Basigin Interacts with Plasmodium vivax Tryptophan-rich Antigen PvTRAg38 as a Second Erythrocyte Receptor to Promote Parasite Growth.

Elucidating the molecular mechanisms of the host-parasite interaction during red cell invasion by Plasmodium is important for developing newer antimalarial therapeutics. Recently, we have characterized a Plasmodium vivax tryptophan-rich antigen PvTRAg38, which is expressed by its merozoites, binds to host erythrocytes, and interferes with parasite growth. Interaction of this parasite ligand with the host erythrocyte occurs through its two regions present at amino acid positions 167-178 (P) and 197-208 (P).

Neopterin and oxidative stress markers in the diagnosis of extrapulmonary tuberculosis.

Background: Extrapulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB) often presents with nonspecific signs and symptoms. Further the paucibacillary nature of extrapulmonary specimens and irregular distribution of bacilli lower the sensitivity of conventional diagnostic methods making EPTB, a diagnostic dilemma.

Objective: To study neopterin, protein carbonyl and malondialdehyde (MDA) in EPTB.

Graft copolymerization of acrylamide on chitosan-co-chitin and its application for immobilization of Aspergillus sp. RL2Ct cutinase.

The synthesis of chitosan (Chs) and chitin (Chi) copolymer and grafting of acrylamide (AAm) onto the synthesized copolymer have been carried out by chemical methods. The grafted copolymer was characterized by FTIR, SEM and XRD. The extracellular cutinase of Aspergillus sp.

Ultrasensitive cardiac troponin I antibody based nanohybrid sensor for rapid detection of human heart attack.

An ultrasensitive cardiac troponin I antibody conjugated with graphene quantum dots (GQD) and polyamidoamine (PAMAM) nanohybrid modified gold electrode based sensor was developed for the rapid detection of heart attack (myocardial infarction) in human. Screen printed gold (Au) electrode was decorated with 4-aminothiophenol for amine functionalization of the Au surface. These amino groups were further coupled with carboxyl functionalities of GQD with EDC-NHS reaction.

Laparoscopy in the diagnosis of tuberculosis in chronic pelvic pain.

Background: To estimate the prevalence of genital tuberculosis in women with idiopathic chronic pelvic pain on laparoscopy, correlate laparoscopic findings with microbiological and histological diagnosis of tuberculosis and assess the response to anti tubercular treatment (ATT) in these cases.

Method: In a prospective cohort study, fifty women with idiopathic chronic pelvic pain were enrolled. Diagnostic laparoscopy was done in all women and fluid from pouch of Douglas and/or saline washings were sent for acid fast bacilli (AFB) smear, conventional and rapid culture and DNA polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis for diagnosis of genital TB.

Loss of SynDIG1 Reduces Excitatory Synapse Maturation But Not Formation .

Modification of the strength of excitatory synaptic connections is a fundamental mechanism by which neural circuits are refined during development and learning. Synapse Differentiation Induced Gene 1 (SynDIG1) has been shown to play a key role in regulating synaptic strength . Here, we investigated the role of SynDIG1 in mice with a disruption of the gene rather than use an alternate loxP-flanked conditional mutant that we find retains a partial protein product.

Widespread occurrence of lysine methylation in Plasmodium falciparum proteins at asexual blood stages.

Post-transcriptional and post-translational modifications play a major role in Plasmodium life cycle regulation. Lysine methylation of histone proteins is well documented in several organisms, however in recent years lysine methylation of proteins outside histone code is emerging out as an important post-translational modification (PTM). In the present study we have performed global analysis of lysine methylation of proteins in asexual blood stages of Plasmodium falciparum development.

Significance of Anti-cyclic Citrullinated Peptide Autoantibodies in Immune-mediated Inflammatory Skin Disorders with and without Arthritis.

Background: Anti-cyclic citrullinated peptides (CCPs) are autoantibodies directed against citrullinated peptides. Rheumatoid factor (RF), an antibody against the Fc portion of IgG, is known to form immune complexes and contribute to the etiopathogenesis of various skin disorders. C-reactive protein (CRP), an acute-phase protein, increases following secretion of interleukin-6 from macrophages and T cells.

Anti-cysticercus antibody detection in saliva as a potential diagnostic tool for neurocysticercosis.

Objectives: This study was planned to determine the usefulness of anti-cysticercus IgG antibody detection in saliva for neurocysticercosis (NCC) diagnosis, along with serum C-reactive protein (CRP) level to serve as a surrogate marker.

Materials And Methods: In this prospective study of 14 months duration, blood and saliva samples were collected from 40 patients suspected to be suffering from NCC and were subjected to anti-cysticercus IgG antibody detection by ELISA. Serum CRP levels were estimated as acute-phase reactant by high sensitivity CRP ELISA.

Sesamol Induces Apoptosis by Altering Expression of Bcl-2 and Bax Proteins and Modifies Skin Tumor Development in Balb/c Mice.

Background: Chemoprevention using natural agents has emerged as a new and promising strategy for reducing cancer burden. Sesamol, a water soluble lignin, is a potent antioxidant with potential anticancer activities. Its small size (molecular weight: 138.

Pyogenic Liver Abscess Caused by Acinetobacter lwoffii: A Case Report.

Acinetobacter lwoffii is a gram negative aerobic non-fermenter bacilli. It is considered as an important emerging pathogen after Acinetobacter baumannii in patients with impaired immune system and in nosocomial infections. Here, we present a case of community acquired pyogenic liver Abscess caused by Acinetobacter lwoffii in a diabetic patient.

A robust, good manufacturing practice-compliant, clinical-scale procedure to generate regulatory T cells from patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis for adoptive cell therapy.

Regulatory T cells (Tregs) play a fundamental role in the maintenance of self-tolerance and immune homeostasis. Defects in Treg function and/or frequencies have been reported in multiple disease models. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder affecting upper and lower motor neurons.

Quantitative assessment of possible human health risk associated with consumption of arsenic contaminated groundwater and wheat grains from Ropar Wetand and its environs.

Arsenic (As) is a carcinogenic metalloid that enters food chain through food and water and poses health risk to living beings. It is important to assess the As status in the environment and risks associated with it. Hence, a risk assessment study was conducted across Ropar wetland, Punjab, India and its environs in pre-monsoon season of 2013, to estimate the risk posed to adults and children via daily consumption of As contaminated groundwater and wheat grains.

Accelerated Stability Studies on Dried Extracts of Centella asiatica Through Chemical, HPLC, HPTLC, and Biological Activity Analyses.

Regulatory guidelines recommend systematic stability studies on a herbal product to establish its shelf life. In the present study, commercial extracts (Types I and II) and freshly prepared extract (Type III) of Centella asiatica were subjected to accelerated stability testing for 6 months. Control and stability samples were evaluated for organoleptics, pH, moisture, total phenolic content (TPC), asiatic acid, kaempherol, and high-performance thin layer chromatography fingerprints, and for antioxidant and acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activities.

Activity-Dependent Palmitoylation Controls SynDIG1 Stability, Localization, and Function.

Unlabelled: Synapses are specialized contacts between neurons. Synapse differentiation-induced gene I (SynDIG1) plays a critical role during synapse development to regulate AMPA receptor (AMPAR) and PSD-95 content at excitatory synapses. Palmitoylation regulates the localization and function of many synaptic proteins, including AMPARs and PSD-95.

Best Practices for Improving the Quality of Individual Case Safety Reports in Pharmacovigilance.

Background: The quality of individual case safety reports (ICSRs) plays a vital role in identifying new safety signals in pharmacovigilance. This article focuses on establishing a method for ensuring the quality data.

Objective: To develop an in-house method for assessing the documentation grading and completeness score of ICSRs.

Mutation spectrum of the FZD-4, TSPAN12 AND ZNF408 genes in Indian FEVR patients.

Background: Mutations in candidate genes that encode for a ligand (NDP) and receptor complex (FZD4, LRP5 and TSPAN12) in the Norrin β-catenin signaling pathway are involved in the pathogenesis of familial exudative vitreoretinopathy (FEVR, MIM # 133780). Recently, a transcription factor (ZNF408) has also been implicated in FEVR. We had earlier characterized the variations in NDP among FEVR patients from India.

Effect of oral cranberry extract (standardized proanthocyanidin-A) in patients with recurrent UTI by pathogenic E. coli: a randomized placebo-controlled clinical research study.

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of cranberry extract (PAC-A ~ proanthocyanidin-A) on the in vitro bacterial properties of uropathogenic (E. coli) and its efficacy/tolerability in patients with subclinical or uncomplicated recurrent UTI (r-UTI).

Materials And Methods: After obtaining clearance from the ethics committee and administering a written informed consent, 72 patients with r-UTI were enrolled as per protocol (November 2011 to March 2013) in this prospective study, to randomly receive (PAC-A: group I, 36) or (placebo: group II, 36), for 12 weeks.

Anticancer Potential of Ginger: Mechanistic and Pharmaceutical Aspects.

Background: Multifaceted pathologies like cancers involve multiple targets. Failure of current treatment options modulating specific tumor target, evokes need for alternate approach of either combining several smart drugs or design a dirty drug that may simultaneously influence multiple targets to trigger a cascade of protective events complementing one another.

Methods: Present review tends to unravel the mechanism of anticancer action of ginger and also address issues, which may limit its realization as a biotherapeutic.

Stability and Aggregation Kinetics of Titania Nanomaterials under Environmentally Realistic Conditions.

Nanoparticle morphology is expected to play a significant role in the stability, aggregation behavior, and ultimate fate of engineered nanomaterials in natural aquatic environments. The aggregation kinetics of ellipsoidal and spherical titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles (NPs) under different surfactant loadings, pH values, and ionic strengths were investigated in this study. The stability results revealed that alteration of surface charge was the stability determining factor.

Mutation spectrum of the Norrie disease pseudoglioma (NDP) gene in Indian patients with FEVR.

Purpose: Mutations in the Norrie disease pseudoglioma (NDP; Xp11.3) gene have been involved in retinal blood vessel formation and neural differentiation and are implicated in familial exudative vitreoretinopathy (FEVR) cases. However, the role of the gene has not been explored in the Indian context.

Dosimetric impact of setup errors in head and neck cancer patients treated by image-guided radiotherapy.

To assess and analyze the impact of setup uncertainties on target volume coverage and doses to organs at risk (OAR) in head and neck cancer (HNC) patients treated by image-guided radiotherapy (IGRT). Translational setup errors in 25 HNC patients were observed by kilovoltage cone beam computed tomography (kV CBCT). Two plans were generated.

Understanding perception of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among general practitioners, physicians, and pulmonologists in India: Results from a face-to-face survey.

Background: Challenges exist in the diagnosis, management and follow-up of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in India. Lack of awareness of the disease, its symptoms and its implications may significantly contribute in preventing individuals with symptoms from seeking advice from their primary care physicians or eliminating risk factors. This cross-sectional survey aimed to explore the attitudes, beliefs, and knowledge of doctors (general practitioners [GPs], physicians and pulmonologists) related to COPD recognition, diagnosis, and treatment in India.

Timing of the initiation of antenatal care: An exploratory qualitative study of women and service providers in East London.

Objective: to explore the factors which influence the timing of the initiation of a package of publically-funded antenatal care for pregnant women living in a diverse urban setting

Design: a qualitative study involving thematic analysis of 21 individual interviews and six focus group discussions.

Setting: Newham, a culturally diverse borough in East London, UK PARTICIPANTS: individual interviews were conducted with 21 pregnant and postnatal women and focus group discussions were conducted with a total of 26 health service staff members(midwives and bilingual health advocates) and 32 women from four community groups (Bangladeshi, Somali, Lithuanian and Polish).

Findings: initial care-seeking by pregnant women is influenced by the perception that the package of antenatal care offered by the National Health Service is for viable and continuing pregnancies, as well as little perceived urgency in initiating antenatal care.