Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Association Contributes to Cr Accumulation and Tolerance in Plants Growing on Cr Contaminated Soils

Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi are well known root symbionts in heavy metal polluted soils. To assess AM fungal association and their contribution to the host plants naturally growing on a highly chromium (Cr) contaminated soil, the present study has been undertaken. The soil of the study site was contaminated with 32,562 ppm Cr coming from tannery industry. The study site was dominated by Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers., Parthenium hysterophorus L., Croton bonplandianum Baill and Prosopis juliflora (Sw.) DC. High mycorrhizal colonization (31–83%) and low spore population (5–11 spores/g) was recorded. The diversity of AM fungi was very low because of stress caused by Cr. Only seven AM fungal isolates have been recovered. Funneliformis mosseae, Rhizophagus intraradices, Funneliformis geosporus and Glomus sinuosum have been recovered from two hosts, while, Rhizophagus fasciculatus, Glomus aggregatum and Acaulospora scrobiculata from single host only. Cr accumulation in the roots were analyzed through AAS and correlated with various mycorrhization parameters. The results of correlation through PCA showed that, various mycorrhization parameters were under strong influence of Cr accumulation in the roots. Furthermore, all the AM fungi showed certain adaptive features like compact sporocarp, thick spore wall, sloughing outermost wall layer and formation of water stable aggregates. Low species diversity, high mycorrhizal colonization, presence of adaptive features and strong correlation of mycorrhizal parameters with the Cr accumulation in the roots clearly indicated that, these AM fungi have contributed to the Cr accumulation and tolerance to the host plants in Cr sludge deposit.

     

Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Potential of Natural Colouring Pigment Derived from Bixa orellana L. Seed Aril

Natural colourants with bio-potential are of great commercial demands as we are moving away from the hazardous and toxic chemical dyes. Bixa orellana L. a representative of Bixaceae is rich in bixin and nor-bixin pigments which could be explored for various applications. In the present study, extraction and characterization of bixin and its associated pigment from the aril of the B. orellana L. seeds were performed using various spectroscopic techniques. Spectroscopic analysis and Gas chromatographic profiling of the pigment were performed to understand the present pigments. Toxicity was evaluated through in silico method. The major component, bixin and nor-bixin were proved to be non-toxic, non-carcinogenic and non-mutagenic through in silico methods. The pigment was found to be a potent antioxidant as well as bactericidal against opportunistic bacteria. It was found that bixin extract was a potential antioxidant and bactericidal agent. Hence it could be used for imparting bactericidal potential for cellulosic materials like papers or textiles in biomedical applications.

     

Priority actions for the non-communicable disease crisis

The UN High-Level Meeting on Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) in September, 2011, is an unprecedented opportunity to create a sustained global movement against premature death and preventable morbidity and disability from NCDs, mainly heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes, and chronic respiratory disease. The increasing global crisis in NCDs is a barrier to development goals including poverty reduction, health equity, economic stability, and human security. The Lancet NCD Action Group and the NCD Alliance propose five overarching priority actions for the response to the crisis--leadership, prevention, treatment, international cooperation, and monitoring and accountability--and the delivery of five priority interventions--tobacco control, salt reduction, improved diets and physical activity, reduction in hazardous alcohol intake, and essential drugs and technologies. The priority interventions were chosen for their health effects, cost-effectiveness, low costs of implementation, and political and financial feasibility. The most urgent and immediate priority is tobacco control. We propose as a goal for 2040, a world essentially free from tobacco where less than 5% of people use tobacco. Implementation of the priority interventions, at an estimated global commitment of about US$9 billion per year, will bring enormous benefits to social and economic development and to the health sector. If widely adopted, these interventions will achieve the global goal of reducing NCD death rates by 2% per year, averting tens of millions of premature deaths in this decade.     

Rotavirus infection following post‐transplantation cyclophosphamide based haploidentical hematopoietic cell transplantation in children is associated with hemophagocytic syndrome and high mortality

We evaluated the incidences and consequences of rotavirus induced diarrhea in a cohort of 115 patients undergoing T‐cell replete haploidentical transplantation. Four out of 115 patients developed rotavirus‐induced diarrhea between 47 and 147 days. The incidence of rotavirus infection was 9.7% in children compared to none in adults (P = .01). This was 25.3% in those with GVHD compared to 1.2% in those without GVHD (P = .001). Rotavirus infection was followed by post–transplantation hemophagocytic syndrome (PTHPS) at a median of 4 days (range, 3‐10 days) in all four patients. Three patients succumbed to the complications related to PTHPS. Only one patient, who is long‐term survivor, was able to eliminate this virus after 2 weeks. Children undergoing T‐replete haploidentical hematopoietic cell transplantation who develop GVHD are at a higher risk of community‐acquired rotavirus infection which was strongly associated with PTHPS with poor outcome.     

Sample Matrix Interference in Immunoassays for Organochlorine Residues in Plant-derived Foods and Some Strategies for Their Removal

Immunoassays for two groups of organochlorine insecticides, cyclodienes (endosulfan and heptachlor) and DDT were applied to the analysis of a diverse range of plant-derived foods. Water-miscible solvent extracts of high-moisture, low-fat foods such as cauliflower, cabbage, green and red blue grapes and tomato caused little or no interference with the assays, enabling methanol or acetonitrile extracts of the foods to be analysed directly by immunoassay, after dilution in assay buffer. Reasonable recoveries of spikes of these pesticides were obtained by direct analysis of extracts of spiked commodities, with reliable detection down to 0.025 mg kg^-1 heptachlor or endosulfan and 0.1 mg kg^-1 DDT in the commodities. Acetonitrile extracts of milk could also be analysed directly for DDT. In contrast, extracts of low moisture, non-fatty (rice) and fatty (cottonseed) food commodities interfered appreciably with the assays, reducing assay colour and detection sensitivity. Some simple cleanup methods were developed to remove interference and enable detection of spiked organochlorines in these foods. Extracts of coloured foods, such as tea, coffee and spinach caused similarly major interference in the assays, and a number of simple clean-up methods were ineffective in removing interference. However, use of an immunoaffinity chromatography method for cyclodienes enabled quantitative recoveries to be obtained in extracts of several of these foods when analysed by either ELISA or gas chromatography. Direct analysis was suited for screening purposes but immunoaffinity chromatography results were more quantitative. These results indicate that ELISAs can be applied under developing country conditions to a range of diverse foods, but that cleanup strategies need to be tailored to different types of foods.     

Unicystic granulosa cell tumor: a case report

Granulosa Cell Tumors (GCT) constitutes 1.5% to 3.5% of all primary ovarian neoplasms. They may be solid, cystic or both. Unilocular cystic GCT are very rare. We report here a case of 32 years female with unicystic GCT in which the distinction from follicular cyst was difficult and was made by carefully examining the lining of the cyst,which showed occasional multiple layers of granulosa cells with a few Call-Exner bodies.     

Prediction of perinatal outcome in preeclampsia using middle cerebral artery and umbilical artery pulsatility and resistance indices

Objective: In preeclampsia, changes in fetal hemodynamics can be detected 2–3 weeks earlier than any changes in cardiotocogram. Thus, these Doppler changes can be used to predict perinatal outcome. The present study is planned to assess the accuracy of the middle cerebral artery to umbilical artery (UA) pulsatility index (PI) and resistance index (RI) in predicting adverse perinatal outcome in pregnancies complicated by preeclampsia. Methods: Total of 115 and 108 pregnant women were included in preeclampsia and control group, respectively. Weekly Doppler study was done in both groups starting from 30 weeks till 36 weeks or delivery, whichever is later. Results: Mean gestational age at delivery was 250 ± 13 and 273 ± 8 days, respectively, in preeclampsia and control group (p < 0.01). Thirty-four babies in preeclampsia group had been admitted to nursery; out of which three died (p < 0.01). On receiver operating characteristic analysis, MCA /UmA PI ratio and MCA /UmA RI ratio had sensitivity of 9% and 9.7% and specificity of 98% and 96.6%, respectively, for predicting adverse perinatal outcome. Conclusion: Doppler indices of MCA and Um A are significantly abnormal in preeclampsia. But on diagnostic statistical analysis they have good specificity but low sensitivity for detecting adverse perinatal outcome.