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The efficacy of essential oils (EOs) extracted from Mentha spicata, Mentha puleguim, Ocimum basilicum, and Ruta graveolens was examined against Oligonychus afrasiaticus in a controlled laboratory conditions. The EOs were tested to assess fumigant toxicity, contact impact, and repellency. The essential oil of R. graveolens was characterized by the high concentration of 2-nonanone (11.9%), 2-undecanone (16.22%) and 1-nonene (19.4%). The composition of O. basilicum EO was characterized by linalool (29.23%), whereas 1,8-cineole (14.60%) was the major constituent in M. puleguim EO. The principal component of M. spicata was carvone (50.6%). The laboratory bioassay results demonstrated that the essential oils derived from M. pulegium, O. basilicum and M. spicata caused a mortality rate of 50% among females when administered at a concentration of 1 µL/L. With this concentration, R. graveolens EO caused significantly higher acaricidal effects (98%) with LC50 = 0.11 µL/L air. All oils showed a significant level of pest-repellent activity, with their repellency effects reaching 95% after 1 h of exposure against female adults of O. afrasiaticus at doses of 0.318 and 1.9 µL/cm². The R. graveolens EO exhibited higher toxicity through residual contact compared to other oils, with LC50 values of 0.18 µL/L air. Toxicity of the highly effective R. graveolens plant can occur via residual contact, repulsive and fumigant action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

يتطرق هذا البحث عن دلالة المثل العربي في الفكر العربي الإسلامي ، وتحديداً ـ هم خصائصه التاريخية؛ كالإيجاز وكثافة المعنى، والسيرورة، والمضرب والمورد والعلاقة المجازية بينهما، والغرابة والنقل على الحكاية.ويتعرض كذلك للأشكال التعبيرية المثليه، وعبارات التناهي والمبالغة والعبارات التقليدية الجاهزة، والحكمة، والأقوال النادرة، والعبارات التصويرية، والأقوال المأثورة، والصياغات الاسمية المثلية، وأمثال الحديث النبوي الشريف، والأمثال القرآنية، وخصائص كل منها. ومن ناحية أخرى وجدت في الأمثال دلالات واضحة عن حياة الأمة العربية ولا سيما في الفكر العربي الإسلامي فهي تكشف عن طبيعة هذه الحياة وتوضح الكثير من مظاهرها التي لم تهتم بها النشاطات الأخرى مثل الشعر والنثر وغيرهما .

Meta-heuristic approaches evaluate the optimum size and position of flexible alternative current transmission systems power systems. The seeker optimization algorithm (SOA) technique was used to solve power engineering optimization problems with better performance than traditional approaches. This article shows the application of SOA for optimal setting and allocation of thyristor-controlled series compensators (TCSCs) in a transmission line. TCSC devices are used to improve transmission systems’ capacity and voltage profile by controlling the transmission line reactance. The IEEE 30 bus system, as well as the Iraqi Super Grid 400 kV system, is used as a test system to illustrate the technique used. Results showed that the installation of TCSC unites the aims to reduce the voltage deviation, reduce the losses of active/reactive power, and increase transmission line reserves over thermal limits. TCSC devices are very effective for the better use of existing installations without sacrificing the stability margin. SOA is intended to identify the best location and size of TCSC devices that resolve the technological difficulties of reducing the TCSC devices’ costs.

The diversity of insects is considered a key element in the ecosystem. Climatic conditions affect the distributional patterns of insects such as change in weather influence population dynamics and insect abundance. The present study was designed to ascertain the faunal diversity and abundance in two districts of Punjab, Pakistan. Insects were collected monthly for one year using light traps. Data were collected measuring the environmental variables, viz. temperature, humidity, and wind speed. Samples were then brought to the laboratory and shifted to vials. After that, the specimens were identified using taxonomic keys and literature. The maximum population recorded from the Hafizabad was 75.66% (N=14509), and the lowest population from the Faisalabad was 24.34% (N=4667). Insects belonging to 11 orders, 68 families, 123 genera, and 140 species were recorded from Hafizabad, while ten orders, 77 families, 145 genera, and 177 species were recorded from Faisalabad. Tanytarsus sp. was the most abundant taxon from both localities. The Shannon diversity (H') index was recorded as 3.60 and 2.747 from Faisalabad and Hafizabad, respectively. Evenness was recorded highest from Faisalabad (0.6955), and dominance was maximum from Hafizabad (0.4440). The diversity of species was determined to be significantly different from both areas, while abundance from Faisalabad was less due to environmental variable influence. Since insect biomass reduction is critical in the contemporary world and, in-depth studies on insect diversity patterns are helpful for insect conservation plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ground charge density distributions, elastic form factors and root mean square radii for C and O nuclei in 1 p-shell nuclei are calculated in shell model using core plus valence and no-core-shell model calculations. The single-particle wave functions of harmonic-oscillators potential are used. For such potential, two harmonic-oscillators size parameters are used: one for neutron and the other for proton. Calculations are compared with the results of self-consistent mean field using SKX Skyrme parameterization and experimental data. The calculated charge density distributions in shell model for C and O nuclei show good agreement with experimental data. The calculated charge form factors at low q in shell model for C and O show good agreement with experimental data. At high q, the result for O shows no prediction for the position of second diffraction minimum. In general, it is found that enlarging the model space in shell model leads to suppress slightly the behavior of density distribution around central region and also the behavior of form factor at high q, which is good to approach experimental data. On the other side, such increase in model space leads to increase the calculated root mean square radii, which is the same behaviour of the results of Hartree-Fock calculations. The calculated charge form factors in Hartree-Fock calculations show the existence of many diffraction minima, which do not agree with experimental data in contrary to shell model, which predicts less diffraction minima. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Competing Interests: Competing interests:: Akheel Syed is a former honorary selection panel member for the Leadership and Development Awards Programme at the Society for Endocrinology. No other competing interests were declared.

Tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) discontinuation in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) has become part of routine care for patients with a sustained deep molecular response (DMR). Approximately 50% experience a molecular relapse upon TKI cessation. Most of them quickly regain DMR upon TKI resumption. Whether these patients can achieve a second treatment-free remission (TFR) remains unclear. DAstop2 (ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT03573596) is a prospective study including patients with a failed first TFR attempt re-treated with any TKI for ≥ one year. Upon entering the study, patients received the TKI dasatinib for additional two years. Patients with sustained DMR for ≥1 year qualified for a second TKI stop. Ninety-four patients were included between Oct 2017-Dec 2021. At the time of data analysis, 62 patients had attempted a 2 nd stop. After a median follow-up of 27 months from 2 nd stop, TFR rates were 61, 56 and 46% at 6, 12 and 24 months respectively. No progression to advanced stage disease was seen and 87% had re-achieved MR 4 within a median of 3 months from TKI re-initiation. In summary, we show that a 2 nd TFR attempt after dasatinib treatment is safe, feasible and TFR rates seem in the range of those reported in trials of a first TKI stop., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background and Purpose: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has increasing worldwide prevalence, fuelled by rising obesity rates, and weight reduction is the mainstay of its management. We sought to study the effect of bariatric surgery, the most effective long-term treatment for obesity and associated metabolic disorders, on liver function in people with obesity., Methods: We performed a retrospective longitudinal cohort study of 511 patients who had undergone bariatric surgery (71 sleeve gastrectomy and 440 gastric bypass) over 60 months of follow-up. Patients were stratified into groups based on their baseline alanine aminotransferase (ALT) into Group A (ALT < 40 U/L) and Group B (ALT > 40 U/L). Postoperative follow-up weight loss, liver function tests, HbA1c, blood pressure and lipid profiles were collected., Findings: Bariatric surgery resulted in nadir total weight loss of 33.1% by 24 months (p < 0.001) with no significant difference between groups. In people with raised baseline ALT (Group B), ALT and gamma glutamyl transferase (GGT) levels decreased significantly by 4 months postoperatively (p < 0.001) and sustained over 60 months of follow-up. There was also significant and sustained reduction in HbA1c, blood pressure, total cholesterol, and non-HDL cholesterol overall with no differences between groups., Conclusions: Bariatric surgery results in significant weight loss, improves liver function tests and metabolic outcomes in people with obesity. Bariatric surgery could be a therapeutic consideration for patients with NAFLD associated with severe obesity who have otherwise been unresponsive to conservative management., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest Prof. Syed is a former honorary selection panel member for the Leadership & Development Awards Programme at the Society for Endocrinology in the United Kingdom. All other authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Aim: Whilst bariatric surgery is the most effective treatment for severe obesity, the aim of this study was to evaluate whether postoperative weight loss is similar in patients with or without metabolic syndrome., Methods: We performed a 5-year observational retrospective comparative cohort analysis of bariatric surgery in 333 patients (72% women) without ( Group A , n = 133) or with ( Group B , n = 200) metabolic syndrome at baseline., Results: Overall mean (SD) baseline body mass index was 51.7 (7.5) with no significant difference between groups. Overall mean percent total weight loss (%TWL) was 31.9% by 24 months after surgery. Although %TWL was greater in Group A (34.9%) than in Group B (30.2%, p = 0.006) at 24 months, there were no significant differences between groups subsequently up to 60 months of follow-up. Systolic and diastolic blood pressures and lipid profiles improved in both groups. In patients with metabolic syndrome at baseline, mean HbA1c reduced by 36.4% at 12 months and was sustained over the study period., Conclusions: We report that bariatric surgery results in comparable long-term weight loss in patients with or without metabolic syndrome alongside expected improvements in metabolic comorbidities.

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disorder defined as hyperglycemia and pancreatic β-cell deterioration, leading to other complications such as cardiomyopathy. The current study assessed the therapeutic effects of phenolic acids extracted from Jasminum sambac phenols of leaves (JSP) against diabetes-induced cardiomyopathy in rats. The rats were divided into four groups, with each group consisting of 20 rats. The rats were given intraperitoneal injections of alloxan monohydrate (150 mg/kg) to induce diabetes. The diabetes-induced groups (III and IV) received treatment for six weeks that included 250 and 500 mg/kg of JSP extract, respectively. In the treated rats, the results demonstrated that JSP extract restored fasting glucose, serum glucose, and hyperlipidemia. Alloxan induced cardiomyopathy, promoted oxidative stress, and altered cardiac function biomarkers, including cardiac troponin I, proBNP, CK-MB, LDH, and IMA. The JSP extract-treated rats showed improved cardiac function indicators, apoptosis, and oxidative stress. In diabetic rats, the mRNA expression of caspase-3, BAX, and Bcl-2 was significantly higher, while Bcl-2, Nrf-2, and HO-,1 was significantly lower. In the treated groups, the expression levels of the BAX, Nrf-2, HO-1, Caspase-3, and Bcl-2 genes were dramatically returned to normal level. According to our findings, the JSP extract prevented cardiomyopathy and heart failure in the hyperglycemic rats by improving cardiac biomarkers and lowering the levels of hyperlipidemia, oxidative stress, apoptosis, hyperglycemia, and hyperlipidemia.

Objective: To estimate the predictors of death during intensive phase of Multidrug resistant tuberculosis treatment according to the weight of patients at the time of diagnosed., Methods: A retrospective study was conducted at three public hospitals in the Lahore, Punjab region, namely Jinnah Hospital, Mayo Hospital and Gulab Devi Hospital on 1,496 patients receiving treatment for MDR-TB from January 2018 to December 2020. Data were collected from electronically nominating and recording system of the hospitals. Data were fitted to Cox proportional hazards regression model with 95% confidence interval (CI) to evaluate the associations between predictors of death and weight of MDR-TB patients during the intensive phase of treatment., Results: This analysis revealed a MDR-TB mortality rate of 30% and the mortality rate due to MDR-TB during the intensive phase of treatment was 23%. The variables related to increased mortality among underweight patients were age more than 60 years (HR: 0.398, 95% CI: 0.314-0.504) , diabetes (HR: 1.496, 95% CI: 1.165-1.921), current smoking (HR: 0.465, 95% CI: 0.222-0.973), history of MDR-TB (HR: 0.701, 95% CI: 0.512-0.959) and culture positive at the time of diagnosed (HR: 0.499, 95% CI: 0.379-0.659) during the intensive phase of treatment., Conclusion: The high mortality rate among the underweight MDR-TB patients during the intensive phase of the treatment requires the nutritional support for malnourishment and ensured a close follow-up of the elderly patients with co-morbidities as well as family history of Tuberculosis., (Copyright: © Pakistan Journal of Medical Sciences.)

Weight loss of 5%-10% is advised in medical weight management (MWM) programmes prior to bariatric surgery but it remains to be established whether it influences postoperative weight loss outcomes. We studied postoperative percent total weight loss (%TWL) in 168 patients categorized by preoperative referral weight loss <5% or ≥5% in a UK NHS bariatric centre. Eighty-six (51.2%) patients achieved sustained referral weight loss <5% (Group A) and 82 (48.8%) ≥5% (Group B). Overall postoperative %TWL in Group A compared with Group B was 30.0% versus 28.3% (p = .30) at 12 months and 32.5% versus 29.6% (p = .20) at 24 months. There were no significant differences in postoperative %TWL at 12 and 24 months when categorized by procedure (gastric bypass, n = 106; or sleeve gastrectomy, n = 62), age or sex. Preoperative weight loss during intensive specialist MWM did not influence postoperative weight loss up to 24 months with gastric bypass or sleeve gastrectomy., (© 2022 The Authors. Clinical Obesity published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of World Obesity Federation.)

Background: Chronic liver injury leads to liver inflammation and fibrosis, activating myofibroblasts in the liver and secreting extracellular matrix proteins that make the fibrous scar., Objectives: The purpose of our study was to characterize the polyphenolic content present in Acacia jacquemontii stem and evaluate its antioxidant and hepatoprotective activity., Methods: The phenolic contents in Acacia jacquemontii polyphenolic extract (AJPPE) were characterized using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The hepatoprotective and antioxidant activity of AJPPE were determined through biochemical parameters (ALT, AST, and ALP), lipid profile (TC, TG, HDL, and LDL), antioxidant biomarkers (SOD, LPO, GSH, and CAT), anti-fibrotic activity (collagen deposition), and histopathological analysis., Results: HPLC analysis of AJPPE showed the presence of polyphenols, including chlorogenic acid, P-coumaric acid, caffeic acid, and kaempferol, in a remarkable therapeutic range. Results of the in vivo analysis showed a significant decrease in the level of lipid profile, including LDL (low-density lipoprotein), TC (total cholesterol), triglycerides, liver function markers (AST, ALT, and ALP), collagen deposition and significantly increased the level of anti-oxidative biomarkers (CAT, SOD, LPO, and GSH) by using AJPPE., Conclusion: The above-mentioned results have shown that AJPPE possesses significant antioxidative and hepatoprotective effects. Furthermore, histopathological results also supported the antioxidant and hepatoprotective potential of AJPPE., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

Atherosclerosis is a metabolic disorder characterized by chronic inflammation associated with progressive thickening and hardening of the large to medium-sized arteries due to plaque formation. The study aims to evaluate the antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, and hypolipidemic efficacy of Opuntia ficus-indica (OFI) fruit extract against the high-fat-diet associated atherosclerotic rat model. In-vitro qualitative and quantitative phytochemical screening of OFI fruit extract revealed the significant presence of total phenolic content and total flavonoid contents. In-vitro antioxidant activity of fruit extract was determined through 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl and FRAP assays that have shown their protective efficacy against the overproduction of reactive oxygen species. Results revealed that the level of total oxidant stress was significantly ( P  < 0.05) reduced and down expression levels of dual oxidases (Duox, Duoxa-1, and Duox-2) in all the treatment groups (I, II, III) as compared with positive control were observed. The total antioxidant capacity was significantly ( P  < 0.05) increased in all treatment groups in comparison with the positive control group and higher expression level of the Nrf-2 signaling pathway (Nfe-212, NFR-1, and Keap-1) was observed in all the treatment groups compared with the positive control group. Histopathological examination of the aorta showed that high-fat diet markedly increased endothelial lining and thickness of tunica media and adventitia, with irregular media segments having wavy laminae, and a significant increase in entropy of fibers disposition was observed. Conclusively, OFI fruit extract has shown promising protective, anti-oxidative, and anti-inflammatory efficacy through the restoration of normal parenchyma in high-fat dieting-associated oxidative stress and endothelial inflammation., (© The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Acacia jacquemontii possess has numerous traditional therapeutic uses. The rationale of this study was to investigate the role of Acacia jacquemontii ethyl acetate extract (AJEAE) in the downregulation of hyperglycemia. The current study was performed in two parts, in vitro, through characterization (high-performance liquid chromatography), estimation of total phenolic content, total flavonoid content, antioxidant (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazylassay), and α-amylase inhibitory activities of the studied extract, and in vivo using Wistar rats in which animals were divided into five groups NC, DC, GL, AJEAE 250 mg/kg, and AJEAE 500 mg/kg. The effects of AJEAE on fasting plasma glucose, plasma insulin, HOMA-IR, oral glucose tolerance test, glycated hemoglobin (HBA1c), lipid profile, inflammatory cytokines (Interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-alpha), and oxidative stress markers (lipid peroxidation, nitic oxide, superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase) were evaluated. Our findings confirmed the presence of quercetin, kaempferol, gallic acid, vanillic acid, syringic acid, M-coumaric acid, sinapic acid, chlorogenic acid, cinnamic acid, and ferulic acid in AJEAE. Total flavonoid and phenolic contents in AJEAE were 83.83 mg GAE/g and 77.06 mg QE/g, respectively. Significant inhibition of DPPH (69.470%/1 mg/ml) and α-amylase (71.8%/1 mg/ml) activities were exhibited by AJEAE. Alloxan-injected rats showed marked hyperglycemia and hypoinsulinemia, and increased inflammatory marker levels as compared to normal control (p < 0.001). Additionally, raised levels of triglyceride (139.7 ± 2.771), total cholesterol (198.7 ± 1.856), very low-density lipoprotein (33.43 ± 0.2728), low-density lipoprotein (155.5 ± 2.754), lipid peroxidation, and nitric oxide (p < 0.001) and decreased levels of high-density lipoprotein (17.20 ± 0.1732), superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase were observed in diabetic rats (p < 0.001). AJEAE significantly (p < 0.05) improved the aforementioned parameters and the protective efficacy was comparable to glibenclamide. Histopathological findings also evidenced the anti-hyperglycemic properties of AJEAE through regeneration of pancreatic β cells. Conclusively, our findings demonstrated the antihyperglycemic, antihyperlipidemic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and pancreatic beta β cell regenerative properties of AJEAE against alloxan-induced diabetes., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

The peachfruit fly, Bactrocera zonata (Saunders) is a polyphagous pest in nature, belonging to order, Diptera and their respective family is Tephritidae . It mostly feeds on different crops, vegetables and fruits. Different traditional chemical insecticides have been used to control this notorious pest. Excessive consumption of pesticides has become a major threat to the fresh fruits trade since many importing countries refused to accept the shipments due to public health and environmental concerns. There is a growing trend to control these pests using the most effective biological control methods and other preventive measures have been adopted for reducing their attacks. Fungal agents have been used as biological agents to manage the attack of different insects pest through biological means. The present study was conducted to assess the virulence of three entomopathogenic fungi, Metarhizium anisopliae , Beauveria bassiana and Verticillium lecanii, against Bactrocera zonata stages under different laboratory conditions. The results showed that B. bassiana and M. anisopliae were more effective in pathogenicity and potentially kill at all stages of B. zonata as compared to V. lecanii . The highest mortality rate for the third larval instar and the pupal stage were recorded after exposure to the 1 × 10 10 conidia/ml concentrations, B. bassiana, with 68.67% and 89.67%, respectively. Adult B. zonata flies were the most susceptible to all entomopathogenic fungi. However, M. anisopliae was more virulent against B. zonata adult flies than B. bassiana and V. lecanii at 1 × 10 10 conidial concentration. Therefore, the entomopathogenic fungi B. bassiana and M. anisopliae can be used as an cost effective bio-insecticide in the integrated pest management programs to control B. zonata . This study will be helpful to overcome this pest through biological control means., Competing Interests: The authors declare there are no competing interests., (©2022 Murtaza et al.)

Purpose: To develop an isotropic high-resolution stack-of-spirals UTE sequence for pulmonary imaging at 0.55 Tesla by leveraging a combination of robust respiratory-binning, trajectory correction, and concomitant-field corrections., Methods: A stack-of-spirals golden-angle UTE sequence was used to continuously acquire data for 15.5 minutes. The data was binned to a stable respiratory phase based on superoinferior readout self-navigator signals. Corrections for trajectory errors and concomitant field artifacts, along with image reconstruction with conjugate gradient SENSE, were performed inline within the Gadgetron framework. Finally, data were retrospectively reconstructed to simulate scan times of 5, 8.5, and 12 minutes. Image quality was assessed using signal-to-noise, image sharpness, and qualitative reader scores. The technique was evaluated in healthy volunteers, patients with coronavirus disease 2019 infection, and patients with lung nodules., Results: The technique provided diagnostic quality images with parenchymal lung SNR of 3.18 ± 0.0.60, 4.57 ± 0.87, 5.45 ± 1.02, and 5.89 ± 1.28 for scan times of 5, 8.5, 12, and 15.5 minutes, respectively. The respiratory binning technique resulted in significantly sharper images (p < 0.001) as measured with relative maximum derivative at the diaphragm. Concomitant field corrections visibly improved sharpness of anatomical structures away from iso-center. The image quality was maintained with a slight loss in SNR for simulated scan times down to 8.5 minutes. Inline image reconstruction and artifact correction were achieved in <5 minutes., Conclusion: The proposed pulmonary imaging technique combined efficient stack-of-spirals imaging with robust respiratory binning, concomitant field correction, and trajectory correction to generate diagnostic quality images with 1.75 mm isotropic resolution in 8.5 minutes on a high-performance 0.55 Tesla system., (© 2021 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. This article has been contributed to by US Government employees and their work is in the public domain in the USA.)

Background: Gisekia pharnaceoides Linn. (Aizoaceae), traditionally known as baluka saag or sareli is commonly found in the deep Cholistan region of Pakistan. It is used by the native community for the mitigation of a range of diseases, including inflammatory disorders and gastric ulcers., Objective: This study is designed to evaluate the defensive impact of G. pharnaceoides in acetic acid-induced ulcerative colitis in mice and to discover the mechanism for anti-inflammatory action., Methods: The ethanolic crude extract of G. pharnaceoides (Gp.Cr) was prepared and evaluated for phytochemical substances by preliminary screening and HPLC analysis. Anti-inflammatory activity of Gp.Cr (300 and 500 mg/kg) was examined by administration of 200 μl of 7.5% acetic acid intra- rectally to induce ulcerative colitis and colonic mucosal injury, while mucosal homeostasis was evaluated by disease activity index, colonic ulcer score, and hematological parameters. The anti-inflammatory potential was quantified by assessing antioxidant enzymes (SOD, CAT, GPX-1), lipid peroxides, nitric oxide, and cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α) immunoassays and further analyzed by histological analysis of colon tissues., Results: Phytochemical screening of Gp.Cr revealed the presence of alkaloids, phenols, flavonoids, steroids, tannins, and saponins, while HPLC analysis confirmed the presence of quercetin, gallic acid, coumaric and sinapic acid. In acetic acid-induced ulcerative colitis model, Gp.Cr (300 and 500 mg/kg) along with sulphasalazine (500 mg/kg) decreased disease activity index, ulcer scores, and hematological parameters. Gp.Cr showed a significant anti-inflammatory potential by increasing antioxidant enzymes and decreasing lipid peroxides, nitric oxide, and cytokines levels. Histopathological examination showed a significant decline in ulceration and tissue disruption., Conclusion: Hence, the findings confirmed the effectiveness of G. pharnaceoides crude extract in the treatment of ulcerative colitis and might be a promising remedy to manage inflammatory disorders., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

Objectives: Treatment-free remission (TFR) has emerged as a treatment goal in chronic myeloid leukemia in the chronic phase (CML-CP). Attempts to increase proportion of patients achieving TFR include combination of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) and other drugs. Interferon-α in addition to TKI has shown promising efficacy but with dose-dependent toxicity and discontinuations. NordCML007 was initiated to study the efficacy and safety of low dose pegylated IFN-α (PegIFN-α) in combination with dasatinib (DAS) in CML-CP., Methods: Forty patients with newly diagnosed CML-CP were given DAS upfront. After month 3 (M3) 15 μg/wk of PegIFN-α was added and increased to 25 μg/wk from M7 until M15. DAS treatment was continued and adverse events and BCR-ABL1 qRT-PCR values were reported yearly after M24. Results from M1 to M18 have previously been published, and here we present long-term data., Results: After 5 years of follow-up, there were no suspected unexpected serious adverse reactions, no increase in serosal effusions, no disease progressions and no CML-related deaths. Rates of MR 3.0 (MMR), MR 4.0 and MR 4.5 were 84.6%, 64.1% and 51.3% respectively at M60, and 95% of patients reached MMR at some point during the study., Conclusion: Initial addition of PegIFN-α to DAS shows good long-term efficacy without increased toxicity., (© 2021 The Authors. European Journal of Haematology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

A sizeable amount of scholarly work has been done on different aspects of financial, economic, and environmental factors. In the present study, the nonlinearity is determined between financial development and carbon dioxide emissions in the long-run and short-run periods. According to the finding, the continued financial development initially increases the carbon dioxide emissions in the short and long run. Simultaneously, the square term of financial development reduces carbon dioxide emissions and proves the inverted U-shaped hypothesis in the short and long periods. The consumption of fossil fuels produces carbon dioxide emissions, leading to environmental pollution. In contrast, renewable energy sources have fostered ecological sustainability by reducing CO 2 emissions in the long and short term. At the same time, a positive response from labor productivity to carbon dioxide emissions causes environmental pollution, while capital formation is not acknowledged as a significant contributor to CO 2 emissions. The Error Correction term has ascertained the reduction in error and convergence of the model from short to long term with a speed of 8% per annum. The study suggested that renewable energy and financial development should be indorsed for environmental preservation in developing European and Central Asian economies. Financial development in favor of low-cost renewables, advancing cleaner production methods, solar paneling, and electrification are a few possible remedies to achieve environmental sustainability in the short-run as well as long-run time frame., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

The purpose of this study was to evaluate oxygen-enhanced pulmonary imaging at 0.55 T with 3D stack-of-spirals ultrashort-T E (UTE) acquisition. Oxygen-enhanced pulmonary MRI offers the measurement of regional lung ventilation and perfusion using inhaled oxygen as a contrast agent. Low-field MRI systems equipped with contemporary hardware can provide high-quality structural lung imaging by virtue of the prolonged T 2 *. Fortuitously, the T 1 relaxivity of oxygen increases at lower field strengths, which is expected to improve the sensitivity of oxygen-enhanced lung MRI. We implemented a breath-held T 1 -weighted 3D stack-of-spirals UTE acquisition with a 7 ms spiral-out readout. Measurement repeatability was assessed using five repetitions of oxygen-enhanced lung imaging in healthy volunteers (n = 7). The signal intensity at both normoxia and hyperoxia was strongly dependent on lung tissue density modulated by breath-hold volume during the five repetitions. A voxel-wise correction for lung tissue density improved the repeatability of percent signal enhancement maps (coefficient of variation = 34 ± 16%). Percent signal enhancement maps were compared in 15 healthy volunteers and 10 patients with lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM), a rare cystic disease known to reduce pulmonary function. We measured a mean percent signal enhancement of 9.0 ± 3.5% at 0.55 T in healthy volunteers, and reduced signal enhancement in patients with LAM (5.4 ± 4.8%, p = 0.02). The heterogeneity, estimated by the percent of lung volume exhibiting low enhancement, was significantly increased in patients with LAM compared with healthy volunteers (11.1 ± 6.0% versus 30.5 ± 13.1%, p = 0.01), illustrating the capability to measure regional functional deficits., (© 2021 John Wiley & Sons Ltd. This article has been contributed to by US Government employees and their work is in the public domain in the USA.)

To design and validate a rapid Simultaneous Multi-slice (SMS) Magnetic Resonance Elastography technique (MRE), which combines SMS acquisition, in-plane undersampling and an existing rapid Magnetic Resonance Elastography (MREr) scheme to allow accelerated data acquisition in healthy volunteers and comparison against MREr. SMS-MREr sequence was developed by incorporating SMS acquisition scheme into an existing MREr sequence that accelerates MRE acquisition by acquiring data during opposite phases of mechanical vibrations. The MREr sequence accelerated MRE acquisition by acquiring data during opposite phases of mechanical vibrations. Liver MRE was performed on 23 healthy subjects using MREr and SMS-MREr sequences, and mean stiffness values were obtained for manually drawn regions of interest. Linear correlation and agreement between MREr- and SMS-MREr-based stiffness values were investigated. SMS-MREr reduced the scan time by half relative to MREr, and allowed acquisition of four-slice MRE data in a single 17-second breath-hold. Visual comparison suggested agreement between MREr and SMS-MREr elastograms. A Pearson's correlation of 0.93 was observed between stiffness values derived from MREr and SMS-MREr. Bland-Altman analysis demonstrated good agreement, with -0.08 kPa mean bias and narrow limits of agreement (95% CI: 0.23 to -0.39 kPa) between stiffness values obtained using MREr and SMS-MREr. SMS can be combined with other fast MRE approaches to achieve further acceleration. This pushes the limit on the acceleration that can be achieved in MRE acquisition, and makes it possible to conduct liver MRE exams in a single breath-hold., (© 2020 The Authors. NMR in Biomedicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Caesalpinia bonduc has been used in herbal medicines for the treatment of a wide range of diseases from decades. The present study has explored the remedial potential and underlying mechanism of polyphenol extract of Caesalpinia bonduc in alloxanized diabetic rats. HPLC/MS analysis confirmed the presence of phenolics in considerable concentrations in Caesalpinia bonduc extract. Administration of different doses (250 and 500 mg/kg) of CPP extract to hyperglycemic rats for 8 weeks restored blood and serum glucose, insulin, glycosylated hemoglobin, leptin, amylin, and carbohydrate metabolizing enzymes level towards normal compared to alloxanized diabetic group. The effect of CPP extract on various genes such as Pdx-1, Ins-1, ngn-3, GLUT-4, and IRS-1 in insulin signaling pathway and Traf-4, Traf-6, and Mapk-8 in MAPK downstream JNK cascade was examined through qRT-PCR to access the core molecular mechanism involved in CPP-induced recovery of diabetes. Results have revealed that CPP extract reduced oxidative stress in pancreatic β cells by restoring free radical scavenging potential, reducing the mRNA expression of Mapk-8, Traf-4, and Traf-6, and increasing the Pdx-1, Ins-1, ngn-3, GLUT-4, and IRS-1 expression ensuing regeneration of β cells and subsequent insulin release from pancreas. The results obtained in this study recommend that CPP extract may be a promising therapeutic restorative agent in the treatment of diabetes mellitus., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2020 Asra Iftikhar et al.)

Background Commercial low-field-strength MRI systems are generally not equipped with state-of-the-art MRI hardware, and are not suitable for demanding imaging techniques. An MRI system was developed that combines low field strength (0.55 T) with high-performance imaging technology. Purpose To evaluate applications of a high-performance low-field-strength MRI system, specifically MRI-guided cardiovascular catheterizations with metallic devices, diagnostic imaging in high-susceptibility regions, and efficient image acquisition strategies. Materials and Methods A commercial 1.5-T MRI system was modified to operate at 0.55 T while maintaining high-performance hardware, shielded gradients (45 mT/m; 200 T/m/sec), and advanced imaging methods. MRI was performed between January 2018 and April 2019. T1, T2, and T2* were measured at 0.55 T; relaxivity of exogenous contrast agents was measured; and clinical applications advantageous at low field were evaluated. Results There were 83 0.55-T MRI examinations performed in study participants (45 women; mean age, 34 years ± 13). On average, T1 was 32% shorter, T2 was 26% longer, and T2* was 40% longer at 0.55 T compared with 1.5 T. Nine metallic interventional devices were found to be intrinsically safe at 0.55 T (<1°C heating) and MRI-guided right heart catheterization was performed in seven study participants with commercial metallic guidewires. Compared with 1.5 T, reduced image distortion was shown in lungs, upper airway, cranial sinuses, and intestines because of improved field homogeneity. Oxygen inhalation generated lung signal enhancement of 19% ± 11 (standard deviation) at 0.55 T compared with 7.6% ± 6.3 at 1.5 T ( P = .02; five participants) because of the increased T1 relaxivity of oxygen (4.7e-4 mmHg -1 sec -1 ). Efficient spiral image acquisitions were amenable to low field strength and generated increased signal-to-noise ratio compared with Cartesian acquisitions ( P < .02). Representative imaging of the brain, spine, abdomen, and heart generated good image quality with this system. Conclusion This initial study suggests that high-performance low-field-strength MRI offers advantages for MRI-guided catheterizations with metal devices, MRI in high-susceptibility regions, and efficient imaging. © RSNA, 2019 Online supplemental material is available for this article. See also the editorial by Grist in this issue.

Multisubunit members of the CATCHR family: COG and NRZ complexes, mediate intra-Golgi and Golgi to ER vesicle tethering, respectively. We systematically addressed the genetic and functional interrelationships between Rabs, Kifs, and the retrograde CATCHR family proteins: COG3 and ZW10, which are necessary to maintain the organization of the Golgi complex. We scored the ability of siRNAs targeting 19 Golgi-associated Rab proteins and all 44 human Kifs, microtubule-dependent motor proteins, to suppress CATCHR-dependent Golgi fragmentation in an epistatic fluorescent microscopy-based assay. We found that co-depletion of Rab6A, Rab6A', Rab27A, Rab39A and two minus-end Kifs, namely KIFC3 and KIF25, suppressed both COG3- and ZW10-depletion-induced Golgi fragmentation. ZW10-dependent Golgi fragmentation was suppressed selectively by a separate set of Rabs: Rab11A, Rab33B and the little characterized Rab29. 10 Kifs were identified as hits in ZW10-depletion-induced Golgi fragmentation, and, in contrast to the double suppressive Kifs, these were predominantly plus-end motors. No Rabs or Kifs selectively suppressed COG3-depletion-induced Golgi fragmentation. Protein-protein interaction network analysis indicated putative direct and indirect links between suppressive Rabs and tether function. Validation of the suppressive hits by EM confirmed a restored organization of the Golgi cisternal stack. Based on these outcomes, we propose a three-way competitive model of Golgi organization in which Rabs, Kifs and tethers modulate sequentially the balance between Golgi-derived vesicle formation, consumption, and off-Golgi transport.

Graphene-based nanomaterials hold the potential to be used in a wide variety of applications, including biomedical devices. Pristine graphene (PG) is an un-functionalized, defect-free type of graphene that could be used as a material for neural interfacing. However, the neurotoxic effects of PG, particularly to the blood-brain barrier (BBB), have not been fully studied. The BBB separates the brain tissue from the circulating substances in the blood and is essential to maintain the brain homeostasis. The principal components of the BBB are brain microvascular endothelial cells (BMVECs), which maintain a protectively low permeability due to the expression of tight junction proteins. Here we analyzed the effects of PG on BMVECs in an in vitro model of the BBB. BMVECs were treated with PG at 0, 10, 50 and 100 μg/mL for 24 hours and viability and functional analyses of BBB integrity were performed. PG increased lactate dehydrogenase release at 50 and 100 μg/mL, suggesting the induction of necrosis. Surprisingly, 2,3,-bis(2-methoxy-4-nitro-5-sulfophenyl)-5-[(phenylamino)-carbonyl]-2H-tetrazolium (XTT) conversion was increased at 10 and 50 μg/mL. In contrast, XTT conversion was decreased at 100 μg/mL, suggesting the induction of cell death. In addition, 100 μg/mL PG increased DNA fragmentation, suggesting induction of apoptosis. At the same time, 50 and 100 μg/mL of PG increased the endothelial permeability, which corresponded with a decrease in the expression of the tight junction protein occludin at 100 μg/mL. In conclusion, these results suggest that PG negatively affects the viability and function of the BBB endothelial cells in vitro., (© 2019 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

The use of graphene for biomedical and other applications involving humans is growing and shows practical promise. However, quantifying the graphitic nanomaterials that interact with cells and assessing any corresponding cellular response is extremely challenging. Here, we report an effective approach to quantify graphene interacting with single cells that utilizes combined multimodal-Raman and photoacoustic spectroscopy. This approach correlates the spectroscopic signature of graphene with the measurement of its mass using a quartz crystal microbalance resonator. Using this technique, we demonstrate single cell noninvasive quantification and multidimensional mapping of graphene with a detection limit of as low as 200 femtograms. Our investigation also revealed previously unseen graphene-induced changes in surface receptor expression in dendritic cells of the immune system. This tool integrates high-sensitivity real-time detection and monitoring of nanoscale materials inside single cells with the measurement of induced simultaneous biological cell responses, providing a powerful method to study the impact of nanomaterials on living systems and as a result, the toxicology of nanoscale materials.