A novel indirect ELISA for serodiagnosis of mucormycosis using antigens from Rhizopus arrhizus.

BACKGROUND: Due to a delay in diagnosis by conventional techniques and high mortality, the development of a standardised and rapid non-culture-based technique is an unmet need in pulmonary, gastrointestinal, and disseminated forms of mucormycosis. Though limited studies have been conducted for molecular diagnosis, there are no established serologic tests for this highly fatal infection. OBJECTIVE: To develop and evaluate an indirect in-house enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) utilising antigens of Rhizopus arrhizus for detecting anti-Rhizopus antibodies (IgG and IgM) in sera of patients with mucormycosis. METHODS: We extracted both secretory and mycelial Rhizopus antigens using standardised protocols. Bradford assay was used for protein quantification. We then standardised an indirect ELISA using R. arrhizus mycelial and secretory antigens (10.0 µg/mL in bicarbonate buffer pH 9.2) for detecting anti-Rhizopus IgG and IgM antibodies in patient sera. We included patients with mucormycosis, other fungal infections, and healthy controls. Antibody index value (E-value) was calculated for each patient sample. RESULTS: Asparagine broth culture filtrate utilising 85% ammonium sulphate salt fractionation and mycelial homogenate grown in yeast extract peptone dextrose (YPD) broth precipitated with trichloroacetic acid (TCA) yielded a large amount of good-quality protein for the assay. We included 55 patients with mucormycosis (rhino-orbito-cerebral mucormycosis [ROCM, n = 39], pulmonary [n = 15], gastrointestinal [n = 1]), 24 with other fungal infections (probable aspergillosis [n = 14], candidiasis [n = 10]), and healthy controls (n = 16). The sensitivity of the antibody test for diagnosing mucormycosis ranged from 83.6-92.7% for IgG and 72.7-87.3% for IgM, with a specificity of 91.7-92.5% for IgG and 80-82.5% for IgM. The sera from patients with other fungal infections and healthy individuals did not show significant cross-reactivity. CONCLUSION: The detection of anti-Rhizopus IgG antibody performed significantly better in comparison to IgM-based ELISA for diagnosing both ROCM (sensitivity of 84.6% vs. 69.2%) and pulmonary cases (86.6% vs. 80.0%). More extensive studies are required to confirm our findings.

Comparative analysis of simultaneous integrated boost and sequential boost radiotherapy in node-positive cervical cancer: dosimetric and radiobiological considerations.

For locally advanced cervical cancer, the standard therapeutic approach involves concomitant chemoradiation therapy, supplemented by a brachytherapy boost. Moreover, an external beam radiotherapy (RT) boost should be considered for treating gross lymph node (LN) volumes. Two boost approaches exist with Volumetric Intensity Modulated Arc Therapy (VMAT): Sequential (SEQ) and Simultaneous Integrated Boost (SIB). This study undertakes a comprehensive dosimetric and radiobiological comparison between these two boost strategies. The study encompassed ten patients who underwent RT for cervical cancer with node-positive disease. Two sets of treatment plans were generated for each patient: SIB-VMAT and SEQ-VMAT. Dosimetric as well as radiobiological parameters including tumour control probability (TCP) and normal tissue complication probability (NTCP) were compared. Both techniques were analyzed for two different levels of LN involvement - only pelvic LNs and pelvic with para-aortic LNs. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS software version 25.0. SIB-VMAT exhibited superior target coverage, yielding improved doses to the planning target volume (PTV) and gross tumour volume (GTV). Notably, SIB-VMAT plans displayed markedly superior dose conformity. While SEQ-VMAT displayed favorable organ sparing for femoral heads, SIB-VMAT appeared as the more efficient approach for mitigating bladder and bowel doses. TCP was significantly higher with SIB-VMAT, suggesting a higher likelihood of successful tumour control. Conversely, no statistically significant difference in NTCP was observed between the two techniques. This study's findings underscore the advantages of SIB-VMAT over SEQ-VMAT in terms of improved target coverage, dose conformity, and tumour control probability. In particular, SIB-VMAT demonstrated potential benefits for cases involving para-aortic nodes. It is concluded that SIB-VMAT should be the preferred approach in all cases of locally advanced cervical cancer.

Early Postnatal Exposure to Midazolam Causes Lasting Histological and Neurobehavioral Deficits via Activation of the mTOR Pathway.

Exposure to general anesthetics can adversely affect brain development, but there is little study of sedative agents used in intensive care that act via similar pharmacologic mechanisms. Using quantitative immunohistochemistry and neurobehavioral testing and an established protocol for murine sedation, we tested the hypothesis that lengthy, repetitive exposure to midazolam, a commonly used sedative in pediatric intensive care, interferes with neuronal development and subsequent cognitive function via actions on the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway. We found that mice in the midazolam sedation group exhibited a chronic, significant increase in the expression of mTOR activity pathway markers in comparison to controls. Furthermore, both neurobehavioral outcomes, deficits in Y-maze and fear-conditioning performance, and neuropathologic effects of midazolam sedation exposure, including disrupted dendritic arborization and synaptogenesis, were ameliorated via treatment with rapamycin, a pharmacologic mTOR pathway inhibitor. We conclude that prolonged, repetitive exposure to midazolam sedation interferes with the development of neural circuitry via a pathologic increase in mTOR pathway signaling during brain development that has lasting consequences for both brain structure and function.

Clinical and Mycologic Characteristics of Emerging Mucormycosis Agent Rhizopus homothallicus.

We retrospectively reviewed consecutive cases of mucormycosis reported from a tertiary-care center in India to determine the clinical and mycologic characteristics of emerging Rhizopus homothallicus fungus. The objectives were ascertaining the proportion of R. homothallicus infection and the 30-day mortality rate in rhino-orbital mucormycosis attributable to R. homothallicus compared with R. arrhizus. R. homothallicus accounted for 43 (6.8%) of the 631 cases of mucormycosis. R. homothallicus infection was independently associated with better survival (odds ratio [OR] 0.08 [95% CI 0.02-0.36]; p = 0.001) than for R. arrhizus infection (4/41 [9.8%] vs. 104/266 [39.1%]) after adjusting for age, intracranial involvement, and surgery. We also performed antifungal-susceptibility testing, which indicated a low range of MICs for R. homothallicus against the commonly used antifungals (amphotericin B [0.03-16], itraconazole [0.03-16], posaconazole [0.03-8], and isavuconazole [0.03-16]). 18S gene sequencing and amplified length polymorphism analysis revealed distinct clustering of R. homothallicus.

Synthetic amino acids-derived peptides target Cryptococcus neoformans by inducing cell membrane disruption.

We investigated synthetic amino acid-based approach to design short peptide-based antibiotics. Tautomerically restricted, amphiphilic 1-aryl-l-histidines along with hydrophobic tryptophan were utilized to synthesize the designed peptides. l-Trp-l-His(1-biphenyl)-NHBzl (12e, IC50 = 1.91 µg/mL; MIC = 3.46 µg/mL) and l-His[1-(4-n-butylphenyl)]-l-Trp-l-His[1-(4-n-butylphenyl)]-NHBzl (16d, IC50 = 1.36 µg/mL; MIC = 2.46 µg/mL) produced potency against Cryptococcus neoformans. Peptides with moderate antibacterial activities (IC50s = 4.40-8.80 µg/mL) were also identified. The mechanism of action and cellular changes revealed that membrane disruption due to interactions of the positively charged peptides with the negatively charged membrane of the cryptococcal cells result in permeabilization, leading to pore formation. The internal localization of the peptides instigated the interactions with DNA causing fragmentation of the genetic material, which together with membrane disruption led to cell death. Flow cytometric analysis points to cells death by apoptotic pathway. Time kill kinetics and synergistic study confirmed the fungicidal nature and synergism with amphotericin B.

Development of single-tube real-time PCR assay for the rapid detection of Aspergillus and Fusarium-The two most common causative agents in fungal keratitis.

BACKGROUND: To compare the performance of conventional, semi-nested and real-time panfungal ITS PCRs for diagnosing fungal keratitis (FK) and develop genus-specific real-time PCR for the most common aetiology of FK. METHODS: This multicentric study includes 232 corneal samples from suspected FK patients from four centres across India between November 2019 through August 2021. A total of 87 corneal buttons were included for the comparison of conventional, semi-nested and real-time ITS PCRs, of which 68 were from confirmed FK patients. Of these 87 samples, 44 (microscopy and culture positive for Aspergillus sp. and/or Fusarium sp.) were used for the standardisation of genus-specific real-time primers/probes. Subsequently, the best method showing highest sensitivity and specificity was validated in 188 samples. RESULTS: On Bayesian comparison, conventional ITS2 PCR showed best performance (sensitivity and specificity of 55.88% and 100%, respectively). Since, real-time ITS2 PCR was also considerably efficient (sensitivity and specificity of 51.47% and 84.21%, respectively) in comparison with the conventional PCR but faster, cost-effective, and less labor-intensive, ITS-2 real-time PCR is a suitable method that can be applied along with culture and microscopy. During validation, real-time PCR with genus-specific primers showed 61.76% and 91.18% sensitivity with specificity of 98.05% and 79.22%, respectively, for Aspergillus sp. and Fusarium sp. Aspergillus probe, Fusarium probe and duplex PCR showed sensitivity of 52.94%, 50% and 54.41% with specificity of 92.86%, 82.47% and 75%, respectively. No cross-reactivity of genus-specific PCRs was observed during standardisation. CONCLUSIONS: ITS-2 real-time PCR can be applied as an adjunct with conventional methods for the diagnosis of FK. The genus-specific duplex real-time PCRs are rapid which reduces the turnaround time (TAT) avoiding the need for sequencing.

Saksenaea vasiformis infection: Extensive abdominal wall necrotizing fasciitis with systematic review and analysis of 65 cases.

INTRODUCTION: Saksenaea vasiformis is a rarely reported Mucorales causing mucormycosis in both immunocompromised and immunocompetent individuals. Due to few reported cases, the clinical characteristics and optimal management strategy for this rare agent are not clearly described. METHODS: We systematically reviewed Medline, EmBase and CINHAL for studies on S. vasiformis infections reported until 1 January 2022 and 57 studies (63 patients) were retrieved. Additionally, one more case of extensive abdominal wall necrotizing fasciitis managed by our team was also included. The clinical and demographic characteristics and outcomes were extracted and analysed. RESULTS: Out of the 65 included cases, the majority were reported from India (26.6%). The most common risk factors for infection were accidental trauma wounds (31.3%), health-care-related wounds (14.1%) and animal/insect bites (12.5%). Most common clinical presentation was subcutaneous mucormycosis (60.9%) followed by rhino-orbito cerebral mucormycosis (14%), necrotizing fasciitis (10%), disseminated infection (9.3%), pulmonary mucormycosis (3.2%) and osteomyelitis (1.6%). Mortality was observed in 24 (37.5%) patients and health care related injuries were significantly associated with higher mortality (p = .001). The use of posaconazole (p = .019) and the use of surgical management (p = .032) was associated with significantly better survival. DISCUSSION: In this study, we describe the largest compendium of mucormycosis due to S. vasiformis, which can be useful in increasing awareness regarding this rare Mucorales and guiding patient management.

A rapid multiplex loop-mediated isothermal amplification (mLAMP) assay for detection of Entamoeba histolytica and Giardia duodenalis.

We developed a rapid multiplex loop-mediated isothermal amplification (mLAMP) assay for two common intestinal parasites-Entamoeba histolytica and Giardia duodenalis, where early detection may be helpful. The mLAMP assay was optimized for the detection of DNA of E. histolytica (18S rRNA gene) and G. duodenalis (Elongation factor 1 alpha gene) from standard strains by using six specific primers FIP (forward inner primer), BIP (backward inner primer), F3 (forward outer primer), B3 (backward outer primer), loopF (forward loop primer), and loopB (backward loop primer) for each gene target. The amplification time was 16-26 min for E. histolytica and 10-15 min for G. duodenalis, and the parasites could be distinguished based on melting-curve analysis for specific annealing temperatures (Tm) of 84°C-86°C and 88°C-90°C for E. histolytica and G. duodenalis, respectively. The analytical sensitivity was one fg, and no cross-reactivity with other intestinal pathogens was observed. Thus, the mLAMP assay could detect and clearly distinguish E. histolytica and G. duodenalis with a rapid turnaround time and excellent analytical sensitivity and specificity.

Anticryptococcal activity and mechanistic studies of short amphipathic peptides.

Cryptococcus neoformans, an opportunistic fungal pathogen, causes cryptococcosis in immunocompromised persons. A series of modified L-histidines-containing peptides are synthesized that exhibit promising activity against C. neoformans. Analog 11d [L-His(2-adamantyl)-L-Trp-L-His(2-phenyl)-OMe] produced potency with an IC50 of 3.02 µg/ml (MIC = 5.49 µg/ml). This peptide is noncytotoxic and nonhaemolytic at the MIC and displays synergistic effects with amphotericin B at subinhibitory concentration. Mechanistic investigation of 11d using microscopic tools indicates cell wall and membrane disruption of C. neoformans, while flow cytometric analysis confirms cell death by apoptosis. This study indicates that 11d exhibits antifungal potential and acts via the rapid onset of action.

Synthetic amino acids-based short amphipathic peptides exhibit antifungal activity by targeting cell membrane disruption.

Availability of a limited number of antifungal drugs created a necessity to develop new antifungals with distinct mode of action. Investigation on a new series of peptides led us to identify Boc-His-Trp-His[1-(4-tert-butylphenyl)] (10g) as the most promising inhibitor exhibiting IC50 value of 4.4 µg/mL against Cryptococcus neoformans. Analog 10g exhibit high selectivity to fungal cells and was nonhemolytic and noncytotoxic at its minimum inhibitory concentration. 10g produced fungicidal effect on growing cryptococcal cells and displayed synergistic effect with amphotericin B. Overall cationic character of 10g resulted in interaction with negatively charged fungal membrane while hydrophobicity enhanced penetration inside the cryptococcal cells causing hole(s) formation and disruption to the membrane as evident by the scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and confocal laser scanning microscopy analyses. Flow cytometric investigation revealed rapid death of fungal cells by apopotic pathway.

Impact of FKS1 Genotype on Echinocandin In Vitro Susceptibility in Candida auris and In Vivo Response in a Murine Model of Infection.

Echinocandins are frontline antifungal agents in the management of invasive infections due to multidrug resistant Candida auris. The study aimed to evaluate echinocandin resistance in C. auris isolates of multicentric origin, identify the resistance mechanism, and analyze the pharmacodynamic response to caspofungin in a neutropenic mouse model of infection. A total of 199 C. auris isolates originating from 30 centers across India were tested for susceptibility to echinocandins. Isolates with reduced susceptibility were evaluated for FKS1 mutations and in vivo response to caspofungin in a murine model of disseminated candidiasis. In addition, the response to echinocandins was assessed in light of in vitro growth kinetics, chitin content; and transcript levels of chitin synthase and FKS1 genes. We report 10 resistant C. auris isolates with four FKS1 mutations: F635Y (n = 2), F635L (n = 4), S639F (n = 3), and R1354S (n = 1). Of these, F635Y and R1354S exhibited the most profound resistance in mouse model of disseminated infection. S639F and F635L mutations conferred a moderate in vivo resistance, whereas wild-type isolates exhibiting borderline MIC were susceptible in vivo. FKS1 genotype was more accurate predictor of in vivo response than the MIC of the isolates. Isolates with high basal or inducible chitin content exhibited higher in vitro MIC in FKS1 mutant compared to wild type. FKS1 mutations play a major role in clinically relevant echinocandin resistance in C. auris with differential in vivo outcomes. This study could have implications for clinical practice and, therefore, warrants further studies.

Antifungal evaluation and mechanistic investigations of membrane active short synthetic peptides-based amphiphiles.

The quest for new class of peptide-based antibiotics has steered this research towards the design and synthesis of short sequences possessing modified amphiphilic histidine along with hydrophobic tryptophan residues. The new structural class of dipeptides Trp-His(1-Bn)-OMe/NHBn and tripeptides His(1-Bn)-Trp-His(1-Bn)-OMe/NHBn demonstrated promising antifungal and antibacterial activities with membrane lytic action. The illustration of desirable hydrophilic-lipophilic balance appeared in the dipeptide Trp-His[1-(3,5-di-tert-butylbenzyl)]-NHBn (13d) that produced the most promising antifungal activity with IC50 value of 2.10 µg/mL and MIC = 3.81 µg/mL against C. neoformans and antibacterial activity against E. faecalis and S. aureus with identical IC50 value of 4.40 µg/mL and MIC of 8.0 µg/mL. Peptide 13d did not exhibit cytotoxicity and hemolysis at the MIC value and above. This quintessence amphiphilicity was further corroborated by the mechanistic elucidations, which revealed that, peptide act by utilizing charge and hydrophobicity as the primary characteristic tools. Owing to their fundamental affinity, the negatively charged fungal membrane is enacted upon by the positively charged peptide, whereas the intrinsic hydrophobicity of the peptide allowed penetration into the lipophillic core of the fungal cell membrane. Consequently, the integrity of cell membrane is compromised leading to increased fluidity. The membrane eventually disintegrates thereby creating a hollow pore and appearance of a doughnut into the cell when visualized under SEM. The cell death mechanism and damage to the cell wall and intracellular organelles have been elucidated with the help of flow cytometry, TEM and CLSM studies.

Does topical minoxidil at concentrations higher than 5% provide additional clinical benefit?

Minoxidil solution is used for the treatment of androgenetic alopecia (AGA). Minoxidil 5% solution has been shown to have superior efficacy to minoxidil 2% solution, it is unknown whether concentrations of minoxidil > 5% provide additional clinical benefit. We performed a review of the literature to examine the evidence on the efficacy and safety of higher concentrations of minoxidil in AGA. A search of the PubMed database was performed using the keywords 'minoxidil', 'androgenic alopecia' and 'pattern hair loss'. Relevant articles, including clinical trials, other clinical studies, case series and case reports published in English were considered for review. In addition, relevant references from the bibliography section of the retrieved articles were also reviewed.

Cirrhosis and fungal infections-a cocktail for catastrophe: A systematic review and meta-analysis with machine learning.

OBJECTIVES: We evaluated the magnitude and factors contributing to poor outcomes among cirrhosis patients with fungal infections (FIs). METHODS: We searched PubMed, Embase, Ovid and WOS and included articles reporting mortality in cirrhosis with FIs. We pooled the point and relative-risk (RR) estimates of mortality on random-effects meta-analysis and explored their heterogeneity (I 2 ) on subgroups, meta-regression and machine learning (ML). We assessed the study quality through New-Castle-Ottawa Scale and estimate-asymmetry through Eggers regression. (CRD42019142782). RESULTS: Of 4345, 34 studies (2134 patients) were included (good/fair/poor quality: 12/21/1). Pooled mortality of FIs was 64.1% (95% CI: 55.4-72.0, I 2 : 87%, p < .01), which was 2.1 times higher than controls (95% CI: 1.8-2.5, I 2 :89%, p < .01). Higher CTP (MD: +0.52, 95% CI: 0.27-0.77), MELD (MD: +2.75, 95% CI: 1.21-4.28), organ failures and increased hospital stay (30 vs. 19 days) were reported among cases with FIs. Patients with ACLF (76.6%, RR: 2.3) and ICU-admission (70.4%, RR: 1.6) had the highest mortality. The risk was maximum for pulmonary FIs (79.4%, RR: 1.8), followed by peritoneal FIs (68.3%, RR: 1.7) and fungemia (55%, RR: 1.7). The mortality was higher in FIs than in bacterial (RR: 1.7) or no infections (RR: 2.9). Estimate asymmetry was evident (p < 0.05). Up to 8 clusters and 5 outlier studies were identified on ML, and the estimate-heterogeneity was eliminated by excluding such studies. CONCLUSIONS: A substantially worse prognosis, poorer than bacterial infections in cirrhosis patients with FIs, indicates an unmet need for improving fungal diagnostics and therapeutics in this population. ACLF and ICU admission should be included in the host criteria for defining IFIs.

Global epidemiological burden of fungal infections in cirrhosis patients: A systematic review with meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Fungal infections (FIs) have serious implications, yet understated in cirrhosis. Therefore, we reviewed the epidemiology and trends of FIs among cirrhotics. METHODS: Four electronic databases were searched for full-text articles describing prevalence of FIs in cirrhosis. Studies from post-transplant, malignancy and classical-immuno-deficiency patients were excluded. A random-effects meta-analysis was done to pool estimates of FIs (overall, and by type and infection-site), and their variation(I2 ) was explored on moderator-analysis and meta-regression. Risk of bias and asymmetry in estimates was assessed by a checklist and Egger's regression, respectively.(CRD42019142782). RESULTS: Thirty-four low-risk and four moderate-risk studies (31 984 cirrhotics) were included. Pooled estimates of overall FIs (17 studies), invasive fungal infections (IFIs; 17 studies), invasive candidiasis (23 studies) and invasive aspergillosis (16 studies) in cirrhosis were 10.2%(6.0-16.9), 9.5%(5.4-16.2), 4.0%(2.0-8.0) and 2.8%(1.5-5.3), respectively (I2  > 90%;each). Site of FIs in decreasing order of pooled prevalence was pulmonary, urinary tract, bloodstream, peritoneal, oesophageal and cerebral. Geographic differences in these estimates were remarkable, with highest burden of overall FIs from Belgium, the United States and India. Non-albicans-Candida and Aspergillus infections have increased over the last decade in cirrhosis. Intensive-care-unit (ICU)-admitted and acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) patients had the highest prevalence of IFIs. MELD score(cases), bias score and sample size across studies were the predictors of variance in overall FI estimates. Diabetes, steroid and broad-spectrum antibiotic-exposure, and multiple organ failures were the common predispositions reported in patients with FIs. CONCLUSIONS: FIs impose a substantial burden in cirrhosis. ACLF and ICU admission should be considered as a host factor for defining IFIs. Epidemiology of FIs can guide interpretation of biomarkers and antifungal treatment in cirrhosis.

Antifungal prescription practices and consumption in a tertiary care hospital of a developing country.

BACKGROUND: Antifungal stewardship is a less explored component of antimicrobial stewardship programmes, especially in developing countries. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to determine antifungal prescription practices in a tertiary centre of a developing country to identify the challenges for antifungal stewardship programmes. METHODS: Four single-day point prevalent surveys were performed in inpatient units and data were collected from medical records. Antifungal use was recorded in terms of consumption, therapeutic strategies and appropriateness. RESULTS: We found a 2.42%-point prevalence of antifungal prescriptions. Antifungal use was higher in children than adults (4.1% vs. 2.03%), medical than surgical units (3.7% vs. 1.24%) and ICUs than general wards (5.8% vs. 1.9%). The highest antifungal use was observed in the haematology-oncology units (29.3%) followed by emergency (16.2%) and gastroenterology units (11.6%). Among 215 prescriptions, amphotericin B was the most commonly prescribed (50.2%) followed by fluconazole (31.6%). The targeted antifungal therapy was practised more commonly (31.5%) than empiric (29.1%), pre-emptive (22.6%) and prophylactic (16.8%) therapy. Amphotericin B was commonly used for pre-emptive (p = .001) and targeted (p = .049) therapy, while fluconazole (p = .001) and voriconazole (p = .011) for prophylaxis. The prescriptions were inappropriate in 25.1% due to the wrong choice of antifungal (44.4%), indication (27.7%) and dosage (24%). The overall mean antifungal consumption was 2.71 DDD/1000 PD and 8.96 DOT/1000 PD. CONCLUSIONS: We report here the low prevalence of antifungal use at a tertiary care centre in a developing country. Though training for antifungal use would be important for antifungal stewardship, the challenge would remain with the affordability of antifungals.

Ring-Modified Histidine-Containing Cationic Short Peptides Exhibit Anticryptococcal Activity by Cellular Disruption.

Delineation of clinical complications secondary to fungal infections, such as cryptococcal meningitis, and the concurrent emergence of multidrug resistance in large population subsets necessitates the need for the development of new classes of antifungals. Herein, we report a series of ring-modified histidine-containing short cationic peptides exhibiting anticryptococcal activity via membrane lysis. The N-1 position of histidine was benzylated, followed by iodination at the C-5 position via electrophilic iodination, and the dipeptides were obtained after coupling with tryptophan. In vitro analysis revealed that peptides Trp-His[1-(3,5-di-tert-butylbenzyl)-5-iodo]-OMe (10d, IC50 = 2.20 µg/mL; MIC = 4.01 µg/mL) and Trp-His[1-(2-iodophenyl)-5-iodo)]-OMe (10o, IC50 = 2.52 µg/mL; MIC = 4.59 µg/mL) exhibit promising antifungal activities against C. neoformans. When administered in combination with standard drug amphotericin B (Amp B), a significant synergism was observed, with 4- to 16-fold increase in the potencies of both peptides and Amp B. Electron microscopy analysis with SEM and TEM showed that the dipeptides primarily act via membrane disruption, leading to pore formation and causing cell lysis. After entering the cells, the peptides interact with the intracellular components as demonstrated by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM).

Evaluation of Microcracks formed During Root Canal Preparation by Different File Systems Using Micro-computed Tomography: An In Vitro Study.

AIM: The purpose of this study was to evaluate and compare the incidence of dentinal microcracks after instrumentation with various types of nickel-titanium (NiTi) files in rotary and reciprocating motion. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty human extracted mandibular molars were taken and divided into five groups (n = ten teeth per group). Group I included ProTaper Gold, group II included OneShape, group III included WaveOne Gold, group IV included Reciproc, and group V included hand K files. The teeth were desectioned at the cemento-enamel junction (CEJ) and dentinal microcracks were observed under Micro-computed tomography. Postoperative Micro-computed tomography analysis of the samples was conducted to inspect cracks in the images obtained before and after preparation. RESULT: Results confirmed that there was a statistically significant difference between the study groups (p <0.05). The highest percentage of microcracks was seen in ProTaper Gold followed by OneShape. WaveOne Gold and Reciproc showed closely similar percentage of microcracks followed by hand K files that showed the least. CONCLUSION: Both rotary file systems showed higher number of microcracks than reciprocating file systems. Hand K files showed least microcracks formation among all studied groups. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Among all the tested methods and systems, hand K files demonstrated least incidence of dentinal microcracks. However, these hand K files systems are not advanced and have certain practical limitations. Reciprocating systems usually exhibits clinically acceptable microcracks therefore they may be judiciously utilized. Rotary file systems showed excellent biomechanical outcomes with redundant microcrack formation. Hence, precise selection of a particular system must be solely dependent upon the clinical decision making and circumstantial requirements.

A Selective Medium for Isolation and Detection of Candida auris, an Emerging Pathogen.

Identification of Candida auris is challenging and requires molecular or protein profiling-based approaches, availability of which is limited in many routine diagnostic laboratories, necessitating the development of a cost-effective, rapid, and reliable method of identification. The objective of this study was to develop a selective medium for C. auris identification. Eighteen C. auris and 30 non-C. auris yeasts were used for the standardization of the selective medium. Sodium chloride (10% to 13% concentration) and ferrous sulfate (8 mM to 15 mM) were added to yeast extract-peptone-dextrose (YPD) agar in various combinations followed by incubation at 37°C, 40°C, or 42°C for 2 to 3 days. For validation, 579 yeast isolates and 40 signal-positive Bactec blood culture (BC) broths were used. YPD agar comprising 12.5% NaCl and 9 mM ferrous sulfate incubated at 42°C for 48 h, named Selective Auris Medium (SAM), allowed selective growth of C. auris A total of 95% (127/133) of C. auris isolates tested grew on the standardized media within 48 h, and the remaining 6 isolates grew after 72 h, whereas the growth of 446 non-C. auris yeast isolates was completely inhibited. The specificity and sensitivity of the test medium were both 100% after 72 h of incubation. The positive and negative predictive values were also noted to be 100% after 72 h of incubation. The formulated selective medium can be used for the detection and identification of C. auris The SAM is inexpensive, can easily be prepared, and can be used as an alternative to molecular diagnostic tools in the clinical microbiology laboratory.

Factors determining the mortality in cirrhosis patients with invasive candidiasis: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

The impact of invasive candidiasis (IC) on the outcomes in the non-conventional high-risk cirrhosis population is poorly characterized. Therefore, we reviewed the outcomes and their influencing factors in cirrhosis patients with IC. PubMed, Embase, Ovid, CINHAL, and Web of Science were searched for full-text observational studies describing mortality due to IC in cirrhosis. We did a systematic review and random-effects meta-analysis to pool the point-estimate and comparative-odds of mortality. The estimate's heterogeneity was explored on sub-groups, outliers-test, and meta-regression. We evaluated the asymmetry in estimates on funnel plot and Eggers regression. Quality of studies was assessed on the New-Castle Ottawa scale. Of 3143 articles, 13 studies (611 patients) were included (good/fair quality: 6/7). IC patients were sick with a high model for end-stage liver disease (MELD: 27.0) and long hospital stay (33.2 days). The pooled-mortality was 54.7% (95% CI: 41.3--67.5), I2: 80%, P < 0.01. Intensive care unit (ICU) admission (P < 0.001), site of infection; viz. peritonitis and candidemia (P = 0.014) and high MELD of cases (P = 0.029) were predictors of high mortality. The odds of mortality due to IC was 4.4 times higher than controls and was 8.5 and 3.3 times higher than non-infected, and bacterially-infected controls. Studies in ICU-admitted (OR: 5.0) or acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF, OR: 6.3) patients had numerically higher odds of mortality than all-hospitalized cirrhosis patients (OR: 4.0). In conclusion, substantially high mortality is reported in cirrhosis patients with IC. ICU admission, ACLF, high MELD, peritonitis, and candidemia are key factors determining high mortality in cirrhosis patients with IC. LAY SUMMARY: We report a high mortality rate of 55% in patients with liver cirrhosis and invasive candidiasis. Higher odds (4.4 times) of death, especially in patients with ACLF (6.3 times) or ICU admission (5.0 times) were seen. Candida peritonitis and candidemia are associated with high mortality in cirrhosis.