A cross-sectional study was conducted from 2014 to 2017 in 13 organised pig farms located in eight states of India (Northern, North-Eastern and Southern regions) to identify the risk factors, pathotype and antimicrobial resistance of Escherichia coli associated with pre- and post-weaning piglet diarrhoea. The data collected through questionnaire survey were used to identify the risk factors by univariable analysis, in which weaning status, season, altitude, ventilation in the shed, use of heater/cooler for temperature control in the sheds, feed type, water source, and use of disinfectant, were the potential risk factors. In logistic regression model, weaning and source of water were the significant risk factors. The piglet diarrhoea prevalence was almost similar across the regions. Of the 909 faecal samples collected (North – 310, North-East – 194 and South – 405) for isolation of E. coli, pathotyping and antibiotic screening, 531 E. coli were isolated in MacConkey agar added with cefotaxime, where 345 isolates were extended spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) producers and were positive for blaCTX-M-1 (n = 147), bla TEM (n = 151), qnrA (n = 98), qnrB (n = 116), qnrS (n = 53), tetA (n = 46), tetB (n = 48) and sul1 (n = 54) genes. Multiple antibiotic resistance (MAR) index revealed that 14 (2.64%) isolates had MAR index of 1. On the virulence screening of E. coli, 174 isolates harboured alone or combination of Stx1, Stx2, eaeA, hlyA genes. The isolates from diarrhoeic and post-weaning samples harboured higher number of virulence genes than non-diarrhoeic and pre-weaning. Alleviating the risk factors might reduce the piglet diarrhoea cases. The presence of multidrug-resistant and ESBL-producing pathogenic E. coli in piglets appears a public health concern.

A cross-sectional study on six dairy farms was conducted to ascertain the occurrence of carbapenem-resistant Escherichia coli in calves. Two-hundred and seventy-nine isolates of E. coli were recovered from 90 faecal samples from apparently healthy (45) and diarrhoeal (45) calves. The isolates were screened for phenotypic susceptibility to carbapenems and production of metallo β-lactamase, as well as five carbapenemase resistance genes by PCR, and overexpression of efflux pumps. Eighty-one isolates (29.03%) were resistant to at least one of three carbapenem antibiotics [meropenem (23.30%), imipenem (2.15%) and ertapenem (1.43%)], and one isolate was positive for the blaVIM gene which was located on an Incl1 plasmid of a novel sequence type (ST 297) by multilocus sequence typing. The majority (83.95%) of isolates had an active efflux pump. Calves housed on concrete floors were approximately seven times more likely to acquire meropenem-resistant isolates than those housed on earthen floors (95% CI 1.27–41.54). In India, carbapenem drugs are not used in food animal treatment, hence carbapenem-resistant strains in calves possibly originate from the natural environment or human contact and is of public health importance. To our knowledge, this is the first report of blaVIM carbapenemases gene in calves from India.

A novel microfilarial sheath protein (MfP) of the human filarial parasite Wuchereria bancrofti and its proinflammatory activity on host macrophages were identified recently. MfP is a homolog of the nematode bestrophin-9 superfamily that acts as a ligand of macrophage Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) to induce inflammation through NF-κB activation. Therefore, the presence and functional implication of this novel protein in adult-stage parasites were open questions to answer. In this study, the bovine filarial parasite Setaria cervi was used to simulate adult W. bancrofti. We detected the presence of MfP in adult-stage S. cervi through clear immunological cross-reactivity and immunolocalization employing an anti-MfP antibody developed in mice. Therefore, our findings put forward S. cervi as a cost-effective source of immunodominant filarial antigen MfP to simulate its future utilization in the immunotherapeutic intervention of lymphatic filariasis.

This case series aimed to describe clinicoradiological, electromyographic, and etiological spectra in palatal tremor (essential=1; symptomatic=26). Patients with symptomatic palatal tremor had 2 to 10 Hz arrhythmic electromyographic bursts, a spectrum of changes in inferior olivary nucleus, with/without lesions in Guillain Mollaret triangle, and varied etiologies (genetic=9, vascular=6, trauma=3, infections=3). Exome sequencing showed variations in POLG, WDR81, NDUFS8, TENM4, and EEF2. Clinical phenotypes of patients with POLG, WDR81, and NDUFS8 variations were consistent with that described in literature. We highlight salient magnetic resonance imaging features, electrophysiological observations, and diverse etiologies in a large cohort of palatal tremor.

Chronic osteomyelitis, a bone infection caused by bacteria, requires extensive parenteral treatments. With an aim to develop bioactive glass with antibacterial properties to resist such infections, bioactive glasses with bismuth oxide as the dopant in various amounts up to 8 wt% were prepared. X-ray diffraction patterns and Fourier-transform infrared spectra of glass samples after immersion in simulated body fluid showed the presence of hydroxyapatite (HAp) and hydroxyl carbonate apatite for all samples except with the one having Bi2O3 substitution of 8 wt%. In vitro cell proliferation by MTT assay studies using a mouse fibroblast cell line (NIH3T3) have also been carried out. Primary antimicrobial activity of the glass particles was analyzed against Escherichia coli (E. coli) using broth microdilution method which exhibited bacteriostatic effects and bactericidal properties in selected samples. The combination of bioactivity, cell proliferation, and antibacterial properties of selected Bismuth-containing bioactive glasses could be exploited in treating bone-related infections.

Immunoactivation depends upon the antigen potential to modulate T-cell repertoires. The present study has enumerated the effect of 61 kDa recombinant Leishmania donovani co-factor-independent phosphoglycerate mutase (rLd-iPGAM) on mononuclear cells of healthy and treated visceral leishmaniasis subjects as well as on THP-1 cell line. rLd-iPGAM stimulation induced higher expression of interleukin-1β (IL-1β) in the phagocytic cell, its receptor and CD69 on T-cell subsets. These cellular activations resulted in upregulation of host-protective cytokines IL-2, IL-12, IL-17, tumour necrosis factor-α and interferon-γ, and downregulation of IL-4, IL-10 and tumour growth factor-β. This immune polarization was also evidenced by upregulation of nuclear factor-κ light-chain enhancer of activated B cells p50 and regulated expression of suppressor of mother against decapentaplegic protein-4. rLd-iPGAM stimulation also promoted lymphocyte proliferation and boosted the leishmaniacidal activity of macrophages by upregulating reactive oxygen species. It also induced 1·8-fold higher release of nitric oxide (NO) by promoting the transcription of inducible nitric oxide synthase gene. Besides, in silico analysis suggested the presence of major histocompatibility complex class I and II restricted epitopes, which can proficiently trigger CD8+ and CD4+ cells, respectively. This study reports rLd-iPGAM as an effective immunoprophylactic agent, which can be used in future vaccine design.

The midwives of international law, Gentili, Grotius, Vitoria, Suarez, Pufendorf, and Wolff, found the principles of this law in the law of nature. This, in turn, was derived by some of them from the law of God and by others from the law of reason. But, as the law of nations grew and its content developed, its derivation was established, particularly with Vattel in the middle of the eighteenth century, from the will of states rather than from the law of nature. Today’s international lawyer simply inherits the principle of identification whereby international-law rules of general application are created by international custom. (This custom is produced by that kind of practice of states relating to a matter of international relations which is concordant and general and is accompanied by the conviction of states that it is obligatory under international law.) The application of this principle of identification, however, is not so simple because of the appearance of three new situations.

Cassava germplasm collection is important for the preservation of genetic variability, allowing the development of improved cultivars with desirable traits such as drought and disease tolerance, better starch quality and yield. Therefore, the assessment of diversity in cassava germplasm maintained by farmers is important for maintaining biodiversity and crop improvement. Herein, we report genetic diversity relationships of 52 farmer-preferred cassava landraces from the eastern zone of Tanzania based on morphological descriptors and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Cluster analysis was performed for both morphological traits (genetic distance 1.18–0.15) and SNPs (genetic distance 0.078–0.002). The analysis revealed that there were a total of 17,393 variant positions, and that several of the SNPs were distributed across all the chromosomes. The abundance of SNP varied remarkably among the 18 cassava chromosomes, with chromosome 2 having the highest number of SNPs (1335) and chromosome 18 having the lowest number of SNPs (734). The power of SNPs in distinguishing morphologically similar landraces was shown. Both analyses did not group landraces according to geographical locations, suggesting that farmers were moving cassava germplasm to different areas. Their diversity was mainly due to adaptation and preferential selection by farmers. This further implied that within a geographical location, the cultivars were more diverse and there was no misnaming of cassava cultivars by farmers. The collection revealed a wide range of genetic diversity, and represented a valuable resource for trait improvement, allowing the capture of farmer-preferred traits in future cassava breeding programmes.

In the United States, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and coronary artery anomalies account for the leading two causes of sudden death in athletes. We present a case of a patient with an anomalous origin of the left main from the right coronary sinus with associated gene-confirmed hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. The patient underwent surgical repair with unroofing of the intramural portion of the left main coronary artery with a good result. We also review the reported cases in the medical literature describing this uncommon association between anomalous coronary artery origin and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Extended abstract of a paper presented at Microscopy and Microanalysis 2013 in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA, August 4 – August 8, 2013.

Molybdenum trioxide nanostructures were synthesized, to make highly friction resistant molybdenum disulfide, by low temperature hydrothermal reaction without using any template or catalyst. The as-synthesized materials were sulfided with H2S at 400 and 800 °C. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, Fourier-transform infra-red spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis were used for the physical characterization of the materials. The oxide material is highly crystalline with unique morphology. The factors affecting the size and shape of the synthesized materials were studied in detail. The crystalline nature of the materials decreased after the sulfidation process at 800 °C without any change in morphology. The wear resistance and lubricity of the material were studied under harsh conditions. The comparative study of these materials with MoS2 prepared by the hard templating method (using mesoporous silica template) reveals that the new material synthesized by direct hydrothermal route is pure phase and has better wear resistance and antifriction properties. Ultra high stability of the material is the most distinguished property of the material synthesized.

Studies of diet and disease risk in India and among other Asian-Indian populations are hindered by the need for a comprehensive dietary assessment tool to capture data on the wide variety of food and nutrient intakes across different regions and ethnic groups. The nutritional component of the India Health Study, a multicentre pilot cohort study, included 3908 men and women, aged 35–69 years, residing in three regions of India (New Delhi in the north, Mumbai in the west and Trivandrum in the south). We developed a computer-based, interviewer-administered dietary assessment software known as the ‘NINA-DISH (New Interactive Nutrition Assistant – Diet in India Study of Health)’, which consisted of four sections: (1) a diet history questionnaire with defined questions on frequency and portion size; (2) an open-ended section for each mealtime; (3) a food-preparer questionnaire; (4) a 24 h dietary recall. Using the preferred meal-based approach, frequency of intake and portion size were recorded and linked to a nutrient database that we developed and modified from a set of existing international databases containing data on Indian foods and recipes. The NINA-DISH software was designed to be easily adaptable and was well accepted by the interviewers and participants in the field. A predominant three-meal eating pattern emerged; however, patterns in the number of foods reported and the primary contributors to macro- and micronutrient intakes differed by region and demographic factors. The newly developed NINA-DISH software provides a much-needed tool for measuring diet and nutrient profiles across the diverse populations of India with the potential for application in other South Asian populations living throughout the world.

Embedded wafer-level ball grid array (eWLB) is investigated as a low-cost plastic package for automotive radar applications in the 76–81 GHz range. Low transmission losses from chip to package and board are achieved by appropriate circuit and package design. Special measures are taken to effectively remove the heat from the package and to optimize the package process to achieve automotive quality targets. A 77 GHz radar chip set in eWLB package is developed, which can be applied on the system board using standard solder reflow assembly. These radar MMICs provide excellent radio frequency (RF) performance for the next generation automotive radar sensors. The potential for even higher system integration is shown by a radar transceiver with antennas integrated in the eWLB package. These results demonstrate that eWLB technology is an attractive candidate to realize low-cost radar systems and to enable radar safety affordable for everyone in the near future.

We report simultaneous measurements of thermal conductivity and Seebeck coefficient on array-scale silicon nanowires fabricated by metal assisted chemical etching. The measurements are conducted on the solid and the mesoporous nanowire arrays (NWAs) obtained from etching 1 ohm-cm and 0.002 ohm-cm Si substrates respectively. We demonstrate control on sidewall morphology and doping of the arrays that have an aspect ratio up to 20 and 30 % areal coverage. We employ differential frequency-domain measurements, separately on the array and the corresponding substrate to obtain the temperature drop and Seebeck voltage contribution of the nanowire array. The technique is validated by measurements on bulk silicon across the resistivity 0.002-1 ohm-cm. The Seebeck measurements reveal quenching of the phonon drag in the nanowires in comparison to the bulk in the measured temperature range of 300 K- 500 K. The Seebeck coefficient shows a ~18 % decrease in the solid NWAs and ~22 % increase in the mesoporous NWAs at room temperature. The thermal conductivity is close to Casimir limit for the solid wires while it drops to ~2.5 W/mK in the mesoporous nanowires.