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Fulltext The antioxidant activity, preliminary phytochemical screening of Zingiber zerumbet and antimicrobial efficacy against selective endodontic bacteria

Assiry AA, Ahmed N, Almuaddi A, Saif A, Alshahrani MA, Mohamed RN, et al.

Food Sci Nutr, 2023 Aug;11(8):4853-4860.
PMID: 37576053 DOI: 10.1002/fsn3.3462

Antibiotic resistance is rising across the world. For a very long time, bitter ginger (Zingiber zerumbet) has been used as one of the most popular herbal remedies to treat a wide range of common diseases. Ginger has been shown to have antioxidant and antibacterial activity. It has various bioactive chemicals that might be utilized as an alternative treatment option for many infectious diseases. The present study aimed to examine the biochemical profile of ginger, antioxidant, and antibacterial activity against selective endodontic microbes. Antioxidant was measured using DPPH and antibacterial activity was performed using disk diffusion tests. Streptococcus mutants, Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus spp., and Lactobacillus spp. were tested for antibacterial activity. Before evaluating the dried extracts, all solvents were eliminated using rotary evaporation. The obtained IC50 value revealed that ethanol extract had the greatest antioxidant activity. Concerning each bacterium, the plant extracts demonstrated considerable antibacterial activity (p = .001). Ethanol extracts showed the strongest antibacterial activity against the studied microorganisms. This study highlights that the Zingiber zerumbet (Z. zerumbet) is a strong antibacterial herb against multidrug-resistant (MDR) gram-positive bacteria. It may also be employed as a possible natural antioxidant source.
Fulltext Oral health related quality of life and the prevalence of ageusia and xerostomia in active and recovered COVID-19 Patients

Saleem MKM, Lal A, Ahmed N, Abbasi MS, Vohra F, Abduljabbar T

PeerJ, 2023;11:e14860.
PMID: 36908817 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.14860

BACKGROUND: Salivary disturbance is associated with patients who either have an active coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) or have recovered from coronavirus infection along with loss of taste sensation. In addition, COVID-19 infection can drastically compromise quality of life of individuals.
OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to analyze xerostomia, ageusia and the oral health impact in coronavirus disease-19 patients utilizing the Xerostomia Inventory scale-(XI) and the Oral Health Impact Profile-14.
METHODS: In this cross-sectional survey-based study, data was collected from 301 patients who suffered and recovered from COVID-19. Using Google Forms, a questionnaire was developed and circulated amongst those who were infected and recovered from coronavirus infection. The Xerostomia Inventory (XI) and Oral Health Impact Profile-14 were used to assess the degree and quality of life. A paired T-test and Chi-square test were used to analyze the effect on xerostomia inventory scale-(XI) and OHIP-14 scale scores. A p-value of 0.05 was considered as statistically significant.
RESULTS: Among 301 participants, 54.8% were females. The prevalence of xerostomia in participants with active COVID-19 disease was 39.53% and after recovery 34.88%. The total OHIP-14 scores for patients in the active phase of infection was 12.09, while 12.68 in recovered patients. A significant difference was found between the mean scores of the xerostomia inventory scale-11 and OHIP-14 in active and recovered COVID patients.
CONCLUSION: A higher prevalence of xerostomia was found in COVID-19 infected patients (39.53%) compared to recovered patients (34.88%). In addition, more than 70% reported aguesia. COVID-19 had a significantly higher compromising impact on oral function of active infected patients compared to recovered patients.
Fulltext Current Trends in Fixed Prosthodontics Education in Undergraduate Dental Colleges

Lone MA, Iqbal UA, Lone MM, Adnan S, Heboyan A, Ahmed N, et al.

J Med Educ Curric Dev, 2023;10:23821205231193282.
PMID: 37614332 DOI: 10.1177/23821205231193282

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to explore current trends in undergraduate fixed prosthodontics teaching at undergraduate dental level education.
METHODS: This cross-sectional descriptive study included close-ended questions to inquire about the teaching practices of fixed prosthodontics at Bachelor of Dental Surgery level education. Electronic copies of the survey forms were sent to the heads or directors of department of prosthodontics responsible for undergraduate dental students teaching and learning in various institutes of Sindh by the help of Google forms in December 2020. The form included questions on sociodemographic details and questions inquiring the theoretical and clinical teaching practices in undergraduate fixed prosthodontics course. Data was entered and analyzed using SPSS 25. Frequency distribution and percentages of categorical variables were recorded.
RESULTS: Out of total 18 dental institutes of Sindh, 15 returned the completely filled form, giving a response rate of 83.3%. Seven (46.7%) schools teach various fixed prosthesis in the preclinical years to their students. All 15 colleges carry out didactic teaching and provide exposure by live clinical demonstrations for various fixed prosthesis. Faculty of 12 (80%) dental colleges where fixed prostheses are being constructed in the dental outpatient department mentioned that their students observe or assist the clinical procedures during their clinical rotation; but none of the students fabricate any type of fixed prosthesis in the clinical setting during their undergraduate years.
CONCLUSION: Didactic teaching and live clinical demonstrations of fixed prosthodontics is being carried out in all dental colleges of Sindh. Almost half of the dental schools teach crown preparation on phantom teeth during their preclinical course. Contrary to this, none of the students fabricate any type of fixed prosthesis in the clinical setting during their undergraduate years. As these procedures are not included in the current undergraduate curriculum, recommendations should be forwarded to governing educational body of the country to include cases of fixed prosthesis in their skill set prior to their graduation.
Fulltext Oral Health Status in Marfan Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of 353 Cases

Alam MK, Alfawzan AA, Shrivastava D, Srivastava KC, Alswairki HJ, Mussallam S, et al.

Int J Environ Res Public Health, 2022 Apr 21;19(9).
PMID: 35564443 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19095048

This meta-analysis aimed to compare Marfan syndrome (MFS) patients with non-MFS populations based on orofacial health status to combine publicly available scientific information while also improving the validity of primary study findings. A comprehensive search was performed in the following databases: PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, Medline, and Web of Science, for articles published between 1 January 2000 and 17 February 2022. PRISMA guidelines were followed to carry out this systematic review. We used the PECO system to classify people with MFS based on whether or not they had distinctive oral health characteristics compared to the non-MFS population. The following are some examples of how PECO is used: P denotes someone who has MFS; E stands for a medical or genetic assessment of MFS; C stands for people who do not have MFS; and O stands for the orofacial characteristics of MFS. Using the Newcastle-Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale, independent reviewers assessed the articles' methodological quality and extracted data. Four case-control studies were analyzed for meta-analysis. Due to the wide range of variability, we were only able to include data from at least three previous studies. There was a statistically significant difference in bleeding on probing and pocket depth between MFS and non-MFS subjects. MFS patients are more prone to periodontal tissue inflammation due to the activity of FBN1 and MMPs. Early orthodontic treatment is beneficial for the correction of a narrow upper jaw and a high palate, as well as a skeletal class II with retrognathism of the lower jaw and crowding of teeth.
Effect of cell density on the biological titer and yield of 146S fraction of foot-and-mouth disease virus O in cell suspension

Rizvi A, Hussain N, Anjum AA, Ahmed N, Naeem A, Khan M, et al.

J Virol Methods, 2022 Feb;300:114379.
PMID: 34826516 DOI: 10.1016/j.jviromet.2021.114379

Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is a highly infectious disease of cattle and other cloven-hoofed animals, causing huge economic losses annually worldwide. This disease is endemic in Pakistan where the serotypes of the foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) are A, O and ASIA-1. At present, trivalent FMDV vaccines are being used to prevent FMD but the current production process is laborious and is unable to fulfill the needs of the meat and dairy industries. To meet the vaccine needs of Pakistan, the conventional method of using adherent cell lines to produce the vaccine could be replaced by suspension cell cultures which produce higher yields in less time and less volume. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate and optimize some of the factors that affect viable cell density and subsequent virus yield. The relationship between the yield of the 146S fraction and the TCID50 of the virus preparations obtained was also evaluated as a mean to control and check the quality of the vaccine product. The results provided optimized conditions for vaccine production using cell suspensions and showed that there was a linear relationship between TCID50 and 146S fraction yield. Either TCID50 or the 146S fraction yield, or both could be used as parameters for quality monitoring during vaccine production. Using TCID50 reduced the number of steps involved in virus production while measuring 146S fraction yield was useful for quality control. However, more studies are required to evaluate the relative effectiveness of vaccines produced by virus cultures using either TCID50 or 146S fraction as quality monitoring tools.
Tumor Targeting via siRNA-COG3 to Suppress Tumor Progression in Mice and Inhibit Cancer Metastasis and Angiogenesis in Ovarian Cancer Cell Lines

Ijabi J, Ijabi R, Roozehdar P, Kaminsky ZA, Moradi-Sardareh H, Tehranian N, et al.

Microrna, 2024 Jan 17.
PMID: 38243930 DOI: 10.2174/0122115366275856240101083442

BACKGROUND: The COG complex is implicated in the tethering of retrograde intra-Golgi vesicles, which involves vesicular tethering and SNAREs. SNARE complexes mediate the inva-sion and metastasis of cancer cells through MMPs which activate growth factors for ECM frag-ments by binding to integrin receptors. Increasing MMPs is in line with YKL40 since YKL40 is linked to promoting angiogenesis through VEGF and can increase ovarian cancer (OC) resistance to chemotropic and cell migration.
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is an assessment of siRNA-COG3 on proliferation, invasion, and apoptosis of OC cells. In addition, siRNA-COG3 may prevent the growth of OC cancer in mice with tumors.
METHODS: Primary OC cell lines will be treated with siRNA-COG3 to assay YKL40 and identified angiogenesis by Tube-like structure formation in HOMECs. The Golgi morphology was analyzed using Immunofluorescence microscopy. Furthermore, the effects of siRNA-COG3 on the prolifer-ation and apoptosis of cells were evaluated using MTT and TUNEL assays. Clones of the HOSEpiC OC cell line were subcutaneously implanted in FVB/N mice. Mice were treated after two weeks of injection of cells using siRNA-COG3. Tumor development suppression was detected by D-luciferin. RT-PCR and western blotting analyses were applied to determine COG3, MT1-MMP, SNAP23, and YKL40 expression to investigate the effects of COG3 gene knockdown.
RESULTS: siRNA-COG3 exhibited a substantial effect in suppressing tumor growth in mice. It dra-matically reduced OC cell proliferation and triggered apoptosis (all p < 0.01). Inhibition of COG3, YKL-40, and MT1-MPP led to suppression of angiogenesis and reduction of microvessel density through SNAP23 in OC cells.
CONCLUSION: Overall, by knockdown of the COG3 gene, MT1-MMP and YKL40 were dropped, leading to suppressed angiogenesis along with decreasing migration and proliferation. SiRNA-COG3 may be an ideal agent to consider for clinical trial assessment therapy for OC, especially when an antiangiogenic SNAR-pathway targeting drug.
Gefitinib as first line therapy in Malaysian patients with EGFR mutation-positive non-small-cell lung cancer: A single-center retrospective study

Abdullah MM, Bhat A, Mohamed AK, Ching FY, Ahmed N, Gantotti S

Oncol Lett, 2016 Apr;11(4):2757-2762.
PMID: 27073548

The present retrospective, single-center study evaluated the objective response rate (ORR) and progression-free survival (PFS) of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation-positive Malaysian patients with advanced lung adenocarcinoma treated with gefitinib. During May 2008 to July 2013, 33 patients with Stage IV, EGFR mutation-positive non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) were identified and received gefitinib (250 mg) as first line treatment. The primary and secondary end points were ORR, PFS and safety, respectively. A total of 18 (54.5%) and 2 (6.1%) patients achieved partial response (PR) and complete response (CR) to gefitinib therapy, respectively, yielding an ORR of 60.6% (95% CI, 42.1-77.1%). Patients with exon 20 or 21 mutations (n=6, 66.7%) tended to have better ORR compared with exon 19 (n=22, 59.1%). The median PFS was 8.9 months in Malaysian patients with EGFR mutation-positive NSCLC, treated with gefitinib. The majority of treatment-related toxicity was mild in nature. The most frequently reported adverse events included dry skin (39.4%), skin rash (27.2%), and dermatitis acneiform (15.2%). In conclusion, Malaysian patients with locally advanced and metastatic EGFR mutation-positive NSCLC responded favorably to gefitinib therapy in terms of ORR, median PFS, and tolerability, the results of which were consistent with those of the IPASS study conducted in an Asian population. Considering the efficacy and safety profile of gefitinib, it is a favorable option for the first-line treatment of Malaysian patients with EGFR mutation-positive NSCLC. However, future long-term studies in a larger population of Malaysian patients are required to support whether the prolonged PFS conferred by gefitinib will translate into prolonged overall survival.
Fulltext Geochemical and mineralogical characteristics of shales from the early to middle Permian Dohol Formation in Peninsular Malaysia: Implications for organic matter enrichment, provenance, tectonic setting, palaeoweathering and paleoclimate

Rashid A, Siddiqui NA, Ahmed N, Wahid A, Jamil M, Sankoh AA, et al.

Heliyon, 2024 Mar 30;10(6):e27553.
PMID: 38524595 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e27553

The early to middle Permian Dohol Formation is characterized by a significant presence of shale deposits. While these shales exhibit a low potential to generate hydrocarbons, there is a need to ascertain the possible reasons for the low hydrocarbon generation potential. Also, there are several unidentified properties and attributes associated with these shales in terms of their inorganic geochemical characteristics and their mineralogy. This study is focused on using XRF, ICPMS, and SEM with EDX to determine the mineralogical and geochemical characteristics of these shales and use these data to discuss their provenance history and tectonic setting and interpret the paleoclimatic and paleoweathering conditions. The inorganic geochemical analysis shows that the shales from the Dohol Formation are from a felsic igneous source. The shales were also identified to be from a passive margin based on the bivariate plot of SiO2 vs log (K2O/Na2O) and several multidimensional diagram plots. The CIA and CIW data, as well as the A-CN-K plot, all point to a significant degree of chemical weathering, ranging from mild to intense. The Sr/Cu ratio and C-value, combined with various other geochemical proxies, indicate that the shales were formed in warm-humid climatic conditions. The SEM analysis shows that the samples are mainly composed of kaolinite and illite, and this result was supported by the EDX elemental composition. The high terrigenous influx of sediments, the oxic to sub-oxic conditions in which the sediments were deposited, and finally low marine productivity were found to be the reasons for the low TOC in the shales from the Dohol Formation.
Development, optimization and characterization of cisplatin loaded cubosomes for human lung carcinoma

Umar H, Wahab HA, Ahmed N, Fujimura NA, Amjad MW, Bukhari SNA, et al.

Drug Dev Ind Pharm, 2024 Mar 20.
PMID: 38451066 DOI: 10.1080/03639045.2024.2326043

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to develop, optimize and evaluate glyceryl monooleate (GMO) based cubosomes as a drug delivery system containing cisplatin for treatment of human lung carcinoma.
SIGNIFICANCE: The significance of this research was to successfully incorporate slightly water soluble and potent anticancer drug (cisplatin) into cubosomes, which provide slow and sustained release of drug for longer period of time.
METHODS: The delivery system was developed through top-down approach by melting GMO and poloxamer 407 (P407) at 70 °C and then drop-wise addition of warm deionized water (70 °C) containing cisplatin. The formulation then exposed to probe sonicator for about 2 min. A randomized regular two level full factorial design with help of Design Expert was used for optimization of blank cubosomal formulations. Cisplatin loaded cubosomes were then subjected to physico-chemical characterization.
RESULTS: The characterization of the formulation revealed that it had a sufficient surface charge of -9.56 ± 1.33 mV, 168.25 ± 5.73 nm particle size, and 60.64 ± 0.11% encapsulation efficiency. The in vitro release of cisplatin from the cubosomes at pH 7.4 was observed to be sustained, with 94.5% of the drug being released in 30 h. In contrast, 99% of cisplatin was released from the drug solution in just 1.5 h. In vitro cytotoxicity assay was conducted on the human lung carcinoma NCI-H226 cell line, the cytotoxicity of cisplatin-loaded cubosomes was relative to that of pure cisplatin solution, while blank (without cisplatin) cubosomes were nontoxic.
CONCLUSIONS: The obtained results demonstrated the successful development of cubosomes for sustained delivery of cisplatin.
Fulltext Genome anatomy of the gastrointestinal pathogen, Vibrio parahaemolyticus of crustacean origin

Tiruvayipati S, Bhassu S, Kumar N, Baddam R, Shaik S, Gurindapalli AK, et al.

Gut Pathog, 2013 Dec 11;5(1):37.
PMID: 24330647 DOI: 10.1186/1757-4749-5-37

Vibrio parahaemolyticus, an important human pathogen, is associated with gastroenteritis and transmitted through partially cooked seafood. It has become a major concern in the production and trade of marine food products. The prevalence of potentially virulent and pathogenic V. parahaemolyticus in raw seafood is of public health significance. Here we describe the genome sequence of a V. parahaemolyticus isolate of crustacean origin which was cultured from prawns in 2008 in Selangor, Malaysia (isolate PCV08-7). The next generation sequencing and analysis revealed that the genome of isolate PCV08-7 has closest similarity to that of V. parahaemolyticus RIMD2210633. However, there are certain unique features of the PCV08-7 genome such as the absence of TDH-related hemolysin (TRH), and the presence of HU-alpha insertion. The genome of isolate PCV08-7 encodes a thermostable direct hemolysin (TDH), an important virulence factor that classifies PCV08-7 isolate to be a serovariant of O3:K6 strain. Apart from these, we observed that there is certain pattern of genetic rearrangements that makes V. parahaemolyticus PCV08-7 a non-pandemic clone. We present detailed genome statistics and important genetic features of this bacterium and discuss how its survival, adaptation and virulence in marine and terrestrial hosts can be understood through the genomic blueprint and that the availability of genome sequence entailing this important Malaysian isolate would likely enhance our understanding of the epidemiology, evolution and transmission of foodborne Vibrios in Malaysia and elsewhere.
Experimental study and theoretical prediction of mechanical properties of ultra-high-performance concrete incorporated with nanorice husk ash burning at different temperature treatments

Mostafa SA, Ahmed N, Almeshal I, Tayeh BA, Elgamal MS

Environ Sci Pollut Res Int, 2022 Oct;29(50):75380-75401.
PMID: 35655017 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-20779-w

This research aimed to investigate the effect of nanorice husk ash (NRHA) prepared using different thermal treatment methods on ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) behaviour. NRHA was prepared by two methods: (1) burning for 3 h at 300, 500, 700 and 900 °C and (2) burning for different durations (9, 7, 5 and 3 h) at 300, 500, 700 and 900 °C. NRHA was added to UHPC to make 25 mixtures with three dosages (1%, 3% and 5%). Density, compressive strength, tensile strength, flexure strength and ultrasonic pulse velocity tests were performed at the experimental level. Moreover, full microstructure analysis, including X-ray diffractometry, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area analysis, thermogravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, was performed. The best performances in in the first method (constant duration, different temperatures) were obtained by 1% NRHA burned at 900 °C with 12.5% compressive strength and 1% NRHA burned at 700 °C with increased ratio (10%). Moreover, the best performance in the second method (different burning durations and temperatures) was obtained by 3% NRHA with a ratio of 22.5% at 700 °C for 5 h. Burning rice husk ash improved the compressive strength. It also remarkably improved the splitting tensile strength and flexure strength by 32% and 47%, respectively, at 3% NRHA treated at 700 °C for 3 h. The microstructural analysis showed the efficient role of NRHA in the compactness of concrete sections. It improved the formation of new calcium silicate hydrate gel; decreased the cracks, voids, CaCO3 and Ca(OH)2; and increased the Ca/Si composition. The obtained experimental results were used to build an artificial neural network (ANN) to predict UHPC properties. The ANN model was used as a validation tool to determine the correlation between results. Results showed a remarkable improvement in the mechanical properties of UHPC incorporating NRHA for all mixtures. The ANN model indicated a reliable correlation between input and output variables. The R2 values for the training, validation and testing steps were all 0.99.
Anti-nociceptive mechanisms of flavonoids-rich methanolic extract from Terminalia coriacea (Roxb.) Wight & Arn. leaves

Ali Khan MS, Ahmed N, Misbah, Arifuddin M, Zakaria ZA, Al-Sanea MM, et al.

Food Chem Toxicol, 2018 May;115:523-531.
PMID: 29555329 DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2018.03.021

In view of the report on anti-nociceptive activity of Leathery Murdah, Terminalia coriacea {Roxb.} Wight & Arn. (Combretaceae) leaves, the present study was conducted to isolate the active constituents and identify the underlying mechanisms. The methanolic extract of T. coriacea leaves (TCLME) at doses 125, 250 and 500 mg/kg orally, was subjected to various in-vivo assays in acetic acid induced writhing and formalin induced paw-licking tests with aspirin (100 mg/kg) and morphine (5 mg/kg) as reference drugs. Three flavonoids, rutin, robinin and gossypetin 3-glucuronide 8-glucoside were isolated and characterized from TCLME for the first time. The extract showed significant (p 
Fulltext Genetic fine structure of a Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi strain associated with the 2005 outbreak of typhoid fever in Kelantan, Malaysia

Baddam R, Kumar N, Thong KL, Ngoi ST, Teh CS, Yap KP, et al.

J Bacteriol, 2012 Jul;194(13):3565-6.
PMID: 22689247 DOI: 10.1128/JB.00581-12

Among enteric pathogens, Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi is responsible for the largest number of food-borne outbreaks and fatalities. The ability of the pathogen to cause systemic infection for extended durations leads to a high cost of disease control. Chronic carriers play important roles in the evolution of Salmonella Typhi; therefore, identification and in-depth characterization of isolates from clinical cases and carriers, especially those from zones of endemicity where the pathogen has not been extensively studied, are necessary. Here, we describe the genome sequence of the highly virulent Salmonella Typhi strain BL196/05 isolated during the outbreak of typhoid in Kelantan, Malaysia, in 2005. The whole-genome sequence and comparative genomics of this strain should enable us to understand the virulence mechanisms and evolutionary dynamics of this pathogen in Malaysia and elsewhere.
Fulltext Genome sequence and comparative pathogenomics analysis of a Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhi strain associated with a typhoid carrier in Malaysia

Yap KP, Gan HM, Teh CS, Baddam R, Chai LC, Kumar N, et al.

J Bacteriol, 2012 Nov;194(21):5970-1.
PMID: 23045488 DOI: 10.1128/JB.01416-12

Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi is a human pathogen that causes typhoid fever predominantly in developing countries. In this article, we describe the whole genome sequence of the S. Typhi strain CR0044 isolated from a typhoid fever carrier in Kelantan, Malaysia. These data will further enhance the understanding of its host persistence and adaptive mechanism.
Fulltext Insights from the genome sequence of a Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi strain associated with a sporadic case of typhoid fever in Malaysia

Yap KP, Teh CS, Baddam R, Chai LC, Kumar N, Avasthi TS, et al.

J Bacteriol, 2012 Sep;194(18):5124-5.
PMID: 22933756 DOI: 10.1128/JB.01062-12

Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi is the causative agent of typhoid fever, which causes nearly 21.7 million illnesses and 217,000 deaths globally. Herein, we describe the whole-genome sequence of the Salmonella Typhi strain ST0208, isolated from a sporadic case of typhoid fever in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The whole-genome sequence and comparative genomics allow an in-depth understanding of the genetic diversity, and its link to pathogenicity and evolutionary dynamics, of this highly clonal pathogen that is endemic to Malaysia.
Fulltext Synthesis of diindolylmethane (DIM) bearing thiadiazole derivatives as a potent urease inhibitor

Taha M, Rahim F, Khan AA, Anouar EH, Ahmed N, Shah SAA, et al.

Sci Rep, 2020 05 14;10(1):7969.
PMID: 32409737 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-64729-3

The current study describes synthesis of diindolylmethane (DIM) derivatives based-thiadiazole as a new class of urease inhibitors. Diindolylmethane is natural product alkaloid reported to use in medicinal chemistry extensively. Diindolylmethane-based-thiadiazole analogs (1-18) were synthesized and characterized by various spectroscopic techniques 1HNMR, 13C-NMR, EI-MS and evaluated for urease (jack bean urease) inhibitory potential. All compounds showed excellent to moderate inhibitory potential having IC50 value within the range of 0.50 ± 0.01 to 33.20 ± 1.20 µM compared with the standard thiourea (21.60 ± 0.70 µM). Compound 8 (IC50 = 0.50 ± 0.01 µM) was the most potent inhibitor amongst all derivatives. Structure-activity relationships have been established for all compounds. The key binding interactions of most active compounds with enzyme were confirmed through molecular docking studies.
Patient specific 3-d modeling of blood flow in a multi-stenosed left coronary artery

Kamangar S, Badruddin IA, Ameer Ahamad N, Soudagar MEM, Govindaraju K, Nik-Ghazali N, et al.

Biomed Mater Eng, 2017;28(3):257-266.
PMID: 28527189 DOI: 10.3233/BME-171672

The current study investigates the effect of multi stenosis on the hemodynamic parameters such as wall pressure, velocity and wall shear stress in the realistic left coronary artery. Patients CT scan image data of normal and diseased left coronary artery was chosen for the reconstruction of 3D coronary artery models. The diseased 3D model of left coronary artery shows a narrowing of more than 70% and 80% of area stenosis (AS) at the left main stem (LMS) and left circumflex (LCX) respectively. The results show that the decrease in pressure was found downstream to the stenosis as compared to the coronary artery without stenosis. The maximum pressure drop was noted across the 80% AS at the left circumflex branch. The recirculation zone was also observed immediate to the stenosis and highest wall shear stress was found across the 80% area stenosis. Our analysis provides an insight into the distribution of wall shear stress and pressure drop, thus improving our understanding on the hemodynamics in realistic coronary artery.
REVIEW-Novel corona virus disease (COVID-19): An updated review on epidemiology, pathogenicity, clinical course, treatments, migrant health concerns and risk factors predictions

Anis S, Masood Khan M, Ali Z, Khan A, Arsalan HM, Naeem S, et al.

Pak J Pharm Sci, 2021 Sep;34(5):1821-1836.
PMID: 34803021

The COVID-19 epidemic is considered the most important health disaster of the century and the largest humanitarian crisis since World War II. In December 2019, a new respiratory disease/disorder was discovered in Wuhan, Hubei province, China and World Health Organization named it COVID-19 (coronavirus 2019). It has been diagnosed with a new class of corona virus, called SARS-CoV-2 (a serious respiratory disease). According to the history of human civilization it is affected by the incidence of disease outbreaks caused by the number of viruses. Covid-19 is rapidly spreading across the globe, due to which mankind faces major health, economic, environmental and social challenges. The outbreak of coronavirus is seriously affecting the global economy. Almost all nations have problems limiting the spread of the disease by screening and treating patients, setting up suspects by keeping in touch, blocking large gatherings, maintaining full or partial closure etc. This paper describes the impact of COVID-19 on society and the global environment, and the ways in which the disease is likely to be controlled have been discussed.
Fulltext Detection and Quantification of Precious Elements in Astrophyllite Mineral by Optical Spectroscopy

Ahmad A, Abbasi SA, Hafeez M, Khan TM, Rafique M, Ahmed N, et al.

Materials (Basel), 2021 Oct 21;14(21).
PMID: 34771799 DOI: 10.3390/ma14216277

With many advantages over well-established methods, laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) has emerged as a useful analytical technique for the compositional analysis of multi-elemental geological materials. In this study, LIBS was employed for qualitative and quantitative analysis of a rare mineral, astrophyllite, bearing precious elements of industrial and technological interest. The experiment was carried out using second harmonic generation of Nd:YAG laser of pulse width 5 ns and repetition rate of 10 Hz. Microplasma was produced by focusing laser beam on an astrophyllite target, and optical emissions from the generated plasma were recorded in the spectral range of 200-720 nm with the help of a LIBS2000+ detection system. On analyzing the optical spectra, existence of 15 elements in astrophyllite target were revealed. These elements include: Ti, W, Ag, Al, Ba, Ca, Cr, Cu, Fe, Li, Mg, Na, Ni, Si and H. For quantification, calibration-free method was used. Only ten elements, namely Ti, W, Fe, Cr, Cu, Ca, Mg, Ni, Si and Al, were quantified with relative weight concentrations of 55.39%, 18.79%, 18.30%, 4.05%, 2.66, 0.43%, 0.18%, 0.12%, 0.06% and 0.02%, respectively. To benchmark these results, XRF analysis was performed, which confirmed the presence of all the elements detected in the optical spectrum of the sample, except for Na, Li, and H. The concentrations of these ten elements as measured by XRF were in reasonable agreement, especially for the major elements. The presence of a significant amount of Ti and W in an astrophyllite sample, found in Pakistan, highlights the economic value of this mineral. This study may be of further interest in commissioning LIBS technology for exploration of minerals in the region.
Fulltext Smoking a Dangerous Addiction: A Systematic Review on an Underrated Risk Factor for Oral Diseases

Ahmed N, Arshad S, Basheer SN, Karobari MI, Marya A, Marya CM, et al.

Int J Environ Res Public Health, 2021 10 20;18(21).
PMID: 34769523 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph182111003

Despite growing knowledge of the adverse effects of cigarette smoking on general health, smoking is one of the most widely prevalent addictions around the world. Globally, about 1.1 billion smokers and over 8 million people die each year because of cigarette smoking. Smoking acts as a source for a variety of oral and systemic diseases. Various periodontal issues such as increased pocket depth, loss of alveolar bone, tooth mobility, oral lesions, ulcerations, halitosis, and stained teeth are more common among smokers. This systematic review was conducted according to the guidelines from PRISMA, and research articles were retrieved from the Web database sources on 31 May 2021. The quality of research articles was ensured by the type of evidence from combined schema incorporating as schema-13 evidence type description, Cochrane health promotion and public health field (CHPPHF), and the health gains notation framework-14 screening question for quality assessment of qualitative and quantitative studies. Smokers have been found to have bleeding on probing, periodontal pockets, and clinical attachment loss compared to nonsmokers. Oral and respiratory cancers are among the most lethal known diseases caused by cigarette smoking and other commonly occurring sequelae such as stained teeth, periodontal diseases, etc.

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