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Illegal wildlife trade is flourishing due to the enhancement and infusion phenomenon which not only led to survival but also thriving of such clandestine trade. Most of the illicit wildlife crimes (wildlife capturing, hunting and their trafficking) remain unrevealed because of unawareness or incognizance and authoritative phenomenon fragility. Apart from the above reasons, other reasons like poverty, illiteracy and unemployment play the role of key factors to drive and promote undesirable involvement of local communities in wildlife trade. The major share of profit of such business goes to the intermediaries who are generally high level traders while local communities are most adversely affected. For local communities, this is the only source of livelihood where community members act as sub-dealers to supply the wildlife and their products to the racketeers/high level traders. In India, most widespread threats to wildlife diversity is the poaching by local community for (1)their consumption, (2) financial benefits, and (3) non-financial benefits including socio−cultural rituals, (4) retaliation either due to wildlife depredation or traditional practice of hunting animals and birds. Effective implementation of Wildlife legislations and alternative livelihood to prohibit the illegal activity and engagement of local community in conservation programme.

The regular or continuous use of antibiotics or chemotherapeutic agents to cure disease have led to problems of drug resistance towards various microorganism. The use of prebiotic and probiotic can solve this problem somehow due to their preventative and ecofriendly approaches, particularly in light of new trends toward organic production systems. Probiotics and Prebiotics deal with gastrointestinal lining and improve health benefits of human as well as animals. The components of these should be a part of our foods, or it may be including in our diet to increase health benefits at the nutritional and therapeutic levels. Prebiotics, being indigestible carbohydrates available in thousands of different plant foods, stimulate the beneficial probiotic microorganisms to grow and multiply and help to improve host intestinal probiotic balance. Probiotics are a diverse group of living organism having non-pathologic bacteria that are functionally beneficial for improving health due to their ability to prevent inflammation that takes place in intestine. Action mechanism of both these in relation to each other as well as their intestinal interactions has been discussed. The beneficial effects include disease treatment and prevention as well as improvement of digestion and absorption in the host. The alarming increase in inappropriate use of antibiotics and development of bacterial resistance makes prebiotic & probiotics a very interesting field for research. In the present scenario, both have shown a number of beneficial effects in a variety of disease related to gastrointestinal as well as non-gastrointestinal such as colon cancer, ulceration in intestine.

Nature’s pollution is human created activity and human crosses the entire barrier to causing pollution and posing a high significant risk to health of all animals and also for plants. Plastics are the one of the major reason behind this. The high use of plastics material create high solid waste and this solid waste having no completely and fast degradation methods are available in nature. Their degradation also releases various harmful toxic substances which are harmful for environment. Various methods are available for treatment of plastic such as photo-oxidative degradation, thermal degradation, ozone-induced degradation, mechano-chemical degradation, catalytic degradation, and bio degradation. All these methods pose threat to the environment except the method of Biodegradation. Degradation of plastics using microbes are very eco-friendly degradation and causing no any side effect on nature. Termites are the major soil insect that are also capable to degrade plastics using their gut microbiota. Lot of microbial diversity present in termites gut but only few having potential to degrade plastics. In this review we mainly focus on the diversity of termites and their gut microbial fauna that having potential to degrade plastics and their different polymers.

Global population growth rate accelerating earth ecosystem disturbance and increasing resource scarcity, malnutrition and poverty. These events challenge socio-economic development of each country and obligate scientific communities to develop such novel approaches to overcome this burden, which not only provide a healthy diet but also engage people in setting up their own business. Therefore, microalgae Spirulina is the one of the emerging food source with rich protein content and other nutritional components in adequate amount with diverse health benefits. The small scale investments in microalgae biomass production, familiarizing nutraceutical values and convert in consumable forms is the interesting agribusiness with diversified profits and popularization. Spirulina production strategies can be conventional and low-cost effective technologies. These techniques also help in designing new innovative possibilities in modifications and enhancements in the existing agriculture products processing strategies for their better use in different industries. Although most of communities are aware about agribusiness strategies of Spirulina but still it is in one the demanding and upcoming bright sector. This article reveals the methods of mass production of Spirulina and their significant role in agriculture as well as industrial.

Gold nanoparticles (GNPs) are synthesized with gold particles which have different and rare physical and chemical properties. This uniqueness of GNP compared with other nanometallic particles is due to their different quantum size and huge surface area. GNPs have many advantages in the form of their applications in the fields of photonics, microelectronics, biochemical sensing, imaging, and biofuel production. There is now a global effort on developing alternative sources of biofuel production as fossil fuels are increasingly becoming depleted and because of the pollution fossil fuels cause resulting in damage to the environment and triggering breathing problems and other serious human health issues. Biofuels such as bioenergy and biodiesel have been produced from nanoparticles using various methods and technologies with vegetable oils, algae, microbes, plants, and their extracts. These biofuels are renewable and ecofriendly energy sources that have gained attention as alternative energy sources. This chapter cover aspects of nanotechnology, various approaches to produce GNP, and various aspects of bioenergy and biofuel, in regard to the benefits provided by nanotechnology to bioenergy and biofuel production.

Mammalian cells are the recommended host for recombinant eukaryotic protein production aimed at incorporation of post-translational modifications for downstream applications. The bacterial system and insect cells are widely used because of ease of technical methodology, economics of production, purification and yield of final protein. The present research objective was expression of recombinant reproductive hormones of animal origin and study of their immunogenic potential for reproductive applications. The equine Chorionic Gonadotropin (eCG) is one of the most heavily glycosylated protein amongst all glycoprotein hormone family. Hence, experiments were carried out to observe its expression in the three most popular host systems and it led to comparative studies for their post-translational modifications. The Pregnant Mare Serum Gonadotropin (PMSG, also called as eCG) gene was cloned in TOPO-TA vector, pIX 4.0 and pTARGET vectors accordingly and expression analysis in E. coli BL21C, Sf insect cell lysate and COS-1 cells was carried out. We observed diverse sizes of recombinant proteins in SDS-PAGE analysis which indicated post-translational modification in mammalian expression system towards the linking of tags as well as side chains in respective host cells. Basic diagnostic immunogenicity tests showed encouraging results, however, no significant in vivo and in vitro activity was observed for the expressed reCG in all the employed host systems.

Early childhood care and development (ECCD) services have been steadily expanding with structures on the community, national, and international levels. However, many low- and middle-income countries still have very limited ECCD coverage, and there is a lack of global guidance on best practices for effectively expanding pre-primary education. In 2015, Bhutan completed a national evaluation of existing ECCD programmes in the country in order to begin an evidence-based way forward with this process. The study used the international development and early learning assessment to evaluate programme impact on children’s learning and development. Results find that children with access to centre-based programmes gain more skills than children without access to these programmes. Analyses also display that higher quality centres and those with fewer children are associated with stronger child learning gains. Finally, family wealth and positive home care and learning environments are significantly positively r...

Trypanosomatids continue to cause suffering among human and wide range of animal population and have enormous health, social and economic impact. The present constraints in control of trypanosomosis are availability of limited number of effective drugs with narrow safety index, nonavailability of vaccines due to immune evasion mechanisms developed by the parasite and drug resistance problem. The kinetoplastids/ trypanosomatids possess unique kinetoplast DNA structure and express hundreds of membrane transport proteins that allow them to take up nutrients, establish ion gradients, efflux metabolites, translocate compounds from one intracellular compartment to another, and take up or export drugs. In this context, there is urgent need of application of innovative strategies for identification of novel therapeutic drug targets affecting metabolic pathways essential for survival of the parasites using modern molecular approaches (functional/genomics/ proteomics/bioinformatics). In this review we have discussed existing drugs in use for treatment and outline of emerging approaches in identification and evaluation of potential novel therapeutic targets against trypanosomatids.

To establish normal values of blood biochemical indices for different indigenous local donkey population available in various agro-climatic zones, blood samples were collected from 233 adult and apparently healthy donkeys. The samples were analysed for metabolites (albumin, total serum protein, direct bilirubin, total bilirubin, cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, urea, uric acid, triglyceride, creatinine) and minerals (calcium, phosphorus) to evaluate significant difference within and between populations. Confidence limit of each biochemical indices showed a close range as compared to their actual range observed under varied geographic areas. All the metabolites and minerals showed significant variations in their levels within and between donkey populations which could possibly be due to the differences in the nutritional status of donkeys, their managemental aspects and biochemical metabolism. In agro-climatic zone 1 (Spiti and Leh areas), having low vegetation cover with poor nutritious grasses for a limited period, levels of most of the biochemical profiles in donkey populations belonging to these areas were significantly lower than those in other zones (VI, IX, XII, XIV). This study indicated that normal biochemical values of different indices for a particular population should not be used as such for disease prognosis, diagnosis and therapeutic monitoring of other donkey population belonging to other agro-climatic zone having different nutritional and managemental practices.

The aim of present study was to produce recombinant eCG/pituitary glycoprotein in the Escherichia coli (E. coli) BL21C host cells and to test its diagnostic efficacy. This aim was achieved by optimizing its expression, purification as well as its characterization through the immunoassays and bioassays. A bacterial protein expression vector system based on the phage T7 promoter and histidine tag was used for the expression and purification. The recombinant single chain beta-alpha equine chorionic gonadotropin (rbaeCG) encoding gene was constructed with beta and alpha sequences according to its biologically active counterpart. It was successfully cloned and when expressed in E.coli BL21C host, the purified recombinant protein was found to be active as revealed by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and Western blotting. However, it was not found to exhibit any significant activity in vivo when tested in the mice

Equine pituitary gonadotropins (eLH, eFSH, eCG) are heterodimeric glycoprotein hormones with alpha (α) and beta (β) subunits. It is responsible for maintenance of pregnancy in mares during early gestation and fairly valuable for inducing superovulation in animals other than equines. The alpha subunit is common, while beta subunit is species-specific in all glycoprotein hormones. In the present investigation, molecular cloning and in silico characterization including homology modeling and molecular docking analysis of the equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG) alpha subunit was carried out for gaining structural and functional insights into the eCG alpha subunit and its possible interaction with ganirelix, a gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) antagonist. The equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG) alpha subunit expressed in pituitary gland was selected, amplified from total RNA, cloned and sequenced. The in silico analyses were made for homology modelling, structural details, epitope identification and chromosomal localization. Molecular docking studies of eCG alpha were undertaken with a drug ganirelix which is used to control ovulation and has antagonistic activity against GnRH. The protein sequence corresponding to selected open reading frame (ORF) was 99–100% similar with domesticated horse, Przewalski’s horse, and 92–93% with Burchell’s zebra and donkey. Molecular docking studies revealed the possible interaction of eCG alpha with ganirelix. The possible drug-macromolecule interactions were visualized between eCG alpha and ganirelix. The study will provide structural insight into unique sites and an alternate route of gonadotropin suppression applicable to assisted reproductive technologies.

Donkeys support rural livelihoods and low-income farmer’s family by providing economy at minimal maintenance cost. In India, donkeys constitute about 28% of total equine population but these are non-descript local donkeys without any breed characterization. This study describes phenotypic diversity among different donkey populations available in various agro-climatic regions in India including Gujarat, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, J&K, Haryana, Bihar and Himachal Pradesh for their phenotypic clustering as a distinct breed(s) by considering each population as a separate cluster. Biometric indices of seven local donkey populations were recorded and compared to French Poitou donkey breed which revealed that average body length of donkeys from Spiti, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Baramati, Bihar, Haryana and Leh areas was 97.09, 101.18, 97.60, 103.68, 96.31, 109 & 95.76 cm, respectively, while Poitou donkeys had significantly higher length (138.79 cm) than indigenous donkey populations. Further height at wither revealed that except leh donkey population, the rest of the donkeys prevalent throughout different agro-climatic regions met a “small standard’ pattern. Donkey populations from Leh were fitted in ‘Miniature’ donkey pattern. All local donkeys were well adapted to their agroclimatic environment and ecology as they were totally dependent upon the grass cover and roughages available within their reach for meeting their nutritional requirement. Coat colour varied across different regions. Black and brown colours were prevalent in donkeys from cold desert regions including Leh and Spiti region. Face length of donkeys from Spiti, Gujarat and Baramati were at par with each other while donkeys from Leh had smallest face length. Cluster analysis based on biometric indices revealed that exotic Poitou donkeys is an out-group as it formed a distinct cluster while Indigenous donkeys belonging to various agro-climatic zones were grouped in three clusters namely, C1-miniature or near miniature donkeys (Leh, Spiti and Bihar regions), C2- small standard ones including donkeys from Rajasthan and Gujarat while cluster C3 having donkeys from Baramati and Haryana region. Poitou cluster was phenotypically different from Cluster 1 as Eucledean cluster distance was maximum with donkeys of this cluster, followed by cluster 2 and cluster 3. This information will be useful for breed classification of these local non-descript donkeys.

The study was conducted for 8 weeks to determine pathogenic effect of different fish pathogens in Cirrihinus mrigal (C. mrigala) which was infected with EUS disease. The pathogenic organisms (bacteria and fungi) collected from the infected part of the disease fish. Isolation and screening of microbes were carried out with the help of a number of biochemical tests. A total of eight bacterial isolates were obtained from the diseased fish. Out of eight, six bacteria viz., Streptococcus grp Q1, Aeromonas hydrophilla, Shigella spp., Streptococcus faecalis, Cellobiosococcus sciuri, Micrococcus luteus were found to be pathogenic. The fungus, Aphanomyces invadens was also isolated from the diseased fishes. The pathogenicity of disease causing organisms was tested through in vitro and in vivo experiments in different treatments. The result of experiment was found to be significant at level of p < or = 0.05.

In vitro and In vivo test were carried out to find the effect of probiotics in the elimination of the EUS (Epizootical Ulcerative Syndrome) disease caused by agents i.e Aeromonas hydrophilla (bacteria) and Aphanomyces invadans (fungi) in fish. In vitro experiment revealed that the zone of inhibition to inhibit the growth of bacteria and fungi was occurred in both the probiotics; although probiotic 2 had higher zone of inhibition than probiotic 1. In vivo experiment also revealed that the elimination of pathogenic organisms observed in the form of colony forming units (cfu)/ mL i.e 8.0x10 11 to 3.0x10 5 cfu/ mL by probiotic 2 was higher as compared to probiotic 1 i.e 1.8x105cfu/ml. In conclusion, the present investigation showed that the viable counts of pathogenic bacterium were the highest in the fish inoculated only with the pathogenic organisms’ i.e. 6.5x1012cells/mL after a three weeks period. Probiotic cultures that were used had considerable reduction in the viable count of Aeromonas hydrophila in fish. The numbers of viable counts was the lowest in mrigal (C. mrigala) treated with probiotic 2 followed by probiotic 1 over a period of four weeks.

It is imperative to assess the maternal lineage in order to achieve a broad picture of evolution, phylogenetic and genetic biodiversity within and among different breeds of livestock. In recent past, there has been a considerable advancement in sequencing of complete mammalian mtDNA molecules and their analysis. Most of the studies have focused on the mitochondrial D-loop region, the most variable part of mtDNA due to increased substitution rate than in the rest of the mtDNA genome which serves as a better genetic marker to assess the diversity. Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) possesses several favorable characteristics, including large quantity in the cell, small genome size, haploid, maternal inheritance with extremely low probability of paternal leakage, higher mutation rate than nuclear DNA, and amenable to change mainly through mutation rather than recombination. All these features make mtDNA a useful and one of the most frequently used markers in molecular systematic and has been widely employed to address questions of genetic diversity, population structure and population evolution of animals including equines. Many native breeds of horses as well as ponies were assessed for their genetic diversity and ancestry on the basis of studies on mitochondrial DNA to address the questions of evolution along with breed development and conservation.

Trypanosoma evansi (T. evansi) is a causative agent of disease called surra, affecting wide range of domestic and wild animals. In this study, a PCR assay was developed using primers targeting ITS-1 region flaking between 5.8 S and 18 S subunits of rRNA. The test was employed using serially diluted DNA extracted from purified trypanosomes ranging from 200 ng/μl to 0.00002 pg/μl and T. evansi infected mice blood ranging from 350 ng/μl to 0.00035 ng/μl. The diagnostic sensitivity of PCR assay was found to be 0.2 pg/μl and 0.035 ng/μl with purified parasite DNA and infected mice blood DNA, respectively.