Perceptions of telemedicine among healthcare professionals in rural tertiary care hospitals of rural Sindh, Pakistan: a qualitative study.

Background: Telemedicine has proven to be a boon in the field of medical sciences, as it provides a platform for all health-care personnel to assist patients remotely through digital technology advancements. It brings hope to the lower middle-income regions of the world. Thus, the study was conducted to explore the perceptions regarding telemedicine among healthcare professionals (HCP) in rural Sindh, Pakistan. Methodology: Overall, 19 in-depth interviews were conducted and this comprised of HCP working in the Pir Abdul Qadir Shah Jeelani Institute of Medical Sciences (PAQSJIMS) and Peoples University of Medical and Health Sciences for Women (PUMHSW) being involved in providing online consultations and practicing telemedicine. The interviews were conducted and audio recorded in Sindhi and Urdu and were later transcribed in to English, coded for themes and sub-themes, and were analyzed using content analysis. Results: The opportunities perceived with the use of telemedicine services were reducing nosocomial infections, facilitating the healthcare in remote areas, handling telemedicine tools, application of telemedicine services on the ground and reducing stress. However, inadequate awareness regarding telemedicine, difficulty in physical examination, the need for training, lack of compliance, and concerns regarding accuracy in diagnosis and treatment were identified as the perceived barriers to the use of telemedicine services. Conclusion: HCP had perception toward telemedicine as have numerous opportunities favoring implementation as well as various barriers are needed to overcome to promote the usage of telemedicine. Increased awareness, training programs, and technological advancements are key to overcome these challenges.

Limb Salvage Strategy Amendment for a Better Future in the Era of Bone Cancer Therapy: A Cross-Sectional Study in North India.

BACKGROUND:  Bone tumors remain a formidable challenge for orthopedic surgeons. In developing countries, the challenge is exacerbated by limited diagnostic, therapeutic, and management facilities and ignorance. Patients with upper and lower-extremity muscle and skeletal tumors are candidates for amputation or surgical rescue of the limbs. Traditionally, limb rescue surgery by neo-adjuvant chemotherapy is the preferred surgery method for localized carcinoma. Amputations are usually reserved for patients with increased tumor size. The purpose of this study is to investigate health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and physical disability, focusing on surgical care, gender, and age, in adolescent and young adult survivors of malignant bone tumors treated surgically. METHODS:  This cross-sectional study consists of 38 long-term survivors who underwent amputation or limb-salvage surgery at King George's Medical University, Lucknow, from 2019 to 2022. After obtaining ethical clearance and informed consent, 38 patients which included 26 patients treated with limb salvage in Group A and 12 patients treated with amputation in Group B were included in the study. The SF-36 and HUI3 scores were used to assess the functional outcome and health-related QoL of these patients. RESULTS:  After minimal six months of interventions, we have found a significant improvement in all the following factors: physical functioning (P=0.000), role limitations due to physical health (P=0.000) and emotional problems (P=0.001), energy/fatigue (P=0.000), emotional well-being (P=0.000), social functioning (P=0.000), pain (P=0.000), and general health (P=0.000). Group A showed a higher degree of significance than Group B through SF-36 (Short Form-36, patient-reported outcome), whereas HUI-3 did not show any significant outcomes (P=0.347). CONCLUSION:  The overall quality of life of patients with salvaged limbs appears to be higher than that of the quality of life of amputee patients in tumor survivor patients. Further analyses must be carried out to verify the results and focus on areas that have a major impact on the overall quality of life using other assessment tools. The impact of therapy on the quality of life depends on maintaining the necessary structures for functional functions, adjusting patient expectations to cancer treatments, and designing long-term rehabilitation programs to support functional functions.

Green finance in circular economy: a literature review.

Developing markets are using sustainable development potential to reach zero-carbon goals. Due to the limitation of natural resources, companies need to use environmentally friendly manufacturing to develop a circular economy (CE). Green finance (GF) and the CE are linked in a systematic and complex approach; therefore, it was essential to employ the coupling coordination-level framework to explain their relationship and feedback. Any study linking green financing and CE together has been found. The objective of this research is to explore this twofold domain and determine its main characteristics. To address this objective, a comprehensive review of the literature was conducted, supplemented by a bibliometric analysis. The results confirm that GF has the potential to help society, sustainability, and the prevention to climate shifts, investing in the CE. There are many hurdles to overcome, including inadequate knowledge about CE and GF, ambiguous definitions, a lack of coherence between legal frameworks on CE and green financing, unclear laws, and a lack of financially viable motivation for investors and financial institutions that are ready to promote in sustainability. This study explores CE and GF domains. Managers may readily increase their understanding of methods, strategies, and technical solutions beneficial to assist their operations toward a green economy depending on various CE and GF elements. Finally, based on a categorization of GF types, the assessment identifies future investment potential consequences of green financing in the CE.

Bilateral Improvements Following Unilateral Home-Based Training in Plantar Flexors: A Potential for Cross-Education in Rehabilitation.

CONTEXT: Cross-education (CE) refers to neuromuscular gains in the untrained limb upon contralateral limb training. To date, only laboratory-based exercise programs have demonstrated CE. Home-based exercise prescription eliciting CE could have greater clinical applicability. OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of an 8-week, home-based unilateral strength training intervention on isokinetic muscle strength, muscular excitation, and power in trained and untrained plantar flexors. DESIGN: Randomized controlled trial. METHODS: Thirty-four healthy participants were randomized to intervention (n = 20) or control (n = 14). The intervention group completed 3 sets of 12 repetitions of progressively loaded unilateral calf raises 3 days per week. Concentric and eccentric peak torque were measured using isokinetic dynamometry at 30°/s and 120°/s. Maximal electromyogram amplitude was simultaneously measured. Power was measured using a jump mat. All variables were measured at preintervention, midintervention, and postintervention. RESULTS: Strength significantly increased bilaterally pre-post at both velocities concentrically and eccentrically in intervention group participants. Maximal electromyogram amplitude significantly increased pre-post bilaterally at both velocities in the medial gastrocnemii of the intervention group. Power significantly increased bilaterally pre-post in the intervention group, with a dose-response effect demonstrated in the untrained plantar flexors. The CE effects of strength, power, and electromyogram activation were 23.4%, 14.6%, and 25.3%, respectively. All control group values were unchanged pre-post. CONCLUSION: This study shows that a simple at-home unilateral plantar flexor exercise protocol induces significant increases in contralateral strength, muscular excitation, and power. These results suggest the applicability of CE in home rehabilitation programs aiming to restore or maintain neuromuscular function in inactive individuals or immobilized ankles.

Prevalence of anxiety and depression in medical students of a public sector medical college in Islamabad and coping mechanisms adopted.

The objectives of this study were to find out the frequency of anxiety and depression in medical students and various coping mechanisms adopted by them to identify the coping trends and to stress the need of equipping these students with positive coping tools to deal with anxiety and depression. A cross-sectional, questionnaire-based observational study was conducted on a population of 500 medical students of Federal Medical and Dental College, Islamabad. The duration of the study was three months. By using the WHO sample size calculator, taking the confidence level 95%, anticipated population proportion 70% and absolute precision required 7%, the sample size was calculated at 165. The samples were collected by non-probability consecutive sampling via a questionnaire. In the study, two instruments were used: 1) Aga Khan University Anxiety and Depression Scale (AKUADS), and 2) Brief Cope Inventory. Self-administered questionnaires were filled by the students and the data collected from these questionnaires was analysed on SPSS version 19. Out of the sample size of 165 (98 female, 67 male) students, excluding 12 students with previous history of mental and physical illness, the prevalence of depressed students found after calculating their scores according to the Aga Khan Anxiety and Depression Scale (AKUADS score ≥19) was 95 (57.57%). The most used positive coping mechanisms by these students were religion (5.55±1.91), acceptance (5.28±1.56), planning (5.27±1.58) and active coping (4.85±1.45). The most used negative coping mechanisms were self-blame (5.52±1.83), self-distraction (5.29±1.56), and venting (4.67±1.49). The high presence of negative coping mechanisms indicates the urgency of the need for proper counselling and guidance of medical students about dealing correctly with anxiety and depression.

ICON 2020-International Scientific Tendinopathy Symposium Consensus: A Systematic Review of Outcome Measures Reported in Clinical Trials of Achilles Tendinopathy.

BACKGROUND: Nine core domains for tendinopathy have been identified. For Achilles tendinopathy there is large variation in outcome measures used, and how these fit into the core domains has not been investigated. OBJECTIVE: To identify all available outcome measures outcome measures used to assess the clinical phenotype of Achilles tendinopathy in prospective studies and to map the outcomes measures into predefined health-related core domains. DESIGN: Systematic review. DATA SOURCES: Embase, MEDLINE (Ovid), Web of Science, CINAHL, The Cochrane Library, SPORTDiscus and Google Scholar. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR SELECTING STUDIES: Clinical diagnosis of Achilles tendinopathy, sample size ≥ ten participants, age ≥ 16 years, and the study design was a randomized or non-randomized clinical trial, observational cohort, single-arm intervention, or case series. RESULTS: 9376 studies were initially screened and 307 studies were finally included, totaling 13,248 participants. There were 233 (177 core domain) different outcome measures identified across all domains. For each core domain outcome measures were identified, with a range between 8 and 35 unique outcome measures utilized for each domain. The proportion of studies that included outcomes for predefined core domains ranged from 4% for the psychological factors domain to 72% for the disability domain. CONCLUSION: 233 unique outcome measures for Achilles tendinopathy were identified. Most frequently, outcome measures were used within the disability domain. Outcome measures assessing psychological factors were scarcely used. The next step in developing a core outcome set for Achilles tendinopathy is to engage patients, clinicians and researchers to reach consensus on key outcomes measures. PROSPERO REGISTRATION: CRD42020156763.

The Otoscopic, Radiological and Audiological Study of Contralateral Ear in Unilateral Chronic Otitis Media.

Chronic otitis media is a disease developing due to Eustachian tube dysfunction secondary to any insult in nasopharynx which is likely to be bilateral with different stages of disease in both ear. The objective of this study was to examine contralateral ear through otoscopic, radiological and audiological study. Study was conducted between December 2018 and July 2020 in Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Suregery Department. The Contralateral ear was defined as the ear with no tympanic membrane perforation and with no symptoms in patients of unilateral chronic otitis media. Otoscopy, Pure tone audiometry and HRCT temporal bone were done. Results were recorded and analysed. Descriptive stastical analysis was done using SPSS software version 22 of Windows 7. Grade1 pars tensa retraction which is most common abnormal finding in contralateral ear on otoscopy in both unilateral mucosal and squamosal COM patients. On otoscopy of contralateral ear 71.43% squamosal COM patients were having abnormal tympanic membrane. Hearing loss was seen in 25.71% patients of mucosal COM and 22.9% patients of squamosal COM patients. 17.1% patients of mucosal COM and 20% patients of squamosal COM show mastoid sclerosis of contralateral ear on HRCT temporal bone. Majority of patients with unilateral COM have initial findings of pathogenesis of COM in contalateral ear. These findings in contralateral ear are more common in patients with squamosal COM than patients with mucosal COM.

New lower-limb gait biomechanical characteristics in individuals with Achilles tendinopathy: A systematic review update.

BACKGROUND: Variations in lower-limb biomechanics have recurrently been associated as aetiological factors for Achilles tendinopathy. OBJECTIVE: To update a previous systematic review examining lower-limb gait biomechanics in Achilles tendinopathy. DESIGN: Systematic Review. DATA SOURCES: MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL PLUS, SPORTDiscus and PUBMED databases searched from inception to May 2016. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR SELECTING STUDIES: Studies investigating adults with Achilles tendinopathy and lower-limb gait biomechanics including kinematics, kinetics, dynamic plantar-pressures, temporospatial parameters and muscle activity. RESULTS: Fourteen studies were identified, involving 836 participants. Three were prospective studies and 11 were case-control designs. Selection and performance bias were high for all studies except the prospective studies, reporting bias was unclear for all studies. Significant effect size reductions in gait speed (d = -0.80), stride length (d = -0.84) and step length (d = -0.80) were calculated in runners with Achilles tendinopathy. Increased effect sizes for ankle eversion (d = 1.08), time to maximum pronation (d = -1.72), calcaneal inversion (d = -1.82) and ankle and hip joint moments were also established. Significant differences in plantar pressures and timing of ground reaction forces were calculated. Individuals with Achilles tendinopathy demonstrated differences in amplitude and timing of several lower-limb muscles, notably reductions in the onset of activity (d = 2.02) and duration of activation (d = 2.11) in the Gluteus Medius of subjects with Achilles tendinopathy. CONCLUSION: Eighteen new biomechanical characteristics in individuals with Achilles tendinopathy have been established. This review highlights a topic rich in quantity, but generally weak in quality, consequently results should be interpreted cautiously. High powered prospective studies are required to determine causality.

Moving concussion care to the next level: The emergence and role of concussion clinics in the UK.

Concussion is a worldwide issue in sports medicine at present, and in recent years has evolved into a major consideration for sports in the United Kingdom (UK). Governing bodies, sports clinicians, and indeed athletes themselves are dealing with the implications that this injury brings. In parallel with this, innovative means of managing this condition are emerging. The creation of specialized concussion clinics (which mirror those present in the United States and Canada) is one means of enhancing concussion care in the UK. In this chapter, the emergence of concussion clinics in the UK will be discussed. The specific roles of the multidisciplinary teams working in these clinics will be outlined (including the disciplines of sports medicine, radiology, neurology, physiotherapy, and psychology/psychiatry), and the approaches used in the management of concussion in this setting will be explored. Future recommendations for the growth and development of clinic-based concussion care in the UK will also be discussed.

Hamstring and Quadriceps Isokinetic Strength Deficits Are Weak Risk Factors for Hamstring Strain Injuries: A 4-Year Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: A hamstring strain injury (HSI) has become the most common noncontact injury in soccer. Isokinetic muscle strength deficits are considered a risk factor for HSIs. However, underpowered studies with small sample sizes unable to determine small associations have led to inconclusive results regarding the role of isokinetic strength and strength testing in HSIs. PURPOSE: To examine whether differences in isokinetic strength measures of knee flexion and extension represent risk factors for hamstring injuries in a large cohort of professional soccer players in an adequately powered study design. STUDY DESIGN: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2. METHODS: A total of 614 professional soccer players from 14 teams underwent isokinetic strength testing during preseason screening. Testing consisted of concentric knee flexion and extension at 60 deg/s and 300 deg/s and eccentric knee extension at 60 deg/s. A clustered multiple logistic regression analysis was used to identify variables associated with the risk of HSIs. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were calculated to determine sensitivity and specificity. RESULTS: Of the 614 players, 190 suffered an HSI during the 4 seasons. Quadriceps concentric strength at 60 deg/s (odds ratio [OR], 1.41; 95% CI, 1.03-1.92; P = .03) and hamstring eccentric strength at 60 deg/s (OR, 1.37; 95% CI, 1.01-1.85; P = .04) adjusted for bodyweight were independently associated with the risk of injuries. The absolute differences between the injured and uninjured players were 6.9 N·m and 9.1 N·m, with small effect sizes (d < 0.2). The ROC analyses showed an area under the curve of 0.54 and 0.56 for quadriceps concentric strength and hamstring eccentric strength, respectively, indicating a failed combined sensitivity and specificity of the 2 strength variables identified in the logistic regression models. CONCLUSION: This study identified small absolute strength differences and a wide overlap of the absolute strength measurements at the group level. The small associations between lower hamstring eccentric strength and lower quadriceps concentric strength with HSIs can only be considered as weak risk factors. The identification of these risk factors still does not allow the identification of individual players at risk. The use of isokinetic testing to determine the association between strength differences and HSIs is not supported.

Physical activity and health in adolescence.

Adolescence represents a critical period of development during which personal lifestyle choices and behaviour patterns establish, including the choice to be physically active. Physical inactivity, sedentary behaviour and low cardiorespiratory fitness are strong risk factors for the development of chronic diseases with resulting morbidity and mortality, as well as economic burden to wider society from health and social care provision, and reduced occupational productivity. Worrying trends in adverse physical activity behaviours necessitate urgent and concerted action. Healthcare professionals caring for adolescents and young adults are ideally placed and suited to deliver powerful messages promoting physical activity and behaviour change. Every encounter represents an opportunity to ask about physical activity, provide advice, or signpost to appropriate pathways or opportunities. Key initial targets include getting everyone to reduce their sedentary behaviour and be more active, with even a little being more beneficial than none at all.

Sedentary behaviour among elite professional footballers: health and performance implications.

BACKGROUND: Elite athletes should have little concern about meeting recommended guidelines on physical activity. However, sedentary behaviour is considered a health risk independent of physical activity, and is recognised in public health guidelines advising against prolonged sedentary time. There has been very little research on athletes' physical activity behaviour outside elite sport. METHODS: Given health and performance links, we investigated in-season post-training activity levels in 28 elite professional footballers during the English Premiership season. Players volunteered to wear a triaxial wrist accelerometer for 1 week, removing it only for training and matches. In total, 25 players met the inclusion criteria for analysis. Players recorded on average 632.6 min wear time p/day during the post-training period (SD±52.9) for a mean of 3.8 days (SD±1.5). RESULTS: On average, players recorded 76.2 min p/day (SD±28.8) of moderate or vigorous activity post-training. The majority (79%) of post-training time was spent in sedentary activities (500.6 min per day±59.0). CONCLUSIONS: Professional footballers are alarmingly sedentary in their leisure time, and comparatively more so than non-athletic groups of a similar age and older. This raises questions over optimum recovery and performance, as well as long-term health and cardiovascular risk. Worryingly, retirement from elite sport is likely to further imbalance activity and sedentary behaviour. Promoting regular periodic light to moderate leisure time activity could be beneficial. Further research and provision of education and support for players is required in this area.

Integrated approach for disease management and growth enhancement of Sesamum indicum L. utilizing Azotobacter chroococcum TRA2 and chemical fertilizer.

Azotobacter chroococcum TRA2, an isolate of wheat rhizosphere displayed plant growth promoting attributes including indole acetic acid, HCN, siderophore production, solubilization of inorganic phosphate and fixation of atmospheric nitrogen. In addition, it showed strong antagonistic effect against Macrophomina phaseolina and Fusarium oxysporum. It also caused degradation and digestion of cell wall components, resulting in hyphal perforations, empty cell (halo) formation, shrinking and lysis of fungal mycelia along with significant degeneration of conidia. Fertilizer adaptive variant strain of A. chroococcum TRA2 was studied with Tn5 induced streptomycin resistant transconjugants of wild type tetracycline-resistant TRA2 (designated TRA2(tetra+strep+)) after different durations. The strain was significantly competent in rhizosphere, as its population increased by 15.29 % in rhizosphere of Sesamum indicum. Seed bacterization with the strain TRA2 resulted in significant increase in vegetative growth parameters and yield of sesame over the non-bacterized seeds. However, application of TRA2 with half dose of fertilizers showed sesame yield almost similar to that obtained by full dose treatment. Moreover, the oil yield increased by 24.20 %, while protein yield increased by 35.92 % in treatment receiving half dose of fertilizer along with TRA2 bacterized seeds, as compared to untreated control.

Co-inoculation of Urea and DAP Tolerant Sinorhizobium meliloti and Pseudomonas aeruginosa as Integrated Approach for Growth Enhancement of Brassica juncea.

Two plant growth promoting rhizobacteria--Sinorhizobium meliloti RMP1 and Pseudomonas aeruginosa GRC(2) were studied for integrated nutrient management to obtain improved yield of Brassica juncea. Low concentrations of urea and diammonium phosphate (DAP) stimulated the growth of both S. meliloti RMP1 and P. aeruginosa GRC(2). 1 M of urea and 0.35 M of DAP was found lethal for RMP1, while 1.3 M and 0.37 M concentrations of urea and DAP proved to be toxic for GRC(2). Lc(50) was observed as 0.49 M of urea and 0.15 M of DAP for RMP1, and 0.66 M urea and 0.18 M of DAP for GRC(2). Urea and DAP adaptive variants of RMP1 and GRC(2) was isolated. Adaptive bacterial variants had better growth rates at sub-lethal (Lc(50)) concentrations of urea and DAP as compared to non-adaptive variants. They also retained plant growth promoting attributes similar to non adaptive variants. GRC(2) and RMP1 did not affect the growth of each other and were chemotactically active for DAP, urea as well as root exudates of B. juncea. Both the isolates colonized well in the rhizosphere of B. juncea, as their populations were recorded ≈5 log(10) cfu g(-1) after 120 days. Interestingly, the colonization ability was found even better when both strains were co-inoculated, as their population was recorded in the range of ≈6 log(10) cfu g(-1) after 120 days. In field trials, application of RMP1 and GRC(2) resulted in significant increase in biomass and yield of B. juncea as compared to control. However, yield was better with application of half dose and full dose of recommended fertilizers. Interestingly, the biomass as well as yield improved further when both isolates were applied together along with half dose of recommended fertilizers.

Chitinolytic activity of cold tolerant antagonistic species of streptomyces isolated from glacial sites of Indian himalaya.

Seventy-eight isolates of actinomycetes were isolated from the soil samples collected from alpine zones of Pindari glacier region in Indian Himalaya. Following a plate based rapid screening using two test fungi, five efficient isolates (nos. HA1, HA2, HA6, HA40, and HA142) were selected for further characterization with special reference to their antagonistic properties. Based on phenotypic and genotypic characters, the isolates were identified up to species level. All the isolates belonged to the genus Streptomyces. The isolate nos. HA1 and HA2 were S. sampsonii and HA6, HA40 and HA142 were S. griseobrunneus, S. aurantiacus, and S. griseoluteus, respectively. The isolates showed strong antifungal properties against phytopathogenic test fungi in plate assays. All the isolates hydrolyzed glycol-chitin as a substrate in denaturing conditions showing variable amount of different isoforms.

Characterization and identification of Geobacillus spp. isolated from Soldhar hot spring site of Garhwal Himalaya, India.

13 morphologically distinct strains of thermophilic bacteria isolated from a hot spring site in Garhwal region of Indian Himalaya have been characterized and identified using phenotypic and genotypic characters. All the strains developed circular to irregular colonies between 2-3 mm on Tryptone Yeast extract (TY) agar plates at 65 degrees C following 24-36 h incubation. In TY broth, facultative bacterial growth was observed within 12-16 h of incubation at 65 degrees C. The bacterial strains could tolerate a temperature range between 40-45 degrees C to 85-90 degrees C (optimum 65-70 degrees C) and pH between 4-11 (optimum 6-8). The cell morphology varied from short to long rods arranged in single, diplobacilli (in V or L shape) or short or long spiral chains with coiling. The bacterial strains varied in respect of their biochemical tests conducted for various enzymes, fermentation of sugars, tolerance to antibiotics and salt. Based on the 16S rRNA analysis, 11 strains showed maximum similarity with Geobacillus stereothermophilus, one strain with G. kaustophilus and one with Geobacillus sp.

Characterization of a phosphate solubilizing and antagonistic strain of Pseudomonas putida (B0) isolated from a sub-alpine location in the Indian Central Himalaya.

The morphological, biochemical, and physiological characteristics of a phosphate solubilizing and antagonistic bacterial strain, designated as B0, isolated from a sub-alpine Himalayan forest site have been described. The isolate is gram negative, rod shaped, 0.8 x 1.6 microm in size, and psychrotrophic in nature that could grow from 0 to 35 degrees C (optimum temp. 25 degrees C). It exhibited tolerance to a wide pH range (3-12; optimum 8.0) and salt concentration up to 4% (w/v). Although it was sensitive to kanamycin, gentamicin, and streptomycin (<10 microg mL(-1)), it showed resistance to higher concentrations of ampicillin, penicillin, and carbenicillin (>1000 microg mL(-1)). The isolate showed maximum similarity with Pseudomonas putida based on 16S rRNA analysis. It solubilized tricalcium phosphate under in vitro conditions. The phosphate solubilization was estimated along a temperature range (4-28 degrees C), and maximum activity (247 microg mL(-1)) was recorded at 21 degrees C after 15 days of incubation. The phosphate solubilizing activity coincided with a concomitant decrease in pH of the medium. The isolate also exhibited antifungal activity against phytopathogenic fungi in Petri dish assays and produced chitinase, ss-l,3-glucanase, salicylic acid, siderophore, and hydrogen cyanide. The plant growth promotion and antifungal properties were demonstrated through a maize-based bioassay under greenhouse conditions. Although the bacterial inoculation was found to result in significant increment in plant biomass, it stimulated bacterial and suppressed fungal counts in the rhizosphere. The present study is important with respect to enumerating microbial diversity of the colder regions as well as understanding the potential biotechnological applications of native microbes.

Diffusible and volatile compounds produced by an antagonistic Bacillus subtilis strain cause structural deformations in pathogenic fungi in vitro.

An efficient antagonistic strain of Bacillus subtilis, originally isolated from the rhizosphere of established tea bushes, was found to cause structural deformities in six pathogenic fungi under in vitro culture conditions. This effect was attributed to the production of diffusible and volatile antifungal compounds. Out of the selected test fungi four were phytopathogenic, while the remaining two were of clinical importance. The bacterial strain successfully restricted the growth of all test fungi in dual cultures, and induced morphological abnormalities such as mycelial and conidial deviations. The inhibitory effect caused by volatiles was greater than that by diffusible compounds.

Microbial diversity of soil from two hot springs in Uttaranchal Himalaya.

Soil samples collected from two hot springs, Soldhar and Ringigad, both located in the Garhwal region of Uttaranchal Himalaya were analysed for their physical, chemical and microbial components. The alkaline pH, total absence of carbon and nitrogen, and high temperature were features common to soil samples from both sites. The Soldhar samples contained higher amounts of Cu, Fe and Mn. Ringigad soil was devoid of Cu, but had much higher phosphate. While the optimum incubation temperature for isolating the maximum microbial counts from soil samples from the two sites was 50 degrees C, microbial growth in broth was also observed when incubated at 80 degrees C. Microscopic examination revealed three types of microbial populations, i.e., bacteria, yeast and filamentous organisms. The soil samples were found to be dominated by spore forming rods. Out of 58 aerobic isolates, 53 were gram positive bacilli. Gram positive anaerobic oval rods were also observed up to 60 degrees C. Soil dilution plates revealed the presence of antagonistic and phosphate solubilizing populations.