Effect of pranayama on perceived stress, well-being and quality of life of frontline healthcare professionals on COVID-19 duty: A quasi-randomised clinical trial.

Healthcare professionals (HCPs) had to perform their duties under extremely trying circumstances during the COVID-19 pandemic. High expectations further increased HCP's stress, which had an adverse impact on their mental health. The present quasi-randomised clinical trial examined how a specially designed pranayama regimen practised for 4 weeks affected the mental health of frontline, exposed HCPs in terms of perceived stress, wellness and quality of life. A total of 280 frontline HCPs on COVID-19 duties in five public hospitals of Delhi, India participated in this study. The intervention (n = 123) and control (n = 127) groups were alternately allocated. Data on perceived, self-reported mental health of HCPs were collected at baseline and post-test at the end-line (after 28 days of practice). We report that the intervention group (n = 123) had a substantial lower perceived stress at post-test at the end-line in comparison to the control group (n = 127, p-value: .028). Their overall WHO Quality-of-Life score also improved, of which the score on psychological domain increased significantly (p-value: .019). Accordingly, we conclude that a 28-day practice of the pranayama by the frontline HCPs in COVID-19 hospitals significantly decreased their level of perceived stress and enhanced their psychological quality of life.

Zinc oxide nanoparticles trigger dysfunction of mitochondrial respiratory complexes and repair dynamics in human alveolar cells.

Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NP) are commonly used engineered NPs with extensive usage in consumer products, thus leading to direct exposure to humans. The direct route of exposure is through inhalation. Once inhaled, these particles accumulate in the lungs, increasing the chances of respiratory tract illness through cellular organelle damage. Zinc oxide nanoparticle-treated lung cells are reported to display cytotoxicity, increase DNA damage, and induce oxidative stress. The current study focused on the effects of ZnO NPs on mitochondrial dynamics (fission and fusion) in human lung epithelial cells (A549). The lung cells were exposed to ZnO NPs at 50 and 100 µg/ml concentrations, and their mitochondrial dynamics were assessed to understand the effects of the NPs. Treatment with ZnO NPs reduced the activity of mitochondrial complex I and complex III and altered mitochondrial structural and functional characteristics in a concentration-dependent manner. Zinc oxide nanoparticles exposure showed an increase in small and round-shaped mitochondria. The expression of various fission proteins (Drp1 and Fis1) and fusion proteins (Mfn1, Mfn2, and OPA1) was altered upon exposure to ZnO NPs. Our studies showed dysfunction of the mitochondria induced by ZnO NPs. In fibroblast mitochondrial dynamics, fission symbolizes threshold damage. In this paper, we have shown that the mitochondrial fission phenotype increased upon exposure to ZnO NPs. The paper emphasizes that these particles enter mitochondria, triggering a stress response that results in the removal of mitochondria via fission. It provides relevant data for safety guidelines to ensure the safer use of these particles.

Influences of Gender, Religion, Dietary Patterns, and Mixed-sex Education on Aggressiveness in Children: A Sociodemographic Study in Municipal Primary Schools of South Delhi.

BACKGROUND: Increasing antisocial and violent behaviors in adolescents and young adults present serious challenges for public health. Children with persistent high levels of aggressiveness are often associated with developing conduct disorders later in life. Early detection of highly aggressive children and sociodemographic risk-modifying factors are important for developing effective preventive strategies. OBJECTIVES: The present study was undertaken to assess levels of aggressiveness for detecting highly aggressive children in sample populations of primary school children in an urban setting and determine significant biosociocultural risk-modifying factors in this scenario. METHODS: The study was conducted during August-September, 2015 in 5 primary schools of South Delhi Municipal Corporation. Sociodemographic data on 2080 students were collected. Overall aggressiveness scores (OA-Scores) were estimated using a self-report questionnaire in Hindi. RESULTS: Categorizing students according to their OA-Scores, the data revealed that highly aggressive children constituted 4.3% of the study population. Analysis showed significant influence of (a) gender: boys displayed higher levels of aggressiveness compared to girls; (b) dietary pattern: omnivores showed higher aggressiveness than vegetarians; and (c) school environment: boys in mixed-sex (coeducational) schools displayed lower aggressiveness than from single-sex schools. Statistically significant influences of religion (Hindu/Muslim) and family type (joint/nuclear) on aggressiveness profiles were not noticeable. CONCLUSIONS: Vegetarian diets and mixed-sex education act as protective factors in the development of aggressiveness in children, especially among boys. Extending investigations to populations differing in geography and cultural backgrounds are warranted to verify present results.

Correction: Anwer et al. Molecular and Morphological Characterization of Exserohilum turcicum (Passerini) Leonard and Suggs Causing Northern Corn Leaf Blight of Maize in Bihar. Bioengineering 2022, 9, 403.

In the original publication [...].

Efficacy of pranayama in preventing COVID-19 in exposed healthcare professionals: A quasi-randomized clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: The global outbreak of COVID-19 has created a challenging situation, especially for the frontline Health Care Professionals (HCPs), who are routinely exposed and thus are at a higher risk of infection. Pranayama, a component of Yoga, is known to improve immune function and reduce infection. However, no clinical trial on the efficacy of Pranayama in preventing COVID-19 has yet been conducted. AIM AND OBJECTIVE: This quasi-randomized clinical trial assessed the efficacy of Pranayama in preventing COVID-19 infection in HCPs routinely exposed to COVID-19. METHODOLOGY: The study was conducted at 5 different COVID-19 hospitals, India in year 2020. The inclusion criteria were being an HCP exposed to COVID-19 patients and being negative on antibody tests. 280 HCPs were recruited sequential and assigned to intervention and control groups. Of these, 250 HCPs completed the study. The intervention was twice daily practice, for 28 days, of specially designed Pranayama modules under the online supervision of Yoga instructors. The HCPs in the control group were advised to continue their normal daily routine, but no pranayama sessions. Participants who developed symptoms suggestive of COVID-19 were subjected to Reverse Transcriptase-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) or Point of Care Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) for confirmation of the diagnosis. All the participants were tested for antibodies to COVID-19 on 28th day of the intervention to detect any asymptomatic infection. RESULTS: The intervention (123) and control (127) groups had comparable demographics and baseline characteristics. At end of 28 days of intervention, nine participants in the control group and one in the intervention group developed COVID-19 (P-value: 0.01, Odds Ratio: 0.107, 95% CI: 0.86; Risk Ratio: 0.11, 95% CI: 0.89). CONCLUSION: The intervention of twice daily practice of the Pranayama module for 28 days in HCPs might have made a noteworthy contribution and may have helped in preventing COVID-19 infection.

Effects of Yogic practices on cardiovascular system and salivary alpha amylase on Indian healthy jail inmates.

OBJECTIVES: Imprisoned people usually have a poor health status and an increase risk to suffer chronic debilitating conditions, co-infection due to their limitations in physical activity and mental disturbances. This study was carried to find out the health impacts of Yogic practice of Indian healthy jail inmates. METHODS: It was interventional single group pre-post design study. A total no of 30, Jail inmates including 08 female were participated in this study and practiced Yoga for six months. Body Mass Index, Heart Rate, Blood Pressure, Salivary alpha amylase activity (SAA) a stress marker were assessed before, after three months and after completion of six months of Yogic practice. RESULTS: Improvement was noted in all parameters, but significant improvement was noted in systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, mean blood pressure, double product a index of load in the heart and SAA following Yogic practice in total participants. Significant improvement was also noted in systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, mean blood pressure, double product a index of load in the heart and SAA following Yogic practice in male group. No significant effect was noted in female group. CONCLUSIONS: The present study revealed that regular Yogic practice resulted in reduction blood pressure, load in the heart and stress in mail jail inmates, when it is practiced regularly and carefully.

The curious case of genome packaging and assembly in RNA viruses infecting plants.

Genome packaging is the crucial step for maturation of plant viruses containing an RNA genome. Viruses exhibit a remarkable degree of packaging specificity, despite the probability of co-packaging cellular RNAs. Three different types of viral genome packaging systems are reported so far. The recently upgraded type I genome packaging system involves nucleation and encapsidation of RNA genomes in an energy-dependent manner, which have been observed in most of the plant RNA viruses with a smaller genome size, while type II and III packaging systems, majorly discovered in bacteriophages and large eukaryotic DNA viruses, involve genome translocation and packaging inside the prohead in an energy-dependent manner, i.e., utilizing ATP. Although ATP is essential for all three packaging systems, each machinery system employs a unique mode of ATP hydrolysis and genome packaging mechanism. Plant RNA viruses are serious threats to agricultural and horticultural crops and account for huge economic losses. Developing control strategies against plant RNA viruses requires a deep understanding of their genome assembly and packaging mechanism. On the basis of our previous studies and meticulously planned experiments, we have revealed their molecular mechanisms and proposed a hypothetical model for the type I packaging system with an emphasis on smaller plant RNA viruses. Here, in this review, we apprise researchers the technical breakthroughs that have facilitated the dissection of genome packaging and virion assembly processes in plant RNA viruses.

Exserohilum turcicum (Passerini) Leonard and Suggs: Race Population Distribution in Bihar, India.

Northern corn leaf blight (NCLB) of maize, caused by Exserohilum turcicum (Pass.) Leonard and Suggs., is an important foliar disease common across maize-producing areas of the world, including Bihar, India. In this study, virulence and distribution of races were observed against Ht-resistant genes and also identified the E. turcicum race population distribution in Bihar. For that, 45 E. turcicum isolates were collected from maize fields in Bhagalpur, Begusarai, Khagaria, Katihar and Samastipur districts between 2020 and 2022. These isolates were screened on maize differential lines containing Ht1, Ht2, Ht3 and HtN1 resistance genes. Five different physiological races were observed based on the symptoms response of the differential maize lines. These races are race 0, race 1, race 3, race 23N and race 123N. E. turcicum race 3 was the most prevalent race having 26.6% frequency followed by race 0 (24.4%) and race 1 (22.2%) and the least prevalent races were race 23N and 123N having 13.3% each. Varied resistance response of different isolates was observed on differential lines having different resistant genes. Despite the fact that virulence was seen against all Ht resistance genes, NCLB control might be increased by combining qualitative Ht resistance genes with quantitative resistance.

Molecular and Morphological Characterization of Exserohilum turcicum (Passerini) Leonard and Suggs Causing Northern Corn Leaf Blight of Maize in Bihar.

Maize is considered the third most important cereal crop in Asia after rice and wheat. Many diseases affect this crop due to the cultivation of various hybrids. This research aimed to characterize the causative agent of northern corn leaf blight disease in Bihar, India, caused by Exserohilum turcicum (Passerini) Leonard and Suggs. Leaf samples were collected from infected fields in five maize growing districts of Bihar in 2020-2022. A total of 45 fungal isolates from 135 samples were examined for cultural, morphological, and molecular characteristics and were identified as E. turcicum. The isolates were grouped into four groups based on colony color, i.e., olivaceous brown, blackish brown, whitish black, and grayish, and into two groups based on regular and irregular margins. The conidial shapes were observed to be elongated and spindle-shaped with protruding hilum, with conidial septa ranging from 2-12. Similarly, conidial length varied from 52.94 µm to 144.12 µm. ß-tubulin gene sequences analysis made it possible to verify the identities of fungal strains and the phylogenetic relationships of all isolates, which were clustered in the same clade. The ß-tubulin gene sequences of all the isolates showed a high level of similarity (100%) with reference isolates from GenBank accession numbers KU670342.1, KU670344.1, KU670343.1, KU670341.1, and KU670340.1. The findings of this study will serve as a baseline for future studies and will help to minimize yield losses.

Noise Pollution and Impact on Children Health.

With rapid urbanization and life style changes, loud noise is omnipresent and has become a part of life. Indoor and outdoor environmental noise pollution have been documented as a serious health hazard with increasing adverse effects on fetus, infants, children, adolescents and adults. Noise induced hearing loss and non-auditory adverse effects due to noise pollution, are being increasingly diagnosed in all age groups including the fetus. Outdated motorized vehicles, machinery, increasing traffic, congested residential areas, crowded educational institutions and workplaces, unregulated commercial and industrial noise have become a source of noise pollution with long-term disability. Areas of noise pollution must be identified and corrective measures be taken. Toys, personal, domestic, commercial, industrial equipment should be within the safe sound intensity. Loudspeakers and vehicular horns should be banned except in emergencies. Nocturnal noise pollution must be avoided near residential areas as sleep disturbances have serious long-term health consequences. Pregnant women, fetus, newborns, infants and children are most susceptible to noise induced health hazards and should be given utmost protection. Educational institutions, workplaces, commercial and industrial areas should be regularly monitored for noise levels and protective ear muffs and plugs be used. Public be educated repeatedly regarding health hazards of noise. Traffic noise should be regulated to be within safe limits. Bus-stands, railway stations and airports should be moved away from residential areas. Houses should be sound proofed suitably. Long term studies should be conducted in pregnant women, newborn children and adults to have more data on hazards of noise pollution.

Hypobaric Hypoxia Imbalances Mitochondrial Dynamics in Rat Brain Hippocampus.

Brain is predominantly susceptible to oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction during hypobaric hypoxia, and therefore undergoes neurodegeneration due to energy crisis. Evidences illustrate a high degree of association for mitochondrial fusion/fission imbalance and mitochondrial dysfunction. Mitochondrial fusion/fission is a recently reported dynamic mechanism which frequently occurs among cellular mitochondrial network. Hence, the study investigated the temporal alteration and involvement of abnormal mitochondrial dynamics (fusion/fission) along with disturbed mitochondrial functionality during chronic exposure to hypobaric hypoxia (HH). The Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to simulated high altitude equivalent to 25000 ft for 3, 7, 14, 21, and 28 days. Mitochondrial morphology, distribution within neurons, enzyme activity of respiratory complexes, Δψ m , ADP: ATP, and expression of fission/fusion key proteins were determined. Results demonstrated HH induced alteration in mitochondrial morphology by damaged, small mitochondria observed in neurons with disturbance of mitochondrial functionality and reduced mitochondrial density in neuronal processes manifested by excessive mitochondrial fragmentation (fission) and decreased mitochondrial fusion as compared to unexposed rat brain hippocampus. The study suggested that imbalance in mitochondrial dynamics is one of the noteworthy mechanisms occurring in hippocampal neurons during HH insult.

Mycetoma: Nonvenereal perineal lesions.

Mycetoma is a chronic, granulomatous disease of the skin, and subcutaneous tissue, which sometimes involves muscle, bones, and neighboring organs. It is characterized by tumefaction, abscess formation, and fistulae with discharge of grains from sinuses. Mycetoma can be caused by various species of fungi (eumycetoma) and aerobic actinomycetes (actinomycetoma), which occur as saprophytes in soil or plants. A tentative diagnosis sufficient to initiate treatment may be made on the basis of grain color. For instance, melanoid grains are always caused by fungi and ochroid or pale grains by actinomycetes. Although this is not the thumbrule, there are exceptional reports too. As trauma favors infection, most lesions are on the foot and lower leg but they may occur anywhere on the body mimicking actinomycosis. However, lab investigations and culture are important tool to differentiate apart from the clinical picture. We are reporting atypical case with unusual site of presentation (perineum and thigh) of mycetoma.