METHODS: The study was carried out from September 2017 to February 2019. Four archive isolates forming strong and intermediate biofilm and non-biofilms producer were subcultured from archive isolates. ATCC 27853 P. aeruginosa was used as a negative control or non-biofilm producing microorganism. Biofilm formation was confirmed by Crystal Violet Assay (CVA) and Congo Red Agar (CRA). Metabolic profiles of the biofilm and non-biofilms isolates were determined by phenotype microarrays (Biolog Omnilog).
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: In this study, Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm isolates utilized uridine, L-threonine and L-serine while non-biofilm utilized adenosine, inosine, monomethyl, sorbic acid and succinamic acid.
CONCLUSION: The outcome of this result will be used for future studies to improve detection or inhibit the growth of P. aeruginosa biofilm and non-biofilm respectively.
METHODS: This was a prospective cross-sectional study of pregnant and postnatal women aged between 18-35 years with no coexisting diseases. Serum samples were analysed for hs-TnI.
RESULTS: A total of 880 women (mean age = 29.1 years [standard deviation = 5.1 years]) were recruited with 129 (14%), 207 (24%), and 416 (47%) patients in the first, second, and third trimesters, respectively. Ninety (10%) participants were recruited in the postnatal period. During pregnancy 28 (3%) patients were classified as having pregnancy-induced hypertension and 10 (1%) as preeclampsia. High-sensitivity cardiac troponin I was measurable in 546 (62%) participants with a median of 1 ng/L (range 0 to 783 ng/L). Troponin concentrations were above the 99th percentile in 19 (2%) individuals. Patients with pregnancy-induced hypertension and preeclampsia had higher concentrations of hs-TnI (median 11 ng/L [interquartile range (IQR) 6 to 22 ng/L] vs 12ng/L [IQR 3 to 98 ng/L] vs 1 ng/L [IQR 0 to 1 ng/L]). In logistic regression modeling hs-cTnI concentration remained an independent predictor of pregnancy-induced hypertension or preeclampsia in both unadjusted and adjusted models (odds ratio 9.3 [95% confidence interval 5.8 to 16.3] and 11.5 [95% confidence interval 6.3 to 24.1], respectively, per doubling of hs-TnI concentrations).
CONCLUSIONS: Cardiac troponin measured using a high-sensitivity assay is quantifiable in the majority of young pregnant women with 2% of individuals having concentration above the 99th percentile sex-specific threshold. Patients with pregnancy-induced hypertension or preeclampsia had higher cardiac troponin concentrations. Cardiac troponin was a strong independent predictor of pregnancy-induced hypertension or preeclampsia in pregnant and postnatal women.
METHODS: Diabetic rats were treated orally with the vehicle or the ginger extract (75 mg/kg/day) over a period of 24 weeks along with regular monitoring of bodyweight and blood glucose and weekly fundus photography. At the end of the 24-week treatment, the retinas were isolated for histopathological examination under a light microscope, transmission electron microscopy, and determination of the retinal tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) levels.
RESULTS: Oral administration of the ginger extract resulted in significant reduction of hyperglycemia, the diameter of the retinal vessels, and vascular basement membrane thickness. Improvement in the architecture of the retinal vasculature was associated with significantly reduced expression of NF-κB and reduced activity of TNF-α and VEGF in the retinal tissue in the ginger extract-treated group compared to the vehicle-treated group.
CONCLUSIONS: The current study showed that ginger extract containing 5% of 6-gingerol attenuates the retinal microvascular changes in rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes through anti-inflammatory and antiangiogenic actions. Although precise molecular targets remain to be determined, 6-gingerol seems to be a potential candidate for further investigation.