Morphotypes vis-a-vis genetic parameters of Catla catla (Ham.) and Labeo rohita (Ham.) backcrosses

Backcross generations of Catla catla (Ham.) and Labeo rohita (Ham.) were developed in Central Agricultural Research Institute, Port Blair, South Andaman, India, using the technique of induced breeding for Indian Major Carps. The trend of morphometry through generation mean analysis indicates reduction of head size with respect to standard length, which is considered as a reduction of bone size within whole body biomass. The segregation pattern of dominant head morphometries of rohu and partial dominance of body morphometries of catla was supported by subsequent genetic evaluation through karyotyping, biochemical analysis and PCR-random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) based molecular marker analysis indicating more genetic proximity of rohu with backcrosses than catla. The present study is significant for carp genetics with special reference to catla and rohu.Keywords: Backcross, catla, esterase, karyomorphology, molecular marker, morphometries, rohu.African Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 12(36), pp. 5503-551

Influence Of Plant Growth Regulators On Vegetative And Phenological Characters Of Okra (Abelmoschus Esculentus L. Moench) Cv. Utkal Gourav

A field experiment was conducted at All India Coordinated Research Project on Vegetable Crops, Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology, Bhubaneswar, during kharif 2021.Foliar spray of PGRs at various concentrations were given to okra crop cv. Utkal Gourav. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Block Design with three replications and eleven treatments viz., GA3 (100 ppm) (T1), GA3 (150 ppm) (T2), NAA (150ppm) (T3), NAA (200 ppm) (T4), Thiourea (250 ppm) (T5), Thiourea (500 ppm) (T6), Cycocel (200 ppm) (T7), Cycocel (250 ppm) (T8), Paclobutrazol (100 ppm) (T9), Paclobutrazol (200 ppm) (T10) and Control (T11). The foliar sprays of growth regulators were done at 15 & 30 days after sowing. All growth regulators significantly performed better as compared to control. The results revealed that NAA performed better with respect to plant height (148.66cm), internodal length (8.66 cm) and leaf area (237.60 Cm2) compared to control with 112.83 cm,5.45 cm & 174.69 Cm2 respectively. Cycocel 250 ppm recorded significantly better with respect to number of nodes per plant (21.53), number of branches per plant (3.47), number of leaves (32.74), leaf chlorophyll content (1.390 mg/100 g) and days to 50 % flowering (36.50). However the untreated control plot recorded number of nodes per plant (15.08), number of branches per plant (1.66), number of leaves (21.88), leaf chlorophyll content (1.071 mg/100 g) and days to 50 % flowering (42.10)

Microtubule detyrosination guides chromosomes during mitosis

Before chromosomes segregate into daughter cells, they align at the mitotic spindle equator, a process known as chromosome congression. Centromere-associated protein E (CENP-E)/Kinesin-7 is a microtubule plus-end-directed kinetochore motor required for congression of pole-proximal chromosomes. Because the plus-ends of many astral microtubules in the spindle point to the cell cortex, it remains unknown how CENP-E guides pole-proximal chromosomes specifically toward the equator. We found that congression of pole-proximal chromosomes depended on specific posttranslational detyrosination of spindle microtubules that point to the equator. In vitro reconstitution experiments demonstrated that CENP-E-dependent transport was strongly enhanced on detyrosinated microtubules. Blocking tubulin tyrosination in cells caused ubiquitous detyrosination of spindle microtubules, and CENP-E transported chromosomes away from spindle poles in random directions. Thus, CENP-E-driven chromosome congression is guided by microtubule detyrosination.We thank F. I. Ataullakhanov for help with the laser trap and data analysis; A. Kiyatkin, V. Mustyatsa, M. Molodtsov, A. Gautreau, G. Lakisic, and M. Barisic for technical assistance; and members of our laboratories for stimulating discussions. This work was supported by National Institutes of Health grant R01-GM098389 and RSG-14-018-01-CCG from the American Cancer Society to E.L.G.; by the Institut Curie, the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, the Institut National de la Sante et de la Recherche Medicale, the L'Agence Nationale de la Recherche (ANR) award ANR-12-BSV2-0007, INCA_6517, ANR-10-LBX-0038, part of the IDEX Idex PSL, ANR-10-IDEX-0001-02 PSL to C.J.; and Fundacao Luso-Americana para o Desenvolvimento (FLAD) Life Science 2020 and PRECISE grant from the European Research Council to H.M. A.V.Z. is supported by the RAS Presidium Grants "Mechanisms of the Molecular Systems Integration," " Molecular and Cell Biology programs," and Russian Fund for Basic Research Grant 12-04-00111-a and 13-00-40188. R.S.S. is supported by a fellowship from the Programa Graduado em Areas da Biologia Basica e Aplicada (GABBA) PhD program from the University of Porto. A.L.P. is supported by fellowship SFRH/BPD/66707/2009 from Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia of Portugal. M.B., R.S.S., S.K.T., M.M.M., C.J., E.L.G., and H.M. designed the experiments; M.B. performed all experiments in cells; M. M. M. established and performed the tubulin purification protocol from HeLa cells; R.S.S. performed single-molecule experiments; S.K.T. performed force measurements; A.L.P. provided reagents; all authors analyzed data; H.M., E.L.G., and M.B. wrote the paper, with contributions from all authors; H.M. conceived and coordinated the project. Data described can be found in the main figures and supplementary materials. The authors declare no conflict of interests

Effect of participatory women's groups facilitated by Accredited Social Health Activists on birth outcomes in rural eastern India: a cluster-randomised controlled trial

BACKGROUND: A quarter of the world's neonatal deaths and 15% of maternal deaths happen in India. Few community-based strategies to improve maternal and newborn health have been tested through the country's government-approved Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs). We aimed to test the effect of participatory women's groups facilitated by ASHAs on birth outcomes, including neonatal mortality. METHODS: In this cluster-randomised controlled trial of a community intervention to improve maternal and newborn health, we randomly assigned (1:1) geographical clusters in rural Jharkhand and Odisha, eastern India to intervention (participatory women's groups) or control (no women's groups). Study participants were women of reproductive age (15-49 years) who gave birth between Sept 1, 2009, and Dec 31, 2012. In the intervention group, ASHAs supported women's groups through a participatory learning and action meeting cycle. Groups discussed and prioritised maternal and newborn health problems, identified strategies to address them, implemented the strategies, and assessed their progress. We identified births, stillbirths, and neonatal deaths, and interviewed mothers 6 weeks after delivery. The primary outcome was neonatal mortality over a 2 year follow up. Analyses were by intention to treat. This trial is registered with ISRCTN, number ISRCTN31567106. FINDINGS: Between September, 2009, and December, 2012, we randomly assigned 30 clusters (estimated population 156 519) to intervention (15 clusters, estimated population n=82 702) or control (15 clusters, n=73 817). During the follow-up period (Jan 1, 2011, to Dec 31, 2012), we identified 3700 births in the intervention group and 3519 in the control group. One intervention cluster was lost to follow up. The neonatal mortality rate during this period was 30 per 1000 livebirths in the intervention group and 44 per 1000 livebirths in the control group (odds ratio [OR] 0.69, 95% CI 0·53-0·89). INTERPRETATION: ASHAs can successfully reduce neonatal mortality through participatory meetings with women's groups. This is a scalable community-based approach to improving neonatal survival in rural, underserved areas of India. FUNDING: Big Lottery Fund (UK)

Effects of participatory learning and action with women's groups, counselling through home visits and crèches on undernutrition among children under three years in eastern India: a quasi-experimental study

BACKGROUND: India faces a high burden of child undernutrition. We evaluated the effects of two community strategies to reduce undernutrition among children under 3 years in rural Jharkhand and Odisha, eastern India: (1) monthly Participatory Learning and Action (PLA) meetings with women's groups followed by home visits; (2) crèches for children aged 6 months to 3 years combined with monthly PLA meetings and home visits. METHODS: We tested these strategies in a non-randomised, controlled study with baseline and endline cross-sectional surveys. We purposively selected five blocks of Jharkhand and Odisha, and divided each block into three areas. Area 1 served as control. In Area 2, trained local female workers facilitated PLA meetings and offered counselling to mothers of children under three at home. In Area 3, workers facilitated PLA meetings, did home visits, and crèches with food and growth monitoring were opened for children aged 6 months to 3 years. We did a census across all study areas and randomly sampled 4668 children under three and their mothers for interview and anthropometry at baseline and endline. The evaluation's primary outcome was wasting among children under three in areas 2 and 3 compared with area 1, adjusted for baseline differences between areas. Other outcomes included underweight, stunting, preventive and care-seeking practices for children. RESULTS: We interviewed 83% (3868/4668) of mothers of children under three sampled at baseline, and 76% (3563/4668) at endline. In area 2 (PLA and home visits), wasting among children under three was reduced by 34% (adjusted Odds Ratio [aOR]: 0.66, 95%: 0.51-0.88) and underweight by 25% (aOR: 0.75, 95% CI: 0.59-0.95), with no change in stunting (aOR: 1.23, 95% CI: 0.96-1.57). In area 3, (PLA, home visits, crèches), wasting was reduced by 27% (aOR: 0.73, 95% CI: 0.55-0.97), underweight by 40% (aOR: 0.60, 95% CI: 0.47-0.75), and stunting by 27% (aOR: 0.73, 95% CI: 0.57-0.93). CONCLUSIONS: Crèches, PLA meetings and home visits reduced undernutrition among children under three in rural eastern India. These interventions could be scaled up through government plans to strengthen home visits and community mobilisation with Accredited Social Health Activists, and through efforts to promote crèches. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The evaluation was registered retrospectively with Current Controlled Trials as ISCRTN89911047 on 30/01/2019

Cost of hospitalization for childbirth in India: how equitable it is in the post-NRHM era?

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Information on out-of-pocket (OOP) expenditure during childbirth in public and private health facilities in India is needed to make rational decisions for improving affordability to maternal care services. We undertook this study to evaluate the OOP expenditure due to hospitalization from childbirth and its impact on households. METHODS: This is a secondary data analysis of a nationwide household survey by the National Sample Survey Organization in 2014. The survey reported health service utilization and health care related expenditure by income quintiles and type of health facility. The recall period for hospitalization expenditure was 365 days. OOP expenditure amounting to more than 10% of annual consumption expenditure was termed as catastrophic. RESULTS: Median expenditure per episode of hospitalisation due to childbirth was US$54. The expenditure incurred was about six times higher among the richest quintile compared to the poorest quintile. Median private sector OOP hospitalization expenditure was nearly nine times higher than in the public sector. Hospitalization in a private sector facility leads to a significantly higher prevalence of catastrophic expenditure than hospitalization in a public sector (60% vs. 7%). Indirect cost (43%) constituted the largest share in the total expenditure in public sector hospitalizations. Urban residence, poor wealth quintile, residing in eastern and southern regions of India and delivery in private hospital were significantly associated with catastrophic expenditure. CONCLUSIONS: We strongly recommend cash transfer schemes with effective pro-poor targeting to reduce the impact of catastrophic expenditure. Strengthening of public health facilities is required along with private sector regulation

Size-Controlled Synthesis of Colloidal Gold Nanoparticles at Room Temperature Under the Influence of Glow Discharge

Highly dispersed colloidal gold (Au) nanoparticles were synthesized at room temperature using glow discharge plasma within only 5 min. The prepared Au colloids were characterized with UV–visible absorption spectra (UV–vis), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) equipped with an energy dispersion X-ray spectrometer (EDX). UV–vis, XPS and EDX results confirmed that Au3+ ions in HAuCl4 solution could be effectively reduced into the metallic state at room temperature with the glow discharge plasma. TEM images showed that Au nanoparticles were highly dispersed. The size of colloidal Au nanoparticles could be easily tuned in the nanometer range by adjusting the initial concentration of HAuCl4 solution. Moreover, the as-synthesized Au colloids (dav = 3.64 nm) exhibited good catalytic activity for glucose oxidation. The nucleation and growth of colloidal Au particles under the influence of the plasma was closely related with the high-energy electrons generated by glow discharge plasma

Large vessel vasculitis

Takayasu arteritis is a chronic granulomatous disease of the aorta and its major branches that usually affects women during the second and third decades of life, but it has been reported in young children. This review details the clinical, pathological and radiological features, differential diagnoses and management of the condition, focusing chiefly on the disease in children. The recent definition of Takayasu arteritis is discussed. The condition should be considered in patients with unexplained arterial hypertension or unexplained inflammatory syndromes without signs of localization. Since the disease may be life-threatening and progressive, early recognition is necessary to initiate appropriate therapy. Patients with persistent ischaemic symptoms including hypertension might benefit from revascularization procedures

Effect of Duration and Intermittency of Rifampin on Tuberculosis Treatment Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

In a systematic review of randomized controlled trials on tuberculosis treatment, Dick Menzies and colleagues find shorter courses of rifampin to be associated with poorer treatment outcomes