Management of Fusarium wilt of tomato (Pusa Ruby) by plant extracts and fungicides

Fusarium wilt disease of tomato caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici is one of the most important and widespread disease of the cultivated tomato.The  yield loss in tomato in temperate region of India due to this disease is 10 to 90 percent. Investigation was undertaken to screen out the fungicides viz., Azoxystrobin(T1), Propineb(T2), Thiophanate Methyl (T3), Difenoconazole(T4), Mancozeb(T5), Mancozeb + Thiophanate Methyl(T6), Boscolid+Pyraclostrobin(T7) and control (T8)  and  plant extracts viz, onion bulb(T9), ,ginger rhizome(T10),  garlic clove(T11), neem leaf (T12), ashwagandha leaf(T13), sarpgandha leaf(T14), ashok leaf(T15) and control (T16)  , against wilt of tomato under in vivo and in vivo conditions. Ginger rhizome extract (T10) was found very promising as it produced 82.2 % growth inhibition of F. oxysporumf.sp. lycopersiciat @t 15 % concentration followed by garlic clove(T11) (76.1%).  Two soil drenching withgarlic clove(T11), @ 15 percent showed minimum disease incidence of (16.6%) with maximum yield (435.3 q/ha) followed by ginger rhizome(T10) extract (18.4% and 428.2 q/ha). Mancozeb + Thiophanate Methyl(T6), Difenoconazole(T4) and Thiophanate Methyl(T6) completely inhibited the radial growth and sporulation  of Fusarium oxysporumf.sp. lycopersici after 144 hrs of incubation. Two soil drenching of  Mancozeb +Thiophanate Methyl(T6),  @ 15 per cent was also found  the best for managing the disease as minimum disease incidence (5.3%) and highest yield (470.9 q/ha) was recorded

SPARSH: a camp based approach for orthopaedic disabilities and its success in central India

Background: Around 15% of population in the world is living with disability. The present study was carried out during the special project for assistance, rehabilitation and strengthening of handicapped (SPARSH) camp to know the current pattern of locomotor disability and to observe the outcome of the camp surgeries for the correction of deformity.Methods: This prospective observational cross-sectional study was conducted at the department of orthopaedics and traumatology Gandhi Medical College at SPARSH camp organised by the Government of M. P. at J. K. hospital Bhopal. All the patients with locomotor disability attending the SPARSH camp irrespective of age, sex and cause, were included in the studyResults: In total 287 patients attended the camp in which majority of the patients were suffering from cerebral palsy. 107 patients were selected for operative intervention in which tendo-achilles lengthening was performed most commonly.Conclusions: The corrective surgical camp provides an avenue of healthcare opportunity for the underprivileged sector of society. A camp based approach helps in identification, gradation & rehabilitation of orthopaedic deformities

Amplified fragment length polymorphism of clinical and environmental Vibrio cholerae from a freshwater environment in a cholera-endemic area, India

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The region around Chandigarh in India has witnessed a resurgence of cholera. However, isolation of <it>V. cholerae </it>O1 from the environment is infrequent. Therefore, to study whether environmental nonO1-nonO139 isolates, which are native to the aquatic ecosystem, act as precursors for pathogenic O1 strains, their virulence potential and evolutionary relatedness was checked.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p><it>V. cholerae </it>was isolated from clinical cases of cholera and from water and plankton samples collected from freshwater bodies and cholera-affected areas. PCR analysis for the <it>ctxA, ctxB, tcpA, toxT </it>and <it>toxR </it>genes and AFLP with six primer combinations was performed on 52 isolates (13 clinical, 34 environmental and 5 reference strains).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>All clinical and 3 environmental isolates belonged to serogroup O1 and remaining 31 environmental <it>V. cholerae </it>were nonO1-nonO139. Serogroup O1 isolates were <it>ctxA, tcpA </it>(ElTor), <it>ctxB </it>(Classical), <it>toxR </it>and <it>toxT </it>positive. NonO1-nonO139 isolates possessed <it>toxR</it>, but lacked <it>ctxA </it>and <it>ctxB</it>; only one isolate was positive for <it>toxT </it>and <it>tcpA</it>. Using AFLP, 2.08% of the <it>V. cholerae </it>genome was interrogated. Dendrogram analysis showed one large heterogeneous clade (n = 41), with two compact and distinct subclades (1a and 1b), and six small mono-phyletic groups. Although <it>V. cholerae </it>O1 isolates formed a distinct compact subclade, they were not clonal. A clinical O1 strain clustered with the nonO1-nonO139 isolates; one strain exhibited 70% similarity to the Classical control strain, and all O1 strains possessed an ElTor variant-specific fragment identified with primer ECMT. Few nonO1-nonO139 isolates from widely separated geographical locations intermingled together. Three environmental O1 isolates exhibited similar profiles to clinical O1 isolates.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>In a unique study from freshwater environs of a cholera-endemic area in India over a narrow time frame, environmental <it>V. cholerae </it>population was found to be highly heterogeneous, diverse and devoid of major virulence genes. O1 and nonO1-nonO139 isolates showed distinct lineages. Clinical isolates were not clonal but were closely related, indicating accumulation of genetic differences over a short time span. Though, environment plays an important role in the spread of cholera, the possibility of an origin of pathogenic O1 strains from environmental nonO1-nonO139 strains seems to be remote in our region.</p

An Intra-Vaginal Zinc Oxide Tetrapod Nanoparticles (ZOTEN) and Genital Herpesvirus Cocktail Can Provide a Novel Platform for Live Virus Vaccine

Herpes simplex virus type-2 (HSV-2) is a common cause of genital infections throughout the world. Currently no prophylactic vaccine or therapeutic cure exists against the virus that establishes a latent infection for the life of the host. Intravaginal microbivac is a developing out-of-the-box strategy that combines instant microbicidal effects with future vaccine-like benefits. We have recently shown that our uniquely designed zinc oxide tetrapod nanoparticles (ZOTEN) show strong microbivac efficacy against HSV-2 infection in a murine model of genital infection. In our attempts to further understand the antiviral and immune bolstering effects of ZOTEN microbivac and to develop ZOTEN as a platform for future live virus vaccines, we tested a ZOTEN/HSV-2 cocktail and found that prior incubation of HSV-2 with ZOTEN inhibits the ability of the virus to infect vaginal tissue in female Balb/c mice and blocks virus shedding as judged by plaque assays. Quite interestingly, the ZOTEN-neutralized virions elicit a local immune response that is highly comparable with the HSV-2 infection alone with reduced inflammation and clinical manifestations of disease. Information provided by our study will pave the way for the further development of ZOTEN as a microbivac and a future platform for live virus vaccines

Pyrolysis of waste biomass and plastics for production of biochar and its use for removal of heavy metals from aqueous solution

The aim of this work was to study the pyrolysis of waste biomass and plastics and use the produced biochar for the removal of heavy metals from aqueous solution. The batch experiments of Fe, Ni, Cu, Cr, Cd and Pb with biochars and plastic chars were carried for determining the effects of various experimental parameters (feedstock, contact time, adsorbent dose, pH and pyrolysis temperature). The isothermal sorption models demonstrated that the sorption capacities of biochars are higher in comparison to the plastic chars. The maximum removal efficiency shown by biochars and plastic chars at pH 4 was 99.86% and 99.93%, respectively. Both the carbon materials are thereby recognized as an environment-friendly and efficient pollutant control material at various studied parameters

Trypanosoma evansi u deva, magaraca i pasa u Indiji: usporedba rezultata pretrage lančanom reakcijom polimerazom i svjetlosnim mikroskopom

The objective of the present study was to compare two methods: PCR and blood smear examination for sensitive and specific detection of Trypanosoma evansi in camels, donkeys and dogs. Out of 131 blood samples tested, (61 camels, 44 donkeys and 26 dogs), 26 samples (21 camels, 3 donkeys and 2 dogs) were detected positive by PCR. Blood smear examination revealed the T. evansi organisms in only two camels.Svrha ovoga istraživanja bila je usporediti osjetljivost i specifičnost lančane reakcije polimerazom i pretrage krvnih razmazaka svjetlosnim mikroskopom za dokazivanje vrste Trypanosoma evansi u deva, magaraca i pasa. Od 131 pretraženoga krvnoga uzorka (61 od deva, 44 od magaraca i 26 od pasa), 26 uzoraka (21 od deva, tri od magaraca i dva od pasa) bilo je pozivno na osnovi pretrage lančanom reakcijom polimerazom. Pretragom krvnih razmazaka svjetlosnim mikroskopom T. evansi dokazana je samo u dvije deve

A PORTRAYAL OF THE SOCIODEMOGRAPHICS AND OPTIMAL UPTAKE OF ANTENATALCARE SERVICES AMONG PREGNANT WOMEN OF URBAN SLUMS IN INDIA: AN INITIAL DATASET DEPICTION

Escalating deployment of maternal healthcare services has considerably impacted maternal mortality rates. However, urban slums have remained an understudied area in this context. Aim: To assess maternal healthcare service utilization patterns and influencing factors during antenatal period in urban slums. The analysis encompasses Fertility, Family Planning Practices, Dietary Habits, Health Quality, and implications of COVID-19 on Pregnancy. Method: Cross-sectional research conducted between April and June 2022, among urban slums in South Delhi, targeting pregnant women aged 18-44 years. Data from 250 ongoing pregnancies, accessed through Aganwadi centers, were collected electronically following study porotocol. Result: Results indicated that 98% of participants were under 40 years of age, with 67% falling below 28 years. About 93% of sample population was educated, with 93% as homemakers. Among women with parity, 82% had one child. Awareness of ANC was widespread, with 78% demonstrating medium level of knowledge. Media exposure and family planning adoption were minimal (47% and 51%, respectively). ANC utilization rates were high, with 98%, 97%, and 94% receiving iron and folic acid, tetanus toxoid, and ultrasound examinations, respectively. Only 2% were exposed to COVID-19 during pregnancy. Conclusion: This initial investigation indicates low media exposure and family planning adoption. However, ANC awareness and utilization were significant. Strategies should prioritize women's education to enhance awareness of ANC and postnatal care. Strengthening public health infrastructure is vital for optimizing maternal service utilization