Phytochemical Screening of Selected Botanicals and their Effectiveness Against Maize Weevil (Sitophilus Zeamais Motsch.) at Paklihawa, Rupandehi, Nepal

Laboratory experiment was done to perform the phytochemical screening of six locally available botanicals (Azadirachta indica Juss, Artemisia dubia Wall, Lantana camara L, Parthenium hysterophorus L, Justicia adhatoda Linn. and Moringa oleifera L.) and their effectiveness to control the maize weevil (Sitophilus zeamais Motsch.) at Agriecology lab of Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science, Paklihawa Campus, Rupandehi, Nepal. Seven treatments (leaf extract of A. indica, A. dubia, L. camara, P. hysterophorus. J. adhatoda and M. oleifera and distilled water as control) applied at 3 different doses (0.5, 1 & 2g/50g seeds) were arranged in CRD design with 3 replications. Result of mortality test of maize weevil revealed that, at highest concentration of L. camara powder (T17- 2g/50 gm seeds) mortality of maize weevil was observed up to 85% at 45 DAT. Whereas number of damaged grain was lowest in T17 (L. camara powder- 2g/50 gm seeds). The effectiveness of botanicals was found to increase with increasing the concentration. Besides that, Justicia adhatoda (2g/50g seeds) and Artemisia dubia (1g/50g seeds) were also found as good candidates to use for the control of Sitophilus zeamais. Qualitative tests done for the presence of various phytochemicals showed that Azadirachta indica Juss and Artemisia dubia Wall. were found to contain most of the tested metabolites among all botanicals. Most of those phytochemicals were extracted by the aqueous solution rather than other 3 menstrums used (acetone, methanol and petroleum ether). Similarly, quantitative test revealed that percentage of alkaloid was found 18.01%, 17.78%, 17.75%, 11.58%, 8.20%, 6.78% and flavonoid15.32%, 13.63%, 12.86%, 11.36%, 7. 51% 2.85% respectively in L. camara L. P. hysterophorus L., J. adhatoda Linn., M. oleifera L., A. indica Juss. and A. dubia Wall. Leaf extract of L. camera found to contain highest botanicals extract reach in alkaloid and flavonoid mayhave insecticidal property and could be use as grain protectant percentage of alkaloid (18.01%) as well as flavonoid (15.32%) So, it was concluded that the locally available against the maize weevil at storage condition in cost effective and eco-friendly manner; however, application at proper dose is necessary to maintain the efficacy at higher level.

Histopathological Effects of Seed Oil of Moringa oleifera Lam. on Albino Mice Infected with Plasmodium berghei (NK65)

The study assessed the histopathological effects of seed oil of Moringa oleifera on albino mice infected with Plasmodium berghei. This work included a good idea in the treatment of a causing agent of malaria with Moringa seed oil as bio-natural treatment. Thirty-five mice were divided equally and grouped into five. The mice were acclimatised for seven days and thereafter infected with 0.2 mL Plasmodium berghei (NK65) parasite. The parasites were allowed to establish in the mice for five days before commencement of treatment. Group A - negative control (untreated), group B - positive control (10mg/kg chloroquine treated), group C, D and E were respectively treated with 800, 400, 200 mg/kg seed oil of Moringa oleifera. By oral administration of 0.2 mL of treatment dose, treatment was carried out in four consecutive days and the mice were sacrificed five days thereafter. The liver and kidney extracted from the mice were processed for histological studies. Findings revealed group A had the least packed cell volume (PCV) of 22.23±1.98% and group B had the most PCV of 48.31±1.55% after treatment. The PCV in groups C, D and E were 45.34±1.11%, 41.40±1.00% and 39.19±1.82% respectively after treatment. Coagulative necrosis and inflammation characterised the liver and kidney of mice in groups C and D. Lesions were observed in all the liver of mice treated with the seed oil of M. oleifera and chloroquine. Overall, it can be inferred that the higher the PCV of mice after treatment, the higher the performance of chemotherapeutic agents against parasitaemia. Thus, at 800, 400 and 200 mg/kg dosage, the seed oil of Moringa oleifera could possibly treat malaria. However, administration of a higher dose of the oil and chloroquine should be with caution as both drugs may pose adverse effects on the kidney and liver.

A Review on Various Analytical Methodologies for Etoricoxib

Etoricoxib belongs to the class of highly selective COX-2 inhibitor NSAIDs. It is mostly used for the treatment of pain, arthritic conditions including rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. The current study focuses primarily on analytical and bioanalytical method development methodologies, as well as numerous methods established for the estimation of etoricoxib, whether in pharmaceutical dose form or in bulk. Analytical procedures are critical for determining compositions, as they allow us to obtain both qualitative and quantitative results utilising advanced analytical tools. The analytical method for Etoricoxib may be chromatographic, electrochemical, spectral or hyphenated. These methods aid in the comprehension of critical process parameters as well as the minimization of their impact on precision and accuracy. Analytical method development is required to sustain high commercial product quality standards and to meet regulatory requirements. Following the reference, regulatory organisations in several nations have established standards and procedures for providing approval, authentication, and registration. Bioanalytical methods are designed to quantify the concentration of drug, metabolite, or typical biomarkers from various biological fluids including serum, urine, saliva and tissue extracts.

Impacts of COVID-19 on Global Healthcare Management and Research

The Coronavirus Infectious Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has affected most nations at all levels of functioning, individual to governmental. Therefore, it is imperative to evaluate the effects the virus has had on one of the most important socioeconomic global sectors, healthcare. This literature review explores key, recent research and management strategies that have been undertaken in healthcare systems around the world in order to make meaningful attempts at identifying the etiology, diagnosis, and treatment of the disease, and combating the spread of this deadly virus. Healthcare facilities have implemented a variety of changes, all geared towards reducing non-emergency patient visits and preventing transmission of the infection; this includes shifting appointments to online modality via telecommunication use, altering remedial options and procedures, and developing more effective personal protective equipment (PPE). Efforts have also been made to define appropriate treatment methods as well as a potential cure for COVID-19; many vaccines and antiviral drugs have been designed or are continuing to undergo clinical testing, and symptom management approaches are being employed along with careful evaluation or recommendation of already available medications to counter the disease. Our comprehensive analysis provides insights into prominent consequences as well as implications of COVID-19 in contemporary global healthcare research and management, and would help this crucial sector be better prepared for pandemics in the future.

Influence of Weight Bearing Dorsiflexion (WBDF) on Ankle Injury History Among Semi-professional Recreational Basketball Players

Ankle injuries are one of the most common occurrences in the field of sports. Weight bearing dorsiflexion range can be an effecting factor in ankle injuries. Weight bearing lunge test is used to assess weight bearing dorsiflexion. By using this test as a standard testing protocol, it is possible to minimize development of further sport related ankle injuries. But this test for basketball players with ankle injuries has not been studied yet. The current study will aim to examine the weight bearing dorsiflexion of basketball players related to their gender, ankle injury history and leg dominance. A quasi-experimental design study was conducted. Thirty-four (34) participants were recruited and initially and two (2) were excluded. 18 participants were male and 14 were female basketball players in Colombo Blues and Kotelawala Defence University basketball teams. The average of age of the sample was 21.8 years. Demographic data, information about training time, injury history of the participants was obtained using an interview administered assessment form. The Weight Bearing Dorsiflexion was measured using digital inclinometer. Findings indicated that the weight bearing dorsiflexion range is smaller than that of males (p>0.05). There was a significant difference in weight bearing dorsiflexion and ankle injury history (p<0.01) among players. Significant differences were seen in influence in leg dominance to weight bearing dorsiflexion (p<0.05). This is the first study that is investigated weight bearing dorsiflexion among basketball players in Sri Lanka. No significant difference was found between gender and weight bearing dorsiflexion. A significant difference was determined between ankle injury history and weight bearing dorsiflexion. Furthermore, a significant difference was found in leg dominance and weight bearing dorsiflexion.

A Comparative Analysis of Expert Opinions on Artificial Intelligence: Evolution, Applications, and Its Future

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a field of computer science that primarily focuses on automating tasks that explicitly require human intelligence. The mechanics of AI technology majorly revolves around central affairs including knowledge representation, learning, problem-solving, reasoning, etc. Additionally, each discipline of AI focuses on a particular component to efficiently train the machines. Every branch of AI technology exploits knowledge in machines using diversified practices but with a clear idea of achieving the desired output. AI has evolved drastically over the past two decades and is considered the most in-demand technology at present times in varied fields including healthcare, education, forecasting, security, etc. This paper provides an extensive survey on artificial intelligence and related work going on in this field, how it differs from human intelligence, various subfields of AI and their importance, various issues related to AI and possible solutions along with and future trends related to this technology depicting people’s reliability on it and various possible concerns.

CNN Based Approach for Traffic Sign Recognition System

Machine Learning (ML) involves making a machine able to learn and take decisions on real-life problems by working with an efficient set of algorithms. The generated ML models find application in different areas of research and management. One such field, automotive technology, employs ML enabled commercialized advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) which include traffic sign recognition as a part. With the increasing demand for the intelligence of vehicles, and the advent of self-driving cars, it is extremely necessary to detect and recognize traffic signs automatically through computer technology. For this, neural networks can be applied for analyzing images of traffic signs for cognitive decision making by autonomous vehicles. Neural networks are the computing systems which act as a means of performing ML. In this work, a convolutional neural network (CNN) based ML model is built for recognition of traffic signs accurately for decision making, when installed in driverless vehicles.

Human Computer Interaction – Hand Gesture Recognition

The creation of intelligent and natural interfaces between users and computer systems has received a lot of attention. Several modes of knowledge like visual, audio, and pen can be used individually or in combination have been proposed in support of this endeavour. Human communication relies heavily on the use of gestures to communicate information. Gesture recognition is a subject of science and language innovation that focuses on numerically quantifying human gestures. It is possible for people to communicate properly with machines using gesture recognition without the use of any mechanical devices. Hand gestures are a form of nonverbal communication that can be applied to several fields, including deaf-mute communication, robot control, human–computer interaction (HCI), home automation, and medical applications. Many different methods have been used in hand gesture research papers, including those focused on instrumented sensor technology and computer vision. To put it another way, the hand sign may be categorized under a variety of headings, including stance and motion, dynamic and static, or a combination of the two. This paper provides an extensive study on hand gesture methods and explores their applications.

The Use of Microbial Inoculants in Crop Production for Food Security Sustainability

Increasing human population, war, climate change, herdsmen-farmers clashes, banditry, terrorism, political unrest affected crop production negatively. These factors widen the gap between food production supply and its demand. In an attempt to fill this gap, agrochemicals were used to increase crop yield to meet the food demand of the ever-increasing population. Agrochemical’s introduction was accepted initially due to their quick and nonspecific actions. Decades later, these agrochemicals begin to pose threats to human and livestock health, causing land degradation, ecosystem imbalance, reduction in soil fertility and productivity. To avert the negative effects of agrochemicals on food and feed products, soil, water quality, and the environment. The use of a safe and eco-friendly alternative was developed. Microbial inoculants serve to be the best substitute for agrochemicals with substantial benefits in sustainable crop production and environmental sustainability. This review aims at updating available information on the benefits of using microbial inoculants in boosting crop production and the strategies to adopt for its effectiveness.

Antioxidative Potential and Phytochemical Content of Detox Water

Detox water is a fusion of different fruits immersed in water. It has been shown to possess many health benefits including toxin removal, increased immune function, weight loss and hydration. The following research aimed to extend previous investigation into the beneficial properties of detox water by determining the antioxidant potential and phytochemical content of water infused with a combination of Valencia orange (Citrus sinensis) and Fuji apple (Malus domestica) in different ratios. The three trails studied were 25:75 (T1), 50:50 (T2) and 75:25 (T3) Apple: Orange ratios. The antioxidant activity, total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC) were assayed using the 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl- DPPH assay, the Folin Ciocalteu assay and the aluminum chloride colorimetric assay respectively. The assays were carried out on water samples taken at 0.5, 1,2,4,6 and 8 hours after infusion, and on the fruit residue. Vitamin C concentration of the water and fruit residue were determined by titration against potassium iodide at the eight- hour of infusion. The antioxidant, TPC and TFC values of water samples increased with infusion time. At the eight-hour, the antioxidant potential of the water samples ranged from 74.45% (T1) - 68.16% (T3). The TPC, TFC and Vitamin C values for all three trails were found to be significantly different (p<0.05), with TPC values of 189.01 µg GAE/ml sample (T1), 172.10 µg GAE/ml sample (T2) and 144.82 µg GAE/ml sample (T3); TFC values were 32.11 µg QE/ml sample (T1), 25.24 µg QE/ml sample (T2) and 17.62 µg QE/ml sample (T3). Vitamin C values were 237.76 µg vitamin C/ml sample (T1), 161.44 µg vitamin C/ml sample (T2) and 114.48 µg vitamin C/ml sample (T3). The fruit residues possessed very low antioxidant potential and phytochemical content. The study has proven that detox water possesses beneficial properties due to its high phytochemical content.