Randomized Clinical Trial of High-Dose Rifampicin With or Without Levofloxacin Versus Standard of Care for Pediatric Tuberculous Meningitis: The TBM-KIDS Trial

Background. Pediatric tuberculous meningitis (TBM) commonly causes death or disability. In adults, high-dose rifampicin may reduce mortality. The role of fluoroquinolones remains unclear. There have been no antimicrobial treatment trials for pediatric TBM. Methods. TBM-KIDS was a phase 2 open-label randomized trial among children with TBM in India and Malawi. Participants received isoniazid and pyrazinamide plus: (i) high-dose rifampicin (30 mg/kg) and ethambutol (R30HZE, arm 1); (ii) high-dose rifampicin and levofloxacin (R30HZL, arm 2); or (iii) standard-dose rifampicin and ethambutol (R15HZE, arm 3) for 8 weeks, followed by 10 months of standard treatment. Functional and neurocognitive outcomes were measured longitudinally using Modified Rankin Scale (MRS) and Mullen Scales of Early Learning (MSEL). Results. Of 2487 children prescreened, 79 were screened and 37 enrolled. Median age was 72 months; 49%, 43%, and 8% had stage I, II, and III disease, respectively. Grade 3 or higher adverse events occurred in 58%, 55%, and 36% of children in arms 1, 2, and 3, with 1 death (arm 1) and 6 early treatment discontinuations (4 in arm 1, 1 each in arms 2 and 3). By week 8, all children recovered to MRS score of 0 or 1. Average MSEL scores were significantly better in arm 1 than arm 3 in fine motor, receptive language, and expressive language domains (P < .01). Conclusions. In a pediatric TBM trial, functional outcomes were excellent overall. The trend toward higher frequency of adverse events but better neurocognitive outcomes in children receiving high-dose rifampicin requires confirmation in a larger trial. Clinical Trials Registration. NCT02958709

First record of two species of goby fish, <i>Cryptocentrus cyanotaenia</i> Bleeker and <i>Istigobius diadema</i> Steindachner (Perciformes: Gobiidae) in Indian waters

905-909Two goby fishes Cryptocentrus cyanotaenia Bleeker, 1853 and Istigobius diadema Steindachner 1877 were collected from the Tuticorin and Mandapam coastal waters of Tamilnadu, India. C. cyanotaenia is well distinguished by the presence of grey color body with 9 narrow white bars; blue lines and spots with markings on the head and snout; yellow margins of dorsal, anal and caudal fins. I. diadema is easily recognized by bold black line on the posterior portion of the eye; head region with a dark reddish tinge; dorsal, anal and caudal fins with dark spots

First record of two species of goby fish, Cryptocentrus cyanotaenia Bleeker and Istigobius diadema Steindachner (Perciformes: Gobiidae) in Indian waters

1252-1256Two goby fishes Cryptocentrus cyanotaenia Bleeker, 1853 and Istigobius diadema Steindachner 1877 were collected from the Tuticorin and Mandapam coastal waters of Tamilnadu, India. C. cyanotaenia is well distinguished by the presence of grey color body with 9 narrow white bars; blue lines and spots with markings on the head and snout; yellow margins of dorsal, anal and caudal fins. I. diadema is easily recognized by bold black line on the posterior portion of the eye; head region with a dark reddish tinge; dorsal, anal and caudal fins with dark spots

Isolation of aliphatic-antibiotic compounds from marine invertebrate, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Heteractis</i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span style="mso-ansi-language:EN-IN"> magnifica</span></i> <span style="mso-bidi-font-size:15.0pt" lang="EN-GB">ʽQuoy & Gaimard, 1833ʼ against captive marine ornamental fish pathogens </span>

807-811Present study is aimed to screen and isolate the antibiotic compounds from the mucus of Sea-anemone Heteractis magnifica. Mucus was extracted and characterized using gel chromatography, Reverse Phase High Performance Liquid Chromatography and spectroscopic methods. A molecular weight of purified protein was found to be 17KDa on SDS-PAGE. Protein content of mucus recorded was 0.62mg/ml - Mucus extract exhibited significant hemolytic activity in <span style="mso-fareast-font-family: AdvOT863180fb" lang="EN-GB">human, sheep, chicken and fish erythrocytes. Median lethal concentration was determined using Artemia nauplii. <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold">Antimicrobial activity screening was performed against the ten isolated bacterial pathogens and well inhibits the growth of Aeromonas hydrophila, Flavobacterium sp., Pseudomonas fluorescens, Micrococcus sp., and Streptococcus sp. The aliphatic nature of the mucus was determined by using FTIR spectroscopic analysis. <span style="mso-fareast-font-family: TimesNewRomanPS-BoldMT;mso-ansi-language:EN-IN;mso-fareast-language:EN-IN; mso-bidi-font-weight:bold">This is the first report on the aliphatic-antibiotic compounds derived from Heteractis magnifica mucus which is used as marine ornamental fish disease controlling agent. </span

Mathematical modeling of COVID-19 with the effects of quarantine and detection

In this paper, we focus on exploring a mathematical model that captures the dynamics of Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19), particularly emphasizing the influence of quarantine measures and the efficiency of detection and diagnosis protocols. Our study aims to comprehensively analyze the model, offering valuable insights and suggestions for effectively addressing the ongoing pandemic situation in various countries. The mathematical model under scrutiny is deterministic, and our approach involves a detailed examination of its equilibria. We rigorously employ methods to identify these points of equilibrium and subsequently undertake a thorough analysis of their stability. This analytical process is crucial in gaining a deeper understanding of the system’s behavior under various conditions, laying the foundation for informed recommendations to manage and mitigate the effects of the pandemic. To enhance the robustness of our findings, we complement our analytic results with numerical simulations. This multi-faceted approach allows us not only to understand the theoretical implications of the model but also to observe and validate its behavior in a simulated environment. The combination of mathematical analysis and numerical simulations strengthens the reliability and applicability of our results, contributing to a more comprehensive understanding of the dynamics at play in the context of COVID-19. Finally, we also discuss the optimal control approach in this paper to bound the epidemic