In vivo neurological assessment of sedative hypnotic effect of Coriandrum sativum L. seeds in mice.

ABSTRACTEthnopharmacological relevance: seeds of Coriandrum sativum L. have been used in the traditional medicine to relieve stress and other neurological disease conditions.Aim of the study: The present study was under taken to evaluate the sedative hypnotic response of ethanolic extract of seeds of Coriandrum sativum L. (CSEE) in mice.Materials and methods: seeds of Coriandrum sativum L. Ethanolic extract was screened for sedative hypnotic response by using potentiation of Pentobarbital sleeping time at doses of 100mg/kg, 150mg/kg and 200 mg/kg. Saline and Pentobarbital sodium were employed as negative and positive control groups, respectively.Results: Ethanol extract increases Pentobarbital sodium induced sleeping time at dose of 100 mg/kg, 150 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg by 106 %, 111 % and 114% respectively as compared to negative control group and by 06 %, 11% & 14% respectively as compared to positive control group Conclusion: from present study finding it is found that seeds of Coriandrum sativum L. potentiate the sedative hypnotic efficacy in mice.

Impact of Baseline Characteristics on Stroke Outcomes in Pakistan: A Longitudinal Study Using the Modified Rankin Scale

Introduction. Stroke is a leading cause of disability and mortality globally, with a significant impact on healthcare systems. Various factors, including age, gender, comorbidities, and the type of stroke, influence the burden of stroke and its outcomes. The study was conducted with an objective to determine the impact of baseline characteristics on the long-term functional outcome of stroke patients. Methods. This prospective observational study was conducted between April 6, 2022 - December 31, 2023, at a tertiary hospital. The study included patients with radiologically confirmed stroke, selected through convenience sampling. Stroke patients of any gender and all age groups, with any comorbidity, were included. The Modified Rankin Scale (mRS) assessed disability on admission and three months post-stroke. Results. Of the 213 patients, 122 (57.3%) were males and the majority, 199 (93.4%) individuals, had acute ischemic stroke. The median age of the participants was 60 years (range: 13-97 years; IQR=18 years). The mRS score on admission was poor (5.0; IQR=1.0) for patients ≥ 60 years. In 74 (34.74%) participants, the left middle cerebral artery was a frequently involved site. Age of ≥ 60 years (mRS=4.0; IQR=4.0; p=0.001) and the presence of ≥ 3 comorbidities (mRS=5.0; IQR=1.0; p=0.001) were significantly associated with poor outcomes three months post-stroke. Ordinal logistic regression revealed that a mRS score of 4 (OR=14.20; 95% CI=1.70-145.25; p=0.02) and a mRS score of 5 (OR=78.84; 95% CI=9.35-820.25; p < 0.001) on admission were associated with poor outcomes. In addition, the presence of ≥ 3 comorbidities (OR=4.59; 95% CI=14.65; p < 0.01) and increasing age (OR=1.04; 95% CI=1.01-1.07; p=0.02) were predictors of poor outcomes three months post-stroke. Conclusions. The study underscores the importance of early intervention and effective management of comorbidities to improve functional outcomes in stroke patients. It highlights the need for targeted stroke care and rehabilitation strategies

NAFLD and nutraceuticals: a review of completed phase III and IV clinical trials

BackgroundNonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) has become a significant public health concern, affecting approximately one-fourth of the population. Despite its prevalence, no FDA-approved drug treatments specifically target NAFLD.AimTo provide a review of clinical trials investigating the use of herbal remedies and dietary supplements in NAFLD management, utilizing the ClinicalTrials.gov database.MethodsThis review evaluates the current evidence by examining completed phase III and IV clinical trials registered on ClinicalTrials.gov. An exhaustive search was performed on April 17, 2023, using the terms “Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease” and “NAFLD.” Two independent reviewers appraised eligible trials based on pre-defined inclusion and exclusion criteria.ResultsAn initial search yielded 1,226 clinical trials, with 12 meeting the inclusion criteria after filtration. The majority of trials focused on Omega-3 fatty acids (20.0%) and vitamin D (26.7%), followed by caffeine, chlorogenic acid, ginger, phosphatidylcholine, Trigonella Foenum-graecum seed extract, vitamin C, and vitamin E (each 6.7%). Most studies were Phase 3 (75.0%) and used a parallel assignment model (91.7%). Quadruple masking was the most prevalent technique (58.3%), and Iran was the leading country in terms of trial locations (25.0%). These interventions constitute two herbal interventions and nine supplement interventions.ConclusionThis reveals a diverse range of nutraceuticals, with Omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D being predominant in the management of NAFLD. The global distribution of trials highlights the widespread interest in these therapeutics. However, more rigorous, large-scale trials are needed to establish safety, efficacy, and optimal dosages

Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG) versus Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) in treatment of left main coronary artery disease

BackgroundCoronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) has been widely used for left main coronary artery disease (LMCAD). Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has become an option for this condition.AimsTo summarize the current evidence that compare between CABG vs. PCI in regards to ‎cardiac death, stroke, and myocardial infarction.‎Methods We searched randomized trials of treatment of LMCAD with PubMed, Google Scholar, and EBSCO.Results Five randomized studies were retrieved, which compared the efficacy between CABG vs. PCI in treatment of LMCAD.ConclusionPCI may be reasonable management of patients with LM stenosis involving distal bifurcation or with coexisting multivessel disease

Oral antispasticity drugs and non-progressive neurological diseases: A meta-analysis on safety and efficacy

Background: Spasticity is a pathophysiological outcome of impaired muscle motor activity, primarily the muscle tone. Muscle tone problems are signs of several neurological conditions, such as multiple sclerosis, movement disorders, spine damage, stroke, and traumatic brain injury. Antispasticity therapeutics belong to a class of treatments that restore motor function and muscle tone. There are several routes of therapeutic administration of antispastic medications; among them, the oral drug delivery system plays a significant role. Objective: The purpose of the study was to present a complete synthesis of the scientific evidence on the safety and efficacy of antispasticity medicines used orally for the management of nonprogressive neurological disorders. Materials and Methods: In order to carry out a comprehensive meta-analysis, the most pertinent scientific studies on the use of oral antispasticity medications to treat non-progressive neurological illnesses were identified. A search was conducted across a number of databases, including SciELO, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), and PubMed. MedCalc statistical software was used to perform a meta-analysis in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) standards for odds ratio across the studies, relative risk, and risk factor analysis. Results: In the present study, a total of 252 original records were retrieved from different predefined databases on oral antispasticity drugs and their association with non-progressive neurological disorders. After several screening steps, 12 studies were found to be eligible for meta-analysis. These studies represented different antispasticity therapeutics that were administered via the oral route. Based on the meta-analysis, oral antispasticity drugs were found to be moderately effective (P < 0.001). Conclusion: The findings of the meta-analysis showed that the interventions of tizanidine, diazepam, dantrolene, baclofen, and gabapentin were more effective in tackling spasticity than the control. Therefore, in the treatment of non-progressive neurological diseases, oral antispasticity medications are only modestly effective

Mitigating high-temperature, high-pressure hydrogen attack

High-temperature, high-pressure hydrogen attack is a degradation mechanism that threatens the integrity of critical components in re fineries and petrochemical plants. This phenomenon was discovered in the early twentieth century, however, the experience-based recommended practice used to design for such applications is still being corrected due to ongoing failures in industry. Research on the topic, in the late twentieth century, focused on experimenting with hydrogen attack. Since then, most of the work has been focused on the modelling aspect of the issue. The aim of the work presented in this thesis was to understand the mechanism of hydrogen attack, using experimental methods, in order to reach a mitigation solution that utilises current literature and improves upon the recommended practice. Hydrogen attack resistance was examined in the commercially-used steel, 2(1/4)Cr-1Mo, revealing the importance of heat treatment conditions to bring the precipitated carbides closer to their equilibrium state, which decreases carbon activity in the steel and consequently increases the resistance to reaction with hydrogen. For the first time, experimental methods, such as quantification of carbide volume fractions using synchrotron X-ray diffraction as well as optical microscopy to measure void volume-fractions, were used in characterising hydrogen-attack resistance. Consistent interpretations of experimental data have been obtained by comparison against equilibrium calculations, microstructure and synchrotron X-ray diffraction. Some novel approaches were also adopted for the first time. Interphase precipitation in vanadium steel was shown in this work as a solution to mitigate hydrogen attack at the same exposure conditions where some samples of 2(1\4)Cr-1Mo steel failed. The mitigation was explained by the direct precipitation of stable vanadium carbides during the austenite to ferrite transformation, which immediately depletes ferrite of carbon, thus reducing the carbon activity. This is not the case in tempered martensite that contains many lattice defects, where excess carbon may be retained, hence increasing carbon availability for methane formation. Vanadium carbides are found to be more stable than chromium or molybdenum carbides in the alloy systems considered. The hydrogen attack mechanism leads to bubble formation with these bubbles progressively linking by a creep mechanism, until ultimate failure. Vanadium is generally known to particularly enhance the creep strength, so any voids created would have a difficulty in linking up by creep deformation in the presence of carbides. Another novel approach was to use the recently invented HT10 steel, that has been shown to outperform 2(1/4)Cr-1Mo steel in terms of ambient mechanical properties and low-temperature hydrogen embrittlement. The work in this thesis has shown, for the first time, that HT10 outperforms 2(1/4)Cr-1Mo in terms of elevated-temperature hydrogen attack caused by methane formation. Given that HT10 is similar in many aspects to the commercially-used steel in hydrogen-attack applications (2(1/4)Cr-1Mo), HT10 steel can o er a suitable replacement more easily than the vanadium steel studied that still requires further investigations in terms of mechanical properties. The thesis fi nishes with the definition of an interesting programme of future work that not only can reveal fundamental knowledge never before attempted, but also may lead to technological exploitation.Saudi Aramc

The effect of the properties of porous fillers on the performance of a PCM-based photovoltaic thermal system: A CFD study

In thermal systems, combination of PCMs with porous fillers with high thermal conductivity is a proper method to improve their performance. In photovoltaic thermal (PVT) systems, as porous fillers are introduced to the collector tube and PCM bulk, the thermal efficiency increases. Moreover, since the temperature of the PV unit has dropped, the electrical efficiency has improved too. However, the properties of the porous insertion, i.e., permeability and porosity, might affect the pumping work, and consequently, electrical efficiency. In the present study, the effect of metal foam insertions on thermal and electrical performances is analyzed using a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method. The results show that installing metal foams with porosities of 0.70–0.94 inside the collector and PCM container of a PVT system improves the thermal efficiency without any considerable decrement in electrical efficiency. When copper foam with a porosity of 0.705 is installed within the collector and PCM tank, the highest thermal efficiency of 66.70% is achieved; while, when copper foam with a porosity of 0.94 is used, the maximum electrical efficiency of 13.24% is resulted

The prevalence and clinical characteristics of Clostridium difficile infection in Saudi patients admitted with inflammatory bowel disease: A case–control study

Background: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients are at increased risk of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI), causing significant morbidity and mortality. This study examined CDI's prevalence, predisposing factors, and clinical outcomes in Saudi hospitalized IBD patients. Methods: A retrospective case–control study was conducted at a tertiary medical city in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. All Saudi adult patients with IBD, admitted over the preceding four years were identified from the hospital's database. Eligible patients were divided into those with CDI and those without CDI. Binary logistic regression was used to determine the predisposing factors for CDI among admitted IBD patients. Results: During the study period, 95 patients were admitted with IBD. Crohn's disease (CD) was the predominant type (71.6%), whereas 28.4% of the patients were with ulcerative colitis (UC). Only 16 (16.8%) patients had positive CDI. CDI-positive patients tend to have hypertension and previous use of steroids. Patients with UC tend to have a higher risk of CDI than those with CD. Most patients recovered from the CDI (81.3%) with a median time to CDI clearance of 14 days. Three patients (18.8%) had recurrent CDI; among them, one died. Conclusion: The prevalence of CDI in Saudi IBD patients is similar to that reported elsewhere. UC, steroid treatment, and hypertension are risk factors for CDI in IBD patients. Recurrence of CDI in IBD patients is common and associated with a poor prognosis