Running Tap Water Research Articles

Preparation of herbal gel from turmeric and eastern white-cedar

The main aim of study is The Preparation of herbal gel from turmeric and eastern white-cedar. To prepare herbal gel from turmeric and eastern white-cedar and Poly herbal gel was prepared with water soluble polymer Carbopol 934. To evaluate physicochemical properties and stability of herbal gel. Plant materials: Plants of turmeric and eastern white-cedar were collected from local area. Plant materials selected for the study were washed thoroughly under running tap water and then were rinsed in distilled water; they were allowed to dry for some time at room temperature. Then the plant material was shade dried without any contamination for about 3 to 4 weeks. Dried plant material was grinded using electronic grinder. Powdered plant material was observed for their colour, odour, taste and texture. Results and discussion: Physio-Chemical Constants Ash value: The total ash usually consists of carbonate, phosphate and silicates. Total ash: The total ash content of the raw materials were determined, taking sample from the collected materials calculated in table below. Conclusion: The phytochemical constant was carried out for the plants powder and extracts of turmeric and eastern white-cedar to bring the quality and purity of the valuable medicinal plants. Preliminary phytochemical screening was carried out for all the plants and its extracts to determine the presence of active principle in plants.

Validation and efficacy of various decontamination solutions in eliminating acephate residues from okra

The experiments were carried out to validate an analytical method and to examine the impact of various decontaminating solutions on the removal of acephate residues from okra. Acephate analysis was performed using HPLC-UV, and sample extraction was done using the QuEChERS method. Method validation encompassed assessing specificity, linearity, precision, accuracy, as well as limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ). The method exhibited excellent linearity with R2 values ≥ 0.99. LOD and LOQ were determined at 0.5 µg mL−1 and 2 µg mL−1, respectively. The results indicated average recoveries ranging from 80.2% to 83.3% with a % RSD below 5%. The decontamination procedures include rinsing with running tap water, soaking in lukewarm water, 2% CH3COOH, 1% NaCl, 5% NaHCO3, 0.01% KMnO4, and in commercially available decontamination products such as nimwash, veggie clean, and arka herbiwash for a duration 10 minutes. Among all the treatments, soaking in nimwash solution showed remarkable effectiveness (96.75% removal), followed by veggie clean (94.97% removal) and arka herbiwash (95.80% removal). Washing okra samples in running tap water was found to be the least effective compared to other treatments.

First report of soybean root rot caused by Fusarium proliferatum in the Republic of Korea.

Fusarium species are widespread soilborne pathogens that can cause damping-off, root rot, and wilting in soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merrill], subsequently leading to significant yield suppression. Several Fusarium spp. have already been documented for their pathogenicity on soybean plants in the Republic of Korea. The nationwide monitoring of soybean diseases continues to identify new pathogenic Fusarium spp. In 2016, five plant samples at R3-R4 growth stages, showing symptoms of wilting in the upper parts and root rot, were collected in Suwon, Gyeonggi, Republic of Korea. Fungal colonies were obtained from the diseased root samples, with the surface sterilized in 1% sodium hypochlorite for 2 min, rinsed thrice with sterile distilled water, and placed on water agar at 25°C. Five isolates were collected and purified by single-spore isolation. The fungal mycelium was subsequently cultivated on potato dextrose agar for ten days. The isolates produced abundant, aerial, and white mycelium and became purple in old cultures. Macroconidia were slender, falcate to almost straight, usually 3 to 5 septated, and thin-walled. Microconidia were formed in chains from polyphalides, clavate or oval, usually single-celled with a flattened base. These characteristics of isolates were consistent with the description of F. proliferatum (Leslie and Summerrell 2006), and the representative isolate 16-19 was selected for molecular identification to confirm its identity as F. proliferatum. Two evolutionarily conserved genes, the translation elongation factor 1-alpha (EF-1α) and the second-largest subunit of RNA polymerase II (RPB2) genes, were partially amplified using the primers described by O'Donnell et al. (2008), resulting in nucleotide sequences of 680 and 382 base pairs, respectively. These two sequences (GenBank accession numbers: OQ992720 and OR060666) showed 100 and 99.5% identity to the EF-1α and RPB2 of F. proliferatum A40 (GenBank accession numbers: KP964907 and KP964842). For the Petri-dish pathogenicity assay (Broders et al. 2007), five surface-sterilized seeds were placed on water agar media with either sterile water or actively growing '16-19' culture. After 7 days of incubation in a growth chamber (25°C; 12-hour photoperiod), brown lesions were observed on the roots of the inoculated plants, while no symptoms were observed in the sterile water-treated controls. The experiment was conducted three times. For root-cut pathogenicity assay, conidial suspension (1×106 conidia/ml) of the isolate '16-19' was prepared with harvested mycelia cultured on PDA for 10 days with sterile water. The roots of 10-day-old soybean seedlings were partially cut and soaked in either the suspension or sterile water for 2 hours. The seedlings were transplanted into 12 cm plastic pots (11 cm in height) and grew in a greenhouse (26 ± 3°C, 13-h photoperiod). The experiment followed a completely randomized design with three replicates (i.e. three plants in a pot), and it was repeated twice. The inoculated plants began to wilt 7 days after inoculation, while the sterile water-treated controls remained healthy. Ten days after inoculation, all plants were collected, washed under running tap water, and evaluated for the presence and severity of root rot using a 0-4 scale (Chang et al. 2015). The inoculated plants exhibited reduced vigor and developed dark brown lesions on their roots. F. proliferatum was reisolated from symptomatic root tissues of the infected plants, while not from those of the controls. Its colony and spores were morphologically identical to those of the original isolate. F. proliferatum was previously reported as a causative agent of soybean root rot in the United States (Díaz Arias et al. 2011) and Canada (Chang et al. 2015). This is the first report of soybean root rot caused by F. proliferatum in the Republic of Korea. This finding implies that F. proliferatum may potentially threaten soybean production in the Republic of Korea and suggests that effective disease management strategies should be established for soybean protection against the disease, along with continuous surveillance.

The prevalence of hospital acquired infection and associated factors among patients admitted at Wolaita Sodo University Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, in Ethiopia

Hospital-acquired infection is an infection acquired a major global concern of well-being, affecting the quality of care in the healthcare setting. Routine surveillance of infection is an important part of infection prevention and quality assurance in hospitals. to determine the prevalence and associated factors of hospital-acquired infection among inpatients, in Wolaita Sodo University Comprehensive Specialized Hospital.Across-sectional study was conducted among inpatients in Wolaita Sodo University Comprehensive Specialized Hospital. All eligible inpatients admitted at least more three days of the survey were included. The study was conducted from April 1 to July 30/2023. Environmental health professionals and nurses collected the data according to the Centers for Disease Control through observational assessments documented by physicians. Univariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to determine the prevalence of hospital-acquired infections and the associations between independent and dependent variables. A total of 413 patients were included in this study, the median age of the participants was 26 years. A total of 352 (85.2%) patients were diagnosed with non-fatal disease during the survey. 49 patients had hospital-acquired infections developed, with a mean prevalence of 11.9 %. Coagulate-negative staphylococcus 27.27%), and E. coli (27.27) were the most frequently reported hospital-acquired infection-causing pathogens from the result of the study. The factors of patient admission diagnosis, length of hospital stay (more than five days of hospital stay), and absence of running tap water in the patient’s room with the occurrence of hospital-acquired infection were statistically significant.Surgical site infections and bloodstream infections were the most common types of hospital-acquired infections. Then, Hospital management and healthcare workers should give more attention to the practice of infection prevention to achieve a reduced prevalence of hospital-acquired infections in the study setting.

First report of Phytophthora niederhauserii causing root rot of carob tree (Ceratonia siliqua L.) in Spain.

Carob tree (Ceratonia siliqua L.) is a crop native to the Mediterranean Basin mainly being used as livestock feed, in pharmaceutical industry, and also a valuable source of human food due to the high dietary fibre and sugar contents. In January 2023, one-year-old 'Duraio' carob trees grafted on 'Rojal' rootstock on pots showing dark brown to necrotic lesions on the secondary roots, decline symptoms and leading to the death of some plants, were detected in a nursery located at the Valencian Community region in Spain. Disease severity was 40 to 50% of root area and disease incidence was approximately 50% on approximately 1000 plants. Six representative plants were randomly collected. Roots were washed under running tap water to rinse the soil away, and small symptomatic pieces were cut, disinfected with 70% ethanol, and then dried on absorbent paper. Two-mm-long segments were plated on CMA-PARBPH, a Phytophthora-selective medium, and incubated at 25ºC. After 2-3 days, growing colonies were transferred to potato dextrose agar (PDA) medium. A Phytophthora-like organism was consistently isolated (50% of root segments, n= 120). Colonies were whitish with irregular margins, had coenocityc mycelium, irregularly branched hyphal swellings, and chlamydospores were absent. Sporangia were non-papillate, persistent, ellipsoid and measuring 25 to 40 × 50 to 90 μm (average: 35.5 × 74.7 μm, n = 50). They proliferated internally with both nested and extended proliferation. These morphological features were similar to those of Phytophthora niederhauserii (Abad et al., 2014). Internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and cytochrome c oxidase I (COX1) regions of a representative isolate CF3 were sequenced to confirm the identity. Both sequences were deposited in GenBank under accession numbers OR763816 for ITS and OR783697 for COX1. OR763816 showed 99.87% sequence identity to P. niederhauserii strain Ex-type MG865552 and OR783697 showed 99.85% sequence identity to P. niederhauserii strain Ex-type MH136944 (Abad et al., 2023). Pathogenicity test was performed on one-year-old carob tree seedlings (Duraio/Rojal) grown in 13 cm-diameter pots to fulfill Koch's postulates. The inoculum was prepared in 1 L glass flasks with a mixture of 200 ml vermiculite, 20 ml oat grains, and 175 ml of V8 broth (20% V8 juice and 0.2% of CaCO3 in demineralized water) (Jung et al., 1996). Glass flasks with vermiculite/oat/V8 mixture were autoclaved three times for 20 min at 120 ºC. These mixtures were inoculated with the isolate CF3 which was previously grown on V8 agar medium and incubated for six weeks in the dark at room temperature (Pérez-Sierra et al., 2013). For inoculation, twenty-gram inoculum were mixed with 200 g autoclaved potting mix (peat, vermiculite and sand; 1:1:1, v/v/v), and added to the pots to plant the seedlings. Seven plants were inoculated and non-infested vermiculite/oat/V8 mixture was used to prepare seven control plants. Two months after inoculation one of the inoculated plants died. Six months after inoculation, only the inoculated plants showed decline symptoms with dry leaves and root necrosis. Isolates resembling P. niederhauserii were recovered by plating the roots from all inoculated plants on CMA-PARBPH, and the identity of the isolates was confirmed as P. niederhauserii based on ITS and COX1 sequencing. To our knowledge, this is the first report of P. niederhauserii causing root rot on carob tree. The detection of this pathogen in nurseries is relevant because its dissemination to orchards could have a negative impact in carob crop production.

Adaptability of VisCalor versus bulk-fill composites using scanning electron microscope: an in-vitro study

Purpose To evaluate the marginal integrity of two types of bulk-fill composite resins in Class I box-shaped cavities. Materials and methods Forty extracted human sound molars were selected. The teeth were fixed with sticky wax to the base of plastic cylinder and the cylinder was filled with self-curing acrylic resin so that only root was embedded. Simple Class I box-shaped cavities were prepared using a fissure carbide bur with water spray and finished with fine-grained flame burs. The overall dimensions and depth of the cavities were standardized as follows: 4 mm length mesiodistally and 3 mm width buccolingually and up to 4 mm depth. All prepared cavities were bonded using Futurabond M+ one-step self-etch adhesive system. The teeth were randomly divided into two groups (n = 20 teeth each): group I: specimens were restored with VisCalor composite bulk-fill composite resin, which is heated before insertion using a VisCalor dispenser dental device. Group II: specimens were directly restored with X-tra fill bulk-fill composite resin without preheating. After curing, finishing and polishing were performed. Each group was subdivided into two subgroups a and b (n = 10) according to whether subjecting 500 thermocycling fluctuations or not. Each specimen was sectioned buccolingually through the center of the composite resin restoration in two halves, and then cleaned under running tap water and subjected to thorough ultrasonic cleaning to get rid of both soft and hard surface deposits. All sectional samples were fixated in cylindrical carriers, and a thin layer of gold was applied to the surfaces. The marginal adaptation of composite restorations and ultramorphology of adhesive bonds were analyzed at ×50, ×1000 magnification, with a scanning electron microscope. ×50 magnification was utilized to measure the length of margins free gap in enamel and dentin by Autodesk Auto CAD program and expressed in mm/percent. All data of measurements of the length of nongaped margins in enamel and dentin are collected, tabulated, and statistically analyzed. Results Group Ia (VisCalor bulk-fill not thermocycled), recorded the highest mean value of marginal free-gap with 10.26 ± 0.27 mm (93.31%), while group IIb (X-tra-fill bulk-fill thermocycled) recorded the lowest mean value in 7.90 ± 0.26 mm (73.04%) and the difference was statistically highly significant (P = 0.000). In general, group I recorded higher mean values of marginal free gap and adaptation in mm/percent than group II, and the difference was statistically highly significant at P value of 0.000 (9.86 ± 0.55 and 8.23 ± 0.39 mm and 89.15 ± 5.38 and 74.89 ± 3.69%, respectively). Bulk-fill restorations without thermocycling exhibited a higher mean value of marginal free gap and adaptation in mm/percent than the thermocycled one with a significant difference recorded at P value of 0.005. Conclusion Using preheated VisCalor bulk-fill composites could decrease the marginal gap formation improving the continuity at the tooth–restorative material interface than conventional bulk-fill restorations. On the other hand, thermocycling.

The Effect of Rhizospheric Fungal Species of Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.), on In-Vitro Growth of the Tomato Early Blight Pathogen

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is a globally consumed crop, susceptible to various biotic and abiotic stresses. Among biotic stresses, plant diseases, particularly Early Blight caused by Alternaria spp. leads to heavy losses in the field and post-harvest stages. The conventional use of synthetic agrochemicals to control these diseases poses environmental risks, underscoring the need for sustainable alternatives. Hence, this study aimed to assess the potential of rhizospheric fungi in controlling Alternaria spp. Infected tomato leaves, stem parts, and fruits were collected from commercial cultivations in four agro-ecological regions in Sri Lanka (two from mid-country in the wet zone, and two from the intermediate zone). All samples were washed using running tap water, and 1cm2 sections, including the edges of lesions, were cut, surface sterilized, placed on potato dextrose agar (PDA), and incubated at room temperature until colonies appeared. Fungal colonies that emerged from lesions, were sub-cultured onto fresh PDA, and pure cultures were obtained using the hyphal-tip purification method. Alternaria isolates were identified morphologically and confirmed the pathogenicity by Koch’s postulate method. Species-level identification involved genomic DNA extraction and sequencing ITS regions. The soil dilution plate technique was used to isolate rhizospheric fungi from two agroecological regions. Composite samples (10 g) of soil attached to the roots of 5 uprooted healthy plants, from each field were used. Soil suspensions were inoculated onto PDA using the spread-plate method and incubated at room temperature for 5 days. A total of 27 isolates were obtained and morphologically identified up to the genus level after preparing pure cultures. The dual-culture plate technique was used to assay percentage inhibition, and according to Tukey’s pairwise comparison, Trichoderma sp. and Purpureocillium lilacinum exhibited significantly high (p≤0.05) inhibition of Alternaria colony growth, (68.25±1.18% and 64.35±3.31% respectively). Microscopic observations of inhibition zones between Alternaria and antagonistic rhizospheric fungal colonies, including Trichoderma sp. and P. lilacinum showed the presence of mycoparasitism-related structures, such as haustoria, coils, loops, and knobs. Qualitative assay for fungal chitinase enzyme production demonstrated high activities in P. lilacinum, Trichoderma sp. and Acremonium sp., whereas in a quantitative assay for fungal glucanase enzyme, testing the ability of fungal culture filtrates to release 1µg of glucose per minute, from Beta-glucanase solution, P. lilacinum, Trichoderma sp., and Paecilomyces sp. showed significantly high (p≤0.05) activities (105.14± 3.62, 100.11±4.09 and 99.83 ±6.44 μg glucose/L respectively). In conclusion, this study highlights the potential of rhizospheric fungi like P. lilacinum and Trichoderma sp. as effective biocontrol agents against Alternaria spp. and these findings lay the groundwork for future applications in enhancing tomato crop resilience against pathogens and promoting sustainable and eco-friendly agricultural practices.
 
 Keywords: Rhizospheric fungi, Mycoparasitism, ITS region, Chitinase enzyme, Glucanase enzyme

Adherence to Standard Precautions and Associated Factors Among Healthcare Workers at Public and Private Hospitals in Northeast Ethiopia.

Standard precautions are crucial for infection control in healthcare. Studies show public hospitals' adherence, but data on private hospitals are scarce. Understanding this disparity is vital for safety, policy, and better patient outcomes. Hence, this study aimed to assess precautions and associated factors among healthcare workers at public and private hospitals in Northeast Ethiopia. A comparative cross-sectional study compared healthcare institutions. A total of 470 workers participated via stratified random sampling. Data collection used a pre-tested questionnaire and observation checklist. Epi data managed entry, while STATA analyzed. Binary logistic regression determined significance (P<0.05) for variables. The overall adherence to standard precautions was 51.6% (95% confidence interval (CI): 46.9-56.2). At public and private hospitals, it was 52.2% (95% CI: 45.6-58.6) and 60.4% (95% CI: 53.9-66.9), respectively. In public hospitals adherence was affected by female sex [adjusted odds ratio (AOR): 2.58; 95% CI: 1.32-5.02], availability of written guidelines [AOR: 3.10; 95% CI: 1.62-5.94], having good knowledge [AOR: 2.05; 95% CI: 1.03-4.11] and favorable attitude towards standard precautions [AOR: 2.21; 95% CI: 1.14-4.27]. In private hospitals, it was affected by the availability of running tape water [AOR: 2.36; 95% CI: 1.10-5.04], personal protective equipment (AOR: 2.22; 95% CI; 1.01-4.93), color-coded dust bins [AOR: 2.33; 95% CI: 1.04-5.21], having good knowledge [AOR: 2.10; 95% CI: 1.07-4.13] and favorable attitude [AOR: 2.63; 95% CI: 1.39-4.97]. The adherence to standard precautions was higher among private than public hospital healthcare workers in Dessie City, Ethiopia. Thus, ensuring adequate availability of personal protective equipment, safety materials, and running tap water in working rooms, particularly in public hospitals is highly recommended. The initiatives aimed at promoting adherence to standard precautions should be designed and put into action for public hospitals.

Assessing Washing Methods for Reduction of Pesticide Residues in Green Leafy Vegetables

The use and import of pesticides have been increasing each year to increase agricultural production. The most highly consumed pesticide in Nepal is fungicide followed by insecticide, herbicide and others. Exposure to these pesticides may result in serious health effects. The main route of exposure is the consumption of contaminated fruits and vegetables. Many studies have shown to reduce the pesticide residues level through various culinary and processing treatments. This experiment was carried out to compare the effectiveness of four washing methods to reduce pesticide residues in vegetables. These comprised of running water method, washing by using NaHCO3, NaCl, and vinegar solution. The leafy vegetable samples, Bok choy (N=61) were purchased from local markets and analyzed for the contents of the two pesticides, 2,4-D and atrazine. Samples were extracted using Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged, and Safe (QuEChERS) method and analyzed by liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) with stable isotopically-labelled internal standards. The quality of the method was examined in terms of accuracy, precision, linearity, limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ). Washing vegetables under running tap water significantly decreased (p&lt;0.05) 2,4-D residues by 50%. However, atrazine residues were not reduced significantly from washing under running water but washing with vinegar had a significant effect. This study suggests that washing vegetables before consumption is important to reduce intake of pesticides and associated health risks.&#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D;

Establishment of an In Vitro Micropropagation Protocol for Hibiscus moscheutos L. ‘Berry Awesome’

Hibiscus moscheutos L. ‘Berry Awesome’ is a complex hybrid of the new Proven Winners Summerific series of varieties with highly ornamental characteristics. Micropropagation of highly ornamental varieties is important for mass production of planting material for commercial purposes. The traditional methods for propagating Hibiscus varieties, such as cuttings or seed propagation, however, do not guarantee high rates of production of high-quality seedlings. To solve this problem, an attempt was made to develop protocols for micropropagation of Hibiscus moscheutos L. ‘Berry Awesome’ in vitro on agar and liquid medium using a bioreactor system, followed by ex vitro adaptation of the regenerants. The optimal method for sterilization of nodal explants as well as the optimal composition of the initiation medium for shoot proliferation and rooting were determined. For micropropagation on a liquid medium, a rocker-type bioreactor was used, and its advantages over micropropagation on an agar medium were demonstrated. The results showed that the best sterilization method for nodal segment explants was as follows: pretreatment by rinsing with running tap water, sterile water, and distilled water for 70 min and soaking for 5 min in a mixture of solutions of ethyl alcohol (96%), hydrogen peroxide (38%), and water in a ratio of 1:1:2. In this case, live and sterile explants accounted for 62.6%. The optimal initiation medium for axillary buds in nodal segments was the Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 0.1 mg L−1 N-(2-chloro-4-pyridinyl)-N’-phenylurea (CPPU), which resulted in 73.3% of axillary buds being induced. The optimal solid proliferation medium was MS medium supplemented with 0.1 mg L−1 CPPU with a proliferation coefficient of 5.8. In a liquid medium, the optimal concentration of CPPU was 0.05 mg L−1 with a proliferation coefficient of 9.2. The best medium for rooting/shoots with agar and in bioreactors was MS medium with the addition of 0.1 mg L−1 indole-3-butyric acid (IBA). The highest rooting rate was 99.0% in both types of media, and the survival rate of plantlets was 88.7% in solid media and 98.7% in the bioreactor.

First report of Trunk Canker Caused by Botryosphaeria dothidea on Cinnamomum camphora in China.

Cinnamomum camphora, an essential woody plant in China, experienced a severe outbreak of trunk canker affecting an area of 540,000 square meters in the Xiaoshan District of Zhejiang province during the early summer of 2022. The observed symptoms included stem canker, dieback, twig blight, and extensive vascular discoloration, with an incidence rate ranging from 45% to 70%. To investigate the etiology of the disease, symptomatic plant samples were subjected to rigorous surface sterilization involving washing with running tap water, followed by surface sterilization using 75% ethanol. The samples were then rinsed twice with sterile distilled water, plated on potato dextrose agar (PDA) medium, and incubated at a temperature of 28°C. The isolated fungi exhibited characteristics consistent with the species Botryosphaeria dothidea. Fungal isolates displayed abundant white aerial mycelium, which darkened to grey after five to seven days, eventually giving rise to black pycnidia. Single hyphal tip cultures of putative two isolates were stored at the Agricultural Experiment Station of Zhejiang University. Conidia formed on pycnidia were one-celled, hyaline, aseptate, and fusiform, with dimensions of 18.34-27.12 μm x 3.77-6.84 μm (average 22.90 μm x 5.20 μm) (one hundred conidia were measured). To determine the fungal species, genomic DNA was extracted from individual isolates ZJUP0868, and subjected to DNA sequence analysis of four gene regions: the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) using the primer-pair ITS4 and ITS1 (White et al., 1990), the large subunit (LSU) gene with LR0R and LR5 (Rehner and Samuels, 1995), the small subunit (SSU) gene with SR1R and SR7 (Zoller et al., 1999), and the translation elongation factor 1-alpha (tef1) with EF1-983F and EF1-2218R (Rehner and Buckley, 2005). Furthermore, DNA sequence analysis of above four genes was performed. BLAST analysis indicated the highest nucleotide sequence identity with Botryosphaeria dothidea CBS 115476 reference sequence (ITS: 99.59%, KF766151; LSU: 99.88%, DQ377852; SSU: 100%, NG_062738; tef1: 98.93%, AY236898). Representative sequences of isolate ZJUP0868 from these regions were deposited in GenBank (ITS: Accession No. OR192838; LSU: Accession No:OR248147; SSU: Accession No:OR248174; tef1: Accession No. OR262053). A phylogenomic analysis was conducted to determine the phylogenetic position of Botryosphaeria dothidea in the family Botryosphaeriaceae. The combined morphological and molecular findings confirmed the identification of the pathogen as Botryosphaeria dothidea. Pathogenicity tests were conducted by stem inoculation of two-year-old Cinnamomum camphora baranches. Mycelial plugs (2-3 mm in diameter) from actively growing colonies of B. dothidea (PDA) were applied to bark of similar size on the middle point of the stems. Inoculated barks were wrapped with Parafilm, while control branches received sterile PDA plugs. Inoculated and control branches (7 each) were maintained in a greenhouse at 28°C. After two weeks, all inoculated plants exhibited dark vascular stem tissue, whereas the control plants remained healthy. B. dothidea was re-isolated from symptomatic tissues, thus fulfilling Koch's postulates. No symptoms were observed in the control branched, and B. dothidea was not re-isolated from their tissues. B. dothidea , the type species of Botryosphaeria (Botryosphaeriaceae, Botryosphaeriales), is commonly associated with cankers and dieback in woody plants. Previous reports have identified Botryosphaeria dothidea as a pathogen causing stem dieback and trunk canker on Glycine max (Chen et al., 2020), Camellia oleifera (Hao et al., 2022), and Gleditsia sinensis (Huang et al., 2020). Additionally, B. dothidea has been reported to cause leave wilt on various plant species in China, including Daimyo oak (Liu et al., 2023) and Cornus officinalis (Zhang et al., 2022). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of B. dothidea on C. camphora in China. This findings contribute to a better understanding of the pathogens affecting Cinnamomum camphora in the China.

An inexpensive paracetamol sensor based on an acid-activated carbon fiber microelectrode

Paracetamol, a contaminant of emerging concern, has been detected in different bodies of water, where it can impact ecological and human health. To quantify this paracetamol, electroanalytical methods have gained support. Thus, the present study developed a simple, inexpensive, and environmentally friendly method for paracetamol quantification using a carbon fiber microelectrode based on commercial carbon fiber. To improve the carbon fiber microelectrode's paracetamol sensitivity and selectivity, it was subjected to an activation process via electrochemical oxidation in an acid medium (H2SO4 or HNO3), using 20 consecutive cycles of cyclic voltammetry. The treated (activated) carbon fiber microelectrode was characterized using scanning electron microscopy and electrochemical techniques, including chronoamperometry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The H2SO4-activated carbon fiber microelectrode exhibited enhanced figures of merit, with a linear dynamic range of paracetamol detection from 0.5 to 11 μmol L−1 and a limit of detection of 0.21 μmol L−1 under optimized conditions. The method was optimized by quantifying paracetamol in commercial pharmaceutical tablets, spiked running tap water, and river water (Pita River, Quito, Ecuador, latitude −0.364955°, longitude −78.404538°); the respective recovery values were 102.89, 103.93, and 112.40%. The results demonstrated an acceptable level of accuracy and the promising applicability of this carbon fiber microelectrode as a sensor to detect paracetamol.

Sterilization method of contaminated oil palm plantlets affects the survival rate during acclimatization

Contamination in the in vitro culture is a critical problem causing the failure of seed production. Contamination in the oil palm plantlet is detrimental, considering that oil palm propagation is difficult and takes a long time. This research aimed to study the effect of sterilization during acclimatization of the contaminated oil palm plantlets by fungi on viability and to determine the optimum viability achieved from the contaminated materials. The materials used were contaminated plantlets of oil palm with roots, four leaves, and a height of about 17 cm. The plantlets were removed from the tube and cleaned with running tap water, then were sterilized, with treatments P1: soaking in benomyl-mancozeb-sodium hypochlorite and mannitol and rinsing with aquadest, P2: soaking in benomyl-mancozeb, P3: soaking in mancozeb. Cleaning plantlets under running tap water was carried out as a control treatment. The results showed that at 10 weeks after acclimatization, the survival rate of plantlets in each treatment (P1, P2, and P3) was significantly higher than that of the control. Sterilization methods affect the time new leaves emerge, leaf condition after sterilization treatment, and shoot height. The lowest fungal contamination after treatments was found in P2, followed by P3. After 3 months, plantlet survival rate decreased, with the highest survival rate in treatment P3 (32.3%) followed by treatment P2 (22.5%). In conclusion, acclimatization of contaminated oil palm plantlets can be carried out using a suitable sterilization treatment. Sterilization affects the survival rate and growth of in vitro-contaminated oil palm plantlets during acclimatization.

Sterilization method of contaminated oil palm plantlets affects the survival rate during acclimatization

Contamination in the in vitro culture is a critical problem causing the failure of seed production. Contamination in the oil palm plantlet is detrimental, considering that oil palm propagation is difficult and takes a long time. This research aimed to study the effect of sterilization during acclimatization of the contaminated oil palm plantlets by fungi on viability and to determine the optimum viability achieved from the contaminated materials. The materials used were contaminated plantlets of oil palm with roots, four leaves, and a height of about 17 cm. The plantlets were removed from the tube and cleaned with running tap water, then were sterilized, with treatments P1: soaking in benomyl-mancozeb-sodium hypochlorite and mannitol and rinsing with aquadest, P2: soaking in benomyl-mancozeb, P3: soaking in mancozeb. Cleaning plantlets under running tap water was carried out as a control treatment. The results showed that at 10 weeks after acclimatization, the survival rate of plantlets in each treatment (P1, P2, and P3) was significantly higher than that of the control. Sterilization methods affect the time new leaves emerge, leaf condition after sterilization treatment, and shoot height. The lowest fungal contamination after treatments was found in P2, followed by P3. After 3 months, plantlet survival rate decreased, with the highest survival rate in treatment P3 (32.3%) followed by treatment P2 (22.5%). In conclusion, acclimatization of contaminated oil palm plantlets can be carried out using a suitable sterilization treatment. Sterilization affects the survival rate and growth of in vitro-contaminated oil palm plantlets during acclimatization.

Evaluation of Hygiene Practice for Reducing Campylobacter Contamination on Cutting Boards and Risks Associated with Chicken Handling in Kitchen Environment.

Cutting boards can serve as potential carriers for the cross-contamination of pathogens from chicken to other surfaces. This study aimed to assess chefs' handling practices of cutting boards across five provinces in China and identify the key factors contributing to unsafe cutting board usage, including cleaning methods and handling practices. Handling practices associated with cutting boards were examined through a web-based survey (N = 154), while kitchen environment tests were conducted to investigate the splashing or survival of Campylobacter, inoculated in chicken or on cutting boards, to mimic the practices of chefs. Among chefs in the five provinces of China, wood and plastic cutting boards were the most commonly used for preparing chicken meat. Approximately 33.7% of chefs washed boards with running tap water, 31.17% of chefs washed boards with detergent, and 24.03% of chefs cleaned boards by scraping them with a knife after preparing other meats or chicken. The study tested 23 cutting boards from commercial kitchens for Campylobacter presence before and after chicken preparation and cleaning. Among these, 17 were cleaned with a knife, 5 with running tap water, and only 1 with disinfectant. Results showed that cleaning with a knife significantly reduced Campylobacter presence on cutting boards (p < 0.05), while the three main cleaning methods were inadequate in eliminating contamination to a safe level. In kitchen environment tests, contaminated chicken was chopped on cutting boards, with a maximum distance of 60 cm for low contamination, and 120 cm for medium and high contamination levels. This suggested a contamination risk exposure area ranging from 60 cm to 120 cm. Campylobacter survival on surfaces of wood, plastic, and stainless steel was also tested, with plastic surfaces showing the longest survival time (4.5 h at 15 °C and 3.5 h at 25 °C) In comparison, survival time on stainless steel or wood surfaces was only 3 h, implying a cross-contamination risk exposure period of 3 to 4.5 h after chicken preparation. In conclusion, based on the current study data, the practices employed by chefs play an important role in Campylobacter transfer in the kitchen environment. The presence of Campylobacter on cutting boards even after wiping or droplet splashing highlights its potential as a source of cross-contamination in the kitchen environment. So, chefs in China should reinforce their hygiene culture and adopt effective cutting board cleaning practices to prevent pathogen contamination.

Effect of Plant Growth Regulators on Callus Induction of Black Rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Aims: Black rice of Manipur is known for its aroma and nutritional quality. As per the reports on tissue culture of rice, callus induction response of traditional cultivars was much lower than the modern high yielding varieties. Considering the importance of the black rice, and effort was taken to standardized callus induction protocol of black rice of Manipur.&#x0D; Study Design: Complete Randomized Design.&#x0D; Place and Duration of Study: Department of Seed Science and Technology, Faculty of Agriculture, Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Pundibari, Cooch Behar 736165, West Bengal, India, between June 2020 and July 2023.&#x0D; Methodology: Mature seeds of two black rice varieties used in this work. The seeds were dehusked manually, washed with running tap water. Then sterilized with 1% bavistin and again washed with running tap water. Seeds were surface sterilized with 0.2% HgCl2 for 15 minutes. Sterilised seeds were rinsed with sterile distilled water inside laminar air flow hood. The seeds were blotting dry using autoclaved tissue paper and sterile seeds were cultured with the scutellum pointing up wards on callus induction medium fortified with different concentrations and combinations of plant growth regulators.&#x0D; Results: MS medium fortified with 2,4-D was found to be better than picloram and TDZ to induce callus and the 2,4-D @ 1.00 mg/L and 2,4-D 2.00 mg/L was found to be the best concentrations. Callus health was also good when MS medium invigorated with 2,4-D.&#x0D; Conclusion: An efficient embryogenic callus induction and plantlet regeneration protocol for black rice was established by using mature seeds. In callus induction studies, with different concentrations of PGR, 2,4-D, higher callus induction frequency was observed with 1.00 mg/L 2,4-D and 2,4-D @ 2 mg/L for both rice varieties.

Effect of artificial formaldehyde treatment on textural quality of fish muscles and methods employed for formaldehyde reduction from fish muscles

The influence of treatment of three different concentrations of formaldehyde on fish muscles textural quality was determined using spectrophotometric and reverse phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) methods. The experimental fish treated with 1, 5 & 10 % formaldehyde for 5 min and as a result, the residual content was enhanced to almost 7, 11 and 15 times respectively. The hardness and chewiness of fish muscles increased with increase in formaldehyde concentration and the values increased by 80 and 121 % respectively in the fish treated with 10 % formaldehyde. In order to reduce formaldehyde content in fish, formaldehyde-treated fish was washed in running tap water, saline water and tepid water separately for a period up to 30 minutes and thereby the content got reduced to the acceptable label in 20, 20, and 10 min respectively. Similarly, treated fish was fried for five minutes and content was reduced to acceptable limits. Overall, this study could establish that formaldehyde treatment not only reduced bacterial load but also improved the textural properties of the fish muscles, creating the impression that the fish is fresh. Tepid water washing and frying process were effective in reducing formaldehyde content in fish muscles.

Frequency of two canals in mandibular central incisors in Karachi Pakistan: An in-vitro study.

Objective: To determine the frequency of two canals in mandibular central incisors using a radiographic technique in a sample representing Karachi Pakistan. Study Design: Cross-sectional in Vitro study. Setting: Hamdard University Dental Hospital. Period: January, 2022 to July, 2022. Material &amp; Methods: According to inclusion criteria 187 extracted mandibular central incisors were collected, flushed under running tap water. 10% formalin was used as storage media afterwards. The attached periodontal tissues and calculus remaining after extraction were removed using a 1/2 Gracey Curette. Number 2 round bur was used in a high speed hand piece to initiate access chamber opening of the pulp chamber. Irrigation was done with 2.5% sodium hypochlorite to make the pulp chamber clearly visible. Detection and negotiation of second canal were performed by using Dental Operating Microscope. No. 15 K-files were introduced into the main canals. Two peri-apical radiographs were exposed at different angulations using DIGORA OPTIME for confirmation. Data was analyzed by using SPSS version 23. Results: Mean age of the patients included in the study were 37.12±12.81 years. According to gender distribution there were 101 (54%) males and 86 (46%) females. Outcome concludes that in mandibular central incisors frequency of two canals was 28.3 %. Conclusion: Presence of two canals in mandibular central incisors among Pakistani population in our study was 28.3%. When endodontic therapy is commenced on these teeth, dentist must consider the possibility of existence of second canal and exercise caution.

Skull base dural reflection models: tool for teaching neuroanatomy at resource-scarce centers.

Skull base dural reflections are complex, and along with various ligaments joining sutures of the skull base, are related to most important vessels like internal carotid arteries (ICA), vertebral arteries, jugular veins, cavernous sinus, and cranial nerves which make surgical approaches difficult and need thorough knowledge and anatomy for a safe dissection and satisfactory patient outcomes. Cadaver dissection is much more important for the training of skull base anatomy in comparison to any other subspecialty of neurosurgery; however, such facilities are not available at most of the training institutes, more so in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). A glue gun (100-Watt glue gun, ApTech Deals, Delhi, India) was used to spread glue over the superior surface of the bone of the skull base over desired area (anterior, middle, or lateral skull base). Once glue was spread over the desired surface uniformly, it was cooled under running tap water and the glue layer was separated from the skull base. Various neurovascular impressions were colored for ease of depiction and teaching. Visual neuroanatomy of the inferior surface of dural reflections of the skull base is important for understanding neurovascular orientations of various structures entering or exiting the skull base. It was readily available, reproducible, and simple for teaching neuroanatomy to the trainees of neurosurgery. Skull base dural reflections made up of glue are an inexpensive, reproducible item that may be used for teaching neuroanatomy. It may be useful for trainees and young neurosurgeons, especially at resource-scarce healthcare facilities.

Nursing interventions reduce postoperative urinary retention in fast-track total hip arthroplasty: A pilot study

Postoperative urinary retention (POUR) is a common complication of spinal anesthesia that occurs in 10-80% of patients after total hip replacement (THR). Bladder catheterization carries risks for urinary tract infections, mechanical urethral trauma, urethral inflammation and subsequent strictures, pain, discomfort, an increased length of hospital stay, and a loss of patient dignity. We investigated whether simple postoperative nurse-driven intervention protocols, including the sound of running tap water, followed by caffeinated hot beverages (tea or coffee) and pouring warm saline on the perineal area, could reduce POUR and the need for bladder catheterization. This pilot study included 60 patients undergoing elective fast-track THR with spinal anesthesia and early patient ambulation. Patients with postoperative voiding difficulties received nursing interventions, including hearing running tap water, ingesting caffeinated beverages (tea and coffee), and warm saline poured over the perineal area. If voiding difficulties continued, bladder distention was examined by ultrasound. Catheterization was performed if the volume exceeded 500 mL or if distension caused discomfort or pain. Seven patients (11%) were excluded from the study due to prophylactic preoperative catheterization. Among the 53 included patients, 27 (51%) experienced spontaneous voiding difficulties and received nursing interventions, which induced voiding in 24 patients (45%, p = 0.0027), while 3 (6%) required catheterization. Simple nursing interventions reduced the need for bladder catheterization after fast-track THR.