Clinical characteristics of non-sleepy obstructive sleep apnea patients: a study in a tertiary care sleep clinic in India

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) encompasses a diverse population, manifesting with or without symptoms of excessive daytime sleepiness. There is contention surrounding the significance of non-sleepy OSA within clinical contexts and whether routine treatment is warranted. This study aims to evaluate epidemiological and clinical distinctions between sleepy and non-sleepy OSA patients. A retrospective analysis was conducted on consecutive patients undergoing polysomnography for OSA assessment at tertiary care hospitals between 2018 and 2023. For 176 of 250 patients, complete polysomnography records with OSA diagnoses were available. Non-sleepy OSA was defined when a patient had an Epworth sleepiness scale score <10 and polysomnography demonstrated an apnea hypopnea index ≥5/hour. Non-sleepy OSA patients were matched with sleepy OSA patients in terms of age and gender distribution (mean age 51.24±13.25 years versus 50.9±10.87 years, male 70.4% versus 73.3%). The sensitivity of STOP-BANG≥3 for the non-sleepy OSA group was 87.7%, 89.3%, and 95.2% for any OSA severity, moderate to severe OSA, and severe OSA, respectively, while the corresponding sensitivity for the sleepy OSA group was 96.5%, 98.6%, and 100% for any OSA severity, moderate to severe OSA, and severe OSA, respectively. A novel symptom scoring tool, HASSUN (hypertension, nocturnal apneas, snoring, sleep disturbance, unrefreshing sleep, and nocturia), demonstrated a sensitivity of over 90% for all severity categories of OSA in both non-sleepy and sleepy OSA groups. The prevalence of cardiovascular and metabolic comorbidities did not significantly differ between non-sleepy and sleepy OSA patients. The physiological parameters, including forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), FEV1/FVC ratio, arterial partial pressure of oxygen, and bicarbonate at baseline, were comparable between the two groups. To conclude, non-sleepy OSA patients are less obese, exhibit fewer symptoms, and have less severe OSA in comparison to sleepy OSA. Non-sleepy OSA patients display a similar likelihood of cardiovascular and metabolic comorbidities compared to sleepy OSA patients. Further investigations are warranted to elucidate the mechanisms underlying cardiovascular metabolic comorbidities in non-sleepy OSA patients. The proposed HASSUN scoring tool for non-sleepy OSA screening necessitates validation in future studies.

Thoracoscopic blood patch instillation for persistent air leak in pneumothorax: a case series and systematic review

Persistent air leaks in patients with pneumothorax can lead to significant morbidity. If a patient with persistent air leak is medically unfit for thoracic surgery, medical pleurodesis via chest tube or thoracoscopy is either an option. Thoracoscopy offers the advantage of visualizing the site of the air leak and enabling direct instillation of the pleurodesis agent or glue at that location. Autologous blood patch instillation via chest tube has been reported to be a cheap and very effective technique for the management of persistent air leaks. However, thoracoscopic blood patch instillation has not been reported in the literature. We report two cases of secondary spontaneous pneumothorax in which patients had persistent air leaks for more than seven days and were subjected to thoracoscopy to locate the site of the leak. In the same sitting, 50 mL of autologous blood patch was instilled directly at the leak site. Post-procedure, the air leak subsided in both patients, and the chest tube was removed with complete lung expansion. We also conducted a systematic review of the use of medical thoracoscopic interventions for treating persistent air leaks.

Comparative yield of transbronchial cryo-nodal biopsy, transbronchial intra-nodal forceps biopsy, and transbronchial needle aspiration for mediastinal lesions at a tertiary care center in India (COLD-FORCEPS study)

Endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) guided mediastinal cryobiopsy, and intranodal forceps biopsy are newer modalities for sampling mediastinal lymph nodes. The data regarding the diagnostic yield of both modalities is scarce. Patients were recruited retrospectively from our existing database. Patients who had undergone both an EBUS guided mediastinal cryobiopsy and an intranodal forceps biopsy were enrolled in the study. The final diagnosis was made with a clinical-pathological-radiological assessment and clinico-radiological follow-up after one month. A total of 34 patients were enrolled in the study who had undergone both EBUS guided mediastinal cryobiopsy and intranodal forceps biopsy and had complete data available, including 1-month follow-up data. The sample adequacy rate of EBUS-transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA), EBUS-TBNA with mediastinal cryobiopsy, and EBUS-TBNA with intranodal forceps biopsy was 94.11%, 97.05%, and 94.11%, respectively (p=0.56). The diagnostic yield achieved in EBUS-TBNA, EBUS-TBNA with mediastinal cryobiopsy, and EBUS-TBNA with intranodal forceps biopsy was 73.52%, 82.35%, and 79.41%, respectively (p=0.38). No major complications were seen in any patient. To conclude, adding EBUS guided mediastinal cryobiopsy and intranodal forceps biopsy to EBUS-TBNA may not be superior to routine EBUS-TBNA.

Comparison of immediate withdrawal and stepwise reduction in duration of non-invasive ventilation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients presenting with acute hypercapnic respiratory failure

There is no universally acceptable protocol for the withdrawal of non-invasive ventilation (NIV) in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients presenting with acute hypercapnic respiratory failure (AHcRF). This study was carried out to evaluate immediate against stepwise reduction in NIV. Sixty COPD patients with AHcRF who were managed with NIV were randomized into two groups - immediate NIV withdrawal (Group A), and stepwise reduction of NIV duration (Group B). The rate of successful NIV withdrawal, time to recurrence of hypercapnic respiratory failure, total duration of NIV use, and hospital length of stay (LOS), were compared among the 2 groups. NIV was successfully withdrawn in 51/60 (85%) patients. NIV was successfully withdrawn in 24/30 (80%) patients in Group A and 27/30 (90%) patients in Group B (p=0.472). The total duration of NIV use was significantly lower in Group A (38.97±17 hours) as compared to Group B (64.3±7.74 hours) (p<0.0001). The hospital LOS was significantly lower in group A (5.8±1.6 days) as compared to Group B (7.7±0.61 days) (p<0.0001). To conclude, immediate withdrawal of the NIV after recovery of respiratory failure among patients with exacerbation of COPD is feasible and does not increase the risk of weaning failure.

Tumor cell phagocytosis (cannibalism) in lung cancer: possible biomarker for tumor immune escape and prognosis

BACKGROUND

Tumor cell phagocytosis (cannibalism) is rarely seen in lung carcinomas. Little is known about its underlying cellular pathogenesis and associated significance as tumor immune escape mechanism.

METHODOLOGY

The cases of lung cancer diagnosed at department of Pathology, VPCI over 13-year period, 2007-2020 (n = 350) were retrospectively reviewed. The cases displaying cannibalism were correlated with their tumor morphology, coexisting inflammation, patient age at presentation, sex, stage/grade, and smoking status.

RESULTS

Cannibalism was identified in 10/350 (2.86%) cases of lung cancer. 9/10 (90%) were males and 1/10 (10%) was female. These patients ranged from 48-71 years of age and presented with history of chest pain, anorexia and weight loss. History of smoking was seen in 9/10 (90%) cases while 10% were non-smokers. Mass lesions were seen on CT scan and CT-guided fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) was performed. Cytopathology revealed squamous cell carcinoma (5/10, 50%), adenocarcinoma-3/10 (30%), adenosquamous carcinoma (1/10, 10%), and non small cell lung carcinoma (1/10, 10%). No association with small cell carcinoma was seen in our study. Background inflammation and infiltration of acute on chronic inflammatory infiltrate were seen in 6/10 or 60% cases.

CONCLUSION

Lung cancers rarely show cannibalism, a tumor immune escape mechanism, even in advanced stage. This phenomenon correlates with squamous cell and adenocarcinoma morphology, tumor associated inflammatory infiltrate, and smoking status. It may be considered as a possible biomarker for tumor immune escape and poor prognosis.

Role of Emergency Automated Red Cell Exchange in Sickle Cell Crisis: A Case Report

For many years main stay of treatment for sickle cell anaemia was transfusion therapy. But repeated transfusions put the patient at risk of iron overload. Automated red cell exchange is an evolving and newer technique which rapidly removes the sickle cells and has benefit in decreasing sickle cell load and related complications. Red cell exchange is a therapeutic procedure in which the patient’s whole blood is processed centrifugally in cell separator. Patient’s red cells are separated from other blood components and removed and replaced with donor red cells and colloids. We report our first experience of automated red cell exchange in 24-year-old female diagnosed case of sickle cell anaemia presented to us with acute chest syndrome with septic shock. Red cell exchange was planned to tide over the acute sickle cell crisis and provide symptomatic improvement. We also highlight that compound heterozygous thalassaemia could be associated with sickle cell disease which could make the diagnosis difficult. New generation automated Apheresis equipment’s provides better monitoring of the procedure that can be useful in severely ill patients also.

Molecular expression and identification of caprine estrogen receptor gene 1 for fertility status in bucks

Estrogen and its receptors are essential for sexual development and reproduction. Oestrogen receptor alpha (ERα) is a nuclear receptor activated by the hormone oestrogen. In male, ERα is encoded by the gene ESR1 (oestrogen receptor1) responsible for better fertility. ESR1 is involved in the reabsorption of luminal fluid during the transit of spermatozoa from the testis to the head of the epididymis which is important for their survival and maturation during epididymal storage. The absence of ESR1 leads to reduced epididymal sperm content, reduced sperm motility and fertilizing ability. The present study was undertaken to investigate the expression and presence of ESR1 gene in fertile and low-fertile male goat breeds. We identified ESR1 gene through various molecular tools. Genotyping was carried out by high resonance melting analysis using Roche Light Cycler 480(LC-480) system and found three different genotypes. Genotypic frequency-AA (blue-0.67), BB(Red-0.2), AB(Green-0.08) with allele frequency A(0.71 and B (0.29). The predominance of this gene in head of epididymis in fertile bucks was confirmed by SDS-PAGE, Western blotting and immunohistochemistry. From the results, we corroborated that the present study provides a useful and effective way to predict male fertility in goat breeds, which in turn increases the percentage of fertility in flock leading to more number of offspring in a kidding season.

Primary hyperparathyroidism presenting as severe hypercalcemia with acute pancreatitis in pregnancy

Primary hyperparathyroidism presenting first time with severe hypercalcemia is rare in pregnancy. We report a case of primary hyperparathyroidism due to a cystic parathyroid adenoma presenting as severe hypercalcemia with acute pancreatitis in second trimester of pregnancy. Acute pancreatitis was managed by conservative treatment. Hypercalcemia failed to respond to medical management and ultimately responded to ultrasound-guided ethanol ablation of parathyroid adenoma. The delivery was uneventful and patient continues to remain normocalcemic during follow up. As such, ethanol ablation of parathyroid adenoma may be considered during pregnancy in case of failure of response to medical management and when surgical removal of parathyroid adenoma is not safe.

Comparative analysis of buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) non-transgenic and transgenic embryos containing human insulin gene, produced by SCNT

Somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT), using transgenic donor cells, is a highly efficient method for producing transgenic embryos. We compared the developmental competence, quality and gene expression of transgenic embryos produced by Hand-made cloning from buffalo fetal fibroblasts (BFFs) containing human insulin gene, with non-transgenic embryos produced from BFFs (Controls). The expression vector (pAcISUBC), constructed by inserting human insulin gene between DNA fragments containing mammary gland-specific buffalo β-lactoglobulin (buBLG) promoter and terminator buBLG 3'UTR regions into pAcGFP-N1 vector, was used for obtaining the 11 kb insert for transfection of BFFs by nucleofection. Presence of the transgene in embryos was confirmed by examining GFP expression by RT-PCR and immunofluorescence. The blastocyst rate was lower (P < 0.05) for transgenic embryos than for controls (35.7 ± 1.8% vs 48.7 ± 2.4%). The apoptotic index was higher (P < 0.05) for transgenic than for control blastocysts which, in turn, was higher (P < 0.05) than for IVF counterparts (6.9 ± 0.9, 3.8 ± 0.5 and 1.8 ± 0.3, respectively). The total cell number was similar for transgenic and non-transgenic blastocysts (143.2 ± 17.0 and 137.2 ± 7.6, respectively). The expression level of pro-apoptotic genes BAX and BID but not that of CASP3 and CASP9, and cell cycle check point control-related gene P53 was higher (P < 0.05), and that of development- (IGF-1R and G6PD) and pluripotency-related gene NANOG was lower (P < 0.05) in transgenic than in control embryos. The expression level of epigenetic-related genes DNMT1, DNMT3a and HDAC1 and pluripotency-related gene OCT4 was similar in the two groups. The expression level of BAX, BID, CASP9, P53, DNMT1 and DNMT3a was higher (P < 0.05) and that of OCT4, NANOG IGF-1R and G6PD was lower (P < 0.05) in cloned transgenic than in IVF blastocysts whereas, that of CASP3 and HDAC1 was similar between the two groups. In conclusion, these results suggest that transgenic embryos produced by SCNT have lower developmental competence and quality, and altered gene expression compared to non-transgenic embryos.

Development of Operational Framework for Management of Common Cancers in India

Background and context: Cancers of the breast, uterine cervix, and oral cavity are the 3 most common malignancies in India. Overall, they comprise around one third of >1 million cases diagnosed with cancer in India each year. An effective operational framework (OF) for early detection and screening programs should play a key role in reducing and managing the cancer burden in India. Aim: i. To provide guidelines to the clinicians, and public health practitioners for screening and early detection of breast, uterine cervix, and lip or oral cavity cancers in India. ii. To build guide/roadmap for policymakers involved in developing and implementing strategies for cancer control in India. Strategy/Tactics: In collaboration with the Center for Global Health at the U.S. National Cancer Institute, 25 scientific experts comprising researchers, public health leaders, medical and dental professionals from France, India, United States, and Zambia met at Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)-National Institute of Cancer Prevention and Research, to summarize the feasible options and relevant evidence for screening and early detection of common cancers in India. They came out with the operational framework Program/Policy process: Recognizing the key role that effective early detection and screening programs could have in reducing the cancer burden, the ICMR-National Institute of Cancer Prevention and Research, in collaboration with the U.S. National Cancer Institute Center for Global Health, held a workshop to summarize feasible options and relevant evidence for screening and early detection of common cancers in India. Outcomes: a. A publication in Lancet: Rajaraman P, Anderson BO, Basu P, et al: Recommendations for screening and early detection of common cancers in India. Lancet Oncol 16(7):e352-e361, 2015. b. State and PHC level trainings on operational framework started in each state for the primary health care providers. What was learned: The OF acts as a guide for policymakers, clinicians, and public health practitioners who are developing and implementing strategies in cancer control. Common and consistent OF will go a long way to chart out the intensity of the problem and to rectify it.

Biochemical Profiling of Smokeless Tobacco Product Kiwam at Different Processing Steps

Introduction: Kiwam (qiwam) is a partially fermented tobacco product consumed with betel quid (paan). The major constituents of this product are tobacco, saffron (zaffrani) and some other additives. It contains tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNA) which is considered as a cancer causing agent. To elucidate the carcinogenic property of kiwam, biochemical profiling of its constituents at different stages of processing is needed. The major processing steps involved in the formation of kiwam and biochemical profiling/changes at each processing step is still unknown. Aim: To describe the major processing steps and biochemical changes that occur at each processing step during the preparation of kiwam. Methods: Tobacco leaves and stems were washed with Millipore water so as to remove the dirt particles from the leaves and stems. It is then boiled in water followed by filtering of the constituents to remove the leaves and stem residues. The filtrate was again boiled to form a thick paste residue. The resultant paste was partially fermented through sun curing, and lastly, saffron along with specific additives was added. The samples from each step were analyzed for biochemical profiling through Continuous Flow Autoanalyzer using Flow View Solution 3700 Analyzer (version 1.2.2) software. Results: The biochemical changes at TSNA levels were observed at each processing steps. The detailed chemical profiling will be presented during the meeting. Conclusion: Kiwam is rich in TSNA and hence its use should be avoided.

Genetic analysis of growth parameters and survival potential of Jamunapari goats in semiarid tropics

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The estimates of heritability for body weight from birth to 12 months age ranged from 0.10 to 0.43.

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The estimates of heritability for average daily gain (ADG) during various growth phase varied from 0.04 to 0.41.

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The heritability estimates of survival potential for post-weaning period to 12 months of age varied from 0.18 to 0.39.

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The genetic trend of body growth traits at 9 months of age and 12 months of age was positive.

Goats are adaptable to varied farming environments and contribute significantly towards sustainable livestock production and food security. Selective breeding of goats for improved performance is an important component of sustainable production. The objectives of the present study were to determine the most appropriate models of analysis for growth traits, to estimate genetic parameters, survival potential of kids from birth to 12 months of age and to estimate genetic trends for growth traits of Jamunapari kids at different ages. Genetic parameter estimates were obtained from 6590 records generated between 1982 and 2012 from 5922 animals with a pedigree covering over 13 generations. The most parsimonious model for early growth traits included permanent environmental effects due to the dam (PE) and litter effects. Similarly, the most appropriate model for early average daily gain (ADG) between birth and 3 or 6 months also included PE and litter effects. The estimates of heritability for survival from birth to 12 months of age ranged from 0.10 to 0.43. The estimates of heritability for ADG varied from 0.04 to 0.41. In general, higher estimates of heritability were observed when a sire model was fitted in the random effect. There was no genetic variation observed for survival between birth and 3 months of age. However, heritability estimates of between 0.18 and 0.39 were observed for survivability during post-weaning period to 12 months of age. The genetic trend at 9 months of age and 12 months of age was 0.144 kg 0.189 kg per year respectively. The genetic trend at all the ages was positive during the study period.

126 A Comparison of Two Different Follicular Coasting Periods for In Vitro Embryo Production in Indian Nelore Cattle

Ongole, also known as Nelore (Bos indicus) cattle, are indigenous to the Andhra region in the Prakasam District in the State of Andhra Pradesh in India. A better understanding and utilisation of follicular wave dynamics within this breed would ultimately enhance oocyte and potential embryo production. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the differences between coasting periods of 24 h (S1) and 36 h (S2) on oocyte recovery, the rate of viable oocytes, cleavage, and Day 7 blastocyst rates of Nelore cattle in India. A total of 58 ovum pick-up (OPU) sessions (29 per treatment) were performed on 32 healthy donor cows that were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 coasting treatments (S1 or S2). Donors were stimulated as follows: 2.5 mL of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH; Receptal, MSD Animal Health, New Zealand) given IM on Day 1 followed by once-daily descending dose of Folltropin® (FSH, Vetoquinol, Canada) on Days 3 to 5 for a total of 180 mg. Cumulus-oocyte complexes were collected following OPU on Day 6 either at 24 (S1) or 36 h (S2) following the last FSH injection (coasting period). Donors were subject to OPU 1 to 3 times with a minimum interval of 15 days between procedures from March to April 2017. All 32 donor cows were non-lactating at the time of aspiration and divided equally between treatment groups. A total of 1492 follicles produced 850 total oocytes with oocyte recovery numbers for treatments S1 and S2 (785, 707; 441, 409; respectively). All data were analysed by ANOVA (P < 0.05). The mean number of follicles aspirated from S1 (27 ± 20.2) was not significantly different from that of S2 (24.4 ± 14.4). For S1, 393/441 (89%) quality oocytes were utilised for culture compared with 323/409 (78.9%) for S2, with no differences between rates. Additionally, there were no differences between mean number of oocytes, cleaved embryos, and blastocysts for S1 (15.2 ± 12.7; 9.9 ± 9.2; 4.3 ± 5.4) and S2 (14.1 ± 10; 7.4 ± 6.0; 3.6 ± 3.3; respectively). In conclusion, there were no differences found between 24- or 36-h coasting periods of Nelore cattle undergoing OPU for follicle counts, oocyte recovery, viable oocyte rates, cleavage, and blastocyst rates. Further research is needed to determine whether different stimulation protocols, the use of lactating cows, or coasting periods could alter outcomes.

Diagnostic and Prognostic Role of Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio in Early and Late Phase of Sepsis

Objective

Early diagnosis of sepsis is necessary to decrease morbidity and mortality. This study aims to evaluate neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) as diagnostic and prognostic of early and late phase of sepsis.

Methods

It was a prospective, observational study, conducted in Intensive Care and High Dependency Unit (Daycare) of the Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine (tertiary care center), Rohtak, from January 2017 to December 2017. A total of 56 cases of newly diagnosed cases of sepsis were included in the study and 20 healthy adults were taken as controls. Daily NLR was calculated in cases till the primary outcome.

Results

The results suggested that NLR seems to have promising role as diagnostic and prognostic marker (with P = 0.001 and P = 0.045, respectively) in sepsis.

Conclusion

The study suggests that NLR can be a useful diagnostic and prognostic marker in sepsis.

Identification of heat stress-susceptible and -tolerant phenotypes in goats in semiarid tropics

The production performance of livestock is influenced by short-term variation in weather pattern. Goat adapts to varied ecological conditions and maintains productivity; however, wide variation has been observed among individual animals in response to environmental stimuli in a population. The objective of the present study was to identify the contrasting phenotypes on the basis of the physiological response in goats during heat stress. The study utilised 138 Jamunapari and 242 Barbari goats during peak heat-stress period and 82 Jamunapari and Barbari goats under thermo-neutral conditions. The physiological response of goats to different environmental conditions was evaluated by recording various parameters such as rectal temperature (RT), respiration rate (RR) and heart rate (HR). The temperature humidity index varied from 85.36 to 89.80 and from 65.32 to 73.12 during heat-stress and thermo-neutral assessments respectively. There was direct increase in HR and RR (>25%) due to heat stress in the animals, as compared with those in thermo-neutral conditions. On the basis of the distribution of RR and HR values across the breed in the population, the individuals having a RR of ≥50 and a HR of ≥130 are recognised as heat stress-susceptible phenotypes and those having a RR of ≤30 and a HR of ≤100 are recognised as heat stress-tolerant individuals. Different biomarkers were analysed in plasma, while heat-shock proteins and leptin were analysed in tissue extracts by ELISA. C-reactive protein and HSP90 concentrations were significantly (P < 0.05) different between heat stress-susceptible and heat stress-tolerant individuals. Heat-shock proteins HSP70, HSP 90, and C-reactive protein and triiodothyronine were reliable indicators of long-term heat stress. Identification of contrasting phenotypes in regard to heat stress is necessary so as to evaluate the expression pattern at a cellular level, as well as physiological and biochemical parameters.

Estimation of genetic parameters and genetic trends for milk yield traits in Jamunapari goats in semiarid tropics

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The heritability for milk yield traits were moderate to high.

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The repeatability estimates were moderate to high for milk yield traits.

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The genetic trends for milk yield traits were positive.

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Phenotypic trends for MY90, MY140 and TMY were positive.

The Jamunapari goats are reared as dairy animals in semi-arid conditions, therefore it is necessary to evaluate the genetic potential for the genetic improvement of milk production traits. The data comprised of 2217 phenotypic records for milk yield at 90 days (MY90) and 140 days (MY140), total milk yield (TMY) and lactation length (LL) obtained from the progeny of 173 sires and 446 dams during the period 1990–2013. The data were analysed using mixed linear models exploring random effects due to direct additive, maternal and permanent environment variance due to animal. The most appropriate genetic models for milk yield traits were those that included permanent environment effects due to the animal. The direct additive heritability estimates were 0.15 ± 0.05, 0.26 ± 0.07, 0.25 ± 0.08 for MY90, MY140 and TMY, respectively. The additive heritability estimate for LL was low and non-significant at 0.02 ± 0.03. The repeatability estimates were moderate to high ranging from 0.68 to 0.73 for milk yield traits. The repeatability for lactation length was 0.20 ± 0.03. Maternal variances were low ranging from 0.03 for MY90 to 0.13 for TMY. There was an increase in mean milk yield of 0.25, 0.70 and 0.72 kg/year respectively at 90 and 140 days, and for TMY. Genetic trends and phenotypic trends for MY90, MY140 and TMY were positive and indicated significant improvement in milk traits due to selective breeding.

Extra-pontine myelinolysis secondary to hypernatremia induced by postpartum water restriction

A young adult female with restricted water intake during the postpartum period presented with history of progressive weakness, dizziness and tendency to fall with generalized slowing of movement. On examination, patient was anaemic, febrile and stuporous. Investigations revealed hypernatremia, delta waves in electroencephalogram (EEG) and features suggestive of extra-pontine myelinolysis on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of brain. After correcting hypernatremia and instituting anti-cholinergic therapy, there was a gradual but steady improvement in neurological symptoms of the patient over a period of one week and the patient was discharged in a conscious, oriented and ambulant state. As such, neuroimaging findings can be crucial in diagnosing hypernatremic encephalopathy in the postpartum period.

209 PRODUCTION OF BUFFALO (BUBALUS BUBALIS) EMBRYOS CONTAINING HUMAN LYSOZYME GENE

Lysozyme is a ubiquitous enzyme found in all major taxa of living organisms with a diverse role in human and animal health. It plays an important role as a nonspecific immune factor and anti-inflammatory factor and is a part of the innate immune system. Research on the expression of recombinant human lysozyme is, thus, potentially valuable to the dairy industry. Therefore, the present study was carried out to observe the developmental competence and quality of cloned embryos containing the human lysozyme gene. Primary fetal fibroblast cells were obtained from a slaughterhouse-derived fetus. The initial passage cells were transfected with pAchLYZ vector containing human lysozyme gene and green fluorescence protein (GFP) via nucleofection, lipofectamine, and FuGene (Roche Diagnostics, Indianapolis, IN, USA). Transfected cells were selected by adding G418 (400–800 µg µL−1), which selectively killed the nontransfected cells in culture. The presence of hLYZ gene in transfected cells was confirmed by PCR amplification of this gene. For cloned embryo production, reconstructs were formed with 2 enucleated demi oocyte fused with 1 donor cell of hLYZ transfected cells or nontransfected fibroblast cells. Gene expression in the resulting embryos was assessed for apoptosis (BID, BAX, and BCL-XL) and development- (G6PD, IGF1R, and FGF) and pluripotency-related (OCT4, SOX2, and NANOG) genes. The transfection efficiency of the cells by nucleofection methods was the highest and toxicity to the cells was minimum as compared with chemical methods. Transfected cells expressed GFP within 48 to 72 h of transfection. When these cells were passaged the intensity of GFP expression was reduced and the reduced level was maintained in subsequent passages. A total of 114 and 60 reconstructed embryos were produced using transfected and nontransfected cells, respectively. When transfected cells were used, the cleavage, 4 cell, 8 to 16 cell, morula, and blastocyst rate was 62.01 ± 4.78, 43.54 ± 3.93, 27.69 ± 4.44, 24.55 ± 5.12, and 22.87 ± 5.39%, respectively, whereas rates were 73.34 ± 2.36, 68.34 ± 4.82, 59.89 ± 2.39, 46.44 ± 2.64, and 36.36 ± 2.53% for nontransfected cells, respectively. The cleavage rate had no significant (P < 0.05, Student’s t-test) difference in both type of donor cells but all other stages [i.e. 4 cell, 8 to 16 cell, morula, and blastocyst rate was significantly (P < 0.05) lower with transfected cells]. Most of the transgenic cloned embryos expressed GFP and integrated with hLYZ gene. We found that proapoptotic gene (BID and BAX) expression did not differ, whereas BCL-XL expression was significantly low (P < 0.05) in transgenic embryos. The development- (G6PD, IGF1R, and FGF) and pluripotency-related (OCT4, SOX2, and NANOG) gene expression was significantly (P < 0.05) lower in transgenic embryos. In conclusion, transgenic cloned embryo successfully developed up to the blastocyst stage in the preliminary study for producing genetically modified animal with human milk components having antimicrobial activity, which would be potentially valuable for human as well as animal health.

208 PRODUCTION OF TRANSGENIC CLONED BUFFALO (BUBALUS BUBALIS) EMBRYOS CONTAINING HUMAN INSULIN GENE THROUGH HAND-GUIDED CLONING

Diabetes is a growing disease worldwide and has emerged as a major healthcare problem in India. Insulin is an essential medicine for the treatment of diabetes. Large dairy animals, such as buffaloes and cows, may be used as bioreactors for cost-effective production of human insulin. The present study was aimed to produce transgenic buffalo embryos containing the human insulin gene through hand-guided cloning for production of transgenic animals. Buffalo female fetal fibroblast cells at passage number 3 were transfected using mammary gland- specific expression vector containing the human insulin gene under buffalo β-lactoglobulin promoter by nucleofection method and cultured with G418 drug for 3 weeks to obtain positive transgenic cell clones. Transgene integration into buffalo female fetal fibroblast genome was confirmed by PCR and Southern blotting. Nontransfected and transgene integrated cells were used as nuclear donors to produce embryos by the hand-guided cloning technique. The developmental competence and quality of embryos as judged by total cell number and TUNEL assay were compared among transgenic and nontransgenic (control) embryos. The blastocyst rate was lower (P < 0.05) for transgenic embryos than that of nontransgenic cloned embryos (35.97 ± 2.16 v. 45.80 ± 4.11, respectively). The apoptotic index was found to be lower (P < 0.05) for control blastocysts than that for transgenic blastocysts. However, the total cell number was similar (P < 0.05) among transgenic and control cloned blastocysts. Thus, transgenic cells, and subsequently transgenic embryos containing the human insulin gene, were successfully produced and transferred in recipients. In the future, these may be used for production of transgenic buffalo expressing human insulin in its milk and thus can be further utilised in large-scale production of human insulin.

Differential expression pattern of heat shock protein 70 gene in tissues and heat stress phenotypes in goats during peak heat stress period

It has been established that the synthesis of heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) is temperature-dependent. The Hsp70 response is considered as a cellular thermometer in response to heat stress and other stimuli. The variation in Hsp70 gene expression has been positively correlated with thermotolerance in Drosophila melanogaster, Caenorhabditis elegans, rodents and human. Goats have a wide range of ecological adaptability due to their anatomical and physiological characteristics; however, the productivity of the individual declines during thermal stress. The present study was carried out to analyze the expression of heat shock proteins in different tissues and to contrast heat stress phenotypes in response to chronic heat stress. The investigation has been carried out in Jamunapari, Barbari, Jakhrana and Sirohi goats. These breeds differ in size, coat colour and production performance. The heat stress assessment in goats was carried out at a temperature humidity index (THI) ranging from 85.36-89.80 over the period. Phenotyping for heat stress susceptibility was carried out by combining respiration rate (RR) and heart rate (HR). Based on the distribution of RR and HR over the breeds in the population, individual animals were recognized as heat stress-susceptible (HSS) and heat stress-tolerant (HST). Based on their physiological responses, the selected animals were slaughtered for tissue collection during peak heat stress periods. The tissue samples from different organs such as liver, spleen, heart, testis, brain and lungs were collected and stored at -70 °C for future use. Hsp70 concentrations were analyzed from tissue extract with ELISA. mRNA expression levels were evaluated using the SYBR green method. Kidney, liver and heart had 1.5-2.0-fold higher Hsp70 concentrations as compared to other organs in the tissue extracts. Similarly, the gene expression pattern of Hsp70 in different organs indicated that the liver, spleen, brain and kidney exhibited 5.94, 4.96, 5.29 and 2.63-fold higher expression than control. Liver and brain tissues showed the highest gene expression at mRNA levels as compared to kidney, spleen and heart. HST individuals had higher levels of mRNA level expression than HSS individuals in all breeds. The Sirohi breed showed the highest (6.3-fold) mRNA expression levels as compared to the other three breeds, indicating the better heat stress regulation activity in the breed.

Clinical and echocardiographic study of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in Tanzania

There are few published reports of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) in Africans, partly due to lack of Echocardiography machines at most hospitals. Among 6680 patients referred for echocardiography at Muhimbili National Hospital between June 1998 and October 2002, 134 (0.19%) patients had HCM. Their mean age was 54.8±14.2 years. In total 67.9% were men and 32.1% were women. Due to the diverse clinical features only eight (5.9%) patients had a correct diagnosis of HCM prior to their ECHO. The important role of echocardiography in the diagnosis of HCM is stressed with a plea for the increasing availability of this non-invasive technique for early and accurate diagnosis.

Protein trafficking from synapse to nucleus in control of activity-dependent gene expression

Long-lasting changes in neuronal excitability require activity-dependent gene expression and therefore the transduction of synaptic signals to the nucleus. Synaptic activity is rapidly relayed to the nucleus by membrane depolarization and the propagation of Ca(2+)-waves. However, it is unlikely that Ca(2+)-transients alone can explain the specific genomic response to the plethora of extracellular stimuli that control gene expression. In recent years a steadily growing number of studies report the transport of proteins from synapse to nucleus. Potential mechanisms for active retrograde transport and nuclear targets for these proteins have been identified and recent reports assigned first functions to this type of long-distance signaling. In this review we will discuss how the dissociation of synapto-nuclear protein messenger from synaptic and extrasynaptic sites, their transport, nuclear import and the subsequent genomic response relate to the prevailing concept behind this signaling mechanism, the encoding of signals at their site of origin and their decoding in the nucleus.

Studies on repellent activity of seed oils alone and in combination on mosquito, Aedes aegypti

The study was undertaken to investigate the relative repellency of Pongamia pinnata and Azadirachta indica seed oils on vector mosquito, Aedes aegypti under laboratory conditions. The repellents were formulated into 3 groups: seed oils, their mixture and combination of seed oils with three carrier oils viz. olive, mustard and coconut oil. Different formulations of each oil were tested at the concentrations of 1% and 5% on human baits. Efficiency was assessed, based on the total protection time; biting rate and percent protection provided by each formulation. Results showed that 5% formulation of the Pongamia pinnata and Azadirachta indica seed oils, mixed in 1:1 ratio exhibited highest percentage repellency of 85%, protection time of 300 min and bite rate of 6%. 5% concentration of A. indica and P. pinnata seed oil in mustard oil base offered 86.36% and 85% protection respectively with total protection time of 230 and 240 min respectively. The study confirms that Azadirachta indica and Pongamia pinnata have mosquito-repellent potential. When mixed in different ratios or with some carrier oil their efficacy increases 2-fold in some cases. These formulations are very promising for topical use (> 5 hrs complete protection) and are comparable to the protection provided by advanced Odomos mosquito repellent cream available commercially and thus are recommended for field trial.

Periodontal pathogens in atheromatous plaque

BACKGROUND

There has been increasing attention paid in recent years to the possibility that oral bacterial infection, particularly periodontal disease may influence the initiation and or progression of systemic diseases. These studies confirm the observation that heart disease is the most commonly found systemic condition in patients with periodontal disease. Moreover, the literature has also highlighted substantial evidence indicating the presence of Gram-negative periodontal pathogens in atheromatous plaques.

AIM

This study intends to investigate the possible association between periodontal health and coronary artery disease by evaluating periodontal status, association between the periodontal plaque and coronary atheromatous plaques for presence of micro-organisms such as, Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Prevotella intermedia, and Tannerella forsythia.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A case-control study was designed with seven patients who had undergone coronary endarterectomy for cardiovascular disease and 28 controls. The periodontal examination for cases was performed 1 day before vascular surgery and the controls were clinically examined. The atheromatous plaque sample collected during endarterectomy and the intraoral plaque samples were subjected to polymerase chain reaction for identification of A. actinomycetemcomitans, P. gingivalis, P. intermedia and T. forsythia.

RESULTS

The presence of periodontal bacteria DNA in coronary atheromatous plaques and sub-gingival plaque samples of the same patients was confirmed by this study. CONCLUSION A correlation was established between putative bacteria contributing to atheromatous plaques and species associated with periodontal disease. One particularly important study to be carried out is the investigation of a possible clinically meaningful reduction in coronary heart disease resulting from the prevention or treatment of periodontal disease.

Endometriotic stricture of the sigmoid colon presenting with intestinal obstruction

Endometriosis, a relatively common condition, rarely involves the bowel; even more rarely does it present as a large-bowel stricture with intestinal obstruction. We report the case of a young woman who presented to an emergency department with intestinal obstruction secondary to an endometriotic stricture of the sigmoid colon, without evidence of disease elsewhere in the peritoneal cavity. Although large-bowel obstruction is usually caused by a malignant tumour, it can sometimes result from rare causes such as endometriosis. Symptoms of a cyclical nature may remind the clinician of this possibility.

An unusual complication of tooth exfoliation and osteonecrosis following herpes zoster infection of trigeminal nerve: a case report and literature review

Osteonecrosis following herpes zoster infection is a rare but severe complication, and clinicians' awareness is important for early detection and management of this condition. A case of herpes zoster of the left maxillary division of the trigeminal nerve is reported in a young female having no concurrent predisposing factors, with accompanying rare complications of alveolar bone necrosis and rapid tooth exfoliation. Acyclovir was used to manage the case effectively. The previously reported similar cases in the literature have been reviewed and the pathophysiology of tooth exfoliation and osteonecrosis by varicella zoster viruses is discussed.

In vitro culture and morphological characterization of prepubertal buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) putative spermatogonial stem cell

PURPOSE

Spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) have the unique ability both to self-renew and to produce progeny that undergo differentiation to spermatozoa. The present study has been carried out to develop a method to purify and enrich the pure populations of spermatogonial stem cell like cells in buffalo.

METHODS

The spermatogonial cells were isolated from testes of 3-7 month old buffalo calves and disaggregated by double enzymatic digestion. Mixed population of isolated cells were then plated on Datura stramonium agglutinin (DSA) lectin coated dishes for attachment of Sertoli cells. The desired cells were obtained from suspension medium after 18 h of incubation and then loaded on discontinuous density gradient using percoll (20-65 %) and different types of spermatogonia cells were obtained at interface of each layer. These cells were cultured in vitro.

RESULTS

Spermatogonial cells isolated have spherical outline and two or three eccentrically placed nucleoli, created a colony after proliferation during first week or immediately after passage. After 7-10 days of culture, the resulted developed colonies of spermatogonial cells expressed the spermatogonial specific genes like Plzf and VASA; and other pluripotency related markers viz. alkaline phosphtase, DBA, CD9, CD90, SSEA-1, OCT-4, NANOG and REX-1.

CONCLUSION

Our results show that the isolated putative spermatogonial stem cells exhibit the expression of pluripotency related and spermatogonial specific genes. This study may help to establish a long term culture system for buffalo spermatogonia.

Pulmonary dysfunctions, oxidative stress and DNA damage in brick kiln workers

Brick kilns in the suburban areas in developing countries pose a big threat to the environment and hence the health of their workers and people residing around them. The present study was planned to assess the lung functions, oxidative stress parameters and DNA damage in brick kiln workers. A total of 31 male subjects working in brick kiln, and 32 age, sex and socioeconomic status matched controls were included in the study. The lung volumes, capacities and flow rates, namely, forced expiratory volume in first second (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC), FEV1/FVC, expiratory reserve volume, inspiratory capacity (IC), maximal expiratory flow when 50% of FVC is remaining to be expired, maximum voluntary ventilation, peak expiratory flow rate and vital capacity were significantly decreased in the brick kiln workers. Increased oxidative stress as evidenced by increased malonedialdehyde levels and reduced glutathione content, glutathione S-transferase activity and ferric reducing ability of plasma were observed in the study group when compared with controls. Our results indicate a significant correlation between oxidative stress parameters and pulmonary dysfunction, which may be due to silica-induced oxidative stress and resulting lung damage.

The role of echocardiography in the management of patients with congestive heart failure. "Tanzanian experience"

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the usefulness of echocardiography in managing patients with congestive heart failure (CHF) and identify risks of mortality and heart failure re-admissions during follow up.

DESIGN

A descriptive prospective hospital based study.

SETTING

Muhimbili National Hospital and Hindul Mandal Hospital in Dares Salaam, Tanzania.

SUBJECTS

360 patients (198 male and 162 female) admitted due to congestive heart failure had echocardiography done.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Identifying and characterizing echocardiographic features specific for evaluating patients with congestive heart failure. The patients were followed up for at leas one year.

RESULTS

122 patients had normal left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and 238 patients had reduced left ventricular fraction. Patients with normal LVEF tended to be older and female and were more likely to have a history of hypertension whereas patients with reduced LVEF had a longer history of heart failure due to dilated cardiomyopathy or valvular heart disease. Seventy nine patients (21.9%) died. Patients with depressed ejection fraction had a higher death rate during follow up as compared with preserved ejection fraction.

CONCLUSION

We had demonstrated that echocardiography is a useful non-invasive tool for assessing patients with CHF due to systolic or diastolic dysfunction.

Cocoon within an abdominal cocoon

Intestinal obstruction is a fairly common surgical emergency that usually occurs due to herniae, adhesions, or bands. Rarely, uncommon causes such as an abdominal cocoon are encountered, where part or all of the small intestine is encased within a thin membrane. We report one such case of abdominal cocoon, in whom, further encasement of the distal ileum was seen within a separate membrane.

135 EXPRESSION OF APOPTOSIS-RELATED GENES IN BUFFALO (BUBALUS BUBALIS) EMBRYOS PRODUCED THROUGH IN VITRO FERTILIZATION AND PARTHENOGENETIC ACTIVATION

Apoptosis, a highly conserved evolutionary mechanism that allows an organism to tightly control cell numbers, tissue size, and protect itself from dangerous cells and unfavourable environments that threaten homeostasis, is generally directed by specific genes involved in the regulation of a series of pro-apoptotic (BAX) and anti-apoptotic (BCL-XL) proteins that are expressed during early development. All mammalian species show the highest level of spontaneous apoptotic processes at the blastocyst stage. These proteins prevent apoptosis by maintaining the cell survival by interfering with the release of cytochrome-C from mitochondria. In this study, immature oocytes were obtained from buffalo slaughterhouse ovaries and were subjected to in vitro maturation (IVM) in TCM-199 + 10% FBS + 5 μg mL–1 porcine FSH for 24 h in a CO2 incubator (5% CO2, 90 to 95% relative humidity) at 38.5°C. The mature oocytes were used for IVF, and the cleaved embryos were cultured for 8 days in culture medium (CR2 medium containing 0.6% BSA and 10% FBS) for production of embryos at different stages. The parthenotes were produced with exposure of 7% ethanol, 6-dimethyl aminopurine and cultured for 8 days in culture medium. The total RNA was isolated from oocytes and embryos and transcribed using Cell-to-cDNA-II (Ambion, Austin, TX, USA), according to manufacturer protocol. The PCR cycle included heating to 94°C for 5 min, followed by 35 cycles of 94°C for 30 s, 60 (BAX) and 62°C (BCL) for 30 s, and 72°C for 45 s with a final extension at 72°C for 10 min. The amplified product of both genes were separated on agarose gel and densitometry data for band intensities were generated using AlphaDigiDocTM AD-1201 software under a WindowsTM environment and data analysed with the help of SYSTAT software. Relative abundance of BCL-XL transcripts in immature, mature oocytes and embryos produced through IVF (i.e. 2-cell, 4-cell, 8- to 16-cell, morula, and blastocyst stage) were 25.33 ± 0.90, 12.67 ± 1.20, 37.67 ± 0.90, 30.67 ± 0.30, 23.67 ± 0.90, 18.33 ± 0.90, and 27.00 ± 1.20, respectively, whereas in parthenogenesis these values were 23.67 ± 0.88, 13.67 ± 1.20, 23.67 ± 1.20, 22.34 ± 0.88, 24.34 ± 0.88, 33.67 ± 0.88, and 45.34 ± 1.20, respectively. Relative abundance of BAX transcripts by IVF were 23.0 ± 0.60, 0.33 ± 0.10, 4.00 ± 0.60, 5.00 ± 0.60, 0.37 ± 0.06, 13.0 ± 0.66, and 56.7 ± 0.90; and by parthenonenesis were 22.3 ± 0.90, 0.13 ± 0.03, 13.67 ± 0.90, 14.0 ± 0.60, 15.33 ± 0.90, 64.67 ± 2.20, and 55.0 ± 2.10, respectively. In conclusion, the expression pattern of the apoptosis-related genes revealed that the incidence of apoptosis was significantly higher in IVF and parthenogenetically produced buffalo embryos at stages such as immature oocytes, morula, and blastocyst than the early cleavage stage embryos.

311 EXPRESSION OF PLURIPOTENT MARKER NUCLEOSTEMIN IN BUFFALO (BUBALUS BUBALIS) EMBRYOS AND EMBRYONIC STEM CELLS GENERATED THROUGH PARTHENOGENETIC ACTIVATION

Nucleostemin is a newly found putative GTPase protein that binds to P53 and exists mainly in the nucleoli and at a very low level in nucleoplasm of undifferentiated embryonic stem cells (ESC) and myeloid stem cells but is not expressed in committed and terminally differentiated cells. Embryonic stem cells are pluripotent cells derived from the inner cell mass (ICM) of blastocysts. The ICM and ESC express a number of transcription factors, and their expression is used as a pluripotency marker in the ESC of many species. The present study was undertaken to identify expression of the nucleostemin gene in different developmental stages of buffalo embryos and cultured ESC. Parthenogenetic activation is a process by which an oocyte can be developed up to blastocyst without fertilization. The parthenotes were produced by following protocol. Briefly, immature oocytes were aspirated from slaughterhouse buffalo ovaries and subjected to in vitro maturation for 24 h in a CO2 incubator (5% O2, 5% CO2, 90–95% relative humidity) at 38.5°C. After 24 h of in vitro maturation, oocytes were activated by exposure to 7% ethanol for 7 min, followed by incubation with 2 mM 6-dimethyl aminopurine in CR2 medium for 3.5 h, and they were then subjected to in vitro culture. The activated embryos were cultured for 8 days in CR2 medium containing 0.6% BSA and 10% FBS to obtain different stages (immature and mature oocytes 2-, 4-,8–16-cell, morula, and blastocyst) of embryos. A total of 23 blastocysts were produced parthenogenetically, of which 5 blastocysts were used for nucleostemin expression and the rest were used for ICM isolation. The isolated ICM were subsequently cultured on mitomycin-C (10 μg mL–1) treated buffalo fetal fibroblast feeder layer in DMEM medium supplemented with 20% fetal bovine serum, 1 000 IU mL–1 of mouse leukemia inhibitory factor, 1% nonessential amino acids, 2 mM L-glutamine, and 50 μg mL–1 gentamycin. These ESC were cultured up to 5 passages. The 5 embryos of different developmental stages and a clump of ESC were used for nucleostemin expression. The total RNA was isolated and transcribed using Cell-to-cDNA-II (Ambion, Austin, TX, USA) according to manufacturer protocol. To amplify the nucleostemin gene, the PCR cycle was carried out and included heating to 94°C for 5 min, followed by 35 cycles at 94°C for 30 s, 60°C for 30 s, and 72°C for 40 s. The expressions of nucleostemin transcript were observed in all the developmental stages including immature and mature oocytes. The transcript was highly expressed in the 2-cell stage, blastocysts, and ESC, but immature oocytes and 8–16-cell stage showed lower expression. The experiment was repeated, and the same result was found. To our knowledge this is the first report in buffalo. It is concluded that the transcript was expressed in all the early stages of parthenogenetically derived buffalo embryos from immature oocytes to blastocysts and continued to be expressed in ESC. This work was funded by NAIP, C-420678075, India.

Giant parathyroid adenoma

Primary Hyperparathyroidism is most commonly caused by parathyroid adenoma. Parathyroid adenoma is generally suspected by certain symptoms and biochemical abnormalities. They rarely attain large size to be evident clinically. We report a rare case of giant parathyroid adenoma measuring 5 x 4 x 3 cm and weighing 35 gm.

Restriction analysis and partial sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene as index for rapid identification of Bacillus species

Restriction fragment length analysis of PCR amplified 16S rDNA with AluI revealed the presence of a 265 bp fragment in all species of Bacillus with the exception of B. cereus and B. thuringiensis, which contains two restriction sites within this fragment which results in three smaller fragments totalling to 265 bp. Some distant species of Bacillus with no evidence of this fragment could be delineated into other genera based on phenotypic and genotypic parameters. BLAST search for homologous sequences of individual species revealed that it is a highly conserved region. Multiple alignment of the fragment suggests that a region between 160 and 265 bp of the 265 bp fragment was a hypervariable region and were highly species-specific. A set of primers was designed for amplification of this hypervariable region. Partial sequencing of the hypervariable region within the 265 bp fragment seems an index for identification of Bacillus species.

Optical, field-emission, and antimicrobial properties of ZnO nanostructured films deposited at room temperature by activated reactive evaporation

ZnO nanostructures were deposited on flexible polymer sheet and cotton fabrics at room temperature by activated reactive evaporation. Room-temperature photoluminescence spectrum of ZnO nanostructured film exhibited a week intrinsic UV emission and a strong broad yellow-orange visible emission. TEM and HRTEM studies show that the grown nanostructures are crystalline in nature and their growth direction was identified to be along [002]. ZnO nanostructures grown on the copper-coated flexible polymer sheets exhibited stable field-emission characteristics with a threshold voltage of 2.74 V/mum (250 muA) and a very large field enhancement factor (beta) of 23,213. Cotton fabric coated with ZnO nanostructures show an excellent antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus bacteria (Gram positive), and approximately 73% reduction in the bacterial population is achieved compared to uncoated fabrics after 4 h in viability. Using a shadow mask technique, we also selectively deposited the nanostructures at room temperature on polymer substrates.

A cellular restriction dictates the permissivity of nondividing monocytes/macrophages to lentivirus and gammaretrovirus infection

Primate lentiviruses, including HIV-1, transduce terminally differentiated, nondividing myeloid cells; however, these cells are refractory to infection by gammaretroviruses such as murine leukemia virus (MLV). Here, we present evidence that a cellular restriction is the obstacle to transduction of macrophages by MLV. Neutralization of the restriction by Vpx, a primate lentiviral protein previously shown to protect primate lentiviruses from a macrophage restriction, rendered macrophages permissive to MLV infection. We further demonstrate that this restriction prevents transduction of quiescent monocytes by HIV-1. Monocyte-HeLa heterokaryons were resistant to HIV-1 infection, while heterokaryons formed between monocytes and HeLa cells expressing Vpx were permissive to HIV-1 infection. Encapsidation of Vpx within HIV-1 virions conferred the ability to infect quiescent monocytes. Collectively, our results indicate that the relative ability of lentiviruses and gammaretroviruses to transduce nondividing myeloid cells is dependent upon their ability to neutralize a cellular restriction.

Mutation of critical serine residues in HIV-1 matrix result in an envelope incorporation defect which can be rescued by truncation of the gp41 cytoplasmic tail

The human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) matrix (MA) domain is involved in both early and late events of the viral life cycle. Simultaneous mutation of critical serine residues in MA has been shown previously to dramatically reduce phosphorylation of MA. However, the role of phosphorylation in viral replication remains unclear. Viruses harboring serine to alanine substitutions at positions 9, 67, 72, and 77 are severely impaired in their ability to infect target cells. In addition, the serine mutant viruses are defective in their ability to fuse with target cell membranes. Interestingly, both the fusion defect and the infectivity defect can be rescued by truncation of the long cytoplasmic tail of gp41 envelope protein (gp41CT). Sucrose density gradient analysis also reveals that these mutant viruses have reduced levels of gp120 envelope protein incorporated into the virions as compared to wild type virus. Truncation of the gp41CT rescues the envelope incorporation defect. Here we propose a model in which mutation of specific serine residues prevents MA interaction with lipid rafts during HIV-1 assembly and thereby impairs recruitment of envelope to the sites of viral budding.