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Abstract Background Cervical cancer is a significant health issue, especially in low- and middle-income countries like India, where it ranks fourth among women. The Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination, a vital preventive measure, has suboptimal uptake among nursing students. We aimed to assess the level of knowledge, attitudes, willingness, and reasons for non-uptake of HPV vaccination among nursing students. Methods A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted from April to June 2023, using a total enumeration method. Data were collected from 313 nursing students using a validated questionnaire covering sociodemographic information, knowledge, attitudes, and reasons for non-uptake of HPV vaccination. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 26.0. Descriptive statistics summarized the data, while binary and multivariable logistic regression analyses identified factors associated with knowledge, attitude, and willingness for HPV vaccination. Results The mean age of the students was 20.98 ± 2.38 years, with the majority being females (81.2%) and unmarried (93.0%). About half of the participants demonstrated moderate knowledge (52.4%) and negative attitudes (50.1%) towards HPV vaccination, with none having received the vaccine. Female students had 4.24 times the odds of having good knowledge (AOR = 4.24, 95% CI = 1.66–10.80), while those pursuing a bachelor’s degree exhibited 2.70 times the odds of good knowledge (AOR = 2.70, 95% CI = 1.40–5.21). In contrast, first-year students had 0.30 times the odds of having good knowledge (AOR = 0.30, 95% CI = 0.11–0.79) but displayed 4.69 times the odds of having a positive attitude (AOR = 4.69, 95% CI = 1.92–11.41). Additionally, Hindu students had 2.44 times the odds of being willing to receive the vaccine (AOR = 2.44, 95% CI = 1.15–5.20). Most participants expressed willingness to receive the vaccine (62.0%), citing reasons such as not being sexually active (35.8%) and needing more information (18.2%) for non-uptake of the vaccine. Conclusions The study highlights gaps in knowledge and negative attitudes towards HPV vaccination among nursing students. Targeted educational interventions and policy initiatives are essential to improve awareness, promote positive attitudes, and increase HPV vaccination uptake among nursing students.

Abstract Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have been successfully synthesized using leaf extract of Neem (Azadirachta Indica), Mint (Mentha Piperita), Tulsi (Ocimum Tenuiflorum), Bermuda grass (Cynodon Dactylon) and silver salt. As plant extracts produce best capping material for the stabilization of nanoparticles. AgNPs were characterized by UV–Vis spectroscopy in range of 200–800 nm and transmission electron microscopy TEM, XRD and FTIR. The nanoparticles synthesized were mainly in sizes between 25 and 100 nm. They appeared to be spherical, nanotriangles and irregular in shape. Catalytic application was observed for all the aqueous solution of leaves, quantity taken was 1 ml, 2 ml, 3 ml, 4 ml and 5 ml. Furthermore, prepared Ag nanoparticles are also used for seed germination.

Background and aim Home accidents are a leading cause of mortality and morbidity among young children. Effective prevention of home accidents relies on a combination of protection and education with mothers playing a significant role as primary caregivers. This study aimed to assess mothersrsquo knowledge regarding the prevention of home accidents among toddlers.Methods A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted from July 2023 to September 2023 among mothers of toddlers aged 1-3 years in Jaipur using a convenient sampling technique. Data were collected using a structured multiple-choice questionnaire with 30 items across eight domains related to home accident prevention.ResultsA descriptive survey included 100 mothers predominantly aged 21-25 years Hindus and with primary education. Most mothers had moderate knowledge 61 about preventing home accidents whereas 14 had inadequate knowledge. The highest knowledge was in the domains of foreign body aspiration 80.25 and general information about home accidents 74.83 while the lowest was in drowning 48.66. Significant associations were found between mothers knowledge and demographic variables such as age education occupation family income type of family number of toddlers type of house and source of knowledge.Conclusion This study highlights that while most mothers possess moderate knowledge regarding the prevention of home accidents among toddlers critical gaps remain particularly in drowning prevention. Enhancing educational efforts and integrating safety education into routine healthcare and community programs are essential to reduce the incidence of preventable home accidents among toddlers thereby safeguarding their health and wellbeing.

Abstract In the present work, the Nickel oxide (rGO–NiO), Silver (rGO–Ag), Copper oxide (rGO–CuO) doped Graphene Oxide are reported for catalytic reactions. A comparative study for catalytic activities of these materials are performed with nitroaromatic compound 4-nitroaniline and the results are statistically studied by using univariate analysis of variance and Post Hoc Test through Statistical Package for Social Sciences and it is observed that CuO doped Graphene material is showing better catalytic activity in minimum time. So, further research has been focused on the catalytic acitivity of rGO–CuO only and it is found that it is efficient in reducing other nitro compounds also such as Picric acid and Nitrobenzene. Dye degradation of Methylene blue is also performed using CuO decorated Graphene material and significant changes were observed using UV spectroscopy. The characterization of rGO–CuO is done with Fourier-transform Infrared Spectroscopy, Powder X-ray Diffraction, Thermogravimetric Analysis, Scanning Electron Microscope and Transmission Electron Microscopy.

Infectious keratitis is commonly encountered in the ophthalmology emergency department. Streptococcus pneumoniae causing bacterial keratitis is a cause of concern in developing countries, owing to its complication of irreversible corneal scarring. This is a rare case report of a 25-year-old immunocompromised patient who presented to the Ophthalmology Department in a tertiary care hospital in India with complaints of diminution of vision in the left eye with pain, redness and watering, along with a history of vesicular painful rashes involving the left side of the forehead, the tip of the nose and the supraciliary area. Gram-positive lanceolate diplococci and plenty of pus cells were seen on the Gram staining of the corneal abscess scrape. The clinical presentation of the patient led to a provisional clinical diagnosis of secondary bacterial infection in Herpes Zoster Opthalmicus (HZO), corneal abscess with herpetic keratitis. Quellung reaction yielded an 18C serotype of the isolated pneumococci. Prompt treatment was required to prevent rapidly progressive complications.

Background: colistin has become a critical antibiotic for lifethreatening multidrug resistance Gram-negative infections, particularly carbapenemase-producing bacteria. Detecting colistin resistance in routine microbiology laboratories is crucial for combating these fatal infections poses a challenge. Especially in developing countries, there is a need for a cost-effective, rapid, and user-friendly diagnostic method. Objective: implementing the various available methods for colistin testing is a significant challenge in resource-limited settings due to logistic difficulties and the need for technical expertise. Materials and Methods: this study shares experiences and insights gained while implementing in-vitro colistin susceptibility testing in a high-load bacteriology laboratory of a tertiary care center in Delhi, India. The following test methods for colistin susceptibility testing were incorporated in the routine antimicrobial susceptibility testing of our laboratory: Colistin Agar Test, Colistin Broth Disk Elution Test, Broth Microdilution susceptibility testing. Results: inconsistent growth patterns were observed in the colistin agar dilution Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) method, which could be resolved only after the preparation of fresh plates containing that specific concentration of colistin. The contamination issue of plates on use over a few days was addressed by pouring agar containing various concentrations of colistin in cottonplugged glass tubes. In the colistin broth disk elution test, due to the non-availability of screw-capped 10 mL glass tubes, MacCornety bottles (30 mL) were used. Subcultures were performed from the turbid wells to rule out the growth of contaminants when encountering discordant MIC values or skipped wells on the colistin broth microdilution test. Conclusions: despite several technical issues in in-vitro colistin susceptibility testing, we have successfully implemented it in our laboratory. Our experiences can offer guidance to laboratories that are still in the process of implementing it.

Background: Given the evolving nature of COVID-19, for better understanding of its effect on antimicrobial resistance of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), it becomes crucial that we follow the resistance patterns across different surges of COVID-19 cases. Methods: This prospective surveillance study extended over two years from January 2020-March 2022 and was conducted in a healthcare center of North India. Susceptibility patterns of Staphylococcus aureus during January-March 2020 were considered as prepandemic patterns. Processing of clinical specimens, identification of S. aureus, and in-vitro antibiotic susceptibility testing were performed in accordance with standard microbiological testing procedures and Clinical Laboratory Standard Institute guidelines. Results: Lowest prevalence (38.9%) of Methicillinresistant S. aureus was reported during January-March 2021 and July-September 2021. More than 50% S. aureus isolates were susceptible to linezolid, cotrimoxazole, tetracycline, and gentamicin in January-March 2020. In January-March 2021, ≥50% of S. aureus isolates from clinical specimens were additionally susceptible to clindamycin and erythromycin. Antibiotic agents of linezolid, tetracycline, clindamycin, and cotrimoxazole were susceptible in ≥50% of S. aureus isolates in January-March 2022. Conclusions: This study reveals a sharp decline in overall resistance to commonly prescribed antibiotic agents for S. aureus isolates after first peak of COVID-19 cases. However, same trend was not observed in subsequent peaks and probably we are approaching the same resistance levels that were seen prior to COVID-19 pandemic.

Background: over the past decade, the dependency on colistin as a last resort antibiotic has driven the global emergence of colistin resistance among many bacterial species. This study comparatively evaluated the colistin Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) by various phenotypic methods, including the reference method of Broth Microdilution (BMD), other approved methods of Colistin Broth Disk Elution (CBDE), and Colistin Agar Test (CAT) and widely available method of Epsilometer Test (E-test) among Multidrug Resistant (MDR) Gram-negative bacteria. Methods: ninety Gram-negative bacterial isolates that were resistant to three or more classes of drugs (MDR) were included in the study. All the MDR isolates were subjected to colistin susceptibility determination by BMD, CBDE, CAT, and E-test. Results: amongst 1118 samples, 90 (8.05%) samples yielded MDR Gram-negative bacilli. All the MDR Gram-negative isolates were colistin intermediate by all four methods of phenotypic colistin susceptibility. Three Acinetobacter baumannii and two Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates that had MIC of 2 μg/mL by BMD, displayed MIC of

Abstract Metal organic frameworks (MOFs) have received a lot of attention in the research community due to their unique physical properties, which make them ideal materials for targeted drug delivery systems. In this paper, we describe the synthesis of a non-toxic La-based MOF with 3,4-dihydroxycinnamic acid (3,4-DHCA) as a linker. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), nitrogen adsorption–desorption measurements, and X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) have all been used to characterize it thoroughly. The La-based MOF showed good biocompatibility with the human breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-468. The ability of 3,4-DHCA to treat MDA-MB-468 cells was confirmed by 40.35% cell viability with La-based MOF. Based on the findings, La-based MOF can be recommended as a promising candidate for anticancer delivery.

Pityriasis Versicolor is a skin condition caused by the commensal yeast Malassezia. Little is known about the pathogenesis of why a commensal only causes symptoms in a subset of infected individuals. Understanding the susceptibility of the host to these commensal-associated diseases may be facilitated by knowledge of genetic polymorphism. The purpose was to investigate the relationship between Single Nucleotide Polymorphism in the IL10 and IFN genes of the host and susceptibility to Malassezia infection. There were 38 cases of Pityriasis Versicolor (PV) and 38 healthy controls in the sample. Blood samples were extracted for genomic DNA from all study participants. Amplification refractory mutations system- polymerase chain reaction (ARMS-PCR) with sequence-specific primers was used to genotype cytokines. In all patients and healthy controls, three SNPs (IL10-1082A/G; IL10-819/592C/T; IFN- +874A/T) in two cytokine loci were analyzed. In the PV group, we observed significant differences in allele or genotype distribution for the IL10-819/592C/T and IFN- +874A/T gene polymorphisms. In the present investigation, cytokine gene polymorphism revealed that the host was susceptible to Malassezia infection.

Salmonella serotypes, including Salmonella Typhi, S. Paratyphi A, S. Paratyphi B, and S. Paratyphi C, are responsible for the systemic, protracted febrile sickness known as typhoid fever. Various antibody-based tests are being used for diagnosing typhoid fever. This study was carried out to assess the performance of the widal test and blood culture for the diagnosis of typhoid fever among malaria-negative patients in a tertiary care hospital in east Delhi, India. The study was conducted from July 2021 to June 2022 in the Department of Microbiology of a tertiary care hospital in Delhi. Patients, including the adult and pediatric population, were evaluated for typhoid fever and participated in an observational, prospective study on febrile patients that was malaria-negative. Venous blood samples were obtained under strict aseptic conditions and further processed for widal serology and blood culture tests for typhoid fever. In our study, the prevalence of blood culture-positive Salmonella species was 0.3% (30/10,000 = 0.3%) Among antimicrobial susceptibility patterns, S. Typhi revealed the highest resistance rates for Ciprofloxacin (43.33%), Azithromycin (36.66%), and third-generation cephalosporins. Out of 30 blood culture-positive Salmonella Typhi of typhoid fever patients, 5 (17%) samples were negative for the Widal test. Among 30 samples, all were blood culture positive, but only 25 samples show Widal titer above the baseline i.e. >1:64. Although blood culture is the gold standard for the diagnosis of typhoid fever, the Widal test does play a role in the diagnosis and management of typhoid fever, especially in suspected cases when blood culture is negative, especially in government tertiary care hospitals.

Against the backdrop of the ever-changing Staphylococcal resistance pattern, clindamycin remains a viable therapeutic alternative Variation of Clindamycin drug resistance patterns with geographic area make inducible clindamycin resistance testing imperative for all staphylococcal isolates to avoid therapeutic failure. This was a prospective study conducted over a period of 1.5 years from January 2021 until June 2022. Prevalence of different MLSB Phenotypes of Staphylococcus aureus isolates was determined by standard disc diffusion method as per CLSI guidelines. Pyogenic samples received in the Microbiology lab that yielded Staphylococcus aureus were further tested for the presence of clindamycin resistance by disc diffusion method. Out of 6586 total pyogenic and respiratory specimens received in the lab, Staphylococcus aureus was yielded in 752 samples. On further testing for the MLSB phenotypes, 16.3% isolates were found to be iMLSB, 19.28% were cMLSB, 43.1% were of MSB type. ICR screening will reduce the unessential subjection of the patient to the antibiotic, and would prevent unnecessary adverse effects in the patients.

This paper describes the effects of various alkali metal and alkaline earth metal compounds, as well as walnut shell ash (WNS ash), on the cure characteristics (ts2, tc90) of a chlorobutyl rubber (CIIR)-based heat resistance truck inner tube compound. We observed that CIIR-F (KOH) has a very high scorch safety and a very slow cure. As it is a strong base with a high pH (13.84), it cures very slowly. Despite having a pH of 10.6, a ts2 of 6.36, and a tc90 of 18.84 min, CIIR-D (CaCO3) cures faster than CIIR-A (blank). The ts2 and tc90 values for CIIR-A (blank) were 6.55 and 18.88 min, respectively. Except for CIIR-D (CaCO3), all of the materials used to have higher scorch safety (ts2) and optimum cure time (tc90) in rheometer than CIIR-A (blank). CIIR-C (BaCO3) performed nearly as well as a blank. This study revealed that the trend of cure characteristics (ts2, tc90) in rheometer and Mooney scorch (t5) in Mooney viscometer not only depends on pH but also depends on ionic radius, ionization enthalpy and oxidation number of alkali metal and alkaline earth metal and the type of compound of alkali metal and alkaline earth metal.

Abstract The cheap and easy availability of the Kinnow peel waste has reported various applications due to presence of multifunctional groups. Therefore, in present study we explored its application to synthesize N-Benzylideneaniline and its derivatives based on Schiff base reaction. Kinnow peel powder is characterized by FTIR, TEM, SEM, XRD, EDX, and TGA for functional groups, morphology, surface, elements and thermal stability. Benzaldehyde, aniline, and their derivatives such as 4-methyl benzaldehyde, 4-hydroxy benzaldehyde, 4-methoxy benzaldehyde, and 4-methoxy aniline have been used to compare the efficacy of the Schiff base reaction using analysis of variance (ANOVA) and it has been observed that combination of Aniline and benzaldehyde for Schiff base reaction provided 85% yield of relative product.

Abstract The ultrasonic assisted reverse micelle method (UARM) was used to synthesize Cu-MOF from Cu(NO3)2·3H2O and 2,6-pyridine dicarboxylic acid in a 1:1 molar proportion. It has been characterized using FT-IR, XRD, nitrogen adsorption analysis, SEM and TEM–EDX. The morphology of Cu-MOFs was spherical, with an average particle size distribution of less than 100 nm. Using BET analysis, the surface area of Cu-MOF was found to be 284.94 m2/g. The porous morphology of Cu-MOF was also suggested by SEM and TEM analyses. It has anticancer properties against MCF-7 breast cancer cells. Cytotoxicity testing was performed on MCF-7 breast cancer cells using the MTT cell viability assay, and cell proliferation and viability were found to be approximately 24% higher than the control.

Background Vitamin D boosts innate immune response to mycobacteria. Hypovitaminosis D may lead to impaired clearance of tubercle bacilli and an increased risk of tuberculosis (TB). This study aimed to correlate hypovitaminosis D with clinical and microbiological profile in pediatric TB. Materials and methods A case–control study was conducted on 60 clinically diagnosed (clinical findings and radiography and/or contact history and/or Mantoux test) or microbiologically confirmed (smear and/or culture and/or cartridge-based nucleic acid amplification test positive) pediatric TB cases up to 12 years. Serum vitamin D levels were estimated using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in the cases and 60 healthy children. Hypovitaminosis D was categorized as insufficient at 20–29 ng/ml, deficient at less than 20 ng/ml, and sufficient at least 30 ng/ml levels. Results Hypovitaminosis D was significantly associated with pediatric TB (P=0.027). Of the cases, 33% were deficient for vitamin D, while 21.67% had insufficient levels. The levels of vitamin D inversely correlated with age (P=0.047) among the cases. There was no significant difference in the levels of vitamin D on the basis of sex, site of TB, presence of dissemination, or microbiological diagnosis. Conclusion Pediatric TB is associated with lower median serum levels of vitamin D. Diet modification to maintain optimum vitamin D levels may reduce the risk of the disease. Screening of healthy children for vitamin D levels with a strong history of close contact with an active TB case may predict the risk of developing TB disease.

Millions of people die annually due to uncured wound infections. Healthcare systems incur high costs to treat wound infections. Tt is predicted to become more challenging due to the rise of multidrug-resistant conditions. During the last decades, smart antibacterial hydrogels could attract attention as a promising solution, especially for skin wound infections. These antibacterial hydrogels are termed ‘smart’ due to their response to specific physical and chemical environmental stimuli. To deliver different drugs to particular sites in a controlled manner, various types of crosslinking strategies are used in the manufacturing process. Smart hydrogels are designed to provide antimicrobial agents to the infected sites or are built from polymers with inherent disinfectant properties. This paper aims to critically review recent pre-clinical and clinical advances in using smart hydrogels against skin wound infections and propose the next best thing for future trends. For this purpose, an introduction to skin wound healing and disease is presented and intelligent hydrogels responding to different stimuli are introduced. Finally, the most promising investigations are discussed in their related sections. These studies can pave the way for producing new biomaterials with clinical applications.

In the biomedical sciences, particularly in wound healing, tissue engineering, and regenerative medicine, the development of natural-based biomaterials as a carrier has revealed a wide range of advantages. Tissue engineering is one of the therapeutic approaches used to replace damaged tissue. Polymers have received a lot of attention for their beneficial interactions with cells, but they have some drawbacks, such as poor mechanical properties. Due to their relatively large surface area, nanoparticles can cause significant changes in polymers and improve their mechanical properties. The nanoparticles incorporated into biomaterial scaffolds have been associated with positive effects on cell adhesion, viability, proliferation, and migration in the majority of studies. This review paper discusses recent applications of polymer-nanoparticle composites in the development of tissue engineering scaffolds, as well as the effects of these nanomaterials in the fields of cardiovascular, neural, bone, and skin tissue engineering.

In resource limited settings, very often susceptibility reports glycopeptide antibiotics are released only on the basis of disk diffusion test. Determination of MIC by either E-strips or microbroth dilution tests can be of paramount importance in checking the errors that may have incurred with the singular use of disk diffusion tests. Distribution of errors in Vancomycin and Teicoplanin susceptibility reporting by disk diffusion test was evaluated in comparison with MIC determination with reference method of E-strip. A total of 40 isolates of Enterococcus species were obtained during the study period. In vancomycin susceptibility reporting, very major errors, major errors and minor errors were observed in 33.3%, 5.4% and 5% instances respectively. For teicoplanin, major errors were observed in 5.3% of instances. E test can be used in conjunction with disk diffusion where resources are limited. We have observed that by using a combination of both disk diffusion and MIC determination by E-strip methods for glycopeptide antibiotics, a majority of reporting errors can be addressed.

In this paper, we studied commercially available precipitated rice husk silica (RHS) with conventional precipitated silica, which has nearly the same surface area, and replaced part of the carbon black with RHS and conventional silica in a basic tread formulation. All formulations were mixed with the same amount of filler during the study. Silica was used at 15, 30 and 50 phr loading, and part of the carbon black was replaced by silica. Compound curing characteristics, physical properties, rebound resilience, heat generation, abrasion loss, dynamic properties and morphology were analyzed. The results indicated that RHS demonstrated compound properties comparable to those of conventional silica. As part of the carbon black was replaced with conventional silica, a slower cure rate, higher rebound resilience, lower heat generation, lower abrasion loss, and lower tan delta were observed with no significant change in physical properties, but some changes in physical properties were observed using one way ANOVA analysis. We found the same trend when replacing part of the carbon black with RHS, such as a slower cure rate, higher rebound resilience, lower heat generation, lower abrasion loss, and lower tan delta with no significant change in physical properties, but some changes in physical properties were observed using one way ANOVA. This sustainable material could be used to replace conventional silica in tire compounding, as well as to replace a portion of carbon black with RHS for improved heat build-up, rolling resistance, and abrasion loss.

In this study, the fibrous nanostructures based on cyclodextrin from egg shell waste were fabricated using electrospinning technique under optimal conditions. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermal stability analysis and abrasion testing were used to characterise the final products. The cyclodextrin nanofibrous products were used as new nanostructures in the field of dental coatings due to the obtained properties such as uniform shape, small particle size distribution, high thermal stability and optimal abrasion resistance. The DFT calculations confirmed the chemical stability of the final products. The MTT test results confirmed that the fibrous nanocoatings of the egg shell have no significant side effects on healthy cells. These fibrous nanostructures could be a promising candidate for use as a dental nanocoating material.

Metal organic frameworks (MOFs) are a promising choice for antibacterial and antifungal activity due to their composition, unique architecture, and larger surface area. Herein, the ultrasonic method was used to synthesize the Cu/Zn-MOF material as an effective hybrid nanostructure with ideal properties. SEM images were used to investigate the product’s morphology and particle size distribution. The XRD pattern revealed that the Cu/Zn hybrid MOF nanostructures had a smaller crystalline size distribution than pure Cu and Zn-MOF samples. Furthermore, the BET technique determined that the hybrid MOF nanostructures had a high specific surface area. TG analysis revealed that the hybrid MOF structures were more thermally stable than pure samples. The final product, with remarkable properties, was used as a new option in the field of antibacterial studies. Antibacterial activity was assessed using MIC and MBC against Gram negative and Gram positive strains, as well as antifungal activity using MIC and MFC. The antimicrobial properties of the synthesized Cu/Zn hybrid MOF nanostructures revealed that they were more effective than commercial drugs in some cases. This study’s protocol could be a new strategy for introducing new hybrid nanostructures with specific applications.

Background: In December 2019, in Wuhan, China; a new coronavirus emerged that had not been previously identified in humans. Hence is crucial to characterize the infection risk among infected health care workers (HCWs), being responsible for secondary transmission to patients, and others. Objectives: The current study aimed to assess the disease burden among the front-line warriors and efficiently planned the preventive and management strategies for such infections. Methods: HCWs with clinical suspicion of COVID-19 infection, who reported to Fever Clinic for possible diagnosis by Truenat testing, were enrolled through a self-reporting Risk Assessment form. An oropharyngeal swab was subjected to Truenat testing based on the principle of Real time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Results: Doctors comprised 60% of our HCWs. Eighty-three percent of the HCWs under study reported either the presence of BCG scar or gave a history of BCG immunization at birth. The maximum number of HCWs (29.16%) took Hydroxychloroquine prophylaxis for four weeks. Seventy-four percent of the HCWs affirmed the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) at the time of exposure. The most common mode of infection reported was the exposure to COVID-19 patients. Fever was the most common reported symptom. Truenat was positive in 9 of 100 HCWs who were tested, giving an infection rate of 9%. Conclusion: The study provides insights into the burden of COVID-19 infection among HCWs, and guides us to evaluate and plan our preventive measures and management strategies for such infections.

Mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) are widely used as a promising candidate for drug delivery applications due to silica’s favorable biocompatibility, thermal stability, and chemical properties. Silica’s unique mesoporous structure allows for effective drug loading and controlled release at the target site. In this review, we have discussed various methods of MSNs’ mechanism, properties, and its drug delivery applications. As a result, we came to the conclusion that more in vivo biocompatibility studies, toxicity studies, bio-distribution studies and clinical research are essential for MSN advancement.

Zn–Ni electrophosphate coating is one of the most commonly used materials in industrial applications. The corrosion resistance of this coating is very important in order to achieve the minimum corrosion current of the Zn–Ni electrophosphate coating. This study described a new reliability simulation framework to determine the corrosion behavior of coating using a gene artificial neural network (ANN) to estimate the corrosion current of the coating. The input parameters of the model are temperature, pH of electroplating bath, current density, and Ni2+ concentration, and corrosion current defined as output. The effectiveness and accuracy of the model were checked by utilizing the absolute fraction of variance (R2 = 0.9999), mean absolute percentage error (MAPE = 0.0171), and root mean square error (RMSE= 0.0002). This is determined using the genetic algorithm (GA) and the optimum practice condition.

Experts in the field are predicting a third COVID-19 peak very soon in coming times, it is important to assess recent knowledge, attitude in view of prolonged exhaustion and adherence to preventive practices of HCWs. This cross-sectional study involved 168 HCWs (42 doctors, 42 nurses, 42 paramedical staff and 42 ANMs). Data was collected through online survey tool Google forms in July and August 2021. First section included sociodemographic information and infection with SARS-CoV- 2, section 2 assessed recent knowledge, section 3 practices of COVID-19 appropriate behavior and section 4 assessed attitude of HCWs. Shapiro Wilk test was used to determine normality of distribution of variables. Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U tests were used to determine the association between two variables. Pairwise comparison was done following a significant Kruskal-Wallis test using Bonferroni’s correction. 42.9% of the HCWs and family members of 44.6% HCWs were infected with SARS-CoV-2. 54.1% of infected HCWs were infected during the March- May 2021 peak. 85.1% HCWs had taken COVID-19 vaccine. Mean knowledge, attitude, practice scores were 7.88±3.03(maximum score: 12), 20.35±3.2 (maximum score: 25), 69.89±9.39 (maximum score: 85) respectively. Only 48.8% HCWs had good knowledge about more recent COVID-19 information. A significant association was observed between profession and knowledge scores (p

Limited studies on candidemia in malignancy in the paediatric population from developing countries show a high incidence, high morbidity and a unique epidemiology as compared to developed nations. Our prospective observational study aimed to explore the prevalence of invasive candidiasis, especially candidemia, in febrile paediatric patients with lymphoreticular malignancy. A sample size of 49 children, with 100 recorded febrile episodes was studied. The relevance of candida colonization and mannan antigen detection as indicators of impending candidemia was evaluated. Genotypic identification of the yeast isolates was followed by sequence analysis using the NCBI-BLAST program, and the generation of the phylogenetic tree using MEGA 6.0 software. We observed a 5% prevalence of candidemia among febrile paediatric patients with lymphoreticular malignancy, predominantly caused by non-albicans candida. Colonization at multiple anatomical sites decreased from day 1 to day 8 of febrile episodes. Significant candida colonization (colonization index ≥0.5) was seen in a larger proportion of candidemia patients on day 1 and day 4 (p < 0.001) displaying a definite association between the two. The receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve analysis for mannan antigen level revealed a cut-off of ≥104.667 pg/mL, suitable for predicting candidemia with a sensitivity of 100%, specificity of 92% and area under ROC value of 0.958 (95% CI: 0.915–1; p < 0.001). A phylogenetic tree with three population groups, clade 1, 2 and 3, consisting of Candida auris (1), Candida tropicalis (2) and Candida parapsilosis (2), respectively, was generated. The diagnosis of candidemia based on mannan antigen detection gives early results and has high negative predictive values. It can be combined with other biomarkers to increase sensitivity, specificity and positive predictive value.

The entire collection of cultivated barley germplasm accessions conserved in the Indian National Genebank (INGB) was characterized for nine qualitative and 8 quantitative traits to assess the nature and magnitude of prevailing genetic variability and to develop a core set. A wide range of variability was observed for days to spike emergence (51–139 days), days to physiological maturity (100–152 days), plant height (45.96–171.32 cm), spike length (3.44–13.73 cm), grain number/spike (10.48–82.35), and 100-grain weight (1.20–6.86 g). Initially, seven independent core sets were derived using 3 core construction tools– MSTRAT, PowerCore, and Core Hunter 3 by employing the maximization method, heuristic sampling, and optimisation of average genetic distances, respectively. The core set-3 generated by Core Hunter 3 by simultaneous optimisation of diversity and representativeness, captured maximum genetic diversity of the whole collection as evident from the desirable genetic distance, variance difference percentage (VD; 87.5%), coincidence rate of range (CR; 94.27%) and variable rate of coefficient of variance (VR; 113.8%), which were more than threshold value of VD (80%), CR (80%), and VR (100%) required for good core collection. The coefficient of variation and Shannon–Weaver diversity indices were increased in the core set as compared with the whole collection. The low value of Kullback-Leibler distance (0.024–0.071) for all traits and quantile-quantile plots revealed a negligible difference between trait distribution patterns among the core set and entire assembly. Correlogram revealed that trait associations and their magnitude were conserved for most of the traits after sampling of the core set. The extraction of the INGB barley core set and identification of promising accessions for agronomically important traits in different genetic backgrounds will pave the way for expedited access to genetically diverse and agronomically important germplasm for barley breeding.

Abstract There have been several attempts to find promising biomaterials for skin regeneration, among which polylysine (a homopolypeptide) has shown benefits in the regeneration and treatment of skin disorders. This class of biomaterials has shown exceptional abilities due to their macromolecular structure. Polylysine‐based biomaterials can be used as tissue engineering scaffolds for skin regeneration, and as drug carriers or even gene delivery vectors for the treatment of skin diseases. In addition, polylysine can play a preservative role in extending the lifetime of skin tissue by minimizing the appearance of photodamaged skin. Research on polylysine is growing today, opening new scenarios that expand the potential of these biomaterials from traditional treatments to a new era of tissue regeneration. This review aims to address the basic concepts, recent trends, and prospects of polylysine‐based biomaterials for skin regeneration. Undoubtedly, this class of biomaterials needs further evaluations and explorations, and many critical questions have yet to be answered.

Currently, the only widely available tool for controlling the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic is nonpharmacological interventions (NPIs). Coronavirus aerosols are around 0.3–2 µm in diameter (0.9 m in mass). The present study used artificial intelligence such as gene expression programming (GEP) and genetic algorithms (GA) were used to predict and optimize the diameter of Nylon-6,6 nanofibers via electrospinning for protection against coronavirus. It is suggested that using the controlled experimental conditions such as concentration of nylon-6,6 (16% wt/v), applied voltage (26 kV), working distance (18 cm) and injection rate (0.2 mL/h) have resulted the diameter of nylon-6,6 nanofibers about 55.8 nm. Coronavirus face masks could use the obtained diameter and electrostatic interaction between viral particles and naofibers as active layers.

In this paper, we have reported an innovative greener method for developing copper-metal organic frameworks (Cu-MOFs) using caffeic acid (CA) as a linker extracted from Satureja hortensis using ultrasonic bath. The density functional theory is used to discuss the Cu-MOF-binding reaction mechanism. In order to achieve a discrepancy between the energy levels of the interactive precursor orbitals, the molecules have been optimized using the B3LYP/6–31G method. The Taguchi method was used to optimize the key parameters for the synthesis of Cu-MOF. FT-IR, XRD, nitrogen adsorption, and SEM analyses are used to characterize it. The adsorption/desorption and SEM analyses suggested that Cu-MOF has a larger surface area of 284.94 m2/g with high porosity. Cu-MOF has shown anticancer activities against the human breast cancer (MDA-MB-468) cell lines, and it could be a potent candidate for clinical applications.

Objectives Childhood tuberculosis (TB) accounts for 10–20% of all TB cases, with tuberculous meningitis (TBM) being the leading cause of severe morbidity and mortality. Pathophysiology of TBM still remains obscure. Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) induces fever and activation of hypothalamus–pituitary–adrenal axis, and serum TNF-α level has been shown to be significantly raised and has a positive correlation with severity of disease in TBM. We aimed to assess serum TNF-α level in pediatric patients with TB in association with clinicoradiological and microbiological features, with special reference to TBM. Materials and methods Serum TNF-α level was estimated using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in clinically diagnosed (clinical history and Mantoux and/or contact history and/or radiological evidence) or microbiologically confirmed (≥1 of smear/culture/catridge-based nucleic acid amplification test) pediatric TB cases up to 12 years and healthy controls. Results Among 60 pediatric TB cases, 19 were TBM. Median serum TNF-α level among pediatric TB, TBM, and healthy controls was 53.10, 74.2, and 79.2 pg/ml, respectively, with the difference among the three being insignificant. Median TNF-α level in pulmonary TB cases was slightly higher (64.10 pg/ml) as compared with extrapulmonary TB (52.90 pg/ml), with the difference being statistically insignificant (P=0.816). Levels did not vary significantly with clinical features, microbiological diagnosis, and radiological features. Conclusion TNF-α level was not significantly associated with pediatric TB, which may be owing to ineffective immune response in children and also the resulting increased susceptibility to TB in children. Further studies comparing TNF-α level in cerebrospinal fluid of affected patients are required to look for local inflammation and rise in cytokine levels, thus contributing to lower levels in serum.

Greener synthetic methods are becoming more popular as a means of reducing environmental pollution caused by reaction byproducts. Another important advantage of green methods is their low cost and the abundance of raw materials. Herein, we investigate the green Au nanoclusters (NCs) using microorganisms (bacteria and fungi) and plant extraction with various shapes and development routes. Natural products derived from plants, tea, coffee, banana, simple amino acids, enzyme, sugar, and glucose have been used as reductants and as capping agents during synthesis in literature. The synthesis techniques are generally chemical, physical and green methods. Green synthesis of Au NCs using bacteria and fungi can be divided into intracellular and extracellular. In an intracellular manner, bacterial cells are implanted in a culture medium containing salt and heated under suitable growth conditions. However, in an extracellular manner, the Au ions are directed from the outside into the cell. Thus, these methods are considered as a better alternative to chemical and physical synthesis. The research on green synthesis of Au nanoparticles (NPs) and its influence on their size and morphology are summarized in this review.

This study presents a SPR biosensor based on angular interrogation to get the significant figure of merit (FoM) by means of aluminium doped zinc oxide, dielectric, and graphene. Graphene is used here as an interaction layer with the sensing medium due to its larger surface area for binding of biomolecules. SPR biosensor’s performance parameters for aluminium doped zinc oxide-based SPR sensor is compared with conventional SPR sensor that utilize metal for plasmon generation. The maximum FoM of 426.1 RIU−1 is acquired for the proposed SPR sensor design using AZO and dielectric having 3000 nm thickness. Hence, proposed theoretical work would be practically suitable for biosensing with high accuracy and quality in near future with available fabrication technique.

In this study, the novel zinc metal-organic frameworks (MOF) nanostructure has been employed, which was developed using an affordable, environmental friendly, efficient and fast method of ultrasound-assisted reverse micelle (UARM). These nanostructures were identified with various techniques such as FT-IR, XRD, BET, SEM, TG-DSC, TEM and EDS. It was found that the Zn-MOF samples have favorable physicochemical properties. The impact of experimental parameters of the UARM method is effective on the resulting properties, such as high surface area of the products that increases the interactions between the Zn-MOF nanostructure and bacteria.Their antibacterial activities were investigated using diffusion methods in agar and also with dilutions of Zn-MOF samples. Antibiotics (tetracycline and ampicillin) and their anti-biofilm effects were evaluated using microplate method. Obtained results revealed that the Zn-MOF nanostructures have high antibacterial properties which, could be due to the nature of the applied Zn-MOF as well as the optimization process. The Zn- MOF nanostructures could be a novel antibacterial material as biocatalyst processes.

Candida auris has become a great challenge in diagnostic, therapeutic and hospital environmental adaptation. With a prevalence of 5.3% in intensive care unit (ICU) acquired candidemia in India, its colonization is very rapid which hastens hospital transmission. Strict surveillance and preventive measures need to be adopted in ICU as it can persist on dry, inanimate object, prompt adaptation and antifungal resistance can pose a future threat of a new drug hospital acquired pathogen. Keywords: Candida auris, Candidemia, Colonization, Intensive care unit, Sequencing

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is an emerging public health problem in modern times and the current COVID-19 pandemic has further exaggerated this problem. Due to bacterial co-infection in COVID-19 cases, an irrational consumption of antibiotics has occurred during the pandemic. This study aimed to observe the COVID-19 patients hospitalized from 1 March 2019 to 31 December 2020 and to evaluate the AMR pattern of bacterial agents isolated. This was a single-center study comprising 494 bacterial isolates (blood and urine) that were obtained from patients with SARS-CoV-2 admitted to the ICU and investigated in the Department of Microbiology of a tertiary care hospital in Delhi, India. Out of the total bacterial isolates, 55.46% were gram negative and 44.53% were gram positive pathogens. Of the blood samples processed, the most common isolates were CoNS (Coagulase Negative Staphylococcus) and Staphylococcus aureus. Amongst the urinary isolates, most common pathogens were Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. A total of 60% MRSA was observed in urine and blood isolates. Up to 40% increase in AMR was observed amongst these isolates obtained during COVID-19 period compared to pre-COVID-19 times. The overuse of antibiotics gave abundant opportunity for the bacterial pathogens to gradually develop mechanisms and to acquire resistance. Since the dynamics of SARS-COV-2 are unpredictable, a compromise on hospital antibiotic policy may ultimately escalate the burden of drug resistant pathogens in hospitals. A shortage of trained staff during COVID-19 pandemic renders it impossible to maintain these records in places where the entire hospital staff is struggling to save lives. This study highlights the extensive rise in the use of antibiotics for respiratory illness due to COVID-19 compared to antibiotic use prior to COVID-19 in ICUs. The regular prescription audit followed by a constant surveillance of hospital infection control practices by the dedicated teams and training of clinicians can improve the quality of medications in the long run and help to fight the menace of AMR.

Residual solvents in pharmaceutical samples are monitored using gas chromatography with head space. Based on good manufacturing practices, measuring residual solvents is mandatory for the release testing of all active pharmaceutical ingredients (API). The analysis of residual organic solvents (methanol, acetone, cyclohexane, dichloromethane, toluene) in Omeprazole, an active pharmaceutical ingredient was investigated. Omeprazole is a potent reversible inhibitor of the gastric proton pump H+/K+-ATPase. The Head space gas chromatography (HSGC) method described in this investigation utilized a SPB TM-624, Supelco, 30 m long x 0.25 mm internal diameter, 1.4µm-thick column. Since Omeprazole is a thermally labile compound, the selection of the proper injector temperature is critical to the success of the analysis. The injector temperature was set at 170ºC to prevent degradation. The initial oven temperature was set at 40ºC for 12 min and programmed at a rate of 10ºC min-1 to a final temperature of 220ºC for 5 min. Nitrogen was used as a carrier gas. The sample solvent selected was N,N-dimethylacetamide. The method was validated to be specific, linear, precise, sensitive, rugged and showed excellent recovery.Solventes residuais em amostras farmacêuticas são monitoradas utilizando-se cromatografia a gás "headspace". Com base nas boas práticas de fabricação, a medida de solventes residuais é obrigatória para o teste de liberação de todos os ingredientes farmacêuticos (API). Efetuou-se a análise de solventes orgânicos residuais (metanol, acetona, cicloexano, diclorometano, tolueno) em omeprazol, ingrediente farmacêutico ativo. O omeprazol é potente inibidor reversível da bomba de prótons H+/K+-ATPase. A cromatografia a gás "headspace" (HSGC) descrita nessa pesquisa utilizou um SPB TM-624, Supelco, de 30 m de comprimento x 0,25 mm de diâmetro interno, e coluna de 1,4 µm de espessura. Considerando-se que o omeprazol é termicamente lábil, a seleção da temperatura apropriada do injetor é crítica para impedir a degradação. A temperatura inicial do forno foi de 40 ºC, por 12 minutos, e programada à taxa de acréscimo de 10 ºC min-1 até a temperatura final de 220 ºC, por 5 minutos. Nitrogênio foi utilizado como gás de transporte. Selecionou-se como solvente a N,N-dimetilacetamida. O método foi validado mostrando-se específico, linear, preciso, sensível, robusto e com excelente recuperação.

Biological important ternary complexes of the type [NiCl(L-L) (A-A)(H2O)] and [Ni(L-L´)(A-A)(H2O)2], where A-A = Glycine (Gly), Alanine (Ala), L-L = 2-(2´-aminophenyl)benzothiazole (APBT) and L-L´ = 2-(2´-hydroxyphenyl)benzothiazole (HPBT), 2-(2´-mercaptophenyl)benzothiazole (MPBT) have been synthesized. These complexes have been characterized by elemental analysis, molecular weight determination, conductivity, magnetic measurements, infrared, electronic spectral and TGA studies. On the basis of above described studies an octahedral geometry has been suggested for these complexes. All these complexes are coloured, thermally stable, monomeric and non-electrolytic in nature. The ligands and their metal complexes were tested against pathogenic fungi Aspergillus niger and Fusarium oxysporum to assess their fungicidal properties, the antifungal activity data reveals that these metal complexes are found more fungitoxic than the parent ligands.

We describe a fatal case of hospital acquired meningitis in a term infant due to the antibiotic pressure mediated selection of Elizabethkingia meningosepticum. The antibiotics were administered for multi-drug resistant Acinetobacter baumannii infection. The strain was also phenotypically characterized for beta lactamase production, biofilm forming capability and resistance to in use disinfectants.

Amorphous metallic membranes display promising properties for hydrogen purification up to an ultrapure grade (purity > 99.999%). The hydrogen permeability through amorphous membranes has been widely studied in the literature. In this work we focus on two additional properties, which should be considered before possible application of such materials: the propensity to crystallize at high temperatures should be avoided, as the crystallized membranes can become brittle; the hydrogen solubility should be high, as solubility and permeability are proportional. We investigate the crystallization process and the hydrogen solubility of some membranes based on Ni, Nb, and Zr metals, as a function of Zr content, and with the addition of Ta or B. The boron doping does not significantly affect the crystallization temperature and the thermal stability of the membrane. However, the hydrogen solubility for p ~7 bar is as high as H/M ~0.31 at T = 440 °C and H/M ~0.27 at T = 485 °C. Moreover, the membrane does not pulverize even after repeated thermal cycles and hydrogenation processes up to 485 °C and 7 bar, and it retains its initial shape.

Ni-Nb-Zr amorphous membranes, prepared by melt-spinning, show great potential for replacing crystalline Pd-based materials in the field of hydrogen purification to an ultrapure grade (>99.999%). In this study, we investigate the temperature evolution of the structure of an amorphous ribbon with the composition Ni32Nb28Zr30Cu10 (expressed in atom %) by means of XRD and DTA measurements. An abrupt structural expansion is induced between 240 and 300 °C by hydrogenation. This structural modification deeply modifies the hydrogen sorption properties of the membrane, which indeed shows a strong reduction of the hydrogen capacity above 270 °C.