ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF SYZYGIUM CALOPHYLLIFOLIUM WALP. LEAF EXTRACT

Objective: To evaluate the antimicrobial activity of methanol extract of Syzygium calophyllifolium Walp. leaf against the gram-negative bacteria, namely, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumonia, Salmonella typhi, Proteus miriabilis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, the gram-positive bacteria Bacillus cereus, Bacillus subtilis, Sarcina lutea, Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus megaterium, three fungal species strains, commonly causing systemic infections in immune compromised patients such as Candida albicans, Aspergillus niger and Saccharomyces cerevisiae.Methods: The dried leaves were ground finely and extracted in methanol for 48 h at room temperature (26 °C-28 °C). This was then filtered using Whatman No.1 filter paper. The different concentration of (5 µl, 10 µl, 15 µl) methanol extract of leaves of S. calophyllifolium was investigated in vitro by an agar diffusion method and the MIC by macro-broth dilution method in the present study. The antibacterial antibiotics Ampicillin (10µ/ml), Ofloxin (1 mg/ml) and the antifungal antibiotics Nyastatin (20µg/ml), Tobramycin (10µ/ml) were used as positive controls.Results: The largest zone of inhibition was noted against E. coli (25±mm in diameter) and S. cerevisiae (25±mm in diameter) at the highest concentration (15 µl). B. cereus, K. pneumoniae, P. aeruginosa and E. coli showed the highest MIC (10±mg/ml) and MBC (20±mg/ml).Conclusion: The result revealed that the methanol extract of S. calophyllifolium leaf has a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity.Keywords: Syzygium calophyllifolium, Eugenia calophyllifolia, Myrtaceae, Antimicrobial activity, Minimum inhibitory concentratio

Integrated energy planning: Part II. Examples of DEFENDUS scenarios

The first part of this paper presented an ab initio exposition of the development-focused end-use oriented service-directed (DEFENDUS) approach to energy planning. In this approach, the future demand for any source of energy is estimated on the basis of the energy services required and the efficiency with which these are provided. To meet this demand, the costs per unit of the available energy-supply/saving technologies are estimated and a least-cost mix of options identified. In this second part, some of the energy studies for which the DEFENDUS method has been used are described to demonstrate that its applicability is not confined to a particular region or source of energy. These studies include: electricity for five states of India, petroleum products for the country as a whole, biomass for the state of Karnataka, and a composite energy scenario for Karnataka involving integration of all the currently-used sources of energy. In every case, the energy usage pattern in the commencement year of the plan, i.e., the total energy usage disaggregated between the existing categories of users according to their end-uses, is obtained. Then, depending on the goals selected and the strategies that could be adopted to achieve them, growth rates for each category of users are used to estimate the number of users in future years. Improvement in the efficiency of end-use devices and/or substitution of energy sources are considered, to determine the possible reduction in the category-wise unit energy usage, and the corresponding energy requirement is estimated. The electricity plan for the state of Karnataka comprises future demand estimation as well as the comparative costs of various supply/saving options. For the other states, electricity demand has been estimated in various scenarios. In the oil scenarios for India, the focus is mainly on demand management through modal and carrier shifts, with emphasis on the middle distillates. The biomass strategy for Karnataka includes both demand- and supply-side measures. All these studies show that the DEFENDUS planning procedure is easily amenable to modification according to the particular case under consideration. Further, the integration of worksheets for individual sources of energy demonstrates that this method, though simple, is capable of dealing with composite energy planning. Above all, with the popularity of personal computers and spreadsheet packages, the DEFENDUS method facilitates the democratization of energy planning

End-uses of electricity in households of Karnataka state, India

This paper describes the results of a survey of electricity consumption in a sample consisting of 1,165 households in four districts of Karnataka state in India. The survey revealed the patterns of consumption of electricity in AEH[1] and non-AEH[2] households, the stock of electrical appliances used by the households, the differences in the consumption of electricity in urban and rural areas, the use of other sources of energy for domestic purposes, and the degree of penetration of energy-efficient appliances/devices. The analysis of electricity consumption of appliances in AEH households showed that the consumption of electricity is mainly due to lighting, air circulation, water-heating and cooking. In non-AEH households, the end-uses accounting for most of the consumption of electricity are lighting, entertainment and air circulation. The survey also yielded the appliance elasticities and the degree of penetration of energy-efficient devices. As a result policy-makers can take corrective actions by promoting efficiency improvements in certain end-use devices so that increases in the penetration of these devices would not significantly affect the overall electricity requirement for the domestic sector

Maternal and perinatal outcome in eclampsia complicated by posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome; a three years’ experience in a tertiary care hospital

Background: PRES can be associated with number of medical conditions and was observed frequently in patients with preeclampsia and eclampsia. Neuroimaging is important for the diagnosis of PRES. Study was conducted to find out the maternal and perinatal outcome in patients with eclampsia complicated by posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES).Methods: This is a retrospective study done at St. Johns Medical College Bangalore, between October 2013 and October 2016. We reviewed case records of all the patients with eclampsia who underwent neuro imaging studies and a diagnosis of PRES was made. The maternal and perinatal outcomes in these women were studiedResults: In the past three years we had 55 cases of eclampsia who underwent neuroimaging studies for persistent neurological symptoms after 24 hours of MgSO­4 treatment. Of these women 30 were diagnosed to have PRES. In the present study PRES was common in multiparous women and more in patients with antepartum eclamptic women. Mean age at diagnosis of PRES was 26±5.1 years. Common presenting symptoms were headache (93.3%) and vomiting (53.3%). The mean SBP/DBP was 180/110 mmHg. All patients who had recurrent seizures were controlled with MgSO­4 alone. 53.3% of our patients had eclampsia related complications and 36.7% required ICU care. There were 3 maternal deaths (10%). Perinatal mortality was 20%.Conclusions: Neuroimaging in eclamptic patients with persistent neurological symptoms could help in early diagnosis of PRES and multidisciplinary approach in management could contribute significantly in reducing the maternal mortality and morbidity

Insight into the gut microbiology of wild-caught Mangrove Red Snapper, Lutjanus argentimaculatus (Forsskal, 1775)

Documenting bacteria present in healthy individuals forms the first step in understanding the effects of microbial manipulation in aquaculture systems. Among the commensal microflora, gut microbiota has attracted extensive attention owing to their role in host metabolism and health maintenance. Basic knowledge on normal gut microbes within a particular host species is thus essential to determine how successfully these microbes can be manipulated and engineered for sustainable aquaculture systems. In spite of the good aquaculture potential of Mangrove red snapper, Lutjanus argentimaculatus, the information on microbial communities associated with the gut of this fish, and their contribution towards digestive efficiency and disease resistance is scarce. Therefore, an attempt was made to elucidate the abundance and diversity of cultivable gut microbes of wild caught L. argentimaculatus along with their digestive exoenzyme profiles and prohibitory effect against fish pathogens. Results on abundance showed similar gut bacterial loads as that of other marine fish imposing the less contribution of microflora to the volume of gut materials in fish. Eleven distinct bacterial species including two proposed novel vibrios were identified. An incidental observation of Morganella morganii throughout samples is an alarming signal, emphasizing the need for immediate de-gutting to avoid histamine intoxication. Abundance of digestive enzyme producers and excellent enzymatic potential of some isolates suggested the contribution of digestive enzymes may supplement to the symbiosis between gut flora and host and the information is of interest to aquaculture nutritionists/commercial industries. Interestingly, some isolates demonstrated estimable co-aggregation with aquatic pathogens, indicating their involvement in disease resistance and the results correlated well with gut microbial diversity. These findings highlight the significant role of gut microbes towards nutritional physiology and disease resistance of this aquaculture candidate in natural ecosystem. The culturable microbiota profiles of wild fish generated in the study can be applied for measuring the quality of husbandry routines in aquaculture facility of this marine fish. Overall, the present study fetches insights on the gut microbiome of healthy L. argentimaculatus which forms a platform for follow-up studies. The study may also help in the development of “functional” fish feeds for L. argentimaculatus. The investigation also demonstrated some potential digestive enzyme-producing isolates having probiotic applications in commercial aquaculture

Development of a novel multiplex-PCR technology for simultaneous detection of five major aquaculture pathogens

Early and precise pathogen identification and corresponding disease management are primary concerns in aquaculture. Here, we attempted at diagnostic methods that can simultaneously identify multiple pathogens, where many samples, several pathogens, and concurrent infections are to be handled. Hence, a multiplex PCR assay targeting five major aquaculture pathogens, viz. Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Vibrio anguillarum, Vibrio alginolyticus, Vibrio vulnificus and Vibrio harveyi was developed for the first time. The primers targeting toxR of V. parahaemolyticus, amiB of V. anguillarum, col o

Book of Abstracts & Success Stories National Conference on Marine Debris COMAD 2018

Marine debris has become a global problem with considerable threats to the habitat and to the functions of marine ecosystem. One of the first reports of large areas of plastics in the ocean has been by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in 1988 about the Great Pacific Garbage patch or the Pacific trash vortex, where the density of litter is estimated as four numbers per cubic meter. Globally, this shocking information led to initiation of new research programs on marine litter and in India, the ICAR-CMFRI started an in house research program on this theme in 2007.Understanding the significance of this ecological problem which is purely a direct impact of anthropogenic activity, the Marine Biological Association of India decided to organise a National Conference on Marine Debris (COMAD 2018 ) with an aim to bring together researchers, planners, NGOs, entrepreneurs and local governing bodies working on this theme. Thus, this conference was planned with three main componentsunderstand the research outputs, get first- hand information on the various activities carried out by the public to reduce or recycle non degradable waste generated at various levels and also to have an exhibition of eco-friendly activities and products which would help to reduce marine debris in the long run. The response to all the three themes has been very encouraging. We have received about 50 research articles on themes ranging from micro-plastics to ghost nets and the same number of success stories which are actually details of the diverse activities carried out in different maritime states of the country to solve the issue of solid waste generated in the country. The section on success stories includes attempts by eco-clubs, individuals, schools, colleges, local governing bodies, district administrations, Institutions and NGOs. Activities by some Panchayats like banning plastics in public functions and mechanisms to collect sold waste from households are really commendable. Similarly, the efforts put in by various groups to remove marine debris from the coastal waters is something which should be appreciated. The message from these success stories is that, this problem of increasing marine debris can be resolved. We have got success stories from almost all states and these leaders of clean campaign will be presenting their work in the conference. It is well known that visuals such as photographs and videos are powerful tools of communication. In COMAD 2018, we have provided an opportunity for all across the nation to contribute to this theme through photographs and videos. Am very happy that we have received more than 300 photographs and nearly 25 videos. The MBAI will place these on the web site. It is really shocking to see the quantity of litter in the fishing ground and in the coastal ecosystem

Hemolymph of healthy Doclea rissoni Leach, 1815: A pool for Vibrionaceae?

As diseases have a great impact on the population dynamics, evolution and immune biology of affected organisms, it is important to understand the modes and mechanisms of interaction among the lower animals and their microbial symbionts in nature function together for survival. To achieve this, it is important to understand the community structure of the native flora of these animals. Spider crabs are well known for their tolerance to various pollutants. Nevertheless, the microbiology of their circulatory systems and their role in disease transmission are unknown. Therefore, the bacteria associated with the hemolymph of a spider crab, Doclea rissoni in its natural ecosystem was characterized. Nine healthy crabs were collected from the coastal areas of Kochi, and their hemolymphs were collected. Enumeration of viable bacteria using various media revealed a similar count in all the media (7-10×102 CFU/ml). Characterization of representative isolates by conventional microbiological methods and 16S rRNA gene sequencing was followed. Despite using three different media, all isolates belonged to a single family Vibrionaceae. There were two genera as Vibrio (86.67%) and Photobacterium (13.33%). Among Vibrio, five species belonging to three different clades were isolated, of which two could not be assigned to any known species. These were classified as novel species (belonging to Harveyi clade and, Brasiliensis clade) and their description is underway. The order of relative abundance was V. alginolyticus>Novel Vibrio-II>P. damselae>V. furnissii / V. parahaemolyticus / Novel Vibrio-I. Of these, V. alginolyticus, P. damselae and V. furnissii are implicated in occasional disease outbreaks in humans and animals, posing an increased risk to human economic activity, notably aquaculture practices. Therefore, further investigations are required to find the basis for the mutualistic relationship of vibrios in different crabs

Antimicrobial resistance and virulence characteristics of Vibrio vulnificus, Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Vibrio harveyi from natural disease outbreaks of marine/estuarine fishes

Vibrio vulnificus, Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Vibrio harveyi are the causative agents of the most severe diseases of marine and brackish aquaculture systems. These are also associated with serious ailments in humans. The present paper unravels the virulence features/genes and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) phenotypes/genes of these Vibrio spp. isolated from natural disease outbreaks of marine/estuarine fishes of India for the first time. Results on virulence features showed that V. vulnificus infected fish can pose public health risk. While, it has been found clinically that V. parahaemolyticus without tdh and trh genes are pathogenic to fish, even though they are reported to be, not associated with human diseases. It was significant to note that virulence features of V. harveyi were induced at increased salinity. Analysis based on the percentage prevalence of susceptible isolates and variation coefficient of zone diameters categorized 17 antibiotics in terms of their efficiency against each fish pathogenic species. Multiple antibiotic resistance index (MARi) of the isolates ranged between 0.058 and 0.47. Results on MARi and percentage of multidrug resistance strains indicated that >50% of the isolates were from low antibiotic usage area. The study generated tetH sequence from V. parahaemolyticus for the first time, and the sequence revealed high identity to that of clinical strains. Presence of tetB/ tetH gene was identified as the predictor for the resistance against the first generation tetracycline, the most commonly used antibiotic against Vibrio spp. in aquaculture practices. The data on associations between AMR features predicted certain cross-resistance between antimicrobials within Vibrio spp. Altogether, the paper serves as the baseline for epizootic tracking of public health significant vibrios from diseased fishes, to devise practical guidelines for antibiotic use and to formulate efficient control measures against three Vibrio spp. in aquaculture, targeting final applications in the implementation of national green and healthy aquaculture practices