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Objective: To study the etiology, diagnosis, treatment and complications of acute pancreatitis in a tertiary care hospital. Methodology: Study Design: It was a descriptive study. The study was conducted at Surgical Unit of Benazir Bhutto Hospital (BBH) Rawalpindi from 1st January 2014 to 31 July 2017. All the patients who presented in emergency with abdominal symptoms and diagnosed as a case of acute pancreatitis were included in the study. All the data of gender, age, serum amylase & lipase, etiology, CT severity index, Ranson's criteria, complications, mortality and management were noted on a predesigned proforma. Percentages and frequencies were calculated for all the data by SPSS 21 version. Results: Total 161 patients were included in the study, with 60.9% females and 39.1% males. Maximum patients 31% were from age group of 26 to 40 years of age and minimum 1.2% from 71 to 85 years. Gall stones were the major cause of the disease contributing 67% of cases. At admission Ranson's score of the maximum patients 32.2% had total score of 1, While only 1.2% had moderate pancreatitis. After 48 hours of admission 24.2% had 2 score while only 1.2%had severe pancreatitis. The radiological CT severity index 82.6% patients had mild pancreatitis while1.2% patients had severe disease. 93.1% patients were managed conservatively, 1.9% patients went Cystogastrostomy, 1.2% patients needed Exploratory laparotomy and 1.2% patients went for Pancreatic Necrosectomy. On calculating the morbidity 67.7% patients had no significant morbidity. 32.3% had complications including pleural effusion, ascites, pancreatic necrosis, pseudo cyst formation, shock, acute renal failure and multi organ failure. Overall mortality rate was 3.7%. Conclusion: Acute pancreatitis in our set up is mainly due to gall stones. A multidisciplinary approach, measurement of severity of disease with computerized tomography scan and Ranson's scoring system is always helpful in disease management and its complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To evaluate the potential of the invasive alien weed; Parthenium hysterophorus L., as a source of nutrients for growth of maize and sorghum, experiments were conducted in pots at the Department of Weed Science under ambient conditions and subsequently repeated at the Institute of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, University of Agriculture, Peshawar, Pakistan under controlled environment. Fresh plants of Parthenium and berseem were collected before flowering stage, chopped into about 1 cm pieces, dried and then incorporated into soil 30 days before planting. The treatments included NPK at recommended dose alone and NPK + 1, 2, 3 and 4% dried parthenium (w/w of soil). For comparison, treatments like dried berseem 2% (w/w) and untreated (0 NPK and 0 Parthenium or berseem); were also employed. The experiments were replicated four times as factorial in completely randomized design (CRD). Eight seeds each of sorghum and maize were separately seeded in each pot ultimately thinned to 5 plants per pot. Since the statistical differences between the two experiments were nonsignificant, the data were pooled before subjecting it to ANOVA and mean separation. The statistical analyses of data exhibited significant differences for fertilizer treatments for all the parameters studied and the differences between maize and sorghum were also significant for all the parameters studied except fresh biomass, whereas the interaction was significant for the dry biomass only. The data showed that regardless of species the highest fresh and dry biomass plant-1 (9.52, 3.22 g), plant height (46.98 cm), leaf area (71.94 cm2) and root length (10.27 cm) were recorded in the 2% parthenium + NPK recommended dose, but for all the parameters differences were non significant from 3% parthenium + NPK and the NPK alone. These treatments ranked higher than 2% berseem + NPK and the untreated check, where berseem is a conventional green manure crop. Incorporation of 4% parthenium along with NPK adversely affected all the parameters studied, which perhaps was due to its allelopathic effect at higher concentration. Berseem also showed allelopathy to maize and sorghum even greater than parthenium, as it inhibited all the parameters studied. Further research is suggested to confirm these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To compare the efficacy of ampicillin plus gentamicin with ampicillin plus cefotaxime in the treatment of suspected early neonatal sepsis. Materials and methods; This randomized controlled Trial was conducted in the Department of Pediatrics, Lady Reading Hospital, Peshawar from 1st April, 2013 to 20th October 2013 total 6 months and 20 days duration. All neonates with clinical suspicion of early onset neonatal sepsis presenting within 7 days after birth with either gender were included in the study while neonates who have received antibiotic of any type after birth were excluded from the study. Patient's particulars and data variables were documented according to the predesigned proforma. SPSS version 16 was used to analyze the data and tables were used to represent the data. Results: 156 patients with suspected neonatal sepsis were included. Male to female ratio 1.36:1 Average age was 109.55 hours+ 56.94SD. Group A showed 69(88.5%) efficacy while non-effective in 9(11.5%) patients. Similarly Group B showed 59(75.6%) efficacy. Conclusion: Ampicillin plus gentamicin is more effective than ampicillin plus cefotaxime for the Treatment of suspected early neonatal sepsis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, ultrasonic-assisted reductive extraction of matrine from Sophorae tonkinesis was studied for the first time. During this process, sodium metabisulfite was added as a reducing agent in order to covert maximum amount of oxymatrine, sophocarpine, and oxysophocarpine to matrine. After optimization by response surface methodology, the extraction yield of matrine was found to be 2.03%, much higher than the yield obtained through traditional extraction method. After filtration, H103-macroporous adsorption resin column chromatography, concentration, and recrystallization, matrine with 98.2% purity was obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Using sophoridine 1 and chalcone 3 as the lead compounds, a series of novel α, β-unsaturated sophoridinic derivatives were designed, synthesized, and evaluated for their in vitro cytotoxicity. Structure-activity relationship (SAR) analysis indicated that introduction of α, β-unsaturated ketone moiety and heterocyclic group might significantly enhance anticancer activity. Among the compounds, 2f and 2m exhibited potential effects against HepG-2 and CNE-2 human cancer cell lines. Furthermore, molecular docking studies were performed to understand possible docking sites of the molecules on the target proteins and the mode of binding. This work provides a theoretical basis for structural optimizations and exploring anticancer pathways of this kind of compound. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The facilitated passage of Zn (II) across flat sheet supported liquid membrane saturated with TDDA (tri-n-dodecylamine) in xylene membrane phase has been investigated. The effect of acid and metal ion concentration in the feed solution, the carrier concentration in membrane phase, stripping agent concentration in stripping phase, and coions on the extraction of Zn (II) was investigated. The stoichiometry of the extracted species, that is, complex, was investigated on slope analysis method and it was found that the complex (LH)2·Zn(Cl2) is responsible for transport of Zn (II). A mathematical model was developed for transport of Zn (II), and the predicted results strongly agree with experimental ones. The mechanism of transport was determined by coupled coion transport mechanism with H+ and Cl− coupled ions. The optimized SLM was effectively used for elimination of Zn (II) from waste discharge liquor of galvanizing plant of Zn (II). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The inclusion complexes of a new family of nonionic amphiphilic calix[4]arenes with the anti-inflammatory hydrophobic drugs naproxen (NAP) and ibuprofen (IBP) were investigated. The effects of the alkyl chain’s length and the inner core of calix[4]arenes on the interaction of the two drugs with the calix[4]arenes were explored. The inclusion complexes of Amphiphiles 1a–c with NAP and IBP increased the solubility of these drugs in aqueous media. The interaction of 1a–c with the drugs in aqueous media was investigated through fluorescence, molecular modeling, and 1H-NMR analysis. TEM studies further supported the formation of inclusion complexes. The length of lipophilic alkyl chains and the intrinsic cyclic nature of cailx[4]arene derivatives 1a–c were found to have a significant impact on the solubility of NAP and IBP in pure water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article describes significant role of catalyst in the deposition of various materials on different substrates surface via Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process. CVD is a complex process of depositing thin coatings on a substrate surface via chemical reactions of gaseous materials. It is a useful process to produce materials of high purity, density and strength. It has emerged as a novel manufacturing technique in industrial sectors such as semiconductor and ceramic industries. Catalyst Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition (CECVD) is an enhancement method, used for the synthesis of nanomaterials on thermally sensitive substrates in the presence of appropriate metal catalysts. Such catalysts not only ensure the deposition to be carried out at considerably low temperature but they also produce films of high purity. The article provides the published data about nanomaterials synthesis by CECVD process. Catalytic chemical vapor deposition (CCVD) is another efficient and low-cost method for the mass production of highly pure carbon nanotubes (CNTs). In this process, CNTs are produced by the catalytic decomposition of hydrocarbon vapors. Cobalt, Iron, Nickel and their alloys are the most widely used catalysts in CNTs production through CVD process. This idea has been explained in detail with appropriate examples from recent literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aims to explore how powerful groups in a society may control the policies and discourse of media. It critically evaluates the discourse of progovernment and independent press in Pakistan focusing on a popular news event of the restoration of the former Chief Justice (March 2009). It compares and analyzes the presentation of the event by two broadsheet Pakistani newspapers 'Daily Times' and 'The News'for the purpose. In addition, the texts from other national and international newspapers are also used to present a comprehensive analysis of the news item under investigation. The collected data was analyzed qualitatively in terms of textual and contextual analyses using the tools of framing, transitivity, referential strategies and highlighting the comparative-synchronic and historical-diachronic details of the news item. The findings reveal that the media discourse may not necessarily present public opinion and certain pro-government newspapers exploit news report to support the government perspective. It further shows that the referential strategies, framing, word choice and other linguistic tools used by such newspapers may be biased in the favour of government and its hidden agenda. Finally, the study provides an example of the influence of powerful groups on media discourse and suggests exposing such influences to avoid misleading public opinion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chalcone represents a vital biosynthetic scaffold owing to its numerous therapeutic effects. The present study was intended to synthesize 17 chalcone derivatives ( 3a - q ) by direct coupling of substituted acetophenones and benzaldehyde. The target chalcones were characterized by spectroscopic analyses followed by their in vitro antimicrobial, and antileishmanial investigations with reference to standard drugs. The majority of the chalcones displayed good to excellent biological activities. Chalcone 3q (1000 µg ml -1 ) exhibited the most potent antibacterial effect with its zone of inhibition values of 30, 33 and 34 mm versus Staphylococcus aureus , Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa respectively. The results also confirmed chalcone 3q to be the most potent versus Leishmania major with the lowest IC 50 value of 0.59 ± 0.12 µg ml -1 . Chalcone 3i (500 µg ml -1 ) was noticed to be the most potent antifungal agent with its zone of inhibition being 29 mm against Candida albicans . Computational studies of chalcones 3i and 3q supported the preliminary in vivo results. The existence of the amino moiety and bromine atom on ring-A and methoxy moieties on ring-B caused better biological effects of the chalcones. In brief, the investigations reveal that chalcones ( 3i and 3q ) can be employed as building blocks to discover novel antimicrobial agents., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (© 2024 The Authors.)

Chalcones (1, 3-Diphenyl-2-propen-1-one) consist of a three carbon α, β-unsaturated carbonyl system and act as precursors for the biosynthesis of flavonoids in plants. However, laboratory synthesis of various chalcones has also been reported. Both natural and synthetic chalcones are known to exhibit a variety of pharmacological activities such as anti-inflammatory, antitumor, antibacterial, antifungal, antimalarial and antituberculosis. These promising activities, ease of synthesis and simple chemical structure have awarded chalcones considerable attraction. This review focuses on the anti-inflammatory effects of chalcones, caused by their inhibitory action primarily against the activities and expressions of four key inflammatory mediators viz., cyclooxygenase, prostaglandin E 2 , inducible NO synthase, and nuclear factor κB. Various methodologies for the synthesis of chalcones have been discussed. The potency of recently synthesized chalcones is given in terms of their IC 50 values. Structure-Activity Relationships (SARs) of a variety of chalcone derivatives have been discussed. Computational methods were applied to calculate the ideal orientation of a typical chalcone scaffold against three enzymes, namely, cyclooxygenase-1, cyclooxygenase-2 and inducible NO synthase for the formation of stable complexes. The global market of anti-inflammatory drugs and its expected growth (from 2018 to 2026) have been discussed. SAR analysis, docking studies, and future prospects all together provide useful clues for the synthesis of novel chalcones of improved anti-inflammatory activities., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)