Characterization of Sorghum germplasm for various qualitative traits

Present study was performed to characterize 750 germplasm lines with 4 checks namely CSV17, CSV20, CSV27 and CSV21F for various qualitative traits of Sorghum. These 754 genotypes were sown in augmented RBD with 30 replications during Kharif 2014 at Instructional Farm, Rajasthan College of Agriculture, Udaipur. Majority of the accessions showed poor early plant vigour (40.2 %), dark green leaf (88.6 %), non- tan leaf sheath pigmentation (60 %), drooping leaves (100 %), white midrib colour (51.6 %), senescence (60 %), loose panicle density (31.5 %), elliptical panicle shape (66.5 %), straw glume colour (48.2 %), 3/4 glume coverage (42.9 %), absence of awns (59.5 %), creamy straw seed (39.9 %), oval grain shape (48.8 %), medium seed size (43.7 %), non-lustrous seed (62.0 %), intermediate endosperm texture (50.3 %) and bicolor race (49.6 %). Very good early plant vigour, tan type leaf sheath pigmentation, drooping leaf orientation, straw glume colour, ½ glume covering, oval grain shape, intermediate endosperm texture appeared in all the 4 check. The results of this study indicated that considerable genetic diversity exists among the sorghum accessions

Clinical Characteristics, Racial Inequities, and Outcomes in Patients with Breast Cancer and COVID-19: A COVID-19 and Cancer Consortium (CCC19) Cohort Study

BACKGROUND: Limited information is available for patients with breast cancer (BC) and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), especially among underrepresented racial/ethnic populations. METHODS: This is a COVID-19 and Cancer Consortium (CCC19) registry-based retrospective cohort study of females with active or history of BC and laboratory-confirmed severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection diagnosed between March 2020 and June 2021 in the US. Primary outcome was COVID-19 severity measured on a five-level ordinal scale, including none of the following complications, hospitalization, intensive care unit admission, mechanical ventilation, and all-cause mortality. Multivariable ordinal logistic regression model identified characteristics associated with COVID-19 severity. RESULTS: 1383 female patient records with BC and COVID-19 were included in the analysis, the median age was 61 years, and median follow-up was 90 days. Multivariable analysis revealed higher odds of COVID-19 severity for older age (aOR per decade, 1.48 [95% CI, 1.32-1.67]); Black patients (aOR 1.74; 95 CI 1.24-2.45), Asian Americans and Pacific Islander patients (aOR 3.40; 95 CI 1.70-6.79) and Other (aOR 2.97; 95 CI 1.71-5.17) racial/ethnic groups; worse ECOG performance status (ECOG PS ≥2: aOR, 7.78 [95% CI, 4.83-12.5]); pre-existing cardiovascular (aOR, 2.26 [95% CI, 1.63-3.15])/pulmonary comorbidities (aOR, 1.65 [95% CI, 1.20-2.29]); diabetes mellitus (aOR, 2.25 [95% CI, 1.66-3.04]); and active and progressing cancer (aOR, 12.5 [95% CI, 6.89-22.6]). Hispanic ethnicity, timing, and type of anti-cancer therapy modalities were not significantly associated with worse COVID-19 outcomes. The total all-cause mortality and hospitalization rate for the entire cohort was 9% and 37%, respectively however, it varied according to the BC disease status. CONCLUSIONS: Using one of the largest registries on cancer and COVID-19, we identified patient and BC-related factors associated with worse COVID-19 outcomes. After adjusting for baseline characteristics, underrepresented racial/ethnic patients experienced worse outcomes compared to non-Hispanic White patients. FUNDING: This study was partly supported by National Cancer Institute grant number P30 CA068485 to Tianyi Sun, Sanjay Mishra, Benjamin French, Jeremy L Warner; P30-CA046592 to Christopher R Friese; P30 CA023100 for Rana R McKay; P30-CA054174 for Pankil K Shah and Dimpy P Shah; KL2 TR002646 for Pankil Shah and the American Cancer Society and Hope Foundation for Cancer Research (MRSG-16-152-01-CCE) and P30-CA054174 for Dimpy P Shah. REDCap is developed and supported by Vanderbilt Institute for Clinical and Translational Research grant support (UL1 TR000445 from NCATS/NIH). The funding sources had no role in the writing of the manuscript or the decision to submit it for publication. CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER: CCC19 registry is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04354701

Discutindo a educação ambiental no cotidiano escolar: desenvolvimento de projetos na escola formação inicial e continuada de professores

A presente pesquisa buscou discutir como a Educação Ambiental (EA) vem sendo trabalhada, no Ensino Fundamental e como os docentes desta escola compreendem e vem inserindo a EA no cotidiano escolar., em uma escola estadual do município de Tangará da Serra/MT, Brasil. Para tanto, realizou-se entrevistas com os professores que fazem parte de um projeto interdisciplinar de EA na escola pesquisada. Verificou-se que o projeto da escola não vem conseguindo alcançar os objetivos propostos por: desconhecimento do mesmo, pelos professores; formação deficiente dos professores, não entendimento da EA como processo de ensino-aprendizagem, falta de recursos didáticos, planejamento inadequado das atividades. A partir dessa constatação, procurou-se debater a impossibilidade de tratar do tema fora do trabalho interdisciplinar, bem como, e principalmente, a importância de um estudo mais aprofundado de EA, vinculando teoria e prática, tanto na formação docente, como em projetos escolares, a fim de fugir do tradicional vínculo “EA e ecologia, lixo e horta”.Facultad de Humanidades y Ciencias de la Educació

Serological profile of TORCH Infection Among Antenatal Women at a Tertiary Care Center in North India

TORCH group of pathogens is responsible for serious congenital infections, leading to fetal damage and other anomalies. A national screening program for TORCH infections does not exist in India. Serological data regarding for TORCH infections during pregnancy is not representative for India. Settings and Design: This prospective study was done over a period of one year at a tertiary care center in North India. We enrolled 419 pregnant women with bad obstetric history. Serological evaluation for TORCH infections was carried out by IgM Enzyme Linked Immunosorbant Assay (ELISA) method. Statistical analysis used: Gaussian (z) test. Overall, 260 (62.1%) samples were negative for TORCH pathogens while 159 (37.9%) were positive. The IgM sero positivity to Toxoplasma gondii, Rubella, Cytomegalovirus (CMV) and Herpes simplex virus (HSV-2)was 16.4%, 8.8%,10.2% and 2.3% respectively. Maximum seropositivity was observed between 21-30 year age group. Out of the total positive cases, 6 (3.7%) were found to be coinfected. The maximum numbers of coinfection cases was 5 (83.3%) with Toxoplasma, followed by Rubella with one case (16.6%). TORCH epidemiology needs better understanding for development of new strategies for the prevention of congenital infections. New approaches to prevention and treatment of congenital TORCH infection are necessary, including antiviral interventions and the development of a vaccine strategy

Epidemiology of Blood Stream Infections in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at a Tertiary Care Centre

Healthcare-associated infections (HAI) are associated with increased morbidity, mortality and associated financial burden. Nosocomial blood stream infections in NICU remain a serious hazard. This was a prospective study done from January to December 2016. 1064 neonates admitted to NICU during this period were enrolled in the study. Active surveillance in NICU and laboratory based surveillance in Department of Microbiology was carried out to find cases of nosocomial blood stream infections. Each case was line listed and followed with calculation of attack and incidence rates. Out of the total 1064 new admissions between January and December 2016, 30 cases of hospital acquired infections were identified based on risk factors, clinical and laboratory data. Out of these twenty cases were hospital acquired blood stream infections. Average attack rates of HAI and hospital acquired blood stream infection were 2.76% and 1.93% respectively. Incidence of HAI/1000 patient days was 5.57 with BSI rate of 12.74. / 1000 catheter days. The most common organisms isolated from positive blood cultures were Staphylococcus aureus (32.4%), Acinetobacter spp. (24%) and E. coli (11.3%). BSI in NICU remains a serious hazard and remains grossly underreported. Infection control policies and surveillance methodologies need to be strengthened to curb BSI

Magnitude and pattern of hepatitis B infection in clinically suspected infectious hepatitis at a tertiary care hospital in urban India

Introduction: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a parenterally transmitted viral illness of significant public health importance. The prevalence of HBV related viral hepatitis still remains debatable. Objectives: The objective of the following study is to determine the magnitude and pattern of HBV infection in clinically suspected infectious hepatitis at a tertiary care hospital in urban India. Materials and Methods: This prospective study was conducted in the Department of Microbiology at Lady Hardinge Medical College, New Delhi, over a period of 1 year from January 2008 to December 2008. All the serum samples taken from subjects (600 study and 200 control) were tested for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) using commercially available enzyme linked immunosorbent assay kit. Serum samples testing positive for HBsAg were tested for hepatitis B e antigen, immunoglobulin M (IgM) capture anti hepatitis D virus (HDV), IgM anti hepatitis B surface and IgM anti hepatitis B core. Results: 24 (4%) serum samples tested positive for HBsAg in the study group while 5 (2.5%) tested positive in the control. Maximum seropositivity of HBsAg was in 20-30 years of age group in the study group (7.6%) followed by 11-20 years (4.5%), 0-10 years (2.8%) and >40 years (2.5%). The difference in seropositivity in study and control group was statistically insignificant in all the age groups (P > 0.05). Out of 24 cases positive for HBsAg, 4 cases (16.6%) were co infected with HDV in study group while there were none in control group. Conclusions: HBV is a common cause of parenterally transmitted viral hepatitis and hence, it is recommended that measures for public awareness regarding safe infection practices and safe sex practices should be undertaken to limit its spread