Preparation and characterization of single perovskite microplates and its sunlight assisted photodecolorization activity, validated by response surface methodology.

Perovskites overtaking simple metal oxides as solar light harvesting material due to their excellent photocatalytic efficiency and superior stability. An efficient visible light responsive, K2Ba0.3Cu0.7O3 single perovskites oxides (SPOs) photocatalyst was fabricated by a facile hydrothermal method. The fabricated SPOs was characterized by various techniques. SEM analysis confirm the cubic morphology of SPOs, the average length and diameter of SPOs were 27.84 and 10.06 µm calculated from SEM images. FT-IR analysis confirmed the presence of M-M and M - O bonds. EDX showed prominent peaks of the constituent elements. The average crystallite size of SPOs calculated by Scherrer and Williamson-Hall equation was 14.08 and 18.47 nm respectively. The optical band gap value lies in visible region of spectrum (2.0 eV) determined from the Tauce's plot. The fabricated SPOs was applied for photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue (MB) dye. Maximum degradation 98.09% of MB was achieved at 40 min irradiation time, 0.01 g catalyst dose, 60 mg L-1 MB concentration and pH 9. The photocatalytic degradation of MB follows first order kinetic. RSM modeling of MB removal was also caried out. Reduce quadratic model was best fitted model having F-value = 300.65, P-value = < 0.0001,R2 = 0.9897, predicted R2 = 0.9850 and adjusted R2 = 0.9864.

Green Synthesis of NiO Nanoflakes Using Bitter Gourd Peel, and Their Electrochemical Urea Sensing Application.

To determine urea accurately in clinical samples, food samples, dairy products, and agricultural samples, a new analytical method is required, and non-enzymatic methods are preferred due to their low cost and ease of use. In this study, bitter gourd peel biomass waste is utilized to modify and structurally transform nickel oxide (NiO) nanostructures during the low-temperature aqueous chemical growth method. As a result of the high concentration of phytochemicals, the surface was highly sensitive to urea oxidation under alkaline conditions of 0.1 M NaOH. We investigated the structure and shape of NiO nanostructures using powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). In spite of their flake-like morphology and excellent crystal quality, NiO nanostructures exhibited cubic phases. An investigation of the effects of bitter gourd juice demonstrated that a large volume of juice produced thin flakes measuring 100 to 200 nanometers in diameter. We are able to detect urea concentrations between 1-9 mM with a detection limit of 0.02 mM using our urea sensor. Additionally, the stability, reproducibility, repeatability, and selectivity of the sensor were examined. A variety of real samples, including milk, blood, urine, wheat flour, and curd, were used to test the non-enzymatic urea sensors. These real samples demonstrated the potential of the electrode device for measuring urea in a routine manner. It is noteworthy that bitter gourd contains phytochemicals that are capable of altering surfaces and activating catalytic reactions. In this way, new materials can be developed for a wide range of applications, including biomedicine, energy production, and environmental protection.

Linum corymbulosum Protects Rats against CCl4-Induced Hepatic Injuries through Modulation of an Unfolded Protein Response Pathway and Pro-Inflammatory Intermediates.

Liver fibrosis is a major pathological feature of chronic liver disease and effective therapies are limited at present. The present study focuses on the hepatoprotective potential of L. corymbulosum against carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced liver damage in rats. Analysis of Linum corymbulosum methanol extract (LCM) using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) revealed the presence of rutin, apigenin, catechin, caffeic acid and myricetin. CCl4 administration lowered (p < 0.01) the activities of antioxidant enzymes and reduced glutathione (GSH) content as well as soluble proteins, whereas the concentration of H2O2, nitrite and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances was higher in hepatic samples. In serum, the level of hepatic markers and total bilirubin was elevated followed by CCl4 administration. The expression of glucose-regulated protein (GRP78), x-box binding protein-1 total (XBP-1 t), x-box binding protein-1 spliced (XBP-1 s), x-box binding protein-1 unspliced (XBP-1 u) and glutamate-cysteine ligase catalytic subunit (GCLC) was enhanced in CCl4-administered rats. Similarly, the expression of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and monocyte chemo attractant protein-1 (MCP-1) was strongly increased with CCl4 administration to rats. Co-administration of LCM along with CCl4 to rats lowered (p < 0.05) the expression of the above genes. Histopathology of the liver showed hepatocyte injury, leukocyte infiltration and damaged central lobules in CCl4-treated rats. However, LCM administration to CCl4-intoxicated rats restored the altered parameters towards the levels of control rats. These outcomes indicate the existence of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory constituents in the methanol extract of L. corymbulosum.

Comparative robustness and sustainability of in-situ prepared antimony nanoarchitectonics in chitosan/synthesized carboxymethyl chitosan in environmental remediation perspective.

Due to the rapid race of industrialization natural assets like fresh water has been deteriorated causing lethal effects in living organisms. In the current study robust and sustainable composite of in-situ antimony nanoarchitectonics in chitosan/synthesized carboxymethyl chitosan matrix were synthesized. To improve solubility, metal adsorption and water decontamination, chitosan was modified into carboxymethyl chitosan and the modification was confirmed through various characterization techniques. The characteristic bands in the FTIR spectrum confirm substitution of carboxymethyl group in the chitosan. This was further illustrated that the characteristic proton peaks of CMCh observed at δ = 4.097 to 4.192 ppm, suggesting O-carboxy methylation of chitosan by 1H NMR. The second order derivative of potentiometric analysis confirmed 0.83 degree of substitution. The antimony (Sb) loaded modified chitosan were confirmed by FTIR and XRD analysis. The potential effectiveness of chitosan matrix was determined and compared toward reductive removal of the Rhodamine b dye. Rhodamine b mitigation is following first order kinetics with R2 value of 0.9832 and 0.969 with a constant rate of 0.0977 and 0.2534 ml/min for Sb loaded chitosan and carboxymethyl chitosan respectively. The Sb/CMCh-CFP enables us to achieve 98.5 % mitigation efficiency within 10 min. The CMCh-CFP chelating substrate was found stable and efficient even after 4th batches of cycles with <4 % decrease in efficiency. The in-situ synthesized material was found tailored composite, in terms of dyes remediation, reusability and biocompatibility as compared to chitosan.

Joubert syndrome a rare entity and role of radiology: A case report.

Introduction and importance: Joubert syndrome (JS) is defined by the characteristic set of cerebellum and midbrain abnormalities that communally result in the indicative "molar tooth sign" on the axial MRI report. The incidence of estimated to be from 1:80,000 to 1:100,000. Case presentation: Clinical features can be noticed shortly after birth that includes hypotonia episodic tachypnea and apnea that may be followed by developmental delays and speech apraxia. Polydactyly, cleft lip or palate, tongue abnormalities, hypotonia, encephalocele, meningocele, hydrocephalus, kidney problems, pituitary abnormality, and autistic-like behavior are the other deformities that can be seen with JS. Seizures may also occur. Motor disability and mental health range from mild to severe forms. Clinical discussion: Treatment for JS is symptomatic and supportive. The prognosis depends on cerebellar vermis development. Conclusion: JS can be missed if special attention were not given to radiological findings.

The status of knowledge, attitude and practice towards emergency management of avulsed tooth among dental students: A single center cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the awareness of emergency trauma management and the potential role of dentists in handling tooth avulsion injuries. METHODS: The cross-sectional study was conducted at the Dental Outpatients Department of Jinnah Medical and Dental College, Karachi, from December 2020 to March 2021, and comprised dentists and final year dental students of either gender. Data was collected using a 17-item questionnaire to assess the awareness level regarding the knowledge of traumatic dental emergencies and the role of a dentist in handling a traumatic tooth injury. Data was analysed using SPSS 20. RESULTS: Of the 170 subjects, 52(30.5%) were males and 118(69.4%) were females. Overall, 139(81.8%) subjects had prior knowledge regarding avulsion, 164(96.5%) were aware of the term avulsed tooth, 106(62.4%) considered milk to be the best transport media for an avulsed tooth, 159(93.5%) knew the significance of extra-oral time, and all 170(100%) subjects said they wanted to study more about dental traumatic injuries. CONCLUSIONS: There was adequate knowledge about the term avulsion, transport media and extra-oral time, and there was evidence of interest about learning more among the subjects.

Indigofera linifolia ameliorated CCl4 induced endoplasmic reticulum stress in liver of rat.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Indigofera linifolia (L.f.) Retz. is used in subcontinent for liver disorders, in wounds, febrile eruption and as diuretic. AIM OF STUDY: The current study evaluates the protective effects of the methanol extract of Indigofera linifolia (ILM) on CCl4-induced endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in liver of rat. METHODS: ILM was analyzed for phytochemical classes, total phenolic (TPC) and flavonoid content (TFC) as well as multidimensional in vitro antioxidant assays. Male (Sprague Dawley) rats were dispersed into seven groups (6 rats/group) receiving 0.9% saline (1 ml/kg bw), CCl4 (1 ml/kg bw) diluted in olive oil (3:7 v/v), silymarin (200 mg/kg bw) + CCl4 (30% v/v), ILM (150 mg/kg bw) + CCl4 (30% v/v), ILM (300 mg/kg bw) + CCl4 and ILM alone (either 150 mg/kg bw or 300 mg/kg bw). RESULTS: ILM extract was constituted of different phytochemical classes. Co-administration of ILM along with CCl4 to rat revert the level of alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and total bilirubin in blood serum and antioxidant parameters in liver. Further, CCl4 increased the level of ER stress markers and inflammatory mediators while decreased level of GCLC and Nrf-2 in liver tissues of rat. CCl4-induced histopathological variations were reduced with ILM co-administration in liver tissues. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that active phyto-constituents of I. linifolia might be responsible for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and gene-regulating activities.

The multifaceted antineoplastic role of pyrimethamine against human malignancies.

Cancer accounted for nearly 10 million deaths in 2020 and is the second leading cause of death worldwide. The chemotherapeutic agents that are in clinical practice possess a broad range of severe adverse effects towards vital organs which emphasizes the importance of the discovery of new therapeutic agents or repurposing of existing drugs for the treatment of human cancers. Pyrimethamine is an antiparasitic drug used for the treatment of malaria and toxoplasmosis with a well-documented excellent safety profile. In the last 5 years, numerous efforts have been made to explore the anticancer potential of pyrimethamine in in vitro and in vivo preclinical models and to repurpose it as an anticancer agent. The studies have demonstrated that pyrimethamine inhibits oncogenic proteins such as STAT3, NF-κB, DX2, MAPK, DHFR, thymidine phosphorylase, telomerase, and many more in a different types of cancer models. Moreover, pyrimethamine has been reported to work in synergy with other anticancer agents, such as temozolomide, to induce apoptosis of tumor cells. Recently, the results of phase-1/2 clinical trials demonstrated that pyrimethamine administration reduces the expression of STAT3 signature genes in tumor tissues of chronic lymphocytic leukemia patients with a good therapeutic response. In the present article, we have reviewed most of the published articles related to the antitumor effects of pyrimethamine in malignancies of breast, liver, lung, skin, ovary, prostate, pituitary, and leukemia in in vitro and in vivo settings. We have also discussed the pharmacokinetic profile and results of clinical trials obtained after pyrimethamine treatment. From these studies, we believe that pyrimethamine has the potential to be repurposed as an anticancer drug.

Chemical composition and pharmacological bio-efficacy of Parrotiopsis jacquemontiana (Decne) Rehder for anticancer activity.

Consistent STAT3 (Single transducer and activator of transcription 3) activation is observed in many tumors and promotes malignant cell transformation. In the present investigation, we evaluated the anticancer effects of Parrotiopsis jacquemontiana methanol fraction (PJM) on STAT3 inhibition in HCCLM3 and MDA-MB 231 cells. PJM suppressed the activation of upstream kinases i.e. JAK-1/2 (Janus kinase-1/2), and c-Src (Proto-oncogene tyrosine-protein kinase c-Src), and upregulated the expression levels of PIAS-1/3 (Protein Inhibitor of Activated STATs-1/3), SHP-1/2 (Src-homology region 2 domain-containing phosphatase-1/2), and PTP-1ß (Protein tyrosine phosphatase 1 ß) which negatively regulate STAT3 signaling pathway. PJM also decreased the levels of protein products conferring to various oncogenes, which in turn repressed the proliferation, migration, invasion, and induced apoptosis in cancer cell lines. The growth inhibitory effects of PJM on cell-cycle and metastasis were correlated with decreased expression levels of CyclinD1, CyclinE, MMP-2 (Matrix metalloproteinases-2), and MMP-9 (Matrix metalloproteinases-9). Induction of apoptosis was indicated by the cleavage and subsequent activation of Caspases (Cysteine-dependent Aspartate-directed Proteases) i.e. caspase-3, 7, 8, 9, and PARP (Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase) as well as through the down-regulation of anti-apoptotic proteins. These apoptotic effects of PJM were preceded by inhibition of STAT3 cell-signaling pathway. STAT3 was needed for PJM-induced apoptosis, and inhibition of STAT3 via pharmacological inhibitor (Stattic; SC-203282) abolished the apoptotic effects. Conclusively, our results demonstrate the capability of PJM to inhibit cancer cell-proliferation and induce apoptosis by suppressing STAT3 via upregulation of STAT3 inhibitors and pro-apoptotic proteins whereas the down-regulation of upstream kinases and anti-apoptotic protein expression. In future, one-step advance studies of PHM regarding its role in metastatic inhibition, immune response modulation for reducing tumor, and inducing apoptosis in suitable animal models would be an interesting and promising research area.

Pilea umbrosa ameliorate CCl4 induced hepatic injuries by regulating endoplasmic reticulum stress, pro-inflammatory and fibrosis genes in rat.

BACKGROUND: Pilea umbrosa (Urticaceae) is used by local communities (district Abbotabad) for liver disorders, as anticancer, in rheumatism and in skin disorders. METHODS: Methanol extract of P. umbrosa (PUM) was investigated for the presence of polyphenolic constituents by HPLC-DAD analysis. PUM (150 mg/kg and 300 mg/kg) was administered on alternate days for eight weeks in rats exposed with carbon tetrachloride (CCl4). Serum analysis was performed for liver function tests while in liver tissues level of antioxidant enzymes and biochemical markers were also studied. In addition, semi quantitative estimation of antioxidant genes, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) induced stress markers, pro-inflammatory cytokines and fibrosis related genes were carried out on liver tissues by RT-PCR analysis. Liver tissues were also studied for histopathological injuries. RESULTS: Level of antioxidant enzymes such as catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD) and glutathione (GSH) decreased (p < 0.05) whereas level of thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS), H2O2 and nitrite increased in liver tissues of CCl4 treated rat. Likewise increase in the level of serum markers; alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and total bilirubin was observed. Moreover, CCl4 caused many fold increase in expression of ER stress markers; glucose regulated protein (GRP-78), x-box binding protein1-total (XBP-1 t), x-box binding protein1-unspliced (XBP-1 u) and x-box binding protein1-spliced (XBP-1 s). The level of inflammatory mediators such as tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) was aggregated whereas suppressed the level of antioxidant enzymes; γ-glutamylcysteine ligase (GCLC), protein disulfide isomerase (PDI) and nuclear erythroid 2 p45-related factor 2 (Nrf-2). Additionally, level of fibrosis markers; transforming growth factor-ß (TGF-ß), Smad-3 and collagen type 1 (Col1-α) increased with CCl4 induced liver toxicity. Histopathological scrutiny depicted damaged liver cells, neutrophils infiltration and dilated sinusoids in CCl4 intoxicated rats. PUM was enriched with rutin, catechin, caffeic acid and apigenin as evidenced by HPLC analysis. Simultaneous administration of PUM and CCl4 in rats retrieved the normal expression of these markers and prevented hepatic injuries. CONCLUSION: Collectively these results suggest that PUM constituted of strong antioxidant chemicals and could be a potential therapeutic agent for stress related liver disorders.

An Overview of the Potential Antineoplastic Effects of Casticin.

Cancer persists as one of the leading causes of deaths worldwide, contributing to approximately 9.6 million deaths per annum in recent years. Despite the numerous advancements in cancer treatment, there is still abundant scope to mitigate recurrence, adverse side effects and toxicities caused by existing pharmaceutical drugs. To achieve this, many phytochemicals from plants and natural products have been tested against cancer cell lines in vivo and in vitro. Likewise, casticin, a flavonoid extracted from the Vitex species, has been isolated from the leaves and seeds of V. trifolia and V. agnus-castus. Casticin possesses a wide range of therapeutic properties, including analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antiangiogenic, antiasthmatic and antineoplastic activities. Several studies have been conducted on the anticancer effects of casticin against cancers, including breast, bladder, oral, lung, leukemia and hepatocellular carcinomas. The compound inhibits invasion, migration and proliferation and induces apoptosis (casticin-induced, ROS-mediated and mitochondrial-dependent) and cell cycle arrest (G0/G1, G2/M, etc.) through different signaling pathways, namely the PI3K/Akt, NF-κB, STAT3 and FOXO3a/FoxM1 pathways. This review summarizes the chemo-preventive ability of casticin as an antineoplastic agent against several malignancies.

Anticancer Potential of Raddeanin A, a Natural Triterpenoid Isolated from Anemone raddeana Regel.

Natural compounds extracted from plants have gained immense importance in the fight against cancer cells due to their lesser toxicity and potential therapeutic effects. Raddeanin A (RA), an oleanane type triterpenoid is a major compound isolated from Anemone raddeana Regel. As an anticancer agent, RA induces apoptosis, cell cycle arrest, inhibits invasion, migration and angiogenesis in malignant cell lines as well as in preclinical models. In this systemic review, the pharmacological effects of RA and its underlying molecular mechanisms were carefully analyzed and potential molecular targets have been highlighted. The apoptotic potential of RA can be mediated through the modulation of Bcl-2, Bax, caspase-3, caspase-8, caspase-9, cytochrome c and poly-ADP ribose polymerase (PARP) cleavage. PI3K/Akt signaling pathway serves as the major molecular target affected by RA. Furthermore, RA can block cell proliferation through inhibition of canonical Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway in colorectal cancer cells. RA can also alter the activation of NF-κB and STAT3 signaling pathways to suppress invasion and metastasis. RA has also exhibited promising anticancer potential against drug resistant cancer cells and can enhance the anticancer effects of several chemotherapeutic agents. Overall, RA may function as a promising compound in combating cancer, although further in-depth study is required under clinical settings to validate its efficacy in cancer patients.

An overview of the anti-cancer actions of Tanshinones, derived from Salvia miltiorrhiza (Danshen).

Tanshinone is a herbal medicinal compound described in Chinese medicine, extracted from the roots of Salvia miltiorrhiza (Danshen). This family of compounds, including Tanshinone IIA and Tanshinone I, have shown remarkable potential as anti-cancer molecules, especially against breast, cervical, colorectal, gastric, lung, and prostate cancer cell lines, as well as leukaemia, melanoma, and hepatocellular carcinoma among others. Recent data has indicated that Tanshinones can modulate multiple molecular pathways such as PI3K/Akt, MAPK and JAK/STAT3, and exert their pharmacological effects against different malignancies. In addition, preclinical and clinical data, together with the safety profile of Tanshinones, encourage further applications of these compounds in cancer therapeutics. In this review article, the effect of Tanshinones on different cancers, challenges in their pharmacological development, and opportunities to harness their clinical potential have been documented.

An overview of the potential anticancer properties of cardamonin.

Cancer is one of the leading causes of mortality, contributing to 9.6 million deaths globally in 2018 alone. Although several cancer treatments exist, they are often associated with severe side effects and high toxicities, leaving room for significant advancements to be made in the field. In recent years, several phytochemicals from plants and natural bioresources have been extracted and tested against various human malignancies using both in vitro and in vivo preclinical model systems. Cardamonin, a chalcone extracted from the Alpinia species, is an example of a natural therapeutic agent that has anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory effects against human cancer cell lines, including breast, lung, colon, and gastric, in both in vitro culture systems as well as xenograft mouse models. Earlier, cardamonin was used as a natural medicine against stomach related issues, diarrhea, insulin resistance, nephroprotection against cisplatin treatment, vasorelaxant and antinociceptive. The compound is well-known to inhibit proliferation, migration, invasion, and induce apoptosis, through the involvement of Wnt/ß-catenin, NF-κB, and PI3K/Akt pathways. The good biosafety and pharmacokinetic profiling of cardamonin satisfy it as an attractive molecule for the development of an anticancer agent. The present review has summarized the chemo-preventive ability of cardamonin as an anticancer agent against numerous human malignancies.

Methanol extract of Iphiona aucheri ameliorates CCl4 induced hepatic injuries by regulation of genes in rats.

We have investigated the protective potential of methanol extract of Iphiona aucheri (IAM) on the expression of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress associated genes and inflammatory genes on carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) induced hepatic toxicity in rats. Hepatic damage markers: aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and bilirubin were elevated while the content of antioxidants: catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD) and reduced glutathione (GSH) were decreased significantly (p < 0.05) in CCl4 treated rats as compared to the control group. The CCl4 intoxication induced a higher expression of glucose-regulated protein 78 kDa (GRP78), X-box-binding protein 1 total (XBP1t), spliced X-box-binding protein 1 (XBP1s), unspliced X-box-binding protein 1 (XBP1u), C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP) and genes involved in inflammation and fibrosis: tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-ß), mothers against DPP homolog 3 (SMAD3), alpha skeletal muscle actin (αSMA) and collagen type I alpha 1 chain (COL1A1). The intoxicated rats showed a low expression of the glutamate-cysteine ligase catalytic subunit (GCLC), protein disulfide isomerase (PDI) and nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2) like-2 (Nrf2). The administration of IAM to intoxicated rats restored the expression of ER stress, inflammatory, fibrosis and antioxidant genes in a dose dependent manner. Our results indicated that IAM can impede the ER stress and inflammatory genes and it could be a complementary and alternative therapeutic agent for oxidative stress associated disorders.

Brachychiton populneus (Schott & Endl.) R.Br. ameliorate carbon tetrachloride induced oxidative stress through regulation of endoplasmic reticulum stress markers and inflammatory mediators in Sprague-Dawley male rats.

In this study hepatoprotective aptitude of Brachychiton populneus against carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) instigated liver injuries in rats was investigated. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with a diode array detector (DAD) analysis of methanol extract of B. populneus (BPM) indicated existence of rutin, catechin and myricetin. Administration of CCl4 to rat decreased (p < 0.01) the level of catalase (CAT), total superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), soluble protein and reduced glutathione (GSH) whereas elevated the concentration of H2O2, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances and nitrite in hepatic samples. In serum the level of hepatic markers; aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase, alkaline phosphatase and total bilirubin increased with CCl4 treatment against control animals. In hepatic samples the expression level of endoplasmic reticulum stress associated genes like glucose regulated protein (GRP78), x-box binding protein- 1 total (XBP-1 t), x-box binding protein- 1 spliced (XBP-1 s), x-box binding protein- 1 unspliced (XBP-1 u), glutamate-cysteine ligase catalytic subunit (GCLC) and pro-inflammatory cytokines; tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) was elevated many fold with CCl4 administration to rat. Co-administration of BPM along with CCl4 to rats decreased (p < 0.05) the expression of above genes except GCLC where expression level was enhanced as compared to CCl4 treatment. Histopathology of liver showed injuries of hepatocytes, infiltration of leukocytes and damaged central lobule in CCl4 treated rats. However, BPM administration to CCl4 intoxicated rats restored the altered parameters towards the control rats. These results suggested the presence of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory constituents in methanol extract of B. populneus.

Alleviation of heavy metals toxicity by the application of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria and effects on wheat grown in saline sodic field.

The aim of the study was to determine tolerance of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) in different concentrations of Cu, Cr, Co, Cd, Ni, Mn, and Pb and to evaluate the PGPR-modulated bioavailability of different heavy metals in the rhizosphere soil and wheat tissues, grown in saline sodic soil. Bacillus cereus and Pseudomonas moraviensis were isolated from Cenchrus ciliaris L. growing in the Khewra salt range. Seven-day-old cultures of PGPR were applied on wheat as single inoculum, co-inoculation and carrier-based biofertilizer (using maize straw and sugarcane husk as carrier). At 100 ppm of Cr and Cu, the survival rates of rhizobacteria were decreased by 40%. Single inoculation of PGPR decreased 50% of Co, Ni, Cr and Mn concentrations in the rhizosphere soil. Co-inoculation of PGPR and biofertilizer treatment further augmented the decreases by 15% in Co, Ni, Cr and Mn over single inoculation except Pb and Co where decreases were 40% and 77%, respectively. The maximum decrease in biological concentration factor (BCF) was observed for Cd, Co, Cr, and Mn. P. moraviensis inoculation decreases the biological accumulation coefficient (BAC) as well as translocation factor (TF) for Cd, Cr, Cu Mn, and Ni. The PGPR inoculation minimized the deleterious effects of heavy metals, and the addition of carriers further assisted the PGPR.

Diagnostic accuracy, sensitivity, specificity and positive predictive value of fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) in intra oral tumors.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to establish the diagnostic accuracy, specificity and sensitivity of fine needle aspiration cytology(FNAC) for intra-oral tumors, comparing with histopathology as the gold standard. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty cases of FNA cytology from intraoral tumors was performed in AFID along with the demographic data and clinical information and then diagnosed at AFIP, Rawalpindi. Then the cytology results obtained per FNAC were compared with the histopathological biopsy results of the same lesions. The following variables were recorded for each patient: Age, gender, site of biopsy, diagnosis. The data were entered and analyzed using Open-epi version 2.0. Diagnostic accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value were calculated. Cohen Kappa was further applied to compare the agreement between the biopsy and FNAC diagnoses. A p-value of <0.05 was considered as statistically significant. RESULTS: Among the total patients included in the study there were 24 males and 16 females, with a ratio of 1.5:1. Age of the patients ranged from 24 to 80 years with a mean of 52 years. A total of six sites were aspirated from the oral cavity with maximum (11) aspirates taken from alveolar ridge. The results of FNAC revealed that there were 32 malignant and 8 benign aspirates. Confirmation through histopathological analysis came for 31/32 malignant cases while one was falsely given positive for malignancy on FNAC. Among a total of 40 cases, 31(77%) cases diagnosed were found to be malignant and remaining 9(23%) were benign. The FNAC results revealed 32 malignant and 8 benign lesions. Histopathology of the subsequent surgically excised specimen showed malignant lesions in 31(77%) and benign in 9(23%) patients. As a whole, it was found that the absolute sensitivity for intra oral FNAC was 100% and specificity 89% with positive predictive value of 97% and negative predictive value of 100%. CONCLUSION: Cytological diagnosis was almost corroborative with final histopathological diagnosis in all cases, with very few exceptions, exhibiting high diagnostic accuracy.

Frequency and clinical importance of anti-Tg auto-antibodies (ATG).

OBJECTIVE: To note the frequency of anti thyroglobulin autoantibodies (ATG) and its clinical importance in 25 follow-up cases of differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC). DESIGN: A case control study. PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY: The total duration of study was one year (September 2000 to August 2001). Majority of the patients included were the routine follow-up cases at IRNUM, Peshawar. However, few of the cases were also included from NORI, Islamabad and AFIP, Rawalpindi. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: All the patients who had undergone sub-total or total thyroidectomy followed by I-131 ablation therapy were selected for this study. Thyroglobulin (Tg) and ATG were measured using immunometric assay technique with reference range of non-detectable to 40 IU/L. Patients with serum Tg level 10 ng/mL were included in group-1 (n=15) and all the remaining (n=10) in group-2. RESULTS: Overall, 11 patients showed ATG titer above the pre-defined threshold level. In group-1 patients, 8 had positive anti-Tg antibodies in their sera while in group-2, it was positive in only 3 cases. Risk of relapsing metastatic/recurrent disease in association with ATG was calculated which showed that patients with positive ATG have almost seven-fold increased risk of having recurrent/metastatic disease than those who do not. CONCLUSION: Samples for s-Tg measurements must also be evaluated for ATG status because more than one-third of these patients have positive ATG titer in their sera. Although in the presence of positive ATG, the risk of concurrent metastatic/recurrent thyroid disease is increased but still more studies are required to support its significance.