Comparative Study of Antimicrobial Activity of Silver, Gold, and Silver/Gold Bimetallic Nanoparticles Synthesized by Green Approach.

Nanotechnology is one of the most recent technologies. It is uncertain whether the production of small-size nanoparticles (NPs) can be achieved through a simple, straightforward, and medicinally active phytochemical route. The present study aimed to develop an easy and justifiable method for the synthesis of Ag, Au, and their Ag/Au bimetallic NPs (BNPs) by using Hippeastrum hybridum (HH) extract, and then to investigate the effects of Ag, Au, and their Ag/Au BNPs as antimicrobial and phytotoxic agents. Ag, Au, and their Ag/Au BNPs were characterized by UV-visible spectroscopy, FT-IR spectroscopy, XRD, EDX, and SEM analysis. XRD analysis conferring to the face of face-centered cubic crystal structure with an average size of 13.3, 10.72, and 8.34 nm of Ag, Au, and Ag/Au BNPs, respectively. SEM showed that Ag, Au, and Ag/Au BNPs had spherical morphologies, with calculated nano measurements of 40, 30, and 20 nm, respectively. The EDX analysis confirmed the composition of elemental Ag signal of the HH-AgNPs with 22.75%, Au signal of the HH-AuNPs with 48.08%, Ag signal with 12%, and Au signal with 38.26% of the Ag/Au BNPs. The Ag/Au BNPs showed an excellent antimicrobial efficacy against Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus, Actinomycetes meriye, Bacillus cereus, Streptococcus pyogenes, Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Micrococcus luteus, Streptococcus pneumonia, and Gram-negative Klebsiella pneumonia, Escherichia coli, and Serratia marcescens bacterial strains, as well as against three fungal strains (Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus fumigatus, and Aspergillus flavus) compared to HH extract, HH-AgNPs, and HH-AuNPs. However, further investigations are recommended to be able to minimize potential risks of application.

Pervasiveness of intestinal protozoan and worm incursion in IDP's (North Waziristan agency, KPK-Pakistan) children of 6-16 years.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the prevalence of intestinal protozoan and worm infestation in children of families having migrated due to military operation. METHODS: The cross-sectional, descriptive study was conducted in Cantonment Military Hospital, Bannu, from August 4 to October 24, 2014, and comprised children of either gender aged 6-16 years belonging to families of internally displaced persons belonging to Miraliand Miranshah in North Waziristan Agency. Stool specimens were collected and examined by direct light microscopy for the assessment of intestinal protozoan and worm infestation. RESULTS: Of the 150 children examined, 52(34.66%) didn't show any cyst/ova in their stool examination and were marked negative, whereas 98(65.33%) tested positive for numerous intestinal parasites that included Ascaris Lumbricoides 27(18%), Hymenolepis nana 22(15%), Pin worm 18(12%), Taenia saginata 14(9%), Entamoeba histolytica 9(6%), Giardia Lamblia 5(3%) and Ankylostomaduodenal 3(2%). CONCLUSIONS: Poor hygiene, outdoor open field defecation, and unclean standing water source are risk factors for high prevalence of intestinal worm infestation.

Frequency of severe vitamin-D deficiency in patients presenting to a tertiary care hospital in Islamabad.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the frequency of severe vitamin D deficiency in patients presenting in a tertiary care hospital in Islamabad and its possible causes. METHODS: The cross-sectional study involving 351 consecutive patients was conducted at the out-patient department of General Medicine, Federal Government Services Hospital, Islamabad, from September 2011 to June 2012.Both male and female patients between the ages of 13 and 65 were included in the study, while those having renal or liver failure and using drugs that could potentially cause a decrease in vitamin D3 were excluded. SPSS 17 was used for statistical analyses. RESULTS: Of the 351 subjects, 221 (62.9%) were females and 123 (37.1%) were male. The overall mean age was 46.03 ± 16.18 years. There were 251 (71.5) subjects from Islamabad, followed by 51 (14.6%) from Peshawar, 26 (7.3%) from Rawalpindi, 7(2%) from Abbottabad while 16 (4.6%)were from other parts of Pakistan. Overall, 225 (64%) were aware of the importance of vitamin D, whereas 126 (36%) were not; 246 (70%) knew about the role of vitamin D in normal bone development, and 105 (30%) did not know; 344 (98%) didn't know what was meant by fortified food containing vitamin D, while 168 (48%)experienced generalised body aches and pains and none of the patients had a fracture in the preceding one year. Vitamin D3 levels were decreased in 291 (82.8%) subjects and the mean vitamin D3 level was 14.09 ± 12.93 ng/dL. CONCLUSION: Undiagnosed vitamin D deficiency is prevalent in the community. With the magnitude of deficiency that is seen in our healthy population, fortification of food items is required.

Depression and seizures as the main neuropsychiatric manifestation of mixed connective tissue disorder.

A 38 years female presented with arthralgia, dyspnoea, progressive proximal muscle weakness, seizures, weight loss, dysphagia, alopecia, and dryness of the eyes and mouth with tightening of the skin. Psychiatric evaluation revealed major depression. She had oral ulcers, tightening of the skin of the hands with restricted mouth opening, and proximal muscle weakness. Mixed connective tissue disorder (MCTD) with predominant polymyositis and neuropsychiatric manifestations was diagnosed as the patient had anti-RNP positive with significantly raised muscle enzymes. This case is unique because major depression in MCTD is rarely documented, severe polymyositis is a rarity and ANA was negative but characteristic anti-RNP antibody was positive.

Herpes simplex encephalitis presenting with normal CSF analysis.

A 28 years old female presented with headache, fever, altered sensorium and right side weakness for one week. She was febrile and drowsy with right sided hemiplegia and papilledema. Tuberculous or bacterial meningitis, tuberculoma and abscess were at the top of the diagnosis list followed by Herpes simplex meningo-encephalitis (HSE). MRI showed abnormal signal intensity of left temporal lobe without significant post-contrast enhancement and midline shift. CSF examination was normal, gram stain and Ziehl-Neelsen stain showed no micro-organism, or acid fast bacilli. CSF for MTB PCR was negative. PCR DNA for Herpes simplex 1 on CSF was detected. Acyclovir was started and the patient was discharged after full recovery. A high index of suspicion is required for HSE diagnosis in Pakistan where other infections predominantly affect the brain and HSE may be overlooked as a potential diagnosis.