Performance of off season bell pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) under different growing condition, transplanting dates and pruning level

Bell pepper fruits fetches higher premium during early winter or late winter as off-season crops. An experiment was conducted during late winter (February to June) of 2013 at Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Pundibari, West Bengal, India to compare the performance of bell pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) in open field and agro shade net under different transplanting dates and pruning level which was laid out in split split plot design with 3 replications. The results revealed that agro shade net cultivation of bell pepper emerged as best in terms of highest plant height (52.42 cm), and higher number of fruit    (11.18 plant-1). The interaction effect combining shade net cultivation with 1st February planting date coupled with 3 shoot pruning proved superiority with respect to growth and yield characters of bell pepper and resulted in many fold improvement in the form of higher fruit  number (16.21 plant-1), individual fruit weight (107.54 g) and maximum fruit yield (1743.21 g plant-1)

Coexisting orofacial granulomatosis with discoid lupus erythematosus: Report of a rare case

Orofacial granulomatosis (OFG) comprises a group of diseases characterized by noncaseating granulomatous inflammation affecting the soft tissues of the oral and maxillofacial region. The classic presentation of OFG is a nontender recurrent labial swelling that eventually becomes persistent; however, the clinical presentation can be highly variable, making the diagnosis difficult to establish. Herein, we report the rare case of a 15-year-old patient, suffering from OFG and discoid lupus erythematosus; this coexistence of two such rare entities together hardly finds a mention in the literature

Smart Nanofibrous Hydrogel Wound Dressings for Dynamic Infection Diagnosis and Control: Soft but Functionally Rigid

Chronic wounds, such as burns and diabetic foot ulcers, pose significant challenges to global healthcare systems due to prolonged hospitalization and increased costs attributed to susceptibility to bacterial infections. The conventional use of antibiotic-loaded and metal-impregnated dressings exacerbates concerns related to multidrug resistance and skin argyrosis. In response to these challenges, our research introduces a unique approach utilizing antibiotic-free smart hydrogel wound dressings with integrated infection eradication and diagnostic capabilities. Electrospinning stands out as a method capable of producing hydrogel nanofibrous materials possessing favorable characteristics for treating wounds and detecting infections under conditions utilizing sustainable materials. In this study, innovative dressings are fabricated through electrospinning polycaprolactone (PCL)/gelatin (GEL) hybrid hydrogel nanofibers, incorporating pDA as a cross-linker, εPL as a broad-spectrum antimicrobial agent, and anthocyanin as a pH-responsive probe. The developed dressings demonstrate exceptional antioxidant (>90% radical scavenging) and antimicrobial properties (95–100% killing). The inclusion of polyphenols/flavonoids and εPL leads to absolute bacterial eradication, and in vitro assessments using HaCaT cells indicate increased cell proliferation, decreased reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and enhanced cell viability (100% Cell viability). The dressings display notable alterations in color that correspond to different wound conditions. Specifically, they exhibit a red/violet hue under healthy wound conditions (pH 4–6.5) and a green/blue color under unhealthy wound conditions (pH > 6.5). These distinctive color changes provide valuable insights into the versatile applications of the dressings in the care and management of wounds. Our findings suggest that these antibiotic-free smart hydrogel wound dressings hold promise as an effective and sustainable solution for chronic wounds, providing simultaneous infection control and diagnostic monitoring. This research contributes to advancing the field of wound care, offering a potential paradigm shift in the development of next-generation wound dressings