Effect of Adjuvants on Antibody Titer of Synthetic Recombinant Light Chain of Botulinum Neurotoxin Type B and its Diagnostic Potential for Botulism

( Jain Swati S. Ponmariappan ),( Om Kumar ),( Lokendra Singh ) 한국미생물 · 생명공학회 2011 Journal of microbiology and biotechnology Vol.21 No.7

Botulism is a neuroparalytic disease caused by Clostridium botulinum, which produces seven (A-G) antigenically diverse neurotoxins (BoNTs). BoNTs are the most poisonous substances known to humans, with a median lethal dose (LD50) of approximately 1 ng/kg of body weight. Owing to their extreme potency and lethality, they have the potential to be used as a bioterrorism agent. The mouse bioassay is the gold standard for the detection of botulinum neurotoxins; however, it requires at least 3-4 days for completion. Attempts have been made to develop an ELISA-based detection system, which is potentially an easier and more rapid method of botulinum neurotoxin detection. The present study was designed using a synthetic gene approach. The synthetic gene encoding the catalytic domain of BoNT serotype B from amino acids 1-450 was constructed with PCR overlapping primers (BoNT/B LC), cloned in a pQE30 UA vector, and expressed in an E. coli M15 host system. Recombinant protein production was optimized at 0.5 mM IPTG final concentration, 4 h post induction, resulting in a maximum yield of recombinant proteins. The immunogenic nature of the recombinant BoNT/B LC protein was evaluated by ELISA. Antibodies were raised in BALB/c mice using various adjuvants. A significant rise in antibody titer (p<0.05) was observed in the Alum group, followed by the Titermax Classic group, Freund`s adjuvant, and the Titermax Gold group. These developed high-titer antibodies may prove useful for the detection of botulinum neurotoxins in food and clinical samples.

A cadaveric study of arteriovenous trigone of heart: the triangle of Brocq and Mouchet

Swati Bansal,Rajiv Jain,Virendra Budhiraja,Shveta Swami,Rimpi Gupta 대한해부학회 2023 Anatomy & Cell Biology Vol.56 No.2

Left coronary artery divides into anterior interventricular branch and circumflex branch. As both the arteries runin their corresponding grooves, an arteriovenous trigone is formed between conus arteriosus and left auricle called triangle of Brocq and Mouchet. The triangle base is formed by great cardiac vein. This study aims to describe the frequency of triangle and its type and relationship between various boundaries and content of triangle and to supplement the existing knowledge of clinicians. This observational and descriptive study was conducted on 40 formalin fixed cadaveric hearts in department of anatomy, Kalpana chawla government medical college. The triangle was found in 92.5% of specimen with most common type being closed (51.3%) which is followed by inferiorly open in 35.1%, superiorly open in 8.1% and completely open in 5.4% hearts. Most frequent content of triangle was median artery followed by diagonal branches of anterior interventricular and circumflex branches. The mean area of the triangle was 246.3mm2. Relationship of vein with two arterial branches was either superficial or deep. The knowledge of different patterns of existence will be required for angiographic procedures. Further the triangle is a potential epicardial access route to left fibrous ring. Thus detailed knowledge of variations will help cardiologist to achieve better outcome in interventional procedures with minimal complications.

Working from Home and Work-Family Balance: A Study of Women Educators during Lockdown

Swati Soni,Tina Jain 숙명여자대학교 아시아여성연구원 2021 Asian Women Vol.37 No.4

Covid-19 has had an overwhelming effect on lives and livelihoods alike. We have all embraced the new normal, including working from home, although it has come as an abrupt change. While not all jobs lend themselves to be shifted online, teaching is one profession that could witness such a change with relative ease. Technology eased the process, but it was not easy for those who had to do so, especially for women educators who faced very demanding sets of circumstances for managing work and home with limited domestic support. This paper attempts to study the impact of the mandatory lockdown on women educators, their work-life balance, and their experiences. The study was conducted in two phases, quantitative and qualitative. The quantitative phase was composed of 150 responses from women educators teaching online during the lockdown in PostGraduate Diploma in Management (PGDM) programs in Jaipur, India. Thirty respondents volunteered to participate in the qualitative phase, which was conducted using semi-structured in-depth interviews. Five themes emerged from the qualitative phase: structuring the home environment for work, workplace social support, personal social support, household structure, and feelings of isolation. There was substantial evidence backing up all these themes in the existing literature and this has been discussed comprehensively in the findings section.

Study of Time-Dependent Characteristics of a Syllectogram in the Presence of Aggregation Inhibition

Peng Kai Ong,임도형,Swati Jain,남궁범석,김상호,전경진,추준욱 한국정밀공학회 2012 International Journal of Precision Engineering and Vol. No.

Red blood cell aggregation is an important risk indicator of cardiovascular diseases, which can be quantified by dynamical parameters derived from a time-dependent light transmission profile (syllectogram). This study tests the hypothesis that inhibitory factors on the aggregation process of the blood could greatly alter the dynamical information provided by the syllectogram and highlights the possible limitations in utilizing time-dependent photometric methods for quantifying aggregation. The concept of AIwin (aggregation index) that has been used in conventional aggregometers to determine the extent of aggregation within a 12-s standard time period was distinguished from AI (aggregation index) derived from the aggregating phase of syllectogram. Apparent time delays in shape recovery and aggregating phases were observed at high levels of aggregation inhibition (high medium viscosity) which accounted for the discrepancy between AI and AIwin. In the presence of a small shear (3 s-1), this discrepancy diminished. Fractal analysis was used to validate the aggregation results obtained from the syllectogram. AI was found to better depict the extent of aggregation compared to AIwin.

Efficacy of Ulinastatin and Sulforaphane Alone or in Combination in Rat Model of Streptozotocin Diabetes Induced Vascular Dementia

Poonam Sharma,Prachi Kaushik,Swati Jain,Brij Mohan Sharma,Rajendra Awasthi,Giriraj Thirupathirao Kulkarni,Bhupesh Sharma 대한정신약물학회 2021 CLINICAL PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY AND NEUROSCIENCE Vol.19 No.3

Objective: Vascular Dementia (VaD), is associated with metabolic conditions. Diabetes is a major risk factor for the development of VaD. This study investigates the efficacy of ulinastatin (UTI) and sulforaphane (SUL) in streptozotocin (STZ)-diabetes induced vascular endothelium dysfunction and related dementia. Methods: Single dose STZ (50 mg/kg i.p.) was administered to Albino Wistar rats (male, 200−250 g). Morris water maze and attentional set shifting tests were used to assess the spatial learning, memory, reversal learning, and executive functioning in animals. Body weight, serum glucose, serum nitrite/nitrate, vascular endothelial function, aortic superoxide anion, brains’ oxidative markers (thiobarbituric acid reactive species-TBARS, reduced glutathione-GSH, superoxide dismutase-SOD, and catalase-CAT), inflammatory markers (IL-6, IL-10, TNF-, and myeloperoxidase-MPO), acetylcholinesterase activity-AChE, blood brain barrier (BBB) permeability and histopathological changes were also assessed. UTI (10,000 U/kg) and SUL (25 mg/kg) were used alone as well as in combination, as the treatment drugs. Donepezil (0.5 mg/kg) was used as a positive control. Results: STZ-administered rats showed reduction in body weight, learning, memory, reversal learning, executive functioning, impairment in endothelial function, BBB permeability, increase in serum glucose, brains’ oxidative stress, inflammation, AChE-activity, BBB permeability and histopathological changes. Administration of UTI and SUL alone as well as in combination, significantly and dose dependently attenuated the STZ-diabetes-induced impairments in the behavioral, endothelial, and biochemical parameters. Conclusion: STZ administration caused diabetes and VaD which was attenuated by the administration of UTI and SUL. Therefore, these agents may be studied further for the assessment of their full potential in diabetes induced VaD.