{"title":"Emotion Regulation in Adolescence: Different Strategies and Associated Functional Connectivity of Brain Regions","authors":"A. Krishnan","doi":"10.4103/bmrj.bmrj_13_20","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4103/bmrj.bmrj_13_20","url":null,"abstract":"Adolescence is often characterized as a period of overwhelming sensitive emotions. Additional to the emotional instability, there are rapid changes in the development and the maturation of the brain regions because of the effects of sex hormones. Accordingly, the mismatch maturation rate of the amygdala and prefrontal cortex determines the disrupted functional connectivity between them leading to delayed cognitive responses. As a result of the increased emotional reactivity together with delayed cognitive responses, adolescence is more prone to maladaptive shifts in regulation skills. These shifts in the course of puberty lead to diminished emotion regulation in adolescents. Hence, the ability to execute successful regulatory skills becomes a vital aspect concerning mental well-being. Taken together, the current review evaluates the efficiency of the regulatory skills (strategies) and the associated connectivity of neural networks during emotional regulation in adolescence. Furthermore, the present review correlates the success of emotion regulation with psychiatric symptoms.","PeriodicalId":34293,"journal":{"name":"Biomedical Research Journal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"75434731","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
T. Bajpai, M. Pandey, M. Varma, Neelesh Gagrani, G. Bhatambare
{"title":"Identification of Uropathogens: A Journey from Conventional to Molecular Level","authors":"T. Bajpai, M. Pandey, M. Varma, Neelesh Gagrani, G. Bhatambare","doi":"10.4103/BMRJ.BMRJ_7_20","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4103/BMRJ.BMRJ_7_20","url":null,"abstract":"Background: During the course of bacterial infection, the rapid and accurate identification of the causative agent is essential to determine the effective treatment option. Now, the question arises, is it necessary to identify the microbial pathogens up to the species level? Objective: The present prospective study involving uropathogens has been designed to highlight the journey from well-adapted, inexpensive but time-consuming and labor-intensive gold-standard conventional (biochemical) diagnostic methods to the rapid and specific upcoming rival in the form of molecular methods (16s rRNA sequencing). Materials and Methods: The study was carried out for a period of 12 months. Clean catch, midstream urine samples from 1101 admitted patients clinically suspected of urinary tract infection (UTI) were subjected to microscopy and culture on blood agar, MacConkey agar, and UTI chromogenic media (HiMedia, Mumbai). The uropathogens isolated from the culture-positive samples were identified up to the species level by the conventional method (Biochemical testing). The isolates were further confirmed by automated method (Vitek 2-Compact System, BioMérieux Inc., France). If required, then, further confirmation was done by molecular method (16S rRNA sequencing) (Yaazh Xenomics, Mumbai and Chennai). Results: A total of 463 (42%) urine samples were found to be culture positive out of 1101 patient samples processed. Four hundred and eighty-nine uropathogens were isolated from 463 culture-positive samples (26 samples had mixed flora i.e., two pathogens per sample). Conclusions: Although genotypic characterization of bacterial pathogen is advantageous when compared to phenotypic method, it is recommendable to use the combination of a traditional culture-based assays and rapid molecular diagnostic tool.","PeriodicalId":34293,"journal":{"name":"Biomedical Research Journal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"78797718","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Kayode T Adeyemi, Favour Ezekwem, Victoria Babawale
{"title":"Isolation, Characterization, and Antibiotic Resistance Profile of Staphylococci from the Indoor Air of the Students' Halls of Residence at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, Nigeria","authors":"Kayode T Adeyemi, Favour Ezekwem, Victoria Babawale","doi":"10.4103/BMRJ.BMRJ_1_20","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4103/BMRJ.BMRJ_1_20","url":null,"abstract":"Background: It has become a public health concern to evaluate the safety of the only readily consumable and unfiltered part of the biosphere, the air most especially from the densely populated region like the students' hostel. Aim and Objectives: This study was conducted to investigate the colony-forming unit per unit volume of staphylococci obtained from the indoor air of students' halls of residence, their biochemical characteristics, and antibiotic resistance profile. Materials and Methods: The identification of isolates was based on the standard methods, such as colonial morphology, Gram stain reaction, catalase, and deoxyribonuclease tests, while antibiotic susceptibility profile was on standard disk diffusion method using the commercially available antibiotic discs (Abtek, Habdiscs) such as ciprofloxacin 5 μg/mL, gentamicin 10 μg/mL, and tetracycline 30 μg/mL. Results: A total of 26 staphylococci isolates were obtained from which none (0%), 4 (15%), and 10 (37%) of the isolates were resistant to ciprofloxacin, gentamicin, and tetracycline, respectively. Conclusion: It is observed that the year of discovery of these antibiotics has a nonlinear correlation with the recorded rate of resistance of the staphylococci to the antibiotics, which predicts an efficacy duration window of 104 years from the date of development. This finding predicts a future pattern of the antimicrobial resistance, which may pose a severe public health problem if antimicrobial stewardship measures are not put in place.","PeriodicalId":34293,"journal":{"name":"Biomedical Research Journal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"84677378","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Those few horrible days: Premenstrual syndrome","authors":"G. Sarla","doi":"10.4103/bmrj.bmrj_21_19","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4103/bmrj.bmrj_21_19","url":null,"abstract":"Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is a distinct clinical syndrome during the recurrent luteal phase of menstrual cycle wherein there is a significant deterioration in the quality of life due to disruptive physical and psychiatric symptoms caused by an abnormal central nervous system response to the hormonal changes of the female reproductive cycle. It happens in the postovulation phase because estrogen and progesterone levels fall dramatically if there is no pregnancy. Physical symptoms include breast tenderness and bloating sensation, and emotional symptoms may manifest as mood swings, depression or feeling of hopelessness, intense anger and conflict with others, tension, anxiety, irritability, decreased interest in usual activities, difficulty in concentrating, fatigue, and changes in appetite. Symptoms emerge 1–2 weeks before menses and resolve completely with the onset of menses. This review article outlines the pathophysiology, presentation, severity and timing of symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of PMS and reiterates that it is a transient and physiological phase during the menstrual cycle and not a pathological entity.","PeriodicalId":34293,"journal":{"name":"Biomedical Research Journal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"81175768","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Effect of contact load upon attrition-corrosion wear behavior of bio-composite materials: In vitro off-axis sliding contact-chewing simulation","authors":"E. Yilmaz","doi":"10.4103/bmrj.bmrj_2_20","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4103/bmrj.bmrj_2_20","url":null,"abstract":"Background: In recent years, the use of composite materials as biomaterials has been increasing in dentistry. It is important to perform in vitro experiments of biomaterials before living tissue. Aim: The purpose of this work was to examine the effect of contact load upon attrition-corrosion wear behavior of bio-composite materials: in vitro off-axis sliding contact chewing simulation. Material and Method: In this study, 2 mm × 12 mm (weight × diameter) cylindrical test specimens were prepared from Filtek Supreme and Clearfil AP-X bio-composite materials with different filler structure. The surface roughness and Vicker's Hardness values of the bio-composites were measured before the wear test procedures. Then, the test specimens were subjected to off-sliding abrasion test procedures under different mechanical loads in artificial saliva and citric acid medium. Wear volume loss of bio-composite materials was determined after wear test procedures using the three-dimensional noncontact profilometer. Results: As the mechanical loading increased, the loss of wear volume in both composite materials increased irrespective of test medium. However, this increase in wear volume loss in test specimens was more pronounced in the citric acid environment. Conclusion: As a result of, the organic matrix structure (such as Ba glass particle) of the composite material contributes to more volume loss in corrosive environment.","PeriodicalId":34293,"journal":{"name":"Biomedical Research Journal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"82715969","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
S. Rahamon, K. Akinlade, O. Arinola, S. Kakako, V. Lasebikan
{"title":"Impact of type and duration of use of antipsychotic drugs on plasma levels of selected acute-phase proteins in patients with major mental illnesses","authors":"S. Rahamon, K. Akinlade, O. Arinola, S. Kakako, V. Lasebikan","doi":"10.4103/bmrj.bmrj_27_19","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4103/bmrj.bmrj_27_19","url":null,"abstract":"Background: Disorders of the hemostatic system such as hypercoagulation and hypofibrinolysis are clinical manifestations in patients with schizophrenia, depression, and bipolar disorder. However, the role of the type of antipsychotic medication as well as the duration of use on disturbances in the hemostatic system is poorly understood. This study was, therefore, carried out to determine the possible impact of antipsychotic treatment as well as the duration of use on selected acute-phase proteins involved in coagulation and fibrinolysis. Materials and Methods: Plasma levels of fibrinogen and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) were determined in 124 patients with major mental illnesses: schizophrenia, depression, and bipolar disorder. Thereafter, the participants were grouped based on the type of antipsychotic medication (typical vs. atypical) and the duration of antipsychotic use. Results: Patients on typical antipsychotics had a slightly elevated level of PAI-1 but a similar level of fibrinogen when compared with patients on atypical antipsychotics. Furthermore, the median plasma levels of fibrinogen and PAI-1 in patients who have been on antipsychotic use for more than 10 years were slightly higher than in patients who have been on the drug for 10 years or less. Conclusion: It could be concluded from this study that patients on typical antipsychotics and those who have used any form of antipsychotics for more than 10 years might benefit from periodic assessment of markers of prothrombosis as it could facilitate early identification of those at risk of venous thromboembolism.","PeriodicalId":34293,"journal":{"name":"Biomedical Research Journal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"77616369","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
A. Agrawal, C. Varun, Anjali Shette, D. John, Ravikumar Raju
{"title":"The Presence of gram-negative bacteria carrying the New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase gene on abiotic touch surfaces at a tertiary care center","authors":"A. Agrawal, C. Varun, Anjali Shette, D. John, Ravikumar Raju","doi":"10.4103/bmrj.bmrj_23_19","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4103/bmrj.bmrj_23_19","url":null,"abstract":"Objectives: New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase (NDM), which has emerged as a major mechanism of resistance to carbapenems in Gram-negative bacteria (GNB), challenges effective patient management of health-care systems. Nonpathogenic environmental bacteria present on abiotic touch surfaces in hospitals may serve as reservoirs for the NDM gene and contribute to the emergence and spread of resistance to carbapenems. The aim of this study was to determine the presence of NDM-positive GNB in the environment of a tertiary care center. Materials and Methods: Fifty-eight swab samples were collected from various touch surfaces in 12 different wards between January and February 2017. The swabs were cultured in nutrient broth and subsequently subcultured onto McConkey agar plates. Both lactose and nonlactose fermenting colonies grown were identified by biochemical methods. The polymerase chain reaction method was used to detect NDM carriage. Results: Twenty-seven (46%) of the samples were positive for microbial growth, of which 21 (36%) samples yielded bacterial growth on McConkey agar plates. Of the 30 isolates identified, 25 (83%) were nonfermenting GNB (NFGNB) and 5 (17%) were Klebsiella spp., of which 1 was Klebsiella oxytoca. NFGNB were isolated mostly from tables and infusion stands in various wards. Four of the five Klebsiella spp. were from patients' beds. Two isolates of NFGNB and one Klebsiella spp. were positive for the NDM gene. Conclusion: In addition to serving as potential pathogens of nosocomial infections, environmental bacteria present on abiotic touch surfaces in hospitals may serve as reservoirs for the NDM gene.","PeriodicalId":34293,"journal":{"name":"Biomedical Research Journal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"88402773","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"16S ribosomal RNA gene-based metagenomics: A review","authors":"Asmita Kamble, S. Sawant, Harinder Singh","doi":"10.4103/bmrj.bmrj_4_20","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4103/bmrj.bmrj_4_20","url":null,"abstract":"With the advent of contemporary molecular tools, the conventional microbiological isolation, enrichment techniques, and approaches have changed considerably. Molecular techniques such as polymerase chain reaction, cloning, and sequencing have shown that the major percentage of microbial diversity in an ecosystem remain “unculturable” or “as yet uncultivable” due to the lack of information on their biology, limited selection media, and culture conditions that could support their growth. Identifying and knowing more about them have become an important objective in the microbiological research. The ecological, environmental, and functional implications of a microbial ecosystem can be deciphered by knowing its microbial composition and interactions. The areas of whole-cell and targeted gene metagenomics are playing a key role in accomplishing this objective. The present review discusses the 16S ribosomal RNA (16S rRNA) gene metagenomics approach, which has found major applications in identifying the composition of a given microbial ecosystem. Different systems, processes, and analysis tools are available to perform 16S rRNA metagenomics; however, there are few concerns that require more investigation to gain the maximum benefit of these techniques.","PeriodicalId":34293,"journal":{"name":"Biomedical Research Journal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"84202962","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Analysis of spontaneous depolarization-linked hyperpolarizations in mouse detrusor smooth muscle cells","authors":"M. Padmakumar, K. Brain, R. Manchanda","doi":"10.4103/BMRJ.BMRJ_9_19","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4103/BMRJ.BMRJ_9_19","url":null,"abstract":"Background: Urinary bladder detrusor smooth muscle cells exhibit spontaneous electrical activities comprising various signal types. Aims and Objectives: This article introduces and analyzes a rare category of signals observed in such activity, named spontaneous depolarization-linked hyperpolarization (sDLH). Materials and Methods: A mouse model was used in the study, where all the occurrences of sDLHs were pooled together from multiple intracellular recording sessions. Four features – (i) resting membrane potential (RMP) (R, in mV), (ii) depolarization amplitude (D, in mV), (iii) hyperpolarization amplitude (H, in mV), and (iv) time course of the hyperpolarization (T, in ms) – were evaluated from all sDLHs. Results: The analysis of results indicated that (a) the signals appear more frequently in cells with higher RMP, (b) the depolarization amplitudes seem to be distributed randomly and have no correlation with other features, (c) hyperpolarization amplitudes show two distinct clusters and exhibit strong correlation with the RMP, and (d) time course of hyperpolarization phase shows no distinct groups and is distributed in a window larger than that of any other signals seen in the intracellular recordings. With the help of the results obtained from the analysis, a hypothesis for the biophysical origin of these signals is proposed. Conclusions: This needs to be tested experimentally, and if proved right, would help extend the boundaries of our current understanding of the detrusor smooth muscle system.","PeriodicalId":34293,"journal":{"name":"Biomedical Research Journal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"81668153","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Transplantation review: Liver, kidney, and pancreas transplantation","authors":"R. Rai","doi":"10.4103/bmrj.bmrj_25_19","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4103/bmrj.bmrj_25_19","url":null,"abstract":"The source of graft for organ transplants come from either living donors as may be in the kidney, liver, and rarely, in pancreas transplants or from brain dead donors called donation after brain death (DBD). In case of heart and lung transplants, graft always comes from DBD donors. In Western world, majority of transplants are carried out using DBD donors. In India, due to the scarcity of DBD donors, majority of transplants are carried out using living donor grafts.","PeriodicalId":34293,"journal":{"name":"Biomedical Research Journal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"84301296","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}