Stress-Tolerant Viridibacillus arenosi Strain IHB B 7171 from Tea Rhizosphere as a Potential Broad-Spectrum Microbial Inoculant.

Viridibacillus arenosi strain IHB B 7171 identified based on 16S rRNA gene sequence produced colony forming units (cfu/ml) ranging from 3.3 × 104 to 1.2 × 1010 under pH 5-11, 2.2 × 102 to 1.4 × 1010 for temperature 5-40 °C, 2.4 × 102 to 1.1 × 1010 for PEG 6000 10-30%, 2.2 × 102 to 1.4 × 1010 for 2.5-10% NaCl, 3.1 × 103 to 1.7 × 109 for 2.5-7.5 mM CaCl2, 2.2 × 102 to 1.4 × 107 for 2.5-7.5 mM AlCl3, and 3.2 × 102 to 1.2 × 107 for 2.5-7.5 mM FeCl3. The activities of plant growth-promoting attributes with the increasing acidity, desiccation and salinity ranged from 408 to 101, 20 to 8, 14 to 5 µg/ml P-liberated from tri-calcium phosphate, aluminium phosphate and iron phosphate, 20-9% siderophore units, 14-4 µg/ml IAA and 190-16 α-ketobutyrate h/mg protein ACC-deaminase activity. Plant height, leaf number, and leaf weight on treatment with bacterial inoculum showed an increment of 9.5, 17.6, 54.5 and 31.0% in tea seedlings, respectively. The bacterium also enhanced plant height and yield by 10 and 13% in pea and 2.8 and 13.9% in wheat. The results exhibited stress-tolerance and plant growth-promoting activities by the strain under stressed growth-conditions with potential as a broad-spectrum plant growth-promoting rhizobacterium.

Sulfonated nitrogen and added-sulfur sources influence productivity, quality, and nutrient acquisition of soybean-wheat cropping system.

Soybean-wheat is the predominant cropping system covering >2.5 Mha area in India. The lower productivity of soybean-wheat cropping system (SWCS), remains a serious concern primarily due to inadequate nutrient management. Increasing sulfur (S) deficiency is widespread, especially under oilseed-based cropping system. Hence, to standardize the S requirement through customized fertilization, an experiment was conducted in completely randomized block design (RBD) comprised of 12 nutrient sources, replicated thrice. The study aims to evaluate the agronomic performance of sulfonated nitrogen (SN) in comparison to conventional S nutrient sources in SWCS. The maximum soybean productivity was recorded under NPK + S through 40-0-0-13 (SN1), although NPK + 50% S (15 kg/ha) as basal and 50% (15 kg/ha) as top dressing through SN2 10-0-0-75 produced maximum wheat grain yield. When compared with no nitrogen (control), the application of 30 kg S ha-1 to both crops increased the productivity of the soybean-wheat cropping system up to 39%. The maximum system (SWCS) productivity (8.45 tha-1) was obtained with the application of 50% S as basal and 50% as top dressing (SN2-based), remaining N through urea. The highest sustainable yield index of soybean (SYIS), i.e. 0.90 was under SN1+ remaining N through urea and likewise highest sustainable yield index of wheat (SYIW) was under S splitting. The application of SN also improved the nutrient acquisition and grain quality of soybean and wheat with a positive nutrient balance in the soil. The protein content and yield of soybean and wheat grains also improved. The higher gluten content in wheat grain was produced with 60 kg S ha-1 applied. The agronomic efficiency of N and S (AEN and AEs) were highest under SN1 and SN2, respectively (32.8 kg grain/kg N applied; 15 kg grain/kg S applied) in soybean, however in wheat, S splitting and urea application resulted in highest agronomic efficiency (AEN and AES) of N and S (17.1 kg grain/kg N applied; 22.3 kg grain/kg S applied respectively). Hence splitting of S doses of SN along with urea and recommend P, K was found efficient for the soybean-wheat cropping system.

Fluoride and health hazards: community perception in a fluorotic area of central Rajasthan (India): an arid environment.

India is among the 23 nations around the globe where health problems occur due to excess ingestion of fluoride (>1.5 mg/l) by drinking water. In Rajasthan, 18 out of 32 districts are fluorotic and 11 million of the populations are at risk. An exploratory qualitative survey was conducted to describe perception of the community regarding fluoride and related health problems in Central Rajasthan. A study on distribution and health hazards by fluoride contaminate in groundwater was performed in 1,030 villages of Bhilwara district of Central Rajasthan. One thousand thirty water samples were collected and analyzed for fluoride concentration. Fluoride concentration in these villages varies from 0.2 to 13.0 mg/l. Seven hundred fifty-six (73.4%) villages have fluoride concentration above 1.0 mg/l. Sixty (5.83%) villages have fluoride concentration above 5.0 mg/l with maximum numbers (24, 19.5%) from Shahpura tehsil. A detailed fluorosis study was carried out in 41 villages out of 60 villages having fluoride above 5.0 mg/l in the study age, sex, and occupation data were also collected. Four thousand, two hundred fifty-two individuals above 5 years age were examined for the evidence of dental fluorosis, while 1998 individuals above 21 years were examined for the evidence of skeletal fluorosis. The overall prevalence of dental and skeletal fluorosis was found to be 3,270/4,252 (76.9%) and 949/1,998 (47.5%), respectively. Maximum of 23.9% (1,016) individuals have mild grade of Dean's classification. Three hundred seventy-four (8.8%) individuals have severe type of dental fluorosis. The Dean's Community Fluorosis Index for the studied area in total is 1.62. Maximum CFI 3.0 was recorded from Surajpura of Banera Tehsil. Five hundred sixty-six (28.3%) individuals have Grade I type of skeletal fluorosis while only 0.6% (12) individuals have Grade III skeletal fluorosis. In conclusion, the prevalence and severity of fluorosis increased with increasing fluoride concentration. It was interesting to note that in some villages, the prevalence and severity of fluorosis were highest in subjects belonging to the economically poor community. Similarly, male laborers showed highest prevalence of fluorosis. Prevalence and severity of fluorosis were observed higher in subjects using tobacco, bettle nuts, and alcoholic drinks. In contrast, subjects using citrus fruits and having good nutritional status showed low prevalence.

Globally convergent computation of chemical equilibrium composition.

We report the Newton-Raphson based globally convergent computational method for determination of chemical equilibrium composition. In the computation of chemical equilibrium composition, an appearance of nonpositive value of number of moles of any component leads to discrepancy. The process of conditional backtracking and adaptive set of refining factors for Newton-Raphson steps are employed to resolve the problem. The mathematical formulation proposed by Heuze et al. (J Chem Phys 1985, 83, 4734) has been solved using proposed computational method, instead of empirical iterative formulation, as proposed by them. Results for the same numerical example, used by Heuze et al. (J Chem Phys 1985, 83, 4734) and White et al. (J Chem Phys 1958, 28, 751) are presented in addition to decomposition of Cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine for fixed temperature and pressure. It is observed that the proposed method is efficient and globally convergent. An even noteworthy finding is that the set of refining factors can be chosen from the range 0.1 to eta, where eta may be greater than one depending on how smoothly system of nonlinear equations is dependant on corresponding variable. Related analysis and results are discussed.

Lymphoplasmacyte-rich meningioma at the foramen magnum.

We report a case of lymphoplasmacyte-rich meningioma (LPM) in a 22-year-old woman who presented with headache, hemiparesis and hypoaesthesia. MRI revealed a meningioma at the foramen magnum region that was resected by far-lateral approach. This case represents the second LPM to be reported at this site and highlights the importance of distinguishing it from other lesions that may have significant population of lymphocytes and plasma cells.

Chordoid meningioma: A diagnostic dilemma.

Chordoid meningioma (CM), classified as Grade II/atypical meningioma according to the World Health Organization classification, is a rare subtype, which represents only 0.5% of all meningiomas. Morphologically, it can mimic other chondroid and myxoid tumors within the brain and its vicinity thus posing a diagnostic challenge. Accurate diagnosis, therefore, assumes importance as these tumors have an aggressive clinical course and propensity to recur compared to classical meningiomas. Furthermore, the prognosis and treatment strategies vary when compared to tumors with morphological overlap. We present a case of CM in a 14-year-old girl and discuss its clinicopathological and immunohistochemical features.

Effects of high-dose inhaled fluticasone propionate via spacer on cell-mediated immunity in healthy volunteers.

BACKGROUND: Systemic corticosteroids are known to alter cell-mediated immunity (CMI). However, the effects of inhaled steroids on CMI are unclear. We therefore sought to assess CMI following high-dose inhaled steroids in healthy subjects. METHODS: Ten healthy nonasthmatic subjects self-administered fluticasone propionate (FP), 440 microg bid, with a spacer device. CMI was assessed by delayed hypersensitivity skin testing to multiple antigens and in vitro by phytohemagglutinin (PHA) stimulation of peripheral blood T lymphocytes. Percentages of CD3(+), CD4(+), and CD3(+)CD8(+) cells expressing CD69(+) were determined by three-color flow cytometry. Studies were conducted before and after 4 weeks of FP treatment. RESULTS: After 4 weeks of FP treatment, two of nine subjects became anergic, whereas six of nine subjects had reduced skin responses (one subject was excluded). Mean total skin test score fell from 18.4+/-10.9 to 9.1 +/-7.2 mm (p = 0.02). There was a decline in tuberculin responses in all four subjects who were positive prior to FP treatment. Following FP treatment, the percentage of unstimulated (from control subjects receiving saline solution) CD3(+)CD4(+)CD69(+) cells declined from 14.8+/-4.2% to 8. 5+/-4.6% (p = 0.02) and the CD3(+)CD8(+)CD69(+) cells decreased from 29.7+/-12.7% to 17.1 +/-5.0% (p = 0.007). PHA stimulation produced significant increases in the percentage of CD3(+)CD4(+)CD69(+) cells before and after FP treatment (67.0+/-9.1%, p<0.02 before FP; 55.4+/-17.0%, p<0.02 after FP), and in the percentage of CD3(+)CD8(+)CD69(+) cells before and after treatment (79.7+/-9.3%, p<0.03 before FP; 71.2+/-11.4%, p = 0. 008 after FP). CONCLUSIONS: High doses of FP suppress the proportion of activated circulating T cells but do not affect the ability of T cells to respond to direct stimulation with PHA. However, depression of skin test responses to antigens following treatment with FP suggests an impairment of in vivo clinical manifestations of T-cell activation by a mechanism that requires further investigation.

Evaluation of a hospital based cytology screening programme for reduction in life time risk of cervical cancer.

Hospital based cytology screening is one of the suggested alternative strategies for the developing countries. The present communication attempts to estimate the reduction in lifetime risk of cervical cancer initiated through a hospital based single lifetime screening programme. The percent reduction in cumulative incidence of cervical cancer during lifetime in different age groups of women was calculated after estimating the number of incident cases in the absence as well as presence of screening. Our analysis revealed that by introducing the single life time cytology screening in the group of hospital attending population, an overall reduction in the cumulative incidence of cervical cancer during lifetime was found to be 10.2%. It was further estimated that the reduction was much less in the early age groups (2.4-10.2% in 20-34 years) as compared to later age groups (11.2-55.6% in 35+ years).

Efficacy of a hospital based cytology screening program.

From 1976 to 1986, a total of 117,471 women attending gynecologic outpatient departments of six hospitals in Delhi, India, were screened cytologically. The cytodiagnosis revealed 30,399 (25.9%) normal finding, 84,889 (72.3%) inflammatory changes, 1910 (1.6%) dysplasia of various grades and 213 (0.2%) malignant lesions. Of the 213 cases detected as malignant, clinical suspicion of cervical cancer was not present in 125 women (58.7%). Histologically malignancy was confirmed in 192 women (90.1%) of the 213 cytologically diagnosed malignant cases. The diagnosis revealed 94 (49.0%) as carcinoma in situ and the rest of the cases were invasive lesions. This was in contrast to only 5.2% (10/194) of cases with carcinoma in situ seen at the cancer clinic during 1983-1986 in one of the major collaborating hospitals of Delhi. The analysis of data according to age revealed that median age at detection of mild/moderate, severe dysplasia, carcinoma in situ (CIS) and invasive cancers was 34.0, 37.9, 38.6, and 47.8 years, respectively, indicating a latency period of one and a half decade from the onset of precursor lesions to invasive disease. Mass population screening in our country is not feasible in the near future and this may be true also for other developing countries. In its absence cytological screening of patients attending hospitals and maternity homes can give a large yield of early cervical cancers, which are curable.

Laparoscopic surgery and its potential for medical complications.

Laparoscopic surgery is very popular among physicians and patients because this technique is associated with safety, shorter hospital stay, early return to normal activity, and cosmetic acceptance of the operative scar. Although the procedure involves minimal invasion and tissue damage, it has potentially serious complications, including cardiopulmonary effects that result mainly from hypercarbia and raised intraabdominal pressure caused by pneumoperitoneum. Absorbed carbon dioxide from the peritoneal cavity tends to cause acidosis. Leakage of the gas into tissue spaces may induce subcutaneous emphysema, pneumothorax, pneumomediastinum and pneumopericardium. Cardiac effects include arrhythmias, hypotension, cardiac arrest, gas embolism, pulmonary edema, and myocardial ischemia or infarction. Some of these effects, though rare, are serious and potentially fatal. Physicians should anticipate these problems in their patients undergoing laparoscopic procedures. This review discusses the technique of and physiologic considerations in laparoscopic surgery as well as its potential complications.

Immunohistochemical expression of IDH1 in gliomas: a tissue microarray-based approach.

BACKGROUND: Mutations in the gene encoding isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH1) have been reported in gliomas. This study analyses a series of 184 glioma cases in a tissue microarray (TMA)-based approach to assess the frequency of R132H point mutations in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue samples. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 195 gliomas (30 pilocytic astrocytoma (PA), 45 diffuse astrocytoma [DA], 75 glioblastoma multiforme [GBM], 25 oligodendroglioma [OLIG] and 20 ependymoma [EPEN]). A TMA of core size 1.0 mm was constructed using a semi-automatic tissue arrayer. Immunohistochemical staining for IDH1, p53 and EGFR proteins was performed by the labeled sterptavidin avidin biotin LSAB method. RESULTS: The frequency of mutant IDH1 detection by immunohistochemistry on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue was 15.8% in 29/184 tumors found suitable for evaluation. DA, OLIG and GBM showed IDH1 expression in 17/40 (42.5%), 5/22 (22.7%) and 7/72 (9.7%) cases, respectively. Of all the GBMs, prim-GBM showed immunoexpression in 1/7 (1.5%) while sec-GBM showed IDH1 expression in 6/7 (85.7%). PA and EPEN did not react with anti-IDH1 antibody. DA and GBM showed positive correlation with p53, but IDH1 and EGFR coexpression was rare. CONCLUSION: Monoclonal antibody to IDH1 (R132) is a useful and less-labor-intensive method to detect mutations in gliomas. IDH1 is a useful immunohistochemical marker to differentiate reactive gliosis from low-grade astrocytoma, has potential as an independent prognostic marker and also helps in distinguishing primary from secondary GBM. Its sensitivity and specificity need to be assessed by simultaneous sequencing and its validation on clinically annotated samples.

Gas chromatographic analysis of organochlorine pesticides in Lake Anasagar of Ajmer, Rajasthan (India).

Anasagar is a perennial, shallow fresh water body which is degraded because of agricultural and other anthropogenic activities, such as input of detergent, sewage disposal, human settlement around the lake etc. In the lake waters as well as in the catchment area, pesticides are being used by the farmers which lead to contamination of water. Gas chromatographic analysis of 120 contaminated water samples collected from the lake was carried out. The organochlorine pesticides recorded in the samples were Heptachlor, beta-HCH, gamma-HCH, Aldrin, DDT and Endosulfan. The average ranges of these pesticides were 0.0224 ppm, 0.1035 ppm, 0.0478 ppm, 0.0041 ppm, 0.1381 ppm and 0.5051 ppm, respectively. The study revealed that water of Anasagar is highly contaminated with these synthetic pesticides. Among these agrochemicals, the level of Endosulfan, DDT and Y-HCH were found to be significantly high in the lake. Therefore, the research efforts are needed to conserve the wetland as well as to minimise the impacts of agrochemicals on the lake ecosystem.

Cold-adapted and rhizosphere-competent strain of Rahnella sp. with broad-spectrum plant growth-promotion potential.

A phosphate-solubilizing bacterial strain isolated from Hippophae rhamnoides rhizosphere was identified as Rahnella sp. based on its phenotypic features and 16S rRNA gene sequence. The bacterial strain showed the growth characteristics of a cold-adapted psychrotroph, with the multiple plant growth-promoting traits of inorganic and organic phosphate solubilization, 1-aminocyclopropane-1- carboxylate-deaminase activity, ammonia generation, and siderophore production. The strain also produced indole- 3-acetic acid, indole-3-acetaldehyde, indole-3-acetamide, indole-3-acetonitrile, indole-3-lactic acid, and indole-3- pyruvic acid in tryptophan-supplemented nutrient broth. Gluconic, citric and isocitric acids were the major organic acids detected during tricalcium phosphate solubilization. A rifampicin-resistant mutant of the strain exhibited high rhizosphere competence without disturbance to the resident microbial populations in pea rhizosphere. Seed bacterization with a charcoal-based inoculum significantly increased growth in barley, chickpea, pea, and maize under the controlled environment. Microplot testing of the inoculum at two different locations in pea also showed significant increase in growth and yield. The attributes of coldtolerance, high rhizosphere competence, and broad-spectrum plant growth-promoting activity exhibited the potential of Rahnella sp. BIHB 783 for increasing agriculture productivity.