Molecular Insight into the Therapeutic Promise of Targeting for Alzheimer's Disease.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that causes chronic cognitive dysfunction. Most of the AD cases are late onset, and the apolipoprotein E () isoform is a key genetic risk factor. The gene has 3 key alleles in humans including , , and .

Self-healing and self-cleaning clear coating.

Coatings exhibiting both self-cleaning and self-healing properties are envisioned for a wide range of applications. Herein we report a simple fabrication approach toward poly(urea-urethane) (PU) coatings having self-healing and self-cleaning properties. The self-cleaning component is a poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS), which is affordable in cost and also has a lower environmental footprint relative to its fluorinated counterpart.

Transverse testicular ectopia with persistent Mullerian duct syndrome: an operative eureka.

Introduction: Transverse Testicular Ectopia (TTE) is a rare entity in which both testes descend on the same side, and can be found in ectopic locations. When present with Persistent Mullerian Duct Syndrome (PMDS), a yet rarer entity, the persistence of Mullerian duct derivatives i.e.

Oral delivery and enhanced efficacy of antimonal drug through macrophage-guided multifunctional nanocargoes against visceral Leishmaniasis.

The present study aimed on the site specific delivery and enhanced in-vivo efficacy of antimonial drugs against the visceral leishmaniasis via macrophage targeted mannose anchored thiomer based nanoparticles. Mannose anchored thiolated nanoformulation [M-(CS-g-PEI)-TGA] was developed and evaluated in terms particle size, zeta-potential and entrapment efficacy. The TEM and EDX analysis was carried out to evaluate the morphology and successful entrapment of antimonial drug.

Perceived Well-Being, Social Support, and Self-Management Behavior among Women Experiencing Chemotherapy-Related Nausea and Vomiting in A Tertiary Hospital in Lahore, Pakistan.

Objective: The basic objective is to determine the level of the self-management behaviors (SMB), perceived well-being, and social support of patients in the outpatient settings at tertiary care hospital at Lahore Pakistan. It also explores if there is any significant relationship among all three variables.

Methods: A descriptive-correlational study design has been used.

Exploring the multimodal role of phytochemicals in the modulation of cellular signaling pathways to combat age-related neurodegeneration.

Neurodegeneration is the progressive loss of neuronal structures and functions that lead to copious disorders like Alzheimer's (AD), Parkinson's (PD), Huntington's (HD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and other less recurring diseases. Aging is the prime culprit for most neurodegenerative events. Moreover, the shared pathogenic factors of many neurodegenerative processes are inflammatory responses and oxidative stress (OS).

Extracellular biophysical environment: Guilty of being a modulator of drug sensitivity in ovarian cancer cells.

The roles of the extracellular biophysical environment in cancer are barely studied. This study considers the possibility that cell-like topography of a cancer cell environment may influence chemo-responses. Here, a novel bioimprinting technique was employed to produce cell-like topography on the polystyrene substrates used for cell culture.

Gallbladder Neuroendocrine Carcinoma: A Rare Endocrine Tumor.

Gallbladder neuroendocrine neoplasms (GB-NEN) are very rare neuroendocrine tumors (NETs). GB-NEN can present as carcinoid or typical/atypical carcinoid or small cell carcinoma. Most of the GB-NENs present as gall bladder polyps or stones with right upper quadrant pain, nausea and non-specific symptoms which leads to clinical misdiagnosis.

Root cause analysis of pre-microscopic errors in anatomical pathology using Eindhoven classification.

Objective: To evaluate pre-microscopic errors in anatomical pathology.

Methods: The cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted at the Department of Pathology of a tertiary care hospital in Lahore, Pakistan, from September, 2016, to January, 2017, and comprised surgical pathology specimens. Errors were noted across the pre-microscopic process.

Analyzing the Effectiveness and Contribution of Each Axis of Tri-Axial Accelerometer Sensor for Accurate Activity Recognition.

Recognizing human physical activities from streaming smartphone sensor readings is essential for the successful realization of a smart environment. Physical activity recognition is one of the active research topics to provide users the adaptive services using smart devices. Existing physical activity recognition methods lack in providing fast and accurate recognition of activities.

Evaluation of galactomannan and beta-d-glucan assays for the diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis in clinically suspected cases.

Objective: To assess the utility of galactomannan and beta-D-glucan assays in the diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis in clinically suspected cases, and to compare their diagnostic potential to determine whether a combination of the two may result in an early and specific diagnosis.

Methods: The descriptive cross-sectional case-control study was conducted at the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, Rawalpindi, Pakistan, from April 1, 2017, to March 31, 2018, and comprised serum samples from clinically suspected invasive aspergillosis patients and healthy controls. The sera were tested for galactomannan and beta-D-glucan detection.

Identification and validation of superior housekeeping gene(s) for qRT-PCR data normalization in (a CAM-plant) under abiotic stresses.

The adaptive mechanisms in Agave species enable them to survive and exhibit remarkable tolerance to abiotic stresses. Quantitative real-time PCR is a highly reliable approach for validation of targeted differential gene expression. However, stable housekeeping gene(s) is prerequisite for accurate normalization of expression data by qRT-PCR.

Distributed fault detection and isolation in second order networked systems in a cyber-physical environment.

Modern industrial processes and cyber-physical systems (CPS) are prone to anomalies both due to cyber and physical perturbations. Cyber disturbances or attacks being more hazardous may give birth to a series of multiple coordinated faults. In order to detect and isolate such faults, this paper proposes a novel distributed fault detection and isolation scheme for second-order networked systems.

Morgagni-Larrey Hernia: A Possible Cause of Recurrent Lower Respiratory Tract Infections.

Morgagni-Larrey hernia is an exceedingly rare presentation of congenital diaphragmatic hernia. Despite its rarity, it is associated with significant risk of morbidity and mortality. Herein, we describe a unique case report of an elderly woman who presented with left-sided chest pain, dyspnea, and chronic history of recurrent respiratory tract infections.

Exploring the Promise of Targeting Ubiquitin-Proteasome System to Combat Alzheimer's Disease.

The ubiquitin (Ub)-proteasome system (UPS) is considered as a central protein degradation system in all eukaryotes. The UPS comprises of several factors such as Ub and Ub-like molecules, Ub hydrolases, E3 Ub ligases, and the proteasome itself. Numerous studies have demonstrated that the dysfunction of UPS plays an essential role in the pathogenesis and progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD).

Biallelic variants in PSMB1 encoding the proteasome subunit β6 cause impairment of proteasome function, microcephaly, intellectual disability, developmental delay and short stature.

The molecular cause of the majority of rare autosomal recessive disorders remains unknown. Consanguinity due to extensive homozygosity unravels many recessive phenotypes and facilitates the detection of novel gene-disease links. Here, we report two siblings with phenotypic signs, including intellectual disability (ID), developmental delay and microcephaly from a Pakistani consanguineous family in which we have identified homozygosity for p(Tyr103His) in the PSMB1 gene (Genbank NM_002793) that segregated with the disease phenotype.

Exploring fuel cell cathode materials using ab initio high throughput calculations and validation using carbon supported Pt alloy catalysts.

We employ a combined density functional theory (DFT) and experimental approach to screen different elements (M) and PtM alloys (M = Sc, Y, V, Nb, Ta, Ti, Zr, Hf, Cr, Fe, Ru, Os, Co, Rh, Ir, Ni, Pd, Cu, Ag, Au and Al) for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity and stability. The results of the calculations are validated using a series of carbon supported alloy nanoparticles measured within membrane electrode assembly (MEA) environments. We assess the reliability of descriptors such as surface d-band centre and O adsorption energy as computed from DFT calculations.

Bridge Displacement Estimation Using a Co-Located Acceleration and Strain.

Structural displacement is an important metric for assessing structural conditions because it has a direct relationship with the structural stiffness. Many bridge displacement measurement techniques have been developed, but most methods require fixed reference points in the vicinity of the target structure that limits the field implementations. A promising alternative is to use reference-free measurement techniques that indirectly estimate the displacement by using measurements such as acceleration and strain.

Acute Presentation and Management of Abdominal Tuberculosis.

Objective: To study the clinicopatholgical profile and outcomes of surgical management of abdominal tuberculosis (ATB) Study Design: Cross-sectional observational study.

Place And Duration Of Study: Department of Surgery, Services Hospital, Lahore, Pakistan, from May 2008 to April 2018.

Methodology: All patients who underwent emergency laparotomy during the study period due to abdominal tuberculosis, and consented to participate in the study were included.

A Smart Drug Delivery System Based on Biodegradable Chitosan/Poly(allylamine hydrochloride) Blend Films.

The amalgamation of natural polysaccharides with synthetic polymers often produces fruitful results in the area of drug delivery due to their biodegradable and biocompatible nature. In this study, a series of blend films composed of chitosan (CS)/poly(allylamine hydrochloride) (PAH) in different compositions were prepared as smart drug delivery matrices. The properties of these polymeric films were then explored.

Ex-vivo antihypertensive and calcium channel blocking activity of Androsace foliosa n-hexane leaves fraction on isolated rabbit aorta.

Hypertension is persistent elevation in blood pressure for 3-4 weeks. Estimated global prevalence of hypertension suggested that by the Year 2025 (29%) of adult worldwide are suffering from hypertension (1.56 billion).

Unpasteurised milk consumption as a potential risk factor for toxoplasmosis in females with recurrent pregnancy loss.

In women with a bad obstetric history, certain infections are associated with recurrent foetal loss. One of the common infectious agents is a protozoan parasite, . The aim of this study was to assess unpasteurised milk consumption as a potential risk factor for toxoplasmosis in females with recurrent pregnancy loss from the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.

Modification of miRNA Expression through plant extracts and compounds against breast cancer: Mechanism and translational significance.

Background: Cancer is hyper-proliferative, multi-factorial and multi-step, heterogeneous group of molecular disorders. It is the second most reported disease after heart diseases. Breast carcinoma is the foremost death causing disease in female population worldwide.

Mechanistic Pathways and Molecular Targets of Plant-Derived Anticancer -Kaurane Diterpenes.

Since the first discovery in 1961, more than 1300 -kaurane diterpenoids have been isolated and identified from different plant sources, mainly the genus . Chemically, they consist of a perhydrophenanthrene subunit and a cyclopentane ring. A large number of reports describe the anticancer potential and mechanism of action of -kaurane compounds in a series of cancer cell lines.

Characterization of substrate specificity and novel autoprocessing mechanism of dipeptidase A from Prevotella intermedia.

Prevotella intermedia, a Gram-negative anaerobic rod, is frequently observed in subgingival polymicrobial biofilms from adults with chronic periodontitis. Peptidases in periodontopathic bacteria are considered to function as etiological reagents. Prevotella intermedia OMA14 cells abundantly express an unidentified cysteine peptidase specific for Arg-4-methycoumaryl-7-amide (MCA).