ANTIBACTERIAL AND ANTIFUNGAL ACTIVITY OF STREPTOMYCES SP. VITDDK3 ISOLATED FROM ENNORE COAST, TAMIL NADU, INDIA

Actinobacteria isolated from soil samples collected at the Ennore saltern, Tamil Nadu was screened for antibacterial and antifungal activity against common clinical pathogens. The isolate VITDDK3 exhibited more promising antagonistic activity against Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus fumigatus. Presence of LL-Diaminopimelic acid and glycine assigned the isolate VITDDK3 to the genus Streptomyces. Further 16S rRNA partial gene sequence was carried out to confirm the chemotaxonomic results. BLAST analysis showed that the strain VITDDK3 possessed 98% similarity with Streptomyces sp. A254Ydz-ZZ but phylogenetic analysis revealed that its closest neighbour was Streptomyces tricolor HBUM175176. The rRNA secondary structure and the restriction sites of VITDDK3 were predicted using Genebee and NEBCutter online softwares respectivel

Beneficial impacts of goat milk on the nutritional status and general well-being of human beings: Anecdotal evidence

Goats provide an essential food supply in the form of milk and meat. Goat milk has distinct qualities, but it shares many similarities with human and bovine milk regarding its nutritional and therapeutic benefits. Because of their different compositions, goat and cow milk products could have different tastes, nutrients, and medicinal effects. Modification in composition aid of goat milk determining the viability of goat milk processing methods. Comparatively, goat's milk has higher calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus levels than cow's or human milk but lower vitamin D, B12, and folate levels. Goat milk is safe and healthy for infants, the old, and healing ailments. Capric, caprylic, and capric acid are three fatty acids that have shown promise as potential treatments for various medical issues. Considering the benefits and drawbacks of goat milk over cow milk is essential; goat milk is more digestible, has unique alkalinity, has a better buffering capacity, and has certain medicinal benefits. Acidifying goat milk shrinks fat globules and makes protein friable (with less αs1-casein and more αs2-casein). Goat milk treats malabsorption illnesses because it has more short- and medium-chain triglycerides that give developing children energy. In wealthy countries, goat milk and its products—yoghurt, cheeses, and powdered goods—are popular with connoisseurs and persons with allergies and gastrointestinal issues who need alternative dairy products. A food product category containing fermented goat milk with live probiotic microbes appears promising nutritionally and medicinally. This article presents anecdotal evidence of the therapeutic effects of consuming goat milk for human health and its nutritional value

Potential benefits of Glycyrrhiza glabra (Liquorice) herb, its chemical make-up and significance in safeguarding poultry health: Current scientific knowledge

Positive results have been seen when bioactive components from herbal plants are added to poultry diets. Efficacy in feeding, digestion of nutrients, antioxidant health, immunological indices, and other factors can all be improved with the help of these additives, which in turn increases growth rates and improves poultry welfare. Several researchers have used sophisticated herbal formulae that included Glycyrrhiza glabra (Liquorice) as an ingredient. Epidemic illnesses, mainly in the respiratory, digestive, and immunological systems, pose the greatest threat to the poultry business. Flavonoids and glycyrrhizin are two of the bioactive compounds in Liquorice. The roots of this plant contain glycyrrhizin at concentrations of 1-9%, which has numerous pharmacological benefits, including anti-infectious, antioxidant, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory properties. Liquorice extracts are helpful in the treatment of multiple common illnesses. These include problems with the liver, the lungs, and the immunological system. Adding Liquorice to chicken diets improves their productivity in several ways, including fostering organ growth and stimulating digestion and appetite. Liquorice has many beneficial effects on birds, including helping them grow larger bodies, cleansing their systems, and protecting them from free radicals, bacteria, and inflammation. In this article, we'll look at the chemical make-up of liquorice herb, its role in protecting poultry health, and its recent applications and benefits

Clinically Suspected Myocarditis Temporally Related to COVID-19 Vaccination in Adolescents and Young Adults: Suspected Myocarditis After COVID-19 Vaccination

Background: Understanding the clinical course and short-term outcomes of suspected myocarditis after the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination has important public health implications in the decision to vaccinate youth. Methods: We retrospectively collected data on patients <21 years old presenting before July 4, 2021, with suspected myocarditis within 30 days of COVID-19 vaccination. Lake Louise criteria were used for cardiac MRI findings. Myocarditis cases were classified as confirmed or probable on the basis of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention definitions. Results: We report on 139 adolescents and young adults with 140 episodes of suspected myocarditis (49 confirmed, 91 probable) at 26 centers. Most patients were male (n=126, 90.6%) and White (n=92, 66.2%); 29 (20.9%) were Hispanic; and the median age was 15.8 years (range, 12.1–20.3; interquartile range [IQR], 14.5–17.0). Suspected myocarditis occurred in 136 patients (97.8%) after the mRNA vaccine, with 131 (94.2%) after the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine; 128 (91.4%) occurred after the second dose. Symptoms started at a median of 2 days (range, 0–22; IQR, 1–3) after vaccination. The most common symptom was chest pain (99.3%). Patients were treated with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (81.3%), intravenous immunoglobulin (21.6%), glucocorticoids (21.6%), colchicine (7.9%), or no anti-inflammatory therapies (8.6%). Twenty-six patients (18.7%) were in the intensive care unit, 2 were treated with inotropic/vasoactive support, and none required extracorporeal membrane oxygenation or died. Median hospital stay was 2 days (range, 0–10; IQR, 2–3). All patients had elevated troponin I (n=111, 8.12 ng/mL; IQR, 3.50–15.90) or T (n=28, 0.61 ng/mL; IQR, 0.25–1.30); 69.8% had abnormal ECGs and arrhythmias (7 with nonsustained ventricular tachycardia); and 18.7% had left ventricular ejection fraction <55% on echocardiogram. Of 97 patients who underwent cardiac MRI at a median 5 days (range, 0–88; IQR, 3–17) from symptom onset, 75 (77.3%) had abnormal findings: 74 (76.3%) had late gadolinium enhancement, 54 (55.7%) had myocardial edema, and 49 (50.5%) met Lake Louise criteria. Among 26 patients with left ventricular ejection fraction <55% on echocardiogram, all with follow-up had normalized function (n=25). Conclusions: Most cases of suspected COVID-19 vaccine myocarditis occurring in persons <21 years have a mild clinical course with rapid resolution of symptoms. Abnormal findings on cardiac MRI were frequent. Future studies should evaluate risk factors, mechanisms, and long-term outcomes

Mortality and pulmonary complications in patients undergoing surgery with perioperative SARS-CoV-2 infection: an international cohort study

Background: The impact of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) on postoperative recovery needs to be understood to inform clinical decision making during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. This study reports 30-day mortality and pulmonary complication rates in patients with perioperative SARS-CoV-2 infection. Methods: This international, multicentre, cohort study at 235 hospitals in 24 countries included all patients undergoing surgery who had SARS-CoV-2 infection confirmed within 7 days before or 30 days after surgery. The primary outcome measure was 30-day postoperative mortality and was assessed in all enrolled patients. The main secondary outcome measure was pulmonary complications, defined as pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, or unexpected postoperative ventilation. Findings: This analysis includes 1128 patients who had surgery between Jan 1 and March 31, 2020, of whom 835 (74·0%) had emergency surgery and 280 (24·8%) had elective surgery. SARS-CoV-2 infection was confirmed preoperatively in 294 (26·1%) patients. 30-day mortality was 23·8% (268 of 1128). Pulmonary complications occurred in 577 (51·2%) of 1128 patients; 30-day mortality in these patients was 38·0% (219 of 577), accounting for 81·7% (219 of 268) of all deaths. In adjusted analyses, 30-day mortality was associated with male sex (odds ratio 1·75 [95% CI 1·28–2·40], p\textless0·0001), age 70 years or older versus younger than 70 years (2·30 [1·65–3·22], p\textless0·0001), American Society of Anesthesiologists grades 3–5 versus grades 1–2 (2·35 [1·57–3·53], p\textless0·0001), malignant versus benign or obstetric diagnosis (1·55 [1·01–2·39], p=0·046), emergency versus elective surgery (1·67 [1·06–2·63], p=0·026), and major versus minor surgery (1·52 [1·01–2·31], p=0·047). Interpretation: Postoperative pulmonary complications occur in half of patients with perioperative SARS-CoV-2 infection and are associated with high mortality. Thresholds for surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic should be higher than during normal practice, particularly in men aged 70 years and older. Consideration should be given for postponing non-urgent procedures and promoting non-operative treatment to delay or avoid the need for surgery. Funding: National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland, Bowel and Cancer Research, Bowel Disease Research Foundation, Association of Upper Gastrointestinal Surgeons, British Association of Surgical Oncology, British Gynaecological Cancer Society, European Society of Coloproctology, NIHR Academy, Sarcoma UK, Vascular Society for Great Britain and Ireland, and Yorkshire Cancer Research

Convalescent plasma in patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19 (RECOVERY): a randomised controlled, open-label, platform trial

SummaryBackground Azithromycin has been proposed as a treatment for COVID-19 on the basis of its immunomodulatoryactions. We aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of azithromycin in patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19.Methods In this randomised, controlled, open-label, adaptive platform trial (Randomised Evaluation of COVID-19Therapy [RECOVERY]), several possible treatments were compared with usual care in patients admitted to hospitalwith COVID-19 in the UK. The trial is underway at 176 hospitals in the UK. Eligible and consenting patients wererandomly allocated to either usual standard of care alone or usual standard of care plus azithromycin 500 mg once perday by mouth or intravenously for 10 days or until discharge (or allocation to one of the other RECOVERY treatmentgroups). Patients were assigned via web-based simple (unstratified) randomisation with allocation concealment andwere twice as likely to be randomly assigned to usual care than to any of the active treatment groups. Participants andlocal study staff were not masked to the allocated treatment, but all others involved in the trial were masked to theoutcome data during the trial. The primary outcome was 28-day all-cause mortality, assessed in the intention-to-treatpopulation. The trial is registered with ISRCTN, 50189673, and ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04381936.Findings Between April 7 and Nov 27, 2020, of 16 442 patients enrolled in the RECOVERY trial, 9433 (57%) wereeligible and 7763 were included in the assessment of azithromycin. The mean age of these study participants was65·3 years (SD 15·7) and approximately a third were women (2944 [38%] of 7763). 2582 patients were randomlyallocated to receive azithromycin and 5181 patients were randomly allocated to usual care alone. Overall,561 (22%) patients allocated to azithromycin and 1162 (22%) patients allocated to usual care died within 28 days(rate ratio 0·97, 95% CI 0·87–1·07; p=0·50). No significant difference was seen in duration of hospital stay (median10 days [IQR 5 to >28] vs 11 days [5 to >28]) or the proportion of patients discharged from hospital alive within 28 days(rate ratio 1·04, 95% CI 0·98–1·10; p=0·19). Among those not on invasive mechanical ventilation at baseline, nosignificant difference was seen in the proportion meeting the composite endpoint of invasive mechanical ventilationor death (risk ratio 0·95, 95% CI 0·87–1·03; p=0·24).Interpretation In patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19, azithromycin did not improve survival or otherprespecified clinical outcomes. Azithromycin use in patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19 should be restrictedto patients in whom there is a clear antimicrobial indication

DIGITAL TEACHING RESOURCES ENHANCE ANATOMY LEARNING EXPERIENCE OF FIRST YEAR MEDICALnSTUDENTS DURING THE PANDEMIC PERIOD

6th International Anatomical Sciences and Cell Biology Conference 202228-2

Compliance of Adolescent Friendly Health Clinics with National and International Standards : Quantitative findings from the i-Saathiya study

OBJECTIVE: Indian adolescents experience several health challenges requiring acceptable, equitable, appropriate and effective healthcare services. Our objective was to assess the compliance of Adolescent Friendly Health Clinics (AFHCs) in two of India's largest states, using both national benchmarks (under Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram-RKSK) and global standards (by WHO). DESIGN: Cross-sectional study comprising structured observations and interactions (November 2021 to June 2022). SETTING: Fourteen AFHCs across all levels of health system were included from two districts of Maharashtra (n=8) and Madhya Pradesh (n=6). These AFHCs were observed using checklist, and few items of checklist were verified by interactions with AFHC's health workers (medical officers/auxillary nurse midwives/counsellors) handlings adolescents. The developed checklist included 57 items based on adapted global standards and 25 items using national benchmarks. RESULT: High compliance of AFHCs with RKSK's benchmarks was attributed to various items including the accessibility through local transport (n=14, 100%), clean surroundings (n=11, 78.5%), presence of signage (n=10, 71.4%), convenient operating days and time (n=11, 78.5%), and secure storage of records (n=13, 92.9%). Concurrently, items that showed low compliance encompassed, the availability of Information, Education and communication (IEC) resources, which were deficient in 57.1% of AFHCs (n=8). Similarly, designated areas for clinical services (n=10, 71.4%) and commodity disbursement (n=9, 64.3%) lacked in more than half of the recruited AFHCs. Additionally, lack of guidelines for referrals (n=13, 92.9%), as well as standard operating procedures to ensure equity, non-judgemental attitude, competence, confidentiality and referral as per WHO standards. CONCLUSION: Evidence spotlights the strengths and gaps in AFHCs, aligning with, government's priorities on adolescent health. Addressing the identified gaps is crucial to creating healthcare facilities that are adolescent-friendly, easily accessible and effectively navigate adolescent health challenges. This concerted effort would contribute to their development and transformation, playing a pivotal role in India's progress