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Objective: Rhinocereberal mucormycosis is an acute, fulminant, and often lethal opportunistic infection typically affecting diabetic or immunocompromised patients. Early diagnosis is vital in these infections because delay in initiation of the treatment can be life-threatening. Computed tomography (CT) with axial and coronal sections is a highly accurate and non-invasive modality to accurately image sinonasal mycosis. The aim of the study was to describe the imaging findings in suspected cases of mucormycosis on CT. Methods: This study was conducted in Radiodiagnosis Department of Rajindra Hospital, Patiala. The data of 22 patients who were referred for CT with a clinical suspicion of mucormycosis were collected and all these patients were followed up to know about the prognosis of the disease. Results: In our study, there were 54.60% females and 45.40% males. Maximum number of patients (45.45%) belonged to 40–49 year age group. Diabetes mellitus was found to be the most commonly (90.90%) found comorbidity followed by hypertension (36.36%). In our study, involvement of unilateral nasal cavity was observed in 36.36% cases. Among the paranasal sinuses, maxillary and ethmoid sinuses were the most commonly involved in 95.45% and 77.27% cases. Conclusion: Prompt diagnosis and treatment of rhino-orbital mucormycosis are the sine qua non as antifungal drugs and surgical debridement can successfully control the infection and thus reduce the high mortality and morbidity associated with mucormycosis.

The long term extreme rainfall event analysis at the catchment scale is crucial for mitigation and prevention of flood like situations and water resource management. This study evaluates the different rainfall events categorized by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) over the lower Kosi and Punpun river basin using the gridded rainfall data of 0.25° × 0.25° resolution for the period of 1979-2018. Further, the linkage between Outgoing Longwave Radiation (OLR) and rainfall events is examined. The daily accumulated rainfall shows large variation over the Kosi river basin in compare to the Punpun basin. The number of days of moderate and heavy rainfall over the lower Kosi River has significantly decreased. In addition, light and moderate rainfall over Punpun River has also decreased; however, it is non-significant. No significant trend in very heavy rainfall is found for both the river basin. It is observed that the number of days in moderate rainfall events shows an acceptable negative correlation with Outgoing Longwave Radiation (OLR) over basins. This study will be helpful for the mitigation and prevention of disasters and sustainable water resource management under changing climate.

An effort is made to implement a regional earth system model (RESM); ROM, over CORDEX-South Asia (SA). The added value of RESM is assessed for mean precipitation, its variability (intraseasonal to interannual), extremes, and associated processes. In this regard, ROM’s fields are compared with the respective fields of its standalone version (REMO), the models belonging coupled model intercomparison project (CMIP5 and CMIP6), and regional climate models of CORDEX-CORE simulations. RESM shows substantial improvement for most of the Indian monsoon’s aspects; however, the magnitude of the value addition varies spatiotemporally and also with different aspects.. The improved representation of intraseasonal variability (active-break spell’s duration and intensity) and Interannual variability attributed to improved mean seasonal precipitation. Additionally, correct representation of sea surface temperature, Indian Ocean Dipole, and its underlying dynamics also contribute to improving the mean precipitation. The notable improvement is seen especially over the south-eastern regions of the Bay of Bengal (BoB) and South-Central India, where increasing (decreasing) low-pressure systems over Central India (BoB) are noticed as a consequence of air-sea coupling, leading to enhanced (reduced) precipitation over Central India (BoB), reducing dry (wet) bias found in REMO and the other models. Despite substantial improvements, RESM has a systematic wet bias in the mean precipitation associated with a warm bias over the western coast of the Arabian Sea. An overestimation of very high extreme precipitation due to the enhanced contribution of low-pressure systems indicates the model’s limitations, suggesting the need for further tuning of the RESM.

Climate change is leading to alterations in the dynamic climate systems worldwide. The Indian Summer Monsoon (ISM) is one such climate system that supports more than a billion population and drives the Indian economy. The ISM is governed by intra-annual to inter-decadal variabilities. However, anthropogenic climate change is inducing unprecedented transformations in this natural system, such as the increased probability of precipitation extremes (dry and wet), changes in their frequency and duration, spatial variabilities, etc. These changes, in turn, impact the human and ecological systems due to droughts, floods, and prolonged dry spells. In such scenarios, it is essential to gain insights into the projected precipitation extremes (PEs) changes. The velocity of climate change (VoCC) or climate velocity can help us project the temporal and spatial shift of PEs especially in terms of their intensities. VoCC is a regional metric of climate change, defined as the ratio of the temporal gradient of a particular climate variable (temperature, precipitation, humidity, etc.) with its spatial gradient, and the resultant units are in km/year. In the current study, the climate velocities of 50th, 75th, 95th, 99.5th, and 99.9th percentiles of precipitation for the JJAS season are projected over India and its different biogeographic zones for the four time periods: historical (1976-2000), near-future (2025-2049), mid-future (2050-2074) and far-future (2075-2099). ROM, a regional earth system model over the CORDEX-South Asia domain was used in the study. It was found that ROM showed a better resemblance with observation in simulating the PEs over other regional climate models (RCMs). The intense rainfall (95th percentile: R95) is expected to be enhanced over most of the study region in mid future and far future. Interestingly, very intense rainfall (99.9th percentile: R99) showed robust increases in the near and mid-future as compared to the far future. The PEs also exhibited higher velocities as compared to the median values. The detailed results will be discussed further in the presentation.

We have performed K2S2O8-glucose mediated oxidative coupling of alcohols with indoles in water for synthesis of BIMs.

Mentha essential oil is one of the most utilized essential oil in the food and pharmaceutical industries. The present study reports the chemical composition and antibacterial properties of leaf essential oils of Mentha species. Further, the effect of the harvesting period on essential oil yield was also investigated. Firstly, the cultivated Mentha piperita and wild Mentha longifolia, revealed significant differences in their chemical profile. M. longifolia essential oil was characterized with endo-borneol (1.12-6.2%), caryophyllene (2.72-7.03%), isopipertenone (0.07-0.36%), germacrene D (0.98-3.22%), 3-cyclopentene-1-one,2-hydroxy-3-(3-methyl-2-butenyl)- (21.91-56.72%) and piperitone oxide (8.96-39.31%), whereas, M. piperita leaves essential oil was found rich in isomenthone (5.97-6.75%), 1-menthone (7.32-18.32%) and menthol (18.03-58.53%), etc. The essential oils of both Mentha species exhibited strong antimicrobial activity as evaluated using poisoned food technique, dry weight method, and disc diffusion method against Candida albicans, Fusarium oxysporum, Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli. Secondly, the maximum essential oil yield was observed in July month, 0.63±0.01 and 0.56±0.01%, respectively for M. piperita and M. longifolia.

The antioxidant activity in tea is largely driven by its polyphenolic content, however, the antioxidant reaction mechanism and the compounds involved are not well characterized. Therefore, in this study, we performed in-depth profiling of the antioxidant reaction mechanism of Green Tea (GT), Black Tea (BT), and their polyphenolic fractions with free radical using state-of-the-art analytical techniques. The polyphenol enriched fractions from GT and BT were isolated using column chromatography. Catechins were isolated and characterized by diverse spectroscopic techniques. Samples were screened for their antioxidant activity by HPTLC and further evaluated using a spectrophotometer. The free radical reactions with GT, BT, enriched fractions viz, GT Polyphenols (GTP), BT Polyphenols (BTP), and isolated catechins were studied using the (13)C NMR technique. The highest polyphenol content was found in GTP (795.4 ± 0.012 mg/g) whereas GT (321.0 ± 0.028 mg/g) showed maximum flavonoids content. Individual catechins isolated from GTP were EGCG, ECG, EGC, EC and C. Antioxidant activity followed the order EGCG > ECG > EGC > EC > GTP > C > BTP > GT > BT. In GT, the antioxidant reaction mechanism showed single electron and H-transfer in all catechins, which involved the transformation of the hydroxyl group to the carbonyl group. Whereas in BT theaflavins, conversion of the benzotropolone ring to the six-membered ring was observed. GRAPHIC ABSTRACT: [Image: see text] SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13197-021-05297-w.

Microbial infections and antibiotic resistance are some of the prime factors that are ascribed to endanger human health. Several reports have highlighted that drug-resistant pathogens assist in the etiology of various chronic diseases and lead to fatality. The present study deciphered the role of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) as therapeutics against selected bacterial strains. The plant-based technique was followed to synthesize ZnO NPs. The synthesis was confirmed with different techniques viz. X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscope (interplanar spacing at 0.126 nm), scanning electron microscope (flower-like structure), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The antibacterial analysis revealed that ZnO NPs inhibited the growth of all tested strains (Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella typhi, Bacillus subtilis, and Klebsiella pneumoniae) to a greater extent (MIC ranged between 0.013±0.004-0.0625±0 mg/mL) as compared with ZnO compound (Bulk material). In the present study, ZnO NPs were produced in a cost-effective and environmentally sustainable way using a green process and can be used as a remedy for drug-resistant pathogens.

Genus Populus (Salicaceae family) consists of dioecious, deciduous, and commercially important forest tree species which are widely spread over the Northern Hemisphere. Traditionally, Populus species are used in the treatment of rheumatism, arthritis, lower back pains, urinary complaints, digestive, liver disorders, debility, anorexia, fevers, and also relieve the pain of menstrual cramps. This review compiles or discusses the general morphology, ethno-medicinal uses and phytochemistry of Populus species along with their pharmacological activities (anti-microbial, anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, anti-obesity, anti-diarrhea, and anti-oxidants) covering the period of 1990–2020. The literature shows that the genus Populus is a rich source of phytocompounds especially phenolic compounds, flavonoids, and terpenoids, etc. A total of one hundred and fifty-nine constituents were isolated from different plant parts like leaves, bark, buds, and roots of Populus species. Only some of the phytocompounds were screened for their biological activities and the rest of them are unexplored. Through this review, the authors hope to attract the attention of natural product researchers throughout the world to focus on the unexplored species of Populus and their unique phytocompounds. This review underlines the potential of phytocompounds from Populus species that could lead to a new pathway in Pharma industries.

Background It is well known that some viral infections may affect male fertility. Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) can lead to multiorgan damage through the angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 receptor, abundant in testicular tissue. However, little information is available regarding the shedding of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) in semen and its impact on spermatogenesis and fertility potential. We planned to investigate the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in the semen of COVID-19 males and to study the effect of COVID-19 on semen quality and sperm DNA fragmentation index. Material and method Thirty COVID-19 male patients aged 19-45 registered to AIIMS Patna hospital participated in the survey between October 2020 and April 2021. We conducted a real-time reverse transcriptase test on all the semen samples. Detailed semen analysis, including the sperm DNA Fragmentation Index, was done at first sampling that is during COVID-19. After 74 days of the first sampling, we obtained the second sampling and repeated all the above tests. Results All semen samples collected in the first and second sampling tested with real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) were negative for SARS-CoV-2. In the first sampling, semen volume, vitality, total motility, sperm concentration, total sperm count, % normal morphology, % cytoplasmic droplet, and fructose were significantly lower. In contrast, semen agglutination, % head defect, DNA Fragmentation Index, liquefaction time, semen viscosity, and leukocytes were increased. These findings were reversed at the second sampling but not to the optimum level. All these findings were statistically significant (p0.05 for all). Thus, COVID-19 negatively affects semen parameters, including sperm DNA fragmentation index. Conclusion Although we could not find SARS-CoV-2 in the semen, the semen quality remained poor until the second sampling. Assisted reproductive technology (ART) clinics and sperm banking facilities should consider assessing the semen of COVID-19 males and exclude men with a positive history of SARS-CoV-2 until their semen quality returns to normal.

BACKGROUND Decrease in haemoglobin concentration in blood, with normal blood volume results in lower V̇ O2max and endurance performance. This may be due to the reduction of the oxygen carrying capacity of blood. Conversely, increase in haemoglobin concentration is associated with increased V̇ O2max and endurance capacity. Increase in endurance capacity is also proportional to the increase in the oxygen carrying capacity of blood. Maximal aerobic capacity (V̇ O2max) is the maximum capacity of individual’s body to transport and use oxygen during incremental exercise which reflects physical fitness of that individual. Queen’s College Step Test is a standard method to measure one’s maximal aerobic capacity using sub maximal exercise in the form of bench stepping suitable for adults. The biological significance of oxygen transport by haemoglobin is well illustrated in anaemia where decreased haemoglobin also decreases exercise performance. The objective of the study is to find out the correlation between haemoglobin concentration and V̇ O2max by using Queen’s College Step Test. METHODS The study was conducted in the Department of Physiology, MKCG Medical College, Berhampur. A total of 150 1st year MBBS students aged between 17 and 24 yrs. were taken as subjects. Out of them 90 were males & 60 were females. Each subject performed the exercise for 3 minutes by Queen’s College Step Test. V̇ O2max was obtained by calculation. Haemoglobin concentration was measured by Acid Haematin method in Sahli’s Haemoglobinometer. RESULTS There was a significant positive correlation between haemoglobin concentration with VO2max in both males (r = 0.8618, P < 0.0001) and females (r = 0.5112, P < 0.0001) subjects. CONCLUSIONS Increase in Haemoglobin concentration is an indicator of increased V̇ O2max; hence persons with increased haemoglobin concentration may have increased exercise capability in both male and female subjects. KEYWORDS V̇ O2max, Haemoglobin concentration, Queen’s College Step Test

Picrorhiza kurroa is a medicinally important, high altitude perennial herb, endemic to the Himalayas. It possesses strong hepato-protective bioactivity that is contributed by two iridoid picroside compounds viz Picroside-I (P-I) and Picroside-II (P-II). Commercially, many P. kurroa based hepato-stimulatory Ayurvedic drug brands that use different proportions of P-I and P-II are available in the market. To identify genetically heterozygous and high yielding genotypes for multiplication, sustained use and conservation, it is essential to assess genetic and phytochemical diversity and understand the population structure of P. kurroa. In the present study, isolation and HPLC based quantification of picrosides P-I and P-II and molecular DNA fingerprinting using RAPD, AFLP and ISSR markers have been undertaken in 124 and 91 genotypes, respectively. The analyzed samples were collected from 10 natural P. kurroa Himalayan populations spread across four states (Jammu & Kashmir, Sikkim, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh) of India. Genotypes used in this study covered around 1000 km geographical area of the total Indian Himalayan habitat range of P. kurroa. Significant quantitative variation ranging from 0.01 per cent to 4.15% for P-I, and from 0.01% to 3.18% in P-II picroside was observed in the analyzed samples. Three molecular DNA markers, RAPD (22 primers), ISSR (15 primers) and AFLP (07 primer combinations) also revealed a high level of genetic variation. The percentage polymorphism and effective number of alleles for RAPD, ISSR and AFLP analysis varied from 83.5%, 80.6% and 72.1%; 1.5722, 1.5787 and 1.5665, respectively. Further, the rate of gene flow (Nm) between populations was moderate for RAPD (0.8434), and AFLP (0.9882) and comparatively higher for ISSR (1.6093). Fst values were observed to be 0.56, 0.33, and 0.51 for RAPD, ISSR and AFLP markers, respectively. These values suggest that most of the observed genetic variation resided within populations. Neighbour joining (NJ), principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) and Bayesian based STRUCTURE grouped all the analyzed accessions into largely region-wise clusters and showed some inter-mixing between the populations, indicating the existence of distinct gene pools with limited gene flow/exchange. The present study has revealed a high level of genetic diversity in the analyzed populations. The analysis has resulted in identification of genetically diverse and high picrosides containing P. kurroa genotypes from Sainj, Dayara, Tungnath, Furkia, Parsuthach, Arampatri, Manvarsar, Kedarnath, Thangu and Temza in the Indian Himalayan region. The inferences generated in this study can be used to devise future resource management and conservation strategies in P. kurroa. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12298-021-00972-w.

Rainfall indices during the summer monsoon season may be used for assessment of drought and flood characteristics as well as for agricultural practices and water resources. Therefore, rainfall indices are evaluated over the meteorological subdivisions, namely Bihar, East Uttar Pradesh (UP), and West UP, over the eastern Gangetic Plain of India, which is densely populated and largely depends on agricultural production for the livelihood of the population. For the period 1980–2018, the present study considers the gridded rainfall data of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) at a resolution of 0.25° × 0.25° and outgoing longwave radiation (OLR) data of the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP)/National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) at a resolution of 1° ×1°. Rainfall indices including total rainfall in wet days (PRCPTOT) when daily rainfall is greater than or equal to 1 mm, the number of consecutive dry days (CDD) when daily rainfall is ≤ 1 mm, the number of consecutive wet days (CWD) when daily rainfall is ≥ 1 mm, the number of days when daily rainfall is ≥ 10 mm (Rx10) and the number of days when daily rainfall ≥ 20 mm (Rx20) are analyzed over the meteorological subdivisions. The PRCPTOT, CDD, CWD, Rx10, and Rx20 show an increasing/decreasing trend at a 95% confidence level. The rainfall indices CDD and CWD show positive and negative correlations with OLR, respectively, over the meteorological subdivisions.

The article seeks to make a gendered study of the plough taboo, a prohibition confined only to women, in Santal society. In the light of a discussion on women-specific taboos and restrictions, their diverse interpretations, customary laws and Santal folktales, the article endeavours to explicate the deeply embedded nature of the taboo within Santal society and unravels the gender politics behind the ‘forbidden’ plough. It argues that such asymmetrical, female-only taboos are not mere symbolic expressions of a community’s belief system. They are veritable patriarchal controls meant to ensure the complete dependence of women over men. The article explores similar asymmetrical taboos in other societies to emphasize the point that such female-only taboos are associated with the crucial elements of one’s survival and hence are grave handicaps for women, in particular the single women. The taboos serve as effective tools to control and manipulate single women and their resources, which may, sometimes, be conveniently used to evict them from their property.

The air-sea interaction processes and their relation to Indian summer monsoon rainfall via dynamic and thermodynamic components are vital. The present study examined the two contrasting monsoon years 2016 (normal) and 2017 (below normal) and highlighted the significance of air-sea interaction in the understanding the rainfall over central India. We investigate the difference in the sea surface height anomaly and propagation of oceanic Kelvin and Rossby wave over the tropical Indian Ocean and other atmospheric parameters during the contrasting monsoon years. The study gives information on how equatorial and coastal Kelvin/Rossby waves cause upwelling/downwelling and modulate convection and influence rainfall during 2016 and 2017. The high (low) sea surface height anomaly, sea surface temperature, and upper ocean heat content during 2016 (2017) lead to enhanced (subdued) convection in the Bay of Bengal and thereby contributing more rainfall to central India. During 2016 (2017), high (low) tropospheric temperature draws more (less) moisture through mid-tropospheric heat flux, and net convergence (divergence) is dominated over the central India that results in enhanced (diminish) convection. Also, the velocity potential determines the strengthening (weakening) of Walker circulation through associated atmospheric circulation and upper-level divergence (convergence) that become favorable for rainfall in the year 2016 (2017). This study will help in understanding the variations in the air-sea interaction processes over the tropical Indian Ocean and the Indian subcontinent, the results of which may improve the predictability of the rainfall.

In the warming climatic scenario, Indian Summer Monsoon (ISM) rainfall and its extremes, especially on the local scale, is expected to alter that profoundly impact the societal, environmental, and economic well-being of the million people residing in central India. Therefore, understanding ISM mean and extreme rainfall for the past, current, and reliable projection are crucial for effective adaptation strategies, remains a major scientific challenge. The Regional Earth System Model (ROM) driven by MPI-ESM-LR over the CORDEX-South Asia framework under the RCP8.5 scenario at a finer horizontal resolution of 0.22° was used to investigate the future of mean and extreme precipitation over central India. The ROM’s performance is demonstrated with respect to observed precipitation data from India Meteorological Department. ROM shows its skill in capturing the mean and extreme precipitation (PEs) during the ISM along with its intraseasonal variability. Further, an effort is made to investigate the projected changes in precipitation extremes (PEs) during the mid-future (MF; 2040-2069) and far-future (FF; 2070-2099) concerning the historical period (1969-2000) under the RCP8.5 scenario. The results highlight, two-fold rise in the frequency of PEs is likely to be expected by the end of the century. In addition to this, the study also projects the intraseasonal variability, i.e., the active and break spells that crop up during the peak monsoon months (July and August). The active spells were found to be more persistent in the projected period. The changes in the different precipitation events are subjected to strong cyclonic circulation, reduced vertical wind shear, and enhanced moisture transport.

COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) has caused various clinical manifestations ranging from asymptomatic, minor flu-like symptoms to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), pneumonia, and even death. Early restriction of viruses is of utmost importance in controlling the spread of COVID-19. The present study aimed to evaluate the role of a common herbal extract combination of pomegranate (dantabija), turmeric (haridra), and zinger (DHZ) in mild to moderate covid cases.A hundred covid-positive subjects of mild to moderate severity have been randomized to control and study groups. The study population has been given the fixed-dose combination of DHZ as an adjuvant to standard treatment. Data have been analyzed using standard statistical tools.DHZ as an adjuvant helped in turning 83.33% of patients negative in the home quarantine group whereas 40% of patients in the hospitalized group turned negative with the addition of DHZ in the standard management. The percent negativity was lower in patients who received only standard management. Out of all patients, who did not receive DHZ, only 38% of patients in home quarantine and 32% in hospitalized patients became negative for COVID-19. Patients who received DHZ also showed improvement in blood pressure levels, oxygen levels as well as improvement in all symptoms associated with COVID-19 infections.DHZ has shown a promising effect in mild to moderate cases of COVID-19 as an adjuvant to the standard therapy. The study results indicated that the combination probably produces its effect by its immunomodulatory action.