Pharmacological Investigation of Antioxidants and Antidiabetic Activity of Vitex Trifolia Bark In Diabetic Zebrafish Model

Both diabetes and obesity have now been deemed global epidemics. Scientists coined "diabesity", to describe this relationship, as both obesity and diabetes are on the rise. Obesity increases the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer, and many other diseases. Both diabetes and obesity are complex illnesses that can be influenced both by hereditary factors and environmental ones. In order to develop pharmacological or surgical treatment for obesity and diabetes we need more research. It is therefore essential that animal models be used to better understand diabetes or obesity, and to develop effective treatments. Zebrafish are a good model for metabolic disease research due to their functional conservatism in terms of lipid metabolism and adipose tissue, pancreas structures, glucose homeostasis, etc. It is well suited to finding new ways of treating and preventing human diseases such as diabetes. The review examines both the benefits and drawbacks of using the zebrafish model for studying the diseases associated with diabetes and obesity. This review focuses on studies which have used zebrafish to model these diseases

Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Abstract Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries

Lifestyle, Values, and the Meaning of Life

There are alternative lifestyles. We choose the one which in our opinion will help us to fulfill our voluntarily chosen purpose or meaning of our life. The paper explores the meaning of “meaning of life.” To understand the notion of meaning of life, I have made an exhaustive and critical survey of the philosophical literature of both Eastern and Western philosophy. I have argued that one finds the meaning of one’s life and fulfills it, if and only if one follows one’s true nature and does not blindly follow what others are doing

Propranolol therapy in a case of capillary hemangioma

Capillary hemangioma is one the most common tumors of eyelid and orbit reported in pediatric age group. Oral propranolol therapy is latest addition to the armamentarium of treatment options available to ophthalmologists in treating capillary hemangiomas. We report the successful response to propranolol therapy to a 5-year-old child with capillary hemangioma involving lids, orbit, and the paranasal sinuses. A long-term follow-up is necessary for the prognostic efficacy of the therapy

Effect of risk-stratified, protocol-based perioperative chemoprophylaxis on nosocomial infection rates in a series of 31 927 consecutive neurosurgical procedures (1994-2006)

Although the use of prophylactic antibiotics has been shown to significantly decrease the incidence of meningitis after neurosurgery, its effect on extra-neurosurgical-site infections has not been documented. The authors explore the effect of risk-stratified, protocol-based perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis on nosocomial infections in an audit of 31 927 consecutive routine and emergency neurosurgical procedures. Infection rates were objectively quantified by bacteriological positivity on culture of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), blood, urine, wound swab, and tracheal aspirate samples derived from patients with clinicoradiological features of sepsis. Infections were recorded as pulmonary, wound, blood, CSF, and urinary. The total numbers of hospital-acquired infections and the number of patients infected were also recorded. A protocol of perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis of variable duration stratified by patient risk factors was introduced in 2000, which was chosen as the historical turning point. The chi test was used to compare infection rates. A P value of <0.05 was considered significant. A total of 31 927 procedures were performed during the study period 1994-2006; 5171 culture-proven hospital-acquired infections (16.2%) developed in 3686 patients (11.6%). The most common infections were pulmonary (4.4%), followed by bloodstream (3.5%), urinary (3.0%), CSF (2.9%), and wound (2.5%). The incidence of positive tracheal, CSF, blood, wound, and urine cultures decreased significantly after 2000. Chemoprophylaxis, however, altered the prevalent bacterial flora and may have led to the emergence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. A risk-stratified protocol of perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis may help to significantly decrease not only neurosurgical, but also extra-neurosurgical-site body fluid bacteriological culture positivity