A Path towards Timely VAP Diagnosis: Proof-of-Concept Study on Pyocyanin Sensing with Cu-Mg Doped Graphene Oxide

In response to the urgent requirement for rapid, precise, and cost-effective detection in intensive care units (ICUs) for ventilated patients, as well as the need to overcome the limitations of traditional detection methods, researchers have turned their attention towards advancing novel technologies. Among these, biosensors have emerged as a reliable platform for achieving accurate and early diagnoses. In this study, we explore the possibility of using Pyocyanin analysis for early detection of pathogens in ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) and lower respiratory tract infections in ventilated patients. To achieve this, we developed an electrochemical sensor utilizing a graphene oxide-copper oxide-doped MgO (GO - Cu - Mgo) (GCM) catalyst for Pyocyanin detection. Pyocyanin is a virulence factor in the phenazine group that is produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains, leading to infections such as pneumonia, urinary tract infections, and cystic fibrosis. We additionally investigated the use of DNA aptamers for detecting Pyocyanin as a biomarker of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a common causative agent of VAP. The results of this study indicated that electrochemical detection of Pyocyanin using a GCM catalyst shows promising potential for various applications, including clinical diagnostics and drug discovery.

Design and Development of Inexpensive Paper-Based Chemosensors for Detection of Divalent Copper

Simple, portable, and low-cost paper-based sensors are alternative devices that have the potential to replace high-cost sensing technologies. The compatibility of the paper base biosensors for both chemical and biochemical accentuates its feasibility for application in clinical diagnosis, environmental monitoring, and food quality monitoring. High concentration of copper in blood serum and urine is associated with diseases like liver diseases, carcinomas, acute and chronic infections, rheumatoid arthritis, etc. Detection of copper concentration can give an early sign of Alzheimer disease. Apart from that genetic Wilson's disease can be detected by evaluating the concentration of copper in the urine. In view of the above advantages, a novel and the highly sensitive paper-based sensor has been designed for the selective detection of Cu2+ ions. The fast and highly sensitive chemiresistive multi-dye system sensor can detect Cu2+ ions selectively in as low as 2.23 ppm concentration. Least interference has been observed for counter ion in the detection of Cu2+. Copper chloride, nitrate, and acetate were used to validate the detection process. This assay provides a very high selectivity of Cu2+ ion over other metal cations such as Na+, Mg2+, Ca2+, etc. The easy preparation and high stability of dye solutions, easy functionalization of the paper-based sensors, high selectivity over other cations, low interference of counter anion, and significantly low detection limit of 2.23 ppm make it an effective Cu2+ ion sensor for real-time application in near future.

Template free synthesis of CuO nanocomposite for catalytic hydrogenation of CO2

Increasing CO2 emissions from industry has disastrous consequences for the environment. Effective utilization of CO2 as a carbon source can address the environmental challenges, and we can address the energy crisis caused by fossil fuel consumption. Electrochemical conversion of CO2 is a promising method recently gaining widespread popularity. Its high productivity, however, remains a major challenge. This work involved a facile novel preparation of a suitable CuO nanocomposite to reduce CO2 into useful fuels effectively. Hydrothermal synthesis was used to synthesize the nanocomposite. The synthesized NC's structure, morphology, and elemental analysis were evaluated using XRD, Raman spectroscopy, SEM, and TEM. ICP-OES analysis was performed to quantify Cu concentration in the CuO composite, confirming 98.6% of Cu of the prepared matrix. The cyclic voltammetry method has been used to study the electrochemical activity of NC for CO2 reduction. Additionally, the NMR & GC-MS analyses were performed to identify the product. Regarding CO2 reduction, the NC performed greatly better than the ordinary CuO. In addition, the NC exhibits high structural stability and durability, demonstrating its potential to reduce CO2 into fuels.

Identification of Novel QTLs/Defense Genes in Spring Wheat Germplasm Panel for Seedling and Adult Plant Resistance to Stem Rust and Their Validation Through KASP Marker Assays

Stem rust is one of the major diseases threatening wheat production globally. To identify novel resistance quantitative trait loci (QTLs), we performed 35K Axiom Array SNP genotyping assays on an association mapping panel of 400 germplasm accessions, including Indian landraces, in conjunction with phenotyping for stem rust at seedling and adult plant stages. Association analyses using three genome wide association study (GWAS) models (CMLM, MLMM, and FarmCPU) revealed 20 reliable QTLs for seedling and adult plant resistance. Among these 20 QTLs, five QTLs were found consistent with three models, i.e., four QTLs on chromosome 2AL, 2BL, 2DL, and 3BL for seedling resistance and one QTL on chromosome 7DS for adult plant resistance. Further, we identified a total of 21 potential candidate genes underlying QTLs using gene ontology analysis, including a leucine rich repeat receptor (LRR) and P-loop nucleoside triphosphate hydrolase, which have a role in pathogen recognition and disease resistance. Furthermore, four QTLs (Qsr.nbpgr-3B_11, QSr.nbpgr-6AS_11, QSr.nbpgr-2AL_117-6, and QSr.nbpgr-7BS_APR) were validated through KASP located on chromosomes 3B, 6A, 2A, and 7B. Out of these QTLs, QSr.nbpgr-7BS_APR was identified as a novel QTL for stem rust resistance which has been found effective in both seedling as well as the adult plant stages. Identified novel genomic regions and validated QTLs have the potential to be deployed in wheat improvement programs to develop disease resistant varieties for stem rust and can diversify the genetic basis of resistance.

Aluminium doped ZnO nanostructures for efficient photodegradation of indigo carmine and azo carmine G in solar irradiation

Aluminium doped zinc oxide (AZO) nanomaterials (AlxZn1-xO) with x fraction varying as 0.02 and 0.04 were synthesized using the auto-combustion method using glycine as a fuel. The synthesized catalysts were characterized with X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV–Visible Spectroscopy (UV–Vis), Raman spectroscopy, Photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy, and High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HR-TEM). XRD results showed that synthesized materials possessed good crystallinity, while UV–VIS was employed to find the band gaps of synthesized materials. Raman was used to determine the vibrational modes in the synthesized nanoparticles, while TEM analysis was performed to study the morphology of the samples. Industrial effluents such as indigo carmine and azo carmine G were used to test the photodegradation ability of synthesised catalysts. Parameters such as the effect of catalyst loading, dye concentration and pH were studied. The reduction in crystallite size, band gap and increased lattice strain for the 4% AZO was the primary reason for the degradation in visible irradiation, degrading 97 and 99% equimolar concentrations of indigo carmine and azo carmine G in 140 min. The Al doped ZnO was found to be effective in faster degradation of dyes as compared to pure ZnO in presence of natural sunlight.

Revealing the improved sensitivity of PEDOT:PSS/PVA thin films through secondary doping and their strain sensors application

The field of strain sensing involves the ability to measure an electrical response that corresponds to a strain. The integration of synthetic and conducting polymers can create a flexible strain sensor with a wide range of applications, including soft robotics, sport performance monitoring, gaming and virtual reality, and healthcare and biomedical engineering. However, the use of insulating synthetic polymers can impede the semiconducting properties of sensors, which may reduce sensor sensitivity. Previous research has shown that the doping process can significantly enhance the electrical performance and ionic conduction of conducting polymers, thereby strengthening their potential for use in electronic devices. However the full effects of secondary doping on the crystallinity, stretchability, conductivity, and sensitivity of conducting polymer blends have not been studied. In this study, we investigated the effects of secondary doping on the properties of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonate)/poly(vinyl alcohol) (PEDOT:PSS/PVA) polymer blend thin films and their potential use as strain sensors. The thin films were prepared using a facile drop-casting method. Morphology analysis using profilometry and atomic force microscopy confirmed the occurrence of phase segregation and revealed surface roughness values. This evidence provided a comprehensive understanding of the chemical interactions and physical properties of the thin films, and the effects of doping on these properties. The best films were selected and applied as sensitive strain sensors. EG-PEDOT:PSS/PVA thin films showing a significant increase of conductivity values from the addition of 1 vol% to 12 vol% addition, with conductivity values of 8.51 × 10^-5 to 9.42 × 10^-3 S cm^-1. Our 12% EG-PEDOT:PSS/PVA sensors had the highest GF value of 2000 too. We compared our results with previous studies on polymeric sensors, and it was found that our sensors quantitatively had better GF values. Illustration that demonstrates the DMSO and EG dopant effects on PEDOT:PSS structure through bonding interaction, crystallinity, thermal stability, surface roughness, conductivity and stretchability was also provided. This study suggests a new aspect of doping interaction that can enhance the conductivity and sensitivity of PEDOT:PSS for device applications.

Fuzzy Neighbors and Deep Learning-Assisted Spark Model for Imbalanced Classification of Big Data

Big data is important in knowledge manipulation, assessment, and prediction. However, extracting and analyzing knowledge through big database are complex because of imbalance data distribution that leads to wrong decisions and biased classification outputs. Hence, an effective and optimal big data classification approach is designed using the proposed Bird Swarm Deer Hunting Optimization-Deep Belief Network (BSDHO-based DBN) algorithm based on spark architecture that follows the master and slave nodes. The proposed BSDHO is obtained by combining Deer Hunting Optimization algorithm and Bird Swarm Algorithm. The developed model poses two nodes, namely slave and master node. The training data is initially given to the master node in the spark architecture to perform transformation of data. Here, the transformation of data is done with an exponential log kernel, and then selection of feature is done with sequential forward selecting for choosing suitable features for enhanced processing. Consequently, oversampling process is performed with Fuzzy K-Nearest Neighbor (Fuzzy KNN) in the slave node using selected features to manage imbalance data. Then, in master node, classification is done with Deep belief Network, and trained using developed Bird swarm Deer Hunting Optimization (BSDHO) algorithm. On the other hand, the test data is taken as input, and is fed to the slave node to perform data transformation. Then, the transformed data is given to the master node for classification based on the proposed BSDHO. At last, the training data and testing data output produced the classified output. The proposed BSDHO-based DBN provided enhanced outcomes with highest specificity of 97.92%, accuracy of 96.92%, and sensitivity of 96.9%.

A Retrospective Cross-sectional Study of Paediatric Dermatoses during the COVID-19 Pandemic in a Tertiary Care Hospital in Bengaluru, Karnataka, India

Introduction: Dermatologic conditions constitute at least 30% of all outpatient visits to paediatricians and 30% of all visits to dermatologists involve children. Skin conditions that manifest themselves during childhood and adolescence are referred as paediatric dermatoses and make up their own unique category of skin conditions. Aim: To identify the dermatological conditions which were prevalent during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in a tertiary care hospital in Bangalore. Materials and Methods: This retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted by reviewing records of Outpatient Department (OPD) of Dermatology and Paediatrics in our tertiary care center, Bengaluru from February 2020 to February 2022. The demographic details and diagnosis are recorded. The diagnosis was made according to ICD-10 (International Classification of Diseases 10th Revision) and the prevalence of different dermatoses was calculated. Mean and standard deviation was calculated for descriptive statistics. Data were statistically evaluated with IBM Social Package for Statistical Analysis (SPSS) Statistics for Windows version 26.0., IBM Corp., Chicago, IL. Results: The total number of paediatric cases attended dermatology OPD during the two year pandemic was 558. The prevalence of paediatric dermatoses in the present study was 193 (34.58%). There were 283 girls and 275 boys with Male : Female is 1:1.02. There is a female preponderance of 50.7% against 49.28%. The majority was infectious lesions 153 (27.41%), congenital dermatoses 9 (1.61%), Papulosquamous disorders 23 (4.12%), Pilosebaceous disorders 111 (19.89%), dermatitis 193 (34.58%) followed by Miscellaneous 69 (12.36%). Conclusion: This study was conducted during COVID-19 pandemic which in comparison to the other studies shows a similar distribution of dermatoses. But there was a significant shift of age group affected which can be well explained by the lockdown and social isolation.

Highly sensitive and selective colorimetric sensing of CO2 for biomedical applications

The concentration of carbon dioxide (CO₂) in unhealthy people differs greatly from healthy people. High-precision CO₂ detection with a quick response time is essential for many biomedical applications. A major focus of this research is on the detection of CO₂, one of the most important health biomarkers. We investigated a low-cost, flexible, and reliable strategy by using dyes for colorimetric CO₂ sensing in this study. The impacts of temperature, pH, reaction time, reusability, concentration, and dye selectivity were studied thoroughly. This study described real-time CO₂ analysis. Using this multi-dye method, we got an average detection limit of 1.98 ppm for CO₂, in the range of 50-120 ppm. A portable colorimetric instrument with a smartphone-assisted unit was constructed to determine the relative red/green/blue values for real-time and practical applications within 15 s of interaction and the readings are very similar to those of an optical fiber probe. Environmental and biological chemistry applications are likely to benefit greatly from this unique approach.

Multi-locus genome-wide association studies (ML-GWAS) reveal novel genomic regions associated with seedling and adult plant stage leaf rust resistance in bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

Leaf rust is one of the important diseases limiting global wheat production and productivity. To identify quantitative trait nucleotides (QTNs) or genomic regions associated with seedling and adult plant leaf rust resistance, multilocus genome-wide association studies (ML-GWAS) were performed on a panel of 400 diverse wheat genotypes using 35 K single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotyping assays and trait data of leaf rust resistance. Association analyses using six multi-locus GWAS models revealed a set of 201 significantly associated QTNs for seedling and 65 QTNs for adult plant resistance (APR), explaining 1.98-31.72% of the phenotypic variation for leaf rust. Among these QTNs, 51 reliable QTNs for seedling and 15 QTNs for APR were consistently detected in at least two GWAS models and were considered reliable QTNs. Three genomic regions were pleiotropic, each controlling two to three pathotype-specific seedling resistances to leaf rust. We also identified candidate genes, such as leucine-rich repeat receptor-like (LRR) protein kinases, P-loop containing nucleoside triphosphate hydrolase and serine-threonine/tyrosine-protein kinases (STPK), which have a role in pathogen recognition and disease resistance linked to the significantly associated genomic regions. The QTNs identified in this study can prove useful in wheat molecular breeding programs aimed at enhancing resistance to leaf rust and developing next-generation leaf rust-resistant varieties.

A Smart Colorimetric Platform for Detection of Methanol, Ethanol and Formic Acid

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a greenhouse gas in the atmosphere and scientists are working on converting it to useful products, thereby reducing its quantity in the atmosphere. For converting CO2, different approaches are used, and among them, electrochemistry is found to be the most common and more efficient technique. Current methods for detecting the products of electrochemical CO2 conversion are time-consuming and complex. To combat this, a simple, cost-effective colorimetric method has been developed to detect methanol, ethanol, and formic acid, which are formed electrochemically from CO2. In the present work, the highly efficient sensitive dyes were successfully established to detect these three compounds under optimized conditions. These dyes demonstrated excellent selectivity and showed no cross-reaction with other products generated in the CO2 conversion system. In the analysis using these three compounds, this strategy shows good specificity and limit of detection (LOD, ~0.03-0.06 ppm). A cost-effective and sensitive Internet of Things (IoT) colorimetric sensor prototype was developed to implement these dyes systems for practical and real-time application. Employing the dyes as sensing elements, the prototype exhibits unique red, green, and blue (RGB) values upon exposure to test solutions with a short response time of 2 s. Detection of these compounds via this new approach has been proven effective by comparing them with nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). This novel approach can replace heavy-duty instruments such as high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC), gas chromatography (G.C.), and NMR due to its extraordinary selectivity and rapidity.

Pattern of care in operable endometrial cancer treated at a rural-based tertiary care cancer center

PURPOSE

An audit was planned to study the demographics, staging, treatment details, and outcomes of operable endometrial cancers.

METHODOLOGY

All operable endometrial cancers treated between January 2009 and October 2014 were included in the study. The details regarding demographics, staging, surgical procedure, pathological staging, adjuvant treatment, and outcomes were extracted from the case records. Descriptive statistics was performed. The time-to-event analysis was done by Kaplan-Meier method. Univariate and multivariate analyses were done for disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS).

RESULTS

There were 55 patients with a median age of 59 years (35-73 years). The Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status was 1 in 52 patients (94.5%) and 2 in 3 patients (5.5%). Forty-nine patients (89.1%) had disease restricted to endometrium while 6 patients (10.9%) had cervical involvement. The surgery done was Type I hysterectomy in 49 patients (89.1%), Type II in 5 patients (9.1%), and Type III in 1 patient (1.8%). Pelvic lymph node dissection was done in all patients while para-aortic (infrahilar) dissection was done in 48 patients (87.3%). The pathological stages were Stage IA in 19 patients, Stage IB in 15 patients, Stage II in 4 patients, Stage IIIA in 3 patients, Stage IIIB in 2 patients, Stage IIIC1 in 5 patients, Stage IIIC2 in 4 patients, and Stage IV in 3 patients. Grade 1 tumors were seen in 23 patients, Grade 2 in 13 patients, and Grade 3 in 19 patients. The histology was endometrioid in 44 patients, serous in 6 patients, clear cell in 3 patients, and others in 2 patients. Adjuvant treatment was received by 40 patients. With a median follow-up of 2.5 years, the 3-year DFS and OS were 78% and 82%, respectively. Age >59 years, Stage III or greater, and Grade 3 tumors were independent prognostic factors adversely affecting both DFS and OS.

CONCLUSION

The outcomes in our study are comparable to that seen in Western literature. Elderly status, higher stage, and a poorly differentiated tumor are associated with poor outcomes.

Development and validation of a questionnaire to measure preferences and expectations of patients undergoing palliative chemotherapy: EXPECT questionnaire

OBJECTIVE

The objective was to design and validate the questionnaire for capturing palliative chemotherapy-related preferences and expectations.

DESIGN

Single arm, unicentric, prospective observational study.

METHODS

EXPECT questionnaire was designed to capture preferences and expectations of patients undergoing palliative chemotherapy. This questionnaire underwent a linguistic validation and then was tested in patients. Ten patients are undergoing chemotherapy for solid tumors who fulfilled the inclusion and exclusion criteria self-administered the EXPECT questionnaire in regional language. After filling this questionnaire, they self-administered quick questionnaire-10 (QQ-10). SPSS version 16 (IBM New York) was used for analysis. Completion rate of EXPECT questionnaire was calculated. The feasibility, face validity, utility and time taken for completion of EXPECT questionnaire was also assessed.

RESULTS

The completion rate of this questionnaire was 100%. All patients completed questionnaire within 5 min. The QQ-10 tool confirmed the feasibility, face validity and utility of the questionnaire.

CONCLUSION

EXPECT questionnaire was validated in the regional language, and it's an effective tool for capturing patient's preferences and expectation from chemotherapy.

Patterns of care in geriatric cancer patients - An audit from a rural based hospital cancer registry in Kerala

BACKGROUND

There is deficit of data from India on elderly patients with cancer. Comprehensive geriatric assessment may lead to a better decision making capacity in this population. However, routine implementation of such assessment is resource consuming.

AIM

The aim of this study was to determine the patterns of care in elderly patients treated at a tertiary rural cancer center in India.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

All patients with age 70 or above with solid tumors without any definitive treatment prior to the registration at our center and registered between 01/01/2010 and 31/12/2011 were selected for this study. The baseline demographic pattern and the pattern of care of treatment were analyzed. SPSS version 16 (IBM Inc, Armonk, New York, U.S.) was used for analysis. Descriptive data are provided.

RESULTS

A total of 761 patients were evaluable subject to the aforementioned inclusion criteria. The median age of this cohort was 75 years (70-95 years). The most frequent primary sites of malignancies in 451 males were head neck (32.4%), lung (23.3%) and gastrointestinal (23.3%). In 310 females, the most common sites were head neck (31.6%), gynecological (18.4%) and gastrointestinal (24.5%). 228 (30%) of the patients had localized disease, 376 (49.4%) had loco-regionally advanced disease and 145 (19.1%) had distant metastases at presentation. 334 (46.32%) of patients were treated with curative intent. On logistic regression analysis the factors that predicted use of curative intent treatment were age <75 years, performance status 0-1, primary site and clinical extent of disease.

CONCLUSION

Routine comprehensive geriatric assessment needs to be implemented in our setting as almost 50% of our geriatric patients undergo curative intent treatment.

Pancreatitis in Children

Pancreatic disease in children has a wide clinical spectrum and may present as Acute pancreatitis (AP), Acute recurrent pancreatitis (ARP), Chronic pancreatitis (CP) and Pancreatic disease without pancreatitis. This article highlights the etiopathogenesis and management of pancreatitis in children along with clinical data from five tertiary care hospitals in south India [Chennai (3), Cochin and Pune].

How well do elderly patients with cervical cancer tolerate definitive radiochemotherapy using RapidArc? Results from an institutional audit comparing elderly versus younger patients

PURPOSE

Elderly patients (65 or older) with cervical cancer often receive suboptimal radio-chemotherapy. Intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) may improve tolerance to treatment in this setting. This study was designed to compare the treatment-related toxicities and compliance with treatment in patients of cervical cancer treated definitively with RapidArc IMRT in our institute.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

The treatment records of all patients treated with RapidArc IMRT between April 2012 and April 2014 were reviewed, retrospectively. Prospectively collected data regarding treatment toxicity (CTCAE 4.0), treatment outcomes and parameters related to treatment compliance were compared amongst two age groups (< 65 and ≥ 65 years). The results of 66 patients were identified, of whom 23 were found to be ≥ 65 years age. All patients completed planned external beam radiotherapy. However, significantly fewer patients in the elderly group received concurrent chemoradiation (98% versus 65%, p < 0.001). Old age (median 75 years, IQR: 74-78 years) was the commonest cause for non-receipt of chemotherapy. Incidence of grade 3 haematological toxicities (26.7% versus 16.7%) and gastrointestinal toxicity (16.7% versus 13.3%) were not significantly different between the two groups. Other treatment-related toxicities, breaks, treatment duration and early outcomes were also not significantly different between the two age groups.

CONCLUSIONS

The use of IMRT did not result in excess toxicities in the elderly population and was associated with equivalent compliance to treatment. Concurrent chemoradiation can be safely combined in elderly patients with perfect organ function and performance status.

A questionnaire survey of pediatric inflammatory bowel disease in India

BACKGROUND

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is not uncommon in children and is an important cause of morbidity. Since information on IBD in Indian children is sparse, the study aimed at highlighting the salient features in them.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A questionnaire survey was done among 221 children and adolescents with IBD [ulcerative colitis (UC) 93 (42.1 %); Crohn's disease (CD) 122 (55.2 %); unclassified (IBD-U) 6 (2.7 %)] across seven centers in India. The cut-off age was 18 years and below.

RESULTS

The mean age of presentation for UC and CD was 10.2 ± 4.4 and 11.0 ± 4.5 years, respectively, with no gender difference. Diarrhea (69.9 %, p = 0.001) and blood in the stools (90.3 %, p = 0.0001) were common in UC, whereas abdominal pain (73.8 %, p = 0.01), fever (39.3 %, p = 0.0001), anemia (64.7 %, p = 0.001), and growth failure (76.2 %, p = 0.0001) were common in CD. Extraintestinal manifestations (EIM) were a feature in 23.6 % and 36.1 % of UC and CD, respectively. Pancolitis (E3) was predominant in UC (70.9 %) and 88 % required steroids. Ileocolonic CD (L3) was common in 72.9 %; 76.2 % required azathioprine for maintenance. Of the children with UC, 11.8 % had complications like massive hemorrhage and toxic megacolon, while 27 % of CD had fistulae, perianal abscess, stricture, and perforation. Biologicals were used in 0.8 % of severe UC and in 12.2 % of CD. In UC, 4.3 % required surgical intervention.

CONCLUSION

Pediatric inflammatory bowel disease (P-IBD) in India shares similarities with adult-onset IBD. Distinctive features were growth failure and more severe forms of the disease necessitating immunomodulators.

Palliative low dose fortnightly methotrexate in oral cancers: Experience at a rural cancer centre from India

CONTEXT

Palliative fortnightly chemotherapy in oral cancers.

AIMS

We present our experience with a regimen employing fortnightly (once in 2 weeks) injectable methotrexate (MTX) (40 mg/m(2) ) in a predominantly elderly cohort of patients with carcinoma of oral cavity and oropharynx.

SETTINGS AND DESIGN

Retrospective chart review conducted at a rural cancer center in India.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

All patients with oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancers started on treatment with fortnightly injectable MTX (40 mg/m(2) ) between 01/01/2011 and 31/12/2011.

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED

The factors analyzed included the duration of disease control, pain control, overall survival and progression free survival which were evaluated using the Kaplan Meier method.

RESULTS

A total of 60 patients with a median age of 66.5 years were analyzed. Majority of the patients had poor nutritional status, performance status or co-morbidities. MTX was given for recurrent disease in 19 patients and after initial palliative radiotherapy in 41 patients. The median number of cycles delivered was nine. Grade 3/4 toxicities were seen in 2 patients only. Disease control rate at the end of treatment was seen in 33 (55%) patients. Median overall survival was 34 weeks (interquartile range: 17-50 weeks).

CONCLUSIONS

The fortnightly regimen of MTX was well-tolerated and showed a good clinical activity in this elderly cohort of patients with advanced oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancers.

Growth response of Casuarina equisetifolia Forst. rooted stem cuttings to Frankia in nursery and field conditions

Casuarina equisetifolia Forst. is a tree crop that provides fuel wood, land reclamation, dune stabilization, and scaffolding for construction, shelter belts, and pulp and paper production. C. equisetifolia fixes atmospheric nitrogen through a symbiotic relationship with Frankia, a soil bacterium of the actinobacteria group. The roots of C. equisetifolia produce root nodules where the bacteria fix atmospheric nitrogen, which is an essential nutrient for all plant metabolic activities. However, rooted stem cuttings of elite clones of C. equisetifolia by vegetative propagation is being planted by the farmers of Pondicherry as costeffective method. As the vegetative propagation method uses inert material (vermiculite) for rooting there is no chance for Frankia association. Therefore after planting of these stocks the farmers are applying 150 kg of di-ammonium phosphate (DAP)/acre/year. To overcome this fertilizer usage, the Frankia-inoculated rooted stem cuttings were propagated under nursery conditions and transplanted in the nutrient-deficient soils of Karaikal, Pondicherry (India), in this study. Under nursery experiments the growth and biomass of C. equisetifolia rooted stem cuttings inoculated with Frankia showed 3 times higher growth and biomass than uninoculated control. These stocks were transplanted and monitored for their growth and survival for 1 year in the nutrient-deficient farm land. The results showed that the rooted stem cuttings of C. equisetifolia significantly improved growth in height (8.8 m), stem girth (9.6 cm) and tissue nitrogen content (3.3 mg g-1) than uninoculated controls. The soil nutrient status was also improved due to inoculation of Frankia.

Spectrum of pancreatitis in children and adolescents

BACKGROUND

Very little is known about the early stages of tropical chronic pancreatitis except that many patients give history of childhood abdominal pain.

AIM

To examine whether tropical chronic pancreatitis may initially present clinically as recurrent acute pancreatitis.

METHODS

Children and adolescents with acute, recurrent acute and chronic pancreatitis were prospectively followed up from 2003 to 2010. Seventy-three consecutive patients were analyzed for progression from acute to recurrent and recurrent acute to chronic pancreatitis.

RESULTS

Of the 36 acute, 28 were recurrent acute pancreatitis patients. Similarly of the 37 chronic pancreatitis patients 27 were de novo and 10 had progressed to chronicity from recurrent acute. The mean age of patients was not significantly different between the different groups. Majority of patients in all groups were of idiopathic etiology. The progression of recurrent acute to chronic took 1 to 5 years. Minimum number of episodes of acute pancreatitis before progression to chronicity was 2 and minimum period was 1 year. In 11 of the 27 de novo chronic pancreatitis patients, the age of first pain and diagnosis were identical, in the remaining 16, there were varying intervals between the first pain and diagnosis (1-12 years).

DISCUSSION

There was a continuum of acute pancreatitis to recurrent acute pancreatitis, some of the recurrent acute pancreatitis patients further progressed to chronic.

CONCLUSION

In some instances tropical chronic pancreatitis may initially present clinically as recurrent acute pancreatitis.

Quantum chemistry calculations of 3-Phenoxyphthalonitrile dye sensitizer for solar cells

The geometries, electronic structures, polarizabilities, and hyperpolarizabilities of organic dye sensitizer 3-Phenoxyphthalonitrile were studied based on Hartree-Fock (HF) and density functional theory (DFT) using the hybrid functional B3LYP. Ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) spectrum was investigated by time dependent DFT (TD-DFT). Features of the electronic absorption spectrum in the visible and near-UV regions were assigned based on TD-DFT calculations. The absorption bands are assigned to pi-->pi* transitions. Calculated results suggest that the three excited states with the lowest excited energies in 3-Phenoxyphthalonitrile is due to photoinduced electron transfer processes. The interfacial electron transfer between semiconductor TiO(2) electrode and dye sensitizer 3-Phenoxyphthalonitrile is due to an electron injection process from excited dye to the semiconductor's conduction band. The role of phenoxy group in 3-Phenoxyphthalonitrile in geometries, electronic structures, and spectral properties were analyzed.

In vivo studies of the ceramic coated titanium alloy for enhanced osseointegration in dental applications

This paper reports the effect of the various ceramic coatings viz., hydroxyapatite (HA) and partially stabilized zirconia (PSZ) on the bond strength between the bone and implant, and cell compatibility of screw-shaped Ti-6Al-7Nb dental implants. Electrophoretic deposition technique (EPD) was used to obtain a uniform coating of one of the three types of ceramic layers (HA, PSZ and 50%HA + 50%PSZ) on the screws. Structural investigations were carried out on the prepared HA powder and the modified surfaces of the Ti-6Al-7Nb alloy using different techniques, namely X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The in vivo studies were performed by the implantation of screw-shaped uncoated and coated implants in the tibia of white New Zealand rabbits. To understand the bone-implant interface, biomechanical test was carried out after 2, 6 and 18 weeks healing periods. There was increased mechanical strength (torque value) of bone-implant interface with time, and the highest increment in the bond strength was recorded for implants coated with a 50% HA and 50% PSZ. Histological results show that the coated Ti-6Al-7Nb screws after 18 weeks of the implantation seem to be well-tolerated by the bone since no adverse tissue reaction was evident. However, there was a faster reaction of bone towards the coated implants compared to the uncoated one. The histochemical stain studies shows higher cellular activity and mature bone formation on all the samples.

Normal Human Plasma Anti-β-Glucoside Antibody Has Markedly Elevated IgA Content and Binds Fungal and Yeast Polysaccharides

Normal human plasma antibody that recognizes beta-linked glucoside moiety was purified by affinity chromatography on cellulose. The anti-beta-glucoside antibody had three times higher IgA to IgG ratio and substantially higher polymeric IgA content than total serum immunoglobulins. Cellobiose and other beta-glucosides were best inhibitors of its binding to polystyrene microwell-coated polysaccharides. In synthetic glycoproteins made by conjugating disaccharides to hemoglobin or bovine serum albumin, cellobiose, unlike lactose or maltose, was sugar-specifically recognized by the antibody. It also recognized polystyrene well-coated beta1-->3 linked glycans of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Candida albicans and of barley in decreasing order of affinity. Its sugar-binding site could thus accommodate beta-glucoside with or without substitution at C4 and C3. High IgA content along with the capacity to bind common microbial and dietary antigens pointed to the immune inflammatory potential of the antibody.

Development of recombinant nucleocapsid protein based IgM-ELISA for the early detection of distemper infection in dogs

An IgM-ELISA based on a 16-kDa recombinant protein produced for the conserved and functional middle region of nucleocapsid protein of Canine distemper virus was developed. Out of 70 serum samples from distemper-suspected and vaccinated dogs analyzed, 34 serum samples (49%) were positive. The specificity of this ELISA was confirmed by blocking and adsorption experiments. The IgM-ELISA based on the recombinant nucleocapsid protein showed a strong correlation (r=0.857, p<0.0001 at 95% CI) and good agreement (kappa=0.714) with the conventional Vero cell culture distemper antigen based IgM-ELISA. The percent positivity was more in dogs with systemic signs (62%) by recombinant nucleocapsid protein IgM-ELISA. Out of 70 clinical serum samples, 69 samples were used along with 4 control sera used in the IgM-ELISA for the detection of viral RNA by Slot blot hybridization and 26 of them (36%) were positive. Fifty-one percent agreement was observed between the recombinant nucleocapsid protein IgM-ELISA and Slot blot hybridization. The analysis of clinical history of the dogs with systemic signs supported the application of IgM-ELISA over Slot blot hybridization in the early detection of distemper infection.

Evaluation of ELISA based on the conserved and functional middle region of nucleocapsid protein to detect distemper infection in dogs

A 287bp fragment from the middle region of the nucleocapsid protein of canine distemper virus (CDV) was amplified from the conjunctival samples of distemper-infected dogs and was cloned into pRSET B vector. The recombinant protein was expressed as a 16-kDa-fusion protein with histidine tag in E. coli. Sera of distemper-infected and vaccinated dogs contained IgG antibodies against the purified recombinant protein as observed by enzyme linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) and showed a strong correlation (r=0.882, p<0.0001 at 95% CI) and good agreement (kappa=0.718) with the conventional tissue culture viral antigen based ELISA. Further, the results of recombinant protein based ELISA and Western blotting with the sera from the infected and vaccinated dogs correlated well (kappa=0.8226). These findings recommend the use of the recombinant protein in the serodiagnosis of canine distemper virus infection in dogs.

Wuchereria bancrofti: cloning and characterization of heat shock protein 70 from the human lymphatic filarial parasite

Heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) was identified as an immunodominant antigen by screening a Wuchereria bancrofti (Wb) microfilarial cDNA library with pooled Wb-infected sera, with 28% of the immunopositive clones coding for Wb-HSP70. The deduced amino acid sequence showed greater than 97 and 85% identity with HSP70 from filarial nematodes and humans, respectively. Recombinant HSP70 (74 kDa) and a recombinant protein from the C-terminal portion (43 kDa) also reacted with pooled Wb-infected sera, suggesting that the C-terminal region of HSP70 contains at least one antibody epitope. Brugia malayi L3 larvae showed increasing levels of HSP70 with increasing temperatures. Further, a polyclonal mouse anti-Wb-HSP70 antibody had reactivity to the HSP70 of cattle filarial parasite Settaria digitata and to human HSP70 derived from a Hep-2 cell line. Immune reactivity to Wb-HSP70 was strong, with uninfected non-endemic normal sera showing significantly greater reactions than sera from filaria-infected individuals. Both immunodominant self-HSP70 and HSP70 from other microbial infections may be primary targets for developing autoantibodies naturally.

Molecular characterization of a calcium binding translationally controlled tumor protein homologue from the filarial parasites Brugia malayi and Wuchereria bancrofti

We have cloned homologues of the mammalian translationally controlled tumor protein (TCTP) from the human filarial parasites Wuchereria bancrofti and Brugia malayi. TCTP genes from B. malayi and W. bancrofti were expressed in a T7 promoter vector as histidine tagged fusion proteins. Both the recombinant B. malayi TCTP (rBm-TCTP) and recombinant W. bancrofti TCTP (rWb-TCTP) have a molecular mass of approximately 28 kDa with the histidine tag. Sequence analyses showed that there is a 98% similarity between the two filarial TCTPs at amino acid levels and are immunologically cross-reactive. Analysis of soluble proteins from various lifecycle stages of B. malayi suggested that the expression of Bm-TCTP might be differentially regulated and occurs in multimeric form. Recombinant TCTP were found to form multimers in solution under non-reducing conditions. The tendency for filarial TCTPs to become multimers was predicted by the presence of the Lupas coiled coil structure in their sequence. Despite the absence of a signal sequence, Bm-TCTP is present abundantly in the excretory/secretions (ES) of microfilariae. Characterization studies showed that both Bm- and Wb-TCTPs are calcium-binding proteins and have histamine-releasing function in vitro. When injected intraperitoneally both the filarial TCTPs induced inflammatory infiltration of eosinophils into the peritoneal cavity of mice suggesting that the filarial TCTPs may have a role in the allergic inflammatory responses associated with filarial infections.

Studies on characterisation and thermal behaviour of 3-amino-5-nitro-1,2,4-triazole and its derivatives

3-Amino-5-nitro-1,2,4-triazole (ANTA) and its derivatives have been prepared in order to carry out the systematic studies on structural aspects, explosive and thermal behaviour. Thermal studies were carried out for ANTA and 4,6-bis-(3-amino-5-nitro-1H-1,2,4-triazole-1-yl)-5-nitropyrimidine (DANTNP) by thermogravimetry (TG), differential thermal analysis (DTA), differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) and manometric thermal analysis. The results show that (DANTNP) is more thermally stable than ANTA when compared in terms of activation energy.