Effects of Sodium Benzoate Using Zebrafish Animal Model

The advent of food preservation has solved many food borne diseases and it also increased the food security over the years around the globe. From traditional boiling to modern day artificial food additives, there are numerous ways of preserving food items. The one that concerns most of the people around the globe is the addition of chemicals as preservatives in food items like jams, pickles, beverages etc. The most used chemical preservative sodium benzoate (SB) has gained more lime light due to some of its controversial effects on human health. Our study aims to investigate the toxic effects of sodium benzoate on the development, behaviour and oxidative stress in zebrafish embryos. We exposed zebrafish larvae of 5 hpf with 100 to 2000 ppm of SB and studied developmental, behavioural and gene expression changes. Our studies indicated that SB induced morphological abnormalities like pericardial edema, Yolk sac edema and tail bending. The malformations were more pronounced with the increase in dose of SB and time of exposure and also SB was found to delay the hatching process. The LC50 was found to be around 400 ppm at 48 hours of drug exposure. The behavioural experiment indicated increased thigmotaxis in treated larvae and there was a two fold increase in the gene expression of (glutathione reductase) and no change in (glyoxalase1) expression Our study strongly supports the toxic effects on vertebrates at increasing doses. Thus, we suggest caution in the extensive use of this preservative in processed and convenience foods

Genetic divergence in Chrysanthemum (Dendranthema x grandiflora Tzvelev) based on morphological traits

Genetic diversity of thirty-one genotypes of Chrysanthemum were analysed for various growth and flowering related traits. Analysis of variance revealed significant differences among the genotypes for all the morphological traits studied. The clustering pattern based on Mahalanobis D2 statistics categorised genotypes into six distinct clusters. The largest cluster i.e. cluster III composed of eleven genotypes followed by cluster II with nine genotypes, cluster I having eight genotypes and cluster IV, V, and VI with one genotype each. The maximum inter-cluster distance was recorded between clusters IV and cluster V (376.87) followed by clusters IV and cluster VI (344.96) and, cluster II and cluster IV (196.81). The maximum intra-cluster distance was observed for cluster III (56.57), followed by cluster II (46.87) and cluster I (29.52). Among all the clusters, genotypes in cluster II recorded highest cluster mean values for number of branches per plant (7.15), number of leaves (119.72) and flowers (91.69) per plant. Among nine characters, number of flowers per plant contributed maximum to divergence (32.26%). Therefore, for chrysanthemum improvement, highly diverse genotypes can be used as parents for crossing to generate high variability

Genetic divergence in Chrysanthemum (Dendranthema x grandiflora Tzvelev) based on morphological traits

Genetic diversity of thirty-one genotypes of Chrysanthemum were analysed for various growth and flowering related traits. Analysis of variance revealed significant differences among the genotypes for all the morphological traits studied. The clustering pattern based on Mahalanobis D2 statistics categorised genotypes into six distinct clusters. The largest cluster i.e. cluster III composed of eleven genotypes followed by cluster II with nine genotypes, cluster I having eight genotypes and cluster IV, V, and VI with one genotype each. The maximum inter-cluster distance was recorded between clusters IV and cluster V (376.87) followed by clusters IV and cluster VI (344.96) and, cluster II and cluster IV (196.81). The maximum intra-cluster distance was observed for cluster III (56.57), followed by cluster II (46.87) and cluster I (29.52). Among all the clusters, genotypes in cluster II recorded highest cluster mean values for number of branches per plant (7.15), number of leaves (119.72) and flowers (91.69) per plant. Among nine characters, number of flowers per plant contributed maximum to divergence (32.26%). Therefore, for chrysanthemum improvement, highly diverse genotypes can be used as parents for crossing to generate high variability

Reconsidering the "Violent Offender"

Demonizing people as violent has perpetuated policies rooted in fear rather than fact. In this paper, we break from the tradition of punitiveness toward people convicted of violent offenses and argue that the violent offender label breaches the principle of parsimony, distorts proportionality, and fails as a predictive tool for future violent behavior. The label disproportionately affects people of color—black and Hispanic people comprise larger shares of people incarcerated for violent offenses in state prisons than white people. In short, the violent offender label offers little to criminal justice policy. Instead, justice policy should focus on those who actually commit violence, mitigate responses based on the experience of violent victimization, and discount the violent offender label as predictive of future violence

Indian scenario and an institutional experience of fatalities in COVID-19: a narrative review

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), is an ongoing global pandemic that has devastated our globalized economic system. Apart from infecting 12,102,328 human beings and taking a toll of over 551,046 lives globally by the 11th of July 2020, it has fundamentally affected the way we live, work, travel, and relate to each other. Despite imposing early preventive measures, India has crossed a total caseload of 820,916 with a total death of 22,123 till-date, ranking third in the descending list of worst-affected nations. Although comparatively lower, the case fatality rate in India is 2.72% against the global fatality of 4.53%. It is an empirical fact that every process and institution must evolve to meet the needs of its time. A model for categorization of fatality among real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) positive COVID-19 patients has been developed at Uttar Pradesh University of Medical Sciences (UPUMS), to address the issue of patients being transferred very late in the course of the disease to level-3 facilities. The UPUMS model of categorization of fatalities of COVID-19 patients at level-3 center comprises of category-1 as ‘Institutional COVID-19 fatalities’, category-2 as ‘Imported COVID-19 fatalities’ and category-3 being ‘Imminent with Incidental COVID-19’ fatalities. This endeavor of categorizing COVID-19 fatalities is an opportunity to analyze facts and contemporary science to assess our response to this pandemic and thereby take lessons to prepare better for the future. Following proper analysis, we noted that most of these fatalities (64%) at the higher center are because of delayed referrals hence termed as imported fatalities, which need a modality of early attention and referral. However, there are fatalities which occur because of severe systemic illness like liver failure, cardiovascular accident (CVA), myocardial infarction (MI), etc. They need due treatment at a regional center. These constitute up to 18%. Authors found that actual COVID-19 deaths constitute only 18% of the total projected fatalities

Toxicological manifestations in gills, liver, kidney and muscles of Channa punctatus exposed to mercuric chloride

Aquatic regimes are exposed to a variety of pollutants that are mainly released by anthropogenic activities. Mercuric chloride (HgCl2) pose serious hazards to freshwater fish resource for its toxicity and long persistence. It is also a threat to humans who consume fish as a food resource. This study aimed to determine the consequences of acute exposure to HgCl2 in the freshwater food fish Channa punctatus (Bloch, 1973). The acute study of 96 hours was composed of three groups (in triplicates), having ten fish in each group which includes group I (control), group II (0.112 mg/l of HgCl2) and group III (0.224 mg/l of HgCl2). Results showed induction in reactive oxygen species (ROS) level in erythrocytes of group III (22159 ± 258.036). The biomarkers of oxidative stress, glutathione reduced (GSH) and lipid peroxidase (LPO) showed significant (p < 0.05) decrement and increment in their activity, respectively, in gills, liver, kidney and muscle tissues of the fish treated with HgCl2. Further, micronuclei (MN) and nuclear abnormalities (NAs) were formed in the erythrocytes of the fish of groups II and III, revealing DNA damage, hence showing genotoxicity. Histopathological studies in sample tissues of HgCl2 treated group demonstrated irreversible tissue injuries and anomalies. Thus, the findings from the study demonstrate that biological stress is induced in fish because of acute exposure to HgCl2, leading to health impairmen

Isolated pancreatic hyadatidosis

Pancreatic hydatidosis is a rare infection with a frequency of less than one percent. Most of the abdominal hydatid cysts occur in liver. The purpose of this study was to present our experience of few rare cases of isolated pancreatic hydatid cyst, its presentation and management. Five pancreatic hydatidosis patients admitted in Gandhi Medical College, Secunderabad between 2021 to 2023 were reviewed. Demographic characteristics, clinical findings, and laboratory data were collected. Commonest symptom was pain in left upper quadrant followed by jaundice. The preoperative diagnosis was established in 3 patients by combination of ultrasonography, computed tomography, endoscopic ultrasonography and serological tests. Surgical treatment was done in three cases and two were medically treated. None of them had recurrence during a follow-up of 1 year. Pancreatic hydatid cyst even if rare should be considered in any pancreatic cystic mass in endemic countries like India

Localization of Melatonin Receptor 1 in Mouse Retina and Its Role in the Circadian Regulation of the Electroretinogram and Dopamine Levels

Melatonin modulates many important functions within the eye by interacting with a family of G-protein-coupled receptors that are negatively coupled with adenylate cyclase. In the mouse, Melatonin Receptors type 1 (MT1) mRNAs have been localized to photoreceptors, inner retinal neurons, and ganglion cells, thus suggesting that MT1 receptors may play an important role in retinal physiology. Indeed, we have recently reported that absence of the MT1 receptors has a dramatic effect on the regulation of the daily rhythm in visual processing, and on retinal cell viability during aging. We have also shown that removal of MT1 receptors leads to a small (3–4 mmHg) increase in the level of the intraocular pressure during the night and to a significant loss (25–30%) in the number of cells within the retinal ganglion cell layer during aging. In the present study we investigated the cellular distribution in the C3H/f+/+ mouse retina of MT1 receptors using a newly developed MT1 receptor antibody, and then we determined the role that MT1 signaling plays in the circadian regulation of the mouse electroretinogram, and in the retinal dopaminergic system. Our data indicate that MT1 receptor immunoreactivity is present in many retinal cell types, and in particular, on rod and cone photoreceptors and on intrinsically photosensitive ganglion cells (ipRGCs). MT1 signaling is necessary for the circadian rhythm in the photopic ERG, but not for the circadian rhythm in the retinal dopaminergic system. Finally our data suggest that the circadian regulation of dopamine turnover does not drive the photopic ERG rhythm

Assessment of genetic variability, character association and path coefficient analysis in Chrysanthemum (Dendranthema x grandiflora Tzvelev)

Thirty-one genotypes of chrysanthemum (Dendranthema x grandiflora Tzvelev) were evaluated for nine growth and flowering related traits to assess the genetic variability, correlation and path coefficient analysis. Significant differences among genotypes for all the growth and flowering related traits were observed through analysis of variance. The range of variation was high for number of leaves plant-1 (66.17-164.50) followed by number of flowers plant-1 (30.67-116.83). The magnitude of phenotypic coefficient of variation was higher than the genotypic coefficient of variation for all the characters studied. High (>20%) PCV and GCV was recorded for plant height, number of branches plant-1, number of leaves plant-1, days to bud initiation, days to first flower opening and number of flowers plant-1. Heritability estimates ranged from 77.72% (days to optimum flowering) to 96.93% (number of flowers plant-1). High heritability coupled with high genetic advance as per cent of mean was recorded for all the traits studied. Number of flowers plant-1 exhibited positive and highly significant correlation with number of branches and leaves plant-1. Path coefficient analysis using correlation coefficients revealed that days to first flower opening (1.564) exhibited positive and very high direct effect, while,number of leaves plant-1 (0.347) and flower diameter (0.337) showed positive and high direct effect. Hence, genotypes with superior traits may be considered for further improvement