Heavy Metal Levels in Vegetables and Soil Cultivated with Industrial Wastewater from Different Sites of Chunian and Jamber, District, Kasur

In human diet, vegetables play important role to maintain the physiological conditions. Due to anthropogenic activities and pollution, the food items become contaminated. The present study was performed to evaluate the level of heavy metals in the vegetables irrigated with wastewater across Chunian and Jamber, district, Kasur. Level of heavy metals from the study area like Zinc, Lead and chromium in the soil, water and vegetables was compared. The four sites of each city and 10 vegetables e.g. potato, radish, carrot, fenugreek, spinach, tomato, Onion, Turnip, Cauliflower, Pangalo were selected to conduct the experiment. The vegetables were irrigated with industrial wastewater and the concentration of heavy metals was measured by the atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS). We concluded that the level of heavy metals was beyond the FAO limits in irrigated water due to industrial waste. In Jamber and Chunian, the level of Zn and Pb was high and beyond the FAO safe limits in the all water sample, the level of Cr was much higher only in the water sample of one site from Jamber. The concentration of zinc was higher in soil samples as compared to lead and chromium. Zn and Pb in vegetables of study area were labeled as priority pollutants but this concentration was within the safe limits set by FAO. However, constant inspection of heavy metals is recommended to avoid accumulation in the food chain and thus avoid human health risks. Keywords: Atomic absorption spectrophotometer, Heavy metals, Industrial wastewater, Vegetables

The dynamics of E1A in regulating networks and canonical pathways in quiescent cells

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Adenoviruses force quiescent cells to re-enter the cell cycle to replicate their DNA, and for the most part, this is accomplished after they express the E1A protein immediately after infection. In this context, E1A is believed to inactivate cellular proteins (e.g., p130) that are known to be involved in the silencing of E2F-dependent genes that are required for cell cycle entry. However, the potential perturbation of these types of genes by E1A relative to their functions in regulatory networks and canonical pathways remains poorly understood.</p> <p>Findings</p> <p>We have used DNA microarrays analyzed with Bayesian ANOVA for microarray (BAM) to assess changes in gene expression after E1A alone was introduced into quiescent cells from a regulated promoter. Approximately 2,401 genes were significantly modulated by E1A, and of these, 385 and 1033 met the criteria for generating networks and functional and canonical pathway analysis respectively, as determined by using Ingenuity Pathway Analysis software. After focusing on the highest-ranking cellular processes and regulatory networks that were responsive to E1A in quiescent cells, we observed that many of the up-regulated genes were associated with DNA replication, the cell cycle and cellular compromise. We also identified a cadre of up regulated genes with no previous connection to E1A; including genes that encode components of global DNA repair systems and DNA damage checkpoints. Among the down-regulated genes, we found that many were involved in cell signalling, cell movement, and cellular proliferation. Remarkably, a subset of these was also associated with p53-independent apoptosis, and the putative suppression of this pathway may be necessary in the viral life cycle until sufficient progeny have been produced.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>These studies have identified for the first time a large number of genes that are relevant to E1A's activities in promoting quiescent cells to re-enter the cell cycle in order to create an optimum environment for adenoviral replication.</p

Prognostic model to predict postoperative acute kidney injury in patients undergoing major gastrointestinal surgery based on a national prospective observational cohort study.

Background: Acute illness, existing co-morbidities and surgical stress response can all contribute to postoperative acute kidney injury (AKI) in patients undergoing major gastrointestinal surgery. The aim of this study was prospectively to develop a pragmatic prognostic model to stratify patients according to risk of developing AKI after major gastrointestinal surgery. Methods: This prospective multicentre cohort study included consecutive adults undergoing elective or emergency gastrointestinal resection, liver resection or stoma reversal in 2-week blocks over a continuous 3-month period. The primary outcome was the rate of AKI within 7 days of surgery. Bootstrap stability was used to select clinically plausible risk factors into the model. Internal model validation was carried out by bootstrap validation. Results: A total of 4544 patients were included across 173 centres in the UK and Ireland. The overall rate of AKI was 14·2 per cent (646 of 4544) and the 30-day mortality rate was 1·8 per cent (84 of 4544). Stage 1 AKI was significantly associated with 30-day mortality (unadjusted odds ratio 7·61, 95 per cent c.i. 4·49 to 12·90; P < 0·001), with increasing odds of death with each AKI stage. Six variables were selected for inclusion in the prognostic model: age, sex, ASA grade, preoperative estimated glomerular filtration rate, planned open surgery and preoperative use of either an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor or an angiotensin receptor blocker. Internal validation demonstrated good model discrimination (c-statistic 0·65). Discussion: Following major gastrointestinal surgery, AKI occurred in one in seven patients. This preoperative prognostic model identified patients at high risk of postoperative AKI. Validation in an independent data set is required to ensure generalizability

Antiviral Activity and Increased Host Defense against Influenza Infection Elicited by the Human Cathelicidin LL-37

The extensive world-wide morbidity and mortality caused by influenza A viruses highlights the need for new insights into the host immune response and novel treatment approaches. Cationic Host Defense Peptides (CHDP, also known as antimicrobial peptides), which include cathelicidins and defensins, are key components of the innate immune system that are upregulated during infection and inflammation. Cathelicidins have immunomodulatory and anti-viral effects, but their impact on influenza virus infection has not been previously assessed. We therefore evaluated the effect of cathelicidin peptides on disease caused by influenza A virus in mice. The human cathelicidin, LL-37, and the murine cathelicidin, mCRAMP, demonstrated significant anti-viral activity in vivo, reducing disease severity and viral replication in infected mice to a similar extent as the well-characterized influenza virus-specific antiviral drug zanamivir. In vitro and in vivo experiments suggested that the peptides may act directly on the influenza virion rather than via receptor-based mechanisms. Influenza virus-infected mice treated with LL-37 had lower concentrations of pro-inflammatory cytokines in the lung than did infected animals that had not been treated with cathelicidin peptides. These data suggest that treatment of influenza-infected individuals with cathelicidin-derived therapeutics, or modulation of endogenous cathelicidin production may provide significant protection against disease