A series of naphthalimide-chalcone/pyrazoline conjugates was prepared and evaluated for their anti-breast cancer potential against estrogen responsive,
i.e.
MCF-7 (ER+), and triple-negative,
i.e.
...MDA-MB-231 (ER−), cell lines. The structure-activity-relationship (SAR) was deduced based on the influence of linker length, substituents on the phenyl ring and the generated functionalities, on anti-proliferative activities. Docking simulations further delineate the type of interactions of the designed molecules with the selected targets. This report discloses the scope of triazole tethered naphthalimide-chalcone/pyrazoline conjugates as anti breast cancer agents.
Design, synthesis and anti-proliferative evaluation of naphthalimide-chalcone/pyrazoline conjugates.
Resistant malaria is a fatal disease.
(African Mistletoe) is traditionally used for malarial treatment but this fact has not been scientifically reported.
(NK65)-infected male Swiss mice (20±2 g) ...were treated orally and once daily with 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg BW of methanol extract and its respective hexane, dichloromethane and ethyl acetate fractions for 9 days. P-alaxin was used as control drug
(ANKA)-infected mice were then treated with the most potent fraction for 5 days. Parasitemia and parasite clearance were determined by microscopy, while hematological parameters, heme, hemozoin, and mouse erythrocyte membrane stabilisation were assayed. The phytochemicals in the most potent fraction were identified using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.
Hexane fraction (HF)-treated mice (400 mg/kg BW) had the least mean parasite load (0.00 ± 0.00; 0.14 ± 0.05%) and highest clearance (100 ± 0.00; 75.50 ± 4.95%) compared with infected control (9.81 ± 0.09; 6.84 ± 0.09%) in susceptible and resistant models, respectively. Hexane fraction modulated hematological indices, minimised erythrocyte membrane damage in heat-induced (2.18 ± 0.94%) and hypotonic solution-induced (7.93 ± 0.93%) compared to artequin (5.05 ± 2.18; 6.38 ± 0.33%) and P-alaxin (67.45 ± 5.15; 56.78 ± 1.10%) in both models of membrane stabilisation, respectively. Hexane fraction (
<0.01) increased heme and decreased hemozoin contents. Friedelan-3-one was identified as the most abundant triterpene.
The results indicated that
has anti-plasmodial properties and minimally dis-stabilised erythrocyte membrane. The major findings in this study are that
-hexane fraction of
possess excellent and moderate antiplasmodial activity against susceptible and resistant
, respectively. This was reflected via decreased parasite load, improved hematological parameters, increased heme and decreased hemozoin contents. Friedelan-3-one, a major constituent of the n-hexane fraction, may be responsible for this activity.
Aim:
In this study, we sought to determine clinical outcomes at 1 year for patients prescribed penfluridol in an inner London National Health Service Trust. Using noninterventional data, we describe ...the use, effectiveness and safety of this treatment modality.
Results:
We retrospectively followed up 17 patients prescribed penfluridol as part of routine clinical practice. All patients took penfluridol once weekly. Of these patients, 12 (70.6%) were considered treatment resistant. The average duration of illness for this cohort was 10 years (SD = 6.7). At 1 year, nine (53%) patients remained on treatment. Median survival time was not reached at 1-year follow-up; mean time on penfluridol was 251 days (95% confidence interval (CI), 184–318). The mean number of admissions to hospital in the year following penfluridol initiation was 0.6 compared with 0.8, 1 year before initiation (p = 0.465). The median number of bed days 1 year before penfluridol initiation was 24, whereas in the year following penfluridol initiation, it was 0 (p = 0.514).
Clinical Implications:
Although penfluridol is unlicensed in the United Kingdom, limited data suggest that this long-acting oral therapy has the potential to be used safely and effectively for the treatment of psychotic disorders. However, more data are required to establish the place of penfluridol and other potential long-acting oral antipsychotic formulations in the treatment of psychotic disorders.
Abstract
Background
Melanoides tuberculata is a freshwater snail that serves as an intermediate host for 11 parasitic flukes. This study was conducted with the aim of identifying and screening the ...snail intermediate hosts in the study site for schistosomiasis using the molecular technique.
Methods
DNA was extracted from the snails by the hexadecyl trimethyl ammonium bromide method and the Dra1 primer was used to amplify the Dra1 repeated sequence of Schistosoma haematobium.
Results
The presence of schistosome DNA in M. tuberculata by polymerase chain reaction was confirmed.
Conclusions
Our findings show that M. tuberculata is a potential intermediate host of schistosomes.
The authors have retracted this article 1 because of methodological inaccuracies and incorrect use of the PRISMA/PROSPERO guidelines of systematic reviews and meta-analyses in the article.
Human schistosomiases are acute and chronic infectious diseases of poverty. Currently, epidemiological data of urinary schistosomiasis (US) in school-age children (SAC) and adults are often reported ...together making it difficult to ascertain the true status of the disease. Based on this premise, we set out to carry out this review.
To achieve this aim, we carried out a computer-aided search of PubMed, Web of Science, Science Direct, African Journals OnLine (AJOL) and the database of World Health Organization. However, the information obtained from these sources was supplemented with additional literatures from Mendeley, Research Gate, and Google.
The search yielded 183 literatures of which 93 full text research, review and online articles were deemed fit for inclusion. Our key findings showed that: (1) of all World Health Organization (WHO) Regions, Africa is the most endemic zone for US, with Kenya and Senegal recording the highest prevalence and mean intensity respectively; (2) SAC within the range of 5-16 years contribute most significantly to the transmission cycle of US globally; (3) gender is a factor to watch out for, with male often recording the highest prevalence and intensity of infection; (4) contact with open, potentially infested water sources contribute significantly to transmission; (5) parental factors (occupation and education status) predispose SAC to US; (6) economic vis a vis ecological factors play a key role in infection transmission; and (7) in the last decade, a treatment coverage of 45% was never achieved globally for SAC or non-SAC treatment category for urinary schistosomiasis.
In view of the WHO strategic plan to eliminate schistosomiasis by 2020 and the findings from this review, it is obvious that this goal, in the face of realities, might not be achieved. It is imperative that annual control programmes be scaled up marginally, particularly in the African region of WHO. While US-based researches should be sponsored at the grass-root level to unveil hidden endemic foci, adequate facilities for Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) should be put in place in all schools globally.
In sub-Saharan Africa, over 200 million individuals are estimated to be infected with urinary and intestinal schistosomiasis. In a bid to lay a foundation for effective future control programme, this ...study was carried out with the aim of assessing the diagnostic efficacy of some questionnaire-based rapid assessment indices of urinary schistosomiasis.
A total number of 1,363 subjects were enrolled for the study. Questionnaires were administered basically in English and Hausa languages by trained personnel. Following informed consent, terminal urine samples were collected between 09:40 AM and 2:00 PM using clean 20 ml capacity universal bottles. 10μl of each urine residue was examined for the eggs of S. haematobium using x10 objective nose of Motic Binocular Light Microscope (China).
The average age ± Standard Deviation (SD) of school children examined was 15.30 ± 2.30 years and 40.87% were females. The overall prevalence and geometric mean intensity of S. haematobium infection were 26.41% (24.10─28.85) and 6.59 (5.59─7.75) eggs / 10 ml of urine respectively. Interestingly, a questionnaire equivalence of the prevalence obtained in this survey was 26.41% (24.10─28.85) for Rapid Assessment Procedure based on self-reported blood in urine. The results of correlation analyses demonstrated significant associations between the prevalence of S. haematobium infection and contact with potentially infested open water sources (r = 0.741; P = 0.006). By regression model, cases of respondents with self-reported blood in urine are expected to rise to 24.75% if prevalence of the infection shoots up to 26.5%.
The best RAP performance was obtained with self-reported blood in urine. Based on the overall prevalence value, the study area was at a "moderate-risk" of endemicity for urinary schistosomiasis. Chemotherapeutic intervention with Praziquantel, the rationale behind rapid assessment procedure for schistosomiasis, has been recommended to be carried out once in every 2 years for such communities.
Intravenous (IV) therapy is a crucial aspect of care for the critically ill patient. Barriers to IV infusion pumps in low-resource settings include high costs, lack of access to electricity, and ...insufficient technical support. Inaccuracy of traditional drop-counting practices places patients at risk. By conducting a comparative assessment of IV infusion methods, we analyzed the efficacy of different devices and identified one that most effectively bridges the gap between accuracy, cost, and electricity reliance in low-resource environments.
In this prospective mixed methods study, nurses, residents, and medical students used drop counting, a manual flow regulator, an infusion pump, a DripAssist, and a DripAssist with manual flow regulator to collect normal saline at goal rates of 240, 120, and 60 mL/h. Participants' station setup time was recorded, and the amount of fluid collected in 10 min was recorded (in milliliters). Participants then filled out a post-trial survey to rate each method (on a scale of 1 to 5) in terms of understandability, time consumption, and operability. Cost-effectiveness for use in low-resource settings was also evaluated.
The manual flow regulator had the fastest setup time, was the most cost effective, and was rated as the least time consuming to use and the easiest to understand and operate. In contrast, the combination of the DripAssist and manual flow regulator was the most time consuming to use and the hardest to understand and operate.
The manual flow regulator alone was the least time consuming and easiest to operate. The DripAssist/Manual flow regulator combination increases accuracy, but this combination was the most difficult to operate. In addition, the manual flow regulator was the most cost-effective. Healthcare providers can adapt these devices to their practice environments and improve the safety of rate-sensitive IV medications without significant strain on electricity, time, or personnel resources.