Current Trends of Using Antimicrobials in Acute Watery Diarrhoea in Children Below 5 Years of Age at Paediatrics Outpatient Department of a Tertiary Care Hospital in Bangladesh.

Childhood diarrhoea is a major public health problem in developing countries like Bangladesh which is commonly caused by intestinal infection, mainly viral. Diarrhoea is causing second leading mortality in children below 5 years, where about 2 billion cases occur globally in each year. This study was proposed to evaluate the antimicrobials utilization pattern prescribed for AWD in children below 5 years of age, in a tertiary care hospital in Bangladesh. This record based, cross-sectional, descriptive type of observational study carried out at pharmacology department of Mymensingh Medical College. A total of 205 diarrhoeal patient's up to 5 years of age, attending the paediatric OPD from January 2021 to December 2021, were enrolled in the study. Out of 205 patients 182(88.8%) were prescribed antimicrobials. Azithromycin was the most frequently prescribed antimicrobial (60.0%) and among the antiprotozoals metronidazole was the prescribed most (24.9%). ORS and Zinc were prescribed in all patients (100%). Empirical excessive use of antibiotics was observed in this study. Emphasis on educational and training programs may help in a better and judicious use of drugs in children.

Antibacterial Effects of Methanol Henna (Lawsone inermis) Leaf Extracts against Two Food Borne Infection Causing Pathogens: Gram-Positive Staphylococcus aureus and Gram Negative Klebsiella pneumoniae.

Evaluation of the in vitro antibacterial activity of Methanol extracts isolated from Henna (Lawsonia inermis) leaf against two food born infection causing pathogens, gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus and gram-negative Klebsiella pneumoniae. This interventional study was carried out in the Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics in collaboration with the Department of Microbiology, Mymensingh Medical College, Bangladesh from January 2021 to December 2021. The antibacterial activity was tested at different concentrations of Methanol Henna leaf extracts by using disc diffusion and broth dilution method. The extract was prepared by using solvents Methanol and 0.1% dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). The test microorganisms were also tested for their activity against a standard antibiotic Ciprofloxacin by broth dilution method and the result was compared with that of Methanol extracts. Methanol Henna Extracts (MHE) were used initially in nine different concentrations (2.5, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500 and 1000mg/ml) and later in selected concentrations as needed to confirm the more precise margin of antimicrobial sensitivity of the extracts. Among different concentrations of the MHE, 100mg/ml and above concentrations showed inhibitory effect against afore said bacteria. The MIC for Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella pneumoniae were 100mg/ml in MHE. The MIC of Ciprofloxacin was 1µg/ml against Staphylococcus aureus and 1.5µg/ml for Klebsiella pneumoniae. The MIC of Ciprofloxacin was the lowest in comparison to MICs of MHE for the test organisms. This study showed that Methanol Henna extracts demonstrated antibacterial effects against pathogens. From this study, it is clearly observed that there is definite antibacterial effect of the methanolic extract of Henna leaves (Lawsonia inermis) against Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella pneumoniae.

Antibacterial Effects of Chloroform Henna (Lawsonia inermis) Leaf Extracts against Two Nosocomial Infection Causing Pathogens: Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus and Gram-negative Klebsiella pneumoniae: A Comparative Study.

Evaluation of the in vitro antibacterial activity of Chloroform extracts isolated from Henna (Lawsonia inermis) leaf against two nosocomial infection causing pathogens, gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus and gram-negative Klebsiella pneumoniae. This interventional study was carried out for the period of January 2021 to December 2021 in the Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics in collaboration with the Department of Microbiology, Mymensingh Medical College, Bangladesh. The antibacterial activity was tested at different concentrations of Chloroform Henna leaf extracts by using disc diffusion and broth dilution method. The extract was prepared by using solvents chloroform and 0.1% Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). The test microorganisms were also tested for their activity against a standard antibiotic Ciprofloxacin by broth dilution method and the result was compared with that of Chloroform extracts. Chloroform Henna Extracts (CHE) were used initially in nine different concentrations (2.5, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500 and 1000 mg/ml). Among different concentrations of the CHE, 100mg/ml and above concentrations showed inhibitory effect against Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella pneumoniae. The MIC for Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella pneumoniae were 100 and 200mg/ml in CHE respectively. The MIC of Ciprofloxacin was 1µg/ml against Staphylococcus aureus and 1.5µg/ml against Klebsiella pneumoniae. The MIC of Ciprofloxacin was the lowest in comparison to MICs of CHE for the test organisms. This study showed that Chloroform Henna extracts demonstrated antibacterial effects against food borne pathogens. It is clearly observed that there is definite antibacterial effect of the Chloroform extract of Henna leaves (Lawsonia inermis) against Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella pneumoniae.

Antibacterial Activities of Mint (Mentha piperita) Leaf Extracts (Aqueous) Against Two Food Borne infection causing pathogens: Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli.

Evaluation of the in vitro antibacterial activity of Aqueous extracts isolated from Mint (Mentha piperita) leaf against two food born infection causing pathogens, gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus and gram-negative Escherichia coli. This interventional study was carried out in the Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics in collaboration with the Department of Microbiology, Mymensingh Medical College, Bangladesh from January 2021 to December 2021. The antibacterial activity was tested at different concentrations of Aqueous Mint leaf extracts by using disc diffusion & broth dilution method. The extract was prepared by using solvents Aqueous. The test microorganisms were also tested for their activity against a standard antibiotic Gentamicin by broth dilution method and the result was compared with that of Aqueous extracts. Aqueous extract of Mint leaves (AMLE) were used initially in eight different concentrations (25, 50, 100, 200, 400, 600, 800 and 1000µg/ml) and later in selected concentrations as needed to confirm the more precise margin of antimicrobial sensitivity of the extracts. Among different concentrations of the AMLE, 200µg/ml and above concentrations showed inhibitory effect against Staphylococcus aureus and 400µg/ml and above concentrations showed inhibitory effect against Escherichia coli. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) for Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli were 200 and 400µg/ml in AMLE respectively. The MIC of Gentamicin was 1µg/ml against Staphylococcus aureus and 1.5µg/ml against Escherichia coli. The MIC of Gentamicin was the lowest in comparison to MICs of AMLE for the test organisms. This study showed that Aqueous Mint extracts demonstrated antibacterial effects against food borne pathogens. It is clearly observed that there is definite antibacterial effect of the aqueous extract of Mint leaves against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli.

Antibacterial Effects of Methanolic Leaf Extracts of Henna (Lawsonia inermis) Against Two Most Common Pathogenic Organisms: Gram Positive Staphylococcus aureus and Gram-Negative Escherichia coli.

Evaluation of the in vitro antibacterial activity of Methanolic extracts isolated from Henna (Lawsonia inermis) leaf against two nosocomial infection causing pathogens, gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus and gram-negative Escherichia coli. This interventional study was carried out during the period of January 2021 to December 2021 in the Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics in collaboration with the Department of Microbiology, Mymensingh Medical College, Mymensingh, Bangladesh. The antibacterial activity was tested at different concentrations of Methanolic Henna leaf extracts by using disc diffusion and broth dilution method. The extract was prepared by using solvents Methanol and 0.1% DMSO (Dimethyl sulfoxide). The test microorganisms were also tested for their activity against a standard antibiotic Ciprofloxacin by broth dilution method and the result was compared with that of Methanolic leaf extracts. Methanolic Henna leaf Extracts (MHE) were used initially in nine different concentrations (2.5, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500 and 1000 mg/ml) and later in selected concentrations as needed to confirm the more precise margin of antimicrobial sensitivity of the extracts. Among different concentrations of the MHE, 100mg/ml and above concentrations showed inhibitory effect against aforesaid bacteria. The MIC for Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli were 100 and 200 mg/ml in MHE respectively. The MIC of Ciprofloxacin was 1µg/ml against both Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. The MIC of Ciprofloxacin was the lowest in comparison to MICs of MHE for the test organisms. The present study showed that Methanol Henna extracts demonstrated antibacterial effects against nosocomial infection pathogens. From this study, it is clearly observed that there are definite antibacterial effects of the methanolic extract of Henna leaves (Lawsonia inermis) against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli.

Antibacterial Effects of Henna (Lawsonia inermis) Leaf Extracts (Chloroform) Against Two Food Borne and Nosocomial Infection Causing Pathogens: Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli.

Evaluation of the in vitro antibacterial activity of Chloroform extracts isolated from Henna (Lawsonia inermis) leaf against two food born & nosocomial infection causing pathogens, gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus and gram-negative Escherichia coli. This interventional study was carried out during the period of January 2021 to December 2021 in the Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics in collaboration with the Department of Microbiology, Mymensingh Medical College, Mymensingh, Bangladesh. The antibacterial activity was tested at different concentrations of Chloroform Henna leaf extracts by using disc diffusion and broth dilution method. The extract was prepared by using solvents chloroform and 0.1% DMSO. The test microorganisms were also tested for their activity against a standard antibiotic Ciprofloxacin by broth dilution method and the result was compared with that of Chloroform extracts. Chloroform Henna Extracts (CHE) were used initially in nine different concentrations (2.5, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500 and 1000mg/ml) and later in selected concentrations as needed to confirm the more precise margin of antimicrobial sensitivity of the extracts. Among different concentrations of the CHE, 100mg/ml and above concentrations showed inhibitory effect against Staphylococcus aureus and 300mg/ml and above concentrations showed inhibitory effect against Escherichia coli. The MIC for Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli were 100 and 350mg/ml in CHE respectively. The MIC of Ciprofloxacin was 1µg/ml against both Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. The MIC of Ciprofloxacin was the lowest in comparison to MICs of CHE for the test organisms. The present study showed that Chloroform Henna extracts demonstrated antibacterial effects against food borne pathogens. From this study, it is clearly observed that there is definite antibacterial effect of the chloroform extract of Henna leaves against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli.

Mannose and galactose as substrates for production of itaconic acid by Aspergillus terreus.

Itaconic acid (IA), an unsaturated 5-carbon dicarboxylic acid, is a building block platform chemical that is currently produced industrially from glucose by fermentation with Aspergillus terreus. Softwood has the potential to serve as low cost source of sugars for its production. Effective utilization of all softwood derived sugars such as glucose, mannose and galactose by the fungus for production of IA will lower the cost of its production. In this work, 20 A. terreus strains were evaluated for the first time for IA production from mannose and galactose in shake-flasks at initial pH of 3·1, 33°C and 200 rev min-1 for 7 days. Strain NRRL 1971 possesses the unique ability to produce high concentrations of IA from mannose. It produced 36·4 ± 0·2 g IA from 80 g mannose per litre with a yield of 0·46 g g-1 mannose (highest titre reported so far). This strain has the potential to be used for IA production from softwood. The maximum (1·1 ± 0·2 g) IA was produced by strain DSM 23081 from 80 g galactose per litre utilizing only 9·1 ± 0·3 g. Galactose was not suitable for IA production by these strains. This is the first detailed report on the production of IA from mannose and galactose. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Itaconic acid (IA) is a building block platform chemical which is currently produced industrially from glucose by fermentation with Aspergillus terreus. In order to expand the use of IA, its production cost must be lowered. Softwood has the potential to serve as low cost source of sugars for its production. In this work, 20 A. terreus strains were evaluated for the first time for production of IA from mannose and galactose, sugars derived from softwood. A novel strain was found that gave the highest IA titre reported so far. Galactose was a poor substrate for IA production by A. terreus.

Correction: Evaluation of 19,460 Wheat Accessions Conserved in the Indian National Genebank to Identify New Sources of Resistance to Rust and Spot Blotch Diseases.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0167702.].

Evaluation of 19,460 Wheat Accessions Conserved in the Indian National Genebank to Identify New Sources of Resistance to Rust and Spot Blotch Diseases.

A comprehensive germplasm evaluation study of wheat accessions conserved in the Indian National Genebank was conducted to identify sources of rust and spot blotch resistance. Genebank accessions comprising three species of wheat-Triticum aestivum, T. durum and T. dicoccum were screened sequentially at multiple disease hotspots, during the 2011-14 crop seasons, carrying only resistant accessions to the next step of evaluation. Wheat accessions which were found to be resistant in the field were then assayed for seedling resistance and profiled using molecular markers. In the primary evaluation, 19,460 accessions were screened at Wellington (Tamil Nadu), a hotspot for wheat rusts. We identified 4925 accessions to be resistant and these were further evaluated at Gurdaspur (Punjab), a hotspot for stripe rust and at Cooch Behar (West Bengal), a hotspot for spot blotch. The second round evaluation identified 498 accessions potentially resistant to multiple rusts and 868 accessions potentially resistant to spot blotch. Evaluation of rust resistant accessions for seedling resistance against seven virulent pathotypes of three rusts under artificial epiphytotic conditions identified 137 accessions potentially resistant to multiple rusts. Molecular analysis to identify different combinations of genetic loci imparting resistance to leaf rust, stem rust, stripe rust and spot blotch using linked molecular markers, identified 45 wheat accessions containing known resistance genes against all three rusts as well as a QTL for spot blotch resistance. The resistant germplasm accessions, particularly against stripe rust, identified in this study can be excellent potential candidates to be employed for breeding resistance into the background of high yielding wheat cultivars through conventional or molecular breeding approaches, and are expected to contribute toward food security at national and global levels.

Process integration for simultaneous saccharification, fermentation, and recovery (SSFR): production of butanol from corn stover using Clostridium beijerinckii P260.

A simultaneous saccharification, fermentation, and recovery (SSFR) process was developed for the production of acetone-butanol-ethanol (AB or ABE), of which butanol is the main product, from corn stover employing Clostridium beijerinckii P260. Of the 86 g L(-1) corn stover provided, over 97% of the sugars were released during hydrolysis and these were fermented completely with an ABE productivity of 0.34 g L(-1)h(-1) and yield of 0.39. This productivity is higher than 0.31 g L(-1)h(-1) when using glucose as a substrate demonstrating that AB could be produced efficiently from lignocellulosic biomass. Acetic acid that was released from the biomass during pretreatment and hydrolysis was also used by the culture to produce AB. An average rate of generation of sugars during corn stover hydrolysis was 0.98 g L(-1)h(-1). In this system AB was recovered using vacuum, and as a result of this (simultaneous product recovery), 100% sugars were used by the culture.

Keratometric astigmatism evaluation after trabeculectomy.

INTRODUCTION: Post-operative astigmatism is one of the most important causes for diminution of vision after trabeculectomy. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the induced corneal astigmatism following trabeculectomy with the use of 8-0 silk suture. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A prospective interventional study was done including 100 consecutive eyes of 84 patients who underwent trabeculectomy with the use of 8-0 silk suture. The postoperative induced astigmatism on the 1st post-operative day, 3rd week and after 6 months was determined. STATISTICS: Vector analysis was performed on the data using a computerized method for calculating the surgically induced astigmatism (SIA) for each eye at every time point postoperatively. In order to analyze group changes, we also performed vector decomposition which gave us a mathematical expression of the changes in astigmatism "with the rule" (WTR) or "against the rule" (ATR). RESULTS: The mean age of all the patients was 53.31 11.39 years. The mean 1st post-operative surgically induced astigmatism (SIA) was 2.73 D ( 99 degree ) which reduced to 0.41 D ( 58 degree) at the 3rd week and 0.43 ( 21 degree) at 6 months. The mean WTR astigmatism was 4.46 D and ART astigmatism was 1.42 D on the 1st post-operative day which was significantly high ( p less than 0.0001). At the 3rd week and 6 months WTR astigmatism ( 1.40 D and 1.08D ) and ATR astigmatism (1.27 D and 1.10 D) showed no significant changes (p=0.69,0.97 respectively. CONCLUSION: Trabeculectomy with the use of 8/0 silk sutures showed significantly high 1st post-operative day SIA which nevertheless perished fast to a minimum amount at just 3 weeks.

Genetically engineered Escherichia coli FBR5: part II. Ethanol production from xylose and simultaneous product recovery.

In these studies, concentrated xylose solution was fermented to ethanol using Escherichia coli FBR5 which can ferment both lignocellulosic sugars (hexoses and pentoses). E. coli FBR5 can produce 40-50 g L(-1) ethanol from 100 g L(-1) xylose in batch reactors. Increasing sugar concentration beyond this level results in the loss of sugar with the reactor effluent thus affecting the process yield adversely. In a nonintegrated system without simultaneous product removal more than 120 g L(-1) xylose was left unused of the 220 g L(-1) that was fed into the reactor. In contrast to this, application of simultaneous product removal by gas stripping was able to relieve product inhibition and the culture was able to use 216.6 g L(-1) xylose thus producing 140 g L(-1) (based on reactor volume) ethanol resulting in a product yield of 0.48. The product stream achieved an ethanol concentration up to 148.41 g L(-1). This process has potential for greatly improving the performance of E. coli FBR5 where the strain can ferment all the lignocellulosic sugars to ethanol and gas stripping can be applied to recover product.

Genetically engineered Escherichia coli FBR5: part I. Comparison of high cell density bioreactors for enhanced ethanol production from xylose.

Five reactor systems (free cell batch, free cell continuous, entrapped cell immobilized, adsorbed cell packed bed, and cell recycle membrane reactors) were compared for ethanol production from xylose using Escherichia coli FBR5. In the free cell batch and free cell continuous reactors (continuous stirred tank reactor-CSTR) productivities of 0.84 gL(-1) h(-1) and 1.77 gL(-1) h(-1) were achieved, respectively. A cell recycle membrane reactor resulted in the highest productivity of 55.56 gL(-1) h(-1), which is an increase of 66-fold (e.g., 6614%) over the batch reactor. Calcium alginate gel CSTR resulted in a productivity of 2.04 gL(-1) h(-1) whereas adsorbed cell packed bed reactor resulted in a productivity of 4.39 gL(-1) h(-1). In the five reactor systems, ethanol concentrations ranged from 18.9 to 40.30 gL(-1) with metabolic yields from 0.44 to 0.51.

Optical properties of (GaAs)n clusters (n = 2-16).

The electronic and geometrical structures of the lowest triplet states of (GaAs) n clusters ( n = 2-16) are studied using density functional theory with generalized gradient approximation (DFT-GGA). It is found that the triplet-state geometries are different from the corresponding singlet-state geometries; for n = 2-8, 10, and 11, the triplets and singlets have different topologies, while the (GaAs) 9, (GaAs) 12, (GaAs) 15, and (GaAs) 16 triplets possess a reduced symmetry, due to Jahn-Teller distortions. Except for GaAs, the singlet states are the ground states. Excitation energies and oscillator strengths are computed for excitations from the ground state to ten singlet states of all (GaAs) n clusters using time-dependent density functional theory. The adiabatic singlet-triplet gap is compared to the vertical gap, and the difference in the eigenvalues of the highest-occupied and lowest-unoccupied molecular orbitals (the HOMO-LUMO gap). While these three values show large oscillations for small n, they approach each other as the cluster size grows. Thus, the HOMO-LUMO gap computed using the DFT-GGA approach presents a rather reliable estimate of the adiabatic singlet-triplet gap.

Recent trend in the treatment of dysfunctional uterine bleeding.

Dysfunctional uterine bleeding (DUB) is defined as excessive uterine bleeding with no demonstrable organic cause either genital or extra-genital. Management of DUB should be individualised. The general measures, conservative approach, radical therapy and surgery as treatment modalities, as practised have been detailed here.

Purification and characterization of an extracellular beta-xylosidase from a newly isolated Fusarium verticillioides.

An extracellular beta-xylosidase from a newly isolated Fusarium verticillioides (NRRL 26518) was purified to homogeneity from the culture supernatant by concentration by ultrafiltration using a 10,000 cut-off membrane, ammonium sulfate precipitation, DEAE Bio-Gel A agarose column chromatography and SP-Sephadex C-50 column chromatography. The purified beta-xylosidase (specific activity, 57 U/mg protein) had a molecular weight (mol. wt.) of 94,500 and an isoelectric point at pH 7.8. The optimum temperature and pH for action of the enzyme were 65 degrees C and 4.5, respectively. It hydrolyzes xylobiose and higher xylooligosaccharides but is inactive against xylan. The purified beta-xylosidase had a K(m) value of 0.85 mM (p-nitrophenol-beta-D-xyloside, pH 4.5, 50 degrees C) and was competitively inhibited by xylose with a K(i) value of 6 mM. It did not require any metal ion for activity and stability.

Xylanase from a newly isolated Fusarium verticillioides capable of utilizing corn fiber xylan.

A fungus, Fusarium verticillioides (NRRL 26518), was isolated by screening soil samples using corn fiber xylan as carbon source. The extracellular xylanase from this fungal strain was purified to apparent homogeneity from the culture supernatant by ultrafiltration using a 30,000 cut-off membrane, octyl-Sepharose chromatography and Bio gel A-0.5 m gel filtration. The purified xylanase (specific activity 492 U/mg protein; MW 24,000; pI 8.6) displayed an optimum temperature at 50 degrees C and optimum pH at 5.5, a pH stability range from 4.0 to 9.5 and thermal stability up to 50 degrees C. It hydrolyzed a variety of xylan substrates mainly to xylobiose and higher short-chain xylooligosaccharides. No xylose was formed. The enzyme did not require metal ions for activity and stability.

Debittering of protein hydrolyzates.

Enzymatic hydrolysis of proteins frequently results in bitter taste, which is due to the formation of low molecular weight peptides composed of mainly hydrophobic amino acids. Methods for debittering of protein hydrolyzates include selective separation such as treatment with activated carbon, extraction with alcohol, isoelectric precipitation, chromatography on silica gel, hydrophobic interaction chromatography, and masking of bitter taste. Bio-based methods include further hydrolysis of bitter peptides with enzymes such as aminopeptidase, alkaline/neutral protease and carboxypeptidase, condensation reactions of bitter peptides using protease, and use of Lactobacillus as a debittering starter adjunct. The causes for the production of bitter peptides in various food protein hydrolyzates and the development of methods for the prevention, reduction, and elimination of bitterness as well as masking of bitter taste in enzymatic protein hydrolyzates are presented.

Alpha-L-arabinofuranosidases: biochemistry, molecular biology and application in biotechnology.

Interest in the alpha-L-arabinofuranosidases has increased in recent years because of their application in the conversion of various hemicellulosic substrates to fermentable sugars for subsequent production of fuel alcohol. Xylanases, in conjunction with alpha-L-arabinofuranosidases and other accessory enzymes, act synergistically to degrade xylan to component sugars. The induction of alpha-L-arabinofuranosidase production, physico-chemical characteristics, substrate specificity, and molecular biology of the enzyme are described. The current state of research and development of the arabinofuranosidases and their role in biotechnology are presented.

Production of 2,3-butanediol by newly isolated Enterobacter cloacae.

Enterobacter cloacae NRRL B-23289 was isolated from local decaying wood/corn soil samples while screening for microorganisms for conversion of L-arabinose to fuel ethanol. The major product of fermentation by the bacterium was meso-2,3-butanediol (2,3-BD). In a typical fermentation, a BD yield of 0.4 g/g arabinose was obtained with a corresponding productivity of 0.63 g/l per hour at an initial arabinose concentration of 50 g/l. The effects of initial arabinose concentration, temperature, pH, agitation, various monosaccharides, and multiple sugar mixtures on 2,3-BD production were investigated. BD productivity, yield, and byproduct formation were influenced significantly within these parameters. The bacterium utilized sugars from acid plus enzyme saccharified corn fiber and produced BD (0.35 g/g available sugars). It also produced BD from dilute acid pretreated corn fiber by simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (0.34 g/g theoretical sugars).