Is blood agar an alternative to sabouraud dextrose agar for the isolation of fungi in patients with mycotic keratitis

To compare the blood agar (BA), sabouraud dextrose agar (SDA) and chocolate agar (CA) for the isolation of fungi in patients with mycotic keratitis. Corneal Scrapings of 229 patients with clinically diagnosed microbial keratitis were inoculated on BA, SDA, CA. The culture media were evaluated for the rate and time taken for the fungal growth. Seventy six of 229 patients had fungal keratitis. Fungus grew on BA in 60/76(78.9 %), on SDA in 76/76 (100 %), on CA in 40/76(52.6 %) patients. The fungi which grew on BA (60/76) also grown on SDA at the same time. The colony morphologies of different fungi were better on SDA than BA/CA. Among the different culture media, SDA is essential for the isolation fungi in patients with mycotic keratitis.     

Influence of trial design,heterogeneity and regulatory environment on the results of clinical trials: An appraisal in the context of recent trials on acute stroke intervention

The outcome of randomized controlled trials can vary depending on the eligibility criteria of the patients entering into the trial, as well as the heterogeneity of the eligible population and/or the interventions. If the subject population and/or interventions are heterogeneous, the final outcome of the trial depends on the degree of concordance of effects of the subgroups of interventions on the subgroups of the subject population. The considerations that go into the calculation of sample size and determination of the study stopping rules also would affect the nature of the outcome of the study. In this paper we try to examine these phenomena with respect to the recent trials on endovascular therapy in acute ischemic stroke.     

Increased expression of glutamine transporter SNAT2/SLC38A2 promotes glutamine dependence and oxidative stress resistance,and is associated with worse prognosis in triple-negative breast cancer

Background Glutamine (Gln) is an abundant nutrient used by cancer cells. Breast cancers cells and particularly triple-receptor negative breast cancer (TNBC) are reported to be dependent on Gln to produce the energy required for survival and proliferation. Despite intense research on the role of the intracellular Gln pathway, few reports have focussed on Gln transporters in breast cancer and TNBC.Methods The role and localisation of the Gln transporter SLC38A2/SNAT2 in response to Gln deprivation or pharmacological stresses was examined in a panel of breast cancer cell lines. Subsequently, the effect of SLC38A2 knockdown in Gln-sensitive cell lines was analysed. The prognostic value of SLC38A2 in a cohort of breast cancer was determined by immunohistochemistry.Results SLC38A2 was identified as a strongly expressed amino acid transporter in six breast cancer cell lines. We confirmed an autophagic route of degradation for SLC38A2. SLC38A2 knockdown decreased Gln consumption, inhibited cell growth, induced autophagy and led to ROS production in a subgroup of Gln-sensitive cell lines. High expression of SLC38A2 protein was associated with poor breast cancer specific survival in a large cohort of patients (p = 0.004), particularly in TNBC (p = 0.02).Conclusions These results position SLC38A2 as a selective target for inhibiting growth of Gln-dependent breast cancer cell lines.Subject terms: Breast cancer, Cancer metabolism     

Identification of rare hepatitis C virus genotype 5a among Indian population

In Indian population, hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotypes 1 and 3 are prevalent and predominant with the highest frequency. However, other genotypes are seldom reported, and among them the HCV genotype 5a is exceptionally rare. The presented case had no history for either blood transfusion or using any type of IV drugs and never traveled to any other country. He was serologically positive with HCV antibodies and HCV RNA. 5′UTR-specific amplification and sequencing of infected viral genome confirmed that he had been infected with HCV genotype 5a which is not closely related to other common prevalent genotypes like 1a, 1b, 3a, and 3b in India. Patient’s wife and children tested negative for anti-HCV and HCV-RNA. This unique case report could be attributed to circulation of HCV genotype 5a from other geographic area at very low frequency in India as determined by phylogenetic analysis and nucleic acid-sequencing methods.     

EFFECT OF TRANSCUTANEOUS NERVE STIMULATION ON MICROCIRCULATION IN INTACT SKIN AND BLISTER WOUNDS IN HEALTHY VOLUNTEERS

Healthy non-smoking volunteers participated in two experimental studies in which the circulatory changes induced by transcutaneous nerve stimulation (TENS) were quantified by two different methods. In experimental series 1 (intact skin), nine volunteers were given TENS on the left lower leg for 60 minutes on three occasions at different frequencies each time (2 Hz, 100 Hz, and sham). Changes in blood flow were assessed by laser Doppler imaging technique every five minutes. The mean blood flow increased by 40% during low frequency TENS and by 12% during high frequency TENS. There was no change in mean blood flow during sham stimulation. In experimental series 2 (blister wound), the circulatory changes induced by TENS were studied by intravital video microscopy and computerised image analysis in standard blister wounds on the lower leg. The microcirculatory blood flow, measured as red blood cell velocity (RBC-V) in 5-14 individual capillaries in each wound, was assessed before and during 45 minutes of TENS (2 Hz and 100 Hz). Mean RBC-V increased by 23% during low frequency TENS (n = 6) and by 17% during high frequency TENS (n = 8). The results show that: laser Doppler imaging and intravital video microscopy techniques can be used to study events at the microcirculatory level; the blister wound is an interesting new standard wound for use in clinical studies; and TENS stimulates the peripheral cirulation.