Development of Java based graphical user interface for Diagnosis of Hepatitis UsingI Mixture of Expert

Hepatitis is deadly, and the fifth leading cause of death after heart disease, stroke, chest disease and cancer. Worldwide, 1.5 million deaths per year have been estimated. Detection of hepatitis is a big problem for general practitioners. An expert doctor commonly makes decisions by evaluating the current test results of a patient or by comparing the patient with others with the same condition with reference to the previous decisions. Many machine learning and data mining techniques have been designed for the automatic diagnosis of hepatitis. However, no one tool is available to the general population for the diagnosis of Hepatitis. Hence, a graphical user interface-enabled tool needs to be developed, through which medical practitioners can feed patient data easily and find hepatitis diagnoses instantly and accurately. 
Methods: In this study a hepatitis dataset was taken from the UCI machine repository database with a total of 20 attributes of two classes, Affected and Not Affected. 
Results and Conclusion: The models have been generated with a mixture of experts as a classification method for the diagnosis of hepatitis. Very good accuracy has been observed in the generated models. Finally, the model having the least minimum square error was selected. This model was then linked with GUI for the design of tools for hepatitis prediction

Vitex trifolia: AN ETHNOBOTANICAL AND PHARMACOLOGICAL REVIEW

Objective: The perspective of this review is the list of activities carried out or studied along with description, habitat macro-microscopy, phytoconstituents, medicinal uses, clinical studies, and toxicology on the plant Vitex trifolia. Methods: A large number of the species of the Genus Vitex are widely employed in Indian traditional systems of medicine. A total of 270 plant species of genus Vitex have been identified worldwide. V. trifolia is used in Ayurveda and Unani. These species are rich source of secondary metabolites such as polyphenolic compounds, terpenoids, phytosterols, protein and amino acids, tannins, and saponins.Results: The results of various studies V. trifolia possess larvicidal, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antioxidant, hepatoprotective, antihistaminic, and antiasthmatic properties.Conclusion: The review on V. trifolia explains that there is a need for detailed study on its clinical relevance and safety of plant extracts

Protein carbonyls and protein thiols in rheumatoid arthritis

Background: Oxidative stress (OS) has an important role in the pathogenesis and progression of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). OS causes protein modification, thereby impairing the biological functions of the protein. This study was conducted to assess the oxidatively modified protein as protein carbonyl content and the antioxidant status as protein thiols, and to study the association between protein carbonyls and protein thiols in RA.Methods: Newly diagnosed RA patients who were not taking any disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs were included into the study group (n=45) along with age and sex matched healthy controls (n=45). Serum protein carbonyl content and protein thiols were estimated.Results: Elevated protein carbonyl content and decreased protein thiol levels (p<0.001) were observed in RA. A significant negative correlation was observed between protein carbonyl content and protein thiol levels (p<0.001).Conclusions: Oxidative stress in RA is evidenced by enhanced protein oxidation and decreased antioxidant protein thiol levels. Decreased protein thiols may also reflect protein modifications leading to compromise in the antioxidant properties. This oxidant and antioxidant imbalance needs to be addressed by therapeutic interventions to prevent disease progression

Association of atherogenic indices with obesity and as biomarkers of cardiovascular risk

Background: Obesity, the new world syndrome is the major health problem pandemically. One of the causes of dyslipidemia is obesity. The study was aimed to detect the pattern and prevalence of dyslipidemia in obese persons.Methods: Case control study included 70 subjects categorized into two groups based on BMI (body mass index) as cases (obese) with BMI >25 kg/m2 (n=35) and controls (non-obese) with BMI <25 kg/m2 (n=35). Anthropometric measurements such as waist and hip circumference and waist to hip ratio were measured. Fasting venous blood samples collected were estimated for total cholesterol, triglycerides, high density lipoprotein. Non-HDL-cholesterol, atherogenic indices such as atherogenic index of plasma, Castelli's risk index I and II and atherogenic coefficient were calculated from the estimated lipids.Results: Dyslipidemia observed in obese cases was hypercholesterolemia, hypertriglyceridemia (28.57%), lowered HDL (57.14%) and increased LDL (65.71%). Significant lower HDL, elevated non-HDL cholesterol, CRI-I, II and AC were observed in cases compared to controls. BMI had a significant negative correlation with HDL and positive correlation with anthropometric measurements, TC, non-HDL cholesterol and atherogenic indices. TC and HDL were associated with all the atherogenic indices. CRI-I, CRI-II and AC have significant diagnostic utility, with CRI-I and AC having more sensitivity and specificity at cut off values of 3.85 and 2.85 respectively.Conclusions: Decrease in HDL, elevated non-HDL cholesterol and atherogenic indices are associated with BMI. CRI-I and AC are indicative cardiovascular risk

Molecular and Clinical Features of Heterogeneous Vancomycin Intermediate Staphylococcus aureus in Tertiary Care Hospitals of South India

Objectives: This study aimed to detect heterogeneous vancomycin-intermediate Staphylococcus aureus (hVISA) among methicillin resistant S. aureus (MRSA) isolated from healthcare-associated infections and identify staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec) types. Methods: Isolation and identification of MRSA were done using standard bacteriological methods. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was done using Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion and macrolide-lincosamide-streptogramin B (MLSB) phenotypes identified using D test. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of vancomycin was determined using agar dilution. hVISA were confirmed by modified population analysis profile-area under the curve (PAP-AUC) test. SCCmec types and Panton-Valentine leukocidin (pvl) were detected using multiplex PCR. Results: Out of 220 MRSA stains, 14 (6.4%) were hVISA. None of the MRSA isolate was vancomycin intermediate or resistant. All hVISA were susceptible to linezolid and teicoplanin. Macrolide-streptogramin B (MSB) phenotype was present in 42.9% hVISA. 92.9% hVISA strains had vancomycin MIC in the range 1-2 µg/mL. Majority of hVISA and vancomycin susceptible MRSA were isolated from skin and soft tissue infections. SCCmec III and IV were present in 50% and 35.7% hVISA respectively. 14.3% hVISA harboured SCCmec V. Conclusion: The rate of hVISA among MRSA was 6.4%. MRSA strains should be tested for hVISA before starting vancomycin treatment. None of the isolates was vancomycin intermediate or resistant. All the hVISA strains were susceptible to linezolid and teicoplanin. The majority of hVISA were isolated from skin and soft tissue infections. The majority hVISA harboured SCCmec III and IV. Keywords: MRSA; Hospital infection; Molecular typing; Vancomyci

A RISING THREAT – RISK FACTORS AND OUTCOMES RELATED TO INFECTIONS WITH ACINETOBACTER SPECIES

ABSTRACTObjective: Acinetobacter species is an important cause of community as well as nosocomial infections with a high mortality rate. The study was doneto analyze the risk factors associated with Acinetobacter infections and their outcomes.Methods: The clinical details of 100 patients having infections with Acinetobacter species over a period of 1-year were analyzed for underlying riskfactors and outcomes. The antibiotic sensitivity results were interpreted according to the Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute guidelines.Results: Majority of the infections caused by the Acinetobacter species were lower respiratory tract infections, most common being ventilatorassociatedpneumonia. 47% of the isolates were multi drug resistant and 26% were extensively drug resistant. There is a significant chance of drugresistance and a poor outcome with intensive care unit (ICU) stay, prolonged hospital stay of more than 7 days, the presence of 5 or more risk factors.Endotracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation were the risk factors for increased drug resistance in the ICU. Drug resistance was also seen morefrequently in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, chronic kidney disease, and patients on post-operative care.Conclusion: The steady increase in drug resistant Acinetobacter species and limited antibiotics available advocates an uncompromising approachtoward infection control and a judicious use of antibiotics especially in the ICU. An understanding about the risk factors helps in the appropriateapproach and management of the patient.Keywords: Acinetobacter, Risk factors, Invasive procedures, Nosocomial

Role of adipokines, oxidative stress, and endotoxins in the pathogenesis of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is associated with chronic inflammation and oxidative stress, implicated in the pathophysiology of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Present study aimed to assess the role of adipokines, oxidative stress, and endotoxins in the pathogenesis of NAFLD in T2DM.Methods: Present cross-sectional observational study included healthy controls (n=50; group 1); T2DM patients without NAFLD (n=50; group 2), T2DM patients with NAFLD (n=50; group 3). Study subjects were age and gender matched.Results: Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), high sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), endotoxin, malondialdehyde (MDA) were significantly elevated and adiponectin, ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP), and glutathione (GSH) were significantly lower (p<0.001) in T2DM patients with NAFLD when compared to T2DM patients without NAFLD and controls. Endotoxin showed significant positive correlation with TNF-α (r=0.304; p<0.001), hs-CRP (r=0.193; p=0.018), and MDA (r=0.420; p<0.001), and significant negative correlation with adiponectin (r=-0.406; p<0.001). TNF-α and IL-6 showed significant positive correlation with MDA (r=0.526; p<0.001, r=0.229; p=0.005) and significant negative correlation with adiponectin (r=-0.396; p<0.001, r=-0.318; p<0.001), FRAP (r=-0.418; p<00.001, r=-0.170; p=0.038), and GSH (r=-0.353; p<0.001, r=-0.301; p<0.001).Conclusions: Authors observed elevated endotoxin, oxidative stress, inflammation and lower adiponectin levels in T2DM subjects compared to controls. These changes were more pronounced in T2DM with NAFLD when compared to T2DM without NAFLD.  Lower adiponectin levels were found to be a better predictor of NALFD in T2DM and is associated with oxidative stress and systemic inflammation