Detection of water deficit conditions in different soils by comparative analysis of standard precipitation index and normalized difference vegetation index.

The detection of water deficit conditions in different soils of Prakasam district, Andhra Pradesh, India was assessed in consecutive two seasons of 2017-18 to 2019-20 cropping seasons using combined indicators developed from Standard Precipitation Index (SPI) and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI). Historical rainfall data during the study period of 56 administrative units were analyzed by using R software and derived three-month SPI. The MODIS satellite data from 2007 to 2020 was downloaded out of which the first ten years' data was used as mean monthly NDVI and the remaining period data was used to derive the anomaly index for the specific month. MODIS satellite data was downloaded, using LST and NDVI, and MSI values were calculated. The NDVI anomaly was derived using MODIS data to study the onset and intensity of water deficit conditions. Results indicated that SPI values gradually increased from the start of the Kharif season, reached their maximum during the August and September months, and decreased gradually with high variation among the mandals. The NDVI anomaly values were highest in October and December the for Kharif and Rabi seasons, respectively. The correlation coefficient between NDVI anomaly and SPI reveals that 79% and 61% of the variation were observed in light and heavy textured soils. The SPI values of -0.5 and -0.75; the NDVI anomaly values of -1.0 and -1.5 and SMI values of 0.28 and 0.26 were established as the thresholds for the onset of water deficit conditions in light and heavy textured soils, respectively. Overall, results suggest that the combined use of SMI, SPI, and NDVI anomaly is capable to provide a near-real-time indicator for water deficit conditions in light and heavy texture soils. Yield reduction was higher in light-textured soils ranging from 6.1 to 34.5%. These results can further be used in devising tactics for the effective mitigation of drought.

Detection of various types of resistance patterns and their correlation with minimal inhibitory concentrations against clindamycin among methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolates.

PURPOSE: The macrolide lincosamide streptogramin B (MLS B ) family of antibiotics serves as an alternative for the treatment of skin and soft tissue infections caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). However, resistance to clindamycin too has emerged, which is of two types, inducible and constitutive. Therapeutic failure is common with inducible type of clindamycin resistance. This study was done to determine the various clindamycin resistance patterns in MRSA isolates and to compare them with minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of clindamycin. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty MRSA isolates were studied by disc approximation test (D test) to detect inducible iMLS B resistance and MIC by agar dilution technique. RESULTS: Of the 50 isolates, 34 were sensitive to both clindamycin and erythromycin. 16 isolates showed different sensitivity patterns; nine of these were positive for D zone indicating inducible iMLS B resistance, five were positive for constitutive MLS B resistance and two showed possible efflux mechanism for macrolide resistance. Out of the 34 sensitive isolates, 5 showed isolated colonies (subpopulation) inside the clindamycin-sensitive zone. When these sub-populations were tested further, two were constitutive MLS B phenotypes, two were inducible iMLS B and one was HD (hazy D zone), which is D + with growth up to clindamycin disc (which is also considered as constitutive MLS B phenotype). Seven isolates showed an MIC of ≥4 µg/ml to clindamycin in spite of being susceptible to both erythromycin and clindamycin by Kirby Bauer disc diffusion technique. Out of these seven isolates, five were those which grew as subpopulation inside the clindamycin-sensitive zone. CONCLUSION: Detection of iMLS B resistance among MRSA helps to avoid treatment failure with clindamycin. Studying the subpopulation inside the clindamycin-sensitive zone raises the question of existence of hetero-resistance or some other mechanism, which needs further study.

Thyroid abscess due to Scedosporium apiospermum.

We report a case of thyroid abscess caused by Scedosporium apiospermum in a patient with cirrhosis of liver and autoimmune haemolytic anaemia. To date, there are no reports of isolation of this fungus from thyroid abscess.

Spatiotemporal characterization of short versus long duration calcium transients in embryonic muscle and their role in myofibrillogenesis.

Intracellular calcium (Ca(2+)) signals are essential for several aspects of muscle development, including myofibrillogenesis-the terminal differentiation of the sarcomeric lattice. Ryanodine receptor (RyR) Ca(2+) stores must be operative during this period and contribute to the production of spontaneous global Ca(2+) transients of long duration (LDTs; mean duration approximately 80 s). In this study, high-speed confocal imaging of intracellular Ca(2+) in embryonic myocytes reveals a novel class of spontaneous Ca(2+) transient. These short duration transients (SDTs; mean duration approximately 2 s) are blocked by ryanodine, independent of extracellular Ca(2+), insensitive to changes in membrane potential, and propagate in the subsarcolemmal space. SDTs arise from RyR stores localized to the subsarcolemmal space during myofibrillogenesis. While both LDTs and SDTs occur prior to myofibrillogenesis, LDT production ceases and only SDTs persist during a period of rapid sarcomere assembly. However, eliminating SDTs during this period results in only minor myofibril disruption. On the other hand, artificial extension of LDT production completely inhibits sarcomere assembly. In conjunction with earlier work, these results suggest that LDTs have at least two roles during myofibrillogenesis-activation of sarcoplasmic regulatory cascades and regulation of gene expression. The distinct spatiotemporal patterns of LDTs versus SDTs may be utilized for differential regulation of cytosolic cascades, control of nuclear gene expression, and localized activation of assembly events at the sarcolemma.

Free radical toxicity and antioxidants in Guillain-Barre syndrome, a preliminary study.

BACKGROUND: The generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of a vast array of disease processes including some neurological disorders. METHOD: Ten patients with Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) and 10 age and sex-matched controls were included in this study. The erythrocyte glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, as well as plasma antioxidant vitamins C and E and serum glutathione-S-transferase (GST) levels were estimated spectrophotometrically. RESULTS: The plasma vitamin E and the serum total glutathione-S-transferase levels were markedly increased in both pre- and post-treated cases of GBS when compared to controls. The erythrocyte glutathione and malondialdehyde levels were significantly reduced in GBS cases when compared to normals. However, plasma vitamin C and erythrocyte superoxide dismutase were not altered when compared to controls. CONCLUSION: Free radical toxicity may have an influence in patients suffering from GBS.