Exploring the gaps between training and expected job skills of public health graduates to identify: A way forward.

Objectives: To explore the non-alignment between what is taught in academic programmes for public health and what is actually needed or expected in the field. METHODS: The qualitative phenomenological study was conducted from October 2020 to April 2021 in Karachi after approval from the institutional ethics review board of Jinnah Sindh Medical University, Karachi. The sample comprised major stakeholders including representatives of public health institutions and organisations involved in the implementation of public health programmes. Data was collected through in-depth interviews and focus group discussions using a guide after content validation by an expert. Data was analysed using both inductive and deductive approaches. RESULTS: A total of 13 in-depth interviews and 5 focus group discussions were conducted. Regarding gaps in the process of curriculum development, 2 major concerns emerged; lack of comprehensive involvement of experts in different fields of public health in designing the curriculum, and the lack of incorporation of the feedback provided by students in revising the curriculum. Regarding the content of curriculum, three main themes emerged; theoretical nature of courses, lack of uniformity in all programmes, and poor local contextualisation. The casual approach of students and barriers faced by them in joining public health programmes also affected the quality of such programmes. CONCLUSIONS: Three broad areas of improvement were identified, which included improvement in curriculum, methods of learning, and improving students' approach.

Determination of pioglitazone hydrochloride by flow injection chemiluminescence tris(2,2'-bipyridyl)ruthenium(II)-silver(III) complex system.

A novel flow injection-chemiluminescence (FI-CL) approach is proposed for the assay of pioglitazone hydrochloride (PG-HCl) based on its enhancing influence on the tris(2,2'-bipyridyl)ruthenium(II)-silver(III) complex (Ru(bipy)3 2+ -DPA) CL system in sulfuric acid medium. The possible CL reaction mechanism is discussed with CL and ultraviolet (UV) spectra. The optimum experimental conditions were found as: Ru(bipy)3 2+ , 5.0 × 10-5  M; sulfuric acid, 1.0 × 10-3  M; diperiodatoargentate(III) (DPA), 1.0 × 10-4  M; potassium hydroxide, 1.0 × 10-3  M; flow rate 4.0 ml min-1 for each flow stream and sample loop volume, 180 µl. The CL intensity of PG-HCl was linear in the range of 1.0 × 10-3 to 5.0 mg L-1 (R2 = 0.9998, n = 10) with limit of detection [LOD, signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) = 3] of 2.2 × 10-4  mg L-1 , limit of quantification (LOQ, S/N = 10) of 6.7 × 10-4  mg L-1 , relative standard deviation (RSD) of 1.0 to 3.3% and sampling rate of 106 h-1 . The methodology was satisfactorily used to quantify PG-HCl in pharmaceutical tablets with recoveries ranging from 93.17 to 102.77 and RSD from 1.9 to 2.8%.

Effects of physical forms of a high grain-based diet on fattening performance, ruminal health, feeding behaviour, nutrient digestibility and carcass traits of finishing Lohi lambs.

This study aimed to evaluate the influence of different physical forms of complete diets on performance, feeding behaviour, digestibility, ruminal health, blood and carcass indices in fattening lambs. A randomised complete block design was used to assign thirty male Lohi lambs (300 ± 15 d old) with an initial body weight of 33 ± 1.4 kg in ten replications to one of three physical forms of the diet. For different treatments, the dietary ingredients were ground and mixed as (I) ground conventional mash (CM), (II) whole corn grains were mixed with the remaining pelleted ingredients as a texturised diet (TX), and (III) whole corn grains and the remaining ingredients were mixed as an unprocessed diet (UP). During the 60-d growth trial and 7-d digestibility experiment, individually housed lambs were fed ad libitum. Feeding diet UP improved (p < 0.05) dry matter intake, average daily gain and feed-to-gain ratio of fattening lambs. The ruminal pH tended to be lower in group TX compared with the other groups. The incidence of loose faeces consistency was 3.5 times higher (p < 0.05) in group TX compared to group UP. The daily intakes of dry matter (DM) and neutral detergent fibre (NDF), the rumination time and chewing activities were highest (p < 0.05) for lambs fed on the UP diet. The digestibility of DM, NDF and ether extract were greater (p < 0.05) for diet UP as compared to diet TX. The chilled and hot carcass weights were highest (p < 0.05) for group UP. The papillae density tended to be greater for group UP. However, blood metabolites, intestinal morphology, carcass marbling, tenderness, meat pH, cooking loss, and meat composition were similar across the treatments. It can be concluded that the unprocessed diet based on whole corn grain and soybean hulls improved growth performance, feeding behaviour and carcass yield through better nutrient utilisation and a stable ruminal environment.

Replacing ground Rhodes grass hay with soyhulls in the pelleted diet: effects on ingestive behavior, nutrient digestibility, blood metabolites, growth performance, and economic viability of intensive fattening Lohi lambs.

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of replacing soyhulls (SH) for ground Rhodes grass hay (RGH) in a pelleted diet on ingestive behavior, digestibility, blood metabolites, growth performance, and economic viability of fattening Lohi lambs. A total of thirty male lambs (age: 5 months; body weight 20.4 ± 0.24 kg) were allotted to one of the three diets (n = 10 lambs/diet) under a completely randomized design. The diets were with 25% RGH inclusion (control), replacing 15% RGH with 15% SH as a fiber source (SH-15), and containing only 25% SH inclusion on a dry basis (SH-25). Ingestive behavior parameters like time spent (min/day), bouts frequency (number/day), and bout length (min/bout) for feeding, drinking, rumination, chewing, standing, and lying were not influenced (P > 0.05) by replacing RGH with SH. The dry matter (DM) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) chewing rate, rumination rate, and feeding efficiency were also not changed (P > 0.05) by dietary treatments, whereas total dry matter and NDF intakes, and their rumination efficiencies were lower (P < 0.05) for the SH-25 than for the rest of the treatments. The digestibility of NDF and acid detergent fiber (ADF) was higher (P < 0.05) for the SH-25 than for the rest of the treatments. The concentrations of blood metabolites like glucose, blood nitrogen, and cholesterol were not changed (P > 0.05) among the treatment groups. Similarly, performance parameters like dry matter intake, initial and final body weight, average daily gain, and feed conversion ratio were similar (P > 0.05) across the treatments. However, the incidence of loose fecal consistency was higher (P < 0.05) for SH-25 than for the control. The values of economic efficiency were better for SH-25-fed lambs than those fed the rest of the treatments. Based on the results, substituting SH for RGH in a pelleted diet improved the digestibility of fiber fractions, and economics without affecting the growth performance, and blood metabolites of fattening lambs. However, lower rumination efficiency and loos fecal consistency are evidencing less effectiveness of SH fiber.

Dilemma of Thrombolysis in a patient with high-risk Pulmonary Embolism with severe Thrombocytopenia: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Managing a high-risk pulmonary embolism (PE) in a critically ill patient with severe thrombocytopenia can present a challenging dilemma. There is a high risk of fatal bleeding due to anticoagulation in high-risk PE with thrombocytopenia; therefore, risks and benefits are balanced while dealing with such a critical scenario. CASE REPORT: We present a case of a female patient with thrombocytopenia who was admitted for management of lymphoma. Her hospital course was complicated by high-risk PE, leading to acute respiratory failure and hypotension, necessitating urgent transfer to the medical intensive care unit. She was intubated and placed on mechanical ventilation. Multiple cardiac arrests occurred due to compromised cardiac output from a severely dilated right ventricle on bedside transthoracic echocardiography. As a last resort to save her life in this critical state and severe thrombocytopenia, she was given a half bolus dose of the recommended drug, i.e., 50mg IV of Alteplase. Subsequently, she stabilized and was extubated without any further complications. DISCUSSION: High-risk PE needs prompt management with anticoagulation to avoid fatal outcomes. However, on the other hand, anticoagulation carries a high risk of bleeding, especially in patients with thrombocytopenia. These challenges prompt a modern perspective in situations where clear guidelines are absent. CONCLUSION: We aim to discuss our contemporary clinical practice in managing such a complex case and highlight the need for further studies.

Comparison of frequency of seroma formation in laparoscopic para umbilical hernia repair with and without primary closure of defect.

Objective: To compare the frequency of seroma formation in laparoscopic para-umbilical hernia repair with and without primary closure of defect. METHODS: The randomised parallel group study was conducted at the Department of Surgery, Bahawal Victoria Hospital, Bahawalpur, Pakistan, from October 1, 2019, to May 31, 2020, and comprised patients of both genders age 25-65 years diagnosed as a case of para-umbilical hernia. The patients were randomised into group A which subsequently had laparoscopic primary repair of defect with non-absorbable suture prior to mesh placement, and group B which had laparoscopic repair without primary closure of the defect. Case sheets of patients were prepared for age, gender, duration of disease, operating time, body mass index and the presence or absence of seroma formation. Data was analysed using SPSS 20. RESULTS: Of the 100 patients, 35(35%) were males and 65(65%) were females with male-to-female ratio of 1:1.9, and an overall mean age of 43.92±10.77 years. Both groups had 50(50%) patients each. Post-operative seroma formation was noted in 1(2%) group A patient and 12(24%) group B patients (p=0.001). Conclusion: Primary closure of the fascial defect in laparoscopic para-umbilical hernia repair resulted in decreased frequency of post-operative seroma formation.

The Therapeutic Application of Tamarix aphylla Extract Loaded Nanoemulsion Cream for Acid-Burn Wound Healing and Skin Regeneration.

Background and Objectives: Nanomedicine is a constantly growing field for the diagnosis and treatment of various diseases as well as for regenerative therapy. Nanotechnology-based drug-delivery systems improve pharmacological and pharmacokinetic profiles of plants based biologically active molecules. Based on traditional claims, leaves of the Tamarix aphylla (TA) were investigated for their potential healing activity on burn wounds. Materials and Methods: In this study, TA-based nanoemulsion was prepared. The nanoemulsion was characterized for size, zeta potential, pH, viscosity, and stability. The nanoemulsion containing plant extract was converted into cream and evaluated for its efficacy against acid-burn wounds inflicted in the dorsum of rabbits. The animals were classified into four main groups: Group A as a normal control group, Group B as a positive control (treated with cream base + silver sulfadiazine), Group C as a standard drug (silver sulfadiazine), and Group D as a tested (treated with nanoemulsion cream containing TA extract). The prepared system could deliver TA to the target site and was able to produce pharmacological effects. On days 0, 7, 14, 21, 28, and 35, wound contraction rate was used to determine healing efficacy. The wound samples were collected from the skin for histological examination. Results: Based on statistical analysis using wound-healing time, Group D showed a shorter period (21.60 ± 0.5098) (p < 0.01) than the average healing time of Group C (27.40 ± 0.6002) (p < 0.05) and Group B (33.40 ± 0.8126) (p < 0.05). The histopathological assessment showed that burn healing was better in Group D compared with Group C and Group B. The nanoemulsion cream had a non-sticky texture, low viscosity, excellent skin sensations, and a porous structure. By forming a protective layer on the skin and improving moisture, it enhanced the condition of burnt skin. Conclusions: According to the findings of this study, nanoemulsion cream containing TA extract has great potential in healing acid-burn wounds

Preventive role of propolis against hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia in Sprague dawley rats (Rattus norvegicus) animal modelling system.

Human diets with functional ingredients showed promising role in management of diseases of modern age like hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia and even cancer. The study designed to elucidate role of honeybee propolis for management of hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia states through animal modeling system. Hydroalcoholic extract of propolis was used for development of functional drink with standard recipe and addition of specified dose of extracts (400mg/500mL). Animals were grouped into three studies including study-I fed on regular diet, study-II fed on sucrose enrich diet and study-III fed on diet enriched with cholesterol and monitored to evaluate the results. Various parameters like feed consumption, liquid intake of animals measured regularly whereas body weight recorded at the end of each week of study. At the end of the study animals were analyzed for different blood indicators like blood lipid indices (cholesterol, LDL, HDL concentration and triglyceride contents)), glucose concentration and insulin contents as well. The maximum feed and drink intake were examined in animals, fed with control diet whereas a non substantial mode of intake was recorded in rest of two groups of animals. The consumption of honeybee propolis based drink reduced cholesterol (6.63% to 10.25%) and LDL (9.96% to 11.23%), whilst a sharp increase in HDL level was ranged as 4.12 to 4.49% among animal groups fed with high cholesterol and high sucrose diet. Blood glucose level was decreased by 10.25% and 6.98% however 6.99% and 4.51% increase were observed in plasma insulin level in both studies, study-II and study-III correspondingly. The overall findings of the study showed that drinks prepared using propolis of propolis found effective for management of hyperglycemia and hypercholesterolemia in present animal modelling system.

Effects of galacto-oligosaccharide prebiotics in blood profile of severely acute malnourished children.

This study assessed the effects of galacto-oligosaccharides (Oligomate) on hematocrit, serum enzymes, total bilirubin levels, and serum electrolytes in controls and severely malnourished infants, with emphasis on gastrointestinal symptoms. Oligomate doses and phases did not affect stools frequency per day, indicating that prebiotic effect on stool may be due to the prebiotic type. The number of vomits per day during phases 2 and 3 were significantly reduced (p<0.05) in response to prebiotics, despite the prebiotic dose effect was not significant (p>0.05). Moreover, prebiotics administration during phases 2 and 3 markedly improved hemoglobin levels (p<0.05), but not the dose. Similarly, hematocrit levels and white blood cells were significantly improved during the last 2 phases, but dose have no effects on blood hematocrit levels. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate significantly decreased (p<0.05) in phases 2 and 3 compared to phase 1. No dose-related effect was stated on erythrocytes sedimentation rate. Regarding the serum enzymes, SGPT significantly decreased (p<0.05) in phases 2 and 3 compared to phase 1, whereas SGOT significantly decreased only in phase 3. Total bilirubin levels increased significantly (p<0.05) in phase 3 when compared to phases 1 or 2. Prebiotics significantly decreased (p<0.05) sodium levels in the treated group, while potassium levels did not change in all groups, excepting during phase 2, where it increased significantly. Thus, our results confirm the hypothesis that prebiotic supplementation improves blood parameters and health status, consequently decreasing the infection risk and number of vomit per day in infants.

Bio-therapeutics effects of probiotic strain on the gastrointestinal health of severely acute malnourished children.

The core objective was to evaluate the effect of probiotic fortification at three phases of formula milk administration in malnourished children. A dose related effect was determined in 30 severely acute malnourished children (6-59 months) in a double-blind, randomized design. According to the results, serum albumin levels, treatment T2 (6 billion cfu) has significantly increased albumin levels (3.7g/dL) and the effect of phase-III (Plumpy'nut) was found to be better. Results regarding sodium levels showing probiotic-dose have significant effect (P≤0.05) in phases as well. Moreover, the effect of T1 i.e. 3 billion cfu of probiotics has significantly reduced sodium levels (141.8mmol/L) vs. others and the effect of phase-II was better on reducing sodium levels. which is further confirmed in terms of reduced erythrocyte sedimentation rate levels at phase-III (29.566 vs. phase-II, 41.3 and phase-I, 46.533 mm/h). Conclusively, the effect of 6 billion cfu at phase-III was more effective on blood parameters.

Frequency of port site wound infection after Gall Bladder removal with or without retrieval bag in Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy.

OBJECTIVE: The rationale of the study was to depict the safest method of extracting gallbladder after laparoscopic cholecystectomy to decrease the frequency of wound infection. The objective of the study was to compare the frequency of port site wound infection after gallbladder removal with or without retrieval bag in laparoscopic cholecystectomy. METHODS: The study design was Randomized Parallel group design conductedin the Department of Surgery, Bahawal Victoria Hospital, Bahawalpur. A total of 254 patients of both gender age range 25-60 years, diagnosed as a case of cholelithiasis by ultrasonography were included. Case sheet of patients were prepared for age, gender, duration of cholelithiasis, operating time and presence or absence of wound infection. RESULTS: Mean age of patients was 40.77 ± 10.95 years. Out of 254 patients, 98 (38.58%) were males and 156 (61.42%) were females with male to female ratio of 1:2.5. Patients were divided in two groups A and B and the frequency of patients having port site wound infection in group A was 1(0.4%) whereas in group B was 14(5.5%). CONCLUSIONS: This study concluded that the use of retrieval bag to remove gallbladder in laparoscopic cholecystectomy resulted in decreased frequency of port site wound infection. The insignificant association of port site wound infection with different age groups, gender categories and with duration of cholelithiasis was revealed. Moreover wound infection proved significantly associated with both categories with operating time.

Exploration Of The Contralateral Groin In Paediatric Inguinal Hernia Or Hydrocele Based On Ultrasound Findings - Is It Justified?

BACKGROUND: Routine exploration of contralateral side in cases of unilateral inguinal hernia or hydrocele is a highly debatable topic because of various reasons. The purpose of this study was to analyse whether the contralateral groin exploration in unilateral inguinal hernia/ hydrocele is justified or not, based on ultrasonographic measurements of the inguinal ring diameter. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted at two naval hospitals, PNS Rahat and PNS Shifa in Karachi, Pakistan, from June 2007 to Aug 2012. Children presenting with unilateral inguinal hernia or hydrocele were included in the study. Ultrasound examination of the contralateral, apparently normal, groin was carried out using a high-resolution 7.5-11 MHz linear array with the patients in supine position. Surgical exploration of the contralateral groin was carried out in those children in whom the diameter of the inguinal canal at the internal ring was 4.5 mm or greater. All those children in whom the contralateral exploration was not done were followed up to 2 years. RESULTS: A total of 287 patients completed the study, including 264 (92%) boys and 23 (8%) girls. In 242 (84%) cases, the mean diameter of internal ring on contralateral (clinically uninvolved) side was 3.5±0.4 mm, considered negative. Out of these 13 (5.4%) cases, however, proved to be false negative after a follow up of two year. There were 45 (16%) cases that underwent contralateral exploration on basis on positive ultrasound findings; 25 (55.6%) were hernias and 14 (31.1%) were hydroceles. In the remaining 6 (13.3%) cases surgical exploration failed to demonstrate hernia or PPV. CONCLUSIONS: Contralateral exploration in children with unilateral inguinal hernia or hydrocele, based on ultrasonographic findings, is not only cost effective but can also prevent unnecessary routine contralateral explorations and complications related to inguinal hernias.

Otitis media with effusion: Accuracy of tympanometry in detecting fluid in the middle ears of children at myringotomies.

OBJECTIVE: (1) The diagnostic accuracy of tympanometry in detecting fluid in the middle ear space in children with otitis media with effusion by comparing its findings with those of myringotomies. (2) Identify the age group most commonly affected by OME. METHODS: This prospective study was conducted at the Department of ENT& Head and Neck Surgery, Postgraduate Medical Institute Hayatabad Medical complex, Peshawar from July 1, 2012 to April 30, 2015. Patients with suspicion of OME underwent tympanometry and later myringotomies. Using Jerger's classification, Type B tympanogram with normal canal volume was considered as conclusive evidence of fluid in the middle ear space. Its findings were compared with those of the respective myringotomies. From the data collected, the accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive values were calculated. RESULTS: A total 117 ears of 63 patients were operated. The age range was 3 to 12 years. The commonest age group (58.7%) affected by OME was 6-8 years. Type B tympanogram with flat curve and normal canal volume was obtained in 71.4% of the ears. Comparison with myringotomy findings showed TP 85, TN 13, FP 5 and FN 14. The diagnostic value of tympanometry was; Sensitivity 85.85%, Specificity 72.22%, PPV 94.44%, NPV 48.14% and Accuracy of 83.76%. P value calculated using chi square test showed that there was significant difference between tympanometry and myringotomy findings in OME (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: OME is common in age group 6-8 years. Tympanogram Type B with normal canal volume is fairly sensitive in diagnosing this condition. However for occurrence of false positive results, final decision regarding management should be made on clinical findings and other supportive audiological tests.

Biological screening of Elaeagnus umbellata Thunb.

The bark and fruit extracts of Elaeagnus umbellata have been investigated for their antibacterial, anti-fungal, insecticidal and phytotoxic activities. The petroleum ether extracts of the plant showed significant activity against E. faecalis. The activity of dichloromethane extract was also determined significant against S. aureus. The chloroform extract indicated low activity against E. coli, K. pneumoniae, B. subtilis and S. flexenari. The ethyl acetate fraction demonstrated significant activity against K. pneumoniae while methanolic extract exhibited significant activity against E. coli. All extracts showed low phytotoxic activity. The dichloromethane extract exhibited moderate insecticidal activity while other extract indicated low activity.

Secoisolariciresinol diglucoside and anethole ameliorate lipid abnormalities, oxidative injury, hypercholesterolemia, heart, and liver conditions.

Fennel seeds and flaxseed have been traditionally used against many medical ailments due to their medicinal characteristics. The aim of the study was to investigate the health properties of secoisolariciresinol diglucoside (SDG) and anethole from flaxseed and fennel seeds in rats fed with high-fat diet. Histopathological changes in the heart and liver were also examined. Sixty rats were divided into two main groups. Group I (10 rats) was used as a negative control group and fed on the basal diet only. Group II (50 rats) was fed a hypercholesterolemic diet but not given any drugs during the trial for 2 weeks. This group was further divided into five subgroups (10 rats each). One of them was fed on the basal diet and used as a positive control group. However, the other four subgroups were fed on basal diets and anethole (20 mg/kg/day, orally), SDG (20 mg/kg/day, orally), a mixture of anethole + SDG (10 + 10 mg/kg/day, orally), and atorvastatin (10 mg/kg/day, orally) for 6 weeks. Compared to control, treatment with a combination of anethole + SDG showed a significant (p ≤ .05) improvement in serum levels of triglyceride (TG) (137.88 ± 1.61 mg/dL), total cholesterol-(TC) (180.12 ± 8.99 mg/dL), LDL-C (46.40 ± 6.67 mg/dL), VLDL-C (11.81 ± 1.07 mg/dL), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) (75.97 ± 6.92 U/L), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (34.83 ± 2.17 U/L), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) (130.65 ± 1.05 U/L), and malondialdehyde (MDA) (30.12 ± 1.89 mmol/g), and improved activities of catalase (70.99 ± 3.29 U/g) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) (35.13 ± 2.53 U/dL) enzymes while SDG and anethole group had relatively less impact. Atorvastatin also improved serum levels of triglyceride, total cholesterol, LDL-C, and VLDL-C significantly and rose serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels considerably meanwhile it had a minor but negative impact on AST, ALT, and ALP, and negligible impact on activities of MDA, CAT, and SOD enzymes compared to the positive control group. The study revealed that combining anethole and SDG may improve dyslipidemia, improve lipid profile, decrease risks of chronic heart diseases, increase HDL-C, and enhance antioxidant enzymes' activities.

Isolation of alkaloidal and glycosidal fractions from leaves of Trigonella foenum-graecum L. cv. Desi indigenous to Pakistan for antiprostaglandin evaluation as substitute of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Trigonella foenum graecum (fenugreek) has been in use for a long time as a traditional medicine and natural food additive. The reported gastro-protective property makes it unique among other herbs. Seeds and leaves have been shown to exert significant antiatherogenic, antidiabetic, antianorexic, antioxidant, anticarcinogenic, antihyperlipidemic, galactogogue and anti-inflammatory effects in several animal and human models. But its use as a substitute for ulcerative nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs needs to be confirmed. AIM OF THE STUDY: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are in common use in treating inflammation associated with a variety of ailments, fever and pain such as menstrual cramps, back pain, arthritic pain and headaches. Their toxicity profile includes the risk of severe gastro-intestinal adverse events like increased bleeding tendency, ulceration, perforation, etc. Conventional NSAIDs have also been reported to reduce the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) by affecting afferent arterioles in nephrons. Exacerbated potassium levels were noted in patients using NSAIDs concomitantly with antihypertensive drugs belonging to the angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor or angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) classes. In this context, the need of the hour is to discover and isolate new compounds from the reported medicinal plants for evaluation of antiprostaglandin potential and safety profile in terms of the hepato-renal system. These compounds may be used as substitutes for NSAIDs in the future management of inflammation and pain with therapeutic equivalency and organ safety. In this scenario, the present study aimed to assess the antiprostaglandin potential of alkaloidal and glycosidal fractions from the leaves of Trigonella foenum-graecum L. cv. Desi variety, indigenous to Pakistan, in albino mice along with safety profile. The herb has been used as folk medicine since ancient times for treating inflammation and pain. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Alkaloidal and glycosidal fractions were separated from a methanol extract of leaves of the fenugreek Desi variety. After separation of fractions, their subsiding effects on carrageenan-induced inflammation, air pouch exudate prostaglandin-E2 levels, Brewer's yeast induced pyrexia and acetic acid induced abdominal constrictions were assessed in adult male albino mice. The safety profile of fractions was assessed by measuring their effects on mice sera hepato-renal biomarkers. RESULT: Alkaloidal fraction of T. foenum Desi variety was found to be significantly effective in reducing inflammation, air pouch exudate PGE2 levels, fever (≤37 °C) and pain by inhibiting writhes (up to 96.58%) Gradual inhibition of paw edema was observed 1-6 h post-dose, with maximum reduction percentages of 62.82% and 62.57% for 100 mg and 200 mg, respectively. Both fractions did not disturb the normal physiology of the hepato-renal system by showing normal biomarker values. CONCLUSION: In summary, the results demonstrate the potent antiprostaglandin potential of the alkaloidal fraction of gastroprotective fenugreek "Desi" leaves with hepato-renal system safety and hence justify its use as a substitute for ulcerative nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

Synthesis of hierarchically porous zirconium-based metal-organic framework@silica core-shell stationary phase through etching strategy for liquid chromatography.

Metal organic frameworks (MOFs) show promise to be employed as stationary phase for high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), however, the microporous structures of MOFs seriously restrict the diffusion and mass transfer of solute molecules, leading to a low column efficiency. In this paper, the fabrication of hierarchically porous UiO-66@SiO2 (HP- UiO-66@SiO2) core-shell microspheres via H2O2 etching has been proposed as a viable approach to enhance the separation performance of MOFs-based columns for HPLC. Through the direct treatment of the preliminary prepared UiO-66@SiO2 microspheres with H2O2 etching, HP-UiO-66@SiO2 core-shell microspheres were successfully synthesized with an enlarged pore size of up to 9 nm, facilitating efficient mass transfer in chromatographic separation. The prepared HP-UiO-66@SiO2 core-shell microspheres were then explored as stationary phase in HPLC to separate the nonpolar alkyl benzene homologues, the polar aromatic alcohol homologues and the xylene isomers. The results indicated that the baseline separations of these solutes were achieved successfully with narrow peak width and higher resolution than the UiO-66@SiO2 column. The HP-UiO-66@SiO2 column exhibited superior separation performance, reaching a maximum plate number of 134,459/m for fluorene, and showing good reproducibility. As a result, this template-free approach suggests that the fabrication of hierarchically porous MOFs@silica core-shell microspheres is a successful approach to enhance the column efficiency of MOFs-based columns in HPLC.

Predictors Of Re-Bleeding After Oesophageal Variceal Banding In Cirrhotic Patients At 4 Weeks.

BACKGROUND: Acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding is a serious complication in cirrhotic patients. Without recommended management, recurrent bleeding happensin 30-40% within the next 2-3 days, and up to 60% within 1 week. Aim was to determine predictors of re-bleeding after oesophageal variceal banding in cirrhotic patients for 4 weeks. It was a descriptive study, conducted at the Department of Medicine, Sheikh Zayed Hospital, Rahim Yar Khan. Six months from June 21 to December 21, 2021. METHODS: A total of 93patients with active oesophageal variceal bleeding were included in this study. Upper gastrointestinal (UGI) endoscopy was performed to look for bendable varices (grades 1-4) and band ligation was applied. Patients were followed for 4 weeks for the history of hematemesis or Malena, fall in haemoglobin of 2 grams per decilitre or more and endoscopic rebleeding findings. RESULTS: Out of 93 patients, 67(72.0%) were males, while 26(28.0%) were females. The Mean age of the patients was 45.66±16.61 years. According to Child Pugh Classification, the majority of the patients 45(48.4%) had Child-Pugh Class-A, while 33 (35.5%) were Child B and 15 (16.1%) patients belonged to Child-Pugh Class C. Red wale sign was noted in 22 patients (23.7%). Among 93 cirrhotic patients who presented with variceal bleeding, 9 (9.7%) had re-bleeding within 4 weeks. Amongst 9 patients, 8 patients (88.9%) had red wale sign, grade II or above oesophageal varices and belonged to severe liver disease with child class B or C. CONCLUSIONS: Endoscopic variceal band Ligation is an effective treatment modality for the control of oesophageal variceal bleeding. Re-bleeding after band ligation was 9.7%. The major contributing factors to re-bleeding were the severity of cirrhosis, grades and columns of oesophageal varices, number of bands ligation and findings of red wale sign. Increasing age and duration of cirrhosis were contributing predictors of increased re-bleeding risk.

AIEE active J-aggregates of naphthalimide based fluorescent probe for detection of Nitrobenzene: Combined experimental and theoretical approaches for Non-covalent interaction analysis.

A new naphthalimide-based fluorescent probe NS with exceptional J-aggregates based aggregation-induced emission enhancement (AIEE) properties was rationally synthesized through a single-step imidation reaction. Probe NS exhibited excellent AIEE properties in aqueous media through the formation of J-aggregates with remarkable red-shift. The AIEE active probe NS was used for selective and sensitive detection of nitrobenzene (NB) based on fluorescence quenching response. Formation of J-aggregates was assessed through fluorescence titration. These J-aggregates contributed significantly to produce favorable interaction between probe NS and NB. The highly selective fluorescence detection of NB was accredited to the adjustable smaller size of NB that can easily penetrate into interstitial spaces of probe molecules. Ability of sensor to detect NB in solid state was also accomplished through solid state fluorescence spectroscopy. Nature of interaction and sensitivity of probe NS for NB has also been investigated through 1H NMR titration and density functional theory (DFT) including non-covalent interaction (NCI), quantum theory of atom in molecule (QTAIM), electron density differences (EDD), frontier molecular orbitals (FMO) and density of states (DOS) analysis. Advantageously, probe exhibited colorimetric and vapor phase detection of NB. Moreover, probe was quite sensitive for the trace detection of NB in real samples.

Human health risk surveillance of polychlorinated biphenyls in bovine milk from alluvial plain of Punjab, Pakistan.

Punjab is the leading province of Pakistan in the production of bovine milk and its consumption. Rapid industrialization, high energy demand, and the production of waste have increased the risk of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) toxicity in the environment. This research work was designed to assess human dietary exposure of ∑PCBs17 congeners through ingestion of buffalo and cow's milk from eight main districts of Punjab, Pakistan. The average concentrations of ∑DL-PCBs (8.74 ng g-1 and 14.60 ng g-1) and ∑I-PCBs (11.54 ng g-1 and 18.68 ng g-1) in buffalo and cow milk samples were analyzed, respectively. The PCB-156 was predominantly high congener found in both buffalo (2.84 ng g-1) and cow milk (2.86 ng g-1). It was found that the highest PCBs in bovine milk samples were observed in close vicinities of urban and industrial areas. The estimated daily consumptions of DL-PCBs and I-PCBs, from buffalo and cow milk, were below the acceptable daily intake for both adults and children. Moreover, hazard quotients (HQ) of the ∑PCBs17 congener value were less than 1.0 in adults and greater in the case of children reflecting the high chances of cancer. Furthermore, comprehensive monitoring for childhood cancer is recommended to establish the relationship in future studies.