Streptococcus anginosus lung infection and empyema: A case report and review of the literature

Streptococcus milleri group (SMG) also referred to as the Streptococcus anginosus group. These are Gram-positive, variable hemolysis, catalase negative, microaerophilic, non-motile facultative anaerobes which have been known to cause abscesses in humans. We report a case of empyema caused by Streptococcus anginosus in a patient with an unresolved pneumonia for over a month. In early October 2018, the patient presented to an emergency room with the complaints of shortness of air, productive cough, chills, subjective fever and weight loss for 4 weeks. A chest X-ray revealed a left lower lobe pneumonia. He was treated with 250 mg of azithromycin for 4 days. During a follow-up visit in November 2018, he reported having persistent symptoms. The chest CT revealed a localized pleural fluid collection at the left lower chest highly suggestive of empyema. He was prescribed 100mg of doxycycline for a month. However, he was admitted to the hospital a week later due to worsening symptoms. The microbiological cultures for sputum and blood were negative; however, pleural fluid cultures grew Streptococcus anginosus resistant to clindamycin and erythromycin. The patient was treated with broad spectrum antimicrobial regimen in conjunction with surgical management. Initially, the patient underwent CT guided placement of chest tube with instillation of Tissue Plasminogen Activator (TPA) for the drainage of pleural fluid followed Video-assisted Thoracoscopy with lateral decortication and drainage of empyema of the left lung due to persistence of complicated effusion. There was remarkable improvement in his symptoms, and he recovered subsequently. Our case highlights the infections caused by the Streptococcus milleri group (SMG) in individuals with an unresolved pneumonia. Such patients should be diagnosed accurately and treated aggressively with rapid and effective interventions

Deciphering the mode of action of a mutant Allium sativum Leaf Agglutinin (mASAL), a potent antifungal protein on Rhizoctonia solani

LC MS/MS analysis of identified interactors of mASAL from R.solani Matched peptides highlighted in yellow. Green colour indicated probable sites of mutation and modification. (DOCX 2225 kb

Mechanistic Insights Into Probiotic Properties of Lactic Acid Bacteria Associated With Ethnic Fermented Dairy Products

Gut microbes and their metabolites maintain the health and homeostasis of the host by communicating with the host via various biochemical and physical factors. Changing lifestyle, chronic intake of foods rich in refined carbohydrates and fats have caused intestinal dysbiosis and other lifestyle-based diseases. Thus, supplementation with probiotics has gained popularity as biotherapies for improving gut health and treating disorders. Research shows that probiotic organisms enhance gastrointestinal health, immunomodulation, generation of essential micronutrients, and prevention of cancer. Ethnically fermented milk and dairy products are hotspots for novel probiotic organisms and bioactive compounds. These ethnic fermented foods have been traditionally prepared by indigenous populations, and have preserved unique microflora for ages. To apply these unique microflora for amelioration of human health, it is important that probiotic properties of the bacterial species are well studied. Majority of the published research and reviews focus on the probiotic organisms and their properties, fermented food products, isolation techniques, and animal studies with their health pathologies. As a consequence, there is a dearth of information about the underlying molecular mechanism behind probiotics associated with ethnically prepared dairy foods. This review is targeted at stimulating research on understanding these mechanisms of bacterial species and beneficial attributes of ethnically fermented dairy products

NO2 and Humidity Sensing Characteristics of Few-layer Graphene

Sensing characteristics of few-layer graphenes for NO2 and humidity have been investigated with graphene samples prepared by the thermal exfoliation of graphitic oxide (EG), conversion of nanodiamond (DG) and arc-discharge of graphite in hydrogen (HG). The sensitivity for NO2 is found to be highest with DG. Nitrogen-doped HG (n-type) shows increased sensitivity for NO2 compared to pure HG. The highest sensitivity for humidity is observed with HG. The sensing characteristics of graphene have been examined for different aliphatic alcohols and the sensitivity is found to vary with the chain length and branching.Comment: 19 pages, 7 figure

Evolution of the optical spectrum of SN 1987a in the large magellanic cloud

The evolution of the spectrum of SN1987a is traced from 1987 February 26 to March 31. Based on the low-resolution spectroscopic data we identify the lines of H, He I, Na I, Fe II, Sc II, Ca II which are known to be present in Type II Supernovae, and also present evidence for the existence of lines of Mg I, CaI, O I, and N I. We discuss the evolution of the Hα profile, and draw attention to its complex structure around March 30. Close to the rest wavelength of Ha a double-peaked structure appeared in the profile with a peak-to-peak separation of ~ 1400 km s−1, suggestive of an expanding shell or disc of gas. Using the available broadband photometric information, we also trace the evolution of the photosphere of SN1987a assuming that it radiates like a supergiant

TIRSPEC : TIFR Near Infrared Spectrometer and Imager

We describe the TIFR Near Infrared Spectrometer and Imager (TIRSPEC) designed and built in collaboration with M/s. Mauna Kea Infrared LLC, Hawaii, USA, now in operation on the side port of the 2-m Himalayan Chandra Telescope (HCT), Hanle (Ladakh), India at an altitude of 4500 meters above mean sea level. The TIRSPEC provides for various modes of operation which include photometry with broad and narrow band filters, spectrometry in single order mode with long slits of 300" length and different widths, with order sorter filters in the Y, J, H and K bands and a grism as the dispersing element as well as a cross dispersed mode to give a coverage of 1.0 to 2.5 microns at a resolving power R of ~1200. The TIRSPEC uses a Teledyne 1024 x 1024 pixel Hawaii-1 PACE array detector with a cutoff wavelength of 2.5 microns and on HCT, provides a field of view of 307" x 307" with a plate scale of 0.3"/pixel. The TIRSPEC was successfully commissioned in June 2013 and the subsequent characterization and astronomical observations are presented here. The TIRSPEC has been made available to the worldwide astronomical community for science observations from May 2014.Comment: 20 pages, 21 figures, 2 tables. Accepted for publication in Journal of Astronomical Instrumentatio

Post-Outburst Phase of McNeil's Nebula (V1647 Orionis)

We present a detailed study of the post-outburst phase of McNeil's nebula (V1647 Ori) using optical B,V,R,I and NIR J,H,K photometric and low resolution optical spectroscopic observations. The observations were carried out with the HFOSC, NIRCAM, TIRCAM and NICMOS cameras on the 2m HCT and 1.2m PRL telescopes during the period 2004 Feb-2005 Dec. The optical/NIR observations show a general decline in brightness of the exciting source of McNeil's nebula (V1647 Ori). Our recent optical images show that V1647 Ori has faded by more than 3 mags since Feb 2004. The optical/NIR photometric data also show a significant variation in the mags (Delta V = 0.78 mag, Delta R = 0.44 mag, Delta I = 0.21 mag, Delta J = 0.24 mag and Delta H = 0.20 mag) of V1647 Ori within a period of one month, which is possibly undergoing a phase similar to eruptive variables, like EXors or FUors. The optical spectra show a few features such as strong Halpha emission with blue-shifted absorption and the CaII IR triplet (8498A, 8542A and 8662A) in emission. As compared to the period just after outburst, there is a decrease in the depth and extent of the blue-shifted absorption component, indicating a weakening in the powerful stellar wind. The presence of the CaII IR triplet in emission confirms that V1647 Ori is a PMS star. The long-term, post-outburst photometric observations of V1647 Ori suggest an EXor, rather than an FUor event. An optical/IR comparison of the region surrounding McNeil's nebula shows that the optical nebula is more widely and predominantly extended to the north, whereas the IR nebula is relatively confined (dia ~ 60 arcsec), but definitely extended, to the south, too.Comment: 25 pages (4 figures in JPEG format), Accepted for the publication in MNRAS. Preprint is also available at: http://www.tifr.res.in/~ojha/McNeil.htm

EhMAPK, the Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase from Entamoeba histolytica Is Associated with Cell Survival

Mitogen Activated Protein Kinases (MAPKs) are a class of serine/threonine kinases that regulate a number of different cellular activities including cell proliferation, differentiation, survival and even death. The pathogen Entamoeba histolytica possess a single homologue of a typical MAPK gene (EhMAPK) whose identification was previously reported by us but its functional implications remained unexplored. EhMAPK, the only mitogen-activated protein kinase from the parasitic protist Entamoeba histolytica with Threonine-X-Tyrosine (TXY) phosphorylation motif was cloned, expressed in E. coli and functionally characterized under different stress conditions. The expression profile of EhMAPK at the protein and mRNA level remained similar among untreated, heat shocked and hydrogen peroxide-treated samples in all cases of dose and time. But a significant difference was obtained in the phosphorylation status of the protein in response to different stresses. Heat shock at 43°C or 0.5 mM H2O2 treatment enhanced the phosphorylation status of EhMAPK and augmented the kinase activity of the protein whereas 2.0 mM H2O2 treatment induced dephosphorylation of EhMAPK and loss of kinase activity. 2.0 mM H2O2 treatment reduced parasite viability significantly but heat shock and 0.5 mM H2O2 treatment failed to adversely affect E. histolytica viability. Therefore, a distinct possibility that activation of EhMAPK is associated with stress survival in E. histolytica is seen. Our study also gives a glimpse of the regulatory mechanism of the protein under in vivo conditions. Since the parasite genome lacks any typical homologue of mammalian MEK, the dual specificity kinases which are the upstream activators of MAPK, indications of the existence of some alternate regulatory mechanisms of the EhMAPK activity is perceived. These may include the autophosphorylation activity of the protein itself in combination with some upstream phosphatases which are not yet identified

Steps toward determination of the size and structure of the broad-line region in active galactic nuclei. VI. Variability of NGC 3783 from ground-based data

The Seyfert 1 galaxy NGC 3783 was intensely monitored between 1991 December and 1992 August. We present the results from the ground-based observations in the optical and near-IR, which complement the data-set from the IUE, discussed elsewhere. Spectroscopic and photometric data from many observatories were combined in order to obtain well sampled light curves of the continuum and of H-Beta. During the campaign the source varied significantly. The light curves of the optical continuum and of H-Beta are similar to those obtained with the IUE. The near-IR flux did not vary significantly except for an increase at the end of the campaign. The optical continuum and the flux of H-Beta lag the UV continuum by 1 day or less and by 8 days respectively. These results confirm that the continuum variations are simultaneous or have a very small lag across the entire UV-optical range, and that the lines of NGC 3783 respond to ionizing continuum variations with less delay than those of NGC 5548. As in NGC 5548, the lag of H-Beta is greater than those of the high ionization lines.Comment: 34 pages in LaTeX, 7 postscript figures available on request from [email protected] or 37907::stirpe, BAP#10-1993-035-OA