Modification of luminescence spectra of CaF2:Eu2+.

CaF2:Eu(2+) is a well known phosphor having efficient excitation in the near ultraviolet (NUV) range. Phosphors with NUV excitation are required in newly emerging applications such as photoluminescence liquid crystal displays (PLLCD), solid-state lighting (SSL), and down-conversion for solar cells. However, emission of CaF2:Eu(2+) is around 424 nm.

Potential functional gene diversity involved in methanogenesis and methanogenic community structure in Indian buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) rumen.

Understanding the methanogen community structure and methanogenesis from Bubalus bubalis in India may be beneficial to methane mitigation. Our current understanding of the microbial processes leading to methane production is incomplete, and further advancement in the knowledge of methanogenesis pathways would provide means to manipulate its emission in the future. In the present study, we evaluated the methanogenic community structure in the rumen as well as their potential genes involved in methanogenesis.

Whole-Genome Sequence of Listeria monocytogenes Strains from Clinical and Environmental Samples from Varanasi, India.

We present here the whole-genome sequences of Listeria monocytogenes from Ganges River water, agricultural soil, and human clinical samples from Varanasi, India, which will be used for a comparative analysis.

Isolation and characterization of novel multifunctional recombinant family 26 glycoside hydrolase from Mehsani buffalo rumen metagenome.

Rumen microbiota harbor a diverse set of carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes), which play a crucial role in the degradation of a complex plant polysaccharide thereby providing metabolic energy to the host animals. Earlier, we reported CAZYme analysis from the buffalo rumen metagenome by high throughput shotgun sequencing. Among the various CAZymes, glycoside hydrolase family 26 (GH26) enzymes have a number of industrial applications including in paper, oil, biofuel, food, feed, pharmaceutical, coffee, and detergent industries.

Metagenomic analysis of buffalo rumen microbiome: Effect of roughage diet on Dormancy and Sporulation genes.

Buffalo rumen microbiome experiences a variety of diet stress and represents reservoir of Dormancy and Sporulation genes. However, the information on genomic responses to such conditions is very limited. The Ion Torrent PGM next generation sequencing technology was used to characterize general microbial diversity and the repertoire of microbial genes present, including genes associated with Dormancy and Sporulation in Mehsani buffalo rumen metagenome.

Study of rumen metagenome community using qPCR under different diets.

The aim of this study was to detect the major bacteria present in rumen microbiota. Here, we performed qPCR based absolute quantitation of selected rumen microbes in rumen fluid of river buffalo adapted to varying proportion of concentrate to roughage diets. Animals were adapted to roughage-to-concentrate ratio in the proportion of 100:00 (T1), 75:25 (T2), 50:50 (T3) and 25:75 (T4) respectively for 30 days.

Evaluation of a topical herbal drug for its in-vivo immunomodulatory effect on cytokines production and antibacterial activity in bovine subclinical mastitis.

Background: Antibiotics have been in use in the treatment of bovine mastitis since decades; however, their use is associated with cost issues and human health concern. Use of herbal drugs does not generally carry these disadvantages. Many plants/herbs have been evaluated in the treatment of bovine mastitis with additional property of immunomodulation in affected mammary gland.

Pathotypic and Sequence Characterization of Newcastle Disease Viruses from Vaccinated Chickens Reveals Circulation of Genotype II, IV and XIII and in India.

Newcastle disease virus (NDV) causes a highly contagious disease which continuously haunts the global poultry industry. The nature and molecular epidemiology of NDVs prevalent in recent outbreaks in India is poorly understood. This study aimed to characterize NDVs prevalent in vaccinated flocks in India using whole-genome sequencing and biological pathotyping.

Stable suppression of myostatin gene expression in goat fetal fibroblast cells by lentiviral vector-mediated RNAi.

Myostatin (MSTN) is a secreted growth factor that negatively regulates skeletal muscle mass, and therefore, strategies to block myostatin-signaling pathway have been extensively pursued to increase the muscle mass in livestock. Here, we report a lentiviral vector-based delivery of shRNA to disrupt myostatin expression into goat fetal fibroblasts (GFFs) that were commonly used as karyoplast donors in somatic-cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) studies. Sh-RNA positive cells were screened by puromycin selection.

Alteration in the expression of exon IIC transcripts of brain-derived neurotrophic factor gene by simvastatin [correction of simvastain] in chronic mild stress in mice: a possible link with dopaminergic pathway.

We have investigated the influence of dopaminergic agents on the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) gene in relation with lipid levels in chronic mild stress (CMS). Mice subjected to CMS were treated with simvastatin (10 mg/kg, per os (orally)) along with bromocriptine (2 mg/kg, intraperitoneally (ip)), levodopa (200 mg/kg, ip), or haloperidol (0.1 mg/kg, ip) for 14 days.

"Comparative efficacy of different doses of fentanyl on cardiovascular responses to laryngoscopy and tracheal intubation".

Background: This study was conducted to determine an effective bolus dose of fentanyl, which would attenuate the cardiovascular response to laryngoscopy and tracheal intubation.

Materials And Methods: A randomised double blind controlled study was carried out on 50 healthy adult patients (ASA I and II) undergoing elective surgery under general anaesthesia. The patients were randomly allocated into two groups of 25 each i.

High-efficiency acceleration of an electron beam in a plasma wakefield accelerator.

High-efficiency acceleration of charged particle beams at high gradients of energy gain per unit length is necessary to achieve an affordable and compact high-energy collider. The plasma wakefield accelerator is one concept being developed for this purpose. In plasma wakefield acceleration, a charge-density wake with high accelerating fields is driven by the passage of an ultra-relativistic bunch of charged particles (the drive bunch) through a plasma.

Bacterial diversity dynamics associated with different diets and different primer pairs in the rumen of Kankrej cattle.

The ruminal microbiome in herbivores plays a dominant role in the digestion of lignocellulose and has potential to improve animal productivity. Kankrej cattle, a popular native breed of the Indian subcontinent, were used to investigate the effect of different dietary treatments on the bacterial diversity in ruminal fractions using different primer pairs. Two groups of four cows were assigned to two primary diets of either dry or green forages.

Characterization of the rumen microbiome of Indian Kankrej cattle (Bos indicus) adapted to different forage diet.

Present study described rumen microbiome of Indian cattle (Kankrej breed) to better understand the microbial diversity and largely unknown functional capacity of the rumen microbiome under different dietary treatments. Kankrej cattle were gradually adapted to a high-forage diet (four animals with dry forage and four with green forage) containing 50 % (K1), 75 % (K2) to 100 % (K3) forage, and remaining concentrate diet, each for 6 weeks followed by analysis of rumen fiber adherent and fiber-free metagenomic community by shotgun sequencing using ion torrent PGM platform and EBI-metagenomics annotation pipeline. Taxonomic analysis indicated that rumen microbiome was dominated by Bacteroidetes followed by Firmicutes, Fibrobacter, Proteobacteria, and Tenericutes.

Model for the phase transfer of nanoparticles using ionic surfactants.

Ionic surfactants are widely used for the phase transfer of nanoparticles from aqueous to organic phases; however, a model that can be used to select ionic surfactants based on the nanoparticle solution properties has yet to be established. Here, we have studied the phase transfer of a variety of nanoparticles and have identified hydrophobicity, steric repulsion, and interfacial tension as key factors in determining whether or not phase transfer will occur. Based on these studies, we have developed a simple model for phase transfer wherein the success of the surfactant depends only on three criteria.

Sperm morphology training in India.

Sperm morphology is regarded as possibly the most consistent sperm variable that is related to in vitro and in vivo fertilisation success or failure. There is also a re-emerging awareness of andrology, particularly in developing countries where healthcare resources are often limited. This study aimed to record the importance of hands-on training on the sperm morphology reading skills among 174 Indian infertility workers.

Critical island size, scaling, and ordering in colloidal nanoparticle self-assembly.

In order to obtain a better understanding of short-range (SR) and long-range (LR) nanoparticle (NP) interactions during the self-assembly of dodecanethiol-coated Au NPs in toluene via drop drying, we have investigated the dependence of the island density, scaled island-size distribution (ISD), and scaled capture-zone distribution (CZD) on coverage, deposition flux, and NP size. Our results indicate that, while the critical island size is larger than 1 for all NP sizes studied, due to the increase in the strength of the SR attraction between NPs with increasing NP size, both the exponent describing the dependence of the island density on deposition flux and the critical island-size decrease with increasing NP size. We also find that, despite the existence of significant cluster diffusion and coalescence, the ISD is sharply peaked as in epitaxial growth.

Leukoencephalopathy, cerebral calcifications, and cysts in two sisters.

Background: The triad of leukoencephalopathy with cerebral calcifications and cysts is a rare syndrome consisting of these three radiographic findings first described by Labrune et al. in 1996. The inheritance pattern and genetic mutation responsible for this syndrome (if any) have not been determined.

Microbial profiles of liquid and solid fraction associated biomaterial in buffalo rumen fed green and dry roughage diets by tagged 16S rRNA gene pyrosequencing.

The microbiome of buffalo rumen plays an important role in animal health and productivity. The rumen bacterial composition of both liquid and solid fraction was surveyed using pyrosequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. Sequences were analyzed using taxonomy-dependent clustering methods and revealed that the dominant ruminal bacteria shared by samples belonged to phyla Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, Fibrobacteres and Proteobacteria.

Metagenome of Mehsani buffalo rumen microbiota: an assessment of variation in feed-dependent phylogenetic and functional classification.

Aim: To gain a greater understanding of the ecology and metabolic potential of the rumen microbiome with the changes in the animal diet.

Methods: Diet composed of varying proportion of green and dry roughages along with grains was given to 8 Mehsani buffaloes, and rumen metagenome was sketched using shotgun semiconductor sequencing.

Results: In the present study, the Bacteroidetes were found to be dominant at the phyla level and Prevotella at the genus level.

Road traffic accidents in hilly regions of northern India: What has to be done?

Background: Road traffic accidents (RTA) are responsible for 1.2 million deaths worldwide each year. RTA will become the 3(rd) largest contributor to the global burden of diseases after ischemic heart diseases (IHD) and depression.

Pediatric optic neuritis: does a prolonged course of steroids reduce relapses? A preliminary study.

Background: Optic neuritis is an important pediatric disorder causing visual impairment. Because of the absence of pediatric-specific studies, data extrapolated from the adult-based optic neuritis treatment trial are used to guide management of pediatric patients. Recent literature promotes a prolonged course of oral steroids to prevent relapses.

High potential source for biomass degradation enzyme discovery and environmental aspects revealed through metagenomics of Indian buffalo rumen.

The complex microbiomes of the rumen functions as an effective system for plant cell wall degradation, and biomass utilization provide genetic resource for degrading microbial enzymes that could be used in the production of biofuel. Therefore the buffalo rumen microbiota was surveyed using shot gun sequencing. This metagenomic sequencing generated 3.

Goat activin receptor type IIB knockdown by muscle specific promoter driven artificial microRNAs.

Activin receptor type IIB (ACVR2B) is a transmembrane receptor which mediates signaling of TGF beta superfamily ligands known to function in regulation of muscle mass, embryonic development and reproduction. ACVR2B antagonism has shown to enhance the muscle growth in several disease and transgenic models. Here, we show ACVR2B knockdown by RNA interference using muscle creatine kinase (MCK) promoter driven artificial microRNAs (amiRNAs).

Draft Genome Sequence of Pasteurella multocida subsp. multocida B:2 Strain VTCCBAA264 Isolated from Bubalus bubalis in North India.

The Pasteurella multocida subsp. multocida B:2 serotype causes hemorrhagic septicemia in bubalines with high morbidity and mortality in the Indian subcontinent. We report the draft genome sequence of Pasteurella multocida strain VTCCBAA264 isolated from the small-intestine of a buffalo calf that died of high fever.