Preconceptional paternal caloric restriction of high-fat diet-induced obesity in Wistar rats dysregulates the metabolism of their offspring via AMPK/SIRT1 pathway.

Background: Obesity is a metabolic syndrome where allelic and environmental variations together determine the susceptibility of an individual to the disease. Caloric restriction (CR) is a nutritional dietary strategy recognized to be beneficial as a weight loss regime in obese individuals. Preconceptional parental CR is proven to have detrimental effects on the health and development of their offspring.

Biomedical waste disposal practices among healthcare workers during COVID-19 pandemic in secondary and tertiary care facilities of Tamil Nadu.

Purpose: The ongoing COVID-19 crisis has drastically changed the practice of biomedical waste (BMW) generation and management. Studies venturing into the facility level preparedness at various levels of healthcare delivery during pandemic situation is the need of the hour. Hence, we did this study to assess the BMW disposal practices amongst secondary and tertiary health facilities during COVID-19 pandemic in Tamil Nadu.

Bacteriological Profile of Diabetic Foot Ulcers and Detection of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Extended-Spectrum β-Lactamase Producers in a Tertiary Care Hospital.

Introduction Diabetic foot infection is the most dreaded complication of diabetes mellitus and the commonest cause of hospitalization and limb amputation. Identification of the causative agent responsible for diabetic foot infection and the earliest initiation of appropriate antimicrobial therapy are vital for the control and prevention of the complication of diabetic foot ulcers. Therefore, we conducted this study to determine the bacteriological profile of diabetic foot ulcers and to detect methicillin-resistant (MRSA) and extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) producers in our institute.

Hierarchal Bayes model with AlexNet for characterization of M-FISH chromosome images.

The analysis of chromosomes is a significant and challenging task for clinical diagnosis and biological research. The technique based on color imaging is a multiplex fluorescent in situ hybridization (M-FISH), which was implemented to ease the exploration of the chromosomes. Thus, in this paper, we propose a novel quasi-Newton-based K-means clustering for the M-FISH image segmentation.

Standardisation of Rhenium-188 and determination of calibration factors for secondary standard and radionuclide calibrator.

The use of Rhenium-188 for various therapeutic applications in the field of nuclear medicine has increased in recent years due to its favourable properties like decay scheme, cost effective availability and easy chemistry. Two independent measuring setups were used to standardise Re radioactive solution. The modus operandi of standardisation was 4πβ-γ coincidence technique where the beta detection was done by proportional counting and liquid scintillation counting and the gamma detection was done by using NaI(Tl) detectors.

Ni activity measurements a bilateral intercomparison.

To assess the accuracy and capabilities of BARC, for standardization of Ni before participating in larger scale trial exercise to implement and test the methods for the extension of the SIR to β emitters, a bilateral intercomparison was organised with National Metrology Institute of Japan (NMIJ), Japan. Standardization of Ni was carried out and the results were compared with those obtained from NMIJ to assess the accuracy and capabilities of the laboratories. The CIEMAT/NIST efficiency tracing technique based on H standard was used for measurement of Ni activity concentration at BARC, India whereas Triple to Double Coincidence Ratio (TDCR) method was used at NMIJ, Japan.

Successful multi-modal treatment of grade IV lymphedema in lymphatic filariasis: A case study.

We present an integrated therapeutic approach performed on a 37 year old female with giant lymphedema (Grade IV) due to lymphatic filariasis of 27 years duration. Our therapeutic approaches consisted of a basic foot care program for two weeks, followed by a course of oral penicillin for a week including conservative treatment with complete decongestive therapy (CDT) together with respiratory physiotherapy and walking exercises. In addition, advanced surgical techniques with supra-fascial excision of alternate lumps in three stages over an interval of ten days followed by a nodo-venal shunt resulted in reversing the stage IV lymphedema condition.

Malnutrition is associated with diminished baseline and mycobacterial antigen - stimulated chemokine responses in latent tuberculosis infection.

Objectives: Previous studies have demonstrated a diminution in the baseline and mycobacterial antigen - specific cytokines in low body mass index (LBMI) individuals with latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI). We hypothesized that LBMI might be also associated with alteration in the baseline and antigen - stimulated levels of chemokines in LTBI.

Methods: To test this hypothesis, we examined baseline, TB-antigen and mitogen stimulated levels of chemokines in these individuals and compared them with those with LTBI and normal BMI (NBMI).

TLR Specific Immune Responses against Helminth Infections.

Despite marked improvement in the quality of lives across the globe, more than 2 million individuals in socioeconomically disadvantaged environments remain infected by helminth (worm) parasites. Owing to the longevity of the worms and paucity of immunologic controls, these parasites survive for long periods within the bloodstream, lymphatics, and gastrointestinal tract resulting in pathologic conditions such as anemia, cirrhosis, and lymphatic filariasis. Despite infection, an asymptomatic state may be maintained by the host immunoregulatory environment, which involves multiple levels of regulatory cells and cytokines; a breakdown of this regulation is observed in pathological disease.

Stress and Stressors among Medical Undergraduate Students: A Cross-sectional Study in a Private Medical College in Tamil Nadu.

Background: Medical education is perceived as being stressful, and a high level of stress may have a negative effect on cognitive functioning and learning of students in a medical school.

Objectives: To (a) assess the perceived stress among medical undergraduate students, (b) identify the sources of stress, and (c) find an association of perceived stress with sociodemographic characteristics and various stressors.

Materials And Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among medical undergraduate students in a private medical college in Tamil Nadu.

Inhibition of epidermal growth factor receptor by ferulic acid and 4-vinylguaiacol in human breast cancer cells.

Objectives: To examine the potential of ferulic acid and 4-vinylguaiacol for inhibiting epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in human breast cancer cells in vitro.

Results: Ferulic acid and 4-vinylguaiacol limit the EGF (epidermal growth factor)-induced breast cancer proliferation and new DNA synthesis. Western blot analysis revealed both ferulic acid and 4-vinylguaiacol exhibit sustained inhibition of EGFR activation through down-regulation of Tyr 1068 autophosphorylation.

Modulation of CD4 and CD8 T Cell Function and Cytokine Responses in Strongyloides stercoralis Infection by Interleukin-27 (IL-27) and IL-37.

infection is associated with diminished antigen-specific Th1- and Th17-associated responses and enhanced Th2-associated responses. Interleukin-27 (IL-27) and IL-37 are two known anti-inflammatory cytokines that are highly expressed in infection. We therefore wanted to examine the role of IL-27 and IL-37 in regulating CD4 and CD8 T cell responses in infection.

Eco-friendly fabrication of Ag nanostructures using the seed extract of Pedalium murex, an ancient Indian medicinal plant: Histopathological effects on the Zika virus vector Aedes aegypti and inhibition of biofilm-forming pathogenic bacteria.

The control of Zika virus mosquito vectors and well as the development of drugs in the fight against biofilm-forming microbial pathogens, are timely and important challenges in current bionanoscience. Here we focused on the eco-friendly fabrication of Ag nanostructures using the seed extract of Pedalium murex, an ancient Indian medicinal plant. Initial confirmation of Ag nanoparticles (AgNPs) production was showed by a color change from transparent to dark brown.

Role of Community in Swachh Bharat Mission. Their Knowledge, Attitude and Practices of Sanitary Latrine Usage in Rural Areas, Tamil Nadu.

Background: In most developing countries, open defecation is the 'way of life'. This practice is considered as the most serious health and environmental hazard. Prime Minister of India launched the "Swachh Bharat Mission" to accelerate the efforts for achieving universal sanitation coverage and to put focus on sanitation.

Modulation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis-specific humoral immune responses is associated with Strongyloides stercoralis co-infection.

Background / Objectives: Helminth infections are known to influence T cell responses in latent tuberculosis (LTBI). Whether helminth infections also modulate B cell responses in helminth-tuberculosis co-infection is not known.

Methods: We assessed Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb)-antigen specific IgM and IgG levels, circulating levels of the B cell growth factors, BAFF and APRIL and the absolute numbers of the various B cell subsets in individuals with LTBI, LTBI with coincident Strongyloides stercoralis (Ss) infection (LTBI/Ss) and in those with Ss infection alone (Ss).

Standardization of Ge-Ga using 4πβ(LS)-γ coincidence counting system for activity measurements.

Ga has great scope for use in future for positron emission tomography (PET) imaging due to its very fast blood clearance and fast target localization, even though at present F is widely used. Ge in equilibrium with Ga (Ge-Ga) can also be used as a surrogate for F calibration, as F source standardization can be done at national metrology institute (NMI) but, these standards cannot be sent to nuclear medicine centers (NMCs) across India for calibration of isotope calibrators, due to the short half-life of F (110min). Providing Ge-Ga standards to NMCs requires that first standardization must be carried out at NMI (BARC in India) to provide traceability to the measurements carried out at NMCs.

Anthelmintic Therapy Modifies the Systemic and Mycobacterial Antigen-Stimulated Cytokine Profile in Helminth-Latent Mycobacterium tuberculosis Coinfection.

Helminth infections are known to modulate cytokine responses in latent tuberculosis (LTB). However, very few studies have examined whether this modulation is reversible upon anthelmintic therapy. We measured the systemic and mycobacterial (TB) antigen-stimulated levels of type 1, type 2, type 17, and regulatory cytokines in individuals with LTB and with or without coexistent infection before and after anthelmintic therapy.

An overview of lymphatic filariasis lymphedema.

Filariasis is caused by thread-like nematode worms and is classified according to their presence in the vertebrate host. The lymphatic group includes Wuchereria bancrofti, Brugia malayi, and Brugia timori. Lymphatic filariasis, a mosquito-borne disease, has been one of the most prevalent diseases in tropical and subtropical countries and is accompanied by a number of pathological conditions.

High body mass index is associated with heightened systemic and mycobacterial antigen - Specific pro-inflammatory cytokines in latent tuberculosis.

High body mass index (HBMI) has been shown to be protective against active tuberculosis (TB), although the biological mechanism underlying this protection is poorly understood. The immunological association between HBMI and latent TB has never been examined. In order to study the association of HBMI with latent TB, we examined the circulating and TB- antigen or mitogen stimulated levels of a large panel of cytokines in individuals with latent TB (LTB) and high or normal body mass index (HBMI or NBMI).

Coexistent Malnutrition Is Associated with Perturbations in Systemic and Antigen-Specific Cytokine Responses in Latent Tuberculosis Infection.

Malnutrition, as defined by low body mass index (BMI), is a major risk factor for the development of active tuberculosis (TB), although the biological basis underlying this susceptibility remains poorly characterized. To verify whether malnutrition affects the systemic and antigen-specific cytokine levels in individuals with latent TB (LTB), we examined circulating and TB antigen-stimulated levels of cytokines in individuals with LTB and low BMI (LBMI) and compared them with those in individuals with LTB and normal BMI (NBMI). Coexistent LBMI with LTB was characterized by diminished circulating levels of type 1 (gamma interferon [IFN-γ] and tumor necrosis factor alpha [TNF-α]), type 2 (interleukin-4 [IL-4]), type 17 (IL-22), and other proinflammatory (IL-1α, IL-1β, and IL-6) cytokines but elevated levels of other type 2 (IL-5 and IL-13) and regulatory (IL-10 and transforming growth factor beta [TGF-β]) cytokines.

IL-10- and TGFβ-mediated Th9 Responses in a Human Helminth Infection.

Background: Th9 cells are a subset of CD4+ T cells that express the protoypical cytokine, IL-9. Th9 cells are known to effect protective immunity in animal models of intestinal helminth infections. However, the role of Th9 cells in human intestinal helminth infections has never been examined.

Performance demonstration of 4πβ(LS)-γ coincidence counting system for standardization of radionuclides with complex decay scheme.

A standardization of (134)Cs and (131)I was carried out in order to demonstrate the performance and applicability of the 4πβ(LS)-γ coincidence counting system for standardization of radionuclides with complex decay scheme. The coincidence analyzer, capable of analyzing coincidence between beta and two gamma windows simultaneously, was developed and used for the standardization. The use of this dual coincidence analyzer has reduced the total experimental time by half.

Systemic Cytokine Profiles in Strongyloides stercoralis Infection and Alterations following Treatment.

Strongyloides stercoralis is a soil-transmitted helminth organism that infects ~50 to 100 million people worldwide. Despite its widespread prevalence, very little is known about the immune response that characterizes human S. stercoralis infection.

Denture bar-coding: An innovative technique in forensic dentistry.

Denture markers play an important role in forensic odontology and also in identifying a person. A number of methods are there for identifying dentures from a less expensive technique to a more expensive technique. Out of different denture markers, the bar-coding system is a way of collecting data from the mobile.

Modulation of CD4+ and CD8+ T-Cell Function by Interleukin 19 and Interleukin 24 During Filarial Infections.

Interleukin 19 (IL-19) and interleukin 24 (IL-24) are cytokines that are highly expressed in filarial infections. To study the role of IL-19 and IL-24 in regulating T-cell responses, we examined the frequency of T-helper type 1 (Th1)/Tc1, Th2/Tc2, Th9/Tc9, Th17/Tc17, Th22/Tc22, and Tr1 cells in 26 filariae-infected individuals stimulated with filarial antigen following IL-19 or IL-24 neutralization. IL-19 or IL-24 neutralization resulted in significantly enhanced frequencies of Th1/Tc1 and/or Th17/Tc17 cells and significantly reduced frequencies of Th2/Tc2, Tr1, and/or Th9/Tc9 cells.