Dengue - should we look for confirmation?

Background: Children are at great risk of dengue infection and mortality. Pediatric dengue management needs early identification and timely intervention. Objective: Evidence for case management based on clinical diagnosis without waiting for confirmation is aimed at in this study. Methods: Retrospective medical record review of pediatric clinical and confirmed dengue cases was done. Children admitted during 6 months in 2015 at Institute of Child Health, Niloufer Hospital, Hyderabad, were included in the study. 3 demographic, 32 symptom, 24 sign, and 24 investigation data were collected. Proportions of individual findings of the total number of patients in the group were compared between clinical and confirmed dengue groups. Results: Of the 13,750 admissions, 282 serologically confirmed dengue cases, 407 clinical dengue cases, 4 confirmed dengue deaths, and 24 clinical dengue deaths, making a total of 717 patient data were analyzed. Case fatality rate was 4.06% (95% confidence interval: 2.56-5.57). Except 9 out of 83 parameters, no significant differences of proportions between the groups were present. Age <5 years, seizures, altered sensorium, bradycardia, and systolic blood pressure <70 mmHg were significantly associated with increased mortality in dengue on logistic regression. Conclusions: Clinical diagnosis in the light of epidemiology, using acute pain in right hypochondrium, malena, tender hepatomegaly, centrifugal blanchable flushing, and hypotension as definite pointers of dengue avoids vagueness and is sufficient to treat dengue with escalation of fluid therapy as needed and with other supportive measures without waiting for lab support. Currently, available investigations cannot confirm dengue with accuracy in the hour of need, but they should be used for epidemiological purposes

ANTIMICROBIAL POTENTIAL OF FUNGAL ENDOPHYTES ISOLATED FROM LEAVES OF PROSOPIS JULIFLORA (SW.) DC. AN IMPORTANT WEED

Objective: To evaluate the antimicrobial potential of fungal endophytes isolated from leaves of Prosopis juliflora against the important plant and human pathogenic bacteria and fungi.Methods: Antimicrobial screening was done by agar diffusion and dual culture method. The ethyl acetate extract of the endophytes which recorded good activity were subjected to disc diffusion assay and determination of MIC.Results: A total of 446 fungal isolates were recovered from 400 leaflet segments representing 44 fungal endophytes. Species of Cladosporium, Colletotrichum and Fusarium were the dominant genera. Seventeen endophytic fungi out of 44 showed significant antibacterial activity against one or more test bacteria. Ethyl acetate extract of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides exhibited highly significant broad spectrum antibacterial activity. Eleven endophytes showed antifungal activity against all test fungi. Paecilomyces lilacinus and Trichoderma sp. showed significant antifungal activity with growth inhibition of 50% and above in dual culture. The ethyl acetate extract of Paecilomyces lilacinus also showed significant antifungal activity in disc diffusion. This is the first report of antimicrobial potential of the endophyte Paecilomyces lilacinus. Preliminary biochemical characterization of the active ethyl acetate extract of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides and Paecilomyces lilacinus showed the presence of alkaloids, carbohydrates, sterols and coumarins.Conclusion: Results of the study paves the way for further studies on the isolation and characterization of antimicrobial principles and their evaluation for the agricultural and medical application.Â

RANDOMIZED DOUBLE BLIND PLACEBO CONTROLLED CLINICAL STUDY OF CYMBOPOGAN CITRATUS IN INFLUENZA

Background: Influenza, or flu, is a respiratory illness that is caused by a virus. As Influenza is known to be highly contagious and there by affecting working community at large, a natural; cost effective remedy can help sail through the course of illness with much ease. The plant Cymbopogon citratus (DC) Stapf. commonly known as Lemon grass belongs to Poaceae family and is a native of tropical countries. Various studies have been done on the plant to reveal its potential therapeutic effects. Thus this study untended to evaluate its efficacy in the management of Influenza and its symptoms. Methodology: Randomized double blind placebo controlled clinical study. 62 patients of age group 20- 50 years, suffering from Influenza and fulfilling the diagnostic criteria were selected and randomly grouped into trial (Group I - 31 patients) and control group (Group II - 31 patients received the Placebo- Distilled water 25ml 3 times daily). Both the groups were given Paracetamol 500mg/kg body weight as rescue medicine if required. Observation & Results: The signs and symptoms of Influenza which were exhibited in patients when subjected to the Trial medication showed good results. The quality of life in them was better compared to control group. Conclusion: The current study helped to confirm the effect of the plant Cymbopogon citratus (DC) Stapf. in influenza. In Trial group, significantly better remission of associated signs and symptoms of influenza was found compared to control group. This would help us create an increased awareness amongst the public about the use of herbal medicines in either cure or as add on therapy in the management of Influenza

Seasonal diversity & spaciotemporal distribution of fungal endophytes associated with the medicinal plant Coleus forskohlii Briq.

Fungi that colonize the healthy tissues of the plants without showing any disease symptoms in the host plants are termed as fungal endophytes. The presence of fungal endophytes provides a positive effect on the host’s growth & development and also triggers the production of some essential bioactive compounds in the host. This study was undertaken to isolate, identify and understand the spaciotemporal distribution and seasonal diversity of fungal endophytes associated with the leaf, stem & root of Coleus forskohlii, an important and endangered medicinal plant. Sampling was done for a period of 12 months between May 2020–April 2021. A total of 950 fungal endophytes were isolated from a total of 1680 tissues of the leaf, stem & root of C. forskohlii. The fungi were identified based on their morphological features and some of them were identified by molecular identification by 18S rRNA sequencing. The endophytic isolates belonged to 10 different orders belonging to 3 different classes-Sordariomycetes (Hypocreales, Xylariales, Microascales, Trichosphaeriales, Glomerellales & Sordariales), Dothiomycetes (Pleosporales, Capnodiales, Botryosphaeriales) & Eurotiomyctes (Eurotiales). About 81.26% of the isolates belonged to Ascomycota & 2.63% of the isolates belonged to Mucoromycota. Chaetomium globosum, Collariella bostrychodes, C. robusta, Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, Fusarium chlamydosporum, Sterile hyaline mycelia, Aspergillus niger, Xylaria curta, X. grammica, Mucor circinelloides & Trichoderma harizianum were the frequently isolated species of fungi. C. globosum, C. bostrychodes, C. gloeosporioides, sterile hyaline mycelia &  X. curta were found distributed in all the tissues of the plant. C. forskohlii has thus revealed a rich diversity of fungal endophytes that could be isolated & cultured to yield some pharmacologically important bioactive compounds

Social media engagement strategy : Investigation of marketing and R&D interfaces in manufacturing industry

Research shows that effective marketing and R&D interface is pivotal in a company's new product development performance and future competitiveness. The increased popularity of social media promised to enhance interaction, collaboration, and networking between the two functions. However, there is limited knowledge regarding the key activities, infrastructure requirements, and potential benefits of social media in the marketing and R&D interface. This study aims to advance the current understanding of social media engagement strategies, which facilitates improved marketing and R&D interfaces and ultimately NPD performance for manufacturing companies. Based on a multiple-case study in two manufacturing companies, this study first presents the role of social media in facilitating improved marketing and R&D interface within a B2B context. Second, it presents the adoption process of the social media engagement strategy for an evolving marketing and R&D interface. The adoption process is divided into three phases, namely coordination, cooperation, and coproduction, to provide detailed insights regarding full-scale social media engagement. Taken together, the study provides novel insights into industrial marketing management literature by exemplifying the role of social media and proposing a systematic social engagement strategy for improved marketing and R&D interface in the manufacturing industry.fi=vertaisarvioitu|en=peerReviewed

Enabling organizational changes for development of product-service system offers

The manufacturing industry is going through a transition from developing of products to the provision of product-service systems (PSS). Earlier research has identified different types of PSS offers, from product offers that include services as “add-on”, to the sale of services that include tangible goods as “add-on”. This paper addresses what consequences this has on manufacturing organizations undergoing PSS transition. The purpose of the paper is to clarify key success factors for organizational changes needed in the transition process of developing different types of PSS offers. The results are based on a case study of a manufacturer in the aerospace domain; the analysis approached organizational changes from organizational theory perspective. The study identified four key areas that need to be considered in the organizational transformation to PSS development: Business strategy and decision-making, Internal organizational structure, Team composition, and External networks and customer relationship. Based on the analysis of empirical data from these four areas, the paper discusses the successful organizational changes that are required in the transition towards PSS development

SCREENING OF RIBOFLAVIN BINDING PROTEIN (RFBP) FROM AVIAN EGGS TO SCREEN THEIR ANTI-CANCER ACTIVITY

Riboflavin binding protein (Rfbp) was purified from different avian eggs including Pea cock (Pavo cristatus) Egg- white and Hen (Gallus gallus) egg- white Riboflavin binding protein (RfBP) was isolated. The Rfbp was purified in two steps; DEAE-SephadexA-50 ion exchange chromatography. The final purification of proteins (Rfbp) was achieved on SephadexG100.The protein content was estimated with Lowry method. The purity of the proteins was judged by two methods like cylindrical and slab-gels, SDS- PAGE techniques. These proteins showed a single band on SDS gels and the molecular weight was 29 Kilo Daltons. Antiserum was raised against these Rfbp is in rabbit. These proteins are emulsified in Freund is complete adjuvant and injected subcutaneously at weekly intervals for 4 weeks in to the rabbit at multi places. The rabbit anti serum was collected through the ear vein, 7 days after the booster injection. This serum was analyzed in- vitro method with HeLacervical cancer cell- lines. MTT [(3- (4, 5- dimethyl thiazol-2yl)-2, 5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide] measures the metabolic activity of the viable cells. The viable cell counting with trypan blue dye exclusion method. There was more than 85 percent of cell death was observed. The anti cancer activity of Riboflavin binding proteins (Rfbp) purified from egg-white of Pea cock (Pavo cristatus) 87.7% and Hen (Gallusgallus) egg-white 87.5, egg-yolk 86.2% and Emu egg white (Struthio camelus) 85.0 contains anti cancer activity on HeLacelllines

Frontal plane tibio-femoral alignment and its association with knee pain among patients with early osteoarthritis of the knee in a population presenting to a tertiary hospital in South India

Background: Frontal plane knee malalignment may increase the progression of knee osteoarthritis (OA) and worsen functional capacity.Methods: In our study, the aim was to find the correlation of frontal plane tibiofemoral alignment with knee pain in early OA knee patients. After meeting the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 195 patients with 314 knees (104 females, 91 males) were studied. Clinical and radiological measurements of frontal plane tibiofemoral alignment, using landmark of hip, knee, and ankle, compared with knee pain.Results: The accepted Statistical significance was p<0.05. Patients with 130 knees (41%) were normal alignment, and 184 knees (59%) were abnormal alignment. The mean±SD age in our study was 54.6±8.9 years. The mean±SD BMI in our study to be 25.86±1.96. Mean±SD Q-angle in patients with normal and abnormal alignment was 14.76±1.54 and 14.63±1.9 respectively. There is statistically no significant correlation between BMI and VAS score (r=0.054, p=0.344). Means±SD of mLDFA, mMPTA, mTFA, aTFA, and JOA were 88.86±2.73, 84.96±3.00, 5.96±4.01, 4.55±3.67, and 2.37±1.88 respectively. JOA and mTFA had statistically significant weak positive correlation with VAS (knee pain) score, (r=0.281) (p=0.000) and (r=0.236) (p=0.000) respectively. The rest of the angles were not had statistically significant correlation with VAS score. The mTFA had statistically significant weak positive correlation with all the angles. We found that Frontal plane tibiofemoral alignment correlates with knee pain in patients with early OA. Conclusions: The mTFA may be considered one important criterion in designing treatment and planning surgery for patients with primary osteoarthritis. The Q angle acts as a good alternative clinical tool in assessing frontal plane alignment. BMI was not correlating with knee pain (VAS score)

CAPTURING AND SHARING LESSONS LEARNED ACROSS BOUNDARIES: A VIDEO-BASED APPROACH

In light of emerging product development trends, such as Product-Service Systems, manufacturing organizations are obliged to collaborate across functional and organizational borders. Hence, companies are increasingly investigating how to leverage knowledge management practices to enhance their dynamic learning capabilities to achieve continuous process improvements. Many researchers assert that lessons learned practices are possible ways for organizational learning, which allows for continuous capturing and sharing of experiential knowledge across boundaries in order to learn both from mistakes and successes. However, many organizations fall short in capturing and sharing lessons from projects and applying them in new situations. The purpose of this paper is to propose a video-based approach and related guidelines for capturing and sharing lessons learned in a dynamic manner across functional and organizational boundaries. Based on laboratory experiments as well as validation activities conducted in collaboration with an aerospace manufacturer, this paper compares the video-based approach with a more traditional text-based approach of documenting lessons learned from projects. The paper describes the results of testing activities conducted with a video-based lessons learned prototype and the authors reflect on its implications for design practice management in the aerospace industry