Fruit and vegetable waste used as bacterial growth media for the biocementation of two geomaterials.

This paper investigates the feasibility of using randomly collected fruit and vegetable (FV) waste as a cheap growing medium of bacteria for biocementation applications. Biocementation has been proposed in the literature as an environmentally-friendly ground improvement method to increase the stability of geomaterials, prevent erosion and encapsulate waste, but currently suffers from the high costs involved, such as bacteria cultivation costs. After analysis of FV waste of varied composition in terms of sugar and protein content, diluted FV waste was used to grow ureolytic (S.

Factors Affecting the Outcome after Surgical Clipping of Ruptured Distal Anterior Cerebral Artery (DACA) Aneurysms.

 The purpose of this study is to assess demographic, clinical, and unique morphological characteristics of distal anterior cerebral artery (DACA) aneurysm. The relation of outcome included Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) using various independent variables, Hunt and Hess clinical grade (H&H), Miller Fischer grade, intraoperative rupture, and comparison of outcomes at discharge and last follow-up.  Demographic data, aneurysm characteristics, and treatment outcomes were evaluated in 28 ruptured DACA aneurysms operated over a period of 13 years.

Combined immunotherapeutic effect of Leishmania-derived recombinant aldolase and Ambisome against experimental visceral leishmaniasis.

Background: Available therapeutics for visceral leishmaniasis (VL), a deadly parasitic infection, are usually associated with inadequate efficacy and adverse aftereffects. Further, the primary site of Leishmania parasite are host macrophages resulting in compromised immunity; ensuing marked T-cell immunosuppression. Such settings emphasize the exploration of chemo-immunotherapeutic strategies for improvising the infected person's immune status with better resolution of infection.

PET Study of Sphingosine-1-phosphate Receptor 1 Expression in Response to Infection.

Sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor 1 (S1PR1) plays a crucial role in infectious diseases. Targeting S1PR1 provides protection against pathogens, such as influenza viruses. This study is aimed at investigating S1PR1 in response to bacterial infection by assessing S1PR1 expression in -infected mice.

In vitro characterization of [H]VAT in cells, animal and human brain tissues for vesicular acetylcholine transporter.

Vesicular acetylcholine transporter plays a crucial role in the cholinergic system, and its alterations is implicated in several neurodegenerative disorders. We recently developed a PET imaging tracer [F]VAT to target VAChT in vivo with high affinity and selectivity. Here we report in vitro characterization of [H]VAT, a tritiated counterpart of [F]VAT.

and Investigation of S1PR1 Expression in the Central Nervous System Using [H]CS1P1 and [C]CS1P1.

Sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor 1 (S1PR1) is ubiquitously expressed among all tissues and plays key roles in many physiological and cellular processes. In the central nervous system (CNS), S1PR1 is expressed in different types of cells including neurons, astrocytes, and oligodendrocyte precursor cells. S1PR1 has been recognized as a novel therapeutic target in multiple sclerosis and other diseases.

Retrospective Study and Outcome Predictor after Microsurgical Resection of Cerebral Arteriovenous Malformations in Nepal.

Objective: The purpose of this study is to assess demographic, clinical, and morphological characteristics of patients with brain arteriovenous malformations (bAVMs). The relation of outcome using modified Ranklin Scale (mRS) at time of discharge, early and last follow ups with respect to various factors.

Materials And Methods: Demographic data, arteriovenous malformation characteristics, and treatment outcomes were evaluated in 43 bAVMs treated with microsurgery between 2009 and 2019.

Outcome of Decompressive Craniectomy for Traumatic Brain Injury: An Institutional-Based Analysis from Nepal.

Objective: Decompressive craniectomy (DC) is one of the commonly used treatment modalities for refractory intracranial hypertension after traumatic brain injury. The objective of this study is to assess the functional outcome following DC in closed traumatic brain injury based on Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS).

Materials And Methods: This is a retrospective study conducted at Nepal Mediciti Hospital, Nepal, from September 2017 to October 2019.

Clinical Outcome and Recurrence After Meningioma Surgery: An Experience from a Developing Country, Nepal.

Background: Meningioma is the most common primary brain tumor, constituting more than half of all benign central nervous system tumors. This study aims to analyze the clinical outcome and recurrence after surgery of intracranial meningioma in Nepal.

Methods: This is a retrospective study of newly diagnosed intracranial meningioma patients operated at Nepal Mediciti Hospital between 2007 and 2019.

Lower thoracic schwannoma presenting as pseudotumor cerebri: a case report.

Primary Spinal tumors presenting as increased intracranial pressure is a rare and intradural extramedullary (IDEM) spinal schwannoma with unique presentation of pseudotumour cerebri (PTC) is extremely rare. Here, we describe a case of 48 years old male patient who presented to us with six months history of headache and visual disturbances and was found to have bilateral papilledema. CT scan of brain was normal and CSF opening pressure on Lumbar puncture (LP) was 30 cm of H2O with raised protein level.

Synthesis and characterization of [I]TZ6544, a promising radioligand for investigating sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor 2.

Introduction: Sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor 2 (S1PR2) activation exerts a critical role in biological abnormalities and diseases. A suitable radiotracer will advance our understanding of S1PR2 pathophysiology of diseases. The objective of this study is to evaluate the potential of iodine-125 labeled [I]TZ6544 to be used for screening new compounds binding toward S1PR2, and assessing the changes of S1PR2 expression in the kidney of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

Status of IL-4 and IL-10 driven markers in experimental models of Visceral Leishmaniasis.

Aim: Leishmania donovani, the causative agent for visceral leishmaniasis (VL), modulates host monocytes/macrophages to ensure its survival. However, knowledge regarding the host-parasite interactions underpinning the disease remains limited. As disease progression is associated with polarization of monocytes/macrophages towards M2, which is regulated by cytokines IL-4/IL-13 and IL-10, this study evaluated the status of key IL-4- and IL-10 driven markers in experimental models of VL, as also evaluated their correlation, if any, with parasite load.

In vivo Characterization of Four F-Labeled S1PR1 Tracers for Neuroinflammation.

Purpose: The sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor 1 (S1PR1) is an important biomarker for imaging inflammation in the central nervous system (CNS). Herein, we report our recent evaluation of four F-labeled S1PR1 tracers (F-TZ43113, F-TZ35104, F-TZ4877, and F-TZ4881) in a rat model of multiple sclerosis (MS).

Procedures: MicroPET studies of each tracer's uptake and kinetics were performed in an experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) rat model of MS to quantify upregulated S1PR1 expression in the lumbar spinal cord of EAE rats.

Comparison Between Immuno-Clinicopathological Features of Experimental and Human Visceral Leishmaniasis by Leishmania donovani.

Background: Current understanding of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) depends upon the experimental model. Different species of mouse and hamster have been used as model for VL. It is already evident that the mouse model of VL is not a true reflection of the pathology of human visceral leishmaniasis (HuVL).

Prophylactic interferon-γ and interleukin-17 facilitate parasite clearance in experimental visceral leishmaniasis.

Background And Objective: The synergy of interleukin (IL)-17 along with other pro-inflammatory cytokines is well known in various autoimmune and infectious diseases. A longitudinal study in the Sudanese population showed an association of IL-17 with the protection of kala-azar outbreak. The protective role of IL-17 is also known in terms of expansion of IL-17-producing cells in vaccine-induced immunity.

Immunogenicity and Protective Efficacy of T-Cell Epitopes Derived From Potential Th1 Stimulatory Proteins of .

Development of a suitable vaccine against visceral leishmaniasis (VL), a fatal parasitic disease, is considered to be vital for maintaining the success of kala-azar control programs. The fact that -infected individuals generate life-long immunity offers a viable proposition in this direction. Our prior studies demonstrated that T-helper1 (Th1) type of cellular response was generated by six potential recombinant proteins .

Factorial design based curcumin ethosomal nanocarriers for the skin cancer delivery: evaluation.

Melanoma is the most deadly and life-threatening form of skin cancer with progressively higher rates of incidence worldwide. The objective of the present investigation is to develop and to statistically optimize and characterize curcumin (CUR) loaded ethosomes for treatment of melanoma. A two factor, three level (3) factorial design approach was employed for the optimization of ethosomes.

Corn steep liquor as a nutritional source for biocementation and its impact on concrete structural properties.

Microbial-induced carbonate precipitation (MICP) has a potential to improve the durability properties and remediate cracks in concrete. In the present study, the main emphasis is placed upon replacing the expensive laboratory nutrient broth (NB) with corn steep liquor (CSL), an industrial by-product, as an alternate nutrient medium during biocementation. The influence of organic nutrients (carbon and nitrogen content) of CSL and NB on the chemical and structural properties of concrete structures is studied.

Immunotherapeutic potential of Leishmania (Leishmania) donovani Th1 stimulatory proteins against experimental visceral leishmaniasis.

An effective therapeutic vaccination strategy is required for controlling visceral leishmaniasis (VL), a fatal systemic disease, through boosting the immunosuppressed state in Leishmania-infected individuals, as the majority of them living in the endemic regions exhibit either subclinical or asymptomatic infection which further often develops into a full-blown disease. Previously in our laboratory, several Th1 stimulatory recombinant proteins were successfully cloned, purified and assessed for their prophylactic efficacy against Leishmania challenge. Due to their immunostimulatory property, these proteins are needed to be evaluated for their immunotherapeutic potential in Leishmania-infected hamsters.

Microbial healing of cracks in concrete: a review.

Concrete is the most widely used construction material of the world and maintaining concrete structures from premature deterioration is proving to be a great challenge. Early age formation of micro-cracking in concrete structure severely affects the serviceability leading to high cost of maintenance. Apart from conventional methods of repairing cracks with sealants or treating the concrete with adhesive chemicals to prevent the cracks from widening, a microbial crack-healing approach has shown promising results.

Development of Leishmania donovani stably expressing DsRed for flow cytometry-based drug screening using chalcone thiazolyl-hydrazone as a new antileishmanial target.

Green fluorescent protein produces significant fluorescence and is extremely stable, however its excitation maximum is close to the ultraviolet range and thus can damage living cells. Hence, Leishmania donovani stably expressing DsRed were developed and their suitability for flow cytometry-based antileishmanial screening was assessed by evaluating the efficacies of standard drugs as well as newly synthesised chalcone thiazolyl-hydrazone compounds. The DsRed gene was successfully integrated at the 18S rRNA locus of L.

Comparative Analysis of Cellular Immune Responses in Treated Leishmania Patients and Hamsters against Recombinant Th1 Stimulatory Proteins of Leishmania donovani.

Our prior studies demonstrated that cellular response of T helper 1 (Th1) type was generated by a soluble antigenic fraction (ranging from 89.9 to 97.1 kDa) of Leishmania donovani promastigote, in treated Leishmania patients as well as hamsters and showed significant prophylactic potential against experimental visceral leishmaniasis (VL).

Immunological consequences of stress-related proteins--cytosolic tryparedoxin peroxidase and chaperonin TCP20--identified in splenic amastigotes of Leishmania donovani as Th1 stimulatory, in experimental visceral leishmaniasis.

In earlier studies, proteomic characterization of splenic amastigote fractions from clinical isolates of Leishmania donovani, exhibiting significant cellular responses in cured Leishmania subjects, led to the identification of cytosolic tryparedoxin peroxidase (LdcTryP) and chaperonin-TCP20 (LdTCP20) as Th1-stimulatory proteins. Both the proteins, particularly LdTCP20 for the first time, were successfully cloned, overexpressed, purified and were found to be localized in the cytosol of purified splenic amastigotes. When evaluated against lymphocytes of cured Leishmania-infected hamsters, the purified recombinant proteins (rLdcTryP and rLdTCP20) induced their proliferations as well as nitric oxide production.

Light-controlled tuning of the optical properties of nanoporous glass.

Materials having tunable optical properties are of great interest for photonic applications. Promising candidates in that context are transparent nanoporous media whose optical properties change after infiltration of a liquid into the pores. Herein we present an all-optical method to tune the light scattering properties of a nanoporous glass based on the light-induced phase change of the fluid filling the pores.

Th1 stimulatory proteins of Leishmania donovani: comparative cellular and protective responses of rTriose phosphate isomerase, rProtein disulfide isomerase and rElongation factor-2 in combination with rHSP70 against visceral leishmaniasis.

In visceral leishmaniasis, the recovery from the disease is always associated with the generation of Th1-type of cellular responses. Based on this, we have previously identified several Th1-stimulatory proteins of Leishmania donovani -triose phosphate isomerase (TPI), protein disulfide isomerase (PDI) and elongation factor-2 (EL-2) etc. including heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) which induced Th1-type of cellular responses in both cured Leishmania patients/hamsters.