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The fourteen isolates of Fusarium udum (Butler) were studied for their discernible characters such as the colour of mycelium, pigmentation of substrate, type and amount of mycelia growth, sporulation, virulence and nutritional requirement. All the isolates were found to be pathogenic though they differed in the per cent disease incidence. The isolate DHO was highly virulent as compared to other isolates. The mycelial growth of 14 isolates of Fusarium udum (Butler) on Czapek's dox agar basal medium with different carbon, nitrogen sources, temperature and pH varied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors reflect on the white paper regarding a partnership between India and Great Britain on primary healthcare that was published online in the May 2012 issue of the "British Medical Journal" (BMJ). They say that the white paper offers a functional list of partnership opportunities between the two countries to strengthen primary healthcare in India. They add that the partnership proposed should be equal in conceptualisation, development of process, adoption, and evaluation.

The cheap and easy availability of the Kinnow peel waste has reported various applications due to presence of multifunctional groups. Therefore, in present study we explored its application to synthesize N-Benzylideneaniline and its derivatives based on Schiff base reaction. Kinnow peel powder is characterized by FTIR, TEM, SEM, XRD, EDX, and TGA for functional groups, morphology, surface, elements and thermal stability. Benzaldehyde, aniline, and their derivatives such as 4-methyl benzaldehyde, 4-hydroxy benzaldehyde, 4-methoxy benzaldehyde, and 4-methoxy aniline have been used to compare the efficacy of the Schiff base reaction using analysis of variance (ANOVA) and it has been observed that combination of Aniline and benzaldehyde for Schiff base reaction provided 85% yield of relative product. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adhatoda vasica is used in the treatment of cold, cough, chronic bronchitis, asthma, diarrhea, and dysentery. The biological activities of this species are attributed with the presence of alkaloids, triterpenoids, and flavonoids. Agrobacterium rhizogenes -mediated transformation of A. vasica , produces pyrroloquinazoline alkaloids, was achieved by infecting leaf discs with strain ATCC15834. The bacterial strain infected 82.7% leaf discs and 5–7 hairy root initials were developed from the cut edges of leaf discs. In this study, seven strains of Azotobacter chroococcum and five strains of Pseudomonas putida were used for the biotization of hairy roots. Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) develops symbiotic association with roots of plants and increases the growth parameters of plants. PGPR (A. chroococcum and P. putida) increased the profiles of nitrogenase and acid phosphatase enzymes, biomass, dry matter contents, anthranilate synthase activity and accumulation of pyrroloquizoline alkaloids in the biotized hairy roots. Both enzymes (nitrogenase and acid phosphatase) maintain sufficient supply of nitrogen and dissolved phosphorus to the cells of hairy roots therefore, the levels of anthranilate synthase activity and pyrroloquinazoline alkaloids are increased. Total seven pyrroloquinazoline alkaloids (vasicine, vasicinone, vasicine acetate, 2-acetyl benzyl amine, vasicinolone, deoxyvasicine and vasicol) were identified from the biotized hairy roots of A. vasica. In our study, biotization increased the profiles of pyrroloquinazoline alkaloids therefore, this strategy may be used in increasing the production of medicinally important secondary metabolites in other plant species also. Our hypothetical model demonstrates that P. putida cell surface receptors receive root exudates by attaching on hairy roots. After attachment, the bacterial strain penetrates in the biotized hairy roots. This endophytic interaction stimulates acid phosphatase activity in the cells of biotized hairy roots. The P. putida plasmid gene (ppp1) expression led to the synthesis of acid phosphatase in cytosol. The enzyme enhances phosphorus availability as well as induces the formation of phosphoribosyl diphosphate. Later, phosphoribosyl diphosphate metabolizes to tryptophan and finally tryptophan converts to anthranilic acid. The synthesized anthranilic acid used in the synthesis of alkaloids in A. vasica. • Adhatoda vasica is used for the treatment of cold, cough, asthma, diarrhea, and dysentery. • Agrobacterium rhizogenes -mediated transformation of A. vasica was achieved by infecting leaf discs with strain ATCC15834. • PGPR increased the profiles of nitrogenase and phosphatases, anthranilate synthase and pyrroloquizoline alkaloids in biotized hairy roots. • The study may be useful in increasing the profiles of medicinally important phytochemicals in other plant species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cyclic voltammetric (CV) studies of five binary oxovanadium (IV) complexes [VO(diimine) 2 ] 2 + where diimine = 4,4′-Me 2 bipy A ; 5,5′-Me 2 bipy B ; dmp C ; bathophen D ; and bathocuproin E and seven mixed-ligand oxovanadium (IV) complexes of dipicolinic acid (DPA) with diimines, [VO(DPA)(diimine)] where diimine = bipy 1 ; 4,4′-Me 2 bipy 2 ; 5,5′-Me 2 bipy 3 ; phen, 4 ; dmp 5 ; bathophen 6 and bathocuproin 7 were carried out in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). The reduction of binary [VO(diimine) 2 ] 2 + complex (VO 2 + /V 3 + ) involving bathophen was the easiest while that involving dmp was the most difficult. The electronic spectra of all these binary [VO(diimine) 2 ] 2 + complexes in DMSO solution showed a weak broad band in the region 833–736 nm which was assigned to d–d transitions. The mixed-ligand complex involving 5,5 ′ -Me 2 bipy was the easiest oxidation and bathophen was the most difficult to oxidize amongst all these complexes in the given medium. The reduction was the easiest in mixed-ligand complex involving bathophen and the most difficult in the case of dmp. The UV–visible spectra of all mixed ligand complexes were also studied in respective medium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electrochemical behaviors of various pyridinedicarboxylic acids (pdcs),viz; 2,3-pdc, 2,4-pdc, 2,5-pdc, 2,6-pdc, 3,4-pdc, and 3,5-pyridinedicarboxylic acids only and their complexes with oxovanadium(IV) were investigated in 1:2 metal:ligand molar ratio in dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) containing 0.2 M sodium perchlorate (NaClO4) as a supporting electrolyte at a glassy carbon disc electrode (GCE) by means of cyclic voltammetry (CV). It is worth mentioning that all redox waves in pdc–oxovanadium(IV) complexes are attributed to pdc-ligand-centered redox reaction(s) because of the similarities of the cyclic voltammograms between free pdc ligands and the vanadyl complexes. CVs of the VO 2 + complexes with these ligands have also shown that the cathodic peak potential shifts toward less negative potential, while the anodic peak potential becomes more negative as compared to the redox potentials of the respective ligand, clearly indicating that the reduction becomes easier on complexation. UVvisible spectra of the complexes have also been recorded in DMSO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• In vegetative state of Ailanthus excelsa the sex of the tree cannot be identified. • Plants with male and female flowers were studied for 6 morphological descriptors. • Male plants have lower trichome diameter (11.91 µm) than female (14.18 µm) plants. • Other parameters had no significant difference between male and female plants. • Adaxial and abaxial surfaces have also been compared for male and female plants. Ailanthus excelsa Roxb., belongs to the family Simaroubaceae, is a fast-growing multipurpose tree, and used mainly as a source of fodder and shade. It bears male, female, and hermaphrodite flowers on separate plants. It has been observed that male plant has more leaf biomass during April-May in semi-arid regions of India (Jaipur). In its vegetative state, the sex of the tree cannot be identified. The present study has therefore been designed to investigate if there is any difference in male and female plants based on morphological descriptors namely stomata number, stomata length, stomata diameter, trichome number, trichome length, and trichome diameter. 20 plants with male flowers and 20 plants with female flowers have been studied. The data revealed that male plants have lower trichome diameter (11.91 µm) than female (14.18 µm) plants. Other parameters do not show any statistically significant difference (P > 0.05). The Omnibus Tests of the Model Coefficient obtained for trichome diameter (0.042) is reliable in improving the model, implying that the model is the best fit. To test the validity of this model, the Hosmer and Lemeshow test was performed, and the p-value of chi-square (0.405 > 0.05) indicates that the logistic model obtained above is the best-fit model. Further studies of trichome diameter at the seedling stage and then confirmation of plant sex at maturity level will help in establishing morphological markers in A. excelsa for identification of sex. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extraction of biosurfactants from plants is advantageous than from microbes. The properties and robustness of biosurfactant derived from the mesocarp of Balanites aegyptiaca have been reported. However, the dark brown property of biosurfactant and lack of knowledge of its biocompatibility limits its scope. In the present work, the decolorization protocol for this biosurfactant was optimized using hydrogen peroxide. The hemolytic potential and biocompatibility based on cell toxicity and proliferation were also investigated. This study is the first report on the decolorization and toxicity assay of this biosurfactant. For decolorization of biosurfactant, 34 full factorial design was used, and the data were subjected to ANOVA. Results indicate that 1.5% of hydrogen peroxide can decolorize the biosurfactant most efficiently at 40 °C in 70 min at pH 7. Mitochondrial reductase (MTT) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) assays on M5S mouse skin fibroblast cells revealed that decolorized biosurfactant up to 50 µg/mL for 6 h had no significant toxic effect. Hemolysis assay showed ~ 2.5% hemolysis of human RBCs, indicating the nontoxic effect of this biosurfactant. The present work established a decolorization protocol making the biosurfactant chromatically acceptable. Biocompatibility assays confirm its safer use as observed by experiments on M5S skin fibroblast cells under in vitro conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Dengue virus is one of the three most common agents identified in AES. • Existing surveillance for acute encephalitis syndrome (AES) does not include routine testing for dengue. • Dengue accounts for 5% of AES cases in India especially in the absence of laboratory evidence for other pathogens tested. • Testing for dengue in AES cases must be included in routine surveillance. Acute encephalitis syndrome (AES) surveillance in India has indicated that Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) accounts for 5-35% of AES cases annually; the etiology remains unknown in the remaining cases. We implemented comprehensive AES surveillance to identify other etiological agents of AES, with emphasis on dengue virus. Serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) specimens were collected from patients enrolled prospectively in AES surveillance from 2014-2017 at selected sites of three high burden states of India. All samples were initially tested for JEV IgM. Specimens negative for JEV by serology were tested for IgM to scrub typhus, dengue virus (DEN), and West Nile virus; all JEV IgM-negative CSF samples were tested by PCR for S. pneumoniae, N. meningitidis, H. influenzae , herpes simplex virus type 1, enteroviruses and DEN. Of 10,107 AES patients, an etiology could be established in 49.2% of patients including JEV (16%), scrub typhus (16%) and DEN (5.2%) as the top three agents. Amongst the DEN positive cases (359/6892), seven (2%) were positive only for dengue virus RNA: one in serum and six in CSF. Amongst the pathogens identified, dengue accounted for 5% of all AES cases and was one of the three common etiological agents. These results underscore the importance of including dengue virus in routine testing of AES cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Study of cuticular wax and its application in Calotropis procera. Highlights • Cuticular wax yield in Calotropis procera is affected by solvent and exposure duration. • With increase in leaf size the wax yield decreases. • GC–MS analysis of wax revealed presence of esters, alkane, alkene and ether. • The wax is non-toxic upto 3.0 μg/ml. • Coating with wax enhances hydrophobicity of paper (contact angle ≥ 90˚). Abstract Plastic and polythene as hydrophobic materials become a grave concern due to their non-biodegradable nature, cumbersome recycling and waste management. Cuticular wax derived from Calotropis procera is explored as an eco-friendly and safe hydrophobic material. The effects of duration of exposure to solvent, solvent type, size and side of the leaf on cuticular wax yield have been studied. Leaf with the smallest area (10 cm2–25 cm2) was found to be the most suitable to isolate the wax. GC–MS analysis of the wax revealed that the wax consists of mainly esters, alkane and alkene. Mitochondrial reductase (MTT) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) assay have been carried out on M5S cell line at various concentrations and the results indicate that up to 1 μg/ml (acetone as solvent) and 3 μg/ml (chloroform as solvent) use of wax has no toxic effect. To evaluate the hydrophobic potential of the wax in developing hydrophobic paper water regains and contact angle has been measured. The gain in hydrophobicity of the paper is evident from the rise in contact angle (≥90˚) of paper coated with wax. Scanning electron micrograph and FTIR spectra generated physical and chemical evidence of coating of wax on paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Five two-dimensional metal–organic coordination compounds (MOCCs) have been solvothermally synthesized by the combination of 2-aminonicotinic acid (ANA) and transition metal ions, viz. Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II), Zn(II) and Cd(II), in water–ethanol mixed solvent. They are formulated as [Co(C 6 H 5 N 2 O 2 ) 2 ], (Co–ANA); [Ni(C 6 H 5 N 2 O 2 ) 2 ], (Ni–ANA) [Cu(C 6 H 5 N 2 O 2 ) 2 ], (Cu–ANA), [Zn(C 6 H 5 N 2 O 2 ) 2 ], (Zn–ANA) and [Cd(C 6 H 5 N 2 O 2 ) 2 ], (Cd–ANA). Single crystal X-ray diffraction studies for the complexes Co–ANA, Ni–ANA and Cd–ANA have also been carried out. These three complexes crystallize in the tetragonal crystal system with the space group P4 1 2 1 2 . The metal ions in all these complexes have an octahedral coordination environment. The six coordinations are satisfied by two pyridine N-atoms from two different ANA ligands and four oxygen atoms from two chelating carboxylate groups of another two ANA ligands. The topological motif of the coordination network is defined as 2-periodic net or square lattice (sql). These complexes were further characterized by elemental, FT-IR spectral, thermal and powder X-ray diffraction analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two mixed-ligand copper(II)-organic coordination compounds with 5,5′-dimethyl-2,2′-bipyridine (5,5′-Me 2 bpy) as a primary ligand while aliphatic malonate (Hmal) and aromatic 2-hydroxynicotinate (2-OHNA) as secondary ligands, were synthesized. These complexes are formulated as: [Cu(Hmal)(5,5′-Me 2 bpy)(H 2 O)](ClO 4 ) 1 and [Cu 2 (2-OHNA) 2 (5,5′-Me 2 bpy) 2 (NO 3 )](NO 3 ) 2. These two complexes were structurally characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. Characterization was further supported by powder X-ray diffraction analysis, elemental analyses, FT-IR, FAB-MASS and TGA, DSC studies. Cyclic voltammetric and UV-visible spectral studies of these two complexes have also been done. The electrochemical studies of complex 1 in DMSO and DMF have shown that this complex undergoes quasi-reversible diffusion-controlled one-electron transfer reaction without any chemical complication while complex 2 in DMSO undergoes quasi-reversible diffusion-controlled one electron transfer reaction, following EC mechanism. The electrochemical behaviour of complex 2 in DMF is complicated probably due to presence of more than one species in solution phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aqua-bridged coordination polymers of Cu(II) and Cd(II) and a mononuclear complex of Cu(II) were solvothermally synthesized with hydroxy-decorated ligands such as 2-hydroxynicotinic acid (2-OHNAH) and 6-hydroxynicotinic acid (6-OHNAH) in aqueous-nonaqueous mixed media. All these complexes were characterized by elemental analyses (C, H, N), FT-IR, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), powder XRD and single crystal X-ray crystallography. They are formulated as [Cu(2-OHNA) 2 ] 1 , [Cu(6-OHNA) 2 (μ-H 2 O) 2 ] n 2 and [Cd(6-OHNA) 2 (μ-H 2 O) 2 ] n 3 . Complex 1 is mononuclear 0D square planar complex which extends its dimensionality by weak supramolecular interactions such as π–π stacking interactions and intermolecular hydrogen bonding. Complexes 2 and 3 are polymeric aqua-bridged 1D infinite chain of Cu(II) and Cd(II), respectively. The central metal ions in these two complexes are in octahedral coordination environment. These two complexes are also assembled by π–π stacking interactions, inter- and intramolecular hydrogen bonding interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sustenance of food and nutritional security are the major challenges of the 21st century. The domestic food production needs to increase per annum at the rate of 2% for cereals and 0.6% for oilseeds and pulses to meet the demand by 2030. The Indo-Gangetic Plains (IGP) and the black soil regions (BSR) are the two major food production zones of the country. Since irrigation potential is limited and expansion of irrigated area is tardy, rainfed agriculture holds promise to satisfy future food needs. Frontline demonstrations of these two regions have shown that there is a large gap at the farmers' and achievable levels of yields. This gap can be filled by adopting scientific approach of managing the natural resources. There is tremendous pressure of biotic and abiotic stresses hindering the crop production and that warrants for a systematic appraisal of natural resources. The National Bureau of Soil Survey and Land Use Planning (NBSS&LUP) under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) divided the country into 60 agro-ecological sub-regions (AESRs) in 1994 by superimposing maps on natural resources like soils, climate and length of growing period (LGP) for crops and other associated parameters. With the passage of nearly two decades and the advent of modern facilities of database management and improved knowledge base on natural resources, a need was felt to revise the existing AESR map to reach near the ground reality of crop performance. The new database stored in soil and terrain digital database (SOTER) has helped in modifying the AESR delineations of the BSR (76.4 m ha) and the IGP (52.01 m ha). The estimated available water content, saturated hydraulic conductivity and use of pedo-transfer functions in assessing the drainage conditions and soil quality have helped in computing with improved precision the LGP, and revise the earlier AESRs in BSR and IGP areas. This innovative exercise will be useful for the future AESR-based agricultural land use planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A survey was undertaken in the established benchmark (BM) soil series in different agro-ecological sub regions (AESR) of Black Soil Regions (BSR) in India with an objective to study the impacts of bio-climates, cropping systems and land use systems on the distribution of dehydrogenase activity (DHA) in different soil profiles. The DHA was found to decline with depth and the maximum activity was recorded within 0–30cm soil depth. Cropping systems and bio-climates significantly (p<0.01) influence the DHA in soil. Significantly (p<0.01) higher DHA was recorded in Sub-humid moist (SHm) bio-climate (2.45μg TPFg−1) followed by Semi-arid dry (SAd) (2.00μg TPFg−1) and the least in arid bio-climate (1.62μg TPFg−1). The average DHA in different bio-climates were in decreasing order of Sub-humid moist>Semi-arid dry>Sub-humid dry>arid. Legume-based cropping system recorded higher DHA (2.32–2.88μg TPFg−1) followed by cereal-based cropping system (1.29–2.82μg TPFg−1). The average DHA in different cropping systems were in decreasing order of legume>cereals>cotton>sugarcane. The comparisons of DHA in different soils indicated significant differences (p<0.01) between the soil sub groups. High management practices found to significantly increase DHA (2.15μg TPFg−1) compared to low management (1.78μg TPFg−1), whilst no significant differences were found in DHA between irrigated and rainfed system. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Introduction: Hidden hunger or micronutrient deficiencies are quite common in many parts of the world, particularly in the countries of sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. Micronutrient deficiencies may impact insulin signalling pathways and glucose metabolism, potentially accelerating the onset and development of type 2 diabetes (T2D). This review aims to estimate the prevalence of multiple micronutrient deficiencies among patients with T2D and assess the effect of their deficiency on glycaemic control., Methodology: The review follows the Cochrane Handbook and PRISMA 2020 guidelines. It includes all eligible studies reporting the prevalence of micronutrient deficiencies and their effect on glycaemic control in T2D patients. We would undertake a comprehensive literature search across databases: PubMed, Scopus, EMBASE, LILACS, ProQuest, Google Scholar and grey literature, and identify the studies meeting the inclusion criteria. We would perform data extraction using a prepiloted data extraction sheet and record relevant study characteristics and outcomes., Analysis: Data will be analysed using JBI Sumari software and R software. Pooled prevalence/incidence of micronutrient deficiency will be estimated, and variance will be stabilised using logit transformation and a double-arcsine transformation of the data. The OR and risk ratio of glycaemic control among T2D cases with and without micronutrient deficiency will be estimated using the 'rma' function under the 'meta' and 'metafor' packages.The study findings will have implications for diabetes management strategies and may inform interventions targeting improved glycaemic control through addressing micronutrient deficiencies., Ethics and Dissemination: This systematic review will be based on the scientific information available in the public domain; therefore, ethics approval is not required. We will share the study findings at national and international conferences and submit them for publication in relevant scientific journals., Prospero Registration Number: CRD42023439780., Competing Interests: Competing interests: FA declares potential conflicts of interest as employees of Abbott, the study sponsor., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2024. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Background: The information on healthcare expenditure is crucial to know the impact of the pandemic on public health budgets, thereby correctly managing the ongoing crisis and preparing for subsequent waves., Objective: To estimate the length of stay and cost incurred on COVID-19 patients who died in the ICU., Methods: It is a record-based descriptive study conducted on 76 deceased COVID-19 patients admitted to the ICU of a dedicated COVID-19 hospital (DCH) between April and October 2020. Central Government Health Services (CGHS) package rate list, Delhi-NCR, was used as a reference for the cost of the ICU bed, ventilator, investigations, and procedures., Results: The median duration of stay in the hospital was 12 days, and in the ICU, it was eight days. The median total cost of managing the patient was 91,235.6 INR; of this, the median total cost for ICU stay per patient was 6,904 INR. The major proportion of total expenses was contributed by personal protective equipment (PPE) kits, an average of 11,091.33 INR per month. The median cost of stay in the ICU, on the ventilator, in the ward, and mean cost of investigations were higher among those with associated co-morbidities., Conclusion: Most elderly male with co-morbidities lost their battle after ventilator support in the ICU. Patients with co-morbidities and severe disease not only have a long duration of hospitalization and poor survival rate but also fetch an economic burden close to one lakh on the institute., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright © 2024, Vig et al.)

In this COVID-19 era, isolating people and reviewing their contacts has proven to be insufficient to control the COVID-19 pandemic as there was a huge gap between exposure to the virus and isolation due to the late onset of symptoms. This led to the spread of infection and people faced the consequences not only of viral infection, but also of financial and occupational crises. People followed best management practices, however, new variants emerged that caused infection. With little information on new COVID-19 variants and their transmission, the disease spread rapidly in humans. Until now, the link between the spread of COVID-19 and the disposal of biomedical waste with household waste has not been established. Therefore, the only way to prevent infection is to make people aware. It is still necessary to open the doors for research to find the possible cause of the appearance of a new variant of COVID-19. To cope with the situation, the level of awareness among the public and their action towards the prevention of spread of infection caused by COVID-19 and its emerging variants must be known. Therefore, a survey was conducted in Jaipur from January to February 2022 to find out the status of awareness. Results of the survey revealed that both people are aware about the infection caused by COVID-19 and its variants. They are also aware about the precautions to be followed to protect themselves from acquiring COVID-19 infection. Most of the people are using masks but not gloves to prevent themselves from the infection. Merely, 71.6% of young, 100% of adults, 40% of old people sanitize their masks and gloves before disposal. Only 66.5% people are using separate bags for the collection of wastes. Despite of awareness about biomedical waste, 25% of young never sanitize, and 26.13% of young seldom sanitizes their waste before disposal. Such types of cases were not observed in adults and old age groups. Similarly, 2.3% of young did not sanitize PPE kit prior to disposal. Results of this study revealed that there is awareness about the different strains of corona virus and biomedical wastes. However, some people showed casual behaviour in the waste disposal practices. The strict implementation of rules to dispose biomedical waste will be useful for dealing with biomedical waste in this pandemic period., Competing Interests: Conflict of interestThere are no competing interest related to this manuscript., (© The Author(s) under exclusive licence to Society for Plant Research 2022, Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.)

Background: Annual outbreaks of acute encephalitis syndrome pose a major health burden in India. Although Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) accounts for around 15% of reported cases, the aetiology of most cases remains unknown. We aimed to establish an enhanced surveillance network and to use a standardised diagnostic algorithm to conduct a systematic evaluation of acute encephalitis syndrome in India., Methods: In this large-scale, systematic surveillance study in India, patients presenting with acute encephalitis syndrome (ie, acute onset of fever with altered mental status, seizure, or both) to any of the 18 participating hospitals across Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, and Assam were evaluated for JEV (serum and cerebrospinal fluid [CSF] IgM ELISA) per standard of care. In enhanced surveillance, JEV IgM-negative specimens were additionally evaluated for scrub typhus, dengue virus, and West Nile virus by serum IgM ELISA, and for Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, Neisseria meningitidis, dengue virus, herpes simplex virus, and enterovirus by CSF PCR across five referral laboratories. In 2017, chikungunya and Leptospira serum IgM by ELISA and Zika virus serum and CSF by PCR were also tested., Findings: Of 10 107 patients with acute encephalitis syndrome enrolled in enhanced surveillance between Jan 1, 2014, and Dec 31, 2017, 5734 (57·8%) of 9917 participants with available data were male and 6179 (62·7%) of 9856 were children aged 15 years and younger. Among patients who provided a sample of either CSF or serum in enhanced surveillance, an aetiology was identified in 1921 (33·2%) of 5786 patients enrolled between 2014 and 2016 and in 1484 (34·3%) of 4321 patients enrolled in 2017. The most commonly identified aetiologies were JEV (1023 [17·7%] of 5786 patients), scrub typhus (645 [18·5%] of 3489), and dengue virus (161 [5·2%] of 3124). Among participants who provided both CSF and serum specimens, an aetiology was identified in 1446 (38·3%) of 3774 patients enrolled between 2014 and 2016 and in 936 (40·3%) of 2324 enrolled in 2017, representing a 3·1-times increase in the number of patients with acute encephalitis syndrome with an identified aetiology compared with standard care alone (299 [12·9%]; p<0·0001)., Interpretation: Implementation of a systematic diagnostic algorithm in an enhanced surveillance platform resulted in a 3·1-times increase in identification of the aetiology of acute encephalitis syndrome, besides JEV alone, and highlighted the importance of scrub typhus and dengue virus as important infectious aetiologies in India. These findings have prompted revision of the national testing guidelines for this syndrome across India., Funding: US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests We declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 license. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Legacy soil data have been produced over 70 years in nearly all countries of the world. Unfortunately, data, information and knowledge are still currently fragmented and at risk of getting lost if they remain in a paper format. To process this legacy data into consistent, spatially explicit and continuous global soil information, data are being rescued and compiled into databases. Thousands of soil survey reports and maps have been scanned and made available online. The soil profile data reported by these data sources have been captured and compiled into databases. The total number of soil profiles rescued in the selected countries is about 800,000. Currently, data for 117, 000 profiles are compiled and harmonized according to GlobalSoilMap specifications in a world level database (WoSIS). The results presented at the country level are likely to be an underestimate. The majority of soil data is still not rescued and this effort should be pursued. The data have been used to produce soil property maps. We discuss the pro and cons of top-down and bottom-up approaches to produce such maps and we stress their complementarity. We give examples of success stories. The first global soil property maps using rescued data were produced by a top-down approach and were released at a limited resolution of 1km in 2014, followed by an update at a resolution of 250m in 2017. By the end of 2020, we aim to deliver the first worldwide product that fully meets the GlobalSoilMap specifications., (© 2017.)

Competing Interests: Competing interests: All authors have read and understood BMJ policy on declaration of interests and have no relevant interests to declare.

A single dose (30 mg/kg body weight) of standardized sea buckthorn leaf extract (SBL-1), administered 30 min before whole body (60)Co-gamma-irradiation (lethal dose, 10 Gy), protected >90% of mice population. The purpose of this study was to investigate the mechanism of action of SBL-1 on jejunum and bone marrow, quantify key bioactive compounds, and analyze chemical composition of SBL-1. Study with 9-week-old inbred male Swiss albino Strain 'A' mice demonstrated that SBL-1 treatment before (60)Co-gamma-irradiation (10 Gy) significantly (p < 0.05) countered radiation induced decreases in jejunum crypts (1.27-fold), villi number (1.41-fold), villus height (1.25-fold), villus cellularity (2.27-fold), cryptal Paneth cells (1.89-fold), and Bcl2 level (1.54-fold). It countered radiation induced increases in cryptal apoptotic cells (1.64-fold) and Bax levels (1.88-fold). It also countered radiation (2 Gy and 3 Gy) induced bone marrow apoptosis (1.59-fold and 1.85-fold) and micronuclei frequency (1.72-fold and 2.6-fold). SBL-1 rendered radiation protection by promoting cryptal stem cells proliferation, by regulating apoptosis, and by countering radiation induced chromosomal damage. Quercetin, Ellagic acid, Gallic acid, high contents polyphenols, tannins, and thiols detected in SBL-1 may have contributed to radiation protection by neutralization of radiation induced oxidative species, supporting stem cell proliferation and tissue regeneration.

The water from 20 wells of Nari area was assessed for different quality parameters. The nitrate (NO(-)3) concentration ranged from 57 to 80 ppm which is above the BIS limit while nitrite (NO(-02) concentration was within the BIS limit of 0.02 ppm. The pH of the water samples varied from 7.3 to 8.2. The concentrations of micronutrient cations, namely Zn, Fe, Cu and Mn, were below the toxic level in all the samples but some of the samples of the water had high and infinite growth of E. coli, Coliform bacteria, Pseudomonas aerugilosa, Yeast and molds count makes the well water of poor quality for drinking purpose.

Plasma inflammatory markers have been shown to be predictors for cardiovascular risk, however, there is no study where the levels of plasma circulatory markers have been evaluated in coronary artery disease patients (CAD pts) positive for C. pneumoniae IgA and high sensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP) which may help in better understanding of disease pathogenesis. A total of 192 patients and 192 controls attending the Cardiology Outpatient Department of Safdarjung Hospital were enrolled. The levels of plasma circulatory inflammatory markers were evaluated by ELISA. The levels of circulatory plasma markers (IL-4, IL-8, IL-13, ICAM-1, and VCAM-1) were significantly higher, whereas, levels of IL-10 and IFN-gamma were significantly lower in CAD pts compared to healthy controls. The levels of IL-4, IL-8, and ICAM-1 (P = .007, .015, and .048) were significantly higher, however, IL-10 and IFN-gamma were significantly lower (P < .001, < .001) in C. pneumoniae IgA positive CAD pts. The levels of IL-4, IL-8, IL-13, ICAM-1, and VCAM-1 were higher but not significant and levels of IL-10 and IFN-gamma were significantly (P < .001, < .001) lower in hsCRP positive CAD pts. Our study suggested that circulatory cytokines, namely, IL-4, IL-8, and adhesive molecules like ICAM-1 were enhanced after infection with C. pneumoniae whereas in contrast to this IL-10 and IFN-lambda were lowered. Suggesting the important role of these cytokines in progression of CAD.

The effect of irrigation by the effluent of paper industry versus well water on properties of soils in three seasons was studied in Nagpur district, Maharashtra. The effluent had high total dissolved salts and biological oxygen demand than well water. pH, EC and availability of N, P, K, Zn, Cu, Fe, Mn, Cd, Co, Cr, Ni, Pb, particularly in surface layer of paper industry effluent irrigated soil at different seasons found to increase compared to well water irrigated soils, but heavy metals (non-essential nutrients) were within the permissible limits.

The effect of irrigation by sugar factory effluent (spentwash) and the well water from adjoining area has been studied in Wardha district, Maharashtra. The effluent had high TDS (422-608 mgL(-1)), COD (1152-17680 mgL(-1)) and BOD(380-650 mgL(-1)) than well water (TDS 240 mgL(-1), COD 3.8 mgL(-1) and BOD 1.2 mgL(-1)). There found some nutrients, viz. N, P, K, Zn, Cu, Fe, Mn in surface layer of soil in different seasons. Heavy metals (Cd, Co, Cr, Ni, Pb) were found to be within the permissible limits.

Plants are an abundant source of medicinal compounds, some of which are useful in combating free radical-mediated oxidative stress. In the present study, initially two fractions designated REC-1001 (flavonoid-rich fraction) and REC-1002 (flavonoid-poor fraction) of Hippophae rhamnoides were screened on the basis of their reducing power in the aqueous phase. REC-1001 was selected for further study, since it exhibited 27.38 times higher antioxidant activity than REC-1002. REC-1001 also showed significant (P < .05) membrane protection potential at 50 microg/mL, which was attributed to its ability to scavenge peroxyl radicals (64.82 +/- 1.25% scavenging within 1,440 min). A significant (P < .05) difference of 67.02% in free radical scavenging activity at 1,000 ng/mL between REC-1001 and vitamin E demonstrated the extract fraction's worth in radiation protection. Such activities were attributed to the presence of quercetin, isorhamnetin, and kaempferol in this fraction. Further, REC-1001 was found to be nontoxic up to 200 mg/kg of body weight. This research suggests that the REC-1001 fraction of H. rhamnoides extract is a safe and effective antioxidant nutraceutical product.

The present study reports the radioprotective properties of a hydro-alcoholic rhizome extract of Rhodiola imbricata (code named REC-7004), a plant native to the high-altitude Himalayas. The radioprotective effect, along with its relevant superoxide ion scavenging, metal chelation, antioxidant, anti-lipid peroxidation and anti-hemolytic activities was evaluated under both in vitro and in vivo conditions. Chemical analysis showed the presence of high content of polyphenolics (0.971 +/- 0.01 mg% of quercetin). Absorption spectra analysis revealed constituents that absorb in the range of 220-290 nm, while high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis confirmed the presence of four major peaks with retention times of 4.780, 5.767, 6.397 and 7.577 min. REC-7004 was found to lower lipid oxidation significantly (p < 0.05) at concentrations viz., 8 and 80 microg/ml respectively as compared to reduced glutathione, although the optimally protective dose was 80 microg/ml, which showed 59.5% inhibition of induction of linoleic acid degradation within first 24 h. The metal chelation activity of REC-7004 was found to increase concomitantly from 1 to 50 microg/ml. REC-7004 (10-50 microg/ml) exhibited significant metal chelation activity (p < 0.05), as compared to control, and maximum percentage inhibition (30%) of formation of iron-2,2'-bi-pyridyl complex was observed at 50 microg/ml, which correlated well with quercetin (34.9%), taken as standard. The reducing power of REC-7004 increased in a dose-dependent manner. The absorption unit value of REC-7004 was significantly lower (0.0183 +/- 0.0033) as compared to butylated hydroxy toluene, a standard antioxidant (0.230 +/- 0.091), confirming its high reducing ability. Superoxide ion scavenging ability of REC-7004 exhibited a dose-dependent increase (1-100 microg/ml) and was significantly higher (p < 0.05) than that of quercetin at lower concentrations (1-10 microg/ml), while at 100 microg/ml, both quercetin and REC-7004 scavenged over 90% superoxide anions. MTT assay in U87 cell line revealed an increase in percent survival of cells at doses between 25 and 125 microg/ml in case of drug + radiation group. In vivo evaluation of radio-protective efficacy in mice revealed that intraperitoneal administration of REC-7004 (maximally effective dose: 400 mg/kg b.w.) 30 min prior to lethal (10 Gy) total-body gamma-irradiation rendered 83.3% survival. The ability of REC-7004 to inhibit lipid peroxidation induced by iron/ascorbate, radiation (250 Gy) and their combination [i.e., iron/ascorbate and radiation (250 Gy)], was also investigated and was found to decrease in a dose-dependent manner (0.05-2 mg/ml). The maximum percent inhibition of formation of MDA-TBA complex at 2 mg/ml in case of iron/ascorbate, radiation (250 Gy) and both i.e., iron/ascorbate with radiation (250 Gy) was 53.78, 63.07, and 51.76% respectively and were found to be comparable to that of quercetin. REC-7004 (1 microg/ml) also exhibited significant anti-hemolytic capacity by preventing radiation-induced membrane degeneration of human erythrocytes. In conclusion, Rhodiola renders in vitro and in vivo radioprotection via multifarious mechanisms that act in a synergistic manner.