Oral Plasmablastic Lymphoma: A Rare Manifestation of HIV-Related Neoplasm-A Brief Clinical Study.

Plasmablastic lymphoma (PBL) is an uncommon and aggressive large B-cell lymphoma commonly diagnosed in human immunodeficiency virus-positive patients. Though the oral cavity is a common site for PBL, this condition is not commonly reported in the literature as an oral manifestation. Most oral PBLs presented as an asymptomatic swelling, frequently associated with ulcerations and bleeding. No standard treatment is yet advocated for oral PBL. Five-year survival rate was recorded not more than 33.5%. This presentation emphasizes on oral manifestation of plasmablastic lymphoma (PBL) as a rare entity, which was provisionally diagnosed for carcinoma (CA) oral cavity. A simple presentation of ulcerated growth in the upper jaw was excised for histopathologic evaluation. Subsequently, it turned out to be a rare oral manifestation of HIV-related lymphoma. It is imperative to understand simple oral presentation as a manifestation of an underlying systemic condition. With this interest, this case presentation is published with a literature review.

Carotid Cavernous Fistula as a Rare and Late Complication of Maxillofacial Injury: A Brief Clinical Study.

Carotid- Cavernous Fistula (CCF) represents an aberrant vascular communication at the skull base between the high-flow carotid arterial system and the low-flow venous channels within the cavernous sinuses of the sphenoid bone. Benjamin Travers, in the year 1809, described this condition as "pulsating exophthalmos". This case is a presentation of a carotid cavernous fistula in an operated case of maxillofacial injury as a late complication. The individual presented with a nonresolving proptosis and chemosis for the past 9 weeks. This presentation enumerates how the diagnosis was made, though being a rare complication and how it was promptly managed that resulted in a remarkable resolution of signs and symptoms.

Idiopathic Eruptive Macular Pigmentation with Papillomatosis: A Common but Underdiagnosed Entity.

Idiopathic Eruptive Macular Pigmentation (IEMP) is an uncommon and possibly underdiagnosed dermatosis. It manifests as asymptomatic pigmented macules over the face, trunk and proximal extremities among children and adolescents. Degos et al. first documented this condition in 1978, unveiling its distinct characteristics. The macules, initially dark brown-black, naturally diminish over several months to years, with no lasting pigmentation or scarring. In this report, we highlight the case of a 14-year-old girl displaying all the distinctive traits of IEMP.

Neurological functional outcome of early versus delayed cranioplasty following decompressive craniectomy at a tertiary care centre.

Cranioplasty performed after a decompressive craniectomy (DC) for traumatic brain injury (TBI), stroke, or aneurysmal bleed has a role of restoring cerebral protection and craniofacial cosmesis as well as improving neuromotor function. There has been no consensus with regards to the ideal timing of cranioplasty (CP) after DC. A retrospective cohort study was carried out at a tertiary care hospital on patients who had undergone early (less than or equal to 12 weeks) and late (greater than 12 weeks) cranioplasty using autologous cranial bone after DC. Functional independence measure (FIM) tools were used to compare neuromotor and cognitive function outcome between the two groups. Appropriate statistical tools were used to compare neuromotor and cognitive function improvement as well as complication rates between early and late cranioplasty. A total of 31 adult patients of cranioplasty (21 male and 10 female) were evaluated. Sixteen had undergone early and 15 late cranioplasty. Comparison for neuromotor and cognitive function using FIM tools revealed statistically significant neuromotor and cognitive advantages in the early cranioplasty group. Overall complication rates between the two groups varied but were statistically insignificant. Performing an early cranioplasty provides advantages of improvement of neuromotor and cognitive function through early restoration of cerebrospinal fluid and intracerebral haemo-dynamics. It further avoids the potential problems of developing the 'Syndrome of the Trephined' (otherwise known as sinking skin flap syndrome) and resorption of the autologous bone.

Corneal manifestations and treatment among patients with COVID-19-associated rhino-orbito-cerebral mucormycosis.

Purpose: TO report the corneal manifestations in patients with COVID-19-associated rhino-orbito-cerebral mucormycosis (ROCM). Methods: This study was a retrospective, observational, and record-based analysis of patients of ROCM with corneal involvement. Results: A total of 220 patients were diagnosed with ROCM over a period of 3 months. Thirty-two patients had developed corneal manifestations. The mean age at diagnosis was 52.84 ± 12.8 years. The associated risk factors were systemic mucormycosis, uncontrolled diabetes, recent COVID-19 infection, and injudicious use of systemic steroids. Twenty-nine patients were known diabetics, 32 had recent COVID-19 infection, and 13 gave a history of injudicious use of steroids. The right eye (RE) was affected in nine patients, the left eye (LE) in 20 patients, and both eyes in three patients. Nine patients had a round-oval corneal ulcer. One patient each had a perforated corneal ulcer with uveal prolapse, sealed perforated corneal ulcer, spontaneously healed limbal perforation, diffuse corneal haze with hyphemia, panophthalmitis, diffuse corneal stromal abscess, limbal ischemia, anterior uveitis with posterior synechiae, inferior corneal facet, and filamentary keratitis. Three patients each had a corneal melt and inferior conjunctival xerosis with chemosis. Orbital exenteration was performed in six patients. Five patients with corneal ulcers healed. Topical eye drops of amphotericin (0.5 mg/ml) cycloplegic, antiglaucoma medications, and lubricant eye drops were started along with systemic antifungals. Conclusion: Central corneal ulcer was the most common manifestation of mucormycosis. A concentration as low as 0.5 mg/ml of amphotericin eye drops was effective in the treatment.

Participatory assessment of management and biosecurity practices of smallholder pig farms in North East India.

The present study was aimed at describing the pig production system, farm management, pig movement, and existing biosecurity level of smallholders' pig production system in North East India. A cross-sectional survey of 1,000 pig producers in four districts (two urban and two rural) in core pig-producing regions of India, where ASF occurrence had been reported, was conducted. The mean pig population was significantly (p < 0.05) higher in urban districts. In urban districts, most of the pig houses were isolated but located on the roadside, while in rural districts, commune pig houses along the roadside were more common. The majority of the respondent purchased (91%) or sold (60%) the pigs during the past 12 months. Swill feeding was common in the entire study area. The majority of the respondent (80%) in rural districts were unaware of ASF. Significant pig trade of live pigs and pork products was observed in the urban district. In the case of on-farm biosecurity measures, only 6.9% of respondents had fencing for the pig farm, 99.3% did not have provision for a footbath, and only 17.2% of the respondents restricted visitors' access to the pig farm. The study revealed that the pig production system is dominated by smallholding units with a frequent introduction or exit of pigs along with poor on-farm biosecurity measures. With the current level of farm management and biosecurity practices, smallholder pig farmers are at an increased risk of ASF and other contagious diseases.

Indigenous chicken production system in different agro-ecology of Indian Himalayan Region: implication on food and economic security.

The indigenous chicken production system (ICPS) has several use values and ecosystem services. In the last few years, ICPS has been recognized for its possible contribution to household food security, income generation, wildlife protection, and bettering the women's lives. This study aimed to collect, for the first time, comprehensive information about ICPS in three different agro-ecologies (tropical, sub-tropical, and sub-temperate) of the Indian Himalayan Region (IHR) and its role in food and economic security of traditional communities. In this study region, ICPS is semi-extensive, providing homegrown feed and temporary night shelter. In sub-temperate agro-ecology, females owned non-significant (p = 0.170) more indigenous chicken flocks than males. Households in sub-temperate agro-ecologies had significantly (p ≤ 0.001) larger flock sizes and tropical livestock units (chicken-TLU). However, the livestock diversity index (LDI) was significantly higher (p ≤ 0.001) in tropical and subtropical agro-ecology. The households in the sub-temperate region highly (p ≤ 0.001) valued indigenous chicken because of its survivability and adaptability. In absolute numbers significant (p ≤ 0.001) higher numbers of adult birds died in past 1 year in sub-temperate agro-ecology. The mortality rate of adult birds in sub-temperate agro-ecology was 9%, and it was 14 and 15% in tropical and sub-tropical agro-ecologies, respectively. In sub-temperate agro-ecology, larger flock size translated into significantly higher (p ≤ 0.001) egg production and subsequently a significant (p ≤ 0.001) higher egg consumption per household per month. In sub-temperate agro-ecology, households' dietary diversity score was significantly (p ≤ 0.001) higher. Similarly, the average annual income from ICPS was significantly higher (p ≤ 0.001) in sub-temperate agro-ecology and accounted for 18% of household income. ICPS' marketing chain was relatively short in the sub-temperate region. In all agro-ecologies, indigenous chicken and egg demand was significantly higher (p ≤ 0.001) in the winter. ICPS litter is used as farmyard manure, enhancing ecological resilience. In all agro-ecologies, the three most frequently cited obstacles to extending the indigenous chicken production system are illnesses, predators, and a lack of chicks availability. ICPS contributes to food and nutritional security, economic stability, and ecological resilience in this hilly and fragile ecosystem. Even though the system is self-sustaining, management and health interventions can increase production and productivity.

Very high particulate pollution over northwest India captured by a high-density in situ sensor network.

Exposure to particulate matter less than 2.5 µm in diameter (PM2.5) is a cause of concern in cities and major emission regions of northern India. An intensive field campaign involving the states of Punjab, Haryana and Delhi national capital region (NCR) was conducted in 2022 using 29 Compact and Useful PM2.5 Instrument with Gas sensors (CUPI-Gs). Continuous observations show that the PM2.5 in the region increased gradually from < 60 µg m-3 in 6-10 October to up to 500 µg m-3 on 5-9 November, which subsequently decreased to about 100 µg m-3 in 20-30 November. Two distinct plumes of PM2.5 over 500 µg m-3 are tracked from crop residue burning in Punjab to Delhi NCR on 2-3 November and 10-11 November with delays of 1 and 3 days, respectively. Experimental campaign demonstrates the advantages of source region observations to link agricultural waste burning and air pollution at local to regional scales.

The first draft of the pigeonpea genome sequence.

Pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan) is an important grain legume of the Indian subcontinent, South-East Asia and East Africa. More than eighty five percent of the world pigeonpea is produced and consumed in India where it is a key crop for food and nutritional security of the people. Here we present the first draft of the genome sequence of a popular pigeonpea variety 'Asha'. The genome was assembled using long sequence reads of 454 GS-FLX sequencing chemistry with mean read lengths of >550 bp and >10-fold genome coverage, resulting in 510,809,477 bp of high quality sequence. Total 47,004 protein coding genes and 12,511 transposable elements related genes were predicted. We identified 1,213 disease resistance/defense response genes and 152 abiotic stress tolerance genes in the pigeonpea genome that make it a hardy crop. In comparison to soybean, pigeonpea has relatively fewer number of genes for lipid biosynthesis and larger number of genes for cellulose synthesis. The sequence contigs were arranged in to 59,681 scaffolds, which were anchored to eleven chromosomes of pigeonpea with 347 genic-SNP markers of an intra-species reference genetic map. Eleven pigeonpea chromosomes showed low but significant synteny with the twenty chromosomes of soybean. The genome sequence was used to identify large number of hypervariable 'Arhar' simple sequence repeat (HASSR) markers, 437 of which were experimentally validated for PCR amplification and high rate of polymorphism among pigeonpea varieties. These markers will be useful for fingerprinting and diversity analysis of pigeonpea germplasm and molecular breeding applications. This is the first plant genome sequence completed entirely through a network of Indian institutions led by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research and provides a valuable resource for the pigeonpea variety improvement.

Growth of Hybrid Perovskite Films via Single-Source Perovskite Nanoparticle Evaporation.

Herein, we demonstrate a vacuum-based evaporation approach to fabricate organic-inorganic perovskite thin films by using phase-formed halide perovskite nanoparticles (NPs) as a precursor/source. We are able to consistently obtain MAPbX3 (MA=CH3 NH3 and X=Cl, Br or I) thin films at various substrates (e. g., glass, ITO, or plastic). The perovskite phase formation in thin film form is confirmed by x-ray diffraction (XRD) studies. Small micro-strain (tensile) values of 1.64×10-3 , 1.42×10-3 and 6.85×10-4 obtained for MAPbCl3 , MAPbBr3 and MAPbI3 films respectively from Williamson-Hall equation indicate low structural distortions in perovskite thin films. The absorption spectra of thin films show sharp band edge having direct band gap, which is followed by narrow full width at half maxima (FWHM ∼0.1 eV) of the emission peak. Thin films of MAPbCl3 , MAPbBr3 and MAPbI3 show direct band gap of 3.1 eV, 2.4 eV and 1.6 eV, respectively. Small Urbach energy values of 33 meV, 44 meV and 66 meV for MAPbCl3 , MAPbBr3 and MAPbI3 films respectively indicates low defect density in various perovskite films. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) along with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) shows high surface coverage and uniform chemical composition of MAPbX3 (X=Cl, Br and I) thin films deposited by the present method. We have successfully controlled the film thickness from 250 nm to 1 µm by varying the nanoparticle precursor amount. The perovskite thin films deposited by the present method are highly stable against the degradation under ambient conditions. Systematic XRD studies along with absorption data demonstrate that the MAPbCl3 and MAPbBr3 films stored under ambient conditions remained stable for more than 30 days and MAPbI3 films for more than 7 days.

An update on the taxonomy of Calamagrostisnagarum (Bor) G.Singh and its allies (Poaceae, Agrostidinae): morphometrics and micro-morphology.

Calamagrostisnagarum, previously considered to be a poorly known species, has been reassessed taxonomically. It is a member of C.lahulensis-C.scabrescens complex and may be segregated by morphological characters such as the presence of pilose hairs on adaxial surface of leaf blades, spreading panicle branches, filiform awn and nerve prolongation of lemma. Besides, the micromorphology of adaxial surface of leaf blades, dorsal surface of glume and lemma differentiates Calamagrostisnagarum from its allies, C.lahulensis and C.scabrescens. It is known from Nagaland and Uttarakhand, India, and Bhutan. In this study, we have provided an emended description of the species, a discussion of its habitat and distribution, and taxonomic notes along with field photographs and photo plates for its correct identification. In addition, we also lectotypify the names C.lahulensis and C.scabrescens.

The role of particulate matter in reduced visibility and anionic composition of winter fog: a case study for Amritsar city.

Severe fog events during winter months in India are a serious concern due to the higher incidence of road accidents, flight delays and increased occurrence of respiratory diseases. The present paper is an attempt to study the twenty fog samples collected from the rooftop of an academic building of Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, India from November 2017 to January 2018. Fog samples were analysed for various parameters viz. pH, electrical conductivity (EC), chloride (Cl-), nitrate (NO3 -) and sulphate (SO4 2-) levels. The pH, EC, and Cl-, NO3 - and SO4 2- levels in the fog samples were estimated as 6.3-7.9, 240-790 µS cm-1, 108-2025 µeq L-1, 105-836 µeq L-1 and 822-5642 µeq L-1, respectively. It was noticed that sulphate was the dominant anion in fog samples. The SO4 2- to NO3 - molar ratio in the fog was estimated as 7.6 which suggests the burning of fossil fuel as the major pollutant from vehicular exhausts. Multiple regression analysis was performed to evaluate the effect of PM2.5/PM10 ratio and relative humidity (RH) on visibility. A box-cox plot of power transformation produced better model fitting, employing a square root transformation of the visibility which indicated that the PM2.5/PM10 and RH have an exponential effect on visibility.

Retrospective analysis of the role of retrobulbar amphotericin-B injection in the management of COVID-19 associated rhino-orbito-cerebral-mucormycosis.

Introduction: Rhino-orbito-cerebral-mucormycosis (ROCM) is the most common form of mucormycosis observed during the second wave of COVID-19 where a steep rise in the number of cases was seen. The orbital form is almost always associated with fungal sinusitis. Among the various treatment modalities available, the role of retrobulbar Amphotericin-B injections is under-reported. This study is conducted to determine the role of transcutaneous retrobulbar amphotericin-B (TRAMB) in the management of COVID-19 associated ROCM. Methods: a retrospective analysis of 61 patients of COVID-19 associated ROCM was done, who met the inclusion criteria and presented to a tertiary care center, between May to August 2021. These patients were administered TRAMB (deoxycholate/emulsion form) along-with systemic amphotericin B. All the patients were evaluated for clinical improvement. Results: out of 61 patients, 58 (95.08%) showed overall improvement. 40 patients (65.57%) stabilized or improved clinically and 3 patients succumbed to the illness due to advanced systemic mucormycosis and acute kidney failure. Sixteen out of 58 patients underwent orbital exenteration. Out of remaining 43 patients, 35 showed complete recovery of orbital and ocular disease and the disease stabilized in eight patients. Seven patients demonstrated TRAMB associated ocular complications which however completely resolved in six patients. Conclusion: to the best of the author´s knowledge, regression of orbital mucormycosis with improvement in ptosis, proptosis, ocular motility and stabilization of visual acuity are scarcely reported in literature. Further TRAMB as a globe non-deforming treatment modality is an option available for ROCM.

Aggressive oral granular cell tumor with periorbital involvement: An unusual case.

Granular cell tumor (GCT) of the oral cavity is rare and so is the involvement of the eye, orbit, and ocular adnexa. A 65-year-old male developed a posttraumatic ulceroproliferative mass over his left cheek for the past 1 year. The mass involved the periorbital region with accompanying blood-stained purulent discharge from multiple sinus tracts over this lesion for the past 6 months. Radiographs of the orbit suggested chronic osteomyelitis. The lesion was not responsive to treatment with antibiotics. Enlarged submandibular lymph node demonstrated reactive lymphadenitis on cytological examination. However, computed tomography scan of the paranasal sinus (PNS) revealed possibly a malignant mass extending into the maxillary sinus and left extraconal space. Surprisingly, histopathological examination and immunohistochemistry from a growth involving the left upper retromolar region that extended up to the midline and periorbital region suggested a diagnosis of GCT. This unusual and new presentation of GCT is not well known to the dentists and also to the ophthalmologists. It is imperative to examine anatomically neighboring structures, especially the eye, nasal cavity, PNSs, and oval cavity among other structures in an underlying pathology in either of these sites.

Recent Advances in the Preparation and Applications of Organo-functionalized Porous Materials.

Organo-functionalized materials with porous structure offer unique adsorption, catalytic and sensing properties. These unique properties make them available for various applications, including catalysis, CO2 capture and utilization, and drug delivery. The properties and the performance of these unique materials can be altered with suitable modifications on their surface. In this review, we summarize the recent advances in the preparation and applications of organo-functionalized porous materials with different structures. Initially, a brief historical overview of functionalized porous materials is presented, and the subsequent sections discuss the recent developments and applications of various functional porous materials. In particular, the focus is given on the various methods used for the preparation of organo-functionalized materials and their important roles in the heterogenization of homogeneous catalysts. A special emphasis is also given on the applications of these functionalized porous materials for catalysis, CO2 capture and drug delivery.

A high-density intraspecific SNP linkage map of pigeonpea (Cajanas cajan L. Millsp.).

Pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.) is a major food legume cultivated in semi-arid tropical regions including the Indian subcontinent, Africa, and Southeast Asia. It is an important source of protein, minerals, and vitamins for nearly 20% of the world population. Due to high carbon sequestration and drought tolerance, pigeonpea is an important crop for the development of climate resilient agriculture and nutritional security. However, pigeonpea productivity has remained low for decades because of limited genetic and genomic resources, and sparse utilization of landraces and wild pigeonpea germplasm. Here, we present a dense intraspecific linkage map of pigeonpea comprising 932 markers that span a total adjusted map length of 1,411.83 cM. The consensus map is based on three different linkage maps that incorporate a large number of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers derived from next generation sequencing data, using Illumina GoldenGate bead arrays, and genotyping with restriction site associated DNA (RAD) sequencing. The genotyping-by-sequencing enhanced the marker density but was met with limited success due to lack of common markers across the genotypes of mapping population. The integrated map has 547 bead-array SNP, 319 RAD-SNP, and 65 simple sequence repeat (SSR) marker loci. We also show here correspondence between our linkage map and published genome pseudomolecules of pigeonpea. The availability of a high-density linkage map will help improve the anchoring of the pigeonpea genome to its chromosomes and the mapping of genes and quantitative trait loci associated with useful agronomic traits.

In-situ preparation of functionalized molecular sieve material and a methodology to remove template.

A series of diaminosilane-functionalized silicoaluminophosphate molecular sieve (SAPO-37) was prepared by in-situ synthesis, and a novel method was developed for the selective removal of structure directing agent (SDA)/template from the functionalized SAPO-37.The complete removal of the SDA was evident according to FT-IR, TGA, (13)C MAS-NMR and elemental analysis. The developed method was found to be efficient for removal of template from microporous molecular sieve viz., SAPO-37 and can be applied for other microporous molecular sieves such as SAPO-5, SAPO-40, etc. The powder XRD pattern of the template-removed samples showed a highly crystalline SAPO-37 phase. Argentometric titration revealed that more than 90% of diamine functionality exposed on the surface was accessible for catalytic applications. The resultant materials showed promising activity for ring opening of epoxide with aniline to yield ß-amino-alcohol.