Diurnal Variation of Physico Chemical Properties and Primary Productivity of Phytoplankton in Bheema River

Diurnal Variation of Physico Chemical Properties and Primary Productivity of Phytoplankton in Bheema Rive

Post-operative complications and visual outcome in eye camp patients undergoing sutureless cataract surgery at a Base Hospital in Vijayapura District, South India

Background: Cataract is the principal cause of blindness in India, accounting for 62.6%. This problem can be tackled, and the backlog of cataract blind can be reduced by performing cataract operations on a large scale. Base hospital approach with screening camps has shown good visual outcome with lesser complications.Aim and Objectives: To study the profile of postoperative complications and visual outcome in eye camp patients undergoing cataract surgery at the base hospital.Materials and Methods: In this cross‑sectional study, 413 patients were included following screening at community screening camps. Patients underwent sutureless small‑incision cataract extraction with intraocular lens implantation under local anesthesia at the base hospital. Postoperative complications and visual outcome were recorded.Results: Immediate postoperative complications were corneal edema (9.44%), striate keratitis (6.77%), expected uveitis (5.56%), secondary glaucoma (2.66%), residual lens matter (2.66%), iris prolapsed (0.48%) and shallow anterior chamber (0.24%), hyphema (0.24%) and iris incarceration (0.24%). Endophthalmitis was reported in 0.48% (one grew citrobacter, rarely reported). Late complications included posterior capsular opacification (3.87%) noted and retinal detachment (0.48%) later. Majority 83.39% of the patients had postoperative best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) between 6/6 and 6/18, 13.42% had BCVA between 6/18 and 6/60, 3.19% had BCVA < 6/60 as at 6 months follow‑up visit (overall percentage is 100%).Conclusions: The overall vision‑threatening complications after cataract extraction in the base hospital are low. Our study reflects the efficacy of the base hospital approach, in terms of visual and surgical outcome, as an important aspect from the public health point of view, which can help in clearing the cataract backlog in developing countries like India.Keywords: Cataract surgery, postoperative complication, postoperative visual outcom

Quasi-elliptic microstrip bandstop filter using tap coupled open-loop resonators

In this paper, we will present a quasi-elliptic bandstop filter using asynchronously tuned resonators. To demonstrate this technique, a novel broadband microstrip bandstop filter is also proposed using distributed resonators. To achieve wide bandwidth using distributed resonators, strong couplings are required. This is achieved using tap coupled to avoid very narrow gaps which are costly to manufacture. The filter exhibits a factional bandwidth of approximately 35%. A simple practical transformation technique for transforming Chebyshev bandstop filter to asynchronously tuned quasi-elliptic bandstop filter will be presented

A Validated High Performance Thin Layer Chromatographic Method for Simultaneous Estimation of Berberine Chloride and Guggulsterone Z in Herbal Formulation

A simple, precise, and robust high-performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC) method was developed and validated for the determination of berberine chloride and guggulsterone Z in herbal formulation. Chromatographic separation was achieved on aluminium plates precoated with silica gel G60F254 as the stationary phase and toluene-acetonitrile-formic acid (5:3:0.5 v/v/v) as the mobile phase. Densitometric evaluation was carried out at 264 nm. The present method was validated according to ICH guidelines. The Rf value of berberine chloride and guggulsterone Z was found to be 0.40 ± 0.02 and 0.68 ± 0.02, respectively. The response in terms of peak area was found to be linear over the concentration range of 100-500 ng/spot for berberine chloride and 200-1000 ng/spot for guggulsterone Z with regression coefficient value greater than 0.995 for both the phytoconstituents. The method was validated by determining its accuracy, precision, robustness, specificity and system suitability. The method was found to be accurate, precise and robust to carry out the simultaneous estimation of berberine chloride and guggulsterone Z. The developed method was successfully applied for the simultaneous estimation of berberine chloride and guggulsterone Z in herbal formulation

Plant extract effect on seed-borne pathogenic fungi from seeds of paddy grown in Southern India

A total of 40 seed samples of different cultivars of paddy, collected from southern part of India, were mycologicaly analyzed by agar plating method on Czapek's-Dox-Agar (CzA) medium and Standard Blotter Method (SBM), revealed the occurrence of 33 diverse fungal species belonging to 16 genera. The species of Drechslera oryzae (RP 82.5) was recorded with the incidence and relative preponderance (RP), followed by Curvularia lunata (RP 67.5) and Aspergillus niger (RP 65.0) respectively. The data on the diversity and incidence of fungal species would be a great importance in the region for predicting the extent of pre-and post-infections.In vitro antifungal activity assay of methanol extract of 12 plants belonging to different families were tested against eight pathogenic fungal species viz., Alternaria alternata, Aspergillus flavus, Curvularia lunata, Drechslera oryzae, D. halodes, Fusarium moniliforme, Pyricularia oryzae and Trichoconis padwickii by poisoned food technique. The results revealed that, methanol extract of Acacia nilotica, Caesalpinia coriaria, Decalepis hamiltonii, Emblica officinalis, Lawsonia inermis and Mimosops elengi showed significant antifungal activity at 3500 μg/ml concentration. Comparative evaluation of the extracts with the synthetic fungicides viz., bavistin, blitox, captan, dithane M-45 and thiram at the recommended dosage revealed that, antifungal activity of methanol extract of D. hamiltonii, L. inermis and M. elengi was almost equivalent. These plants can possibly be exploited in the management of seed-borne pathogenic fungi and prevention of biodeterioration of paddy in an eco-friendly way

Seasonal Variation of Phytoplankton Diversity in Anchepalya Lake, Bengaluru Urban, India

Seasonal dynamics of Phytoplankton populations were studied in Anchepalya Lake for a period of one year from March 2013 to February 2014 covering three seasons. Phytoplankton sampling, collection, quantitative and qualitative population was performed using APHA (2005) Standard methods. The counting of plankton was done by using Sedgwick Rafter counting cell and phytoplankton were identified by using the identification manual on limnology by Adoni (1985). A total of 88 genera of phytoplanktons were recorded. The diversity of Phytoplankton number is of increase as in the order of Chlorophyceae >Bacillariophyceae > Cyanophyceae > Eugleanophyceae. The present study revealed that the lake water is polluted with the direct entry of sewage and effluent discharge

Clinical profile of children with pneumonia admitted at tertiary care hospital, Belgaum: A prospective study

Background: Acute respiratory infections (ARIs) are a public health problem in India. Timely intervention, correct treatment, and referral service can save many deaths, particularly pneumonia. Objective: This study aimed to study the sociodemographic and clinical profile of children hospitalized with pneumonia and its relation to the duration of stay at a tertiary care center at Belgaum district, Karnataka. Methodology: The study was conducted in Belagavi Institute of Medical Sciences, a referral hospital, during 2013-2015.  Sociodemographic and clinical features of children aged from more than 2 months to 18 years of age were studied. A total of 84 children who met the inclusion criteria for community-acquired pneumonia were studied. The patient population comprises mainly of the low-income group from rural areas, urban slums, referred patients from surrounding rural areas, and private clinics. Results: A total of 84 children were studied, 48 boys and 36 girls. Maximum numbers of children were in low socioeconomic group (43 in upper lower and 37 in lower group) according to modified Kuppuswamy classification. Passive smoking was present in 40.5% of studied and overcrowding was seen in 51% of children studied. 44% of children were breastfed for <6 months, and 30.64% were partially immunized. There is a significant association between passive smoking, delayed medical attention, and duration of stay. Conclusion: With this study, we can conclude that children who got early medical attention (<4 days) stayed for less period of time in the hospital (<7 days). Children exposed to passive smoking had a longer duration of stay

Genetic differentiation of growth parameters in Brassica species

Fourteen collections from the Brassica species, B.Juncea, B. nap us, B. carinata and B. campestris showed substantial variability for growth parameters including vegetative (VPD) and reproductive phase (RPD) duration. In general, seed yield in all maturity groups was associated with growth parameters, particularly, VPD, RPD and flowering phase duration, for example, high yielders in the early maturity group and 60-75 days of VPD and 38-40 days of RPD. In contrast, those in the late maturity group had more than 100 days of VPD and relatively short, but varying RPD of 25-50 days. In the medium maturity group, high yields were often found to be associated with relatively long RPD. The yields of B. napus and B. carinata could be improved by shortening total crop duration and increasing RPD. Selection for optimal vegetative phase durations in the progeny of inter-specific hybrids could further improve the yields In Brassica

Genetic variability for plant type traits in Brassica species

Four species of Brassica viz., Brassica juncea, B. napus, B. carinata and B. campestris were evaluated over two years for plant type traits including basal branching. In B. juncea there was greater variation for plant height but not for seed yield. It was only next to B. campestris followed by B. napus for variation in basal branching trait. While, in B. campestris there was no genetic variation for basal branching trait, but it showed greater variation for days to flowering, total number of primary and secondary branches