Inactivation of fungal spores from clinical environment by silver bio-nanoparticles; optimization, artificial neural network model and mechanism.

The present study aimed to assess the efficiency of silver bio-nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) in inactivating of the Aspergillus fumigatus, A. parasiticus and A. flavus var. columnaris and A. aculeatus spores. The AgNPs were synthesized in secondary metabolic products of Penicillium pedernalens 604 EAN. The inactivation process was optimized by response surface methodology (RSM) as a function of Ag NPs volume (1-10 µL/mL); time (10-120 min); pH (5-8); initial fungal concentrations (log10) (3-6). The artificial neural network (ANN) model was used to understand the behavior of spores for the factors affecting inactivation process. The best conditions to achieved SAL 10-6 of the fungal spores were recorded with 3.46 µl/mL of AgNPs, after 120 min at pH 5 and with 6 log of initial fungal spore concentrations, at which 5.99 vs. 6.09 (SAL 10-6) log reduction was recorded in actual and predicted results respectively with coefficient of 87.00%. The ANN revealed that the timehas major contribution in the inactivation process compare to Ag NPs volume. The fungal spores were totally inactivated (SAL 10-6, 6 log reduction with 99.9999%) after 110 min of the inactivation process, 10 min more was required to insure the irreversible inactivation of the fungal spores. The absence of protease and cellulase enzymes production confirm the total inactivation of the fungal spores. FESEM analysis revealed that the AgNPs which penetrated the fungal spores leading to damage and deform the fungal spore morphology. The AFM analysis confirmed the total spore surface damage. The bands in the range of the Raman spectroscopy from 1300 to 1600 cm-1 in the inactivated spores indicate the presence of CH3, CH2 and the deformation of lipids released outside the spore cytoplasm. These finding indicate that the AgNPs has high potential as a green alternative inactivation process for the airborne fungal spores.

Medicinal values of aquatic plant genus Nymphoides grown in Asia: A review

Nymphoides is an aquatic genus consisting about 50 species, of which few were accepted as traditional medicinal plants in Asia. The literature review revealed that Nymphoides species are widely used in Ayurvedic medicine as a popular drug, i.e. Tagara. They are also utilized by the traditional local healers of different Asian countries to treat various diseases, like convulsion, jaundice, fever, headache, etc. According to the in vivo and in vitro pharmacological studies, Nymphoides species have been claimed to possess major biological activities like anticonvulsant, antioxidant, hepatoprotective, cytotoxic, antitumor, etc. Biochemical profiling of different aquatic plants of this genus revealed the presence of some important phytochemicals as polyphenolic component, flavonoids, triterpenes, carbohydrates, glycosides, etc. Several valuable bioactive compounds including ephedrine, coumarin, secoiridoid glucosides, methyl quercetin, ferulic acid, foliamenthoic acid, etc. were also known to be isolated and identified from different Nymphoides species. The aim of this review is to analyze the published report based on the medicinal values of different Asian Nymphoides species, to provide the updated information about the ethnomedicinal, pharmacological as well as the phytochemical properties for the first time.

A Conformational Isomer of Soulattrolide from the Stem Bark of Calophyllum symingtonianum and Its Antibacterial Activity

Callophylum symingtonianum (Guttiferae), an evergreen broad-leaved tree that usually grows in hill forests, can be found distributed in the Malay Peninsula. The barks, leaves, flowers and seeds is often used medicinally to treat diarrhea and rheumatism. In the present study, we isolated two inophyllum type coumarins, 12-O-ethylinophyllum D (1) and iso-soulattrolide (2) from the stembarks of C. symingtonianum together with their antibacterial activity. The compounds were isolated by chromatographic methods on a silica gel. The structures were established by spectroscopic methods including UV, IR, (1D and 2D) NMR and mass spectrometry as well as by comparison with several literature sources. The antibacterial activity of those compounds was tested using a disc-diffusion assay against Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Both compound exhibited mild inhibition against P. aeruginosa with both 111 µg/ml MIC value. Compound 2 also inhibits S. aureus with 25 µg/ml MIC value.

Effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of telephone-based support versus usual care for treatment of pressure ulcers in people with spinal cord injury in low-income and middle-income countries: study protocol for a 12-week randomised controlled trial.

INTRODUCTION: Pressure ulcers are a common and severe complication of spinal cord injury, particularly in low-income and middle-income countries where people often need to manage pressure ulcers alone and at home. Telephone-based support may help people in these situations to manage their pressure ulcers. The aim of this study is to determine the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of telephone-based support to help people with spinal cord injury manage pressure ulcers at home in India and Bangladesh. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: A multicentre (3 sites), prospective, assessor-blinded, parallel, randomised controlled trial will be undertaken. 120 participants with pressure ulcers on the sacrum, ischial tuberosity or greater trochanter of the femur secondary to spinal cord injury will be randomly assigned to a Control or Intervention group. Participants in the Control group will receive usual community care. That is, they will manage their pressure ulcers on their own at home but will be free to access whatever healthcare support they can. Participants in the Intervention group will also manage their pressure ulcers at home and will also be free to access whatever healthcare support they can, but in addition they will receive weekly telephone-based support and advice for 12 weeks (15-25 min/week). The primary outcome is the size of the pressure ulcer at 12 weeks. 13 secondary outcomes will be measured reflecting other aspects of pressure ulcer resolution, depression, quality of life, participation and satisfaction with healthcare provision. An economic evaluation will be run in parallel and will include a cost-effectiveness and a cost-utility analysis. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethical approval was obtained from the Institutional Ethics Committee at each site. The results of this study will be disseminated through publications and presented at national and international conferences. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ACTRN12613001225707.

A survey of the dog population in rural Bangladesh.

Globally, Bangladesh ranks third in the number of human deaths from rabies. Although dogs are the principal known transmitters of rabies and knowledge of dog populations is essential for effective national control and proper planning, dog control programs are scarce in Bangladesh. Our objective was to count dogs in a rural area to understand the dog population of the country. For this purpose we selected six unions of Raipura upazila in Narsingdi district. Dog counting was done by direct observation following accepted guidelines. We determined the mean density of the dog population in Bangladesh to be 14 dog/km(2) (95% CI 3.7, 24) and the human:dog ratio to be 120 (95% CI 55, 184). Our paper contribute to the literature which shows great variation in the human:dog ratio across regions of the developing world. The human:dog ratio depends on the area's human (as well as dog) population, whereas dog density per unit area indicates the true number of dogs. We propose that extrapolating from the human:dog ratios of other regions not be relied upon for estimating dog populations, unless the ratios can be supplemented by actual counts of dogs within the target area.

Arctic-like rabies virus, Bangladesh.

Arctic/Arctic-like rabies virus group 2 spread into Bangladesh ≈32 years ago. Because rabies is endemic to and a major public health problem in this country, we characterized this virus group. Its glycoprotein has 3 potential N-glycosylation sites that affect viral pathogenesis. Diversity of rabies virus might have public health implications in Bangladesh.

Optically transparent Au{111} substrates: flat gold nanoparticle platforms for high-resolution scanning tunneling microscopy.

We demonstrate a new type of Au{111} substrate that is both atomically flat and optically transparent, which consists of solution-grown flat gold nanoparticles (FGNPs) deposited on indium tin oxide (ITO)-coated glass. We show that FGNPs are atomically flat single-crystal plates with large {111} faces that expose only 2-4 atomic layers. These FGNPs are excellent platforms for alkanethiol self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) and for high-resolution scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). Our supported FGNPs are also low-cost Au{111} substrates, employing only basic wet chemical techniques in preparation. This approach should be broadly applicable to other types of substrates for scanning probe microscopies.