Virulence of Campylobacter jejuni

The primary aim of this study was to investigate whether the Campylobacter jejuni strains causing two clinically distinct form of diarrhoea i.e. cholera-like watery diarrhoea (Group C strains) and dysentery-like mucoid diarrhoea (Group D strains) possess unique sets of virulence characteristics. For this purpose C. jejuni strains were assayed for a number of putative virulence factors and the results of the Group C strains were compared with those of Group D strains to assess whether these candidate virulence markers show any significant association with any particular group of strains. Initially, a comperative study of the enterotoxigenicity of Group C and D of strains was conducted The infant chicken model of Sanyal et al (1984a) proved unsatisfactory as convincing evidence of diarrhoea was not obtained. Subsequently, the new-borne chick diarrhoea model of Welkos (1984) was adopted which proved useful for this purpose. Attention was then turned to determine whether plasmids were involved in the enterotoxin production by C. jejuni strains. This aspect of study stemed from the preliminary report by Lee et al (1985) that the production of enterotoxin detectable by Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell assay was mediated by a 46.5 Kilo-base transmissible plasmid. No correlation between plasmid profile and enterotoxigenicity was noted in this study. The in vitro assays, GM1 ganglioside ELISA and CHO cell assay were found to suitable for quantitation of enterotoxin produced by the C. jejuni strains and the assays correlated well with each other. Enterotoxigenicity was predominantly associated with the Group C strains. Lines of partial identity were obtained between cholera toxin and C. jejuni enterotoxin in immunodiffusion experiments. No hybridization was however noted between Hind III digested chromosomal DNA of 4 enterotoxigenic C.jejuni strains and the E. coli LT B subunit gene probe. After successfully demonstrating the enterotoxigenic nature of C. Jejuni strains in the new-born chick model and in vitro assays (GM1 ganglioside ELISA and CHO cell assay), it was decided to explore whether the ligated ileal loop for fluid accumulation could be performed in infant chicks. Reproducible positive results were obtained in 5-day-old chicks, both with whole cells and cell- free culture supernates. This is the first report of accumulation of fluid in the ligated ileal loop of chickens by C. jejuni. C. jejuni strains produced an extracellular haemolysin active against a range of erythrocytes but not against chicken erythrocytes. The haemolytic factor lost its activity partially upon heat-treatment and was trypsin sensitive. The haemolysin which was also cytotoxic towards HeLa cells was predominantly produced by Group D strains. Adherence and invasion potentials of the C. jejuni strains were evaluated in the HeLa cell model by quantitative bacterial counts. The C. jejuni strains differentially adhered to and invaded HeLa cells. The Group D strains were significantly more invasive than the Group D strains, but the adherence of the strains belonging to the two groups did not differ significantly. However, the individual strains belonging to the two groups exhibited widely overlapping adherence and invasion potentials. Adherence and invasion of representative strains from both groups were significantly inhibited by L-fucose, cytochalasin B, chicken intestinal mucus and antiserum raised against formalinized bacterial cells. The results of this study have established the importance of working with a range of clinical isolates because they revel a spectrum of virulence. It seems probable that the degree of virulence of a particular strain is influenced by the expression of a number of virulence factors

Historical globalization and its effects: a study of Sylhet and its people, 1874-1971

This thesis examines the effects of 'Historical Globalization' on Sylhet and its people from 1874 to 1971. The aim of the thesis is to show two intersecting worlds within which the people of Sylhet lived their lives. At the local level they have responded to the introduction of the capitalist tea plantation. At the global level they established a 'diaspora' and social networks that maintained contact with the homeland. The dissertation considers the reshaping of Sylhet and its role as buffer zone between Assam and Bengal - the biggest province of British India. Thus it looks at Sylhet's place as the producer of global commodity tea - interfacing capital and labour that left long-term impact. It explores how local people itself becoming global for seeking economic fortune. The dissertation further examines identity politics from 1870s to 1971 as these events shaped political mobilizations at home and abroad that ended up the creation of Bangladesh. The study begins in 1874, when Assam Province was created taking Sylhet from Bengal and ends in 1971, when Bangladesh emerged where Sylhetis played a key role at home and across the globe. The chapter one traces the distinctive nature of Sylhet as a frontier, a meeting point of cultures even before the opening of Sylhet for tea capitalism. Chapter two examines the local and overseas entrepreneurs involved in the development of the plantation. Chapter three focuses on the phenomenon of labour migration within the South Asian context created by the plantation, the recruitment of tea labourers from other regions up to 1000 kilometres away, some affected by famine and a sharp termination of the contacts with their homeland following the partition in 1947. Chapter four explores mobility of labour created by the merchant marine, drawing in Sylheti seafarers with a tradition of migration and involvement in water transport and taking them across the globe. It considers the impact of 1947 partition, cutting off Sylhetis from Calcutta and ships - out migration not only continues but become torrent. Chapter five goes on to examine social improvement through communication, education and public health. Chapter six looks at the political mobilization in Sylhet, the reaction of the Hindu elites to the prospect of decolonization and the displacement of this elite following partition in 1947 and trans-national network of Diaspora nationalism. The Sylhet referendum in 1947 emerged as a watershed needs emphasising more strongly as a structuring element in the overall study

Historical globalization and its effects: a study of Sylhet and its people, 1874-1971

This thesis examines the effects of 'Historical Globalization' on Sylhet and its people from 1874 to 1971. The aim of the thesis is to show two intersecting worlds within which the people of Sylhet lived their lives. At the local level they have responded to the introduction of the capitalist tea plantation. At the global level they established a 'diaspora' and social networks that maintained contact with the homeland. The dissertation considers the reshaping of Sylhet and its role as buffer zone between Assam and Bengal - the biggest province of British India. Thus it looks at Sylhet's place as the producer of global commodity tea - interfacing capital and labour that left long-term impact. It explores how local people itself becoming global for seeking economic fortune. The dissertation further examines identity politics from 1870s to 1971 as these events shaped political mobilizations at home and abroad that ended up the creation of Bangladesh. The study begins in 1874, when Assam Province was created taking Sylhet from Bengal and ends in 1971, when Bangladesh emerged where Sylhetis played a key role at home and across the globe. The chapter one traces the distinctive nature of Sylhet as a frontier, a meeting point of cultures even before the opening of Sylhet for tea capitalism. Chapter two examines the local and overseas entrepreneurs involved in the development of the plantation. Chapter three focuses on the phenomenon of labour migration within the South Asian context created by the plantation, the recruitment of tea labourers from other regions up to 1000 kilometres away, some affected by famine and a sharp termination of the contacts with their homeland following the partition in 1947. Chapter four explores mobility of labour created by the merchant marine, drawing in Sylheti seafarers with a tradition of migration and involvement in water transport and taking them across the globe. It considers the impact of 1947 partition, cutting off Sylhetis from Calcutta and ships - out migration not only continues but become torrent. Chapter five goes on to examine social improvement through communication, education and public health. Chapter six looks at the political mobilization in Sylhet, the reaction of the Hindu elites to the prospect of decolonization and the displacement of this elite following partition in 1947 and trans-national network of Diaspora nationalism. The Sylhet referendum in 1947 emerged as a watershed needs emphasising more strongly as a structuring element in the overall study

Practice of SCM Performance Drivers and Procurement Process: Case Study on Globe Pharmaceuticals Limited

This paper presents a descriptive research which addresses a case study on Globe Pharmaceuticals Limited., Bangladesh. The main objective of this study is to identify and demonstrate the practices of Supply Chain Management (SCM) upon the organization. The study is conducted by in-depth interviewing of the personnel working in the commercial department of the organization as well as secondary data.  Globe Pharmaceuticals Limited has been manufacturing medicines since 1986 with a view to provide high quality medicines throughout the country. They are not only distributing medicines in the country but also exporting to international market. Till now, they have expanded their overseas marketing coverage in Singapore, Vietnam, Philippines, Srilanka, Myanmar, Yemen and Cambodia. The company is now in the process of receiving regulatory approvals for start its business in various countries of Africa, Middle East and Latin America. This has been possible by effective implementation of supply chain management performance drivers. The author has thoroughly analyzed SCM performance drivers and procurement process of Globe Pharmaceuticals Limited, to explore innovative ideas regarding SCM practices in pharmaceuticals industry. The performance of the supply chain of Globe Pharmaceuticals Limited is evaluated based upon the six supply chain performance drivers; Facilities, Inventory, Transportation, Information, Sourcing, Pricing. These drivers are utilized to create the balance between responsiveness and efficiency. The right combination of efficiency and responsiveness increases the performance of the supply chain and reduce inventory and operating expense simultaneously. Globe Pharmaceuticals Limited, practices all the six drivers of supply chain performance and tries constantly to improve its performance. There are certain aspects of their supply chain where they can bring improvements which will improve the performance of the whole supply chain. Keywords: Supply chain management, Practice, Performance drivers, Procurement process, Globe Pharmaceuticals Limite

Logistics and Supply Chain: An Overview of Business Jet Aircraft Manufacturing

The paper highlights key points of aircraft manufacturing and supply chain, which includes key supply chain stages of macro processes and logistics of material flow through a network of stages, organization and workstations. Supply chain refers to a series of facilities, with sequence of activities involved in producing and delivering of a product and service. The study was done through personal work experience in an aircraft factory, watching video documentary on National Geography Chanel, literature review of Federal Aviation Administration manuals, books, newspaper articles, aircraft manufacturing websites, and other internet survey. The network of stages starts from ultimate supplier, in the form of raw material, ends up to the final customer, in the form of finished goods. Logistics involve movement of materials, funds, and information between these stages of a supply chain, in a coordinated way. In some large manufacturing facility, such as an aircraft manufacturing factory, multiple stages of supply chain are found within the factory premise itself. Within a specific stage, production lines are found, such that workers and machines are grouped together with a sequence of assigned activities to produce customized, handcrafted, yet standardized outputs. Zooming from supply chain macro level process to micro level manufacturing processes, together with transportation and logistics of material between the stages are highlighted. Keywords: Aircraft Manufacturing, Logistics, Transporation, Supply Chain and Opertions Management

Molecular Heterogeneity of Human Group A Rotavirus in Rural Bangladesh as Determined by Electrophoresis of Genomic Ribonucleic Acid

Genomic diversity of 248 rotavirus strains from stools collected from patients that sought treatment for diarrhoea in Matlab, Bangladesh, between July 1987 and May 1989, was investigated by analysis of migration patterns of viral genomic ribonucleic acid (RNA) segments by electrophoresis. One hundred and seventy-three gave an electropherotype; 90 were of long electropherotypes ("L") and 83 were short electropherotypes ("S") and after co-electrophoresis, 10 different "L" electropherotypes and 12 different "S" electropherotypes were found. Among "L" electropherotypes, the majority (32 of 90) were identified as L1 followed by L8 (21 of 90) and among "S" electropherotypes, the majority (28 of 83) were S2 followed by S3 (14 of 83). L1 was also found most commonly throughout the study period (12/23 months) as was S2 (11/23 months)

Determination of Single Hybridization Temperature for Serotyping of Human Group A Rotavirus with Oligonucleotide Probes

The possibility of use of a single hybridization temperature instead of different temperature for different probes for detection of human group A rotavirus (HRV) was explored. The sensitivity and specificity of the 5 oligonucleotide probes were assessed using cell culture adapted rotavirus (RV) strains by carrying out hybridization at a fixed temperature of 50℃. The results obtained indicate that a single hybridization temperature may be used for all the probes with virtually no decrease in specificity and sensitivity

Cytoplasmic amino acid profiles of clinical and ATCC 29213 strains of Staphylococcus aureus harvested at different growth phases

Staphylococcus aureus strains are a great contributor to both hospital acquired infections as well as community acquired infections. The objective of the present investigation was to compare potential differences in cytoplasmic amino acid levels between clinical and ATCC 29213 strains of S. aureus. The two strains were grown under ideal conditions to mid-exponential and stationary growth phases, after which they were harvested to analyze their amino acid profiles. Initially, the amino acid patterns of both strains were compared at the mid-exponential phase when grown in controlled conditions. At the mid-exponential phase, both strains shared common features in cytoplasmic amino acid levels, with glutamic acid, aspartic acid, proline, and alanine identified as key amino acids. However, the concentration profiles of seven amino acids exhibited major variances between the strains, even though the total cytoplasmic levels of amino acids did not alter significantly. At the stationary phase, the magnitudes of the amino acids abundant in the mid-exponential phase were altered. Aspartic acid became the most abundant amino acid in both strains accounting for 44% and 59% of the total amino acids in the clinical and ATCC 29213 strains, respectively. Lysine was the second most abundant amino acid in both strains, accounting for 16% of the total cytoplasmic amino acids, followed by glutamic acid, the concentration of which was significantly higher in the clinical strain than in the ATCC 29213 strain. Interestingly, histidine was clearly present in the clinical strain but was virtually lacking in the ATCC 29213 strain. This study reveals the dynamic diversity of amino acid levels among strains, which is an essential step toward illustrating the variability in S. aureus cytoplasmic amino acid profiles and could be significant in explaining variances among strains of S. aureus