Pathology of systemic multiple bacterial infections and peritonitis in hatchery-produced African catfish Clarias gariepinus (Burchell, 1822) larvae

Diseases are the major problems that have a significant impact on African catfish Clarias gariepinus seed production. This study reports the necropsy, microscopy, bacteriology and histopathology of diseased catfish larvae that experienced mass mortalities (>80%). The gill filaments of diseased larvae revealed no ectoparasites. The intestines had no parasitic association. About 35 – 40% of the dead larvae had ruptured abdomen. The affected larvae had abdominal haemorrhages and disintegrated intestine with marked degenerative and inflammatory changes, which indicated peritonitis. Bacteria including Aeromonas veronii, Edwardsiella tarda and Pseudomonas putida were isolated from the haemorrhagic exudates of diseased catfish larvae. Histopathology demonstrated dense melanomacrophage aggregates in the spleen. The intestine had extensive degeneration, basophilic margination and disintegration of the mucosal layer. The kidney section suggested a suppurative infection with necrosis of haematopoietic tissue, inflammation of the epithelial tissue, vacuolar degenerations and hypoplastic haematopoietic tissue. Aeromonas veronii and E. tarda immersion challenge at 5×106 cells mL–1 yielded no mortalities under laboratory conditions. Nevertheless, the hatchery management measures and the laboratory analyses supported peritonitis with systemic multiple bacterial infections in the observed large-scale motilities of excessively fed larvae

POKRETNE VRSTE AEROMONAS OTPORNE NA ANTIBIOTIKE UZROKUJU SEPTIKEMIJU KOD MLAĐI FILIPINSKOG SOMA Clarias batrachus (Linnaeus, 1758)

Philippine catfish, Clarias batrachus farming is receiving much attention in recent years so also the diseases in catfish aquaculture. During the disease surveillance in catfish farms, mortalities were observed in C. batrachus fingerlings in a nursery and this report describes the bacteriological and histopathological observations made on the diseased catfish. The gross and clinical signs observed were lethargy, anorexia, vertical movement, skin erosion, operculum erosion, pale gills, reddening of mouth, fin haemorrhage, red lateral line and distended abdomen. The bacteria isolated from the kidney were identified phenotypically as species belonging to classical motile aeromonad group (Aeromonas caviae, A. hydrophila, A. jandaei and A. sobria) and newly described aeromonad group (A. aquariorum, A. fluvialis and A. rivuli). Multiple antibiotic resistance (MAR) index was in the range of 0.3-0.8. These antibiotic resistant motile aeromonads caused septicaemia and 100% mortality. Histologically, haemocyte infiltration, necrosis, inflammation of epidermal tissue, rough epidermal layer and fibrosis in muscle tissue, and loss of typical tubular epithelial lining, necrosis of tubular tissue, inflammation of epithelial layer, cellular and nuclear hypertrophy, pycnotic nuclei, karyolysis and hypoplastic haematopoietic tissue in the kidney of diseased catfish were noted. The inflammatory responses observed in the kidney of C. batrachus were indicative of suppurative infection.Uzgoj filipinskog soma, Clarias batrachus, izaziva veliku pozornost posljednjih godina, kao i bolesti kod uzgoja soma. Tijekom nadzora bolesti na farmama somova uočena je smrtnost kod mlađi C. batrachus u mrjestilištu, a ovaj rad opisuje bakteriološka i histopatološka opažanja uočena kod zaraženih somova. Opaženi općeniti i klinički znakovi su letargija, anoreksija, vertikalno gibanje, erozija kože, erozija operkuluma, blijede škrge, crvenilo usta, krvarenje peraja, crvena bočna linija i napuhani trbuh. Bakterije izolirane iz bubrega su fenotipski identificirane kao vrste koje spadaju u klasičnu pokretnu skupinu Aeromonas (Aeromonas caviae, A. hydrophila, A. jandaei i A. sobria)i nedavno opisanu skupinu Aeromonas (A. aquariorum, A. fluvialis i A. rivuli). Indeks višestruke rezistencije na antibiotike je u rasponu od 0,3-0,8. Ove pokretne vrste Aeromonas otporne na antibiotike uzrokovale su septikemiju i stopostotnu smrtnost. Histološki, zabilježena je infiltracija hemocita, nekroza, upala epidermalnog tkiva, grubi epidermalni sloj i fibroza u mišićnom tkivu te gubitak tipične cjevaste epitelne unutarnje stjenke, nekroza cjevastog tkiva, upala epitelnog sloja, stanična i nuklearna hipertrofija, piknoza jezgre, karioliza i hipoplastično hematopoetsko tkivo u bubrezima oboljelih somova. Upalne reakcije uočene u bubregu C. batrachus upućuju na gnojne infekcije

Natural Products Altering GABAergic Transmission

Gamma-amino butyric acid (GABA) is a major inhibitory neurotransmitter found in several regions of the brain and known to have various significant physiological roles as a potent bioactive compound. Malfunction of GABAergic neuronal signaling prompts to cause severe psychiatric symptoms in numerous mental disorders. Several drugs are available in clinical practice for neuropsychiatric disorders targeting through GABAergic pathway, with notable adverse effects. Interestingly, in recent years, researchers are focusing on natural compounds altering GABAergic neurotransmission for various psychiatric disorders due to its wide range of therapeutic efficacy and safety. The enormous variety of natural compounds, namely alkaloids, flavonoids, terpenoids, polyacetylenic alcohols, alkanes and fatty acids were reported to alter the GABAergic transmission through its receptors and or by influencing the transmission, synthesis and metabolism of GABA. Natural compounds are able to cross the blood brain barrier and influence the GABA functions in order to treat anxiety, mania, schizophrenia and cognitive disorders. Therefore, this current chapter describes on natural products which have the potential to alter the GABAergic neurotransmission and its therapeutical benefits in treating several neuropsychiatry disorders using various pharmacological methods

Microbial Plastic Degradation: Nature's Solution for Sustainable Waste Management

Plastic pollution has emerged as a global environmental crisis, demanding innovative and sustainable waste management strategies. This review explores the potential of harnessing nature's capabilities, specifically through microbial plastic degradation, as a promising avenue for sustainable waste management. The focus is on the collaborative action of microorganisms, utilizing their enzymatic activities to enhance plastic degradation. This review delves into the intricate mechanisms of microbial interaction with various types of plastics, emphasizing recent advancements in microbial plastic degradation research. Furthermore, it discusses the challenges associated with scaling up microbial degradation processes and envisions the incorporation of these approaches into practical waste management solutions. This exploration of microbial plastic degradation represents a critical step in mitigating the environmental impact of plastic pollution and promoting a more sustainable and eco-friendly waste management paradigm

A Palaeoproterozoic dolomite (Vempalle Formation, Cuddapah Basin, India) showing Phanerozoic-type dolomitisation

© 2019 The Palaeoproterozoic Vempalle Formation of the Cuddapah Basin, India, significantly adds to our understanding of the evolution of Precambrian marine carbonate systems and the redox state of the Earth's early oceans. A facies-microfacies-diagenetic-geochemical examination of samples from a ∼1000-m long exposure in a freshly-cut canal section shows that 10–15% of precursor limestone is still preserved in the Vempalle Formation in the form of remnant patches of calcimicrite and ooids with calcite spar cement. The ooids, preserving primary radial and concentric fabrics and radial fractures, are considered to have been originally precipitated as calcite, which may have been low-Mg. In places the preserved calcite spar, that is partially replaced by fabric-destructive dolomite, shows Type I calcite twin lamellae. Petrographic observations demonstrate that Vempalle Formation dolomite formed through very early precipitation, which in stromatolites preserved microbial filaments, as well as through fabric-destructive dolomitization during shallow to moderate burial. Vempalle Formation dolomite is characterized by micritic dolomite crystals which suggest rapid early dolomitization of lime mud and micritic calcite from a supersaturated Mg-Ca-rich solution, probably near-surface or during shallow burial. Depletion of Na and Sr contents of Vempalle Formation dolomite along with negative δ18O values indicate dolomite recrystallisation during burial and further replacement. Dolomite δ13C values of −0.5 to 2‰ are likely inherited original marine values. Geochemical proxies (trace elements and rare earths) imply that Cuddapah Basin seawater and dolomitizing fluids were anoxic and ferruginous but not euxinic. Geochemical analyses also indicate that the burial diagenetic fluids evolved from Eu-enriched seawater that probably resulted from continental rifting around 1.9–2.0 Ga. This probable ocean chemistry is in contrast with the anoxic, ferruginous and extremely high Mg/Ca “dolomite oceans” that prevailed during Proterozoic time. The Vempalle dolomite shows more similarities with dolomitised Phanerozoic platform carbonates than typical Precambrian dolomite with its well-preserved textures and burial dolospar cements

Aspirin and low-molecular weight heparin combination therapy effectively prevents recurrent miscarriage in hyperhomocysteinemic women.

The management of recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) still remains a great challenge, and women with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) are at a greater risk for spontaneous abortion. Treatment with low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) has become an accepted treatment option for women with RPL; however, the subgroup of women, who are likely to respond to LMWH, has not been precisely identified. The present study evaluated the efficacy of LMWH with reference to PCOS and associated metabolic phenotypes including hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy), insulin resistance (IR) and obesity. This prospective observational study was conducted at Institute of Reproductive Medicine, Kolkata, India. A total of 967 women with history of 2 or more consecutive first trimester abortions were screened and 336 were selected for the study. The selected patients were initially divided on the basis of presence or absence of PCOS, while subsequent stratification was based on HHcy, IR and/or obesity. The subjects had treatment with aspirin during one conception cycle and aspirin-LMWH combined anticoagulant therapy for the immediate next conception cycle, if the first treated cycle was unsuccessful. Pregnancy salvage was the sole outcome measure. The overall rate of pregnancy salvage following aspirin therapy was 43.15%, which was mostly represented by normohomocysteinemic women, while the salvage rate was lower in the HHcy populations irrespective of the presence or absence of PCOS, IR, or obesity. By contrast, aspirin-LMWH combined therapy could rescue 66.84% pregnancies in the aspirin-failed cases. Logistic regression analyses showed that HHcy remained a significant factor in predicting salvage rates in the PCOS, IR, and obese subpopulations controlled for other confounding factors. With regard to pregnancy salvage, combined anticoagulant therapy with aspirin and LMWH conferred added benefit to those with HHcy phenotype

Advancing Biomedical Frontiers: Unveiling The Potential Of 3d Bioprinting In Organ Regeneration

The advent of 3D bioprinting marks a pivotal moment in biomedical research and healthcare, unlocking a realm of possibilities. This abstract explores the transformative potential of 3D bioprinting technology, its diverse applications in medical domains, and the inherent challenges it faces. 3D bioprinting represents a revolutionary fusion of three-dimensional printing precision with the intricacies of biological materials. This groundbreaking technology revolutionizes the fabrication of intricate, customized structures by layering bioinks containing living cells, biomaterials, and growth factors. These engineered constructs faithfully replicate the complex architecture of native tissues and organs, presenting unprecedented opportunities for progress in regenerative medicine, drug testing, and disease modeling. The versatility of 3D bioprinting extends across various medical fields. In regenerative medicine, the ability to craft tissue grafts and organ substitutes tailored to individual patients has the potential to transform transplantation procedures, overcoming challenges like donor shortages and organ rejection. Additionally, pharmaceutical companies are employing 3D bioprinting to generate functional tissue models for drug testing, reducing reliance on animal testing and speeding up drug development processes. 3D bioprinting represents a transformative technology with the potential to advance healthcare through personalized regenerative solutions, ethical drug testing practices, and an improved understanding of diseases.However, the adoption of 3D bioprinting is not without its challenges. The intricacy of the bioprinting process necessitates a profound understanding of cellular biology, materials science, and engineering. Overcoming hurdles related to ensuring cell viability and functionality within printed structures is paramount, along with the imperative to scale up production for clinical applications. Ethical and regulatory considerations also emerge, particularly in the context of printing human tissues and organs

Ovotoxic Effects of Galactose Involve Attenuation of Follicle-Stimulating Hormone Bioactivity and Up-Regulation of Granulosa Cell p53 Expression

Clinical evidence suggests an association between galactosaemia and premature ovarian insufficiency (POI); however, the mechanism still remains unresolved. Experimental galactose toxicity in rats produces an array of ovarian dysfunction including ovarian development with deficient follicular reserve and follicular resistance to gonadotrophins that characterize the basic tenets of human POI. The present investigation explores if galactose toxicity in rats attenuates the bioactivity of gonadotrophins or interferes with their receptor competency, and accelerates the rate of follicular atresia. Pregnant rats were fed isocaloric food-pellets supplemented with or without 35% D-galactose from day-3 of gestation and continuing through weaning of the litters. The 35-day old female litters were autopsied. Serum galactose-binding capacity, galactosyltransferase (GalTase) activity, and bioactivity of FSH and LH together with their receptor competency were assessed. Ovarian follicular atresia was evaluated in situ by TUNEL. The in vitro effects of galactose were studied in isolated whole follicles in respect of generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and expression of caspase 3, and in isolated granulosa cells in respect of mitochondrial membrane potential, expression of p53, and apoptosis. The rats prenatally exposed to galactose exhibited significantly decreased serum GalTase activity and greater degree of galactose-incorporation capacity of sera proteins. LH biopotency and LH-FSH receptor competency were comparable between the control and study population, but the latter group showed significantly attenuated FSH bioactivity and increased rate of follicular atresia. In culture, galactose increased follicular generation of ROS and expression of caspase 3. In isolated granulosa cells, galactose disrupted mitochondrial membrane potential, stimulated p53 expression, and induced apoptosis in vitro; however co-treatment with either FSH or estradiol significantly prevented galactose-induced granulosa cell p53 expression. We conclude that the ovotoxic effects of galactose involves attenuation of FSH bioactivity that renders the ovary resistant to gonadotrophins leading to increased granulosa cell expression of p53 and follicular atresia

The role of intra-ovarian factors in the regulation of follicular death and survival, and management of ovarian lifespan

Living organisms are characterized by their ability to reproduce. History has witnessed the importance given by human societies to the process of procreation. Nevertheless, the people of yore were not capable of comprehending the intricate processes underlying such an important function and attributed it to divine intervention. While fertility and procreation formed the very basis of the dogmas of early life, failure to conceive was perceived as the ultimate curse. Light was thrown on the science of reproductive processes during the sixteenth century. With time, our knowledge has managed to permeate profoundly to understand the process of reproduction, but infertility continues to remain a major and painful life crisis that provides lifelong scarring with significant psychological, economic, demographic and medical effects. The inability to conceive strikes out at the very base of human identity, rapidly plummeting the couple downhill emotional turmoil; needless to say however, the women are subjected to more emotional damage than their male counterparts. Despite all the breakthroughs in the empowerment of women, a woman is still considered incomplete if she cannot become a mother. In humans, reproduction is much the same as for other mammals where they employ in-vivo fertilization that depends on the integrated action of hormones, the nervous system, and the reproductive system. It involves production and maturation of male and female gametes by the gonads, fertilization of the oocyte by spermatozoa, implantation in the uterus, and beginning of a new life. For the woman this demands regular and reliable ovarian cycles centrally featured by ovarian follicle development leading to ovulation in concert with production of estrogen and progesterone under the chief controlling influence of pulsatile gonadotropin secretion from pituitary. For both sexes, the gonads, ovaries in female and testes in male, serve the gametogenic and key endocrine functions, while the hypothalamo-pituitary unit governs the whole process. Diseases interfering with any of these components adversely affect the ability of a couple to conceive. Infertility can be defined as a failure to become pregnant in a period of 12 months for patients under the age of 35 and failure to conceive in a 6 month period for the over 35 age group. Causes of infertility can be found in about 90% of the cases, but despite extensive investigations, about 10% of couples will never know why they cannot conceive.Male or female infertility each accounts for about 30% to 40% of cases. Other cases are due to a combination of male and female factors or to unknown causes. Over the past several decades, demographic and socioeconomic trends have resulted in an increase in the absolute number of women seeking pregnancy in their late 30’s and early to mid 40’s. Compared to other major organ systems the female reproductive system ages to the point of failure at a relatively young age. Although the average age of menopause is 51, peak efficiency in the female reproductive system occurs in the early 20’s with a steady decline thereafter. There is a gradual loss of fertility as a function of female age with the rate of decline in fertility becoming more dramatic after the age of 35. This decline in fertility occurs in spite of the fact that women generally maintain regular, ovulatory menstrual cycles well into the fifth decade. A significant number of women in the advance age group seek evaluation and treatment for infertility. The general consensus is that the ovarian aging is accompanied not only by remarkable decline in the ovarian follicle pool but also by an increase in low-quality oocytes that are not competent enough for fertilization and further development. There are several lines of evidence documenting that oocyte quality determines its fertilization and subsequent development potential, and abnormalities of the oocyte act as the predominant cause of age-associated infertility. Clinical research over the last three decades almost exclusively concentrated on the ovarian hyperstimulation and in vitro fertilization. A number of recent documents raised suspicion over the classical concept of ‘oocyte aging’. Indirect evidence are there to support the view that the so called ‘aged oocytes’ collected from ‘aged ovary’ may be rendered fertile if cultured in ‘suitable’ conditions. This forms the basis of the present dissertation that endeavors understanding the ovarian milieu with respect to size of follicular reserve that, in fact, differentiates the ‘healthy’ and ‘aged’ ovary. The objective is to identify the missing link between declining follicular reserve and loss of oocyte quality, which may perhaps open a new frontier in the management of infertility

Meningoencephalitis in farmed monosex Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus L.) caused by Streptococcus agalactiae

Aquaculture of tilapia is a new research venture in India. With intensification in farming practices, tilapia are increasingly susceptible to bacterial infections. This article describes the isolation and identification of pathogenic bacteria from cultured monosex Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus (L.), that experienced moderate to severe mortalities in West Bengal, India between September and August 2014 and histopathological alterations in various organs. Gram-positive diplococci, identified as Streptococcus agalactiae with Streptococcus identification kits and 16S rDNA sequencing analysis, were isolated from the brain, operculum, and kidney. Other bacteria from the kidney were identified as Aeromonas sobria, A. caviae, Klebsiella pneumoniae ssp. pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, and Enterobacter cloacae. Staphylococcus epidermis was isolated from opercular hemorrhages. Histological sections of the infected tilapia brain revealed meningoencephalitis and granulomatous lesions. Sections from other organs indicated congestion, hemorrhagic and hyperplastic cells, necrosis, vacuolation, hemosiderin deposition, hypertrophic nuclei, melanomacrophage aggregation, and ruptured veins. This report is the first description of S. agalactiae as a primary pathogen causing meningoencephalitis in cultured tilapia in India