Utility of Multiplex PCR for Rapid Diagnosis of Acute Bacterial Meningitis: A North Indian Tertiary Care Experience.

Rapid diagnosis of acute bacterial meningitis (ABM) remains challenging. This study evaluated multiplex PCR versus conventional methods. A total of 1,248 cerebrospinal fluid samples from suspected ABM patients were tested using Gram stain, culture, and multiplex PCR targeting Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae type b, Neisseria meningitidis, Streptococcus agalactiae, and 16S rRNA gene.

Isolation, antimicrobial resistance and biofilm gene analysis of MRSA in clinical and sub-clinical bovine mastitis.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a significant public health concern due to its zoonotic potential, multidrug resistance, and persistence in livestock environments. This study aimed to isolate and characterize MRSA from clinical and subclinical mastitis cases in dairy cows in the rural regions of North Bengaluru, India. A total of 133 milk samples from mastitis-affected cows were analysed, revealing that 48.

Unravelling sustainable impediments in E-waste supply chain management: A Fuzzy-WINGS decision approach.

A circular supply chain transition represents a significant sustainability step, which leads to resource optimization and longer product lifecycles. The electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) sector focuses on end-product lifecycle management as electronic waste (e-waste) alongside recycling and recovery operations for supply chain inclusion of components. This transformation faces considerable difficulty, primarily in developing economies, due to structural, regulatory, and technological barriers.

Transported smoke from crop residue burning as the major source of organic aerosol and health risks in northern Indian cities during post-monsoon.

Ambient particulate matter significantly impacts air quality, climate, and human health. In the Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP), home to nearly one-seventh of the global population, severe air pollution is prevalent with high PM levels dominated by organic aerosols (OA). However, the sources and formation of OA pollution remain poorly constrained.

Next-gen novel nanocage-based multivalent vaccine candidate to tackle the rising menace of Mpox.

The recent emergence and global spread of the human Monkeypox virus (MPXV), including its transmission to non-endemic regions, have raised significant global health concerns. In this proof-of-concept study, we developed a recombinant protein-based MPXV vaccine candidate, employing an innovative and versatile multivalent, self-assembled nanocage protein scaffold. Two immunogenic antigens derived from the contemporary circulating MPXV strain have been incorporated into a self-assembled non-structural protein-10 (NSP-10) scaffold, expressed, and purified using an Escherichia coli expression system without a purification tag.

Cryo-EM structures of Mycobacterium tuberculosis imidazole glycerol phosphate dehydratase in the apo state and in the presence of small molecules.

Unlike humans, Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), the causative agent of human tuberculosis, has a de novo histidine-biosynthesis pathway. The enzyme imidazole glycerol phosphate dehydratase (IGPD), which catalyses the conversion of imidazole glycerol phosphate to imidazole acetol phosphate, has been studied extensively from various organisms and has become a major target for the development of antibacterial, antiweed and antifungal small molecules. In our previous studies, we have shown that in crystals IGPD forms a 24-mer oligomeric state in which the monomers are arranged in 432 symmetry.

Spatiotemporal heterodyne multiplexing in digital holography for realizing broad recordable bandwidth.

To realize high-capacity holographic multiplexing, we propose an off-axis frequency-modulated continuous-wave digital holography (FMCW-DH) that utilizes both temporal and spatial frequencies as the multiplexable bandwidth. The temporal and spatial carrier frequencies for the multiplexed wavefronts are achieved by the frequency-modulated continuous-wave technique of the light source and the off-axis configuration of digital holography, respectively. The effectiveness of the proposed technique is demonstrated by multiplexing the multiple holograms generated by illuminating two objects at two wavelengths.

A Rare Footprint: A Case Report of Isolated Pre-Axial Fully Developed Supernumerary Toe.

Introduction: Polydactyly of the foot, particularly pre-axial polydactyly, is a rare congenital malformation that can occur alongside various congenital anomalies and syndromes. Classification of polydactyly, such as Venn-Watson's system, aids in understanding the complexity and variability of this congenital condition.

Case Report: This case report details the presentation and surgical intervention of a 5-year-old boy with pre-axial polydactyly characterized by an accessory toe on the right foot, which had hindered his ability to walk properly since birth and his journey through surgical excision for a better stand in life.

DOCK11 deficiency-related immune dysregulation leading to paediatric acute liver failure.

Even after a thorough workup, aetiology remains indeterminate in a majority of paediatric acute liver failure cases. Whole exome sequencing (WES) by next-generation sequencing has helped in identifying aetiology in such cases. Autoinflammatory disorders and disorders of immune dysregulation are evolving causes of acute liver failure.

A comparative study of pre- and post-rhinoplasty patients' quality of life (QOL) in the lower socio-economic demography.

Objective: Rhinoplasty also popularly known among people as plastic surgery performed on nose.it is the most commonly performed plastic surgery procedures for both functional and aesthetic purposes according to the statistics of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons [1]. This study is aimed to investigate the changes in the psychological impact of rhinoplasty on day-to-day life & on quality of life after the rhinoplasty surgery.

An observation of two NHS trusts' use of organisational wellbeing interventions during the COVID-19 pandemic: lessons learnt.

Background: Healthcare workers' (HW') mental health during pandemics may be challenged due to the demands of their professional work. There is a need for effective organisational wellbeing strategies so that HW' mental health is safeguarded. In this article, we sought to examine approaches to implementing wellbeing strategies in hospital trusts, which we hope will improve future workplace planning.

Endoplasmic Reticulum-Mitochondria Crosstalk in Fuchs Endothelial Corneal Dystrophy: Current Status and Future Prospects.

Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy (FECD) is a progressive and debilitating disorder of the corneal endothelium (CE) that affects approximately 4% of individuals over the age of 40. Despite the burden of the disease, the pathogenesis of FECD remains poorly understood, and treatment options are limited, highlighting the need for deeper investigation into its underlying molecular mechanisms. Over the past decade, studies have indicated independent contributions of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and mitochondrial stress to the pathogenesis of FECD.

Bioprinted Micro-Clots for Kinetic Analysis of Endothelial Cell-Mediated Fibrinolysis.

Vascular hypo-fibrinolysis is a historically underappreciated and understudied aspect of venous thromboembolism (VTE). This paper describes the development of a micro-clot dissolution assay for quantifying the fibrinolytic capacity of endothelial cells - a key driver of VTE development. This assay is enabled using aqueous two-phase systems (ATPS) to bioprint microscale fibrin clots over human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs).

Mitochondria-Targeted Antioxidant (MitoQ) and Nontargeted Antioxidant (Idebenone) Mitigate Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Corneal Endothelial Cells.

Purpose: To investigate the effectiveness of mitochondrial-targeted antioxidant mitoquinone (MitoQ) and nontargeted antioxidant idebenone (Idb) in alleviating mitochondrial dysfunction in corneal endothelial cells (CEnCs).

Methods: In vitro experiments were conducted using immortalized normal human corneal endothelial cells (HCEnC-21T; SVN1-67F) and Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy (FECD) cells (SVF5-54F; SVF3-76M). Cells were pretreated with MitoQ or Idb and then exposed to menadione (MN) with simultaneous antioxidant treatment.

Synergistic learning with multi-task DeepONet for efficient PDE problem solving.

Multi-task learning (MTL) is an inductive transfer mechanism designed to leverage useful information from multiple tasks to improve generalization performance compared to single-task learning. It has been extensively explored in traditional machine learning to address issues such as data sparsity and overfitting in neural networks. In this work, we apply MTL to problems in science and engineering governed by partial differential equations (PDEs).

ATF4 regulates mitochondrial dysfunction, mitophagy, and autophagy, contributing to corneal endothelial apoptosis under chronic ER stress in Fuchs' dystrophy.

Purpose: Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, mitophagy/autophagy are known to contribute independently to corneal endothelial (CE) apoptosis in Fuchs' endothelial corneal dystrophy (FECD). However, the role of a well-studied specific ER stress pathway (PERK-ATF4-CHOP) in regulating mitochondrial dysfunction, mitophagy/autophagy, and apoptosis is unknown. The purpose of this study is to explore the role of ATF4 in regulating mitochondrial dysfunction and mitophagy/autophagy, leading to CEnC apoptosis in FECD.

Iron Supplementation in Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A Single Centre Study.

Objective: To assess the effect of iron supplementation on symptoms in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disease (ADHD).

Methods: A prospective single arm intervention study was conducted on children aged 4-12 years, newly diagnosed with ADHD, attending the child development clinic in a tertiary centre in Northern India. A baseline hemogram and serum ferritin levels were assessed in all children.

Characterization and immunogenicity assessment of MERS-CoV pre-fusion spike trimeric oligomers as vaccine immunogen.

Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) is a lethal beta-coronavirus that emerged in 2012. The virus is part of the WHO blueprint priority list with a concerning fatality rate of 35%. Scientific efforts are ongoing for the development of vaccines, anti-viral and biotherapeutics, which are majorly directed toward the structural spike protein.

Digital tools in cardiac reperfusion pathways: A systematic review.

With health and surgery increasingly aided by digital technologies, there exists a growing impetus to understand how such tools must integrate into existing clinical pathways to ensure a positive impact on patient and organisational outcomes. Consequently, this study sought to collate evidence on the use of digital technology in cardiac reperfusion surgeries. We systematically searched three scientific databases for relevant articles.