Manipal University

About: Manipal University is a education organization based out in Manipal, Karnataka, India. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Health care. The organization has 9525 authors who have published 11207 publications receiving 110687 citations.

Effect of Bacopa monniera Linn. (brahmi) extract on learning and memory in rats: A behavioral study

Abstract: Extracts of Bacopa monniera (Brahmi, BM), a traditional ayurvedic medicine, have been reported to have memory-enhancing effects in animals. However, there are no studies in which different dosages or chronic use have been explored. The current study examined the effects of standardized extract of BM on behavioral changes of Wistar rats when administered the extract for various durations and in varying doses. We divided the animals into 2-, 4-, and 6-week treatment groups. Rats in each of these groups were divided into 20mg/kg, 40mg/kg, and 80mg/kg dose groups (n=8 for each dose). After the treatment period, the rats, along with age-matched normal and gum acacia control rats, were subjected to spatial learning (T-maze) and passive avoidance tests. The data were compared with those of age-matched control rats. The study was conducted at the Melaka Manipal Medical College, Manipal University, Manipal, Karnataka, India. The results showed improvement in spatial learning performance and enhanced memory retention in rats treated with BM extract. These results clearly indicate that oral administration of BM extract improved learning and memory in rats.

Red light emission from europium doped zinc sodium bismuth borate glasses

Abstract: Zinc sodium bismuth borate (ZNBB) glasses doped with different concentrations of europium were prepared by conventional melt quenching method and characterized through the measurements of density, refractive index, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectra, optical absorption, luminescence and radiative lifetimes FTIR spectra showed seven characteristic peaks of bismuth and borate functional groups in the range of 400–1600 cm−1 The optical band gap and bonding parameters have been calculated from absorption spectra Photoluminescence spectra recorded in the visible region with 394 nm excitation are used to calculate the Judd-Ofelt (JO) intensity parameters (Ω2 and Ω4) The JO intensity parameters have been used to calculate the radiative parameters such as branching ratio (β), stimulated emission cross-section (σse), transition probability (A) for the fluorescent level of 5D0→7F2 Decay rates through single exponential are used to calculate the lifetime (τm) of the meta-stable state 5D0 of (Eu3+ ion) these glasses The radiative parameters measured for all these glasses show 07 mol% europium doped zinc sodium bismuth borate glass 5D0→7F2 transition has the potential for red laser applications The quality of the colour emitted by the present glasses are estimated quantitatively by CIE chromaticity coordinates, which confirms the suitability of these glasses as a red emitting material for field emission technologies and LEDs

Virulence factors and clonal diversity of Staphylococcus aureus in colonization and wound infection with emphasis on diabetic foot infection

Abstract: Foot ulcer is a common complication in diabetic subjects and infection of these wounds contributes to increased rates of morbidity and mortality. Diabetic foot infections are caused by a multitude of microbes and Staphylococcus aureus, a major nosocomial and community-associated pathogen, significantly contributes to wound infections as well. Staphylococcus aureus is also the primary pathogen commonly associated with diabetic foot osteomyelitis and can cause chronic and recurrent bone infections. The virulence capability of the pathogen and host immune factors can determine the occurrence and progression of S. aureus infection. Pathogen-related factors include complexity of bacterial structure and functional characteristics that provide metabolic and adhesive properties to overcome host immune response. Even though, virulence markers and toxins of S. aureus are broadly similar in different wound models, certain distinguishing features can be observed in diabetic foot infection. Specific clonal lineages and virulence factors such as TSST-1, leukocidins, enterotoxins, and exfoliatins play a significant role in determining wound outcomes. In this review, we describe the role of specific virulence determinants and clonal lineages of S. aureus that influence wound colonization and infection with special reference to diabetic foot infections.

Identification and red blood cell automated counting from blood smear images using computer-aided system

Abstract: Red blood cell count plays a vital role in identifying the overall health of the patient. Hospitals use the hemocytometer to count the blood cells. Conventional method of placing the smear under microscope and counting the cells manually lead to erroneous results, and medical laboratory technicians are put under stress. A computer-aided system will help to attain precise results in less amount of time. This research work proposes an image-processing technique for counting the number of red blood cells. It aims to examine and process the blood smear image, in order to support the counting of red blood cells and identify the number of normal and abnormal cells in the image automatically. K-medoids algorithm which is robust to external noise is used to extract the WBCs from the image. Granulometric analysis is used to separate the red blood cells from the white blood cells. The red blood cells obtained are counted using the labeling algorithm and circular Hough transform. The radius range for the circle-drawing algorithm is estimated by computing the distance of the pixels from the boundary which automates the entire algorithm. A comparison is done between the counts obtained using the labeling algorithm and circular Hough transform. Results of the work showed that circular Hough transform was more accurate in counting the red blood cells than the labeling algorithm as it was successful in identifying even the overlapping cells. The work also intends to compare the results of cell count done using the proposed methodology and manual approach. The work is designed to address all the drawbacks of the previous research work. The research work can be extended to extract various texture and shape features of abnormal cells identified so that diseases like anemia of inflammation and chronic disease can be detected at the earliest.