Introduction:Corneal ulcer is one of the important causes for ocular morbidity in India.Early presentation with prompt diagnosis and treatment result in good visual rehabilitation.Aim: The aim of this study was to assess the etiology of corneal ulcer among patients attending the tertiary care teaching hospital of Jharkhand. Material and Methods:This was a prospective observational hospital-based study conducted at the Department of Ophthalmology, at a tertiary care hospital, in Jharkhand.Data related to socioeconomic status, predisposing factor, and course of disease was collected.Results were analyzed on the basis of history, slit lamp examination, and appropriate laboratory investigation.Result: During the study period of one year, 1013 patients with the clinical diagnosis of corneal ulceration were evaluated, mean age of the patient was 53 years and majority of patients of infectious keratitis were in between 46 and 60 (45%) age group.Incidence in male was higher than (59%) that of female.The left eye was more commonly involved (53%) as compared to the right eye (47%).Farmers (47%) followed by Industrial worker (27%) were most common occupation involved.Incidence of fungal keratitis (42%) was higher than bacterial (31%) and viral (11%). Conclusion:Proper diagnosis and management of corneal ulcer is very much necessary among exposed population.Incidence of fungal corneal ulcer is very high among agriculture and industrial workers and lack of awareness and poor treatment leads to corneal blindness.Use of protective eye wear, masks and face shields may play a key role in prevention of the disease.
Background: A cardiovascular disease (CVD) is one of the most common causes of mortality and morbidity globally. The drastic change in the lifestyle of population during 21st century has had a great impact on health especially cardiovascular diseases. Objective of this study was to assess the prescription pattern of fixed dose drug combinations (FDCs) in the department of cardiology in a tertiary care hospital.Methods: The prescriptions of 210 patients suffered by cardiovascular disorders who attended the department of cardiology were analysed and following data were collected - patient demographics, diagnosis, dosage form, therapeutic category, cost of FDCs compared to individual drugs, duration of therapy, the total number of drugs per prescription and FDCs prescribed, composition of the FDC, whether FDC prescribed is approved by WHO list of essential medicine. A descriptive analysis of data was done.Results: 15 types of FDCs prescribed were received by 92(43.80%) individuals among 210 patients who attended the cardiology OPD. Prescription of FDCs was most common 28 (30.43%) in patients age group 51-60 years. The commonly prescribed FDC was aspirin with atorvastatin followed by telmisartan with hydrochlorothiazide.Conclusions: The results suggested that FDCs for cardiovascular disorders are frequently prescribed by cardiologist. However all are not approved by WHO list of essential medicine. This study was focused on rational use of FDCs for prescribers for cardiovascular morbidities and mortality.
Abstract Bacterial meningitis is a major cause of death and disability in children worldwide. Two human restricted pathogens, Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae , are the major causative agents of bacterial meningitis, attributing to 200,000 deaths annually. These pathogens are often part of the nasopharyngeal microflora of healthy carriers. However, what factors elicit them to disseminate and cause invasive diseases remain unknown. Elevated temperature and fever are hallmarks of inflammation triggered by infections and can act as warning signal to these pathogens. Here, we investigate whether these pathogens could sense environmental temperature to evade host complement-mediated killing. We show that expression of two vital virulence factors and vaccine components, the capsule and factor H binding proteins, are temperature dependent. We identify and characterize four novel RNA thermosensors in S. pneumoniae and H. influenzae within their 5′-untranslated regions of genes, responsible for capsular biosynthesis and production of factor H binding proteins. Our data further demonstrate that these pathogens have co-evolved thermosensing abilities independently with unique RNA sequences, but distinct secondary structures, to evade the human immune system. Author Summary Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae are bacteria that reside in the upper respiratory tract. This harmless colonization may progress to severe and often lethal septicaemia and meningitis, but molecular mechanisms that control why these pathogens invade the circulatory system remain largely unknown. Here we show that both S. pneumoniae and H. influenzae can evade complement killing by sensing the temperature of the host. We identify and characterize four novel RNA thermosensors in S. pneumoniae and H. influenzae within their respective 5′-untranslated regions of genes, influencing capsular biosynthesis and production of factor H binding proteins. Moreover, we show that these RNA thermosensors evolved independently with exclusive unique RNA sequences to sense the temperature in the nasopharynx and in other body sites to avoid immune killing. Our finding that regulatory RNA senses temperatures and directly regulate expression of two important virulence factors and vaccine components of S. pneumoniae and H. influenzae , is most important for our understanding of bacterial pathogenesis and for vaccine development. Our work could pave the way for similar studies in other important bacterial pathogens and enables clinicians and microbiologists to adjust their diagnostic techniques, and treatments to best fit the condition of the patients.
Abstract: Food safety is a global concern with significant public health implications. Improper food handling can harbor a wide range of pathogenic organisms. Antimicrobial agents are crucial for controlling microbes and ensuring food safety and human health. The growing demand for natural, safe, and sustainable food preservation methods has driven research into using plant antimicrobials as alternatives to synthetic preservatives. The food industry is now exploring innovative approaches that combine various physical methods with multiple natural antimicrobials. This review aims to outline the evolving applications of plant antimicrobials in the food industry. It discusses strategies for managing bacteria and categorizes different plant antimicrobials, providing insights into their mechanisms of action and structures. This review offers a comprehensive overview of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), detailing their structural characteristics, mechanisms of action, various types, and applications in food packaging fabrication and explaining how they contribute to food preservation. It highlights the synergistic and additive benefits of plant antimicrobials and their successful integration with food technologies like nanotechnology, which enhances the hurdle effect, improving food safety and extending shelf life. The review also emphasizes the importance of antimicrobial peptides and the need for further research in this area. Safety assessment and regulatory considerations are discussed as well. By addressing these gaps, plant antimicrobials have the potential to pave the way for more effective, safe, and sustainable food preservation strategies in the future.
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