A Case of Steroid-Induced Gastric Perforation in a Ten-Year-Old Child.

Gastric perforation is a rare yet critical clinical disorder that demands prompt medical attention. Gastric ulcers often manifest on the anterior wall of the stomach, underscoring the importance of early detection for an improved prognosis. This study delves into a specific case, shedding light on a 10-year-old male child diagnosed with steroid-induced gastric perforation. The diagnosis was established through a meticulous examination of the clinical history and a plain abdominal X-ray, culminating in a timely and decisive surgical intervention for repair.

Mechanical thromboprophylaxis for hip fractures in elderly patients: a prospective randomized controlled study.

BACKGROUND: Hip fractures, most common in the geriatric age group, can develop proximal deep vein thrombosis (DVT). There is no consensus regarding the ideal method or duration of prophylaxis, particularly in a trauma patient. This study bridges this lacuna in data by making a random comparison between mechanical prophylaxis alone vis-a-vis combined with mechanical and Enoxaparin-based chemoprophylaxis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 75 Elderly hip trauma patients from January 2019 to October 2020 at a single tertiary care center were randomly allocated into two groups using the sequentially numbered opaque sealed envelope method (SNOSE): one (n=44) receiving Enoxaparin and Mechanical prophylaxis and another (n=31) receiving Mechanical prophylaxis alone. All patients underwent CT (computed tomography) venography to screen for proximal DVT between days 5 to 10 of injury. The primary outcomes were the incidence of proximal DVT and pulmonary embolism (PE), and safety outcomes (wound complications and adverse systemic events) were recorded during the treatment. RESULTS: No symptomatic or asymptomatic proximal DVT and death incidence was reported in either group. One case of pulmonary embolism was seen in the combined prophylaxis group. There was no significant difference between the groups regarding the above-mentioned parameters mentioned. CONCLUSIONS: There is no significant difference in the incidence of proximal DVT between mechanical alone and combined chemical-mechanical prophylaxis in elderly patients sustaining hip trauma. The incidence of proximal DVT can be reduced by mechanical prophylaxis alone. It was efficacious and safer than combined mechanical and enoxaparin prophylaxis in preventing venous thromboembolism in elderly hip trauma patients.

A comparative study on effect of heat stress on physiological and cellular responses of crossbred cattle and riverine buffalo in subtropical region of India.

The study was carried out to compare the in vitro and in vivo heat shock responses of cattle and buffaloes. The expression of heat responsive genes (HSP70 and HSF family) were studied in vitro in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of cattle and buffalo. In vivo observations on animals were carried out to investigate the physiological responses of cattle and buffalo at different THI over a period of 14 months. The study indicated that onset and severity of heat stress at different THI varied significantly between cattle and buffalo. Rectal temperature (RT) showed a significant (p < 0.05) increase at THI 67 in buffaloes and at THI 68 in cattle. Significant (p < 0.01) differences in RT between the species were observed at THI 71, 72, and 73. Respiration rate (RR) significantly (p < 0.05) increased at THI 70 in both the species and significant (p < 0.05) differences in RR were observed between the species at THI 65, 68, 69, and 74. THI had significant (p < 0.05) effect on blood glucose and blood electrolytes of the species with increased levels at higher THI. Serum AST and ALT levels showed less pronounced changes over increasing THI. Heat stress-associated expressions of HSP 70 genes followed temporal changes with incremental THI. The expression of HSPA8 was consistent at lower THI whereas upregulation of HSPA1A and HSPA1L was evident at higher THI. The study concludes that changes in physiological parameters such as RT and RR occur in a phasic pattern in both species and onset of heat stress was early in buffalo as compared to cattle.

Primary Synovial Chondromatosis of the Ankle in a Child: A Rare Case Presentation and Review of Literature.

Introduction: Synovial chondromatosis is not a common condition and involvement of the ankle joint is quite rare. We found only one case of synovial chondromatosis of the ankle joint among the pediatric population. We present a case of a 9-year-old boy with synovial chondromatosis of the left ankle. Case Report: A 9-year-old boy had synovial osteochondromatosis in the left ankle joint, which caused pain, swelling, and restriction of movement of the left ankle. Radiological examinations showed variable size calcific foci adjacent to the medial malleolus and medial ankle joint space with mild soft-tissue swelling. The ankle mortise space was well-maintained. The magnetic resonance imaging of the ankle joint revealed a benign synovial neoplastic process and a few focal marrows containing loose bodies. The synovium was thick, and there was no articular erosion. The patient was planned and underwent an en bloc resection. A lobulated pearly white mass arising from the ankle joint was observed intraoperatively. Histological examination also showed attenuated synovium with osteocartilaginous nodule with binucleated and multinucleated forms of chondrocyte typical of osteochondroma were appreciated. Endochondral ossification, mature bony trabeculae with intervening fibro adipose tissue, was noted. The patient had remarkable relief of clinical complaints and was almost asymptomatic at the time of the first follow-up. Conclusion: Synovial chondromatosis may present with diverse clinical manifestations according to the different stages of the disease as described by Milgram; like joint pain, limitation of movements, swelling due to the close proximity of important structures including joints, tendons, and neurovascular bundles. A simple radiograph with a characteristic appearance is usually sufficient in confirming the diagnosis. In pediatric patients, overlooking these conditions may result in growth abnormality, skeletal deformities, and several mechanical problems. We suggest that when dealing with the case of swelling in or around the ankle, the differential diagnosis should include synovial chondromatosis.

Alternations of Fertility Parameters by Graded Dose of Inorganic Arsenic in Adult Male White Pekin Ducks.

A significant health issue, reproductive toxicity is mostly linked to exposure to various environmental heavy metals. A pervasive toxin that occurs naturally in the environment is arsenic (As). This research was done to determine the effects of various doses of inorganic As supplements on the reproductive organs of adult male white Pekin ducks. A total of 240 numbers of 14-days-old male white Pekin ducks were weighed and randomly assigned into 4 experimental groups with six replicates (10 ducklings in each replicate). The experimental groups were as follows: (T-1) basal diet along with normal drinking water (control group); (T-2 to T-4) basal diet along with As in the form of sodium-meta-arsenite at 7, 14, and 28 ppm of drinking water respectively. The results showed reduction in body weight and testicular weight, disruption of spermatogenesis, reduction in follicular-stimulating hormone (FSH), leutinizing hormone (LH), and testosterone levels and histopathological alterations as compared to control. Additionally, there was not only a significant decrease in various antioxidant parameters in testis tissue, like catalase (CAT), reduced glutathione (GSH), super oxide dismutase (SOD), and ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), but also a significant increase in oxidative parameters of testis like lipid peroxidation (LPO), myloperoxidase (MPO), nitric oxide (NO), and super oxide anion radical (O2-) in As-treated groups, in comparison with T-1. A significantly higher level of As content in testis was observed in all the 3 As-treated groups, with highest level recorded in T-4 birds. Besides that, there was upregulation of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), heat shock proteins (Hsps) and pro-inflammatory cytokines like interlukin (IL) series, i.e., IL-2, IL-6, IL-18, IL-1ß and tumor necrosis factor- α (TNF-α) levels, whereas anti-inflammatory parameters like IL-4 and IL-10 levels showed downregulation in testis of As-treated groups. Together, these findings provide deeper understandings of the roles played by oxidative stress, NF-κB and Hsps in the progression of testicular injury, which may help to explain how the As induced male sterility, in ducks, due to exposure.

Hepatorenal Toxicity of Inorganic Arsenic in White Pekin Ducks and Its Amelioration by Using Ginger.

The toxic metalloid arsenic is known to cause liver and kidney injury in many humans and animals. The goal of this paper was to exemplify the antagonism of ginger against arsenic (As)-induced hepato-renal toxicity. In addition, the pathways Nrf2/Keap1 and NF/κB were studied to reveal the molecular mechanism of the stress. One hundred twenty 7-day-old White Pekin ducks were randomly allocated into five groups, having 24 birds in each. Each group contained three replicates having 8 birds in each replicate and maintained for 90 days. The groups were as follows: T-1 [control-basal diet with normal water], T-2 [T1 + As at 28 ppm/L of water], T-3 [T2 + ginger powder at 100 mg/kg feed], T-4 [T2 + ginger powder at 300 mg/kg feed], and T-5 [T2 + ginger powder at 1 g/kg feed]. It was observed that there was a significant increase in oxidative parameters whereas a significant decrease in antioxidant parameters in hepato-renal tissues in T-2. The exposure to As not only decreased the mRNA expression of antioxidant parameters like Nrf2, SOD-1, CAT, GPX, and HO-1and anti-inflammatory markers like IL-4 and IL-10 but also increased the m-RNA expression of NF-κB, Keap-1 and pro-inflammatory markers like IL-2, Il-6, IL-18, IL-1ß, and TNF-α. There was also an accumulation of As in hepatic and renal tissue, confirmed by residual analysis of these tissues. By correlating the above parameters, As at 28 ppm showed significant toxic effects, and ginger powder at 1 g/kg feed effectively counteracted the toxic effects of As in ducks.

Substance P, a Neuropeptide, Promotes Wound Healing via Neurokinin-1 Receptor.

Substance P (SP), an endogenous neuropeptide, mediates intracellular signaling, mainly through a tachykinin receptor. The tachykinin receptors family consists of neurokinin-1 (NK-1), neurokinin-2 (NK-2), and neurokinin-3 receptors. Our previous studies on SP have shown its wound healing potentials. But the exact mechanism of wound healing by SP is not exactly known. In view of this, the present study was aimed at evaluating the in vitro wound healing effect of SP alone and in the presence of NK-1, NK-2, and both receptor antagonists. Scratch assay, transwell assay, and tumor growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-ß1) assay were performed on buffalo fetal fibroblast culture. The cotreatment of fibroblast cultures with SP alone during the 24 h caused the significant proliferation and migrations of cells in both horizontal and vertical directions. The SP in the presence of spantide II (NK-1 antagonist) failed to stimulate this migration. The treatment of cells with SP in the presence of NK-2 antagonist treatment also showed a significant reduction of migration of cells with respect to SP treatment alone. The SP in the presence of both NK-1 and NK-2 antagonists failed to stimulate the horizontal migration of cells and most of the ineffectiveness of SP was observed in this combination. The TGF-ß1 levels were significantly higher in the supernatants of cells that were exposed to SP alone. All other treatments have significantly lower TGF-ß1 levels than SP alone treatment. It is concluded that different actions on fibroblast cells by SP were mainly mediated through the NK-1 receptor.

Silicon Supplementation Alleviates the Salinity Stress in Wheat Plants by Enhancing the Plant Water Status, Photosynthetic Pigments, Proline Content and Antioxidant Enzyme Activities.

Silicon (Si) is the most abundant element on earth after oxygen and is very important for plant growth under stress conditions. In the present study, we inspected the role of Si in the mitigation of the negative effect of salt stress at three concentrations (40 mM, 80 mM, and 120 mM NaCl) in two wheat varieties (KRL-210 and WH-1105) with or without Si (0 mM and 2 mM) treatment. Our results showed that photosynthetic pigments, chlorophyll stability index, relative water content, protein content, and carbohydrate content were reduced at all three salt stress concentrations in both wheat varieties. Moreover, lipid peroxidation, proline content, phenol content, and electrolyte leakage significantly increased under salinity stress. The antioxidant enzyme activities, like catalase and peroxidase, were significantly enhanced under salinity in both leaves and roots; however, SOD activity was drastically decreased under salt stress in both leaves and roots. These negative effects of salinity were more pronounced in WH-1105, as KRL-210 is a salt-tolerant wheat variety. On the other hand, supplementation of Si improved the photosynthetic pigments, relative water, protein, and carbohydrate contents in both varieties. In addition, proline content, MDA content, and electrolyte leakage were shown to decline following Si application under salt stress. It was found that applying Si enhanced the antioxidant enzyme activities under stress conditions. Si showed better results in WH-1105 than in KRL-210. Furthermore, Si was found to be more effective at a salt concentration of 120 mM compared to low salt concentrations (40 mM, 80 mM), indicating that it significantly improved plant growth under stressed conditions. Our experimental findings will open a new area of research in Si application for the identification and implication of novel genes involved in enhancing salinity tolerance.

Human health risk assessment of pesticide residues in vegetable and fruit samples in Gujarat State, India.

The present study was initiated with the purpose to evaluate possible health risks associated with pesticide residues through consumption of vegetables and fruits by general population of Gujarat, India. A total of 1075 samples comprising of twelve different varieties of commonly consumed food commodities were collected from twenty-five divergent locations in Gujarat. The collected samples were extracted using QuEChERS method and analyzed for the presence of organophosphorus (OPs), organochlorine (OCs) and synthetic pyrethroids (SPs) pesticides using UHPLC-HR/MS, GC-µECD and GC-MS/SIM. The results indicated that 2.3% of vegetable and fruit samples showed the presence of pesticide residues exceeding maximum residue limits (MRLs). The results suggested that, detected residue levels in samples were within safe limits and their consumption will not pose any significant health risk to human. The outcomes present significant information regarding the status of vegetable and fruit contamination and pointed out the prerequisite for further studies with reference to monitoring of pesticides and other toxic contaminants in different samples for assessing cumulative health risk.

False discovery rate: the Achilles' heel of proteogenomics.

Proteogenomics refers to the integrated analysis of the genome and proteome that leverages mass-spectrometry (MS)-based proteomics data to improve genome annotations, understand gene expression control through proteoforms and find sequence variants to develop novel insights for disease classification and therapeutic strategies. However, proteogenomic studies often suffer from reduced sensitivity and specificity due to inflated database size. To control the error rates, proteogenomics depends on the target-decoy search strategy, the de-facto method for false discovery rate (FDR) estimation in proteomics. The proteogenomic databases constructed from three- or six-frame nucleotide database translation not only increase the search space and compute-time but also violate the equivalence of target and decoy databases. These searches result in poorer separation between target and decoy scores, leading to stringent FDR thresholds. Understanding these factors and applying modified strategies such as two-pass database search or peptide-class-specific FDR can result in a better interpretation of MS data without introducing additional statistical biases. Based on these considerations, a user can interpret the proteogenomics results appropriately and control false positives and negatives in a more informed manner. In this review, first, we briefly discuss the proteogenomic workflows and limitations in database construction, followed by various considerations that can influence potential novel discoveries in a proteogenomic study. We conclude with suggestions to counter these challenges for better proteogenomic data interpretation.

Incorporating Au11 nanoclusters on MoS2 nanosheet edges for promoting the hydrogen evolution reaction at the interface.

The electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) holds grip as a promising strategy to obtain renewable energy resources in the form of clean fuel - hydrogen (H2). However, understanding the catalytic mechanism at the atomic level for sustainable and efficient production of hydrogen remains an arduous challenge. In this regard, atomically precise nanoclusters (NCs) with their molecule-like properties can be utilized for a better understanding of the mechanism at the catalytic interface, identification of active sites, and much more. Herein, we report a strategy to enhance the HER activity of the well-known electrocatalyst MoS2 by the incorporation of atomically precise gold nanoclusters, Au11(PPh3)7I3. Interestingly, Au11(PPh3)7I3 NCs were impregnated onto MoS2 nanosheets without protecting ligands as naked Au11 clusters which have increased atom efficiency. Different loadings of Au11(PPh3)7I3 nanoclusters on MoS2 nanosheets revealed the superior HER activity of 2% loading of the NCs. Theoretical calculations have shown that the nanocomposite has the optimum hydrogen adsorption energy that is crucial for efficient H2 production. Combined experimental and theoretical results provide the atomic-level understanding of the utilization of electrochemically dormant ligand-protected NCs to accelerate the HER activity of MoS2 nanosheets.

Recent Advancements in Nontoxic Halide Perovskites: Beyond Divalent Composition Space.

Since the inception of organic-inorganic hybrid perovskites of ABX3 stoichiometry in 2009, there has been enormous progress in envisaging efficient solar cell materials throughout the world, from both the theoretical and experimental perspectives. Despite achieving 25.5% efficiency, hybrid halide perovskites are still facing two main challenges: toxicity due to the presence of lead and device stability. Two particular families with A3B2X9 and A2MM'X6 stoichiometries have emerged to address these two prime concerns, which have restrained the advancement of solar energy harvesting. Several investigations, both experimental and theoretical, are being conducted to explore the holy-grail materials, which could be optimum for not only efficient but also stable and nontoxic photovoltaics technology. However, the trade-off among stability, efficiency, and toxicity in such solar energy materials is yet to be completely resolved, which requires a systematic overview of A3B2X9- and A2MM'X6-based solar cell materials. Therefore, in this timely and relevant perspective, we have focused on these two particular promising families of perovskite materials. We have portrayed a roadmap projecting the recent advancements from both theoretical and experimental perspectives for these two exciting and promising solar energy material families while amalgamating our critical viewpoint with a future outlook.

Improvement in Pain Following Ganglion Impar Blocks and Radiofrequency Ablation in Coccygodynia Patients: A Systematic Review.

Nearly 90% of cases of coccydynia can be managed with conservative medical treatment; the remaining 10% need other invasive modalities for pain relief, such as ganglion impar block (GIB) or radiofrequency ablation (RFA) of the ganglion impar. A systematic research was conducted of PubMed, MEDLINE, and Google Scholar to identify studies reporting pain relief in terms of visual analogue scale (VAS), or its counterparts, following GIB or RFA in coccydynia patients with the purpose to determine the efficacy of GIB and RFA of the ganglion impar in controlling pain in coccydynia patients. Seven studies were delineated, with a total of 189 patients (104 in GIB group and 85 in RFA group). In the GIB group, the mean VAS improved from 7.83 at baseline to 3.11 in the short-term follow-up, 3.55 in the intermediate-term follow-up, and 4.71 in the long-term follow-up. In the RFA group, the mean VAS improved from 6.92 at baseline to 4.25 in the short-term follow-up, and 4.04 in the long-term follow-up. In the GIB group, a 13.92% failure rate (11/79) and a 2.88% complication rate (3/104) were reported, while in the RFA group, a 14.08% failure rate (10/71) and no complications (0%) were reported. Total success rate was > 85% with either modality. Ganglion impar block and RFA of the ganglion impar are reliable and probably excellent methods of pain control in coccydynia patients not responding to conservative medical treatment. However, a demarcation between responders, non-responders, and late non-responders should be considered, and larger studies with a longer follow-up (> 1 year) are needed.

Decoding the function of bivalent chromatin in development and cancer.

Bivalent chromatin is characterized by the simultaneous presence of H3K4me3 and H3K27me3, histone modifications generally associated with transcriptionally active and repressed chromatin, respectively. Prevalent in embryonic stem cells (ESCs), bivalency is postulated to poise/prime lineage-controlling developmental genes for rapid activation during embryogenesis while maintaining a transcriptionally repressed state in the absence of activation cues; however, this hypothesis remains to be directly tested. Most gene promoters DNA hypermethylated in adult human cancers are bivalently marked in ESCs, and it was speculated that bivalency predisposes them for aberrant de novo DNA methylation and irreversible silencing in cancer, but evidence supporting this model is largely lacking. Here, we show that bivalent chromatin does not poise genes for rapid activation but protects promoters from de novo DNA methylation. Genome-wide studies in differentiating ESCs reveal that activation of bivalent genes is no more rapid than that of other transcriptionally silent genes, challenging the premise that H3K4me3 is instructive for transcription. H3K4me3 at bivalent promoters-a product of the underlying DNA sequence-persists in nearly all cell types irrespective of gene expression and confers protection from de novo DNA methylation. Bivalent genes in ESCs that are frequent targets of aberrant hypermethylation in cancer are particularly strongly associated with loss of H3K4me3/bivalency in cancer. Altogether, our findings suggest that bivalency protects reversibly repressed genes from irreversible silencing and that loss of H3K4me3 may make them more susceptible to aberrant DNA methylation in diseases such as cancer. Bivalency may thus represent a distinct regulatory mechanism for maintaining epigenetic plasticity.

Genetic Diversity of Clinical Bordetella Pertussis ST2 Strains in comparison with Vaccine Reference Strains of India.

Objectives: Pertussis is a highly contagious disease of the respiratory tract caused by Bordetella pertussis, a bacterium that lives in the mouth, nose, and throat. Current study reports the highly accurate complete genomes of two clinical B. pertussis strains from India for the first time. Methods: Complete genome sequencing was performed for two B. pertussis strains using Ion Torrent PGM and Oxford nanopore sequencing method. Data was assembled de novo and the sequence annotation was performed through PATRIC and NCBI server. Downstream analyses of the isolates were performed using CGE server databases for antimicrobial resistance genes, plasmids, and sequence types. The phylogenetic analysis was performed using Roary. Results: The analysis revealed insertional elements flanked by IS481, which has been previously regarded as the important component for bacterial evolution. The two B. pertussis clinical strains exhibited diversity through genome degradation when compared to whole-cell vaccine reference strains of India. These isolates harboured multiple genetic virulence traits and toxin subunits, which belonged to sequence type ST2. Conclusion: The genome information of Indian clinical B. pertussis strains will serve as a baseline data to decipher more information on the genome evolution, virulence factors and their role in pathogenesis for effective vaccine strategies.

Foodborne Pathogenic Vibrios: Antimicrobial Resistance.

Foodborne illness caused by pathogenic Vibrios is generally associated with the consumption of raw or undercooked seafood. Fish and other seafood can be contaminated with Vibrio species, natural inhabitants of the marine, estuarine, and freshwater environment. Pathogenic Vibrios of major public health concerns are Vibrio cholerae, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, and Vibrio vulnificus. Common symptoms of foodborne Vibrio infection include watery diarrhea, stomach cramping, nausea, vomiting, fever, and chills. Administration of oral or intravenous rehydration salts solution is the mainstay for the management of cholera, and antibiotics are also used to shorten the duration of diarrhea and to limit further transmission of the disease. Currently, doxycycline, azithromycin, or ciprofloxacin are commonly used for V. cholerae, and doxycycline or quinolone are administered for V. parahaemolyticus, whereas doxycycline and a third-generation cephalosporin are recommended for V. vulnificus as initial treatment regimen. The emergence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Vibrios is increasingly common across the globe and a decrease in the effectiveness of commonly available antibiotics poses a global threat to public health. Recent progress in comparative genomic studies suggests that the genomes of the drug-resistant Vibrios harbor mobile genetic elements like plasmids, integrating conjugative elements, superintegron, transposable elements, and insertion sequences, which are the major carriers of genetic determinants encoding antimicrobial resistance. These mobile genetic elements are highly dynamic and could potentially propagate to other bacteria through horizontal gene transfer (HGT). To combat the serious threat of rising AMR, it is crucial to develop strategies for robust surveillance, use of new/novel pharmaceuticals, and prevention of antibiotic misuse.

Efficacy of immunization compared to an anticoccidial drug combination in the management of challenged coccidiosis in Japanese quail.

This study was carried out to compare the efficacy of immunization, by a low-dose of live sporulated oocysts of different Eimeria species separately, with the efficacy of amprolium plus sulphaquinoxaline in the management of challenged coccidiosis in Japanese quail. Dropping samples were collected and sent to the laboratory for isolation and identification of Eimeria species. Three Eimeria species were isolated and identified as E. bateri, E. uzura, and E. tsunodai. Single oocyst isolation and propagation were done successfully for each species. For the experimental trial, Japanese quails were divided into 11 groups of thirty birds each and given different treatments. The assessment of each treatment relied on clinical signs, mortality, lesion score, oocyst output, weight gain, feed conversion ratio, and hematological parameters. The results revealed that immunization, with any isolated species, gave the best results regarding all tested parameters. Thus, we concluded that immunization by a low-dose of live sporulated oocysts was better compared to amprolium plus sulphaquinoxaline in the management of coccidiosis in Japanese quail.

Delineation of temperature-humidity index (THI) as indicator of heat stress in riverine buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) of a sub-tropical Indian region.

The erstwhile developed temperature-humidity index (THI) has been popularly used to indicate heat stress in dairy cattle and often in buffaloes. However, scientific literature suggests differences in thermotolerance and physiological responses to heat stress between cattle and buffalo. Therefore, THI range used to indicate degree of heat stress (mild, moderate, and severe) in cattle should be recalibrated for indicating heat stress in buffaloes. The present study was carried out to delineate THI range to indicate onset and severity of heat stress in buffaloes based on physiological, biochemical, and expression profiling of heat shock response (HSR) genes in animals at different THI. The result indicated early onset of heat stress in buffaloes as compared to cattle. Physiological and biochemical parameters indicated onset of mild signs of heat stress in buffaloes at THI 68-69. Significant deviation in these parameters was again observed at THI range 73-76. At THI 77-80, the physiological and biochemical responses of animals were further intensified indicating extreme alteration in homeostasis. The in vivo expression profiling of HSR genes indicated that members of Hsp70 gene family are expressed in a temporal pattern over different THIs, whereas expressions of Hsf genes were evident during intense heat stress. Overall, the study established that amplitude of heat shock response and THI range for indicating severity of thermal stress for buffaloes are not in unison to cattle. The study also suggests skin temperature of the poll region could be used as non-invasive tool for monitoring heat stress in dairy buffaloes.

Spatiotemporal persistence of multiple, diverse clades and toxins of Corynebacterium diphtheriae.

Diphtheria is a respiratory disease caused by the bacterium Corynebacterium diphtheriae. Although the development of a toxin-based vaccine in the 1930s has allowed a high level of control over the disease, cases have increased in recent years. Here, we describe the genomic variation of 502 C. diphtheriae isolates across 16 countries and territories over 122 years. We generate a core gene phylogeny and determine the presence of antimicrobial resistance genes and variation within the tox gene of 291 tox+ isolates. Numerous, highly diverse clusters of C. diphtheriae are observed across the phylogeny, each containing isolates from multiple countries, regions and time of isolation. The number of antimicrobial resistance genes, as well as the breadth of antibiotic resistance, is substantially greater in the last decade than ever before. We identified and analysed 18 tox gene variants, with mutations estimated to be of medium to high structural impact.

A facile and efficient multicomponent ultrasound-assisted "on water" synthesis of benzodiazepine ring.

A facile and efficient multicomponent synthesis of benzodiazepine ring in water under ultrasound irradiation is reported first time. The current procedure escapes traditional chromatography and purification process and provided the product in excellent yields of 95% as compared to conventional methods. The approach was also validated on gram-scale synthesis.