Lung morphology: a cadaver study in Indian population

Knowledge of anatomical variations of lung is required by clinicians for accurate interpretation on different imaging techniques. During routine dissection in the anatomy department, a single lung extending uniformly throughout the thoracic cavity was detected in a 35 year old male cadaver. Thereafter a cadaver study was undertaken to report the prevalence of variations involving number, lobes and fissures of lung in Indian population. The thoracic cavities of 29 properly embalmed cadavers containing lungs were dissected and morphological features like number, fissures and lobes were observed for the presence of anatomical variations. The aforementioned single lung cadaver had associated dextrocardia. One accessory lobe on the inferior aspect was observed in 27.2% of lungs studied, whereas supernumerary fissures which were most common in right lower lobe were detected in 35% of lung specimens. The transverse fissure on the right lung was absent in 7.1% and incomplete in 50% of lung specimens. In the right lung, the oblique fissure was absent in 7.1% and incomplete in 39.3% of specimens. The oblique fissure was absent in 10.7% and incomplete in 35.7% of left lungs. Comparative analysis of our work with previous data in the literature suggest that different studies performed on radiological images reported greater prevalence of incomplete or absent pulmonary fissures as compared to various cadaver studies. Our aforementioned findings regarding the variations seen in fissures and lobes of both lungs were different from previous studies. Variations of lung anatomy are important for both the diagnosis and treatment of various diseases involving all the domains of medicine

Sustainable Smart Helmet For Coal Miners

The “Sustainable Smart Safety Helmet for Coal Miners” paper aims to enhance the safety and well-being of coal miners by implementing an innovative monitoring system. The paper utilizes the ESP32 microcontroller, integrated with a suite of sensors, including DHT11 for temperature and humidity measurement, MQ135 for gas detection, IR Sensor for helmet status monitoring, and a Heartbeat Sensor for real-time pulse rate tracking. A Buzzer is also integrated to provide immediate audible alerts when potential hazards are detected. The system continuously collects sensor data in real-time, which is then processed and analysed within the ESP32 microcontroller. The data is transmitted to a user-friendly mobile application developed using Blynk. Through the Blynk app, miners and relevant personnel receive critical information regarding environmental conditions and the miners' vital signs. In case of any hazardous conditions, the system generates prompt alerts, triggering the Buzzer and sending notifications to the app to ensure timely responses to potential threats. By combining advanced sensor technology, real-time data monitoring, and swift alert mechanisms, this paper endeavours to safeguard the lives of coal miners in hazardous working environments, providing them with a smart safety solution and empowering them to work with increased confidence and security

Cloning, Expression and Characterization of NAD Kinase from Staphylococcus aureus Involved in the Formation of NADP (H): A Key Molecule in the Maintaining of Redox Status and Biofilm Formation

Background:Staphylococcus aureus has the ability to form biofilms on any niches, a key pathogenic factor of this organism and this phenomenon is directly related to the concentration of NADPH. The formation of NADP is catalyzed by NAD kinase (NADK) and this gene of S. aureus ATCC 12600 was cloned, sequenced, expressed and characterized. Materials and Methods: The NADK gene was polymerase chain reaction amplified from the chromosomal DNA of S. aureus ATCC 12600 and cloned in pQE 30 vector, sequenced and expressed in Escherichia coli DH5α. The pure protein was obtained by passing through nickel metal chelate agarose column. The enzyme kinetics of the enzyme and biofilm assay of the S. aureus was carried out in both aerobic and anaerobic conditions. The kinetics was further confirmed by the ability of the substrates to dock to the NADK structure. Results: The recombinant NADK exhibited single band with a molecular weight of 31kDa in sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and the gene sequence (GenBank: JN645814) revealed presence of only one kind of NADK in all S. aureus strains. The enzyme exhibited very high affinity for NAD compared to adenosine triphosphate concurring with the docking results. A root-mean-square deviation value 14.039Š observed when NADK structure was superimposed with its human counterpart suggesting very low homology. In anaerobic conditions, higher biofilm units were found with decreased NADK activity. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest increased NADPH concentration in S. aureus plays a vital role in the biofilm formation and survival of this pathogen in any environmental conditions

Abstracts of National Conference on Biological, Biochemical, Biomedical, Bioenergy, and Environmental Biotechnology

This book contains the abstracts of the papers presented at the National Conference on Biological, Biochemical, Biomedical, Bioenergy, and Environmental Biotechnology (NCB4EBT-2021) Organized by the Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Technology Warangal, India held on 29–30 January 2021. This conference is the first of its kind organized by NIT-W which covered an array of interesting topics in biotechnology. This makes it a bit special as it brings together researchers from different disciplines of biotechnology, which in turn will also open new research and cooperation fields for them. Conference Title: National Conference on Biological, Biochemical, Biomedical, Bioenergy, and Environmental BiotechnologyConference Acronym: NCB4EBT-2021Conference Date: 29–30 January 2021Conference Location: Online (Virtual Mode)Conference Organizer: Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Technology Warangal, Indi

SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence among the general population and healthcare workers in India, December 2020–January 2021

Background: Earlier serosurveys in India revealed seroprevalence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) of 0.73% in May–June 2020 and 7.1% in August–September 2020. A third serosurvey was conducted between December 2020 and January 2021 to estimate the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection among the general population and healthcare workers (HCWs) in India. Methods: The third serosurvey was conducted in the same 70 districts as the first and second serosurveys. For each district, at least 400 individuals aged ≥10 years from the general population and 100 HCWs from subdistrict-level health facilities were enrolled. Serum samples from the general population were tested for the presence of immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies against the nucleocapsid (N) and spike (S1-RBD) proteins of SARS-CoV-2, whereas serum samples from HCWs were tested for anti-S1-RBD. Weighted seroprevalence adjusted for assay characteristics was estimated. Results: Of the 28,598 serum samples from the general population, 4585 (16%) had IgG antibodies against the N protein, 6647 (23.2%) had IgG antibodies against the S1-RBD protein, and 7436 (26%) had IgG antibodies against either the N protein or the S1-RBD protein. Weighted and assay-characteristic-adjusted seroprevalence against either of the antibodies was 24.1% [95% confidence interval (CI) 23.0–25.3%]. Among 7385 HCWs, the seroprevalence of anti-S1-RBD IgG antibodies was 25.6% (95% CI 23.5–27.8%). Conclusions: Nearly one in four individuals aged ≥10 years from the general population as well as HCWs in India had been exposed to SARS-CoV-2 by December 2020