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Abstract Background Smoke-free housing policies in multiunit housing are increasingly widespread interventions to reduce smoking and secondhand smoke exposure. Little research has identified factors that impede compliance with smoke-free housing policies in low-income multiunit housing and test corresponding solutions. Methods We are using an experimental design to test two compliance support interventions: (A) a “compliance through reduction (via relocation and reduction in personal smoking) and cessation” intervention targets households with smokers and involves support to shift smoking practices to areas beyond the apartment or building setting, reduce personal smoking, and deliver in-residence smoking cessation support services via trained peer educators and (B) a “compliance through resident endorsement” intervention involving voluntary adoption of smoke-free living environments through personal pledges, visible door markers, and/or via social media. We will compare randomly sampled participants in buildings that receive A or B or A plus B to the NYCHA standard approach. Discussion This RCT addresses key gaps in knowledge and capitalizes on key scientific opportunities by (1) leveraging the federal mandate to ban smoking in a public housing system of more than sufficient size to conduct an adequately powered RCT; (2) expanding our understanding of smoke-free policy compliance beyond policy implementation by testing two novel treatments: (a) in-residence smoking cessation and (b) resident endorsement, while (3) addressing population and location-specific tobacco-related disparities. At the conclusion of the study, this RCT will have leveraged a monumental policy shift affecting nearly half a million NYC public housing residents, many of whom disproportionately experience chronic illness and are more likely to smoke and be exposed to secondhand smoke than other city residents. This first-ever RCT will test the effects of much-needed compliance strategies on resident smoking behavior and secondhand smoke exposure in multiunit housing. Trial registration Clinical Trials Registered, NCT05016505. Registered on August 23, 2021.

Summary: Neural tube defects (NTDs) cause fetal and pediatric deaths or lifelong neurological disabilities. No effective treatment is currently available for NTDs. We attempted to elucidate the pathogenesis of NTDs and propose a therapeutic strategy. Intra-amniotic treatment with prosaposin-derived 18-mer peptide (PS18) protected the spinal cord from secondary damage and rescued neurological function in an established chicken model of spina bifida aperta (SBA), the severe type of NTDs. PS18 promoted the formation of a neuroectodermal covering over the defective neural tube within 24-h after treatment, enhanced the regeneration/restoration process, and decreased apoptotic activity in the developing spinal cord. PS18 reduced the SBA wound and almost completely formed the spinal cord. SBA chicks that received PS18 exhibited relatively normal walking and sensorimotor responses, and reduced pain-associated behavior in postnatal life. In conclusion, PS18 is a promising therapeutic agent for NTDs and may be useful for treating other types of spinal cord injuries.

BackgroundWhile research has been conducted on the availability, accessibility, and affordability of personal protective equipment for healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, little information is available on the ways in which health workers, especially those in humanitarian settings see themselves, and engage in self-preparedness for social, physical, and mental health and practical care in the pandemic. We sought to address this gap.MethodsWe followed a constructivist grounded theory approach to guide in-depth interviews with 30 frontline doctors, nurses, and community healthcare workers recruited from the Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh using the purposive and snowball sampling methods. Analyses were carried out through the identification of codes in three phases: an initial line-by-line open coding, then focused axial coding, and finally selective coding.FindingsAn emergent-grounded theory of “Navigating Self-Preparedness through Pandemics” was developed as we built a five-phased theoretical framework examining health worker responses with the following pillars: (a) pandemic shock; (b) pandemic awareness; (c) pandemic learning; (d) pandemic resilience, and (e) pandemic resurgence.InterpretationThe theory emerged as a realistic, socially, and culturally sensitive COVID-19 strategy to support healthcare workers. Self-preparedness was characterized by two interwoven processes: (1) the experiences of the daily life span of healthcare workers attempting to improve their own protection using all their potential while providing care for patients in a vulnerable setting and time and (2) the inseparable role of physical, psychological, social, and spiritual factors in each stage of learning during the pandemic to achieve better outcomes.

Rapid antigen tests and syndromic surveillance for identification of COVID-19 cases are limited by low sensitivity and specificity, respectively. Here, the authors use data from Bangladesh and show that combining the two methods improves diagnostic accuracy in a range of epidemiological scenarios.

Backgroundand Introduction: Physical rehabilitation is vital for patients to regain maximum function. Approximately 80% of people with a disability live in developing countries, where they face multiple challenges in rehabilitation. The goal of the study was to conduct an analysis of indoor rehabilitation programs based on the demographics and medical conditions of the admitted patients and to relate to the available basic health and rehabilitation facilities.MethodsThis was a mixed method study conducted in an inpatient rehabilitation ward of a tertiary level academic university hospital in a developing country. All admitted patients who stayed for a period of minimum two weeks were included in the study. Demographic and clinical data were obtained by means of a retrospective medical record review utilizing a standardized data extraction form. The study was further strengthened by an online literature search for the available documents for analysis, relation, and discussion.ResultsAmong the 1,309 admitted patients was male- female ratio was 10:7, with the majority (31.4%) cases falling between the ages of 46 and 60yrs. Rehabilitation outpatient department was the principal mode of admission (78%), and musculoskeletal and neurological conditions represented the maximum number (79.8%). Majority of patients (60.8%) were discharged home on completion of the rehabilitation program with a large number of patients who were absconded. Poor health budget allocation and lack of prioritization of the rehabilitation sector face multiple challenges, including the rehabilitation team functioning resources, space crisis for expansion which was further impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.ConclusionsThe country's current health-related rehabilitation process and socio-demographic variables have a negative relationship. There was a large number of missing data in the medical records and many patients were lost prematurely from the indoor rehabilitation program. Musculoskeletal disorders were common, and the majority of patients were discharged home once the program was completed.

The molecular chaperone Heat Shock Protein-90 (Hsp90) is known to interact with over 300 client proteins as well as regulatory factors (eg. nucleotide and proteins) that facilitate execution of its role as a chaperone and, ultimately, client protein activation. Hsp90 associates transiently with these molecular modulators during an eventful chaperone cycle, resulting in acquisition of flexible structural conformations, perfectly customized to the needs of each one of its client proteins. Due to the plethora and diverse nature of proteins it supports, the Hsp90 chaperone machinery is critical for normal cellular function particularly in response to stress. In diseases such as cancer, the Hsp90 chaperone machinery is hijacked for processes which encompass many of the hallmarks of cancer, including cell growth, survival, immune response evasion, migration, invasion, and angiogenesis. Elevated levels of extracellular Hsp90 (eHsp90) enhance tumorigenesis and the potential for metastasis. eHsp90 has been considered one of the new targets in the development of anti-cancer drugs as there are various stages of cancer progression where eHsp90 function could be targeted. Our limited understanding of the regulation of the eHsp90 chaperone machinery is a major drawback for designing successful Hsp90-targeted therapies, and more research is still warranted.

Citrus grandis or Citrus maxima , widely recognized as Pomelo is widely cultivated in many countries because of their large amounts of functional, nutraceutical and biological activities. In traditional medicine, various parts of this plant including leaf, pulp and peel are used for generations as they are scientifically proven to have therapeutic potentials and safe for human use. The main objective of this study was to review the different therapeutic applications of Citrus grandis and the phytochemicals associated with its medicinal values. In this article different pharmacological properties like antimicrobial, antitumor, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antiepileptic, stomach tonic, cardiac stimulant, cytotoxic, hepatoprotective, nephroprotective, and anti-diabetic activities of the plant are highlighted. The enrichment of the fruit with flavonoids, polyphenols, coumarins, limonoids, acridone alkaloids, essential oils and vitamins mainly helps in exhibiting the pharmacological activities within the body. The vitamins enriched fruit is rich in nutritional value and also has minerals like calcium, phosphorous, sodium and potassium, which helps in maintaining the proper health and growth of the bones as well as the electrolyte balance of the body. To conclude, various potential therapeutic effects of Citrus grandis have been demonstrated in recent literature. Further studies on various parts of fruit, including pulp, peel, leaf, seed and it essential oil could unveil additional pharmacological activities which can be beneficial to the mankind.

Traffic congestion is expected to be an inescapable problem in the near future, as traffic is growing exponentially and becoming congested with thousands of millions of vehicles across the world. All existing approaches to examine this traffic domain are centralized and not feasible in terms of cost, time, and scalability issue. To investigate the probable reasons for traffic congestion with efficiency, this paper proposes a novel algorithm to reform any traffic domain into a complex network using the principles of decentralized Social Internet of Things (SIoT). By integrating social networking concepts into the Internet of Things (IoT), the concept of SIoT has been proposed. The idea presented below is that every vehicle acts as a smart Thing, communicate with nearby vehicles within a particular distance in a decentralized manner and together form a complex network. We have built a generalized mathematical model to measure the least amount of distance between two vehicles within the complex network. By extracting key network properties from the complex network of vehicles built from our proposed algorithm, probable reasons for traffic congestion can be investigated efficiently.

Abstract Background In the treatment of phenylketonuria (PKU), there was disparity between UK dietitians regarding interpretation of how different foods should be allocated in a low phenylalanine diet (allowed without measurement, not allowed, or allowed as part of phenylalanine exchanges). This led to variable advice being given to patients. Methodology In 2015, British Inherited Metabolic Disease Group (BIMDG) dietitians (n = 70) were sent a multiple-choice questionnaire on the interpretation of protein from food-labels and the allocation of different foods. Based on majority responses, 16 statements were developed. Over 18-months, using Delphi methodology, these statements were systematically reviewed and refined with a facilitator recording discussion until a clear majority was attained for each statement. In Phase 2 and 3 a further 7 statements were added. Results The statements incorporated controversial dietary topics including: a practical ‘scale’ for guiding calculation of protein from food-labels; a general definition for exchange-free foods; and guidance for specific foods. Responses were divided into paediatric and adult groups. Initially, there was majority consensus (≥86%) by paediatric dietitians (n = 29) for 14 of 16 statements; a further 2 structured discussions were required for 2 statements, with a final majority consensus of 72% (n = 26/36) and 64% (n = 16/25). In adult practice, 75% of dietitians agreed with all initial statements for adult patients and 40% advocated separate maternal-PKU guidelines. In Phase 2, 5 of 6 statements were agreed by ≥76% of respondents with one statement requiring a further round of discussion resulting in 2 agreed statements with a consensus of ≥71% by dietitians in both paediatric and adult practice. In Phase 3 one statement was added to elaborate further on an initial statement, and this received 94% acceptance by respondents. Statements were endorsed by the UK National Society for PKU. Conclusions The BIMDG dietitians group have developed consensus dietetic statements that aim to harmonise dietary advice given to patients with PKU across the UK, but monitoring of statement adherence by health professionals and patients is required.

Dengue, a very widespread mosquito-borne infectious disease caused by Aedes aegypti virus, has been occurring during the monsoons every year. The prevalence and incidence of dengue fever and death due to its complications have been increased drastically in these recent years in Bangladesh, Philippines, Thailand, Brazil, and India. Recently, dengue had spread in an epidemic form in Bangladesh, Thailand, and Philippines. Although the infection affected a large number of people around the world, there is no established specific and effective treatment by synthetic medicines. In this subcontinent, Malaysia could effectively control its incidences and death of patients using alternative medication treatment mainly prepared from Carica papaya L. leaves along with proper care and hospitalization. Papaya leaves, their juice or extract, as well as their different forms of preparation have long been used traditionally for treating dengue fever and its complications to save patients’ lives. Although it is recommended by traditional healers, and the general public use Papaya leaves juice or their other preparations in dengue fever, this treatment option is strictly denied by the physicians offering treatment in hospitals in Bangladesh as they do not believe in the effectiveness of papaya leaves, thus suggesting to patients that they should not use them. In Bangladesh, 1,01,354 dengue patients have been hospitalized, with 179 deaths in the year 2019 according to information from the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control, and Research as well as the Directorate General of Health Services of Bangladesh. Most of the patients died because of the falling down of platelets to dangerous levels and hemorrhage or serious bleeding. Therefore, this paper aims to critically review the scientific basis and effectiveness of Carica papaya L. leaves in treating dengue fever based on preclinical and clinical reports. Thrombocytopenia is one of the major conditions that is typical in cases of dengue infection. Besides, the infection and impairment of immunity are concerned with dengue patients. This review summarizes all the scientific reports on Carica papaya L. for its ability on three aspects of dengue: antiviral activities, prevention of thrombocytopenia and improvement of immunity during dengue fever.

Clinical characteristics are essential for the correct diagnosis of diseases. The current review aimed to summarize the global clinical characteristics of the COVID-19 patients systematically and identify their diagnostic challenges to help the medical practitioners properly diagnose and for better management of COVID-19 patients. We conducted a systematic search in PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Science Direct, and Google Scholar databases for original articles containing clinical information of COVID-19 published up to 7th May 2020. Two researchers independently searched the databases to extract eligible articles. A total of 34 studies from 8 different countries with 10889 case-patients were included for clinical characteristics. The most common clinical symptoms were cough 59.6, fever 46.9, fatigue 27.8, and dyspnea 20.23%. The prominent laboratory findings were lymphocytopenia 55.9, elevated levels of CRP 61.9, aspartate aminotransferase 53.3, LDH 40.8, ESR 72.99, serum ferritin 63, IL-6 52, and prothrombin time 35.47%, and decreased levels of platelets 17.26, eosinophils 59.0, hemoglobin 29, and albumin 38.4%. CT scan of the chest showed an abnormality in 93.50% cases with bilateral lungs 71.1%, ground-glass opacity 48%, lesion in lungs 78.3%, and enlargement of lymph node 50.7%. Common comorbidities were hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular diseases. The estimated median incubation period was 5.36 days, and the overall case fatality rate was 16.9% (Global case fatality outside China was 22.24%: USA 21.24%, Italy 25.61%, and others 0%; whereas the case fatality inside the Hubei Province of China was found to be 11.71%). Global features on the clinical characteristics of COVID-19 obtained from laboratory tests and CT scan results will provide useful information to the physicians to diagnose the disease and for better management of the patients as well as to address the diagnostic challenges to control the infection.

BACKGROUND:Despite recognition that palliative care is an essential component of any humanitarian response, serious illness-related suffering continues to be pervasive in these settings. There is very limited evidence about the need for palliative care and symptom relief to guide the implementation of programs to alleviate the burden of serious illness-related suffering in these settings. A basic package of essential medications and supplies can provide pain relief and palliative care; however, the practical availability of these items has not been assessed. This study aimed to describe the illness-related suffering and need for palliative care in Rohingya refugees and caregivers in Bangladesh. METHODS AND FINDINGS:Between November 20 and 24, 2017, we conducted a cross-sectional study of individuals with serious health problems (n = 156, 53% male) and caregivers (n = 155, 69% female) living in Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh, using convenience sampling to recruit participants at the community level (i.e., going house to house to identify eligible individuals). The serious health problems, recent healthcare experiences, need for medications and medical supplies, and basic needs of participants were explored through interviews with trained Rohingya community members, using an interview guide that had been piloted with Rohingya individuals to ensure it reflected the specificities of their refugee experience and culture. The most common diagnoses were significant physical disabilities (n = 100, 64.1%), treatment-resistant tuberculosis (TB) (n = 32, 20.5%), cancer (n = 15, 9.6%), and HIV infection (n = 3, 1.9%). Many individuals with serious health problems were experiencing significant pain (62%, n = 96), and pain treatments were largely ineffective (70%, n = 58). The average age was 44.8 years (range 2-100 years) for those with serious health problems and 34.9 years (range 8-75 years) for caregivers. Caregivers reported providing an average of 13.8 hours of care per day. Sleep difficulties (87.1%, n = 108), lack of appetite (58.1%, n = 72), and lack of pleasure in life (53.2%, n = 66) were the most commonly reported problems related to the caregiving role. The main limitations of this study were the use of convenience sampling and closed-ended interview questioning. CONCLUSIONS:In this study we found that many individuals with serious health problems experienced significant physical, emotional, and social suffering due to a lack of access to pain and symptom relief and other essential components of palliative care. Humanitarian responses should develop and incorporate palliative care and symptom relief strategies that address the needs of all people with serious illness-related suffering and their caregivers.

In current article theoretical analysis is executed to examine flow features of Carreau fluid by conferring scintillating aspects of thermal stratification. Flow field equations are attained by incorporating infinite shear rate viscosity and magnetic field effects. Afterwards, the partial differential obtained from the fundamental laws of continuity, momentum and energy containing stratification aspects are attained. These consequent partial differential expressions are so intricate that it seems difficult to solve analytically. Therefore Prandtl layer approximation is capitalized to retain efficient parts of flow narrating differential equations. Then next step is to eradicate the in active parts of partial equations by implementing transformations. The solution structured of reduced system is acquired by self-coded shooting algorithm. The variation in physical profiles with respect to involved parameters is exhibited with the aid of graphs and tables. It is inferred that Carreau fluid behaves in opposite pattern for n > 1 (shear thickening) and n

This article presents the two-dimensional flow of MHD hyperbolic tangent fluid with nanoparticles towards a stretching surface. The mathematical modelling of current flow analysis yields the nonlinear set of partial differential equations which then are reduce to ordinary differential equations by using suitable scaling transforms. Then resulting equations are solved by using shooting technique. The behaviour of the involved physical parameters (Weissenberg number We, Hartmann number M, Prandtl number Pr, Brownian motion parameter Nb, Lewis number Leand thermophoresis number Nt) on velocity, temperature and concentration are interpreted in detail. Additionally, local skin friction, local Nusselt number and local Sherwood number are computed and analyzed. It has been explored that Weissenberg number and Hartmann number are decelerate fluid motion. Brownian motion and thermophoresis both enhance the fluid temperature. Local Sherwood number is increasing function whereas Nusselt number is reducing function for increasing values of Brownian motion parameter Nb, Prandtl number Pr, thermophoresis parameter Nt and Lewis number Le. Additionally, computed results are compared with existing literature to validate the accuracy of solution, one can see that present results have quite resemblance with reported data. Keywords: Tangent hyperbolic fluid, MHD, Nanofluid, Stretching sheet, Shooting method (Cash and Crap)

Gymnema sylvestre is a plant included in Apocynaceae family and is located in many regions of Asia, Africa and Australia. This plant is widely used as a traditional therapy for different purposes. Even now it is being used as a dietary supplement due to its numerous therapeutic uses. It is known to have blood glucose lowering potential and, thus, is widely used in traditional and Ayurvedic systems of medicine. It renders glucose lowering activity due to the presence of phytochemicals, such as gurmarin, gymnemic acid as well as gymnemasaponins. Gymnema sylvestre is also known to have anti-oxidant, antibiotic, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, gastro and hepatoprotective, anticancer and lipid-lowering activities. This review discusses in details on different pharmacological and clinical potentials of Gymnema sylvestre and its chemical constituents associated with its therapeutic potentials.

OBJECTIVE: To assess biochemical markers after administering Taraxacum officinale’s extract in cisplatin induced nephrotoxic albino mice. METHODS: It was an experimental study, carried out on thirty albino mice categorized into six groups i-e: normal control (saline only), negative control (cisplatin-25mg/kg body weight intraperitoneally) and experimental groups (E1 to E4) (Taraxacum officinale’s extract at doses 100 mg, 200 mg, 400 mg and 800 mg per kg body weight respectively intraperitoneally followed by single dose of cisplatin-25 mg/kg body weight intraperitoneally). Effects of Taraxacum officinale’s extract on kidney were assessed by biochemical markers i-e blood urea and creatinine. RESULTS: Comparison of blood urea levels in experimental groups (E1, E2, E3 & E4) was much lowered (242±36.6 mg/dl, 176.8±23.9 mg/dl, 179.4±69.5 mg/dl, 186.6±69.05 mg/dl respectively) than the negative control (363±111.1 mg/dl) [p value < 0.05]. Comparison of serum creatinine in negative control versus experimental groups respectively was decreased but statistically insignificant (serum creatinine levels of experimental groups were 1.60±0.65 mg/dl, 1.89±0.32 mg/dl, 1.66±0.62 mg/dl, 1.84±0.55 mg/dl while serum creatinine of negative control was 1.97±1.06 mg/dl) [p value > 0.05]. CONCLUSION: Taraxacum officinale’s extract (dandelion) significantly reduce the effects of renal toxicity produced by the cisplatin but was unable to completely revert cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity in mice.

The butterflies are the useful bio-indicators of an ecosystem, sensitive to any change in environment, such as temperature, microclimate and solar radiation etc, however, they utilize host plants for their oviposition and larval development. Therefore, the present study was conducted to prepare the contribution key for identification of butterflies of Tehsil Tangi during August, 2014-May, 2015. The specimens (ni = 506) were collected belong to 3 families with 18 genera and 23 species. However, the collected butterflies were comprised of families Nymphalidae 50%> Pieridae 43%> Papilionidae 7%. The family Nymphalidae were primarily, blue, pale brown or orange and antennae-tips with large conspicuous knobs, while, family Pieridae were mostly creamy, white, yellow or light orange, although, the family Papilionidae were multi-colours, i.e., yellow, blackish-brown, white or orange and antennae-tips with or without knobs. The largest butterfly was great black mormon, Papilio polytes Linnaeus (Family: Papilionidae) with body length 26.0±0.0 (nP. polytes = 1; M±SD) mm, while the smallest butterflies Indian little orange tip, Colotis etrida Boisduval (Family: Pieridae) with body length 11.5±0.6 (nC. etrida = 4; M±SD) mm. The key of butterflies (Lepidoptera) of Tehsil Tangi, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan has been established in this paper. It is recommended to evaluate the butterfly fauna of District Charsadda to educate and create awareness in the local community for conservation and protestation of their habitats.

The spiders (Arthropoda: Arachnida) have a hard cephalothorax and soft abdomen. They are environmental indicators and play an important role in biological control of pests and vectors. The present study was conducted to prepare the key for the first recorded spider fauna during June 2013-July 2014 in 6 quadrates of Sheringal, i.e., Daramdala, Doki, Guryaal, Samang, Shahoor and Sia-Sheringal, Dir Upper (DU), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Pakistan. During the present research, 10 species belong to 7 families, and 10 genera were recorded. The family Sparassidae was the largest among collected families (nSparassidae=19), its body was larger than others, abdomen was narrow at posterior, cephalothorax region was broad and brown, chelicearae were forwarded, legs were strong, body have hairs grey to brown and they were harmless and speedy. Gnphosidae family was the smallest among collected families (nGnphosidae=3), their eyes were heterogeneous, their inner margin of chelicerae were with a wide serrated lamina, posterior row of eyes were much longer than anterior, with lateral rounded maxillae. While the family Hersiliidae was the unique in collected families (nHersiliidae=6), as they are known as two-tail spiders, they have enlarged spinnerets, their male grow up to 8 mm and female up to 10 mm, they have 2 tails and are mimic with host plants. It was concluded that the majority of the collected species belong to the family Sparassidae. It is recommended that further research may be conducted on arboreal and aquatic species of spiders in Sheringal, KP, Pakistan.

The butterflies (Insecta: Lepidoptera)are well known insects, play an important role in the ecosystem as bioindicators and pollinators. They have bright colours, remarkable shapes and supple flight. The present study was conducted to prepare the checklist of butterfly fauna of Tehsil Tangi during August, 2014 to May, 2015. A total of 506 specimens were collected belong to 3 families with 18 genera and 23 species. The collected species are the common or lemon emigrant, Catopsila ponoma Fabricius; mottled emigrant, Catopsilia pyranthe Linnaeus; clouded yellow, Colias fieldii Fabricius; common grass yellow, Eurema hecabe Linnaeus; eastern pale clouded yellow butterfly, Colias erate Esper; Indian cabbage white, Pieris canidia Sparrman; Indian little orange tip, Colotis etrida Boisduval; pioneer white or African caper white, Belonias aurota Fabricius; plain tiger, Danaua chrysippus Linnaeus; blue tiger, Tirumala liminniace Cramer; peacock pansy, Junonia almanac Linnaeus; Indian fritillary, Argyreus hyperbius Linnaeus; Indian red admiral, Venesa indica Herbst; yellow pansy, Junonia hierta Fabricius; blue pansy, Junonia orytha Linnaeus; white edged rock brown, Hipparchia parisatis Kollar; banded tree brwon, Lethe confuse Aurivillius; common castor, Ariadne merione Cramer; painted lady, Caynthia cardui Linnaeus; Himalayan sailer, Neptis mahendra Moore; common boran, Euthalia garuda Hewitson; lime butterfly, Papilio demoleus Linnaeus and great black mormon butterfly, Papilio polytes Linnaeus. It was concluded that the family Nymphalidae has the highest numbers of individuals in the present checklist. It is recommended that butterfly fauna of the study area should be conserved and their habitat should be protected.

The spiders (order: Aranae) are an important environmental indicator and play a significant role as predators in biological control of the most of the key insect pests. The present study was conducted to establish the characteristics of the first recorded spider fauna from Sheringal, Dir Upper (DU), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Pakistan during June 2013-July 2014. Their 10 species belong to 7 families, and 10 genera (nt=123: total; ni=77: identified; nui=46: unidentified) were recorded in the 6 quadrates, i.e., Daramdala, Doki, Guryaal, Samang, Shahoor and Sia-Sheringal of Sheringal. The largest family was Lycosidae (wolf spiders) with respect to size and numbers of specimens collected (n=20), which contained Arctosa littorali Simon, 1897; Hippasa partita Takidar, 1970; Pardosa distincta Backwall, 1867, while the smallest family was Gnphosidae (ground spiders) (n=3) with Gnaphosa eucalyptus Ghafoor and Beg, 2002; while other families Sparassidae (huntsman spiders) (n=19) Halconia insignis Thorell, 1836, and Isopeda tuhogniga Barrion and Litsinger, 1995, Opilionidae (harvestmen spiders) (n=12) Hadrobunus grandis Sundevall, 1833; Pholcidae (cellar spider) (n=10) have Crossopriza lyoni Blackwall, 1867; Hersiliidae (two-tailed spiders) (n=6) is having Harsilia savignyi Lucas, 1836; (n=5) with Araneus diadematus Clerck, 1757 were recorded. It was concluded that 50% of the spiders collected from the study area were venomous. A detail study is required for further exploration of spider fauna of Sheringal, KP, Pakistan with special reference to their taxonomical, physiological and ecological characteristics.

Glycoxidation plays a crucial role in diabetes and its associated complications. Among the glycoxidation agents, methylglyoxal (MG) is known to have very highglycationpotential witha concomitant generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) during its synthesis and degradation. The presentstudy probes the MG and ROSinduced structural damage to immunoglobulin G (IgG) and alterations in its immunogenicity in diabetes type 2 patients (T2DM). Human IgG was first glycated with MG followed by hydroxyl radical (OH•) modification. Glycoxidation mediated effects on IgG were evaluated by various physicochemical techniques likeultraviolet (UV) and fluorescence spectroscopy, 8-anilinonaphthalene-1-sulfonic acid (ANS) binding studies, carbonyl andfree sulfhydryl groups assay, matrix assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry-time of flight (MALDI-TOF), red blood cell (RBC) haemolysis assay, Congored (CR) staining analysis and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results revealed hyperchromicityin UV, advanced glycation end product (AGE)specific and ANS fluorescence, quenching in tyrosine and tryptophan fluorescence intensity,enhanced carbonyl content,reduction in free sulfhydryl groups,pronounced shift in m/z value of IgGand decrease in antioxidant activity in RBC induced haemolysis assayupon glycoxidation. SEM and CRstaining assay showed highly altered surface morphology in glycoxidised sample as compared to the native. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and band shift assay were performed to assess the changes in immunogenicity of IgG upon glyoxidation and its role in T2DM. The serum antibodies derived from T2DM patients demonstrated strong affinity towards OH• treated MG glycatedIgG (OH•-MG-IgG) when compared to native IgG (N-IgG) or IgGs treated with MG alone (MG-IgG) or OH• alone (OH•-IgG). This study shows the cumulating effect of OH• on the glycation potential of MG. The results point towards the modification of IgG in diabetes patients under the effect of glycoxidative stress, leading to the generation of neo-epitopes on theIgG molecule and rendering it immunogenic.

In present analysis boundary layer flow of Sisko fluid over stretching cylinder is analyzed. Combined effects of variable thermal conductivity and viscous dissipation are assumed in heat transfer. The modeled boundary layer partial differential equations are transfigured into ordinary differential equations by using suitable transformations. These nonlinear ordinary differential equations are solved numerically by Runge-Kutta-Fehlberg method. The accuracy of computed results is certified by comparing with existing literature. To interpret the effects of flow parameters on velocity and temperature profiles graphs are developed. The influence of all physical parameters on skin friction coefficient and local Nusselt number are discussed via tabular and graphical form.

In this article, Williamson fluid flow and heat transfer over a stretching cylinder is discussed. The thermal conductivity is assumed to be vary linearly with temperature. Heat generation/absorption effects are also taken into account. Modeled partial differential equations are converted into ordinary differential form by using appropriate transformations. Shooting method in conjunction with Runge-Kutta-Fehlberg method is used to find the solution of the problem. Moreover, the effects of different flow parameters γ, λ, ϵ, β and Pr on velocity and temperature profiles are shown graphically. Local Nusselt number and skin friction coefficient are shown in tabular and graphical form.

Increased oxidative stress under hyperglycemic conditions, through the interaction of AGEs with RAGE receptors and via activation of interleukin mediated transcription signalling, has been reported in cancer. Proteins modifications are being explored for their roles in the development and progression of cancer and autoantibody response against them is gaining interest as a probe for early detection of the disease. This study has analysed the changes in histone H1 upon modification by methylglyoxal (MG) and its implications in auto-immunopathogenesis of cancer. Modified histone showed modifications in the aromatic residues, changed tyrosine microenvironment, intermolecular cross linking and generation of AGEs. It showed masking of hydrophobic patches and a hypsochromic shift in the in ANS specific fluorescence. MG aggressively oxidized histone H1 leading to the accumulation of reactive carbonyls. Far UV CD measurements showed di-carbonyl induced enhancement of the alpha structure and the induction of beta sheet conformation; and thermal denaturation (Tm) studies confirmed the thermal stability of the modified histone. FTIR analysis showed amide I band shift, generation of a carboxyethyl group and N-Cα vibrations in the modified histone. LCMS analysis confirmed the formation of Nε-(carboxyethyl)lysine and electron microscopic studies revealed the amorphous aggregate formation. The modified histone showed altered cooperative binding with DNA. Modified H1 induced high titre antibodies in rabbits and the IgG isolated form sera of rabbits immunized with modified H1 exhibited specific binding with its immunogen in Western Blot analysis. IgG isolated from the sera of patients with lung cancer, prostate cancer, breast cancer and cancer of head and neck region showed better recognition for neo-epitopes on the modified histone, reflecting the presence of circulating autoantibodies in cancer. Since reports suggest a link between AGE-RAGE axis and carcinogenesis, glycoxidation of histone H1 and its immunogenicity paves ways for understanding role of glycoxidatively damaged nuclear proteins in cancer.

Biopolymer carboxymethyl tamarind seed kernel polysaccharide (CMTSP) was synthesized by the reaction of tamarind kernel powder (TKP) of Tamarindus indica L. with monochloroacetic acid by an improved method. The synthesis was conducted in presence of sodium hydroxide at optimized conditions of time, temperature, concentrations of TKP, MA, sodium hydroxide. Tamarind seed polysaccharide (TSP) was also extracted from TKP by boiling distilled water. The chemical structure of TKP, TSP and CMTSP were analyzed by the ATRFTIR. When TKP, TSP, and CMTSP's comparative physico-mechanical properties were examined and compared, CMTSP performed better due to increase in viscosity, water solubility and tensile properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the last two decades, considerable interest has been shown in understanding the development of the gut microbiota and its internal and external effects on the intestine, as well as the risk factors for cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) such as metabolic syndrome. The intestinal microbiota plays a pivotal role in human health and disease. Recent studies revealed that the gut microbiota can affect the host body. CVDs are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality, and patients favor death over chronic kidney disease. For the function of gut microbiota in the host, molecules have to penetrate the intestinal epithelium or the surface cells of the host. Gut microbiota can utilize trimethylamine, N-oxide, short-chain fatty acids, and primary and secondary bile acid pathways. By affecting these living cells, the gut microbiota can cause heart failure, atherosclerosis, hypertension, myocardial fibrosis, myocardial infarction, and coronary artery disease. Previous studies of the gut microbiota and its relation to stroke pathogenesis and its consequences can provide new therapeutic prospects. This review highlights the interplay between the microbiota and its metabolites and addresses related interventions for the treatment of CVDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Lung cancer is one of the most common malignancies to occur worldwide. Two main subtypes of lung cancer include small cell lung cancer and Non Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC). Patients with advanced stage NSCLC who achieve good response with Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors (TKI) have been found to have Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) mutation. The first biomarker identified for targeted treatment in lung cancer was EGFR and patients of NSCLC with EGFR mutation have superior survival outcome when treated with targeted therapy as compared to conventional chemotherapy. Aim: To compare the outcome of targeted therapy to mutation to EGFR and conventional therapy in non mutant lung cancer patient of NSCLC. Materials and Methods: The present longitudinal study was conducted in the Department of TB and Respiratory Diseases, Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College and Hospital, Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, India from July 2017 to November 2019 on a sample size of 80. Patients diagnosed with NSCLC and EGFR mutation status were included in the study. They were started on TKI if tumour was EGFR positive and on conventional chemotherapy (cisplatin plus paclitaxel) if no mutation was detected on histopathology. Among the study group, 35 patients were EGFR positive and started on geftinib (group I), 45 were EGFR negative and received platinum-based chemotherapy (group II). Outcomes were measured in terms of progression-free survival, Overall Survival (OS), and toxicities. Statistical analysis of data was done using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20.0. Results: Among the study group, 35 patients were EGFR positive and started on geftinib (Group I), 45 were EGFR negative and received platinum-based chemotherapy (group II). The mean age of EGFR positive patients was 58.91 years and for EGFR negative patients was 60.11 years. In group I, there was no complete response while 28.5% had partial response, 45.5% had stable disease and 25.7% had progressive disease. In group II, 15.5% patients had complete response, 33.3% had partial response,17.7% had stable disease and 33.3% had progressive disease. Mean progression-free survival in group I (5.65 months) was significantly higher than group II (4.26 months). The mean OS in group I (7.85 months) was slightly higher than group II (6.72 months). Both haematological and non haemaotlogical toxicities were significantly higher in group II. Conclusion: Patients with EGFR positive expression subjected to Gefitinib had significant mean progression-free survival with an acceptable range of non haematological toxicities and no haematological toxicities, as compared to the EGFR negative patients on conventional chemotherapy.

Human cognitive load level assessment is a challenging issue in the field of functional brain imaging. This work aims to study different cognitive load levels statistically from brain hemodynamics. Since the functional brain activities can be evaluated by functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), a renowned fNIRS dataset is considered for this work. The dataset contains fNIRS data of three types of n-back tasks (0-back, 2-back, and 3-back) of twenty-six healthy volunteers. The fNIRS signals were pre-processed and separated according to the tasks and trials. The mean changes of oxygenated hemoglobin (HbO2) and deoxygenated hemoglobin (dHb) are calculated from each trial corresponding to the tasks and tested for significant inference among three levels utilizing analysis of variance (ANOVA). From the outcomes of the ANOVA (p