Neutrophil mediated inflammatory lung damage following single Sub lethal inhalation exposure to plant protein toxin abrin in mice.

Abrin, a highly toxic plant protein found in the seeds of Abrus precatorius plant. To date, there is no antidote against abrin intoxication. Abrin is toxic by all routes of exposure, but inhalation exposure is the most toxic of all routes. Present study was conducted to evaluate the acute inhalation toxicity of aerosolized abrin in BALB/c mice. Animals were exposed to 0.2 and 0.8LC50 doses of aerosolized abrin and evaluated at 1 and 3 day post toxin exposure. Bronchoalveolar fluid from lungs was used for evaluation of markers for lung injury. Abrin inhalation exposure caused rise in LDH activity, protein content, increase in ß-glucuronidase and myeloperoxidase activity. Increase in CRP activity, MMP-9 expression and recruitment of CD11b + inflammatory cells in lungs was also observed which was associated with severe inflammation and lung damage. Histopathological findings support the lung damage after abrin exposure. Our results indicate lung injury after single aerosol inhalation exposure, associated with excessive inflammation, oxidative stress, pulmonary edema followed by lung damage. These results could supplement treatment strategies and planning for therapeutic approaches against aerosolized abrin inhalation exposure.

Prediction of T cell epitopes of Brucella abortus and evaluation of their protective role in mice.

Brucellae are Gram-negative intracellular bacteria that cause an important zoonotic disease called brucellosis. The animal vaccines are available but have disadvantage of causing abortions in a proportion of pregnant animals. The animal vaccines are also pathogenic to humans. Recent trend in vaccine design has shifted to epitope-based vaccines that are safe and specific. In this study, efforts were made to identify MHC-I- and MHC-II-restricted T cell epitopes of Brucella abortus and evaluate their vaccine potential in mice. The peptides were designed using online available immunoinformatics tools, and five MHC-I- and one MHC-II-restricted T cell peptides were selected on the basis of their ability to produce interferon gamma (IFN-γ) in in vivo studies. The selected peptides were co-administered with poly DL-lactide-co-glycolide (PLG) microparticles and evaluated for immunogenicity and protection in BALB/c mice. Mice immunized with peptides either entrapped in PLG microparticles (EPLG-Pep) or adsorbed on PLG particles (APLG-Pep) showed significantly higher splenocyte proliferation and IFN-γ generation to all selected peptides than the mice immunized with corresponding irrelevant peptides formulated PLG microparticles or phosphate-buffered saline (PBS). A significant protection compared to PBS control was also observed in EPLG-Pep and APLG-Pep groups. A plasmid DNA vaccine construct (pVaxPep) for peptides encoding DNA sequences was generated and injected to mice by in vivo electroporation. Significant protection was observed (1.66 protection units) when compared with PBS and empty vector control group animals. Overall, the MHC-I and MHC-II peptides identified in this study are immunogenic and protective in mouse model and support the feasibility of peptide-based vaccine for brucellosis.

Alleviation of metabolic abnormalities induced by excessive fructose administration in Wistar rats by Spirulina maxima.

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES: Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder characterized by hyperglycaemia. Several natural products have been isolated and identified to restore the complications of diabetes. Spirulina maxima is naturally occurring fresh water cyanobacterium, enriched with proteins and essential nutrients. The aim of the study was to determine whether S. maxima could serve as a therapeutic agent to correct metabolic abnormalities induced by excessive fructose administration in Wistar rats. METHODS: Oral administration of 10 per cent fructose solution to Wistar rats (n = 5 in each group) for 30 days resulted in hyperglycaemia and hyperlipidaemia. Aqueous suspension of S. maxima (5 or 10%) was also administered orally once daily for 30 days. The therapeutic potential of the preparation with reference to metformin (500 mg/kg) was assessed by monitoring various biochemical parameters at 10 day intervals during the course of therapy and at the end of 30 days S. maxima administration. RESULTS: Significant (P<0.001) reductions in blood glucose, lipid profile (triglycerides, cholesterol and LDL, VLDL) and liver function markers (SGPT and SGOT) were recorded along with elevated level of HDL-C at the end of 30 days therapy of 5 or 10 per cent S. maxima aquous extract. Co-administration of S. maxima extract (5 or 10% aqueous) with 10 per cent fructose solution offered a significant protection against fructose induced metabolic abnormalities in Wistar rats. INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSIONS: The present findings showed that S. maxima exhibited anti-hyperglycaemic, anti-hyperlipidaemic and hepatoprotective activity in rats fed with fructose. Further studies are needed to understand the mechanisms.

Olive Oil Consumption can Prevent Non-communicable Diseases and COVID-19: A Review.

The Mediterranean diet is appraised as the premier dietary regimen, and its espousal is correlated with the prevention of degenerative diseases and extended longevity. The consumption of olive oil stands out as the most peculiar feature of the Mediterranean diet. Olive oil rich in various bioactive compounds like oleanolic acid, oleuropein, oleocanthal, and hydroxytyrosol is known for its antiinflammatory as well as cardioprotective property. Recently in silico studies have indicated that phytochemicals present in olive oil are a potential candidate to act against SARS-CoV-2. Although there are many extensive studies on olive oil and its phytochemical composition, however, some lacunas persist in understanding how the phytochemical composition of olive oil is dependent on upstream processing. The signaling pathways regulated by olive oil in the restriction of various diseases are also not clear. For answering these queries, a detailed search of research and review articles published between 1990 to 2019 were reviewed. Olive oil consumption was found to be advantageous for various chronic non-communicable diseases. Olive oil's constituents are having potent anti-inflammatory activities and thus restrict the progression of various inflammation-linked diseases ranging from arthritis to cancer. But it is also notable that the amount and nature of the phytochemical composition of household olive oil are regulated by its upstream processing, and the physicochemical properties of this oil can give a hint regarding the manufacturing method as well as its therapeutic effect. Moreover, daily uptake of olive oil should be monitored as excessive intake can cause body weight gain and a change in the basal metabolic index. So, it can be concluded that the olive oil consumption is beneficial for human health, and particularly for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases, breast cancer, and inflammation. The simple way of processing olive oil is to maintain the polyphenol constituents, whichprovide the protection against noncommunicable diseases and SARS-CoV-2.

In silico characterization and comparative genomic analysis of the Culex quinquefasciatus glutathione S-transferase (GST) supergene family.

The glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) are phase II class of detoxification enzymes that are involved both directly and indirectly in insecticide resistance mechanisms. The Culex quinquefasciatus GST superfamily was analyzed by utilizing the public domain Culex genome sequence. In total, 35 cytosolic (seven classes) and 5 microsomal putatively active GSTs were retrieved, classified, and annotated. The study revealed the presence of three unclassified GSTs. Of 35 cytosolic GSTs, 65% contributed by insect specific Delta-Epsilon classes. Gene cluster analysis revealed that most of the genes of Delta, Epsilon, and Theta classes were organized into gene clusters. The gene organization analysis revealed the dominance of phase "0" introns in the Culex GST family. The studies on intron loss and gain events revealed that the Delta GSTs have experienced a higher number of loss and gains during their evolution. A positive correlation was observed between the phylogenetic relationship of members of the GST superfamily and their corresponding exon-intron organization. In addition, the genes within the gene clusters revealed the monophyletic phylogenetic relationship implying the importance of gene duplication events in the gene families' evolution. Finally, the comparative genomic analysis has shown a complex evolutionary scenario associated with the GST supergene family evolution in insects.

Factors affecting in vitro propagation of Momordica balsamina: a medicinal and nutritional climber.

A protocol was developed for multiple shoot induction in a climber with highly medicinal and nutritional values i.e. Momordica balsamina (Cucurbitaceae). Effects of various factors on micropropagation were also studied. Addition of BAP at 1.0 mg/l in MS medium stimulated proliferation of shoots with 6-8 coefficients from the axillary buds. Low concentration of activated charcoal (0.2 %) promoted shoot elongation and reduced callus formation. The combination of 1.0 mg/l BAP and 1.0 mg/l KN promoted shoot elongation and proliferation. NAA proved to be more effective in inducing higher number of roots per shoot than IBA. The plantlets raised in vitro were acclimatized in green house and successfully transplanted to natural condition with 85 % survival. The present investigation showed that direct regeneration of M. balsamina offer a good opportunity to use micropropagation technique as a complementary tool for breeding and other applications.

Chryseobacterium culicis sp. nov., isolated from the midgut of the mosquito Culex quinquefasciatus.

A yellow-pigmented bacterial strain, R4-1A(T), isolated from the midgut of the mosquito Culex quinquefasciatus (a vector of lymphatic filariasis), was studied using a polyphasic approach. Cells of the isolate were rod-shaped and stained Gram-negative. A comparison of the 16S rRNA gene sequence of this organism with sequences of type strains of the most closely related species clearly showed an allocation to the genus Chryseobacterium, with the highest sequence similarities (all 97.9 %) to Chryseobacterium jejuense JS17-8(T), C. indologenes ATCC 29897(T), C. arthrosphaerae CC-VM-7(T) and C. aquifrigidense CW9(T). 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities to type strains of other Chryseobacterium species were below 97.5 %. The fatty acid profile of strain R4-1A(T) included the major fatty acids iso-15 : 0, summed feature 4 (comprising iso-15 : 0 2-OH and/or 16 : 1ω7c), iso-17 : 1ω9c and iso-17 : 0 3-OH. DNA-DNA hybridizations with C. jejuense KACC 12501(T), C. indologenes CCUG 14556(T), C. arthrosphaerae CC-VM-7(T) and C. aquifrigidense KCTC 12894(T) resulted in relatedness values of 38.3 % (reciprocal 30.5 %), 29.4 % (32.1 %), 23.2 % (37.2 %) and 29.5 % (47.1 %), respectively. These results and the differentiating biochemical and chemotaxonomic properties show that strain R4-1A(T) represents a novel species, for which the name Chryseobacterium culicis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is R4-1A(T) (=LMG 25442(T) =CCM 7716(T)).

Medicinal and biological potential of pumpkin: an updated review.

The use of herbal remedies individually or in combination with standard medicines has been used in various medical treatises for the cure of different diseases. Pumpkin is one of the well-known edible plants and has substantial medicinal properties due to the presence of unique natural edible substances. It contains several phyto-constituents belonging to the categories of alkaloids, flavonoids, and palmitic, oleic and linoleic acids. Various important medicinal properties including anti-diabetic, antioxidant, anti-carcinogenic, anti-inflammatory and others have been well documented. The purpose of the present article is to discuss various medicinal and biological potentials of pumpkin that can impart further research developments with this plant for human health benefits.

Biodiesel production with special emphasis on lipase-catalyzed transesterification.

The production of biodiesel by transesterification employing acid or base catalyst has been industrially accepted for its high conversion and reaction rates. Downstream processing costs and environmental problems associated with biodiesel production and byproducts recovery have led to the search for alternative production methods. Recently, enzymatic transesterification involving lipases has attracted attention for biodiesel production as it produces high purity product and enables easy separation from the byproduct, glycerol. The use of immobilized lipases and immobilized whole cells may lower the overall cost, while presenting less downstream processing problems, to biodiesel production. The present review gives an overview on biodiesel production technology and analyzes the factors/methods of enzymatic approach reported in the literature and also suggests suitable method on the basis of evidence for industrial production of biodiesel.

Impact and prognosis of the expression of IFN-α among tuberculosis patients.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb) infection stimulates the release of cytokines, including interferons (IFNs). IFNs are initiators, regulators, and effectors of innate and adaptive immunity. Accordingly, the expression levels of Type I (α, ß) and II (γ) IFNs, among untreated tuberculosis (TB) patients and household contacts (HHC) clinically free of TB was assessed. A total of 264 individuals (TB patients-123; HHC-86; laboratory volunteers-55; Treated TB patients-36) were enrolled for this study. IFN-α mRNA expression levels predominated compared to IFN-γ and IFN-ß among untreated TB patients. IFN-α transcripts were ~3.5 folds higher in TB patients compared to HHC, (p<0.0001). High expression of IFN-α was seen among 46% (56/ 123) of the TB patients and 26%, (22/86) of HHCs. The expression levels of IFN-α correlated with that of IFN transcriptional release factor 7 (IRF) (p<0.0001). In contrast, an inverse relationship exists between PGE2 and IFN-α expression levels; high IFN-α expressers were associated with low levels of PGE2 and vice-versa (Spearman's rho = -0.563; p<0.0001). In-vitro, IFN-α failed to restrict the replication of intracellular M.tb. The anti-mycobacterial activity of IFN-γ was compromised in the presence of IFN-α, but not by IFN-ß. The expression of IFN-α and ß diminished or is absent, among successfully treated TB patients. These observations suggest the utility of assessment of Type I IFNs expression levels as a prognostic marker to monitor tuberculosis patient response to chemotherapy because changes in Type I IFNs expression are expected to precede the clearance and /reduction in bacterial load.

Oxidative stress mediated cytotoxicity of cyanide in LLC-MK2 cells and its attenuation by alpha-ketoglutarate and N-acetyl cysteine.

Cyanide is a rapidly acting mitochondrial poison that inhibits cellular respiration and energy metabolism leading to histotoxic hypoxia followed by cell death. Cyanide is predominantly a neurotoxin but its toxic manifestations in non-neuronal cells are also documented. This study addresses the oxidative stress mediated cytotoxicity of cyanide in Rhesus monkey kidney epithelial cells (LLC-MK2). Cells were treated with various concentrations of potassium cyanide (KCN) for different time intervals and cytotoxicity was evidenced by increased leakage of intracellular lactate dehydrogenase, mitochondrial dysfunction (MTT assay) and depleted energy status of cells (ATP assay). Cytotoxicity was accompanied by lipid peroxidation indicated by elevated levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS) (DCF-DA staining), diminished cellular antioxidant status (reduced glutathione (GSH), glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase and catalase). These cascading events triggered an apoptotic kind of cell death characterized by oligonucleosomal DNA fragmentation and nuclear fragmentation (Hoechst 33342 staining). Apoptosis was further confirmed by increased caspase-3 activity. Cyanide-induced cytotoxicity, oxidative stress, and DNA fragmentation were prevented by alpha-ketoglutarate (A-KG) and N-acetyl cysteine (NAC). A-KG is a potential cyanide antidote that confers protection by interacting with cyanide to form cyanohydrin complex while NAC is a free radical scavenger and enhances the cellular GSH levels. The study reveals cytotoxicity of cyanide in cells of renal origin and the protective efficacy of A-KG and NAC.

Filarial infection is resisted differentially by subjects having different blood group phenotypes.

This study was aimed to elucidate the relationship between major blood group antigens (BGAs) and susceptibility or resistance to human lymphatic filariasis. A total of 492 human subjects, living in Raipur city of Chhattisgarh, endemic for bancroftian filariasis in Central India, were screened for the presence of Wuchereria bancrofti microfilariae and disease manifestations. The frequency of BGAs was tabulated as a function of the status of filariasis, namely normal (no infection), mf carrier (presence of microfilariae in blood), and elephantiasis (confirmed clinical manifestations). The comparison of ABO phenotype distributions among all the three groups clearly indicated that disease status has a significant relationship with the blood group attributes. The result of chi2 analysis of the frequencies of ABO phenotypes observed in microfilaraemic and elephantiasis groups (observed frequency vs. expected frequency computed based on the distribution of the normal population) revealed that there has been a significant alteration in the distribution of ABO phenotypes in microfilaraemic, but not in elephantiasis, group. The susceptibility to filarial infection was computed as a function of blood group phenotypes in the population. The susceptibility and conditional susceptibility for elephantiasis were the least among the subjects with AB phenotypes. The mechanism of association between filariasis and ABO antigens needs to be further explored to understand how the distribution of BGAs affects susceptibility/resistance to infection.

Temephos-induced resistance in Aedes aegypti and its cross-resistance studies to certain insecticides from India.

A temephos-induced resistance in Aedes aegypti that was developed for 24 generations exhibited 20.3-fold resistance as compared to susceptible strain. The diagnostic dose of temephos 0.02 mg/l exhibited gradual decrease in larval mortality with the progression of generations. An operational dose (1 mg/l) exhibited the LT(50) value of 41.42 min in the susceptible population, whereas the value of the resistant population increased to 72.62, 108.86, 122.34, 182.03, 244.82 and 304.86 min in the fourth, eighth, 12th, 16th, 20th and 24th generation, respectively. The study carried out showed 120 min as the cut-off limit for differentiation between susceptible and resistant A. aegypti. Cross-resistance studies showed a varied degree of cross-resistance to fenthion, chlorpyrifos, malathion and DDT, whereas comparatively higher cross-resistance was observed to chlorpyrifos. Study on diagnostic doses of insecticides to A. aegypti females indicated a gradual decrease in adult mortality at every eighth generation as compared to susceptible population when exposed to malathion 0.8%, fenthion 0.25%, DDT 4%, permethrin 0.25% and temephos 6.5%, whereas little or no change in mortality when exposed to lambda-cyhalothrin 0.03% and propoxur 0.1%, was observed. Thus, the expression of larval resistance was observed in adult stages also.

Activity and gene expression profile of certain antioxidant enzymes in different organs of rats after subacute cyanide exposure: effect of alpha-ketoglutarate.

Oxidative stress plays a crucial role in mediating cyanide toxicity. The present study addresses the effect of cyanide on activity and gene-expression profile of certain antioxidant enzymes and the expression of heat shock protein (HSP-70) in different organs of rats. Rats were treated with 0.50 LD(50) (7.0 mg/kg) of potassium cyanide (KCN; oral) and/or alpha-ketoglutarate (A-KG; 1.0 g/kg; oral) daily for 14 days, and various biochemical variables were measured in brain, liver, and kidney after 7 and 14 days of treatments and a 7-day recovery period. Cyanide significantly reduced the activity of glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione reductase (GR), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CA) in all the organs after 7 days, while the activity of GPx in brain, liver, and kidney, GR in liver, and CA in brain remained diminished up to 14 days. The gene-expression profile of corresponding enzymes did not show any difference between the control and treatment groups. Elevated levels of malondialdehyde were observed in brain and kidney 7 and 14 days after cyanide. Cyanide also increased the expression of HSP-70 activity in brain after 7 days alone. Regression of toxicity was observed after the withdrawal of KCN. Treatment of A-KG was found to prevent all the biochemical alterations caused by cyanide. This study reveals that oxidative stress caused by cyanide was independent of the expression of antioxidant enzyme activity at the gene level, and all changes responded favorably to A-KG, indicating its therapeutic potential.

Impact of season on filarial vector density and infection in Raipur City of Chhattisgarh, India.

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES: Bionomics and transmission dynamics of vector population are profoundly influenced by local climatic conditions. The study monitored variations in density, infection and infectivity rates of Culex quinquefasciatus with respect to season in randomly selected localities of Raipur City of Chhattisgarh state. METHODS: The indoor resting density of Cx. quinquefasciatus, Wuchereria bancrofti infection and infectivity rates were monitored in Raipur City at regular monthly intervals for over a period of 12 months and the impact of meteorological conditions on transmission indices were assessed. The frequency distribution of different stages of filarial larvae in naturally infected vector population, host efficiency and transmission intensity index of the vector population was also worked out. RESULTS: The mean vector density of Cx. quinquefasciatus during the study period was 55.22 while the mean vector infection and infectivity rates recorded in Raipur were 4.05 and 0.25% respectively. A gradual increase in Culex infection rate was recorded from June onwards with a maximum (22.14%) in August and minimum (2.38%) in February. No vector with filarial infection was detected during December when the vector density was high. Analysis of frequency distribution of different stages of larvae revealed dominance of microfilarial stage with a mean larval intensity of 5.37. The highest infectivity rate was observed during June (1.15%) and the lowest was in March (0.41%). Both the infection and infectivity rates were at their low during winter season although the density of Cx. quinquefasciatus was at its maximum. Highest mean host efficiency of 0.44 was recorded in February. The annual transmission intensity index (TII) was 32.72. The highest TII was recorded during January and February months. INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSION: The climate appeared to have profound impact on vector density, infection and infectivity rates. The vector infection and infectivity rates were high in rainy season followed by summer and winter seasons. The highest host efficiency was observed in winter followed by summer and rainy seasons. An apparent negative correlation was observed between vector infection rate and vector density. Lower temperatures (23-25 degree) with low rainfall favoured progression of mf to L3 in Cx. quinquefasciatus in the study region.

Interruption of annual single dose DEC regimen administration: impact on Wuchereria bancrofti microfilaraemia, vector infection and infectivity rates.

The effect of single dose diethylcarbamazine regimen (6 mg/kg body wt.) in comparison to standard DEC regimen i.e; 72 mg/kg body wt (administered in 12 consecutive days) in clearing Wuchereria bancrofti microfilariae from low density micro filariae carriers (1- 8 mf per 20 microl) and its impact on vector infection rate were studied in an urban region endemic for bancroftian filariasis. The efficacy of DEC regimens were determined by assessing the rate of successful treatment, percentage cure rate and percentage decrease in microfilariae count in treated subjects. The 12 days regimen was found very effective with 100% cure rate even after 4 years of drug therapy. In subjects, who received single dose DEC regimen, the rate of successful treatment, cure rate and percent decrease in micro filariae count was significantly low when assessed 24 hour after therapy. Reexamination of subjects in this group at 6,12, 24 and 48 months after therapy showed a sharp decline in all therapeutic indices and the microfilariae count reached pretreatment levels by 4th year of drug therapy. The single dose regimen had a marginal impact on vector infection and infectivity rates in Culex quinquefasciatus. A marked increase of vector infection and infectivity rates in parallel to human microfilaraemia rate was recorded from the same households when examined after 4th yr after therapy. Thus the single dose 6 mg/kg body wt. DEC regimen (administered only once) failed to clear microfilariae even in a situation of filarial low endemicity and did not influence the transmission potential of C. quinquefasciatus.

Prevalence of metabolic syndrome in Gwalior region of Central India: A comparative study using NCEP ATP III, IDF and Harmonized criteria.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of Metabolic syndrome (MetS) in the people of Gwalior. Three criteria viz., National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP ATP III) criteria, International Diabetes Federation (IDF) criteria and Harmonized criteria for MetS were employed to assess the prevalence of metabolic syndrome in this region, their concordance with respect to this population was recorded. METHODS: The cross-sectional study involved the people, who had attended the Diabetes clinic at the Centre for Translational Research, Jiwaji University during 2015-2017. A total of 1190 participants within the age group of 20-79 years of either gender were included in the study. Anthropometric parameters, blood pressure, blood glucose and lipid profile of all subjects were assessed. Student's 't' test, Kappa statistics and Binary logistic regression model were used to analyze the data. RESULTS: The percentage of prevalent MetS was found to be 72.7, 50.2 and 53.9 following Harmonized criteria, NCEP ATPIII and IDF criteria respectively. The prevalence was found to be maximum in centrally obese female population, aged between 51 and 60 years with the presence of hyperglycemia and reduced HDL- C. Harmonized and IDF criteria showed good agreement (κ 0.85). Regression analysis showed that, high body mass index, hypertension and dyslipedimia were the most critical predictive risk factors of MetS. CONCLUSIONS: Maximum prevalence of MetS was recorded when the Harmonized criteria was followed. A good agreement was observed between Harmonized vs. IDF criteria. MetS if detected early especially in apparently healthy subjects; paves way for preventive measures to be designed in order to avert the incidence of diabetes and other risks related to cardio vascular disease.

Plasmodium falciparum: enhanced soluble expression, purification and biochemical characterization of lactate dehydrogenase.

Plasmodium lactate dehydrogenase (pLDH), owing to unique structural and kinetic properties, is a well known target for antimalarial compounds. To explore a new approach for high level soluble expression of Plasmodium falciparum lactate dehydrogenase (PfLDH) in E. coli, PfLDH encoding sequence was cloned into pQE-30 Xa vector. When transformed E. coli SG13009 cells were induced at 37 degrees C with 0.5mM isopropyl beta-d-thiogalactoside (IPTG) concentration, the protein was found to be exclusively associated with inclusion bodies. By reducing cell growth temperature to 15 degrees C and IPTG concentration to 0.25 mM, it was possible to get approximately 82% of expressed protein in soluble form. Recombinant PfLDH (rPfLDH) was purified to homogeneity yielding 18 mg of protein/litre culture. rPfLDH was found to be biologically active with specific activity of 453.8 micromol/min/mg. The enzyme exhibited characteristic reduced substrate inhibition and enhanced k(cat) [(3.2+/-0.02)x10(4)] with 3-acetylpyridine adenine dinucleotide (APAD+). The procedure described in this study may provide a reliable and simple method for production of large quantities of soluble and biologically active PfLDH.

Prevalence of mosquito species in Chhura block of Raipur district of Chhattisgarh state.

Mosquitoes act as vectors for several diseases including malaria and filaria. In Indian scenario, Chhattisgarh is endemic for both the diseases. The present study on prevalence of mosquito population in block Chhura of Raipur district of Chhattisgarh state was undertaken between August 2002 and March 2004 to asses the distribution pattern of various species of mosquitoes and their seasonal variations. Indoor resting mosquitoes were collected from five villages by aspirator tube in the morning (06:00-08:00 hr) using torchlight. Adult mosquitoes were identified using standard morphological and pictorial keys. Altogether 11 species belonging to three genera viz., Anopheles (7 species), Armigeres (1 species) and Culex (3 species) were recorded during study period. Average man-hour mosquito density was high in February 2003 (62.15) & March 2003 (69.35) and declined gradually till June 2003. From July 2003, it started rising again and reached a peak in August (94.10)-September (91.60) 2003. The vector species i.e. Anopheles culicifacies and Anopheles annularis were recorded high in rainy and winter seasons.

Chitosan encapsulated nanocurcumin induces GLUT-4 translocation and exhibits enhanced anti-hyperglycemic function.

AIM: The present study was undertaken to develop a Curcumin nanoparticle system with chitosan as a hydrophilic carrier. In addition, the anti-diabetic potential of curcumin loaded chitosan nanoparticles were assessed in comparison to those of free curcumin by examining the anti-hyperglycemic efficacy using in vitro assays. METHODS: Curcumin loaded chitosan nanoparticles were prepared and characterized for particle size by transmission electron microscopy, FT-IR, differential scanning calorimetry and therapeutic effects of curcumin loaded chitosan nanoparticles were evaluated by measuring the level of GLUT-4 present at the plasma membrane in L6myc myotubes followed by western blotting. Additionally, anti-inflammatory potential of curcumin loaded chitosan nanoparticles were assessed by enzyme immunoassay using appropriate ELISA kits. KEY FINDINGS: Transmission electron microscopy revealed an average nanocurcumin particle size of 74 nm. Under in vitro conditions, treatment with chitosan-nanocurcumin (CS-NC) caused a substantial increase in the GLUT-4 translocation to the cell surface in L6 skeletal muscle cells and the effect was associated with increased phosphorylation of AKT (Ser-473) and its downstream target GSK-3ß (Ser-9). SIGNIFICANCE: The therapeutic potential of nanocurcumin is prominent than that of curcumin alone. Nanocurcumin could improve the solubility of curcumin and may prolong its retention in the systemic circulation.