Role of Physical activity in abating Non-Communicable Diseases: A survey of residents of Central Park Housing Society, Lahore

Objective: Regular physical activity is beneficial to both physical and emotional well-being. The present study goal is to observe how lack of physical exercise leads to various noncommunicable diseases. Methodology:A study was conducted at Central Park Housing Society, Lahore using cross sectional study design. Data was collected from 250 residents of Lahore, Pakistan’s Central Park Housing Society using the structured tool IPAQ-LF. Structured tool used in this study was applicable on age group between 15-69 years, therefore we included participants aged between 15-69 years in this study. While children, adolescences having age between 10-14 years, adults > 69 years old, pregnant women and those with existing non- communicable diseases were excluded from the study. The Kruskal-Wallis ANOVA test was used to determine whether there was a significant relationship between physical activity and non-communicable diseases. Results: About 20.8% participants had family history of hypertension. Greater physical activity is linked to reduce hypertension risk. Lower physical activity is associated with a higher diabetes risk (18%) compared to the higher activity levels (14%). BMI (p-value=0.00) and random blood sugar level (p-value=0.03) is associated with physical activity. Conclusion: Most of the participants were not involved in moderate physical activity. People who participated in physical activities are at a lower risk of developing diabetes and hypertension. In general, physical activity aids in mitigating harmful chronic diseases

Role of Physical activity in abating Non-Communicable Diseases: A survey of residents of Central Park Housing Society, Lahore

Objective: Regular physical activity is beneficial to both physical and emotional well-being. The present study goal is to observe how lack of physical exercise leads to various noncommunicable diseases. Methodology:A study was conducted at Central Park Housing Society, Lahore using cross sectional study design. Data was collected from 250 residents of Lahore, Pakistan’s Central Park Housing Society using the structured tool IPAQ-LF. Structured tool used in this study was applicable on age group between 15-69 years, therefore we included participants aged between 15-69 years in this study. While children, adolescences having age between 10-14 years, adults > 69 years old, pregnant women and those with existing non- communicable diseases were excluded from the study. The Kruskal-Wallis ANOVA test was used to determine whether there was a significant relationship between physical activity and non-communicable diseases. Results: About 20.8% participants had family history of hypertension. Greater physical activity is linked to reduce hypertension risk. Lower physical activity is associated with a higher diabetes risk (18%) compared to the higher activity levels (14%). BMI (p-value=0.00) and random blood sugar level (p-value=0.03) is associated with physical activity. Conclusion: Most of the participants were not involved in moderate physical activity. People who participated in physical activities are at a lower risk of developing diabetes and hypertension. In general, physical activity aids in mitigating harmful chronic diseases

An Analysis of Hematological Parameters as a Diagnostic test for Malaria in Patients with Acute Febrile Illness: An Institutional Experience

Objectives: Hematological changes are among the most common complications encountered in malaria. This study analyzes and statistically evaluates the hematological changes as a diagnostic test for malaria in patients with acute febrile illness and whether these could guide the physician to institute specific antimalarial treatment. Methods: The present study was an observational study, conducted from January to December 2012. A total of 723 patients presenting with acute febrile illness at our hospital were evaluated. A complete blood count and malarial parasite microscopy were performed for each patient. Results: The findings showed that 172 out of 723 patients (24%) were diagnosed to have malaria by positive smear report. There were 121 males and 51 females with a male to female ratio of 2.3:1. Maximum number of cases were seen in the 20-30 years age group. There was a statistically significant reduction in hemoglobin (p<0.005), platelet count (p<0.001) and total leukocyte count (p<0.001) levels in patients with malaria compared to those without the disease. Likelihood ratios for a positive result of platelets (6.2) and total leukocyte count (3.4) was relevant as compared to hemoglobin (1.61) and Red cell distribution width (1.79). The negative predictive values for hemoglobin (79%), total leukocyte count (86%), platelets (94%) and Red cell distribution width (93%) were significant. Red cell distribution width values were found to be higher in patients with malaria than in patients without malaria (p<0.001). Conclusion: This study revealed that routinely used laboratory findings such as hemoglobin, leukocytes, platelet counts and even red cell distribution width values can provide a diagnostic clue in a patient with acute febrile illness in endemic areas, thus increasing the probability of malaria and enhancing prompt initiation of treatment

Squalene Selectively Protects Mouse Bone Marrow Progenitors Against Cisplatin and Carboplatin-Induced Cytotoxicity In Vivo Without Protecting Tumor Growth12

Squalene, an isoprenoid antioxidant is a potential cytoprotective agent against chemotherapy-induced toxicity. We have previously published that squalene protects light-density bone marrow cells against cis-diamminedichloroplatinum( II) (cisplatin)-induced toxicity without protecting tumor cells in vitro. Here, we developed an in vivo mouse model of cisplatin and cis-diammine (cyclobutane-1,1-dicarboxylato) platinum(II) (carboplatin)-induced toxicity to further investigate squalene-mediated LD-BM cytoprotection including the molecular mechanism behind selective cytoprotection. We found that squalene significantly reduced the body weight loss of cisplatin and carboplatin-treated mice. Light-density bone marrow cells from squalene-treated mice exhibited improved formation of hematopoietic colonies (colony-forming unit-granulocyte macrophage). Furthermore, squalene also protected mesenchymal stem cell colonies (colony-forming unit-fibroblast) from cisplatin and carboplatin-induced toxicity. Squalene-induced protection was associated with decreased reactive oxygen species and increased levels of glutathione and glutathione peroxidase/glutathione-S-transferase. Importantly, squalene did not protect neuroblastoma, small cell carcinoma, or medulloblastoma xenografts against cisplatin-induced toxicity. These results suggest that squalene is a potential candidate for future development as a cytoprotective agent against chemotherapeutic toxicity

Activity of phenolic compounds from plant origin against Candida species

Candida albicans and other Candida species have been highly associated with several opportunistic fungal infections. Their ability to develop host infections is incited by different determinants, being virulence factors the most highlighted. Molecular targets of the antifungal drugs are crucial components for determination of yeast survival. Ergosterol, nucleic acids and glucan are the most studied molecular targets to destroy Candida species, being considered the basis of the development of new antifungal drugs. However, increasing levels of resistant Candida species to the current antifungal drugs have been observed, making ineffective those agents. Thus, other therapies more effective and safer than the current ones, are being studied, namely the use plant of extracts enriched in phenolic compounds. In this sense, this manuscript provide an historical perspective of the opportunistic fungal infections, molecular targets of the current anti-Candida drugs, as well as a general description of the active principles present in plants, focused on the antifungal potential of whole plant extracts and isolated phenolic compounds, against Candida species.Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal) grant (SFRH/BD/87658/2012), “Programa Compromisso com Ciência – 2008” and financial support to the Research Centre CIMO (strategic project PEst-OE/AGR/UI0690/2011). This work was also supported by the Programa Operacional, Fatores de competitividade – COMPETE and by national funds through FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia on the scope of the projects FCT PTDC/SAU-MIC/119069/2010, RECI/EBB-EBI/0179/2012 and PEst-OE/EQB/LA0023/2013. Project “BioHealth – Biotechnology and Bioengineering approaches to improve health quality”, Ref. NORTE-07-0124-FEDER-000027, co-funded by the Programa Operacional Regional do Norte (ON.2-O Novo Norte), QREN, FEDER

Chapter Four - Recent NMR/MRI studies of biofilm structures and dynamics

Biofilm systems consist of complex microbial communities embedded in hydrated bio-macromolecules. These biological systems have been studied by diverse analytical techniques, among them by nuclear magnetic resonance and imaging. There are still open questions regarding structure and functionality. In this review, nuclear magnetic resonance approaches, especially in form of magnetic resonance imaging and diffusion modalities, are summarized with respect to insights into biofilm structure, diffusion and advection, i.e. mass transport. Furthermore, possibilities and limitations regarding metabolomics are recapitulated and analysed with respect to open research questions. Perspectives for biofilm research will be discussed from the point of view of current technical and methodical developments of nuclear magnetic resonance. The impact of the named nuclear magnetic resonance techniques will be reflected in the context of water treatment and biofilm development in porous media as well as in technical applications such as biofilm reactors and biofiltration

Evaluation of a quality improvement intervention to reduce anastomotic leak following right colectomy (EAGLE): pragmatic, batched stepped-wedge, cluster-randomized trial in 64 countries

Background Anastomotic leak affects 8 per cent of patients after right colectomy with a 10-fold increased risk of postoperative death. The EAGLE study aimed to develop and test whether an international, standardized quality improvement intervention could reduce anastomotic leaks. Methods The internationally intended protocol, iteratively co-developed by a multistage Delphi process, comprised an online educational module introducing risk stratification, an intraoperative checklist, and harmonized surgical techniques. Clusters (hospital teams) were randomized to one of three arms with varied sequences of intervention/data collection by a derived stepped-wedge batch design (at least 18 hospital teams per batch). Patients were blinded to the study allocation. Low- and middle-income country enrolment was encouraged. The primary outcome (assessed by intention to treat) was anastomotic leak rate, and subgroup analyses by module completion (at least 80 per cent of surgeons, high engagement; less than 50 per cent, low engagement) were preplanned. Results A total 355 hospital teams registered, with 332 from 64 countries (39.2 per cent low and middle income) included in the final analysis. The online modules were completed by half of the surgeons (2143 of 4411). The primary analysis included 3039 of the 3268 patients recruited (206 patients had no anastomosis and 23 were lost to follow-up), with anastomotic leaks arising before and after the intervention in 10.1 and 9.6 per cent respectively (adjusted OR 0.87, 95 per cent c.i. 0.59 to 1.30; P = 0.498). The proportion of surgeons completing the educational modules was an influence: the leak rate decreased from 12.2 per cent (61 of 500) before intervention to 5.1 per cent (24 of 473) after intervention in high-engagement centres (adjusted OR 0.36, 0.20 to 0.64; P &lt; 0.001), but this was not observed in low-engagement hospitals (8.3 per cent (59 of 714) and 13.8 per cent (61 of 443) respectively; adjusted OR 2.09, 1.31 to 3.31). Conclusion Completion of globally available digital training by engaged teams can alter anastomotic leak rates. Registration number: NCT04270721 (http://www.clinicaltrials.gov)