Zebrafish: An Animal Model for Testing Suitability of Pseudomonas Species for Bioremediation of Pesticide Influenced Soil

Prolonged usage of chemicals in agriculture has devastated biodiversity to a large extent including microbial diversity and density. Upon intense exposure certain microorganisms acclimatize to chemical influenced soil and exploit those chemicals as their sole source of carbon and/or nitrogen. Bioremediation studies over the past decades predominantly imply on isolation of Pseudomonas species with the property to consume chemical contaminants as their source of energy. Pseudomonas spp. have adapted themselves to extreme conditions by altering their metabolic pathway. Hence these can be to some extent denoted as bio-indicators of chemical contaminants. But suggesting Pseudomonas spp. for field study or for bioremediation threatens us in particular with the development of antibiotic resistance and instigating secondary infections, thus restricting their application. The present study involves in possibility of Pseudomonas species to be considered for bioremediation by testing their ability in causing mortality in zebrafish. Isolates for the comparative study include P. aeruginosa (clinical isolate), P. aeruginosa (soil isolate with pesticide degradation property) and P. pseudoalcaligenes (soil isolate with pesticide’s carrier molecule degradation property). Results obtained confer that antibiotic resistance and mortality caused by the clinical strain was significantly higher thus advocating an affirmative annotation for the field application of soil isolates

Genetic Damage in Exfoliated Cells from Oral Mucosa of Individuals Exposed To X-rays after Panoramic Radiograph

The epithelial cell kinetics is especially important in the interpretation of results obtained as a result of low dose exposure of x rays from orthopantamograph. Chromosomal alterations leading to nuclear anomalies occurs in dividing cells from basal layer of oral epithelium, but is only observed later in exfoliated cells after the differentiation. A case control study was conducted during July 2008-April 2009 to assess the genetic damage from exfoliated cells of oral mucosa in individuals subjected to panoramic dental radiography. The study population consisted of normal healthy subjects who were attending the extra oral radiology department in Ragas Dental College and Hospital, Chennai. The study group comprised of 35 subjects of both sexes in which, 18(51.43%) males and 17 (48.57%) females. All the subjects were adults between the age group of 16 to 38 years of age. For each subject, two sets of cytological smears were prepared immediately before and 10 days after exposure to panoramic dental radiography. The smears were stained by using Schiff’s staining and analyses were performed in a blind fashion among 2000 cells. The following nuclear alterations were considered: micronucleus, karyorrhexis, condensed chromatin, pyknosis, karyolysis, broken eggs, nuclear buds and nuclear projections. The alterations were identified under light microscope. To summarize the results of the study: 1. In the study the occurrence of micronucleus frequencies were not altered before and after exposure with p value of 0.54 and is statistically insignificant which states that panoramic dental radiography does not produce chromosomal alterations. 2. The presence of karyorrhexis was increased after the exposure with a p value of 0.001 which is statistically significant which is indicative of apoptosis. 3. The presence of condensed chromatin was increased after the exposure with a p value of 0.001 which is statistically significant which is indicative of apoptosis. 4. The presence of pyknosis was increased after the exposure with a p value of 0.001 which is statistically significant which is indicative of apoptosis. 5. The presence of karyolysis were increased after the exposure with a p value of 0.009 which is statistically significant suggesting that the cellular response to x rays produce a cytotoxic effect which may lead to necrosis. 6. The presence of broken eggs was increased after the exposure with a p value of 0.001 which is statistically significant and should be considered as genotoxicity bio marker. 7. The presence of nuclear buds was increased after the exposure with a p value of 0.31 which is statistically not significant and is indicative of normal epithelial differentiation. 8. The presence of nuclear projections was increased after the exposure with a p value of 0.15 though not statistically significant it is indicative of mild cellular damage due to radiation. 9. On comparison between pre exposure and post exposure values among males the p value for karyorrhexis was 0.003, condensed chromatin p=0.001 pyknosis p=0.05, karyolysis p=0.02 and broken eggs p=0.002 these values are statistically significant before and after exposure. The p value for micronuclei was 0.74, nuclear buds p=0.39 and nuclear projections p=0.14, these values are statistically not significant before and after exposure. 10. On comparison between the pre exposure and post exposure values among females the p value for karyorrhexis was 0.001, condensed chromatin p=0.001 pyknosis p=0.01, and broken eggs p=0.006 these values are statistically significant before and after exposure. The p value for micronuclei was 0.74, karyolysis p= 0.16, nuclear buds p=0.39 and nuclear projections p=0.14 these values are statistically not significant before and after exposure. 11. On comparison of the pre exposure values between males and females the p value for micronuclei was 0.64, karyorrhexis p=0.51, condensed chromatin p=0.81, pyknosis p=0.16, karyolysis p= 0.16, broken eggs p=0.58, nuclear buds p=0.71 and nuclear projections p=0.81 these values are statistically not significant between males and females which indicates that sex doesn’t influence the formation of nuclear anomalies. 12. On comparison of the post exposure values between males and females the p value for micronuclei was 0.71, karyorrhexis p=0.25, condensed chromatin p=0.38, pyknosis p=0.27, karyolysis p= 0.40, broken eggs p=0.30, nuclear buds p=0.40 and nuclear projections p=0.40 these values are statistically not significant between males and females which indicates that sexually there is no difference between males and females in formation of nuclear anomalies. The present study analyzed the epithelial cells from oral mucosa because this anatomical location is centrally located when the source of radiation moves around the head of patient in the radiographic technique we adopted. Panoramic radiographs are frequently requested by dentists and incorrect positioning of the patient may require the procedure to be repeated. In human cytogenetic studies, it is important to consider some confounding factors. Viruses, alterations in the immune system, failures in DNA repair system and individual variations have already been associated with increased frequencies of chromosome aberrations. Moreover, the influence of tobacco smoke has usually been considered as a relevant confounding factor. Thus, all adults recruited to participate in this study were non-smokers. Due to the cost factors in depth investigations like any DNA analysis, FISH analysis, nuclear alterations in lymphocytes was not assessed. According to the results from this investigation, exposure to Xrays during panoramic radiography induces genotoxic effects in oral mucosal buccal epithelial cells that increase chromosomal damage and induce apoptosis. Thus panoramic dental radiography should be requested only when necessary because it cannot be considered a risk free procedure. It is also recommended that the expanded protocol for the micronucleus test suggested by Tolbert [et al.] 1991 should be adopted, including not only micronuclei but also other types of nuclear abnormalities that are in themselves cell damage markers. The frequencies of nuclear alterations indicative of apoptosis (karyorrhexis and condensed chromatin) were significantly higher after the exposure in contrast to micronuclei results. Apoptosis is a fundamental biological process, which is genetically controlled and required for normal development and tissue homeostasis. The results from the study showed that panoramic dental radiography induced the apoptotic response, which probably interfered with the micronucleus induction. In some cases the cells with nuclear anomalies were greater before x-rays suggesting that they may be associated with normal process of cell differentiation. Taken as a whole, such results support the notion that X-rays are a cytotoxic agent. It is important to stress that cytotoxicity interferes with micronucleus induction since some MN are inevitably lost after cytotoxic insult, therefore confirming the lack of mutagenic effect induced by X-rays. Nevertheless, it has been postulated that repeated exposure to cytotoxicants can result in chronic cell injury, compensatory cell proliferation, hyperplasia and, ultimately, tumor development. In fact, a correlation between cell proliferation and induction of cancer is assumed. Proliferation probably increases the risk of mutations within target cells, and may also be important in selective clonal expansion of (exogenously or endogenously) initiated cells from preneoplastic foci and eventually tumors. Our results demonstrated that the micronucleus frequency did not increase following exposure to ionizing radiation. In conclusion, the results of the present study indicate that high levels of genotoxicity and cytotoxicity in exposed tissues, expressed respectively by increased apoptotic or necrotic responses may be a factor in the low micronucleus frequencies observed after x- ray exposure suggesting that X-rays can induce cytotoxic effects in oral mucosal cells. The risks associated with dental radiographs are small but should not be overlooked. Since cellular death is considered to be a prime mechanism in non-genotoxic mechanisms of carcinogenesis, dental X-rays should be used only when necessary. More frequent, both as substitute for and as a complement to intra oral radiographs, their indication should always follow the concept of maximum benefit with minimum risk. Panoramic radiography should be carefully performed in order to avoid to retakes and increase in radiation doses

Classification of EEG signals on standing, walking and running dataset using LSTM-RNN

Undoubtedly one of the most important strands of the brain-computer interface (BCI) method is an alternate communication method via brain signals. BCI converts electroencephalogram (EEG) signals from a perception of activity in the brain into user action utilising software and hardware. BCI has piqued the interest of researchers in a wide range of disciplines, such as cognitive science, deep learning, pattern matching, drug treatment medicine, etc. Patients suffering from neuro and cognitive disorders can be assisted through BCI, potentially enabling communication via gestures or just mental imagination. In this paper, a novel combination of Discrete Wavelet Transform (DWT) for extracting the best features and Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) based Recurrent Neural Network (RNN) is adopted for classifying the EEG signals acquired during standing, walking and running on a treadmill. The dataset used is freely downloaded from Open Science Framework repository. The proposed DWT-LSTMRNN method delivers 96.7% accuracy while classifying four different signals, and thus has the potential to be investigated further on BCI competition datasets that will pave way for a real-time application

Assessing the safety and efficacy of dinoprostone vaginal insert in pregnancy

Background: Induction of labor (IOL) is a procedure used to achieve vaginal birth when the hazards of extending the pregnancy for either the mother or the infant outweigh the dangers of delivery. It is often used in high-risk pregnancies, although it can also be useful in low-risk groups, as demonstrated by A Randomized Trial of Induction Versus Expectant Management (ARRIVE) study. Methods: The cross-sectional study was conducted among 414 patients at Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology tertiary care hospital. The study was conducted for one-year duration in pregnant women with maternal age >18 years, gestational week >37 weeks, and Bishop score <7 was included in the study with no signs of labor. Demographic details such as age, pregnancy history, and mode of delivery were recorded for comparison. Patients with no induction of labor were administered misoprostol and/or dinoprostone based on clinical conditions with further evaluation of maternal complications, delivery time, birthweight of the fetus, and fetal heart rate. Data were analyzed based on percentages and a chi-square test was used (p-value <0.05). Results: The mode of delivery did not significantly affect delivery outcomes (p=0.354), with assisted delivery being the most common (35.41%). Indication for induction was found to be significant (p=0.034), with non-progress of labor being the most common indication (55.2%). Maternal complications were not significantly associated with delivery outcomes (p=0.390), with 60 (14.49%) patients experiencing complications. The use of misoprostol reported a significant difference between modes of delivery with 74.93% of vaginal delivery, 19.47% with lower segment cesarean section (LSCS), and 5.60% with assisted delivery (p value <0.03). Conclusions: In low-risk pregnant women, the dinoprostone or misoprostol vaginal inserts are both safe and effective for inducing labor. Nulliparous individuals and those who did not get epidural analgesia during labor had a higher chance of caesarean section

FASTRA – SAFE AND SECURE

The innovative congestion control algorithm named FASTRA (Fast Active Stability TCP) is aimed for high-speed long-latency networks. Four major difficulties in FASTRA are highlighted at both packet and flow levels. The architecture and characterization of equilibrium and stability properties of FASTRA are robust. Experimental results of FASTRA outsmart TCP Reno, HSTCP, and STCP in terms of throughput, fairness, stability, and responsiveness. FASTRA aims to rapidly stabilize high-speed long-latency networks into steady, efficient and fair operating points, in dynamic sharing environments, and the preliminary results are produced as output of our project. The Proposed architecture is explained with the help of an existing real-time example as to explain why FASTRA download is chosen rather than FTP download. The Paper is concluded with the results of the new congestion control algorithm aided with the graphs obtained during its simulation in NS2. On proper implementation, many safe, FASTRA downloads and data transfers can be carried over a high speed internet network

Production and characterization of antimicrobials from isolate Pantoea agglomerans of Medicago sativa plant rhizosphere soil

Due to rise in drug resistance among pathogens, there is always an urge to look for new drug alternatives. So in this study we aimed to identify the unexplored rhizosphere microflora of alfalfa plant for new antimicrobials. With initial screening for isolates from rhizosphere region for antibacterial activity against selected bacterial pathogens, the isolate AL10 had better activity selected for this study. The isolate mass was cultured and secondary metabolites were extracted using ethyl acetate and subjected to FTIR and GC-MS analysis. Based on functional diversity analysis, the isolate subjected to anti-bacterial activity revealed significant activity against Streptococcus pneumonia, Klebsiella, S. aureus with zone of inhibition in the range of18-20 mm. Based on GC-MS analysis report ten compounds were identified and 1-Octadecane and 1-nonadecanol were found to be responsible for bio-activity. FT-IR results showed that N-H stretching functional group was dominantly present in the extract. Molecular identification of the isolate by 16S rRNA sequencing showed the isolate as Pantoea agglomerans. The results showed that the isolate P.agglomerans, gram negative bacteria had wide antibacterial activity due to 1-Octadecane and 1-nonadecanol. Though Alfalfa plant has been described for various biological activities, this is a first report on rhizosphere region of plant reporting for antibacterial potential microbes

GC-MS analysis of yellow pigmented Macrococcus equipercicus isolated from alfalfa rhizosphere soil fields of Coimbatore

The rhizosphere of plant possesses important microflora, which secretes wide chemical compounds including secondary metabolites necessary for plant growth and development. The microbial flora of alfalfa plant rhizosphere soil region was explored for functional activity and we found upto ten different pigmented colonies. Due to good functional diversity, this yellow pigmented colony was taken for further studies. Thus, the culture was molecularly characterized and identified for potent bioactive components responsible for antimicrobial activity. The selected culture mass was cultured and secondary metabolites were produced and extracted using ethyl acetate and subjected to GC-MS analysis. The antimicrobial study revealed selective activity against Streptococcus pneumonia, and Proteus sp with zone of inhibition to be 18 and 20 mm respectively.  Molecular identification of the isolate by 16S rRNA sequencing showed the isolate as Macrococcus equipercicus with 100 % similarity. Based on GC-MS analysis report 25bioactive compounds were identified and 13-docosenamide, hexadecanoic acid esters and quercetin were found in ethyl acetate extract. Conclusion: Thus the yellow pigmented gram positive cocci M.equipercicus isolated from Medicago sativa possessed wide antibacterial activity due to presence of quercetin. Through the studies, we were able to identify potent antibacterial compound producing bacteria from M. sativa plant rhizosphere soil

Photoluminescent and superparamagnetic reduced graphene oxide-iron oxide quantum dots for dual-modality imaging, drug delivery and photothermal therapy

Reduced graphene oxide–iron oxide quantum dots (QDs) with intrinsic photoluminescent and superparamagnetic properties were synthesized through a green, hydrothermal method that simultaneously reduced and shattered graphene nanosheets to form the dots. The structure, morphology, properties and cell viability of these QDs were investigated. The QDs emitted violet light when excited at 320 nm, possessed no residual magnetization upon magnetic hysteresis tests, and had low cytotoxicity to healthy cells at low concentrations. The suitability of the QDs for fluorescent and magnetic resonance dual-modality imaging was shown by in vitro imaging with dermal fibroblast cells and T2 relaxation time. A drug could be loaded onto the surface of the QDs, with a loading ratio of drug to QD of 0.31:1. The drug achieved a steady but full release from the QDs over 8 h: these drug-loaded QDs could be manipulated by an external magnetic stimulation for targeted drug delivery. The potential for use as a cancer photothermal therapy was demonstrated by both a rapid, ∼50 °C temperature increase by a suspension of 100 μg ml−1 of QDs and the photothermal ablation of HeLa cells in vitro under near infrared irradiation. The stability of the MGQDs in fetal calf serum was shown to improve when an ionic drug was coated on the surface

Dialysis-associated peritonitis in children

Peritonitis remains a frequent complication of peritoneal dialysis in children and is the most common reason for technique failure. The microbiology is characterized by a predominance of Gram-positive organisms, with fungi responsible for less than 5% of episodes. Data collected by the International Pediatric Peritonitis Registry have revealed a worldwide variation in the bacterial etiology of peritonitis, as well as in the rate of culture-negative peritonitis. Risk factors for infection include young age, the absence of prophylactic antibiotics at catheter placement, spiking of dialysis bags, and the presence of a catheter exit-site or tunnel infection. Clinical symptoms at presentation are somewhat organism specific and can be objectively assessed with a Disease Severity Score. Whereas recommendations for empiric antibiotic therapy in children have been published by the International Society of Peritoneal Dialysis, epidemiologic data and antibiotic susceptibility data suggest that it may be desirable to take the patient- and center-specific history of microorganisms and their sensitivity patterns into account when prescribing initial therapy. The vast majority of patients are treated successfully and continue peritoneal dialysis, with the poorest outcome noted in patients with peritonitis secondary to Gram-negative organisms or fungi and in those with a relapsing infection