Central Bank Intervention in Foreign Exchange Market under Managed Float: A Three Regime Threshold VAR Analysis of Indian Rupee-US Dollar Exchange Rate

We try to comprehensively analyze the nuances of Central Bank’s intervention in the foreign exchange market under a managed float exchange rate regime. We employ a three regime threshold VAR model and identify two endogenously determined threshold values of exchange rate cycle beyond which the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) intervenes in the Indian Rupee–US Dollar (Re/$) exchange rate market. We find that, as FIIs flow in, RBI’s interventions, mainly through open market operations, are successful in bringing the Re/$ exchange rate within the desired band. Within the band, the RBI tries only to mitigate domestic inflationary conditions

Central Bank Intervention in Foreign Exchange Market under Managed Float: A Three Regime Threshold VAR Analysis of Indian Rupee-US Dollar Exchange Rate

We try to comprehensively analyze the nuances of Central Bank’s intervention in the foreign exchange market under a managed float exchange rate regime. We employ a three regime threshold VAR model and identify two endogenously determined threshold values of exchange rate cycle beyond which the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) intervenes in the Indian Rupee–US Dollar (Re/$) exchange rate market. We find that, as FIIs flow in, RBI’s interventions, mainly through open market operations, are successful in bringing the Re/$ exchange rate within the desired band. Within the band, the RBI tries only to mitigate domestic inflationary conditions

Vaccine Efficacy of Bm86 Ortholog of H. a. anatolicum, rHaa86 Expressed in Prokaryotic Expression System

The use of tick vaccine in controlling ticks and tick borne diseases has been proved effective in integrated tick management format. For the control of H. a. anatolicum, Bm86 ortholog of H. a. anatolicum was cloned and expressed as fusion protein in E. coli as E. coli-pETHaa86. The molecular weight of the rHaa86 was 97 kDa with a 19 kDa fusion tag of thioredoxin protein. The expressed protein was characterized immunologically and vaccine efficacy was evaluated. After 120 hours of challenge, only 26% tick could successfully fed on immunized animals. Besides significant reduction in feeding percentages, a significant reduction of 49.6 mg; P < .01 in the weight of fed females in comparison to the females fed on control animals was recorded. Following oviposition, a significant reduction of 68.1 mg; P < .05 in the egg masses of ticks fed on immunized animals in comparison to the ticks fed on control animals was noted. The reduction of number of females, mean weight of eggs, adult females and efficacy of immunogen were 73.8%, 31.3%, 15.8%, and 82.3%, respectively. The results indicated the possibility of development of rHaa86 based vaccine as a component of integrated control of tick species

Anti-vibrio potential of bacterial and fungal endophytes isolated from Datura metel

43-53Bacterial and fungal endophytes were isolated and characterized from root and shoot of Datura metel and studied for their antimicrobial properties. Molecular identification of the endophytes, both bacteria and fungi were done using 16S rDNA and 18S rDNA sequencing, respectively. Out of the total bacterial endophytes, Bacillus subtilis was predominant in both the tissues. Of the nine fungal endophytes isolated both from root and shoot, Aspergillus versicolor was found to be dominant. These two dominant species of endophytes, B. subtilis and A. versicolor, were subjected to mass multiplication, and secondary metabolites extraction of the host plant endophytes were performed using solvents of different polarity. The respective extracts were then studied for their antimicrobial activity against different Vibrio cholerae strains. Both bacterial and fungal extracts showed impressive activity against the V. cholerae strains P5, NE2 and VC7233

Ixodid Tick Vectors of Wild Mammals and Reptiles of Southern India

Background: We aimed to focus on the ixodid ticks parasitizing wild mammals and reptiles from Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary, Western Ghat, southern India. Methods: The taxonomic identification of ticks collected from wild mammals and reptiles was performed based on the morphology of adults. Results: We revealed eight species of ticks including, Amblyomma integrum, Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) annulatus, Haemaphysalis (Kaiseriana) spinigera, H. (K.) shimoga, H. (K.) bispinosa, H. (Rhipistoma) indica, Rhipicephalus haemaphysaloides and R. sanguineus  s.l. collected from nine species of wild mammals while four tick species Ablyomma kraneveldi, A. pattoni, A. gervaisi and A. javanense parasitizing on four species of reptiles. The highest host rich­ness was shown by H. (K.) bispinosa and R. haemaphysaloides parasitizing six and five different host species, re­spectively.  Reports of R. (B.) annulatus on sambar deer, A. javanense and A. kraneveldi on python as well as A. pat­toni on Indian rat snake are the new host records from this region. Conclusion: Eight species of ticks parasitizing on nine species of wild mammals and four species of parasitizing on four species of reptiles were identified. The highest host richness was shown by H. (K.) bispinosa and R. haemaphy­saloides. H. spinigera as the vector of KFD was also identified in this study

Correlates of school dropout and absenteeism among adolescent girls from marginalized community in north Karnataka, south India.

Secondary education among lower caste adolescent girls living in rural Karnataka, South India, is characterized by high rates of school drop-out and absenteeism. A cross-sectional baseline survey (N=2275) was conducted in 2014 as part of a cluster-randomized control trial among adolescent girls (13-14 year) and their families from marginalized communities in two districts of north Karnataka. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression models were used. Overall, 8.7% girls reported secondary school dropout and 8.1% reported frequent absenteeism (past month). In adjusted analyses, economic factors (household poverty; girls' work-related migration), social norms and practices (child marriage; value of girls' education), and school-related factors (poor learning environment and bullying/harassment at school) were associated with an increased odds of school dropout and absenteeism. Interventions aiming to increase secondary school retention among marginalized girls may require a multi-level approach, with synergistic components that address social, structural and economic determinants of school absenteeism and dropout

At-Risk and Recent-Onset Type 1 Diabetic Subjects Have Increased Apoptosis in the CD4+CD25+(high) T-Cell Fraction

BACKGROUND: In experimental models, Type 1 diabetes T1D can be prevented by adoptive transfer of CD4+CD25+ FoxP3+ suppressor or regulatory T cells. Recent studies have found a suppression defect of CD4+CD25+(high) T cells in human disease. In this study we measure apoptosis of CD4+CD25+(high) T cells to see if it could contribute to reduced suppressive activity of these cells. METHODS AND FINDINGS: T-cell apoptosis was evaluated in children and adolescent 35 females/40 males subjects comprising recent-onset and long-standing T1D subjects and their first-degree relatives, who are at variable risk to develop T1D. YOPRO1/7AAD and intracellular staining of the active form of caspase 3 were used to evaluate apoptosis. Isolated CD4+CD25+(high) and CD4+CD25− T cells were co-cultured in a suppression assay to assess the function of the former cells. We found that recent-onset T1D subjects show increased apoptosis of CD4+CD25+(high) T cells when compared to both control and long-standing T1D subjects p<0.0001 for both groups. Subjects at high risk for developing T1D 2–3Ab+ve show a similar trend p<0.02 and p<0.01, respectively. On the contrary, in long-standing T1D and T2D subjects, CD4+CD25+(high) T cell apoptosis is at the same level as in control subjects p = NS. Simultaneous intracellular staining of the active form of caspase 3 and FoxP3 confirmed recent-onset FoxP3+ve CD4+CD25+(high) T cells committed to apoptosis at a higher percentage 15.3±2.2 compared to FoxP3+ve CD4+CD25+(high) T cells in control subjects 6.1±1.7 p<0.002. Compared to control subjects, both recent-onset T1D and high at-risk subjects had significantly decreased function of CD4+CD25+(high) T cells p = 0.0007 and p = 0.007, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: There is a higher level of ongoing apoptosis in CD4+CD25+(high) T cells in recent-onset T1D subjects and in subjects at high risk for the disease. This high level of CD4+CD25+(high) T-cell apoptosis could be a contributing factor to markedly decreased suppressive potential of these cells in recent-onset T1D subjects

Gastric adenocarcinoma in a patient re-infected with H. pylori after regression of MALT lymphoma with successful anti-H. pylori therapy and gastric resection: a case report

BACKGROUND: Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) has been etiologically linked with primary gastric lymphoma (PGL) and gastric carcinoma (GC). There are a few reports of occurrence of both diseases in the same patient with H. pylori infection. CASE PRESENTATION: We report a patient with PGL in whom the tumor regressed after surgical resection combined with eradication of H. pylori infection. However, he developed GC on follow up; this was temporally associated with recrudescence / re-infection of H. pylori. This is perhaps first report of such occurrence. CONCLUSIONS: Possible cause and effect relationship between H. pylori infection and both PGL and GC is discussed. This case also documents a unique problem in management of PGL in tropical countries where re-infection with H. pylori is supposed to be high

A Highly Selective Fluorescent Probe for Direct Detection and Isolation of Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells

AbstractStem cell research has gathered immense attention in the past decade due to the remarkable ability of stem cells for self-renewal and tissue-specific differentiation. Despite having numerous advancements in stem cell isolation and manipulation techniques, there is a need for highly reliable probes for the specific detection of live stem cells. Herein we developed a new fluorescence probe (CDy9) with high selectivity for mouse embryonic stem cells. CDy9 allows the detection and isolation of intact stem cells with marginal impact on their function and capabilities