Global industrialization has led to an enhanced production and use of enzymes and value-added products in various industrial sectors. As the demand for a cleaner and safer environment is inevitable in this twenty first century, better utilization of wastes for the production of value-added products has also been improved. Different bioprocesses are being used for the utilization of different agro-industrial residues for their transformation into useful products. The nature of substrate used is a major limiting factor in all fermentation processes. Cashew apple and its by-products are a new and promising substrate for bioprocessing as they are rich in carbohydrates, minerals, vitamins, amino acids, carotenoids, phenolics, organic acids, and antioxidants. Although 10–30 t/ha of cashew apples are accumulating globally, 90–94% have been discarded after harvesting the nut. Only 10% is commercially used for the preparation of wine, jam, juice, and ice cream and these products are hardly exported. Bioprocessing with cashew apple has wide variety of applications in different fields including bioethanol production, microbial production of enzymes, dextransucrase production as a preservative in food industry, production of biosurfactants, etc. Considering less cost, rich nutritional contents, and availability of cashew apple and its by-products, they can be exploited more as a promising substrate for the different fermentation processes.

Abstract In the present study, the antimicrobial and antibiofilm efficacy of toluidine blue (TB) encapsulated in mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSN) was investigated against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus treated with antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) using a red diode laser 670 nm wavelength, 97.65 J cm−2 radiant exposure, 5 min). Physico-chemical techniques (UV-visible (UV-vis) absorption, photoluminescence emission, excitation, and FTIR) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) were employed to characterize the conjugate of TB encapsulated in MSN (TB MSN). TB MSN showed maximum antimicrobial activities corresponding to 5.03 and 5.56 log CFU ml−1 reductions against P. aeruginosa and S. aureus, respectively, whereas samples treated with TB alone showed 2.36 and 2.66 log CFU ml−1 reductions. Anti-biofilm studies confirmed that TB MSN effectively inhibits biofilm formation and production of extracellular polymeric substances by P. aeruginosa and S. aureus.

Candida albicans is an opportunistic fungal pathogen that causes both superficial and systemic infection and an important candidate that contribute to high morbidity and mortality rates in immunocompromised patients. The ability of C albicans to switch from yeast to filamentous form and thereby forming biofilms make them resistant to most of the antifungal drugs available today. Thus the development of more effective antifungal drugs are essential and crucial at this point of time. Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy is an alternative modality to treat such biofilm forming resistant strains. This study aims to investigate the enhanced efficiency of newly synthesized MSN-RB conjugate as an antimicrobial photosensitizer for antimicrobial photodynamic therapy against C albicans. Functionalization of MSN with amino groups was performed to increase the dye loading capacity. Conjugation process of MSN-RB was confirmed using different techniques including UV-Vis spectroscopy, Fluorescent spectroscopy and FTIR analysis. A low power green laser 50 mW irradiation was applied (5 min) for activation of MSN-RB conjugate and RB against C albicans biofilm and planktonic cell. The comparative study of MSN-RB conjugate and free RB on aPDT was evaluated using standard experimental procedures. Antibiofilm efficacy was determined using biofilm inhibition assay, cell viability, EPS quantification and CLSM studies. The results revealed that MSN-RB conjugate has a significant antimicrobial activity (88.62 +/- 3.4%) and antibiofilm effect on C albicans when compared to free dye after light irradiation. The MSN-RB conjugate based aPDT can be employed effectively in treatment of C albicans infections. (C) 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of African Institute of Mathematical Sciences / Next Einstein Initiative.

In this paper, we present a methodology known as APSRA (Assessment of Passive System ReliAbility) for evaluation of reliability of passive systems. The methodology has been applied to the boiling natural circulation system in the Main Heat Transport System of the Indian AHWR concept. In the APSRA methodology, the passive system reliability is evaluated from the evaluation of the failure probability of the system to carryout the desired function. The methodology first determines the operational characteristics of the system and the failure conditions by assigning a predetermined failure criteria. The failure surface is predicted using a best estimate code considering deviations of the operating parameters from their nominal states, which affect the natural circulation performance. Since applicability of the best estimate codes to passive systems are neither proven nor understood enough, APSRA relies more on experimental data for various aspects of natural circulation such as steady-state natural circulation, flow instabilities, CHF under oscillatory condition, etc. APSRA proposes to compare the code predictions with the test data to generate the uncertainties on the failure parameter prediction, which is later considered in the code for accurate prediction of failure surface of the system. Once the failure surface of the system is predicted, the cause of failure is examined through root diagnosis, which occurs mainly due to failure of mechanical components. The failure probability of these components are evaluated through a classical PSA treatment using the generic data. Reliability of the natural circulation system is evaluated from the probability of availability of the components for the success of natural circulation in the system.

Four novel cationic lipids with different numbers of oxyethylene units at the linkage region between the pseudoglyceryl backbone and the hydrocarbon chains have been synthesized and used as mixtures with 1,2‐dioleoyl‐ L ‐α‐glycero‐3‐phosphatidyl ethanolamine (DOPE) for liposome‐mediated gene transfection. Incorporation of different numbers of oxyethylene (–CH 2 CH 2 O–) units between long hydrocarbon chain at the C‐1 and C‐2 positions of the pseudoglyceryl skeleton improved the transfection efficiency considerably compared to the one in which the chains were connected via simple ether links. A pronounced improvement in the gene transfer efficiency was observed with the unsymmetrical cationic lipid 3 in which the long hydrocarbon at the C‐1 position of the pseudoglyceryl segment is connected via two (–CH 2 CH 2 O–) units. Notably, the transfection ability of lipid 3 with DOPE in the presence of serum was significantly greater than LIPOFECTAMINE ® . This suggests that introduction of oxyethylene units between long hydrocarbon chains at the C‐1 and C‐2 positions of the pseudoglyceryl skeleton provides a novel strategy to achieve efficient gene transfer, especially in conditions where the presence of serum is critical.

Nucleic acid reactive antibodies have been reported to inhibit various nucleic acid mediated functions in cell free systems. These antibodies were also shown to inhibit the growth of transformed cells in culture due to the high rate of endocytosis in transformed cells as compared to normal cells. In this report, we have tested the possibility of nucleic acid reactive antibodies inhibiting the growth of tumor cells in vivo. The life span of mice bearing Dalton's lymphoma ascites tumor cells was increased, when they were immunized with conjugates of guanosine-BSA, GMP-BSA and tRNA-MBSA complex before transplanting the tumor cells. A similar effect was also observed when mice were injected intraperitoneally with antibodies to guanosine or GMP along with the tumor cells. The specificity was ascertained, as immunization with non-specific antigens did not show any significant effect on tumor bearing mice. The results shows that nucleic acid reactive antibodies inhibit the growth of tumor cells in vivo.

Antibodies were raised against guanosine-BSA, GMP-BSA and tRNA-mBSA conjugates separately in rabbits. Binding characteristics of these antibodies to various RNAs were studied using a sensitive avidin-biotin micro ELISA. These antibodies inhibited in vitro aminoacylation of tRNA in a dose dependent manner. This inhibition was reversed by the addition of the respective homologous haptens thereby showing the specificity of these antibodies. In vitro translation of endogenous mRNAs in rabbit reticulocyte lysate was also inhibited by these antibodies in a dose dependent manner.

Antibodies against adenosine markedly inhibited in vitro transcription in isolated BHK 21 nuclei in a dose-dependent manner. The inhibition was specific as it could be completely reversed by the addition of homologous hapten. Addition of RNA at low concentration reversed the inhibition, whereas excess DNA did not have any effect. Adenosine antibodies also inhibited in vitro transcription with calf thymus DNA and E. coli RNA polymerase. Antibodies that react with DNA but not with RNA such as anti-dpA, anti-dpC and anti-DNA failed to inhibit in vitro transcription in isolated nuclei as well as with calf thymus DNA and E. coli RNA polymerase. The results strongly indicate that the binding of adenosine antibodies to RNA is responsible for the inhibition of transcription.

Antibodies raised against adenosine have been reported to react with single-stranded DNA but not with double-stranded DNA. Using a highly sensitive avidin-biotin microELISA we report that these antibodies also react with double-stranded DNA. The binding was specific as it was completely inhibited by the homologous hapten. The results indicate that the antibody populations binding to ssDNA and dsDNA are not cross-reactive. The antibodies were shown to react with the topoisomers of plasmid DNA as assessed by gel retardation assay. The antibodies showed differential binding to restriction fragments of DNA indicating that some of the A residues in dsDNA are accessible to the antibodies.

Antibodies raised against denatured DNA complexed with methylated bovine serum albumin have been reported to react with ssDNA but not with dsDNA. Using a highly sensitive avidin-biotin microELISA, we report that such antibodies also bind to dsDNA. Antibodies which reacted with ssDNA and dsDNA were found to be of IgG type. The antibodies did not react with tRNA and rRNA. The binding of antibodies to dsDNA was partially inhibited by individual deoxyribonucleotides. ssDNA as well as dsDNA inhibited the binding of antibodies to dsDNA. The binding of these antibodies to supercoiled and relaxed forms of pBR322 DNA was demonstrated by gel retardation assay. The cross-reaction with ssDNA was observed even after affinity purification on native DNA-cellulose. The antibodies were also shown to bind to poly(dA-dT).poly(dA-dT).

Poly (A) RNA was isolated from foot-and-mouth disease virus-infected cells by oligo (dT)-cellulose chromatography. One-dimensional oligonucleotide mapping of virus-induced poly (A) RNA indicated major differences between virus types O and Asia 1. Base composition analysis of virus-induced RNA showed no significant differences between types O and Asia 1.

Adenosine antibodies markedly inhibited invitro amino acylation of tRNA in a dose-dependent manner. The inhibition was specific as it was reversed by the homologous hapten. Addition of excess tRNA reversed the inhibition indicating that binding of antibodies to tRNA is responsible for inhibition. Adenosine antibodies also inhibited invitro translation of endogenous mRNAs in rabbit reticulocyte lysate in a dose-dependent manner. The homologous hapten reversed the inhibition showing thereby the immunospecificity of inhibition.

Antibodies raised against deoxyadenylate and deoxycytidylate were found to react with double stranded DNA as assessed by highly sensitive avidin-biotin microELISA. The binding was specific as it was completely inhibited by the homologous hapten. The antibodies did not react with tRNA and rRNA. These antibodies were also shown to react with supercoiled and relaxed forms of pBR322 DNA as demonstrated by gel retardation assay.

The interaction of cupric isonicotinohydrazide (CuIIINH), an antiviral compound, with calf thymus DNA was investigated by circular dichroism (CD) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Gel electrophoresis of DNA incubated with CuIIINH showed cleavage of DNA to various extents. This cleavage was found to be time and concentration dependent. In the presence of CuIIINH the positive CD band at 274 nm disappeared and the negative band at 246 nm showed a decrease in the mean residual ellipticity value, indicating binding of CuIIINH to DNA. 31P NMR studies indicated that the binding of copper in CuIIINH is to the phosphate oxygen of the DNA backbone. The binding of CuIIINH was also found to be reversible. Addition of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid to the CuIIINH-DNA complex resulted in breaking of the complex and restoring the original structural features of the B family of DNA in the resulting fragments. At the concentration level of CuIIINH employed, both CuSO4 and INH independently did not show any interaction with DNA.

Subunit vaccine prepared from VP1 protein of foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) types 0 and Asia 1 protected guinea pigs against FMD and also induced high levels of antibody. Liposomes have been used as a safe and potent immunological adjuvant for FMD vaccines. Vaccines prepared from inactivated virus types 0 and Asia 1 encapsulated in liposomes protected guinea pigs against challenge with homologous virus and showed good antibody response in pigs on a small scale field trial.

Growth pattern of foot-and-mouth disease virus types 0 and Asia 1 in BHK-21 Razi cells was compared; while type 0 virus grew in high titre, Asia 1 virus was produced in low titre. Inhibition of host protein synthesis in type 0 virus-infected cells was more pronounced than in Asia 1 virus-infected cells. Foot-and-mouth disease virus type 0 infected cells showed higher lactic dehydrogenase activity when compared to Asia 1 virus. A significant decrease in virus yield was observed when Actinomycin D had been added at 50 micrograms/ml to infected cells.

The cupric complex of isonicotinic acid hydrazide was found to be nontoxic to normal yolk sac macrophages upto a concentration of 100 ΜM. At this concentration the complex did not significantly inhibit DNA, RNA or protein synthesis in these cells. The complex inhibited the avian myeloblastosis virus multiplication in these cells when added 0–4 h post-infection as demonstrated by the inhibition of both focus formation and expression of viral specific antigens. This inhibition was not observed when the complex was added 8 and 16 h after avian myeloblastosis virus infection. The studies carried out on avian myeloblastosis virus-transformed myeloblasts indicated that the complex had no effect on the colony (focus) formation. The results suggest that the complex inhibits the virus multiplication by interfering in an early event of viral growth cycle, possibly the process of reverse transcription

Cupric complex of isonicotinic acid hydrazide inhibits DNA synthesis by avian myloblastosis virus reverse transcriptase. This inhibition occurs in the presence of either ribonucleotide or deoxyribonucleotide templates. The inhibition of reverse transcriptase by cupric-INH complex is considerably reduced when stored or proteolytically cleaved enzyme was used in the reaction. The complex also inhibits the reverse transciptase-associated RNase H activity. The cupric-isonicotinic acid hydrazide complex cleaves pBR 322 from I DNA into smaller molecules in the presence or absence of reverse transcriptase-associated endonuclease. However, in the presence of the enzyme the DNA is cleaved to a greater extent

Cupric complex of isonicotinic acid hydrazide (cupric-INH complex) has been shown to inactivate avian myeloblastosis virus (AMV). The complex did not have any demonstrable chemotherapeutic activity against AMV infection in chicks. However, when encapsulated in positive charged liposomes the complex partially protected the chicks from AMV infection. The levels and stability of the complex in various tissues particularly in bone marrow, the target tissue for AMV multiplication, were higher in liposome-encapsulated cupric-INH complex injected than in chicks injected with unencapsulated complex.