Underweight and overweight men have greater exercise-induced dyspnoea than normal weight men.

Introduction: Persons with high or low body mass index (BMI), involved in clinical or mechanistic trials involving exercise testing, might estimate dyspnoea differently from persons with a normal BMI.

Aims: Our objective was to investigate the relationship between BMI and dyspnoea during exercise in normal subjects with varying BMI.

Material And Methods: A total of 37 subjects undertook progressive exercise testing.

An overview of phenylcyclopropylamine derivatives: biochemical and biological significance and recent developments.

trans-2-Phencylcyclopropylamine (2-PCPA), a potent, clinically used antidepressant, affects monoamine neurotransmitter levels by inhibiting the main metabolizing enzymes, monoamine oxidases (MAOs). However, the antidepressant action of this compound was not fully explained by its effects on MAOs due to its wide variety of biological effects. 2-PCPA also affects depression-associated pathophysiological pathways, and linked with increased levels of trace amines in brain, upregulation of GABAB receptors (where GABA is gamma amino butyric acid), modulation of phospholipid metabolism, and interference with various cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes.

Interactive role of nitric oxide and calcium chloride in enhancing tolerance to salt stress.

Nitric oxide (NO), a small diffusible, ubiquitous bioactive molecule, acts as prooxidant as well as antioxidant, and also regulates remarkable spectrum of plant cellular mechanisms. The present work was undertaken to investigate the role of nitric oxide donor sodium nitroprusside (SNP) and/or calcium chloride (CaCl(2)) in the tolerance of excised mustard leaves to salt stress. After 24h, salt stressed leaves treated with SNP and/or CaCl(2), showed an improvement in the activities of carbonic anhydrase (CA) and nitrate reductase (NR), and leaf chlorophyll (Chl) content, leaf relative water content (LRWC) and leaf ion concentration as compared with the leaves treated with NaCl only.

Ethyl 2-acet-amido-4,5,6,7-tetra-hydro-1-benzothio-phene-3-carboxyl-ate.

In the title compound, C(13)H(17)NO(3)S, the dihedral angles between the thio-phene ring and the ethyl ester and acetamide groups are 5.21 (13) and 10.06 (16)°, respectively.

PcpA of Streptococcus pneumoniae mediates adherence to nasopharyngeal and lung epithelial cells and elicits functional antibodies in humans.

Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococci) adhere to human nasopharyngeal (NP) epithelial cells as a first step in colonization and adherence of pneumococci to lung epithelia may be required to establish pneumonia. We sought to determine if PcpA can serve as an adhesin to human NP (D562) and lung (A549) epithelial cells and whether PcpA mediated adherence can be inhibited by human anti-PcpA antibodies. A PcpA isogenic mutant was constructed in a pneumococcal TIGR4 background.

Hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance is associated with low T₃/T₄ ratio in pre diabetic euthyroid Pakistani subjects.

Objective: To investigate the relationship of thyroid hormones in glucose homeostasis in impaired glucose-tolerant subjects with normal thyroid functions.

Methods: Cross-sectional analysis was carried out in (n=260) impaired glucose-tolerant (IGT) and normal glucose-tolerant (NGT) subjects. Thyrotropin (TSH), total triiodothyronine (TT₃), total thyroxin (TT₄) free T₃ (fT₃), free T₄ (fT₄), and insulin were assessed by enzyme-linked immunoassays (ELISA).

Fabrication and characterization of gelatin-based biocompatible porous composite scaffold for bone tissue engineering.

In this study, composite scaffolds were prepared with polyethylene oxide (PEO)-linked gelatin and tricalcium phosphate (TCP). Chitosan, a positively charged polysaccharide, was introduced into the scaffolds to improve the properties of the artificial bone matrix. The chemical and thermal properties of composite scaffolds were investigated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analyzer, differential thermal analyzer.

Design, synthesis, and biological activity of a novel series of human sirtuin-2-selective inhibitors.

Selective inhibitors of human sirtuin 2 (SIRT2), a deacetylase, are candidate therapeutic agents for neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's disease and Huntington's disease as well as potential tools for elucidating the biological functions of SIRT2. On the basis of homology models of SIRT1 and SIRT2, we designed and prepared a series of 2-anilinobenzamide analogues. Enzyme assays using recombinant SIRT1 and SIRT2 revealed that 3'-phenethyloxy-2-anilinobenzamide analogues such as 33a and 33i are potent and selective SIRT2 inhibitors, showing more than 3.

A novel chondroectodermal dysplasia mapped to chromosome 2q24.1-q31.1.

Chondroectodermal dysplasias are genetically heterogeneous group of disorders involving defects in one or more ectodermal appendages (hair, nail, teeth and sweat glands) in association with anomalies of the cartilage. In the present study a novel form of chondroectodermal dysplasia, segregating in an autosomal recessive pattern in a Pakistani family, was investigated. The clinical features including proportionate short stature, osteopenia with fracturing and breaking of bones, hypodontia, hypertrophic and convex shaped nails, night blindness, watering eyes and infection of ears were observed in affected individuals of the family.

Prevalence of tick infestation (Rhipicephalus sanguineus and Hyalomma anatolicum anatolicum) in dogs in Punjab, Pakistan.

This study was conducted to identify ticks that infest dogs in the Rawalpindi region of Punjab, Pakistan. A total of 525 dogs were examined between June and September 2010. Of these, 60 (11.

Bactericidal antibody response against P6, protein D, and OMP26 of nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae after acute otitis media in otitis-prone children.

The bactericidal antibody response to three nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) outer membrane proteins (D, P6, and OMP26) was studied in 24 otitis-prone children (aged 7-28 months) after an acute otitis media (AOM) caused by NTHi. The study was carried out to understand the contribution of antigen-specific bactericidal antibody responses in the class of children who are most vulnerable to recurrent otitis media infections. Levels of protein D (P = 0.

Vaccine candidates PhtD and PhtE of Streptococcus pneumoniae are adhesins that elicit functional antibodies in humans.

We evaluated the role of vaccine candidate surface proteins, PhtD and PhtE as antigens with functional importance for Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococci) in adherence to nasopharyngeal (D562) and lung (A549) epithelial cell lines. Comparing TIGR4 to PhtD and PhtE- isogenic mutants, a 40% (p=0.001) and 42% (p=0.

6-Chloro-N-(2-meth-oxy-phen-yl)pyridazin-3-amine.

The asymmetric unit of the title compound, C(11)H(10)ClN(3)O, contains two geometrically different mol-ecules, A and B, in both of which the pyridazine rings are essentially planar with r.m.s.

In vitro and in vivo acaricidal activity of a herbal extract.

The anti-tick efficacy of combined aqueous herbal extracts of Azadirachta indica leaves, Nicotiana tabacum leaves, Calotropis procera flowers and Trachyspermum ammi seeds was evaluated using adult immersion test, larval packet test and ear bag method. The extract exhibited lethal effects on egg laying (index of egg laying=0.371404±0.

Quantitative correlation of counterion (X) affinity to ionic micelles and X- and temperature-induced micellar growth (spherical-wormlike micelles-vesicles) for X = 5-methyl- and 5-methoxysalicylate ions.

The semiempirical kinetic method has been used to determine the ratio of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide, CTABr, micellar binding constants of counterions X (K(X)) and Br (K(Br)), i.e., K(X)/K(Br) (= R(X)(Br)) for X = dianionic 5-methyl- and 5-methoxysalicylate ions.

Effect of stress on biofilm formation by icaA positive and negative strains of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

Objective: To determine the effect of physical and chemical stress factors e.g. antibiotics, NaCl, glucose, heat shock, cold shock and sonic waves on biofilm formation by icaA positive and negative strains of Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus (S.

Seasonal variations of vivax and falciparum malaria: an observation at a tertiary care hospital.

Background: Malaria is a major public health problem in the malaria endemic zones of the world. Various factors influence the prevalence of malaria. This study was conducted to determine the variation in frequency of Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium falciparum malaria in different seasons of the year in Khyber Teaching Hospital, Peshawar.

Pyridines from azabicyclo[3.2.0]hept-2-en-4-ones through a proposed azacyclopentadienone.

Pyridines have been formed by heating azabicyclo[3.2.0]hept-2-en-4-ones in toluene.

Synthesis, anticancer activity and apoptosis inducing ability of bisindole linked pyrrolo[2,1-c][1,4]benzodiazepine conjugates.

A series of bisindole-pyrrolobenzodiazepine conjugates (5a-f) linked through different alkane spacers was prepared and evaluated for their anticancer activity. All compounds exhibited significant anticancer potency and the most potent compounds 5b and 5e were taken up for detailed studies on MCF-7 cell line. Cell cycle effects were examined apart from investigating the inhibition of tubulin polymerization for compounds 2a, 2b, 5b and 5e at 2μM.

Primary disseminated MDR-TB in a Bangladeshi man: a silent and emerging clinical problem for clinicians.

A 26 years old Bangladeshi man experienced sudden gross haematuria for 10 days when he was working in Italy in June'07 that was resolved spontaneously. Six months' later he again developed haematuria and was admitted into an Italian hospital for its evaluation and management. In the mean time, he developed low grade fever, cough, back pain, spinal angulations, walking difficulty.

Osteopetrosis.

A 15 years old Bangladeshi boy presented with hepatosplenomegaly, anaemia, multiple fractures (symptomatic and asymptomatic) without jaundice was investigated. Laboratory findings revealed leukoerythroblastic blood picture with reduced haemoglobin (7.7 gm/dl).

Comparison of jeopardy game format versus traditional lecture format as a teaching methodology in medical education.

Objective: To compare students` performance, satisfaction, and retention of knowledge between a `jeopardy game format` and a `didactic lecture format` in teaching viral exanthema to fifth-year medical students.

Methods: We conducted a parallel-group randomized controlled trial in the Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia from November 2008 to January 2009. We randomized fifth-year medical students into 2 groups.

Anticoccidial activity of herbal complex in broiler chickens challenged with Eimeria tenella.

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the anticoccidial effect of different concentrations of the herbal complex of 4 plants (leaves of Azadirachta indica and Nicotiana tabacum, flowers of Calotropis procera and seeds of Trachyspermum ammi) in broiler chickens in comparison with amprolium anticoccidial. Three concentrations (2 g, 4 g and 6 g) of herbal complex were given to the experimental groups once a day and amprolium (at the dose rate of 125 ppm) was given orally in drinking water from the 14th to the 21st days of age. One group was kept as infected, non-medicated control and one as non-infected, non-medicated control.

A novel splice site mutation in gene C2orf37 underlying Woodhouse-Sakati syndrome (WSS) in a consanguineous family of Pakistani origin.

Woodhouse-Sakati Syndrome (WSS) is a rare autosomal recessive multisystemic disorder that is marked by hypogonadism, alopecia, intellectual disability, deafness, diabetes mellitus and progressive extrapyramidal defects. Mutations in the gene C2orf37 are the cause of Woodhouse-Sakati syndrome. In the present study, a four-generation consanguineous family with clinical manifestations of WSS was ascertained from a remote region of Pakistan.

Genetic analysis of four Pakistani families with achromatopsia and a novel S4 motif mutation of CNGA3.

Background: To identify the causative variants of achromatopsia (ACHM) in four Pakistani families presenting autosomal recessive ACHM.

Methods: Four families (50, 55, 70 and 74) exhibiting features of achromatopsia were subjected to homozygosity mapping with STS markers flanking known ACHM loci. Mutation screening was done for two of the families linked to CNGA3 and CNGB3 by direct sequencing of the coding regions and exon-intron boundaries of genes to find the pathogenic variant.