Bioremediation of petroleum refinery effluent by Planococcus halophilus

In the present investigation, Planococcus halophilus was screened for hydrocarbon degradation and bioremediation of refinery effluent. The test organism, P. halophilus, showed the capability to utilize kerosene as carbon source in minimal medium. Biological treatment of the refinery effluent with P. halophilus reduced the oil and grease and sulphide content to about 91.2 and 28%, respectively, on the 4th day of the incubation. The present work defined that the test organism P. halophilus can be exploited for bioremediation of sites contaminated with hydrocarbons and industrial effluents polluted with hydrocarbons even under adverse conditions.Key words: Kerosene, Planococcus halophilus, bioremediation, parameters, hydrocarbon

ISOLATION AND CHARACTERISATION OF ANTI-BACTERIAL RESISTANCE PATTERNS OF BACTERIAL ISOLATES FROM URINARY TRACT INFECTION IN DIABETICS

Objective: Urinary tract infection (UTI) is one of the most common infections observed in diabetic patients. This study is aimed at identifying the organisms with their anti-bacterial resistance pattern. Methods: A total of 400 diabetic patients over a period of nine months presenting with symptom s of urinary tract infection were taken for the study. Their urine were cultured and an antibiogram done. Results: E. coli, Klebsiella and Enterococci were the commonest organism found. It was found that E. coli, which was the commonest organism E. Coli was sensitive to Norfloxacin and resistant to Ciprofloxacin. Conclusion: Empirical treatment with ciprofloxacin, Which is considered the drug of choice, will lead to failure of treatment

Distribution, antimicrobial susceptibility pattern and detection of biofilm formation in enterococcus species isolated from various clinical specimens, with phenotypic and molecular characterisation of vancomycin resistant enterococcus

BACKGROUND: The emergence of Enterococcus species as a causative agent of Health care associated infections and acquired resistance to commonly used antibiotics, pose a great challenge to the clinicians. Vancomycin Resistant Enterococci pose an emerging problem in hospitals which significantly contributing to patient morbidity and mortality. The present study was undertaken to determine the prevalence, risk factors, speciation, antimicrobial resistance, biofilm formation and phenotypic with genotypic characterization of Vancomycin Resistant Enterococci isolated from patients attending Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital, Chennai. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred patients with clinical diagnosis of various infections from whom Enterococci were isolated from appropriate specimens were included in the study. The Enterococci were phenotypically characterised by standard microbiological techniques. The antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of all isolates including vancomycin resistant Enterococci were studied. Vancomycin resistance among the Enterococci were detected by screening tests namely vancomycin disc diffusion test and vancomycin screen agar which was confirmed by determination of Minimal Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) by Microbroth dilution assay. All the VRE isolates were tested with third line supplemental drugs teicoplanin and linezolid. Genotyping of VRE isolates were carried out by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). RESULTS: Enterococci (n=100) isolated from various clinical specimens of patients diagnosed with infections -UTI (77%) including 29% of CAUTI, blood stream infections(14%) including 35.7% of CLABSI, SSI (6%) , ASOM(1%), Suppurative lymphadenitis (1%) and biliary tract infection (1%), were speciated phenotypically. The predominant species was E.faecalis (72%) followed by E.faecium (19%), E.dispar (8%) and E.durans (1%). On antimicrobial susceptibility testing for urinary isolates 93% of Enterococcus faecalis and 92% of Enterococcus faecium were found to be susceptible to Vancomycin and 82% and 77% of E.faecalis and E.faecium respectively were susceptible to Nitrofurantoin. The Vancomycin resistance was observed to be 8% among the Enterococci in the study. E.faecium exhibited more resistance to vancomycin than E.faecalis i.e 10.5% of E.faecium and 8.3% of E.faecalis were vancomycin resistant. All the VRE were sensitive to Linezolid and Quinupristin-dalfopristin (Q/D). Genotypic characterisation of VRE isolates confirmed the presence of van A gene in all. Detection of biofilm by standard techniques revealed the presence of biofilm in 67% of enterococci, among which 17% were strong producers and 50% were moderate producers. Mortality rate in the study population was 25%. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates an increase in the prevalence of Enterococcal infections among the health care associated and community acquired infections. Emergence of Vancomycin resistant enterococci (VRE) poses therapeutic failure and increase in the mortality and morbidity. Hence, regular screening and confirmation of VRE should be included in the laboratory testing protocol. Stringent infection control measures and regular surveillance would help constrain the spread of vancomycin resistant enterococci

Critical Analysis on the Structural and Magnetic Properties of Bulk and Nanocrystalline Cu-Fe-O

Nanocrystalline and bulk samples of “Fe”-doped CuO were prepared by coprecipitation and ceramic methods. Structural and compositional analyses were performed using X-ray diffraction, SEM, and EDAX. Traces of secondary phases such as CuFe2O4, Fe3O4, and α-Fe2O3 having peaks very close to that of the host CuO were identified from the Rietveld profile analysis and the SAED pattern of bulk and nanocrystalline Cu0.98Fe0.02O samples. Vibrating Sample Magnetometer (VSM) measurements show hysteresis at 300 K for all the samples. The ferrimagnetic Neel transition temperature () was found to be around 465°C irrespective of the content of “Fe”, which is close to the value of cubic CuFe2O4. High-pressure X-Ray diffraction studies were performed on 2% “Fe”-doped bulk CuO using synchrotron radiation. From the absence of any strong new peaks at high pressure, it is evident that the secondary phases if present could be less than the level of detection. Cu2O, which is diamagnetic by nature, was also doped with 1% of “Fe” and was found to show paramagnetic behavior in contrast to the “Fe” doped CuO. Hence the possibility of intrinsic magnetization of “Fe”-doped CuO apart from the secondary phases is discussed based on the magnetization and charge state of “Fe” and the host into which it is substituted

PREVALENCE AND TYPE OF MICROORGANISMS ISOLATED FROM PHONES USED BY MEDICAL STAFFS/STUDENTS, WORKING/STUDYING IN A TERTIARY CARE CENTER

Objective: To find out the prevalence and type of microorganisms isolated from mobile phones used by health care workers, students working/studying in a tertiary care center as well as to find the rate of contamination of the hands of the individual. Methods: Swabs moistened with sterile saline was used to swab on phone surfaces and was incubated using standard culture and identification methods. The respective user was instructed to imprint their fingers of both hands on plates of culture media. These were incubated and processed as per standard culture methods. Results: The most common isolated microorganisms in both groups were Coagulase-negative Staphylococci (CoNS) and MSSA. Among Mobile phones of HCW, the highest contamination rate was noted in physicians 70% followed by Intensive care doctors 60%, and Nurses. Finger impression growth rate was observed high among Nurses 70% followed by Intensive care doctors 60% and physicians 40%. Conclusion: There is found to be a moderate contamination rate of mobile phones and fingers with pathogenic bacteria as well as normal flora of skin isolated from health care workers. Mobile phones and hands of Health care workers serve as a potential reservoir for hospital-acquired infections as multi-drug resistant pathogenic bacteria. In order to reduce the incidence of nosocomial infections, there should be an implementation of handwashing practices

Characterization and analysis of Gomphonema sp frustule based on SEM/EDS

1576-1579Diatoms are unicellular algae whose cell wall structure is mainly made up of silicon dioxide (SiO2). Frustules were extracted from fresh diatom taxa (Gomphonema sp.) by treating with concentrated HNO3 and HCl. The Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images revealed that the diatoms have a valve asymmetrical to apical axis and raphe system is well developed and are unequal size. From significance of energy dispersive X - ray spectroscopy (EDS) examination it was proved that the frustules from diatoms are mainly made up of silicon through amorphous silica (SiO2)

IN VITRO EFFICACY TESTING OF NEEM (AZADIRACHTA INDICA) EXTRACT AGAINST AEROBIC AND ANAEROBIC BACTERIA

Objective: To experiment the antimicrobial susceptibility of crude extract from neem (Azadirachta indica) leaves against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Clostridium perfringens. Methods: Through the water extraction method, the aqueous crude extract of neem leaves were obtained. Separate colonies of Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Clostridium perfringens were isolated and identified on different agars. Agar cup diffusion method was done to test the antimicrobial susceptibility of the neem leaves crude extract against those bacteria on Mueller-Hinton agar. Susceptibility was determined based on the zone of inhibition formed on the agar of each bacterium culture. Result: Neem was effective against Staphylococcus aureus and Clostridium perfringens. It was not effective against Escherichia coli. Conclusion: Neem extract has some promisable antimicrobial effects against Staphylococcus aureus and Clostridium perfringens causative bacterial infections

ANTIBACTERIAL EFFECTIVENESS OF PROSOPIS JULIFLORA AGAINST AEROBIC AND ANAEROBIC BACTERIA

Objective: The aim of this study is to analyse the antibacterial effectiveness of the leaf extract of Prosopis juliflora against aerobic and anaerobic bacteria and the objectives include maintaining the culture of Clostridium perfringens ATCC 3624, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, E. coli ATCC 25922 and to obtain an extract from the leaves of Prosopis juliflora by water extraction method. Agar cup diffusion testing is carried out to test the effectiveness of the extracted herb against the isolated strains of the above-mentioned bacteria. Methods: Cross-sectional study was conducted for 6 mo in the Clinical Microbiology Laboratory at SMCH. Extract from the leaves of Prosopis juliflora was collected by a water extraction method. Isolation of Clostridium perfringens (from RCMB), Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli were done, following which the agar cup diffusion method was performed in which the collected extracts were placed as discs in the agar plate which had been inoculated with the strains of the isolated bacteria. The agar plate was then incubated anaerobically. Agar cup diffusion method is considered as a primary method to determine the antimicrobial effectiveness of the bacteria. Results: The leaf extract of Prosopis juliflora was found to be effective against both aerobic and anaerobic bacterial strains. Conclusion: Based on the work, the effectiveness of Prosopis juliflora was determined and the mechanism of susceptibility was identified. With future research works in the field, many such natural herbal extracts can be proven to be effective against many pathogenic microorganisms

3-Amino­phenyl naphthalene-1-sulfonate

In the title compound, C16H13NO3S, the plane of the naphthalene ring system forms a dihedral angle of 64.66 (10)° with the benzene ring. The mol­ecular structure is stabilized by weak intra­molecular C—H⋯O inter­actions and the crystal packing is stabilized by weak inter­molecular N—H⋯O and C—H⋯O inter­actions and by π–π stacking inter­actions of the inversion-related naphthalene units [centroid–centroid distance of 3.7373 (14) Å]

ANTI-MICROBIAL EFFECTIVENESS OF LEMON GRASS OIL (CYMBOPOGAN CITRATE) AGAINST AEROBIC AND ANAEROBIC ORGANISMS

Objective: To find the antibacterial effectiveness of lemon grass (Cymbopogan citrate) oil against aerobic and anaerobic bacteria. Methods:This is an observational study conducted at Microbiology Clinical laboratory, Department of Microbiology, Saveetha Medical College and Hospital, Chennai. It was done over a period of 3 mo from January to March. The extracts of lemongrass leaves were investigated for its effectiveness against Staphylococcus aureus(S.aureus), Escherichia coli(E.coli) and Clostridium perfringens(C.perfringens) by Disc Diffusion assay. Results:Our study indicates that the extract of lemongrass oil shows antibacterial activity. Among the tested organisms, aerobic organisms were sensitive. Conclusion: This study thus provides insightful knowledge on antibacterial activity that would lead to further development of lemongrass oil for infectious diseases in the future