Rakesh Pandey - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Rakesh Pandey

HTS Labs, School of Bio Sciences and Technology, VIT University, Vellore-632 014, Tamilnadu, Indi... more HTS Labs, School of Bio Sciences and Technology, VIT University, Vellore-632 014, Tamilnadu, India E-mail : skarthikeyan@vit.ac.in Centre for Organic and Medicinal Chemistry, School of Advanced Sciences, VIT University, Vellore-632 014, Tamilnadu, India n this study we have analyzed the chemical composition of 5 locally available underutilized green leafy vegetables (GLV) obtained from Vellore region, namely : Methi, Mint, Lunia, Amaranthus and Tamarind (common names). Aqueous extracts of GLV's were analysed for various chemical components such as minerals, carbohydrates, proteins, phenols, flavonoids. Antioxidant activity of these components have been evaluated by DPPH method and found to be in the order of Mint > Amaranthus > Tamarind > Lunia > Methi. Mineral contents were measured for all the GLV. All the extracts were tested for their antimicrobial efficacy against Gram-positive and Gram-negative microorganisms. Fortification of extracts with probiotic Lactobacil...

Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (MAPs) are the rich and major source for plant secondary metabolite... more Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (MAPs) are the rich and major source for plant secondary metabolites. Huge world human population especially in developing nations mainly depend on traditional system of medicine for the treatment of various human ailments. At the moment traditional medicine derived from different MAPs have gained more importance and have become one of the useful ways to support herbal system of medicine in most of the countries like India,

v Abstract (German) viiGerman) vii List of Abbreviations x

Agronomy, 2021

Sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum), a highly valuable medicinal crop, is extremely susceptible to Mel... more Sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum), a highly valuable medicinal crop, is extremely susceptible to Meloidogyne incognita infestation, leading to severe losses in yield and chemo-pharmaceutical quality. Currently, chemical nematicides are the only effective option for the disease management. However, high toxicity to non-target organisms and adverse impact on soil health motivated the look for ecofriendly alternatives. Here, bioinoculants (Bacillus megatarium (“BM”), B. subtilis (“BS”)) were isolated from the rhizosphere of various medicinal and aromatic plants growing in Lucknow region, India. Their biocontrol effects were studied in O. basilicum plants that were invaded by M. incognita either in single or in consortium with Trichoderma harzianum (“TH”) and their efficiency compared to chemical nematicide (carbofuran) and a microbial reference strain (Pseudomonas fluorescens). The results show that all bioinoculants enhanced the growth and oil yield production and increased the nutrient ...

Plants, 2021

Drought is the most critical environmental factor across the continents affecting food security. ... more Drought is the most critical environmental factor across the continents affecting food security. Roots are the prime organs for water and nutrient uptake. Fine tuning between water uptake, efficient use and loss determines the genotypic response to water limitations. Targeted breeding for root system architecture needs to be explored to improve water use efficiency in legumes. Hence, the present study was designed to explore root system architecture in lentil germplasm in response to drought. A set of 119 lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) genotypes was screened in controlled conditions to assess the variability in root traits in relation to drought tolerance at seedling stage. We reported significant variation for different root traits in lentil germplasm. Total root length, surface area, root volume and root diameter were correlated to the survival and growth under drought. Among the studied genotypes, the stress tolerance index varied 0.19–1.0 for survival and 0.09–0.90 for biomass. ...

Frontiers in pharmacology, 2018

The present study is a pursuit to define implications of dual cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and 5-lipo... more The present study is a pursuit to define implications of dual cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX) (DuCLOX-2/5) inhibition on various aspects of cancer augmentation and chemoprevention. The monotherapy and combination therapy of zaltoprofen (COX-2 inhibitor) and zileuton (5-LOX inhibitor) were validated for their effect against methyl nitrosourea (MNU) induced mammary gland carcinoma in albino wistar rats. The combination therapy demarcated significant effect upon the cellular proliferation as evidenced through decreased in alveolar bud count and restoration of the histopathological architecture when compared to toxic control. DuCLOX-2/5 inhibition also upregulated levels of caspase-3 and caspase-8, and restored oxidative stress markers (GSH, TBARs, protein carbonyl, SOD and catalase). The immunoblotting and qRT-PCR studies revealed the participation of the mitochondrial mediated death apoptosis pathway along with favorable regulation of COX-2, 5-LOX. Aforementioned c...

BMC systems biology, Dec 28, 2017

Photosynthetic (PS) gene expression in Rhodobacter sphaeroides is regulated in response to change... more Photosynthetic (PS) gene expression in Rhodobacter sphaeroides is regulated in response to changes in light and redox conditions mainly by PrrB/A, FnrL and AppA/PpsR systems. The PrrB/A and FnrL systems activate the expression of them under anaerobic conditions while the AppA/PpsR system represses them under aerobic conditions. Recently, two mathematical models have been developed for the AppA/PpsR system and demonstrated how the interaction between AppA and PpsR could lead to a phenotype in which PS genes are repressed under semi-aerobic conditions. These models have also predicted that the transition from aerobic to anaerobic growth mode could occur via a bistable regime. However, they lack experimentally quantifiable inputs and outputs. Here, we extend one of them to include such quantities and combine all relevant micro-array data publically available for a PS gene of this bacterium and use that to parameterise the model. In addition, we hypothesise that the AppA/PpsR system alo...

Scientific reports, Feb 3, 2017

Plant-associated beneficial microbes have been explored to fulfill the imperative function for pl... more Plant-associated beneficial microbes have been explored to fulfill the imperative function for plant health. However, their impact on the host secondary metabolite production and nematode disease management remains elusive. Our present work has shown that chitinolytic microbes viz., Chitiniphilus sp. MTN22 and Streptomyces sp. MTN14 singly as well as in combination modulated the biosynthetic pathway of bacoside A and systemic defense mechanism against Meloidogyne incognita in Bacopa monnieri. Interestingly, expression of bacoside biosynthetic pathway genes (3-Hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase, mevalonate diphosphate decarboxylase, and squalene synthase) were upregulated in plants treated with the microbial combination in the presence as well as in absence of M. incognita stress. These microbes not only augmented bacoside A production (1.5 fold) but also strengthened host resistance via enhancement in chlorophyll a, defense enzymes and phenolic compounds like gallic acid,...

Physiology and Molecular Biology of Plants, 2016

In the present investigation, metabolites of Streptomyces sp. MTN14 and Trichoderma harzianum ThU... more In the present investigation, metabolites of Streptomyces sp. MTN14 and Trichoderma harzianum ThU significantly enhanced biomass yield (3.58 and 3.48 fold respectively) in comparison to the control plants. The secondary metabolites treatments also showed significant augmentation (0.75-2.25 fold) in withanolide A, a plant secondary metabolite. Lignin deposition, total phenolic and flavonoid content in W. somnifera were maximally induced in treatment having T. harzianum metabolites. Also, Trichoderma and Streptomyces metabolites were found much better in invoking in planta contents and antioxidants compared with their live culture treatments. Therefore, identification of new molecular effectors from metabolites of efficient microbes may be used as biopesticide and biofertilizer for commercial production of W. somnifera globally.

ISRN Pathology, 2011

Isolated mitochondrial myopathy is characterized by slowly progressive limb-girdle muscle weaknes... more Isolated mitochondrial myopathy is characterized by slowly progressive limb-girdle muscle weakness and resembles other muscle disorders like muscular dystrophy or inflammatory myopathy on clinical grounds. Identification of abnormal mitochondria in the muscle tissue is required for the diagnosis of isolated mitochondrial myopathy. Therefore, this study was done with aim to identify patients with isolated mitochondrial myopathy among those with limb-girdle muscle syndromes of undefined cause. Forty-eight consecutive patients with limb-girdle muscle disease from 2008 to 2010 were screened for Duchenne/Becker muscular dystrophy gene deletion, metabolic myopathy, and drug-induced and endocrine causes. Twenty patients without an identifiable cause were subjected to muscle biopsy for hematoxylin and eosin staining and enzyme histochemistry. Clinical, biochemical, and electrophysiological features in all these patients with limb-girdle muscle disease were nonspecific, and no conclusion reg...

BMJ case reports, Jan 4, 2013

Primitive neuroectodermal tumour (PNET) is a neural crest tumour derived from neuroectoderm. Rena... more Primitive neuroectodermal tumour (PNET) is a neural crest tumour derived from neuroectoderm. Renal PNET is a very rare tumour occurring during childhood or adolescence. We report two cases of PNET involving kidney in adults. Presenting signs and symptoms include abdominal/flank pain and/or haematuria. Microscopy reveals the tumour consisted of small round cells with round nuclei and scant cytoplasm. Diagnosis was confirmed by immunohistochemistry with diffuse membranous positivity of tumour cells with CD99. As these tumours have an aggressive clinical course with rapid death in many reported cases, it is important to differentiate them from other small round-cell tumours.

Türk patoloji dergisi, 2013

Filariasis is a common public health problem in Asian countries. In this report, the authors have... more Filariasis is a common public health problem in Asian countries. In this report, the authors have described detection of microfilaria in the cytological specimen of adrenal lymphoma. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case in the literature where microfilaria was seen in an adrenal gland involved by lymphoma. The literature is briefly reviewed.

Indian journal of gastroenterology : official journal of the Indian Society of Gastroenterology

Despite a possible role of Helicobacter pylori in gastric carcinoma (GC), its pathogenesis is not... more Despite a possible role of Helicobacter pylori in gastric carcinoma (GC), its pathogenesis is not clear. There is scanty data on apoptosis in GC in relation to H. pylori and CagA antibody. Therefore, we studied gastric epithelial apoptosis in GC and non-ulcer dyspepsia (NUD) with or without H. pylori infection, and the degree of apoptosis in relation to CagA antibody status. 20 patients each with GC and NUD were investigated for H. pylori using rapid urease test (RUT), IgG anti-H. pylori and anti-CagA antibodies, histology of endoscopically normal-looking mucosa for H. pylori, intestinal metaplasia (IM), and apoptosis using TUNEL assay. Positivity to one tissue-based (RUT or histology) and one serology based (anti-H. pylori or CagA IgG) test was taken as diagnostic of active H. pylori infection, and negative result in both tissue-based tests suggested its absence. Patients with GC more often had anti-H. pylori IgG (16 of 20 vs. 8 of 20; p=0.02) and a trend towards higher apoptotic i...

Basic and Applied Pathology, 2011

The authors describe a case of cerebellopontine (CP) angle melanotic lesion in a 38-year-old man ... more The authors describe a case of cerebellopontine (CP) angle melanotic lesion in a 38-year-old man who presented with features of CP angle syndrome 12 years ago. Computed tomography scan showed a mass lesion in the left CP angle, which was excised. Biopsy was suggestive of melanoma due to abundance of melanin. After 12 years, he had local recurrence and was re-operated. On reviewing the previous and later biopsy, final diagnosis of melanocytoma was made because of additional finding of absence of mitosis and macronucleoli, which were overlooked in the previous biopsy. Awareness of this finding reduces the possibility of diagnostic error in melanotic tumors. Reliance on the presence of abundance of melanin as the sole criterion for diagnosing melanoma resulted in erroneous diagnosis in our case. The case is discussed in the light of available literature.

Schizophrenia Bulletin, 1998

It is generally agreed that schizophrenia patients show a markedly reduced ability to perceive an... more It is generally agreed that schizophrenia patients show a markedly reduced ability to perceive and express facial emotions. Previous studies have shown, however, that such deficits are emotion-specific in schizophrenia and not generalized. Three kinds of studies were examined: decoding studies dealing with schizophrenia patients' ability to perceive universally recognized facial expressions of emotions, encoding studies dealing with schizophrenia patients' ability to express certain facial emotions, and studies of subjective reactions of patients' sensitivity toward universally recognized facial expressions of emotions. A review of these studies shows that schizophrenia patients, despite a general impairment of perception or expression of facial emotions, are highly sensitive to certain negative emotions of fear and anger. These observations are discussed in the light of hemispheric theory, which accounts for a generalized performance deficit, and social-cognitive theory, which accounts for an emotion-specific deficit in schizophrenia.

Protoplasma, 2014

Despite the vast exploration of rhizospheric microbial wealth for crop yield enhancement, knowled... more Despite the vast exploration of rhizospheric microbial wealth for crop yield enhancement, knowledge about the efficacy of microbial agents as biocontrol weapons against root-knot disease is scarce, especially in medicinal plants, viz., Bacopa monnieri. In the present investigation, rhizospheric microbes, viz., Bacillus megaterium, Glomus intraradices, Trichoderma harzianum ThU, and their combinations were evaluated for the management of Meloidogyne incognita (Kofoid and White) Chitwood and bacoside content enhancement in B. monnieri var CIM-Jagriti. A novel validated method Fourier transform near infrared was used for rapid estimation of total bacoside content. A significant reduction (2.75fold) in root-knot indices was observed in the combined treatment of B. megaterium and T. harzianum ThU in comparison to untreated control plants. The same treatment also showed significant enhancement (1.40-fold) in total bacoside contents (plant active molecule) content using Fourier transform near-infrared (FT-NIR) method that analyses samples rapidly in an hour without solvent usage and provides ample scope for natural product studies.

Protoplasma, 2014

An endophytic fungus was isolated from the rhizomes of Curcuma amada (Zingiberaceae), which was i... more An endophytic fungus was isolated from the rhizomes of Curcuma amada (Zingiberaceae), which was identified as Fusarium oxysporum on the basis of its morphological and molecular characters. Chromatographic separation and spectroscopic analysis of the fungal metabolite (chloroform extract) led to the identification of one pure compound having molecular formula C 5 H 12 O 2, i.e., 2,3-pentanediol (1). Activity analysis of compound 1 demonstrated improved antiaging (antioxidant, thermotolerance) properties against Caenorhabditis elegans, in comparison to a similar, commercially available molecule i.e., 1,5-pentanediol (2). The effective (lower) concentration of 1 significantly showed (28.6 %) higher survival percentage of the worms under thermal stress (37ºC) compared to its higher concentration (25.3 %), while similar trends were followed in oxidative stress where (22.2 %) higher survival percentage was recorded in comparison to untreated control. The compound 1, however, lacked potential antimicrobial activity, indicating the plausible ramification of the position of OH group in such bioactive molecules. In silico evaluation of these molecules against common as well as unique targets corroborated better antiaging potential of 1 in comparison to that of 2. The results for the first time indicated that the utilization of the endophytic fungi of C. amada could, thus, be a possible source for obtaining non-plant-based bioactive compounds having broader therapeutic applications pertaining to age-related progressions.

Journal of Postgraduate Medicine, 2008

A A 20-year-old man with no prior complaints presented with progressive hyper pigmentation for 8 ... more A A 20-year-old man with no prior complaints presented with progressive hyper pigmentation for 8 months, intermittent loose stools, hematochezia and vague abdominal pain. He also had anorexia and weight loss of 8 kg over last 8-mo. There was no family history of polyposis. On physical examination, he was lean, pale, had generalized hyperpigmentation, onychodystrophy [Figure 1] and alopecia. Initial evaluation ruled out Addison's disease as cortisol levels were normal. Lab tests revealed decreased Hb 113 g/L (normal 140-160), total protein 46 g/L (normal 55-85) and serum albumin 20 g/L (normal 35-55). Esophagogastroduodenoscopy revealed polyps at gastro-esophageal junction, stomach was carpeted with multiple sessile polyps extending to duodenum [Figure 2]. Colonoscopy upto cecum showed multiple polyps (measuring 1-1.5 cm), mostly sessile, in the rectum, sigmoid colon, splenic flexure and cecum; a few polyps in the proximal colon were pedunculated [Figure 3] with erythematous intervening mucosa. Rectal polyps were removed at endoscopy and sent for histopathology. Histopathology revealed branching glands with pleomorphic nuclei and prominent nucleoli suggestive of adenomatous polyp. [Figure 4] Computed tomography of the abdomen detected multiple small bowel polyps.

Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, 2004

Background: Previous reports, based on surgery, showed duodenal ulcer (DU) to be more common in ... more Background: Previous reports, based on surgery, showed duodenal ulcer (DU) to be more common in the rice‐eating areas of southern India than in the northern wheat‐eating areas.Aims: Does this difference persist? Can it be explained by risk factors other than diet?Methods: A total of 20 053 records from patients undergoing endoscopy for dyspepsia, and 590 endoscopy patients from two northern and two southern centers in India were studied prospectively. Records were scrutinized to determine the relative incidence of DU and non‐ulcer dyspepsia in wheat‐ and rice‐eating areas. Age, sex, length of history, smoking and medication were recorded. Three antral biopsies and one from each duodenal quadrant were taken. A rapid urease test was carried out on one of the antral biopsies; the others were examined for Helicobacter pylori, gastritis, duodenitis and duodenal gastric metaplasia.Results: The difference in diet‐associated prevalence persisted. No differences in smoking, Helicobacter ...

The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery. British volume, 2009

We examined the incidence of infection with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in... more We examined the incidence of infection with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in patients admitted to the Leicester Royal Infirmary Trauma Unit between January 2004 and June 2006. The influence of MRSA status at the time of their admission was examined, together with age, gender and diagnosis, using multi-variant analysis. Of 2473 patients, 79 (3.2%) were MRSA carriers at the time of admission and 2394 (96.8%) were MRSA-negative. Those carrying MRSA at the time of admission were more likely to develop surgical site infection with MRSA (7 of 79 patients, 8.8%) than non-MRSA carriers (54 of 2394 patients, 2.2%, p < 0.001). Further analysis showed that hip fracture and increasing age were also risk factors with a linear increase in relative risk of 1.8% per year. MRSA carriage at admission, age and the pathology are all associated with an increased rate of developing MRSA wound infection. Identification of such risk factors at admission helps to target health-care r...

HTS Labs, School of Bio Sciences and Technology, VIT University, Vellore-632 014, Tamilnadu, Indi... more HTS Labs, School of Bio Sciences and Technology, VIT University, Vellore-632 014, Tamilnadu, India E-mail : skarthikeyan@vit.ac.in Centre for Organic and Medicinal Chemistry, School of Advanced Sciences, VIT University, Vellore-632 014, Tamilnadu, India n this study we have analyzed the chemical composition of 5 locally available underutilized green leafy vegetables (GLV) obtained from Vellore region, namely : Methi, Mint, Lunia, Amaranthus and Tamarind (common names). Aqueous extracts of GLV's were analysed for various chemical components such as minerals, carbohydrates, proteins, phenols, flavonoids. Antioxidant activity of these components have been evaluated by DPPH method and found to be in the order of Mint > Amaranthus > Tamarind > Lunia > Methi. Mineral contents were measured for all the GLV. All the extracts were tested for their antimicrobial efficacy against Gram-positive and Gram-negative microorganisms. Fortification of extracts with probiotic Lactobacil...

Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (MAPs) are the rich and major source for plant secondary metabolite... more Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (MAPs) are the rich and major source for plant secondary metabolites. Huge world human population especially in developing nations mainly depend on traditional system of medicine for the treatment of various human ailments. At the moment traditional medicine derived from different MAPs have gained more importance and have become one of the useful ways to support herbal system of medicine in most of the countries like India,

v Abstract (German) viiGerman) vii List of Abbreviations x

Agronomy, 2021

Sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum), a highly valuable medicinal crop, is extremely susceptible to Mel... more Sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum), a highly valuable medicinal crop, is extremely susceptible to Meloidogyne incognita infestation, leading to severe losses in yield and chemo-pharmaceutical quality. Currently, chemical nematicides are the only effective option for the disease management. However, high toxicity to non-target organisms and adverse impact on soil health motivated the look for ecofriendly alternatives. Here, bioinoculants (Bacillus megatarium (“BM”), B. subtilis (“BS”)) were isolated from the rhizosphere of various medicinal and aromatic plants growing in Lucknow region, India. Their biocontrol effects were studied in O. basilicum plants that were invaded by M. incognita either in single or in consortium with Trichoderma harzianum (“TH”) and their efficiency compared to chemical nematicide (carbofuran) and a microbial reference strain (Pseudomonas fluorescens). The results show that all bioinoculants enhanced the growth and oil yield production and increased the nutrient ...

Plants, 2021

Drought is the most critical environmental factor across the continents affecting food security. ... more Drought is the most critical environmental factor across the continents affecting food security. Roots are the prime organs for water and nutrient uptake. Fine tuning between water uptake, efficient use and loss determines the genotypic response to water limitations. Targeted breeding for root system architecture needs to be explored to improve water use efficiency in legumes. Hence, the present study was designed to explore root system architecture in lentil germplasm in response to drought. A set of 119 lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) genotypes was screened in controlled conditions to assess the variability in root traits in relation to drought tolerance at seedling stage. We reported significant variation for different root traits in lentil germplasm. Total root length, surface area, root volume and root diameter were correlated to the survival and growth under drought. Among the studied genotypes, the stress tolerance index varied 0.19–1.0 for survival and 0.09–0.90 for biomass. ...

Frontiers in pharmacology, 2018

The present study is a pursuit to define implications of dual cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and 5-lipo... more The present study is a pursuit to define implications of dual cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX) (DuCLOX-2/5) inhibition on various aspects of cancer augmentation and chemoprevention. The monotherapy and combination therapy of zaltoprofen (COX-2 inhibitor) and zileuton (5-LOX inhibitor) were validated for their effect against methyl nitrosourea (MNU) induced mammary gland carcinoma in albino wistar rats. The combination therapy demarcated significant effect upon the cellular proliferation as evidenced through decreased in alveolar bud count and restoration of the histopathological architecture when compared to toxic control. DuCLOX-2/5 inhibition also upregulated levels of caspase-3 and caspase-8, and restored oxidative stress markers (GSH, TBARs, protein carbonyl, SOD and catalase). The immunoblotting and qRT-PCR studies revealed the participation of the mitochondrial mediated death apoptosis pathway along with favorable regulation of COX-2, 5-LOX. Aforementioned c...

BMC systems biology, Dec 28, 2017

Photosynthetic (PS) gene expression in Rhodobacter sphaeroides is regulated in response to change... more Photosynthetic (PS) gene expression in Rhodobacter sphaeroides is regulated in response to changes in light and redox conditions mainly by PrrB/A, FnrL and AppA/PpsR systems. The PrrB/A and FnrL systems activate the expression of them under anaerobic conditions while the AppA/PpsR system represses them under aerobic conditions. Recently, two mathematical models have been developed for the AppA/PpsR system and demonstrated how the interaction between AppA and PpsR could lead to a phenotype in which PS genes are repressed under semi-aerobic conditions. These models have also predicted that the transition from aerobic to anaerobic growth mode could occur via a bistable regime. However, they lack experimentally quantifiable inputs and outputs. Here, we extend one of them to include such quantities and combine all relevant micro-array data publically available for a PS gene of this bacterium and use that to parameterise the model. In addition, we hypothesise that the AppA/PpsR system alo...

Scientific reports, Feb 3, 2017

Plant-associated beneficial microbes have been explored to fulfill the imperative function for pl... more Plant-associated beneficial microbes have been explored to fulfill the imperative function for plant health. However, their impact on the host secondary metabolite production and nematode disease management remains elusive. Our present work has shown that chitinolytic microbes viz., Chitiniphilus sp. MTN22 and Streptomyces sp. MTN14 singly as well as in combination modulated the biosynthetic pathway of bacoside A and systemic defense mechanism against Meloidogyne incognita in Bacopa monnieri. Interestingly, expression of bacoside biosynthetic pathway genes (3-Hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase, mevalonate diphosphate decarboxylase, and squalene synthase) were upregulated in plants treated with the microbial combination in the presence as well as in absence of M. incognita stress. These microbes not only augmented bacoside A production (1.5 fold) but also strengthened host resistance via enhancement in chlorophyll a, defense enzymes and phenolic compounds like gallic acid,...

Physiology and Molecular Biology of Plants, 2016

In the present investigation, metabolites of Streptomyces sp. MTN14 and Trichoderma harzianum ThU... more In the present investigation, metabolites of Streptomyces sp. MTN14 and Trichoderma harzianum ThU significantly enhanced biomass yield (3.58 and 3.48 fold respectively) in comparison to the control plants. The secondary metabolites treatments also showed significant augmentation (0.75-2.25 fold) in withanolide A, a plant secondary metabolite. Lignin deposition, total phenolic and flavonoid content in W. somnifera were maximally induced in treatment having T. harzianum metabolites. Also, Trichoderma and Streptomyces metabolites were found much better in invoking in planta contents and antioxidants compared with their live culture treatments. Therefore, identification of new molecular effectors from metabolites of efficient microbes may be used as biopesticide and biofertilizer for commercial production of W. somnifera globally.

ISRN Pathology, 2011

Isolated mitochondrial myopathy is characterized by slowly progressive limb-girdle muscle weaknes... more Isolated mitochondrial myopathy is characterized by slowly progressive limb-girdle muscle weakness and resembles other muscle disorders like muscular dystrophy or inflammatory myopathy on clinical grounds. Identification of abnormal mitochondria in the muscle tissue is required for the diagnosis of isolated mitochondrial myopathy. Therefore, this study was done with aim to identify patients with isolated mitochondrial myopathy among those with limb-girdle muscle syndromes of undefined cause. Forty-eight consecutive patients with limb-girdle muscle disease from 2008 to 2010 were screened for Duchenne/Becker muscular dystrophy gene deletion, metabolic myopathy, and drug-induced and endocrine causes. Twenty patients without an identifiable cause were subjected to muscle biopsy for hematoxylin and eosin staining and enzyme histochemistry. Clinical, biochemical, and electrophysiological features in all these patients with limb-girdle muscle disease were nonspecific, and no conclusion reg...

BMJ case reports, Jan 4, 2013

Primitive neuroectodermal tumour (PNET) is a neural crest tumour derived from neuroectoderm. Rena... more Primitive neuroectodermal tumour (PNET) is a neural crest tumour derived from neuroectoderm. Renal PNET is a very rare tumour occurring during childhood or adolescence. We report two cases of PNET involving kidney in adults. Presenting signs and symptoms include abdominal/flank pain and/or haematuria. Microscopy reveals the tumour consisted of small round cells with round nuclei and scant cytoplasm. Diagnosis was confirmed by immunohistochemistry with diffuse membranous positivity of tumour cells with CD99. As these tumours have an aggressive clinical course with rapid death in many reported cases, it is important to differentiate them from other small round-cell tumours.

Türk patoloji dergisi, 2013

Filariasis is a common public health problem in Asian countries. In this report, the authors have... more Filariasis is a common public health problem in Asian countries. In this report, the authors have described detection of microfilaria in the cytological specimen of adrenal lymphoma. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case in the literature where microfilaria was seen in an adrenal gland involved by lymphoma. The literature is briefly reviewed.

Indian journal of gastroenterology : official journal of the Indian Society of Gastroenterology

Despite a possible role of Helicobacter pylori in gastric carcinoma (GC), its pathogenesis is not... more Despite a possible role of Helicobacter pylori in gastric carcinoma (GC), its pathogenesis is not clear. There is scanty data on apoptosis in GC in relation to H. pylori and CagA antibody. Therefore, we studied gastric epithelial apoptosis in GC and non-ulcer dyspepsia (NUD) with or without H. pylori infection, and the degree of apoptosis in relation to CagA antibody status. 20 patients each with GC and NUD were investigated for H. pylori using rapid urease test (RUT), IgG anti-H. pylori and anti-CagA antibodies, histology of endoscopically normal-looking mucosa for H. pylori, intestinal metaplasia (IM), and apoptosis using TUNEL assay. Positivity to one tissue-based (RUT or histology) and one serology based (anti-H. pylori or CagA IgG) test was taken as diagnostic of active H. pylori infection, and negative result in both tissue-based tests suggested its absence. Patients with GC more often had anti-H. pylori IgG (16 of 20 vs. 8 of 20; p=0.02) and a trend towards higher apoptotic i...

Basic and Applied Pathology, 2011

The authors describe a case of cerebellopontine (CP) angle melanotic lesion in a 38-year-old man ... more The authors describe a case of cerebellopontine (CP) angle melanotic lesion in a 38-year-old man who presented with features of CP angle syndrome 12 years ago. Computed tomography scan showed a mass lesion in the left CP angle, which was excised. Biopsy was suggestive of melanoma due to abundance of melanin. After 12 years, he had local recurrence and was re-operated. On reviewing the previous and later biopsy, final diagnosis of melanocytoma was made because of additional finding of absence of mitosis and macronucleoli, which were overlooked in the previous biopsy. Awareness of this finding reduces the possibility of diagnostic error in melanotic tumors. Reliance on the presence of abundance of melanin as the sole criterion for diagnosing melanoma resulted in erroneous diagnosis in our case. The case is discussed in the light of available literature.

Schizophrenia Bulletin, 1998

It is generally agreed that schizophrenia patients show a markedly reduced ability to perceive an... more It is generally agreed that schizophrenia patients show a markedly reduced ability to perceive and express facial emotions. Previous studies have shown, however, that such deficits are emotion-specific in schizophrenia and not generalized. Three kinds of studies were examined: decoding studies dealing with schizophrenia patients' ability to perceive universally recognized facial expressions of emotions, encoding studies dealing with schizophrenia patients' ability to express certain facial emotions, and studies of subjective reactions of patients' sensitivity toward universally recognized facial expressions of emotions. A review of these studies shows that schizophrenia patients, despite a general impairment of perception or expression of facial emotions, are highly sensitive to certain negative emotions of fear and anger. These observations are discussed in the light of hemispheric theory, which accounts for a generalized performance deficit, and social-cognitive theory, which accounts for an emotion-specific deficit in schizophrenia.

Protoplasma, 2014

Despite the vast exploration of rhizospheric microbial wealth for crop yield enhancement, knowled... more Despite the vast exploration of rhizospheric microbial wealth for crop yield enhancement, knowledge about the efficacy of microbial agents as biocontrol weapons against root-knot disease is scarce, especially in medicinal plants, viz., Bacopa monnieri. In the present investigation, rhizospheric microbes, viz., Bacillus megaterium, Glomus intraradices, Trichoderma harzianum ThU, and their combinations were evaluated for the management of Meloidogyne incognita (Kofoid and White) Chitwood and bacoside content enhancement in B. monnieri var CIM-Jagriti. A novel validated method Fourier transform near infrared was used for rapid estimation of total bacoside content. A significant reduction (2.75fold) in root-knot indices was observed in the combined treatment of B. megaterium and T. harzianum ThU in comparison to untreated control plants. The same treatment also showed significant enhancement (1.40-fold) in total bacoside contents (plant active molecule) content using Fourier transform near-infrared (FT-NIR) method that analyses samples rapidly in an hour without solvent usage and provides ample scope for natural product studies.

Protoplasma, 2014

An endophytic fungus was isolated from the rhizomes of Curcuma amada (Zingiberaceae), which was i... more An endophytic fungus was isolated from the rhizomes of Curcuma amada (Zingiberaceae), which was identified as Fusarium oxysporum on the basis of its morphological and molecular characters. Chromatographic separation and spectroscopic analysis of the fungal metabolite (chloroform extract) led to the identification of one pure compound having molecular formula C 5 H 12 O 2, i.e., 2,3-pentanediol (1). Activity analysis of compound 1 demonstrated improved antiaging (antioxidant, thermotolerance) properties against Caenorhabditis elegans, in comparison to a similar, commercially available molecule i.e., 1,5-pentanediol (2). The effective (lower) concentration of 1 significantly showed (28.6 %) higher survival percentage of the worms under thermal stress (37ºC) compared to its higher concentration (25.3 %), while similar trends were followed in oxidative stress where (22.2 %) higher survival percentage was recorded in comparison to untreated control. The compound 1, however, lacked potential antimicrobial activity, indicating the plausible ramification of the position of OH group in such bioactive molecules. In silico evaluation of these molecules against common as well as unique targets corroborated better antiaging potential of 1 in comparison to that of 2. The results for the first time indicated that the utilization of the endophytic fungi of C. amada could, thus, be a possible source for obtaining non-plant-based bioactive compounds having broader therapeutic applications pertaining to age-related progressions.

Journal of Postgraduate Medicine, 2008

A A 20-year-old man with no prior complaints presented with progressive hyper pigmentation for 8 ... more A A 20-year-old man with no prior complaints presented with progressive hyper pigmentation for 8 months, intermittent loose stools, hematochezia and vague abdominal pain. He also had anorexia and weight loss of 8 kg over last 8-mo. There was no family history of polyposis. On physical examination, he was lean, pale, had generalized hyperpigmentation, onychodystrophy [Figure 1] and alopecia. Initial evaluation ruled out Addison's disease as cortisol levels were normal. Lab tests revealed decreased Hb 113 g/L (normal 140-160), total protein 46 g/L (normal 55-85) and serum albumin 20 g/L (normal 35-55). Esophagogastroduodenoscopy revealed polyps at gastro-esophageal junction, stomach was carpeted with multiple sessile polyps extending to duodenum [Figure 2]. Colonoscopy upto cecum showed multiple polyps (measuring 1-1.5 cm), mostly sessile, in the rectum, sigmoid colon, splenic flexure and cecum; a few polyps in the proximal colon were pedunculated [Figure 3] with erythematous intervening mucosa. Rectal polyps were removed at endoscopy and sent for histopathology. Histopathology revealed branching glands with pleomorphic nuclei and prominent nucleoli suggestive of adenomatous polyp. [Figure 4] Computed tomography of the abdomen detected multiple small bowel polyps.

Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, 2004

Background: Previous reports, based on surgery, showed duodenal ulcer (DU) to be more common in ... more Background: Previous reports, based on surgery, showed duodenal ulcer (DU) to be more common in the rice‐eating areas of southern India than in the northern wheat‐eating areas.Aims: Does this difference persist? Can it be explained by risk factors other than diet?Methods: A total of 20 053 records from patients undergoing endoscopy for dyspepsia, and 590 endoscopy patients from two northern and two southern centers in India were studied prospectively. Records were scrutinized to determine the relative incidence of DU and non‐ulcer dyspepsia in wheat‐ and rice‐eating areas. Age, sex, length of history, smoking and medication were recorded. Three antral biopsies and one from each duodenal quadrant were taken. A rapid urease test was carried out on one of the antral biopsies; the others were examined for Helicobacter pylori, gastritis, duodenitis and duodenal gastric metaplasia.Results: The difference in diet‐associated prevalence persisted. No differences in smoking, Helicobacter ...

The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery. British volume, 2009

We examined the incidence of infection with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in... more We examined the incidence of infection with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in patients admitted to the Leicester Royal Infirmary Trauma Unit between January 2004 and June 2006. The influence of MRSA status at the time of their admission was examined, together with age, gender and diagnosis, using multi-variant analysis. Of 2473 patients, 79 (3.2%) were MRSA carriers at the time of admission and 2394 (96.8%) were MRSA-negative. Those carrying MRSA at the time of admission were more likely to develop surgical site infection with MRSA (7 of 79 patients, 8.8%) than non-MRSA carriers (54 of 2394 patients, 2.2%, p < 0.001). Further analysis showed that hip fracture and increasing age were also risk factors with a linear increase in relative risk of 1.8% per year. MRSA carriage at admission, age and the pathology are all associated with an increased rate of developing MRSA wound infection. Identification of such risk factors at admission helps to target health-care r...