Leptospirosis with Indian Tick-borne Typhus Coinfection: A Rare Presentation of Tropical Febrile Illness.

INTRODUCTION: Leptospirosis and tick-borne typhus are zoonotic diseases, rarely reported as coinfection. More specific molecular tests are not easily accessible for diagnosis of these diseases, thus resulting in delayed diagnosis and eventually considerable morbidity and mortality. CASE DESCRIPTION: We report a case of leptospirosis with tick-borne typhus coinfection in an abattoir worker who presented with a short history of fever, myalgia, jaundice, nonoliguric renal failure, diffuse petechial rash, and altered sensorium. His lab investigations showed leukocytosis, raised C-reactive protein (CRP), elevated transaminases and creatinine, mild pleocytosis, and mildly raised proteins in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Serology for Leptospira IgM was positive by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). A paired Weil-Felix test (WFT) showed a fourfold increase in OX19 and OX2 titers. The patient responded well to IV antibiotic therapy and was discharged. This is the first time that leptospirosis and Indian tick-borne typhus coinfection has been reported from western India. CONCLUSION: Leptospirosis and Indian tick-borne typhus coinfection is a rare but important cause of tropical fever. Arduous efforts to establish a definitive diagnosis help not only in surveillance for epidemiological data of the disease entities but also in avoiding severe complications resulting from considerable delay in appropriate therapy.

Different particle size study of castor deoiled cake for biofuel production with an environmental sustainability perspective.

Agro-industrial waste material such as non-edible deoiled Castor bean cake (CBC) is one of the most abundant sources for bioethanol demonstrating the feasibility of utilizing bioethanol as commercial biofuel. This is an alternative to mitigate fossil fuel dependence and carbon dioxide accumulation in the atmosphere. The CBC was pretreated with the help of thionyl chloride at a temperature of 35 °C for residence time 25 min. Subsequently, CBC substrate obtained from pretreatment was subjected to enzymatic hydrolysis with T. viride concentration varying from 0.5 to 5 g L-1 at 35 °C, pH 6 for 48 h. Under optimized conditions the process integrating pretreatment followed by enzymatic hydrolysis for 48 h at 35 °C with pH 7 resulted in 76 g L-1 of reducing sugars from 100 g CBC. The obtained sugar was further fermented at 30 °C for 72 h with saccharomyces cerevisiae as a fermenting media which yields 37.5 g L-1 of bioethanol. A study of different particle sizes of CBC with BSS-5, BSS-10, BSS-20 was done for efficient enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation into bioethanol. On a pilot-scale 375 g L-1 of bioethanol was obtained from 1 kg of CBC with the same reaction conditions. The present study demonstrates optimized solid: liquid ratio 1:2 for hydrolysis, fermentation process, and the production cost for bioethanol per L. Figure S1 represents graphical abstract for the production of bioethanol from CBC in supplementary information.

Adipose tissue: A natural resource for multipotent mesenchymal stem cells with potential translation to trigerminal layers.

BACKGROUND: The article reports basic science research that establishes that adipose tissue (AT)-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have a potential to transgerminal translation. STUDY DESIGN: MSC confirmation was obtained by phenotypic spindle-shaped cells as well as with four positive and three negative markers. The translineage translation of adipose-derived MSCs (ADMSCs) was established. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The lipoaspirate was subjected to enzymatic digestion with collagenase. Stromal vascular factor (SVF) was isolated. With two passages, pure culture of ADMSCs was obtained. They were translated to all the three germinal layers. RESULTS: AT-derived SVF contains ~30% MSCs. They are capable of being translated into endoderm, mesoderm and ectoderm. CONCLUSION: AT is a rich source for MSCs, with immense research possibilities for regeneration and rejuvenation.

Clinical safety in using unmatched allogeneic umbilical cord blood mononuclear cells transplantations in non-haematopoietic degenerative conditions.

AIM: Evaluation of safety in using unmatched human allogeneic umbilical cord blood cells for therapeutic use in individuals with non-haematopoietic degenerative conditions. BACKGROUND: The historical data and several recent immunological arguments suggest the therapeutic use of allogeneic Cord Blood Mononuclear Cells (CBMNCs), as these cells do not elicit immune response. Customarily, HLA matched cord blood MNCs are used along with prolonged immunosuppression in treatment of haematological conditions. Lately, unmatched CBMNCs are widely used in case of unavailability of HLA matched cord blood. There have been suggestions for using unmatched allogeneic cord blood MNCs for degenerative conditions without an immunoconditioning regimen. METHOD: 49 patients with non-haematopoietic degenerative conditions were treated with HLA-unmatched allogeneic hUCB MNCs. Intrathecal/I.V injections (1-2 million cells/kg body weight) were given. Clinical, biochemical and haematological adverse events were evaluated. RESULTS: The haematological and biochemical parameters showed no major deviation from the normal. Clinically, no acute adverse effects or GVHD were observed with the used dosage. CONCLUSION: This study supports/suggests clinical safety in therapeutic medical use of unmatched allogeneic CBMNCs when used at low dosage in non-haematopoietic degenerative conditions.