Pre-treatment delay and out of pocket expenses by notified new tuberculosis patients in an Indian mega city.

Background: Study was carried out to find out delay from onset of symptoms and out of pocket expenditure (OOPE) until initiation of anti-TB treatment (ATT) by new Tuberculosis (TB) patients registered in public health facilities in Bengaluru.

Methods: Notified patients (N = 228) selected purposively were interviewed at initiation of ATT regarding number and type of facilities visited and delay in initiating ATT. OOPE was elicited separately for in- and out-patient visits, towards consultation, purchase of medicines, diagnostic tests, transportation, hospitalization and food.

Apache Spark based kernelized fuzzy clustering framework for single nucleotide polymorphism sequence analysis.

This paper introduces a kernel based fuzzy clustering approach to deal with the non-linear separable problems by applying kernel Radial Basis Functions (RBF) which maps the input data space non-linearly into a high-dimensional feature space. Discovering clusters in the high-dimensional genomics data is extremely challenging for the bioinformatics researchers for genome analysis. To support the investigations in bioinformatics, explicitly on genomic clustering, we proposed high-dimensional kernelized fuzzy clustering algorithms based on Apache Spark framework for clustering of Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) sequences.

Observational Study of Third-Trimester Vitamin D3 Supplementation and Implications for Mothers and Neonates at Term.

Objective: To determine 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) levels in pregnant women at 28 weeks and supplement based on these levels and check maternal and neonatal levels after delivery at term.

Design: This is a prospective observational study wherein pregnant women aged 18-35 years received cholecalciferol from 28 weeks till delivery at term. Women with 25OHD levels ≥ 75 nmol/L received 12.

'I am on treatment since 5 months but I have not received any money': coverage, delays and implementation challenges of 'Direct Benefit Transfer' for tuberculosis patients - a mixed-methods study from South India.

: In March 2018, the Government of India launched a direct benefit transfer (DBT) scheme to provide nutritional support for all tuberculosis (TB) patients in line with END TB strategy. Here, the money (@INR 500 [~8 USD] per month) is deposited electronically into the bank accounts of beneficiaries. To avail the benefit, patients are to be notified in NIKSHAY (web-based notification portal of India's national TB programme) and provide bank account details.

Tuberculosis diagnostic and treatment practices in private sector: Implementation study in an Indian city.

Setting: Implementation study in private health facilities in an Indian metropolis.

Objectives: Improve Tuberculosis (TB) care by private practitioners (PPs).

Methods: PPs from a defined city area were imparted short training in TB care and linkages made with public facilities; subsequent practices were recorded.

Knowledge of private practitioners of Bangalore city in diagnosis, treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis and compliance with case notification.

One hundred and twenty-nine qualified private practitioners (PPs) were assessed on their knowledge in diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB), treatment of a new drug sensitive PTB case and practices of case notification, using semi-structured questionnaire. About 20% had adequate knowledge of diagnosis, 29% of treatment regimen, 54% the need for Direct Observation Treatment and 57% about role of sputum smear examination in monitoring treatment response. Of 85 (68%) PPs who had diagnosed any TB case during last two years, 54 (64%) had practised notification.

Vitamin D and Metabolic Bone Parameters in Preterm Neonates.

We measured serum levels of 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25(OH) D) in 79 preterm neonates (?32 wk), and correlated it with serum ionized calcium (Ca++) levels at 48-72 h and serum phosphorus and alkaline phosphatase levels at 2-3 weeks of age. The mean (SD) 25 (OH)D level was 14.8 (7.

In vitro antioxidant, antimicrobial, cytotoxic potential of gold and silver nanoparticles prepared using Embelia ribes.

In recent years, the green synthesis of gold (GNPs) and silver (SNPs) nanoparticles has gained great interest among chemists and researchers. The present study reports an eco-friendly, cost-effective, rapid and easy method for the synthesis of gold and silver nanoparticles using the seed extract of Embelia ribes (SEEr) as capping and reducing agent. The synthesised GNPs and SNPs were characterised using the following techniques: UV-vis spectroscopy, DLS, HR-TEM, FT-IR and XRD.

Are registered sputum smear-negative tuberculosis patients in Karnataka, India, diagnosed by national algorithm?

Setting: Four districts of Karnataka State, India, that have implemented the National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP).

Objective: To assess the proportion of patients diagnosed according to the nationally recommended algorithm among new smear-negative (NSN) PTB cases registered under the RNTCP.

Methods: Information on 201 registered NSN-PTB patients as regards date of initial sputum examination, repeat sputum examination and chest X-ray (CXR) if undertaken, treatment initiation and number of days of antibiotic treatment after initial sputum examination, were collected through record review and patient interviews.

Treatment outcome of tuberculosis patients in a clinic of Bangalore.

A total of 112 cases (New = 101, previously treated = 11) were diagnosed as suffering from tuberculosis (TB) at a private clinic in Bangalore city. The clinic identified TB suspects, established diagnosis of TB, administered direct observation of treatment (DOT), maintained treatment cards and undertook defaulter retrieval actions as and when required. The Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP) provided support in terms of sputum microscopy supply of patient-wise drug boxes and registration of patients.

Implementation efficiency of a diagnostic algorithm in sputum smear-negative presumptive tuberculosis patients.

Background: For the diagnosis of smear-negative pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB), India's Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP) recommends a course of broad-spectrum antibiotics after negative smear on initial sputum examination, followed by repeat sputum examination and chest X-ray (CXR).

Objectives: 1) To ascertain the proportion of presumptive PTB patients smear-negative on initial sputum examination who completed the diagnostic algorithm, and 2) to investigate barriers to the completion of the algorithm.

Methods: In Karnataka State, India, 256 study participants were interviewed in 2012 to ascertain the number of days antibiotics had been prescribed and consumed, the number of re-visits to health centre(s), whether repeat sputum examinations had been performed, whether or not CXR had been performed and when, and whether PTB had been diagnosed.

Self-assembly to function: design, synthesis, and broad spectrum antimicrobial properties of short hybrid E-vinylogous lipopeptides.

Nonribosomal E-vinylogous γ-amino acids are widely present in many peptide natural products and have been exploited as inhibitors for serine and cysteine proteases. Here, we are reporting the broad spectrum antimicrobial properties and self-assembled nanostructures of various hybrid lipopeptides composed of 1:1 alternating α- and E-vinylogous residues. Analysis of the results revealed that self-assembled nanostructures also play a significant role in the antimicrobial and hemolytic activities.