Alkaloids: Future prospective to combat leishmaniasis

Leishmaniasis, a vector-borne parasitic disease resulting from infection of macrophages by obligate intracellular parasites of genus Leishmania, has been considered a major tropical disease by the World Health Organization. Generic pentavalent antimonials have been the mainstay for therapy in the endemic regions because of its efficacy and cost effectiveness. However, the growing incidence of resistance for the pentavalent antimony complex in endemic and non-endemic regions has seriously hampered their use in these regions. The second line drugs such as amphotericin B, paromomycin and miltefosine are the other alternatives, but they merely fulfill the desired requirements of a safe drug. The recent researches focused on plants have shown a wise way to get a true and potentially rich source of drug candidates against leishmaniasis, where alkaloids have been found more effective. The present review initially highlights the current status of leishmaniasis, synergy of the disease with HIV, therapeutic options available and in later sections summarizes all alkaloids, which have shown significant antileishmanial activities.     

Performance of different filter combinations with surface and subsurface drip irrigation systems for utilizing municipal wastewater

Large volumes of wastewater (WW) are being generated worldwide as a consequence of rapid urbanization and growth of industries. The reuse of WW finds increased application in irrigation but the presence of toxic elements and microorganisms limits its use for irrigation purpose. To reduce the contamination of WW for irrigation, drip system is seen as an appropriate choice due to restricted quantity of water application. Emitter clogging is viewed as the main problem associated with drip system for its large-scale use with WW. Physical and chemical characteristics of WW were determined and compared with groundwater (GW). Higher EC, pH, Mg, and CO₃ were observed in the GW but higher turbidity, total solids, HCO₃, and Ca were observed in the WW. The population of total coliforms (2.72 × 10⁴ to 5.2 × 10⁷) and E. coli (1.8 × 10³ to 2.64 × 10⁶) were detected in WW. The hydraulic performance of drip emitters was studied for 2 years with WW and GW using sand media filter (F1), disk filter (F2), and combination of both filters (F3). Higher removal efficiency for turbidity, total solids, Ca, Mg, CO₃ total coliforms, and E. coli was observed with combination filter. Emitter discharge exponent was also close to 0.5 with combination filter. Emitter flow rate decreased (in the sequence of F1 > F2 > F3) with increase in time of operation. After 2 years of operation under F3, coefficient of variation was less than 4 % with both WW and GW. Thus, it showed good performance in surface placed emitters but it was 7.2 % with WW and 9.5 % with GW under subsurface (15 cm) placed emitters. Clogging of emitters was controlled by flushing. Flushed emitters placed at 30 cm depth resulted in 3.7 % reduction in discharge as compared to 8.7 % reduction in the absence of flushing, under filter F1. Emitters with F2 produced least improvement in discharge.     

Design and implementation of agriculture research digital photo manager

Software tools for photo collection management are proliferating, but they are generally developed for personnel photo management and have limited searching and browsing functions. We implemented the Agriculture Research Digital Photo Manager (ARDPM) prototype to enable researchers, extension personnel and other users to efficiently manage, search and browse their research photo archives. Research Digital Photo Manager provides a set of visual Boolean query interfaces for multiple ways of organizing and viewing the same photo collection. It gives users powerful search capabilities. Using thumbnail display and an easy interface, ARDPM is designed to provide users powerful searching and browsing photo capabilities.     

Classical swine fever in India: current status and future perspective

Classical swine fever (CSF) is a globally significant disease of swine caused by classical swine fever virus. The virus affects the wild boars and pigs of all age groups, leading to acute, chronic, late-onset or in-apparent course of the disease. The disease causes great economic loss to the piggery industry due to mortality, stunted growth, poor reproductive performance, and by impeding the international trade of pig and pig products. In India, CSF outbreaks are reported from most of the states wherever pig rearing is practiced and more frequently from northeast states. In spite of the highly devastating nature and frequent outbreaks, CSF remained underestimated and neglected for decades in India. The country requires rapid and sensitive diagnostic tests for an early detection of infection to limit the spread of the disease. Also, effective prophylactics are required to help in control and eradication of the disease for the development of the piggery industry. This review looks into the economic impact; epidemiology of CSF highlighting the temporal and spatial occurrence of outbreaks in the last two decades, circulation, and emergence of the virus genotypes in and around the country; and the constraints in the disease control, with the aim to update the knowledge of current status of the disease in India. The article also emphasizes the importance of the disease and the need to develop rapid specific diagnostics and effective measures to eradicate the disease.