Black Fungus: A Lethal Communal Issue After Winning the Life Battle Against COVID-19

The authors aimed to give a quick reference guide for humanity about the new threat even after the COVID-19 health battle i.e., the Black fungus also baptized as Mucormycosis infection. After recovering from COVID-19, patients with diabetes mellitus and patients who have undergone steroidal treatment are more prone to black fungus infection. This review gives quick information about various types of Mucormycosis infections, risk factors, symptoms, treatment, and prevention of black fungus. The things that can be and cannot be done to eradicate the black fungus. Any sign of black nasal mucosa/sputum, fever, headache, hazy/blurred/double vision with eye pain, loss of one side sensation on face and loss in the sensation while chewing, etc., then it should not be neglected and immediately intimated to the health professionals and get treated. If black fungus is unidentified early stages and untreated in time, the patients may lose their facial/neck parts as a part of cleaning surgery. The study concludes that by maintaining hygienic conditions, health checkups, and doctors’ advice one can fight and eradicate the black fungus.

Antimicrobial Photodynamic Coatings Reduce the Microbial Burden on Environmental Surfaces in Public Transportation - a Field Study in Buses

Millions of people use public transportation daily worldwide and frequently touch surfaces, thereby producing a reservoir of microorganisms on surfaces increasing the risk of transmission. Constant occupation makes sufficient cleaning difficult to achieve. Thus, an autonomous, perma-nent antimicrobial coating (AMC) could keep down the microbial burden on such surfaces. A photodynamic AMC was applied to frequently touched surfaces in buses. The microbial burden (colony forming units, cfu) was determined weekly and compared to equivalent surfaces in buses without AMC (references). The microbial burden ranged from 0 – 209 cfu/cm² on references and from 0 – 54 cfu/cm² on AMC. The means were 13.4 ± 29.6 cfu/cm² on references and 4.5 ± 8.4 cfu/cm² on AMC (p<0.001). The difference of microbial burden on AMC and references was al-most constant throughout the study. Considering a hygiene benchmark of 5 cfu/cm², the data yield an absolute risk reduction of 22.6 % and a relative risk reduction of 50.7 %. In conclusion, photo-dynamic AMC kept down the microbial burden, reducing the risk of transmission of microor-ganisms. AMC permanently and autonomously contributes to hygienic conditions on surfaces in public transportation. Photodynamic AMC therefore are suitable for reducing the microbial load and closing hygiene gaps in public transportation.

Applications of the Photoionization Detector (PID) in Occupational Hygiene. Estimation of Air Changes per Hour in Premises with Natural Ventilation

The importance of ventilation in closed workplaces increased after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. New methodologies for measuring the number of air changes per hour (ACH) in a premise where natural ventilation is applied are necessary. It is demonstrated how the ionic photoionization detector (PID) can be employed for tracer gas decay methodology using a volatile organic solvent (acetone). The methodology applied to calculate ACH in a naturally ventilated room, with various combinations of door and window openings, provides ACH values of between 2 and 17 h−1. Two classrooms were studied to verify if the minimum ventilation requirements recommended by official guidelines were met. The values for ACH on different days varied, mainly between 15 and 35 h−1, with some exceptional values higher than 40 h−1 on very windy days. These results agree with the quality air data recorded by the installed CO2 sensors, ensuring adequate hygienic conditions for the users of the rooms. The fast response of the PID allows the measurement of different locations in the room during the same assay, which provides additional information regarding the air distribution inside during the ventilation process. This methodology is fast and easy, and the necessary equipment is simple to obtain and use routinely, whether it is needed to measure several rooms or to monitor one room periodically.

Development of Polyhouse Solar Dryer for Drying Granular Jaggery

Jaggery is a traditional Indian sweetener prepared from sugarcane juice through evaporation process and is considered as medicinal sugar due to its nutritional and thereupatic properties. To improve the shelf-life of solid jaggery , making jaggery in the form of granules with moisture content of 1–2% was recommended. A Polyhouse solar dryer for drying granular jaggery with a capacity of 200 kg was developed at Regional Agricultural Research Station, Anakapalle, Andhra Pradesh, India. Traditionally, granular jaggery was dried in openyard resulting in contamination with dust, insects, birds and rain. A comparative study was carried for drying granular jaggery with initial moisture of 9.3 to 10.5% (db) in both polyhouse solar dryer and in an open yard during the month of March– April, 2019. The study revealed that the rate of drying was faster in poly house compared to open yard drying. The temperature inside the polyhouse dryer was 59% higher than the ambient conditions. The percent saving in time for drying of granular jaggery in poly house dryer was 38% to attain optimum moisture content of 1.7% for stable shelf life besides maintaining hygienic conditions. The quality parameters of jaggery in terms of sucrose and reducing sugars percentage showed insignificant changes in both methods. However, the color of the granular jaggery was well retained in polyhouse dryer compared to open yard drying. Hence, this study will be helpful for small and micro entrepreneurs for large scale drying of granular jaggery under hygienic conditions utilizing renewable energy resources.

Study of Microbial Contamination in Local Fruits and Vegetables Samples of Solan, Himachal Pradesh

Food Microbiology is the study of food micro-organisms. In the present study, we have chosen to isolate and identify bacteria and fungus from various fruits and vegetables. The various fruits had been collected from local market of Solan (H.P). After the complete identification, the isolated microorganism was identified as bacteria i.e. Enterobacter, Xanthomonas, Erwinia, Acidovoraxavenae, Pseudomonas, Staphylococcus, Bacillus, Streptococcus and fungus i.e. Cercospora mamaoms, Colletotrichum, Fusarium, Alternaria alternate, Aspergillus niger. Chances of contamination can be reduced by the good hygienic conditions.

Health, performance and soiling of breeding does and their kits kept in two different housing systems on a German rabbit farm

<p>The aim of the present study was to compare a new housing (NC) for rabbit does and their kits that complies with German welfare regulations with established wire mesh cages (CC) on a commercial rabbit farm. Rabbit does were single-housed from five days antepartum until weaning at 31 d postpartum either in large pens (80×80 cm with an open top) with slatted plastic flooring (11 mm slats and 11 mm gaps), nestbox, elevated platform (15% perforated) and different manipulable materials (NC) or in cages (70×50×30 cm) with wire mesh flooring (12×70 mm holes and 3 mm wire diameter), nestbox and one gnawing stick (CC). Skin lesions, weight development, fertility, morbidity, cleanliness and kit performance of 272 rabbit does in a total of six batches were investigated. While there was no difference in performance of their kits, rabbit does showed an impaired performance with less weight gain and less body weight at weaning, lower fertility, more injuries and a higher incidence of mastitis and diarrhoea at the end of the rearing period in NC housing compared to CC housing. Additionally, soiling of hind feet was higher in NC than in CC housing. Overall, the poor hygienic conditions may have affected the animals’ health and make an improvement in the new housing system necessary, especially with regard to the floor design.</p>

Motivations of an active lifestyle to the benefit of a healthy society: A study of consumer motivations and their choices of fitness facilities

Our study aims to discover what reasons justify the physical activity of fitness consumers, and how the motivation of this physically active group can be maintained, which then may contribute to maintain a healthy society in the long run. Of the primary research procedures we chose to use the questionnaire survey method. We used cluster analysis for which we used principal components that were created with factor analysis to determine what groups can be established based on responses to the questions related to motivation and the factors that influence their choices of facilities. Based on the rank order of motivations influencing attendance of fitness sessions, fitness consumers were stratified into four different clusters. Then, segmentation of the consumers was done based on the factors influencing their choices of facilities. Our results lead to the conclusion that the motivation of consumer groups identified in our research can be sustained in the long run, the less active groups can be better involved and attracted to sports offered by fitness centres, on condition the fitness studios reliably serve these needs and provide the expected variety of services and hygienic conditions.

Basidiobolus omanensis sp. nov. Causing Angioinvasive Abdominal Basidiobolomycosis

Human infectious fungal diseases are increasing, despite improved hygienic conditions. We present a case of gastrointestinal basidiobolomycosis (GIB) in a 20-year-old male with a history of progressively worsening abdominal pain. The causative agent was identified as a novel Basidiobolus species. Validation of its novelty was established by analysis of the partial ribosomal operon of two isolates from different organs. Phylogeny of ITS and LSU rRNA showed that these isolates belonged to the genus Basidiobolus, positioned closely to B. heterosporus and B. minor. Morphological and physiological data supported the identity of the species, which was named Basidiobolus omanensis, with CBS 146281 as the holotype. The strains showed high minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) to fluconazole (>64 µg/mL), itraconazole and voriconazole (>16 µg/mL), anidulafungin and micafungin (>16 µg/mL), but had a low MIC to amphotericin B (1 µg/mL). The pathogenic role of B. omanensis in gastrointestinal disease is discussed. We highlight the crucial role of molecular identification of these rarely encountered opportunistic fungi.

Ensuring the rights and safety of prisoners during the COVID 19 pandemic

The article deals with the issue of ensuring the rights and safety of prisoners during the COVID 19 pandemic. Research was conducted on problems in the operation of penal institutions relating to the sanitary and epidemiological well-being of prisoners and the establishment of appropriate hygienic conditions in penal institutions. Some of the results of an anonymous interview of prisoners are cited, which make it possible to conclude that the State Penal Enforcement Service is unable to impose the necessary quarantine measures, as well as being unable to provide adequate medical care to prisoners and ensure their safety in physical isolation during the spread of COVID 19. Some of the recommendations that have been drawn up in the international penal correction system and that relate to the introduction of quarantine measures in non-custodial facilities have been analysed, and their justification and enforcement have been considered. The examination of the plans gives the author grounds to argue that only the adoption of relevant normative acts and action plans was ensured in Ukraine, but that the plans themselves were not properly implemented. The author points out that the failure of the Penal Correction Service to introduce and implement these measures is due to a significant underfunding of the needs of penal departments and institutions, as well as to the inadequate implementation of those measures, as provided for in normative acts. In his conclusions, the author points out that the practice of the enforcement of criminal sanctions requires the serious and consistent introduction and implementation of the measures provided for in the regulations for the period of quarantine, as well as significant reforms in the medical care of prisoners and adequate funding of such reforms by the State.

Antibacterial susceptability of E. coli strains isolated from raw milk

ntroduction. The processing of most raw milk products can lead to contamination with unwanted microflora due to poor sanitation and hygienic conditions. The inadequate antibiotic use over the past decades has led to the emergence and wide spread of bacterial populations, particularly of Escherichia coli, which developed resistance to antibacterial drugs.Material and methods. Raw milk samples were obtained from clinically healthy cows on farms from Kiev and Poltava regions to identify E . coli, Staphylococcus spp., Enterococcus spp. isolates. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed using the EUCAST disk diffusion method and MU on “Determination of microbial susceptibility to antibacterial drugs”. Results. The examined milk samples revealed the presence of E . coli, Staphylococcus spp. and Enterococcus spp. isolates, which proves poor sanitary and hygienic conditions of milk production process. Escherichia coli isolates were found susceptible to Ampicillin/sulbactam, Cefoxitin (100%), Meropenem, Tobramycin (100%), Netilin, Tigecycline, Nitroxoline (100%), Gatifloxacin, and Nitrofurantoin (100%). The studied E. coli isolates were found resistant to Ampicillin (100%), Imipenem, Tetracycline, and Doxycycline (100%). 41.7% of isolates of Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus aureus were found resistant to Oxacillin, of which 90% were resistant to Benzylpenicillin and 20% to Rifampicin. Conclusions.The circulation of antibiotic-resistant Enterobacteriaceae strains among farm animals is a major problem requiring a strategy development aimed to prevent the emergence and spread of antibiotic resistance worldwide.