Clinical characteristics and predictors of positive stool culture in adult patients with acute gastroenteritis

OBJECTIVE: To identify the presenting features and spectrum of pathogens in adult patients with acute diarrhoea and to determine the predictors of stool culture positivity. METHODS: A descriptive study was conducted in a tertiary care hospital from April 1, 2005 to March 31, 2006. Medical records of all consecutive adult patients with history of acute diarrhoea were reviewed between June 2006 to December 2006 for clinical characteristics and laboratory investigations. RESULTS: A total of 454 patients were admitted from April 1, 2005 to March 31, 2006. Stool cultures were performed in 233 (50%) patients, 96 (42%) had positive results. Patients with positive stool culture compared to a negative Culture were found to have a younger mean age (43 vs. 53), greater number of unformed stools (16 vs. 11) and low serum bicarbonate level (16 vs. 20). Vibrio cholerae (86%) was found to be the most prevalent organism followed by Salmonella spp (6%), Campylobacter spp (5.2%), Shigella spp (2%). Ciprofloxacin was given to 97% patients along with fluid administration, and 78% were found to be resistant to quinolones. Most patients recovered before the finalized stool culture results. CONCLUSION: Careful selection of the patients based on their clinical presentation and initial laboratory work up can help to decide ordering of stool culture in adults with diarrhoea. Fluid resuscitation remains the main stay of treatment

Adenoid cystic carcinoma of external auditory canal: A rare disease

External auditory canal, like other epithelialized surfaces is predisposed to malignancies such as Squamous cell carcinomas (SCC), melanomas and adenocarcinomas. In this background, malignancies like adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) are a rare occurrence and need to be thoroughly evaluated both locally and for distant extension. The malignancy needs to be addressed with an aggressive approach surgically with adequate marginal clearance. The role of radiation is debatable considering the outcomes in the limited data. Here we present the case of a 35-year-old female who came in with otalgia and otorrhea associated with a mass in the external auditory canal. After biopsy and imaging, a diagnosis of adenoid cystic carcinoma was made and the patient was managed accordingly

Kinetics of endoglucanase and cellobiohydrolase production by parent and mutant derivative of moderately thermotolerant Bacillus subtilis GQ 301542 on optimized medium

A moderately thermotolerant bacterial strain was isolated from the hot spring of Tatta Pani (AJ and K) Pakistan and was designated as Bacillus subtilis strain GQ 301542 after biochemical, morphological and 16S rDNA sequence analysis. This strain and its catabolite repression resistant mutant CRM197 were utilized for the study of different production kinetic parameters of both endoglucanase and cellobiohydrolase. Time course study on one monomeric (glucose), one dimeric (maltose) and two polymeric substrates (-cellulose and wheat straw) was carried out at different time intervals (4 - 28 h, after each 4 h) for determining the maximum enzyme productivity on a particular substrate. Maximum rate of endoglucanase production by the mutant (53.1 IU/L/h) was significantly (P = 0.0007) higher than that (23.7 IU/L/h of the parental organism following their growth on glucose in Dubos salts medium while the optimum product yields (Yp/s) was calculated as 69.0 IU/g S (parent) and 82.3 IU/g S (mutant) for cellobiohydrolase production. Deoxy-D-glucose resistant mutant was significantly (p = 0.03 to 0.0007) improved over its parental strain with respect to some substrate consumption and all product formation parameters and can easily degrade cellulosic biomass for production of fermentable carbohydrates.Key words: Cellobiohydrolase, endoglucanase, thermotolerant, Bacillus subtilis

Prevalence of hepatitis delta virus infection among hepatitis b virus surface antigen positive patients circulating in the largest province of pakistan

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Hepatitis delta virus (HDV) and Hepatitis B virus (HBV) co-infection is well known to induce a spectrum of acute and chronic liver diseases which further advance to cirrhosis, fulminant hepatitis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).</p> <p>Aim</p> <p>The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence of hepatitis D virus super-infection among hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) positive individuals in the highly populated province of Pakistan which is not well known.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Sera samples were subjected to HBsAg and anti-HDV screening and finally anti-HDV and HBsAg positive coinfected samples were used for HDV active RNA confirmation using nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Out of total 200 HBsAg positive samples by rapid device, 96 (48%) were also found reactive for HBsAg using enzyme linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA). Out of these HBsAg ELISA positive samples, 80 (88.8%) were anti-HDV ELISA positive which were then subjected to PCR. The amplification results further confirmed 24 (30%) samples to be HDV RNA positive. HDV super-infection was more common in male patients than female patients (81% VS 19%).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The current study shows a high prevalence rate of HDV-HBV co-infection in Pakistan that tends to increase over time.</p

A Hybrid Duo-Deep Learning and Best Features Based Framework for Action Recognition

Human Action Recognition (HAR) is a current research topic in the field of computer vision that is based on an important application known as video surveillance. Researchers in computer vision have introduced various intelligent methods based on deep learning and machine learning, but they still face many challenges such as similarity in various actions and redundant features. We proposed a framework for accurate human action recognition (HAR) based on deep learning and an improved features optimization algorithm in this paper. From deep learning feature extraction to feature classification, the proposed framework includes several critical steps. Before training fine-tuned deep learning models – MobileNet-V2 and Darknet53 – the original video frames are normalized. For feature extraction, pre-trained deep models are used, which are fused using the canonical correlation approach. Following that, an improved particle swarm optimization (IPSO)-based algorithm is used to select the best features. Following that, the selected features were used to classify actions using various classifiers. The experimental process was performed on six publicly available datasets such as KTH, UT-Interaction, UCF Sports, Hollywood, IXMAS, and UCF YouTube, which attained an accuracy of 98.3%, 98.9%, 99.8%, 99.6%, 98.6%, and 100%, respectively. In comparison with existing techniques, it is observed that the proposed framework achieved improved accuracy

cyclo-Tetrakis(μ2-3-sulfidopropyl-κ3 C 1,S:S)tetrakis[chloridocobalt(III)]

In the centrosymmetric title compound, [Co4Cl4(C3H6S)]4], the two independent CoIII ions are each coordinated in a distorted tetra­hedral geometry by one C, one Cl and two S atoms. The mol­ecules are stabilized by C—H⋯Cl hydrogen bonds. In the crystal, inter­molecular C—H⋯Cl and C—H⋯S hydrogen bonds with R 2 2(8), R 4 2(8) and R 2 2(6) ring motifs generate a polymeric network

Hepatitis C Treatment: current and future perspectives

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a member of Flaviviridae family and one of the major causes of liver disease. There are about 175 million HCV infected patients worldwide that constitute 3% of world's population. The main route of HCV transmission is parental however 90% intravenous drug users are at highest risk. Standard interferon and ribavirin remained a gold standard of chronic HCV treatment having 38-43% sustained virological response rates. Currently the standard therapy for HCV is pegylated interferon (PEG-INF) with ribavirin. This therapy achieves 50% sustained virological response (SVR) for genotype 1 and 80% for genotype 2 & 3. As pegylated interferon is expensive, standard interferon is still the main therapy for HCV treatment in under developed countries. On the other hand, studies showed that pegylated IFN and RBV therapy has severe side effects like hematological complications. Herbal medicines (laccase, proanthocyandin, Rhodiola kirilowii) are also being in use as a natural and alternative way for treatment of HCV but there is not a single significant report documented yet. Best SVR indicators are genotype 3 and 2, < 0.2 million IU/mL pretreatment viral load, rapid virological response (RVR) rate and age <40 years. New therapeutic approaches are under study like interferon related systems, modified forms of ribavirin, internal ribosome entry site (HCV IRES) inhibitors, NS3 and NS5a inhibitors, novel immunomodulators and specifically targeted anti-viral therapy for hepatitis C compounds. More remedial therapies include caspase inhibitors, anti-fibrotic agents, antibody treatment and vaccines

Trackable CEMB-Klean Cotton Transgenic Technology: Affordable Climate Neutral Agri-biotech Industrialization for Developing Countries

Background: Transgenic technology reflects the incorporation of novel useful traits in crop plants like cotton for economic benefits by overcoming the problems including insects’ pests and weeds in special. The present study is the success story of the continuous effort of CEMB team started back in the 1990s.Methods: This study includes characterization of a large number of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) strains taken from local soil and subjected to direct transformation of isolated BT genes into local cotton cultivars. Protocols for transformation into cotton plants were optimized and validated by the development of double gene codon optimized (Cry1Ac and Cry2A) transgenic cotton varieties.Results: The resulting GMOs in the form of CEMB-33, CA-12, CEMB-66 have been approved by Punjab Seed Council in 2013 and 2016 respectively. Double Bt and weedicide resistant cotton harboring CEMB-Modified and codon optimized cp4EPSPS (GTGene). These varieties can tolerate glyphosate spray @ 1900ml per acre without the appearance of necrotic spots/shedding and complete removal of all surrounding weeds in the cotton field is a significant advance to boost cotton production without spending much on insecticides and herbicides.Conclusion: In the current report, two unique sets of primers which amplify 1.1 Kb for CEMB-double Bt genes and 660 bp product for CEMB-Modified cp4EPSPS (GTGene) were tested. CEMB cotton variety CKC-01 is specially designed as low cost and easy to use by local farmer’s technology has the potential to revolutionize the cotton growing culture of the country.Keywords: Event detection; Bt Cotton; CEMB transgenic technology; GTGen

Inhibition of HCV 3a genotype entry through Host CD81 and HCV E2 antibodies

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>HCV causes acute and chronic hepatitis which can eventually lead to permanent liver damage hepatocellular carcinoma and death. HCV glycoproteins play an important role in HCV entry by binding with CD81 receptors. Hence inhibition of virus at entry step is an important target to identify antiviral drugs against HCV.</p> <p>Methods and result</p> <p>The present study elaborated the role of CD81 and HCV glycoprotein E2 in HCV entry using retroviral pseudo-particles of 3a local genotype. Our results demonstrated that HCV specific antibody E2 and host antibody CD81 showed dose- dependent inhibition of HCV entry. HCV E2 antibody showed 50% reduction at a concentration of 1.5 ± 1 μg while CD81 exhibited 50% reduction at a concentration of 0.8 ± 1 μg. In addition, data obtained with HCVpp were also confirmed with the infection of whole virus of HCV genotype 3a in liver cells.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our data suggest that HCV specific E2 and host CD81 antibodies reduce HCVpp entry and full length viral particle and combination of host and HCV specific antibodies showed synergistic effect in reducing the viral titer.</p