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Alanoud Aladel,1 Fahmida Khatoon,2 Mohammad Idreesh Khan,3 Azzah Alsheweir,1 Malak Ghazi Almutairi,4 Sami Owaidh Almutairi,4 Faisal Khalid Almutairi,5 Kudaibergen Osmonaliev,6 Mirza Masroor Ali Beg6,7 1Department of Community Health Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 2Biochemistry Department, College of Medicine, University of Ha’il, Ha’il, Saudi Arabia; 3Department of Clinical Nutrition, College of Applied Health Sciences in Ar Rass, Qassim University, Ar Rass, 51921, Saudi Arabia; 4Department of Clinical Nutrition, Almethnab General Hospital, Qassim Health Cluster, Ministry of Health, Al Mithnab, Saudi Arabia; 5Laboratory Department, Armed Forces Hospital in Qassim, Medical Services, Ministry of Defense Qassim Buraydah Al-Rass, Buraydah, Saudi Arabia; 6Faculty of Medicine, Alatoo International University, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan; 7Centre for Promotion of Medical Research, Bishkek, KyrgyzstanCorrespondence: Mirza Masroor Ali Beg, Email mirzamasroor1986@gmail.comObjective: Growing epidemics of type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and obesity have become a serious health concern. Since miRNAs and vitamin levels affect the development and progression of numerous pathogenic diseases, including diabetes, the present study aimed to evaluate miRNA-143 and miRNA-145 expression and vitamin-D status among obese and non-obese T2DM patients.Methods: The study included 100 clinically confirmed newly diagnosed obese and non-obese T2DM cases and 100 healthy subjects. Total RNA was extracted from collected blood samples and 100 ng of RNA was used for cDNA synthesis, then TaqMan assay was performed to evaluate the miRNA-143 and miRNA-145 relative expression.Results: T2DM cases with hypertension (4.08 fold, p=0.01; 5.36 fold, p=0.009), fatigue (5.07 fold, p=0.04; 5.32 fold, p=0.03) and blurred vision (5.15 fold, p=0.01) showed higher miRNA-143 and miRNA-145 relative expression compared with their counterparts, respectively. A positive correlation was observed between miRNA-143 and miRNA-145 expression and decreased vitamin-D status in T2DM had significant association with impaired blood glucose fasting (p=0.001) and HDL level (p< 0.0001). Obese T2DM cases showed higher miRNA-143 and miRNA-145 expression compared with their counterparts. Vitamin-D deficient T2DM cases had higher miRNA-143 and miRNA-145 expression (5.69 fold, 5.91 fold) compared with insufficient (4.27 fold, p=0.03; 4.61 fold, p=0.03) and sufficient (4.08 fold, p=0.002; 4.29 fold, p=0.003). ROC curve for miRNA-143 and miRNA-145 between obese T2DM vs non-obese T2DM cases, at best possible cutoff value of 4.39 fold, 4.0 fold showed increased miRNA-143 and miRNA-145 expression, the sensitivity and specificity were 85%, 88% and 61%, 53% respectively (AUC=0.83, p< 0.0001; AUC=0.81, p< 0.0001).Conclusion: Higher miRNA-143 and miRNA-145 expression could be a predictive indicator for obese T2DM cases, decreased status of vitamin-D was also significantly associated with impaired fasting blood sugar and HDL level, therefore it is important to evaluate the vitamin-D status among T2DM cases for better clinical outcome during the intervention.Keywords: type 2 diabetes, obesity, vitamin-D, miRNA, expression, prognostic marker

Sehar-un-Nisa Hassan,1 Aqeela Zahra,2 Nuzhat Parveen,3 Fahmida Khatoon,2 Naseer Ahmad Bangi,4 Hassan Hosseinzadeh5 1Department of Public Health, College of Public Health and Health Informatics, University of Ha’il, Ha’il, 81451, Saudi Arabia; 2Department of Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Ha’il, Ha’il, 81451, Saudi Arabia; 3Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Medicine, University of Ha’il, Ha’il, 81451, Saudi Arabia; 4Department of Respiratory Therapy, College of Medical Rehabilitation Sciences, Taibah University, Madinah, 42353, Saudi Arabia; 5School of Haelth and Society, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, AustraliaCorrespondence: Aqeela Zahra, Department of Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Ha’il, Ha’il, 81451, Saudi Arabia, Tel +966583675414, Email a.zahra@uoh.edu.saPurpose: To determine the relationship of various domains of quality of life (QoL) with healthcare adherence during the COVID-19 pandemic in Saudi Arabia.Methods: The study sample comprised 795 participants among which 203 had a current diagnosis of any major NCDs, including cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus, asthma, chronic pulmonary diseases, and chronic psychiatric illnesses and a control group of 592 participants who had no NCD. Participants completed an online survey questionnaire which obtained data on socio-demographic variables, types of NCDs, and healthcare adherence during the year 2020, the period during which Saudi Arabia underwent the first two waves of the COVID-19 pandemic. World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL-BREF) assessed the QoL in four domains physical, psychological, social and environmental and used standard scores in the analysis. GraphPad Prism 5 and SPSS 25V were employed for the statistical analysis. Bar graphs and frequency distribution tables present descriptive data. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were computed to determine the significance of the relationship between QoL and healthcare adherence.Results: Almost equal proportions of participants with NCDs (n=109/203; 54%) and without NCDs (n=327/592; 55%) demonstrated nonadherence to their regular healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic (χ 2=0.14; p=0.71). Patients with NCDs experienced lower quality of life in the psychological, social and environmental domains of QoL (p< 0.05). Results from the multivariate regression analysis showed that female gender (AOR=1.52; p< 0.05) psychological QoL (AOR=1.99; p< 0.05), social QoL (AOR=1.98; p< 0.05) and environmental QoL (AOR=1.95; p< 0.05) significantly relate with adherence to healthcare.Conclusion: Psychological, social and environmental may influence healthcare adherence among patients with NCDs during pandemics and should be focused on while devising future healthcare policy and interventions.Keywords: quality of life, COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare, adherence, non-communicable diseases, behaviors

Background. Psoriasis is a chronic and recurrent inflammatory skin disorder that affects about 125 million people worldwide. Patients with psoriasis are more likely to develop inflammatory arthritis, cardiometabolic disease, and mental health issues. Psoriasis remains incurable and recurrent despite the availability of contemporary treatments. Unani (Greco-Arabic) medicine has its unique concept of psoriasis; numerous treatments and formulations are prescribed by renowned Unani scholars.

Medical and dental professionals should continue to adhere to preventive measures after COVID-19 vaccination due to their increased risk of exposure to the virus, particularly as new variants emerge that may heighten their risk perception and susceptibility. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the effects of COVID-19 vaccination on complacency to adherence to COVID-19 preventive behavioral measures and mental health among medical and dental professionals. In this cross-sectional study 410 medical and dental professionals were recruited from different medical and dental hospitals in Islamabad, Pakistan. The data was collected using a valid and reliable questionnaire comprising of three sections (socio-demographic, information of preventive behaviors performance against COVID-19 after vaccination, mental health status). A chi-square test and ordinal logistic regression were used for analysis. Post COVID-19 vaccination there was decrease in the frequency of use of hand washing, sanitizers (70.2%), and social distancing (60.5%), however greeting with a handshake (58.8%) and use of public transport (45.9%) seen upward trend among participants. Only face mask usage post-vaccination was statistically significant ( p  < .05) in association with age, marital status, and years of working Experience. The greatest decrease in the usage of masks after COVID-19 vaccination was seen in age group of 10-30 (41.7%) and working experience group of 0-5 years (39.7%). All the preventive behaviors are statistically significant ( p  < .05) associated with the mental status of the participants except online shopping and use of public transport. These results indicate the presence of vaccination-induced complacency in adherence to COVID-19 preventive behavioral measures among healthcare professionals.

Background: Norepinephrine has recently been suggested to be as effective as phenylephrine for the prevention of hypotension after spinal anesthesia for cesarean delivery. Moreover, compared to phenylephrine, norepinephrine may be superior in maintaining heart rate (HR) and consequently, cardiac output (CO). A recent study demonstrated that norepinephrine given as a single intravenous bolus is approximately 13 times more potent than phenylephrine. However, it is uncertain whether this finding can be applied when these vasopressors are administered as infusions. Therefore, the optimum infusion rate of norepinephrine remains unknown. We aimed to determine the median effective dose (ED50; defined as the rate of vasopressor infusion required to prevent spinal hypotension in 50% of subjects) of both drugs needed to maintain maternal systolic blood pressure within 20% of the baseline after spinal anesthesia for cesarean delivery and to derive the relative potency ratio., Methods: Sixty healthy patients undergoing elective cesarean delivery with standardized spinal anesthesia were randomized into 2 groups. The first patient in group 1 received phenylephrine 1200 µg in normal saline 0.9% w/v 60 mL at 60 mL/h infusion rate (20 µg.min-1). The first patient in group 2 received norepinephrine 96 µg in normal saline 0.9% w/v 60 mL at 60 mL/h infusion rate (1.6 µg.min-1). Using up-down sequential allocation technique, the vasopressor dose for every subsequent patient was determined by the response in the previous patient. If effective, the next patient received a dose reduced by 150 µg of phenylephrine (2.5 µg.min-1) or 12 µg (0.2 µg.min-1) of norepinephrine. If ineffective, the dose for the next patient was increased by the same amount. The ED50s were determined according to the Dixon-Massey formula. Stroke volume (SV), HR, and CO were also measured., Results: The ED50 was 12.7 µg.min-1 (95% CI, 10.5-14.9) for phenylephrine and 1.01 µg.min-1 (95% CI, 0.84-1.18) for norepinephrine, giving a potency ratio of 12.6 (95% CI, 9.92-15.9). HR, SV, and CO did not differ between the groups., Conclusions: Norepinephrine is more potent than phenylephrine by a factor of approximately 13 when administered as infusion for equivalent maternal blood pressure control. Based on these findings, we recommend a variable rate prophylactic infusion of norepinephrine to be initiated at 1.9 to 3.8 µg.min-1 for the management of hypotension during cesarean delivery under spinal anesthesia., Competing Interests: Conflicts of Interest, Funding: Please see DISCLOSURES at the end of this article., (Copyright © 2024 International Anesthesia Research Society.)

NQO1 disruption enhances susceptibility to oxidative stress during hyperglycemia and is a significant contributor to the development and progression of diabetes. Oxidative stress has been linked to several symptoms, including hyperglycemia, reactive oxygen species buildup, high blood pressure, and the expression of inflammatory markers. Therefore, the present research aimed to evaluate the genetic abnormality of NQO1 (rs1800566, C609T) gene polymorphism, expression, and vitamin-D level assessment among Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients. The study included 100 newly diagnosed T2DM cases and 100 healthy individuals as healthy controls. Total RNA was extracted from the whole blood using the TRIzol method, and further cDNA was synthesized, and expression was evaluated. There is a significant difference in NQO1 (rs1800566, C609T) genotype distribution among the T2DM patients and healthy controls ( p = 0.04). Compared with the NQO1 CC wild-type genotype, the NQO1 CT heterozygous genotype had an odds ratio of 1.96 (1.08-3.55), and the NQO1 TT mutant type genotype had an odds ratio of 3.31 (0.61-17.77). Significantly decreased expression of NQO1 mRNA was observed with heterozygous CT ( p < 0.0001) and homozygous mutant TT genotype ( p = 0.0004), compared with homozygous wild-type CC genotype. NQO1 mRNA expression level was also compared with vitamin D levels among the T2DM patients. T2DM patients with vitamin D deficiency had 1.83-fold NQO1 mRNA expression, while vitamin D insufficient and sufficient T2DM cases had 3.31-fold ( p < 0.0001) and 3.70-fold ( p < 0.0001) NQO1 mRNA expression. It was concluded that NQO1 (rs1800566, C609T) CT and TT genotypes played a significant role in the worseness of type II diabetes mellitus, and decreased expression of NQO1 mRNA expression could be an essential factor for disease worseness as well as hypermethylation could be a factor for reduced expression leading to disease severity. The decreased NQO1 mRNA expression with heterozygous CT and mutant TT genotype associated with vitamin D deficiency may contribute to disease progression.

Withaferin A, a steroid lactone from Withania somnifera, exhibits anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, and antioxidant properties. This study investigated the effects of withaferin A on collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) rats, focusing on NF-κB p65 regulation and cytokine release. Withaferin A (50 mg/kg b.wt., orally) or methotrexate (0.25 mg/kg b.wt., i.p., as a reference drug) was given to CIA rats daily for 20 days postarthritis induction. Joints were removed from nonarthritic and arthritic rats to assess the levels of NO, MPO, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α, COX-2, and NF-κB via ELISA. Furthermore, the mRNA expression of IL-1β, IL-10, TNF-α, COX-2, iNOS, and NF-κB was also assessed through qPCR. Treatment with withaferin A significantly inhibited the levels of inflammatory cytokines and the transcription factor NF-κB; suppressed the expression of IL-1β, IL-10, TNF-α, COX-2, iNOS, and NF-κB in the joint tissue of CIA rats; and reduced cartilage and bone destruction, as shown by H&E staining. To confirm the results obtained from biochemical and molecular studies and to determine the molecular target of withaferin A, we performed a molecular simulation of the potential targets of withaferin A, which identified the NF-κB pathway as its target. These results suggested that withaferin A effectively attenuated rheumatoid arthritis progression by inhibiting the activation of the NF-κB pathway and the downstream secretion of inflammatory cytokines., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

In this study, we have examined the effect of hesperidin on rats fed on an experimental high-fat diet. Male Wistar rats were given a high-fat diet orally for one month for developing an HFD (High fat- diet) model. Rats were also supplemented with hesperidin (100 mg/kg body weight) for one month. We determined serum LDL (Low-density lipoprotein) oxidation, Paraoxonase-1 (PON-1) activity, and histopathological profile of the liver. Inflammatory cytokines levels were also measured in serum. HFD induced significant changes in LDL oxidation and PON-1 activity. Liver tissue histopathology and gene expression of inflammatory markers (Il-6(Interleukin-6), TNF- alpha (Tumor necrosis factor alpha), NF-KB (Nuclear factor kappa B) show that significant changes occur in the hyperlipidemic model of rats. We also show that hesperidin can effectively improve plasma antioxidant, LDL oxidation, and inflammatory cytokine expression in rats already subjected to hyperlipidemic stress. We conclude that hesperidin may protect the liver from oxidative stress by improving hepatic function., Competing Interests: Conflict of interestThe authors of this manuscript have no conflict of interest., (© The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Association of Clinical Biochemists of India 2023. Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.)

Translating nature's successful design principle of solution-based supramolecular self-assembling to broad applications─ranging from renewable energy and information technology to nanomedicine─requires a fundamental understanding of supramolecular hierarchical assembly. Though the forces behind self-assembly (e.g., hydrophobicity) are known, the specific mechanism by which monomers form the hierarchical assembly still remains an open question. A crucial step toward formulating a complete mechanism is understanding not only how the monomer's specific molecular structure but also how manifold environmental conditions impact the self-assembling process. Here, we elucidate the complex correlation between the environmental self-assembling conditions and the resulting structural properties by utilizing a well-characterized model system: well-defined supramolecular Frenkel excitonic nanotubes (NTs), self-assembled from cyanine dye molecules in aqueous solution, which further self-assemble into bundled nanotubes (b-NTs). The NTs and b-NTs inhabit distinct spectroscopic signatures, which allows the use of steady-state absorption spectroscopy to monitor the transition from NTs to b-NTs directly. Specifically, we investigate the impact of temperature (ranging from 23 °C, 55 °C, 70 °C, 85 °C, up to 100 °C) during in situ formation of gold nanoparticles to determine their role in the formation of b-NTs. The considered time regime for the self-assembling process ranges from 1 min to 8 days. With our work, we contribute to a basic understanding of how environmental conditions impact solution-based hierarchical supramolecular self-assembly in both the thermodynamic and the kinetic regime.

Background: This paper looks at how AI and machine learning have been applied over the last ten years to the development of anti-cancer drugs. By speeding up the synthesis of more desirable compounds and the identification of new ones, artificial intelligence (AI) has demonstrated substantial contributions to the research and therapy of anti-cancer therapies., Methods: This work is a narrative review that examines numerous uses of AI-based techniques in the development of anti-cancer medications., Results: Future developments in human cancer research and treatment are anticipated to be significantly influenced by AI. Protein-interaction network analysis, drug target prediction, binding site prediction, and virtual screening are examples of innovative techniques. Drug design and screening are enhanced by machine learning, and the use of multitarget drug development approaches has made it possible to develop cancer treatments with fewer side effects. AI does, however, have several drawbacks, such as a heavy reliance on data and a narrow scope of explanation. Interpretable AI models, which combine data and computation in AI-assisted cancer treatment research, will be the new development path in the future., Conclusions: For more than thirty years, computer-aided drug design techniques have been a key component in the advancement of cancer therapies. Artificial intelligence is a new and powerful technology that has the potential to speed up, lower the cost, and improve the efficacy of anti-cancer therapy development.

Trigonella foenum-graecum L., commonly known as Ḥulba or Methi in Unani medicine, is an annual self-pollinating plant belonging to the Leguminosae family. It has been utilized for centuries to treat a wide range of diseases, and modern research has supported its traditional medicinal claims. In this study, the authors have conducted manual and online searches to gather and summarize the scientific literature on Ḥulba . This article seeks to underscore the potential of Ḥulba in addressing a variety of health conditions as identified by esteemed classical Unani scholars, as well as to investigate its phytochemistry and pharmacological properties in contemporary medicine. The authors have utilized electronic databases, such as PubMed, Science Direct, DOAJ, Google Scholar, and Ayush Research Portal to filter published material. According to the gathered literature, Unani physicians have consistently recommended Ḥulba seeds for a variety of ailments, such as indigestion, flatulence, colitis, arthritis, backache, paralysis, headaches, common cold, cough, bronchial asthma, diabetes mellitus, vitiligo, and pityriasis. Additionally, the seeds and green leaves of Ḥulba contain several chemical constituents, such as alkaloids, flavonoids, steroids, saponins, and amino acids. Furthermore, several pharmacological studies have demonstrated that Ḥulba possesses various properties, including antidiabetic, antispasmodic, hypolipidemic, immunological, antibacterial, anthelmintic, antiinflammatory, analgesic, and antioxidant activities. Based on the available evidence, it can be concluded that Ḥulba has been effectively used in Unani medicine for treating a wide range of diseases. Unani scholars have extensively documented its pharmacological properties, which have been supported by modern research studies. However, further research is necessary to validate some of the claims made in traditional medicine using scientific parameters., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

The ongoing COVID-19 spreads worldwide with the ability to evolve in diverse human populations. The nucleocapsid (N) protein is one of the mutational hotspots in the SARS-CoV-2 genome. The N protein is an abundant RNA-binding protein critical for viral genome packaging. It comprises two large domains including the N-terminal domain (NTD) and the C-terminal domain (CTD) linked by the centrally located linker region. Mutations in N protein have been reported to increase the severity of disease by modulating viral transmissibility, replication efficiency as well as virulence properties of the virus in different parts of the world. To study the effect of N protein missense mutations on protein stability, function, and pathogenicity, we analyzed 228 mutations from each domain of N protein. Further, we have studied the effect of mutations on local residual frustration changes in N protein. Out of 228 mutations, 11 mutations were predicted to be deleterious and destabilized. Among these mutations, R32C, R191C, and R203 M mutations fall into disordered regions and show significant change in frustration state. Overall, this work reveals that by altering the energetics and residual frustration, N protein mutations might affect the stability, function, and pathogenicity of the SARS-CoV-2.

Honokiol (HNK) is a natural polyphenolic compound extracted from the bark and leaves of Magnolia grandiflora. It has been traditionally used as a medicinal compound to treat inflammatory diseases. HNK possesses numerous health benefits with a minimal level of toxicity. It can cross the blood-brain barrier and blood-cerebrospinal fluid, thus having significant bioavailability in the neurological tissues. HNK is a promising bioactive compound possesses neuroprotective, antimicrobial, anti-tumorigenic, anti-spasmodic, antidepressant, analgesic, and antithrombotic features . HNK can prevent the growth of several cancer types and haematological malignancies. Recent studies suggested its role in COVID-19 therapy. It binds effectively with several molecular targets, including apoptotic factors, chemokines, transcription factors, cell surface adhesion molecules, and kinases. HNK has excellent pharmacological features and a wide range of chemotherapeutic effects, and thus, researchers have increased interest in improving the therapeutic implications of HNK to the clinic as a novel agent. This review focused on the therapeutic implications of HNK, highlighting clinical and pharmacological features and the underlying mechanism of action.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Purpose: Interstitial brachytherapy (ISBT) is indicated for intact cervical carcinoma (IN-CC) if intracavitary brachytherapy (ICRT) is not feasible and also in vault carcinoma (VA-C). We aimed to evaluate the doses to pelvic lymph node regions in IN-CC and VA-C treated with ISBT., Material and Methods: Ten patients (6 IN-CC, 4 VA-C) were chosen for this dosimetric study. IN-CC had a central tandem in addition to the needles. External iliac (EI-N), internal iliac (II-N), obturator (OB-N) and sacral (SA-N) groups of lymph nodes were delineated. A dose of 10 grays (Gy) and 8 Gy each × 2 fractions was prescribed to the target in IN-CC and VA-C respectively. Doses received by 100%, 90% and 50% volume (D 100 , D 90 , D 50 ) and D 2cc , D 1cc , D 0.1cc were evaluated. Doses to lymph nodal groups in IN-CC vs. VA-C were compared using Student's t -test., Results: For 20 implants, the median number of needles was 18 (range, 16-20). Mean D 90 and D 2cc of the combined bilateral OB-N, II-N, EI-N and SA-N groups were 33.62 ±3.46% and 102.94 ±10.71%, 6.98 ±0.65% and 39.69 ±3.64%, 5.1 ±0.51% and 15.4 ±0.8%, 7.76 ±0.95% and 15.36 ±1.09% of the prescribed doses respectively. Patients with a central tandem (IN-CC) received significantly higher doses to external, internal iliac and sacral group of lymph nodes ( p < 0.001) as compared to VA-C., Conclusions: In patients with cervical carcinoma treated with ISBT, pelvic lymph node groups received significant doses. The dose contribution to pelvic lymph nodes is higher in patients with intact cervical cancer where a central tandem is used as compared to post-operative patients., Competing Interests: The authors report no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Termedia.)

Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) are a heterogeneous collection of compounds formed during industrial processing and home cooking through a sequence of nonenzymatic glycation reactions. The modern western diet is full of heat-treated foods that contribute to AGE intake. Foods high in AGEs in the contemporary diet include processed cereal products. Due to industrialization and marketing strategies, restaurant meals are modified rather than being traditionally or conventionally cooked. Fried, grilled, baked, and boiled foods have the greatest AGE levels. Higher AGE-content foods include dry nuts, roasted walnuts, sunflower seeds, fried chicken, bacon, and beef. Animal proteins and processed plant foods contain furosine, acrylamide, heterocyclic amines, and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural. Furosine (2-furoil-methyl-lysine) is an amino acid found in cooked meat products and other processed foods. High concentrations of carboxymethyl-lysine, carboxyethyl-lysine, and methylglyoxal-O are found in heat-treated nonvegetarian foods, peanut butter, and cereal items. Increased plasma levels of AGEs, which are harmful chemicals that lead to age-related diseases and physiological aging, diabetes, and autoimmune/inflammatory rheumatic diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis. AGEs in the pathophysiology of metabolic diseases have been linked to individuals with diabetes mellitus who have peripheral nerves with high amounts of AGEs and diabetes has been linked to increased myelin glycation. Insulin resistance and hyperglycemia can impact numerous human tissues and organs, leading to long-term difficulties in a number of systems and organs, including the cardiovascular system. Plasma AGE levels are linked to all-cause mortality in individuals with diabetes who have fatal or nonfatal coronary artery disease, such as ventricular dysfunction. High levels of tissue AGEs are independently associated with cardiac systolic dysfunction in diabetic patients with heart failure compared with diabetic patients without heart failure. It is widely recognized that AGEs and oxidative stress play a key role in the cardiovascular complications of diabetes because they both influence and are impacted by oxidative stress. All chronic illnesses involve protein, lipid, or nucleic acid modifications including crosslinked and nondegradable aggregates known as AGEs. Endogenous AGE formation or dietary AGE uptake can result in additional protein modifications and stimulation of several inflammatory signaling pathways. Many of these systems, however, require additional explanation because they are not entirely obvious. This review summarizes the current evidence regarding dietary sources of AGEs and metabolism-related complications associated with AGEs., Competing Interests: Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare., (©The Author(s) 2023. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Overweight and obesity (OO) are significant public health issues, and many elements, including genetics, epigenetics, sedentary lifestyle, comorbid conditions, psychological and environmental pressures, have been linked to OO. More than 2 billion people are presently impacted by the global obesity epidemic, which is still advancing relentlessly. It is a significant public health concern and a major contributor to healthcare costs, because it increases the chance of developing conditions such as heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and chronic kidney disease (CKD). Using the ranges of 18.5-25 for normality, 25-30 for overweight, and 30 for obesity, BMI (in kg/m 2 ) is used to identify obesity. Vitamin deficiency is one of the causative factors associated with the increasing trend of obesity. Altered vitamin B12 status is a multifactorial trait; changes in B12 status are produced by several single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in various genes that interact with the environment. They also support coordinated efforts to alter the built environment that is causing the obesity pandemic. Therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate the TCN-2 (776C>G) gene alteration and vitamin B12 levels with respect to different body mass index, as well as associating BMI with other biochemical parameters., Methods: 250 individuals were involved in the study; among them, 100 were in the healthy weight range category (BMI: 18.5 to <25 kg/m 2 ), 100 were overweight (BMI: 25.0 to <30 kg/m 2 ), and 50 were obese (BMI: >30 kg/m 2 ). Participants visited during the screening program were subjected to blood pressure measurement, and further peripheral blood samples were drawn from all the participants in plain as well as in EDTA vials for biochemical (lipid profile and vitamin B12 level) analysis and single nucleotide polymorphism studies. Extracted DNA from whole blood collected in EDTA vials using kit protocol was used for genotyping by PCR-RFLP., Results: The levels of systolic ( p < 0.0001) and diastolic blood pressures ( p < 0.0001), HDL ( p < 0.0001), LDL ( p = 0.04), TG ( p < 0.0001), cholesterol ( p < 0.0001), and VLDL ( p < 0.0001) showed significant differences between healthy controls, overweight, and obese groups. The healthy control TCN-2 (776C>G) genotypes were compared with those of overweight and obese participants, and compared to the healthy controls it was observed that overweight ( p = 0.01) and obese ( p = 0.002) subjects had significant differences in TCN-2 (776C>G) genotypes. For genotypes CG and GG, the odds ratio was 1.61 (0.87-2.95; p = 0.12), and 3.81 (1.47-9.88; p = 0.005) for overweight participants, respectively, and obese participants' calculated odds ratios were 2.49 (1.16-5.36; p = 0.01) and 5.79 (1.93-17.35; p = 0.001), respectively. The relative risk for genotypes CG and GG, was 1.25 (0.93-1.68; p = 0.12), 2.17 (1.12-4.17; p = 0.02) for overweight participants, while the obese participants' calculated relative risks were 1.31 (1.03-1.68; p = 0.01) and 2.02 (1.12-3.65; p = 0.001), respectively. Vitamin B12 levels were analyzed, and it was observed that a significant difference existed among overweight (305.5 pmol/L, p < 0.0001) and obese patients (229 pmol/L, p < 0.0001), respectively, as compared to healthy controls (385.5 pmol/L). Correlation analysis showed a significant association of vitamin B12 level with TG, cholesterol and VLDL; it showed a negative correlation, suggesting that decreases in B12 levels may impact the lipid profile., Conclusion: The study concluded that a predisposition to the GG genotype of TCN-2 gene polymorphism (776C>G) may increase susceptibility to obesity and the related complications, and higher odds and relative risk for the GG genotype may increase the risk of having obesity and further related complications. Lower vitamin B12 levels were linked with obesity and overweight, and impaired lipid parameters suggested that lower vitamin B12 may impact the altered lipid profile.

The mitigation of wastewater exploiting biopolymers/natural gums-based composites is an appealing research theme in today's scenario. The following review presents a comprehensive description of the polysaccharides derived from biopolymers (chitosan, collagen, cellulose, starch, pectin, lignin, and alginate) and natural gums (guar, gellan, carrageenan, karaya, moringa oliefera, tragacanth, and xanthan gum). These biopolymers/natural gums-based composites depicted excellent surface functionality, non-toxicity, economic and environmental viability, which corroborated them as potential candidates in the decontamination process. The presence of -OH, -COOH, and -NH functional groups in their backbone rendered them tailorable for modification/functionalization, and anchor an array of pollutants via electrostatic interaction, hydrogen bonding, and Van der Waals forces. Further, due to these functional moieties, these bio-based composites revealed an excellent adsorption capacity than conventional adsorbents. This review provides an overview of the classification of biopolymers/natural gums based on their origin, different ways of their modification, and the remediation of dye-contaminated aqueous environments employing diverse bio-based adsorbents. The isotherm, kinetic modelling along with thermodynamics of the adsorption process is discussed. Additionally, the reusable efficacy of these bio-adsorbents is reviewed., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Background: Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a rare progressive and chronic motor neuron degenerative disease for which at present no cure is available. In recent years, multiple genes encode kinases and other causative agents for ALS have been identified. Kinases are enzymes that show pleiotropic nature and regulate different signal transduction processes and pathways. The dysregulation of kinase activity results in dramatic changes in processes and causes many other human diseases including cancers., Methods: In this study, we have adopted a network-based system biology approach to investigate the kinase-based molecular interplay between ALS and other human disorders. A list of 62 ALS-associated-kinases was first identified and then we identified the disease associated with them by scanning multiple disease-gene interaction databases to understand the link between the ALS-associated kinases and other disorders., Results: An interaction network with 36 kinases and 381 different disorders associated with them was prepared, which represents the complexity and the comorbidity associated with the kinases. Further, we have identified 5 miRNAs targeting the majority of the kinases in the disease-causing network. The gene ontology and pathways enrichment analysis of those miRNAs were performed to understand their biological and molecular functions along with to identify the important pathways. We also identified 3 drug molecules that can perturb the disease-causing network by drug repurposing., Conclusion: This network-based study presented hereby contributes to a better knowledge of the molecular underpinning of comorbidities associated with the kinases associated with the ALS disease and provides the potential therapeutic targets to disrupt the highly complex disease-causing network., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Khatoon, Haque, Hashem, Mahmoud, Tashkandi, Mathkor, Harakeh, Alghamdi and Kumar.)

Background: Exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke is a public health problem in countries with high prevalence of active smoking such as Pakistan. However, few studies have assessed the prevalence and risk factors for exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke., Aims: To estimate the prevalence and factors associated with exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke in Pakistan., Methods: This study used data from the 2017-2018 Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey to calculate the prevalence and determinants of second-hand tobacco smoke exposure. Sociodemographic characteristics, family size and exposure to media by the respondents were the independent variables. The chi-square test and logistic regression analyses were used to evaluate the relationship between exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke and the independent variables.hy9., Results: The survey included 61 940 adults, of which 30 027 (48.5%) were males and 31 913 (51.5%) females. The overall prevalence of exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke was 34.3%: 35.6% among males and 33.2% among females. Higher education level and rural residence were significantly positively associated with exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke among both sexes. Having a radio was inversely associated with exposure while having a television was positively associated with exposure among both sexes. Large family size was inversely associated with exposure. Currently and previously married females had significantly greater risk of exposure than never-married females., Conclusion: Tailored health interventions and policies are needed that target populations at high-risk of exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke. Strict smoking bans in public places should be implemented to limit exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke in Pakistan., (Copyright © Authors 2022; Licensee: World Health Organization. EMHJ is an open access journal. This paper is available under the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial ShareAlike 3.0 IGO licence (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO; https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/igo).)

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Psoriasis, despite modern therapeutic options, is incurable and recurrent. In Unani (Greco-Arab) medicine, many medications and formulations have been prescribed by eminent scholars for conditions clinically similar to psoriasis, though empirical evidence is sparse. Hence, the experimental formulations ItrīfalShāhtra and MarhamḤina were chosen to be compared to the standard therapies PUVAsol and petrolatum for their safety and efficacy., Materials and Methods: This open-label, randomized control clinical trial was conducted on 66 male and female participants with chronic plaque psoriasis, ranging in age from 18 to 65 years. In each group, 33 participants were block randomized to either receive Unani formulations or control drugs for 12 weeks. The Unani group received oral Itrīfal Shāhtra (a semisolid paste) and topical MarhamḤina (an ointment) twice daily, and the control group received oral 8-methoxypsoralen and topical petroleum jelly for local application. Participants of both groups were advised to get daily sunlight exposure for 5-15 min. The primary outcome measure was the change in psoriasis area and severity index (PASI) assessed at each visit. Secondary outcome measures were patient global assessment on a 100 mm VAS applied at baseline and after 12 weeks of treatment and change in subjective parameters including erythema, induration, scaling, and itching, assessed on a 5-point scale at every visit. Hemogram, LFTs, RFTs, CXR, ECG, urine, and stool tests were all assessed at baseline and after treatment for the safety of the drugs., Results: The per-protocol analysis was done on 25 participants in each group. The mean ± SD of the psoriasis area severity index (PASI) significantly decreased from 27.88 ± 12.01 and 23.61 ± 9.79 at baseline to 5.01 ± 4.59 and 9.85 ± 7.16 after completion of the trial therapies in both Unani and control groups, respectively. Also, the test formulations outperformed the control drugs on clinically significant endpoints, PASI 50 and PASI 75, with all 25 participants achieving PASI 50 and 76% achieving PASI 75., Conclusion: The trial formulations, ItrīfalShāhtra and MarhamḤina may be superior to control drugs PUVAsol and petrolatum in terms of safety, efficacy, and tolerability in the treatment of chronic plaque psoriasis. Thus, the Unani formulations may further be evaluated in a well-designed multicentric superiority trial with an adequate sample size., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Ovarian cancer is considered as one of the foremost gynecological malignancies due to its complex nature, unpredictable behavior and prognosis. Therefore, varying therapeutic strategies are necessitating an accurate diagnosis of this cancer. This study aimed to observe the frequency, age distribution, clinical presentation, gross features and histopathological pattern of the ovarian tumors among the Bangladeshi population. This cross-sectional observational study included 125 participants who were admitted in Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) with histologically proven ovarian cancer from January 2016 to December 2017. The epidemiological data and histopathological analysis of the ovarian cancer were performed. Among the 125 participants examined, the majority were in two age groups between 21-30 and 41-50 years. Histologically, serous adenocarcinoma (50.4%) was the commonest, least common being endometroid variety (0.8%). Furthermore, 40.1% of participants were presented with stage iii disease. Abdominal distention followed by abdominal pain was the main presenting complains. Adenocarcinoma is mostly serous in variety and higher in younger age group.

Background: Mental and psychological health issues are on the rise globally. People with disabilities are at greater risk of poor psychological quality of life especially after covid-19 pandemic. Along with other factors physical activity (PA) may have a significant effect on mental health. This study aims to analyze the difference of PA participation and sitting time among people with and without disabilities and their association with psychological quality of life., Methods: A standard questionnaire was used to collect the data from disabled and non-disabled participants above 15 years of age. Bivariate and multivariate analysis was performed to yield statistical results., Results: Total study sample consisted of 359 participants (67.7% without disability and 32.3% with disability). Participants without disabilities reported a significantly better psychological quality of life (QOL) (Mean score = 68) as compared to the ones with disabilities (Mean score = 61), ( p < 0.01). There was significant difference between the sitting time of two groups with longer sitting time among people with disabilities (6.1 h/day) as compared to non-disabled (5.3 h). Optimum level of PA was strongly associated with better psychological quality of life among individuals without disabilities ( p = 0.00). Younger age ( p = 0.00) and being single ( p = 0.01) were significant predictors of poor psychological health among non-disables. Increase in sedentary sitting time was significantly associated with poor psychological quality of life among both groups., Conclusions: Tailored health policies to encourage PA and reduce sitting hours should be formulated to improve psychological health with special focus on individuals with disabilities. Future studies with large sample size are recommended to validate the current results and further explore the difference in association of PA and psychological wellbeing in people with and without disabilities., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Zahra, Hassan, Hassan, Parveen, Park, Iqbal, Khatoon and Atteya.)

Diabetes is emerging as an epidemic and is becoming a public health concern worldwide. Diabetic nephropathy is one of the serious complications of diabetes, and about 40% of individuals with diabetes develop diabetic nephropathy. The consistent feature of diabetes and its associated nephropathy is hyperglycemia, and in some cases, hyperamylinemia. Currently, the treatment includes the use of medication for blood pressure control, sugar control, and cholesterol control, and in the later stage requires dialysis and kidney transplantation, making the management of this complication very difficult. Bioactive compounds, herbal medicines, and extracts are extensively used in the treatment and prevention of several diseases, and some are reported to be efficacious in diabetes too. Therefore, in this study, we tried to identify the therapeutic potential of phytochemicals used in in silico docking and molecular dynamic simulation studies using a library of 5284 phytochemicals against the two potential targets of type 2 diabetes-associated nephropathy. We identified two phytochemicals (i.e., gentisic acid and michelalbine) that target human amylin peptide and dipeptidyl peptidase-4, respectively, with good binding affinity. These phytochemicals can be further evaluated using in vitro and in vivo studies for their anti-hyperglycemia and anti-hyperamylinemia effects.

Tank-binding kinase 1 (TBK1) is a multifunctional kinase having essential roles in cellular processes, autophagy/mitophagy, and selective clearance of damaged proteins. More than 90 mutations in the TBK1 gene are linked with multiple cancer types, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Some of these missense mutations disrupt the abilities of TBK1 to dimerize, associate with the mitophagy receptor optineurin (OPTN), autoactivate, or catalyze phosphorylation. Some mutations may cause severe dysregulation of the pathway, while others induce a limited disruption. Here, we have studied those mutations reported in cancer, ALS and FTD, and subsequently investigated the effect of missense mutations on the structure and function of TBK1 for localized residual frustration change. Out of 33 ALS/FTD causing mutations and 28 oncogenic mutations, 10 mutations and 12 oncogenic mutations showed significant change in the residual frustration. The local frustration plays an important role in the conformation of protein structure in active and inactive kinases. Our analysis reports the change in residual frustration state, conformational change and effect on active and inactive TBK1 function due to ALS/FTD causing and oncogenic missense mutations., Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13205-022-03240-0., Competing Interests: Conflict of interestThe authors declare that they have no conflict of interest in the publication., (© King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology 2022.)

Background: Amiodarone belongs to Class-III anti-arrhythmic drugs. It is one of the most effective anti-arrhythmic drugs used to treat or prevent several types of arrhythmias including atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter, ventricular tachycardia, and wide complex tachycardia, but unfortunately carries a high toxicity profile. Also, side effects of amiodarone involving various organs can be life-threatening., Materials & Methods: This was an observational study carried out for six months i.e from April to September. The study included patients who are on amiodarone for greater than or equal to six months. The required data was collected in-person from the case sheets, treatment charts, and by interviewing the patients. The data for 67 patients was documented in suitable data collection form for analysis., Results: From our study data, it was noted that amiodarone was used for 3 different indications-atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter, and ventricular tachycardia. Among 67 patients enrolled, 38 had no side-effects. Side-effects data in the rest grouped basing on the organ system affected: 9 patients had renal effects, 6 patients had ophthalmic effects, 4 patients had endocrine effects, and 5 patients had hepatic effects., Conclusion: From our study, it is concluded that amiodarone is a safe and effective anti-arrhythmic drug at lower doses i.e. 200-1100 mg/week. When treated in lower doses of 1400-2800 mg/week, many side effects have been incident. Although these effects are mild and develop only after prolonged usage of the drug, it should be used judiciously., (© 2022 The Author(s).)

The unexpected emergence of the new Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has affected more than three hundred million individuals and resulted in more than five million deaths worldwide. The ongoing pandemic has underscored the urgent need for effective preventive and therapeutic measures to develop anti-viral therapy. The natural compounds possess various pharmaceutical properties and are reported as effective anti-virals. The interest to develop an anti-viral drug against the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) from natural compounds has increased globally. Here, we investigated the anti-viral potential of selected promising natural products. Sources of data for this paper are current literature published in the context of therapeutic uses of phytoconstituents and their mechanism of action published in various reputed peer-reviewed journals. An extensive literature survey was done and data were critically analyzed to get deeper insights into the mechanism of action of a few important phytoconstituents. The consumption of natural products such as thymoquinone, quercetin, caffeic acid, ursolic acid, ellagic acid, vanillin, thymol, and rosmarinic acid could improve our immune response and thus possesses excellent therapeutic potential. This review focuses on the anti-viral functions of various phytoconstituent and alkaloids and their potential therapeutic implications against SARS-CoV-2. Our comprehensive analysis provides mechanistic insights into phytoconstituents to restrain viral infection and provide a better solution through natural, therapeutically active agents., (Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.. All rights reserved.)

The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has caused a global pandemic in the last year. Along with major respiratory distress, a myriad of neurological manifestations was also reported to be associated with COVID-19 patients. These cases indicate that SARS-CoV-2 can be considered as an opportunistic pathogen of the brain. SARS-CoV-2 enters the brain through the olfactory bulb, retrograde axonal transport from peripheral nerve endings, or via hematogenous or lymphatic routes. Notably, COVID-19 infection can cause or even present with different neurological features including encephalopathy, impaired consciousness, confusion, agitation, seizure, ataxia, headache, anosmia, ageusia, neuropathies, and neurodegenerative diseases. In this paper, we provide a brief review of observed neurological manifestations associated with COVID-19., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The research aims to identify the inhibitory potential of natural dietary phytochemicals against non-insulinotropic target protein alpha-glucosidase and its possible implications to diabetes mellitus type 2. A data set of sixteen plant-derived dietary molecules viz., 4,5-dimethyl-3-hydroxy-2(5H)-furanone, apigenin, bromelain, caffeic acid, cholecalciferol, dihydrokaempferol 7-o-glucopyranoside, galactomannan, genkwanin, isoimperatorin, luteolin, luteolin 7-o-glucoside, neohesperidin, oleanoic acid, pelargonidin-3-rutinoside, quercetin, and quinic acid were taken to accomplish molecular docking succeeded by their comparison with known inhibitors including acarbose, miglitol, voglibose, emiglitate, and 1-deoxynojirimycin. Among all phyto-compounds, bromelain (ΔG: -9.54 kcal/mol), cholecalciferol (-8.47 kcal/mol), luteolin (-9.02 kcal/mol), and neohesperidin (-8.53 kcal/mol) demonstrated better binding interactions with alpha-glucosidase in comparison to the best-known inhibitor, acarbose (ΔG: -7.93 kcal/mol). Molecular dynamics simulation of 10 ns duration, CYP450 site of metabolism identification, and prediction of activity spectra for substances depicted the bromelain as the most stable inhibitor compared to luteolin and acarbose. Findings of molecular interactions, molecular dynamics study, metabolism, and biological activity prediction proved bromelain as a potential alpha-glucosidase inhibitor. Thus, bromelain might be helpful as an insulin-independent therapeutic molecule towards controlling and managing diabetes mellitus type 2.

Human papillomaviruses (HPV) infection is a major causative agent and strongly associated with the development of cervical cancer. Understanding the mechanisms of HPV-induced cervical cancer is extremely useful in therapeutic strategies for primary prevention (HPV vaccines) and secondary prevention (screening and diagnosis of precancerous lesions). However, due to the lack of proper implementation of screening programs in developing countries, cervical cancer is usually diagnosed at advanced stages that result in poor treatment responses. Nearly half of the patients will experience disease recurrence within two years post treatment. Therefore, it is vital to identify new tools for early diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment prediction. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs, implicated in posttranscriptional regulation of gene expression. Growing evidence has shown that abnormal miRNA expression is associated with cervical cancer progression, metastasis, and influences treatment outcomes. In this review, we provide comprehensive information about miRNA and their potential utility in cervical cancer diagnosis, prognosis, and clinical management to improve patient outcomes., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Domestic Violence [DV] is a global health problem of pandemic proportions. WHO identifies it as psychological, physical or sexual violence or threats of the same, in the premises of one's home. The perpetrator can be husband, intimate partner, friend or a family member. DV during pregnancy has widespread implications on adverse obstetric maternal and foetal outcomes., Aim of the Study: To find out the prevalence of domestic violence in antenatal women and observe the association between DV and maternal and perinatal outcome., Methodology: It is a cohort study carried out at ELMCH, over a period of 10 months. Data were collected from pregnant women reporting to the outpatient department of obstetrics and gynaecology in their third trimester of pregnancy. The pregnancies were followed up till delivery and one week postpartum to study the obstetric and perinatal outcome. Appropriate statistical methods were applied to determine significance of the observations, and odds ratio was calculated for the risk factors., Results: The prevalence of DV during pregnancy was 22.2%, with psychological violence being the most common form observed. Increased relative risk was found for hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, antepartum haemorrhage, recurrent urinary tract infection and preterm labour. Apgar scores of babies in affected mothers was lower, and there were significantly greater NICU admissions. This was independent of period of gestation at delivery., Conclusion: DV affects at least 1/4th of antenatal women. Majority of them do not realise the extent and forms of DV and accept the violence as a routine norm of marital life. DV during pregnancy has a significant association with adverse obstetric and perinatal outcomes., Competing Interests: Conflict of interestThe authors that they have declare no conflict of interest., (© Federation of Obstetric & Gynecological Societies of India 2021.)

Cancer vaccines consist of nucleic acid derivatives such as plasmid DNA, small interfering RNA and mRNA, and can be customized according to the patient's needs. Nanomedicines have proven to be exceptionally good as miniaturized drug carriers, and thus they offer great advantages for delivering cancer vaccines. This review provides an overview of the literature on cancer vaccines, from their inception to current developments in the field., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Biocontaminants are minute particles derived from different biological materials. Indoor biocontaminants are associated with major public health problems. In Gulf countries, it is more precarious due to the harsh climatic conditions, including high ambient temperatures and relative humidity. In addition, due to COVID-19 pandemic, most of the time public is inside their home. Therefore, the aim of the study was to determine the load of biocontaminants in the indoor environment of Hail city. The results showed that most of the bacteria are gram-positive and higher in polymicrobial (87.1%) than monomicrobial (62.7%) association. There was no significant association with sample collection time and types of isolates. The most abundant microbes found in all samples were Staphylococcus aureus followed by Bacillus spp. Among Gram-negative bacterial isolates, E. coli was most common in tested indoor air samples. The study will be useful to find the biocontaminants associated with risk factors and their impact on human health in indoor environment, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. These results indicate the need to implement health care awareness programs in the region to improve indoor air quality., (© 2021 Biomedical Informatics.)

The compound, {6,6'-dimeth-oxy-2,2'-[(4-azaheptane-1,7-di-yl)bis-(nitrilo-meth-an-yl-idyne)]diphenolato}zinc(II) methanol monosolvate, [Zn(C 22 H 27 N 3 O 4 )]·CH 3 OH, at 298 K crystallizes in the ortho-rhom-bic space group P na 2 1 . The Zn atom is coordinated by a penta-dentate Schiff base ligand in a distorted trigonal-bipyramidal N 3 O 2 geometry. The equatorial plane is formed by the two phenolic O and one amine N atom. The axial positions are occupied by two amine N atoms. The distorted bipyramidal geometry is also supported by the trigonality index (τ), which is found to be 0.85 for the mol-ecule. In the crystal, methanol solvent mol-ecule is connected to the complex mol-ecule by an O-H⋯O hydrogen bond and the complex mol-ecules are connected by weak supra-molecular inter-actions, so achiral mol-ecules generate a chiral crystal. The Hirshfeld surface analysis suggests that H⋯H contacts account for the largest percentage of all inter-actions., (© Noor et al. 2021.)

Ovarian cancer (OC) is the seventh most common cancer among women in the world. Epithelial OC is the most predominant pathological subtype, with five major histotype. All five subtypes that differ in origination, pathogenesis, molecular alterations, risk factors and prognosis. The clinical presentations of ovarian tumors are variable and not specific. Most of the malignant ovarian tumor seeks medical advice at advanced stage of the disease. At that stage no effective treatment could be possible. There are several researches are going on developing a screening test for ovarian cancer. But there hasn't been much success yet. Clinical examination such as complete pelvic examination together with two investigations is used most often to screen the ovarian cancer. These investigations are transvaginal ultrasound (TVUS) and the blood test CA-125. The measurement of CA-125 level usually in combination with other modalities like bimanual pelvic examination, transvaginal ultrasonography is the proposed modality of early detection of ovarian cancer. The most promising application of this tumor marker is the screening. Therefore this cross sectional and observational study was conducted to observe the relationship of histopathological diagnosis and clinical features with serum CA-125 levels. Study conducted from January 2017 to December 2017 at Sir Salimullah Medical College& Mitford Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh. All admitted Gynecological patients having ovarian tumors during study period were included purposively for this study. Sample size was 50. Clinical features and preoperative findings of CA-125 level of these 50 patients were collected. Finally histopathological reports were accumulated after operative treatment. Gastrointestinal & constitutional complain, gynecologic mass and pain in abdomen were the selected symptoms. CA-125 levels were evaluated in relation with histopathological findings. The different findings were correlated with those of studies done at home and abroad. Mean age of the study population was (Mean±SD) 34.25±14.65. Histological findings among the study population showed that benign tumors were 72% (n=36) and malignant tumors were 28% (n=14). In case of benign ovarian tumors among 36 women, 94.4% (n=34) of them showed CA 125 level <35U/ml, other 5.6% (n=2) showed more than normal (>35U/ml) but range was 35-65U/ml. While 14 of the study population having histopathologically proven malignant ovarian tumor, showed the tumor marker level >35U/ml among 71.4% (n=10) and 28.6% (n=4) showed tumor marker <35U/ml. This finding was statistically significant (p=0.001). Histopathological findings revealed that there were significant increases in CA-125 levels in women with malignant serous histotype of serous cyst adenocarcinoma where range of CA-125 level were 2018.88 to 4249.63U/ml. Constitutional symptoms such as weight loss, loss of appetite, symptoms of mass effect such as urinary retention and rapidly progressing tumor were the symptoms of malignant ovarian tumors. Preoperative elevated level of CA-125 is the differentiating points of malignant serous histotype from benign ovarian tumors. This study will put forward some clues about the clinical diagnosis of ovarian tumor which may be utilized for making investigation and management plan. Also it will help for making prompt decision during pre-operative and per-operative procedures.

The current pandemic of 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) caused by a novel virus strain, 2019-nCoV/SARS-CoV-2 have posed a serious threat to global public health and economy. It is largely unknown how the human immune system responds to this infection. A better understanding of the immune response to SARS-CoV-2 will be important to develop therapeutics against COVID-19. Here, we have used transcriptomic profile of human alveolar adenocarcinoma cells (A549) infected with SARS-CoV-2 and employed a network biology approach to generate human-virus interactome. Network topological analysis discovers 15 SARS-CoV-2 targets, which belongs to a subset of interferon (IFN) stimulated genes (ISGs). These ISGs (IFIT1, IFITM1, IRF7, ISG15, MX1, and OAS2) can be considered as potential candidates for drug targets in the treatments of COVID-19. We have identified significant interaction between ISGs and TLR3 agonists, like poly I: C, and imiquimod, and suggests that TLR3 agonists can be considered as a potential drug for drug repurposing in COVID-19. Our network centric analysis suggests that moderating the innate immune response is a valuable approach to target COVID-19., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: To assess the role of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)  pandemic in improving personal hygiene in Saudi Arabia. Methods: We administered a questionnaire distributed online between 19 and 28 May 2020 to determine alterations in personal hygiene practices during this pandemic compared to the pre-pandemic phase. Results: We included 211 respondents from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) in this study.  Improvement at different levels was detected in all examined personal hygiene items compared to the pre-pandemic stage. The percentages of respondents who always washed their hands after coming back home (34.1%), used soap to wash their hands (58.8%), used a hand sanitizer outside (5.2%), wore a face masks while outside (1.4%) and washed their hands before preparing and/or eating food (74.9%) was increased before the pandemic to 89.6%, 90%, 63.5%, 59.2% and 89.1% during the pandemic, respectively. The percentage of respondents who never shake hands with people they know increased from 0% before the pandemic to 62.6% during the pandemic. The mean duration of washing hands with soap significantly increased from 13.31 seconds before the pandemic to 28.01 seconds during the pandemic (p less than 0.0001)., Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a noticeable improvement in the personal hygiene habits in Saudi Arabia mainly those related to COVID-19 prevention.

The recent pandemic outbreak of coronavirus is pathogenic and a highly transmittable viral infection caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV2). In this time of ongoing pandemic, many emerging reports suggested that the SARS-CoV-2 has inimical effects on neurological functions, and even causes serious neurological damage. The neurological symptoms associated with COVID-19 include headache, dizziness, depression, anosmia, encephalitis, stroke, epileptic seizures, and Guillain-Barre syndrome along with many others. The involvement of the CNS may be related with poor prognosis and disease worsening. Here, we review the evidence of nervous system involvement and currently known neurological manifestations in COVID-19 infections caused by SARS-CoV-2. We prioritize the 332 human targets of SARS-CoV-2 according to their association with brain-related disease and identified 73 candidate genes. We prioritize these 73 genes according to their spatio-temporal expression in the different regions of brain and also through evolutionary intolerance analysis. The prioritized genes could be considered potential indicators of COVID-19-associated neurological symptoms and thus act as a possible therapeutic target for the prevention and treatment of CNS manifestations associated with COVID-19 patients.

The objective of this study was to find out the effectiveness and safety of vaginal misoprostol in delivering the dead fetus in cases of intrauterine fetal death (IUFD). This cross sectional study was undertaken among all consecutive patients admitted at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Dhaka Medical College Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh, from October 2012 to September 2013, were included for this study. Vaginal misoprostol was applied in 50 cases that were admitted and diagnosed as a case of IUFD. After taking informed written consent from patients 50μgm of tablet misoprostol was introduced per vaginally into the posterior fornix. Doses were repeated in every 4 hours up to effective contraction to a maximum 6 doses. Follow up was done in hourly interval. Those who did not respond, decision for other methods like oxytocin infusion or LUCS were done. Study showed 60% (n=30) patients belonged to age group of 18-24 years. Among study population 44% (n=22) of the patients belonged to 22-32 weeks of gestation, 30% (n=15) were 33-37 weeks and 26% (n=13) were 38-42 weeks. The causes of intrauterine death were unidentified among 60% (n=30) of cases. Regarding antenatal check up 54% (n=27) had no checkup, 26% (n=13) were irregular and 20% (n=10) were regular. 60% (n=30) of the patients had less Bishop Score <3. Ninety six percent (96%) (n=48) patients responded with vaginal misoprostol and only 4% (n=2) were non responder group. Most 84% (n=42) of the cases needed 2-3 doses, only 8% (n=4) cases needed single dose and 8% (n=4) cases needed 4 to 6 doses. The induction delivery interval varied from 6 to 23 hours and maximum 52% (n=26) of the patients delivered within 12 hours. Adverse effects such as uterine hyper stimulation, tachysystole were not detected. The major complications observed like postpartum hemorrhage 4% (n=2), reduced platelet count 2% (n=1), and chorioamnionitis 4% (n=2). However minor complications like nausea, shivering and mild fever also observed in few cases. Study showed successful induction of labor by misoprostol in a shorter time with significantly less side effects.

Chronic kidney disease and the methods of its treatment play an important part in shaping the Quality of Life QOL of patients receiving dialysis. KDQOL™-36 is the most widely used instrument to evaluate health related quality of life of chronic kidney disease patients. The aim of the study was the subjective assessment of the quality of life (QOL) of patients treated with hemodialysis and also to understand the distribution of component scores of the scale with distribution of responses to individual items of the scale among the selected sample. This cross sectional study was conducted among randomly selected 151 patients of chronic kidney disease receiving hemodialysis with pre-dialysis proper education at Inpatient Department in National Institute of Kidney Diseases and Urology (NIKDU), Dhaka, Bangladesh during the period of June 2018 to December 2018. The instrument to measure the QOL was Kidney Disease and Quality of Life Bangla version 36 (KDQOL™-36). Recruited patients were interviewed with questionnaire technique to collect data with the scale which is a structured questionnaire comprised of four subscales. Mean scores ±SD of the domain of the physical and mental component summary, burden of kidney disease, symptoms and problems of kidney disease and effects of kidney disease subscales were 29.3±16.03, 16.93±13.0, 81.09±13.14 and 61.67±13.84 respectively. The mean ±SD of the combined score for all the four domains was 47.24±11.52. The rate of those with impaired QOL (mean score <66.7) was 96.7%. The most bothersome domain was burden of the kidney disease domain, where the mean scores of all the items were below 66.7. The study provides information that regular pre-dialysis attendance helps to provide the patient with proper education and thereby achieve better QOL among patients of chronic kidney disease receiving hemodialysis. By using the KDQOL™-36 scale this study finds that the domain of symptom of the kidney disease appeared to have least effect on the quality of life as the mean scores ranged higher from other subscales and in most cases the scores were above 66.7.

Purpose of Review: Neuraxial labor analgesia remains the most effective and one of the most commonly utilized methods for pain relief during labor. This narrative review article is a summary of the literature published in 2017 on neuraxial analgesia for labor., Recent Findings: From a total of 41 identified articles, 13 were included in the review. The topics have been structured into three categories: initiation of neuraxial analgesia, maintenance of neuraxial analgesia, and neuraxial analgesia and obstetric outcomes. Maintenance regimens, such as program intermittent epidural bolus (PIEB) techniques, remain a focus of extensive research with the potential to optimize analgesia for each individual patient. In a similar way, the dural puncture epidural technique could improve the quality of labor analgesia with fewer side effects compared with standard epidural and combined spinal epidural (CSE) techniques. Finally, the increased use of modern technology using portable ultrasound devices with automated imaging software to facilitate epidural catheter placement may offer potential advantages to the obstetric anesthesiologist, especially when dealing with technically difficult cases., Summary: Recent advances, as well as refinements, of current neuraxial analgesia techniques could improve women's experience of labor.