IN VITRO LIFE HISTORY OF LIPEURUS TROPICALIS (INSECTA: PHTHIRAPTERA: ISOCHNOCERA) INFESTING GALLUS GALLUS DOMESTICUS (AVES: PHASIANIDAE).

The ischnoceran louse, Lipeurus tropicalis, which normally infests Gallus gallus domesticus, was subjected to in vitro study (35 ± 1 C, 75-82% relative humidity, on a feather diet). The life table was computed, and its intrinsic rate of natural increase (r) was calculated using the data from in vitro experiments. The value of the intrinsic rate of natural growth (r) is 0.

Modern pollen dispersal in relation to present vegetation distribution and land use in the Baspa valley, Kinnaur, western Himalayas.

Interpretation of a fossil pollen data for the vegetation and climate reconstruction of any region needs a modern pollen-vegetation analogue for its calibration. We analyzed the surface sediments and moss polsters for the pollen and microcharcoal records to understand the modern pollen-vegetation relationship and human activities in the Baspa Valley, Kinnaur, Himachal Pradesh. Presently, valley is occupied by the arboreal and non-arboreal vegetation of temperate to subalpine habitats and land use activities.

Karyomorphological and SEM studies in newly discovered populations of a critically endangered medicinal plant - Lilium polyphyllum D. Don ex Royle from a high altitude protected area of north-western Himalaya.

In this study, new populations of a critically endangered Himalayan herb, Lilium polyphyllum D. Don ex Royle have been reported from Chamba, Himachal Pradesh, India for the first time. Karyotypic, palynological, and spermological studies under the light microscope (LM) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) have been carried out on specimens from these populations with an aim to add more knowledge to the current database of the species.

In vitro propagation and cytological analysis of Sophora mollis Royle: an endangered medicinal shrub.

Background: Sophora mollis Royle (family Fabaceae, subfamily-Papilionaceae) is a multipurpose legume distributed in plains and foothills of the North-West Himalaya to Nepal and is facing high risk of extinction due to habitat loss and exploitation by the local people for its fuel and fodder values. Therefore, the present study was conducted to standardize a micropropagation protocol for Sophora mollis by using shoot tip explants and to study the meiotic chromosome count in the species.

Results: Multiple shoots were induced in shoot tip explants of Sophora mollis in Murashige and Skoog medium supplemented with different concentrations of cytokinins alone (BAP, TDZ, and Kinetin) and in combination with varying concentrations of NAA.

Micropropagation of Tricholepis roylei Hook. F.-a point endemic species of the Western Himalaya.

Background: Tricholepis roylei Hook. f. is a bushy annual shrub of the Asteraceae family and point endemic species of the Western Himalaya.

Comparison and optimization of protein extraction and two-dimensional gel electrophoresis protocols for liverworts.

Objective: Liverworts possess historical adaptive strategies for abiotic stresses because they were the first plants that shifted from water to land. Proteomics is a state-of-the-art technique that can capture snapshots of events occurring at the protein level in many organisms. Herein, we highlight the comparison and optimization of an effective protein extraction and precipitation protocol for two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) of liverworts.

Forensically informative nucleotide sequencing (FINS) for species and subspecies of genus (Mammalia: Carnivora: Felidae) through mitochondrial genes (12SrRNA and cytochrome b) by using old taxidermy samples.

Genus comprises four species, i.e. Leopard cat, Rusty spotted cat, Fishing cat, Flat-headed cat, listed under IUCN as threatened species except In U.

DNA barcoding as a tool for robust identification of cervids of India and its utility in wildlife forensics.

DNA barcoding has become a popular method of choice for identification of specimen based on molecular techniques. Here, we present preliminary findings on generating robust DNA barcode library of Cervids of India. The dataset comprising the DNA barcode library of seven deer species included in the genus and classified under family Cervidae.

Three new species of Pharygodonidae (Nematoda: Oxyuridea) in Laudakia tuberculata (Squamata: Agamidae) from Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India.

Parapharyngodon tuberculata sp. nov., Thelandros tuberculata sp.

The Effectiveness of Lactation Consultants and Lactation Counselors on Breastfeeding Outcomes.

Breastfeeding for all infants starting at birth and continuing until at least 6 months of age has been recommended by the World Health Organization and the American Academy of Pediatrics. The health benefits to infants and mothers have been demonstrated in many studies. Dedicated lactation specialists may play a role in providing education and support to pregnant women and new mothers wishing to breastfeed to improve breastfeeding outcomes.

Cosmocercoides himalayanus sp. nov. (Nematoda, Cosmocercidae) in Duttaphrynus himalayanus (Amphibia, Anura) from Dehradun (Uttarakhand), India.

Cosmocercoides himalayanus sp. nov. (Nematoda, Cosmocercidae) from the large intestine of Duttaphrynus himalayanus (Amphibia, Anura) from Dehradun, India is described and illustrated.

Two new species of Rhabdias (Nematoda: Rhabditida: Rhabdiasidae) in anuran hosts from Dehradun (Uttarakhand), India.

Rhabdias himalayanus n. sp. from the lungs of Duttaphrynus himalayanus and Rhabdias dehradunensis n.

Three new species of Digenea (Batrachotrematidae) in Nanorana minica (Anura, Dicroglossidae) from Uttarakhand, India.

Three new species of batrachotrematid trematodes from the small paa frog, Nanorana minica, collected in Uttarakhand, India are described and illustrated: Batrachotrema korbaensis sp. nov., Opisthioparorchis dehradunensis sp.

Helminth parasite communities in anuran amphibians of Kalesar Wildlife Sanctuary (Haryana), India.

Helminth parasite fauna in anuran amphibia were investigated during the general faunistic surveys of Kalesar Wildlife Sanctuary, situated in Haryana state. Three species of amphibian hosts were found to harbour 12 genera of helminth parasites. The prevalence, intensity and abundance were studied.

Identifying sputum specimens of high priority for examination by enhanced mycobacterial detection, identification, and susceptibility systems (EMDISS) to promote the rapid diagnosis of infectious pulmonary tuberculosis.

Aims: To compare clinical information and sputum microscopy as methods for the selection of samples for enhanced mycobacterial detection, identification, and susceptibility systems (EMDISS) to promote the rapid diagnosis of patients with infectious pulmonary tuberculosis.

Methods: Two thousand, two hundred and sixty four specimen request forms were examined for clinical details, which were then used to identify specimens likely to yield Mycobacterium tuberculosis on culture. These results were compared with the results of sputum microscopy for acid fast bacilli (AFB).