In vivo antiviral potential of Glycyrrhiza glabra extract against Newcastle disease virus.

Newcastle disease is highly infectious viral disease causing huge economic losses worldwide. These losses can be prevented by control of viral diseases. Medicinal plants have been traditionally used for treatment of different diseases since long. In this study the effect of extracts from Glycyrrhiza glabra leaves are investigated against Newcastle disease virus (NDV) by an in-vivo assay. Seven groups of nine-day-old embryonated chicken eggs were inoculated with various treatments of different plant extracts. All the groups except uninoculated negative control group were inoculated with velogenic NDV strain; five groups received different concentrations of the three extracts. Daily observe the rate of embryo survival. Allantoic fluid from treated eggs was collected for hem agglutination test. Results showed that embryo survival rate was higher 300µg/mL treated group as all the extracts showed antiviral activity. Similarly, the plant extracts effectively control virus as no viruses were identified in the allantoic fluids of all groups treated with low doses of plant. The current results have clearly verified that all the extracts especially that of methanol 300µg/mL from leaves of Glycyrrhiza glabra have strong antiviral activity against NDV in vivo.

A comprehensive review on the impact of calcium and vitamin D insufficiency and allied metabolic disorders in females.

Calcium is imperative in maintaining a quality life, particularly during later ages. Its deficiency results in a wide range of metabolic disorders such as dental changes, cataracts, alterations in brain function, and osteoporosis. These deficiencies are more pronounced in females due to increased calcium turnover throughout their life cycle, especially during pregnancy and lactation. Vitamin D perform a central role in the metabolism of calcium. Recent scientific interventions have linked calcium with an array of metabolic disorders in females including hypertension, obesity, premenstrual dysphoric disorder, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), multiple sclerosis, and breast cancer. This review encompasses these female metabolic disorders with special reference to calcium and vitamin D deficiency. This review article aims to present and elaborate on available data regarding the worldwide occurrence of insufficient calcium consumption in females and allied health risks, to provide a basis for formulating strategies and population-level scientific studies to adequately boost calcium intake and position where required.

Knowledge, awareness, and practices of cervical cancer, its risk factors, screening, and prevention among women in Karachi, Pakistan.

BACKGROUND: Cervical cancer has a high mortality rate worldwide; in Pakistan it kills more than 7000 women every year. Prevention is possible through vaccination against human papilloma virus, the causative agent of cervical cancer, or by screening for premalignant lesions through routine Pap smear tests. We have studied the knowledge and practices regarding cervical cancer, its risk factors, screening and prevention and the role of human papilloma virus vaccination and Pap smear testing, among young women of Karachi. METHODS: Information was gathered using a modified version of Cervical Cancer Awareness Measure Toolkit version 2.1 from 384 women aged 15 to 50 with no medical background attending outpatient clinics of AKUH, Karachi. Data entry was done through EpiData and analysis was done using SPSS version 22.0. RESULTS: Our respondents' mean age was 30 (±7.6) years. Out of the 61.2% of women who had heard about cervical cancer, 47.0% had heard about Pap smear test and among them, 73% had gotten a Pap test. A total of 25.5% of women out of the 61.2%, knew that a vaccine existed for prevention and out of them only 9.8% had vaccinated against human papilloma virus. CONCLUSION: Majority of women in our study belonged to a higher socioeconomic class and were mostly educated but their knowledge and practices regarding prevention and screening of cervical cancer were poor. This reflects that the knowledge levels as a whole would be considerably lower in the city's general population.

Evidence of Coxiella burnetii in Punjab province, Pakistan.

Coxiella burnetii causes query (Q) fever, an important zoonotic disease with worldwide significance. The role of environment in the ecology of C. burnetti, and its influence on seroconversion in animals has not been elucidated in Pakistan. We carried out a cross-sectional study in Punjab province to (1) determine the prevalence and distribution of C. burnetii in soil using an ISIIII gene-based real time-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay, (2) analyze association between the occurrence of C. burnetii in soil and its predictors i.e. soil characteristics (macro- and micro-nutrients) and several likely risk factors including the seroconversion in small ruminants at places where its genome had or had not been detected, and (3) predict homology and genetic diversity of the identified strains using sequences originated from different hosts worldwide. A total of 2425 soil samples from nine districts of Punjab province were processed. C. burnetii DNA was detected in 47 samples (1.94%, 95% CI: ±0.55) originating from 35 villages of studied districts (7.22%, 95% CI: ±2.30). The highest prevalence was found in Attock (7.11%, 95% CI: ±3.36), followed by Lahore (4.83%, 95% CI: ±3.49), Sahiwal (4.70%, 95% CI: ±2.6), Dera Ghazi Khan (2.33%, 95% CI: ±2.02), Faisalabad (1.35%, 95% CI: ±1.18) and Sheikhupura (0.68%, 95% CI: ±0.94). The odds of detecting bacterial DNA in soil was increased with a unit increase in organic matter [2.511 (95% CI: 1.453-4.340), p=0.001] and sodium [1.013 (95% CI: 1.005-1.022), p=0.001], whereas, calcium [0.984 (95% CI: 0.975-0.994), p=0.002] and potassium [0.994 (95% CI: 0.990-0.999), p=0.011] had protective effect where a unit increase in each analyte decreased odds for its occurrence by 1.0% approximately. Likewise, for categorical variables (risk factors), the odds of detecting C. burnetii were higher at locations >500m away from a main road [1.95 (95% CI: 1.06-3.78), p=0.04]. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) revealed an increased prevalence of antibodies in sheep (17.9%, 95% CI: ±5.54) compared with goats (16.4%, 95% CI: ±4.34). When determining the association between soil DNA and C. burnetii antibodies in small ruminants, the odds of detecting these antibodies were significant in sheep at the livestock barns [2.81 (95% CI: 1.20-7.37), p=0.02]. The IS1111 gene-based sequence analysis revealed a clustering of the DNA into two distinct groups with much genetic divergence (0.76-68.70%): the first group that contained sequences from Lahore district clustered with human and buffalo origin isolates, whereas the second group that contained the sequences from the remaining study districts clustered with goat-, rodent- and human-origin isolates. This study provides the first evidence of the presence of C. burnetii in the environment in Punjab province, Pakistan. Future studies are needed to ascertain the bacteria's molecular epidemiology over a wide geographical area, type the isolates, and evaluates the potential risks to human populations, particularly farmers and veterinarians.

Effect of different irradiation times on microhardness and depth of cure of a nanocomposite resin.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the microhardness and depth of cure of nanocomposite using different irradiation times on both upper and lower surfaces of composite material. STUDY DESIGN: In-vitro experimental study design. PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY: Dr. Ishrat-ul-Ebad Khan Institute of Oral Health Sciences, Dow University of Health Sciences and NED University of Engineering and Technology, Karachi, from March to May 2010. METHODOLOGY: Total 120 cylinder shaped specimens; 60 specimens for depth of cure test and 60 specimens for micro hardness test were fabricated using A3 shade of nanocomposite (Filtek Z350 XT, 3M ESPE). For each irradiation time four groups were made (Group 1 = 20s), (Group 2 = 30s), (Group 3 = 40s) and (Group 4 = 60s). For each group fifteen specimens were used. The resin was placed and polymerized into a cylindrical plastic mold. Depth of cure was measured by using micrometer. Micro Vickers hardness was measured on both top and bottom surfaces. SPSS-16.0 was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: There was statistically significant difference in the depth of cure between all groups showing the highest value in group 4 (p < 0.001). For hardness on top surface, there was a statistically significant difference in between groups 1 and 2 (p=0.001), groups 1 and 3 (p < 0.001), groups 1 and 4 (p < 0.001). There was no statistically significant difference between groups 2 and 3, groups 2 and 4 and in between groups 3 and 4. For hardness on bottom surface, there was statistically significant difference in between all groups showing the highest value in group 4 (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Depth of cure and hardness was increased by increasing irradiation time. Hardness on the top surface was higher than bottom surface values.