High-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) is the commonest subtype of epithelial ovarian cancer. β-TrCP (encoded by BTRC) is a component of ubiquitin-proteasome system, a posttranslational process for protein regulation and homeostasis. The role of BTRC levels in HGSOC is not fully explored. The aim of this study was to investigate, using bioinformatics approach, the impact of BTRC levels on HGSOC. Publicly available transcriptomic data from HGSOC patients (TCGA) were used. First, the overall survival of patients in the lower quartile of BTRC expression was compared to those in the upper quartile. Next, differential gene expression analysis (DEA) was performed on the RNA-seq data to find genes that differ significantly in the two groups. Finally, gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) using KEGG and GO databases were done to identify signaling pathways and mechanisms significantly upregulated in either of the two groups. Our findings showed that HGSOC patients with high BTRC levels had significantly worse overall survival compared to those with low levels (log-rank = 0.0035). DEA of RNA-seq data returned a total of 371 significantly differentially expressed genes among the two groups. GSEA elucidated that high-BTRC expression patients were characterized by significant upregulation of many pathways and processes pertaining to cellular growth, proliferation, survival, stemness and development. In contrast, patients with low BTRC expression have many significantly upregulated pathways and processes related to mitochondrial function, immunity, and inflammation responses. Those differentially upregulated pathways and processes likely contribute to the variable survival outcomes of HGSOC patients. These findings suggest that BTRC expression levels, pending experimental validation, might be a candidate biomarker for informing combinatorial chemotherapy strategies that target implicated signaling pathways in HGSOC.
Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) remains endemic in Pakistan, causing substantial economic losses in livestock production. Continuous molecular surveillance is essential to monitor circulating serotypes and lineages. The present study aimed to investigate the epidemiological distribution and molecular characteristics of Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus (FMDV) circulating in cattle in Central Punjab, Pakistan, during 2023–2024.A total of 58 clinical samples were collected from suspected FMD outbreaks in cattle. Samples were screened using ELISA and confirmed by Reverse Transcription PCR (RT-PCR). Positive isolates were subjected to sequencing and phylogenetic analysis, and accession numbers were obtained through the National Center for Biotechnology Information database. Epidemiological variables including age, sex, and seasonal distribution were analyzed. Among the tested samples, 37 were positive for FMDV. Serotype A was predominant (28 cases), followed by serotype O (09 cases), while Asia-1 was not detected. Phylogenetic analysis conducted using the VP1 region sequence showed that serotype A isolates belonged to the tur-06 and O serotype belonged to Pan-Asia II. Disease was more prevalent in female than male cattle having age group between 1-4 years. The outbreak epidemiology of FMD varied significantly between months of study, age groups, and gender. The report suggested further investigation to check Asia-1 serotypes spread in the area with effective control measures. The predominance of serotype A and detection of multiple lineages highlight ongoing viral evolution and transboundary transmission risks in Central Punjab. Continuous molecular surveillance and periodic vaccine strain evaluation are recommended to improve FMD control strategies in the region.
Cyperus esculentus is a highly valued food plant in Côte d’Ivoire, yet its production remains insufficient. To address this issue, the development of a genetic improvement program is essential. Achieving this goal requires a comprehensive understanding of the phenotypic diversity among accessions. In this context, 43 accessions were collected from 8 locations across the country. A randomized experimental design with three replications was implemented at Jean Lorougnon Guedé University. On the experimental plots, two qualitative and eighteen quantitative traits were recorded and subjected to statistical analyses: one-way ANOVA and multivariate analyses (PCA, HCA, and DFA). Of the 18 quantitative parameters assessed, 10 contributed significantly as principal components. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) revealed three main axes explaining the total variation (1 : 60.69 %, 2 : 19.41 %, 3 : 15.06 %). Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA) identified two distinct groups : 1 (12 accessions) and 2 (32 accessions). Discriminant Factor Analysis (DFA) showed NTP, ToM and ES were the most discriminant variable between these groups. Regarding qualitative traits, color analysis revealed a single phenotype (yellow), while shape analysis identified three phenotypes: elongated, oval, and round, across the accessions
Chia seeds were grown under different environmental conditions: Greenhouse Conditions (GC) and Natural Terrain Conditions (NTC). The physiological characteristics of the plants were determined by content analysis of M1 generation seeds obtained by the plant tissue culture method, including mineral matter, oil, antioxidant content, total phenolic content, and phytochemical profile. Statistical analyses revealed a significant difference in germination rate and length of the seeds. In vitro culture of cells, tissues, organs, and components defined as sterile by others under controlled environmental conditions (temperature, humidity, and lighting). The seeds were germinated in vitro in Murashige and Skoog basal medium (MS) containing 3% sucrose, 7% agar, 0.4 mg l-1 gibberellic acid (GA3), and 10 mg l-1 ascorbic acid (AA). 16 hours of light and 8 hours of darkness. In the rooting experiment, different concentrations of IBA (0, 1, 2) mg L-1 were used, and measurements were taken after one month
Growing global demand for herbal medicine and nutritional supplements has increased due to the high usage of traditional herbs in recent decades. Various plant materials are in high demand as a result of the growing popularity of herbal goods. Chemical approaches, macroscopic and microscopic investigation, and plant taxonomy are examples of traditional identification techniques. Global commercial interest in traditional herbs identification at genetic level has increased due to high risk of adulteration in the herbs. The main method used to identify herbs genetically is DNA barcoding. The ability to determine the material's purity is the main advantage of this method. In this study, four medically significant plants were purchased from the local herbal market in Karachi. Using polymerase chain reaction technology and sequencing of the universal internal transcribed spacer region (ITS2) a nuclear barcode region, samples were accurately identified. The selected bean samples were identified as Plant A: Vigna mungo; Plant B: Lens culinaris; Plant C: Clitoriaternateas; and Plant D: Vignaradiata, appears to have a ribosomal nuclear ITS2 region that exhibits more than 90% similarity with the reference barcode sequences indicating a high rate of species identification and discrimination. Therefore, amplification and sequencing a universal barcode region in the DNA offers a revolutionary tool for identifying species, preserving genetic diversity, and using plant species responsibly that have medical importance
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a procedure used to assess the effects of a herniated disc. There is a hypothesis that there might be a correlation between MRI findings at baseline and follow-up to determine whether there is an ability to predict future progress in LBP among LBP patients with mild and sever disc prolapse (grade 1 and 3-disc herniation) with the help of MRI findings. This study consisted of a total of 50 patients, all of whom gave their informed consent to participate in the study. Using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), patients were asked to rate how intensely the back pain. For all patients, the spine was assessed by MRI scan. Within 1.5 years of baseline MRI scan, 50 volunteers were repeat MRI scan for LBP patients.In this study, we found that age, VAS, and disc herniation were weakly correlated. In addition, Our longitudinal study found that most of the MRI findings did not seem to be linked to future LBP - severity, whether the participant experienced LBP in the past or not (r= 0.07, p=0.8).it was discovered that MRI scans in both ongoing and forthcoming studies do not exhibit a statistically noteworthy association with the magnitude and position of lumbar disc herniation, pain
In remote areas of Pakistan, traditional health care system has rooted deeply to treat diabetes. The basic aim of this study was to document the indigenous knowledge of antidiabetic plants from traditional health practitioners in Dir and its adjoining areas, Pakistan and crosscheck the knowledge with published ethnobotanical literature on antidiabetic plants. To collect the ethnobotanical data, semi-structured questionnaires were used. The data were reported as use reports (URs) and relative frequency of citation (RFC). The documented data was analyzed through Linear Regression by correlating the number of URs per family with number of plant species per family. A total, 63 medicinal plants were recorded during the survey. Most plants belonged to the Asteraceae (seven species) and Moraceae (five species) families. The most frequently used plant parts were leaves (27%) and fruit (23%). Generally, decoctions (26%) and powders (24%) of plant parts were used. New antidiabetic uses were recorded for Aconitum chasmanthum, Cedrus deodara, Eryngium biehersteinianum, Pinus roxburghii, Quercus baloot, and Salix babylonica. Current study showed that traditional health practitioners have sufficient knowledge on antidiabetic plants in the region. In conclusion, the documented flora that is particularly important to be researched scientifically in future to discover new pharmaceutical and nutraceutical in order to cope with diabetes in true spirit. Furthermore future research on the phytopharmacology of certain medicinal plants is recommended to elucidate the cultural significance of traditional knowledge.
The monthly set of adjustments a female body makes to get ready for the potential of pregnancy is known as the menstrual cycle. Teenagers have a reputation for being temperamental, argumentative, rude, and sometimes all of these things at once. Teenage females are a particularly susceptible population in terms of their health as well as their social position. The authors were inspired to develop the study's objectives since there is currently little discussion on the subject of how menstruation affects adolescent girls' psychological behavior and attitudes, particularly. The study's main aim was to examine how menstruation affected the teenage girls in Taif City's psychological behavior and attitude. A quantitative approach (cross-sectional study) was adopted, and 235 students were participated in the study. The study was conducted from January to April of 2022. The survey employed the Menstrual Distress Questionnaire (MDQ) and the Menstrual Attitude Questionnaire (MAQ). The SPSS V23. application was used to examine the data after they were obtained in a random manner. Pain, attention, behavioral change, autonomic reactions, water retention, negative affect, arousal, and control are just a few of the clusters of symptoms that the development of MDQ represents. Scores on these eight groups of symptoms showed no association between menstrual distress and attitude despite the participants generally had positive attitudes. Reaching a high level of attitude and psychological behavior may be facilitated by the need for additional research to clarify adolescent practice during the menstrual cycle.
The medical teachers are currently employing new teaching aids to make lectures more interesting and interactive to enhance the learning capabilities of the students and to help them develop the ability to understand the topic better as compared to traditional methods of teaching. The objective of the study was to determine the medical students' perception and preferences about the use of different teaching aids including visual aids like whiteboard, overhead projector, multimedia/PowerPoint presentations, audio-visual aid and case based learning in order to recommend ways for their optimal utilization. A cross sectional questionnaire based study was conducted on a stratified random sample of 200 undergraduate medical students during the month of October 2021 at Hail University, Hail, Saudi Arabia. Majority of the students chose Multimedia/ PowerPoint presentations to be a reliable mode of teaching and favored it as interesting and interactive teaching aid. They believe that it provides a better learning experience as compared to case based learning, audio visual aid or white board teaching. Use of Overhead projectors was totally rejected by the students. The article serves as a source of valuable information for the faculty members. Teachers will be able to develop better understanding of the subject matter in students by considering their learning style preferences. It will also facilitate them in developing
Background Acne vulgaris affects millions of adults. Despite extensive research, its etiology pertaining to food remains elusive. Objective To assess the correlation between dietary intake and acne through a case-control survey of 300 respondents aged 15–25 years living in Pakistan. Method 150 acne patients and 150 age- and ethnicity-matched controls were subjected to a questionnaire. Using SPSS-22, cases and controls were separated and univariate analysis was done using chi-square test. p value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Adjusted odds ratio was used to assess the strength of association with 95% confidence interval. Results Most of the respondents were females (91.3%). Most(48.7%) acne patients were aged 20–25 years .Acne severity was mild in 50%, moderate in 34%, severe in 14% and very severe in 2%.Frequent low-fat foods (p < 0.001)(OR = 3.22),fat intake(p = 0.03)(OR = 1.629),sweet snacks i.e. biscuits and candies etc. (p = 0.013) (OR = 1.9254), soft drinks(p = 0.045)(OR = 1.9091),butter(p < 0.001) (OR = 1.8185),dairy products(p = 0.043)(OR = 0.624),salty foods(p = 0.011)(OR = 1.961),chocolate (p = 0.028)(OR = 1.669), were associated with increased acne risk. No association was found in terms of fried foods, desserts, fruit juices, raw fruit intake, fast foods, vegetables, cheese, soy product, salt intake and corn. Increased butter and chocolate consumption were linked to more severe forms of acne (p = 0.049 and p = 0.005 respectively). Most respondents (n = 218) thought they had healthy eating habits showing that they were not educated on dietary aspect of acne treatment. Conclusions Participants without acne had healthier eating habits. Dietary awareness is critical for convincing adolescents to reduce acne. Further studies must be conducted to develop a causative relationship between different dietary components and acne.
Despite the persistent and mounting issue of diabetes, literature appraising its research progression, particularly from low -and middle-income countries is scarce. This study aimed to evaluate the diabetes-related research performance from Pakistan (2001-2021). Data were retrieved from the Web of Science (WoS) and "Bibliometrix" package in R was used for extensive bibliometric analysis. Pakistan was ranked 27th with 2062 articles (1% of global contribution) from 504 sources and 7796 authors. Overall, an upward trend was observed, with the majority being published within the last 5 years. Two authors had > 50 publications, 4 authors showed an h -index of = 10, and 3 authors had = 1000 citations. Around 80.7% of the articles had corresponding authors from Pakistan and most of them had single-country publications. The USA, China, and Saudi Arabia also made notable contributions. Dow University of Health Sciences and Aga Khan University were leading affiliations. The leading funding sources were mostly from Western countries except for the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan. Leading authors and affiliations showed both the public and private sector representation but mostly from Karachi with established local and intra-regional collaborative trends that need to be sustained and expanded across the country. Among the top 10 sources, half were in the ESCI category and 6 were local journals from Pakistan. Study findings suggest encouragement and support for publishing more in higher impact factor and quality journals and emphasize the need to explore possible solutions to foster a consistent and quality research culture in resource -constrained settings
One of the most valuable imaging diagnostic tools for vessel occlusions in Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is called Time of Flight (TOF) and Contrast Enhancement (CE) MRA magnetic resonance angiography. The aim of the current study is to correlate the patient's demographic variables (age and gender) with TOF-MRA and CE-MRA.at 3 Tesla.50 participants from King Salman Specialized hospital in Hail, Saudi Arabia were selected for performing this study, the majority of them (46.6%) were suffering from headaches, no other signs or symptoms were affecting this study. A complete MR imaging protocol included brain imaging sequences (axial DWI, T2 FLAIR, and SWI), angiography sequences without contrast media (3D TOF), angiography sequences with the first bolus of contrast injection (CE-MRA), and perfusion-weighted imaging with a second bolus of contrast injection (CE-MRA). The most prevalent age range was 35-49 years old with (46%) and approximate equality of males and females. These results affirmed that there is no relation between the gender or age and the non-contrast TOF-MRA (p<1.228,p<5.47), non -contrast TOF-MRV (p<0.952, p<5.045), respectively, where statistical significance was set as a p-value of<0.05.There is strong relation between gender and CE-MRA (p<0.01). There is no relation between the age and CE-MRA (P<2.2).We can conclude that in MRI of different types, there is no significant relation between the gender and age with the MRA results, except there is a strong relation between age and CE-MRA. Being male or female will not influence the results or the imaging, only some dependent variables may, such as the type of MR imaging and the Test measurement. Also, there is an improvement and accuracy of using TOF-MRA to identify and image vessel stenosis at 3 Tesla
Neonatal Sepsis (NS) is the existence of microorganisms that cause hemodynamic changes and other clinical effects, as well as severe morbidity and mortality, it is caused by bacteria, viruses or fungi. Identification of microorganisms causing NS and their antibiotic susceptibility in neonates admitted to neonatal intensive care unit in King Faisal Medical Complex, Taif, Saudi Arabia. Prospective cross-sectional study was conducted to detect NS during period from January to August 2021. The blood samples were collected and submitted to different investigations include blood culture, CBC, and determination of inflammatory markers such as CRP. This study included 110 NS cases, EOS observed in 14 (12.7%), and LOS occurred in 96 (87.3%), the male were 62 (56.3%), female 40 (36.3%) and unknown gender 8 (7.2%), the blood culture technique showed that the most common detected microorganisms were CoNS 28 (25.5%) E. coli ,26 (23.6%) , and K. pneumoniae 22 (20.0%), in addition the antibiotic susceptibility of isolated strains showed that the Trimethoprim-Sulfamethoxazole was found to be the highest sensitive antibiotic by (83.6%), while Ampicillin was the highest resistant antibiotic by (78.1%). NS is a public health problem so, it is recommend for health care organization to design a preventive program to prevent NS specially LOS.
To explore the percentage of sacroiliac joint (SIJ) involvement in patients diagnosed with low back dysfunction. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 140 patients diagnosed with various low back dysfunctions and referred to receive physical therapy. SIJ involvement was clinically diagnosed using a cluster of 5 clinical tests. SIJ was considered positive if at least 3 out of the 5 tests were positive. The overall percentage of involvement and the percentage of involvement within each diagnosis was determined. Of the entire sample, 74 subjects (52.8%) demonstrated positive SIJ involvement. On the level of specific diagnoses, 50.8% of subjects diagnosed with discogenic LBP and 34.3% of those diagnosed with nonspecific LBP demonstrated positive SIJ involvement. SIJ involvement was positively associated with age, weight, and BMI while it was negatively associated with height. SIJ involvement is one of the major contributing factors in subjects with low back dysfunctions. Assessing SIJ should be performed in the basic examination of subjects having low back dysfunction.
Gazania regins is a native South African Plant, herbaceous perennial treasure flower belongs to Asteraceae family and is similar appearance to genus Arctotis.The fresh extract of plant is used for the treatment of various biological activities. In the present study, the phytochemical analysis indicated the presence of flavonoids, phenolic acids, alkaloids and glycosides in the plant. Thin layer chromatography of both extract is given the separation of different components. Dichloromethane extract (GRWPD) and methanol crude extracts (GRWPM)of plant were screened for and phytotoxic, antibacterial and brine shrimp lethality bioassay. Both extracts of Gazania regins inhibited the growth of Lemna minor L. and showed significant phytotoxic activities. The plant exhibited non-significant activity when tested against pathogenic gram positive and gram negative bacteria. Brine shrimp assay showed LD50(mu g/ml) of methanolic extract 10678.37 and dichloromethane extract 20682.9 respectively. The current study on plant extracts suggested that Gazania rigens has a higher potential for phytotoxicity.
The aim of the current research was to identify the biologically active elements present in the stems and leaves of two taxa of Salvadora persica plant. Different bioactive chemicals were discovered by GC-MS analysis for methanolic extracts of these plants. The main bioactive compounds including9,12,15-Octadecatrien-1-ol, (Z,Z,Z)-, (n-Hexadecanoic acid), Phytol, Taraxasterol, Benzenamine, 3-methyl and Benzylamine acted as antimicrobial agents against eight bacterial isolates (Streptococcus pyogenes, Streptococcus mutans, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus epidermidis, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumonia, and Enterococcus sp.) and two fungal isolates (Candida albicans and Aspergillus niger).
Increasing demand for healthcare services related to musculoskeletal conditions, few physical therapists, and healthcare disparity in rural and remote areas necessitates a paradigm shift in healthcare delivery. A few studies encourage the adoption of telerehabilitation which proved a preferred alternative during COVID-19 pandemic. Despite that, there are questions about telerehabilitation efficacy as a physical therapy intervention in musculoskeletal conditions, and thus, this narrative article sought to review the current available literature on telerehabilitation's efficacy in managing musculoskeletal conditions. Telerehabilitation improved quality of life, pain management, decreased painkillers' intake and surgery intent, and enhanced functions in patients with musculoskeletal conditions. Telerehabilitation also was comparable to standard care in the assessment of knee issues; however, it took longer, and patients had problems self -palpating. Evidence also reveals telerehabilitation show significant differences between usual care in the management of patients who had undergone total hip replacement. Telerehabilitation resulted in improved physical function after total hip arthroplasty. Cost-wise, the intervention resulted in fewer resources in a population with lower-limb joint replacement; however, the effect was significant if the patients traveled more than 30 km to access a healthcare facility. Telerehabilitation decreased surgery intent, presenteeism, fear and avoidance, anxiety, and depression. Irrespective, the evidence on the efficacy of telerehabilitation is inconclusive because of low-quality evidence, lack of blinding and randomization, increasing bias, small sample sizes, and lack of homogenous samples making comparability difficult. Hence, it is essential to conduct further studies considering the shortcomings mentioned in this review.
Dendrochronological analysis f Pinus roxburghii was performed in Ghora Gali, Tehsil Murree, Pakistan. This study was divided into three stands and total 64 cores of P.roxburghii were obtained. Maximum age was shown by tree sample Prs62 with the age of 154 years with dbh, 97.05 cm and growth rate 1.70 cm/year. Similarly minimum age was found to be 45 years in tree sample Prs29 having dbh 29.10 cm and growth rate of 2.28 cm/year. All the samples of P. roxburghii cross dated manually and their correlation and regression analysis between different variables such as age, dbh, and growth rate was also performed. In stand 1, regression analysis between age and dbh was shown (R2=0.2119) while correlation and regression analysis shown by stand 2 and 3 was (R2 = 0.6689), (R2 = 0.5499) respectively. Maximum correlation was observed in stand 2. Similarly correlation between dbh and growth rate was found by stand 1,2 and 3 were (R2 = 0.1161), (R2 = 0.0594), and (R2 = 0.0495) respectively. Trees showed significant correlation in stand 2. By knowing all features dendrochronological potential in term of age and growth rate was determined. Thus, tree ring chronology formation can predict the past climate conditions of the forest i.e. temperature, moisture, precipitation etc.
Computed Tomography (CT) is a widely used imaging modality that plays an essential role in the diagnosis and management of various diseases. However, CT scans expose patients to ionizing radiation, which can have long-term health risks, including the development of radiogenic cancer. Therefore, it is crucial to evaluate the effective radiation dose and incidence of radiogenic colon cancer in patients undergoing CT of the abdomen in the North of Jordan. This study aimed to evaluate the effective radiation dose and incidence of radiogenic colon cancer in patients underwent CT of the abdomen in the North of Jordan. A total of 1505 patients were included in the study, and their CT scans were analyzed to estimate the effective radiation dose. The incidence of radiogenic colon cancer was also evaluated in this population using a retrospective cohort study design. The results of this study indicate that the average effective radiation dose for CT of the abdomen in the North of Jordan were (12.75 mGy), (13.22 mGy), male and female, respectively, which is within the recommended range. Furthermore, the incidence of radiogenic colon cancer was 0.0107% and 0.0073% male and female respectively, which is relatively low compared to other studies. These findings suggest that the use of CT scans in the North of Jordan is relatively safe in terms of the effective radiation dose and the incidence of radiogenic colon cancer. However, it is important to note that despite the low incidence of radiogenic colon cancer in this study, the potential long-term risks associated with radiation exposure should not be overlooked. Therefore, it is recommended to optimize the radiation doses in CT scans and to continually monitor the potential long-term risks associated with radiation exposure. In conclusion, this study provides valuable insights into the effective radiation dose and incidence of radiogenic colon cancer in patients undergoing CT of the abdomen in the North of Jordan. These findings can help healthcare providers and policymakers make informed decisions regarding the use of CT scans in this region and highlight the importance of optimizing radiation doses to minimize potential long-term risks associated with radiation exposure. Also, this study recommends the establishment of criteria for justification and optimization, along with Diagnostic Reference Levels (DRLs).
To evaluate chromosomal analyses, including chromosomal abnormalities which are the underlying cause of many hereditary illnesses including cancer, mental retardation, and infertility, to name a few cytogenetic investigations depend on widely distributed metaphase chromosomes. Cell geneticists still use the traditional method of chromosomes spread, which may need time to adjust the balance of the drops fall of cell suspension solution accurately on the slides. In addition, traditional method needs an expertise to provide fast and accurate analytical results and to gain a better understanding of the dynamics of chromosomes spread. The main goal of this research is to study the spread of usable chromosomes, considering the height of the drops fall of the cells suspension solution of mice bone marrow from a height of 30, 40, 50, 60 and 70 cm as well as angles of 0 degrees, 15 degrees, 30 degrees, 45 degrees and 60 degrees. The quality of chromosomal analys is was evaluated by classifying it as ideal, expanded or compacted. More optimal and usable spaces were produced at angles of 30 degrees or 45 degrees degrees, while the best height of the chromosomal spread was recorded at 70 cm. In this study, chromosomes were spread onto glass slides using a novel approach, with the most optimal spread being at an angle of 30 degrees and a height of 70 cm.
