PREDICTORS OF CLINICAL OUTCOMES IN INDIAN PATIENTS WITH ACUTE ENCEPHALOPATHY: A PROSPECTIVE OBSERVATIONAL STUDY FROM A TERTIARY CARE CENTER IN INDIA

Objective: Objective of the study was to evaluate the predictors of poor disease outcome at discharge and at 1 month in patients with acute encephalopathy. Methods: This prospective, observational, single center study included adult patients meeting the diagnostic criteria for acute confusion state and admitted in the intensive care unit of a tertiary care hospital. A modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score of <3 was considered as “good outcome,” while mRS ≥3 was considered as an indicator of “poor outcome.” Results: Among the total population of 219, 52.5% (n=115) were male, the mean age was 41.58 (±18.10) years and mean disease duration was 14.30 (±10.05) days (range: 1–30 days). Lethargy was the most common history at presentation (84.93%), while sleep abnormalities were least common (4.57%), and tuberculous meningitis was the most common etiology (21%). Diminution of vision, diplopia, dysarthria, cranial nerve symptoms, abdominal pain, difficulty in breathing, seizures, high-risk behavior, loss of appetite and the diagnosis of posterior reversible encephalopathy, retroviral disease, stroke and tuberculous meningitis were significant predictors of “poor outcome” at discharge (p<0.05). A diagnosis of tuberculous meningitis, history of headache, diminution of vision, diplopia, dysarthria, seizures, sensory deficits and loss of appetite and neuroimaging findings of atrophy, intracranial bleeding, demyelination, and space-occupying lesion were found to be significant predictors of “poor outcome” at 1 month post-discharge in this population (p<0.05). Conclusion: In patients with acute encephalopathy, tuberculous etiology, the presence of focal brainstem deficits and specific neuroimaging findings indicate poor outcomes at discharge as well as at 1 month follow-up

Pendugaan Distribusi Pencemaran Airtanah Bebas dengan Aplikasi Geolistrik Metode Electrical Resistivity Tomography (Ert) di Sekitar Pabrik Gula (Pg) dan Pabrik Spiritus (Ps) Madukismo di Kecamatan Kasihan, Kabupaten Bantul

Pabrik Gula (PG) / Pabrik Spiritus (PS) Madukismo di Desa Tirtonirmolo merupakan industri manufaktur yang bergerak di bidang pengolahan tebu. Aktivitas industri ini tentu berpotensi menghasilkan limbah. Limbah yang dihasilkan salah satunya adalah limbah cair yang dibuang melalui saluran irigasi. Limbah tersebut berpotensi menurunkan kualitas lingkungan salah satunya berupa penurunan kualitas airtanah. Tujuan dari penelitian ini yaitu untuk mengidentifikasi distribusi pencemaran airtanah bebas disekitar PG/PS Madukismo dengan menggunakan aplikasi Geolistrik metode Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT). Metode yang digunakan dalam penelitian yaitu pengukuran geolistrik metode ERT dengan konfigurasi dipole-dipole yang disusun dengan spasi 5 meter. Hasil pengukuran menunjukan rentang nilai DHL airtanah di lokasi penelitian berkisar antara 304-1050 μS/cm. Kemudian berdasarkan pengukuran pada 3 lintasan di zona diduga terpengaruh limbah dengan rentang nilai DHL >550 μS/cm, terdapat 2 lintasan diduga terpengaruh limbah. Nilai resistivitas diduga pencemaran airtanah akibat limbah terideteksi memiliki rentang nilai 5-18 Ωm dengan kedalaman antara 5-6 meter pada lintasan 2 dan 2-3 meter pada lintasan 3. Hal ini dibuktikan dengan adanya peningkatan nilai parameter TSS, TDS, dan COD berdasarkan uji kualitas air. Nilai kadar COD yang merupakan parameter penciri pengaruh limbah menunjukan nilai di atas baku mutu dan titik kontrol yaitu sebesar 37,2 mg/l hingga 245 mg/l

Pengaruh Temperatur dan Waktu Penyimpanan terhadap Potensi Vaksin Polio Oral Trivalen (Sabin Type)

The effect of temperature and duration of storage on the potency of trivalent oral polio vaccine (Sabin type) were investigated. Temperature was set up at the beginning from : —20 C, 0 C, 5 C, 10 C, 15°C, 25 C and 30°C. During 30 days period of storage, the polio virus was titrated at 4 days interval using micromethod of TCID5 0 calculation in Vero cells. The result of the study showed that the effect of -20°C, 0°C and 5°C for 30 days of storage was not significantly different. Whereas at 10°C the vaccine potency had started to decrease at day 24 up to day 30. At 15°C the potency had started to decrease at day 12, while at 25°C and 30°C the potency of vaccine drooed sharply at day 4 of storage

Pembangunan usahawan tani melalui inisiatif Tanggungjawab Sosial Korporat (CSR): Satu kajian kes

Pembangunan usahawan Tani adalah merupakan salah satu usaha yang boleh dibangunkan oleh syarikat korporat melalui inisiatif Tanggungjawab Sosial Korporat (CSR) bagi tujuan untuk meningkatkan kualiti hidup komuniti. Kertas ini akan membincangkan sumbangan yang telah dilakukan oleh sebuah syarikat korporat multinasional di Malaysia melalui pelaksanaan projek CSR perladangan cili kontrak terhadap kewujudan usahawan tani di Pasir Puteh Kelantan. Seramai 45 petani yang terlibat dengan program CSR syarikat telah ditemu bual bagi mengenal pasti sejauh mana sumbangan CSR telah membangunkan komuniti tani yang terlibat. Kajian yang menggunakan pendekatan kontruktivisme ini telah menggunakan analisa tematik terhadap data temu bual kajian. Tema-tema kajian mendapati melalui program CSR, petani berpeluang untuk memiliki, mengelola dan mengurus ladang serta menanggung risiko pengeluaran tani mereka. Tema-tema ini menunjukkan wujudnya usahawan tani di kalangan komuniti yang terlibat dengan projek CSR yang dilaksanakan tersebut. Selain dari itu sumbangan dari pihak syarikat dan juga pihak kerajaan melalui Pertubuhan Peladang Kawasan (PPK) juga membantu menyediakan persekitaran yang kondusif bagi pembangunan usahawan tani ini

Antibiotics Resistance of Vibrio spp. Isolated from Diseased Seabass and Tilapia in Cage Culture

Vibriosis has become one of the most important bacterial diseases in marine cultured organisms in recent years. This study was focusing on isolation and identification of Vibrio spp. isolated from diseased seabass (Lates calcarifer), tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) and seawater from Sri Tujuh lagoon in East Coast of Malaysia; also determination of antibiotic resistance patterns among Vibrio spp. Vibrio species isolated from diseased seabass in Pantai Sri Tujuh, Tumpat, Kelantan were screened for their antibiotic sensitivity patterns by Kirby-Bauer method. A total of 47 isolates belonging to three different species were identified which are V. parahaemolyticus, V. vulnificus, and V. alginolyticus. In this study, high incidence of erythromycin, chloramphenicol and sulfamethoxazole resistance was observed among the Vibrio isolates, whereas all isolates were susceptible to oxytetracycline. Vibrio isolates were 96% resistant to one or more different classes of antibiotic, and 17 different resistance patterns were identified. The MAR index of 0.4 indicating the Vibrio spp. in these farmed fish might have been indiscriminately and continuously exposed to those antibiotics during culturing stages of the fish. This study showed that multidrug-resistant Vibrio spp. were common in diseased seabass and tilapia cultured at Sri Tujuh lagoon. These essential findings suggested involvement of seafood in transmission of these pathogen to human. In addition, oxytetracycline can be used as a treatment to combat vibriosis in diseased seabass and tilapia

Antibiotics resistance of Vibrio spp. isolated from diseased seabass and tilapia in cage culture

Vibriosis has become one of the most important bacterial diseases in marine cultured organisms in recent years. This study was focusing on isolation and identification of Vibrio spp. isolated from diseased seabass (Lates calcarifer), tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) and seawater from Sri Tujuh lagoon in East Coast of Malaysia; also determination of antibiotic resistance patterns among Vibrio spp. Vibrio species isolated from diseased seabass in Pantai Sri Tujuh, Tumpat, Kelantan were screened for their antibiotic sensitivity patterns by Kirby-Bauer method. A total of 47 isolates belonging to three different species were identified which are V. parahaemolyticus, V. vulnificus, and V. alginolyticus. In this study, high incidence of erythromycin, chloramphenicol and sulfamethoxazole resistance was observed among the Vibrio isolates, whereas all isolates were susceptible to oxytetracycline. Vibrio isolates were 96% resistant to one or more different classes of antibiotic, and 17 different resistance patterns were identified. The MAR index of 0.4 indicating the Vibrio spp. in these farmed fish might have been indiscriminately and continuously exposed to those antibiotics during culturing stages of the fish. This study showed that multidrug-resistant Vibrio spp. were common in diseased seabass and tilapia cultured at Sri Tujuh lagoon. These essential findings suggested involvement of seafood in transmission of these pathogen to human. In addition, oxytetracycline can be used as a treatment to combat vibriosis in diseased seabass and tilapia

In vitro and in vivo cytotoxic effects of chlorella against various types of cancer

Chlorella is one of the microalgae that had been studied intensively owing to its rapid growth and easily cultured at a large scale compared to other microalgae and valuable nutrient compositions. Numerous studies have observed that Chlorella possess various health benefit including antioxidant, anti-cholesterol, anti-inflammatory, and antiproliferative effect against many types of cancer. In this review paper, the effects of various Chlorella species against cancer cells and animal induced cancer are discussed and an overview on Chlorella is briefed. The Chlorella deleterious effect on cancer through various mechanisms such as enhancement of immune system and apoptosis; improving lipid peroxidation; synthesis and expression of the protein-degrading matrix; and preventing the formation of new blood vessels are elaborated as well. Based on the findings of many studies reported in this article, it can be suggested that Chlorella has the potential in supporting cancer therapy and may develop to become an anti-cancer agent

Mentholation affects the cigarette microbiota by selecting for bacteria resistant to harsh environmental conditions and selecting against potential bacterial pathogens

There is a paucity of data regarding the microbial constituents of tobacco products and their impacts on public health. Moreover, there has been no comparative characterization performed on the bacterial microbiota associated with the addition of menthol, an additive that has been used by tobacco manufacturers for nearly a century. To address this knowledge gap, we conducted bacterial community profiling on tobacco from user- and custom-mentholated/non-mentholated cigarette pairs, as well as a commercially-mentholated product. Total genomic DNA was extracted using a multi-step enzymatic and mechanical lysis protocol followed by PCR amplification of the V3-V4 hypervariable regions of the 16S rRNA gene from five cigarette products (18 cigarettes per product for a total of 90 samples): Camel Crush, user-mentholated Camel Crush, Camel Kings, custom-mentholated Camel Kings, and Newport Menthols. Sequencing was performed on the Illumina MiSeq platform and sequences were processed using the Quantitative Insights Into Microbial Ecology (QIIME) software package. In all products, Pseudomonas was the most abundant genera and included Pseudomonas oryzihabitans and Pseudomonas putida, regardless of mentholation status. However, further comparative analysis of the five products revealed significant differences in the bacterial compositions across products. Bacterial community richness was higher among non-mentholated products compared to those that were mentholated, particularly those that were custom-mentholated. In addition, mentholation appeared to be correlated with a reduction in potential human bacterial pathogens and an increase in bacterial species resistant to harsh environmental conditions. Taken together, these data provide preliminary evidence that the mentholation of commercially available cigarettes can impact the bacterial community of these products.https://doi.org/10.1186/s40168-017-0235-

The effects of protein energy malnutrition (PEM) on sperm quality and spermatogenesis of male rats injected by testosterone enanthaie⁺)

[no abstract available

The effects of western diet on sperm quantity and quality and serum hormonal concentration in cynomologus monkey (<em>Macaca fascicularis</em>) injected with testosterone enanthate (TE) plus depot medroxy progesterone acetate (DMPA⁺)

[no abstract available