Evaluation of Podocalyxin level in pre-eclampsia with severe features' patients: a cross-sectional study

Background: This study aims to evaluate the level of podocalyxin (PCX) in preeclampsia with severe features patients and correlate it with the results of laboratory tests.Methods: The current study was a cross-sectional study conducted in Assiut Women Health Hospital between April and October 2018.  The study included 60 patients divided into two groups; Group (A): 30 patients diagnosed to have preeclampsia with severe features and Group (B): 30 patients as normal control group. Complete laboratory investigations with measurements of the PCX level was performed for all study participants.Results: No statistically significant difference between the study group and control group according to blood urea (p= 0.339) and serum creatinine (p= 0.801).There was statistically significant difference between the study group and control group according to PCX level (p= 0.001); the mean PCX was 3340.0 ± 2394.6 in the study group versus 1083.5±1400.2 in the control group. Univariate analysis revealed podocalyxin was not correlated with clinical data or laboratory investigations.Conclusions: Podocalyxin levels were significantly elevated in preeclampsia

Deciphering the Potential Therapeutic Intervention Points of 2019-nCoV: A Pharmacological Perspective

The emerging and re-emergence of viral outbreaks in the history of mankind has always pose severe global intimidation to public health and economy. The debilitating effects of 2019-nCoV (2019 novel coronavirus) outbreak has swiftly spread worldwide due to its highly contagious nature with severe risk of respiratory tract infections and higher mortality rate, necessitating the urgent need for the production of effective vaccine and potential therapeutic agents. The active evolution of SARS-CoV-2 strain in different population and environment strive immense challenge against anti-viral therapeutic development based on viral pathogenicity. The potential FDA drugs are evaluated based on their known safety and efficacy with exceptional pharmacokinetic profiles for the treatment of nCoV-2019. Existing knowledge related to MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV epidemic has provided a better understanding to explore purposeful therapeutics strategies against novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19). To limited extend, the ongoing promising and hopeful treatments includes convalescent plasma therapy, remdesivir, lopinavir/ritonavir, ACE inhibitors, TMPRSS2 inhibitors, hydroxychloroquine, interferon, ribavirin, tocilizumab, and corticosteroids however clinical efficacy of some of them need to be validated in randomized clinical trials (RCTs). The global struggle to make a protected and successful Coronavirus immunization is finally proving to be fruitful. Although challenges such as strain variation resistant, possible side effects, adequate supply of vaccines to all countries and limited availability of second dose still diverting the option of possible efficacious therapeutics strategies to work alongside with vaccine development with improved efficacy and safety profile. This review is focused on the potential advancement in therapeutic approaches with possible repurposing of the available drugs and explores the current status of available vaccines with hope that these strategies found to be cogent in controlling SARS-CoV-2 outbreak.Keywords: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19); Remdesivir; Therapeutics; Plasma therapy; Hydroxychloroquine; Anti-viral; Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2; Type II transmembrane serine protease    

Limnological parameters affecting monthly abundance of Chironomid larvae in a fish pond and their role in the diet of catfish, Clarias batrachus

Six months-long experiment was carried out in a fish pond at Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU), Mymensingh from September 2008-February 2009 to evaluate the limnological parameters affecting monthly abundance of Chironomid larvae and their role in the diet of catfish, Clarias batrachus. The water-quality and soil parameters were monitored and found to be within suitable range for freshwater aquaculture. The composition of the benthic macro-invertebrates at the bottom indicated that Chironomidae was most dominant group in this pond. The body-weight percentage of the organisms showed that Chironomids and Oligochaetes were major two groups. The quantitative and qualitative studies of Chironomid larvae indicated that there was monthly variation in the abundance of Chironomids where Chironomus was most dominant. The highest (3585.19 m-2) and the lowest (548.15 m-2) abundance of Chironomids in 3 samples were recorded in the month of January 2009 and October 2008, respectively. Gut content analysis suggested that Chironomids was dominant food item in the diet of Clarias batrachus. The maximum 768 and minimum 25 occurrences were recorded in the months of December and October 2008, respectively in 5 fishes sampled from the experimental pond. The electivity indices suggested a shifting to Chironomid larvae from negative selection to positive selection in different months

Medical applicant general practice experience and career aspirations: a questionnaire study

Background: Increasing access to general practice work experience placements for school students is a strategy for improving general practice recruitment, despite limited evidence and concerns surrounding equity of access to general practice experiences. Aims: To examine the association between undertaking general practice experience and the perceptions of general practice as an appealing future career among prospective medical applicants. To identify socioeconomic factors associated with obtaining general practice experience. Design & setting: Cross-sectional questionnaire study in the UK. Method: Participants were UK residents aged ≥16 years and seriously considering applying to study medicine in 2019/2020. They were invited to take part via the University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT). Questionnaire data were analysed using a linear regression of general practice appeal on general practice experience, adjusting for career motivations and demographics, and a logistic regression of general practice experience on measures of social capital and demographics. Results: Of 6391 responders, 4031 were in their last year of school. General practice experience predicted general practice appeal after adjusting for career motivation and demographics (b = 0.37, standard error [SE] = 0.06, P<0.00001). General practice experience was more common among students at private (odds ratio [OR] = 1.65, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.31 to 2.08, P<0.0001) or grammar schools (OR = 1.33, 95% CI = 1.02 to 1.72, P = 0.03) and in the highest socioeconomic group (OR = 1.62, 95% CI = 1.28 to 2.05, P<0.0001), and less likely among students of ‘other’ ethnicity (OR = 0.37, 95% CI = 0.20 to 0.67, P = 0.0011). Conclusion: Having general practice experience prior to medical school was associated with finding general practice appealing, which supports its utility in recruitment. Applicants from more deprived backgrounds were less likely to have had a general practice experience, possibly through lack of accessible opportunities

Diarrhea in young children from low-income countries leads to large-scale alterations in intestinal microbiota composition

Acknowledgments This work was funded in part by the William and Melinda Gates Foundation, award 42917 to JPN and OCS; US National Institutes of Health grants 5R01HG005220 to HCB, 5R01HG004885 to MP; US National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship award DGE0750616 to JNP; AWW and JP are funded by The Wellcome Trust (Grant No. WT098051).Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Method development and validation of nitrofuran metabolites in shrimp by liquid chromatographic mass spectrometric system

Liquid Chromatographic Mass Spectrometric System (LCMSMS) method was developed and validated in shrimp matrix for determination of nitrofuran metabolites in the laboratory of fish inspection and quality control, Department of Fisheries, Matshya Bhaban, Dhaka, Bangladesh. This confirmatory method was used for testing samples for residues of the metabolites of the following nitrofuran compounds, furazolidone (3-amino-2-oxazolidinone, AOZ); furaltadone (5-methyl-morpholino-3-amino-2-oxazolidinone, AMOZ); nitrofurazone (semicarbazide, SEM) and nitrofurantoin (1-aminohydantoin, AHD) in shrimp. The data were generated (3 levels and seven replicates per level) on each of three days for shrimp. The mean recoveries from the tissues were 88-110%, the decision limits (CCα) were 0.12-0.23 ppb and the detection capabilities (CCα) 0.21-0.38 ppb. CCα and CCβ were calculated using the procedure set out in ISO Guide 11843. Nevertheless, CCα value for all nitrofuran metabolites can be investigated and meet the specified easily met the specified EU MRPL of 1 μg kg-1 ranged from 0.12-0.23 μg kg-1 and suitable for routine quality control operations

Osjetljiva spektrofotometrijska metoda za određivanje antagonista H2-receptora uz uporabu N-bromsukcinimida i p-aminofenola

A simple, accurate and sensitive spectrophotometric method for determination of H2-receptor antagonists: cimetidine (CIM), famotidine (FAM), nizatidine (NIZ), and ranitidine hydrochloride (RAN) has been full developed and validated The method was based on the reaction of these drugs with NBS and subsequent measurement of the excess N-bromosuccinimide by its reaction with p-aminophenol to give a violet colored product (max at 552 nm). Decrease in the absorption intensity (A) of the colored product, due to the presence of the drug, was correlated with its concentration in the sample solution. Different variables affecting the reaction were carefully studied and optimized. Under optimal conditions, linear relationships with good correlation coefficients (0.9988-0.9998) were found between A values and the corresponding concentrations of the drugs in a concentration range of 830, 622, 625, and 420 g mL1 for CIM, FAM, NIZ, and RAN, respectively. Limits of detection were 1.22, 1.01, 1.08, and 0.74 g mL1 for CIM, FAM, NIZ, and RAN, respectively. The method was validated in terms of accuracy, precision, ruggedness, and robustness; the results were satisfactory. The proposed method was successfully applied to the analysis of the above mentioned drugs in bulk substance and in pharmaceutical dosage forms; percent recoveries ranged from 98.5 0.9 to 102.4 0.8% without interference from the common excipients. The results obtained by the proposed method were comparable with those obtained by the official methods.Razvijena je i validirana ispravna, jednostavna i osjetljiva spektrofotometrijska metoda za određivanje antagonista H2-receptora: cimetidina (CIM), famotidina (FAM), nizatidina (NIZ) i ranitidin hidroklorida (RAN). Metoda se temelji na reakciji tih ljekovitih tvari s N-bromsukcinimidom (NBS). Višak N-bromsukcinimida određuje se nakon reakcije s p-aminofenolom s kojim daje ljubičasti produkt (max pri 552 nm). Smanjenje apsorpcijskog intenziteta (A) obojenog produkta, zbog prisutnosti ljekovite tvari korelirano je s njegovom koncentracijom u otopini uzorka. Proučavane su različite varijable koje utječu na reakciju. Linearno koncentracijsko područje za CIM, FAM, NIZ i RAN, s koeficijentom korelacije od 0,9988 do 0,9998, iznosi 830, 622, 625 odnosno 420 g mL1. Granice detekcije bile su 1,23, 1,02, 1,09 i 0,75 g mL1 za CIM, FAM, NIZ, odnosno RAN. Predložena metoda je uspješno primijenjena za analizu navedenih ljekovitih tvari i ljekovitih pripravaka. Nepreciznost od 0,7 do 1,2% i visoka ispravnost (analitički povrat između 98,5 i 102,4%), bez interferencije uobičajenih pomoćnih tvari, ukazuju na dobru analitičku metodu. Rezultati dobiveni predloženom metodom usporedivi su s rezultatima dobivenim službenom metodom