Characterizing the Palm Pathogenic Thielaviopsis Species from Florida

Thielaviopsis paradoxa sensu lato is a soilborne fungal pathogen that causes Thielaviopsis trunk rot and heart rot in palms. The loss of structural integrity resulting from trunk rot can cause the palm trunk to collapse suddenly and poses a serious threat to life and property. Even though rudimentary knowledge about the Thielaviopsis infection process in palms is available, nothing is known about the T. paradoxa species complex in the US. The aim of this study was to characterize T. paradoxa s. lat. isolates collected from diseased palms grown in Florida. Multi-locus phylogeny using three genes, ITS, β-tubulin, and tef1-α, revealed that the isolates separate into two distinct clades with high bootstrap support. The majority of the isolates clustered with the species T. ethacetica, while two isolates formed a separate clade, distinct from T. musarum, and might represent an undescribed Thielaviopsis species. One representative isolate from each clade, when grown on three distinct media and at four different temperatures, showed differences in gross colony morphology, as well as growth rates. The T. ethacetica isolate TP5448 and the Thielaviopsis sp. isolate PLM300 grew better at opposite ends of the temperature spectrum tested in this study, i.e., 35 °C and 10 °C, respectively. In pathogenicity assays on whole plants, the T. ethacetica isolate proved to be more aggressive than Thielaviopsis sp. isolate PLM300, as it produced larger lesions when inoculated on wounded leaflets. An unequal distribution was observed for the mating-type locus of T. ethacetica, as 12 isolates carried the MAT1-1-1 allele, while the status for four isolates remained undefined. Variation in mycelial growth in response to different fungicides was also observed between the two clades. These results demonstrate the existence of two Thielaviopsis clades that can infect palms in Florida and underscore the need for targeted sampling to help uncover the diversity of Thielaviopsis species across palm-growing regions in the US.

Down-conversion luminescence nanocomposites based on nitrogen-doped carbon quantum dots@bioplastic for applications in optical displays, LEDs and UVC tubes

Carbon quantum dots (CQDs)-based composites as luminous down-conversion materials are becoming more popular due to several advantages such as steady fluorescence, ease of functionalization, tailoring of emission in the visible range, and so on. We report an inexpensive and environmentally sustainable synthesis of fluorescent nitrogen doped-CQDs produced from Cissus quadrangularis, a low-cost plant precursor with therapeutic value. The morphological, structural, and physicochemical features of the material were carefully investigated. Under UV stimulation (365 nm), almost spherical shaped N-CQDs with an average diameter of 5.1 nm were discovered to generate yellow-green fluorescence, have excellent photostability, and strong water solubility, with a quantum yield of up to 5 %. Furthermore, as a solid-phase dispersion matrix for CQDs, ecologically friendly and biodegradable bioplastic is appealing. The down-conversion of solid-state fluorescence of LEDs and UVC tubes was demonstrated by creating a nanocomposite by inserting N-CQDs into the solid matrix of a wheat starch-based bioplastic. Furthermore, employing constructed quantum dot-based optical displays, down-converted LEDs, and UVC tubes, the impacts of varied CQD concentrations and pH sensitivity were examined.

Draft genome sequence of Streptomyces murinus strain SPC1 with antimicrobial potential against fungal pathogens of palms

Streptomyces murinus strain SPC1, isolated from foxtail palm seeds, exhibited antimicrobial activity against fungal pathogens of palms. The assembled genome was 8.3 Mb, with 71.96% GC content, and contained 37 secondary metabolite clusters (SMCs). A complete SMC for antifungal metabolite pentamycin (fungichromin) biosynthesis was identified in SPC1 genome.

Nitrogen and phosphorous acquisition strategies drive coexistence patterns among archaeal lineages in soil

Soil represents the largest reservoir of Archaea on Earth. Present-day archaeal diversity in soils globally is dominated by members of the class Nitrososphaeria. The evolutionary radiation of this class is thought to reflect adaptations to a wide range of temperatures, pH, and other environmental conditions. However, the mechanisms that govern competition and coexistence among Nitrososphaeria lineages in soil remain poorly understood. Here we show that predominant soil Nitrososphaeria lineages compose a patchwork of gene inventory and expression profiles for ammonia, urea, and phosphate utilization. In contrast, carbon fixation, respiration, and ATP synthesis genes are conserved and expressed consistently among predominant phylotypes across 12 major evolutionary lineages commonly found in soil. In situ gene expression profiles closely resemble pure culture reference strains under optimal growth conditions. Together, these results reveal resource-based coexistence patterns among Nitrososphaeria lineages and suggest complementary ecophysiological niches associated with differential nutrient acquisition strategies among globally predominant archaeal lineages in soil.

Ganoderma zonatum causes butt rot of areca (Dypsis lutescens) and robellini (Phoenix roebelenii) palms in Florida

Ganoderma butt rot is a lethal disease of palms (Arecaceae) prevalent in palm-growing regions in the US that infects at least 58 species of palms (Elliott and Broschat 2001). Early symptoms appear as wilting of older fronds in the lower part of the canopy, and as disease progresses, wilting advances to younger leaves higher in the canopy towards the unopened spear leaf eventually killing the palm. A characteristic sign of the disease is the appearance of fruiting bodies (basidiomata) at the base of the palm trunk close to soil line. Ganoderma butt rot disease was detected on clustering palm species, areca palms, with 9 (82%) clusters showing Ganoderma basidiocarps and dead stumps, and mortality was observed in 5 (45%) clusters. A sterile scalpel was used to transfer the context tissue from Ganoderma basidiomata to full-strength potato dextrose agar selective media supplemented with streptomycin (100 mg/l), lactic acid (2 ml/l) and benomyl (4 mg/l). The pure culture for isolate GAN-33 was grown at 28°C in complete darkness for 10 days. The fungal colony was ivory white in color that grew radially as a dense mycelial mat without any sporulation. To establish the identity of the fungus, DNA was extracted using the Qiagen DNeasy PowerSoil kit (Cat. #12888). Three barcoding genes, nuclear ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, RNA polymerase II subunit 2 (rpb2) and translation elongation factor 1α (tef1α) were amplified using primers ITS1/ITS4 (White et al 1990), bRPB2-6f/bRPB2-b7.1R (Matheny et al 2007) and EF1-983F/EF1-2212R (Matheny et al 2007), respectively. The sequences were deposited in GenBank, accession numbers KX853442, KX853466 and KX853491 for ITS, rpb2 and tef1α, respectively (Elliott et al 2018). Comparison to the NCBI nucleotide sequence database identified isolate GAN-33 as Ganoderma zonatum based on 100, 99 and 99% similarity to ITS, rpb2 and tef1α sequences, respectively. Pathogenicity of G. zonatum isolate GAN-33 was determined on 1-year old seedlings of areca palm (Dypsis lutescens) and pygmy date palm (Phoenix roebelenii). Ganoderma zonatum inoculum was prepared by transferring two-week old cultures to autoclaved wheat berries and allowed to colonize for two weeks. Seedlings were gently removed from the pot and the roots were trimmed before placing them back in the pot ensuring that the roots were in contact with the G. zonatum colonized wheat berries. The inoculated and control seedlings were maintained in a growth chamber at 28°C 60% RH (daytime) and 24°C 50% RH (night time), 12h:8h light:dark period, and watered twice a week. Initial wilting symptoms started appearing approximately one month after inoculation and mortality was observed for a total of four seedlings at three months after inoculation i.e., 2 out of 3 G. zonatum inoculated seedlings died for both areca and robellini palms, whereas the non-inoculated areca and robellini palm control seedlings remained healthy and alive. The pathogen was re-isolated from inoculated roots, and its identity was confirmed by colony morphology and PCR using G. zonatum specific primers (Chakrabarti et al 2022). To the best of our knowledge this is the first report establishing G. zonatum as the pathogen responsible for Ganoderma butt rot of palms.

Multilocus, Multiplex Detection of Ganoderma zonatum from Environmental Samples

Ganoderma butt rot of palms is caused by a white rot basidiomycete fungus, Ganoderma zonatum. Typical symptoms include wilting of fronds that starts in the lower canopy and moves to the top. As wilting symptoms are also associated with other diseases and disorders, appearance of basidiomata on the trunks is necessary to confirm this disease. Basidiomata develop late in the disease cycle, making early diagnostics challenging. Here, we describe a DNA-based molecular diagnostic assay that could be used to confirm the presence of G. zonatum in palm trunks before conks are observed. Primers tailored to end on single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), that differentiate G. zonatum from 14 other Ganoderma taxa, were designed from multiple regions in four genes: internal transcribed spacer (ITS), RNA polymerase 1 (rpb1), rpb2, and translation elongation factor 1-α (tef1-α). A set of three primer pairs could successfully determine the incidence of G. zonatum with high specificity and sensitivity in different environmental samples such as sawdust collected from naturally infected palm trunks and soil samples containing G. zonatum basidiospores. This rapid PCR-based assay could potentially be used to detect inoculum sources of the fungus and track its movement and survival in different palm tissues and environments. Early detection of G. zonatum is a crucial step toward building and implementing better disease management strategies and mitigating potential risks from palm failures due to decay.

Year-around survey and manipulation experiments reveal differential sensitivities of soil prokaryotic and fungal communities to saltwater intrusion in Florida Everglades wetlands

Global sea-level rise is transforming coastal ecosystems, especially freshwater wetlands, in part due to increased episodic or chronic saltwater exposure, leading to shifts in biogeochemistry, plant- and microbial communities, as well as ecological services. Yet, it is still difficult to predict how soil microbial communities respond to the saltwater exposure because of poorly understood microbial sensitivity within complex wetland soil microbial communities, as well as the high spatial and temporal heterogeneity of wetland soils and saltwater exposure. To address this, we first conducted a two-year survey of microbial community structure and bottom water chemistry in submerged surface soils from 14 wetland sites across the Florida Everglades. We identified ecosystem-specific microbial biomarker taxa primarily associated with variation in salinity. Bacterial, archaeal and fungal community composition differed between freshwater, mangrove, and marine seagrass meadow sites, irrespective of soil type or season. Especially, methanogens, putative denitrifying methanotrophs and sulfate reducers shifted in relative abundance and/or composition between wetland types. Methanogens and putative denitrifying methanotrophs declined in relative abundance from freshwater to marine wetlands, whereas sulfate reducers showed the opposite trend. A four-year experimental simulation of saltwater intrusion in a pristine freshwater site and a previously saltwater-impacted site corroborated the highest sensitivity and relative increase of sulfate reducers, as well as taxon-specific sensitivity of methanogens, in response to continuously pulsing of saltwater treatment. Collectively, these results suggest that besides increased salinity, saltwater-mediated increased sulfate availability leads to displacement of methanogens by sulfate reducers even at low or temporal salt exposure. These changes of microbial composition could affect organic matter degradation pathways in coastal freshwater wetlands exposed to sea-level rise, with potential consequences, such as loss of stored soil organic carbon.

Indian Guidelines on Nebulization Therapy

Inhalational therapy, today, happens to be the mainstay of treatment in obstructive airway diseases (OADs), such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and is also in the present, used in a variety of other pulmonary and even non-pulmonary disorders. Hand-held inhalation devices may often be difficult to use, particularly for children, elderly, debilitated or distressed patients. Nebulization therapy emerges as a good option in these cases besides being useful in the home care, emergency room and critical care settings. With so many advancements taking place in nebulizer technology; availability of a plethora of drug formulations for its use, and the widening scope of this therapy; medical practitioners, respiratory therapists, and other health care personnel face the challenge of choosing appropriate inhalation devices and drug formulations, besides their rational application and use in different clinical situations. Adequate maintenance of nebulizer equipment including their disinfection and storage are the other relevant issues requiring guidance. Injudicious and improper use of nebulizers and their poor maintenance can sometimes lead to serious health hazards, nosocomial infections, transmission of infection, and other adverse outcomes. Thus, it is imperative to have a proper national guideline on nebulization practices to bridge the knowledge gaps amongst various health care personnel involved in this practice. It will also serve as an educational and scientific resource for healthcare professionals, as well as promote future research by identifying neglected and ignored areas in this field. Such comprehensive guidelines on this subject have not been available in the country and the only available proper international guidelines were released in 1997 which have not been updated for a noticeably long period of over two decades, though many changes and advancements have taken place in this technology in the recent past. Much of nebulization practices in the present may not be evidence-based and even some of these, the way they are currently used, may be ineffective or even harmful. Recognizing the knowledge deficit and paucity of guidelines on the usage of nebulizers in various settings such as inpatient, out-patient, emergency room, critical care, and domiciliary use in India in a wide variety of indications to standardize nebulization practices and to address many other related issues; National College of Chest Physicians (India), commissioned a National task force consisting of eminent experts in the field of Pulmonary Medicine from different backgrounds and different parts of the country to review the available evidence from the medical literature on the scientific principles and clinical practices of nebulization therapy and to formulate evidence-based guidelines on it. The guideline is based on all possible literature that could be explored with the best available evidence and incorporating expert opinions. To support the guideline with high-quality evidence, a systematic search of the electronic databases was performed to identify the relevant studies, position papers, consensus reports, and recommendations published. Rating of the level of the quality of evidence and the strength of recommendation was done using the GRADE system. Six topics were identified, each given to one group of experts comprising of advisors, chairpersons, convenor and members, and such six groups (A-F) were formed and the consensus recommendations of each group was included as a section in the guidelines (Sections I to VI). The topics included were: A. Introduction, basic principles and technical aspects of nebulization, types of equipment, their choice, use, and maintenance B. Nebulization therapy in obstructive airway diseases C. Nebulization therapy in the intensive care unit D. Use of various drugs (other than bronchodilators and inhaled corticosteroids) by nebulized route and miscellaneous uses of nebulization therapy E. Domiciliary/Home/Maintenance nebulization therapy; public & health care workers education, and F. Nebulization therapy in COVID-19 pandemic and in patients of other contagious viral respiratory infections (included later considering the crisis created due to COVID-19 pandemic). Various issues in different sections have been discussed in the form of questions, followed by point-wise evidence statements based on the existing knowledge, and recommendations have been formulated.

Magnetic resonance imaging in the evaluation of idiopathic frequent premature ventricular complexes with normal ventricular function

Background

The role of cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging in the diagnostic evaluation of patients with frequent premature ventricular complexes (PVCs) and normal left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) remains unclear. Existing data has been predominantly derived from highly selected populations, that may overestimate the true prevalence of abnormal findings on CMR in this patient population.

Purpose

The aim of this study was 2-fold: 1) to establish the prevalence of CMR imaging abnormalities in a cohort with normal LVEF and high PVC burden; 2) to identify predictors of CMR imaging abnormalities in patients with frequent PVCs and normal LVEF.

Methods

In this cohort study, 211 patients (age 53.2±19 years; 41% male) with frequent PVCs (≥5%/24 h), of normal LVEF (≥50% by echocardiography) and no known underlying structural heart disease were prospectively enrolled from 2016–2020. Of these, 166 (79%) patients were symptomatic from their PVCs in the form of palpitations, fatigue, chest pain, dizziness, and/or dyspnea. Patients underwent CMR imaging (1.5 Tesla) with a late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) protocol at the time of enrollment for the detection of scarring and/or fibrosis.

Results

Patients had a median baseline echocardiographic LVEF of 60% (± 5%) with 195 (92%) of patients having a normal native QRS morphology. Median PVC burden of the study cohort was 16% (± 14%). CMR LGE abnormalities were found in 19 (9%) patients including 17 scans with non-ischemic LGE and 2 with ischemic LGE. Age >60 (odds ratio [OR]: 3.20, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.20–8.51, p=0.020), male sex (OR: 4.67, 95% CI: 1.61–13.50, p=0.004), history of hypertension (OR: 3.43, 95% CI: 1.31–8.97, p=0.012), native QRS duration (OR: 1.03, 95% CI: 1.00–1.05, p=0.031), and history of non-sustained ventricular tachycardia (OR: 2.81, 95% CI: 1.03–7.68, p=0.044) were significantly associated with the presence of imaging abnormalities on CMR. Dominant PVC origin from the left ventricle had a positive trend (OR: 2.60, 95% CI: 0.99–7.66, p=0.083) to association with CMR imaging abnormalities. On multivariate analysis, male sex (OR: 4.10, 95% CI: 1.40–12.04, p=0.010) and history of hypertension (OR: 2.89, 95% CI: 1.08–7.75, p=0.035) remained significantly associated with the presence of CMR abnormalities. There was no association between CMR imaging abnormalities and the burden of PVCs or the number of PVC morphologies.

Conclusion

In this cohort, only 9% of patients with apparently idiopathic frequent PVCs and normal LVEF had concealed myocardial abnormalities on CMR imaging. Male sex and history of hypertension were associated with a higher rate of CMR abnormalities.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: None.

Odderon Exchange from Elastic Scattering Differences between pp and pp[over ¯] Data at 1.96 TeV and from pp Forward Scattering Measurements

We describe an analysis comparing the pp[over ¯] elastic cross section as measured by the D0 Collaboration at a center-of-mass energy of 1.96 TeV to that in pp collisions as measured by the TOTEM Collaboration at 2.76, 7, 8, and 13 TeV using a model-independent approach. The TOTEM cross sections, extrapolated to a center-of-mass energy of sqrt[s]=1.96  TeV, are compared with the D0 measurement in the region of the diffractive minimum and the second maximum of the pp cross section. The two data sets disagree at the 3.4σ level and thus provide evidence for the t-channel exchange of a colorless, C-odd gluonic compound, also known as the odderon. We combine these results with a TOTEM analysis of the same C-odd exchange based on the total cross section and the ratio of the real to imaginary parts of the forward elastic strong interaction scattering amplitude in pp scattering for which the significance is between 3.4σ and 4.6σ. The combined significance is larger than 5σ and is interpreted as the first observation of the exchange of a colorless, C-odd gluonic compound.

Nutrient-Limited Enrichments of Nitrifiers From Soil Yield Consortia of Nitrosocosmicus-Affiliated AOA and Nitrospira-Affiliated NOB

The discovery of ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) and complete ammonia-oxidizing (comammox) bacteria widespread in terrestrial ecosystems indicates an important role of these organisms in terrestrial nitrification. Recent evidence indicated a higher ammonia affinity of comammox bacteria than of terrestrial AOA and ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB), suggesting that comammox bacteria could potentially represent the most low-nutrient adapted nitrifiers in terrestrial systems. We hypothesized that a nutrient-limited enrichment strategy could exploit the differences in cellular kinetic properties and yield enrichments dominated by high affinity and high yield comammox bacteria. Using soil with a mixed community of AOA, AOB, and comammox Nitrospira, we compared performance of nutrient-limited chemostat enrichment with or without batch culture pre-enrichment in two different growth media without inhibitors or antibiotics. Monitoring of microbial community composition via 16S rRNA and amoA gene sequencing showed that batch enrichments were dominated by AOB, accompanied by low numbers of AOA and comammox Nitrospira. In contrast, nutrient-limited enrichment directly from soil, and nutrient-limited sub-cultivation of batch enrichments consistently yielded high enrichments of Nitrosocosmicus-affiliated AOA associated with multiple canonical nitrite-oxidizing Nitrospira strains, whereas AOB numbers dropped below 0.1% and comammox Nitrospira were lost completely. Our results reveal competitiveness of Nitrosocosmicus sp. under nutrient limitation, and a likely more complex or demanding ecological niche of soil comammox Nitrospira than simulated in our nutrient-limited chemostat experiments.

Ammonia-oxidizing archaea are integral to nitrogen cycling in a highly fertile agricultural soil

Nitrification is a central process in the global nitrogen cycle, carried out by a complex network of ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA), ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB), complete ammonia-oxidizing (comammox) bacteria, and nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB). Nitrification is responsible for significant nitrogen leaching and N2O emissions and thought to impede plant nitrogen use efficiency in agricultural systems. However, the actual contribution of each nitrifier group to net rates and N2O emissions remain poorly understood. We hypothesized that highly fertile agricultural soils with high organic matter mineralization rates could allow a detailed characterization of N cycling in these soils. Using a combination of molecular and activity measurements, we show that in a mixed AOA, AOB, and comammox community, AOA outnumbered low diversity assemblages of AOB and comammox 50- to 430-fold, and strongly dominated net nitrification activities with low N2O yields between 0.18 and 0.41 ng N2O-N per µg NOx-N in cropped, fallow, as well as native soil. Nitrification rates were not significantly different in plant-covered and fallow plots. Mass balance calculations indicated that plants relied heavily on nitrate, and not ammonium as primary nitrogen source in these soils. Together, these results imply AOA as integral part of the nitrogen cycle in a highly fertile agricultural soil.

Cytotoxicity of Gymnopilus purpureosquamulosus extracts on hematologic malignant cells through activation of the SAPK/JNK signaling pathway

Treatment of hematologic malignancies is a formidable challenge for hematologists and there is an urgent need to identify safe and efficacious agents either via synthesis in the laboratory or isolation from natural products. Here, we report the cytotoxicity of extracts from mushroom Gymnopilus purpureosquamulosus Høil (G. pps) and describe its molecular mechanisms. Using leukemia, lymphoma and multiple myeloma cell lines, 28-35 ppm G. pps extract inhibited cell proliferation by ~46-79%, which correlates with activation of apoptosis as indicated by increase in annexin V-positive cells (~5-8-fold), production of reactive oxygen species (~2-3-fold), cells in sub G0/G1 phase (~3-13-fold), caspase 3 enzymatic activity (~1.6-2.9-fold), DNA fragmentation, PARP1 cleavage and down-regulation of prosurvival proteins. Mitochondrial membrane potential decreased and leakage of pro-apoptotic factors to cytoplasm was observed, consistent with the activation of intrinsic apoptosis. Western blot analysis showed activation of the ASK1-MEK-SAPK/JNK and ASK1-P38 MAPK pathways possibly due to changes in the cellular redox status as suggested by decreased protein levels of peroxiredoxin, thioredoxin and thioredoxin reductase. Moreover, antioxidant N-acetylcysteine alleviated the cytotoxicity of G. pps. Pharmacological inhibition of SAPK/JNK and P38 alleviated the G. pps-mediated cytotoxicity. The extract activated apoptosis in leukemia and lymphoma patient cell samples but not in mononuclear cells from healthy donors further supporting the therapeutic values of G. pps for hematologic malignancies.

Have we forgotten about heller’s? a case report of childhood disintegrative disorder

Introduction

We report on the case of a 15 year old young person with a known diagnosis of autism presenting with a rapid and acute regression in functional abilities, decline in expressive speech and bizarre posturing. The symptoms first started during lockdown (April 2020) with anxiety related to school work followed by urinary incontinence, insomnia, muttering to self and incongruent smiling. Initial medical investigations including MRI, lumbar puncture and 24hour EEG were inconclusive, so she was referred to Paediatric Liaison for assessment.

Objectives

We demonstrate the value of a child psychiatry liaison service being involved with young people in an acute medical hospital

Methods

This young person had a thorough psychiatric assessment.

Results

Through daily psychiatric assessment and reviews with the young person, her parent, social care, wider community team, school and Paediatric Inpatient ward in order to expand on the understanding of the young person and develop a case formulation. She was started on oral Olanzapine 2.5mg which was gradually increased to 10mg OD with minimal improvement.

Conclusions

Childhood Disintegrative Disorder (CDD or Heller’s Syndrome) is a rare pervasive disorder presenting as a loss of previously acquired skills after at least two years of normal development. Despite no longer being included in DSM-V, it is important for Psychiatrists to have a working knowledge of CDD and consider other differentials when assessing young people.

Disclosure

No significant relationships.

Nanocomposite of functional silver metal containing curcumin biomolecule model systems: Protein BSA bioavailability

Curcumin, a constituent of Curcuma longa L-Zingiberaceae is used in traditional Indian and worldwide medicine and shows anticancer and antioxidant properties. Curcumin has numerous biological and pharmacological activities but due to its hydrophobic nature, the major drawback is poor absorption and rapid elimination, rendering curcumin with the tag of a poor biomaterial. Hence, there is a need to develop functional metal containing curcumin model systems (FMCCMS) as a metallo-biomolecule to enhance the bioavailability of curcumin. We designed the interaction of silver metal ion with curcumin to form curcumin-silver nanocomposite (CURC-AgNCP) via ultrasonic synthetic route. Formations of FMCCMS were characterized by spectroscopic techniques. The crystalline face-centered cubic pattern and particle size of the nanocomposite was evaluated using X-ray diffraction and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. The bonding of silver metal to curcumin was confirmed by X-ray photon spectroscopy. Interaction of the nanocomposite with bovine serum albumin (BSA) protein was performed using excitation, emission, and circular dichroism spectroscopy. In binding interaction of BSA, the negative value of ∆S° (-358.04 J mol^-1 K^-1) and ∆H° (-129.42 KJ mol^-1) demonstrates the hydrophilic nature of the nanocomposite. The binding distance r evaluated according to the Forster resonance energy transfer theory and was 4.69 nm for CURC-AgNCP, which suggested non-radiative transfer of energy between CURC-AgNCP and BSA. The role of FMCCMS metallo-biomolecule CURC-AgNCP in medicine for cancer activity can have immense importance and hence we performed Sulphorhodamine B based in-vitro cytotoxicity assay on human breast cancer Michigan Cancer Foundation-7 cell line.

Measurement of the Effective Weak Mixing Angle in pp[over ¯]→Z/γ^{*}→ℓ^{+}ℓ^{-} Events

We present a measurement of the effective weak mixing angle parameter sin^{2}θ_{eff}^{ℓ} in pp[over ¯]→Z/γ^{*}→μ^{+}μ^{-} events at a center-of-mass energy of 1.96 TeV, collected by the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider and corresponding to 8.6  fb^{-1} of integrated luminosity. The measured value of sin^{2}θ_{eff}^{ℓ}[μμ]=0.23016±0.00064 is further combined with the result from the D0 measurement in pp[over ¯]→Z/γ^{*}→e^{+}e^{-} events, resulting in sin^{2}θ_{eff}^{ℓ}[comb]=0.23095±0.00040. This combined result is the most precise measurement from a single experiment at a hadron collider and is the most precise determination using the coupling of the Z/γ^{*} to light quarks.

Squamous cell carcinoma of the upper aerodigestive tract in exclusive smokers, chewers, and those with no habits

BACKGROUND

Tobacco consumption is the major risk factor for developing head and neck squamous cell cancer (SCC). The site of development of HNSCC may depend on the way the tobacco is consumed. While laryngeal cancers are more common among smokers, oral cancers are more common among tobacco chewers. Since the use of smokeless tobacco is increasing, it is important to know whether this difference is restricted only to site wise distribution or it has other clinical and pathological implications.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We analyzed a prospectively collected dataset of HNSCC patients other than nasopharyngeal cancers attending our outpatient department at a single unit of the head and neck services at Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, India, between January 2010 and September 2011. There were 747 eligible patients and were divided into three groups: Those with chewing as the only habit (chewers), those with smoking as the only habit (smokers), and those with no habits. Patients with regular use of alcohol were excluded from the study. The clinical and pathological parameters were analyzed.

RESULTS

Of the 747 patients, the tobacco chewers formed 69.3% followed by smokers (19.5%) and patients with no habits (11.1%). Majority of smokers were men (98%). Site distribution revealed patients with chewing as the only habit had oral cancers (most commonly gingivobuccal complex cancers) as the most common site and those with smoking as the only habit had larynx as the most common site. In patients with no habits, oral tongue was found to be the most common site. No statistically significant pathological differences were observed in between these groups in patients who underwent surgery (n = 366) at the initial modality of treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

There is a direct relationship between the form of tobacco use and site of appearance of HNSCC. However, there are no differences in clinical or pathological parameters between HNSCC caused by tobacco chewing or tobacco smoking.

Combined Forward-Backward Asymmetry Measurements in Top-Antitop Quark Production at the Tevatron

The CDF and D0 experiments at the Fermilab Tevatron have measured the asymmetry between yields of forward- and backward-produced top and antitop quarks based on their rapidity difference and the asymmetry between their decay leptons. These measurements use the full data sets collected in proton-antiproton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of sqrt[s]=1.96  TeV. We report the results of combinations of the inclusive asymmetries and their differential dependencies on relevant kinematic quantities. The combined inclusive asymmetry is A_{FB}^{tt[over ¯]}=0.128±0.025. The combined inclusive and differential asymmetries are consistent with recent standard model predictions.

Positive Aspects of Caregiving and Its Correlates among Caregivers of Bipolar Affective Disorder

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the positive aspects of caregiving and its correlates (socio-demographic and clinical variables, caregiver burden, coping, quality of life, psychological morbidity) in the primary caregivers of patients with bipolar affective disorder (BPAD).

METHODS

A total of 60 primary caregivers of patients with a diagnosis of BPAD were evaluated on the Scale for Positive Aspects of Caregiving Experience (SPACE) and the Hindi version of Involvement Evaluation Questionnaire, Family Burden Interview Schedule (FBIS), modified Hindi version of Coping Checklist, shorter Hindi version of the World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL-BREF), and Hindi translated version of 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12).

RESULTS

Caregivers of patients with BPAD had the highest mean score in the SPACE domain of Motivation for caregiving role (2.45), followed by Caregiver satisfaction (2.38) and Caregiving personal gains (2.20). The mean score was the lowest for the domain of Self-esteem and social aspect of caring (2.01). In terms of correlations, age of onset of BPAD had a negative correlation with various domains of SPACE. The mean number of total lifetime affective and depressive episodes correlated positively with Self-esteem and social aspect of caring. Caregiver satisfaction correlated negatively with FBIS domains of Disruption of routine family activities, Effect on mental health of others, and subjective burden. Coercion as a coping mechanism correlated positively with domains of Caregiving personal gains, Caregiver satisfaction, and the total score on SPACE. Three (Physical health, Psychological health, Environment) out of 5 domains of the WHOQOL-BREF correlated positively with the total SPACE score. No association was noted between GHQ-12 and SPACE scores.

CONCLUSION

Positive caregiving experience in primary caregivers of patients with BPAD is associated with better quality of life of the caregivers.

The Seagrass Holobiont and Its Microbiome

Seagrass meadows are ecologically and economically important components of many coastal areas worldwide. Ecosystem services provided by seagrasses include reducing the number of microbial pathogens in the water, providing food, shelter and nurseries for many species, and decreasing the impact of waves on the shorelines. A global assessment reported that 29% of the known areal extent of seagrasses has disappeared since seagrass areas were initially recorded in 1879. Several factors such as direct and indirect human activity contribute to the demise of seagrasses. One of the main reasons for seagrass die-offs all over the world is increased sulfide concentrations in the sediment that result from the activity of sulfate-reducing prokaryotes, which perform the last step of the anaerobic food chain in marine sediments and reduce sulfate to H₂S. Recent seagrass die-offs, e.g., in the Florida and Biscayne Bays, were caused by an increase in pore-water sulfide concentrations in the sediment, which were the combined result of unfavorable environmental conditions and the activities of various groups of heterotrophic bacteria in the sulfate-rich water-column and sediment that are stimulated through increased nutrient concentrations. Under normal circumstances, seagrasses are able to withstand low levels of sulfide, probably partly due to microbial symbionts, which detoxify sulfide by oxidizing it to sulfur or sulfate. Novel studies are beginning to give greater insights into the interactions of microbes and seagrasses, not only in the sulfur cycle. Here, we review the literature on the basic ecology and biology of seagrasses and focus on studies describing their microbiome.

Structural and functional changes to the retina and optic nerve following panretinal photocoagulation over a 2-year time period

PurposeTo evaluate long-term structural and functional changes to the retina and optic nerve following panretinal photocoagulation (PRP) in diabetic retinopathy (DR) patients.MethodsParticipants were patients with DR requiring PRP and control patients with DR not requiring PRP. The Heidelberg retinal tomography (HRT) and optical coherence tomography (OCT) were performed to analyze the optic nerve and macula. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and visual field (VF) testing were done to measure central and peripheral vision. Wide-field fluorescein angiogram was performed to monitor the progression of diabetic ischemia. The primary outcome measure was to determine the degree of retinal and optic nerve changes before and after PRP.ResultsThere was a non-significant thickening of the macula and retinal nerve fiber layer at 6 months post laser that recovered by 24 months. Mean perfused ratio was significantly increased (P=0.02) at 12 and 24 months post laser. Independently grading patient stereophotographs, grader 1 indicated there was a non-significant increase in cup to disk ratio post laser, while grader 2 indicated a significant increase at 6 (P=0.04), 12 (P=0.02), and 24 months (P=0.005). There was a significant VF decrease (P≤0.02) at 12 and 24 months post laser with BCVA showing a non-significant trend of deteriorating results.ConclusionDespite an improvement in peripheral perfusion, there was a significant progressive decline of peripheral VF over the study period. Clinical grading of the optic nerve was more unreliable following PRP, despite the absence of significant morphological changes as detected by the OCT and HRT.

Demonstration of Fabricated Midwave Infrared InAs/GaSb Type-II Superlattice-based Focal Plane Arrays

In this study, fabricated 320 × 256 infrared focal plane arrays (FPAs) were realised using a GaSb/InAs-based type-II superlattice heterostructure for midwave infrared (MWIR) imaging. We report here the optimized fabrication and characterization of single-pixel infrared detectors and FPAs. MWIR spectral response up to 5 μm of these single-pixel detectors was evident up to 250 K. Responsivity was measured to be 1.62 A/W at 0.8 V and 80 K. Current–voltage characteristics at room temperature (300 K) and at low temperature (18 K) revealed the resistance and dark current variation of the device in the operating bias region. Moreover, good thermal images were obtained at device temperatures up to 150 K for low-temperature targets. Low noise equivalent difference in temperature was measured to be 58 mK at 50 K and 117 mK at 120 K.