Microbes are ubiquitously distributed in nature, and recent culture-independent studies have highlighted the significance of gut microbiota in human health and disease. Fecal DNA is the primary source for the majority of human gut microbiome studies. However, further improvement is needed to obtain fecal metagenomic DNA with sufficient amount and good quality but low host genomic DNA contamination. In the current study, we demonstrate a quick, robust, unbiased, and cost-effective method for the isolation of high molecular weight (>23 kb) metagenomic DNA (260/280 ratio >1.8) with a good yield (55.8 ± 3.8 ng/mg of feces). We also confirm that there is very low human genomic DNA contamination (eubacterial:human genomic DNA marker genes=227.9:1) in the human feces. The newly-developed method robustly performs for fresh as well as stored fecal samples as demonstrated by 16S rRNA gene sequencing using 454 FLX+. Moreover, 16S rRNA gene analysis indicated that compared to other DNA extraction methods tested, the fecal metagenomic DNA isolated with current methodology retains species richness and does not show microbial diversity biases, which is further confirmed by qPCR with a known quantity of spike-in genomes. Overall, our data highlight a protocol with a balance between quality, amount, user-friendliness, and cost effectiveness for its suitability toward usage for cultureindependent analysis of the human gut microbiome, which provides a robust solution to overcome key issues associated with fecal metagenomic DNA isolation in human gut microbiome studies.

Purpose: Due to COVID 19 pandemic, the treatment of cancer patients has become a dilemma for every oncologist. Cancer patients are at an increased risk of immunosuppression and have a higher risk to acquire any infection. There are individual experiences from some centers regarding the management of cancer patients during such a crisis. So we have developed our institutional strategy to balance between COVID and cancer management.Material & Methods: Radiation Oncology departmental meeting was held to prepare a consensus document on Radiotherapy schedules and department functioning during this pandemic. Results: Strategies were taken in form of following areas were steps need to be taken to decrease risk of infection, categorise treatment on the basis of priority, radiotherapy schedules modification, academic meetings and management of COVID positive patient/personnel in Radiation Oncology department. Conclusion We hope to strike the balance in overcoming both the battles and emerge as winners. Stringent long term follow up will be done for assessing the response or any unforeseen treatment related sequelae.

Experiments were carried out to study the effect of two fungal bioagents along with mustard oil cake and furadan against root knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita infecting tomato under greenhouse condition. Bioagents viz., Paecilomyces lilacinus and Trichoderma viride alone or in combination with mustard cake and furadan promoted plant growth, reduced number of galls/plant, egg masses/root system and eggs/egg mass. The fungal bioagents along with mustard cake and nematicide showed least nematodes reproduction factor as compared to untreated infested soil.
Animals ; Carbofuran ; pharmacology ; Lycopersicon esculentum ; drug effects ; growth & development ; parasitology ; Mustard Plant ; chemistry ; Paecilomyces ; Pest Control, Biological ; methods ; Plant Oils ; pharmacology ; Plant Roots ; drug effects ; growth & development ; parasitology ; Trichoderma ; Tylenchoidea ; drug effects ; growth & development ; microbiology