A new species of the genus Scirtothrips (Thysanoptera, Thripidae) from India.

A new species of Scirtothrips is described from India, S. donumdei, collected on leaves of Senegalia pennata (Fabaceae). Partial mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (mtCOI) gene sequence of the species was sequenced and the annotated sequence was submitted to NCBI GenBank.

Reference genes selection for expression studies in Maconellicoccus hirsutus (Green) (Pseudococcidae: Hemiptera) under specific experimental conditions.

BACKGROUND: Maconellicoccus hirsutus is a destructive pest which causes severe losses of agricultural and horticultural crops. For the management of M. hirsutus, many insecticides have been used and it has been exposed to insufficient dosage or uneven spray coverage which resulted in the development of insecticide resistance. Xenobiotic metabolism can be better understood with the help of gene expression studies by unveiling the underlying molecular mechanisms. The qRT-PCR is the simplest method to analyse gene expression, however, it highly relies on suitable reference genes concerning the different experimental conditions. METHODS AND RESULTS: We evaluated the stability of five reference genes in two sets of experimental conditions viz. developmental stages (nymphs and adults) and agrochemical stress (GA3 and Buprofezin sprayed) against M. hirsutus, using different softwares-NormFinder, geNorm, BestKeeper, and RefFinder. The study revealed that ATP51a and GAPDH can be used as reference genes for gene expression studies when exposed to Gibberellic acid. Additionally, the study revealed that the ideal pair of reference genes for data validation in M. hirsutus treated with Buprofezin was GAPDH and ß-tubulin. The ideal reference gene combination for various developmental stages was found to be 28S and Actin. CONCLUSION: According to the study, GAPDH can be utilized as a reliable reference gene in the agrochemical (GA3 and Buprofezin) exposure set. The genes can be utilized as a suitable reference for qRT-PCR gene expression studies of xenobiotic metabolism to understand the underlying molecular mechanism, which will help further to design suitable management strategies.

A study on drinking water quality in different income groups of Vizianagaram region of India.

Portable clean water consumption is the basic right of every individual. The major global concern is water pollution which can cause mortality. Change in physicochemical characteristics in drinking water is not only a pollution problem, but the presence of antibiotic-resistant microbes is also a significant issue. The study was carried out to assess the physicochemical and microbiological quality of the reservoir, municipality-supplied water, and bottled water. A total of 100 samples were collected from different income classes (higher, medium, and low) groups. The experiments were carried out based on the guidelines of APHA. In the present study, 40% of samples have been found to be contaminated with bacteria such as Escherichia coli, Vibrio cholerae, and Enterobacter aerogenes. Moreover, these bacteria also showed antibiotic resistance to certain drugs. The percentage of isolated bacterial strains was resistant to amoxicillin and ampicillin antibiotics. The statistical analysis of the Chi-square test states that there is a significant correlation between E. coli and other microbes (p ≤ 0.5). This study gives a piece of baseline information about the prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and focuses on the improvement of water from purification before reaching the consumer.

Pedestal analysis of jitter in a 20.97 GHz regeneratively mode-locked laser formed with a short polarization-maintaining fiber amplifier.

We demonstrated a 20.97 GHz regeneratively mode-locked Er fiber laser that has a short ring length of 5.84 m. The short active ring enabled large filter-rejection of adjacent supermodes during extraction of its clock signal for regenerative feedback. Very stable mode locking was observed with the generation of ∼5.5ps Gaussian pulses. A characterization of the noise pedestals in the photodetected first and second harmonics of the mode-locked pulses indicated there was cross-correlated coupling between the timing and amplitude jitter. From an analysis of the noise pedestals in these harmonics, as well as the noise spectrum at baseband, we estimated an amplitude jitter of ∼0.19%, and a timing jitter of ∼60fs. Using a generalized harmonic analysis approach, we estimated a cross correlation of 0.11% between the timing and amplitude jitter.

Primary cardiac myxofibrosarcoma with osteoid differentiation mimicking a left atrial myxoma: A rare entity.

Cardiac myxofibrosarcoma (MFS) is an uncommon entity. It is among the most challenging conditions to diagnose due to its rarity, high variability, and non-specific findings. These tumors often simulate left atrial myxoma or mitral stenosis at clinical presentation. Although, the definitive diagnosis of cardiac tumors depends on histopathological examination, various imaging techniques are also useful to study tumor characteristics to plan an appropriate treatment strategy. Here we highlight a case of primary cardiac MFS of left atrium (LA) showing areas of transition to undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma (UPS) with bone or osteoid formation, which is extremely rare and not well described. .

Design by optimization and comparative evaluation of vesicular gels of etodolac for transdermal delivery.

Aim of the present study was to design vesicular gels of etodolac loaded liposomes and ethosomes for effective transdermal delivery. The physicochemical properties of vesicular gels were compared with 45% v/v ethanolic etodolac solution and commercial product (PROXYM®). The liposomes were prepared by film hydration technique whereas ethosomes were prepared by cold method respectively. Both the systems were characterized for various physicochemical properties. The size range of liposomes shows 186 nm-363 nm whereas for ethosomes 170 nm-261 nm respectively. The zeta potential of optimized liposomes and ethosomes was found to be -36.5 mV and -48.3 mV, respectively. The highest %EE of liposomes and ethosomes shows 71.5% and 78.5%, respectively. The permeation of liposomes shows in the range of 67.50%-86.06% whereas ethosomes shows 52.30%-99.49%, respectively. The optimization was done by 32 experimental design. The optimized vesicular dispersions were subjected to gel preparation using carbopol 940 NF. The prepared liposomal gel (ETO-LG) and ethosomal gel (ETO-EG) were optimized and characterized. The vesicular gels showed desirable results compared to other test formulations.

Coronary stent infection: Interesting cases with varied presentation.

Stent infection after drug-eluting stent implantation is uncommon but is a critical event. In this study, we describe two such cases of coronary stent infection but with varied presentation. The first patient presented with recurrent stent thrombosis and acute coronary syndrome while the second patient was erroneously diagnosed as having tubercular pericarditis and was started on anti-tubercular therapy. Due to their possible fatal outcome, we herein report our experience with this uncommon clinical entity to help in rapid diagnosis and treatment. .

The predictivity of mandibular third molar position as a risk indicator for pericoronitis: A prospective study.

AIM: The aim of this study was to describe the characteristics of the mandibular third molar at highest risk for acute pericoronitis using clinical and radiographic analysis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 120 patients ranging in age from 18 to 55 years suffering from pericoronitis were examined. Subjective and objective observations were recorded that included the age, gender, angulation of partially impacted mandibular third molar, the frequency of pericoronitis in a year, the presence of impinging maxillary third molar, the extent of soft tissue coverage over the impacted mandibular third molar, the clinical signs evaluated in the patient, the class and position of the impacted mandibular third molar, and the presence of distal radiolucency with respect to the impacted mandibular third molar. RESULTS: The results obtained in the study indicate that pericoronitis is associated more in the age group of 26-35 years and is more commonly reported in the female gender. Distoangular partially impacted mandibular third molars impacted at Class II and position B seem to be at the highest risk of developing pericoronitis. CONCLUSION: The results obtained in the study indicate that pericoronitis is associated more in the age group of 26-35 years and is more commonly reported in the female gender. Distoangular partially impacted mandibular third molars impacted at class II and position B seem to be at the highest risk of developing pericoronitis.

Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic studies of etodolac loaded vesicular gels on rats by transdermal delivery.

BACKGROUND: The present study includes the development of liposomal and ethosomal gels for transdermal delivery to overcome the side effects associated with oral route. METHODS: The liposomes and ethosomes were prepared by 32 factorial design using film hydration and cold methods, respectively. Different concentrations of liposomal (ETO-LG) and ethosomal (ETO-EG) gels were prepared at 1%, 2 and 3% (w/v) using carbopol 940 NF. 1%w/v ETO-LG & ETO-EG were optimized upon rheological studies of prepared gels. The optimized gels were further characterized for various physicochemical properties and biophysical studies using FTIR, pharmacokinetic (PK) and pharmacodynamic (PD) studies. The pharmacodynamic activity was performed using carrageenan paw oedema model. The prepared vesicular gels were compared with 45% v/v ethanolic ETO-solution and marketed gel PROXYM® in all the characteristic parameters. RESULTS: The pharmacokinetic study reveals that the half life of etodolac in ETO-EG was 1.56 folds whereas ETO-LG showed 1.31 folds higher than PROXYM®. The mean residence time (MRT) of etodolac in ETO-EG and ETO-LG is increased in 1.57 and 1.25 folds, respectively, when compared to PROXYM®. The ETO-EG showed higher percentage reduction in oedema (81.67%) compared to other test products. CONCLUSION: The pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic studies indicated that the vesicular gels show better results compared to PROXYM®. The correlation coefficient value between PK and PD was found to be 0.9635. Graphical abstract ᅟ.

Ossification of posterior longitudinal ligament and fluorosis.

OBJECTIVE: Ossification of posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) is a progressive disease that causes spinal canal compromise and serious neurological sequelae in advanced cases. The incidence of OPLL in the Asiatic population is 2%-3%, but the incidence is more in the background of fluorosis. Our aim was to study the association of OPLL with fluorosis by comparing urine fluoride levels and to study the types of OPLL. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty consecutive patients with OPLL, observed on cervical skiagram, and confirmed by the computed tomography (CT) of the cervical spine, underwent a 24-h urine fluoride level assessment by the ion-selective electrode method. Due consent of all the patients was obtained and the data was collected. Thirty patients with a normal cervical radiograph were taken as a control group and their 24-h urine fluoride levels were compared with the test group. The 24-h urine fluoride level above 1.6 mg/L was taken as the diagnostic parameter of fluorosis. Imaging analysis of the study group focused on the subtype of OPLL, the mass occupying ratio, the sagittal cervical angle, the signs of dural penetration, and the spinal levels involved. Urinary fluoride levels were correlated with the presence of OPLL and different types of OPLL. RESULTS: Of the 30 patients with OPLL, 25 were males and 5 were females. The most common presentation was myelopathy. Continuous type of OPLL was seen in 11 (36.6%), segmental in 8 (26.6%), focal in 5 (16.6%), and mixed variant in 6 (20%) patients. 24-h urinary fluoride levels ranged from 0.26 mg/L to 12.2 mg/L. 18 (60%) of the patients in the study group were found to have urinary fluoride levels above 1.6 mg/L and only 1 patient (4%) of the control group had the urine fluoride level >1.6 mg/L. This difference was statistically significant. Patients with continuous and mixed types of OPLL had a higher mean urine fluoride level than those with a segmental and focal type of OPLL. The continuous variant of OPLL had a statistically significant occupancy ratio when compared to the other three variants, and the high mass occupancy ratio of the OPLL was directly associated with the presence of dural penetration. CONCLUSION: Fluorosis is associated with a higher incidence of OPLL. Higher urinary fluoride levels correlate with the severe forms of OPLL.

Is screening in dental office an effective method of detecting undiagnosed hypertension?

BACKGROUND: Hypertension is an important worldwide public health challenge because of its high frequency and risk of cardiovascular and renal disease. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to investigate the prevalence of undiagnosed hypertension as well as inadequately controlled hypertension among general population who sought tooth extraction at Army College of Dental Sciences, Secunderabad. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Only 1200 patients in the age group of 20-60 years who sought tooth extraction were included in the study. Blood pressure (BP) was measured for three times in all patients. The readings were quantized into four categories which included normal, prehypertensive stage, and Stage 1 and Stage 2 of hypertension. The BP was assessed for the following variables - gender, habits of gutkha chewing, smoking and alcohol, regular exercise, age, and effect of local anesthesia. RESULTS: Nearly 24.4% of new cases of hypertension were diagnosed among all participants reported to the dental clinic. After giving local anesthesia, 16.71% increase in BP was observed in Stage 1 and 2.35% increase in Stage 2 hypertension. CONCLUSION: This study reveals that dentists play an important role in the early diagnosis of hypertension of many dental patients who are unaware of being hypertensive. This role should be emphasized in our specialty as a standard of care to prevent life-threatening complications.

Data on autophagy markers and anti-candida cytokines expression in mice in response to vaginal infection of Candida albicans.

The data presented here are related to the research article entitled "Knockout of autophagy gene, ATG5 in mice vaginal cells abrogates cytokine response and pathogen clearance during vaginal infection of Candida albicans" (Shroff et al., 2018) [1]. The cited research article describes the role of autophagy in host immune response against C. albicans infection of mice vagina. In this data report wild-type C57BL/6 mice were infected intravaginally with C. albicans. Vaginal cells were analyzed for the expression of autophagy marker genes LC3 & ATG5 and lysosome marker LAMP1 at the transcript and protein level. Vaginal lavages were also obtained from these infected mice. The levels of pro-inflammatory and T-helper cell related cytokines were determined in these lavages.

Knockout of autophagy gene, ATG5 in mice vaginal cells abrogates cytokine response and pathogen clearance during vaginal infection of Candida albicans.

The female reproductive tract (FRT) presents a unique challenge to the mucosal immune system as it needs to monitor constantly for the presence of opportunistic pathogens amidst its commensal flora. During infection, autophagy plays a critical role in pathogen clearance, presentation of antigens and production of pro-inflammatory cytokines. However, no information is available that describes the role of autophagy in mouse vaginal infection of Candida albicans. The objective of our study is to evaluate the effect of autophagy gene, ATG5 knockout in vaginal cells in response to vaginal C. albicans infection. Mice having knockout of ATG5 in the vaginal cells (PR-ATG5-KO mice) were infected intra-vaginally with the yeast form of Candida albicans. Vaginal lavages were collected once in a week until the infection was cleared. We detected the expression of autophagy marker genes (LC3, ATG5 and LAMP1) in the vaginal cells. We determined the levels of various cytokines (IL-1α, IL-1ß, IL-6, IL-10, IL-17A, IL-22, IL-23p19, TNF-α and G-CSF) involved in anti-candida response. The levels of cytokines in the vaginal lavages were quantified using Aimplex Premixed analyte kit. The vaginal lavages were checked for polymorphonuclear leucocytes (PMNLs) infiltration. The candida clearance rate from the vaginal lumen was determined by Colony Forming Units (CFUs) assay. The results revealed that PR-ATG5-KO mice failed to induce the expression of LC3, ATG5 and LAMP1 indicating an impaired autophagy pathway. The levels of all the cytokines (except IL-10) in C. albicans infected PR-ATG5-KO mice were significantly reduced as compared to the wild type infected C57BL/6 mice. The number of PMNLs infiltrated into the vaginal lavages of infected PR-ATG5-KO mice was reduced. The clearance of C. albicans from the vaginal lumen was also considerably delayed in PR-ATG5-KO mice. In conclusion, the results revealed that impaired autophagy in vaginal cells influences host response during vaginal infection of C. albicans by affecting anti-Candida cytokine levels in the vaginal lavage resulting in reduction of pathogen clearance rate.

Rapamycin (Sirolimus) alters mechanistic target of rapamycin pathway regulation and microRNA expression in mouse meiotic spermatocytes.

Mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) is a signal transduction pathway that modulates translation initiation in several animals including mammals. Rapamaycin, an allosteric inhibitor of mTOR pathway, is often used as an immunosuppressive drug following kidney transplantation and causes gonadal dysfunction and defects in spermatogenesis. The molecular mechanism behind rapamycin-mediated testicular dysfunction is not known. We have therefore explored the contribution of rapamycin in mTOR regulation and microRNA (miRNA) expression in mouse spermatocytes, the intermediate stage of spermatogenesis, where meiosis takes place. In the present study, we optimized the isolation of highly pure and viable spermatocytes by flow sorting, treated them with rapamycin, and investigated the expression of mTOR and downstream effector molecules. Western blot and immunocytochemical analysis confirm that rapamycin treatment suppresses mTOR and phopsphorylated P70S6 kinase activities in spermatocytes, but not that of phosphorylated 4E-binding protein 1. Also, rapamycin treatment modulates the expression of several spermatocyte-specific miRNAs. To complement these finding an in vivo study was also performed. In silico prediction of target genes of these miRNAs and their functional pathway analysis revealed that, several of them are involved in crucial biological process, cellular process and catalytic activities. miRNA-transcription factor (TF) network analysis enlisted different TFs propelling the transcription machineries of these miRNAs. In silico prediction followed by quatitative real-time PCR revealed two of these TFs namely, PU.1 and CCCTC binding factor (CTCF) are down and upregulated, respectively, which may be the reason of the altered expression of miRNAs following rapamycin treatment. In conclusion, for the first time, the present study provides insight into how rapamycin regulates mTOR pathway and spermatocyte-specific miRNA expression which in turn, regulate expression of target genes post-transcriptionally.

Mating competitiveness and life-table comparisons between transgenic and Indian wild-type Aedes aegypti L.

BACKGROUND: OX513A is a genetically engineered strain of Aedes aegypti carrying a repressible, dominantly inherited transgene that confers lethality in immature heterozygous progeny. Released male OX513A adults have proven to be effective for the localised suppression of wild Ae. aegypti, highlighting its potential in vector control. Mating and life-table assessments were used to compare OX513A with reared Ae. aegypti strains collected from New Delhi and Aurangabad regions in India. RESULTS: Mating proportions of New Delhi females versus males of OX513A or New Delhi strains were 0.52 and 0.48 respectively, indicating no discrimination by females against either strain, and males of both strains were equally competitive. Developmental time from first instar to adult emergence was significantly longer for OX513A (10.7 ± 0.04 days) than for New Delhi (9.4 ± 0.04 days) and Aurangabad strains (9.1 ± 0.04 days). Differences in mean longevities, female reproductive parameters and population growth parameters between the strains were non-significant. CONCLUSIONS: The laboratory study demonstrates that only minor life-table variations of limited biological relevance exist between OX513A and Indian Ae. aegypti populations, and males had equal potential for mating competitiveness. Thus, results support the OX513A strain as a suitable candidate for continued evaluation towards sustainable management of Ae. aegypti populations in India.

Hemoglobin expression in nonerythroid cells: novel or ubiquitous?

Hemoglobin (Hb) is a major protein involved in transport of oxygen (O2). Red blood cells (RBCs) contain maximum amount of Hb and because of their unique structure and plasticity they transport O2 to various tissues of the body at an optimal concentration. Recently, it has been reported that, apart from RBCs, Hb is also expressed by nonerythroid cells such as epithelial cells of different origin. The cells expressing Hb are from the tissues where maintenance of O2 homeostasis is of paramount importance. Hb expression has been observed in the epithelial cells from human tissues including lungs, neurons, retina, and endometrium. Our group has recently demonstrated that Hb is expressed by the cervicovaginal epithelial cells. We further showed that, apart from maintaining O2 homeostasis, Hb and the peptides derived from it play an indispensable role in the protection of vaginal epithelium by exhibiting antimicrobial activity. In this review, we discuss the significance of Hb expression in vaginal epithelial cells and its role in the recognition of pathogens thereby reducing the risk and/or severity of inflammation and/or infections and the possible mechanism by which Hb exhibits antimicrobial and antioxidative functions.

Regulatory non-coding transcripts in spermatogenesis: shedding light on 'dark matter'.

Global rise in male infertility over the past decades as a result of falling sperm count and quality has been pointed out by different investigations. Therefore, it is important to understand the molecular mechanism of spermatogenesis and its regulation. Mammalian spermatogenesis, a streamlined process through which male germline cells divide and differentiate into mature spermatozoa, is strictly regulated by phase-specific gene expression which, in turn, is controlled by myriads of regulatory non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs). Rapid advancement in genome mining technologies has identified role of ncRNAs including microRNAs, PIWI-interacting RNAs, endogenous small-interfering RNAs and long non-coding RNAs as controller of gene expression at transcriptional as well as post-transcriptional level in different biological context and disease processes. Here, we discuss the recent progress in our understanding about the involvement of these molecules in spermatogenesis. In addition, we describe here the possible roles of long non-coding RNAs in controlling this process which is not delved so far.

Spermicidal activity of Indian seaweeds: an in vitro study.

Contraceptive properties of seaweeds are still stands as lacuna; in this context, the screening of in vitro male contraceptive properties of crude ethanolic extract of Indian seaweeds against normal human sperm is carried out. In total, twelve seaweeds were screened for in vitro spermicidal activity. Among these twelve seaweeds, Halimeda gracilis showed 100% inhibition of human spermatozoa at 10 mg ml(-1) concentration in 20 s and its EC50 value was 2.05 mg ml(-1) in 20 s. Further, dose- and time-dependent spermicidal assay revealed that the sperm was completely immobilised for 20 s. Plasma membrane of sperm was damaged due to the exposure of H. gracilis extract. MTT assay with H. gracilis extract showed 88.5% of cytotoxic incidence. H. gracilis extract tested for cytotoxicity against Artemia salina recorded LC50 value of 34.8 µg ml(-1) . Phytochemical analysis of H. gracilis extract evidenced the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, proteins and sugars. Results of this study clearly inferred that the synergistic effect of active principles reside within the H. gracilis extract had shown better contraceptive activity.

Awareness About Needle Stick Injures and Sharps Disposal: A Study Conducted at Army College of Dental Sciences.

BACKGROUND: The present study aims to assess the knowledge and attitude about needle stick injuries and sharps disposal. METHODS: A self designed questionnaire of 15 questions was handed out to 200 participants including undergraduate students (group 1), postgraduate students (group 2), faculty members (group 3) and auxiliary staff members (group 4). The data was collected and analyzed using Chi square test. RESULTS: Sixty-one percent of total participants reported of experiencing needle stick injury and 25.5 % knew that there could be several causes for this. Only 22 % of total population studied got the source tested. Immunization status of group 4 was very low and they also lacked the knowledge of sharps disposal and hepatitis C being spread by needle stick injuries. 57 % participants confirmed that there was no reporting facility and 66 % were not familiar with the guidelines of reporting. CONCLUSIONS: There is a definite scope of improvement in terms of reporting and prevention of needle stick injuries. There is a need to improve knowledge and awareness of dental health care workers about the post exposure protocol.

Interdisciplinary treatment of an adolescent with unilateral cleft lip and palate.

AIM: The present case report describes the importance of interdisciplinary approach and gives an understanding on management of an adolescent with unilateral cleft lip and palate. BACKGROUND: Failure of fusion between medial nasal process and maxillary process or between the palatal process leads to the formation of clefts. Clefts are result of genetic or environmental factors or a combination of both. Common dental problems associated with clefts includes anterior and posterior crossbites, hypodontia, malformation and abnormal eruption pattern. CASE REPORT: A girl, aged 15 years reported with a chief complaint of unesthetic appearance of her maxillary anterior teeth. She had unilateral cleft lip and palate and had received cheiloplasty and palatoplasty when she was in young age and rhinoplasty when she was 14 years of age. At pretreatment evaluation, she had concave profile with maxillary arch constriction and oroantral fistula and mesially tipped maxillary left canine. CONCLUSION: This patient's treatment was unconventional, but it was successful in significantly improving her masticatory function and smile, along with favorable dental and facial results. Generalized esthetics and function were significantly improved in this patient without orthognathic surgery, and treatment results were stable 3 years after the appliance removal. Clinical considerations, sequencing of treatment phases as shown in this case report can be utilized while treating an adolescent with cleft lip and palate. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: If the skeletal discrepancy is mild and esthetic concerns are minimal, dental compensation by orthodontic treatment alone might be recommended. The cephalometric analysis and prediction tracings provide further information for deciding whether a patient can be treated by orthodontics alone, or by orthodontics and an orthognathic surgical procedure. A change in axial inclination of the teeth can camouflage the skeletal relationship adequately. However, one should be cautious in a growing patient, because he or she might outgrow the dental correction so that ultimately skeletal surgery would be indicated.