Biomarkers in acute coronary syndromes and their role in diabetic patients

Diabetic patients with acute coronary syndromes are at high risk for cardiovascular complications but risk stratification in these patients remains challenging. Regularly, diabetic patients have a less typical clinical presentation, which could lead to delayed diagnosis and subsequent delayed initiation of treatment. Since diabetic patients derive particular benefit from aggressive anti-platelet therapy, early diagnostic and therapeutic risk stratification of these patients is of critical importance to improve their adverse outcome. Although the electrocardiogram remains a pivotal diagnostic tool in the evaluation of patients suspected of having an acute coronary syndrome, only significant STsegment changes provide reasonable prognostic information. Therefore, repeated assessment of circulating protein biomarkers represents a valuable diagnostic tool for improving efficacy and safety of decision-making in these patients. The combined use of biomarkers reflecting distinct pathophysiological aspects, such as myocardial necrosis, vascular inflammation, oxidative stress and neurohumoral activation, may significantly improve triage of patients with chest pain. These tools may identify those patients that are at particularly high risk for short-term and/or long-term cardiovascular events. Eventually, tailored medical and interventional treatment of diabetic patients should help to prevent these cardiac events in a cost-effective manner

Epidemic non-A non-B hepatitis in urban Karachi, Pakistan

An outbreak of icteric non-A non-B (NANB) hepatitis occurred in a residential community of urban Karachi, Pakistan, from August 1986 through October 1986. Of the 114 cases reported from this community during the 1986 calendar year, a clustering of 85 cases was seen during the above period. Twenty-seven percent of 226 households and 9% of 1,250 individuals were affected. Five persons were hospitalized and 1 death occurred in a young pregnant woman. Cases occurred predominantly in the less than or equal to 29-year-old age group (72%), with a male:female ratio of 1.8:1. Thirty-four cases occurred singly within households, while in 28 households multiple cases were seen. Analysis of the epidemic curve and intervals of onset of multiple cases within households suggested prolonged common source exposure rather than secondary person-to-person transmission. No single water source was implicated but a contaminated municipal supply was presumed. Information collected from several other communities and from a university hepatitis reference laboratory suggested that the outbreak was part of a larger urban epidemic of NANB hepatitis. Based upon this investigation and data from recently published reports, it is concluded that NANB hepatitis is endemic in Pakistan

Annealing process to stabilize PECVD silicon nitride for application as the gate dielectric in MOS devices

Describes a process by which thin films of silicon nitride are deposited on silicon substrates by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition techniques, stabilized by post-deposition rapid thermal annealing at temperatures ranging from about 600° C to about 700° C and at times ranging from about 3 seconds to about 30 seconds

Developing Protein-Based Nanoparticles as Versatile Delivery Systems for Cancer Therapy and Imaging.

In recent years, it has become apparent that cancer nanomedicine's reliance on synthetic nanoparticles as drug delivery systems has resulted in limited clinical outcomes. This is mostly due to a poor understanding of their "bio-nano" interactions. Protein-based nanoparticles (PNPs) are rapidly emerging as versatile vehicles for the delivery of therapeutic and diagnostic agents, offering a potential alternative to synthetic nanoparticles. PNPs are abundant in nature, genetically and chemically modifiable, monodisperse, biocompatible, and biodegradable. To harness their full clinical potential, it is important for PNPs to be accurately designed and engineered. In this review, we outline the recent advancements and applications of PNPs in cancer nanomedicine. We also discuss the future directions for PNP research and what challenges must be overcome to ensure their translation into the clinic

Chemical control of blossom blight disease of sarpagandha caused byColletotrichum capsici

Sarpagandha (Rauvolfia serpentina Benth) is grown in different parts of India and its adjoining countries for its root which is the chief source of several important alkaloids like ajmalicine, ajmaline, isoajmaline, rauvolfinine, reserpine and serpentine. Blossom blight caused by Colletotrichum capsici is one of the most serious diseases of sarpagandha in the North Indian plains. Eight fungicides, namely Benomyl, Carbendazim, Chlorothalonil, Mancozeb, Metalaxyl-mancozeb, Propiconazole, Thiram and Thiophanatemethyl were evaluated against the spore germination and mycelial growth of Colletotrichum capsici under in vitro condition. The results indicated that Mancozeb, Metalaxyl-mancozeb, Propiconazole and Thiram inhibited percent spore germination at the dose of 2 - 10 g/ml, while Benomyl, Carbendazim and Thiophanate-Methyl were ineffective even at 250 g/ml concentration. Propiconazole, Carbendazim, Benomyl, Mancozeb and Metalaxyl-mancozeb were highly effective inhibiting 50% mycelial growth at 2.8, 4.6, 6.0, 9.3 and 11.2 μg/ml, respectively, while Thiophanate-methyl, Chlorothalonil and Thiram were relatively less effective showing 50% mycelial growth inhibition at 25.2, 27.2 and 31.3 μg/ml, respectively. The effective fungicides were further employed for the protection of sarpagandha from blossom blight disease in the field during the year 2006 and 2007. The results of the two years (2006 and 2007) of field experiments indicated that disease incidence was significantly reduced in all the treated plots over unsprayed control. The spray of Mancozeb and Carbendazim produced highest protection that is >80% in both the years against blossom blight disease and their treatments also produced healthy and highest seed yield per plant.Key words: Blossom blight, Colletotrichum capsici, fungicides, Rauvolfia serpentina, sarpagandha

Investigation of waste banana peels and radish leaves for their biofuels potential

This article is mainly based on the production of biodiesel and bioethanol from waste banana peels and radish leaves. The oily content from both the samples were converted to biodiesel by acid catalyzed and base catalyzed transesterification using methanol and ethanol. The biodiesel so obtained was subjected to analysis in accordance with the American Standard for Testing Materials (ASTM). The carbohydrates were extracted by distilled water and characterized by physical, chemical and biochemical methods. The carbohydrates were subjected to anaerobic fermentation using Saccharomyces cerevisiae to produce bioethanol which was confirmed by the preparation of UV active derivatives namely ethyl benzoate and ethyl salicylate. The highest % yield of fatty acid methyl ester and fatty acid ethyl ester was found to be 75% and 38%, respectively. The yield of bioethanol from banana peels and radish leaves was found to be 1.37% and 1.23%, respectively. KEY WORDS: Oil, Transesterification, Biodiesel, Carbohydrates, Fermentation, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Bioethanol Bull. Chem. Soc. Ethiop. 2015, 29(2), 239-245DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/bcse.v29i2.

Revisiting of an Islamic Options Permisibility From Shariah Perspectives

The popularity of derivative instruments especially in managing uncertainty (risk)had become popular after several financial crises that occurred since the Great EconomicDepression. There are various tools have been developed in managing risk such as the Options,Forwards, Futures and Swaps. In addition, these kinds of tools are commonly used by institutional and individual investors. Given this popularity, conventional risk management strategies is completely against from Islamic risk management as Islamic financial market arekeep on growing drastically at Cumulative Average Growth Rate (CAGR) of 15% on yearlybasis (Mckinsey, 2005). This is clearly shows that, Islamic finance development are in line withconventional financial development. Therefore, there is need to maintain consistency in productstructures offered by these two financial markets. The complexity is mainly contributed by thestructures and the design of the products especially on Islamic derivatives tools. Therefore, to get a significant picture of the Islamic risk management tools, this paper will only examines thecontemporary derivative instruments namely; Option and the Islamic viewpoints of thisinstrument . As we know, Islamic finance is governed by Shariah principle and guidelines whichprohibit Riba, Gharar, and Masir etc. Therefore, this paper attempts to explore the validity ofoptions from Islamic and Shariah perspectives by reviewing Islamic scholars opinions on anoptions market