Histological alterations in the hepatopancreas of Penaeus monodon Fabricius (1798) given aflatoxin B1-incorporated diets

Aflatoxin is a toxic contaminant produced by toxigenic fungi of the genus Aspergillus during the processing and storage of feeds and feed ingredients. Aflatoxins can cause abnormalities such as poor growth, physiological imbalances and histological changes that result in a reduction in the yield and profitability of shrimp culture. Histological changes in Penaeus monodon sub-adults fed different doses of aflatoxin B1 were studied. The doses of aflatoxin B1 administered in the diets were 50, 100, 150, 500, 1000 and 2000 ppb. At the end of the fourth and the eighth weeks of the experiment, the shrimps were sampled and the cephalothorax was observed for histological changes. Significant changes were observed in the different treatment groups at the fourth and eighth weeks. The severity of pathological changes was proportional to the increase in the concentration of aflatoxin fed to the shrimps. Histological changes in the hepatopancreas were loss of structure of the cells and tubules, nodule formation, cell elongation, desquamation, rounding of cells, fibrosis, necrosis, haemocytic infiltration and cellular inflammation

Extracellular products of Aeromonas hydrophila and its effects on Indian white prawn, Penaeus indicus H.Milne Edwards.

The near exhaustion of the commercially important species, which fetch global export value and enormous market demand, have caused sudden decrease in the catches from wild. Diminishing returns and depleting resources has made Man to ponder on the development o f an alternative to exhilarate the production through aquaculture. The developments scaled by aquaculture has become an answer to the multitudes of demands, like reducing returns from capture sector, global food production, export earnings, rural development, and problem of unemployment

Aflatoxicosis and its amelioration in black tiger shrimp, Penaeus monodon Fabricius

Penaeus monodon is the most widely fanned shrimp in India and elsewhere. The present study was undertaken to elucidate the nutritional and pathological changes associated with aflatoxin B I toxicity in Penaeus monodon and to detennine the efficacy of vitamins E and K, and Amrita Bindu, a herbal mixture in ameliorating the toxicity of AFB1• A survey conducted to detect aflatoxin contamination in shrimp and fish feeds used in fanns located in Ernakulam District, Kerala, India, revealed that feeds and feed ingredients obtained freshly from farm and stored under proper conditions contain only safe levels of AFBI « 20 ppb), while those stored for six months had AFBI levels in the range of 150 - 250 ppb. Three sets of experiments were conducted in P. monodon post larvae to determine the effect of AFBI on growth and feed perfonnances. ~ The first experiment was conducted in post larvae of size 0.06 ± 0.013 g to determine the effects of selected levels of AFBI viz., 0 ppb, 20 ppb, 50 ppb, 2500 ppb and 5000 ppb on weight gain, survival and histological architecture. This trial was conducted to determine the doses of AFBI to be taken for further study. The results of the experiment showed that 50 ppb to 2500 ppb AFBI could produce chronic aflatoxicosis in P. monodon. ~ The second experiment was conducted on postlarvae of size 0.56 ± 0.001 g to determine the effects of different doses of AFBI viz., 0 ppb, 50 ppb, 250 ppb, 500 ppb, 750 ppb, 1000 ppb and 2000 ppb on weight gain, specific growth rate, apparent feed conversion and survival rate. The trial revealed highly significant (P<0.05) effect of AFBI on the response parameters

COMPARISON OF ANTIFUNGAL EFFECTS OF COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE HERBAL MOUTHWASHES AND CHLORHEXIDINE AGAINST CANDIDA ALBICANS IN DIABETIC PATIENTS: AN IN VITRO STUDY

Objective: Candida albicans is a part of the normal flora of the mouth in diabetes mellitus (DM) patients. Periodontitis is one of the main complicationsin diabetic patients. Mechanical and chemical plaque control are the most productive methods in preventing periodontal diseases in the oral cavity.The objective of this study is to compare the in vitro effect of herbal mouthwashes and chlorhexidine (CHX) against C. albicans.Methods: Saliva samples were obtained from diabetic patients reporting for treatment to Saveetha medical college. C. albicans was cultured from thesalivary sample. A yeast suspension was made by sub culturing the C. albicans. The mouthwashes used in the study are HiOra regular (0.2%), HiOrasensitive (0.5%), and clohex plus (CHX gluconate 0.02%) mouthwashes. The fungal suspension was spread on Sabouraud's dextrose agar (SDA) plateswith a sterile swab. Subsequently, wells of 6 mm in diameter were made with a suitable distance using sterile cork borer on pre-inoculated agar platesand filled with 100 μl of each mouthwashes. From the zones of inhibition seen, antimicrobial activity was expressed in terms of average diameter ofthe zones of inhibition measured.Results: Using HiOra regular mouthwash, 13/18 (72%) wells were found to show zone of inhibition ≥20 mm. In HiOra sensitive mouthwash, only9/18 (50%) showed inhibition zone ≥20 mm. With effect of regular CHX mouthwash, none of the strains showed the zone of inhibition to be ≥20 mm.Most of the strains responded well with all the three mouthwashes.Conclusion: Among the 2 herbal mouthwashes, HiOra regular mouthwash was most effective in inhibiting the candidal growth when compared tothe HiOra sensitive. HiOra regular mouthwash still showed better inhibitory actions when compared to the regular CHX mouthwash and the candidalspecies showed increased sensitivity to it.Keywords: Candida albicans, Chlorhexidine mouthwash, Diabetes mellitus, Herbal mouthwashes, Zone of inhibition

The haemolymph response of Penaeus indicus to the extracellular products of Aeromonas hydrophila

The effects of Extracellular products (ECP) of Aeromonas hydrophila on Penaeus indicus were assessed by haemolymph study. ECP was obtained by growing the pathogenic bacterium on sterile cellophane sheets over TSA plates followed by suspension in normal saline, centrifugation and filtration. Protein profile of ECP was analysed by SDS PAGE. Five groups of P, indicus and a control group were maintained to study the effect of five different concentrations of the ECP of A. hydrophila on haemolymph factors. There were rapid behavioural changes and gross pathological alterations like loss of appetite, abnormal swimming behaviour, melanisation on abdomen and soft shell syndrome. The mortality rate for each concentration of ECP was determined. The total haemocyte count was assayed in all groups at different hours. There was reduction in the number of haemocytes with each higher concentration of the ECP. These changes are attributed to the virulent factors in the ECP of Aeromonas hydrophila

A STUDY ON ASSESSMENT OF GENETIC DIVERSITY AND RELATIONSHIPS OF MEDICINAL PLANTS USING RAPD MARKERS

ABSTRACT Molecular genetic fingerprints of medicinal species were developed using Randomly Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) marker to elucidate the genetic diversity among the 18 species. DNA was isolated using the CTAB method. The amplification was accomplished by using 10 primers and the specific PCR working program. Three decamer-primers generated 250 RAPD fragments, of which 232 fragments were polymorphic with 96.84% of polymorphism. Some of the RAPD markers were useful for species discrimination and identification. Most of the RAPD markers studied showed different level of genetic polymorphism. Amplified fragment sizes ranged from 300 to 5000 bp. Pairwise Nei and Li&apos;s similarity coefficient value ranged from 0.00-0.72 for 18 species of medicinal plants. A dendrogram was constructed based on the Unweighted pair group method using arithmetic averages. Cluster analysis of data using the UPGMA algorithm placed the 18 species of medicinal plants into four groups that are somewhat congruent with classification based on morphological characters proposed by earlier works. This analysis grouped all species into different clusters and clearly differentiated the medicinal plants into separate groups. This method of analysis can be helpful in selecting diverse parents and give broadness to the germplasm base of medicinal plants breeding programs in the future

Observations on the recruitment of the Scleractinian coral in the Gulf of Mannar, India

Techniques to enhance natural recruitment in the restoration of coral reefs are being developed in many reef areas around the World. The Indian reefs, which were subjected to widescale destruction in the past due to several factors, natural as well as anthropogenic, also demand the understanding of coral recruitment patterns as the first step to evolve restorative measures. This study reports coral recruitment patterns at a reef location in Gulf of Mannar along southeast coast of India. Though the results of this study are preliminary, subsequent observations are recommended for a complete understanding on species-wise behavioural patterns and seasonal role in recruitment

Eggs for Improving Nutrition, cognitive development and reducing linear growth retardation among Infants and young Children (ENRICH): protocol of an egg supplementation trial among children aged 9-18 months in Hyderabad, India.

INTRODUCTION: Evidence on the impact of nutrient-rich animal source foods such as eggs for improving child growth and cognition is inconsistent. This study aims to examine the impact of an egg intervention in children, along with behaviour change communication (BCC) to the mother, on linear growth and cognition, and nutritional status in children aged 9-18 months. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: A 9-month open-labelled randomised controlled trial will be conducted in three urban slums in Hyderabad, India, as a substudy of an observational cohort study (n=350) following pregnant women and their children until 18 months of age in a population at risk of stunting. The children born to women enrolled during the third trimester of pregnancy will be block randomised in a 1:4 ratio into the intervention (n=70) and control (n=280) groups. Children in the intervention group will be supplemented with one egg per day starting from 9 months until 18 months of age. BCC designed to enhance adherence to the intervention will be used. The control group will be a part of the observational cohort and will not receive any intervention from the study team. The primary outcome will be length-for-age z-scores, and the secondary outcomes will include cognition, blood biomarkers of nutritional status including fatty acid profile and epigenetic signatures linked with linear growth and cognition. Multivariate intention-to-treat analyses will be conducted to assess the effect of the intervention. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The study is approved by the Institutional ethics committees of ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad, India and London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, UK. The results will be published in peer-reviewed journals and disseminated to policy-makers. Findings will also be shared with study participants and community leaders. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: CTRI/2021/11/038208

Effect of Hydrocortisone on Mortality and Organ Support in Patients With Severe COVID-19: The REMAP-CAP COVID-19 Corticosteroid Domain Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Evidence regarding corticosteroid use for severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is limited. Objective: To determine whether hydrocortisone improves outcome for patients with severe COVID-19. Design, Setting, and Participants: An ongoing adaptive platform trial testing multiple interventions within multiple therapeutic domains, for example, antiviral agents, corticosteroids, or immunoglobulin. Between March 9 and June 17, 2020, 614 adult patients with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 were enrolled and randomized within at least 1 domain following admission to an intensive care unit (ICU) for respiratory or cardiovascular organ support at 121 sites in 8 countries. Of these, 403 were randomized to open-label interventions within the corticosteroid domain. The domain was halted after results from another trial were released. Follow-up ended August 12, 2020. Interventions: The corticosteroid domain randomized participants to a fixed 7-day course of intravenous hydrocortisone (50 mg or 100 mg every 6 hours) (n = 143), a shock-dependent course (50 mg every 6 hours when shock was clinically evident) (n = 152), or no hydrocortisone (n = 108). Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary end point was organ support-free days (days alive and free of ICU-based respiratory or cardiovascular support) within 21 days, where patients who died were assigned -1 day. The primary analysis was a bayesian cumulative logistic model that included all patients enrolled with severe COVID-19, adjusting for age, sex, site, region, time, assignment to interventions within other domains, and domain and intervention eligibility. Superiority was defined as the posterior probability of an odds ratio greater than 1 (threshold for trial conclusion of superiority >99%). Results: After excluding 19 participants who withdrew consent, there were 384 patients (mean age, 60 years; 29% female) randomized to the fixed-dose (n = 137), shock-dependent (n = 146), and no (n = 101) hydrocortisone groups; 379 (99%) completed the study and were included in the analysis. The mean age for the 3 groups ranged between 59.5 and 60.4 years; most patients were male (range, 70.6%-71.5%); mean body mass index ranged between 29.7 and 30.9; and patients receiving mechanical ventilation ranged between 50.0% and 63.5%. For the fixed-dose, shock-dependent, and no hydrocortisone groups, respectively, the median organ support-free days were 0 (IQR, -1 to 15), 0 (IQR, -1 to 13), and 0 (-1 to 11) days (composed of 30%, 26%, and 33% mortality rates and 11.5, 9.5, and 6 median organ support-free days among survivors). The median adjusted odds ratio and bayesian probability of superiority were 1.43 (95% credible interval, 0.91-2.27) and 93% for fixed-dose hydrocortisone, respectively, and were 1.22 (95% credible interval, 0.76-1.94) and 80% for shock-dependent hydrocortisone compared with no hydrocortisone. Serious adverse events were reported in 4 (3%), 5 (3%), and 1 (1%) patients in the fixed-dose, shock-dependent, and no hydrocortisone groups, respectively. Conclusions and Relevance: Among patients with severe COVID-19, treatment with a 7-day fixed-dose course of hydrocortisone or shock-dependent dosing of hydrocortisone, compared with no hydrocortisone, resulted in 93% and 80% probabilities of superiority with regard to the odds of improvement in organ support-free days within 21 days. However, the trial was stopped early and no treatment strategy met prespecified criteria for statistical superiority, precluding definitive conclusions. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02735707

Effect of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor and angiotensin receptor blocker initiation on organ support-free days in patients hospitalized with COVID-19

IMPORTANCE Overactivation of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) may contribute to poor clinical outcomes in patients with COVID-19. Objective To determine whether angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor or angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) initiation improves outcomes in patients hospitalized for COVID-19. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS In an ongoing, adaptive platform randomized clinical trial, 721 critically ill and 58 non–critically ill hospitalized adults were randomized to receive an RAS inhibitor or control between March 16, 2021, and February 25, 2022, at 69 sites in 7 countries (final follow-up on June 1, 2022). INTERVENTIONS Patients were randomized to receive open-label initiation of an ACE inhibitor (n = 257), ARB (n = 248), ARB in combination with DMX-200 (a chemokine receptor-2 inhibitor; n = 10), or no RAS inhibitor (control; n = 264) for up to 10 days. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES The primary outcome was organ support–free days, a composite of hospital survival and days alive without cardiovascular or respiratory organ support through 21 days. The primary analysis was a bayesian cumulative logistic model. Odds ratios (ORs) greater than 1 represent improved outcomes. RESULTS On February 25, 2022, enrollment was discontinued due to safety concerns. Among 679 critically ill patients with available primary outcome data, the median age was 56 years and 239 participants (35.2%) were women. Median (IQR) organ support–free days among critically ill patients was 10 (–1 to 16) in the ACE inhibitor group (n = 231), 8 (–1 to 17) in the ARB group (n = 217), and 12 (0 to 17) in the control group (n = 231) (median adjusted odds ratios of 0.77 [95% bayesian credible interval, 0.58-1.06] for improvement for ACE inhibitor and 0.76 [95% credible interval, 0.56-1.05] for ARB compared with control). The posterior probabilities that ACE inhibitors and ARBs worsened organ support–free days compared with control were 94.9% and 95.4%, respectively. Hospital survival occurred in 166 of 231 critically ill participants (71.9%) in the ACE inhibitor group, 152 of 217 (70.0%) in the ARB group, and 182 of 231 (78.8%) in the control group (posterior probabilities that ACE inhibitor and ARB worsened hospital survival compared with control were 95.3% and 98.1%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE In this trial, among critically ill adults with COVID-19, initiation of an ACE inhibitor or ARB did not improve, and likely worsened, clinical outcomes. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT0273570