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Byline: Rajni. Sharma, Babita. Sharma, Parul. Sinha, Suman. Rishi Sir, Empyema thoracis (ET) is common in developing countries having high incidence of pneumonia, reported incidence being 0.8% of pediatric admissions.[1] [...]

Today, environmental pollution is a serious problem, and bioremediation can play an important role in cleaning contaminated sites. Remediation strategies, such as chemical and physical approaches, are not enough to mitigate pollution problems because of the continuous generation of novel recalcitrant pollutants due to anthropogenic activities. Bioremediation using microbes is an eco-friendly and socially acceptable alternative to conventional remediation approaches. Many microbes with a bioremediation potential have been isolated and characterized but, in many cases, cannot completely degrade the targeted pollutant or are ineffective in situations with mixed wastes. This review envisages advances in systems biology (SB), which enables the analysis of microbial behavior at a community level under different environmental stresses. By applying a SB approach, crucial preliminary information can be obtained for metabolic engineering (ME) of microbes for their enhanced bioremediation capabilities. This review also highlights the integrated SB and ME tools and techniques for bioremediation purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dopamine transporter (DAT) belongs to the SLC6A family of secondary-active [Na.sup.+]/Cl-dependent neurotransmitter transporters and functions to terminate dopaminergic signaling through re-uptake of dopamine (DA) from the synapse (1-3) (1). [...]

The dopamine transporter (DAT) is the principal target for drugs of abuse such as cocaine and methamphetamine. However, the molecular interactions of these compounds with DAT are poorly understood. Crystal [...]

The dopamine transporter (DAT) is an integral membrane protein that is responsible for the reuptake of extraneuronal dopamine (DA) and thus, for terminating dopaminergic neurotransmission. DA levels are tightly regulated, [...]

Introduction: Fungal respiratory infections are important cause of mortality and morbidity among HIV positive individuals. They account for up to 70% of illness in Acquired Immunodeficiency Disease Syndrome cases (AIDS). The range of illness varies from asymptomatic mucosal candidiasis to overwhelming disseminated infections. In these patients dissemination of fungus leads to very serious outcomes hence, it is important to have the knowledge of prevailing profile of fungus causing infections, so that it can be treated at the onset. Low CD4+T lymphocyte count is an excellent indicator of decreased immunity and can also be helpful to predict opportunistic fungal respiratory infections and other complications. Aim: To define the fungal aetiology of lower respiratory tract infections in HIV positive patients and to correlate the occurrence of different fungi with CD4+ T lymphocyte count. Materials and Methods: This was a cross sectional study conducted between May 2014 to April 2015, on 180 treatment naive HIV seropositive patients with lower respiratory tract infections attending the Integrated Counselling and Testing Centre, SMS Medical College, Jaipur, Rajasthan. Early morning expectorated and induced sputum samples were collected and processed for isolation and identification of fungal species. CD4+ T lymphocyte count estimation was done by BD FACS Calibur. Results: Fungal species were isolated from 155 (86.1%) patients. The most common isolate was Candida albicans (31.7%), followed by Aspergillus niger (17.7%) and Aspergillus flavus (10%). The fungal species were most commonly isolated from patients with CD4+ T lymphocyte cell less than 200 cells/μl. Conclusion: Fungal infections were seen in 86.1% of HIV positive patients with lower respiratory tract infections hence, high level of clinical suspicion for fungal aetiology of respiratory infections in HIV positive patients should be kept in mind. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background & objectives: Pyrazinamide is an important front line antimycobacterial drug, which is also being used in the treatment of multi drug resistant tuberculosis along with second line drugs in DOTS plus programme. Conventional testing of pyrazinamide on solid medium is difficult as it is active at acidic pH. Therefore, there is a need for a rapid and simple method for susceptibility testing of pyrazinamide. This study was carried out to compare pyrazinamide susceptibility testing by MGIT 960 and two rapid pyrazinamidase activity tests. Methods: Pyrazinamide susceptibility was tested in 136 clinical isolates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis by MGIT 960 and pyrazinamidase activity was tested by classical Wayne's method and modified PZase agar method. Results: There was 88.9 per cent concordance between MGIT 960 and classical Wayne's method and 93.38 per cent with modified method for pyrazinamidase activity. Using MGIT 960 results as gold standard the sensitivity and specificity of Wayne's method was 88.15 and 90 per cent respectively and that of modified method was 89.4 and 98.3 per cent. Interpretation & conclusions: Our study demonstrates that the modified pyrazinamidase activity test can be used as a screening test to detect resistance to pyrazinamide specially in resource limited settings but confirmation of susceptibility should be done by standard methods like MGIT 960. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The attenuation properties of the crust in the Kachchh region, Gujarat, India, have been investigated. For this purpose, 49 local earthquakes having focal depths in the 3-38 km range have been used. The quality factors Qα (the quality factor using P waves) and Qβ (the quality factor using S waves) have been estimated using the coda normalization method. The quality factor of coda waves (Qc) has been estimated using the single backscattering model. Multiple scattering models have been used to estimate Qi (the intrinsic attenuation parameter) and Qs (scattering attenuation parameter) for the region. The values of Qα, Qβ, Qc, Qi, and Qs show a dependence on frequency in the range of 1.5-24 Hz for the Kachchh region. The average frequency-dependent relationships (Q = Q0fn) estimated for the region are Qα = (77 ± 2)f(0:87±0:03), Qβ = (100 ± 4)f(0:86±0:04), and Qc = (148 ± 3)f(1:01±0:02). The estimate of Qc is found to be higher than Qβ in this region. This analysis supports the Zeng et al. (1991) model that predicts that the effects of intrinsic and scattering attenuation combine in a manner that Qc should be more than Qβ. The estimated values of Qs and Qi vary from 529 and 183 at 1.5 Hz to 3053 and 2668 at 24 Hz, respectively. We find that the Qc estimates lie between the estimates of Qi and Qs but are closer to Qi at lower frequencies. This is in agreement with the theoretical as well as laboratory measurements. A comparison between Qi and Qs shows that intrinsic absorption is predominant over scattering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Malaria is caused by the protozoan Plasmodium. The parasite Plasmodium completes its life cycle inside two hosts, i.e. human and mosquito. Among all known Plasmodium species, Plasmodium falciparum is known to cause maximum mortality. Various studies done on the mosquito stages of the parasite suggest that the proteins present on the parasite's surface are responsible for its survival under the adverse conditions prevailing in the mosquito midgut. When human blood containing Plasmodium gametocytes enters the mosquito gut, the gametocytes form gametes which then fuse to form zygotes. At this stage two closely related proteins, Pfs25 and Pfs28 are expressed on the surface of the parasite which continue to express up to the young oocyst stage. These proteins present on zygotes, ookinetes and young oocysts of Plasmodium are categorized in P25 and P28 families and are well known malaria vaccine candidate proteins. In this study, we have done sequence analysis, homology modeling and docking studies of a typical member of the P25 family of ookinete surface protein, i.e. Pfs25 from Plasmodium falciparum. We have built a 3D model of Pfs25 based on the X-ray crystallographic structure of Pvs25 from Plasmodium vivax. Also we have modeled the Fv region of the malaria transmission blocking monoclonal antibody 4B7. This antibody is the transmission blocking monoclonal antibody for Pfs25 protein. Pfs25 and 4B7 scFv (single chain variable fragment only) docking results indicate that EGF domain III of the Pfs25 protein interacts with the scFv region of modeled 4B7 antibody forming seven hydrogen bonds out of which six are formed with heavy chain of scFv region. Docking results of Pfs25 with gamma chain of laminin also suggest a possible role of Pfs25 protein in host parasite interaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new area of biotechnology is nanotechnology. Nanotechnology is an emerging field that aims to develope various substances with nano-dimensions that have utilization in the various sectors of pharmaceuticals, bio prospecting, human activities and biomedical applications. An essential stage in the development of nanotechnology is the creation of nanoparticles. To increase their biological uses, eco-friendly material synthesis processes are becoming increasingly important. Recent years have shown a lot of interest in nanostructured materials due to their beneficial and unique characteristics compared to their polycrystalline counterparts. The fascinating performance of nanomaterials in electronics, optics, and photonics has generated a lot of interest. An eco-friendly approach of creating nanoparticles has emerged in order to get around the drawbacks of conventional techniques. Today, a wide range of nanoparticles have been created by employing various microbes, and their potential in numerous cutting-edge technological fields have been investigated. These particles have well-defined chemical compositions, sizes, and morphologies. The green production of nanoparticles mostly uses plants and microbes. Hence, the use of microbial nanotechnology in agriculture and plant science is the main emphasis of this review. The present review highlights the methods of biological synthesis of nanoparticles available with a major focus on microbially synthesized nanoparticles, parameters and biochemistry involved. Further, it takes into account the genetic engineering and synthetic biology involved in microbial nanobiosynthesis to the construction of microbial nanofactories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antioxidants can remove damaging reactive oxygen species produced as by-products of desiccation and respiration during late embryogenesis, imbibition of dormant seeds and germination. We have expressed a protein, PER1, encoded by the Balem ( barley aleurone and embryo) transcript previously called B15C, and show it to reduce oxidative damage in vitro. PER1 shares high similarity to a novel group of thiol-requiring antioxidants, named peroxiredoxins, and represents a subgroup with only one conserved cysteine residue (1-Cys). PER1 is the first antioxidant belonging to the 1-Cys subgroup shown to be functionally active, and the first peroxiredoxin of any kind to be functionally described in plants. The steady state level of the transcript, Per1, homologous to a dormancy-related transcript (pBS128) from bromegrass ( Bromus secalinus), increases considerably in imbibed embryos from dormant barley ( Hordeum vulgare L.) grains. Our investigations also indicate that Per1 transcript levels are dormancy-related in the aleurone layer of whole grains. In contrast to most seed-expressed antioxidants Per1 disappears in germinating embryos, and in the mature aleurone the transcript is down-regulated by the germinating embryo or by gibberellic acid (GA). Our data show that the barley seed peroxiredoxin is encoded by a single Per1 gene. Possible roles of the PER1 peroxiredoxin in barley grains during desiccation, dormancy and imbibition are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]