Ridge sowing of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) in a minimum till system improves the productivity, oil quality, and profitability on a sandy loam soil under an arid climate.

Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) is a major oilseed crop grown for its edible oil across the globe including Pakistan. In Pakistan, the production of edible oil is less than the required quantity; the situation is being worsened with the increasing population.

Seroprevalence and risk factor analysis of human leptospirosis in distinct climatic regions of Pakistan.

Leptospirosis is a worldwide emerging infectious disease of zoonotic importance and large epidemics and epizootics have been reported all over the globe. A cross survey study was conducted to estimate seroprevalence of human leptospirosis in climatically distinct regions of Pakistan and to identify the risk factors associated with the disease. Blood samples from 360 humans were collected through convenient sampling, 120 from each of three study areas.

Role of Weight-Bearing Exercises in the Treatment of Post-Menopausal Osteoporosis.

Objective: To determine the change in T-score of post-menopausal osteoporosis patients with weight-bearing exercises.

Study Design: A quasi-experimental study.

Place And Duration Of Study: Physiotherapy Department and Orthopedic Unit I, Mayo Hospital, Lahore, from May to October 2014.

Emerging discrepancies in conventional and molecular epidemiology of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolated from bovine milk.

Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is an emerging public health concern from dairy milk, and its diagnosis by phenotypic methodology is experiencing higher discrepancies. The present study was planned to estimate discrepancies in phenotypic identification of MRSA and MSSA (Methicillin sensitive Staphylococcus aureus) in relation to mecA, and prevalent risk factors from various localities. In-vitro oxacilline antibiotic disks were used for phenotypic identification of MRSA, whereas mecA gene was used as MRSA marker in Staph aureus by PCR.

Physiological variations among blood parameters of domestic cats at high- and low-altitude regions of China.

This study aims to determine the comparative haematological parameters and to check possible physiological changes among blood parameters of domestic cats living at high- and low-altitude regions of China. For this purpose, blood samples were randomly collected from healthy semi-long-haired Tonkinese cats in Tibet (high altitude) and Zhejiang (low altitude) regions of China. The results of present study showed that RBCs, HGB, MCH and MCHC values of Tibetan Tonkinese cats were significantly (p < .

First molecular evidence of equine granulocytic anaplasmosis in Pakistan.

Anaplasma phagocytophilum (A. phagocytophilum) is an obligate intracellular bacterium that causes equine granulocytic anaplasmosis (EGA) disease in equines. This pathogen has zoonotic potential, which makes it very important to be detected and controlled as early as possible.

Report: Prevalence and antibiotic trials against Salmonella enterica isolated from diarrheic lambs and kids.

Salmonella enterica (S. enterica) is the major zoonotic threat for small ruminants and humans responsible for huge economic losses and high mortality in Pakistan. Lambs and kids of Lahore district were examined to determine the prevalence, hematology and chemotherapy of S.

The Role of Grb2 in Cancer and Peptides as Grb2 Antagonists.

Background: Growth factor receptor-bound protein 2 (Grb2) is a 25 kDa adaptor protein, which was originally discovered to accomplish basic cellular events such as cell growth, cell proliferation, and metabolism. However, recent studies evidenced that Grb2 was largely involved in multiple tumor malignancies. The mature Grb2 is a 217 amino acid sequence, which consists of one Src homology 2 (SH2) domain flanked by two Src homology 3 (SH3) domains.

Development of pre-activated α-cyclodextrin as a mucoadhesive excipient for intra-vesical drug delivery.

The study was designed to synthesize and characterize pre-activated α-cyclodextrin (α-CD) derivatives as mucus adhering excipients for intra-vesical drug delivery. Sodium periodate (NaIO) was used to oxidize α-CD and subsequently cysteamine was covalently attached to carbonyl groups of oxidized α-CD via reductive amination to produce thiolated α-CD. l-cysteine-2-mercaptonicotinic acid conjugate (Cys-MNA) was covalently attached to carbonyl groups of oxidized α-CD to produce pre-activated α-CD having enhance stability against oxidation at higher pH.

Antioxidants Potential of the Filamentous Fungi (Mucor circinelloides).

Three important strains of grown in complete and minimal media for specified period (72 h, 120 h and 168 h) under submerged fermentation conditions were investigated for their potential antioxidants/secondary metabolite production. All mycelial extracts demonstrated effective antioxidant activities in terms of β-carotene/linoleic acid bleaching, radical scavenging, reduction of metal ions and chelating abilities against ferrous ions. Different extraction methods and solvent systems affected the recovery yield and antioxidant activities of the extracts significantly ( ≤ 0.

Sero-epidemiology and hemato-biochemical study of bovine leptospirosis in flood affected zone of Pakistan.

The bovine leptospirosis is an economically important zoonotic disease of flood affected areas worldwide, but scarce information is available about its epidemiology in Pakistan. This is a first study on sero-epidemiology of bovine leptospirosis in Pakistan. The objectives of this study were to investigate the sero-prevalence and associated risk factors of bovine leptospirosis in flood affected zone of Punjab, Pakistan.

Anthelmintic Drugs: Their Efficacy and Cost-Effectiveness in Different Parity Cattle.

Gastrointestinal nematodes are responsible for economic losses in bovines and are characterized by reduced milk production, decreased working efficiency, and even death. In our study, the effect of different anthelmintic treatments on nematode control in different parity cattle (Friesian crossbreds) at calving and their effect on milk yield were evaluated. The economics of anthelmintics and farm benefits in terms of increased milk production after deworming was also calculated.

Intestinal epithelial cell injury induced by copper containing nanoparticles in piglets.

The nano copper has been widely used in modern clinical medicine practice. However, it has been noticed that nano copper particles induce cell injury and toxicity. The present study was designed to determine the effect of nano copper particles on cell injury of intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) in piglets.

Inhibition of EGF-induced migration and invasion by sulfated polysaccharide of Sepiella maindroni ink via the suppression of EGFR/Akt/p38 MAPK/MMP-2 signaling pathway in KB cells.

SIP-SII, the sulfated Sepiella maindroni ink polysaccharide (SIP), has been manifested to possess anti-tumor and anti-metastasis activity in vivo and in vitro. In the present study, we evaluated its inhibitory effect on the epidermal growth factor (EGF)-induced migration and invasion of human epidermoid carcinoma cell (KB cell line) as well as the related signaling pathways. The results of MTT assay indicated that SIP-SII inhibited the proliferation of KB cells in a concentration and time dependent manner.

Antibiotic susceptibilities and prevalence of Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) isolated from bovine milk in Pakistan.

The study was designed to investigate bovine milk for prevalence of an emerging zoonotic pathogen Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), and in-vitro therapeutic response of various antibiotics against MRSA. Nine hundred (900) milk samples were collected (half from cattle and half from buffalo) from private and public farms located in various tehsils of district Faisalabad, using the convenient sampling method. Milk samples were put to biochemical identification of Staphylococcus aureus and later oxacilline disk sensitivity testing for confirmation of MRSA.

Antipsychotic-induced Hdac2 transcription via NF-κB leads to synaptic and cognitive side effects.

Antipsychotic drugs remain the standard for schizophrenia treatment. Despite their effectiveness in treating hallucinations and delusions, prolonged exposure to antipsychotic medications leads to cognitive deficits in both schizophrenia patients and animal models. The molecular mechanisms underlying these negative effects on cognition remain to be elucidated.

Tunicamycin potentiates paclitaxel-induced apoptosis through inhibition of PI3K/AKT and MAPK pathways in breast cancer.

Purpose: Paclitaxel has been reported to upregulate both AKT and MAPK signaling pathways and thereby compromises its antitumor efficacy. However, tunicamycin has the ability to downregulate AKT and MAPK pathways. The aim of the study is to investigate the antitumor activity of the combination treatment of paclitaxel with tunicamycin and the mechanisms involving the changes of antitumor efficacy.

Surface Characterization, Corrosion Resistance and in Vitro Biocompatibility of a New Ti-Hf-Mo-Sn Alloy.

A new superelastic Ti-23Hf-3Mo-4Sn biomedical alloy displaying a particularly large recovery strain was synthesized and characterized in this study. Its native passive film is very thick (18 nm) and contains very protective TiO2, Ti2O3, HfO2, MoO2, and SnO2 oxides (XPS analysis). This alloy revealed nobler electrochemical behavior, more favorable values of the corrosion parameters and open circuit potentials in simulated body fluid in comparison with commercially pure titanium (CP-Ti) and Ti-6Al-4V alloy taken as reference biomaterials in this study.

Screening of anionic-modified polymers in terms of stability, disintegration, and swelling behavior.

This study aimed to screen the stability, disintegration, and swelling behavior of chemically modified anionic polymers. Investigated polymers were well-known and widely used staples of the pharmaceutical and medical field, namely, alginate (AL), carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), polycarbophil (PC), and hyaluronic acid (HA). On the basis of amide bond formation between the carboxylic acid moieties of anionic polymers and the primary amino group of the modification ligand cysteine (CYS), the modified polymers were obtained.

Effects of oral administration of black seed (Nigella sativa) oil on histomorphometric dynamics of testes and testosterone profile in rabbits.

The present study was conducted to evaluate the influence of oral administration of black seed (Nigella sativa) oil on histomorphometrical characteristics of testes and testosterone profile in adult rabbits. Twenty adult male rabbits aged seven months were divided into two groups: control and treated. Black seed oil was administrated orally for 60 days at 5ml/kg body weight/day on daily basis in addition to the food and water ad lib to the treated group.

Association of clinical characteristics of patients presenting with influenza like illness or severe acute respiratory illness with development of acute respiratory distress syndrome.

Clinical judgement and suspicion of influenza based on signs and symptoms of influenza-like illness and severe acute respiratory illness are critical for better patient outcome. Whether clinical characteristics of patients are associated with the development of acute respiratory distress syndrome and PCR positivity of samples was the aim of this study. We included all patients (n=37) presenting with influenza like illness (ILI) or severe acute respiratory illness (SARI) to a tertiary care hospital in northwest Pakistan during December 2015 until the end of January 2016.

A review on epidemiology, global prevalence and economical losses of fasciolosis in ruminants.

Fasciolosis is an important plant borne trematode zoonosis in ruminants caused by the Fasciola hepatica and Fasciola gigentica, It is classified as a neglected tropical disease and found in more than 50 countries especially where sheep and cattle are reared. Fasciolosis is a serious animal health problems in many rural and urban areas of world, causing significant financial losses due to decrease in production and viscera condemnation in animals. Accurate diagnosis of fasciolosis is always remained a challenging task for the field practitioners.

Correlation between hemoglobin A1c and serum lipid profile in Afghani patients with type 2 diabetes: hemoglobin A1c prognosticates dyslipidemia.

Background: Patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) have an increased prevalence of dyslipidemia, which contributes to their high risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). This study is an attempt to determine the correlation between hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and serum lipid profile and to evaluate the importance of HbA1c as an indicator of dyslipidemia in Afghani patients with T2DM.

Methods: A total of 401 Afghani patients with T2DM (men, 175; women, 226; mean age, 51.

Post-Colonoscopy Colonic Perforation Presenting With Subcutaneous Emphysema: A Case Report.

Colonoscopy is performed for both diagnostic and therapeutic indications. Although rare, associated complications can be quite serious. The frequency of these complications depends mainly on the skills of the physicians doing the procedure, and the diagnostic or therapeutic indications.

Airborne Pathogens inside Automobiles for Domestic Use: Assessing In-Car Air Decontamination Devices Using Staphylococcus aureus as the Challenge Bacterium.

Family cars represent ∼74% of the yearly global output of motorized vehicles. With a life expectancy of ∼8 decades in many countries, the average person spends >100 min daily inside the confined and often shared space of the car, with exposure to a mix of potentially harmful microbes. Can commercial in-car microbial air decontamination devices mitigate the risk? Three such devices (designated devices 1 to 3) with HEPA filters were tested in the modified passenger cabin (3.