Machine learning allows robust classification of visceral fat in women with obesity using common laboratory metrics.

The excessive accumulation and malfunctioning of visceral adipose tissue (VAT) is a major determinant of increased risk of obesity-related comorbidities. Thus, risk stratification of people living with obesity according to their amount of VAT is of clinical interest. Currently, the most common VAT measurement methods include mathematical formulae based on anthropometric dimensions, often biased by human measurement errors, bio-impedance, and image techniques such as X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) analysis, which requires specialized equipment.

Knowledge of Non-Invasive Biomarkers of Breast Cancer, Risk Factors, and BSE Practices Among Nursing Undergraduates in Farasan Island, KSA.

Background Of The Study: Mammograms are sometimes met with issues of overdiagnosis and underdiagnosis; therefore, they are less reliable in identifying cancer in women with dense breasts. As a result, it is critical to be aware of other sensitive screening techniques for the early diagnosis of breast cancer.

Aim: The ultimate objective of this study was to assess the knowledge of nursing undergraduates regarding non-invasive biomarkers, such as volatile organic compounds in breath, nipple aspirate fluid, sweat, urine, and tears, for the early detection of breast cancer to help improve patient care, determine the risk factors, and encourage practice of breast self-examination.

Predicting risk of low birth weight offspring from maternal features and blood polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon concentration.

Prenatal exposure to organic pollutants increases the risk of low birth weight (LBW) offspring. Women involved in the plucking of tea leaves can be exposed to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) during pregnancy through inhalation and diet. Therefore, the aim of the study was to investigate the association of maternal socio-demographic features and blood PAH concentration with LBW; also to develop a model for predicting LBW risk.

Nanocarriers for the Effective Treatment of Cervical Cancer: Research Advancements and Patent Analysis.

Background: Cervical cancer being the cancer of cervix is caused by an aberrant cell growth that acquires an ability to spread/ invade to other body parts. It has also been reported to be the second most common cause of death and cancer among women. Based on the severity of the disease, treatment aspects need to be explored more in order to overcome the limitations acquired by the conventional treatment.

Carbon Nanotubes in the Treatment of Skin Cancers: Safety and Toxicological Aspects.

Background: Skin cancer is depicted to be the most common malignant disease across the globe that is frequently diagnosed in people bearing light skin. Three common forms of skin cancers are squamous cell carcinoma, basal cell carcinoma, and malignant melanoma. Treatment of skin cancers comprises of various forms of management strategies that can help in curing the disease including the use of several therapeutic agents.

Probiotics as a Tool to Biosynthesize Metallic Nanoparticles: Research Reports and Patents Survey.

Background: Probiotics are the live microbes that exert beneficial effects on the health of the host cell, creating novel nanoformulations via probiotic bacteria, thus gaining tremendous momentum recently. The probiotic bacteria are being employed in synthesizing or more specifically biosynthesizing several nanoparticles like metallic as well as non-metallic nanoparticles. Biosynthesis of metallic nanoparticles is currently the focus of research nowadays due to several applications.

Investigating the penetrating potential of nanocomposite β-cycloethosomes: development using central composite design, in vitro and ex vivo characterization.

Context: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic skin disease characterized by inflammation of the skin and has exhibited remarkable repercussions on human life across the globe. Fluocinolone acetonide (FA), a topical corticosteroid is employed in the treatment of atopic dermatitis, but suffers from limited penetration into deeper epidermis of atopic skin.

Objective: The present investigation was focused to explore the utility of β-cylcoethosomes in improvising the penetration deep into the skin.

Ethosomes as Vesicles for Effective Transdermal Delivery: From Bench to Clinical Implementation.

Background: Drug delivery across the deeper layers of skin to make it systemically available is a considerable challenge in the development of a carrier. Numerous efforts have been put forward to find ways to overcome the formidable barrier of stratum corneum. Various lipid based vesicles viz liposomes, transfersomes, and invasomes have gained prominent deliberations across the globe.

Feasibility of binary composition in development of nanoethosomal glycolic vesicles of triamcinolone acetonide using Box-behnken design: in vitro and ex vivo characterization.

Triamcinolone acetonide (TA) employed for the treatment of atopic dermatitis exhibits limited penetration into the epidermis. This investigation aimed to explore the role of binary solvents in topical drug delivery of TA by developing nanoethosomal glycolic lipid vesicles by infusion method. Screening of vesicles (TA1-TA17) formulated by Box Behnken design identified the optimized formulation (TA10) that was developed as carbomer gels.

Nose to Brain Delivery of Nanoformulations for Neurotherapeutics in Parkinson`s disease: Defining the Preclinical, Clinical and toxicity issues.

Background: Parkinson`s disease (PD) is depicted as the most prevailed neurodegenerative disease being secondary to the alzheimer`s disease. PD is featured by severe dropping of dopamine related neurons present in substantia nigra as well as cytoplasmic inclusions. A number of therapeutic agents are available to treat initial as well as later complications of PD.

Onychomycosis: Potential of Nail Lacquers in Transungual Delivery of Antifungals.

Onychomycosis constitutes the most common fungal infection of the nail (skin beneath the nail bed) that affects the finger as well as toe nails. It is an infection that is initiated by yeasts, dermatophytes, and nondermatophyte molds. Nail lacquers are topical solutions intended only for use on fingernails as well as toenails and have been found to be useful in the treatment of onychomycosis.

Localization of fluconazole in oral cavity by preferential coating of buccoadhesive tablet for treatment of oral thrush.

Background: The present research work was aimed at localization of fluconazole in the oral cavity by preferential coating of buccoadhesive tablet for the treatment of oral thrush.

Materials And Methods: In order to achieve the aim, buccoadhesive tablets were optimized using 3(2) full factorial design to study the influence of varying content of chitosan and carbopol 934P (input variables) on the responses.

Results: Perturbation plots revealed high sensitivity of the input variables to ex vivo mucoadhesion force and percent cumulative drug release (CDR) whereas the ex vivo mucoadhesion time was less sensitive to the input variables.

Gastroretentive carrier systems in the delivery of therapeutic actives: an updated patent review.

Gastroretentive drug-delivery systems have the potential to prolong the gastric retention time and provide controlled/sustained release of a drug at the absorption site, thereby improving the bioavailability. Advantageous features include reduction in dose, side effects and dosing frequency. Research inputs have led to exploration of novel gastroretentive systems.

Topical delivery of drugs for the effective treatment of fungal infections of skin.

The prevalence of fungal infections of skin has increased rapidly, affecting approximately 40 million people across the globe. A wide variety of antifungal drugs has been utilized in the effective management of numerous dermatological infections. Topical treatment of fungal infections has proved to be quite advantageous due to various factors like targeting the site of infection, minimizing systemic side effects, enhanced efficacy of treatment, and improved patient compliance.

Product development studies on sonocrystallized curcumin for the treatment of gastric cancer.

Curcumin suffers from the limitation of poor solubility and low dissolution that can lead to limited applications. The investigation was aimed to substantiate the potentiality of melt sonocrystallized gastroretentive tablets of curcumin. Melt sonocrystallized curcumin (MSC CMN) was developed and its therapeutic potential was validated by in vitro cytotoxicity studies against Human oral cancer cell line KB.

Preparation and evaluation of a buflomedil hydrochloride niosomal patch for transdermal delivery.

Context: Niosomes are the non-ionic surfactant vesicles obtained on hydration of synthetic non-ionic surfactants. These are the promising vehicles for effective transdermal drug delivery.

Objective: The present research work was aimed to develop niosomal-based transdermal buflomedil hydrochloride patch containing a stable formulation with improved drug permeation.

Vesicles: a recently developed novel carrier for enhanced topical drug delivery.

As skin is one of the crucial and important organs of the human body, delivering the drug across it requires an effective development in the field of research. Topical drug delivery system is specifically designed with the objective to accomplish the delivery of therapeutically active drugs across the skin. Though skin is considered to be a multifunctional organ of a human body, it has the limitation of lesser permeability across the stratum corneum.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus and Invokana: an FDA approved drug.

Diabetes Mellitus is a chronic metabolic disease affecting wide range of people across the globe. In India the rate of subjects being suffered from diabetes is continuously increasing. So, the development of drugs for its effective treatment is essential.

Pandemic influenza A(H1N1)pdm09: an unrecognized cause of mortality in children in Pakistan.

The role of influenza virus as a cause of child mortality in South Asia is under-recognized. We aimed to determine the incidence and case fatality rate of influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 infections in hospitalized children in Karachi, Pakistan. Children less than 5 y old admitted with respiratory illnesses to the Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, from 17 August 2009 to 16 September 2011, were tested for influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 using a real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction.

Cavamax W7 composite ethosomal gel of clotrimazole for improved topical delivery: development and comparison with ethosomal gel.

The present research work was aimed to formulate clotrimazole encapsulated Cavamax W7 composite ethosomes by injection method for improved delivery across epidermis. 3(2) factorial design was used to design nine formulations (F1-F9) and compared with ethosomal formulations (F10-F12). F9 with vesicle size of 202.

Phenolic acid glucosides from the seeds of Entada phaseoloides Merill.

Phytochemical investigation of the defatted seeds of Entada phaseoloides Merill. (Mimosaceae) led to the isolation of three new phenolic acid glucosides, which were characterized as 2-hydroxy-5-methylbenzoyl-β-L-glucopyranoside (p-cresotyl glucoside, 1), 2-hydroxy-5-methylbenzoyl-β-L-glucopyranosyl (2 → 1)-β-L-glucopyranosyl (2 → 1)-β-L-glucopyranoside (p-cresotyl triglucoside, 2), and 2-hydroxybenzoyl-β-L-glucopyranosyl (2 → 1)-β-L-glucopyranosyl (2 → 1)-β-L-glucopyranosyl (2 → 1)-β-L-glucopyranoside (salicylic acid tetraglucoside, 5), along with sucrose and triglucoside. The structures of these phytoconstituents have been established on the basis of spectral data analysis and chemical reactions.

New antifungal xanthones from the seeds of Rhus coriaria L.

Phytochemical investigations of the ethanolic extract of the seeds of Rhus coriaria L. (Anacardiaceae) led to the identification of four new xanthones, characterized as 2,3-dihydroxy-7-methyl xanthone (1), 2,3,6-trihydroxy-7-hydroxymethylene xanthone-1-carboxylic acid (2), 2-methoxy-4-hydroxy-7-methyl-3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl xanthone-1,8-dicarboxylic acid (4), and 2-hydroxy-7-hydroxymethylene xanthone-1,8-dicarboxylic acid 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(2'-->3")-3"-O-stigmast-5-ene (5), along with the known steroidal glucoside beta-sitosterol-beta-D-glucoside (3). The structures of the isolated compounds have been identified on the basis of spectral data analysis and chemical reactions.

Outcome and prognostic factors seen in pediatric oncology patients admitted in PICU of a developing country.

Objective: To evaluate the outcome and prognostic factors for oncology patients in the PICU of a tertiary care centre in a developing country.

Methods: A retrospective chart review was done to assess the outcome of children with cancer in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) of a developing country from January 2000 through December 2009. 74 medical records were reviewed for data regarding demographics, admitting diagnosis, Pediatric Risk of Mortality (PRISM) III score and the therapeutic modalities used.

Knowledge and awareness about cervical cancer and its prevention amongst interns and nursing staff in Tertiary Care Hospitals in Karachi, Pakistan.

Background And Objective: Cervical cancer is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality amongst the gynecological cancers worldwide, especially in developing countries. It is imperative for at least health professionals in developing countries like Pakistan to have a sound knowledge about the disease. This study was carried out to assess the knowledge and awareness about cervical cancer and its prevention amongst health professionals in tertiary care hospitals in Karachi, Pakistan.

Gallic acid esters from the stem bark of Mimusops elengi L.

Phytochemical investigation of the ethanolic extract of the stem bark of Mimusops elengi L. (Sapotaceae) led to the isolation of new gallic acid esters, characterised as phenyl propanoxyl gallate (1), beta-D-glucopyranosyl (6'-->1'')-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-4''-(4''-ethylphenyl) gallate (2), 2'-(1'''-geranyloxy)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl (6'-->1'')-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-4''-phenoxy gallate (3), beta-D-glucopyranosyl (6'-->1'')-beta-D-glucopyranosyl 3,4,5-trihydroxy benzoate (4), beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(6'-->1'')-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-4''-(4'''-n-butylphenyl) 3,4,5-trihydroxy benzoate (5), beta-D-glucopyranosyl(6'-->1'')-beta-D-rhamnosyl 3,4,5-trihydroxy benzoate (6) and beta-D-(2'-phenyl glucopyranosyl)-(6'-->1'')-(2'', 4''-diphenylrhamnopyranosyl)-3,4,5-trihydroxylbenzoate (7), along with the known compounds: farnon-3-one, stigmasta-5-en-3-beta-ol, olean-18-en-2-one-3-ol, lup-20(29)-en-3beta-ol and stigmasta-5-en-3beta-D-glucopyranoside. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic analyses and chemical reactions.