Indian Origin Research Articles

Overcoming challenges in managing a high-risk pregnancy with placenta previa and newly diagnosed Bombay phenotype

BackgroundBombay phenotype is rare and characterized by a lack of H antigen on the surface of red blood cells (RBCs) with naturally occurring anti-H antibodies. The presence of anti-H necessitates the exclusive use of Bombay phenotype RBCs for transfusion. We present a case of a pregnant woman with Bombay phenotype who required urgent cesarean section delivery due to high-risk placenta previa. Case descriptionA 36-year-old G1P0 woman of Indian origin presented at 36 weeks and 4 days gestation for management of a high-risk pregnancy with complete placenta previa. Bombay phenotype was unexpectedly identified on routine testing. Given the rarity of the blood, advanced gestation, and risk of post-partum hemorrhage associated with complete placenta previa and spontaneous labor, prompt strategic planning commenced for a successful delivery. Two frozen allogeneic Bombay phenotype RBCs were available as part of a concise transfusion plan. Intraoperative cell salvage was successfully employed and allogeneic transfusion was not required. ConclusionManagement of patients with rare blood types can be extremely challenging and guidance for those presenting later in pregnancy is scarce. Our patient’s gestational age precluded the use of well-known effective strategies, including hemoglobin optimization, autologous and directed donation, and procurement of large quantities of rare blood. Rather, our approach utilized multidisciplinary expertise and strategic planning to yield a successful outcome.

Impact of a Social Media Group on Health and Well-being of Healthcare Professionals

Healthcare professionals report workplace stress, burnout and a high prevalence of physical and mental health conditions which may have an impact on their performance and affect outcomes for patients. These include hypertension, diabetes, obesity, anxiety, and depression. As illustrated during the differential outcomes observed during the COVID-19 pandemic, health can be further worsened by social isolation, and incivility in the workplace and impact those from minority backgrounds or with protected characteristics. Social media groups such as Whats App, Facebook and others offer a safe space for psychological support, peer motivation and flexibility of access to health and wellbeing resources. The British Association of Physicians of Indian Origin spearheaded the formation of a voluntary Well-Net group focussing on health and wellbeing activities in February 2021, which was open to professionals, their friends, and families. The results of a survey undertaken among the members of such a Well-Net group demonstrated that the combination of peer motivation and flexible access to health and wellbeing support activities improves physical, and mental health and reduces stress levels. A healthy workforce will perform better and lead to safer outcomes for patients. The results make the case for targeted investment in flexible provision for health and wellbeing activities for healthcare professionals, both by employers and voluntary organisations.

Fictions of Character

This essay asks what happens to theorizations of literary character when we consider the formally complex treatment of character within the pornographic or otherwise disreputable texts that proliferate across eighteenth-century print. Harris’s List of Covent-Garden Ladies (1760–94), a catalogue of women involved in London’s sex trade, is a piece of character writing; its characters are the marginalized, racialized, and sexually commodified. We examine how repetition operates in the treatment of two women of West Indian origin, in separate annual editions, and show how Harris’s List embeds its characters in sexual and racial economies of reiteration and circulation. We demonstrate how characterization in such texts has implications for scholarship on the eighteenth-century novel and our understanding of novel characters, showing how Frances Brooke’s The Excursion (1777) and Thomas Holcroft’s The Adventures of Hugh Trevor (1794–97) ambivalently incorporate the forms of character writing that Harris’s List deploys.

“RELIGION AND PHILOSOPHY OF HINDUISM”

This research Article attempts to provide an understanding of the concept of Religion in general and to describe the key points of the Philosophy of Hinduism in particular. The word Dharma is derived from the root ‘dhr’ to hold or support" and refers to a regularity of conduct and action which holds together and supports social life. The Dharma which forms the central element of Hinduism is essentially social, old social customs and habits and ideals which have come down from ancient times and will admit of no change. These customs bear the stamp of approval of the sages of old who were in contact with the gods and super-human powers, and are thereby given a super-human, religious sanction and have eternal validity. Here, an attempt is also made to describe Hinduism or Indian religion as a cultural tradition. Yogendra Singh in his book ‘modernization of Indian traditions, 1973’ identified four major cultural traditions of Indian civilizations as Hierarchy, Holism, Continuity and Transcendence. This paper is an attempt to outline the essence of the Hinduism. Hinduism is a religion of Indian origin and, not merely followed by majority population of India and Nepal but also followed by many people in countries of America, Europe, Africa, south and south-east Asia and so on. Indeed, it is world’s religion.

Improvising cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) genotypes for compact plant architecture traits suitable for mechanical harvesting

The study aimed to improve cotton genotypes by developing early maturity and compact plant architecture traits for suitability to high density planting and mechanical harvesting. Ten F1 populations from five cotton genotypes of Indian origin were developed using a half-diallel mating and evaluated in two seasons (kharif, 2022, and Summer, 2023). Results indicated significant genetic variation for all the studied traits, enabling selection and improvement. Combining ability effects interacted significantly with environments. The mean performance of genotypes differed significantly (p ≤0.05), with hybrids outperforming parental genotypes, exhibiting shorter stature and early maturity. The parents, TVH002, and C017 were the best combiners indicated in the hybrids, TVH002 × CO17, and TVH002 × Suraksha for compact plant architecture traits. Non-additive gene action prevailed, as specific combining ability (sca) variances surpassed general combining ability (gca) variances for most studied traits. Genetic components, ratios and heritability revealed that both additive and dominant genes governed the traits, with dominance having a greater influence. Compact architecture traits negatively correlated with seed cotton yield within the 75 to <120 cm height range, resulting in a more stable yield. These findings offer valuable insights for targeted breeding programs aiming to develop compact cultivars with enhanced traits for mechanization and high density cotton plating.

TP53 Mutations R175H and R249S Are Rare in Indian Head and Neck Cancer Patients

Abstract Introduction Mutations in tumor suppressor gene TP53 are considered as one of the main causes for different types of cancer. Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is one of the common cancers found in India. Among the several mutations reported in the TP53 gene, R175H and R249S are linked to cause of several cancers. This work was carried out to study the prevalence of R175H and R249S mutations in HNSCC patients of Indian origin. Method Tumor samples were collected from 50 HNSCC patients and good quality genomic deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) were obtained from 41 samples. Using this genomic DNA, polymerase chain reaction-linked restriction fragment length polymorphism technique was used to screen both the mutations in the TP53 gene of the patients. Result The results revealed that out of the 41 samples analyzed, all the samples were negative for the mutations both in homozygous and heterozygous condition. This experiment was repeated three times, and the representative image is shown. Conclusion This study suggests that mutations in codon 175 (R175H) and 249 (R249S) are rare in HNSCC patients of Indian origin.

Quality of medicines in Sri Lanka: a retrospective review of safety alerts

BackgroundMany medicine quality problems are detected after they arrive at health facilities. Thus, critically defective medicines that may pose health risks to patients need to be withheld or recalled.AimsTo investigate the withheld and recalled medicines in relation to the types of defects, their total numbers, therapeutic categories, pharmaceutical dosage forms, and country of manufacturer during the study period.MethodsA retrospective review was performed on withheld and recalled medicines published on the publicly available National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) official website in Sri Lanka between June 2018 and August 2021. Details on substandard medicines (SM) were extracted and documented. Each record of SM was individually reviewed to determine the type of defect, subsequent action taken by NMRA, therapeutic category, pharmaceutical dosage form, and country of manufacturer.ResultsA total of 163 defects were identified in 143 defective medicines, among which the most common types of defects were contamination (n = 59, 36.2%), stability defects (n = 41, 25.2%), packaging and labelling defects (n = 27, 16.6%) and active pharmaceutical ingredient defects (n = 26, 15.9%). Out of 143 total defective medicines identified, anti-infectives accounted for 41.9%, while parenteral preparations (44.0%) were found to be frequently defective. Nearly 70% of the recalled and withheld medicines were of Indian origin, and some manufacturers were identified to be repeatedly involved.ConclusionsThis study revealed that contamination was the most frequent cause of defective medicines, while parenteral preparations and anti-infectives were the most susceptible pharmaceutical dosage form and therapeutic category found to be substandard, respectively. In addition, the findings show that some manufacturers were accountable for repetitive withholdings and recalls, which reflects the ignorance of quality control measures and weak regulatory inspections as a violation of Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP).

Wormian Bones: Prevalence, Topography, and Implications.

Wormian bones also known as sutural bones are asymmetrical and shapeless bones occurring in cranial sutures and fontanelle of the skull. Their incidence is reported to vary in population. The exact etiology is debatable, but their formation is under the control of both genetic and environmental factors and has great anthropological and clinical implications related to the cranium. Due to high clinical relevance of Wormian bones, the study was carried out. The aim of the study is to expound the incidence and topography of Wormian bones along with clinical significance in dry adult skulls of Indian origin. The study was conducted in the Department of Anatomy using 200 complete adult dry skulls of unknown age and sex. All the sutures in the skull were inspected for the presence of Wormian bones. The Wormian bones were classified into 10 categories, and associated implications were brought out. The Wormian bones were photographed, and details were compared with the available literature. The Wormian bones were observed in 190 (380 sides) skulls with 186 on the right side and 108 on the left side. The predominance site of sutural bone was lambdoid suture followed by sagittal suture. The least common site of Wormian bone was lambda. The detailed information of precise topography, frequency, and number of Wormian bones is of utmost use for surgeons performing surgery on the skull, anthropologists for identifying races, and forensic scientists for investigating child abuse cases.

Acceptance of technology by parent fraternity as a means of remote learning for children: An empirical study

The main purpose of this empirical study is to understand how acceptance of technology is prevailing among the parent fraternity that helps them to develop a positive attitude towards using technology as a tool to enhance their ward’s learning process. A survey among 6361 parents (Indian origin) of primary school students (Kindergarten and primary level) regarding their perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use regarding technology-assisted learning for their wards to understand how these factors influence their attitude towards technology for learning in the future was carried out through an online questionnaire. The result showed that the more parents found the Usage of Technology towards the e-learning process of their wards, the higher they tend to adopt the technology by exhibiting a positive Attitude towards Technology while the perception of Ease of Use of Technology also significantly predicted the perception of Attitude towards Technology. The favourable Attitude towards Technology is more visible among the parents of students who are of lower levels of study as compared to those who are at a slightly higher level of study. It is found that the parents of the student from the rural area schools possessed positive Attitudes towards Technology as compared to their counterparts in the urban areas. The outcome of this study is of greater relevance to the schools especially in the lower level classes to help students to harness technology from a young age because the parent fraternity is already in favour of such initiative.

Redefining the Identity of People of Indian Origin in Mauritius

In the 19th century, Indian indentured labour went to Mauritius, facilitated by the European colonisers to accomplish their ambitious goal of dominating the world politically, economically and culturally. After the completion of the indenture period, Indians had little option but to stay in the new land as their zeal to return to India was sapped due to anticipated ostracisation by their respective communities. Despite the unique evolution of the identity and status of Indians in Mauritius, it has generated very little debate in academia. This article will attempt to understand whether the people of Indian origin in Mauritius can be termed as Indian diaspora at present or they have outgrown that status and evolved to attain an identity that can be defined as being ‘beyond Indian diaspora’. I argue that Indians in Mauritius were positioned in the wider Mauritian society in such a way that did not satisfy the criteria of them being referred to as diaspora, and, they have acquired a specific set of cultural, social and economic capital that brings them closer to being considered as Mauritian natives.

Indigenous cattle of Sri Lanka: Genetic and phylogeographic relationship with Zebu of Indus Valley and South Indian origin.

The present study reports the population structure, genetic admixture and phylogeography of cattle breeds of Sri Lanka viz. Batu Harak, Thawalam and White cattle. Moderately high level of genetic diversity was observed in all the three Sri Lankan zebu cattle breeds. Estimates of inbreeding for Thawalam and White cattle breeds were relatively high with 6.1% and 7.2% respectively. Genetic differentiation of Sri Lankan Zebu (Batu Harak and White cattle) was lowest with Red Sindhi among Indus Valley Zebu while it was lowest with Hallikar among the South Indian cattle. Global F statistics showed 6.5% differences among all the investigated Zebu cattle breeds and 1.9% differences among Sri Lankan Zebu breeds. The Sri Lankan Zebu cattle breeds showed strong genetic relationships with Hallikar cattle, an ancient breed considered to be ancestor for most of the Mysore type draught cattle breeds of South India. Genetic admixture analysis revealed high levels of breed purity in Lanka White cattle with >97% Zebu ancestry. However, significant taurine admixture was observed in Batu Harak and Thawalam cattle. Two major Zebu haplogroups, I1 and I2 were observed in Sri Lankan Zebu with the former predominating the later in all the three breeds. A total of 112 haplotypes were observed in the studied breeds, of which 50 haplotypes were found in Sri Lankan Zebu cattle. Mismatch analysis revealed unimodal distribution in all the three breeds indicating population expansion. The sum of squared deviations (SSD) and raggedness index were non-significant in both the lineages of all the three breeds except for I1 lineage of Thawalam cattle (P<0.01) and I2 lineage of Batu Harak cattle (P<0.05). The results of neutrality tests revealed negative Tajima's D values for both the lineages of Batu Harak (P>0.05) and White cattle (P>0.05) indicating an excess of low frequency polymorphisms and demographic expansion. Genetic dilution of native Zebu cattle germplasm observed in the study is a cause for concern. Hence, it is imperative that national breeding organizations consider establishing conservation units for the three native cattle breeds to maintain breed purity and initiate genetic improvement programs.

Comparative yield of molecular diagnostic algorithms for autism spectrum disorder diagnosis in India: evidence supporting whole exome sequencing as first tier test

BackgroundAutism spectrum disorder (ASD) affects 1 in 100 children globally with a rapidly increasing prevalence. To the best of our knowledge, no data exists on the genetic architecture of ASD in India. This study aimed to identify the genetic architecture of ASD in India and to assess the use of whole exome sequencing (WES) as a first-tier test instead of chromosomal microarray (CMA) for genetic diagnosis.MethodsBetween 2020 and 2022, 101 patient-parent trios of Indian origin diagnosed with ASD according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, 5th edition, were recruited. All probands underwent a sequential genetic testing pathway consisting of karyotyping, Fragile-X testing (in male probands only), CMA and WES. Candidate variant validation and parental segregation analysis was performed using orthogonal methods.ResultsOf 101 trios, no probands were identified with a gross chromosomal anomaly or Fragile-X. Three (2.9%) and 30 (29.7%) trios received a confirmed genetic diagnosis from CMA and WES, respectively. Amongst diagnosis from WES, SNVs were detected in 27 cases (90%) and CNVs in 3 cases (10%), including the 3 CNVs detected from CMA. Segregation analysis showed 66.6% (n = 3 for CNVs and n = 17 for SNVs) and 16.6% (n = 5) of the cases had de novo and recessive variants respectively, which is in concordance with the distribution of variant types and mode of inheritance observed in ASD patients of non-Hispanic white/ European ethnicity. MECP2 gene was the most recurrently mutated gene (n = 6; 20%) in the present cohort. Majority of the affected genes identified in the study cohort are involved in synaptic formation, transcription and its regulation, ubiquitination and chromatin remodeling.ConclusionsOur study suggests de novo variants as a major cause of ASD in the Indian population, with Rett syndrome as the most commonly detected disorder. Furthermore, we provide evidence of a significant difference in the diagnostic yield between CMA (3%) and WES (30%) which supports the implementation of WES as a first-tier test for genetic diagnosis of ASD in India.

Novel Microbial Signatures in the Faecal Microbiome Associated with Severe Alcoholic Hepatitis: Bacteroides Finegoldii and Veillonella Dispar

Background: Alcoholic hepatitis is associated with dysbiosis, resulting in compositional changes in the gut microbiome, endotoxin transfer to the portal vein, and activation of inflammatory signalling pathways in the liver. However, the microbiome signature of severe alcoholic hepatitis (AH) patients of Indian origin is unknown. Aim: To investigate the microbiome diversity of Indian AH patients in comparison to non-alcoholic healthy controls (HC). Methods: 16S rRNA amplicon-based metagenomics analysis of faecal samples at the time of AH diagnosis (n=12) was compared with HC (n=6), and correlation with survival status, co-occurrence networking, Linear Discriminant Analysis Effect Size (LEfSe), and the relationship between diet – microbiome were performed. Results: 16S rDNA data showed a significant abundance of the Enterobacteriaceae family belonging to the phylum Proteobacteria and a depletion of the phylum Firmicutes in AH. A species-level classification identified Klebsiella pneumonia, Klebsiella variicola, and Parabacteroides distasonis as having the highest predictive performance value with reference to mortality at 60 days. Apart from this, a unique finding was the abundance of Bacteroides finegoldii and Veillonella dispar in AH patients. Moreover, the co-occurrence networking analysis revealed a higher level of connectivity and complexity within the microbial community of AH patients compared to HC. Thus, indicating the significant positive association (Spearman r &gt; 0.7, p &lt; 0.01) among members of the Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, and Proteobacteria phyla in AH. Wilcoxon-Rank Sum test (p &lt; 0.01) identified Firmicutes phyla occurrence associated with high carbohydrate intake and Actinobacteria phyla with low protein intake. Conclusion: The findings provide the baseline occurrence profile of the gut microbiome signature of liver damage and the diet-microbiome relationship in patients with severe AH. The study demonstrated an abundance of Proteobacteria phyla, indicating their role in inflammatory conditions, and further identified Bacteroides finegoldii and Veillonella dispar in severe AH patients. Additionally, Klebsiella pneumonia, Klebsiella variicola, and Parabacteroides distasonis were identified as mortality-predictive risk biomarkers.

A Marvel Versatile, Multipotential Plant Murraya Koenigii: A Review

The adage goes, "Let food be your medicine and medicine be food." Popularly referred to as "Curry leaves" and "Meetha neem" is Murraya koenigii. Curry Leaf has a significant place in conventional Ayurvedic therapy. According to the Indian ancient medical system of Ayurveda, herbal remedies can treat and manage a wide range of illnesses. It belongs to the family of plants known as the Rutaceae.. Crash curry leaves have a distinct flavour and aroma and is glossy and dark green in colour. The antinociceptive, antioxidant, anti-diabetic, and antibacterial activities of the roots, fruits, leaves, and bark of the plant have been related to the high concentration of carbazole alkaloids found in certain parts of the plant.. In Indian cuisine, its leaves are frequently used to spice meals. It is of Indian origin, is readily available all year long, and has long been an ingredient in many Ayurvedic medications. It is widely used in cooking and one of the key ingredients in traditional Ayurvedic preparations. As beverages, syrups, cordials, and flavoured teas can be prepared. Improved stomach and small intestine function, better-quality digestive juices produced during digestion, and higher salivary production are just a few of the health advantages of curry leaves. The entire plant is utilized for its stomachic and tonic effects. Morning sickness, kidney pain, stomach distress, and dysentery diseases were all treated with Murraya koenigii. As a result, it has the ability to make oils, inhalers, balms, and more. Indian-born Murraya koenigii is a significant culinary plant. A review of the literature suggests the plant has some important pharmacological properties. The review takes into account curry leaves' potential in the future. The current study's objective is to review curry leaf categorization, origin, physical characteristics, and traditional uses around the world. This paper describes the structural characteristics, background, ecology, composition, and therapeutic uses of this amazing plant.&#x0D;

Metallic Bhasmas: A Review on Chemical Characterization, Particle Size and Toxicity

Bhasmas are unique metallic-herbal preparations of Indian origin, widely recommended for the treatment of chronic ailments. These intriguing formulations of metals are associated with organic macromolecules derived from the medicinal herbs. Bhasmas are often prepared by repeated incineration of metals with herbs and its extracts by alchemic processes and are taken along with honey, milk, butter, or ghee. Besides primary constituent of metals, bhasmas also contain other metals as minor constituent or in traces. Commercially available seventeen bhasmas based on Ca, Fe, Zn, Hg, Cu, As, Ag and Sn were characterized by instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) for up to 20 elements. The technique involves irradiation of the sample with thermal neutrons in a nuclear reactor followed by assay of gamma activity by high-resolution gamma ray spectrometry. Concentrations of major, minor, and trace elements vary in a wide range even in bhasmas of the same primary element depending on its preparation method. C, H, and S were also found in significant amounts suggesting the possible presence of organic macromolecules that may act as ligands. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies have shown that the bhasmas as available in the market are not really nano particles contrary to claims of some literature reports. Westerners think bhasmas to be highly toxic especially those of As, Hg, and Pb, highly toxic elements. Still bhaasms of these elements are widely recommended. Clinical evidences suggest that the bhasmas taken in small doses are highly beneficial to the body system and do not cause any adverse effects. It is essential to follow quality control in the preparation of bhasmas. A review of our earlier work is also presented.

Identification of novel SNPs in Pun1 locus for pungency in Capsicum species.

Capsaicin and its analogues known as capsaicinoids are the principal sources of pungency in Capsicum spp. In this study, characterization of North-West Himalayan chilli germplasm and commercial landraces of different Indian states known for different pungency-color combinations was done based on capsaicin concentration. Moreover, molecular variation in pungency among high, medium and mild/not pungent Capsicum spp., especially those adapted to North-West Himalayas were elucidated. Forty-nine genotypes of chilli comprising breeding lines of Kashmiri origin, commercial landraces of Southern Indian origin and one of the world's hottest chilli Bhut Jolokia from Nagaland state of India were used as an experimental material. Wide variation in capsaicin content was observed among the genotypes, wherein, Bhut Jolokia (Capsicum chinense) expressed the highest capsaicin content (10,500.75µg/g). Further, molecular analysis of PunI gene was done for discovering SNPs responsible for variations in pungency. In the non-pungent Nishat-1 (Capsicum annuum var. grossum), the 650bp DNA fragment was not amplified due to 2.5kb deletion spanning the putative promoter and first exon of AT3. The amplified DNA product for high and medium pungent was sequencing. Sequence alignment among revealed SNPs which were further observed responsible for variations in amino acid sequence and protein structure. The observed variation in protein structure might be responsible for high capsaicin production in one genotype as compared to the other and hence the protein conformation determines its interaction with the substrate.

Exploring the Potential of 87Sr/86Sr Isotope Ratio with Strontium and Rubidium Levels to Assess the Geographic Origin of Saffron.

Saffron is regarded as the most expensive spice, mainly because of its laborious harvest. Only a few countries dominate the global saffron market, with Iran producing by far the most saffron, and the saffron production of all other countries thus being much smaller. However, the respective national production (not only of saffron) is usually preferred by local consumers with respect to foreign products and often has a higher price. Cases of saffron with mislabeled geographic origin have repeatedly occurred. Thus, to protect local saffron production, control of the declared geographic origin is required. In the present case, differentiation of the geographic origin by 87Sr/86Sr is performed. The results show the saffron of several countries of origin to vary within the range of marine carbonates; however, saffron samples of Moroccan and Indian origin mainly show elevated 87Sr/86Sr values. Within the Indian saffron samples, one sample from Kishtwar Valley can be differentiated from the Kashmir saffron samples. The results are thus promising, especially when using the combination of Sr and Rb concentrations to differentiate geographic origin whenever the regions are of homogenous bedrock geology within and of different geology between the regions. However, the reported findings need to be checked and confirmed by further and additional saffron samples.

Biorational potential of Mentha essential oils of Indian origin: Comparative note on insecticidal efficacy, fumigant persistence, oviposition deterrence of Sitophilus oryzae

Natural compounds have widely gained their acceptance as biorationals for management of storing grain from insect pests. Mentha spp. are commercially important plant genus known for its distinct aroma. The present study is aimed towards the comparative insecticidal activity of four mint essential oils (Mentha arvensis, Mentha citrata, Mentha piperita and Mentha spicata) against rice weevil (Sitophilus oryzae). Further, the GC-MS analysis of mint essential oil’s (EO’s) exhibited diversity in aroma compounds, M. arvensis (menthol 61% and l-menthone 9.11%), M. citrata (linalool 36.74% and linalyl acetate 35.9%), M. piperita (menthol 36.28%, menthone 26.37% and iso-menthone 5.15%) and M. spicata (54.14% of carvone and 20.97% of limonene). Whereas, the M. spicata EO exhibited the strongest toxicity (fumigant and contact) in both with and without food conditions around 100% mortality for 25 μL dose within 24 h of exposure. The LC50 and LD50 values exhibited by M. spicata were 54.07 μL/L and 11.5 μL/100 cm2 respectively. Similarly, the concentrations of 2.5% and 5% of M. spicata EO also exhibited a strong fumigant and contact toxicity against S. oryzae within 24 h as compared to known prophylactic insecticide (0.3% of Deltamethrin). Besides, 100% oviposition deterrence exhibited by all the four mint EO’s and 56% of AChE inhibition is noticed for M. spicata EO. Furthermore, post-treated grains showed no persistence of mint aroma residues and the treated grains retained the seed viability. Thus, on a comparative note, the M. spicata EO possess potential biorational traits for the effective management of stored grain from insect pests.

Antibiotic resistance, biofilm formation, and virulence genes of Streptococcus agalactiae serotypes of Indian origin

BackgroundGroup B Streptococcus (GBS) is a causative agent of various infections in newborns, immunocompromised (especially diabetic) non-pregnant adults, and pregnant women. Antibiotic resistance profiling can provide insights into the use of antibiotic prophylaxis against potential GBS infections. Virulence factors are responsible for host–bacteria interactions, pathogenesis, and biofilm development strategies. The aim of this study was to determine the biofilm formation capacity, presence of virulence genes, and antibiotic susceptibility patterns of clinical GBS isolates.ResultsThe resistance rate was highest for penicillin (27%; n = 8 strains) among all the tested antibiotics, which indicates the emergence of penicillin resistance among GBS strains. The susceptibility rate was highest for ofloxacin (93%; n = 28), followed by azithromycin (90%; n = 27). Most GBS strains (70%; n = 21) were strong biofilm producers and the rest (30%; n = 9) were moderate biofilm producers. The most common virulence genes were cylE (97%), pavA (97%), cfb (93%), and lmb (90%). There was a negative association between having a strong biofilm formation phenotype and penicillin susceptibility, according to Spearman’s rank correlation analysis.ConclusionAbout a third of GBS strains exhibited penicillin resistance and there was a negative association between having a strong biofilm formation phenotype and penicillin susceptibility. Further, both the strong and moderate biofilm producers carried most of the virulence genes tested for, and the strong biofilm formation phenotype was not associated with the presence of any virulence genes.

Mental health and quality of life among patients with chronic respiratory failure on domiciliary oxygen: a prospective cohort study from a tertiary care centre in India

ObjectivesThe study aims to assess the prevalence of anxiety, depression and the quality of life among patients with chronic respiratory failure and the changes in anxiety and depression scores after...