Phytochemical and Biological Activities of Pseudocalymma elegans: A False Garlic.

Evaluation of phytochemical constituents and antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of hexane (PELH), dichloromethane (PELDCM), ethyl acetate (PELEA), and MeOH (PELM) extracts of young leaves of Pseudocalymma elegans have been carried out. Moreover, extracts have also been explored for the presence of sulphur containing compounds, 1,2-dithiolane (33), diallyl disulfide (35), 3-vinyl-1,2-dithiacyclohex-5-ene (37), and diallyl trisulfide (38) responsible for the garlic like smell of P. elegans.

Isolation of potentially pathogenic fungi from selected pigeons' feeding sites in Karachi: A new dimension to health hazard.

Objective: To determine the presence of pathogenic fungal strains in areas where pigeons are present in a large number.

Methods: This study was conducted at the Federal Urdu University of Arts, Science and Technology, Karachi, from February 2015 to March2016, and comprised samples of soil contaminated with pigeons' excreta. The samples were collected from 20 different pigeon-feeding places in the city.

Assessment of biofilm removal capacity of a broad host range bacteriophage JHP against Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an efficient biofilm-dwelling microbial pathogen, associated with nosocomial infections. These biofilm-associated infections are resistant to antibiotics and immune defenses, therefore pose major problem against their treatment. This scenario demands alternative therapeutic regimens, and bacteriophage therapy is one among potential strategies for clinical management of multiple drug resistance.

Acceptability of insecticide-treated clothing for malaria prevention among migrant rubber tappers in Myanmar: a cluster-randomized non-inferiority crossover trial.

Background: Insecticide-treated clothing (ITC) has long been used for military and outdoor recreational purposes and there is substantial evidence to show that it can protect against arthropod biting. As a complementary vector control measure, ITC could be used to address outdoor transmission of malaria, particularly among mobile and migrant populations and night-time workers such as rubber tappers, who may be beyond the reach of core interventions. However, more information is required on acceptability and preferences of target groups towards ITC to understand whether it could be a viable strategy in Myanmar.

Genetic variations of 15 autosomal and 17 Y-STR markers in Sindhi population of Pakistan.

This study comprises genetic characterization of 15 autosomal and 17 Y-chromosomal STR loci in 103 unrelated male inhabitants of the Sindhi population to establish its lineage and parameters of forensic interest. The examined autosomal STRs revealed high combined power of discrimination, combined power of exclusion, and the combined matching probability as 0.99999999999999999042580, 0.

Synthesis, spectroscopic characterization and antimicrobial activities of benzoxazolone derivatives.

Unlabelled: : Background: Pathogenic microbial diseases are now the key virulence in our daily life. Significant research has been carried out in order to trigger the bacterial infections. Amongst the organic molecules, oxazolone and derivatives were found to have excellent bioactivities including antimicrobial activities.

Travel Mode Detection with Varying Smartphone Data Collection Frequencies.

Smartphones are becoming increasingly popular day-by-day. Modern smartphones are more than just calling devices. They incorporate a number of high-end sensors that provide many new dimensions to smartphone experience.

Development of new PCR multiplex system by the simultaneous detection of 10 miniSTRs, SE33, Penta E, Penta D, and four Y-STRs.

The 18 loci multiplex system has been instigated for co-amplification and fluorescent detection of Amelogenin and 17 STRs, including 10 MiniSTRs (CSF1PO, D18S51, D7S820, D2S1338, TPOX, D13S317, FGA, D5S818, D21S11, D16S539), SE33, Penta E, Penta D, and four Y-STRs (DYS385a/b, DYS438, DYS392). This multiplex system was developed for the simultaneous analysis of compromised DNA samples, Y-amelogenin marker mutation, motherless paternity issues where single allele sharing occurs at autosomal STRs in unrelated individuals, and other complex forensic cases. Selection of loci, primers, and allelic ladders were designed and created in-house with a design strategy to work in this multiplex.

Evaluation of intensified behaviour change communication strategies in an artemisinin resistance setting.

Background: In Cambodia, behaviour change communication (BCC) represents an integral component of malaria efforts aimed at fighting artemisinin resistant parasites and achieving elimination. The multi-pronged BCC interventions include interpersonal communication through village health volunteers (VHVs) and village malaria workers (VMWs), broadcasting malaria prevention, diagnosis and treatment messages via TV, radio and mobile broadcasting units (MBUs), distributing information education and communication (IEC) materials and introducing mobile malaria workers (MMWs) in endemic villages.

Methods: This was a cross sectional household survey using a stratified multi-stage cluster sampling approach, conducted in December 2012.

Isolated Duodenal Injuries After Blunt Abdominal Trauma.

Isolated duodenal injury after blunt abdominal trauma is a very rare entity. In contrast to penetrating injuries, duodenal injuries after blunt trauma are difficult to diagnose. Early diagnosis and management is required to prevent high morbidity and mortality associated with these injuries.

Genetic distribution of 15 autosomal STR markers in the Punjabi population of Pakistan.

Genetic diversity of 15 autosomal short tandem repeat (STR) loci was evaluated in 713 unrelated individual samples of a Punjabi population of Pakistan. These loci were scrutinized to establish allelic frequencies and statistical parameters of forensic and paternity interests. A total of 165 alleles were observed with the corresponding allele frequencies ranging from 0.

Radiative Peristaltic Flow of Jeffrey Nanofluid with Slip Conditions and Joule Heating.

Mixed convection peristaltic flow of Jeffrey nanofluid in a channel with compliant walls is addressed here. The present investigation includes the viscous dissipation, thermal radiation and Joule heating. Whole analysis is performed for velocity, thermal and concentration slip conditions.

Positive deviance as a novel tool in malaria control and elimination: methodology, qualitative assessment and future potential.

Background: Positive deviance (PD) is an asset-based, community-driven approach to behaviour change that has successfully been applied to address many health and social problems. It is yet to have been assessed for malaria control but may represent a promising tool for malaria elimination given its suitability in targeting small and remote population groups, apparent sustainability and ability to instil a high amount of community mobilisation. Here, the PD methodology as applied to malaria is explained, with focus upon and qualitative assessment of a proof of concept study in Cambodia.

Diet, exercise and mental-wellbeing of healthcare professionals (doctors, dentists and nurses) in Pakistan.

Background. "Health is wealth" is a time tested adage. Health becomes more relevant when it comes to professionals whose job is to provide people with services that maintain an optimum state of mental, physical and social well-being.

Ampullary carcinoid tumour presenting with extrahepatic biliary obstruction.

Carcinoid tumours are slow growing tumours, derived from enterochromaffin cells located in the crypts of Lieberkühn, which is part of neuroendocrine system. A 36-year-old female patient presented in surgical clinic with complaints of progressively increasing yellowish discolouration of her eyes and pruritis for 6 months. She was deeply jaundiced with a soft and non-tender abdomen.

The eye as a window to a rare disease: ectopia lentis and homocystinuria, a Pakistani perspective.

Non-traumatic ectopia lentis has been associated with genetic diseases in a European population; however, no data are present in regards to this in a Pakistani demographic. In third world countries such as Pakistan, due to the lack of screening tests, this disease has the potential to remain undiagnosed till a later age, at which point the eye through the finding of ectopia lentis has potential to lead to the right diagnosis. Our purpose was to investigate Pakistani patients presenting with ectopia lentis who have underlying homocystinuria and establish a relationship between the two.

Conformational behavior of polyalanine peptides with and without protecting groups of varying chain lengths: population of PP-II structure!

Oculopharyngeal muscular dystrophy (OPMD), a polyalanine myopathy, occurs due to expansion of homo-polyalanine stretch in normal polyadenylating binding protein nuclear 1 (PABPN1) protein from Ala10 to Ala11-17. Therefore, the conformational behavior of polyalanine peptides with n = 10-17, with and without terminal protecting groups, have been investigated with different starting geometries in water by molecular dynamics simulation studies. Alanine peptides are shown to give rise to unordered structure irrespective of starting geometry and not more than two residues at a stretch have the same/similar set of φ, ψ values.

Tree age, fruit size and storage conditions affect levels of ascorbic acid, total phenolic concentrations and total antioxidant activity of 'Kinnow' mandarin juice.

Background: Bioactive compounds (ascorbic acid, total phenolics and total antioxidants) are important constituents of citrus fruit juice; however, information with regard to their concentrations and changes in relation to tree age and storage conditions is limited. 'Kinnow' (Citrus nobilis Lour × Citrus deliciosa Tenora) mandarin juice from fruit of three tree ages (6, 18 and 35 years old) and fruit sizes (large, medium and small) were examined for their bioactive compounds during 7 days under ambient storage conditions (20 ± 2 °C and 60-65% relative humidity (RH)) and during 60 days under cold storage (4 ± 1 °C and 75-80% RH) conditions.

Results: Under ambient conditions, a reduction in total phenolic concentrations (TPC) and in total antioxidant activity (TAA) was found for the juice from all tree ages and fruit sizes.

Multi-drug resistant pseudomonas aeruginosa: a threat of nosocomial infections in tertiary care hospitals.

Objective: To determine the resistance patterns of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to currently available anti-pseudomonal drugs and frequency of nosocomial infections caused by multi drug resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa in hospitals.

Methods: Clinical isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa were collected from patients admitted in different hospitals of Karachi between July 2012 and June 2013. The isolates were identified by conventional and Analytical Profile Index 20NE kit methods while the antibiograms of these isolates were determined by Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method.

Allele frequency distribution of 10 MiniSTRs in the Pashtun population of Pakistan.

Two hundred individual samples of Pashtun population from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan were randomly evaluated through 10 MiniSTR loci (CSF1PO, D7S820, TPOX, D18S51, D2S1338, D13S317, FGA, D5S818, D21S11, and D16S539). The PCR product size was reduced in the range of 65 to 280 bp. A total of 112 alleles were observed containing allelic frequency ranging from 0.

Conformational behavior of phenylglycines and hydroxyphenylglycines and non-planarity of phenyl rings.

The non-proteinogenic amino acids--phenylglycine (PG) and hydroxyphenylglycine (HPG) are crucial components of certain peptidic natural products and are important for the preparation of various medicines. In this, study, the conformation of model dipeptides Ac-X-NHMe of PG, p-HPG and 3, 5-di-hydroxyphenylglycine (3, 5-DHPG) was studied both in R and S form by quantum mechanical (QM) and molecular dynamics approaches. On the energy scale, the conformational states of these molecules in both the R and S were found to be degenerate by QM studies, stabilized by non-covalent interactions like carbonyl--carbonyl interactions, carbonyl-lp .

Genetic polymorphism of ten MiniSTR loci in the population of Punjab Pakistan for forensic application.

Ten MiniSTR loci were analyzed on 250 unrelated individuals of Punjabi population from Punjab province of Pakistan. The product amplification range is from 65 to 280 bp. Allele frequency for a total of 98 observed alleles is from 0.

Construction and conformational behavior of peptoids with cis-amide bond geometry: design of a peptoid with alternate φ, ψ values of inverse PP-II/PP-II and PP-I structures.

In peptoids due to the absence of amide protons, the backbone is devoid of hydrogen bond donor, linked by tertiary amide, which can be iso-energetic between cis and trans-amide bond geometry. The peptoids can be realized with cis amide bond if the side chain of ith residue can engage the carbonyl group of ith-1 residue in CH--O interactions. Simulations studies both in water and DMSO have been carried out.