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Arsenic, an omnipresent environmental contaminant, is regarded as a potent hepatotoxin. Nigella sativa oil (NSO) consumption has been shown to improve hepatic functions in various in vivo models of acute hepatic injury. The present study evaluates the protective efficacy of NSO against sodium arsenate (As)-induced deleterious alterations in the liver. Male Wistar rats were divided into four groups, namely, control, As, NSO, and AsNSO. After pre-treating rats in AsNSO and NSO groups with NSO (2 mL/kg bwt, orally) for 14 days, NSO treatment was further extended for 30 days, with and without As treatment (5 mg/kg bwt, orally), respectively. As induced an upsurge in serum ALT and AST activities indicating liver injury, as also confirmed by the histopathological findings. As caused significant alterations in the activities of membrane marker enzymes and carbohydrate metabolic enzymes, and in the vital components of antioxidant defense system. Marked DNA damage and hepatic arsenic accumulation were also observed in As-treated rats. Oral NSO administration ameliorated these deleterious alterations and improved overall hepatic antioxidant and metabolic status in As-treated rats. Prevention of oxidative damage could be the underlying mechanism of NSO-mediated protective effects. The results suggest that NSO could be a useful dietary supplement in the management of arsenic hepatotoxicity.

Interactions within mixtures of the phenothiazine drug promethazine hydrochloride (PMH) and cationic hydrotropes ortho-toluidine hydrochloride (o-TDH) and para-toluidine hydrochloride (p-TDH) were investigated at different ratios and temperatures via conductometry to understand various physicochemical properties. Critical micelle concentration (cmc) was less than values of cmcid (cmc in ideal mixed system), indicating significant interaction among the studied constituents in solution mixtures. The cmc of pure PMH was also determined by measuring the surface tension for comparison. A variety of micellization thermodynamic parameters (Gibbs free energy [ΔG 0 ], change in standard enthalpy [ΔG 0 ], and change in entropy [ΔG 0 ]) were computed using conductometry. The micellar mole fraction (X 1 , X 1 , and X 1 ) of hydrotropes estimated by various theoretical models (Rubingh, Rodenas, and Motomura) was assessed, and the results showed a greater contribution of hydrotropes in mixed micelles along with their values increasing via an increase in mole fraction (α1) of hydrotropes (o-TDH/p-TDH). Negative β values suggest extremely favorable attractive interaction/synergism, as declines occurred in the whole quantity of amphiphile used for the desired purpose, leading to a drop of expenditure along with ecological concern. Obtained activity coefficients (f1 and f2) were always beneath unity, meaning nonideality was found between PMH and o-TDH/p-TDH. Like the conductivity method, the UV-visible and FT-IR techniques also demonstrate the interaction between the PMH and o-TDH/p-TDH.

Family separation as a result of parental deportation of immigrants living in the USA triggers both child and family trauma and economic impact to the state. A child’s separation from their parents is an adverse childhood experience that can induce depression, anxiety, and aggression and could create long-lasting negative impacts and reduce their likelihood of succeeding socially, academically, and economically. The implications of the influx of parents into the child welfare system for welfare authorities are discussed, highlighting Florida as an example. With respect to the economic repercussions in Florida, the projection of massive deportations due to federal immigration policies could overburden the child welfare system with an influx of children of deportees and concurrently encumber the state’s budget. Information regarding safeguards for families and the rights of parents and children under US law and international human rights covenants is provided. It is crucial for the child welfare system to re-evaluate protocols to reduce the psychological impacts on affected families, assure parental rights, and to secure the necessary resources to alleviate the anticipated economic burden. Recommendations and action steps for responding to separated families and immigrant children entering the child welfare system are offered.

Direct nose-to-brain delivery of drugs and faster onset of action have made intra-nasal route a much sought-after alternative to conventional routes of drug delivery to the brain. Lamotrigine is used for the treatment and management of neuropathic pain, and in the present work, lamotrigine (LTG)-PLGA nanoparticles were developed for intra-nasal delivery. The LTG-PLGA nanoparticles were prepared using modified nanoprecipitation method via high-speed homogenization and ultra-sonication techniques. Entrapment efficiency (EE%) of developed LTG-PLGA-NPs was found to be 84.87 ± 1.2% with drug loading of 10.21 ± 0.89%. The particle size of developed nanoparticles was found to be 184.6 nm with PDI value of 0.082 and zeta potential of − 18.8 mV. Dissolution profiles were studied in PBS (pH 7.4), simulated nasal fluid, and simulated cerebrospinal fluid where almost complete release was observed within 5 h in CSF. In vitro, cytotoxicity was analyzed using MTT assay where dose-dependent cytotoxicity was observed for developed LTG-PLGA-NPs. In vitro cytokine analysis showed positive effects of LTG-PLGA-NPs as pro-inflammatory cytokine suppressors. Further, in vivo studies were performed for radiolabeled formulation and drug (99mTc-LTG-PLGA-NPs and 99mTc-LTG-aqueous) using Sprague Dawley rats where with the help of gamma scintigraphy studies, various routes of administration viz. oral, intra-nasal, and intra-venous were compared. Various pharmacokinetic parameters were evaluated using biodistribution studies to estimate the drug levels in blood and brain. For 99mTc-LTG-PLGA-NPs via intra-nasal route, drug targeting efficiency (DTE%) was found to be 129.81% and drug target organ transport (DTP%) to be 22.81% in brain with Cmax of 3.82%/g within Tmax 1.5 h. Thus, the developed PLGA nanoparticles for intra-nasal delivery provide a possible alternative for existing available drug formulation for neuropathic pain management.

Hispanic children are disproportionately affected by obesity, with this disparity starting at a young age, and there is a paucity of data comparing factors associated with excess weight in the first year of life in Hispanic vs. non-Hispanic populations. Excess weight was defined as weight-for-length ≥95th percentile. The associations of potential risk factors were compared by ethnicity stratification. Of the 1009 children, 302 (30.0%) were Hispanic and 707 (70.0%) were non-Hispanic White. The rate of excess weight was 30.1% and 13.6% among Hispanic and non-Hispanic White children, respectively. Factors associated with excess weight for non-Hispanic White children were higher than recommended weight gain during pregnancy (odds ratio (OR) 1.8 (1.2–3.1)), higher paternal body mass index (BMI) (OR 1.1 (1.02–1.15)), higher birth weight (OR 1.001 (1.001–1.002)), and lower breast milk feedings at 6 months (OR 0.98 (0.96–0.98)). Factors associated with excess weight for Hispanic children were lower maternal education (OR 2.37 (1.1–4.5)) and lower breast milk feedings at 6 months (OR 0.98 (0.96–0.99)). There are differential risk factors associated with excess weight at 12 months between Hispanic and non-Hispanic White children. Identification of differential factors in different ethnicities may allow for more targeted anticipatory guidance reduce obesity in at-risk populations.

We have previously shown that oral administration of Nigella sativa oil (NSO) ameliorates the deleterious gastrointestinal effects of cisplatin (CP), administered as a single dose. Since a typical clinical CP dosing regimen involves multiple cycles of CP administration in lower doses, in the present study we investigate the protective efficacy of NSO and its major bioactive constituent, thymoquinone (TQ), against multiple-dose CP treatment-induced deleterious biochemical and histological changes in rat intestine. Rats were divided into six groups, viz., control, CP, CP+NSO, CP+TQ, NSO, and TQ. Animals in CP+NSO and CP+TQ groups were pre-administered NSO (2 ml/kg bwt, orally) and TQ (1.5 mg/kg bwt, orally), respectively, daily for 14 days and were then treated with five repeated doses of CP (3 mg/kg bwt, i.p.), every fourth day for 20 days while still receiving NSO/TQ. CP treatment alone led to a significant decline in specific activities of brush border membrane (BBM) enzymes while NSO or TQ administration to CP-treated rats significantly prevented the decline in BBM enzyme activities in the isolated brush border membrane vesicles (BBMV) as well as in mucosal homogenates. Furthermore, both NSO and TQ administration markedly ameliorated CP-induced alterations on carbohydrate metabolism enzymes and the enzymatic and non-enzymatic parameters of antioxidant defense system in the intestinal mucosa. However, NSO appeared to be more efficacious than TQ in protecting against CP-induced gastrointestinal dysfunction. Histopathological findings corroborated the biochemical results. Thus, NSO and TQ may prove clinically useful in amelioration of the intestinal toxicity associated with long-term CP chemotherapy.

Recognition of self-antigen and its destruction by the immune system is the hallmark of autoimmune diseases. During the developmental stages, immune cells are introduced to the self-antigen, for which tolerance develops. The inflammatory insults that break the immune tolerance provoke immune system against self-antigen, progressively leading to autoimmune diseases. SH2 domain containing protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTP), SHP-1, was identified as hematopoietic cell-specific PTP that regulates immune function from developing immune tolerance to mediating cell signaling post-immunoreceptor activation. The extensive research on SHP-1-deficient mice elucidated the diversified role of SHP-1 in immune regulation, and inflammatory process and related disorders such as cancer, autoimmunity, and neurodegenerative diseases. The present review focalizes upon the implication of SHP-1 in the pathogenesis of autoimmune disorders, such as allergic asthma, neutrophilic dermatosis, atopic dermatitis, rheumatoid arthritis, and multiple sclerosis, so as to lay the background in pursuance of developing therapeutic strategies targeting SHP-1. Also, new SHP-1 molecular targets have been suggested like SIRP-α, PIPKIγ, and RIP-1 that may prove to be the focal point for the development of therapeutic strategies.

A new RP-HPLC method was developed and validated for simultaneous determination of esomeprazole (ESO) and diclofenac sodium (DIC) in pharmaceutical dosage forms. BDS Hypersil C18 column (250 × 4.6 mm, 5 μm) and mobile phase consisting of methanol and 50 mM phosphate buffer (35:65) were used in this analysis. The flow rate was adjusted at 1.0 mL/min and detection was performed at 213 nm wavelength for both esomeprazole and diclofenac sodium. Etoposide (ETO) was used as internal standard giving a retention time of 4.13 min. The method was linear in a range of 25 – 1000 ng/mL and 15.5 – 500 ng/mL for ESO and DIC, respectively. The method has good linearity (r 2 = 0.999) with the intra-day and inter-day variability less than 3% for both drugs. The limits of detection were 15 and 10.5 ng/mL, while the limits of quantification were 25 and 15.5 ng/mL for ESO and DIC, respectively. The proposed method demonstrates good robustness, resisting to small deliberate changes in pH and flow rate of mobile phase. The developed method was successfully applied for determining drug concentrations in spiked human plasma, injection, capsule and tablet dosage forms, where it exhibited good performance and reproducibility.

Background Traditional knowledge of indigenous plants is pivotal in developing strategies to feed livestock sustainably in low input systems. Likewise, in Pakistan the indigenous people of Central Punjab have been using their regional grasses as a ruminant fodder for centuries. This study evaluated the indigenous traditional knowledge to ascertain the value of various fodder grasses to optimise their use to feed livestock in Central Punjab. Methods The snowball technique was employed to identify key informants who had relevant knowledge about different grasses in the study area. Semi-structured questionnaires, face-to-face interviews and site visits were used for describing the fodder grasses. The data were then analysed by using relative frequency citation and pairwise comparison methods to determine the order of priority among the listed fodder grasses. Furthermore, SPSS 22 software was used for descriptive statistics and interpretation of associations among studied parameters. Microsoft Excel was used to present data as % values and graphs. Results Overall, 53 grasses were described with ethnobotanical information regarding their uses for fodder, ethnoveterinary and other purposes. All these grasses belonged to the family Poaceae where the subfamily Panicoideae had the maximum number of 30 grasses. We categorized these grasses into high (A), medium (B) and low priority (C) groups where the group A grasses were reported as not only the most abundant but also the most palatable forages to all ruminants. Their higher demand was reflected by the feeding systems of both ad libitum grazing and feeding after cutting and mixing with other feeds. The study also revealed 37 previously unreported ethnoveterinary uses of these grasses. Conclusions The results have reinforced the value of conserving ethnobotanical knowledge, being poorly documented previously, in developing strategies to feed livestock. It indicated the preferred fodder grasses as well as the possible reasons of their preference. The reported data need to be validated for nutritional and health benefits. This information could help the smallholder farmers in association with regional governments to propagate suitable fodder grasses for their use in sustainable livestock feeding to produce safe and healthy food for indigenous communities.

In the present study mixed micelles of the amphiphilic phenothiazine drug promazine hydrochloride (PMZ) and the anionic surfactant sodium bis(2-ethylhexyl)sulfosuccinate (AOT) have been studied using conductometry at different compositions and temperatures in aqueous as well as aqueous electrolyte (25 mmol·kg−1 NaCl) solutions to determine various physicochemical properties of the solutions. The experimental and ideal critical micelle concentration (CMC and CMC id) values suggest attractive interactions in PMZ–AOT mixed systems. The negative values of interaction parameter (β) obtained from regular solution theory indicate synergistic interactions; the negative values of β decrease further with the addition of salt. From the CMC values obtained as a function of temperature, various other thermodynamic properties have been evaluated.

In the present paper, the micellization of an amphiphilic drug, promazine hydrochloride, and gemini surfactants (16-s-16) with s = 4–6 and the monomeric hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) counterparts has been examined conductometrically in the pure and mixed states in aqueous solutions at different compositions and temperatures (298.15–308.15 K). Dicationic gemini surfactants provide much better environment for the micellization behavior than the corresponding monocationic counterpart CTAB. The critical micelle concentration (cmc) values are lower than the cmc for ideal mixing, cmc id, suggesting attractive interactions between the two components in mixed micelles. The micellar mole fractions of surfactants, evaluated by different models, show greater contributions of surfactants in mixed micelles and increase with increasing concentrations of these surfactants. The negative values of β suggest synergism in the mixtures, which is highly beneficial as it reduces the total amount of surfactants required in a particular application, leading to reductions of cost and environmental impact. Activity coefficients (f 1 and f 2) are always less than unity showing nonideality in the systems. The data have been also used for evaluation of thermodynamic parameters.

Lead is a heavy metal widely distributed in the environment. Lead is a ubiquitous environmental toxin that is capable of causing numerous acute and chronic illnesses. Human and animal exposure demonstrates that lead is nephrotoxic. However, attempts to reduce lead-induced nephrotoxicity were not found suitable for clinical use. Recently, flaxseed oil (FXO), a rich source of ω-3 fatty acids and lignans, has been shown to prevent/reduce the progression of certain types of cardiovascular and renal disorders. In view of this, the present study investigates the protective effect of FXO on lead acetate (PbAc)-induced renal damage. Rats were pre-fed normal diet and the diet rich in FXO for 14 days, and then, four doses of lead acetate (25 mg/kg body weight) were administered intraperitoneally while still on diet. Various serum parameters, enzymes of carbohydrate metabolism, brush border membrane (BBM), and oxidative stress were analyzed in rat kidney. PbAc nephrotoxicity was characterized by increased serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen. PbAc increased the activities of lactate dehydrogenase and NADP-malic enzyme, whereas it decreased malate and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, glucose-6-phosphatase, fructose-1, 6-bisphosphatase, and BBM enzyme activities. PbAc caused oxidant/antioxidant imbalances as reflected by increased lipid peroxidation and decreased activities of superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and catalase. In contrast, FXO alone enhanced the enzyme activities of carbohydrate metabolism, BBM, and antioxidant defense system. FXO feeding to PbAc-treated rats markedly enhanced resistance to PbAc-elicited deleterious effects. In conclusion, dietary FXO supplementation ameliorated PbAc-induced specific metabolic alterations and oxidative damage by empowering antioxidant defense mechanism and improving BBM integrity and energy metabolism.

The effect of adding aliphatic alcohols (C4OH, C5OH, C6OH) and corresponding amines (C4NH2, C5NH2, C6NH2) on a series of dicationic gemini surfactants with the general formula C14H29(CH3)2N+–(CH2)s–N+(CH3)2C14H29, 2Br− (14-s-14; s=4,5,6), in the absence and presence of KNO3, has been studied by viscosity measurements at 303.15 K. As the chain length of the additive increased, the viscosity increased with increasing additive concentration and the extent of the effect followed the sequence: C6OH>C5OH>C4OH; C6NH2>C5NH2>C4NH2. The simultaneous presence of salt and additives showed an increase in ηr values due to a synergistic effect. However, for equal chain lengths in the additives, the effect was greater for the n-alcohols. The tendency for the micelles to grow from spherical to rod-like structures is mainly influenced by the spacer chain length. At 303.15 K, the micellar growth was more pronounced for the shorter spacer, i.e. s being 4, which can be interpreted in terms of the short spacer having a higher tendency for micellar growth. Contrary to the cationic geminis, no effect was observed with a conventional surfactant of equal chain length, TTAB, even in the presence of KNO3 at the same concentration used for the geminis.