Fungal Endophyte-Mediated Crop Improvement: The Way Ahead.

Endophytes are non-disease causing microbes (bacteria and fungi) surviving in living tissues of plants. Their intimate association and possible coevolution with their plant partners have resulted in them contributing to an array of plant growth benefits ranging from enhanced growth and biomass accumulation, tolerance to abiotic and biotic stresses and in nutrient acquisition. The last couple of decades have witnessed a burgeoning literature on the role of endophytes (Class 3 type) in regulating plant growth and development and their adaptation to abiotic and biotic stresses.

A Simple and Efficient Approach to Elucidate Genomic Contribution of Transcripts to a Target Gene in Polyploids: The Case of Hexaploid Wheat ( L.).

Common wheat ( L.) is one of the most economically important crops in the world, however, gene functional studies in this crop have been lagging mainly due to the complexity of its polyploid genome, which is derived through two rounds of intergeneric hybridization events that led to the presence of six copies for each gene. Elucidating the transcript contribution of each genome to the total expression of a target gene in polyploids such as hexaploid wheat has a paramount significance for direct discovery of genes and the associated molecular mechanisms controlling traits of agronomic importance.

Abscisic acid metabolic genes of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.): identification and insights into their functionality in seed dormancy and dehydration tolerance.

The three homeologues of wheat NCED2 were identified; the wheat NCED2A and CYP707A1B affect seed ABA level and dormancy but not leaf ABA level and transpirational water loss in Arabidopsis. Biosynthesis and catabolism of abscisic acid (ABA) in plants are primarily regulated by 9-cis-epoxycarotenoid dioxygenases (NCEDs) and ABA 8'-hydroxylase (ABA8'OH), respectively. The present study identified the complete coding sequences of a second NCED gene, designated as TaNCED2, and its homeologues (TaNCED2A, TaNCED2B and TaNCED2D) in hexaploid wheat, and characterized its functionality in seed dormancy and leaf dehydration tolerance using the TaNCED2A homeologue.

Microbiological profile of lower respiratory tract infections in neurological intensive care unit of a tertiary care center from Central India.

Background: Lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI's) are the most frequent infections among patients in intensive care units. The consequences of increased drug resistance are far reaching since bacterial infection of the lower respiratory tract (LRT) is a major cause of death from infectious disease.

Objective: The study was conducted with the aim of determining the bacterial etiology of LRTI in the neuro intensive care unit (NICU) as well as to update the clinicians with the various antimicrobial alternatives available in the treatment of LRTI.

After-ripening induced transcriptional changes of hormonal genes in wheat seeds: the cases of brassinosteroids, ethylene, cytokinin and salicylic acid.

Maintenance and release of seed dormancy is regulated by plant hormones; their levels and seed sensitivity being the critical factors. This study reports transcriptional regulation of brassinosteroids (BR), ethylene (ET), cytokinin (CK) and salicylic acid (SA) related wheat genes by after-ripening, a period of dry storage that decays dormancy. Changes in the expression of hormonal genes due to seed after-ripening did not occur in the anhydrobiotic state but rather in the hydrated state.

Integrated analysis of seed proteome and mRNA oxidation reveals distinct post-transcriptional features regulating dormancy in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.).

Wheat seeds can be released from a dormant state by after-ripening; however, the underlying molecular mechanisms are still mostly unknown. We previously identified transcriptional programmes involved in the regulation of after-ripening-mediated seed dormancy decay in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.).

Universal influenza DNA vaccine encoding conserved CD4+ T cell epitopes protects against lethal viral challenge in HLA-DR transgenic mice.

The goal of the present study was to design a vaccine that would provide universal protection against infection of humans with diverse influenza A viruses. Accordingly, protein sequences from influenza A virus strains currently in circulation (H1N1, H3N2), agents of past pandemics (H1N1, H2N2, H3N2) and zoonotic infections of man (H1N1, H5N1, H7N2, H7N3, H7N7, H9N2) were evaluated for the presence of amino acid sequences, motifs, that are predicted to mediate peptide epitope binding with high affinity to the most frequent HLA-DR allelic products. Peptides conserved among diverse influenza strains were then synthesized, evaluated for binding to purified HLA-DR molecules and for their capacity to induce influenza-specific immune recall responses using human donor peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC).

Surface disinfection by exposure to germicidal UV light.

The present study was aimed to design a simple model to check efficacy of germicidal UV tube, to standardise the position, distance and time for UV light and also to find out its efficacy against medically important bacteria, the bacterial spores and fungi. The microbial cultures tested included gram positive and gram negative bacteria, bacterial spores and fungal spores. The microbes streaked on solid media were exposed to UV light.

Hypochlorite (1%) is inefficient in decontaminating blood containing hypodermic needles.

Infectious biomedical waste and sharps have a potential hazard of transmission of pathogens. Among sharps, used needles form a major share and disinfection by 1 % hypochlorite is recommended in biomedical waste management rules of India. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy of hypochlorite for the decontamination of needles.

Treatment of discarded blood units: disinfection with hypochlorite / formalin versus steam sterilization.

Blood bank regulations and bio medical waste rules of India advocate disinfection of contaminated blood units. Incineration is not recommended due to poly-vinyl chloride (PVC) content of blood bags. This study was designed to evaluate the efficacy of chemical disinfection of blood units deliberately contaminated with Staphylococcus aureus and E.

Ciprofloxacin therapy for typhoid fever needs reconsideration.

Outbreaks of multidrug-resistant Salmonella enterica serotype Typhi in the Indian subcontinent in the late 1980s resulted in the failure of conventional drugs, and ciprofloxacin became the firstline drug to treat enteric fever. However, reduced susceptibility to ciprofloxacin, reported widely since 1994, has posed a therapeutic difficulty. The aim of the present work was to review the situation of drug resistance among S.

In vitro susceptibility to meropenem and other antimicrobial agents among gram-negative bacilli isolated from hospitalized patients in central India.

Background: Growing multiple drug resistance among gram-negative bacilli among hospitalized patients is a serious therapeutic problem, and the aim of the study was to assess the situation in our hospital.

Methods: Antimicrobial susceptibility testing with the disk method was carried out on 1,533 isolates of gram-negative bacilli from urine, pus, body fluid and blood from hospitalized patients.

Results: Seventeen percent of isolates were susceptible only to meropenem and either to piperacillin + tazobactam, to cefoperazone + sulbactam or to both.

Biomedical waste in laboratory medicine: audit and management.

Pathology, microbiology, blood bank and other diagnostic laboratories generate sizable amount of biomedical waste (BMW). The audit of the BMW is required for planning proper strategies. The audit in our laboratory revealed 8 kgs anatomical waste, 600 kgs microbiology waste, 220 kgs waste sharps, 15 kgs soiled waste, 111 kgs solid waste, 480 litres liquid waste along with 33,000 litres per month liquid waste generated from labware washing and laboratory cleaning and 162 litres of chemical waste per month.

Simplified fluorescent multiplex PCR method for evaluation of the T-cell receptor V beta-chain repertoire.

Rationale: Evaluation of the T-cell receptor (TCR) V beta-chain repertoire by PCR-based CDR3 length analysis allows fine resolution of the usage of the TCR V beta repertoire and is a sensitive tool to monitor changes in the T-cell compartment. A multiplex PCR method employing 24 labeled upstream V beta primers instead of the conventionally labeled downstream C beta primer is described.

Method: RNA was isolated from purified CD4 and CD8 T-cell subsets from umbilical cord blood and clinical samples using TRI reagent followed by reverse transcription using a C beta primer and an Omniscript RT kit.

High-energy particle acceleration in the shell of a supernova remnant.

A significant fraction of the energy density of the interstellar medium is in the form of high-energy charged particles (cosmic rays). The origin of these particles remains uncertain. Although it is generally accepted that the only sources capable of supplying the energy required to accelerate the bulk of Galactic cosmic rays are supernova explosions, and even though the mechanism of particle acceleration in expanding supernova remnant (SNR) shocks is thought to be well understood theoretically, unequivocal evidence for the production of high-energy particles in supernova shells has proven remarkably hard to find.

Practical limitations of disinfection of body fluid spills with 10,000 ppm sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl).

The purpose of this study was to monitor disinfection with 10,000 ppm sodium hypochlorite for decontamination of common hospital spills. Simulated spills deliberately contaminated with 10(8) bacterial challenges were used for the study. Results showed greater than 5 log reduction in the challenge bacteria for all spills (serum, pus, sputum, csf, ascitic fluid, urine, and stool) except blood.

Bacterial population changes in hospital effluent treatment plant in central India.

Hospital effluent with its high content of multidrug resistant (MDR) enterobacteria and the presence of enteric pathogens could pose a grave problem for the community. It was planned at our tertiary care hospital in central India to study the population changes at various steps of effluent treatment plant (ETP) like collection, aeration, clarification, liquid sludge, dried sludge, high-pressure filter and treated wastewater. The study included viable bacterial counts, coliform counts, staphylococcal, enterococcal, Pseudomonas and multiple drug resistant (MDR) gram negative bacterial counts in the different stages of ETP.

Solar disinfection of infectious biomedical waste: a new approach for developing countries.

Poor developing countries cannot afford expensive technologies such as incineration for management of infectious biomedical waste. We assessed solar heating as an alternative technology. We immersed simulated infectious waste with added challenge bacteria in water in a box-type solar cooker, which was left in the sun for 6 h.

CD4+ and CD8+ T cell receptor repertoire perturbations with normal levels of T cell receptor excision circles in HIV-infected, therapy-naive adolescents.

Our objective was to determine whether treatment-naive HIV-infected adolescents manifest abnormalities in thymus function and peripheral T cell repertoire, and to assess relationships of these immunologic characteristics with each other, with plasma HIV virus load, and T cell surface markers. TCR Vbeta repertoire was determined by CDR3 length spectratyping in purified CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells of high-risk, HIV-negative adolescents and of treatment-naive, HIV-infected adolescents. Thymus function was investigated by the simultaneous examination of T cell receptor excision circles (TRECs) in the CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cell subsets.

Determinants of HIV-specific CD8 T-cell responses in HIV-infected pediatric patients and enhancement of HIV-gag-specific responses with exogenous IL-15.

Cellular immune responses play a central role in controlling HIV-1 infection. HIV-specific IFN-gamma production by CD8 T cells was evaluated in 17 HLA-A2+ HIV-infected pediatric patients (age range 1 month to 16 years) in an ELISPOT assay. Most patients (15/17) exhibited responses to HIV-gag, followed by responses to envelope gp120, gp41, and V3 loop.

Current status of drug resistance among gram-negative bacilli isolated from admitted cases in a tertiary care centre.

Aims: To study the prevalence of drug resistance among gram-negative bacilli and susceptibility to the Cefoperazone + Sulbactam and Piperacillin + Tazobactam combination among the hospital isolates resistant to all other antimicrobial agents.

Methods: A total of 367 gram-negative bacilli isolated from various pathological samples were tested for susceptibility to antimicrobial agent by the disc diffusion technique and 300 isolates of gram-negative bacilli which were resistant to all the other antibiotics were checked for sensitivity to piperacillin + tazobactam and cefoperazone + sulbactam combination.

Results: Resistance to ampicillin and amoxicillin + clavulanic acid ranged from (72.

Growing problem of methicillin resistant staphylococci--Indian scenario.

In the present study MRSA prevalence increased from 12% in 1992 to 80.83% in 1999. Indian literature shows that MRSA incidence was as low as 6.

Patterns of CD8 T cell clonal dominance in response to change in antiretroviral therapy in HIV-infected children.

Objective: To examine the influence of change in antiretroviral therapy (ART) on patterns of CD8 T cell clonal dominance in HIV-infected children.

Design: Seventeen HIV-infected children with plasma virus loads between 3.1 and 5.