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 coccidiosis was reduced in probiotic treated groups. Hence, our results suggest that RIR cross-bred is suitable for rearing in high altitude regions and probiotic supplementation has no beneficial effects on production performance of broilers at high altitude. However, probiotic supplementation indicated lesser loss due to mortality of birds.

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The aim of this study was to investigate the major chemical compositions of the chloroform extract of lichen Parmelia erumpens from Western Ghats, Kerala, India and its antimicrobial and anticancer activities. Chloroform extract was purified by silica gel column chromatography to obtain three major compounds and their chemical structures were characterized by 1 H-NMR, 13 C-NMR, UV and HR-MS spectroscopic methods as atranorin (1), (+)-usnic acid (2) and 2-hydroxy-4-methoxy-3,6dimethylbenzoic acid (3). The minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) by the broth micro dilution and agar disc diffusion methods was used to record the antimicrobial activity. Out of three compounds tested, 2-hydroxy-4-methoxy-3,6-dimethylbenzoic acid recorded excellent antimicrobial activity especially against medically important bacteria and fungi and the MIC values ranged from 0.06 to 4 mg ml À1 against test bacteria and 0.12 to 16 mg ml À1 against test fungi. The best MIC of 0.06 mg ml À1 by 2hydroxy-4-methoxy-3,6-dimethylbenzoic acid was recorded against Vibrio cholera, a human pathogenic bacterium responsible for causing life threatening diseases like profuse watery diarrhea. Anti cancer activity was initially screened by MTT assay in A549, B16F10, Caski and HepG2 cell lines. MTT assay results showed that the growth of cancer cells was suppressed by 2-hydroxy-4-methoxy-3,6dimethylbenzoic acid in both dose-and time-dependent manners. A549, B16F10 and Caski cells treated with 2-hydroxy-4-methoxy-3,6-dimethylbenzoic acid showed typical apoptotic morphology when stained with acridine orange-ethidium bromide and hoechst staining. Cell cycle analysis clearly indicated that cell death was due to apoptosis. Enhancement in the proliferation of lymphocytes suggested immunomodulatory activity of this compound. To our best knowledge anticancer activity of 2-hydroxy-4-methoxy-3,6-dimethylbenzoic acid was reported here for the first time. Thus the results of the present study suggest that 2-hydroxy-4-methoxy-3,6-dimethylbenzoic acid has a strong potential to be developed as an antimicrobial and anticancer drug target after further clinical evaluation.

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Venous thromboembolism (VTE), a multi-factorial disease, is the third most common cardiovascular disease. Established genetic and acquired risk factors are responsible for the onset of VTE. High altitude (HA) also poses as an additional risk factor, predisposing individuals to VTE; however, its molecular mechanism remains elusive. This study aimed to identify genes/pathways associated with the pathophysiology of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) at HA. Gene expression profiling of DVT patients, who developed the disease, either at sea level or at HA-DVT locations, resulted in differential expression of 378 and 875 genes, respectively. Gene expression profiles were subjected to bioinformatic analysis, followed by technical and biological validation of selected genes using quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Both gene ontology and pathway analysis showed enrichment of genes involved in haemostasis and platelet activation in HA-DVT patients with the most relevant pathway being 'response to hypoxia'. Thus, given the environmental condition the differential expression of hypoxia-responsive genes (angiogenin, ribonuclease, RNase A family, 5; early growth response 1; lamin A; matrix metallopeptidase 14 [membrane-inserted]; neurofibromin 1; PDZ and LIM domain 1; procollagen-lysine 1, 2-oxoglutarate 5-dioxygenase 1; solute carrier family 6 [neurotransmitter transporter, serotonin], member 4; solute carrier family 9 [sodium/hydrogen exchanger], member 1; and TEK tyrosine kinase, endothelial) in HA-DVT could be a determining factor to understand the pathophysiology of DVT at HA.

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For nearly a decade, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have been the most prevalent commercial nanomaterials products widely used in different biomedical applications due to their broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity.