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New-generation chemosensors desire small organic molecules that are easy to synthesise and cost-effective. As a new interdisciplinary area of research, the integration of these chemosensors into keypad locks or other advanced communication protocols is becoming increasingly popular. Our lab has developed new chemosensor probes that contain 2-nitro- (1–3) and 4-fluoro-cinnamaldehyde (4–6) and applied them to the anion recognition and sensing process. Probes 1–6 are colorimetric sensors for naked-eye detection of AcO−/CN−/F−, while probes 4–6 could differentiate between F− and AcO−/CN− anions in acetonitrile. Using the density functional theory (DFT), it was found that probes 1–6 acted as effective chemosensors. By using Probe 5 as a chemosensor, we explored colorimetric recognition of multiple anions in more detail. Probe 5 was tested in combination with a combinatorial approach to demonstrate pattern-generation capability and its ability to distinguish among chemical inputs based on concentration. After pattern discrimination using principal component analysis (PCA), we examined anion selectivity using DFT computation. In our study, probe 5 demonstrates excellent performance as a chemosensor and shows promise as a future molecular-level keypad lock system.

Introduction: Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) forms one of the first diagnostic tools in evaluation of soft tissue lesions. Aim of this study was to evaluate the role of FNAC in the primary diagnosis of soft tissue tumors and tumor like lesions and to assess the effectiveness of FNAC in the histological subtyping and grading of soft tissue tumors. Materials and Methods: We reviewed FNAC smears of 170 soft tissue tumors and tumor like lesions over a 3 years period and correlated with the histopathological features which were available in 117 cases. Conventional Papanicolaou (PAP) and Giemsa staining was done in all cases. Results: 152 out of 170 cases [89.41%] were neoplastic, of which 130 tumors were labelled as benign. Lipoma constituted 83.07% of benign tumors. Based on the predominant cytomorphological features and background, the tumors were classified into myxoid (4), spindle cell (20), pleomorphic (2), small round cell(4), epithelioid /polygonal cell (7), lipomatous (108) and miscellaneous (7). The non-neoplastic lesions included tuberculosis, filariasis, actinomycosis, scar endometriosis and calcinosis cutis. Conclusion: FNAC proved to be helpful in distinguishing between neoplastic and non-neoplastic soft tissue lesions, differentiating metastatic carcinoma and melanoma in soft tissue from primary soft tissue tumors and differentiating benign and malignant soft tissue tumors. Accurate subtyping was possible in many tumors of myxoid category and round cell tumors. Spindle cell tumors of intermediate grade were difficult to grade on FNAC. Pleomorphic sarcomas were of high grade and their subtyping could not be done on FNAC. Keywords: FNAC, Soft tissue lesions, Soft tissue tumors.

Oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction mediated neuro apoptosis is reported to play a major role in the pathology of Parkinson's disease. Zizyphus spina-christi fruits (ZSCF) are used as traditional medicines that are well-known for their high antioxidant properties. In the present study, we investigated the protective effects of ZSCF extract against 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP+) induced neurotoxicity in SH-SY5Y cell lines. The effect of ZCSF on MPP+ induced cell viability (MTT - 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazoliumbromide assay), membrane damage - (lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), oxidative stress (levels of ROS, nitric oxide and GSH and activities of SOD and catalase), mitochondrial membrane potential and apoptosis (activity of caspase 3 and protein expressions of cyto c, Bax and Bcl-2) were measured. Our results showed that ZSCF could be able to reduce the neurotoxicity of MPP+ and offer neuroprotection in vitro. This protective effect of ZCF might be mediated by its potent antioxidant properties. However, further research is necessary to isolate active compounds and performing preclinical and clinical studies to confirm the neuro-protective effects of ZSCF in PD.

The leaves of Pteropyrum scoparium Jaub & Spach are used by the locals in Oman for treating various stomach infirmities including dyspepsia. No analysis of this species in terms of bioactive composition is reported, however members of this family are reported to contain flavonoids and anthraquinones. This study aimed to explore the bioactive compounds in the Pteropyrum scoparium Jaub & Spach leaves and optimize the bioactive compound extraction process using green solvents such as water, 30 % aqueous glycerol and ethanol. We compared the extraction ability of the solvents by estimate the polyphenols and further evaluated the flavonoids and radical scavenging capacity of the liquid crude extract (LCE) s. We also screened the LCEs for presence of any antibacterial ability on selected ATCC gram positive and gram negative bacterial strains. We established the identification data by recording the botanical characters of the leaves using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) so that the future identification and quality assessment can have strong basis. In extraction process we found the 30 % aqueous glycerol to be most efficient solvent in extraction yield of polyphenols followed by water. However, water LCE was found to be highest in the total flavonoids as well as in radical scavenging capacity. Anti-bacterial screening showed average inhibitory effect on the bacterial growth, interestingly the ethanol LCE showed activity against the gram negative E. coli. Overall as we optimized the extraction process for the leaves of Pteropyrum scoparium Jaub & Spach using green solvents, it is considered safe and offers great potential for further purification and application in future studies.

Background: Few women during their pregnancy, labour and postnatal period require critical care related to the pregnancy itself, aggravation of a pre-existing illness and complications of the delivery. Pregnant patients account for a small number of ICU admission - 2-10% two main indications for admission are hypertensive disorders (17.2%-46%) and massive haemorrhage (10%-32.8%). The primary objective of the present study was to review the characteristics of the obstetric patients admitted to our ICU over a 2-year period.Methods: It was a prospective study conducted over 50 patients in high dependency and intensive care unit at Alam hospital over a period of 2 years (October 2014 to October 2016).Results: During the study period a total of 50 obstetric patients were transferred to the intensive care unit (ICU). Antenatal care played significant role in the obstetric outcome. 84% of patients transferred to the ICU during the study period had inadequate or no antenatal care, while 8% were booked in their pregnancy and had adequate antenatal care. ICU interventions included mechanical ventilation used in 20(40%) patients, blood and blood product transfusion in 35(70%) patients’ inotropes in 20 patients (40%) antihypertensive therapy in 20 patients (40%), arterial embolization in 2(4%) patients. Maternal mortality was seen in 10 patients (20%).Conclusions: There is a need for training in emergency obstetrics so that the complication can be managed right at the time of occurrence.

Background: The worldwide incidence of GTB is approximately 5- 10% in infertile women. It varies from as low as 0.69% in some developed countries to as high as 19% in India. It is diagnosed by culture of the tubercle bacillus from tissue sampled from the genital tract is the yardstick for diagnosis and remains the gold standard.Methods: A prospective study was carried out between January 2012 and January 2015 on 100 women presenting with infertility.Results: A total (27%) women were diagnosed as genital tuberculosis by combination of hystero laparoscopic findings, histopathological and endometrial DNA-PCR technique confirmation. Of these (40.62%) had secondary infertility and remaining (59.38%) had primary infertility. (15.62%) were previously diagnosed with pulmonary or extra pulmonary tuberculosis and had completed a full course of Anti-tubercular treatment as per WHO CAT 1 regime.Conclusions: Therefore, in countries where TB is endemic, early and aggressive strategies should be pursued to diagnose and treat TB.

Zizyphus spina-christi (ZSC) fruit is a rich source of bioactive compounds but any medicinal properties in chemoprevention of colon cancer have hitherto not been studied. The aim of the present study was to examine in vivo protective effects of ZSC water extract on colon carcinogenesis in azoxymethane (AOM)-treated rats. Our results showed that ZSC significantly reduced AOM-induced colonic aberrant crypt foci development and AOM-induced oxidative stress as indicated by restoration of endogenous glutathione depletion and abrogating the impairment of total antioxidant capacity. Caspase-3 cleavage, which has been considered as an apoptotic index, was almost undetectable in AOM-treated rats and ZSC exhibited pro-apoptotic effects evidenced by increased levels of cleaved caspase-3. In the studied model, our findings provide the first in vivo evidence that ZSC extract could inhibit the early stage of colon carcinogenesis by preventing oxidative stress and inducing apoptosis.

Telangiectatic osteosarcoma (TOS) is one of the 8 subtypes of osteosarcoma that infrequently affects the spine. The radiopathological features of TOS overlap with those of more benign entities, most commonly the aneurysmal bone cyst), and therefore is a significant diagnostic challenge. It is a rare but well-described entity in the thoracolumbar and sacral spine, and to the authors' knowledge has not been previously reported in the cervical spine. The authors report the case of a 15-year-old boy who presented with a 6-month history of neck pain and torticollis. He underwent preoperative glue embolization followed by a staged subtotal C-5 spondylectomy and posterior fusion for a C-5 vertebral body lytic expansile lesion. Histopathological examination showed the lesion to be TOS. The surgery was followed by adjuvant radiation and chemotherapy with a favorable outcome at the 1-year follow-up. This report reiterates that TOS is an important differential diagnosis for aneurysmal bone cyst and giant-cell tumor of the spine, as its biological behavior and clinical outcome differ from those of these more benign lesions, which it mimics.

Objective: The objective of the following study is to determine 1p, 19q status in a cohort of glial neoplasms. Materials and Methods: Fluorescence in situ hybridization for determination of 1p, 19q deletions in 100 glial neoplasms diagnosed between January 2007 and March 2011, was performed using Vysis dual color probes localizing to 1p36/1q25; 19q13/19p13. Results: Out of the 100 tumors, 78 tumors were either pure oligodendroglial (OD) neoplasms or had an OD component. 1p and 19q codeletions were seen in 72.7% of oligodendrogliomas (World Health Organization [WHO] Grade II), 90.9% of anaplastic oligodendrogliomas (WHO Grade III), 22.2% of mixed oligoastrocytomas (WHO Grade II) and 42.9% of the anaplastic oligoastrocytomas (WHO Grade III). Of the 29 tumors that were diagnosed as glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), 11 had an OD component of which four showed codeletions of 1p and 19q (36.4%) and two tumors showed epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) amplification (20%) without 1p19q codeletions. Amongst the remaining 18 GBMs without an OD component, three cases showed EGFR amplification (16.7%), one case showed isolated deletion of 1p and none showed 1p19q codeletions. Polysomies involving 1p and/or 19q with or without deletions were seen in 76.9% of mixed oligoastrocytic tumors, 7.7% of pure OD tumors and one glioblastoma. Conclusions: 1p19q codeletion is an early molecular change in the genesis of OD tumors, which is retained at the time of progression. Mixed tumors more frequently show polysomies of 1p and 19q. The presence of codeletion in a third of the GBMs with an OD component with its absence in GBMs without an OD component, justifies categorization of these tumors as a separate entity.

Angioma serpiginosum is a cutaneous vascular nevoid disorder that presents as red, nonblanchable and grouped macules distributed in a serpiginous pattern and resembles purpura. It usually begins in childhood and commonly affects the lower limbs and the buttocks. Late onset of the lesions is unusual. We report a 46-year-old female who presented with progressively extending lesions on her breast since preceding four years. She also had a cherry angioma overlying the lesions, an observation hitherto not reported so far.

Rhus aucheri Boiss is a popular Omani herbal medicinal plant used as an antiseptic, astringent and homeostatic. In this study we evaluated, the antioxidant and antibacterial potential of R. aucheri Boiss leaves using an in - vitro model. Three green solvents, i.e. water ethanol and aqueous glycerol, were employed to access the extraction of polyphenols and flavonoids. We found the highest polyphenols and flavonoids extraction for aqueous glycerol extracts The antioxidant capacity was assessed using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical reducing abilities of the three liquid crude extracts (LCEs) and was recorded to be high in water and aqueous glycerol LCEs (91 and 83.1%) respectively. The screening of antibacterial potential was gauged against gram positive bacterial strains namely Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC® 29213™), Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC® 25923™) and Enterococcus faecalis (ATCC® 29212™) as well as one gram negative strain of Escherichia coli. The three LCEs were found to be fairly active against the microbial strains tested. Further, we recorded the scanning electron microscopic (SEM) images of the leaves of R. aucheri Boiss leaves to underpin the botanical characters of the leaves so that any future studies of this plant will have a sound basis.