Efficacy of Ocimum tenuiflorum essential oil as grain protectant against coleopteran beetle, infesting stored pulses.

In the present investigation, essential oil (EO) of Ocimum tenuiflorum and its principal constituent (eugenol) was evaluated for its toxicity and mode of action against Callosobruchus maculatus. Furthermore, fumigant toxicity and germination studies on the application of O. tenuiflorum EO and eugenol against C. maculatus on different pulses was also studied. Fumigant activity studies revealed that EO toxicity was significantly (p < 0.05) influenced by concentration and exposure time. In fumigant toxicity assay without food, O. tenuiflorum EO and eugenol showed LC50 value of 278.6 and 256.5 µL/L air, respectively, at one hour exposure. Further, O. tenuiflorum EO displayed fumigant toxicity via inhibiting acetylcholinesterase activity. Pulses treated with O. tenuiflorum EO showed 70% of C. maculatus mortality at 250 µL/L air concentration after 24 h. Furthermore, these treatments didn't affect the seed viability of the pulses tested. Hence, the application of O. tenuiflorum EO has potential scope as a botanical insecticide.

In-vitro evaluation of antimicrobial and insect repellent potential of supercritical-carbon dioxide (SCF-CO2) extracts of selected botanicals against stored product pests and foodborne pathogens.

In the present study, the antimicrobial and the insect repellent activity of 16 botanical extracts obtained by supercritical CO2 (SCF) extraction were evaluated. The present investigation was conducted as there is a necessity for exploration of natural botanical extracts that target both stored product insects and microbes. The antimicrobial activity was studied by disc diffusion and broth microdilution methods against ten microbial species, including Gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis and Listeria monocytogenes), Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli and Salmonella enterica), and fungi (Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus paraciticus, Aspergillus ochraceous, Aspergillus niger and Penicillium verrucosum). Repellency assay was carried out by area preference method against three coleopteran insects (Tribolium castaneum, Rhyzopertha dominica and Sitophilus oryzae). Among all the extracts, thyme and ajwain were effective against all the tested bacteria with a minimum inhibition concentration (MIC) of 256-1024 µg/mL. Hop extract resulted in better antibacterial activity against all the tested Gram-positive bacteria with a MIC of 32-64 µg/mL. Oregano, thyme and ajwain extracts showed broad-spectrum antifungal activity against all the tested fungi with MIC of 128-1024 µg/mL. Most of the extracts exhibited class V (80.1-100%) repellency against T. castaneum. Extracts of hop, ajwain and thyme were found to have strong repellency against T. castaneum and R. dominica. Therefore, SCF extracts of ajwain and thyme can be explored further for the application of bio-extracts as a growth limiting factors in a microcosm where such consortia thrive.

Thyroid dysfunction in patients on antiretroviral therapy: A perspective from southern India.

Background: Thyroid dysfunction in patients with human retroviral infection has been reported but the prevalence of thyroid function abnormalities in patients on highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has not been studied. We aimed to assess the prevalence of thyroid dysfunction and autoimmunity (antithyroid peroxidase auto-antibodies [TPO-Ab]) in patients on first-line HAART, identify risk factors for thyroid dysfunction and determine any association of thyroid dysfunction with HAART. Methods: We screened and enrolled consecutive patients from the outpatient department if they were (i) diagnosed with HIV infection (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay); (ii) aged more than 18 years; (iii) on HAART for 1 year or more; and (iv) clinically stable with no evidence of any acute illness in the past 2 months. We excluded patients who were on drugs that affect thyroid function. Thyroid function tests and CD4 counts were done. Results: A total of 159 patients on firstline HAART were included in the study. Their mean (SD) age was 43.3 (10) years and duration of HAART was 44.4 (33.54) months. The mean CD4 count was 502.8 (274.45). Forty-seven patients (29.6%) had thyroid dysfunction. TPO-Ab positivity was noted in 6 patients. No association was seen between thyroid dysfunction and any type of regimen or drug. There was a significant negative correlation between CD4 counts and thyroid-stimulating harmone (TSH) suggesting that thyroid dysfunction may be more prevalent when immunity is low. Conclusions: There is a high prevalence of thyroid dysfunction, predominantly subclinical hypothyroidism, in patients on HAART. Thyroid autoimmunity is low in this subset of patients. Lower immunity is associated with higher TSH levels. Larger longitudinal studies are required to determine the course of hypothyroidism in patients on HAART.

Insecticidal and oviposition deterrent properties of some spices against coleopteran beetle, Sitophilus oryzae.

Eighteen spices were screened for their insecticidal potential and antiovipositional properties against the rice weevil- Sitophilus oryzae-a serious insect pest of stored food grains. The bioefficacy of the powders and hexane extracts of selected spices were determined by assessing the toxicity, effect on F1 progeny, contact toxicity, persistence and seed viability. Responses varied with the spices, dosage and exposure time. Powders of mace and pepper, at 1% level were highly effective resulting in total mortality of S. oryzae by one week followed by nutmeg and clove with 100% mortality and cinnamon and star anise with 90% mortality at 5% concentration. These spices also completely inhibited F1 progeny. The hexane extracts of these spices at 1,000 ppm showed insecticidal activity, with pepper extract recording 100% mortality by 5 days. S. oryzae was susceptible to clove oil resulting in 92% mortality. Mortality was 51.63% in nutmeg, 66.6% in cinnamon, and 79.8% in case of mace and star anise. Hexane extracts of star anise, cinnamon and clove at 0.59 µl/cm(2) on filter paper discs induced 100% mortality by 72 h. These spices offered protection to wheat up to 9 months without affecting seed germination thereby showing promise as grain protectants.

The Covid-19 effect on medical students' perceptions of their profession: A mixed methods study from South India.

Covid-19 has devastated human lives and stretched the limits of the medical profession and health systems. Using the mixed methods of online survey and online focus group discussions, we assessed how medical students and interns of two medical colleges in South India viewed the profession they had chosen. Of the 900 participants, 571(63.4%) had a positive perception of the medical profession, 77(8.6%) a negative perception and 252(28%) were undecided. The year of study in medical school was significantly associated with their perception of the medical profession, with interns more likely to have a negative perception. An overwhelming 823(91.4%) participants remained confident of their career choice, but a higher proportion of interns were less confident or regretful about their choice of profession compared to first to fourth year students. Most participants experienced moral distress; they acknowledged a duty to care but were troubled by personal risk, inadequate protection, and limited resources. Gaps were identified in medical and ethics training particularly regarding uncertainties and coping with deficiencies of the health system as encountered in the pandemic. The essential role played by doctors with its required competence, care and ethics cannot be assumed or expected without investment in the making of the future doctor through more socially embedded medical education imparting the skills of understanding the public, responding to them and being the advocate for their equitable and optimal care. An ethics of responsiveness emerges as important for healthcare, also for medical education in preparation for future health crises.

The effect of social determinants of health on severity of microbial keratitis presentation at a tertiary eye care hospital in Southern India.

Purpose: Understanding the association between social determinants of health (SDoHs) and microbial keratitis (MK) can inform underlying risk for patients and identify risk factors associated with worse disease, such as presenting visual acuity (VA) and time to initial presentation. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study was conducted with patients presenting with MK to the cornea clinic at a tertiary care hospital in Madurai, India. Patient demographics, SDoH survey responses, geographic pollution, and clinical features at presentation were collected. Descriptive statistics, univariate analysis, multi-variable linear regression models, and Poisson regression models were utilized. Results: There were 51 patients evaluated. The mean age was 51.2 years (SD = 13.3); 33.3% were female and 55% did not visit a vision center (VC) prior to presenting to the clinic. The median presenting logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR) VA was 1.1 [Snellen 20/240, inter-quartile range (IQR) = 20/80 to 20/4000]. The median time to presentation was 7 days (IQR = 4.5 to 10). The average particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5) concentration, a measure of air pollution, for the districts from which the patients traveled was 24.3 µg/m3 (SD = 1.6). Age- and sex-adjusted linear regression and Poisson regression results showed that higher levels of PM2.5 were associated with 0.28 worse presenting logMAR VA (Snellen 2.8 lines, P = 0.002). Patients who did not visit a VC had a 100% longer time to presentation compared to those who did (incidence rate ratio = 2.0, 95% confidence interval = 1.3-3.0, P = 0.001). Conclusion: Patient SDoH and environmental exposures can impact MK presentation. Understanding SDoH is important for public health and policy implications to mitigate eye health disparities in India.

Synthesis, structure, negative thermal expansion, and photocatalytic property of Mo doped ZrV2O7.

A new series of compounds identified in the phase diagram of ZrO(2)-V(2)O(5)-MoO(3) have been synthesized via the solution combustion method. Single crystals of one of the compounds in the series, ZrV(1.50)Mo(0.50)O(7.25), were grown by the melt-cool technique from the starting materials with double the MoO(3) quantity. The room temperature average crystal structure of the grown crystals was solved using the single crystal X-ray diffraction technique. The crystals belong to the cubic crystal system, space group Pa3 (No. 205) with a = 8.8969 (4) Å, V = 704.24 (6) Å(3), and Z = 4. The final R(1) value of 0.0213 was achieved for 288 independent reflections during the structure refinement. The Zr(4+) occupies the special position (4a) whereas V(5+) and Mo(6+) occupy two unique (8c) Wyckoff positions. Two fully occupied O atoms, (24d) and (4b), one partially occupied O atom (8c) have been identified for this molybdovanadate, which is a unique feature for these crystals. The structure is related to both ZrV(2)O(7) and cubic ZrMo(2)O(8). The temperature dependent single crystal studies show negative thermal expansion above 370 K. The compounds have been characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, solid-state UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectra, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The photocatalytic activity of these compounds has been investigated for the degradation of various dyes, and these compounds show specificity toward the degradation of non-azoic dyes.

Molecular Characterization of G6PD Deficiency: Report of Three Novel G6PD Variants.

G6PD deficiency is a monogenic, X-linked genetic defect with a worldwide prevalence of around 400 million people and an overall prevalence of 8.5% in India. Hemolytic anemia is encountered in only a small proportion of patients with G6PD variants and is usually triggered by some exogenous agent. Although G6PD deficiency was reported in India more than 50 years ago, there are very few studies on molecular characterization and phenotypic correlation in G6PD deficient patients. We aimed to study the epidemiology and correlate the phenotypic expression with molecular genotypes in symptomatic G6PD deficient patients. All symptomatic hemolytic anaemia patients with a possible etiology of G6PD deficiency based on the clinical, hematological and biochemical parameters and reduced G6PD enzyme levels were included in this study. Molecular analysis of the G6PD gene was done by direct Sanger sequencing. From a total of 38 patients with hemolytic anemia suspected for G6PD deficiency, 24 patients had reduced G6PD enzyme levels and were included for the molecular analysis and mutations in the G6PD gene were identified in 21 of them (83.3%). The different mutations identified in our study include 6 patients with c.131C > G (G6PD Orissa), 3 patients with c.563C > T (G6PD Mediterranean), two patients with c.825G > T (G6PD Bangkok), one patient each with c.208T > C (G6PD Namouru), c.487G > A (G6PD Mahidol), c.949G > A (G6PD Kerala-Kalyan), c.100 G > A (G6PD Chatham), c.1178C > G (G6PD Nashville), c.1361 G > A (G6PD Andalus) and 4 patients with novel mutations (2 patients with c.1186C > T and 1 patient each with c.1288-2A > T and c.1372C > T. No disease causing genetic variants were identified in the other three cases. Co-inheritance of other red cell and hemoglobin disorders can modify the clinical phenotype of G6PD patients and the diagnostic accuracy can be improved by molecular characterization of the variant.

Cultural Considerations in the Assessment of Survivors of Torture.

The cultural and ethnic landscape of North America is becoming increasingly diverse, with many refugees fleeing torture and persecution and seeking safety in the United States and Canada. In working with this population, clinicians must implement culturally appropriate methods of assessing and treating individuals from diverse backgrounds. Culture can exert a powerful and often misunderstood influence on psychological assessment, and the critical challenge is to account for both subjective experience of the client and the objective symptoms or behaviors present. The present review explores the literature on cross-cultural issues in the assessment of survivors of torture. I summarize best practices and review the theoretical and statistical bases for establishing the equivalence of constructs across cultures. Discussion centers around the utility of a cross-culturally valid measure of distress, and it is hoped that this review will encourage collaboration between clinicians and psychometricians to develop assessments for use with this vulnerable population.

Cultural Predictors of Resilience in a Multinational Sample of Trauma Survivors.

The present study aims to fill a gap in the study of resilience to trauma by examining resilience in a culturally diverse population. Approximately 70% of adults across the globe experience at least one traumatic event in their lifetime, yet resilience is a common response trajectory. This pilot study explored reactions to trauma and psychological resilience in an international sample of trauma-exposed participants. Participants were recruited online using the Amazon Mechanical Turk software and after completing an informed consent, were determined eligible to participate if they endorsed experiencing at least one traumatic event. Eligible participants then completed The Stressful Life Events Questionnaire, Brief Resiliency Scale, Ego Resiliency Scale, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist-Civilian Version, Brief Religious Coping Scale, and Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure. The final sample included 200 trauma exposed adults from nineteen different countries worldwide, with a majority hailing from the United States, India, Sri Lanka and the Philippines. Results revealed that Asian participants scored significantly higher on resilience scales and endorsed higher levels of spiritually focused coping than other subgroups. Multivariate analyses revealed that these differences in resilience remained significant even after controlling for sense of ethnic identity and spiritual coping, suggesting that there may be culturally specific predictors of resilience within the Asian subgroup. Understanding variations in resilience will aid in developing culturally tailored interventions and pursuing a strengths-based approach to recovery from trauma. Limitations and implications are discussed.

Influence of socio-cultural factors on the emotional problems among college going young-adult children of parents with alcoholism: A study from South India.

Young-adult children of parents with alcoholism are vulnerable to anxiety and depression. We studied the prevalence of emotional psychopathology and examined the mediating role of environmental factors (family support, community support and participation in religious rituals) in relation to psychopathology. College students (N = 1555), aged 18-24 years, from urban and rural domicile were screened on Children of Alcoholics Screening Test (CAST) and those who were positive were assessed for emotional psychopathology on Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21). Young-adult children of alcoholics with emotional psychopathology were compared with those without emotional psychopathology on demographic characteristics, quality of life, and a questionnaire which measured the role of socio-cultural factors. 33% (N = 512) of 1555 participants screened were found to be Young-adult children of alcoholics. Among them, 35% (N = 181) reported experiencing emotional psychopathology. Participants with high emotional psychopathology reported receiving less support from the family (8.44 ± 1.19 vs 9.57 ± 1.26, p = 0.003), community (6.97 ± 1.08 vs 8.88 ± 1.19, p = 0.001); they participated less in religious rituals (5 ± 0.18 vs 6.56 ± 0.41, p = 0.008) compared to those without psychopathology. Quality of life was significantly lower among Young-adult children of alcoholics with emotional psychopathology. A considerable proportion of Young-adult children of alcoholics reported emotional psychopathology and their quality of life was poor. The modifiable socio-cultural factors such as family, community support and participation in religious rituals were associated with emotional psychopathology. A better utilization of these factors may mitigate the burden of emotional psychopathology and improve quality of life in this vulnerable group.

Measurement Invariance of the Brief Symptom Inventory in Survivors of Torture and Trauma.

The United States accepts more refugees than any other industrialized nation. As refugee populations grow, mental health professionals must implement culturally and ethnically appropriate strategies to assess and treat individuals from diverse backgrounds. Culture can exert a powerful and often misunderstood influence on psychological assessment, and few structured measures have been demonstrated to have adequate cross-cultural validity for use with diverse and vulnerable populations such as survivors of torture. This study examined the factor structure and equivalency of underlying construct(s) of psychological distress as measured by the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) in three samples who had survived torture and other severe trauma from Tibet, West Africa and the Punjab region of India. Confirmatory factor analyses provided support for configural invariance of a two-factor model across the three samples, suggesting that the two latent factors of Complex Dysphoria and Somatic Distress were present in each subgroup. The data provide additional support for the strict invariance model in the West African-Tibetan dyad suggesting that scores are comparable across those two groups. Implications for research and treatment are discussed.

Trends of head and neck cancers in urban and rural India.

BACKGROUND: The sub-site predilection of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) reflects the risk profile of a community and there are suggestions that these are changing over time. OBJECTIVE: To determine the change in head and neck cancer in rural and urban populations in India. METHODS: Cancer registry data of an urban and a rural population were reviewed over a period of 13 and 11 years, respectively. Age adjusted rates (AAR) and age specific incidence rates were used for data analysis. RESULTS: Oral cancers formed the majority of the head and neck cancers with a predilection for tongue, except in rural males, in whom the pharynx was the predominant sub-site. Overall there was a reduction in the incidence of HNSCC, which was more pronounced in urban females and rural males (p< .001). Among the sub-sites, oral cavity cancers showed a decreasing trend in urban females (p< .01) and rural males (p< .01). However, the trend was towards increase of incidence of tongue cancers. Pharyngeal cancer showed reduction in urban females (p< .01), whereas it increased in rural females. The recent increase in incidence of young adults with HNSCC reported in developed countries was not observed. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, incidence of HNSCC is reducing. This may be attributed to the decreased prevalence of tobacco use. The increase in incidence of tongue cancer may suggest factors other than tobacco and alcohol in its genesis.

Maternal and child health services utilization in married women of age 15- 45 years.

A house-to-house survey was carried out in Edavanakad Panchayat in Ernakulam district of Kerala to study the utilization and satisfaction from the MCH services provided by the Government and private hospitals. In all 92 women of age 15-45 were selected for the study. The use of private hospital for delivery increased with education. Younger women (age <20 years) used equally both the Government and private hospitals. Overall Government hospital was preferred over private. Antenatal practices were very good with 99% of the women having visited a doctor at least 3 times during pregnancy and women who received TT injection (99%) & IFA tablets (98%) respectively were also very good. More housewives used Government services as compared to the workingwomen and found them convenient and satisfying. The further satisfaction in services may be increased by encouraging community participation.

Self reported morbidity and awareness regarding common cancers in elderly women.

A study based on 198 women above 45 years of age was undertaken using interview methods in a house to house survey, to find the self reported morbidity and awareness regarding common cancers and screening tests. In this study the most commonly reported morbidity was due to reproductive system and related problems. Among reported problems the most common was visual (66.5%) followed by joint pains(58.9%). There was a highly significant relationship between Hypertension, Diabetes and age and also highly significant relationship between education and reported morbidity like low back ache, easy fatiguability, Hypertension and Diabetes. Women in the age group (45-55years) had a significantly better awareness about common cancers. 29.7% women were aware of breast self examination (BSE) and 20.6% practicing BSE. It was also found that women belonging to nuclear families were significantly more likely to practice BSE. Two thirds of the respondents did not know about the screening test for Breast Cancer and 83.7% were unaware of the test for cervical cancer.

Municipal Solid Waste Management in Kadapa Town: A Case Study.

Solid waste management (SWM) is a worldwide phenomenon. It is a big challenge all over the world for human beings. The problem of municipal solid waste management (MSWM) is also prevailing in the environment of Kadapa town in India. Therefore, the present study was undertaken to find out the problems and prospects of municipal solid waste in Kadapa town. A detailed investigation was made regarding the methods of practices associated with sources, quantity generated, collection, transportation, storage, treatment and disposal of municipal solid waste in the study area. The data related to SWM in the study area was obtained through questionnaire, individual field visits, interaction with people and authentic record of municipal corporation. Status of the MSW in Kadapa town was studied. The results indicated that the major constituents of municipal solid waste were organic in nature and approximately one fourth of municipal solid waste was recyclable. Detailed data on solid waste management practices, including collection, recovery and disposal method, has been presented in this paper.

Potential factors related to waist circumference in urban South Indian children.

OBJECTIVES: To identify important factors (linked to lifestyle, eating and sedentary behaviors) relating to waist circumference among urban South Indian children aged 3 to 16 years. DESIGN: Cross sectional. SETTING: Urban schools of Bangalore, from August 2008 to January 2010. PARTICIPANTS: 8444 children; 4707 children aged 3-10 years and 3737 children aged 10-16 years. METHODS: Data were collected on the frequency of consumption of certain foods, physical activity patterns, sedentary habits at home, sleep duration and behaviors such as habits of snacking, skipping breakfast, eating in front of television and frequency of eating out. Simple linear regression analysis of waist circumference on various food items, physical activity, behavior and parental BMI were performed. A path model was developed to identify potential causal pathways to increase in waist circumference. RESULTS: Increased consumption of bakery items, non vegetarian foods, increased television viewing, decreased sleep duration, eating while watching television, snacking between meals, family meals, skipping breakfast (in older children), and parental BMI were found to be related to waist circumference. Older children possibly under-reported their intake of unhealthy foods, but not behaviors. CONCLUSIONS: This study identified potential behaviors related to waist circumference in urban school children in India. Longitudinal studies with better measures of morbidity and adiposity are warranted in order to derive casual relationships between various determinants and waist circumference.

Aerobic Fitness and Cognitive Functions in Economically Underprivileged Children Aged 7-9 Years: A preliminary Study from South India.

This study examined the relationship between aerobic fitness and cognitive functions in 7-9 year old school going children hailing from a socio-economically disadvantaged background in Bangalore, India. Ninety eight children (51% boys and 49% girls) were assessed on height, weight, BMI, aerobic fitness (multistage 20 m shuttle test) and cognitive functions (verbal tests: comprehension, arithmetic, vocabulary, analogies; performance tests: block design, object assembly and coding). Number of shuttles was significantly positively correlated with two of the cognitive tests: comprehension (p=0.01) and block design (p=0.005). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that the number of shuttles emerged as an independent predictor of tests of comprehension and block design after adjusting for BMI and gender. The above findings provide preliminary evidence for the association between aerobic fitness and cognitive functions in children from poor socio-economic background.

Waist circumference and waist for height percentiles in urban South Indian children aged 3-16 years.

OBJECTIVES: To develop age and gender specific waist circumference references for urban Indian children aged 3 -16 years. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: Urban preschools and schools of Bangalore. PARTICIPANTS: 9060 children (5172 boys and 3888 girls) in the age group of 3-16 years. METHODS: Weight, height, and waist circumference were measured using standard anthropometric methodology. Percentiles for waist circumference and Waist/height ratio (W/Ht) for each age and gender were constructed and smoothed using the LMS method. RESULTS: Mean waist circumference increased with age for both girls and boys. The upper end of curve in boys continued to increase, whereas in the girls it tended to plateau at 14 years. The waist circumference of the Indian children from the present study was higher than age and sex matched European children. The proportion of children with W/Ht ratio greater than 0.5 decreased as their age increased. CONCLUSIONS: These curves represent the first waist and waist height ratio percentiles for Indian children and could be used as reference values for urban Indian children. We suggest that for a start, the 75th percentile of waist circumference from this study be used as an action point for Indian children to identify obesity (as a tautological argument), while retaining the cut-off of 0.5 for the W/Ht ratio; however this underlines the need to derive biologically rational cut-offs that would relate to different levels of risk for adult cardiovascular disease.

Adsorption of anionic dyes on to waste Fe (III)/Cr (III).

Waste Fe (III)/Cr (III) hydroxide was investigated for the removal of anionic dyes, namely acid brilliant blue (acidic dye) and procion red (reactive azo dye) from aqueous solution. In batch experiments, parameters studied include contact time, adsorbate concentration, pH, adsorbent dose and temperature. Adsorption followed Langmuir isotherm with adsorption capacity of 10.37 and 3.28 mg/g for acid brilliant blue and procion red, respectively. Adsorption kinetic studies showed second order with respect to acid brilliant blue and first order with respect to procion red. Thermodynamic parameters such as free energy, enthalpy and entropy of adsorption were also evaluated.