Arup Giri
DIHAR DRDO, ANIMALSCIENCE, Alumnus
In recent scenario, fl uorosis is now going to be a severe problem throughout the globe due to toxic effects of fl uoride (F) on both plants and animals. F presents in the halogenated group of the periodic table and has the... more
In recent scenario, fl uorosis is now going to be a severe problem throughout the globe due to toxic effects of fl uoride (F) on both plants and animals. F presents in the halogenated group of the periodic table and has the characteristics of electronegativity. Natural geological sources and increased industrialization have contributed greatly to the increasing incidence of fl uoride-induced human and animal health issues. In animals and human beings, it exerts adverse effects mainly through the attenuation of antioxidant defense mechanism and chelation of enzymatic cofactors. Thereafter, it causes metabolic disorders through interacting with various cellular processes such as gene expression, cell cycle, metabolism, ion transport, hormonal secretion, endocytosis, apoptosis, necrosis, and oxidative stress. These effects lead to dental mottling, skeletal dysfunctions including crippling deformities, osteoporosis, and other vital organs dysfunction. It was found that, water is the main source of fl uoride intake to plants and animals, which further may go into food chain of human beings through consumption of high fl uoride content plant and animal origin food. Several preventive and control measures have been developed to ameliorate the fl uoride toxicity, like application of synthetic chemicals, plants bioactive molecules, and plant products like fruit pulp, seed mixture, and plant buckle products. Therefore, this article presents up-to-date information on the fl uoride sources, toxicity and different amelioration measures to reduce fl uoride level directly from water as well as application of different natural/synthetic products/molecules to ameliorate the toxic effects of fl uoride in in-vivo models.
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Physico-chemical properties and minerals status is an important decisive factor for assessment of drinking water quality. There are limited literatures on this aspect for drinking water quality of high altitude areas; therefore, the... more
Physico-chemical properties and minerals status is an important decisive factor for assessment of drinking water quality. There are limited literatures on this aspect for drinking water quality of high altitude areas; therefore, the present investigation was carried out to evaluate different physico-chemical parameters and some essential minerals status in different drinking water sources. These water samples were collected from different sources like deep tube well, spring, and river from different villages of Leh District, Jammu & Kashmir, India. Therefore, it was analyzed for physico-chemical parameters viz. dissolve oxygen, alkalinity, hardness, chloride, phosphate, sulphate, and nitrate according to standard methods. Similarly, all the essential minerals viz. sodium, calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron, sulphur, and manganese were analyzed by using Inductive Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES). All the results were compared with the WHO standard for drinking water. The fi ndings of this investigation indicated that dissolved oxygen, alkalinity and hardness were above the desirable level at some places as per WHO standards. Whereas, chloride, nitrate, and sulphate levels were lower in all the water samples collected across the sources. Among all the minerals, iron, potassium and aluminium level were above and sodium, magnesium, and manganese were lower than the desirable level at all the different altitude as per WHO standards. Interestingly, chloride, sodium, sulphur and aluminium level were high in Indus river water collected from the nearby city area. Therefore, it can be concluded that water sources near the city area are more contaminated than the other sites. Hence, present fi ndings indicated variation in physico-chemical parameters and mineral status of water of different sources of high altitude Himaliyan region. More or less, the quality of drinking water is suitable for consumption except the hardness and aluminium level.
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The cold arid region of India is usually accompanied by high altitude with little or no rainfall thus making the atmosphere cold and dry. Sixteen percent of the total landmass of the world is under the cold arid zones. Indian cold deserts... more
The cold arid region of India is usually accompanied by high altitude with little or no rainfall thus making the atmosphere cold and dry. Sixteen percent of the total landmass of the world is under the cold arid zones. Indian cold deserts come under the Trans-Himalayan zone. Major parts are confined to Ladakh in Jammu & Kashmir and Lahaul & Spiti in Himachal Pradesh. In Jammu and Kashmir, the cold desert lies between 32°15ʹ-36° N and 75°15ʹ-80°15ʹ E. It covers approximately 68,321sq km. The flora of this region comes under alpine and high alpine zones, followed by few stunted shrubs and bushes. Among these floras, there are several fodder plants which are used by the local people for livestock feeding. Local people rear livestock, particularly cattle, goat, sheep and yak, which play a key role in the development of the socioeconomic condition of the inhabitants as they get milk, meat, wool etc. from them besides the manure for improvement of soil fertility. Farmers also earn some cash money by selling them during adverse climatic condition. Therefore, livestock management should be in a scientific way for better production. However, the important in the livestock management is feed which becomes grave during winter months leading to low productivity of the animals. Fodder trees and shrubs, therefore become important as a good source of protein and energy to keep the animals healthy and better milk, meat and wool production which are the critical food and income sources in this region. This review presents a summary of the literature on the important plant bioresources and their bioactive molecules for livestock feeding, better production and health.
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Arsenic (As) exposure is a global public health problem because of its association with various cancers and numerous other pathological effects, and millions of people worldwide are exposed to As on a regular basis mainly through drinking... more
Arsenic (As) exposure is a global public health problem because of its association with various cancers and numerous other pathological effects, and millions of people worldwide are exposed to As on a regular basis mainly through drinking water. Increasing lines of evidence indicate that As may adversely affect the antioxidant defense system, but its specific mechanism to abrupt the antioxidant defense system are poorly understood. Therefore, we conducted a literature search of As and its oxidative stress-related effects associated with As exposure and summarized the known oxidative disorders of As in humans and laboratory animals. Overall, the review indicates that chronic exposure to As has the potential to impair the antioxidant system which could lead to increased risk of disorders and chronic diseases, including various cancers. Further investigation, particularly in humans, is needed to better understand the relationship between As exposure and the development of disease as well as the proper mechanism.
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Halfway through the twentieth century, fluoride piqued the interest of toxicologists due to its deleterious effects due to high concentrations in animals as well as in human populations suffering from several types of disorders and in... more
Halfway through the twentieth century, fluoride piqued the interest of toxicologists due to its deleterious effects due to high concentrations in animals as well as in human populations suffering from several types of disorders and in in-vivo experimental models. Until the 1990s, the toxicity of fluoride was largely ignored due to its " good reputation " for preventing caries via topical application and in dental toothpaste. However, in the last decade, interest in its undesirable effects has resurfaced due to the awareness that this element interacts with cellular systems even at low doses. In recent years, several investigations demonstrated that fluoride can induce oxidative stress and modulate intracellular redox homoeostasis; lipid peroxidation and protein carbonyl content, as well as alter gene expression and cause apoptosis. Genes modulated by fluoride include those related to the stress response, metabolic enzymes, the cell cycle, cell–cell communications and signal transduction. The primary purpose of this review is to examine recent findings on the effects of fluoride on oxidative stress, immune system and apoptosis in the animal as well as in human system.
The efficiency of oxygen usage and energy metabolism is important for high altitude adaptation and optimum performance of animals. With regards to adaptation and productivity of high yielder animals, high-altitude stress... more
The efficiency of oxygen usage and energy metabolism is important for high altitude adaptation and optimum performance of animals. With regards to adaptation and productivity of high yielder animals, high-altitude stress (hypobaric-hypoxia, cold stress) is a primary concern at high altitude. Cardiovascular system is an essential link in the transport of oxygen from the air to the mitochondria, and it therefore has an important role in acclimatization and adaptation to the oxygen depleted environment of high altitude. These pathophysiological changes belong to the morphological, functional, and component of cardiovascular system which can be detected as the biomarker whenever changes are found in this system. These cardiovascular biomarkers are structural, hematological, biochemical, molecular, and genetic. This lecture has reviewed the different types of cardiovascular biomarkers which are important in high altitude adaptation and therefore may be helpful in selection of adapted animals for future breeding and rearing at high altitude. Some structural biomarkers are hypertrophy of auricle and ventricle, pulmonary arterial pressure, hypertension, myocardial contractibility, hydrothorax, ascites, etc., whereas hematocrit levels, blood viscosity, plateletatic, are hematological biomarkers. Cardiac troponin-I and troponin-T, brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), inflammatory markers, rennin, etc. are biochemical biomarkers. Details of these biomarkers and other related markers will be discussed in present lecture. These biomarkers concentration or levels are indicator of physiological state genetic make-up of animals of respective environmental condition. Hence, these biomarkers along with performance and physical traits may be considered for selection high altitude adapted animals for breeding and rearing.
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The previous few decades have seen widespread environmental exposure to munitions and explosives systems in and around war and weapon testing ranges. Most contemporary warheads use explosives to launch metal shards and charge jets to... more
The previous few decades have seen widespread environmental exposure to munitions and explosives systems in and around war and weapon testing ranges. Most contemporary warheads use explosives to launch metal shards and charge jets to destroy targets. Presently, Warheads with improved blast performance and shelf life are manufactured using technologies with improved blast performance; among them, plastic-bonded explosives (PBX) have emerged as one of the most promising high explosives for use in various ammunition warheads. The hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene (HTPB) binder-based PBX has metals like aluminium (Al) and magnesium (Mg) to improve munitions performance by boosting blast pressure. Further, magnesium hydride and other derivatives are commonly added to energetic formulations to enhance the heat of explosion of aluminized explosives and to improve burn rate of certain propellants. So, explosions of these warheads and munitions leave thick fumes and residues in the battlefield soil, which release toxic chemicals, including magnesium, into the air, water, and soil. Later on, magnesium metal contamination negatively impacts the environment and food chain. Hence, magnesium toxicity in the environment, including soil, water, plants, and animals, is the subject of this research and a significant concern to animal and human health. Until now, enough literature has been unavailable; hence, this review brings knowledge on the ecotoxicology of magnesium-based explosives and their possible alarming effects on animal and human health by affecting the food chain.
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Extremes of climate and hypobaric hypoxia cause poor growth performance in broiler chickens at high altitude.The current study was designed to investigate the effect of hydro-alcoholic extract of Rhodiola imbricata onantioxidant,... more
Extremes of climate and hypobaric hypoxia cause poor growth performance in broiler chickens at high altitude.The current study was designed to investigate the effect of hydro-alcoholic extract of Rhodiola imbricata onantioxidant, cytokines, blood biochemical and growth performance of broilers at high altitude (3500 m). For invivostudy, one day-old broiler chicks of average initial body weight 36.40±0.42 g were randomly assigned to seven groups in three replicates (10 chicks in each replicate) as per completely randomized design. Experimental groups included control (fed basal diet), and treatment T1, T2, T3, T4, T5, and T6 which received hydro-alcoholic extract of Rhodiola imbricata in drinking water @ 100, 150, 200, 300, 400, and 800 mg/kg body weight of chicken respectively, along with basal diet. Blood samples were collected at 0, 21st, and 42nd day. HPLC analysis of extract revealed the presence of salidroside and p-tyrosol. As a result of this study, birds in T5 group had signi...
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Food waste disposal is regarded as a source of contamination in the environment. There is little information on whether food waste compost can be used in agriculture, especially in the subtropics. The study examined the effect of food... more
Food waste disposal is regarded as a source of contamination in the environment. There is little information on whether food waste compost can be used in agriculture, especially in the subtropics. The study examined the effect of food waste compost on onion (Allium cepa L) cultivation under an open experimental field condition in a subtropical climate. Standard methods were used to analyze the soil physicochemical parameters (pH, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids, soil moisture, water holding capacity, total organic matter, phosphorus, potassium, manganese, iron, copper, and zinc) of control and treatment plots. Standard methods were used to measure all other morpho-physiological parameters. The plant height, the number of leaves per plant, the length and width of the leaves, the neck diameter, the relative water content of the leaves, the ash content of the leaves, and the root length were all measured. The treatment group had higher soil fertility than the control gr...
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The ponies have immense relevance for logistic support for civil population and troops in hilly and high altitude areas. There is no information on specific biomarkers of endurance performance under high altitude stress condition, which... more
The ponies have immense relevance for logistic support for civil population and troops in hilly and high altitude areas. There is no information on specific biomarkers of endurance performance under high altitude stress condition, which could be supportive in the identification of elite ponies for deployment at high altitude. Therefore, the present study was conducted to evaluate the physiological responses, hematological, biochemical, metabolic, and antioxidant biomarker during endurance exercise in ponies at high altitude. For this study, total 5 mares were put on endurance exercise at 4–6 m/sec speed for 30 min on 30 m track situated at 3,500 m altitude for 28 days period. The result showed a significant change in physiological responses, and some hematological, biochemical, metabolic and antioxidant parameters viz. glutathione peroxidase, creatinine kinase-MB, lactic acid, total protein, glucose, hexokinase, cortisol, and interleukin-6 level at different phase of endurance exerc...
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Vascular endothelial growth factor-Alpha (VEGF-A) is essential for the growth of new blood vessels promoting angiogenesis and plays an important role in high altitude adaptation. In the present study, an effort was made to undertake... more
Vascular endothelial growth factor-Alpha (VEGF-A) is essential for the growth of new blood vessels promoting angiogenesis and plays an important role in high altitude adaptation. In the present study, an effort was made to undertake comparative screening of SNPs at two specific positions in VEGF-A gene (g.8430T>C and g.14853G>A) in high altitude adapted Ladakhi cattle, cross bred maintained at high altitude, tropically adapted native cattle breeds and yak. The PCR amplified product of corresponding region harbouring the two SNPs was investigated by PCR-RFLP approach to ascertain the allelic/genotypic distribution of VEGF-A variants across Indian cattle and yak. PCRRFLP was performed in a total of 337 animals comprising 6 native cattle breeds, 1 cattle population from high altitude and 1 population of yak from north-eastern part of India. In addition, 60 samples of yak and native cattle were sequenced to detect any additional variation in the amplified region of VEGF gene. In y...
A total of seventy irrigation water samples were collected from Leh, Ladakh, India, to determine their hydrochemistry profile and water quality for irrigation purposes. Water quality indices such as total hardness (TH), residual sodium... more
A total of seventy irrigation water samples were collected from Leh, Ladakh, India, to determine their hydrochemistry profile and water quality for irrigation purposes. Water quality indices such as total hardness (TH), residual sodium carbonate (RSC), potential salinity (PS), permeability index (PI), Kelly's ratio (KR), sodium absorption ratio (SAR), corrosivity ratio (CR), and chloroalkaline indices (CAI) were measured. The Piper diagram, Durov's diagram, and United States Salinity Laboratory (USSL) diagram were drawn to determine the water types, ion exchange processes, and rock–soil–water interaction. The findings indicated that the hydrochemical characteristics of irrigation water are naturally alkaline. Furthermore, water quality parameters revealed that the study area’s surface water is suitable for irrigation purposes, despite relatively high TH and MH levels. The level of CR indicated that water should not be transported using metal pipes. The CAI and Durov's pl...
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Life could not be imagining without the presence of water on this earth. An ecosystem is very dependent on the quality of water. Regular water quality monitoring is very essential of a region. In the study area, no study has been yet done... more
Life could not be imagining without the presence of water on this earth. An ecosystem is very dependent on the quality of water. Regular water quality monitoring is very essential of a region. In the study area, no study has been yet done on the quality of drinking water and productivity level of Beas river near Arni University, Himachal Pradesh, India. The main aim of this study was to determine the water quality of three different sources of water like hand pump water, tap water, and Beas river water. For this, we have collected total twenty-six samples in the month of May 2018 and analysed for pH, TDS, EC, DO, alkalinity, phenolphthalein alkalinity, total hardness, calcium hardness, chloride, sulfate, phosphate, nitrate, carbonate, bicarbonate, E. coli, and productivity level by standard methods. The entire analysed parameters showed the lower level than the permissible guideline of the WHO except for the presence of E. coli and higher level of alkalinity. The productivity level ...
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Purpose In the current scenario, food wastage is a significant concern throughout the world. This food wastage may convert to compost, and that compost may apply in the agriculture field for the better yield of crops. In this context, a... more
Purpose In the current scenario, food wastage is a significant concern throughout the world. This food wastage may convert to compost, and that compost may apply in the agriculture field for the better yield of crops. In this context, a field study conducted on the effects of compost prepared from food wastage on the yield of cabbage, cauliflower, and radish. Methods The experiment consisted of twelve treatments and twelve control plants of all the plants. Field soil of both control and treatment plots were analyzed by standard methods. Standard methods took different morphological and chemical parameters of all the plants. Results Results indicated that compost from food waste increased soil fertility. The application of manure was significantly (p < 0.01) superior over the morphological and biochemical properties of the control group plants. The application of compost increased leaf relative water content and decreased the electrolyte leakage in all the plants. The yield of cab...
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The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was widely regarded due to an unpredictable, imminent pandemic posing a significant threat to humanity. This new virus has high infectivity, mortality, and variable latency. The recurrent... more
The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was widely regarded due to an unpredictable, imminent pandemic posing a significant threat to humanity. This new virus has high infectivity, mortality, and variable latency. The recurrent modification in the virus' genetic (antigenic) structures poses a challenge in successful vaccine development. While several vaccine trials are underway, many conventional drugs are repositioned (i.e. repurposing) and used for prophylactic and therapeutic purposes. However, the results were not very encouraging and often causing serious adverse effects. To come down the grimness and duration of acute disease and complexities, safe alternative remedies are, thus, needed. In symptomatic SARS-COV-2 patients, the traditional Chinese medicine (TMC) with allopathic drugs and Moroccan medicinal plant extract showed significant benefit. Traditional medicine derived from Indian herbal plants used since ancient times to treat human diseases in India is easily...
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The cold arid region of India is usually accompanied by high altitude with little or no rainfall thus making the atmosphere cold and dry. Sixteen percent of the total landmass of the world is under the cold arid zones. Indian cold deserts... more
The cold arid region of India is usually accompanied by high altitude with little or no rainfall thus making the atmosphere cold and dry. Sixteen percent of the total landmass of the world is under the cold arid zones. Indian cold deserts come under the Trans-Himalayan zone. Major parts are confined to Ladakh in Jammu & Kashmir and Lahaul & Spiti in Himachal Pradesh. In Jammu and Kashmir, the cold desert lies between 32°15ʹ 36° N and 75°15ʹ 80°15ʹ E. It covers approximately 68,321sq km. The flora of this region comes under alpine and high alpine zones, followed by few stunted shrubs and bushes. Among these floras, there are several fodder plants which are used by the local people for livestock feeding. Local people rear livestock, particularly cattle, goat, sheep and yak, which play a key role in the development of the socioeconomic condition of the inhabitants as they get milk, meat, wool etc. from them besides the manure for improvement of soil fertility. Farmers also earn some ca...
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A high-altitude environment is characterized by hypobaric hypoxia, extreme temperature variation, low humidity, intense ultraviolet radiation, low rainfall, and high wind velocity. These types of extreme climatic conditions can result in... more
A high-altitude environment is characterized by hypobaric hypoxia, extreme temperature variation, low humidity, intense ultraviolet radiation, low rainfall, and high wind velocity. These types of extreme climatic conditions can result in oxidative stress in animals. This stress leads to a marked increase in cellular dysfunction and a decline in the production of antioxidant defense molecules which affects health and productivity of livestock especially at high altitudes. Therefore, the veterinary clinician is required to induce an upregulation of antioxidants and in the immune system to ameliorate the oxidative stress. Currently, nutraceuticals are used in nutritional therapy to manage various disease conditions and to improve productivity of pets and livestock animals. Nutraceuticals refer to natural functional foods or bioactive phytochemicals that have health-promoting and disease-preventing properties. These nutraceuticals in general contain alkaloids, flavonoids, some vitamins,...
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Extremes of climate and hypobaric hypoxia cause poor growth performance in broiler chickens at high altitude and the present study investigates the effect of aqueous extract of Salix alba leaves on growth performance, antioxidant level... more
Extremes of climate and hypobaric hypoxia cause poor growth performance in broiler chickens at high altitude and the present study investigates the effect of aqueous extract of Salix alba leaves on growth performance, antioxidant level and immune status of broiler chickens reared at high altitude cold desert (3500 m). High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis of the extract revealed the presence of salicin and caffeic acid. In vitro efficacy evaluation revealed that the extract had a significant cytoprotective effect on lymphocytes. For in-vivo study, a total of 105 one d old RIR cross-bred broiler chickens were randomly assigned to seven groups: 1) Control fed basal diet and 2) Six treatments fed basal diet + S. alba extract @100, 150, 200, 300, 400, and 800 mg kg−1 body weight of chicken, respectively. Chickens in the Salix 300 group had greater body weight (p < 0.05) and improved feed conversion ratio (FCR) compared to other treatments. Furthermore, chickens had greater (p < 0.05) total antioxidant capacity (TAC), free radical scavenging activity, interleukin-2, and lower malondialdehyde (MDA), interleukin-1, and interleukin-6 concentration as compared to the control group. Net profit was also increased in all the treatments that were fed diet with S. alba extract due to less mortality in chickens. These findings indicated that inclusion S. alba extract at dose concentration of 300 mg kg−1 body weight of chicken, exhibited a beneficial effect on growth performance through immunomodulation and up-regulation of antioxidants, and therefore, it has a potential to be used as a phytogenic feed additive for improving broiler performance at high altitude.
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Extremes of climate and hypobaric hypoxia cause poor growth performance in broiler chickens at high altitude. The present study examined the potential of Hippophae rhamnoides extract as phytogenic feed additive for broilers reared at... more
Extremes of climate and hypobaric hypoxia cause poor growth performance in broiler chickens at high altitude. The present study examined the potential of Hippophae rhamnoides extract as phytogenic feed additive for broilers reared at 3500 m above mean sea level (MSL). Higher content of phytomolecules were recorded during characterization of the extract. Immunomodulatory activity of extract was observed in chicken lymphocytes through in-vitro studies. Thereafter, for in vivo study, 105 day old Rhode Island Red (RIR) Cross-bred chicks were randomly distributed in to control and treatments T1, T2, T3, T4, T5, and T6 which were supplemented with H. rhamnoides aqueous extract along with basal diet, at level of 100, 150, 200, 300, 400, and 800 mg/kg body weight of chicken, respectively. Among the experimental groups, birds in the T3 group represent the highest body weight. Furthermore, treatment group birds had shown better physio-biochemical indices as compared to control group birds. In...
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This study shows an effective but simple method of conserving characterised populations through seed germination modification and treatment with plant growth regulators. It is tolerant to cold temperature, as would be expected of a... more
This study shows an effective but simple method of conserving characterised populations through seed germination modification and treatment with plant growth regulators. It is tolerant to cold temperature, as would be expected of a Himalayan plant, but not tolerant to dry conditions. Podophyllum hexandrum seed dormancy has been considered to be a major constraint and most of the earlier reports recommended dormancy breaking pre-treatments such as chilling, gibberellic acid (GA3). However, in this study, we showed that the pre-treatment of seeds with IAA, IBA and GA3 at high altitude (Leh - Ladakh) to analyse this hormone effect on germination success of seeds and on the morphological character of the plant over control plant. The pre-treatment helps the seeds to give high germination percentage than control seedlings. The treated seedling showed a high degree of growth especially the seedlings treated with GA3. These seedlings in the greenhouse showed very prominent growth and devel...
Research Interests: Pharmacology, Botany, Pharmacy, Conservation Biology, Biology, and 3 moreEcology, Germination, and Bioassays
Identification of appropriate breeds of broilers and development of new feed additives is required for the development of poultry industry at high altitude. Therefore, this experiment was conducted first to identify the suitable broiler... more
Identification of appropriate breeds of broilers and development of new feed additives is required for the development of poultry industry at high altitude. Therefore, this experiment was conducted first to identify the suitable broiler strain for this region. One week old chicks (150) from three broiler strains, i.e. Vencobb, RIR cross-bred, and Hubbard were randomly selected and divided equally into three groups. All the chicks were provided the same basal diet. The body weight gain and feed: gain responses were significantly (P < 0.05) improved in RIR cross-bred. Mortality was also observed lower in RIR cross-bred. Thereafter, the second trial was conducted in RIR cross-bred to evaluate the effect of probiotic supplementation (T1@ 9 gm/kg feed, T2@ 18 gm/kg feed) on their performance and mortality. No significant differences (P > 0.05) were observed in weight gain, feed intake, feed: gain, and water intake among the three groups, however, mortality from ascites and coccidio...
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Halfway through the twentieth century, fluoride piqued the interest of toxicologists due to its deleterious effects due to high concentrations in animals as well as in human populations suffering from several types of disorders and in... more
Halfway through the twentieth century, fluoride piqued the interest of toxicologists due to its deleterious effects due to high concentrations in animals as well as in human populations suffering from several types of disorders and in in-vivo experimental models. Until the 1990s, the toxicity of fluoride was largely ignored due to its “good reputation” for preventing caries via topical application and in dental toothpaste. However, in the last decade, interest in its undesirable effects has resurfaced due to the awareness that this element interacts with cellular systems even at low doses. In recent years, several investigations demonstrated that fluoride can induce oxidative stress and modulate intracellular redox homoeostasis; lipid peroxidation and protein carbonyl content, as well as alter gene expression and cause apoptosis. Genes modulated by fluoride include those related to the stress response, metabolic enzymes, the cell cycle, cell–cell communications and signal transducti...
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The efficiency of oxygen usage and energy metabolism is important for high-altitude adaptation and optimum performance of animals. With regards to adaptation and productivity of high yielder animals, high-altitude stress... more
The efficiency of oxygen usage and energy metabolism is important for high-altitude adaptation and optimum performance of animals. With regards to adaptation and productivity of high yielder animals, high-altitude stress (hypobaric-hypoxia, cold stress) is a primary concern at high altitude. The cardiovascular system is an essential link in the transport of oxygen from the air to the mitochondria, and it, therefore, has an important role in acclimatisation and adaptation to the oxygen depleted environment of high altitude. These pathophysiological changes belong to the morphological, functional, and component of the cardiovascular system which can be detected as the biomarker whenever changes are found in this system. These cardiovascular biomarkers are structural, haematological, biochemical, molecular, and genetic. This lecture has reviewed the different types of cardiovascular biomarkers which are important in high altitude adaptation and therefore may be helpful in selection of ...
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The present study was aimed to investigate the effect of physico-chemical parameters and soil macro-nutrients to know the nutrient uptake status during sowing time (ST) and after the harvesting (AH) of crops of Leh-Ladakh. In this... more
The present study was aimed to investigate the effect of physico-chemical parameters and soil macro-nutrients to know the nutrient uptake status during sowing time (ST) and after the harvesting (AH) of crops of Leh-Ladakh. In this context, total 55 no. of soil samples were collected from the eleven villages. Thereafter, soil texture, pH, electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS), organic carbon (OC), nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) were analyzed as per the standard methods. The results exhibited variation in different studied parameters at ST and AH, are OC (ST1.70 ± 0.11; AH-2.31±0.08), N (ST171.54±11.40; AH212.03±13.18), P (ST75.62±8.16; AH96.32±11.56), pH (ST8.12±0.05; AH8.16±0.06), EC (ST0.48±0.04; AH0.58±17), TDS (ST-309±22.41; AH-189±16.42) and soil texture gradient (Sand: ST-75.16±1.27 & AH-71.75±1.26, Silt: ST18.55±1.09 & AH20.66±1.02 and clay: ST6.33±0.53 & AH7.76±0.63). The comparison of physico-chemical parameters, macronutrients, soil tex...
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The environment is usually attributed as the major climatic factor affecting animal health and production system in all agro-climatic zones. There are various environmental components viz. temperature, radiation, snowfall, wind,... more
The environment is usually attributed as the major climatic factor affecting animal health and production system in all agro-climatic zones. There are various environmental components viz. temperature, radiation, snowfall, wind, precipitation, humidity etc. that impact animal health and productivity. Ladakh is a remote and difficult terrain of India for studying the impact of climate change on livestock production. This area is situated at high altitude, which varies from 10,000 to 12,000 feet from mean sea level (MSL) and temperature range is 35° to –35°C. The atmospheric oxygen pressure is 30% short of MSL. Therefore, this region exhibits hypobaric-hypoxia, extreme cold and dry-arid climate for most of the year, which restrict the growth and productivity of the different livestock populations, including dairy cattle. However, demands are very high for milk and milk products by local people, Indian troops deployed in this region and tourists. Availability of fodder and high altitude stress-induced maladies, mountain sickness (brisket edema), stunted growth, infertility, mastitis pneumonia, etc. severely limits the dairy development, which has increased the gap between supply and demand of dairy products in this region. The impact of climate change on livestock production in Ladakh is a relatively ignored research area. Since the literature on the effect of climate change on dairy cattle productivity in Leh-Ladakh is scarce, therefore, the present article reviewed the available reports and presents authors’ own observations on how this climate change impacted on health, production and reproduction of dairy cattle in high altitude cold desert
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This experiment was conducted to determine the fasting effects on anthropometric parameters and salivary antioxidant properties in girls and boys. Saliva samples were collected from eighteen healthy girls (control-09 & fasting-09 girls)... more
This experiment was conducted to determine the fasting effects on anthropometric parameters and salivary antioxidant properties in girls and boys. Saliva samples were collected from eighteen healthy girls (control-09 & fasting-09 girls) and twelve healthy boys (control-06 & fasting-06 boys). Saliva was collected four times from all the subjects at a time interval of two hours. For anthropometric parameters, body weight, body temperature, pulse rate (PR), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) was measured during each saliva collection time. Antioxidant parameters of all the saliva samples were evaluated. Most of the anthropometric parameters like temperature, PR, SBP, and DBP of the fasting group was significantly (p<0.5) decreases than the control group of both boy's and girl's in the different time interval. Antioxidant properties were significantly (p<0.5) higher in the fasting group of girls, but the insignificantly different level was found ...
Water is the wonder of nature which is an essential source of nutrient for all forms of life. It helps in proper digestion, energy metabolism, transport of nutrients and metabolites, cellular functions, and excretion of waste materials... more
Water is the wonder of nature which is an essential source of nutrient for all forms of life. It helps in proper digestion, energy metabolism, transport of nutrients and metabolites, cellular functions, and excretion of waste materials from our body and animals. Furthermore, water plays a vital role in body thermoregulatory and electrolyte health, and performance the fluidity and cushioning environment for the developing fetus in the human and animals. The quality of water determines the health and productivity of milk and their quality, as it causes bioaccumulation of water solutes in the milk and body tissues. Therefore, its quality has to be good for optimum health, and performance of dairy cattle. The high-altitude environments have limited surface and groundwater resources and more dependent on snow precipitations, very deep bore well groundwater, and mountain river. Recently, quality of high-altitude water resources has become questionable due to more environmental pollution, ...
Bovine milk is regarded as nature's perfect food due to presence of vital nutrients. However some peptides are generated after proteolytic digestion of β-casein that have opioid properties and may increase the risk of chronic... more
Bovine milk is regarded as nature's perfect food due to presence of vital nutrients. However some peptides are generated after proteolytic digestion of β-casein that have opioid properties and may increase the risk of chronic diseases. There are 13 genetic variants of bovine beta-casein; out of these A1 and A2 are the most common in dairy cattle breeds. The A1 and A2 variants differ only at position 67, which is histidine in A1 or proline in A2 milk. Earlier published reports have indicated that A1 β casein could be responsible for several health disorders like diabetes, coronary heart disease etc. while A2 β-casein is generally considered safe for human consumption. In the present study, an effort was made to sequence characterize β casein gene and identify allelic distribution of A1A2 alleles in native cattle of Ladakh region adapted to high altitude and low oxygen condition. The data showed 2 non-synonymous variations in coding region, while 5’UTR was completely conserved. Th...
Zanskar pony, a native horse breed of Ladakh mainly used for transportation in Trans-Himalayan region of India, is well adapted to high altitude hypobaric hypoxia environment. Due to extreme conditions of the Ladakh region, better... more
Zanskar pony, a native horse breed of Ladakh mainly used for transportation in Trans-Himalayan region of India, is well adapted to high altitude hypobaric hypoxia environment. Due to extreme conditions of the Ladakh region, better endurance of these ponies under hypoxic and extreme cold conditions is of utmost concern for their recruitment in Indian Army. In the present study, 12 young trained Zanskar ponies were evaluated during endurance exercise at an altitude of 3292 meter above mean sea level. The animals were subjected to carriage transport with 65-70Kg load or riding on a track of 5-6 Km. Physiological parameters viz., pulse rate (PR), heart rate (HR), rectal temperature (RT), respiratory rate (RR) and oxygen saturation (SaO2) were recorded in Zanskar ponies during pre-exercise (T0), post- exercise (T1) and post recovery (T2, 2 hours post resting) stages. Results showed marked increase in PR, HR, RR and RT post exercise time points. The mean values of PR increased from 49.83±...
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Ladakhi cattle is native population of Leh and Ladakh region and constantly exposed to hypobaric hypoxia over many generations. In present study, transcriptome signatures of cattle from Ladakh region (~5500 m) and Sahiwal cattle from... more
Ladakhi cattle is native population of Leh and Ladakh region and constantly exposed to hypobaric hypoxia over many generations. In present study, transcriptome signatures of cattle from Ladakh region (~5500 m) and Sahiwal cattle from tropical regions were evaluated using Agilent 44 K microarray chip. The top up-regulated genes in Ladakhi cows were INHBC, ITPRI, HECA, ABI3, GPR171, and HIF-1α involved in hypoxia and stress response. In Sahiwal cows, the top up-regulated genes eEF1A1, GRO1, CXCL2, DEFB3 and BOLA-DQA3 were associated with immune function and inflammatory response indicating their strong immune potential to combat the pathogens prevalent in the tropical conditions. The molecular pathways highly impacted were MAPK signaling, ETC, apoptosis, TLR signaling and NF- kB signaling pathway indicating signatures of adaptive evolution of these two cattle types in response to diverse environments. Further, qPCR analysis revealed increased expression of DEGs such as HIF-1, EPAS-1, ...
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Ladakh is an important part of the Trans-Himalayan region located between the Kunlun mountain range in the north and the main Great Himalayas to the south in the state of Jammu and Kashmir of India. The local cattle from Leh and Ladakh... more
Ladakh is an important part of the Trans-Himalayan region located between the Kunlun mountain range in the north and the main Great Himalayas to the south in the state of Jammu and Kashmir of India. The local cattle from Leh and Ladakh region, known as "Ladakhi cattle" is a unique germplasm having excellent adaptation potential to high altitude hypobaric stress. In the present study, an effort was made to evaluate the transcriptional pattern of hypoxia inducing factor-1 (HIF-1) and several of its regulated genes in PBMCs of local Ladakhi cattle, Holstein Frisian crosses, Jersey (exotic) maintained at high altitude region and Sahiwal (Bos indicus) and Karan Fries (cross bred) cattle maintained in tropical environment. The combined data set indicated increased expression of HIF-1 and its regulated genes viz., glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and hexokinase (HIK) in high altitude cattle indicating their importance in maintaining cellula...
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Extremes of climate and hypobaric hypoxia cause poor growth performance in broiler chickens at high altitude. The present study examined the potential of Hippophae rhamnoides extract as phytogenic feed additive for broilers reared at 3500... more
Extremes of climate and hypobaric hypoxia cause poor growth performance in broiler chickens at high altitude. The present study examined the potential of Hippophae rhamnoides extract as phytogenic feed additive for broilers reared at 3500 m above mean sea level (MSL). Higher content of phytomolecules were recorded during characterization of the extract. Immunomodulatory activity of extract was observed in chicken lymphocytes through in-vitro studies. Thereafter, for in vivo study, 105 day old Rhode Island Red (RIR) Cross-bred chicks were randomly distributed in to control and treatments T1, T2, T3, T4, T5, and T6 which were supplemented with H. rhamnoides aqueous extract along with basal diet, at level of 100, 150, 200, 300, 400, and 800 mg/kg body weight of chicken, respectively. Among the experimental groups, birds in the T3 group represent the highest body weight. Furthermore, treatment group birds had shown better physio-biochemical indices as compared to control group birds. In...
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Identification of appropriate breeds of broilers and development of new feed additives is required for the development of poultry industry at high altitude. Therefore, this experiment was conducted first to identify the suitable broiler... more
Identification of appropriate breeds of broilers and development of new feed additives is required for the development of poultry industry at high altitude. Therefore, this experiment was conducted first to identify the suitable broiler strain for this region. One week old chicks (150) from three broiler strains, i.e. Vencobb, RIR cross-bred, and Hubbard were randomly selected and divided equally into three groups. All the chicks were provided the same basal diet. The body weight gain and feed: gain responses were significantly (P < 0.05) improved in RIR cross-bred. Mortality was also observed lower in RIR cross-bred. Thereafter, the second trial was conducted in RIR cross-bred to evaluate the effect of probiotic supplementation (T1@ 9 gm/kg feed, T2@ 18 gm/kg feed) on their performance and mortality. No significant differences (P > 0.05) were observed in weight gain, feed intake, feed: gain, and water intake among the three groups, however, mortality from ascites and coccidio...
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... Australian J. Agr. Res. 12: 927-943. 7. MOXON, AL & M. RHIAN. 1943. Selenium poisoning. Phys. Rev. 23: 305-337. ... New Zealand Vet. J. 8: 13. 13. KENDALL, 0. K. 1960. Non-specific diarrhea in white muscle disease areas, probable... more
... Australian J. Agr. Res. 12: 927-943. 7. MOXON, AL & M. RHIAN. 1943. Selenium poisoning. Phys. Rev. 23: 305-337. ... New Zealand Vet. J. 8: 13. 13. KENDALL, 0. K. 1960. Non-specific diarrhea in white muscle disease areas, probable cause and treatment. Calif. Vet. 14: 39. 14. ...
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Extremes of climate and hypobaric hypoxia cause poor growth performance in broiler chickens at high altitude and the present study investigates the effect of aqueous extract of Salix alba leaves on growth performance, antioxidant level... more
Extremes of climate and hypobaric hypoxia cause poor growth performance in broiler chickens at high altitude and the present study investigates the effect of aqueous extract of Salix alba leaves on growth performance, antioxidant level and immune status of broiler chickens reared at high altitude cold desert (3500 m). High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis of the extract revealed the presence of salicin and caffeic acid. In vitro efficacy evaluation revealed that the extract had a significant cytoprotective effect on lymphocytes. For in-vivo study, a total of 105 one d old RIR cross-bred broiler chickens were randomly assigned to seven groups: 1) Control fed basal diet and 2) Six treatments fed basal diet + S. alba extract @100, 150, 200, 300, 400, and 800 mg kg−1 body weight of chicken, respectively. Chickens in the Salix 300 group had greater body weight (p < 0.05) and improved feed conversion ratio (FCR) compared to other treatments. Furthermore, chickens had greater (p < 0.05) total antioxidant capacity (TAC), free radical scavenging activity, interleukin-2, and lower malondialdehyde (MDA), interleukin-1, and interleukin-6 concentration as compared to the control group. Net profit was also increased in all the treatments that were fed diet with S. alba extract due to less mortality in chickens. These findings indicated that inclusion S. alba extract at dose concentration of 300 mg kg−1 body weight of chicken, exhibited a beneficial effect on growth performance through immunomodulation and up-regulation of antioxidants, and therefore, it has a potential to be used as a phytogenic feed additive for improving broiler performance at high altitude.
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Those terrible days are not far off. Not just chimpanzees, pigs, bats, or pangolins. The day is coming when millions of viruses, bacteria, and fungi will attack us from the surrounding plants and innumerable invertebrates. People’s lives... more
Those terrible days are not far off. Not just chimpanzees, pigs, bats, or pangolins. The day is coming when millions of viruses, bacteria, and fungi will attack us from the surrounding plants and innumerable invertebrates. People’s lives will become unbearable due to their infections. There will be one epidemic after another. For more visit to https://watercomilk.com/next-terrible-epidemic-era/
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This is not the time for great happiness. In the battle of Kurukshetra, Arjuna shot an arrow into the ground to quench the thirst of Bhishma who was lying on the bed. But the groundwater level has dropped so much in the last few decades... more
This is not the time for great happiness. In the battle of Kurukshetra, Arjuna shot an arrow into the ground to quench the thirst of Bhishma who was lying on the bed. But the groundwater level has dropped so much in the last few decades that it is now almost impossible to reach it even with a few arrows. Of course, we only found out about it in a few days. The recent water crisis in Chennai, the report of the Policy Commission, etc. have suddenly opened our eyes.