuality and aggression. It outlines the debate over aggressive versus nonaggressive pornography and discusses the frequency of aggressive pornography and bases for concern. Aggressive pornography and sexual arousal is explored in the chapter wherein initial findings, victim's responses, individual differences, context of assessment, and conclusions are discussed. The chapter reviews the effects of aggressive pornography on responses other than aggression wherein it has discussed about changes in sexual responsiveness, fantasies, and perceptions and attitudes. The effects of aggressive pornography on aggression are explored in the chapter wherein research findings are discussed in detail and summary of effects on aggression, theoretical analyses, and the construct validity of assessing aggression are also described. The data across the laboratory and field experiments discussed in this chapter raise a variety of theoretical and empirical issues that should be addressed in future research. Particularly noteworthy are questions concerning stimuli, subject, and setting characteristics.

John Dolores John dolores

Effect of educational intervention on osteoporosis among tribal premenopausal women

Background:- Tribals are weaker section which holds in outstanding number of tribal population in our country. They are not having proper knowledge on osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is a significant problem in aging population especially in females, it impacts structural and social burden on health care services in tribals. Objective:- Aim of this study is to determine the knowledge regarding osteoporosis among tribal premenopausal women in tribal area of Guntur Dist. Andhra Pradesh Methods:- This study is descriptive quantitative study conducted among 177 Sugali women & 23 Chenchu women of tribal area in Guntur Dist. Andhra Pradesh from 2015 November to December 2015. A self-administered questionnaire was used to assess the knowledge on osteoporosis by conducting Pre-Tests on this group of people. After Educational Intervention was given with the help of self-instructional module and also conducted a Post Test on these same Group of people Results:- The mean age was 40 to 50 years. Majority of the participants are 177 (100%) Sugali women and 23 Chenchu women in these 177 in which n.150 (84%) women are having poor knowledge and remaining 27 (16%) women have average knowledge. In Chenchu women 20 (86%) women were having poor knowledge and remaining 3 (14%) women have average knowledge on all five aspects of questions regarding Osteoporosis, Menopause, Diet, Exercises and Preventive Methods. After Educational Intervention was given their knowledge was improved by a fraction on Osteoporosis. In the Post-Test 101 (57%) women gained average knowledge but remaining 76 (43%) women remained with poor knowledge among Sugali Women. Out of 23 (100%) women of Chenchu tribe 7 (30%) women got average knowledge and the remaining 16 (70%) women remained with poor Knowledge on Osteoporosis Conclusion:- Although majority of participants had low level of knowledge on Osteoporosis in all aspects regarding Menopause, Diet, Exercises and Preventive methods of Osteoporosis. They perceived a little knowledge on Osteoporosis in all aspects towards preventing Osteoporosis. Comparitively Sugali women are having better knowledge than Chenchu women in all aspects of Osteoporosis. Key words:- Osteoporosis, Knowledge, Effect, Pre-Menopausal, Tribal Women.

Mangeswari K Mangeswari k

Factors influencing acceptance of newborn screening for sickle cell disease in bauchi state, nigeria

Background: Sickle cell disease (SCD) is one of the most common genetic diseases worldwide, with very high prevalence rates in sub-Saharan Africa, especially Nigeria. Given the importanceand benefits of newborn screening (NBS), it is essential to assess awareness and acceptance of NBS for SCD and the factors influencing its acceptance in this region. Methods: This was a hospital-based, cross-sectional study that examined pregnant women attending the antenatal clinic for their first visit between August 1 and October 31, 2023. This antenatal clinic has an average annual attendance of 1,521 pregnant women who come for their first visit. The data obtained were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics (version 20), and the results were presented in prose, tables, and figures as appropriate. A level of statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Results: Three hundred and two (302) pregnant women were recruited for the study. Though there was low awareness (13.2%), there was a high acceptance rate (96.7%) of NBS for SCD amongst the women studied. However, the type of marriage (monogamous marriage, p = 0.029) was the only factor found to have a significant relationship with the respondents’ willingness to accept NBS for SCD. Conclusions: Community education, with an emphasis on married couples, women of reproductive age, and religious leaders, should be intensified. The monogamous marriage setting may reflect marital stability, social support, or correlated socioeconomic factors on health decision-making. However, this may have different implications in different societies.

Karishma Karishma

Behavior of small states from the perspective of international relations theory: an analysis of south china sea

Territorial disputes in the South China Sea have long been one of the most critical and complex issues of security between south-east Asian states and China. The competition for maritime rights has emerged as the most important security issue in the east Asia. The powerful states have a tendency for domination. The smaller states may not show their dominating behavior over other states, but they have tendency to maximize their relative power by making alliance with great power or by other means. Since the smaller states are not capable enough individually to ensure their own security or to use military force against threatening power, they have tendencies to join in alliances or in other words to create balance of power to ensure their own security. This study attempts to analyze the behavior of small states and to find out which theory matches with the behavior. The behavior of small states like Vietnam and the Philippines cannot be well-explained by the realist approach. They behave to make their existent clear and safeguard themselves only. Making allies with great powers as well as economic ties simultaneously with other economic powers render their behavior of having peaceful coexistent with everyone.

Muhammad faruq-uz-zaman

Enhance the productivity of ridge gourd (luffa acutangula l.) cultivation in net trellis system in barmer district of rajasthan

To test and popularize the Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Barmer-II, Gudamalami, Rajasthan recommended Enhance the Productivity of Ridge gourd (Luffa acutangula L.) Cultivation in Net Trellis System in Barmer District of Rajasthan, On Farm Trials (OFT’s) were conducted during the kharif season of 2019 and 2020 in farmers participatory mode at three locations in Barmer District of Rajasthan. The experiment consisted of two treatments viz., recommended practice (Net trellis system) and farmers practice (Furrow). Net trellis system had significant increase number of picking (13), fruit length (43.33 cm) and fruit weight (210 g) as compared to farmer’s practice (07, 22.67 cm and 101.5 g) during both the year as well as pooled data. The two year average fruit yields of net trellis system have shown doubled production over farmers practice method. Net trellis system was recorded increase yield for 73.57% (138.06 t/ha) as compared to farmers practice (79.54 t/ha) during both the year as well as pooled data. Similarly, the net returns and B:C ratio also revealed that maximum under net trellis system during both the year as well as pooled data Rs 232790 per hectare and 3.36:1 as compared to farmers practice Rs 89913.5 per hectare and 2.30:1. Net trellis system had significant reduce the damage of pest and soil borne diseases and improve the quality of fruits

DR. BABU LAL JAT Dr. babu lal jat

Evaluation of antimicrobial, antioxidant, antidiabetic activities, and acute toxicity of elephantopus scaber l.

Elephantopus scaber L., a medicinal plant from Myanmar, was studied to evaluate its biological activity. The activity of antimicrobial assessment showed that ethyl acetate extract exhibited moderate activity in contrast to all six tested organisms. Using the 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging assay with ascorbic acid as standard for antioxidant activity showed that ethyl acetate extract possessed 36.28 μg/mL. The in vivo antidiabetic activity with glipizide, as a standard hypoglycemic agent was employed to determine antidiabetic activity. The data parameter under observation for Elephantopus scaber L. reaches its peak at 135 min, with a 39.0% reduction. No toxic behavior was observed at the limited tested concentrations (2000 mg/kg and 5000 mg/kg) and it suggested a favorable safety profile.

Mediterranean Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Mediterranean journal of pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences

N-gram and k-nearest neighbour based igbo text classification model

The evolution in Information Technology has gone a long way of bringing Igbo, one of the major Nigerian languages evolved. Some online service providers report news, publish articles and search with this language. The advancement will likely result to generation of huge textual data in the language, that needs to be organized, managed and classified efficiently for easy information access, extraction and retrieval by the end users. This work presents an enhanced model for Igbo text classification. The classification was based on N-gram and K-Nearest Neighbour techniques. Considering the peculiarities in Igbo language, N-gram model was adopted for the text representation. The text was represented with Unigram, Bigram and Trigram techniques. The classification of the represented text was done using the K-Nearest Neighbour technique. The model is implemented with the Python programming language together with the tools from Natural Language Toolkit (NLTK). The evaluation of the Igbo text classification system performance was done by calculating the recall, precision and F1-measure on N-gram represented text. The result shows text classification on bigram represented Igbo text has highest degree of exactness (precision); trigram has the lowest level of precision and result obtained with the three N-gram techniques has the same level of completeness (recall). Bigram text representation technique is extremely recommended for any text-based system in Igbo. This model can be adopted in text analysis, text mining, information retrieval, natural language processing and any intelligent text-based system in the language.

Dr. Nkechi Ifeanyi-Reuben Dr. nkechi ifeanyi-reuben

An assessment of the underground water collected from ogbete area enugu state, nigeria

Water contamination has become a global challenge which must be tackled. This study examined the contamination level of water in four locations at Ogbete area Enugu state. Carters street had the highest pH of 5.23 which is below the WHO standards limits for drinking water. The conductivities ranged from the highest conductivity 1445 μs/cm, which is below the WHO limits (8-10,000 μs/cm), TDS (1000 mg/l., TSS (WHO (500 mg/l). For alkalinity, the four locations were all below the (150 mg/l) standard set by World Health Organisation. Results showed that most of the physicochemical, biological and heavy metals parameters considered in this study were significantly above the permissible or allowed by WHO. It is therefore recommended that the water should be treated before use.

OKECHUKWU OBED CHUKWUEMEKA Okechukwu obed chukwuemeka

Learning management of physical education for sports and health during the covid-19 pandemic in min 2 palangka raya city

This study aims to determine the process of implementing PJOK learning in limited face-to-face learning during the Covid-19 pandemic in class V MIN 2 Palangka Raya City. This type of research is qualitative with case studies. Data collection techniques by observation and interviews. Meanwhile, data analysis uses descriptive data analysis. The results of this study show that:1) planning for sports and health physical education learning during the Covid-19 pandemic in MIN 2 Palangka Raya City: Teachers plan the PJOK class V learning program, develop the Annual Program, carry out Semester Program activities, carry out learning plans in the learning syllabus, distribute effective weeks.2) Implementation of Sports and Health Physical Education learning in MIN 2 Palangka Raya City, namely: development of the Annual Program into the Learning Implementation Plan, carrying out Semester Program activities, implementation of learning plans in the learning syllabus, online teaching, and learning process activities teachers explain teaching materials, apply learning methods.

EDUCARE: Journal of Primary Education Educare: journal of primary education

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