Identification of new biomarkers of bronchopulmonary dysplasia using metabolomics

Metabolomics - Methanol utilization by bacteria is important for various industrial processes. Methylotrophic bacteria are taxonomically diverse and some species promote plant growth and induce...     

Efficacy of Cryptdin-2 as an Adjunct to Antibiotics from Various Generations Against Salmonella

Emerging drug resistance in Salmonella coupled with the recent poor success rate of antibiotic discovery programs of the pharmaceutical industry is a cause for significant concern. It has forced the scientific community to look for alternative new classes of antimicrobial compounds. In this context, combinations of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) and conventional antibiotics have gained interest owing to their versatile applications. The present study was therefore planned to evaluate the synergistic effects, if any, of cryptdin-2, a mouse Paneth cell alpha-defensin, in combination with four different antibiotics i.e. ciprofloxacin, ceftriaxone, cefotaxime and chloramphenicol, which are conventionally used against Salmonella. Minimum bactericidal concentrations of the selected antimicrobial agents were determined by micro and macro broth dilution assays. In-vitro synergy between the agents was evaluated by fractional bactericidal concentration index (checkerboard test) and time-kill assay. Cryptdin-2-ciprofloxacin, cryptdin-2-ceftriaxone and cryptdin-2-cefotaxime combinations were found synergistic as evident by in vitro assays. This synergism provides an additional therapeutic choice by allowing the use of conventional antibiotics in conjunction with AMPs against MDR Salmonella.     

Anti-leukemic principle(s) from Momordica charantia seeds induce differentiation of HL-60 cells through ERK/MAPK signalling pathway

Cytotechnology - Myeloid leukemia is one of the major causes of deaths among elderly with very poor prognosis. Due to the adverse effects of existing chemotherapeutic agents, plant-derived...