Search

AbstractThe essential oils from flowers and leaves of P. incisaand P. crispawere extracted using two methods, hydro-distillation (HD) and solid phase micro-extraction (SPME). The essential oils were analyzed using GS-MS whilst their contents were quantitatively determined using GC-FID. The analysis revealed the following: For P. incisa, SPME oils from flowers and leaves were dominated by oxygenated monoterpenes (cis-verbenol, 2E-octene and E-caryophyllene from flowers and thymoquinone, methyl-γ-ionone and butylated hydroxyanisolefrom leaves). Comparatively HD oils were dominated by phenolic compounds (butylated hydroxyanisole, 7-epi-α-Eudesmol and methyl-γ-ionone from flowers and leaves). For P. crispa, SPME oils from flowers were dominated by oxygenated monoterpenes (crysanthenone, cis-thujopsenic acid and Z-jasmone) and those from leaves were dominated by oxygenated sesquiterpenes (7-epi-α-eudesmol, 11-acetoxyeudesman-4-α-ol and cembrene). Comparatively, the oxygenated monoterpenes crysanthenone, p-cymene-8-ol and 2,6-dimethyl phenol were determined in the HD oils from flowers, while crysanthenone, p-cymene-8-ol and vanillin were identified in those from leaves. The essential oils extracted from flowers and leaves P. incisaand P. crispashowed good antioxidant as well as anticancer activities.

Making use of a differential operator, which is defined here by means of the Hadamard product, we introduce classes of p-valent functions and investigate various important inclusion properties and characteristics for these classes. Also, a property preserving integrals is considered.

•Synthesis of Bi1−xSrxFeO3by using sol-gel method for first time.•The substitution of Sr into BiFeo3causes strong structural distortion.•Polaron hopping mechanism was identified due to an extra electron into system.•Structural distortion confirmed through softening of infrared phonons.•Energy band gap decrease with the increase in Sr, indicating metal to insulator transition.

AbstractIn this study, the composition of the essential oil, flavonoid and phenolic contents, and the antioxidant activities of three Phlomisspecies from Jordan (P. viscosaPoiret., P. platystegiaPost. and P. brachyodonBoiss.) were examined. The essential oil from fresh and air dried aerial parts of these Phlomisspecies was obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed by GC-MS. Germacrene B, E-caryophyllene and γ-muuroleneas were the major constituents of the oil from P. viscosa, while viridiflorol, β-eudesmol, Linalool and γ-cadieneneas dominated in P. platystegia,and γ-muurolene, α-humulene, γ-himachalene and Linalool were the chief components of the oil from P. brachyodon. Comparatively, the different oils extracted from the air-dried parts of the three Phlomisspecies showed less content in monoterpene and sesquiterpene hydrocarbons and higher amounts of oxygenated monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes than the oils from the same fresh areal parts. The total phenol and flavonoid contents from crude fractions obtained from these three species were determined by using Folin-Ciocalteu and AlCl3assays. And four biochemical assays, namely 1, 1-Diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (|DPPH), 2,22 -azino-bis-3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonic acid (ABTS), hydrogen peroxide scavenging (hydroxyl) and ferrous ion chelating (FIC) were used to evaluate antioxidant activities. The butanol fractions from the different species showed the highest content of both total phenol and flavonoid, when compared to aqueous and methanol extracts. Similarly, the butanol fraction showed the highest antioxidant capacity among the other extracts, as revealed by DPPH free radical scavenging activity, ABTS free radical scavenging assay, Hydroxyl radical assay and ferrous ion chelating assays.

Skin disorders compromise more than 35% of all occupationally related disorders. Most of these are contact dermatitis as a result from contact with a chemical substance. Contact dermatitis can be either irritant or allergic type. Each type has a different mechanism while the clinical presentation is the same. Management of contact dermatitis must include both medical treatment and workplace modifications as appropriate to reduce exposure to the causative agents. Physicians should be aware of this preventable medical condition.

AbstractThe antioxidant activity of the essential oils obtained from Ononis NatrixL.and Ononis SiculaGuss were investigated by the DPPH and ATBS methods. The oils exhibited good to moderate antioxidant activity in a concentration-dependent manner. Essential oils of the two plants were analyzed by GC and GC- MS. Seventy-seven components (95.60 %) were characterized in the essential oil of O. Sicula. The oil was rich in oxygenated sesquiterpenes (66.29 %), sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (20.10 %) including selin-11-en-4-α-ol (12.76 %) and α-selinene (6.27 %) as the major constituents. From the 85 identified compounds (97.11 %) in the oil of O. Natrix(2E,6E)-farnesol (18.83 %), dodecanal (12.58 %) and 2-phenyl ethyl tiglate (5.20 %) were the main constituents.

Abstract Seasonal and diurnal variations of airborne basidiomycetous spores concentrations (basidiospores, smuts and rust spores) were studied using Burkard Volumetric Spore Traps in three major coastal cities viz., Dammam, Jeddah and Jizan in Saudi Arabia. The distance between the sites was approximately 1600 km from East to West. In addition to numerous airborne deuteromycetous spores identified at all sites, a considerable concentration of basidiomycetous spores were also recorded. The data revealed that basidiospores constituted a maximum of 17% of the total air spora in Jizan, while the maximum for Dammam and Jeddah was 11% each. Spores from smuts constituted the highest percentages of all basidiosmycetous spores ranging between 9–33% and 12–33% respectively in Dammam and Jizan. In Jeddah, it constituted between 14–26%. In contrast, rusts were less frequent at all sites. Maximum concentration of basidiospores showed that at certain months the level reached between 1000–6000 m−3. The data did not exhibit any seasonal pattern in their maximum appearance. Maximum concentration of smuts were much higher compared to basidiospores and the level fluctuated between 500–4000 m−3. Rusts were low in concentration (<150 m−3). The diurnal pattern of basidiospores concentration for at least one site (Jizan) averaged over the year showed a nocturnal trend consistent with basidiospores active discharge. The other two sites had no such trend. Diel periodicities of smuts and rusts spores did not exhibit any clear pattern. The study suggests that even in coastal regions having the same climatic conditions with a slightly different geography, show variation in basidiospores concentrations.

PROBLEM: Cytokines have been shown to be present in human follicular fluid and have regulatory functions on follicular maturation. The presence of leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) and interleukin (IL)‐12 in human follicular fluid obtained at different stages of maturation was investigated.

Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) is associated with several acute and chronic inflammatory conditions. New therapies directed at inhibiting TNF-α will be important in treating pathological processes mediated by TNF-α. In this study, we studied and compared the effect of the carbocyclic nucleoside analogue (9-[(1R,3R)-trans-cyclopentan-3-ol] adenine) with pentoxifylline on modulating TNF-α production. The carbocyclic nucleoside analogue inhibited TNF-α production in a dose-dependent manner (1 μM–1 mM) by stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells and cell lines of both monocyte (THP-1) and T-lymphocyte phenotypes (CEM × 174). The drug potently inhibited TNF production in cells stimulated by endotoxin, the superantigen (staphylococci enterotoxin A), the mitogen (phytohemagglutinin), and the protein kinase C activator (phorbol myristate acetate) with ED50ranging from 5 to 30 μM. At moderate concentrations, the carbocyclic nucleoside analogue inhibited superantigen (ED50= 300 μM) and alloantigen (mixed lymphocyte reaction) T cell proliferative responses (ED50= 150 μM). The involvement of protein kinase C and prostaglandin E2(PGE2), mediators that regulate TNF-α production, was also investigated. Unlike PTX, the nucleoside analogue did not upregulate PGE2production. The inhibition of TNF-α production appeared to be mediated at least partly by PKC, since the nucleoside analogue caused suppression of PKC activity in stimulated cells. The results show that the carbocyclic nucleoside analogue is a TNF-α inhibitor that may be appropriate in the therapy of TNF-α-associated complications. The suppressive properties of the carbocyclic nucleoside analogue on antigen and alloantigen (mixed lymphocyte reaction) responses may be appropriate in disease conditions in which inhibiting both TNF-α and T-cell reactivity is desirable.

To find a better predictor of pregnancy after in vitro fertilization (IVF), supernatant fluids from embryo culture media were analyzed after 24 hours and 48 hours for the presence of interleukin-1-alpha (IL-1), interleukin-2, and the percent of immunosuppression. The measurements were performed on 108 consecutive IVF cycles between June 1989 and October 1989. The IL-1 level±SD in the 24-hour aliquots of the supernatant of embryo culture fluid was 66.2±10.2 pg/mL in all viable pregnancy cycles and 35.4±9.01 pg/mL in unsuccessful cycles. The percent of immunosuppression after 24 hours was 22.06%±4.5% in viable pregnancy cycles and 7.3%±5.5% in unsuccessful cycles. The percent of immunosuppression 48 hours after ovum pick-up was generally decreased in all embryo culture fluid, showing 17.5%±4.4% in viable pregnancy cycles and 3.8%±3.6% in unsuccessful cycles. Interleukin-1 levels in the 48-hour aliquots were moderately decreased, being 39.0±6.3 pg/mL in viable pregnancy cycles and 34.3±4.7 pg/mL in the unsuccessful cycles. In 24 hours, embryo culture aliquots IL-1 level>60 pg/mL was seen in 17 of 21 (80.9%) pregnancy cycles, and the combined data of IL-1 level>60 pg/mL and/or >20 percent of immunosuppression predicted 21 of 21 (100%) pregnancy cycles.

Digital fluorescence calcium imaging was used to investigate and identify the primary biological responses of human neutrophils to monomeric immunoglobulin E (IgE). Treatment of neutrophils with IgE caused a transient rise in the level of intracellular calcium that was inhibited by pertussis toxin. The calcium rise was due mainly to release from an intracellular membrane‐enclosed store that is also sensitive to the chemotactic peptide formyl‐Met‐Leu‐Phe. The IgE‐induced calcium transient was independent of Fcγ receptors and of Fc receptor ligation. Our data suggest that the mere binding of IgE to neutrophils is sufficient to evoke a biological response without the need for IgE/receptor cross‐linking.

Interferon (IFN) exhibits a potent antiviral activity in vitro and plays a major role in the early defense against viruses. Like IFN, the proinflammatory chemokine, interleukin (IL)-8, is induced by viruses and appears in circulation during viral infections. In an in vitro cytopathic effect assay for IFN, we found that IL-8 can inhibit IFN-α activity in a dose-dependent manner. This action was reversed by specific monoclonal antibodies to IL-8. The chemokine was able to attenuate the IFN-mediated inhibition of viral replication as determined by measuring infectious virus yield. IL-8 also diminished the ability of IFN to inhibit an early stage of viral replication since IL-8 attenuated the inhibition of the formation of viral proteins. It appeared that IL-8 interfered with a late rather than an early step of IFN-mediated pathway such as early gene expression. The IL-8 inhibitory action on IFN-α antiviral activity was associated with reduced 2′,5′-A oligoadenylate synthetase activity, a pathway well correlative with the anti– encephalomyocarditis virus action of IFN-α. Understanding pathways that antagonize IFN action may lead to novel approaches to potentiate endogenous and therapeutic IFN.

The TSH receptor is a G-protein-coupled seven transmembrane segment receptor. The interaction between TSH and its receptor mediates signal transduction by activating adenylyl cyclase through Gsα. There are four forms of Gsα (two short [45 kDa] and two large [52 kDa]), arising from alternative splicing of exon 3 of the Gsα gene. Gsα-1 and −2 contain exon 3, whereas exon 3 is spliced out in Gsα-3 and −4. The inclusion of a serine residue at the 3′ splice junction of exon 3 distinguishes Gsα-2 and −4 from Gsα-1 and −3. The expression of different Gsα forms appears to be tissue-specific. In this study, we have examined the Gsα splice variants in 26 human thyroid tumor specimens and rat thyroid tissues as well as a rat FRTL-5 cell line. Furthermore, we have studied the regulation of the Gsα gene expression by TSH and cAMP in FRTL-5 cells. We found that Gsα-1 and −4 mRNA were present in both human and rat thyroid cells, although Gsα-4 was more abundant in human thyroid cells as compared to rat thyroid and FRTL-5 cells. The Gsα mRNA can be easily amplified by RT-PCR regardless of tumor type and stage, suggesting that Gsα gene expression in thyroid tumors may not be markedly affected by dedifferentiation of thyroid cells.

The asymmetrical titanocene dichloride (1,3-tBu2-C5H3)(tBu2-C5H4)TiCl2(I) has been prepared from (1,3-tBu2-C5H3)TiCl3and (tBu-C5H4)Li. The reactions of Iand of (1,3- tBu2-C5H3)2TiCl2with an excess of ammonium thiocyanate afforded the S-bonded thiocyanato complexes (1,3- tBu2-C5H3)(tBu-C5H4)Ti(SCN)2(IV) and (1,3-tBu2-C5H3)2Ti(SCN) 2(V) respectively. A similar reaction of (tBu-C5H4)2TiCl2with excess anmmonium thiocyanate produced the S-bonded thiocyanato complex (tBu- C5H4)2Ti(SCN)2(II) as a minor product and the N-bonded thiocyanato complex (tBu-C5H4)2Ti(NCS)2(III) as the major product. Similar reaction of (tBu-C5H4)2TiCl2with ammonium thiocyanate in 1 : 1 molar ratios gave (tBu-C5H4)2Ti(Cl)(NCS) (VI). Crystal structure of IIIwas determined.

The thyrotropin (TSH) receptor is a member of G protein-coupled seven-transmembrane-segment receptors. It is characterized by a large extracellular domain linked to the seven transmembrane segments and ending with a cytoplasmic tail. Sequence alignment shows that a highly conserved motif, NPXXY where X is any amino acid, exists at the boundary between the seventh transmembrane domain and proximal part of the cytoplasmic tail of virtually all G protein-coupled receptors. This motif has been implicated as an internalization signal for several cell surface receptors, such as the low density lipoprotein (LDL), insulin and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) receptors. The potential effects of this motif on the TSH receptor signal transduction and receptor-mediated TSH internalization was analysed by replacement of the tyrosine678residue with an alanine residue. This mutation does not impair high affinity TSH binding, but completely abolishes the ability of cAMP response upon TSH stimulation. It also significantly reduces TSH internalization. The role of the cytoplasmic tail of the TSH receptor in receptor-mediated internalization was also assessed. Deletion of up to 56 amino acids from the C-terminus of the cytoplasmic tail enhances TSH internalization as compared to the wild-type receptor. We conclude that tyrosine678in the NPXXY motif is required for efficient receptor-mediated TSH internalization and G protein coupling. The cytoplasmic tail of the TSH receptor may contain sequence domains which could modulate the effects of the NPXXY internalization signal.

Summary Some proteinase inhibitors were isolated from seeds ofPhaseolus vulgaris var. nanus (I) and compared with inhibitors fromPhaseolus coccineus (II) andPhaseolus lunatus (III). The electrophoretic behavior is identical (I/II) resp. similiar (I/III, II/III), but other properties (amino acid compositions, specific activities, N-terminal groups) are somewhat different. It is obvious, that the inhibitors ofPhaseolus species, characterized in detail up to now, are similiar but not identical proteins.

Back ground and aims: To find out the spectrum of neurodegenerative disorders of childhood, its diagnosis and role of paediatician in the management It isa descriptive study conducted at Department of Neurology Children's Hospital, Lahore from June 1, 2005 to May 31, 2009.Methods: A total of 2273 patients were admitted in the Neurology department with the diagnosis of DBD.Results: Male to female ratio was 14:1 Age range was one to fifteen years Metachromatic leukodystrophy was the predominant type (21%) followed by adrenoleukodystrophy (16%), SSPE (12%), Wilson Disease 10%, Alexander disease 3%, Hellervordenspatz disease2% and canavans leukodystrophy in 15%.Conclusion: Degenerative brain diseases are not uncommon entity in paediatric population. Commonest presentation is regression of mile stones though it may be variable Physicians must look into it when dealing with children having regression of milestones to diagnose them earlier. As in majority of patients there is yet no curative therapy available, so role of palliative care is very important Collaboration should be established between the regional institutes to promote further research in future.

Background: To find out the role of electroencephlography in the early diagnosis of subacute sclerosing panencephalitis. It will be a cross sectional observational study conducted at department of Neurology Children's Hospital, Lahore from April 15, 2005 to September 15, 2009.Methods: Children between the ages of 4 to 18 years (n=129) with myoclonic jerks were admitted in Neurology department. History and clinical examination was carried out and EEG and CSF antimeasles antibodies were performed. Children may have EEG findings consistent with SSPE (EEG abnormalities having burst suppression in high amplitude slow and sharp waves recur at 3-5 second interval on slow background) or other EEG findings like myoclonic epilepsy with normal back ground, normal EEG etc. CSF of all children was sent for antimeasles antibodies for further confirmation which was considered diagnostic. Brain imaging was done in all children to exclude other possible diagnosis.Results: Total of 59 patients with EEG findings of subacute sclerosing panencephalitis were further confirmed with CSF anti measles antibodies. It was positive in 57 children. (P value < 0.05). While ten children had negative EEG findings and all of them had negative results for CSF antimeasles antibodies.Conclusion: Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis is not an uncommon entity in our population with quite variable clinical presentation and electroencephlography has significant valve in early, cost effective and reliable diagnosis.

Background: In Pakistan there is no mandatory reporting of Child Abuse cases and no system exists to manage a child victim of any kind of abuse. The law enforcing agencies are apathetic, and the Social Welfare Department is completely inactive.Methods: In order to optimally manage cases of Child Abuse and Neglect, Child Rights and Abuse Committee of Pakistan Pediatric Association and Pahchaan initiated a series of trainings for doctors, nurses, and other health care professionals with support form Save the Children Sweden and established a Hospital Child Protection Committee at Children Hospital Lahore in 2004. International Society for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (ISPCAN) supported this initiative through exchange training program with Child Protection Unit, Manila. Since last five years the Child Protection Committee has been detecting cases and providing medical, psychological, social and legal support to the victims of child abuse. The initiative has gained acceptance in the country and has already been replicated in 15 hospitals and Children Hospital Lahore as the first Child Protection Unit in South Asia.Results: Over the last three years the project managed to detect and manage about 380 cases of Child Abuse. Of these more than 350 were provided psychological care while 244 were given Social support. Financial help was offered to 65 patients. The major challenge is in obtaining legal support for the patients.Conclusion: This paper describes the achievements and challenges faced by the committee in its transition to Child Protection Unit.

For Abstract see ChemInform Abstract in Full Text.

Offers comments on dreams about fish from psychologist Dr. Robert Van de Castle and psychic Maria Villasenor. Their respective views on dreams about the number of fish caught and on surfcasting.

Features various river festivals in the United States for summer 1994.

Features various riverboats that ply the waters of Iowa, Illinois, Louisiana and Mississippi. Includes `Mississippi Belle II'; `Empress I'; `Empress II.'

Features various books related to planning river cruises. `Quimby's Cruising Guide,' by H.N. Spencer; `The Tenn-Tom Nitty-Gritty Cruiseguide,' by Fred Myers; `Discover! America's Great River Road: The Upper Mississippi,' by Pat Middleton.