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Cattle are cosmopolitan in distribution. They are economically and ecologically significant. The cattle menace on the urban streets of developing and underdeveloped countries is challenging. The number of road accidents is increasing rapidly over time, in the urban areas of most of the developing countries, like India. In the present study, we estimated the population of cattle wandering on the streets/roads/highways of Raipur city of India using the direct headcount method and advanced Photographic Capture-Recapture Method (PCRCM). We compared these two methods of population estimation to check their suitability and adequacy. We superimposed 163 grids (1.0 x 1.0 km each) on the map of Raipur city using Quantum Geographic Information System (QGIS) software. We randomly selected 20 grids for the estimation of the street cattle population. We used both line transect and block count sampling techniques under the direct headcount method. The estimates of visibly roaming cattle on the Raipur city streets were 11808.45 and 11198.30 using the former and the latter sampling techniques, respectively. Further, advanced PCRCM indicated an estimated 35149.61 and 34623.20 cattle using the line transect and block counting sampling techniques, respectively. We observed a female-biased sex ratio in both mature and immature cattle. The frequency of mature cattle was significantly higher than that of naive cattle, followed by the calf. Further, we noticed the frequency of cattle in a grid in the following order: cow > bull > heifer > immature male > female calf > male calf. We concluded that the estimated population of street cattle in Raipur city is about 35 thousand. The results of both the techniques, i.e., direct headcount method and PCRCM, are consistent for population estimation. The direct headcount method yields the number of cattle visibly roaming on the street at a particular time. In contrast, advanced PCRCM gives the total population of street cattle in the city. Active surveillance of the urban cattle population might be of critical importance for municipal and city planners. A better understanding of the urban cattle population might help mitigate the cattle menace on the street, eventually preventing cattle-human conflict and minimizing road accidents. The techniques adopted in this study will also help estimate the population of free-ranging dogs and other wildlife animals in any target location.

Seeds are more resistant and contain more nutrition for the developing embryo as compared to spores. A seed is an embryonic plant encased in a defensive external covering. It develops at the end of sexual reproduction in Gymnosperms and Angiosperms. Fundamentally, each seed contains an embryonic plant, endosperm to nourish the embryo, and an outer seed coat to protect the embryo from unfavourable environmental conditions. EMFr is a non-ionizing and non-thermal radiation. It is classified as Extremely Low Frequency (ELF) (30-300 Hz), Voice Frequency (VF) (300-3000 Hz), Very Low Frequency (VLF) (3-30 KHz), Medium Frequency (MF) (0.3-3 MHz), High Frequency (HF) (3-30 MHz), Very High Frequency (VHF) (3-300 MHz), Ultra High Frequency (UHF) (300-3000 MHz), Super High Frequency (SHF) (3-30 GHz), Extremely High Frequency (EHF) (30-300 GHz) SHF and EHF are microwaves. As some studies suggested an improvement in seed germination after EMFr exposure, it can be exploited in agriculture as well as in horticulture. We can use EMFr on recalcitrant seeds also to improve their storage behaviour.

Present study was designed to examine daily and seasonal variability in the innate immune responses of splenocytes in the fresh water snake, Natrix piscator. Animals were mildly anesthetized and spleen was aseptically isolated and processed for macrophage phagocytosis, NBT reduction, nitrite production, splenocyte proliferation and serum lysozyme activity. Samples were collected at seven time points, viz., 0000, 0400, 0800, 1200, 1600, 2000 and 0000 h during three different seasons, namely summer, winter and spring. Cosinor analysis revealed that percent phagocytosis had a significant 24-h rhythm during summer and spring seasons. The peaks of rhythms in NBT reduction and nitrite release occurred in the morning hours at 10.88 h and 8.31 h, respectively, in winter. A significant 24-h rhythm was also observed in lysozyme concentration and splenocyte proliferation (both Basal and Concanavalin A stimulated) in all three seasons. A significant phase shift in splenocyte proliferation was obtained with a trend of delayed phase shift from winter to spring and from spring to summer. Of the nine variables, significant annual (seasonal) rhythms were detected in almost all variables, excluding phagocytic and splenosomatic indices. All rhythmic variables, except spleen cellularity, exhibited tightly synchronized peaks coinciding with the progressive and recrudescence phases of annual reproductive cycle. It is concluded that the snake synchronizes its daily and seasonal immune activity with the corresponding external time cues. The enhancement of immune function coinciding with one of its crucial reproductive phases might be helping it to cope with the seasonal stressors, including abundance of pathogens, which would otherwise jeopardize the successful reproduction and eventual survival of the species.

Bagworms (Lepidotera: pyschidae) can be termed as switching pest, is a polyphagus defoliator of economically and ecologically beneficial plants traced in varied host ranging from ornamental plants to huge forest trees. Life history of some species studied intensively had revealed the potentiality of this phytophagus family. Case of bagworm been a salient characteristic of psychidae was known to utilize by tribes of Bastar for annual rainfall determination. Bagworm infestations were examined by many workers in selected region of Chhattisgarh and Kerala. Newly emerging pest of Indian forest has the potential to cause huge ecological and economical damage as proved earlier in region of Uttrakhand (Tons valley), Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir. Control measure specific to Indian species of bagworm is needed to deal the prevailing situation. The Indian peninsula and Himalayan region had remained untouched for exploration related to bagworms biodiversity. The available literature points clearly towards the need to initiate and explore more on behavior, biology, prevalence and integrated strategic methods to control bagworms infestation.

Animal Welfare Attitudes (AWA) are defined as human attitudes towards the welfare of animals in different dimensions and settings. Demographic factors, such as age and gender are associated with AWA. The aim of this study was to assess gender differences among university students in a large convenience sample from twenty-two nations in AWA. A total of 7914 people participated in the study (5155 women, 2711 men, 48 diverse). Participants completed a questionnaire that collected demographic data, typical diet and responses to the Composite Respect for Animals Scale Short version (CRAS-S). In addition, we used a measure of gender empowerment from the Human Development Report. The largest variance in AWA was explained by diet, followed by country and gender. In terms of diet, 6385 participants reported to be omnivores, 296 as pescatarian, 637 ate a vegetarian diet and 434 were vegans (n = 162 without answer). Diet was related with CRAS-S scores; people with a vegan diet scored higher in AWA than omnivores. Women scored significantly higher on AWA than men. Furthermore, gender differences in AWA increased as gender inequality decreased.

In the urban landscape of developing countries like India, three species, i.e., humans, cattle, and dogs coexist and interact regularly. In the current study, we evaluated the intra- and interspecific interactions with special reference to street cattle in an urban area. We conducted the study at ten different locations in Raipur City and observed different types of possible interactions. We found licking and butting as the most frequent positive and negative intraspecific interactions, respectively among individuals of the street cattle population. The frequency of neutral interaction among the three species is statistically significantly higher than either positive or negative interactions. The positive interaction between cattle and dogs was more than the negative interaction. But, in the case of cattle-human interactions, the negative interaction was greater than the positive interaction. A statistically significant time-of-day variation was noticed in the licking, playing, mounting, pushing, and butting behavior under the intraspecific interaction category in the cattle. The negative interaction of cattle with dog and human, human towards cattle, positive interaction of dog towards cattle, and neutral interactions between cattle-dog and cattle-human also exhibited time-of-day variability. In conclusion, all three species coexist in the urban landscape with a markedly higher frequency of neutral interaction followed by negative interactions among them. For the welfare of all three species minimization of dumping of open garbage is recommended as one of the key strategies to overcome the cattle and dogs menace on the urban streets of India and elsewhere.

Annual rhythms are observed in many physiological processes and are an important approach to cope with seasonal stressors. The use of lower vertebrates as an experimental model is crucial to understand the evolution of this biological clock. This study aims to characterize the seasonal variability in the leukocyte immune responses in Channa punctatus. Leukocytes were harvested from peripheral blood and respiratory burst activity, leukocyte phagocytosis, and nitrite production were assessed to study innate immunity. Peripheral blood lymphocytes were segregated by centrifugation (density gradient) and proliferative responses of lymphocytes, in the presence of mitogens, were used to study cell-mediated immunity. Annual rhythms were validated in superoxide anion production, nitrite release and phagocytosis. Cosinor analysis revealed a differential pattern of lymphocyte proliferation which was dependent upon season and mitogen used. It was concluded that seasonal variation in immune activity might be associated with annual adaptation against diseases and the optimum immune status of seasonal breeders like fish helps them fight seasonal changes.

Purpose The current study is the first attempt to screen obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) risk in adult populations of Chhattisgarh, India. A few predictors of OSA, such as socio-demographic variables, excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS), behavioral sleep variables, and chronotype were also investigated. Methods Five hundred eleven (167 males and 344 females) randomly chosen healthy subjects participated in the study. The STOP-BANG and Modified Berlin Questionnaires (MBQ) were used for the screening of OSA. The Epworth Sleepiness Scale was used to determine excessive daytime sleepiness. The Morningness–Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ) and Munich Chronotype Questionnaire (MCTQ) were used to determine the chronotype and behavioral sleep variables of each subject. Results It was observed that 11% of the studied population was at risk of OSA obtained through MBQ. The STOP-BANG score significantly differed as a function of gender, family type, habitat, and chronotype. The Principal Component Analysis revealed behavioral sleep variables, demographic variables, EDS, and chronotype as the important correlates of OSA. The variables namely sleep latency and sleep inertia on both workdays and free days contributed to 22% variability in the dataset; whereas age, BMI and BSA together explained 19% variability. The ESS score and other associated factors explained the 20% variability in the dataset. Conclusions The study delivers an early warning and underscores that about 11% of young adults from Chhattisgarh have a higher OSA risk. Sleep latency and sleep inertia could be associated with OSA risk more prominently followed by BMI and BSA.

Locomotor activity rhythm in the hypogean population of Nemacheilus evezardi was recorded first under light-to-dark (LD) 12:12 h cycle and then DD. The results were compared with that of its epigean counterpart held under comparable regimes. In LD 12:12, while hypogean loach exhibited a distinct bimodality in its locomotor activity rhythm, it was altogether absent in the case of epigean population. In hypogean loach, dark-to-light transition peak in LD was observed to free-run under DD. The same was not discernible in case of epigean loach. The locomotor activity rhythm in epigean fish was noticed to free-run in DD either from the dawn peak or dusk peak in LD. It is hypothesized that the hypogean fish still possesses a functional oscillator underlying its overt circadian rhythm in locomotor activity. The ecophysiological significance of these findings is yet to be fully understood.

Purpose: Circadian rest–Activity Rhythm Disorders (CARDs) are common in patients with cancer, particularly in advanced disease. CARDs are associated with increased symptom burden, poorer quality of life, and shorter survival. Research and reporting practices lack standardization, and formal diagnostic criteria do not exist. This electronic Delphi (e-Delphi) study aimed to formulate international recommendations for the assessment and diagnosis of CARDs in patients with cancer. Methods: An international e-Delphi was performed using an online platform (Welphi). Round 1 developed statements regarding circadian rest–activity rhythms, diagnostic criteria, and assessment techniques. Rounds 2 and 3 involved participants rating their level of agreement with the statements and providing comments until consensus (defined internally as 67%) and stability between rounds were achieved. Recommendations were then created and distributed to participants for comments before being finalized. Results: Sixteen participants from nine different clinical specialties and seven different countries, with 5–35 years of relevant research experience, were recruited, and thirteen participants completed all three rounds. Of the 164 generated statements, 66% achieved consensus, and responses were stable between the final two rounds. Conclusions: The e-Delphi resulted in international recommendations for assessing and diagnosing CARDs in patients with cancer. These recommendations should ensure standardized research and reporting practices in future studies.