RESUMO
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Ageism represents an important barrier to high-quality healthcare for older adults. The present study sought to translate and validate the Arabic version of the Ageism Scale for Dental Students (ASDS-Arabic). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The 27-item ASDS tool was translated from English into Arabic following recommended cross-sectional forward and backward translation guidelines. The translated version was subjected to the content validity ratio (CVR) and sent to dental students in 21 institutes from 10 different Arab countries. Principal components analysis (PCA) was used to assess the dimensionality of the scale, and Cronbach's alpha was used to determine internal consistency reliability. The discriminant validity of the scale was assessed using the independent t-test. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was also undertaken. RESULTS: Based on CVR, three items were removed. The 24-item Arabic version was completed by 3284 dental students. PCA and CFA retained 17 items in six components, explaining 50.3% of the total variance, with acceptable reliability, validity and discrimination. The first component "Adherence of older patients with dental treatment and instructions," included four items with a Cronbach α of 0.64 and scored 4.3 ± 0.8. The second component "Feasibility of the treatment plan," included three items with a Cronbach α of 0.66 and scored from 2.6 ± 1.2 to 2.9 ± 1.1. The third component "Cost of and responsibility for the dental treatment" included four items with a Cronbach α of 0.47 and scored 4.4 ± 0.8 to 4.5 ± 0.8. The fourth component "Medical history of older patients" included two items with a Cronbach α of 0.70 and scored 4.0 ± 1.0 to 4.1 ± 1.0. The fifth Component "Feeling towards older patients" included two items with a Cronbach α of 0.672 and scored 2.6 ± 1.2 to 2.0 ± 1.4. The sixth Component "Confidence and experience in treating older patients" included two items with a Cronbach α of 0.33 and scored 4.4 ± 1 to 4.6 ± 1. CONCLUSION: This preliminary validation of the ASDS-Ar resulted in a new 17-item scale with six components with acceptable validity, reliability and discrimination.
RESUMO
OBJECTIVES: E-cigarette use has become popular, particularly among the youth. Its use is associated with harmful general and oral health consequences. This survey aimed to assess self-reported oral hygiene practices, oral and general health events, and changes in physiological functions (including physical status, smell, taste, breathing, appetite, etc.) due to E-cigarette use among dental students. METHODS: This online, multicounty survey involved undergraduate dental students from 20 dental schools across 11 different countries. The questionnaire included demographic characteristics, E-cigarette practices, self-reported complaints, and associated physiological changes due to E-cigarette smoking. Data were descriptively presented as frequencies and percentages. A Chi-square test was used to assess the potential associations between the study group and sub-groups with the different factors. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS at P < 0.05. RESULTS: Most respondents reported regular brushing of their teeth, whereas only 70% used additional oral hygiene aids. Reported frequencies of complaints ranged from as low as 3.3% for tongue inflammation to as high as 53.3% for headache, with significant differences between E-cigarette users and non-users. Compared to non-smokers, E-cigarette users reported significantly higher prevalence of dry mouth (33.1% vs. 23.4%; P < 0.001), black tongue (5.9% vs. 2.8%; P = 0.002), and heart palpitation (26.3%% vs. 22.8%; P = 0.001). Although two-thirds of the sample reported no change in their physiological functions, E-cigarette users reported significant improvement in their physiological functions compared to never smokers or tobacco users. CONCLUSION: Dental students showed good oral hygiene practices, but E-cigarette users showed a higher prevalence of health complications.
Assuntos
Sistemas Eletrônicos de Liberação de Nicotina , Vaping , Adolescente , Humanos , Saúde Bucal , Autorrelato , Estudantes de Odontologia , Inquéritos e Questionários , Vaping/efeitos adversos , Vaping/epidemiologiaRESUMO
Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) is one of polyphenol that is abundant in green tea. It has anti-oxidative activity and exerts neuroprotective effects in ischemic brain damage. Ischemic conditions induce oxidative stress and result in cell death. Thioredoxin is a small redox protein that plays an important role in the regulation of oxidation and reduction. This study was designed to investigate the regulation of thioredoxin by EGCG in ischemic brain damage. Middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) was performed to induce focal cerebral ischemia in male Sprague-Dawley rats. The EGCG (50 mg/kg) or was administered before MCAO surgical operation. Neurological behavior test, reactive oxygen species (ROS), and lipid peroxidation (LPO) measurement were performed 24 h after MCAO. The cerebral cortex was isolated for further experiments. EGCG alleviated MCAO-induced neurological deficits and increases in ROS and LPO levels. EGCG also ameliorated the decrease in thioredoxin expression by MCAO. This finding was confirmed using various techniques such as Western blot analysis, reverse transcription PCR, and immunofluorescence staining. Results of immunoprecipitation showed that MCAO decreases the interaction between apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1 (ASK1) and thioredoxin, while EGCG treatment attenuates this decrease. EGCG also attenuated decrease of cell viability and thioredoxin expression in glutamate-exposed neuron in a dose-dependent manner. It alleviated the increase of caspase-3 by glutamate exposure. However, this effect of EGCG on caspase-3 change was weakened in thioredoxin siRNA-transfected neurons. These findings suggest that EGCG exerts a neuroprotective effect by regulating thioredoxin expression and modulating ASK1 and thioredoxin binding in ischemic brain damage.
Assuntos
Isquemia Encefálica/metabolismo , Catequina/análogos & derivados , Ácido Glutâmico/toxicidade , Neurônios/metabolismo , Fármacos Neuroprotetores/uso terapêutico , Tiorredoxinas/biossíntese , Animais , Antioxidantes/farmacologia , Antioxidantes/uso terapêutico , Isquemia Encefálica/tratamento farmacológico , Catequina/farmacologia , Catequina/uso terapêutico , Linhagem Celular Transformada , Regulação para Baixo/efeitos dos fármacos , Regulação para Baixo/fisiologia , Masculino , Camundongos , Neurônios/efeitos dos fármacos , Fármacos Neuroprotetores/farmacologia , Ratos , Ratos Sprague-DawleyRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is one of the principal causes of economic loss to the livestock industry because of its morbidity and mortality of food-producing animals and condemnation of important visceral organs. Pakistan being an agricultural country having an extensive livestock sector, is mostly practiced by poor people, which has a fundamental role in the economy. The present study was aimed to conduct a cross-sectional survey and PCR based confirmation of Echinococcus granulosus in sheep, goats, cows, and buffaloes from southern regions (three districts: Lakki Marwat, Bannu, and Karak) of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. During the study, a total of 2833 animals were examined randomly including; sheep (n = 529), goats (n = 428), cows (n = 1693), and buffaloes (n = 183). Hydatid cysts were collected and examined for the presence of protoscoleces using microscopy. Detection of DNA was performed by using PCR and two mitochondrial genetic markers namely; NAD-1 and COX-1 were amplified. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of CE was found to be (9%) among the examined animals. The hydatid cyst infection was highly prevalent in buffaloes (12%), followed by sheep (10%), cows (9%), and goats (5.1%). Cystic echinococcosis was more prevalent (10%; 96/992) in district Lakki Marwat followed by district Bannu (9%; 112/1246) and Karak (7%; 39/595). Female animals were more likely to be infected with CE (11.6%) than male animals (5.3%) (p = 0.001). Similarly, the infection was higher in the older group of animals as compared to younger (p = 0.001). Mostly (52.2%; n = 129) of hydatid cysts were found in the liver, while (64.4%; n = 159) cysts of the infected animals were infertile. PCR based identification confirmed the presence of E. granulosus sensu stricto (s.s) in the study area. CONCLUSION: Cystic echinococcosis was found to be highly prevalent in southern regions of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and could be a potential threat to human health. Moreover, molecular sequencing and phylogenetic analyses should be carried out in future to identify the prevailing genotype (s) of E. granulosus s.s.
Assuntos
Doenças dos Animais/epidemiologia , Equinococose/veterinária , Echinococcus granulosus/isolamento & purificação , Doenças dos Animais/parasitologia , Animais , Búfalos , Bovinos , Estudos Transversais , Equinococose/epidemiologia , Echinococcus granulosus/genética , Feminino , Cabras , Masculino , Paquistão/epidemiologia , Reação em Cadeia da Polimerase/veterinária , Prevalência , Ovinos , Zoonoses/epidemiologiaRESUMO
When a drop falls and impacts on a liquid pool, it entraps an air disk below the drop, which then contracts into a central bubble. Here, we use high-speed imaging and high-resolution numerical simulations to characterize the air-disk contraction dynamics for different liquid properties. We show that the air disk can contract into a single central bubble, form a toroidal bubble, or split vertically into two smaller bubbles. We demonstrate that the transitions between the different regimes can be separated by an Ohnesorge number, Oh_{e}, based on the air-disk thickness. For the lowest Oh_{e}, we find a new regime, where vortex shedding from the rim of the contracting air disk breaks the vertical symmetry and prevents the bubble from splitting in two.
RESUMO
Rapid increase in industrialization and urbanization in the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia has led to the intense release of petroleum and products of petroleum into the environment. Surface sediment samples were collected from the Selangor River in the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia during four climatic seasons and analyzed for PAHs and biomarkers (hopanes). Sediments were soxhlet extracted and further purified and fractionated through first and second step column chromatography. A gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was used for analysis of PAHs and hopanes fractions. The average concentrations of total PAHs ranged from 219.7 to 672.3 ng g-1 dw. The highest concentrations of PAHs were detected at 964.7 ng g-1 dw in station S5 in the mouth of the Selangor River during the wet inter-monsoonal season. Both pyrogenic and petrogenic PAHs were detected in the sediments with a predominance of the former. The composition of hopanes was homogeneous showing that petroleum hydrocarbons share an identical source in the study area. Diagnostic ratios of hopanes indicated that some of the sediment samples carry the crankcase oil signature.
Assuntos
Monitoramento Ambiental , Sedimentos Geológicos/análise , Poluição por Petróleo/análise , Hidrocarbonetos Policíclicos Aromáticos/análise , Rios , Poluentes Químicos da Água/análise , Estuários , Cromatografia Gasosa-Espectrometria de Massas , Malásia , Estações do Ano , Poluição Química da Água/análiseRESUMO
Natural healing agents are primarily focused to overcome unwanted side effects with synthetic drugs worldwide. In the proposed study, crude extracts and subsequent solvent fractions of Heliotropium strigosum were evaluated for antinociceptive and anticonvulsant activity in animal paradigms. In post acetic acid-induced writhing test, crude extract and fractions (hexane, ethyl acetate, and aqueous) demonstrated marked attenuation of nociception at test doses (50, 100, and 200 mg/kg i.p.). When challenged against thermally induced pain model, pretreatment of extracts exhibited prominent amelioration at test dose (50, 100, and 200 mg/kg i.p.). In both tests, inhibition of noxious stimulation was in a dose-dependent manner, and ethyl acetate fraction was most dominant. However, extracts did not antagonize the seizures and mortality induced by pentylenetetrazole. In conclusion, the extracts of H. strigosum illustrated significant antinociceptive effect in both centrally and peripherally acting pain models.
Assuntos
Analgésicos/farmacologia , Anticonvulsivantes/farmacologia , Heliotropium/química , Extratos Vegetais/farmacologia , Animais , Relação Dose-Resposta a Droga , Feminino , Masculino , Camundongos , Dor/induzido quimicamente , Dor/tratamento farmacológico , Pentilenotetrazol/toxicidade , Ratos , Ratos WistarRESUMO
The present study was designed to investigate the antihyperglycemic effect of Persea duthieion blood glucose concentration and body weight in alloxan induced diabetic hyperglycemic rabbits. The results illustrated significant antihyperglycemic activity of crude extract with 17.44% and 28.02% amelioration at 25 and 50mg/kg p.o. respectively after 24th day of drug treatment; equally supported by body weight recovery. Upon fractionation, most dominant antihyperglycemic effect was displayed by aqueous fraction with 22.12% and 34.43% effect followed by ethyl acetate fraction with 24.32% and 32.05% effect at 25 and 50mg/kg p.o. respectively after 24th day of drug treatment. The effect on blood glucose was also reflected on body weight of animals. In conclusion, our study documented marked antihyperglycemic activity of extract/fractions of P. duthiei.
Assuntos
Aloxano , Glicemia/efeitos dos fármacos , Peso Corporal/efeitos dos fármacos , Diabetes Mellitus Experimental/tratamento farmacológico , Hipoglicemiantes/farmacologia , Persea/química , Extratos Vegetais/farmacologia , Acetatos/química , Animais , Biomarcadores/sangue , Glicemia/metabolismo , Fracionamento Químico , Diabetes Mellitus Experimental/sangue , Diabetes Mellitus Experimental/induzido quimicamente , Relação Dose-Resposta a Droga , Hipoglicemiantes/isolamento & purificação , Fitoterapia , Extratos Vegetais/isolamento & purificação , Plantas Medicinais , Coelhos , Solventes/química , Fatores de Tempo , Água/químicaRESUMO
The current study was aimed to assess antibacterial, antioxidant and cytotoxic activity of total saponin, alkaloid and sterol contents of Joshanda decoction followed by its constituent's analysis via thin layer chromatography (TLC). Saponins and alkaloids showed prominent antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus cereus and Klebsiella pneumoniae whereas sterols only against S. aureus. Saponin and alkaloid contents of 97 and 108 µg/ml, respectively, showed prominent free radical scavenging activity against 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhidrazyl, with mild cytotoxicity in brine shrimp cytotoxic test. Under ultraviolet light at 254 nm, TLC of total saponins showed eight different compounds, total sterols comprising three while total alkaloids two compounds of various polarities. It is concluded that the various contents of Joshanda decoction possess outstanding susceptibility against bacteria implicating primarily upper respiratory tract infections augmented by strong antioxidant activity.
Assuntos
Antibacterianos/farmacologia , Antioxidantes/farmacologia , Citotoxinas/farmacologia , Extratos Vegetais/química , Extratos Vegetais/farmacologia , Saponinas/isolamento & purificação , Saponinas/farmacologia , Alcaloides/análise , Alcaloides/farmacologia , Antibacterianos/química , Antibacterianos/isolamento & purificação , Antioxidantes/química , Antioxidantes/isolamento & purificação , Bacillus subtilis/efeitos dos fármacos , Cromatografia em Camada Fina , Citotoxinas/química , Citotoxinas/isolamento & purificação , Klebsiella pneumoniae/efeitos dos fármacos , Staphylococcus aureus/efeitos dos fármacos , Esteróis/análise , Esteróis/farmacologiaRESUMO
The current project was designed to evaluate the anti-inflammatory activity of crude extract of Heliotropium strigosum and its subsequent solvent fractions in post carrageenan-induced edema and post xylene-induced ear edema at 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg intraperitoneally. The results revealed marked attenuation of edema induced by carrageenan injection in a dose-dependent manner. The ethyl acetate fraction was most dominant with 73.33% inhibition followed by hexane fraction (70.66%). When the extracts were challenged against xylene-induced ear edema, again ethyl acetate and hexane fractions were most impressive with 38.21 and 35.77% inhibition, respectively. It is concluded that various extracts of H. strigosum possessed strong anti-inflammatory activity in animal models.
Assuntos
Anti-Inflamatórios não Esteroides/uso terapêutico , Modelos Animais de Doenças , Edema/prevenção & controle , Heliotropium/química , Extratos Vegetais/uso terapêutico , Acetatos/química , Animais , Anti-Inflamatórios não Esteroides/administração & dosagem , Anti-Inflamatórios não Esteroides/isolamento & purificação , Carragenina , Relação Dose-Resposta a Droga , Orelha , Edema/imunologia , Etnofarmacologia , Feminino , Hexanos/química , Membro Posterior , Injeções Intraperitoneais , Masculino , Paquistão , Extratos Vegetais/administração & dosagem , Extratos Vegetais/isolamento & purificação , Ratos Wistar , Solventes/química , Xilenos/químicaRESUMO
In this antimicrobial study, various extracts of Green and Black tea (Camellia sinensis) and Lemon grass (Cymbopogon citrates) were evaluated for antimicrobial activities against six bacterial strains including both human pathogenic bacteria (Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeuroginosa, Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella typhi) and plant pathogenic bacteria (Erwinia carotovora, Agro bacterium tumifaciens) and one fungal strain Candida albicans by disc diffusion susceptibility method. Of human pathogens, P. aeruginosa was most susceptible to all three different tea varieties; though rest of the strains also demonstrated prominent sensitivity. In comparison, black tea extracts were less activities than green tea and lemon grass. However, all the three tea varieties illustrated profound activity against plant pathogenic bacteria. Similarly, when extracts of tea were tested against C. albicans, green tea and lemon grass exhibited significant activity while black tea was mostly inactive.
Assuntos
Antibacterianos/farmacologia , Antifúngicos/farmacologia , Camellia sinensis , Cymbopogon , Extratos Vegetais/farmacologia , Antibacterianos/isolamento & purificação , Antifúngicos/isolamento & purificação , Bactérias/efeitos dos fármacos , Bactérias/crescimento & desenvolvimento , Camellia sinensis/química , Camellia sinensis/classificação , Candida albicans/efeitos dos fármacos , Candida albicans/crescimento & desenvolvimento , Cymbopogon/química , Testes de Sensibilidade a Antimicrobianos por Disco-Difusão , Paquistão , Fitoterapia , Extratos Vegetais/isolamento & purificação , Folhas de Planta , Plantas MedicinaisRESUMO
Joshanda is a polyherbal product, commonly practicing in inflammation of upper respiratory tract as tea. The present study was conducted to find out its antimicrobial, phytotoxic, leishmanicidal and cytotoxic activities. The decoction of the product showed profound activity against Gram positive tested pathogens especially S. aureus 36.5 mm zone of inhibition at 8.0 µg/ml. However, it was inactive against C. albicans. Closed correlation was observed between two methods in terms of results. It had potent phytotoxic activity (75%). However, it was devoid of any activity leishmanicidal and cytotoxic activity. Phytochemical studies of Joshanda showed the presence of various pharmacologically active groups.
Assuntos
Anti-Infecciosos , Antineoplásicos Fitogênicos , Antiprotozoários , Herbicidas , Leishmania/efeitos dos fármacos , Preparações de Plantas/farmacologia , Animais , Antifúngicos/farmacologia , Artemia , Ensaios de Seleção de Medicamentos Antitumorais , Bactérias Gram-Negativas/efeitos dos fármacos , Bactérias Gram-Positivas/efeitos dos fármacos , Humanos , Testes de Sensibilidade Microbiana , Paraquat/toxicidade , Preparações de Plantas/toxicidadeRESUMO
In clinical datasets, missing data often occur due to various reasons including non-response, data corruption, and errors in data collection or processing. Such missing values can lead to biased statistical analyses, reduced statistical power, and potentially misleading findings, making effective imputation critical. Traditional imputation methods, such as Zero Imputation, Mean Imputation, and k-Nearest Neighbors (KNN) Imputation, attempt to address these gaps. However, these methods often fall short of accurately capturing the underlying data complexity, leading to oversimplified assumptions and errors in prediction. This study introduces a novel Imputation model employing transformer-based architectures to address these challenges. Notably, the model distinguishes between complete EEG signal amplitude data and incomplete data in two datasets: PhysioNet and CHB-MIT. By training exclusively on complete amplitude data, the TabTransformer accurately learns and predicts missing values, capturing intricate patterns and relationships inherent in EEG amplitude data. Evaluation using various error metrics and R2 score demonstrates significant enhancements over traditional methods such as Zero, Mean, and KNN imputation. The Proposed Model achieves impressive R2 scores of 0.993 for PhysioNet and 0.97 for CHB-MIT, highlighting its efficacy in handling complex clinical data patterns and improving dataset integrity. This underscores the transformative potential of transformer models in advancing the utility and reliability of clinical datasets.
RESUMO
Stroke is a leading cause of death and long-term disability which can cause oxidative damage and inflammation of the neuronal cells. Retinoic acid is an active metabolite of vitamin A that has various beneficial effects including antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. In this study, we investigated whether retinoic acid modulates oxidative stress and inflammatory factors in a stroke animal model. A middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) was performed on adult male rats to induce focal cerebral ischemia. Retinoic acid (5 mg/kg) or vehicle was injected into the peritoneal cavity for four days before MCAO surgery. The neurobehavioral tests were carried out 24 h after MCAO and cerebral cortex tissues were collected. The cortical damage was assessed by hematoxylin-eosin staining and reactive oxygen species assay. In addition, Western blot and immunohistochemical staining were performed to investigate the activation of glial cells and inflammatory cytokines in MCAO animals. Ionized calcium-binding adapter molecule-1 (Iba-1) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) were used as markers of microglial and astrocyte activation, respectively. Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß) were used as representative pro-inflammatory cytokines. Results showed that MCAO damage caused neurobehavioral defects and histopathological changes in the ischemic region and increased oxidative stress. Retinoic acid treatment reduced these changes caused by MCAO damage. We detected increases in Iba-1 and GFAP in MCAO animals treated with vehicle. However, retinoic acid alleviated increases in Iba-1 and GFAP caused by MCAO damage. Moreover, MCAO increased levels of nuclear factor-κB and pro-inflammatory cytokines, including TNF-α and IL-1ß. Retinoic acid alleviated the expression of these inflammatory proteins. These findings elucidate that retinoic acid regulates microglia and astrocyte activation and modulates pro-inflammatory cytokines. Therefore, this study suggests that retinoic acid exhibits strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties by reducing oxidative stress, inhibiting neuroglia cell activation, and preventing the increase of pro-inflammatory cytokines in a cerebral ischemia.
Assuntos
Isquemia Encefálica , Fármacos Neuroprotetores , Acidente Vascular Cerebral , Ratos , Masculino , Animais , Fator de Necrose Tumoral alfa/metabolismo , Tretinoína/farmacologia , Tretinoína/uso terapêutico , Antioxidantes/farmacologia , Antioxidantes/uso terapêutico , Acidente Vascular Cerebral/tratamento farmacológico , Acidente Vascular Cerebral/metabolismo , Isquemia Encefálica/tratamento farmacológico , Neuroglia/metabolismo , Citocinas/metabolismo , Anti-Inflamatórios/uso terapêutico , Infarto da Artéria Cerebral Média/complicações , Infarto da Artéria Cerebral Média/tratamento farmacológico , Infarto da Artéria Cerebral Média/patologia , Fármacos Neuroprotetores/farmacologia , Fármacos Neuroprotetores/uso terapêuticoRESUMO
The global prevalence of obesity presents a pressing challenge to public health and healthcare systems, necessitating accurate prediction and understanding for effective prevention and management strategies. This article addresses the need for improved obesity prediction models by conducting a comprehensive analysis of existing machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) approaches. This study introduces a novel hybrid model, Attention-based Bi-LSTM (ABi-LSTM), which integrates attention mechanisms with bidirectional Long Short-Term Memory (Bi-LSTM) networks to enhance interpretability and performance in obesity prediction. Our study fills a crucial gap by bridging healthcare and urban planning domains, offering insights into data-driven approaches to promote healthier living within urban environments. The proposed ABi-LSTM model demonstrates exceptional performance, achieving a remarkable accuracy of 96.5% in predicting obesity levels. Comparative analysis showcases its superiority over conventional approaches, with superior precision, recall, and overall classification balance. This study highlights significant advancements in predictive accuracy and positions the ABi-LSTM model as a pioneering solution for accurate obesity prognosis. The implications extend beyond healthcare, offering a precise tool to address the global obesity epidemic and foster sustainable development in smart cities.
RESUMO
The purpose of the present study was to find out the sources of mercury and arsenic pollution of water in the industrial area of Peshawar, the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Samples of effluents, mud, and water were collected from the target area (industrial area of Peshawar), the area of water supply source, and from the less polluted area, the Lower Dir district, as the control. Hg was determined by the cold vapor generation technique, while arsenic was determined using the electrothermal atomic absorption technique. Data of the water from the industrial area were compared with that of the source area, control area, as well as with the WHO and some international drinking water quality standards. The results show that some parameters, i.e., TDS, DO, pH, and hardness, were more than the permissible limits. Textile and glass industries were found to be the major sources of Hg and As pollution. Downstream dilution of these contaminants was also observed.
Assuntos
Arsênio/análise , Mercúrio/análise , Poluentes Químicos da Água/análise , Qualidade da Água/normas , Abastecimento de Água/estatística & dados numéricos , Monitoramento Ambiental , Indústrias/estatística & dados numéricos , Paquistão , Poluição Química da ÁguaRESUMO
In the present work, for the first time, green chemically synthesized and stabilized Co3O4 nanoparticles were employed for catalytic conversion of isopropyl alcohol to acetone by dehydrogenation of IPA. Plant extract of Rosmarinus officinalis was used as a reducing and stabilizing agent for this synthesis. The biosynthesized Co3O4 nanoparticles were annealed at 450â followed by their physiochemical characterizations through XRD, SEM, AFM, and FTIR. Size distribution information collected through XRD and AFM back each other, and it was found to be 6.5 nm, having the highest number of nanoparticles in this size range. While SEM confirms the self-arranging property of synthesized nanoparticles due to their magnetic nature, furthermore, the biogenic Co3O4 nanoparticles were studied for their catalytic potential to convert isopropyl alcohol to acetone with the help of a UV-Visible spectrophotometer. The highest photocatalytic conversion of 99% was obtained in time period of 48 s. For the first time ever, nanoparticles were used for 5 cycles to evaluate their recyclable nature and conversion fell from 99 to 86% and the end of the 5th cycle. Later anti-bacterial activity against 3 Gram-positive and 3 Gram-negative strains gave the highest inhibition value of 99% against Streptococcus pneumoniae at 500 µg/mL. Finally, a cytotoxicity study on synthesized nanomaterials was carried out by exposing freshly drawn human macrophages to them. It was found that even at the highest concentration of 500 µg/mL, the nanoparticles showed only 28% lysis.
Assuntos
Antibacterianos , Nanopartículas Metálicas , Humanos , Antibacterianos/química , Nanopartículas Metálicas/química , Extratos Vegetais/química , 2-Propanol , Acetona , Química VerdeRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Cerebral ischemia is a serious neurological disorder that can lead to high morbidity and mortality. Chlorogenic acid is a polyphenol compound with antioxidant that can regulate proteins in cerebral ischemia. Middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) surgery was performed to induce ischemic brain injury and was maintained for 24 h. Chlorogenic acid (30 mg/kg) or vehicle was administrated into the peritoneal cavity 2 h after MCAO surgery. The cerebral cortical tissues were collected for further study and a proteomic approach was performed to identify the proteins changed by chlorogenic acid in the MCAO animals. RESULTS: We found that chlorogenic acid alleviated in changes in adenosylhomocysteinase, glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4A-II, apolipoprotein A-I, and mu-crystallin. These proteins were reduced in MCAO animals with vehicle, and these reductions were attenuated by chlorogenic acid treatment. The mitigation of this reduction by chlorogenic acid was confirmed by the reverse transcription PCR technique. These proteins are associated with energy metabolism, protein synthesis, inflammation, and physiological metabolism. They are involved in the neuroprotective effect of chlorogenic acid. These results showed that chlorogenic acid alleviates the neurological disorders caused by MCAO and regulates the expression of proteins involved in neuroprotection. CONCLUSIONS: Therefore, our findings provide evidence that chlorogenic acid plays a neuroprotective role in stroke animal models by controlling specific proteins.
RESUMO
Ischemic stroke causes severe brain damage and high mortality. Chlorogenic acid is a phenolic compound that has neuroprotective properties. B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) family proteins are important for apoptosis regulation. Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL are proteins that inhibit apoptosis, and Bax and Bad induce apoptosis. In this study, we investigated whether chlorogenic acid exerts a neuroprotective effect against ischemic stroke damage by regulating Bcl-2 family proteins. We performed middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) to induce ischemic stroke in adult male rats. The animals were intraperitoneally injected with normal saline as a vehicle or chlorogenic acid (30 mg/kg) 2 hr after MCAO. Cerebral cortex tissue was collected 24 hr after MCAO damage. MCAO damage caused histopathological changes and increased the number of terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase deoxyuridine triphosphate (dUTP) nick end labeling-positive cells, while chlorogenic acid attenuated these changes. RT-qPCR and Western blot results showed decreases in Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL expression and an increase in Bax and Bad expression in MCAO animals. However, chlorogenic acid treatment attenuated these changes due to MCAO damage. The interaction of Bax with Bcl-2 or Bcl-xL decreased in MCAO animals, and the binding of Bad with Bcl-2 or Bcl-xL increased. However, chlorogenic acid treatment reduced these changes. Chlorogenic acid also prevented MCAO-induced increases in caspase-3 and caspase-9 expression. This study provides evidence that chlorogenic acid has neuroprotective effects against MCAO damage by modulating Bcl-2 family proteins including Bcl-2, Bcl-xL, Bax, and Bad. Furthermore, chlorogenic acid regulates the interaction between Bcl-2 family proteins. In conclusion, chlorogenic acid contributes to neuroprotection against ischemic stroke damage by controlling Bcl-2 family proteins.
RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) is a flavonoid compound commonly found in green tea. It exhibits antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective effects in cerebral ischemia. Protein phosphatase 2 A (PP2A) is an important serine/threonine phosphatase enzyme involved in various cellular activities. PP2A subunit B is present abundantly in the brain and plays an important role in the nervous system. We investigated the effect of EGCG on the expression level of PP2A subunit B in cerebral ischemia caused by middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). EGCG (50 mg/kg) or vehicle was injected into the peritoneal cavity prior to MCAO surgery. Neurological behavior tests were performed 24 h after MCAO, and right cerebral cortex tissue was collected. Cerebral ischemia caused serious neurological abnormalities, which were alleviated by EGCG administration. We screened the expression of PP2A subunits containing A, B, and C using reverse-transcription PCR. We confirmed that PP2A subunit B exhibited significant changes in MCAO animals compared to subunits A and C. We continuously examined the expression of PP2A subunit B protein in MCAO animals using Western blot analysis. RESULTS: EGCG alleviated the reduction of PP2A subunit B protein by MCAO damage. In addition, immunohistochemistry demonstrated a decrease in the number of PP2A subunit B-positive cells in the cerebral cortex, and EGCG attenuated this decrease. Maintenance of PP2A subunit B is important for normal brain function. CONCLUSION: Therefore, our findings suggest that EGCG exerts neuroprotective effects against cerebral ischemia through modulation of PP2A subunit B expression.