Analysis of the Cellular Immune Responses to Vaccines.

Flow cytometry, enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISpot), and cellular cytotoxicity assays are powerful tools for studying the cellular immune response toward intracellular pathogens and vaccines in livestock species. Lymphocytes from immunized animals can be purified using Ficoll-Paque density gradient centrifugation and evaluated for their antigen specificity or reactivity toward a vaccine. Here, we describe staining of bovine lymphocytes with peptide (p)-MHC class I tetramers and antibodies specific toward cellular activation markers for evaluation by multiparametric flow cytometry, as well as interferon (IFN)-γ ELISpot and cytotoxicity using chromium (Cr) release assays.

Systematic Determination of TCR-Antigen and Peptide-MHC Binding Kinetics among Field Variants of a Polymorphic CTL Epitope.

CTLs are known to contribute to immunity toward , the causative agent of East Coast fever. The Tp9 CTL epitope from the Muguga strain of is polymorphic in other parasite strains. Identifying the amino acids important for MHC class I binding, as well as TCR recognition of epitopes, can allow the strategic selection of Ags to induce cellular immunity toward In this study, we characterized the amino acids important for MHC class I binding and TCR recognition in the Tp9 epitope using alanine scanning and a series of variant peptide sequences to probe these interactions.

Synergistic Effect of Two Nanotechnologies Enhances the Protective Capacity of the Sporozoite p67C Antigen in Cattle.

East Coast fever (ECF), caused by , is the most important tick-borne disease of cattle in sub-Saharan Africa. Practical disadvantages associated with the currently used live-parasite vaccine could be overcome by subunit vaccines. An 80-aa polypeptide derived from the C-terminal portion of p67, a sporozoite surface Ag and target of neutralizing Abs, was the focus of the efforts on subunit vaccines against ECF and subjected to several vaccine trials with very promising results.

An Ad/MVA vectored antigen induces schizont-specific CD8 central memory T cells and confers partial protection against a lethal challenge.

The parasite is the causative agent of East Coast fever (ECF), one of the most serious cattle diseases in sub-Saharan Africa, and directly impacts smallholder farmers' livelihoods. There is an efficient live-parasite vaccine, but issues with transmission of vaccine strains, need of a cold chain, and antibiotics limit its utilization. This has fostered research towards subunit vaccination.

Immunization with one Theileria parva strain results in similar level of CTL strain-specificity and protection compared to immunization with the three-component Muguga cocktail in MHC-matched animals.

Background: The tick-borne protozoan parasite Theileria parva causes a usually fatal cattle disease known as East Coast fever in sub-Saharan Africa, with devastating consequences for poor small-holder farmers. Immunity to T. parva, believed to be mediated by a cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) response, is induced following natural infection and after vaccination with a live vaccine, known as the Infection and Treatment Method (ITM).

Immune parameters to p67C antigen adjuvanted with ISA206VG correlate with protection against East Coast fever.

East Coast fever (ECF) is a lymphoproliferative disease caused by the tick-transmitted protozoan parasite Theileria parva. ECF is one of the most serious cattle tick-borne diseases in Sub-Saharan Africa. We have previously demonstrated that three doses of the C-terminal part of the sporozoite protein p67 (p67C) adjuvanted with ISA206VG confers partial protection against ECF at a herd level.

Cytotoxic T lymphocytes from cattle sharing the same MHC class I haplotype and immunized with live Theileria parva sporozoites differ in antigenic specificity.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to assess whether cytotoxic T cells (CTL) generated by the live vaccine, known as "ITM Muguga cocktail", which is used for the cattle disease East Cost fever (ECF) in Sub-Saharan Africa, showed a broad reactivity against many different strains of the causative parasite Theileria parva. We also assessed whether immune responses were similar in cattle expressing the same MHC class I haplotypes.

Results: The antigenic specificity of CTL from MHC class I-matched cattle vaccinated with the Muguga cocktail were different.

Early Diagnosis of Penetrating Cardiac and Pleural Injury by Extended Focused Assessment with Sonography for Trauma.

In India, stab injury is not uncommon, but identifying potential life threatening conditions in the emergency room (ER) and initiating prompt treatment are challenging. This is a case report of a young patient who presented to the ER with assault injury to the chest and shock; timely extended focused assessment with sonography for trauma helped to fast-track the patient to the operating room. A brief review of diagnosis and management of penetrating cardiac injury is presented herewith.

Prehospital delay and time to reperfusion therapy in ST elevation myocardial infarction.

Background: Despite efforts aimed at reducing the prehospital delay and treatment delay, a considerable proportion of patients with ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) present late and receive the reperfusion therapy after unacceptably long time periods. This study aimed at finding out the patients' decision delay, prehospital delay, door-to-electrocardiography (ECG), door-to-needle, and door-to-primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) times and their determinants among STEMI patients.

Materials And Methods: A cross-sectional study conducted among 96 patients with STEMI admitted in a tertiary care center in South India.

A retrospective study on epidemiology of hypoglycemia in Emergency Department.

Background: Hypoglycemia is one among the leading causes for Emergency Department (ED) visits and is the most common and easily preventable endocrine emergency. This study is aimed at assessing the incidence and elucidating the underlying causes of hypoglycemia.

Materials And Methods: A retrospective, observational study which included patients registering in ED with a finger prick blood glucose ≤60 mg/dl at the time of arrival.

Assessment of Serum VASPIN Levels among Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients with or without Acute Coronary Syndrome.

Introduction: Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is on the verge of becoming a pandemic in India. Type 2 DM patient have two to four times increased risk of carotid artery disease. Adipokines have been regarded recently as direct link between diabetes and atherosclerosis.

Femoral and Tibial Tunnel Widening following Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction using Various Modalities of Fixation: A Prospective Observational Study.

Introduction: Bone tunnel enlargement after Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction (ACL-R) is a well-accepted phenomenon but there are very few published data comparing the extent of tunnel widening by various methods of fixation after ACL-R.

Aim: To compare the femoral and tibial tunnel widening following ACL-R with different methods of fixation using CT scan.

Materials And Methods: This one year prospective study included all patients with chronic Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injury who underwent primary arthroscopic ACL-R using tripled hamstring tendon autograft.

Trend and manifestations of falciparum malaria in a tertiary care hospital of India.

Background: The recent focus is on the increase in the burden of falciparum cases with a varied spectrum of presentation and outcome, especially in developing countries like India. This study was undertaken to analyze the trend and manifestations of falciparum malaria in a tertiary care hospital.

Materials And Methods: This descriptive study was carried out at the Gauhati Government Medical College and Hospital from June 2006 to May 2007.

Clinical Manifestations and Predictors of Thrombocytopenia in Hospitalized Adults with Dengue Fever.

Background: India is one of the seven identified Southeast Asian countries reporting frequent outbreaks of dengue fever (DF).

Aims: This study was to analyze clinical and laboratory profile and predictive markers of thrombocytopenia and length of hospital stay in DF.

Materials And Methods: This record-based retrospective study conducted in a coastal district of Karnataka, South India, included all dengue cases in adults aged >18 years, admitted during period of January 2011 to December 2014.

A Study on the Role of Heart Type Fatty Acid Binding Protein in the Diagnosis of Acute Myocardial Infarction.

Introduction: Heart type Fatty Acid Binding Protein (H-FABP) has been proposed as an early cardiac biomarker for the diagnosis of acute myocardial Infarction (AMI) using animal models and clinical samples.

Aim: The study aimed to evaluate the role of H-FABP in early detection of AMI by comparing its sensitivity, specificity and predictive value with Creatinine Kinase-MB (CK-MB) and Cardiac Troponin I (cTnI).

Materials And Methods: This is a cross-sectional descriptive study of 50 patients admitted with the diagnosis of AMI at a tertiary care hospital in South India.

Analysis of the Cellular Immune Responses to Vaccines.

Flow cytometry, enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISpot) and cellular cytotoxicity assays are powerful tools for studying the cellular immune response towards intracellular pathogens and vaccines in livestock species. Lymphocytes from immunized animals can be purified using Ficoll-Paque density gradient centrifugation and evaluated for their antigen specificity or reactivity towards a vaccine. Here, we describe staining of bovine lymphocytes with peptide (p)-MHC class I tetramers and antibodies specific towards cellular activation markers for evaluation by multiparametric flow cytometry, as well as interferon (IFN)-γ ELISpot and cytotoxicity using chromium ((51)Cr) release assays.

Perceptions and practices of self-medication in healthcare and nonhealthcare university students in South India.

Background: The aim was to study and compare knowledge, attitude and practices regarding self-medication in healthcare and nonhealthcare university students.

Methods: Suitably constructed, structured and pretested questionnaires were distributed to 350 students in each group; data were documented in SPSS software version 20.0 and analyzed using χ2-test and multivariate logistic regression analysis.

Awareness about basic life support and emergency medical services and its associated factors among students in a tertiary care hospital in South India.

Background: The knowledge and skills about the basic life support (BLS) and the advanced life support are the most important determining factors of the cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) success rates.

Objectives: To determine the level of awareness on BLS and skills among undergraduate and postgraduate students of medical and dental profession, as well as nursing students and interns in a tertiary care hospital.

Materials And Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in a tertiary care hospital in South India.

Use of "one-pot, mix-and-read" peptide-MHC class I tetramers and predictive algorithms to improve detection of cytotoxic T lymphocyte responses in cattle.

Peptide-major histocompatibility complex (p-MHC) class I tetramer complexes have facilitated the early detection and functional characterisation of epitope specific CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL). Here, we report on the generation of seven recombinant bovine leukocyte antigens (BoLA) and recombinant bovine β2-microglobulin from which p-MHC class I tetramers can be derived in ~48 h. We validated a set of p-MHC class I tetramers against a panel of CTL lines specific to seven epitopes on five different antigens of Theileria parva, a protozoan pathogen causing the lethal bovine disease East Coast fever.

Malarial hepatopathy and its outcome in India.

Background: Jaundice in Plasmodium falciparum malaria is multifactorial and its incidence varies in different regions. It is important to assess the incidence and factors associated with malarial hepatopathy as well as its complications to understand the pattern of disease presentation in order to undertake appropriate interventional measures. There is a paucity of data with regard to malarial hepatopathy and its outcome at the global level.

Cytotoxic T lymphocytes from cattle immunized against Theileria parva exhibit pronounced cross-reactivity among different strain-specific epitopes of the Tp1 antigen.

The protozoan parasite Theileria parva causes a usually fatal disease in cattle, known as East Coast fever. Cattle can be vaccinated by injecting live parasites simultaneously with long acting oxytetracycline (the infection and treatment method, ITM). The immunity induced by ITM is believed to be mediated by cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL).

Two Theileria parva CD8 T cell antigen genes are more variable in buffalo than cattle parasites, but differ in pattern of sequence diversity.

Background: Theileria parva causes an acute fatal disease in cattle, but infections are asymptomatic in the African buffalo (Syncerus caffer). Cattle can be immunized against the parasite by infection and treatment, but immunity is partially strain specific. Available data indicate that CD8(+) T lymphocyte responses mediate protection and, recently, several parasite antigens recognised by CD8(+) T cells have been identified.

Characterization of the fine specificity of bovine CD8 T-cell responses to defined antigens from the protozoan parasite Theileria parva.

Immunity against the bovine intracellular protozoan parasite Theileria parva has been shown to be mediated by CD8 T cells. Six antigens targeted by CD8 T cells from T. parva-immune cattle of different major histocompatibility complex (MHC) genotypes have been identified, raising the prospect of developing a subunit vaccine.