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Abstract: The iron formation of Bonai-Keonjhar belt, Keonjhar district of Odisha comprises a promising horizon of Banded Iron Formation (BIF) which is situated in the western flank of North Odisha Iron Ore Craton (NOIC). In this investigation, major, trace and REE chemistry of the Banded Iron Formation of the area are utilized to interpret the source of metals and to explain the origin and depositional environment of the BIF. Petrographic study indicates that the BIF belongs to the oxide facies iron formation consisting mainly of iron oxide (hematite) mesobands arranged alternating with silica/quartz mesobands. Bedded layers, banding structures of quartz and hematite along with their diagenetic growth indicate a sedimentary depositional milieu for BIF. The geochemical analysis data reveal that the BIF is mainly composed of Fe2O3and SiO2, which constitute more than 97% of the bulk composition. Low concentration of Al2O3, TiO2and trace HFSEs (high field strength elements) showing that BIFs are relatively detritus free chemical sediments. The chondrite normalized REE pattern display positive Eu and negative Ce anomalies which suggest the source of Fe and silica was the result of deep ocean hydrothermal activity admixture with seawater.

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is responsible for a majority of sporadic and epidemic viral hepatitides in India and other developing countries. Even though the genomes of four geographically distinct strains of HEV have been cloned and sequenced, the Indian strain of HEV remains largely uncharacterized. We have cloned and sequenced about 2.2 kb of the HEV genome constituting the structural region from an Indian strain of HEV. The nucleotide and amino acid sequences show a high degree of conservation with sequences from other HEV strains. Open reading frames (ORF) 2 and 3 were expressed in Escherichia coli as N-terminal hexahistidine epitope fusions. The purified proteins were then used in an immunoblot assay to evaluate the antibody status in sera from individuals from an area of high-level HEV endemicity. The anti-ORF2 antibodies were found to be nonspecific and could not be correlated to clinical disease. The immunoglobulin M anti-ORF3 was found to be specific for the presence of acute disease. The implications of these findings in HEV diagnosis and vaccine development are discussed.

BackgroundTraumatic carotid artery thrombosis is uncommon and it usually results from penetrating injuries and less commonly secondary to blunt trauma. It can lead to delayed clinical presentation, which leads to delay in the diagnosis. Soldiers in combat scenario also can present with such an illness, which results from varied modes of injuries. Our case illustrates an unusual cause of carotid thrombosis.Case presentationOur patient is a 37-year-old soldier who developed neck pain and headache following a 5 km training run with rifle on the shoulder and subsequently developed left upper limb weakness and evaluation revealed extracranial right internal carotid thrombosis. He was managed with anticoagulants and antiplatelets with complete resolution of the thrombosis and complete recovery of the weakness.ConclusionBlunt trauma to the neck in the form of carrying a rifle for a prolonged duration can result in injury to the carotid vessels leading to delayed neurological presentation. Educating the troops regarding such a mode of illness will prevent such a catastrophic nature of vascular injury resulting in ischaemic stroke.