Endophytic Alkalotolerant Plant Growth-Promoting Bacteria Render Maize (Zea mays L.) Growth Under Alkaline Stress.

This study investigates the role of bacterial endophytes from extreme alkaline environments in alleviating alkaline stress and plant development. Stressful environmental factors, such as soil acidity and alkalinity/sodicity, frequently affect plant development. In the present study, alkaline-tolerant endophytic strains were isolated from three plant species Saccharum munja, Calotropis procera, and Chenopodium album, and 15 out of the total of 48 isolates were selected for further examination of their abiotic stress tolerance. Molecular analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing revealed strains from Enterobacter, Acinetobacter, Stenotrophomonas, Bacillus, Lysinibacillus, and Mammaliicoccus genera. Out of 15 isolates based on their quantitative PGP traits and abiotic stress tolerance, 6 were finally selected for greenhouse experiments. Under alkaline conditions, results demonstrated that the strains from the genera Enterobacter, Bacillus, Stenotrophomonas, and Lysinibacillus had beneficial effects on maize growth. These findings suggest that using a combination of bacteria with multiple plant growth-promoting attributes could be a sustainable approach to enhance agricultural yield, even in a challenging alkaline environment. The study concludes that the application of bacterial endophytes from plants growing in extremely alkaline environments might provide other plants with similar stress-tolerance abilities. The outcome of the study provides a basis for future exploration of the mechanisms underlying endophyte-induced stress tolerance.

Molecular characterization of Moniezia denticulata (Rudolphi, 1810) and its distinction from M. expansa infecting sheep and goats raised in the north and north-western regions of India.

The tapeworms of Moniezia spp. are heteroxenous parasites and their adult forms occur in ruminants' alimentary tract. They steal a significant portion of hosts' nourishment initiating monieziasis, thereby inflicting economic losses in animal rearing. Despite their high economic importance, the molecular characterization and taxonomic status of these parasites have remained poorly understood. In the present study, cestodes were isolated from the sheep and goats' intestines and were stained with Gower's carmine. Upon careful evaluation of morphological characters, 2 species Moniezia denticulata and Moniezia expansa were identified. The genomic DNA was extracted and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplified targeting regions of mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1), small subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA) and internal transcribed spacer 1­5.8S rRNA (ITS1­5.8S rRNA) genes followed by sequencing. The partial sequences of cox1, SSU rRNA and ITS1­5.8S rRNA genes of M. denticulata generated in the present study revealed that even though they share high similarities with M. benedeni (93.2% cox1; 92.6% SSU rRNA; 84.70% ITS1­5.8S rRNA) and M. expansa (88.85% cox1; 92.27% SSU rRNA; 81.70% ITS1­5.8S rRNA), they are not identical to them. In the maximum likelihood phylogenetic trees, M. denticulata and M. expansa consistently appeared as distinct species from each other. The high values of pairwise divergence between these 2 species collected in the present study confirmed their separate identity. The present study reports the first molecular characterization of M. denticulata with reference to M. expansa infecting sheep and goats in India.

Comparison of two doses of leucovorin in severe low-dose methotrexate toxicity - a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Leucovorin (folinic acid) is a commonly used antidote for severe toxicity with low-dose methotrexate, but its optimum dose is unclear, varying from 15 to 25 mg every 6-h. METHODS: Open-label RCT included patients with severe low-dose (≤ 50 mg/week) methotrexate toxicity defined as WBC ≤ 2 × 10^9/L or platelet ≤ 50 × 10^9/L and randomized them to receive either usual (15 mg) or high-dose (25 mg) intravenous leucovorin given every 6-h. Primary outcome was mortality at 30-days and secondary outcomes were hematological recovery and mucositis recovery. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: CTRI/2019/09/021152. RESULTS: Thirty-eight patients were included, most with underlying RA who had inadvertently overdosed MTX (taken daily instead of weekly). At randomization, the median white blood and platelet count were 0.8 × 10^9/L and 23.5 × 10^9/L. 19 patients each were randomized to receive either usual or high-dose leucovorin. Number (%) of deaths over 30-days was 8 (42) and 9 (47) in usual and high-dose leucovorin groups (Odds ratio 1.2, 95% CI 0.3 to 4.5, p = 0.74). On Kaplan-Meier, there was no significant difference in survival between the groups (hazard ratio 1.1, 95% CI 0.4 to 2.9, p = 0.84). On multivariable cox-regression, serum albumin was the only predictor of survival (hazard ratio 0.3, 95% CI 0.1 to 0.9, p = 0.02). There was no significant difference in hematological or mucositis recovery between the two groups. CONCLUSION: There was no significant difference in survival or time-to hematological recovery between the two doses of leucovorin. Severe low-dose methotrexate toxicity carried a significant mortality.

Molecular Characterization of Avitellina lahorea Woodland, 1927 (Class Cestoda; Family Anoplocephalidae) Infecting Sheep and Goats Raised in India.

PURPOSE: Tapeworms of Avitellina spp. are among those gastrointestinal parasitic helminths which infect wild and domestic ruminants worldwide leading to various clinical manifestations in the ruminant hosts, thereby causing considerable economic losses in livestock production. While these worms are among the major constraints in ruminant livestock raising, there is very meagre molecular information available making their identity error-prone. This study aimed to provide insights into the genetic characterization of these economically important tapeworms. METHODS: In the present study, we examined 480 guts of slaughtered goats (n = 413) and sheep (n = 67) of which 74 guts were found infected with anoplocephalid cestodes (sheep gut:18; goat gut:56). A total of 27 Avitellina lahorea worms (19 from goat and 8 from sheep) were isolated, fixed, relaxed and stained using Gower's carmine stain. For molecular analyses, the genomic DNA was extracted and fragments of cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) gene, internal transcribed spacer1-5.8S ribosomal RNA (ITS1-5.8S rRNA) gene, and small subunit ribosomal RNA (18S rRNA) gene were amplified and sequenced. RESULTS: Based on snail-shaped paruterine organs and other morphological and morphometric features, the worms were identified as Avitellina lahorea. The phylogenetic analyses, based on our original cox1 gene sequence and those available from NCBI GenBank, showed Avitellina tapeworms as a sister lineage of Thysaniezia with 14 to 17% genetic divergence. Molecular analyses of 18S rRNA gene sequences depicted the present isolate as one of the species of the genus Avitellina clustering with A. centripunctata as a separate species in the phylogenetic tree with 92% homogeneity in sequences. In conjunction with existing data of internal transcribed spacer1-5.8S rRNA (ITS1-5.8S rRNA) gene, the phylogenetic analysis placed the present isolate among the anoplocephalids as one of the species. CONCLUSION: The present study is the first molecular report on A. lahorea isolated from sheep and goats with the simultaneous use of a morphological approach, and certainly contributes to bridging the existing gaps in the understanding of these economically important parasites.

ZnO Nanostructures Doped with Various Chloride Ion Concentrations for Efficient Photocatalytic Degradation of Methylene Blue in Alkaline and Acidic Media.

In this study, chloride (Cl−) ions were successfully doped into ZnO nanostructures by the solvothermal method. The effect of various Cl− concentrations on the photocatalytic activity of ZnO towards the photodegradation of methylene blue (MB) under the illumination of ultraviolet light was studied. The as-prepared Cl−-doped ZnO nanostructures were analyzed in terms of morphology, structure, composition and optical properties. XRD data revealed an average crystallite size of 23 nm, and the XRD patterns were assigned to the wurtzite structure of ZnO even after doping with Cl−. Importantly, the optical band gap of various Cl ion-doped ZnO nanostructures was successively reduced from 3.42 to 3.16 eV. The photodegradation efficiency of various Cl− ion-doped ZnO nanostructures was studied for MB in aqueous solution, and the relative performance of each Cl ion-doped ZnO sample was as follows: 20% Cl−-doped ZnO > 15% Cl−-doped ZnO > 10% Cl−-doped ZnO > 5% Cl−-doped ZnO > pristine ZnO. Furthermore, the correlation of the pH of the MB solution and each Cl ion dopant concentration was also investigated. The combined results of varying dopant levels and the effect of the pH of the MB solution on the photodegradation process verified the crucial role of Cl− ions in activating the degradation kinetics of MB. Therefore, these newly developed photocatalysts could be considered as alternative materials for practical applications such as wastewater treatment.

Changing spectrum of acute poisoning in North India: A hospital-based descriptive study.

OBJECTIVES: Evaluating local trends and continued monitoring of patterns of acute poisoning are essential for prompt recognition of the toxidromes, the establishment of immediate treatment facilities (e.g., antidote availability), and effective preventive strategies (e.g., governmental regulation on hazardous substances marketing). We aimed to describe the prevalence of the various types of poisoning and associated case fatality in our academic hospital in North India. METHODS: A prospective observational descriptive study was conducted, enrolling patients aged ≥13 years with acute poisoning for 17 months from December 2016 to December 2017 and from September 2019 to December 2019, for a total of 17 months. RESULTS: Four hundred and two patients were enrolled (median age 28 years; 63.2% males). Majority of the acute poisoning cases resulted from ingestion (n = 391, 97.3%) and the primary intention was most commonly self-harm (n = 314, 78.1%). The major types of poisoning were pesticide (n = 264, 65.7%), drug overdose (n = 77, 19.2%), and corrosive ingestion (n = 31, 7.7%). Pesticides included insecticides (n = 146, 36.3%; cholinesterase inhibitors, n = 91), fungicides (n = 76, 18.9%; all aluminum phosphide), herbicides (n = 22, 5.5%; paraquat, n = 19), and rodenticides (n = 20, 5.0%; coumarin-derived substances, n = 12). Benzodiazepines (n = 33) and opioids (n = 25) were frequent causes of drug overdose. 95.3% (n = 379) received preliminary treatment at the previous health-care center, including gastric lavage (n = 239) and antidotes (n = 73). In-hospital case fatality rate was 17.3% (n = 58). CONCLUSION: Herbicide ingestion and opioid overdose are emerging threats with a gradual decline in organophosphate and aluminum phosphide poisoning. Despite improving management of acute poisoning, the overall case fatality rate remains substantial.

Elimination of coexisting canna yellow mottle virus, bean yellow mosaic virus and cucumber mosaic virus from Canna generalis cv. black knight through in vitro chemotherapy of rhizome explants.

During our previous study, the mixed infection of canna yellow mottle virus (CaYMV), bean yellow mosaic virus (BYMV), and cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) was identified in a Black Knight cultivar of canna exhibiting severe yellow streak and mottling symptoms. Before the development of the virus-free plants, the ability of callogenesis and organogenesis from the ovary, stalk, and rhizome explants was tested on different concentrations and combinations of TDZ, NAA, BAP, and Ads growth regulators. The performance of rhizome explants was above all the explant types and 33.33 ± 1.67 rhizomes (out of 50 placed) showed callus development on ME medium (MS supplemented with 0.8 mg/L TDZ and 0.25 mg/L NAA) and further on a refined M4 medium (MS supplemented with 4.0 mg/L BAP, 1.0 mg/L NAA and 50 mg/L Ads) produced 4.06 ± 0.16 shoots per explant. The development of virus-free plants was attempted by in vitro chemotherapy using ribavirin. Not only in callogenesis and shoot development but also in the ribavirin treatments, rhizomes developed about 3.78 ± 0.68 shoots per explant on 40 mg/L ribavirin in the ME medium. These optimizations suggested that ME medium for callogenesis, M4 medium for shoot development and the treatment of 40 mg/L ribavirin for 30 days at M4 medium was effective. The elimination of coinfection of all three viruses from rhizome explants of 0.5 cm2 of the Black Knight cultivar was attempted. Consequently, a total of 53.33% of plants free from all three viruses (48 out of the 90 plants developed) were obtained when screened by RT-PCR and PCR for their absence.

Magnesium sulfate in organophosphorus compound poisoning: A prospective open-label clinician-initiated intervention trial with historical controls.

Background: The addition of magnesium sulfate (MgSO4) to standard treatment has improved mortality and morbidity associated with organophosphorus compound (OPC) poisoning. We aimed to assess the effectiveness of adjunctive intravenous MgSO4 (IV MgSO4) in poisoning from OPCs. Methods: Forty-seven cases and 72 controls were recruited to this prospective open-label clinician-initiated intervention trial after admitting OPC poisoning. All patients received standard treatment for anticholinesterase poisoning, and oximes were not used. Cases were divided into two groups. Group A (22 patients) received IV MgSO4 at 4 g/day in four divided doses (1 g every 6 h) on day 1. Group B (25 patients) received the same daily dose of IV MgSO4 throughout the hospital stay. Group C (72 patients) represents historical controls who did not receive IV MgSO4. The primary outcome was inhospital mortality. The secondary outcomes included the development of intermediate syndrome (IMS), the requirement of mechanical ventilation (MV), duration of MV, and length of hospital stay. Results: Baseline parameters in both groups were comparable. There is no statistically significant difference in mortality among three groups (Group A: 2/22, 9.1%; Group B: 5/25, 20% and Group C: 6/72, 8.3%). Results were similar for the development of IMS, the requirement of MV, length of MV, and duration of hospital stay. Conclusion: IV MgSO4 did not result in better outcomes compared with standard care alone in OPC poisoning.

The cortical and subcortical correlates of face pareidolia in the macaque brain.

Face detection is a foundational social skill for primates. This vital function is thought to be supported by specialized neural mechanisms; however, although several face-selective regions have been identified in both humans and nonhuman primates, there is no consensus about which region(s) are involved in face detection. Here, we used naturally occurring errors of face detection (i.e. objects with illusory facial features referred to as examples of 'face pareidolia') to identify regions of the macaque brain implicated in face detection. Using whole-brain functional magnetic resonance imaging to test awake rhesus macaques, we discovered that a subset of face-selective patches in the inferior temporal cortex, on the lower lateral edge of the superior temporal sulcus, and the amygdala respond more to objects with illusory facial features than matched non-face objects. Multivariate analyses of the data revealed differences in the representation of illusory faces across the functionally defined regions of interest. These differences suggest that the cortical and subcortical face-selective regions contribute uniquely to the detection of facial features. We conclude that face detection is supported by a multiplexed system in the primate brain.

Development of a protocol for the elimination of Cyrtanthus elatus virus-A from Narcissus tazetta by in vitro chemotherapy in combination with electrotherapy.

Narcissus (Narcissus tazetta) is a bulbous ornamental plant propagated vegetatively from bulbs. The Cyrtanthus elatus virus-A (CyEV-A) had been reported to cause a severe mosaic and yellow stripe disease in narcissus. Therefore, this study aimed to develop a protocol for the elimination of CyEV-A from infected bulblets by in vitro chemotherapy (30-50 mg/L ribavirin for 30 days) and electrotherapy (10-30 mA for 20 min), individually and in combination, to produce virus-free plants. The regenerated plants obtained from these treatments were screened for the absence of the CyEV-A by reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction assays using a set of degenerate primers specific for a potyvirus coat protein gene. The results showed that in vitro chemotherapy (30 mg/L ribavirin for 30 days) alone produced 46.0 % (14/30) of virus-free plants, while electrotherapy (20 mA for 20 min) alone produced 40.0 % (12/30) of virus-free plants. In comparison, a combination of chemotherapy (30 mg/L ribavirin for 30 days) and electrotherapy (20 mA for 20 min) produced 50.0 % (15/30) of virus-free plants. The virus-free plants obtained from this combination treatment exhibited better growth and produced more bulbs compared to the other treatments and control. The protocol may be used for the control of the virus disease in narcissus.

Mechanistic investigations on antifungal and antiaflatoxigenic activities of chemically characterised Carum carvi L. essential oil against fungal infestation and aflatoxin contamination of herbal raw materials.

This study aimed to investigate the efficiency of chemically characterised Carum carvi essential oil (CcEO) against aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) producing strain of Aspergillus flavus (AF-LHP-WS-4) causing deterioration of herbal raw materials (HRM). GC-MS analysis of the EO revealed the presence of carvone (69.85%) as a dominant component. CcEO caused complete suppression of A. flavus growth and AFB1 secretion at 0.7 and 0.6 µL/mL, respectively. The investigation on antifungal mode of action showed that CcEO inhibited fungal growth via abrogating ergosterol biosynthesis and triggered efflux of vital cellular ions. The inhibition of AFB1 biosynthesis was attributed to the inhibition of cellular methylglyoxal (MG) biosynthesis. In addition, CcEO showed remarkable antioxidant activity (IC50 = 10.564 µL/mL) against DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) radicals. Based on overall results, it can be concluded that the CcEO may be recommended as potential antifungal agent for protection of HRM from fungal infestation and AFB1 contamination.

Beyond the role of participant: a firsthand account of the experiences of a patient-oriented research team.

BACKGROUND: Immigrants often find accessing and navigating the healthcare system difficult upon arriving in Canada. Existing challenges of accessing healthcare due to differing cultural norms, language barriers, limited health literacy, and system complexity have been outlined extensively in literature; however, evidence-informed practices to mitigate these disparities have yet to be determined. Our research team took a patient-oriented research (POR) approach to learn more about the lived experiences of immigrants as they attempt to access and navigate the health system upon immigrating to Canada. POR is a method that involves patients beyond the role of participant, recognizing the lived experiences of patients as expertise and empowering patient partners to drive research priorities. This approach empowers patient partners to steer the direction of research, ensuring the study is relevant and patient priorities are addressed. MAIN BODY: In this article, we define POR and share our team's experience of engaging in POR by providing a synopsis of team member recruitment, research priority establishment, and relationship building. We also share how joining forces with patient partners, rather than solely engaging with them as participants, benefits research endeavors and ensures patient priorities are addressed. Lastly, we present examples of how conducting POR leads to increased research capacity and personal growth for both patient partners and researchers. CONCLUSION: Building the foundation of this study through the perspectives of patient partners has provided insight into the difficulties immigrants experience when attempting to access and navigate the health care system that can only be understood through first-hand experience. Engaging patients as active partners on research teams enhances the potential of strengthened patient engagement, increased patient commitment to treatment, and leads to improved health outcomes. Furthermore, POR provides researchers, patients, and those serving the community at hand, an opportunity to learn from one another.

Immigrants often find accessing and navigating the healthcare system difficult upon arriving in Canada. Difficulties are often due to cultural differences, language barriers, limited health literacy, and health system complexity. This article shares the experiences of our research team as we engaged in patient-oriented research (POR) to better understand the unique barriers faced by newcomers trying to access and navigate the health system after immigrating to Canada.POR teams include researchers, patient partners, health care providers, and policymakers working together throughout each stage of the research process. This method of research embraces patient experience as expertise and provides patients an opportunity to influence decisions about their care. This research approach is aimed to improve patient outcomes by focusing on patient priorities.Through sharing our experiences, this article defines POR, describes the creation of our research team, and shares how impactful co-creating research with patients was for our team. Lastly, we provide examples of how taking a POR approach can increase research capacity and personal growth for both patient partners and researchers.

Exploring the knowledge, attitude, and practice of health-care professionals on coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic infection.

BACKGROUND: To prevent the rapid spread of infectious COVID-19 in India, many steps have been taken. Adherence to the control measures depends on the knowledge, attitude, and practices (KAPs) toward COVID-19 disease in health-care professionals. The present study was conducted among health-care professionals in Jaipur. The objective was to evaluate the KAPs about COVID-19 among health-care professionals. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 385 participants took part in the study. A self-designed questionnaire was filled by the participants online (Google Form). The knowledge of the participants was assessed using 12 questions. Attitude and practices of the participants were assessed by two questions for each. RESULTS: Among the study completers, 52.20% were male, 71.42% of the participants were aged above 30 years, and 59.22% were nurse. The knowledge score was approximately 90%. The majority of the participants had a strong conviction that India can overcome this infectious disease in the near future. Multiple regression analysis found that good knowledge score of COVID-19 was associated with lower negative attitudes and less risky practices (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Participants of the study were knowledgeable, held positive attitudes, and had adequate practices for COVID-19.

Circulating cardiac biomarkers and echocardiographic abnormalities in patients with scrub typhus: A prospective cohort study from a tertiary care center in North India.

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES: Cardiac injury in scrub typhus is uncommonly reported. We studied the incidence and clinical significance of cardiac involvement among seventy consecutive adult patients of scrub typhus, using circulating cardiac biomarkers, including N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-pro-BNP), troponin T, creatine kinase-muscle/brain isoenzyme (CK-MB) and 2D-echocardiography. METHODS: This was a hospital-based prospective cohort study conducted in the medical emergency of PGIMER, Chandigarh, India. Seventy consecutive patients aged 12 years and above with the diagnosis of scrub typhus were enrolled. RESULTS: Elevations of NT pro-BNP, troponin T, and CK-MB levels were observed in 70 (100%), 51 (72.8%), and 29 (41.4%) patients, respectively. Echocardiography detected reduced ejection fraction (EF) in 30 patients (42.8%) with mild reduction (EF 45-54 %) in 20 (28.5%) and moderate reduction (EF 30-44%) in 10 (14.3%). The age showed a significant difference with EF (p-value 0.003), and the patients with moderate reduction were younger (mean age of 20.7 ± 5.6 years). Pericardial effusion was found in nine patients (12.9%). Increased circulating levels of all the three cardiac biomarkers showed statistically significant association with a systolic dysfunction on echocardiography, and elevated CK-MB level further predicted a longer duration of hospital stay (p-value 0.002). No statistically significant association was observed between cardiac biomarkers or reduced EF and mortality. INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSION: Cardiac injury is a common condition among patients with scrub typhus admitted in a medical emergency; however, it does not influence in-hospital mortality.

Anti-Jo-1 Syndrome Often Misdiagnosed as Rheumatoid Arthritis (for Many Years): A Single-Center Experience.

BACKGROUND: Antisynthetase syndrome is characterized by a triad of myositis, arthritis, and interstitial lung disease. Anti-Jo-1 is the most common associated autoantibody. This study planned to look at the presentation of anti-Jo-1 antisynthetase syndrome in a single Indian center. METHODS AND MATERIALS: This was a medical records review single-center study that included patients with anti-Jo-1 antisynthetase syndrome over 10 years. RESULTS: This study included 27 patients with anti-Jo-1 antisynthetase syndrome, with mean age of 40 ± 9.2 years and female preponderance (female-to-male ratio, 4:1). At presentation, the characteristic triad was present in only 4 patients. A majority presented with the incomplete form, with 2 clinical features (of triad) in 11 and single feature (of triad) being present in 12 patients at initial presentation. Seven presented only with polyarthritis, out of which 6 had been earlier diagnosed as rheumatoid arthritis. Time gap from diagnosis of "rheumatoid arthritis" to antisynthetase syndrome ranged from 3 to 20 years. In patients who had only arthritis in the beginning, there was a significantly longer delay to diagnosis of antisynthetase syndrome, higher frequency of rheumatoid factor, and lower frequency of anti-Ro-52. Overall, outcome was good, with Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group class 1 or 2 in most except 2 patients. CONCLUSIONS: Anti-Jo-1 antisynthetase syndrome commonly presented as incomplete (not a triad) and often only with arthritis. These patients are diagnosed and treated as rheumatoid arthritis for many years, before a diagnosis of antisynthetase syndrome is made. Being aware of this presentation may help in earlier diagnosis by actively searching for subtle clues.

Awareness and adherence to primary and primordial preventive measures among family members of patients with myocardial infarction-the unmet need for a "Preventive Clinic".

Cardiovascular diseases remain the most common cause of sudden death and cause significant morbidity. We planned this study to assess awareness of cardiovascular risk factors among kin of myocardial infarction patients. We assessed 382 individuals for their knowledge of cardiovascular risk factors. Less than 50% of subjects identified cardiovascular risk factors correctly. Amongst the kins of patients 19.1%, 18.5%, 15.4% were newly diagnosed to have hypertension, impaired fasting blood glucose, diabetes in this study. This study reveals that most of the subjects were unaware of risk factors and were reluctant to adopt a healthy lifestyle. This is a lost opportunity for community-level preventive interventions. There is an unmet need for active health education, follow up with electronic support systems, and a team approach for a model preventive clinic.

Retino-choroidal changes in patients with acute pancreatitis: A prospective analysis of a novel biomarker.

BACKGROUND: There is paucity of data on ocular changes in acute Pancreatitis (AP). Moreover, subclinical alterations in retina & choroid have not been studied in AP. OBJECTIVE: To prospectively study retino-choroidal changes in AP. METHODS: Sixty patients (mean age 39.07 years; 41 males) with AP were followed up till recovery/death. Baseline slit-lamp examination, choroidal thickness (CT), retinal thickness (RT), choroidal vascularity index (CVI), retinal capillary density index (CDI) and arteriovenous ratio (AVR) were recorded. The patients were divided into two groups - mild (Group A; 5 patients) and moderately severe/severe (Group B; 55 patients) as per revised Atlanta classification. RESULTS: Fundus examination showed mild optic disc edema with retinal hemorrhages in 6 (10%) patients in group B as compared to none in group A (p = 1.00). None of the patients had Purtscher retinopathy. Mean CT (317 ± 56.29 µm) was increased as compared to normal subjects (278.90 ± 57.84 µm, p = 0.003). The mean CVI (0.62 ± 0.04) was decreased as compared to normal (0.66 ± 0.01, p < 0.0001) as was the mean AVR (0.67 ± 0.03 vs. 0.7 ± 0.02, p < 0.0001). However, the mean RT of subjects with AP (239.68 ± 33.76 µm) was not significantly different compared to the normal subjects 253.17 ± 33.67 µm (p=NS). The mean CDI of superficial and deep plexus were comparable between normal and patients with AP. CT, RT, CVI, AVR and CDI were comparable between group A and group B as well as survivors and non-survivors. CONCLUSIONS: Clinically significant ocular changes are seen infrequently in AP. However, subclinical changes in CT, CVI and AVR are observed in patients with AP compared to normal individuals.

Diagnosis of anomalous origin of the right subclavian artery from the right pulmonary artery in a patient with D-transposition of the great arteries utilizing transthoracic echocardiography.

Diagnosis of anomalous origin of the right subclavian artery (AORSA) from the right pulmonary artery (RPA) is usually made using CT, MRI, or invasive angiography. We report a patient diagnosed using transthoracic echocardiography (TTE). A newborn girl prenatally known to have d-TGA presented with cyanosis sparing the right hemithorax and arm. Oxygen saturations on the right hand were persistently higher than on the right ear and other extremities. Repeat TTE using a modified echocardiographic imaging plane allowed for full visualization of the entire subclavian artery course, revealing AORSA from RPA. We discuss further the approach to echocardiographic diagnosis and surgical implications.

Sequence analyses of RT-PCR products obtained from seven infected leaf samples revealed existence of three potyvirus species in Indian narcissus (Narcissus tazetta L.).

Potyvirus species associated with yellow leaf stripe disease of Indian narcissus (Narcissus tazetta L.) var. Paperwhite has been studied by sequence analyses of ~ 1.5 kb genomic fragments obtained from seven RT-PCR amplifications of infected samples. Sequence analysis revealed the occurrence of three potyvirus species: cyrtanthus elatus virus-A (CEVA: KF430815, KF430816, KM066973, KM066974); narcissus yellow stripe virus (NYSV: KM066972, JQ686724) and narcissus degeneration virus (NDV: MK572806). The existence of three potyvirus species: CEVA, NYSV and NDV are being reported in Indian narcissus.