Search

Pregnancy is the most important phase of every woman's lifespan. During this stage the physical, mental, emotional and social changes and the activity also has direct effect on the unborn child. So that the purpose of the present study is to investigate some of the factors affecting on Psychophysical stress of the pregnant women. Null hypothesis was framed regarding to the pregnant women from the involved and non-involved point of view of Tapovan (Garbh sanskar) Centre of children's university and from type of family point of view regarding to joint and nuclear family. A non-probability's purposive sampling method was used to select 120 pregnant women from entire Gujarat. Collection of data was carried out with the help of psychophysical stress Scale for pregnant women. The research tool for Psychophysical stress was measured by shanu mahehwari and Guajarati version by Y.A Jogasan and S. R somay. For analysis of data 'F - Test' was used. The finding of the study showed that there was a significant difference of Psychophysical stress in the context of Involvement in Tapovan (garbh sanskar) Centre of Pregnant women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PurposeTo evaluate the short-term protective effects of oestradiol against damages because of oxidative stress in human lens epithelial cells (LECs).MethodsThe central zone of human lens epithelium was obtained from the cataract surgery and cultured in MEM culture medium. These cultured LECs were treated with 17β-oestradiol for varying time intervals from 1 to 5 min followed by treatment with H2O2 (5 × 10−6 M) in the culture medium. Catalase activity was measured to access the oxidative stress levels.ResultsLECs exposed to H2O2 (5 × 10−6 M) showed a fourfold increase in catalase activity (407.03±89.11 U/μg protein) after 6 h when compared to cultured unexposed LECs (97.124±9.4 U/μg protein). When the cultured LECs were treated with oestradiol (5 × 10−8 M) before H2O2 treatment, the increase in catalase activity was inhibited, whereas simultaneous and post-treatments showed no effect. The catalase activity of LECs pretreated with oestradiol for 1, 2, 3, and 5 min was 259.92±18.37, 200.24±14.39, 140.50±19.83, and 110.01±14.66, respectively (P<0.0001).ConclusionAntioxidative enzymes are synthesized in response to the oxidative stress signal. Upon treatment with oestrogen catalase is not synthesized. The pretreatment time of oestrogen required for its antioxidative effect can be seen within 5 min indicating non-genomic mode of action of oestrogen.Eye (2009) 23, 1456–1463; doi:10.1038/eye.2008.284; published online 19 September 2008 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: This open-label, parallel-group study determined the pharmacokinetics of garenoxacin in subjects with severe renal impairment, including subjects maintained on dialysis. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Subjects were assigned to one of four groups according to their underlying renal function: creatinine clearance (CL(cr)) > 80 mL/min, CL(cr) < 30 mL/min, hemodialysis (HD), and continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD). Subjects received a single oral 600-mg dose of garenoxacin. Administration of garenoxacin to subjects receiving hemodialysis was completed in two phases separated by 14 days: 3 h before HD (phase 1) and immediately after HD (phase 2). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Plasma and urine or dialysate samples were analyzed for garenoxacin, and single-dose pharmacokinetic parameters were estimated. Safety was assessed. RESULTS: Twenty-five subjects received garenoxacin. Compared with healthy controls, garenoxacin area under the concentration-time curve (AUC) and maximum plasma concentration were increased by 51% and lowered by 20%, respectively, in subjects with severe renal impairment. The terminal half-life was prolonged in subjects with severe renal impairment compared with healthy controls (26.5 +/- 7 h vs 14.4 +/- 3 h, respectively). In subjects receiving HD or CAPD, removal of garenoxacin from systemic circulation was relatively inefficient (HD, 1.5-11.5%; CAPD, 3%), suggesting no need for a supplemental dose of garenoxacin after dialysis. Garenoxacin was well tolerated. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the broad therapeutic index of garenoxacin, the effects of renal impairment on garenoxacin exposure are not considered clinically significant. There was a modest increase in AUC in subjects with severe renal impairment and the magnitude of the changes was not considered clinically relevant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Polymorphisms in γ-crystallins ( CRYG ) can serve as markers for lens differentiation and eye disorders leading to cataract. Several investigators have reported the presence of sequence variations within crystallin genes, with or without apparent effects on the function of the proteins both in mice and humans. Delineation of these polymorphic sites may explain the differences observed in the susceptibility to cataract observed among various ethnic groups. An easier Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP)-based method has been used to detect the frequency of four single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in CRYGA / CRYGB genes in control subjects of western Indian origin. Materials and Methods: A total of 137 healthy volunteers from western India were studied. Examination was performed to exclude volunteers with any ocular defects. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-RFLP based method was developed for genotyping of G198A (Intron A), T196C (Exon 3) of CRYGA and T47C (Promoter), G449T (Exon 2) of CRYGB genes. Results: The exonic SNPs in CRYGA and CRYGB were found to have an allele frequency 0.03 and 1.00 for ancestral allele respectively, while frequency of non-coding SNP in CRYGA was 0.72. Allele frequency of T90C of CRYGB varied significantly ( P = 0.02) among different age groups. An in-silico analysis reveals that this sequence variation in CRYGB promoter impacts the binding of two transcription factors, ACE2 (Member of CLB2 cluster) and Progesterone Receptor (PR) which may impact the expression of CRYGB gene. Conclusions: This study establishes baseline frequency data for four SNPs in CRYGA and CRYGB genes for future case control studies on the role of these SNPs in the genetic basis of cataract.

Implementation of Quality indicators (QIs) plays an imperative role in improving the total testing process, as it provides a quantitative basis for evaluating the laboratory performance. Besides monitoring of analytical quality specifications, several lines of experimental and clinical evidence have alluded a pivotal role of extra-analytical phases in improving the quality of laboratory services and therefore a relevance of pre- and post-analytical steps have been speculated on the overall quality in the total testing process and consequently on clinical decision-making. This was a retrospective study designed to evaluate and review different extra-analytical quality indicators in NABL accredited clinical biochemistry laboratory at BJ Medical College and Civil Hospital, Ahmedabad, Gujarat in an endeavour to ameliorate the performance of the laboratory. All Clinical Chemistry Laboratory test requests with their respective samples from January 2018 to December 2021 were included in the study. A total of 1,439,011samples were processed, and were evaluated for seven QIs [(% of number of suitable samples not received; QI-8), (% of number of samples received in inappropriate container; QI-9), (% of number of samples hemolysed; QI-10), (% of number of samples with inadequate sample volume; QI 12) (% of number of samples received mismatched; QI 15), (% of number of samples reported after turnaround time; QI 21) and (% of number of samples with critical values informed; QI 22)] based on defined criteria of Quality Specification given by International Federation of Clinical Chemistry. Total number of preanalytical errors was 53,669 (3.72%). Among the preanalytical errors, inadequate sample volume (2.37% of total samples; 63.49% of total pre-analytical errors) was the most common anomaly followed by Not received samples (24.18%) hemolysis (8.26%) mismatched (3.91%) and 0.14% samples were received in Inappropriate container; manifesting that the error frequency was unacceptable for QI 21 and QI 8, acceptable for QI 10, minimally acceptable for QI 15 and optimum for QI QI 9. Furthermore, there was year-wise progressive decline in error rate of inadequate sample volume, hemolysed sample received and mismatched samples. Total number of post analytical errors were 19,002 (1.32%). TAT outlier and critical values communicated were the two QIs evaluated for this phase and results of both QI were within acceptable limits. Quality indicators serve as a tool to monitor process performance and consequently derived error rates warrant active intervention to improve the laboratory services and patient health care. Dissemination of certified documents, regular staff training and evaluation needs to be conducted., Competing Interests: Conflict of interestThe authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article., (© The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Association of Clinical Biochemists of India 2022. Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.)

Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) is known for its production of a diverse range of virulence factors to establish infections in the host. One such mechanism is the scavenging of iron through siderophore production. P. aeruginosa produces two different siderophores: pyochelin, which has lower iron-chelating affinity, and pyoverdine, which has higher iron-chelating affinity. This report demonstrates that pyoverdine can be directly quantified from bacterial supernatants, while pyochelin needs to be extracted from supernatants before quantification. The primary method for qualitatively analyzing siderophore production is the Chrome Azurol Sulfonate (CAS) agar plate assay. In this assay, the release of CAS dye from the Fe 3+ -Dye complex leads to a color change from blue to orange, indicating siderophore production. For the quantification of total siderophores, bacterial supernatants were mixed in equal proportions with CAS dye in a microtiter plate, followed by spectrophotometric analysis at 630 nm. Pyoverdine was directly quantified from the bacterial supernatant by mixing it in equal proportions with 50 mM Tris-HCl, followed by spectrophotometric analysis. A peak at 380 nm confirmed the presence of pyoverdine. As for Pyochelin, direct quantification from the bacterial supernatant was not possible, so it had to be extracted first. Subsequent spectrophotometric analysis revealed the presence of pyochelin, with a peak at 313 nm.

Gut microbiota research has gained a tremendous amount of attention from the scientific community because of its contribution to gut homeostasis, human health, and various pathophysiological conditions. The early colonizer of the human gut, i.e., bifidobacteria, has emerged as an efficient probiotic in various diseased conditions, including cancer. This review explores the pros and cons of Bifidobacterium in various malignancies and various therapeutic strategies. We have illustrated the controversial role of bifidobacteria participating in various malignancies as well as described the current knowledge regarding its use in anticancer therapies. Ultimately, this article also addresses the need for further extensive research in elucidating the mechanism of how bifidobacteria is involved and is indirectly affecting the tumor microenvironment. Exhaustive and large-scale research is also required to solve the controversial questions regarding the involvement of bifidobacteria in cancer research., Competing Interests: All authors declared that there are no conflicts of interest., (© The Author(s) 2023.)

Klebsiella pneumoniae (Kp) has gained prominence in the last two decades due to its global spread as a multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogen. Further, carbapenem-resistant Kp are emerging at an alarming rate. The objective of this study was (1) to evaluate the prevalence of β -lactamases, especially carbapenemases, in Kp isolates from India, and (2) determine the most prevalent sequence type (ST) and plasmids, and their association with β -lactamases. Clinical samples of K. pneumoniae ( n = 65) were collected from various pathology labs, and drug susceptibility and minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) were detected. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) was performed for n = 22 resistant isolates, including multidrug-resistant (MDR) ( n = 4), extensively drug-resistant (XDR) ( n = 15), and pandrug-resistant (PDR) ( n = 3) categories, and genomic analysis was performed using various bioinformatics tools. Additional Indian MDRKp genomes ( n = 187) were retrieved using the Pathosystems Resource Integration Center (PATRIC) database. Detection of β -lactamase genes, location (on chromosome or plasmid), plasmid replicons, and ST of genomes was carried out using CARD, mlplasmids, PlasmidFinder, and PubMLST, respectively. All data were analyzed and summarized using the iTOL tool. ST231 was highest, followed by ST147, ST2096, and ST14, among Indian isolates. bla ampH was detected as the most prevalent gene, followed by bla CTX-M-15 and bla TEM-1 . Among carbapenemase genes, bla OXA-232 was prevalent and associated with ST231, ST2096, and ST14, which was followed by bla NDM-5 , which was observed to be prevalent in ST147, ST395, and ST437. ST231 genomes were most commonly found to carry Col440I and ColKP3 plasmids. ST16 carried mainly ColKP3, and Col(BS512) was abundantly present in ST147 genomes. One Kp isolate with a novel MLST profile was identified, which carried bla CTX-M-15 , bla OXA-1 , and bla TEM-1 . ST16 and ST14 are mostly dual-producers of carbapenem and ESBL genes and could be emerging high-risk clones in India.

Eukaryotic cells respond to environmental cues through mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways. Each MAPK cascade is specific to particular stimuli and mediates specialized responses through activation of transcription factors. In the budding yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the pheromone-induced mating pathway and the starvation-responsive invasive growth/filamentation pathway generate their distinct outputs through the transcription factors Ste12 and Tec1, respectively. In this study, we report the functional characterization of these transcription factors in the closely related human opportunistic pathogenic yeast Candida glabrata. Two homologues each for S. cerevisiae TEC1 and STE12 were identified in C. glabrata. Both C. glabrata Tec1 proteins contain the N-terminal TEA DNA-binding domain characteristic of the TEA/ATTS transcription factor family. Similarly, the DNA-binding homeodomain shared by members of the highly conserved fungal Ste12 transcription factor family is present in N-terminus of both C. glabrata Ste12 transcription factors. We show that both C. glabrata STE12 genes are at least partial functional orthologues of S. cerevisiae STE12 as they can rescue the mating defect of haploid S. cerevisiae ste12 null mutant. Knockout of one of the STE12 genes (ORF CAGL0H02145g) leads to decreased biofilm development; a stronger biofilm-impaired phenotype results from loss of both CgSTE12 genes in the double deletion mutant (Cgste12ΔΔ). The transcript levels of one of the TEC1 genes (ORF CAGL0M01716g) were found to be upregulated upon exposure to low pH; its deletion causes slightly increased sensitivity to higher concentrations of acetic acid. Heat shock leads to increase in mRNA levels of one of the STE12 genes (ORF CAGL0M01254g). These findings suggest a role of Tec1 and Ste12 transcription factors in the regulation of some traits (biofilm formation, response to low pH stress and elevated temperature) that contribute to C. glabrata's ability to colonize various host niches and to occasionally cause disease., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.)

Background: This study aimed to compare survival of single tooth implants (SI) to teeth receiving initial endodontic treatment (IET), non-surgical (NET), and surgical endodontic retreatments (SET). The secondary aim was to determine success rate and identify factors associated with the survival and success of implant and endodontic treatments., Methods: A retrospective cohort study using electronic health records (January 1st, 1995 to April 30th, 2017) was conducted. Every case that qualified for the study in SI (n = 321), NET (n = 211), and SET (n = 79) was included and cases in IET (n = 642) were selected at random and with a 2 to 1 case ratio to SI for data extraction efficiency. Statistical analyses were conducted to compare survival rates and estimate success rates between the four groups adjusting for confounders., Results: The 3 year survival rates for SI, IET, NET, and SET were 99.0%, 92.1%, 90.5%, and 89.5% while the 5 year survival rates for SI, IET, NET, and SET were 99.0%, 87.6%, 84.4%, and 81.1%, respectively. Generally, the SI group had the highest survival rate and the SET group had the lowest survival rate. Short implants (≤8 mm) were significantly associated with implant failure (P &lt; 0.01). Teeth with composite restoration had lower survival rates in IET and NET than other restorations (P &lt; 0.01 and &lt; 0.01)., Conclusion: Within the limitations of this study, single tooth implants and the endodontic treatments yielded predictable survival and success in the short term but the survival and success rates in endodontic treatments dropped more rapidly than single tooth implants during the longer follow-up period., (© 2022 American Academy of Periodontology.)

Persister cell (PC) is dormant, tolerant to antibiotics, and a transient reversible phenotype. These phenotypes are observed in P. aeruginosa and cause bacterial chronic infection as well as recurrence of biofilm-mediated infection. PC formation requires stringent response and toxin-antitoxin (TA) modules. This study shows the P. aeruginosa PC formation in planktonic and biofilm stages on ceftazidime, gentamicin, and ciprofloxacin treatments. The PC formation was studied using persister assay, flow cytometry using Redox Sensor Green, fluorescence as well as Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy, and gene expression of stringent response and TA genes. In the planktonic stage, ceftazidime showed a high survival fraction, high redox activity, and elongation of cells was observed followed by ciprofloxacin and gentamicin treatment having redox activity and rod-shaped cells. The gene expression of stringent response and TA genes were upregulated on gentamicin followed by ceftazidime treatment and varied among the isolates. In the biofilm stage, gentamicin and ciprofloxacin showed the biphasic killing pattern, redox activity, gene expression level of stringent response and TA varied across the isolates. Ceftazidime treatment showed higher persister cells in planktonic growth while all three antibiotics were able to induce persister cell formation in the biofilm stage., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

In the present study, biofilm formation was quantified in UTI isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa ( n  = 22) using the crystal violet assay and was categorized into; strong ( n  = 16), weak ( n  = 4), and moderate ( n  = 2) biofilm producers. Further experiments were done using strong ( n  = 4) and weak ( n  = 4) biofilm producers. Biofilm formation was greater in Luria broth followed by natural urine and artificial urine on silicone and silicone-coated latex. Cell adhesion and twitching motility were greater in strong biofilm producers. The presence of thick biofilm with an increased number of dead and total number of cells of strong biofilm producers was observed using CLSM. The concentrations of exopolymeric substances (eDNA, protein, and pel polysaccharide) were high in strong biofilm producers. FEG-SEM visualization of biofilm produced by strong biofilm producers showed more cells encased in thick biofilm matrix than weak ones. Overall results provide evidence for increased cell adhesion and twitching motility in strong biofilm producers.

The rapid emergence of multidrug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae is being driven largely by the spread of specific clonal groups (CGs). Of these, CG147 includes 7-gene multilocus sequence typing (MLST) sequence types (STs) ST147, ST273 and ST392. CG147 has caused nosocomial outbreaks across the world, but its global population dynamics remain unknown. Here, we report a pandrug-resistant ST147 clinical isolate from India (strain DJ) and define the evolution and global emergence of CG147. Antimicrobial-susceptibility testing following European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (EUCAST) guidelines and genome sequencing (Illumina and Oxford Nanopore Technologies, Unicycler assembly) were performed on strain DJ. Additionally, we collated 217 publicly available CG147 genomes [National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), May 2019]. CG147 evolution was inferred within a temporal phylogenetic framework (beast) based on a recombination-free sequence alignment (Roary/Gubbins). Comparative genomic analyses focused on resistance and virulence genes and other genetic elements (BIGSdb, Kleborate, PlasmidFinder, phaster, ICEfinder and CRISPRCasFinder). Strain DJ had a pandrug-resistance phenotype. Its genome comprised the chromosome, seven plasmids and one linear phage-plasmid. Four carbapenemase genes were detected: bla NDM-5 and two copies of bla OXA-181 in the chromosome, and a second copy of bla NDM-5 on an 84 kb IncFII plasmid. CG147 genomes carried a mean of 13 acquired resistance genes or mutations; 63 % carried a carbapenemase gene and 83 % harboured bla CTX-M . All CG147 genomes presented GyrA and ParC mutations and a common subtype I-E CRISPR-Cas system. ST392 and ST273 emerged in 2005 and 1995, respectively. ST147, the most represented phylogenetic branch, was itself divided into two main clades with distinct capsular loci: KL64 (74 %, DJ included, emerged in 1994 and disseminated worldwide, with carbapenemases varying among world regions) and KL10 (20 %, emerged in 2002, predominantly found in Asian countries, associated with carbapenemases NDM and OXA-48-like). Furthermore, subclades within ST147-KL64 differed at the yersiniabactin locus, OmpK35/K36 mutations, plasmid replicons and prophages. The absence of IncF plasmids in some subclades was associated with a possible activity of a CRISPR-Cas system. K. pneumoniae CG147 comprises pandrug-resistant or extensively resistant isolates, and carries multiple and diverse resistance genes and mobile genetic elements, including chromosomal bla NDM-5 . Its emergence is being driven by the spread of several phylogenetic clades marked by their own genomic features and specific temporo-spatial dynamics. These findings highlight the need for precision surveillance strategies to limit the spread of particularly concerning CG147 subsets.

Background: Autoinflammatory disorders are the group of inherited inflammatory disorders caused due to the genetic defect in the genes that regulates innate immune systems. These have been clinically characterized based on the duration and occurrence of unprovoked fever, skin rash, and patient's ancestry. There are several autoinflammatory disorders that are found to be prevalent in a specific population and whose disease genetic epidemiology within the population has been well understood. However, India has a limited number of genetic studies reported for autoinflammatory disorders till date. The whole genome sequencing and analysis of 1029 Indian individuals performed under the IndiGen project persuaded us to perform the genetic epidemiology of the autoinflammatory disorders in India., Results: We have systematically annotated the genetic variants of 56 genes implicated in autoinflammatory disorder. These genetic variants were reclassified into five categories (i.e., pathogenic, likely pathogenic, benign, likely benign, and variant of uncertain significance (VUS)) according to the American College of Medical Genetics and Association of Molecular pathology (ACMG-AMP) guidelines. Our analysis revealed 20 pathogenic and likely pathogenic variants with significant differences in the allele frequency compared with the global population. We also found six causal founder variants in the IndiGen dataset belonging to different ancestry. We have performed haplotype prediction analysis for founder mutations haplotype that reveals the admixture of the South Asian population with other populations. The cumulative carrier frequency of the autoinflammatory disorder in India was found to be 3.5% which is much higher than reported., Conclusion: With such frequency in the Indian population, there is a great need for awareness among clinicians as well as the general public regarding the autoinflammatory disorder. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first and most comprehensive population scale genetic epidemiological study being reported from India., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Background A free online chlamydia and gonorrhoea urine testing service (Webtest) is available for people living in Queensland, Australia. There are two options to provide a urine sample: at a pathology collection centre or by using a home mailing kit. The study aimed to trial these two testing options designed for young people and describe which is the preferred testing choice., Methods: Data for online requests made from 3 August 2017 to 31 December 2019 provides information for age, gender, location of clients, results received, treatment and partner notification reported by people with positive results., Results: For 29 months, there were 4642 Webtest requests and 2906 valid results received. For young people (16-29 years), chlamydia positivity was 8.2% (172/2105; 95% CI, 7.1-9.4) versus 3.2% (26/801; 95% CI, 2.2-4.7) for people aged ≥30 years, and 6.8% (198/2906; 95% CI, 6.0-7.8) for all ages. Home mailing kits were the most popular testing choice, with 68.0% (1977/2906) of results received from urine submitted by post and 32.0% (929/2906) via pathology collection centre., Conclusions: The free online test request service engaged young people at risk of sexually transmissible infections and found home sample collection was most popular.

Aim: Numerous drugs are being widely prescribed for COVID-19 treatment without any direct evidence for the drug safety/efficacy in patients across diverse ethnic populations. Materials & methods: We analyzed whole genomes of 1029 Indian individuals (IndiGen) to understand the extent of drug-gene (pharmacogenetic), drug-drug and drug-drug-gene interactions associated with COVID-19 therapy in the Indian population. Results: We identified 30 clinically significant pharmacogenetic variants and 73 predicted deleterious pharmacogenetic variants. COVID-19-associated pharmacogenes were substantially overlapped with those of metabolic disorder therapeutics. CYP3A4 , ABCB1 and ALB are the most shared pharmacogenes. Fifteen COVID-19 therapeutics were predicted as likely drug-drug interaction candidates when used with four CYP inhibitor drugs. Conclusion: Our findings provide actionable insights for future validation studies and improved clinical decisions for COVID-19 therapy in Indians.

With the advent of next-generation sequencing, large-scale initiatives for mining whole genomes and exomes have been employed to better understand global or population-level genetic architecture. India encompasses more than 17% of the world population with extensive genetic diversity, but is under-represented in the global sequencing datasets. This gave us the impetus to perform and analyze the whole genome sequencing of 1029 healthy Indian individuals under the pilot phase of the 'IndiGen' program. We generated a compendium of 55,898,122 single allelic genetic variants from geographically distinct Indian genomes and calculated the allele frequency, allele count, allele number, along with the number of heterozygous or homozygous individuals. In the present study, these variants were systematically annotated using publicly available population databases and can be accessed through a browsable online database named as 'IndiGenomes' http://clingen.igib.res.in/indigen/. The IndiGenomes database will help clinicians and researchers in exploring the genetic component underlying medical conditions. Till date, this is the most comprehensive genetic variant resource for the Indian population and is made freely available for academic utility. The resource has also been accessed extensively by the worldwide community since it's launch., (© The Author(s) 2020. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.)

Online options to request sexually transmissible infections testing are increasingly popular and a free online chlamydia and gonorrhoea urine testing service is available for people living in Queensland, Australia. Data from 3 August 2017 to 31 August 2019 provide information for 1316 reminder calls to young people (aged 16-29 years) to encourage sample submission. The reminder calls generated few additional samples for testing, suggesting young people may have changed their mind about using the service, sought testing elsewhere or were reluctant to talk further about their original decision to request a test online.

Klebsiella pneumoniae ( Kp ), is a frequent cause of hospital and community-acquired infections and WHO had declared it as a "priority pathogen". Biofilm is a major virulence factor of Kp and yet the mechanism of strong biofilm formation in Kp is unclear. A key objective of the present study is to investigate the differences between strong and weak biofilms formed by clinical isolates of Kp on various catheters and in different media conditions and to identify constituents contributing to strong biofilm formation. Quantification of matrix components (extracellular DNA (eDNA), protein, exopolysaccharides (EPS), and bacterial cells), confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), field emission gun scanning electron microscopy (FEG-SEM) and flow-cytometry analysis were performed to compare strong and weak biofilm matrix. Our results suggest increased biofilm formation on latex catheters compared to silicone and silicone-coated latex catheters. Higher amounts of eDNA, protein, EPS, and dead cells were observed in the strong biofilm of Kp . High adhesion capacity and cell death seem to play a major role in formation of strong Kp biofilms. The enhanced eDNA, EPS, and protein in the biofilm matrix appear as a consequence of increased cell death., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest. The funders had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript, or in the decision to publish the results.

The "Burden of disease and injury in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples" was commissioned by the Australian government as part of the Australian Burden of Disease study. This paper explores the extent to which key actors in the research and policy communities expected the Indigenous Burden of Disease study's findings to inform, influence, or drive federal decisions concerning Indigenous health in Australia. This qualitative research undertook interviews with 13 key informants with significant involvement in the Indigenous Burden of Disease study: six researchers, five policy makers, and two knowledge brokers. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed, and the findings were triangulated with a review of the literature. Policy makers and researchers anticipated that the Indigenous Burden of Disease study would improve the available information for policy deliberations about Indigenous health. Beyond that, their expectations about its policy influence differed substantially, with researchers more confident of the study's capacity to guide health priorities, and policy makers situating findings in the context of other critical inputs. Expectations of policy influence are shaped by the disciplinary perspectives of actors, and their relationship to policy outcomes and cannot be examined without also considering the policy, political, and financing context of the study being analyzed., (Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

Epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) of lens epithelial cells (LECs) may contribute to the development of posterior capsular opacification (PCO), which leads to visual impairment. Andrographolide has been shown to have therapeutic potential against various cancers. However, its effect on human LECs is still unknown. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of andrographolide on EMT induced by growth factors in the fetal human lens epithelial cell line (FHL 124). Initially the LECs were treated with growth factors (TGF-beta 2 and bFGF) to induce EMT. Subsequently these EMT-induced cells were treated with andrographolide at 100 and 500 nM concentrations for 24 h. Our results showed that FHL 124 cells treated with growth factors had a significant decrease in protein and m-RNA levels of epithelial markers pax6 and E-Cadherin. After administering andrographolide, these levels significantly increased. It was noticed that EMT markers alpha-SMA, fibronectin and collagen IV significantly decreased after treatment with andrographolide when compared to the other group. Treatment with andrographolide significantly inhibited phosphorylation of ERK and JNK. Cell cycle analysis showed that andrographolide did not arrest cells at G0/G1 or G2/M at tested concentrations. Our findings suggest that andrographolide helps sustain epithelial characteristics by modulating EMT markers and inhibiting the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signalling pathway in LECs. Hence it can prove to be useful in curbing EMT-mediated PCO.

This paper examines the response of a regional body, the Institute for Urban Indigenous Health (IUIH), coordinating Aboriginal community controlled health organisations (ACCHOs) in south-east Queensland, to research evidence as they prioritise and plan services in response to internal economic and organisational factors, as well as external policy change. An event-based analysis of a quarterly management meeting of the IUIH allowed an exploration of how the IUIH uses a range of evidence to respond to the challenges faced within the Aboriginal community controlled health sector. The study identified three distinct but interconnected processes: (1) identifying evidence for change; (2) exploring and reframing this evidence; and (3) the application of this evidence at different levels of policy and practice. These processes were evident in each of the three major agendas addressed during the meeting, namely navigating current political change, reforming the ACCHO business model and reframing the available evidence for advocacy. The result has been the emergence of a new service delivery model, in which evidence supports accountability, change management, self-sufficiency and attempts to redefine community control.

Purpose: To compare incision integrity after clear corneal microcoaxial phacoemulsification using longitudinal and torsional ultrasound (US)., Setting: Iladevi Cataract & IOL Research Centre, Ahmedabad, India., Design: Prospective randomized experimental clinical trial., Methods: Part 1 comprised an experimental study of rabbit eyes. Group 1 received longitudinal US. Group 2 received torsional US. The right eye of each rabbit served as a control. Samples were processed for histomorphology and collagen I denaturation by immunofluorescence. Part 2 comprised a clinical trial of patients. Group 1 received torsional US. Group 2 received longitudinal US. At the end of surgery, trypan blue 0.0125% was instilled. After 2 minutes, 0.1 mL of aqueous was aspirated and its optical density measured., Results: In part 1, incision histomorphology was comparable in both modalities. Collagen denaturation tests (immunofluorescence, dot blot analysis) showed no irregularity in collagen arrangement in either group. In Group 2, Descemet membrane was detached and endothelial cells were minimal at the roof of the incision. In part 2, trypan blue ingress into the anterior chamber was significantly greater in Group 1 than in Group 2 (mean 3.40 + 0.6 log units versus and 3.77 + 0.82 log units) (P<.007)., Conclusions: Incision histomorphology in the torsional group showed minimal Descemet membrane detachment and minimal endothelial cell loss at the roof of the incision. Minimal ingress of trypan blue into the anterior chamber was observed with torsional US, indicating better wound integrity than with longitudinal US., Financial Disclosure: No author has a financial or proprietary interest in any material or method mentioned., (Copyright © 2012 ASCRS and ESCRS. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

We report a case of severe pigmented keratitis with poor prognosis, caused by Cladorrhinum bulbillosum. Antifungal treatment with topical natamycin and fluconazole eye drops and oral tablet fluconazole failed to heal the ulcer and resulted in perforation. The causative fungus, C. bulbillosum, was identified on the basis of its typical microscopic features and 98% sequence homology to ex-type isolate CBS 304.90 (accession no. FM955448). The results of an in vitro antifungal susceptibility test indicated that the isolate was susceptible to natamycin, amphotericin B, fluconazole and itraconazole. The present case is the third case of keratitis and the second case of human keratitis. Compromised immunity due to liver cirrhosis could lead to a failed prognosis even when the fungal isolate is highly susceptible to antifungal treatment.

Purpose: To quantify and characterize dolichol species in cataractous and clear human lenses., Methods: Whole lenses were collected from cadaver eyeballs from the C.H. Nagri Eye Bank and Red Cross Society Eye Bank (Ahmedabad, India). Cataractous nuclei were collected after extracapsular cataract extraction (ECCE). Wet weight for all the lenses was taken and were stored at -50 degrees C until used. Dolichol was extracted using a standard protocol and then analyzed using High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) on a 4.6 mmx60 mm Hypersil-Octadecylsilane (ODS; 3 microm) reversed phase column using a Waters dual pump apparatus, a Waters gradient programmer, and an ultraviolet (UV) detector set at 210 nm. Dolichol 13 was used as an internal standard, and dolichol mixture from the liver was used as an external qualitative standard., Results: The highest dolichol concentration was found in nuclear cataract (2.54+/-0.6 microg) followed by posterior subcapsular cataract (1.4+/-0.35 microg), and the lowest levels were observed in cortical cataract (0.37+/-0.06 microg). The level of dolichol concentration in cataractous lenses was statistically significantly higher than the levels in clear lenses (1.0+/-04.3 microg; p<0.01)., Conclusions: The dolichol concentration was significantly higher in lenses with nuclear cataract. A significant difference in dolichol concentration was observed between the different types of cataract. It suggests that dolichol and other isoprenoids may be associated with cataractogenesis.

Purpose: To evaluate the level of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) activity in lens epithelial cells (LECs) derived from different types of cataract in patients having phacoemulsification., Setting: Iladevi Cataract & IOL Research Centre, Memnagar, Ahmedabad, India., Methods: This observational study of 275 patients having phacoemulsification was performed to evaluate the level of MMP-9 activity in LECs. All anterior lens capsules harboring the LECs and derived from the surgical curvilinear capsulorhexis were obtained during phacoemulsification. The anterior lens capsule samples were processed to analyze MMP-9 activity using a succinylated gelatin assay. The samples were grouped based on age and on pure cataract type., Results: The level of MMP-9 activity in LECs was highest in eyes with cortical cataract. A significant difference in the level of MMP-9 activity was found in different types of cataract (P<.001). The highest level of MMP-9 activity was in patients older than 60 years. The MMP-9 activity increased gradually with age irrespective of cataract type (P<.001)., Conclusions: A significant difference was observed in the level of MMP-9 activity between different types of cataract. The activity of MMP-9 was highest in eyes with cortical cataract. The level of MMP-9 activity increased with age in the LECs of patients with age-related cataract.

Purpose: To determine whether a regimen of topical moxifloxacin hydrochloride ophthalmic solution 0.5% (Vigamox) administered on the day of cataract surgery reduces conjunctival bacterial flora., Setting: Iladevi Cataract & IOL Research Centre, Ahmedabad, India., Methods: Seventy-four patients were prospectively randomized to receive Vigamox 4 times 1 day before surgery plus 1 drop 2 hours preoperatively (Group 1) and 74 patients, to receive Vigamox 2 hours before surgery and every 15 minutes in the first hour only (Group 2). Conjunctival swabs from the upper and lower lid margins and lower fornix were taken before and after Vigamox instillation. Aliquots were spread on chocolate blood, anaerobic basal, and nutrient agars. The number of bacterial colony-forming units (CFU) on the plates was counted with a grid technique and expressed as log values. The total number of CFU per eye and mean percentage reduction in CFU after instillation were calculated. Bacterial species were identified using biochemical and biophysical reactions. Wilcoxon signed ranked and Mann-Whitney tests and multiple linear regression were applied., Results: In Group 1, the median colony count decreased from 1284.00 CFU +/- 643.18 (SD) before Vigamox instillation to 65.00 +/- 72.61 CFU after instillation (93.12% reduction) (P<.001) and in Group 2, from 1634.00 +/- 769.27 CFU to 75.00 +/- 81.23 CFU (93.28% reduction) (P<.001). The percentage reduction after instillation was similar between the 2 groups (P = .09)., Conclusion: Both Vigamox regimens reduced the number of CFU of conjunctival flora, indicating that instillation beginning on the day of surgery is effective.

Purpose: To evaluate the aqueous concentration of moxifloxacin following 2 dosing regimens of topically administered moxifloxacin hydrochloride ophthalmic solution 0.5% (Vigamox)., Setting: Iladevi Cataract & IOL Research Centre, Ahmedabad, India., Methods: In this prospective randomized triple-masked clinical trial, 156 patients having cataract surgery were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 regimens of preoperative prophylaxis. In Group A (n = 76), Vigamox was instilled 4 times a day 1 day before surgery plus 1 drop 2 hours before surgery (total of 5 drops). In Group B (n = 76), Vigamox was first instilled 2 hours before surgery and then every 15 minutes for 1 hour (total of 5 drops). In both groups, aqueous samples (0.1 mL) were collected within 2 hours of the first instillation on the day of surgery and stored at -80 degrees C. The antibiotic concentration in all aqueous aspirates was determined using high-performance liquid chromatography. Data were analyzed using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov t test; 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated., Results: The mean aqueous humor concentration of moxifloxacin was 1.58 microg/mL +/- 0.80 (SD) in Group A and 2.05 +/- 0.72 microg/mL in Group B (P<.0001; 95% CI, -0.72 to -0.22)., Conclusions: Both dosing regimens produced substantially higher aqueous concentrations than the known minimum inhibitory concentration for Staphylococcus epidermidis. Topical moxifloxacin administered 2 hours before surgery achieved significantly higher aqueous concentrations than topical moxifloxacin administered 1 day before surgery with 1 drop given on the day of surgery.

Purpose: To compare ocular surface fluid ingress into the anterior chamber at the end of microcoaxial, standard coaxial, and bimanual phacoemulsification using trypan blue as the quantifying tracer., Setting: Iladevi Cataract and IOL Research Centre, Ahmedabad, India., Methods: This prospective randomized observational study comprised 180 consecutive patients who had microcoaxial, standard coaxial, or bimanual phacoemulsification. Trypan blue was applied over the conjunctival surface, and the amount of ingress was assessed after cortex removal (time point 1) and at the end of the surgery after intraocular lens insertion and stromal hydration (time point 2). Logs of dilution were used for statistical analysis., Results: At time point 1, a statistically significant difference was observed in the ingress of trypan blue in the aqueous aspirate. The bimanual group had the highest ingress and the microcoaxial group, the lowest. The amount of ingress in the standard coaxial group fell between the other 2 groups (P< .001). At time point 2, there was no statistically significant difference between the microcoaxial group and the standard coaxial group (P = 1.00); however, in the bimanual group, trypan blue ingress was statistically significantly higher than in the other 2 groups (P< .001)., Conclusion: At both time points, trypan blue ingress was statistically significantly higher in the bimanual group than in the standard coaxial and microcoaxial groups. At time point 2, there was no statistically significant difference between the standard coaxial and microcoaxial groups.

Purpose: To evaluate the level of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and SOD isoenzyme activity in lens epithelial cells (LECs) derived from different types of cataract in patients having phacoemulsification., Setting: Iladevi Cataract & IOL Research Centre, Memnagar, Ahmedabad, India., Methods: This observational study of 109 patients having phacoemulsification was performed to evaluate the level of activity in LECs of total superoxide dismutase (TSOD) and 2 superoxide dismutase isoenzymes: copper- (Cu) and zinc (Zn)-dependent SOD (Cu/Zn-SOD) and manganese (Mn)-dependent SOD (Mn-SOD). The curvilinear capsulorhexis (lens capsule) harboring LECs was obtained during phacoemulsification. The anterior lens capsule samples were processed for assaying SOD activity using the nitro blue tetrazolium reduction assay. The samples were grouped based on age and on pure cataract types., Results: The highest level of TSOD, Cu/Zn-SOD, and Mn-SOD activity was in patients 50 years or younger. The activity declined gradually with age (P<.001). The level of TSOD activity increased in cortical cataract. The level of Cu/Zn-SOD and Mn-SOD isoenzyme activity in LECs was higher in cortical cataracts. A significant difference in the level of TSOD and Cu/Zn-SOD activity was found with different types of cataract (P<.001)., Conclusions: The level of TSOD, Cu/Zn-SOD, and Mn SOD isoenzyme activity decreased with age in LECs of patients with age-related cataract. A significant difference in the level of TSOD and Cu/Zn-SOD isoenzyme activity between different types of cataract was observed. The activity of all 3 SOD isoenzymes was highest in cortical cataracts.

Purpose: To compare the amount of bacterial ingress from the ocular surface into the anterior chamber at the end of bimanual and microcoaxial phacoemulsification in rabbits., Setting: Iladevi Cataract & IOL Research Centre, Raghudeep Eye Clinic, Memnagar, Ahmedabad, India., Methods: This randomized study comprised 40 eyes of 20 rabbits. Rabbits had microcoaxial phacoemulsification through a 2.2 mm single-plane clear corneal incision or bimanual phacoemulsification through a clear corneal 1.2 mm incision for phaco tip access accompanied by an additional 1.4 mm incision for irrigating chopper access. At the end of lens removal, 0.5 mL of culture suspension of Staphylococcus epidermidis (105 colony-forming units [CFU]/mL) was instilled on the ocular surface and kept for 2 minutes. Next, 0.1 mL of aqueous fluid was collected from the anterior chamber and subjected to a microbial viable count., Results: The microcoaxial group had statistically significantly lower ingress of bacteria than the bimanual group (250.0 CFU/mL and 1538.1 CFU/mL, respectively) (P<.002) irrespective of the presence or absence of wound distortion., Conclusion: Bacterial ingress occurred in both groups, although it was statistically significantly higher in the bimanual group.