Pentalogy of Cantrell: a case report

Pentalogy of Cantrell is a rare condition comprising anterior diaphragmatic defect, ventral abdominal wall defect, pericardial defect, intracardiac anomalies and lower sternal defect. Both sporadic and genetic causes are proposed. Prognosis depends on the severity of the defects and the associated cardiac anomalies. Two-dimensional sonography is sufficient for the diagnosis of this condition

Stenotrophomonas maltophilia: An emerging pathogen in sepsis

Background: Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, once regarded as an organism of low virulence, has evolved as a significant opportunistic pathogen causing severe human infections in both hospital and community settings, especially among highly debilitated patients. Objectives: (1) Identification of S. maltophilia in sepsis and (2) assessment of sensitivity pattern/minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of S. maltophilia and its multidrug resistance by VITEK 2 Compact system and by Kirby–Bauer (KB) disk diffusion method. Materials and Methods: This is a retrospective laboratory-based study analysis conducted in a tertiary care center, i.e., Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute, from July 2018 to June 2019. Samples from clinically suspected sepsis patients were processed by standard microbiological methods. VITEK 2 compact (Biomerieux) was used for final identification and MIC. Antibiotic susceptibility was tested by KB disk diffusion method for cotrimoxazole (1.25/23.75 μg) and levofloxacin (5 μg) following the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute guidelines M100. Results: Among 18,949 samples collected from suspected sepsis patients, during a 1-year period, 50 isolates were identified as S. maltophilia. Nineteen were isolated from blood; 6 from pus and ascitic fluid; 4 from cerebrospinal fluid, endotracheal aspirate, and pleural fluid; 1 from urine and cornea; and 4 from other sites. The organisms showed multidrug resistances and were sensitive to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and levofloxacin. Conclusion: S. maltophilia was found to be the third most common nonfermenters after Acinetobacter spp. and Pseudomonas aeruginosa with multidrug resistance. As its isolation is increasing, it is important to study the epidemiology, antimicrobial susceptibility profile, and clinical outcomes of these isolates

Biochemical characterization of metastatic lymph nodes of breast cancer patients by in vitro <SUP>1</SUP>H magnetic resonance spectroscopy: a pilot study

Using one-dimensional (1D) and two-dimensional (2D) proton nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) methods, the perchloric acid extract of involved (n=11) and noninvolved (n=12) axillary lymph nodes (ALN) of breast cancer patients was investigated. Resonances from 40 metabolites such as lactate (Lac), glucose, several amino acids (alanine, lysine, glutamic acid, glutamine, etc.), nucleotides (adenosine triphosphate, guanosine triphosphate, uridine triphosphate, uridine monophosphate, etc.), membrane metabolites [glycerophosphocholine (GPC), phosphocoline (PC), phosphoethanolamine (PE), choline] were unambiguously assigned in both the involved and noninvolved ALN. The concentration of PC/GPC (p=0.002) was significantly higher in the involved compared to noninvolved nodes. In addition, the concentration of glycolytic product Lac (p=0.0001) was also found to be significantly higher in involved nodes. Increased concentration of membrane metabolites PC/GPC may be attributed to increased membrane synthesis in malignant cells and, therefore, suggests the presence of metastatic cells in lymph nodes. The higher concentration of Lac is indicative of the presence of malignant cells that derive energy via anaerobic glycolytic pathway. Present results demonstrate the potentials of in vitro proton NMR in detecting malignant cells in ALN and such studies may have an important bearing in determining the prognosis of breast cancer patients

Inhibition of mixed-layer deepening during winter in the northeastern Arabian Sea by the West India Coastal Current

Though the deep mixed layers (MLs) that form in the northeastern Arabian Sea (NEAS) during the winter monsoon (November-February) have been attributed to convective mixing driven by dry, cool northeasterly winds from the Indian subcontinent, data show that the deepest MLs occur in the northern NEAS and the maxima of latent-heat and net heat fluxes in the southern NEAS. We use an oceanic general circulation model to show that the deep MLs in the NEAS extend up to similar to 20 degrees N till the end of December, but are restricted poleward of similar to 22 degrees N (similar to 23 degrees N) in January (February). This progressive restriction of the deep mixed layers within the NEAS is due to poleward advection of water of lower salinity by the West India Coastal Current (WICC). The deep MLs are sustained till February in the northern NEAS because convective mixing deepens the ML before the waters of lower salinity reach this region and the wind stirring and convective overturning generate sufficient turbulent energy for the ML to maintain the depth attained in January. Though the atmospheric fluxes tend to cool the ML in the southern NEAS, this cooling is countered by the warming due to horizontal advection. Likewise, the cooling due to entrainment, which continues in the southern NEAS even as the ML shallows during January-February, is almost cancelled by the warming caused by a downwelling vertical velocity field. Therefore, the SST changes very little during December-February even as the ML shallows dramatically in the southern NEAS. These deep MLs of the NEAS also preclude a strong intraseasonal response to the intraseasonal variability in the fluxes. This role of horizontal advection implies that the ML depth in the NEAS is determined by an interplay of physical processes that are forced differently. The convective mixing depends on processes that are local to the region, but the advection is due to the WICC, whose seasonal cycle is primarily forced by remote winds. By inhibiting the formation of deep MLs in the southern NEAS, the WICC limits the region of formation of the high-salinity water masses of this region. Since the deep MLs in the NEAS have been linked to the high chlorophyll concentration there, our results imply that the conventional approach of averaging over boxes for studying the impact of physics on biogeochemistry can mask important details that are due to advection because it is the advective component of any budget that is most affected by the averaging process

Denture care practices and perceived denture status among complete denture wearers in Guntur, Andhra Pradesh: A cross-sectional study

Background: With an increase in the prevalence of edentulous individuals the need for conventional dentures has also been increasing to improve the quality of life of such individuals as they are associated with aesthetic, psychological, functional, and social impacts of life. However, if proper denture care practices are not followed, there is a risk of developing a multitude of problems. The aim of this study is to assess the denture care practices among complete denture wearers attending a dental institution in Guntur district, Andhra Pradesh. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in the department of prosthodontics at SIBAR Institute of Dental Sciences, Guntur, Andhra Pradesh. A sample of 543 denture wearers aged 45 and above was requested to complete a self-administered questionnaire on denture care practices followed by clinical examination of denture status by the dentist. Results: Most study participants reported cleaning their dentures once a day with brush and water and had a habit of removing the dentures at night. 82.7% of the individuals reported their denture status as good. Clinical examination revealed that slightly more than half of the participants had poor denture status. Conclusion: The actual denture status of individuals in this study is poor which highlights the need for denture hygiene reinforcement among them

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Not AvailableOne hundred and sixty accessions representing global germplasm of guinea grass (Panicum maximum Jacq.), an important apomictic (aposporous) fodder crop, were subjected to study on reproductive diversity in apomictic seed development utilizing ovule clearing and Flow cytometric seed screen (FCSS). Single seed FCSS of selected 14 tetraploid and five hexaploid lines demonstrated uncoupling between the three apomixis components, viz. apomeiosis, parthenogenesis and functional endosperm development, in natural as well as experimental populations, though it differed across ploidy levels and genotypes. Reconstruction of reproductive pathways yielded a total of eight different pathways of seed development, arising by uncoupling/recombination between apomixis components. Amongst these, two pathways involving modification's in embryo-sac (ES) (presence of two polar nuclei in aposporous ES that fuse prior to fertilization) and fertilization process (fusion of only one polar nucleus in a sexual ES) have been reported for the First time. Some of the combinations, such as MI (haploids arising from parthenogenetic development of reduced egg cell),were found viable only in hexaploid background. Germplasm lines with higher expression of individual components were also identified. These components (including autonomous endosperm development) were also experimentally partitioned in hexaploid progenies (derived from a tetraploid parent viz. accession IG 04-164) that showed segregation in their reproductive capacities, and are reported for the first time. Occurrence of several apomixis recombinants (phenotypic) in guinea grass lines suggested their hybrid origin, favors a multigene model for apomixis, with their penetrance affected by modifiers and epigenetic mechanisms, in contrast to earlier reports of single locus control. Implications of partitioning components on apomixis research are discussed.Not Availabl

Using a systems approach for Drought Risk Financing Solutions in Senegal

The index-based livestock insurance (IBLI), since the time it was launched in 2010 in the arid and semi-arid lands of Kenya and Ethiopia, has evolved into drought risk financing solutions (DRFS). This evolution is characterized by development from a micro product implemented, as potential social protection tools, to a regional level de-risking instrument for pastoralists in the Horn of Africa. There have also been demands for DRFS to rise to several other challenges such as conflict, access to health and market services (feed, fodder) that are being faced in the drylands of Africa. The rapidly changing contexts and the associated challenges mean that the introduction of DRFS requires careful assessment to ensure the necessary pre-conditions are in place for optimal positive impact. Assessment would have to consider incentivizing the private sector from the beginning for investment in these areas, management of natural resources, better access to services (financial and non-financial), gender inclusion and social equity. Such an approach is important for developing resilience not just against challenges related to climate change but the ever-changing dynamics in these complex environments

Joining of AZ31 and AZ91 Mg alloys by friction stir welding

Two dissimilar magnesium (Mg) alloy sheets, one with low aluminium (AZ31) and another with high aluminium (AZ91) content, were successfully joined by friction stir welding (FSW). The effect of process parameters on the formation of hot cracks was investigated. A sound metallurgical joint was obtained at optimized process parameters (1400 rpm with 25 mm/min feed) which contained fine grains and distributed β (Mg17Al12) phase within the nugget zone. An increasing trend in the hardness measurements has also confirmed more amount of dissolution of aluminium within the nugget zone. A sharp interface between nugget zone and thermo mechanical affected zone (TMAZ) was clearly noticed at the AZ31 Mg alloy side (advancing) but not on the AZ91 Mg alloy side (retreating). From the results it can be concluded that FSW can be effectively used to join dissimilar metals, particularly difficult to process metals such as Mg alloys, and hot cracking can be completely eliminated by choosing appropriate process parameters to achieve sound joint