Elemental analysis of carrageenans isolated from Hypnea musciformis red algae of Karachi coast using SEM-EDX

The carrageenans with high molecular weight, crude and dialysed polysaccharide fractions obtained from Hypnea musciformis red algae of Karachi coast in Pakistan. The elemental composition was determined by using SEM-EDX technique which is one of the modern, reliable and accurate techniques. After analyzing multiple mineral elements were detected in different quantities. The numbers of elements found in crude extracts were greater than that in the dialysed extracts. All extracts contained the higher concentrations of C followed by O (except dialysed acidic extract). Among other elements, Cl and K were present in the highest amounts (>25.0%) in dialysed acidic extracts. However, Al was detected in low concentrations in only crude aqueous and acidic extracts. The mineral concentrations ranges were 30.34-52.46%, 17.00-43.46%, 0.63-4.05%, 0.49-3.35%, 0-0.33%, 0.74-17.92%, 0.59-25.31%, 0.58-25.46%, 1.10-6.72%, 0-2.60% for C, O, Na, Mg, Al, S, Cl, K, Ca and Zn in these crude and dialyzed extracts respectively. The study confirmed the presence of major elements such that Na, Mg, Ca, K and Zn in high quantities. However, there was no toxic element identified like Cd, Hg and Pb which show that these carrageenans are safer to utilize in food and pharmaceutical industries.

POTENTIAL TEST OF GREEN BETEL (PIPER BETLE L.) LEAF EXTRACT CREAM IN COMBINATION WITH BASIL LEAF EXTRACT (OCIMUMSANCTUM L.) AS ANTI-ACNE

Acne problem is the most common problem that many people fight for. Even though is not a dangerous thing, but that problem will make the sufferer feel unconfident. Acne vulgaris is an inflammatory disorder with blockage and accumulation of the Keratin materials that caused by Propionibacterium acnes bacteria. Now on, Herbal plant is the most selected one as an acne treatment because of the lack effect for the sufferer than a medical treatment. The plants are Basil (Ocimum sanctum L.) and green Lemongrass (Piper Betle L.). Both of them have a Saponin and Flavonoid as an antimicroba. Therefore, in this research will combine that two of the plants which is then formulated in to the cream form. The cream formulation made with 3 different concentration variances were 15%, 30% dan 45%. The type of the research is an in vitro of experimental research method. Where the cream formula making process done by manually and to measure that inhibition to Propionibacterium acnes bacteria. That in the concentration of 15% has an inhibition 20.02 mm, the concentration of 30% was 21.24 mm and the concentration of 45% was 25.05 mm. Inhibition zone > 20 mm categorized as very strong inhibition. So that, could be conclude the cream Basil Leaf Extract (Ocimum sanctum L.) in combination with Green Betle Leaf Extract (Piper Betle L.) had a potential and most effective concentration as an anti-acne was the third formulation (45% concentration) with an inhibition was 25.5 mm and categorized as a very strong inhibition to Propionibacterium acnes.

Chemical and toxicological studies on different brands of Asmad (Antimony sulphide) available in Pakistan and Saudi Arabia

Eye is the most beautiful, important and sensitive organ of human body. It is not only linked with visionary complex optical system also has the ability to differentiate among the millions of colors. The apparent human personality is also associated with it. Asmad/Antimony Sulfide/Kohl/Surma powder is one of the eye preparation has been used since ancient time. There are several aesthetic and ophthalmic preparations available for human eye and they have closed association between the aesthetic and medicinal significance such as cleansing, soothing, strengthening and anti-infectious actions along with beautifying purpose of eye. The main objective of present research is to provide scientific findings regarding beneficial and toxic effects of Asmad products available in market for the frequent users. The chemical and toxicological investigations on ten selected famous brands of Pakistan samples (PHS1, PHS2, PLS, PMS and PSS) and Saudi Arabia samples (SBS, SAS, SHS, SMS and STS) were carried out through advanced and sophisticated technique Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) linked with Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS) which is used to determine the presence different percentages of organic and inorganic elements in all the brands of Pakistani and Saudi Arabian samples. The safety and toxicity depends on the Na, Mg, Ca, K, Al, Cu, Zn, Fe, Bi, Si, O, C, S and Pb percentages respectively of the Asmad products.

Illness beliefs among patients with chronic widespread pain - associations with self-reported health status, anxiety and depressive symptoms and impact of pain

Background

Chronic widespread pain (CWP) is a disabling condition associated with a decrease in health. Illness beliefs are individual and are acquired during life. Constraining beliefs may prevent patients from regaining health. Understanding these patients’ illness beliefs may be a way to improve the health care they are offered. The aim of this study was to describe illness beliefs among patients with CWP and associations with self-reported health, anxiety and depressive symptoms, and impact of pain.

Method

In this cross-sectional study, questionnaires were sent by mail to 330 patients including socio-demographic information, the Illness Perception Questionnaire (IPQ-R), the Short-Form General Health Survey (SF-36) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, non-parametric tests and linear regression analyses.

Results

Patients experienced and related a high number of symptoms to CWP (mean (SD) 9 (3)). The patients believed their illness to be long lasting, to affect their emotional well being, and to have negative consequences for their lives. Some 72% reported having severe or very severe pain, and impact of pain according to SF-36 was negatively correlated to several illness beliefs dimensions, anxiety- and depressive symptoms. In regression analyses, the Identity, Consequences and Personal control dimensions of IPQ-R and Anxiety- and Depressive symptoms explained 32.6–56.1% of the variance in the two component scores of SF-36.

Conclusion

Constraining illness beliefs in patients with CWP are related to worse health status, especially in cases of high number of physical or mental symptoms, beliefs of negative consequences or the illness affecting them emotionally. Identification and understanding of these beliefs may reduce patients’ suffering if they are taken into consideration in rehabilitation programs and in development of new evidence-based interventions aimed at increasing health in patients with CWP.

Human platelet IgG Fc receptor FcγRIIA in immunity and thrombosis

Beyond their prominent role in hemostasis and thrombosis, platelets are increasingly recognized as having immunologic functions. Supporting this, human platelets express FcγRIIA (CD32a), a low-affinity Fc receptor (FcR) for the constant region of IgG that recognizes immune complexes (ICs) and IgG-opsonized cells with high avidity. In leukocytes, FcγRIIA engagement initiates strong effector functions that are key for immune and inflammatory responses, including cytokine release, antibody-dependent cell-mediated killing of pathogens, and internalization of ICs. However, the physiologic relevance of platelet-expressed FcγRIIA has received little attention in previous reviews on FcRs. This article summarizes and discusses the available information on human platelet FcγRIIA. The importance of this receptor in heparin-induced thrombocytopenia, a prothrombotic adverse drug effect, is well documented. However, studies demonstrating platelet activation by IgG-opsonized bacteria point to the physiologic relevance of platelet FcγRIIA in immunity. In this context, platelet activation and secretion may facilitate both a direct antimicrobial function of platelets and crosstalk with other immune cells. Additionally, a role for platelet FcγRIIA in IgG-independent hemostasis and physiologic thrombosis, by means of amplifying integrin αII b β3 outside-in signaling, has also been proposed. Nonetheless, the thrombotic complications found in some infective and autoimmune diseases may result from unbalanced FcγRIIA-mediated platelet aggregation. Moreover, FcγRIIA is not expressed in mice, and thrombocytopenia and/or thrombotic events found after drug administration can only be recapitulated by the use of human FcγRIIA-transgenic mice. Altogether, the available data support a functional role for platelet FcγRIIA in health and disease, and emphasize the need for further investigation of this receptor.

Glycoprotein Ibα and FcγRIIa play key roles in platelet activation by the colonizing bacterium, Streptococcus oralis

BACKGROUND

Infective endocarditis (IE) is characterized by thrombus formation on a cardiac valve. The oral bacterium, Streptococcus oralis, is recognized for its ability to colonize damaged heart valves and is frequently isolated from patients with IE. Platelet interaction with S. oralis leads to the development of a thrombotic vegetation on heart valves, which results in valvular incompetence and congestive heart failure.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the mechanism through which platelets become activated upon binding S. oralis.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Platelet interactions with immobilized bacteria under shear conditions were assessed using a parallel flow chamber. S. oralis-inducible platelet reactivity was determined using light transmission aggregometry. Dense granule secretion was measured by luminometry using a luciferin/luciferase assay.

RESULTS

Using shear rates that mimic physiological conditions, we demonstrated that S. oralis was able to support platelet adhesion under venous (50-200 s(-1) ) and arterial shear conditions (800 s(-1) ). Platelets rolled along immobilized S. oralis through an interaction with GPIbα. Following rolling, platelet microaggregate formation was observed on immobilized S. oralis. Aggregate formation was dependent on S. oralis binding IgG, which cross-links to platelet FcγRIIa. This interaction led to phosphorylation of the ITAM domain on FcγRIIa, resulting in dense granule secretion, amplification through the ADP receptor and activation of RAP1, culminating in platelet microaggregate formation.

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest a model of interaction between S. oralis and platelets that leads to the formation of a stable septic vegetation on damaged heart valves.

Self-reported health and physical activity among community mental healthcare users

The aim of the study was to survey the self-reported health and physical activity in a sample of community mental healthcare users in a city of Sweden. The study was conducted through a cross-sectional design with participants requested to fill out a self-report questionnaire. Participants (n = 103) were persons with psychiatric disabilities living in residential psychiatric settings and/or participating in daily activities provided by community mental healthcare services. The results showed that the group is affected with serious risk factors, such as high body mass index, low rated extent and frequency of physical activity and low self-estimated general state of health. Even though some difficulties associated with the answering process of this questionnaire emerged, these self-reported results clearly confirm the fact that persons with psychiatric disabilities constitute a vulnerable group in need for health-promoting caring activities and interventions.

LC-ESI-MS characterisation of phytoalexins induced in chickpea and pea tissues in response to a biotic elicitor of Hypnea musciformis (red algae)

A simple extraction procedure and HPLC method was developed to analyse the major and minor components of induced phytoalexins of elicited tissues (seeds) of chickpeas (Cicer arietinum L.) and peas (Pisum sativum L.) treated with a biotic elicitor (k-carrageenan) of Hypnea musciformis (red algae) from the Karachi coast. The level and timing of the induced phytoalexin production were estimated on the basis of various elicitor dilutions and as a function of time; the results are presented and discussed. A LC-ESI-MS/MS technique has been employed for the detection and characterisation of the induced phytochemical components (flavonoids and their glyco-conjugates). Nine flavonoids were identified from chickpeas: naringin, naringin malonate, liquiritigenin, naringenin, biochanin A, daidzein, formononetin, maackiain and medicarpin, while five flavonoids were identified from peas: afrormosin, anhydropisatin, pisatin, pseudobaptigenin and maackiain. These compounds play a vital role as phytoalexins because of their antimicrobial activity.

A longitudinal study on women?s experiences of life with breast cancer in anthroposophical (complementary) and conventional care

Earlier findings in different care settings have revealed that women with breast cancer admitted to anthroposophical clinics (complementary care) initially had lower quality of life scores compared with those in conventional care, but that the scores after 1 year increased significantly. The anthroposophical hospital in this study offers integrated conventional and anthroposophical healthcare therapies. The present study examines experiences of life among women with breast cancer during the 1-year follow-up of the original study. A second aim was to seek profiles of differences between 37 matched pairs of women with breast cancer. The mean age of the women was 48 years, and 17 of the 37 pairs had a local limited disease, whereas 20 pairs had an advanced disease. The findings highlight seven themes of described meaning. Important changes noticed after 1 year were an appreciation of the beauty of life, experiences of threat, introspection into self and meaning of life, and changes in the body. The experience of being stronger constitutes being existentially demanded, including weakness, vulnerability and strength. Some differences in profiles were noticed after 1 year, in that the group that received anthroposophical care seemed to be more orientated towards personal growth and meaning of life, whereas the matching group was more orientated towards external activities and bodily changes.

Optical coherence microscopy for the evaluation of a tissue-engineered artificial cornea

A transparent artificial cornea derived from biological material is the ultimate goal of corneal research. Attempts at artificial corneal constructs produced from synthetic polymers have proved unsuccessful due to lack of biocompatibility and ability to integrate into the tissue. We have designed a corneal model derived from collagenous biological materials that has several advantages: it has low antigenicity and therefore small chance of eliciting an immune reaction, it can be broken down by the body's own cells and gradually replaced over time by natural materials, and it may contain signaling information for native cells, thereby inducing normal phenotype and behavior. In addition, a transparent corneal model has the potential to be used for testing of novel ophthalmic drugs or gene therapy approaches, eliminating the need for animal testing. We have used an optical coherence microscope (OCM) to evaluate both the structure of our tissue constructs over time in culture and the optical properties of the tissue itself. This imaging technique promises to be an important diagnostic tool in our efforts to understand the influence of mechanical forces, cell phenotype, and soluble factors on the transparency of corneal tissue.

Living with breast cancer - a challenge to expansive and creative forces

The aim of this qualitative case study is to obtain a deeper and more profound understanding of the life world of women living with breast cancer focusing particularly on changes in life perspective. The study is based on a series of interviews carried out within the space of one year and involving four women with breast cancer; each woman was interviewed four times. The participants were between 42 and 54 years of age; three of the four interviewed were in an advanced stage, with metastasis or recurrent breast cancer. There was an increased awareness of the relationship between life and death, which constituted a disclosure rather than an actual change in life perspective. The four women were 'opening up' to the beauty and the essentials in life and experienced an increased desire to live their life in accordance with their own values. Their revitalized view of life increased their desire for authenticity. When it proved impossible to live in accordance with new insights the women were particularly frustrated. From a caring perspective our findings suggest that an awareness of patients' increased openness to their own needs and desires is an important resource in the healing and rehabilitative process of breast cancer patients. The paradoxes and the struggles involved disguise a hidden potential for health.

Perceived quality of life and coping for Swedish women with breast cancer who choose complementary medicine

The aim of the present study, which is part of a major clinical controlled study of the life situation of women with breast cancer, was to compare two groups of women concerning perceived quality of life and coping. The women were treated in two different cancer treatment programs: complementary treatment, which included anthroposophic therapy, and conventional cancer treatment. A total of 120 women were included, 60 women treated with anthroposophic medicine, and 60 individually matched women treated with conventional medicine only. Quality of life was measured by the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer, Quality of Life Questionnaire, Core 30, and the Life Satisfaction Questionnaire. Coping was measured by the Mental Adjustment to Cancer scale. The results showed that the women who chose anthroposophic therapy perceived their quality of life to be lower on admission to the hospital and showed more anxious preoccupation than the women in conventional medicine. It can be concluded that, due to the careful matching procedure, the women in the two groups are comparable in a medical sense but not from the perspective of quality of life and coping.

Indications of change in life perspective among women with breast cancer admitted to complementary care

In this study, qualitative content analysis was used in order to understand the reported changes of life perspective in interviews with 59 women with breast cancer who were admitted to complementary care. The aim of this research was to study women's perceived consequences as well as perceived causes of breast cancer and to explore aspects of importance to the women. The material was collected in semistructured interviews from women with breast cancer at different stages of the disease. The women received complementary care at an anthroposophic clinic in Sweden. Findings showed that these women's view of their relationships with others grew more valuable. Their self-confidence and experience of strength improved, and they regarded life as being more enriched. A change in their disposition towards becoming more fragile and low-spirited was experienced as a hardship by the women. An interesting finding was that the patients described the aetiology of the disease from several interacting perspectives, which also affected their ideas of how to achieve well-being and health. The findings support the view that changes of both benefit and harm are present in the experience of breast cancer.

Residues Y429 and Y463 of the human CD5 are targeted by protein tyrosine kinases

The human CD5 lymphocyte cell surface co-receptor modulates activation and differentiation responses mediated by the antigen-specific receptor of T and B cells. CD5 is phosphorylated following lymphocyte activation; however, the exact sites and kinases involved are yet to be determined. Jurkat T cell transfectants expressing tyrosine-mutated CD5 molecules have been used to show that residues Y429 and Y463 are targeted in vivo by protein tyrosine kinases following cell stimulation with anti-CD3 mAb or pervanadate. This is in agreement with data from direct in vitro kinase assays using purified recombinant Lck and Fyn protein tyrosine kinases. The analysis of Lck- and CD3-deficient Jurkat cells shows that tyrosine phosphorylation of CD5 requires Lck activity. We propose that T cell activation mediates CD5 tyrosine phosphorylation at residues Y429 and Y463 mainly through the activation of Lck.

Identification of a novel single-nucleotide polymorphism (Val554Ile) and definition of eight common alleles for human IL4RA exon 11

The interleukin (IL)-4 receptor alpha chain gene (IL4RA) is a polymorphic gene which is reportedly involved in the development of atopy. Of the 14 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) reported to date in the coding region of IL4RA, 11 are positioned to exon 11. This big exon encodes more than two thirds of the mature protein, including most of the cytoplasmic region. Here we report the identification of a new IL4RA SNP at the first nucleotide of codon 554 (GTA --> ATA) in exon 11, leading to an amino acid substitution from Val to Ile (V554I). Furthermore, we present complete nucleotide sequence data for eight common alleles resulting from combinations of 9 out of the 12 SNP at IL4RA exon 11. Homo- or heterozygous combinations of these eight alleles accounted for all the IL4RA exon 11 genotypes found in Caucasian individuals from our geographical area.

Role of two conserved cytoplasmic threonine residues (T410 and T412) in CD5 signaling

CD5 is a transmembrane coreceptor that modulates activation and differentiation signals mediated by the Ag-specific receptor present on both T and B1a lymphocytes. CD5 lacks intrinsic catalytic activity, and its immunomodulatory properties result from intracellular interactions mediated by the CD5 cytoplasmic tail. The nature of these interactions is currently a matter of investigation. Here, we present a selective mutagenesis analysis of two conserved threonine residues (T410 and T412) located at the membrane-proximal cytoplasmic region of CD5. These residues are contained within consensus phosphorylation motifs for protein kinase C and are shown here to be critical for in vivo protein kinase C-mediated phosphorylation of CD5. Functional studies revealed that the integrity of T410 and T412 is also critical for CD5-mediated phosphatidylcholine-specific phospholipase C (PC-PLC) activation and phorbol ester-mediated inhibition of Ab-induced internalization of CD5. These results strongly argue in favor of a role for T410 and T412 in the signaling mediated by CD5.

Genomic organization of the human CD5 gene

CD5 is a member of the family of receptors which contain extracellular domains homologous to the type I macrophage scavenger receptor cysteine-rich (SRCR) domain. Here, we compare the exon/intron organization of the human CD5 gene with its mouse homologue, as well as with the human CD6 gene, the closest related member of the SRCR superfamily. The human CD5 gene spans about 24.5 kb and consists of at least 11 exons. These exons are conserved in size, number, and structure in the mouse CD5 homologue. No evidence for the biallelic polymorphism reported in the mouse could be found among a population of 100 individuals of different ethnic origins. The human CD5 gene maps to the Chromosome (Chr) 11q12.2 region, 82 kb downstream from the human CD6 gene, in a head-to-tail orientation, a situation which recalls that reported at mouse Chr 19. The exon/intron organization of the human CD5 and CD6 genes was very similar, differing in the size of intron 1 and the number of exons coding for their cytoplasmic regions. While several isoforms, resulting from alternative splicing of the cytoplasmic exons, have been reported for CD6, we only found evidence of a cytoplasmic tailless CD5 isoform. The conserved structure of the CD5 and CD6 loci, both in mouse and human genomes, supports the notion that the two genes may have evolved from duplication of a primordial gene. The existence of a gene complex for the SRCR superfamily on human Chr 11q (and mouse Chr 19) still remains to be disclosed.

Primary fibromyalgia and allergy

Primary fibromyalgia (PF) has attracted much interest since the 80's. There are many controversies as to whether it is a true disease or not and many studies are carried on. In this study 32 patients which were accepted as PF were examined for some frequent symptoms and allergy and compared with controls. Migraine, irritable bowel syndrome, sleep disturbance and morning stiffness were investigated and found to be 40.6%, 12.5%, 71.9%, 68.8% respectively. Sleep disturbance and morning stiffness showed a positive correlation. Allergy background of PF patients was found frequently when compared with an age and sex matched control group. Though serum IgE levels were found elevated in PF group, they were not statistically significant. Allergic skin tests which could not be performed in the control group, were positive in 10 of 15 PF patients.

Neutrophil, monocyte and lymphocyte locomotion in rheumatic fever and rheumatoid arthritis

Neutrophil, monocyte and lymphocyte chemotaxis was investigated in 19 patients with active rheumatic fever (10 with carditis), in 15 patients with rheumatoid arthritis and in 20 healthy, age-matched controls. Chemotaxis assays were repeated in the rheumatic fever patients on the fifth day of therapy and two weeks after remission. Neutrophil and monocyte chemotaxis was found to be significantly decreased in the rheumatoid arthritis patients when compared with the controls and rheumatic fever patients. In contrast, neutrophil chemotactic activity was significantly higher in the rheumatic fever patients when compared with the healthy controls. Monocyte and lymphocyte chemotaxis in patients with rheumatic fever was not significantly different when compared with the controls. Neutrophil, monocyte and lymphocyte locomotion was found to be significantly decreased on the fifth day of salicylic acid or prednisolone treatment.