Fruit rot of chillies (Capsicum annuum L.), caused by Colletotrichum capsici under tropical and subtropical conditions, results in qualitative and quantitative yield losses. Based on variation in cultural and morphological traits of C. capsici populations, 37 isolates were categorized into five groups designated, respectively, as Cc-I, Cc-II, Cc-III, Cc-IV and Cc-V. In culture, most of the isolates produced cottony, fluffy or suppressed colonies. However, no significant differences were noticed in shape and size of conidia. The reaction of the 37 isolates on an indigenously developed differential set of Capsicum cultivars indicated the existence of different virulences in Himachal Pradesh (HP) chilli populations. Fifteen pathotypes of the pathogen were characterized from various chilli-growing regions of HP. Pathotype CCP-1 was most virulent and attacked all the differential cultivars. The genetic relationship between five morphological groups recognized within C. capsici was investigated using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis. Molecular polymorphism generated by RAPD confirmed the variation in virulences of C. capsici and different isolates were grouped into five clusters. However, four isolates (Cc-5, Cc-33, Cc-29 and Cc-37) exhibited identical RAPD haplotypes. The pathological and RAPD grouping of isolates suggested no correlation among the test isolates.

Plants have evolved mechanisms to recognize a wide range of pathogen-derived molecules and to express induced resistance against pathogen attack. Exploitation of induced resistance, by application of novel bioactive elicitors, is an attractive alternative for crop protection. Chitooligosaccharide (COS) elicitors, released during plant fungal interactions, induce plant defenses upon recognition. Detailed analyses of structure/function relationships of bioactive chitosans as well as recent progress towards understanding the mechanism of COS sensing in plants through the identification and characterization of their cognate receptors have generated fresh impetus for approaches that would induce innate immunity in plants. These progresses combined with the application of chitin/chitosan/COS in disease management are reviewed here. In considering the field application of COS, however, efficient and large-scale production of desired COS is a challenging task. The available methods, including chemical or enzymatic hydrolysis and chemical or biotechnological synthesis to produce COS, are also reviewed.

Glycosyl hydrolase (GH) family 18 chitinases (Chi) and family 33 chitin binding proteins (CBPs) from Bacillus thuringiensis serovar kurstaki (BtChi and BtCBP), B. licheniformis DSM13 (BliChi and BliCBP) and Serratia proteamaculans 568 (SpChiB and SpCBP21) were used to study the efficiency and synergistic action of BtChi, BliChi and SpChiB individually with BtCBP, BliCBP or SpCBP21. Chitinase assay revealed that only BtChi and SpChiB showed synergism in hydrolysis of chitin, while there was no increase in products generated by BliChi, in the presence of the three above mentioned CBPs. This suggests that some (specific) CBPs are able to exert a synergistic effect on (specific) chitinases. A mutant of BliChi, designated as BliGH, was constructed by deleting the C-terminal fibronectin III (FnIII) and carbohydrate binding module 5 (CBM5) to assess the contribution of FnIII and CBM5 domains in the synergistic interactions of GH18 chitinases with CBPs. Chitinase assay with BliGH revealed that the accessory domains play a major role in making BliChi an efficient enzyme. We studied binding of BtCBP and BliCBP to α- and β-chitin. The BtCBP, BliCBP or SpCBP21 did not act synergistically with chitinases in hydrolysis of the chitin, interspersed with other polymers, present in fungal cell walls.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 has caused economic slowdown all across the globe. It results in job loss on the one hand and less wages, increased working hours, overqualified employees and part time jobs on the other hand. Low demand of labour and a huge availability of work force will put many in a disadvantageous position, where they will have to compromise with the circumstances by being underemployed. Cabinet decisions, by some Indian states like Uttar Pradesh, to suspend the labour laws related to minimum wage, bonus, working hours and other employee benefits will put workers in a highly disadvantageous position of being underemployed. This may lead to many socio-economic, psychological and health-related implications. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this paper is to provide a comprehensive review on the concept of underemployment, its types and consequences. METHODOLOGY: A critical and constructive analysis of the literature was performed. RESULTS: The findings reveal that if employment does not provide workers with proper opportunities to use their education, time, skills and expertise, it can create stressful situations in workers’ lives. CONCLUSION: The problem needs both a diagnosis and robust treatment in order to have better outcomes at the individual, organisational and national levels.

We screened 2560 referred cases for inborn errors of amino acid metabolism by chemical tests and thin-layer chromatography of urine/plasma. In 62(2.4%) cases, eleven inherited Mendelian disorders of amino acids were identified. The four commonest disorders were homocystinuria, alcaptonuria, maple syrup urine disease and nonketotic hyperglycinaemia. Ornithinaemia was detected in two cases (0.08%), and phenylketonuria and cystinuria in two cases each (0.08%). Generalized hyperaminoacidurias were found in 90 (3.52%) subjects. The frequency pattern of the various amino acid disorders in North India was found to be remarkably different from that observed in the West.

Introduction:Tamoxifen, a nonsteroidal antiestrogenic agent, is used widely as adjunctive therapy for women with breast cancer. Most studies have found that the increased relative risk of developing endometrial cancer for women taking Tamoxifen is two to three times higher than that of an age-matched population. So we designed this study to assess the endometrial status in patients taking Tamoxifen for breast carcinoma.Material and Methods:The study was conducted at Govt. Medical College and Rajindra Hospital, Patiala, India. A total of 50 patients of Ca Breast taking Tamoxifen were selected as per study criterion and TVS performed. If endometrial thickness was more than 5 mm hysteroscopy and endometrial HPE was done and data analysed.Results:On ultrasonography 35 patients (70%) had an endometrial thickness up to 5 mm. 15 patients (30%) had an endometrial thickness more than 5mm. Out of these, 11 patients, i.e. 22% of total, had an endometrial thickness of 5.1 to 10 mm and 2 patients, i.e. 4% of total had an endometrial thickness of more than 20 mm. Hysteroscopy was done on 11 patients. Out of these 8 patients had a normal hysteroscopic appearance whereas 3 patients had an abnormal hysteroscopic picture. Endometrial HPE of these 11 patients revealed 2 patients had secretory changes, 1 had polyp change, 1 had atrophic endometrium, 3 had simple endometrial hyperplasia, 1 had endometrial adenocarcinoma and 4 patients were reported to have scanty curetting.Conclusion:The duration of Tamoxifen therapy turned out to have a relationship with the incidence of endometrial carcinoma (P < 0.0001). Also, a relationship was observed between the duration of Tamoxifen therapy and symptom status of the patients (P < 0.0001). This correlation did not extend to duration of Tamoxifen therapy and endometrial thickness. (P = 0.190). This correlation did not extend to duration of Tamoxifen therapy and endometrial thickness. (P = 0.190).

No abstract

The study has examined the growth performance and identified determinants of rice exports from India with special reference to basmati rice during the period 1980-81 to 2012-13. Compound growth rate, instability index and Markov chain analysis, were applied to estimate trend, and instability and the project export to different countries. The time series data were made stationary before estimating the determinants of Indian rice export. The study has observed that rice contributed substantially to the national income during the study period. The higher growth observed in value of basmati rice export (15.87%) was due to higher growth in unit value than quantity of export (7.55%) during 1980-81 to 2012-13. The growth rate of unit value of rice export was higher in period I (13.48%) than period II (5.06%). The growth rates in export of non-basmati rice in terms of quantity, export earnings and unit value were 10.87 per cent, 17.74 per cent and 6.20 per cent, respectively during the study period. The instability index has been found highest for quantity (43.37 %) in case of basmati rice and value (141.36%) in case of total rice during the entire period. The UAE has been found to be a highly preferred market for Indian basmati rice and Nigeria for Indian non-basmati rice, as indicated by the probability of retention of their previous shares. The study has projected that during 2013-14 the major markets for Indian basmati rice would be Iran and Saudi Arabia, whereas for Indian non-basmati rice, the major markets would be Nigeria and South Africa. The estimated regression model has shown that export price, international price, lagged production, domestic consumption, and exchange rate are the major determinants of rice export from India. In order to sustain in the international market, Indian export price needs to be competitive besides improvement in quality and sanitary standards.