ABSTRACT
Resumen Este estudio tuvo como objetivo aislar, caracterizar e identificar bacterias de control biológico que poseen actividad antifúngica de amplio espectro de la filosfera de diferentes cultivos, incluidos el maíz, el trigo y la papa, así como evaluar su actividad en la promoción del crecimiento. En este estudio, 14/113 bacterias de control biológico mostraron actividad antifúngica. Los aislamientos bacterianos M11 y M33 (de maíz), del total de 113, fueron reseleccionados debido a su fuerte actividad antifúngica de amplio espectro (más del 50%) después de su evaluación contra cuatro hongos fitopatógenos que afectan cultivos de alta importancia económica, entre ellos, Alternaría alternata, Rhizoctonia solani, Fusarium oxysporum y Fusarium verticillioides. Los aislamientos se evaluaron, adicionalmente, para determinar los rasgos que promueven el crecimiento de las plantas, es decir, producción de ácido indolacético, solubilización de fosfato, producción de celulasa, compuestos orgánicos volátiles microbianos, cianuro de hidrógeno y sideróforos. Las 14 cepas aisladas mostraron resultados positivos para la producción de la hormona ácido indolacético y la enzima celulasa; 10 cepas fueron positivas para la producción de cianuro de hidrógeno. Además, se observó producción de sideróforos en el caso de 7 cepas, mientras que 5 pudieron solubilizar fosfato inorgánico. Los compuestos orgánicos volátiles microbianos solo fueron sintetizados por los aislamientos M11 y M33, que fueron identificados como Bacillus amyloliquefaciens y Bacillus subtilis, respectivamente, mediante secuenciación del gen ARNr 16S. El estudio de supervivencia mostró que las bacterias de control biológico, es decir, B. amyloliquefaciens y B. subtilis, tienen la capacidad de sobrevivir sobre un sustrato a base de melasa, por un período de tres meses.
ABSTRACT
ABSTRACT Himalayas are one among the world biodiversity hotspots harboring many endemic medicinal plants. Despite augmentation in the documentation of ethnopharmacological knowledge of medicinal plant species, information regarding endemic species is still underway. Current paper highlights the traditional medicinal uses of rare endemic and unexplored group of plants having potential for novel chemical constituents with effective pharmacological activities. In total, 142 informants (91 male and 51 female) including seventeen traditional healers were interviewed using semi-structured questionnaire, personal observations and group discussions. Interviews were taken in field or otherwise photographs were shown for identification. Females were interviewed indirectly through male family members. For data analysis, quantitative analytical approach was adopted using ethnopharmacological indices as Relative frequency of citations and Fidelity Level. In total, 38 endemic plant species belonging to nineteen families were utilized by the local inhabitants. Highest number of endemics was belonging to Ranunculaceae (7), followed by Gentianaceae and Rosaceae (4 each) with respect to number of species. Highest number of endemics was used in fever, wound healing, throat infection and tonic (4 species each). Root was the most widely used part (36.17%) in cure of diseases and the leading mode administered was decoction (25.49%). Highest use reports and RFC values were recorded for Pimpinella stewartii (58 citations, 0.41 RFC), Caltha alba var. alba (52 citations, 0.37 RFC). Endemic plant species considerably contribute toward ethnomedicinal knowledge and despite rarity, the communities prefer their utilization. Conservation of endemics is necessary for future availability to the local communities.
ABSTRACT
Background: The thyroid gland is endocrine gland located in front and lower side of neck. Thyroid gland secretes two types of thyroid hormones that are triiodothyronine (T3) and tetraiodothyronine (T4). The hypothalamus is a center for regulation of thyroid hormones. It senses the low hormone levels and in turn releases thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH). TRH stimulates anterior pituitary to release TSH which then acts on the thyroid gland to maintain normal level of T3 and T4. The objective of study is to determine the effects of carbamazepine on TRH in euthyroid rabbits.Methods: An experimental study performed on 30 rabbits. These were divided into three groups having 10 rabbits in each group. 10 rabbits were treated with 10mg/kg/day of CBZ (OD), other 10 with 35mg/kg/day CBZ (three divided doses) and 10 rabbits served as control. T3, FT4, TSH and TRH levels were evaluated at baseline and after 21 days of treatment in all three groups by Electro-chemiluminescence immunoassay and ELISA respectively.Results: Comparison of the hormone levels of the control group and the group having a dose of 10 mg/kg/day for 21 day of treatment. Comparative results showed serum level of T3 (P=0.031), FT4 (P=0.030), and TRH (P=0.044) levels significantly lower than the control group and TSH (P=0.057) levels remain unaltered. It was also found that group having a dose of 35 mg/kg/day; TDS showed decrease in T3 (P value 0.001), FT4 (P=0.001), TSH (P=0.003) and TRH (P=0.001) level as compared to control group.Conclusions: Our data suggest that Carbamazepine monotherapy does alter thyroid hormones and its central regulatory hormone TRH. Decrease in TRH level increase level of depression and suicidal thoughts and also risk of tertiary hypothyroidism. These findings could have very important clinical implications.
ABSTRACT
To compare the frequency of acute type A aortic dissection with chronic dissections, at two large cardiac surgery centers of the country. Acute type an aortic dissection: a pathology under diagnosed. This study was conducted at Rehman Medical Institute, Peshawar and National Institute of Cardiovascular diseases, Karachi, between January 2001 and January 2007. All patients with type A aortic dissection are studied retrospectively. Patients with aortic aneurysm, undergoing aortic root surgery, were not included in the study. Out of 13 patients who underwent aortic root surgery for various pathologies of the aorta, 9 cases had type A aortic dissection. Eight patients were diagnosed by trans-thoracic and trans-esophageal echocardiography and one patient was diagnosed on contrast enhanced computerized tomography [CT] scan. None of the patients had cardiac catheterization or MRI. Six of the nine dissections were chronic. One patient had Marfan Syndrome. Eight patients were hypertensive. One patient had aortic valve repair with supra coronary tube graft interposition for ascending aortic dissection; while eight patients had aortic root replacement with prosthetic composite grafts. There was one in-hospital death. Post operative echocardiogram of the patient with aortic valve repair, revealed mild aortic regurgitation. Seven of the eight surviving patients are in NYHA class I while one patient is in NYHA class two. Aortic root surgery can be safely performed with results comparable to the published data. Hypertension needs to be controlled to avoid its potentially lethal complications, like aortic dissection