Unusual presentation of scrub typhus in pregnancy with postpartum dilated cardiomyopathy: a case report

Though scrub typhus is one of the uncommon causes of fever in peripartum period it must be kept in differential diagnosis of any febrile illness particularly when the signs and symptoms points towards rickettsial etiology. Weil-Felix test can be used for diagnosis. Uncommon complications such as cardiomyopathy must be suspected in cases who present with undue dyspnea and signs of congestive heart failure. Patients with cardiomyopathy needs appropriate management in intensive care units. ECG and 2D echocardiography (2D echo) needs to be done in these patients which may show arrhythmias and ventricular hypokinesia and decreased ejection fraction respectively. A 21 years aged first gravida female at 34 weeks of gestational age was admitted with complaints of high-grade fever since 4-5 days with no previous antenatal visits. A diagnosis of rickettsial fever was suspected on the basis of presenting complaints and clinical examination. Weil-Felix test turned out to be positive with OX19 titre of 1:160. She underwent LSCS in view of fetal distress and delivered a healthy male child. In immediate postpartum period she developed respiratory distress. Her 2D echo showed features suggestive of dilated cardiomyopathy. She was managed in medical intensive care unit and was eventually discharged. Though uncommon rickettsial diseases should be kept in the differential diagnosis of any febrile illness particularly when presenting with characteristic rash. Serious complications such as cardiomyopathy must be diagnosed early and treated appropriately in these patients to prevent mortality

Synthesis and Characterization of nZVI Grafted Alumina and Its Application for Fluoride Removal from Drinking Water: Equilibrium and Kinetics Study

In the present study attempt was made to synthesize iron nanoparticles in the presence of alumina (Al-nZVI) by sodium borohydride reduction process. The composite adsorbent has been characterized using various analytical techniques such as scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy which showed that iron nanoparticles were partially dispersed on alumina surface, with their diameter being in the range 40–100 nm. The batch adsorption experiments were carried out to study the effect of different parameters. The maximum removal of fluoride was obtained at optimal condition of pH 5.0 and dose = 1.8 g/L and was observed to be 94% with contact time of 60 min at 40 °C and initial concentration of 2 mg/L. The adsorption data fitted that pseudo second order kinetics and followed Langmuir isotherm model with maximum adsorption capacity of 10.06 mg/g. Thermodynamic study revealed exothermic nature of adsorption

Clinicopathological and immunohistochemical analysis of Sarcomatoid carcinoma of head and neck mucosal region: a retrospective analysis

Background: Sarcomatoid carcinoma is a biphasic tumour comprising both of malignant epithelial and mesenchymal elements derived monoclonally from same stem cells. These are unusual variants of squamous cell carcinoma and constitute less than 1% of the head and neck mucosal tumors. Only few studies have been published and needs more understanding to establish treatment guidelines. The aim of this study was to review the cases of carcinosarcoma arising from mucosal sites of head and neck and study their clinical, histological and Immunohistochemical features.Methods: Retrospective data and slides of histologically proven sarcomatoid carcinoma over a period of thirty -four months between January 2016 - October 2018 were retrieved and evaluated for various clinical and histopathological parameters.Results: Total of 22 cases were included in the study and the mean age of presentation was 58years with male: female ration 2:1. Most of the patients (81.8%) presented with a mass lesion of less than 6 months duration. The most common site was oral cavity (68.1%) followed by larynx (22.7%). Clinical stage was known in eleven cases. One case presented with pulmonary metastasis. Histopathologically, epithelial differentiation was identified in nine cases (41%) on morphology and in thirteen cases could be highlighted by cytokeratin positivity. The Mesenchymal component was arranged in sheets (63.7%) and fascicles (31.8%). Marked anaplasia and brisk mitosis wereseen in 54.5% and 19.3% respectively.  On immunohistochemistry all 22 cases were positive for Vimentin, twenty cases were positive for cytokeratin/EMA and aberrant mesenchymal markers were expressed in 10% of cases.  Follow up was available in eighteen cases out of which fourteen cases died within one year of diagnosis.Conclusions: Diagnosis of sarcomatoid carcinoma is challenging especially on small biopsy because of overlapping features with other spindle cell tumors. Understanding the clinicopathological features facilitates their diagnosis and effective clinical management

Novel Solid Base Catalyst Derived from Drinking Water Defluoridation for Biodiesel Synthesis

In this study, a novel heterogeneous catalyst was synthesized from drinking water treatment sludge obtained during defluoridation in biodiesel production by transesterification. More specifically, the sludge was converted into an effective catalyst by calcination at 950 ºC for 3 h. The catalyst was characterized using X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Thermogravimetric analysis, Scanning electron microscopy, Hammett titration method, and ion exchange method. The catalyst had a basicity of 12.57 mmol/g and a basic strength of 9.8 < H <17.2. It showed good catalytic activity in biodiesel synthesis. The maximum biodiesel yield obtained was 89% for the following reaction conditions: catalyst loading of 4 wt%, a reaction temperature of 65 ºC, the methanol-to-oil molar ratio of 12:1, and reaction time of 3 h. Thus, it was found that harmful waste can be used as an effective solid base heterogeneous catalyst

Role of DIBER DRDO Technologies in Improving Livelihood Opportunities and Curtailing Migration in Uttarakhand

Migration of local population of Uttarakhand (UK) border areas is presently serious issues for national security since; this State is sharing international border (~650 km) with China/Tibet and Nepal. Among the various factors reported for migration, few notables are search for better livelihood, unemployment, difficult remote terrain and poor land connectivity, less productivity from agriculture due to abiotic and biotic stresses etc. Hence, measures to increase the livelihood opportunities in these border areas to curb the problem of migration through intervention of modern agro-animal technologies are essentially required. In this attempt, Defence Institute of Bio Energy Research (DIBER) has already developed various agro-animal mature technologies, in terms of high yielding and genuine quality seed/seedlings, protected cultivation technology, soil-less cultivation technology, angora farming, mushroom cultivation, medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) cultivation technology, hydro-fodder, etc that shown great promise and impact in increasing the farm income and livelihood opportunities for civil inhabitants of these marginal regions. This article highlights the DIBER outreach extension efforts for ensuring better livelihood opportunities to farmers of border area and also to curtail migration that will in turn increase strategic support to Army and paramilitary defence forces deployed in three border Distts (Uttarkashi, Chamoli and Pithoragarh) of UK

Cytological spectrum of granulomatous mastitis: diagnostic and treatment challenges

Background: Granulomatous mastitis (GM) is an inflammatory disease of the breast which clinico- radiologically mimics both inflammatory and malignant lesions. This leads to diagnostic dilemmas and delay in treatment. The aim of the present study was to review the cases diagnosed as granulomatous mastitis on Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology (FNAC) with an objective to co-relate their clinico-radiological findings, histology review where available and follow up treatment received to establish etiology and study the treatment outcome.Methods: Cytologically diagnosed cases of granulomatous mastitis were retrieved and reviewed from August 2015 - July 2017 records. Clinico-radiological co-relation, histology review where available and follow up treatment records were sought for.Results: Around 31.7% (530/1670) cases were reported as malignant, 60.3% (1009/1670) as benign proliferative and 7.9% (131/1670) as inflammatory lesions by breast FNA. 3.1% (51/1670) cases were reported as GM of all breast FNAC and 38% (51/131) of all inflammatory lesions. Follow up was available for 47 cases. Of which 26 (55.3%) cases were diagnosed as Tubercular Granulomatous mastitis (TGM) and 21(44.7%) were idiopathic granulomatous mastitis (IGM).Conclusions: Countries where tuberculosis is endemic, high degree of clinical suspicion and detailed work-up to rule out TGM is essential for all cases of granulomatous mastitis. Authors recommend a multidisciplinary workup with microbiological culture and molecular based tests on FNA material. This retrospective study illustrates that the cause of GM needs to be determined accurately for timely treatment, to avoid unnecessary delays and treatment dilemma in these patients

Role of Rhizobacteria Associated with Diseased Tomato Plants towards their Response with Ralstonia sp The Bacterial Wilt Agent

In this study, we have aimed to determine the antagonistic effects of various rhizobacteria against representatives of bacterial wilt disease; Ralstonia pseudosolanacearum with a comparison from control sterile distilled water (SDW) aliquots. During in-vitro study, bacterial wilt agent was clearly inhibited in their growth by significant percentage by 32 different strains through perforated agar plate method. Results showed 10 potential strains among those 32 strains viz. DIB76/BCS-8, DIB76/BCS-9, DIB76/BCS-10, DIB76/BCS-12, DIB76/BCS-19, DIB76/BCS-20, DIB76/BCS-21, DIB76/BCS-24, DIB76/BCS-26 and DIB76/BCS-27 had the highest growth suppression for 9 different strains of R. pseudosolanacearum as compared to other bacterial strains. Trials with tomato crop at polyhouse had no incidence of bacterial wilt than those for control. Study, thus identifies 10 rhizobacterial strains from rhizosphere soil of diseased tomato plant possessing potential antagonistic activity against the wilt pathogen and has prospects as good biocontrol agents

Benzimidazole scaffold as dipodal molecular cleft for swift and efficient naked eye fluoride ion recognition via preorganized N-H and aromatic C-H in aqueous media

A series of elegantly designed cleft-like dipodal receptors, N,N'-bis-(5-(un)substituted-1H-benzoimidazol-2-ylalkyl)-isophthal-amides (RA-RD) has been synthesized and characterized for colorimetric detection of fluoride ion in 9:1 DMSO-water. The phenyl ring in the molecular framework of receptors is symmetrically armed with two benzimidazole moieties using amide groups as linkers to yield dipodal receptors, with multiple hydrogen bond donor sites for anion sensing. Anion binding studies, conducted qualitatively and spectroscopically in 9:1 DMSO-water, show that the receptor RC binds fluoride ion exclusively with a detection limit of 1.5 ppm over other anions. UV-visible spectra of receptor RC shows a considerable bathochromic shift of 117 nm from 348 nm to 465 nm upon addition of varying concentrations of fluoride ion (tetrabutylammonium salt). Jobs plot and mass spectroscopic data confirm 1:1 stoichiometric ratio between receptor RC and fluoride ion. 1H NMR titration reveals the presence of hydrogen binding interactions between receptor RC and fluoride ion responsible for naked eye colour change. 19F NMR titration further supports the binding interaction between receptor RC and fluoride ion. The binding constant of receptor RC for fluoride ion is calculated to be 5.59×103 M-1

Functional Characterization of EngAMS, a P-Loop GTPase of Mycobacterium smegmatis

Bacterial P-loop GTPases belong to a family of proteins that selectively hydrolyze a small molecule guanosine tri-phosphate (GTP) to guanosine di-phosphate (GDP) and inorganic phosphate, and regulate several essential cellular activities such as cell division, chromosomal segregation and ribosomal assembly. A comparative genome sequence analysis of different mycobacterial species indicates the presence of multiple P-loop GTPases that exhibit highly conserved motifs. However, an exact function of most of these GTPases in mycobacteria remains elusive. In the present study we characterized the function of a P-loop GTPase in mycobacteria by employing an EngA homologue from Mycobacterium smegmatis, encoded by an open reading frame, designated as MSMEG_3738. Amino acid sequence alignment and phylogenetic analysis suggest that MSMEG_3738 (termed as EngAMS) is highly conserved in mycobacteria. Homology modeling of EngAMS reveals a cloverleaf structure comprising of α/β fold typical to EngA family of GTPases. Recombinant EngAMS purified from E. coli exhibits a GTP hydrolysis activity which is inhibited by the presence of GDP. Interestingly, the EngAMS protein is co-eluted with 16S and 23S ribosomal RNA during purification and exhibits association with 30S, 50S and 70S ribosomal subunits. Further studies demonstrate that GTP is essential for interaction of EngAMS with 50S subunit of ribosome and specifically C-terminal domains of EngAMS are required to facilitate this interaction. Moreover, EngAMS devoid of N-terminal region interacts well with 50S even in the absence of GTP, indicating a regulatory role of the N-terminal domain in EngAMS-50S interaction