Genetic analysis of river, swamp and hybrid buffaloes of north-east India throw new light on phylogeography of water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis).

This study analysed buffaloes from north-east India and compared their nuclear and mitochondrial DNA variations with buffaloes of mainland India, China, Mediterranean and South-East Asia. Microsatellite genotypes of 338 buffaloes including 210 from six north-east Indian buffalo populations and three mainland Indian breeds were analysed to evaluate their genetic structure and evolutionary relationships. Phylogenetic analysis and multidimensional scaling plot of pairwise FST revealed the clustering of all swamp-type buffaloes of north-east India with Lower Assamese (significantly hybrid type) buffaloes in one plane and all the mainland river buffaloes in another plane while the upper Assamese buffaloes being distinct from both these clusters. Analysis of mtDNA D-loop region of 530-bp length was performed on 345 sequences belonging to 23 buffalo populations from various geographical regions to establish the phylogeography of Indian water buffalo. The swamp buffaloes of north-east India clustered with both the lineages of Chinese swamp buffalo. Multidimensional scaling display of pairwise FST derived from mitochondrial DNA data showed clustering of upper Assamese, Chilika and Mediterranean buffaloes distinctly from all the other Indian buffalo populations. Median-joining network analysis further confirmed the distinctness and ancestral nature of these buffaloes. The study revealed north-east region of India forming part of the wider hybrid zone of water buffalo that may probably extend from north-east India to South-East Asia.

Tourniquet Use in Arthroscopic ACL Reconstruction: A Blinded Randomized Trial.

INTRODUCTION: Despite knowing, that tourniquet induces ischemia and soft tissue damage surgeons still use it. The purpose of this study is to compare post operative pain and quadriceps function in patients undergoing arthroscopy assisted ACL reconstruction with tourniquet and without tourniquet. METHODS: A blinded randomized prospective trial conducted at Orthopaedic department of a tertiary institute in India from Feb 2019 to June 2019. 45 patients undergoing Arthroscopic ACL reconstruction aged between 18 and 60 years were recruited in the study according to selection criteria. Patients were distributed in 2 groups randomly, namely, tourniquet and non-tourniquet. Preoperatively serum CPK measurement and thigh girth measurement was done. Following standard arthroscopic procedure VAS score monitoring for pain was done for 5 days. Serum CPK levels were performed on postoperative day 1. Thigh girth was measured on postoperative day 21. RESULT: Pain was significantly high in patients in whom tourniquet was used. VAS scores were significantly high in tourniquet group. Tourniquet group patients required more amount of additional analgesics in postoperative period (p < 0.001). Serum CPK levels were comparable preoperatively while significantly high postoperatively in tourniquet group (p < 0.001). Difference in mean of thigh girth was significant between the groups (p < 0.001) and there is difficulty experienced by patients in performing straight leg raise test after tourniquet use (p = 0.002). CONCLUSION: Tourniquet use is associated with increased pain, analgesic requirement, damage to muscles and compromises muscle function in early postoperative period. This can not only lead to increased patient discomfort but also difficult initial rehabilitation. Arthroscopic procedures can be uneventfully performed without the use of a tourniquet, and alternative methods should be looked upon and emphasized.

Management Guidelines for Infection After ACL Reconstruction: Expert Opinion Statement Based on the Modified Delphi Survey of Indian Arthroscopy Surgeons.

AIM: Infection after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction, though rare, is a potentially devastating complication and the evidence-based recommendation on the various topics in its management is limited. The purpose of this study was to develop recommendations for the prevention and management of infections in ACL reconstruction surgery by performing a structured expert consensus survey using Delphi methodology. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 22 topics of relevance in the prevention and management of infection following ACL reconstruction were chosen from an extensive literature review. 30 panelists were requested to respond to a three-round survey, with feedback, to develop a consensus statement on the topics. RESULTS: Consensus statements could be prepared in eleven out of twenty-two topics including: the graft is retained at the first arthroscopic debridement, the graft is removed when repeated debridement are needed, and revision ACL reconstruction is needed only if the patient develops instability. Concurrence could be obtained in the topics including: longer duration of antibiotics is needed in immunocompromised patients, soaking graft in antibiotic solution reduces infection risk, and knee swelling without warmth does not suggest infection. CONCLUSIONS: A proper skin preparation, a longer course of antibiotics in immunocompromised patients, and soaking the graft in antibiotics reduces the risk of infection. In case of infection, a healthy-looking graft must be retained at the first debridement and if the graft must be removed, revision ACL reconstruction is advised only if the patient develops instability. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s43465-021-00363-z.

Prevalence of high--risk human papillomavirus infections in women with benign cervical cytology: a hospital based study from North India.

INTRODUCTION: Cervical cancer is the commonest cancer among Indian women. High-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) detection holds the potential to be used as a tool to identify women, at risk for subsequent development of cervical cancer. There is a pressing need for identifying prevalence of asymptomatic cervical HPV infection in the local population. OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of high-risk HPV DNA in women with benign cervical cytology. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Women visiting the gynecology outpatient with varied complaints were subjected to Pap smear. Four hundred and seventy two samples were subjected to polymerase chain reaction, using consensus primers for low and high-risk HPV (types 6, 11, 16, 18, 31 and 33). The samples that were positive for HPV DNA were subsequently assessed for high-risk consensus primers, types 16, 18, 31 and 33 as well as for HPV type 16 and 18. RESULTS: One hundred and seventy four (36.8%) women tested positive for HPV DNA. Thirty nine (8.2%) of the entire cohort tested positive for high-risk HPV. Fifteen samples were positive for type 16, 22 for type 18 and two for both types 16 and 18. A statistically higher prevalence of high-risk HPV was observed in poorly educated and rural groups. No association of HPV prevalence was noted with age, parity and age at marriage. CONCLUSION: The study generates epidemiological data of prevalence of sub-clinical HPV in the women visiting a tertiary care institute as well as peripheral health centres. The data generated will be useful for laying guidelines for mass screening of HPV, treatment and prophylaxis in the local population.

Variations in the organization of repetitive DNA sequences in the genomes of Plasmodium falciparum clones.

Repetitive DNA in cultured Plasmodium falciparum was examined by restriction digestion and transfer hybridization, using cloned repetitive DNA probes. The arrangement of repetitive DNA was unstable: after 6 months culture of a cloned population, variations could be detected. Significant differences can be seen between clones derived from a single isolate, and are even more marked between isolates of diverse geographical origin. No cross-species conservation was seen for the sequences examined, and no relationship was observed between their representation in the P. falciparum genome and the potential for sexual differentiation.

Gametocyte-forming and non-gametocyte-forming clones of Plasmodium falciparum.

Three clones have been prepared from the Honduras I/CDC strain of Plasmodium falciparum by a method of microscopic selection. One of these (HB-2) does not form gametocytes whereas the others (HB-1 and HB-3) do. All three are as resistant to pyrimethamine as the original line, and all three form knobs on the erythrocyte surface.

Characterization of Plasmodium falciparum cloned lines with respect to gametocyte production in vitro, infectivity to Anopheles mosquitoes, and transmission to Aotus monkeys.

The production of gametocytes in vitro and their subsequent infectivity to mosquitoes by 3 cloned lines of Plasmodium falciparum were studied. 2 of the cloned lines, Honduras I-clone B3 and Indochina III-clone W2, produced mature gametocytes (stage V) that were infective to Anopheles mosquitoes. The third clone, Sierra Leone I-clone D6, produced gametocytes, the majority of which did not develop beyond stage III. Fully mature gametocytes of Sierra Leone I-clone D6 were not infective to mosquitoes. Sporozoites collected from An. freeborni infected with Honduras I-clone B3 were used in transmission studies. Two of three Aotus monkeys were infected after prepatent periods of 19 and 20 d, respectively. This study supports previous reports that cloned lines of P. falciparum contain the full genetic capacity to produce morphologically mature gametocytes. The transmission to Aotus monkeys has also conclusively established that biologically competent gametocytes of both sexes are produced by clones.

External fixation of intertrochanteric fractures of the femur.

External fixation was used in the treatment of 154 intertrochanteric fractures of the femur over a period of eight years. Good fixation and early ambulation was achieved in all cases. Blood loss was slight. There were 12 deaths due to medical causes unrelated to the surgical procedure. Deep pin-track infection occurred in six cases and late displacement of the fracture fragments in nine. The average time for union was 16 weeks. The technique is simple, quick and inexpensive, and causes minimal surgical trauma. All these features are particularly relevant where resources are limited.

Iatrogenic postoperative left ventricular outflow tract obstruction.

A 56-year-old female, who underwent aortocoronary bypass graft for occlusion of anterior descending artery is reported, who postoperatively developed a harsh systolic murmur, mitral regurgitation, and intraventricular systolic pressure gradient suggestive of hypertrophic subaortic stenosis. The above findings were due to the administration of dobutamine hydrochloride for hypotension in association with afterload reduction (intra-aortic balloon pumping) and disappeared almost immediately after left ventriculography (volume load).

Possible mechanism of hydrocortisone induced eosinopoenia.

Hydrocortisone (HC) injection in rabbits induced eosinopoenia (reduction in absolute eosinophil count) which could be successfully abolished by beta--adrenoceptor antagonists, a propranolol, sotalol, practolol and H 35/25 but not by alpha--adrenoceptor antagonist, phenoxybenzamine. Reserpine per se produced eosinopoenia followed by eosinophilia. However, reserpine pretreatment failed to abolish HC-induced eosinopoenia. It is suggested that the eosinopoenia is mediated through beta--adrenoceptors, which could not be differentiated into beta 1/beta 2--adrenoceptor subtypes as has been possible for other beta-adrenoceptor mediated responses.

Synthesis and in vitro antiplasmodial activities of fluoroquinolone analogs.

Fluoroquinolone analogs were synthesized by simple alkylation followed by click chemistry and evaluated for their antimalarial in vitro against chloroquine sensitive strain of Plasmodium falciparum while ciprofloxacin was used as standard. Our results showed that the compound 12 was found most active with IC(50) value of 1.33 µg/mL while ciprofloxacin showed IC(50) = 8.81 µg/mL. Therefore, screening of either known or unknown quinolone/fluoroquinolone analogs are worthwhile to find more potent antimalarial drugs which might prove useful in the treatment of mild or severe malaria in human either alone or in combination with existing antimalarial drugs.

Nucleotide sequence of plasmid pA387 of Amycolatopsis benzoatilytica and construction of a conjugative shuttle vector.

The complete nucleotide sequence of plasmid pA387 of Amycolatopsis benzoatilytica DSM 43387 was determined. Sequence analysis revealed that pA387 is 30,157 bp long and has a G+C content of 71.74%. To obtain a minimal transferable replicon capable of self-replication, a 2,176 bp fragment of pA387 was cloned, and we demonstrated that this fragment is sufficient for autonomous replication. The replication region of pA387 exhibited no significant homology to any known replication proteins available in databases. Putative maintenance and transfer functions were identified on pA387. The predicted products of open reading frames, ORF 2 and ORF 12, resembled the plasmid stabilizing proteins, a DNA resolvase and a ParA protein, respectively. The putative translational products of ORF 15 and ORF 16 showed similarity to known bacterial conjugation proteins, TraG and TraA, respectively. A conjugative Escherichia coli -Amycolatopsis shuttle-cloning vector was constructed by using the pA387 replicon and designated pSETRL1. Shuttle vector pSETRL1 successfully transformed Amycolatopsis mediterranei DSM 40773 and Amycolatopsis orientalis NBRC 12806 by conjugation and electroporation, and is likely to be a useful vector in Amycolatopsis research.