Pharmacokinetics, bioavailability and dosage regimen of sulphadimidine in camels (Camelus dromedarius) under hot, arid environmental conditions

A two-way crossover study was conducted in young Bikaneri camels (aged between 12 and 18 months) during the hot summer season to determine the bioavailability, pharmacokinetics and dosage regimens of sulphadimidine (SDM). A dose of 100 mg.kg-1 of SDM was used to study both the intravenous and oral pharmacokinetics of the drug. Analysis of the intravenous data according to a two-compartment pharmacokinetic model revealed that SDM was well distributed in the body (Vd(area):0.862 L.kg-1), had an overall body clearance of 0.035 +/- 0.019 L.h-1.kg-1 and the elimination of half-lives was in the range of 14.2 to 20.6 h. The mean maximum plasma SDM concentration following oral administration was 63.23 +/- 2.33 micrograms.mL-1, which was achieved 24 h after the oral administration. The mean bioavailability of SDM following oral administration was approximately 100%. To achieve and maintain the therapeutically satisfactory plasma sulphadimidine levels of > or = 50 micrograms.mL-1, the optimum dosage regimen for camels following either intravenous or oral administration would be 110 mg.kg-1 as the priming dose and 69 mg.kg-1 as the maintenance dose, to be repeated at 24 h intervals.     

Immunogenic and antigenic properties of recombinant soluble glycoprotein of rabies virus

Rabies virus glycoprotein is a type I transmembrane protein exposed on the surface on the mature virus particle that induces virus neutralizing antibodies. In the present study, 60 amino acid C-terminal hydrophobic anchor (transmembrane) and cytoplasmic domains of glycoprotein were deleted from full-length glycoprotein and fused with polyhistidine tag. The N-terminal viral signal peptide was also replaced with CD33 signal peptide for efficient secretion in mammalian cells. Following transfection of Madin Darby bovine kidney (MDBK) cells with plasmid encoding this soluble form of glycoprotein, polyclonal populations of stably transfected resistant cells were obtained after G418 selection. The protein was expressed as a glycosylated protein and secreted outside the cells utilizing N-terminal CD33 signal peptide. The secreted soluble glycoprotein was purified from cell culture supernatant by Ni--agarose affinity chromatography utilizing C-terminal polyhistidine tag. Like full-length glycoprotein, the expressed recombinant soluble glycoprotein was found to be immunogenic when injected in rabbits. In this study, we have assessed the potential of recombinant soluble glycoprotein as diagnostic antigen in ELISA and found that this recombinant protein can be used as diagnostic antigen in ELISA for detecting anti-glycoprotein antibodies in immunized host.     

Pneumococcal antigen detection in cerebrospinal fluid: a comparative study on counter immunoelectrophoresis,latex agglutination and coagglutination

The sensitivity, specificity, accuracy and predictive values of counter immunoelectrophoresis (CIE), latex agglutination (LA) and coagglutination (CoAg) tests were compared for detection of pneumococcal antigen in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of patients suspected of meningitis. A total of 95 CSF samples comprising 15 culture proven, 47 clinically suspected but culture negative cases of meningitis and 33 controls were screened by above tests. Among three tests, LA was found to have high sensitivity and moderately high negative predictive value than CIE and CoAg tests. However, CIE had slightly better specificity than LA and CoAg tests. Accuracywise CIE and LA tests were comparable than CoAg test. CIE and LA tests had high positive predictive value than CoAg test.     

Identification of host plant resistance to pepper leaf curl virus in chilli (Capsicum species)

Three hundred and seven genotypes belonging to four cultivated and one wild species of Capsicum were screened against pepper leaf curl virus (PepLCV) causing devastating leaf curl disease of chilli (Capsicum annuum). Initial screening was done under field conditions based on coefficient of infection (CI), disease reaction to each genotype was assigned. Subsequently, selfed progenies of eight symptom-less and highly resistant lines were challenged by viruliferous white fly under glasshouse conditions, out of which only three genotypes, viz. GKC-29, BS-35 and EC-497636 showed no symptom. Using scion and root stalk of susceptible genotype (Pusa Jwala), these three putative symptom-less genotypes were further challenged by grafting and alternate grafting. The resistant reactions of GKC-29, BS-35, EC-497636 were confirmed because even after 50 days of successful grafting/alternate grafting, no viral symptom appeared on all the grafted plants of these genotypes. When subjected to PCR amplification with degenerate primers deigned to detect gemnivirus like PepLCV, the three symptom-less genotypes did not show any amplification, suggesting that the resistant reaction in three identified symptom-less resistant sources was because of the absence of viral genome and they are not symptom-less carrier.     

Removal of Trinitrotoluene with Nano Zerovalent Iron Impregnated Graphene Oxide

Nano zerovalent iron (nZVI) impregnated reduced graphene oxide (nZVI-rGO) hybrid was prepared via gaseous hydrogen reduction of anhydrous iron(III) chloride (FeCl₃) on the surface of thermally exfoliated reduced graphene oxide (rGO) nanosheets without using any toxic reducing agent, surfactant, or stabilizing agent. Characterization of prepared samples was carried out using various techniques. Morphological study showed that prepared rGO possesses a few-layered wrinkled paper-like structures and nZVI particles of ~?30 nm size were homogeneously dispersed on the surface of rGO nanosheets. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDS) analyses indicated that oxygen-containing functional groups decreased in the order of graphite oxide (GO) > rGO > nZVI-rGO. Removal studies of trinitrotoluene (TNT) were carried out using graphite (G), GO, rGO, and nZVI-rGO with the aid of high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Kinetic models were applied to establish the rate and mechanism of adsorption of TNT on different adsorbents, and intraparticle diffusion model based on initial adsorption characteristics was employed to ascertain mechanism of film and intraparticle diffusion in the adsorption process. The removal rate and adsorption capacity was found to be highest for nZVI-rGO, which renders this adsorbent to be a potential futuristic adsorbent for removal of explosives.

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Graphical Abstract ?

     

酶水解法制取大米蛋白的机理研究

(1郑州轻工业学院食品与生物工程学院,郑州 450002;2河南科技大学食品与生物工程学院,洛阳 471003; 3江南大学食品学院,无锡 214036)     

Commercial viability of alternative cytoplasmic-nuclear male-sterility systems in pearl millet

Commercial viability of three cytoplasmic-nuclear male sterility (CMS) systems (A₄, A₅ and A_v) as potential alternatives to the most widely used A₁ system in pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R.Br.) was evaluated in terms of stability of complete male sterility of four isonuclear A-lines (81A₁, 81A₄, 81A₅ and 81A_v) and the level and stability of male fertility restoration of their 44 single-cross hybrids. Lines 81A₄ and 81A₅ had no pollen shedders (PS), and there were very low frequency of non-PS plants of these A-lines that had a maximum of 1–5% selfed seedset (SSS). In 81A₁ and 81A_v,there were, albeit low frequency (<1%) of PS plants, and relatively higher frequency of the non-PS plants in these two lines, the more so in 81A_v,had 1–5% and even greater SSS. Some hybrids made on each of the three A-lines (81A₁, 81A₄ and 81A_v) had high and stable male fertility, while others made on the same three A-lines displayed large variation in SSS across the environments, the more so in case of hybrids made on 81A_v. These results indicate that the A₄ CMS system provides a better alternative to the A₁ CMS system, while the A_v system does not. On the basis of highly stable male sterility and the highest frequency of pollinators behaving as maintainers, the A₅ CMS system appeared to be the best for A-line breeding. The commercial viability of this CMS system in breeding R-lines of grain hybrids, however, still remains to be ascertained as no hybrid on it was fully male fertile in any environment. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

The Characterization of Infectious Bursal Disease Virus Strains/Isolates from Field Outbreaks in India

Pahar, B. and Rai, A., 1997. The characterization of infectious bursal disease virus strains/isolates from field outbreaks in India. Veterinary Research Communications, 21 (4), 289-301Three infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) isolates were adapted to culture in chick embryo fibroblast cells in which they produced a cytopathic effect. The isolates were identified as IBDV by virus neutralization tests using a standard hyperimmune serum against infectious bursal disease, physicochemical properties and their pathogenicity in chick embryos and chicks. The IBDV S394 strain was antigenically different from IBDV S194/IBDV S494 as well as from the IBDV Intermediate Georgia strain, one of the vaccine strains in use in India.