Baba Farid University of Health Sciences was established in July 1998 by Punjab Act No. 18. It is named after Baba Farid, a 12th-century Punjabi sufi, and headquartered in Faridkot.
The present study reports the successful development of a nutritionally enhanced, anthocyanin-rich Quality Protein Maize (QPM) composite, EU-AQPAN, through marker-assisted back cross breeding (MABB). Two target genes (Pl1 and B) of the donor parent and two (o2 and crtRB1) of the recipient EU-AQP Composite were pyramided using linked molecular markers. Co-dominant SSR markers viz., umc1066, umc1014, umc1024, and a gene based marker crtRB1, were validated across parental lines and used in successive generations to track trait introgression. The breeding process was initiated in Kharif 2016 and culminated strict in the BC₂F₃ generation in 2024. The foreground selection for pigmentation and nutritional quality using linked molecular markers followed by regular phenotypic selection for background recovery due to the composite nature of the recurrent parent. The resulting EU-AQPAN lines exhibited deep purple kernel pigmentation and were homozygous for target alleles. The biochemical assays confirmed elevated lysine (4.13 g/100 g), tryptophan (2.26 g/100 g), and β-carotene ( 3.58 mg/100 g), with anthocyanin levels: cyanidin-3-glucoside (206.21 mg/100 g), pelargonidin-3-glucoside (96.37 mg/100 g), and delphinidin-3-glucoside (2.36 mg/100 g) comparable to the conventional purple maize. This study demonstrates, for the first time, the successful pyramiding of quality protein (o2), provitamin A (crtRB1), and anthocyanin regulatory genes (Pl1, B) into an open-pollinated maize composite using marker-assisted selection.
Pyrazole motif is a privileged heterocyclic scaffold in drug discovery owing to its conformational rigidity, hydrogen-bonding potential and favorable pharmacokinetic properties. Pyrazole analogues possess numerous pharmacological effects including anticancer, antimicrobial, antidiabetic and anti-inflammatory actions etc. Also, favorable substitution pattern in published pyrazoles works as a suitable rationale to design and develop novel pyrazolyl analogues with improved therapeutic efficacy and lesser extent of toxicity. The present review focuses on following major outcomes: 1) To emphasize keen biological potential of pyrazole-based molecules with potent antimicrobial, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic and many more activities; 2) To compile recent literatures (2022-2025) that are dedicated toward therapeutic potential of pyrazole or pyrazolyl hybrid analogues; 3) To explore structure-activity relationship data in order to correlate structural features of most active molecules with promising therapeutic outcomes; 4) Several series demonstrated low-micromolar to nanomolar potency corroborated by docking and ADMET predictions to underscore role of computational approaches in validating binding hypotheses. This article consolidates advances in biological evaluation and in silico studies of therapeutically relevant pyrazole derivatives along with SAR highlights. The insights emphasize need for more holistic pipelines to combine green synthesis, predictive computational modeling and mechanistic biological validation in future to accelerate transition of pyrazole-based leads.
Oxygen-containing heterocycles were reviewed as privileged scaffolds that had driven recent advances in rational drug design and synthetic methodology. The manuscript synthesized literature (2015–2025) on oxadiazoles, coumarins, morpholines, pyrans, furans, benzofurans and chromones and summarized how these scaffolds were engineered to optimize potency, selectivity and CNS drug-like properties. Mechanistic analyses demonstrated that oxygen atoms and carbonyl or ether functionalities consistently mediated key hydrogen-bonding and π-interactions within the catalytic anionic site (CAS) and peripheral anionic site (PAS) of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), rationalizing observed AChE/BChE SAR and dual-site binding. Representative medicinal chemistry campaigns were highlighted: coumarin and coumarin-hybrid series provided potent dual-site inhibitors; 1,2-oxadiazoles or 1,3,4-oxadiazoles produced sub to low-nanomolar AChE/BChE leads; morpholine-bearing scaffolds afforded favourable BBB permeability and mixed-type inhibition; and pyranone-carbamate hybrids delivered highly BChE-selective inhibitors with promising in vivo cognitive effects. Synthetic strategies (multicomponent reactions, metal-catalysed cyclizations and green/one-pot protocols) were reviewed and correlated with scaffold diversification and improved ADME profiles. The review concluded by identifying gaps limited unified docking/SAR databases and sparse translational safety data and proposed a workflow combining fragment-based design, dual-site targeting and early ADME profiling to accelerate lead optimisation toward clinically relevant cholinesterase modulators. This focused synthesis of structure activity, mechanism and synthetic access was intended to inform future heterocycle-centric programs against neurodegenerative targets.
BACKGROUND:Timely diagnosis and treatment are critical for improving cancer survival; however, significant delays persist across the cancer care continuum, particularly in resource-constrained settings like India. This study aimed to analyze the extent and patterns of delays among patients with breast, cervical, and head and neck cancers in northwestern India. METHODS:This exploratory cross-sectional study included all histopathologically confirmed cases of the three cancer types who initiated radiotherapy at the Radiotherapy Department of Government Medical College, Amritsar, during December 1, 2023, to November 30, 2024. Data on sociodemographic profiles, clinical details, and treatment timelines were collected through interviews and medical records. Delays were categorized as appraisal, help-seeking, diagnostic, pre-treatment, system, and total delays. Analysis was conducted at the descriptive, bivariate, and multivariable levels. Median delays and interquartile ranges were calculated for each cancer type. Differences in delay intervals between cancer groups were assessed using the Kruskal-Wallis H test, and differences between two-category variables were assessed using the Mann-Whitney U test. Associations between categorical variables and the presence of prolonged total delay (≥120 days) were examined using the chi-square test or Fisher's exact test, as appropriate. Correlation between total delay and number of medical contacts was evaluated using Spearman's rank correlation coefficient. Finally, multivariable binary logistic regression was performed to identify independent predictors of prolonged total delay, and adjusted odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals were reported. A p-value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS:Among the 119 patients included in the study (45 breast, 28 cervical, and 46 head and neck cancers), breast cancer patients experienced the longest total delay (median: 282 days), followed by cervical (median: 199 days) and head and neck cancers (median: 190 days). System delay was the primary contributor across all three cancer types, driven largely by diagnostic delays. Appraisal delay was longest for breast cancer (median 155.5 days), help-seeking delay was longest for head and neck cancer (median 65 days), and pre-treatment delay was also longest for breast cancer (median 51.5 days). Variations in delays were observed across sociodemographic factors, but none reached statistical significance. CONCLUSION:This study highlights the need for a targeted, cancer-specific approach to address delays, with a focus on strengthening diagnostic services and improving system efficiency within the healthcare infrastructure. Implementing multi-pronged strategies for early detection, timely care, and prevention is crucial in reducing the cancer burden in this high-risk region.
Background: Mental illness represents a wide spectrum of psychological and emotional disturbances that significantly affect daily functioning, interpersonal communication, and overall quality of life. The World Health Organization defines psychiatric disability as a condition in which mental disorders substantially impair essential life activities such as learning, communication, and social interaction. Despite advances in treatment, stigma and negative perceptions persist, often resulting in discrimination, social exclusion, and reluctance to seek help. This study aimed to assess the level of knowledge regarding mental illness among community members in selected areas of Batala, Punjab. Material and Methods: This study used a quantitative research approach with a survey research design. 100 community people were selected by using a Convenient sampling technique within the selected areas of Batala. Data were collected using the socio-demographic Performa and self-structured questionnaire. Results: Among the 100-community people ,53% of individuals had inadequate knowledge followed by 40% who had average knowledge and only 7% had adequate knowledge regarding mental illness. Association between the level of knowledge regarding mental illness among community people with their selected demographic variables showed that there is no significant association found between the demographic variables and the level of knowledge except with Age. Conclusion: The findings of the study showed that the majority ie. 53% of the community people have inadequate knowledge regarding mental illness. Hence there is a need to boost the knowledge of community people by organizing community awareness campaigns so that stigma related to mental illness can be reduced. The study concludes that the level of knowledge regarding mental illness among community members remains inadequate. Limited understanding may delay treatment-seeking, perpetuate stigma, and hinder recovery among affected individuals. Strengthening public education on mental health issues is therefore essential. Health professionals and community leaders should collaborate to develop culturally relevant awareness campaigns and educational programs that emphasize the causes, symptoms, prevention, and management of mental illness. Such initiatives can enhance community participation, improve attitudes toward mental health, and contribute to the early identification and management of mental health problems. Promoting mental health literacy at the community level is vital to achieving inclusivity, compassion, and improved quality of life for all individuals.
