Study of serum cortisol levels in complicated and uncomplicated Plasmodium vivax malaria patients

Background: Malaria results in pathological changes in various body organs, as the parasite invade and multiply in circulating red blood cells. Despite of advances in diagnostic and treatment modalities, worldwide incidences of malaria are significant. Current study was conducted to investigate serum cortisol level changes as a promising biomarker for risk prediction in malaria and to study adrenal insufficiency in malaria patients.Methods: Current investigation was a prospective observational study, conducted on complicated and uncomplicated Plasmodium vivax malaria patients. Serum cortisol levels in patients were investigated through immunoassay using direct chemiluminescent technology and were statistically correlated with Plasmodium vivax malaria infection.Results: Results of present investigation revealed that on day 1 there was significant difference in mean serum cortisol levels between the Plasmodium vivax malaria patients and control group and cortisol levels were significantly higher in complicated Plasmodium vivax malaria patients compared to uncomplicated cases on day 1 and 7. Cortisol levels were observed to be normal on day 1 and 7 in uncomplicated malaria cases and in patients with bleeding manifestations, renal failure and jaundice. In 10 out of 15 cases of cerebral malaria, significant increase in serum cortisol levels were observed on day 1, while on day 7 levels were normal in all 15 cases.Conclusions: Rise in serum cortisol level had a positive correlation with temperature and thus can be useful to predict the severity of disease in Plasmodium vivax malaria patients. No cortisol insufficiency was observed in during active and convalescent stages of illness

Parental combining ability as a good predictor of productive crosses in sweet sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench]

The exploitation of heterosis through the development and deployment of hybrids for commercial cultivation is one of the effective approaches for genetic enhancement of crop plants for traits of economic importance. Developing an objective criterion of choosing the parents for developing and testing hybrids is essential for maximizing the success of heterosis breeding. A set of 18 crosses produced from parents differing in their gca effects for bio-energy traits such as millable cane yield, juice volume and juice sugar content (as indicated by Brix %) were evaluated in replicated trial in the experimental plots of the Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore during 2006-07. The utility of parental general combining ability for producing high frequency of superior crosses for a set of bio-energy traits in sweet sorghum was investigated. The study suggested that parents with contrasting gca effects produce crosses with higher sca and heterotic potential for the bio-energy traits. The use of female parents with higher gca effects is important for realizing greater probability of crosses with sca effects and heterosis in desirable direction for bio-energy traits

Study of clinical features and laboratory investigations for effective management of hyponatremia

Background: Hyponatremia, a common electrolyte disorder is mostly observed in hospitalized elderly patients. It is a potential cause of morbidity, mortality and has significant economic impact on the patient and health care system. The aim of the present study was to investigate the risk factors, clinical features and management of hyponatremia in hospitalized patients to reduce its incidence and minimize the associated complications.Methods: Current study was conducted in a tertiary care hospital SSMC, Tumkur). Patients were evaluated for the underlying cause of hyponatremia through detailed history and physical examination followed by appropriate laboratory investigations based on urine sodium, serum and urine osmolality. Patients with hyponatremia were classified into categories based on clinical investigations and accordingly treated with suitable therapy.Results: Constitutional symptoms, confusion, fever, vomiting, respiratory symptoms, abdominal pain, loose stools, coma, convulsions and other miscellaneous symptoms were observed in history of hyponatremic patients. Most common etiology was found to be SIADH followed by extrarenal losses, renal failure, cirrhosis, CCF, drug in take and glucocorticoid deficiency. Management of hyponatremia was done using hypertonic saline, administration of diuretics, fluid restriction therapy, administration of vaptans and combination of hypertonic saline and vaptans as  treatment alternatives, no potential complications were observed during treatment of hyponatremia.Conclusions: The possible cause of hyponatremia should always be determined, asoutcomeinsevere hyponatremiais governed by etiology and not merely by serum sodium levels. The correction of hyponatremia helps to improve the prognosis of the underlying disease and to prevent further complications

Tomato late blight yield loss assessment and risk aversion with resistant hybrid

Late blight (Phytophthora infestans) is one of the devastating diseases of tomato worldwide. Field trial was carried out in Kharif 2019 and 2020 in Hesaraghatta, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India, to estimate yield loss due to late blight and to assess extent of protection in resistant genotype during late blight epiphytotics. Yield loss was calculated as per cent difference in yield between fungicides treated and unprotected plots in three F1 hybrids NS501, Arka Rakshak, both susceptible genotypes and Arka Abhed, a resistant genotype. Over two years, average yield loss due to late blight was 79.47 per cent in NS501, 75.53 per cent in Arka Rakshak and 12.84 per cent in Arka Abhed. With lower mean AUDPC values (147.22 in 2019 and 469.17 in 2020) and with low yield loss, Arka Abhed provided affordable protection against late blight. Our findings indicate late blight as an economically important peril to be considered for tomato yield loss coverage under insurance scheme in Bengaluru region. Arka Abhed hybrid can be cultivated to avert yield loss risk associated with late blight epiphytotics

Initial Filling of Tehri Reservoir — Analysis of Seepage Data

Initial Filling of reservoirs in dams, particularly the embankment type, is a very important phase as unusual behaviour / accidents of many dams have been reported during this period. A regular observation / analysis of quantum of seepage vis-à-vis the reservoir level is a significant activity so that any serious development inside the body of dam and foundation / abutments rocks are revealed in advance and remedial measures are taken up timely to prevent catastrophic failures. At Tehri, a 260.5m high earth & rockfill dam has been constructed across river Bhagirathi, a tributary of mighty river Ganga in India. Seepage discharge data of first two years of Initial Filling of Tehri reservoir has been analysed, which has led to a few important conclusions. The Analysis of Seepage data for the Initial Filling of Tehri reservoir is presented in the paper

Initial Filling of Tehri Reservoir — Analysis of Seepage Data

Initial Filling of reservoirs in dams, particularly the embankment type, is a very important phase as unusual behaviour / accidents of many dams have been reported during this period. A regular observation / analysis of quantum of seepage vis-à-vis the reservoir level is a significant activity so that any serious development inside the body of dam and foundation / abutments rocks are revealed in advance and remedial measures are taken up timely to prevent catastrophic failures. At Tehri, a 260.5m high earth & rockfill dam has been constructed across river Bhagirathi, a tributary of mighty river Ganga in India. Seepage discharge data of first two years of Initial Filling of Tehri reservoir has been analysed, which has led to a few important conclusions. The Analysis of Seepage data for the Initial Filling of Tehri reservoir is presented in the paper

Evaluation of morbidity and epidemiology of two wheelers accidents in central India

Background: In the developing world, the current trends in population growth, industrialization and urbanization are putting heavy pressure on the transport network in general and on road system in particular. Some of the unwanted side effects of this growing traffic, such as congestion and noise pollution are immediately obvious to the individual. But others, such as the growing number of fatal and non-fatal injuries from Road Traffic Accidents (RTAs), are apparent only through aggregated statistics. These data reflects serious and growing problem, with absolute fatality and casualty figures are rapidly rising in the majority of developing nations and with morbidity and mortality rates considerably higher than in the developed world. The alarming increase in morbidity and mortality owing to road traffic accidents over the past decades is a matter of great concern globally. In this study we have done evaluation of morbidity and epidemiology of two wheelers (two wheeler vehicles are those vehicle which runs on fuel e.g. Motorcycle) accidents in Central India.Methods: There were about 1514 patients who came to Accident and Emergency department of Acharya Vinobha Bhave Hospital from September 2014 to August 2015 with history of RTA, out of which 100 cases of road traffic accidents involving two wheelers were interviewed, using interview technique as tool for data collection.Results: Out of 100 cases of road traffic accidents involving two wheelers 84 were male and 16 were female patients. Among 100 patients 46% had trauma by skidding of bike. Accidents took place at early morning (17%), afternoon (37%) and evening (31%) and night (15%) time. A number of patients (41%) were under influence of alcohol making it a major reason of trauma. Seventy five percent of the patients were driving the vehicle. In 25% of cases, patients were the pillion riders. In our study out of 100 patients, 99 were not wearing a helmet except for 1 patient. Among 100 patients, 54 were having orthopaedic injuries. Among the orthopaedic injuries, lower limb injuries were 46% and upper limb were 45%.Conclusions: In our study we concluded that most of the accidents on two wheelers were of younger adults with predominance of male population and mostly occurred at daytime. Most of the drivers were under the influence of alcohol and were prone to accidents. The problems with two – wheelers accidents were condition of road, alcohol influence, and condition of vehicle.Keywords: Road Traffic Accidents, Two – wheelers, Central India, Morbidity,  Epidemiolog

Chandra Observations of the Faintest Low-Mass X-ray Binaries

There exists a group of persistently faint galactic X-ray sources that, based on their location in the galaxy, high L_x/L_opt, association with X-ray bursts, and absence of low frequency X-ray pulsations, are thought to be low-mass X-ray binaries (LMXBs). We present results from Chandra observations for eight of these systems: 4U 1708-408, 2S 1711-339, KS 1739-304, SLX 1735-269, GRS 1736-297, SLX 1746-331, 1E 1746.7-3224, and 4U 1812-12. Locations for all sources, excluding GRS 1736-297, SLX 1746-331, and KS 1739-304 (which were not detected) were improved to 0.6" error circles (90% confidence). Our observations support earlier findings of transient behavior of GRS 1736-297, KS 1739-304, SLX 1746-331, and 2S 1711-339 (which we detect in one of two observations). Energy spectra for 4U 1708-408, 2S 1711-339, SLX 1735-269, 1E 1746.7-3224, and 4U 1812-12 are hard, with power law indices typically 1.4-2.1, which are consistent with typical faint LMXB spectra.Comment: 15 pages, 3 figures. Accepted by Ap

New Spirometry Indices for Detecting Mild Airflow Obstruction.

The diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) relies on demonstration of airflow obstruction. Traditional spirometric indices miss a number of subjects with respiratory symptoms or structural lung disease on imaging. We hypothesized that utilizing all data points on the expiratory spirometry curves to assess their shape will improve detection of mild airflow obstruction and structural lung disease. We analyzed spirometry data of 8307 participants enrolled in the COPDGene study, and derived metrics of airflow obstruction based on the shape on the volume-time (Parameter D), and flow-volume curves (Transition Point and Transition Distance). We tested associations of these parameters with CT measures of lung disease, respiratory morbidity, and mortality using regression analyses. There were significant correlations between FEV1/FVC with Parameter D (r = -0.83; p < 0.001), Transition Point (r = 0.69; p < 0.001), and Transition Distance (r = 0.50; p < 0.001). All metrics had significant associations with emphysema, small airway disease, dyspnea, and respiratory-quality of life (p < 0.001). The highest quartile for Parameter D was independently associated with all-cause mortality (adjusted HR 3.22,95% CI 2.42-4.27; p < 0.001) but a substantial number of participants in the highest quartile were categorized as GOLD 0 and 1 by traditional criteria (1.8% and 33.7%). Parameter D identified an additional 9.5% of participants with mild or non-recognized disease as abnormal with greater burden of structural lung disease compared with controls. The data points on the flow-volume and volume-time curves can be used to derive indices of airflow obstruction that identify additional subjects with disease who are deemed to be normal by traditional criteria