Selection, characterisation and evaluation of potential probiotic Lactobacillus spp. isolated from poultry droppings

Aim of the present study was to characterise and evaluate probiotic potential of lactobacilli isolated from indigenous poultry. Lactobacilli were isolated from poultry droppings and identified by genus specific polymerase chain reaction and 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Isolates were characterised in vitro by their ability to tolerate low pH and bile salts, phytase activity, antimicrobial activity, antibiotic susceptibility profile, and autoaggregation and coaggregation with poultry gut pathogens. In vivo evaluation of selected isolates was done by their effect on the body weight gain and immune response of broiler chicks. Total of 90, one-day old chicks, were randomly divided in 9 groups and given selected lactobacilli alone and in combinations (10⁸ cfu/bird, daily) from day 7 to day 35. Body weight gain and humoral immune response to New Castle Disease Virus (NDV) vaccine were determined weekly. Three lactobacilli isolates (SMP52, SMP64 and SMP70) were selected as potentially probiotic bacteria on the basis of in vitro characterisation and identified as Lactobacillus crispatus, Lactobacillus casei and L. crispatus, respectively. Chicks supplemented with 'SMP52', 'SMP64', 'SMP70' and 'SMP64+SMP70' and a commercial probiotic product (Protexin) showed significantly higher mean weight gain per bird (1,584±35.2, 1,629±30.6, 1,668±34.7, 1,619±29.5 and 1,576±31.7 g/bird, respectively) as compared to negative control group (1,394±26.7 g/bird), on day 35. SMP 70 also showed significantly higher geometric mean titre against NDV vaccine at day 21 as compared to negative control. It is concluded that L. crispatus SMP52, L. casei SMP64 and L. crispatus SMP70 are potential probiotic candidates which alone or in different combinations may increase body weight of broilers.

A Bitendinous Palmaris Longus: Aberrant Insertions and Its Clinical Impact - A Case Report

Palmaris longus, phylogenetically a retrogressive muscle, exhibits significant anatomical variations compared to other muscles of the upper extremity. It is of great surgical importance because, it is the first option tendon for graft procedures in various cosmetic, plastic and reconstructive surgeries. It has also been widely used in various tendon transfer procedures in treating facial paralysis, ptosis correction, lip augmentation and digital pulley reconstruction. We report a rare variant pattern of Palmaris longus with duplicated tendons and with multiple insertions to thenar and hypothenar muscles, fasciae and the flexor retinaculum along with its normal continuation as palmar aponeurosis. Variations in its insertions not only contribute, but also augment the various pathological processes such as Dupuytren's contracture, Carpal tunnel and Guyon's syndromes. So it is of utmost importance for surgeons, physicians and radiologists, to be aware of these variations, well in advance.

Probing the repulsive core of the nucleon-nucleon interaction via the (4)He(e,e'pN) triple-coincidence reaction

We studied simultaneously the (4)He(e,e'p), (4)He(e,e'pp), and (4)He(e,e'pn) reactions at Q(2)=2(GeV/c)(2) and x(B)>1, for an (e,e'p) missing-momentum range of 400 to 830  MeV/c. The knocked-out proton was detected in coincidence with a proton or neutron recoiling almost back to back to the missing momentum, leaving the residual A=2 system at low excitation energy. These data were used to identify two-nucleon short-range correlated pairs and to deduce their isospin structure as a function of missing momentum, in a region where the nucleon-nucleon (NN) force is expected to change from predominantly tensor to repulsive. The abundance of neutron-proton pairs is reduced as the nucleon momentum increases beyond ∼500  MeV/c. The extracted fraction of proton-proton pairs is small and almost independent of the missing momentum. Our data are compared with calculations of two-nucleon momentum distributions in (4)He and discussed in the context of probing the elusive repulsive component of the NN force.

Jejuno-jejunal intussusception in an adult - a cadaveric case report

lntussusception is rare in adults. It accounts for 5 to 10% of all intussusceptions and 1 % of all bowel obstructions. It has a definite lead point in the form of either a lesion in the bowel wall or intraluminal, which alters the normal peristalsis and may lead to an invagination. It may present as an acute, intermittent or chronic problem and thus making its pre-operative diagnosis difficult. The symptoms are usually those of bowel obstructions which include nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain with or without melena and it depends on the causative lesions. Ultrasound and CT scans are the two most important radiological methods used in the diagnosis of intussusceptions. Surgical resection of the intussuscepted mass without reduction and end to end anastomosis is the preferred line of treatment in adults, because most of the enteric intussusceptions are associated with malignancy. In this report, we present a case of jejuno - jejunal intussusception in a dissection hall cadaver and analyze its incidence, etio-pathogenesis, classification, symptomatology, importance of imaging studies in the diagnosis and the therapeutic interventions in detail.

Intravaginal administration of lactic acid bacteria modulated the incidence of purulent vaginal discharges, plasma haptoglobin concentrations, and milk production in dairy cows

This investigation studied the effects of intravaginal administration of a mixture of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) on the incidence of purulent vaginal discharges (PVD), plasma haptoglobin concentrations, and milk production in dairy cows. A total of 82 pregnant primiparous and multiparous Holstein dairy cows were used in this study. Half of the cows received intravaginally 1mL of LAB at 10(10)-10(12)cfu/mL and the other half 1mL of reconstituted skim milk (i.e., carrier) (controls). Administration of LAB was conducted once per wk during 2 and 1wk before the expected day of calving and at 1, 2, 3, and 4wk postpartum. Data demonstrated that intravaginal administration of LAB decreased the occurrence of PVD at 3wk postpartum (P<0.05). Concentrations of plasma haptoglobin, an acute phase protein often associated with uterine infections, was lower in cows treated with the LAB mixture at 2wk (P<0.001) and 3wk (P<0.05) postpartum. Treatment with LAB did not improve overall pregnancy rate, but the treated multiparous cows produced more milk than their control counterparts (P<0.05), whereas no difference was observed in primiparous cows regarding milk yield (P>0.05). Overall, this is the first study demonstrating that intravaginal LAB administration lowers the incidence of PVD and enhances milk production in dairy cows. Further research is warranted to evaluate the effects of LAB on reproductive performance in a larger cohort of cows.

A comprehensive study of the anatomical variations of the circle of willis in adult human brains

BACKGROUND

Cerebrovascular diseases such as stroke, aneurysms and arterio-venous malformations are very much prevalent in our country. Circle of Willis, as an anastomotic polygon at the base of the brain forms an important collateral network to maintain adequate cerebral perfusion. Changes in the normal morphology of the circle may condition the appearance and severity of symptoms of cerebrovascular disorders, such as aneurysms, infarctions and other vascular anomalies. A possible link between abnormalities of the circle of Willis and the mentally ill patients has been observed.

AIM AND OBJECTIVES

The aim of the present study is to have an intimate knowledge of the variations in the cerebral arterial circle and to clarify the clinical importance of these variations in certain forms of cerebrovascular diseases. So an attempt was made to analyse the anatomical variations of the circle in a random population.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The work was based on fifty adult brains from persons died of diverse causes. The materials were obtained during routine autopsy studies. The base of the brain including the brain stem with intact arterial circle was preserved in 10% formalin for 10 days. The circle of Willis and its major branches were carefully dissected under water using a magnifying lens. The variations were recorded and photographed.

RESULTS

Majority of the circles (52%) showed anomalies. Hypoplasia was the most frequent anomaly and was found in 24% of the brains. Accessory vessels in the form of duplications/triplications of anterior communicating artery were seen in 12% of the circles. The embryonic origin of the posterior cerebral artery from the internal carotid persisted in 10% of the circles. An incomplete circle due to the absence of one or other posterior communicating artery was found in 6% of the specimens.Variations are more frequent in posterior half of the circle.

CONCLUSION

The anatomical variations of the circle of Willis were probably genetically determined, develop in early embryonic stage and persist in post natal life. The amplitude of neck movements, racial, environmental and hemodynamic factors may also modify these variations. These anomalies may alter the occurrence, severity of symptoms, treatment options and recovery from certain cerebrovascular disorders viz., stroke and aneurysms. A detailed knowledge of the vascular variants is useful to surgeons in planning their shunt operations, choice of the patients and also keeps away inadvertent vascular traumas during surgeries.

A history of shoulder surgery

Shoulder surgery has emerged from being a marginalised sub-speciality to being an area of much research and advancement within the last seventy years. This has been despite the complexity of the joint, and success majorly rests on parallel development of biomedical technology. This article looks at the past and present of shoulder surgery and discusses future directions in the speciality.

The addition of a large caliber needle during endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration of solid and lymph node lesions: any importance?

AIM

The benefits of using multiple gauge needles during EUS-FNA of solid and lymph node lesions are unknown. The purpose of our study was to find out the significance of adding a large caliber needle if small caliber needle fail to achieve diagnostic specimen after few passes.

METHODS

It was a retrospective review of all EUS-FNA procedures performed by one of the two experienced endosonographers. A large (22 or 19 gauge) needle was added if on-site cytologic analysis did not reveal adequate specimen after ≥2 passes. The adequacy of the specimen was determined by the Cytopathologist, and categorized as either satisfactory for analysis or unsatisfactory. The cytologic findings were reported as either benign or malignant.

RESULTS

Out of total 1200 EUS cases, FNA was performed in 306 cases with different solid and lymph node lesions. Multiple gauge needles were used in 188/306 (39%) cases. There was no statistically significant difference in the diagnostic yield and definitive diagnosis between multiple and single gauge needle groups. The finding was unchanged after controlling the number of needle passes. No complications were noted.

CONCLUSION

The addition of a large caliber needle achieved at least the same (or even slightly higher diagnostic yield), and can be a method of rescue in certain cases.

Disseminated microsporidiosis in a renal transplant recipient: case report and review of the literature

Microsporidia are opportunistic pathogens that usually cause a limited disease in the gastrointestinal tract. Occasionally, they can cause disseminated disease. In solid organ transplant recipients, disseminated disease has been reported only rarely. We describe a 68-year-old woman who presented with fever, cough, and acute kidney injury 6 months after kidney transplantation. Dissemination was confirmed by identification of microsporidial spores in urine and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Polymerase chain reaction analysis identified the species as Encephalitozoon cuniculi.

Renal support in acute kidney injury

Acute kidney injury requiring renal replacement therapy (RRT) is associated with an unacceptably high mortality rate. Despite the identification of the modality, timing and intensity of dialysis, membrane biocompatibility, hollow fiber and catheter properties as potential modifying factors, there is little convincing evidence for the superiority of one over the other. However, the available data suggest that the early initiation of RRT may be beneficial. A focused review of clinical trials and meta-analysis of clinical trials of RRT is provided.