Humans from Wuchereria bancrofti endemic area elicit substantial immune response to proteins of the filarial parasite Brugia malayi and its endosymbiont Wolbachia

Detailed information of the individuals of bancroftian filariasis endemic area participated in the current study. (PDF 54 kb

<span style="font-size:15.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-weight:bold" lang="EN-GB">Phytochemical and antimicrobial activities of Himalayan <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Cordyceps sinensis</i> (Berk.) Sacc. </span>

36-43<span style="font-size: 9.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-weight:bold" lang="EN-GB">This study evaluated the phytochemical and antimicrobial activities and also quantified bioactive nucleoside using high performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC) of five extracts of Indian Himalayan Cordyceps sinensis prepared with different solvents employing accelerated solvent extraction (ASE) technique. The phytochemical potential of these extracts was quantified in terms of total phenolic and total flavonoid content while antioxidant activities were determined by 1,1-diphenyl-2-pycryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS) and ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assays. Total reducing power (TRP) was determined by converting <span style="font-size:9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:AdvGulliv-R" lang="EN-GB">iron (III) into iron (II) reduction assay<span style="font-size:9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-style:italic" lang="EN-GB">. CS50%Alc<span style="font-size:9.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-ansi-language:EN-IN; mso-fareast-language:EN-IN"> (15.1<span style="font-size: 9.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt" lang="EN-GB">+<span style="font-size:9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-ansi-language:EN-IN;mso-fareast-language:EN-IN"> 0.67mg/g of dry extract) and CS100%Alc (19.3 + 0.33mg/g of dry extract) showed highest phenolic and flavonoid content, respectively while CSAq extract showed maximum antioxidant activity and the highest concentration of the three nucleosides (adenine 12.8±0.49 mg/g, adenosine 0.36±0.28 mg/g and uracil 0.14±0.36 mg/g of dry extract) determined by HPTLC. <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold">The evaluation of extracts for antimicrobial activity against gram-negative and gram-positive bacterial strains showed CS25%Alc, CS75%Alc and CS100%Alc extract to be more effective against E. coli, P. aerugenosa and B. subtilis giving 9, 7 and 6.5 mm of zone of inhibition (ZOI) in <span style="font-size:9.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family: AdvGulliv-R" lang="EN-GB">93.75, 93.75 and 45 µg concentration, respectively, whereas <span style="font-size:9.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt" lang="EN-GB">CSAq <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic">extract showed minimal inhibition against these. </span

Evaluation of Effect of Different Computed Tomography Scanning Protocols on Hounsfield Unit and Its Impact on Dose Calculation by Treatment Planning System

Introduction: In radiotherapy treatment planning system (TPS), basic input is the data from computed tomography (CT) scan, which takes into account the effect of inhomogeneities in dose calculations. Measurement of CT numbers may be affected by scanner-specific parameters. Therefore, it is important to verify the effect of different CT scanning protocols on Hounsfield unit (HU) and its impact on dose calculation. This study was carried out to analyse the effect of different tube voltages on HU for various tissue substitutes in phantom and their dosimetric impact on dose calculation in TPS due to variation in HU–relative electron density (RED) calibration curves. Materials and Methods: HU for different density materials was obtained from CT images of the phantom acquired at various tube voltages. HU-RED calibration curves were drawn from CT images with various tissue substitutes acquired at different tube voltages used to quantify the error in dose calculation for different algorithms. Doses were calculated on CT images acquired at 120 kVp and by applying CT number to RED curve obtained from 80, 100, 120, and 140 kVp voltages. Results: No significant variation was observed in HU of different density materials for various kVp values. Doses calculated with applying different HU-RED calibration curves were well within 1%. Conclusion: Variation in doses calculated by algorithms with various HU-RED calibration curves was found to be well within 1%. Therefore, it can be concluded that clinical practice of using the standard HU-RED calibration curve by a 120 kVp CT acquisition technique is viable

Bone marrow derived cell-seeded extracellular matrix: A novel biomaterial in the field of wound management

Aim: Extensive or irreversible damage to the skin often requires additional skin substitutes for reconstruction. Biomaterials have become critical components in the development of effective new medical therapies for wound care. Materials and Methods: In the present study, a cell matrix construct (bone marrow-derived cells (BMdc) seeded extracellular matrix [ECM]) was used as a biological substitute for the repair of full-thickness skin wound. ECM was developed by decellularizing fish swim bladder (FSB). Goat bone marrow-derived cells (G-BMdc) were seeded over this decellularized matrix. Efficacy of this cell matrix construct in wound repair was tested by implanting it over 20 mm2 × 20 mm2 size fullthickness skin wound created over the dorsum of rat. The study was conducted in 16 clinically healthy adult rats of either sex. The animals were randomly divided into 2 equal groups of 8 animals each. In Group I, animal’s wounds were repaired with a cellular FSB matrix. In Group II, wounds were repaired with G-BMdc seeded a cellular FSB matrix. Immune response and efficacy of healing were analyzed. Results: Quality of healing and immuno tolerance to the biological substitute was significantly better in Group II than Group I. Conclusion: Seeding with BMdc increases the wound healing potency and modulates the immune response to a significantly negligible level. The BMdc seeded acellular FSB matrix was found to be a novel biomaterial for wound management

Genetic diversity and antibiogram profile of diarrhoeagenic Escherichia coli pathotypes isolated from human, animal, foods and associated environmental sources

Introduction: Infectious diarrhoea particularly due to pathogenic bacteria is a major health problem in developing countries, including India. Despite significant reports of diarrhoeagenic Escherichia coli (DEC) pathotypes around the globe, studies which address genetic relatedness, antibiogram profile and their correlation with respect to their isolation from different sources are sparse. The present study determines isolation and identification of DEC pathotypes from different sources, their genetic characterisation, antibiogram profile and their correlation if any. Materials and methods: A total of 336 samples comprising diarrhoeic stool samples from infants (n=103), young animal (n=106), foods (n=68) and associated environmental sources (n=59) were collected from Bareilly region of India. All the samples were screened by using standard microbiological methods for the detection of E. coli. The identified E. coli were then confirmed as DEC pathotypes using polymerase chain reaction–based assays. Those DEC pathotypes identified as Enteroaggregative E. coli (EAEC) were further confirmed using HEp-2 adherence assay. All the isolated DEC pathotypes were studied for their genetic diversity using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), and antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed by using disc diffusion method as per Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute guidelines. Results and discussion: Of the four DEC pathotypes investigated, EAEC was found to be the predominant pathogen with an isolation rate of 16.5% from infants, 17.9% from young animals, 16.2% from foods and 3.4% from the associated environmental sources. These EAEC isolates, on further characterisation, revealed predominance of ‘atypical’ EAEC, with an isolation rate of 10.7% from infants, 15.1% from young animals, 16.2% from foods, and 3.4% from the associated environmental sources. On PFGE analysis, discrimination was evident within DEC pathotypes as 52 unique pulsotypes were observed for 59 recovered DEC pathotypes. However, a few EAEC isolates were found to be clonal (clusters A, B, C, D, F, G, and H) irrespective of their source of isolation, suggests sharing and/or circulation among different sources. Further, a high antibiotic resistance pattern was observed among isolated DEC pathotypes as almost 86.4% of isolates were found to be resistant against ≥3 tested drugs

Presence of a widely disseminated Listeria monocytogenes serotype 4b clone in India

Details about the members of the Indian Listeria Consortium are provided in the Supplementary Data.Emerging Microbes and Infections (2016) 5, e55; doi:10.1038/emi.2016.55; published online 8 June 201