No waste in Universe- Nature recycle all the waste

Since my father was a book binder, from my early days I got a chance to assist in the work around fifty years back. He has fabricated own equipments for the industry. Having completed my graduation in Botany from Maharaja`s college in 1969, I got a chance to study Pulp and Paper Technology, Saharanpur, U. P. donated by the Swedish Government for transfer of technology

Spatiotemporally and Sequentially-Controlled Drug Release from Polymer Gatekeeper-Hollow Silica Nanoparticles

Combination chemotherapy has become the primary strategy against cancer multidrug resistance; however, accomplishing optimal pharmacokinetic delivery of multiple drugs is still challenging. Herein, we report a sequential combination drug delivery strategy exploiting a pH-triggerable and redox switch to release cargos from hollow silica nanoparticles in a spatiotemporal manner. This versatile system further enables a large loading efficiency for both hydrophobic and hydrophilic drugs inside the nanoparticles, followed by self-crosslinking with disulfide and diisopropylamine-functionalized polymers. In acidic tumour environments, the positive charge generated by the protonation of the diisopropylamine moiety facilitated the cellular uptake of the particles. Upon internalization, the acidic endosomal pH condition and intracellular glutathione regulated the sequential release of the drugs in a time-dependent manner, providing a promising therapeutic approach to overcoming drug resistance during cancer treatment.ope

Occurrence of Japanese sponge crab Lauridromia dehaani

L. dehaani belongs to the suborder Pleocyemata and the family Dromiidae. The species is distributed in the Indowest Pacific region and in India distribution is along both east and west coasts. Crab is known to camouflage itself by carrying something above it such as a piece of sponge, a shell of similar dimensions or leaves with a clear preference for sponges (Morton, 1989) and hence are commonly known as sponge crabs

Prevention of community-acquired pneumonia in children: South African Thoracic Society guidelines (part 4)

Background. More comprehensive immunisation regimens, strengthening of HIV prevention and management programmes and improved socioeconomic conditions have impacted on the epidemiology of paediatric community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in South Africa (SA).Objectives. To summarise effective preventive strategies to reduce the burden of childhood CAP.Methods. An expert subgroup reviewed existing SA guidelines and new publications focusing on prevention. Published evidence on pneumonia prevention informed the revisions; in the absence of evidence, expert opinion was used. Evidence was graded using the British Thoracic Society (BTS) grading system.Recommendations. General measures for prevention include minimising exposure to tobacco smoke or air pollution, breastfeeding, optimising nutrition, optimising maternal health from pregnancy onwards, adequate antenatal care and improvement in socioeconomic and living conditions. Prevention of viral transmission, including SARS-CoV-2, can be achieved by hand hygiene, environmental decontamination, use of masks and isolation of infected people. Specific preventive measures include vaccines as contained in the Expanded Programme on Immunisation schedule, isoniazid prophylaxis for tuberculosis, co-trimoxazole prophylaxis for HIV-infected infants and children who are immunosuppressed, and timely diagnosis of HIV, as well as antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation. HIV-infected children treated with ART from early infancy, and HIV-exposed children, have similar immunogenicity and immune responses to most childhood vaccines as HIV-unexposed infants.Validation. These recommendations are based on available published evidence supplemented by the consensus opinion of SA paediatric experts, and are consistent with those in published international guidelines

Epidemiology and aetiology of community-acquired pneumonia in children: South African Thoracic Society guidelines (part 1)

Background. Pneumonia remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality among South African (SA) children. Improved immunisation regimens, strengthening of HIV programmes, better socioeconomic conditions and new preventive strategies have influenced the epidemiology of pneumonia. Furthermore, sensitive diagnostic tests and better sampling methods in young children improve aetiological diagnosis.Objectives. To summarise current information on childhood community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) epidemiology and aetiology in children as part of the revised South African Thoracic Society guidelines.Methods. The Paediatric Assembly of the South African Thoracic Society and the National Institute for Communicable Diseases expert subgroup on epidemiology and aetiology revised the existing SA guidelines.The subgroup reviewed the published evidence in their area; in the absence of evidence, expert opinion was accepted. Evidence was graded using the British Thoracic Society (BTS) grading system, and the relevant section underwent peer review.Results. Respiratory viruses, particularly respiratory syncytial virus, are the key pathogens associated with hospitalisation for radiologically confirmed pneumonia in HIV-uninfected children. Opportunistic organisms, including Pneumocystis jirovecii, are important pathogens in HIV-infected infants, while non-typable Haemophilus influenzae and Staphylococcus aureus are important in older HIV-infected children. Co-infections with bacteria or other respiratory viruses are common in hospitalised children. Mycobacterium tuberculosis is common in children hospitalised with CAP in SA.Conclusions. Numerous public health measures, including changes in immunisation schedules and expansion of HIV prevention and treatment programmes, have influenced the epidemiology and aetiology of CAP in SA children. These changes have necessitated a revision of the South African Paediatric CAP guidelines, further sections of which will be published as part of a CME series in SAMJ

Diagnosis of community-acquired pneumonia in children: South African Thoracic Society guidelines (part 2)

Background. Accurate diagnosis and attribution of the aetiology of pneumonia are important for measuring the burden of disease, implementing appropriate treatment strategies and developing more effective interventions.Objectives. To produce revised guidelines for the diagnosis of pneumonia in South African (SA) children, encompassing clinical, radiological and aetiological methods.Methods. An expert group was established to review diagnostic evidence and make recommendations for a revised SA guideline. Published evidence was reviewed and graded using the British Thoracic Society grading system.Results. Diagnosis of pneumonia should be considered in a child with acute cough, fast breathing or difficulty breathing. Revised World Health Organization guidelines classify such children into: (i) severe pneumonia; (ii) pneumonia (tachypoea or lower chest indrawing); or (iii) no pneumonia. Malnourished or immunocompromised children with lower chest indrawing should be managed as cases of severe pneumonia. Pulse oximetry should be done, with hospital referral for oxygen saturation <92%. A chest X-ray is indicated in severe pneumonia or when tuberculosis (TB) is suspected. Microbiological investigations are recommended in hospitalised patients or in outbreak settings. Improved aetiological methods show the importance of co-infections. Blood cultures have a low sensitivity (<5%), for diagnosing bacterial pneumonia. Highly sensitive, multiplex tests on upper respiratory samples or sputum detect multiple potential pathogens in most children. However, even in symptomatic children, it may be impossible to distinguish colonising from causative organisms, unless identification of the organism is strongly associated with attribution to causality, e.g. respiratory syncytial virus, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Bordetella pertussis, influenza, para-influenza or severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Investigations for TB should be considered in children with severe pneumonia who have been hospitalised, in a case of a known TB contact, if the tuberculin skin test is positive, if a child is malnourished or has lost weight, and in children living with HIV. Induced sputum may provide a higher yield than upper respiratory sampling for B. pertussis, M. tuberculosis and Pneumocystis jirovecii. Conclusions. Advances in clinical, radiological and aetiological methods have improved the diagnosis of childhood pneumonia

Clinical presentation and outcome of Tuberculosis in Human Immunodeficiency Virus infected children on anti-retroviral therapy

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The tuberculosis (TB) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemics are poorly controlled in sub-Saharan Africa, where highly active antiretroviral treatment (HAART) has become more freely available. Little is known about the clinical presentation and outcome of TB in HIV-infected children on HAART.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We performed a comprehensive file review of all children who commenced HAART at Tygerberg Children's Hospital from January 2003 through December 2005.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Data from 290 children were analyzed; 137 TB episodes were recorded in 136 children; 116 episodes occurred before and 21 after HAART initiation; 10 episodes were probably related to immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS). The number of TB cases per 100 patient years were 53.3 during the 9 months prior to HAART initiation, and 6.4 during post HAART follow-up [odds ratio (OR) 16.6; 95% confidence interval (CI) 12.5–22.4]. A positive outcome was achieved in 97/137 (71%) episodes, 6 (4%) cases experienced no improvement, 16 (12%) died and the outcome could not be established in 18 (13%). Mortality was less in children on HAART (1/21; 4.8%) compared to those not on HAART (15/116; 12.9%).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>We recorded an extremely high incidence of TB among HIV-infected children, especially prior to HAART initiation. Starting HAART at an earlier stage is likely to reduce morbidity and mortality related to TB, particularly in TB-endemic areas. Management frequently deviated from standard guidelines, but outcomes in general were good.</p

Experience developing national evidence-based clinical guidelines for childhood pneumonia in a low-income setting - making the GRADE?

BACKGROUND: The development of evidence-based clinical practice guidelines has gained wide acceptance in high-income countries and reputable international organizations. Whereas this approach may be a desirable standard, challenges remain in low-income settings with limited capacity and resources for evidence synthesis and guideline development. We present our experience using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach for the recent revision of the Kenyan pediatric clinical guidelines focusing on antibiotic treatment of pneumonia. METHODS: A team of health professionals, many with minimal prior experience conducting systematic reviews, carried out evidence synthesis for structured clinical questions. Summaries were compiled and distributed to a panel of clinicians, academicians and policy-makers to generate recommendations based on best available research evidence and locally-relevant contextual factors. RESULTS: We reviewed six eligible articles on non-severe and 13 on severe/very severe pneumonia. Moderate quality evidence suggesting similar clinical outcomes comparing amoxicillin and cotrimoxazole for non-severe pneumonia received a strong recommendation against adopting amoxicillin. The panel voted strongly against amoxicillin for severe pneumonia over benzyl penicillin despite moderate quality evidence suggesting clinical equivalence between the two and additional factors favoring amoxicillin. Very low quality evidence suggesting ceftriaxone was as effective as the standard benzyl penicillin plus gentamicin for very severe pneumonia received a strong recommendation supporting the standard treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Although this exercise may have fallen short of the rigorous requirements recommended by the developers of GRADE, it was arguably an improvement on previous attempts at guideline development in low-income countries and offers valuable lessons for future similar exercises where resources and locally-generated evidence are scarce

Application of self-assembly peptides targeting the mitochondria as a novel treatment for sorafenib-resistant hepatocellular carcinoma cells

Currently, there is no appropriate treatment option for patients with sorafenib-resistant hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Meanwhile, pronounced anticancer activities of newly-developed mitochondria-accumulating self-assembly peptides (Mito-FF) have been demonstrated. This study intended to determine the anticancer effects of Mito-FF against sorafenib-resistant Huh7 (Huh7-R) cells. Compared to sorafenib, Mito-FF led to the generation of relatively higher amounts of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) as well as the greater reduction in the expression of antioxidant enzymes (P &lt; 0.05). Mito-FF was found to significantly promote cell apoptosis while inhibiting cell proliferation of Huh7-R cells. Mito-FF also reduces the expression of antioxidant enzymes while significantly increasing mitochondrial ROS in Huh7-R cells. The pro-apoptotic effect of Mito-FFs for Huh7-R cells is possibly caused by their up-regulation of mitochondrial ROS, which is caused by the destruction of the mitochondria of HCC cells