Multi-drug resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa keratitis and its effective treatment with topical colistimethate

The purpose was to evaluate the clinical outcome in multi-drug resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (MDR-PA) bacterial keratitis and report the successful use of an alternative antibiotic, topical colistimethate in some of them. The medical records of 12 culture-proven MDR-PA keratitis patients, all exhibiting in vitro resistance by Kirby–Bauer disc diffusion method to ≥ three classes of routinely used topical antibiotics were reviewed. Eight patients were treated with 0.3% ciprofloxacin or ofloxacin, 1 patient with 5% imipenem/cilastatin and 3 patients with 1.6% colistimethate. The outcomes in 8 eyes treated with only fluoroquinolones were evisceration in 4 eyes, therapeutic corneal graft in 1 eye, phthisis bulbi in 1 eye, and no improvement in 2 eyes. The eye treated with imipenem/cilastin required a therapeutic corneal graft. All the three eyes treated with 1.6% colistimethate healed. Colistimethate may prove to be an effective alternative antibiotic in the treatment of MDR-PA keratitis

Granulomatous inflammation in Acanthamoeba sclerokeratitis

This report describes the histopathological findings in a patient with Acanthamoeba sclerokeratitis (ASK). A 58-year-old patient with ASK underwent enucleation and sections of the cornea and sclera were subjected to histopathology and immunohistochemistry with monoclonal mouse antihuman antibodies against T cell CD3 and B cell CD20 antigens. Hematoxylin and Eosin stained sections of the cornea revealed epithelial ulceration, Bowman′s membrane destruction, stromal vascularization, infiltration with lymphocytes, plasma cells, and granulomatous inflammation with multinucleated giant cells (MNGC). The areas of scleritis showed complete disruption of sclera collagen, necrosis and infiltration with neutrophils, macrophages, lymphocytes, and granulomatous inflammation with MNGC. No cyst or trophozoites of Acanthamoeba were seen in the cornea or sclera. Immunophenotyping revealed that the population of lymphocytes was predominantly of T cells. Granulomatous inflammation in ASK is probably responsible for the continuance and progression of the scleritis and management protocols should include immunosuppressive agents alongside amoebicidal drugs

Fungal keratitis in Lattice dystrophy

We report a case of fungal keratitis occurring in a patient with lattice dystrophy. A 57-year-old farmer presented with a corneal ulcer following probable entry of paddy husk in the right eye, of one month duration. Corneal scraping revealed pigmented fungal filaments while culture grew Alternaria alternata. Treatment with 5% natamycin eye drops and 1% atropine healed the infection in four weeks. We would like to draw attention to the fact that the cornea in lattice dystrophy is prone to frequent erosions and is a compromised epithelial barrier to invasion by microorganisms. Patients must be made aware of this fact and should seek attention at the earliest following any trivial trauma. Management of minor corneal abrasions in them should be directed at healing the epithelium with adequate lubricants and preventing infection with topical antibiotic prophylaxis

<span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Times-Bold;mso-bidi-font-family:Times-Bold; mso-bidi-language:HI">Ion-transport studies on Ba-nano ferrite dispersed PVA : (NH_{<span style="font-size:8.0pt;font-family:Times-Bold;mso-bidi-font-family: Times-Bold;mso-bidi-language:HI">4</span>}<span style="font-size:14.0pt; font-family:Times-Bold;mso-bidi-font-family:Times-Bold;mso-bidi-language:HI">CH_{<span style="font-size:8.0pt;font-family:Times-Bold;mso-bidi-font-family:Times-Bold; mso-bidi-language:HI">2</span>}<span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family: Times-Bold;mso-bidi-font-family:Times-Bold;mso-bidi-language:HI">COO)_{<span style="font-size:8.0pt;font-family:Times-Bold;mso-bidi-font-family:Times-Bold; mso-bidi-language:HI">2</span>}<span style="font-size:8.0pt;font-family: Times-Bold;mso-bidi-font-family:Times-Bold;mso-bidi-language:HI"> <span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Times-Bold;mso-bidi-font-family:Times-Bold; mso-bidi-language:HI">Polymer Electrolyte </span></span></span></span></span>

46-52<span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Times-Roman;mso-bidi-font-family:Times-Roman; mso-bidi-language:HI">An attempt has been made in the present work to develop a nano sized Ba-ferrite doped PVA based nano composite polymer gel electrolyte for electrochemical device applications. Nano sized Ba-ferrite particles prepared through chemical route were dispersed in matrix electrolyte of PVA: (NH<span style="font-size:5.0pt;font-family:Times-Roman;mso-bidi-font-family: Times-Roman;mso-bidi-language:HI">4<span style="font-size:9.0pt; font-family:Times-Roman;mso-bidi-font-family:Times-Roman;mso-bidi-language: HI">CH<span style="font-size:5.0pt;font-family:Times-Roman; mso-bidi-font-family:Times-Roman;mso-bidi-language:HI">2<span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Times-Roman;mso-bidi-font-family:Times-Roman; mso-bidi-language:HI">COO)<span style="font-size:5.0pt;font-family: Times-Roman;mso-bidi-font-family:Times-Roman;mso-bidi-language:HI">2<span style="font-size:5.0pt;font-family:Times-Roman;mso-bidi-font-family:Times-Roman; mso-bidi-language:HI"> <span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Times-Roman; mso-bidi-font-family:Times-Roman;mso-bidi-language:HI">to obtain NCPGE films. XRD result on a synthesised filler particle depicts formation of nano ferrite with hexaferrite as the major phase. Further XRD studies on NCPGE show improvement in amorphous character with increasing concentration of nano fillers in composite electrolytes. OM and SEM examination of NCPEs shows heterogeneous distribution of fillers. Cyclic voltammetric measurement reveals optimum electrochemical window of ±1.8V with good recyclability. Ionic conductivity of electrolyte evaluated from impedance spectroscopy technique shows enhancement in electrical conductivity upon dispersal of nano fillers which increases with filler concentration and temperature. Jonscher power law seems to be obeyed during ac conductivity measurement of the films. </span

Synthesis and characterization of nano CuInS2 thin Films for device applications

123-127Present paper deals with synthesis and characterization of CuInS2 thin films prepared through sol gel spray pyrolysis technique. During synthesis di-ethanolamine has been used as stabilizer for Indium acetate solution in 1-propanol while mono ethanolamine and ethylene glycol have been used in combination as stabilizing agent for Copper acetate solution in 2-propanol. The structural and optical properties of as deposited films have been explored in order to determine the optimum conditions for growth of CIS ternary compound semiconductor films. The physical and optical properties of the thin films synthesized at different substrate temperatures have been studied by X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and UV-Visible spectroscopy. XRD analysis revealed formation of CuInS2 phase along with that of Cu9 In4 as impurity. The crystallite size calculated from XRD data ranges from 45 to 63nm. SEM analysis have shown that film consist of homogeneous grains with sizes of about few hundred nanometers. Besides, formations of flower like structure and larger agglomerates have also been witnessed in the SEM examination. The energy band gap calculated from optical absorption spectra shows a blue shift on increasing the substrate temperature