Phytochemical and antimicrobial studies on the leaves and stem ofDesmodium scorpiurus Der (sw)

Phytochemical studies on the aerial parts of Desmodium scorpiurus Der (sw) revealed the presence of alkaloids, saponins, glycosides, steroids and carbohydrates. The petroleum spirit, chloroform and methanol extracts were screened for antimicrobial activity using clinical isolates of Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella typhi, Bacillus cereus, Streptococcus pyrogenes and Klebsiella pneumoniae. The results showed that the plant is very active against Pseudomonas aeruginosa,Escherichia coli and Streptococcus pyrogenes with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 2 x 102 mg/ml

The relation of H2CO, 12CO, and 13CO in molecular clouds

Aims. We seek to understand how the 4.8 GHz formaldehyde absorption line is distributed in the MON R2, S156, DR17/L906, and M17/M18 regions. More specifically, we look for the relationship among the H2CO, 12CO, and 13CO spectral lines. Methods. The four regions of MON R2 (60'x90'), S156 (5'0x70'), DR17/L906 (40'x60'), and M17 /M18 (70'x80')were observed for H2CO (beam 10'), H110a recombination (beam 10'), 6 cm continuum (beam 10'), 12CO (beam 1'), and 13CO (beam 1'). We compared the H2CO,12CO,13CO, and continuum distributions, and also the spectra line parameters of H2CO,12CO, and 13CO. Column densities of H2CO,13CO, and H2 were also estimated. Results. We found out that the H2CO distribution is similar to the 12CO and the 13CO distributions on a large scale. The correlation between the 13 CO and the H2CO distributions is better than between the 12CO and H2CO distributions. The H2CO and the 13CO tracers systematically provide consistent views of the dense regions. T heir maps have similar shapes, sizes, peak positions, and molecular spectra and present similar centr al velocities and line widths. Such good agreement indicates that the H2CO and the 13CO arise from similar regions.Comment: 21 pages, 12 figures published, 201

Brucellosis as an Emerging Threat in Developing Economies:Lessons from Nigeria

Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa, has a large proportion of the world's poor livestock keepers, and is a hotspot for neglected zoonoses. A review of the 127 accessible publications on brucellosis in Nigeria reveals only scant and fragmented evidence on its spatial and temporal distribution in different epidemiological contexts. The few bacteriological studies conducted demonstrate the existence of Brucella abortus in cattle and sheep, but evidence for B. melitensis in small ruminants is dated and unclear. The bulk of the evidence consists of seroprevalence studies, but test standardization and validation are not always adequately described, and misinterpretations exist with regard to sensitivity and/or specificity and ability to identify the infecting Brucella species. Despite this, early studies suggest that although brucellosis was endemic in extensive nomadic systems, seroprevalence was low, and brucellosis was not perceived as a real burden; recent studies, however, may reflect a changing trend. Concerning human brucellosis, no studies have identified the Brucella species and most reports provide only serological evidence of contact with Brucella in the classical risk groups; some suggest brucellosis misdiagnoses as malaria or other febrile conditions. The investigation of a severe outbreak that occurred in the late 1970s describes the emergence of animal and human disease caused by the settling of previously nomadic populations during the Sahelian drought. There appears to be an increasing risk of re-emergence of brucellosis in sub-Saharan Africa, as a result of the co-existence of pastoralist movements and the increase of intensive management resulting from growing urbanization and food demand. Highly contagious zoonoses like brucellosis pose a threat with far-reaching social and political consequences

Characterization and complete genome sequence of a novel N4-like bacteriophage, pSb-1 infecting Shigella boydii

Shigellosis is one of major foodborne pathogens in both developed and developing countries. Although antibiotic therapy is considered an effective treatment for shigellosis, the imprudent use of antibiotics has led to the increase of multiple-antibiotic-resistant Shigella species globally. In this study, we isolated a virulent Podoviridae bacteriophage (phage), pSb(-1), that infects Shigella boydii. One-step growth analysis revealed that this phage has a short latent period (15 min) and a large burst size (152.63 PFU/cell), indicating that pSb(-1) has good host infectivity and effective lytic activity. The double-stranded DNA genome of pSb(-1) is composed of 71,629 bp with a G + C content of 42.74%. The genome encodes 103 putative ORFs, 9 putative promoters, 21 transcriptional terminators, and one tRNA region. Genome sequence analysis of pSb(-1) and comparative analysis with the homologous phage EC1-UPM, N4-like phage revealed that there is a high degree of similarity (94%, nucleotide sequence identity) between pSb(-1) and EC1-UPM in 73 of the 103 ORFs of pSb(-1). The results of this investigation indicate that pSb(-1) is a novel virulent N4-like phage infecting S. boydii and that this phage might have potential uses against shigellosis. (C) 2014 Institut Pasteur. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.N

Measurement of protein–ligand complex formation

Experimental approaches to detect, measure, and quantify protein–ligand binding, along with their theoretical bases, are described. A range of methods for detection of protein–ligand interactions is summarized. Specific protocols are provided for a nonequilibrium procedure pull-down assay, for an equilibrium direct binding method and its modification into a competition-based measurement and for steady-state measurements based on the effects of ligands on enzyme catalysis