RESUMO
Background & Objectives: Candidemia is a significant cause of nosocomial mortality and morbidity in neonates. Prompt diagnosis and treatment is crucial. Non-albicans Candida (NAC) species are assuming an increasing role in nosocomial infections in neonates. The present study was carried out i) to identify and speciate the Candida isolates obtained from cases of neonatal candidemia and to assess the risk factors and clinical manifestations associated with it (ii) to evaluate if candiduria, can be considered as a reliable indicator of candidemia. Methods: The prospective cohort study included the blood samples from 527 clinically suspected cases of neonatal septicaemia which were subjected to automated culture and processed as per standard microbiological techniques. The urine samples from all the 527 neonates were processed by conventional method. Results: Frequency of neonatal candidemia in culture proven cases of septicemia was 30.1%. Low birth weight was the commonest risk factor, followed by prematurity. Non-albicans Candida (NAC) species were isolated from blood in 86.4% cases compared to Candida albicans in 13.6%. Candida glabrata was the predominant species. Overall, candiduria was found in 54.5% cases of neonatal candidemia with same species of Candida isolated both from blood and urine samples. Among the cases of candiduria, NAC species were isolated in 81.7% compared to C. albicans in 18.3%. Correlation between candiduria and candidemia was maximum (73.33%) in C. albicans followed by C. tropicalis (72.41%) and C. glabrata (55.81%). Conclusions: The present study highlights the emergence of NAC species as an important cause of neonatal candidemia from Meerut city: definitely a changing trend. Further, our study also highlights that candiduria may be considered as a reliable indicator of candidemia in neonates.
RESUMO
Cenchrus is an important component of major grass cover of world. Similar to the other major tropical grasses most of the species in genus Cenchrus are also apomictic in nature hence correct and precise identification of accessions and species are problematic and dubious. In the present study 187 decamer oligonucleotide primers were tested for PCR-based DNA amplification of six prominent species of genus Cenchrus. Of these, 32 potential repetitive and polymorphic primers were tested for identification of species-specific markers for C. ciliaris, C. setigerus, C. pennisetiformis, C. prieurri, C. biflorus and C. myosuroides. These primers yielded 51 unique RAPD markers either specific to a species (37) or shared by two or more species (14). Maximum markers were shared between C. ciliaris and C. setigerus confirming their more closeness to each other. Primers like OPF09, OPF11, OPR15, OPAJ11, OPQ10 and OPAK20 generated strong intense bands can be used on priority in identifying the species from their natural habitat for the development of species-specific core germplasm. Due to apomictic nature this is the prime method of developing cultivars, as morphological characters are largely unable to distinguish them. The level of variation observed clearly suggest RAPD as an appropriate marker for genetic studies and in identifying the lines with species-specific markers for Cenchrus germplasm management activity and also maintaining identity and purity for proprietary reasons.
RESUMO
Carbon isotope discrimination (CID) has been proposed in estimating transpiration efficiency (TE) in plants indirectly To identify variations for TE and specific leaf area (SLA) and their association with CID, a glasshouse experiment was conducted using six prominent species of Cenchrus. A significant increase in TE (3.50 to 3.87 g kg(-1)) and decrease in SLA (219.50 to 207.99 cm2 g(-1)) and CID (13.72 to 13.23% per hundred) was observed from well watered to stress condition. Results indicated a direct relationship of SLA with CID (r = 0.511* and 0.544*) and inverse relationship between TE and CID (r = -0.229 and -0.270) However the relationship of TE with CID was insignificant. A positive and significant relationship was visualized between TE and dry matter production in both control (r = 0.917**) and stress (0.718**) treatments. Relationships of total dry matter with SLA and CID were monitored insignificant and negative in control and positive in stress treatment indicated difference in dry matter production under two treatments. It seems that, in Cenchrus species, CID was influenced more by the photosynthetic capacity than by stomatal conductance, as indicated by its positive relationship with SLAin both control (r = 0.511) and stress (r = 0.544) conditions and negative relationship with root dry matter production under control (r = -0.921**) and stress (r = -0.919***) condition. Results showed good correspondence between CID and SLA, indicating that lines having high TE and biomass production can be exploited for their genetic improvement for drought.