Chandipura virus encephalitis outbreak among children in Nagpur division, Maharashtra, 2007

Background & objectives: An outbreak of acute encephalitis syndrome (AES) among children from Nagpur division, Maharashtra was investigated to confirm the aetiology and to describe clinico-epidemiological features. Methods: AES cases among children < 15 yr, from Nagpur division, hospitalized between June-September 2007, were investigated. Serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) were tested for IgM antibodies against Chandipura virus (CHPV) and Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) and for CHPV RNA by RT-PCR. Partial N gene sequences were used for phylogenetic analysis. Virus isolations were attempted in rhabdomyosarcoma (RD) cell line. Sandflies were collected, pooled and tested for CHPV RNA by RT-PCR. Results: A total of 78 AES cases were recorded in children < 15 yr of age. Case fatality ratio was 43.6 per cent. Male to female ratio was 1:1.2. Chandipura (CHP) was confirmed in 39 cases. CHPV RNA was detected in both CSF and serum specimens of 2 cases and in serum of 22 cases. Phylogenetic analysis showed 99.98-100 per cent nucleotide identity in the sequences studied. Anti-CHPV IgM antibodies were detected in CSF of 2 cases and in serum of 8 cases. Seroconversion to anti-CHPV IgM antibodies was observed in 5 cases. Clinical manifestations of CHP cases (n=38) were fever (100%), convulsion (76.3%), altered sensorium (34.2%), headache (23.7%), vomiting (44.7%) and diarrhoea (23.7%). CHPV RNA was detected in one of two pools of sandflies from affected locality. Interpretation & conclusions: Chandipura virus was confirmed as the aetiological agent of this acute encephalitis outbreak with high case-fatality among children

Evaluation of antiglaucoma drug treatment awareness and patient-reported medication adherence: Determinants of glaucoma management

Introduction: Primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) treatment is characterized by long-duration therapy, prescription variability, and non-adherence. Patient awareness toward drug treatment is crucial to ensure adherence. The present study was planned to evaluate drug treatment awareness, patient-perceived drug adherence, and prescription patterns in POAG patients. Methodology: This was a cross-sectional, single-center, questionnaire-based study conducted in the ophthalmology out patient department of a tertiary care hospital from April 2020 to November 2021. Patients of either gender, aged 40–70 years, with a confirmed diagnosis of POAG, who had records of POAG medications for at least last 3 months and who provided written informed consent, were included. Prescription details were recorded, and subsequently, patients were administered a pre-validated drug treatment awareness (14 items) questionnaire, a self-reported medication adherence (9-item) questionnaire, and then they performed eye drop instillation in a simulated setting. Results: The total number of patients enrolled was 180, which yielded 200 prescriptions. The mean drug treatment awareness score was 8.18 ± 3.30, and 135 (75%) patients scored more than 50% (≥7/14). Similarly, 159 patients (83.33%) had scored >50% (i.e. >5/9), with a mean score of 6.30 ± 1.70 in the medication treatment adherence questionnaire. The mean eye drop instillation performance score was 7.18 ± 1.20. The 200 POAG prescriptions containing 306 drugs were analyzed, with beta blockers (184/200, 92%) and timolol (168/200, 84% encounters) being the highest prescribed classes/drugs. Conclusion: POAG patients did have adequate treatment awareness with good self-reported medication adherence and performance of eye drop instillation technique. Around 25% patients lacked awareness; hence, reinforcement education programs on medication regimens need to be implemented

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Not AvailablePearl millet based pasta was evaluated for quality changes during 6-month storage in biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP) packaging material of 100 µm thickness and water vapour transmission rate of 7.71 g,m-2.day-1 at ambient condition (32.95 ± 8.75 °C (max), 17.6 ± 12.1 °C (min) and 79 ± 19 % RH). The quality parameters of pasta were determined at intervals of 1 month. Moisture content (MC) of pasta varied from 8.87 % to 11.90 %, water activity 0.51 to 0.66, free fatty acids (FFA) 0.48 % to 0.82 %, peroxide value (PV) 2.10 to 5.79 meq.kg-1 of oil, fat acidity 20.54 mg.100 g-1 to 37.77 mg.100 g-1. Cooking loss (6.22 % to 7.66 %) and variation in textural properties such as hardness (10.75-11.68 N), cohesiveness (0.60-0.64), springiness (1.17-1.26 mm), gumminess (6.01-6.45 N), chewiness (6.15-6.45 N.mm) of pasta were found to be non-significant during storage period. Moisture content, water activity, FFA, PV, fat acidity were found to be positively related to storage period. Microbial counts (total plate count, yeast, mould, E. Coli, Salmonella, Shigella) were not detected during the entire storage period. With overall acceptability value of 7.67 out of 9, the sensory evaluation revealed very good acceptability of the product even after 6 months of storage. Thus, the overall quality, safety, and acceptability of the product remained acceptable throughout the 6-month storage period.Not Availabl

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Not Availablestudy was conducted to investigate the selected physical properties of litchi seeds as a function of their moisture content. Three lots of litchi seeds having variation in their moisture content were taken for experimentation. Parameters considered in the study includes length, width, thickness, diameter, colour, sphericity, geometric mean diameter, surface area, porosity, volume, bulk density, true density, angle of repose and coefficient of static friction were recorded for all the three lots during experimentation. It can be observed that the physical properties were governed by the inherited moisture content of the seeds.Not Availabl

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Not AvailableThis study was conducted to investigate the selected physical properties of litchi seeds as a function of their moisture content. Three lots of litchi seeds having variation in their moisture content were taken for experimentation. Parameters considered in the study includes length, width, thickness, diameter, colour, sphericity, geometric mean diameter, surface area, porosity, volume, bulk density, true density, angle of repose and coefficient of static friction were recorded for all the three lots during experimentation. It can be observed that the physical properties were governed by the inherited moisture content of the seeds.Not Availabl

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Not AvailableThis study was conducted to investigate the selected physical properties of litchi seeds as a function of their moisture content. Three lots of litchi seeds having variation in their moisture content were taken for experimentation. Parameters considered in the study includes length, width, thickness, diameter, colour, sphericity, geometric mean diameter, surface area, porosity, volume, bulk density, true density, angle of repose and coefficient of static friction were recorded for all the three lots during experimentation. It can be observed that the physical properties were governed by the inherited moisture content of the seeds.Not Availabl

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Not AvailablePost-harvest browning of fresh button mushroom (Agaricus bisporus), was inhibited by conducting a trial using three independent process variables viz. citric acid (0.1, 1.0 and 1.5%), aloe vera gel (50, 60 and 70%) and drying time (6, 7 and 8 h). Drying of harvested mushroom was done in a cabinet dryer at 60 ± 3ºC. Response surface methodology was adopted for experimental design and optimization of process variables. Five minutes dip of mushroom in 60% aloe vera gel along with 1% citric acid and its subsequent drying at 60°C for 7 hours was found best in retaining the desirable traits viz. color, pH (6.52), TSS (6.38ºBrix), ascorbic acid (6.92 mg/100g) and moisture content (12.16%). Results showed that the data were adequately fitted into second-order polynomial models developed by response surface methodology.Not Availabl

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Not AvailableDragon fruit based ready to serve drink (RTS) was formulated using dragon fruit (60-80% v/v), grape juice (0-10% v/v) and sugar syrup (2-6% v/v). The juice concentrations were optimized using response surface methodology (RSM) following box-behnken design (BBD) for obtaining blended RTS drink with higher functional and nutritional characteristics like total soluble solid (TSS), titratable acidity, ascorbic acid content, total phenol content, colour and sensory evaluation. Results showed that there was significant (P<0.01) effect of incorporating grape juice and sugar syrup which further improved the organoleptic properties of the blended RTS.Optimum juice percentages obtained for the best blend formulation were,dragon fruit (70%), grape juice (5%) and sugar syrup (3%), respectively. The beverage was observed to be acceptable in terms of its nutritional value and overall acceptability.Not Availabl

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Not AvailableThe objectives of this study was to determine the cross pathogenicity of Botryodiplodia theobromae, an etiological agent of post-harvest stem end rot, on the fruits of different cultivars of mango. In the present investigation, the pathogen B. theobromae was able to cause virulence in the different cultivar of mango namely safeda, kesar and dasheri during the post-harvest storage stage. Disease ability of pathogen was measured in the loss in physiological weight (PLW %), diameter of disease lesions and disease incidence (%) under both controlled and ambient conditions. Different cultivar of mango showed susceptibility to the attack of pathogen, when inoculated via plug inoculation. In the background of huge post-harvest wastage by fungi, this is unique kind of study revealing how stem end rot pathogen is responsible for inducing spoilage in the several mango cultivars. These finding can be good platform for applying correct type of control strategy for minimizing spoilage caused in mango and other fruits due to rot causing fungal pathogens.Not Availabl

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Not AvailablePost-harvest browning of fresh button mushroom (Agaricus bisporus), was inhibited by conducting a trial using three independent process variables viz. citric acid (0.1, 1.0 and 1.5%), aloe vera gel (50, 60 and 70%) and drying time (6, 7 and 8 h). Drying of harvested mushroom was done in a cabinet dryer at 60 ± 3ºC. Response surface methodology was adopted for experimental design and optimization of process variables. Five minutes dip of mushroom in 60% aloe vera gel along with 1% citric acid and its subsequent drying at 60°C for 7 hours was found best in retaining the desirable traits viz. color, pH (6.52), TSS (6.38ºBrix), ascorbic acid (6.92 mg/100g) and moisture content (12.16%). Results showed that the data were adequately fitted into second-order polynomial models developed by response surface me thodology.Not Availabl