Nitrate monitoring of environmental samples is essential to safeguard human and environmental health. Various non-enzymatic methods such as Griess reaction-based chemical method; Fourier transform ...infrared spectroscopy; chromatographic, electrochemical and optical sensors yield reproducible results but suffer from drawbacks such as use of hazardous chemicals, interference from coexistent anions, and bulky and expensive instrumentation and hence are not favored for routine analysis. On the other hand, nitrate reductase (NR)-based methods are simple, sensitive, specific, environment friendly, easy to carry out, and, therefore, suitable for routine analysis. NR in these methods is employed in both free (in commercially available kits) and immobilized form. In comparison to the native NR, immobilized NR shows better activity and stability accompanied by overall reduction in the cost of the method. The review gives a brief account of non-enzymatic nitrate quantification, whereas recent advances in enzyme-based determination have been explored in more detail.
Objective: The objective of the study was to compare the maternal and fetal outcomes of currently preferred tenofovir-based regimen with previous zidovudine-based regimen and also to determine ...whether the time of starting antiretroviral therapy (ART), whether it can affect the pregnancy and fetal outcome.
Materials and Methods: Pregnant patients prescribed any of the above regimens were followed up every month till delivery and newborns for initial 6 months. Maternal endpoints were body weight, hemoglobin, and CD4 count, whereas fetal endpoints were birth weight, Apgar score, body weight, and HIV status at 6 months. Data were analyzed using ANOVA and unpaired t-test.P <0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results: A significant increase in CD4 count was observed in patients treated with both the regimens at 12 months as compared to baseline (P < 0.001 and 0.05). Moreover, a significant increase in CD4 count was observed at 12 months as compared to baseline, whether treatment was started before or after the diagnosis of pregnancy (P < 0.05 and 0.001). A significant difference in mean body weight at the end of 9 months was observed in patients wherein ART was started before or after the diagnosis of pregnancy (P < 0.005). Majority of patients had a favorable maternal outcome, while fetal birth weight, Apgar score, body weight, and HIV status were comparable at 6 months irrespective of treatment and time of starting ART.
Conclusion: All ART regimens are equally effective in terms of increase in CD4 count, gestational gain in body weight, and pregnancy and fetal outcome. Furthermore, there is no significant difference in efficacy, pregnancy, and fetal outcome in women who were already on ART when diagnosed pregnancy or who were started ART later in antenatal period.
West syndrome (WS) is the most common epileptic syndrome in infancy characterised by epileptic spasms, hypsarrhythmia and neurodevelopmental problems. Epileptic spasms remain in many ways a ...conundrum, and the ideal intervention, as well as how to screen patients to provide optimal care and certainly its genetic cause, remains puzzling. It is important to screen infants for early recognition and intervention to achieve the optimal outcome. We hereby discuss the approach to management of a boy aged 4½ years old with WS and behavioural problems and of parental expressed emotions.
Background: Long-term toxicity of antiretroviral agents is rarely addressed in initial clinical trials. Effective pharmacovigilance is essential for long-term safety of antiretroviral therapy (ART). ...Materials and Methods: All adverse drug reactions (ADRs) reported due to ART between January 2014 and September 2016 were analyzed as per different drug regimens used. ADRs were also analyzed for system organ classification, seriousness, time relationship of ADRs with drug therapy, causality (as per the World Health Organization-Uppsala Monitoring Centre scale and Naranjo algorithm), and severity (Hartwig and Siegel scale). Comparison was done between (tenofovir + lamivudine + efavirenz TLE) and (zidovudine + lamivudine + nevirapine ZLN) regimens. Results: During a study period, 2983 patients were on ART. The most common drug regimen prescribed was TLE (1805) followed by ZLN (326). A total of 325 (10.89%) ADRs were reported in which 150 ADRs were reported in TLE regimens (46%) and 130 in ZLN regimens (40%). The mean age of patients with ADRs was 40 ± 12.56 years and men (58.1%) were more affected than women (41.8%). The most common system organ involved in ZLN regimen was blood (50, 39%) and skin (35, 27%), while it was neurological (63, 42%) and renal disorder (27, 18%) in TLE regimen. Most of ADRs were observed after 1 month of therapy (79.5%) and showed possible causal relation with drug therapy (78.15%). Majority of ADRs were mild in nature (86.7%). The serious ADRs were reported more in ZLN (18%) regimen as compared to TLE (9%) (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Both ART regimens are associated with ADRs affecting all body system; however, the frequency and severity of ADR are high with ZLN regimen.
Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) of lymph nodes is a simple, cost effective, out-patient procedure used for diagnosis of various causes of lymphadenopathies. In tuberculous lymphadenitis, it ...not only used for the cytological diagnosis but also used for other ancillary testing such as Ziehl- Neelsen staining and AFB Culture.
Our study was designed to evaluate the cytopathological pattern of FNAC aspirate of patients presenting with lymphadenopathy with special reference to tuberculous lymphadenopathy.
In this study all the patients referred to the cytopathology lab for FNAC of lymph nodes between January 2011 to June, 2013 were included. Out of 1050 patients presenting with lymphadenopathies, there were 550 cases of tuberculous lymphadenitis. The cytopathological findings of these 550 cases were analyzed.
A female preponderance was noted in our study with maximum incidence in the 3rd decade. Cervical lymph nodes were the most common nodes to be involved. Gross examination of aspirate showed maximum cases (74.5.2%) of whitish material. Among the four cytological patterns on FNAC, maximum cases demonstrated caseous necrotic material with degenerated inflammatory cells. Ziehl- Neelsen staining showed overall AFB positivity of 44.54%. Maximum AFB positivity was seen in cases having caseous necrosis only.
FNAC is a simple, cost effective technique with high degree of accuracy in diagnosing Tubercular Lymphadenitis. Despite certain limitations and pitfalls, FNAC coupled with Ziehl- Neelson staining should be the 1st line investigation in cases with lymphadenopaty, in a developing country with high prevalence rate of tuberculosis.
Invasive as well as non-invasive conventional techniques for the detection of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) have several limitations that are being overcome by the development of novel, rapid and ...reliable biosensors. Herein, we describe several biosensors fabricated for the detection of H. pylori. This review aims to provide the principles of biosensors and their components including in the context to H. pylori detection. The major biorecognition elements in H. pylori detection include antigen/antibodies, oligonucleotides and enzymes. Furthermore, the review describes the transducers, such as electrochemical, optical and piezoelectric, also including microfluidics approaches. An overview of the biomarkers associated with H. pylori pathogenesis is also discussed. Finally, the prospects of advancement and commercialization of point-of-care tools are summarized.
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•H. pylori, a gut residing Gram negative bacteria, is associated with various gastric diseases including gastric cancer.•Due to limitations of conventional methods, biosensors emerges as advanced technique for detection of H. pylori.•Different types of biosensors fabricated for detection of H. pylori, are discussed.
A method is described for construction of an amperometric ascorbate biosensor based on egg shell membrane bound
Lagenaria siceraria fruit ascorbate oxidase mounted over Au electrode. The biosensor ...showed optimum response i.e. current in mA within 10
s at pH 6.0, 40
°C and 0.6
V. There was a linear relationship between
l-ascorbic acid concentration in the range 1
×
10
−5
M and 4
×
10
−4
M and current. The biosensor was employed for determination of
l-ascorbic acid in serum, fruit juices and vitamin C tablets. The biosensor has advantages such as fast response time (10
s), good repeatability (200 assays) and long-term stability (50% of its initial sensitivity after 4 months of storage).
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▶ Constructed an amperometric ascorbate biosensor using egg shell membrane bound ascorbate oxidase. ▶ Optimal working conditions of biosensor – 0.6
V, pH 6.0, 4
°C and 10
s. ▶ Linear working range 10
−5
to 4
×
10
−4
M. ▶ Measure ascorbic acid in serum, fruit juice and vitamin tablets. ▶ Advantages – Fast response, 200 reuses and 4 months stability.
An ascorbate oxidase (EC 1.10.3.3) purified from
Lagenaria siceraria fruit was immobilized onto egg shell membrane through glutaraldehyde coupling with 73.3% retention of its initial activity and a conjugation yield of 0.097
mg/cm
2. The membrane consisting of ascorbate oxidase was mounted over an Au electrode to construct a working electrode for ascorbate biosensor. The biosensor showed optimum response i.e. current in mA within 10
s at pH 6.0, 40
°C and 0.6
V using Ag/AgCl reference and Cu wire as auxiliary electrode. There was a linear relationship between
l-ascorbic acid concentration in the range 1
×
10
−5
M and 4
×
10
−4
M and current. The biosensor was employed for determination of
l- ascorbic acid in serum, fruit juices and vitamin C tablets. The analytical recovery of added ascorbate in sera was 98.2% and 96.7%. Within batch and between batch coefficients of variations (CV) in ascorbate of sera were <3.6% and <4.49% respectively.
l-Ascorbate values obtained for fruit juices and vitamin C tablets by present method and by DCPIP (2,6-dichlorophenolindophenol) method, showed a good correlation (
r
=
0.993). The biosensor has advantages such as fast response time (10
s), good repeatability (200 assays) and long-term stability (50% of its initial sensitivity after 4 months of storage).
Introduction: The relation between temperament and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is complex and understood in different ways, with the most common being risk model and spectrum ...model. However, the evidence is mixed and emerging. Aim: To assess the relationship between ADHD symptoms and temperament dimensions in a clinical sample of school-aged children. Methods: A retrospective assessment of temperament of 50 children with ADHD was done on temperament measurement schedule. The mean and standard deviation was computed for continuous variables and frequency and percentage for discontinuous variables and correlation and regression analysis was computed. Results: Children with ADHD were high on activity level, intensity of reaction, approach, and distractibility and low on persistence and threshold of responsiveness. The strength of significant correlations between temperamental dimensions and ADHD symptoms (P < 0.05) ranged from 0.32 to 0.41. On regression analysis, temperament could explain 22% variance of inattention subscale and around 20% variance in hyperactivity/impulsivity subscale. Conclusion: This moderate level of relation suggests that though certain temperamental traits are related to symptoms of ADHD, temperament and ADHD are phenotypically separate constructs, further favoring the risk model.
Postoperative shivering is a frequent event after cesarean section under spinal anaesthesia. Shivering is uncomfortable for the patient and may interfere with monitoring. The exact aetiology of ...shivering is unknown and therefore has no definite treatment.
The temperature of injectate affects the spread of drug and so its effect. Therefore the aim of this study was to compare the effect of temperature of bupivacaine on post-spinal shivering in cesarean section.
In this prospective, randomized, controlled, double-blind clinical trial 105 ASA-I/II pregnant women scheduled for caesarean section under spinal anaesthesia were selected and randomized into three groups of 35 each. In all pregnant women spinal anaesthesia was achieved with 2.2 ml of 0.5% hyperbaric bupivacaine given either at L3-L4 or L4-L5 interspace. The temperature of bupivacaine was adjusted to 4°C (group T4), 22°C (group T22) and 37°C (group T37). Shivering characteristic, onset and incidence was noted. All three groups were compared using analysis of variance (ANOVA), adverse effects was compared using chi-square test and Kruskal-Wallis H-test. The p-value < 0.05-considered as significant and p-value <0.01-considered highly significant.
There were no differences between the groups regarding age, weight, height, amount of fluid used and blood loss. The incidence of shivering was 51.42%, 51.42% and 45.71% in group T4, group T22 and group T37 respectively, this difference in the incidence was statistically not significant (p=0.858). However, the onset of shivering was earliest (9.87±1.82 min) in group T4 as compared to 14.27±3.02 min and 12.16±2.89 min in group T22 and group T37 respectively and this difference in the onset was highly significant (p= 0.0001).
In spinal anaesthesia for cesarean section, the temperature of bupivacaine does not influence the overall incidence of post spinal shivering; however cold bupivacaine can provoke early onset of shivering.
Background
Gastric cancer is the third leading cause of cancer‐related deaths worldwide. Approximately 70% of cases are caused by a microaerophilic gram‐negative bacteria, Helicobacter pylori (H. ...pylori), which potentially infect almost 50% of world's population. H. pylori is mainly responsible for persistent oxidative stress in stomach and induction of chronic immune responses which ultimately result into DNA damage that eventually can lead to gastric cancer. Oxidative stress is the result of excessive release of ROS/RNS by activated neutrophils whereas bacteria itself also produce ROS in host cells. Therefore, ROS detection is an important factor for development of new strategies related to identification of H. pylori infection.
Methods
The review summarizes the various available techniques for ROS detection with their advantages, disadvantages, and limitations. All of the information included in this review have been retrieved from published studies on ROS generation and its detection methods.
Results
Precisely, 71 articles have been incorporated and evaluated for this review. The studied articles were divided into two major categories including articles on H. pylori‐related pathogenesis and various ROS detection methods for example probe‐based methods, immunoassays, gene expression profiling, and other techniques. The major part of probe activity is based on fluorescence, chemiluminescence, or bioluminescence and detected by complementary techniques such as LC‐MS, HPLC, EPR, and redox blotting.
Conclusion
The review describes the methods for ROS detection but due to some limitations in conventional methods, there is a need of cost‐effective, early and fast detection methods like biosensors to diagnose the infection at its initial stage.
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