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Background: A proportion of patients presenting with acute small ischemic strokes have poor functional outcomes, even following rapid recanalization treatment., Aims: Infarct growth may occur even after successful recanalization and could represent an appropriate endpoint for future stroke therapy trials., Methods: Magnetic resonance diffusion-weighted imaging lesion volumes were obtained at 5 h (initial posttreatment) and 24 h (follow-up) after acute stroke treatment for n = 33 in ischemic stroke patients. Sample sizes per arm (90% power, 30% effect size) for diffusion-weighted imaging lesion growth between initial and 24 h, early change in the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale between pre- and 24 h, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale at 24 h, and diffusion-weighted imaging lesion volume at 24 h were estimated to power a placebo-controlled stroke therapy trial., Results: For patients with poor recanalization (modified thrombolysis in cerebral infarction <2 a; modified arterial occlusion lesion = 0-2) (n = 11), the median diffusion-weighted imaging lesion growth was 8.1 (interquartile range: 4.5, 22.4) ml and with good recanalization (modified thrombolysis in cerebral infarction =2 b or 3; modified arterial occlusion lesion = 3) (n = 22), the median diffusion-weighted imaging lesion growth was 10.0 (interquartile range: 6.0, 28.2) ml ( P = 0.749). When considering a 30% effect size, the sample size required per arm to achieve significance in an acute stroke study would be: (1) N = 49 for the diffusion-weighted imaging lesion growth between initial posttreatment and follow-up time points, (2) N = 65 for the change in the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale between admission and 24 h, (3) N = 259 for the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale at 24 h, and (4) N = 256 for diffusion-weighted imaging volume at 24 h., Conclusion: Despite best efforts to recanalize the ischemic brain, early diffusion-weighted imaging lesion growth still occurs. Treatment trials in stroke should consider early diffusion-weighted imaging lesion growth as a surrogate outcome measure to significantly reduce sample sizes.

The beet armyworm, Spodoptera exigua (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is a highly polyphagous pest which causes considerable economic losses to cotton and many vegetable crops. Tannins are among the most important secondary metabolites in cotton plants. We show that tannic acid enhances the toxic effect of chlorantraniliprole on S. exigua when presented in combination. Bioassays using third-instar S. exigua larvae on an artificial diet showed that consumption of tannic acid with chlorantraniliprole at the concentration of (2 mg/g and LC 50 0.018 mg/L) had higher toxicity when compared to either chlorantraniliprole or tannic acid alone (LC 50 0.027 mg/L). The diet containing tannic acid with chlorantraniliprole significantly prolonged larval and pupal developmental time and extended mean generation time and total pre-oviposition period compared to either chemical alone. Moreover, fecundity, survival rate, reproductive value, intrinsic rate of increase, finite rate of increase and net reproduction rate declined significantly when exposed to the combined treatment. No difference was observed between tannic acid and the control. Meanwhile, tannic acid with chlorantraniliprole had markedly antifeedant effects; causing significant decline in the relative growth rate (RGR), the relative consumption rate (RCR), the efficiency of conversion of ingested food (ECI), the efficiency of conversion of digested food and an increase in the approximate digestibility (AD) compared to either chemical alone. Tannic acid with chlorantraniliprole also decreased the insect's carbohydrate, lipid and protein contents significantly. The results showed that the interaction between tannic acid and chlorantraniliprole on the growth inhibition of larvae was additive and tannic acid increased the toxicity of chlorantraniliprole to insects. The results of this study provide information useful in integrated pest management programs for S. exigua and show that tannic acid combined with chlorantraniliprole may be a route to reducing the use of synthetic pesticides., (Copyright © 2019. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Purpose: Infarct lesion segmentation has been problematic as there are a wide range of relative and absolute diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) thresholds that have been used for this purpose. We examined differences of stroke lesion volume and evolution evaluated by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) during the immediate post-treatment phase (<5 h) and at 24 h., Methods: In this study 33 acute ischemic stroke patients were imaged with MRI <5 h and 24 h post-reperfusion treatment. Lesion volumes were segmented on ADC maps and average DWI using literature cited absolute ADC and relative DWI thresholds. The segmented lesion volumes within both time points were compared and the absolute change in lesion volume (infarct growth) between the two time points was calculated and compared using Bland-Altman analysis., Results: Lesion volumes differed significantly when different relative DWI or absolute ADC thresholds were used (p < 0.05), which held true for baseline as well as follow-up lesions. The median absolute changes in lesion volume from baseline to follow-up for ADC thresholds of 550 × 10 -6  mm 2 /s, 600 × 10 -6  mm 2 /s, 630 × 10 -6  mm 2 /s and 650 × 10 -6  mm 2 /s were 3.5 ml, 4.2 ml, 4.5 ml, and 6.5 ml, respectively (p < 0.05). Likewise, the median absolute changes in lesion volume from baseline to follow-up for DWI thresholds, k = 0.85, 1.28, 1.64, 1.96, and 2.7 were 10.1 ml, 7.3 ml, 5.7 ml, 5.4 ml and 4.2 ml, respectively (p < 0.05)., Conclusion: Absolute lesion volumes and changes in lesion volumes (infarct growth) measured after recanalization treatment were dependent on absolute ADC and relative DWI thresholds, which may have clinical significance. Standardization of techniques for measuring DWI lesion volumes requires immediate attention.

Background: In plant-insect interactions, phytotoxins such as gossypol, exert a defensive role on behalf of the plant by interfering with the essential metabolic, biochemical and physiological pathways of herbivorous insects. The beet armyworm, Spodoptera exigua (Hübner), is a key pest for many important crops including a range of vegetables, ornamentals, and cotton. In this study, we investigated how resistance to deltamethrin relates to enzyme activity in gossypol-pretreated larvae of S. exigua., Results: Following selection with deltamethrin insecticides on gossypol-pretreated larvae for 10 generations, the Gos-SEL population developed a 113.29-fold resistance. Under the same conditions, the Delta-SEL selected population showed a 69.76-fold increase in resistance along with corresponding levels of xenobiotic defense enzyme activity. Similarly, the fecundity of the Delta-SEL population together with male and female longevity were found to be significantly lower when compared with the Gos-SEL population and the laboratory susceptible-strain group (SS-Strain). In addition, the activities of cytochrome P450s in S. exigua were significantly enhanced when the insects were fed on a deltamethrin and gossypol-pretreated diet compared with being fed on deltamethrin alone., Conclusion: The reproductive capacity of S. exigua is significantly reduced in Delta-SEL and Gos-SEL populations compared with the control group (SS-Strain). Elevation of the major detoxification enzyme cytochrome P450 monooxygenase and esterase might have an important role in inducing tolerance to deltamethrin in gossypol-fed S. exigua populations. This study enhances our understanding of detoxification enzyme pathways for S. exigua gene expression and their role in responses to insecticides and plant secondary metabolites. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry., (© 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.)

Global trade plays an imperative role in the world economy that yields environmental degradation. Therefore, the current paper's ambitions are to explore the trade-air pollution nexuses by introducing the value-added trade (VT) concept from a global value chain stance. The value-added trade (VT) indicator is constructed by the World Input-Output (WIOD) classifications database. Owing to scanty data accessibility, the sample set is reduced to 39 countries covering the period from 1995 to 2009. Furthermore, this paper is also contributing by including the eight different pathways of per capita air pollution in terms of ammonia (NH3), carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), methane (CH 4 ), nitrogen oxides (NO x ), nitrous oxide (N 2 O), sulphur oxides (SO x ) and non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOC) respectively. The valuable outcomes from empirical analysis have been found; Firstly, it explores that the preliminary stage of the development of value-added trade (VT) has a positive impact on air-bonds pollution. However, in the later stage of the economic development, trade improves the environmental quality as the square of value-added trade (VT 2 ) has a negative impact on air pollution. Moreover, it also elaborates that the magnitude impact of trade on carbon monoxide (CO) air pollution is more than the other seven air pollutants. Thirdly, the inverted U-shape in the trade-air pollution Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) hypothesis, the non-linear relationship between trade and pollution is also validated in all eight air pollutants indicators. Policy proposals for green economy that underlines the global value chain stance and environmental factors in the growing economy are proposed.

The theme of paper is to explore the trade-environment relationship and the role of institutions for 117 countries from global standpoint and five regions: Sub Saharan, European, Middle East and North Africa, Asia and Pacific, and Latin America and Caribbean, using the panel data span 2002-2014. By considering the endogeneity problem, to validate the nature of trade-environment nexuses, we applied the GMM first difference model in two steps. Likewise, Dumitrescu-Hurlin panel causality analysis is employed to affirm the causal relationship among the concern variables. The empirical findings of this study validate that the overall trade is significantly good to environment for sample countries (117) of the entire World, Europe, Asia, and Pacific regions. In further assessment, we incorporate interactive terms of institutions with trade, scale effect, and scale-technique effect. The estimated results confirm that institution is the persistent instrument for resolving the environmental problems. Furthermore, we find the evidence of inverted u shape EKC in overall selected sample of the World, Sub-Saharan, Europe, Asia, and Pacific regions. In contrast, there is no confirmation of inverted u shape EKC hypothesis in Middle East and North Africa regions. Similarly, no strong evidence of inverted u-shaped EKC hypothesis is observed in Latin-America and Caribbean region.

Harmonia axyridis (Pallas) is a major biological control agent that is indirectly threatened by sulfoxaflor insecticide applications targeting pests in agro-ecosystems. However, the genome-wide response of H. axyridis to sulfoxaflor remains largely unknown. Here, we used high-throughput RNA-seq technology to characterize the variation in the transcriptomic profile of second-instar H. axyridis larvae after exposure to sulfoxaflor. Two libraries were generated, with 50,702,976 and 47,005,096 clean reads for the sulfoxaflor treatment and control, respectively; these were grouped into 112,497 transcripts and 52,229 unigenes, of which 33,820 and 25,175 unigenes were respectively matched to proteins in the NCBI (Nr) and Swiss-Prot databases. From these unigenes, 794 significant differentially expressed genes (DEGs) consisting of 446 up- and 348 down-regulated genes, namely P450s, GSTs, USTs, ESTs, and others, were identified between the sulfoxaflor-treated and control groups. Furthermore, these DEGs were involved in several KEGG pathways including drug metabolism and metabolism of xenobiotic pathways. For transcriptome validation, 10 specifically expressed genes were selected and verified by quantitative real-time PCR analysis. Together, these results demonstrated that sulfoxaflor induces notable variation in the transcriptome profile and pathways of H. axyridis, which establishes a basis for further molecular investigations., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Diverse impact of greenhouse gasses (GHGs) over the landscape of environment is generally believed in literature. As CO2 emission acutely leads to GHGs is a major contributor for global warming, it creates a serious pressure on natural resources and ecological settings. Similarly, low-carbon (CO2) economy, plenty of energy resources, and sustainable growth are a big ask for worldwide economies in this era of mechanization. This paper analyzes the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) hypothesis, for Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) economies, to contend the role of mega projects in BRI as an attribute for ecological detriments. The on-hand study engages fresh data information ranging from 1981 to 2016 holding with heterogeneity and cross-sectional dependence as a special deliberation. The calculated outcomes expose that, mean group estimator provides strong evidence and favor the existence of EKC approximately in every region. The long-run influence is measured by pooled mean group estimators, which shows significant outcomes in every region; additionally, the EKC hypothesis affirmed in the long run especially for developed economies. Mega projects, i.e., BRI requisite immense energy sources to accomplishing the enclosed projects efficiently and effectively. The positive association between carbon emission and energy consumption troubled the governments to make policies for restraining the magnitude of carbon emission and controls energy usage for enduring environment to its original position. Next, the valuations depicted the dense recommendations for state administrations in capacity of rigorous level supremacy, trash managing campaigns, renewable energy reliance, and advance for desirable judgments to sterilize the atmosphere.

A total of fifty seven wheat advanced lines were screened to detect the existence of leaf rust resistant genes (Lr9, Lr13, Lr19, Lr24, Lr26, Lr28, Lr32, Lr34, Lr35, Lr36, Lr37, Lr39 and Lr46) using thirteen SSR markers. Only four markers for Lr13, Lr32, Lr34 and Lr35 produced separate, reproducible bands which indicated the positive linkage of leaf rust resistance with these SSR markers. The highest frequency was observed for Lr32 (100%), as it was detected in all fifty seven lines, followed by Lr34 (89.4%) in 51 lines, Lr35 (87.7%) in 50 lines and Lr13 (31.5%) in 18 lines respectively. All the four resistant genes were identified in fifteen lines which is only 26% of the studied population. These results indicate that there are limited number of variant genes for leaf rust resistance in the studied wheat advanced lines. Therefore, strategies for arraying these genes to lengthen infection resistance are advised to eliminate wheat rust diseases. In addition, more reliable and capable markers are essential to be settled for marker assisted selection of these and other genes., (Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Selective release of hydrogen from formic acid (FA) is deemed feasible to solve issues associated with the production and storage of hydrogen. Here, we present a new efficient photocatalytic system consisting of CdS nanorods (NRs), Ni, and Co to liberate hydrogen from FA. The optimized noble-metal-free catalytic system employs Ni/Co as a redox mediator to relay electrons and holes from CdS NRs to the Ni and Co, respectively, which also deters the oxidation of CdS NRs. As a result, a high hydrogen production activity of 32.6 mmol h -1  g -1 from the decomposition of FA was noted. Furthermore, the photocatalytic system exhibits sustained H 2 production rate for 12 h with sequential turnover numbers surpassing 4×10 3 , 3×10 3 , and 2×10 3 for Co-Ni/CdS NRs, Ni/CdS NRs, and CoCl 2 /CdS NRs, respectively., (© 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

We report a case of 65-year male patient, a known hypertensive and a chronic smoker, who presented to the Civil Hospital, Karachi with complaints of cough, hemoptysis and shortness of breath for three weeks. The chest radiograph showed left apical solitary pulmonary nodule (SPN) and aneurysmal dilatation of the descending thoracic aorta. He was further investigated with contrast enhanced computed tomography (CECT) scan of chest, which apart from demonstrating malignant pulmonary lesion, surprisingly revealed Stanford type B descending thoracic aortic dissecting aneurysm with intramural hematoma, jeopardising renal and splanchnic circulation. An asymptomatic dissecting aortic aneurysm is relatively rare. To the best of authors' knowledge, less than 15 case reports have been published in the international literature.

Objective: The objective of this study is to find out association between scar thickness, assessed sonographically, and intraoperative findings (IOF)., Study Design: Descriptive study., Place and Duration of Study: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Sharif Medical and Dental College, Lahore, from June 2016 to April 2017., Methodology: A total of 70 pregnant patients were included in this study. Transabdominal ultrasound was done for scarred uteri. Sonographic findings were co-related with introperative findings. All the given data were entered on SPSS version 23. Age was expressed as mean ± SD. Parity, gestational age, and interval between cesarean sections were expressed as frequencies with percentages. Statistical analysis was done by using Chi-square test for categorical data for association between sonographic scar thickness and intraoperative findings. The statistical significance was set at p-value <0.05., Results: The age range of the patients was 20-36 years with a mean of 27.91 ±3.690 years. Gestational age at the time of cesarean section was between 27-40 weeks of gestation with a mean of 37 ±2.126 weeks. The interval from previous cesarean was 10 months at the minimum, and 6 years at the maximum with a mean of 2.29 ±1.0 months. Mean scar thickness was 2.5 mm. Association between scar thickness (<1-3 mm) and intaoperative findings of dehiscence and rupture showed a p-value of <0.001., Conclusion: Sonographic assessment of a uterine scar has a practical application to determine the thickness of previous scar, and assess its integrity.

Insecticide resistance is a major challenge in successful insect pest control as the insects have the ability to develop resistance to various widely used insecticides. Butene-fipronil is a novel compound with high toxicity to insects and less toxicity to the non-target organisms. In the present study, the effect of butene-fipronil alone and in combination with three enzyme inhibitors, piperonyl butoxide (PBO), diethyl maleate (DEM), and triphenyl phosphate (TPP), was carried out on larvae and adults of Drosophilia melanogaster. Our results indicated that the co-toxicity indices of butene-fipronil + PBO, butene-fipronil + TPP, and butene-fipronil + DEM mixtures were 437.3, 335.0, and 210.3, respectively, in the second-instar larvae, while 186.6, 256.2, and 238.5, respectively, in the adults, indicating synergistic effects. Interestingly, butene-fipronil increased the expression of CYP28A5 in the larvae; CYP9F2, CYP304A1, CYP28A5, and CYP318A1 in the female adults; and CYP303A1 and CYP28A5 in the male adults. Furthermore, high-level expression of Est-7 was observed in the female adults compared to larvae and male adults. Our results suggest that there is no difference in butene-fipronil metabolism in larvae and male and female adults of D. melanogaster.

This paper explores the effects of finance on environmental degradation and investigates environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) of each country among 52 that participate in the One Belt and One Road Initiative (OBORI) using the latest long panel data span (1980-2016). We utilized panel long run econometric models (fully modified ordinary least square and dynamic ordinary least square) to explore the long-run estimates in full panel and country level. Moreover, the Dumitrescu and Hurlin (2012) causality test is applied to examine the short-run causalities among our considered variables. The empirical findings validate the EKC hypothesis; the long-run estimates point out that finance significantly enhances the environmental degradation (negatively in few cases). The short-run heterogeneous causality confirms the bi-directional causality between finance and environmental degradation. The empirical outcomes suggest that policymakers should consider the environmental degradation issue caused by financial development in the One Belt and One Road region.

The beet armyworm, Spodoptera exigua (Hubner), is one of the major crop pests and is a target for current pest control approaches using insecticides. S. exigua melanic mutants (SEM) spontaneously occurred in the S. exigua wild type (SEW) strain and have been maintained under laboratory conditions on an artificial diet. Scanning electron microscopy showed that the inner cuticle of the SEM had a denser and less orderly structure. We investigated the cuticle protein genes using RNA-seq at three different developmental stages of both SEM and SEW. Comparison of cDNA libraries showed that 7257 CPs were significantly up-regulated and 664 genes were significantly downregulated in SEM at the developmental stage of 46-h in the fifth instar. In addition, 460 genes were significantly up-regulated and 439 genes were significantly down-regulated in the SEM at the development stage of 4-h before pupation. Moreover, 162 genes were significantly up-regulated and 293 genes were significantly downregulated in the SEM, just after pupation. Two genes CPR63 and CPR97 were identified from RNA sequences to verify the differentially expressed gene (DEG) results through quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). The results show that expression of both CPR63 and CPR97 structural cuticular proteins were significantly different between SEM and SEW. This functional analysis may help in understanding the role that these genes play in the cuticle pattern of the SEM., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To find out the pattern of gastric emptying scintigraphy (GES) in patients with post prandial distress syndrome (PDS)., Methods: This study was carried out from January 2015 to July 2016 at Combined Military Hospital (CMH) Kharian and Nuclear Medical Centre (NMC) of Armed Forces Institute of Pathology (AFIP) Rawalpindi. Patient's inclusion criteria were dyspepsia of post prandial distress type for more than six months duration. Patients with dyspepsia due to epigastric pain syndrome and other organic disorder were excluded. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy was performed in all patients to rules out organic causes. Four-hour Gastric emptying scintigraphy was carried out at NMC, AFIP. Results were compiled and statistical assessment was done by utilizing SPSS IBM 22 version., Results: Thirty-eight patients were included in the study with age range from 15-72 years with mean age of 37.05±13.5 years. Males were 28(73.7%) and 10(26.7%) were female. Mean gastric retention with SD at one, two, three and four hours were 63 ± 19.04, 37± 20.62, 19±16.66 and 10±12.73 percent respectively. Early gastric emptying was in 3(7.89%) and delayed gastric emptying at two and four hours was seen in 4(10.52%) and 12(32%) respectively. Seventeen (44%) of the patients had normal gastric emptying despite the classical symptoms of PDS., Conclusion: Gastric dysmotility in GES seen in half of the patients points some additional mechanism as well like gastric accommodation or visceral hypersensitivity in the patients with PDS.

The beet armyworm, Spodoptera exigua (Hubner), is one of the major crop pests and is a target for current pest control approaches using insecticides. In this study three cuticular protein genes CPG316, CPG860 and CPG4855 have been cloned from 0 h pupal integument of S. exigua through race PCR Strategy. The deduced amino acid sequences were found to contain the RR-2 consensus region of other insect cuticular proteins and construct phylogenetic trees for each protein. Using quantitative RT-PCR, the developmental expression of the three genes through several larval and the early pupal stages was studied. All three genes contribute to the endocuticle although CPG316 may have a different role from the other two genes. All three newly isolated genes were analyzed and their functions were determined by using direct injection of the dsRNA into early 5 th instar larvae. All genes are expressed in the larvae and early pupae but in different patterns. Furthermore, phenotypic results show that these genes have differing effects on the development of cuticle, its flexibility and a big role in metamorphosis in both larval and pupal stages.

We present a case of 36-year male patient who was referred to the Civil Hospital, Karachi with intermittent abdominal pain and vomiting for the last 2 years. The contrast enhanced CTexamination revealed changes of acute pancreatitis, CTSI 4/10, pancreatic calcifications along with 22x17 mm partially thrombosed pseudoaneurysm of gastroduodenal artery. The aberrant right hepatic artery was incidentally seen, on the arterial phase acquisition, arising directly from abdominal aorta. Gastroduodenal artery pseudoaneurysm is a rare complication of acute pancreatitis. It can lead to hematemesis, and it can bleed massively into peritoneal cavity. The aberrant origin of right hepatic artery from the aorta is extremely rare. To the best of authors' knowledge, less than five cases have been reported previously in literature.

The Prevalence of microfilariasis of bovines was studied in four districts of Rayalaseema region of Andhra Pradesh with respect to species, age, breed, sex and physiological status viz., lactation, season for a period of 1 year. A total of 1286 blood samples were examined by conventional techniques viz. Wet blood film, blood smear examination and Knott's method with an overall prevalence of 2.72% (35/1286) was recorded in bovines. The prevalence observed in buffaloes and cattle was 2.97% (20/672) and 2.45% (15/614) respectively. With respect to region, higher rate of infection was recorded in Kurnool (3.25%) followed by 3.12, 2.5 and 2.01% in Anantpaur, Chittoor and Kadapa districts, respectively. The infection was higher in female animals (2.79%) whereas no positive case could be detected among the 32 male animals screened. Breed wise analysis revealed, highest prevalence was observed in cross bred cattle (3.04%) and graded Murrah (3.67) than non-descriptive cattle (0.64%) and buffalo (1.89%). Significantly higher prevalence was noticed in the age group of above 9 years (4.72%) followed by 6-9 years (2.98%), 3-6 years (2.05%) and below 3 years (1.04%). In lactating animals significantly higher prevalence was observed (3.47%) followed by non-lactating animals (2.65%) and heifers (0.47). Further higher prevalence was detailed during rainy season (3.89%) in comparison to summer (2.87%) and winter (1.25%) season.

Structural connectivity (SC) of white matter (WM) and functional connectivity (FC) of cortical regions undergo changes in normal aging. As WM tracts form the underlying anatomical architecture that connects regions within resting state networks (RSNs), it is intuitive to expect that SC and FC changes with age are correlated. Studies that investigated the relationship between SC and FC in normal aging are rare, and have mainly compared between groups of elderly and younger subjects. The objectives of this work were to investigate linear SC and FC changes across the healthy adult lifespan, and to define relationships between SC and FC measures within seven whole-brain large scale RSNs. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) data were acquired from 177 healthy participants (male/female = 69/108; aged 18-87 years). Forty cortical regions across both hemispheres belonging to seven template-defined RSNs were considered. Mean diffusivity (MD), fractional anisotropy (FA), mean tract length, and number of streamlines derived from DTI data were used as SC measures, delineated using deterministic tractography, within each RSN. Pearson correlation coefficients of rs-fMRI-obtained BOLD signal time courses between cortical regions were used as FC measure. SC demonstrated significant age-related changes in all RSNs (decreased FA, mean tract length, number of streamlines; and increased MD), and significant FC decrease was observed in five out of seven networks. Among the networks that showed both significant age related changes in SC and FC, however, SC was not in general significantly correlated with FC, whether controlling for age or not. The lack of observed relationship between SC and FC suggests that measures derived from DTI data that are commonly used to infer the integrity of WM microstructure are not related to the corresponding changes in FC within RSNs. The possible temporal lag between SC and FC will need to be addressed in future longitudinal studies to better elucidate the links between SC and FC changes in normal aging.

Microglia are immune cells in the brain and play a pivotal role in the progression of ischemic injury, but the gene expression and signaling pathways related to the activation of microglia following ischemia remain unclear. In our experiment, we used digital gene expression (DGE) analysis to profile the transcriptome of ischemic tissue in a photothrombosis model. DGE analysis identified that a total of 749 genes were differentially regulated (643 up-regulated and 106 down-regulated) after 2days and 7days following stroke. We found 74.5% of these differentially expressed genes were microglial genes. Gene ontology (GO) analysis categorizes these differentially expressed genes at 2days and 7days to specific biological processes such as inflammatory response, cell activation, cell proliferation, and chemokine and cytokine production. Our data demonstrated that a large number of microglial genes were highly regulated at 2days after stroke, but the number of differentially expressed genes had reduced drastically by 7days. Importantly, some of the differentially expressed microglial genes at 7days did not show differential expression at 2days after stroke. DGE analysis indicated that specific genes related to microgliosis were regulated after ischemia. Consistent with the changes in transcriptome, the results from histological analysis of transgenic mice revealed that the microglia proliferated and aggregated surrounding the ischemic core during the period from 2days to 7days following photothrombosis. Together, these results suggested that transcriptomic changes in microglial genes after stroke may have a profound implication for pathophysiology and treatment of stroke., (Copyright © 2017 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The most common surgical techniques for the treatment of recurrent anterior shoulder instability include the arthroscopic Bankart repair, the open Bankart repair and the open Latarjet procedure. The purpose of this study was to evaluate and compare the long-term outcomes following these procedures. A systematic review of modern procedures with a minimum follow-up of 5 years was completed. The objective outcome measures evaluated were post-operative dislocation and instability rate, the Rowe score, radiographic arthritis and complications. Twenty-eight studies with a total of 1652 repairs were analyzed. The estimated re-dislocation rate was 15.1% following arthroscopic Bankart repair, 7.7% following open Bankart repair and 2.7% following Latarjet repair, with the comparison between arthroscopic Bankart and open Latarjet reaching statistical significance ( p <0.001). The rates of subjective instability and radiographic arthritis were consistently high across groups, with no statistical difference between groups. Estimated complication rates were statistically higher in the open Latarjet repair (9.4%) than in the arthroscopic Bankart (0%; p =0.002). The open Latarjet procedure yields the most reliable method of stabilization but the highest complication rate. There are uniformly high rates of post-operative subjective instability symptoms and radiographic arthritis at 5 years regardless of procedure choice., Competing Interests: Disclosure The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) typically causes chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. It is associated with a variety of extrahepatic complications. We herein, present a rare extrahepatic complication of HBV infection. A 32-year man presented with melena, bleeding from gums and fever. Peripheral blood examination revealed anemia, macrocytosis and severe thrombocytopenia. His hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) was positive but deoxyribonucleic acid (HBV DNA) by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was negative. Other hepatitis, human immune deficiency virus (HIV), dengue, and autoimmune serology were negative. Bone marrow examination revealed megaloblastic erythropoiesis. There was mild to moderate reduction of megakaryocytes in bone marrow, which was not compatible with severe peripheral thrombocytopenia. His response to cyanocobalamin and folic acid was remarkable for myeloid cell lines and moderate for erythroid cell lines, but poor to platelet counts. Platelet counts gradually improved to safe limits with eltrombopag, likely reflecting autoimmune pathogenesis for thrombocytopenia. This case report highlights multiple targets of HBV infection with associated multiple pathogenetic mechanisms.

Hexagonal crystalline ultrathin ReSe 2 flakes are synthesized for the first time by a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method. The as-synthesized ReSe 2 flake is revealed as a novel structure, which has mirror-symmetric single-crystal domains inside, by polarization incident Raman and HRTEM. The successful development of the CVD method will facilitate research on the novel anisotropic electronic/optoelectronic properties of ReSe 2 in the future., (© 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Objective: To compare the effectiveness of pain relief of Sucralfate and lidocain antacid 50:50 solution in post esophageal variceal band ligation pain., Methods: All patients who had under gone Esophageal Variceal Band Ligation (EVBL) were included in the study. Patients un-willing to be included in the study or those who didn't have post EVBL pain were excluded. Patients with post EVBL pains were divided into two groups: one group was given sucralfate and other was given lidocaine: antacid 50:50 solution. Both were inquired about the duration of the pain relief after the medication. The results were analyzed on SPSS 23. Independent samples T-test was performed to find out whether the difference in duration of pain relief was significantly different in the two groups., Results: Out of 110 patients who have EVBL, 66(60.00%) had pain and 44(40.00%) were pain free. In the pain group 46 (69.7%) were given sucralfate and 20 (30.3%) were given lidocain: antacid 50:50 solution. Mean duration of pain relief in two groups was 2.78 (SD ± 2.096) and 2.5 days (SD ±. 0.76) respectively. Independent samples T-test results revealed that there was no statistically significant difference in the duration of pain relief between these two groups with p value 0.426., Conclusion: Both Sucralfate and Lidocain: antacid 50:50 solutions are effective in relieving the post EVBL pain. However, no statistically significant difference in duration of pain relief was detected in separate groups of patients treated with either treatment.

Objective: To find out the frequency of intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy and its identification parameters., Methods: The cross-sectional observational study was conducted in the Department of Medicine and the Department of Obstetrics, Combined Military Hospital, Kharian, from October 2013 to March 2014, and comprised all pregnant patients having symptoms suggestive of intrahepatic cholestasis which was confirmed after systemic inquiry, examination and biochemical analysis. Patients with cholestasis due to another reason, coagulopathies, thrombocytopenia and tumours were excluded. The patients were followed up till delivery to see the effects of cholestasis on mother and child., Results: Out of 1001 obstetric patients, 31(3.1%) had intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy. Pruritus was the main symptom in 25 (85%) patients followed by rash in 20 (65%). In 20 (64%) patients, labour was induced. Mode of delivery was Caesarean Section in 18 (58%) patients and 9 (29%) had postpartum haemorrhage. Regarding neonatal complications, 22 (70%) required admission to neonatal intensive care and 15 (48%) had meconium aspiration., Conclusions: A high frequency of intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy was observed. It had significant impact on maternal and foetal health.

Evolution of organismal complexity and origin of novelties during vertebrate history has been widely explored in context of both regulation of gene expression and gene duplication events. Ohno (1970) for the first time put forward the idea of two rounds whole genome duplication events as the most plausible explanation for evolutionarizing the vertebrate lineage (2R hypothesis). To test the validity of 2R hypothesis, a robust phylogenomic analysis of multigene families with triplicated or quadruplicated representation on human FGFR bearing chromosomes (4/5/8/10) was performed. Topology comparison approach categorized members of 80 families into five distinct co-duplicated groups. Genes belonging to one co-duplicated group are duplicated concurrently, whereas genes of two different co-duplicated groups do not share their duplication history and have not duplicated in congruency. Our findings contradict the 2R model and are indicative of small-scale duplications and rearrangements that cover the entire span of animal's history., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) is considered the second most common form of dementia in the elderly. The cognitive fluctuations, hallucinations and extrapyramidal symptoms and signs suggest simultaneous neurodegeneration in multiple neuronal pathways including both dopaminergic and cholinergic transmission. In the past few years, several small studies have demonstrated the benefit of acetylcholinesterase inhibitors (AChEIs) on the cognitive and behavioral symptoms of DLB. These drugs, by reversibly blocking the hydrolytic activity of AChE, increase the availability of synaptic acetylcholine. Neuropathological and neuroimaging studies demonstrated that cholinergic neurotransmission is more defective in DLB than in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Despite the relevance of AChEIs to DLB, there are no FDA-approved drugs for its management. The aim of this review is to summarize the literature on the application of donepezil in DLB. Although the results are inconclusive, when one compares and contrasts them to the results of the AD-donepezil trials, the effect size appears larger. Placebo-controlled, randomized, well-powered studies of adequate length are needed to avoid underutilization of a potentially efficacious drug., (Copyright 2015 Prous Science, S.A.U. or its licensors. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: Chemotherapy is the mainstay of cancer treatment; however, chemotherapy treatment may cause nausea and vomiting, which could cause 25-50% of patients to consider delaying or refusing further cancer treatment. Chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV), can be prevented in 70-80% of patients with evidence-based anti-emetic regimen. The purpose of this study is to assess prescribing patterns with regard to prevention of CINV, in the national center for cancer care and research (NCCCR), and develop and implement a standardized evidence-based guideline for the management of CINV., Methods: 25 anti-emetic prescriptions were audited to assess their conformity with either of the published guidelines; Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer (MASCC), American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), or the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN), to establish baseline data. A multidisciplinary team of clinical pharmacists and oncologists developed and implemented a guideline for the prevention of CINV. The guideline was promoted using a variety of strategies; education, pocket cards, academic detailing and pharmacist intervention. Physician anti-emetic orders were audited by pharmacists, to assess their conformity with NCCCR anti-emetic guidelines. A data collection form was developed to capture relevant information including; patient demographics, type and emetogenic level of chemotherapy, and the conformity of anti-emetic order with NCCCR guidelines. SPSS statistical software was used to analyze the data., Results: The conformity of anti-emetic physician order with NCCCR anti-emetic guidelines increased from 0% baseline in June 2008 to an average of 60.006% (n = 331) by December 2010 and consistently increased reaching 94.3827% (n = 792) by December 2013, (p value 0.0002)., Conclusion: The introduction of anti-emetic guidelines succeeded in standardizing CINV management, toward an evidence-based approach.

Clofazimine is an orally administered, FDA-approved drug that massively bioaccumulates in macrophages, forming membrane-bound intracellular structures possessing nanoscale supramolecular features. Here, a library of phenazine compounds derived from clofazimine was synthesized and tested for their ability to accumulate and form ordered molecular aggregates inside cells. Regardless of chemical structure or physicochemical properties, bioaccumulation was consistently greater in macrophages than in epithelial cells. Microscopically, some self-assembled structures exhibited a pronounced, diattenuation anisotropy signal, evident by the differential absorption of linearly polarized light, at the peak absorbance wavelength of the phenazine core. The measured anisotropy was well above the background anisotropy of endogenous cellular components, reflecting the self-assembly of condensed, insoluble complexes of ordered phenazine molecules. Chemical variations introduced at the R-imino position of the phenazine core led to idiosyncratic effects on the compounds' bioaccumulation behavior, as well as on the morphology and organization of the resulting intracellular structures. Beyond clofazimine, these results demonstrate how the self-assembly of membrane-permeant, orally-bioavailable small molecule building blocks can endow cells with unnatural structural elements possessing chemical, physical and functional characteristics unlike those of other natural cellular components.

Background: Uterine leiomyomas are the most common benign tumours in women. Misoprostol, which is widely used in the treatment and prevention of postpartum haemorrhage in obstetrics, may decrease intra-operative bleeding in abdominal myomectomies when haemorrhage constitutes a challenging problem., Aims: To assess the effect on intra-operative blood loss of using a single pre-operative dose of rectal misoprostol in abdominal myomectomy surgeries., Materials and Methods: In a randomised double-blind placebo-controlled trial, 50 women undergoing abdominal myomectomy for symptomatic uterine leiomyomas were randomly assigned to receive a single dose of pre-operative of rectal 400 μg misoprostol (n = 25) or placebo (n = 25) 1 h before the operation. The primary outcome was intra-operative blood loss. This clinical trial was registered in clinicaltrial.gov registry with number: NCT02061657., Results: Intra-operative blood loss was significantly lower in those women randomised to receive rectal misoprostol versus the placebo group (574 ± 194.8 mL vs 874 ± 171.5 mL). Additionally, the drop in postoperative haemoglobin was significantly less in the misoprostol group (1.7 ± 0.4 g/dL) compared with the placebo group (2.1 ± 0.5 g/dL)., Conclusion: A single pre-operative dose of rectal misoprostol (400 μg) is a simple applicable method for reducing intra-operative blood loss and operative time in abdominal myomectomy., (© 2015 The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.)

A young pregnant lady of 26 years age, presented with recent onset weaKness of legs. On examination, she was only able to move legs from side to side and lift the arms with difficulty. Rest of neurological and systemic examination did not reveal any abnormality. On investigations, there were raised serum muscle enzyme levels, hyperthyroid hormone profile, myopathy on electromyography and myositis on muscle biopsy. Common conditions of myositis were excluded. She was given glucocorticoids and methimazole to which she responded well.

Background: Thrombocytopenia has been frequently observed in plasmodium vivax malaria in different studies. Finding out the severity of thrombocytopenia--is perhaps equally important, as it has practical as well as prognostic implications. The objective of the study was to assess the severity of thrombocytopenia in patients suffering, from malaria caused by plasmodium vivax., Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out at Combined Military Hospital (CMH) Malir, Karachi, which is a tertiary care Hospital for all military personnel & their families in the province of Sindh. All patients of smear positive Vivax malariaduring the study period were, included, and those having thrombocytopenia from any other reason were excluded. They were treated with antimalarial drugs and their platelet counts were monitored till they normalized and discharged from the hospital. Thrombobytopenia was defined as platelets count of <150,000/cu mm. Results were. analysed by SPSS 11., Results: Out of 150 cases, 133 (88%) had thrombocytopenia. Their ages ranged from 15 to 55; mean age was 35 with SD +/- 20. Low platelet count observed was between 11,000 and 146,000/cu mm with SD +/- 27404. Mean value was 79,832/cu mm. None of the patient had any bleeding episode requiring a blood transfusion., Conclusion: Plasmodium vivax associated thrombocytopenia has a benign outcome. irrespective of severity of the platelet counts.

We present the synthesis of Mn doped Zn(2)SiO(4) dense nanowire bundles using the VLS mode of growth with unusual optical and magnetic properties. The synthesized Zn(2)SiO(4) nanowires were identified with two phases, α-Zn(2)SiO(4) as the major phase and β-Zn(2)SiO(4) as the minor phase. XPS studies confirmed that Zn(2)SiO(4) nanowires were Zn rich and Mn doped. Temperature dependent photoluminescence (PL) measurements showed three distinct emission bands: green, yellow and red due to Mn doping in the α-phase, β-phase and the substitution of Si with Mn in the α-phase, respectively. The PL analysis showed that these emission bands followed anomalous Berthelot-type behavior. The carrier escape energies were 70 ± 3 meV, 49 ± 2 meV and 65 ± 4 meV for the 530, 570 and 660 nm bands, respectively, while the radiation rates (Er =) were 1.0 ± 0.4 meV, 3.10 ± 1.10 meV and 1.4 ± 0.4 meV corresponding to the three respective bands. Mn doping of Zn(2)SiO(4) nanowires induced ferromagnetism, which was observed above room temperature, with a Curie temperature well above 380 K. The observation of magnetic behavior in this class of semiconductors has potential applications in high temperature spintronics and magneto-optical devices.

A study was designed to evaluate ameliorative effect of propolis against methoxychlor (MXC) induced ovarian toxicity in rat. The organochlorine pesticide (MXC) is a known endocrine disruptor with estrogenic, anti-estrogenic, and anti-androgenic properties. To investigate whether chronic exposure to MXC could cause ovarian dysfunction, two groups of Sprague-Dawley adult female rats were exposed to MXC alone in a dose of 200mg/kg, twice/weekly, orally or MXC dose as previous plus propolis in a dose of 200mg/l/day, in drinking water for 10 months. Another two groups of rat were given corn oil (control) or propolis. Multiple reproductive parameters, ovarian weight, serum hormone levels, ovarian oxidative status and ovarian morphology were examined. In MXC-exposed group, there is a significant decrease in body and ovarian weight vs. control. MXC decreases serum estradiol and progesterone levels. A significant increase in the levels of lipid peroxidation was obtained while a significant decrease of the total antioxidant was recorded. Ovarian histopathology showed primary, secondary and vesicular follicles displaying an atretic morphology. Increase in the ovarian surface epithelium height accompanied with vacuolated, pyknotic oocytes were obtained. The previous toxic effects were neutralized by the administration of propolis in MXC+propolis group. The present results suggest that propolis may be effective in decreasing of MXC-induced ovarian toxicity in rat., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.)

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of biofilm formation around intrauterine contraceptive devices (IUCD) and to correlate the microbiological profile of the IUCD-associated genital infections to the microbiological profile of specimens retrieved from vaginal discharge., Material and Methods: Samples of the vaginal discharge in the posterior fornix were collected from 50 women attending the Family Planning Clinic in Ain Shams University Hospital using two high vaginal swabs. Swabs were immediately sent for Gram staining as well as microbiological culture. The IUCD was then removed. A 0.5-cm piece of the removed IUCD was cut and sent for culture. Growing colonies were tested for their abilities to form a biofilm (colorimetric method). Another 0.5-cm piece of the removed IUCD was examined by electron microscopy (EM) for detection of biofilm formation., Results: Among the included 50 women, 24 (48%) women showed biofilm formation (via colorimetric methods). EM scanning was able to detect biofilm formation in the prepared pieces of the removed IUCD of 48 (96%) women. There was no significant agreement between the isolated microorganisms on the removed IUCD and the vaginal swab (proportion of agreement was 14 [11.4%]; κ = -0.089, P = 0.892)., Conclusion: Scanning EM is a useful tool in detection of biofilm formation on removed IUCD., (© 2014 The Authors. Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Research © 2014 Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology.)

We report on HfO2/Al/HfO2 multilayer thin films for heat mirror applications prepared on corning glass substrates by electron beam evaporation. Films fabricated at a substrate temperature of 100 °C show nano-polycrystals of HfO2 embedded in a disordered lattice according to X-ray diffraction results. Atomic force microscopy revealed that HfO2/Al/HfO2 layers possess smooth surface that is appropriate for optical heat mirror applications. Study of optical properties by UV-Visible spectrophotometer demonstrated that transmittance of HfO2/Al/HfO2 device was decreasing from UV to VIS and then slightly increasing in the NIR regions, with an opposite trend followed by reflectance. Optical constants i.e. refractive index, extinction coefficient, band gap energy, Urbach energy has also been calculated. The optical band gap and Urbach energy are found to be 4.34 eV and 3.164 eV, respectively. The collective oscillation energy loss for heat mirrors applications are also observed.

Four complete mitochondrial (mt) sequences from a single-oocyst-derived line of Eimeria mitis USDA 50 were obtained (three from cloned whole-genome PCR products, one from directly sequenced whole-genome PCR product). The mt genome is 6,408 bp long with three genes (CytB, cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) and cytochrome c oxidase subunit III (COIII)) and many rDNA fragments (large subunit rDNA 13, small subunit rDNA 10); organisation was identical to other Eimeria sp. mt genomes. Conserved start codon positions for both COI and COIII are suggested for all Eimeria mt genomes; these start codon positions exist and may also be conserved, in related apicomplexan parasites. Within the three separate cloned PCR products of near-complete mt genomes, there were 26 nucleotide differences (collectively) compared to the directly sequenced mt genome. These changes appear to be base misincorporations during PCR. Direct sequencing of long PCR amplification products may be more likely to generate accurate mt genomic sequences than cloning and subsequent sequencing.

In the title compound, C17H21N3O3, the non-planar (r.m.s. deviation = 0.212 Å) ethyl (oxo)acetate group is oriented towards the phenyl substituent. The triazole and benzene rings are twisted with respect to each other, making a dihedral angle of 41.69 (6)°. In the crystal, mol-ecules are arranged into centrosymmetric R 2 (2)(10) dimers via pairs of C-H⋯O inter-actions involving the ethyl (oxo)acetate groups. In addition, the triazole rings show π-π stacking inter-actions, with their centroids at a distance of 3.745 (2) Å.

A lady aged 26 years reported with a 2 months history of fever, upper abdominal pain and weight loss. Her abdominal ultrasonographic scan revealed a complex cystic mass in left lobe of liver suggestive of hydatid cyst that was confirmed on magnetic resonance imaging of abdomen and magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatogram. With strong suspicion of a hydatid cyst, endoscopic retrograde cholangiogram was performed which confirmed the diagnosis. During the procedure, hydatid membranes protruding from the papilla were removed after sphincterotomy. She was put on albendazole 400 mg twice daily after the procedure and showed a remarkable clinical improvement.

Mountainous areas in the northern Pakistan are blessed by numerous rivers that have great potential in water resources and hydropower production. Many of these rivers are unexploited for their water resource potential. If the potential of these rivers are explored, hydropower production and water supplies in these areas may be improved. The Indus is the main river originating from mountainous area of the Himalayas of Baltistan, Pakistan in which most of the smaller streams drain. In this paper, the hydrology of the mountainous areas in northern Pakistan is studied to estimate flow pattern, long-term trend in river flows, characteristics of the watersheds, and variability in flow and water resource due to impact of climate change. Eight watersheds including Gilgit, Hunza, Shigar, Shyok, Astore, Jhelum, Swat, and Chitral, Pakistan have been studied from 1960 to 2005 to monitor hydrological changes in relation to variability in precipitation, temperature and mean monthly flows, trend of snow melt runoff, analysis of daily hydrographs, water yield and runoff relationship, and flow duration curves. Precipitation from ten meteorological stations in mountainous area of northern Pakistan showed variability in the winter and summer rains and did not indicate a uniform distribution of rains. Review of mean monthly temperature of ten stations suggested that the Upper Indus Basin can be categorized into three hydrological regimes, i.e., high-altitude catchments with large glacierized parts, middle-altitude catchments south of Karakoram, and foothill catchments. Analysis of daily runoff data (1960-2005) of eight watersheds indicated nearly a uniform pattern with much of the runoff in summer (June-August). Impact of climate change on long-term recorded annual runoff of eight watersheds showed fair water flows at the Hunza and Jhelum Rivers while rest of the rivers indicated increased trends in runoff volumes. The study of the water yield availability indicated a minimum trend in Shyok River at Yogo and a maximum trend in Swat River at Kalam. Long-term recorded data used to estimate flow duration curves have shown a uniform trend and are important for hydropower generation for Pakistan which is seriously facing power crisis in last 5 years.

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is one of the neglected tropical diseases that require a global policy for integrated control programs. The disease is fatal if untreated, affects ∼500,000 persons/year, and is most prevalent in poor countries. Treatment is expensive and carries a risk of toxicity. Therefore, sensitive and specific diagnosis of VL is crucial to avoid under- or overdiagnosis. Selecting an appropriate serological diagnostic test is an issue of controversy and depends on geographic location. The study aimed to evaluate the performance of two serological techniques: recombinant antigen K39 (rK39)-immunochromatographic (IC) lateral flow assay (InBios, USA) that uses a recombinant Leishmania antigen K39 and the specific IgG detection by direct agglutination test (DAT, for the diagnosis of imported VL in non-endemic region (Saudi Arabia). The diagnostic accuracy of the two assays was assessed using bone marrow aspiration, direct microscopic examination, and culture on NNN agar as the "gold standard". The bone marrow specimens from Indian, Sudanese, and Bengali patients (n = 98) with suspected VL features were cultured. Thirty-five specimens were positive (36%). The sensitivity and specificity of rK39-IC test were 89% (95% CI 78-99) and 92% (95% CI 85-99), respectively. DAT (with cutoff ≥1:1,600) showed comparable results (sensitivity 94%; 95% CI 87-101 and specificity 95%; 95% CI 90-100). To conclude, the performance of rK39-IC test and DAT is comparable. Both tests are moderately sensitive and specific and could be used to facilitate the global drive to eliminate this disease. The rK39-IC test is a rapid, easy-to-perform test and can be used as a point-of-care diagnostic method.

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test was employed to detect Taenia solium DNA in muscle lesions for validation of the meat inspection results of slaughtered pigs. Two sets of oligonucleotide primers, one targeted against the large subunit rRNA gene (TBR primers) and the other targeted against cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 gene (Cox1 primers) of T. solium were used in this study. On reactivity in PCR test, the TBR primers and the Cox1 primers yielded products of 286 and 984 bp, respectively, in cysticercosis positive cases. Both the sets of primers were found to be highly specific, since they did not yield any PCR product in negative controls. A total of 225 pig carcasses were screened for cysticercosis by meat inspection, out of which 25 carcasses with visible cysts (16 viable and 9 degenerated cysts) were also confirmed to be positive for cysticercosis in PCR test. However, out of the 35 carcasses with suspected lesions on meat inspection, only two were found to be positive for cysticercosis in PCR test. The detection limits for both the primer sets were analyzed. The TBR primer set could detect up to 10 pg of cysticercus DNA, whereas the Cox1 primer set could detect only up to 1 ng. It is evident from the study that PCR test is an efficient tool for validation of meat inspection results and also to rule out ambiguity in carcass judgment of suspected cases of porcine cysticercosis.

Two new rotenoids, boerharotenoids A (1) and B (2), and four known compounds, boeravinone (3), 5,7,3'-trihydroxycoumaronochromone (4), boeravinone F (5), and eupalitin-3-O-beta-D-galactopyranoside (6), have been isolated from Boerhavia repens and their structures established by spectroscopic (1D and 2D NMR) and mass spectrometric comparison with literature values.

Chromatographic purification of the extract of an endophytic fungal culture yielded depsitinuside (1), a new phenolic ester together with ergosterol (2) and (22E,24S)-24-methyl-5-α-cholesta-7,22-diene-3β,5,6β-triol (3). The structure of 1 was elucidated based on 1D, 2D NMR spectroscopy and high-resolution mass spectrometry, whereas the known compounds (2 and 3) were identified by (1)H NMR, mass spectrometry, and in comparison with the literature values. Compound 1 was evaluated for its enzyme inhibitory potential against acetylcholinesterase, butyrylcholinesterase and lipoxygenase, and was found inactive (10%-40% inhibition at a concentration of 2 mg/ml).

Background: Dysphagia results from impeded transport of liquids, solids, or both from the pharynx to the stomach. Among the malignant lesions, carcinoma of oesophagus is the commonest cause. Our objective was to find out the frequency of different endoscopic lesions and outcome of the endoscopic therapeutic interventions in patients presenting with dysphagia., Methods: This descriptive study was conducted at Department of Gastroenterology, Military Hospital Rawalpindi from June 2008 to May 2009. Patients of dysphagia after their consent were interviewed about the symptoms. Relevant biochemical investigations were done. Barium swallow and upper Gastrointestinal (GI) Endoscopy were carried out. Benign strictures were dilated with Savary Gilliard Dilators. Malignant strictures were further evaluated to decide treatment plan. In patients considered to have oesophageal dysmotility, pressure manometery was done before specific therapy., Results: Seventy nine patients were enrolled. Twenty-five had malignant strictures, out of those commonest was adenocarcinoma 14 (56%). Twenty-nine had benign strictures the commonest being Gastro-oesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) related peptic stricture 9 (31%). Fifteen had oesophageal dysmotility, and achalasia was present in 10 out of them. After evaluation 12 out of 25 patients with malignant strictures were considered fit for surgery. Self-expanding metal stents (SEMS) were passed in 5. All benign strictures were dilated with Savary-Gillard dilators. Pneumatic balloon dilation was done in patients of achalasia., Conclusion: The commonest malignant lesion resulting in dysphagia was adenocarcinoma while in benign it was GERD related peptic stricture. Achalasia was most frequent in oesophageal motility disorders. Standard of treatment for early oesophageal malignancy is surgical resection. SEMS is a reliable way to allay dysphagia in inoperable cases. Savary Gillard dilatation in benign, and pneumatic balloon achalasia dilatations are effective ways of treatment.