Antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory properties of methanol fruit extract of Quercus incana in rat and mice models

Purpose: To investigate the anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive properties of crude methanol fruit extract of Quercus incana (QI), as well as its acute toxicity and phytochemical profile.Methods: Two animal models were used: Wistar rats for carrageenan-induced paw inflammation and Swiss albino mice for acetic acid-induced writhing test (hot plate method for anti-nociceptive effect). The extract was also subjected to phytochemical screening using standard procedures.Results: The extract showed significant (p < 0.01) anti-inflammatory effect at doses of 50, 100 and 150 mg/kg. It also evoked significant anti-nociceptive activity (both peripheral and central analgesia) at all test doses (25, 50 and 100 mg/kg; p < 0.01). Acute toxicity data revealed that the extract was non-toxicup to a dose of 425 mg/kg, while phytochemical screening indicated the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, steroids, terpenoids, anthraquinones, tannins, coumarins, reducing sugars and resins.Conclusion: These results suggest that Quercus incana fruit contains compounds with antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory properties.Keywords: Quercus incana fruit, Antinociceptive, Anti-inflammatory, Phytochemical profil

Subnational mapping of HIV incidence and mortality among individuals aged 15–49 years in sub-Saharan Africa, 2000–18 : a modelling study

Background: High-resolution estimates of HIV burden across space and time provide an important tool for tracking and monitoring the progress of prevention and control efforts and assist with improving the precision and efficiency of targeting efforts. We aimed to assess HIV incidence and HIV mortality for all second-level administrative units across sub-Saharan Africa. Methods: In this modelling study, we developed a framework that used the geographically specific HIV prevalence data collected in seroprevalence surveys and antenatal care clinics to train a model that estimates HIV incidence and mortality among individuals aged 15–49 years. We used a model-based geostatistical framework to estimate HIV prevalence at the second administrative level in 44 countries in sub-Saharan Africa for 2000–18 and sought data on the number of individuals on antiretroviral therapy (ART) by second-level administrative unit. We then modified the Estimation and Projection Package (EPP) to use these HIV prevalence and treatment estimates to estimate HIV incidence and mortality by second-level administrative unit. Findings: The estimates suggest substantial variation in HIV incidence and mortality rates both between and within countries in sub-Saharan Africa, with 15 countries having a ten-times or greater difference in estimated HIV incidence between the second-level administrative units with the lowest and highest estimated incidence levels. Across all 44 countries in 2018, HIV incidence ranged from 2 ·8 (95% uncertainty interval 2·1–3·8) in Mauritania to 1585·9 (1369·4–1824·8) cases per 100 000 people in Lesotho and HIV mortality ranged from 0·8 (0·7–0·9) in Mauritania to 676· 5 (513· 6–888·0) deaths per 100 000 people in Lesotho. Variation in both incidence and mortality was substantially greater at the subnational level than at the national level and the highest estimated rates were accordingly higher. Among second-level administrative units, Guijá District, Gaza Province, Mozambique, had the highest estimated HIV incidence (4661·7 [2544·8–8120·3]) cases per 100000 people in 2018 and Inhassunge District, Zambezia Province, Mozambique, had the highest estimated HIV mortality rate (1163·0 [679·0–1866·8]) deaths per 100 000 people. Further, the rate of reduction in HIV incidence and mortality from 2000 to 2018, as well as the ratio of new infections to the number of people living with HIV was highly variable. Although most second-level administrative units had declines in the number of new cases (3316 [81· 1%] of 4087 units) and number of deaths (3325 [81·4%]), nearly all appeared well short of the targeted 75% reduction in new cases and deaths between 2010 and 2020. Interpretation: Our estimates suggest that most second-level administrative units in sub-Saharan Africa are falling short of the targeted 75% reduction in new cases and deaths by 2020, which is further compounded by substantial within-country variability. These estimates will help decision makers and programme implementers expand access to ART and better target health resources to higher burden subnational areas

Global, regional, and national progress towards Sustainable Development Goal 3.2 for neonatal and child health: all-cause and cause-specific mortality findings from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019

Background Sustainable Development Goal 3.2 has targeted elimination of preventable child mortality, reduction of neonatal death to less than 12 per 1000 livebirths, and reduction of death of children younger than 5 years to less than 25 per 1000 livebirths, for each country by 2030. To understand current rates, recent trends, and potential trajectories of child mortality for the next decade, we present the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2019 findings for all-cause mortality and cause-specific mortality in children younger than 5 years of age, with multiple scenarios for child mortality in 2030 that include the consideration of potential effects of COVID-19, and a novel framework for quantifying optimal child survival. Methods We completed all-cause mortality and cause-specific mortality analyses from 204 countries and territories for detailed age groups separately, with aggregated mortality probabilities per 1000 livebirths computed for neonatal mortality rate (NMR) and under-5 mortality rate (USMR). Scenarios for 2030 represent different potential trajectories, notably including potential effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the potential impact of improvements preferentially targeting neonatal survival. Optimal child survival metrics were developed by age, sex, and cause of death across all GBD location-years. The first metric is a global optimum and is based on the lowest observed mortality, and the second is a survival potential frontier that is based on stochastic frontier analysis of observed mortality and Healthcare Access and Quality Index. Findings Global U5MR decreased from 71.2 deaths per 1000 livebirths (95% uncertainty interval WI] 68.3-74-0) in 2000 to 37.1 (33.2-41.7) in 2019 while global NMR correspondingly declined more slowly from 28.0 deaths per 1000 live births (26.8-29-5) in 2000 to 17.9 (16.3-19-8) in 2019. In 2019,136 (67%) of 204 countries had a USMR at or below the SDG 3.2 threshold and 133 (65%) had an NMR at or below the SDG 3.2 threshold, and the reference scenario suggests that by 2030,154 (75%) of all countries could meet the U5MR targets, and 139 (68%) could meet the NMR targets. Deaths of children younger than 5 years totalled 9.65 million (95% UI 9.05-10.30) in 2000 and 5.05 million (4.27-6.02) in 2019, with the neonatal fraction of these deaths increasing from 39% (3.76 million 95% UI 3.53-4.021) in 2000 to 48% (2.42 million; 2.06-2.86) in 2019. NMR and U5MR were generally higher in males than in females, although there was no statistically significant difference at the global level. Neonatal disorders remained the leading cause of death in children younger than 5 years in 2019, followed by lower respiratory infections, diarrhoeal diseases, congenital birth defects, and malaria. The global optimum analysis suggests NMR could be reduced to as low as 0.80 (95% UI 0.71-0.86) deaths per 1000 livebirths and U5MR to 1.44 (95% UI 1-27-1.58) deaths per 1000 livebirths, and in 2019, there were as many as 1.87 million (95% UI 1-35-2.58; 37% 95% UI 32-43]) of 5.05 million more deaths of children younger than 5 years than the survival potential frontier. Interpretation Global child mortality declined by almost half between 2000 and 2019, but progress remains slower in neonates and 65 (32%) of 204 countries, mostly in sub-Saharan Africa and south Asia, are not on track to meet either SDG 3.2 target by 2030. Focused improvements in perinatal and newborn care, continued and expanded delivery of essential interventions such as vaccination and infection prevention, an enhanced focus on equity, continued focus on poverty reduction and education, and investment in strengthening health systems across the development spectrum have the potential to substantially improve USMR. Given the widespread effects of COVID-19, considerable effort will be required to maintain and accelerate progress. Copyright (C) 2021 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd

Bullying Prevalence Among Adolescents: Potential Social Stressor to Young Minds

Bullying among youth is like an epidemic all around the world. It has critical and damaging effects on the mental health of the affected. Bullying can lead to psychosocial morbidity and adjustment problems in the bully, victims, and those who witness. A study was conducted to investigate the prevalence of this social issue among adolescents in the largest city of Pakistan. The purpose of this survey was to evaluate the extent of bullying prevalence, to determine frequencies of different types of bullying across genders, to raise awareness of the bullying phenomenon among adolescents, and to identify the coping strategies used to stop bullying. In the survey, 241 children aged 12 to 15, participated through convenient sampling, and completed a directly administered questionnaire. The result of this survey suggests that bullying is pervasive among adolescents in Pakistan and thus a significant proportion of the community is at risk of developing psychosocial ailments. There is a need for a well-rounded global effort to design a strategy against bullying that can be implemented by schools, parents, teachers, and students

Activity-guided Isolation of a Novel Protein from Croton tiglium with Antifungal and Antibacterial Activities

This study describes the activity-guided isolation and purification of a novel antimicrobial protein from the seed of Croton tiglium Linn. Purification was carried out by (NH(4))(2)SO(4) precipitation, gel filtration and DEAE-cellulose ion-exchange chromatography. Antifungal and antibacterial activities were determined after each purification step. SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis revealed that the purified protein was a monomer with molecular mass of 50 kDa. This is a first report on purification of a protein from Croton tiglium, which possesses a strong and broad spectrum antimicrobial activity

Detection and Quantification of Formalin Adulteration in Cow Milk Using Near Infrared Spectroscopy Combined with Multivariate Analysis

<p>In order to increase the shelf life for long distance transportation of milk, formalin is added as an adulterant to milk. That is highly toxic causes liver and kidney damages. A new Near Infrared spectroscopy (NIR) combined with multivariate analysis was developed to detect as well as to quantify the level of formalin adulteration in cow milk. In this study four different types of cow milk samples were collected from Nizwa regions of Sultanate of Oman and were investigated. Those cow milk samples were then adulterated with formalin at eight different percentage levels: 0%, 1%, 3%, 5%, 7%, 9%, 11%, 13% and 17% of formalin. All samples were measured using NIR spectroscopy in absorption mode in the wavelength range from 700-2500 nm, at 2 cm-1 resolution and using a 0.2 mm path length CaF2 sealed cell. The multivariate methods like Principle component analysis (PCA), partial least discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) and partial least regression analysis (PLS) were applied for statistical analysis of the obtained NIR spectral data. PLS-DA model was used to check the discrimination between the pure and formalin adulterated milk samples. For PLSDA model the R-square value obtained was 0.969 with 0.086 RMSE (Root mean square error). Furthermore, PLS regression model was also built to quantify the levels formalin adulterant in cow milk samples. The PLS regression model was obtained with the R-square 93% and with 1.38 RMSECV(Root mean square error of cross validation) value having good prediction with RMSEP (Root mean square error of prediction) value 1.50 and correlation of 0.95. This newly developed method is non-destructive, cheap, no need of much sample preparation and having sensitivity level less than 2% level of formalin adulteration.</p&gt