A rare case of obstructed hemivagina and ipsilateral renal agenesis syndrome presented with haematocolpos and haematometra

Obstructed hemivagina and ipsilateral renal anomaly (OHVIRA) syndrome is a syndrome characterised by obstructed hemivagina, ipsilateral renal agenesis and uterine didelphys. It is a rare congenital anomaly results from defective fusion of the Müllerian ducts during development of the female reproductive system. It is also known as Herlyn-Werner-Wunderlich syndrome. Aim of the study was to project a rare case of developmental anomaly of Mullerian system. OHVIRA syndrome is rare anomaly. The most common presentation of this syndrome is a mass secondary to hematocolpos, pain, and dysmenorrhea. Incidence rate is 0.1-3%. Other symptoms are swelling of the abdomen, nausea and vomiting due to pelvic pain, and fertility may also be affected. Diagnosed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and ultrasound. This case was managed by diagnostic laparoscopy with resection of vertical vaginal septum. Other treatment option is vaginoscopic incision of the oblique vaginal septum. High level of clinical suspicion and early surgical intervention will prevent further complications

BIO-ETHANOL PRODUCTION THROUGH SIMULTANEOUS SACCHARIFICATION AND CO-FERMENTATION (SSCF) OF OXIDATIVE DELIGNIFICATION PRETREATED COTTON BIOMASS

The practice of producing ethanol from cotton waste is an eco-friendly process in biofuel production since it makes use of renewable sources. This research focused on the pretreatment processes and the enzyme applications on cotton waste with the goal of enhancing sugar release from hard waste and grinding waste obtained from textiles in Coimbatore, India. Several pretreatment techniques, such as wet oxidation and liquid hot water pretreatment, were tested for cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin solubilization. Then cellulase and laccase were utilized in enzymatic hydrolysis in varying ratios, and it was found out that the order of cellulose and then laccase showed the best sugar yields, and the process was performed with Zymomonas mobilis and Candida sp. yeast. Significant ethanol production was obtained from grinding waste compared to hard waste, with a maximum yield of 0.2 grams of ethanol per gram of sample obtained. Ethanol production from the biomass was further characterized by FTIR, where the presence of alcoholic functional groups in the distilled ethanol confirmed the fermentation process. This paper outlines the potential of utilizing cotton waste as a suitable substrate for bioethanol production

Impact of soil fertility characteristics on artificial fertility gradient approach developed using sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) in Alfisols

In the advent of precision agriculture, applying fertilizer based on soil testing is a crucial tool to prescribe nutrient levels for crops, to increase nutrient use efficiency and production. A field experiment was conducted in a farmer's field in the Dindigul district, Southern agro-climatic zone of Tamil Nadu to ascertain the effect of artificial soil fertility gradient method on soil fertility, green fodder production of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) (var. CO 30) and nutrient absorption. A fertility gradient technique has been investigated to produce fertilizer recommendations for location-specific in red soils (Alfisols, Typic Rhodustalf).  The experimental field was separated into three equal strips: strip I, II, and III, which received applications of the three graded levels of ertilizer N0P0K0, N1P1K1, and N2P2K2, respectively. Urea, single super phosphate, and muriate of potash fertilizers, respectively, were used to apply NPK. As a gradient crop, S. bicolor  was raised. The N1 level was set based on the general fertilizer recommendation of feed sorghum, while the P1 and K1 values were set based on the soil’s ability to fix 100 kg ha-1 of phosphorus and 100 kg ha-1 of potassium, respectively. Plant samples were taken at harvest time, and their NPK content and nutrient uptake were determined. With addition of graded doses of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium fertilizer in Strip I, II & III increased the soil's available N, P & K status substantially in the order of Strip I<II<III and minimize the heterogeneity in the soil population , management strategies employed, and prevailing climate conditions to induce fertility variations in the same field. The outcomes showed that sorghum crop yields for fodder (Strip III – 25.01 t ha-1) and NPK uptake were significantly impacted by the application of graded amounts of NPK fertilizers

Genetic transformation of pigeonpea with rice chitinase gene

With a long-term plan to develop transgenic pigeonpea with resistance to fungal disease, the transfer of a rice chitinase gene to pigeonpea[Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.] is reported here. The rice chitinase gene harboured in the plasmid pCAMBIA 1302:RChit was delivered via the Agrobacterium-mediated method to the cotyledonary node explants followed by subsequent regeneration of complete plants on selection media containing hygromycin. Putative transformed pigeonpea plants were recovered with stringent selection pressure and confirmed using molecular techniques. Stable integration and expression of the chitinase gene has been confirmed in the T0 and T1 transgenics through molecular analysis

Challenges and opportunities in mixed method data collection on mental health issues of health care workers during COVID-19 pandemic in India

Background: The present paper describes the key challenges and opportunities of mixed method telephonic data collection for mental health research using field notes and the experiences of the investigators in a multicenter study in ten sites of India. The study was conducted in public and private hospitals to understand the mental health status, social stigma and coping strategies of different healthcare personnel during the COVID-19 pandemic in India.Methods: Qualitative and quantitative interviews were conducted telephonically. The experiences of data collection were noted as a field notes/diary by the data collectors and principal investigators.Results: The interviewers reported challenges such as network issues, lack of transfer of visual cues and sensitive content of data. Although the telephonic interviews present various challenges in mixed method data collection, it can be used as an alternative to face-to-face data collection using available technology.Conclusions: It is important that the investigators are well trained keeping these challenges in mind so that their capacity is built to deal with these challenges and good quality data is obtained

Global diversity and antimicrobial resistance of typhoid fever pathogens : insights from a meta-analysis of 13,000 Salmonella Typhi genomes

DATA AVAILABILITY : All data analysed during this study are publicly accessible. Raw Illumina sequence reads have been submitted to the European Nucleotide Archive (ENA), and individual sequence accession numbers are listed in Supplementary file 2. The full set of n=13,000 genome assemblies generated for this study are available for download from FigShare: https://doi.org/10.26180/21431883. All assemblies of suitable quality (n=12,849) are included as public data in the online platform Pathogenwatch (https://pathogen.watch). The data are organised into collections, which each comprise a neighbour-joining phylogeny annotated with metadata, genotype, AMR determinants, and a linked map. Each contributing study has its own collection, browsable at https://pathogen.watch/collections/all?organismId= 90370. In addition, we have provided three large collections, each representing roughly a third of the total dataset presented in this study: Typhi 4.3.1.1 (https://pathogen.watch/collection/ 2b7mp173dd57-clade-4311), Typhi lineage 4 (excluding 4.3.1.1) (https://pathogen.watch/collection/ wgn6bp1c8bh6-clade-4-excluding-4311), and Typhi lineages 0-3 (https://pathogen.watch/collection/ 9o4bpn0418n3-clades-0-1-2-and-3). In addition, users can browse the full set of Typhi genomes in Pathogenwatch and select subsets of interest (e.g. by country, genotype, and/or resistance) to generate a collection including neighbour-joining tree for interactive exploration.SUPPLEMENTARY FILES : Available at https://elifesciences.org/articles/85867/figures#content. SUPPLEMENTARY FILE 1. Details of local ethical approvals provided for studies that were unpublished at the time of contributing data to this consortium project. Most data are now published, and the citations for the original studies are provided here. National surveillance programs in Chile (Maes et al., 2022), Colombia (Guevara et al., 2021), France, New Zealand, and Nigeria (Ikhimiukor et al., 2022b) were exempt from local ethical approvals as these countries allow sharing of non-identifiable pathogen sequence data for surveillance purposes. The US CDC Internal Review Board confirmed their approval was not required for use in this project (#NCEZID-ARLT- 10/ 20/21-fa687). SUPPLEMENTARY FILE 2. Line list of 13,000 genomes included in the study. SUPPLEMENTARY FILE 3. Source information recorded for genomes included in the study. ^Indicates cases included in the definition of ‘assumed acute illness’. SUPPLEMENTARY FILE 4. Summary of genomes by country. SUPPLEMENTARY FILE 5. Genotype frequencies per region (N, %, 95% confidence interval; annual and aggregated, 2010–2020). SUPPLEMENTARY FILE 6. Genotype frequencies per country (N, %, 95% confidence interval; annual and aggregated, 2010–2020). SUPPLEMENTARY FILE 7. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) frequencies per region (N, %, 95% confidence interval; aggregated 2010–2020). SUPPLEMENTARY FILE 8. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) frequencies per country (N, %, 95% confidence interval; annual and aggregated, 2010–2020). SUPPLEMENTARY FILE 9. Laboratory code master list. Three letter laboratory codes assigned by the consortium.BACKGROUND : The Global Typhoid Genomics Consortium was established to bring together the typhoid research community to aggregate and analyse Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi (Typhi) genomic data to inform public health action. This analysis, which marks 22 years since the publication of the first Typhi genome, represents the largest Typhi genome sequence collection to date (n=13,000). METHODS : This is a meta-analysis of global genotype and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) determinants extracted from previously sequenced genome data and analysed using consistent methods implemented in open analysis platforms GenoTyphi and Pathogenwatch. RESULTS : Compared with previous global snapshots, the data highlight that genotype 4.3.1 (H58) has not spread beyond Asia and Eastern/Southern Africa; in other regions, distinct genotypes dominate and have independently evolved AMR. Data gaps remain in many parts of the world, and we show the potential of travel-associated sequences to provide informal ‘sentinel’ surveillance for such locations. The data indicate that ciprofloxacin non-susceptibility (>1 resistance determinant) is widespread across geographies and genotypes, with high-level ciprofloxacin resistance (≥3 determinants) reaching 20% prevalence in South Asia. Extensively drug-resistant (XDR) typhoid has become dominant in Pakistan (70% in 2020) but has not yet become established elsewhere. Ceftriaxone resistance has emerged in eight non-XDR genotypes, including a ciprofloxacin-resistant lineage (4.3.1.2.1) in India. Azithromycin resistance mutations were detected at low prevalence in South Asia, including in two common ciprofloxacin-resistant genotypes. CONCLUSIONS : The consortium’s aim is to encourage continued data sharing and collaboration to monitor the emergence and global spread of AMR Typhi, and to inform decision-making around the introduction of typhoid conjugate vaccines (TCVs) and other prevention and control strategies.Fellowships from the European Union (funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie grant agreement No 845681), the Wellcome Trust (SB, Wellcome Trust Senior Fellowship), and the National Health and Medical Research Council.https://elifesciences.org/am2024Medical MicrobiologySDG-03:Good heatlh and well-bein

Synthesis of aluminium oxide nanoparticles from waste aluminium foils for corrosion inhibition of mild steel pipe

233-239The driving force of Oman’s economy is oil and gas industries with a fairly diversified treasure among Gulf cooperation council countries. The corrosion problems in oil pipelines would be successfully resolved by means of novel control techniques. The current study aimed to synthesize aluminium oxide (Al2O3) nanoparticles from waste aluminium foil and to assess its potential application in corrosion inhibition of mild steel pipe. Al2O3 nanoparticles have been synthesized by facile co-precipitation technique at room temperature. The synthesized Al2O3 nanoparticles have been used to fabricate nanocomposite thin films using a biopolymer, chitosan by dip coating technique and to carry out corrosion inhibition studies of mild steel pipe. The characterisation techniques employed are scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, energy dispersive X-ray analysis, atomic force microscopy. Atmosphere test and Wet/Dry tests are carried out to investigate the corrosion behaviour of coated specimen. From the experimental studies, it is observed that the chitosan – Al2O3 nano thin film could inhibit the corrosion and also to enhance the lifespan of the mild steel pipe. This novel research project is aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDG- 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure) and Oman vision 2040. The study demonstrates that the chitosan – Al2O3 composite thin films fabricated using dip coating technique with minimum film thickness can be a feasible solution in controlling the corrosion in oil pipelines with good film stability, high durability, with a cost effective and environmentally friendly approach