Design and Discovery of 3,6-Substituted 1,2,4,5-Tetraoxanes as New Class of Falcipain-2 Inhibitors for Antimalarial Action

Pharmaceutical Chemistry Journal - A new series of tetraoxanes were developed and screened for in vitro antimalarial activity against chloroquine sensitive strains of Plasmodium falciparum (3D7 and...     

Macular associations of tilted disc syndrome

Purpose:The aim of this study was to describe macular changes associated with tilted disc syndrome (TDS) using multimodality imaging.Methods:This is a retrospective observational study of the consecutive TDS cases which were studied for macular changes using color fundus photographs and optical coherence tomography (OCT). Fundus autofluorescence, fundus fluorescein angiography, and OCT angiography were performed wherever required.Results:Twenty consecutive TDS cases (36 eyes) were included. OCT showed inferior depression of all layers in specific scans and macular pathologies seen included lamellar macular hole, full-thickness macular hole, retinal pigment epithelial detachment, acute and resolved subretinal fluid, central serous chorioretinopathy, and choroidal neovascular membrane. Macular involvement was seen in 13 eyes (36.11%) while in the remaining 23 eyes, outer retinal changes were seen on OCT in 9 eyes and normal retinal layers in 14 eyes (38.89%).Conclusion:Various macular pathologies associated with TDS are described using multimodality imaging. These provide understanding of changes which can occur with TDS. It also highlights the need for recognition, differentiation from similar confusing entities, and the necessity to follow-up of these cases carefully to detect the macular changes earlier.     

Reducing Preoperative Waiting-time in a Pediatric Eye Operation Theater by Optimizing Process Flow: A Pilot Quality Improvement Project

Objective

To decrease the preoperative area waiting-time for children posted for eye surgery.

Methods

A pilot quality improvement project was conducted in a single paediatric eye operation theatre in our tertiary-care hospital. Operation theatre process flow was analyzed, baseline data was collected, and two Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles were performed on consecutive days. Average and maximal waiting-time were recorded across six operation theatre days.

Results

The average and maximal waiting time at baseline were 221 and 390 minutes, respectively. After two rapid Plan-Do-Study- Act cycles, these were reduced to 29 (87% reduction) and 52 minutes (87% reduction) from baseline, respectively, and could subsequently be sustained.

Conclusion

Preoperative waiting time in ophthalmic operation theatre was significantly reduced by simple process flow optimization, thereby improving quality of care.

     

Body mass index and COVID-19 outcomes:A retrospective cross-sectional study at a tertiary care center in India

Objective:To determine the association between body weight and COVID-19 outcomes.Methods:This is a retrospective cohort study of COVID-19 patients admitted in a dedicated COVID-19 hospital,a tertiary health care center,between May and June 2021.Demographic data and baseline variables,including age,sex,body mass index(BMI),and comorbidities were collected.Outcomes(death or mechanical ventilation)of the patients with different BMI,age,comorbidities,and qSOFA scores were compared.Besides,the risk factors for death or mechanical ventilation were determined.Results:The mean age of the subjects was(51.8±14.7)years old,and 233(74.2%)were male.There were 103(32.8%)patients with normal weight,143(45.5%)patients were overweight,and 68(21.7%)patients were obese.In-hospital deaths and need of mechanical ventilations were significantly higher in the obese and the overweight group compared to the normal weight group,in age group≥65 years compared to<65 years,in patients with≥1 comorbidities compared to patients without comorbidities,in patients with qSOFA scores≥2 compared to patients with qSOFA scores<2.There was a significantly increased risk of death(RR:4.1,95%CI 1.0-17.4,P=0.04)and significantly increased need of mechanical ventilation(RR:5.2,95%CI 1.8-15.2,P=0.002)in the obese patients compared with those with normal weight after controlling other covariates.Conclusion:Obesity is one of the significant risk factors for adverse outcomes in COVID-19 patients and should be considered during management.     

Eco-friendly design of TiO2 nanoparticles supported on Fe3O4 coated carbon-based biochar substrate for the synthesis of pyrano-[2, 3-c]-pyrazole derivatives

The novel naturally based magnetic biochar/Fe₃O₄–TiO₂ nanocatalyst was developed, characterised, and used to manufacture biologically active dihydropyrano-[2,3-c]-pyrazole [DHPP] derivatives. The one-pot four-component reaction between hydrazine hydrate, malononitrile, ethyl acetoacetate, and various aromatic aldehydes was carried out to synthesize the DHPP. The reaction was carried out in the presence of H₂O:EtOH (1:1) as solvent at 60 °C with excellent yield (91–98%). This operationally simple approach has numerous benefits, including a green and clean reaction profile, easy workup and purification methods, a very fast reaction time, high atom efficiency, and low cost as well as magnetically separable nanocatalyst. XRD, FT-IR, TGA, HR-TEM, FE-SEM, EDAX, VSM were used to characterize the nanocatalyst and ¹³C NMR, ¹H NMR, and mass spectrometry were investigate to studies the structure of products. Antimicrobial activity was tested on the resulting products (5a-5l). According to the data, the synthesized compounds were found to have substantial antimicrobial activities against the Gram-positive bacteria S. aureus and S. phyogens, Gram-negative bacteria E. coli and P. aeruginosa, and fungi Candida albicans.     

An unusual case of septate uterus with double cervix and longitudinal vaginal septum–with pregnancy

Various theories and classification systems have been proposed from time to time, to understand the embryology of the female genital system. Even then at times we come across something different, something new, which again questions our understanding of this subject matter and the theories which are most accepted worldwide. Mullerian anomalies result from the improper development and fusion of the embryological mullerian ducts. It is generally considered to occur in less than 5% of women. Here we present a rare and interesting case of a young female having septate uterus with double cervix and a longitudinal vaginal septum with pregnancy.     

Synthesis,Antimalarial Activity Evaluation and Molecular Docking Studies of Some New Substituted Spiro-1,2,4,5-Tetraoxane Derivatives

Pharmaceutical Chemistry Journal - Eight new substituted spiro-1,2,4,5-tetraoxane derivatives were synthesized and characterized by a number of analytical and spectroscopic techniques. The...