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Renewable lignocellulosic biomass is a favorable energy resource since its co-pyrolysis with hydrogen-rich plastics can produce high-yield and high-quality biofuel. In contrast to earlier co-pyrolysis research that concentrated on increasing product yield, this study comprehends the synergistic effects of two distinct feedstocks that were not considered earlier. This work focuses on co-pyrolyzing wheat straw (WS) with non-reusable polyethylene terephthalate (PET) for the production of pyrolysis oil. WS and PET were blended in different ratios (100/0, 80/20, 60/40, 40/60, 20/80, and 0/100), and pyrolysis experiments were conducted in a fixed-bed reactor under different temperatures to assess their synergistic effect on oil yield. Synergy rates of up to 7.78 % were achieved on yield for the blends of plastic and biomass at a temperature of 500 °C. In comparison to individual biomass or plastics, co-pyrolyzing PET-biomass blends demonstrated good process interaction and promoted the yields of value-added products. The heating value of the pyrolysis oils was in the range of 16.45–28.64 MJ/kg, which depends on the amount of plastic present in the feedstock. The physical analysis of the oils shows that they can be used for heat production by direct combustion in boilers or furnaces. The correlation between WS and PET was validated with the aid of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis. The GC-MS result demonstrated the presence of different compounds such as O-H compounds, esters, carbonyl group elements, acids, hydrocarbons, aromatics, and nitrogenated compounds in the pyrolysis oil, which differed based on the proportions of PET in the feedstock. The increased hydrocarbon and reduced oxygen percentages in the pyrolysis oil were implicitly caused by enhanced hydrocarbon pool mechanisms, in which the breakdown of PET may be supplied as a hydrogen donor. Overall, waste lignocellulosic biomass and plastics can be used to produce biofuels, which helps reduce the amount of solid waste that ends up in landfills. This study also revealed that future research should be focused on the reaction mechanisms of WS and PET co-pyrolysis in order to examine the synergistic interactions.

Abstract Background Indiscriminate and widespread use of antibiotics has resulted in emergence of many antibiotic-resistant organisms. Antibiotic administration during pregnancy is mostly avoided, unless there is compelling medical condition. We hypothesized that the uropathogens isolated from pregnant women would be more susceptible to antibiotics compared to those isolated from nonpregnant women, thus will be helpful in formulating separate empiric guideline for pregnant women based on the resistance pattern. Methods This was a prospective cross-sectional study conducted over a period of 2 years in which females with the clinical diagnosis of either cystitis or asymptomatic bacteriuria during pregnancy were included from the community settings. Uropathogen species and their antimicrobial resistance pattern were compared between the pregnant and nonpregnant groups. After accounting for centre-to-centre variation and adjusting for age and socio-economic status, the adjusted odds ratio for antibiotic resistance was calculated and compared between pregnant and nonpregnant women using logistic regression analysis. Results A total of 1758 women (pregnant: 43.3%; nonpregnant: 56.6%) were screened in the study over a period of 2 years, out of which 9.3% (163/1758) were having significant bacteriuria. Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae were the two commonest uropathogen in both the groups; their prevalence being 83.6% in pregnant women and 85.2% in nonpregnant women, respectively. Resistance against ampicillin, cefixime, cefoxitin, ceftazidime, ceftriaxone and amoxicillin-clavulanic acid were found significantly lower in the pregnant women compared to nonpregnant. After adjusting the age and socio-economic status accounting for centre-to-centre variation, the odds of resistance for cefixime, amoxicillin-clavulanic acid and co-trimoxazole were found lower and statistically significant among the pregnant women group. Conclusions The antimicrobial resistance was significantly higher among the community-dwelling nonpregnant women compared to pregnant women in case of few antibiotics. The study highlighted the need of building local antibiogram that could help to initiate the empirical treatment and thus prevent emergence of antimicrobial resistance.

Introduction: Scrub typhus is a common but neglected cause of Acute Febrile Illness (AFI) in India. Under diagnosis of this severe disease with protean manifestations, can negatively influence the treatment and outcome. Early laboratory diagnosis by appropriate means is therefore important. In addition, as antigenically diverse variants of Orientia tsutsugamushi (O.tsutsugamushi) are known to exist and evolve, information regarding the strain types is also crucial. Aim: Present study sought to know the clinical spectrum, laboratory diagnosis by different modalities, outcome and strain variation of scrub typhus in Southern India. Materials and Methods: Hundred clinically suspected cases of scrub typhus (rickettsioses) were enrolled. Serum and EDTA (Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid) blood samples were subjected to serodiagnosis for scrub typhus and Polymerase Chain Reaction-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) respectively. Strain characterisation was done by Microimmunofluorescence (MIF), PCR-RFLP and phylogenetic analysis. Patients were followed-up for four weeks. Data was entered in Microsoft excel spreadsheet and analysed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software. Results: Laboratory evidence of scrub typhus was showed by 38% of the cases. Seropositivity was more in comparison to PCR. Paediatric preponderance and seasonal trend was evident. Strain typing showed presence of different strain types, with no correlation between clinical features and strain types. PCR-RFLP results correlated well with phylogeny, while MIF results did not match. All the patients responded to doxycycline, except for 12% who succumbed. Conclusion: Different strain types of O. tsutsugamushi are known to cause scrub typhus in Southern India. PCR-RFLP can be a useful preliminary tool for strain typing in resource poor settings, where phylogenetic analysis is not possible. Early diagnosis and treatment helps in improved outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Bacterial Sepsis by Multidrug Resistant Gram Negative Bacilli (MDRGNB) producing Extended Spectrum β-Lactamases (ESBL) is one of the major causes of mortality and morbidity in hospitals. Early detection of ESBLs directly from positive blood cultures can reduce mortality. The phenotypic detection of ESBLs is difficult as they may be masked by the co-production of additional enzymes like AmpC. This can be overcome by using an Aztreonam Discs With and Without Clavulanate (AO/CL) method. Aim: To identify ESBLs directly from the positive blood cultures by using AO/CL disc diffusion method and to detect the genes coding for ESBL enzymes by conventional Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). Materials and Methods: A prospective study was conducted over a period of five months (October 2020-February 2021). A total of 100 positive blood cultures showing Gram negative bacilli on Gram stain was subjected to direct detection of ESBLs by using Cefotaxime (CTX), Ceftazidime (CAZ) discs with and without clavulanate and AO/CL. Isolates from positive blood culture were identified to genus and species level by VITEK-2 compact. Isolates were tested for ESBL production by CAZ/ CTX with and without clavulanate disc diffusion method as recommended by CLSI. PCR was carried out to detect target genes responsible for ESBL production such as CTX–M, TEM, SHV genes. Statistical analysis was done by using MS Excel sheet. Descriptive statistics like percentage calculation was done in the study. Results: Out of 100 positive blood cultures showing Gram Negative Bacteria (GNB) on Gram stain, 33 were positive for ESBL production by direct disc diffusion method. Out of these, 27 ESBL producers were detected by CAZ/CTX with and without clavulanate disc diffusion method and AO/CL method whereas 6 ESBL producers were detected by AO/ CL disc diffusion method only. A 27 culture isolates were found positive for ESBL production by CAZ/CTX with and without clavulanate disc diffusion method as recommended by Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI). Out of 33, 28 (85%) isolates possessed one of the target genes for ESBL production such as 10TEM (36%), 10CTX-M (36%), 07TEM+CTX M (25%), 01SHV (3%). Conclusion: Direct detection of ESBLs plays a significant role in management of sepsis. It helps the clinician in escalation and de-escalation of antibiotics and prevents the development of antimicrobial resistance. It contributes towards antibiotic stewardship and better compliance to infection prevention and control protocols. AO/CL method is preferred to detect ESBL producers directly from positive blood culture bottles.

The article describes the case of a 30-year-old male with fever, loose motions, weight loss, and anorexia for 2 months with an accompanying lump in the left side of his abdomen for 1 and a half months. Bone marrow aspiration revealed amastigote forms of L. donovani and quantitative buffy coat (QBC) examination showed motile microfilariae of W. bancrofti species. The article discusses mixed gastrointestinal - enteric parasitic infections and the unique challenges of diagnosing such cases.

Background & objectives: Tuberculosis (TB) is a public health problem worldwide. Rapid and accurate diagnosis of tuberculosis is crucial to facilitate early treatment of infectious cases and to reduce its spread. The present study was aimed to evaluation of 16 kDa antigen as a serodiagnostic tool in pulmonary and extra-pulmonary tuberculosis patients in an effort to improve diagnostic algorithm for tuberculosis. Methods: In this study, 200 serum samples were collected from smear positive and culture confirmed pulmonary tuberculosis patients, 30 tubercular pleural effusions and 21 tubercular meningitis (TBM) patients. Serum samples from 36 healthy, age matched controls (hospital staff), along with 60 patients with non-tubercular respiratory diseases were also collected and evaluated. Humoral response (both IgG and IgA) was looked for 16 kDa antigen using indirect ELISA. Results: Sensitivity of detection in various categories of pulmonary TB patients ranged between 73.8 and 81.2 per cent. While in the extra-pulmonary TB samples the sensitivity was 42.8 per cent (TBM) and 63.3 per cent (tubercular pleural effusion). The test specificity in both the groups was high (94.7%). All of the non-disease controls were negative. Among non-tubercular disease controls, five patients gave a positive humoral response against 16 kDa. Interpretation & conclusions: Serodiagnostic tests for TB have always had drawbacks of suboptimal sensitivity and specificity. The antigen used in this study gave encouraging results in pulmonary TB only, while in extra-pulmonary TB (tubercular meningitis and tubercular pleural effusion), this has shown a limited role in terms of sensitivity. Further work is required to validate its role in serodiagnosis of TB especially extra-pulmonary TB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Ongoing need of alternative strategies for SARS-CoV-2 detection is undeniable. Self-collected samples without viral transport media (VTM), coupled with simple nucleic acid extraction methods for SARS-CoV-2 PCR are beneficial., Objectives: To evaluate results of SARS-CoV-2 PCR using simple nucleic acid extraction methods from self -collected saliva and oral swabs without VTM., Methods: A cross-sectional single-centre study was conducted on 125 participants (101 SARS-CoV-2 positive cases and 24 controls). PCR was performed following five simple nucleic acid extraction methods on self -collect saliva and oral swabs without VTM and results were compared with gold standard PCR. For saliva, kit-based extraction (SKE), Proteinase K and Heat extraction (SPHE), only Heat extraction (SHE) methods and for dry oral swabs, Proteinase K and Heat extraction (DPHE) and only Heat extraction (DHE) was performed., Results: SARS-CoV-2 was detected in self-collected saliva and oral swabs. 93.07% were correctly classified as positive by SKE, 69.31% by SHE, 67.33% by SPHE, 67.33% by DPHE and 55.45% by DHE. Discriminant power of SKE was significantly higher than other methods (p-value < 0.001) with good- fair agreement of alternate extraction methods against gold standard., Conclusion: Combination of self-collected saliva/ oral-swab without VTM and alternative RNA extraction methods offer a simplified, economical substitute strategy for SARS-CoV-2 detection., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2022 The Author(s).)

Background: An unprecedented rise in the number of COVID-19-associated mucormycosis (CAM) cases has been reported in India. Myriad hypotheses are proposed for the outbreak. We recently reported uncontrolled diabetes and inappropriate steroid therapy as significant risk factors for the outbreak. However, Mucorales contamination of hospital environment was not studied., Aim: To perform a multi-centre study across India to determine possible Mucorales contamination of hospital environment during the outbreak., Methods: Eleven hospitals from four zones of India representing high to low incidence for mucormycosis cases were included in the study. Samples from a variety of equipment used by the patients and ambient air were collected during May 19 th , 2021 through August 25 th , 2021., Findings: None of the hospital equipment sampled was contaminated with Mucorales. However, Mucorales were isolated from 11.1% air-conditioning vents and 1.7% of patients' used masks. Other fungi were isolated from 18% of hospital equipment and surfaces, and 8.1% of used masks. Mucorales grew from 21.7% indoor and 53.8% outdoor air samples. Spore counts of Mucorales in air were significantly higher in the hospitals of North and South zones compared to West and East zones (P < 0.0001). Among Mucorales isolated from the environment, Rhizopus spp. were the most frequent genus., Conclusion: Contamination of air-conditioning vents and hospital air by Mucorales was found. Presence of Mucorales in these areas demands regular surveillance and improvement of hospital environment, as contamination may contribute to healthcare-associated mucormycosis outbreaks, especially among immunocompromised patients., (Copyright © 2022 The Healthcare Infection Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background & Objectives: Tuberculosis (TB) is a public health problem worldwide. Rapid and accurate diagnosis of tuberculosis is crucial to facilitate early treatment of infectious cases and to reduce its spread. The present study was aimed to evaluation of 16 kDa antigen as a serodiagnostic tool in pulmonary and extra-pulmonary tuberculosis patients in an effort to improve diagnostic algorithm for tuberculosis., Methods: In this study, 200 serum samples were collected from smear positive and culture confirmed pulmonary tuberculosis patients, 30 tubercular pleural effusions and 21 tubercular meningitis (TBM) patients. Serum samples from 36 healthy, age matched controls (hospital staff), along with 60 patients with non-tubercular respiratory diseases were also collected and evaluated. Humoral response (both IgG and IgA) was looked for 16 kDa antigen using indirect ELISA., Results: Sensitivity of detection in various categories of pulmonary TB patients ranged between 73.8 and 81.2 per cent. While in the extra-pulmonary TB samples the sensitivity was 42.8 per cent (TBM) and 63.3 per cent (tubercular pleural effusion). The test specificity in both the groups was high (94.7%). All of the non-disease controls were negative. Among non-tubercular disease controls, five patients gave a positive humoral response against 16 kDa., Interpretation & Conclusions: Serodiagnostic tests for TB have always had drawbacks of suboptimal sensitivity and specificity. The antigen used in this study gave encouraging results in pulmonary TB only, while in extra-pulmonary TB (tubercular meningitis and tubercular pleural effusion), this has shown a limited role in terms of sensitivity. Further work is required to validate its role in serodiagnosis of TB especially extra-pulmonary TB.