The present study was designed to investigate the attachment styles and death anxiety among pregnant women. In order to meet the study objectives sample of (n=62) was recruited from hospitals of Rawalpindi (i.e., Maryam Memorial and Cantonment Hospital) and Islamabad (i.e., Shifa Medicine Hospital and Poly Clinic). Age range of the sample was 18 to 45 years. Attachment styles were assessed by Experience in Close Relationship Revised-Questionnaire (ECR-R) and death anxiety was assessed with Death Anxiety Scale. The findings revealed that there was significant positive correlation between attachment styles and death anxiety (p<0.05) and it was found that pregnant women scored low on secure attachment style. Younger pregnant women were high on preoccupied, fearful and dismissing attachment style as compare to older age pregnant women. Women with first pregnancy scored high on anxious, dismissing, and fearful attachment style as compare to women with second and third pregnancy. Pregnant women had pregnancy loss feel more death anxiety as compare to pregnant women with no history of pregnancy loss. ASEAN Journal of Psychiatry, Vol. 22 (2): March 2021: 1-10.

BACKGROUND: Pilea umbrosa (Urticaceae) is used by local communities (district Abbotabad) for liver disorders, as anticancer, in rheumatism and in skin disorders. METHODS: Methanol extract of P. umbrosa (PUM) was investigated for the presence of polyphenolic constituents by HPLC-DAD analysis. PUM (150 mg/kg and 300 mg/kg) was administered on alternate days for eight weeks in rats exposed with carbon tetrachloride (CCl). Serum analysis was performed for liver function tests while in liver tissues level of antioxidant enzymes and biochemical markers were also studied. In addition, semi quantitative estimation of antioxidant genes, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) induced stress markers, pro-inflammatory cytokines and fibrosis related genes were carried out on liver tissues by RT-PCR analysis. Liver tissues were also studied for histopathological injuries. RESULTS: Level of antioxidant enzymes such as catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD) and glutathione (GSH) decreased (p < 0.05) whereas level of thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS), HO and nitrite increased in liver tissues of CCl treated rat. Likewise increase in the level of serum markers; alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and total bilirubin was observed. Moreover, CCl caused many fold increase in expression of ER stress markers; glucose regulated protein (GRP-78), x-box binding protein1-total (XBP-1 t), x-box binding protein1-unspliced (XBP-1 u) and x-box binding protein1-spliced (XBP-1 s). The level of inflammatory mediators such as tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) was aggregated whereas suppressed the level of antioxidant enzymes; γ-glutamylcysteine ligase (GCLC), protein disulfide isomerase (PDI) and nuclear erythroid 2 p45-related factor 2 (Nrf-2). Additionally, level of fibrosis markers; transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), Smad-3 and collagen type 1 (Col1-α) increased with CCl induced liver toxicity. Histopathological scrutiny depicted damaged liver cells, neutrophils infiltration and dilated sinusoids in CCl intoxicated rats. PUM was enriched with rutin, catechin, caffeic acid and apigenin as evidenced by HPLC analysis. Simultaneous administration of PUM and CCl in rats retrieved the normal expression of these markers and prevented hepatic injuries. CONCLUSION Collectively these results suggest that PUM constituted of strong antioxidant chemicals and could be a potential therapeutic agent for stress related liver disorders.
Animals ; Carbon Tetrachloride ; adverse effects ; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury ; drug therapy ; etiology ; pathology ; Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress ; drug effects ; Fibrosis ; drug therapy ; genetics ; Inflammation ; drug therapy ; genetics ; Liver ; drug effects ; enzymology ; metabolism ; Male ; Protective Agents ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Urticaceae ; chemistry