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This study compares the effect of imipramine and amitriptyline on learning and memory. Thirty-five (35) healthy Swiss white (CD1) mice of both sexes weighing 18 g - 30 g were randomly divided into 5 groups (n = 7). Mice in group 1 (control) were administered 0.9% normal saline orally, while mice in groups 2 and 3 were treated with low (1.8 mg/kg) and high (3.7 mg/kg) doses of imipramine, groups 4 and 5 were treated with low (1.8 mg/kg) and high (3.7 mg/kg) of amitriptyline respectively. Treatment was for 21 days before tests. All animals were tested using the Morris Water Maze (MWM) and Novel Object Recognition Task (NORT) to assess visuospatial learning and memory as well as cognitive learning and memory. The results obtained from the Morris Water Maze during the acquisition training showed that the swim latencies were significantly lower (p < 0.05) in the amitriptyline low-dose group compared to the control group. During the reversal training, the swim latencies were significantly lower (p < 0.05) in the test groups compared to the control group. The result for the retention quadrant in the probe trials showed a significant decrease (p < 0.05) in the northeast quadrant in the test groups compared to the control group, with no significant difference in the visible platform day of the Morris Water Maze in the test groups compared to the control group. In the novel object recognition task, the short-term index of habituation was significantly lower (p < 0.05) in the low-dose imipramine and low-dose amitriptyline compared to the control group, the results also showed a significant increase (p < 0.05) in amitriptyline high dose group compared to imipramine and amitriptyline low dose group and the control group. The index of discrimination showed no significant difference among all groups. The long-term index of habituation and discrimination in the memory test showed a significant decrease (p < 0.05) in all the test groups compared to the control group. The results suggest that imipramine and amitriptyline impaired cognitive memory and enhanced visuospatial learning and memory functions.

Background: The unwanted adverse toxicity displayed by synthetic antidiabetic medicine leads to the search for effective natural medicine to combat diabetes complications. This study investigated the cardioprotective of Anacardium occidentale nuts methanolic in high-fat diet (HFD)/streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats.Materials and methods: Forty male adult Wistar were used and fed with HFD for 6 weeks before diabetes induction. The rats were grouped into 5 groups, 8 rats/group. Group I: normal control; Group II: diabetic control; Group III & IV: diabetic rats + 100 mg/kgb.wt & 200 mg/kgb.wt Anacardium occidentale nuts methanolic extract; Group V: diabetic rats + 200 mg/kgb.wt metformin. The rats were sacrificed on the experiment’s last day, blood samples were collected and the hearts were isolated for biochemical parameters estimation.Results: Food intake, water intake, plasmas insulin, Fasting Blood Glucose (FBG), glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), cardiac enzymes, lipid profile, inflammatory cytokines, malondialdehyde, fibrotic marker, caspase-3 in cardiac of diabetic rats were elevated (p < 0.05) significantly. Body weight, cardiac antioxidant, and anti-apoptotic marker levels diminished (p < 0.05) significantly in diabetic rats. 100 mg/kgb.wt & 200 mg/kgb.wt of Anacardium occidentale nuts methanolic extract administration significantly suppressed the plasma insulin, FBG, HbA1c, cardiac lipid profile, cardiac enzymes biomarker, cardiac inflammatory cytokines, cardiac malondialdehyde, cardiac fibrotic marker, cardiac caspase-3, food intake & water intake and increased the body weight, cardiac antioxidant & cardiac anti-apoptotic marker in the diabetic rats.Conclusion: Anacardium occidentale nuts attenuate cardiac injury in diabetes. It could be a natural medicine to manage diabetes-cardiovascular complications.

Juvenile Xanthogranulomatosis (JXG) is a condition, characterized by a proliferation of histiocytes, primarily observed in infants and young children. Cutaneous manifestations appear as yellow-orange-brown papules or nodules, typically localized on the face, neck, and upper chest. While most lesions regress spontaneously, some may require intervention for aesthetic, diagnostic, or hemorrhagic reasons. A rare case of disseminated JXG in a child with hemophilia has been reported. In this patient with severe hemophilia A, cutaneous nodules appeared, some associated with bleeding requiring appropriate management. Treatment included the administration of factor VIII to prevent bleeding during surgical procedures and secondary prophylaxis, to control recurrent bleeding. The outcome was favorable with the disappearance of the cutaneous lesions without sequelae, under regular surveillance for both medical conditions. This case highlights the rare association between juvenile xanthogranulomatosis (JXG) and hemophilia, a combination that has never been documented in the medical literature. This association only impacts the management of JXG when the cutaneous lesions bleed and their excision becomes necessary.

This study investigates into the historical evolution and contemporary applications of Computed Tomography (CT) in renal stone estimation, with a focus on the innovative use of CT to quantify renallcalculiistrain for estimating potentiallsymptomatic incidents.Historically, CT has played a pivotal role in diagnosing renal calculi, offering unparalleled sensitivity and specificity in detecting stones of varying composition and size. However, the clinical significance of renal calculi extends beyond mere detection, prompting researchers to explore novel approaches to predict symptomatic events associated with stone disease. This research aimed to determine the right way to classify asymptomatic radiographic calculi strain on computed tomography (CT) scans in Al-Hussein Teaching Hospital, Al-Muthanna, Iraq. A survey was made available to calculi formers who had a CT scan during asymptomatic after a calculi clinical assessment. A survey and a study of medical records revealed symptomatic calculi route incidents after a CT scan. The amount of calculus, the biggest calculi thickness, electronic total calculi size (TSV), and two-pronged calculus were measured radiographically and linked as predictors of calculi events. There were 55 calculi formers in the study, and 61% had a calculi event one year after the CT scan. The calculus number was (0–1, 2–3, 4–6, 7), the highest calculi diameter was (0–2, 3–4, 5–7, 8 mm), and 48% had bilateral calculus. The number of calculus per quartile had a danger ratio of 1.30 (p = 0.001), the largest calculi diameter had a hazard ratio of 1.26 (p  0.001), TSV had a hazard ratio of 1.38 (p = 0.001), and bilateral calculus had a hazard ratio of 1.80 (p = 0.001). Only TSV wass an unbiased measure offsymptomaticceventssin multivariable regression (HR = 1.35 per quartile, p = 0.01). TSV-related incidents were also unaffected by demographics, urinary chemistry, or calculi composition. A drastic rise in TSV between CT scans (> 31 mm3/year) expected additional eventssin the 49 patients with interim events (HR = 2.8, p = 0.05). For calculating calculi pressure on CT scan, automated TSV is more accurate for asymptomatic events than physical approaches.

A 51-year-old female with a history of multinodular goitre presented with vomiting, abdominal discomfort, and generalized tiredness. Investigations revealed hypercalcemia (ionized calcium 1.41 mmol/L), hypokalaemia, suppressed parathyroid hormone, and significantly elevated free thyroxine (> 7.77 ng/dL) with a suppressed thyroid-stimulating hormone level consistent with hyperthyroidism. Further, the workup confirmed Graves’ disease as the underlying aetiology. Hyperthyroidism is occasionally associated with mild to moderate hypercalcemia, but severe hypercalcemia or hypercalcaemic crisis is an extremely rare complication. Prompt recognition and treatment are crucial to prevent life-threatening complications. The patient was treated with intravenous fluids, a low-calcium diet, zoledronic acid, carbimazole, and a beta-blocker, leading to improvement in her condition. This case highlights a rare occurrence of hypercalcaemic crisis in a patient with thyrotoxicosis due to Graves’ disease. Hyperthyroidism-induced hypercalcemia requires prompt recognition and multidisciplinary management involving endocrinologists, internists, and critical care specialists to prevent potentially life-threatening complications. Healthcare providers should consider the hypercalcaemic crisis in the differential diagnosis of hypercalcemia in the context of hyperthyroidism.

The N-hydroxydodecanamide (HA12) and its complexes tri-hydroxamato-iron(III) and di-hydroxamto-iron(III) chloride (HA8Fe3 and HA12Fe3Cl, respectively) showed antibacterial and antimycobacterial activities. The proteomic analysis demonstrated that the targets of Hydroxamic Acid (HA) and their complexes were involved in the biosynthesis of mycobacterial cell walls. The Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) is one of the key elements to cause oxidative stress, damaging DNA, and cell membranes impaired during the procedure to kill bacteria. Here, the ROS production was determined to evaluate the compounds HA12, HA8Fe3, HA12Fe3Cl, and ZnCl2 against bacteria using 2’,7’-dichlorofluorescein diacetate (DCFDA) by spectrofluorometric analysis. The low fluorescence was observed using the compounds HA12, HA8Fe3, HA12Fe3Cl, and ZnCl2 treating the S. aureus and E. coli, indicating that the ROS production could not be observed using the compounds used at a dose higher than the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC). It was noted that the ROS determination could be performed with a concentration less than or equal to the MIC. This would enable the mechanism of action linked to the ROS production by HA and their metal complexes to be determined.

The physiological removal of foreign bodies in the horse’s external ear canal is best achieved by head-shaking. However, external otitis in the horse induces moderate to severe pain: therefore, the horse does not shake his head. The causes of external otitis are dust, water in the external ear canal, keratin, and ceruminous debris. The clinical symptoms are ear discharge, skittishness, facial nerve paresis, and/or head tilt. After the horse has been sedated, the most important diagnostic procedure is the endoscopy of the cartilaginous and osseous part of the external ear canal, including the evaluation of the transparency of the tympanic membrane. The clinical complications of external otitis are hearing loss, facial nerve paresis, head tilt, hypertrophy of the tympanostylohyoideum, and corneal ulcers. The most important treatment is soaking up the exudate in the osseous part of the external ear canal using small cotton balls which are held by the foreign body forceps of the endoscope. Based on the results of the culture of exudate and the antibiogram, an antibacterial drug must be administered orally for 3 to 4 weeks. At this time, an endoscopy of the external ear canals and guttural pouches also has to be done. Based on the outcome of the endoscopy, endoscopic and clinical investigations have to be performed six months later as well. Only 7/19 horses had a normal osseous part of the external ear canal with a transparent tympanic membrane, including normal hearing measured by the brainstem auditory-evoked response after one month of treatment.

Background: Sarcoidosis is a systemic granulomatous inflammatory disease that is associated with inflammatory eye manifestations such as uveitis, cystoid macular edema, and retinal vasculitis. Although Corticosteroids (CS) have traditionally been the mainstay of treatment, there is a clinical need and growing interest in exploring alternative therapeutic options for patients who are refractory to or intolerant of CS or require long-term steroid-sparing agents. Purpose: This case series aims to describe the effectiveness of adalimumab, an anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α monoclonal antibody, in the management of complex sarcoidosis-related inflammatory eye disease via reduction in CS dosage and ocular exam findings before and after initiation of adalimumab therapy.Method: A retrospective chart review of patients between 2010 and 2023 seen at our academic center’s rheumatology and eye clinics was conducted, with 5 patients meeting the inclusion criteria. Results: Most patients were able to lower, discontinue, or remain off oral CS, while all 5 patients demonstrated a reduction in uveitis activity, Cystoid Macular Edema (CME), and/or retinal vasculitis. Conclusion: These findings suggest a potential role for adalimumab as an effective and safe therapeutic option in the management of complex sarcoidosis-related inflammatory eye disease.

Additive manufacturing, commonly known as 3D printing, is revolutionizing the field of biomedical engineering by enabling the creation of custom implants tailored to individual patient anatomy. This technology uses digital design files to layer-by-layer build structures from various materials, including biocompatible metals, polymers, and ceramics. In medical applications, this precision allows for the creation of implants that closely match the contours and geometries of a patient’s unique anatomical features, offering improved fit, functionality, and comfort compared to traditional, mass-produced implants. The potential benefits extend beyond just enhanced patient outcomes. With additive manufacturing, healthcare providers can reduce surgical times by designing implants that require minimal intraoperative modification. Moreover, the flexibility of this technology facilitates rapid prototyping and iterative design, enabling healthcare professionals to collaborate with engineers in refining implant designs before they are used in surgery. This iterative approach is particularly useful in complex cases, such as craniofacial reconstruction, where conventional implants may not adequately address the intricacies of a patient’s skeletal structure.

In the last decade, convergence science has been described as the solution to problems by integrating biological sciences with the physical, mathematical and computational sciences. This concurrence opens the pitch to strengthen multidisciplinary, transdisciplinary and interdisciplinary work. This short review delves into the transformative integration of engineering, science and technology in the dynamic realm of intensive care. Unveiling recent advancements, the exploration spans the multifaceted contributions of these disciplines toward elevating patient care and optimizing healthcare systems.

Purpose: Peripartum cardiomyopathy is a rare life-threatening cardiomyopathy of unknown etiology with significant maternal morbidity and mortality. It causes heart failure due to left ventricular systolic dysfunction with or without left ventricular dilatation in the last month of pregnancy up to 5 months postpartum in previously healthy women. We aimed to determine short-term outcomes of peripartum cardiomyopathy clinically as well as in terms of left ventricular systolic function and to study the clinical profile and associated risk factors.Patients and methods: A prospective observational study was carried out in the Department of Cardiology of Manmohan Cardiothoracic Vascular and Transplant Center, Institute of Medicine, Kathmandu, Nepal, from July 2018 to January 2022. All the patients with peripartum cardiomyopathy who presented to the department of cardiology were enrolled in the study and re-evaluated with echocardiography at 6 months.Results: A total of 68 women met the inclusion criteria. The mean age was 28.38 ± 5.5 years (range 19 to 44 years). The most common clinical presentation was dyspnea followed by lower limb edema. Six (8.8%) patients presented during the last month of pregnancy whereas 62 (91.2%) patients presented in the postpartum period. The mean left ventricular ejection fraction on presentation was 30.01 ± 8.54. A full recovery was observed among 60.29% at 6 months. The mortality rate was 4.41%.Conclusion: Timely diagnosis and management of peripartum cardiomyopathy with standard therapy for heart failure leads to better recovery of left ventricular systolic function.

Background: Maternal mortality is a very sensitive indicator of our health system and services. Epidemiological data about maternal mortality is a vital requirement in every setting not only to design interventional programs but also to identify gaps in the existing structures, to reduce the ratio favorably. This study was an attempt to shed light on the mortality rate in our hospital, to analyze the epidemiological aspects, causes of maternal mortality, and types of delay, and to suggest recommendations for improvement. Methods: A retrospective study was done at a tertiary care center at the district level from January 2022 to December 2022. Demographic data and details of selected parameters were obtained from maternal death review forms and case records. Data analyzed and presented.Results: The majority of the maternal deaths could be attributed to direct obstetric causes like Eclampsia (29.41%), Pre-eclampsia (20.59%), and anemia (20.59%) followed by hemorrhage (14.71%), and septicemia (11.76%). Medical conditions contributing to death included liver disorders (5.8%), COVID-19 infection (5.8%), and cardiac disorders (2.9%). Conclusion: It is evident that the maternal mortality ratio is significantly high, with a majority of the deaths occurring due to avoidable causes. Leading contributory factors were due to delay in seeking help or delay in referral. High-risk cases must be identified at the earliest and referred to higher centers for management from the first trimester itself. Generating awareness among the common public and counseling the gravidas and their caretakers throughout pregnancy is equally important to prevent maternal mortality and near-miss cases.

Background: Maternal splenic cyst during pregnancy appears to be a rare pathology whose treatment is not codified. The most feared complication is rupture during pregnancy. It occurs in 60% of cases in the third trimester of pregnancy, leading to significant maternal-fetal morbidity and mortality. Case report: We describe the successful management of a 24-year-old patient, G1P0, with a history of a recurrent splenic cyst. She presented with a giant splenic cyst measuring 28 cm in diameter at 30 weeks of amenorrhea. A cesarean section was performed at 37 weeks gestation. A splenectomy was performed on day 21 postpartum.Conclusion: The incidence of splenic cysts is extremely rare during pregnancy. The diagnosis must be made as early as possible to undertake appropriate treatment before the appearance of maternal-fetal complications.

Robust anti-microbial surfaces that are non-toxic to users have widespread application in medical, industrial, and domestic arenas. Magnesium hydroxide has recently gained attention as an anti-microbial compound that is non-toxic, biocompatible, and environmentally friendly. Here we demonstrate melt compound and thermally embossed methods for coating polypropylene with Mg(OH)2 nanoplatelets and copper-infused Mg(OH)2 nanoplatelets. Polypropylene articles coated with Mg(OH)2 nanoplatelets and copper-infused Mg(OH)2 nanoplatelets exhibit a log 8 kill of E.coli within 24 hours. In addition, Mg(OH)2 NPs suspension, at 0.25% reduced SARSCoV-2 virus titers in the solution by 2.5 x 103 PFU/mL or 29.4%, while the Cu-infused Mg(OH)2 NPs suspension, at 0.25% reduced titers by 8.1 x 103 PFU/mL or 95.3%. Fluorescence microscopy revealed that reactive oxygen species (ROS) are produced in bacteria in response to Mg(OH)2 and Cu-infused Mg(OH)2 nanoplatelets which appears to be an important but not the sole mode of anti-microbial action of the nanoplatelets. Plastics with anti-microbial surfaces from where biocides are non-leachable are highly desirable. This work provides a general fabrication strategy for developing anti-microbial plastic surfaces.

This paper investigates the effect of coating concentration (ppm), and coating thickness (µm) on the anti-microbial properties of polycarbonate sheets using a variety of anti-microbial agents (Cu-infused Mg(OH)2, Mg(OH)2, Cu(OH)2, MgO, CuCl2.2H2O, and ZnO). In addition, a complete analysis was performed for all agents to rank the best agent in terms of the highest anti-microbial performance against E. coli K-12 MG1655 in two time intervals (4 and 24 hours). The coating concentration (ppm) was found to be a significant factor in the anti-microbial characteristics for Cu-infused Mg(OH)2, Mg(OH)2, Cu(OH)2, MgO, CuCl2.2H2O, and ZnO (p = 0.004, p < 0.0001, p < 0.0001, p = 0.0297, p = 0.0011, and p = 0.0130 respectively). The coating thickness (µm), on the other hand, was found to be a major contributor to the anti-microbial properties of Cu-infused Mg(OH)2, Mg(OH)2, Cu(OH)2, MgO, and CuCl2.2H2O (p < 0.0001, p = 0.0004, p = 0.0011, p = 0.0310, and p < 0.0001 respectively). The analysis determined that the coating did not influence the anti-microbial properties of ZnO. The interaction between the coating concentration (ppm), and the coating thickness (µm) was found to be a significant factor for Cu-infused Mg(OH)2, Cu(OH)2, MgO, CuCl2.2H2O, and ZnO (p < 0.0001, p = 0.0001, p = 0.0004, p < 0.0001, and p < 0.0001 respectively), however, this was not a significant factor for Mg(OH)2.Highlights•    The anti-microbial activity of the inorganic material is dependent on the particle shape and size.•    Particles with sharp edges will provide additional physical injuries to the microorganisms.•    Smaller particle size will provide higher surface area therefore better interaction with microorganisms.•    The coating concentration and coating thickness will be crucial to the anti-microbial activity.•    The thermal embossing techniques demonstrate good adhesion to the surface.

Testing the antimicrobial efficiency of plastics with good precision and repeatability remains a challenge in the plastic industry, as commonly used standards can provide unreliable data. In this paper, we show that the “Bacterial Liquid Suspension Test” is a reliable method that allows for the measurement of antimicrobial activity of poor to very potent biocides. We used this technique to discriminate the performance of two Cu-based biocides, either in nanoparticle (NP) or macroparticle (MP) size, at three different loadings (0.02, 0.2 and 2 wt.%) in PP. With this technique, we also tested the antibacterial performance of PP as powders, pellets, and injection molded disks. As anticipated, the technique shows that both the increased loading and the smaller particle size showed higher antimicrobial activity than the larger particle size due to their increased surface area. Also, PP powders showed greater bacterial reduction than pellets and disks. While the PP with 2 wt.% Cu NPs showed the best antimicrobial performance, the detection of Cu at the surface (using SEM-EDX) and in the water leachate (using ICP-MS) were below the LODs, indicating their ability to kill bacteria.

Cerebrotendinous Xanthamatosis (CTX) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder caused by a mutation in the CYP27A1 gene leading to impaired metabolism of cholesterol and accumulation of cholestenol and the cholesterol in various tissues such as the brain, eyes, lungs and bones and reduced formation of cheno-deoxycholic acid (CDCA). The clinical presentation is diverse, starting in the early neonatal period and progressing till adulthood unless treated early. A common neurological manifestation is a spino-cerebellar ataxia followed by spastic paraparesis. Tendon xanthoma is a classical finding that usually helps in clinching the diagnosis but may not be present in all cases. Brain MRI also reveals characteristic abnormalities with cerebellar atrophy and hyper-intensities in the dentate nucleus and surrounding cerebellar white matter on T1weighted images. It is a rare cause of treatable ataxia in young individuals. Treatment is by replacement by CDCA or Urso-deoxycholic acid (UDCA). Supplemented with statins these individuals also have premature atherosclerosis causing death due to athero-sclerotic coronary artery disease. Here a rare case of symptomatic heterologous CYP27A1 mutation is reported with syndrome of spino-cerebellar ataxia treated with UDCA.

Background: Myiasis is a parasitic infestation of livestock animals caused by dipteran larvae. The presence of wounds, lack of hygiene on the farm, and temperate climatic conditions contribute to myiasis. Swine can be infested by myiasis if injured pigs are not treated properly and failure to treat myiasis in time may cause the culling or death of the pigs, resulting in huge economic loss to the farmers. But like humans and other farm animals, pigs also deserve to be treated and cured of any suffering or disease. Therefore, this study is documented on pig myiasis and its management because to date a few cases have been reported on it.Case presentation: This case report documented the successful management of neck myiasis in a male, 9-month-old, 12-kg-weighing backyard pig. The wound site was cleaned using antiseptics and maggots were removed. The site was treated with turpentine oil, and ivermectin at 0.2 mg/kg B.W. and S/C. A combination of streptomycin (12.5 mg/kg B.W.) and penicillin (20000 IU/kg B.W.) was used IM daily for 5 days to prevent secondary bacterial infection. The wound was dressed regularly on every alternate day until the complete removal of maggots and the formation of granulation tissue.Conclusion: Through proper therapeutic management, the backyard pig’s neck myiasis wound was successfully healed in 10 days without any complications.

Usually revealed by lower urinary tract symptoms, prostate neoplasms are the most frequent urological cancer.The patient was a 70-year-old man being explored for bicytopenia in the hematology department: anemia and bicytopenia with no urinary symptoms in the first plan.Bone marrow biopsy was done and the histological and immunohistochemical concluded in an intramedullary spinal cord metastasis of an undifferentiated prostatic carcinoma.We have reviewed the literature one other case of intramedullary metastasis of prostatic cancer was detected but the main symptoms were neurological and the patient was already diagnosed with his cancer.

This ethnobotanical study aims to investigate and document the indigenous knowledge on using traditional medicinal plants to cure human diseases in southern Ethiopia, south Omo zone Baka dawla Ari district at Kure and Bitsmal community. In this study, 77 plant species that belong to 68 genera and 35 plant families were identified by 110 local community members and 10 traditional healers of the study area to treat 32 human diseases. According to the analyzed result of the study three families (Lamiaceae, Solanaceae, and Fabaceae) are equally leading families each with nine species (11.69%) followed by Euphorbiaceae with five species (6.5%) and Asteraceae with four species (5.2%) in the study area. The result of this study also shows that most of the traditional medicines were taken in the mouth (oral) at 61.5% followed by topical (26,4%) and inhalation form (12.1%). The findings of this study show that most traditional plants were collected from the forest (45.5%) followed by the backyard (26%) and herbs are the most popular (59%) followed by shrubs (27%) plant habits. According to the result of this study, leaves are the dominant traditional medicinal plant parts used (55%) followed by roots (11.2%). preference ranking of medicinal plants in the study shows Solanum incanum ranked first indicating that it was the most effective in curing stomach pain followed by Verbena officinalis and the highest informant consensus factor value (0.57) was recorded by Malaria, Evil eye, snake bite, sudden disease categories.