Blood samples from 12 normal cycling and 12 repeat breeding crossbred cows were collected aseptically on different phages of oestrous cycle to elucidate the possible relationship between the trace elements and hormone profile of ovary in normal cycling and repeat breeding cross bred cows. Different trace elements namely Fe, Cu, Zn and Mn were estimated using Atomic Absorption Spectrophometer (AAS) and serum oestradiol 17-b and progesterone were estimated using coat-A-count &reg; RIA kit. &nbsp;Fe, Cu and Mn concentration was observed apparently high and Zn concentration was significantly (P&lt;0.05) high in each phase of collection in normal cycling cows from repeat breeder except mid luteal phase. Oestradiol 17-b concentration was significantly (P&lt;0.01) high in normal cycling cows in oestrous and early luteal phase, while no significant variation was observed for progesterone concentration between the same phase of the two groups. A positive significant (P&lt;0.01) correlation was observed between Fe-Zn and Cu-Zn (P&lt;0.05) and oestradiol 17-b (P&lt;0.05) in normal cycling cows . In repeat breeding cows Fe and oestradiol 17-b and Mn and progresterone was positively significant (P&lt;0.01).

Evaluation of micromineral status and ovarian hormonal profile and their interrelation in normal cyclings and repeat breeding cows&nbsp;

<div style="text-align: justify;">This study was carried out in the Agricultural Research Center of West Azerbaijan, Iran in 2016. In this research, variations in different physiological and yield traits measurement of total dry weight, shoot fresh weight, shoot dry weight, root fresh weight, root dry weight, relative water content, relative water loss, root length, leaf area, root/shoot ratio, specific leaf weigh, sodium content, potassium content and proline were investigated in normal and saline condition. The results indicated that in saline condition, total dry weight, root fresh weight, shoot dry weight, root/Shoot ratio, specific leaf weight, root length, proline and Na content were increased and the other traits were decreased. Study of correlation of traits showed that most significant difference between the two conditions was observed for the root/shoot ratio, so that, this trait has negative significant relation with total dry weight, shoot fresh weight, shoot dry weight, root fresh weight, root dry weight, relative water content, leaf area, root length, specific leaf weight in saline condition, but in normal condition correlation is positive and significant only in the total dry weight, root fresh weight, shoot dry weight and root dray weight and was not significant in the other traits. Step-wise regression analysis for total dry weight as dependent variable revealed that in normal condition, root fresh weight, shoot fresh weight and Na content expound of 93.1% &nbsp;and in saline condition root fresh weight, root length, Na content and proline explicate of 81.3% of total variation exist in total dry weight. Therefore, it is suggested to consider different traits in breeding programs for normal and saline conditions.</div>

Comparison of some physiological responces to salinity and normal conditions in Sugar Beet &nbsp;

<div style="text-align: justify;">Character association in forty eight genotypes of lentil was studied for nine different agro-morphological characters in normal and late sown conditions. Normal sown condition was taken into consideration as optimum environment and late sown as heat stressed environment. The correlation study revealed consistent positive significant character association (at genotypic and phenotypic levels) of pods per plant with seed yield per plant in both sowing conditions. So this character may be considered for yield improvement. From path coefficient analysis study it was revealed that pods per plant showed consistently positive direct effect on seed yield/plant for both sowing conditions.&nbsp;</div>

Character association of seed yield and its components in some lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) genotypes under normal and late sown condition

<div style="text-align: justify;">Thyroid disorders are among the most common endocrine disorders in India. Hypothyroidism is a very common condition. The condition is more common in women than in men, and its incidence increases with age. For the present study 150 females of 21 to 50 years of age were selected via random sampling from Pantnagar area of Udham Singh Nagar District, Uttarakhand and were interviewed using a predesigned proforma. The subjects mainly belonged to middle and upper income groups. Among 150 subjects, 30 were found to be suffering from hypothyroidism of which six were the newly diagnosed cases who had not started medications. Subjects were assessed for their dietary intakes and differences in the food habits based on food avoidance, food preferences, dietary habits and dietary diversity scores. Based on the analysis of the dietary intakes of normal (n=120) and hypothyroid (n=30) subjects not much difference was found, as was also evident from the dietary diversity scores (where non-significant difference was observed) except for in case of some dietary habits which showed significant differences. The mean dietary diversity scores of hypothyroid and normal subjects were 5.8&plusmn;0.88 and 6.0&plusmn;0.90 respectively. Urine samples were also collected for the measurement of urinary iodine concentration of only 30 subjects which included six of the newly detected hypothyroid cases not on medication and the remaining 24 normal subjects. Only 2 hypothyroid subjects and 3 normal subjects were found to be suffering from mild iodine deficiency with values of urinary iodine ranging from 76.5 to 94.6&micro;g/l. Median urine iodine excretion in the present study was 172 &micro;g/l (mean 186.5&plusmn;58.4 &micro;g/l) indicating iodine sufficiency.</div>

Hypothyroidism among females and differences in their dietary patterns and urinary iodine concentrations compared to normal subjects &nbsp;

Background: Maize abundantly cultivated in the North Eastern region of India, mainly for human consumption, although it&rsquo;s having good potential to be used as a livestock feed to improve their productive performances. Presently, different improved varieties of maize are cultivating worldwide for use in animal feeds. Studies indicated normal maize is deficient in protein including the most essential amino acids, however, the quality protein maize (QPM), a special maize verity have a balance ratio of leucine to iso-leucine which helps in enhancement of the biological value of the protein in livestock and poultry. The present study was planned to assess the efficacy of normal maize Vis-a-Vis QPM on performance of lactating yaks. 
&nbsp; 
Methods: Ten lactating yaks of uniform age, body weight and pariety were randomly divided into two groups of five animals in each and were fed on mixed rations for a period of 112 days. The normal maize part of the concentrates in Ration-1 (R1) was completely (w/w) replaced with QPM in Ration-R2 and offered to group T1 and T2, respectively. &nbsp;Standard managemental practices were adopted for all the experimental animals. At the end, a metabolism trial of 6 days duration was carried out in all yaks. 
 
Results: The average DMI/100 kg body weight and average daily gain were higher with better feed efficiency in the group T2 fed diets based on quality protein maize. The nutritive values in terms of Digestible Crude Protein (DCP) and Total Digestible Nutrients (TDN) showed no significant variations between the groups and the values were 5.11&plusmn;0.52 and 58.15&plusmn;0.74 and 5.43&plusmn;0.42 and 59.78&plusmn;1.11 percent in T1 and T2, respectively. Apparent digestibility of dry matter as well as in all organic matters and their nitrogen balances were comparatively higher in T2 than that of T1 group (P&gt;0.05). It was concluded that normal maize can easily be replace with quality protein maize for lactating yaks for better economic returns. 
&nbsp;

Performance of Lactating Yaks based on Feeding Normal Vis-A-Vis Quality Protein Maize

<div>Background: The average productivity of chickpea is quite low (939 kg/ha) because of several factors including its cultivation in rain fed/low moisture and marginal lands, low seed replacement rate (25.4%), use of old and low-quality seed by the majority of farmers. This in turn gives poor germination, delayed emergence and sick seedlings that lead to poor yield. Osmo priming of seed with different in-organic salts has been reported to improve the germination, speed of emergence, seedling vigour, growth and yield of different vegetable and field crops but information&rsquo;s on response of seed priming with in-organic salts on enhancement of seed quality parameters and crop performance of naturally aged seeds of chickpea is lacking over a wide range of environmental conditions including normal and water deficit conditions. 
 
Methods: An experiment was conducted under laboratory as well as in plastic pots with 05 seed osmo- priming level, two varieties of chickpea (Ujjawal and JG-14) and two moisture level (Normal at field capacity and water deficit at half of the field capacity) during rabi season 2017-18 and 2018-19.at the Research farm of ICAR- IIPR Kanpur (U.P.) to study the influence of seed osmo-priming with in- organic salts on seed quality parameters and crop performance under normal and water deficit conditions. The observations were recorded on seed quality, growth and crop efficiency parameters at their appropriate time. 
 
Result: Osmo-priming of one-year-old chickpea seeds with KNO3, MgSO4, Ca(NO3)2 at 0.2% solution and tap water for 06 hours significantly enhanced the seed quality parameters in both the varieties evaluated under normal as well as under water deficit conditions over their respective control. Amongst, the priming agents used, KNO3 performed better than MgSO4, Ca(NO3)2 and tap water in respect of most of the seed quality parameters studied. Variety Ujjawal responded better the priming treatments than JG-14 under both normal and water deficit conditions. Osmo-priming treatments also showed the positive response in the enhancement of Nitrogen balance index (NBI), chlorophyll, Flavonols, Stomatal conductance, photosynthetic rate and transpiration rate in both the varieties evaluated under normal as well as water deficit condition.</div>

<div style="text-align:justify">Seed Osmo-priming in Chickpea Enhances Seed Quality and Crop Performance under Normal and Water Deficit Conditions</div>

<div>Background: Postpartum fertility in dairy bovines is one of the important criteria of sustainable dairy industry and economy of farmers. The Kankrej, a dual purpose zebu cattle, is known for its endurance, but is slow breeder with very late maturity, prolonged postpartum anestrous/subestrous and thereby calving interval. These peculiarities necessitate scientists to adopt fixed time AI (FTAI) protocols of estrus synchronization for improving their reproductive efficiency. Hence this study was aimed to assess the fertility and plasma metabolic profile of normal and synchronized anestrous/ subestrous suckled Kankrej cows of an organized farm. 
 
Methods: The study involved 36 parturient Kankrej cows of the University Farm that were maintained under identical nutritional and managerial practices. Blood samples were collected in heparinized vacutainers from all the animals on the day of calving and then at 10 days interval till 90 days for plasma metabolic profile. Animals monitored by per rectal palpation 10 days apart around day 70-80 postpartum revealed 30 cows to be anestrous or subestrous, which were randomly allocated to five different estrus synchronization protocols at day 90-92, each with six cows and a group of six cows that exhibited estrus and were bred by day 70-90 served as normal control. The treatment protocols included Ovsynch, CIDR, Ovsynch + CIDR, Cosynch and double PGF2&alpha; together with estimation of plasma metabolites on day 0, 7, 9/10 (AI) and then at 10 days interval up to day 40 post-AI.&nbsp; 
 
Result: The mean plasma total protein levels varied non-significantly, while total cholesterol and triglycerides varied significantly (p&lt;0.01) between intervals until 90 days postpartum in most of the groups with gradual increase in the mean values from the day of calving. The estrus synchronization protocols, however. did not alter the plasma profile of these constituents. The estrus induction response with Ovsynch, CIDR, Ovsynch + CIDR, Cosynch and PGF2&alpha; treatment was 66.66, 83.33, 50.00, 66.66 and 66.66% and the conception rates at induced estrus 16.66, 33.33, 16.66, 50.00 and 50.00%, respectively. In normal cyclic control group, the conception rate at first cycle was 33.33%. The plasma total cholesterol and triglycerides were higher in conceived than non-conceived cows, particularly during early postpartum period and post-AI. It was concluded that CIDR, Cosynch and PGF2&alpha; protocols were better for estrus induction and conception rate in anestrous and subestrous suckled Kankrej cows, although they did not influence the plasma metabolic profile.</div>

Monitoring Plasma Metabolic Profile, Fertility in Normal and Estrus Synchronized Suckled Kankrej Cows

<div style="text-align: justify;">Total 40 pregnant bitches with known history of breeding; irrespective of age, parity belonging to different breeds were classified into normal gestation (NG) and threatened abortion (TA) and further divided into four groups (n=10) according to dam&rsquo;s body weight (Group I-NG, &gt;25kg BW; Group II- NG, &lt;25kg BW; Group III- TA, &gt;25kg BW and Group IV- TA&lt;25 kg BW). In impending abortion conventional treatment of antibiotics and progesterone was given for 7 days and 15/20 bitches parturited. The puppies were evaluated at birth, at 30 minutes and at 60 minutes after birth by using Apgar scoring System. The mean Apgar scores at birth, 30, 60 minutes were 7.33 &plusmn; 0.22, 9.19 &plusmn; 0.23, 10.55 &plusmn; 0.12; 6.53 &plusmn; 0.16, 9.26 &plusmn; 0.20, 10.88 &plusmn; 0.12; 6.28 &plusmn; 0.20, 7.88 &plusmn; 0.21, 9.35 &plusmn; 0.18 and 5.39 &plusmn; 0.15, 7.36 &plusmn; 0.21, 9.81 &plusmn; 0.19, respectively in group I, II, III and IV. The Apgar scores of the puppies at birth, 30 and 60 minutes were significantly higher in normal gestation than in threatened abortion irrespective of body weights. At birth 6.54, 86.27, 7.19 and 17.17, 82.83,0 per cent puppies from normal gestation and threatened abortion had low, medium and high Apgar scores, respectively. At 60 minutes, 0, 10.79, 89.21 and 0, 41.46, 58.54 per cent puppies had low, medium, high scores in normal gestation and threatened abortion, respectively.</div>

<div style="text-align: justify;">Evaluation of Puppies by Apgar Scoring System in Normal Gestation and Threatened Abortion in Canines</div>

<div>Background: Mixture experiments belong to the response surface design category, involving the combination of multiple components to create a product. These products are commonly encountered in daily life. In some cases, mixture experiments yield qualitative responses, such as taste in a fruit punch. Qualitative variables often deviate from a normal distribution.&nbsp; 
 
Methods: To address non-normal responses, a generalized linear model, specifically the logistic model, is employed. This study utilizes logistic models and develops suitable search algorithms to obtain saturated D-optimal designs for mixture experiments. The validation of D-optimality criteria is based on the General Equivalence Theorem.&nbsp; 
 
Result: For generating locally D-optimal designs, the logistic model is utilized considering non-normally distributed errors. While the procedure remains the same for other nonlinear models, the assumptions regarding error distribution impact the Fisher information matrix (FIM).</div>

Construction of Saturated D-optimal Designs for Mixture Experiments with a Non Normal Response using an Algorithmic Search

Background: Physical activity alters the cardiovascular system of dogs depending on the exercise characteristics and the animal&rsquo;s physical conditioning. Little is known about the cardiovascular changes in working police dogs. This study evaluated the cardiovascular responses of working Labradors to regular exercise and various workload.&nbsp; 
 
Methods: Twelve working Labradors of Tamil Nadu police department that were regularly trained and exercised 30 minutes morning and evening and twelve normal household pet Labradors brought for regular checkup to Madras Veterinary College Teaching hospital were taken for the study. All the animals were subjected to physical, clinical, hematobiochemical, electrocardiographic examinations and cardiac auscultation before performing echocardiography. Those animals which showed normal recordings in all the above tests were further subjected to M-mode, Pulsed wave and Tissue Doppler echocardiography. In this study, the resting heart rate values of working groups were lesser than that of normal pet dogs.&nbsp; 
 
Result: The results of echocardiography showed significant increase in Interventricular septal diameter during diastole, left atrial diameter, aortic artery diameter and the left atrium to aortic diameter ratio without impairing systolic and diastolic cardiac functions in working dogs. The present study indicated that there were few changes in the echocardiographic parameters which might be a response to physiological adaptation and regular exercise.