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Background/Objectives: This study aimed to fabricate, optimize, and characterize nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) loaded with trans-resveratrol (TRES) as an anti-cancer drug for pulmonary drug delivery using medical nebulizers. Methods: Novel TRES-NLC formulations (F1–F24) were prepared via hot, high-pressure homogenization. One solid lipid (Dynasan 116) was combined with four liquid lipids (Capryol 90, Lauroglycol 90, Miglyol 810, and Tributyrin) in three different ratios (10:90, 50:50, and 90:10 w/w), with a surfactant (Tween 80) in two different concentrations (0.5 and 1.5%), and a co-surfactant, soya phosphatidylcholine (SPC S-75; 50 mg). Results: Amongst the analyzed 24 TR-NLC formulations, F8, F14, and F22 were selected based on their physicochemical stability when freshly prepared and following storage (4 weeks 25 °C), as well as in terms of particle size (96%). Furthermore, F14 showed greater stability at 4 and 25 °C for six months and exhibited enhanced aerosolization performance, demonstrating the greater deposition of TRES in the later stages of the next-generation impactor (NGI) when using an air-jet nebulizer than when using an ultrasonic nebulizer. The F14 formulation exhibited greater stability and release in acetate buffer (pH 5.4), with a cumulative release of 95%. Conclusions: Overall, formulation F14 in combination with an air-jet nebulizer was identified as a superior combination, demonstrating higher emitted dose (ED; 80%), fine particle dose (FPD; 1150 µg), fine particle fraction (FPF; 24%), and respirable fraction (RF; 94%). These findings are promising in the optimization and development of NLC formulations, highlighting their versatility and targeting the pulmonary system via nebulization.

The current study evaluates the impact of high saturated fat feeding in rat model of experimental nephrotoxicity induced by gentamicin. Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 200 g were randomized into four groups; the first one received the standard rodents chow for 8 weeks and was treated as control, the second group (HFD)received an experimental high fat diet rich in palm kernel oil (40% of Calories as fat) for the same period. The third group (HFDG) was given 80 mg/kg (body weight)/day gentamicin sulphate intraperitoneally during the last 24 days of the feeding period while the fourth group was given gentamicin as above along with the standard rodents chow. Renal function was assessed through measuring serum creatinine, creatinine clearance and absolute and fractional excretion of both sodium and potassium. At the end, rats underwent a surgical procedure for blood pressure measurement. Renal function study showed a stronger nephrotoxicity for HFDG group. Hypertension was observed in HFD group while the pressure declined after gentamicin co-administration. Overall, changing the feeding behavior toward using more SAFFAs for rats injected with gentamicin promotes the progression of renal failure.

“Professionalism” in pharmacy profession is endeavored and aimed at by almost all the pharmacy education institutions. Indeed it is one of the core objectives aimed in developing pharmacy curricula. However to this broad terminology there is no clear consensus on definition of professionalism found in literature and thus becomes a big challenge for academicians involved in curriculum development. Ironically, professionalism is not the only challenge which pharmacy educationists have to cope with.There are several other fronts faced by pharmacy education in this era of rapid progress.

ABSTRACTBackground Pharmacists can play an important role in the fight against tuberculosis (TB) through optimising medication use and safety, promoting adherence to anti-TB drugs, and providing patient education. Limited evidence is available on the effectiveness of pharmacist’s interventions on health outcomes in patients with pulmonary TB. This systematic review aims to assess the effectiveness of pharmaceutical care interventions in the management of pulmonary TB.Methods English language studies assessing the impact of pharmaceutical care interventions in TB management were searched across three electronic databases (PubMed, Embase, Cochrane), a RCT registry ClinicalTrial.gov, a peer-reviewed journal ‘The Lancet Infectious Diseases’, and the references of retrieved articles. Interventions delivered by pharmacists alone or as part of multidisciplinary teams were included in the review. Data were extracted using the modified Cochrane EPOC standardised data collection tool. The Cochrane Risk of Bias 2 and the NIH quality assessment tools were used to assess the risk of bias among included studies. Data were synthesised narratively. (PROSPERO Protocol Registration CRD42022325771).Results Thirteen studies, including two randomised controlled trials (RCTs) with a total of 3886 patients were included. Many of the included studies had a high risk of bias and lacked cohert reporting of treatment outcomes. The most common pharmaceutical care interventions were education and counselling regarding adverse drug reactions and resolution of drug-related problems. Five studies showed a relatively high TB completion rate yet only one study reached the targeted treatment success goal of (>90%).Conclusion The current evidence suggests that pharmaceutical care interventions can potentially improve treatment outcomes among patients with pulmonary TB. However, no definitive conclusion can be drawn given the low methodological quality of the included studies and lack of long-term follow-up data. Well-designed RCTs with careful attention to study methodology, standardised outcomes assessment aligned with the World Health Organization’s guidelines are warranted to guide future practice and policy.

Oxazoles and Imidazoles are heterocyclic compounds with significant biological activities. The present study explores the pharmacological effects of some new oxazole and imidazole derivatives as potential COX-2 inhibitors. Docking studies of the compounds against targeted proteins COX-2 and TACE manifested good binding affinities for both the targets supporting their anti-inflammatory potential. Compounds (3F-A, 3F-B, N-A, N-B) were evaluated for in vivo anti-inflammatory effects by carrageenan-induced paw edema. Among all, compound N-A was found to be the most effective as it displayed most pronounced reduction in inflammation that was comparable to indomethacin. The in vivo tissue antioxidant activity was performed for estimation of the level of catalase, GSH, GST, and thiobarbituric acid in paw tissue. The results exhibited that targeted compounds improved the oxidative stress and restored the expression of enzymes. H &E staining revealed that aforesaid compounds displayed well-defined restoration of cellular damage. Compound NA exhibited maximum structural and functional preservation. Reduction in the expression of inflammatory markers was also analyzed by ELISA and maximum reduction in protein expression (COX-2 and TNF-a) was observed for compound N-B. Quantification of mRNA was done using PCR and a decrease in the expression of COX-2 mRNA level in treatment groups was depicted by all the new compounds but N-B showed maximum reduction in enzyme expression. All the results obtained from the present study have shown the significant anti-inflammatory potential of new compounds via the COX-2 inhibition pathway.

The aim of the present research work was to investigate the variation in nutritional potential, phenolic profile, antioxidant, and free radical scavenging activities of four wildly grown accessions of Cucumis melo var. Agrestis. The accessions of Cucumis melo var. Agrestis were collected from different areas of the district Faisalabad and Layyah of Punjab province (Pakistan). Mineral profile and amino acid analysis were examined using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) and an amino acid analyzer. High-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used for the separation and quantification of polyphenols from chloroform and methanol fractions of Cucumis melo. ICP-OES was used for quantitative and qualitative evaluation of elements, and results showed that magnesium (533.6–663.2 ppm) and iron (308.1–590.8 ppm) were the most abundant minerals. Amino acids analyzer showed that valine (0.03–45.58 mmol/L) and taurine (0.03–2.34 mmol/L) were present in the highest concentration. The methanol extract yield of the accessions was in the range of 14.00–17.03 g/100 g of plant material. HPLC analysis showed the detection of eleven phenolic compounds, and the most abundant compound was chlorogenic acid (1120.53–1237.52 µg/g), followed by gallic acid (188.14–930.74 µg/g) and vanillic acid (6.35–298.81 µg/g). Chloroform and methanol fractions were analyzed for antioxidant activity, and results showed that all the fractions were rich in total phenolic content (TPC) (26.6–112.00 mg/100 g) and total flavonoid content (TFC) (20.5–77.9 mg/100 g). Methanol fraction of accession-1 showed the best free radical scavenging capacity (82.2 %) and % inhibition of linoleic acid peroxidation activity (84.4 %) than other fractions. Statistical analysis revealed significant variation among the nutritional potential and antioxidant activity of all the accessions.

IoT-based Sensors networks play a pivotal role in improving air quality monitoring in the Middle East. They provide real-time data, enabling precise tracking of pollution trends, informed decision-making, and increased public awareness. Air quality and dust pollution in the Middle East region may leads to various health issues, particularly among vulnerable populations. IoT-based Sensors networks help mitigate health risks by offering timely and accurate air quality data. Air pollution affects not only human health but also the region’s ecosystems and contributes to climate change. The economic implications of deteriorated air quality include healthcare costs and decreased productivity, underscore the need for effective monitoring and mitigation. IoT-based data can guide policymakers to align with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) related to health, clean water, and climate action. The conventional monitor based standard air quality instruments provide limited spatial coverage so there is strong need to continue research integrated with low-cost sensor technologies to make air quality monitoring more accessible, even in resource-constrained regions. IoT-based Sensors networks monitoring helps in understanding these environmental impacts. Among these IoT-based Sensors networks, sensors are of vital importance. With the evolution of sensors technologies, different types of sensors materials are available. Among this carbon based sensors are widely used for air quality monitoring. Carbon nanomaterial-based sensors (CNS) and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) as adsorbents exhibit unique capabilities in the measurement of air pollutants. These sensors are used to detect gaseous pollutants that includes oxides of nitrogen and Sulphur, and ozone, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). This study provides comprehensive review of integration of carbon nanomaterials based sensors in IoT based network for better air quality monitoring and exploring the potential of machine learning and artificial intelligence for advanced data analysis, pollution source identification, integration of satellite and ground-based networks and future forecasting to design effective mitigation strategies. By prioritizing these recommendations, the Middle East and other regions, can further leverage IoT-based systems to improve air quality monitoring, safeguard public health, protect the environment, and contribute to sustainable development in the region.

Background: The purpose of this study was to assess the vitamin D supplementation intake status among children from different nationalities in the UAE, to determine vitamin D intake practices through diet and lifestyle, and the barriers that parents in the UAE face with providing vitamin D supplementation to their children. Methods: A cross-sectional observational questionnaire-based survey study design was used.. The study was conducted in the U.A.E and the study participants were parents of children from ages 4-15 years. The questionnaire used in this study was both self-administered and interviewer-administered while inquiring the questions from the parents. A convenience sampling technique was used to collect the data. The response rate of participants was expected to be 63%, the margin of error was 5% and the level of confidence was 95%. Results: A total of 248 participants (203 mothers, 39 fathers and 6 caregivers) completed the study. Participants reported that the supplements used the most by children were vitamin D supplements (21.85%), followed by multivitamins (21.8%) and calcium supplements (5.6%) and 27.8% of participants in this study reported to no supplementation at all. The rate of vitamin D supplementation among children was higher in those families with higher income levels, parents/caregivers who were more educated, those families who attained health insurance. However, there was no statistical significance between these correlations. Conclusion: The study concluded that challenges like the educational and financial background of parents, family-income level, and health insurance status could help aid in addressing the overall burden of vitamin D deficiency among young children in the UAE. Pediatricians and health care professionals could use our study and use it as an aid to provide screening on lifestyle, sun light exposure, and dietary modifications and also educate parents why and how vitamin D is crucial for their children.

Background: Lack of knowledge among parents can result in inappropriate administration practices. After analyzing different studies among children, there was no data on challenges and barriers in the administration of medicines among children in this region because of the diverse environmental issues and challenges in the UAE. The objective of this study was to determine the reported administration practices of parents and challenges and barriers in the administration of medicines among children in UAE. Methods: A questionnaire-based survey was conducted. A convenience sampling technique was used to collect the data. An online Raosoft® sample size calculator was applied (n = 248). The inclusion criteria were parents who had a child under 10 years of age and gave consent to participate in this study. Children with vision problems, cognitive/physical disabilities, and caregivers other than parents were excluded from this study. Results: The study reported response rate of 73.2%. The mean ± S.D age of the parents in years was 35.5 ± 7.8, and the mean ± S.D of children aged years was 2.60 ± 1.54. 26.2% of parents reported treatment failure due to oral medicine administration. A total of 22.2% of parents reported that they gave medicines in doses higher than prescribed by the doctor to treat their children more quickly. Similarly, a total of 64.5% of the parents reported self-medication without consultation from a healthcare provider. Conclusions: The study concluded that there were inappropriate medicine administration practices among parents. Parents reported administration of higher doses to treat their children quickly.

The present research study aims to appraise the potential of polyphenol-rich extracts from two Brassica rapa varieties on antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities using carrageenan-induced paw edema model in rats. Methanol extracts of peels and pulps of Brassica rapa yellow root (BRYR) and Brassica rapa white root (BRWR) were prepared using the soxhlet extraction technique. All four extracts were analyzed by reversed-phase high-pressure liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) for the polyphenols, and results showed that 10 phenolic acids and 4 flavonoids were detected. Gallic acid was the major phenolic acid (174.6–642.3 mg/100 g of dry plant material) while catechin was the major (34.45–358.5 mg/100 g of dry plant material) flavonoid detected in the extracts. The total phenolic contents (TPC) of BRYR peel, BRWR peel, BRYR pulp and BRWR pulp extracts were in the range of 1.21–5.01 mg/g of dry plant material, measured as GAE, whereas the total flavonoid contents (TFC) were found in the range of 0.90–3.95 mg/g of dry plant material, measured as QE. BRYR peel extract exhibited the best DPPH radical scavenging activity (IC50, 3.85 µg/mL) and reducing potential as compared with other extracts. The in vivo anti-inflammatory potential was assessed by carrageenan-induced rat paw edema, and the analgesic potential was investigated by a hot plate test. Suppression of biochemical inflammatory biomarkers including C-reactive protein (CRP), rheumatoid factor (RF) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) concentration were also determined. Results showed that BRYR peel extracts reduced paw edema and suppressed the production of TNF-α, IL-6, CRP and RF most significantly, followed by BRWR peel, BRYR pulp and BRWR pulp extracts. In addition, histopathology observation also supports the anti-inflammatory effect of peel extracts as being greater than that of root pulp extracts. Moreover, it was observed that the analgesic effect of the root-peel extracts was also more pronounced as compared with root-pulp extracts. It can be concluded that BRYR peel extract has higher phenolic contents and showed higher suppression of TNF-α, IL-6, CRP and RF, with strong antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects.

This study aimed to synthesize and characterize DTX-mPEG-PLA-NPs along with the development and validation of a simple, accurate, and reproducible method for the determination and quantification of DTX in mPEG-PLA-NPs. The prepared NPs were characterized using AFM, DLS, zetasizer, and drug release kinetic profiling. The RP-HPLC assay was developed for DTX detection. The cytotoxicity and anti-clonogenic effects were estimated using MTT and clonogenic assays, respectively, using both MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cell lines in a 2D and 3D culture system. The developed method showed a linear response, high precision, accuracy, RSD values of ≤2%, and a tailing factor ≤2, per ICH guidelines. The DTX-mPEG-PLA-NPs exhibited an average particle size of 264.3 nm with an encapsulation efficiency of 62.22%. The in vitro drug kinetic profile, as per the Krosmeyers–Peppas model, demonstrated Fickian diffusion, with initial biphasic release and a multistep sustained release over 190 h. The MTT assay revealed improved in vitro cytotoxicity against MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 in the 2D cultures and MCF-7 3D mammosphere cultures. Significant inhibitions of the clonogenic potential of MDA-MB-231 were observed for all concentrations of DTX-mPEG-PLA-NPs. Our results highlight the feasibility of detecting DTX via the robust RP-HPLC method and using DTX-mPEG-PLA-NPs as a perceptible and biocompatible delivery vehicle with greater cytotoxic and anti-clonogenic potential, supporting improved outcomes in BC.

Aim: Plants contain many essential constituents and their optimization can result in the discovery of new medicines. One such plant is Brassica rapa that is commonly used as a vegetable to fulfill daily food requirements worldwide. This study intends to screen the phytochemicals, antihypertensive potential, GC-MS, and in silico analysis of the leaves of Brassica rapa.Methods: Powdered leaves were subjected to proximate analysis followed by estimation of primary metabolites. Extracts were obtained by hot and cold extraction and investigated for secondary metabolites. All crude extracts were screened for their antihypertensive potential using an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibition assay. GC-MS analysis was carried out to standardize the extract, and an antihypertensive metabolite was confirmed using an in silico approach.Results: Physicochemical evaluation resulted in moisture content (9.10% ± 0.1), total ash value (18.10% ± 0.6), and extractive values (water 9.46% ± 0.5 and alcohol soluble 4.99% ± 0.1), while phytochemical investigation revealed primary metabolites (total proteins 11.90 mg/g ± 0.9; total fats 3.48 mg/g ± 0.5; and total carbohydrates 57.45 mg/g ± 1.2). Methanol extract showed the highest number of secondary metabolites including polyphenols 93.63 mg/g ± 0.6; flavonoids 259.13 mg/g ± 0.6; and polysaccharides 56.63 mg/g ± 1.4, while water extract (70 mg/g ± 2) was rich in glycosaponins. Methanol extract showed the highest antihypertensive potential by inhibiting ACE (79.39%) amongst all extracts, compared to the standard drug captopril, which inhibited 85.81%. Standardization of methanol extract via GC-MS analysis revealed potent phytoconstituents, and a molecular docking study confirmed that oleic acid is the main antihypertensive metabolite.Conclusion: We conclude that leaves of Brassica rapa can successfully lower hypertension by inhibiting ACE, however; in vivo investigations are required to confirm this antihypertensive activity.

Background: This study was aimed to describe the choice of Surgical Antimicrobial Prophylaxis at a tertiary-level care hospital in United Arab Emirates. It also associated the choice between two leading antimicrobials for the SAP to the site of surgery.Methods: A descriptive drug use evaluation was performed retrospectively to study choices of antimicrobials in surgical antibiotic prophylaxis. An analytical cross-sectional study design was used to develop a hypothesis regarding the choice of ceftriaxone. Data were collected from the medical records of Hospital from July 2020 to December 2020. Results were presented in numbers and percentages.Results: SAP data were collected from 199 patients, of which 159 were clean or clean-contaminated. Dirty surgeries (18) needed a higher level of antimicrobials as there were infections to be treated. For other surgeries with no infection, overuse of antimicrobials was found regarding the choice of antimicrobials. Surgical antibiotic Prophylaxis was administered within the recommended time prior to surgeries. Ceftriaxone was preferred over cefuroxime in all types of surgeries based on the timing of Surgical Antibiotic Prophylaxis, wound classification, and the surgical site. A statistically significant association for choice of ceftriaxone over cefuroxime was found regarding surgical sites (p-value

Objective: To identify the prevalence of dental fluorosis in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Material and Methods: Literature search for the present study aimed to include all the relevant studies conducted in Saudi Arabia that reported prevalence of dental fluorosis. A literature search was done using keywords (dental, fluorosis, prevalence) using three databases (Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science). Grey literature was also searched using Google Scholar and research gate. Literature was searched from 1939 till April 2020. The risk of bias was reported using JBI Critical Appraisal Checklist for Studies Reporting Prevalence Data. Twelve studies were included based on inclusive criteria. The only inclusive criteria were studies that were conducted among people living in Saudi Arabia, and studies that reported the prevalence of dental fluorosis. Samples from all age groups that reported prevalence of dental fluorosis were included. MedCalc statistical software was used to perform the analysis. Results: The overall prevalence of dental fluorosis was found to be 46.52%, 95 CI (26.52% to 67.12%). I2 value was reported 99.8%, 95 CI (99.78% to 99.83%), indicating high heterogeneity amongst the finding of studies. Funnel plots indicate the presence of a strong publication bias. Overall, we found some contrasting findings. One study reported prevalence of dental fluorosis as 0% and other with a comparatively large sample size found dental fluorosis to be 90.6%. Conclusion: The present study adds to the literature regarding dental fluorosis in Saudi Arabia by providing an overview of its prevalence. It is concluded that prevalence of dental fluorosis was a bit high. However, findings indicate publication bias. We did not account for severity of dental fluorosis. All the available data was analyzed to measure dental fluorosis prevalence without considering the sample size and sampling technique.

In the modern age, the most important and prevailing issue is the monitoring of human health. To address this, several devices have been developed and a need new materials investigated. The idea of textile-based smart sensors is emerging rapidly. In this regard, ICPs and ECPs have attracted the attention of researchers due to their mechanical adaptability to suit the characteristics of textile fabric. The lighter weight, stretchability and wearability, etc. are considered an advantage while selecting the material for developing sensors not only in health monitoring but also in biomedical, sports, and military fields. The idea behind wearable sensing devices is to enable easy integration of the sensor device into daily life routines. Such wearable sensors also have the potential for real time and online monitoring of human health and integrate with smart monitoring devices. The purpose of this review is to discuss the recent developments in smart monitoring sensors.

ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to compare the clinical outcomes associated with different combinations of oral diabetic drugs among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.MethodA prospective multicenter longitudinal, noninterventional observation study design was applied. At baseline (0 month), clinical parameters including glucose profile, renal function, lipid profile and risk assessment for cardiovascular risks were calculated. Mean Weighted difference (MWD) with heterogeneity and effect z was calculated to determine the risk reduction at the end of the study.ResultsA total of 1,657 were enrolled to different cohorts with response rate of 75.5%. The distribution of patients was based on prescribed drug. A total of 513 (30.9%) in G1 (metformin alone), 217 (13.09%) in G2 (metformin with Glimepiride), 231 (12.85%) in G3 (Metformin with Gliclazide), 384 (23.17%) in G4 (metformin with Sitagliptin) and 312 (18.89%) in G5 (Metformin with Saxagliptin). There was no significant different in all clinical and social variables at baseline. The Intergroup analysis showed significant differences with all the primary outcome variables except BMI (p = 0.217) and eGFR (p = 0.782) among patients using sulphonylurea (SU) combination (G2 & G3). Findings also showed significant high frequency of emergency visit and hospitalization in G1 (78.16% & 30.8%) as compared to SU (70.1% & 28.3%, p = 0.001) and DPP-4 (56.6% & 20.4%, p = 0.001). The overall reported effect was z = 2.58, p = 0.001 for ASCVD risk reduction assessment.ConclusionThe study concluded that significant effect of Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitor on reduction of hospitalization, lipid profile and also ASCVD risk score of type-II diabetes mellitus patients regardless of clinical comorbidities. Also, sulfonylurea combinations have showed significant reduction in LDL and triglycerides values.

Abstract Background Traditional medicine has always been Pakistan’s cultural heritage, providing health care to a large part of its population. Thus, we aimed to assess and compare the knowledge, attitude, and perception about complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) between pharmacy and non-pharmacy students, the results of which may be helpful in devising national health-education policy. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted by enrolling 937 students, pharmacy (437) and non-pharmacy (500), of Punjab University, Lahore. A self-administered questionnaire was used for data collection. Data were analyzed using SPSS. (IBM v22). Results Data suggested that majority of students knew about the use of traditional herbs and considered massage (P: 84.4%, NP: 82%, p = 0.099), homeopathy, herbs (P: 86.5%, NP: 81%, p = 0.064], yoga [P: 357 (81.7%), NP: 84%), p = 0.42] and spiritual healing (P: 85.6%, NP: 86.2%, p = 0.55) as effective and least harmful CAM modalities. The pharmacy students had better knowledge about CAM modalities compared to non-pharmacy students. Despite utilizing non-reliable sources of CAM information and their belief that CAM is practiced by quacks, the majority of students had positive attitudes and perceptions about CAM usage. Students also believed that CAM had a positive impact on health outcomes [P: 3.19 ± 1.04, NP: 3.02 ± 1.09, p = 0.008] and acceded to include CAM in the pharmacy curriculum. However, non-pharmacy students scored higher in their beliefs that CAM usage should be discouraged due to the non-scientific basis of CAM (P: 3.04 ± 0.97, NP: 3.17 ± 1.02, p = 0.028) and a possible threat to public health (P: 3.81 ± 1.74, NP: 4.06 ± 1.56, p = 0.02). On the other hand, pharmacy students believed that patients might get benefits from CAM modalities (P: 4.31 ± 1.48, NP: 4.12 ± 1.45, p = 0.02). Majority of students perceived that spiritual healing is the most useful and safer CAM modality, while acupuncture (P: 25.4%, NP: 21.8%, p = 0.0005), hypnosis (P: 26.8%, NP: 19.6%, p = 0.001) and chiropractic (P: 18.8%, NP: 11.6%, p = 0.0005) were among the harmful ones. Conclusion In conclusion, despite poor knowledge about CAM, students demonstrated positive attitudes and beliefs regarding CAM. They exhibited better awareness about yoga, spiritual healing/prayer, herbs, and massage. Students also showed willingness to advance their knowledge about CAM and favored its inclusion in the curriculum.

ABSTRACT: Background: Diabetes Mellitus is a progressive, chronic and multifactorial endocrine disorder characterized by elevated serum glucose levels. It has a direct effect to social and health related quality of life. Objective: This study aimed to determine the health-related quality of life among patients with type II diabetes mellitus (T2DM) using insulin therapy. Methods: Cross-sectional observational study design was used to collect data from Malaysian patients with T2DM. Subjective and objective assessments were made either by using several questionnaires or each patient's specific medication profile registered to care sites. Study participants were recruited from both public hospitals and community health clinics located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Results: A total of 430 patients with T2DM were recruited in this study with a response rate of 94.7%. The oral antidiabetic medication (OAM) group consisted of 63.0% of the study population and the rest (37.0%) were Insulin users. The body mass index and glycosylated hemoglobin patterns were significantly different between groups (P < 0.011 and P < 0.001). Insulin users showed high percentages of healthy body mass index index (44.7%) compared with OAM users (35.8%) and controlled glycemic index (glycosylated hemoglobin ≤7.5%) was significantly (P = 0.001) better among the insulin-user group compared with the OAM group. The Euro Quality of Life–5 dimension domain analysis indicated significant differences with domains of usual work (P < 0.047), pain and discomfort (P < 0.041), and anxiety and depression (P < 0.001) among insulin users versus OAM users. We also observed a significant difference between the groups regarding diet, monitoring, and disease-specific knowledge. The mean (SD) adherence score showed that insulin users were significantly (P < 0.001) more adherent (6.09 [2.98]) than OAM were nonadherent (4.19 [4.68]). Conclusions: This study suggests the valuable effect of insulin therapy among patients with T2DM compared with OAMs on health-related quality of life, medication adherence, and health state. Insulin users reported they had better diabetes-related knowledge and treatment adherence characteristics than noninsulin users. Key words: Adherence, Cross-sectional study, Diabetes knowledge, Health perception, Health care quality of life, Insulin use

In the published publication [...]

Our main objective was to investigate the effect of chronic administration of hydrogen sulphide donor (sodium hydrosulphide) on the expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and concentration of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kB) in a renal ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) model of WKY and L-nitro-arginine-methyl-ester (L-NAME)-induced hypertensive rats. Sodium hydrosulphide (NaHS) was administered intraperitoneally (i.p.) for 35 days while cystathionine gamma lyase (CSE) inhibitor dL-propargylglycine (PAG) was administered at a single dose of 50 mg/kg. Animals were anesthetised using sodium pentobarbitone (60 mg/kg) and then prepared to induce renal ischemia by clamping the left renal artery for 30 min followed by 3 h of reperfusion. Pre-treatment with NaHS improved the renal functional parameters in both WKY and L-NAME-induced hypertensive rats along with reduction of blood pressure in hypertensive groups. Oxidative stress markers like malondialdehyde (MDA), total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD) and glutathione (GSH) were also improved by NaHS treatment following renal IRI. Levels of ICAM-1 and NF-kB concentration were reduced by chronic treatment with NaHS and increased by PAG administration after renal IRI in plasma and kidney. Treatment with NaHS improved tubular morphology and glomerulus hypertrophy. Pre-treatment with NaHS reduced the degree of renal IRI by potentiating its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory mechanism, as evidenced by decreased NF-kB concentration and downregulation of ICAM-1 expression.

Background. This study is aimed at investigating the various disease-specific and health-related psychosocial concepts of HRQOL among insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) and understanding the gender differences in HRQOL among IDDM patients. Methods. A cross-sectional observational study was conducted to assess the effect of health-related and psychosocial correlates on HRQOL of IDDM patients in Penang, Malaysia. The participants were recruited from five governmental diabetic clinics. Patients with insulin use only, IDDM diagnosed at least 1 year earlier, were identified from clinical registers. The sample was then age stratified for 20–64 years, and severe complications (e.g., end-stage renal failure, hemodialysis, and liver cirrhosis) were excluded; a total of 1003 participants were enrolled in the study. Multivariate regression analysis was used to predict the response. Results. A total of 853 (100%) participants were enrolled and completed the study. Women exhibited significantly higher/better mental health (p

Hydrogen sulphide (H2S) is an emerging molecule in many cardiovascular complications but its role in left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is unknown. The present study explored the effect of exogenous H2S administration in the regression of LVH by modulating oxidative stress, arterial stiffness and expression of cystathione γ lyase (CSE) in the myocardium. Animals were divided into four groups: Control, LVH, Control-H2S and LVH-H2S. LVH was induced by administering isoprenaline (5mg/kg, every 72 hours, S/C) and caffeine in drinking water (62mg/L) for 2 weeks. Intraperitoneal NaHS, 56μM/kg/day for 5 weeks, was given as an H2S donor. Myocardial expression of Cystathione γ lyase (CSE) mRNA was quantified using real time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR).There was a 3 fold reduction in the expression of myocardial CSE mRNA in LVH but it was up regulated by 7 and 4 fold in the Control-H2S and LVH-H2S myocardium, respectively. Systolic blood pressure, mean arterial pressure, pulse wave velocity were reduced (all P