Recycling air conditioner-generated condensate water for microalgal biomass production and carbon dioxide sequestration

Air conditioners alleviate the discomfort of human beings from heat waves that are consequences of climate change caused by anthropogenic activities. With each passing year, the effects of global warming worsen, increasing the growth of air conditioning industry. Air conditioning units produce substantial amounts of non-nutritive and (generally) neglected condensate water and greenhouse gases. Considering this, the study explored the potential of using air conditioner condensate water (ACW) to cultivate Chlorella sorokiniana, producing biomass, and sequestering carbon dioxide (CO2). The maximum biomass production was obtained in the BG11 medium (1.45 g L-1), followed by ACW-50 (1.3 g L-1). Similarly, the highest chlorophyll-a content was observed in the BG11 medium (11 μg mL-1), followed by ACW-50 (9.11 μg mL-1). The ACW-50 cultures proved to be better adapted to physiological stress (Fv/Fm > 0.5) and can be suitable for achieving maximum biomass with adequate lipid, protein, and carbohydrate production. Moreover, C. sorokiniana demonstrated higher lipid and carbohydrate yields in the ACW-50 medium, while biomass production and protein yields were comparable to the BG11 medium. The lipid, protein, and carbohydrate productivity were 23.43, 32.9, and 23.19 mg L-1 d-1, respectively for ACW-50. Estimation of carbon capture potential through this approach equals to 9.5% of the total emissions which is an added advantage The results indicated that ACW could be effectively utilized for microalgae cultivation, reducing the reliance on freshwater for large-scale microalgal biomass production and reduce the carbon footprints of the air conditioning industry.

Calculation of effective dose of phenylephrine bolus for treatment of post-spinal hypotension in pre-eclamptic patients undergoing caesarean section - a non-randomised controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Patients with pre-eclampsia require smaller vasopressor doses compared with those with normotension for management of post-spinal hypotension during caesarean section. However, the literature has little evidence as to the phenylephrine dose required for patients with pre-eclampsia.

METHODS

Fifty patients, with either pre-eclampsia or normotension, and developing post-spinal hypotension during caesarean section under spinal anaesthesia, were studied. Women in both groups did not receive prophylactic vasopressors. The first patient in each group received phenylephrine 50 µg to treat the first episode of hypotension, defined as fall of systolic blood pressure ≥20% from baseline or an absolute value <100 mmHg. If hypotension was corrected within one minute it was considered a 'success'. The doses for the subsequent patients were determined by responses to all previous patients, according to a variation of Narayana's rule for the up-down sequential allocation method.

RESULTS

The 95% effective dose (ED95) and 50% effective dose (ED50) of phenylephrine was 41.7 µg (95% CI 33.8 to 49.6 µg) and 29.1 µg (95% CI 26.0 to 32.2 µg) respectively in the pre-eclampsia group, and 64.9 µg (95% CI 54.1 to 75.7 µg) and 47.3 µg (95% CI 39.7 to 54.9 µg) respectively in the normotensive group. The proportionate reduction in phenylephrine dose ranged from 33% (95% CI 18 to 44%) to 40% (95% CI 19 to 52%).

CONCLUSION

Patients with pre-eclampsia may need a 33% to 40% reduction in the first phenylephrine bolus dose, compared with patients with normotension, for the treatment of the first episode of post-spinal hypotension.

Celebrating 100 years of Immunology & Cell Biology - a special focus on the field of tumor immunology in Australia

In this Commentary article, as part of the 100-year celebrations of the journal, we reflect on the contribution of articles published in ICB in the field of tumor immunology. A highlight is a series of interviews conducted with three Australian-based ICB authors who have contributed key papers over the years: Rajiv Khanna, Delia Nelson and Ian Frazer.

Psychosis Unmasking a Diagnosis of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: a Case Report

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disorder that affects multiple organs. Neuropsychiatric SLE (NPSLE) can manifest with a multitude of neurological and psychiatric symptoms. Psychosis is a rare NPSLE manifestation that can occur at any phase of the illness; 21% of SLE-related psychosis cases occur at the onset of SLE, but the evidence base for this is lacking. We report a case of acute-onset psychosis in a woman that led to a diagnosis of SLE, which was substantiated by physical evaluation and laboratory assessments. Assessment of acute-onset psychosis requires consideration of all differential diagnoses, especially in the presence of atypical features. This case also underscores the importance of physical examination and laboratory investigations in psychosis.

Production and characterization of sustainable vermimanure derived from poultry litter and rice straw using tiger worm Eisenia fetida

Poultry litter (PL) and rice straw (RS), commonly available waste materials, pose severe threat to environment, if not properly managed. As viable waste treatment method, vermi-transformation of PL into enriched vermimanure was done using RS and cow dung (CD) with different feedstocks (FS) combinations like FS0_{(CD without earthworm),} FS1_(CD), FS2_{(1CD: 1RS)}, FS3_{(1CD: 1PL)} and FS4_{(1CD: 1RS: 1PL)} for 110 days. Increased growth performance (P < 0.05) of Eisenia fetida, macronutrient levels, and a consistently lower carbon-to-nitrogen ratio (C/N) emphasize the importance of RS and PL in the vermimanuring process. Several analytical techniques have revealed the presence of functional groups, nitrate (NO₃^-), phosphate (PO₄^3-), and potassium ions (K⁺) as well as the high porosity of the matured vermimanures. Therefore, using earthworms, the feedstock FS4_{(1CD: 1RS: 1PL)} could be successfully biotransformed into sustainable manure lowering the usage of chemical fertilizers and rice straw burning.

Cytokine/Chemokine assessment as a complementary diagnostic tool for inflammatory skin diseases

Inflammatory skin conditions are the 4th leading cause of non-fatal health burden in the general population worldwide. The diagnosis of skin lesions due to systemic drug reactions, viral or bacterial exanthems, or in patients with psoriasis, atopic dermatitis or contact dermatitis is often difficult and relies heavily upon conventional histopathologic examination. Conversely, it is widely accepted that the cutaneous profile of inflammatory markers, or 'inflammatory signature', is differentially expressed in various skin conditions. In this pilot study, we investigated the possibility of inflammatory skin disease diagnosis from an immunological perspective in small punch biopsies. We collected lesional and perilesional punch biopsies from 139 patients suffering from a variety of inflammatory skin conditions and attending the Dermatology Department at the Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane, Australia. Using bead-based immunoassays we were able to measure 13 out of 17 inflammatory markers from a pre-selected multi-analyte panel and to detect significant differences between lesional and perilesional biopsies from each individual patient. Hierarchical and unbiased clustering methods based on inflammatory signatures grouped psoriasis and atopic dermatitis lesions into individual clusters in contrast to other skin conditions, highlighting the potential of inflammatory signatures to be used as diagnostic differentiators and to inform alternative targets in anti-inflammatory treatment strategies.

Macrophages in Skin Wounds: Functions and Therapeutic Potential

Macrophages regulate cutaneous wound healing by immune surveillance, tissue repair and remodelling. The depletion of dermal macrophages during the early and middle stages of wound healing has a detrimental impact on wound closure, characterised by reduced vessel density, fibroblast and myofibroblast proliferation, delayed re-epithelization and abated post-healing fibrosis and scar formation. However, in some animal species, oral mucosa and foetal life, cutaneous wounds can heal normally and remain scarless without any involvement of macrophages. These paradoxical observations have created much controversy on macrophages' indispensable role in skin wound healing. Advanced knowledge gained by characterising macrophage subsets, their plasticity in switching phenotypes and molecular drivers provides new insights into their functional importance during cutaneous wound healing. In this review, we highlight the recent findings on skin macrophage subsets, their functional role in adult cutaneous wound healing and the potential benefits of targeting them for therapeutic use.

Methods to Identify Immune Cells in Tissues With a Focus on Skin as a Model

The skin protects our body from external challenges, insults, and pathogens and consists of two layers, epidermis and dermis. The immune cells of the skin are an integral part of protecting the body and essential for mediating skin immune homeostasis. They are distributed in the epidermal and dermal layers of the skin. Under homeostatic conditions, the mouse and human skin epidermis harbors immune cells such as Langerhans cells and CD8⁺ T cells, whereas the dermis contains dendritic cells (DCs), mast cells, macrophages, T cells, and neutrophils. Skin immune homeostasis is maintained through communication between epidermal and dermal cells and soluble factors. This communication is important for proper recruitment of immune cells in the skin to mount immune responses during infection/injury or in response to external/internal insults that alter the local cellular milieu. Imbalance in this crosstalk that occurs in association with inflammatory skin disorders such as psoriasis and atopic dermatitis can lead to alterations in the number and type of immune cells contributing to pathological manifestation in these disorders. Profiling changes in the immune cell type, localization, and number can provide important information about disease mechanisms and help design interventional therapeutic strategies. Toward this end, skin cells can be detected and characterized using basic techniques like immunofluorescence, immunohistochemistry, and flow cytometry, and recently developed methods of multiplexing. This article provides an overview on the basic techniques that are widely accessible to researchers to characterize immune cells of the skin. © 2022 The Authors. Current Protocols published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.

Characterisation and comparison of immune response mechanisms in an indigenous and a commercial pig breed after classical swine fever vaccination

The live attenuated classical swine fever (CSF) vaccine has been successfully used to prevent and control CSF outbreaks for 6 decades. However, the immune response mechanisms against the vaccine remain poorly understood. Moreover, very few reports exist regarding the breed differences in the response to CSF vaccine. In this study, we generated the peripheral blood mononuclear cell transcriptomes of indigenous Ghurrah and commercial Landrace pig breeds, before and 7 days after CSF vaccination. Subsequently, between and within-breed differential gene expression analyses were carried out. Results revealed large differences in pre-vaccination peripheral blood mononuclear cell transcriptome profiles of the two breeds, which were homogenised 7 days after vaccination. Before vaccination, gene set enrichment analysis showed that pathways related to antigen sensing and innate immune response were enriched in Ghurrah, while pathways related to adaptive immunity were enriched in Landrace. Ghurrah exhibited greater immunomodulation compared to Landrace following the vaccination. In Ghurrah, cell-cycle processes and T-cell response pathways were upregulated after vaccination. However, no pathways were upregulated in Landrace after vaccination. Pathways related to inflammation were downregulated in both the breeds after vaccination. Key regulators of inflammation such as IL1A, IL1B, NFKBIA and TNF genes were strongly downregulated in both the breeds after vaccination. Overall, our results have elucidated the mechanisms of host immune response against CSF vaccination in two distinct breeds and revealed common key genes instrumental in the global immune response to the vaccine.

Non-hydrogen processes for simultaneous desulfurization and denitrogenation of light petroleum fuels-an elaborative review

The removal of sulfur- and nitrogen-containing compounds present in petroleum fractions is necessary to meet the stringent environmental regulations and to prevent the environment and humanity from the threats they pose. Conventional hydro-desulfurization and hydro-denitrogenation processes have evolved significantly over the past decade but are limited due to severe operating conditions and inefficiency in removing nitrogen-containing compounds. On the contrary, unconventional non-hydrogen methods for refining of crude oils are beneficial in terms of mild operating conditions and are efficient for eradicating both sulfur- and nitrogen-containing compounds. Despite being efficient for both sulfur and nitrogen-containing compounds, these techniques suffer due to the hindrance posed by the competitive nature of nitrogen-containing compounds. Thus, it is recommended to develop techniques that can remove both the compounds simultaneously and efficiently. Techniques for simultaneous removal of those compounds can also be expected to reduce the number of unit operations required during refining and can be energy-efficient as well. This elaborative review summarizes the developments done in this field in the past two decades. To improve the understanding of the scientific community towards the feasibility of simultaneous desulfurization and denitrogenation processes, the crucial parameters for efficient desulfurization-denitrogenation processes are also discussed. This review can be expected to encourage the scientific community to search for more economical, energy-efficient, and commercializable pathways for desulfurization-denitrogenation of petroleum oil.

Association of UGT1A6 gene polymorphism with clinical outcome in pediatric epileptic patients on sodium valproate monotherapy

Pediatric epilepsy comprises chronic neurological disorders characterized by recurrent seizures. Sodium valproate is one of the common antiseizure medications used for treatment. Glucuronide conjugation is the major metabolic pathway of sodium valproate, carried out by the enzyme uridine 5'-diphosphate (UDP) glucuronosyl transferase (UGT) whose gene polymorphisms may alter the clinical outcome. The objective of this study was to assess the association between UGT1A6 genetic polymorphism and clinical outcome in terms of efficacy and tolerability in pediatric epileptic patients on sodium valproate monotherapy. Pediatric epileptic patients (n=65) aged 2-18 years receiving sodium valproate monotherapy for the past one month were included. Genetic polymorphism patterns of UGT1A6 (T19G, A541G, A552C) were evaluated by PCR-RFLP. Clinical outcome was seizure control during the 6 months observation period. Tolerability was measured by estimating the hepatic, renal, and other lab parameters. Out of 65 patients, TT (40%), TG (57%), and GG (3%) patterns were observed in UGT1A6 (T19G) gene, AA (51%), AG (40%), and GG (9%) in (A541G) gene, and AA (43%), AC (43%), and CC (14%) in (A552C) gene. No statistical difference in clinical outcome was found for different UGT1A6 genetic polymorphism patterns. We concluded that different patterns of UGT1A6 genetic polymorphism were not associated with the clinical outcome of sodium valproate in terms of efficacy and tolerability. Sodium valproate was well-tolerated among pediatric patients with epilepsy and can be used as an effective antiseizure medication.

A review on application of next-generation sequencing methods for profiling of protozoan parasites in water: Current methodologies, challenges, and perspectives

The advancement in metagenomic techniques has provided novel tools for profiling human parasites in environmental matrices, such as water and wastewater. However, application of metagenomic techniques for the profiling of protozoan parasites in environmental matrices is not commonly reported in the literature. The key factors leading to the less common use of metagenomics are the complexity and large eukaryotic genome, the prevalence of small parasite populations in environmental samples compared to bacteria, difficulties in extracting DNA from (oo)cysts, and limited reference databases for parasites. This calls for further research to develop optimized methods specifically looking at protozoan parasites in the environment. This study reviews the current workflow, methods and provide recommendations for the standardization of techniques. The article identifies and summarizes the key methods, advantages, and limitations associated with metagenomic analysis, like sample pre-processing, DNA extraction, sequencing approaches, and analysis methods. The study enhances the understanding and application of standardized protocols for profiling of protozoan parasite community from highly complexe samples and further creates a resourceful comparison among datasets without any biases.

NF-κB inhibition in keratinocytes causes RIPK1-mediated necroptosis and skin inflammation

TNFR1 was found to cause skin inflammation in mice with epidermal keratinocyte-specific ablation of IKK2 or of both the NF-kB subunits RelA and cRel by triggering RIPK1-dependent, RIPK3-MLKL–mediated necroptosis of keratinocytes.

Tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 (TNFR1) activates NF-κB–dependent pro-inflammatory gene expression, but also induces cell death by triggering apoptosis and necroptosis. Inhibition of inhibitor of NF-κB kinase (IKK)/NF-κB signaling in keratinocytes paradoxically unleashed spontaneous TNFR1-mediated skin inflammation in mice, but the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. Here, we show that TNFR1 causes skin inflammation in mice with epidermis-specific knockout of IKK2 by inducing receptor interacting protein kinase 1 (RIPK1)–dependent necroptosis, and to a lesser extent also apoptosis, of keratinocytes. Combined epidermis-specific ablation of the NF-κB subunits RelA and c-Rel also caused skin inflammation by inducing TNFR1-mediated keratinocyte necroptosis. Contrary to the currently established model that inhibition of NF-κB–dependent gene transcription causes RIPK1-independent cell death, keratinocyte necroptosis, and skin inflammation in mice with epidermis-specific RelA and c-Rel deficiency also depended on RIPK1 kinase activity. These results advance our understanding of the mechanisms regulating TNFR1-induced cell death and identify RIPK1-mediated necroptosis as a potent driver of skin inflammation.

Anesthetic challenges while performing emergency laparotomy in a patient having COVID-19 infection

An elderly hypertensive lady presented with fever, respiratory symptoms, and mild abdominal discomfort and was diagnosed to have COVID-19 pneumonia. Respiratory symptoms improved with steroids, awake proning, high flow nasal cannula oxygen therapy and antibiotics. After 4 days, she developed non-occlusive superior mesenteric artery thrombosis, which initially responded to anticoagulants but was complicated on tenth day by intestinal obstruction necessitating emergency surgery. Challenges encountered perioperatively were multi systemic involvement, pneumonia, ventilation- perfusion mismatch, sepsis along with technical difficulties like fogging of goggles, stuck expiratory valve on anesthesia machine, inaudibility through stethoscope and discomfort due to personal protective equipment. Perioperative focus should be on infection prevention, maintenance of hemodynamics, and optimization of oxygenation with preoperative high flow nasal cannula oxygen therapy. Ultrasound lung helps in correct placement of endotracheal tube. We recommend daily machine check, taping of N95 mask to face and ambient operation theatre temperatures of 20-22°C to reduce technical problems.

A novel four-step feedback procedure for rapid control of chaotic behavior of the logistic map and unstable traffic on the road

We present a new four-step feedback procedure to study the full dynamics of a nonlinear dynamical system, namely, the logistic map. We show that by using this procedure, the chaotic behavior of the logistic map can be controlled easily and rapidly or the system can be made stable for higher values of the population growth parameter. We utilize various dynamical techniques (orbit evolution, time series analysis, bifurcation diagrams, and Lyapunov exponents) to analyze the dynamics of the logistic map. Additionally, we adopt the switching strategy to control chaos or to increase the stability performance of the logistic map. Finally, we propose a modified traffic control model to enable rapid control of unexpected traffic on the road. The results of this model are supported by a physical interpretation. The model is found to be more efficient than existing models of Lo and Cho [J. Franklin Inst. 342, 839-851 (2005)] and Ashish et al. [Nonlinear Dyn. 94, 959-975 (2018)]. This work provides a novel feedback procedure that facilitates rapid control of chaotic behavior and increases the range of stability of dynamical systems.

Microplastics in the environment: Interactions with microbes and chemical contaminants

Microplastics (MPs) are contaminants of emerging concern that have gained considerable attention during the last few decades due to their adverse impact on living organisms and the environment. Recent studies have shown their ubiquitous presence in the environment including the atmosphere, soil, and water. Though several reviews have focused on the occurrence of microplastics in different habitats, little attention has been paid to their interaction with biological and chemical pollutants in the environment. This review therefore presents the state of knowledge on the interaction of MPs with chemicals and microbes in different environments. The distribution of MPs, the association of toxic chemicals with MPs, microbial association with MPs and the microbial-induced fate of MPs in the environment are discussed. The biodegradation and bioaccumulation of MPs by and in microbes and its potential impact on the food chain are also reviewed. The mechanisms driving these interactions and how these, in turn, affect living organisms however are not yet fully understood and require further attention.

Naphthalene catabolism by biofilm forming marine bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa N6P6 and the role of quorum sensing in regulation of dioxygenase gene

AIM

This study aims to establish the role of quorum sensing (QS) system on the regulation of naphthalene ring cleaving gene ndo (encoding naphthalene dioxygenase) in biofilm forming marine bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa N6P6 for naphthalene degradation.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Total cell count of P. aeruginosa N6P6 during biofilm mode of growth was slightly higher (7·3 × 10⁸  CFU per ml) than its planktonic mid-exponential phase culture (4·7 × 10⁸  CFU per ml). Naphthalene degradation in 20h by biofilm (48-h old) and planktonic culture was 99·4 ± 0·002% and 77 ± 3·25%, respectively. Pseudomonas aeruginosa N6P6 was able to degrade 64·3 ± 4·7% naphthalene in sterile soil microcosm in 24 h. The bacterium showed the presence of 136 bp ndo gene which was upregulated in a dose-dependent manner in presence of naphthalene. QS inhibitor (QSI) tannic acid downregulated the expression of ndo gene, naphthalene 1, 2-dioxygenase (N12O) enzyme activity and naphthalene degradation (by biofilm culture).

CONCLUSIONS

P. aeruginosa N6P6 shows chemotaxis towards naphthalene and adapts well in terrestrial environment for naphthalene degradation.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT THE OF STUDY

This study provides the information that the QS plays crucial role in biofilm formation in P. aeruginosa N6P6 and QS regulatory genes subsequently control the ndo gene for enzymatic degradation of naphthalene.

Expression of p27 and p16 and their clinical significance in gastric cancer

BACKGROUND

Deregulated expression of cell cycle regulators p27 and p16 is associated with cancer progression. p27^kip1 and p16^INKa are a cyclin dependent kinase inhibitor whose major target is the cyclinE/CDK2 and cyclinD/CDK4/6 complex, respectively, that governs cell cycle transition from late G1 to S phase.

METHODS

We recruited biopsies of a total of 84 subjects including 72 primary tumor biopsies from histopathologically proven gastric carcinoma, 8 adjacent controls and 12 independent controls. We used gastric cancer cell line, AGS, for validation of our data. Expression profiling at transcript level was done by semi-quantitative RT-PCR and at proteome level by immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence. Receiver operator characteristics analysis was done for determining the diagnostic utility of p27 and p16 with respect to the sensitivity and specificity.

RESULTS

We demonstrate that p27 and p16 are frequently over expressed in early stages of gastric carcinoma. Our semi-quantitative data show a significant upregulation of p27 (Mean ± SEM, 0.4771 ± 0.0895; p = 0.0001) and p16 (Mean ± SEM, 0.4676 ± 0.04305; p = 0.0001) at mRNA level. Concordant to semi-quantitative data, immunohistochemistry data also showed a significant upregulation of p27 (Mean ± SEM, 196.4 ± 10.84; p < 0.0001) and p16 (Mean ± SEM, 100.4 ± 23.71; p < 0.0001) at protein level.

CONCLUSIONS

The present study showed that the significant upregulation of p27 and p16 were associated with early events in gastric carcinogenesis. Our data suggests that clinical correlation of these differentially expressed genes may be useful as diagnostic biomarkers for early detection of gastric carcinoma and promising therapeutics target for GC patients.

Coinfection of H1N1 Influenza and Scrub Typhus-A Review

The H1N1 influenza infection usually coincides with the typical scrub typhus season in North India. This leads to diagnostic difficulties due to their similar and non-specific symptoms. We describe three patients with confirmed co-infection of pandemic (H1N1) influenza and scrub typhus who had presented with acute respiratory distress syndrome. A systematic review of database yielded one case of scrub typhus and H1N1 influenza co-infection reported from South Korea. Co-infection of influenza with tropical infections may not be uncommon in endemic countries and hence a high index of suspicion on the part of physicians coupled with appropriate investigations are needed. The true burden of co-infections needs to be evaluated during outbreaks of influenza in a systematic manner.

Sensitivity Enhancement of a Concave Shaped Optical Fiber Refractive Index Sensor Covered with Multiple Au Nanowires

In the present paper, a new kind of concave shaped refractive index sensor (CSRIS) exploiting localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) is proposed and numerically optimized. The LSPR effect between polaritons and the core guided mode of designed CSRIS is used to enhance the sensing performance. The sensor is characterized for two types of sensing structures coated with gold (Au) film and Au nanowires (AuNWs), respectively. The influence of structural parameters such as the distance (D) of the concave shaped channel (CSC) from the core, the diameter of the nanowire (d_n) and the size (s) of the CSC are investigated here. In comparison to Au film, the AuNWs are shown to significantly enhance the sensitivity and the performance of the designed sensor. An enhanced sensitivity of 4471 nm/RIU (refractive index unit) is obtained with AuNWs, for a wide range of analytes refractive index (n_a) varying between 1.33 to 1.38. However, for conventional Au film; the sensitivity of 808.57 nm/RIU is obtained for the same range of analytes.

Application of wavelet analysis on transient reflectivity in ultra-thin films

Applications of wavelet analysis in ultra-thin film transient reflectivity (TR) measurements have been investigated. Advantages of utilizing different localized wavelet bases, in position and time, have been addressed on the residual TR signals. Morse wavelets have been used to obtain information from the abrupt oscillatory modes in the signal, which are not distinguishable with conventional methods such as Fourier transforms. These abrupt oscillatory modes are caused by the surface, interface, or any short-lived oscillatory modes which are suppressed in the TR signal in ultra-thin films. It is demonstrated that by choosing different Morse wavelets, information regarding different oscillatory modes in the TR signal of a heterostructure thin film is achievable. Moreover, by performing wavelet analysis on multiferroic heterostructures, oscillatory modes with very close energy ranges are easily distinguishable. For illustration, residuals of the TR signals have been obtained by a pump-probe setup in reflectivity mode on La_0.7Sr_0.3MnO₃/SrTiO₃ and BaTiO₃/La_0.7Sr_0.3MnO₃/SrTiO₃ samples, where sufficient signal to noise ratios have been achieved by taking multiple scans. The residual signals have been analyzed with Morse wavelets, and multiple oscillatory modes with close energy ranges have been observed and distinguished. This approach can isolate the location of various oscillatory modes at the surface, interface and in the bulk of the heterostructure sample.

Pronator teres accessorius: A new variant in flexor antebrachial musculature

Muscles of flexor compartment of forearm have a common origin from medial epicondyle of humerus. Additional bellies of flexor muscles are commonly reported but presence of supernumerary muscles is an infrequent phenomenon. The present study describes an unusual muscle mass in flexor compartment of forearm simulating pronator teres. During routine dissection the upper limb of a 50 years old male cadaver, a supernumerary muscle was found on left side of the upper limb in the flexor compartment. The origin of the muscle was 2cm wide and aponeurotic in nature and attached to an oblique line extending from the inferior surface of the medial epicondyle and the medial surface of the trochlea. It was inserted on an oblique line 2.5cm wide on the radius in area between supinator superiorly and flexor digitorum profundus inferiorly. Existence of accessory muscles, which connect flexor muscles, could be explained embryologically by incomplete cleavage of flexor mass during development. The flexor muscles of the forearm develop from the flexor mass which subsequently divides into two layers: superficial and deep. The deep layer gives rise to flexor digitorum superficialis, flexor digitorum profundus and flexor pollicis longus. These supernumerary muscles are extremely rare entities and probably represent deranged embryological development or the process of atavism in which the anomalous part persist for a longer time in the tree of evolution.

The interplay of IKK, NF-κB and RIPK1 signaling in the regulation of cell death, tissue homeostasis and inflammation

Regulated cell death pathways have important functions in host defense and tissue homeostasis. Studies in genetic mouse models provided evidence that cell death could cause inflammation in different tissues. Inhibition of RIPK3-MLKL-dependent necroptosis by FADD and caspase-8 was identified as a key mechanism preventing inflammation in epithelial barriers. Moreover, the interplay between IKK/NF-κB and RIPK1 signaling was recognized as a critical determinant of tissue homeostasis and inflammation. NEMO was shown to regulate RIPK1 kinase activity-mediated apoptosis by NF-κB-dependent and -independent functions, which are critical for averting chronic tissue injury and inflammation in the intestine and the liver. In addition, RIPK1 was shown to exhibit kinase activity-independent functions that are essential for preventing cell death, maintaining tissue architecture and inhibiting inflammation. In the intestine, RIPK1 acts as a scaffold to prevent epithelial cell apoptosis and preserve tissue integrity. In the skin, RIPK1 functions via its RHIM to counteract ZBP1/DAI-dependent activation of RIPK3-MLKL-dependent necroptosis and inflammation. Collectively, these studies provided evidence that the regulation of cell death signaling plays an important role in the maintenance of tissue homeostasis, and suggested that cell death could be causally involved in the pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases.

Utility of a Single-Tube, Six-Color Flow Cytometry Panel for the Diagnosis of Myelodysplastic Syndrome: Experience of a Tertiary Care Centre in India

Background: Diagnosis of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) is challenging in the presence of morphological mimickers. Flow cytometric immunophenotyping (FCI) has been added to the diagnostic armamentarium, but its use in clinical practice is variable. Materials and Methods: Bone marrow aspirate samples from 54 patients with a clinical and/or morphological suspicion of MDS were subjected to FCI using a single-tube, 6-colour panel comprising of monoclonal antibodies against CD13, CD11b, CD16, CD34, CD45 and CD56. Analysis was centered on the abnormal maturation pattern of granulocytes, blast percentage (≥3%) and ratio of side scatter peak channel value (SSC-PCV) of granulocytes and lymphocytes. Each of these parameters was assigned a score of 1. Overall sensitivity and specificity of this panel was ascertained to differentiate cytopenia/s of MDS from non-MDS cases. Results: Forty MDS and 14 non-MDS cases were diagnosed based on morphology and cytogenetic results. Twenty control samples were also processed simultaneously for FCI to assign the cutoff for various flow cytometric parameters. A score ≥2 was defined as positive for MDS. Hypogranularity was present in 62.5% cases of MDS. The median SSC-PCV of granulocytes and lymphocytes was 6.16 in the MDS group, 7.9 in the non-MDS group and 8.90 in the control group (p <0.05). This cut-off value of 6.16 had a specificity of 92.5% based on the ROC curve analysis. Abnormal granulocyte maturation patterns for CD13/16, CD13/11b and CD11b/16 dot plots were observed in 95.3, 69.8 and 74.4% cases, respectively. The overall sensitivity and specificity of the panel was found to be 87.5% and 64.2%, respectively. Conclusion: FCI is now an important tool for diagnostic workup in patients presenting with persistent cytopenia with or without morphological evidence of dyspoiesis. Inclusion of objective parameters like SSC-PCV would also reduce inter-lab variability in MDS diagnosis.

Efficacy and evaluation of environmental management system to control sandfly vector of Kala-azar

The established vector for visceral leishmaniasis, Phlebotomus argentipes (Diptera: Psychodidae) breeds inside the human dwellings and cattle shed under crevices at the base of the wall. P. argentipes was controlled by plastering the base of wall (9″height × 9″base). The study was conducted in two phases: (i) Screening of plastering materials (ii) validation of the most suitable material. During the first phase (2014); four intervention materials were evaluated in four different arms: (i) cement (ii) brick chimney fly ash (BCFA i.e. waste material from an oven for backing raw earthen brick in charcoal) mixed with lime (95:5) (iii) wire mesh (25 holes/cm²) and (iv) glazed tiles. Ten houses were selected as test and same as control in four different villages for each arm having similar ecotype and similar density of sandflies. The pre and post intervention density of sandflies were evaluated. Significant reduction in sandfly density was found with cement (46.2%) and BCFA (29.6%) plastering (P < 0.05). In the second phase of the study (2015); the two most effective interventions were validated at village level with one control. A significant reduction in the density of P. argentipes was found with cement; 60.2% (Mean ± S.D. = 2.48 ± 2.78, 95% CI = 1.93-3.02) and BCFA; 48.2% (Mean ± S.D. = 1.98 ± 2.20, 95% CI = 1.55-2.41) (P < 0.05). BCFA was found easily accessible, acceptable and cost effective that can be used in any type of wall materials at own cost. This can be implemented as one of the integrated vector control approach in the programme.