Suppression of Leaf Blight of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Ocimum sanctum</Emphasis> L. Using Lactic Acid Bacteria as Novel Bio-control Agent

Fungal pathogens causing leaf blight of Ocimum sanctum L. have been isolated from the lateritic belt of Birbhum district of West Bengal, India and were identified as species of Alternaria. The pathogen not only destroys the mesophyll tissues of the leaves but also decreases the antibacterial potential and antioxidant activity of Ocimum plants. Two strains of Lactococcus lactis subsp. hordniae, viz., LABW1, LABW3 and a strain of Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis LABW4, isolated from high quality fermented milk product (homemade buttermilk), were able to produce significant zones of inhibition against the pathogen on dual culture overlay plates. A maximum of 4.5 ± 0.2 cm zone of inhibition was produced by LABW4. Cell free supernatant of LABW4 (50%) was also effective to inhibit more than 89% of conidial germination of Alternaria sp. VBOS17. Antifungal action of LABW4 was responsible for prominent mycelial deformations and breakages of pathogen as evident from scanning electron microscopic studies. During in vivo greenhouse experiment only 14.57 ± 1.99% leaf blight was noticed after 60 days of bacterial application even upon treatment with high concentration of Alternaria conidia (1.6 × 10⁴ conidia/ml), as compared to pathogen treated set (87.95 ± 2.14%). Efficacy of LABW4 to control the disease was also noticed during field experiment. In addition, LABW4 also increased the antibacterial and antioxidant potentials of the plant. L. lactis subsp. lactis LABW4 can be used as a prospective agent to control leaf blight disease of Ocimum plant and to increase its medicinal properties.     

A cross-sectional study to compare intraocular pressure measurement by sequential use of Goldman applanation tonometry,dynamic contour tonometry,ocular response analyzer,and Corvis ST

Objective:

To study the correlation and effect of sequential measurement of intraocular pressure (IOP) with Goldmann applanation tonometer (GAT), ocular response analyzer (ORA), dynamic contour tonometer (DCT), and Corvis ST.

Setting and Design:

Observational cross-sectional series from the comprehensive clinic of a tertiary eye care center seen during December 2012.

Methods:

One hundred and twenty-five study eyes of 125 patients with normal IOP and biomechanical properties underwent IOP measurement on GAT, DCT, ORA, and Corvis ST; in four different sequences. Patients with high refractive errors, recent surgeries, glaucoma, and corneal disorders were excluded so as to rule out patients with evident altered corneal biomechanics.

Statistical Analysis:

Linear regression and Bland–Altman using MedCalc software.

Results:

Multivariate analysis of variance with repeated measures showed no influence of sequence of device use on IOP (P = 0.85). Linear regression r² between GAT and Corvis ST, Corvis ST and Goldmann-correlated IOP (IOPg), and DCT and Corvis ST were 0.37 (P = 0.675), 0.63 (P = 0.607), and 0.19 (P = 0.708), respectively. The Bland–Altman agreement of Corvis ST with GAT, corneal compensated IOP, and IOPg was 2 mmHg (−5.0 to + 10.3), −0.5 mmHg (−8.1 to 7.1), and 0.5 mmHg (−6.2 to 7.1), respectively. Intraclass correlation coefficient for repeatability ranged from 0.81 to 0.96.

Conclusions:

Correlation between Corvis ST and ORA was found to be good and not so with GAT. However, agreement between the devices was statistically insignificant, and no influence of sequence was observed.     

Management of moderate and severe corneal astigmatism with AcrySof? toric intraocular lens implantation – Our experience

Purpose

Visual performance following toric intraocular lens implantation for cataract with moderate and severe astigmatism.

Setting

Cataract services, Shroff Eye Centre, New Delhi, India.

Design

Case series.

Method

This prospective study included 64 eyes of 40 patients with more than 1.50 dioptre (D) of pre-existing corneal astigmatism undergoing phacoemulsification with implantation of the AcrySof® toric IntraOcular Lens (IOL). The unaided visual acuity (UCVA), best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), residual refractive sphere and refractive cylinders were evaluated. Toric IOL axis and alignment error was measured by slit lamp method and Adobe Photoshop (version 7) method. Patient satisfaction was evaluated using a satisfaction questionnaire at 3 months.

Results

The mean residual refractive astigmatism was 0.57 D at the final follow-up of 3 months. Mean alignment error was 3.44 degrees (SD = 2.60) by slit lamp method and 3.88 degrees (SD = 2.86) by Photoshop method. Forty-six (71.9%) eyes showed misalignment of 5 degrees or less, and 60 (93.8%) eyes showed misalignment of 10 degrees or less. The mean log MAR UCVA at 1st post-op day was 0.172 (SD = 0.02), on 7th post-op day was 0.138 (SD = 0.11), and on 30th post-op day was 0.081 (SD = 0.11). The mean log MAR BCVA at three months was −0.04 (SD = 0.76).

Conclusion

We believe that implantation of AcrySof® toric IOL is an effective, safe and predictable method to correct high amounts of corneal astigmatism during cataract surgery.     

Neurological manifestations of hepatitis E virus infection: An overview

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is an important cause of repeated waterborne outbreaks of acute hepatitis. Recently, several extrahepatic manifestations (EHMs) have been described in patients with HEV infection. Of these, neurological disorders are the most common EHM associated with HEV. The involvement of both the peripheral nervous system and central nervous system can occur together or in isolation. Patients can present with normal liver function tests, which can often be misleading for physicians. There is a paucity of data on HEV-related neurological manifestations; and these data are mostly described as case reports and case series. In this review, we analyzed data of 163 reported cases of HEV-related neurological disorders. The mechanisms of pathogenesis, clinico-demographic profile, and outcomes of the HEV-related neurological disorders are described in this article. Nerve root and plexus disorder were found to be the most commonly reported disease, followed by meningoencephalitis.     

A community-based, comparative evaluation of direct agglutination and rK39 strip tests in the early detection of subclinical Leishmania donovani infection

In the Indian state of Bihar, the sensitivities and specificities of direct agglutination tests (DAT) and rK39 test strips for the detection of Leishmania donovani infection in humans were explored and found to be generally good (92%-100%). When 172 asymptomatic individuals [16 'case-contacts' who lived in the same households as past or current, confirmed cases of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) and 156 other subjects from neighbouring households] were tested, the same 36 (21%) individuals, including all 16 'case-contacts', were found seropositive using each type of test. When followed-up after 3 months, 18 of the individuals who had been found seropositive in the baseline survey remained seropositive, and eight (44%) of these had developed symptomatic VL, with amastigotes in their splenic aspirates. Seven (44%) of the 16 'case-contacts' but only one (5%) of the other 20 subjects found seropositive at baseline went on to develop VL within 3 months. Although the strip test appeared slightly better than DAT for predicting the development of VL in the 172 subjects, either type of test may be very useful for the early detection of asymptomatic L. donovani infection and thus the identification of those at relatively high risk of developing VL.     

Hyposomatomedinemia in men with post-poliomyelitis syndrome

The age of onset of the post-poliomyelitis syndrome (PPS) coincides with the tendency for declining activity of the growth hormone/somatomedin C (GH/SmC) axis. The normal plasma SmC range in men before the age of 40 is 0.50 to 1.50 units/mL. After age 40 about 30% of men have a plasma SmC level below 0.35 units/mL, signifying no detectable spontaneous GH secretory pulses. Because the GH/SmC axis stimulates DNA, RNA, and protein synthesis in muscle cells and increases their size and number, a deficiency of the GH/SmC axis could theoretically contribute as a secondary factor to the occurrence or severity of the PPS. Accordingly, the authors measured the plasma SmC level in 10 men with PPS, ages 35 to 63, and in 94 healthy men of similar age. In the PPS men, 100% of the values were less than or equal to 0.40 units/mL, and 90% were less than or equal to 0.35 units/mL. The corresponding proportions in the healthy men were 40% and 27%. Analysis of variance including age as a factor showed SmC to be significantly lower in the PPS men than in the healthy men. In an additional comparison, totally immobile nursing home men did not have lowered SmC values. In fact their SmC values were slightly higher than those of healthy men of similar age. The data revealed a new biochemical feature of PPS, hyposomatomedinemia, which might play a contributory role in the pathogenesis of the syndrome.     

Effects of medroxyprogesterone and estradiol on the recovery of spermatogenesis in irradiated rats

Suppression of intratesticular testosterone (ITT) levels is required for spermatogenic recovery in rats after irradiation, but maintenance of peripheral testosterone (T) levels is important for many male functions. Considering the preservation of peripheral T while suppressing ITT, we tested the effects of a combination of a progestin, medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA), plus T on spermatogenic recovery after irradiation, and compared its effects to those of T alone or T combined with estradiol (E2). Rats were given testicular irradiation (6 Gy) and treated during wk 3-7 after irradiation with MPA + T, or the individual steroids with or without GnRH antagonist (GnRH-ant), or GnRH-ant alone, or T + E2. Whereas GnRH-ant alone stimulated differentiation in 55% of tubules 13 wk after irradiation compared with 0% in irradiated-only rats, the addition of MPA reduced the percentage of tubules showing differentiation to 18%. However, T or MPA alone or the combination of the two induced germ cell differentiation in only 2-4% of tubules. In contrast, E2 stimulated differentiation in 88% of tubules, and T combined with E2 still resulted in differentiation in 30% of tubules. Although both MPA and E2 suppressed ITT levels to approximately 2% of control (2 ng/g testis), MPA was a less effective stimulator of spermatogenic recovery than E2 or GnRH-ant alone. MPA's function as a weak androgen was likely responsible for inhibiting spermatogenic recovery, as was the case for all other tested androgens. Thus, for clinical protection or restoration of spermatogenesis after radiation or chemotherapy by suppressing T production, MPA, at least in the doses used in the present study, is suboptimal. The combination of an estrogen with T appears to be most effective for stimulating such recovery.     

Plasma dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate in nursing home men

Previous studies have shown the normal range of plasma dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) for independent community men over 60 years old to be 30-200 micrograms/dL. In human adults, low levels of plasma DHEAS have been correlated with a high mortality rate. In rodents, dehydroepiandrosterone, the precursor of DHEAS, has exhibited antidiabetic, anticarcinogenic, neurotropic, and memory-enhancing effects. We have now measured plasma DHEAS in 50 independent community men age 55-94 and in 61 nursing home men age 57-104. Mean DHEAS was significantly lower in the nursing home men than in the community men. Plasma DHEAS was subnormal (less than 30 micrograms/dL) in 40% of the nursing home residents and in only 6% of the community subjects. In both groups, DHEAS was inversely related to age. In the nursing home men, additionally, plasma DHEAS was inversely related to the presence of an organic brain syndrome and to the degree of dependence in activities of daily living. Plasma DHEAS was subnormal in 80% of the nursing home men who required total care. There was no significant correlation between the plasma concentrations of DHEAS and testosterone, or between plasma DHEAS and one-year mortality rate.