Role and immunomodulatory profile of histamine receptors by H1 and H2 antagonists

The present study was designed to delineate the immunomodulatory role of histamine receptors (H1- and H2-) on induction of antibody response to sheep red blood cells (SRBC), as well as the antibody generation profile, in rabbit system, systemically. The rabbits in two groups received pheniramine (H1-receptor antagonist) and ranitidine (H2-receptor antagonist), respectively, via intramuscular route and were immunized with SRBC intravenously to evaluate suppression or enhancement of antibody responses in sem. A third, control group, received vehicle and were immunized in a similar manner. Histamine released from effector cells (mast cells and basophils) _in vivo_ during inflammatory reactions could influence a detectable antibody response to SRBC as early as day 7-postimmunization (post-I), which lasted until day 28- post-I. Pheniramine-treated rabbits had significantly (*Pa ≤ 0.05 and **Pa ≤ 0.01) more suppressed total serum antibody (IgM + IgG) to SRBC as compared to ranitidine-treated ad cotrol rabbits, while ranitidine-treated rabbits showed different pattern (suppressed or enhanced) during the whole study period. Ranitidine suppressed total antibody level at days 7- and 14- post-I, and enhanced at days 21- and 28- post-I. IgM suppression at day 7- and enhancement at days 14-, 21- and 28- post-I, while IgG suppression during whole study period, as compared to control group was significant (*Pa ≤ 0.05 and **Pa ≤ 0.01) as assessed by direct hemagglutination assay* ad whole SBC-ELISA method**. Here we report that histamine receptor type 2 (H2R)-antagonists have a dominant role on immunosuppression and in immunoregulation of humoral immune responses. Histamine receptor type 2 (H2R)-antagonists are mainly involved in B cell differentiation and proliferation over histamine receptor type 1 (H1R)-antagonists

Stable Isotope Techniques to Address Coastal Marine Pollution

Stable isotopes of carbon (δ13C), sulfur (δ34S), oxygen (δ18O), hydrogen (δ2H), nitrogen (δ15N), and radioactive isotope of hydrogen (tritium) have been applied in combination with conventional techniques (chemical) to investigate Karachi coastal water pollution due to Layari and Malir rivers, which mainly carry the domestic and industrial wastewater of Karachi Metropolitan. Heavy metal contents of the Manora Channel and southeast coastal waters were higher than the Swedish guidelines for the quality of seawater. By contrast, heavy metal concentrations in coastal sediments were found to be significantly higher than that of seawater. Mn and Ni contents in sediments of entire coast (Manora Channel, southeast and northwest coast) were above USEPA guidelines except at Buleji site, whereas Cr, Zn, and Cu levels only in Manora Channel sediments were higher than USEPA guidelines. The higher heavy metal contents of Manora Channel water and sediments can be attributed to an influx of a major portion of untreated industrial and/or domestic wastewater. Layari and Malir river water was observed to be depleted in δ13C(TDIC)and δ34S, which showed heavy influx of sewage into these rivers. Manora Channel water was also depleted in δ13CTDIC and δ34S during low tide environment, showing a large-scale domestic wastewater mixing with seawater. Southeast coastal water was found to be slightly enriched in δ13C(TDIC) and δ34S and exhibited mixing of relatively small quantity of sewage with the seawater as compared to the Manora Channel. δ13C(TDIC) and δ34S contents of northwest coastal water were close to the values meant for normal seawater. δ13C and δ15N contents of Karachi coastal seaweed ranged from -31.1‰ to -4.9‰ PDB and from 6.1‰ to 17.8‰ air, respectively. The average δ15N values (10.2‰ air) of Ulva spp. collected from nonpolluted northwest coast was higher as compared to the average δ15N contents (8.0‰ air) of Ulva from the Manora Channel, suggesting that nitrogen isotopic ratios of Ulva spp. could be a good indicator of sewage pollution. The results of a two-component isotope mass balance equation using δ13C and δ34S values for Layari and Malir rivers and coastal water indicated that tide conditions and distance of sampling site from the pollution source were the main factors to control the transport and dissemination of Layari river pollution into the Manora Channel. High tide environment slowed down the Layari river water mixing with seawater coupled with a gradual decrease in pollution levels from the Layari River outfall zone to the Manora Lighthouse

Correlation of p53 Expression with Different Histological Grades in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma Patients from Northern India

In the present study, out of the total 100 patients studied, 75 patients (75%) were males and majority of patients were in 50-75 age group and complained of dysphagia. It was found that the most common site of incidence of oral cancer in tobacco and betel quid chewers was buccal mucosa. The aim of this study is to further examine the relationship between p53 expression with different histological grades in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSSC) patients from north India. It was found that there was no p53 expression in normal tissues while in oral SCC patients with tobacco and betel quid chewing habit, the percentage of positive cases as well as p53 positivity showed an increase with increasing grade of SCC. The expression of p53 was significantly associated with histological grade in oral cancer in tobacco and betel quid chewers. In case of p53 expression, statistically significant difference in p53 positivity was observed only on comparing well differentiated SCC with poorly differentiated SCC. The expression of p53 was not similar in different sites of oral cavity but was more frequently seen in gingivia, floor of mouth, tongue, and buccal mucosa

A modified method for removal and stabilization of cesium metal in vitrified matrix

Laboratory experiments were designed to investigate the separation and stabilization of cesium metal. Cesium was removed from simulated waste through sorption under certain physicochemical conditions. Silica sand (locally purchased) was used to remove cesium from simulated liquid waste. The range of pH and temperature was optimized and maximum removal (94 – 98 %) of cesium was achieved with pH 10 at temperature 36°C. Under optimized conditions with temperature range of 301– 315K ΔH, ΔS and ΔG309K for 150 ppm solution are – 27.22±0.18 KJ/mol, – 74.1± 0.96 J/mol and – 3071±2.1 KJ/mol respectively, and for 200 ppm solution thermodynamic entities are ΔH= – 20.2±0.20 KJ/mol, ΔS = – 47.86±0.66 J/mol and G301K = – 4344±3.7 KJ/mol. The sorbed metal ion has chances of desorption under changed physicochemical conditions in final disposal. To overcome this problem the final "secondary waste (metals on sorbents)" was stabilized by converting it into a stable vitreous borosilicate matrix through vitrification process to prevent leaching. It was found that the sorbed cesium was evaporated during heating at 1250°C. The evaporation of cesium during vitrification was overcome by modifying the process. This modified vitrification process is found excellent to immobilize the sorbed cesium. Stability was tested by desorption attempts at different pH

Antimicrobial Activity of Five Herbal Extracts Against Multi Drug Resistant (MDR) Strains of Bacteria and Fungus of Clinical Origin

Antimicrobial activities of the crude ethanolic extracts of five plants were screened against multidrug resistant (MDR) strains of Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Candida albicans. ATCCstrains of Streptococcus mutans, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, Streptococcus bovis, Pseudimonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhimurium, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Candida albicans were also tested. The strains that showed resistance against the maximum number of antibiotics tested were selected for an antibacterial assay. The MDR strains were sensitive to the antimicrobial activity of Acacia nilotica, Syzygium aromaticum and Cinnamum zeylanicum, whereas they exhibited strong resistance to the extracts of Terminalia arjuna and Eucalyptus globulus. Community-acquired infections showed higher sensitivity than the nosocomial infections against these extracts. The most potent antimicrobial plant was A. nilotica (MIC range 9.75-313µg/ml), whereas other crude plant extracts studied in this report were found to exhibit higher MIC values than A. nilotica against community acquired as well as nosocomial infection. This study concludes that A. nilotica, C. zeylanicum and S. aromaticum can be used against multidrug resistant microbes causing nosocomial and community acquired infections