Berry Weight, Quality and Cane Biochemistry Changes in Relation to Cane Thickness of Own-Rooted and Grafted 'Tas-A-Ganesh' Grape

A field trial was conducted to determine the effect of cane thickness on berry quality and other biochemical parameters in 'Tas-A-Ganesh' grape at National Research Centre for Grapes, Pune, during the year 2008- 2009. Average bunch weight increased with increase in cane diameter. Own-rooted vines of cane thickness <6mm sprouted earlier than thicker canes. TSS of berries decreased with increase in berry size. Berries on grafted vines recorded lower TSS than on own-rooted vines. Biochemical parameters such as content of reducing sugars, carbohydrat and phenols were higher in grafted vines of cane thickness >10mm. Results indicate that thicker canes either on their own roots or on grafted vines are superior for yield and yield components, as also for physical properties of bunches and berries and total carbohydrate content of the canes

Effect of Canopy Management Practices during forward Pruning on Berry Development and Photosynthesis in Tas-A-Ganesh Grapes

Effect of canopy manipulation during forward pruning on berry development and photosynthetic parameters was studied in Tas-A-Ganesh grape grafted onto Dogridge rootstock. Canopy manipulation including shoot thinning, leaf removal, shoot thinning with leaf removal, and shoot pinching, was done after forward pruning. Significant differences were observed in yield and quality. Shoot thinning to about 40 shoots per vine, with removal of three basal leaves, resulted in significantly higher yield, followed by that in shoot thinning alone. Lowest yield was recorded in the Control. Leaf removal drastically reduced bunch development affecting berry weight, diameter and length compared to other treatments. Among different canopy manipulation treatments, higher average bunch weight was recorded in shoot thinning plus leaf removal, whereas, lowest bunch weight was recorded with leaf removal alone. At harvest, the amount of total soluble solids in berries was low in leaf removal at pre-bloom stage, but increased in the treatment of shoot thinning with leaf removal, at the same stage. Different canopy manipulation treatments had significant impact on photosynthesis and transpiration rates. Overall results indicated that canopy manipulation practices such as shoot thinning, to retain 40 shoots per vine with or without leaf removal, followed by pinching, can be recommended to grape growers

DFT and experimental investigations on the photocatalytic activities of NiO nanobelts for removal of organic pollutants

NiO nanobelts synthesized using the hydrothermal method are explored for photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants like RhB, MO, MB, and CV. The XPS analysis confirmed the formation of the stoichiometric NiO nanobelts. Few micrometer long cubic crystalline NiO nanobelts of the average thickness of ∼75 nm delivered a bandgap of 4.07 eV. The FTIR studies revealed that the mesoporous NiO nanobelts delivered stable photocatalytic activities after controlled irradiation under a xenon lamp. The kinetic studies showed the 79.1, 82.7, 76.7, and 89% degradation of MO, MB, CV, and RhB after 140 min at the rate constants (k) of 0.007, 0.008, 0.009, and 0.012 min−1, respectively. Complementary first-principles Density Functional Theory (DFT) and scavenging studies revealed the chemical picture and influence of the , and photogenerated from NiO nanobelts in the photocatalytic degradation of organic dyes. These studies corroborate the use of the NiO nanobelts in the stable and eco-friendly photocatalytic degradation activities of a wide range of organic pollutants

Impact of heavy metal contamination in different soil towards microbial characteristics and nutrient availability

An intensive investigation for detecting source of the heavy metals contamination in different areas (within industry, at roadside, adjacent agriculture lands) of various industries located at two sites A & B were made. Co-relationshipswere determined for specificmetal contamination in leacheates at sites with total contents of heavy metal at source.At siteA, it was observed that the leached fractions were highly correlated with the total contents of all tested heavy metals showing same source of contamination, whereas at site B relation was obtained only in case of Mn i.e 0.99, Zn i.e 0.82 and 0.70 for Cu, while, rest had sparse relationship, showing that the variability in heavy metal contents was caused by the different sources of contamination. The soil samples showed different microbial groups (cfu), in the order Bacteria > Fungi > Actinomycetes > RhizobiumandAzotobacters. The results indicated that the lowavailability of nutrients (NPK) in soil could be due to the heavy metal contamination which reduced the beneficial microbes such as Rhizobia and Azotobacters in contaminated soil

Virilising ovarian tumors: a single-center experience

Literature on virilising ovarian tumors (VOTs) is limited to case reports and series reporting single pathological type. We have analyzed the clinical, hormonal, radiological, histological, management and outcome data of VOT. This retrospective study was conducted at a tertiary health care center from Western India. Consecutive patients with VOT presenting to our endocrine center between 2002 and 2017 were included. Our study included 13 patients of VOT. Out of 13 patients, two were postmenopausal. All patients in the reproductive age group had secondary amenorrhea except one who presented with primary amenorrhea. Modified F and G score (mFG) at presentation was 24 ± 4.3 and all patients had severe hirsutism (mFG ≥15). Change in voice (n = 11) and clitoromegaly (n = 7) were the other most common virilising symptoms. Duration of symptoms varied from 4 to 48 months. Median serum total testosterone level at presentation was 5.6 ng/mL with severe hyperandrogenemia (serum testosterone ≥2 ng/mL) but unsuppressed gonadotropins in all patients. Transabdominal ultrasonography (TAS) detected VOT in all except one. Ten patients underwent unilateral salpingo-oophorectomy whereas three patients (peri- or postmenopausal) underwent total abdominal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. Seven patients had Sertoli Leydig cell tumor, three had steroid cell tumor and two had Leydig cell tumor and one had miscellaneous sex cord stromal tumor. All patients had normalization of serum testosterone after tumor excision. In conclusion, VOTs present with severe hyperandrogenism and hyperandrogenemia. Sertoli Leydig cell tumor is the most common histological subtype. Surgery is the treatment of choice with good surgical outcome

Recent Innovations & Daily Problems. A new prosthesis in inguinal hernia repair:preliminary results of a pilot study.

Introduction: Elective surgery for inguinal hernia is affected by very low mortality « 1 per 10000 operation); in contrast, when surgery is carried out for complicated inguinal hernia, risks of postoperative complication are higher. TAPP is a world-wide accepted surgical practice in the treatment of elective bilateral or recurrent inguinal hernia, above all in young patients. Few exploratory studies were published on laparoscopic approach in the treatment of urgent complicated inguinal hernia. Aim of this study was to analyze feasibility (operative time, conversion rate), safety (postoperative morbidity, length of hospital stay) and quality of life (acute and chronic pain, return to work) of trans-abdominal pre-peritoneal laparoscopic hernia repair in acute incarcerated inguinal hernia. Rationale of laparoscopic trans-abdominal approach is the easier hernia reduction under vision and a better exploration of the abdominal cavity. Methods: from September 2012 to September 2013, 15 consecutive patients admitted in emergency at the Division of General Surgery of University "Sapienza", Polo Pontino, for acute incarcerated inguinal hernia were submitted to TAPP using 3 trocars (1 of 10 mm and 2 of 5mm) and polyester prosthesis fixed by fibrin glue. Exclusion criteria for laparoscopic approach were age III, previous abdominal surgery, signs of strangulated hernia. All of them were evaluated for operative time, conversion rate, postoperative morbidity, organ resection or other surgery required. All patients were scored for pain by Visual Analogic Scale (VAS) during postoperative in hospital stay at 7 days, 1,6 and 12 months after surgery. Results: median follow-up was 16 months and 12 as minimum. In all cases reduction of hernia was always possible and none conversion to open surgery was recorded, median operative time was 89 minutes (55-137 as range), omental resection was carried out in one patient (6,6%), no other organ resections needed, whereas contralateral hernia was diagnosed and repaired at the same time in 4 patients (26,6%). No major complications were observed, median blood loss was 100 ml, minor morbidity was contained to 18% represented by fever and wound infection of surgical umbilical scar. Median in hospital stay was 1,5 days with 1-5 days as range. Postoperative median acute pain, measured by visual analogic scale (VAS), was 2 (range:0-4), none patient referred any pain during follow-up. Median time of return to work was 6,5 days, ranged between 3 to 15 days. Patients' compliance to treatment and to follow-up was complete as well their satisfaction. Conclusions: In centres skilled for laparoscopy in emergency, TAPP could be considered a feasible and safe technique. In well-selected patients (especially if emolled in controlled clinical trial) TAPP could represent an alternative surgical approach for complicated incarcerated inguinal hernia to conventional open surgery even in urgency. The main advantages of laparoscopic approach are the ability to perform surgical hernia reduction under vision, a better exploration and evaluation of abdominal cavity and diagnosis and treatment of eventual contralateral defect of wall, otherwise often missed. Finally, the good control of acute and chronic pain, faster return to normal activity and work, better aesthetic results contributed to total satisfaction and compliance of the patients

Nanotechnology intervention of the microbiome for cancer therapy

The microbiome is emerging as a key player and driver of cancer. Traditional modalities to manipulate the microbiome (for example, antibiotics, probiotics and microbiota transplants) have been shown to improve efficacy of cancer therapies in some cases, but issues such as collateral damage to the commensal microbiota and consistency of these approaches motivates efforts towards developing new technologies specifically designed for the microbiome–cancer interface. Considering the success of nanotechnology in transforming cancer diagnostics and treatment, nanotechnologies capable of manipulating interactions that occur across microscopic and molecular length scales in the microbiome and the tumour microenvironment have the potential to provide innovative strategies for cancer treatment. As such, opportunities at the intersection of nanotechnology, the microbiome and cancer are massive. In this Review, we highlight key opportunistic areas for applying nanotechnologies towards manipulating the microbiome for the treatment of cancer, give an overview of seminal work and discuss future challenges and our perspective on this emerging area