Synthesis of novel hydrazide Schiff bases with anti-diabetic and anti-hyperlipidemic effects: in-vitro, in-vivo and in-silico approaches

The increasing global incidence of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) necessitates innovative therapeutic solutions. This study focuses on the design, synthesis and biological evaluation of Schiff base derivatives from 2-bromo-2-(2-chlorophenyl) acetic acid, particularly hydrazone compounds 4a and 4b. Both in-vitro and in-vivo assays demonstrate these derivatives' strong antidiabetic and anti-hyperlipidemic properties. In a 15-d experiment, we administered 4a and 4b at doses of 2.5 and 5 mg/kg body weight, which effectively improved symptoms of alloxan-induced diabetes in mice. These symptoms included weight loss, increased water consumption and high blood glucose levels. The compounds also normalized abnormal levels of total cholesterol (TC), triacylglycerol (TG) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), while raising the levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLC). Computational analysis showed that these compounds effectively inhibited the α-glucosidase enzyme by interacting with key catalytic residues, specifically Asp214 and Asp349. These computational results were confirmed through in-vitro tests, where 4a and 4b showed strong α-glucosidase inhibitory activity, with IC50 values of 0.70 ± 0.11 and 10.29 ± 0.30 µM, respectively. These compounds were more effective than the standard drug, acarbose, which had an IC50 value of 873.34 ± 1.67 µM. Mechanistic studies further indicated competitive inhibition, reinforcing the therapeutic potential of 4a and 4b for NIDDM treatment.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Quantification of toxic heavy metals, trace elements and essential minerals contents in traditional herbal medicines commonly utilized in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

Traditional herbal medicines and health supplements have been empirically used to treat various disorders but most of them are not standardized and have not been experimentally validated for safety and efficacy. In the present study, various dosage forms of traditional herbal medicines prescribed for specific diseases were collected from local practitioners at different districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. The collected samples were analyzed for heavy metal, trace elements, and minerals using atomic absorption spectroscopy. All the tested samples contained heavy metals, trace elements and minerals in different concentrations. All the samples were tested positive for the presence of toxic heavy metals such as arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb). The trace elements like cobalt (Co), iron (Fe), zinc (Zn) and chromium (Cr) were also detected in acceptable range. Similarly, the samples analyzed were rich in some of the essential minerals such as sodium (Na), magnesium (Mg) and calcium (Ca) which are necessary for the proper functioning of the body. The hazard quotient (HQ) values were measured for toxic heavy metals to determine their safe ranges for human body. The HQ values were above the permissible range for arsenic (As) in all detected samples while for cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb), the values ware above in 50 % of the analyzed samples. The detection of toxic metals and their HQ values beyond the permissible limits in different dosage forms raised questions about their quality. This study suggests that evaluation of traditional herbal remedies for the metals contents and their standardization are strongly recommended for quality assurance and protection of public health.

Telluride-Based Materials: A Promising Route for High Performance Supercapacitors

As supercapacitor (SC) technology continues to evolve, there is a growing need for electrode materials with high energy/power densities and cycling stability. However, research and development of electrode materials with such characteristics is essential for commercialization the SC. To meet this demand, the development of superior electrode materials has become an increasingly critical step. The electrochemical performance of SCs is greatly influenced by various factors such as the reaction mechanism, crystal structure, and kinetics of electron/ion transfer in the electrodes, which have been challenging to address using previously investigated electrode materials like carbon and metal oxides/sulfides. Recently, tellurium and telluride-based materials have garnered increasing interest in energy storage technology owing to their high electronic conductivity, favorable crystal structure, and excellent volumetric capacity. This review provides a comprehensive understanding of the fundamental properties and energy storage performance of tellurium- and Te-based materials by introducing their physicochemical properties. First, we elaborate on the significance of tellurides. Next, the charge storage mechanism of functional telluride materials and important synthesis strategies are summarized. Then, research advancements in metal and carbon-based telluride materials, as well as the effectiveness of tellurides for SCs, were analyzed by emphasizing their essential properties and extensive advantages. Finally, the remaining challenges and prospects for improving the telluride-based supercapacitive performance are outlined.

2D MXenes Nanosheets for Advanced Energy Conversion and Storage Devices: Recent Advances and Future Prospects

Since the initial MXenes were discovered in 2011, several MXene compositions constructed using combinations of various transition metals have been developed. MXenes are ideal candidates for different applications in energy conversion and storage, because of their unique and interesting characteristics, which included good electrical conductivity, hydrophilicity, and simplicity of large-scale synthesis. Herein, we study the current developments in two-dimensional (2D) MXene nanosheets for energy storage and conversion technologies. First, we discuss the introduction to energy storage and conversion devices. Later, we emphasized on 2D MXenes and some specific properties of MXenes. Subsequently, research advances in MXene-based electrode materials for energy storage such as supercapacitors and rechargeable batteries is summarized. We provide the relevant energy storage processes, common challenges, and potential approaches to an acceptable solution for 2D MXene-based energy storage. In addition, recent advances for MXenes used in energy conversion devices like solar cells, fuel cells and catalysis is also summarized. Finally, the future prospective of growing MXene-based energy conversion and storage are highlighted.

Evaluating the potential of millets as blend components with soy protein isolate in a high moisture extrusion system for improved texture, structure, and colour properties of meat analogues

This study explored the use of millets flours as a secondary ingredient with soy protein isolate (SPI) to develop fibrous high moisture meat analogue (HMMA). Three millets (sorghum, pearl millet, and finger millet) with three incorporation levels (10%, 20%, and 30%) were extruded at 60%, 65%, and 70% moisture content. The results showed that millet type, incorporation level, and moisture content significantly influenced the system parameters and textural properties. Good visual texturization was achieved at addition of pearl millet up to 30% incorporation level and sorghum and finger millet up to 20% incorporation level. Furthermore, the textural properties of HMMA made from SPI-millet blends were compared against HMMA made from SPI-gluten blend and real chicken. The HMMA made from SPI-millet flour had lower hardness, chewiness, resilience, springiness, tensile strength, cutting strength than that for SPI and SPI-wheat gluten blend and were much closer to corresponding values for real chicken. The results also showed that each of the three millet types generated distinctly different fibre patterns (thick to thin fibres) and colour (whiter to darker) of HMMA. Thus, HMMA produced from SPI-millet flour blends can offer a wide textural, fibre pattern and colour space for different plant-based meat applications. Since millets do not have gluten, they also offer an opportunity to make gluten-free HMMA's.

Development and Characterization of Natural Chromite Coating on Metal Substrate Using the Plasma Spray Process

Natural materials are gaining interest as coating feedstock because their "quality to cost" ratio is better and they are more environmentally friendly than most of the synthetic ceramics. They give sufficient protection to metal surfaces against harsh conditions such as corrosion, wear, and high temperature. In the current study, chromite mineral was beneficiated and reduced to two different sizes to be used as feedstock material for thermal spray coating. Powders were upgraded by gravity and magnetic separation, respectively, and thermally sprayed onto mild steel samples by using atmospheric plasma spray (APS) equipment. Morphology, structure, phases, elemental distribution of chromite powder, and coatings were studied using field emission scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Tribological properties of APS chromite coatings were investigated by using a ball-on-disk tribometer, and corrosion resistance properties were evaluated by carrying out potentiodynamic polarization testing in 3.5% NaCl solution. It is observed that the coating has better wear and corrosion resistance and is worn by abrasive wear that includes scratching and particles pull out. Coating efficiency, surface morphology, and microhardness of the coating developed by fine powder were better than those of coarse powder coating.

In-situ construction of binder-free MnO2/MnSe heterostructure membrane for high-performance energy storage in pseudocapacitors

Manganese (Mn)-based oxides are considered suitable positive electrode materials for supercapacitors (SCs). However, their cycle stability and specific capacitance are significantly hindered by key restrictions such as structural instability and low conductivity. Herein, we demonstrated a novel nanorod (NR)-shaped heterostructured manganese dioxide/manganese selenide membrane (MnO2/MnSe) on carbon cloth (CC) (denoted as MnO2/MnSe-NR@CC) with a high aspect ratio by a straightforward and facile hydrothermal process. Experiments have demonstrated that doping selenium atoms to oxygen sites reduce electronegativity, increasing the intrinsic electronic conductivity of MnO2, decreasing electrostatic interactions with electrolyte ions, and thus boosting the reaction kinetics. Further, the selenium doping results in an amorphous surface with extensive oxygen defects, which contributed to the emergence of additional charge storage sites with pseudocapacitive characteristics. As expected, novel heterostructured MnO2/MnSe-NR@CC as an electrode for SC exhibits a high capacitance of 740.63 F/g at a current density of 1.5 A/g, with excellent cycling performance (93% capacitance retention after 5000 cycles). The MnO2/MnSe-NR@CC exhibited outstanding charge storage capability, dominating capacitive charge storage (84.6% capacitive at 6 mV/s). To examine the practical applications of MnO2/MnSe-NR@CC-ASC as a positive electrode, MnO2/MnSe-NR@CC//AC device was fabricated. The MnO2/MnSe-NR@CC//AC-ASC device performed exceptionally well, with a maximum capacitance of 166.66 F/g at 2 A/g, with a capacitance retention of 94%, after 500 GCD cycles. Additionally, it delivers an energy density of 75.06 Wh/kg at a power density of 1805.1 W/kg and maintains 55.044 Wh/kg at a maximum power density of 18,159 W/kg. This research sheds fresh information on the anionic doping method and has the potential to be applied to the synthesis of positive electrode materials for energy storage applications.

A Step toward Next-Generation Advancements in the Internet of Things Technologies

The Internet of Things (IoT) devices generate a large amount of data over networks; therefore, the efficiency, complexity, interfaces, dynamics, robustness, and interaction need to be re-examined on a large scale. This phenomenon will lead to seamless network connectivity and the capability to provide support for the IoT. The traditional IoT is not enough to provide support. Therefore, we designed this study to provide a systematic analysis of next-generation advancements in the IoT. We propose a systematic catalog that covers the most recent advances in the traditional IoT. An overview of the IoT from the perspectives of big data, data science, and network science disciplines and also connecting technologies is given. We highlight the conceptual view of the IoT, key concepts, growth, and most recent trends. We discuss and highlight the importance and the integration of big data, data science, and network science along with key applications such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, blockchain, federated learning, etc. Finally, we discuss various challenges and issues of IoT such as architecture, integration, data provenance, and important applications such as cloud and edge computing, etc. This article will provide aid to the readers and other researchers in an understanding of the IoT's next-generation developments and tell how they apply to the real world.

An Efficient and Secure Energy Trading Approach with Machine Learning Technique and Consortium Blockchain

In this paper, a secure energy trading mechanism based on blockchain technology is proposed. The proposed model deals with energy trading problems such as insecure energy trading and inefficient charging mechanisms for electric vehicles (EVs) in a vehicular energy network (VEN). EVs face two major problems: finding an optimal charging station and calculating the exact amount of energy required to reach the selected charging station. Moreover, in traditional trading approaches, centralized parties are involved in energy trading, which leads to various issues such as increased computational cost, increased computational delay, data tempering and a single point of failure. Furthermore, EVs face various energy challenges, such as imbalanced load supply and fluctuations in voltage level. Therefore, a demand-response (DR) pricing strategy enables EV users to flatten load curves and efficiently adjust electricity usage. In this work, communication between EVs and aggregators is efficiently performed through blockchain. Moreover, a branching concept is involved in the proposed system, which divides EV data into two different branches: a Fraud Chain (F-chain) and an Integrity Chain (I-chain). The proposed branching mechanism helps solve the storage problem and reduces computational time. Moreover, an attacker model is designed to check the robustness of the proposed system against double-spending and replay attacks. Security analysis of the proposed smart contract is also given in this paper. Simulation results show that the proposed work efficiently reduces the charging cost and time in a VEN.

Binder-Free Zinc-Iron Oxide as a High-Performance Negative Electrode Material for Pseudocapacitors

The interaction between cathode and anode materials is critical for developing a high-performance asymmetric supercapacitor (SC). Significant advances have been made for cathode materials, while the anode is comparatively less explored for SC applications. Herein, we proposed a high-performance binder-free anode material composed of two-dimensional ZnFe₂O₄ nanoflakes supported on carbon cloth (ZFO-NF@CC). The electrochemical performance of ZFO-NF@CC as an anode material for supercapacitor application was examined in a KOH solution via a three-electrode configuration. The ZFO-NF@CC electrode demonstrated a specific capacitance of 509 F g^-1 at 1.5 A g^-1 and was retained 94.2% after 10,000 GCD cycles. The ZFO-NF@CC electrode showed exceptional charge storage properties by attaining high pseudocapacitive-type storage. Furthermore, an asymmetric SC device was fabricated using ZFO-NF@CC as an anode and activated carbon on CC (AC@CC) as a cathode with a KOH-based aqueous electrolyte (ZFO-NF@CC||AC@CC). The ZFO-NF@CC||AC@CC yielded a high specific capacitance of 122.2 F g^-1 at a current density of 2 A g^-1, a high energy density of 55.044 Wh kg^-1 at a power density of 1801.44 W kg^-1, with a remarkable retention rate of 96.5% even after 4000 cycles was attained. Thus, our results showed that the enhanced electrochemical performance of ZFO-NF@CC used as an anode in high-performance SC applications can open new research directions for replacing carbon-based anode materials.

The Emergence of 2D MXenes Based Zn-Ion Batteries: Recent Development and Prospects

Rechargeable zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs) with exceptional theoretical capacity have garnered significant interest in large-scale electrochemical energy storage devices due to their low cost, abundant material, inherent safety, high specific energy, and ecofriendly nature. Metal carbides/nitrides, known as MXenes, have emerged as a large family of 2D transition metal carbides or carbonitrides with excellent properties, e.g., high electrical conductivity, large surface functional groups (e.g., F, O, and OH), low energy barriers for the diffusion of electrolyte ions with wide interlayer spaces. After a decade of effort, significant development has been achieved in the synthesis, properties, and applications of MXenes. Thus, it has opened up various exciting opportunities to construct advanced MXene-based nanostructures for ZIBs with excellent specific energy and power. Herein, this review summarizes the advances across multiple synthesis routes, related properties, morphological and structural characteristics, and chemistries of MXenes for ZIBs. The recent development of MXene-based electrodes is introduced, and electrolytes for ZIBs are elucidated in detail. MXene-based rocking chair ZIBs, strategies to enhance the performance of MXene-based cathodes, suppress the dendrites in MXene-based anodes, and MXene-based flexible ZIBs are pointed out. A rational design and modification of the MXenes as well as the production of composites with metal oxides exhibits promise in solving issues and enhancing the electrochemical performance of ZIBs. Finally, the present challenges and future prospects for MXene-based ZIBs are discussed.

Induction chemotherapy using carboplatin and paclitaxel followed by hypofractionated radiation therapy in locally advanced hypopharyngeal and laryngeal squamous cell cancer

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Background: Head and neck cancer (HNC) is one of the most common cancers in Pakistan due to excessive use of chewable tobacco. Locoregional control is not optimum due to advanced stage at presentation and suboptimal cancer treatment facilities. Innovations in treatment schedules are of utmost importance to tackle the problem of overburden of patients and shortage of resources for radiation therapy in the country. The aim of the study is to assess the efficacy of induction chemotherapy with carboplatin and paclitaxel (CP) followed by hypofractionated radiotherapy (HRT) in patients with locally advanced laryngeal and hypopharyngeal cancers. Methods: A total of 68 patients with biopsy proven HNC were included. Patients having primary tumor in larynx (35) and hypopharynx (33) with TNM stage III to IVB were selected. The patients were planned for three cycles of CP every three weeks in a dose of AUC = 5 and 175 mg/m² on day 1 of each cycle respectively. After three cycles of chemotherapy, patients were planned for hypofractionated radiotherapy (HRT). A total of 55 Gray (Gy) was planned with 2.75 Gy per fraction and five fractions a week. Spinal cord dose was limited to 33 Gy. Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumor (RECIST) was used to assess various response rates using computed tomography (CT) six weeks after completion of HRT. Patients were followed for a median of 27.4 months to assess disease free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS). Results: 61 patients (90%) were available for assessment. Others were excluded due to inability to complete the planned treatment. Eight patients (12%) showed disease progression during treatment and were switched to other form of treatment. Seven patients (10%) showed grade 3 mucosal toxicity and needed treatment interruption. Thirteen patients (19%) showed hematological related grade 1-2 toxicity. The complete response (CR) was seen in 18 (35%), partial response (PR) in 27 (52%) and stable disease SD in 7 (13%) patients. Three year DFS and OS were 45% and 58% respectively. Mean and median DFS (year) were 3.67±0.13 (95% confidence interval [CI] 3.19-3.94) and 4.24±0.43 (CI 3.46-4.52) respectively. Mean and median OS (year) were 3.89±0.11 (CI 3.72-4.15) and 4.12±0.23 (CI 3.87-4.38) respectively. Conclusions: Induction CP followed by HRT is a reasonable in locally advanced laryngeal and hypopharyngeal cancer. A larger phase III randomized trial will be better to define its role before routinely recommending this schedule in these patients.

Antioxidant, antifungal, and aphicidal activity of the triterpenoids spinasterol and 22,23-dihydrospinasterol from leaves of Citrullus colocynthis L

Terpenoids from natural plant sources are valuable for their diverse biological activities that have important roles in the medical and agrochemical industries. In this study, we assessed the antioxidant, antifungal, and aphicidal activities of a mixture of spinasterol and 22,23-dihydrospinasterol from the leaves of Citrullus colocynthis. We used 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) to assess antioxidant activity, and we measured antifungal activity using mycelium growth inhibition assays with three pathogenic fungi, Magnaporthe grisea, Rhizoctonia solani, and Phytophthora infestans. Aphicidal activity against adults of Myzus persicae was determined using in vitro and in vivo assays. Spinasterol and 22,23-dihydrospinasterol exhibited moderate antioxidant activity, even at lower concentrations: 19.98% at 0.78 µg mL⁻¹, 31.52% at 3.0 µg mL⁻¹, 36.61% at 12.5 µg mL⁻¹, and 49.76% at 50 µg mL⁻¹. Spinasterol and 22,23-dihydrospinasterol showed reasonable levels of fungicidal activity toward R. solani and M. grisea, with EC₅₀ values of 129.5 and 206.1 µg mL⁻¹, respectively. The positive controls boscalid and carbendazim were highly effective against all fungi except boscalid for M. grisea (EC₅₀ = 868 µg mL⁻¹) and carbendazim for P. infestans (EC₅₀ = 8721 µg mL⁻¹). Significant insecticidal activity was observed in both residual and greenhouse assays, with LC₅₀ values of 42.46, 54.86, and 180.9 µg mL⁻¹ and 32.71, 42.46, and 173.8 µg mL⁻¹ at 72, 48, and 24 h, respectively. The antioxidant activity of spinasterol and 22,23-dihydrospinasterol was strongly positively correlated with their antifungal and insecticidal activity. Spinasterol and 22,23-dihydrospinasterol therefore show good antioxidant and aphicidal activity with moderate fungicidal activity, making them suitable candidates for an alternative to synthetic agents.

Smart Roads for Autonomous Accident Detection and Warnings

An increasing number of vehicles on the roads increases the risk of accidents. In bad weather (e.g., heavy rainfall, strong winds, storms, and fog), this risk almost doubles due to bad visibility as well as road conditions. If an accident happens, especially in bad weather, it is important to inform approaching vehicles about it. Otherwise, there might be another accident, i.e., a multiple-vehicle collision (MVC). If the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) is not informed in a timely fashion about the incident, fatalities might increase because they do not receive immediate first aid. Detecting humans or animals would undoubtedly provide us with a better answer for reducing human fatalities in traffic accidents. In this research, an accident alert light and sound (AALS) system is proposed for auto accident detection and alerts with all types of vehicles. No changes are required in non-equipped vehicles (nEVs) and EVs because the system is installed on the roadside. The idea behind this research is to make smart roads (SRs) instead of equipping each vehicle with a separate system. Wireless communication is needed only when an accident is detected. This study is based on different sensors that are used to build SRs to detect accidents. Pre-saved locations are used to reduce the time needed to find the accident’s location without the help of a global positioning system (GPS). Additionally, the proposed framework for the AALS also reduces the risk of MVCs.

Versatile effectors of phytopathogenic fungi target host immunity

Phytopathogenic fungi secrete a large arsenal of effector molecules, including proteinaceous effectors, small RNAs, phytohormones and derivatives thereof. The pathogenicity of fungal pathogens is primarily determined by these effectors that are secreted into host cells to undermine innate immunity, as well as to facilitate the acquisition of nutrients for their in planta growth and proliferation. After conventional and non-conventional secretion, fungal effectors are translocated into different subcellular compartments of the host cells to interfere with various biological processes. In extracellular spaces, apoplastic effectors cope with physical and chemical barriers to break the first line of plant defenses. Intracellular effectors target essential immune components on the plasma membrane, in the cytosol, including cytosolic organelles, and in the nucleus to suppress host immunity and reprogram host physiology, favoring pathogen colonization. In this review, we comprehensively summarize the recent advances in fungal effector biology, with a focus on the versatile virulence functions of fungal effectors in promoting pathogen infection and colonization. A perspective of future research on fungal effector biology is also discussed.

Frequency of Musculoskeletal Disorders in Non-Cystic Fibrosis Bronchiectasis Patients: Cross Sectional Study

Background: Non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis (non-CF BE) is a common chronic lung disease thus causing high morbidity among adults. Aim: To investigate the frequency of musculoskeletal disorders in non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis among patients. Study Design: Cross sectional study. Methodology: Patients having non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis were included in present study through non-probability, convenient sampling technique. Nordic musculoskeletal questionnaire (NMQ) was used to study prevalence of Musculoskeletal Disorders. Patients of both sexes having age (18-40 yrs) were included. Patients having any disease like cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis, active neurological disorder, mental disorders and significant scoliosis or kyphosis were excluded. Data analyzed by SPSS 25.0v. Results: There are 37(24.3%) male and 115(75.7%) females in the present study. Almost 38.8% patients changed their profession while 88.2% were prevented from working due to musculoskeletal disorder during last 1 year. Around 83.6% patients had pain in lower back with knee pain, 27.6% had ankle pain, 34.2% had hip pain, while 57.2% had upper back pain during last 1 year. Conclusion: This study concluded that non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis patients had a high frequency of reported musculoskeletal disorders like 83.6% have lower back pain with knee pain. Thus frequency was high for low back pain as musculoskeletal disorder among enrolled subjects. Keywords: Frequency, Musculoskeletal Disorders and Bronchiectasis.

Chylous Ascites: A Rare Initial Presentation of Pancreatic Carcinoma

Chylous ascites as first manifestation of pancreatic carcinoma is very rare. Usual presentations of pancreatic malignancy are abdominal discomfort, back pain, obstructive jaundice and duodenal obstruction. Development of chylous ascites during the course of the disease signifies poor prognosis. Malignancy and tuberculosis are the most common causes of this condition in developed and developing countries, respectively. Diagnosis is made on elevated triglyceride levels in ascitic fluid examination. Management is directed towards the treatment of primary cause and the chylous ascites. High protein and medium chain triglyceride diet is usually advised along with Orlistat for managing this condition. Peritoneovenus shunting can also be done but at the risk of complications. Our patient developed chylous ascites early in the course of the pancreatic carcinoma. CT scan abdomen was non-conclusive and cervical lymph node biopsy later on revealed that the primary disease was occult pancreatic carcinoma. Key Word: Chylous ascites, Triglyceride level, Pancreatic carcinoma.

Determination of toxic and essential metals in rock and sea salts using pulsed nanosecond laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy

A spectrometer based on pulsed nanosecond laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) was employed for the quantitative determination of heavy and essential metals in salts from various sources available in Pakistan. Six salt samples were collected from sea salt and rock salt. Toxic metals (Cu, Cd, and Ni) and other microessentials (Fe, Ca, Co, Mg, Mn, S, and Zn) were investigated from the recorded spectra. The detection system was calibrated using a parametric dependence study. The quantitative analyses were accomplished under the assumption of local thermodynamic equilibrium and optically thin plasma. The results by the LIBS technique were in agreement with the outcomes of the same samples studied using a more standard approach like inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES). When the concentrations of heavy and essential metals were calculated using a calibration-free LIBS method that does not need a standard salt specimen and dilution, both LIBS and ICP-AES were also in good agreement. The limit of detection of the experimental set up was determined for the observed heavy metals in the studied samples.

Intraspecific variation in seed morphology of tribe vicieae (Papilionoidae) using scanning electron microscopy techniques

Seed micromorphology of 12 species of tribe Vicieae (Papilionoidae) representing five genera were examined using Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). The different seed types were described, illustrated, compared, and their taxonomic importance is discussed. Seeds exhibit great diversity in ultrastructure and a variety of novel morphological features have been determined among and within genera of the tribe. Seeds were characterized by oval to round shape, ovate to oblong outline and striate to papillate ornamentation. Radiate and wavy cell pattern has been observed as a characteristic exomorphological feature. In Vicia sativa, testa cells superficially seem to form peltate hairs. As a result, seed micromorphology with few exceptions showed variation and its taxonomic value was significant in distinguishing taxa at species level. The disparity in shape and density of papillae or protuberances and alignment of testa cells, may possibly give further insight at intraspecific level within tribe. The findings also illustrated that the use of SEM in seed morphology can reveal hidden morphological affinities among species and showed potential in delimitation of Vicieae members generally at tribe, genus, and particularly at species level.

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by concomitant chemoradiation with gemcitabine in muscle invasive bladder cancer

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Background: Urinary bladder cancer is one of the most prevelent genitourinay cancer in Pakistan. It is especially common in population that consumes smokeless tobacco. Advanced stage at diagnosis is usual presentaion due to illiteracy, poverty and lack of primary health facilities. The study was aimed to optimize treatment of muscle invasive bladder cancer in poor resource country. Methods: A total of 65 patients were enrolled for the study. All patients had muscle invasive disease on transurethral resection. Patients were to in stage range from T2-3, N0 and M0 to be selected. The patients were planned for gemcitabine and cisplatinum (GC) every three weeks in a dose of 1000 mg/m² and 40 mg/m² on D1 and D8 of each cycle respectively. Ultrasonography was performed to assess for any bladder mass at this point. The patients with no visible tumor were planned for whole bladder external radiotherapy (ERT) along with weekly gemcitabine 100 mg/m². A total of 63 Gray (Gy) was planned with 1.8 Gy per fraction and five fractions a week. Gemcitabine was given on 1st day of every week during whole course of ERT.Treatment interruptions were allowed depending upon chemotherapy and ERT related toxicity. Primary end point was to assess disease free survival (DFS) while overall survival was also assessed as a secondary end point. Results: 54 patients (83%) were available for assessment to treatment and to assess DFS and OS. Rest of the patients 11/65 (17%) were excluded from the analysis due to inability to complete the treatment. Five patients (8%) showed disease recurrence during treatment and were switched to other treatment. 11 patients (20%) showed bowel, 15 patients (28%) showed bladder and 8 patients (15%) showed hematological related grade 1-2 toxicity. Four year DFS and OS were 43% and 52% respectively. Mean and median DFS (year) were 3.16±0.36 (95% confidence interval [CI] 2.91 to 3.42) and 2.68±0.54 (95% CI 2.41 to 2.93) respectively. Mean and median OS (year) were 3.95±0.43 (95% CI 3.67 to 4.21) and 3.55±0.31 (95% CI 3.37 to 3.76) respectively. Conclusions: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy with GC followed by concomitant CRT using gemcitabine is an excellent choice for bladder preservation in poor resource countries.

Emergency obstetrics care services in District Neelum, Azad Jammu and Kashmir

BACKGROUND

Globally 529,000 women die annually due to pregnancy related problems and in Pakistan alone this toll is about 35,000 deaths per annum. This situation is even more critical in the rural remote areas of Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJK). The whole phenomenon needs a contextual assessment to ascertain the geographical, financial and socio culturaI accessibility, and availability of EmOC services in order to generate fresh evidence for the decision makers and concerned stakeholders for improving these services.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted using a structured questionnaire with the women delivered in the last 15 days, whereas the geographical accessibility and availability of EmOC services were assessed by visiting EmOC facilities in the district Neelum of AJK.

RESULTS

Over a hundred women delivered in the last 15 days, participated in the study. Geographically, a central EmOC facility is far away and the terrain is hilly and dangerous. Women's social status, education, husband's employment and household income were found to have a significant association with the use of EmOC services. The health facilities audit showed that around 90% centres do not have a female medical officer appointed. Moreover, the state of the equipment, medicines and the basic utilities such as water, sanitation, and electricity are not satisfactory.

CONCLUSION

Accessibility of EmOC services is poor in the district Neelum. Evidence on ground calls for organisational reforms at EmOC service delivery level as well as for long term planning in other sectors for improving socioeconomic and education status of the women in Azad Jammu & Kashmir.

Primary thyroid lymphoma: a rare thyroid malignancy

Incidence of thyroidal masses is very high with predominance in females. Most of these masses are benign. Malignancy can be of thyroid or non-thyroid origin. Surgery is treatment of choice in the former but not in latter. Primary thyroid lymphoma (PTL) is a rare cause of thyroid malignancy of non-thyroid origin which is highly treatable without surgery but early diagnosis is important requisite to have better outcome. Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) is an important tool in early diagnosis of PTL, which enables doctors to treat patient better without major surgery and its morbidity. Two cases of primary thyroid lymphoma are hereby presented. The patient diagnosed on FNAC had better outcome than the one who had major surgery.

Unsteady Oscillatory Flow and Heat Transfer in a Horizontal Composite Porous Medium Channel

The problem of unsteady oscillatory flow and heat transfer in a horizontal composite porous medium is performed. The flow is modeled using the Darcy-Brinkman equation. The viscous and Darcian dissipation terms are also included in the energy equation. The partial differential equations governing the flow and heat transfer are solved analytically using two-term harmonic and non-harmonic functions in both regions of the channel. Effect of the physical parameters such as the porous medium parameter, ratio of viscosity, oscillation amplitude, conductivity ratio, Prandtl number and the Eckert number on the velocity and/or temperature fields are shown graphically. It is observed that both the velocity and temperature fields in the channel decrease as either of the porous medium parameter or the viscosity ratio increases while they increase with increases in the oscillation amplitude. Also, increasing the thermal conductivity ratio is found to suppress the temperature in both regions of the channel. The effects of the Prandtl and Eckert numbers are found to decrease the thermal state in the channel as well.

Concomitant chemoradiation using gemcitabine in locally advanced hepatocellular carcinoma

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Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is among the most common malignancies in Pakistan. There is currently no standard management for advanced HCC. Non-surgical modalities have demonstrated minimal improvements in survival. The aim of present study is to assess response rate and toxicity of concomitant gemcitabine and external radiation therapy (ERT) in locally advanced HCC. Methods: Thirty three biopsy proven advanced HCC patients having Okuda stage I and II disease were enrolled. 70 mg/m2 gemcitabine was given once weekly for three weeks during ERT. Partial liver ERT was delivered with 60Co upto 30 gray (Gy), 1.8 Gy/fraction and five fractions in a week. Tumor response was assessed by computed tomography (CT) eight weeks after completion of treatment. Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) was used to assess complete and partial response (CR, PR); progressive and stable disease (PD, SD). Hematological [neutropenia and thrombocytopenia], gastrointestinal (vomiting and diarrhea) and liver [encephalopathy, bilirubin, alanine and aspartate transferases (ALT and AST), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP)] toxicities were assessed weekly during treatment and then fortnightly upto 2 months according to Common Toxicity Criteria for Adverse Events version (3.0). Primary end point was to assess response rate at eight weeks after completion of treatment and Grade 3 or 4 toxicity during this period. Results: 28/33 patients were evaluable. No CR was seen. PR, SD and PD (%) were seen in 36, 39 and 25 of patients respectively. No grade 3 or 4 neutropenia was observed. 7/28 (25%) of patients developed grade 3 thrombocytopenia during treatment and needed a delay of one week for gemcitabine administration. Grade 3/4 toxicity (%) related to vomiting, diarrhea, encephalopathy, bilirubin, ALT, AST and ALP was seen in 18, 29, 21, 18, 14, 29 and 32 of the patients. Conclusions: The study showed that concomitant chemoradiation using 70mg/m2 gemcitabine is a feasible option with acceptable toxicity in locally advanced HCC. A larger study will be appropriate to define its definite role.

No significant financial relationships to disclose.

Studies of gastric emptying time in patients with non-ulcer dyspepsia

PURPOSE

To assess the gastric emptying pattern of a standardized solid meal in patients with non-ulcer dyspepsia by using scintigraphic techniques.

METHODS

Results for the half-emptying time for solids (T1/2) and percent clearance of solid meal at 60 min (C60) of patients (n=35) having non-ulcer dyspepsia according to Rome II criteria were compared with age- and sex-matched controls (n=28). Gastric emptying was studied by using egg omelette labelled with Tc tin colloid. Data acquisition was done using two protocols: dynamic acquisition was performed for the first 100 min and then static acquisition was carried out for up to 4 h. T1/2 and C60 were calculated from the computer-generated time-activity curve.

RESULTS

The normal range of T1/2 was 29-88 min (mean+/-2 SD) among the control group. The mean T1/2 of the patient group was 160.1+/-96.1 min (P<0.01). Twelve of 22 male patients and 11 of 13 female patients had prolonged T1/2. The normal range of C60 was 92-28% (mean+/-2 SD) in the control group. The mean C60 of the patient group was 33.1+/-18.5% (P<0.01). Fifteen of 22 male patients and 11 of 13 female patients had shortened C60.

CONCLUSION

Gastric emptying is significantly delayed in both men and women having non-ulcer dyspepsia as the T1/2 is prolonged and the C60 is shortened in a significant number of these patients. Radionuclide tests might offer an objective way of assessing this particular aspect of gastric physiology.

Role of hysterosalpingoscintigraphy in the workup of infertility

OBJECTIVE

To assess the role of hysterosalpingoscintigraphy (HSSG) in the evaluation of fallopian tube patency and function and compare the results with hysterosalpingography (HSG) and laparoscopy (LS).

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study.

PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY

The study was conducted at Multan Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Radiotherapy (MINAR), Multan from August 2004 to February 2005.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

HSSG was performed after instillation of 4mCi (148 MBq) 99mTechnetium-macroaggregated albumin (99mTc-MAA) in posterior vaginal fornix in 65 patients. Serial static images were acquired in supine position at 1 hour, 2 hours, 3 hours and, if needed, at 24 hours. The results were compared to the findings on LS and HSG.

RESULTS

Out of 65 patients, 37 (56.9%) patients had bilateral blocked tubes, 17 (26.1%) patients had bilateral patent tubes, 6 (9.2%) patients had blocked left tube and 5 (7.1%) patients had blocked right tube. The calculated sensitivity, specificity, positive predicted value (PPV), negative predicted value (NPV) and accuracy for HSSG were 90%, 83%, 90% and 90% respectively. The agreement between HSSG and LS was found in 32 out of 35 patients and agreement between HSG and HSSG was found in 24 out of 30 patients.

CONCLUSION

This simple procedure can delineate tubal physiology; in selected cases it can replace HSG and in others augment the information gathered by HSG. HSSG should be part of the infertility workup algorithm.

Induction of carbofuran oxidation to 4-hydroxycarbofuran by Pseudomonas sp. 50432

Pseudomonas sp. 50432 biotransformed a highly toxic pesticide, carbofuran (2,3-dihydro-2,2-dimethylbenzofuran-7-yl methylcarbamate) to 7-phenol (2,3-dihydro-2,2-dimethyl-7-hydroxy benzofuran) and several unknown metabolites. One of the unknown metabolites identified by gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy was 4-hydroxycarbofuran (2,3-dihydro-2,2-dimethyl-4-hydroxybenzofuran-7-yl methylcarbamate). It had a mass (237) similar to 3-hydroxycarbofuran and 5-hydroxycarbofuran but different fragmentation patterns. This is the first report in which an inducible oxidative enzyme, hydroxylase, mediated the conversion of carbofuran to 4-hydroxycarbofuran. A second constitutively synthesized enzyme hyrolase transformed carbofuran to 7-phenol.

Purification and biochemical characterization of the carbamate hydrolase from Pseudomonas sp. 50432

A soluble carbamate hydrolase that had a wide specificity was purified 2032-fold from Pseudomonas sp. 50432. This was achieved using a combination of anion-exchange, gel-filtration and hydrophobic-interaction- chromatography techniques. Carbamate hydrolase cleaved the ester linkage of the N-methylcarbamates. The native enzyme was a monomer with a molecular mass of 88 kDa. The optimum pH and temperature of the enzyme activity were 8.5 and 37 degrees C respectively. The tested cations or EDTA did not affect the enzyme activity. However, 2-mercaptoethanol reversibly inhibited the enzyme activity. The enzyme showed the K(m) values of 16 and 12 microM for carbofuran and carbaryl respectively. The purified enzyme did not hydrolyse o-nitrophenyl dimethylcarbamate but hydrolysed several N-methylcarbamates and 1-naphthyl acetate.

Lack of defective expression of the ATM gene in sporadic breast cancer tissues and cell lines

Homozygous mutations of the gene mutated in ataxia telangiectasia (ATM) causes the AT syndrome, a pleiotropic phenotype that includes an increased risk of cancer. Most of the known mutations at the ATM gene lead to truncations which are usually associated with instability of mRNA and protein. A decrease or loss of ATM protein expression is associated with specific lymphoid malignancies in AT and non-AT patients. ATM is located within a region in chromosome 11q22-23 that is frequently undergoing loss of heterozygosity in sporadic breast cancer. Epidemiological studies estimated a 4-fold increase in breast cancer risk in heterozygous women. However, direct mutational analysis failed to clearly support a role for mutant ATM alleles in breast carcinogenesis. If ATM does have a suppressor role in this tissue, one would expect deficient ATM expression. We therefore tested the hypothesis that the expression of the ATM gene is reduced in sporadic breast cancer. We determined ATM transcript levels using competitive RT-PCR on 89 randomly selected sporadic breast cancer samples and 29 normal breast tissues. Of these, 11 were matched normal/cancer pairs. We also evaluated 7 breast cancer cell lines. Deficiency in ATM expression was not observed. Of the 11 matched pairs, 7 tumors expressed mildly higher levels, 3 tumors expressed the same amount and only 1 tumor expressed <50% of the normal match. In addition, 3 cancers with tumor-associated LOH of the ATM gene expressed higher mRNA levels in the tumors than in their normal tissue matches, suggesting that no correlation exists between tumors with LOH and decreased ATM expression. In summary, our results do not support a suppressor role for ATM in the development of sporadic breast cancer.

Pluripotent protective effects of carnosine, a naturally occurring dipeptide

Carnosine is a naturally occurring dipeptide (beta-alanyl-L-histidine) found in brain, innervated tissues, and the lens at concentrations up to 20 mM in humans. In 1994 it was shown that carnosine could delay senescence of cultured human fibroblasts. Evidence will be presented to suggest that carnosine, in addition to antioxidant and oxygen free-radical scavenging activities, also reacts with deleterious aldehydes to protect susceptible macromolecules. Our studies show that, in vitro, carnosine inhibits nonenzymic glycosylation and cross-linking of proteins induced by reactive aldehydes (aldose and ketose sugars, certain triose glycolytic intermediates and malondialdehyde (MDA), a lipid peroxidation product). Additionally we show that carnosine inhibits formation of MDA-induced protein-associated advanced glycosylation end products (AGEs) and formation of DNA-protein cross-links induced by acetaldehyde and formaldehyde. At the cellular level 20 mM carnosine protected cultured human fibroblasts and lymphocytes, CHO cells, and cultured rat brain endothelial cells against the toxic effects of formaldehyde, acetaldehyde and MDA, and AGEs formed by a lysine/deoxyribose mixture. Interestingly, carnosine protected cultured rat brain endothelial cells against amyloid peptide toxicity. We propose that carnosine (which is remarkably nontoxic) or related structures should be explored for possible intervention in pathologies that involve deleterious aldehydes, for example, secondary diabetic complications, inflammatory phenomena, alcoholic liver disease, and possibly Alzheimer's disease.

A study on comparative efficacyof hypolipidemic drugs

A study was carried out on the comparative efficacy of Lopid, Mevacor, Bezalip and Lasona in sixteen hyperlipidemic subjects. All the subjects were on Lopid at least for the last 15 days. Lopid therapy was discontinued after determining blood lipid profile of the subjects on day zero (day of 1st contact). The subjects were divided into three groups and after a washout period of 15 days, they were given three different drugs for the next 15 days. Subjects in group a (6), b (5) and c (5) received Mevacor, Bezalip and lasona respectively. In the present study mevacor was found to be the most potent hypolipidemic drug in lowering blood cholesterol and Low density lipoprotein (LDL) while lopid was most effective in keeping blood Triglycerides (TG) and High density lipoproteins (HDL) level within the desired limits. Bezalip and Lasona were also sufficiently effective in changing blood lipid profile, but lasona showed a negligible effect on HDL rise as compared with Bezalip or any other drug used in this study.