Optical Propagation and Communication

Contains research objectives and reports on six research projects.National Science Foundation (Grant ECS 85-09143)Maryland Procurement Office (Contract MDA 904-84-C-6037)Maryland Procurement Office (Contract MDA 904-87-C-4044)National Science Foundation (Grant ECS 84-15580)National Science Foundation (Grant INT-86-14329)U.S. Navy - Office of Naval Research (Contract N00014-87-G-0198)U.S. Army Research Office - Durham (Contract DAAG29-84-K-0095)U.S. Army Research Office - Durham (Contract DAALO3-87-K-0117)U.S. Navy - Office of Naval Research (Contract N00014-80-C-0941_U.S. Air Force - Office of Scientific Research (Contract F49620-87-C-0043

International Consensus Statement on Rhinology and Allergy: Rhinosinusitis

Background: The 5 years since the publication of the first International Consensus Statement on Allergy and Rhinology: Rhinosinusitis (ICAR‐RS) has witnessed foundational progress in our understanding and treatment of rhinologic disease. These advances are reflected within the more than 40 new topics covered within the ICAR‐RS‐2021 as well as updates to the original 140 topics. This executive summary consolidates the evidence‐based findings of the document. Methods: ICAR‐RS presents over 180 topics in the forms of evidence‐based reviews with recommendations (EBRRs), evidence‐based reviews, and literature reviews. The highest grade structured recommendations of the EBRR sections are summarized in this executive summary. Results: ICAR‐RS‐2021 covers 22 topics regarding the medical management of RS, which are grade A/B and are presented in the executive summary. Additionally, 4 topics regarding the surgical management of RS are grade A/B and are presented in the executive summary. Finally, a comprehensive evidence‐based management algorithm is provided. Conclusion: This ICAR‐RS‐2021 executive summary provides a compilation of the evidence‐based recommendations for medical and surgical treatment of the most common forms of RS

Antileishmanial Activity of Selected Turkish Medicinal Plants

Purpose: To determine the in vitro and in vivo anti-leishmanial activities of extracts obtained from Centaurea calolepis, Phlomis lycia, Eryngium  thorifolium, Origanum sipyleum and Galium incanum ssp. centrale.Methods: To estimate the cytotoxicity of plant extracts, WST-1 assay was used. Parasite inhibition in the presence of plant extracts (25 - 500 µg/ml) in comparision with control group and reference group (glucantime, 25 µg/ml) at 12 - 72 h were determined in vitro on L. tropica promastigotes. The in vivo leishmanicidal activity of the extracts was evaluated against L. tropica-infected mice with glucantime as reference drug.Results: The chloroform extract of Galium incanum ssp. centrale showed the highest cytotoxicity with IC50 value of 0.0316 ± 0.005 µg/ml. In vitro parasite inhibition by the plant extracts ranged between 16.7 ± 0.01 % and 100 ± 0.00 % at 25 µg/ml concentration. The methanol extract of Eryngium thorifolium possessed the highest activity on promastigotes of L. tropica with 100 % inhibition at 25 µg/ml. The water and chloroform extracts of C. calolepis and water and methanol extracts of E. thorifolium at a dose of 100 mg/kg reduced parasitaemia in L. tropica infected mice.Conclusion: Parasite viability results suggest that the methanol extract of Eryngium thorifolium, regarded as non-cytotoxic, is a promising candidate drug for treating L. tropica infection.Keywords: Leishmaniasis, Leishmania tropica, Eryngium thorifolium, Promastigote, WI-38 Human fibroblast