Antibacterial Activity of Amchur (Dried Pulp of Unripe Mangifera indica) Extracts on Some Indigenous Oral Microbiota Causing Dental Caries

The antibacterial activity of amchur (dried pulp of unripe Mangifera indica) extract (50% ethanol) was tested against ten bacterial strains causing dental plaque by agar well diffusion method. The crude extract showed a broad spectrum of antibacterial activity inhibiting both the groups of Gram-positive & Gram-negative bacteria. The extract was most effective against Bacillus sp., followed by Staphylococcus mutans and Pseudomonas sp., whereas Halobacterium sp. was found to be the most resistant. Chlorhexidine (present in mouthwashes to prevent infection of dental caries) was used as a positive control. Natural extract of amchur was found to be more effective as compared to chlorhexidine. This study shows the potential of amchur in the treatment of dental caries

Somatic mutations of GNA11 and GNAQ in CTNNB1-mutant aldosterone-producing adenomas presenting in puberty, pregnancy or menopause.

Most aldosterone-producing adenomas (APAs) have gain-of-function somatic mutations of ion channels or transporters. However, their frequency in aldosterone-producing cell clusters of normal adrenal gland suggests a requirement for codriver mutations in APAs. Here we identified gain-of-function mutations in both CTNNB1 and GNA11 by whole-exome sequencing of 3/41 APAs. Further sequencing of known CTNNB1-mutant APAs led to a total of 16 of 27 (59%) with a somatic p.Gln209His, p.Gln209Pro or p.Gln209Leu mutation of GNA11 or GNAQ. Solitary GNA11 mutations were found in hyperplastic zona glomerulosa adjacent to double-mutant APAs. Nine of ten patients in our UK/Irish cohort presented in puberty, pregnancy or menopause. Among multiple transcripts upregulated more than tenfold in double-mutant APAs was LHCGR, the receptor for luteinizing or pregnancy hormone (human chorionic gonadotropin). Transfections of adrenocortical cells demonstrated additive effects of GNA11 and CTNNB1 mutations on aldosterone secretion and expression of genes upregulated in double-mutant APAs. In adrenal cortex, GNA11/Q mutations appear clinically silent without a codriver mutation of CTNNB1

Tuberculosis chemotherapy: current drug delivery approaches

Tuberculosis is a leading killer of young adults worldwide and the global scourge of multi-drug resistant tuberculosis is reaching epidemic proportions. It is endemic in most developing countries and resurgent in developed and developing countries with high rates of human immunodeficiency virus infection. This article reviews the current situation in terms of drug delivery approaches for tuberculosis chemotherapy. A number of novel implant-, microparticulate-, and various other carrier-based drug delivery systems incorporating the principal anti-tuberculosis agents have been fabricated that either target the site of tuberculosis infection or reduce the dosing frequency with the aim of improving patient outcomes. These developments in drug delivery represent attractive options with significant merit, however, there is a requisite to manufacture an oral system, which directly addresses issues of unacceptable rifampicin bioavailability in fixed-dose combinations. This is fostered by the need to deliver medications to patients more efficiently and with fewer side effects, especially in developing countries. The fabrication of a polymeric once-daily oral multiparticulate fixed-dose combination of the principal anti-tuberculosis drugs, which attains segregated delivery of rifampicin and isoniazid for improved rifampicin bioavailability, could be a step in the right direction in addressing issues of treatment failure due to patient non-compliance

The IDENTIFY study: the investigation and detection of urological neoplasia in patients referred with suspected urinary tract cancer - a multicentre observational study

Objective To evaluate the contemporary prevalence of urinary tract cancer (bladder cancer, upper tract urothelial cancer [UTUC] and renal cancer) in patients referred to secondary care with haematuria, adjusted for established patient risk markers and geographical variation. Patients and Methods This was an international multicentre prospective observational study. We included patients aged ≥16 years, referred to secondary care with suspected urinary tract cancer. Patients with a known or previous urological malignancy were excluded. We estimated the prevalence of bladder cancer, UTUC, renal cancer and prostate cancer; stratified by age, type of haematuria, sex, and smoking. We used a multivariable mixed-effects logistic regression to adjust cancer prevalence for age, type of haematuria, sex, smoking, hospitals, and countries. Results Of the 11 059 patients assessed for eligibility, 10 896 were included from 110 hospitals across 26 countries. The overall adjusted cancer prevalence (n = 2257) was 28.2% (95% confidence interval [CI] 22.3–34.1), bladder cancer (n = 1951) 24.7% (95% CI 19.1–30.2), UTUC (n = 128) 1.14% (95% CI 0.77–1.52), renal cancer (n = 107) 1.05% (95% CI 0.80–1.29), and prostate cancer (n = 124) 1.75% (95% CI 1.32–2.18). The odds ratios for patient risk markers in the model for all cancers were: age 1.04 (95% CI 1.03–1.05; P < 0.001), visible haematuria 3.47 (95% CI 2.90–4.15; P < 0.001), male sex 1.30 (95% CI 1.14–1.50; P < 0.001), and smoking 2.70 (95% CI 2.30–3.18; P < 0.001). Conclusions A better understanding of cancer prevalence across an international population is required to inform clinical guidelines. We are the first to report urinary tract cancer prevalence across an international population in patients referred to secondary care, adjusted for patient risk markers and geographical variation. Bladder cancer was the most prevalent disease. Visible haematuria was the strongest predictor for urinary tract cancer

Qualitative Evaluation of Germinated Multi-Millet-Based Functional Snack Product

Considering the health benefits of extruding germinated multi-millet grains, the current study emphasizes the extrusion processing of multi-millet grain blends (sorghum millet, finger millet, foxtail millet, pearl millet, and rice) in various ratios of 11.5:11.5:11.5:11.5:6:4 to produce nutritionally important expanded snack products. The extrusion process was adjusted for all multi-millet grain preparations under a controlled moisture content of 20-21% (w.b.), at a most stable die (with 3mm diameter) temperature of 130°C, and a constant screw speed of 270 rpm for efficient extrusion processing. Results showed that the best-studied extruded snack product was T3 over T1 and T2. The suitability of T3 over T1 and T2 was based on its physicochemical properties, such as a high expansion ratio, low bulk density, low hardness, low moisture content, and a high water absorption index, while the water solubility index showed a negative correlation. The developed extruded snack product of the highest overall acceptable sensory properties was obtained from T3

Isolation and Identification of Microfungi from Diesel Oil Contaminated Soils and Their Physico-Chemical Analysis

Diesel oil contaminated soils were collected and analyzed for various Physico-chemical properties that included moisture content, total carbon, total nitrogen and phosphorus using standard protocol and the data compared from normal uncontaminated soils. Analysis revealed that all 5 samples of diesel oil contaminated soils possessed higher percent of moisture content, greater amounts of total carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus in comparison to non-contaminated control soils. The diesel oil contaminated soils are not suitable for cultivation of agricultural crops. Though, several species of fungi were isolated from diesel contaminated soils but only 6 species of Aspergillus utilized diesel oil as sole carbon and nitrogen source as these grew well and sporulated normally on 2% agar that contained 10% of diesel oil only as nutrient. These included Aspergillus luchuensis, Aspergillus violaceofuscus, Aspergillus niveus, Aspergillus terreus, Aspergillus japonicus, Aspergillus ustus. which also grew well in broth&nbsp; containing 0.5% jaggery (for initial growth) supplemented with 10% diesel oil only which suggest that these species could utilize diesel oil as sole carbon and nitrogen source because no other nutrient other than diesel oil was added into the medium. The role of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus is soils has been discussed in this paper

Screening of Diesel Oil Degrading Species of Aspergillus for the Production of Different Enzymes Using Agar Plate Assay Method

We have earlier isolated Aspergillus luchuensis, A. violaceofuscus, A. niveus, A. terreus, A. japonicus &nbsp;and A. ustus from naturally degraded diesel oil in the soils using nutrient rich technique. These species were cultured to produce enzyme complexes on 10% (w/v) diesel oil broth containing 0.5 and 1.0% (w/v) jaggery at 37 and 45℃ temperature&nbsp; separately for 7, 14 and 21 days. It was observed that all 6 species of Aspergillus produced luxuriant mycelial growth at day-7 on both temperatures, however, at 45℃, the liquid broth dried on 14th day of incubation, and therefore, secretory extracellular enzymes produced at 37℃ were screened to test the activities of amylases, gelatinases, lipases, cellulases, pectinases, proteases and manganese peroxidases using agar plate assay method. These enzymes are responsible for beaking down different bonds of the complex hydrocarbons. It was found that all 6 test species of Aspergillus produced all 7 enzymes at higher concentration at day 21 on diesel oil containing 1.0% jaggery. The production of enzyme increased with increasing period of incubation from day 7 to day 21. A. luchuensis produced highest activities of proteases, A. violacefuscus - amylases, A. niveus - gelatinases, A. terreus and A. ustus - pectinases, and A. japonicus produced highest activities of manganese peroxidases. All these enzymes contribute in the degradation of diesel oil in nature. This study revealed that the production of varying amounts of different enzymes by all these 6 species of Aspergillus has significant ecological and bioremediation potential

<em>Helicobacter pylori</em> Gastric Infection: Pathogenesis and Clinical Management

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a Gram-negative bacterium that infects approximately 50% of the world population, and currently, no treatment is satisfactory for its management. Understanding the pathophysiology and pathogenesis mechanisms of H. pylori has increased over the years. Proper adherence and colonization of H. pylori induce genetic alterations, express numerous virulence factors, and trigger diverse adaptive mechanisms, making possible the colonization of an organ with a highly acidic lumen. The mode for the transmission of infection can be oral-oral or fecal-oral. Various effector proteins or toxins are released by the organism for successful colonization and infection. For the virulence and pathogenicity of H. pylori, the virulence factors, host, and environmental factors interplay a very important role. Virulence factors for H. pylori enhanced the pathogenicity of cytotoxin-associated antigen A, vacuolating cytotoxin, duodenal ulcer promoting gene A protein, outer inflammatory proteins, and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase. The host immune system through Th1-polarized response plays a crucial role in the course of infection. The most common symptoms in H. pylori-positive individuals are peptic ulcers, gastric adenocarcinomas, and mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphomas, whereas some positive individuals remain asymptomatic. Detection of H. pylori infection can be through invasive and noninvasive diagnostic methods. We critically reflect on the infection of H. pylori and the virulence and pathogenesis mechanisms of H. pylori

Optimization of Production Conditions of Cellulase Enzyme from Micro-Fungi Aspergillus Fumigatus for Agriculture Application

Cellulase enzymes are belonging to the hydrolytic group of enzymes facilitates the sugar release and its bioconversion into different valuable industrial products. Isolated micro fungi from rice straw by dilution plating pouring method studied for playing a various role in industries as well as in agriculture application. Various micro-fungi show enzymatic degradation of lignocellulosic material. The present study optimized the growing conditions for cellulase enzymes production from A.fumigatus. Optimization of various growth conditions such as temperature, different pH level and nitrogen source were studied for the production of enzyme carboxymethyl cellulase during this study. The result showed that A. fumigatus produced highest cellulase activity (3.546 IU/ml) at pH 7.0 and temperature 300C with yeast extract and Fpase activity (0.653 IU/ml) through solid state fermentation. In future agriculture applications and in industries the cellulase enzyme production attains a crucial role to acquire biodegradable yield

Rice Straw Degradation with Mixed Cultures of Microfungi and Their Enzymes

Huge quantities of agricultural residues are generated every year but it is neither converted into energy nor allowed to go back to the soil and sometimes burnt that leads to air pollution and loss of soil biology and fertility. Cellulolytic microfungi secrete extracellular enzymes that degrade lignocellulosic biomass in nature and this ability of microbes may be exploited to enhance the rates of degradation of agriculture residues to recycle carbon, nitrogen and minerals in the soil. This study aimed to find out the effect(s) of co-cultivation of high cellulolytic microfungi in various combinations on rice straw under field conditions to enhance its microbial decomposition to discourage the farmers from burning it in the fields. The effectiveness of five fungal cultures in different combinations was tested for efficient degradation of rice straw. Five dominant species of fungi that have been earlier shown to secrete high amounts of cellulases in our own laboratories, were cultured on medium containing yeast powder (2g/L), jaggery (5g/L) and urea (1g/L) at room temperature. Release of reducing sugars from 1 g of rice straw treated with 10IU/mL of fungal extracellular enzymes showed that Penicillium chrysogenum released highest amount of mono and oligomers (96 mg/g) followed by Aspergillus flavus (80 mg/g) and A. oryzae (78 mg/g), A. fumigatus (72 mg/g) and Trichoderma viride (70 mg/g) within 24 h that increased with increasing temperature and increasing period of incubation. Treatment of rice straw with fungal cultures of Penicillium chrysogenum, Aspergillus flavus and A. oryzae revealed that the co-inoculation of all these species decomposed approximately 75% of the total rice straw as assessed by weight loss method. The application extracellular secretory enzymes on rice straw, though, revealed to release of reducing sugars, but the rate of reducing sugars was not sufficient enough to be used for degradation of rice straw under field conditions, hence, the used of mixed cultures of microfungi was planned and tested experimentally, which allowed the decomposition of rice straw much faster than control which were treated with heat-killed dead cultures of test microfungi. Hence, it is recommended that additional spray of mixed cultures of microfungi on rice straw may facilitate its degradation under field conditions