Biodirected synthesis of palladium nanoparticles using Phoenix dactylifera leaves extract and their size dependent biomedical and catalytic applications

Graphical representation of green synthesis of PdNPs and their biological and catalytic applications.

Silver and gold nanoparticles from Sargentodoxa cuneata: synthesis, characterization and antileishmanial activity

Promising antileishmanial properties were observed with Sargentodoxa cuneata mediated Ag and AuNPs. This study opens a platform for the synthesis of new leishmanicidal agents.

Size dependent catalytic activities of green synthesized gold nanoparticles and electro-catalytic oxidation of catechol on gold nanoparticles modified electrode

A green and facile method for the synthesis of gold nanoparticles with efficient catalytic activity.

Solid pseudopapillary tumour of pancreas

Solid pseudopapillary tumour of pancreas (SPT) is an extremely rare pancreatic tumour, which has a low malignant potential and occurs mainly in young women. Pathologic and imaging findings include a well defined encapsulated pancreatic mass with cystic and solid components with evidence of haemorrhage. This is a case of a 16 years old girl who presented with upper abdominal pain of long duration and epigastric mass on palpation. Computed Tomography (CT) scan demonstrated a large well defined heterogenous attenuation mass of solid enhancing and cystic non enhancing areas, arising from the head of the pancreas. Radiologically it was diagnosed as a case of pancreatic neoplasm. Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) and histopathology of the biopsy material diagnosed as solid pseudopapillary tumour of pancreas.

Clinical profile of periodic paralysis

This cross sectional descriptive study was done to find out common clinical presentations, etiologies and laboratory investigation abnormalities in patients of periodic paralysis. Study was carried out in 30 patients with an age range from 8 to 70 years who were enrolled from July 2008 to June 2009 in Mymensingh Medical College Hospital (MMCH) medicine unit. Individuals who were admitted with sudden onset generalized muscle weakness, had history of previous attack and serum potassium level <3mmol/l or >5.5mmol/l were included in this study. In this series, majority of the patients were male (66.67%). Male: female ratio was approximately 2:1. The mean age of the patients was 27.4±4.5 years. Majority (26.67%) of them were in age range of 31-40 years. About 30% of the patients experienced the first attack of paralysis at the age of 20-24 years. Majority of patients (53%) were from middle class family with occupation of private service (26.66%) and farmer (20%). Positive family history was reported in 20% of patients. Regarding the precipitating factors, majority of patients (83.3%) were related to high carbohydrate meal, 56.67% related to temperature, 41.67% to exercise. Flaccid muscle weakness with variables muscle power (MRC grade 4/5 to 2/5 in 60% and 1/5 to 0/5 in 40%) was found. Cerebellar functions, all modalities of sensations and functions of cranial nerves were intact in all patients. In this series, laboratory investigations revealed reduced serum potassium level (<3mmol/l) in 90% of patients. Serum potassium value >5.5mmol/l was found in only 3.33% of patients. Creatine kinase (MM) was raised in 23% of the patients and Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) level was 0.8-2mmol/l in 6% of the patients. More than half of the patients (56%) showed variable ECG changes. Impaired nerve conduction function was found in 28.00%. So, careful history taking, meticulous clinical examination and simple laboratory investigations is sufficient to make a prompt diagnosis and rapid management of patients with periodic paralysis.

Prevalence of integrons, blaCTX-M and blaTEM resistance markers among ESBL-producing uropathogenic Escherichia coli isolates: first report of genomic blaCTX-M from India

Integrons have been observed to be frequently associated with uropathogenic bacteria. This study aimed at 1) determining the prevalence of class 1 integrons among ESBLl-producing uropathogenic Escherichia coli, and 2) analyzing resistance genes associated with different phylogenetic groups of the integron-positive isolates with special reference to bla(CTX-M) and bla(TEM). Twenty-three ESBL-producing E. coli were studied. Enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus-PCR (ERIC-PCR) displayed 14 major patterns. Pulse field Gel electrophoresis-typing of 8 randomly selected integron-positive strains ruled out any correlation between genotype and antibiotype. Genomic DNA from 14 strains was PCR-positive for class 1 integrons, bla(CTX-M-15) and bla(TEM-1)-like genes. Integron-sequencing revealed "aadA5-dfrA17-dfrA7" as the most prevalent gene cassette. Our findings unveil the increasing role of the bla(CTX-M) genes in antibiotic resistance and emphasize on the significance of appropriate empirical treatment for Urinary tract infections. Moreover, this is the first study which reports bla(CTX-M) located on genomic DNA of bacteria from India.

Singlet molecular oxygen from superoxide anion and sensitized fluorescence of organic molecules

The superoxide anion, O(2)-, evolves singlet molecular oxygen in dimethylsulfoxide solution. Pronounced water quenching of superoxide-sensitized luminescence is indicative of the preferential generation of the (1)sigma(g)+ state. Recent identification of O(2)- in the xanthine oxidase system suggests that the generation of singlet oxygen may also occur in enzymatic systems.

Mechanism of four-level laser action in solution excimer and excited-state proton-transfer cases

Four-level laser energy level schemes are compared from the mechanistic spectroscopic viewpoint: (i) noble-gas excimer, (ii) solution molecular excimer, (iii) conventional dye laser, and (iv) intramolecular proton transfer. The lasing action of the chlorophyll special pair is discussed as an example of a solution excimer laser, and the lasing action of 3-hydroxyflavone and other molecules is discussed as an example of an intramolecular proton-transfer laser.

Chloroperoxidase generation of singlet Delta molecular oxygen observed directly by spectroscopy in the 1- to 1.6-mum region

The (0,0) (1)Delta(g) --> (3)Sigma(-) (g) singlet molecular oxygen chemiluminescence emission from a biological reaction system, chloroperoxidase (EC 1.11.1.10) acting on hydrogen peroxide at low pH (phosphate buffer, pH 2.85) with Cl(-) as a cosubstrate, was recorded with an ultrasensitive IR spectrometer. The strong chemiluminescence emission peak observed at 1.30 mum provides clear evidence of the enzymatic generation of (excited) singlet oxygen from peroxide in this system.

Direct spectroscopic observation of singlet oxygen emission at 1268 nm excited by sensitizing dyes of biological interest in liquid solution

The direct observation of dye-photosensitized 1268-nm emission of the (1)Delta(g) --> (3)Sigma(g) transition of molecular oxygen in liquid solution at room temperature is reported. Singlet oxygen was photosensitized by UV excitation of perfluorobenzophenone in fluorocarbon solvent, by 3,4-benzpyrene and hematoporphyrin in carbon tetrachloride, and by methylene blue in water. Also reported is the development of an extremely sensitive near-infrared spectrophotometer that uses a thermoelectrically cooled lead sulfide detector, optimized optics, and a boxcar integrator as a data processor.

Loop ileostomy following anterior resection: is it really temporary?

INTRODUCTION

A temporary loop ileostomy is often created to minimize the impact of peritoneal sepsis if anastomotic dehiscence occurs following low colorectal anastomosis. Although it has been suggested that a loop ileostomy should be reversed within 12 weeks of formation, this is often not the case. We set out to analyse the use of loop ileostomy following elective anterior resection in England and to identify factors associated with non and delayed reversal.

METHOD

Hospital episode statistics for the years 2001-2006 were obtained from the Department of Health. Patients undergoing elective anterior resection with a loop ileostomy for a primary diagnosis of rectal or recto-sigmoid cancer between April 2001 and March 2003 were identified as the study cohort. This cohort was followed until March 2006 to identify patients undergoing reversal of an ileostomy in an English NHS Hospital.

RESULTS

A total of 6582 patients had an elective anterior resection between April 2001 and March 2003, of which 964 (14.6%) also had an ileostomy. Seven hundred and two (75.1%) patients were reversed before March 2006. Advancing age and comorbidity were statistically related to nonreversal. Median time to reversal was 207 days (Interquartile range 119-321.5 days). Postoperative chemotherapy and comorbidity significantly delayed reversal.

CONCLUSIONS

One in four loop ileostomies performed to defunction an elective anterior resection is not reversed, and in the presence of significant comorbidity one in three is not reversed. Only 12% is reversed within 12 weeks.

Risk factors for extended-spectrum beta-lactamase producing Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae acquisition in a neonatal intensive care unit

This study was made to find the prevalence of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae in neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and to identify the risk factors associated with the acquisition of these organisms. Risk factors associated with ESBL-producing E. coli and/or K. pneumoniae acquisition status of neonates were assessed. Of 253 neonates admitted, 238 entered the active surveillance system. ESBL-producing K. pneumoniae was responsible for 7 infections and 51 colonizations while ESBL-producing E. coli was responsible for 9 infections and 88 colonizations. Concurrent isolation of both the organisms occurred in 30 neonates. The logistic regression model identified 'length of stay in the NICU' as the single independent risk factor. Imipenem, cefepime and amikacin can be suggested as the drugs of choice in our study.

Doripenem versus bacteria: an emerging battleground

Doripenem is a new 1-beta-methyl carbapenem with broad-spectrum activity against clinically important pathogens. Its activity matches imipenem or ertapenem against Gram-positive bacteria and meropenem against Gram-negative bacteria. It may offer slightly more activity than meropenem against selected pathogens. It does not require the addition of cilastatin. Doripenem is stable to hydrolysis by most of the beta-lactamases, excluding carbapenem-hydrolyzing beta-lactamases. We performed dockings of imipenem, meropenem, ertapenem and doripenem with imipenem-hydrolyzing beta-lactamase, Sme1, separately. Energy calculations revealed that the complex involving doripenem was much less stable. Hence doripenem resists attack by carbapenem-hydrolyzing beta-lactamases at least to some extent. Empiric therapy with doripenem may be useful in hospital settings where multidrug resistance has emerged. However, the proper place for this drug in current antibiotic prescribing practices needs to be determined.

A unique group of self-splicing introns in bacteriophage T4

We describe in this review, the salient splicing features of group I introns of bacteriophage T4 and propose, a hypothetical model to fit in the self-splicing of nrdB intron of T4 phage. Occurrence of non-coding sequences in prokaryotic cells is a rare event while it is common in eukaryotic cells, especially the higher eukaryotes. Therefore, T4 bacteriophage can serve as a good model system to study the evolutionary aspects of splicing of introns. Three genes of T4 phage were found to have stretches of non-coding sequences which belonged to the group IA type introns of self-splicing nature.

A new injectable bulking agent for treatment of stress urinary incontinence: results of a multicenter, randomized, controlled, double-blind study of Durasphere

OBJECTIVES

To assess the safety and effectiveness of Durasphere compared with bovine collagen in the treatment of stress urinary incontinence (SUI) due to intrinsic sphincter deficiency (ISD).

METHODS

This multicenter, randomized, controlled, double-blind trial was composed of 355 women diagnosed with SUI due to ISD and used a standardized pad test and the Stamey continence grade as the primary endpoints. The participants' ages ranged from 26 to 84 years. All patients had an abdominal leak point pressure of less than 90 cm H(2)O (average 51).

RESULTS

At 12 months after the first injection, the two materials were equivalent with respect to the improvement in continence grade and pad weight testing. Less Durasphere was injected to obtain comparable clinical results (Durasphere 4.83 mL versus bovine collagen 6.23 mL, P <0.001). When examined 1 year after the date of the last treatment, 49 (80.3%) of the 61 women treated with Durasphere showed improvement of 1 continence grade or more compared with 47 (69.1%) of 68 women treated with bovine collagen (P value for difference = 0.162). Although the adverse events reported for both groups were similar, the Durasphere group had an increased short-term risk of urgency and urinary retention.

CONCLUSIONS

The use of Durasphere for the treatment of SUI due to ISD was equally effective as bovine collagen and used less material. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted market approval for Durasphere on September 13, 1999. The product design and initial clinical data suggest the potential for greater durability of the clinical benefit, with the possibility of a permanent solution for SUI due to ISD in some patients.