Credibility assessment of cold adaptive Pseudomonas jesenni MP1 and P. palleroniana N26 on growth, rhizosphere dynamics, nutrient status, and yield of the kidney bean cultivated in Indian Central Himalaya.

Kidney bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) productivity and nutritional quality are declining due to less nutrient accessibility, poor soil health, and indigent agronomic practices in hilly regions, which collectively led to a fall in farmer's income, and to malnutrition in consumers. Addressing such issues, the present investigation was designed to assess the impact of Pseudomonas jesenii MP1 and Pseudomonas palleroniana N26 treatment on soil health, microbial shift, yield, and nutrient status of the kidney bean in the Harsil and Chakrata locations of Indian Central Himalaya. P. jesenii MP1 and P. palleroniana N26 were characterized as cold adaptive PGPR as they possessed remarkable in vitro plant growth promoting traits. Further, field trial study with PGPR treatments demonstrated remarkable and prolific influence of both strains on yield, kidney bean nutrient status, and soil health at both geographical locations, which was indicated with improved grain yield (11.61%-23.78%), protein (6.13%-24.46%), and zinc content (21.86%-61.17%) over control. The metagenomic study revealed that use of bioinoculants also concentrated the nutrient mobilizing and plant beneficial microorganisms in the rhizosphere of the kidney bean. Moreover, correlation analysis also confirmed that the plant growth-promoting traits of P. jesenii MP1 and P. palleroniana N26 are the basis for improved yield and nutrient status of the kidney bean. Further, cluster and principal component analysis revealed that both P. jesenii MP1 and P. palleroniana N26 exhibited pronounced influence on yield attributes of the kidney bean at both the locations. At the Harsil location, the P. jesenii MP1-treated seed demonstrated highest grain yield over other treatments, whereas at Chakarata, P. jesenii MP1, and P. palleroniana N26 treatment showed almost equal enhancement (~23%) in grain yield over control. The above results revealed that these bioinoculants are efficient plant growth promoters and nutrient mobilizers; they could be used as green technology to improve human health and farmer's income by enhancing soil health, yield, and nutrient status of the kidney bean at hilly regions.

Prone posterior retroperitoneoscopic access to the kidney in children: the controlled optical trocar approach.

INTRODUCTION: Conventional access for renal surgery through the retro-peritoneum includes the blind percutaneous approach using a haemostatic clip and the Gaur balloon dissection technique or alternatively the open cut-down approach. The authors present a video detailing the technique of optical access into the retro-peritoneum. OBJECTIVE: Demonstration of the optical access technique into the retroperitoneal space using the optical trocar. METHOD: Video describing the technique is carried out. With the patient in the prone position the optical trocar is introduced posteriorly traversing the different layers under vision to safely enter the space just outside gerota's fascia. Blunt dissection with the telescope tip and positive pressure aids creation of the working space. RESULTS: A total of 35 renal surgeries including nephrectomy and nephro-ureterectomy were performed via optical access to the retro-peritoneum. Ages ranged from 6 months to 14 years, and kidney sizes ranged from 1.6 cm to 15 cm, with operating times being 66-137 min. No complications or conversions were encountered. DISCUSSION: Optical access as described previously is achieved with a small incision, with complete control at every stage of the access with no room for error or subjective feeling. At all points, the operator recognises the different layers and is able to predictably reach the right space very quickly and safely. In contrast, the percutaneous technique was blind and the open cut-down required a bigger incision and was practically quite challenging in obese patients with leakage around the port and surgical emphysema. Optical access overcame all these drawbacks and made it reliable, predictable and reproducible. CONCLUSION: Access to the retroperitoneum in the prone posterior approach is achieved safely under vision and is reproducible. Every step in this access is performed in a controlled way and is therefore more predictable as compared to conventional techniques.

The larval specific lymphatic filarial ALT-2: induction of protection using protein or DNA vaccination.

Genes from the infective stage of lymphatic filarial parasites expressed at the time of host invasion have been identified as potential vaccine candidates. By screening an L3 cDNA library with sera from uninfected longstanding residents of an area endemic for onchocerciasis, so-called "endemic normals" (EN), we have cloned and characterized one such gene termed the abundant larval transcript two (ALT-2). The stage specificity of ALT-2 gene transcription and protein synthesis was confirmed by PCR using genespecific primers, and by western blot analysis of protein extracts from various stages of the parasite life cycle using specific antisera. Significant differences in antibody response to the recombinant ALT-2 were observed in endemic populations with differing clinical manifestations of lymphatic filariasis with an antibody response present in sera from 18 of 25 (72%) EN subjects compared to 9 of 25 (36%) with subclinical microfilaracmia (MF) and 14 of 25 (52%) of those with chronic lymphatic obstruction (CP) (P=0.01 for comparison of EN to CP or to MF). This differential responsiveness suggests that the protective immunity postulated to account for their uninfected status might be associated with a response to this protein. When the utility of ALT-2 as a vaccine candidate was tested in a murine model using either recombinant protein or a DNA vaccine construct, statistically significant protection was observed when compared to a control filarial gene product expressed across all stages of the parasite lifecycle (SXP-1; P=0.02 for protein and P=0.01 for the DNA vaccine) or compared to adjuvant alone. This level of protection indicates that this vaccine is a promising candidate for further development.