Antimicrobial activity of earthworm (Eudrilus eugeniae) paste

Earthworm plays a major role in the proper functioning of the soil ecosystem. It acts as scavenger and helps in recycling of dead and decayed plant material by feeding on them. Earthworm increases the soil fertility and is often referred to as a farmer’s friend. Earthworms have been used in medicine for various remedies. The paste prepared from earthworm, Eudrilus eugeniae was tested for antibacterial, antifungal activities. For the antimicrobial screening, four species of bacterial isolate and two species of fungal isolates were selected. The bacterial cultures were used for antimicrobial testing maintained on nutrient agar slant and the fungal strains were maintained on Sabouraud dextrose agar slant at 4°C. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined using micro dilution broth method. Earthworm paste at a dose of 100 μl was able to inhibit the growth of bacteria of S. aureus at a maximum level as compared to other bacteria; the growth of fungal Candida albicans was much inhibited. The MIC results indicated that earthworm paste at a dose of 200 μl inhibited the bacterial growth. These studies may lead to the formulation of new antimicrobial drug. The antimicrobial activity of the paste was determined by an agar diffusion method using well and disc, the study clearly indicates that the paste contain a good antibacterial potential and the bioactive compounds to inhibit the growth of bacteria and fungi. Hence earthworm paste (EP) has a good potential to develop a new drug.Key words: Eudrilus eugeniae, antimicrobial activity, fungal and bacteria strains

Evaluation of Floribunda Rose (Rosa hybrida L.) Cultivars for Landscape Use under Punjab Condition

The present study was carried out to evaluate floribunda rose cultivars for landscape use under sub-tropical climate of the Punjab. Thirty cultivars were planted in Randomized Block Design, with three replications. Maximum plant height (53.67cm) was recorded in 'Banjaran', while plant-spread, leaf length and leaf breadth were maximum (90.83cm, 12.73cm and 9.10cm, respectively) in 'Brown Velvet'. The cv. Iceberg produced comparatively longer (2.77cm) buds. Flower size was maximum in 'Charleston' (8.37cm). Number of petals per flower was higher in 'Arunima'. Thorn density was found to be higher (42.67 per ten cm i.e., decimeter) in cv. 'St. Boniface' whereas, 'Summer Snow' and 'Ahalya' were thornless. Thorn shape was that of a hook in all the cultivars. Maximum number of flowers per plant, per unit area were recorded in 'Summer Snow' (367.85/m2), which was on par with 'Arunima' (340.32/m2), 'First Edition' (320.75/m2) and 'Thornless Beauty' (328.24/m2). Flower stalk length (82.33cm) and flower duration (141.33 days) were higher in cv. Brown Velvet. The cultivars were also evaluated for their fragrance

Normierung und testtheoretische Überprüfung der deutschen Adaptation der Kurzform der Self-Control Scale (SCS-K-D)

Gegenstand dieses Artikels ist die deutsche Adaptation der Kurzform der Self-Control Scale (SCS-K-D; übersetzt von Bertrams und Dickhäuser). Es werden 3 Ziele verfolgt: (1) Die Dimensionalität der Skala formal zu prüfen, (2) die Skala auf Messinvarianz bezüglich Geschlecht, Bildung und Alter zu prüfen und (3) basierend auf einer Zufallsstichprobe der erwachsenen deutschen Bevölkerung (N = 4 038) Normwerte abzuleiten. Die theoretisch erwartete eindimensionale Struktur konnte empirisch nicht bestätigt werden. Wird der Einfluss invertierter Items mit einem Methodenfaktor kontrolliert, verbessert sich die Modellgüte. Für eine angemessene Modellgüte musste die 13-Item Skala jedoch zusätzlich durch Itemausschluss auf eine 8-Item Skala reduziert werden. Diese 8-Item Variante erreichte auch in einer zweiten, unabhängigen Stichprobe (N = 1 818) eine akzeptable Güte. Die Überprüfung der durch Messinvarianz erfolgte 8-Item Variante mit Methodenfaktor ergab skalare Messinvarianz für Geschlecht, konfigurale Messinvarianz für Bildung und deutliche Messinvarianzprobleme über Altersgruppen hinweg. Normwerte für die erwachsene, deutsche Bevölkerung werden sowohl für die 13-Item und die 8-Item Variante zur Verfügung gestellt und zudem differenziert nach Bildungsniveau und Alter dargeboten.the article focuses on the German adaption of the Brief Self-Control Scale (SCS-K-D; translated by Betrams and Dickhäuser). It has three goals: (1) to formally examine the dimensionality of the scale; (2) to test the scale for measurement invariance across sex, education, and age; and (3) to derive norm values based on a probabilistic sample of the adult German population (N = 4,038). The theoretically expected one-dimensional structure had to be dismissed. Controlling the influence of inverted items with a method factor increased the model fit. To reach an acceptable model fit, however, it was necessary to exclude 5 of the 13 items. The resulting 8-item scale was then successfully validated in a second independent sample (N = 1,818). We then tested measurement invariance using the new 8-item scale including the method factor. The scale achieved scalar invariance across sex, configural invariance across education, and exhibited clear invariance problems across age. The norm values are provided for the German adult population. Values are listed for both the 13-item and the 8-item scales and are further differentiated by education level and age

Evaluation of Antihypertensive Effect of Fruit Beverage of Crataegus crenulata Roxb. : A wild Shrub of Himalayan Hills

Morphological and biochemical studies of Crataegus crenulata syn. Pyracantha crenulata fruits have been carried out and an herbal formulation was prepared from its fruit juice. The small sized berries weighing 250 mg each and 4000±32 fruits in 1kg weight contain 25% fruit juice. Biochemical analysis of fruit juice quantified flavonoides content (2-3%), Vitamin ‘A’ (289 IU/ 100g), vitamin B12 (110 µg/100g), Vitamin ‘C’ (57.8mg/100g), Vitamin ‘E’ (289mg/100g) protein (1.6%), calcium (3.79 mg/100g), magnesium (1.38 mg/100g), and potassium (1.39mg/100g). The present study was designed to investigate the efficacy of the herbal formulation from C. crenulata fruits in two forms of experimental hypertension: cadmium chloride induced and in normotensive control in animal module. Since the blood pressure fells down independently in the hypertensive and normotensive rats, the study strongly suggested C. crenulata possesses anti-hypertensive or hypotensive effects

Congenital anomalies in a tertiary care hospital in North East region, India

Background: Congenital anomalies are important cause of morbidity and mortality in newborns and are defined as structural and functional abnormalities including metabolic disorders present at birth. These defects are of prenatal origin resulting from defective embryogenesis or intrinsic abnormalities in the process of development and are associated with various risk factors.Methods: Our study is a cross sectional study done at Regional Institute of Medical Sciences, Imphal over period of 3 years from January 2015 to December 2017. Aim of study was to find out incidence of congenital anomalies and proportions of different types of congenital anomalies. Outcome was studied in relation to maternal age, religion, parity, and gestational age, sex of the baby, outcome and sex of the baby.Results: Total numbers of congenital anomalies were 257 babies out of 29879 births giving the incidence of 0.86%. Most common congenital anomalies in this study are musculoskeletal followed by craniospinal, genitourinary, cardiovascular and gastrointestinal. It was more common in preterm babies and parity 1-3, more common in 21-30 years of maternal age. Consanguinity was seen in 7 out of 257 patients.Conclusions: Congenital malformations are a major cause of still births and infant mortality. Targeted scan should be done at 18-20 week to find out anomalies and reduce the prevalence. There should be widespread education in the community regarding the common congenital malformations, their outcomes and possible available mode of treatmen

Comparative Analysis of Molecular Structure, Function and Expression of Buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) Toll-Like Receptor 9

Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9) has been characterized as a receptor that recognizes unmethylated CpG motif and triggers a pro-inflammatory cytokine response that influences both innate and adaptive immunity. Buffalo is an economically important livestock species in many Asian and Mediterranean countries, but there is little information available on its TLR9 structure and response to stimulation with its agonist CpG-ODNs. Hence in this study, we report the analysis of newly sequenced buffalo TLR9 gene fragment. In this study, buffalo TLR9 amino acid sequence revealed close association of TLR9 proteins within other bovines and small ruminants; but high divergence from other species. Multiple alignment of deduced amino acid sequence of Bubalus bubalis TLR9 with other species showed that 156/201 (74.28%) amino acids were conserved in all species. Leucine rich repeat (LRR) motifs in the ectodomain of TLR9 are responsible for molecular recognition of its agonist. The LRR pattern of Bubalus bubalis TLR9 protein was predicted towards N-terminal sequence and was found to be conserved among all species except Rattus norvegicus and Equus caballus. Blast analysis of buffalo TLR9 sequence with single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) database revealed 13 SNPs out of which 7 were cds-synonymous and 6 were of the functional significance. Furthermore, kinetics of TLR9 and proinflammatory IL-beta and TNF-alpha cytokine expression by buffalo PBMCs influenced by CpG-ODN is also discussed

Acute kidney injury in obstetrics: a five-year study in a tertiary centre

Background: Pregnancy Related Acute Kidney Injury (PRAKI) is a major cause of maternal and foetal morbidity and mortality in developing countries. The incidence has declined due to improvements in reproductive health but it is still associated with significant perinatal mortality and maternal morbidity. It may be due to decrease in renal perfusion or ischemic tubular necrosis from a variety of conditions encountered during pregnancy. Our study aims at determining the predisposing factors and causes of AKI during pregnancy and its impact on maternal and foetal outcome.Methods: A retrospective cohort study over a period of 5 years was conducted on pregnant women with AKI as per inclusion and exclusion criteria. The detailed history, events, mode of delivery, cause leading to AKI, management, hospital stay, maternal and foetal outcome were studied in detail and evaluated. These patients were classified according to RIFLE criteria and were followed up for hospital stay and residual morbidities.Results: The incidence of PRAKI in the study was 0.07% (36 out of 50,735 deliveries) and among obstetric ICU patients, it was 6.8%. Most of the majority of the cases were unbooked (66.7%) and multipara (61.1%). Maternal morbidity was seen in 66.7% and mortality was 27.8%. Poor foetal outcome was seen in 44.4%.Conclusions: Haemorrhage is the most common cause of PRAKI, followed by toxaemia of pregnancy and sepsis. Early detection and meticulous management of haemorrhage, hypertension and sepsis reduce the incidence of PRAKI and associated maternal mortality

Thyroid dysfunction in preeclampsia and related fetomaternal outcomes

Background: Changes in thyroid function in normal pregnancy are well-documented but in complicated pregnancy like preeclampsia, very little is known. Studies have shown evidences of hypothyroidism in preeclampsia necessitating thyroid function tests to be done in preeclampsia. The study was done to analyze the fetomaternal outcome of preeclampsia with coexisting thyroid dysfunction.Methods: A cross-sectional analytical study was done over 18 months on 95 preeclamptic patients admitted at the antenatal ward and fetomaternal outcomes were analyzed according to thyroid status.Results: Out of 95 patients with preeclampsia, 42 (44.2%) had thyroid dysfunction. Among these 42 patients, 37 (38.9%) patients had subclinical hypothyroidism, 4 (4.2%) had overt hypothyroidism and 1 (1%) had hyperthyroidism. Severe preeclampsia was seen in 64.3% of the patients with thyroid dysfunction compared with 39.6% in euthyroid patients. The mean thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) level was significantly higher and means free thyroxine (fT4) level was significantly lower in severe preeclampsia compared with non-severe preeclampsia. Complications like abruption, intrauterine fetal death (IUD), intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), oligohydramnios, preterm deliveries, postpartum hemorrhage (PPH), low birth weight babies, birth asphyxia in babies and subsequent neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admissions were significantly higher (p <0.05) in the preeclampsia patients with thyroid dysfunction in comparison with euthyroid ones.Conclusions: Hypothyroidism may be a modifiable risk factor for preeclampsia. Thyroid screening early in pregnancy may be helpful in predicting the occurrence of preeclampsia and timely thyroid hormone administration can reduce the maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality associated with preeclampsia