Incidence of carbapenem resistant nonfermenting gram negative bacilli from patients with respiratory tract infections among intensive care units

Background: Non fermenting gram negative bacilli that were considered to be contaminants in the past have now emerged as important healthcare- associated pathogens. Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter species are now known to be the common nosocomial pathogens. Carbapenems are one of the essential antibiotics in the armamentarium against, serious nosocomial infections. Development of resistance against these is a cause of concern. Misuse and inappropriate duration of antibiotic therapy helps in development of resistance.Methods: A total of 200 endo tracheal aspirates and sputum samples were collected from patients of all age groups with clinical evidence of lower respiratory tract infection from Medical, surgical, pediatric ICUS. Non fermenting gram negative bacilli isolated and identified according to CLSI guidelines and antibiotic sensitivity test was performed by Kirby Bauer disc diffusion method.  Results: Out of 200 samples 50 Acinetobacter spp. and 38 Pseudomonas aeruginosa were isolated. Among 38 Pseudomonas isolates (42%) 16 were resistant to imipenem and 11 (29%) were resistant to meropenem. Among 50 Acinetobacter isolates 14 (28%) were resistant to imipenem and 12 (24%) were resistant to meropenem.Conclusions: Our study documents an increase in the carbapenem resistance. Reduction in antimicrobial resistance in the ICUS has been a goal for all ICUS as it improves outcome and cost of patient care. Carbapenem must be used judiciously to prevent further resistance or else this would erode the strength of life saving antibiotics.

Detection of vancomycin susceptibility among clinical isolates of MRSA by using minimum inhibitory concentration method

Background: Staphylococcus aureus is considered as a major pathogen causing a diversity of infections including bacteremia, pneumonia, skin and soft tissue including osteoarticular infections. Since 1961, Methicillin Resistant Staphylococci aureus (MRSA) emerged has one of the major and common cause of hospital acquired infection. However, due to wide spread usage of vancomycin for MRSA infections resulted in reduced susceptibility of S. aureus to vancomycin has been identified as a serious public health concern. The aim of the study is to identify the Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) from various clinical samples and to detect vancomycin susceptibility by Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) method.Methods: This study was conducted over period of one year December 2013 to November 2014. Clinical samples like pus, blood, sputum, urine and cerebrospinal fluid were collected from various clinical departments in Narayana General Hospital for selective isolation of Staphylococcus aureus. A total of 100 Staphylococcal aureus isolates were isolatedby using standard laboratory procedures. MRSA were detected using Oxacillin Disc on Muller Hinton Agar with 4% NaCl. Sensitivity pattern for vancomycin (30 µg) disc and for other recommended antibiotics was determined by Kirby-Bauer’s disk diffusion method. Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) was done for vancomycin sensitive isolates by standard agar dilution method.Results: Out of 100 S. aureus isolates, all were susceptible to vancomycin (30 µg) by disk diffusion method. But, 82 isolates of MRSA were susceptible to vancomycin at the concentration of 0.5-2 μg/ml of agar. 17 isolates showed intermediate sensitivity to vancomycin, in which 13 isolates with MIC 4μg/ml and 4 isolates with MIC 8 μg/ml and one isolate was resistant to vancomycin even with MIC of 16 μg/ml.Conclusions: The present study reveals the emergence of Vancomycin Intermediate Sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (VISA) and Vancomycin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (VRSA). Disc diffusion method should not be employed for detection of vancomycin sensitivity for MRSA stains. The major cause may be attributed to unawareness and irrational usage of broad spectrum antibiotics.

Study of conjunctival impression cytology in assessing goblet cell density in dry eyes

Background: Dry eye is a chronic multi-factorial condition characterized by disturbances in the tear film and ocular surface with a decrease in goblet cells which can be assessed by conjunctival impression cytology (CIC) which is as effective as biopsy for diagnostic purposes. It helps establish not only the diagnosis of dry eye but also aids in grading the severity. This is a highly sensitive method to detect pathological changes in the conjunctival surface and confirm the clinical diagnosis. The aim of the study was to determine the goblet cell density by impression cytology, grading the severity of dry eyes and comparing the study with other studies.Methods: Study was conducted for a period of 2 yrs from August 2011 to July 2013 in 80 patients above 20 yrs age with clinically established diagnosis of dry eye who were subjected to conjunctival imprint cytology and stained with PAS to estimate he goblet cell density.Results: Out of the 80 cases of dry eye studied 45 were females and 35 were males with a female to male ratio of 1.28: 1 with a slight female preponderance. Age of the patients ranged from 21yrso 73 yrs. CIC showed positivity in 43 cases (53.75%) and negative in 37 cases (46.25%). 39 cases (90.70%) of positive CIC were above the age of 40 years.Conclusions: Dry eyes were found to be more common in age group above 40yrs with slight female preponderance. CIC showed decreased goblet cell density with increasing age in clinically diagnosed dry eyes

Sterol Composition of the Indian Green Lipped Mussel Perna virdis

Sterol composition of green lipped mussel Perna virdis was analysed using GCMS. Cholesterol was found to be the dominant sterol (54.162% of the total sterol content). Other sterols such as Cholesta-5,22-dien-3-ol (3β), ergosta-5,22-dien-3-ol (3 β,22E, 24S),  26,26-dimethyl-5,24 (28)-Ergostadien-3β-ol, 26-nor-5cholesten- 3β-ol, stigmasterol and γ sitosterol were also detected. Presence of phytosterols like stigmasterol and γ sitosterol underlines high nutritional potential and food value of this bivalve mollusk

Observational detection of eclipses of J5 Amalthea by the Galilean satellites

We carried out observations of the small jovian satellite Amalthea (J5) as it was being eclipsed by the Galilean satellites near the 2009 equinox of Jupiter in order to apply the technique of mutual event photometry to the astrometric determination of this satellite's position. The observations were carried out during the period 06/2009-09/2009 from the island of Maui, Hawaii and Siding Spring, Australia with the 2m Faulkes Telescopes North and South respectively. We observed in the near-infrared part of the spectrum using a PanStarrs-Z filter with Jupiter near the edge of the field in order to mitigate against the glare from the planet. Frames were acquired at rates >1/min during eclipse times predicted using recent JPL ephemerides for the satellites. Following subtraction of the sky background from these frames, differential aperture photometry was carried out on Amalthea and a nearby field star. We have obtained three lightcurves which show a clear drop in the flux from Amalthea, indicating that an eclipse took place as predicted. These were model-fitted to yield best estimates of the time of maximum flux drop and the impact parameter. These are consistent with Amalthea's ephemeris but indicate that Amalthea is slightly ahead of, and closer to Jupiter than, its predicted position by approximately half the ephemeris uncertainty in these directions. We argue that a ground-based campaign of higher-cadence photometry accurate at the 5% level or better during the next season of eclipses in 2014-15 should yield positions to within 0".5 and affect a corresponding improvement in Amalthea's ephemeris.Comment: Published in A&A in 2010; 6 pages, 2 figures, 3 table

Interferometric imaging of carbon monoxide in comet C/1995 O1 (Hale-Bopp): evidence for a strong rotating jet

Observations of the CO J(1-0) 115 GHz and J(2-1) 230 GHz lines in comet C/1995 O1 (Hale-Bopp) were performed with the IRAM Plateau de Bure interferometer on 11 March, 1997. The observations were conducted in both single-dish (ON-OFF) and interferometric modes with 0.13 km s-1 spectral resolution. Images of CO emission with 1.7 to 3" angular resolution were obtained. The ON-OFF and interferometric spectra show a velocity shift with sinusoidal time variations related to the Hale-Bopp nucleus rotation of 11.35 h. The peak position of the CO images moves perpendicularly to the spin axis direction in the plane of the sky. This suggests the presence of a CO jet, which is active night and day at about the same extent, and is spiralling with nucleus rotation. The high quality of the data allows us to constrain the characteristics of this CO jet. We have developed a 3-D model to interpret the temporal evolution of CO spectra and maps. The CO coma is represented as the combination of an isotropic distribution and a spiralling gas jet, both of nucleus origin. Spectra and visibilities (the direct output of interferometric data) analysis shows that the CO jet comprises ~40% the total CO production and is located at a latitude ~20 degrees North on the nucleus surface. Our inability to reproduce all observational characteristics shows that the real structure of the CO coma is more complex than assumed, especially in the first thousand kilometres from the nucleus. The presence of another moving CO structure, faint but compact and possibly created by an outburst, is identified.Comment: 20 pages, 26 figures. Accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysic

Structural stability and magnetic properties of Mn2FeAl alloy with a β-Mn structure

The synthesized Mn2FeAl alloys crystallize in a geometrically frustrated cubic β-Mn structure (space group: P4132) with an antiferromagnetic ordering whereas the previous theoretical findings suggest for a Heusler structure (L21: regular and X: inverse). The experimental stability of the structure is verified by electronic structure calculations performed for various arrangements of Mn, Fe and Al atoms in the β-Mn-type crystal structure. When compared the energy of the β-Mn structure with the energy of L21 and X type structures, it is found that for an expansion of the lattice volume β-Mn structure becomes more preferable in total energy than L21 and X-type structures. The calculated theoretical equilibrium lattice parameter value for the β-Mn2FeAl is within the accuracy of the experimental value obtained in this work. Additional DFT + U calculations for the optimized crystal structure of the β-Mn2FeAl revealed that the electronic correlations in the Mn ions result in the increased total magnetic moment. In the X type structure, Mn2FeAl is a half metal, whereas the disordered arrangement of atoms in the β-Mn structure leads to the closure of the semiconductor gap. The β- Mn2FeAl alloys exhibit antiferromagnetic ordering (TN ≈ 42 K), which is in excellent agreement with our electronic structure calculations. The detailed analysis of the magnetic and heat capacity measurements suggests a short-range magnetic ordering in the Mn2FeAl alloys. Owing to the strong antiferromagnetic spin fluctuation caused by the geometric frustration in β-Mn, a large enhancement in the electronic heat capacity is noticed. Mn2FeAl shows the characteristic features of spin glass as verified from the frequency dependent AC susceptibility analysis using critical power law and Vogel-Fulcher law. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first ever report on the theoretically predicted lowest ground state configuration for Mn2FeAl with a β-Mn structure and the experimental realization of spin glass features in this geometrically frustrated antiferromagnet. © 2020 Elsevier B.V.Department of Science and Technology, Ministry of Science and Technology, India, डीएसटी: - SB-FTP/PS097/2014, no-INT/ RUS / RFBR /379; University Grants Committee, UGC: F.30-49/2014; Science and Engineering Research Board, SERB; Russian Foundation for Basic Research, РФФИ: 19-52-45008, 20-02-00234; Inter-University Accelerator Centre, IUAC: UFR 57318; AAAA-A18-118020190098-5This work is financially supported by SERB -DST, New Delhi, India (Grant no - SB-FTP/PS097/2014 ) and DST New Delhi, India (Grant no-INT/ RUS / RFBR /379). The financial assistance provided by IUAC, New Delhi, India through Grant No. UFR 57318 and UGC, India Grant No. F. 30-49/2014 (BSR) is also acknowledged. Theoretical studies of β-Mn 2 FeAl are supported by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (project nos. 19-52-45008 and 20-02-00234 ), theoretical studies of L2 1 , X-Mn 2 FeAl are supported by the state assignment of Minobrnauki of Russia (theme “Electron” No. AAAA-A18-118020190098-5).This work is financially supported by SERB-DST, New Delhi, India (Grant no- SB-FTP/PS097/2014) and DST New Delhi, India (Grant no-INT/RUS/RFBR/379). The financial assistance provided by IUAC, New Delhi, India through Grant No. UFR 57318 and UGC, India Grant No. F.30-49/2014(BSR) is also acknowledged. Theoretical studies of ?-Mn2FeAl are supported by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (project nos. 19-52-45008 and 20-02-00234), theoretical studies of L21, X-Mn2FeAl are supported by the state assignment of Minobrnauki of Russia (theme ?Electron? No. AAAA-A18-118020190098-5)