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Aims: This study aimed to evaluate the knowledge and awareness of the dental students regarding human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and HIV testing in routine dental practice. Materials and Methods: It is a cross-sectional survey, in which 267 students from 3rd year, 4th year, and interns of B.D.S at AMC Dental College and Hospital participated voluntarily. A close-ended questionnaire with multiple-choice questions was designed for this survey. Chi-square test was used for statistical analysis using SPSS version 20 software. Results: In this study, we found that >90% of the participants have overall adequate knowledge about HIV/AIDS, there were inadequacies in terms of testing, treatment, and therapy. The participants showed positive attitude toward people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHAs), but the results also indicate that the dental students are not well equipped to treat HIV/AIDS patients though sympathetic. One of the key findings is that >80% of students are in favor of using rapid HIV testing in clinical setup as screening test. Conclusion: Dental students must be made aware of and should understand the importance of treating HIV/AIDS patients. This can be achieved by proper modeling and making the students more sensitized toward PLWHAs as well as introduction of routine HIV testing kits at dental setups.

Over the last two decades, zebrafish (Danio rerio) have emerged as an efficient model to aid in the research of a broad range of human diseases as well as such diverse applications as environmental modelling and drug discovery. Economically, the large number, low price and low maintenance requirements of this fish species encouraged its use for research. In addition to this, the study of zebrafish is being used to improve the understanding of fish physiology, with implications for fish welfare. In order to thoroughly model the behaviour, development and growth of these fish, it is important to be able to scrutinise the characteristics of individual fish as they respond to a range of stimuli, and to this end off-line fish recognition and on-line tracking using video data is employed. Tracking and identifying such small and fast-moving objects is a challenge, and this paper seeks to address this using a behavioural analysis approach. Utilising single high resolution camera and two low-cost synchronised video cameras, the proposed systems captures front (face) and side (profile) pictures of each isolated fish as they swim past a given marker. The acquired images are then subject to three separate processing routes in order to satisfy three complementary but distinct objectives. Initially, fish face and profile features are extracted to aid the identification of individual fish. Then, for each fish identified, behavioural features such as the frequency and intensity of the operculum beat rate or breathing cycle are quantified in order to assess aspects of the fish welfare. Additionally, the volume of each fish is estimated based on its profile dimensions, enabling the weight of the fish to be monitored throughout its lifetime. This paper presents preliminary experimental considerations and findings of this on-going research project. Results to date have been both encouraging and promising, validating the approach and the experimental configuration adopted.

Enzymatic hydrolysis of the cellulose fraction of rice straw to glucose using solid-state fermentation for bioethanol production is a focus of current attention. A total of 10 actinomycetes isolates were isolated from soils and decayed rice straw. All these isolates were purified and screened for their cellulolytic activity; one strain was selected for further study and identified as Streptomyces viridiochromogenes. Optimization of fermentation conditions showed highest cellulolytic enzymes production on the 5th day at pH 6.5 and at 40°C. The production of enzymes reached its maximal value at 4.0 g of rice straw/250 ml flask. Avicelase and total cellulase productivity were highly increased by the addition of NH4Cl as Nsource, while maximum activity of CMCase was recorded by the addition of peptone as N-source to the fermentation medium. The influence of various physico-chemical factors on enzyme activity was also investigated. The half life time of avicelase, total cellulase and CMCase at 60°C was 39.4, 50.0 and 78.58 min, respectively. A maximum of ethanol production 1.428±0.074% (v/v) by Saccharomyces cereviseae using dilute acid pretreated rice straw hydrolysate with initial soluble sugar 2.340±0.072% was recorded after 2 days of fermentation.Key words: Bioethanol, cellulolytic enzymes, rice straw, solid-state fermentation, Streptomycesviridiochromogenes.

Expression of plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI)‐1, the major physiological inhibitor of fibrinolysis, is increased in the lung following inhalation of ozone (O3), a gaseous air pollutant. PAI‐1 regulates expression of interleukin (IL)‐6, keratinocyte chemoattractant (KC), and macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)‐2, which are cytokines that promote lung injury, pulmonary inflammation, and/or airway hyperresponsiveness following acute exposure to O3. Given these observations, we hypothesized that PAI‐1 contributes to the severity of the aforementioned sequelae by regulating expression of IL‐6, KC, and MIP‐2 following acute exposure to O3. To test our hypothesis, wild‐type mice and mice genetically deficient in PAI‐1 (PAI‐1‐deficient mice) were acutely exposed to either filtered room air or O3 (2 ppm) for 3 h. Four and/or twenty‐four hours following cessation of exposure, indices of lung injury [bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) protein and epithelial cells], pulmonary inflammation (BALF IL‐6, KC, MIP‐2, macrophages, and neutrophils), and airway responsiveness to aerosolized acetyl‐β‐methylcholine chloride (respiratory system resistance) were measured in wild‐type and PAI‐1‐deficient mice. O3 significantly increased indices of lung injury, pulmonary inflammation, and airway responsiveness in wild‐type and PAI‐1‐deficient mice. With the exception of MIP‐2, which was significantly lower in PAI‐1‐deficient as compared to wild‐type mice 24 h following cessation of exposure to O3, no other genotype‐related differences occurred subsequent to O3 exposure. Thus, following acute exposure to O3, PAI‐1 neither regulates pulmonary expression of IL‐6 and KC nor functionally contributes to any of the pulmonary pathological sequelae that arise from the noxious effects of inhaled O3.

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