OBJECTIVE: To explore the potential apoptotic mechanisms of 3 Morchella extracts (Morchella conica, Morchella esculenta and Morchella delicosa) on breast and colon cancer cell lines using apoptotic biomarkers. METHODS: Human breast cell line (MCF-7) and colon cancer cell line (SW-480) were treated with methanol and ethanol extracts of 3 Morchella species with concentration ranging from 0.0625 to 2 mg/mL. After that their effects on gene expression of apoptosis related markers (pro-apoptotic markers including Bax, caspase-3, caspase-7, and caspase-9, and the antiapoptotic marker including Bcl-2) were determined using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: All Morchella extracts reduced breast and colon cancer cells proliferation at half inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) of 0.02 ±0.01 to 0.68 ±0.30 mg/mL. As expected, all Morchella extracts significantly increased gene expressions of Bax, caspase-3, caspase-7, and caspase-9 and downregulated the gene expression of Bcl-2 in MCF-7 and SW-480 cell lines (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS Morchella extracts demonstrated significant anti-proliferative activity against breast and colon cancer cell lines via an apoptosis induction mechanism. Anticancer activity of Morchella extracts and activation of apoptosis in breast and colon cancer cells suggest that it may be used to develop chemotherapeutic agents against cancer in future.
Humans ; Apoptosis/genetics* ; Colonic Neoplasms/drug therapy* ; Breast Neoplasms/drug therapy* ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation/drug effects* ; Plant Extracts/pharmacology* ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic/drug effects* ; MCF-7 Cells ; Ascomycota/chemistry*

Thymoquinone (Tq) and gallic acid (GA) are known for counter-tumorigenic characteristics. GA inhibits cancer cell proliferation by interfering with many apoptotic signaling pathways, producing more reactive oxygen species (ROS), focusing on the cell cycle, and suppressing the expression of oncogenes and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). In this study, thymoquinone (after reducing to thymohydroquinone) and gallic acid are esterified to form thymohydroquinyl gallate (a prodrug). Thymohydroquinyl gallate (THQG) possesses enhanced antineoplastic efficacy and targeted delivery potential. The chemical and spectroscopic analysis confirms ester synthesis. Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) are employed as nanocarriers due to their physicochemical and optical characteristics, biocompatibility, and low toxicity. As an efficient drug transporter, gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) shield conjugated drugs from enzymatic digestion. The prodrug acts as a reducing agent for Au metal atoms and is loaded onto it after reduction. The nano drug is radiolabeled with ^99mTc and ¹³¹I to monitor the drug biodistribution in animals using a gamma camera and single-photon emission computerized tomography (SPECT). ¹³¹I is an antineoplastic that helps enhance the drug's efficiency. Chromatographic results reveal promising radiolabeling percentages. In vitro, drug release shows sustained release at pH⁓5.8. In vitro 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5 diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) cytotoxicity assay reveals drug potency on CAL 27 and MCF 7 cell lines.

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular disease is a significant contributor to the disease burden in geriatric patients. Underlying systemic inflammation is thought to be the cause of age-related changes in the bone marrow and a major risk factor for atherosclerosis. The purpose of the study was to assess the accuracy of these hematological biomarkers in predicting 30-day mortality in older patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). METHODS: This was a prospective observational study of 601 older adult patients (age > 60 years) with ACS who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention over two years (2017-2019). The relationship between baseline hematological parameters and mortality was assessed during the 30-day follow-up. Logistic regression analysis and receiver operating characteristic curve analysis were done to evaluate for diagnostic accuracy of various hematological parameters. RESULTS: The mean age of presentation was 77 ± 17 years. The mean neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) value was 5.07 ± 4.90 and the mean platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) value was 108.65 ± 85.82. On univariate analysis, total leucocyte count [odds ratio (OR) = 0.85, P = 0.021], hematocrit (OR = 0.91, P = 0.018), NLR (OR = 1.10, P = 0.001) and PLR (OR = 1.05, P = 0.001) were associated with mortality. On receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, NLR predicted mortality with 68.1% and PLR with 65.7% accuracy. On multivariate analysis, NLR (OR = 1.096, 95% CI: 1.006-1.15, P = 0.035) was an independent predictor of 30-day mortality. CONCLUSIONS For the risk classification of all elderly ACS patients, we highly advise using NLR rather than the total white blood cell count.

The role of hypnosis and motivation in academic performance has been under empirical investigation for a long. Therefore, the current quasi-experimental research was designed to explore the role of hypnosis and motivation in the academic achievement of Pakistani elementary school children. A sample of 90 students (50% boys and 50% girls) with an age range of 13-14 years, selected through stratified random sampling technique, was divided into three study groups (two experimental and one control group). One group was given motivational instructions under light hypnotic trance, the other was given the same instructions without induction of hypnotic trance and the third group was not given any intervention. Analyses of the data revealed that motivational instructions given under hypnotic trance as well as without hypnotic trance significantly improved the academic achievement of the participants. Gender differences were also evident as the academic achievement of the girls was significantly higher than that of the boys in the simple instructions group whereas the boys of the hypnotic instructions group performed significantly better than the boys of the simple instructions group. Implications of the study along with recommendations for future research were discussed

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

An observational study was conducted at the Section of Clinical Chemistry, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, to assess the iodine status using the World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF), and the International Council for Control of Iodine Deficiency Disorders (ICCIDD) consensus criteria, which state that >3% prevalence of serum thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) ≥10 mIU/L in the population is an indicator of iodine deficiency. Serum neonatal TSH was analyzed from January to December 2013. In a period of one year, a total of 11,597 neonates with the mean (25 percentile, 75 percentile value) age of 2.0 days (0.5–3.5) were tested for serum TSH. The overall mean TSH level was 3.38 mIU/L (5.63–1.96), with optimal levels (1–39 mIU/L) in 93%, <1 mIU/L in 6.3%, and ≥40 mIU/L in 0.3% neonates. Of all the neonates, 7.9% (N=916) showed TSH ≥10 mIU/L which is higher than the recommended WHO/UNICEF/ICCIDD criteria for mild endemicity for iodine deficiency in the population. These results suggest that iodine deficiency is still prevalent in our population, indicating a need for effective intervention programs and increasing awareness regarding the use of iodized salt and supplementation in all reproductive-aged women to prevent iodine deficiency in neonates.
Chemistry, Clinical ; Congenital Hypothyroidism ; Consensus ; Emergencies ; Female ; Financial Management ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Iodine ; Observational Study ; Pathology ; Prevalence ; Thyrotropin ; United Nations ; World Health Organization

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: There is sparsity of quality evidence for the use of drugs after first-line benzodiazepines in convulsive status epilepticus in children. The aim of the study was to compare the clinical efficacy and safety of intravenous levetiracetam versus intravenous phenytoin as second-line drugs in the management of generalized convulsive status epilepticus in children. METHODS: This open-label randomized controlled trial was conducted in the Emergency Department of The Children's Hospital and The Institute of Child Health, Multan, Pakistan over a period of 4 years and 6 months from January 2014 to June 2018. This study included 600 children with generalized convulsive status epilepticus: 300 in the 40 mg/kg levetiracetam group, and 300 in the 20 mg/kg phenytoin group. Cessation of a clinical seizure (seizure cessation rate) within 30 minutes after the end of drug administration was the primary outcome in this study, and the presence or absence of adverse effects was noted as the secondary outcome. Data were analyzed using SPSS (version 20.0). RESULTS: The children in the levetiracetam and phenytoin were aged 3.5±0.2 and 3.4±0.2 years (mean±SD), respectively, their seizure durations before the start of treatment were 25.1±0.6 and 23.8±0.4 minutes, and their treatment efficacies were 278/300 (92.7%) and 259/300 (83.3%). Levetiracetam was significantly more effective than phenytoin (p=0.012), with no significant difference in safety. Adverse events were observed in eight children in the phenytoin group. CONCLUSIONS: Levetiracetam is significantly more effective than phenytoin for the treatment of convulsive status epilepticus in children who have failed to respond to benzodiazepines.
Benzodiazepines ; Child Health ; Child ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Humans ; Pakistan ; Phenytoin ; Seizures ; Status Epilepticus ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVE: Scandix pecten-veneris L. is a less studied wild edible herb and is considered an extinct plant species in many parts of the world. This study was designed to evaluate its phytochemical composition and biological potential of S. pecten-veneris L. METHODS: Phytochemicals including alkaloids, flavonoids, polyphenols, and tannins were determined in extracts of S. pecten-veneris. Antioxidant activity was determined using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), while reducing power was tested by ferric reducing/antioxidant power (FRAP) assay. Antimicrobial activity against seven bacterial and four fungal strains was evaluated using agar well diffusion assay. Enzymes inhibition study was performed for urease, phosphodiesterase-I, and catalase-II. RESULTS: S. pecten-veneris showed moderate antiradical activity and reducing potential of hydroxyl radicals to about 20% of the initial value. The antioxidant activity of various extracts of S. pecten-veneris showed a linear correlation with total phenolic contents in the order of water>n-butanol>chloroform>ethyl acetate>methanol extracts. S. pecten-veneris leaves showed the highest inhibitory activity against Staphylococcus aureus while the highest antifungal activity was observed against Candida albicans. The plant extract was most potent against urease enzymes but showed moderate activity against phosphodiestrase-I and carbonic anhydrase-II. CONCLUSIONS Our data demonstrate that in addition to its culinary uses, S. pecten-veneris has good medicinal potential and hence could be used for treating some specific health ailments.
Animals ; Anti-Infective Agents/pharmacology* ; Antioxidants/pharmacology* ; Apiaceae/chemistry* ; Enzyme Inhibitors/pharmacology* ; Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors/pharmacology* ; Phytochemicals/analysis* ; Plant Extracts/pharmacology* ; Plants, Edible/chemistry* ; Staphylococcus aureus/drug effects* ; Urease/antagonists & inhibitors*

Canine babesiosis is an important tick-borne protozoal disease of dogs that poses major health problem worldwide. Farm dogs in rural areas are the companion animals, that not only watch the livestock herds but also guard the house of the owners. Each farmer keeps his companion dog to get all the services. In our study, a total of 450 blood samples of farm dogs from three different ecological zones (Southern, Central and Northern regions of the province; Punjab) of Pakistan, were collected to examine through microscopy and PCR. Examination of thin blood smears revealed an overall prevalence of 12.8% (58/450) of canine babesisal parasites. However, PCR analysis revealed 46.8% (211/450) and 7.3% (33/450) samples positive for B. gibsoni and B. vogeli, respectively. The amplicons of 671 bp and 590 bp were amplified for the detection of B. gibsoni and B. vogeli, respectively through PCR. The results of multivariate analysis showed that the occurrence of canine babesiosis is higher in the Central Punjab and younger age of the dogs, while breed and sex of the host were not significantly associated with the occurrence of the disease. Mixed infection of B. gibsoni and B. vogeli was observed only in 3 dogs each in district Kasur and Rawalpindi. Our study is the first report to observe the occurrence of canine babesiosis in rural dogs in Pakistan through PCR.

STUDY DESIGN: Cross sectional study. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence and the associated risk factors of pinhole type of durotomy and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage following a simple laminectomy for spinal stenosis. OVERVIEW OF LITERATURE: The incidence of spinal stenosis is expected to rise with increasing life expectancy. Moreover, lumbar spinal stenosis is the most common indication for spinal injury in the geriatric population. It is therefore important to identify and prevent the risks associated with laminectomy, the most widely used surgical procedure for spinal stenosis. The serious complication of incidental dural tear or durotomy and subsequent CSF leakage has not been studied in the region of Southeast Asia. METHODS: In this cross sectional study, we included 138 adult patients (age>18 years), who underwent a simple laminectomy for lumbar stenosis between 2011 and 2012. CSF leakage was the main outcome variable. Patients' wounds were examined for CSF leakage up to 1 week postoperatively. RESULTS: The incidence of pinhole type durotomy and subsequent CSF leakage in our region was 8.7%. Univariate analysis showed that hypertension, diabetes and smoking were significantly associated with durotomy and increased CSF leakage by 16.72, 44.25, and 33.71 times, respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that only smoking and diabetes significantly increased the chances of leakage. CONCLUSIONS: Glycemic control and cessation of smoking prior to a simple laminectomy procedure reduced the incidence of a dural tear. Larger clinical studies on this lethal complication are required.
Adult ; Asia, Southeastern ; Cerebrospinal Fluid* ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Dura Mater ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Incidence* ; Laminectomy* ; Life Expectancy ; Multivariate Analysis ; Risk Factors ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Spinal Injuries ; Spinal Stenosis ; Wounds and Injuries