A study was carried out to determine the anti-obesity effects of pink guava (Psidium guajava) puree in high fat diet (HFD) induced-obese rats. Thirty male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 5 groups: control negative (CN), fed normal rat pellet; control positive (CP), low, medium and high dosage group (LDG, MDG, HDG) were fed HFD, respectively. CN and CP groups were given distilled water; meanwhile treated groups were given the aqueous puree dissolved in distilled water administered orally for six weeks. The results obtained showed that pink guava puree significantly decreased the body weight and systolic blood pressure of HFD induced-obese rats as compared to control. Blood glucose values for treated groups (4.3-4.9 mmol/L) were significantly lower as compared to CN and CP (5.7 and 5.8 mmol/L) respectively. HDG showed a significant reduction in 34.47% total cholesterol (TC) levels followed by MDG (23.30%) and LDG (22.33%). Triglycerides (TG) levels for all treated groups especially HDG (43.59%) showed significant difference as compared to control. High density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) levels showed an increase in the treated group as compared to control. Low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) levels significantly decreased in HDG (69.70%), MDG (39.40%) and LDG (37.12%) as compared to control. Kidney function tests showed significant changes in urea concentrations in treated groups as compared to control. Liver function tests showed significant differences in globulin, A:G ratio, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and CK-Nac in treated groups as compared to control. Specific enzyme activities of glutathione peroxidase (GPx) was significantly higher in LDG (2787.50±266.36 U/L), MDG (2819.50±262.04 U/L) and HDG (2897.33±674.97 U/L) respectively, as compared to CN (2184.50±816.59 U/L) and CP (2610.17±61.63 U/L). Significant differences were also seen in superoxidase dismutase (SOD) activities in treated groups as compared to control. In conclusion, this study found that pink guava puree had anti-obesity properties and high enzyme activities.
Pakistan is one of the two countries where polio remains endemic. Among multiple reasons of polio prevalence, false religious beliefs are accounted as major barriers towards polio immunization in Pakistan. Within this context, religious scholars are now engaged in polio immunization campaigns to dismantle the myths and battle the resurgence of polio in Pakistan. The objective of this study was to assess knowledge, attitudes and perceived barriers of Muslim scholars towards polio immunization in Pakistan. A descriptive, cross-sectional survey of Muslim scholars was conducted in Quetta and Peshawar divisions of Pakistan. From October to December 2015, a convenience sample of 770 Muslim scholars was recruited from the local mosques and religious institutions to participate in this study. Knowledge, attitudes, and perceived barriers were assessed by using self-administered, anonymous and pretested questionnaire. Descriptive and regression analyses were used to express the results with p
The recently emerged severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) has become a significant and topmost global health challenge of today. SARS-CoV-2 can propagate through several direct or indirect means resulting in its exponential spread in short times. Consequently, finding new research based real-world and feasible solutions to interrupt the spread of pathogenic microorganisms is indispensable. It has been established that this virus can survive on a variety of available surfaces ranging from a few hours to a few days, which has increased the risk of COVID-19 spread to large populations. Currently, available surface disinfectant chemicals provide only a temporary solution and are not recommended to be used in the long run due to their toxicity and irritation. Apart from the urgent development of vaccine and antiviral drugs, there is also a need to design and develop surface disinfectant antiviral coatings for long-term applications even for new variants. The unique physicochemical properties of graphene-based nanomaterials (GBNs) have been widely investigated for antimicrobial applications. However, the research work for their use in antimicrobial surface coatings is minimal. This perspective enlightens the scope of using GBNs as antimicrobial/antiviral surface coatings to reduce the spread of transmittable microorganisms, precisely, SARS-CoV-2. This study attempts to demonstrate the synergistic effect of GBNs and metallic nanoparticles (MNPs), for their potential antiviral applications in the development of surface disinfectant coatings. Some proposed mechanisms for the antiviral activity of the graphene family against SARS-CoV-2 has also been explained. It is anticipated that this study will potentially lead to new insights and future trends to develop a framework for further investigation on this research area of pivotal importance to minimize the transmission of current and any future viral outbreaks.
Among wide range of membrane-based operations, membrane contactors, as they reify comparatively modern membrane-based mechanism are gaining quite an attention in both pilot and industrial scales. In recent literature, carbon capture is one of the most researched applications of membrane contactors. Membrane contactors have the potential to minimize the energy consumption and capital cost of traditional CO2 absorptions columns. In a membrane contactor, CO2 regeneration can take place below the solvent boiling point, resulting into lower consumption of energy. Various polymeric as well as ceramic membrane materials have been employed in gas liquid membrane contactors along with several solvents including amino acids, ammonia, amines etc. This review article provides detailed introduction of membrane contactors in terms of CO2 removal. It also discusses that the main challenge that is faced by membrane contactors is membrane pore wetting caused by solvent that in turn can reduce the mass transfer coefficient. Other potential challenges such as selection of suitable solvent and membrane pair as well as fouling are also discussed in this review and are followed by potential ways to reduce them. Furthermore, both membrane gas separation and membrane contactor technologies are analysed and compared in this study on the basis of their characteristics, CO2 separation performances and techno economical transvaluation. Consequently, this review provides an opportunity to thoroughly understand the working principle of membrane contactors along its comparison with membrane-based gas separation technology. It also provides a clear understanding of latest innovations in membrane contactor module designs as well as challenges encountered by membrane contactors along with possible solutions to overcome these challenges. Finally, semi commercial and commercial implementation of membrane contactors has been highlighted.
This international guideline proposes improving clozapine package inserts worldwide by using ancestry-based dosing and titration. Adverse drug reaction (ADR) databases suggest that clozapine is the third most toxic drug in the United States (US), and it produces four times higher worldwide pneumonia mortality than that by agranulocytosis or myocarditis. For trough steady-state clozapine serum concentrations, the therapeutic reference range is narrow, from 350 to 600 ng/mL with the potential for toxicity and ADRs as concentrations increase. Clozapine is mainly metabolized by CYP1A2 (female non-smokers, the lowest dose; male smokers, the highest dose). Poor metabolizer status through phenotypic conversion is associated with co-prescription of inhibitors (including oral contraceptives and valproate), obesity, or inflammation with C-reactive protein (CRP) elevations. The Asian population (Pakistan to Japan) or the Americas' original inhabitants have lower CYP1A2 activity and require lower clozapine doses to reach concentrations of 350 ng/mL. In the US, daily doses of 300-600 mg/day are recommended. Slow personalized titration may prevent early ADRs (including syncope, myocarditis, and pneumonia). This guideline defines six personalized titration schedules for inpatients: 1) ancestry from Asia or the original people from the Americas with lower metabolism (obesity or valproate) needing minimum therapeutic dosages of 75-150 mg/day, 2) ancestry from Asia or the original people from the Americas with average metabolism needing 175-300 mg/day, 3) European/Western Asian ancestry with lower metabolism (obesity or valproate) needing 100-200 mg/day, 4) European/Western Asian ancestry with average metabolism needing 250-400 mg/day, 5) in the US with ancestries other than from Asia or the original people from the Americas with lower clozapine metabolism (obesity or valproate) needing 150-300 mg/day, and 6) in the US with ancestries other than from Asia or the original people from the Americas with average clozapine metabolism needing 300-600 mg/day. Baseline and weekly CRP monitoring for at least four weeks is required to identify any inflammation, including inflammation secondary to clozapine rapid titration.