Antibacterial Activity of Metallic Nanoparticles

Metallic nanoparticles (NPs) for medical applications have been documented since earlier times. Advancement in modern medicines results in an increase in utilization of NPs for medical purposes due to their antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, and antiangiogenic properties. In this chapter, three metallic NPs are studied extensively as powerful nanoweapons for the destruction of bacteria. Recent research gives evidence that metallic NPs are very effective in supporting antimicrobial activities. The chemically and laser-ablated silver, gold, and copper NPs exhibited enhanced antibacterial activity than previously reported. The antibacterial mechanism was found dose- and size-dependent and was more profound for Gram-negative bacterium as compared to Gram-positive ones. The dose calculations of minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) with NPs have been calculated for both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The maximum zone of inhibition by disk diffusion was also experimented against various bacteria. These NPs exhibit excellent performance physically, catalytically, and chemically. Present study will be beneficial in areas of environment, information technology, health, cosmetics, and food department. This chapter will cover the details of fabrication and antibacterial activity results of silver, gold, and copper NPs. This chapter endeavors to demonstrate the use of metallic NPs as an alternative antibacterial nanobiotics

Knowledge, attitudes and practices of health care workers regarding needle stick injuries at a tertiary care hospital in Pakistan

OBJECTIVE: To assess the knowledge, attitude and practices of HCWs regarding needle stick injuries at the Aga Khan University Hospital. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted on medical personnel. A structured pre-tested questionnaire was administered during June-July 2003. The data was analysed by SPSS 13.0. Percentages of the categorical variables were computed and compared by Chi square test at a 5% level of significance. Odds ratios and their 95% CIs were also computed. RESULTS: Of 80 participants, 29 were doctors and 51 were registered nurses. About 45% reported having a needle stick injury in the past. Frequency of injury was significantly higher among doctors (p \u3c 0.001). The most common reason identified was stress or being over burdened followed by careless attitude. More than 50% of the injuries occurred while injecting or drawing blood samples. The risk of getting infections was well known amongst both the groups. Two third of participants were familiar with the prevention protocols and practices of nurses were generally safer than doctors (p \u3c 0.001). CONCLUSION: Despite knowing the risks, frequency of needle stick injury was generally higher especially among doctors reflecting bad practice and careless attitude towards work. Mandatory reporting, proper follow-up and constant reinforcement are recommended to reduce the rate of nosocomial transmission to health care workers

Extinction curve template for intrinsically reddened quasars

We analyze the near-infrared to UV data of 16 quasars with redshifts ranging from 0.71 $<$ $z$ $<$ 2.13 to investigate dust extinction properties. The sample presented in this work is obtained from the High $A_V$ Quasar (HAQ) survey. The quasar candidates were selected from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) and the UKIRT Infrared Deep Sky Survey (UKIDSS), and follow-up spectroscopy was carried out at the Nordic Optical Telescope (NOT) and the New Technology Telescope (NTT). To study dust extinction curves intrinsic to the quasars, from the HAQ survey we selected 16 cases where the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) law could not provide a good solution to the spectral energy distributions (SEDs). We derived the extinction curves using Fitzpatrick & Massa 1986 (FM) law by comparing the observed SEDs to the combined quasar template from Vanden Berk et al. 2001 and Glikman et al. 2006. The derived extinction, $A_V$, ranges from 0.2-1.0 mag. All the individual extinction curves of our quasars are steeper ($R_V=2.2$-2.7) than that of the SMC, with a weighted mean value of $R_V=2.4$. We derive an `average quasar extinction curve' for our sample by fitting SEDs simultaneously by using the weighted mean values of the FM law parameters and a varying $R_V$. The entire sample is well fit with a single best-fit value of $R_V=2.2\pm0.2$. The `average quasar extinction curve' deviates from the steepest Milky Way and SMC extinction curves at a confidence level $\gtrsim95\%$. Such steep extinction curves suggest a significant population of silicates to produce small dust grains. Moreover, another possibility could be that the large dust grains may have been destroyed by the activity of the nearby active galactic nuclei (AGN), resulting in steep extinction curves.Comment: 8 pages, 4 figures, 1 tabl

Higher scrotal uptake ratio of (99m)Tc-MDP on bone scans in newly diagnosed prostate cancer : a reliable indicator of pelvic node metastasis.

Abstract OBJECTIVE: Pelvic lymph node dissection (PLND) is the gold standard procedure for nodal staging in prostate cancer (PC) but less commonly used due to its invasiveness. More commonly computerized tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are used although these have limited sensitivities and specificities. The aim of this study was to find out the correlation between higher scrotal uptake ratio (SUR) of (99m)Tc-methylene diphosphonate (MDP) on bone scan and pelvic nodemetastasis in patients with PC at high risk for nodal metastasis. METHODS: This was a retrospective study which included 68 biopsy proven newly diagnosed PC patients who had bone scan from January 2008 till January 2012. MRI of the pelvis, prostate specific antigen (PSA) and Gleason\u27s score were available in all patients. Whole body bone scan was performed in all patients and SUR was calculated by dividing mean counts over scrotum and soft tissue over lateral aspect of right thigh. PLND was carried out within 2-3 weeks of MRI study in these patients. RESULTS: Mean age of studied males was 71 ± 07 years with a mean PSA level of 65 ± 162 ng/ml. Prostate biopsy revealed adenocarcinoma in all patients with mean Gleason\u27s score 7 ± 1. Mean SUR was 2.786 ± 0.496. MRI was positive for pelvic lymphadenopathy in 32/68 (47 %). PLND revealed evidence of nodal metastasis in 16/68 (24 %) patients. Receiver operating characteristic analysis revealed good diagnostic strength of SUR for nodal metastasis with a cut off value of \u3e2.99 with an area under curve (AUC) 0.708 (95 % CI 0.533-0.847, p value \u3c0.05) and a mean sensitivity of 68.75 % and mean specificity of 80 %. Diagnostic strength of MRI for nodal metastasis was found to be low (AUC 0.566, 95 % CI 0.047-0.657, non-significant p value). No significant correlation was found between SUR and PSA in nodes positive and nodes negative patients. CONCLUSION: We conclude that in newly diagnosed PC patients, higher SUR on bone scan has a high diagnostic accuracy for pelvic node metastasis. Furthermore, a bone scan with a SUR \u3c2.99 and negative for bone metastasis can stratify newlydiagnosed PC patients as low risk

Frequency of Autonomic Neuropathy in Type-1 Diabetes Mellitus Patients

Abstract Objectives: To determine the frequency of diabetic autonomic neuropathy in type 1 diabetes mellitus.Methodology: This cross-sectional study was conducted at Medical Unit-IV, Services Institute ofMedical Sciences, Lahore. A total of 236 cases fulfilling the inclusion/exclusion criteria were enrolledfrom Medical OPD Services Institute of Medical Science, Lahore. Informed consent of the patientswas taken to include their data in the study. Detailed history for Diabetes Mellitus was taken. All thepatients were undergoing for evaluation of diabetic autonomic neuropathy. Presence/absence ofDAN was recorded. All this information was recorded.Results: In our study, frequency of diabetic autonomic neuropathy in type 1 diabetes mellitus wasrecorded in 17.80%(n=42) whereas 82.20%(n=194) had no findings of the morbidity.Conclusion: We conclude that the frequency of diabetic autonomic neuropathy in type 1 diabetesmellitus is not very high, but it varies according to diagnostic criteria and population, however,some-other studies in different health centers of our country is required

18FDG synthesis and supply: A journey from existing centralized to future decentralized models

Positron emission tomography (PET) as the functional component of current hybrid imaging (like PET/ CT or PET/MRI) seems to dominate the horizon of medical imaging in coming decades. 18Flourodeoxyglucose (18FDG) is the most commonly used probe in oncology and also in cardiology and neurology around the globe. However, the major capital cost and exorbitant running expenditure of low to medium energy cyclotrons (about 20 MeV) and radiochemistry units are the seminal reasons of low number of cyclotrons but mushroom growth pattern of PET scanners. This fact and longer half-life of 18F (110 minutes) have paved the path of a centralized model in which 18FDG is produced by commercial PET radiopharmacies and the finished product (multi-dose vial with tungsten shielding) is dispensed to customers having only PET scanners. This indeed reduced the cost but has limitations of dependence upon timely arrival of daily shipments as delay caused by any reason results in cancellation or rescheduling of the PET procedures. In recent years, industry and academia have taken a step forward by producing low energy, table top cyclotrons with compact and automated radiochemistry units (Lab- on-Chip). This decentralized strategy enables the users to produce on-demand doses of PET probe themselves at reasonably low cost using an automated and user-friendly technology. This technological development would indeed provide a real impetus to the availability of complete set up of PET based molecular imaging at an affordable cost to the developing countries

Helicobacter Pylori in Patients with Hepatitis C Virus

Abstract Objective: To determine the frequency and association of Helicobacter Pylori (H. Pylori) infection among patients infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV). Methodology: The study was conducted in Services Institute of Medical Sciences, Lahore. A total of 200 cases fulfilling the inclusion/exclusion criteria were enrolled from Medical OPD Services Institute of Medical Science, Lahore. An informed consent of the patients was taken to include their data in the study. Detailed history for hepatitis C virus was taken. Blood samples were collected and sent to the hospital laboratory for evaluation of presence/absence of H. Pylori in the subjects of HCV. Results: In this study, out of 200 subjects, 32%(n=64) aged 30-50 years while 68%(n=136) aged 51-80 years, and the mean S.D was calculated as 53.99+8.67 years. 54%(n=108) males and 46%(n=92) females were included. The frequency of H. Pylori in subjects with HCV was recorded in 37.5%(n=75) whereas 62.5%(n=125) had no findings of the morbidity. Conclusion: The frequency of H. Pylori is higher in patients of Hepatitis C. &nbsp

Pseudo-thyroid lobe: A diagnostic conundrum caused by ossified anterior longitudinal ligament on bone scan

Radionuclide bone imaging is one of the most commonly performed nuclear medicine procedure around the world and characterized by its high sensitivity and relatively low specificity. False positive findings on a bone scan are very common; however, dense uptake over unilateral ossified anterior longitudinal ligament appearing as single thyroid lobe on a bone scan has not been described in the literature

Threshold primary tumour sizes for nodal and distant metastases in papillary and follicular thyroid cancers.

Abstract BACKGROUND: In papillary and follicular thyroid cancers (PTC, FTC), nodal and distant metastasis are generally considered important determinants of recurrence and survival, respectively. However, there is no consensus about the threshold primarytumour size (PTS) for these determinants. The aim of this study was to assess size relationships for developing nodal, pulmonary, bone and overall distant metastases. METHODS: This prospective study covered 139 (93 females and 46 males) consecutive biopsy proven patients with PTC (114/139, mean age 41.0 ± 15.7 years, M: F, 35%:65%) and FTC (25/139, mean age 39.2 ± 14.3 years, M: F: 24%:76%). RESULTS: Average primary tumor size was 23.4 ± 11.1 mm and 26.5 ± 13.1 mm for PTC and FTC respectively (p value=0.223). Nodal metastasis was found more common in PTC than FTC (49% vs 28%, p value \u3c0.05), whereas overall distant metastasis was approximately the same (13% and 24%, p value =0.277); however, bone metastasis was significantly higher in FTC than PTC (24% vs 5%, p value \u3c0.05). Cumulative risk for nodal and distant metastases for FTC and PTC starts at PTS \u3c20 mm and may indicate an unusual aggressive tumor behavior in the studied population. Highest cumulative risk for nodal and pulmonary metastases in PTC and for bone metastasis in FTC was found to be ≥ 50 mm PTS. CONCLUSION: We conclude that a PTS of \u3c20 mm may indicate an unusual aggressive tumor behavior with highest cumulative risk for nodal and pulmonary metastases in PTC and for bone metastasis in FTC with a cutoff of ≥ 50 mm

Infection of a ventricular septal defect patch with acremonium species

A ventricular septal defect (VSD) patch infection with Acremonium species isolated from vegetation and blood culture is described. Antifungal treatment was discontinued after 3 months and patient developed relapse. Surgery with prolonged oral voriconazole was instituted with recovery. We emphasize importance of surgery and prolonged therapy to treat such infections