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

Studies on Preparation of Quarg Type Cheese From Cow Milk and Goat Milk

The current upward trend in nutritional and health awareness is the consumer’s demands for high nutritive valuable product in the market with acceptable sensory characteristics. The present study was carried out to explore the possibilities of using goat milk alone and in combination with cow milk for preparation of quarg type cheese. The levels of cow milk and goat milk treatments were T1, T2, T3, T4 and T5 as 100:00, 75:25, 50:50, 25:75 and 00:100 per cent  respectively. The product was served to the semi-trained panel of judges to know its acceptability. The treatment T3 having 50% cow milk and 50% goat milk was rated superior amongst experimental treatments. In respect of chemical composition protein, moisture and acidity were increased with increased in level of goat milk while fat, carbohydrate, total solid ash and pH were decreased with increased in level of goat milk

STUDY OF NIRUDDHA PRAKASH WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO PHIMOSIS: A REVIEW

In Ayurvedic Samhita Niruddha Prakash (phimosis) vyadhi (disease) is described to be formed because of vitiated Vata Dosha where constricted Shishnacharma (prepuce) covers Mani (glans penis). This creates obstructed, slow urine flow and the prepuce could not be retracted. Treatment described in Ayurvedic epics is dilatation of preputial meatus by Niruddhaprakash Nadiyantra and Vatadosh Shamak medicated tail (oil) Parishek (fomentation). Surgery is advised if this measure fails. Niruddha prakash has similar features to that of phimosis described in modern medical science. Recent researches shows that glans penis and prepuce has common epithelium and its complete separation essential for complete prepitual retraction exposing whole of glans may normally occur up to the age of 17 years. This may lead to wrong diagnosis of phimosis. Circumcision is considered as treatment of choice for phimosis. In this review article efforts have made to analyze description of Niruddha prakash in Ayurved Epics, and recent researches regarding development and separation of prepuce, non surgical treatment of phimosis for bypass of surgical and anaesthetic complications, and surgical procedure with less complications compared to circumcision that will preserve prepuce as it is important structure protecting glans and urethral meatus and also for coital pleasure.

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

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

Radiological correlation with functional outcome in displaced proximal humerus fractures treated with locking plates: a prospective study of 35 cases

Background: The objective of this prospective study is to investigate the relationship between the functional outcome and the radiographic results of two-, three- and four part proximal humeral fractures treated with open reduction and fixation with PHILOS locking plate.Methods: 35 patients (30 males and 5 females) with displaced proximal humerus fracture were treated with PHILOS plating and studied prospectively. According to Neer’s classification there were 16 two part fracture (45%), 15 three part fracture (42%) and 4 four part fracture (13%). The healing of fracture, head shaft angle (HSA) and complications were evaluated radiologically with plain radiographs whereas the functional outcome was assessed by the Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI) at 6 weeks, 3 months, 6 months and 1 year after surgery.Results: In our study, patients treated with locking plates had mean forward flexion of 123°, abduction of 124°, mean external rotation of 30° and internal rotation 53° at 1 year follow-up. Maximum improvement in range of movement occurred between interval of 12 weeks to 24 weeks due to complete fracture union occurred approximately up to 12 weeks. The mean SPADI score at end of 1 year were 10.22, 10.38 and 10.20 for two, three and four part fractures respectively. Average postoperative and follow-up HSA's were 134.1±4.4 and 132.5±1.2 degrees, respectively. Varus progression was more prominent in patients with postoperative HSA <130 (p<0.001). Complications included impingement in 1 case, joint penetration by screw in 1 case, failure of fixation in 1 case and infection in 1 case.Conclusions: Fixed angle locked plate is an extremely useful implant for reconstruction and salvage of proximal humeral fractures. Precise surgical technique, stable fracture fixation and restoration of anatomical reduction are absolutely necessary for improved 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