In this study we have compared two different types of therapies i.e. herbal and allopathic system of therapies for Depression and studied them from the social perspectives. The Hypericum perforatum is compared with Fluoxetine [HCL] in terms of cost-utility and financial savings thereby evaluating its influence on annual expenditure of depressive patients that were randomly selected from 178 union councils of the city of Karachi, Pakistan. For both system of therapies a total of 356 patients were selected by stratified random sampling. Taking frequency of depression as ‘1’ annually with discount rate at 3% for calculating the burden-of-illness in terms of disability-adjusted-life-years. The cost-utility and the budget-impact assessments were carried out to assess incremental-cost-effectiveness-ratio, and the budget-impact-per-onset as well as budget-impact-per-year values. In comparison with the Fluoxetine therapy, the Hypericum perforatum was found to relieve symptoms in 21.47% less cost; owing 29.23% less disability-adjusted-life-years and 21.45% less budget-impact-per-onset as well as budget-impact-per-year. The annual mean incremental-cost-effectiveness-ratio was found to be at 36.95±270.74 (less than GDP per capita threshold of Rs. 38,173.02). Hypericum perforatum provide the optimal utility with less impact on budget of a patient in comparison with the treatment of symptoms of depression with Fluoxetine.

Objetivo. Este estudio se realizó durante la estación de invierno en la granja de ganado rural del distrito de Sargodha, Pakistán, con el fin de definir el estado de macrominerales en el plasma sanguíneo de vacas lactantes y secas de raza Desi. Materiales y métodos. Veinte vacas lactantes y veinte vacas secas fueron utilizadas y se analizó el plasma para el Ca, Mg, Zn, Cu y Fe utilizando un espectrofotómetro de absorción atómica. Resultados. En las vacas lactantes, la concentración de Ca en plasma fue menor que en las vacas secas (6.8 frente a 7.6 mg/dl, p<0.001), mientras que la concentración de Mg fue similar entre las lactantes y las vacas secas. La concentración plasmática de Zn en las vacas lactantes fue mayor que en las vacas secas (0.78 frente a 0.60 mg/L, p<0.01) y resultó inferior al rango normal en ambos grupos. Nivel de plasma de Cu en vacas lactantes fue inferior al de las vacas secas (0.56 vs a 0.76 mg/L, p<0.001) y fue inferior al rango normal sólo en las vacas lactantes. Las vacas lactantes resultaron en mayor concentración de Fe plasmático en comparación con las vacas secas (3.8 frente a 2.6 mg/l, p<0.01). Conclusiones. A partir de los resultados, se puede concluir que el nivel de minerales observados satisface las necesidades de los rumiantes y el nivel plasmático de diferentes minerales se ve afectado por las etapas fisiológicas de las vacas.

Objective. This study was conducted during winter season at rural livestock farm of district Sargodha, Pakistan, in order to define the macrominerals status in blood plasma of lactating and dry Desi breed cows. Material and methods. Twenty lactating and twenty dry cows were used and their blood plasma was analyzed for Ca, Mg, Zn, Cu and Fe using atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Results. In lactating cows, the plasma Ca concentration was lower than dry cows (6.8 vs. 7.6 mg/dl, p<0.001), while Mg concentration was similar between lactating and dry cows. Plasma Zn concentration in lactating cows was higher than dry cows (0.78 vs. 0.60mg/l, p<0.01) and it resulted lower than the normal range in both groups. Plasma Cu level in lactating cows was lower than dry cows (0.56 vs. 0.76 mg/L, p<0.001) and it was lower than the normal range only in lactating cows. Lactating cows resulted in higher plasma Fe concentration compared to dry cows (3.8 versus 2.6 mg/L; p<0.01). Conclusions. From our findings, it can be concluded that the observed minerals level meets the needs of ruminants and the plasma level of different minerals is affected by the physiological stages of cows.

Emergence of drug-resistant strains has demanded for alternative means of combating fungal infections. Oils of Carum copticum and Thymus vulgaris have long been used in ethnomedicine for ailments of various fungal infections. Since their activity has not been reported in particular against drug-resistant fungi, this study was aimed to evaluate the effects of oils of C. copticum and T. vulgaris on the growth and virulence of drug-resistant strains of Aspergillus spp. and Trichophyton rubrum. The gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis revealed thymol constituting 44.71% and 22.82% of T. vulgaris and C. copticum, respectively. Inhibition of mycelial growth by essential oils was recorded in the order of thymol > T. vulgaris > C. copticum against the tested strains. RBC lysis assay showed no tested oils to be toxic even up to concentration two folds higher than their respective MFCs. Thymol exhibited highest synergy in combination with fluconazole against Aspergillus fumigatus MTCC2550 (FICI value 0.187) and T. rubrum IOA9 (0.156) as determined by checkerboard method. Thymol and T. vulgaris essential oil were equally effective against both the macro and arthroconidia growth (MIC 72 µg/mL). A > 80% reduction in elastase activity was recorded for A. fumigatus MTCC2550 by C. copticum, T. vulgaris oils and thymol. The effectiveness of these oils against arthroconidia and synergistic interaction of thymol and T. vulgaris with fluconazole can be exploited to potentiate the antifungal effects of fluconazole against drug-resistant strains of T. rubrum and Aspergillus spp.

Schizothorax curvifrons es un alimento para peces, morfométricamente y merísticamente más variable y de mayor valor económico del Valle de Kashmir. Dado que existe una falta de información sobre la estructura de las poblaciones silvestres de esta especie, este estudio tuvo como objetivo investigar la variación intraespecífica de esta importante trucha de nieve. Para ello, se tomaron muestras de dos ríos y un lago en Kashmir Himalaya, de enero 2011 a octubre 2012. Con las mediciones de los peces se construyó una red truss. En total, se recolectaron 506 muestras de peces. Los datos se sometieron a análisis de componentes principales, análisis de función discriminante y el análisis univariante de la varianza. El primer componente principal explicó 63.44% de la variación total, mientras que los componentes segundo y tercero explicaron el 8.34% y 5.31%, respectivamente. El análisis discriminante por etapas, retuvo dos variables que discriminaron significativamente las poblaciones. El uso de estas variables de 83.4% de los especímenes originales se clasificaron en sus grupos correctos y 81.1% de la validación cruzada (deja fuera un procedimiento) especímenes fueron clasificados en sus grupos correctos. Todas las mediciones para entramados transformados, del total de 31, mostraron diferencias altamente significativas (p<0.001) entre las poblaciones. Esto representa el primer intento de obtener la estructura de la población de S. curvifrons, por lo tanto, este estudio espera orientar a los taxonomistas de peces acerca de la estructura de la población actual y ayudar en su manejo y poder establecer un programa de conservación en el área de Kashmir Himalaya.

Schizothorax curvifrons is a morphometrically and meristically most variable and economically valuable promising fish food from Kashmir Valley. Since there is a lack of information on stock structure of wild populations on this species, this study was aimed to investigate the intraspecific variation of this important snowtrout. For this, two rivers and one lake in Kashmir Himalaya were sampled from January 2011 to October 2012. Fish body measurements were taken and morphometric characters using the truss network system was constructed. Altogether, 506 fish specimens were collected. Data were subjected to principal component analysis, discriminant function analysis and univariate analysis of variance. The first principal component explained 63.44% of total variation, while second and third components explained 8.34% and 5.31%, respectively. The step-wise discriminant function analysis retained two variables that significantly discriminated the populations. Using these variables 83.4% of the original specimens were classified into their correct groups and 81.1% of the cross-validated (leave one out procedure) specimens were classified into their correct groups. All of the total 31 transformed truss measurements exhibited highly significant (p<0.001) differences between the populations. This represents the first attempt on stock structure of S. curvifrons; therefore, this study will hopefully guide fisheries taxonomists about its current stock structure and would help in its management and conservation programme across Kashmir Himalaya area.

This study reports the occurrence of antibiotic resistance and production of β-lactamases including extended spectrum beta-lactamases (ESβL) in enteric bacteria isolated from hospital wastewater. Among sixty-nine isolates, tested for antibiotic sensitivity, 73.9% strains were resistant to ampicillin followed by nalidixic acid (72.5%), penicillin (63.8%), co-trimoxazole (55.1%), norfloxacin (53.6%), methicillin (52.7%), cefuroxime (39.1%), cefotaxime (23.2%) and cefixime (20.3%). Resistance to streptomycin, chloramphenicol, nitrofurantoin, tetracycline, and doxycycline was recorded in less than 13% of the strains. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) showed a high level of resistance (800-1600 µg/mL) to one or more antibiotics. Sixty three (91%) isolates produced β-lactamases as determined by rapid iodometric test. Multiple antibiotic resistances were noted in both among ESβL and non-ESβL producers. The β-lactamases hydrolyzed multiple substrates including penicillin (78.8% isolates), ampicillin (62.3%), cefodroxil (52.2%), cefotoxime (21.7%) and cefuroxime (18.8%). Fifteen isolates producing ESβLs were found multidrug resistant. Four ESβL producing isolates could transfer their R-plasmid to the recipient strain E. coli K-12 with conjugation frequency ranging from 7.0 x 10-3 to 8.8 x 10-4. The findings indicated that ESβL producing enteric bacteria are common in the waste water. Such isolates may disseminate the multiple antibiotic resistance traits among bacterial community through genetic exchange mechanisms and thus requires immediate attention.

A síndrome de Sheehan está relacionada à ocorrência de hipopituitarismo pós-parto, geralmente precedido por hemorragia pós-parto. Essa condição clínica ainda constitui causa comum do hipopituitarismo observado em países em desenvolvimento como a Índia. Essa síndrome se caracteriza pela insuficiência da glândula hipofisária anterior, porém com a conservação das funções da glândula hipofisária posterior. A disfunção da hipófise posterior, sob a forma de diabetes insipidus central, é algo raramente observado em pacientes que apresentam a síndrome de Sheehan. Neste artigo, descrevemos o caso de uma jovem que, após o sexto parto, apresentou hemorragia pós-parto grave, seguida pela evolução de pan-hipopituitarismo que foi confirmado por pesquisa hormonal e exames de imagem que evidenciaram sela vazia. A jovem também apresentou poliúria. Os resultados do teste de privação de água e exame de resposta à vasopressina indicaram diabetes insípido central. A paciente fazia uso contínuo de desmopressina para controlar a poliúria.

Sheehan's syndrome refers to the occurrence of hypopituitarism after delivery, usually preceded by postpartum hemorrhage. The condition still continues to be a common cause of hypopituitarism in developing countries like India. The disorder usually presents with anterior pituitary failure with preservation of posterior pituitary functions. Posterior pituitary dysfunction in the form of central diabetes insipidus is rare in patients with Sheehan's syndrome. We describe the clinical course of a young lady who after her sixth childbirth developed severe postpartum hemorrhage followed by development of panhypopituitarism which was confirmed by hormonal investigation and demonstration of empty sella on imaging. In addition, she developed Polyuria. The water deprivation test and response to vasopressin test results indicated central diabetes insipidus. She needed oral desmopressin on a continuous basis to control polyuria.