Amphiphilic cell-penetrating peptide–porphyrin conjugates have been developed for application in light-based therapeutic techniques.

Background and Aims:Several drug combinations have been tried in patients with acyanotic congenital heart disease (ACHD) undergoing transcatheter device closure in the cardiac catheterisation laboratory (CCL). Adequate sedation, analgesia, akinesia, cardiorespiratory stability, and prompt recovery are key requirements. Ketamine with propofol is used for this purpose. Dexmedetomidine carries a shorter recovery time. This study compared dexmedetomidine–propofol (DP) with ketamine–propofol (KP) in patients in the CCL.Methods:This was an open label randomised trial at a CCL over a 2-year period from August 2012 to August 2014. Fifty-six paediatric and 44 young adults with ACHD underwent device closure and were randomised to receive DP or KP. The primary outcome studied was time to regain full consciousness, airway and motor recovery.Results:Baseline characteristics were similar in the study groups. In the DP arm as compared to the KP arm, the time to recovery of consciousness (mean ± SD) was significantly faster in both paediatric patients [30 ± 15 vs. 58 ± 13 min (P < 0.001)] and in young adult patients [22 ± 10 vs. 35 ± 12 min (P < 0.001)]. There was significantly faster motor recovery also (mean ± SD) [paediatric: 25 ± 05 vs. 40 ± 14 (P < 0.001); young adult: 10 ± 05 vs. 22 ± 10 min (P < 0.001)].Conclusion:Procedural anaesthesia with DP in paediatric and young adult patients with ACHD undergoing device closure in the CCL resulted in faster recovery of consciousness and motor recovery compared to KP.

BackgroundDengue is a major health issue with seasonal rise in dengue fever cases imposing an additional burden on hospitals, necessitating bolstering of services in the emergency department, laboratory with creation of additional dengue fever wards.ObjectivesTo study the clinical and hematological profile of dengue fever cases presenting to a hospital.MethodsPatients with fever and other signs of dengue with either positive NS1 antigen test or IgM or IgG antibody were included. Age, gender, clinical presentation, platelet count and hematocrit were noted and patients classified as dengue fever without warning signs (DF) or with warning signs (DFWS), and severe dengue (SD) with severe plasma leakage, severe bleeding or severe organ involvement. Duration of hospitalization, bleeding manifestations, requirement for platelet component support and mortality were recorded.ResultsThere were 443 adults and 57 children between 6 months to 77 year age. NS1 was positive in 115 patients (23%). Fever (99.8%) and severe body ache (97.4%) were the commonest presentation. DF was seen in 429 (85.8 %), DFWS in 55 (11%), SD with severe bleeding in 10 (2%) and SD with severe plasma leakage in 6 cases (1.2%). Outpatient department (OPD) treatment was needed in 412 (82%) and hospitalization in 88 (18%). Intravenous fluid resuscitation was needed in 16 (3.2%) patients. Thrombocytopenia was seen in 335 (67%) patients at presentation. Platelet transfusion was needed in 46 (9.2%). Packed red blood cell (PRBC) transfusion was given in 3 patients with DFWS and 10 of SD with severe bleeding. Death occurred in 3 patients of SD with severe plasma leak and 2 patients with SD and severe bleeding.ConclusionsMajority of DF cases can be managed on OPD basis. SD with severe bleeding or with severe plasma leakage carries high mortality. Hospitals can analyze annual data for resource allocation for capacity expansion.

Peptoids are biofunctional N-substituted glycine peptidomimics. Their self-assembly is of fundamental interest because they demonstrate alternatives to conventional peptide structures based on backbone chirality and beta-sheet hydrogen bonding. The search for self-assembling, water-soluble “minimal” sequences, be they peptide or peptidomimic, is a further challenge. Such sequences are highly desired for their compatibility with biomacromolecules and convenient synthesis for broader application. We report the self-assembly of a set of trimeric, water-soluble α-peptoids that exhibit a relatively low critical aggregation concentration (CAC ∼ 0.3 wt %). Cryo-EM and angle-resolved DLS show different sequence-dependent morphologies, namely uniform ca. 6 nm wide nanofibers, sheets, and clusters of globular assemblies. Absorbance and fluorescence spectroscopies indicate unique phenyl environments for π-interactions in the highly ordered nanofibers. Assembly of our peptoids takes place when the sequences are fully ionized, representing a departure from superficially similar amyloid-type hydrogen-bonded peptide nanostructures and expanding the horizons of assembly for sequence-specific bio- and biomimetic macromolecules.