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Electrosynthesis of ammonia (NH 3 ), an important constituent molecule of various commercial fertilizers, is a promising and sustainable alternative strategy compared with the century-old Haber-Bosch process. Herein, zinc telluride (ZnTe) is demonstrated as an efficient electrocatalyst for reducing nitrogen (N 2 ) under ambient conditions to NH 3 . In this simple chemical strategy, Zn preferentially binds N 2 over hydrogen (H 2 ), and Te, by virtue of its superior electronic properties, enhances the electrocatalytic activity of ZnTe. The analysis of the X-ray diffraction data using the Bravais-Friedel-Donnay-Harker (BFDH) theory predicted a crystal geometry with the active electrocatalytic sites predominantly confined to the (111) planes of ZnTe. The preferential binding of nitrogen (N 2 ; adsorption energy = -0.043 eV) over hydrogen (H 2 , adsorption energy = -0.028 eV) to Zn on the (111) plane of ZnTe is further confirmed by density functional theory. The ZnTe catalyst is observed to be stable in the acidic medium and delivers a very high yield of NH 3 (19.85 μg/h -1 mg cat -1 ) and a Faradaic efficiency of 6.24% at -0.6 V (versus RHE). Additional verification experiments do not reveal the formation of side products (such as NH 2 -NH 2 ) during N 2 reduction by ZnTe. Further, density functional theory calculations strongly predict that the electrocatalytic reduction of N 2 to NH 3 by ZnTe preferentially occurs via the alternate pathway., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interest., (© 2024 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society.)

Rapid urban population growth, the urbanization of poverty, and the proliferation of slums are being driven to a great extent by this dynamic form of globalization. Consequently, the multifaceted effects of globalization on the poor and low-income populations in the cities need to be better understood in this context, both at the individual level and within the community. Therefore, the present study was conducted to highlight the various determinants affecting the lives and enhancing the vulnerability of the dwellers of four slum settlements present in various areas of Jammu City, India. Emphasis was made to integrate biological, physical, social, and spatial facets of vulnerability to understand the complex dynamics of urban areas in developing countries. A descriptive survey design was used for questions concerning the social and environmental aspects. Social aspects including age, sex, education, religion, caste, profession, and family income that correspond to social stratification acted as baseline information, while both indoor and outdoor environments such as housing conditions, sanitation, personal habits, solid waste disposal, disaster proneness, and air and water pollution problems were taken into consideration to assess the environmental aspect. Results indicated that the slum settlement has a migratory population with permanent or temporary settlements. The status of education and skill level is poor which results in poor economic development and social well-being of the dwellers in slums. The study also identified vulnerability of the population on social and environmental front which could result into severe health issues. The study concluded and recommended policy planning specified for slums for uplifting such unprivileged populations., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

The study was focused on evaluating the short-term irrigation effect of three different types of distillery wastewater, i.e., untreated, primary treated, and secondary treated, on the germination, growth, photosynthetic pigments, and antioxidant enzymes of pea (Pisum sativum L. var. Rachna). The findings indicated that exposure to 50% secondary treated distillery wastewater (ST 50 ) resulted in the maximum values for positive germination parameters of pea, including germination percentage, germination value, germination index, peak value, vigor index, speed of germination, and tolerance index. The minimum values were observed at 100% concentration of untreated wastewater (UT 100 ). In contrast, the maximum values for various negative germination parameters, i.e., percent inhibition, seedling mortality, and germination period, were observed at UT 100 and minimum at ST 50 . All the growth parameters studied, i.e., length of shoot, length of root and length of seedlings, fresh weight of shoot, fresh weight of root, dry weight of shoot, and dry weight of root, showed maximum values at ST 50 and minimum at UT 100 . Photosynthetic pigment analysis also followed a similar trend. The antioxidative enzyme characterization of Pisum sativum L. var. Rachna revealed the minimum values of catalase, ascorbic peroxidase, glutathione reductase, and superoxide dismutase at ST 25 (25% concentration of secondary treated distillery wastewater) and maximum values were observed at UT 100 ., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Introduction: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) mainly results from the inability of muscle, fat, and liver cells to uptake glucose due to insulin resistance or deficiency of insulin production by the pancreas. Predisposition to T2DM may be due to environmental, hereditary, or both factors. Although there are many genes involved in causing T2DM, transcription factor 7-like-2 gene (TCF7L2) rs7903146 (C/T) single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) found in genome-wide association studies (GWAS) is susceptible to T2DM. TCF7L2 is involved in pancreatic beta cell proliferation and differentiation via the Wnt signaling mechanism., Objectives: To find the genetic association of TCF7L2 rs7903146 (C/T) gene polymorphism in patients with T2DM., Methods: A case-control study was conducted on 194 T2DM patients recruited from the endocrinology department at Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, Patna, and 180 non-diabetic healthy controls that were age and sex-matched with the patients. All clinical examination and biochemical investigations like glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), total cholesterol, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol; and determination of TCF7L2 gene polymorphism by allele-specific polymerase chain reaction (AS-PCR) were carried out for each subject., Results:  The T allele of the rs7903146 (C/T) SNP was associated with a two-fold higher risk of T2DM and the heterozygous genotype (CT) with a 1.96 times higher risk., Conclusion: There is a high association of this SNP with the development of T2DM in the eastern Indian population. Serial monitoring of HbA1c should be done in an individual having this type of polymorphism for early detection of T2DM to prevent future complications., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright © 2024, Kumar et al.)

Background: Hypothyroidism, characterized by insufficient thyroid hormone production, affects a significant global population, particularly women and the elderly. Recent research has emphasized the interaction between hypothyroidism and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, highlighting cortisol's crucial role in the disease's physiological manifestations., Objective: This study aims to evaluate serum cortisol levels in hypothyroid patients, examining the intricate relationship between these two endocrine systems. By exploring the potential impact of altered cortisol levels on hypothyroidism's clinical presentation and progression, the study seeks to contribute valuable insights to enhance diagnostic approaches and develop more effective treatment strategies., Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted at the Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, assessing 65 hypothyroid cases and 65 age-matched euthyroid controls. Demographic data, medical history, and blood samples were collected, and serum cortisol, thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), triiodothyronine (T3), and thyroxine (T4) levels were measured. The study adhered to ethical considerations and received institutional approval., Results: The study included 65 hypothyroid cases (56 females, 9 males) and 65 euthyroid controls. Serum cortisol showed a significant correlation with TSH and T4 levels. Linear regression revealed a negative correlation between serum T4 and T3 levels and serum cortisol in hypothyroidism. A positive correlation was observed between TSH and cortisol. These findings align with previous studies, suggesting potential regulatory mechanisms and compensatory responses in hypothyroid patients., Discussion: The study's results emphasize the complex interaction between cortisol and thyroid function, suggesting a direct relationship between serum cortisol and TSH levels in hypothyroidism. Patients with severe hypothyroidism exhibited elevated cortisol concentrations, indicating a potential compensatory mechanism initiated by the HPA axis. Integrating serum cortisol assessment with conventional thyroid function tests could offer comprehensive insights into hypothyroidism severity and progression, providing a more holistic approach to patient care., Conclusions: This study contributes to understanding the complex relationship between serum cortisol levels and hypothyroidism, emphasizing the need for further research to uncover underlying mechanisms and therapeutic implications. A comprehensive understanding holds the potential for more tailored and effective treatment strategies for individuals with hypothyroidism., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright © 2023, Sinha et al.)

Impact of pharmaceutical wastewater collected from aeration tank on aquatic macrophyte Spirodela polyrhiza (L.) Schleiden was studied in the present study. Various plant parameters such as chlorophyll, protein, and proline content of wastewater-exposed plants were examined to determine the toxic impacts of pharmaceutical wastewater. In addition to these parameters, electrolyte leakage (EL) and catalase (CAT) activities in S. polyrhiza were assessed for each day of exposure to the wastewater. S. polyrhiza was exposed to four different wastewater concentrations (25%, 50%, 75%, and 100%) under laboratory conditions for 7 days. The plants experienced severe toxicity as revealed by the reduction in photosynthetic pigments, increase in electrolyte leakage, and enhancement of antioxidant enzyme (CAT) activity in S. polyrhiza with an increase in concentration and time of exposure to pharmaceutical effluent., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Introduction Metabolic syndrome is a group of aberrant metabolic indicators including hypertension, dyslipidemia, impaired fasting blood glucose, and obesity. It has been reported that thyroid hormones have a strong influence on the cardiovascular system, and hypothyroidism has been linked to metabolic syndrome components. The objective of the study was to find out the association of thyroid function with lipid profile in patients with metabolic syndrome. Methods A prospective cross-sectional study was conducted in an apparently healthy adult population visiting the outpatient Department of Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (IGIMS), Patna, Bihar, India. Metabolic syndrome was diagnosed according to the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) criteria. Fasting blood glucose, triglyceride, and HDL levels were tested using the enzymatic photometric method. Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), free T4, free T3, and insulin assays were performed using chemiluminescence immunoassay (CLIA). Results Out of 197 subjects recruited, 86 (51 males and 35 females) were diagnosed with metabolic syndrome according to the IDF criteria, and the rest 111 without metabolic syndrome were considered to be the controls. The mean age of subjects with and without metabolic syndrome was 45.8±8.5 and 46.4±9.6 years, respectively. The prevalence of thyroid dysfunction in the present study was 22%. In subjects with metabolic syndrome, most of the clinical and hormonal parameters (waist circumference, waist-height ratio, fasting blood sugar, fasting insulin, triglycerides, T3, and TSH) were significantly higher (p<0.001) as compared to those without metabolic syndrome. In case of lipid profile, the triglycerides in those with metabolic syndrome (262.8±112.3 mg/dL) were significantly higher (p<0.001) than those without metabolic syndrome (137.9±19.01 mg/dL), while the serum levels of HDL were significantly higher (p<0.001) in group without metabolic syndrome (50.5±3.9 mg/dL) as compared to those with metabolic syndrome (43.4±5.2 mg/dL). Also, the TSH levels were significantly higher (p<0.001) in subjects with metabolic syndrome (5.3±3.4 μl/mL) as compared to those without metabolic syndrome (2.6±1.4 μl/mL). Among all the components of metabolic syndrome, waist circumference and HDL showed a significant strong positive correlation (r=0.51) with TSH, and systolic blood pressure (r=0.39), diastolic blood pressure (r=0.39), and fasting blood sugar levels (r=0.44) showed significantly moderate positive correlation with TSH levels. T4 (OR=8.82; 95% CI: 1.56-49.8) and TSH (OR=1.61; 95% CI: 1.19-2.18) levels were observed to have significantly higher odds as risk factors for metabolic syndrome. Conclusion There is a significant association of thyroid function with lipid profile in metabolic syndrome. It was observed that along with metabolic alterations, cardiovascular symptoms of hypothyroidism and subclinical hypothyroidism are possible. Therefore, while evaluating people with metabolic syndrome, it may be appropriate to look into how well their thyroid glands are functioning., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright © 2023, Abha et al.)

Introduction: Breast cancer (BC), a heterogeneous disease, is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths among women worldwide. Circulating cell-free DNA (cfDNA) levels have been persistently reported to be elevated in BC patients. In the current study, we evaluated the correlation between the cfDNA levels in patients with BC and its subtypes., Methods: We recruited newly diagnosed, histopathologically confirmed BC patients aged >18 years (N=39), who did not have any previous malignancy, from the Department of Surgical Oncology, Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (IGIMS), Patna, Bihar, India. A total of 6 ml of venous blood was collected from each subject; of this, 1 ml was subjected to complete blood count (CBC), and 4 ml was transferred to a clot-activated collection vial for plasma separation and the cfDNA isolation thereof. In addition to the basic demographic history of each patient, the information on the cancer subtype was as also recorded from the medical records of each patient. All the data were analysed by GraphPad Prism Version 8 (Insightful Science, LLC, San Diego, California, United States). One-way ANOVA was used to test the difference between more than two groups. Pearson correlation was also estimated between cfDNA levels and various CBC indices. A two-tailed p-value<0.05 was considered statistically significant., Results: The mean age of included patients was 48.6±8.20 years. The mean levels of cfDNA were 2.81±2.39 ng/µL. The mean counts of various blood cell types and other indices of CBC were in the normal range. Compared to BC patients with estrogen receptors (ER+), the cfDNA levels were significantly higher in patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2+) and triple-negative BC (TNBC) (p<0.05).  Conclusion: The elevated levels of cfDNA in patients with BC can be a prognostic marker for the disease subtype. However, more replicative studies are warranted to substantiate our findings., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright © 2023, P et al.)

Background and aims A descriptive analysis of patients who underwent surgical debridement for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) related mucormycosis was described, which aimed at the evaluation of perioperative clinical characteristics, perioperative complications, and outcomes. Methods We conducted a retrospective study on patients who underwent surgical intervention for mucormycosis during the COVID-19 pandemic at a tertiary care institute in India from March 1, 2021, to June 30, 2021. The medical records of 92 patients were reviewed and analyzed. Results There was a male predominance with a mean age of 50.86 years. The most common comorbidity was diabetes mellitus (DM) (98.9%). Intra-operative complications included hypotension, hyperglycemia, and hypokalemia. Most of the patients (88%) were extubated inside the operation theater, and 48% of patients had mortality. Serum ferritin levels, computed tomography severity score (CTSS), and D-dimers were significantly high in the patient who had mortality. Conclusion The perioperative mortality in patients with COVID-19 associated mucormycosis was very high. DM was the most common comorbidity followed by hypertension. Pre-operative elevated serum ferritin, D-dimer, and high CTSS were associated with higher mortality; hypokalemia, followed by hypocalcemia, was the most common perioperative and post-operative electrolyte imbalance. Thorough pre-operative optimization, multidisciplinary involvement, and perioperative care are of the utmost importance to decrease mortality and improve outcomes., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright © 2023, Kumari et al.)

The present study was designed to test the hypothesis that poultry manure and biochar-amended soil alter the antioxidant enzyme activity of T. aestivum L. HD-2967. For this, a box experiment was conducted using poultry-amended soil (5 g and 10 g) irrigated with greywater (50% and 100%) which was analysed on 7 and 14 days of seed sowing. Antioxidant enzyme activity (catalase, ascorbate peroxidase, and guaiacol peroxidase ) was elucidated to be varied in response to soil biochar and manure amendments both for shoots and roots so as to counteract the reactive oxygen species generated by plants under stress. Also, it was observed to be decreased on a temporal basis. Moreover, soil-biochar amendments efficiently defend the irrigation stress, increase soil nutrition, and reduce waste quantity through sustainable reuse., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Purpose: The objective of the study was to compare the efficacy and safety of two concentration of autologous serum (AS) 20% vs 50% in recalcitrant moderate-to-severe dry eye patients., Methods: A double-blind prospective, interventional, and randomized study was done on 44 patients (80 eyes) clinically diagnosed with moderate-to-severe dry eye disease (DED) that was refractory to conventional treatment, and all patients were treated with AS20% or AS50% for 12 weeks. We documented Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI), tear film breakup time (TBUT), OXFORD corneal staining score (OSS), and Schirmer test (ST) at baseline, 2,4,8, and 12 weeks. These parameters were compared in both groups and between the groups by using Student's t-test. The study included 11 males and 33 females., Results: Out of 80 eyes, 33 eyes had moderate and 47 had severe DED. The age of patients in AS20% was 44.73 ± 14.37 years, and in AS50% was 46.41 ± 14.47 years. The most common etiology associated with DED was secondary Sjogren syndrome. In moderate DED, both the groups showed significant improvement in both subjective and objective parameters. But in severe DED, the AS20% group failed to show any significant improvement objectively, though subjective improvement was present., Conclusion: In refractory severe DED patients, AS50% is better option for treatment and in moderate DED both concentrations of autologous serum are effective., Competing Interests: None

ABSTRACT Chemical fertilizers boost crop production; however, their continued use decreases soil fertility in the long run. Nutrient recycling by the beneficiation of poultry manure into biochar and application as a soil amendment is a long-term solution for plant nutrition. The effect of poultry manure, poultry biochar and crop irrigation with 50% and 100% greywater (GW) was assessed on soil properties and growth of wheat ( Triticum aestivum L. HD-2967) on the 7th and 14th day of sowing. This resulted in greater nutrients (OC, OM, C:N have values of 3.51%, 6.58%, and 16.52, respectively) in soil on the 14th day after sowing irrigated with 100% GW for soil and 10 g biochar amendments than manure. The germination and growth were boosted to 100% on day 6 after seed sowing soil and 5 g biochar. The maximum number of leaflets (4), rootlets (7) and shoot length (26.58 cm) was obtained for soil and 10 g biochar amendments with 100% GW on the 14th day of sowing. The significance of the work is that greywater and poultry biochar has been used for the irrigation of wheat as a step towards the management of both solid and liquid waste. Biochar being a potential adsorbent reduces the pollutant load of greywater while increasing the nutritive value of soil substratum and influencing plant growth. The findings could offer crucial knowledge for creating agronomic procedures to repurpose the nutrients in poultry manure and biochar to grow crops by adding value to waste and meeting the goal of bioeconomic sustainability.

Background: Lipase and amylase are the most frequently used biomarker for the diagnosis of pancreatic diseases, especially acute pancreatitis. Lipase has better diagnostic accuracy in comparison to amylase for the analysis of acute pancreatitis. However, lipase assay in random access analyzer is sometimes difficult to perform as it is exposed to different types of samples or reagents which may act as interference., Materials and Methods: In our laboratory, we found the raised values (>500 IU/L) of lipase with normal amylase in some samples. However, the immediate rerun of these samples for lipase only showed normal (<80 IU/L) lipase level. To root out this fallacy, we performed reagent and sample carryover studies., Results: The cause of the falsely raised value of lipase was revealed by reagent carryover studies. All samples which assayed triglyceride (TGL) followed by lipase immediately after it showed elevated (>500 IU/L) lipase value. This is due to the interference of microbial lipase used in TGL reagents. This was corrected by separating the analysis of lipase and TGL into two different instruments., Conclusion: If interference testing is not done, the laboratories are prone to have an analytical error in reporting and hence lead to diagnostic error. Hence, after analyzer installation, interference testing should be included in the validation protocol., Competing Interests: None

The gut bacterial strains and their metabolites have been shown to play a significant role in obesity, but the molecular mechanisms underlying this association are largely unresolved. Obesity is a multifactorial problem and is controlled by various mechanisms and pathways to produce and store fat cells. Bacteriocins are secondary metabolites produced by gut bacteria to defend themselves against their competitors. Recently, they have gained great attention due to their role in metabolic disorders, including obesity. Stearoyl-CoA desaturase 1 (SCD1) is a key enzyme involved in the differentiation of adipocytes. The aim of this study is to show the regulation of SCD1 by bacteriocins and thus their importance in obesity control. We screened the human gut bacteriome for the presence of bacteriocins, predicted their structures, and showed their inhibitory role by molecular docking with SCD1. Further, to confirm the docking results, MDS of six top scoring SCD1-bacteriocin complexes were carried out for 100 ns. These six bacteriocins namely, Plantaricin S-beta, Carnolysin, Lactococcin B, Bacteriocin Iic, Plantaricin N, and Thermophilin A, with strong binding affinities, are primarily produced by bacterial strains from the Lactobacillaeacea family. These findings can be the basis of further experiments for enhanced understanding of the underlying mechanisms for obesity control, specifically bacteriocins driven regulation of the SCD1 enzyme. In addition, a consortium of bacterial strains producing these bacteriocins can be developed and used as probiotics for the amelioration of obesity and other metabolic complications.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Introduction: Single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) is a single-nucleotide change in a deoxyribose nucleic acid (DNA) sequence that occurs in >1% of population. Methylene tetra hydro folate reductase (MTHFR) C677T (rs1801133) and methionine synthase enzyme (MTR) A2756G (rs1805087) are two such SNPs occurring in coding sequence of the respective genes, which are frequently seen with neural tube defects (NTDs). MTHFR and MTR genes are involved in folate metabolism. The folate level in the course of pregnancy is treated as vital in the etiopathogenesis of NTDs. This study aims to explore the association of SNPs of both genes and red blood cell (RBC) folate levels in the predisposition to NTDs., Aims and Objective: The purpose of this investigation was to determine the relationship of NTDs with polymorphisms in MTHFR and MTR genotype and to estimate and compare the RBC folate levels in NTD patients and controls., Materials and Methods: A total of 397 individuals were enrolled (163 patients and 234 controls) for this observational study. Genotyping to find out MTHFR C677T and MTR A2756G was performed by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism technique from DNA extracted from the subject's blood. RBC folate level was estimated by chemiluminescence immunoassay method with the same blood sample., Results: The total RBC folate levels were significantly less among cases compared to controls ( P = 0.020). A significant difference for RBC folate was observed between case and control groups of various genotypes of MTHFR C677T, except heterozygote CT ( P = 0.459). Among MTR A2756G, genotypes with only homozygous AA have significant difference ( P = 0.003) for RBC folate levels. Among different types of NTDs, there were no significant differences for RBC folate levels. Among MTHFR C677T, T allele possessed 1.9 times risk compared to C allele for the occurrence of NTDs. In MTR A2756G polymorphism, the odds of developing NTDs were 1.6 times in heterozygous AG compared to homozygous AA. Similarly, the risk for NTDs was three times higher in subjects with both heterozygous AG and CT genotypes compared to wild-type homozygous AA and CC genotypes., Conclusion: The total RBC folate levels were significantly less among cases compared to controls, and the genotypes had no such effect in decrease in RBC folate levels. The presence of mutant allele in homozygous or heterozygous condition for both SNPs had increased risk associated with NTDs., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2022 Journal of Indian Association of Pediatric Surgeons.)

Antibiotics, the primary drugs used to cure bacterial diseases, are increasingly becoming ineffective due to the emergence of multiple drug resistance (MDR) leading to recurrence of previously sensitive pathogens. Human gut microbiome (GM), known to play an important role in various physiological processes, consists of pool of diverse microbes. Indiscriminate use of antibiotics during the life span of an individual may lead to development of resistant microbes e.g. Vibrio, Acinetobacter, Escherichia, Klebsiella, Clostridia, etc. in the human GM. Transmission of antibiotic resistant genes (ARGs) between pathogenic and commensal bacteria occurs more frequently in microbiome communities wherein bacteria communicate and exchange cellular constituents both among themselves and with the host. Additionally, co-factors like 'early vs. late' exposure, type of antibiotics and duration of treatment modulate the adverse effects of antibiotics on GM maturation. Furthermore, factors like mode of birth, ethnicity, malnutrition, demography, diet, lifestyle, etc., which influence GM composition, can also indirectly alter the host response to antibiotics. Currently, advanced 'omics' and culturomics approaches are revealing novel avenues to study the interplay between antibiotics and the microbiome and to identify resistant genes in these bacterial communities. Here, we discuss the recent developments that have given insights into the effects of antibiotics on the homeostatic balance of the gut microbiome and thus on human health., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.)

Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO 2 NPs) usage is increasing in everyday consumer products, hence, assessing their toxic impacts on living organisms and environment is essential. Various studies have revealed the significant role of TiO 2 NPs physicochemical properties on their toxicity. However, TiO 2 NPs are still poorly characterized with respect to their physicochemical properties, and environmental factors influencing their toxicity are either ignored or are too complex to be assessed under laboratory conditions. The outcomes of these studies are diverse and inconsistent due to lack of standard protocols. TiO 2 NPs toxicity also differs for in vivo and in vitro systems, which must also be considered during standardization of protocols to maintain uniformity and reproducibility of results. This review critically evaluates impact of different physicochemical parameters of TiO 2 NPs and other experimental conditions, employed in different laboratories in determining their toxicity towards bacteria. These important observations may be helpful in evaluation of environmental risks posed by these nanoparticles and this can further assist regulatory bodies in policymaking., Competing Interests: Conflict of interestThe authors declare that there is no conflict of interest., (© Association of Microbiologists of India 2022.)

Objective: The monocyte-macrophage system is central to the host's innate immune defense and in resolving injury. It is reported to be dysfunctional in acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF). The disease-associated alterations in ACLF monocytes are not fully understood. We investigated the mechanism of monocytes' functional exhaustion and the role of umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (ucMSCs) in re-energizing monocytes in ACLF., Design: Monocytes were isolated from the peripheral blood of ACLF patients ( n = 34) and matched healthy controls ( n = 7) and patients with compensated cirrhosis ( n = 7); phagocytic function, oxidative burst, and bioenergetics were analyzed. In the ACLF mouse model, ucMSCs were infused intravenously, and animals were sacrificed at 24 h and day 11 to assess changes in monocyte function, liver injury, and regeneration., Results: Patients with ACLF (alcohol 64%) compared with healthy controls and those with compensated cirrhosis had an increased number of peripheral blood monocytes ( p < 0.0001) which displayed significant defects in phagocytic ( p < 0.0001) and oxidative burst capacity ( p < 0.0001). ACLF patients also showed a significant increase in the number of liver macrophages as compared with healthy controls ( p < 0.001). Bioenergetic analysis showed markedly reduced oxidative phosphorylation ( p < 0.0001) and glycolysis ( p < 0.001) in ACLF monocytes. Patients with monocytes having maximum mitochondrial respiration of <37.9 pmol/min [AUC = 0.822, hazard ratio (HR) = 4.5] and baseline glycolysis of ≤42.7 mpH/min (AUC = 0.901, HR = 9.1) showed increased 28-day mortality ( p < 0.001). Co-culturing ACLF monocytes with ucMSC showed improved mitochondrial respiration ( p < 0.01) and phagocytosis ( p < 0.0001). Furthermore, ucMSC therapy increased monocyte energy ( p < 0.01) and phagocytosis ( p < 0.001), reduced hepatic injury, and enhanced hepatocyte regeneration in ACLF animals., Conclusion: Bioenergetic failure drives the functional exhaustion of monocytes in ACLF. ucMSCs resuscitate monocyte energy and prevent its exhaustion. Restoring monocyte function can ameliorate hepatic injury and promote liver regeneration in the animal model of ACLF., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Maheshwari, Kumar, Jagdish, Nautiyal, Hidam, Kumari, Sehgal, Trehanpati, Baweja, Kumar, Sinha, Bajpai, Pamecha, Bihari, Maiwall, Sarin and Kumar.)

Urine is a 'valuable waste' that can be exploited to generate bioelectricity and recover key nutrients for producing NPK-rich biofertilizers. In recent times, improved and innovative waste management technologies have emerged to manage the rapidly increasing environmental pollution and to accomplish the goal of sustainable development. Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) have attracted the attention of environmentalists worldwide to treat human urine and produce power through bioelectrochemical reactions in presence of electroactive bacteria growing on the anode. The bacteria break down the complex organic matter present in urine into simpler compounds and release the electrons which flow through an external circuit generating current at the cathode. Many other useful products are harvested at the end of the process. So, in this review, an attempt has been made to synthesize the information on MFCs fuelled with urine to generate bioelectricity and recover value-added resources (nutrients), and their modifications to enhance productivity. Moreover, configuration and mode of system operation, and factors enhancing the performance of MFCs have been also presented., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: Cellular and functional exhaustion of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSC) is significantly associated with the loss of HSCs and hepatic osteodystrophy in cirrhosis. The molecular mechanisms underlying the dysfunction of BM-MSCs are not well understood. We investigated the underlying mechanisms of cellular and functional exhaustion of BM-MSCs in cirrhosis., Methods: The MSCs were isolated retrospectively from bone marrow of decompensated alcoholic cirrhosis patients {(Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01902511) (n=10; MELD=16.2±2.3; CTP=8.7±2.3)} and age and gender-matched healthy controls (n=8). Global gene expression profile of healthy bone marrow MSCs (hBM-MSCs) and cirrhosis patients BM-MSCs (cBM-MSCs) were done by mRNA sequencing. XFe24-bioanalyzer analyzed the bioenergetic potential of cells. Level of different cytokines and growth factors in BM-plasma and MSCs secretome were analyzed by Luminex-based bead array., Results: Analysis of differentially expressed genes showed significant (P<0.01) up-regulation of genes associated with ubiquitination and catabolism of proteins; TNF signaling, insulin resistance, and down-regulation of genes associated with DNA repair, protein processing, cell cycle, and mitochondrial respiration in cBM-MSCs in comparison to hBM-MSCs. Compared to hBM-MSCs, cBM-MSCs showed a significant defect in glycolysis due to insulin resistance and poor glucose uptake (P=0.002). This led to compromised self-renewal capacity and cellular loss of MSCs in cirrhosis. cBM-MSCs also showed a significant impairment in Oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) due to mitochondrial dysfunction leading to defects in the osteogenic differentiation with early aging and senescence., Conclusion: Compromised energy metabolism due to inflammatory and metabolic stress-induced insulin resistance underlies the cellular and functional exhaustion of BM-MSCs in cirrhosis., Competing Interests: None., (AJSC Copyright © 2022.)

Background and Aims: Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is a distinct clinical entity with high probability of organ failure and mortality. Since patients generally present late, experimental models are needed to understand the pathophysiology and natural course of the disease., Methodology: To reproduce the syndrome of ACLF, chronic liver disease was induced in C57BL6 mice (6-8 weeks; approximately 20-24 g weight) by intraperitoneal administration of carbon tetrachloride (CCl 4 ) for 10 weeks followed by an acute injury with acetaminophen (APAP) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Blood, ascitic fluid, and organs were collected to study cell death, regeneration, and fibrosis., Results: At 24 h post-APAP/LPS infusion, the liver tissue showed increased hepatocyte ballooning and endothelial cell TUNEL positivity. This was followed by progressive hepatocyte necrosis from perivascular region at day 7 to lobular region by day 11. ACLF (day 7 and day 11) animals showed increase in bilirubin (p < 0.05), prothrombin time (p < 0.0001), blood ammonia (p < 0.001), and portal pressure post-acute hepatocellular injury similar to human ACLF. Ascites was noticed by day 11 with median serum-ascites albumin gradient of 1.2 (1.1-1.3) g/dL. In comparison to cirrhosis, ACLF group (day 7 and day 11) showed significant decrease in Sirius red (p ≤ 0.0001), collagen1 (p < 0.0001), and a-SMA proportionate area (p < 0.0001) with loss of hepatocytes regeneration (p < 0.005). At day 11, ACLF animals also showed significant increase in serum creatinine (p < 0.05) and acute tubular necrosis suggestive of organ failure, compared to cirrhotic animals., Conclusion: The CCL4/APAP/LPS (CALPS) model of ACLF mimics the clinical, biochemical, and histological features of ACLF with demonstrable progressive hepatocellular necrosis, liver failure, impaired regeneration, development of portal hypertension, and organ dysfunction in an animal with chronic liver disease., (© 2021. Asian Pacific Association for the Study of the Liver.)

Objectives: For Southern Asian countries like Pakistan, there is inadequate evidence of risk factors associated with mortality in patients suffering from acute coronary syndrome (ACS), especially non-ST elevation ACS (NSTE-ACS) cases. Therefore, aim of this study was to evaluate predictors of 6-months mortality of patients presenting with NSTE-ACS., Methods: For this prospective observational study we recruited adult patients diagnosed with NSTE-ACS at a tertiary cardiac center. All he patients were followed-up after six months and survival status was recorded. Logistic regression analysis was performed for six-month mortality and odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were reported., Results: Six-month follow-up was successful for 280 patients. On univariate analysis age >65 years, increased heart rate, cardiac arrest at presentation, Killip class II-IV at presentation, and diabetes were found to be associated with increased risk of 6-months mortality with OR [95% CI] of 4.27 [1.9-9.58], 1.25 [1.1-1.41], 139.44 [16.9-1150.78], 68.45 [7.88-594.41], and 2.35 [1.06-5.22] respectively. On multivariable analysis Killip class II-IV at presentation, thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) score of >4, and global registry of acute coronary events (GRACE) score ≥150 were found to be independent predictors of mortality after six months of NSTE-ACS with adjusted OR of 32.93 [2.65-408.8], 3.42 [1.35-8.66], and 8.43 [3.33-21.38] respectively., Conclusions: For patients with NSTE-ACS, our study showed seven clinical parameters to be associated with an increased risk of 6-month mortality. These included increasing age, increased heart rate, cardiac arrest at presentation, Killip class II-IV, diabetes, TIMI score of >4 and GRACE score of >150. Thereby aiding clinicians to apply strategic and precise interventions in monitoring these patients accordingly., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest None to declare., (© 2021 Saudi Heart Association.)

Anosmia with or without dysgeusia is frequently associated with Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) SARS-CoV-2 infection. SARS-CoV-2 virus affects the olfactory system and thus represents neurotropic and neuro-invasive nature of the virus. We found that tocilizumab's role in reducing mortality in severe covid-19 infection is still questionable and aim of our study was correlation of anosmia and severity of covid-19 infection and requirement of tocilizumab in anosmia patients. To establish relationship between anosmia and severity of COVID-19 infection along with requirement of tocilizumab. This was a retrospective cum prospective cross sectional study done on COVID-19 patients who were admitted in normal COVID-19 ward and intensive care unit of Employee's State Insurance Corporation Hospital, Udaipur and Maharaja Bhupal Hospital of Ravindra Nath Medical College between September 2020 and 15 January 2021 age group of 18 to 92 years, both sexes. We had asked about anosmia in all COVID-19 positive patients and followed all patients in perspective of severity of disease and tocilizumab. p value < 0.001 of prevalence of anosmia in COVID -19 patients who were isolated at home, admitted in ward and intensive care unit showed that anosmia is inversely related to severity of disease. Tocilizumab has no significant role in decreasing mortality in severe form of disease. Our study indicates that anosmia is related to the mildness of disease and there is no role of tocilizumab in decreasing the mortality in severe form of disease., Competing Interests: Conflict of interestThe authors declare that there is no conflict of interest regarding the publication of this article., (© Association of Otolaryngologists of India 2021.)

Background: The aim of this study was to determine the predictive value of the Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events (GRACE) score for predicting in-hospital and 6 months mortality after non-ST elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS)., Results: In this observational study, 300 patients with NSTE-ACS of age more than 30 years were included; 16 patients died during the hospital stay (5.3%). Of 284 patients at 6 months assessment, 10 patients died (3.5%), 240 survived (84.5%), and 34 were lost to follow-up (12%) respectively. In high risk category, 10.5% of the patients died within hospital stay and 11.8% died within 6 months (p = 0.001 and p = 0.013). In univariate analysis, gender, diabetes mellitus, family history, smoking, and GRACE score were significantly associated with in-hospital mortality whereas age, obesity, dyslipidemia, and GRACE were significantly associated with 6 months mortality. After adjustment, diabetes mellitus, family history, and GRACE score remained significantly associated with in-hospital mortality (p ≤ 0.05) and age remained significantly associated with 6 months mortality., Conclusion: GRACE risk score has good predictive value for the prediction of in-hospital mortality and 6 months mortality among patients with NSTE-ACS.

Objectives: Aim of this study was to determine the depression, stress, and anxiety level among healthcare workers working at a tertiary care cardiac center of Karachi Pakistan during COVID-19 pandemic., Methods: This survey was conducted at the National Institute of Cardiovascular Disease (NICVD), Karachi, Pakistan. Participants of the study were fulltime employees of hospital. Data were collected using an online questionnaire and Depression, Anxiety and Stress - 21 (DASS-21) scale was used., Results: A total of 224 healthcare workers were included, 46 (20.5%) participants were screened for moderate to severe depression, 20.1% (45) for moderate to severe anxiety, and 14.7% (33) for moderate to severe stress., Conclusion: A significant levels of depression, anxiety, and stress were noted with the major concerns of workplace exposure, increased risk of infection, and transmission to their families and friends., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest: None., (Copyright © 2020 American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.)

To explore the diagnostic value, pre-operative serum thymidine kinase 1(TK1), CEA, CA 19-9 and CA 72-4 levels were measured in 106 patients with colorectal carcinoma (53 colon and 53 rectal carcinoma patients) and 53 healthy controls. Sandwich Elisa, biotin-labeled antibody kit was used for TK1, and other tumor markers were measured using electro-chemiluminescence. Serum TK1 levels were significantly higher in CRC than in healthy controls (p <0.05) and showed significant associations with tumor stage, histopathological grade, lymph node status and metastasis (p <0.01). TK1 showed the highest (0.824-0.862) area under receiver operating characteristics curve (AUC) in comparison to other markers, and the AUC of the panel of combination tests performed even better (0.935-0.952). Significant variation was observed between the single biomarker test and their combination (Z test, p <0.01) and the Hosmer-Lemeshow test showed an adequate model of calibration. The algorithm based on combination of TK1, CEA, CA19-9 and CA72-4 can improve the diagnostic efficiency in CRC patients., .

Background Contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) after primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is associated with increased mortality and morbidity. The aim of this study is to determine the frequency of CIN after primary PCI and its association with risk factors in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) at a tertiary care cardiac center in Pakistan. Methodology In this observational study, we included 282 patients who presented with STEMI and underwent primary PCI at the National Institute of Cardiovascular Disease, Karachi, Pakistan, from October 2017 to April 2018. The serum creatinine (mg/dL) levels were obtained at baseline and 48 to 72 hours after the primary PCI procedure, and patients with a 25% increase or ≥ 0.5 mg/dL rise in post-procedure creatinine level (after 48 to 72 hour) were categorized for CIN. Results Out of a total sample of 282 patients, 68.4% (193) were males, and the mean age was 56.4 ± 9.1 years. A majority of the patients, 78.7% (222), were hypertensive and 34% (96) were diabetic. The CIN was observed in 13.1% (37) of the patients, and increased risk of CIN was found to be associated with the presence of diabetes mellitus and increased (>200 mL) use of contrast during the procedure, with odds ratios of 2.3 (1.14-4.63) and 3.12 (1.36-7.17), respectively. Conclusions The CIN after PCI is a common complication associated with the presence of diabetes mellitus and the use of an increased amount of contrast during the procedure., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright © 2020, Kumar et al.)

Background and Aim: Acute hepatic insult triggers regeneration. If acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) patients have a poorer regenerative response than acute liver failure (ALF) patients, and if so, the mechanisms underlying this, are not well understood., Methods: We investigated the status of hepatocyte proliferation, hepatic progenitor cell (HPC) mediated regeneration, non-parenchymal cells (through immunohistochemistery), cytokines and growth factors (cytokine bead array) in liver and peripheral blood of ACLF (n = 29) and ALF (n = 17) patients. Liver endothelial cells, mesenchymal cells and Kupffer cells were isolated from explant livers and analysis of regenerative factors was done by qRT-PCR., Results: Unlike ALF, the ACLF livers showed decreased hepatocyte proliferation (p < 0.001) and profound ductular-reaction with increased CK19 + hepatocytes (p < 0.0001). However, only decrease in Ki67+ hepatocytes was associated with 28 day mortality in ACLF (p < 0.001; HR = 0.78; 95% CI 0.69-0.88). In both groups, increase in plasma hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) (OR = 21.87 p = 0.002;), macrophage colony stimulating factor (MCSF) (OR = 21.73; p = 0.002) and stromal derived factor (SDF1)(OR = 10.2; p = 0.001) were associated with hepatocyte proliferation and decreased (> fivefolds) levels were associated with poor hepatocyte regeneration in ACLF patients. ACLF livers showed decrease in endothelial cells (p < 0.01) and expression of regenerative angiocrine factors C-X-C chemokine receptor type 7 (CXCR7), Inhibitor of DNA Binding 1(IDI) and HGF compared to ALF. In co-culture, while ALF liver mesenchymal stromal cells (LMSCs) induced the expression of CXCR7, IDI and HGF in human umbilical cord endothelial cells (HUVECs), the ACLF LMSCs were defective and showed decreased production of SDF-1, HGF and MCSF compared to ALF., Conclusions: Decrease in hepatic endothelial cells and their regenerative angiocrine functions indicated by defective CXCR7-ID1 dependent HGF expression underlie the poor hepatocyte proliferation in ACLF compared to ALF patients. A robust hepatocyte self-replication is lacking in the livers of ACLF patients and is associated with poor survival.

G-quadruplexes are secondary DNA structures frequently found in telomeres and DNA sequences related to gene regulation, etc. Herein, we report a label free, sensitive and visually detectable fluorescence based biosensing platform for the detection of G-quadruplexes in DNA. Highly fluorescent N-doped carbon quantum dot (CD) with enriched functional groups was synthesized from Ganoderma lucidum, an oriental fungus by using a green hydrothermal process. Noncovalent functionalization of CD was done with Hemin where Hemin/CD conjugate forms a quenched union. However, in presence of DNA sequences that contain G-quadruplexes, the fluorescence of CD is restored selectively. The fluorescence restoration of CD is attributed to the stripping of Hemin from Hemin/CD conjugate that preferably slide into the G quadruplexes leaving CD. This increase in CD fluorescence is easily detectable under hand-held UV light without any other instrumental intervention for G-quadruplex containing DNA only and not in any other DNA samples. Also, such selective fluorescent recovery was not observed with chemically synthesized CD that lack hydroxyl functionality., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Gossypiboma is a retained surgical sponge inside our body after surgical intervention. It is most commonly found in abdominal cavity. Its occurrence in thoracic cavity as intrapericardial gossypiboma is extremely rare., Presentation of Case: We present a 25 year old male with complaint of chest pain for 1 year. He had a history of total correction of Tetralogy of fallot 14 years back, at another hospital. On clinical examination and investigations including contrast enhanced computed tomography (CECT) of thorax; diagnosis of right anterior mediastinal mass of germ cell tumor was made and planned for thoracotomy. On exploration, the gauze piece of 31 cm was removed from the pericardial mass and a final diagnosis of gossypiboma was made., Discussion: Although gossypibomas are commonly reported in abdominal and pelvic surgery but a prolonged operative time, untrained staff, poor communication in sponge count may favour the occurrence in thoracic cavity. A patient with intrathoracic gossypiboma usually presents with chest pain, dyspnoea, thoracic mass or fever. CECT and Magnetic resonance Imaging (MRI) are useful imaging modality in such cases. Surgical exploration with histopathological examination confirms the diagnosis of gossypiboma., Conclusion: In a postoperative patient who presents with chest pain and intrathoracic mass, gossypiboma should be a differential diagnosis even it is rare to occur in thorax., (Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: An interparietal inguinal hernia is a rare form of hernia. In this type of hernia, the sac passes between the layers of the abdominal wall of the inguinal canal area. Although its treatment is very simple but pre-operative diagnosis is really a challenging issue., Presentation of Case: A 62 years old male patient presented with complaint of a large swelling over right lower abdomen with absence of right testes since birth. The lump was measured 26×22cm in size. Ultrasonography (USG) and Contrast enhanced computed Tomography (CECT) failed to diagnose as interparietal inguinal hernia which was proved intra-operatively. Few cases have been reported in the medical literature like this., Discussion: Exploration revealed the large abdominal lump presenting as an interparietal inguinal hernia. Hernia sac was lying in between external & internal oblique muscles. The right testis was intraabdominal & atrophied. The external inguinal ring was almost completely obstructed., Conclusion: An interparietal hernia with undescended testis is a very rare presentation. Even with USG & CT scan diagnosis is very challenging and final diagnosis can be made only intraoperatively., (Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Ksharsutra is a popular treatment modality in India for the management of fistula-in-ano. It works by the action of excision, scraping, draining, penetrating, debridement, and sclerosing as well as healing simultaneously without a surgical excision. The conventional method to insert a ksharsutra by using a metallic probe through an external opening may cause pain and discomfort to the patients. In some cases, this intervention is not possible without general anaesthesia. The ksharsutra may be inserted through an external opening by using an infant feeding tube (no. 5 or 6) without causing pain as a day care procedure.

Introduction: Iron Deficiency Anaemia (IDA) is a global health problem. It involves population of all age group and sex. But adolescent girls are more vulnerable to it. The reasons may be increased iron demand, menstrual blood loss, infection, worm infestation etc., Aim: To find the prevalence of iron deficiency and IDA in adolescent girls in a Tertiary Care Hospital., Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was done in the biochemistry clinical laboratory of Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, Patna, Bihar, India for a period of six months (April 2015-October 2015). Haemoglobin estimation was done by Sahli's method. Total iron and Total Iron Binding Capacity (TIBC) estimation was done by Ferrozine method on fully automated chemistry analyzer Olympus AU 400 with the reagent kit available in the market. Ferritin estimation was done by chemiluminesence immunoassay method, using Access 2 (Beckman Coulter)., Results: Out of 200 girls, 50% adolescent girls were found to be anaemic. Of the total, 43.3% were mildly, 3.3% were moderately and 3.3% were severely affected by anaemia., Conclusion: As prevalence of anaemia is 50%, it needs intervention for its prevention and control. This study will help in planning and implementation of the policy for prevention of iron deficiency and IDA.

Background and Aim: Dexmedetomidine (D) is a α2 agonist, has anesthetic and analgesic-sparing property. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of intravenous (I.V.) dexmedetomidine on the duration of sensory and motor block, postoperative analgesia, the level of sedation and side effect., Material and Methods: Sixty patients were randomly divided into two groups of thirty each. Group D received dexmedetomidine infusion @1 mcg/kg over 10 min and then @ 0.6 mcg/kg/h for rest of duration during surgery, Group C (control) received a similar volume of normal saline infusion before spinal anesthesia with 3 ml of bupivacaine 0.5%. Time of onset and regression time for sensory and motor blockade, the maximum upper level of sensory blockade, duration of postoperative analgesia, Ramsay sedation score and hemodynamic parameters were recorded. Intraoperative bradycardia and atropine requirement along with other side effect were also recorded., Results: The duration of sensorimotor block was significantly longer in D Group (341.7 ± 20.8 min for sensory block and 278.0 ± 11.0 min for motor block) as compared to control group (329.5 ± 22.1 min for sensory block and 250.0 ± 14.8 min for motor block), which was statistically significant ( P < 0.05). The mean time for two dermatomal regression of sensory blockade was significantly prolonged in dexmedetomidine group (115.5 ± 8.7 min) compared to control group (95.8 ± 11.4) ( P < 0.001). Intraoperative Ramsay sedation scores were significantly higher in D Group (mean - 3.4 ± 0.7, range - 2-4) as compared to C Group (mean - 2.9 ± 0.3, range - 2-4) ( P < 0.001). 26.7% (8/30) cases had bradycardia that required atropine as compared to control group (2/30), and none of the patients in the dexmedetomidine group had postoperative shivering as compared to 10% in control group ( P = 0.056). Statistical analysis was performed with statistical package for the social science version-20 using analysis of variance/Chi-square test/unpaired t -test, and P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant., Conclusion: I.V. dexmedetomidine significantly prolongs the duration of sensory and motor block of bupivacaine spinal anesthesia. Dexmedetomidine provides an excellent sedation during surgery., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest.

Absorption and fluorescence studies on novel Schiff bases (E)-4-(4-(4-nitro benzylideneamino)benzyl)oxazolidin-2-one (NBOA) and (E)-4-(4-(4-chlorobenzylidene amino)benzyl)oxazolidin-2-one (CBOA) were recorded in a series of twelve solvents upon increasing polarity at room temperature. Large Stokes shift indicates bathochromic fluorescence band for both the molecules. The photoluminescence properties of Schiff bases containing electron withdrawing and donating substituents were analyzed. Intramolecular charge transfer behavior can be studied based on the influence of different substituents in Schiff bases. Changes in position and intensity of absorption and fluorescence spectra are responsible for the stabilization of singlet excited-states of Schiff base molecules with different substituents, in polar solvents. This is attributed to the Intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) mechanism. In case of electron donating (-Cl) substituent, ICT contributes largely to positive solvatochromism when compared to electron withdrawing (-NO 2 ) substituent. Ground-state and singlet excited-state dipole moments of NBOA and CBOA were calculated experimentally using solvent polarity function approaches given by Lippert-Mataga, Bakhshiev, Kawskii-Chamma-Viallet and Reichardt. Due to considerable π- electron density redistribution, singlet excited-state dipole moment was found to be greater than ground-state dipole moment. Ground-state dipole moment value which was determined by quantum chemical method was used to estimate excited-state dipole moment using solvatochromic correlations. Kamlet-Abboud-Taft and Catalan multiple linear regression approaches were used to study non-specific solute-solvent interaction and hydrogen bonding interactions in detail. Optimized geometry and HOMO-LUMO energies of NBOA and CBOA have been determined by DFT and TD-DFT/PCM (B3LYP/6-311G (d, p)). Mulliken charges and molecular electrostatic potential have also been evaluated from DFT calculations.

The stimulatory effect of the aqueous extract of G. lucidum, a basidiomycetes class fungus in the APE1-enzyme-mediated processing of solitary and bistranded clustered abasic sites DNA damages is presented. Abasic sites are considered the most common type of DNA damage lesions. Our study shows enhanced activity of APE1 in the processing of abasic sites in the presence of the polysaccharides fraction of G. lucidum. Remarkable increase in the amount of single-strand breaks (SSBs) and double-strand breaks (DSBs) from solitary and bistranded clustered abasic sites respectively with APE1 in the presence of the extract was found. This trend is maintained when abasic sites in DNA oligomers are exposed to fibroblast cell extracts in the presence of the extract. While DNA conformational alteration is negligible, APE1 enzyme shows characteristic changes in the alpha helix and beta strand ratio after incubation with G. lucidum extract. The enhanced reactivity of APE1 at the molecular level in the presence of G. lucidium is attributed to this effect. This study potentially amplifies the scope of the use of G. lucidum, which was earlier shown to have only reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging properties with regards to DNA damage inhibition.

A Gram negative, yellow pigmented, rod shaped bacterium designated as RL(T) was isolated from a hot water spring (90-98 °C) located at Manikaran in Northern India. The isolate grows at 60-80 °C (optimum, 70 °C) and at pH 7.0-9.0 (optimum pH 7.2). Phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences and levels of DNA-DNA relatedness together indicate that the new isolate represents a novel species of the genus Thermus with closest affinity to Thermus thermophilus HB8(T) (99.5 %) followed by Thermus arciformis (96.4 %). A comparative analysis of partial sequences of housekeeping genes (HKG) further revealed that strain RL(T) is a novel species belonging to the genus Thermus. The melting G+C content of strain RL(T) was calculated as 68.7 mol%. The DNA-DNA relatedness value of strain RL(T) with its nearest neighbours (>97 %) was found to be less than 70 % indicating that strain RL(T) represents a novel species of the genus Thermus. MK-8 was the predominant respiratory quinone. The presence of characteristic phospholipid and glycolipid further confirmed that strain RL(T) belongs to the genus Thermus. The predominant fatty acids of strain RL(T) were iso-C17:0 (23.67 %) and iso-C15:0 (24.50 %). The results obtained after DNA-DNA hybridization, biochemical and physiological tests clearly distinguished strain RL(T) from its closely related species. Thus, strain RL(T) represents a novel species of the genus Thermus for which the name Thermus parvatiensis is proposed (=DSM 21745(T)= MTCC 8932(T)).

Objective: To determine the foetal outcome and mode of delivery in patients with meconium stained liquor during labour., Methods: The observational study was carried out at the Obstetrics and Gynaecology Unit-II of Liaquat University of Medical Health Sciences from June to November 2007. The patients with gestational age more than 37 weeks who presented with meconium stained liquor and cephalic presentation were included and the foetal outcome and mode of delivery was assessed in all such subjects. The data was collected on pre-designed proforma and analysed using SPSS version 10. Chi square test was applied with 95% confidence interval and p-value < or = 0.05 was considered significant., Results: A total of 75 patients with meconium stained liquor were identified during the study period. The patients with reactive cardiotocography (CTG) were 50 (66.7%) and with non-reactive CTG, 25 (33.36%). Of the total, 45 (60%) patients were delivered through normal vaginal delivery, while 30 (40%) were delivered by caesarean section. The rate of instrumental delivery was also increased which was 12 (26.7%). Among the neonates exposed to meconium stained liquor, 62 (82.7%) babies were delivered with apgar score > 7. Only 13 (17.3%) babies were delivered with apgar score < 7 in one minute., Conclusion: Meconium stained amniotic fluid is a common occurrence during labour and is associated with increased caesarean section rate and foetal morbidity and mortality.

Long-chain alkanes are a major component of crude oil and therefore potentially good indicators of hydrocarbon spills. Here we present a set of new bacterial bioreporters and assays that allow to detect long-chain alkanes. These reporters are based on the regulatory protein AlkS and the alkB1 promoter from Alcanivorax borkumensis SK2, a widespread alkane degrader in marine habitats. Escherichia coli cells with the reporter construct reacted strongly to octane in short-term (6 h) aqueous suspension assays but very slightly only to tetradecane, in line with what is expected from its low water solubility. In contrast, long-term assays (up to 5 days) with A. borkumensis bioreporters showed strong induction with tetradecane and crude oil. Gel-immobilized A. borkumensis reporter cells were used to demonstrate tetradecane and crude oil bioavailability at a distance from a source. Alcanivorax borkumensis bioreporters induced fivefold more rapid and more strongly when allowed physical contact with the oil phase in standing flask assays, suggesting a major contribution of adhered cells to the overall reporter signal. Using the flask assays we further demonstrated the effect of oleophilic nutrients and biosurfactants on oil availability and degradation by A. borkumensis. The fluorescence signal from flask assays could easily be captured with a normal digital camera, making such tests feasible to be carried out on, e.g. marine oil responder vessels in case of oil accidents., (© 2011 Society for Applied Microbiology and Blackwell Publishing Ltd.)

A Gram-negative, motile, rod-shaped, non-sporulating, aerobic bacterial strain (Esp-1(T)) was isolated from oil-contaminated soil of Panipat Oil Refinery, India, and its taxonomic position was determined using a polyphasic approach. Strain Esp-1(T) grew in the presence of 2 % NaCl at 30 degrees C and was characterized chemotaxonomically by having C(16 : 0) as the major fatty acid followed by C(17 : 0) cyclo and C(18 : 1)omega7c. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain Esp-1(T) formed a cluster together with Pseudomonas knackmussii DSM 6978(T) (98.9 % sequence similarity), Pseudomonas delhiensis MTCC 7601(T) (98.5 %), Pseudomonas nitroreducens DSM 14399(T) (98.5 %), Pseudomonas citronellolis DSM 50332(T) (98.7 %), Pseudomonas multiresinivorans ATCC 700690(T) (98.9 %) and Pseudomonas jinjuensis DSM 16612(T) (97.8 %). DNA-DNA hybridization values of strain Esp-1(T) with P. knackmussii DSM 6978(T), P. delhiensis MTCC 7601(T), P. jinjuensis DSM 16612(T), P. citronellolis DSM 50332(T), P. multiresinivorans ATCC 700690(T) and P. nitroreducens DSM 14399(T) were 32.9, 30.2, 20.6, 23.4, 23.4 and 20.0 %, respectively. Low levels of DNA-DNA hybridization and phenotypic and chemotaxonomic results are sufficient to delineate strain Esp-1(T) from other closely related species of Pseudomonas. Phenotypic and chemotaxonomic data confirm that strain Esp-1(T) represents a novel species, for which the name Pseudomonas panipatensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of Pseudomonas panipatensis sp. nov. is Esp-1(T) (=MTCC 8990(T)=CCM 7469(T)).

Incubation of resting cells of Sphingobium indicum B90A, Sphingobium japonicum UT26, and Sphingobium francense Sp+ showed that they were able to transform beta- and delta-hexachlorocyclohexane (beta- and delta-HCH, respectively), the most recalcitrant hexachlorocyclohexane isomers, to pentachlorocyclohexanols, but only resting cells of strain B90A could further transform the pentachlorocyclohexanol intermediates to the corresponding tetrachlorocyclohexanediols. Moreover, experiments with resting cells of Escherichia coli expressing the LinB proteins of strains B90A, UT26, and Sp+ indicated that LinB was responsible for these transformations. Purified LinB proteins from all three strains also effected the formation of the respective pentachlorocyclohexanols. Although the three LinB enzymes differ only marginally with respect to amino acid sequence, they showed interesting differences with respect to substrate specificity. When LinB from strain B90A was incubated with beta- and delta-HCH, the pentachlorocyclohexanol products were further transformed and eventually disappeared from the incubation mixtures. In contrast, the LinB proteins from strains UT26 and Sp+ could not catalyze transformation of the pentachlorocyclohexanols, and these products accumulated in the incubation mixture. A mutant of strain Sp+ lacking linA and linB did not degrade any of the HCH isomers, including beta-HCH, and complementation of this mutant by linB from strain B90A restored the ability to degrade beta- and delta-HCH.

Endocrinopathy during sepsis can manifest as hyperglycemia and insulin resistance or as insufficient production of either adrenal corticosteroids or vasopressin. The results of a recent large clinical trial have demonstrated that tight glycemic control with insulin can confer survival benefit to selected intensive care unit patients. Relative impairment of adrenocortical reserve has been suggested to be an important contributor to the pathogenesis of shock in sepsis. Replacement doses of glucocorticoids and mineralocorticoids have been associated with improved survival in the subset of patients with blunted results on adrenocorticotropin hormone stimulation tests. Posterior pituitary production of vasopressin is diminished in septic shock while sensitivity to its vasopressor effects is enhanced. Clinical trials are underway to determine whether administration of vasopressin can improve outcomes in patients with septic shock. Whether the euthyroid sick syndrome represents an adaptive or a maladaptive response to severe illness remains unclear.

The genus Amycolatopsis is of industrial importance, as its species are known to produce commercial antibiotics. It belongs to the family Pseudonocardiaceae and has an eventful taxonomic history. Initially strains were identified as Streptomyces, then later as Nocardia. However, based on biochemical, morphological and molecular features, the genus Amycolatopsis, containing seventeen species, was created. The development of molecular genetic techniques for this group has been slow. The scarcity of molecular genetic tools including stable plasmids, antibiotic resistance markers, transposons, reporter genes, cloning vectors, and high efficiency transformation protocols has made progress slow, but efforts in the past decade have led to the development of cloning vectors and transformation methods for these organisms. Some of the cloning vectors have broad host range (pRL series) whereas others have limited host range (pMEA300 and pMEA100). The cloning vector pMEA300 has been completely sequenced, while only the minimal replicon (pA- rep) has been sequenced from pRL plasmids. Direct transformation of mycelia and electroporation are the most widely applicable methods for transforming species of Amycolatopsis. Conjugational transfer from Escherichia coli has been reported only in the species A. japonicum, and gene disruption and replacements using homologous recombination are now possible in some strains.

Hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) has been used extensively against agricultural pests and in public health programs for the control of mosquitoes. Commercial formulations of HCH consist of a mixture of four isomers, alpha, beta, gamma, and delta. While all these isomers pose serious environmental problems, beta-HCH is more problematic due to its longer persistence in the environment. We have studied the degradation of HCH isomers by Sphingomonas paucimobilis strain B90 and characterized the lin genes encoding enzymes from strain B90 responsible for the degradation of HCH isomers. Two nonidentical copies of the linA gene encoding HCH dehydrochlorinase, which were designated linA1 and linA2, were found in S. paucimobilis B90. The linA1 and linA2 genes could be expressed in Escherichia coli, leading to dehydrochlorination of alpha-, gamma-, and delta-HCH but not of beta-HCH, suggesting that S. paucimobilis B90 contains another pathway for the initial steps of beta-HCH degradation. The cloning and characterization of the halidohydrolase (linB), dehydrogenase (linC and linX), and reductive dechlorinase (linD) genes from S. paucimobilis B90 revealed that they share approximately 96 to 99% identical nucleotides with the corresponding genes of S. paucimobilis UT26. No evidence was found for the presence of a linE-like gene, coding for a ring cleavage dioxygenase, in strain B90. The gene structures around the linA1 and linA2 genes of strain B90, compared to those in strain UT26, are suggestive of a recombination between linA1 and linA2, which formed linA of strain UT26.