Age, gender, and infectious status-wise assessments of hematological parameters among patients with dengue infection.

Background: The aim of this study was to examine the impact of different stages of dengue infection on immune cell counts among dengue patients and to compare them with cases of non-dengue febrile illness. Methods: The recruited patients were divided into two groups: the first group served as a control (n = 55), representing non-dengue febrile illness, and the second group was identified as dengue febrile illness (n = 149), which was further divided into three groups based on infection stage. Blood samples were collected from the selected patients and subjected to blood cell component analysis. To find IgG and IgM as well as the dengue virus non-structural antigen-1 (NS1), an immunochromatographic test (ICT) kit was utilized. Additionally, a hematological analyzer was used to determine complete blood cell counts (CBC). Data was thoroughly analyzed using Graph Pad Prism 6 software. The differences in means of different groups were calculated by applying the student's t-test. Results: The findings revealed the presence of severe leucopenia and thrombocytopenia at stages 1 and 2, accompanied by lymphopenia at stage 1. Group comparisons indicated that only teenagers exhibited a significantly lower white blood cell count compared to older individuals, while no significant differences were observed in lymphocytes, platelets, and monocytes across all age groups. Comparing different age groups of normal individuals to dengue-infected patients, the results unveiled that leucopenia was most severe in adults, followed by teenagers and children, with no significant difference in the elderly. Furthermore, adults showed the greatest degree of thrombocytopenia, followed by teens and kids, with the elderly showing the greatest degree of thrombocytopenia. Adults and teens showed extreme neutrophilia, whereas young children and the elderly showed no discernible abnormalities. Elderly patients experienced a marked decrease in monocyte count, a phenomenon not observed in other age groups. Conclusion: In conclusion both, leucopenia & thrombocytopenia, are most severe in stages 1 and 2, whereas neutrophilia & lymphopenia are predominantly severe in stage 1. These results imply that the consequences associated with dengue infection are more severe in the early stages and tend to ameliorate as the patient progresses toward recovery.

Comparative assessment of differently randomized accelerated particle swarm optimization and squirrel search algorithms for selective harmonics elimination problem.

A random initialization of the search particles is a strong argument in favor of the deployment of nature-inspired metaheuristic algorithms when the knowledge of a good initial guess is lacked. This article analyses the impact of the type of randomization on the working of algorithms and the acquired solutions. In this study, five different types of randomizations are applied to the Accelerated Particle Swarm Optimization (APSO) and Squirrel Search Algorithm (SSA) during the initializations and proceedings of the search particles for selective harmonics elimination (SHE). The types of randomizations include exponential, normal, Rayleigh, uniform, and Weibull characteristics. The statistical analysis shows that the type of randomization does impact the working of optimization algorithms and the fittest value of the objective function.

Correlation Between Serum Ferritin and Degree of Hepatic Fibrosis on Fibroscan in Thalassemic Patients.

Aim and objective This study aimed to examine the relationship between serum ferritin levels and the degree of hepatic fibrosis as detected on Fibroscan in thalassemia patients. Materials and methods This was a single-center and cross-sectional study conducted from April 2021 to December 2022. The sample population comprised 55 beta-thalassemia patients receiving treatment at the National Institute of Blood Diseases and Bone Marrow Transplantation, Karachi, Pakistan. The data was compiled through a series of patient interviews, an examination of medical records and was analyzed to obtain the results. Descriptive statistics were used for several variables, including diagnosis, Fibroscan score, blood group, comorbidity, visceromegaly, consanguinity, serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase (SGPT), viral markers, and C reactive protein (CRP). The correlation analysis was done using Spearman's correlation test. Results There were 55 participants in the study, 40 of whom were male and 15 of whom were female. The mean age of the patients was eight years, while the average age at diagnosis was nine months with a transfusion frequency of every 20 days. Spearman's rho (r = 0.287), and the significant value of (p = 0.033) confirmed a statistically significant positive correlation between serum ferritin levels and hepatic fibrosis. On Fibroscan, 74.5% of patients had F0-F1 stage fibrosis followed by 14.5% of the patients having F2 stage fibrosis. HCV seropositivity was the most prevalent comorbidity among the patients. 80% of patients had serum ferritin levels greater than 1000 ug/mL. Hepatosplenomegaly was present in 43.6% of the patients. 78.2% of patients were born out of consanguineous marriages. Conclusion In conclusion, this study found a statistically significant positive correlation between serum ferritin levels and hepatic fibrosis in beta-thalassemia patients. The study emphasizes the significance of monitoring serum ferritin levels in thalassemia patients to prevent hepatic fibrosis.

Applications of Metformin in Dentistry-A review.

Metformin is a versatile drug with numerous medical uses. It is known primarily as an anti-hyperglycemic drug that has become the main oral blood-glucose-lowering medication for managing type 2 diabetes mellitus globally. Its use has been reported in a variety of oral conditions and dentistry in general. Recent clinical trials have indicated the effectiveness of adjunct topical application of metformin in improving the periodontal parameters of patients with diabetes and periodontitis. Additionally, studies have suggested that metformin stimulates odontogenic differentiation and mineral synthesis of stem cells in the tooth pulp. Metformin also stimulates osteoblast proliferation, decreases osteoclast activity and exerts regenerative effects on periodontal bone, thus making it a viable candidate for periodontal regeneration. Metformin monotherapy significantly enhances osseointegration of endosseous implants and has been reported to have anti-cancer effects on oral squamous cell carcinoma by impeding tumor progression. Animal studies have indicated that metformin improves orthodontic tooth movement and resists orthodontic appliance corrosion. This narrative review aims to provide a current summary of research highlighting the prospective uses of metformin in dentistry.

Arthroscopic Retrograde Intramedullary Nailing of Periprosthetic Fractures After Total Knee Arthroplasty-Technique, Safety, and Outcomes.

Background: Periprosthetic fractures after total knee arthroplasty are notoriously challenging entities to manage. The 2 major fixation techniques utilized include locking compression plates and retrograde intramedullary nailing. The challenges in obtaining correct entry points in the presence of the superimposing femoral component in retrograde intramedullary nailing often warrants a full knee joint arthrotomy. Thus, the purpose of this first series is to describe the arthroscopy-assisted retrograde intramedullary nailing (ARIN) technique and evaluate clinical results and potential risks and benefits. Methods: This was a retrospective review of prospectively collected data obtained from 16 patients treated with the ARIN technique. Data obtained included operative time, size of incision, and intraoperative complications. In the postoperative course, patients were assessed for time to union, functional outcomes using the Knee Society Score, and the presence of complications. Results: Nine male and 7 female patients were included with a mean age of 70.8 years. The patients were followed up for a minimum of 24 months. The mean operative time was 86.5 minutes. Union was achieved in all fractures with an average union time of 15.9 weeks. The mean Knee Society Score obtained at 2 years postoperatively was 84.6. No major complications were documented during the follow-up period. None of the cases required conversion to the conventional open technique. Conclusions: The ARIN technique has demonstrated results comparable with those from previous resources. Although results from this series suggest that the utilized technique is safe and offers a less invasive approach, direct clinical comparisons in larger scale trials are required.

Knowledge, Attitude, and Perception of Cancer Patients towards COVID-19 in Pakistan: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: Cancer patients, being immunocompromised, are at higher risk of coronavirus disease (COVID-19). The current study determines cancer patients' knowledge, attitude, perception, and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Method: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted in Pakistan from 1 April 2020 to 1 May 2020. The study respondents were cancer patients with ages equal to or greater than 18 years. Following a request for participation, the URL for the survey was distributed on numerous channels. Other social media platforms, including WeChat, WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Messenger, and LinkedIn, were used to increase cancer patient interaction. The questionnaire comprised five different sections such as: (1) sociodemographic information, (2) knowledge, (3) attitude, (4) perception, and (5) impact of COVID-19 on cancer patients. Descriptive medical statistics such as frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation were used to illustrate the demographic characteristics of the study participants. To compare mean knowledge scores with selected demographic variables, independent sample t-tests and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used, which are also practical methods in epidemiological, public health and medical research. The cut-off point for statistical significance was set at a p-value of 0.05. Results: More than 300 cancer patients were invited, of which 208 agreed to take part. The response rate was 69.33% (208/300). Gender, marital status, and employment status had a significant association with knowledge scores. Of the total recruited participants, 96% (n = 200) (p < 0.01) knew about COVID-19, and 90% were aware of general symptoms of COVID-19 disease, such as route of transmission and preventive measurements. In total, 94.5% (n = 197) (p < 0.01) were willing to accept isolation if they were infected with COVID-19, and 98% (n = 204) (p < 0.01) had reduced their use of public transportation. More than 90% (n = 188) (p < 0.01) of cancer patients were found to be practicing preventative measures such as using a face mask, keeping social distance, and avoiding handshaking and hugging. Around 94.4% (n = 196) (p < 0.01) of cancer patients had been impacted by, stopped or had changed cancer treatment during this pandemic, resulting in COVID-related anxiety and depression. Conclusion: The included cancer patients exhibited a good level of COVID-19 knowledge, awareness, positive attitude, and perception. Large-scale studies and efforts are needed to raise COVID-19 awareness among less educated and high-risk populations. The present survey indicates that mass-level effective health education initiatives are required for developing countries to improve and reduce the gap between KAP and COVID-19.

Modified W-type configuration for a single-phase reduced parts count 81-level inverter.

The technology of modern power systems is revolutionizing as renewable energy sources are being integrated with electric power grids. In the form of inverters, power electronic converters are becoming an integral part of power systems due to their massive demand for grid integration of photovoltaic (PV) systems. Existing multilevel inverter topologies either require an output filter to get a sinusoidal voltage or generate a higher number of output voltage levels at the expense of many hardware resources. This paper presents a new single-phase 81-level inverter configuration with the name given as 'Modified W-Type Multilevel Inverter'. The proposed inverter configuration uses only eighteen power switches and four DC voltage sources to generate an 81-level output voltage approaching a sinusoidal waveform without an output filter. The general design equations are developed to calculate the number of switches, the number of voltage levels, and the number of DC sources for the proposed configuration. Loss and efficiency analysis is carried out that verifies a good practical efficiency of the proposed inverter configuration during the dynamic operation. A comparative analysis with the existing MLI topologies is also carried out that validates the effectiveness and novelty in reducing parts count and higher number of voltage levels. The proposed topology offers 1.04% total harmonic distortion of the output voltage which is within the benchmarks specified for grid integration without any filter requirements. The proposed inverter configuration is simulated in MATLAB/Simulink, and the results are validated by the design and development of a hardware prototype.

Quantitative Estimation of Aflatoxin Level in Poultry Feed in Selected Poultry Farms.

Statement of Novelty. Poultry feed contamination due to mycotoxins is one of the major threats to the growing poultry industry. Surveillance of different mycotoxins, including aflatoxin, is very important to control economic and health hazards associated with these toxins. Studies reporting aflatoxin levels in poultry feed are limited. Therefore, this study was conducted to examine the occurrence of total aflatoxin in poultry feed. This study is the first-ever documentation about the frequency and quantitative estimations of total aflatoxin levels in poultry feed consumed to provide solid feedback to the poultry industrialists and researchers involved in studying the mycotoxins. Objective. Contamination of poultry feed with mycotoxins such as aflatoxin is a major concern for the poultry industry that results in a significant economic loss and directly affects consumers. Monitoring the aflatoxin levels in poultry feed is crucial for controlling economic loss and decreasing the health hazards to the population. This study was conducted to examine the occurrence of total aflatoxin in poultry feed in a high consumption area. Three different poultry feeds, i.e., starter, grower, and finisher, were assessed through continuous sampling from farms. The incidence of positive samples for aflatoxin contamination was 92.5%. Grower feed had the highest frequency (100%) of aflatoxin positive samples and aflatoxin levels with a mean value of 56.34 ppb. Further, the range of moisture content was around 6.8%-10.98%. No significant correlation between humidity and aflatoxin contamination was revealed when analyzed by Pearson's correlation coefficient with r 2 of 0.05 and p value of 0.13. The results warrant the need for constant monitoring programs for the prevention of aflatoxin contamination in local poultry farms.

Impact of parameter control on the performance of APSO and PSO algorithms for the CSTHTS problem: An improvement in algorithmic structure and results.

Cascaded Short Term Hydro-Thermal Scheduling problem (CSTHTS) is a single objective, non-linear multi-modal or convex (depending upon the cost function of thermal generation) type of Short Term Hydro-Thermal Scheduling (STHTS), having complex hydel constraints. It has been solved by many metaheuristic optimization algorithms, as found in the literature. Recently, the authors have published the best-achieved results of the CSTHTS problem having quadratic fuel cost function of thermal generation using an improved variant of the Accelerated PSO (APSO) algorithm, as compared to the other previously implemented algorithms. This article discusses and presents further improvement in the results obtained by both improved variants of APSO and PSO algorithms, implemented on the CSTHTS problem.

Preparation, characterization and stability studies of cross-linked α-amylase aggregates (CLAAs) for continuous liquefaction of starch.

In current study, α-amylase of fungal origin was immobilized using cross-linking strategy. The influence of precipitant (ammonium sulphate) and cross-linker (glutaraldehyde) concentration revealed that 60% (w/v) precipitant and 1.5% (v/v) cross-linker saturation was required to attain optimum activity. Cross-linked amylase aggregates (CLAAs) were characterized and 10-degree shift in optimum temperature (soluble enzyme: 50 °C; cross-linked: 60 °C) and 1-unit shift in pH (soluble enzyme: pH -6; cross-linked: pH -7) was observed after immobilization. The Vmax for soluble α-amylase and its cross-linked form was 1225 U ml-1 and 3629 U ml-1, respectively. The CLAAs was more thermostable than its soluble form and retained its 30% activity even after 60 min of incubation at 70 °C. Moreover, cross-linked amylase retained its activity after two months while its soluble counterpart lost its complete activity after 10 and 20 days at 30 °C and 4 °C storage, respectively. Reusability test showed that cross-linked amylase could retain 13% of its residual activity after 10 repeated cycles. Therefore, 10 times more glucose was produced after cross-linking than soluble amylase when it was utilized multiple times. This study indicates that amylase aggregates are highly effective for continuous liquefaction of starch, hence have strong potential to be used for different industrial processes.

Synthesis, ß-glucuronidase inhibition and molecular docking studies of cyano-substituted bisindole hydrazone hybrids.

The ß-glucuronidase, a lysosomal enzyme, catalyzes the cleavage of glucuronosyl-O-bonds. Its inhibitors play a significant role in different medicinal therapies as they cause a decrease in carcinogen-induced colonic tumors by reducing the level of toxic substances present in the intestine. Among those inhibitors, bisindole derivatives had displayed promising ß-glucuronidase inhibition activity. In the current study, hydrazone derivatives of bisindolymethane (1-30) were synthesized and evaluated for in vitro ß-glucuronidase inhibitory activity. Twenty-eight analogs demonstrated better activity (IC50 = 0.50-46.5 µM) than standard D-saccharic acid 1,4-lactone (IC50 = 48.4 ± 1.25 µM). Compounds with hydroxyl group like 6 (0.60 ± 0.01 µM), 20 (1.50 ± 0.10 µM) and 25 (0.50 ± 0.01 µM) exhibited the most potent inhibitory activity, followed by analogs with fluorine 21 (3.50 ± 0.10 µM) and chlorine 23 (8.20 ± 0.20 µM) substituents. The presence of hydroxyl group at the aromatic side chain was observed as the main contributing factor in the inhibitory potential. From the docking studies, it was predicted that the active compounds can fit properly in the binding groove of the ß-glucuronidase and displayed significant binding interactions with essential residues.

Long-term follow-up of bilateral hip and knee arthroplasty secondary to ochronotic arthropathy.

Alkaptonuria is a rare metabolic disorder caused by the deficiency of homogentisic acid oxidase enzyme, which is responsible for eliminating homogentisic acid from the body through the renal system. Excessive accumulation of homogentisic acid leads to ochronosis and ochronotic arthritis. Owing to the rarity of the disease, long-term functional outcomes of joint replacements of the hips and knees in ochronosis arthropathy are unconfirmed, and only a limited number of case reports are available on this. We present a case of a 45-year-old man with ochronosis and advanced osteoarthritis of both the hips and knees. He underwent bilateral hip and knee replacements as staged procedures. At a follow-up of more than 12 years, the man had full mobility with no loosening of implants.

Mycoremediation: a treatment for heavy metal-polluted soil using indigenous metallotolerant fungi.

Bioleaching of heavy metals from industrial contaminated soil using metallotolerant fungi is the most efficient, cost-effective, and eco-friendly technique. In the current study, the contaminated soil samples from Hattar Industrial Estate revealed a total lead (Pb) and mercury (Hg) concentration of 170.90 mg L-1 and 26.66 mg L-1, respectively. Indigenous metallotolerant fungal strains including Aspergillus niger M1, Aspergillus fumigatus M3, Aspergillus terreus M6, and Aspergillus flavus M7 were isolated and identified by pheno- and genotyping. A. fumigatus and A. flavus of soil sample S1 showed higher efficiency for Pb removal (99.20% and 99.30%, respectively), in SDB medium. Likewise, A. niger and A. terreus of soil sample S2 showed higher efficiency for Hg removal (96% and 95.50%, respectively), in YPG medium. Furthermore, the maximum uptake efficiency for Pb removal (8.52 mg g-1) from soil sample S1 was noticed for A. fumigatus in YPG medium, while the highest uptake efficiency (4.23 mg g-1) of A. flavus M2 strain was observed with CYE medium. Similarly, the maximum uptake efficiency of 0.41 mg g-1 and 0.44 mg g-1 for Hg removal from soil sample S2 was found for A. niger and A. terreus strains, respectively, in CYE medium. Thus, in order to address the major issue of industrial waste pollution, indigenous fungal strains A. fumigatus (M1) and A. terreus (M7), isolated in this study, could be used (ex situ or in situ) to remediate soils contaminated with Pb and Hg.

Mycoremediation of heavy metal (Cd and Cr)-polluted soil through indigenous metallotolerant fungal isolates.

Remediation of heavy metals, other than microbial bioleaching method, is expensive and unsuitable for large contaminated areas. The current study was aimed to isolate, identify, and test the potential of indigenous fungal strains for heavy metal removal from contaminated soil. A total of three metallotolerant fungal strains, i.e., Aspergillus niger (M1DGR), Aspergillus fumigatus (M3Ai), and Penicillium rubens (M2Aii), were isolated and identified by phenotyping and genotyping from heavy metal-contaminated soil of  Hattar Industrial Estate, Pakistan. A. niger was found to be the most successful strain for the removal of heavy metals from the contaminated soil with maximum bioaccumulation efficiency of 98% (Cd) and 43% (Cr). In contrast, A. fumigatus showed comparatively low but still considerable bioleaching potential, i.e., 79% and 69% for Cd and Cr removal, respectively. Maximum metal uptake efficiency, i.e., 0.580 mg g-1 and 0.152 mg g-1 by A. niger strain was noticed for Cd and Cr with Czapek yeast extract (CYE) and Sabouraud dextrose broth (SDB) media, respectively. A. fumigatus (M3Ai) exhibited the maximum bioleaching capacity (0.40 mg g-1) for Cr with CYE medium. The results reveal that A. niger M1DGR and A. fumigatus M3Ai could be used to develop new strategies to remediate soil contaminated with heavy metals (Cd and Cr) through either in situ or ex situ mycoremediation.

Potential of phloroglucinol to improve erectile dysfunction associated with streptozotocin-induced diabetes in rats.

OBJECTIVE: Diabetes is a common metabolic disease with several complications in its patients. Often, people living with diabetes develop erectile dysfunction (ED). The primary aim of this work was to investigate the effect of phloroglucinol in diabetes-induced ED in rats. METHODS: Male Wistar rats were given 52 mg/kg of streptozotocin, by intraperitoneal injection, to induce diabetes and ED. Subsequently, animals were grouped into three groups: group 1, diabetic control; group 2, low-dose phloroglucinol (150 mg/kg body weight); and group 3, high-dose phloroglucinol (250 mg/kg body weight). A group of six normal rats served as a normal control. The rats were treated with phloroglucinol for six weeks and then were assessed for treatment effects. Sexual behavior, glycosylated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) values, serum testosterone, serum nitric oxide (NO), blood pressure and sperm count were measured after the end of treatment. RESULTS: After a 6-week treatment period, the high dose of phloroglucinol significantly decreased HbA1c values in diabetic rats. Rats treated with phloroglucinol had increased serum testosterone, NO and sperm count. Animals treated with 250 mg/kg phloroglucinol performed similar to normal rats in the sexual behavioral study, suggesting the reversal of complications of ED. Conversely, a decrease in the blood pressure in treated groups was observed. CONCLUSION: The results highlight the protective effect of phloroglucinol in diabetes-induced ED in rats warranting further studies.

Isolation, identification, and pathological effects of beach sand bacterial extract on human skin keratinocytes in vitro.

BACKGROUND: Beaches are recreational spots for people. However, beach sand contains harmful microbes that affect human health, and there are no established methods for either sampling and identifying beach-borne pathogens or managing the quality of beach sand. METHOD: This study was conducted with the aim of improving human safety at beaches and augmenting the quality of the beach experience. Beach sand was used as a resource to isolate bacteria due to its distinctive features and the biodiversity of the beach sand biota. A selected bacterial isolate termed FSRS was identified as Pseudomonas stutzeri using 16S rRNA sequencing and phylogenetic analysis, and the sequence was deposited in the NCBI GenBank database under the accession number MF599548. The isolated P. stutzeri bacterium was cultured in Luria-Bertani growth medium, and a crude extract was prepared using ethyl acetate to examine the potential pathogenic effect of P. stutzeri on human skin. A human skin keratinocyte cell line (HaCaT) was used to assess cell adhesion, cell viability, and cell proliferation using a morphological analysis and a WST-1 assay. RESULT: The crude P. stutzeri extract inhibited cell adhesion and decreased cell viability in HaCaT cells. We concluded that the crude extract of P. stutzeri FSRS had a strong pathological effect on human skin cells. DISCUSSION: Beach visitors frequently get skin infections, but the exact cause of the infections is yet to be determined. The beach sand bacterium P. stutzeri may, therefore, be responsible for some of the dermatological problems experienced by people visiting the beach.

Simultaneous bilateral total hip arthroplasty in Morquio syndrome.

A 16-year-old girl who had Morquio syndrome presented with severe bilateral hip pain and limited mobility because of bilateral hip osteoarthritis and fixed flexion deformities. She was wheelchair bound for the previous 6 months. Cervical spine flexion-extension views showed mild subluxation (<3 mm), and there was thoracolumbar spine kyphosis. Magnetic resonance imaging of the cervical and thoracolumbar spine showed hypoplasia of the odontoid and vertebral bodies, but no spinal cord compression. Bilateral cemented total hip arthroplasty was performed through a posterior approach under general anesthesia with fiberoptic intubation. The femoral canals accepted a small-diameter stem, the right femoral head was used as a graft for superior right acetabular deficiency, and low-profile all-polyethylene acetabular cups were implanted. Follow-up at 15 years after surgery showed that the patient was fully ambulatory without pain or supports, and radiographs showed no loosening. In summary, total hip arthroplasty at a young age may be necessary in patients who have Morquio syndrome because of severe arthritis and soft tissue contractures. Extensive preoperative evaluation that includes imaging of the entire spine is mandatory because of the risk of developing spinal cord compression.

Cloning and characterization of pyruvate carboxylase gene responsible for calcium malate overproduction in Penicillium viticola 152 and its expression analysis.

In this study, a pyruvate carboxylase gene (PYC) from a marine fungus Penicillium viticola 152 isolated from marine algae was cloned and characterized by using Genome Walking method. An open reading frame (ORF) of The PYC gene (accession number: KM593097) had 3582bp encoding 1193 amino acid protein (isoelectric point: 5.01) with a calculated molecular weight of 131.2757kDa. A putative promoter (intronless) of the gene was located at -666bp and contained a TATA box, several CAAT boxes, the 5'-SYGGRG-3' and a 5'-HGATAR-3' sequences. A consensus polyadenylation site (AATAAA) was also observed at +10bp downstream of the ORF. The protein deduced from the PYC gene had no signal peptide, was a homotetramer (4), and had the four functional domains. Furthermore, PYC protein also had three potential N-linked glycosylation sites, among them, -N-S-T-I- at 36 amino acid, -N-G-T-V- at 237 amino acid, and -N-G-S-S- at 517 amino acid were the most possible N-glycosylation sites. After expression of the PYC gene of P. viticola 152 in medium supplemented with CSL and biotin, it was found that the specific pyruvate carboxylase activity in MA production medium supplemented with CSL was much higher (0.5U/mg) than in MA medium supplemented with biotin (0.3U/mg), suggesting that optimal concentration of CSL is required for increased expression of the PYC gene, which is responsible for high level production of malic acid in P. viticola 152 strain.

Synthesis and molecular modelling studies of phenyl linked oxadiazole-phenylhydrazone hybrids as potent antileishmanial agents.

Molecular hybridization yielded phenyl linked oxadiazole-benzohydrazones hybrids 6-35 and were evaluated for their antileishmanial potentials. Compound 10, a 3,4-dihydroxy analog with IC50 value of 0.95 ± 0.01 µM, was found to be the most potent antileishmanial agent (7 times more active) than the standard drug pentamidine (IC50 = 7.02 ± 0.09 µM). The current series 6-35 conceded in the identification of thirteen (13) potent antileishmanial compounds with the IC50 values ranging between 0.95 ± 0.01-78.6 ± 1.78 µM. Molecular docking analysis against pteridine reductase (PTR1) were also performed to probe the mode of action. Selectivity index showed that compounds with higher number of hydroxyl groups have low selectivity index. Theoretical stereochemical assignment was also done for certain derivatives by using density functional calculations.

Better prognostic marker in ICU - APACHE II, SOFA or SAP II!

OBJECTIVES: This study was designed to determine the comparative efficacy of different scoring system in assessing the prognosis of critically ill patients. METHODS: This was a retrospective study conducted in medical intensive care unit (MICU) and high dependency unit (HDU) Medical Unit III, Civil Hospital, from April 2012 to August 2012. All patients over age 16 years old who have fulfilled the criteria for MICU admission were included. Predictive mortality of APACHE II, SAP II and SOFA were calculated. Calibration and discrimination were used for validity of each scoring model. RESULTS: A total of 96 patients with equal gender distribution were enrolled. The average APACHE II score in non-survivors (27.97+8.53) was higher than survivors (15.82+8.79) with statistically significant p value (<0.001). The average SOFA score in non-survivors (9.68+4.88) was higher than survivors (5.63+3.63) with statistically significant p value (<0.001). SAP II average score in non-survivors (53.71+19.05) was higher than survivors (30.18+16.24) with statistically significant p value (<0.001). CONCLUSION: All three tested scoring models (APACHE II, SAP II and SOFA) would be accurate enough for a general description of our ICU patients. APACHE II has showed better calibration and discrimination power than SAP II and SOFA.