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Two folded interpenetrating metal organic frameworks (MOFs) viz. {[Zn4(L)2(NO3)(H2O)3]+ [S1]}n(LZn) and {[Cd4(L)2(NO3)(DMF)8(H2O)](NO3)(DMF)2(S2)}n (LCd) where S1 denotes squeezed nitrate anions and solvent molecules and S2 denotes the squeezed solvent molecule, have been synthesized from (4,4′,4′'-(((2,4,6-trimethylbenzene-1,3,5-triyl)tris(methylene))tris(azanediyl))tribenzoic acid) (H3L) ligand and Zn(NO3)2•6H2O/Cd(NO3)2•4H2O metal salts by solvothermal process. The structural analysis showed that both LZn and LCd are two dimensional (2D) interpenetrating metal organic frameworkscontaining binuclear paddle wheel secondary building units (SBUs), Zn2(COO)3 and Cd2(COO)3, with hexagonal (hcb) net topology having 3-connected uninodal net. In LZn, both interpenetrating frameworks are vertical while in LCd, these are parallel to each other. Thermogravimetric analysis showed that both MOFs are stable up to 350 °C. Gas adsorption study demonstrated that these MOFs are selective towards CO2 over N2 gas due to sieving effect as well as Lewis acid-Lewis base interaction.

This paper presents secure transmission in orthogonal space time block codes (OSTBC) in the presence of channel estimation error over multiple input multiple output (MIMO) wiretap channels. In this paper, we evaluate probability of non-zero secrecy capacity (PNZSC) and secrecy outage probability (SOP) for OSTBC system over Rayleigh fading channels considering the impact of channel estimation error (CEE). The numerical result demonstrates that the system is generic and valid for any transceiving and eavesdropper antennas.

Intrauterine Growth Restriction (IUGR) is defined as the inability of a fetus to gain the normal growth potential due to maternal-placental-fetal factors. These factors mainly involve metabolic disorders, infections, substance abuse and exposure to harmful substances. Incidence of IUGR is higher in developing countries. Proper diagnosis at suitable time is necessary for proper treatment and management. Although, the mechanism is not clear but oxidative stress, immunological factors, aryl hydrocarbon receptor and adduct formation are some pathways which are involved in IUGR. The aftermaths of IUGR involves post-birth complications, perinatal mortality and morbidity. Therefore, management and treatment involves use of both pharmacological (Tocolytics, Corticosteroids, antibiotics) and non-pharmacological methods (bed rest, cerclage). This review highlights the possible risk factors, mechanisms, other biochemical pathways involved, as well as pharmacological and non-pharmacological management of IUGR.Journal of Biomedical Sciences. 2015;2(4):31-37

Th e main objective of this study wa s to investigate hypoglycemic effects of Bougainvillea g labra Leaves extract in Streptozotocin ( S TZ ) induced hyperglycemic rats . The se condary objective of the study wa s to study effect of extract on b iochemical parameters . Extract wa s prepared from leaves of Bougainvillea g labra by Soxhlet extraction method . Diabetes was induced in rats by using Streptozotocin and rats were divided into 6 groups namely control, Diabetic, treated groups at doses of 250 mg / kg, 500 mg / kg, 1000 mg / kg and Lisinopri l treated group . Blood and Urine samples we re collected for the estimation of Total Glycerides ( TG ) , Serum Cholesterol, Total protein, Blood Urea Nitrogen ( BUN ) , Serum Creatinine, Thiobarbituric acid reactive substance ( TBARS ) and Glutathione levels ( GSH ). The result showed positive effect of leaves extract to reduce hyperglycemia in treated group as compared to control group . Bougainvil le a g labra extract at 1000 mg / kg dose showed efficient results .

The electron scattering elastic and total scattering cross section for CF 3 X and CF 2 X 2 (where X = H, Cl, Br, and I) molecules are reported in this article for incident energies from 30 to 5000 eV. These cross sections are relevant to various fields of applied interest, especially to plasma modelling. The calculations are performed using the quantum mechanical approach, where the potential representing the interaction dynamics between the incoming electron and the scattering centre of the molecule is formulated using spherical complex optical potential. This potential is then incorporated to Schrodinger equation, which is solved through partial wave analysis. The results obtained in the present calculation are compared with previously available experimental and theoretical data.

Similar to their mammalian counterpart, protozoan parasites including Leishmania donovani detoxify methylglyoxal (MG),(1) a toxic ubiquitous product generated in glycolysis pathway. However, it differs in one or more way(s) from the humans. It is known that MG is eliminated either through glyoxalase (GLO)(2) pathway and/or excreted across the cell membrane. This toxic metabolic by-product is known to be detoxified predominantly by the GLO pathway and excretion across the cell membrane is never considered to be a significant pathway for its detoxification. We have tried to modulate these pathways under various physiological conditions to find ways that may lead to accumulation of MG in L. donovani. Besides targeting the GLO pathway, we intend to understand the mechanism of MG release across the cell membrane and possible ways to inhibit its exclusion from parasites. In our study, it was found that inorganic phosphate (Pi)(3) in the presence of glucose inhibits the production of MG as well as promotes the expulsion of MG from the cell. Moreover, the trivalent form of antimony (Sb(III)) inhibits GLO pathway and thus detoxification of MG. Inhibition of Pi transport, which is a Na(+)/H(+) dependent process, restores the Pi mediated abrogation of MG production. Thus, Sb(III) along with inhibitors of Pi transporter may be a therapeutic advancement for treatment of antimony resistant cases of human visceral leishmaniasis. However, it requires further validation using specific inhibitor(s) of Pi transporter.

Cooperation among different cognitive radios is used to enhance the sensing performance by exploiting the multiuser diversity. Soft and Hard decision fusion schemes are usually employed at the fusion center to detect the presence or absence of primary user. Soft decision fusion schemes perform better than hard fusion schemes but at the cost of increased bandwidth burden on the control channel. In this context, we propose a semi-soft fusion scheme to achieve a tradeoff between sensing performance and bandwidth cost. Under this scheme, each cognitive radio makes a local decision and sends one or two-bit data to the fusion center based on the observed test statistics. On the basis of received data, fusion center estimates the global test statistics which are then compared to a predetermined threshold to make the final decision. Furthermore, a closed form expression for average bandwidth cost for the proposed scheme is also derived. MATLAB simulation demonstrates that the performance of the proposed semi-soft fusion approaches to that of soft fusion scheme with a remarkable reduction in the bandwidth cost of control channel.

Depression and diabetes mellitus are two chronic disorders, and both of which have occupied places in the WHO top 10 causes of global burden of diseases. These two disorders have more in common than what was previously thought. Several hypotheses involving biology, genetics and psychology have attempted to explain the link between the two, but it has proven to be elusive until now. Theories involving vascular factors, insulin and glucose metabolism, neurological changes and lifestyle aberrations have come close to forming a unitary explanation for this disease model. The understanding into the shared pathogenesis of depression as well as diabetes has opened up new frontiers into research of chronic disorders and how closely they interact with each other. This review attempts to break the descartian dichotomy between mind and body by highlighting the strong link between depression and diabetes.

We report here the total ionisation cross sections for CF3X and CF2X2 (X = H, Cl, Br and I) molecules by electron impact from ionisation threshold to 5 keV. The total inelastic cross section is obtained employing a quantum mechanical approach called spherical complex optical potential formalism. Then, using a semi-empirical complex scattering potential-ionisation contribution method, the ionisation cross section is derived from the inelastic cross section. The results obtained are compared with previous measurements and theoretical values, wherever available and a satisfactorily agreement is observed. The ionisation cross section values for CF2I2 molecule are reported for the first time.

Cognitive radio (CR) offers solution to the problem of spectrum underutilization by opportunistic spectrum access. Spectrum sensing is one of the important functions of CR as it affects both Primary Users (PUs) protection and Secondary Users (SUs) achievable throughput. In this paper, we are introducing a spectrum sensing scheme which selects either single threshold or double threshold energy detection method based on the estimated Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR) value of the channel. This scheme achieves a better tradeoff between sensing performance and achievable throughput as compared to conventional methods that works purely on single threshold or double threshold energy detection method.

Maleic acid, present in the effluent from organic intermediate producing industries, is an industrially important raw material. Its use in manufacture of alkyd and polyester resins, surface coatings, lubricant additives, plasticizers, co-polymers and agricultural chemicals, makes it necessary to explore for best possible techniques to recover it from aqueous solutions. The present work investigates the recovery of maleic acid from aqueous solution at ambient temperature. N–Methyl–n, n–dioctyloctan–1–ammonium chloride, (commercially known as Aliquat 336) is used as an extractant with three different diluents, belonging to different chemical classes: an aromatic hydrocarbon, a ketone, and an acetate. The chemical extraction results are reported in the terms of distribution coefficient, degree of extraction, and loading ratios. The results were modeled by mass action equilibria model as well as differential evolution technique. Differential evolution algorithm has been prepared. The model and experimental observations were compared and fairly good agreement was observed.

Cognitive radio is a new paradigm in wireless communication for improving the spectrum utilization. Spectrum sensing is a fundamental component of cognitive radio networks. Among all the available spectrum sensing algorithms, energy detection scheme has gained more interest owing to its simple implementation. In this paper, we propose a threshold setting algorithm for energy detection scheme which aims at maximizing the spectrum utilization. A closed-form expression for adaptive threshold for maximal spectrum utilization is derived and analyzed. Numerical results demonstrate that the proposed scheme outperforms the conventional methods of determining the threshold.

Background: Due to lack of training in emergency care, basic emergency care in India is still in its infancy. We designed All India Institute of Medical Sciences basic emergency care course (AIIMS BECC) to address the issue. Aim: To improve the knowledge and skill of healthcare workers and laypersons in basic emergency care and to identify impact of the course. Materials and Methods: Prospective study conducted over a period of 4 years. The target groups were medical and nonmedical personnel. Provider AIIMS BECC is of 1 day duration including lectures on cardio-pulmonary resuscitation, choking, and special scenarios. Course was disseminated via lectures, audio-visual aids, and mannequin training. For analysis, the participants were categorized on the basis of their education and profession. A pre- and a post-course evaluation were done and individual scores were given out of 20 and compared among all the groups and P value was calculated. Results: A total of 1283 subjects were trained. 99.81% became providers and 2.0% were trained as instructors. There was a significant improvement in knowledge among all the participants irrespective of their education level including medicos/nonmedicos. However, participants who had higher education (graduates and postgraduates) and/or belonged to medical field had better knowledge gain as compared to those who had low level of education (≤12th standard) and were nonmedicos. Conclusion: BECC is an excellent community initiative to improve knowledge and skill of healthcare and laypersons in providing basic emergency care.

Three-phase induction motors are considered the backbone of the modern industrial processes. Incipient stage detection of deformities in induction motors is very essential to prevent them from catastrophic failures. The detection and diagnosis of broken rotor bar fault has been receiving prominence amid modern industrial era. An irregularity in operation of motor produces harmonic content in motor supply current. Thus, motor current analysis can provide requisite useful information about occurrence of machine faults in near future. In this paper, a comparative analysis of broken rotor bar fault diagnosis is carried out under different motor loading conditions and fault severity. The detection of fault related components is done with the help of steady state current analysis using Fast Fourier Transformation (FFT). This method is load dependent and capable of identifying the fault using magnitude of frequencies in current spectra.

Cognitive radios are mindful and wise gadgets which can detect the changing natural conditions and can change their parameter like recurrence, adjustment systems, coping strategies, control and so on. It is indicated by changing measurable correspondence ecological subsequently bringing about effective use of accessible assets. Psychological radios must be sufficiently shrewd to learn and choose about their working parameters and could change their transmission and gathering parameters to meet execution prerequisites and boost QoS [6]. Operations of the subjective radio are controlled by the Cognitive motor (CE). The cognitive motor plays out the undertakings of detecting, examination, learning, basic leadership and reconfiguration [3]. Cognitive radio systems comprise two sorts of clients, essential (authorized) and auxiliary (unlicensed or intellectual) clients. Authorized clients have a higher need for the use of the authorized range. Then again unlicensed clients can artfully impart in authorized range by changing their correspondence parameters in a versatile way when range gaps are accessible [7]. Scholarly radios are made with a particular ultimate objective to give extremely strong correspondence to all customers of the framework, anywhere and at any point necessary and to energize fruitful utilization of the radio Spectrum [4]. This inspection has obliged the managerial bodies to look through a procedure where assistant (unlicensed) structures are allowed to adroitly utilize the unused cognitive (approved) bunches more often than not suggested as void zones [5].

A sixteen-year-old girl reported to department of Gastroenterology, Manipal Hospital, Jaipur with history of chronic diarrhoea, this diarrhoea was there for 3 months, with watery stool, diarrhoea having no relation to food intake, times of the day, not relieving with any medicine tried, patient seen my many gastroenterologists earlier normal duodenoscopy and full colonoscopy, no ileoscopy done. There was a history of laparoscopic cholecystectomy a few months back for symptomatic gall stones, she could clearly describe that after cholecystectomy one week was uneventful, then she developed diarrhoea, they met the surgeon, as many people develop bile acid induced diarrhoea after cholecystectomy same diagnosis was kept, she was given few days cholestyramine, antimotility drugs and metronidazole but with no benefit.

Research demonstrates the importance of nutrition for early brain development. Few studies have examined the effectiveness of multiple micronutrient powders (MNP) on child development. This study examined the impacts of home fortification with MNP on motor and mental development, executive function and memory of children living in Bihar. This two-arm cluster-randomised effectiveness trial selected seventy health sub-centres to receive either MNP and nutrition counselling (intervention) or nutrition counselling alone (control) for 12 months. Front-line health workers delivered the intervention to all households in study communities with a child aged 6–18 months. Data were collected using cross-sectional surveys at baseline and endline by selecting households from intervention (baseline, n 2184; endline, n 2170) and control (baseline, n 2176; endline, n 2122) communities using a two-stage cluster-randomised sampling strategy. Children in the intervention group had a significantly larger improvement from baseline to endline compared with those in the control group on scores for motor and mental development (Cohen’s d, motor=0·12; 95 % CI 0·03, 0·22; mental=0·15; 95 % CI 0·06, 0·25). Greater impacts of MNP on motor and mental development were observed in children from households with higher stimulation scores at baseline compared with those with lower stimulation (Cohen’s d, motor=0·20 v. 0·09; mental=0·22 v. 0·14; P interaction

Over the last few decades the Free Space Optics (FSO) communication is being preferred over the other established technologies such as RF (Radio Frequency) systems for voice and data communication. The FSO communication has many advantages such as high bandwidth, license free technology, ease of deployment and high data rates. In spite of these advantages, it could not gain much popularity in commercial use because of being a light based technology. The light beam travelling through the free space gets affected by different weather conditions like rain, haze and fog etc. which leads to beam divergence and scattering of the optical signal. In this paper we have evaluated the BER and Q-Factor for different modulation formats (CSRZ, MDRZ and DRZ) under various weather conditions. From the results, it has been observed that as atmospheric condition changes from clear weather to haze, rain and fog, link distance range decreases from 3km to 1km, and among the 3 modulation formats CSRZ has the best performance in terms of Q factor and BER for all the weather conditions.

People suffering from malnutrition become susceptible to the infection like Leishmania sp., as it results in a compromised immune response. Retinoic acid (RA), an important constituent of nutrition, shows an immune-modulatory activity. However, its role in the containment of infection is not yet ascertained, particularly in case of visceral leishmaniasis (VL). VL patients (n = 10) and healthy endemic controls (n = 9) were recruited to measure the serum levels of RA. An in vitro model of Leishmania infection using the murine mφ cell line J774.1 was used to investigate the RA-synthesizing enzymes (RALDH-1 and RALDH-2). Parasite loads among infected mφ were measured by quantitative expression of kDNA in the presence of an inhibitor of the RALDH-2 enzyme. We found a significant decrease in the serum levels of RA in VL cases. Importantly, we observed decreased levels of RALDH-1 and RALDH-2 among L. donovani-infected mφ along with simultaneous decrease as well as increase in the Th-1 and Th-2-associated factors, respectively. Furthermore, the pretreatment of mφ with an RALDH-2 inhibitor improved parasite in vitro infection. Our findings show impaired RA pathway among infected mφ and indicate that an intact RA pathway is critical for anti-Leishmania immune response. Graphical abstract ᅟ.

Free Space Optics (FSO) communication is an efficient technology and has gained significant importance in the recent years because of its unique features such as license free spectrum, lager bandwidth, ease of deployment etc. This paper compares the performance of NRZ-OOK and RZ-OOK modulation techniques in the FSO system under different weather conditions such as clear weather, fog, haze, mild rain, medium rain at 1550 nm wavelength. The variation of the BER, Q-Factor and eye diagram has been analyzed in relation to the link length. It has also been analyzed that NRZ technique performs better than RZ and for each weather condition the BER increases as distance/link length increases. In simulation results, it has been analyzed that within the distance range of 100m to 1000m, for each weather condition a certain distance range is achieved above which system does not work efficiently and these distances are termed as threshold distances.

Cities are highly affected by the rapid urbanization. One of the reasons behind rapid pace of urbanization is from rural to urban migration. Industries, trade and commercial activities, and education centers available in the city attract the rural population. The growing urban population is creating tremendous pressure on the growth of the city and expanding the city limit in all aspect of development in the different direction. Dehradun city is not any more different in this regard. Dehradun being the capital city of Uttarakhand State, it witnesses the era of rapid urbanization. This has led the urban growth of the city beyond the municipal limits; and consequently increase the backwash effects, such as congestion, slums, environmental degradation, etc. Vertical development is desired to limit the urban sprawl on one hand, and for the sustainable development of the city, on the other. This study focuses on the vertical development and its need for the city, and conclude with the significance of vertical development in the city.

This paper gives an idea to reduce power and surface area of half adder circuit using very popular technique i.e. transmission gate. An adder is a digital circuit that performs addition of two numbers. In many computers and other kind of processors, adders are used not only in arithmetic logic unit but also in other parts of the processors where they are used to calculate addresses, table indices and similar operations .in this paper two bit addition has been done using conventional and transmission gate level and power, area and number of transistors are the scope of comparison. According to the simulation result, power and area are reduced by 55.35 % and 40.269% respectively when the circuit is implemented by transmission gate .thus transmission gate has become a very popular and useful technique to implement digital circuits which help to reduce power, surface area as well as number of transistors.

Background Dietary practices in India often fail to provide adequate nutrition during the first 1,000 days of life. Objective To explore the acceptability and utility of a low-cost and simple-to-use feeding toolkit consisting of a bowl with marks to indicate meal volume and frequency, a slotted spoon, and an illustrated counseling card to cue optimal dietary practices during the first 1,000 days. Methods In Samastipur District, Bihar, India, we conducted 16 focus group discussions and 8 key informant interviews to determine community acceptability and obtain feedback on design and delivery of the feeding toolkit. We conducted 14 days of user testing with 20 pregnant women, 20 breast-feeding women 0 to 6 months postpartum, and 20 mothers with infants 6 to 18 months of age. Results The toolkit, which is made of plastic, was well accepted by the community, although the communities recommended manufacturing the bowl and spoon in steel. The proportion of pregnant and breast-feeding women taking an extra portion of food per day increased from 0% to 100%, and the number of meals taken per day increased from two or three to three or four. For children 6 to 18 months of age, meal frequency, quantity of food consumed during meals, and thickness of the foods increased for all age groups. Children 6 to 8 months of age who had not yet initiated complementary feeding all initiated complementary feeding during the testing period. Conclusions Simple feeding tools are culturally acceptable and can be appropriately used by families in Bihar, India, to improve dietary practices during the first 1,000 days of life. Research is needed to assess whether the tools promote dietary and nutritional improvements over and above counseling alone.

Spectrum sensing plays a very essential role in the implementation of cognitive radio networks. Eigenvalue-based spectrum sensing algorithms have been comprehensively discussed in the literature, for detection of primary user signal in the case of uncertain noise. For detection of signals, the test statistics of these algorithms depend on the eigenvalues of the covariance matrix of the received signal. Eigenvalues generally capture the correlation among the signal samples. In this context, we have examined the sensing performance of various eigenvalue-based spectrum sensing techniques for different types of primary user signals having different levels of correlation. In results, it has been noticed that the sensing performance of the algorithms relies on the type of primary user signal transmitted.

Introduction: Trauma-hemorrhagic shock (THS) is a leading cause of death. Female rats and women experience better outcomes in terms of survival after major trauma as compared to males. There are limited data in Indian population. Authors studied the gender-based outcome of patients with Class IV hemorrhagic shock due to blunt trauma and the distribution of factors among males and females which are known to affect outcome. Materials and Methods: It was a retrospective study with data of trauma victims between January 2008 and July 2013. Road traffic crash (RTC), fall, or assault of all ages with Class IV hemorrhagic shock on arrival was included in the study, and data were collected on demographic, clinical, and laboratory parameters. Drowning, burns, penetrating injuries, and septic, neurogenic, and cardiogenic shock were excluded from the study. Results: Seven hundred and eighty-one patients were analyzed under three groups: (i) overall group including all patients (n = 781), (ii) male group (n = 609), and (iii) female group (n = 172). After adjusting all variables, mortality was significantly lower in females as compared to males following THS (P < 0.05). Age, blood pressure, pulse, male gender, and fall and RTC as mode of injury (MOI) were independent predictors of mortality (P < 0.05) in overall group. Among males, age, pulse, and RTC as a MOI were significant (P < 0.05), while in females, only systolic blood pressure (SBP) was independent predictor of mortality. Conclusion: Females had better survival as compared to males following THS. SBP was an independent predictor of mortality in females with THS.

Introduction: Oral cancer is the sixth most common form of cancer reported globally which includes lip, tongue, mouth, and throat. Developing countries face several challenges to identify and remove potential risk factors. Chewing tobacco/pan masala is considered to be the most potential risk factor for oral precancerous lesions and oral cancer. Objective: To study the clinical-epidemiological profile of oral cancer cases and potential risk factor associated with it. Materials and Methods: This is cross-sectional study which includes all major tertiary hospital in Lucknow district. Five hundred and eight cases of oral cancer reported in all major tertiary hospitals in Lucknow district during 2013–2016. Study Variable: Clinicoepidemiological characteristics of oral cancer cases. Statistical Analysis: percentages, proportions. Results: Out of 508 cases, majority of the subjects included in the study belonged to 18–75 years age group. Reported cases of oral cancer in males were higher as compared to females. Most of the subjects belonged to lower middle and upper lower socioeconomic group. It was found that 199 (39.2%) subjects consumed smokeless tobacco. Buccal mucosa was the common site of oral cancer being present in 50.4% of the subjects. Histopathologically, 256 cases of buccal mucosa, 17 cases of lip, 33 cases of alveolar region, 16 cases of mandible region, 156 cases of tongue region, 7 cases of gingival buccal sulcus region, and 23 cases of palate were diagnosed as oral squamous cell carcinoma. Conclusion: In the present study, the most affected site was buccal mucosa (50.4%), tongue (30.7%), and other diagnosis was

Aim: The main aim of our study was to improve solubility of Clopidogrel bisulphate by preparing nanosuspensions using solvent-antisolvent (bottom up) technology. Methods: Clopidogrel nanosuspensions were formed by solvent antisolvent method. 15 formulations were prepared with different concentrations at different ratios. These formulations were evaluated for mean particle size, solubility, drug content and maximum yield. The selected formulation was then compared with pure drug for various parameters such as X-ray diffraction, Scanning Electron Microscopy, in-vitro Dissolution studies, Fourier Transform – Infrared Radiation (FT-IR) etc. Release kinetics and stability studies were performed for the optimized formulation. Results: Out of 15 formulations, F15 comply well with all the parameters. On comparison with pure drug, F15 showed better characteristics such as Fourier Transform- Infrared Radiation (FT-IR), Solubility, particle size, Scanning electron microscopy, in-vitro dissolution, X-ray diffraction etc. Optimized formulation showed first order kinetics and stability was shown for over 3 months. Conclusion: Clopidogrel (anti-platelet) in nanosuspension formulation can overcome the limitation of low solubility, dissolution, bioavailability and explore further. Keywords: Clopidogrel, Nanosuspension, Solvent-antisolvent, Bioavailability, Release Kinetics

Microbial-derived natural products from extreme niches such as deepsea are known to possess structural and functional novelty. With this background, the present study was designed to investigate the bioprospecting potential and systematics of a deep-sea derived piezotolerant bacterial strain NIOT-Ch-40, showing affiliation to the genus Streptomyces based on 16S RNA gene similarity. Preliminary screening for the presence of biosynthetic genes like polyketide synthase I, polyketide synthase II, non ribosomal peptide synthase, 3-amino-5-hydroxybenzoic acid synthase and spiroindimicin followed by antibacterial activity testing confirmed the presence of potent bioactivity. The secondary metabolites produced during fermentation in Streptomyces broth at 28 °C for 7 days were extracted with ethyl acetate. The extract exhibited a specific inhibitory activity against Gram-positive bacteria and was significantly effective (p

The litchi is one of the chief fruits of the Asian continent. It is grown almost half of the year and is enjoyed by people for its sweet juice as well as its soft pulp. Also, it is very rich in vitamin C and important minerals and antioxidants. Modern farming does not use chemical fertilizers; thus, bio-fertilizers are used, exploiting the relationship of microbial interactions to plant growth. Mycorrhizal fungi associations are found in the litchi rhizosphere, and these fungi acquire their nutrition from the associated host plants and consequently enhance access to phosphorus and nitrogen. The association between fungi and trees such as the litchi is recognized as vesicular arbuscular mycorrhizae (VAM). In soil habitat, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are present in symbiosis with litchi roots and cause increase in root length by secreting plant hormones. Availability of appropriate temperature and nutrients will strongly influence the association of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi with plant growth. Thus, the present chapter focuses on understanding how microbial flora interaction with the litchi rhizosphere helps to enhance the potential productivity of the litchi.

Laser ablative shock waves from compacted nano-sized powders was studied using time resolved shadowgraphy technique. Shock wave properties such as propagation of shock front, contact front, velocity and pressure behind the shock front were studied from nano-sized powders of Amorphous Boron (B) and Lithium Fluoride coated Boron (LiF-B) with the material density of 2.34 g/cc. The experiments were performed to understand the challenging aspects of laser-powder interactions to explore their application potential for laser ablation Propulsion (LAP).

The most astonishing feature of plant roots is their capability of secreting a broad variety of compounds ranging from low molecular to high molecular weights into the rhizosphere. These compounds act as signals for establishing and regulating the interactions among plant roots and microorganisms present in rhizosphere through different mechanisms. The mechanism of establishment of these relationships includes complex signaling cascades and involves different transporter proteins. Exudation is an important process that influences the microbial diversity and relevant biological activities. In addition, these secretions mediate the phenomena of mineral uptake in soil with low nutrient content either through chelation directly or by affecting biological activity of microbes. Further, microbes associated with plants have the potential to upgrade phytoremediation efficiency by facilitating phytoextraction and phytostabilization and through increase in biomass production by plants. Overall these exudation-mediated plant-microbe interactions influence the soil structurally and functionally via orchestrating microbial richness, nutrient acquisition, and phytoremediation. Hence, in light of this, the chapter is intended to provide the perceptivity to comprehend the impact of root exudation-mediated plant-microbe interactions in enriching the structural and functional characteristics of soil.

Introduction Enterococci are part of the normal intestinal flora and have been recognized as important human pathogens. Vancomycin Resistant Enterococci (VRE) are global threat as this resistance is transmissible and also poses a challenge for infection control. Aim This study was undertaken to study phenotypic and genotypic characteristics of VRE from clinically significant infections among hospitalized patients and their association with gut colonization. Materials and methods Clinically significant isolates of enterococci (n=250) were studied. Species confirmation was done by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) for vancomycin was determined by E-test. PCR for VanA, VanB and VanC1 gene was done for genotypic characterization. MIC for teicoplanin, linezolid, tigecycline, daptomycin and quinupristin-dalfopristin was determined by E test. Patients with VRE infection were screened for gut colonization using vancomycin screen agar (6 μg/mL). Continuous data was analysed using the Student's t-test. Categorical data was assessed using Pearson's Chi-square test. A value of p ≤ 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results There was good correlation between the phenotypic and genotypic methods used for species identification and detection of vancomycin resistance. E. faecium (162, 64.8%) was most common followed by E. faecalis (82, 32.84%) and E. gallinarum (6, 2.4%). Overall higher resistance was observed among E. faecium. Vancomycin MIC ≥ 2 μg/mL was noted in 63 (25.2%) isolates. Fifty seven isolates showed presence of vanA and vanC1 was detected in six isolates of E. gallinarum. Isolates with VanB genotype was not detected in the present study. MIC50 (μg/mL) for teicoplanin, linezolid, tigecycline, daptomycin and quinupristin-dalfopristrin was 24, 0.75, 0.064, 2 and 0.064 respectively. Resistance to linezolid (1, 1.6%) and tigecycline (2, 3.2%) was rare. Majority (33/47, 70.2%) patients with clinically significant VRE infection showed gut colonization. Conclusion Vancomycin resistance among enterococci is emerging. Emergence of tigecycline and linezolid resistance is also posing a challenge for clinicians. Thus, further investigations are warranted to control vancomycin resistance among pathogens.

DRDE-07, a newly synthesized amifostine analog currently under clinical investigation in a phase I trial, is a potent antidote against sulfur mustard toxicity. The purpose of this research was to evaluate the pharmacokinetic profile of DRDE-07 in female Swiss Albino mice after a single oral dose of 400 or 600 mg/kg. The physicochemical properties of DRDE-07, including solubility, pKa, Log P, plasma protein binding and plasma/blood partitioning, were determined to support the pharmacokinetic characterization. DRDE-07 concentration was determined by an HPLC-UV method. The profile of plasma concentration versus time was analyzed using a non-compartmental model. Plasma protein binding was assessed using ultrafiltration. DRDE-07 appeared rapidly in plasma after oral administration with peak plasma levels (Cmax) observed in less than 15 min. There was a rapid decline in the plasma levels followed by a smaller second peak about 90 min after dosing. The plasma protein binding of DRDE-07 was found to be less than 25% at all concentrations studied. Plasma clearance of DRDE-07 is expected to be ~1.5 fold higher than the blood clearance of DRDE-07. The probable metabolite of DRDE-07 was identified as phenyl-S-ethyl amine., Graphical abstract

Significant genetic variability was observed among 13 th aromatic short grain genotypes include two elite lines and one local check of rice for yield and quality parameters indicating that there is presence of sufficient amount of variability in the study material and there is scope of selection. The genotype CN1646-6-11-9 found best for mean performance of grain earliest yield, its component and quality traits except HRR% and gel consistency which was statistically at par with highest yielder genotype Pant Dhan-4(check). High heritability coupled with high genetic advance were recorded for number of spikelets per panicle, L/B ratio, volume expansion ratio and gel consistency indicated the major role of additive gene action in the inheritance of these character and these character could be improved by selection in segregation generation. Thus parameter during breeding programme for crop improvement

Monitoring of heavy metals was conducted in the Yamuna River considering bioaccumulation factor, exposure concentration, and human health implications which showed contamination levels of copper (Cu), lead (Pb), nickel (Ni), and chromium (Cr) and their dispersion patterns along the river. Largest concentration of Pb in river water was 392 μg L(-1); Cu was 392 μg L(-1) at the extreme downstream, Allahabad and Ni was 146 μg L(-1) at midstream, Agra. Largest concentration of Cu was 617 μg kg(-1), Ni 1,621 μg kg(-1) at midstream while Pb was 1,214 μg kg(-1) at Allahabad in surface sediment. The bioconcentration of Cu, Pb, Ni, and Cr was observed where the largest accumulation of Pb was 2.29 μg kg(-1) in Oreochromis niloticus and 1.55 μg kg(-1) in Cyprinus carpio invaded at Allahabad while largest concentration of Ni was 174 μg kg(-1) in O. niloticus and 124 μg kg(-1) in C. carpio in the midstream of the river. The calculated values of hazard index (HI) for Pb was found more than one which indicated human health concern. Carcinogenic risk value for Ni was again high i.e., 17.02 × 10(-4) which was larger than all other metals studied. The results of this study indicated bioconcentration in fish due to their exposures to heavy metals from different routes which had human health risk implications. Thus, regular environmental monitoring of heavy metal contamination in fish is advocated for assessing food safety since health risk may be associated with the consumption of fish contaminated through exposure to a degraded environment.

Invasion, spread and predominance of alien invasive fishes were studied in 950-km-long stretch of the Yamuna River. The fish yield ranged between 32 t/km/yr to 240 t/km/yr and the catch of alien invasive fishes dominated over local fishes in the fishery, which was over 96% at Etawah. The calculated Invasion Coefficient Index (Ixi) of alien invasive fishes was in the range of 0.12 to 0.31 indicating a major loss to the local fish diversity. The calculated Pearson’s correlation coefficient was found to have positive correlation of 0.757 and 0.710 for common carp and tilapia respectively with locally captured Indian major carps (IMC). The results of this study highlighted how unintentional spread of alien invasive fishes due to rapid aquaculture diversification and intensification has invaded into the Yamuna River causing severe loss to the local fishery. The invasion of alien fishes has been mapped for the Yamuna River at different locations using GIS tools. The results of this study invite attention on the management and sustainability of the local fishery and ecosystem health of the river.

The continuing advances in the biochemical research for the discovering an ideal biomarker for diagnosing myocardial injury have led to discovery cardiac Troponin, a biochemical gold standard for myocardial necrosis. Further with advances in the immunoassay techniques, the 99th percentile cutoff value of cardiac troponin required for the diagnosis of myocardial infarction decreased, with the latest available ultrasensitive cardiac troponin assay capable of measuring level as low as 0.005 ng/ml. Troponin have both diagnostic as well as prognostic significance in myocardial necrosis, but the cut off value by 99th percentile rule is useful only when applied to patients with a high pretest probability of Acute Coronary Syndrome(ACS) and also the results must be interpreted in the context of clinical history, ECG findings, and possibly cardiac imaging to establish the correct diagnosis. As cardiac troponins are also elevated in other cardiac conditions such as cardiomyopaties, the serial monitoring of the cardiac troponin level along with the absolute value would help to differentiate myocardial infarction from these many varied conditions, with the interval of serial assay being reduced to 3 hours. The aim of this review is to complement the advantages, to emphasize on proper interpretation of positive results, to appraise the challenges faced with the available cardiac troponin assays and need for further research to overcome them and build up the most ideal cardiac marker for diagnosing the myocardial infarction.

Jaggery is a non-centrifugal sweetener produced by thermo-chemical treatments of sugarcane juice. The traditional practices involved in making jaggery are usually tailored using chemicals to meet consumer requirements. Sodium hydrosulphite (hydros) is a commonly employed chemical in the jaggery industry to improve its colour. This article presents a comparative study of jaggery made with and without hydros treatments. The differences in properties, such as sorption behaviour, colour, polyphenols, flavonoids, minerals, and sulphur dioxide content, were measured. Hydros-treated jaggery was found to be brighter in colour with a lower browning index by 5–10. SO2 content of hydros-treated jaggery was >70 ppm, while minerals, polyphenols, and flavonoids were less abundant compared to control jaggery, thereby compromising overall quality. Based on the experiments carried out, the optimum treatment of hydros can be employed to satisfy consumer demand while producing an acceptable quality of jaggery that conforms to norms.

Dinuclear phenoxo-bridged nickel complexes [Ni2(L1)H2O(CH3COO)](1) and [Ni2(L2)H2O(CH3COO)](2) (where L1H3° = 2-(2′-hydroxyphenyl)-1,3-bis[4-(2-hydroxyphenyl)-3-azabutenyl]-3-enyl]-1,3-imidazolidine and L2H3° = 2-(3,5-di-tert-butyl-2-hydroxyphenyl)-1,3-bis[4-(3,5-di-tert-butyl-2-hydroxyphenyl)-3-azabutenyl]-1,3-idazolidine, and H stands for dissociable protons) have been synthesized and characterized by different spectroscopic methods. Molecular structure of 2 was determined by X-ray crystallography. Redox properties of complexes 1 and 2 were investigated by cyclic voltammetric studies. As functional mimic of active site of galactose oxidase enzyme, complexes 1 and 2 were utilized for the oxidation of primary alcohol. Both the complexes exhibited catecholase activity. DNA interaction studies on complexes 1 and 2 were also investigated. Self-activated DNA cleavage activity of complex 2 was observed. The cytotoxicity of the complexes 1 and 2 was measured using a standard MTT assay and IC50 values for of 1 and 2 were found to be 21.92 µM and 20.69 µM on MCF-7 breast cancer cell line respectively.

DRDE-07 is a new synthetic compound found to be the most prophylactic agent against sulfur mustard toxicity. In this study, the development and validation of a high-performance liquid chromatograph...

A rod-shaped, Gram-negative, non-motile, aerobic and non-endospore forming bacterium, designated strain DD-13T, was isolated from the mangrove ecosystem of Goa, India. Strain DD-13T degraded polysaccharides such as agar, alginate, chitin, cellulose, laminarin, pectin, pullulan, starch, carrageenan, xylan and β-glucan. The optimum pH and temperature for growth was 7 and 36 °C, respectively. The strain grew optimally in the presence of 3 % NaCl (w/v). The DNA G+C content was 61.4 mol%. The predominant fatty acid of strain DD-13T was iso-C15 : 0. Ubiquinone-8 was detected as the major respiratory lipoquinone. Phylogenetic studies based on 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis demonstrated that strain DD-13T formed a coherent cluster with species of the genus Microbulbifer . Strain DD-13T exhibited 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity levels of 98.9–97.1 % with Microbulbifer hydrolyticus IRE-31T, Microbulbifer salipaludis JCM 11542T, Microbulbifer agarilyticus JAMB A3T, Microbulbifer celer KCTC 12973T and Microbulbifer elongatus DSM 6810T. However, the level of DNA–DNA relatedness between strain DD-13T and the five type strains of these species of the genus Microbulbifer were in the range of 26–33 %. Additionally, strain DD-13T demonstrates several phenotypic differences from these type strains of species of the genus Microbulbifer . Thus strain DD-13T represents a novel species of the genus Microbulbifer , for which the name Microbulbifer mangrovi sp. nov. is proposed with the type strain DD-13T ( = KCTC 23483T = JCM 17729T).

Alcohol dependence is a progressive chronic disorder characterized by narrowing of the drinking repertoire, salience of drinking, tolerance and withdrawal phenomenon, compulsion to drink, and frequent relapses. Baclofen has been shown to promote abstinence, to reduce craving, and to reduce anxiety in alcohol-dependent individuals, and it promises to be a useful agent, although clinical data are limited at present.The current study aimed to test the utility of baclofen, a GABA agonist, in improving the relapse rates in alcohol-dependent subjects.A total of 122 alcohol-dependent subjects were randomized into two groups. Groups were administered baclofen (30 mg/day) or benfothiamine (a nutritional supplement) using an open label design. Both groups received brief motivational intervention. Subjects were assessed at 0, 2, 4, 8, and 12 weeks for the primary outcome measures: time to first relapse, heavy drinking days, cumulative abstinence duration, and craving (measured by the Obsessive Compulsive Drinking Scale (OCDS)).Seventy-two participants received baclofen, and 50 received benfothiamine. Participants receiving baclofen remained abstinent for significantly more days than the benfothiamine group (p0.05). The percentage of heavy drinking days was significantly lower in the baclofen group (p = 0.001). Craving and anxiety scores (Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale) were also significantly decreased in the baclofen group relative to the control group (p = 0.001). Time to first relapse was similar in both groups.In this open-label trial, alcohol-dependent participants receiving baclofen showed significant improvements in drinking outcomes compared with participants receiving benfothiamine. This study provides further evidence that baclofen is useful for the treatment of alcohol dependence.

The power developed by the solar microgrid is not constant for a particular year, it depends upon the weather conditions around the year of the specific location where the solar microgrid is operating. It is however necessary to estimate the annual average power developed by the particular microgrid before physically installing microgrid at that location. The programming based model of the photovoltaic generator is developed by utilizing various governing equations of the photovoltaic cell and the microgrid model consisting of two such generators is then simulated for yearly solar insolation and temperature data of Mumbai, Bangalore, Kolkata and New Delhi. The yearly average power curves are hence obtained and their comparisons are made based upon the analysis. The above analysis helps us to estimate the rating of the loads to be connected across the microgrid. The whole work of programming and simulations is carried out in Simulink in MATLAB 2014 software.

Clinical presentations of Leishmania infection include visceral (most common form), cutaneous, mucocutaneous, mucosal and post-kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis. Mucosal form of leishmaniasis mostly involves oral and nasal mucosa. Rarely, laryngeal and pharyngeal mucosa may also be involved. Its concomitant presence with tuberculosis (TB), a disease rampant in India, is uncommon. Here we are reporting a case of isolated laryngeal leishmaniasis associated with extra-pulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB), with approach to diagnosis and treatment in a tropical resource-limited setting.

Deep-sea environments are gaining global attention as potential sources of useful microorganisms, thereby warranting a better understanding of the diversity and genomic potential of the microbes present. To this end, here we provide the first insights into the composition of the bacterial communities in deep-sea sediment samples from the southwestern Bay of Bengal and the geographically distinct volcanic Barren Island in the Andaman Sea. High-throughput 16S rRNA gene sequencing of the sediments revealed the presence of >44,000 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) in each of the samples, suggesting high bacterial diversity. Actinobacteria was the most dominant phylum, representing >20% of the taxonomically assignable OTUs, followed by Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, and Chloroflexi. Numerous bacteria that are potentially involved in the sulfur cycle were observed in the Barren Island sediment sample, while bacteria with clinical and industrial potential were observed in the samples from the southwestern Bay of Bengal. Correlation analysis of the biotic and abiotic parameters showed that the differences in bacterial richness and community composition between the sampling sites were mainly dependent on sediment texture. Using a predictive functional metagenomic approach, this study also discusses the genetic variations that may provide an adaptive advantage to sediment bacterial communities for survival in these extreme deep-sea environments. The results from this study should aid future studies focused on bioprospecting and geochemical cycling in the deep sea.

A Gram-staining-positive, aerobic, motile, rod-shaped (0.4-0.5×2.0-4.0 µm), endospore-forming bacterium, designated strain NIOT.bflm.S4T, was isolated from biofilm formed on high-density polyethylene test coupons in coastal seawater. The strain required seawater for growth. It grew with 1.0-8.0 % (w/v) NaCl, at 4-45 °C and at pH 6.5-9.0, with optimum growth with 4.0-5.0 % (w/v) NaCl, at 30 °C and at pH 7.0-8.0. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA and partial dnaK gene sequences showed that strain NIOT.bflm.S4T formed a phylogenetic lineage with Pseudogracilibacillus auburnensis P-207T, the only known species of the genus Pseudogracilibacillusand shared sequence identities of 96.9 and 83 %, respectively, with this strain. The identities of 16S rRNA and partial dnaK gene sequences with members of other related genera such as Gracilibacillus, Paraliobacillus, Ornithinibacillus, Oceanobacillus, Virgibacillus and Lentibacillus were ≤95 and ≤78 %, respectively. The DNA G+C content of strain NIOT.bflm.S4T was 39.1 mol%. MK-7 was found as the sole isoprenoid quinone. The major polar lipids of strain NIOT.bflm.S4T were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine and an unknown lipid. The diagnostic diamino acid of the cell-wall peptidoglycan was meso-diaminopimelic acid. Major cellular fatty acids were anteiso-C15 : 0 (27.9 %), anteiso-C17 : 0 (18.6 %), C12 : 0 (8.7 %) and iso-C15 : 0 (6.6 %). On the basis of phenotypic, phylogenetic and chemotaxonomic results, we propose that the isolate represents a novel species of the genus Pseudogracilibacillus, for which the name Pseudogracilibacillus marinus sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is NIOT.bflm.S4T (=KACC 18456T=MTCC 12376T=TBRC 5831T).

We have carried out a polyphasic taxonomic characterization of Bacillus beijingensis DSM 19037T and Bacillus ginsengi DSM 19038T, which are closely related phylogenetically to Bhargavaea cecembensis LMG 24411T. All three strains are Gram-stain-positive, non-motile, moderately halotolerant and non-spore-forming. 16S rRNA gene sequence analyses showed that the strains constituted a coherent cluster, with sequence similarities between 99.7 and 98.7 %. The percentage similarity on the basis of amino acid sequences deduced from partial gyrB gene nucleotide sequences of these three type strains was 96.1–92.7 %. Phylogenetic trees based on the 16S rRNA gene and GyrB amino acid sequences, obtained by using three different algorithms, were consistent and showed that these three species constituted a deeply rooted cluster separated from the clades represented by the genera Bacillus , Planococcus , Planomicrobium , Sporosarcina , Lysinibacillus , Viridibacillus , Kurthia and Geobacillus , supporting their placement in the genus Bhargavaea . All three type strains have menaquinone MK-8 as the major respiratory quinone and showed similar fatty acid profiles. The main polar lipids present in the three type strains were diphosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylglycerol, and the three strains showed peptidoglycan type A4α with l-lysine as the diagnostic diamino acid. The DNA G+C contents of Bacillus beijingensis DSM 19037T, Bacillus ginsengi DSM 19038T and Bhargavaea cecembensis LMG 24411T were 53.1, 50.2 and 53.7 mol%, respectively. The level of DNA–DNA hybridization among the three strains was 57–39 %, indicating that they are members of different species of the genus Bhargavaea . The phenotypic data are consistent with the placement of these three species in a single genus and support their differentiation at the species level. On the basis of these data, we have emended the description of the genus Bhargavaea and propose the reclassification of Bacillus beijingensis and Bacillus ginsengi to the genus Bhargavaea , as Bhargavaea beijingensis comb. nov. (type strain ge10T = DSM 19037T = CGMCC 1.6762T) and Bhargavaea ginsengi comb. nov. (type strain ge14T = DSM 19038T = CGMCC 1.6763T).

Diversity of fungi from deep biosphere is recently gaining an increasing attention. We investigated fungal diversity in two sediment cores ∼40 cmbsf (cm below seafloor) at a depth of ∼5 000 m in the Central Indian Basin (CIB), by culture-dependent as well as culture-independent approaches. This resulted in recovering a total of 19 culturable fungi and 46 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) respectively. Two of the cultured fungi showed similarity to Hortaea werneckii and Aspergillus versicolor , and 11 OTUs from environmental libraries showed high divergence (86–97 %) from the existing sequences in the GenBank (NCBI database). Some of the fungi, such as Cerrena , Hortaea and Aspergillus sp., were recovered by culture-dependent as well as culture-independent approaches. Together, culture-dependent and culture-independent approaches detected a total of 12 distinct fungal genera and 42 OTUs respectively from two sediment cores indicating presence of a high fungal diversity in deep-sea sediments.