Narra J Co-Editor-in-Chief is awarded as Highly Cited Researcher (HCR) 2021

We acknowledge and congratulate Narra J Co-Editor-in-Chief, Dr. Kuldeep Dhama, as Highly Cited Researcher (HCR) 2021 by Clarivate. Dr. Kuldeep Dhama, is a Principal Scientist at ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute in Izatnagar, India. He is a NAAS (National Academy of Agricultural Science, India) Associate, Fellow-Royal Society of Medicine (FRSM), UK, and has worked as Nodal Officer, WTO, and a member of Wildlife Health Specialist Group (IUCN). His research and teaching experience cover microbiology, immunology, virology, public health, medicine, and biomedicine. He is actively serving as Editor-in-Chief, Co-Editor-in-Chief, Editor, Associate Editor, Guest Editor and Member of Editorial Board for more than 15 scientific journals. Dr. Kuldeep Dhama role as Co-Editor-in-Chief of Narra J will enhance the quality of the Narra J one of the reputable journals in the near future. In his 27 years of research experience, he has published not only a great quantity of research (over 578 research publications indexed in Scopus with h-index of 50), but has published in highly respected journals such as Nature. Congratulations on an impactful career!

Recombinant leptospiral immunoglobulin like B protein based latex agglutination test for serodiagnosis of human leptospirosis

Humans get leptospirosis by contact with fresh water, damp soil, or vegetation contaminated by the urine of infected animals, swallowing contaminated food or water or while working in contaminated flood plains or at wet agricultural settings. The bacteria enter the body through abrasions in the skin and mucous membranes. In the present study recombinant LigB protein is employed in latex agglutination test, which is a cross reacting lipoprotein able to detect acute infection caused by any pathogenic leptospiral serovars. It was employed for serodiagnosis of leptospirosis. The 46 KDa 6X His tagged LigB protein, obtained by IPTG induction of recombinant E. coli M15 cells containing the N-terminal region of LigB gee in PQE30 expression vector, was purified by Ni-NTA affinity chromatography and adsorbed on latex bead surface for performing latex agglutination test against leptospirosis suspected human sera. A total of 28 human sera samples were received from Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education & Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh India, which tested positive by IgM ELISA test kit were subjected to both rLigB based LAT and MAT. All the 28 sera showed seropositivity by both the tests. Icterohaemorrahigae was the predominant serovar followed by Javanica and Grippotyphosa. Six out seven sera samples received from Indian Veterinary research Institute, Human Hospital and City Hospital, Bareilly were tested positive both by rLAT and MAT. The result showed that sera were tested positive by rLigB based LAT, which were reconfirmed using microscopic agglutination test (MAT). The results from LAT were in concordance with MAT. In conclusion, rLigB based LAT is a rapid, reliable diagnostic tool at resource poor and remote diagnostic centers with high sensitivity and specificity, under laboratory and field conditions, for the detection of leptospirosis. Asian J. Med. Biol. Res. June 2020, 6(2): 229-236

Cloning and Expression of Leptospiral Immunoglobulin Like B Gene and Use of The Recombinant Antigen for The Diagnosis of Bovine and Caprine Leptospirosis

In the present study recombinant LigB protein is employed in latex agglutination test, which is a cross reacting lipoprotein able to detect acute infection caused by any pathogenic leptospiral serovars. It was employed for serodiagnosis of leptospirosis. The 46KDa 6X His tagged LigB protein, obtained by IPTG induction of recombinant E. coli M15 cells containing the N-terminal region of LigB gee in PQE30 expression vector, was purified by Ni-NTA affinity chromatography and adsorbed on latex bead surface for performing latex agglutination test against Leptospirosis suspected field sea. Western blot confirmed that rLigB is an immunodominant protein against which antibodies are produced during active infection. A total of 453 field sera, including 432 bovine sera, 18 caprine sera and three sera samples of buffalo bull collected post-mortem following death the animal from Indian Veterinary Research institute (IVRI) were tested using rLigB based LAT. The result showed that 300 sera were tested positive by rLigB based LAT, which were reconfirmed using microscopic agglutination test (MAT). The results from LAT were in concordance with MAT. In conclusion, under laboratory and field conditions, rLigB based LAT is a rapid, pen site, reliable diagnostic tool of high sensitivity and specificity for the detection of Leptospirosis. Int. J. Appl. Sci. Biotechnol. Vol 8(2): 146-153

Growth and litter traits in crossbred pigs across the non-genetic factors

Records of 195 crossbred pigs (75 % Landrace + 25% Desi ), raised over a period of 2 years from 2014 to 2015, maintained at the Livestock Production Research (Pigs), Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar, Uttar Pradesh were used in this study to determine the effect of various environmental factors on growth and litter traits. Growth was recorded in terms of body weight at birth and thereafter at weekly interval up to 8 wks and then at 12, 16, 20 and 24 weeks of age. Generation interval had a significant effect on body weights at all ages. Piglets born in first generation had higher growth at most of the study period. Effect of sex was significant on body weight at most of the ages, except at 7, 8, 16 and 24 week. Male piglets had a higher growth at most of the weeks except at birth, 8 and 16 weeks. Piglets born in season II (March, April, May and June) had higher growth at most of the weeks, except at 4 and 5 weeks. Season of birth had a significant effect on body weight at birth, 1, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 16 and 20 weeks of age. Effect of year of birth was significant on body weight at birth, 1, 2, 6, 16 and 20 weeks of age only. Piglets born in 2014 had higher growth at most of the weeks, except at 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 weeks of age. Generation I and II had a significant effect on litter traits, except average weight at birth. Piglets born in second generation had higher litter traits compared to the first generation. Effect of parity of dam was also significant on all litter traits.