Eco-Oriented Formulation and Stabilization of Oil-Colloidal Biodelivery Systems Based on GC-MS/MS-Profiled Phytochemicals from Wild Tomato for Long-Term Retention and Penetration on Applied Surfaces for Effective Crop Protection.

Vegetable oils as hydrophobic reserves in oil dispersions (OD) provide a practical approach to halt bioactive degradation for user and environment-efficient pest management. Using biodegradable soybean oil (57%), castor oil ethoxylate (5%), calcium dodecyl benzenesulfonates as nonionic and an-ionic surfactants, bentonite (2%), and fumed silica as rheology modifiers, we created an oil-colloidal biodelivery sytem (30%) of tomato extract with homogenization. The quality-influencing parameters, such as particle size (4.5 µm), dispersibility (97%), viscosity (61 cps), and thermal stability (2 years), have been optimized in accordance with specifications. Vegetable oil was chosen for its improved bioactive stability, high smoke point (257 °C), coformulant compatibility, and as a green build-in-adjuvant by improving spreadability (20-30%), retention and penetration (20-40%). In in vitro testing, it efficiently controlled aphids with 90.5% mortalities and 68.7-71.2% under field-conditions without producing phytotoxicity. Wild tomato-derived phytochemicals can be a safe and efficient alternative to chemical pesticides when combined wisely with vegetable oils.

Bioengineering of neem nano-formulation with adjuvant for better adhesion over applied surface to give long term insect control.

Although safe and eco-friendly botanical pesticides have been intensively promoted to combat pest attacks in agriculture, but their stability and efficacies remain an issue for their wide acceptability as sustained and effective approaches. The purpose of this work was to develop stable neem oil based nano-emulsion (NE) formulation with enhanced activity employing suitable bio-inspired adjuvant. So, Neem NEs (with and without) natural adjuvants (Cymbopogon citratus and Prosopis juliflora) in different concentrations were prepared and quality parameters dictating kinetic stability, acidity/alkalinity, viscosity, droplet size, zeta potential, surface tension, stability and compatibility were monitored using Viscometer, Zetasizer, Surface Tensiometer, High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). Nano-emulsion biosynthesis optimization studies suggested that slightly acidic (5.9-6.5) NE is kinetically stable with no phase separation; creaming or crystallization may be due to botanical adjuvant (lemongrass oil). Findings proved that Prosopis juliflora, acted as bio-polymeric adjuvant to stabilize NE by increasing Brownian motion and weakening the attractive forces with smaller droplets (25-50 nm), low zeta potential (-30 mV) and poly-dispersive index (<0.3). Botanical adjuvant (30%) based NE with optimum viscosity (98.8cPs) can give long term storage stability and improved adhesiveness and wetting with reduced surface tension and contact angle. FT-IR analysis assured azadirachtin's stability and compatibility with adjuvant. With negligible degradation (1.42%) and higher half-life (t1/2) of 492.95 days, natural adjuvant based NE is substantially stable formulation, may be due to presence of glycosidic and phenolics compounds. Neem 20NE (with 30% adjuvant) exhibited remarkable insecticidal activity (91.24%) against whitefly (Bemisia tabaci G.) in brinjal (Solanum melongena) as evidenced by in-vivo assay. Results thus obtained suggest, bio-pesticide formulation may be used as safer alternative to chemical pesticides to minimize pesticide residues and presence of natural adjuvant may improves the stability and efficacy of biopesticides for safe crop protection in organic agriculture and Integrated Pest Management.

Encapsulation of water soluble pesticides for extended delivery of pesticides without contaminating water bodies.

The main objective of this study is to develop polymeric encapsulated formulation for the water soluble broad-spectrum pesticides. Pesticides contaminate the environment in different ways but foremost hazards are linked with the contamination of water bodies. Water soluble pesticides are the major deleterious agents and go off into ground water and different water bodies through leaching or surface runoff from the applied places. Besides this some of the water soluble pesticides are broad-spectrum, but proper methods and techniques are not available for their effective and safe usage, all broad-spectrum pesticide are disappearing from the pesticide lists every year. Hence, the present study is based on development of encapsulated formulation for water soluble broad-spectrum pesticide i.e. Monocrotophos. In this study, water soluble pesticide was encapsulated in polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) polymer along with surfactants and cross linker. The developed microspheres were analyzed in HPLC for calculating loading capacity and encapsulation efficacy, these were calculated 0.75 and 90% respectively. The FT-IR data results confirmed that the monocrotophos successfully encapsulated in the PVA polymer with respective bands. The degradation studies show that in encapsulated formulation monocrotophos degradation was found only 10% after 94 hrs. Optical micrographs in aqeous solution indicate spherical shapes with size in the rage of 7-8 µm of encapsulated formulation. XRD data further crystalline nature of polymeric encapsulated formulation. The study may provide a new corridor to save the broad-spectrum water soluble pesticides which are on the verge to be banned.

May Measurement Month 2018: an analysis of blood pressure screening results from United Arab Emirates.

Hypertension is one of the most important modifiable risk factors for cardiovascular disease and death even in high-income countries. According to the PURE Study, globally only half of hypertensives are aware and less than a fifth controlled. May Measurement Month (MMM) is a global campaign to raise awareness and screen for high blood pressure (BP) in lieu of formal screening. United Arab Emirates (UAE) has taken part in MMM since its inception and here data from MMM18 are reported. Trained volunteers from 54 sites screened 31 316 individuals from all the Emirates of UAE using convenience sampling. Blood pressure measurement, the definition of hypertension, and statistical analysis followed the standard MMM protocol. The mean age was 36.8 ± 11.4 years and 18 411(59%) were male. Participants of Arab descent were 11 829 (38%) and 11 569 (37%) were South Asian. Mean body mass index was 26.8 ± 5.29 kg/m2. Of those screened, 7 917 (25%) had never had a BP recorded, while 16 892 (54%) had recorded BP in the previous year. After imputation, 6 243 (20%) had hypertension. Of those participants, only 2 540 (41%) were aware and 2 331 (37%) were on antihypertensive medication, of which 61% were controlled. Of all hypertensives, only 23% were controlled. May Measurement Month in UAE expanded significantly compared to 2017. A quarter had never had BP measured and awareness of hypertension low (41%). This opportunistic screening method found a substantial number of adults with untreated or inadequately treated hypertension.

Role of high shear mixing in improving stability and bio-efficacy of botanical oil in water formulation for early stage mosquito eradication.

Neem based formulations conventionally being used as dustable powders, wettable powders, emulsifiable concentrates etc for controlling insects and mosquitoes. These formulations are prepared by mechanical mixing or low shear mixing processes. Among these formulations solvent based EC formulation is more common in use, though it have many drawbacks like phyto-toxicity, flammability, environmental contamination and dermal toxicity. Along with these drawbacks stability of the active ingredient is the most concerned problem, as the active ingredients are unstable in solvent based formulations. Neem oil based oil in water emulsion formulation (EW) formulation may be a safer alternative to EC formulation. In the present study, composition and process technology involved in Neem EW formulations were optimized. Different types of the EW formulation has already been formulated, but no investigations were made to prove the influence of high shear mixing, turbulence flow, time duration on the stability of formulation and its bio-efficacy. The main objective of the study is to determine the effect of turbulence stirring duration on droplet size and emulsion stability. The 60 min turbulence flow mixing at 3600 rpm decreased the particle size from 6.7 to 1.2µm. The prepared formulation stability was further confirmed by different analytical techniques like HPLC and FTIR. The 60 min high shear turbulence stirring enhanced the bio-efficacy in terms of 99 % mortality after 24 h at concentration of 500 ppm of 10 EW.

May Measurement Month 2017: an analysis of blood pressure screening results from the United Arab Emirates-Northern Africa and Middle East.

Elevated blood pressure (BP) is a growing burden worldwide, leading to over 10 million deaths each year. May Measurement Month (MMM) is a global initiative aimed at raising awareness of high BP and to act as a temporary solution to the lack of screening programmes worldwide. United Arab Emirates has a young population, but cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the commonest cause of death (40%). Myocardial infarction and stroke occurs at least a decade earlier than in western countries. Previous screening in our young population showed that 85% of the population had at least one CVD risk factor and about 62% of them were unaware of it. An opportunistic cross-sectional survey of volunteers aged ≥18 was carried out in May 2017. Blood pressure measurement, the definition of hypertension and statistical analysis followed the standard MMM protocol. Screening was held in 23 sites such as mosques, sports, and men's/ladies' clubs, airports, parks, shopping malls, work places as well as their residences, and in the public areas of hospitals or outpatient clinics. A total of 6193 individuals were screened during MMM17. The mean age was 39.2 ± 13.1 years. After multiple imputation, 1867 (30.2%) had hypertension. Of individuals not receiving anti-hypertensive medication, 813 (15.8%) were hypertensive. Of 1054 individuals receiving anti-hypertensive medication, 427 (40.6%) had uncontrolled BP. MMM17 was a useful screening model as it makes BP measurement easily accessible. Eight hundred and thirteen (16%) possibly new hypertensives were uncovered and 427(40.6%) of those on treatment for hypertension were found to be uncontrolled. These results suggest that opportunistic screening can identify significant numbers with raised BP.

Guidewire-induced asystole complicating a right internal jugular catheter placement in a patient with pre-existing left bundle branch block: A case report.

Internal jugular venous catheters are widely used for hemodialysis as permanent vascular access in patients with severe peripheral vascular disease or transiently for acute hemodialysis. The Seldinger technique is the most widely used technique in catheter insertion. The guidewire-related complications are rare but sometimes it has significant morbidity and mortality. In this case report, we have a patient who developed asystole during catheter insertion which required transvenous pacemaker insertion.

Opportunistic Screening for CVD Risk Factors: The Dubai Shopping for Cardiovascular Risk Study (DISCOVERY).

BACKGROUND: Comprehensive cardiovascular disease risk factor (CVDRF) screening programs are limited in the developing world. Simplifying screening can increase its utility. OBJECTIVES: The present study aims to estimate the burden of CVDRF in volunteers and the yield of newly discovered CVDRF comparing different sites and nationalities using this screening method. METHODS: Voluntary point-of-care CVDRF screening was conducted in 4 shopping malls, 9 health care facilities, and 3 labor camps in 5 cities in the United Arab Emirates. Follow-up for newly diagnosed diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and dyslipidemia was made 1 month after screening to inquire about physician consultation, confirmation of diagnosis, and lifestyle changes. RESULTS: A total of 4,128 subjects were screened (43% at malls, 36% at health care facilities, and 22% at labor camps). Subjects were relatively young (38 ± 11 years), predominantly male (75%), and of diverse nationalities (United Arab Emirates: 7%, other Arabs: 10%, South Asians: 74%, other Asians: 5%, and other nationalities: 5%). CVDRF were frequent (diabetes mellitus: 32%, hypertension: 31%, dyslipidemia: 69%, current smokers: 21%, obesity: 20%, and central obesity: 24%). Most subjects (85%) had ≥1 CVDRF, and many (17%) had ≥3 CVDRF. A new diagnosis of diabetes mellitus, hypertension, or dyslipidemia was uncovered in 61.5%, with the highest yield (74.0%) in labor camps. At follow-up of those with new CVDRF, positive lifestyle changes were reported in 60%, but only 33% had consulted a doctor; of these, diagnosis was confirmed in 63% for diabetes mellitus, 93% for hypertension, and 87% for dyslipidemia. CONCLUSIONS: In this relatively young and ethnically diverse cohort, CVDRF burden and yield of screening was high. Screening in these settings is pertinent and can be simplified.

Gender differences in acute coronary syndrome in Arab Emirati women--implications for clinical management.

Gender differences exist in many aspects of acute coronary syndrome (ACS), including presentation and delay in diagnosis and treatment. The aim of the study was to evaluate gender-related differences in ACS patients in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). We analyzed a subset (n = 1697) of the Gulf Registry of Acute Coronary Events (Gulf RACE) data collected in 2007 of patients with ACS from 18 UAE hospitals. Women were significantly older (mean age: 64.0 ± 12.4 years for females and 50.9 ± 10.6 years for males, P < .001), more often had cardiac risk factors and were significantly less treated with ß-blockers and reperfusion therapy. The adjusted mortality rate of women was 4.6% versus 1.2% in men (P < .001). Heart failure was higher in females compared with men (24.6% vs 12.5%; P < .001). Reasons for the high in-hospital mortality in women need to be investigated further.

Characteristics, management, and in-hospital outcomes of diabetic patients with acute coronary syndrome in the United Arab Emirates.

We describe the baseline characteristics, management, and in-hospital outcomes of patients in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) with DM admitted with an acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and assess the influence of DM on in-hospital mortality. Data was analyzed from 1697 patients admitted to various hospitals in the UAE with a diagnosis of ACS in 2007 as part of the 1st Gulf RACE (Registry of Acute Coronary Events). Of 1697 patients enrolled, 668 (39.4%) were diabetics. Compared to patients without DM, diabetic patients were more likely to have a past history of coronary artery disease (49.1% versus 30.1%, P < 0.001), hypertension (67.2% versus 36%, P < 0.001), and prior revascularization (21% versus 11.4%, P < 0.001). They experienced more in-hospital recurrent ischemia (8.5% versus 5.1%; P = 0.004) and heart failure (20% versus 10%; P < 0.001). The mortality rate was 2.7% for diabetics and 1.6% for nondiabetics (P = 0.105). After age adjustment, in-hospital mortality increased by 3.5% per year of age (P = 0.016). This mortality was significantly higher in females than in males (P = 0.04). ACS patients with DM have different clinical characteristics and appear to have poorer outcomes.