Contamination of the environment due to speedup of anthropogenic activities has become a serious threat to modern humanity. Among the contaminants, the new emerging concern is the heavy metal (HM) contamination in the environment. Because the persistence and harmfulness of heavy metals affect the ecosystem and the health of plants, animals, and humans, they are the most toxic substances in the environment. Among them, Arsenic (As) emerged as major environmental constraint leading to enormous negative effects on the plant, animal, and human health. Even in minute quantity, As is known to cause various critical diseases in humans and toxicity in plants. Research was performed to observe the capability of plant growth-promoting strains of bacteria in enhancing Zea mays (L.) growth in arsenic polluted soil. Total 30 bacterial strains were isolated from the polluted soils, screened for plant growth promotion potential and arsenic tolerance. Eighteen isolates showed resistance to different levels of sodium arsenate (ranging from 0 to 50 mM) in agar plate using LB media. Of 18 isolates, 83.3% produced IAA, methyl red, and hydrogen cyanide; 55.5% exhibited catalase activity; 61.1% showed siderophore production; 88.8% showed phosphate solubilization; and 44.4% showed oxidase, Voges proskauer activity, and KOH solubility. The most efficient isolates SR3, SD5, and MD3 with significant arsenic tolerance and plant growth-promoting (PGP) activity were examined via sequencing of amplified 16S rRNA gene. Isolates of bacteria, i.e., SR3, SD5, and MD3, showing multiple PGP-traits were identified as Bacillus pumilus (NCBI accession number: OR459628), Paenibacillus faecalis (NCBI accession number: OR461560), and Pseudochrobactrum asaccharolyticum (NCBI accession number: OR458922), respectively. Maize seeds treated with these PGPR strains were grown in pots contaminated with 50 ppm and 100 ppm sodium arsenate. Compared to untreated arsenic stressed plants, bacterial inoculation P. asaccharolyticum (MD3) resulted 20.54%, 18.55%, 33.45%, 45.08%, and 48.55% improvement of photosynthetic pigments (carotenoid content, chlorophyll content, stomatal conductance (gs), substomatal CO2, and photosynthetic rate), respectively. Principal component analysis explained that first two components were more than 96% of the variability for each tested parameter. The results indicate that in comparison to other isolates, P. asaccharolyticum isolate can be used as efficient agent for improving maize growth under arsenic polluted soil.

LR-115 Solid State Nuclear Track Detector (SSNTD) is commonly utilized for quantifying indoor radon-thoron levels, by tallying the tracks formed in the films by exposure to these gases. Conventionally, sodium hydroxide (NaOH) is used to etch LR-115 films for 90 min at 60°C. However, this study suggests a time-efficient alternative approach utilizing potassium hydroxide (KOH) as the etchant. In an initial investigation, the bulk etch rates of KOH were examined at different normalities and temperatures, revealing that KOH exhibited nearly double the bulk etch rates compared to NaOH. Subsequently, a specially designed controlled experiment was conducted to assess the efficacy of the technique by enumerating the tracks generated in the films. Both etchants demonstrated very similar track counts for identical controlled exposures, indicating the reliability of the method. A consistent behavior was observed in the real-case scenario of LR-115 films exposed indoors to alpha particles from radon and its decay products. In both experiments, the etching with KOH for 45 min gave track densities comparable to standard NaOH etching for 90 min, highlighting the time efficiency of this method. Investigations were carried out into track shape and size features, aspects crucial to the measurement technique, using microscopic imaging of samples treated with both etchants. Strikingly similar track shapes and sizes were observed, affirming the consistency in the track measurement technique. Collectively, these findings suggest that KOH etchant reduces the etching time, presenting itself as a time-efficient method for quantifying radon and thoron track density.

UNASSIGNED: Mucormycosis is a lethal disease which bewildered the health-care community of India during the ongoing second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. The diagnosis is challenging considering the poor isolation in culture.
UNASSIGNED: The aim of the study was to emphasize the utility of potassium hydroxide (KOH) mount examination using conventional light microscopy for early diagnosis of mucormycosis in resource-limited settings.
UNASSIGNED: A retrospective analysis of results for all the samples including tissue biopsies, swabs, and pus received in the laboratory for KOH microscopy was done, and results were recorded. The clinical and demographic details of the patients were collected from the hospital information system.
UNASSIGNED: A total of 75 samples from 50 patients were received in the laboratory. Out of these, 43 samples from 35 patients showed fungal hyphae (38 patients with only nonseptate hyaline hyphae, 2 with septate hyaline hyphae, and 3 samples with mixed infections). All patients except one were positive for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection. The most common age group was 45-59 years (40%), followed by 30-44 years (34.28%) with a male predominance. There was a significant difference in hemoglobin A1C (P = 0.005) and ferritin (P = 0.017) levels between laboratory-confirmed mucormycosis patients and clinically suspected mucormycosis patients without confirmation.
UNASSIGNED: Early diagnosis and initiation of targeted therapy is the cornerstone for treating mucormycosis patients. Hence, a rapid and reliable mode of diagnosis is the need of the hour. Conventional microscopy is such a tool that may be used, especially in resource-limited settings.

Direct microscopic examination of samples using potassium hydroxide (KOH) is a fast, simple, and inexpensive method to confirm clinical suspicion of superficial mycosis. However, the lack of color contrast in this test makes it difficult to separate any fungal structures from artifacts. The sensitivity of the KOH mount technique may be enhanced using both fluorochromes and conventional stains that highlight the fungal structures when observed under fluorescence microscopy and bright-field, respectively. Here we study the possibility of using Trypan Blue (TB), an azo dye which is often used as a live/dead marker, in the diagnosis of superficial mycoses by KOH testing. TB at 0.01% displayed a fluorescent staining pattern similar to that of Calcofluor White (CFW), the conventional cell wall fluorophore. Furthermore, by adjusting the TB concentration to 0.1-0.3%, in addition to maintaining the fluorescent staining pattern, the fungal elements were stained in blue under bright-field microscopy. Thus, we demonstrate for the first time that TB has the unique property as a fungal stain that can be used in both bright-field and fluorescence microscopy for diagnosis of superficial mycoses by direct microscopic examination.

Obwohl verschiedene Interventionen zur Behandlung von Molluscum contagiosum eingesetzt wurden, sind Nutzen und Wirksamkeit nach wie vor unklar. Um die Wirksamkeit und Sicherheit der Interventionen gegen Molluscum contagiosum vergleichend zu beurteilen, wurde eine Netzwerk-Metaanalyse durchgeführt.
Embase, PubMed und Cochrane Library wurden nach Artikeln durchsucht, die zwischen dem 1. Januar 1990 und dem 30. November 2020 veröffentlicht wurden. Geeignet waren randomisierte klinische Studien (randomized clinical trials, RCT) von Interventionen bei immunkompetenten Kindern und Erwachsenen mit genitalen/nichtgenitalen Molluscum contagiosum-Läsionen.
Zwölf Interventionen aus 25 RCT mit 2123 Teilnehmern wurden beurteilt. Im Vergleich mit Placebo hatte Ingenolmebutat den deutlichsten Effekt auf die vollständige Abheilung (Odds Ratio [OR] 117,42, 95%-Konfidenzintervall [KI] 6,37-2164,88), gefolgt von Kryotherapie (OR 16,81, 95%-KI 4,13-68,54), Podophyllotoxin (OR 10,24, 95%-KI 3,36-31,21) und Kaliumhydroxid (KOH) (OR 10,02, 95%-KI 4,64-21,64). Aufgrund der dürftigen Datenlage konnte keine quantitative Synthese zu unerwünschten Wirkungen durchgeführt werden.
Ingenolmebutat, Kryotherapie, Podophyllotoxin und KOH waren hinsichtlich einer vollständigen Abheilung wirksamer als die anderen Interventionen. Allerdings wurden vor kurzem Sicherheitsbedenken hinsichtlich Ingenolmebutat geäußert. Aufgrund der Möglichkeit einer spontanen Abheilung ist bei asymptomatischen Infektionen auch nur deren Beobachtung gerechtfertigt. Faktoren wie unerwünschte Wirkungen, Kosten, Patientenwunsch und medizinische Verfügbarkeit sollten berücksichtigt werden.

Various interventions have been applied to treat molluscum contagiosum, but benefits and efficacy remain unclear. To assess the comparative efficacy and safety of interventions for molluscum contagiosum, a network meta-analysis was performed.
Embase, PubMed, and the Cochrane Library were searched for articles published between January 1, 1990, and November 31, 2020. Eligible studies were randomized clinical trials (RCTs) of interventions in immunocompetent children and adults with genital/non-genital molluscum contagiosum lesions.
Twelve interventions from 25 RCTs including 2,123 participants were assessed. Compared with the placebo, ingenol mebutate had the most significant effect on complete clearance (odds ratio [OR] 117.42, 95% confidence interval [CI] 6.37-2164.88), followed by cryotherapy (OR 16.81, 95% CI 4.13-68.54), podophyllotoxin (OR 10.24, 95% CI 3.36-31.21), and potassium hydroxide (KOH) (OR 10.02, 95% CI 4.64-21.64). Data on adverse effects were too scarce for quantitative synthesis.
Ingenol mebutate, cryotherapy, podophyllotoxin, and KOH were more effective than the other interventions in achieving complete clearance, but safety concerns regarding ingenol mebutate have recently been reported. Due to the possibility of spontaneous resolution, observation is also justified for asymptomatic infection. Factors including adverse effects, cost, patient preference, and medical accessibility should be considered.

Many techniques have been developed for extracting DNA, but most are often complex, time-consuming, and/or expensive. In this study, we describe a simple, rapid and cost-effective technique for preparing DNA template for PCR. This technique involves 0.1 M potassium hydroxide treatment at 100°C for 10 min followed by centrifugation. The suspended centrifuged sediments were shown as excellent templates for PCR. Templates prepared using this technique worked for diverse microorganisms belonging to bacteria, fungi and oomycetes and their amplification efficiencies were comparable to/better than those prepared using common but relatively more complex, time-consuming, and/or expensive methods, including commercial DNA extraction kits. Furthermore, this technology is suitable for high-throughput batch processing and for amplifications of long DNA fragments. Flow cytometry and scanning electronic microscopy analyzes showed that this technique generated primarily damaged cells and cell-bound DNA, not free naked DNA. This technique provides a great convenience for simple PCR template preparation.

The adsorption properties of microporous spherical carbon materials obtained from the resorcinol-formaldehyde resin, treated in a solvothermal reactor heated with microwaves and then subjected to carbonization, are presented. The potassium-based activation of carbon spheres was carried out in two ways: solution-based and solid-based methods. The effect of various factors, such as chemical agent selection, chemical activating agent content, and the temperature or time of activation, was investigated. The influence of microwave treatment on the adsorption properties was also investigated and described. The adsorption performance of carbon spheres was evaluated in detail by examining CO2 adsorption from the gas phase.

UNASSIGNED: Molluscum contagiosum (MC) is a common viral cutaneous infection. Despite multiple treatment options, there is no definitive treatment. In some cases, the lesions are severe, recurrent, and cosmetically odd. Modified autoinoculation (MAI) is a novel technique that induces cell-mediated immunity resulting in clearance of local as well as distant lesions. Potassium hydroxide (KOH) acts by dissolving the keratin and penetrating deeply destroys the hyperproliferative tissue. We would here like to compare MAI with topical KOH in the treatment of MC.
UNASSIGNED: The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of MAI in treatment of MC and to compare its response with topical KOH application.
UNASSIGNED: This was an open-labeled longitudinal therapeutic outcome study carried out at a tertiary care center over a period of 1 year.
UNASSIGNED: Hundred consenting MC patients attending the department of dermatology were randomized into Group A and Group B. Group A patients were subjected to MAI and Group B to topical application of 10% KOH.
UNASSIGNED: The continuous variables are presented as mean ± standard deviation (SD). The difference between the mean score was analyzed using Student\'s t test for independent variable and paired t test for paired results.
UNASSIGNED: At the end of 16 weeks, 91.48% showed complete clearance by MAI compared to 81.64% with topical 10% KOH solution. There was a significant reduction of mean score of lesions in patients treated by MAI compared to patients treated with KOH.
UNASSIGNED: MAI therapy provides a promising, easy, cost-effective, daycare option for MC infections.

Onychomycosis is the most common nail condition seen in clinical practice, with significant impact on quality of life. Clinical examination alone is insufficient for accurate diagnosis, but mycological confirmation can be challenging during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this letter, a multidisciplinary panel of dermatologists, a podiatrist, dermatopathologists, and a mycologist, discuss considerations for mycological sampling during the pandemic.