Can trained field community workers identify stroke using a stroke symptom questionnaire as well as neurologists? Adaptation and validation of a community worker administered stroke symptom questionnaire in a peri-urban Pakistani community.

Background: Stroke is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. There is a paucity of data from South Asia where stroke is highly prevalent. Validated tools administrable by community health workers (CHWs) are required to identify stroke in the community in a resource-strapped region such as this.

Circulating programmed death-1 as a marker for sustained high hepatitis B viral load and risk of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Objective: Recent evidence indicates a crucial role of the immunoinhibitory receptor programmed death-1 (PD-1) in enforcing T-cell dysfunction during chronic viral infection and cancer. We assessed the impact of circulating soluble PD-1 (sPD-1) levels on long-term dynamics of hepatitis B virus (HBV) load and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) risk.

Methods: In a case-cohort study on longitudinal analysis of viral load within a cohort of 2903 men chronically infected with HBV, followed up from baseline (1989-1992) through 2010, we determined sPD-1 levels in baseline plasma with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay from 126 men who subsequently developed HCC and 1155 men who did not develop HCC.

Decline in verbal fluency after subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation in Parkinson's disease: a microlesion effect of the electrode trajectory?

Background: Decline in verbal fluency (VF) is frequently reported after chronic deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) in Parkinson disease (PD).

Objective: We investigated whether the trajectory of the implanted electrode correlate with the VF decline 6 months after surgery.

Methods: We retrospectively analysed 59 PD patients (mean age, 61.

Potential role of phytohormones and plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria in abiotic stresses: consequences for changing environment.

Plants are sessile beings, so the need of mechanisms to flee from unfavorable circumstances has provided the development of unique and sophisticated responses to environmental stresses. Depending on the degree of plasticity, many morphological, cellular, anatomical, and physiological changes occur in plants in response to abiotic stress. Phytohormones are small molecules that play critical roles in regulating plant growth and development, as well as stress tolerance to promote survival and acclimatize to varying environments.

Role of endovascular stenting in radiation-induced stenosis of lower extremity veins.

Radiation-induced venous stenosis is rare with a few isolated cases reported in the medical literature involving the lower limb. Management options in such cases are thus not streamlined. We describe an unusual case of iliac vein stenosis in a patient with rectal carcinoma after combined chemoradiation therapy, managed with endovascular stenting.

Efficient simulation of voxelized phantom in GATE with embedded SimSET multiple photon history generator.

GEANT4 Application for Tomographic Emission (GATE) is a powerful Monte Carlo simulator that combines the advantages of the general-purpose GEANT4 simulation code and the specific software tool implementations dedicated to emission tomography. However, the detailed physical modelling of GEANT4 is highly computationally demanding, especially when tracking particles through voxelized phantoms. To circumvent the relatively slow simulation of voxelized phantoms in GATE, another efficient Monte Carlo code can be used to simulate photon interactions and transport inside a voxelized phantom.

Dose-dependent effect of deltamethrin in testis, liver, and kidney of wistar rats.

Objectives: Deltamethrin is a synthetic pyrethroid insecticide used worldwide in agriculture, household pest control, protection of foodstuff, and disease vector control. Although initially thought to be least toxic, a number of recent reports showed its toxic effects in mammalian and non-mammalian animal species. The current study was performed to assess the dose-dependent deltamethrin toxicity on testes, liver, and kidney of male Wistar rats.

Acute effects of static active or dynamic active stretching on eccentric-exercise-induced hamstring muscle damage.

Objectives: To examine whether an acute bout of active or dynamic hamstring-stretching exercises would reduce the amount of muscle damage observed after a strenuous eccentric task and to determine whether the stretching protocols elicit similar responses.

Design: A randomized controlled clinical trial.

Methods: Thirty-six young male students performed 5 min of jogging as a warm-up and were allocated to 1 of 3 groups: 3 min of static active stretching (SAS), 3 min of dynamic active stretching (DAS), or control (CON).

Metabolic syndrome in the survivors of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.

Metabolic syndrome is a common complication encountered in children surviving acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL). Affected patients develop obesity, insulin resistance, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia. Metabolic syndrome is a consequence of multiple factors, particularly hormonal imbalance induced by various ALL treatments.

Autophagy-related gene expression analysis of wild-type and atg5 gene knockout mouse embryonic fibroblast cells treated with polyethylenimine.

The molecular mechanisms of autophagy in polyethylenimine (PEI)-treated cells are not well understood because of the use of nonspecific autophagy inhibitors. Here, we applied autophagy-related gene expression analysis to pinpoint the molecular mechanisms of autophagy in PEI-treated wild-type and atg5 gene knockout (atg5(-/-)) mouse embryonic fibroblast (MEF) cells. It was demonstrated that the majority of induced genes are downregulated in wild-type and atg5(-/-) MEF cells, indicating that autophagy exhibits a trend toward downregulation after treatment with PEI.

One new royleanumoate from Teucrium royleanum Wall. ex Benth.

One new royleanumoate, a benzene ester (1), has been isolated from T. royleanum Wall. ex Benth along with two known compounds, namely, 3,4-dihydroxymethyl benzoate (2) and oleanolic acid (3).

Early initiation of antiretroviral therapy in HIV-infected adults and adolescents: a systematic review.

Objectives: The objective of this review was to update evidence on when to initiate antiretroviral therapy (ART) to inform revision of the 2013 WHO guidelines for ART in low and middle-income countries.

Design: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Methods: We comprehensively searchescohorts.

Public awareness and attitudes toward epilepsy in Saudi Arabia is improving.

Objective: To examine public awareness and attitudes toward epilepsy in Riyadh, the capital city of Saudi Arabia.

Methods: A focused 10-item questionnaire was designed to survey public awareness and attitudes toward epilepsy. Personal interviews were conducted randomly by one author in preselected public places in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia during March and April 2011.

Intravenous methylprednisolone for intractable childhood epilepsy.

Background: Steroids have been used for the treatment of certain epilepsy types, such as infantile spasms; however, the use in the treatment of other intractable epilepsies has received limited study. We report our experience with intravenous methylprednisolone in children with epilepsy refractory to multiple antiepileptic drugs.

Methods: A series of consecutive children were analyzed retrospectively.

Primary school teacher's knowledge and attitudes toward children with epilepsy.

Purpose: Primary school teacher's knowledge and attitudes toward epilepsy can have significant impact on the performance and psycho-social development of the child with epilepsy. Our objectives were to study teacher's knowledge and attitudes and identify areas in which further teacher training and education are required.

Methods: A stratified random sample survey involving a group of primary school teachers in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia included private/public schools designated for male and female students.

Effects of Ammi visnaga (Bisnaga) extract on the volume and acidity of stimulated gastric secretion in fasting rabbits.

Objective: To determine the efficacy of extract of Ammi visnaga on volume and acidity of stimulated gastric secretion in rabbits and also its safety on liver and kidney function.

Study Design: Quasi experimental study.

Place And Duration Of Study: Pharmacology Department, Saidu Medical College, Swat, in the years 2008-9.

Primary total hip arthroplasty versus internal fixation in displaced fracture of femoral neck in sexa- and septuagenarians.

Background: The optimal treatment of femoral neck fracture in the elderly patient is still under debate. In patients aged 60-80 years, the decision between internal fixation and arthroplasty remains controversial. The primary aim of the present study is to evaluate the functional outcome of patients aged 60-80 years with femoral neck fracture treated with total hip arthroplasty or closed reduction and internal fixation.

The influence of fish oil on neurological development and function.

Fish oil originates from fish tissue rich in omega-3 fatty acids. These include eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Healthy individuals are advised to consume foods rich in fish oil at least twice a week.

Long-term outcome of infantile gratification phenomena.

Background: Infantile gratification phenomena are self-stimulatory behaviors that are often misdiagnosed as epilepsy. Although the prognosis is thought to be benign, limited long-term follow-up studies exist. This was the objective of our study in addition to exploring the risks of future developmental, behavioral, or neurological abnormalities.

Genetic diversity in human malarial parasites of Khyber Agency Pakistan.

Malaria is wide spread in poor world and its burden has been assessed by the enumeration of malarial parasites in blood of patients. This study was designed to find a relationship between social structure, and spread of malaria in Khyber agency. The average parasite density was 2050 parasite/μl in Khyber Agency.