Increasing resistance to ciprofloxacin and other antibiotics in Neisseria gonorrhoeae from East Java and Papua, Indonesia, in 2004 – implications for treatment

We examined gonococci isolated in 2004, in East Java and Papua, Indonesia, to review the suitability of ciprofloxacin-based and other treatment regimens. Gonococci from the two provinces were tested in Sydney for susceptibility to penicillin, tetracycline, spectinomycin, ceftriaxone, ciprofloxacin, gentamicin, azithromycin and rifampicin. Of 163 gonococcal isolates from East Java (91) and Papua (72), 120 (74%) of gonococci, 62 (68%) and 58 (80%) from East Java and Papua, respectively, were penicillinase-producing gonococci and 162 displayed high-level tetracycline resistance. Eighty-seven isolates (53%) were ciprofloxacin resistant, 44 (48%) from East Java and 43 (60%) from Papua. All isolates were sensitive to cefixime/ceftriaxone, spectinomycin and azithromycin. Minimum inhibitory concentrations of gentamicin were in the range 0.05–8 mg/L. Sixty-nine gonococci (42%) showed combined resistance, to penicillin, tetracycline and quinolones. Quinolone resistance has now reached unacceptable levels, and their use for the treatment of gonorrhoea in Indonesia should be reconsidered.

Acquired torticollis due to primary pyomyositis of the paraspinal muscles in an 11-year-old boy

Torticollis is characterised by tilting and rotation of the cervical spine in opposite directions. Causes can be congenital or acquired. Primary pyomyositis is a rare subacute deep bacterial infection of skeletal muscles that typically affects individuals under 20 years of age from tropical countries. Infrequently, pyomyositis occurs in individuals from temperate regions, usually in immunocompromised adults, and this is defined as secondary pyomyositis. We report a case of acquired torticollis due to primary pyomyositis of the paraspinal muscles in a previously healthy boy from the UK. A prolonged course of antibiotics and physiotherapy led to a complete resolution of his illness. We review how to differentiate pyomyositis from focal myositis, a more common inflammatory muscular cause of acquired torticollis.

Pressure-induced amorphization of YVO₄:Eu³⁺ nanoboxes

A structural transformation from the zircon-type structure to an amorphous phase has been found in YVO4:Eu(3+) nanoboxes at high pressures above 12.7 GPa by means of x-ray diffraction measurements. However, the pair distribution function of the high-pressure phase shows that the local structure of the amorphous phase is similar to the scheelite-type YVO4. These results are confirmed both by Raman spectroscopy and Eu(3+) photoluminescence which detect the phase transition to a scheelite-type structure at 10.1 and 9.1 GPa, respectively. The irreversibility of the phase transition is observed with the three techniques after a maximum pressure in the upstroke of around 20 GPa. The existence of two (5)D0-->(7)F0 photoluminescence peaks confirms the existence of two local environments for Eu(3+), at least for the low-pressure phase. One environment is the expected for substituting Y(3+) and the other is likely a disordered environment possibly found at the surface of the nanoboxes.

Elucidation of rice rhizosphere metagenome in relation to methane and nitrogen metabolism under elevated carbon dioxide and temperature using whole genome metagenomic approach

Carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) mineralization is one of the key processes of biogeochemical cycling in terrestrial ecosystem in general and rice ecology in particular. Rice rhizosphere is a rich niche of microbial diversity influenced by change in atmospheric temperature and concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2). Structural changes in microbial communities in rhizosphere influence the nutrient cycling. In the present study, the bacterial diversity and population dynamics were studied under ambient CO2 (a-CO2) and elevated CO2+temperature (e-CO2T) in lowland rice rhizosphere using whole genome metagenomic approach. The whole genome metagenomic sequence data of lowland rice exhibited the dominance of bacterial communities including Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Acidobacteria, Actinobacteria and Planctomycetes. Interestingly, four genera related to methane production namely, Methanobacterium, Methanosphaera, Methanothermus and Methanothermococcus were absent in a-CO2 but noticed under e-CO2T. The acetoclastic pathway was found as the predominant pathway for methanogenesis, whereas, the serine pathway was found as the principal metabolic pathway for CH4 oxidation in lowland rice. The abundances of reads of enzymes in the acetoclastic methanogenesis pathway and serine pathways of methanotrophy were much higher in e-CO2T (328 and 182, respectively) as compared with a-CO2 (118 and 98, respectively). Rice rhizosphere showed higher structural diversities and functional activities in relation to N metabolism involving nitrogen fixation, assimilatory and dissimilatory nitrate reduction and denitrification under e-CO2T than that of a-CO2. Among the three pathways of N metabolism, dissimilarity pathways were predominant in lowland rice rhizosphere and more so under e-CO2T. Consequently, under e-CO2T, CH4 emission, microbial biomass nitrogen (MBN) and dehydrogenase activities were 45%, 20% and 35% higher than a-CO2, respectively. Holistically, a high bacterial diversity and abundances of C and N decomposing bacteria in lowland rice rhizosphere were found under e-CO2T, which could be explored further for their specific role in nutrient cycling, sustainable agriculture and environment management.

Serum lipoprotein ratios as markers of insulin resistance: a study among non-diabetic acute coronary syndrome patients with impaired fasting glucose

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES

Recent data suggest that insulin resistance can predict cardiovascular disease independently of the other risk factors, such as hypertension, visceral obesity or dyslipidaemia. However, the majority of available methods to evaluate insulin resistance are complicated to operate, expensive, and time consuming. This study was undertaken to assess whether serum lipoprotein ratios could predict insulin resistance in non-diabetic acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients.

METHODS

Ninety non-diabetic patients with impaired fasting glucose admitted with a diagnosis of ACS were included in the study. At the time of admission fasting glucose and insulin concentrations were measured. The homeostatic model assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) was used for insulin resistance. The fasting serum total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG) and high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels were checked, and then TC/HDL-C and TG/HDL-C ratios were calculated. The areas under the curves (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to compare the power of these serum lipoprotein ratios as markers.

RESULTS

Lipoprotein ratios were significantly higher in patients with HOMA-IR index > 2.5 as compared to patients with index <2.5 (P < 0.05). Both TG/HDL-C and TC/HDL-C ratios were significantly correlated with HOMA-IR (P<0.05). The area under the ROC curve of the TG/HDL-C and TC/HDL-C ratio for predicting insulin resistance was 0.80 (95% CI, 0.67 to 0.93), 0.78 (95% CI, 0.65 to 0.91), respectively.

INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSIONS

The findings of this study demonstrate that serum lipoprotein ratios can provide a simple means of identifying insulin resistance and can be used as markers of insulin resistance and cardiovascular diseases risk in adult non-diabetic patients.

Electrospinning applications from diagnosis to treatment of diabetes

Modern applications of electrospinning.

Analysis of Magnaporthe oryzae Genome Reveals a Fungal Effector, Which Is Able to Induce Resistance Response in Transgenic Rice Line Containing Resistance Gene, Pi54

Rice blast caused by Magnaporthe oryzae is one of the most important diseases of rice. Pi54, a rice gene that imparts resistance to M. oryzae isolates prevalent in India, was already cloned but its avirulent counterpart in the pathogen was not known. After decoding the whole genome of an avirulent isolate of M. oryzae, we predicted 11440 protein coding genes and then identified four candidate effector proteins which are exclusively expressed in the infectious structure, appresoria. In silico protein modeling followed by interaction analysis between Pi54 protein model and selected four candidate effector proteins models revealed that Mo-01947_9 protein model encoded by a gene located at chromosome 4 of M. oryzae, interacted best at the Leucine Rich Repeat domain of Pi54 protein model. Yeast-two-hybrid analysis showed that Mo-01947_9 protein physically interacts with Pi54 protein. Nicotiana benthamiana leaf infiltration assay confirmed induction of hypersensitive response in the presence of Pi54 gene in a heterologous system. Genetic complementation test also proved that Mo-01947_9 protein induces avirulence response in the pathogen in presence of Pi54 gene. Here, we report identification and cloning of a new fungal effector gene which interacts with blast resistance gene Pi54 in rice.

Elevated serum βhCG and dyslipidemia in second trimester as predictors of subsequent Pregnancy Induced Hypertension

OBJECTIVES

To test the hypothesis that pregnant women with high serum βhCG level and serum dyslipidemia in second trimester are more prone to develop subsequent Pregnancy Induced Hypertension (PIH).

MATERIALS & METHODS

One hundred pregnant women with singleton pregnancy between 14 and 20 weeks of gestation attending antenatal outpatient department (OPD) of SMCH were studied. Serum βhCG was estimated by two-site chemiluminescent-immunometric method. Serum lipid profile was evaluated by enzymatic colorimetric test with Lipid Clearing Factor (LCF).

RESULTS

Eighteen cases developed PIH while eighty two cases remained normotensive. The serum βhCG level was significantly high (p (see symbol) 0.001) in those women developing PIH. Serum concentration of total cholesterol in women who subsequently developed PIH was significantly higher than that of normotensive group (p (see symbol) 0.05). Mean TG value in PIH group was higher than the normotensive group. Level of LDL in PIH group was also significant (p (see symbol) 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Present study showed that elevated serum βhCG and Dyslipidemia in second trimester can be considered as predictors of subsequent PIH / Pre-eclampsia. However, there is need of large community based prospective study to validate the result.

Maternal obesity programs offspring non-alcoholic fatty liver disease through disruption of 24-h rhythms in mice

BACKGROUND

Maternal obesity increases offspring propensity to metabolic dysfunctions and to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which may lead to cirrhosis or liver cancer. The circadian clock is a transcriptional/epigenetic molecular machinery synchronising physiological processes to coordinate energy utilisation within a 24-h light/dark period. Alterations in rhythmicity have profound effects on metabolic pathways, which we sought to investigate in offspring with programmed NAFLD.

METHODS

Mice were fed a standard or an obesogenic diet (OD), before and throughout pregnancy, and during lactation. Offspring were weaned onto standard or an OD at 3 weeks postpartum and housed in 12:12 light/dark conditions. Biochemical and histological indicators of NAFLD and fibrosis, analysis of canonical clock genes with methylation status and locomotor activity were investigated at 6 months.

RESULTS

We show that maternal obesity interacts with an obesogenic post-weaning diet to promote the development of NAFLD with disruption of canonical metabolic rhythmicity gene expression in the liver. We demonstrate hypermethylation of BMAL-1 (brain and muscle Arnt like-1) and Per2 promoter regions and altered 24-h rhythmicity of hepatic pro-inflammatory and fibrogenic mediators.

CONCLUSIONS

These data implicate disordered circadian rhythms in NAFLD and suggest that disruption of this system during critical developmental periods may be responsible for the onset of chronic liver disease in adulthood.

Pericarditis and pericardial effusions in the military patient

The pericardium is the thin double-walled sac encapsulating the heart which has a number of important physiological roles including fixing the heart in the mediastinum, protecting it from cross-organ infection (eg, lung) and lubricating cardiac contraction. The pericardium is associated with several disease syndromes that occasionally affect the military population. These include acute and recurrent pericarditis, pericardial effusion and tamponade, which may result from a large number of different aetiological agents. Pericardial diseases have a wide range of clinical manifestations and the diagnosis of pericardial diseases can be a challenge. This article reviews the anatomy and pathophysiology of pericarditis and pericardial effusions before outlining their clinical features, recommended investigations and management options. Particular emphasis is placed on the impact of these diseases for patients in a military occupational environment.

Transverse wobbling in ^{135}pr

A pair of transverse wobbling bands is observed in the nucleus ^{135}Pr. The wobbling is characterized by ΔI=1, E2 transitions between the bands, and a decrease in the wobbling energy confirms its transverse nature. Additionally, a transition from transverse wobbling to a three-quasiparticle band comprised of strong magnetic dipole transitions is observed. These observations conform well to results from calculations with the tilted axis cranking model and the quasiparticle rotor model.

Gender-specific brain regional variation of neurons, endogenous estrogen, neuroinflammation and glial cells during rotenone-induced mouse model of Parkinson's disease

Rotenone (RT) produces reactive oxygen species (ROS) by inhibiting the mitochondrial electron transport chain; causing dopaminergic (DA) cell death in the substantia nigra (SN) and simulates other models of induced Parkinson's disease (PD). There is a sincere dearth of knowledge regarding the status of glial cells, neuroprotective estrogen and the status of neuroinflammatory TNF-α in the different brain regions in either sex during healthy, as well as during PD conditions. In the present study of RT-induced mouse model of PD, we have selected the frontal cortex (FC), hippocampus (HC) and SN from either sex of Swiss albino mice as these are the major regions involved during PD pathogenesis. During non pathogenic conditions, the ROS-scavenging enzyme activity varied among the brain regions and also in between genders. The number of DOPA decarboxylase-positive cells, astrocytes and microglia was similar in the respective regions of the brain in both the sexes. The level of proinflammatory cytokine TNF-α was same in the respective FC and HC in either sex except that of SN. The expression level of estrogen and its receptors varied among the three brain regions. During RT treatment, ROS-scavenging enzyme activities increased, DOPA decarboxylase-positive neurons and fibers in DA as well as in norepinephrinergic (NE) systems become degenerated, number of astrocytes decreased and microglial cells increased in those specific brain regions in either of the sexes except in the SN region of males where astrocyte number remained unaltered and microglial cell percentage decreased. TNF-α increased in the FC and SN but remained unaltered in the HC of both sexes. Estradiol level decreased in the HC and SN but the level unevenly varied in the FC. Similarly, the estrogen bound and nuclear-cytosolic receptor α and β also varied differentially among the brain regions of the two sexes. Therefore our present study depicts that there exists a clear variation of neuronal and astroglial cell population, estrogen and its receptor levels in different brain regions of both the sexes during control and RT-treated pathogenic condition and these variations have major implication in PD pathogenesis and progression.