Treatment regimens for inflammatory bowel disease(IBD) incorporate the use of a variety of immunosuppressive agents that increase the risk of infections.Prevention of many of these infections can be achieved by the ti...Treatment regimens for inflammatory bowel disease(IBD) incorporate the use of a variety of immunosuppressive agents that increase the risk of infections.Prevention of many of these infections can be achieved by the timely and judicious use of vaccinations.IBD patients tend to be under-immunized.Some of the contributing factors are lack of awareness regarding the significance of vaccinating IBD patients,misperception about safety of vaccinations in immunocompromised patients,ambiguity about the perceived role of the gastroenterologist in contrast to the primary care physician and unavailability of vaccination guidelines focused on IBD population.In general,immunocompetent IBD patients can be vaccinated using standard vaccination recommendations.However there are special considerations for IBD patients receiving immunosuppressive therapy,IBD travelers and pregnant women with IBD.This review discusses current vaccination recommendations with updates for adult IBD patients.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2013 vaccination guidelines with 2014 updates and the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommendations have been highlighted as a primary source of recommendations.展开更多
Side-effects associated with the cancer chemotherapy limit the scope of chemotherapeutic drugs and no data was available about these side effects in Pakistan. Moreover starvation based differential chemotherapy has be...Side-effects associated with the cancer chemotherapy limit the scope of chemotherapeutic drugs and no data was available about these side effects in Pakistan. Moreover starvation based differential chemotherapy has been proved to greatly reduce the side effects of chemotherapy depending on starvation time. The current study was conducted to survey the common side effects of the chemotherapeutic drugs and the role of starvation to reduce them. The study included total 100 subjects with multiple carcinomas. A comprehensive questionnaire about starvation inquiry, chemotherapy side effects and their basic information was filled by interviewers as told by patients. There were 48% patients with breast cancer and 11% with uterine cancer. Out of these patients 30%, 28%, 9% and 9% patients were agreed to starve for 12, 24, 36 and 48 hours respectively. The survey regarding the side effects of chemotherapy showed that 43% patients were suffering from headache, fatigue 90%, weakness 95%, hair loss 76%, nausea 77%, vomiting 75%, diarrhea 31%, abdominal cramps 40%, mouth sores 47%, dry mouth 74%, memory impairment 14%?and numbness 49%. Breast cancer is the most common cancer in Pakistan. Only 18% of the total patients were agreed to starve for more than one day. Chemotherapy-associated side effects vary greatly and it does not depend upon cancer type. But these side effects depend on multiple factors such as the type and dose of chemotherapeutic drug, patient’s health status and stage of cancer.展开更多
Cotton is considered as a major cash crop of the world. It earns huge foreign exchange by its valuable products;fiber, lint, cotton seed oil, hull and a lot more. Being an important fiber crop, it earns huge foreign e...Cotton is considered as a major cash crop of the world. It earns huge foreign exchange by its valuable products;fiber, lint, cotton seed oil, hull and a lot more. Being an important fiber crop, it earns huge foreign exchange by contributing to textile and seed oil industry. This review summarizes cotton biology, its diversity and domestication, genome assembly, constraints in its production and methods to improve cotton plant to fulfill the need of textile and oil industry. But cotton is facing enormous biotic and abiotic stresses with insect pests being most prominent. Massive destruction caused by insects needs to be controlled for maintaining fruitful cotton crop production. Conventional breeding approaches are limited to improving single trait and integrate stable genes within plant genome in approximately 7 - 8 years. Improved biotechnological procedures have paved new pathways to target genes specifically and improve cotton germplasm in lesser time than conventional breeding.展开更多
Objective： Scandix pecten-veneris L. is a less studied wild edible herb and is considered an extinct plant species in many parts of the world. This study was designed to evaluate its phytochemical composition and bio...Objective： Scandix pecten-veneris L. is a less studied wild edible herb and is considered an extinct plant species in many parts of the world. This study was designed to evaluate its phytochemical composition and biological potential of S. pecten-veneris L. Methods： Phytochemicals including alkaloids, fiavonoids, polyphenols, and tannins were determined in extracts of S. pecten-veneris. Antioxidant activity was determined using 2,2-diphenyl-1- picrylhydrazyl （DPPH）, while reducing power was tested by ferric reducing/antioxidant power （FRAP） assay. Antimi- crobial activity against seven bacterial and four fungal strains was evaluated using agar well diffusion assay. Enzymes inhibition study was performed for urease, phosphodiesterase-I, and catalase-II. Results： S. pecten-veneris showed moderate antiradical activity and reducing potential of hydroxyl radicals to about 20% of the initial value. The antiox- idant activity of various extracts of S. pecten-veneris showed a linear correlation with total phenolic contents in the order of water〉n-butanol〉chloroform〉ethyl acetate〉methanol extracts. S. pecten-veneris leaves showed the highest inhibitory activity against Staphylococcus aureus while the highest antifungal activity was observed against Candida albicans. The plant extract was most potent against urease enzymes but showed moderate activity against phosphodiestrase-I and carbonic anhydrase-II. Conclusions： Our data demonstrate that in addition to its culinary uses, S. pecten-veneris has good medicinal potential and hence could be used for treating some specific health ailments.展开更多
Genome editing is considered as the most widely used approach of the present era. It had become a basic need of the current micro and molecular biological experiments. Gene engineering finds its widespread application...Genome editing is considered as the most widely used approach of the present era. It had become a basic need of the current micro and molecular biological experiments. Gene engineering finds its widespread applications in medical, industry and agricultural sector. Unlike previous genetic engineering practices to insert or delete a part of genetic material at random place, genome editing allows the precise manipulation of DNA at a specific location. Zinc Finger Nucleases (ZFNs), Transcription Activator like Effector Nucleases (TALENs), Clustered Regularly Interspresed Short Palindromic repeats (CRISPR/Cas system) and meganucleases (recombinases) are the prime tools for editing an organism’s genome. Genome editing tools have an advantage to selectively delete or to integrate specific genes at specific loci. Use of recombinases for specifying site has further reduced time to integrate genes site specifically. Site specific gene stacking by the use of recombinases coupled with ZFNs, TALENs, or CRISPR/Cas genes have paved new pathways to target genes site specifically and to improve germplasm in lesser time than conventional breeding approaches.展开更多
文摘Treatment regimens for inflammatory bowel disease(IBD) incorporate the use of a variety of immunosuppressive agents that increase the risk of infections.Prevention of many of these infections can be achieved by the timely and judicious use of vaccinations.IBD patients tend to be under-immunized.Some of the contributing factors are lack of awareness regarding the significance of vaccinating IBD patients,misperception about safety of vaccinations in immunocompromised patients,ambiguity about the perceived role of the gastroenterologist in contrast to the primary care physician and unavailability of vaccination guidelines focused on IBD population.In general,immunocompetent IBD patients can be vaccinated using standard vaccination recommendations.However there are special considerations for IBD patients receiving immunosuppressive therapy,IBD travelers and pregnant women with IBD.This review discusses current vaccination recommendations with updates for adult IBD patients.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2013 vaccination guidelines with 2014 updates and the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommendations have been highlighted as a primary source of recommendations.
文摘Side-effects associated with the cancer chemotherapy limit the scope of chemotherapeutic drugs and no data was available about these side effects in Pakistan. Moreover starvation based differential chemotherapy has been proved to greatly reduce the side effects of chemotherapy depending on starvation time. The current study was conducted to survey the common side effects of the chemotherapeutic drugs and the role of starvation to reduce them. The study included total 100 subjects with multiple carcinomas. A comprehensive questionnaire about starvation inquiry, chemotherapy side effects and their basic information was filled by interviewers as told by patients. There were 48% patients with breast cancer and 11% with uterine cancer. Out of these patients 30%, 28%, 9% and 9% patients were agreed to starve for 12, 24, 36 and 48 hours respectively. The survey regarding the side effects of chemotherapy showed that 43% patients were suffering from headache, fatigue 90%, weakness 95%, hair loss 76%, nausea 77%, vomiting 75%, diarrhea 31%, abdominal cramps 40%, mouth sores 47%, dry mouth 74%, memory impairment 14%?and numbness 49%. Breast cancer is the most common cancer in Pakistan. Only 18% of the total patients were agreed to starve for more than one day. Chemotherapy-associated side effects vary greatly and it does not depend upon cancer type. But these side effects depend on multiple factors such as the type and dose of chemotherapeutic drug, patient’s health status and stage of cancer.
文摘Cotton is considered as a major cash crop of the world. It earns huge foreign exchange by its valuable products;fiber, lint, cotton seed oil, hull and a lot more. Being an important fiber crop, it earns huge foreign exchange by contributing to textile and seed oil industry. This review summarizes cotton biology, its diversity and domestication, genome assembly, constraints in its production and methods to improve cotton plant to fulfill the need of textile and oil industry. But cotton is facing enormous biotic and abiotic stresses with insect pests being most prominent. Massive destruction caused by insects needs to be controlled for maintaining fruitful cotton crop production. Conventional breeding approaches are limited to improving single trait and integrate stable genes within plant genome in approximately 7 - 8 years. Improved biotechnological procedures have paved new pathways to target genes specifically and improve cotton germplasm in lesser time than conventional breeding.
基金Project supported by the Directorate of Science and Technology(DoST),Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,Pakistan,under Research Project Developmental Scheme(Bio-Tech Sector,Phase-1,A03959 Bio-Tech)
文摘Objective： Scandix pecten-veneris L. is a less studied wild edible herb and is considered an extinct plant species in many parts of the world. This study was designed to evaluate its phytochemical composition and biological potential of S. pecten-veneris L. Methods： Phytochemicals including alkaloids, fiavonoids, polyphenols, and tannins were determined in extracts of S. pecten-veneris. Antioxidant activity was determined using 2,2-diphenyl-1- picrylhydrazyl （DPPH）, while reducing power was tested by ferric reducing/antioxidant power （FRAP） assay. Antimi- crobial activity against seven bacterial and four fungal strains was evaluated using agar well diffusion assay. Enzymes inhibition study was performed for urease, phosphodiesterase-I, and catalase-II. Results： S. pecten-veneris showed moderate antiradical activity and reducing potential of hydroxyl radicals to about 20% of the initial value. The antiox- idant activity of various extracts of S. pecten-veneris showed a linear correlation with total phenolic contents in the order of water〉n-butanol〉chloroform〉ethyl acetate〉methanol extracts. S. pecten-veneris leaves showed the highest inhibitory activity against Staphylococcus aureus while the highest antifungal activity was observed against Candida albicans. The plant extract was most potent against urease enzymes but showed moderate activity against phosphodiestrase-I and carbonic anhydrase-II. Conclusions： Our data demonstrate that in addition to its culinary uses, S. pecten-veneris has good medicinal potential and hence could be used for treating some specific health ailments.
文摘Genome editing is considered as the most widely used approach of the present era. It had become a basic need of the current micro and molecular biological experiments. Gene engineering finds its widespread applications in medical, industry and agricultural sector. Unlike previous genetic engineering practices to insert or delete a part of genetic material at random place, genome editing allows the precise manipulation of DNA at a specific location. Zinc Finger Nucleases (ZFNs), Transcription Activator like Effector Nucleases (TALENs), Clustered Regularly Interspresed Short Palindromic repeats (CRISPR/Cas system) and meganucleases (recombinases) are the prime tools for editing an organism’s genome. Genome editing tools have an advantage to selectively delete or to integrate specific genes at specific loci. Use of recombinases for specifying site has further reduced time to integrate genes site specifically. Site specific gene stacking by the use of recombinases coupled with ZFNs, TALENs, or CRISPR/Cas genes have paved new pathways to target genes site specifically and to improve germplasm in lesser time than conventional breeding approaches.
