Immunodiagnosis of groundnut and watermelon bud necrosis viruses using polyclonal antiserum to recombinant nucleocapsid protein of Groundnut bud necrosis virus

In vitro gene expression strategy was used for the production of polyclonal antiserum to the nucleocapsid protein (NP) of Groundnut bud necrosis virus (GBNV). The GBNV NP gene from cowpea isolate was cloned into 6x His-tagged UA cloning vector and expressed in Escherichia coli [M15] cells. The fusion protein was detected in insoluble fraction and was purified by using Ni-NTA agarose resin. The purified 6x His-fusion protein (32 kDa) was used for immunisation to produce a high titre polyclonal antiserum. The antiserum to the NP of GBNV at 1:4000 dilution detected successfully natural infection of GBNV and Watermelon bud necrosis virus in a wide range of cucurbitaceous, leguminous and solanaceous hosts from different locations.     

Acute ethanol consumption synergizes with trauma to increase monocyte tumor necrosis factor α production late postinjury

The hypothesis that acute ethanol uptake plus trauma can synergize to increase immunosuppression was tested. We found that, unlike non-alcohol-exposed patients, patients with acute alcohol use prior to trauma have a transient decrease in monocyte tumor necrosis factor (TNF) production during the very early postinjury (0–3 days) period. However, TNF production by these alcoholexposed patients' monocytes (MØ) became hyperelevated late postinjury (>9 days). Consequently, these massively elevated MØ TNF levels can contribute to posttrauma immunosuppression after acute alcohol use. We also demonstrate that normal monocyte activation with the superantigen,Staphylococcus enterotoxin B (SEB), results in a preferential induction of cellassociated MØ TNF production, described as characteristic of immunosuppressed trauma patients. Acutein vitro ethanol treatment down-regulated the elevated TNF production by trauma patients' MØ after either SEB, muramyl-dipeptide (MDP), interferon- plus MDP, or lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation. Both SEB- and LPS-induced TNF mRNA induction was inhibited by acute alcohol treatment in normal MØ, indicating that ethanol can regulate cytokine gene expression. An additional immunosuppressive effect of acute ethanol's stimulation was suggested by its induction of elevated transforming growth factor production in trauma patients' activated MØ.     

Comparison of Observational and Controlled Clinical Trials of Diltiazem in the Treatment of Chronic Anal Fissure

Diltiazem has been extensively studied in the treatment of chronic anal fissures, but efficacy in clinical practice is not fully established. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of topical application diltiazem in observational studies as well as in controlled clinical trials in the treatment of chronic anal fissures. A systematic literature search was carried out from 1966 to 31 December, 2007 on PubMed, Medline, Embase and Cochrane database, using the appropriate search words. We found six observational studies with 392 patients and five controlled clinical trials with 289 patients in which topical diltiazem treatment was given. Efficacy was found to be very high in observational studies (56.88%), whereas it was found to be modest in controlled clinical trials (29.41%). In observational studies, most of the patients reported complete healing of fissures within 6–12 weeks, whereas in controlled trials healing was reported within 8 weeks, with tolerable adverse effects of diltiazem. On the basis of the above studies, it can be concluded that topical application of diltiazem is useful in the treatment of chronic anal fissure, but to fully establish its efficacy, larger prospective double-blind study is required in the near future.     

NMR based CSF metabolomics in tuberculous meningitis: correlation with clinical and MRI findings

Metabolic Brain Disease - We report the potential role of 1H Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) based metabolomics in tuberculous meningitis (TBM). We also correlate the significant metabolites with...     

Cure and reinfection patterns of geohelminthic infections after treatment in communities inhabiting the tropical rainforest of Assam, India

Mass de-worming targeted at socio-economically poor communities can be considered as an option for communities living in the tropical forests of Assam who do not have access to safe drinking water and proper sanitation, and consequently have a higher risk of suffering from geohelminthic infection and associated morbidity. A random sample of 265 subjects was included in this study (134 males and 131 females). The chemotherapeutic regimen followed was a single dose of albendazole 400 mg. Stools samples were collected in 10% formol-saline for detection of infection before treatment. Post-treatment stool samples were collected 10 to 14 days after treatment to determine the cure rate. Stool samples were again collected 3 to 6 months post-treatment to study the rate of reinfection. Multiple logistic regression was used to find possible associations between age, sex and treatment failure. The chi-square test was used wherever appropriate. The cure rates for Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura and hookworms were 70.8%, 68.7% and 93.0%, respectively. Logistic regression revealed that age was associated with treatment failure in A. lumbricoides infection. Re-infection rates after 3 months of successful treatment were 19.6% for A. lumbricoides, 30.9% for T. trichiura and 11.3% for hookworms. Six months post-treatment, the prevalence of re-infection was highest with T. trichiura (43.6%); followed by A. lumbricoides (35.3%). The rate of reinfection with hookworms was lower (11.3%) six months post-treatment. The rates of re-infection with A. lumbricoides and T. trichiura was higher in children below 15 years of age, compared with adults. Hookworm reinfection was higher in the adult age group (15 to 39 years). The rates of new infection in previously uninfected subjects were lower compared with the rates for re-infection.     

Emerging role of uterine natural killer cells in establishing pregnancy

Normal pregnancy has been considered as a controlled state of inflammation at an early stage of blastocyst implantation that subsequently develops systemically. Till recent past most popular hypotheses regarding status of immune system in pregnancy were dominated by the Th1 and Th2 hypothesis, in which the fetus avoids maternal rejection through a bias towards T-helper (Th2) cytokine production. Recent findings have shown that predominant immune interactions in the human deciduas are between the placental trophoblast and maternal uterine natural killer (uNK) cells rather than the T cells. Thus NK cells are emerging as important players in the uterine immune response to invasive forms of placenta, as in cases of hemochorial placenta. In humans there is a lack of evidence for T-cell responses to trophoblast cells; therefore it was thought that uterine NK cells are the key factors by which the maternal immune system recognizes trophoblast cells. In this review we are trying to summarize the role of uNK cells in the maintenance of normal pregnancy in humans.     

A new begomovirus–betasatellite complex is associated with chilli leaf curl disease in Sri Lanka

Leaf curl disease of chilli (LCDC) is a major constraint in production of chilli in the Indian subcontinent. The objective of this study was to identify the begomovirus species occurring in chilli in Sri Lanka, where the LCDC was initially recorded in 1938. The virus samples were collected from the North Central Province, the major chilli growing region in Sri Lanka with a history of epidemic prevalence of LCDC. The virus could be readily transmitted by Bemisia tabaci to chilli, tomato and tobacco, where vein clearing followed by leaf curl developed. The genome analysis of two isolates obtained from two distantly located fields showing 100 % LCDC, revealed that the DNA-A genome (2754 nucleotides) shared 89.5 % sequence identity with each other and 68.80–84.40 % sequence identity with the other begomoviruses occurring in the Indian subcontinent. The closest identity (84.40 %) of the virus isolates was with Tomato leaf curl Sri Lanka virus (ToLCLKV). The results support that a new begomovirus species is affecting chilli in Sri Lanka and the name Chilli leaf curl Sri Lanka virus (ChiLCSLV) is proposed. Recombination analysis indicated that ChiLCSLV was a recombinant virus potentially originated from the begomoviruses prevailing in southern India and Sri Lanka. The genome of betasatellite associated with the two isolates consisted of 1366 and 1371 nucleotides and shared 95.2 % sequence identity with each other and 41.50–73.70 % sequence identity with the other betasatellite species. The results suggest that a new begomovirus betasatellite, Chilli leaf curl Sri Lanka betasatellite is associated with LCDC in Sri Lanka. This study demonstrates a new species of begomovirus and betasatellite complex is occurring in chilli in Sri Lanka and further shows that diverse begomovirus species are affecting chilli production in the Indian subcontinent.