BACKGROUND: In the intricate tapestry of food security, wild food species stand as pillars, nourishing millions in low-income communities, and reflecting the resilience and adaptability of human societies. Their significance extends beyond mere sustenance, intertwining with cultural traditions and local knowledge systems, underscoring the importance of preserving biodiversity and traditional practices for sustainable livelihoods.
METHODS: The present study, conducted between February 2022 and August 2023 along the Line of Control in India\'s Kashmir Valley, employed a rigorous data collection encompassing semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, and specific field observations facilitated through a snowball sampling technique.
CONCLUSIONS: The comprehensive inventory includes 108 edible plant and fungal species from 48 taxonomic families, with Rosaceae (N = 11) standing out. Young and soft leaves (N = 60) are an important component of various culinary preparations, with vegetables (N = 65) being the main use, followed by fruits (N = 19). This use is seasonal, with collection peaks in March-April and June-August (N = 12). The study also highlights the importance of use value (UV), with Portulaca oleracea standing out as the plant taxon (UV = 0.61), while Asyneuma thomsoni has the lowest use value (UV = 0.15). Many species such as Senecio chrysanthemoides, Asperugo procumbens, Asyneuma thomsoni, and Potentilla nepalensis were classified as new for gastronomic use. Furthermore, the study underlines the great cultural importance of mushrooms such as Morchella esculenta and Geopora arenicola in influencing social hierarchies within the community. However, the transmission of traditional knowledge across generations is declining in the region. At the same time, the conservation of endangered plant species on the IUCN Red List, such as Trillium govanianum, Taxus wallichiana, Saussurea costus, and Podophyllum hexandrum, requires immediate attention.
CONCLUSIONS: Conservation measures should be prioritized, and proactive remedial action is needed. Further research into the nutritional value of these edible species could pave the way for their commercial cultivation, which would mean potential economic growth for local communities, make an important contribution to food security in the area under study, and contribute to scientific progress.

Earth observation (EO) technology offers enormous opportunities to assess the magnitude and patterns of spatial variability in wetlands over time. This study aims to assess the spatial and temporal changes in the wetlands of the Kashmir valley using multiple remote sensing satellite data products, Geographic Information System (GIS), and field observations. Moreover, role of major factors operating at different time scales including regional geology, climate, and human activities in driving the wetland change is presented. The dynamics of the wetlands are illustrated in the occurrence, seasonality, and recurrence of surface water, land cover transitions and loss patterns particularly for the period from 1984 to 2021. Constituting about 3% (495 Km2) of the total area, substantial and variable patterns of seasonal and annual changes are exhibited by the wetlands. The main transitions of the water surface reveal that 2% of the area has changed from permanent to seasonal; 8% is lost; 15% is new seasonal; 0.12% is permanently lost; and 0.3% is new permanent. About 22% of the area reveals increase in the intensity of water surface occurrence, whereas 44% shows no change, and 34% exhibits decrease. Bathymetric analysis suggests that the average depth of the wetlands ranges between 0.6 and 16.6 m. In general, alpine wetlands are relatively deeper and mostly static in their structure whereas those in the floodplain are shallow, fragmented, and showing signs of depletion during the assessment period. The results of this assessment will inform the policy on conservation and sustainability of wetlands in the Kashmir Himalaya.

UNASSIGNED: Limited studies have been done regarding the prevalence of Rickettsial diseases in India and as far as UT of Jammu and Kashmir is concerned, only a few hospital-based studies are available.
UNASSIGNED: The present study was therefore planned to find the seroprevalence of Rickettsial diseases in Kashmir Valley.
UNASSIGNED: A multistage sampling procedure was used for the collection of samples from 10 districts of Kashmir Valley and a total of 1740 samples were collected. In addition, 802 healthy blood donors were included to establish baseline titers for Weil-Felix (WF) Test.
UNASSIGNED: Of 1734 subjects, 73 were positive by the WF test. The overall seroprevalence of Rickettsial diseases was 4.1% with the highest prevalence of scrub typhus (2.30%) followed by the spotted fever group (1.5%) and typhus group (0.40%). Maximum seropositive subjects were from district Kulgam (6.97%) followed by Pulwama (5.92%), Shopian (5.79%), Anantnag (5.47%), Ganderbal (5.00%), Kupwara (4.72%), Baramulla (4.62%), Srinagar (2.63%), Bandipora (2.41%), and Budgam (0.54%), respectively. Seropositivity was higher in females and subjects who had contact with ticks and mites like those involved in the collection of firewood and grass or had contact with uncut grass or shrub. The seropositivity was also significantly higher in those working in paddy fields and those living near the forest (P < 0.05).
UNASSIGNED: The results of the present study confirm the existence of Rickettsial diseases in this region. This data would promote awareness of rickettsioses among local physicians and will also serve as a baseline to detect changing prevalence in the future.

Alzheimer\'s disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia, generally affecting elderly people in the age group of above 60-65 years. Amyloid deposition has been found to be a possible cause and a characteristic feature of Alzheimer\'s disease. Mutations, variant genotypes, or downregulation that reduce amyloid clearance or accelerate amyloid accumulation can lead to Alzheimer\'s disease. This study involved clinically confirmed AD patients, age matched controls of similar ethnicity, and patients who had no history of cancer or any other chronic disease. DNA and RNA extractions of samples were done as per Saguna et al. [45] and TRIzol method, respectively. Frequencies of variant genotypes were observed using the RFLP technique, whereas, for expression analysis, qPCR was performed. The association between diet, smoking status, family history, and co-morbidities was calculated using statistical tools. Expression analysis showed downregulation in more than 65% of AD cases. Hypertension and diabetes also had a significant association with AD. Allelic isoforms ε2:ε2 and ε2:ε3 tend to be less frequent among AD cases compared to controls (2.85% vs 26.15% and 11.42% vs 21.43%, respectively). Among individuals (AD cases) with ε2:ε3 and ε2:ε4, 37.5% of the patients were having severe dementia and 62.5% were having mild to moderate dementia, whereas, among individuals with ε3:ε4 and ε4:ε4, 57% were having severe dementia and 43% were having mild to moderate dementia. Besides this, all early-onset Alzheimer\'s patients were found to have at least one ε4 allele. The percentage of individuals with family history (cases vs controls) was 34.17% vs 3.75%, without family history 64.55% vs 95%. On comparing AD cases against controls for smoking status, the results observed are the following: chain smokers, 12.65% vs 18.75%; moderate smokers, 16.45% vs 6.25%; ex-smokers, 36.70% vs 22.50%; non-smokers, 34.17% vs 52.50%. On comparing dietary habits in AD cases against controls, the results were as follows: individuals with generally fatty diet 26.58% vs 11.25%, with mixed diet 36.70% vs 78.75%, with generally vegetarian diet 34.17% vs 10.00%, data not available 2.53% among AD cases. Family history, dietary habits, genetics, and socioeconomic status are strongly associated with the development of Alzheimer disease. Although family history or genetic makeup cannot be changed, eating habits can be changed quite easily. We simply need to go from a high-fat diet to one that is lower in fat. Regarding socioeconomic status, which includes stress of both kinds, including economic stress, stress brought on by the loss of loved ones through death or separation, and co-morbidities (hypertension and diabetes), all are manageable and even modifiable through counseling, positive behavior, and physical activity like exercise, walking, cycling, and playing games.

Visceral leishmaniasis is the most severe form of leishmaniasis. There has been an increase in number of cases in the sub-Himalayan regions of India in the past few years. Here we present three pediatric cases diagnosed with visceral leishmaniasis from the region.

Coliform pollution for the last three decades in major river systems of the world has resulted in far ranging impacts on water quality. In this context, the present study aimed to assess the levels of indicator bacteria like total Coliform (TC), fecal Coliform (FC) and fecal Streptococcus (FS) in major watersheds of Kashmir valley. Sampling was carried out for a period of 2 years (summer 2017 to spring 2019) along several upstream, midstream and downstream reaches of Jhelum River Basin (JRB), while analysis was carried out by multiple tube fermentation technique involving Most Probable Number (MPN). Major highlights of the results revealed high levels of TC, FC and FS among downstream sites with pronounced seasonal variations between summer and winter. TC was highest at all the reaches and during all the seasons followed by FC and FS. Non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) revealed more variation in Coliform count among reaches as compared to seasons. Mantle test revealed that environmental factors like observable environmental pressure (OEP) (r: 0.235, p < 0.0001), DO (r: 0.2815, p < 0.0001) and temperature (r: 0.04419, p = 0.0104) had prominent effect on Coliform distribution as compared to geographical factors. The study thus highlights the prevalence of Coliform bacteria along JRB resulting from fecal sources. Due to growing urbanization and lack of adequate sewage treatment facilities, there is an increase in the levels of Coliform bacteria along downstream reaches especially those residing within lower Jhelum and Dara watershed, which could jeopardize water quality and public health.

The rise in antibiotic-resistant bacteria and contamination of water bodies is a serious issue that demands immense attention of scientific acumen. Here, we examined the pervasiveness of ESBL producing bacteria in Dal Lake and Wular Lake of Kashmir valley, India. Isolates were screened for antibiotic, heavy metal resistant elements, and their coexistence with mobile genetic elements. Out of two hundred one isolates screened, thirty-eight were found positive for ESBL production. Antibiotic profiling of ESBL positive isolates with 16 different drugs representing β-lactam or -non-β-lactam, exhibited multidrug resistance phenotype among 55% isolates. Molecular characterization revealed the occurrence of drug resistance determinants blaTEM, AmpC, qnrS, and heavy metal resistance genes (MRGs) merB, merP, merT, silE, silP, silS, and arsC. Furthermore, mobile genetic elements IntI, SulI, ISecp1, TN3, TN21 were also detected. Conjugation assay confirmed the transfer of different ARGs, HMRGs, and mobile elements in recipient Escherichia coli J53 AZR strain. Plasmid incompatibility studies showed blaTEM to be associated with Inc groups B/O, HI1, HI2, I1, N, FIA, and FIB. Co-occurrence of blaTEM, HMRGs, and mobile elements from the aquatic milieu of Kashmir, India has not been reported so far. From this study, the detection of the blaTEM gene in the bacteria Bacillus simplex and Brevibacterium frigoritolerans are found for the first time. Considering all the facts it becomes crucial to conduct studies in natural aquatic environments that could help depict the epidemiological situations in which the resistance mechanism might have clinical relevance.

BACKGROUND: Taeniasis, caused by two major Taenia species, T. solium and T. saginata, is a worldwide foodborne zoonotic disease. T. solium is found in people who habitually eat raw or undercooked pork, while T. saginata is found in people who habitually eat raw or undercooked beef. Cattle rearing and beef consumption is an important socio-cultural feature in the Kashmir valley, India. This study\'s objectives were to evaluate the prevalence of foodborne taeniasis in Kashmir and explore the various risk factors for its transmission.
METHODS: A detailed survey of the population in selected rural and semi-urban sites of Kashmir valley was carried out based on previous information. A total of 12,404 subjects (males=6364; females=6040) ranging from one to 85 years of age (mean age: 28.96±17.68) were included in this study. The parasite diagnosis was made through stool analysis (egg morphology) and anatomical characteristics of gravid proglottids obtained from infected cases. The data obtained were compiled for the parameters studied and statistically analyzed.
RESULTS: The observations as estimated coprologically and based on gravid proglottids\' anatomy revealed the presence of T. saginata infection. The prevalence was 2.74% with males significantly (p<0.01) more infected (3.40%) than females (2.05%). Similarly, the age group of >60 years showed greater prevalence (7.21% among males and 2.68% among females) at a significance value of p<0.05. Rural populatios were slightly more infected (2.84%) than semi-urban populations (2.36%) with a statistically significant difference (p<0.01).
CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that the Kashmiri population who consume raw or undercooked beef, harbor T. saginata infection; its prevalence was influenced by food eating habits, age, sex, and living conditions.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) among women of reproductive age across educational institutions in the Kashmir valley.
METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted from May 2013 to May 2015. Eligible girls and women aged 15-40 years were included using a multistage random selection process from five out of 12 districts in turn housing 14 educational institutions. They were screened through a brief questionnaire in a staged manner. After obtaining consent, women underwent detailed clinical, biochemical, hormonal, and sonographic evaluation to satisfy Rotterdam 2003 criteria. The participants were also evaluated using NIH and AE-PCOS criteria.
RESULTS: Out of a total of 3300 eligible women, 964 women were evaluated using a structured questionnaire. Among these, 446 (46.4%) were identified as \"probable PCOS\" cases. Out of 171 probable PCOS women who completed all biochemical, hormonal, and sonographic assessment, 35.3% qualified for a diagnosis of PCOS using Rotterdam criteria. The prevalence of PCOS was 28.9% by NIH criteria and 34.3% by AE-PCOS criteria.
CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of PCOS is high among Kashmiri women and is probably the highest in a published series globally. A countrywide systematic prevalence study is warranted to reconfirm the findings.

A total of 1455 local and non-local (originating from other Indian states), slaughtered or spontaneously dead, sheep in various areas of Kashmir Valley were investigated for the presence of cystic echinococcosis over a period of one year. The overall prevalence was 7.97% with higher prevalence in local (14.3%) than in non-local sheep (6.06%). The prevalence of infection, total number of cysts recovered and mean intensity of infection were higher in lungs as 66.2%, 506 & 5.1% respectively, followed by liver (28.5%, 169, 3.9%) and spleen (5.3%, 9, 1.13%). Either single (71.55%) or multiple (28.45%) organ involvements were observed. 66.6% of cysts were of small size, 19.29% medium, 7.01% large and 7.01% calcified. The fertility of cysts was noted to be 65.7% whereas 34.2% were infertile which included 27.1% sterile and 7.01% calcified cysts. The viability percentage of protoscolices from all the fertile cysts was 74.2%. The number of cysts recovered was higher in sheep with body condition score- emaciated, thin and average, and lower in, fat and obesed. The study showed that the local sheep were more vulnerable to contract cystic echinococcosis than non-local sheep which is further aggravated by poor body condition.