Identification of neuraminidase inhibitors against dual H274Y/I222R mutant strains.

Influenza is an annual seasonal epidemic that has continually drawn public attentions, due to the potential death toll and drug resistance. Neuraminidase, which is essential for the spread of influenza virus, has been regarded as a valid target for the treatment of influenza infection. Although neuraminidase drugs have been developed, they are susceptible to drug-resistant mutations in the sialic-binding site.

In vivo expression of a short peptide designed from late embryogenesis abundant protein for enhancing abiotic stress tolerance in Escherichia coli.

In vivo functional analyses of a late embryogenesis abundant (LEA) short peptide expressed in recombinant Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3) were carried out under abiotic stress (salt, heat, and cold) conditions. Our LEA peptide was derived from the Polypedilum vanderplanki group 3 LEA protein based on distinctive conserved amino acid motif sequences. We focused on high-salt (5% and 7% NaCl) concentrations to evaluate the functional relevance of the peptide under abiotic salt stress.

Construction and characterization of mutated LEA peptides in Escherichia coli to develop an efficient protein expression system.

To develop an efficient protein expression system, we designed a late embryogenesis abundant (LEA) peptide by mutating the LEA peptide constructed in our previous study (LEA-I). The peptide is based on the repeating units of an 11mer motif characteristic of LEA proteins from Polypedilum vanderplanki larvae. In the amino acid sequence of the 13mer LEA peptide, glycine at the 6th and 12th positions was replaced with other amino acids via point mutations.

Hydrogen peroxide test for intraoperative bile leak detection.

Background: Bile leakage (BL) is a common complication following liver surgery, ranging from 3 to 27% in different series. To reduce the incidence of post-operative BL various BL tests have been applied since ages, but no method is foolproof and every method has their own limitations. In this study we used a relatively simpler technique to detect the BL intra-operatively.

Assessing for domestic violence in sexual health environments: a qualitative study.

Objectives: Domestic violence and abuse (DVA) is a major clinical challenge and public health issue. Sexual health services are an important potential site of DVA intervention. The (ADViSE) intervention aimed to improve identification and management of DVA in sexual healthcare settings and is a modified version of the (IRIS) general practice programme.

Damage Evolution in Complex-Phase and Dual-Phase Steels during Edge Stretching.

The role of microstructural damage in controlling the edge stretchability of Complex-Phase (CP) and Dual-Phase (DP) steels was evaluated using hole tension experiments. The experiments considered a tensile specimen with a hole at the center of specimen that is either sheared (sheared edge condition) or drilled and then reamed (reamed edge condition). The damage mechanism and accumulation in the CP and DP steels were systematically characterized by interrupting the hole tension tests at different strain levels using scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis and optical microscopy.

Beneficial metabolic effects of dietary epigallocatechin gallate alone and in combination with exendin-4 in high fat diabetic mice.

Objective: Significant attempts are being made to generate multifunctional, hybrid or peptide combinations as novel therapeutic strategies for type 2 diabetes, however this presents key challenges including design and pharmaceutical development. In this study, we evaluated metabolic properties of oral nutritional supplement epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) in combination with GLP-1 agonist exendin-4 in a mouse model of dietary-induced diabetes and obesity.

Methods: EGCG, exendin-4 or combination of both were administered twice-daily over 28 days to high fat (HF) mice on background of low-dose streptozotocin.

Improving the healthcare response to domestic violence and abuse in sexual health clinics: feasibility study of a training, support and referral intervention.

Objectives: Sexual health and gynaecological problems are the most consistent and largest physical health differences between abused and non-abused female populations. Sexual health services are well placed to identify and support patients experiencing domestic violence and abuse (DVA). Most sexual health professionals have had minimal DVA training despite English National Institute for Health and Care Excellence recommendations.

The N-terminal domain of Mycobacterium tuberculosis PPE17 (Rv1168c) protein plays a dominant role in inducing antibody responses in active TB patients.

The PPE (proline-proline-glutamic acid) proteins of Mycobacterium tuberculosis are characterized by a conserved N-terminal domain of approximately 180 amino acids and variable C-terminal domain. Since last decade, these proteins have gained much importance in the serodiagnosis of tuberculosis (TB) as they act as a source of antigenic variation. We have demonstrated earlier that one of the PPE proteins PPE17 (Rv1168c) induces strong B-cell and T-cell responses in active TB disease and also displays a higher antibody titer compared to immunodominant antigens such as ESAT-6, Hsp60 and PPD.

Partially Acetylated or Benzoylated Arabinose Derivatives as Structurally Simple Organogelators: Effect of the Ester Protecting Group on Gel Properties.

Sugar-based low-molecular-weight gelators (LMWGs) have been used for various applications for a long time. Herein, structurally simple, ester-protected arabinosides are reported as low-molecular-weight organogelators (LMOGs) that are able to gel aromatic solvents, as well as petrol and diesel. Studies on the mechanical strength of the gels, through detailed rheological experiments, indicate that gels from the 1,2-dibenzoylated arabinose gelator possess better mechanical properties than those from the 1,2-diacetylated gelator.

Metabolic and neuroprotective effects of dapagliflozin and liraglutide in diabetic mice.

This study assessed the metabolic and neuroprotective actions of the sodium glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitor dapagliflozin in combination with the GLP-1 agonist liraglutide in dietary-induced diabetic mice. Mice administered low-dose streptozotocin (STZ) on a high-fat diet received dapagliflozin, liraglutide, dapagliflozin-plus-liraglutide (DAPA-Lira) or vehicle once-daily over 28 days. Energy intake, body weight, glucose and insulin concentrations were measured at regular intervals.

Combined effect of substance P and curcumin on cutaneous wound healing in diabetic rats.

Background: Our earlier studies demonstrated that topically applied substance P (SP) or curcumin on excision skin wound accelerated the wound healing in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. In the present study, we aimed to evaluate the wound healing potential of combination of SP and curcumin in diabetic rats.

Materials And Methods: Open cutaneous excision wound was created on the back of each of the 60 diabetic rats.

Genetic Diversity Analysis of Medicinally Important Horticultural Crop Aegle marmelos by ISSR Markers.

Inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR) markers help in identifying and determining the extent of genetic diversity in cultivars. Here, we describe their application in determining the genetic diversity of bael (Aegle marmelos Corr.).

Defect induced ferromagnetism in MgO and its exceptional enhancement upon thermal annealing: a case of transformation of various defect states.

MgO particles of few micron size are synthesized through a sol-gel method at different annealing temperatures such as 600 °C (MgO-600), 800 °C (MgO-800) and 1000 °C (MgO-1000). EDX and ICP-AES studies confirmed a near total purity of the sample with respect to paramagnetic metal ion impurities. Magnetic measurements showed a low temperature weak ferromagnetic ordering with a T (Curie temperature) around 65 K (±5 K).

Inhibition of Intracellular Type 10 Adenylyl Cyclase Protects Cortical Neurons Against Reperfusion-Induced Mitochondrial Injury and Apoptosis.

Mitochondrial injury significantly contributes to the neuronal death under cerebral ischemia and reperfusion. Within several signaling pathways, cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) signaling plays a substantial role in mitochondrial injury and cell death. Traditionally, the source of cellular cAMP has been attributed to the membrane-bound adenylyl cyclase, whereas the role of the intracellular localized type 10 soluble adenylyl cyclase (sAC) in neuronal pathology has not been considered.

Performance of a novel baffled osmotic membrane bioreactor-microfiltration hybrid system under continuous operation for simultaneous nutrient removal and mitigation of brine discharge.

The present study investigated the performance of an integrated osmotic and microfiltration membrane bioreactor system for wastewater treatment employing baffles in the reactor. Thus, this reactor design enables both aerobic and anoxic processes in an attempt to reduce the process footprint and energy costs associated with continuous aeration. The process performance was evaluated in terms of water flux, salinity build up in the bioreactor, organic and nutrient removal and microbial activity using synthetic reverse osmosis (RO) brine as draw solution (DS).

Decomposition of powerful axisymmetrically polarized laser pulses in underdense plasma.

Interaction of relativistically intense axisymmetrically polarized (radially or azimuthally polarized) laser pulses (RIAPLP) with underdense plasma is shown experimentally and theoretically to be essentially different from the interaction of conventional Gaussian pulses. The difference is clearly observed in distinct spectra of the side-scattered laser light for the RIAPLP and Gaussian pulses, as well as in the appearance of a spatially localized strong side emission of second harmonic of the laser pulse in the case of RIAPLP. According to our analysis based on three-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations, this is a result of instability in the propagation of RIAPLP in uniform underdense plasma.

Primary Sjögren's syndrome impact on smell, taste, sexuality and quality of life in female patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objectives: The aim of this study is to assess the impact of dryness caused by primary Sjögren's Syndrome (pSS) on smell, taste and sexual function in female patients, and its influence on quality of life.

Methods: Electronic databases including MEDLINE via Ovid, Web of Science, SCOUPUS, EMBASE and COCHRANE LIBRARY were searched until April 2016. Studies that assessed the function of smell, taste and sexuality in pSS patients, defined by the American European Consensus Group (AECG) criteria.

Extracellular mycosynthesis of silver nanoparticles and their microbicidal activity.

Myconanotechnology, a combination of mycology and nanotechnology that deals with the synthesis of nanoparticles using fungi or their metabolites, has great potential in the area of agriculture owing to the high surface-to-volume ratio and excellent biomedical, electronic, mechanical and physicochemical properties of these myconanoparticles. Extracellular mycosynthesis of Aspergillus flavus (KF934407) silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) was performed, which were produced by redox reaction. Furthermore, the extracellular synthesised AgNPs were characterised by ultraviolet/visible spectrophotometry, differential light scattering (DLS) and transmission electron microscopy.

Bio-protective microbial agents from rhizosphere eco-systems trigger plant defense responses provide protection against sheath blight disease in rice (Oryza sativa L.).

Sheath blight of rice (Oryza sativa L.) caused by Rhizoctonia solani is a major disease and attempts are being made to develop microbe based technologies for biocontrol of this pathogen. However, the mechanisms of biocontrol are not fully understood and still require indepth study in the backdrop of emerging concepts in biological systems.

Effect of ursolic acid in attenuating chronic constriction injury-induced neuropathic pain in rats.

Ursolic acid (UA; 3b-hydroxy-12-urs-12-en-28-oic acid), a natural pentacyclic triterpenoid carboxylic acid, has been known to possess potent anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antinociceptive effects in various animal models. Therefore, this study was designed to investigate the antihyperalgesic, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant effects of UA at 5, 10, and 20 mg/kg of doses via per os (p.o.

Epigenetics: A key paradigm in reproductive health.

It is well established that there is a heritable element of susceptibility to chronic human ailments, yet there is compelling evidence that some components of such heritability are transmitted through non-genetic factors. Due to the complexity of reproductive processes, identifying the inheritance patterns of these factors is not easy. But little doubt exists that besides the genomic backbone, a range of epigenetic cues affect our genetic programme.

A survey on oral hygiene methods practiced by patients attending Dentistry Department at a Tertiary Care Hospital from Central Gujarat.

Objective: Oral hygiene is important not only for maintaining health of teeth and gingivae in an individual but also for good and uneventful regeneration and healing of tissues, when one has undergone one or other dental treatments. This makes it important to have an understanding of oral hygiene practices employed by the population.

Materials And Methodology: This descriptive cross-sectional hospital-based survey was carried out to know oral hygiene methods practiced by patients who visited Department of Dentistry at a Tertiary Care Hospital attached to medical college from Central Gujarat.