Initial Commitment to Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis and Circumcision for HIV Prevention amongst Indian Truck Drivers

Studies of HIV prevention interventions such as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PREP) and circumcision in India are limited. The present study sought to investigate Indian truck-drivers initial commitment to PREP and circumcision utilizing the AIDS Risk Reduction Model. Ninety truck-drivers completed an in-depth qualitative interview and provided a blood sample for HIV and HSV-2 testing. Truck-drivers exhibited low levels of initial commitment towards PREP and even lower for circumcision. However, potential leverage points for increasing commitment were realized in fear of infecting family rather than self, self-perceptions of risk, and for PREP focusing on cultural beliefs towards medication and physicians. Cost was a major barrier to both HIV prevention interventions. Despite these barriers, our findings suggest that the ARRM may be useful in identifying several leverage points that may be used by peers, health care providers and public health field workers to enhance initial commitment to novel HIV prevention interventions in India.     

Suppression of Escherichia coli O157:H7 by Dung Beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) Using the Lowbush Blueberry Agroecosystem as a Model System

Wildlife as a source of microbial contamination is a food safety concern. Deer feces (scat) have been determined as a point source for Escherichia coli O157:H7 contamination of fresh produce. The ecological role of the scooped scarab (Onthophagus hecate (Panzer)), a generalist dung beetle species common in Maine blueberry fields, was explored as a biological control agent and alternatively as a pathogen vector between deer scat and food.A large-scale field survey of wildlife scat indicated that pathogenic E. coli O157:H7 was present, albeit at a low prevalence (1.9% of samples, n = 318), in the Maine lowbush blueberry agroecosystem. A manipulative field experiment verified that, should contact occur between deer scat and blueberry plants and fruit during the summer, contamination with E. coli O157:H7 can occur and persist for more than 72 h. For both the positive control and an experimental scat inoculation treatment, the levels of the bacterial population decreased over time, but at different rates (treatment x time interaction: F _(1.9,18.8) = 358.486, P < 0.0001). The positive control inoculation, which resulted in a higher initial E. coli level on fruit, decayed at a faster rate than inoculation of fruit via scat in the experimental treatment.We conducted 2 laboratory studies to elucidate aspects of dung beetle feeding ecology as it relates to suppression of E. coli O157:H7 from deer scat to lowbush blueberry fruit. In both experiments, dung beetles buried the same amount of scat whether or not the scat was inoculated with the pathogen (F _(1,6) = 0.001; P = 0.999 and (F _(2,17) = 4.10, P = 0.147). Beetles feeding on E. coli inoculated deer scat were not found to vector the pathogen to fruit. In two studies, beetles lowered the amount of pathogenic E. coli persisting in soils compared to soils without beetles (F _(2,9) = 7.757; P = 0.05 and F _(2,17) = 8.0621, P = 0.004).Our study suggests that the dung beetle species, Onthophagus hecate, has the potential to contribute to the suppression of E. coli O157:H7 in agricultural landscapes.     

Hepatitis C Virus Infection Modulates Expression of Interferon Stimulatory Gene IFITM1 by Upregulating miR-130A

We have examined the underlying mechanism of hepatitis C virus (HCV)-mediated IFITM1 regulation. IFITM1 is a potential target of miR-130a. Our results demonstrated that miR-130a expression was significantly higher in HCV-infected hepatocytes and liver biopsy specimens than in controls. Introduction of anti-miR-130a in hepatocytes increased IFITM1 expression. Hepatocytes stably expressing IFITM1 reduced HCV replication. Together, these results suggested that HCV infection of hepatocytes upregulates miR-130a and that use of anti-miR-130a may have potential for restriction of HCV replication.     

TLR9 agonist protects mice from radiation-induced gastrointestinal syndrome

Purpose

Radiation-induced gastrointestinal syndrome (RIGS) is due to the clonogenic loss of crypt cells and villi depopulation, resulting in disruption of mucosal barrier, bacterial invasion, inflammation and sepsis. Intestinal macrophages could recognize invading bacterial DNA via TLR9 receptors and transmit regenerative signals to the neighboring crypt. We therefore investigated whether systemic administration of designer TLR9 agonist could ameliorate RIGS by activating TLR9.

Methods and Materials

Male C57Bl6 mice were distributed in four experimental cohorts, whole body irradiation (WBI) (8.4–10.4 Gy), TLR9 agonist (1 mg/kg s.c.), 1 h pre- or post-WBI and TLR9 agonist+WBI+iMyd88 (pretreatment with inhibitory peptide against Myd88). Animals were observed for survival and intestine was harvested for histological analysis. BALB/c mice with CT26 colon tumors in abdominal wall were irradiated with 14 Gy single dose of whole abdominal irradiation (AIR) for tumor growth study.

Results

Mice receiving pre-WBI TLR9 agonist demonstrated improvement of survival after 10.4 Gy (p<0.03), 9.4 Gy (p<0.008) and 8.4 Gy (p<0.002) of WBI, compared to untreated or iMyd88-treated controls. Post-WBI TLR9 agonist mitigates up to 8.4 Gy WBI (p<0.01). Histological analysis and xylose absorption test demonstrated significant structural and functional restitution of the intestine in WBI+TLR9 agonist cohorts. Although, AIR reduced tumor growth, all animals died within 12 days from RIGS. TLR9 agonist improved the survival of mice beyond 28 days post-AIR (p<0.008) with significant reduction of tumor growth (p<0.0001).

Conclusions

TLR9 agonist treatment could serve both as a prophylactic or mitigating agent against acute radiation syndrome and also as an adjuvant therapy to increase the therapeutic ratio of abdominal Radiation Therapy for Gastro Intestinal malignancies.     

Growth Substances Separated from the Fruits of Cassia fistula

The growth substances of the seeds of Cassia fistula were studied and the changes in the relative levels in the endosperm and embryo (plus cotyledons) with development of the seed were noted. Indoleacetic acid was found to be the major auxin component of the seed almost throughout its growth and development, while acidic inhibitors possibly belonging to β-complex were also noted in bioassay tests. The main source of the IAA in the seed is the endosperm, although measurable amounts are also present in the embryo. While this IAA activity in the endosperm is detectable till maturity of the fruit, it decreases relatively in the embryo to fall to insignificance at maturity of the seed. However, there is indication of the binding of such IAA in the embryo or the cotyledon, which can be released by alkaline hydrolysis but not before the seeds are matured. No such bound auxin could be detected in the endosperm. The inhibitors, on the other hand, are more prominent in the embryo than in the endosperm, particularly with ageing of the fruit. The possible significance of these changes in the growth factors has been discussed in relation to the age of the seed and the development of the embryo inside it.     

Fluorescence Microscopy in the Study of Pollen Grains and Pollen Tubes

Fresh pollen gains were either crushed directly in a 0.01% solution of acridine orange (0.1 M phosphate-citrate buffer, pH 5.2-5.4) or they were germinated previously in 5-25% sucrose solution (glass-distilled water of pH 5.0-6.0 with 100 ppm H₃BO₃) inside moist incubating chambers at 24-30° C. Observations and records were made by using ultraviolet or blue-violet light with suitably coupled exciter and barrier filters. When the pollen grains, tube walls or cytoplasm interfered with observation of a particular cell content, the same was either pressed or dissected out of the gain or the tube. The vegetative, generative or sperm cells as well as other protoplasmic contents, such as plastid-like bodies, lipid granules and mitochondria could be differentiated.     

A phenomenon of photoenhancement of acridine orange-induced fluorescence.

It is a common experience that, with exposure to exciting radiation of the fluorescence microscope, the acridine orange-induced red fluorescence of the nucleus, produced by Feulgen hydrolysis, fades with a concomitant shift to green. The present investigation reports a phenomenon of photoenhancement observed in the hydrolyzed cytoplasm where pale green fluorescence increases in intensity with exposure to exciting radiation. The phenomenon has been noticed in Rhizobium, Oscillatoria, tomato root tip cells and human buccal epithelial cells. It is tentatively concluded that the gain in fluorescence yield is due to certain conformational changes of the acridine orange-protein complex induced by ultraviolet light flux.     

Effect of adrenalectomy on rat peritoneal macrophage response

Glucocorticoid hormones are important for vital functions and act to modulate inflammatory and immune responses. In contrast to other hormonal systems no endogenous mediators have been identified that can directly counter-regulate their potent anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive properties. Glucocorticoids are known to interfere with the ability of the macrophage not only to induce and amplify an immune response but also to inhibit macrophage inflammatory effector functions. Although the actual immunocompetence of animals undergoing endocrine gland ectomy has never been directly studied, there is no doubt that adrenal hormones are deeply involved in the development and maintenance of the immunitory functions and this may in turn influence the inflammatory reaction. To study the effect of endogenous glucocorticoids on the functions of rat peritoneal macrophages and induction of humoral immune response we observed some of the rat peritoneal macrophage effector functions, provided that endogenous glucocorticoids are depicted by adrenalectomy. The mean phagocytic index (PI) of control macrophage (Mphi) is increased from 23,825 +/- 427 to 31,895 +/- 83 after adrenalectomy (P < or = 0.001). Intracellular killing capacity in control cell is 82% which is found to be 73% in case of adrenalectomised cell (p < 0.05). The amount of nitric oxide released from control Mphi 20.25 +/- 1 microM following adrenalectomy shows the amount of nitric oxide release was 18.25 microM (p < or = 0.01 ). The percentage of DNA fragmentation in control Mphi was 68.82 +/- 4 which was reduced to 56.76 +/- 1 after adrenalectomy (p < or = 0.01). In sheep red blood cell (SRBC) immunised and adrenalectomised animal, agglutination titre was obtained at lowest antibody concentration (1 : 128) whereas serum from SRBC immunised normal rats showed early agglutination (1: 32). Endogenous glucocorticoid depleted rats show enhanced phagocytic capacity, antibody raising capacity as well as on the other hand adrenal hormone insufficiency reduces the intracellular killing capacity, nitric oxide (NO) release, improper cell maturation and heightens the probability of infection. These observations demonstrate a counter-regulatory system via glucocorticoid that functions to control inflammatory and immune responses.