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The essential oil of Pelargonium graveolens (rose-scented geranium), an important aromatic plant, comprising mainly mono- and sesqui-terpenes, has applications in food and cosmetic industries. This study reports the characterization of isoprenyl disphosphate synthases (IDSs) involved in P. graveolens terpene biosynthesis. The six identified PgIDSs belonged to different classes of IDSs, comprising homomeric geranyl diphosphate synthases (GPPSs; PgGPPS1 and PgGPPS2), the large subunit of heteromeric GPPS or geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthases (GGPPSs; PgGGPPS), the small subunit of heteromeric GPPS (PgGPPS.SSUI and PgGPPS.SSUII), and farnesyl diphosphate synthases (FPPS; PgFPPS).All IDSs exhibited maximal expression in glandular trichomes (GTs), the site of aroma formation, and their expression except PgGPPS.SSUII was induced upon treatment with MeJA. Functional characterization of recombinant proteins revealed that PgGPPS1, PgGGPPS and PgFPPS were active enzymes producing GPP, GGPP/GPP, and FPP respectively, whereas both PgGPPS.SSUs and PgGPPS2 were inactive. Co-expression of PgGGPPS (that exhibited bifunctional G(G)PPS activity) with PgGPPS.SSUs in bacterial expression system showed lack of interaction between the two proteins, however, PgGGPPS interacted with a phylogenetically distant Antirrhinum majus GPPS.SSU. Further, transient expression of AmGPPS.SSU in P. graveolens leaf led to a significant increase in monoterpene levels. These findings provide insight into the types of IDSs and their role in providing precursors for different terpenoid components of P. graveolens essential oil., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Apart from complete surgical clearance of the malignancy, reducing morbidity and improving quality of life of the patient is also considered. One of the morbidities linked with neck dissections is shoulder dysfunction. The aim of our study is to analyse the functional outcomes in patients operated for various neck dissections with preservation of the Spinal accessory nerve. A single centre prospective observational study was conducted in a total of 45 patients with oral cancers. These patients underwent Wide local excision of the primary tumour along with neck dissection. Tests for assessing spinal accessory nerve function was elicited in all these patients preoperatively and postoperatively. Patients were examined for shoulder pain and shoulder disability using Arm abduction test. All 45 patients underwent spinal accessory nerve preserving neck dissection. On post operative day 10, 89% of patients showed arm abduction test score of 1 and 47% of patients had a pain score of 6 whereas 13% had a pain score of 8. After 6 months of rehabilitation and regular follow up, 62% of the patients had improved arm abduction test score of 4 and above and all 45 patients had pain score improved to score of 4 and less. Variable amount of shoulder dysfunction is seen even in spinal accessory nerve preserving neck dissections. But active rehabilitation and regular follow up of these patients reduces the morbidity associated with shoulder syndrome., Competing Interests: Conflict of interestThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article., (© Association of Otolaryngologists of India 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.)

The novel coronavirus disease 2019 is an ongoing pandemic and a global health emergency. Since the main portal of entry for the virus is the nose, olfactory and taste dysfunction have gained attention as important symptoms in COVID-19. The primary objectives are to assess the prevalence of olfactory and taste dysfunction in patients affected with COVID-19. And to determine whether anosmia and ageusia are early predictors of COVID-19. A prospective study was conducted on 300 patients who were laboratory diagnosed cases of COVID-19 admitted in tertiary care centre and a covid care centre. A written informed consent was taken. All patients underwent olfactory and taste examination and the details were noted in a case-record proforma. The prevalence of olfactory dysfunction in COVID-19 patients was 21% and that of taste dysfunction was 26.6%. Majority of the affected individuals were males and mainly of the younger age group. These symptoms lasted for a duration of 7-9 days and 97% of the patients showed complete recovery. Acute sudden onset olfactory and taste dysfunction seems to be a useful indicator for early diagnosis of patients thus helping in early isolation, timely management of the illness and controlling the spread of the disease., Competing Interests: Conflict of interestThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article., (© Association of Otolaryngologists of India 2021.)

Introduction. Vaginal colonization of Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is associated with preterm births and neonatal sepsis. Thus routine screening of GBS in prenatal care is recommended. Hypothesis. Chromogenic media (carrot broth) aids in specific and rapid detection of GBS. Aim. To investigate the efficiency of Strep B Carrot Broth for detection of GBS in high vaginal swabs from pregnant women. Methods. In this study 201 vaginal swab samples were collected from pregnant women. Swabs were inoculated in chromogenic media (Strep B Carrot Broth). The positive and negative cultures were inoculated on blood agar and crome agar plates. The colonies were subjected to 16S rRNA sequencing and gene-specific PCR for confirmation. The Christie Atkins Munch Peterson (CAMP) and bile esculin agar (BEA) tests were used for biochemical confirmation. PCR was performed on genomic DNA isolated from uncultured vaginal swabs. Results. It was found that 20/201 (9.9 %) vaginal swab samples were positive in the Strep B Carrot Broth and 17/20 (85 %) and 19/20 (95 %) of these samples yielded colonies on blood agar and crome agar, respectively. Of the 181 carrot broth-negative samples, 1 (0.5 %) and 38 (20.9 %) yielded colonies on blood agar and crome agar plates, respectively. However, 16 s rRNA sequencing revealed that none of the 20 carrot broth-positive cultures were GBS and had sequence similarities to Enterococcus faecalis . This was also confirmed by using gene-specific PCR and BEA positivity. Furthermore, E. faecalis was detected by PCR in DNA isolated from 57 uncultured vaginal swabs samples, GBS could only be detected by PCR in four samples. Conclusion. Carrot broth-based culture can lead to false-positive detection due to the presence of E. faecalis . Thus GBS-positive results in carrot broth must be confirmed by the other molecular and biochemical tests before making a final diagnosis.

Introduction: A long-standing retained foreign body in the bronchus is unusual. In majority of cases, an adequate history is not obtained, the clinical picture is usually clouded by superadded pathological changes., Case Series: We report three cases of long-standing foreign body in the airway who presented with recurrent lower respiratory tract infection. Examination of respiratory system revealed no significant abnormality. Chest radiograph was normal. CT scan of the chest was useful to indicate endobronchial opacity in the airway suggestive of a foreign body. The patients underwent rigid bronchoscopy under general anesthesia for successful removal of the foreign body., Conclusion: So the patients with non-resolving or recurrent lower respiratory symptoms in spite of medical treatment and without any obstructive findings must undergo diagnostic bronchoscopy evaluation and imaging.

Objectives: Household air pollution (HAP) is a risk factor for respiratory disease, however has yet to be definitively associated with tuberculosis (TB). We aimed to assess the association between HAP and TB., Methods: A matched case-control study was conducted among adult women and children patients with TB and healthy controls matched on geography, age and sex. HAP was assessed using questionnaires for pollution sources and 24-hour household concentrations of particulate matter <2.5 μm in diameter (PM 2.5 )., Results: In total, 192 individuals in 96 matched pairs were included. The median 24-hour time-weighted average PM 2.5 was nearly seven times higher than the WHO's recommendation of 25 µg/m 3 , and did not vary between controls (179 µg/m 3 ; IQR: 113-292) and cases (median 157 µg/m 3 ; 95% CI 93 to 279; p=0.57). Reported use of wood fuel was not associated with TB (OR 2.32; 95% CI 0.65 to 24.20) and kerosene was significantly associated with TB (OR 5.49, 95% CI 1.24 to 24.20) in adjusted analysis. Household PM 2.5 was not associated with TB in univariate or adjusted analysis. Controlling for PM 2.5 concentration, kerosene was not significantly associated with TB, but effect sizes ranged from OR 4.30 (95% CI 0.78 to 30.86; p=0.09) to OR 5.49 (0.82 to 36.75; p=0.08)., Conclusions: Use of kerosene cooking fuel is positively associated with TB in analysis using reported sources of exposure. Ubiquitously high levels of particulates limited detection of a difference in household PM 2.5 between cases and controls., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2019. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Introduction: Household air pollution (HAP) is poorly characterized in low-income urban Indian communities., Materials and Methods: A questionnaire assessing sources of HAP and 24 h household concentrations of particulate matter less than 2.5 microns in diameter (PM 2.5 ) were collected in a sample of low-income homes in Pune, India., Results: In 166 homes, the median 24 h average concentration of PM 2.5 was 167 μg/m 3 (IQR: 106-294). Although kerosene and wood use were highly prevalent (22% and 25% of homes, respectively), primarily as secondary fuel sources, high PM 2.5 concentrations were also found in 95 (57%) homes reporting LPG use alone (mean 141 μg/m 3 ; IQR: 92-209). In adjusted linear regression, log PM 2.5 concentration was positively associated with wood cooking fuel (GMR 1.5, 95% CI: 1.1-2.0), mosquito coils (GMR 1.5, 95% CI: 1.1-2.1), and winter season (GMR 1.7, 95% CI: 1.4-2.2). Households in the highest quartile of exposure were positively associated with wood cooking fuel (OR 1.3, 95% CI: 1.1-1.5), incense (OR 1.1, 95% CI: 1.0-1.3), mosquito coils (OR 1.3, 95% CI: 1.1-1.6), and winter season (OR 1.2, 95% CI: 1.1-1.4)., Discussion: We observed high concentrations of PM 2.5 and identified associated determinants in urban Indian homes.

Background: There is limited validation of self-reported measures for secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure in low- and middle-income countries. We evaluated the validity of standard self-reported measures among women and children in urban India., Methods: Structured questionnaires were administered, and household air and hair samples were analyzed for nicotine concentration., Results: In total, 141 households of 70 child and 71 adult participants were included. Air nicotine was detected in 72 (51%) homes, and 35 (75%) child and 12 (56%) adult participants had detectable hair nicotine. Correlation between air and hair nicotine was significant in children ( r = 0.5; P = .0002) but not in adults ( r = -0.1; P = .57). Poor correlation was found between self-reported measures of exposure and both air and hair nicotine. No questions were significantly correlated with hair nicotine, and the highest-magnitude correlation with air nicotine was for how often someone smoked inside for adults ( r = 0.4; P = .10) and for home preparation of mishri (a smokeless tobacco product prepared for consumption by roasting) for children ( r = 0.4; P = .39). The highest value for sensitivity by using air nicotine as the gold standard was for whether people smelled other families preparing mishri (47%; 95% confidence interval: 31-62) and prepared mishri in their own homes (50%; 95% confidence interval: 19-81)., Conclusions: These results raise caution in using or evaluating self-reported SHS exposure in these communities. More appropriate questions for this population are needed, including mishri preparation as a source of SHS exposure., Competing Interests: POTENTIAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST: The authors have indicated they have no potential conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2018 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.)