Successful medical management of a case of Austrian syndrome-an uncommon entity in the modern antibiotic era: a case report.

Background: Austrian syndrome-the combination of meningitis, pneumonia and infective endocarditis due to Streptococcus pneumoniae infection, is a rare entity. In literature only a few hundreds of cases are reported but surprisingly we did not find any report on Austrian syndrome in or from Bangladesh.

Case Presentation: We report the case history of a middle aged Bangladeshi diabetic man, who had fever, cough, shortness of breath and altered mentation.

Writer identification: A comparative study across three world major languages.

This paper presents a review on the state of the art in offline text-independent writer identification methods for three major languages, namely English, Chinese and Arabic, which were published in literatures from 2011 till 2016. For ease of discussions, we grouped the techniques into three categories: texture-, structure-, and allograph-based. Results are analysed, compared and tabulated along with datasets used for fair and just comparisons.

Dopamine Transporter and Reward Anticipation in a Dimensional Perspective: A Multimodal Brain Imaging Study.

Dopamine function and reward processing are highly interrelated and involve common brain regions afferent to the nucleus accumbens, within the mesolimbic pathway. Although dopamine function and reward system neural activity are impaired in most psychiatric disorders, it is unknown whether alterations in the dopamine system underlie variations in reward processing across a continuum encompassing health and these disorders. We explored the relationship between dopamine function and neural activity during reward anticipation in 27 participants including healthy volunteers and psychiatric patients with schizophrenia, depression, or cocaine addiction, using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and positron emission tomography (PET) multimodal imaging with a voxel-based statistical approach.

Chikungunya: an emerging viral infection with varied clinical presentations in Bangladesh: Reports of seven cases.

Background: Chikungunya is an emerging and rapidly spreading viral infection in many parts of the world including Bangladesh. It shares many epidemiological and clinical characteristics with dengue. So, a sound knowledge is required for its detection and differentiation from dengue, specially in endemic regions.

Multiligand Metal-Phenolic Assembly from Green Tea Infusions.

The synthesis of hybrid functional materials using the coordination-driven assembly of metal-phenolic networks (MPNs) is of interest in diverse areas of materials science. To date, MPN assembly has been explored as monoligand systems (i.e.

Hepatic or Cystic Artery Pseudoaneurysms Following a Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy: Literature review of aetiopathogenesis, presentation, diagnosis and management.

Pseudoaneurysms (PSAs) of the hepatic and/or cystic artery are a rare complication following a laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC). Generally, PSA cases present with haemobilia several weeks following the procedure. Transarterial embolisation (TAE) is considered the optimal management approach.

Joint prediction of multiple scores captures better individual traits from brain images.

To probe individual variations in brain organization, population imaging relates features of brain images to rich descriptions of the subjects such as genetic information or behavioral and clinical assessments. Capturing common trends across these measurements is important: they jointly characterize the disease status of patient groups. In particular, mapping imaging features to behavioral scores with predictive models opens the way toward more precise diagnosis.

Degradable magnesium implant-associated infections by bacterial biofilms induce robust localized and systemic inflammatory reactions in a mouse model.

Biomaterial-associated Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm infections constitute a cascade of host immune reactions ultimately leading to implant failure. Due to the lack of relevant in vivo biofilm models, the majority of the studies report host immune responses to free-living or planktonic bacteria, while bacteria in clinical situations live more frequently as biofilm communities than as single cells. The present study investigated host immune responses to biomaterial-associated P.

Clinical Significance of Pretreatment FDG PET/CT in MIBG-Avid Pediatric Neuroblastoma.

Purpose: F-fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) imaging is well known to have clinical significance in the initial staging and response evaluation of the many kinds of neoplasms. However, its role in the pediatric neuroblastoma is not clearly defined. In the present study, the clinical significance of FDG-PET/computed tomography (CT) in I- or I-metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG)-avid pediatric neuroblastoma was investigated.

Investigation of angiogenesis genes with anterior cruciate ligament rupture risk in a South African population.

The angiogenesis-signalling pathway is a physiological response after mechanical loading to promote matrix remodelling and thereby maintain tissue homeostasis. Studies have shown increased expression of angiogenic molecules in response to loading and in ruptured ligaments. Recently, polymorphisms within the vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) and kinase insert-domain receptor (KDR) genes were associated with risk of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) ruptures and Achilles tendinopathy in Caucasian study groups.

Transmodal Learning of Functional Networks for Alzheimer's Disease Prediction.

Functional connectivity describes neural activity from resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI). This noninvasive modality is a promising imaging biomarker of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), where the connectome can be an indicator to assess and to understand the pathology. However, it only provides noisy measurements of brain activity.

Novel glycoconjugated squaraine dyes for selective optical imaging of cancer cells.

Novel glycoconjugated squaraine dyes were synthesized, which exhibited excellent internalization in tumor cells and are potent fluorogenic imaging probes for tumor selective optical imaging.

Increasing usage of rapid diagnostics for Dengue virus detection in Pakistan.

Objective: To evaluate the trends in usage of dengue virus diagnostics in Pakistan.

Methods: This retrospective study was conducted at the Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, and comprised data for specimens tested for dengue virus from January 2012 to December 2015. Test for dengue virus ribonucleic acid by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, dengue virus antigen by immunochromatic assay and for human immunoglobulin M against dengue virus by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay were reviewed.

Blood immune function parameters in response to combined aerobic dance exercise and honey supplementation in adult women.

To date, information on the effectiveness of combined aerobic dance exercise with honey supplementation on immune function in women is lacking. The present study investigated the effects of 8 weeks of combined aerobic dance exercise and honey supplementation on blood immune function parameters in adult women. In this study, forty four healthy sedentary women (25-40 year-old) were assigned into four groups with n = 11 per group: sedentary without supplementation control (Con), honey supplementation (H), aerobic dance exercise (D) and combined aerobic dance exercise with honey supplementation (HD) groups.

Rust-Mediated Continuous Assembly of Metal-Phenolic Networks.

The use of natural compounds for preparing hybrid molecular films-such as surface coatings made from metal-phenolic networks (MPNs)-is of interest in areas ranging from catalysis and separations to biomedicine. However, to date, the film growth of MPNs has been observed to proceed in discrete steps (≈10 nm per step) where the coordination-driven interfacial assembly ceases beyond a finite time (≈1 min). Here, it is demonstrated that the assembly process for MPNs can be modulated from discrete to continuous by utilizing solid-state reactants (i.

Transplantation of the decellularized tracheal allograft in animal model (rabbit).

Background: It has been difficult to perform tracheal allotransplantation without immunosuppression. To determine whether decellularized trachea can be used in tracheal replacement, we evaluated the viability of decellularized tracheal allografts in a rabbit model of immunosuppressant-free transplantation.

Method: Half allograft (Group 1, n = 7) was harvested from adult New Zealand white rabbits, subjected to a detergent-enzymatic method (containing sodium deoxycholate/DNase lavations) of decellularization for as many cycles as needed, and the other half was stored in phosphate-buffered saline at 4°C as a control (Group 2, n = 7).

A Viral Immunoevasin Controls Innate Immunity by Targeting the Prototypical Natural Killer Cell Receptor Family.

Natural killer (NK) cells play a key role in innate immunity by detecting alterations in self and non-self ligands via paired NK cell receptors (NKRs). Despite identification of numerous NKR-ligand interactions, physiological ligands for the prototypical NK1.1 orphan receptor remain elusive.

Haemophagocytic syndrome in an adult suffering from pyrexia of unknown origin: an uncommon presentation of tuberculosis: a case report.

Background: Tuberculosis is common, can involve various organs of the body and may have diverse presentations. Haemophagocytic syndrome is one of the rare presentations of tuberculosis carrying a very high mortality. Early detection and institution of anti-tuberculosis medications can be life-saving.

Chemical composition and pharmacological significance of Anethum Sowa L. Root.

Background: Medicinal herbs are used for the treatment of different ailments since antiquity. Different parts of Anethum sowa L. is used in folk medicine as a carminative for the treatment of flatulence, colic and hiccups of infants and children, antioxidant, antimicrobial and antispasmodic agent.

Engineered Hydrogen-Bonded Glycopolymer Capsules and Their Interactions with Antigen Presenting Cells.

Hollow glycopolymer microcapsules were fabricated by hydrogen-bonded layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly, and their interactions with a set of antigen presenting cells (APCs), including dendritic cells (DCs), macrophages (MACs), and myeloid derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), were investigated. The glycopolymers were obtained by cascade postpolymerization modifications of poly(oligo(2-ethyl-2-oxazoline methacrylate)-stat-glycidyl methacrylate) involving the modification of the glycidyl groups with propargylamine and the subsequent attachment of mannose azide by copper(I)-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC). Multilayer assembly of the hydrogen-bonding pair (glycopolymer/poly(methacrylic acid) (PMA)) onto planar and particulate supports (SiO particles, d = 1.

Occurrence of Hybrid Strains Carrying Shiga Toxin and Heat-Stable Toxin in Livestock of Bangladesh.

Shiga toxin-producing (STEC) and enterotoxigenic (ETEC) are important causes of diarrhea in humans and animals worldwide. Although ruminant animals are the main source of STEC, diarrhea due to this pathotype is very low in Bangladesh where ETEC remains the predominant group associated with childhood diarrhea. In the present study, strains ( = 35) isolated from Bangladesh livestock (goats, sheep, and cattle) and poultry (chicken and ducks) were analyzed for the presence of major virulence factors, such as Shiga toxins (STX-1 and STX-2), heat-labile toxin, and heat-stable toxins (STa and STb).

Intervention quality is not routinely assessed in Cochrane systematic reviews of radiation therapy interventions.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to maximise the benefits from clinical trials involving technological interventions such as radiation therapy. High compliance to the quality assurance protocols is crucial. We assessed whether the quality of radiation therapy intervention was evaluated in Cochrane systematic reviews.

Biofunctional metal-phenolic films from dietary flavonoids.

We assembled dietary, bioactive flavonoids into a metal coordinated network to form thin, surface-bound films and hollow capsules, overcoming the poor water solubility of free flavonoids. Films formed from quercetin, myricetin, luteolin and fisetin show radical scavenging activity, a renowned feature of their parent flavonoids, and can be reused over multiple cycles. These films are expected to have potential applications in the pharmaceutical and food industries.

Increased Mycobacterium tuberculosis antigen-induced gene expression of interferon-gamma, tumor necrosis factor alpha and interleukin-6 in patients with diabetes.

Introduction: Pakistan ranks fifth in high tuberculosis (TB)-burden countries and seventh among countries with high prevalence rates of diabetes mellitus (DM). DM is a risk factor for TB and worsens disease outcomes. Furthermore, Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) infection can induce glucose intolerance and worsen glycemic control in diabetes.