Association of cholesterol with hepatorenal markers and quality of life in diabetic patients before and after magnesium and potassium supplements.

Background: Magnesium and potassium are two critical minerals that have been linked to the treatment of diabetes and its consequences. A lack of magnesium has been linked to insulin resistance and diabetes, whereas potassium has been found to promote insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism. The study aimed to determine the relationship between cholesterol, liver and kidney markers, and quality of life in diabetic patients before and after magnesium and potassium supplementation. Methods: It was a single-blind randomized controlled study at Lahore Garrison University and Lahore Medical Research Centre (LMRC). The study included 200 diabetes participants. Four groups were made based on supplements. Blood samples of all diabetes patients were obtained to assess their quality of life before and after using Mg + and K + supplements, as well as the association between cholesterol, liver, and kidney markers. Results: The participants' average age was 51.0 ± 11.08. 139 (69.5 %) of the 200 participants were female, whereas 26 (30.5 %) were male. There was no correlation between the quality of life measure and the patients' cholesterol levels before and after the magnesium and potassium supplementation. Furthermore, the kidney and liver indicators were not dependent on the diabetes individuals' cholesterol levels. Conclusions: The study concluded that none of the four groups noticed a significant effect of magnesium and potassium therapies on the patient's quality of life or cholesterol levels. However, more research is needed to determine if liver and kidney problems are linked to cholesterol levels before and after medication, as the current study found no significant correlation between the two parameters.

Triple-combination therapy for cutaneous leishmaniasis using detergent-free, hyaluronate-coated elastic nanovesicles.

Aim: To develop and evaluate detergent-free, triple-drug-loaded, hyaluronate-coated elastic nanovesicles (H-ENVs) for the topical treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis. Materials & methods: H-ENVs were developed and evaluated for vesicle size, entrapment efficiency, skin permeation and antileishmanial potential. Results: A 15.7 and 28.6% decrease in the cytotoxicity of paromomycin and amphotericin B, respectively, was observed in detergent-free ENVs compared with conventional ENVs. H-ENVs improved the efficacy of paromomycin against promastigote and amastigote models of leishmaniasis by 4- and 7.5-fold, respectively. In vivo investigation of H-ENVs demonstrated efficient topical management of cutaneous leishmaniasis. Conclusion: The results indicate the potential of H-ENVs as a safe topical treatment choice for cutaneous leishmaniasis.

Application of topical gel is an attractive alternative to oral or intravenous administration of drugs and is likely to deliver a higher dose of the drug to the target site with only rare systemic adverse effects. Nanotechnology-based topical drug delivery is an attractive aspect of pharmaceutical sciences that expresses interest in the topical treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis. The authors' research focuses on the development and evaluation of novel multidrug-loaded, detergent-free nanovesicles for the simple and effective topical treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis.

Unlocking the Effect of Supervisor Incivility on Work Withdrawal Behavior: Conservation of Resource Perspective.

Workplace incivility has gotten a lot of attention in recent decades. Researchers have looked at many forms of aggressive conduct in the workplace and their negative impacts on individuals and businesses. The goal of this study was to see how incivility among supervisors leads to work withdrawal and when this link might be mitigated. We argued that supervisor incivility indirectly influences work withdrawal behavior through job insecurity, and that emotional intelligence moderates this connection. This study attempted to evaluate the influence of supervisor incivility on the job withdrawal behavior of personnel working in several banks Lahore by drawing on affective events theory and conservation of resource theory. Data were gathered from 350 workers of banks in Lahore, Gujranwala, and Sheikhupura to test our assumptions, and SPSS 24 was used to generate and analyze data with Hayes Process. The findings revealed a strong link between supervisor incivility and job insecurity but no link between supervisor incivility and work withdrawal behavior. The idea of moderation was validated, since emotional intelligence moderates the relationship between job insecurity and job withdrawal behavior. There are also suggestions for more empirical studies and theoretical and practical ramifications.

COVID-19 outbreak: Impact on global economy.

COVID-19 has been considered the most significant threat since World War II and the greatest global health disaster of the century. Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China, reported a new infection affecting residents in December 2019. The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been named by the World Health Organization (WHO). Across the globe, it is spreading rapidly, posing significant health, economic, and social challenges for everyone. The content of this paper is solely intended to provide a visual overview of COVID-19 global economic impact. The Coronavirus outbreak is causing a global economic collapse. Most countries have implemented full or partial lockdown measures to slow the spread of disease. The lockdown has slowed global economic activity substantially, many companies have reduced operations or closed down, and people are losing their jobs at an increasing rate. Service providers are also affected, in addition to manufacturers, agriculture, the food industry, a decline in education, the sports industry, and of entertainment sector also observed. The world trade situation is expected to deteriorate substantially this year.

Surfactant free synthesis of cationic nano-vesicles: A safe triple drug loaded vehicle for the topical treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis.

The basic aim of the study was to develop and evaluate the triple drug loaded cationic nano-vesicles (cNVs), where miltefosine was used as a replacement of surfactant (apart from its anti-leishmanial role), in addition to meglumine antimoniate (MAM) and imiquimod (Imq), as a combination therapy for the topical treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL). The optimized formulation was nano-sized (86.2 ±â€¯2.7 nm) with high entrapment efficiency (63.8 ±â€¯2.1% (MAM) and 81.4 ±â€¯2.3% (Imq)). In-vivo skin irritation assay showed reduced irritation potential and a decrease in the cytotoxicity of cNVs as compared to conventional NVs (having sodium deoxycholate as a surfactant). A synergistic interaction between drugs was observed against intracellular amastigotes, whereas the in-vivo antileishmanial study presented a significant reduction in the parasitic burden. The results suggested the potential of surfactant free, triple drug loaded cNVs as an efficient vehicle for the safe topical treatment of CL.

Palyno-morphological attributes of some selected plant species of family Asteraceae from district Dera Ismail Khan, KPK, Pakistan.

The current study aimed to investigate the palyno-morphological features of Asteraceous species from District Dera Ismail Khan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. A total of 13 species were collected, pressed, identified, and examined by using light and scanning electron microscopy. Both qualitative and quantitative pollen characters were observed, that is, equatorial and polar diameter, number of pores and colpi, exine thickness, exine sculpturing, pollen shape, and P/E ratio. Pollen shapes observed in studied taxa were spheroidal, suboblate, oblate-spheroidal, and lophate-spheroidal. The aperturation patterns of pollens vary from tricolporate to tetracolporate. The maximum polar and equatorial diameter of 75-100 (87.5 ± 13.6) µm and 87.5-117.5 (102.5 ± 16.4) µm, respectively, was recorded in Echinops echinatus, while minimum polar and equatorial diameter of 20-22.5 (21 ± 1.36) µm and 22.5-25 (23.5 ± 1.36) µm, respectively, was recorded in Aster subulatus. Six types of exine sculpturing patterns were observed; echinate, micro-echinate, echinate-microreticulate, microreticulate, echinate-perforate, and scabrate. Maximum exine thickness of 8.75 µm was recorded in E. echinatus and minimum of 1.25 µm in Launaea mucronata. The pollen morphology has valuable significance in understanding the taxonomy of different plant groups and plays a central role in the correct identification and classification of Asteraceous flora at species, generic, and tribe levels.

A Canadian single institution real-world experience using the CROSS trial regimen in the treatment of oesophageal and gastroesophageal junction carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Trimodality therapy using the ChemoRadiotherapy for Oesophageal cancer followed by Surgery Study (CROSS) trial protocol is an accepted standard of care for locally advanced oesophageal and gastroesophageal junction cancers. For medically inoperable patients, chemoradiotherapy (CRT) has been a therapeutic option. AIMS: This single institution review aimed to assess the real-world application of the CROSS trial protocol. METHODS: This is a retrospective review of 83 patients who underwent CRT with carboplatin and paclitaxel with trimodality or definitive intent between June 2012 and June 2018. Sixty-five patients underwent neoadjuvant CRT (NCRT); 40 had surgery, 18 had definitive CRT (DCRT). Patients' demographics, clinical, pathological, treatment and surgical characteristics were assessed. The data were analysed in exploratory analyses and Kaplan-Meier curves. RESULTS: For 83 patients, the following median values were seen: radiotherapy dose, 50.4 Gy; chemotherapy doses, 5; and time from CRT to surgery, 62 days. Twenty-three percent NCRT and 72% DCRT patients were aged ≥75 years, and 49% and 33% of these respectively had no interruptions to CRT. Patients aged ≥75 years were more likely to have DCRT (P = 0.001). Patients who underwent surgery were younger (P = 0.04). For NCRT and surgery, NCRT only and DCRT respectively, median overall survival was 35.5, 12.1 and 17.1 months (log rank P = 0.008); progression-free survival was 32.2, 10 and 9.6 months (log rank P = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Despite broadening of the CROSS trial eligibility criteria in our real-world data, there appears to be a survival benefit with trimodality therapy. The use of carboplatin and paclitaxel in DCRT may be of value and requires further study.

Comprehensive Analysis of Genes Associated With Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.

Background: Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is a tragic incident which remains a mystery even after post-mortem investigation and thorough researches. Methods: This comprehensive review is based on the genes reported in the molecular autopsy studies conducted on SIDS so far. A total of 20 original studies and 7 case reports were identified and included in this analysis. The genes identified in children or adults were not included. Most of the genes reported in these studies belonged to cardiac channel and cardiomyopathy. Cardiac channel genes in SIDS were scrutinized for further analysis. Results: After screening and removing the duplicates, 42 unique genes were extracted. When the location of these genes was assessed, it was observed that most of these belonged to Chromosomes 11, 1 and 3 in sequential manner. The pathway analysis shows that these genes are involved in the regulation of heart rate, action potential, cardiac muscle cell contraction and heart contraction. The protein-protein interaction network was also very big and highly interactive. SCN5A, CAV3, ALG10B, AKAP9 and many more were mainly found in these cases and were regulated by many transcription factors such as MYOG C2C1 and CBX3 HCT11. Micro RNA, "hsa-miR-133a-3p" was found to be prevalent in the targeted genes. Conclusions: Molecular and computational approaches are a step forward toward exploration of these sad demises. It is so far a new arena but seems promising to dig out the genetic cause of SIDS in the years to come.

Prognostic Significance of Substance P/Neurokinin 1 Receptor and Its Association with Hormonal Receptors in Breast Carcinoma.

Expression and immunolocalization of Substance P (SP)/Neurokinin-1 Receptor (NK-1R) in breast carcinoma (BC) patients and its association with routine proliferative markers (ER, PR, HER2/neu, and Ki-67) were evaluated. A cross-sectional study was performed on 34 cases of BC. There were 23 cases of group A (grade III), 8 of group B (grade II), and only 3 cases of group C (grade I). All samples were then processed for SP and NK-1R immunohistochemistry for few cases. 14/23 cases (61%) of group A, 7/8 cases (88%) of group B, and 2/3 (67%) cases of group C were SP positive. Overall, strong staining (≥10% tumor cells), labeled as "+3," was observed in 9/14 (64.2%) cases of group A and 1/8 (12.5%) cases of group B. Moderate staining labelled as "+2" (in ≥10% tumor cells) was observed in 3/14 (21.4%) cases of group A and 4/8 (50%) cases of group B. Weak positive staining "+1" was observed in only 2/14 (14.28%) cases of group A, 2/8 (25%) cases of group B, and all 2/2 (100%) cases of group C. SP and NK-1R are overexpressed in breast carcinomas, and there is significant association between the grade of tumor and their overexpression.

7ß-(3-Ethyl-cis-crotonoyloxy)-1α-(2-methylbutyryloxy)-3,14-dehydro-Z Notonipetranone Attenuates Neuropathic Pain by Suppressing Oxidative Stress, Inflammatory and Pro-Apoptotic Protein Expressions.

7ß-(3-Ethyl-cis-crotonoyloxy)-1α-(2-methylbutyryloxy)-3,14-dehydro-Z-notonipetranone (ECN), a sesquiterpenoid obtained from a natural source has proved to be effective in minimizing various side effects associated with opioids and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. The current study focused on investigating the effects of ECN on neuropathic pain induced by partial sciatic nerve ligation (PSNL) by mainly focusing on oxidative stress, inflammatory and apoptotic proteins expression in mice. ECN (1 and 10 mg/kg, i.p.), was administered once daily for 11 days, starting from the third day after surgery. ECN post-treatment was found to reduce hyperalgesia and allodynia in a dose-dependent manner. ECN remarkably reversed the histopathological abnormalities associated with oxidative stress, apoptosis and inflammation. Furthermore, ECN prevented the suppression of antioxidants (glutathione, glutathione-S-transferase, catalase, superoxide dismutase, NF-E2-related factor-2 (Nrf2), hemeoxygenase-1 and NAD(P)H: quinone oxidoreductase) by PSNL. Moreover, pro-inflammatory cytokines (tumor necrotic factor-alpha, interleukin 1 beta, interleukin 6, cyclooxygenase-2 and inducible nitric oxide synthase) expression was reduced by ECN administration. Treatment with ECN was successful in reducing the caspase-3 level consistent with the observed modulation of pro-apoptotic proteins. Additionally, ECN showed a protective effect on the lipid content of myelin sheath as evident from FTIR spectroscopy which showed the shift of lipid component bands to higher values. Thus, the anti-neuropathic potential of ECN might be due to the inhibition of oxidative stress, inflammatory mediators and pro-apoptotic proteins.

Safety of Immunotherapy Rechallenge After Immune-related Adverse Events in Patients With Advanced Cancer.

This retrospective study aimed to investigate the safety profile of continuing or rechallenging patients with advanced cancer who developed grade≥2 immune-related adverse events (irAEs) on immunotherapy-based regimens. Our study had 25, 20, and 40 patients (N=85) in the Treatment Continuation (TCG), Non-Rechallenge (NRG), and Rechallenge Groups (RG), respectively. Subsequent irAEs recurrence were more common in RG than TCG and NRG (78% vs. 56% vs. 25%, P<0.001). The same subsequent irAEs recurrences occurred on 42% of RG, 4% of TCG, and 15% of NRG (P<0.001). On the RG, there was a nonstatistical trend of shortening interval time between time from treatment rechallenge to subsequent irAEs when compared with time from first treatment to initial grade≥2 irAEs (5.86 vs. 8.86 wk, P=0.114). Patients who had cardiac irAEs were not rechallenged. Several high-risk features were identified to prognosticate risk of irAEs recurrences upon treatment rechallenge, including age 65 years and above (P=0.007), programmed cell death protein 1 inhibitors (P<0.001), grade 3 irAEs (P=0.003), pneumonitis type (P=0.048), any systemic corticosteroid use (P=0.001)/high-dose systemic corticosteroid use (P=0.007)/prolonged ≥4-week corticosteroid use (P=0.001) for irAEs management, and early development of irAEs (P=0.003). Our study concluded that it was relatively safe to continue or rechallenge patients with advanced cancers on immunotherapy-based regimens postdevelopment of certain grade≥2 irAEs, except for cardiac, neurological, or any grade 4 irAEs. Subsequent irAEs were common, no more severe, involved the same organ sites, and occurred more quickly than the original irAE. Close monitoring of all potential irAEs is required when rechallenging a patient on immunotherapy, especially for patients with high-risk features.

1,3,4-Oxadiazole Derivative Attenuates Chronic Constriction Injury Induced Neuropathic Pain: A Computational, Behavioral, and Molecular Approach.

The production and up-regulation of inflammatory mediators are contributing factors for the development and maintenance of neuropathic pain. In the present study, the post-treatment of synthetic 1,3,4 oxadiazole derivative (B3) for its neuroprotective potential in chronic constriction injury-induced neuropathic pain was applied. In-silico studies were carried out through Auto Dock, PyRx, and DSV to obtain the possible binding and interactions of the ligands (B3) with COX-2, IL-6, and iNOS. The sciatic nerve of the anesthetized rat was constricted with sutures 3/0. Treatment with 1,3,4-oxadiazole derivative was started a day after surgery and continued until the 14th day. All behavioral studies were executed on day 0, 3rd, 7th, 10th, and 14th. The sciatic nerve and spinal cord were collected for further molecular analysis. The interactions in the form of hydrogen bonding stabilizes the ligand target complex. B3 showed three hydrogen bonds with IL-6. B3, in addition to correcting paw posture/deformation induced by CCI, attenuates hyperalgesia (p < 0.001) and allodynia (p < 0.001). B3 significantly raised the level of GST and GSH in both the sciatic nerve and spinal cord and reduced the LPO and iNOS (p < 0.001). B3 attenuates the pathological changes induced by nerve injury, which was confirmed by H&E staining and IHC examination. B3 down-regulates the over-expression of the inflammatory mediator IL-6 and hence provides neuroprotective effects in CCI-induced pain. The results demonstrate that B3 possess anti-nociceptive and anti-hyperalgesic effects and thus minimizes pain perception and inflammation. The possible underlying mechanism for the neuroprotective effect of B3 probably may be mediated through IL-6.

Serum neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio in prognosticating immunotherapy efficacy.

Aim: To examine neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) in prognosticating immunotherapy efficacy. Methods: A retrospective study of 156 patients with metastatic melanoma and non-small-cell lung cancer on PD-1 inhibitors. Results: Baseline NLR ≥5 was associated with worse progression-free survival (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.53; 95% CI: 1.01-2.31; p = 0.043) but nonsignificant worse overall survival trend (HR: 1.51; 95% CI: 0.98-2.34; p = 0.064). PLR ≥200 was associated with worse overall survival (HR: 1.94; 95% CI: 1.29-2.94; p = 0.002) and worse progression-free survival (HR: 1.894; 95% CI: 1.27-2.82; p = 0.002). NLR or PLR are prognosticating factors regardless of cancer types, with PLR having a stronger association with outcomes than NLR. Conclusion: High baseline NLR or PLR (alone and combined) were associated with worse immunotherapy efficacy regardless of cancer type, indicating their potential role as an agnostic marker for immunotherapy efficacy.

Nano-elastic liposomes as multidrug carrier of sodium stibogluconate and ketoconazole: A potential new approach for the topical treatment of cutaneous Leishmaniasis.

The present study evaluates the efficacy of sodium stibogluconate (SSG) co-loaded with ketoconazole (KTZ) in nano-elastic liposomes (NELs) for the topical treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL). SSG-KTZ co-loaded NELs were developed and assessed for various physicochemical properties and anti-leishmanial potential. The optimized nano-vesicles have an average size of 212.8 ± 3.1 nm and entrapment efficiency of 61.2 ± 2.9%. SSG-KTZ co-loaded NELs displayed 5.37-fold higher skin permeation of SSG as compared to drug solution. SSG and KTZ displayed a synergistic interaction and flow cytometry revealed enhanced killing of DsRed Leishmania mexicana in infected macrophages. In-vitro and in-vivo anti-leishmanial studies indicated a 10.67-fold lower IC50 value and a 35.33-fold reduced parasitic burden as compared with plain SSG solution, respectively. SSG-KTZ co-loaded NELs were found to be a promising approach for the topical treatment of CL.

Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor 3 Mutation as a Prognostic Indicator in Patients with Urothelial Carcinoma: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (FGFR3) mutations have been implicated in urothelial tumorigenesis. FGFR3 inhibitors are being explored in clinical trials. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to study the association between FGFR3 mutations and survival in urothelial carcinoma. DESIGN SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: We performed a systematic literature search of PubMed, Cochrane, Ovid, and Web of Science from January 1985 to October 2018. The search terms were as follows: targeted therapies, FGFR and its subtypes, urothelial, bladder, and cancer. We included case-control or cohort studies of FGFR3 mutations in urothelial carcinoma. We included studies reporting hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for outcomes comparing FGFR3 mutations with FGFR3 wild type. Two reviewers performed article selection. OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: We assessed heterogeneity among study-specific HRs using I 2 statistic. We used a random effect model to obtain HR and 95% CI for event-free survival (EFS), composed of recurrence-free and progression-free survival. Statistical tests were two sided. RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS: Eleven studies (seven retrospective and four prospective) comprising 2162 patients were included. Analysis was performed for two groups. The first group included 1651 patients with non-muscle-invasive (NMI) urothelial carcinomas (886 [53.6%] had FGFR3 mutations). Compared with FGFR3 wild type, FGFR3 mutation did not influence EFS (HR = 0.99, CI = 0.77-1.28, p =  0.96). There was no significant heterogeneity (I 2 = 25%). The second group included 511 patients with NMI and muscle-invasive (MI) urothelial carcinomas (151 [30%] had FGFR3 mutations). FGFR3 mutation was not prognostic (HR = 1.54, CI = 0.41-5.81, p =  0.52). There was heterogeneity (I 2 = 91%). CONCLUSIONS: There is no association between FGFR3 mutation and EFS in NMI urothelial carcinoma, and in NMI and MI urothelial carcinoma groups. PATIENT SUMMARY: Fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (FGFR3) mutation is not associated with a worse survival outcome in urothelial carcinoma. This is important as FGFR inhibitors are emerging as a new treatment option.

Topical treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis with novel amphotericin B-miltefosine co-incorporated second generation ultra-deformable liposomes.

The present study aims to optimize and evaluate amphotericin B (AmB) and miltefosine (MTF) co-loaded second generation ultra-deformable liposomes (SGUDLs) for the topical treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL). The development of an effective topical drug formulation against CL is desirable because of its non-invasive nature, which may potentially enhance the patient adherence and treatment accessibility. AmB-MTF co-loaded SGUDLs were prepared and characterized for size, entrapment efficiency (EE) and elasticity. The optimized formulation was then subjected to ex-vivo permeation studies in addition to cytotoxicity and anti-leishmanial assays. The co-loaded SGUDLs had an average size of 139.7 ± 1.7 nm and high EE of 77.8 ± 3.9% with respect to AmB. The ex-vivo permeation of co-loaded SGUDLs exhibited 6.15-fold higher permeation of AmB. A synergistic interaction was observed between AmB and MTF, and anti-leishmanial activity of co-loaded SGUDLs against amastigotes of Lesihmania mexicana indicated 8.62 and 6.12-fold lower IC50 values of AmB and MTF as compared to plain drug solutions, respectively. The results of the in-vivo study displayed a significant reduction in the parasitic burden in an infected BALB/c experimental model of CL. In conclusion, AmB-MTF co-loaded SGUDLs could be an effective topical treatment option against CL.

Anti-hyperalgesic properties of a flavanone derivative Poncirin in acute and chronic inflammatory pain models in mice.

BACKGROUND: Poncirin is flavanone derivative (isolated from Poncirus trifoliata) with known pharmacological activities such as anti-tumor, anti-osteoporotic, anti-inflammatory and anti-colitic. The present study aimed to explore the anti-allodynic and anti-hyperalgesic potentials of poncirin in murine models of inflammatory pain. METHODS: The analgesic potential of poncirin was evaluated in formalin-, acetic acid-, carrageenan- and Complete Freund's Adjuvant (CFA)-induced inflammatory pain models in mice. Anti-allodynic and anti-hyperalgesic activities were measured using Von Frey filaments, Randall Selitto, hotplate and cold acetone tests. The serum nitrite levels were determined using Griess reagent. The Quantitative Real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) was performed to assess the effect of poncirin on mRNA expression levels of inflammatory cytokines and anti-oxidant enzymes. RESULTS: Intraperitoneal administration of poncirin (30 mg/kg) markedly reduced the pain behavior in both acetic acid-induced visceral pain and formalin-induced tonic pain models used as preliminary screening tools. The poncirin (30 mg/kg) treatment considerably inhibited the mechanical hyperalgesia and allodynia as well as thermal hyperalgesia and cold allodynia. The qRT-PCR analysis showed noticeable inhibition of pro-inflammatory cytokines (mRNA expression levels of TNF-α, IL-1ß and IL-6) (p < 0.05) in poncirin treated group. Similarly, poncirin treatment also enhanced the mRNA expressions levels of anti-oxidant enzymes such as transcription factor such as nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (Nrf2) (p < 0.05), heme oxygenase (HO-1) (p < 0.05) and superoxide dismutase (SOD2) (p < 0.05). Chronic treatment of poncirin for 6 days did not confer any significant hepatic and renal toxicity. Furthermore, poncirin treatment did not altered the motor coordination and muscle strength in CFA-induced chronic inflammatory pain model. CONCLUSION: The present study demonstrated that poncirin treatment significantly reduced pain behaviors in all experimental models of inflammatory pain, suggesting the promising analgesic potential of poncirin in inflammatory pain conditions.

Suppression of TRPV1 and P2Y nociceptors by honokiol isolated from Magnolia officinalis in 3rd degree burn mice by inhibiting inflammatory mediators.

Burn pain is one of the worst imaginable pain, associated with considerable morbidity and mortality worldwide. The management of pain made significant progress; however, more research is needed for burn pain. In the present study, the antinociceptive effect of honokiol extracted from Magnolia officinalis was assessed for 3 consecutive days. The third-degree burns were induced by the hot water method. The honokiol both by intraperitoneal (i.p) and intra plantar (i.pl) route and in combination with tramadol (i.p) was found to be effective in significantly reducing the mechanical allodynia, hyperalgesia, thermal hyperalgesia and paw edema. Honokiol also succeeded in reducing weight loss and spontaneous pain behavior in mice. Honokiol treatment both i.p and ipl decrease significantly the loss of total protein (3.3 and 3.4 g/dl of total protein) and albumin (2.2 and 2.6 g/dl of total albumin) respectively. It also significantly recovers the normal balance of blood electrolytes and normalizes blood profile. Effect of honokiol on cytokines and mRNA expression levels of TRPV1 and P2Y were also assessed. Honokiol significantly decreases the expression of TNF-α, IL-1ß and IL-6 and decreases expression level of TRPV1 and P2Y. Additionally, TRPV1 and P2Y proteins expression levels were also assessed by Western blot in paw skin tissue, sciatic nerve and spinal cord which were remarkably down-regulated by honokiol. Histological analysis of vehicle control and drug-treated paws were also performed through hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining which exhibited that honokiol significantly reduced the dermal layers distortion and inflammation associated with the burn. The antioxidant enzymes and nitric oxide (NO) were also determined through ELISA. Honokiol treatment also potentiates the expression of reduced glutathione and glutathione S-transferase, and catalase levels and reduced significantly the nitric oxide (NO) as compared to the burn-induced group. It can be concluded on the base of the results that honokiol has a significant analgesic activity through its action on cytokines and by downregulating TRPV1 and P2Y receptors. It also has a protective role against burn damage by upregulation of antioxidants.

Maternal Knowledge Of W.H.O Guidelines For Treatment Of Acute Respiratory Infections In Children Under Five In Pakistan.

BACKGROUND: Acute Respiratory Infections (ARIs) are among the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in children under the age of five in Pakistan. Gauging the knowledge and practices of mothers related to ARIs may hold a key role in reducing the incidence and complications. Our study assessed the knowledge of mothers regarding ARIs among children under five years in accordance with WHO guidelines, and its association with education and socioeconomic status of mothers. In addition, we studied the association between education of mothers and socioeconomic status with vaccination status of child. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted from May to December 2016 at Civil Hospital, Ziauddin Hospital and Gulshan-e-Sikanderabad PHC Karachi and involved mothers with at least one child under the age of five years. Four hundred mothers were interviewed using a questionnaire. Results were analysed using SPSS 20.0. RESULTS: 51% of mothers were found to have an above average understanding about ARIs with a mean score of 13.35±3.03 out of a possible 20. There is no association between knowledge of mothers and their level of education. Education level of the mother was found to have a significant association with the vaccination status of youngest child. Mothers having no education or just religious education had the highest percentages of incomplete vaccinations. CONCLUSIONS: Most mothers had above average knowledge of what classified as an ARI and could identify the danger signs. Uneducated mothers had incomplete vaccinations of their youngest child. The majority of mothers had satisfactory breastfeeding habits.