Effect of Various Nutritional Supplements on Hyaluronic Acid Production

Effect of various nutritional supplementations on production of hyaluronic acid (HA) using Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus ATCC 39920 was evaluated at shake flask. Among the different carbon sources used, maltodextin showed HA of 0.9 g/L followed by 0.7 g/L for dextrose. L-arginine HCl at 2.0 g/L increased the yield of HA from 0.7 g/L to 0.85 g/L. L-arginine and L-glutamine showed the yield of HA of 0.7 g/L and 1.0 g/L, respectively at 2.0 g/L concentration. L-glutamine (2.0 g/L) and uridine (0.75 g/L) showed HA yield of 0.8 and 1.045 g/L, respectively. Addition of sodium glucuronate at 0.25 g/L concentration at 8 h, the yield of HA was increased from 0.7 g/L to 0.85 g/L. Pantothenic acid at concentration of 8.33 mg/L supplemented to the P10 medium, yield of 0.87 g/L of HA was obtained. Active dry yeast at 5.0 g/L increased yield of HA from 0.7 g/L to 0.85 g/L. Tween 80 at higher concentration reduced HA production. The addition of MgSO4.7H2O at 1.0 g/L improved the production of HA. Other metal ions like manganese, ferrous, copper, and zinc have no significant effect on HA production. Thus, it has been found that various nutritional supplements have effect on production of HA using S. equi subsp. zooepidemicus ATCC 39920

Effect of Various Physical Parameters and Statistical Medium Optimization on Production of Hyaluronic Acid Using S. Equi Subsp. Zooepidemicus ATCC 39920

It has been shown that initial conditions for bacterial cultivation are extremely important for the successful production of hyaluronic acid (HA) by fermentation. We investigated several physical parameters that affect productivity of HA under shake flask. i.e. transfer criteria of seed, agitation and aeration of fermentation flasks. Among the various physical parameters studied, inoculum age of 8-10 h, pH 6.4, optical density (600 nm) 2.0 and 3% level inoculum transfer found to be optimum. After inoculating with Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus ATCC 39920, the temperature 37 0C and 90 rpm found optimum during growth as well as for the HA production. The fractional factorial design of six factors with two levels showed yeast extract, potassium dihydrogen phosphate and sodium bicarbonate as significant model terms. The factor potassium dihydrogen phosphate was relatively more significant than yeast extract.

A study on eclampsia and its maternal and perinatal outcome

Background: Eclampsia is one of the major causes of maternal and perinatal mortality in India. Here authors present a prospective study which was conducted in a tertiary health centre to study the cases of eclampsia, the mode of presentation and the maternal and perinatal outcomes.Methods: A total 95 women were diagnosed as eclampsia during the period of 2 years. Various parameters and their effects on maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality were studied. Maternal outcomes were assessed based on parameters like antenatal care received, mode of delivery, complications associated with eclampsia. Perinatal outcomes were noted depending upon the period of gestation, NICU admission, stillbirths and neonatal deaths.Results: Authors found the incidence of eclampsia to be 0.9%. 52.7% women had irregular antenatal follow up at any nearby health centre. A total 76.8% women had antepartum eclampsia. 56.8% delivered by caesarean section while 7.4% required operative vaginal delivery. 61.1% women delivered within 10 hours of onset of convulsion. Authors had 02 deaths in the study group, one due to ARDS with DIC and the other attributed to pulmonary oedema. There were 51.6% preterm deliveries. 21 neonates required NICU admission with 5 neonatal deaths and 11 stillbirths.Conclusions: Due to inadequate antenatal care, most of the cases of pre-eclampsia go unnoticed increasing the referrals to tertiary care centre for intensive care. Thus, it is necessary to emphasise on timely interventions and availability of blood bank, ICU and NICU facilities at the closest referral centre for better maternal and perinatal outcome

A rare association of puerperal ovarian venous thrombosis with pseudomembranous colitis

Ovarian venous thrombosis is a rare but serious complication associated with early puerperium. The risk of this complication increases with associated puerperal infection or inflammatory condition. The present case report is of a 36-year-old lady who presented after emergency caesarean with puerperal fever and abdominal pain along with diarrhoea post antibiotic cover. Patient presented with moderate ascites and uterine subinvolution on examination. Contrast enhanced computed tomography (CECT) showed evidence of bowel wall edema due of colitis along with ovarian vein thrombosis. Patients had persistent symptoms despite receiving an empirical course of injectable cephalosporins. Stool culture confirmed growth of Clostridium difficile. Patient developed a rare infection after a course of antibiotic i.e. pseudomembranous colitis caused by Clostridium difficile. Patient then received a course of injectable vancomycin after which colitis subsided. This case increases our vigilance on management of puerperal fever which could get complicated with life-threatening events like deep vein thrombosis

The Intracellular Localization of Hormonal Activity in Transplantable Thyrotropin-Secreting Pituitary Tumors in Mice

Mouse pituitary tumors secreting almost exclusively thyroid stimulating hormone have been characterized electron microscopically. Tumors of known thyrotropin content were separated into nuclear, mitochondrial, microsomal, and soluble fractions by differential centrifugation. The hormonal activity of these fractions was correlated with that of the total homogenates and with their nitrogen and phosphorus content. Essentially all the thyrotropin of the homogenate was recovered in a particulate fraction sedimenting between 20,000 and 40,000 g. This fraction contained the RNA granules and membranous components typical of microsomal pellets, but also showed the presence of small dense bodies surrounded by smooth membranes. These bodies were also visible within the endoplasmic reticulum of intact cells, and it is postulated that these bodies may represent the sites of intracellular elaboration and/or storage of TSH. Thyrotropin is tightly associated with microsomal particles but can be brought into solution by treatment with alkaline media, deoxycholate, and certain organic solvents

Kelvin Probe Studies of Cesium Telluride Photocathode for AWA Photoinjector

Cesium telluride is an important photocathode as an electron source for particle accelerators. It has a relatively high quantum efficiency (>1%), is sufficiently robust in a photoinjector, and has a long lifetime. This photocathode is grown in-house for a new Argonne Wakefield Accelerator (AWA) beamline to produce high charge per bunch (~50 nC) in a long bunch train. Here, we present a study of the work function of cesium telluride photocathode using the Kelvin Probe technique. The study includes an investigation of the correlation between the quantum efficiency and the work function, the effect of photocathode aging, the effect of UV exposure on the work function, and the evolution of the work function during and after photocathode rejuvenation via heating.Comment: 5 pages, 6 figure

The transcriptomic evolution of mammalian pregnancy:gene expression innovations in endometrial stromal fibroblasts

The endometrial stromal fibroblast (ESF) is a cell type present in the uterine lining of therian mammals. In the stem lineage of eutherian mammals, ESF acquired the ability to differentiate into decidual cells in order to allow embryo implantation. We call the latter cell type “neo-ESF” in contrast to “paleo-ESF” which is homologous to eutherian ESF but is not able to decidualize. In this study, we compare the transcriptomes of ESF from six therian species: Opossum (Monodelphis domestica; paleo-ESF), mink, rat, rabbit, human (all neo-ESF), and cow (secondarily nondecidualizing neo-ESF). We find evidence for strong stabilizing selection on transcriptome composition suggesting that the expression of approximately 5,600 genes is maintained by natural selection. The evolution of neo-ESF from paleo-ESF involved the following gene expression changes: Loss of expression of genes related to inflammation and immune response, lower expression of genes opposing tissue invasion, increased markers for proliferation as well as the recruitment of FOXM1, a key gene transiently expressed during decidualization. Signaling pathways also evolve rapidly and continue to evolve within eutherian lineages. In the bovine lineage, where invasiveness and decidualization were secondarily lost, we see a re-expression of genes found in opossum, most prominently WISP2, and a loss of gene expression related to angiogenesis. The data from this and previous studies support a scenario, where the proinflammatory paleo-ESF was reprogrammed to express anti-inflammatory genes in response to the inflammatory stimulus coming from the implanting conceptus and thus paving the way for extended, trans-cyclic gestation

The Significance of Vascular Alterations in Acute and Chronic Rejection for Vascularized Composite Allotransplantation.

Vascularized composite allotransplantation (VCA) has emerged as a useful reconstructive option for patients suffering from major tissue defects and functional deficits. While the technical feasibility has been optimized and more than 130 VCAs have been performed during the last two decades, hurdles such as acute and chronic allograft rejection, graft deterioration, and eventual functional impairment need to be addressed. Recently, chronic graft rejection and progressive failure have been linked to vascular alterations observed in the allografts. Graft vasculopathy (GV) may play a pivotal role in long-term graft deterioration. The understanding of the underlying pathophysiological processes and their initial triggers is of utmost importance in the prevention, attenuation, and therapy of GV. While there are reports on the etiology and development of GV in solid organ transplantation, there are limited data with respect to chronic rejection and GV in the realm of VCA. Nevertheless, recent reports from long-term VCA recipients suggest that GV could truly jeopardize allografts in the follow-up evaluation. Chronic rejection and GV include different entities and might have different pathways in distinct organs. Herein, we reviewed the current literature on vascular changes during both acute and chronic allograft rejection, with a focus on their clinical and translational significance for VCA

Do health systems delay the treatment of poor children? A qualitative study of child deaths in rural Tanzania.

Child mortality remains one of the major public-health problems in Tanzania. Delays in receiving and accessing adequate care contribute to these high rates. The literature on public health often focuses on the role of mothers in delaying treatment, suggesting that they contact the health system too late and that they prefer to treat their children at home, a perspective often echoed by health workers. Using the three-delay methodology, this study focus on the third phase of the model, exploring the delays experienced in receiving adequate care when mothers with a sick child contact a health-care facility. The overall objective is to analyse specific structural factors embedded in everyday practices at health facilities in a district in Tanzania which cause delays in the treatment of poor children and to discuss possible changes to institutions and social technologies. The study is based on qualitative fieldwork, including in-depth interviews with sixteen mothers who have lost a child, case studies in which patients were followed through the health system, and observations of more than a hundred consultations at all three levels of the health-care system. Data analysis took the form of thematic analysis. Focusing on the third phase of the three-delay model, four main obstacles have been identified: confusions over payment, inadequate referral systems, the inefficient organization of health services and the culture of communication. These impediments strike the poorest segment of the mothers particularly hard. It is argued that these delaying factors function as 'technologies of social exclusion', as they are embedded in the everyday practices of the health facilities in systematic ways. The interviews, case studies and observations show that it is especially families with low social and cultural capital that experience delays after having contacted the health-care system. Reductions of the various types of uncertainty concerning payment, improved referral practices and improved communication between health staff and patients would reduce some of the delays within health facilities, which might feedback positively into the other two phases of delay