Anti-biofilm role of silver nanoparticles on microbial biofilm: An in vitro study on biofilm of heart valves

Background: Infective Endocarditis (IE) caused by microbial biofilm is associated with high degree of mortality and morbidity. Of late, silver nano-particles (AgNPs) with a wide range of antimicrobial, anti-biofilm properties are being studied to combat this drug resistance. Objective: Assessment of anti-biofilm role of AgNPs among the potential biofilm producer isolates retrieved by in-vitro study. Methods: Following inclusion and exclusion criteria, some thirty extracted heart valves were considered to be included in the study. Sample collection, transport, storage and processing of samples for aerobic and anaerobic bacteriological culture were done as per standard microbiological guidelines. Biofilm detection assay and antibiofilm efficacy of indigenously prepared carboxy methyl cellulose capped AgNPs sized 9.5nm (CMC-AgNPs-9.5) were studied using Christensen’s et al. method. Statistical Analysis: One-way ANOVA and unpaired t-test were used. P≤ 0.05 obtained was considered statistically significant. Results: Majority were Gram-positive (75%) and 91.6% of the microbial isolates were found to be biofilm producers.CMC-AgNPs-9.5were able to effectively eradicate biofilm. Conclusion: AgNPs by their reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation provide new ray of hope for antimicrobial, antibiofilm and prevention strategies. However in vivo study may be done in future to substantiate the present scientific claim further

Histoplasmosis of Adrenal Gland: A 5 Years' Review from a Multispecialty Diagnostic Centre

Objective Histoplasmosis is an infectious disease caused by the dimorphic fungus Histoplasma capsulatum. Histoplasmosis is considered to be endemic to India, especially the Gangetic belt. Disseminated histoplasmosis may affect almost all systems. Disseminated histoplasmosis with asymptomatic adrenal involvement has been described in immunocompromised patients, whereas isolated adrenal involvement as the presenting manifestation in immunocompetent is uncommon. We aimed to determine the clinicopathological and radiological findings of adrenal histoplasmosis in immunocompetent patients attending a multispecialty diagnostic center referred from different clinics and hospitals. Materials and Methods All tissue samples were initially examined microscopically by performing potassium hydroxide (KOH) wet mounts, followed by culture on two tubes of Sabouraud dextrose agar and phase conversion. Histopathological correlation was done using tissue stains, hematoxylin and eosin, periodic acid–Schiff, and Gomori methenamine silver. Results We evaluated 84 clinically suspected cases radiologically for adrenal mass. The pathological and microbiological work-up was done from these suspected cases. A total of 19 cases were evident from the tissue stain and fungal culture methods. The affected population were mostly above 45 years and male. Seven patients had bilateral adrenal involvement. All these patients received amphotericin B and/or itraconazole treatment, which led to symptomatic improvement in most cases. Conclusion Diagnosis of invasive fungal infection requires a high index of suspicion, especially in immunocompetent patients presenting with nonspecific symptoms, clinical signs, and laboratory and radiological features that often resemble adrenal neoplasms. Clinical specimens, together with fungal culture, must be sent for cytopathology/histopathology for a definite diagnosis and appropriate management

A Rare Case of Pancreatic Abscess due to Candida Tropicalis

Candida albicans is found frequently as a commensal organism in the gastrointestinal tract. Despite this, it is rarely found in pancreatic abscesses, there being only a few cases in the literature and in most of these cases the significance of Candida spp. as a pathogen was not initially recognized at the time of diagnosis. In most of the earlier reported pancreatitis associated with candida, C. albicans was the commonest isolate. We report the case of a patient in whom computed tomography was used initially to diagnose a pancreatic abscess, aspiration of which showed growth of Candida tropicalis and Escherichia coli on culture. The patient was started on amphotericin B and imipenem, but the condition of the patient deteriorated, for which the patient underwent surgical necrosectomy and continued treatment with imipenem and amphotericin B led to the satisfactory recovery of the patient

Open Source Drug Discovery - Highly Potent Antimalarial Compounds Derived from the GlaxoSmithKline Tres Cantos Arylpyrroles

The development of new antimalarial compounds remains a pivotal part of the strategy for malaria elimination. Recent large-scale phenotypic screens have provided a wealth of potential starting points for hit-to-lead campaigns. One such public set is explored, employing an open source research mechanism in which all data and ideas were shared in real time, anyone was able to participate and patents were not sought. One chemical sub-series was found to exhibit oral activity but contained a labile ester that could not be replaced without loss of activity, and the original hit exhibited remarkable sensitivity to minor structural change. A second sub-series displayed high potency, including activity within a late stage gametocyte assay, but at the cost of low solubility. As an open source research project, unexplored avenues are clearly identified and may be explored further by the community; new findings may be cumulatively added to the present work

Crystalline cyclic peptide nanotubes at interfaces

The assembly, orientation, and structural features of nanoscale tubes composed of cyclic peptides, formed at the air−water interface, were detected by grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXD). The peptide cyclo-[(l-Phe-d-N-MeAla-)4] (1) exhibits two-dimensional crystallinity in which the plane of the peptide ring is parallel to the water interface. The peptide cyclo-[(l-Trp-d-Leu)3-l-Ser-d-Leu] (2) forms predominantly planar aggregates composed of several tubes, lying with their long axes parallel to the air−water interface. In contrast, the peptide cyclo-[(l-Trp-d-Leu)4] (3) exhibits a very low tendency to form ordered two-dimensional arrays of nanotubes. Films of peptides 2 and 3 as well as their mixtures with the phospholipid DPPA were transferred onto a solid support and visualized by scanning force microscopy (SFM)