Comparative transcriptome analysis of E. coli & Staphylococcus aureus infected goat mammary epithelial cells reveals genes associated with infection

Mastitis, an inflammatory disease of the mammary gland, imposes a significant financial burden on the dairy sector. However, the specific molecular mechanisms underlying their interactions with goat mammary epithelial cells (GMECs) remain poorly understood. This study aimed to investigate the transcriptomic response of GMECs during infection with E. coli and S. aureus, providing insights into the host-pathogen interactions. Differential expression of gene (DEGs) analysis was done to find genes and pathways dysregulated in the wake of infection. E. coli infection triggered a robust upregulation of immune response genes, including pro-inflammatory chemokines and cytokines as well as genes involved in tissue repair and remodeling. Conversely, S. aureus infection showed a more complex pattern, involving the activation of immune-related gene as well as those involved in autophagy, apoptosis and tissue remodeling. Furthermore, several key pathways, such as Toll-like receptor signaling and cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, were differentially modulated in response to each pathogen. Understanding the specific responses of GMECs to these pathogens will provide a foundation for understanding the complex dynamics of infection and host response, offering potential avenues for the development of novel strategies to prevent and treat bacterial infections in both animals and humans.

PM2.5 Exposure-Linked Mitochondrial Dysfunction Negates SB216763-Mediated Cardio-Protection against Myocardial Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury

GSK3β is a promising target for treating various disease conditions, including myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury (IR). This study investigated the potential of GSK3β as a novel drug for managing IR in rats exposed to PM2.5 for 1 day and up to 21 days. Female Wistar rats were exposed to PM2.5 at a concentration of 250 µg/m3 for 3 h daily for either a single day or 21 days. After exposure, the isolated rat hearts underwent 30 min of ischemia followed by 60 min of reperfusion. GSK3β inhibition effectively reduced IR injury in rat hearts from animals exposed to PM2.5 for 1 day but not in those exposed for 21 days. PM2.5 exposure disrupted the redox balance in mitochondria and reduced the gene expression of antioxidants (glutaredoxin and peroxiredoxin) and NRF2, which protects against oxidative stress. PM2.5 also impaired mitochondrial bioenergetics, membrane potential, and quality control, leading to mitochondrial stress. Importantly, PM2.5 increased the translocation of GSK3β into mitochondria and compromised the overall mitochondrial function, particularly in the 21-day-exposed rat myocardium. The results indicate that extended exposure to PM2.5 leads to oxidative stress that disrupts mitochondrial function and diminishes the effectiveness of GSK3β inhibitors in offering cardio-protection through mitochondria.

Identification of SNPs Related to Salmonella Resistance in Chickens Using RNA-Seq and Integrated Bioinformatics Approach

Potential single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were detected between two chicken breeds (Kashmir favorella and broiler) using deep RNA sequencing. This was carried out to comprehend the coding area alterations, which cause variances in the immunological response to Salmonella infection. In the present study, we identified high impact SNPs from both chicken breeds in order to delineate different pathways that mediate disease resistant/susceptibility traits. Samples (liver and spleen) were collected from Salmonella resistant (K. favorella) and susceptible (broiler) chicken breeds. Salmonella resistance and susceptibility were checked by different pathological parameters post infection. To explore possible polymorphisms in genes linked with disease resistance, SNP identification analysis was performed utilizing RNA seq data from nine K. favorella and ten broiler chickens. A total of 1778 (1070 SNPs and 708 INDELs) and 1459 (859 SNPs and 600 INDELs) were found to be specific to K. favorella and broiler, respectively. Based on our results, we conclude that in broiler chickens the enriched pathways mostly included metabolic pathways like fatty acid metabolism, carbon metabolism and amino acid metabolism (Arginine and proline metabolism), while as in K. favorella genes with high impact SNPs were enriched in most of the immune-related pathways like MAPK signaling pathway, Wnt signaling pathway, NOD-like receptor signaling pathway, etc., which could be a possible resistance mechanism against salmonella infection. In K. favorella, protein-protein interaction analysis also shows some important hub nodes, which are important in providing defense against different infectious diseases. Phylogenomic analysis revealed that indigenous poultry breeds (resistant) are clearly separated from commercial breeds (susceptible). These findings will offer fresh perspectives on the genetic diversity in chicken breeds and will aid in the genomic selection of poultry birds.

Identification of key transcription factors and their functional role involved in Salmonella typhimurium infection in chicken using integrated transcriptome analysis and bioinformatics approach

Salmonella enterica serovar typhimurium is the cause of significant morbidity and mortality worldwide that causes economic losses to poultry and is able to cause infection in humans. Indigenous chicken breeds are a potential source of animal protein and have the added advantage of being disease resistant. An indigenous chicken, Kashmir favorella and commercial broiler were selected for understanding the mechanism of disease resistance. Following infection in Kashmir favorella, three differentially expressed genes Nuclear Factor Kappa B (NF-κB1), Forkhead Box Protein O3 (FOXO3) and Paired box 5 (Pax5) were identified. FOXO3, a transcriptional activator, is the potential marker of host resistance in Salmonella infection. NF-κB1 is an inducible transcription factor which lays the foundation for studying gene network of the innate immune response of Salmonella infection in chicken. Pax5 is essential for differentiation of pre-B cells into mature B cell. The real time PCR analysis showed that in response to Salmonella Typhimurium infection a remarkable increase of NF-κB1 (P˂0.01)_, FOXO3 (P˂0.01) gene expression in liver and Pax5 (P˂0.01) gene expression in spleen of Kashmir favorella was observed. The protein-protein interaction (PPI) and protein-TF interaction network by STRINGDB analysis suggests that FOXO3 is a hub gene in the network and is closely related to Salmonella infection along with NF-κB1. All the three differentially expressed genes (NF-κB1, FOXO3 and PaX5) showed their influence on 12 interacting proteins and 16 TFs, where cyclic adenosine monophosphate Response Element Binding protein (CREBBP), erythroblast transformation-specific (ETSI), Tumour-protein 53(TP53I), IKKBK, lymphoid enhancer-binding factor-1 (LEF1), and interferon regulatory factor-4 (IRF4) play role in immune responses. This study shall pave the way for newer strategies for treatment and prevention of Salmonella infection and may help in increasing the innate disease resistance.

Oral contraceptive pill (OCP) treatment alters the gene expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) women compared to drug-naive PCOS women

BACKGROUND

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) presents clinical symptoms of menstrual abnormalities, excessive hair growth (hirsutism), scalp hair loss, acne and infertility. Metabolic abnormalities such as obesity, insulin resistance, glucose intolerance and cardiovascular problems constitute an essential part of PCOS, all of which can have significant long-term health consequences. Low-grade chronic inflammation demonstrated by persistent moderately elevated serum levels of inflammatory and coagulatory markers plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of PCOS. Oral contraceptive pills (OCPs) constitute the mainstay of pharmacologic therapy for women with PCOS to regularize cyclicity and ameliorate androgen excess. On the other hand, OCP use is associated with various venous thromboembolic and proinflammatory events in the general population. PCOS women always carriers the increased lifetime risk of these events. The studies on the effect of OCPs on inflammatory, coagulation and metabolic parameters in PCOS are less robust. Therefore in this study, we investigated and compared the messenger RNA (mRNA) expression profiles of genes implicated in inflammatory and coagulation pathways between drug-naive and OCP-treated PCOS women. The selected genes include intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1). Furthermore, the correlation between the selected markers and various metabolic indices in the OCP group has also been explored.

METHOD

The relative amounts of ICAM-1, TNF-α, MCP-1 and PAI-1 mRNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 25 drug-naive PCOS subjects (controls) and 25 PCOS subjects who received OCPs containing 0.03 mg-ethinyl-estradiol and 0.15 mg-levonorgestrel for at least six months (cases) were estimated using real-time qPCR. The statistical interpretation was conducted using SPSS version 20.0 (SPSS, Inc, Chicago, IL), Epi Info version 2002 (Disease Control and Prevention Centres, Atlanta, GA) and GraphPad Prism 5 (GraphPad Software, La Jolla, CA) software.

RESULT

Six months of OCP therapy enhanced the expression of inflammatory genes viz ICAM-1, TNF-α and MCP-1 mRNA in PCOS women by 2.54, 2.05 and 1.74 folds, respectively, in this study. However, PAI-1 mRNA in the OCP group showed no significant increase. Furthermore, in cases, ICAM-1 mRNA expression positively correlated with body mass index (BMI) (p = 0.01), fasting insulin (p = 0.01), insulin 2 h p = 0.02), glucose 2 h (p = 0.01) and triglycerides (p = 0.01). TNF-α mRNA expression positively correlated with fasting insulin (p = 0.0007). MCP-1 mRNA expression positively correlated with (BMI) (p = 0.002).

CONCLUSION

OCPs helped reduce clinical hyperandrogenism and regularise menstrual cycles in women with PCOS. However, OCP use was associated with increased fold expression of inflammatory markers which positively correlated with metabolic abnormalities.

Nanogel-based Transdermal Drug Delivery System: A Therapeutic Strategy with Under Discussed Potential

The application of nanoparticles in medication delivery has revolutionized the field of therapeutic biology. To improve medical efficacy, currently, drug nanocarriers are employed to control the release and stability, expand its circulation time, or protect it from cell clearance or premature breakdown. A crosslinked polymeric framework is used to crosslink the hydrogel nanoparticle dispersions for safer and stable delivery on target sites. Nanogels have developed in the last two decades as potential biomaterials with a wide variety of applications. Later attributes of nanogels are mainly due to large surface areas, retention of molecules, size flexibility, and water-based formulations that have made them popular as drug delivery vehicles, as seen by several in vivo uses. The gel matrix containing the nanoparticle drug demonstrated a considerable increase in drug penetration in transdermal drug and topical delivery methods. This review aims to understand why and how nanogels are considered so innovative as a drug delivery method. It also examines their preparation methods and applications in the pharmaceutical and biomedical fields and discusses the benefits of nanogels, including swelling capacity and stimulus stimuli sensitivity. Nanogels, on the other hand, have recently been investigated for applications outside the field of biomedicine. Since there are many possible uses for nanogels, we have comprehensively reviewed the current state of the art for all feasible nanogel applications and manufacturing methods.

Comparative RNA-Seq analysis reveals insights in Salmonella disease resistance of chicken; and database development as resource for gene expression in poultry

Salmonella, one of the major infectious diseases in poultry, causes considerable economic losses in terms of mortality and morbidity, especially in countries that lack effective vaccination programs. Besides being resistant to diseases, indigenous chicken breeds are also a potential source of animal protein in developing countries. For understanding the disease resistance, an indigenous chicken line Kashmir faverolla, and commercial broiler were selected. RNA-seq was performed after challenging the chicken with Salmonella Typhimurium. Comparative differential expression results showed that following infection, a total of 3153 genes and 1787 genes were differentially expressed in the liver and spleen, respectively. The genes that were differentially expressed included interleukins, cytokines, NOS2, Avβ-defensins, toll-like receptors, and other immune-related gene families. Most of the genes and signaling pathways involved in the innate and adaptive immune responses against bacterial infection were significantly enriched in the Kashmir faverolla. Pathway analysis revealed that most of the enriched pathways were MAPK signaling pathway, NOD-like receptor signaling pathway, TLR signaling pathway, PPAR signaling pathway, endocytosis, etc. Surprisingly some immune-related genes like TLRs were upregulated in the susceptible chicken breed. On postmortem examination, the resistant birds showed small lesions in the liver compared to large necrotic lesions in susceptible birds. The pathological manifestations and RNA sequencing results suggest a balancing link between resistance and infection tolerance in Kashmir faverolla. Here we also developed an online Poultry Infection Database (https://skuastk.org/pif/index.html), the first publicly available gene expression resource for disease resistance in chickens. The available database not only shows the data for gene expression in chicken tissues but also provides quick search, visualization and download capacity.

Nutrigenomics in livestock sector and its human-animal interface-a review

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Nutrigenomics unfolds the link between nutrition and gene expression for productivity.expression profile of intramuscular.

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Nutrigenomics helps scientists discover genes and DNA in each animal's cell or tissue by assisting them in selecting nutrients.

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It brings out the importance of micronutrition for increasing animal production.

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Nutrigenomics integrates nutrition, molecular biology, genomics, bioinformatics, molecular medicine, and epidemiology.

Noncommunicable diseases such as cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes, and cancer now outnumber all other health ailments in humans globally due to abrupt changes in lifestyle following the industrial revolution. The industrial revolution has also intensified livestock farming, resulting in an increased demand for productivity and stressed animals. The livestock industry faces significant challenges from a projected sharp increase in global food and high animal protein demand. Nutrition genomics holds great promise for the future as its advances have opened up a whole new world of disease understanding and prevention. Nutrigenomics is the study of the interactions between genes and diet. It investigates molecular relationships between nutrients and genes to identify how even minor modifications could potentially alter animal and human health/performance by using techniques like proteomics, transcriptomics, metabolomics, and lipidomics. Dietary modifications mostly studied in livestock focus mainly on health and production traits through protein, fat, mineral, and vitamin supplementation changes. Nutrigenomics meticulously selects nutrients for fine-tuning the expression of genes that match animal/human genotypes for better health, productivity, and the environment. As a step forward, nutrigenomics integrates nutrition, molecular biology, genomics, bioinformatics, molecular medicine, and epidemiology to better understand the role of food as an epigenetic factor in the occurrence of these diseases. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the fundamental concepts, latest advances, and studies in the field of nutrigenomics, emphasizing the interaction of diet with gene expression, and how it relates to human and animal health along with its human-animal interphase.

Multiomics technologies: role in disease biomarker discoveries and therapeutics

 

Medical research has been revolutionized after the publication of the full human genome. This was the major landmark that paved the way for understanding the biological functions of different macro and micro molecules. With the advent of different high-throughput technologies, biomedical research was further revolutionized. These technologies constitute genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, etc. Collectively, these high-throughputs are referred to as multi-omics technologies. In the biomedical field, these omics technologies act as efficient and effective tools for disease diagnosis, management, monitoring, treatment and discovery of certain novel disease biomarkers. Genotyping arrays and other transcriptomic studies have helped us to elucidate the gene expression patterns in different biological states, i.e. healthy and diseased states. Further omics technologies such as proteomics and metabolomics have an important role in predicting the role of different biological molecules in an organism. It is because of these high throughput omics technologies that we have been able to fully understand the role of different genes, proteins, metabolites and biological pathways in a diseased condition. To understand a complex biological process, it is important to apply an integrative approach that analyses the multi-omics data in order to highlight the possible interrelationships of the involved biomolecules and their functions. Furthermore, these omics technologies offer an important opportunity to understand the information that underlies disease. In the current review, we will discuss the importance of omics technologies as promising tools to understand the role of different biomolecules in diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases, neurodegenerative diseases and diabetes.

SUMMARY POINTS

Pathogenesis-Related Gene Expression in Response to Trachyspermum ammi Supplementation Along With Probiotics in Chicken Salmonellosis and Insights in Drug Therapeutics

Salmonella enterica serovar typhimurium (S. typhimurium) is the leading cause of foodborne illness. Since Salmonella continues to have a detrimental effect on public health, there is an ongoing need to develop more advanced methods for combating Salmonellosis in foods before they reach consumers. In addition, the quest for alternative natural products has recently intensified due to increasingly stringent regulations regarding the use of antibiotics as growth promoters and consumer demand for antibiotic-free poultry products. This study evaluated the effect of Ajwain extract (AJE) on immune response and antioxidant status in broiler chicks challenged with Salmonella typhimurium. The chicks were infected with S. typhimurium and were divided into the different groups, except for the control group (CON). The challenged chicks received different treatments with 3 × 109 colony-forming unit (CFU) AciproTM-WS probiotic (PRO), 200 mg/kg Ajwain extract (AJE), 200 mg/100 kg of enrofloxacin (ENR), and a combination of 3 × 109 CFU AciproTM-WS probiotic and 200 mg/kg Ajwain extract (COM). Five days posttreatment, the tissue samples (liver and spleen) were analyzed. The results showed that basal diet supplemented with Ajwain extract (AJE) and a combination of probiotic and Ajwain extract (COM) significantly (P < 0.0.5) reduced the cytokine expression in broiler chicks challenged with S. typhimurium. Our findings suggest that AJE can clear the bacterial infection, improve antioxidant status, and suppress the inflammation response. Additionally, AJE supplementation significantly mitigated the S. typhimurium-induced increase in the interleukin-6 (IL-6) (liver and spleen), interleukin-8 (IL-8) (liver and spleen), interleukin-17A (IL-17A) (liver and spleen), and inducible nitric oxide (iNOS) (spleen and liver) levels (P < 0.05). We conclude that Ajwain is an efficient feed additive with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. The interaction networks developed in this study provide a novel lead that could be targeted for anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

Mammary epithelial cell transcriptome reveals potential roles of lncRNAs in regulating milk synthesis pathways in Jersey and Kashmiri cattle

Background

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are now proven as essential regulatory elements, playing diverse roles in many biological processes including mammary gland development. However, little is known about their roles in the bovine lactation process.

Results

To identify and characterize the roles of lncRNAs in bovine lactation, high throughput RNA sequencing data from Jersey (high milk yield producer), and Kashmiri cattle (low milk yield producer) were utilized. Transcriptome data from three Kashmiri and three Jersey cattle throughout their lactation stages were utilized for differential expression analysis. At each stage (early, mid and late) three samples were taken from each breed. A total of 45 differentially expressed lncRNAs were identified between the three stages of lactation. The differentially expressed lncRNAs were found co-expressed with genes involved in the milk synthesis processes such as GPAM, LPL, and ABCG2 indicating their potential regulatory effects on milk quality genes. KEGG pathways analysis of potential cis and trans target genes of differentially expressed lncRNAs indicated that 27 and 48 pathways were significantly enriched between the three stages of lactation in Kashmiri and Jersey respectively, including mTOR signaling, PI3K-Akt signaling, and RAP1 signaling pathways. These pathways are known to play key roles in lactation biology and mammary gland development.

Conclusions

Expression profiles of lncRNAs across different lactation stages in Jersey and Kashmiri cattle provide a valuable resource for the study of the regulatory mechanisms involved in the lactation process as well as facilitate understanding of the role of lncRNAs in bovine lactation biology.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12864-022-08406-x.

Genome wide expression analysis of circular RNAs in mammary epithelial cells of cattle revealed difference in milk synthesis

Milk is an excellent source of nutrients for humans. Therefore, in order to enhance the quality and production of milk in cattle, it is interesting to examine the underlying mechanisms. A number of new investigations and research have found that, circRNA; a specific class of non-coding RNAs, is linked with the development of mammary gland and lactation. In the present study, genome wide identification and expression of the circRNAs in mammary epithelial cells of two distinct cattle breeds viz Jersey and Kashmiri at peak lactation was conducted. We reported 1554 and 1286 circRNA in Jersey and Kashmiri cattle, respectively, with 21 circRNAs being differentially expressed in the two breeds. The developmental genes of the established differentially expressed circRNAs were found to be largely enriched in antioxidant activity, progesterone, estradiol, lipid, growth hormone, and drug response. Certain pathways like MAPK, IP3K and immune response pathways were found significantly enriched in KEGG analysis. These results add to our understanding of the controlling mechanisms connected with the lactation process, as well as the function of circRNAs in bovine milk synthesis. Additionally, the comparative analysis of differentially expressed circRNAs showed significant conservation across different species.

Expression of lncRNAs in response to bacterial infections of goat mammary epithelial cells reveals insights into mammary gland diseases

Mastitis or inflammation of the mammary gland is a highly economic and deadly alarming disease for the dairy sector as well as policymakers caused by microbial infection. Transcriptomic and proteomic approaches have been widely employed to identify the underlying molecular mechanisms of bacterial infections in the mammary gland. Numerous differentially expressed mRNAs, miRNAs, and proteins together with their associated signaling pathways have been identified during bacterial infection, paving the way for analysis of their biological functions. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are important regulators of multiple biological processes. However, little is known regarding their role in bacterial infection in mammary epithelial cells. Hence, RNA-sequencing was performed by infecting primary mammary epithelial cells (pMECs) with both gram-negative (E. coli) and gram-positive bacteria (S. aureus). Using stringent pipeline, a set of 1957 known and 1175 novel lncRNAs were identified, among which, 112 lncRNAs were found differentially expressed in bacteria challenged PMECs compared with the control. Additionally, potential targets of the lncRNAs were predicted in cis- and trans-configuration. KEGG analysis revealed that DE lncRNAs were associated with at least 15 immune-related pathways. Therefore, our study revealed that bacterial challenge triggers the expression of lncRNAs associated with immune response and defense mechanisms in goat mammary epithelial cells.

Deep Insights in Circular RNAs: from biogenesis to therapeutics

Abstract

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have emerged as a universal novel class of eukaryotic non-coding RNA (ncRNA) molecules and are becoming a new research hotspot in RNA biology. They form a covalent loop without 5′ cap and 3′ tail, unlike their linear counterparts. Endogenous circRNAs in mammalian cells are abundantly conserved and discovered so far. In the biogenesis of circRNAs exonic, intronic, reverse complementary sequences or RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) play a very important role. Interestingly, the majority of them are highly conserved, stable, resistant to RNase R and show developmental-stage/tissue-specific expression. CircRNAs play multifunctional roles as microRNA (miRNA) sponges, regulators of transcription and post-transcription, parental gene expression and translation of proteins in various diseased conditions. Growing evidence shows that circRNAs play an important role in neurological disorders, atherosclerotic vascular disease, and cancer and potentially serve as diagnostic or predictive biomarkers due to its abundance in various biological samples. Here, we review the biogenesis, properties, functions, and impact of circRNAs on various diseases.

Graphical Abstract

Gene expression and antibody response in chicken against Salmonella Typhimurium challenge

Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (S. Typhimurium) is a primary avian pathogen responsible for severe intestinal pathology in younger chickens and economic losses to poultry industry. Furthermore, S. Typhimurium is also able to cause infection in humans, characterized by acute gastrointestinal disease. A study was conducted to investigate antibody response and expression kinetics of interferon gamma (IFNγ), interleukin (IL-12, and IL-18) genes in broiler chicken at 0, 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, and 15 D post infection following experimental infection of S. Typhimurium. Immunological studies showed higher titres of IgG and IgM in the infected group as compared to the age-matched un-infected control group. The Real-Time PCR-based gene expression analysis revealed significant increase of IFNγ, IL-12, and IL-18 mRNA levels in the infected group as compared to their respective controls (P < 0.05). The present study shall help in understanding the immune responses in birds, thus allowing development of more effective vaccines and vaccination strategies.

Comparative transcriptome analysis of mammary epithelial cells at different stages of lactation reveals wide differences in gene expression and pathways regulating milk synthesis between Jersey and Kashmiri cattle

Jersey and Kashmiri cattle are important dairy breeds that contribute significantly to the total milk production of the Indian northern state of Jammu and Kashmir. The Kashmiri cattle germplasm has been extensively diluted through crossbreeding with Jersey cattle with the goal of enhancing its milk production ability. However, crossbred animals are prone to diseases resulting to unsustainable milk production. This study aimed to provide a comprehensive transcriptome profile of mammary gland epithelial cells at different stages of lactation and to find key differences in genes and pathways regulating milk traits between Jersey and Kashmiri cattle. Mammary epithelial cells (MEC) isolated from milk obtained from six lactating cows (three Jersey and three Kashmiri cattle) on day 15 (D15), D90 and D250 in milk, representing early, mid and late lactation, respectively were used. RNA isolated from MEC was subjected to next-generation RNA sequencing and bioinformatics processing. Casein and whey protein genes were found to be highly expressed throughout the lactation stages in both breeds. Largest differences in differentially expressed genes (DEG) were between D15 vs D90 (1,805 genes) in Kashmiri cattle and, D15 vs D250 (3,392 genes) in Jersey cattle. A total of 1,103, 1,356 and 1,397 genes were differentially expressed between Kashmiri and Jersey cattle on D15, D90 and D250, respectively. Antioxidant genes like RPLPO and RPS28 were highly expressed in Kashmiri cattle. Differentially expressed genes in both Kashmiri and Jersey were enriched for multicellular organismal process, receptor activity, catalytic activity, signal transducer activity, macromolecular complex and developmental process gene ontology terms. Whereas, biological regulation, endopeptidase activity and response to stimulus were enriched in Kashmiri cattle and, reproduction and immune system process were enriched in Jersey cattle. Most of the pathways responsible for regulation of milk production like JAK-STAT, p38 MAPK pathway, PI3 kinase pathway were enriched by DEG in Jersey cattle only. Although Kashmiri has poor milk production efficiency, the present study suggests possible physicochemical and antioxidant properties of Kashmiri cattle milk that needs to be further explored.

Fabrication of 1,4-dioxane sensor based on microwave assisted PAni-SiO2 nanocomposites

In this study, conducting polyaniline (PAni) and silicon dioxide (SiO₂) nanocomposites (NCs) were synthesized for chemical sensing applications by microwave assisted reaction technique. Facile synthesis and characterization of the PAni-SiO₂ nanocomposites were investigated in details and discussed in this report. For the potential application, 1,4-dioxane chemical sensor was fabricated with the PAni-SiO₂ nanocomposites deposited onto glassy carbon electrode (GCE). A very thin uniform film was deposited onto GCE with nanocomposite by using conducting 5% nafion binder at room conditions. To evaluate the sensor analytical performances, a calibration plot such as current versus concentration of 1,4-dioxane was drawn and calculated the analytical parameters from the slope of calibration curve. Results are found as sensitivity (0.5934 µAµmol^-1 L^-2 cm^-2), detection limit (16.0 ± 0.8 pmol L^-1), and quantification limit (LOQ; 53.3 ± 1.5 pmol L^-1) in this observation. Considering the linear region in calibration plot, the linear dynamic range of 1,4-dioxane chemical sensor was found (0.12 nmol L^-1 ∼ 1.2 mmol L^-1). Besides this, the proposed 1,4-dioxane chemical sensor was exhibited good reproducibility, long-term stability, high accuracy in detecting of 1,4-dioxane in real environmental samples. This research is to develop of a selective and an efficient electrochemical sensor. It might be a simple and easy way by applying electrochemical method to ensure the safe and sustainable green environment.

Expression kinetics of natural resistance associated macrophage protein (NRAMP) genes in Salmonella Typhimurium-infected chicken

Background

Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (Salmonella Typhimurium) is a zoonotic pathogen responsible for severe intestinal pathology in young chickens. Natural resistance-associated macrophage protein (NRAMP) family has been shown to be associated with resistance to intracellular pathogens, including Salmonella Typhimurium. The role of NRAMP proteins in macrophage defence against microbial infection has been ascribed to changes in the metal-ion concentrations inside the bacteria-containing phagosomes. The present study was conducted to investigate tissue-specific (liver, spleen and caecum) expression kinetics of NRAMP gene family (NRAMP1 and NRAMP2) in broilers from day 0 to day 15 after Salmonella Typhimurium challenge concomitant to clinical, blood biochemical and immunological parameters survey.

Results

Clinical symptoms appeared 4 days post-infection (dpi) in infected birds. Symptoms like progressive weakness, anorexia, diarrhoea and lowering of the head were seen in infected birds one-week post-infection. On postmortem examination, liver showed congestion, haemorrhage and necrotic foci on the surface, while as the spleen, lungs and intestines revealed congestion and haemorrhages. Histopathological alterations were principally found in liver comprising of necrosis, reticular endothelial hyperplasia along with mononuclear cell and heterophilic infiltration. Red Blood Cell (RBC) count, Haemoglobin (Hb) and Packed Cell Volume (PCV) decreased significantly (P < 0.05) in blood while heterophil counts increased up to 7 days post-infection. Serum glucose, aspartate transaminase (AST) and alanine transaminase (ALT) enzymes concentrations increased significantly throughout the study. A gradual increase of specific humoral IgG response confirmed Salmonella infection. Meanwhile, expression of NRAMP1 and NRAMP2 genes was differentially regulated after infection in tissues such as liver, spleen and caecum known to be the target of Salmonella Typhimurium replication in the chicken.

Conclusion

Thus the specific roles of NRAMP1 and NRAMP2 genes in Salmonella Typhimurium induced disease may be supposed from their differential expression according to tissues and timing after per os infection. However, these roles remain to be analyzed related to the severity of the disease which can be estimated by blood biochemistry and immunological parameters.

LncRNAs and immunity: watchdogs for host pathogen interactions

Immune responses combat various infectious agents by inducing inflammatory responses, antimicrobial pathways and adaptive immunity. The polygenic responses to these external stimuli are temporally and coordinately regulated. Specific lncRNAs are induced to modulate innate and adaptive immune responses which can function through various target interactions like RNA-DNA, RNA-RNA, and RNA-protein interaction and hence affect the immunogenic regulation at various stages of gene expression. LncRNA are found to be present in various immune cells like monocytes, macrophages, dendritic cells, neutrophils, T cells and B cells. They have been shown to be involved in many biological processes, including the regulation of the expression of genes, the dosage compensation and genomics imprinting, but the knowledge how lncRNAs are regulated and how they alter cell differentiation/function is still obscure. Further dysregulation of lncRNA has been seen in many diseases, but as yet very less research has been carried out to understand the role of lncRNAs in regulation during host-pathogens interactions. In this review, we summarize the functional developments and mechanism of action of lncRNAs, in immunity and defense of host against pathogens.

Impact of method of application and concentration of potassium on yield of wheat

A field experiment was conducted to study the effect of different levels and methods of potassium application on yield, K uptake and forms of potassium in wheat crop at experimental field of Division of Soil Science, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Kashmir. The treatment consisted of 5 levels of potassium (0, 20, 40, 60 and 80 kg K2O ha(-1)) and two methods of application viz Single basal and split (1/2 basal+1/2 at tiller initiation stage). Out of various treatments, split application of potassium @ 80 kg K2O ha(-1) was found superior to single basal application in terms of grain yield (43.20 q ha(-1)) and K uptake (22.89 kg ha(-1)) by grains at harvest. However, it was at par with split application of 60 kg K2O ha(-1). All forms of potassium viz water-soluble, exchangeable, available, boiling HNO3 extractable and lattice increased with increasing levels of potassium and were found maximum (3.20, 62.80, 66.00 ppm 0.723 and 1.440% respectively) when potassium was applied @ 80 kg K2O ha(-1) in two equal splits except for lattice K which was maximum (1.440%) when potassium was applied @ 60 kg K2O ha(-1).

Evaluation of trace elements, oxidant/antioxidant status, vitamin C and β-carotene in dogs with dermatophytosis

The aim of the study was to determine zinc, copper and iron levels, erythrocyte oxidant/antioxidant status, vitamin C and β-carotene in dogs with dermatophytosis. A total of 23 dogs with clinically established diagnosis of dermatophytosis by trichogram and positive fungal culture and six dogs as control were included in this study. On cultural examination 52.17% fungal isolates were found to be Microsporum canis, 30.43% were Trichophyton mentagrophytes and 17.39% were M. gypseum. In comparison to healthy control, the dogs with dermatophytosis had significantly lower levels of zinc (P < 0.01), copper (P < 0.05), β-carotene and vitamin C levels (P < 0.05) and activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) (P < 0.05) and catalase (P < 0.01), whereas the iron (P < 0.05) and malondialdehyde (MDA) (P < 0.01) levels were significantly increased. On correlation analysis, SOD activity was observed to be positively correlated (P < 0.05) with zinc and copper in both healthy and dermatophytosis affected dogs. In dermatophytosis affected dogs the MDA levels were negatively correlated (P < 0.05) with iron, β-carotene levels and the activities of antioxidant enzymes; SOD and catalase. Our results demonstrated that dermatophytosis in dogs is associated with significant alteration in oxidant/antioxidant balance and trace elements. It might be secondary consequence of dermatophytosis infection or contributing factor in its pathogenesis.

Effect of available nutrients on yield and quality of pear fruit Bartlett in Kashmir Valley India

Pear is one of the most important commercial crops grown in the Kashmir valley of India. A study was conducted during 2008 to find out the effect of available nutrients on yield and quality parameters of pear cultivar "Bartlett" which revealed that nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium exhibited significant and positive relationship with fruit length (0.882, 0.856, and 0.482 mm, respectively), diameter (0.869, 0.794 and 0.458 mm, respectively), weight (0.876, 0.825 and 0.439 g, respectively), volume (0.908, 0.806 and 0.404, Cm3 respectively) and yield (0.908, 0.764 and 0.702 kg tree(-1), respectively) however, only nitrogen and phosphorus showed similar relationship with total sugars (0.833 and 0.838% respectively). The calcium indicated significant and negative relationship with fruit diameter (-0.433) and yield (-0.589), while as it showed significant and positive correlation with fruit firmness (0.442) only. The sulphur revealed significant and positive relationship with fruit length (0.440), diameter (0.434), TSS (0.482) and yield (0.729) whereas zinc, copper, iron and manganese exhibited significant and positive relationship with fruit length (0.889, 793, 0.671 and 0.619, respectively), diameter (0.875, 0.807, 0.653 and 0.576, respectively) weight (0.881, 0.784, 0.669 and 0.615, respectively), volume (0.885, 0.832, 0.692 and 0.572, respectively) TSS (0.858, 0.761, 0.735 and 0.609, respectively), total sugars (0.853, 0.890, 0.705 and 0.517, respectively) and yield (0.777, 0.618, 0.789 and 0.701, respectively). It is therefore suggested that nutrients have effect on quality and yield of pear fruits.

Effect of post-harvest calcium chloride dip treatment and gamma irradiation on storage quality and shelf-life extension of Red delicious apple

Freshly harvested Red delicious apples were dipped in calcium chloride solution of varying concentrations (0.5-2.0% w/v) for 1 h prior to irradiation at dose level of 0.4 kGy. Fruits after radiation treatment were stored at 2 ± 1°C, RH 90% and evaluated at intervals of 30 days for various quality parameters. Results revealed significant (p ≤ 0.05) retention in firmness, juice yield and ascorbic acid content in samples treated with combination of calcium chloride at 2.0% w/v and gamma irradiation (0.4 kGy) during storage. Water soluble pectin was inversely correlated with firmness (r = 0.88) and was significantly (p ≤ 0.05) lower in samples subjected to combination treatment of 2.0% w/v CaCl2 and 0.4 kGy irradiation throughout the storage. The combination treatment of 2.0% CaCl2 and 0.4 kGy irradiation gave about 4.3 log reduction in yeast and mold count of apple samples. Results of the post refrigeration weight loss, firmness and overall acceptability revealed that combination treatment was helpful in extending the shelf-life of Red Delicious apples by around 20-25 days at 17 ± 2°C, RH 75% following 90 days of refrigeration.

A novel method for preparing stoichiometric SnO(2) thin films at low temperature

Tin oxide is a well known nonstoichiometric material with dual valency. The invariance of stoichiometry is very intriguing. As of today no report is available for preparing perfect stoichiometric tin oxide. Here we report a novel method to prepare stoichiometric tin oxide by modifying the known plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition technique using SnCl(4)-xH(2)O as precursor and O(2) as reactant gas at various temperatures from 300 to 800 degrees C. Tetragonal rutile structure of SnO(2) was found, grown along the [110] direction. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic measurement showed constant Sn/O ratio. Sn 3d and O 1s were found composed of only Sn(4+) (487.2 eV) and O-Sn(4+) (531.2 eV) with equal peak widths. Raman band intensity ( approximately 633 cm(-1)) was found increasing with temperature, indicating the morphological changes. Sheet resistance of approximately 0.5 kOmega/at 300 degrees C was measured that reduces to approximately 0.1 kOmega/at 600 degrees C. It is found that film stoichiometry remains unaltered, while the structural morphology changes significantly.

What is cardiac resynchronisation therapy and who will benefit?

Cardiac Resynchronisation Therapy (CRT) has been used extensively over the last years in the therapeutic management of the patients with end stage heart failure based on the data of large randomized trials on CRT. CRT improves symptoms, exercise capacity, quality of life and echocardiographic indices of severe systolic heart failure besides reduction in heart failure related hospitalizations and improvement in survival. However, there may be some non-responders as well. There is on-going research, which will identify patients without conventional indications for CRT so as to improve the responder rate. Tissue Doppler Imaging (TDI) techniques will assume an important role in identifying patients for CRT.

Unusual dysmorphic features in five patients with Noonan's syndrome: a brief review

Noonan's syndrome is a relatively common, multiple congenital anomaly syndrome, genetically inherited as an autosomal dominant disorder with variable penetrance. It is defined by a characteristic phenotype, congenital heart disease, ocular defects and mild mental retardation. Molecular studies have confirmed that it is a heterogeneous disorder and there may be evidence for an autosomal recessive mode of inheritance.1 The gene responsible for Noonan' syndrome has been mapped to the long arm of chromosome 12.2,3 The human deltex gene (DLT x 1), mapping to chromosomal region 12q24 in the vicinity of the Noonan's syndrome critical region is being evaluated as a candidate gene for this disorder.4 Various types of musculoskeletal abnormalities have been reported, including short stature, craniofacial dysmorphism, short or webbed neck and fetal pads in fingers and toes.5 We report five cases with the unusual physical features of overriding toes and simian creases. Such abnormalities can be considered among the minor manifestations of the syndrome.

Management of Mirizzi syndrome: a new surgical approach

BACKGROUND

In a prospective study of a patient population of 1,340 with biliary calculus disease, that ran from January 1993 to December 1997, 34 patients (2.53%) were identified as having Mirizzi syndrome. Eight patients were found to have type I (A and B) and 26 patients were found to have type II Mirizzi syndrome. A history of recurrent biliary colic and jaundice was present in the majority of patients.

METHODS

Ultrasonography was helpful in five patients and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography was helpful in 17 patients in the diagnosis of this condition. Because the amount of gall bladder tissue used in choledochoplasty is not yet standardized, a new policy regarding choledochoplasty was adopted. In type IA, retrograde cholecystectomy with simple closure of cystic duct was carried out. In type IB, retrograde cholecystectomy and choledochoplasty with 5 mm cuff of the gall bladder was carried out. In type II lesions the procedure depended on the size of fistula. Patients with fistula sizes of less than one-third of the common bile duct diameter underwent choledochoplasty with 5 mm cuff of the gall bladder, and patients with fistula sizes between one-third and two-thirds of the diameter of the common bile duct underwent choledochoplasty with 10 mm cuff of the gall bladder. Patients with fistula sizes of more than two-thirds of the common bile duct diameter underwent Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy.

RESULTS

There was no operative mortality and the complication rate was 17.64%.

CONCLUSION

Although, out of 26 choledochoplasties, we encountered only one (3.84%) stump stone in a maximum follow-up period of 59 months, further long-term follow-up studies are required to prove the efficacy of the procedure.

Hydatid cyst of the pancreas

A rare case of hydatid cyst of the pancreas is reported. Although ultrasonography and computerised tomography scan confirmed the presence of a cystic mass in the body and tail of the pancreas, diagnosis was made only on laparotomy. A distal pancreatectomy was done and the diagnosis of hydatid cyst of the pancreas was confirmed by histopathology. Though very rare, pancreatic hydatidosis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of cystic lesions of the pancreas in the appropriate epidemiological setting.

Pulmonary function profile in chronic congestive heart failure and the effect of ipratropium bromide

Twenty-five symptomatic patients of chronic heart failure were subjected to spirometry to detect abnormalities of pulmonary function and to assess the effect of ipratropium bromide in reversing or minimising these abnormalities. All the patients exhibited abnormal pulmonary function manifesting as obstructive (15/25) or restrictive (10/25) ventilatory defect. There was overall improvement in lung functions with ipratropium bromide especially in those with obstructive ventilatory defects and mostly comprised of smokers. Forced expiratory volume in one second increased by 47.7 percent (p < 0.02), forced expiratory volume in one second/forced vital capacity ratio by 14.1 percent (p < 0.001) and maximal voluntary ventilation by 40.6 percent (p < 0.05) in these patients. It is concluded that ipratropium bromide can prove as a promising adjunctive therapeutic intervention in improving quality of life in patients of chronic congestive heart failure who are incapacitated by dyspnoea and have clearly documented ventilatory defects.

Silent myocardial ischemia and cardiac autonomic neuropathy in diabetics

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the association of silent myocardial ischemia (SMI) with cardiac autonomic neuropathy in asymptomatic diabetic patients.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Two hundred asymptomatic patients of diabetes mellitus were assessed for evidence of cardiac autonomic neuropathy. Of these, 30 (15 males, 15 females; mean age 44.7 +/- 8.8 years) were found to have cardiac autonomic neuropathy. Thirty (30) age and sex matched diabetic patients (mean age 42.4 +/- 7.6 years) who had no evidence autonomic neuropathy were included in the study as control group. Both the groups of patients were evaluated for SMI by 24 hour ambulatory electrocardiographic (ECG) monitoring.

RESULTS

Incidence of SMI was significantly higher in patients with autonomic neuropathy 12/30 (40%) compared to those without 3/30 (10%) p < 0.001. Duration of diabetes was more (13 +/- 1.59 years) in patients with autonomic neuropathy compared to the control group (8.66 +/- 1.55 years) p < 0.001. Serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels were significantly higher in patients with autonomic neuropathy in comparison to control group < 0.05 and < 0.01, respectively. There was no difference in the pattern of SMI in the two groups (p = N.S).

CONCLUSION

Cardiac autonomic neuropathy predisposes patients with diabetes mellitus to SMI. Twenty four hour ambulatory ECG monitoring provides useful diagnostic information in early detection and evaluation of SMI in asymptomatic diabetic patients.

Clinical spectrum of infective endocarditis: 15 years experience

Four hundred and sixty-six patients (277 males, 189 females; mean age 23.2 years) diagnosed as cases of infective endocarditis during the past 15 years were retrospectively analysed. Two-thirds of patients belonged to the 15 to 35 years age group. The most common predisposing cardiac lesion was rheumatic heart disease seen in 73.4 percent patients. Mitral valve prolapse and right-sided endocarditis were infrequent, seen in four patients each. Blood culture positivity was 28.7 percent in adults and 61 percent in children. Commonest organism isolated was staphylococcus aureus in adults (39.3%) and streptococcus viridans in children (48%). Salmonella typhi was detected in 17 patients and showed excellent response to ciprofloxacin and gentamycin. Overall mortality was 13.9 percent and resistant heart failure was the leading cause of death. Our study presents the clinical spectrum of infective endocarditis and highlights the comparison with western studies.

A prospective randomized trial of intraoperative bupivacaine irrigation for management of shoulder-tip pain following laparoscopy

BACKGROUND

Postoperative shoulder-tip pain (STP) frequently occurs following laparoscopic surgery. In an attempt to abrogate this complication we prospectively evaluated the efficacy of intraoperative irrigation of the diaphragm with bupivacaine.

METHODS

One hundred and five consecutive patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery were prospectively randomized to treatment or control groups. Treatment group (B, n = 55) received irrigation with 10 mL 0.5% bupivacaine in 500 mL saline and control group (A, n = 50) received an equal volume of normal saline. Each dome of the diaphragm was irrigated with 250 mL of either solution at the end of surgery. Laparoscopic procedures performed included cholecystectomy (n = 63), Nissen fundoplication (n = 21), appendicectomy (n = 7), hernia repair (n = 4), and diagnostic laparoscopy (n = 10). Patients' anesthesia and perioperative analgesia were standardized. STP was recorded on a visual analogue pain scale (VAPS) in the recovery room immediately following surgery and at 4, 10, and 24 hours thereafter.

RESULTS

The overall incidence of STP in patients undergoing laparoscopic procedures was approximately 24%. Twenty-one patients (42%) in the control group and 4 patients (7%) in the treatment group complained of shoulder pain during the recording period (P = 0.003). Mean STP scores as recorded on VAPS were significantly lower in the bupivacaine group than in the control group from 4 to 24 hours after surgery (P < 0.01). Postoperative analgesia requirements were also significantly reduced in those patients receiving bupivacaine irrigation (P < 0.04).

CONCLUSION

Intraperitoneal irrigation with bupivacaine to both hemidiaphragms at the end of surgery significantly reduces both frequency and intensity of STP following laparoscopic procedures thus reducing patient morbidity.

The evaluation of the role of ultrasonography and ultrasound-guided aspiration as an initial screening test in blunt abdominal trauma

The role of ultrasonography (US) as an initial screening test was evaluated in 3000 consecutive cases of blunt abdominal trauma (BAT). Seventy-three were positive for free fluid collection or organ injury. US-guided aspiration was used to rule out the hollow visceral injury in those referred to nonsurgical therapy. Sixty patients underwent laparotomy. These included 53 clinically unstable patients, three stable patients with positive US-guided aspiration for bile or intestinal contents and four who deteriorated upon conservative treatment. The remaining patients with US negative for fluid had some evidence of abdominal injury or clinical examination. Ultrasonography complemented the clinical examination. Both the sensitivity and specificity of US for the detection of free fluid were 100%. The overall sensitivity was 92% in spleen injuries, 88% in liver injuries and 100% in kidney injuries, with a positive predictive value of 96%, 100% and 100% and a specificity of 97%, 100% and 100% respectively. Retrospective correlation of US with laparotomy findings regarding free fluid showed that 50-100 mL of free fluid was minimal, 100-500 mL moderate, and above 500 mL significant. Thirteen patients completed conservative treatment with an uneventful course in the hospital. Both the US findings and the clinical condition of the patient should be considered in decision-making in BAT. Unnecessary laparotomies can be avoided when the major bleeding site is not in the abdomen and such patients can be safely observed after excluding the hollow visceral injury by US-guided aspiration. US, being rapid to perform, sensitive and easily repeatable, is quite useful as an initial screening test in BAT patients.