Influence of root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne incognita (Kofoid & White) Chitwood infection on different plant growth parameters in Mungbean, Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek

Root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne incognita (Kofoid & White) Chitwood, is a major threat to mungbean cultivation. The pest causes a significant reduction in plant growth parameters that ultimately results in loss of grain yield. The present study was carried out under glass house condition to study the effect of different inoculum load of root-knot nematode M. incognita on plant growth, nodulation and nematode development and nutrients status of Mungbean. The results revealed a progressive decline in plant growth parameters viz., fresh and dry shoot weight and shoot length with respect to increase in inoculum level. However, fresh and dry root weight showed the opposite trend. The fresh and dry shoot weight was decreased by 44% and 66%, respectively at 4 J2s/g soil. The chlorophyll content in the leaves also decreased with the increase of inoculum level from 100-6000 J2s/pot. Nutrients contents of the plant viz. N, P, K, Ca and Mg were significantly reduced in shoots while in roots these was increased with an increase of inoculum levels. Nodulation was affected by 80% at the highest inoculum level i.e. 6000 J2s/pot. Also leghaemoglobin, bacteroid content and nitrogenase activity was reduced progressively with increased levels of nematode inoculum. Thus, the root-knot nematode, M. incognita interferes with the process of symbiotic nitrogen fixation between mungbean host and rhizobium and that can affect the quality of produce.

Rhizospheric soil of Typha angustifolia L. from heavy metal contaminated and free sites: Comparative profiling reveals selective abundance of γ-proteobacteria and β-proteobacteria

Typha angustifolia L. commonly called Lesser bulrush or Narrowleaf cattail, is one of the most predominant flora of the heavy metal enriched wetland of Jaduguda Uranium mine tailings, India. The luxurious growth of this plant is due to its ability to tolerate heavy metals, such as iron and manganese.This plant also grows abundantly in natural wetlands of Kolkata. Rhizospheric eubacterial community of Typha growing in Jaduguda and Kolkata were compared by cloning of 16SrDNA sequences followed by ARDRA (Amplified rDNA Restriction Analysis) and sequencing of unique clusters. Sequencing results were subjected to computational analysis. In the natural wetland of Kolkata, the predominant group of eubacteria was found to be β-proteobacteria, which isabsent in heavy metal enriched wetland of Jaduguda where γ-proteobacteria was found to be predominant. The data was statistically validated using a simple χ2 test which established the diversity of the populations in context to the bioavailability of heavy metals

Association of Socioeconomic Status on STI/STD Awareness Among OPD patients attending a Tertiary Care Hospital

Background: Sexually transmitted infections (STI) are a major public health, social, and economic problem leading to morbidity, mortality and stigma. This study was conducted to determine the relationship between the STIs and demographic factors. In Indian society, discussing STDs is considered taboo; where ethics and social factors give rise to many obstacles. This study is designed to explore the conception and knowledge about protection against STDs within the patient community. In the present study we aim to study the association of various socioeconomic variables; and the knowledge and awareness level of STI/STDs. Methods: The convenience sample was taken from the adult patients attending and consenting to participate in the study during April- June 2018, using a semi-structured Performa. Collected data was analysed using SPSS soft ware. Results: Age, Education, and income were associated with the awareness about the STI/STD awareness. Conclusions: Socio-economic factors have an association with STI/STD awareness, and hence carry public health importance.

Interdependence of laforin and malin proteins for their stability and functions could underlie the molecular basis of locus heterogeneity in Lafora disease.

Lafora disease (LD), an autosomal recessive and fatal form of neurodegenerative disorder, is characterized by the presence of polyglucosan inclusions in the affected tissues including the brain. LD can be caused by defects either in the EPM2A gene coding for the laforin protein phosphatase or the NHLRC1 gene coding for the malin ubiquitin ligase. Since the clinical symptoms of LD patients representing the two genetic groups are very similar and since malin is known to interact with laforin, we were curious to examine the possibility that the two proteins regulate each other’s function. Using cell biological assays we demonstrate here that (i) malin promotes its own degradation via autoubiquitination, (ii) laforin prevents the auto-degradation of malin by presenting itself as a substrate and (iii) malin preferentially degrades the phosphatase-inactive laforin monomer. Our results that laforin and malin regulate each other’s stability and activity offers a novel and attractive model to explain the molecular basis of locus heterogeneity observed in LD.

Expression of GPI anchored human recombinant erythropoietin in CHO cells is devoid of glycosylation heterogeneity.

Erythropoietin is a glycohormone involved in the regulation of the blood cell levels. It is a 166 amino acid protein having 3 N-glycosylation and one O-linked glycosylation sites, and is used to treat anaemia related illness. Though human recombinant erythropoietin (rEPO) is produced in CHO cells, the loss in quality control is 80% due to incomplete glycosylation of the rEPO with low levels of fully glycosylated active rEPO. Here, we describe the expression from CHO cells of fully glycosylated human rEPO when expressed as a GPI anchored molecule (rEPO-g). The results demonstrated the production of a homogenous completely glycosylated human rEPO-g as a 42 kD band without any low molecular weight glycoform variants as shown by affinity chromatography followed by SDS-PAGE and anti-human EPO specific western blot. The western blot using specific monoclonal antibody is the available biochemical technique to prove the presence of homogeneity in the expressed recombinant protein. The GPI anchor can be removed during the purification process to yield a therapeutically relevant recombinant erythropoietin molecule cells with a higher in vivo biological activity due to its high molecular weight of 40 kD. This is possibly the first report on the production of a homogenous and completely glycosylated human rEPO from CHO cells for efficient therapy.

Study of septic abortion cases at a tertiary centre of Uttarakhand.

Aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence, maternal morbidity & mortality, clinical features, management in cases of septic abortion in a tertiary centre. This study included 37 cases of septic abortion admitted during 5 years from January 2007 to January 2012 in the Department of obstetrics & Gynaecology in Government Medical College, Haldwani. All patients were evaluated with special reference to incidence, etiological factors, clinical features, surgery & maternal morbidity & mortality. The incidence of septic abortion was 1.08%. Common age group was between 26-30 years. Most of the cases were from lower socioeconomic status. Septic abortion following spontaneous abortion was present in 5 cases. Unwanted pregnancy was the indication for termination of pregnancy in 32 cases. 4 women were admitted in state of septic shock. 12 cases required lapratomy for drainage of pus, 3 had hysterectomy, 3 had resection anastomosis & uterus repair was done in 4 cases. Overall maternal mortality was 5 (13.5%).The incidence of illegal and septic abortion can be reduced by increasing awareness about family planning services and making legal abortion services easily available to the women and that too at a cheaper cost.

Effect of physico-chemical treatments on ripening behavior and post- harvest quality of Amrapali mango (Mangifera indica L.) during storage.

An experiment was done to assess the effect of various physico-chemical treatments on ripening behavior and post harvest quality of mango cv. Amrapali. The experiment was planned under completely randomized design (CRD ) with three replications. The treatment units was five fruits per replication. Total 14 treatments were applied. Out of these, ethrel 750 ppm treated fruits showed better results in respect of specific gravity (0.88), moisture loss (8.45%), decay (2.5%), total soluble solids (TSS, 20.7o brix), sugar content (14.39%) and acidity content (0.32) followed by ethrel 500 ppm; specific gravity (0.90), moisture loss (8.82%), decay (3.5%), TSS (20.7o brix ), sugar content (13.99%) and acidity content (0.36%). The pedicellate fruits and ethrel+bavistin (750+1000 ppm) were also found to be significantly superior over control in respect of specific gravity (0.88 and 0.86), moisture loss (9.10 and 9.33%), decay (4.0 and 5.33%), TSS (20.1 and 20.4o brix), sugar content (12.70 and 12.80%) and acidity content (0.42 and 0.38%), respectively. Based on results of this study, it can be concluded that ethrel 750 ppm was found to be the most suitable treatment in improving physico-chemical traits i.e. ripening, storage, quality and shelf-life for commercial purpose in mango.

Media Scanning as a Supplemntal tool to Disease Outbreak Reporting und)er IDSP-IndiaAn event based surveillance Project (IDSP).

Media scanning & verification cell (MSVC) was established on 24th July 2008 under IDSP at National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Delhi for providing supplemental information on early detection of outbreaks in India so that a timely and an appropriate action can be taken. Since then the system is working efficiently and has detected many outbreaks before the conventional system in their incipient stages and helped in their containments at early stages. Media scanning & verification cell is an “Early Warning System” (EWS) that gathers preliminary reports of public health significance on a real time basis and immediately disseminate the information to the users electronically for verification. This unique system monitors Global and National Media sources such as National and Regional print media, news on internet, websites, news channels and news shared by partners like Global Public Health Intelligence Network (GPHIN), Canada, WHO and other International and national agencies. Media scanning & verification cell is managed by trained Epidemiologists and Public Health Consultants working in Central Surveillance Unit of IDSP. The major part of work is manual with two rounds of screening by experts that fulfills issues regarding quality assurance.