Comparative Antibacterial Analysis of Four Different Medicinal Plants Against Human Skin Flora

Background: As we are facing continuously increasing antibiotic resistance, increased infections, diseases and pandemics, the researching community is turning to find the solutions from nature and plants play a vital role in this scenario. Pakistan due to its unique geography and a variety of climatic zones harbors a huge floral diversity.Methods: In this study extracts of four plants of Pakistan namely Azadirachta indica, Curcuma longa, Moringa oleifera and Eucalyptus camaldulensis prepared by Aqueous. Ethanol and Methanol extract preparation methods were examined for their phytochemical content by employing various reagents and methods like foam test for saponins, xanthoprotein test for proteins, Braemar’s test for tannins etc. Antibacterial activity against stored human skin flora samples was performed using the agar well diffusion assay and statistical analysis was performed using ANOVA one way analysis on Microsoft Excel 2010.Result: Each plant extract exhibited antibacterial activity and statistical analysis performed for extracts of each plant showed p value for A. indica as 0.36 (P > 0.05), for C. longa as 0.09 (P > 0.05), for M. oleifera as 0.67 (P > 0.05) and for E. camaldulensis as 0.02 (P < 0.05), which indicates significant antibacterial activity of E. camaldulensis depending on the size of zones of inhibition produced by it. Conclusion: All the extracts prepared from selected plants showed some degree of antibacterial activity against the human skin flora that can also act as opportunistic pathogen. This supports the use of traditionally used plants and herbs for fighting present day soaring health related issues as antimicrobial resistance. Study also suggests further investigations for estimating exact concentrations of extracts to be used that work efficiently in relevant cases and molecular mechanism of action of these extracts.Keywords: Skin Flora; Antibiotic Resistant; Plant Extract; Antibacterial Activity, Medicinal plants   

Craniovertebral Junctional Injuries and Management

Objective: Craniocervical junction injuries are less common. They are unique in their presentation and need specialized management. The objective was to determine diagnosis initial management and ultimate surgical procedures performed and efficacy of these procedures.Materials and Methods: A five year study from April 2003 to Oct. 2008 was conducted at department of neurosurgery unit II Lahore general hospital Lahore. A total of fifteen patients were included. All patients with upper cervical trauma with all modes of injuries were included irrespective of their age and sex. All patients were evaluated with routine X-rays cervical spine, anterioposterior, lateral and open mouth views. While dynamic views were advised only in those having osodontoideum. C.T with saggital reconstruction and MRI were performed in all patients to further augment and detect bony and soft tissue details. In all modes of injuries we maintain their airway breathing and circulation.Clinical Presentation: Out of total fifteen patients mostly were young in their twenties and thirtees, only two patients (13.33%) were below twenty and one patient (6.66%) was above fourty years. The main culprit was road traffic accident in most of patients (thirteen patients 80%) followed by fall in two patients (13.33%) and assault in one patient (6.66%). The odontoid fracture with reductable atlantoaxial instability was appeared to the most common problem in five patients (33.33%). In two patients (13.33%) transverse ligament found to be intact. In two other cases (13.33%) atlas fracture was simultaneously found. Osodontoideum detected in two patients (13.33%) while basilar invagination seen in one patient (6.66%). Irreducable atlantoaxial instability was seen in three patients (20%). Out of fifteen patients, three patients (20%) were neurologically intact, while one patient (6.66%) had complete injury. Eleven patients (73%) had partial injury.Surgical Procedures: In order to achieve stability, we performed posterior instrumentation and bony fusion in all nine reducible injury patients (60%). Atlanto axial fusion performed in seven patients (46.66%), while in two patients (13.33%) having concomitant C1 injury occipitocervical fusion was done. Initial transoral decompres-sion, prior to posterior fusion was done in all four (26.66%) non reducible injury patients. Transodontoid screw fixation was done in two patients (13.33%) having intact transverse ligament.Outcome: Overall 07 (46.66%) cases revealed excellent results all recovered without any complication. Four (26.66%) cases had some complication but recovered within 02 weeks and result was labeled as good. Two cases who had neurological deterioration, recovered slowly within 03 months. Recovery was labeled as fair. One patient who suffered neurological deterioration did not recovered and result was labeled as poor.Complications: One patient (6.66%) died after severe chest infection, although severe chest infection observed in three patients (20%). Mild wound infection and wound dehiscence seen in one patient (6.66%) each. These patients managed conservatively successfully. Neurological deterioration observed in three patients (20%), out of them two patients (13.66%) improved with 3 months

Performance evaluation of handover triggering condition estimation using mobility models in heterogeneous mobile networks

Heterogeneous networks (HetNets) refer to the communication network, consisting of different types of nodes connected through communication networks deploying diverse radio access technologies like LTE, Wi-Fi, Zigbee, and Z-wave, and using different communication protocols and operating frequencies. Vertical handover, is the process of switching a mobile device from one network type to another, such as from a cellular network to a Wi-Fi network, and is critical for ensuring a seamless user experience and optimal network performance, within the handover process handover triggering estimation is one of the crucial step affecting the overall performance. A mathematical analysis is presented for the handover triggering estimation. The performance evaluation shows significant improvement in the probability of successful handover using the proposed handover triggering condition based on speed, distance, and different mobility models. The handover triggering condition is optimised based on the speed of the mobile node, handover completion time, and the coverage range of the current and the target networks of the HetNet node, with due consideration of the mobility model

Evaluation of Raised-Bed and Conventional Irrigation Systems for Yield and Water Productivity of Wheat Crop

A study was conducted at Drainage and Reclamation Institute of Pakistan (DRIP), Tandojam in a clay loam soil. The treatments include raised-bed irrigation system (T1) and conventional irrigation system (T2). The experiment was laid down using randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. The total area under experiment for each treatment and replication was 1004.65 m2 and 334.88 m2 respectively. Groundwater quality of experimental sight was slightly saline. Results of the experiment showed that there was highly significant difference in volume of water applied, yield and water productivity of wheat crop under the raised-bed and conventional irrigation systems. Both water saving (50.73%) and water productivity (54.37%) of wheat crop was higher under raised-bed irrigation system. The raised-bed irrigation system obtained 24.65% higher yield compared to conventional irrigation system. All other parameters were also higher under the raised-bed irrigation system. Thus raised-bed irrigation system is recommended to achieve higher yield and water productivity of wheat crop and to save water particularly in a clay loam soil

Citrus Canker—Distribution, Taxonomy, Epidemiology, Disease Cycle, Pathogen Biology, Detection, and Management: A Critical Review and Future Research Agenda

Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri, a causative agent of the citrus canker (CC) disease, belongs to one of the essential groups of the bacterial phytopathogen family, Xanthomonadaceae. It has been a potential threat to the globally significant citrus fruit crop, which has remained under investigation for disease management and epidemiology since the 1980s. In Pakistan, the average yield of citrus is 11 t/ha, which is lower than other countries, including China, Brazil, and India, having average productions of 27, 26, and 22 tons/hectare, respectively. Citrus canker is one of the most devastating diseases, posing a significant threat to crop yield and fruit quality. To date, five distinct types (or forms) of the citrus canker have been recognized; the Asiatic (Canker A) form is most destructive and affects most citrus cultivars. Severe infection outcomes include dieback, defoliation, severely blemished fruit, premature fruit drop, and reduced fruit quality. The infection increases under humid, warm, cloudy climate, wind, and heavy rainfall. The analysis of plasmid and chromosomal DNA of X. citri subsp. citri depicted an evolutionary relationship among pathovars of Xanthomonas. The extensive study on the genome of X. citri subsp. citri has contributed to the current knowledge of plant host recognition of pathogens, host specificities, dissemination, and propagation. Regulatory programs, i.e., quarantine or exclusion, continued to be practiced, prohibiting infected citrus plant material into the existing stock. Other measures include removal of inoculums sources, resistant hosts, protective copper-containing sprays, and windbreak systems. In this review, we explored the latest trends in the areas of epidemiology, pathogenome, detection, host–pathogen interaction, biofilm formation, and management of X. citri subsp. citri

Regional climate assessment of precipitation and temperature in Southern Punjab (Pakistan) using SimCLIM climate model for different temporal scales

Unbalanced climate during the last decades has created spatially alarming and destructive situations in the world. Anomalies in temperature and precipitation enhance the risks for crop production in large agricultural region (especially the Southern Punjab) of Pakistan. Detailed analysis of historic weather data (1980–2011) record helped in creating baseline data to compare with model projection (SimCLIM) for regional level. Ensemble of 40 GCMs used for climatic projections with greenhouse gas (GHG) representative concentration pathways (RCP-4.5, 6.0, 8.5) was selected on the baseline comparison and used for 2025 and 2050 climate projection. Precipitation projected by ensemble and regional weather observatory at baseline showed highly unpredictable nature while both temperature extremes showed 95 % confidence level on a monthly projection. Percentage change in precipitation projected by model with RCP-4.5, RCP-6.0, and RCP-8.5 showed uncertainty 3.3 to 5.6 %, 2.9 to 5.2 %, and 3.6 to 7.9 % for 2025 and 2050, respectively. Percentage change of minimum temperature from base temperature showed that 5.1, 4.7, and 5.8 % for 2025 and 9.0, 8.1, and 12.0 % increase for projection year 2050 with RCP-4.5, 6.0, and 8.5 and maximum temperature 2.7, 2.5, and 3.0 % for 2025 and 4.7, 4.4, and 6.4 % for 2050 will be increased with RCP-4.5, 6.0, and 8.5, respectively. Uneven increase in precipitation and asymmetric increase in temperature extremes in future would also increase the risk associated with management of climatic uncertainties. Future climate projection will enable us for better risk management decisions

SARS-CoV-2 vaccination modelling for safe surgery to save lives: data from an international prospective cohort study

Background: Preoperative SARS-CoV-2 vaccination could support safer elective surgery. Vaccine numbers are limited so this study aimed to inform their prioritization by modelling. Methods: The primary outcome was the number needed to vaccinate (NNV) to prevent one COVID-19-related death in 1 year. NNVs were based on postoperative SARS-CoV-2 rates and mortality in an international cohort study (surgical patients), and community SARS-CoV-2 incidence and case fatality data (general population). NNV estimates were stratified by age (18-49, 50-69, 70 or more years) and type of surgery. Best- and worst-case scenarios were used to describe uncertainty. Results: NNVs were more favourable in surgical patients than the general population. The most favourable NNVs were in patients aged 70 years or more needing cancer surgery (351; best case 196, worst case 816) or non-cancer surgery (733; best case 407, worst case 1664). Both exceeded the NNV in the general population (1840; best case 1196, worst case 3066). NNVs for surgical patients remained favourable at a range of SARS-CoV-2 incidence rates in sensitivity analysis modelling. Globally, prioritizing preoperative vaccination of patients needing elective surgery ahead of the general population could prevent an additional 58 687 (best case 115 007, worst case 20 177) COVID-19-related deaths in 1 year. Conclusion: As global roll out of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination proceeds, patients needing elective surgery should be prioritized ahead of the general population