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Objectives: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is undoubtedly the single most important cause of severe lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) globally. While new prevention measures in young infants have become available, their use in developing countries is likely many years away. While risk factors for severe or very severe RSV LRTI in impoverished rural areas likely differ to urban areas, there are very few studies, especially those conducted in India, the major country contributing to the global burden of disease., Methods: Active surveillance for acute LRTI in enrolled infants and children <2 years of age, was conducted through weekly home visits in 93 villages of Melghat, India, from August 2016 to December 2020. Local hospitals and primary health centres were surveyed for admissions of enrolled subjects. Nasopharyngeal swabs were collected from children with severe, or very severe LRTIs and all who died, with RSV testing using nucleic acid tests at ICMR, National Institute of Virology Pune. Risk factors for both RSV associated and non-RSV associated, severe and very severe LRTI were identified through univariate and multivariate logistic regression., Results: There were 483 severe or very severe RSV LRTI cases and 2807 non-RSV severe or very severe LRTI infections in a cohort of 13,318 children. Weight for age z-score ≤-2, the use of kerosene or wood for cooking, obtaining drinking water from a public tap and low gestational age significantly increased the risk of RSV LRTI. A higher wealth score index and water purification were protective. Comparison with non-RSV LRTI showed male sex as an additional risk factor. The analysis highlighted the risk of kerosene use [OR = 17.8 (3.0-104.4) (p ≤ 0.001)] and [OR = 3.4 (0.8-14.4) (p ≤ 0.05)] for RSV and non-RSV LRTIs, respectively., Conclusions: Nutritional status and environmental air quality are predisposing factors for developing an RSV LRI in young children, factors which are amenable to environmental and behavioural interventions., (© 2024 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Screening for visual acuity loss (VAL) is not applied systematically because of uncertain recommendations based on observations from affordable countries. Our study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of primary health care-based screening. A cross-sectional investigation was carried out among adults who did not wear glasses and did not visit an ophthalmologist in a year (N = 2070). The risk factor role of sociodemographic factors and the cardiometabolic status for hidden VAL was determined by multivariable linear regression models. The prevalence of unknown VAL of at least 0.5 was 3.7% and 9.1% in adults and in the above-65 population. Female sex (b = 1.27, 95% CI: 0.35; 2.18), age (b = 0.15, 0.12; 0.19), and Roma ethnicity (b = 2.60, 95% CI: 1.22; 3.97) were significant risk factors. Higher than primary school (b secondaryschoolwithoutgraduation = -2.06, 95% CI: -3.64; -0.47; and b secondaryschoolwithgraduation = -2.08, 95% CI: -3.65; -0.51), employment (b = -1.33, 95% CI: -2.25; 0.40), and properly treated diabetes mellitus (b = -2.84, 95% CI: -5.08; -0.60) were protective factors. Above 65 years, female sex (b = 3.85, 95% CI: 0.50; 7.20), age (b = 0.39, 95% CI: 0.10; 0.67), Roma ethnicity (b = 24.79, 95% CI: 13.83; 35.76), and untreated diabetes (b = 7.30, 95% CI: 1.29; 13.31) were associated with VAL. Considering the huge differences between the health care and the population's social status of the recommendation-establishing countries and Hungary which represent non-high-income countries, the uncertain recommendation of VAL screening should not discourage general practitioners from organizing population-based screening for VAL in non-affordable populations.

Background: Melghat in India is a hilly, forested, difficult to access, impoverished rural area in northeast part of Maharashtra (Central India) with difficult healthcare access. Melghat has very high Mortality rates, because of grossly inadequate medical facilities. (1) Home deaths contribute to 67% of deaths,(2) which are difficult to track and where cause of death is mostly unknown., Methods: A feasibility study was carried out in 93 rural villages and 5 hospitals to assess feasibility of tracking real-time community mortality and to ascertain cause of death in 0-60 months and 16-60 years age group using Minimal Invasive Tissue Sampling (MITS) in purpose-modified ambulance. We used the network of village health workers (VHW)s, to establish real-time community mortality tracking. Upon receipt of reports of home death, we performed MITS within 4 h of death in the vicinity of the village., Results: We conducted 16 MITS. Nine, in MITS ambulance in community and seven at MAHAN hospital. The acceptance rate of MITS was 59.26%. Standard operating procedure (SOP) of conducting community MITS in an ambulance, is established. Major challenges were, Covid19 lockdown, reluctance of tribal parents for consent for MITS due to illiteracy, superstitions and fear of organ removal. Ambulance was an easy to reach transport means in remote area, provided a well-designed and discrete facility to perform MITS in community, winning the confidence of bereaved family. This has reduced time interval between time of death and performing MITS., Conclusions: MITS in purpose-modified Ambulance can be used worldwide for community MITS especially in areas which are remote and lack healthcare access. This solution needs to be assessed in different cultural settings to document culture specific issues., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

The expansion of adipose progenitor cells (APCs) plays an important role in the regeneration of the adipose tissue in physiological and pathological situations. The major role of CD26-expressing APCs in the generation of adipocytes has recently been highlighted, revealing that the CD26 APC subtype displays features of multipotent stem cells, giving rise to CD54- and CD142-expressing preadipocytes. However, a relevant human in vitro model to explore the regulation of the APC subpopulation expansion in lean and obese adipose tissue microenvironments is still lacking. In this work, we describe a novel adipose tissue model, named ExAdEx, that can be obtained from cosmetic surgery wastes. ExAdEx products are adipose tissue units maintaining the characteristics and organization of adipose tissue as it presents in vivo. The model was viable and metabolically active for up to two months and could adopt a pathological-like phenotype. The results revealed that inflammatory and fibrotic microenvironments differentially regulated the expansion of the CD26 APC subpopulation and its CD54 and CD142 APC progenies. The approach used significantly improves the method of generating adipose tissue models, and ExAdEx constitutes a relevant model that could be used to identify pathways promoting the expansion of APCs in physiological and pathological microenvironments.

Background: Melghat, an impoverished rural area in Maharashtra state, India; has scarce hospital services and low health-seeking behaviour. At baseline (2004) the under-five mortality rate (U5MR) (number of deaths in children aged 0-5 years/1000 live births) was 147.21 and infant mortality rate (IMR) (number of deaths of infants aged under 1 year/1000 live births) was 106.6 per 1000 live births. We aimed at reducing mortality rates through home-based child care (HBCC) using village health workers (VHWs)., Methods: A cluster-randomised control trial was conducted in 34 randomly assigned clusters/villages of Melghat, Maharashtra state, between 2004 and 2009. Participants included all under-five children and their parents. Interventions delivered through VHWs were patient-public involvement, newborn care, disease management and behaviour change communications. Primary outcome indicators were U5MR and IMR. Secondary outcome indicators were neonatal mortality rate (NMR) (number of neonatal deaths aged 0-28 days/1000 live births) and perinatal mortality rate (PMR) (number of stillbirths and early neonatal deaths/1000 total births). Analysis was by intention-to-treat at the individual level. This trial was extended to a service phase (2010-2015) in both arms and a government replication phase (2016-2019) only for the intervention clusters/areas (IA)., Findings: There were 18 control areas/clusters (CA) allocated and analysed with 4426 individuals, and 16 of 18 allocated IA, analysed with 3230 individuals. The IMR and U5MR in IA were reduced from 106.60 and 147.21 to 32.75 and 50.38 (reduction by 69.28% and 65.78%, respectively) compared with increases in CA from 67.67 and 105.3 to 86.83 and 122.8, respectively, from baseline to end of intervention. NMR and PMR in IA showed reductions from 50.76 to 22.67 (by 55.34%) and from 75.06 to 24.94 (by 66.77%) respectively. These gains extended to villages in the service and replication phases., Interpretation: This socio-culturally contextualised model for HBCC through VHWs backed up with institutional support is effective for significant reduction of U5MR, IMR and NMR in impoverished rural areas. This reduction was maintained in the study area during the service phase, indicating feasibility of implementation in large-scale public health programmes. Replicability of the model was demonstrated by a linear decline in all the mortality rates in 20 new villages during the government phase., Trial Registration Number: NCT02473796., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2022. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Several therapeutic options have been developed to address the obesity epidemic and treat associated metabolic diseases. Despite the beneficial effects of surgery and drugs, effective therapeutic solutions have been held back by the poor long-term efficiency and detrimental side effects. The development of alternative approaches is thus urgently required. Fat transplantation is common practice in many surgical procedures, including aesthetic and reconstructive surgery, and is a budding future direction for treating obesity-related metabolic defects. This review focuses on adipose tissue transplantation and the recent development of cell-based therapies to boost the mass of energy-expenditure cells. Brown adipocyte transplantation is a promising novel therapy to manage obesity and associated metabolic disorders, but the need to have an abundant and relevant source of brown fat tissue or brown adipocytes for transplantation is a major hurdle to overcome. Current studies have focused on the rodent model to obtain a proof of concept of a tissue-transplantation strategy able to achieve effective long-term effects to reverse metabolic defects in obese patients. Future perspectives and opportunities to develop innovative human fat tissue models and 3D engineered hiPSC-adipocytes are discussed., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: Although respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the most important viral cause of lower respiratory tract infection deaths in infants, there are few data on infant community deaths caused by RSV., Methods: This was an active surveillance of children younger than 2 years of age in 93 villages, 5 primary health centers, and 3 hospitals serving these villages. Village health workers and counselors at the health facilities monitored all lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) in consented subjects. Children with severe, or very severe LRTIs and all who died, had nasopharyngeal swabs collected for detection of RSV by molecular methods., Results: In the 12 134 subjects, there were 2064 episodes of severe LRTIs and 1732 of very severe LRTIs, of which 271 and 195, respectively, had RSV. Fifteen of 16 (94%) children with RSV died of LRTIs, 14 in the community and 1 in the hospital. The case fatality ratios for severe RSV LRTIs in the first 6 months of life were 3/52 (7.1%) and 1/36 (2.8%) in the community and hospital, respectively. Of those with very severe LRTIs in the community, 17.6% died. There were no very severe RSV LRTI hospital deaths. The adjusted RSV LRTI mortality rates ranged from 1.0 to 3.0/1000 child-years (CY) overall, and 2.0 to 6.1/1000 CY, accounting for 20% of the LRTI deaths and 10% of the postneonatal infant mortality., Conclusions: Community deaths from RSV account for the majority of RSV LRTI deaths, and efforts at prevention should be preferentially directed at populations where access to care is limited., (© The Author(s) 2021. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America.)

Background: Globally, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a common cause of acute lower tract infection (LRTI) in children younger than 2 years of age, but there are scant population-based studies on the burden of RSV illness in rural communities and no community studies in preterm infants., Methods: Active surveillance of LRTI was performed in the community and hospital setting for the population of 93 tribal villages in Melghat, Central India, over 4 respiratory seasons. A nasopharyngeal swab was obtained from cases presenting as a severe LRTI for molecular analysis of respiratory pathogens including RSVA and B., Results: High rates of RSV-associated LRTI were found in preterm and term infants beyond 6 months of age, extending into the second year of life. Community severe RSV LRTI rates for 0-11 months of age was 22.4 (18.6-27.0)/1000 child-years (CY) and the hospital-associated rate was 14.1 (11.1-17.8)/1000 CY. For preterm infants, these rates were 26.2 (17.8-38.5)/1000 CY and 12.6 (7.2-22.0)/1000 CY. Comparable rates in the first 6 months were 15.9 (11.8-21.4)/1000 CY and 12.9 (9.3-18.0)/1000 CY in term infants and 26.3 (15.4-45.0)/1000 CY and 10.1 (4.2-24.2)/1000 CY for preterms. The single RSV B season had higher incidences of RSV LRTI in every age group than the 2 RSV A seasons in both preterm and term infants. There were 11 deaths, all term infants., Conclusions: Studies restricted to the healthcare settings significantly underestimate the burden of RSV LRTI and preterm and term infants have comparable burdens of disease in this rural community., (© The Author(s) 2021. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America.)

Background and Objective: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic degenerative disorder which primarily affects the articular cartilage of synovial joints followed by bony remodeling and overgrowth at the margins of these joints. The consequences of OA are pain, joint stiffness, decreased muscle performance, and decreased aerobic capacity, which eventually affect the quality of life (QOL) and increased risk for disability. The objective of the present study was to investigate the effectiveness of two nonpharmacological treatment regimens, that is, yoga and conventional physiotherapy, on QOL in patients suffering from OA of knee joint., Materials and Methods: A total of 83 patients with bilateral OA of knee joint, between the age group of 40 and 80 years, both males and females, were assigned into two groups using computer-generated scheme: 43 in the experimental group (yoga with conventional physiotherapy program) and 40 in control group (conventional physiotherapy program). Western Ontario and McMaster Universities OA index (WOMAC) and Short-Form 36 (SF-36) health survey were measured before, after 15 days, and after 30 days of treatment sessions, and the data were analyzed using paired and unpaired t -test., Results: The results of the study show significant improvement in both groups with regard to WOMAC and SF-36 at the end of 15 and 30 days of treatment regimen; however, when compared to the control group, experimental group had more significant improvement ( P < 0.05) in WOMAC and SF-36 at the end of 15 and 30 days of treatment., Conclusion: Yoga is more beneficial when added to conventional physiotherapy treatment regimen in promoting health and improving QOL in patients with OA of knee joint., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2020 Journal of Education and Health Promotion.)

Brown and brown-like adipocytes (BAs) are promising cell targets to counteract obesity thanks to their potential to drain and oxidize circulating glucose and triglycerides. However, the scarcity of BAs in human adults is a major limitation for energy expenditure based therapies. Enhanced characterization of BA progenitor cells (BAPs) and identification of critical pathways regulating their generation and differentiation into mature BAs would be an effective way to increase the BA mass. The identification of molecular mechanisms involved in the generation of thermogenic adipocytes is progressing substantially in mice. Much less is known in humans, thus highlighting the need for an in vitro model of human adipocyte development. Pluripotent stem cells (PSCs), i.e., embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells, help gain insight into the different phases in the development of multiple cell types. We will discuss the capacity of human PSCs to differentiate into BAs in this review. Several groups, including ours, have reported low spontaneous adipocyte generation from PSCs. However, factors governing the differentiation of induced pluripotent stem cell-derived BA progenitors cells were recently identified, and the TGFβ signaling pathway has a pivotal role. The development of new relevant methods, such as the differentiation of hPSC-BAPs into 3D adipospheres to better mimick the lobular structure of human adipose tissue, will also be discussed. Differentiation of human PSCs into thermogenic adipocytes at high frequency provides an opportunity to characterize new targets for anti-obesity therapy., (Copyright © 2020 Yao, Dani and Dani.)

Objectives: The objective of our study is to evaluate the impact of luteal phase support by hCG in intrauterine inseminations preceded by ovarian gonadotropin stimulation., Methods: A retrospective study was conducted at the CHU of Nice between March 1, 2016 and October 31, 2017. During this period, 300 intrauterine inseminations were included in data analysis. Ovarian stimulation was performed by gonadotropins and a GnRH antagonist was added, if needed. Following a modification of standard operative procedure in the department, patients who performed an intrauterine insemination from December 1, 2016 received luteal phase support with two injections of hCG 1500 IU, performed at three days of interval. Pregnancy and ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome were the primary and secondary study endpoints, respectively., Results: Out of 300 inseminations included in the analysis, 144 were performed with luteal phase support and 156 without support. No statistically significant difference in pregnancy rate was observed between these two groups (19.4% of pregnancy in the luteal phase support group and 15.38% in the group without luteal phase support, P=0.353). No ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome occurred over the course of the study., Conclusion: Our study shows a slight improvement of pregnancy rate in the group subjected to luteal phase support by hCG after intrauterine insemination, but the benefit was not significant. A randomised prospective study based on a large cohort could help to assess the effect of luteal phase support during intrauterine inseminations., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a group of progressive lung diseases; the most common are emphysema and chronic bronchitis. It is considered to be the major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide and is considered to be one of the leading causes of deaths in India, the main reason being misconception/misinterpretation of the disease and unawareness about the risk factors which hinder early diagnosis and its treatment effectively. Therefore, the present study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitude and behavior about the disease process and physiotherapy management in patients diagnosed with COPD., Materials and Methods: Ethical clearance was obtained before initiating the study. It was a cross-sectional, qualitative study. In total, 14 patients of COPD were recruited for the study by convenience sampling. The total study duration was 6 months. Two focused groups ( n = 14) were conducted with seven COPD patients (diagnosed by chest physician on the basis of pulmonary function testing) in each after obtaining the written informed consent. Focus group contents were video graphed after obtaining the consent and a focus group discussion (FGD) guide comprising of 15 questions was used for the study. Transcripts were prepared from the audio/video recordings and were analyzed qualitatively by narrative analysis., Results: The narration transcripted during both the sessions of FGD showed significant negligence about the disease process, its precipitating factors, preventive measures, and physiotherapy management among the patients suffering from COPD in the community. None of the patients were aware even about the term "chronic obstructive pulmonary disease" and only 35.71% of patients were aware of physiotherapy management as a mean of treatment for COPD., Conclusions: The present study concludes that there is a lack of knowledge, incorrect attitudes, and flawed behavioral changes which needs to be corrected among the patients with COPD. These patients require correct, detailed, and broad-based information about their condition and availability of treatment options., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest.

Objectives: In France, one pregnancy out of three is unplanned. Half of those pregnancies lead to abortion. However, the use of emergency contraception is far from systematic. It is therefore relevant to question the reasons and factors linked to the low rate of use of emergency contraception., Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted in the orthogenic service of the University hospital Center of Nice, over a six weeks period. Patients were consulting in the context of voluntary termination of pregnancy and were subjected to a questionnaire during a semi-structured interview. The collected data were: age, degree of education, profession, size of their home town municipality, legal status, obstetrical history, contraception used at the time of unplanned pregnancy, emergency contraception background and justification for not using an emergency contraception., Results: A total of one hundred and five questionnaires were studied. The absence of emergency contraception was due to an underestimation of the risk of pregnancy in 81% of cases. Among characteristic variables of the studied population, none was related to the non-use of emergency contraception., Conclusions: Independently of the patient profile, underestimation of the risk of pregnancy is the main cause of non-use of emergency contraception. It seems crucial to inform women with childbearing age and their families about their fertility and the basic mechanisms of fertility in order to reduce the number of unplanned pregnancies in France., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

The symbiotic interaction between cnidarians (e.g., corals and sea anemones) and photosynthetic dinoflagellates of the genus Symbiodinium is triggered by both host-symbiont recognition processes and metabolic exchange between the 2 partners. The molecular communication is crucial for homeostatic regulation of the symbiosis, both under normal conditions and during stresses that further lead to symbiosis collapse. It is therefore important to identify and fully characterise the key players of this intimate interaction at the symbiotic interface. In this study, we determined the cellular and subcellular localization and expression of the sterol-trafficking Niemann-Pick type C proteins (NPC1 and NPC2) in the symbiotic sea anemones Anemonia viridis and Aiptasia sp. We first established that NPC1 is localised within vesicles in host tissues and to the symbiosome membranes in several anthozoan species. We demonstrated that the canonical NPC2-a protein is mainly expressed in the epidermis, whereas the NPC2-d protein is closely associated with symbiosome membranes. Furthermore, we showed that the expression of the NPC2-d protein is correlated with symbiont presence in healthy symbiotic specimens. As npc2-d is a cnidarian-specific duplicated gene, we hypothesised that it probably arose from a subfunctionalisation process that might result in a gain of function and symbiosis adaptation in anthozoans. Niemann-Pick type C proteins may be key players in a functional symbiosis and be useful tools to study host-symbiont interactions in the anthozoan-dinoflagellate association., (© 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Cnidarian-dinoflagellate photosynthetic symbioses are fundamental to biologically diverse and productive coral reef ecosystems. The hallmark of this symbiotic relationship is the ability of dinoflagellate symbionts to supply their cnidarian host with a wide range of nutrients. Many aspects of this association nevertheless remain poorly characterized, including the exact identity of the transferred metabolic compounds, the mechanisms that control their exchange across the host-symbiont interface, and the precise subcellular fate of the translocated materials in cnidarian tissues. This lack of knowledge is mainly attributed to difficulties in investigating such metabolic interactions both in situ, i.e. on intact symbiotic associations, and at high spatial resolution. To address these issues, we illustrate the application of two in situ and high spatial resolution molecular and ion imaging techniques-matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry imaging (MALDI-MSI) and the nano-scale secondary-ion mass spectrometry (NanoSIMS) ion microprobe. These imaging techniques provide important new opportunities for the detailed investigation of many aspects of cnidarian-dinoflagellate associations, including the dynamics of cellular interactions., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.)

The symbiotic interaction between cnidarians, such as corals and sea anemones, and the unicellular algae Symbiodinium is regulated by yet poorly understood cellular mechanisms, despite the ecological importance of coral reefs. These mechanisms, including host-symbiont recognition and metabolic exchange, control symbiosis stability under normal conditions, but also lead to symbiosis breakdown (bleaching) during stress. This study describes the repertoire of the sterol-trafficking proteins Niemann-Pick type C (NPC1 and NPC2) in the symbiotic sea anemone Anemonia viridis. We found one NPC1 gene in contrast to the two genes (NPC1 and NPC1L1) present in vertebrate genomes. While only one NPC2 gene is present in many metazoans, this gene has been duplicated in cnidarians, and we detected four NPC2 genes in A. viridis. However, only one gene (AvNPC2-d) was upregulated in symbiotic relative to aposymbiotic sea anemones and displayed higher expression in the gastrodermis (symbiont-containing tissue) than in the epidermis. We performed immunolabelling experiments on tentacle cross sections and demonstrated that the AvNPC2-d protein was closely associated with symbiosomes. In addition, AvNPC1 and AvNPC2-d gene expression was strongly downregulated during stress. These data suggest that AvNPC2-d is involved in both the stability and dysfunction of cnidarian-dinoflagellate symbioses., (© 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

In angiosperms, auxin phytohormones play a crucial regulatory role in fruit initiation. The expression of auxin biosynthesis genes in ovules and placenta results in uncoupling of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) fruit development from fertilization with production of parthenocarpic fruits. We have identified two newly described genes, named Aucsia genes, which are differentially expressed in auxin-synthesis (DefH9-iaaM) parthenocarpic tomato flower buds. The two tomato Aucsia genes encode 53-amino-acid-long peptides. We show, by RNA interference-mediated gene suppression, that Aucsia genes are involved in both reproductive and vegetative plant development. Aucsia-silenced tomato plants exhibited auxin-related phenotypes such as parthenocarpic fruit development, leaf fusions, and reflexed leaves. Auxin-induced rhizogenesis in cotyledon explants and polar auxin transport in roots were reduced in Aucsia-silenced plants compared with wild-type plants. In addition, Aucsia-silenced plants showed an increased sensitivity to 1-naphthylphthalamic acid, an inhibitor of polar auxin transport. We further prove that total indole-3-acetic acid content was increased in preanthesis Aucsia-silenced flower buds. Thus, the data presented demonstrate that Aucsia genes encode a novel family of plant peptides that control fruit initiation and affect other auxin-related biological processes in tomato. Aucsia homologous genes are present in both chlorophytes and streptophytes, and the encoded peptides are distinguished by a 16-amino-acid-long (PYSGXSTLALVARXSA) AUCSIA motif, a lysine-rich carboxyl-terminal region, and a conserved tyrosine-based endocytic sorting motif.

The present study was planned to determine the potential of zinc in attenuating the toxicity induced by 131I in rat blood. Female wistar rats were segregated into four main groups. Animals in Group I served as normal controls; Group II animals were administered a dose of 3.7 Mbq of 131I (carrier free) intraperitoneally, Group III was supplemented with Zinc in the form of ZnSo4.7H2O (227 mg/l drinking water), and Group IV was given a combined treatment of Zinc as well as 131I, in a similar way as was given to Groups IV and II animals, respectively. The effects of different treatments were studied on various parameters in rat blood including hemoglobin (Hb) levels, % hematocrit, zinc protoporphyrins (ZPP), activities of enzymes which included aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (delta-ALAD) and Na+ K+ ATPase and uptake of 65Zn in blood. The study revealed an increase in the levels of hemoglobin, % hematocrit, activities of delta-ALAD, Na+ K+ ATPase and uptake of 65Zn, 7 days after the 131I treatment. On the contrary, the levels of ZPP were found to be significantly decreased after 131I treatment. However, zinc treatment to 131I-treated animals significantly attenuated the various biochemical and hematological indices. Moreover, zinc treatment to the 131I-treated animals could significantly decrease the uptake of 65Zn, which was increased after 131I treatment. Based upon these data, the present study suggests that zinc has the potential to attenuate 131I induced toxicity by restoring the altered hematological indices and biochemical changes.

Hyperthyroidism in men is often treated with high doses of iodine-131 ((131)I), which may induce radiation side effects to patients and their environment. These therapeutic doses of (131)I could be decreased, if the (131)I uptake of the thyroid gland of the patients could be increased. Zinc sulphate has been considered to exercise a protective role by maintaining the cellular integrity of the thyroid under various pathological states. The aim of our study was to study in Wistar rats whether zinc sulphate can after treatment of the thyroid gland with (131)I: a) increase the uptake of (131)I in the thyroid and b) stabilize the function of the follicular cells. If such a stabilization finally exists in men we could have favorable results like fewer cases of hypothyroidism after (131)I treatment of hyperthyroidism. To carry out these investigations, rats were divided into four groups comprising of eight animals each. Group I animals served as normal controls. Group II animals received a dose of 3.7 MBq of (131)I. Group III animals were supplemented with zinc (227 mg/L of drinking water) and animals in Group IV were given (131)I together with zinc sulphate as above. Our results showed that in Group II, serum levels of tetra-iodo-thyronine (T(4)) and tri-iodo-thyronine (T(3)) decreased significantly as a function of time following (131)I treatment. An increase in the levels of serum thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) was noticed one week after (131)I treatment, becoming less pronounced with time. In Group II, thyroid uptake at 2h and at 24h was significantly decreased. In the same Group biological half life (T(biol)) of (131)I in the thyroid gland, was significantly elevated four weeks after the administration of (131)I and decreased eight weeks after. In Group IV animals, zinc sulfate after four weeks, induced normalization of elevated serum TSH levels and a further increase in the T(biol) of (131)I. After eight weeks in these animals, serum T(3) became normal and TSH remained at normal levels. Thyroid (131)I uptake at 2 and 24 h was increased as compared to Group II. Group III animals showed some increase in the levels of Na(+)K(+)ATPase and type 1,5'-deiodinase (5'-DI) as compared to normal rats of Group I. In conclusion, this study suggests the protective potential of zinc sulphate in the disturbed after (131)I treatment, thyroid function, thyroid hormones and TSH while the (131)I uptake was reduced. Thus, if this result is further confirmed, zinc sulphate may show to be a promising radioprotective agent for the thyroid gland.

The present study was performed to evaluate the efficacy of zinc treatment on colonic antioxidant defense system and histoarchitecture in 1,2-dimethylhydrazine- (DMH) induced colon carcinogenesis in male Sprague-Dawley rats. The rats were segregated into four groups viz., normal control, DMH treated, zinc treated, DMH+zinc treated. Colon carcinogenesis was induced through weekly subcutaneous injections of DMH (30 mg/kg body weight) for 16 weeks. Zinc (in the form of zinc sulphate) was supplemented to rats at a dose level of 227 mg/L in drinking water, ad libitum for the entire duration of the study. Increased tumor incidence, tumor size and number of aberrant crypt foci (ACF) were accompanied by a decrease in lipid peroxidation, glutathione-S-transferase, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase. On the contrary, significantly increased levels of reduced glutathione (GSH) and glutathione reductase (GR) were observed in DMH treated rats. Administration of zinc to DMH treated rats significantly decreased the tumor incidence, tumor size and aberrant crypt foci number with simultaneous enhancement of lipid peroxidation, SOD, catalase and glutathione-S-transferase. Further, the levels of GSH and GR were also decreased following zinc supplementation to DMH treated rats. Well-differentiated signs of dysplasia were evident in colonic tissue sections by DMH administration alone. However, zinc treatment to DMH treated rats greatly restored normalcy in the colonic histoarchitecture, with no apparent signs of neoplasia. EDXRF studies revealed a significant decrease in tissue concentrations of zinc in the colon following DMH treatment, which upon zinc supplementation were recovered to near normal levels. In conclusion, the results of this study suggest that zinc has a positive beneficial effect against chemically induced colonic preneoplastic progression in rats induced by DMH.

The present study investigated the protective effects of zinc in attenuating the altered activities of drug metabolizing enzymes in the livers of rats intoxicated with chlorpyrifos. Male Sprague-Dawley rats received oral chlorpyrifos treatment (at a dose level of 13.5 mg/kg body weight in corn oil every alternate day), zinc supplementation alone (at a dose level of 227 mg/l in drinking water), or combined chlorpyrifos plus zinc treatments for a total duration of 8 weeks. The effects of different treatments were studied on the specific activities of various drug metabolizing enzymes including cytochrome P(450), cytochrome b(5), NADPH cytochrome-c-reductase, NADH cytochrome-c-reductase, aminopyrene-N-demethylase (APD) and aromatic hydrocarbon hydroxylase (AHH). Additionally, serum zinc levels were also determined in each of the treatment groups at the end of the study. Chlorpyrifos treatment resulted in a significant decrease in the serum zinc concentrations. Analogous to these changes, we observed significant depression in the activities of majority of the drug metabolizing enzymes investigated in the present study, except for AHH, where the decrease in enzyme activity was not statistically significant. However, zinc treatment to chlorpyrifos treated animals effectively restored the depressed serum zinc levels to within normal limits. Similarly, co-administration of zinc to chlorpyrifos intoxicated animals normalized the enzymatic activities of cytochrome P(450), NADPH cytochrome-c-reductase and NADH cytochrome-c-reductase within normal range. Collectively, these findings suggest that zinc plays an important role in regulating the hepatic activities of drug metabolizing enzymes in chlorpyrifos intoxicated animals, although it remains to be determined whether such protective effects of zinc are regulated directly, or through some indirect mechanism.

The present study determined the protective potential of zinc in attenuating the toxicity induced by chlorpyrifos in rat blood. Male Sparque Dawley (SD) rats received either oral chlorpyrifos (13.5 mg/kg body weight) treatment every alternate day, zinc alone (227 mg/l in drinking water) or combined chlorpyrifos plus zinc treatment for a total duration of 8 weeks. The effects of different treatments were studied on various parameters in rat blood including haemoglobin (Hb) levels, total leukocyte count (TLC), differential leukocyte count (DLC), zinc protoporphyrins (ZPP), serum trace elemental concentrations and Scanning Electron Microscopic (SEM) observation of the blood cells. Chlorpyrifos treatment to normal control animals resulted in a significant decrease in TLC and ZPP concentration after 4 and 8 weeks. Chlorpyrifos treated animals also showed significant neutrophilia and lymphopenia after 8 weeks of toxicity. In addition, a significant decrease in serum zinc and iron concentrations were observed following chlorpyrifos intoxication, however, these animals responded with increased serum copper levels following the toxic treatment with this organophosphate. SEM studies of the red blood cells from chlorpyrifos treated animals indicated marked alterations in the topographical morphology of the various cell types, with the prominent feature being common aniscocytosis of the erythrocytes. Oral zinc treatment to the chlorpyrifos treated animals significantly improved the total leukocyte, neutrophil and lymphocyte counts, as well as the otherwise reduced concentrations of ZPP and the levels of various serum trace elements. Protective effects of zinc were also evident in the electron microscopic observations where most blood cell types depicted reverted to a close to the normal appearance. Based upon these data, the present study is first of its kind and suggests that zinc treatment considerably attenuates chlorpyrifos induced toxicity induced in restoring the altered hematological indices and morphological changes.

The first reported human case of trypanosomiasis caused by Trypanosoma evansi was treated using suramin. Patient follow-up indicates that the drug and specific regimen used were well tolerated. Clinical, serological and parasitological investigations at 6 months indicate complete cure of the patient. Suramin should be considered in the treatment of other cases of human T. evansi infection, if they occur.

The present study was conducted to evaluate the adverse effects of chlorpyrifos on the key enzymes of carbohydrate metabolism in liver, and also to assess the role of zinc under these toxic conditions. Male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats received either oral chlorpyrifos treatment (13.5 mg/kg body weight in corn oil) every alternate day, zinc alone (227 mg/l in drinking water), or combined chlorpyrifos and zinc treatments for a total duration of 8 weeks. The effects of different treatment regimens were studied on various enzymes of carbohydrate metabolism in the rat livers, which included hexokinase, glucose-6-phosphatase, fructose-1,6-diphosphatase, glycogen phosphorylase, succinate dehydrogenase (SDH), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and the levels of glycogen. In vitro uptake of (14)C-D-glucose was also assessed in liver slices after similar treatments. Chlorpyrifos intoxication resulted in a significant increase in the activities of glucose-6-phosphatase and glycogen phosphorylase, whereas, it caused a significant inhibition in the levels of hexokinase, SDH, LDH and glycogen content. However, zinc treatment to chlorpyrifos-intoxicated animals was able to normalize the activities of most of these enzymes to either close to, or within normal limits. Chlorpyrifos intoxication demonstrated significantly inhibited (14)C-D-glucose uptake in liver slices, which again was reversed to normal limits following simultaneous zinc treatment. Levels of metallothionein were also found to be depressed in chlorpyrifos-treated animals, but tended to increase significantly on co-administration of zinc to chlorpyrifos-treated group. Hence, the present study clearly suggests that zinc plays an important role in regulating the hepatic activities of the enzymes involved in carbohydrate metabolism under conditions of chlorpyrifos toxicity.

Mutations in the MECP2 gene cause Rett syndrome (RTT). Bdnf is a MeCP2 target gene; however, its role in RTT pathogenesis is unknown. We examined Bdnf conditional mutant mice for RTT-relevant pathologies and observed that loss of BDNF caused smaller brain size, smaller CA2 neurons, smaller glomerulus size, and a characteristic hindlimb-clasping phenotype. BDNF protein level was reduced in Mecp2 mutant mice, and deletion of Bdnf in Mecp2 mutants caused an earlier onset of RTT-like symptoms. To assess whether this interaction was functional and potentially therapeutically relevant, we increased BDNF expression in the Mecp2 mutant brain with a conditional Bdnf transgene. BDNF overexpression extended the lifespan, rescued a locomotor defect, and reversed an electrophysiological deficit observed in Mecp2 mutants. Our results provide in vivo evidence for a functional interaction between Mecp2 and Bdnf and demonstrate the physiological significance of altered BDNF expression/signaling in RTT disease progression.

The present study was designed to evaluate the role of zinc on the enzymes involved in oxidative defense mechanism in conditions of carbon tetrachloride (CCl (4)) -induced rat liver toxicity. To carry out the study, rats were divided into four groups: group I (normal control), group II (CCl (4) treated), group III (zinc control), and group IV (zinc + CCl (4) treated). Animals in group II and group IV were administered 0.1 mL of CCl (4) mixed with 0.1 mL of groundnut oil on alternate days for a period of 8 weeks. Zinc in the form of zinc sulphate was given to animals of group II and group IV at a dose level of 227 mg/L in drinking water. Animals given CCl (4) treatment alone showed a significant increase in the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and the concentration of malondialdehyde (MDA) product, whereas a significant depression was observed in the levels of reduced glutathione (GSH). Zinc treatment to CCl (4) -treated rats brought the altered levels of GSH, MDA, and SOD as observed following CCl (4) -treatment alone to within normal limits. However, the activities of catalase and glutathione peroxidase, which were increased under carbon tetrachloride treatment, were significantly attenuated and tended to become normal. Hence, the present study suggests that zinc may play an important role in regulating the activities of the enzymes involved in antioxidative defense system under CCl (4) toxic conditions.

The current study was designed to evaluate the hepatoprotective role of zinc after lead (Pb) treatment of protein-deficient (PD) rats. The animals were subjected to seven different treatment groups: G-1 (normal control, 18% protein), G-2 (protein-deficient, 8% protein), G-3 (Pb-treated, 100 mg/kg body weight of lead acetate), G-4 (Zn-treated, zinc sulfate at a dose level of 227 mg/L drinking water), G-5 (PD + Pb-treated), G-6 (PD + Zn-treated), and G-7 (PD + Pb + Zn-treated). Serum albumin levels and total serum protein contents were estimated to assess the severity of protein deficiency at the end of 8 weeks in all the treatment groups. Also, the study explored the role of zinc on antioxidative defense system enzymes in liver of protein-deficient rats subjected to lead toxicity treatment. Further, the study was extended to elucidate the levels of zinc and lead in liver tissue after different treatments of rats using positron-induced X-ray emission technique (PIXE). The current study indicated a significant change in the levels of various antioxidative enzymes and serum albumin as well as total protein contents of protein-deficient rats subjected to lead treatment. A significant increase in the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), catalase, and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) was seen after 8 weeks of lead treatment of protein-deficient rats. On the contrary, levels of albumin, total protein content, superoxide dismutase (SOD), GSH, were found to be decreased. Interestingly, zinc supplementation has tended to normalize the altered levels of these enzymes to a significant extent. The levels of zinc in liver tissue was found to be decreased significantly in protein-deficient as well as lead-treated rats. However, hepatic zinc concentration was increased to a significant extent in protein-deficient rats supplemented with zinc when compared with protein-deficient rats. Further, the presence of lead was also observed in livers of lead-treated animals. In conclusion, the study revealed the antioxidative role of zinc in hepatotoxic conditions induced by subjecting the rats to protein-deficient diet and lead treatment.

Human trypanosoma infections like the ones seen in Africa and South America are unknown in India. The only exception in literature is of two documented cases of a self-limiting febrile illness, being attributed to Trypanosoma lewisi like parasites. We are reporting an unusual case of trypanosomiasis from the rural parts of Chandrapur district in Maharashtra. An adult male farmhand who used to practice veterinary medicine also, presented with history of febrile episodes on and off since five months and drowsiness before admission to this Institute. Though routine blood and other investigations were within normal limits, the peripheral smear showed a large number of trypanosomes which morphologically resembled the species Trypanosoma evansi, the aetiological agent of surra - a form of animal trypanosomiasis. A battery of assays covering the spectrum of parasitology, serology, and molecular biology confirmed the infecting parasite to be T. evansi. Failure to demonstrate the central nervous system (CNS) involvement, as evidenced by the absence of parasite in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) advocated the use of suramin - the drug of choice in early stage African trypanosomiasis without any CNS involvement. Suramin achieved cure in our patient. The case is being reported because of its unique nature as the patient was not immunocompromised and showed infestation with a parasite which normally does not affect human beings.

Iodine-131 ((131)I) irradiation is the first line treatment for Graves' disease and thyroid carcinoma. In such cases, (131)I gets accumulated in the thyroid, and is released in the form of radioiodinated triiodothyronine (T3) and tetraiodothronine (T4). Various reports describe changes in the blood picture after radioiodine treatment. Zinc, on the other hand, has been reported to maintain the integrity of red blood cells (RBC) under certain toxic conditions. The present study was conducted to evaluate the adverse effects of (131)I on the antioxidant defense system and morphology of RBC and also to assess the possible protection by zinc under irradiation by (131)I. Thirty two female Wistar rats were equally segregated into four main groups. Animals with Group I served as normal controls; Group II animals were administered a dose of 3.7 MBq of (131)I (carrier free) intraperitoneally, Group III rats were supplemented with zinc (227 mg/L drinking water) and Group IV rats were given a combined treatment of (131)I and zinc, in a similar way as in Group II and IV rats. After seven days of (131)I treatment, RBC lysate was prepared and its antioxidant status assessed. The activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), reduced glutathione (GSH) and malondialdehyde (MDA) in the lysate of RBC was increased. On the contrary, the activity of catalase was found to be significantly decreased. The activity of glutathione reductase (GR) remained unchanged. Marked changes in the shape of RBC from normal discocytes to echinocytes, spherocytes, stomatocytes and acanthocytes were also observed in the blood of the rats treated with (131)I. Zinc supplementation to (131)I treated rats, significantly attenuated the adverse effects caused by (131)I on the levels of MDA, GSH, SOD and catalase. In conclusion, the study revealed significant oxidant/antioxidant changes in RBC following (131)I administration in rats, while zinc was shown to act as a radioprotector agent.

The present study investigated the hepatoprotective role of zinc in attenuating the toxicity induced by chlorpyrifos in rat liver. Male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats received either oral chlorpyrifos (13.5mg/kg body weight), zinc alone (227mg/l in drinking water) or combined chlorpyrifos plus zinc treatment for a total duration of 8 weeks. The effects of these treatments were studied on various parameters in rat liver, including lipid peroxidation, antioxidant enzymes, levels of metallothionein (MT) and hepatic histoarchitecture. Chlorpyrifos treatment resulted in a significant increase in hepatic lipid peroxidation and activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (G-Px) and glutathione reductase (GR). On the contrary, chlorpyrifos intoxication caused a significant inhibition in the levels of reduced glutathione (GSH), catalase (CAT) and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) activities. However, zinc treatment to chlorpyrifos-intoxicated animals normalized the otherwise raised levels of lipid peroxidation to within normal limits. Moreover, zinc treatment to these animals resulted in an elevation in the levels of GSH, catalase and GST, as well as a significant decrease in the levels of SOD. Levels of MT were also found to be depressed in chlorpyrifos-treated animals, but tended to increase following co-administration of zinc. Additionally, chlorpyrifos-treated animals demonstrated increased vacuolization, necrosis and ballooning of the hepatocytes and dilatation of sinusoids as well as increase in the number of binucleated cells. However, zinc administration to chlorpyrifos-treated animals resulted in overall improvement in the hepatic histoarchitecture, emphasizing the protective potential of zinc. Hence, the present study suggests the protective potential of zinc in alleviating the hepatic toxicity induced by chlorpyrifos.

Background & Objectives: Irradiation with 131I is used for the treatment of various thyroid disorders. It is likely that radioiodine while in systemic circulation may cause some adverse effects on antioxidative enzymes present in red blood cells (RBCs). Zinc, on the other hand, has been reported to maintain the integrity of cells under certain toxic conditions. The present study was conducted to evaluate the adverse effects of 131I on RBCs and also to assess the protection provided by zinc under these conditions., Methods: Female Wistar rats (n=32) were divided into four groups. Animals in group I served as normal controls; group II animals were administered a dose of 3.7 Mbq of 131I (carrier-free) intraperitoneally, group III animals were supplemented with zinc (227 mg/l drinking water) and animals in group IV were given a combined treatment of zinc as well as 131I. Activities of antioxidant enzymes were assessed in erythrocyte lysates after two days of treatments., Results: An increase in the activity of glutathione reductase (GR), superoxide dismutase (SOD), reduced glutathione (GSH) and malondialdehyde (MDA) in the lysates of erythrocytes was seen after two days of exposure from 131I radiations. However, the activity of catalase was found to be significantly decreased. Interestingly, zinc supplementation to 131I treated rats resulted in attenuating the adverse effects caused by 131I on the levels of antioxidative enzymes., Interpretation & Conclusion: 131I can induce significant oxidant/antioxidant changes in RBCs and zinc may prove to be a candidate with great promise for radioprotection.

The present study was designed to evaluate the effect of lithium on the biological half-lives of 65Zn in the rat liver and whole body and also its biodistribution under different dietary protein regimens. To carry out these investigations, each rat after three weeks of different treatments was injected with 1.85 MBq of 65Zn, intraperitoneally (ip) and its radioactivity was recorded in liver as well as in whole body by using gamma ray spectrometer. The radionuclide 65Zn showed two kinetic components indicating its biological half-life: Tb1 the initial fast component and the Tb2 or slow component. Protein deficiency led to a significant elevation of both components in the whole body but not in the liver when compared to the control group. High protein (HP) diet in rats resulted in marked reduction in both components in the liver but not in the whole body. Lithium treatment alone to normal rats caused a significant reduction in the Tb2 but not in the Tb1 component in the whole body as well as in the liver. The administration of lithium normalized the observed increase in both components in the whole body of protein deficient rats. On the contrary, in rats fed with low protein (LP) diet after lithium treatment the Tb(2) component was significantly reduced in the liver. Lithium treatment to HP fed rats, showed a significant decrease in both components in the liver when compared to normal rats: however this decrease was less pronounced in comparison to the HP group that had not been given lithium. Furthermore, one day prior to the end of the treatment period, the rats were injected ip with a tracer dose of 0.37 MBq 65Zn and 24 h later, various organs were excised for 65Zn biodistribution measurements in vitro. Under different dietary protein regimens as well as after administration of lithium the percent uptake values of 65Zn varied in various organs viz: the brain, liver, kidney, small intestine and large intestine as well as in the blood. In conclusion, different protein dietary conditions on co-administration with lithium in the rats seemed to have a dominant role for the retention of 65Zn in the liver the whole body and in other organs.

Whole body counting studies of 65Zn indicated that the Tb1 (the faster component) was significantly decreased while the slower component (Tb2) was increased significantly following ethanol treatment. Interestingly, following zinc treatment to ethanol treated rats, slower component (Tb2) of 65Zn came back to within normal limits while the faster component (Tb1) got significantly elevated in comparison to ethanol treatment. Percent uptake values of 65Zn were found to be increased in liver, intestine, muscle, brain and kidney, and decreased in bone under alcoholic conditions. Interestingly, the uptake values of 65Zn in all the organs except muscle were reverted back to within normal limits upon zinc supplementation to these ethanol intoxicated animals. A significant decrease in zinc contents was noticed in ethanol treated rats, which, however, were raised to normal levels upon zinc supplementation: Copper levels, on the other hand, were significantly enhanced in both ethanol fed and combined ethanol + zinc treated rats. Calcium levels were significantly decreased in both ethanol and zinc treated rats, which however were further reduced upon zinc supplementation to ethanol fed rats. However, no significant change was observed in the concentrations of sodium and potassium in any of the treatment groups. In conclusion, zinc appears to play a protective role by normalizing the turnover of 65Zn in whole body as well as in its uptake in different organs under alcoholic conditions.

The apoplast of plant cells is a dynamic compartment involved in many processes, including maintenance of tissue shape, development, nutrition, signalling, detoxification and defence. In this work we used Nicotiana tabacum plants as a model to investigate changes in the soluble apoplast composition induced in response to salt stress. Apoplastic fluid was extracted from leaves of control plants and plants exposed to salt stress, using a vacuum infiltration procedure. Two-dimension electrophoretic analyses revealed about 150 polypeptide spots in the pH range of 3.0 to 10.0, in independent protein extracts, with a high level of reproducibility between the two sample sets. Quantitative evaluation and statistical analyses of the resolved spots in treated and untreated samples revealed 20 polypeptides whose abundance changed in response to salt stress. Mass spectroscopic peptide separation and sequencing was used to identify polypeptides affected by salt stress. While the levels of some proteins were reduced by salt-treatment, an enhanced accumulation of protein species known to be induced by biotic and abiotic stresses was observed. In particular, two chitinases and a germin-like protein increased significantly and two lipid transfer proteins were expressed entirely de novo. Some apoplastic polypeptides, involved in cell wall modifications during plant development, remained largely unchanged. The significance of these components is discussed in the context of stress responses in plants.

Recent data concerning the effect of soybean 7S globulin subunits on the upregulation of LDL receptors in Hep G2 cells identified the alpha' subunit as the candidate responsible for this biological effect. In vivo evaluation of this subunit on cholesterol homeostasis was hampered by the lack of suitable amounts of alpha' chain. A novel separation procedure allowed us to investigate the effects of alpha' subunit administration on plasma cholesterol and triglyceride levels, as well as on the activity of liver beta-VLDL receptors of rats fed a hypercholesterolemic (HC) diet. Rats were divided into 9 groups fed the following diets for 28 d: standard diet; HC diet; HC diets + 5, 10, and 20 mg/(kg body weight. d) of alpha' subunit; HC diets + 50, 100, and 200 mg/(kg body weight. d) of soybean 7S globulin; HC diet + 200 mg/(kg body weight. d) clofibrate. The highest dose of the alpha' subunit decreased plasma cholesterol and triglycerides 36 and 34%, respectively, in rats fed the HC diet; 10-fold amounts clofibrate reduced plasma cholesterol and triglycerides 38 and 41%. The activity of liver beta-VLDL receptors of rats fed the HC diet with the highest dose of the alpha' subunit had a 96% increase in binding compared with the HC diet group, thus restoring the receptor activity to that of rats fed the standard diet. These results represent the first in vivo evidence of both the plasma lipid-lowering properties and the upregulation of liver beta-VLDL receptors induced by the soybean alpha' subunit.

An eight year old male child presented with symptoms of diarrhoea, vomiting & fever with signs of moderate dehydration. He was treated with tetracyline and fluid replacement therapy. Inspite of treatment and control of diarrhoea and vomiting patient developed gastrointestinal bleeding and tenesmus with continued fever. Deterioration in patient's condition to suspicion of another infection. High level of suspicion and appropriate microbial investigations revealed dual infection with S. typhi and V. cholerae.

The sequence GXXXXGKT/S, popularly known as Walker motif A, is widely believed to be the site for binding nucleotides in many proteins. Examination of the crystal structures in the Protein Data Bank showed that about half of the examples having these sequences do not bind or use nucleotides. Data analyses showed 92 different Walker sequences of the variable quartet (XXXX). Ramachandran angles in this segment revealed conformational similarity in the group of 45 proteins, known to bind or utilize nucleotides. The conformations of this segment in other proteins differ widely and it is not known whether they play any role in their functions. A flip of a peptide unit at different locations, with little change in the backbone conformation was noted in nine pairs of these proteins having same Walker sequence. An examination of the immediate neighborhood of the Walker sequence indicates that this region is preceded by a beta-strand and followed by an alpha-helix, resulting in the motif beta-W-alpha, an invariant feature amongst nucleotide-binding proteins.

While it is well known that introduction of Pro residues into the interior of protein alpha-helices is destabilizing, there have been few studies that have examined the structural and thermodynamic effects of the replacement of a Pro residue in the interior of a protein alpha-helix. We have previously reported an increase in stability in the P40S mutant of Escherichia coli thioredoxin of 1-1.5 kcal/mol in the temperature range 280-330 K. This paper describes the structure of the P40S mutant at a resolution of 1.8 A. In wild-type thioredoxin, P40 is located in the interior of helix two, a long alpha-helix that extends from residues 32 to 49 with a kink at residue 40. Structural differences between the wild-type and P40S are largely localized to the above helix. In the P40S mutant, there is an expected additional hydrogen bond formed between the amide of S40 and the carbonyl of residue K36 and also additional hydrogen bonds between the side chain of S40 and the carbonyl of K36. The helix remains kinked. In the wild-type, main chain hydrogen bonds exist between the amide of 44 and carbonyl of 40 and between the amide of 43 and carbonyl of 39. However, these are absent in P40S. Instead, these main chain atoms are hydrogen bonded to water molecules. The increased stability of P40S is likely to be due to the net increase in the number of hydrogen bonds in helix two of E.coli thioredoxin.

Two hospital delivered full term newborn babies were detected to have cholestatic jaundice in the first week of life. They had raised liver enzyme levels, which gradually declined over a period of one month. Both babies were anti HAV IgM positive on 6th day of life in Case 1 and on 7th day of life in Case 2 respectively. Both the mothers had jaundice 20 and 26 days before delivery and had anti HAV IgM positivity two and three weeks prior to delivery in Case 1 and 2 respectively. Hepatitis A virus is not transmitted vertically from mother to baby. However, there are 3 such case reports in literature stating vertical transmission of HAV infection. We are reporting it in two neonates for the first time in India.