Multicentre evaluations of two new rapid IgG4 tests (WB rapid and panLF rapid) for detection of lymphatic filariasis

Background

Sustainable and equitable health programmes require a grounded understanding of the context in which they are being implemented. This socio-cultural understanding is pivotal for effective delivery of elimination programmes. Standardised valid methods are needed for gathering authentic socio-cultural insights. The currently recommended protocol for collecting Lymphatic Filariasis (LF) related socio-cultural data, while moving in the right direction, is inadequate. To collect data which provides an understanding of local health beliefs and practices, and communities' understanding of LF, techniques must be developed that are both valid and time efficient. An approach developed in the Pacific provides a basic snapshot of socio-cultural insights which are crucial to the development of relevant and sustainable health education and elimination programmes.

Summary

The increasing interest in socio-cultural LF research presents a unique opportunity for coupling socio-cultural and bio-medical understandings of LF. To address the backlog in the socio-cultural sphere will require investment of time and effort to integrate valid qualitative approaches into current data collection methodologies.     

Multilayered microspheres for the controlled release of growth factors in tissue engineering

Tissue regeneration may be stimulated by growth factors but to be effective, this delivery must be sustained and requires delivery vehicles that overcome the short half-life of these molecules in vivo. One promising approach is to couple growth factors to the biomaterial surface so that they are readily bioavailable. Here the layer-by-layer process was used to construct a multilayered polyelectrolyte delivery system on the surface of poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid constructs. The system was first optimized on a planar surface before translation to a 3D microsphere system. The layers incorporated heparin to facilitate the loading of basic fibroblast growth factor and increase growth factor stability. Cross-linked capping layers also reduced any burst release. The model growth factor was released in a sustained manner and stimulated significantly higher cell proliferation in vitro on release compared with the addition of the growth factor heparin complex free in solution, demonstrating the promise of this approach.     

Purification of recombinant antigen BmSXP used in panLF rapid kit for lymphatic filariasis

A rapid antibody detection test is very useful for the detection of lymphatic filariasis, especially for certification and surveillance of post-mass drug administration. panLF Rapid kit is suitable for this purpose since it can detect all species of lymphatic filaria. It is based on the detection of anti-filarial IgG4 antibodies that react with recombinant B. malayi antigens, BmR1 and BmSXP. There is an increase demand for the test due to its attributes of being rapid, sensitive and specific results, as well as its field-applicability. The main aim of this paper is to obtain high recovery and purity of recombinant antigen BmSXP via a modified method of immobilized metal affinity chromatography (IMAC). The highest product yield of 11.82 mg/g dry cell weight (DCW) was obtained when IMAC was performed using the optimized protocol of 10 mM imidazole concentration in lysis buffer, 30 mM imidazole concentration in wash buffer, and 10 column volume wash buffer containing 300 mM salt concentration. This gave a 54% protein recovery improvement over the manufacturer's protocol which recorded a product yield of only 7.68 mg/g DCW. The recovered BmSXP recombinant antigen showed good western blot reactivity, high sensitivity (31/32, 97%) and specificity (32/32, 100%) in ELISA, thus attesting to its good purity and quality.     

Effect of plant growth regulators on regeneration of plantlets from bud cultures ofCymbopogon nardus L. and the detection of essential oils from thein vitro plantlets

Cymbopogon nardus L. could be propagated via tissue culture using axillary buds as explants. The aseptic bud explants obtained using double sterilization methods produced stunted abnormal multiple shoots when they were cultured on Murashige and Skoog medium (MS) supplemented with 1.0 mg L^-1 or 2.0 mg L^-1 benzyladenine (BA). Stunted shoots that cultured on MS + 1.0 mg L^-1 BA + 1.0 mg L^-1 N⁶-isopentenyl-adenine (2iP) could induce elongation of shoots from about 60% of the stunted shoots. Normal multiple shoots could be induced at the highest (19.7 shoots per bud) from the bud explants within six weeks when cultured on proliferation medium consisted of MS supplemented with 0.3 mg L^-1 BA and 0.1 mg L^-1 indole-3-butyric acid (IBA). The separated individual shoot produced roots when transferred to basic MS solid medium. The essential oils that were contained in the mature plants namely citronellal, geraniol and citronellol were also found in thein vitro C. nardus plantlets. Citronellal was the main essential oil component in the matured plants while geraniol was the main component in thein vitro plantlets.     

Bak Foong protects dopaminergic neurons against MPTP-induced neurotoxicity by its anti-apoptotic activity

Bak Foong pill (BFP) is a well-known traditional Chinese medicine used for treatment of various gynaecological disorders. In addition, it exerts beneficial effects on other functional systems including the central nervous system. In the present study, we have investigated the possible neuroprotective action of BFP upon the nigrostriatal dopaminergic system by examining its effect on the expression patterns of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and dopamine transporter (DAT) in the 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahyrdropyridine (MPTP)-induced Parkinson's disease (PD) mouse model. MPTP significantly decreased TH and DAT mRNA levels in the striatum and midbrain of both female and male C57BL/6 mice. However, with BFP pre-treatment mice showed a reduced neurotoxicity, with TH and DAT mRNA levels either not affected by MPTP or affected to a lesser extent in the midbrain and striatum when compared to vehicle treated animals. Possible anti-apoptotic activity of BFP was further studied in a dopamine-secreting neuroendocrine cell line, PC12. In this assay, MPTP elevated the expression of a pro-apoptotic gene, Bax, while this expression was reduced by BFP pre-treatment. Flow cytometry results also revealed that the effect of MPTP-induced apoptosis in PC12 cell lines was significantly reduced by BFP. The present results suggest that BFP is able to protect dopaminergic neurons from neurotoxin-induced neuronal injury with anti-apoptotic activity being one of the possible mechanisms.