Role of Incompatibility Group 1 (IncI1) Plasmid-encoded Factors on Salmonella enterica Antimicrobial Resistance and Virulence

Foodborne illnesses are a leading cause of infectious diseases in the world. Among enteric organisms Salmonella is a key pathogen. It’s high prevalence in poultry and other food-animal sources make it imperative to study. Salmonella has the ability to modify its genetic content with help of mobile genetic elements such as plasmids. Incompatibiltiy group 1 (IncI1) plasmids are commonly reported in Salmonella. This study evaluates role on IncI1 plasmids in antimicrobial resistance and virulence in Salmonella. Genetic determinants of resistance and virulence are noted among our IncI1-containing Salmonella isolates. These genetic elements are also transferable and reported to carry respective phenotypic traits with them. Whole genomes of selected strains were sequenced using Illumina MiSeq platform. This gave more comprehensive understanding of IncI1 plasmids and their host strains. Further studies using advanced sequencing methods and functional assays under various stress factors such as different pH, in presence of probiotic-like compounds, would give more accurate and comprehensive understanding of IncI1 plasmids and their role in foodborne illnesses. Overall, this study increases our understanding of foodborne illnesses and provides us efficient tools to manage them

Influence of Process Parameters in n-PMEDM of Inconel 800 with Electrode and Coated Electrodes

By considering the unique performances, the Powder Mixed Electrical Discharge Machining (PMEDM) mostly encounter choice for machining the hard materials with job features like intricate shapes with grater accuracy and those materials are difficult to cut in conventional machining processes. This Research aimed to prepare parameter index chart for machining nickel based super alloy - Inconel 800 for various requirements. To achieve the aim, In this experimental study on machining of Inconel 800 in PMEDM with electrolyte copper electrode as well as silver coated electrolyte copper electrode is focused. Taguchi full factorial design derived from MINITAB release-16 software was used to design the experimentation. The factors like pulse off time, Current and Pulse on Time were considered. The responses like amount of Tool Wear, Quantity of material removal, surface finishes were noted against each case. In the same experimental conditions the coated electrode increased the MRR by 36.67% with minor increment of maximum surface roughness to 16.11%

Human platelet concentrates treated with microbicidal 405 nm light retain hemostasis activity

Chemical and UV light-based pathogen reduction technologies are currently in use for human platelet concentrates (PCs) to enhance safety from transfusion-transmitted infections. Relative to UV light, 405 nm violet-blue light in the visible spectrum is known to be less harmful. Hence, in this report for the first time, we have assessed the global hemostasis activity of PCs stored in plasma and the activities of six plasma coagulation factors (CFs) as a measure of in vitro hemostatic activity following exposure to the microbicidal 405 nm light. Apheresis PC samples collected from each screened human donor (n = 22) were used for testing of PCs and platelet poor plasma (PPP). Both PCs and PPPs were treated for 5 h with 405 nm light to achieve a previously established microbicidal light dose of 270 J/cm2. Activated partial thromboplastin time and prothrombin time-based potency assays using a coagulation analyzer and hemostatic capacity via Thromboelastography were analyzed. Thromboelastography analysis of the light-treated PCs and plasma present in the PCs showed little difference between the treated and untreated samples. Further, plasma present in the PCs during the light treatment demonstrated a better stability in potency assays for several coagulation factors compared to the plasma alone prepared from PCs first and subjected to the light treatment separately. Overall, PCs stored in plasma treated with 405 nm violet-blue light retain activity for hemostasis

The preclinical validation of 405 nm light parasiticidal efficacy on Leishmania donovani in ex vivo platelets in a rag2−/− mouse model

Violet–blue light of 405 nm in the visible spectrum at a dose of 270 J/cm2 alone has been shown to be an effective microbicidal tool for inactivating several bacteria, HIV-1, and Trypanosoma cruzi in ex vivo plasma and platelets. Unlike chemical- and ultraviolet (UV)-based pathogen inactivation methods for plasma and platelet safety, 405 nm light is shown to be less toxic to host cells at light doses that are microbicidal. In this report, we evaluated the parasiticidal activity of a 405 nm light treatment on platelets spiked with the Leishmania donovani parasite. Following the light treatment, parasite viability was observed to be near zero in both low- and high-titer-spiked platelets relative to controls. Furthermore, to test the residual infectivity after inactivation in vivo, the light-treated low-titer L. donovani-spiked platelets were evaluated in an immunodeficient Rag2−/− mouse model and monitored for 9 weeks. The parasiticidal efficacy of 405 nm light was evident from the lack of a presence of parasites in the mice spleens. Parasiticidal activity was confirmed to be mediated through 405 nm light-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS), as quantitatively measured by a 2′,7′-Dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate (H2DCFDA)-based assay. Overall, these results confirm the complete inactivation of L. donovani spiked in ex vivo platelets by 405 nm light treatment and exemplify the utility of the Rag2−/− mouse infection model for the preclinical validation of the parasiticidal efficacy of 405 nm light and this light-based technology as a potential PRT for ex vivo platelets

OPTIMIZATION OF METAL REMOVAL RATE FOR SS316L IN DRY TURNING OPERATION USING TAGUCHI METHOD

This research work deals with an optimization of turning process by the effect of machining parametersapplying ANOVA &Taguchi methods to improve the quality of manufactured goods and engineering development of designs for studying variation. Moreover, iron in steel has greater affinity towards carbon of WC of the tool. P grade is more diffusion resistant grade due to presence of more stable carbides like TiC, TaC and NbC. Therefore, P grade is also known as mixed carbide grade and more suitable for machining steel. Since P 30 grade of cemented carbide would provide excellent balance of hardness, wear resistance and toughness, the same grade has been chosen for machining of stainless steel. Turning is a metal cutting process by which metals from the outer periphery of a cylindrical work piece is removed and the volume of metal removed per unit time is known as metal removal rate or MRR. Basically MRR is an important criterion in production engineering to increase the productivity and quality. MRR varies with the variation of cutting parameters of different metals. In this project work, Austenitic stainless steel AISI 316L is considered as work piece while spindle speed, feed rate and depth of cut are considered as cutting parameters

Incompatibility Group I1 (IncI1) Plasmids: Their Genetics, Biology, and Public Health Relevance

Bacterial plasmids are extrachromosomal genetic elements that often carry antimicrobial resistance (AMR) genes and genes encoding increased virulence and can be transmissible among bacteria by conjugation. One key group of plasmids is the incompatibility group I1 (IncI1) plasmids, which have been isolated from multiple Enterobacteriaceae of food animal origin and clinically ill human patients. The IncI group of plasmids were initially characterized due to their sensitivity to the filamentous bacteriophage If1. Two prototypical IncI1 plasmids, R64 and pColIb-P9, have been extensively studied, and the plasmids consist of unique regions associated with plasmid replication, plasmid stability/maintenance, transfer machinery apparatus, single-stranded DNA transfer, and antimicrobial resistance. IncI1 plasmids are somewhat unique in that they encode two types of sex pili, a thick, rigid pilus necessary for mating and a thin, flexible pilus that helps stabilize bacteria for plasmid transfer in liquid environments. A key public health concern with IncI1 plasmids is their ability to carry antimicrobial resistance genes, including those associated with critically important antimicrobials used to treat severe cases of enteric infections, including the third-generation cephalosporins. Because of the potential importance of these plasmids, this review focuses on the distribution of the plasmids, their phenotypic characteristics associated with antimicrobial resistance and virulence, and their replication, maintenance, and transfer