A Novel Design of Multi-Chambered Biomass Battery

In this paper, a novel design of biomass battery has been introduced for providing electricity to meet the lighting requirements of rural household using biomass. A biomass battery is designed, developed and tested using cow dung as the raw material. This is done via anaerobic digestion of the cow dung, and power generation driven by the ions produced henceforth. The voltage and power output is estimated for the proposed system. It is for the first time that such a high voltage is obtained from cow dung fed biomass battery. The output characteristics of this novel battery design have also been compared with the previously designed battery

Comparative efficacy between ketamine, memantine, riluzole and d-cycloserine in patients diagnosed with drug resistant depression: a meta-analysis

Background: Glutamate modulators are having immense potential and are newer entities for treating drug resistant depression. The objectives were to generate statistical evidence on basis of existing data of ketamine, memantine, riluzole and d-cycloserine in resistant depression.Methods: A total of 14 RCTs following PRISMA guidelines and matching inclusion and exclusion criteria were collected of ketamine (5), memantine (3), riluzole (2) and d-cycloserine (4) vs placebo in drug resistant depression. Only RCTs with primary diagnosis of drug resistant depression (Previously on two standard antidepressant therapy) were included. Studies with treatment response rate, 50% reduction in total score of the depression rating scale-Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale or the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale or Beck Depression Inventory was chosen as clinical outcome measure. RevMan 5.3 software was used for the analysis.Results: In ketamine group using random effect model SMD was 2.122 (95% CI 0.659-3.584). P-value was statistically significant (random effect p <0.005 and in fixed effect <0.001). In memantine group, using random effect model -0.963 was SMD and (95% CI -1.958-0.0324). P-value was <0.001, significant in fixed effect. In riluzole group, SMD was -0.564 with (95% CI -3.927-2.799) in random effect. P-value was 0.741. In d-cycloserine group SMD was 0.316 with (95% CI -1.252-1.885) in random effect. P-value was 0.690.Conclusions: Ketamine showed best efficacy followed by memantine. Riluzole and DCS as such have no efficacy although its acts by same glutamate pathway. More molecular based research is required in use of glutamate modulators in resistant depression

A Novel Design of Multi-Chambered Biomass Battery

In this paper, a novel design of biomass battery has been introduced for providingelectricity to meet the lighting requirements of rural household using biomass. A biomass battery isdesigned, developed and tested using cow dung as the raw material. This is done via anaerobicdigestion of the cow dung, and power generation driven by the ions produced henceforth. Thevoltage and power output is estimated for the proposed system. It is for the first time that such ahigh voltage is obtained from cow dung fed biomass battery. The output characteristics of thisnovel battery design have also been compared with the previously designed battery

Is <i>de novo</i> membranous nephropathy suggestive of alloimmunity in renal transplantation? A case report.

BackgroundPost-transplant nephrotic syndrome (PTNS) in a renal allograft carries a 48% to 77% risk of graft failure at 5 years if proteinuria persists. PTNS can be due to either recurrence of native renal disease or de novo glomerular disease. Its prognosis depends upon the underlying pathophysiology. We describe a case of post-transplant membranous nephropathy (MN) that developed 3 mo after kidney transplant. The patient was properly evaluated for pathophysiology, which helped in the management of the case.Case summaryThis 22-year-old patient had chronic pyelonephritis. He received a living donor kidney, and human leukocyte antigen-DR (HLA-DR) mismatching was zero. PTNS was discovered at the follow-up visit 3 mo after the transplant. Graft histopathology was suggestive of MN. In the past antibody-mediated rejection (ABMR) might have been misinterpreted as de novo MN due to the lack of technologies available to make an accurate diagnosis. Some researchers have observed that HLA-DR is present on podocytes causing an anti-DR antibody deposition and development of de novo MN. They also reported poor prognosis in their series. Here, we excluded the secondary causes of MN. Immunohistochemistry was suggestive of IgG1 deposits that favoured the diagnosis of de novo MN. The patient responded well to an increase in the dose of tacrolimus and angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor.ConclusionExposure of hidden antigens on the podocytes in allografts may have led to subepithelial antibody deposition causing de novo MN

Use of a dual reporter plasmid to demonstrate bactofection with an attenuated aroa- derivative of Pasteurella multocida b:2

A reporter plasmid pSRG has been developed which expresses red fluorescent protein (RFP) from a constitutive prokaryotic promoter within Pasteurella multocida B:2 and green fluorescent protein (GFP) from a constitutive eukaryotic promoter within mammalian cells. This construct has been used to determine the location and viability of the bacteria when moving from the extracellular environment into the intracellular compartment of mammalian cells. Invasion assays with embryonic bovine lung (EBL) cells and an attenuated AroA- derivative of Pasteurella multocida B:2 (strain JRMT12), harbouring the plasmid pSRG, showed that RFP-expressing bacteria could be detected intracellularly at 3 h post-invasion. At this stage, some EBL cells harbouring RFP-expressing bacteria were observed to express GFP simultaneously, indicating release of the plasmid into the intracellular environment. At 5 h post-invasion, more EBL cells were expressing GFP, while still harbouring RFP-expressing bacteria. Concurrently, some EBL cells were shown to express only GFP, indicating loss of viable bacteria within these cells. These experiments proved the functionality of the pSRG dual reporter system and the potential of P. multocida B:2 JRMT12 for bactofection and delivery of a DNA vaccine

Formation of Silicon Carbide Whiskers from Organic Precursors Via Sol-Gel Method

Silicon Carbide (SiC) was synthesized by carbothermal reduction of silica precursor and carbon precursor. The silica precursor was obtained from tetraethoxysilane. Sucrose was used as carbon source. Tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) was hydrolyzed in acidic water (pH = 2). The molar ratio of TEOS-H2O-EtOH was taken as 1:8:2 in the sol-gel processing. Hydrolysed silica sol was polymerized with sucrose to incorporate carbon precursor into the silica network. The gel thus obtained was dried in an oven at 70 oC and at 100 oC. The solid mass obtained on drying was heat treated at 1000 °C in nitrogen atmosphere to obtain the black glass. It was characterized by FTIR, SEM and TGA. The black glass was further heated to 1500 oC in argon to yield silicon carbide. this resulted in formation of β-SiC whiskers

Immune Responses to Pandemic H1N1 Influenza Virus Infection in Pigs Vaccinated with a Conserved Hemagglutinin HA1 Peptide Adjuvanted with CAF ® 01 or CDA/αGalCerMPEG

This study aimed to evaluate the immune response and protection correlates against influenza virus (IV) infection in pigs vaccinated with the novel NG34 HA1 vaccine candidate adjuvanted with either CAF ® 01 or CDA/αGalCerMPEG (αGCM). Two groups of six pigs each were vaccinated intramuscularly twice with either NG34 + CAF ® 01 or NG34 + CDA/αGCM. As controls, groups of animals (n = 6 or 4) either non-vaccinated or vaccinated with human seasonal trivalent influenza vaccine or NG34 + Freund's adjuvant were included in the study. All animal groups were challenged with the 2009 pandemic (pdm09) strain of H1N1 (total amount of 7 × 10 6 TCID/mL) via intranasal and endotracheal routes 21 days after second vaccination. Reduced consolidated lung lesions were observed both on days three and seven post-challenge in the animals vaccinated with NG34 + CAF ® 01, whereas higher variability with relatively more severe lesions in pigs of the NG34 + CDA/αGCM group on day three post-infection. Among groups, animals vaccinated with NG34 + CDA/αGCM showed higher viral loads in the lung at seven days post infection whereas animals from NG34 + CAF ® 01 completely abolished virus from the lower respiratory tract. Similarly, higher IFNγ secretion and stronger IgG responses against the NG34 peptide in sera was observed in animals from the NG34 + CAF ® 01 group as compared to the NG34 + CDA/αGCM. NG34-vaccinated pigs with adjuvanted CAF ® 01 or CDA/αGCM combinations resulted in different immune responses as well as outcomes in pathology and viral shedding

Listeriolysin O Is Strongly Immunogenic Independently of Its Cytotoxic Activity

The presentation of microbial protein antigens by Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) molecules is essential for the development of acquired immunity to infections. However, most biochemical studies of antigen processing and presentation deal with a few relatively inert non-microbial model antigens. The bacterial pore-forming toxin listeriolysin O (LLO) is paradoxical in that it is cytotoxic at nanomolar concentrations as well as being the source of dominant CD4 and CD8 T cell epitopes following infection with Listeria monocytogenes. Here, we examined the relationship of LLO toxicity to its antigenicity and immunogenicity. LLO offered to antigen presenting cells (APC) as a soluble protein, was presented to CD4 T cells at picomolar to femtomolar concentrations- doses 3000–7000-fold lower than free peptide. This presentation required a dose of LLO below the cytotoxic level. Mutations of two key tryptophan residues reduced LLO toxicity by 10–100-fold but had no effect on its presentation to CD4 T cells. Thus there was a clear dissociation between the cytotoxic properties of LLO and its very high antigenicity. Presentation of LLO to CD8 T cells was not as robust as that seen in CD4 T cells, but still occurred in the nanomolar range. APC rapidly bound and internalized LLO, then disrupted endosomal compartments within 4 hours of treatment, allowing endosomal contents to access the cytosol. LLO was also immunogenic after in vivo administration into mice. Our results demonstrate the strength of LLO as an immunogen to both CD4 and CD8 T cells

Protective Immunity to Listeria Monocytogenes Infection Mediated by Recombinant Listeria innocua Harboring the VGC Locus

In this study we propose a novel bacterial vaccine strategy where non-pathogenic bacteria are complemented with traits desirable for the induction of protective immunity. To illustrate the proof of principle of this novel vaccination strategy, we use the model organism of intracellular immunity Listeria. We introduced a, low copy number BAC-plasmid harbouring the virulence gene cluster (vgc) of L. monocytogenes (Lm) into the non-pathogenic L. innocua (L.inn) strain and examined for its ability to induce protective cellular immunity. The resulting strain (L.inn::vgc) was attenuated for virulence in vivo and showed a strongly reduced host detrimental inflammatory response compared to Lm. Like Lm, L.inn::vgc induced the production of Type I Interferon's and protection was mediated by Listeria-specific CD8+ T cells. Rational vaccine design whereby avirulent strains are equipped with the capabilities to induce protection but lack detrimental inflammatory effects offer great promise towards future studies using non-pathogenic bacteria as vectors for vaccination

Protective effect of a polyvalent influenza DNA vaccine in pigs

Background: Influenza A virus in swine herds represents a major problem for the swine industry and poses a constant threat for the emergence of novel pandemic viruses and the development of more effective influenza vaccines for pigs is desired. By optimizing the vector backbone and using a needle-free delivery method, we have recently demonstrated a polyvalent influenza DNA vaccine that induces a broad immune response, including both humoral and cellular immunity. Objectives: To investigate the protection of our polyvalent influenza DNA vaccine approach in a pig challenge study. Methods: By intradermal needle-free delivery to the skin, we immunized pigs with two different doses (500 μg and 800 μg) of an influenza DNA vaccine based on six genes of pandemic origin, including internally expressed matrix and nucleoprotein and externally expressed hemagglutinin and neuraminidase as previously demonstrated. Two weeks following immunization, the pigs were challenged with the 2009 pandemic H1N1 virus. Results: When challenged with 2009 pandemic H1N1, 0/5 vaccinated pigs (800 μg DNA) became infected whereas 5/5 unvaccinated control pigs were infected. The pigs vaccinated with the low dose (500 μg DNA) were only partially protected. The DNA vaccine elicited binding-, hemagglutination inhibitory (HI) − as well as crossreactive neutralizing antibody activity and neuraminidase inhibiting antibodies in the immunized pigs, in a dosedependent manner. Conclusion: The present data, together with the previously demonstrated immunogenicity of our influenza DNA vaccine, indicate that naked DNA vaccine technology provides a strong approach for the development of improved pig vaccines, applying realistic low doses of DNA and a convenient delivery method for mass vaccination.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio