Adsorption of trace heavy metals through organic compounds enriched biochar using isotherm adsorption and kinetic models.

Trace heavy metals such as copper and nickel, when exceeds a certain level, cause detrimental effects on the ecosystem. The current study examined the potential of organic compounds enriched rice husk biochar (OCEB's) to remove the trace heavy metals from an aqueous solution in four steps. In 1st step, biochar' physical and chemical properties were analyzed through scanning electron microscope (SEM) and Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). In the 2nd step, two biochar vis-a-vis glycine, alanine enriched biochar (GBC, ABC) was selected based on their adsorption capacity of four different metals Cr, Cu, Ni and Pb (chromium, copper, nickel, and lead). These two adsorbents (GBC, ABC) were further used to evaluate the best interaction of biochar for metal immobilization based on varying concentrations and times. Langmuir isotherm model suggested that the adsorption of Ni and Cu on the adsorbent surface supported the monolayer sorption. The qmax value of GBC for Cu removal increased by 90% compared to SBC (Simple rice husk biochar). The interaction of Cu and Ni with GBC and ABC was chemical, and 10 different time intervals were studied using pseud first and second-order kinetics models. The current study has supported the pseudo second-order kinetic model, which exhibited that the sorption of Ni and Cu occurred due to the chemical processes. The % removal efficiency with GBC was enhanced by 21% and 30% for Cu and Ni, respectively compared to the SBC. It was also noticed that GBC was 21% more efficient for % removal efficiency than the CBC. The study's findings supported that organic compound enriched rice husk biochar (GBC and ABC) is better than SBC for immobilizing the trace heavy metals from an aqueous solution.

Development of Biocompatible Electrospun PHBV-PLLA Polymeric Bilayer Composite Membranes for Skin Tissue Engineering Applications.

Bilayer electrospun fibers aimed to be used for skin tissue engineering applications were fabricated for enhanced cell attachment and proliferation. Different ratios of PHBV-PLLA (70:30, 80:20, and 90:10 w/w) blends were electrospun on previously formed electrospun PHBV membranes to produce their bilayers. The fabricated electrospun membranes were characterized with FTIR, which conformed to the characteristic peaks assigned for both PHBV and PLLA. The surface morphology was evaluated using SEM analysis that showed random fibers with porous morphology. The fiber diameter and pore size were measured in the range of 0.7 ± 0.1 µm and 1.9 ± 0.2 µm, respectively. The tensile properties of the bilayers were determined using an electrodynamic testing system. Bilayers had higher elongation at break (44.45%) compared to the monolayers (28.41%) and improved ultimate tensile strength (7.940 MPa) compared to the PHBV monolayer (2.450 MPa). In vitro cytotoxicity of each of the scaffolds was determined via culturing MC3T3 (pre-osteoblastic cell line) on the membranes. Proliferation was evaluated using the Alamar Blue assay on days 3, 7, and 14, respectively. SEM images of cells cultured on membranes were taken in addition to bright field imaging to visually show cell attachment. Fluorescent nuclear staining performed with DAPI was imaged with an inverted fluorescent microscope. The fabricated bilayer shows high mechanical strength as well as biocompatibility with good cell proliferation and cell attachment, showing potential for skin substitute applications.

The association between climatic factors and waterborne infectious outbreaks with a focus on vulnerability in Pakistan: integrative review.

Climate change affects the spread of waterborne infectious diseases, yet research on vulnerability to outbreaks remains limited. This integrative review examines how climate variables (temperature and precipitation) relate to human vulnerability factors in Pakistan. By 2060, mean temperatures are projected to rise from 21.68°C (2021) to 30°C, with relatively stable precipitation. The epidemiological investigation in Pakistan identified Diarrhea (119,000 cases/year), Malaria (2.6 million cases/year), and Hepatitis (A and E) as the most prevalent infections. This research highlighted vulnerability factors, including poverty (52% of the population), illiteracy (59% of the population), limited healthcare accessibility (55% of the population), malnutrition (38% of the population), dietary challenges (48% of the population), as well as exposure to water pollution (80% of the population) and air pollution (55% of the population). The findings suggest that the coordinated strategies are vital across health, environmental, meteorological, and social sectors, considering climatic variability patterns and population vulnerability determinants.

Does the ultrasound imaging predict lower limb tendinopathy in athletes: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: To conduct a systematic review looking into the possibility of US imaging to anticipate and identify future patellar or Achilles tendinopathy symptoms. METHODS: The studies that were taken into consideration for this review were prospective studies that employed baseline US imaging of the patellar OR Achilles tendons in asymptomatic patients and follow-up measures of pain and/or function. Two impartial reviewers evaluated the study's quality using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme instrument. RESULTS: Participants in the included studies in this review came from various sports. The systematic review revealed a link between baseline tendon abnormalities in the US and a higher chance of developing both patellar and Achilles tendinopathy as well as their future occurrence. Nine of the included studies examined the patellar tendon alone, eight the patellar and Achilles tendon together, and four the Achilles tendon exclusively. For both tendons, US administration is done in a largely consistent manner. The tendon abnormalities of tendon thickness, hypoechogenicity and vascularity at baseline were associated with an increased risk of both Achilles and patellar tendinopathy. CONCLUSIONS: This systematic review shows that abnormal tendon structures seen by US in asymptomatic persons can predict the development of tendinopathy.

Effects of conventional physical therapy with and without proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation on balance, gait, and function in patients with Parkinson's disease.

The study was conducted at University of Lahore Teaching Hospital and Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Lahore, using non-probability convenience sampling. Thirty-eight patients of Parkinson's disease were allocated by randomisation into two groups. PNF Group (group A) performed proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation incorporated with conservative treatment, while for the conventional therapy group (group B) only conservative treatment was followed. Berg Balance Scale, Freezing of Gait questionnaire, and Functional Independence measure were used as outcome measuring tool. Berg balance scale values were significantly improved in group A at 12th week as compared to group B. Freezing of gait and functional independence was more significantly reduced in group A at sixth and 12th week as compared to group B. Hence, it is concluded that Proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation combined with routine treatment regime improves balance, gait, and function of Parkinson's patients more effectively as compared with routine treatment protocol only.

Substantiating the predictive role of ultrasound imaging in athletes with lower limb tendinopathy: a systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the potential of ultrasound imaging to anticipate and monitor future symptoms of patellar or Achilles' tendinopathy. METHODS: The systematic review comprised prospective studies that used ultrasound imaging of Achilles' OR patellar tendons in asymptomatic patients at baseline and measurements of pain and/or function at follow-up. The Critical Appraisal Skills Programme checklist used to assess study quality and it was done by two independent reviewers. RESULTS: Of the 19 studies reviewed, 9(47.3%) investigated patellar tendon alone, 6(31.5%) did both patellar and Achilles' tendon, and 4(21.2%) did Achilles tendon alone. The method of ultrasound administration was almost uniform for both the tendons. The studies showed that the use of ultrasound to predict lower limb tendinopathy was indefinite, but that a higher proportion of tendon disorganisation increased the risk of developing tendinopathy. In addition, promising results were obtained for the use of ultrasound in both Achilles' and patellar tendinopathy in monitoring the effect of load or treatment on tendon structure. CONCLUSIONS: The included studies had participants from different sports. Tendon irregularities at baseline on ultrasound were related to increased risk and future occurrence of both patellar and Achilles' tendinopathy. .

Genome-wide characterization and expression analysis of Erf gene family in cotton.

BACKGROUND: AP2/ERF transcription factors are important in a variety of biological activities, including plant growth, development, and responses to biotic and abiotic stressors. However, little study has been done on cotton's AP2/ERF genes, although cotton is an essential fibre crop. We were able to examine the tissue and expression patterns of AP2/ERF genes in cotton on a genome-wide basis because of the recently published whole genome sequence of cotton. Genome-wide analysis of ERF gene family within two diploid species (G. arboreum & G. raimondii) and two tetraploid species (G. barbadense, G. hirsutum) was performed. RESULTS: A total of 118, 120, 213, 220 genes containing the sequence of single AP2 domain were identified in G. arboreum, G. raimondii, G. barbadense and G. hirsutum respectively. The identified genes were unevenly distributed across 13/26 chromosomes of A and D genomes of cotton. Synteny and collinearity analysis revealed that segmental duplications may have played crucial roles in the expansion of the cotton ERF gene family, as well as tandem duplications played a minor role. Cis-acting elements of the promoter sites of Ghi-ERFs genes predict the involvement in multiple hormone responses and abiotic stresses. Transcriptome and qRT-PCR analysis revealed that Ghi-ERF-2D.6, Ghi-ERF-12D.13, Ghi-ERF-6D.1, Ghi-ERF-7A.6 and Ghi-ERF-11D.5 are candidate genes against salinity tolerance in upland cotton. CONCLUSION: Overwhelmingly, the present study paves the way to better understand the evolution of cotton ERF genes and lays a foundation for future investigation of ERF genes in improving salinity stress tolerance in cotton.

Clinical application of low-level laser therapy (Photo-biomodulation therapy) in the management of breast cancer-related lymphedema: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL) is a frequent issue that arises after mastectomy surgery in women and compromises physical and mental function. Previously published studies have shown positive effects with the use of Low-level laser therapy in another term Photo-biomodulation therapy (PBM). This research investigated the efficacy of clinical use of LLLT (PBM) in the treatment of metastatic breast cancer-related lymphedema. METHODS: PubMed, PEDro, Medline, and the Cochrane Library were searched for LLLT clinical trials published before October 2021. The methodological quality of randomized trials and the effectiveness of Laser Therapy for BCRL were evaluated. The primary objectives were arm circumference or arm volume, whereas the secondary goals were to assess shoulder mobility and pain severity. RESULTS: Eight clinical trials were analyzed in total. Typically, the included RCTs had good research quality. At four weeks, there was a considerable reduction in arm circumference/volume, and this continued with long-term follow-up. However, no statistically significant change in shoulder mobility or pain severity was seen between the laser and placebo groups at 0-, 1-, 2-, and 3-month short-term follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this comprehensive study demonstrated that LLLT (PBM) was successful in diminishing arm circumference and volume than improving shoulder mobility and pain. Data indicates that laser therapy (PBM) may be a beneficial treatment option for females with PML. Because of the scarcity of evidence, there is a strong need for well-conducted and longer-duration trials in this field. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Details of the protocol for this systematic review were registered on PROSPERO and can be accessed at www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display_record.asp?ID=CRD42022315076 .

Fabrication and performance evaluation of polymeric membrane using blood compatible hydroxyapatite for artificial kidney application.

In the current study, a phase inversion scheme was employed to fabricate hydroxyapatite (HA)/polysulfone (PSF)-based asymmetric membranes using a film applicator with water as a solvent and nonsolvent exchanging medium. Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectroscopic studies were conducted to confirm the bonding chemistry and purity of filler. The inherent thick nature of PSF generated sponge-like shape while the instantaneous demixing process produced finger-like pore networks in HA/PSF-based asymmetric membranes as exhibited by scanning electron microscope (SEM) micrographs. The FTIR spectra confirmed noncovalent weak attractions toward the polymer surface. The leaching ratio was evaluated to observe the dispersion behavior of HA filler in membrane composition. Hydrophilicity, pore profile, pure water permeation (PWP) flux, and molecular weight cutoff (MWCO) values of all formulated membranes were also calculated. Antifouling results revealed that HA modified PSF membranes exhibited 43% less adhesion of bovine serum albumin (BSA) together with >86% recovery of flux. Membrane composition showed 74% total resistance, out of which 60% was reversible resistance. Biocompatibility evaluation revealed that the modified membranes exhibited prothrombin time (PT), and thrombin time (TT) comparable with typical blood plasma, whereas proliferation of living cells over membrane surface proved its nontoxic behavior toward biomedical application. The urea and creatinine showed effective adsorption aptitude toward HA loaded PSF membranes.

Translation, cross-cultural adaptation and psychometric properties of the Urdu version of knee injury and osteoarthritis outcome score questionnaire for Pakistani population.

BACKGROUND: Knee injury and osteoarthritis outcome score questionnaire is a widely used tool for measuring short and long-term patient-relevant outcomes following knee injury. KOOS is neither translated nor examined for psychometric properties before. Therefore, the aim of this study was to translate, culturally adapt and check the psychometric properties of the KOOS in Urdu. METHODOLOGY: The translation and cultural adaptation was performed according to pre-defined guidelines. A total of 117 participants (54 males and 63 females) were recruited. The study had two steps: 1) Translation and cultural adaptation 2) Reliability and validity testing. The reliability (test-retest and internal consistency at (95% confidence interval) as well as the validity (Convergent validity) of final Urdu version of KOOS was tested. RESULTS: For all five domains, the KOOS Urdu version (KOOS-U) has demonstrated high test-retest reliability ICC = 0.90-0.96(CI = 95%). For all domains, the internal consistency was determined to be excellent (α = 0.82-0.96). There were no floor or ceiling impacts noted. Convergent validity was found to be good, as measured by Pearson's correlation coefficient. The findings revealed a strong negative association between the KOOS-U (QOL and pain) and the NPRS. And there was a low to high positive correlation between five KOOS-U domains and all SF-12 domains, i.e., there was a significant positive correlation between the pain domains of both KOOS and SF-12 with the r = 0.87(p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The Urdu version of KOOS is a valid, reliable, and responsive instrument to assess functional disability of patients with Knee Osteoarthritis with excellent psychometric properties.

Spatiotemporal analysis of dengue outbreaks in Samanabad town, Lahore metropolitan area, using geospatial techniques.

Dengue is endemic to Pakistan with its usual peak incidence in the post-monsoon period. In the last decade, dengue outbreaks have occurred in major urban areas particularly Karachi and Lahore, affecting large numbers of people. This study is an attempt to analyze the spatiotemporal variation of dengue fever (DF) in Samanabad town, Lahore metropolitan area. The study is based on secondary data, acquired from concerned government departments. Point level geo-coding is used to transform the relative location to the absolute location using Google Earth, and Global Position System (GPS) is used to validate the geo-coded location. Geographic information system (GIS) has been used to perform spatial analysis. It has been found that temporally DF prevalence varies from month to month and year to year. Major outbreak was observed in the year 2013 with more than 900 confirmed DF cases. Rainfall, temperature, and humidity have played a central role in outbreaks. The land cover pattern and population density further intensified the outbreak. Spatially, the number of DF incidence was high in those localities where the entire land is built-up and with little/no green space areas. Analysis reveals that DF is still a major threat to the area as socioeconomic and geographic conditions favor vector breeding and transfer of disease from one person/place to another. This study presents useful information regarding spatiotemporal patterns of dengue outbreak and may bring the attention of public health departments to formulate dengue-combating strategies. The methodology is general for spatiotemporal analysis and can be applied to other infectious diseases as well.

Piloting restoration initiatives in subtropical scrub forest: specifying areas asserting adaptive management.

Subtropical scrub forests in Pakistan have diminished by about 75% over the last hundred years, mainly due to indiscriminate exploitation and invasion by exotics species. Lack of initiatives, awareness, and research in utilizing the techniques used for accelerating natural forest succession is resulting in further degradation of the remaining forests. To promote active restoration with local communities and governmental authorities, a restoration scheme was piloted between 2010 and 2016 to examine enrichment population effects. Over 4,000 saplings of two woody climax species, Acacia modesta and Olea ferruginea, raised from seeds of local provenance, were planted in three subjectively selected trial plots representing various stages of degradation, covering a total area of about 4 ha. The results showed an overall 46% survival rate, accompanied by natural regeneration. Comparative analyses of the trial plots have shown variations which were strongly site specific, in addition, it also helped in gauging compliance of the site coordinators in implementing restoration measures as an effective management tool. This study provided an opportunity to appreciate the differences in terms of interventions used for implementing ecological restoration across landscape in the degraded scrub forests.

Incidence and management of cleft lip and palate in Pakistan.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the occurrence, distribution and management of clefts of lip and palate in local patients with the available data from India and China. METHODS: The retrospective study was conducted at the Interdisciplinary Research Centre in Biomedical Materials, COMSATS University Islamabad, Lahore Campus, Lahore, Pakistan, and comprised data related to a three-month period from January to March 2015 at two medical centres in Lahore. Data from Pakistani centres was analysed based on province, gender, age and clefts of lip and palate conditions and Spearman's correlation matrix. RESULTS: Of the 1574 cases, 1061(67.4%) were from Punjab, 361(23%) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 85(5%) Sindh and 67(4.2%) were from Azad Jammu and Kashmir. The incidence of clefts of lip and palate was higher in males than females. There was higher awareness of the need for timely management in new borns with clefts of lip and palate. Some patients seeking secondary treatment were also being surgically corrected. There is no national registry of children born with cleft defect, making it difficult to assess the full scale of the problem.. CONCLUSIONS: Based on available data, it is likely that there are many adults who have not been treated when younger..

Analysis and forecasting of municipal solid waste in Nankana City using geo-spatial techniques.

The objective of this study was to analyze and forecast municipal solid waste (MSW) in Nankana City (NC), District Nankana, Province of Punjab, Pakistan. The study is based on primary data acquired through a questionnaire, Global Positioning System (GPS), and direct waste sampling and analysis. Inverse distance weighting (IDW) technique was applied to geo-visualize the spatial trend of MSW generation. Analysis revealed that the total MSW generated was 12,419,636 kg/annum (12,419.64 t) or 34,026.4 kg/day (34.03 t), or 0.46 kg/capita/day (kg/cap/day). The average wastes generated per day by studied households, clinics, hospitals, and hotels were 3, 7.5, 20, and 15 kg, respectively. The residential sector was the top producer with 95.5% (32,511 kg/day) followed by commercial sector 1.9% (665 kg/day). On average, high-income and low-income households were generating waste of 4.2 kg/household/day (kg/hh/day) and 1.7 kg/hh/day, respectively. Similarly, large-size families were generating more (4.4 kg/hh/day) waste than small-size families (1.8 kg/hh/day). The physical constituents of MSW generated in the study area with a population of about 70,000 included paper (7%); compostable matter (61%); plastics (9%); fine earth, ashes, ceramics, and stones (20.4%); and others (2.6%).The spatial trend of MSW generation varies; city center has a high rate of generation and towards periphery generation lowers. Based on the current population growth and MSW generation rate, NC is expected to generate 2.8 times more waste by the year 2050.This is imperative to develop a proper solid waste management plan to reduce the risk of environmental degradation and protect human health. This study provides insights into MSW generation rate, physical composition, and forecasting which are vital in its management strategies.

Establishing a baseline on the distribution and pattern of occurrence of Salvadora persica L. with meteorological data and assessing its adaptation in the adjacent warmed-up zones.

The natural occurrence of Salvadora persica L., stretching from the coastal area of the Arabian sea to northward along the Indus floodplains, was surveyed to document the pattern of its occurrence with the available meteorological record showing increasing trends of frost northwards. Information was compiled from various sources to generate the past and present temperature data in order to establish relationship between the changing temperature factors and the extent of the area available due to climate change over the years for introducing species beyond its range of natural distribution. In addition, the species was experimentally introduced in the warmed-up zones to monitor its performance and to evaluate its adaptability. The reconnaissance survey showed that the natural populations of thorn forest communities with S. persica, as associate, are now surviving only as degraded remnants. Its common occurrence is documented in zones where the mean winter temperatures are above the threshold level of frost, whereas it is rarely found in zones where it drops below this level for a single month, which seems to be its range edge. S. persica does not occur in zones where low temperature could persist for 2 months. Recent temperature data suggests that the month of December has warmed up above the threshold level; therefore, it was expected that correspondingly the range edge of the frost-sensitive species has potentially shifted further northwards. The response of the species introduced at the experimental sites beyond its natural occurrence suggests high survival and growth, demonstrating its adaptability to the new sites beyond its limit of distribution.

Long-lasting effects of dexamethasone on immune cells and wound healing in the zebrafish.

This study assessed the lasting impact of dexamethasone (DEX) exposure during early development on tissue repair capacity at later life stages (5, 14, and 24 days post fertilization [dpf]) in zebrafish larvae. Using the caudal fin amputation model, we show that prior exposure to DEX significantly delays but does not prevent wound healing at all life stages studied. DEX-induced impairments on wound healing were fully restored to normal levels with longer post amputation recovery time. Further analyses revealed that DEX mainly exerted its detrimental effects in the early phase (0-5 hours) of wound-healing process. Specifically, we observed the following events: (1) massive amount of cell death both by necrosis and apoptosis; (2) significant reduction in the number as well as misplacement of macrophages at the wound site; (3) aberrant migration and misplacement of neutrophils and macrophages at the wound site. These events were accompanied by significant (likely compensatory) changes in the expression of genes involved in tissue patterning, including up-regulation of FKBP5 6 hours post DEX exposure and that of Wnt3a and RARγ at 24 hours post amputation. Taken together, this study provides evidence that DEX exposure during early sensitive periods of development appears to cause permanent alterations in the cellular/molecular immune processes that are involved in the early phase of wound healing in zebrafish. These findings are consistent with previous studies showing that antenatal course of DEX is associated with immediate and lasting alterations of the immune system in rodent models and humans. Therefore, the current findings support the use of the larval zebrafish model to study the impact of stress and stress hormone exposure in immature organisms on health risks in later life.

Enhancing the decolorizing and degradation ability of bacterial consortium isolated from textile effluent affected area and its application on seed germination.

A bacterial consortium BMP1/SDSC/01 consisting of six isolates was isolated from textile effected soil, sludge, and textile effluent from Hudiara drain near Nishat Mills Limited, Ferozepur Road, Lahore, Pakistan. It was selected because of being capable of degrading and detoxifying red, green, black, and yellow textile dyes. The pH and supplements were optimized to enhance the decolorization ability of the selected consortium. The results indicated that decolorizing ability of consortium for the red, green, black, and yellow dyes was higher as compared to individual strains. The consortium was able to decolorize 84%, 84%, 85%, 85%, and 82% of 200 ppm of red, green, black, yellow, and mixed dyes within 24 h while individual strain required 72 h. On supplementing urea, the consortium decolorized 87, 86, 89, 86, and 83%, respectively, while on supplementing sodium chloride the consortium decolorized 93, 94, 93, 94, and 89% of red, green, black, yellow, and mixed dyes, respectively, which was maximum while in the presence of ascorbic acid and ammonium chloride it showed intermediate results. The effect of untreated and treated dyes was investigated on Zea mays L. (maize) and Sorghum vulgare Pers. (sorghum). This study will help to promote an efficient biotreatment of textile effluents.

Tissue engineered multifunctional chitosan-modified polypropylene hernia mesh loaded with bioactive phyto-extracts.

Surface modified tissue engineered polypropylene / PP hernia meshes were fabricated by incorporating Bacterial cellulose / BC and chitosan / CS and phytochemical extracts. Under current practice, hernia and other traumatic injuries to the abdominal organs are clinically treated with surgical meshes. Often the foreign body reaction and infections result in relapse in patients which dictates additional reparative surgical procedures and pain. To improve the outcome of clinical restorative procedures new biomaterials with improved characteristics are required. The functionalized meshes were physically and chemically characterized using SEM, mechanical testing, FTIR and XRD. The antimicrobial activity was qualitatively and quantitatively tested using E. coli and S. aureus strains of bacteria. In vitro biocompatibility and wound healing effect of the modified meshes were performed using NIH3T3 fibroblast cell lines. Furthermore, tissue engineering potential of the meshes was evaluated using confocal fluorescent microscopy. In vivo implantation of the meshes was performed in male wistar rats for 21 days. Therefore, PP meshes with sustained drug delivery system augmented with anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial characteristics were developed. The coatings hereby not only increased the tensile strength of meshes but also prevented the modified meshes from causing infection. Current study resulted in CS-BC bioactive PP meshes loaded with phytochemicals which showed anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and wound healing potential. These meshes can be valuable to lessen the post-surgical complications of implanted PP mesh and thus reduce rejection and recurrence.

Effects of routine physical therapy with and without kinesio taping in improving gross motor function in sitting and standing in spastic diplegic cerebral palsy children.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effectiveness of Kinesio taping along with routine physical therapy on improving gross motor function in sitting and standing among spastic diplegic Cerebral Palsy children. DESIGN: Randomized controlled trial. SETTINGS: University Teaching Hospital University of Lahore, Lahore. PARTICIPANTS: 53 participants with diagnosed spastic diplegic cerebral palsy were randomly allocated in control and experimental groups. INTERVENTION: 26 Participants were treated by kinesio taping which was applied in a criss-cross manner along with routine physical therapy program while the control group (n = 27) received NDT exercise program that comprises of stretching, functional reaching, weight-bearing exercises and walking. OUTCOME MEASURE: Gross motor function was assessed using 2 components of Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS-88), i.e., sitting as well as standing at the base line and after every 3rd week for 12 weeks follow up. RESULTS: In study and control group the mean score of gross motor function for sitting at baseline was 33.96 ± 3.11 and 31.50 ± 3.32 respectively. After intervention, it changed to 47.70 ± 5.46 and 43.46 ± 1.81 respectively. Mean score for Gross Motor Function calculated at base line in study and control group for standing was 27.37 ± 1.14 and 26 ± 3.01 respectively. At the end of intervention, the score improved to 36.55 ± 4.27 and 33.69 ± 2.46 respectively. CONCLUSION: In comparison to control group, significant increase in gross motor function of intervention group was seen after the 12 weeks of intervention. In this way, over back muscles the application of kinesio tape in a Criss-Cross manner may be helpful. Also it can be used as an additional approach along with routine physical therapy to improve standing and sitting in spastic diplegic children.

Eco-friendly synthesis of mesoporous bioactive glass ceramics and functionalization for drug delivery and hard tissue engineering applications.

Hard tissue regenerative mesoporous bioactive glass (MBG) has traditionally been synthesized using costly and toxic alkoxysilane agents and harsh conditions. In this study, MBG was synthesized using the cheaper reagent SiO2by using a co-precipitation approach. The surface properties of MBG ceramic were tailored by functionalizing with amino and carboxylic groups, aiming to develop an efficient drug delivery system for treating bone infections occurring during or after reconstruction surgeries. The amino groups were introduced through a salinization reaction, while the carboxylate groups were added via a chain elongation reaction. The MBG, MBG-NH2, and MBG-NH-COOH were analyzed by using various techniques: x-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy. The XRD results confirmed the successful preparation of MBG, and the FTIR results indicated successful functionalization. BET analysis revealed that the prepared samples were mesoporous, and functionalization tuned their surface area and surface properties. Cefixime, an antibiotic, was loaded onto MBG, MBG-NH2, and MBG-NH-COOH to test their drug-carrying capacity. Comparatively, MBG-NH-COOH showed good drug loading and sustained release behavior. The release of the drug followed the Fickian diffusion mechanism. All prepared samples displayed favorable biocompatibility at higher concentration in the Alamar blue assay with MC3T3 cells and exhibited the good potential for hard tissue regeneration, as carbonated hydroxyapatite formed on their surfaces in simulated body fluid.