Neem leaves as a source of fertilizer-cum-pesticide vermicompost

Vermicomposting of neem (Azadirachta indica A. Juss) was accomplished in "high-rate" reactors operated at the earthworm (Eudrilus eugeniae) densities of 62.5 and 75 animals per litre of reactor volume. Contrary to the fears that neem--a powerful nematicide--might not be palatable to the annelids, the earthworms fed voraciously on the neem compost, converting upto 7% of the feed into vermicompost per day. Indeed the worms grew faster and reproduced more rapidly in the neem-fed vermireactors than in the reactors fed with mango leaf litter earlier studied by the authors (Gajalakshmi et al., 2003). Another set of experiments on the growth, flowering, and fruition of brinjal (Solanum melongena) plants with and without fertilization with vermicompost, revealed that the vermicompost had a significantly beneficial impact.     

Biochemical characterization and evaluation of a Brugia malayi small heat shock protein as a vaccine against lymphatic filariasis

Filarial nematodes enjoy one of the longest life spans of any human pathogen due to effective immune evasion strategies developed by the parasite. Among the various immune evasion strategies exhibited by the parasite, Interleukin 10 (IL-10) productions and IL-10 mediated immune suppression has significant negative impact on the host immune system. Recently, we identified a small heat shock protein expressed by Brugia malayi (BmHsp12.6) that can bind to soluble human IL-10 receptor alpha (IL-10R) and activate IL-10 mediated effects in cell lines. In this study we show that the IL-10R binding region of BmHsp12.6 is localized to its N-terminal region. This region has significant sequence similarity to the receptor binding region of human IL-10. In vitro studies confirm that the N-terminal region of BmHsp12.6 (N-BmHsp12.6) has IL-10 like activity and the region containing the alpha crystalline domain and C-terminus of BmHsp12.6 (BmHsp12.6αc) has no IL-10 like activity. However, BmHsp12.6αc contains B cell, T cell and CTL epitopes. Members of the sHSP families are excellent vaccine candidates. Evaluation of sera samples from putatively immune endemic normal (EN) subjects showed IgG1 and IgG3 antibodies against BmHsp12.6αc and these antibodies were involved in the ADCC mediated protection. Subsequent vaccination trials with BmHsp12.6αc in a mouse model using a heterologous prime boost approach showed that 83% protection can be achieved against B. malayi L3 challenge. Results presented in this study thus show that the N-BmHsp12.6 subunit of BmHsp12.6 has immunoregulatory function, whereas, the BmHsp12.6αc subunit of BmHsp12.6 has significant vaccine potential.     

Rapid comparison of a candidate biosimilar to an innovator monoclonal antibody with advanced liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry technologies

This study shows that state-of-the-art liquid chromatography (LC) and mass spectrometry (MS) can be used for rapid verification of identity and characterization of sequence variants and posttranslational modifications (PTMs) for antibody products. A candidate biosimilar IgG1 monoclonal antibody (mAb) was compared in detail to a commercially available innovator product. Intact protein mass, primary sequence, PTMs and the micro-differences between the two mAbs were identified and quantified simultaneously. Although very similar in terms of sequences and modifications, a mass difference observed by LC-MS intact mass measurements indicated that they were not identical. Peptide mapping, performed with data independent acquisition LC-MS using an alternating low and elevated collision energy scan mode (LC-MS^E), located the mass difference between the biosimilar and the innovator to a two amino acid residue variance in the heavy chain sequences. The peptide mapping technique was also used to comprehensively catalogue and compare the differences in PTMs of the biosimilar and innovator mAbs. Comprehensive glycosylation profiling confirmed that the proportion of individual glycans was different between the biosimilar and the innovator, although the number and identity of glycans were the same. These results demonstrate that the combination of accurate intact mass measurement, released glycan profiling and LC-MS^E peptide mapping provides a set of routine tools that can be used to comprehensively compare a candidate biosimilar and an innovator mAb.Key words: biosimilar mAb, innovator mAb, molecular similarity, sequence variants, posttranslational modifications, N-linked glycosylation, chemical degradations, micro-heterogeneities, characterization, intact protein mass measurement, peptide mapping, glycan profiling, LC-MS, LC-fluorescence, MALDI MS     

Effect of the application of water hyacinth compost/vermicompost on the growth and flowering of Crossandra undulaefolia,and on several vegetables

The impact of the application of compost/vermicompost obtained from water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes, Mart. Solms) on plants was assessed in terms of growth and flowering of the angiosperm crossandra (Crossandra undulaefolia). Overall nine morphological, size, and yield attributes were studied in crossandra saplings raised on water hyacinth compost or vermicompost as compared to the untreated saplings. Application of vermicompost led to statistically significant improvement in the growth and flowering of crossandra compared to the untreated plants. The impact of compost was also beneficial but a little less distinct than the positive impact of vermicompost. Qualitative studies were simultaneously conducted in five kitchen gardens owned by farmers near Pondicherry. In three of these locations water hyacinth vermicompost was applied-and no other fertilizer-for months to different species of vegetables. Water hyacinth compost was similarly applied in another two locations. In all the locations no adverse effect on any of the plant species was observed. We believe these studies would help in dispelling the apprehension of farmers that compost/vermicompost obtained form a pernicious weed like water hyacinth may have deleterious effect on other plants.     

Feasibility studies on the treatment of dairy wastewaters with upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactors

The feasibility of using upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactors for the treatment of dairy wastewaters was explored. Two types of UASBs were used--one operating on anaerobic sludge granules developed by us from digested cowdung slurry (DCDS) and the other on the granules obtained from the reactors of M/s EID Parry treating sugar industry wastewaters. The reactors were operated at HRT of 3 and 12 h and on COD loading rates ranging from 2.4 kg per m3 of digester volume, per day to 13.5 kg m(-3) d(-1). At the 3 h HRT, the maximum COD reduction in the DCDS-seeded and the industrial sludge-seeded reactors was 95.6% and 96.3%, respectively, better than at 12 h HRT (90% and 92%, respectively). In both the reactors, the maximum, the second best, and the third best COD reduction occurred at the loading rates of 10.8, 8.6 and 7.2 kg m3 d(-1), respectively. At loading rates higher than 10.8 kg, the reactor performance dropped precipitously. Whereas in the first few months the reactors operating on sludge from EID Parry achieved better biodegradation of the waste, compared to the reactors operated on DCDS, the performance of the latter gradually improved and matched with the performance of the former.     

Composting-vermicomposting of leaf litter ensuing from the trees of mango (Mangifera indica)

Litter of the mango (Mangifera indica) tree leaves was composted and then converted into vermicast by the action of the earthworm Eudrilus eugeniae Kinberg. After over nine months of continuous operation the vermireactors with 62.5 animals l(-1) generated approximately 13.6g vermicast per litre of reactor volume (l) per day (d) whereas the reactors with 75 animals l(-1) produced approximately 14.9 g vermicast l(-1) d(-1). This difference in performance of the reactors operating in duplicate at the two different earthworm densities was statistically significant (> or = 90% confidence level) for most of the nine-month span. The animals grew well in all reactors, increasing their zoomass by approximately 103% and producing approximately 157 offspring. Not a single of the 1100 animals died during the first four months. In the subsequent five months a total of 122 worms died, representing a loss of approximately 2% per month. We attribute this to the normal process of ageing. The ability of the earthworms to survive, grow and breed in the vermireactors fed with composted mango tree leaves, and a rising trend in vermicast output inspite of the death of a few worms after four months of reactor operation, indicate the sustainability of this type of vermireactors. The studies also indicate that even better vermireactor efficiency may be possible by modifying the reactor geometry. Studies on changes in C:N ratio during composting and vermicomposting revealed that whereas composting helped in lowering the ratio due to loss of carbon in bacterial metabolism, vermicomposting had no such effect on the ratio.