Removal of Cr(VI) from Wastewater Using Acrylonitrile Grafted Cellulose Extracted from Sugarcane Bagasse.

A highly efficient low-cost adsorbent was prepared using raw and chemically modified cellulose isolated from sugarcane bagasse for decontamination of Cr(VI) from wastewater. First, cellulose pulp was isolated from sugarcane bagasse by subjecting it to acid hydrolysis, alkaline hydrolysis and bleaching with sodium chlorate (NaClO3). Then, the bleached cellulose pulp was chemically modified with acrylonitrile monomer in the presence Fenton's reagent (Fe+2/H2O2) to carry out grafting of acrylonitrile onto cellulose by atom transfer radical polymerization. The developed adsorbent (acrylonitrile grafted cellulose) was analyzed by X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). Both raw cellulose and acrylonitrile grafted cellulose were used for chromium removal from wastewater. The effects of metal ion concentration, pH, adsorbent dose and time were studied, and their values were optimized. The optimum conditions for the adsorption of Cr(VI) onto raw and chemically modified cellulose were: metal ion concentration: 50 ppm, adsorbent dose: 1 g, pH: 6, and time: 60 min. The maximum efficiencies of 73% and 94% and adsorption capacities of 125.95 mg/g and 267.93 mg/g were achieved for raw and acrylonitrile grafted cellulose, respectively. High removal efficiency was achieved, owing to high surface area of 79.92 m2/g and functional active binding cites on grafted cellulose. Isotherm and kinetics studies show that the experimental data were fully fitted by the Freundlich isotherm model and pseudo first-order model. The adsorbent (acrylonitrile grafted cellulose) was regenerated using three different types of regenerating reagents and reused thirty times, and there was negligible decrease (19%) in removal efficiency after using it for 30 times. Hence, it is anticipated that acrylonitrile could be utilized as potential candidate material for commercial scale Cr(VI) removal from wastewater.

g-C3N4 Based Photocatalyst for the Efficient Photodegradation of Toxic Methyl Orange Dye: Recent Modifications and Future Perspectives.

Industrial effluents containing dyes are the dominant pollutants, making the drinking water unfit. Among the dyes, methylene orange (MO) dye is mutagenic, carcinogenic and toxic to aquatic organisms. Therefore, its removal from water bodies through effective and economical approach is gaining increased attention in the last decades. Photocatalytic degradation has the ability to convert economically complex dye molecules into non-toxic and smaller species via redox reactions, by using photocatalysts. g-C3N4 is a metal-free n-type semiconductor, typical nonmetallic and non-toxici polymeric photocatalyst. It widely used in photocatalytic materials, due to its easy and simple synthesis, fascinating electronic band structure, high stability and abundant availability. As a photocatalyst, its major drawbacks are its limited efficiency in separating photo-excited electron-hole pairs, high separated charge recombination, low specific surface area, and low absorption coefficient. In this review, we report the recent modification strategies adopted for g-C3N4 for the efficient photodegradation of MO dye. The different modification approaches, such as nanocomposites and heterojunctions, as well as doping and defect introductions, are briefly discussed. The mechanism of the photodegradation of MO dye by g-C3N4 and future perspectives are discussed. This review paper will predict strategies for the fabrication of an efficient g-C3N4-based photocatalyst for the photodegradation of MO dye.

Efficient Removal of Pb(II) from Aqueous Medium Using Chemically Modified Silica Monolith.

The adsorptive removal of lead (II) from aqueous medium was carried out by chemically modified silica monolith particles. Porous silica monolith particles were prepared by the sol-gel method and their surface modification was carried out using trimethoxy silyl propyl urea (TSPU) to prepare inorganic-organic hybrid adsorbent. The resultant adsorbent was evaluated for the removal of lead (Pb) from aqueous medium. The effect of pH, adsorbent dose, metal ion concentration and adsorption time was determined. It was found that the optimum conditions for adsorption of lead (Pb) were pH 5, adsorbent dose of 0.4 g/L, Pb(II) ions concentration of 500 mg/L and adsorption time of 1 h. The adsorbent chemically modified SM was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), BET/BJH and thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA). The percent adsorption of Pb(II) onto chemically modified silica monolith particles was 98%. An isotherm study showed that the adsorption data of Pb(II) onto chemically modified SM was fully fitted with the Freundlich and Langmuir isotherm models. It was found from kinetic study that the adsorption of Pb(II) followed a pseudo second-order model. Moreover, thermodynamic study suggests that the adsorption of Pb(II) is spontaneous and exothermic. The adsorption capacity of chemically modified SM for Pb(II) ions was 792 mg/g which is quite high as compared to the traditional adsorbents. The adsorbent chemically modified SM was regenerated, used again three times for the adsorption of Pb(II) ions and it was found that the adsorption capacity of the regenerated adsorbent was only dropped by 7%. Due to high adsorption capacity chemically modified silica monolith particles could be used as an effective adsorbent for the removal of heavy metals from wastewater.

Comparison of phenotypic methods with mecA gene based polymerase chain reaction for Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus detection.

OBJECTIVE: To determine methicillin resistance in staphylococcus aureus by different phenotypic methods, and to evaluate their accuracy with mecA gene polymerase chain reaction for methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus detection. METHODS: The descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted from January to December 2015 at the Post- Graduate Medical Institute, Lahore, Pakistan, and comprised consecutive, non-repetitive clinical isolates of methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus that were screened with oxacillin disk 1µg and cefoxitin disk 30µg by Kirby-Bauer method using Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute guideline. The isolates were cultured on oxacillin screen and mannitol salt agar, and subjected to latex agglutination for penicillin-binding protein 2aand polymerase chain reaction for mecA gene. Data was analysed using SPSS 20. RESULTS: All the 105 isolates were resistant on oxacillin and cefoxitin disk diffusion test, but 95(90.47%) were positive for mecA gene by latex agglutination and polymerase chain reaction. The sensitivity of oxacillin salt agar, mannitol salt agar and latex agglutination was 94.31%, 96.73% and 98.95%, respectively. Keeping polymerase chain reaction as the gold standard, the specificity and diagnostic accuracy of latex agglutination were 77.77% and 97.14% respectively, which was the highest among all the phenotypic methods. CONCLUSIONS: Latex agglutination method can be proposed as a swiftly reliable diagnostic technique for the detection of mecA gene in methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus isolates in resource-constrained settings where molecular methods are limited.

Advances in natural polysaccharides for gold recovery from e-waste: Recent developments in preparation with structural features.

The increasing demand for gold because of its high market price and its wide use in the electronic industry has attracted interest in gold recovery from electronic waste (e-waste). Gold is being dumped as solid e-waste which contains gold concentrations ten times higher than gold ores. Adsorption is a widely used approach for extracting gold from e-waste due to its simplicity, low cost, high efficiency, and reusability of adsorbent material. Natural polysaccharides received increased attention due to their natural abundance, multi-functionality, biodegradability, and nontoxicity. In this review, a brief history, and advancements in this technology were evaluated with recent developments in the preparation and mechanism advancements of natural polysaccharides for efficient gold recovery. Moreover, we have discussed some bifunctional modified polysaccharides with detailed gold adsorption mechanisms. The modified adsorbent materials developed from polysaccharides coupled with inorganic/organic functional groups would demonstrate an efficient technology for the development of new bio-based materials for efficient gold recovery from e-waste. Also, future views are recommended for highlighting the direction to achieve fast and effective gold recovery from e-waste in a friendly and sustainable manner.

Posthatch developmental changes in the ovary with emphasis on follicular development and atresia in the native chicken (Uttara fowl) of Uttarakhand, India.

This experiment was designed to investigate the postnatal development of the ovary in the Uttara fowl chicken and was conducted on 54 apparently healthy female birds divided into different age groups, namely Day 1 and Weeks 1, 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, 28 with six birds each. During postnatal development, the left ovary gradually increased in size and complexity. The segmentation of the ovary started by 4 weeks, follicular eruption by 8 weeks, small liquor follicles (1-5 mm) appeared by 16 weeks, pre-hierarchical follicles by 20 weeks and hierarchical follicles by 24 weeks of age. The cortex was distinctly differentiated from the medulla in the early stage of ovarian development. However, the division between cortex and medulla was gradually obscured with age (transitional stage) and distinction was completely lost in the mature ovary. The different stages of follicular development in the chicken ovary were classified as primordial, primary, growing at Stage I, II and III stromal follicles besides pre-hierarchical and hierarchical surface follicles. The primordial and primary follicles showed cytoplasmic sudanophilic substances, especially in the Balbiani's yolk body, indicating the presence of lipids (Sudan Black B) with no activity for neutral polysaccharides (periodic acid Schiff method). It was observed that apoptotic changes may affect any stage of developing follicle resulting in arrested growth and atrophy. An early form of follicular atresia was the fate of the growth-arrested primordial and primary follicles, whereas the glandular form of atresia was commonly observed in growing follicles arrested at Stages I and II. The scanning electron micrographs unveiled the follicles as hollow oval structures with a follicular lumen lined by the perivitelline membrane (glycoprotein membrane) having lacunae giving a honeycomb-like appearance.

Green synthesis of gold and silver nanoparticles using crude extract of Aconitum violaceum and evaluation of their antibacterial, antioxidant and photocatalytic activities.

Green synthesis of metal nanoparticles (NPs) has received extensive attention over other conventional approaches due to their non-toxic nature and more biocompatibility. Herein we report gold and silver NPs (AuNPs@AV and AgNPs@AV) prepared by employing a green approach using crude extract of Aconitum violaceum Jacquem. ex Stapf. The synthesized NPs were characterized using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), UV/Visible spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR), X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), and Zeta Potential. Morphological analysis showed spherical and triangular shapes of the NPs with average size of <100 nm. The AuNPs@AV and AgNPs@AV exhibited effective antibacterial activities, with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of 95 and 70 µg/mL against Lactobacillus acidophilus (L. acidophilus) and 90 and 65 µg/mL against Escherichia coli (E. coli), respectively. Strong antioxidant effect of AuNPs@AV and AgNPs@AV were reported against DPPH radical and PTIO within range of IC50 values; 161-80 µg/ml as compared to the standard (23-11 µg/mL) respectively. Moreover, the AuNPs@AV and AgNPs@AV showed efficient photocatalytic activity and degraded 89.88% and 93.7% methylene blue (MB) dye under UV light, respectively.

Efficient photodegradation of methyl red dye by kaolin clay supported zinc oxide nanoparticles with their antibacterial and antioxidant activities.

Kaolin clay-supported Zinc oxide (ZnO/KC) and ZnO NPs nanoparticles (NPs) were prepared by a chemical reduction process and used for the photodegradation of methyl red (MR) dye as a photocatalyst. Due to the interlayered porous structure of the KC, we achieved an extremely good association between ZnO NPs and KC. The product confirmation was conducted by Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-Ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive X-Ray (EDX), and Fourier transforms infrared (FTIR). SEM showed the irregular morphology of ZnO NPs, while ZnO/KC NCs were predominately round-shaped. Moreover, in both cases, NPs were present in both dispersed as well as agglomerated forms with an average particle size below 100 nm. The results acquired from photodegradation analyses show that ZnO NPs and ZnO/KC NCs degraded about 90 and 99% of MR dye respectively, under UV light in a short irradiation time of 10 min. The recovered and re-recovered ZnO NPs and ZnO/KC NCs also considerably photodegraded MR dye in an aqueous medium. The same NPs also exhibit promising bioactivities against two pathogenic bacteria, i.e., Citrobacter and Providencia. The antioxidant activity of ZnO/KC NCs reached to reasonable 70% compared to the 88% activity of the standard ascorbic acid.

Evaluating groundwater nitrate and other physicochemical parameters of the arid and semi-arid district of DI Khan by multivariate statistical analysis.

Nitrate as an important water pollutant, causing eutrophication was analyzed in Pakistan at different water sources (hand pump (HP), bore hole (BH) and tube well (TW)) to assess the contamination level caused by NO3-. NO3- concentrations in the HP water samples were 31 mg L-1 to 59 mg L-1, in BH 20 mg L-1 to 79 mg L-1 while in TW water samples it was between 29 to 55 mg L-1. The association of NO3- with other selected parameter in groundwater can be determined by using statistical approaches. Different physicochemical parameters (pH, electrical conductivity (EC), temperature and dissolved oxygen (DO)) were studied in groundwater samples of the research district. The Pearson correlation coefficient (r) for groundwater characteristics were calculated. Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA) was used to categorize samples based on their groundwater quality similarities and to find links between groundwater quality factors. The key relationship of the groundwater for HP samples on EC and TDS (r = 1) had a great correlation, while all other parameters correlations were lower (r = 0.40), BH's parameters on WT and WSD (r = 0.57), WT and pH (r = 0.57), EC and DO (r = 0.50), DO and TDS (0.50), EC and TDS (r = 1) had a quite high correlation, while all other parameters correlations were less than (r = 0.40), on the other hand, tube well parameters on TDS and EC (r = 1) had a perfect correlation, DO and pH (r = 0.75) parameters correlations were less than (r = 0.40).

Scavenging of Organic Pollutant and Fuel Generation through Cost-Effective and Abundantly Accessible Rust: A Theoretical Support with DFT Simulations.

Waste management and energy generation are the foremost concerns due to their direct relationship with biological species and the environment. Herein, we report the utilization of iron rust (inorganic pollutant) as a photocatalyst for the photodegradation of methylene blue (MB) dye (organic pollutant) under visible light (economic) and water oxidation (energy generation). Iron rust was collected from metallic pipes and calcined in the furnace at 700 °C for 3 h to remove the moisture/volatile content. The uncalcined and calcined rust NPs are characterized through scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) analysis, X-ray Diffraction (XRD), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The morphological study illustrated that the shape of uncalcined and calcined iron rust is spongy, porous, and agglomerated. The XRD and DLS particle sizes are in a few hundred nanometers range. The photodegradation (PD) investigation shows that calcined rust NPs are potent for the PD of modeled MB, and the degradation efficiency was about 94% in a very short time of 11 min. The photoelectrochemical (PEC) measurements revealed that calcined rust NPs are more active than uncalcined rust under simulated 1 SUN illumination with the respective photocurrent densities of ~0.40 and ~0.32 mA/cm2. The density functional theory simulations show the chemisorption of dye molecules over the catalyst surface, which evinces the high catalytic activity of the catalyst. These results demonstrate that cheaper and abundantly available rust can be useful for environmental and energy applications.

A study on green synthesis, characterization of chromium oxide nanoparticles and their enzyme inhibitory potential.

The conventional chemical methods of nanoparticles synthesis have been effectively replaced by nanoparticle synthesis mediated by plants. The current study describes the environmental friendly synthesis of chromium oxide nanoparticles (Cr2O3 NPs) using Erythrophleum guineense plant extract. The synthesis of Cr2O3 NPs was validated by UV/VIS spectroscopy, Energy Dispersive X-Ray (EDX), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies. The appearance of the Sharpe peak at 460 nm in the UV/Vis spectrum and the colour change caused by surface plasma resonance confirmed the formation of Cr2O3 NPs. The EDX spectrum of Cr2O3 nanoparticles revealed the presence of carbon, oxygen, and chromium, while SEM analysis revealed an irregular round morphology (with a size below 400 nm). In addition, XRD studies suggested their crystalline nature by the characteristic peaks at 34° and 36° and 42° (2Ɵ), respectively. The green synthesized Cr2O3 NPs showed promise as in-vitro cholinesterase inhibitor at tested concentrations (62.5-1,000 µg/ml), with IC50 values of 120 and 100 µg/ml against Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and Butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), respectively. The results suggested that the green synthesized Cr2O3 NPs could be used in the future to stop enzyme from working and for other biological activities.

Hepatitis C virus transmission cluster among injection drug users in Pakistan.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections are public health problem across the globe, particularly in developing countries. Pakistan has the second highest prevalence of HCV infection worldwide. Limited data exist from Pakistan about persons who inject drugs (PWID) and are at significant risk of exposure to HCV infection and transmission. Serum specimens (n = 110) collected from PWID residing in four provinces were tested for molecular markers of HCV infection. Next generation sequencing (NGS) of the hypervariable region (HVR1) of HCV and Global Hepatitis Outbreak and Surveillance Technology (GHOST) were used to determine HCV genotype, genetic heterogeneity, and construct transmission networks. Among tested specimens, 47.3% were found anti-HCV positive and 34.6% were HCV RNA-positive and belonged to four genotypes, with 3a most prevalent followed by 1a, 1b and 4a. Variants sampled from five cases formed phylogenetic cluster and a transmission network. One case harbored infection with two different genotypes. High prevalence of infections and presence of various genotypes indicate frequent introduction and transmission of HCV among PWID in Pakistan. Identification of a transmission cluster across three provinces, involving 20% of all cases, suggests the existence of a countrywide transmission network among PWIDs. Understanding the structure of this network should assist in devising effective public health strategies to eliminate HCV infection in Pakistan.

Management of facial gunshot wounds.

OBJECTIVE: To determine pattern and presentation in terms of site of injury, airway, associated injuries; and management of facial gunshot wounds. STUDY DESIGN: Case series. PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY: Oral Surgery Department, Armed Forces Institute of Dentistry, Rawalpindi, between January 2001 and December 2008. METHODOLOGY: All patients with gunshot wounds of the face managed at the Oral Surgery Department during the study period were included by convenient sampling method. Patients were treated by a multidisciplinary team of maxillofacial surgeon, otorhinolaryngologist and plastic surgeon. Descriptive statistics were used to determine frequencies and mean + or - SD for qualitative and quantitative variables respectively. RESULTS: A total of 38 patients with gunshot wounds to the face were identified. Age ranged from 15 to 42 years with mean of 28 + or - 4.98 years. There were 32 (84%) males and 06 (16%) females. Twenty two (57%) patients required airway management. The most frequent site involved was mandible in 25 (65%) patients while midface was involved in 13 (35%) patients. Open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) was performed in 17 (44%) patients, while 21 (56%) patients were managed conservatively. Out of 38 patients, 15 (39%) patients had some complications; trismus, sinusitis and infection being the most frequent (10.5% each). CONCLUSION: Facial gunshot wounds frequently involve mandible with more likely requirement of establishment of emergency airway and open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF). Early management of gunshot wounds results in better psychosocial profile, aesthetics, reduced hospital stay and early return to function.

Enhancement of photocatalytic potential and recoverability of Fe3O4 nanoparticles by decorating over monoclinic zirconia.

BACKGROUND: Photodegradation of organic pollutants is considered to be the most suitable and cheaper technique to counter the decontamination issues. Metal nanoparticles are considered to be the most effective heterogeneous photocatalysts for photodegradation of organic pollutants. Besides, iron oxide nanoparticles are well-known photocatalysts for degrading organic pollutants. METHODS: We reported the synthesis of neat iron oxide nanoparticles (Fe3O4 NPs) and zirconia supported iron oxide nanoparticles (Fe3O4/ZrO2 NPs) by facile chemical reduction technique for photodegradation ofa toxic azo dye namely methyl red. RESULTS: The XRD and FTIR analysis has demonstrated a crystalline phase Fe3O4 NPs. The morphological features via scanning electronic microscopy (FESEM) suggested agglomerated morphology of neat Fe3O4 NPs with 803.54 ± 5.11 nm average particle size and revealed the uniform morphology and homogenous dispersion of Fe3O4 NPs over ZrO2 surface in Fe3O4/ZrO2 nanocomposite. A polydispersity index (PDI) of 0.47 showed sufficient variations in the particle size of neat Fe3O4 NPs, which is also supported by the results obtained from atomic force microscopy (AFM), FESEM and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). Fe3O4/ZrO2 NPs demonstrated efficient methyl red degradation over a short period of time under simulated light and degraded about ~ 91.0 ± 1.0% and 87.0 ± 1.0% dye in 40 min, under UV and visible light, respectively. CONCLUSION: The excellent photodegradation efficacy and sustainability of Fe3O4/ZrO2 NPs can be attributed to the homogenous distribution of Fe3O4 NPs over ZrO2, which facilitates the generation of photoexcitons (electrons and holes), enhanced charge transfer and minimize the charge recombination.

Manganese dioxide nanoparticles/activated carbon composite as efficient UV and visible-light photocatalyst.

Manganese dioxide nanoparticles/activated carbon (MnO2/AC) composites and manganese dioxide nanoparticles (MnO2 NPs) are prepared through chemical reduction method. Morphological study shows that MnO2 NPs had cylindrical and spherical shape. The morphological study also revealed that MnO2 NPs were well dispersed on AC while neat Mn NPs present both in dispersed and in agglomerated form. The FT-IR study confirms the synthesis of MnO2 NPs. Zetasizer study presented that the Mn NPs had uniform size and below 100 nm in size and had zeta potential of - 20 mV, which represent its stability in the suspension form. The synthesized Mn/AC composite and Mn NPs were utilized as photocatalysts for the photodegradation of Congo red (CR) dye. The degradation study shows that MnO2/AC composite degraded CR dye more efficiently than MnO2 NPs under UV and normal light irradiation. The efficient degradation of dye by Mn/AC composite is due to the synergistic effect between dye adsorption on AC and rapid photodegradation by supported MnO2 NPs. The results revealed that Mn/AC composite degraded about 98.53% of CR dye within 5 min while MnO2 NPs degraded 66.57% of dye within the same irradiation time. The recycled catalyst also significantly degraded dye which verifies its sustainability. The effect of catalyst dosage and initial dye concentration was conducted. The degradation rate of dye was found drastically faster in tap water (in presence of catalyst), which might be due to the presence of various mineral ions in the tap water.

Breast Cancer Metastases to the Gastrointestinal Tract Presenting with Anemia and Intra-abdominal Bleed.

Signet ring adenocarcinoma of the breast with synchronous metastasis to the gastrointestinal (GI) tract is a rare occurrence, typically presenting with abdominal pain, dyspepsia, or GI bleed. We report a case of metastatic breast cancer presenting with a complaint of anemia. A further diagnostic evaluation revealed generalized lymphadenopathy, nodular thickening of the urinary bladder wall, bone lesions, and enlarged pancreas. Biopsies from the lymph nodes, pancreatic biopsy, and bladder nodule all revealed a signet cell carcinoma. An upper and lower GI endoscopy revealed multiple ulcerated gastric mucosal nodules and polypoid folds in the cecum and proximal ascending colon; the biopsies from these lesions were also positive for signet ring cell adenocarcinoma.

EFFECT OF VISIBLE RANGE ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATIONS ON ESCHERICHIA COLI.

BACKGROUND: Escherichia coli is the agent responsible for a range of clinical diseases. With emerging antimicrobial resistance, other treatment options including solar/photo-therapy are becoming increasingly common. Visible Range Radiation Therapy/Colour Therapy is an emerging technique in the field of energy/vibrational medicine that uses visible spectrum of Electromagnetic Radiations to cure different diseases. In this study, our goal was to understand the effect of Visible Range Electromagnetic Radiations on E. coli (in vitro) and therefore find out the most appropriate visible range radiation for the treatment of diseases caused by E. coli. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 6 non-repetitive E. coli isolates were obtained from urine samples obtained from hospitalized patients with UTI. Single colony of E. coli was inoculated in 3 ml of Lysogeny Broth (LB) and 40 µl of this E. coli suspension was poured into each of the plastic tubes which were then irradiated with six different wavelengths in the visible region (Table. 1) after 18 hours with one acting as a control. The Optical Densities of these irradiated samples were then measured. Furthermore, scanning electron microscopy (TEFCAN ZEGA3) was carried out. RESULTS: The analysis of the microscopic and SEM images of irradiated E. coli samples with six different visible range radiations is representative of The fact that E. coli responded differently to every applied radiation in the visible region and the most profound inhibitory effects were that of 538nm Visible Range Radiation (Green) which proved to be bactericidal and 590nm Visible Range Radiation (yellow) which was bacteriostatic. The enhanced growth of E. coli with varying degrees was clearly observed in 610nm (orange), 644nm (red), 464nm (Purple) and 453nm (blue). CONCLUSION: It can be concluded that 538nm (Green) and 590nm (Yellow) can effectively be used for treating E. coli borne diseases.

Association Between Coronary Artery Disease and MicroRNA: Literature Review and Clinical Perspective.

BACKGROUND: Until recently, circulating micro-RNAs (miRNAs) have attracted major interest as novel biomarkers for the early diagnosis of coronary artery disease (CAD). This review article summarizes the available evidence on the correlation of micro-RNAs with both the clinical and subclinical coronary artery disease and highlights the necessity for exploring miRNAs as a potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarker of early CAD in an adult population. METHODS: A systematic literature analysis and retrieval online systems Public/Publisher MEDLINE/ Excerpta Medica Database /Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online,(PUBMED/EMBASE/MEDLINE) search were conducted for relevant information. Search was limited to the articles published in English language and conducted on humans, January 2000 onwards. We excluded studies of heart surgery, coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), angioplasty and heart transplant. Eighteen studies met the inclusion criteria. RESULTS: Seven out of 18 studies were multivariate, i.e. adjusted for age, gender, body mass index (BMI), smoking, hypertension, diabetes, and blood lipid profiles, while the remaining twelve studies were univariate analysis. Different sources of miRNAs were used, i.e. plasma/serum, microparticles, whole blood, platelets, blood mononuclear intimal and endothelial progenitor cells were investigated. Fourteen out of 18 studies showed up-regulation of different miRNA in CAD patients and in vulnerable plaque disease. Four out of 18 studies showed both the up-regulation and down-regulation of miRNA in the population, while only three studies showed down-regulation of miRNA. Various sources and types of miRNA were used in each study. CONCLUSION: This review gives an extensive overview of up-regulation and down-regulation of miRNA in CAD and non-CAD patients. The pattern of miRNA regulation with respect to CAD/non-CAD study subjects varies across individual studies and different parameters, which could be the possible reason for this aberrancy. We suggest further trials be conducted in future for highlighting the role of miRNA in CAD, which may improve both the diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to stratifying CAD burden in the general population.

Effect of Thyroxin Treatment on Carotid Intima-Media Thickness (CIMT) Reduction in Patients with Subclinical Hypothyroidism (SCH): a Meta-Analysis of Clinical Trials.

AIM: Research shows that subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) is related to an increased carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT), a surrogate marker of subclinical cardiovascular disease (CVD). It is controversial whether or not SCH should be treated to reduce CVD morbidity and mortality. This meta-analysis aimed to determine whether SCH is associated with an increase in CIMT as compared to Euthyroidism (EU) and whether thyroxin (T4) treatment in SCH can reverse the change in CIMT. METHODS: Two independent reviewers conducted an extensive database research up to December 2016. A total of 12 clinical trials discussed the effect of Thyroxin on CIMT values at pre- and post-treatment in subjects with SCH. RESULTS: CIMT was significantly higher among SCH (n=280) as compared to EU controls (n=263) at baseline; the pooled weighted mean difference (WMD) of CIMT was 0.44 mm [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.14, 0.74], p=0.004; I2=65%. After treatment with thyroxin in subjects with SCH (n=314), there was a statistically significant decrease in CIMT from pre- to post-treatment; the pooled WMD of CIMT decrease was [WMD －0.32; 95% CI (－0.47, －0.16), p=＜0.0001; I2=2%], and it was no longer different from EU controls [WMD 0.13 mm; 95% CI (－0.04, 0.30); p=0.14; I2=27%]. The total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) were higher in SCH as compared to EU controls and decreased significantly after treatment with thyroxin. CONCLUSION: This meta-analysis shows that thyroxin therapy in subjects with SCH significantly decreases CIMT and improves lipid profile, modifiable CVD risk factors. Thyroid hormone replacement in subjects with SCH may play a role in slowing down or preventing the progression of atherosclerosis.

Ultrastructural study on the granulocytes of Uttara fowl (Gallus domesticus).

AIM: The present study was conducted to know the ultrastructural detail of the blood cells of Uttara fowl (native fowl of Uttarakhand). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The experiment was conducted on 10 apparently healthy adult birds of either sex reared at the Instructional Poultry Farm, G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, Uttarakhand. The blood was collected from wing vein using ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid as anticoagulant. The blood was further processed for scanning and transmission electron microscopic (TEM) studies separately. RESULTS: Ultrastructurally, the heterophils were irregularly round in shape. The cytoplasm was laden with pleomorphic membrane-bound granules, viz., large elliptical-, medium oval-, large round-, and medium round-shaped granules. The eosinophils under TEM were irregularly circular in outline showing pseudopodia and finger-like cytoplasmic processes. The cytoplasmic granules were pleomorphic with elliptical-, round-, and rod-shaped granules. The basophils were irregularly circular in outline containing small hook-like cytoplasmic processes. The cytoplasm contained electron dense and electron lucent round-shaped granules. CONCLUSION: Granulocytes contained pleomorphic cytoplasmic granules. However, the shape and electron density of granules varied among the different granulocytes and helped in the characterization of different granulocytes.