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Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) in HIV Clinic of a tertiary care hospital in Pakistan. Study Design: A descriptive study covering the data of clients who were offered PrEP. Place and Duration of Study: HIV treatment center Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) Islamabad, Pakistan, from October 2019 to September 2022. Materials and Methods: Total of 118 people without HIV from various high-risk population groups were reported in HIV treatment center PIMS during a period of 3 years including 39 females from serodiscordant couples, 16 transgender females, and 63 men having sex with men (MSM). All of them were given oral PrEP after necessary screening, investigations, and evaluation. These clients were prescribed a fixed drug combination of Tenofovir/Lamivudine (TDF/3TC) one tablet daily as PrEP. The alternate regimen used was Event-driven PrEP (EDP) for MSM. Monthly follow-up was performed, and all patients were found to be HIV negative. Results: All 118 clients receiving PrEP remained seronegative on regular monthly follow-ups after a sufficiently long period of unsafe sexual practices that frequently exposed them to HIV-positive sex partners. Based on their age mean age of the clients in young group below 35 years was 27 + 6, all 62 young clients had 100% protection. Similarly, 41 middle aged (mean age 43 + 6) and 15 old clients (mean age 56 + 5) had 100% protection with PrEP. Six women from serodiscordant couples while receiving PrEP became pregnant with partners who had completely suppressed viral load (

Simple Summary: Aquaculture suffers from losses due to disease outbreaks, and to keep the industry sustainable, there are strict limitations on antibiotic use. Therefore, several alternatives have been suggested, such as probiotics. Bacillus and Lactobacillus species are among the most studied and advised probiotics for aquaculture. However, researchers are now looking for other probiotic bacteria that can be used in aquaculture. In this context, non-lactic acid bacteria (non-LAB), which are mainly host-associated, should have promising effects on fish and shellfish. Given the potential and advantages of this kind of probiotics, the present review paper provides detailed information on the use of various non-LAB bacteria and provides a roadmap to future studies on new probiotics for sustainable aquaculture. With the intensification of aquaculture to meet the rising demands of fish and shellfish, disease outbreaks during the larval and adult stages are a major challenge faced by aqua culturists. As the prophylactic use of vaccines and antibiotics has several limitations, research is now focused on sustainable alternatives to vaccines and antibiotics, e.g., medicinal plants, probiotics, postbiotics, prebiotics, and synbiotics, as promising candidates to strengthen the immune response of fish and shellfish and to control disease outbreaks. With respect to probiotics, numerous studies are available revealing their health-promoting and beneficial impacts in aquaculture. However, most studies focus on Bacillus and Lactobacillus species. Keeping in view the positive effects of probiotic lactic acid bacteria in aquaculture, researchers are now looking for other probiotic bacteria that can be used in aquaculture. Recently, many non-lactic acid bacteria (non-LAB), which are mainly host-associated, have been reported to reveal beneficial effects in fish and shellfish aquaculture. The main non-LAB probiotic genera are Bifidobacterium, Clostridium, Microbacterium, Micrococcus, Paenibacillus, Acinetobacter, Alcaligenes, Enterobacter, Phaeobacter Pseudoalteromonas, Pseudomonas, Pseudomonas, and Vibrio. Despite the promising effects of non-LAB probiotics, comparably, there is limited available information in this context. This review focuses only on probiotic strains that are non-LAB, mostly isolated from the host digestive tract or rearing water, and discusses their beneficial effects in fish and shellfish aquaculture. This review will provide detailed information on the use of various non-LAB bacteria and provide a roadmap to future studies on new probiotics for sustainable aquaculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the legalization of marijuana smoking in several states of the United States and many other countries for medicinal and recreational use, the possibility of its release into the environment cannot be overruled. Currently, the environmental levels of marijuana metabolites are not monitored on a regular basis, and their stability in the environment is not well understood. Laboratory studies have linked delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC) exposure with behavioral abnormalities in some fish species; however, their effects on endocrine organs are less understood. To understand the effects of THC on the brain and gonads, we exposed adult medaka (Oryzias latipes, Hd-rR strain, both male and female) to 50 ug/L THC for 21 days spanning their complete spermatogenic and oogenic cycles. We examined transcriptional responses of the brain and gonads (testis and ovary) to Δ9-THC, particularly molecular pathways associated with behavioral and reproductive functions. The Δ9-THC effects were more profound in males than females. The Δ9-THC-induced differential expression pattern of genes in the brain of the male fish suggested pathways to neurodegenerative diseases and pathways to reproductive impairment in the testis. The present results provide insights into endocrine disruption in aquatic organisms due to environmental cannabinoid compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

World population is increasing at a tremendous rate so is the demand for animal-based protein. Aquaculture is a promising industry that has the potential to supply high quality protein for mankind with minimum environmental impact. In the past decade, aquaculture practices have been shifting from extensive to intensive culture. To achieve maximum production per unit area, high stocking densities are maintained in intensive aquaculture. If not managed properly, this may lead to stress in fish. Fish under stress condition show decreased growth, suppressed appetite, weakened immunity and increased susceptibility to infections. Chemicals, vaccines and antibiotics are used for the treatment of diseased fish. Use of synthetic chemicals, vaccines and antibiotics is not sustainable because pathogens develop resistance against them and they have high residues. Moreover, certain chemicals used for the treatment of fish diseases are not safe for humans therefore are banned in some countries. Plant parts and their extracts are used in traditional medicines to cure many diseases and to improve health of mankind. In aquaculture industry, use of plants and their derivatives in fish feed to improve health status of fish is increasing. Several plants improve growth and overall health status of fish, some provide protection against pathogens by improving the immune system while others increase appetite by direct action on neuro-endocrine axis of fish. This review provides an in depth and up-to-date information about use of medicinal plants and their derivatives to improve growth and physiological status of fish and their possible mechanism of action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanoparticles in aquatic bodies cause serious harm to the aquatic organisms when accumulated in high amounts. However, green nanoparticles synthesized using plants can be less toxic as compared to chemical nanoparticles. Hence, we designed our study to investigate the toxicological effects of chemical and green zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) on the biological activity of juvenile Cyprinus carpio. The green ZnO NPs were synthesized from Solieria robusta, and chemical ZnO NPs were synthesized using zinc chloride solution and ammonium hydroxide. Characterization was done by using light microscopy, scanning electron microscope (SEM), Fourier transmission infrared radiation, and X‐ray diffraction (XRD) techniques. The highest absorbance of nanoparticles was observed at 360 which confirmed the synthesis of ZnO. The SEM analysis showed that green nanoparticles were hexagonal while the chemical nanoparticles were spherical to cubic in shape. Definite peaks were observed in XRD of green and chemical NPs at 2θ angles 45.84° and 32.18°, respectively. Oxidative stress was determined by chemical analysis of catalase, glutathione S‐transferase (GST), glutathione (GSH), and lipid peroxidation (LPO) activities. The toxicological effects of chemical ZnO NPs on the catalase, LPO, GST, and GSH activities were more than green ZnO NPs. The histopathological investigation proved that the effect of chemical nanoparticles was worse than green ZnO NPs. More tissue damage was found in chemical nanoparticles than green synthesized nanoparticles. It was concluded that chemical nanoparticles can be replaced by green nanoparticles, as green nanoparticles are eco‐friendly with less toxicological effects. This replacement can limit the toxic effect of nanoparticles when they get accumulated in high amounts in water bodies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The widespread use of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) results in the unintentional release into the water body. Therefore, understanding of the potentially harmful impacts of AgNPs and Ag‐salt on aquatic animals is a need of time. This study was design to analyze the oxidative stress and histopathological damages in Cyprinus carpio. The synthesis of AgNPs from Halymenia porphyraeformis and by reduction of chemical was done. Nanoparticles were characterized with UV–Visible spectroscopy, SEM, XRD, and FTIR analysis. The comparative toxicological effect of chemically synthesized silver nanoparticles (Ch‐AgNPs), green silver nanoparticles (Gr‐AgNPs), and Ag‐salt on C. carpio was analyzed. For oxidative stress analysis, different tests Lipid peroxidation (LPO), catalase, glutathione reduction (GST), and glutathione S‐transferase (GST) were performed. The highest LPO 245.168 ± 0.034 was recorded in Ch‐AgNPs‐treated gills and the lowest 56.4532 ± 0.02 was found in Gr‐AgNPs‐treated liver. Maximum GSH 56.4065 ± 0.13 was observed in Gr‐AgNPs liver and minimum 40.781 ± 0.54 was recorded in Ag‐salt gills. The maximum quantity of catalase 68.0162 ± 0.09 was noted in the Ag‐salt‐treated liver and the minimum was calculated 17.3665 ± 0.01 in the liver of Ch‐AgNPs and highest values of GST 765.829 ± 0.11 were recorded in gills of Gr‐AgNPs and lowest 633.08 ± 0.26 in the liver of Ch‐AgNPs‐treated fish. In conclusion, maximum destruction was found in the gills and liver of the fish treated with chemical and green AgNPs followed by Ag‐salt as compared to control. The adverse effects of AgNPs and Ag‐salt were probably related to the oxidative stress in the fish that lead to histopathological damage of its vital organs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diethyl phthalate (DEP) is a widely used low-molecular weight phthalate which is ubiquitously detected in almost all kind of the environmental matrices. The aim of the present study was to investigate the impact of DEP-induced toxicity on a suite of biomarker responses in Labeo rohita (rohu). The median lethal concentration of DEP was found to be 4.38 mg L-1 for 96 h. Fingerlings were exposed to a sub-lethal concentration of DEP i.e. 0.51 mg L-1(1/10th LC50) for a period of 21 day of the experiment. Oxidative stress and histo-biochemical biomarkers were studied using gills, liver, kidney and brain tissues on 7, 14 and 21 day. The results indicated that DEP-exposure has damaged the antioxidant status by inhibiting the activities of enzymatic stress markers (catalase, glutathione-s-transferase, glutathione peroxidase, reduced glutathione) in all the studied tissues of rohu throughout the study period. Moreover, a significant increase in the levels of lipid peroxidation was observed in all the studied tissues in a time-dependent manner. The levels of hepatic-nephric biomarkers (ALT, AST, ALP, Urea and Creatinine) were found to be significantly elevated for DEP-exposed rohu when compared to control (P<0.05) throughout the study period. The histopathological marker showed severe lesions in the gills (hypertrophy, fusion and curling of lamellae,), liver (pyknotic nuclei, leukocytes infiltration and vacuolization) and kidney tissues (glomerulus expansion, narrowing and elongation of renal tubules) of DEP-exposed rohu. In conclusion, the above mentioned histo-biochemical parameters could be used as biomarkers for DEP toxicity monitoring in the aquatic ecosystem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cisplatin (CP), an effective chemotherapeutic drug, has been widely used to treat the several types of tumors. Orientin (ORI) is a flavonoid that shows versatile therapeutic activities. The current research was planned to observe the protective role ORI on CP induced renal injury in rats. Twenty-four male rats were divided into four groups equally and termed as control, CP (10 mg/kg), CP (10 mg/kg) + ORI (40 mg/kg) and ORI (40 mg/kg). After seven days trial, rats were dissected and different parameters were analyzed. Results indicated that the CP administration significantly reduced the activities of catalase, peroxidase, glutathione reductase and glutathione content whereas it increased the level of hydrogen peroxide and TBARS (thiobarbituric acid reactive substances). CP increased the creatinine and urea levels while decreased the creatinine clearance. Moreover, CP significantly increased the inflammatory markers, including nuclear factor kappa-B, tumor necrosis factor-α, Interleukin-6, Interleukin-1β levels, cyclooxygenase-2 activity and histopathological damages. However, coadministration of ORI displayed curative effects against CP-induced renal toxicity and recovered all parameters by bringing them to a normal level. These results revealed that the ORI is a potential bioflavonoid that can potentially counter the CP-induced renal damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bisphenol-A (BPA) is an anthropogenic chemical mimicking 17β estradiol actions. It is used as a monomer for plastic production. In the present study, adult female (age around 18 months) Catla catla, a widespread cyprinid fish in the Pakistani rivers, were exposed to increasing concentrations (10, 100, 1000 μg/l) of BPA for 2- weeks. Classical toxicological endpoints like liver enzymes and alterations in liver histology were investigated. In addition, the effect of BPA on hepatosomatic index (HSI) and vitellogenin (vtg) mRNA expression was also examined. A concentrationdependent increase was recorded in serum liver enzymes like aspartic aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) compared to control. The biomarkers for kidney function like serum creatinine level and uric acid also significantly increased in fish exposed to BPA. HSI did not change in groups exposed to low concentrations of BPA (10 and 100 μg/l); however, a significant increase as compared to control was observed in female fish exposed to 1000 μg/l BPA. Hepatic vtg mRNA increased with increase in exposure concentration but only the highest concentration (1000μg/l) was capable of inducing a significant vtg expression. Present study showed that bisphenol-A has far reaching detrimental effects on fish health by altering metabolic profile of liver and kidney and induced significant histopathological changes in the liver. Moreover, it also exerted environmental estrogenic effects by inducing vitellogenin, similar to natural estrogens. The results presented here are similar to earlier studies reporting estrogenic actions of BPA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]