Recent advances in nanoformulation-based delivery for cancer immunotherapy.

Cancer is one of the leading causes of mortality worldwide, and its treatment faces several challenges. Phytoconstituents derived from recently discovered medicinal plants through nanotechnology potentially target cancer cells via PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathways and exert their effects selectively through the generation of reactive oxygen species through β-catenin inhibition, DNA damage, and increasing caspase 3/9 and p53 expression. These nanocarriers act specifically against different cancer cell lines such as HT-29, MOLT-4 human leukemia cancer and MCF-7 cell lines SKOV-3, Caov-3, SW-626, HepG2, A-549, HeLa, and MCF-7.

Stabilization and tracking control of underactuated ball and beam system using metaheuristic optimization based TID-F and PIDD2-PI control schemes.

In this paper, we propose two different control strategies for the position control of the ball of the ball and beam system (BBS). The first control strategy uses the proportional integral derivative-second derivative with a proportional integrator PIDD2-PI. The second control strategy uses the tilt integral derivative with filter (TID-F).

Biochemical characterization of bioinspired nanosuspensions from Swertia chirayita extract and their therapeutic effects through nanotechnology approach.

Swertia chirayita is used as a traditional medicinal plant due to its pharmacological activities, including antioxidant, antidiabetic, antimicrobial, and cytotoxic. This study was aimed to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of newly synthesized nanosuspensions from Swertia chirayita through nanotechnology for enhanced bioactivities. Biochemical characterization was carried out through spectroscopic analyses of HPLC and FTIR.

An Insight into Biochemical Characterization and Explorations of Antioxidant, Antibacterial, Cytotoxic, and Antidiabetic Activities by Nanosuspensions.

Background: is a frequently utilized traditional medicinal plant renowned for its pharmacological attributes, particularly in the realm of treating infectious diseases. This current study aims to comprehensively assess the properties of freshly prepared nanosuspensions derived from extracts, with a focus on their cost-effective potential in various areas, including antioxidant, antibacterial, cytotoxic, and antidiabetic activities.

Methods: Biochemical characterization of nanosuspensions by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analyses.

The role of mitochondria and mitophagy in cell senescence.

Mitochondrial malfunction and cell senescence have been defined as the hallmarks of aging. Cell senescence leads to the loss of health allied with aging. While deciphering the complex association between mitochondria and cellular senescence, it is observed that senescence has a two-faced nature being beneficial and hazardous.

Biochemical, structural characterization and evaluation of antioxidant, antibacterial, cytotoxic, and antidiabetic activities of nanosuspensions of bark extract.

is a traditional medicinal plant known for its anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, antimicrobial, anticancer, and antioxidant properties. Its therapeutic efficacy using nanosuspensions is still unclear for treating infectious diseases. This study was designed to evaluate the bioactivities, biochemical characterization, and bioavailability of freshly prepared nanosuspensions of .

Enhancing Empathy in Medical Students by Focused Learner Centered Activities.

Objectives: To determine the change in empathy levels of medical students during their progress in professional years internship, and to examine change in empathy after targeted empathy enhancing activities during the course of medical school.

Study Design: Longitudinal Study.

Place And Duration Of Study: Shifa College of Medicine/ Shifa Tameer-e-Millat University, Islamabad, from January 2015 to December 2019.

Nanotechnology approach for exploring the enhanced bioactivities, biochemical characterisation and phytochemistry of freshly prepared Mentha arvensis L. nanosuspensions.

Introduction: Mentha arvensis L. is the most valuable medicinal plant that possesses anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, antimicrobial, and antioxidant properties. There are few studies available in the literature about M.

and study of inhibitory potentials of α-glucosidase and acetylcholinesterase and biochemical profiling of in alloxan-induced diabetic rat models.

Objectives: Diabetes mellitus is a multifactorial chronic disease that affects the human population and it is the third most common cause of death worldwide. is used as popular folk medicine and its action against diabetes mellitus remains unclear. We investigated the inhibitory potentials of α-glucosidase, acetylcholinesterase, and biochemical profiling of in alloxan-induced diabetic rat models.

Threshold concepts encountered by second year medical students in a Basic Health Science module; a qualitative study.

Objective: To explore threshold concepts in a Basic Health Sciences module.

Methods: The qualitative study was conducted at the Islamabad Medical and Dental College, Islamabad, Pakistan, in March 2019, and comprised students and faculty members in the gastrointestinal tract module of spiral I of the integrated modular curriculum in Basic Health Sciences. Data on student experiences was collected using semi-structured interviews with open-ended questions.

Nanotechnology Approach for Exploring the Enhanced Bioactivities and Biochemical Characterization of Freshly Prepared L. Nanosuspensions and Their Phytochemical Profile.

is one of the most commonly used medicinal plants as it exhibits several pharmacological activities such as antioxidant, antibacterial, anticancer, antidiabetic, and hemolytic. The purpose of this study was to apply the nanotechnology approach for exploring the enhanced bioactivities of freshly prepared L. nanosuspensions and the phytochemical profile of seed ethanolic extract.

Using Pensieve: Guiding and Evaluating a Learning Session on Reflections.

The objectives of this study were to guide students on reflective essay writing, evaluate their understanding and explore the immediate impact of a well-designed session on learning of students. A 1.5-hour learning session was designed following Gagne's nine events of instruction and conducted on final year MBBS students to guide them on reflective practice and its significance.

Association of Severity of Allergic Conjunctivitis with Skin Prick Test.

Objective: To investigate the association between skin prick test and severity of allergic conjunctivitis.

Study Design: Cross sectional observational study. Study Place and Duration of Study: Akbar Niazi Teaching Hospital, Bara Kahu, Islamabad, between March and September 2019.

Differences in Empathy Levels of Medical Students Based on Gender, Year of Medical School and Career Choice.

Objective: To measure mean empathy scores of Pakistani medical students and to explore any association of empathy scores with gender, medical school year and future career choice.

Study Design: Cross-sectional survey.

Place And Duration Of Study: Shifa College of Medicine, Shifa Tameer-e-Millat University, during the academic year 2015-2016.

Relationship between Student Performances in Non-Cognitive Skills in Multiple Mini Interview and Integrated Practical Examination.

Objective: To investigate the relationship between the performances of students in non-cognitive skills in Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) and Integrated Practical Examination (IPE) of the first year of medical school.

Study Design: Cross-sectional observation study with statistical support.

Place And Duration Of Study: Shifa College of Medicine/Shifa Tameer-e-Millat University, Islamabad between December 2015 and March 2016.

Central Corneal Thickness and its Relationship to Intra-Ocular and Epidmiological Determinants.

Objective: To measure central corneal thickness in Pakistani population and determine its relationship to intra-ocular pressure, age, gender and ethnicity.

Study Design: Cross-sectional observation study.

Place And Duration Of Study: Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, Islamabad, Pakistan, between December 2013 and February 2015.

COMFORT LEVEL OF POST GRADUATE RESIDENTS WORKING IN DIFFERENT CLINICAL DOMAINS IN MANAGING COMMON OPHTHALMIC CONDITIONS.

Background: Ophthalmological conditions are frequently encountered in almost all clinical specialties. Assessing the adequacy of ophthalmology teaching in undergraduate medical education is important in order to diagnose and manage different ophthalmological conditions. The objective of this study was to determine the comfort level of post graduate residents working in different clinical domains in managing common ophthalmic conditions.

Effect Of Intra Vitreal Injection Of Bevacizumab On Intra-Ocular Pressure.

Backround: Bevacizumab has been in use as a therapeutic agent for macular oedema for several years. While its efficacy has been well documented, its use has been shown to cause a transient rise in the intra-ocular pressure. The aim of this study was to evaluate the long term effect of intravitreal injection of Bevacizumab on Intra-ocular pressure.

Pain management with retrobulbar alcohol injection in absolute glaucoma.

Ocular pain can be multi-factorial and often refractory to treatment, in spite of the myriad options available to the ophthalmologist for its management. Initial therapy entails the use of topical and systemic pressure lowering agents as well as anti-inflammatory/analgesics for the provision of relief. Those refractory to medical therapy may require surgical intervention in the form of cyclodestructive procedures, retrobulbar injection of absolute alcohol and evisceration or enucleation.

Reducing postoperative pterygium recurrence: comparison of free conjunctival auto-graft and conjunctival rotation flap techniques.

Objective: To compare the recurrence of pterygium between free conjunctival auto-graft and conjunctival rotation flap following simple surgical excision of pterygium.

Study Design: Quasi-experimental study.

Place And Duration Of Study: Shifa Foundation Community Health Clinic, Shifa College of Medicine, Islamabad, from January to November 2012.

Analysis of retinal nerve fibre layer changes in anisometropic amblyopia by Heidelberg retina tomograph.

Objective: To identify if anisometropic amblyopia is associated with changes in optic disk morphology.

Methods: The study comprised a total of 80 eyes recruited from Shifa Foundation Community Health Centre and the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, Islamabad between May and October 2012. Anisometropic amblyopia was the only cause of disability (visual acuity > or = 6/12) in amblyopic eyes whereas normal eyes had a best corrected visual acuity of 6/6 and no morbidities.

Convergence of technologies: the print, web and multimedia united to deliver an integrated basic medical sciences course in a resource limited setting.

This mixed methodology study was conducted at Shifa College of Medicine to see if study guide, module website and multimedia compact disk can be used to deliver an integrated basic sciences course while introducing the concepts of evidence based medicine and how it translates in students' performance. The study guide focused on the management of learning, activities and provision of information. The website was used to introduce evidence based medicine while the multimedia disc provided pictures, videos and animations for organs of special senses.

Management of anisometropic abmlyopia in adults.

Amblyopia is characterised by decrease in vision in one or both eyes as a result of processing defect in the visual pathways of the brain. It is considered an irreversible process if detected in the adult age group. This study was conducted from July 1 to December 31, 2010, at Shifa Foundation Community Health Centre, Islamabad, to determine if anisometropic amblyopia detected in adults can be reversed.

Exome sequencing identifies a novel and a recurrent BBS1 mutation in Pakistani families with Bardet-Biedl syndrome.

Purpose: To determine the genetic cause of Bardet-Biedl syndrome (BBS) in two consanguineous Pakistani families.

Methods: Clinical characterization of the affected individuals in both families was performed with ophthalmic examination, electroretinography, electrocardiography, and liver and renal profiling. Seventeen genes are known to be associated with BBS, so exome sequencing was preferred over candidate gene sequencing.