Microbioz india medical April 018 by Microbioz India,Laboratory Equipment,Magazines,Pharma and Healthcare News,Laboratory News

12 Cover Story

Attention deficit disorder associated with impaired brain coordination

The edition brings for you a cover story titled “Are we treating Urinary Tract Infections Right?” authored by Dr.Riyaz Sheriff and Dr.Prasobh KK from Department of Microbiology, Azeeia Institute of Medical Sciences & Research, Kollam, Kerala.

Featured Article

New blood test can tell if you are at TB risk

Added to this is an article on “Quality Healthcare & Beyond-PSRI Perspective” authored by Dr. Dipak Shukla, CEO, PSRI Hospital, New Delhi. Further, the edition highlights some of key innovations and developments in the Medical Industry which is coming to the rescue of the people in the coming time by providing the best and affordable healthcare services to common people.

Product Launches

Washington D.C. [USA], Apr 9 (ANI): Scientists have found a new blood test that could predict the onset of Tuberculosis (TB) up to two years in advance.

Revealed! Why sugar, alcohol make us thirsty

Washington D.C. [USA], Apr 13 (ANI): Here's the reason why you feel thirsty after drinking alcohol or consuming sugar.

The edition also covers recent Healthcare news articles and product launches collected from worldwide sources to update the readers with the current trends in the industry

Antiepileptic drugs can increase Alzheimer's risk

Washington D.C. [USA], Apr 9 (ANI): Disharmony between the two regions of the brain can result in attention deficit disorders- such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and major depression.

Washington D.C. [USA], Apr 10 (ANI): People using antiepileptic drugs are at a greater risk of Alzheimer's disease and dementia, finds a study.

EliTechGroup Molecular Diagnostics Receives CE Mark for Respiratory Panel

Microbioz India April 2018

ear friends and readers, a heartfelt thanks to you all for continuously showering your love and blessings for Microbioz India and making this journey amazingly beautiful so far. It is my great pleasure to release for you another yet another issue of Microbioz India with a focus on Health, Medical technology and Equipments. The current edition is an “Event Special Edition” for the upcoming premier event for Medical Equipments & Hospital needs i.e., ‘India Medical Show’ going to be organised this month in Chandigarh. The issue is supported by a cover story titled “Probiotics: Harnessing Microbes as Health Beneficiaries” and is authored by Moiz A. Ansari, Sharda Sharma, Zeeshan Fatima and Saif Hameed, Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University Haryana, Gurgaon. The article emphasizes on the significance of the various probiotics currently in use and its potential as efficient therapeutics. It also talks about the various mechanistic actions through which probiotics perform their functions. Please read it for more information. Added to this is an article on “Digital marketing in Healthcare” authored by Mr. Naveen Sharma, PSRI Hospital, New Delhi. Further, the edition highlights some of key innovations and developments in the Medical Industry which are being launched to make healthcare accessible and affordable to all. It also covers recent Healthcare news articles and product launches collected from worldwide sources to update the readers with the current trends in the industry Dear friends and readers, once again I would like to thank you for your invaluable love and support. As always, we hope that you find value in this issue. We are always eager to receive your valuable feedback and suggestions as they help us come with better content each time. For any further value addition, please write at editor@microbiozindia.com.

Kumar Jeetendra

Cover Story

Probiotics: Harnessing Microbes as Health Beneficiaries Moiz A. Ansari#, Sharda Sharma#, Zeeshan Fatima and Saif Hameed* Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University Haryana, Gurgaon (Manesar)-122413, India. Keywords: probiotics, lactic acid bacteria, Bifidobacteria, microbiota, gastro intestinal tract *Corresponding Author: Dr. Saif Hameed, Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University Haryana, Gurgaon (Manesar)-122413, India. Phone: +91-124-2337015, Ext: 1205. Email: saifhameed@yahoo.co.in # Equal contribution

Abstract

Probiotics are beneficiary microorganisms such as bacteria or yeast that are ingested with our diets and supposed to show the health benefits. In a latin preposition the term ‘probiotic’ means ‘for-life’. The concept of taking live bacteria or yeast may appear bizarre, since the antibiotics are consumed to wrestle against these bacteria or fungi. Moreover, our bodies naturally swarm with these organisms. The digestive system is domicile to more than 500 different types of bacteria. They are obtainable in supplements and foodstuffs, the most common example of our daily lives are curd and yoghurt. Saccharomyces boulardii yeast or lactic acid bacteria, such as Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium species are the major members of probiotics that serves as food and dietary supplements. Lowering intestinal pH, decreasing colonization and invasion by pathogenic organisms, and modifying the host immune response are some of the major mechanistic actions through which probiotics performs their functions. They help in keeping intestines vigorous and support in grasping food. Probiotics are generally considered safe and well tolerated, however should be used cautiously in patients who are critically ill or severely immune-compromised. The present article will emphasize the significance of the various probiotics currently in use and its potential as efficient therapeutics.

Introduction

The definition to the probiotic as given by the Food and Agriculture Organization/World Health

Organization and also customized by Hill et al. (2014), could be defined as “Live microorganisms that, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host” (FAO/WHO, 2001).

The microbiota within the human gastro intestinal tract (GIT) is the multifaceted ecosystem with the substantial role on human health to the daily life.

It assists to improve the immunity and provides with the defense against colonizing of the harmful pathogens (Doré and Corthier, 2010). The GIT consists of the microbes such as bacteria, different bacteriophages, archaea, protozoan, anaerobic fungi and viruses (Tuohy et al. 2012). In a recent study it was also found that microbiota had a huge impact on weight and mood thus affecting our day to day life (Duca et al., 2014; Naseribafrouei et al., 2014). There are huge number of microbes that resides in GIT that can goes upto 5 × 1011 bacterial cells per gram of intestinal contents (Varankovich et al. 2015). Bacteria residing such as Escherichia coli and Streptococcus sp. are the facultative anaerobes

that colonize within the large gut of the infants and metabolize the oxygen within the gut, hence, creates the anaerobic condition. But after the complete development of GI microflora the composition extends to have Bifidobacterium, Bacteroides, Eubacterium, Fusobacterium, Clostridium, Lactobacillus and various Gram-positive cocci.The microbiota within the GIT performs various functions including digestion of essential nutrients and maturation of intestinal epithelial cells (Varankovich et al. 2015). Apart from this microbes do have capability of affecting physiological parameters such as systemic effects on blood lipids, declining the detrimental bacteria as well as have impact on the immunity of human being (Mikelsaar, 2011). Intestinal microbiota also acts as a natural hedge against the pathogens exposure to the GIT. Although it has also be seen through genetic tools that the antibiotic used can influence the microbiota inside the GIT with the effect enduring for more than 2 months (Mangin et al., 1999).

Bacterial probiotics

The health assistances of probiotics include reduction to harmful organisms, producing antimicrobial factors and boosting the immunity. Some of the beneficiary effects of probiotics such as declining the cholesterol level are yet to be elucidated. However, there are an amount of studies showing the beneficiary consequences with probiotic bacteria on the human immunity and on microflora of the Gastrointestinal

Microbioz India April 2018

Cover Story tract (GIT)) (Wen et al., 2012). There are also reports for human as well as animal microbial containments playing an important role in several aspects of health benefits are emerging, including the role on the treatment of metabolic disorders, such as type-2 diabetes and obesity, antidepressant, and anti-anxiety.

This effect has led to the emergence of the new terminology known to be psychobiotic termed by Dinan et al. (2013) as a “live organism that, when ingested in adequate amounts, produces a health benefit in patients suffering from psychiatric illness.” Several probiotic bacteria are commonly available as dairy products. These bacteria are added into various foods and potions, ranging from curd to yogurt. The capsules, tablets, powders and sachets containing probiotics in freeze-dried form are also available for consumption. The scientific interests in probiotics are also expanding nowadays (Table 1). Lactic acid bacteria refer to a large group of beneficial end product as lactic acid producing bacteria that

have similar properties. They are extensively spread in nature and are also found in our GIT. Although they are far well known for their part in the preparation of fermented dairy products, they are also used for manufacturing many fermented products such as bakery products, wine, curing fish and sausages. Although the scientific basis of the probiotics were not known but from the thousands of years long people used lactic acid bacteria to produce cultured foods with improved preservation properties and with specific flavors distinct from the original food. Similarly today, a wide variety of fermented milk products including liquid drinks and semi-solid or firm products like yoghurt and cheese respectively, make good use of these illustrious microbial friends. The fabrication includes a microbial process by which the milk sugar, lactose is converted to lactic acid. Lactic acid also gives fermented milks their slightly quiche taste. The specific flavors and aromas are usually the resultant of different products of lactic acid bacteria. For instance acetaldehyde, provide the aroma of yoghurt, while diacetyl gives a buttery taste to the rest fermented milk. Some other microorganisms such as yeasts can also be added in the culture to provide unique taste. Similarly alcohol and carbon dioxide produced by yeasts contribute to the refreshing, frothy taste of kefir, koumiss and leben. Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus bulgaricus shows symbiotic relationship for yoghurt where each species of bacterium helps to grow the other are key

factors in concern by the manufacture. With yoghurt and other fermented milks there are considerable opportunities for utilizing lactic acid bacteria as probiotic cultures. The world-wide market for these products continues to increase in response to the demands of an increasingly healthconscious public. Lactic acid bacteria are therefore excellent emissary for an often harmful microbial world. They are not only economically useful, but are also showing promising effects in maintaining and promoting human health. Lactobacillus bulgarius is a lactic acid bacterium that may appear as a long and filamentous shape. It is used for the production of yoghurt. It promotes the growth of beneficial bacteria that establish a balanced gastrointestinal tract environment. Lactobacillus reuteri is a bacterium that naturally resides within the gut of aves and mammals. It produces reuterin (3-hydroxypropionaldehyde), a broadspectrum antibiotic, active against bacteria, yeast, fungi, protozoa, and viruses. Lactobacillus rhamnosus is facultative anaerobic bacteria that help in treating vaginal infections and genitourinary tract infections. Lactobacillus salivarius is a bacterium which is found in the gastrointestinal tract help to suppressed pathogenic bacteria. Lactobacillus plantarum is gram positive, commonly found in fermented food products. It produces lactic acid which inhibits the growth of gastrointestinal tract pathogens, decrease irritable bowel syndrome and reduced pain.

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Cover Story

Table 1: Various bacteria commonly used as probiotics Bacteria

Role

References

Lactobacillus reuteri It produces reuterin (3 hydroxypropionaldehyde), a broad-spectrum antibiotic, and active against bacteria, yeast, fungi, protozoa, and viruses.

Cleusix et al, Glycerol induces reuterin production and decreases Escherichia coli population in an in vitro model of colonic fermentation with immobilized human feces. FEMS Microbiology Ecology. 2008; 63(1):56–64.

Lactobacillus casei

It is effective in eliminating Giardia infection from mice. .

Shukla et al, Effect of Lactobacillus casei as a probiotic on modulation of giardiasis. Dig Dis Sci. 2008;53(10):2671–2679

Lactobacillus bulgaricus

It produces antimicrobial agents which is involved in the inhibition of growth of pathogen and control of intestinal infections.

Salminen et al, Lactic acid bacteria in the gut in normal and disordered states. Dig Dis. 1992;10(4):227-38

Lactobacillus rhamnosus

It provides mucosal support by adhering to the mucosal membrane, inhibiting bacterial or fungal vaginal infections. It produces lactic acid, which inhibits the growth of gastrointestinal tract pathogens, and prevents flatulence. It also effect on irritable bowel syndrome. It has ability to suppress the growth of gas producing bacterium in the intestines and effective against irritable bowel syndrome.

Heyman M. Effect of lactic acid bacteria on diarrheal diseases. J Am Coll Nutr. 2000 ;19 (2 Suppl):137S-146S .

Bifidobacterium lactis

It has been shown beneficial effects on metabolism including lowered serum LDL-cholesterol in patients with type 2 diabetes, increased HDL cholesterol in adult women and improved glucose tolerance during pregnancy.

Ejtahed et al, Effect of probiotic yogurt containing Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium lactis on lipid profile in individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus. J Dairy Sci. 2011;94(7):3288–94.

Bacillus fragilis NCTC 9343

It is responsible for synthesis of polysaccharide A, which Mazmanian et al, A microbial symbiosis factor prevents intestinal protects against experimental colitis through an adequate inflammatory disease. Nature. 2008;453(7195):620–625. induction of IL-10 production. It reduces risks of AAD (antibiotic-associated diarrhea). Ripudaman et al, A andomized Trial of Yogurt for Prevention of Antibiotic-Associated diarrhea. Dig Dis Sci .2003; 48 (10): 2077–2082.

Lactobacillus salivarius Lactobacillus plantarum

Streptococcus thermophilus Bifidobacterium animalis

It protects intestine from damage induced by zinc deficiency in rats.

Bifidobacterium Infantis

It reduces intestinal inflammation and effective for the irritable bowel syndrome.

Bifidobacterium longum

It reduced the incidence of influenza infection and fever.

Bifidobacterium thermophilum

It produces a bacteriocin which is active against Listeria spp.

Bifidobacteria

Bifidobacteria are also gram positive but apart from lactic acid bacteria they are non spore-forming, non motile, rod-shaped anaerobes but similar to lactic acid bacteria they also produce acetic and lactic acids from carbohydrates without the generation of CO2. They are found in fermented food having antimicrobial compounds enhancing probiotics properties. In normal diet bifidobacteria include their ability to prevent the propagation of enterococci and clostridia in the intestine, improvement of immune response system, hypocholesteraemic effect, anti carcinogenic effect etc. Bifidobacterium animalis, an anaerobic bacteria found in the large intestine of most mammals, including humans. It is present in many food

Neville et al, "Probiotic properties of Lactobacillus salivarius and closely related Lactobacillus species." Future Microbiol.2010; 5 (5): 759–74. Bixquert Jiménez et al, "Treatment of irritable bowel syndrome with probiotics: An etiopathogenic approach at last?" Rev Esp Enferm Dig. . 2009; 101 (8): 553–64.

Mengheri et al, Bifidobacterium animalis Protects Intestine from Damage Induced by Zinc Deficiency in Rats. J Nutr. 1999 ;129(12):22517. Brenner et al, Bifidobacterium infantis 35624: a novel probiotic for the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome. Rev Gastroenterol Disord. 2009;9(1):7-15.. Namba et al, Effects of Bifidobacterium longum BB536 administration on influenza infection, influenza vaccine antibody titer, and cell-mediated immunity in the elderly. Biosci Biotechnol Biochem. 2010;74(5):939-945 Christoph et al, Complete Genome Sequence of the Probiotic Bifidobacterium thermophilumStrain RBL67, Genome Announc. 2013; 1(3): e00191-13

products and dietary supplements. Similarly, Bifidobacterium infantis is a probiotic bacterium with unique abilities to reduce intestinal inflammation and effective for the irritable bowel syndrome (Brenner and Chey; 2009). Bifidobacterium longum is a gram positive, non pathogenic probiotic that is found naturally in the GIT. It reduces the incidence of influenza infection, fever and improves the immune function. (Schell et al.; 2002; Namba et al. 2010). Bifidobacterium thermophilum is a gram positive, probiotic bacterium produces a bacteriocin-like inhibitory substance (BLIS) that is active against Listeria spp. and protection HT29-MTX cells from salmonella infection. (Christoph et al.; 2013). Yeasts as probiotics Among the long history of triumphant use in handling of numerous gastrointestinal disorders

Saccharomyces boulardii is one of the best-studied probiotic species. The use of yeast in lyophilized form was found effectual in cases of diarrhea by decreasing the age of the disease, independent of its cause (Shan et al., 2013). S. boulardii also prevents and treat relapses of inflammatory bowel disease, with mild cases of ulcerative colitis (Choi et al., 2011). It has also been reported by Lim et al. (2015) that yeasts can enhance the growth of other probiotics under acidic conditions. However, in comparison to bacterial probiotics, the efficiency of yeast probiotics is limited.

Disadvantages of probiotics

Although probiotics are painstakingly safe overall for healthy people but several side effects may comprise mild gas and swelling leading to not always expected good effects. Some may over-stimulate the

Microbioz India April 2018

Cover Story Immune system or negatively affect metabolic pathways such as carbohydrate metabolism. During immune-compromised conditions, having certain bowel problems or critically ill in some way, one should avoid probiotics unless the doctor’s prescription. At the time of pregnancy probiotics should be used cautiously. In a recent study it was stated that probiotics are known to react with certain drug like sulfasalazine. Due to the faster metabolism of these drugs and high accumulation in the body because of probiotics shows the harmful side of the useful microbes. Despite an excellent record of safe use in yeasts, they may still be the cause of localized infections in immunecompromised patients (Thygesen et al., 2012). There are numerous traits such as probiotic strain identification, characterization, screening, understanding the mechanism of action for specific disease which requires utter attention. The probiotic delivery is another area which requires much expansion and exploration as probiotics are liable to process an environment. As part of probiotic delivery it is needed to explore new vector and investigating new technology along with improving the current techniques for the delivery of probiotics. Efforts are also to be made for emerging suitable and efficient in-vitro and in-vivo strategies so that proper and efficient products, which have also evaluated on the ground of risk benefit comparison with existing treatment can reach the market.

Conclusion

Presently the use of probiotic as an alternate therapeutic approach is in primitive stage. Probiotic is continuously proving its potential as a significant

problems to cancer. Probiotic as an alternative strategy for therapeutic approach require much more attention at clinical stage to prove the impact for the therapeutic efficiency.

References  FAO/WHO. (2001). Report of a Joint FAO/WHO Expert Consultation on Evaluation of Health, and Nutritional Properties of Probiotics in Food Including Powder Milk with Live Lactic Acid Bacteria (Córdoba:Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, World Health Organization)  J. Doré and G. Corthier. The human intestinal microbiota. Gastro entérol. Clin. Biol. 2010; 34, S7–S15. doi:10.1016/S03998320(10)70002-6.  K.M. Tuohy, L. Conterno, M. Gasperotti, R. Viola. Up-regulating the human intestinal microbiome using whole plant foods, polyphenols, and/or fiber. J. Agric. Food Chem. 2012; 60, 8776–8782. doi:10.1021/jf2053959.  F. Duca, Y. Sakar, P. Lepage, F. Devime, B. Langelier and J. Doré. Replication of obesity and associated signaling pathways through transfer of microbiota from obeepronerats. Diabetes Metab. Res. Rev. 2014; 63, 1624–1636.  Naseribafrouei, K. Hestad, E. Avershina, M. Sekelja, A. Linløkken, R. Wilson et al.



 



 approach for the healthcare management and find relevance in several diseases from simple digestive

Correlation between the human fecal microbiota and depression.

Neurogastroenterol. Motil. 2014; 26, 1155– 1162.doi:10.1111/nmo.12378. N.V. Varankovich, M.T. Nickerson and Korber DR. Probiotic-based strategies for therapeutic and prophylactic use against multiple gastrointestinal diseases. Front. Microbiol. 2015; 6:685. M. Mikelsaar. Human microbial ecology: Lactobacilli, probiotics, selective decontamination. Anaerobe. 2011; 17, 463– 467. Mangin, Y. Bouhnik, N. Bisetti B. Decaris. Molecular monitoring of human intestinal Bifidobacterium strain diversity. Res. Microbiol. 1999; 150, 343– 350. K. Wen, G. Li, T. Bui, F. Liu, Y. Li, J. Kocher. High dose and low dose Lactobacillus acidophilus exerted differential immune modulating effects on T cell immune responses induced by an oral human rota virus vaccine ingnoto biotic pigs. Vaccine. 2012; 30, 1198–1207. T.G. Dinan, C. Stanton, and J.F. Cryan. Psychobiotics: an ovel class of psychotropic. Biol. Psych. 2013;74, 720–726. D.M. Brenner and W.D. Chey. Bifidobacterium infantis 35624: a novel probiotic for the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome. 2009; Winter; 9(1):7-15. M.A. Schell, M. Karmirantzou, B. Snel, D. Vilanova, B. Berger, G. Pessi, M.C. Zwahlen, F. Desiere, P. Bork, M. Delley, R.D. Pridmore, F. Arigoni. The genome sequence of Bifidobacterium longum reflects its adaptation to the human gastrointestinal tract. 2002; Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences; 99 (22): 14422– 14427.doi:10.1073/pnas.212527599. PMC 1 37899. PMID 12381787. K. Namba, M. Hatano, T. Yaeshima, M. Takase, K. Suzuki. Effects of Bifidobacterium longum BB536 administration on influenza infection, influenza vaccine antibody titer, and cell-mediated immunity in the elderly. Biosci Biotechnol Biochem. 2010;74:939945. J. Christoph, L. Christophe, F. Rainer and J.A. Marc. Complete genome sequence of the probiotic Bifidobacterium thermophilum strain RBL67, Genome Announc. 2013; 1(3): e00191-13. L.S. Shan, P. Hou, Z.J. Wang, F.R. Liu, N. Chen, L.H. Shu et al. Prevention and treatment of diarrhea with Saccharomyces boulardii in children with acute lower respiratory tract infections. Benef. Microbes. 2013; 4, 329– 334.doi:10.3920/BM2013.0008. C.H. Choi, S.Y. Jo, H.J. Park, S.K. Chang, J.S. Byeon, S.J. Myung. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled multi center trial of Saccharomyces boulardii inirritable bowel syndrome:effecton quality of life. J. Clin. Gastroenterol. 2011; 45, 679– 683.doi:10.1097/MCG.0b013e31820 4593e. P.L. Lim, M. Toh, and S.Q. Liu. Saccharomyces cerevisiae EC-1118 enhances the survivability of probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus HN001 in an acidic environment. Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 2015; 99(16):6803-11. J.B. Thygesen, H. Glerup, B. Tarp. Saccharomyces boulardii fungemia caused by treatment with a probioticum. BMJ Case Rep. 2012.

Microbioz India April 2018

Guest Posts

Digital Marketing in Healthcare Over the last few years, we have seen boom in digital marketing. It has started infusing in almost every industry. While it was possible earlier to do things without digital marketing and go for more traditional methods, today, however, healthcare digital marketing are indispensable. The main reason is a huge number of people are not only becoming active online but are also looking for solutions to their problems online. This being the case, PSRI take a step forward to adopt digital marketing for the better treatment & benefit of the patients.

It has been observed that approx. Over 40% of consumers say that information found through social media affects the way they deal with their & family health, in that 90% of respondents, aged from1824 years said they would trust medical information shared people on their social media networks.

Even a according to a recent study done in PSRI, 54% of patients are more comfortable with their providers seeking advice from online communities to better treat their problems. This shows that a lot of people are comfortable in

Mr. Naveen Sharma GM Operations & Head Business Development PSRI Hospital

perceiving the Internet to be beneficial for the exchange of relevant information even about their health. Here in PSRI we had taken steps towards the benefit of the patient through digital marketing like now we are equipped with device responsive & user friendly website, 24X7 Web Chat for Patient support, online Appointment, educational videos of treatment (pre & post) for the patients, Online pathology & radiology Reports viz a viz we are sending camp & event information to the patients by emails, Msg, Facebook so that patients should have sound knowledge of the doctors Available & facilitates.

By using the above facilitates offered by PSRI, now we can say we are trying to remove the mental burden of the patient mind as we all know that treatment journey is not easy for anyone but by using the online mediums we are trying to make it convenient for the patients.

For betterment of the patients we also have special & dedicated call center who are taking feedback from the patients about the services availed because we always think that learning is ongoing process & to create full proof system is it necessary to take the feedbacks & update the system on certain time intervals. As digital is not having any boundaries so for there is lot of scope in it, but being a hospital it is very challenging & beneficial as the same time, because digital is creating a bridge between the patients & hospitals & it is a very good source to educate the patient about the treatment & also helpful to remove many hassles, myths from the mind of the patient.

Microbioz India April 2018

Guest Posts

Staan Bio-Med Engineering Private Limited

Leading manufacturer of C-ARM Compatible Operating Tables, Surgical OT Lights, Surgical Instruments, Critical Care Devices, Hospital Furniture STAAN Bio-Med Engineering Private Limited was established in the year 1995, which is a leading manufacturer of C-ARM Compatible Operating Tables, Surgical OT Lights, Surgical Instruments, Critical Care Devices, Hospital Furniture and much more. Our organization is an ISO 9001:2015 & EN ISO 13485:2016 Certified Company. Earning its recognition from world’s leading certification bodies like DNV, TUV SUD, ITC, etc. And all our products are CE Marked and US FDA Registered. STAAN has Pan India Operation and is located at “Coimbatore – The Manchester of South India” in Tamil Nadu with excellent infrastructure and well equipped with the latest technology.

It was started with the motto “Technology at your Reach” and today, within 20 years of its establishment we have convinced our performance to our customers worldwide and entrenched ourselves as a competitive manufacturer & exporter of medical devices.

With over 4500 satisfied customers in more than 10 countries; STAAN has expanded its brands to MACFLAV, RALPH and ALOYSIUS which

provides wide range of Surgical Lights, German Stainless Steel Surgical Instruments and Implants respectively. STAAN has successfully involved itself in setting up more than 500 hospital projects; particularly in Orthopaedics, Gynaecology & Obstetrics, Neuro, Vascular Surgery, Laparoscopy, Gastroenterology, Spine Surgery and all General Surgery OTs & ICUs. STAAN is committed in bringing innovative business strategies and expand its customer support network that would provide solutions to health care providers. STAAN has advanced Research and Development wing which is fully resourced with high standard testing and analysis laboratory. Our research engineers work vigorously in order to develop new products and to provide outstanding solutions in the field of healthcare industry. STAAN’s research laboratory is well equipped with design lab, styling lab, software and hardware development lab, testing and analysis lab and much more. We are an approved rate contract supplier to Tamil Nadu Medical Service Corporation Limited-Chennai (TNMSC), Andhra Pradesh Medical Service & Infrastructure Development Corporation-Hyderabad (APMSIDC), Karnataka State Drugs Logistics and Warehouse Society (KDLWS), Orissa Small Industries Corporation Ltd (OSIC), Directorate of Health ServicesMumbai (DHS), Directorate General Armed Force Medical Services Indian Army (DGAMS), Godrej & Boyce Manufacturing Company Ltd-Kolkata, Employees State Insurance (ESI) and many more. We regularly participate in National and International events like: MEDICALL, ARAB HEALTH, WIROC, GOACON, TNOACON, USICON, TNPASICON, IOACON, MEDICAL FAIR INDIA, etc.

Microbioz India April 2018

News Updates

Antiepileptic drugs can increase Alzheimer's risk

Washington D.C. [USA], Apr 10 (ANI): People using antiepileptic drugs are at a greater risk of Alzheimer's disease and dementia, finds a study. Researchers at the University of Eastern Finland and the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, DZNE, stated that continuous use of antiepileptic drugs for a period exceeding one year was associated with a 15 percent increased risk of Alzheimer's disease in the Finnish dataset, and with a 30 percent increased risk of dementia in the German dataset. Some antiepileptic drugs are known to impair cognitive function, which refers to all different aspects of information processing. When the researchers compared different antiepileptic drugs, they found that the risk of Alzheimer's disease and dementia was specifically associated with drugs that impair cognitive function.

These drugs were associated with a 20 percent increased risk of Alzheimer's disease and with a 60 percent increased risk of dementia. The researchers also found that the higher the dose of a drug that impairs cognitive function, the higher the risk of dementia. However, other antiepileptic drugs, i.e. those which do not impair cognitive processing, were not associated with the risk.

"More research should be conducted into the long-term cognitive effects of these drugs, especially among older people," Senior Researcher Heidi Taipale from the University of Eastern Finland said. The association of antiepileptic drug use with Alzheimer's disease was assessed in Finnish persons diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease and their controls without the disease. This study is part of the nationwide register-based MEDALZ study, which includes all 70,718 persons diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in Finland during 2005-2011 and their 282,862 controls.

The association of antiepileptic drug use with dementia was investigated in a sample from a large German statutory health insurance provider, Allgemeine Ortskrankenkasse (AOK). The dataset includes 20,325 persons diagnosed with dementia in 2004-2011, and their 81,300 controls. The study has been published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. (ANI)

Attention deficit disorder associated with impaired brain coordination

Washington D.C. [USA], Apr 9 (ANI): Disharmony between the two regions of the brain can result in attention deficit disorders- such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and major depression. Researchers from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine suggest these symptoms could be due to dysfunction in a gene-ErbB4-that helps different brainregions communicate.

The gene is a known risk factor for psychiatric disorders, and is required to maintain healthy neurotransmitter levels in the brain. Researchers showed mice lacking ErbB4 activity in specific brain regions performed poorly on timed attention tasks. The mice struggled to pay attention and remember visual cues associated with food. Neuroscientists describe the kind of thought-driven attention required for the tasks as "top-down attention." Top-down attention is goal-oriented, and

Microbioz India April 2018

News Updates related to focus. People who lack efficient top-down attention are at a higher risk for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). "The results reveal a mechanism for top-down attention, which could go wrong in attention disorders," said corresponding author Lin Mei. "And since ErbB4 is a risk factor for schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depression, the results provide insights into mechanisms of these disorders." When the researchers attached probes to the mice to measure brain activity, they found mice without ErbB4 had brain regions that were acting independently, rather than together in synchrony. In particular, the researchers studied the prefrontal cortex-normally associated with decision-making-and the hippocampus-a region that supports memory. These two regions coordinate for a variety of brain tasks, including memory and attention.

"We found top-down attention, previously thought to be controlled by the prefrontal cortex, also involves the hippocampus in a manner where the two regions are highly synchronized when attention is high," said Mei. "Our findings give importance to synchrony between the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus in top-down attention and open up the possibility that attention deficit disorders, like ADHD, might involve impairments in the synchrony between these two regions."

According to the new study, ErbB4 coordinates a cascade of brain signals that "bridge" the two regions. ErbB4 itself encodes a receptor found on the surface of brain cells. The study found that when a protein (neuregulin-1) attaches to the ErbB4 receptor, it triggers a chain reaction that ultimately determines neurotransmitter levels in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus. Without ErbB4, neurotransmitter levels go awry. The researchers discovered mice lacking ErbB4 have low levels of a particular neurotransmitter-GABA, or gamma-aminobutyric acid-in their brain. Low GABA levels can lead to impaired top-down attention in the prefrontal cortex, and impairs how the prefrontal cortex can efficiently coordinate with the hippocampus. The researchers concluded that ErbB4 helps link the two brain regions to maintain attention. The study has been published in the journal Neuron. (ANI)

Now window for anticancer therapies can be determined

Washington D.C. [U.S.A.], Apr 09 (ANI): Turns out, the time frame for anticancer therapies can be determined now with the help of biomarkers. According to a study conducted by Elsevier, a vascular stabilisation biomarker can visualise blood vessel activity, thus optimising the timing of

anticancer therapies including anti-angiogenics. Angiogenesis, the formation of new blood vessels, is essential for tumour growth. Combination therapy using angiogenesis inhibitors and anticancer drugs can improve drug delivery into tumour tissues and prolong progression-free survival. "Vascular normalisation by angiogenesis inhibitors, such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) signalling inhibitors, is a promising method for improvement of chemotherapy. However, it is unclear how we can recognise the 'window of opportunity' for the tumour vascular normalising period for the effective timing of anticancer drug treatment. Therefore, biomarkers delineating this window are essential," explained researcher Nobuyuki Takakura. Researchers showed that active proliferating vascular endothelial cells (ECs) in mice could be distinguished from dormant ones. "Our data showed that PSF1-promotor-EGFP mice may be utilised to visualise proliferating ECs by their EGFP expression," commented Takakura. These results enabled researchers to successfully distinguish between proangiogenic ECs and quiescent ECs by their PSF1 gene promoter activity, which is associated with DNA replication and rapid proliferation of somatic cells. Therefore, CD109 expression in ECs marked normalized or silenced blood vessels in the tumour vasculature. "Since CD109 is highly expressed in dormant ECs, we suggest it can be used to detect normalized blood vessels, thus allowing identification of the 'window of opportunity' for optimal delivery of chemotherapeutics," remarked Takakura. Though angiogenesis therapy is clinically used to suppress tumour growth, unfortunately, monotherapy using anti-angiogenics such as VEGF signalling inhibitors does not effectively suppress tumour growth in patients. Adding an anti-angiogenic drug can boost an anticancer drug's effectiveness. Basic research indicated that anti-angiogenic therapy allows the blood vessels to return to quiescence and "normalise" so that the anticancer drug can penetrate the tumour more effectively. The study appears in The American Journal of Pathology. (ANI)

New blood test can tell if you are at TB risk

Washington D.C. [USA], Apr 9 (ANI): Scientists have found a new blood test that could predict the onset of Tuberculosis (TB) up to two years in advance. A blood test that predicts the development of TB without putting large numbers of lower-risk people through unnecessary preventative treatment is not currently available. Researchers from international research

consortium reported that they developed and validated a blood test that measures the expression levels of four genes that can more accurately predict the development of TB in high-risk patients in Sub-Saharan Africa. "We found that this prediction [up to two years before the onset of the disease is possible through measurements of a combination of a four-gene signature in the blood," said lead author Gerhard Walzl, Professor at the Stellenbosch University in South Africa. "This signature, known as 'RISK4,' was found to be present in all cohorts in the study, from South Africa, Gambia and Ethiopia. RISK4 is a combination of four genes associated with inflammatory responses." Focusing on people who lived with someone with active TB, the research team enrolled 4,466 HIV-negative, healthy study participants from the households of 1,098 index cases (people with active TB, who allowed the researchers to enroll members of their household who did not have TB in its active stage). Blood samples were taken from the 4,466 study participants and stored. At the end of the initial study period, when it was apparent who had progressed to TB and who hadn't, the blood samples of 79 individuals who progressed to active TB between 3 and 24 months following exposure, and 328 who remained healthy during the 2 years of follow up, were analyzed. (Due to the cost of the tests, the blood samples of the other study participants were not tested.) Various biosignatures - combinations of gene or protein levels that together result in a test readout that relates to current or future risk of developing the condition - were measured.

Microbioz India April 2018

News Updates "The individual components of this signature may not be sufficient to deliver an accurate diagnosis of prediction, but a combination of these markers improves its accuracy," said Walzl. A number of companies have the ability to develop tests that measure the presence of these four genes. "We are hoping that primary health clinics will be able to use such a test and the reagents would then be readily available in that format, similar to the tests that are currently used to diagnose TB," added Walzl. While there are currently tests on the market that may predict progression to TB, the test developed by Prof. Walzl and colleagues gives positive results for a smaller percentage of high-risk household contacts than the current tests. This translates to fewer people being treated unnecessarily in order to prevent TB. "Preventative treatment is several weeks long and has potential side effects," explained Walzl. "One wants to limit the number of people who have to undergo such treatment to those most likely to be at risk for developing active TB." The research is published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. (ANI)

UT Southwestern researchers, in their study, have identified a hormone that acts on the brain to increase the desire to drink water in response to specific nutrient stresses that can cause dehydration. The findings are reported by Dr. David Mangelsdorf and Dr. Steven Kliewer - who have run a joint laboratory at UT Southwestern since 2002. "We knew that exposure to alcohol or sugar turns on production of hormone FGF21 in the liver. What we now show is that this hormone then travels in the blood to a specific part of the brain, the hypothalamus, to stimulate thirst, thereby preventing dehydration," said Dr. Kliewer. "Unexpectedly, FGF21 works through a new pathway that is independent of the classical renin-angiotensin-aldosterone thirst pathway in the kidneys." In mice, the study revealed, the hormone regulated hydration (water drinking) in response to nutrient stress. In one experiment, the researchers found that normal mice and mice genetically unable to produce FGF21 drank similar amounts of water when given the typical chow diet. However, a high-fat/low-carbohydrate ketogenic diet stimulated water drinking in normal mice while mice genetically unable to produce FGF21 failed to increase water intake in response to that nutritional stress. Those findings confirmed the hormone's role in the signaling pathway, the researchers said. A second important finding in this study is the very strong response to the hormone in humans, Dr. Kliewer said. In that part of the research, 21 study participants at the Medical University of Graz in Austria were randomly assigned to drink either a mixture of alcohol and juice, or juice alone. Hourly over four hours, researchers measured their FGF21 blood levels. In response to alcohol, FGF21 levels peaked at around two hours and fell after that. "This suggests that FGF21 might someday be used as a drug to limit alcohol consumption and protect against its effects in people," said Dr. Mangelsdorf. "Those findings also suggest that FGF21 is regulated the same way in humans as in mice and that the process involves the expression and activation of certain proteins in the brain."

Revealed! Why sugar, alcohol make us thirsty Washington D.C. [USA], Apr 13 (ANI): Here's the reason why you feel thirsty after drinking alcohol or consuming sugar.

The FGF21-induced thirst response appears to depend on another signaling pathway in the hypothalmus, the Ă&#x;-adrenergic circuit, the researchers said. "There are old studies from the 1970s suggesting that this pathway might regulate thirst. Our data suggest that FGF21 might work through that pathway as well," said Dr. Mangelsdorf. The findings appear in the journal Cell Metabolism. (ANI)

Product Launches

Healthcare Product Launches EliTechGroup Molecular Diagnostics Receives CE Mark for Respiratory Panel

EliTechGroup Molecular Diagnostics, Puteaux, France, has launched a multiplex assay, the respiratory bacterial Elite MGB panel, for the diagnosis of bacterial respiratory infections. The panel was validated using the Elite InGenius, the company’s fully automated sample-to-result system. In combination with Elite InGenius, the CE-marked panel is specifically designed to detect and differentiate C. pneumoniae, L. pneumophila, and M. pneumoniae in a single reaction. In its clinical study, the panel demonstrated 100% sensitivity and 100% specificity for all targets.

Christoph Gauer, EliTechGroup.

“We are proud to extend the Elite InGenius respiratory menu, which now enables laboratories to diagnose the main relevant virus and bacteria involved in respiratory infections,” says Christoph Gauer, chief executive of EliTechGroup. “Aligned with our menu expansion strategy, this new assay strengthens the Elite InGenius [offering], providing our customers with the largest CE IVD menu for infectious disease testing available on an integrated sample-to-result solution.” The respiratory menu will be further broadened in the coming months, with a new real-time polymerase chain reaction assay for the detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis species associated with multidrug resistance to rifampicin and isoniazid. For more information: https://www.elitechgroup.com/

David Brunel, Biodesix.

The collaboration will focus on analysis of the circulating proteome of advanced melanoma patients treated with Checkmate’s investigational checkpoint inhibitor CMP-001 in combination with pembrolizumab (Keytruda), and will make use of Biodesix’s proprietary Diagnostic Cortex artificial intelligence-based biomarker discovery platform.1The platform enables the development of clinically-relevant proteomic liquid biopsy tests. CMP-001 is a first-in-class CpG-A oligonucleotide that activates the innate immune system via toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9). The combination therapy with CMP-001 and pembrolizumab has the potential to improve the response rate of cancer patients receiving checkpoint inhibitor therapies and to increase the magnitude and duration of the patients’ antitumor responses, providing added clinical benefit. Biodesix is developing new blood tests to identify patients who may benefit from immunotherapies. In addition to developing novel diagnostics independently, the company partners with biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies such as Checkmate to develop companion diagnostics for use with therapeutic agents. A serum-based diagnostic test, if found to be associated with a favorable response to CMP-001, could prove to be clinically useful for identifying patients more likely to benefit from the combination therapy. “Immunotherapies have been shown to offer great clinical benefit for some patients,” says David Brunel, CEO of Biodesix. “Our biomarker development platform facilitates the development of new therapies by ensuring that before they come to market, characteristics of the patients who can benefit the most from them have already been identified. We are happy to be providing this service for Checkmate and their promising combination therapy, CMP-001.”

Biodesix Announces Biomarker Research Collaboration with Checkmate Pharmaceuticals Molecular diagnostics company Biodesix Inc, Boulder, Colo, has entered into a biomarker research collaboration with Checkmate Pharmaceuticals, Cambridge, Mass, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing novel approaches for cancer immunotherapy.

Art Krieg, Checkmate.

“We’re looking forward to working with Biodesix on this research collaboration to identify patients more likely to benefit from the combination of CMP-001 and anti-PD-1 immunotherapy,” says Art Krieg, CEO of Checkmate.

Microbioz India April 2018

Product Launches References Weber JS, Sznol M, Sullivan RJ, et al. A serum protein signature associated with outcome after anti-PD-1 therapy in metastatic melanoma. Cancer Immunol Res.2018;6(1):79–86; doi: 10.1158/2326-6066.cir-17-0412.

FDA Clears Siemens POC Blood Gas Tests

Syngene Introduces New Red InGenius3 Gel Doc Compact, CostEffective System puts Scientists in Control of their Gel Imaging

Syngene, a world-leading manufacturer of image analysis solutions, is delighted to introduce its new red InGenius3 gel documentation system. Designed with a small darkroom which scientists can use with a choice of UV, blue and white lighting, the InGenius3 is excellent for laboratories looking for a versatile, budget system to accurately image both DNA and protein gels.

Siemens Healthineers, Tarrytown, NY, has received FDA premarket notification (510(k)) clearance for its blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and total carbon dioxide (TCO2) point-of-care (POC) tests to aid in the diagnosis of renal diseases and metabolic imbalances. The assays expand precision medicine performed at the patient bedside to enable faster clinical decisionmaking.

Siemens Healthineers now can provide a full blood analysis menu on a single test card, enabling clinicians to perform all of the tests at the patient bedside using the company’s handheld Epoc blood analysis system. Such a broad menu benefits clinical service lines that routinely perform blood analysis, including cardiac catheterization labs, critical care units, emergency departments, outpatient centers, and radiology departments.

“These new assays will expand the patient information clinicians can access sooner to help rule-in or rule-out potential diagnoses more quickly,” says Michael Sampson, senior vice president of point-of-care diagnostics for North America at Siemens Healthineers. “Rapid, informed diagnoses and treatment decisions at the patient side ultimately aids in improving clinical outcomes.” Combined with creatinine and an estimated glomular filtration rate (eGFR)— both also available on the Epoc system—BUN testing can aid in the differential diagnosis of renal and metabolic diseases. With other parameters that comprise a basic metabolic panel currently available at the point of care from Siemens Healthineers, TCO2 testing can aid clinicians in assessing acid base and metabolic imbalances, and making changes in therapy where necessary. The Epoc blood analysis system delivers a full menu of results, including chloride, creatinine, glucose, hematocrit, ionized calcium, lactate, partial pressure of carbon dioxide, partial pressure of oxygen, pH, potassium, sodium—and soon BUN and TCO2. Results are provided in less than 1 minute, and are easily integrated into any laboratory information system. For more information: https://www.siemens.com/global/en/home.html

The InGenius3 gel doc features a 3-million-pixel CCD camera, integrated to a compact light-tight darkroom and overhead Epi LED white lighting for perfect gel positioning. The darkroom has a slide out drawer which can accommodate UV, blue and white lighting options, allowing users the flexibility to image fluorescent and visibly stained gels. The system can be connected to the laboratory’s choice of PC and is controlled by protocoldriven GeneSys software, which selects the best combination of filters and lighting available, making it easy to set up an InGenius3 to detect nanogram amounts of DNA and protein on gels of up to 20cm x 20cm. Using a new InGenius3, scientists are in control of their imaging as the manual camera makes it easy to change the aperture, zoom and focus to capture precise gel images. Users can also choose which lighting they would like. For example, the InGenius3 can be used with a UV transilluminator for ethidium bromide gels, a blue light transilluminator or blue converter screen for SYBR® Safe and GelGreen™ DNA gels and there is a White Light Converter screen option for scientists who need to visualise protein gels stained with Coomassie Blue or silver. The InGenius3 system comes complete with unlimited copies of GeneTools image analysis software, enabling scientists to rapidly calculate molecular weight and DNA or protein quantity, as well as store or print high resolution and publication quality images on any computer, as and when they need to.

“Researchers want to be in control of their gel imaging and often need the flexibility to use safer DNA dyes or analyse their gels at another computer”, explains Dr Martin Biggs, Sales Manager at Syngene. “By introducing our new InGenius3 gel doc we’re offering a really cost-effective choice for these scientists. With so many lighting options and analysis software for every user, producing

Microbioz India April 2018

Product Launches the best gel images in the way they want to do it, is simplicity itself.”

materials and functional groups in multiple sizes to meet your need for research and industrial prospect development. For more information: https://www.creative-diagnostics.com/ Story source/author : Creative Diagnostics

For more information: http://www.syngeneintl.com/

Histology in 3D: New Staining Method Enables Nano-CT Imaging of Tissue Samples

Creative Diagnostics Introduces Carbon Nanotube for Bio-community

With years of experience in the pharmaceutical and life sciences sector, Creative Diagnostics launches high quality carbon nanotubes including single-walled, double-walled and multiwalled structures with different size and surface modifications to accelerate the development of scientific research. The new product can be widely used in advanced composite materials, hydrogen storage, lithium-battery anodes, drug delivery, solar cells, sensors, bioimaging, etc.

To date, examining patient tissue samples has meant cutting them into thin slices for histological analysis.

This might now be set to change – thanks to a new staining method devised by an interdisciplinary team from the Technical University of Munich (TUM). This allows specialists to investigate three-dimensional tissue samples using the Nano-CT system also recently developed at TUM. Tissue sectioning is a routine procedure in hospitals, for instance to investigate tumors. As the name implies, it entails cutting samples of body tissue into thin slices, then staining them and examining them under a microscope. Medical professionals have long dreamt of the possibility of examining the entire, three-dimensional tissue sample and not just the individual slices. The most obvious way forward here lies in computed tomography (CT) scanning – also a standard method used in everyday clinical workflows.

These carbon nanotubes are manufactured by catalytic chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method and available with various options, ranging from regular nanotubes to short-length, aligned, dispersible or functionalized nanotubes. All the products are subjected to a rigorous QC in order to ensure a high quality and reproducibility.

Creative Diagnostics also provides fluorescent carbon quantum dots (C-dots) with high quality and quantum yield. C-dots possess attractive properties of high stability, good conductivity, low toxicity, environmental friendliness, simple synthetic route as well as comparable optical properties to quantum dots. Graphene and graphene oxide with different layers and sizes, which can be used in advanced composite materials, batteries, solar cells, supercapacitors, catalysts, biosensors and drug delivery, are also available at Creative Diagnostics.

"We offer carbon nanomaterials with both small research quantity and large industrial scale. You can find more specific and quality products including Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes, Double-Walled Carbon Nanotubes, MultiWalled Carbon Nanotubes, and Graphene at Creative Diagnostics now. In addition, custom production for specifically functionalized carbon nanomaterials is also available for your unique requirements.” said Dr. Jessica Waldorf, chief scientific officer of R&D department, at Creative Diagnostics. "Given the vast range of application of nanoparticles in biological and medical domain, we are committed to expanding our portfolio of nanoparticles for all bio-researchers," explained Dr. Randy S. Vaughn, senior researcher at Creative Diagnostics. "The addition of the carbon nanotube now provides laboratories with another tool that will help drive researchers’ understanding of their projects and enable development of potential strategies for future application in precision medicine." For more detailed information on Carbon Nanotube, please contact Creative Diagnostics directly at 1-631-619-7922 or email to contact@creativediagnostics.com. You’ll find more about their newly released products. About Creative Diagnostics Creative Diagnostics is a leading manufacturer of magnetic particles and related products for immunoassay development. It provides a comprehensive list of immunomagnetic bead products conjugated with different coating

These images were created using the new staining method: left: Micro-CT image of a mouse kidney, right: Nano-CT image of the same tissue. Credit: Mueller, Pfeiffer / TUM / reproduced with permission from PNAS

Previous limitations in resolution and contrast Thus far, there have been two major hurdles to the realization of this goal. Firstly, the resolution of conventional CT scanners is too low. Today’s Micro- and Nano-CT systems are rarely suitable for use in frontline medicine. Some do not offer sufficiently high resolution, while others rely on radiation from large particle accelerators. Secondly, soft tissue is notoriously difficult to examine using CT equipment. Samples have to be stained to render them visible in the first place. Stains for CT scanning are sometimes highly toxic, and they are also extremely timeconsuming to apply. At times they modify the tissue to such an extent that further analysis is then impossible.

Successful collaboration between physics, chemistry and medicine Now, however, scientists at TUM’s Munich School of BioEngineering (MSB) have solved both problems. In November 2017, Prof. Franz Pfeiffer and his team unveiled a Nano-CT system that delivers resolutions of up to 100 nanometers and is suitable for use in typical laboratory settings. In the current issue of the scientific journal PNAS, the cross-disciplinary research team from physics, chemistry and medicine also presents a staining method for histological examination with Nano-CT.

Microbioz India April 2018

Product Launches Compatibility with conventional methods Using a mouse kidney, the scientists have successfully demonstrated that Nano-CT is able to generate 3D images that match the information granularity of tissue sections. At the core of the staining method lies eosin, a standard dye used in tissue sampling that was previously considered unsuitable for CT. “Our approach included developing a special pre-treatment so that we can use eosin anyway,” outlines chemist Dr. Madleen Busse. The staining method is so time-efficient that it is also suited to everyday clinical workflows. “Another important benefit is that there are no problems using established methods to examine the tissue sample following the scan,” adds Busse.

Enhancement rather than replacement

Myriad’s entire portfolio of prostate cancer molecular diagnostic tests.”

Myriad’s portfolio of prostate cancer tests includes Prolaris, a 46-gene RNAexpression test that directly measures tumor cell growth characteristics for stratifying the risk of disease progression in patients with prostate cancer. Prolaris provides a quantitative measure of the RNA expression levels of genes involved in the progression of tumor growth. The Myriad myRisk Hereditary Cancer test uses an extensive number of sophisticated technologies and proprietary algorithms to evaluate 28 clinically significant genes associated with the development of eight hereditary cancers, including breast, colon, endometrial, gastric, ovarian, pancreatic, and prostate cancers, and melanoma.

In the next step, the researchers are looking to examine human tissue samples. However, CT histology is not set to replace conventional methods any time soon. For the moment, at least, the team views the new procedure as supplementary – for instance giving doctors additional insights into the

Myriad’s myChoice HRD is a homologous recombination deficiency test, enabling physicians to identify tumors that have lost the ability to repair double-stranded DNA breaks.

three-dimensional distribution of cells and nuclei. Franz Pfeiffer also sees new opportunities here for basic medical research: “Alongside diagnostic applications, the non-destructive 3D examination enabled by Nano-CT could deliver new insights into the microscopic origins of widespread diseases such as cancer.” Publication:

Under the updated NCCN guidelines, Prolaris is now standard of care for 110,000 patients per year identified as low-risk or favorable-intermediate-risk patients. Furthermore, myRisk Hereditary Cancer is now recommended for approximately 70,000 prostate cancer patients per year, including all patients with metastatic prostate cancer and those with a family history of cancer, regardless of Gleason score. Lastly, myChoice HRD is now recommended for 20,000 patients per year with metastatic prostate cancer to identify tumors with homologous recombination deficiency so that these patients can be

M. Busse, M. Müller, M. A. Kimm, S. Ferstl, S. Allner, K. Achterhold, J. Herzen, F. Pfeiffer, “Three-dimensional virtual histology enabled through cytoplasm-specific X-ray stain for microscopic and nanoscopic computed tomography”, PNAS (2018). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1720862115

Further Information:

The Nano-CT system and staining method were developed at the Munich School of BioEngineering (MSB)This interdisciplinary TUM research center is Europe’s most multi-disciplinary university institution focused on the interface between medicine, engineering and natural sciences. Franz Pfeiffer, Professor of Biomedical Physics is Director of the MSB. Story source/Credit: TUM-Technical University of Munich https://www.tum.de/en/homepage/

NCCN Guidelines Endorse Biomarker Testing for Prostate Cancer The National Comprehensive Cancer Network has updated its medical guidelines for prostate cancer treatment to broadly include biomarker testing. Changes to the guidelines include new language supporting the use of Prolaris, from Myriad Genetics Inc, Salt Lake City, as standard of care in treatment decisionmaking for patients with low-risk and favorableintermediate-risk prostate cancer. Additionally, the new guidelines support an expansion of hereditary cancer testing for prostate cancer to include all patients with a family history, regardless of Gleason score, along with all patients with metastatic disease; and new recommendations supporting testing for homologous recombination deficiency (HRD) in patients with metastatic prostate cancer.

“We view this significant update in guidelines as a clear indication of the increasing importance of molecular biomarkers in guiding prostate cancer care, and Myriad is uniquely positioned with its broad portfolio of tests to address these clinical needs,” says Nicole Lambert, general manager of urology at Myriad Genetics. “These new guidelines are critical in our efforts to broaden insurance coverage and increase patient access to

considered for targeted therapies. For more information: https://myriad.com/

Leading French Clinical Pathology Lab Improves Productivity Genevac reports on how Eurofins Biomnis (Lyon, France) has, using a miVac Quattro concentrator and SpeedTrap frost-free cold trap, considerably improved sample preparation productivity in its specialised clinical pathology laboratory. Sébastien Chanlon, Production Manager of the Eurofins Biomnis Analytical Chemistry Business Unit, commented “My department employs a wide range of analytical tools including LC/MS/MS, GC/MS, ICP/MS, HPLC and UPLC for diagnostic testing of human samples for therapeutic drugs monitoring, drugs of abuse, metabolic disorders, oligoelements and vitamin deficiencies. A lot of our work requires evaporation of solvent from extracted samples prior to redissolution and analysis. For this evaporative sample preparation work we chose to invest in a Genevac miVac Quattro

Microbioz India April 2018

Product Launches Concentrator and Speed Trap cold trap to replace a SpeedVac which was slow and prone to breakdowns. We have found the miVac concentrator very easy to use and most importantly highly reliable. Using the miVac / SpeedTrap combination enables us to concentrate a lot of samples in a reasonable time. This improved productivity is very important to us as an analytical testing facilityâ&#x20AC;?. The miVac Quattro is a benchtop centrifugal vacuum concentrator capable of removing water and organic solvents from a variety of sample formats including tubes, microplates, and vials. Built-in methods optimise the concentration of water and water mixtures, while a range of accessories improve performance and productivity. Compact in size the miVac SpeedTrap frost-free cold trap not only provides unmatched volatile solvent recovery but also enables freeze drying of up to 250ml of aqueous samples. SpeedTrap is suitable for use with a wide range of solvents, from volatile organic solvents through to water and even higher boiling point solvents including 1,4-dioxane, tertiary butanol, and cyclohexane. Biomnis is a specialised clinical pathology laboratory acquired by Eurofins in

October 2015. All activities of Euro fins Biomnis are focused on excellence, innovation and investment in technology.

Genevac, part of SP Scientific and located in Ipswich, UK, offers a comprehensive portfolio of evaporators to suit almost any solvent removal application, purchasing budget or productivity requirement. SP Scientific is a leading manufacturer of centrifugal evaporators and concentrators, freeze drying / lyophilisation, temperature control/thermal management, glassware washers, controlled environments, vial washing and tray loading machines. The company sells its products under well-known brands including Genevac, VirTis, Hull, FTS Systems, Hotpack and the recently acquired PennTech. SP Scientific has ISO 9001:2008 registered production facilities in the Europe and USA.

For more information: https://www.spscientific.com/ProductCategory/108/Genevac/

RNI NUMBER: UPENG/2017/73675