Sturgeons are the most primitive, endangered groups of vertebrates on the planet and often referred to as 'living fossils'. Their natural populations are decreasing due to habitat destruction, blockage of spawning migration, pollution and overexploitation for their expensive black caviar and boneless meat. Currently, existing populations have little chance to survive without artificial breeding and sustainable ranching programmes. Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) is regulating international trade of all Acipenseriformes and their products for effective conservation. The aim of this review paper was to describe the main innovative applications in sturgeon aquaculture and conservation, such as genome engineering techniques applied in sturgeon's reproduction, molecular and ploidy analyses of embryo and larvae, sex determination, genome sequencing, gene expression analysis and genome transplantations. Further research is required to improve cryopreservation techniques, embryo banking and quick identification of disease in sturgeon aquaculture and conservation programme.

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The objective of the present research was to study the effect of cold shock (3 °C and 6 °C) on fertilized eggs of the sterlet, Acipenser ruthenus L. Cold shock was applied for various durations (30, 60 and 90 min) and the ploidy levels, survival, and genotypes of the treated embryos/larvae were recorded. Analysis of ploidy levels confirmed the presence of diploid, triploid, and mosaic (1n/2n, 2n/3n, and 1n/2n/3n) genotypes in experimental groups, while it was strictly diploid in control groups. Microsatellite genotyping confirmed both the incidence of polyspermy and retention of the 2nd polar body in experimental groups. However, patterns of inheritance in all diploid offspring in experimental and control groups revealed classical Mendelian disomic inheritance. Interestingly, the observed mosaic sterlets had normal morphology and were alive. However, some larvae had abnormal morphology which may be due to haploid syndrome. In all treatment groups (treatments: 3 °C–30 min; 3 °C–60 min; 3 °C–90 min; 6 °C–60 min), where the percentage of polyploid/mosaic larvae were high, the mortality was also high. Whereas, in the control groups (where there were only diploid (2n) larvae), the mortality was relatively low.

Background: Bacterial vaginosis, well known as the nonspecific vaginitis is caused by the normal resident flora of the vagina, predominantly by the peroxides producing lactobacillus species, when there is a disparity in their proportion and replaced by Gardinerella vaginalis, Mycoplasm hominis, Mobilunceus species, Bacteroids species, Prevotela species, Fusobacterium species and Porphyromonus species, Peptostreptococcus species. Methods: A cross section study was performed to study the prevalence of bacterial vaginosis in the reproductive age group women and the associated risk factors. The diagnosis of the vaginosis was made from the smear and Amsle's clinical criteria. Results: Out of 250 patients 112 (44.8%) were diagnosed to have BV, 20-29-year age group had the largest percentage of infection 69 (61.6%). IUCD users 36 (32.14%) are found to be suffering from BV. Vaginal candidiasis, trichomonas vaginalis and atypical cell of unknown significant was seen in 32 (28.5%), 9 (8.03%) and 17 (15.17%) women respectively. Conclusions: A routine high vaginal swab for smear and culture must be performed for every woman presenting with chronic white discharge and itching, to prevent misuse usage of antibiotic. Further studies are needed to study the associated risk factors for BV.