Objective:To focus on the evaluation of antimicrobial and antioxidant activity of two endangered medicinal plants Aconitum heterophyllum (A. heterophyllum) and Polygonum bistorta (P. bistorta). Materials: Plant extracts were obtained by using microwave assisted extraction method. The in vitro antifungal activity of A. heterophyllum and P. bistorta extracts were determined by measuring diameters of inhibitory zones of these extracts against Aspergillus niger and Alternalia solani.
Results:Methanolic extract of A. heterophyllum showed significant (P≤0.05) antifungal activity against both the tested organisms. It was also observed that ethanolic extracts of P. bistorta also had good antifungal activity against the tested fungal strains as compared to the methanolic extracts. It showed significant antifungal activity (P≤0.05) against both the tested strains. Antioxidant activity of methanolic and ethanolic extracts of A. heterophyllum and P. bistorta were also measured using a radical scavenging method. Ascorbic acid was used as a standard.
Conclusions:It was observed that A. heterophyllum and P. bistorta have significant antioxidant activity. Higher antioxidant activity was recorded in methanolic extract of A. heterophyllum as compared to its ethanolic extract. However, in case of P. bistorta ethanolic extract of the plant exhibited higher antioxidant potential than methanolic extracts. Hence both of these plants have significant antimicrobial as well as antioxidant potential.

Aims: The activation of cellular and humoral immunity depends upon nature of antigens. Complex proteins like bacterial outer membrane proteins (OMP) usually successfully activate both humoral and cellular immunity. Whereas antigens like bacterial lipopolysaccharides (LPS) usually elicit T-independent immunity i.e. humoral immunity without the activation of cellular immune wing. The present study was under taken to evaluate the comparative immunologic behavior of both the important molecules (bacterial lipopolysaccharide and outer membrane proteins) of Pasteurella multocida alone and in combination in bovine calves in field conditions. Methodology and results: Pasteurella multocida was isolated, purified and identified from an outbreak by mean of culture and biochemical methods. The pathogenicity of the confirmed isolates was done in rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) on the principles of Koch’s postulates. Alum based vaccine against P. multocida was prepared and antibody titer against Outer membrane protein (OMP) and lipopolysaccharides (LPS) were determined by complement fixation test (CFT). The results showed that the antibody titer against OMP and LPS in whole culture vaccine is significantly higher than the respective tested vaccines. These results concluded that OMP no doubt is an active T-dependent immunogenic molecule but its immunogenicity increases many times when combined with LPS in whole culture vaccine. Conclusion, significance and impact of study: Lipopolysaccharides (LPS) in combination with outer membrane proteins (OMP) synergistically boost the humoral immune response in vaccinated animal.

Aims: The study was carried out firstly, to evaluate the prevalence of extended spectrum beta lactamase (ESBL), multidrug resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates from Punjab, Pakistan and secondly, to characterize the genotypes of their beta lactamase producing enzymes and optimization of PCR based method for rapid and authentic detection of antibiotic resistant gene. Methodology and results: Two hundred of K. pneumonia strains were isolated from different clinical samples. Blood and MacConkey Agar were used to isolate and identify bacterial microorganisms while Muller Hinton Agar was used to evaluate the antimicrobial susceptibility against different antibiotics as per CLSI 2012 guidelines. ESBL producing bacteria were screened by double disk synergy /combination disk test. PCR was optimized and performed for resistant gene (CTX-M). The results showed that most of the isolates were resistant to multiple antibiotic including cephalosporin, aztreonam, sulphamethoxazole/trimethoprim, ciprofloxacin, doxycyclin and were sensitive to imipenam and amikacin. Frequency of CTX-M gene in ESBL producing K. pneumoniae was 94%. Conclusion, significance and impact of study: Based on the finding of this study it is suggested that prevalence of CTX-M gene (95%) is very high among ESBL producing isolates. Therefore, PCR based method may help clinicians for rapid detection and treatment of patients by choosing right medication against the resistant bacteria as early as possible.

BACKGROUND: This study has been conducted with the aim of evaluating modified T-plate interpositional arthroplasty. METHODS: A prospective comparative study in patients admitted with temporomandibular joint ankylosis. Ankylotic temporomandibular joint arthroplasty included condylectomy gap arthroplasty in 7, temporalis muscle flap interpositional arthroplasty in 8, and modified T-plate interpositional arthroplasty in 13 cases. The patients were followed for three years. Collected data were tabulated and subjected to Fisher's exact test, chi-square test and probability estimation. RESULTS: A significant increase in interincisal distance of 32 mm was seen in 12 (92.31%) patients in the T-plate interposition group, in 2 (25%) cases of the temporalis muscle flap interposition group, and in 1 case (14.28%) of the condylectomy group at 12, 24, and 36 months. Re-ankylosis was observed in 1 case (9.69%) of the T-plate interposition group, while as it was observed in 4 (50%) cases in the temporalis muscle flap interposition group and 4 (57.14%) cases in the condylectomy group, and these differences were statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Our clinical experience with the use of the T-plate over the past 5 years has been encouraging, and our physiotherapy technique is quite simple. Even illiterate parents can assess it easily. Hence, we recommend this easy technique that does not damage the temporalis muscle for the management of temporomandibular joint ankylosis.
Ankylosis* ; Arthroplasty* ; Humans ; Parents ; Prospective Studies ; Temporomandibular Joint*

COVID-19/virology* ; Cities ; Environmental Monitoring ; Genome, Viral ; Humans ; Infection Control/methods* ; Pakistan ; RNA, Viral/genetics* ; SARS-CoV-2/genetics* ; Sewage/virology*