Evaluation and Performance of Integrated Crop Management in Chilli in Rainfed Tracts of Prakasam District, Andhra Pradesh, India

Chilli is an important high value spice crop, its integrated crop management is an important area for the welfare andlivelihood security of farmers. Most of the farmers of Prakasam district of Andhra Pradesh are growing wide varieties and cultivars of chilli but so far the research findings on chilli integrated crop management were less aware. To know the yield potential of integrated crop management and its economic impact, evaluation on integrated crop management was conducted at Chandhaluru and Nallaguntla Guedm villages. The adopted package of practices was seed rate @1kg/ha, spacing 60x45cm, FYM 15t/ha, Urea, single super and muriate of potash256:150:80 kg/acre. There was wide variation between integrated crop management and farmers practice in fruit yield and economic returns. The results on yield and economic returns indicated that chilli integrated crop management was found superior to farmers practice. Integrated crop management could obtain 124 fruits per plant and yield of 47.00q/ha, thirps incidence (24.3%), whitefly incidence (9.67 %) and fruit rot infestation (6.0%). Whereas,in farmers practicefruits obtained were99per plant and yield of 43.00q/ha, thripsincidence (44.67 %),whiteflyincidence (28.33) and fruit rot(18 %) with a net income of Rs220000/- and B:C ratio 1: 1.88 compared to farmers practice with a net income of Rs113333/-with B:C ratio 1:1.36. The integrated crop management percent yield increased over farmers practices8.5 per cent. It was concluded that integrated crop management could help to improve the economy of the farmers.

Accuracy of the smartphone-based nonmydriatic retinal camera in the detection of sight-threatening diabetic retinopathy

Purpose: To evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of smartphone-based nonmydriatic (NM) retinal camera in the detection of diabetic retinopathy (DR) and sight-threatening DR (STDR) in a tertiary eye care facility. Methods: Patients with diabetes underwent retinal photography with a smartphone-based NM fundus camera before mydriasis and standard 7-field fundus photography with a desktop mydriatic fundus camera after mydriasis. DR was graded using the international clinical classification of diabetic retinopathy system by two retinal expert ophthalmologists masked to each other and to the patient's identity. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) to detect DR and STDR by NM retinal imaging were assessed. Results: 245 people had gradable images in one or both eyes. DR and STDR were detected in 45.3% and 24.5%, respectively using NM camera, and in 57.6% and 28.6%, respectively using mydriatic camera. The sensitivity and specificity to detect any DR by NM camera was 75.2% (95% confidence interval (CI) 68.1–82.3) and 95.2% (95%CI 91.1–99.3). For STDR the values were 82.9% (95% CI 74.0–91.7) and 98.9% (95% CI 97.3–100), respectively. The PPV to detect any DR was 95.5% (95% CI 89.8–98.5) and NPV was 73.9% (95% CI 66.4–81.3); PPV for STDR detection was 96.7% (95% CI 92.1–100)) and NPV was 93.5% (95% CI 90.0–97.1). Conclusion: Smartphone-based NM retinal camera had fairly high sensitivity and specificity for detection of DR and STDR in this clinic-based study. Further studies are warranted in other settings.

Thyroid Lesions: FNAC and Histopathology Correlation in Our Experience.

Background: Fine needle aspiration cytology is considered the gold standard diagnostic test for the diagnosis of thyroid nodules. Fine needle aspiration cytology is a cost effective procedure that provides a specific diagnosis rapidly with minimal complications. Based on the cytology findings, patients can be followed up in cases of benign diagnosis and subjected to surgery in cases of malignant diagnosis thereby decreasing the rate of unnecessary surgery. The purpose of the present study was to correlate the fine needle aspiration cytology findings with histopathology of excised specimens. Methods: This was a prospective study conducted on 310 consecutive patients between June 2012 and May 2015. All patients with clinically diagnosed thyroid nodule were included in the study. Results: In our study sensitivity of the thyroid FNAC ranges from 93.02% to 100% and its specificity from 60.42% to 96.62% respectively. Positive predictive value is 94.44% and negative predictive value is 100%. Commonest benign condition is multinodular goiter and malignancy is papillary carcinoma. Most difficult thyroid lesions to be reported are those in the intermediate category as cytomorphological features are overlapping.Conclusion: Fine needle aspiration cytology is a simple, easy to perform, cost effective, and easily repeated procedure for the diagnosis of thyroid cancer. It is recommended as the first line investigation for the diagnosis of thyroid nodules.

Speciation of coagulase negative Staphylococcal isolates from clinically significant specimens and their antibiogram.

Background: Despite their frequency as contaminants, coagulase-negative Staphylococci (CONS) have become important nosocomial pathogens, accounting for 9% of all nosocomial infections. These infections are diffi cult to treat because of the risk factors and the multiple drug resistance nature of these organisms. Materials and Methods: One hundred and two consecutive CONS were isolated from various clinical samples like blood, pus, urine, urine catheter tip and gastric lavage. Most of the blood samples were from patients with risk factors (immunocompromised or on medical devices). After confi rming the isolates as CONS, species-level identifi cation was performed by simple, non-expensive conventional methods and antibiotic sensitivity testing was also carried out. Results: Of 102 CONS isolates, 100 isolates could be identifi ed to the species level. Among the 100 isolates, epidermidis was the most common species isolated, seen in 32%, followed by S. hemolyticus (18%), S. lugdunensis (12%), S. hominis (10%), S. saprophyticus (8%), S. capitis (6%), S. caprae (4%), S. xylosus (4%), S. cohni and S. warneri (3% each). In the present study, 56% of the isolates were methicillin-resistant CONS. Most of the isolates showed resistance to ampicillin and amoxyclav (89% each), followed by ceftriaxone (52%), cotrimoxazole (46%), cefotaxime (32%), gentamicin (25%), amikacin (21%). Conclusion: The increased pathogenic potential and multiple-drug resistance demonstrates the need to adopt simple, reliable and non-expensive methods for identifying and determining the antibiotic sensitivity of CONS.

Left-sided giant adrenal myelolipoma secreting catecholamine.

Adrenal myelolipoma (AML) is a rare benign tumor composed of mature adipose and hematopoietic tissue. Most of these patients are asymptomatic and the tumors are non-secreting. We present a case with a large functional adrenal myelolipoma, wherein the patient was hypertensive and biochemistry revealed increase in 24 hours urinary Vanillylmandelic Acid (VMA), a metabolite of catecholamine. The mass was removed surgically and diagnosed as adrenal myelolipoma on histopathological examination. Both his blood pressure and urinary VMA returned to normal following surgery, which suggested that the mass was functioning and was secreting catecholamine. To the best of our knowledge, a catecholamine secreting adrenal myelolipoma has been reported in the literature only once previously. The association of hypertension and adrenal myelolipoma may not be entirely coincidental, as it may be associated with secreting catecholamine, as seen in our case. We also review the literature on functioning adrenal myelolipoma.

Degradation of h-acid by free and immobilized cells of Alcaligenes latus

Alcaligenes latus, isolated from industrial effluent, was able to grow in mineral salts medium with 50 ppm (0.15 mM) of H-acid as a sole source of carbon. Immobilization of Alcaligenes latus in Ca-alginate and polyurethane foam resulted in cells embedded in the matrices. When free cells and immobilized cells were used for biodegradation studies at concentration ranging from 100 ppm (0.3 mM) to 500 ppm (1.15 mM) degradation rate was enhanced with immobilized cells. Cells immobilized in polyurethane foam showed 100 percent degradation up to 350 ppm (1.05 mM) and 57 percent degradation at 500 ppm (1.5 mM). Degradation rate of Ca-alginate immobilized cells was less as compared to that of polyurethane foam immobilized cells. With Ca-alginate immobilized cells 100 percent degradation was recorded up to 200 ppm (0.6 mM) of H-acid and only 33 percent degradation was recorded at 500 ppm (1.5 mM) of H-acid. Spectral analysis of the products after H-acid utilization showed that the spent medium did not contain any aromatic compounds indicating H-acid degradation by A. latus.

Detection, amplification & sequence homology of sodC in clinical isolates of Salmonella sp.

Background & objectives: Periplasmic copper and zinc superoxide dismutase (Cu,Zn-SOD or SodC) is an important component of the antioxidant shield which protects bacteria from the phagocytic oxidative burst. Cu,Zn-SODs protect Gram-negative bacteria against oxygen damage which have also been shown to contribute to the pathogenicity of these bacterial species. We report the presence of SodC in drug resistant Salmonella sp. isolated from patients suffering from enteric fever. Further sodC was amplified, cloned into Escherichia coli and the nucleotide sequence and amino acid sequence homology were compared with the standard strain sSalmonella Typhimurium 14028. Methods: Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi (S. Typhi) and Salmonella enterica serovar Paratyphi (S. Paratyphi) were isolated and identified from blood samples of the patients. The isolates were screened for the presence of Cu, Zn-SOD by PAGE using KCN as inhibitor of Cu,Zn-SOD. The gene (sodC) was amplified by PCR, cloned and sequenced. The nucleotide and amino acid sequences of sodC were compared using CLUSTAL X. Results: SodC was detected in 35 per cent of the Salmonella isolates. Amplification of the genomic DNA of S. Typhi and S. Paratyphi with sodC specific primers resulted in 519 and 515 bp amplicons respectively. Single mutational difference at position 489 was observed between the sodC of S. Typhi and S. Paratyphi while they differed at 6 positions with the sodC of S. Typhimurium 14028. The SodC amino acid sequences of the two isolates were homologous but 3 amino acid difference was observed with that of standard strain S. Typhimurium 14028. Interpretation & conclusions: The presence of SodC in pathogenic bacteria could be a novel candidate as phylogenetic marker.

Fanconi's anemia in monozygotic twins.

Fanconi's anemia is one of the inherited causes of bone marrow failure. It is inherited in autosomal recessive fashion. It presents as aplastic anemia usually at the age of 7-8 yr. Leukemias and solid tumours are complications in those who manage to survive beyond two decades. Though it has been seen in siblings, reports in monozygotic twins have been very few.

Treatment of severely mutilated incisors: a challenge to the pedodontist.

Dental caries is the single most common chronic childhood disease. In early childhood caries, there is early carious involvement and gross destruction of the maxillary anterior teeth. This leads to difficulty in speech, decreased masticatory efficiency, development of abnormal tongue habits and subsequent malocclusion and psychological problems if esthetics are compromised. The restoration of severely decayed primary incisors is often a difficult procedure that presents a special challenge to pediatric dentists. This case report documents the restoration of severely mutilated lateral incisors in a patient with early childhood caries.

Identification of Pneumocystis carinii in induced sputum of AIDS patients in Chennai (Madras).

Induced sputum samples were collected from 32 AIDS patients with respiratory ailments. Pneumcystis carinii was demonstrated in 9 out of 32 AIDS cases by Indirect Immunofluorescence technique (HF). Four cases were positive by all the three techniques namely Giemsa staining, Toluidine blue staining and IIF, three were positive by both toluidine blue and IIF, and two were positive only by IIF. Among other microbial pathogens, acid fast bacilli was demonstrated in all the P carinii positive cases and Candida albicans in 53% AIDS cases from the induced sputum sample.