Search

M. kansasii is the most common non-tuberculous mycobacteria, known to be causing pulmonary and extrapulmonary diseases in humans. Based on molecular methods, M. kansasii has been previously classified into seven different subtypes. Now, based on whole-genome sequence analysis, a new species designation was proposed, in which M. kansasii species was designated subtype 1 and is of pathogenic significance in both immunocompetent and immunocompromised patients. The aim of the study is to examine the distribution of subtypes, based on whole-genome sequence analysis, and identify the genetic determinants of drug resistance for the isolates. Whole-genome sequencing was performed using 12 isolates for which phenotypic DST results were available. A phylogenetic tree was constructed by alignment of each of the 12 isolates and the additional strains, as well as the M. kansasii reference strain, using the MAFFT algorithm. Based on this analysis, all 12 isolates were classified as subtype I. Drug-resistant mutations were identified by analysing the isolates with known drug-resistant loci of MTB and NTM. Although we had mutations in the drug-resistant genes, the significance of those mutations could not be explored due to the minimal availability of data available to compare. Further large-scale studies targeting the phenotypic and genotypic drug-resistance pattern, along with whole-genome analysis, will facilitate a better understanding of the resistance mechanisms involved in M. kansasii. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The public realm of Istanbul manifests a visceral fear and agony caused by several social–political conflicts and struggle which has impacted the everyday life of people. Through an artistic representation of public space perception and experience in Istanbul, we reflect on how the socio-political context impacts the everyday spatialities entangling individual and collective memory, current events and future un(certainties). Going beyond the dominant Eurocentric version of 'good' public space, in this provocation, we argue that, delineating these emergent and largely disruptive narratives can offer potential approaches for alternative city imaginaries to enable a collective sense of identity and belonging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Information on genotypic with comparison of phenotypic drug sensitivity test of anti-tuberculosis (TB) has been reported in several studies, which have variable results. The present study aimed to assess the Genotype MTBDRsl version 2.0/Line probe assay (LPA) for the detection of fluoroquinolones (FQ) and aminoglycosides (AMGs) resistance mutations among drug-resistant Mycobacterium TB (MTB) strains and also to compare the patterns of genotypic mutations of gyrA/B, rrs, and eis with mycobacteria growth indicator tube (MGIT 960). Methods: A total of 1416 samples were subjected to Genotype MTBDRsl version 2.0 assay. One hundred and twenty sputum smear positive MTB isolates and 37 sputum smear negative MTB isolates confirmed multiple drug resistance resistant to FQ and AMG by the Genotype MTBDRsl version 2.0 were subjected to phenotypic drug susceptibility testing (DST) were analyzed. Results: The association sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy for the resistance detection between MGIT (DST) and the Genotype MTBDRsl version 2.0 assay was significant (P < 0.01) of moxifloxacin (MFX) concentration. Sensitivity and specificity value for kanamycin (KAN) resistance was 76% and 89%; 47% and 94% for capreomycin (CAP); and 60% and 76% for low-level KAN, respectively. Conclusion: Our results indicate that MFX (0.25and 1 µg/mL), KAN (2.5 µg/mL), and CAP (2.5 µg/mL) significantly (P < 0.01) and support the World Health Organization guidance to test FQ and AMG by genotypic test. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coastal urban megacities across Asia face significant risks from climate change, including coastal flooding, high temperatures, urban heat island impacts and air pollution. These hazards are associated with negative impacts on infrastructure, communities and the environment. To identify the current intensity of climate change impacts in coastal urban megacities, an integrated evaluation method is needed. Firstly, the present study assesses the climate change impacts of Guangzhou, a Chinese coastal urban megacity, for both physical and social aspects. This study includes 60 years of time-series data for 1960–2020 to examine temperatures, precipitation, humidity and air pollution in Guangzhou city. At the same time, a survey was conducted between April and July 2022 in this megacity and collected the views of 336 people on climate change and its associated environmental impacts. Secondly, the Ganzhou city results are compared with existing data from similar nearby cities to evaluate the diverse climate change trends. Results show that during 1961-1990, the city received the most rainfall in May, reaching 283.6 mm. From 1990 to 2020, June recorded the highest rainfall of 356.6 mm and shows an increase of 73 mm during that period. The very severe monsoon season brought an increased risk of flooding. Results also revealed that the warmest month is July, and the coldest month is January, and both months showed increased temperatures of 0.60 ℃. Comparison results revealed that Guangzhou is not the only city which scored increased highest temperatures; other nearby cities including Heyuan, Shantou and Shaoguan also scored increased highest temperatures. The survey reveals that the majority of respondents (75%) perceived the increased frequency of extreme weather, including typhoons, heavy rainfall and multiple days of hot weather, such as higher temperatures and an increased number of hot days. In the responses to the questions related to the heat island effect, more than 80% of residents are aware of the existence of the heat island and its impacts. People believe that the primary causes of the urban heat island problem are industrial production and anthropogenic heat generated by the city. These results will be helpful to local and national policy and decision makers to revise and/or develop new strategies to improve the environment and quality of life in coastal megacities, particularly Ganzhou. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVES: With the introduction of newer molecular diagnostic tools to identify Mycobacterium tuberculosis, an increasing number of nontuberculous mycobacterium (NTM) is being identified. However, the drug resistance pattern of the NTM species identified is less explored. The objective of this study is to study the drug resistance patterns of Mycobacterium kansasii species isolated in a tuberculosis-endemic setting at South India. METHODS: A wide profile of NTM species were reported earlier from a prospective cohort of adults during 2017–2020. Out of this profile, a total of 22 M. kansasii species were subjected to drug susceptibility testing by two different methods: proportion sensitivity testing method and Sensititre testing method. RESULTS: Out of the 18 strains of M. kansasii subjected to Sensititre method of testing, the resistance pattern was demonstrated to be high for doxycycline (13) followed by rifampicin and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (7). Out of the 22 strains subjected to proportion sensitivity testing method, 20 and 10 were resistant to isoniazid and ethambutol, respectively. CONCLUSION: There was a poor correlation between the treatment outcome and the resistance pattern of the antibiotics tested. With increasing numbers of NTM being reported, early and correct identification of NTM species is essential for the prompt initiation of appropriate treatment to achieve better outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM), considered as mere contaminants, are off late, being reported as potential pathogens through various studies. The infections due to NTM range from pulmonary to extra pulmonary including skin and soft-tissue infections, traumatic and surgical wound infections, and catheter and implant-associated infections. Although extrapulmonary infections are extensively explored, pulmonary infections are scarcely reported due to their misdiagnosis as tuberculosis caused by M. tuberculosis (MTB). Appropriate detection methods are essential in order to facilitate the differential diagnosis of NTM from MTB infections. We aimed to collate the data available on NTM diagnosis and its epidemiology in India in this review. While diagnosis of MTB itself is more challenging in India, for appropriate treatment of NTM, special training and attention is needed for differential diagnosis of the former from latter. Currently, in India, in addition to the available techniques for identification of NTM, line probe assay (Hains life sciences) is proving to be a promising tool for the detection of NTM (common mycobacteria/additional species kit) and their antimicrobial resistance (Genotype NTM-DR VER 1.0). In future, with the price of sequencing steadily coming down, with proper monitoring, whole-genome sequencing could be the test of choice to predict the species, drug resistance, outbreaks in hospitals, and transmission dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The addition of low melting point trivalent ions in ceria-based electrolyte systems results in a new composite with better oxygen ion conduction at reduced temperature. The present work discusses the synthesis and characterization of co-doped ceramic electrolyte Ce0.8Sm0.1M0.1O2−δ (M = Bi, Sb) prepared by coprecipitation. This study mainly focuses on the effect of the ionic radius of the dopants on the structural and electrical properties of doped ceria. The structural studies of the samples by X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy show nanosized particles with a cubic fluorite structure. Raman spectroscopy confirmed the presence of O2− vacancies introduced into the lattice due to the substitution of a large ionic radius of Bi3+ for Ce4+. The electrical survey by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy suggests that the dopant ionic radius has a significant influence on the ionic conductivity and activation energy of the doped ceria. There is an enhancement in conductivity noted for bismuth-co-doped samarium-doped ceria due to the larger ionic radius of the bismuth dopant compared to antimony-co-doped samarium-doped ceria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Iran, due to political and economic challenges, historical gardens are not celebrated as an important part of the country's heritage. The issue of garden conservation is widely neglected, and up to now, there has been no record of its own history. This paper retrospectively re-examines the changes in the perception of cultural heritage through the lens of historical gardens in twentieth-century Iran. The data have been collected from unexamined and much-overlooked primary resources such as memos and letters that are rarely interpreted in the context of garden history. Through a critical review of the stories of the historical gardens in each political era in chronological order, this paper offers new insights and understandings of garden treatment in Iran, to better inform policy-makers regarding their conservation in contemporary times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Injectable hydrogels are gaining popularity as tissue engineering constructs because of their ease of handling and minimal invasive delivery. Making hydrogels from natural polymers helps to overcome biocompatibility issues. Here, we have developed an Amorphous Chitin (ACh)-Agarose (Agr) composite hydrogel using a simpletechnique. Rheological studies, such as viscoelastic behavior (elastic modulus, viscous modulus, yield stress, and consistency), inversion test, and injectability test, were carried out for different ACh-Agr concentrations. The composite gel, having a concentration of 1.5% ACh and 0.25% Agr, showed good elastic modulus (17.3 kPa), yield stress (3.8 kPa), no flow under gravity, injectability, and temperature stability within the physiological range. Based on these studies, the optimum concentration for injectability was found to be 1.5% ACh and 0.25% Agr. This optimized concentration was used for further studies and characterized using FT-IR and SEM. FT-IR studies confirmed the presence of ACh and Agr in the composite gel. SEM results showed that the lyophilized composite gel had good porosity and mesh like networks. The cytocompatibility of the composite gel was studied using human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs). The composite gels showed good cell viability.These results indicated that this injectable composite gel can be used for biomedical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study is designed to extract and examine chemical composition, antimicrobial and antioxidant activity of the hydrodistillated essential oil of Murraya koenigii leaves from the south region of Tamilnadu, India. Matherials and Methods: Gas Chromatography (GC) and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis of the essential oil result was indicates the 33 different compounds representing 97.56 % of the total oil. Results: Major compounds detected in the oil were Linalool (32.83%), Elemol (7.44%), Geranyl acetate (6.18%), Myrcene (6.12%), Allo-Ocimene (5.02), α-Terpinene (4.9%), and (E)-β-Ocimene (3.68%) and Neryl acetate (3.45%). From the identified compounds, they were classified into four groups that are oxygenated monoterpenes (72.15%), monoterpene hydrocarbons (11.81%), oxygenated sesquiterpenes (10.48%) and sesquiterpenes hydrocarbons (03.12%). The antibacterial activity of essential oil has pronounced by Disc Diffusion Method against various pathogenic microbes. Conclusion: The oil has a maximum zone of inhibition ability against Corynebacterium tuberculosis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Streptococcus pyogenes, Klebsiella pneumonia and Enterobacter aerogenes. The antioxidant profile of the sample was determined by different test systems. In all the systems, essential oil showed a strongest activity profile within the concentration range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reverse transcription-real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) for the VP6 gene was used to study group A rotavirus shedding in children with symptomatic and asymptomatic rotavirus infection. Sequential stool samples (n = 345) from 10 children with rotavirus associated diarrhea and from five children (n = 161) with asymptomatic rotavirus infection were collected over a period of 2 months. A RT-qPCR assay on the samples using a rotavirus VP6 plasmid standard demonstrated high reproducibility, with an inter-assay coefficient of variation (CV) of 1.40-2.97% and an intra-assay CV of 0.03-3.03%. The median duration of shedding was longer in children with diarrhea compared to asymptomatic children (24 days vs. 18 days; P = 0.066). The median quantitation cycle (Cq) at presentation in symptomatic children was 17.21 compared to 30.98 in asymptomatic children ( P = 0.086). The temporal pattern in symptomatic children consisted of a high initial viral shedding coinciding with the duration of diarrhea, followed by a rapid fall, and then a small increase in secondary shedding 21 days later. Compared to children with rotavirus diarrhea, those with asymptomatic infection shed lower quantities of virus throughout the observation period. No difference was noted between the G and P genotypes of samples collected at onset of infection and during the shedding period. Shedding was intermittent in a subset of children in both groups. RT-qPCR is a useful method to characterize shedding patterns. J. Med. Virol. 85:1661-1668, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper conceptualizes landscape from a temporal and spatial perspective which emphasizes peoples' interactions and activities as an inherent part of understanding the landscape itself. Today, peoples' interaction with the landscape has become more complex, largely owing to the changing notions of place in contemporary urban living. In this context, the paper examines the role and significance of the landscapes of everyday life in urban environment and delineates how it (re)constructs ordinary human and social meanings that are necessary conditions for our existence. The paper is presented in three sections. In the first section, it discusses the concept of everyday life and its relevance in the contemporary urban living. In the following section, it examines the complexities encountered in urban landscapes today .The third section of the paper discusses how meaningful interaction experienced with everyday landscapes offer valuable insights for addressing the challenges posed by the complexities of urban city living. The paper concludes by highlighting the need for attention towards the largely neglected or overlooked domains of 'ordinary' everyday landscape by designer professionals, which plays a crucial role in creating meaningful relationship between people and place. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prognosis of teeth replanted following avulsion is determined by the extra-alveolar time and storage medium used. This study was undertaken to determine the efficacy of an oral rehydration solution 'Ricetral', in retaining the vitality of periodontal ligament cells when used as a storage medium for avulsed teeth prior to replantation. The study consisted of a comparative evaluation between Ricetral and two currently recommended solutions, Hank's balanced salt solution (HBSS) and milk. Thirty extracted teeth were dried for 30 min and soaked in the respective storage media for 45 min. The periodontal ligament cells were isolated by an enzyme treatment with collagenase and trypsin. The cells were evaluated for vitality by trypan blue staining and number of vital cells counted in a hemocytometer. Statistical analysis revealed that cell vitality was high with Ricetral and HBSS, but poor with milk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of five antibiotics namely amikacin, gentamicin, tetracycline, ciprofloxacin, and nitrofurantoin for pork isolates of Yersinia enterocolitica increased two- to eightfold after bacteria were grown in the presence of 5 mm arsenite. For Y. enterocolitica isolates obtained from wastewater (sewage effluents), an unequivocal increase in MICs was seen with amikacin and gentamicin. No change was discernible in the outer-membrane proteins after isolates were grown in the presence of arsenite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]