Comparison of Phytochemical Constituents and Pharmacological Activities of Various Solvent Extracts Obtained from Millettia speciosa Stem Powder.

Millettia speciosa is a plant extensively used as an important component in Chinese herbal medicine and food-based medicines. The present study was carried out to determine the total flavonoid content (TFC), volatile phytoconstituents, and pharmacological activities, i.e., antityrosinase, sunscreen, and anticancer activity, of different fractions of M. speciosa stem. Different organic solvents of increasing polarity, i.e., petroleum ether (PE), ethyl acetate (EtOAc), and methanol (MeOH), were used for extraction. The highest total flavonoid content, i.e., 48.30 ± 0.90%, was reported for PE extract. Various important phytocomponents were revealed by gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS) analysis. Based on abundance, the major compounds were n-hexadecanoic acid (16.654%), n-hexadecanoic acid (14.808%), and beta-sitosterol (6.298%) for PE, EtOAc, and MeOH extract, respectively. The significant antityrosinase activity, i.e., 70.97 ± 0.66%, with an IC50 value of 4.58 mg/mL was noted for PE extract followed by EtOAc extract, i.e., 59.84 ± 0.67%, with IC50 value of 6.10 mg/mL. The maximum sunscreen activity was reported for PE extract exhibiting the maximum absorbance value (0.633 ± 0.06) in the ultraviolet (UV) region, i.e., UVC, while EtOAc extract showed the second highest level of absorbance in the UVB range, i.e., 0.632 ± 0.07. The strongest anticancer activity (49.73 ± 0.49% cell viability) towards MCF-7 breast cancer cell line was reported for PE extract with IC50 197.51 µg/mL. Our results confirmed the presence of potential therapeutic components for each extract with significant biological functions, showing the importance of the M. speciosa stem as a source of biomedicine. To our knowledge, this is the first report on M. speciosa stem extending comprehensive research about its phytochemical profile and various significant pharmacological activities.

Metabolic and pharmacological profiling of Penicillium claviforme by a combination of experimental and bioinformatic approaches.

BACKGROUND: Penicillium produces a wide range of structurally diverse metabolites with significant pharmacological impacts in medicine and agriculture. For the first time, a complete metabolome of Penicillium claviforme (P. claviforme) (FBP-DNA-1205) was studied alongside pharmacological research in this study. METHODS: The metabolic profile of P. claviforme fermented on Potato Dextrose Broth (PDB) was investigated in this work. The complete metabolomics studies of fungus were performed using GC-MS and LC-MS-QTOF techniques. An in vitro model was utilised to study the cytotoxic and antioxidant activities, while an in vivo model was employed to investigate the antinociceptive and acute toxicity activities. Molecular Operating Environment (MOE) software was used for molecular docking analysis. RESULTS: GC-MS study showed the presence of alkanes, fatty acids, esters, azo and alcoholic compounds. Maculosin, obtain, phalluside, quinoline, 4,4'-diaminostilbene, funaltrexamine, amobarbital, and fraxetin were among the secondary metabolites identified using the LC-MS-QTOF technique. The n-hexane fraction of P. claviforme displayed significant cytotoxic activity in vitro, with an LD50 value of 92.22 µgml-1. The antinociceptive effects in vivo were dose-dependent significantly (p < .001). Interestingly, during the 72 h of investigation, no acute toxicity was demonstrated. In addition, a docking study of tentatively identified metabolites against the inflammatory enzyme (COX-2) supported the antinociceptive effect in an in silico model. CONCLUSION: Metabolic profile of P. claviforme shows the presence of biologically relevant compounds in ethyl acetate extract. In addition, P. claviforme exhibits substantial antioxidant and cytotoxic activities in an in vitro model as well as antinociceptive activity in an in vivo model. The antinociceptive action is also supported by a molecular docking study. This research has opened up new possibilities in the disciplines of mycology, agriculture, and pharmaceutics. Key messagesThe first time explored complete metabolome through GC-MS and LC-MS-QTOF.Both in vivo & in vitro pharmacological investigation of P. claviforme.In silico molecular docking of LC-MS-QTOF metabolites.

Reconfiguring and ramping-up ventilator production in the face of COVID-19: Can robots help?

As the COVID-19 pandemic expands, the shortening of medical equipment is swelling. A key piece of equipment getting far-out attention has been ventilators. The difference between supply and demand is substantial to be handled with normal production techniques, especially under social distancing measures in place. The study explores the rationale of human-robot teams to ramp up production using advantages of both the ease of integration and maintaining social distancing. The paper presents a model for faster integration of collaborative robots and design guidelines for workstations. The scenario is evaluated for an open source ventilator through continuous human-robot simulation and amplification of results in a discrete event simulation.

Do renewable energy and globalization enhance ecological footprint: an analysis of top renewable energy countries?

This paper aims at estimating the dynamic impact of renewable and non-renewable energy consumption, globalization, urbanization, and economic growth on the environmental quality. Unlike previous study, this study used multi-dimensional indicator of environmental quality that is ecological footprint. Given the importance of renewable energy, a sample of top renewable energy consuming countries has been selected for analysis spanning the period 1991-2016. The analysis is carried out in panel data framework that considers the issues of cross sectional dependence and heterogeneity. The results of cointegration test show the existence of long-run equilibrium relationship among the variables. The long-run elasticity of pooled mean group shows positive impact of economic growth and non-renewable energy consumption on ecological footprint while negative impact is observed in case of renewable energy consumption, globalization and urbanization. The sensitivity of long-run elasticity has been checked with the help of fully modified ordinary least square and dynamic ordinary least square. Based on empirical findings, some policy implication has also been provided.

Post-menopausal Osteoporosis and Probiotics.

Postmenopausal osteoporosis (PMO) is characterized by low bone mass and structural deterioration of bone tissue with increased risk of fracture in postmenopausal women. It is due to the deficiency of estrogen production after menopause, which causes the imbalance in the bone remodeling process where resorption/formation skewed more towards resoption, which leads to bone loss. It causes high morbidity and severe health complication among the affected women. The current PMO therapy has many unwanted side effects and even increases the possibility of tumorigenesis. Therefore, an alternative therapy that is safe and effective is required. Probiotics are dietary supplements consisting of beneficial microbes and when administered in an adequate amount, confer a health benefit to the host. Recent scientific evidences suggested the link between the intestinal microbiota and bone health. This review discusses the process of bone remodeling and the role of intestinal microbiota on the bone metabolism of the host. Further, it summarizes the recent studies of probiotic on an animal model of PMO and also in post postmenopausal women.

Repurposing factories with robotics in the face of COVID-19.

Can collaborative robots ramp up the production of medical ventilators?

Electronic immunization information systems: a case report of lessons learned from implementation in Pakistan.

Pakistan ranks third globally in the number of unvaccinated and under-vaccinated children, and Sindh province has one of the lowest vaccination rates in the country. Electronic census-based immunization information systems have the potential to bolster traditional immunization service delivery mechanisms, but literature has largely not focused on implementation at scale in Pakistan. This is a case report of technical support provided to the Sindh Department of Health/Expanded Program on Immunization (DOH/EPI) from 2015 to 2017 to strengthen routine immunization (RI). The program developed an immunization information system used by district health officers to register and track individual immunization status, improve vaccine logistics, and generate more accurate population estimates and vaccination targets. District immunization officers (DIOs) assisted their district health management teams and supervisors to use registration and service data stored in the immunization information system database to prepare microplans, monitor catchment area performance, and solve problems. Civil society partners registered 830,610 children (aged 0 to 23 months) and 348,315 pregnant women in 28,565 villages over an 18-month intensive intervention period. By the end of this period, 65% of all registered women had been vaccinated with two or more doses of the tetanus toxoid vaccine (compared to 26% at baseline); Penta 3 vaccination coverage had increased from 27% to 64%; and 52% of the registered children (aged 0 to 23 months) were fully immunized (compared to 18% at baseline). The immunization information system helped district managers identify and focus limited resources on high-risk populations; reminded families and health providers when vaccinations were due or missed; assisted managers in monitoring vaccination coverage, vaccinator performance, and vaccine stocks; and encouraged local problem solving to improve RI performance. The Government of Sindh demonstrated a commitment to RI based on the program's results, which bode well to future enhancements and scale up.

Chronomics of Circulating Plasma Lipid Peroxides and Antioxidant Enzymes in Renal Stone Formers.

The chronome of lipid peroxidation and anti-oxidant defense mechanisms may relate to the efficacy and management of time qualified preventive therapeutic and dietary interventions. One hundred renal stone patients, 20-60 years of age, and 50 clinically healthy volunteers, 21-45 years, were synchronized for 1 week with diurnal activity from 06:00 to 22:00 and nocturnal rest. All subjects took their usual meals three times daily (breakfast around 08:30, lunch around 13:00, and dinner around 20:30) with usual fluid intake. Drugs known to affect free radical system were not taken. Blood samples were collected at 6-h intervals for 24-h under standardized, presumably 24-h synchronized conditions. Determinations included plasma lipid peroxides, in terms of malondialdehyde (MDA) and blood superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione reductase (GR) and catalase (CAT) activities. A marked circadian variation was demonstrated for each studied variable by population-mean cosinor in renal stone patients and healthy participants (p < 0.001). By comparison to healthy subjects, parameter tests indicate that the stone formers had a higher MESOR of MDA, but a lower MESOR of SOD, GPx, GR and CAT. Furthermore, the patients also differed from the healthy controls in terms of their circadian amplitude and acrophase (tested jointly) of all variables (p < 0.001). Mapping the broader time structure with multifrequency circadian characteristics of oxidants and anti-oxidants is needed for exploring their role as marker in the treatment and management of urolithiasis.

Safety of the plastibell circumcision in neonates, infants, and older children.

OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study were to determine the safety of the Plastibell device (PD) circumcision in neonates, infants, and older children. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A prospective, descriptive study was conducted in private clinics of district Poonch and district Sudhanuti Azad Kashmir, Pakistan, during the period from November 2014 to August 2017. Research was conducted in light of guidelines set by Helsinki declaration. Healthy male babies free of any clinical signs of illness and congenital anomaly were included in the study. The babies having weight <3 kg at the time of surgery were excluded from the study. The parents/guardian were explained about the procedure and informed consent was taken. The complications that developed postoperatively were recorded. The record of all cases was analyzed retrospectively for safety outcome and complications developed in neonates, infants, and older children. RESULTS: A total of 1000 cases including 655 (65.5%) neonates, 241 (24.1%) infants, and 104 (10.4%) children between 1 and 5 years of age were selected. The PD circumcision was done in all these cases. Of these, 93.5% neonates, 89.6% infants, and 66.3% children older than 1 years of age had no complications postoperatively. The complication rate was highest among the children between 1 and 5 years of age as compared to neonates and infants. The complications such as bleeding prepuce, hematoma, and swelling prepuce were higher in infants than neonates while superficial infection and buried glans were noted more in neonates than infants. CONCLUSION: It may be inferred from our findings that Plastibell circumcision is safer if done in the 1st year of life and younger the age better is prognosis in healthy male babies.

Assessment of electrocardiographic criteria of left atrial enlargement.

Background Left atrial enlargement is considered to be a robust, strong, and widely acceptable indicator of cardiovascular outcomes. Echocardiography is the gold standard for measurement of left atrial size, but electrocardiography can be simple, cost-effective, and noninvasive in clinical practice. This study was undertaken to assess the diagnostic accuracy of an established electrocardiographic criterion for left atrial enlargement, taking 2-dimensional echocardiography as the gold-standard technique. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted on 146 consecutively selected patients with the complaints of dyspnea and palpitation and with a murmur detected on clinical examination, from September 10, 2016 to February 10, 2017. Electrocardiography and echocardiography were performed in all patients. Patients with a negative P wave terminal force in lead V1 > 40 ms·mm on electrocardiography or left atrial dimension > 40 mm on echocardiography were classified as having left atrial enlargement. Sensitivity and specificity were calculated to assess the diagnostic accuracy. Results Taking 2-dimensional echocardiography as the gold-standard technique, electrocardiography correctly diagnosed 68 patients as positive for left atrial enlargement and 12 as negative. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy of electrocardiography for left atrial enlargement were 54.4%, 57.1%, 88.3%, 17.4%, and 54.8%, respectively. Conclusion The electrocardiogram appears to be a reasonable indicator of left atrial enlargement. In case of nonavailability of echocardiography, electrocardiography can be used for diagnosis of left atrial enlargement.

USE OF A SPECIAL SPLINT IN REVERSE SURAL ARTERY FLAP TO REDUCE VENOUS CONGESTION AND FLAP NECROSIS.

BACKGROUND: Distally based sural fascio-cutaneous flap is a commonly performed plastic surgery procedure for the coverage of distal third of leg, ankle and foot defects. However congestion is the main complication of this flap which results into partial or complete loss of the flap. We devised a special splint to reduce this complication and retrospectively reviewed its effect on this complication between two groups. METHODS: This retrospective study was carried out at Northwest General hospital between 1995 and 2012. Group-A included 30 patients who were managed without the splint between 1995 and 2005 and group-B comprised of 35 patients were treated with the splint between 2006 and 2012. Complications like venous congestion, epidermolysis, and partial and complete flap failure were documented. Data were analyzed by SPSS.16.5 software. Chi-square test was used for data analysis. p-value less than 0.05 was considered as the level of significance. RESULTS: Total 65 patients were operated. Age of the patients ranged from 7 to 60 years. Road traffic accident and spoke wheel injury was the main cause of soft tissue loss in our patients. In group-A 12 patients suffered from venous congestion. Out of 12, three patients had epidermolysis while partial flap necrosis occurred in 9 patients. Only 3 patients had venous congestion in group-B. Two patients suffered from epidermolysis and one had partial flap necrosis. None of patient suffered from complete flap loss in both groups. CONCLUSION: Reverse sural artery flap continues to be a versatile flap for distal lower extremity reconstruction. By using a special splint to reduce pressure on the pedicle site as a modification, flap complication rate can be decreased significantly.

Circadian time structure of circulating plasma lipid peroxides, antioxidant enzymes and other small molecules in peptic ulcers.

BACKGROUND: The circadian rhythm, as part of a broad time structure (chronome) of lipid peroxides and antioxidant defense mechanisms may relate to prevention, efficacy and management of preventive and curative chronotherapy. METHODS: Fifty newly diagnosed patients with peptic ulcers, 30-45 years of age, and 60 age-matched clinically healthy volunteers were synchronized for one week with diurnal activity from about 06:00 to about 22:00 and nocturnal rest. Breakfast was served around 08:30, lunch around 13:30 and dinner around 20:30. Drugs known to affect the free-radical systems were not taken. Blood samples were collected at 6-hour intervals for 24h under standardized, presumably 24-hour synchronized conditions. Plasma lipid peroxides, in the form of malondialdehyde (MDA), blood superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxide (GPx), glutathione reductase (GR), catalase (CAT) activities, and serum total protein, albumin, ascorbic acid, total serum cholesterol, and HDL-cholesterol concentrations were determined. RESULTS: By population-mean cosinor analysis, a marked circadian variation was demonstrated for all variables in healthy subjects and in ulcer patients (p<0.001). As compared to controls, patients had a lower MESOR of MDA, SOD, GPx, GR, ascorbic acid, and HDL-C. They also had smaller circadian amplitude of SOD, CAT, GPx, GR, ascorbic acid, T-C, and HDL-C, but larger circadian amplitude of MDA and albumin. As compared to healthy subjects, the circadian acrophase of ulcer patients occurred later for MDA and GR and earlier for GPx. CONCLUSION: Mapping circadian rhythms, important chronome components that include trends with age and extra-circadian components characterizing antioxidants and pro-oxidants, is needed for exploring their putative role as markers in the treatment and management of peptic ulcers.

Circadian rhythm of serum 25 (OH) vitamin D, calcium and phosphorus levels in the treatment and management of type-2 diabetic patients.

The circadian time structure of serum 25 (OH) vitamin D (25-OHD), calcium (Ca) and phosphorus (P) may prove to be helpful in prevention, efficacy and management of diabetes mellitus. Ten newly diagnosed patients with type-2 diabetes mellitus (6 men and 4 women), 30-65 years of age, and 10 age-matched clinically healthy volunteers (7 men and 3 women) were synchronized for one week with diurnal activity from about 06:00 to about 22:00 and nocturnal rest. Breakfast was served around 08:00, lunch around 13:30 and dinner around 20:00. Drugs/nutraceuticals known to affect the vitamin D-calcium metabolism and status were not taken. Blood samples were collected at 6-h intervals for 24 h under standardized, 24-h synchronized conditions. Serum 25-OHD, Ca, P, Ca-P product and Ca-P ratio were determined. A marked circadian variation was demonstrated for 25-OHD in healthy volunteers (p = 0.030) and of borderline statistical significance in the diabetic patients (p = 0.083) by population-mean cosinor analysis. Similarly, healthy volunteers showed borderline significance for serum Ca, P and Ca-P ratio. The circadian acrophase of Ca occurred later in the patients as compared to healthy controls. Mapping the circadian rhythm (an important component of the broader time structure or chronome, which includes a.o., trends with age and extra-circadian components) of vitamin D and calcium is needed for exploring their role as markers in the treatment and management of diabetic patients.

Comparison of the efficacy of single volar subcutaneous digital block and the dorsal two injections block.

BACKGROUND: Digital nerve blocks are commonly used as effective techniques of anaesthesia to allow a variety of surgical procedures performed on digits. This study was conducted to compare the efficacy of volar subcutaneous single injection block and the traditional dorsal two injections digital block. METHODS: This randomized controlled trial was conducted at Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Department, Hayatabad Medical Complex Peshawar from December. 2009-10. A total of 126 patients with pathology distal to the first palmer digital crease divided into two equal groups. Group A received volar subcutaneous digital block while group B dorsal two injections block. Efficacy of digital block was measured in terms of time of onset of anaesthesia, which was the total time duration after administering local anaesthetic to loss of pinprick sensation and total duration of anaesthesia, which was defined as the time period from onset of block (loss of pinprick sensation) till the appearance of pain which required additional local anaesthetic or postoperative analgesia. RESULTS: A total of 126 patients were studied, 63 in each group. Of the total patients, 102 (81%) were male and 24 (19%) female with a mean age of 27 ± 4.2 years (range 17-60 years). The mean time of onset of anaesthesia from injection till the loss of pin prick sensation was 3.32 ± 0.42 minutes for volar single injection group and 4.53 minutes ± 0.57 minutes for dorsal two injections group (p = 0.049). Similarly the mean total duration of anaesthesia for the volar subcutaneous group was 271.9 ± 29.34 minutes while for the dorsal two injections group, it was 229.52 ± 28.82 minutes (p = 0.415). CONCLUSION: Single injection volar subcutaneous digital block provides faster onset of anaesthesia, produces predictable, consistent dense anaesthesia of all of the fingers with the help of single injection prick.

Bidirectional ventricular tachycardia of unknown etiology.

A 45 years old male presented to the emergency department with palpitations, headache and apprehension. His electrocardiogram revealed bidirectional ventricular tachycardia. He remained vitally stable and responded to intravenous beta-blocker. Initially digitalis toxicity was suspected but history was negative for digitalis intake. The cause remained unidentified in patient despite detailed investigations. During a short follow-up (of 6 months) he remained asymptomatic and no cause was further identified during this period. Some other unseen causes of bidirectional ventricular tachycardia need to be explored.

Usage of Conventional PCR Technology for the Detection of HLA-B27 Allele: A Significant Molecular Marker of Ankylosing Spondylitis.

Ankylosing spondylitis is a chronic inflammatory disease that has been linked to the human leukocyte antigen class I allele HLA-B27. More than 90 % of patients with ankylosing spondylitis possess the HLA-B27 allele, but only 1 % of people with HLA-B27 develop the disease. Ankylosing spondylitis predominately affects young males. The present study was planned to find out the involvement of HLA-B27 specific allele in relation to age and sex in symptomatic suspected patients of ankylosing spondylitis using conventional PCR technology. Forty symptomatic patients of ankylosing spondylitis were included in the present study. SSP-PCR technique was used to detect the HLA-B27 specific allele. This study showed (out of 40 symptomatic suspected cases of ankylosing spondylitis only 12 patients were detected positive with HLA-B27 allele, while remaining 28 were negative) that the positivity rate for ankylosing spondylitis with HLA-B27 allele is low. Furthermore, it was observed that the males above 50 years are more prone to develop AS with HLA-B27 specific allele. It could be concluded that the conventional PCR technology is a rapid, sensitive, and confirmatory method for the diagnosis of ankylosing spondylitis.

Diagnostic value of PCR in genitourinary tuberculosis.

Genitourinary tuberculosis is a disease of the genitourinary system which includes the entire urinary tract and reproductive system. Genital tuberculosis is an important cause of female infertility, especially in developing nations like India. In the present study, a total of 257 clinical specimens comprising of endometrial biopsy (109), endometrial curetting (42), menstrual blood (8), semen (17), placenta (11) and urine (70) were collected from patients and subjected for PCR, Culture and AFB detection. The endometrial biopsy, endometrial curetting, menstrual blood, semen, placenta, urine showed 30.2, 45.2,12.5, 5.8, 27.2, 31.4 %, positivity rate for tuberculosis by PCR, 7.3, 9.5, 25.0, 0, 9, 8.5 % by culture and 1.8, 2.3, 0, 0, 0, 2.8 % respectively by AFB smear. Being a novel, rapid technique, PCR is the method of choice for rapid diagnosis and management of genitourinary tuberculosis shared with the other concerned tests. This study reveals that genital tuberculosis can occur in any age group, however, the majority of patients were from reproductive age (nearly 75 % of them were from 20-45 years of age) group.

Nephrotic syndrome: a rare cause of acute coronary syndrome in a child.

Patients with nephrotic syndrome are at risk of developing thrombosis in both veins and arteries. Various manifestations in different organs have been reported. Thrombi in heart seen, associated with multiorgan thrombosis have been reported on autopsy earlier, but only once in a living patient with nephrotic syndrome. Here, we report a 13 years old boy with steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome, who developed an asymptomatic but potentially hazardous large intracardiac thrombus. The child developed nephrotic syndrome at the age of 9 years and had multiple recurrences. At the age of 13 years, he developed myocardial infarction (MI) due to embolism from a large intracardiac thrombus. Later on, he was treated with heparin and warfarin anticoagulation.