Genetic Profiling of the Plasmodium falciparum

About 50% of malaria infections in India are attributed to Plasmodium falciparum but relatively little is known about the genetic structure of the parasite populations. The molecular genotyping of the parasite populations by merozoite surface protein (msp1 and msp2) and glutamate-rich protein (glurp) genes identifies the existing parasite population in the regions which help in understanding the molecular mechanisms involved in the parasite’s drive for survival. This study reveals the genetic profile of the parasite population in selected regions across the country with varying degree of endemicity among them. We also report the prevalence of Pfcrt mutations in this parasite population to evaluate the pattern of drug resistance development in them

Prevalence of marine litter along the Indian beaches : A preliminary account on its status and composition

Beach litter are man-made objects discarded directly or indirectly. This study brings out synoptic picture of status and composition of beach litter from 254 selected beaches along the maritime States of Peninsular coast of India as well as the Union Territories of Andaman and Lakshadweep Islands from the one time observation conducted between October 2013 and January 2014 for the first time. These beaches were classified and graded with colour codes according to the levels of beach litter. Beach litter from different maritime States and the UTs showed that Odisha coast has the lowest (0.31 g/m2) quantity and Goa coast (205.75 g/m2) the highest quantity of beach debris. Archipelagic coasts of Andamans as well as Lakshadweep recorded values higher than Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and West Bengal. Samples of debris collected from beaches revealed that all the items were domestic and anthropogenic discards. Plastic litters such as single use carry bags and sachets of soft drinks, edible oils, detergents, beverages, cases of cosmetics, toothpaste, PET bottles, ice cream containers etc., recorded highest mean of 25.47g/m2 from Goa coast and the lowest (0.08 g/m2) from Odisha. The relative percentage of mean values of plastic (B group) items in beach debris along the Indian coast registered highest mean percentage from Maharashtra (81 %) and the lowest mean from beaches of Andhra Pradesh (7%). The two island Union Territories registered 40% (Lakshadweep) and 47% (Andamans) of plastics over the total debris, while the national average was only 14%. Available online at: www.mbai.org.in doi: 10.6024/jmbai.2017.59.1.1953-03 Out of the total 254 beaches surveyed, 51 beaches were graded as very clean with green (<1 g/m2) colour, 122 beaches were graded as Clean and depicted by blue colour. Beaches of very clean grade (<1 g/m2) were found in Kerala (17), Maharashtra (12), Tamil Nadu (2), Andhra Pradesh (4), Odisha (7) and West Bengal (3). Whereas extremely littered beaches (>100 g/m2) were found in Karnataka (13), Goa, Gujarat, and Andaman Island. With reference to the coastal population and per capita share of beach debris, Goa registered highest values (40.97 kg/head) and the Odisha coast registered the lowest values (0.005 kg/head)

Assessment of certain Anthropogenic Interventions and their Impacts along the Indian Coastline

Coastal anthropogenic activities such as sand mining, disposal of untreated or partially treated sewage and industrial effluents from selected centres along Indian coastline and their possible impacts impairing the coastal environment are discussed with the data collected for two year period from eight maritime states of India. Destruction of macro benthos due to large scale sand mining along the Malabar coast was estimated to show an average of 2760 m-2 day-1 equivalent to 10.42 g m-2 day-1 (wet weight) registering maximum during the post monsoon season. Non biodegradable objects such as polythene carry bags, ropes and sachets were recovered in considerable quantities from the beaches (0.145-9.8 g m-2) as well as from the fishing grounds (32-85 g haul-1). The domestic sewage disposed to Visakhapatnam inshore area registered appreciable density of toxic algal species such as Gonyalux fragilis, Peridnium depressum and Porocentrum gracile. Annual average of mercury in soft tissues of crab Portunus sanguinolentus was found in very high levels from Veraval (2.90 ppm) followed by Tuticorin (2.39 ppm), Visakhapatnam (1.83 ppm) and Cochin (1.77 ppm). However, arsenic levels were very high in all the tissue samples collected from Tuticorin, Mandapam, Chennai and Visakhapatnam

Molecular Biomarkers for the Evaluation of Colorectal Cancer

Objectives: To develop evidence-based guideline recommendations through a systematic review of the literature to establish standard molecular biomarker testing of colorectal cancer (CRC) tissues to guide epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) therapies and conventional chemotherapy regimens

Molecular Biomarkers for the Evaluation of Colorectal Cancer: Guideline From the American Society for Clinical Pathology, College of American Pathologists, Association for Molecular Pathology, and American Society of Clinical Oncology

OBJECTIVES: - To develop evidence-based guideline recommendations through a systematic review of the literature to establish standard molecular biomarker testing of colorectal cancer (CRC) tissues to guide epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) therapies and conventional chemotherapy regimens. METHODS: - The American Society for Clinical Pathology, College of American Pathologists, Association for Molecular Pathology, and American Society of Clinical Oncology convened an expert panel to develop an evidence-based guideline to establish standard molecular biomarker testing and guide therapies for patients with CRC. A comprehensive literature search that included more than 4,000 articles was conducted. RESULTS: - Twenty-one guideline statements were established. CONCLUSIONS: - Evidence supports mutational testing for EGFR signaling pathway genes, since they provide clinically actionable information as negative predictors of benefit to anti-EGFR monoclonal antibody therapies for targeted therapy of CRC. Mutations in several of the biomarkers have clear prognostic value. Laboratory approaches to operationalize CRC molecular testing are presented

Association of acute toxic encephalopathy with litchi consumption in an outbreak in Muzaffarpur, India, 2014: a case-control study

Background Outbreaks of unexplained illness frequently remain under-investigated. In India, outbreaks of an acute neurological illness with high mortality among children occur annually in Muzaffarpur, the country’s largest litchi cultivation region. In 2014, we aimed to investigate the cause and risk factors for this illness. Methods In this hospital-based surveillance and nested age-matched case-control study, we did laboratory investigations to assess potential infectious and non-infectious causes of this acute neurological illness. Cases were children aged 15 years or younger who were admitted to two hospitals in Muzaffarpur with new-onset seizures or altered sensorium. Age-matched controls were residents of Muzaffarpur who were admitted to the same two hospitals for a non-neurologic illness within seven days of the date of admission of the case. Clinical specimens (blood, cerebrospinal fluid, and urine) and environmental specimens (litchis) were tested for evidence of infectious pathogens, pesticides, toxic metals, and other non-infectious causes, including presence of hypoglycin A or methylenecyclopropylglycine (MCPG), naturally-occurring fruit-based toxins that cause hypoglycaemia and metabolic derangement. Matched and unmatched (controlling for age) bivariate analyses were done and risk factors for illness were expressed as matched odds ratios and odds ratios (unmatched analyses). Findings Between May 26, and July 17, 2014, 390 patients meeting the case definition were admitted to the two referral hospitals in Muzaffarpur, of whom 122 (31%) died. On admission, 204 (62%) of 327 had blood glucose concentration of 70 mg/dL or less. 104 cases were compared with 104 age-matched hospital controls. Litchi consumption (matched odds ratio [mOR] 9·6 [95% CI 3·6 – 24]) and absence of an evening meal (2·2 [1·2–4·3]) in the 24 h preceding illness onset were associated with illness. The absence of an evening meal significantly modified the effect of eating litchis on illness (odds ratio [OR] 7·8 [95% CI 3·3–18·8], without evening meal; OR 3·6 [1·1–11·1] with an evening meal). Tests for infectious agents and pesticides were negative. Metabolites of hypoglycin A, MCPG, or both were detected in 48 [66%] of 73 urine specimens from case-patients and none from 15 controls; 72 (90%) of 80 case-patient specimens had abnormal plasma acylcarnitine profiles, consistent with severe disruption of fatty acid metabolism. In 36 litchi arils tested from Muzaffarpur, hypoglycin A concentrations ranged from 12·4 μg/g to 152·0 μg/g and MCPG ranged from 44·9 μg/g to 220·0 μg/g. Interpretation Our investigation suggests an outbreak of acute encephalopathy in Muzaffarpur associated with both hypoglycin A and MCPG toxicity. To prevent illness and reduce mortality in the region, we recommended minimising litchi consumption, ensuring receipt of an evening meal and implementing rapid glucose correction for suspected illness. A comprehensive investigative approach in Muzaffarpur led to timely public health recommendations, underscoring the importance of using systematic methods in other unexplained illness outbreaks

Reconstructing the demographic history of the Himalayan and adjoining populations

The rugged topography of the Himalayan region has hindered large-scale human migrations, population admixture and assimilation. Such complexity in geographical structure might have facilitated the existence of several small isolated communities in this region. We have genotyped about 850,000 autosomal markers among 35 individuals belonging to the four major populations inhabiting the Himalaya and adjoining regions. In addition, we have genotyped 794 individuals belonging to 16 ethnic groups from the same region, for uniparental (mitochondrial and Y chromosomal DNA) markers. Our results in the light of various statistical analyses suggest a closer link of the Himalayan and adjoining populations to East Asia than their immediate geographical neighbours in South Asia. Allele frequency-based analyses likely support the existence of a specific ancestry component in the Himalayan and adjoining populations. The admixture time estimate suggests a recent westward migration of populations living to the East of the Himalaya. Furthermore, the uniparental marker analysis among the Himalayan and adjoining populations reveal the presence of East, Southeast and South Asian genetic signatures. Interestingly, we observed an antagonistic association of Y chromosomal haplogroups O3 and D clines with the longitudinal distance. Thus, we summarise that studying the Himalayan and adjoining populations is essential for a comprehensive reconstruction of the human evolutionary and ethnolinguistic history of eastern Eurasia

Effect of N′-nitrosodimethylamine on red blood cell rheology and proteomic profiles of brain in male albino rats

We investigated the effects of N'-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) induced toxicity on red blood cell rheology in male rats and identified bands in proteomic profiles of brain which can be used as novel markers. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) profiles exhibited constitutive as well as induced expression of the polypeptides. Remarkably, the molecular weight range of the polypeptides (8–150 kDa) corresponded to that of the family of heat shock proteins. Our results revealed significant changes in blood parameters and showed the presence of acanthocytes, tear drop cells, spicules and cobot rings in the treated categories. Lactate dehydrogenase and esterase zymograms displayed a shift to anaerobic metabolism generating hypoxia-like conditions. This study strongly suggests that NDMA treatment causes acute toxicity leading to cell membrane destruction and alters protein profiles in rats. It is therefore recommended that caution should be exercised in using NDMA to avoid risks, and if at all necessary strategies should be designed to combat such conditions

Hosts and hostages: Mass immigration and the power of hospitality in post-war British and Caribbean literature

This article examines the challenge to colonialist centre-periphery relations in post-war novels by white British and Caribbean writers. Concentrating on the relationship between political debates surrounding mass immigration and the marginalization of non-white migrants within British communities, I analyse texts that depict the threshold of the home as the politicized site of racial tension, namely Sam Selvon’s The Lonely Londoners (1956), V.S. Naipaul’s The Mimic Men (1967), Alan Sillitoe’s Saturday Night and Sunday Morning (1958), and Anthony Burgess’s The Right to an Answer (1960). In varying ways, these texts depict the durability of centre-periphery relations at local levels through the informal segregation of the colonizer and the colonized. In doing so they point to what Jacques Derrida has outlined, in Of Hospitality (2000), as the power relationship inherent in policies of immigration, whereby the host-nation remains in control of the conditions upon which hospitality rests