Central retinal vein occlusion as primary ocular manifestation of rhino-orbital-cerebral mucormycosis: A case report

Mucormycosis is a serious, rapidly progressing, life-threatening, and sight threatening fungal infection frequently seen in diabetics and immunocompromised patients. We report a rare occurrence of rhino-orbital mucormycosis presenting as unilateral central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) and no other ocular signs of infection in a 65-year-old diabetic male. The definitive diagnosis was made by nasal biopsy which confirmed broad branching aseptate fungal hyphae. The patient was treated with amphotericin B for mucormycosis and intravitreal anti-vascular growth factor (anti-VEGF) drug for macular edema. To conclude, although ophthalmoplegia is the most common ocular presentation and retinal artery occlusion is the most common cause of visual loss in mucormycosis, it may have many varied presentations including CRVO. A high index of suspicion must be kept in diabetics and immunocompromised patients.     

Temporal profile of HEV RNA concentration in blood and stool from patients with acute uncomplicated hepatitis E in a region with genotype 1 predominance

Acute hepatitis E virus (HEV) is associated with viremia and faecal excretion of the virus. The information on duration and temporal pattern of viremia and faecal shedding in HEV infection is important, but is not available. Serial serum and stool specimens were collected from patients with acute hepatitis E (typical clinical picture, serum alanine aminotransferase levels > 5‐folds the upper limit of normal and presence of IgM anti‐HEV), beginning from within 7 days of the onset of symptoms. HEV RNA concentrations were measured in sera and 10% stool suspensions, using a real‐time Taqman‐based nucleic acid amplification assay. Seventeen patients (median age 25 [range 19‐61] years; all men) were enrolled within a median of 5 (range 3‐8) days of the onset of the first symptom and provided 113 serum specimens and 71 stool specimens. The median (range) highest levels of serum bilirubin, alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase in the patients were 10.3 (5.9‐43.4) mg/dL, 1817 (442‐4642) IU/L and 1016 (88‐4561) IU/L, respectively. All the 17 patients had demonstrable viremia, and 12 of the 13 patients who were tested had faecal excretion at one or more time points. The HEV RNA titres were the highest in the early phase of disease and declined rapidly with time, becoming nondetectable in the serum by day 20 and in the stool by day 21. In most of the patients with acute uncomplicated acute hepatitis E, the degree of viremia and faecal shedding decline quickly after the onset of clinical illness and rapidly disappear in parallel with each other.     

Synthesis, anti-inflammatory activity, and QSAR study of some Schiff bases derived from 5-mercapto-3-(4′-pyridyl)-4H-1,2,4-triazol-4-yl-thiosemicarbazide

The purpose of this research is to synthesize better anti-inflammatory compounds derived from 5-mercapto-3-(4′-pyridyl)-4H-1,2,4-triazol-4-yl-thiosemicarbazide (5). 2-Substituted-N-[3-(pyridin-4-yl)-5-sulfanyl-4H-1,2,4-triazol-4-yl]hydrazine carbothioamide derivatives (6a–j)/(7a–e) are synthesized by the condensation of 5 with variously substituted aromatic aldehydes/1H-indole-2,3-diones, respectively, under conventional and microwave irradiation methods. The microwave method is found to be superior with higher chemical yields, tremendous reduction in time, and is environmentally benign as compared to conventional heating method. The chemical structures of the newly synthesized compounds (6/7) have been confirmed by IR, ¹H NMR, and ¹³C NMR spectra and have been evaluated for anti-inflammatory activity by carrageenan-induced acute paw edema method in rats.     

In Vivo Evaluation of Eclipta alba Extract as Anticancer and Multidrug Resistance Reversal Agent

The present study investigates the anticancer and multidrug resistance (MDR) reversal potential of hydro-alcoholic Eclipta alba extract (EAE) through in vivo experiments. Diethylnitrosamine (DEN) and 2-acetylaminofluorene (AAF) were used for liver cancer induction in animal model, whereas for MDR induction, AAF was used. The level of antioxidant enzymes was studied in serum along with biochemical parameters. Cancer and MDR-induced liver cells have higher levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and, in turn, are responsible for the maintenance of the cancer phenotype. Treatment with EAE declines the ROS level and revealed the ROS scavenging properties. Alfa feto protein levels were found to increase significantly in cancer-induced animals confirming induction and progression of liver cancer, EAE treatment was found to bring back the altered levels within normal range indicating the therapeutic effect of plant extract over liver cancer. Zymogram showed the inhibition of MMPs and RT-PCR analysis revealed that the mRNA expression of nuclear factor-kB was markedly decreased upon EAE treatment. Further, our results showed that EAE could significantly inhibit mdr1 gene encode P-glycoprotein expression. Our data suggest that EAE is a novel anticancer and potent MDR reversal agent and may be a potential adjunctive agent for tumor chemotherapy.     

Particle distributional behavior of a spray-dried technical concentrate and a water-dispersible granule formulation of Bacillus sphaericus in an aqueous column

Bacillus sphaericus is a bacterium that is specifically pathogenic to mosquitoes. The current study investigated the particle behavior of a spray-dried technical concentrate and a water-dispersible granule (WDG) formulation of B. sphaericus in an aqueous column. The objective was to determine the distributional behavior (minus any extraneous environmental factors) of B. sphaericus within a water column over time. Studies showed a homogenous distribution of particles over a 16-h period for the technical concentrate and WDG. The particle behavior of the WDG formulation also showed homogenous distribution of particles at 64 and 128 h. These results show that declines in particle availability in the field may not be due to the bacterium itself or to the WDG formulation.     

High mortality and residual kidney damage with Coronavirus disease-19-associated acute kidney injury in northern India

Clinical and Experimental Nephrology - Acute kidney injury (AKI) is associated with morbidity and mortality in COVID-19 patients. The incidence of AKI and its outcomes vary in different parts of...